Apple

Apple could only be a few months away from releasing a 2022 update in the iMac series. Supposedly, Apple will sell the all-in-one desktop as the iMac Pro, which will be available with M1 Pro and M1 Max chipsets. The 24-inch's design will return in the iMac Pro, too.

According to reports, Apple is looking to shake up its AirPods series with a new design. Unfortunately, while details about the AirPods Pro 2 have already leaked, the earbuds may not arrive until the autumn, three years after the original AirPods Pro debuted.

An intriguing benchmark prediction has been made for the rumored 12-core M-series Apple Silicon that was recently leaked in connection with the 2022 iMac Pro. The potential “M1 Ultra” or “M1 Extreme” SoC leaves Alder Lake in the dust with a somewhat perplexing result. However, the reality for the 12-core Apple Silicon should still be good enough to keep Intel on its toes.

The Beats Studio Buds were already a decent, if cheaper, alternative to the AirPods Pro. However, the more affordable earbuds have now received a few features from the AirPods Pro with their latest software update, blurring the line between them and Apple's premium earbuds.

Universal Control has taken a step closer to public release with the first iPadOS 15.4 and macOS Monterey 12.3 betas. Available to try now, Universal Control allows people to treat up to three devices as one, with file transfers, app windows, and synchronised input methods. Apple debuted Universal Control at WWDC 2021 in June, last year.

Apple has unveiled the first iOS 15.4 beta, following the public release of iOS 15.3. The inaugural iOS 15.4 beta brings a few new features to iPhones, such as third-party support for ProMotion displays, currently restricted to the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max. Apple has added two COVID-related features, too.

Apple brought widgets to iPhones with iOS 14, a feature that Android smartphones have had for well over a decade. While iOS widgets look stylish, they lack the interactivity of their Android counterparts. Reportedly, this disparity could end with iOS 16 though, courtesy of a feature called InfoShack.

Apple has been placed at #1 in a newly-released list of 500 brands ranked by "value" in 2022. The Cupertino giant has retained this position due to its perception as a company that releases high-end, reliable and easily recognizable products on a regular basis. Of course, being a tech company has not hurt in this respect, either.

Compatible with a wide range of devices, the TeamSpeak-certified Austrian Audio PG16 gaming headset features 44 mm high-excursion drivers, a lift-to-mute omnidirectional microphone, easily replaceable earcups, metal hinges, as well as a foldable design that ensures maximum portability. The price tag reads 139 Euros (about US$157).

Apple has started distributing watchOS 8.4 globally. The software update arrives for all Apple Watch Series devices from the Watch Series 3 onwards and is roughly a 200 MB download. According to Apple, watchOS 8.4 addresses eight security vulnerabilities and fixes a charging bug that affected some smartwatches.

Apple has started rolling out iOS 15.3 and iPadOS 15.3 to multiple devices. The two OS updates contain fixes for at least ten security issues but lack any new features or changes. iOS 15.3 and iPadOS 15.3 are large updates too, considering their contents.

To celebrate Black History Month, Apple has unveiled a brand new watch band for the Apple Watch. The Black Unity Braided Solo Loop contains 16,000 interwoven threads made from recycled polyester yarn and is inspired by Afrofuturism. In addition, the Apple Watch finally supports ray tracing, but only through a new watch face.

Apple has been found to have ended 2021 at the top of the smartphone market in China for the year's final quarter (4Q2021), outdoing local brands such as Vivo, OPPO and Xiaomi. The Cupertino giant has not been in this position since 2015, with its highest share of this market on record. By contrast, the Chinese market as a whole declined by nearly 10% compared to 4Q2020.

While Apple Watch became the number one best selling watch in the world, surpassing Rolex back in 2017, the smartwatch still feels very much like a unique utility for Apple enthusiasts. Here are four amazing apps that casual users and dedicated techies alike will find entertaining, useful, & packed full of utility.

A growing number of Apple users are apparently finding more and more creative ways to make good use of their AirTags. An army wife from Colorado has now used one of the little trackable helpers to expose and confront a lying truck driver who visited his girlfriend instead of delivering her household items.

Some Apple iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro devices are suffering from pink colour overlay issues. The problem renders devices unusable, but Apple does not have a simple resolution yet. However, it does not believe that hardware issues are the cause.

Currently, most new Pro-series iPhones are shipped with displays made by Samsung. However, BOE aims to cut into that market with new panels with the specs Apple might be looking for in future models. They include LTPO and a double-stack tandem structure, which could persuade the Cupertino giant to throw more orders its way from 2023 on.

A set of premium phones including the Galaxy S21 Ultra, Xiaomi 12 Pro, OnePlus 10 Pro, and iPhone 13 series have now been put through a battery drain test. The iPhone 13 tops the chart as is typical, but the OnePlus 10 Pro surprisingly comes in second, with 2020's Mate 40 Pro following closely.

According to reports, Apple is planning on releasing up to four products at its spring 2022 hardware event. Reputedly, a next-generation Mac mini and an iPad Air 5 could join the already rumoured iPhone SE 5G, along with an iMac Pro and even an SoC more powerful than the current M1 Max.

The iPhone 14 series, a refreshed iPad Pro with M2 silicon, and a new entry-level MacBook Pro are some of the highlights of a full launch schedule Apple reportedly has planned for fall (autumn) 2022. On top of those headliners, it’s also believed that Cupertino will have the Apple Watch Series 8 and an updated Mac Pro to show off.

The Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 has yet again been put through a Genshin Impact gaming test, this time versus the Apple 15 Bionic on the iPhone 13 Pro Max. The results? Well, not particularly impressive, especially in terms of power consumption.

Rockley Photonics Holdings has announced the successful completion of the first human studies trial for its biomarker sensing platform. Future VitalSpex modules should be able to non-invasively provide data about biomarkers such as blood alcohol content, blood pressure, and blood sugar. Rockley is also known for its association with Apple.

Reputedly, Apple will hold off on equipping iPhones with periscope cameras until next year, starting with the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max. However, Apple is tipped to opt for five-fold optical zoom, rather than matching Samsung with its ten-fold optical zoom camera in the Galaxy S21 Ultra.

After the upcoming iPhone SE 3 was already rumored to launch in spring of 2022, an established leaker has now offered a more specific timeframe for the release date of Apple's upcoming 5G budget smartphone.

Apple had been kept off the top spot in the mobile devices market worldwide for the first 3 quarters of 2021. However, it shot back up to #1 for the year's final quarter (4Q2021), despite a slight drop in its share compared to 4Q2020. This success is attributed to the iPhone 13-series, even with its supply-chain issues.

Apple has significantly reduced the amount of discount users get when they trade in their Android smartphones for an Apple device. For instance, where Apple used to give US$325 for the Galaxy S21 5G, the company now gives US$260. The reduction in value is reflected throughout Samsung’s flagship phone lineup.

Apple has registered a dozen new model numbers with the Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC) in Russia, including three iPhones. Purportedly, the model numbers could relate to the iPhone SE 3 and the iPad Air 5, both due soon with A15 Bionic SoCs.

Complying with an order by the Netherlands' Authority for Consumers and Markets, Apple is now allowing developers of dating apps to offer non-Apple payment options. By allowing developers to use payment options outside of Apple's system, the company is forgoing the 15-30% cut that it takes on app sales and in-app purchases.

The rather sophisticated but still imperfect workaround that enables Apple CarPlay on Tesla's infotainment system may present technically inclined users with an experimental method to improve the connectivity between their iPhone and their electric car.

Apple has confirmed that the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro do without noise cancellation during phone calls, including the iPhone 13 mini and iPhone 13 Pro Max. Apple had included the feature in the iPhone 12 series and in older models to improve call quality in noise environments. However, it has not given a reason for removing this feature as of the iPhone 13 series.

Apple's upcoming AR/VR headset will feature an M1 Pro SoC, dual 8K displays, and advanced audio. The headset is likely to be priced around the US$2,000 mark, according to known Apple watcher Mark Gurman. Gurman also notes in his latest newsletter that the Apple headset will focus on gaming, multimedia, and communications. He even predicts a few possible names for the device including Apple Vision, Apple Reality, and Apple Sight.

Apple's upcoming iPhone SE 3 will not be launched this year. A new leak now claims it could debut in 2023 rather than 2024 and could do so with a 5.7-inch AMOLED. Apple will launch an iPhone SE model this year, though, but it could be branded as the iPhone SE+ 5G.

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The Apple Silicon-based Mac Pro desktop computer will rely on M1 SoC extension chips rather than the upcoming M2 generation according to a noted tech tipster. In addition, Apple will complete its move away from Intel processors with the launch of the M1-powered Mac Pro, which could appear before the end of 2022.

Reportedly, Apple has settled on another uninspired refresh of its entry-level iPad. With no design refresh for another year, Apple is expected to turn to a chipset upgrade, which will introduce a few other upgrades. The next cheap iPad could still find itself with a two-year-old SoC when it launches, though.

A new MacBook Pro 14 and a refreshed MacBook Air should be launched in the second half of 2022 according to a leaker with a good track record. Both laptops will feature M2 Apple Silicon, with the M2 MacBook Pro 14 taking the place of the MacBook Pro 13 (late 2020) and coming in at an only “slightly higher price”.

A new leak has provided a first look at MediaTek's next-gen flagship chipset, the successor to the new Dimensity 900 which could be branded as the Dimensity 10000. The SoC looks set to be built on TSMC's 3 nm, and is expected to do battle with Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Gen 2.

The iPhone is the only modern flagship series that lacks a USB Type-C port, with Apple remaining resolute of its proprietary Lightning connection. While an engineer introduced the first iPhone with a USB Type-C port a few months ago, it compromised the smartphone's water resistance. Now, someone has managed to accomplish both, which they will soon be selling.

A major bug exists in Safari 15 that can put user-privacy at risk. The IndexedDB API bug, which affects Safari users on macOS, iOS 15, and iPadOS 15, violates the same-origin policy that prevents websites accessing information from other websites that also interact with the IndexedDB database. A maliciously-designed website can thus get access to information such as browsing history and identifiers such as Google user IDs.

According to sources at Mac Otakara, Apple could be set to launch a new iPad Air 5 model, outfitted with a 5nm A15 SoC and an enhanced camera. The display and chassis may not be upgraded over the current-gen iPad Air, however.

Rumour has it that even the entry-level in the iPhone 14 series will have a 120 Hz ProMotion display, a notable upgrade on the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 mini. 6 GB of RAM could be arriving too, albeit without a bump to 8 GB for the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max. Apple's next 'Pro' iPhones could receive improved storage configurations, though.

The latest software versions for iPhones and iPads were announced about half a year ago now, and have been found to be installed on about 70% and 60% of their compatible devices released over the last 4 years respectively. However, in the case of iOS, this figure is beaten by that of the preceding 14 version from a year ago.

A report by Counterpoint Research has now provided a look at sales of Apple's iPhone 13 range in China. The iPhone 13 dominates as expected but the iPhone 13 Mini comes in last by quite the distance, further buttressing rumors of Apple axing the iPhone 14 Mini.

Apple is apparently exploring the viability of different designs for its upcoming 2022 iPad Pro refresh, which could feature an interesting design choice that would allow the implementation of wireless charging functionality.

Pointing out the undeniable fact that it is being used extensively by extremist groups, Germany aims to shut down Telegram across the country, and even across the entire European Union. In addition to death threats against officials, Telegram is employed by anti-vaxxers in their campaign against COVID-19 shots.

Apple is expected to release a third-generation iPhone SE soon, perhaps up to six months before the iPhone 14 series arrives. New leaked CAD renders purport to show what the next iPhone SE will look like, which includes a single rear-facing camera and a notched display. Apparently, the panel change will bring a 5.69-inch display to the iPhone SE, and without making its chassis any larger than the current model's.

The upcoming iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max models may get upgraded to a 48 MP main camera with larger pixel sizes, according to a TrendForce report. It is possible that Apple may use downscaling algorithms to give a final 12 MP output from the raw 48 MP sensor data. While the 48 MP main camera will be limited to the iPhone 14 Pro models, the entire iPhone 14 lineup is slated to get 8K video recording.

An analysis from Goldman Sachs has revealed that Apple has largely met demand for the iPhone 13 series of smartphones. On the other hand, the supply for the 14-inch and the 16-inch MacBook Pros still lags behind the demand. Unlike the iPhone 13, the MacBook Pro supply situation has worsened.

The start-up Chargeasap set up an Indiegogo campaign to fund the production of its Flash Pro and Pro Plus power banks. Its success has enabled the company to start selling the ~100W-capable accessories through its own website. They boast 25,000mAh rated capacities based on the latest graphene power-storage technology.

Apple Glass, AR glasses that the company is rumored to be working on, may come with lenses that adjust to correct users' visual defects. According to a patent granted to Apple, multiple electrodes are used to adjust the physical properties of liquid crystal lenses, allowing the lenses to mimic prescription lenses.