July 12 update for iPhone 12 spec history; update to AirPods history. This edition of Apple Loop was originally released on Friday, July 10..
Glancing at another week of Cupertino news and headlines, this week’s Apple Loop includes new iPhone 12 features, the return of the old iPhone design, bidding farewell to the MacBook Air, a new display for the iPad Pro, updated technology for AirPods, default changes to HomePod and new privacy lights for iOS 14.
Apple Loop is here to remind you of some of the many discussions that have taken place around Apple in the past seven days (and you can read my weekly summary of Android news here on Forbes).
IPhone 12 Super Slo-Mo video revealed
Apple’s upcoming smartphone, like many designs, leans toward the camera as a point of differentiation for consumers and technical superiority over the competition. The latest beta version of iOS 14 suggests that super slow motion options will be available when recording at 4K resolutions. Gordon Kelly of Forbes reports:
“[Pineleaks writes] “It is very likely that both 4K 120 and 240 FPS will be used for slow motion video. Don’t expect 4k 240 to be available for normal video. 4K 120 is still possible. “These video modes would represent a seismic leap for smartphone video recording and a massive differential from the competition. With acclaimed Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo it also promises new” range “camera lenses. high “in the range, we should expect a significant change in both the look and design of the main cameras on all new iPhones.”
Read more here on Forbes.
In this April 18, 2011 photo, a customer tests an Apple iPhone 4 at a Verizon store in Mountain. … [+]
The new design of the new iPhone feels perfect
One of the design points of the iPhone 12 family that has been much discussed is the return to the straight-edged and more box-like structure that was first seen on the iPhone 4. That design language, which started in 2010, he retired with the iPhone 6 Now it is back in fashion on larger phones. The standard versions of the external design, to test fit and function, have been leaked and, as Gordon Kelly reports, it is a design that still works.
“The new sizes are also a factor. After a while with the models, [YouTuber] iupdate notes that the model he was least interested in, the 5.4-inch iPhone 12, ended up being his favorite because it was very compact and usable with one hand (note: it’s even smaller than the new iPhone SE). I suspect this will surprise many buyers and I have already suggested it to become the best-selling iPhone 12 model, especially considering its price. By contrast, the 6.7-inch enlarged iPhone 12 Pro Max is a monster when the two models are placed side by side. “
More here at Forbes.
July 12 update: Physical design isn’t the only trick Apple is bringing back from the old ethos. The lower priced iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Max will ship with 4GB of RAM. In Apple’s defense, iOS is more memory efficient than Android devices, but many will lose the potential for additional RAM when working with high-impact apps and games. Tim Hardwick reports:
“Barclays analyst Blayne Curtis previously said he believes the iPhone 12 Pro models will have 6GB of RAM, while the PiPhone 12 will have 4GB of RAM. UBS analysts also believe that all four iPhones in development will have Different amounts of RAM. Expect a 6-inch 6.7 PiPhone with 6GB of RAM, a 6.1-inch iPhone with 6GB of RAM, a 6.1-inch iPhone with 4GB of RAM and a 5.4-inch iPhone with 4GB of RAM. ”
More on MacRumors.
The new design of the new iPhone feels perfect
One of the design points of the iPhone 12 family that has been much discussed is the return to the straight edge and more box-like structure that was first seen on the iPhone 4. That design language, which started in 2010, he retired with the iPhone 6 Now it is back in fashion on larger phones. The standard versions of the external design, to test fit and function, have been leaked and, as Gordon Kelly reports, it is a design that still works.
“The new sizes are also a factor. After a while with the models, [YouTuber] iupdate notes that the model he was least interested in, the 5.4-inch iPhone 12, ended up being his favorite because it was very compact and usable with one hand (note: it’s even smaller than the new iPhone SE). I suspect this will surprise many buyers and I have already suggested it to become the best-selling iPhone 12 model, especially considering its price. By contrast, the 6.7-inch enlarged iPhone 12 Pro Max is a monster when the two models are placed side by side. “
More here at Forbes.
Goodbye MacBook Air?
With the move to ARM, Apple has a chance to redefine what it means to be a Mac. Included in that ‘clean sheet of paper’ thinking is Mac hardware that must exist. With the thermal and power advantages of ARM (to name two), there is an ongoing discussion at Apple about unifying Mac laptops under one brand. J. Glenn Künzler exposes the ARM-based arguments against the MacBook Air:
“Using incredibly powerful chips that require less cooling, it now makes much less sense for Apple to sell two different 13-inch laptops. Instead, what we’ve heard, and that, once again, makes a lot of sense, is that Apple, in the In the future, it will offer a single line of laptops, which will simply be called “The New MacBook”, or simply “MacBook”.
“If you can make a” MacBook Pro “practically as thin and light as a” MacBook Air, “why wouldn’t you do that? Apple’s most efficient chips make it far more possible and likely than ever.”
Read more at SonnyDickson.com.
An iPad Pro is overhauled after an event announcing new products on Tuesday, October 30, 2018, at the … [+]
iPad Pro will present a new screen
Apple’s update to the iPad Pro, expected next year, could be the first use of MiniLED technology on the screen. This has been a long time coming, and the delay in 2021 from the expected launch in 2020 is due to supply chain problems and the lack of face-to-face development time brought on by the coronavirus pandemic. Chance Miller reports:
“… Apple’s transition to mini-LED technology will begin with the 12.9-inch iPad Pro during the first quarter of 2021. At the same time, Apple is also expected to start looking for mini-LED technology providers for the MacBook Pro from 16-inch and a new 14-inch MacBook Pro.
“Mini LED displays offer a wide color gamut, high contrast ratios, high dynamic range, and localized dimming. The mini LED is also believed to result in thinner panels that are more efficient and burn-free like OLEDs. “
More at 9to5Mac.
New technology for Apple AirPods
Apple looks set to bring the AirPods Pro ‘bundled system’ design to entry-level AirPods later this year. This includes multiple ICs in a single plastic shell, allowing more hardware to be placed in a smaller space, something that wireless headphone designers especially appreciate. Mikey Campbell reports:
“The Cupertino tech giant will introduce chip packaging technology into its entry-level AirPods product for the first time in 2021, Kuo said in a research note on Monday. Which, exactly, means that for end users it is still not Be clear, though it might announce a drip effect for more advanced features that owners of the designated Pro variant enjoy. “
More on Apple Insider.
Update from July 10: Olivia Tambini of Tech Radar not so sure. The electronics inside the AirPods may be improving, but what about the external design? That is in dire need of an update:
“These headphones may have enabled the implementation of touch-sensitive controls, but as AirPods Pro have shown, these controls do not require a large footprint to function.”
“In addition, innovations in packaged system electronics (SiP), [discussed above] It means you can squeeze a lot more technology into smaller devices. It’s a technology used by AirPods Pro, and it’s rumored to be used once again for AirPods 3, so without the mechanical need for those long headphones, there’s nothing stopping Apple from falling apart. “
Read Tambini’s thoughts here.
New Apple AirPods are shown during an event to announce new Apple products on Wednesday, Sept. … [+]
HomePod allows default changes
A new beta version of the HomePod software allows users to decide on the default multimedia services to be used for music, podcasts, and audiobooks. Not everyone has access, this seems like a small-scale test, but it’s a feature requested by many Apple users, not just the HomePod. Juli Clover reports:
“Currently, third-party music services like Spotify can only be streamed on the HomePod using AirPlay and an iPhone, iPad, or Mac. The new feature will presumably allow Spotify and other music services to be set as the default music service, allowing users to ask Siri to stream music from Spotify.
“Third-party app developers may need to implement support for HomePod, since Spotify is not listed as an option at this time.”
More on MacRumors.
And finally…
Part of the new notification bar in iOS 14 shows some mysterious orange and green dots. These are privacy indicators, which show when apps access your phone’s camera and microphone. Benjamin Mayo reports:
“It turns out that these dots are actually informative pointers that help calm and protect your privacy. On MacBooks and iMacs, Apple has a physical green LED next to the webcam.
“When the camera is accessed, the LED light turns on to let you know that an app on your system is looking at the camera’s power. IPhone and iPad do not have physical LEDs, so Apple has simulated the experience through the software”.
More at 9to5Mac.
Apple Loop brings you seven days of highlights every weekend here at Forbes. Don’t forget to follow me so you don’t miss any coverage in the future. Last week’s Apple Loop can be read here, or this week’s edition of Loop’s sister column Android Circuit is also available on Forbes.
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