Tag: iphone

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Apple announces the new $399 iPhone SE for 2020

Apple has officially announced the new iPhone SE, a lower-cost iPhone that starts at $399 for a version with 64GB of storage. It has the same basic shape and look as the iPhone 8, which means it has a 4.7-inch screen, large bezels on the top and bottom, and a home button with Touch ID. It’s a design that has stayed consistent since the iPhone 6, which makes the iPhone SE essentially the fifth generation of that same look. Apple knows this design well.

It is available for preorder this Friday, April 17th, and it will ship on April 24th. There will be a 128GB model offered for $449 and a 256GB model for $549. Like other iPhones, it will come with a free year of Apple TV Plus. It will come in black, white, and Product Red.

The iPhone SE is essentially an iPhone 8 with a better camera and processor — and a lower price tag. Although it’s a relatively old design, this iPhone SE has Apple’s A13 Bionic chip, the same that’s available in the latest iPhone 11 and 11 Pro models.

That should ensure that it has a much longer lifespan than the $449 iPhone 8 model that it’s replacing in Apple’s lineup, which had an A11 chip from 2017. There won’t be a plus-sized version of the second-generation iPhone SE, but the iPhone 8 Plus will continue to be sold in certain markets.

Source: Apple

Original post: The Verge

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Apple redesigning iPhone this year with flat sides and smaller notch, says report

Bloomberg has published a new report detailing much of Apple’s product roadmap for 2020, including the four new iPhones that have been widely rumored. Corroborating Ming-chi Kuo’s analysis from last year, Apple is said to be redesigning the iPhone Pro chassis with flat edges reminiscent of the current iPad Pro. Kuo claimed the screen glass would still be slightly curved, while Bloomberg says it’ll be flat.

Bloomberg reports that there will be two iPhone Pro models with three cameras on the back and that they will feature the new iPad Pro’s LIDAR 3D-scanning system — it’s not clear whether that will take the place of one of the iPhone 11 Pro’s existing three cameras, though. It’s also unclear whether the boxy redesign will come to the two lower-end dual-camera models that are reportedly replacing the iPhone 11.THE FACE ID NOTCH WILL ‘LIKELY’ BE REDUCED IN SIZE

The report says that the largest iPhone Pro will have a “slightly larger” screen than the iPhone 11 Pro Max’s 6.5-inch panel, and that the Face ID notch will “likely” be reduced in size. Kuo predicted last year that the Pro models would come in screen sizes of 5.4 inches and 6.7 inches.

Bloomberg also says to expect a smaller, cheaper HomePod speaker as early as this year, following up on its own reporting from August. This new model is now said to have a similar design to the existing HomePod, but come in at around half the size. Apple is reportedly planning a second-quarter release.

Finally, Bloomberg also says to expect new versions of the MacBook Pro, Apple TV, iMac, and entry-model iPad, though doesn’t give any details on what the refreshes might include. A 14-inch MacBook Pro with scissor-switch keyboard has been predicted by Kuo.

Apple doesn’t expect the coronavirus pandemic to cause major delays, according to Bloomberg, though certain iPhone models could end up launching weeks later than usual. Engineers are reportedly heading to China to finalize work on the lineup next month ahead of mass production.

Source: The Verge

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iOS 13.4 update is landing on March 24, and it may fix an annoying iPhone issue

Apple has acknowledged issues with the Personal Hotspot feature on iPhone and iPad within iOS 13, and it’s thought the next software update may be able to fix this problem.

Apple confirmed iOS 13.4 will be landing on Tuesday, March 24, and it’s set to be a fairly big update to your iPhone. Your iPad will also get an update to iPadOS 13.4, if it’s compatible.

Many users have reported the Personal Hotspot feature is temperamental in the iOS 13 update, with it disconnecting regularly. An easy fix is to turn the feature off and on again, but that doesn’t solve the problem for good.

Now, an internal document from Apple has been sent to the company’s Authorized Service Providers (and it was found by MacRumors).

The note says that Apple is aware of the disconnect issue for the Personal Hotspot feature. It offers a variety of fixes while the company works on an official fix.

There’s no confirmation that this will be tackled within iOS 13.4, but it being acknowledged by Apple ahead of a new software update may mean that the upgrade will come with a big fix.

While that’s uncertain, the latest iOS 13.4 update looks set to bring an option to unlock your NFC-compatible car with your iPhone, along with new Memoji stickers, iCloud folder sharing, and even combined app purchases across iPhone and Mac.

iPadOS is arguably getting even bigger updates, with mouse and trackpad support set to land within the tablet software.

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An iPhone supply shortage is looming due to coronavirus, says Apple

While Apple was fully anticipating its iPhone production to be impeded by factory closures brought about by the coronavirus, the company’s latest investor report warns that the impact is greater than initially expected.

After announcing that Apple is “more than doubling” its donations to help aid relief efforts, the report continues to mention that there is a “slower return to normal conditions than [Apple] had anticipated” and that the company no longer expects to meet the revenue projection it laid out for the quarter.

There are two major reasons for this. The first factor, and the one most pertinent to the Western market, is that Apple expects that its “worldwide iPhone supply will be temporarily constrained” due to the relevant facilities ramping up more slowly than expected.

The other issue cited is that the demand for the company’s products in general has been diminished across China, and the ability to keep Apple Stores open in the country has been affected.

This is far from an isolated case in the tech industry, with the 2020 Mobile World Congress (MWC) getting cancelled entirely due to a succession of major brands pulling out as a result of the virus.

The Cupertino firm takes great pains to emphasize in the report that any disruption to the business is only temporary, and that the company is “fundamentally strong”, so it remains to be seen how severe any supply shortages may be.

Source: Techradar

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Bloomberg: New low cost iPhone entering production next month, could be released next march

According to a new report from Bloomberg this evening, Apple’s upcoming low-cost iPhone will enter mass production next month. This is the device that has commonly been referred to as the iPhone SE 2 and iPhone 9.

Today’s report says Apple is preparing to officially unveil this iPhone “as early as March,” with production being split between Foxconn, Pegatron, and Winstron.

In terms of what to expect from this iPhone, Bloombergreiterates much of what has previously been reported. It is said to feature Touch ID integrated into the Home button, the same A13 processor as the iPhone 11, and a design similar to the iPhone 8. That means we should expect a 4.7-inch LCD panel, flanked by bezels on the top and button, with a single lens camera on the back.

Previous reports from Ming-Chi Kuo have predicted that the iPhone SE 2/iPhone 9 could have a starting price as low as $399. Currently, Apple sells the 64GB iPhone 8 for $449, so an even more affordable iPhone SE 2 with the latest A13 processor could prove to be a tempting upgrade path for those users.

It remains to be seen what Apple will name this iPhone. While Kuo has commonly referred to it as the “iPhone SE 2,” it’s not necessarily a direct followup to the 4-inch form factor of the iPhone SE. Other reports have suggested it will be called the iPhone 9, given its positioning between the iPhone 8 and iPhone X: more advanced internals than the iPhone 8, but without the modern design of the iPhone X and newer.

What’s Apple’s logic behind this device? Kuo has said that the iPhone SE 2 will mainly target iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus users, who cannot update to iOS 13 this year. If Apple pushes those users towards the iPhone SE 2 with an A13 processor, more iPhone customers will be running iOS 13 and will be able to access new Services like Apple TV+ and Apple Arcade.

What do you think of the iPhone SE 2/iPhone 9? What might Apple name it? Let us know down in the comments!

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Apple’s Radical New iPhone Suddenly Takes Shape

Apple played safe with its (intelligently upgraded) iPhone 11 series and the result is a rock solid range which gets the basics right. But they don’t quicken pulse rates like what is coming next. 

Following a series of leaks (1,2,3,4,5), we know a lot about Apple’s plans to launch a radically redesigned 2020 iPhone and now expert render artists at PhoneArea have put them all together for the first time. 

The big takeaways are Apple’s repeatedly leaked plans to return the so-called iPhone 12 to a boxier design akin to the iPhone 4, as well as shrinking the notch. Apple is also adding an additional Time Of Flight (ToF) camera (like most rivals) with Bloomberg detailing the inclusion of long-range 3D capabilitiesto the primary camera to enable the mapping of surroundings up to 15 feet away. A feature designed to boost augmented reality apps. 

Flaws? I understand that there won’t be a fourth camera because a ToF sensor is tiny and 3D will come to the primary lens, so the existing triple array will appear largely unchanged. That said, PhoneArena does a superb job of illustrating the broad brushstrokes of what we can expect. 

Source: Forbes

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iOS 13.0 is out, but why?

iOS 13 is now available to download, and if you’re reading this there’s a good chance you’ve already installed it. But if you haven’t, I encourage you to wait. You’ll need to turn off auto-updates in order to keep the install from …automatically updating, though. Barbara Krasnoff explains how to do that here.

You should wait because iOS 13.0 is buggy. Chaim Gartenberg has a review and it’s worth a read, but the headline has it right: iOS 13 review: dark mode, a new Photos app, and bugs.

In fact, Apple quietly pushed up the release date for iOS 13.1 and iPadOS to September 24th — it was originally slated for September 30th. That’s just four or five days from when you’re likely reading this, and well worth the wait. I’d actually recommend waiting longerthan five days to make sure iOS 13.1 fixes the various bugs in 13.0.

So the question on everybody’s mind is, well, why release iOS 13.0 at all if it’s only going to last four or five days? Reader, I have no idea. Is it somehow necessary for the successful retail release of the iPhone 11 and 11 Pro? Pride? A fanatical desire to meet public deadlines? A desire to ensure current customers don’t have too much FOMO? Did somebody just, like, accidentally hit “send” too soon?

There is one theory out there that Apple shipped a ton of iPhones out of China early to avoid Trump’s tariffs, and so all the iPhones in boxes had 13.0 — Charles Arthur over at OneZero laid out this idea earlier this month. This theory doesn’t explain why Apple needed to update current iPhones, though. 

The only plausible theory I’ve seen is that the Apple Watch Series 5 is heading out to customers and it has watchOS 6 installed on it, and watchOS 6 requires iOS 13. So to prevent them from being fancy lozenge-shaped bricks for 5 days, Apple needed to get iOS 13.0 out the door. Credit to Jon Mitchell for pointing this out on Twitter.

Anyway, everything about this whole situation has the odor of a panicked rush to get everything out the door under deadline, and that smells like instability to me. See what the reaction to 13.1 is before updating. As Chaim says, there’s some neat stuff in iOS 13 but nothing so amazing that an extra week will ruin your month. I always advise people not to update the first day unless it’s a serious security update — but nobody ever listens to that advice (including me).

If you have updated, we have some tips for things that might be unfamiliar:

  • You’ll see that there are a ton of apps asking to use Bluetooth on iOS 13. Before you grant it, you should know that this dialog is not about Bluetooth audio. It’s about using Bluetooth for other stuff, stuff that often involves location tracking via beacons. You can deny access and still get Bluetooth audio.
  • App updates in the App Store are in a weird place, here’s where to find them. 
  • The new long-press behavior makes getting into the app-moving jiggly mode a little different, but Jay Peters can explain it to you. 
  • If you have WatchOS 6 installed, you can delete some Apple apps now — just go into the grid video of your apps with a force-touch and then long-press an app to get into jiggly mode.
  • Have you noticed that the Apple Watch Series 5 kept force-touch while all the iPhones dropped it? Really makes ya think!

Source: The Verge

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Apple reschedules iOS 13.1 and iPadOS releases for September 24th

Apple has barely released iOS 13, but you might be getting another significant revision mere days later. The companyhas told Engadget it’s moving the releases of iPadOS and iOS 13.1 to September 24th, or nearly a week before the originally scheduled September 30th debut. While there’s no mention of just why Apple is stepping up the pace, it might be due to software stability. Some iPhone 11 reviewers (including Engadget) have noticed buggy behavior in iOS 13.0, and this could iron out the kinks before there’s been too much opportunity to complain.

You will get some new features in return. iPadOS, as you may know, is a major shake-up that introduces more iPad-specific features, such as better multitasking and a widget view on the home screen. The iOS 13.1 update mainly adds features that didn’t make the cut for 13.0, including ETA sharing in Maps, automated Siri Shortcut actions and data separation for enterprise devices. This definitely isn’t a seamless release, then, but you at least shouldn’t have to wait long to see new features and a smoother overall experience.

Source: Engaged

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Watch Apple throw cake, and many other things, at the iPhone 11 Pro in its new ads

Apple has released two new commercials for the iPhone 11 Pro, both of which show the phone standing up to more abuse than any one phone should ever have to.

The first ad below focuses solely on how tough the iPhone 11 Pro supposedly is against everyday objects being flung at it in a high-speed wind tunnel. First, kids toys and food items pummel it (including an entire head of green leaf lettuce), none of which seem heavy enough to damage the phone.

Things get a little more intense later in the ad, with ice cubes and hair brushes bouncing off of the iPhone 11 Pro — all, of course, without leaving a scratch. To top it off, a wedding cake comes crashing down onto the phone, then a sprinkler washes it all off. Maybe it’s just me, but in that moment I think I’d be more worried about my expensive wedding cake than the state of my iPhone.

The second ad focuses on what the phone’s three-lens camera system is capable of, with an elegant, long-haired dog as the subject in a wind chamber.

This ad does a good job of educating viewers about the differences between the iPhone 11 Pro’s various lenses (telephoto, standard, ultra-wide angle). But the most notable thing shown is Night mode, and the results in the ad look much more impressive than the demo that Apple showed onstage at its hardware event earlier this week.

The iPhone 11 Pro is available to preorder now and will be in stores starting on September 20th.

Source: The Verge

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iOS 13 beta hints at an Apple iPhone 11 event on September 10th

Apple just released iOS 13 beta 7 to developers today, and people are already digging through the software to find hints about the rumored iPhone 11. iHelp BR has discoveredthat the latest iOS 13 beta includes an asset that hints at an iPhone 11 event date of September 10th. An image, simply named “HoldForRelease,” includes the September 10th date on the calendar of the iOS 13 home screen. Apple uses this particular image for the out of box experience (OOBE) when you first set up a new iPhone.

iOS 12 includes a similar image, with a September 12th date displayed on it, which is the date when Apple announced the iPhone XS. The presence of this image does hint that Apple could be preparing its iPhone 11 event for September 10th, and it’s a date that lines up with previous years. 9to5Mac notes that Apple generally holds its iPhone event on the second Tuesday or Wednesday of September. Apple has previously held iPhone events on these dates:

  • Wednesday, September 12th, 2018
  • Tuesday, September 12th, 2017
  • Wednesday, September 7th, 2016
  • Wednesday, September 9th, 2015
iOS 13 beta image

Apple is widely expected to launch three new iPhones during its 2019 event, with at least one sporting a triple-camera system. Rumors from earlier this year suggest that Apple will release successors to the iPhone XR, iPhone XS, and iPhone XS Max. Some reports claim that the successor to the iPhone XS will even have a slightly bigger 6.1-inch display and three cameras on the rear. Earlier reports suggested that the new camera array would be exclusive to the iPhone XS Max successor.

Twitter user CoinX also hinted recently that Apple may opt for the iPhone 11 Pro naming this year. CoinX correctly revealed the iPhone XS a week before its debut last year. If the reports are accurate, then it means Apple could be planning an iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, and iPhone 11 Pro Max. Apple already hit a dead end for iPhone names last year, and the iPhone 11 Pro Max name would certainly be stretching naming conventions way beyond the norm.

Source: The Verge