Folding Macs are news again and Apple move in to the financial market
28th March — 01st April 2022
Dyson noise-cancelling headphones
So, I am not sure if this is an April Fools’ joke, but I think not. It seems the British inventor and his team have come up with a design for their first wearable product. Being developed under the codename Dyson Zone, they are noise-cancelling, air-purifying headphones. I tell you know lies. It is a filter for the lower part of the face and high-end headphones up top. To say it looks weird is an understatement, but Dyson normally delivers on quality, and design is in the companies DNA. Although, at first, you’d think this was in reaction to the pandemic, Dyson tell us it has been in development for six years. Hmmmmmm — really?
iUpdate
So, are you one of the gang that go to settings and install updates the moment they are released, or, is your foot in the camp of simply waiting for auto-updates to do its job? If you fall in to the latter camp, and have ever wondered why your updates come 3–4 weeks later, then I have the answer for you. Via MacRumours, I heard that iPhone user Mateusz Buda asked that exact question of Senior VP of software engineering, the legend that is Craig Federighi. The answer is actually ever so simple. Us early adopters are, basically, guinea pigs! They let us keen, loyal boys and girls download the updates, and wait for feedback. Then, 3–4 weeks later, after fixing the gremlins, the auto-updates are rolled out. Simple really when you know why.
Talking of updates — Monterey update
12.3.1 is available from today and addresses monitor and bluetooth device connectivity issue. It is found in System Preferences > Software Updates, and it took me about 10 minutes to run and install.
It’s a no from us
The latest iPhone SE, released just weeks ago, is not proving popular. Much anticipated, this was one of the products we knew was coming at the recent Apple event. Based on the iPhone 8, the design, is to say the least, well, tired. It seemed Apple had been somewhat arrogant in assuming we’d buy anything they put out. But no, the masses have voted! According to Nikkei Asia, production has been slashed due to low demand. Officially, it is being blamed partly on the war in Ukraine, inflation and soaring energy prices. 20% less iPhones than predicted will be made. Estimates are showing that 15–20 million units will be shipped, rather than the anticipated 25–30 million. The truth may just be its crap!
When bigger is not better
It seems not that long ago, that Jon Prosser had received information that the camera bump on the 2022 iPhone 14 was going to be, well, not there! The early leaks were that the phone was going to be very much taking its styling cue from the iconic iPhone 4. With a promised return to flush rear-facing cameras, we had hoped the bump to be a thing of the past. However, this week I can report, that not only will the bump remain, but it will actually be more prominent than ever. The ever reliable Ming-Chi Kuo believes that with this year’s camera possibly being a 48MP beast, the bump will grow. I guess all that tech has to go somewhere, right?
Hello Canada
Canadian Apple Map users are now part of the world of detailed mapping on iPhone. Residents of Montreal, Toronto, and Vancouver can now enjoy all the latest Maps features such as land cover, elevation and detailed road markings. Originally debuted in London, Los Angeles and New York last September, it brings a whole new dimension to Maps on iPhone. To benefit from all the upgrades, you’ll need to be on iOS 15, iPadOS 15, macOS Monterey or watch OS 8 or later. If I left the house, I am sure this would be great!
Only on Apple
Last year, Apple added a page to its website called ‘Only on Apple’. Only on Apple includes services such as Apple TV+ (big fan!), Arcade, Fitness, and iCloud. But, I’d question whether most people buying a Mac, iPhone, or iPad are buying it because of the extra benefits such as these. Apple has forever been reluctant to put any of these services on Android in the belief that it would harm sales. However, turn that around, and the total opposite could be true. What if Android users tried, and experienced, these apps and loved them! What if they were better than anything on offer in Android world? It could actually win over more users for Apple. Last year, with the move to at least include Android users in FaceTime calls, shows the California based tech giant is moving the right way.
Apples do fold
So, folding news is back with us this week, this time from the go-to man, Ming-Chi Kuo. Tweeting that his prediction from last year needs adjusting in terms of when they will appear. Kuo is now suggesting that the first folding Apple product could be with us as early as 2025. It seems the screen will be a 9 — inch OLED panel. Sorry, still does not interest me! What about you?
Payments processing
Apple is branching out evermore in to the financial world, with news this week that they intend to develop their own payment processing technology and infrastructure for future financial products. Aiming to reduce their reliance on outside partners, it is part of a somewhat ambitious multi-year strategy that would eventually bring a wide range of financial tasks in-house. They are looking to carry out their own risk assessment, credit checks & payment processing. There seems no end to Apple’s march forward.
Live sport
At last month’s Peak Performance event, Apple announced their first foray in televising live sport. Now the long-running dispute between players and management is resolved, the date is set for the first live game. It will be between the New York Mets & Washington Nationals on 8 April. Anyone with an Apple TV + subscription, online and with a suitable device, can watch. There are no further fees attached. I tried baseball once — damned good fun!
Watch & beware
The latest Apple Watch update, watchOS 8.5 was released in March. It bought with it a host of new features, including some new emojis, but it is not all good news on the update. Wearers of Apple Watch 7 series are reporting that it breaks the fast charging feature on their phones. There seems some confusion whether the issue only pertains to third-party chargers, or if the issue affects genuine Apple chargers too. The feature allows series 7 users to charge their phones from 0% — 80% in around 45 minutes. Whilst talking Apple Watch, rumours surfaced this week that Series 3 phones will cease production this year. It is due to be withdrawn in the third quarter of 2022 and the fact that the computing power can’t meet the requirements of the new watchOS has been cited as the main reason. I Still don’t have an Apple Watch. Am I missing out?
And finally — displays
If you were hoping for a sub £1000 Studio Display, it seems uncertain whether it will ever become reality. The hope had been that Apple would introduce a smaller display than the new 27 — inch model to add to their monitor line-up. If that were the case, it would be a similar situation to that of the mid-2000s when Apple sold the Cinema Display range. Mark Gurman reports that the only plan for this year is a super high-end 7K display, which will replace the current 6K Pro XDR panel. Some are still holding out hope, that the screen from the 24 — inch iMac could become a standalone panel. I have just ordered my Studio Display — gotta wait two months!
Let me know if I have missed any news and I will cover it next week — with a credit to yourself, of course!
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Originally published at https://www.talkingtechandaudio.com/blog on April 1, 2022.