Taking a look back at this week’s news and headlines from Apple, including iPhone 16 design leaks, iPhone alarm problems, a Mac-beating iPad Pro, Watch Ultra 3 specs, buying into Safari search, an AI browser, and new titanium cards for all.
Apple Loop is here to remind you of a few of the many discussions around Apple in the last seven days. You can also read my weekly digest of Android news here on Forbes.
The Color Of Your iPhone
Following a leak of the upcoming iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro handsets, we have clear pictures of the new colors Apple will be launching with its next smartphone.
"Finally, three of the seven colors that will be available are on show: the traditional black (which Apple loves to label as space grey) and two pastel shades of pink and violet. The current iPhone 15 is offered in black, blue, green, pink, and yellow. Violet would be one of the new colors. White will also join the line-up as a new option, making seven in total."
(Forbes).
iPhone 16 family of handsets
Don’t Be Alarmed
It might sound like a small bug, but having your iPhone’s Clock application fail to ring an alarm is an awkward bug. With it present in the iPhoen community, can you trust your smartphone to call for your attention at the right time? Thankfully Apple is aware of the issue, but as yet ther is no word on the timeline for a potential fix:
"The bad news is we don’t know enough about the issue to be sure how widespread it is or how it manifests itself. We know it’s not affecting everyone and that it’s only failing to play certain sounds, rather than all of them."
(Forbes).
Leapfrogging The Mac In A Tablet
Apple’s next event is this coming week, and all the signs point to some iPad action. The tantalizing prospect of the next iPad Pro being offered with the desktop-level M4 chipset,… remarkable as no Mac or MacBook ships with the M4. Would Apple debut the fastest ARM-based chip on a tablet?
"I’m hearing there is a strong possibility that the chip in the new iPad Pro will be the M4, not the M3. Better yet, I believe Apple will position the tablet as its first truly AI-powered device — and that it will tout each new product from then on as an AI device. This, of course, is all in response to the AI craze that has swept the tech industry over the last couple years. "
(Bloomberg via 9to5Mac).
Ultra’s Steady Spec
While an Apple Watch Ultra is now expected to arrive later this year, don’t expect anything major in the new version of the premium smartwatch. The Ultra 3 looks to be little more than (ahem) marking time:
"In a direct message shared with MacRumors today, Kuo said that while the Apple Watch Ultra will be updated this year, the new model will have "almost no" hardware upgrades compared to the Apple Watch Ultra 2. Kuo did not reveal any specific changes planned for the Apple Watch Ultra 3, which will presumably launch in September."
(MacRumors).
The Cost Of Safari’s Default
The anti-trust case against Google continues to shine a light on the machinations driving the smartphone community, with Google’s payment to Apple to be the default search engine in Safari. Both companies have been hoping to keep a number out of public view:
"Court documents filed late Tuesday ahead of the closing arguments mark the first public confirmation of the figures by Apple’s senior vice president of services, Eddy Cue. Such numbers aren’t disclosed by either company in their securities filings. The documents also revealed the importance of the payments to Apple’s bottom line. For instance, in 2020, Google’s payments to Apple constituted 17.5% of the iPhone maker’s operating income."
(Bloomberg).
The AI Browser
Should every app be infused with AI? Apple thinks that is Safari web browser is, and is preparing to add in summaries, search, topic highlighting, and more:
"The software — expected to debut as Safari 18 later in 2024 — is currently undergoing evaluation alongside internal builds of Apple's next-generation operating system updates, namely iOS 18 and macOS 15, according to people familiar with the matter. Should all of the new features make it to the release candidate stage, users will be treated to a new user interface (UI) for customizing popular page controls, a "Web eraser" feature, and AI-driven content summarization tools."
And Finally...
As part of their cycle, credit cards expire and are replaced regularly. That’s the case with the Apple Card, even it was manufactured using titanium.
"The first physical Apple Cards are nearing expiration in July 2024 for those who signed up for the service in 2019. The cards are known for their unique design and absence of traditional card numbers, which Apple bills as a privacy feature. In an ongoing email campaign to its customers, Apple assures that the replacement cards will be sent to the billing addresses on file and should arrive within two weeks from the notice date."
Apple Loop brings you seven days worth of highlights every weekend here on 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.
