Beeper, the multimessenger that Apple desperately fought for, has been acquired by Automattic (WordPress and Tumblr)
We haven’t forgotten yet Beeper — the same multimessenger that iMessage launched on Android, which upset Apple, so it acquired Automattic, which owns WordPress, Tumblr, Simplenote, and other services.
The global PC and laptop market has returned to growth after a two-year decline. The leader is still Lenovo
PC market, as expectedlast quarter returned to growth after a two-year decline, as evidenced by reports from leading analytical agencies IDC and Canalys: in the first quarter of 2024, about 60 million computers were sold worldwide (1.5% more than a year ago).
Gurman: New iPad Pro and iPad Air launch on a week, starting May 6. Prices for Pro likely to rise
Apple has tentatively scheduled the release of the new iPad Pro and iPad Air during the week of May 6 — timeline clarified Mark Gurman in the latest weekly Power On digest for Bloomberg.
Samsung regains leadership in the smartphone market — Apple lasted 5 months
Samsung Electronics has regained the lead in global smartphone sales just five months after losing to Apple. According to official data, the return was due to the release of new Galaxy S24 smartphones with artificial intelligence functions.
Apple allowed game emulators in the App Store and made some other concessions for apps
Apple eases App Store restrictions and opens the market for retro game emulators. The company has officially announcedthat game emulators will be able to appear in the App Store worldwide and offer games for download. Games must be legal, and pirated content is not allowed.
Apple lays off 600 engineers after canceling car project — largest layoff since the pandemic
A few weeks ago, Apple canceled its long-standing project to create a self-driving electric car, and has now announced the layoff of 614 employees — according to documents provided to the California Employment Development Department (although Mark Gurman notes the actual figure may be much higher).
Apple is developing a home robot and a device with a moving smart display — Mark Gurman
Citing his own sources at Apple, Mark Gurman of Bloomberg says that the company has teams exploring the development of personal robotics, which could potentially become one of Apple’s next devices. Engineers on these teams have been researching a mobile robot that could follow users around the home and a desktop home device that uses robotics…
Apple adds Qi2 charging support to iPhone 12
Apple hasn’t mentioned it in any way, but the iPhone 12 smartphone has received support for Qi2 wireless charging technology, which it didn’t have before. This happened thanks to an update to the operating system to iOS 17.4, which was released last month.
Apple says iPhone 6 Plus is now «obsolete» and iPad Mini 4 — «vintage»
Apple calls a product «obsolete» if 7 years have passed since it was last officially distributed for sale — this means that the Apple Store and Apple Authorized Service Providers will no longer offer repair or other hardware service for the device.
Apple sues ex-IOS engineer who «leaked» data on Vision Pro and other products to journalists
Former iOS software engineer Andrew Ode is accused of leaking information about more than a dozen Apple policies and products — including the Journal app and Vision Pro headset.
Apple to release new iPad Pro with OLED and first 12.9-inch iPad Air in early May, — Mark Gurman
Earlier launch was planned for March-April, but was postponed to May to finalize the software.
The best phones without OS: the golden days of Sony Ericsson
Smartphones have almost completely replaced proprietary mobile phones without an operating system, but this was not always the case. Moreover, before the advent of Apple iOS and Google Android, the best phones without OS were no less functional and convenient than smartphones, and the most advanced of them were not Nokia or Samsung, but Sony…
iOS 18 with artificial intelligence and a new home screen — what to expect from the «biggest update» in iPhone history
It is expected that iOS 18 will be presented at this year’s Apple WWDC 2024 developer conference, scheduled for June 10.
Apple officially announces WWDC24 time and hints at AI
Apple is officially announced its WWDC24 event. The conference for developers will start on June 10 and end on June 14. As in recent years, the company is holding a special in-person invite-only event at Apple headquarters. The company continues its tradition of offering WWDC online for free to everyone and is also organizing an in-person event…
Opera records 164% increase in iOS — users (spoiler: DMA helped)
The Digital Marketplace Act (DMA), which came into force on March 7, provides for free choice of a given browser for EU users, among other things.
Apple, Meta and Google — are under investigation by the EU. Tech giants «suspected» of violating the new Digital Markets Act
If the suspicions are confirmed, companies face fines of up to 10% of global annual revenue or up to 20% in case of repeated violations.
Education won’t be the same: 10 unexpected ways to use Apple Vision Pro for learning
The Apple Vision Pro went on sale in the US back in February, causing a stream of memes and funny videos on social networks with the way headset owners use their headsets in one way or another — it was mostly about entertainment (watching movies, games, music, photos), but now artificial intelligence expert Ming Chu in a post on X has collected…
Apple lost $113 billion due to «attacks» from EU and US regulators
US Department of Justice has filed a lawsuit against the iPhone manufacturer with allegations of violation of antitrust rules, and the EU is preparing an investigation into non-compliance with the Digital Markets Law.
America v. Apple: a large-scale antitrust trial has begun in the United States
The U.S. Department of Justice has accused Apple of having an illegal monopoly on the smartphone market in a new major antitrust lawsuit that aims to significantly change the Apple iPhone.
Meta, Microsoft, X (Twitter) and Match Group oppose Apple’s intention to charge 27% commission on payments outside the App Store
Several well-known tech companies have joined Epic Games in opposing Apple’s decision to charge fees for iOS payments made outside the App Store. Meta, Microsoft, X (Twitter), and Match Group have filed a legal challenge, which provides some support for Epic’s case.
The iPhone 16 will have smaller display bezels, and the Pro versions will have larger screens and body sizes
According to knowledgeable sources, Apple plans to maximize the display size in the upcoming iPhone 16 series smartphones using a new ultra-thin bezel technology.
Mark Gurman: Apple is in talks with Google to integrate Gemini AI model into iPhone
Apple has also recently discussed the prospects of cooperation with ChatGPT developer OpenAI.
New MacBook Air on M3 in Ukraine — 53 499₴ for 13-inch 8/256 GB
Ukrainian retailers have opened pre-orders for the latest processor-based MacBook Air M3 (previously received it MacBook Pro), which revealed the prices in hryvnia and the date of the start of sales in Ukraine. We are talking about the official sales of Apple’s new ultra-compact laptops.
Epic seeks injunction against Apple’s App Store because external payments are still anti-competitive
Epic Games is not done yet sue Apple. The 2021 decision forced Apple to allow App Store app developers to link to external payment systems, and now Epic has filed a petition with a judge asking him to enforce the decision.
Doctors use Apple Vision Pro during surgeries
The medical team at Cromwell Hospital in London used Apple Vision Pro during two spinal surgeries. The doctors call the device a «game-changing» tool, which confirms Apple’s claims that the headset has a future as a medical device.
Google, Apple, and Mozilla release Speedometer 3.0 — a benchmark for browsers
Speedometer has long been Google’s favorite benchmark because it «best reflects the real world» compares JavaScript performance. Now available in Speedometer 3.0.
Apple to allow distribution of iOS apps in the EU on developer sites
A few days after Apple allowed iOS users in the EU to use third-party app stores, the company announced additional changes related to how developers can distribute their apps. Now, those developers who meet certain criteria will be able to allow users to download apps from their websites.
What to expect from the iPad Pro 2024: the main rumors before the March announcement
Apple’s next generation iPad Pro is expected to be announced in the next few weeks without a separate event. What should we expect from the long-awaited new devices?
Apple «formally started development» MacBook Pro M4, — Gurman
During the Q&A session, dedicated to the Apple Car Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman touched on several other topics, including the fact that Apple has «begun formal development of» a new MacBook Pro with an M4 processor. However, he did not provide any additional details about the yet-to-be-announced chip.
Apple will add «hearing aid mode» to AirPods Pro with iOS 18, — Mark Gurman
AirPods already offer several features related to hearing health and accessibility, but in a report by Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman (via 9to5mac) says that Apple plans to expand the capabilities of its headphones with a new «hearing aid mode».
Apple is working on a 20-inch MacBook with a folding screen – Ming-Chi Kuo
According to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple is planning to release a 20-inch MacBook laptop with a folding screen. This will happen in about 3 years.
European Commission «on game» — demands explanations from Apple on blocking Epic Games developer’s account
Apple has to explain to EU regulators how its blocking decision complies with the requirements of the Digital Markets Act (DMA).
Following the example of Apple: Google introduces new fees for app developers in the EU
Google has already allowed users to download apps outside the Play Store in accordance with the EU Digital Markets Act, but is now introducing two new commissions for this purpose.
Apple banned Epic Games developer account due to «unreliability» — EGS on iOS is still postponed
The other day, Apple released iOS 17.4 by allowing users to download apps and games from third-party app stores — Epic was also preparing its own alternative, but due to the blocking of the developer’s account, the plans are still on hold.
Mediatek dominated the smartphone processor market in Q4 2023 ─ Canalys
Research company Canalys has published a report on the state of the smartphone market in the fourth quarter of 2023, broken down by processor vendors. The analysis showed that in the last quarter of last year, Mediatek chips were used in more devices than processors from other suppliers. Compared to the same period last year, Mediatek demonstrated…
Spotify will add pricing information and payment options outside the iOS app — if Apple allows it
In this way, the company wants to test whether Apple will violate EU antitrust laws.
Hades will be released on iOS on March 19 as a Netflix mobile exclusive
Hades will be released on iOS as a Netflix mobile exclusive. Netflix subscribers will be able to play Hades on their iPhones and iPads for free starting March 19. You can pre-register to be ready to play the game when it appears in the App Store.
Apple releases iOS 17.4 — with permission for alternative marketplaces and third-party NFC payments in the EU
Transcriptions for podcasts and new emojis — among other updates.
Apple sold 24% fewer iPhones in China due to Huawei’s recovery (up 64%)
Sales of Apple iPhone smartphones in China fell sharply in the first six weeks of 2024, according to a report Counterpoint Research. The analyst firm reported that iPhone sales fell by 24% during the period as Apple faced stiff competition from local smartphone makers such as Huawei, Oppo, Vivo, and Xiaomi.
Apple announces new MagSafe silicone iPhone cases and Apple Watch bands in new colors
Following the updated MacBook Air laptops with M3 processors, Apple has announced new color options for MagSafe silicone iPhone cases and Apple Watch bands. The MagSafe silicone case is now also available in mint, sunshine, blue, and pink colors for $49.
Apple has stopped selling MacBook Air (M1) 2020 — the first Mac on Apple silicon
Along with the announcement of new models MacBook Air with M3 chip Apple has stopped selling the MacBook Air version with the M1 processor. This laptop was released in November 2020 as the first Mac based on Apple silicon.
EU fines Apple $2 billion for «blocking» alternative music apps
This is the third-largest fine from the EU and the first one aimed at Apple.
Apple has announced new 13- and 15-inch MacBook Airs with M3 processors and old design. Price from $1099
Apple announced update of the MacBook Air series. Laptops in the old design are now available with a processor Apple M3. This chip was previously reserved for the more powerful MacBook Pro line and the latest iMac models, but now it’s also available in the new 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air models.
Apple iPhone SE 4 will have a frame like the iPhone 14 and a notched screen, — renders
Apple is working on the fourth generation of the iPhone SE, and with new renders, we have further confirmation that this relatively affordable smartphone will be based on the iPhone 14 model.
Apple will cancel its spring event and limit itself to online announcements of new iPad and MacBook Air – Mark Gurman
Apple is expected to release several updated models of its devices in the near future, including the iPad Pro and iPad Air tablets, as well as the MacBook Air laptop with the M3 processor. However, it turns out that the company does not seem to be planning to hold a big spring event for announcements. This was reported by Apple expert Mark Gurman.
Not just cars: 5 more projects that Apple killed
Recently it became known that Apple has stopped its decade-long efforts to create its own car codenamed Project Titan —, the tech giant was working on an electric car with autonomous driving functions. But this is not the first time Apple has abandoned projects.
Apple’s «Eco-friendly» FineWoven cases are so bad that Amazon has added a «Recently Returned» mark
Apple’s FineWoven cases for the iPhone 15 have already received several waves of criticism from users, but this time their poor quality has been noted by one of the world’s largest retailers. It turns out that they are so bad that Amazon had to add a warning label — «frequently returned» to FineWoven’s pages.
NYT: Apple has «burned» more than $10 billion on Project Titan, an autonomous car project that employees have called the «Titanic disaster»
Recently, it became known that Apple canceled its automotive project with the internal name Project Titan and transferred about 2000 employees from the self-driving car division to generative AI projects.
Apple fans in China have invented renting — lining up to rent Vision Pro headsets
Dozens of ads for renting an Apple headset have appeared on Chinese websites such as Xianyu and Zhuan Zhuan Alibaba Group Holding, according to South China Morning Post.
Apple invests heavily in artificial intelligence and prepares several announcements in this area – Tim Cook
Apple CEO Tim Cook said that his company is investing in artificial intelligence. The company sees «the incredible disruptive potential for generative artificial intelligence, so we are now investing heavily in this area,» Cook said at Apple’s annual shareholders meeting.