Apple Announces New Lockdown Mode in iOS 16, Steve Jobs Received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, Apple Watch 8 Will Come With Bigger Screen, Apple Device Replacement Decreased Value, Computer Manufacturers Concern About MacBook Air, Other Exciting News In The Fringes…

News on the sidelines Week Mar 5 - Mar 11

Apple announces a new lock mode in iOS 16 with an "ultra" security level

Apple announced a new Lockdown mode coming to the iPhone, iPad, and Mac in iOS 16, iPadOS 16, and macOS Ventura updates. Apple says the optional security feature is designed to protect a "very small number" of users who may be at risk of "highly targeted cyber attacks," such as journalists, activists, and government employees.

The new security mode is in its third beta, and the feature will be available to all users when system updates are released later this year. It appears that it can be enabled by any user.

Apple announces MacBook Air with M2 chip available to order

Apple has announced that the new MacBook Air with the M2 chip will be available to order starting Friday, July 8, and said deliveries to customers and in-store availability will begin Friday, July 15.

The new MacBook Air has been redesigned with a slightly larger 13.6-inch display, notch, flat edges, and new color options. It features MagSafe charging, an upgraded 1080p camera, two Thunderbolt 3 ports, and a 3.5mm headphone jack.

Apple says the M2 chip has an 18% faster CPU, 35% faster GPU, and a 40% faster Neural Engine compared to the M1 chip. Using the M2 chip, MacBook Air can be configured with a combined memory of up to 24GB, while the M1 chip supports a maximum memory capacity of 16GB. The device is available with a capacity of up to 2TB SSD.

Pricing for the new MacBook Air starts at $1199 in the United States. The previous generation MacBook Air with the M1 chip is still available for $999.

The latest iPhone processors remain exclusive to the 15 Pro models

Apple is expected to make its latest A16 processor exclusively for Pro models in the iPhone 14 lineup, and this diversification strategy is set to become an annual trend in the future iPhone series.

Earlier this year, Kuo said that only iPhone 14 Pro models will have an A16 chip, with the standard iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Max models still equipped with the A15 chip.

Laptop manufacturers worried about MacBook Air

The upcoming launch of the redesigned MacBook Air with the M2 chip has raised concerns among some laptop manufacturers that sales of Intel-based laptops will be negatively affected.

Wintel, a Windows-powered company with Intel processors, indicated that when looking at a price between $1000 and $1500, the MacBook Air will crowd out other high-end laptops. The report added that "improvements to the M2 processor, camera lens, and others put the slight increase in the price of the new MacBook Air within an acceptable range for consumers."

This also changed concern about weak consumer confidence driven by inflation and economic stagnation, the report claims.

Silicon supply chain faces further price hikes

Apple will likely face further increased chip prices as TSMC struggles with rising additional costs, according to new reports from Bloomberg.

The Japanese chemical company Showa Denko KK supplies TSMC with bio-materials for the manufacture of chips and is now forced to significantly increase prices against the background of a global shortage of chips. Component makers and other material suppliers are making similar moves in the semiconductor industry amid broader price pressure. Which will have a significant impact on the final price of the product.

Apple reduces the exchange value of iPhones, Macs, Apple Watches and iPads

Apple has again adjusted the maximum exchange values ​​for its device models, lowering the amount customers can get when they trade in their current device for one of the company's newer products.

Here is a list of replacement values ​​for old and updated iPhones.

iPhone 12 Pro Max, dropped from $650 to $600.

iPhone 12 Pro, dropped from $550 to $500.

iPhone 12, dropped from $420 to $400.

iPhone 12 mini, dropped from $320 to $300.

iPhone SE second generation, dropped from $150 to $140.

iPhone 11 Pro Max, dropped from $420 to $400.

iPhone 11 Pro, dropped from $350 to $300.

iPhone 11, down from $300 to $230.

To see the full list, follow this link - here.

As a reminder, the prices listed on Apple's commercial websites are only estimates, the actual replacement value will vary depending on the condition of the device, and Apple periodically changes the replacement values ​​and more information can be found on the Apple website.

The redesigned AirPods Max smart case is revealed in a new Apple patent

Apple has received a new patent indicating a new design for the controversial smart case that comes with the AirPods Max.

When Apple unveiled its $549 AirPods Max last year, the case sparked a lot of controversy due to its odd appearance.

Filed in June 2017 and approved today by the US Patent and Trademark Office, the patent describes a full-coverage, two-part sleeve that magnetically opens and closes the length of the holster, and a magnetic closure at the top.

Apple Watch 8 will have a 5% larger screen

Apple is working on the Apple Watch Model 8 with a larger screen, according to DSCC expert Ross Young and expert Jeff Bowe. In October last year, Young suggested that the Apple Watch 8 would come in three screen sizes, and now claims that the additional screen size will be 1.99 inches diagonally.

Similarly, in a note to investors seen by popular MacRumors website, analyst Jeff Boe stated that Luxshare will be the "single supplier of a high-quality 2-inch Apple Watch model" this year.

AirPods Pro 2 will not have a heart rate sensor or a body temperature sensor

It had been rumored that the second-generation AirPods Pro would have a built-in heart rate and body temperature sensor, but analyst Mark Gorman questioned the veracity of these rumors, saying such a feature is unlikely, at least for the time being.

Steve Jobs receives the Presidential Medal of Freedom posthumously

The White House has announced that Steve Jobs, co-founder and former CEO of Apple, will posthumously win the Presidential Medal of Freedom. The Presidential Medal of Freedom is the United States' highest civilian honor, awarded to individuals "who have made exemplary contributions to the prosperity, values, or security of the United States, or world peace." or other significant community, public, or private endeavors.” The awards will be presented at the White House on Thursday, July 7.

Miscellaneous news

◉ Apple releases the third beta of iOS 16, iPadOS 16, watchOS 9, and tvOS 16 updates to developers.

◉ Apple has released a new firmware for the Siri Remote designed for Apple TV, to update the software from version 9M6772 to 10M1103, which is for the redesigned Siri Remote released in May 2021, also known as the gray remote with the updated interface, in ‌TV Settings Apple, the new firmware will display as 0x0070, higher than 0x0061.

◉ Apple released the fifth beta of iOS 15.6, iPadOS 15.6 and macOS Monterey 12.5 updates to developers.

◉ Apple is still working on an iMac with a larger screen and more powerful chip targeting the professional market, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gorman.

◉ Apple raised the price of iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch models in Japan by up to 25%, which is caused by the depreciation of the yen and the widening interest rate gap between Japan and the United States.

◉ Apple has released a new promotional ad for the Apple Watch 7 highlighting its durability under different wearing conditions.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=naXsHs4ykJc

◉ Apple has started selling refurbished Mac Studio models for the first time in the United States, Canada, and some European countries, such as Belgium, Germany, Ireland, Spain, Switzerland, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom.

◉ Last week Apple launched its first M2 Mac, the 13-inch MacBook Pro, and repair site iFixit did a traditional takedown of the device.

◉ Instagram support this week A new option that allows deleting an Instagram account directly from within the app, and now complies with updated App Store guidelines that require all apps that offer account creation to also offer to delete the account.

This is not all the news that is on the sidelines, but we have brought you the most important of them, and it is not necessary for the non-specialist to occupy himself with all the incoming and outgoing. And help you with it, and if it robbed you of your life and got busy with it, there is no need for it.

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