Apple is reducing the prices of the iPhone 14 Pro Max in China, the iPhone 15 Pro without buttons, Samsung and LG are preparing for the new iPad, the iPhone with reverse charging, imaging the iPhone Ultra and other exciting news in On the Sidelines…

News on the sidelines Week Mar 5 - Mar 11

Problems with iCloud backup after updating to iOS 16.3

Some users are having problems with the iCloud backup feature after upgrading to iOS 16.3, as automatic iCloud backup is disabled, and trying to turn it on results in an error message saying “An unknown error occurred, please try again later.” The “Backup this iPhone” switch remains disabled.

Some users have manually activated iCloud backup with the message. Some were able to solve the problem by turning on two-factor authentication, but this didn't work for a lot of other users. There are also reports of the backup continuing even with the error message.

Apple is working on an iOS 16.3.1 update that could fix these issues, and until it's released, you can back up your data manually.

The upcoming Apple Watch X and SE3 will come with larger screens

Apple plans to launch the Apple Watch X with larger screens as well as the third generation of the Apple Watch SE in 2024. According to the report, the Apple Watch X will have a screen ranging from 1.89 inches to 2.04 inches, which is 5% to 10% larger than the current Apple Watch 8.

It is worth noting that the name “X” has not yet been confirmed. It is also expected that the third generation of the Apple Watch SE will have the same screen sizes as the Apple Watch 8. It is also expected that the upcoming Apple Watch 9 will retain the same screen size as the Apple Watch 8.

As for the Apple Watch Ultra, it will come with a larger screen size of 2.13 inches, compared to the current screen size of 1.99 inches.

Apple expands the communications security feature of the iPhone to include more countries

In celebration of Safer Internet Day, Apple is highlighting its tools and programs aimed at protecting children online, including screen time and communication safety.

Communication Safety is an opt-in feature in the Messages app that warns children when they receive or send images containing nudity. And Apple indicated that it is expanding the feature to include more regions around the world with the help of local experts.

The feature recently became available in France, Germany, Italy and Spain, after previously launching in the US, Canada, UK, Australia and New Zealand.

When the feature is enabled, images containing nudity are blurred and a child is warned and given the option to message someone for help if they choose.

Apple promises that the integrity of communications will be private and secure, as it analyzes image attachments and determines whether an image contains nudity while maintaining end-to-end encryption of messages. Communications safety has nothing to do with Apple's previous plans to disclose child sexual abuse material, which have been abandoned.

Visualization of the iPhone Ultra

Created German industrial designer, Jonas Daehnert, a vision of the iPhone Ultra, which was rumored to come next to the iPhone Pro and Pro Max. And Daehnert merged things from the Apple Watch Ultra with the iPhone Pro to reach this perception.

The design features a titanium case with rounded edges and a flat top edge that fits flush with the screen, similar to the more rugged Apple Watch Ultra. It also includes side raised buttons, volume up/down buttons, mute switch, another customizable button on the lower left side, and a USB-C port.

The designer admitted that he had no knowledge of any leaks and that this perception was just to see if the design of the Ultra watch could be applied to the iPhone.

It is said that Apple is planning to launch a new iPhone tentatively referred to as Ultra. This device is expected to be part of the iPhone 16 lineup or later.

According to Mark Gurman of Bloomberg, the iPhone Ultra may be released by next year at the earliest, and could feature additional camera improvements, a faster processor, a larger screen, and possibly a portless design. It is expected that the device will be more expensive than the Pro versions. Additionally, rumors suggest that iPhone 15 Pro models could feature thinner curved edges and a titanium frame, which is lighter and more durable than stainless steel.

Apple holds its annual AI Employee Summit at the Steve Jobs Theater

Apple holds its annual summit for employees' artificial intelligence this week, which will be held at the Steve Jobs Theater at Apple headquarters. This will be the first all-in-person event post-COVID-19.

The summit is similar to the Worldwide Developers Conference and will be broadcast live for employees who are unable to attend the event. There has been speculation as to whether this AI Summit marks the return of live conferences in their traditional format rather than pre-recorded.

It seems that time is critical for artificial intelligence technologies and for Apple to catch up, after the emergence of ChatGPT and Bard smart chatbots and their integration into the Bing and Google search engines, which will revolutionize the way users access information and make it easier to find answers to their questions. And through the integration of artificial intelligence, search engines will be able to provide more interactive and natural results.

In addition, AI is also making progress in many other industries and fields, and we can expect to see more innovative uses of AI in the near future.

Apple is working to allow the iPhone to charge accessories wirelessly

Apple continues its development of the reverse wireless charging feature that allows the iPhone to charge other devices such as AirPods, in what is known as advanced dual wireless charging technology for future iPhones. And Apple intended to launch this new technology in the iPhone 14 Pro, but it was not completed in a timely manner.

There are no specific details about when this feature will be launched, as it could be delayed or canceled altogether. Rumors of reverse wireless charging had circulated for years, but they did not materialize, despite the availability of this technology in Samsung phones for years.

Samsung and LG are preparing to manufacture OLED screens for the upcoming iPad Pro

Both Samsung and LG prepare their factories for mass production of iPads with OLED screens. The new screens are described as "hybrid" because they use a combination of flexible and rigid OLED technologies. Screen analyst Ross Young and supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo expect new 13-inch MacBook Air models and 11.1-inch and 13-inch iPad Pro models with OLED displays in 2024.

All current iPads and MacBooks have backlit LCD screens, while OLED screens contain self-illuminating pixels and do not need backlighting, resulting in higher contrast ratio, greater color accuracy, and lower power consumption.

iPhone 15 Pro without buttons

There appears to be a growing consensus among analysts that the IPhone 15 The Pro will come with haptic feedback buttons, similar to the iPhone 7's Home button. This change will bring the total number of Taptic engines on each iPhone to three.

Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo was the first to report the news. And Barclays analysts and analyst Jeff Bo agreed with him, which strengthens this rumor.

Google is working on a browser for iOS that might break Apple's App Store rules

Chromium developers at Google are working on an experimental browser for iOS that uses the Google Blink search engine instead of WebKit, in an attempt to circumvent or break Apple's restrictions, as Apple's App Store rules currently require WebKit to be used, which makes other browsers such as Chrome and Edge forced to use WebKit. On iOS, it works as Safari works.

The experimental browser is still in the early stages of development and is missing some key features, and Google has stated that it is only for internal testing purposes and will not be available to users. They also stated that they will continue to abide by Apple's policies.

However, this move by Google can be seen as an anticipation of the changes that will occur in the laws and conditions of Apple, and thus Google is trying to have a head start in developing the Blink browser for iOS in the event that this is allowed in the future.

Miscellaneous news

◉ Apple has released an updated firmware for the MagSafe Duo charger designed to work with the Apple Watch and MagSafe-compatible iPhone models. This is the first time that Apple has updated the firmware for MagSafe‌ Duo, and it is not clear what is new in this update.

◉ Ross Young, a screen analyst, said that the first Apple Watch with a microLED screen will be launched in 2025.

◉ Apple has redesigned its website on both desktop and laptop computers, and individual product pages and other useful links have been made easier to find.

◉ Apple has released tvOS 16.3.1 and HomePod 16.3.1 updates, two weeks after tvOS 16.3 and HomePod 16.3 were released. Includes general performance and stability improvements.

◉ Microsoft has stopped the Authenticator app on the Apple Watch, and stopping apps on the Apple Watch is a common occurrence, as many third-party watchOS apps have been stopped due to their lack of use or frequency. Alternative Authenticator apps such as 2Stable and Authy by Twilio can be used.

◉ Apple has reduced the prices of the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max in China, due to low demand for them. As the largest stores cut from 600 yuan to 800 yuan ($118).

◉ Apple will not launch the updated second-generation AirPods Max until at least the second half of next year, and it could be delayed until the first half of 2025, according to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.

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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