News on the sidelines, week 5 - 11 May

Apple starts selling refurbished 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pros, discontinues the Facebook Messenger app for the Apple Watch, sells a $106 signed check from Steve Jobs for the pittance of the check, and a sexy copy of the iPhone 15 Pro Max, And new information about Apple's mixed reality glasses, and other exciting news in On the Sidelines...

Apple plans to launch iPhone screen MicroLED

Apple plans to release future iPhones with microLED screens, which offer advantages such as higher brightness, lower power consumption, and improved contrast ratio than current OLED screens. The report indicates that the Apple Watch Ultra will be the first device to come with a microLED screen, followed by iPhones and iPads. It is expected that the transition will take several years, with the continued use of iPhone 15 models this year for OLED screens. Apple is currently working on the transition to OLED displays across its product range, starting with the Apple Watch and later expanding to iPad and Mac models. The shift to microLED will likely follow a similar pattern.

Apple begins notifying the winners of the Swift Student Challenge

Apple has begun notifying the winners of this year's Swift Student Challenge competition ahead of the upcoming WWDC conference. Winners will receive exclusive outerwear, AirPods Pro, a custom pin set, and a year of membership in the Apple Developer Program. WWDC 2023 is scheduled to take place from June 5 to June 9, with free access to sessions and content on Apple's website. There will also be an in-person day at Apple Park on June 5th for randomly selected developers. The challenge for students to code in Swift involves creating a Swift Playgrounds project, and submissions are evaluated on technical skills and creativity.

Apple is working on new Beats Studio Pro headphones

Apple is said to be working on new Beats Studio Pro headphones, as discovered in the code from the macOS Ventura 13.4 release candidate. Codenamed A2924, the speaker is expected to be an updated version of the existing Beats Studio 3 headphones. The design will likely be similar, but with internal improvements to justify the "Pro" designation. These improvements may include an updated Apple-designed chip, improved active noise cancellation, Transparency mode, and "Hey Siri" support. New Beats Studio Pro headphones are expected to be released later this year.

Apple Mixed Reality Headset can run Final Cut Pro and Logic Pro

According By Mark Gorman from Bloomberg, Apple's upcoming mixed reality glasses may be compatible with Final Cut Pro and Logic Pro, two of Apple's professional audio and video editing tools. This conclusion comes from Apple's recent announcement of new versions of Final Cut Pro and Logic Pro for the iPad. Gorman suggests that the glasses can run modified iPad applications, including Final Cut Pro and Logic Pro, through its three-dimensional interface. Apple is expected to unveil the glasses at the 2023 Apple Worldwide Developers Conference in June.

Apple announces Final Cut Pro and Logic Pro for the iPad with subscription models

Apple announced that its professional application for video editing, Final Cut Pro, and its application for music and audio production, Logic Pro, will be available on the iPad. These applications will feature improved touch interfaces. And Final Cut Pro will allow video creators to record, edit, finish and share videos even when they're on the go. Logic Pro will provide a full suite of tools for music creators, including songwriting, beat making, recording, editing and mixing capabilities. Both apps will be available via subscription, at $4.99 per month or $49.99 per year, with a one-month free trial. Final Cut Pro requires an iPad with an M1 chip or later, while Logic Pro requires an iPad with an A12 Bionic chip or later. The apps will be released on the App Store on Tuesday, May 23.

The iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max have larger screens measuring 6.3 inches and 6.9 inches.

Screen industry analyst Ross Young shared information about the screen sizes of the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max models, which are expected to be released in 2024. Young suggests that the iPhone 16 Pro will have a screen size of approximately 6.3 inches, while the iPhone will contain 16 Pro Max on a larger 6.9-inch screen. Young plans to provide more granular details during his speech at the Showcase Week conference in May. If these sizes are correct, it will be the largest screen ever on an iPhone. However, it is not clear if the standard iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus models will also receive larger screens. Ross Young has a history of accurately predicting screen-related information for future Apple products.

New rumor: iPhone 15 Pro Max will come with a periscope lens with optical zoom up to 6x

According to the URedditor Twitter account, the iPhone 15 Pro Max is rumored to have an advanced telephoto lens with periscope technology. This technology will allow a significant improvement in optical zoom capabilities compared to previous iPhone models. A periscope lens works by folding or flexing the light, which allows for greater distance between camera elements and results in better zoom capabilities. But the URedditor account, the source of this information, does not have a proven track record for the accuracy of rumors about Apple products.

iPhone 15 Pro Max imitated

Unbox Therapy, a popular YouTube channel, has released a video clip showing a replica of the upcoming iPhone 15 Pro Max. The knock-off was created by third-party cover and case makers who had access to early Apple blueprints and models.

One of the noticeable differences that was highlighted in the video is the thinner edges surrounding the iPhone 15 Pro Max screen compared to its predecessor, the iPhone 14 Pro Max, and it appears that the edges on the replica are almost half the size, which makes the screen larger and closer to the edge and screen more immersive.

According to leaks and rumors, both iPhone 15 Pro models are expected to have thinner curved edges, giving them a look similar to the Apple Watch. The larger 6.7-inch model is rumored to have the slimmest bezels for a smartphone.

The replica in the video features a button matching early rumours, with a unified volume button and a system-customizable button replacing the mute switch. Recent reports indicate that actual iPhone 15 Pro models may contain separate volume buttons instead. The video provides an early glimpse of the design of the iPhone 15 Pro Max, which is expected to be officially launched by Apple in September. Watch the video:

Apple Watch 9 features an updated processor based on the A15 chip

According to Mart Gorman of Bloomberg, the upcoming Apple Watch 9 will feature a new processor based on the A15 chip used in the iPhone 13 models. The new chip is expected to bring improvements in speed and efficiency, resulting in faster loading times and better battery life. Although no major design updates are expected, the Apple Watch 9 will offer a modest speed boost thanks to the new processor.

A signed check from Steve Jobs sells for more than $100 at auction

A check written and signed by Steve Jobs sold for $106 through RR Auction. The check dates back to 985, and it was transferred to a consulting firm called Crampton, Remke, and Miller INC, for technology services in Northern California, and the amount of the check was only $1976.

What makes this check significant is that it bears the address of Apple's early days, specifically 770 Welch Rd., Ste. 154, Palo Alto. This address was associated with the response service to official correspondence and communications relating to the Apple Computer Company during its early stages. The headquarters of the business and manufacturing was in the garage of the Jobs family, where Jobs and his co-founder worked Steve Wozniak.

According to Bobby Livingston, vice president of RR Auctions, such checks are highly appreciated because they not only highlight the story of Apple's founding, but also feature the original autographs of Steve Jobs.

In a similar auction in 2022, another early check signed by Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak sold for $164.

Turn off the Facebook Messenger app on the Apple Watch

Meta, the parent company of Facebook, has announced that the Messenger app for the Apple Watch will be discontinued at the end of May. Users will no longer be able to reply to messages directly from their watch, but will continue to receive notifications. Meta did not provide a specific reason for the decision. This follows the trend of other third-party services discontinuing their Apple Watch apps due to redundancy or unpopularity with users. Apple is shifting the focus on the Apple Watch towards fitness and health features rather than promoting it as a platform for apps. It is rumored that the upcoming watchOS 10 redesign will emphasize interactive widgets rather than custom apps. These changes are expected to be part of a significant software update for the Apple Watch, as minor hardware updates are expected later this year.

Miscellaneous news

◉ Apple's weather app has encountered a downtime for some users, as mentioned on the page Apple system status. Some users may experience app slowdowns or crashes. Reports of problems circulated throughout the day, but not all users were affected. This comes on the heels of a previous major outage in April that resulted in the app being unable to display weather data. The issue has been fixed and the app is now working.

◉ Apple launched the second candidate versions, that is, similar to the final version, which precedes the public release of macOS Ventura 13.4, tvOS 16.5, watchOS 9.5, iOS 16.5, and iPadOS 16.5 updates for developers.

◉ Apple intends to transfer Macs and iPads to OLED screens in the coming years. However, a report from Korea indicates that display suppliers are reluctant to invest in next-generation OLED production lines due to concerns about declining Mac sales.

◉ Apple has begun selling refurbished 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models in the United States. These revamped models come with M2 Pro and M2 Max chipsets, which are the latest processors. They are sold at a discount of about 15% compared to new models. It also comes with a XNUMX-year limited warranty and accepts AppleCare+.

The new MacBook Pro models offer significant improvements over the previous generation. They provide up to 20% faster performance and up to 30% faster graphics processing. Additionally, it can be configured with up to 96GB of RAM, compared to a maximum of 64GB in previous models. The laptops also feature Wi-Fi 6E support, an HDMI 2.1 port with 8K external display capability, and longer battery life.

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