News on the margins for the week of May 12-18

Google deletes unused accounts, and it is very possible that Apple glasses for mixed reality will be launched at the upcoming Apple Developers Conference, and the fall detection feature in the Apple Watch saves two lives, and the capabilities of Apple glasses exceed the capabilities of competing devices, and WhatsApp launches the chat lock feature, and low-cost versions of the next-generation Apple glasses The second, larger screen sizes in the iPhone 16 Pro, and other exciting news in On the Sidelines…

Rearrange the cameras on the iPhone 15 Pro Max

Apple plans to introduce a new Periscope camera technology in the iPhone 15 Pro Max. This technology allows for better optical zoom capabilities. To accommodate this new feature, Apple needs to rearrange the cameras. Currently, in the iPhone 14 Pro Max, the telephoto lens is placed in one corner, while the ultra-wide lens is located between the flash and the LiDAR sensor. In the iPhone 15 Pro Max, the ultra-wide lens will be moved to the corner, and the telephoto lens will take its place between the flash and LiDAR. This rearrangement provides more space inside the phone to accommodate periscope components.

Google plans to delete accounts that have not been used for more than two years

Google has updated its policy regarding inactive accounts. If a Google account has not been used or logged in for at least two years, the account and its associated content such as emails, documents, files, photos, and more will be deleted. This change is intended to improve security, as accounts that remain unused for long periods are more likely to have outdated passwords and lack two-factor authentication, leaving them vulnerable.

This policy applies to personal Google accounts, not those of companies or schools. Inactive accounts will start deleting from December 2023, but Google will provide advance notice before doing so.

Google will prioritize deleting accounts that have been created, but not used. Notifications will be sent to alert users before their account is deleted.

To keep your Google account active and avoid deletion, it is recommended to log in at least once every two years. Any recent activity on the account, such as reading or sending emails, using Google Drive, watching YouTube, downloading apps from Google Play, using Google Search, an active subscription, or using “Sign in with Google” will be considered an active account.

Previously, Google stated that it would remove content from unused accounts but would keep the accounts themselves. However, the new policy includes deleting inactive accounts along with their content.

Apple claims App Store security features prevented more than $2 billion in fraudulent transactions in 2022

According to Apple, the App Store prevented an estimated $2 billion in potentially fraudulent transactions in 2022. This was achieved through various measures to enhance security, such as Apple Pay and strict app review processes. The App Store blocked nearly 3.9 million stolen credit cards from being used for fraudulent purchases and blocked 714000 accounts involved in fraudulent activities.

In addition, more than 1.7 million submissions to publish an app on the App Store were rejected for not meeting required criteria, including privacy and security violations, spam, copying existing apps, misleading users, and including hidden features.

Apple terminated 428000 developer accounts and banned 105000 from creating a fraudulent developer account. It also deactivated 282 million fraudulent customer accounts and prevented the creation of another 198 million accounts. Apple's efforts have protected users from nearly 57000 malicious apps and blocked more than 147 million fraudulent app store ratings and comments.

These security measures are important as Apple faces pressure to allow sideloading and alternative app stores.

A trademark registered in the name of a fictitious company since 2017 that may be associated with Apple glasses

A shell company called Deep Dive LLC recently filed for a trademark called “xrOS” in New Zealand, and also filed for a trademark called “Deep Screen” in the US and several other countries in 2017 and 2018. Apple is believed to be stands behind these trademark filings. Bloomberg's Mark Gorman reports that xrOS will be the operating system for Apple's glasses, which are expected to be announced at WWDC next month. Apple often uses shell companies to register trademarks related to its future products.

It is not clear whether Apple still intends to use the name “Deep Screen” for its glasses, because the US Patent and Trademark Office marked the application as abandoned in July 2022. The shell company failed to provide a statement explaining how the mark was used. commercial within the required time frame, despite receiving several extensions to deadlines. However, the application is still pending in some other countries such as Canada and New Zealand.

"Deep Screen" could be the name Apple plans to use for the screen inside Apple Glass, with "deep" possibly referring to an immersive virtual reality and augmented reality experience. But due to the abandoned status of the trademark application in the United States, it is uncertain whether or not the name will continue to be used.

In addition to Deep Screen, another shell company called Immersive Health Solutions LLC applied for trademarks called Reality Pro and Reality One in several countries last year. It is possible that Apple is also behind these applications, and it is possible that one of these names is the official name of the Apple Glass.

iPhone 16 Pro models have larger screen sizes of 6.3 inches and 6.9 inches, and periscope zoom lenses, why?

Apple plans to change the sizes of the iPhone screens with the release of the iPhone 16 lineup in 2024. The iPhone 16 Pro models will have larger screens compared to the upcoming iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro models. According to an account named Unknownz21, the iPhone 16 Pro will have a 6.3-inch screen, while the iPhone 16 Pro Max will have a 6.9-inch screen. These are the full dimensions of the screen, but the actual viewable area will be slightly smaller due to the rounded corners.

For comparison, the current iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max have screens measuring 6.1 and 6.7 inches, respectively. The increase to 6.3 and 6.9 inches in the iPhone 16 Pro models will be noticeable. And the increase in screen size indicates a new design, and Apple may also reduce the edges more compared to the iPhone 15 Pro models.

It is expected that the screen size will increase in the iPhone 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max only, while the standard iPhone 16 will continue to have a screen size of 6.1 inches.

Unknownz21 also confirms that both the iPhone 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max will feature a zoom technology called periscope with 5x to 6x optical zoom, compared to 3x for the current iPhone 14 Pro Max.

 Apple is still planning lower-cost versions of the second-generation Apple Glasses

Shipments of this new version are expected to be about ten times higher than those of the first-generation model. It is rumored that Apple's first glasses will cost around $3000 and target developers, content creators, and professionals. Apple expects to sell just one pair of glasses per day per retail store and aims to sell between seven and 10 million units in the first year. The high price is due to the advanced hardware used in the glasses, but Apple intends to produce a more affordable future version using cheaper components such as low-resolution lenses.

To meet the needs of a wide range of customers, Apple may offer a series of two tiers of second-generation devices, similar to its approach with the standard and Pro iPhones.

Apple's manufacturing partner Foxconn is said to be in the early stages of developing a cheaper second-generation headset, which will be released between 2024 and 2025.

WhatsApp launches the chat lock feature

WhatsApp introduces a new feature called Chat Lock. Allows users to protect specific conversations in their inbox with a passcode, fingerprint, or face ID. When a chat is locked, it is hidden in a password-protected folder and removed from your regular chat list. Notification previews for locked chats do not show the sender or message content, and any media shared in locked chats is not automatically saved to the phone's photo library.

This feature is useful for people who occasionally share their phones with others or want to keep certain conversations private.

To lock a chat, users can click on the name of the conversation and select the lock option from the settings menu. To view locked chats, users need to pull down the main WhatsApp chat list and authenticate themselves before accessing the Locked Chats folder.

The feature is being rolled out gradually, starting with the latest version of WhatsApp for iOS on the App Store, and will be available to all iPhone and Android users in the coming days.

Apple has a monopoly of nearly 90% of TSMC's 3nm processor production capacity

It was reported that Apple had secured nearly 90% of TSMC's capacity for the first generation of 3nm technology. This will be used in future iPhone, Mac and iPad devices.

The upcoming iPhone 15 Pro models are expected to feature the Apple A17 Bionic processor, which will be the first chip based on 3nm manufacturing accuracy, with a 35% increase in energy efficiency and 15% faster performance compared to the 4nm technology in the iPhone 14 Pro.

It is likely that the Apple M3 processors, designed for Macs and iPads, will come with the same 3nm technology. The 13-inch MacBook Air and 24-inch iMac may be the first to come with this technology, and are expected to launch later this year. Future iPad Pro models and 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models are expected to use the improved M3 chipset in the coming years.

Apple is currently testing a new chip with a 12-core CPU, 18-core GPU, and 36GB of memory, which is expected to be the M3 Pro chip for the MacBook Pro models due next year.

The capabilities of Apple glasses exceed the capabilities of competing devices

Some sites mentioned some details about the upcoming Apple glasses, which are expected to be announced at WWDC in June, although mass production may be delayed until September due to manufacturing issues. The headset will likely have an internal screen for virtual reality and outward-facing cameras for augmented reality, creating a mixed reality experience. The product is described as experimental and unconventional, and its price is estimated at $3000. The main use cases for the headset could include FaceTime, Apple Fitness +, and gaming. According to the sources, it is expected that the Apple glasses will outperform its competitors in terms of performance and different experience.

The Apple Watch fall detection feature saves two lives

In Minnesota, a man named Michael Broadcorp was involved in a car accident, where he was hit by a car, and his Apple Watch automatically detected the shock and fall and called the emergency number directly, and the feature alerted his family to get immediate help. And in Ohio, an 83-year-old man named William Fryer fell while walking, and the Apple Watch detected his fall, called emergency services, and notified his daughter. The watch helped locate him, and discovered that he had a blood clot that caused the fall. Both people praised the Apple Watch for its life-saving capabilities. Fall detection can be activated on the Apple Watch by enabling the option in the Emergency SOS settings for the watch app on the iPhone.

Miscellaneous news

◉ Porsche announced that Taycan models in the US will now display the electric vehicle steering feature in Apple EV Maps in CarPlay. This feature will help direct them to nearby electric vehicle charging locations.

◉ The third generation of Apple TV 4K, released in October 2022, is now available as a refurbished product on Apple's online store. It can be purchased from the United States, Canada, and some European countries such as Germany, the Netherlands, and Switzerland. At $20 off compared to new models. The 64GB model with Wi-Fi is $109, and the 128GB model with Wi-Fi and Ethernet is $129.

◉ Apple announced the launch of Tap to Pay, a tap-to-pay iPhone service in Australia, allowing independent sellers, small merchants, and major retailers in the country to use the iPhone as a payment method.

◉ Weibao Wang, a former Apple employee, has been formally charged with stealing trade secrets and important information about an Apple car and transferring it to China.

◉ Apple launched the third version of the macOS Ventura 13.4 update candidate for developers.

◉ Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo claimed that the announcement of Apple's Mixed Reality Headset is "probably very high" and the company is "well prepared" for its unveiling.

◉ Apple announced that the emergency feature via satellite is now available in Australia and New Zealand.

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