Apple does not plan to release the third generation of the Apple Watch SE this year, and the iPad with thinner edges like the iPhone 15, and Apple requires developers to describe why their applications use certain software tools, and Apple approves the X icon for Twitter in the Apple App Store, and the introduction of i- iPad mini 7 this year, Apple Watch Ultra 2 launch this year, and other exciting news on the sidelines…

News on the sidelines Week Mar 5 - Mar 11

The Apple Vision Pro developer labs are almost empty

Apple organizes labs for developers in different cities dedicated toApple Vision Pro glasses And it works to help developers create applications for it. But not many developers seem interested in attending. One problem is that the labs are only available in California, so developers from elsewhere have to travel at their own expense. Moreover, the Apple Vision Pro glasses will not be launched worldwide initially, which may discourage some developers from wasting time creating applications for them. Apple also provides a limited developer tools library for select developers, and there are strict rules and requirements to get it.

The labs aim is to give developers hands-on experience and help them create perfect apps for Apple Glass. Apple Glass is expected to be available in early 2024, but that schedule may change.

Expectations of low demand for the iPhone 15

Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo expects that the demand for the iPhone 15 series will be less than the iPhone 14 series this year. This may pose a challenge for Apple suppliers to increase their revenues in the latter part of 2023. The upcoming iPhone 15 lineup is expected to include four models: iPhone 15, 15 Plus, 15 Pro, and 15 Pro Max. It is rumored that it will have a USB-C port and the dynamic island. The iPhone 15 Pro models will contain additional features and thus an increase in prices, which may affect demand due to the poor economic conditions, which are due to the inflation that many suffer from.

There is no indication that Apple's generative AI will launch in 2024

According to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple's progress in generative AI technology is far behind that of its competitors, and there are no indications that it will launch AI services next year. And during the recent earnings call, Apple is unlikely to discuss AI much due to the lack of progress in this area. It appears that they have no plans to introduce computing products or devices powered by artificial intelligence in 2024.

Last month, Mark Gurman reported that Apple is working on "Apple GPT" artificial intelligence projects that could compete with ChatGPT. But Apple does not have a clear strategy yet in this area.

During the earnings call, Tim Cook acknowledged that there are issues that need to be addressed with AI, and that they intend to approach its development thoughtfully. Apple sees AI as important and plans to integrate it into products in a careful way.

Apple launches an advertising campaign titled Pay the Apple Way

Apple recently launched a new ad campaign for its payment method, Apple Pay, using the slogan "Pay the Apple Way". The goal is to show how easy it is to make purchases using your iPhone or Apple Watch without having to take out a physical card. It emphasizes Apple Pay's simplicity, speed, and built-in security. The campaign includes billboards in the US and UK, and immersive experiences in major cities.

It also released four videos showcasing the ease of use of Apple Pay, which will be shown on and from various platforms.

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The campaign is already live, and Apple Pay is widely used as a contactless payment method, accepted by more than 85% of retailers in the US.

Apple Watch Ultra 2 will come in Titanium Black

And according to the ShrimpApplePro account that leaked reliable information before, the upcoming second-generation Apple Watch Ultra 2 will come with a new black titanium case in addition to the existing “normal” titanium coating. Apple previously tested a darker titanium coating for the current Ultra model but decided not to release it at that time. This will likely be introduced with the new model this year.

The new Apple Watch Ultra 2 is also expected to feature a faster S9 chip, which is based on the A15 Bionic chip used in the iPhone 13 models. The Apple Watch Ultra 2 is expected to be announced in September, along with the Apple Watch 9, which is said to be available. in pink.

Apple Watch Ultra was released in September 2022 and is designed for outdoor activities such as hiking, extreme water sports, and diving. It is a larger and more solid version of the regular Apple Watch and is priced at $799 in the US.

The iPad mini 7 may be launched later this year

Apple is working on the seventh generation of the iPad mini, and it may be launched before the end of the year. The improvements lie in the processor, as it may contain an A16 or A17 Bionic chip, in addition to improvements in the front and rear cameras, and it is likely to bring features such as Photonic Engine, ProRes video recording, audio zoom, stereo sound recording, portrait mode, and Portrait Lighting support. It is also likely to get Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3, and may also support the Apple Pencil hover, which is currently limited to iPad Pro models. However, no more detailed information about the device has been revealed.

Apple announces an alliance with Adobe, NVIDIA and others to develop the Pixar XNUMXD standard

Apple announced a partnership with Pixar, Adobe, Autodesk, NVIDIA and Linux to support and enhance OpenUSD technology. This technology allows different XNUMXD tools to work together more easily, making it easier to create animated movies and other content. Apple believes OpenUSD will help create better AR experiences and is essential to their platforms and tools. They are forming a group called the Alliance for OpenUSD to improve and promote the use of this technology across the industry.

Samsung begins mass production of OLED screens for the iPhone 15

Samsung, Apple's main OLED supplier, has received approval to begin mass production of the upcoming iPhone 15 series screens, which are expected to be released in September. LG Display and BOE, other monitor suppliers, have experienced delays getting approval for their displays, particularly due to difficulties implementing thin bezels and smaller apertures. As a result, BOE had to turn over its initial shipments to Samsung, which is now expected to have higher shipments in 2023. Although there may be limited availability of the larger iPhone 15 Pro Max at launch, Apple is still Plans to launch all iPhone 15 devices, all as scheduled.

Twitter finally turns into X in the Apple App Store

The social media platform, X (formerly Twitter), has updated its official app on the App Store to match the new branding introduced by Elon Musk. The motto of the app is now “Unleash your glory! Blaze your glory” is described as “the trusted digital town square for everyone”.

The renaming to X aims to make the app similar to everything in China's WeChat. The process was gradual, and some parts still refer to Twitter. The X received special treatment from Apple for the name change, which experienced some delays due to App Store policy. The new brand has faced criticism for being uninspired and being associated with porn sites.

Twitter Blue is now called “X Blue,” as it offers a subscription service with a video upload limit of up to three hours. Linda Iaccarino, current CEO of X, envisions the platform to be powered by artificial intelligence and provide unlimited interaction in voice, video, messaging, payments and banking, creating a global marketplace for ideas, goods, services and opportunities.

Apple requires developers to describe why their apps use certain software tools

In an effort to protect user privacy, Apple requires developers to explain why they use certain APIs in their apps before listing them in the App Store. Although this is intended to protect privacy, some worry that it could lead to more application rejections, especially for popular APIs such as UserDefaults.

If developers don't provide a valid reason for using these APIs, their apps will receive a warning starting later this year starting with iOS 17, tvOS 17, watchOS 10, and macOS Sonoma. Starting in spring 2024, apps that use these APIs without valid reasons will be rejected. The main goal is to prevent the user from being tracked across different applications.

It will allow developers to appeal a denial and seek approval in cases not covered by the Guidelines. For more details, developers can check out Apple Developer website.

Miscellaneous news

◉ Elon Musk would like to talk to Tim Cook about reducing App Store fees for content creators who earn money through subscriptions on the X (Twitter) platform previously. Currently, Apple takes a 30% cut of the total subscription fees creators earn on the X platform. Musk suggests that Apple takes the 30% of the fees X keeps for itself, not the entire creators' earnings. This will likely result in a smaller percentage of the revenue going to Apple.

◉ Apple announced that Apple Card holders have collectively deposited more than $10 billion into Apple Card savings accounts provided by Goldman Sachs. The savings accounts were launched last April and reached this milestone in just four months, due to its easy-to-use features such as no fees, no minimum deposit, and no minimum balance requirement.

◉ Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo suggests that Apple suppliers start mass production of the second generation of AirTag tracking devices in the fourth quarter of 2024. It is expected to better integrate with Apple Vision Pro glasses. But no further details about potential new features have been revealed.

◉ The upcoming Apple Watch 9 will have a design similar to the Apple Watch 8 series, as it comes in 41mm and 45mm sizes. The aluminum model will get a new pink color option, in addition to the existing ones. And the stainless steel model will retain gold, silver, and graphite color options. It is expected that the Apple Watch 9 will contain a new chip for better performance, similar to the A15 Bionic chip of the iPhone 13.

◉ Apple plans to make the edges around the screen of the iPhone 15 models thinner using a special manufacturing process called LIPO. This may result in slimmer bezels than any of the other smartphones. Apple is also looking to apply this technology to future iPads. I previously used LIPO technology on the Apple Watch 7 to achieve thinner bezels and a larger screen.

◉ Apple acknowledged the existence of a problem with the parental control feature “Screen Time” on iPhones and iPads. The Screen Time feature allows parents to remotely manage their children's device, and set time limits for apps. But some parents have complained that settings sometimes reset or don't sync properly across all devices in their family group. Apple is aware of the problem and is promising to make updates to fix it. It already addressed one issue in the previous iOS update, but some parents are still facing the issue in the latest updates.

◉ Apple does not plan to release the third generation of the Apple Watch SE this year. The next update is expected in September 2024.

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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