News on the margin the week September 29 - October 5

Solving the problem of the iPhone 15 Pro overheating, and this is the main reason, and a problem with the screen of the Apple Watch Ultra 2 after the latest update, and some USB-C power banks do not work with the iPhone 15, and Apple begins selling second-generation HomePod models. Renewed, a reference to the Apple Pencil 3 in the iOS 17.1 update, Microsoft was considering selling the “Bing” engine to Apple, and other exciting news on the sidelines…

Google announces new Pixel devices

Google unveiled the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro phones, the Pixel 2 watch, and the updated Pixel Buds Pro headphones, all of which are available for pre-order, and are scheduled to ship on October 12, 2023. The specifications of the Google Pixel phones are as follows:

Specifications of the Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro phones

◉ Pixel 8 phones have superior camera capabilities, and have been upgraded with four new editing features powered by artificial intelligence: Best Take, Magic Editor, Audio Magic Eraser, and Zoom Enhance.

◉ The camera system has seen an improvement in low-light photography, macro focus, and a telephoto lens that captures 56% more light.

◉ The two phones have OLED screens of 6.2 inches and 6.7 inches, respectively. They feature a stylish, lightweight design and are water and dust resistant. They also have triple rear cameras of 48 megapixels, 12 megapixels, and 16 megapixels, and a 12 megapixel front camera. The cameras support features such as optical and digital zoom, night photography, action photography, and artistic photography.

◉ The Pixel 8 Pro phone contains a lidar sensor to measure distances and shapes in the surrounding environment.

◉ The Pixel 8 phone comes with an internal storage capacity of 128 GB or 256 GB, while the Pixel 8 Pro comes with an internal storage capacity of 256 GB or 512 GB.

◉ Both phones support wireless and wired fast charging, and reverse charging to charge compatible devices.

◉ Pixel 8 prices start at $699, while Pixel 8 Pro prices start at $899.

◉ Pixel 8 phones are supported by Google’s Tensor G3 and Titan M2 security chipset against potential threats.

Pixel 2 watch

◉ Significantly improved over its predecessor with upgraded performance, all-day battery life, always-on display, and new safety features like fall detection, emergency SOS, medical ID, emergency sharing, and safety check.

◉ It has a circular AMOLED screen with a diameter of 1.4 inches, and a rotating bezel to control the menu and notifications.

◉ It supports a group of sensors such as the heart rate sensor, blood oxygen measurement, barometric pressure, acceleration, and rotation.

◉ It also supports synchronizing calendar, email, messages, and contacts with an Android phone or iPhone.

◉ It contains Google Assistant, which can answer questions and perform tasks using voice or touch.

◉ The battery capacity of the watch is 400 mAh, and it supports wireless fast charging. Prices start from $299.

Pixel Buds Pro headphones

◉ The headphone provides high-quality sound and comes with effective noise cancellation. It has dual microphones in each earphone, which filter out external noise and enhance the user's voice.

◉ The headphones support Google Assistant, which can control music, communications, and notifications using voice or touch.

◉ It also supports the instant translation feature, which enables users to speak and listen to different languages ​​in real time.

◉ The headset comes with a wireless charging case, which provides up to 24 hours of battery life.

◉ Pixel Buds Pro headphone prices start at $179.

You can watch the Google conference...

Tim Cook gets $41.5 million after selling more than 500 shares

Yesterday, Wednesday, Apple CEO Tim Cook sold more than 500 shares of the company's stock, realizing $41.5 million after taxes. According to his filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission, this deal is the largest stock sale since 2021. After the sale, Cook still owns about 3.3 million shares of Apple stock.

Cook's sale of shares came in light of the decline in Apple's share price by 12% since reaching its highest level at the end of July. This is partly due to warnings of declining iPhone sales in the United States. KeyBanc analyst Brandon Nispel lowered his rating on Apple stock from buy to neutral.

Cook was not the only one who sold Apple shares this week. Executive Vice Presidents Deirdre O'Brien and Katherine Adams each sold $11.3 million worth of stock. In 2015, Cook said in an interview with Fortune magazine that he planned to donate his entire fortune, after paying for his nephew's education. Cook said he would follow a “systematic approach to philanthropy.”

Apple is still working on an Apple Watch with a MicroLED display

Apple is planning to release a new version of the Apple Watch with a microLED display and is scheduled to launch in late 2025. This new display technology will make images on the Watch appear brighter, with brighter colors, and changes in viewing angles, making images appear to be “drawn” over the watch glass. . Some previously believed that it might be released in 2024 or 2026, but recent reports indicate that it will be launched in 2025. The screen of this new watch will be slightly larger than the current screen. After this hour, Apple wants to use this new screen technology in other products such as the iPhone, iPad, and Mac computers to reduce its dependence on Samsung.

The original Apple Watch is outdated

In 2015, Apple launched the first Apple Watch, which included some expensive versions such as the $17000 Gold Edition. But on September 30, 2023, Apple decided that all of these first models were now too old to be repaired or serviced at its stores. This decision came because it has been more than seven years since it stopped selling it. So, if you have an Apple Watch Series XNUMX, you won't be able to get it repaired at an official Apple location anymore. Everyone will soon be informed officially on the Apple website.

The Apple Pencil 3 will have magnetic tips

It seems that Apple is planning to launch a new version of the Apple Pencil. According to a rumor published by the leaker known as “Majin Bu” on the X platform (Twitter), the Apple Pencil 3 will contain interchangeable magnetic tips, suitable for different drawing styles. It will enable users to easily change the pen tip, for a customized drawing experience. For example, there might be a specific header for technical drawing, another for technical drawing, and another for color drawing. Apple received a patent in 2021 for interchangeable magnetic heads, so this rumor is likely true. Majin Bu did not share any additional details.

In March 2021, leaker “Mr. White” is an image purporting to be of an experimental model of the Apple Pencil 3, which features a shorter design, more shine, and a larger nib.

Apple was expected to release a smaller version of the Apple Pencil for the iPad mini, as well as a $49 version for the iPhone, but both products never appeared and were reportedly canceled altogether.

It is still unclear when the Apple Pencil 3 will be released, or whether it will actually have interchangeable magnetic tips. The company is still filing patents on new technologies for this supplement, but none of these rumors have been confirmed.

The Apple Support account on the X platform no longer provides human assistance

If you need technical assistance from Apple, you will no longer find it on the X site. This week, Apple stopped providing human assistance via direct messages on the @AppleSupport On X, it began sending automated responses that directed users to a page Get Support On its website, or to the Apple Support app on iPhone and iPad.

The move comes after it was revealed in August 2023 that Apple was planning to eliminate paid social advisor positions across X, YouTube, and Apple's support community site. Apple Support Community. Apple has offered affected employees the opportunity to move into a phone support role at the company, according to sources familiar with the matter.

The account description previously said it was “available every day to answer your questions,” but that text was deleted this week. The account will continue to share useful tips, tricks, and information, including videos from the Apple Support YouTube channel.

Problem: Apple Watch Ultra screen looks very dim in low light

Some users have reported difficulty reading the Apple Watch Ultra display in low light, especially after the watchOS 10 update. Despite the watch being advertised as the brightest Apple Watch ever. Users say the problem appears when moving quickly from a bright room to a dark area, and when the Wayfinder and Ultra Modular watch faces are set to Night mode, which places a red filter on the screen. Readability issues do not go away despite manual adjustments to the brightness level in the watch settings. Owners of both the Ultra and Ultra 2 say that the problem is evident on devices updated with watchOS 10.0.1 and the latest watchOS 10.0.21 update.

This issue is believed to be related to the ambient light sensor, which may have been affected by the watchOS 10 update.

 The problem persists even after manually adjusting the brightness. Both new and older versions of Apple Watch Ultra are showing this issue after recent updates.

Apple is aware of the problem, and may fix it in a future update. If you have an Apple Watch, have you encountered this problem? Tell us in the comments.

Apple says the titanium frame does not contribute to the iPhone 15 Pro overheating problem

Apple has released a new update IOS 17.0.3 To fix overheating problems on the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max. Some analysts have suggested that the reason the iPhone 15 Pro overheats is because of its new design, which uses a frame made of titanium, a material that is poor at dissipating heat. But Apple denied these allegations, and said that the problem is not related to the frame, but rather to some errors in the iOS 17 update and some external applications such as Instagram, Uber, and games such as Asphalt 9 and Legends, which cause the new A17 Pro chip to work very hard. Apple is working with these app creators to solve the problem. The company confirmed that fixing this will not slow down the performance of the chip.

Apple added that the titanium frame and aluminum interior provide better heat dissipation than any previous Pro models that used a stainless steel frame. She said that these materials help transfer heat faster from inside the phone to the outside. She said that users may feel the phone's temperature rise in some circumstances, for example, when setting up the phone for the first time or when using applications that consume a lot of power, but this does not affect long-term performance.

In more clear terms, the temperature of some iPhone models rises significantly due to certain applications, but Apple worked to solve the problem, and fixed it without making the phone slower.

Apple uses QR codes to track defective displays and cut costs

Apple uses a smart and innovative method to track the number of defective screens produced by its supplier companies, which is to use very small QR codes that are etched into the surface of the glass that covers the screens of iPhone screens. These codes are a matrix of 625 laser-engraved dots, and the size of each dot is equal to the size of a grain of sand. These codes can only be seen using special equipment, and contain information such as the name of the supplying company, production date, and batch. There are two QR codes on each screen, one on the front and the other on the back. The aim of this is to identify the source of the defect if it occurs, and to verify the quality of production.

We wrote a whole article about this secret, if you want more information

Apple has invested millions of dollars in developing this method, installing laser inspection equipment at Lens Technology and Biel Crystal factories, two companies that make iPhone glass. Thanks to this method, Apple can know exactly how many pieces of glass each company produced, and how many pieces of glass were wasted due to defects. An informed source said that before using this method, the disposal rate of glass pieces was up to 30%. But after using this method, this rate was reduced to 10%. Thus, Apple was able to save hundreds of millions of dollars by reducing the disposal rate of defective glass parts.

Apple is ramping up generative AI research with new hires and investments

Apple announced the expansion of its investments in the field of artificial intelligence, especially in the field of generative artificial intelligence. Tim Cook said that the company seeks to enhance its expertise in this field by recruiting more employees and investors and working to develop several generative artificial intelligence technologies, such as Giant Language Models, which can create natural and convincing texts based on simple inputs. It works effectively on mobile devices such as iPhone and iPad, instead of relying on the cloud. Cook pointed out that Apple is already using artificial intelligence in several features on its devices, such as fall detection, crash detection, and Predictive Autocorrect in iOS 17.

To demonstrate Apple's capabilities in generative AI, Cook showed some examples of content that can be created using this technology. He asked Siri to choose a random image from the Internet, describe it with words, and then turn those words into a poem. Siri showed a photo of a gorgeous sunset on a beach, and mentioned a poem about it.

**sunset**

In the last moments of light*** and a fragrant breeze and serenity

And the sun sinks into the water*** like a rose that decorates the sky

And the waves wash away the sand, and the hopes of the heart wash away the brutality

I feel peaceful and peaceful, and your presence is a witness to the atmosphere

Like a life that was given its most beautiful life *** and to my Lord give thanks for the blessings

“An attempt was made to modify the meter and rhyme to suit the Arabic language.”

Cook said this poem was created entirely by Siri, using a generative AI language model, and that it did not use any external sources. Cook added that this example shows Apple's ability to create innovative and enjoyable content using artificial intelligence, and that he looks forward to seeing more future applications for this technology.

Microsoft was considering selling Bing to Apple in 2020

In 2020, Microsoft discussed the possibility of selling its search engine, Bing, to Apple, according to a report from Bloomberg. If this deal had been completed, Bing would have replaced Google as the default search engine on Apple devices.

The report said that Microsoft officials met with Eddy Cue, Apple's head of services, who was behind the current relationship with Google, to discuss the possibility of acquiring Bing. But the talks were only exploratory and did not reach an advanced stage.

Apple decided not to make a deal; Because she makes a lot of money from Google and was worried that Bing wouldn't be able to match Google's quality. Google has long been the default search engine on Apple devices, and pays Apple billions of dollars each year for the privilege.

Recently, this deal has been in the spotlight; Because of the antitrust trial between Google and the US Department of Justice, which says that Google's search engine has a clear monopoly on Apple devices. While Google is the default search engine, users can choose other search engines such as Yahoo, Bing, DuckDuckGo, or Ecosia, with Bing becoming more popular recently; Because of its partnership with OpenAI and integration of Chatbot technology.

In recent years, Microsoft has tried to improve the quality and capabilities of Bing, increase its market share, and attract users with features such as rewards, wallpapers, and chatbots. Microsoft said that Bing is used by more than one billion people in 38 countries, and that it generates annual profits of more than $7 billion.

Miscellaneous news

◉ The iOS 17.1 update contains an icon indicating a new Apple Pencil that comes with a USB-C connector or an adapter released last year that allows the older Apple Pencil to charge using USB-C on newer iPads. There is a rumor that the future Apple Pencil will have magnetic tips for different drawing styles.

◉ Yesterday, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) tested the US emergency alert system. People in the US got test script on their phones, TVs and radios. The message will indicate that it is just a test, and no action is required. This system sends important warnings about dangers, such as bad weather or missing children. Even if you turn off these alerts on your iPhone, you will receive this test message anyway.

◉ Apple launched the fourth beta version of the VisionOS system, for the Apple Vision Pro glasses. The third beta was released in late August, so it's been over a month since Apple released the last update to visionOS‌. Most people won't be able to access the ‌visionOS‌ beta outside of Xcode, and it's not yet clear what Apple is adding in each ‌visionOS‌ update.

◉ Apple has begun selling refurbished second-generation HomePod models in the United States for the first time since its launch in January. Refurbished models are priced at $249, down from $299 for the new model.

◉ Apple now requires new apps to obtain a license from the Chinese government to be in its Chinese App Store, which is consistent with what other Chinese app stores have done since 2017. Before that, iPhone users in China were able to obtain some Foreign applications, such as Facebook, use some tricks to bypass restrictions. But new Chinese rules stipulate that these applications must be registered with the government by next July, otherwise Apple will not be able to offer them. Officials say this is to stop scams and inappropriate content, but it also means some foreign apps may leave the store; Because it does not want to follow China's database and censorship rules.

◉ Apple added a USB-C port to the iPhone 15 lineup, but some USB-C power banks do not work well with it. This means that your iPhone 15 may not be charging properly, or the power bank may be charging instead. The issue affects different power banks, and one example is the Anker PowerCore Slim 10K PD. In order for it to work with the iPhone 15, you have to use the USB-A port instead. This problem may be related to the iPhone 15 feature that allows it to charge other devices through the USB-C port. Although most USB-C power banks with Power Delivery technology work well, not all of them are compatible with the iPhone 15.

◉ Apple announced that it will announce its earnings results for the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2023 on Thursday, November 2, and Apple CEO Tim Cook and CFO Luca Maestri will discuss the results in a conference call with analysts.

◉ After releasing the iOS 17.0.3 update, Apple stopped signing iOS 16.6.1, iOS 17, and iOS 17.0.1 updates, preventing iPhone users from downgrading to any of these software versions. Apple is still signing iOS 17.0.2 at the moment, which means it can be rolled back.

Sources:

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10| 11| 12| 13| 14| 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23