News on the margins for the week of April 19-25

The launch of the calculator application for the iPad, the significant decline in demand for Apple glasses, Apple acquires Datakalab, the WhatsApp application for iOS finally supports passkeys, Apple is developing its own artificial intelligence server processor with 3 nm technology, and other exciting news on the sidelines...

New Apple Arcade games on Apple Glass

Today, two new games will be launched for Apple Vision Pro glasses: Crossy Road Castle and Solitaire Stories. In Crossy Road Castle, you can play with friends with up to four players playing together, or alone, using finger gestures. Solitaire Stories offers different versions of Solitaire to play alone or with friends online, along with a story mode and daily challenges. Both games will be available for download from the VisionOS App Store. In addition, other games will receive updates such as Puyo Puyo Puzzle Pop and Cooking Mama.

The next Apple Watch will come with a thinner motherboard

A recent report suggests that at least one upcoming Apple Watch model will feature resin-coated copper in its motherboard. This material, consisting of resin-coated copper foil, provides improved durability and water resistance, while also allowing for a thinner panel. This thin panel provides additional space inside the watch for additional components and sensors, which is crucial as Apple continues to improve the watch's health features. Rumors indicate that future Apple Watches may include blood pressure sensing and non-invasive blood sugar monitoring. The timing and lineup of the next Apple Watch models remains uncertain, with speculation surrounding a redesigned Apple Watch A new Apple Watch SE is expected to be released, after the usual two-year update cycle for this model. It is worth noting that the adoption of resin-coated copper may extend beyond the Apple Watch, and will likely appear in future iPhone models as well, according to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.

TikTok faces a possible US ban

The US Senate has passed an important bill that could lead to TikTok being banned from US app stores or forcing its Chinese owner, ByteDance, to sell the platform. President Biden is scheduled to sign this bill, which has already been approved by the House of Representatives. If ByteDance fails to sell TikTok within nine months, with a possible three-month extension, the app will be banned in the US. However, China opposes such a sale. ByteDance plans to challenge the bill, in accordance with the Constitution that protects freedom of expression for its 170 million American users. Lawmakers are concerned about the Chinese government's access to user data through TikTok. ByteDance's efforts to mitigate concerns, such as storing US user data on Oracle servers, have not convinced authorities. Antitrust concerns may limit potential buyers, complicating the selling process.

Apple reduces shipments of Vision Pro glasses as demand drops “sharply beyond expectations”

Apple has reduced its expected shipments of the Vision Pro glasses from 700-800 thousand units to 400-450 thousand units, according to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. This adjustment comes amid a reduction in orders ahead of the global launch of the glasses, indicating weaker than expected demand in the United States. Apple is expected to handle the demand for Apple Glass cautiously as it expands into additional markets. Kuo expects that Vision Pro may be released in new markets before June, and possibly within next month. Apple expects Apple Glass shipments to decline in 2025 compared to 2024, prompting a review of its roadmap. Kuo does not expect a new Apple Glass in 2025, contrary to previous reports. Apple aims to enhance production efficiency and supply chain management, with significant updates not expected until 2027. Kuo highlights Apple's need to address app availability, pricing, and convenience without compromising user experience.

Finally, the calculator application for the iPad will be launched later this year

The absence of an official calculator app on the iPad has long been something of a joke on social media, since it's such an essential tool. Currently, iPad users are forced to rely on third-party calculator apps in the App Store, such as PCalc and Calcbot.

The good thing is that iPadOS 18 will include a built-in calculator application for iPad devices that are compatible with the software update, which is expected to be revealed during the annual WWDC developer conference on June XNUMX.

According to the leaks, the new Calculator app will come to macOS 15 as well, and will be integrated with the Notes app.

In June 2020, Craig Federighi, Apple's head of software engineering, told tech reviewer Marquis Brownlee that the company simply "hadn't figured out" a "great" calculator app for the iPad. He added that this day may come.

Apple's May 7 event will include six artistic logos in a hint at the new Apple Pencil

titled "Open the room for creativity Let Loose“Apple is preparing to unveil new products during its next event, which is expected to witness the launch of a new Apple Pencil.

The six artistic logos that appear randomly when you update Apple's home page indicate the arrival of products related to design and digital drawing, as the “Let Loose” event is expected to unveil radical updates to both the iPad Pro and the Apple Pencil.

Pencil us in for May 7! ✏️ #AppleEvent pic.twitter.com/1tvyB7h450

- Tim Cook (@tim_cook) April 23, 2024

Hints from Tim Cook also indicate that the Apple Pencil will play a pivotal role in the event. The event is expected to witness the unveiling of two new models of the iPad Air and the Magic Keyboard with an updated design.

Apple is developing its own 3nm artificial intelligence server processor

According to a post on Weibo by a user known as “Phone Chip Expert,” Apple has ambitious plans to design its own artificial intelligence server processor. It is reported that this processor is manufactured using 3nm technology, which provides significant improvements in performance and power efficiency compared to its predecessor. .

Apple could use its own AI processors to improve the performance of its data centers and future cloud-based AI tools. While Apple is rumored to be prioritizing hardware processing for many of its upcoming AI tools, some operations will likely have to be forced into the cloud.

By the time the custom processor can be integrated into playback servers in late 2025, Apple's new AI strategy should be well underway.

Apple orders new button components for iPhone 16

According to a new report from Asia, Apple has ordered a large amount of capacitive button components with two TapTek motors, one on each side of the phone, from a Taiwanese supplier, allegedly for the iPhone 16. Apple is thus replacing the current physical buttons with capacitive versions with haptic feedback when Press it.

Earlier, iPhone 16 prototypes were thought to include touch-enabled power and volume buttons with haptic feedback. But the project was canceled in 2023; Due to technical problems that have not been resolved.

As a result, other rumors indicate that the iPhone 16 models will have fully mechanical buttons, including a fourth additional button for shooting, zooming in and out of the image by sliding their finger right and left on the button, focusing with a light press, and activating recording with a stronger press. The report claims that Saudi components will enter production in large quantities in the third quarter of this year.

There is a lot of conflicting information about the type of buttons that Apple intends to use in the upcoming iPhone 16, whether new capacitive, or improved mechanical.

Apple pulls WhatsApp, Telegram, Signal, and Threads from the App Store in China

Last Thursday, Apple removed the popular messaging and social networking apps WhatsApp, Telegram, Signal, and Threads from the App Store in China, at the request of the Chinese government. Due to unspecified “national security concerns.” Apple added that it is “obligated to follow the laws in the countries in which it operates, even when they disagree with them.”

This is not the first time that Apple has responded to similar orders from the Chinese government to remove applications from the App Store, as other applications for (VPNs), news, and others have previously been removed.

WhatsApp for iOS finally supports passkeys

Meta announced the launch of support for the “Passkeys” feature on the iOS system, which allows WhatsApp users to log in to their accounts on iOS devices using their face, fingerprint, or device passcode.

“Passkeys” replace traditional passwords, and because device authentication is required, they prevent phishing attacks and other malicious online tactics. This makes it impossible to steal the password or intercept the SMS code or one-time authentication code.

“Passkeys” can be activated in WhatsApp through the application settings, choosing the account section, then clicking on “Passkeys.”

Apple has supported the Passkeys feature since 2022, and it works on devices running iOS 16 or later, iPadOS 16 or later, and macOS Ventura or later. Many other companies have also implemented “passkey” support, including X (or Twitter), Google, TikTok, Microsoft, and others.

Miscellaneous news

◉ Apple launches the third public beta version of iOS 17.5 and macOS 14.5 updates.

◉ Apple has quietly acquired Datakalab, a Paris-based AI startup focused on on-device AI tools. Datakalab specializes in algorithm compression and embedded AI systems, and its technology allows AI to run without relying on the cloud, which aligns with Apple's commitment to user privacy, data security, and reliable performance.

◉ Apple Glass faces a significant decline in demand, as users see difficulty setting up and a lack of attractive apps. Although the Spatial Personas feature (allowing users to feel like they are in the same virtual room with another user) was added in the latest visionOS update, Apple's own apps are still not optimized for the system. There are expectations that Apple will produce fewer than 400 Vision Pro glasses in 2024 due to manufacturing complications, while working on a new, more affordable version for 2025.

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