News on the margins week of September 27 - October 3

iFixit disassembles iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro MaxApple is developing a new version of the Vision Pro glasses with an M5 processor, iPhone 16 Pro Max charging speed test proves the 45-watt charging rumor wrong, WhatsApp launches new filters and backgrounds for video calls, and other exciting news in On the Sidelines…

AirPods 4 and AirPods Max with USB-C Port Disassembly

In a video published by the iFixit website, which specializes in electronics repair, the process of disassembling the new AirPods 4 headphones was shown, specifically the basic version that does not contain the active noise cancellation feature. As expected, the headphones received a 0/10 rating on the repairability scale, as the website described them as “very difficult to disassemble,” and the disassembly did not reveal any major internal differences compared to the previous version, the AirPods 3.

The site also took apart the updated AirPods Max that launched alongside the AirPods 4. Aside from replacing the Lightning port with a USB-C port, there were no major internal differences compared to the original AirPods Max. It's worth noting that the AirPods 4's charging case packs a 345mAh battery, the same as the AirPods 3's charging case.

Microsoft Launches Office 2024 for Mac and Windows

Microsoft this week announced the launch of Office 2024, a new standalone version of its productivity suite for Mac and Windows users. The version, which is available now, offers an alternative for those who prefer a one-time purchase rather than a Microsoft 365 subscription. The package includes updated versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, and Outlook, which are “fixed” applications that won’t receive ongoing feature updates like their Microsoft 365 counterparts.

The new version brings several notable improvements to Mac users, including faster performance in Excel when working with multiple open files, and customizable swipe gestures in Outlook. New features have also been added to PowerPoint, such as Cameo for integrating live camera feeds into slides, and Recording Studio for recording voiceovers and animations. The version is available in two editions: Office Home 2024 for $149.99, and Office Home & Business 2024 for $249.99, with the company stressing that Microsoft 365 remains the recommended option for getting the latest features and regular updates.

WhatsApp launches new filters and backgrounds for video calls

WhatsApp has announced the launch of new filters and backgrounds. The update includes 10 filters and 10 backgrounds that users can apply to enhance their video calling experience, with filters ranging from classic options like “black and white” and “old TV” to other artistic effects.

The backgrounds also offer a variety of options such as “office” and “cafe” to natural options such as “beach” and “sunset.”

In addition to filters and backgrounds, WhatsApp offers “Enhance Appearance” and “Low Light” options to enhance the user’s appearance and improve video quality in less than ideal lighting conditions.

Users will be able to access these new effects via the effects icons located in the top corner of the screen during a video call, and will be available for both one-on-one and group calls.

This update comes after the launch of the event planning feature in August, which allows users to organize events, meetings, and social gatherings directly within the group chat.

Halide App Developer Gives In-Depth Analysis of iPhone 16 Pro Camera

Sebastian De With, co-creator of the popular iPhone camera app Halide, has done an in-depth analysis of Apple’s new camera technology in the iPhone 16 Pro. Taking over 1000 photos, he found that the updated 48MP ultra-wide camera captures “impressive clarity” and offers noticeable improvements in telephoto photography, delivering true 12MP images with more detail when you get closer to your subjects.

As for the main camera, which Apple now calls the “Fusion” camera, it uses a sensor that’s the same physical size as the iPhone 15 Pro. While image processing is largely the same as last year, there are noticeable internal improvements that speed up photo capture. QuickTake mode now supports 4K Dolby Vision HDR video, and 48MP ProRAW photo capture is much faster with faster shutter speeds and less lag.

“God willing, we will provide a detailed report on this topic soon.”

Meta may train AI on images of Ray-Ban smart glasses

Meta, the parent company of Facebook, has added new AI features to its Ray-Ban Meta camera-equipped glasses. These features allow users to get information about their surroundings and remember things like where they parked their car, as well as support video for AI purposes for ongoing real-time assistance. However, these new features have raised questions about how Meta uses the data it collects, as the company declined to explicitly answer whether it uses images captured by the glasses to train AI models.

This raises privacy concerns, as the new features will capture a lot of passive images to send to the AI ​​to answer questions about the user’s surroundings. For example, asking for help choosing an outfit will capture a lot of images inside the user’s home and upload them to the cloud. While Spectacles have always been used for active photos and videos, the use of AI will collect images that users may not be aware of or intend to share.

Microsoft Stops Production of HoloLens 2 Mixed Reality Headset

Microsoft is planning to discontinue production of its HoloLens 2 mixed reality headset, UploadVR reports. The company will continue to provide security updates until December 31, 2027, but then it will end software support for the device entirely. Microsoft was one of the first companies to delve into mixed reality technology, introducing the original HoloLens in 2016, followed by the HoloLens 2 in 2019, and it has always been aimed at enterprise customers rather than general consumers due to its high price.

Microsoft doesn’t appear to have plans to release a new HoloLens at the moment, with a purported third version in 2022 having been canceled due to hardware development challenges and poor vision. Instead, the company is focusing on supporting the US military’s IVAS system, which is scheduled for testing in early 2025. Meanwhile, Microsoft is partnering with Meta to bring Xbox Cloud Gaming and Office apps to Quest, and is working on integrating Windows 11 with it, while Apple continues to develop its Vision Pro headset with a second version potentially coming in 2025.

Apple Celebrates “Meditation Month” With Apple Watch Activity Challenge on October 10

Apple has announced a new activity challenge for Apple Watch called “Meditation Month,” which will take place on October 10. The challenge aims to raise awareness about the importance of taking care of mental health. The challenge requires users to record 10 minutes of meditation using any app that adds data to the Health app to earn a reward.

As with all activity challenges, the Meditation Month event will come with animated stickers that can be used in the Messages app. Meditation Month appears to be a new addition to the Apple Watch Activity Challenge lineup, with the last one happening in August for National Parks Day.

iMac M1 users complain of horizontal lines appearing on the screen

Some owners of 24-inch iMacs with the M1 chip have been experiencing a sudden horizontal line on their displays for the past year and a half. Complaints about the issue have spread across Apple’s support community, MacRumors forums, Reddit, iFixit Answers, and several other sites, but it’s unclear how many customers are affected overall or what the underlying cause is.

Many affected users reported that the lines started appearing on the screen 18 to 24 months after they purchased their iMac, meaning that most affected devices were no longer covered by Apple’s standard one-year warranty when the issue began, unless the customer had purchased extended AppleCare+ coverage. Apple repaired some devices for free as an exception, while other customers had to pay for the service. A common symptom reported was that the top-right corner of the iMac became hot to the touch after the issue began, but the cause has yet to be confirmed.

iPhone 16 Pro Max Charging Speed ​​Test Proves 45W Charging Rumors False

Recent tests have revealed that the iPhone 16 phones do not charge at 45W as was rumored, despite a Chinese regulatory filing showing that all iPhone 16 models are rated to charge at up to 45W. ChargerLAB tested the iPhone 16 Pro Max with a variety of chargers from Apple and third-party companies, and found that the device achieved maximum sustained charging speeds of around 30W.

In one image, the site showed the iPhone 16 Pro Max reaching a peak charging speed of 37W with Apple’s 140W USB-C power adapter, but it’s unclear how long the device will last at that speed. Overall, that seems like an improvement over the reported maximum charging speed of 27W for the iPhone 15 Pro models. Apple simply says that all iPhone 16 models can reach a 50% charge in about 30 minutes with a 20W or higher USB-C charger, which is the same as what was advertised for all iPhone 15 models.

Apple pulls out of OpenAI investment talks

Apple has pulled out of talks to invest in OpenAI, the company behind the popular chatbot ChatGPT, according to a report from the Wall Street Journal. Apple was considering participating in OpenAI’s $6.5 billion funding round, but decided to pull out of the talks for unknown reasons. The development comes a month after reports that Apple was interested in investing in OpenAI as part of a fundraising effort that could value the company at more than $100 billion.

Despite Apple’s withdrawal, other major tech companies are still interested in investing, with Microsoft expected to contribute around $1 billion to the round and Nvidia in talks to get involved. Despite the lack of investment, Apple is still expected to move forward with its plans to integrate ChatGPT with Siri in its upcoming operating systems, which would allow Apple users to access ChatGPT features for free without having to create an account.

Miscellaneous news

◉ Apple has released a new beta firmware update for the AirPods Pro 2, with the software available for both the Lightning and USB-C versions of the ‌AirPods Pro. It's unclear what's included in the firmware update at this time, but Apple plans to introduce hearing and hearing testing functionality for the ‌AirPods Pro 2 sometime this year.

◉ Apple is reportedly developing a new version of the Vision Pro, which is expected to enter mass production in the second half of 2025. According to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, this version will feature the new M5 chip, a significant upgrade over the M2 chip found in the current version. This upgrade is expected to significantly improve the device’s computing power, with a focus on built-in Apple Intelligence features. However, other specifications and the overall design are likely to remain largely unchanged, with the price point keeping close to the current starting price of $3,499. Apple Intelligence features, such as writing tools, notification summaries, and an improved version of Siri, may not arrive on the device until 2025 with the release of visionOS 3.

◉ Repair site iFixit has taken apart the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max, revealing several design changes and improvements in repairability. Unlike the regular iPhone 16 models, the Pro phones do not have the simplified battery removal process that uses electricity, but it is still easier to access through the back instead of the screen.

There were some noticeable differences between the two models, such as the iPhone 16 Pro having a metal battery case over the Pro Max. Access to the LiDAR Scanner and USB-C port were also improved. Both models used Qualcomm's custom SDX71M modem, not the X75 as expected. iFixit gave the phones a 7 out of 10 repairability score, praising the design changes and the availability of repair guides.

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