News on the sidelines week 3 - 9 January

iPhone 17 camera notch redesign, Samsung adds AI to TV and innovative MagSafe gadgets at CES, Samsung teases a real AI companion, Dell copies iPhone strategy, iPhone SE 4 and iPad 11 launch in April, and other exciting news on the sidelines…

SanDisk Launches MagSafe-Compatible SSD for iPhone

SanDisk has announced a new portable SSD called the Creator Phone SSD, designed specifically for use with the MagSafe-enabled iPhone. The drive magnetically attaches to the back of the phone and connects via a USB-C cable, making it ideal for on-the-go use.

The new drive supports ProRes video recording with read speeds up to 1000MB/s and write speeds up to 950MB/s. It features a rugged design with a silicone housing and is water and dust resistant, and will be available in two storage capacities: 1TB for $110 and 2TB for $170, and will go on sale in the spring.

Apple Watch processors are made in the US for the first time

Apple has expanded its US manufacturing footprint, with TSMC starting to manufacture the S9 processor for the Apple Watch at its facility in Arizona. The move comes after the company began producing the A16 Bionic processor for the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus at the same facility last year.

Both the S9 and A16 are manufactured using 4nm technology, which has made it easy for TSMC to adapt its Arizona production line to accommodate both chips. The facility currently produces about 10,000 chips per month, and that capacity is expected to double to 24,000 chips per month early this year when Phase 1B of the project is completed.

The biggest update to Siri won't arrive until iOS 19

iOS 18.4 is expected to launch in April with several improvements to Siri’s intelligent features, including screen awareness, advanced app control, and better understanding of the user’s personal context. But according to Mark Gurman’s report, the biggest Siri update won’t arrive until spring 2026 with iOS 19.4.

This update will bring a more advanced version of Siri powered by advanced language models, making it more similar to ChatGPT and better able to handle complex requests and back-and-forth conversations. The new version of Siri will require an iPhone 15 Pro or later due to Apple Intelligence compatibility requirements.

iPhone 16 Still Banned in Indonesia Despite Apple's $XNUMX Billion Investment Deal

Apple is still banned from selling the iPhone 16 in Indonesia despite agreeing to build a local production facility there, with Indonesian Industry Minister Agus Kartasasmita saying the company’s $35 billion investment proposal, which includes building a factory to produce AirTag devices, is not enough to meet the XNUMX% local content requirement for smartphones.

The minister stressed that the AirTag factory planned for Batam Island cannot be counted as part of the iPhone components manufactured locally. Indonesia is a key market for Apple, with more than half of its 278 million people under the age of 44, making the deal a success for President Prabowo’s efforts to attract foreign investment.

iPhone SE 4 and iPad 11 launch in April

Apple is reportedly working on a new iPhone SE and iPad 11 alongside iOS 18.3 and iPadOS 18.3, but the devices won’t necessarily launch alongside those updates, according to Bloomberg analyst Mark Gurman. Apple is targeting a “by April” release, ahead of iOS 18.4, Gurman said.

Vision Pro glasses support NVIDIA's GeForce NOW cloud gaming service via Safari browser

NVIDIA announced at CES 2025 that it is working with Apple to bring its GeForce NOW cloud gaming platform to Apple Vision Pro via Safari, with updates expected to roll out later this month. The collaboration will allow users to access AAA games using NVIDIA’s advanced RTX technologies including ray tracing and DLSS.

Apple Vision Pro users will have access to NVIDIA’s vast library of over 2,100 games via the cloud, including upcoming AAA titles like Avowed and DOOM: The Dark Ages, without the need for local processing or library downloads. GeForce NOW support will launch on Apple Vision Pro later this month with the release of version 2.0.70, and users will be able to stream games via Safari by visiting the platform’s website at play.geforcenow.com

Apple starts selling refurbished iPhone 15 in Europe

Apple this week began selling refurbished iPhone 15 models for the first time in France, Germany, Italy and Spain, at a 15% discount compared to new models. Currently, only 128GB and 256GB versions are available, with more versions expected to arrive soon, including the iPhone 15 Plus and the discontinued iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max models.

All Apple refurbished iPhones are unlocked and compatible with all carriers. They come with a new battery, new outer casing, and USB-C cable, making them nearly identical to new devices. They also include Apple’s standard one-year warranty, with the option to extend coverage through AppleCare+. Apple discontinued the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max after the iPhone 16 series launches in September 2024, but it still sells the new iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus models on its main online store.

Dell Mimics iPhone 'Pro' and 'Pro Max' Strategy for Naming New PC Lineup

Dell on Monday announced a major overhaul of its computer naming strategy, adopting a simplified naming scheme strikingly similar to Apple’s approach to naming its iPhones. The computer maker is ditching its traditional XPS and Inspiron names in favor of three clear categories: Dell, Dell Pro, and Dell Pro Max, in an apparent echo of the iPhone naming scheme that has used “Pro” and “Pro Max” to distinguish its higher-end models since the iPhone 11 launched in 2019.

Jeff Clark, the company’s chief operating officer, explained that customers prefer names that are easy to remember and pronounce, stressing that they don’t have to spend time understanding a complex naming system. He added that this new strategy is backed by research that included “tens of thousands of customers,” noting that no company owns the rights to common words like “pro” or “max.”

Kevin Terwilliger, vice president of Dell’s PC division, explained that the rebranding is intended to make it easier for customers to differentiate products, similar to Apple’s approach of tying products under a single brand name. Alienware, the gaming brand that Dell acquired in 2006, will keep its current name. Michael Dell, the company’s founder and CEO, said the new system will make it easier for customers to engage with the company.

Samsung teases 'real AI companion' to debut on January 22 with new Galaxy phones

Samsung today announced the date for its upcoming Unpacked keynote event on Wednesday, January 22. The company claims it will showcase the “next evolution” of Galaxy AI, which will change the way people interact with the world, setting a new standard for AI experiences on mobile. Samsung previously showcased Galaxy AI in July at the launch of the Galaxy ZFold6 and ZFlip6, with features like drawing-to-image conversion, a notes app with translation and authoring features, Gemini integration, text suggestions, real-time call translation, and smart photo tools.

The Unpacked event will see the launch of new S-series phones designed to take on Apple’s flagship iPhone 16. This year, Samsung will launch the Galaxy S25 series with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite processors. Rumors suggest the new phones will feature larger displays and a more curved design with rounded edges, with a heavy focus on AI features. Samsung is also working on a mixed reality headset powered by Google’s Android XR, which could be showcased at the event, competing with Apple’s Vision Pro but at a lower price.

Samsung Adds AI to TV and Innovative MagSafe Tools

The annual CES show, which sees the launch of a variety of tech products and accessories, has begun, and Samsung has shown off its new TV technologies, including its flagship NEO 8K TV and the new Frame Pro, which features better brightness and contrast, with a wireless display option for any outputs connected to the One Connect box. It also announced its AI-powered Live Translate feature, which provides real-time translations as text translations, even when text translations are not available as built-in content.

Other companies showed off interesting innovations, including Belkin’s Stage Power 10,000mAh power bank that doubles as a camera holder for iPhone photography, Lexar’s mini SSD with a USB-C port that connects to your iPhone, Atmos Gear’s electric skates that can reach speeds of 18 mph, and a smart salt shaker that stimulates your tongue to taste salt without actually adding it to your food.

Miscellaneous news

◉ LaCie has launched the Rugged Pro5 SSD, which uses Thunderbolt 5 technology to transfer data at high speeds, offering read speeds of up to 6700MB/s and write speeds of up to 5300MB/s. The drive is water and dust resistant, can withstand drops from three meters, and is compatible with Thunderbolt 5, 4, and USB-C devices. The drive is available in 2TB capacities for $400 and 4TB for $600, and is designed specifically for photographers, filmmakers, and audio professionals.

◉ Apple has released the second public beta of the upcoming iOS 18.3, iPadOS 18.3, and macOS Sequoia 15.3 updates, allowing the public to test them out ahead of their launch later this month. 

◉ Recent reports have revealed that Apple is planning to launch new Apple TV and HomePod mini devices this year, both of which will feature built-in Apple-made Wi-Fi and Bluetooth chips supporting Wi-Fi 6E technology. The new Apple TV is expected to come with a newer A-series chip for faster performance and a price tag that could be under $100, while the HomePod mini will get a new S chip, improved sound quality, and new colors. The company is also planning to launch an all-new smart home device with a 6-inch screen that can be mounted on a wall or a table base with a speaker.

◉ India is set to roll out a series of subsidies and tariff cuts worth $2.7 billion aimed at lowering production costs for Apple and other smartphone makers, as part of its broader efforts to become a global electronics manufacturing hub. The measures focus on boosting production of key components such as batteries, camera modules and microprocessors, which are currently mainly imported from countries such as China. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government has already launched several initiatives, such as the Production Liability Incentive (PLI) program, which has attracted major companies such as Apple and Samsung. Apple began assembling iPhones in India in 2017, and now accounts for about 15% of its global production, with the iPhone 16 starting production in India just weeks after its global launch. A final decision on the measures is expected to be announced during the federal budget in February.

◉ LG Display, a supplier to Apple, is planning to modify its main OLED display production line, due to lower-than-expected demand for iPad Pros equipped with these displays. Instead of producing displays for tablets and computers, the company will switch to producing OLED displays for iPhones. This shift will allow LG to increase iPhone display production without the need for a large investment in a new production line, which will save huge costs. 

◉ The new iPhone 17 design is rumored to feature a smoother transition between the edges of the camera bump and the back cover thanks to the use of a new process for fusing glass and metal. According to a Chinese source, Apple is said to have developed new manufacturing techniques to achieve this smooth transition. Apple is expected to ditch the titanium frame on the iPhone 17 Pro models and go back to aluminum, with a half-aluminum, half-glass back cover to support wireless charging. The Pro models will feature a larger camera bump made of aluminum instead of glass. 

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