Bryan M. Wolfe:
Apple has added two new keys labeled “isFirstParty” and “isFirstPartyHideableApp” in iTunes metadata. These two new values started showing up a few weeks ago on every app in the App Store. The iTunes metadata is where all the information about an app is stored. It shows things like the date it was released, the App Store category it’s in, its size, etc. The new keys suggest the ability to remove apps such as Stocks, Compass, and Voice Messages is coming very soon.
Greg Bensinger:
In a first for the Seattle online retailer, Amazon will soon sell a higher-end Kindle with a rechargeable protective case for extended battery life, according to a person familiar with the matter. This removable cover will allow the Kindle to be thinner than earlier devices.
Also under development is a separate Kindle case with a battery that can be charged using solar power. It is unlikely this case will be released in the immediate future, another person familiar with the matter said.
Patrick Klepek:
Sony is currently planning a new version of the PS4 with increased graphical power and games running at 4K resolution, developer sources tell Kotaku.
We don’t know whether current PS4 owners will be able to upgrade or if they’ll have to buy an entirely new device to benefit from this power boost, but from what we hear, Sony has started briefing developers.
Based on conversations with developers who have spoken with Sony, this ‘PS4.5’ will include an upgraded GPU both to support high-end 4K resolution for games and add more processing power that can enhance the games supported by PlayStation VR, the headset Sony will launch this fall. It’s unclear if ‘PS4.5’ is an official name or just a nickname that developers have been using. One developer jokingly called it the ‘PS4K’ while telling me about the device.
Will games that are enhanced for the PS4K scale down their graphics gracefully for the PS4 or will there be a break in compatibility? What about PS VR? And since this would require the GPU to push four times the pixels, would it still have similar performance to a 1080p PS4?
I still have a 1080p plasma, but is the first reason I would consider using to upgrade to a 4K TV.
Mark Gurman:
Checks with additional sources indicate that the iPhone SE, to be launched at Apple’s March 21st event next week, will look “almost exactly the same” as the iPhone 5s…
This means the phone will include a boxier, not curved, design complete with rounded volume buttons, a power button on the top, a headphone jack, speaker, and microphone on the bottom, and a back with a metal center and a glass bottom and top. We previously reported that the only easily apparent difference would be the product’s edges. There have been mixed reports regarding the look of the new edges, and sources say that while the front edges could be “very slightly” curved, the potential change is not noticeable. Regardless, the iPhone SE’s edges will be less shiny and likely lose the shiny mirror finish that helped make the iPhone 5s prone to scratches.
The other hardware differences are internal: an A9 processor, an M9 chip for always-on “Hey Siri” support, an NFC chip for Apple Pay, and upgrades to the cellular and WiFi hardware. We have now also learned that the device’s rear camera system will match the system found on the iPhone 6s: the iPhone SE is said to include a 12 megapixel camera and 4K video recording support like the upcoming smaller iPad Pro. We previously reported the ability to take Live Photos is also in the mix.
What I don’t understand is how the camera system can match the 6S if the lens will be flush with the case. I assume it will be ‘close enough’ but slightly inferior… unless they managed to make a huge jump in lens design.
However good or bad the camera in the SE will be, I wonder how Apple will word it.
Kara Swisher:
Attention Apple nerds, investors, media and everyone else who needs to know when Tim Cook’s next product event is going to be held: It’s going to be the week of March 21.
Or to put it another way, it’s not going to be on March 15, the time frame that other outlets previously reported, according to several sources. It is not clear if the event was moved or if this was the timing Apple had always planned.
Confirmed by John Paczkowski and Jim Dalrymple.
Mark Gurman:
Instead of integrating Siri as a swipe menu akin to the Mac’s Notification Center or as a full screen view like on the iPhone and even the iPad Pro, Siri for the Mac will live in the Mac’s Menu Bar. Similar to the Spotlight magnifying glass icon for search and notifications icon for Notification Center, a Siri icon in the top right corner of the menu bar will activate the voice control feature.
At last! I hope Siri also gains the ability to understand multiple languages in one sentence, eg. ‘Hey Siri, give me travel directions to Grande Anse des Salines’.
Siri on the Mac will have its own pane in System Preferences and users are said to also have the option to choose a keyboard shortcut for activating the service. Like with recent versions of iOS, users will be able to enable Siri at the first startup of OS X 10.12, according to sources. If the Mac running the new OS X version is plugged into power, a “Hey Siri” command will work much like with recent iPhone and iPad models.
That would be strange, especially considering the ‘Hey Siri’ works on the most recent iPhones and iPads without the devices needing to being plugged in.
Mark Gurman:
Apple is currently planning to introduce a new 4-inch iPhone dubbed the “iPhone 5se” and a new iPad Air at an event on Tuesday, March 15th, then put the products up for sale online and in retail stores as early as Friday, March 18th, according to sources. Apple is unlikely to offer pre-orders for the new devices, according to sources who cautioned that the plans could still change.
I would love for the products to be available for purchase on the day of their announcement. Basically I want Tim Cook, Phil Schiller, or whoever is up on stage at the time to say: ‘Available… today.’
By the way, for those asking: I’m not buying the new iPhone 5SE nor the iPad Air 3 — my 6S Plus and iPad Pro are doing fine.
Eric Slivka:
According to a source who has provided reliable information in the past, the iPhone 7 body will appear very similar to the design used for the iPhone 6 and 6s, with two significant exceptions.
The first involves the rear camera, which protrudes slightly on the iPhone 6 and 6s. On the iPhone 7, the camera is said to sit flush with the rear casing, enabled by a thinner camera module. Recent rumors have indicated Apple is considering equipping the iPhone 7 Plus with a dual-lens rear camera, but the smaller iPhone 7 is expected to include a more traditional camera.
I don’t mind that bump very much, until I look at it. I do however hope the thinner camera module will not compromise quality in any way. I’m also glad the antenna bands will (supposedly) go away — I still find them extremely unattractive.
I can’t say I’ll be surprised if the two iPhones turn out to have different camera modules — thus far only OIS has been the differentiating factor between the 6/6S and 6 Plus/6S Plus. I’ve been a Plus user for the past year, because I needed more battery on a daily basis, but this changed recently and I was going to go back to the 4.7″ size for the iPhone 7. I will probably reconsider if the 7 Plus has a better camera system.
Mark Gurman:
Apple is currently aiming to unveil the new 4-inch the iPhone 5se, the iPad Air 3, and new Apple Watch band options at an event on Tuesday, March 15th, according to sources.
John Paczkowski posted his own take a few hours later, confirming the event, and so did Matthew Panzarino.
The new band lines will include multiple new colors for the rubberized Sport bands, new Hermès bands, a ‘space black’ version of the Milanese Loop, and an entirely new band line made of a new material. Supply chain sources indicate that Apple has been testing a series of “high-quality” NATO-style nylon bands for the Apple Watch, but we have not confirmed that this is indeed the new line launching in March.
Mark was the only one of the trio who commented specifically on the new Apple Watch things we can expect. I’m quite interested in the NATO-style bands, as well as a Space Black Milanese Loop for more formal occasions.
Chance Miller:
The first thing you’ll notice in the image below is that there appears to be a cutout for the Smart Connector. Apple first introduced this connection with the iPad Pro, using it for a more stable and reliable connection for things like keyboards. This case leak suggests that Apple plans to add the Smart Connector to the iPad Air lineup with the March revision.
Another change is that the camera cutout on the back of the case appears to extend further down, perhaps hinting that the iPad Air 3 will gain support for rear camera flash, a feature the iPad Pro does not have. Finally, the leaked images appear to show holes for four speakers, a change that was first reported earlier this month.
With more power efficient internals, Apple could go with a smaller battery to make room for the speakers. If I recall correctly, I already got more than 12-13 hours of battery life from my iPad Air 2, hence they should have room to manoeuvre.
Siu Han & Alex Wolfgram for Digitimes:
The new 9.7-inch device will reportedly come equipped with a 4K resolution panel and up to 4GB in RAM, in addition to improved battery life.
I’m betting on no change in the display’s resolution — there is no reason to go 4K apart from watching 4K movies, and that’s hardly a compelling reason. First of all, battery life would take an enormous hit. So would GPU performance. I don’t see them doing this — there are just too many downsides.
Still on the fence regarding RAM — it could go either way.
Tim Culpan:
Apple is exploring cutting-edge technologies that would allow iPhones and iPads to be powered from further away than the charging mats used with current smartphones, the people said, asking not to be identified as the details are private. The iPhone maker is looking to overcome technical barriers including loss of power over distance with a decision on implementing the technology still being assessed, they said.
Don’t expect this technology this year. I wouldn’t bet on 2017 either.
Tim Hardwick:
To that end, Kuo expects a 2-3x optical zoom function to feature in Apple’s iPhone 7 Plus. However, owing to supply chain constraints on dual-camera modules, the KGI analyst expects the larger handset to come in single-camera and dual-camera versions.
I doubt Apple would ship two different versions of the iPhone 7 Plus — they prefer their line-ups to be as simple as possible. I could imagine a scenario where the iPhone 7 has a regular lens, while the 7 Plus gets the new dual-lens setup — this would correlate with OIS being present on the 6/6S Plus, but not on the 6/6S. Having said that, if such technology was to be used by Apple, I’d expect it in the 7S / 7S Plus.
Mark Gurman:
Because the iPhone 7 will include a faster chip potentially known as the A10 processor, Apple likely does not want its new 4-inch iPhone to fall two processor generations behind in just six months. Another benefit of the M9 chip from the iPhone 6s is always-on Siri activation. This feature allows a user to say “Hey Siri” and launch Siri on their iPhone without the device being plugged in. Given the large performance leap, we are told that the “5se” will likely replace the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus in the iPhone lineup this fall when the iPhone 7 is introduced. This means that Apple’s fall 2016 iPhone lineup will likely be the iPhone 5se, iPhone 6s and 6s Plus, and the future iPhone 7 and 7 Plus (or what Apple ends up calling the next-generation devices).
While the ‘5SE’ sounds nostalgic to me, it suggests the phone is three generations behind the iPhone 7 — or rather will be. Reportedly.
Mark Gurman:
Apple plans to announce new Apple Watch models in March. The new lineup will be similar to the September 2015 Apple Watch revision, bringing a series of new band color options to the Apple Watch lineup. We are also told that entirely new bands made out of new materials are in development in addition to partnerships with firms beyond Hermes.
Quite frankly, I’m surprised that partnerships with other accessory makers are so slow to come to market. I was expecting more than just Hermes to be available by now.
Mark also reports that a second generation Apple Watch will ship in September instead of March. This would indicate a longer period between updates than the typical yearly cycle, which I’m all for. The Apple Watch is not an iPhone — it doesn’t need yearly updates. What it needs are substantial updates which will make a bigger difference to regular consumers.
In the meantime, I can’t wait for new the bands and perhaps even that black Milanese Loop to complement my Space Black Steel Watch.
Mark Gurman:
The new device is internally codenamed “N69,” but the launch name will likely be the “iPhone 5se.” The “se” suffix has been described in two ways by Apple employees: as a “special edition” variation of the vintage 4-inch iPhone screen size and as an “enhanced” version of the iPhone 5s. Indeed, the upcoming “5se” features a design similar to 2013’s flagship but upgraded internals, software, and hardware features that blend the old design with modern technologies from the past two iPhone upgrades.
Mark also provides a list of upgrades over the 5S, which includes confusing statements. If the chamfered edges indeed go away in favour of curved glass (as seen on the newer iPhones), will the back edges also go away? Or will the design change more than is evident, so that everything is more consistent?
Gurman also reports that the 5SE will have an Apple A8 and no 3D Touch, but it will have Live Photos. That is not unheard of, since they can be easily viewed on iPads and Macs, but what about the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus? Will these also receive this feature with an iOS update?
I’m curious as to what will happen to the lineup when the iPhone 7 comes out too. Will the 6 and 6 Plus be discontinued, or will they still be sold at a lower price point? It will be interesting to see what Apple does, as they introduce a new line-up this Autumn.
Maria Bobila:
Mark your calendars for this Friday, Jan. 22. Instead of having to visit a select boutique in a major city like New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco or Miami for an Apple Watch Hermès, you’ll be able to easily shop for one online at both Hermes.com and Apple.com. The entire collection will be available for purchase, which includes three styles of handmade leather straps: the “Single Tour” or loop (starting at $1,100), the “Double Tour” ($1,250) and the “Cuff” ($1,500). Each style comes with a brand-exclusive, customizable watch face.
I tried the ‘Cuff’ on in Paris and I instantly loved the leather band, even though it’s not my style — it just oozed of luxury. If you know where to look, you’ll be able to get the band itself for a fraction of the price, but please note that the quality of the leather scales comparably.
Matthew Panzarino:
Several things that I’ve heard (from several sources) indicate to me that we won’t see a new hardware model of the Apple Watch in March. Design partnerships, accessories, that kind of thing maybe but not a “Watch 2.0” with a bunch of new hardware features like a camera. I could be wrong, of course, but I’ve heard enough to put it out there.
As a consumer, I’m fine with the Watch being on a two-year cycle. As a fan of the product, I’m curious as to what’s coming next. Having said that, I don’t think incremental updates are the way to go — I’d prefer to see substantial improvements between generations.
Petition posted to SumOfUs:
Apple is about to rip off every one of its customers. Again.
People are going to go nuts if Apple removes the headphone jack. I seriously believe the backlash will be worse than any other we have seen so far; worse than all the ‘gates’ put together perhaps — antenna-, bend-, and so on.
Mark Gurman:
Apple is prototyping a completely new set of Bluetooth earphones with the potential of launching the accessory alongside the iPhone 7 this fall. The new earphones are said to be completely wireless, which is to say that they do not even have a cable connecting the left and right ear pieces. Sources say that the headphones are similar in concept to the Motorola Hint headset (pictured above) and Bragi’s new Dash headphones that were shown at CES this week.
It’s expected that the in-development accessory will include a noise-cancelling microphone system, enabling phone calls and communication with Siri even without Apple’s prior in-line microphone and remote. In order to fit inside of the user’s ear, Apple will likely develop different sized ear sleeves for the hardware, similar to the approach used by Motorola and Bragi. Bragi’s headphones include a built-in button to answer calls, so Apple’s could have a control for managing calls and activating Siri.
Should Apple make these, I’m pretty sure that they are going to cost a pretty penny — I’ll be surprised if they’re cheaper than $300. Oh, and I don’t care for the ANC — would make them unnecessarily heavy.
Joe Rossignol:
Apple’s so-called “iPhone 6c” will have a 1,642 mAh battery, slightly larger than the iPhone 5s battery’s 1,570 mAh capacity, according to Chinese website MyDrivers…
The report, citing “insider Foxconn employees,” also corroborates multiple rumors claiming the 4-inch iPhone will feature an A9 processor, 2GB of RAM, 16GB base storage, Touch ID and the same 2.5d curved glass used on the iPhone 6 and later.
While the 6C makes sense — it will most probably slot in at the bottom of the pack, while at the same time being more affordable and faster than the current 5S — I still can’t believe there will be a new(ish) 4″ iPhone. I’d love for it to have a camera and SoC on par with the 6S Plus however, even though I know this won’t happen.
Michael Zhang:
Fujifilm helped kick off the mirrorless camera revolution back in 2012 by announcing the powerful retro-styled X-Pro1 camera. Now it appears that a follow-up will soon be upon us: the first official photos of the new Fujifilm X-Pro2 have leaked.
This might be ‘my next’. Or rather a companion to my Fuji X100T.
Seth Weintraub:
KGI’s Ming-Chi Kuo is out with a set of research notes today highlighted by ‘iPad Air 3’ forecasts. Notably, the newest 9.7-inch Apple tablet is expected to be released in the 1st half of 2016, perhaps at the March event we’ve pinned to include the Apple Watch 2 with a possible appearance of the 4-inch iPhone 6c. The bad news is that like the iPad Pro, the new iPad Air 3 isn’t likely to have 3D Touch, which is a big part of the new iPhone 6s/Plus experience, according to the analyst…
Ron Amadeo:
The biggest news, according to the Journal, is that the S7 and S7 Edge will feature a “pressure-sensitive display” which the report notes “will be similar to that offered by rival Apple Inc. on the iPhone 6s earlier this year.”
A real bombshell!
Mark Gurman:
Apple is currently planning a March 2016 event to unveil the second-generation Apple Watch, according to sources with knowledge of the plans. The second version of the Apple Watch would then ship by April, nearly a year after the original model first went on sale. Apple has also been working on a new “iPhone 6c” with a 4-inch display, which also could appear at this event, according to the sources…
Normally I would call ‘bollocks’, but Mark has had an exciting track record last year.
Eric Slivka:
The new MacBook Air is said to take on a slimmer design and arrive in 13-inch and 15-inch sizes, but it is unclear whether an 11-inch model will also be included. The slimmer design will be enabled by “fully redesigned” internal components across the board, and Apple is reportedly currently working with its suppliers to develop these new components.
I full expected the Retina 12″ MacBook to drop in price in the future, replacing the Airs completely, and the MacBook Pros to be redesigned with thinner and lighter cases. If Apple chooses to refresh the Air lineup with a 15″ model in addition to the 13″ one, I would assume they’d both get Retina screens. The differentiation would have to happen predominantly at CPU level. The current 15″ rMBPs are all i7 quads, which leaves room for dual-core i5 and i7 CPUs. I’m assuming that the rumoured 13″ Air would get the ULV1 CPUs, which are placed between the Core M from the 12″ MacBook and i5/i7 dual-core in the current rMBP 13″, in terms of processing power.
While this wouldn’t simplify their MacBook line-up, it would separate the consumer models from the MacBook Pros. Also, perhaps an updated 13″ rMBP would get quad-core i5 and i7 CPUs, further distancing itself from the Air.
Joe Rossignol:
The report, citing a “reliable source,” claims the new same-sized Lightning connector will support Lightning-equipped and Bluetooth headphones, and have a DAC, or digital-to-audio converter, for backwards compatibility with wired headphones using standard 3.5mm stereo jacks. A 3.5mm to Lightning adapter would be required.
I really don’t care for the iPhone to be any thinner. I just want the 4.7″ model to have the battery life of the 5.5″ model, or better. That’s the only reason I currently use a 6S Plus.
David Rothman:
A Kindle Voyage 2 is unlikely in 2015, but the game isn’t over. If you were putting off buying a new Voyage, you’re probably safe purchasing the original model now—even though Good E-Reader said last summer and several weeks ago that the 2 would show up this month.
I’m still extremely satisfied with my first generation Voyage1 and I encourage anyone who does any substantial amount of reading to get one. It’s far from perfect, but it’s the best there is.
Zac Hall:
While it’s no surprise that Apple would be planning to introduce the Apple Watch 2 in 2016, a third quarter release would mean a launch two years after the first model was introduced and roughly a year and a half since it went on sale.
I personally expected the second generation Watch to show up at least two years after the first one went on sale, but this theoretically makes sense in terms of the holiday quarter.
Take this with a grain of salt, as usual.
Apple introduced Retina screens in the MacBook Pro a few years ago and I never took the plunge. I had no need for a 13” laptop at the time and bought a 11” MacBook Air1 a year later. What convinced me was its small size and long battery life, and I needed a mobile typewriter and access to Lightroom when traveling, to be able to offload my memory cards and perform a preliminary selection of the shots I took—this would later turn out to save me hours of work.