New iPhone 13 Leaks, Appleā€™s App Store Problems, M1 iMac Uncovered


    Taking a look back at another week of news and headlines from Cupertino, this weekā€™s Apple Loop includes the latest iPhone 13 leaks, the stubborn lightning port, Google Photos bonus, pressure on the App Store, Apple Storesā€™ opening doors, and the M1 iMacā€¦

    Apple Loop is here to remind you of a few of the very many discussions that have happened around Apple over the last seven days (and you can read my weekly digest of Android news here on Forbes).

    Lates iPhone 13 LeaksĀ 

    A raft of iPhone 13 details this week, presumably from the supply chains getting ready to step up production – after all you canā€™t suddenly magic up ten million components as Tim Cook steps out on stage in September! Letā€™s start with the discussions over storage; it feels a racing certainly that Apple will offer 1 TB of storage as an option across the range – previously this was limited to the Pro iPhone models:

    “Apple currently only offers this capacity as an option in its iPad Pro models, but the additional storage would make sense for iPhone owners, especially those taking advantage of new photography features like ProRAW. ProRAW files are 10 to 12 times larger than HEIF or JPEG files, which means users will need a great deal more on-device storage or else pay for larger amounts of iCloud storage space.”

    MacRumors.

    Faster Screens For 13

    Causing the most excitement in Apple circles is the news of the display. Noted analyst Ming-Chi Kuo suggests the iPhone 13 family will support a faster refreshing screen of 120Hz. No doubt Android circles will point out just how long this tech has been available on their smartphones:

    “The latest note from Kuo suggests that both the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max will work with 120Hz support (like ProMotion on the iPad Pro). The report also confirms earlier rumors that the display panel on the iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max will work with LTPO tech for more power-efficient operation.”

    SlashGear.

    This Port Is Not For Changing (Just Charging)

    The final details this week cover the ports on the new iOS smartphones. For all the talk of going portless, or joining the iPad Pro with a USB-C connector, the iPhone 13 looks to be sticking with lightning:

    “”We believe that USB-C is detrimental to the MFi business’s profitability, and its waterproof specification is lower than Lightning and MagSafe,” continues Kuo. “Therefore, if the iPhone abandons Lightning in the future, it may directly adopt the portless design with MagSafe support instead of using a USB-C port.ā€”

    Apple Insider.

    From Apple To Google

    Appleā€™s online services have been in the news this week as well. First up is one of Appleā€™s own moves; you can now transfer your iCloud photos to Google Photos from inside Appleā€™s cloud.Ā Itā€™s not immediate, as Apple will perform checks to ensure ownership of the various services. Itā€™s nice to have data portability from Appleā€™s system, although I feel that this should be something universal across every online platform:

    “As outlined in an Apple support document, you can go to Apple’s privacy website and sign in to see the “Transfer a copy of your data” option. If you select this and go through all the steps, Apple will transfer your ā€ŒiCloudā€Œ photos and videos to Google ā€ŒPhotosā€Œ. Transferring photos and videos from iCloud Photos does not remove the content you have stored with Apple, but it provides a backup method and stores a copy of the content on Google ā€ŒPhotosā€Œ.”

    MacRumors.

    App Store Pressure

    Meanwhile the App Storeā€™s use of a single payment system – Appleā€™s – is coming under more pressure. In the UK the Competition and Markets Authority has opened an investigation.Ā But itā€™s the legislation progressing through Arizona that could be the first significant disruption. An amendment to HB2005 would stop app store operators from mandating a preferred payment service to Arizona based developers. It has cleared the House of Representatives, and is heading to the the Senate and then the State Governor:

    “The bill opens the door to developers using third-party payment systems, thereby allowing them to bypass the industry standard 30 percent cut Apple and Google have collected for years. Itā€™s not clear how the tech companies will respond, as the bill could have significant effects on their businesses in the state of Arizona while also putting pressure on them to change the rules for all developers everywhere. Both Apple and Google declined to comment.”

    The Verge.

    The Doors Are Mostly Open

    Apple has opened all of its Apple Stores in the US, the first time since the shutdown due to the coronavirus pandemic. But donā€™t expect to just walk in anywhere, many of the stores are running ā€˜appointment onlyā€™ systems:

    “Not all Apple stores in the U.S. are fully open for walk-in customers to go inside and browse, however. Customers should check Appleā€™s website before heading to their store in case it is appointment-only or service is limited in other ways.”

    CNBC.

    And Finally…

    Apple started the Apple Silicon adventure with the lower end MacBook laptops and a revitalised mac Mini. Other models are sure to show up in the next 18 months, but YouTuberĀ Luke Mian has taken the circuity and carefully hacked together an M1 powered 2011 iMac:

    “Miani notes that the Mac mini motherboard is so small that it can fit snugly within the iMac chassis without any modifications. Using an HDMI display adapter from the Mac mini motherboard to the custom Apple iMac display connector was the vast majority of work on the project.Essentially, the Mac mini is running unmodified within the chassis of the iMac and using it as a display with the help of that adapter circuitry. This, however, comes with several limitations.”

    Apple Insider.

    Apple Loop brings you seven days worth of highlights every weekend here on Forbes. Donā€™t forget to follow me so you donā€™t miss any coverage in the future.Ā Last weekā€™s Apple Loop can be read here, orĀ this weekā€™s edition of Loopā€™s sister column, Android Circuit, is also available on Forbes.



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