Photo Source: Jon Prosser via Twitter
I think we all know an Apple event is coming within the next six weeks at this point. We also have a pretty good idea that one or more iPad Pros is coming at that event, along with a new iPhone. However, there are rumors of other new Apple goodies that may or may not arrive at the same time. Today brings more of these reports from an unlikely source.
If you go back and re-trace the history of iOS over the last decade plus and think about its progression in context, then Apple offering users the ability to change default apps really would be a major shift for the operating system. Along with Springboard’s still static screens of app icons, this is one of the last foundational concepts of iOS that hasn’t shifted or changed to this point. That makes Apple even considering making a change a very important moment for iOS.
Are you an iOS user looking to see how the other half lives? If so, this refurbished Lenovo Tab 3 is just the thing. It has 16 GB of on-board storage, decent battery life and built-in cellular. Oh, and it’s priced to move.
A few days ago, I wrote the following:
There’s no way to know if the early or late rumors are correct yet, but if we don’t start seeing some actual hardware leaks soon, you can pretty much rule out early. And like I said before, don’t expect two Pro releases in one product year.
Well, it looks like that supply chain information pointing to a Spring iPad Pro update is now starting to come in.
The HomePod story over the 2019 Holiday quarter was a double-edged sword for Apple. On the good news front, sales of the HomePod grew an impressive 62% year over year in the 4th quarter. Not so good is the fact that Apple still isn’t making up any ground in the smart speaker market, as they remain in 6th place with only 4.7% of the current market.
A lot of Apple Watch fans wanted an always-on display and got their wish last year with the Series 5. Others want sleep tracking. Some want a slimmer design without losing any battery life. While I am good with all of the above, what I really want to see next is independence for the Apple Watch. In my opinion, de-coupling the Watch from the iPhone for setup and basic operation is the last major step in the platform’s evolution.
DigiTimes may not bat 1.000 when it comes to Apple rumors, but they do know a fair amount the supply chain and devices that are in testing and development. What they don’t usually have is definitive information or context to go with these leaks and bits of information, but there is usually some amount of truth in their reports. The hard part is figuring out where that truth is.
In one such report this week, DigiTimes predicts that Apple is getting ready to produce a new “lite” version of the extremely popular AirPods Pro in Taiwan.
While most smartphones manufactured over the last few years have some level of waterproofing or water resistance, the reality is that they still aren’t meant to be repeatedly submerged for long periods of time. And if you have an older smartphone, ANY contact with water comes with risk.
If you want to be able to safely use your smartphone in the bath or shower, or somewhere even more risky, like at the beach or on a boat, then we have just the thing.
There have been a few different rumors regarding new iPad Pros coming in 2020 going back to last year. The most common is that Apple will refresh their lineup soon, possibly as early as next month. That timeline matches up with the typical 18 month life cycle for the Pros, so it seemed to make sense.
According to a Bernstein analyst report cited by Quartz, Apple Pay already accounts for 5% of global credit card transactions, which is pretty solid when you consider that the service is only five years old. That easily outpaces other mobile provider networks, such as Samsung Pay and Google Pay, and is starting to encroach on territory that PayPal has owned for many years.
There have been several reports that Apple is prepping the iPhone 9, their smaller, lower-cost follow up to the iPhone SE, for a March release. However, there just so happens to be a novel virus running rampant through China that is likely to gum up the works.