Photo Source: Slashleaks
Just shy of a month ago, I dismissed rumors that Apple would release an iPad Pro with Face ID locked to portrait orientation, as it currently is on the iPhone X. That same report from Japanese site Macotakara also said that, because of Face ID being locked to portrait, Apple would be moving the Smart Connector to a new location just above the Lightning Port. I was completely unconvinced, as none of this made any sense.
Leading things off is Bloomberg’s Marc Gurman, Mr Old Reliable when it comes to Apple info. He has fresh information on some of Apple’s new hardware coming this Fall. First off, he confirms that a new low-cost MacBook is coming, as has been expected for a while now. Despite plenty of previous rumors and reports, it’s nice to get confirmation from someone with a real track record.
Photo Source: 9to5Mac
It won’t be long now. An Apple Event to announce a new iPhone lineup and potentially several other devices is less than a month away. The fact that there are three new phones coming is really old news. Like 10 months old, at this point. The rumor mill never sleeps, right? The sizes, screen types, resolutions, astrological signs, etc of these phones have also been widely publicized over the last six months. We are close enough to the event now that this information should actually be reliable. Honestly, its nice to see that the leakers got it right this year. It’s been relatively drama free now that no one really cares about notches, missing headphone jacks, or the end of TouchID.
Happy birthday to the computer that started it all. Maybe it would be more appropriate to say restarted it all. The year was 1998. With Steve Jobs’ return and a lifeline from frenemy Microsoft already behind them, Apple had at least stopped the bleeding and pulled back from the brink of bankruptcy. Next they needed a new, defining product to change the public’s perception of the company and get Apple back on the path to profitability.
The iOS 12 Beta process started out very smooth. Even Beta 1, which is notorious for being very buggy, slow, unstable and tough on a battery, was surprisingly solid this year. I usually hold out and wait for Beta 2, but I went ahead and ran the first Beta on my iPhone and didn’t have any major issues.
Spotify is currently the darling of the music industry, and for good reason. They staked their claim in streaming music ahead of the mainstream competition, especially overseas, and they have reaped the rewards. Well, at least in terms of subscriber base, because they still aren’t making money. More on that in a moment.
Earlier this year, Ralph Nader released an open letter to Apple, criticizing their $100 billion share buyback program for a multitude of reasons. He stated his objections to the fact that they decided on the buybacks without asking shareholders, but the fact is, they don’t have to. The CEO and Board of Directors are put in place and approved by the shareholders to make these kinds of decisions. For this and several other reasons, I an other Apple fans were critical of Nader’s unsolicited “advice” to Tim Cook and company.
The analysis that always accompanies Apple quarterly results in the days and weeks after they are revealed brings us new details about what the company is doing with their money. This year, a couple of trends are emerging that show Apple is potentially working on something new in the background.
Photo Source: 9to5Mac
Not all Apple device rumors are equal, and neither are their sources. As we get closer to the arrival of new hardware, the real rumors will start coming in, and reputable people will be able to substantiate them. In our first case, we have a report from a very reliable person- Guilherme Rambo of 9to5Mac.
Apple’s earnings were released on Tuesday afternoon and were strong for this traditionally low quarter, and as of Thursday, they are also the first trillion dollar company in history. That’s a lot of (mostly) good news for one week. What does all of this mean?
Photo Source: OnLeaks
A couple of days ago, I wrote about a few new iPad Pro rumors, including a report about changes to Face ID and the Smart Connector that I wasn’t a big fan of. I felt that I had good reason to doubt the validity of Macotakara’s information. However, today brings more news that seemingly supports these and another strange rumor about the new iPads.