Apple Pro Weekly News (01/23 – 01/29/23)
System updates have been released, even for the iPhone 5S, and we already know what will be in the next update and when the new iPad will be released, whether there will be WiFi 6E in the iPhone 15, how Apple celebrated Data Privacy Day and what’s up with the new Macs. The week is not the richest in events, but there are some interesting details about them in the latest issue of the digest.
iOS 16.3 is out, and the iPhone 5S has received an update
Last week, all software updates for each device were released to the public. We wrote more about what’s new there in the last issue. Installing updates is recommended, as a number of vulnerabilities have been closed there. Well, a few convenient and useful chips were brought. Especially for HomePod, the sale of the new version of which will start this week.
In addition to current systems, there are updates for older iOS / iPadOS – 15.7.3, with some bug fixes and adaptation to new features of fresh systems.
But the security update iOS 12.5.7 (16H81) has also been released and it is available for the iPhone 5S, iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus – that is, the “old man” 5S was released more than 9 years ago, and is still receiving updates!
Updated Apple Support site
Until now, in the bowels of the Apple site there were only two outdated sections to the design: Apple ID and Support. The account section got a big update last year, and now the company has updated the support site section as well.
New Support appeared with a modern simplified design and more convenient quick access to the main topics for appeals. In general, for even more convenient access to technical and other support from mobile devices, there is Support appwe recommend.
Apple announces price changes in the App Store for a number of regions
For one reason or another, prices in the App Store have to be changed, the company again announced new pricing procedures for some countries. Sometimes this is not only about promotion, there are also examples of decline!
Starting from February, prices in Uzbekistan will decrease due to tax reduction (from 15% to 12%).
Prices will change due to VAT rates in the following countries: decreased in Ireland (from 9% to 0%), decreased slightly in Luxembourg (from 17% to 16%), slightly increased in Singapore (from 7% to 8%), in Zimbabwe will increase (from 14% to 15%).
Also from February 13, prices will increase in: Great Britain, Norway, Hungary, Egypt, Nigeria, South Africa and Colombia.
A number of Asian countries have announced revenue increases for regional developers.
Details about the new price levels can be read and studied at Apple website in a special document.
Rumors: when the new iPad, what it could be and the latest news about Apple’s headset
The new iPhone is still far away, but some design data of new products is already leaking. It is now known that technology faster WiFi 6E is likely to be available starting with iPhone 15 Pro models. Basic versions of this technology will not yet receive.
WiFi 6E is very slow to roll out across Apple devices while the technology is in the top iPads and MacBooks. But the demand for high-speed Internet is growing.
By the way, iPad lovers can breathe easy – their tablet will not become obsolete this year, new versions are not expected.
But there are rumors of upcoming new tablets from Chinese analyst Ming-Chi Kuo: a foldable iPad with an all-new design will feature a carbon-fiber kickstand base, as it’s lighter and more durable. Apple has already found a manufacturer for this component – Anjie Technology, which specializes in such carbon fiber structures.
And from another insider – Mark Gurman, interesting details about Apple’s mixed reality headset have surfaced. According to rumors from those who have already dealt with prototypes, the user of such a headset will be able to switch the operating mode between AR and VR, and the headset itself has xrOS interfaces in a flat and 3D version. The headset, supposedly called realityPro, will have an eye and hand tracking system. This works thanks to several external cameras that can analyze movements, as well as sensors to read the eye pupils. One of the control gestures is something like this: closed index and thumb 👌🏻, which will activate, without the need to press anything, some functions.
realityPro plans to display the connected Mac’s display and play many iPhone and iPad features.
Participation in FaceTime video conferences directly from the headset will also be available, including using your MeMoji avatar.
In the meantime, back to more recent events: according to rumors, the new iOS 16.4, the first beta of which is expected in the near future, will have an updated Home application format, support for notifications for web applications, and even new emoji from this collection:
Data Privacy Day celebrated at Apple
It turns out that on January 24 such a day was celebrated. And Apple did not go past this event.
Cupertino believes that every user should have a clear understanding of how their data is being used and how the tools work to decide when to share their data and with whom to share it.
So in celebration of Data Privacy Day, Apple has unveiled a new set of educational resources designed to help users take control of their data. And yet, starting from January 28, as part of the “Today at Apple” program, companies will organize courses in stores on data protection on Apple devices and talk about how to properly protect your personal data.
Apple also released a funny iPhone privacy ad featuring Ted Lasso actor Nick Mohammed:
New Macs are on sale now. What’s interesting inside and outside?
On January 24, sales of the new Mac mini and MacBook Pro started on their own Apple Silicon chips. Interestingly, exactly 39 years ago – January 24, 1984, Steve Jobs introduced Apple’s first Macintosh personal computer!
Let’s start with the MacBook Pro box. Everything is clear from the front – there is a picture of the old sample, but in a dark variation. But there are a couple more interesting nuances on the back:
The novelties have lost their cellophane, now the packaging, like most Apple devices, is sealed.
And in the copyright information and production date of some devices, on the packaging of the new MacBook Pro and even Mac mini, 2022 is indicated.
Yes, moreover: Mac minis on M2 chips ship with a pre-release build of macOS 13.0
This means that computers all this time just lay and waited in the wings 🤷🏻♂️
And of course, iFixit has already disassembled the new MacBook Pro 14 on M2 Pro, at the same time testing Apple’s Self Repair Kit:
The novelty received a repairability score of 5 out of 10, mainly due to the fact that many components are soldered on the motherboard, which makes them very difficult to replace.
Inside the new MacBook Pro and Mac mini on M2, the basic versions also have slow SSDs – just like in the MacBook Air on M2. In base 14” MacBook Pro (512GB, M2 Pro) models, SSD memory is slower than before. The same situation is with the Mac mini on the M2 chip in the basic version of the 256GB SSD. In the BlackMagic test, the “write speed” of the base 512GB SSDs in the M2 Pro fell uncritically: from ~4000Mb/s to 3150Mb/s, but the “read speed” became much worse: instead of 4900Mb/s, it dropped to about 3000Mb/s.
The fact is that fresh Mac computers use a new NAND memory allocation system: for 256GB versions – one chip, instead of two 128GB each. And for 512GB in the MacBook Pro – two chips of 256 GB, but in a similar model M1 Pro there were four chips.
In older versions with more memory, there is no such problem, so take the MacBook Pro 14” M2 Max 8TB for $6300 😁
That’s all for now, see you in a week, we hope there will be more good and different news. In the meantime, we invite you to our social networks:
