Top Stories: iPhone 13 Leaks, OLED iPads and Macs, New AirTags Evidence

Rumors about the iPhone are on the rise, with noted analyst Ming-Chi Kuo this week publishing a comprehensive report outlining his expectations for the iPhone lineup for the next three years.

This week, there were also rumors of OLED screens possibly coming to iPad and Mac from next year, increasing signs of AirTags functionality in iOS 14.5 betas, and more, so check out all the details below!

iPhone 13 rumors: smaller and larger batteries, 120 Hz display for professional models, and more

Well-known Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo this week shared a long list of expectations for future iPhones for the coming years.

Kuo said this year’s iPhone 13 series will consist of the same four models as the iPhone 12 series, all with a smaller notch, larger batteries, Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X60 modem with 5G enhancements, improved cameras, a Lightning. connector and more. Exclusive to iPhone 13 Pro models will be a highly anticipated 120Hz display and Ultra Wide lens enhancements with wider aperture and autofocus, he added.

After narrowing the notch this year, Apple may completely remove it next year, with Kuo predicting that at least some 2022 iPhone models will switch to a display design with a hole punch like many of Samsung’s latest Galaxy smartphones , but he did not explain how this will happen. work considering that the notch currently houses the front camera and Face ID components. There are now some solutions for camera and face recognition under the screen.

Apple also plans to release a new iPhone SE in the first half of 2022 with a similar design to the existing 4.7-inch model, with significant new features such as a faster chip and 5G support, Kuo said. And in 2023, a foldable iPhone from 7.5 to 8 inches could become a reality.

iPhone stuck with Lightning port over USB-C for ‘foreseeable future’

As part of his extensive research paper on future iPhones this week, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo downplayed the possibility of a portless iPhone coming to market this year, noting that Apple will continue to use its proprietary Lightning connector for the “ foreseeable future. ” .

“We believe that USB-C is harmful to the MFi [Made for iPhone] The company’s profitability and waterproof specification is lower than Lightning and MagSafe, “wrote Kuo.” Therefore, if the iPhone leaves Lightning in the future, it can instantly adopt the portless design with MagSafe support instead of using a USB-C port. Currently, the MagSafe ecosystem is not mature enough, so the iPhone will continue to use the Lightning port for the foreseeable future. ”

It was Kuo himself who originally predicted that Apple would launch a high-end iPhone without a Lightning connector in 2021. He also expected to launch a low-end iPhone with a Touch ID power button this year, but now said the timing is unclear for such a feature to be launched.

OLED 10.9-inch iPad rumored for early 2022, 12.9-inch iPad Pro and 16-inch MacBook Pro could follow

Rumor has it that Apple is moving to mini LED screens on some of the upcoming iPad and Mac models, but it appears that another display technology is coming to these devices: OLED.

According to DigTimes, the first of Apple’s larger portable devices to use an OLED display is likely a 10.9-inch ‌iPad‌, presumably an updated version of the iPad Air. The updated ‌iPad‌ would go into production in the fourth quarter of this year with a launch in early 2022. In addition to the 10.9-inch ‌iPad‌, Apple would also consider using OLED screens for the 12.9-inch iPad Pro and the 16-inch MacBook Pro.

iOS 14.5 Beta 3 introduces ‘Item Safety Feature’ ahead of the launch of AirTags

Apple’s highly anticipated AirTags item trackers have been rumored for nearly two years, and there are signs that an announcement is finally approaching.

In the third beta of iOS 14.5 released this week, a new “Items” tab is enabled by default in the Find My app. In this section, users can keep track of certain non-Apple products, such as Beats headphones and upcoming Belkin wireless earbuds, and it is expected that AirTags-equipped items such as a backpack or luggage will also be managed from this tab.

There is also a new “Item Safety” toggle in the Find My app. When this feature is enabled, iPhone users will be notified when an unknown item is found moving with them. This probably helps to avoid being stalked by someone else with AirTags or something similar.

March is a normal month for Apple product announcements, so there is hope that AirTags will finally be unveiled this month, but a release date is still unclear. Apple previously said that iOS 14.5 will be released in “early spring,” suggesting the update will be released in the week of Monday, March 22 or later, and AirTags may be released around the same time.

HomeKit Essentials Worth Checking Out

HomeKit got off to a slow start after its launch in 2014, but now that it’s been around for seven years, hundreds of ‌HomeKit‌ products are available, ranging from doorbells and speakers to TVs, lights and cameras. In one of our latest YouTube videos, we’ve rounded up some of our favorite ‌HomeKit‌ products that we find the most useful.

An example:

• Logitech Circle View doorbell ($ 199) – The Circle View replaces your existing doorbell with a version that offers video, so you can see who’s at your door and keep an eye on package deliveries. It features HomeKit Secure Video, so all you need is a 200 GB or 1 TB iCloud storage plan to record video. It offers HD video, color night vision and an unobtrusive design.

NASA’s Mars Perseverance Rover uses the same PowerPC chipset found in the 1998 iMac G3

NASA’s Perseverance rover that landed on Mars last month is equipped with a more durable variant of the PowerPC 750 processor, the same chip used in the colorful iMac G3 in 1998.

The iMac G3, designed by Jony Ive, is widely regarded as the computer that saved Apple, which flirted with bankruptcy in the late 1990s until Steve Jobs returned to the company. After the iMac G3, Apple introduced iconic products such as the iPod in 2001, the iPhone in 2007, and the iPad in 2010, making it the world’s most valuable company.

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