MacRumors

Belkin in June debuted an upgraded version of the Boost Charge Pro 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Stand, introducing fast-charging support for the Apple Watch Series 7. The Boost Charge Pro is one of the only multi-device charging solutions on the market that supports both MagSafe and Apple Watch fast charging.

Design wise, the updated Boost Charge Pro 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Stand is identical to the prior-generation version that came out in early 2021 for the iPhone 12 models. Made from a white plastic material coated in a soft silicone, there is a round circular base with a T-shaped arm that has a 15W ‌MagSafe‌ charger on the left and an Apple Watch charging puck on the right, along with a 5W wireless charger in the middle.

Because there are no notable body changes I won't go into detail about the look of the charger (see here for prior review), but this is a design that I've been using for more than a year now. The base is sturdy, it doesn't take up too much room on a desk, and the angle of the charging bases is ideal for glancing over at an ‌iPhone‌ or Apple Watch in the middle of the night. I have no complaints with the 3-in-1 Boost Charge Pro, and it is actually my favorite multi-device charger of those I've tested.

Belkin stuck to a tried and true design for the new charger, but with a notable update - the upgraded Apple Watch Series 7 charging puck. With the Series 7, Apple introduced a new Apple Watch Magnetic Fast Charger that's able to charge an Apple Watch Series 7 to 80% within 45 minutes and 100% within an hour and fifteen minutes, and accessory makers have only recently begun updating their devices with support.

For reference, a Series 6 Apple Watch would take an hour to get to 80%, and it would take two hours for a full charge. The Series 7 is able to charge about 33% faster, so long as it is paired with one of the new fast charging pucks. Belkin is sourcing the charging pucks that it's using in the Boost Charge Pro from Apple, so you're getting the same fast charging speeds.

In my tests, from 0% battery, the Series 7 was able to charge to 49% in 30 minutes on the Belkin charger, and it got close to a full charge at the 60 minute mark. Comparatively, an Apple Watch Series 6 tested at the same time was limited to standard charging speeds and reached 33% in 30 minutes and 62% in an hour. The difference between standard charging and fast charging on the Series 7 is noticeable, and it can be an important factor for those who wear the Apple Watch all day.

I've been using the charger for a couple of weeks now, and I have been able to keep my watch functional with two charging sessions that top out at about 30 minutes each, usually shorter. I wear my Apple Watch to bed and do a 30 minute+ workout every day, so if you have similar usage conditions, the fast charging can be a real benefit.

Along with fast charging the Apple Watch Series 7, the Boost Charge Pro can charge a ‌MagSafe‌ ‌iPhone‌ at up to 15W, and it provides 5W of power for another device like AirPods.

It's worth noting that Belkin includes a 40W power adapter with the Boost Charge Pro, which is enough power to charge all of your devices at the top speeds. I appreciate the power adapter, because if you're using Apple's charging solutions, you need to provide your own 20W+ charger.

Bottom Line

The updated Boost Charge Pro 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Stand is worth buying if you have an Apple Watch Series 7, need faster charging speeds, and want the convenience of a 3-in-1 charging station.

Someone who wears the Apple Watch all day and all night and is often struggling to find an ideal time to charge the device will benefit from the quicker charging speeds. Someone who charges overnight or otherwise finds time during the day to adequately charge the watch will not benefit from the faster charging specifically, but the Boost Charge Pro 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Stand is still a solid multi-device charging option.

Belkin is one of the only accessory companies producing multi-device chargers that support the fastest possible wireless charging speeds on ‌iPhone‌ and Apple Watch with official hardware from Apple (the fast charging puck and ‌MagSafe‌ connector), making it one of the better choices for future proofing if you're shopping for a 3-in-1 charger.

How to Buy

The Boost Charge Pro 3-in-1 Wireless Charger is available from the Belkin website or from the Apple online store for $150.

Facebook parent company Meta today announced that it is raising the price of its Meta Quest 2 virtual reality headsets by $100, making the 128GB version $400 and the 256GB version $500. The price change is set to go into effect on August 1.

Meta is adding no new features to the Quest 2 to justify the price increase, and the company says that it is adjusting the price in order to "continue investing in moving the VR industry forward for the long term."

We've been all-in on VR since the early days of PC and mobile, all the way through to today's premium standalone 6DOF headsets--and we've invested billions of dollars to help nurture a thriving VR ecosystem. Now, we're making a change that will help us continue to invest for the long term and keep driving the VR industry forward with best-in-class hardware, action-packed games, and cutting-edge research on the path to truly next-gen devices.

The costs to make and ship Quest 2 VR headsets have increased, which is why Meta is raising its prices. The extra funds will allow Meta to invest in "groundbreaking research and new product development." One such product is a new high-end headset called Project Cambria, which will presumably compete with Apple's own rumored AR/VR headset that's set to come out in 2023.

Apple is expected to charge upwards of $2000 for its headset, so it is not a device that's going to be on par with the Quest VR, and will instead compete with much higher-end devices when it launches.

Meta says that it plans to increase the prices for Meta Quest 2 accessories and refurbished units too, but to soften the price hike, every new headset purchase will include VR game Beat Saber for free. Meta claims that even with the pricing changes, the Meta Quest 2 is "the most affordable VR headset with a comparable feature set on the market," and it will "keep getting better after you buy."

Apple will be reporting its earnings results for the third quarter of the 2022 fiscal year on Thursday, July 28 at 1:30 p.m. Pacific Time. Apple will then host a conference call shortly afterwards to discuss the results.

Keep reading for some key things to know about Apple's third quarter, including analyst expectations for revenue and more.

New Products

Apple's third quarter ran from March 27 through June 25, according to its 2022 fiscal calendar. The only device that Apple released during this period was an updated 13-inch MacBook Pro with the M2 chip. Apple also unveiled a redesigned MacBook Air with the M2 chip in June, but orders did not begin until after the quarter ended.

Apple also released its first power adapters with dual USB-C ports and two new Pride Edition bands for the Apple Watch during the quarter.

Revenue Slowdown

Apple is estimated to report revenue of $82.6 billion in the third quarter, according to Yahoo Finance's average of 26 analyst estimates.

Apple reported revenue of $81.4 billion in the third quarter of 2021, so $82.6 billion would be year-of-year growth of approximately 1.5%, which would be a significant slowdown for Apple. By comparison, Apple's year-over-year revenue growth between the third quarters of 2020 and 2021 was 36%, as the COVID-19 pandemic greatly increased demand for Apple products and services as many people worked and learned from home.

Conference Call

Apple's CEO Tim Cook and CFO Luca Maestri will hold a conference call at 2:00 p.m. Pacific Time on Thursday, July 28 to discuss the company's third quarter earnings results. The call should be around one hour long and will include a Q&A segment with analysts.

A live audio stream of the conference call will be available on Apple's Investor Relations page, and a recording will be shared at a later time for replay.

Investors will be listening for any potential commentary surrounding the economy, as concerns mount over reduced consumer spending amid high inflation, the continued COVID-19 pandemic, the Russia-Ukraine war, and other factors. Apple reportedly plans to slow hiring and spending across some teams in 2023 amid increased economic uncertainty.

What's Next

Apple's fourth quarter began June 26 and runs through September 24. The quarter has already included the start of orders for the new MacBook Air with the M2 chip, and it will likely include at least a few days of iPhone 14 pre-orders as well.

Apple has not provided revenue guidance since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, but slower revenue growth is expected to continue.

Apple shares are trading at around $152, down around 17% from a 52-week high of $182.94.

Instagram parent company Meta has been pushing the social media app further into video content in order to compete with TikTok, but many Instagram users have been unhappy with the continued focus on video.

Celebrities have spoken out against the change, and a petition to "Make Instagram Instagram Again" has garnered more than 1.7 million likes, leading Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri to share a video on Twitter explaining Instagram's plans.

Mosseri confirmed that "more and more of Instagram is going to become video over time," which he claims will happen "even if we change nothing." He said that what people share on Instagram is already shifting to videos over time, and Instagram will "have to lean into that shift while continuing to support photos."

Instagram is experimenting with a "number of different changes to the app," according to Mosseri. The full-screen version of the feed that some users are seeing is a test to a "few percentage of people." Mosseri says that Instagram is aiming to determine whether a full-screen experience for photos and videos might be "a more fun and engaging experience." If the feature ships to the rest of Instagram, it will be improved first.

Instagram users have also been unhappy with recommendations, which are posts that Instagram inserts into a feed based on other accounts followed. Mosseri says recommendations can be snoozed for up to a month, but Instagram is going to try to get better at recommendations because it is "one of the most effective and important ways to help creators reach more people."

Mosseri said Instagram will ultimately continue to support photos, but that the app "needs to evolve because the world is changing quickly" and Instagram has to "change along with it."

Apple had a Mac Pro featuring the M1 Apple silicon chip ready to ship and launch to customers "months ago," but has ultimately decided to wait for the "M2 Extreme" ‌Mac Pro‌ later this year, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has revealed.

In an interview with YouTuber Max Tech, Gurman said that Apple likely held off on the ‌M1‌ ‌Mac Pro‌ to wait for the more high-end and powerful version with the "‌M2‌ Extreme" chip set to launch later this year. Gurman predicts that a preview of the high-end Apple silicon ‌Mac Pro‌ will happen later this year with a launch in early 2023. Gurman notes Apple had originally planned to announce the ‌Mac Pro‌ during this year's WWDC but those plans obviously did not pan out.

In the interview, Gurman also said he does not expect the Mac mini, which previous rumors have indicated could get a facelift, will be redesigned. Gurman points out the similarities between the ‌Mac mini‌ and the Mac Studio, saying a refreshed ‌Mac mini‌ will simply be a spec bump to the ‌M2‌ chip.

Apple's AirPods 2 are available for $99.99 this week on Amazon, down from $129.00. There's currently a slight shipping delay for the headphones, with the earliest delivery date estimated for August 1.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

This price is just about $10 off from the previous all-time low price on the AirPods 2, which we saw earlier this month during Prime Day. Now that the event has ended, we haven't seen this all-time low price return, so Amazon's deal today is a solid second-best option.

We track sales for every model of the AirPods in our Best AirPods Deals guide, so be sure to bookmark that page while you shop around for the wireless headphones.

Apple today shared a preview of its new Brompton Road store in London, which opens to the public this Thursday, July 28 at 4 p.m. local time.

Apple Brompton Road is the first Apple Store in the UK with a dedicated Apple Pickup area for customers to pick up their products ordered on Apple's online store.

Apple has rolled out a dedicated pickup area in a handful of stores since late 2021, including Apple The Mall at Bay Plaza in New York City, Apple The Grove in Los Angeles, Apple Rosenthaler Straße in Berlin, Apple Myeongdong in Seoul, and a few others.

Other design aspects of Apple Brompton Road include floor-to-ceiling windows along the facade, a unique curved timber ceiling, terrazzo flooring, a mirrored ceiling above the Forum area for Today at Apple sessions, a dozen Sicilian ficus trees with seating at the base of each planter, and more. Apple says the store is powered by 100% renewable energy.

Apple Brompton Road is located in London's busy Knightsbridge neighborhood alongside many other flagship retailers, including the department store Harrods. Apple says the store has over 200 employees who collectively speak more than 45 languages.

"We are thrilled to open Apple Brompton Road in London, a city teeming with energy, history, and cultural diversity," said Apple's retail chief Deirdre O'Brien. "The store's focus on creativity gives our incredible team members the perfect space to share their passion and expertise with Londoners and visitors from around the world."

On July 30, four Apple Fitness+ trainers will join Apple's head of fitness technologies Jay Blahnik for an in-store Q&A session at Apple Brompton Road, followed by a three-kilometer walk and five-kilometer run in nearby Hyde Park.

The iCloud Keychain password manager in Apple's ‌iCloud‌ for Windows app now supports two-factor authentication codes, according to user reports posted on Reddit.

Two-factor authentication, or 2FA, acts as an additional layer of security for online accounts, by requesting a code generated by a password manager when the account owner logs in.

Apple includes support for the generation of 2FA codes in ‌iCloud‌ Keychain in iOS 15 and macOS Monterey, thereby avoiding the need for a third-party two-factor authentication app. Now it appears that Apple has brought parity to the password manager that is included in its ‌iCloud‌ for Windows utility by including a 2FA generator, according to Redditors.

Apple debuted the ‌iCloud‌ Keychain password manager app last August, allowing Windows users to access their ‌iCloud‌ Keychain passwords for cross-device functionality. Apple in November also added an option to let uses generate strong passwords in ‌iCloud‌ for Windows.

With the password management option, those who are running Windows can access their ‌‌iCloud‌‌ Keychain passwords and can add, edit, copy and paste, delete, and look up usernames or passwords.

‌‌iCloud‌‌ password extensions for Microsoft Edge and Windows Chrome work in tandem with the password feature, letting ‌‌iCloud‌‌ passwords be autofilled on a Windows machine just like in Safari. ‌‌iCloud‌‌ for Windows Passwords is part of ‌‌iCloud‌‌ for Windows, and Windows users can download it from the Microsoft Store.

(Via 9to5Mac.)

Amazon is increasing its Prime membership subscription prices across Europe in September by up to 43% a year, the company has announced just days before its Q2 earnings results.

In an email to customers, Amazon said the annual Prime subscription price will increase by 20% in the United Kingdom from £79 to £95 from September 15.

Customers in France will face a 43% increase from 49 euros to 69.90 euros, while subscribers in Germany will see a 30% increase, from 69 euros to 89.90 euros a year.

In Italy the price will rise from 36 euros to 49.90 euros, and in Spain it will go up from 36 euros to 49.90 euros, a 39% increase in both countries.

It's the first Prime price rise in the UK, Amazon's third-biggest market behind the United States. Amazon is also increasing the monthly cost of Prime in European markets, by £1 or 1 euro per month.

An Amazon Prime subscription includes "free" one-day shipping on purchases made on Amazon, access to Prime Video, Prime Music, and other Amazon digital platforms and services.

The move follows a similar price hike in the US in February, when the price of Prime increased to $139, up from the previous $119 annual rate.

The changes take effect starting September 15 when members join or next renew. Amazon told Reuters the price increases are a result of increased inflation and operating costs as well as faster delivery and more content to stream in the impacted countries.

In April, Amazon posted its first quarterly loss in seven years. The company cited headwinds including higher wages, rising gas costs, and a loss from its stake in Rivian Automotive.

In the M2 MacBook Air, Apple has replaced an Intel-made component responsible for controlling the USB and Thunderbolt ports with a custom-made controller, meaning the last remnants of Intel are now fully out of the latest Mac.

Earlier this month, the repair website iFixit shared a teardown of the new ‌MacBook Air‌, revealing a look inside the completely redesigned machine. One subtle detail that went largely unnoticed was that unlike previous Macs, the latest ‌MacBook Air‌ introduces custom-made controllers for the USB and Thunderbolt ports.

iFixit mentioned it in their report, noting they located a "seemingly Apple-made Thunderbolt 3 driver, instead of the Intel chips we're familiar with." The new component was shared on Twitter earlier today, where it received more attention.

Few details are known about the controllers, including whether they're custom-made by Apple or a third party. In May 2021, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reported that Apple planned to "replace the last remaining Intel part with an in-house version. Apple's current M1 Macs still use an Intel component known as a USB Retimer, which helps power the USB-C and Thunderbolt ports on its computer."

Apple has settled an AirPods-related patent infringement lawsuit with audio manufacturer Koss, according to a court filing submitted on Saturday that was highlighted by Reuters. Koss had accused Apple of infringing on its wireless headphone technology patents with AirPods and Beats products.

Koss said that AirPods and Beats wireless headphones violated a handful of patents related to wireless headphone technology, which Koss claims to have pioneered. When Koss first filed the lawsuit in 2020 the company said that Apple was aware of its patents and that they met on several occasions to discuss using them.

Apple ultimately opted not to license any Koss technology, leading Koss to sue and demand an unspecified amount of damages for the alleged infringement. After Koss levied a lawsuit at Apple, Apple countersued and said that the allegations were "baseless," the patents were invalid, and that the lawsuit itself broke a 2017 confidentiality agreement that said Koss would bring no litigation against Apple.

Apple and Koss were set to go to trial today, but the two companies on Saturday said they had resolved the allegations that Apple infringed on Koss' wireless audio patents. As a result, the case was dismissed.

There are no details on the settlement at this time, but the filing indicates that "all matters in controversy" have been resolved. Koss has also sued other headphone brands that include Bose and Skullcandy, and those lawsuits are still pending.

Apple has filed for and published a total 248 automobile-related patents since 2000, according to research conducted by Japanese news site Nikkei and Tokyo analytics firm Intellectual Property Landscape.

Patents cover self-driving technology, riding comfort, seats, suspensions, navigation, battery management, vehicle-to-everything (V2X) connectivity for car-to-car communication, and more. Apple has filed the most patents related to communication and navigation, followed by autonomous driving.

After Apple submits a patent application, it takes around 18 months for it to be published. Apple has so far had eight car-related patents published from 2021, but additional patents should be granted later this year, and the number of 2021 patents published is expected to exceed the number of patents Apple had published in 2020.

Car-related patent filings began picking up in 2016 after fewer than 10 per year in the 2010s, with Apple filing for 44. Patent filings ticked up even further in 2017, when Apple filed for a record 66 applications.

News of Apple's work on some kind of self-driving vehicle first surfaced in 2014, and since then, we've heard regular rumors about Apple's progress. The work on the car has shifted several times and there were moments when it looked like a full car was not going to happen, but in recent years, changes to the project indicate Apple is indeed pushing for some kind of electric autonomous vehicle to be released by the end of the decade.

Apple has been speaking with various vehicle manufacturers and part suppliers for the last couple years, but it is still not clear who exactly Apple plans to partner with (if any company) for its electric vehicle. Apple's many patents related to windows, seats, suspension, and other physical car components reinforce speculation that Apple is going to release a car rather than simply focus on autonomous driving software.

Recent rumors indicate that Apple has ambitious plans for its self-driving vehicle, with the aim of changing the car market the way the iPhone changed the smartphone market. Apple is exploring a design with four seats that face inward, with no steering wheel or brake pedal.

There is no word on when the Apple Car will be launching, but reliable sources like Bloomberg's Mark Gurman and Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo have suggested that Apple is aiming for a 2025 release.

The larger Apple Watch Series 8 model expected to arrive later this year is rumored to feature a titanium casing, raising questions about the future of the Apple Watch Edition.

Yesterday, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman reported that the new, larger Apple Watch model scheduled to launch this year will feature a casing made of "a more durable formulation of titanium to make it extra rugged."

Apple has offered a titanium version of the Apple Watch since the launch of the Apple Watch Series 5 in 2019, under the "Apple Watch Edition" brand. Currently, the Apple Watch Edition comes with an additional Sport Band, and while it offers a lighter, stronger casing than the stainless steel model, it is otherwise identical to the standard Apple Watch.

Now, a wide range of rumors point toward the launch of an all-new high-end Apple Watch model later this year. The device is expected to feature a larger display, longer battery life, a ruggedized casing, and a completely new design. Potential names for the device include "Apple Watch Pro" or "Apple Watch Explorer Edition," and the device has been associated with extreme sports, athletes, hikers, and other users that require a more durable watch.

Priced starting at $749, the current Apple Watch Edition is $150 more expensive than the stainless steel Apple Watch. For this year's new high-end Apple Watch, Gurman has floated a price point that "starts closer to $900 to $999," positioning it above the Apple Watch Edition.

Overall, it seems clear that the new high-end Apple Watch will be more of a departure from the standard Apple Watch models than any previous Apple Watch Edition model in terms of features, size, design, and price. This raises the question of if Apple will continue to offer the Apple Watch Edition after the launch of the new high-end Apple Watch later this year.

The Apple Watch Edition has evolved considerably since its launch in 2015. When it first launched, the Apple Watch Edition line was exclusively made up of Apple Watches with 18 karat yellow or rose gold casings that cost $10,000 to $17,000. These were discontinued just a year later upon the launch of the Apple Watch Series 2, which replaced the expensive gold casings with more affordable white ceramic models, starting at $1,249.

A gray ceramic variant was added with the Apple Watch Series 3 in 2017. While there were no Apple Watch Edition models available for the Series 4, Apple revived the white ceramic Apple Watch Edition line for the Series 5 alongside new natural and Space Black titanium models. With the Series 6, Apple again discontinued the ceramic Apple Watch Edition, and briefly discontinued the line once again ahead of the launch of the titanium Apple Watch Edition Series 7 models last year.

Since the Apple Watch Edition has such a tumultuous history, it is by no means certain that Apple will continue to offer the device. With its titanium casing being the Apple Watch Edition's key differentiating feature, it is difficult to see how the variant could be justified in the lineup with a substantially different titanium model placed just above it, not least because the Apple Watch Edition could draw sales away from the new high-end model.

Earlier this month, display analyst Ross Young said that the new high-end Apple Watch is expected to sell in comparatively low volume – just like previous reports of low sales for the Apple Watch Edition models due to their high price point. Apple is purportedly expecting to ship just one million units of the larger Apple Watch in the third quarter of this year, compared to four million 45mm ‌Apple Watch Series 8‌ models.

Beyond pricing and positioning in the market, Gurman's confirmation of a titanium casing for this year's new high-end Apple Watch model is the best indication yet that Apple may be planning to effectively fold the current Apple Watch Edition line into this new product category. This would allow it to continue to offer a titanium casing, but more overtly tout the weight and strength advantages of the material amid a focus on durability at a higher price point.

Leaving the more affordable titanium Apple Watch Edition in the lineup could also have the unwanted effect of cannibalizing sales of the new high-end model. Likewise, the new high-end Apple Watch could be much more appealing to some customers than the Apple Watch Edition, with meaningful differentiating aspects like display size, battery life, and design providing more justifiable reasons for an upsale.

With names like Apple Watch "Pro" being far from locked-in at this stage of the rumor cycle, it is also worth noting that the new high-end Apple Watch models could simply form the Apple Watch Edition line going forward. At minimum, it looks like the Apple Watch Edition line in its current form may not be around for much longer.

Apple Store enthusiast and creative extraordinaire Michael Steeber today announced the launch of The Apple Store Time Machine, a new interactive Mac app that lets you "travel back in time" and revisit four iconic Apple Stores on their grand opening days.

"The Apple Store Time Machine is a celebration of the places and products that have shaped our lives for more than twenty years," said Steeber, who spent hundreds of hours researching, designing, and developing the project. "This interactive experience recreates memorable moments in Apple history with painstaking detail and historical accuracy."

The app is free to download and runs on Apple silicon Macs and recent Intel-based Macs. There is an option to make a donation on the project's website. Michael's brother Robert Steeber was also involved with the project, creating music and UI sounds.

The four Apple Store locations that the app allows you to experience are Apple Tysons Corner in Virginia circa 2001, Apple Stanford Shopping Center in California circa 2004, Apple Fifth Avenue in New York circa 2006, and Apple Infinite Loop in California circa 2015. All four stores include easter eggs such as iPhone and Mac commercials, interactive Mac apps like GarageBand and Photo Booth, a ringing phone at the original Genius Bar, and more.

The app is similar to a video game or a simulator, complete with keyboard controls for moving around stores, but Steeber prefers to describe the app as an experience. However you view it, it's clear that Steeber put a tremendous amount of effort into this project, with every detail accounted for, down to the last iPod and box of software.

For more Apple Store coverage, subscribe to Steeber's newsletter "Tabletops."

Amazon is discounting the 32GB Apple TV 4K to $129.99 this week, down from $179.00. We saw an all-time low price (around $109) on the Apple TV 4K earlier in July during Prime Day, but since that event ended this is the best deal we've tracked on the 2021 Apple TV 4K.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

Shoppers should note that there is a delayed shipping estimate for the 32GB Apple TV 4K right now on Amazon, with an approximate August 10 delivery date given for most places in the United States. Although this is a few weeks away, you can lock in the deal price today to guarantee the sale ahead of the delivery date in August.

Head to our full Deals Roundup to get caught up with all of the latest deals and discounts that we've been tracking over the past week.

The X14 Pro Max was today unveiled by Chinese low-cost smartphone brand LeBest, a phone that overtly imitates multiple iPhone design features.

Android brands and other smartphone makers often come under fire for allegedly copying Apple. Priced at just $150, the LeBest X14 Pro Max is the latest device that looks to capitalize on the success of the ‌iPhone‌ by emulating many of its design features. The "X14 Pro Max" name, an obvious nod to the upcoming iPhone 14 Pro Max, is just the start of several design decisions that directly imitate Apple's flagship iPhones.

For example, the device features a rear camera array arranged exactly like that of the ‌iPhone‌ 12 Pro and ‌iPhone‌ 13 Pro, with three lenses arranged in a triangle, and a flash above the right lens and a cutout intended to look like a LiDAR scanner below it. Just like the ‌iPhone‌ 11 Pro, 12 Pro, and 13 Pro, the device has a polished stainless steel frame and frosted glass back.

The device's color options mirror the ‌iPhone‌ 13 Pro with the exception of Gold, being available in a "Graphite" gray, silver, and a "Sapphire Blue" that clearly mimics Apple's Sierra Blue. In the most striking duplication, LeBest's marketing materials for the X14 Pro Max use Apple's exact wallpaper for the ‌iPhone‌ 13 Pro.

Beyond these parallels, the LeBest X14 Pro Max differs from the ‌iPhone‌ with a rear display next to the camera array, a hole-punch cutout for the front-facing camera, support for 40W fast charging, a side-mounted fingerprint scanner, and a 16-megapixel rear camera.

As a budget device, it is also significantly inferior to the ‌iPhone‌ in terms of hardware and specifications, sporting a 6.5-inch LCD display with a resolution of 2340 x 1080 pixels, a 60Hz refresh rate, and an 8-megapixel front camera. The device is designed to use Huawei Mobile Services as an alternative to Google.

An iPhone production plant in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen is being forced into a seven-day "closed loop" lockdown by Chinese authorities, alongside 100 other companies in an attempt to curb COVID-19 infections, Bloomberg reports.

The "closed loop" system will mean only employees who live on-site will be able to work, blocking access from the outside and largely prohibiting anyone from leaving the factory.

A Foxconn spokesperson said despite the new lockdown, operations at the plant remain "normal." Foxconn's plant in Shenzhen is second-largest to the "‌iPhone‌ city" in Zhengzhou, China. The new lockdown, nonetheless, adds strain to a struggling supply chain impacting tech giants.

The timing of the lockdown also comes as a worry as Foxconn is expected to begin mass production of the upcoming iPhone 14 series in several weeks, ahead of launch in September. In 2020, amid widespread lockdowns and uncertainty, Apple had to postpone its ‌iPhone‌ 12 launch till October, a month delay due to supply chain woes.

While a similar sequence of events is unlikely to happen this year, the lockdowns could mean limited availability at launch for customers.

A chip expert who worked for Apple for nine years has left the company to join rival Samsung, Business Korea reports.

Kim Woo-Pyeong, according to the report, worked for Apple since 2014 after working for Texas Instruments and Qualcomm in prior years. The report is vague on what Kim's responsibilities were at Apple, only saying he was a semiconductor expert.

Apple uses a wide range of chips in its devices, from ultrawideband chip technology to the processors that power all of its devices and a custom-made 5G modem that is reportedly in the works.

At Samsung, Kim will be the company's director for a new packaging solution center. In the last couple of years, Samsung has upped its involvement in the semiconductor space amid increased competition from TSMC, Apple, and others. Samsung announced last month that it had started production of 3nm chips using a new transistor architecture.

Competition between Apple and Samsung remains fierce, with both companies continuing to compete for customers in smartphones, smartwatches, and accessories such as the AirPods and Galaxy Buds. Business Korea calls Samsung's latest hire from Apple "somewhat unusual" given the cooperative yet competitive relationship between the two companies. Despite their rivalry, Samsung and Apple work together, most notably for OLED displays.