Apple today launched a repair program for the Apple Watch Series 6 to address an issue that can cause a small percentage of the devices to exhibit a permanently blank screen.
This problem impacts the 40mm Apple Watch Series 6, and affected devices were manufactured between April 2021 and September 2021. Apple says that Apple Watch Series 6 owners can use the serial number checker on the website to determine whether their devices are eligible for the repair program.
Devices that have been impacted by this issue will be repaired free of charge by Apple or an Apple Authorized Service Provider.
The program covers eligible Apple Watch Series 6 models for two years after the first retail sale of the unit.
A leaked version of the European Union's Digital Markets Act (DMA) indicates that Apple could be forced to make major changes to the App Store, Messages, FaceTime, third-party browsers, and Siri.
According to a leaked working document intended to reflect the "final" version of the DMA, seen by MacRumors, the EU is planning to enact changes that seek to have a significant impact on the way that companies like Apple will have to manage their products, apps, and services in Europe, particularly with regards to "gatekeeping."
Earlier versions of the Digital Markets Act set out demands for big tech companies to share metrics with competitors, ensure that all apps are uninstallable, and not preference their own apps and services. Companies that fail to do so may face large fines, as high as ten percent of the company's worldwide annual turnover, or even forced disinvestment.
One of the headline parts of the DMA attempts to prompt major changes to the App Store, forcing Apple to allow users to download apps from the internet and third-party app stores and allow developers to use in-app payment systems of their choice and promote offers to users. Amendments to the DMA outlined in the leaked document seek to address browser engine gatekeeping and platform interoperability.
The document expands provisions to stop companies from requiring developers to use a particular browser engine. This change is likely intended to directly address Apple's requirement that all browsers running on iOS and iPadOS that use its own WebKit technology, and would allow third-party browsers like Chrome, Edge, Brave, and Opera to stop using WebKit and switch to Chromium like their desktop counterparts.
New wide-reaching interoperability obligations will require companies to ensure that, under certain circumstances, their messaging, voice-calling, and video calling apps and services will work with rival services and include end-to-end encryption. This could have implications for iMessage and FaceTime, but it is not clear how far Apple will need to make changes to its services to meet the DMA's interoperability requirements.
The DMA has also been amended to add provisions for regulating virtual assistants like Siri, stating that users should be given the option to change the default virtual assistant to a third-party option when using it for the first time. Other changes to the DMA relate to preventing companies from giving their own apps and services preferential treatment, such as when presenting rankings or search results.
EU lawmakers provisionally approved the DMA in March. Once the final document is officially published, the European Parliament and the Council will need to approve it before it can come into effect. Digital competition chief Margrethe Vestager said last month that she expects the DMA to come into force "sometime in October."
Earlier this week, members of the European Parliament voted overwhelmingly in support of legislation that will compel Apple to offer a USB-C port on all iPhones, iPads, and AirPods in Europe.
For this week's giveaway and to celebrate Earth Day, we've teamed up with GRID Studio to offer a range of great prizes for MacRumors readers, including deconstructed Apple device art pieces and a 256GB iPhone 13 in green.
GRID Studio is best known for creating art from vintage Apple devices that are an important part of Apple's history, tearing down iPhones, Apple Watches, and iPods for their component parts. What you may not know is that GRID Studio is also helping the environment.
Since starting to create art pieces, GRID Studio has turned more than 10,000 old smartphones from e-waste into treasure. The company says that sustainability is a major part of its business, and it aims to help protect the environment by recycling trash into art pieces beloved by Apple fans.
In honor of Earth Day, Grid Studio is offering a 20 percent site wide discount on all of its products, and 10 percent of sales are being donated to Earthday.org. The site is also providing several prizes for MacRumors readers. The main prize winner will receive a 256GB iPhone 13 and a GRID iPhone 4S, while a second prize winner will get a customized Earth Day frame and a GRID 4S. Two third prize winners will receive a GRID iPhone 3GS.
GRID Studio focuses primarily on classic iPhones, and pricing on the art pieces starts at around $140. Each one is around 13x13x8, and includes all of the internal components of the device separated out and organized with labels so you can see everything that made the iPhone special at a glance.
With the iPhone 4S and 3GS, for example, the iPhone shell is displayed next to individual components like the power button, headphone socket, speaker, logic board, circuit board, ear piece, lightning port, and other components.
If you have a favorite classic iPhone, there's a good chance that GRID has taken it apart. In addition to the original iPhone, there are also GRID pieces for everything up to the iPhone X, along with A-series chips like the A5X, the Apple Watch, the Magic Mouse, and more.
Every GRID Studio piece includes all of the original parts of the device, but the company does not use real batteries to prevent any issues with the battery expanding or exploding with age. GRID's artwork is perfect for an office decoration or as a gift for an Apple fan. Disassembled devices are attractive to look at, informative, and offer a fun glimpse into Apple's history.
To enter to win an iPhone 13, GRID's special Earth Day globe, or a deconstructed iPhone 3GS or 4S, use the Gleam.io widget below and enter an email address. Email addresses will be used solely for contact purposes to reach the winners and send the prizes. You can earn additional entries by subscribing to our weekly newsletter, subscribing to our YouTube channel, following us on Twitter, following us on Instagram, or visiting the MacRumorsFacebook page.
Due to the complexities of international laws regarding giveaways, only U.S. residents who are 18 years or older, UK residents who are 18 years or older, and Canadian residents (excluding Quebec) who have reached the age of majority in their province or territory are eligible to enter. All federal, state, provincial, and/or local taxes, fees, and surcharges are the sole responsibility of the prize winner. To offer feedback or get more information on the giveaway restrictions, please refer to our Site Feedback section, as that is where discussion of the rules will be redirected.
The contest will run from today (April 22) at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time through 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time on April 29. The winners will be chosen randomly on April 29 and will be contacted by email. The winners will have 48 hours to respond and provide a shipping address before new winners are chosen.
Using Anker's GaN II technology, the 100-watt 736 charger is 34% smaller than Apple's 96-watt charger, yet offers the flexibility of three USB ports to charge multiple devices when needed.
The 736 includes two USB-C ports and a USB-A port, and it will intelligently divide power among the ports depending on how many are in use. When either USB-C port is used alone, it will deliver a full 100 watts of power, fully supporting any Mac notebook other than the fast charging capabilities of the 140-watt charger that comes with the latest 16-inch MacBook Pro models.
Two-port setups allow for the largest number of possible combinations depending on which ports are used. If the two USB-C ports are used together, the top one will provide 60 watts while the bottom one will provide 40 watts. Combining the top USB-C port and the USB-A port will deliver 80 watts and 18 watts respectively, while combining the bottom USB-C port and the USB-A will provide a 60-watt and 22.5-watt split.
If all three ports are used, the top USB-C port will deliver 45 watts, the bottom USB-C port will deliver 30 watts, and the USB-A port will deliver 18 watts.
The 736 joins the similar Anker 735 charger introduced earlier this month that also includes two USB-C ports and a USB-A port, but only delivers a maximum of 65 watts of power.
MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Anker and Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
The iPhone 14 lineup will be available in a refreshed lineup of color options, including an all-new purple color, and feature a new True Tone flash design, according to a sketchy rumor shared by an unverified source (via AppleTrack).
The post, which has since been deleted, comes from an unverified source on Chinese social media site Weibo and claimed to reveal the full range of color options for Apple's upcoming iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro models.
The iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Max will reportedly be available in black, white, blue, red, and purple, while the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max will allegedly come in graphite, gold, silver, and purple. The purple color option for both the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro is said to be a unique finish that shifts tone based on lighting conditions.
The post also claimed that the iPhone 14 models will feature a new True Tone flash that looks like "a small circle in a big circle," as opposed to the current design that contains two small LEDs in two separate hemispheres.
In recent years, Apple has offered eye-catching new color options alongside more neutral tones when launching new iPhone models. A purple color option for the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro seems plausible given that Apple introduced a Purple iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 mini in a mid-cycle refresh in April last year to a positive response from customers, and the 24-inch iMac, sixth-generation iPad mini, and fifth-generation iPad Air are all available in Purple.
Assuming that the post's black and white options for the iPhone 14 actually refer to Midnight and Starlight, the new color lineup would mean the discontinuation of the iPhone 13's Pink and Green, and the iPhone 13 Pro's Sierra Blue and Alpine Green. Excluding mid-cycle color additions, such as Green and Alpine Green for the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro earlier this year, the rumor suggests that the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro will launch with the same number of color options as their predecessors.
It is not clear if the unique purple finish is actively supposed to have a kaleidoscopic effect to change based on lighting conditions, or simply use the technique behind the iPhone 13 Pro's Sierra Blue, which varies in appearance more than the other color options. This is because Apple adopted a new production process exclusively for Sierra Blue that uses "multiple layers of nanometer-scale metallic ceramics applied across the surface for a stunning and durable finish."
Overall, the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro's selection of color options could look fairly similar to those of the iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Pro, iPhone 13, and iPhone 13 Pro, headlining with the re-introduction of a purple shade.
The rumor is getting traction on Twitter and the information is seemingly being mirrored by other unverified posts on Weibo. Nevertheless, the post comes from a source without a known track record and it is not clear why it was deleted, so it should be viewed with skepticism at this point in time.
The Apple Cash virtual debit card appears to be switching networks from Discover to Visa, as revealed in some updated images on Apple's website and noted by Twitter user @Kanjo.
Since its launch, Apple Cash (originally known as Apple Pay Cash) has been operated through a partnership with Green Dot Bank on the Discover network. Discover is one of the smaller card networks and is accepted in far fewer places than heavyweights Visa and Mastercard.
Over the past few days, several Apple Cash virtual card images on Apple's website have been swapped out for new ones displaying a Visa debit logo, and the transition to the more widely accepted network appears to be underway.
It's unclear whether Apple will be imminently transitioning existing Discover-based Apple Cash accounts to the Visa network, but in our testing it appears that new Apple Cash accounts are now being created with Visa.
If you currently have a Discover Apple Cash account, deactivating Apple Cash in Settings on your device and then reactivating it will generate a new Apple Cash Device Account Number on the Visa network.
Distinct from the Apple Card credit card, Apple Cash is similar to a debit card (though without a physical card) and allows users to easily send and receive money via Apple Pay and the Messages app. Users can keep funds stored in Apple Cash for easy access, link it to a bank account or other debit card to pull money out, or use the funds to pay off Apple Card balances. Apple Card cash back earnings are also paid out as Apple Cash.
We're ending the week with a collection of discounts on Apple products including AirPods and Apple Watch, as well as a sitewide discount at Grid Studio. For the AirPods and Apple Watch, you'll find all-time low deals on AirPods 2, AirPods Pro, and Apple Watch SE.
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.
AirPods 2
Amazon still has the AirPods 2 at $99.00, down from $129.00. This deal is a solid second-best price, and only about $10 higher than the all-time low price seen on this version of the AirPods.
This is the model of AirPods that comes with the Wired Charging Case. Apple discontinued the AirPods 2 with the Wireless Charging Case so we haven't seen any notable deals on that accessory in months.
AirPods Pro with MagSafe
Next, Apple's AirPods Pro with MagSafe Charging Case are available for $174.00 on Amazon, down from $249.00. This price is a match of the 2022 low price on the AirPods Pro, and overall it's the second-best price we've ever tracked.
The headphones are in stock today, and they are shipped and sold directly by Amazon. The new AirPods Pro launched in 2021, and are essentially the same as the 2019 model with the addition of the new MagSafe Charging Case.
Apple Watch SE
Switching to the Apple Watch SE, we're tracking an ongoing best-ever price on a few models of the Apple Watch SE. Specifically, you can get the 40mm GPS Gold Aluminium Case with Starlight Sport Band for $229.00, down from $279.00.
Lastly, Grid Studio is taking 20 percent off sitewide for one day only with the code EARTH2022. Grid Studio is a company that deconstructs popular tech devices, like iPhones and Game Boys, and sells them in attractive shadowbox frames.
Apple later this year will discontinue Fleetsmith, its mobile device management (MDM) solution for administrators needing to manage fleets of Apple devices.
The company announced the decision in a support document, in which it says that as of April 21, 2022, it has discontinued new signups for Fleetsmith. Existing Fleetsmith customers can continue to use the service until October 21, 2022.
After that date, customers will no longer be able to log into the service and devices will no longer receive configuration profiles from the Fleetsmith server.
The nature of MDM is that it lets customers securely and wirelessly configure devices, whether they're owned by the user or their organization, and Fleetsmith lets users oversee a fleet of Apple products, automatically managing apps, settings, and security preferences while implementing best practices for IT and security.
Apple acquired the enterprise security software in June 2020, and many Apple devices have a built-in framework that supports mobile device management.
Apple could adopt the 2nm process for its iPhone and Mac chips as early as 2025 as the company's main chip supplier, TSMC, has set in motion a plan to produce that process in the early parts of that year, DigiTimes reports.
All of Apple's latest chips feature the 5nm process, including the A15 Bionic in the iPhone 13 series and the entire M1 Apple silicon line. According to a new DigiTimes report today, TSMC will begin mass production of 3nm chips later this year with 2nm following in 2025 with Apple and Intel being among the first to use the newer technology.
TSMC has set a timetable to move its 2nm GAA process to production in 2025 while commercializing its 3nm FInFET process with improved yield rates in the second half of 2022, with Apple and Intel among the first clients to adopt both nodes, further consolidating its dominance in the advanced foundry sector, according to industry sources.
A report from last year claimed that the next iPad Pro, expected to be announced later this year, will feature a 3nm process. The current iPad Pro features the M1 chip and the 2022 version is expected to include Apple's all-new "M2" chip. The 3nm process technology features performance improvements of up to 15% while being at least 25% less battery-hungry, according to TSMC.
Android's vast global smartphone market dominance has shrunk slightly over the past four years while iOS has continued to increase its overall share, according to a new trend analysis.
Google's Android OS is the most widely used in the world, with smartphone makers of all kinds relying on the mobile operating system to power their devices. As such, it's no surprise that Android controls around two-thirds of the mobile market, but new data from StockApps suggests Google shouldn't take its pre-eminence for granted.
Android controlled 77.32% of the global OS market in July 2018. As of January 2022, four years later, that percentage had dropped to 69.74%. Meanwhile, over the same four-year period, global iOS adoption grew from 19.4% to 25.49%, a 6% increase. According to StockApp's analysis, the remaining 1.58% that Android lost went to other smaller scale OS developers.
The marginal shift in share in no way indicates that Android's dominance is under threat, but despite reports of disappointing iPhone SE sales, it's a positive sign for Apple that its broader strategy of diversifying its iPhone and iPad lineup is paying dividends in a highly competitive space.
StockApps' analysis also includes an interesting geographical breakdown of OS dominance. For instance, in Africa, where Apple devices are more prohibitively expensive, 84% of all smartphones run Android, while iOS accounts for roughly 14% of the continent's devices. It's a similar story in Asia and South America, where Android takes an 81% and 90% share, respectively. By contrast, iOS share is 18% in Asia and 10% in South America.
As expected, Apple's piece of the OS pie is more substantial in North America and Oceania, where it overtakes Google's share. iOS commands 54% of the market in both regions, while Android takes nearly 45%, suggesting that once customers pay the initial higher price of Apple's devices, the quality of its hardware, software, and user support tends to keep consumers within its ecosystem.
Apple has picked up a seven-part thriller that's set to star actor Idris Elba, the company announced today. Called "Hijack," the upcoming Apple TV+ show will follow a hijacked plane that makes its way to London.
Elba is set to star as Sam Nelson, an accomplished negotiator in the business world who needs to step up and use his skills to try to save the lives of the passengers on the plane, but it is a risky move and could be his undoing.
Elba previously signed a first-look deal with Apple TV+, and this is the first series to come of it. In addition to starring in the movie, Elba will serve as an executive producer under his Green Door Pictures label.
In other Apple TV+ news, Apple today shared the trailer for four-part true crime documentary "The Big Conn," which is set to premiere on Friday, May 6.
"The Big Conn" tells the story of attorney Eric C. Conn, who defrauded the government and taxpayers out of more than half a billion dollars in the largest Social Security fraud case in U.S. history.
Apple today announced that its Fitness+ service is being updated with several new dance routines in honor of International Dance Day, which is set to take place on Friday, April 29.
The update will include a new Artist Spotlight Dance workout that's set to the music of popular Korean pop group BTS, featuring moves that are taken directly from the choreography of BTS videos. Songs will include "Butter (feat. Megan Thee Stallion)," "Dynamite," "Boy With Luv (feat. Halsey)," "DNA," "MIC Drop (Steve Aoki Remix)," "Permission to Dance," and "Life Goes On."
Other new dance workout additions will include songs that bring a feeling of joy and tracks that celebrate traditional rhythms from genres that include cumbia, tango, and Indian pop.
Apple Fitness+ is also going to gain workout playlists dedicated to single artists including BTS, ABBA, and Queen. There will be ABBA dance routines, BTS HIIT workouts, and Queen Strength workouts.
On International Dance Day, Apple Watch users can earn a special dance award by completing a dance workout of 20 minutes or more. Apple Fitness+ dance routines fulfill the requirement, as does any workout that uses the Dance category on the Apple Watch. Apple plans to offer six 20-minute workouts designed to help users win the award, with those workouts offering Latin Grooves, Upbeat Anthems, Throwback Hits, and Hip-Hop/R&B playlists.
Apple Fitness+ is Apple's dedicated workout service, priced at $9.99 per month (in the U.S), or $79.99 per year for the whole family. It is also included in the Apple One Premier plan where available, and the service can be used in Australia, Austria, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, France, Germany, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Portugal, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Switzerland, the UAE, the UK, and the US.
New Apple Watch owners can sign up for a free three month Fitness+ trial, and existing Apple Watch owners who have not previously used the service can sign up for a one month free trial.
Samsung recently introduced the M8, a new 32-inch 4K display that's priced at $700, making it less than half as expensive as the Studio Display from Apple. We picked up one of the displays and thought we'd compare it to the Studio Display in our latest YouTube video to see how it performs and whether you can save some money by going with a cheaper option.
In addition to serving as a display, the M8 also doubles as a 4K TV, featuring Tizen OS, built-in apps and an app store, a remote control, built-in Apple AirPlay support, and a 1080p webcam, all of which sounds great.
With a 4K resolution, the display looks great, but unsurprisingly, it's not quite as good as the 5K Studio Display, which definitely has the better screen. The Studio Display is sharper, more vibrant, and offers more accurate color, so it's definitely a better choice for those who are doing professional work.
As for design, the M8 looks to be inspired by the Studio Display and the 24-inch iMac, with Samsung offering it in white, blue, pink, and green aluminum. It looks good, and it's going to match your Apple devices because it's clearly an Apple-like aesthetic. The Samsung display is larger than the Studio Display at 32 inches instead of 27 inches, and out of the box, it's tilt and height adjustable, a feature that requires an upgrade on the Studio Display. There is no VESA mount option, though.
The Studio Display wins out when it comes to the speakers and microphone, and it features 4 USB-C ports, while the Samsung monitor has a couple USB-C ports and a micro HDMI port. The add-on camera attaches magnetically on the M8, and though the Studio Display offers Center Stage for FaceTime and other video apps, the M8 has a similar feature.
All in all, if you're looking for affordability and versatility, the M8 is worth the $700 because it also doubles as a TV, but if you want premium quality for professional work, the Studio Display is the better choice.
Apple spent $2.5 million on lobbying in the first three months of 2022, a record high for the company, reports Bloomberg. Apple bumped up its spending on lobbying to fight back against antitrust legislation that the U.S. government is considering at the current time.
Apple in the fourth quarter of 2021 spent $1.86 million on lobbying, so its spending is up over 34 percent in the early months of 2022. Apple's previous high was $2.2 million in the second quarter of 2017, a year after Apple's battle with the FBI over iPhone unlocking.
Both the United States and Europe are developing antitrust legislation that would significantly impact the way that tech companies like Apple operate. In the United States, the Senate Judiciary Committee has approved multiple bills like the Open App Markets Act, which would require Apple to allow alternate app stores and alternate payment methods on the iPhone.
No bills have been passed in the United States, but the Senate is considering them and the European Union has already provisionally agreed on the Digital Markets Act, legislature that is similar to the Open App Markets Act.
Like Apple, Google has also been lobbying against these antitrust bills, spending $2.96 million in the first quarter of 2022.
Note: Due to the political or social nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Political News forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.
The 5.4-inch iPhone 13 mini continues to be unpopular with customers, according to U.S. iPhone sales data for the March quarter that was shared by Consumer Research Intelligence Partners (CIRP).
The iPhone 13 mini had the smallest share of sales of all the iPhone 13 models, and it made up just three percent of total iPhone sales during the quarter. Comparatively, the other iPhone 13 models were much more popular, and had the largest share of U.S. sales in several years.
Combined, all four iPhone 13 models made up 71 percent of iPhone sales, with the standard 6.1-inch iPhone 13 responsible for 38 percent of sales. The iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max weren't quite as popular as the iPhone 13, but sold much better than the iPhone 13 mini.
In the year-ago quarter, the iPhone 12 models made up 61 percent of total iPhone sales, so the iPhone 13 models are performing better. The iPhone 13 has also seen the strongest sales of any iPhone model during the March quarter, beating out the iPhone 11 and the iPhone 12 when they were Apple's flagship iPhones.
According to CIRP, the iPhone 13 models aside from the mini are seeing strong sales because buyers are replacing their phones more often.
After several years of buyers keeping a previous phone longer, in the past year buyers are now keeping a previous phone for a shorter time. In the March 2022 quarter, 20% of buyers reported having their previous phone for three years or longer, compared to 34% in the March 2021. In the March 2022 quarter 47% of buyers had their previous phone for two years or less, compared to 35% in the March 2021 quarter.
Apple's 5.4-inch iPhone 12 mini and iPhone 13 mini have been comparatively unpopular since their launch, and the poor sales have made it clear that most consumers do not want smaller sized iPhones.
In 2022 with the iPhone 14 lineup, Apple is discontinuing the 5.4-inch iPhone size. There will be no iPhone 14 mini, with Apple instead releasing a 6.1-inch iPhone 14, a 6.1-inch iPhone 14 Pro, a 6.7-inch iPhone 14 Max, and 6.7-inch iPhone 14 Pro Max.
Apple today announced in a support document that macOS Server is being discontinued as of April 21, 2022. Apple has been phasing out macOS Server for several years now, and the company is finally ready to shut it down for good.
macOS Server 5.12.2 will be the last version of the app, and macOS Server services have now been migrated to macOS. Popular macOS Server capabilities that include Caching Server, File Sharing Server, and Time Machine Server have been bundled in macOS since macOS High Sierra, so there is no longer a need for a standalone app.
Existing macOS Server users can continue to download and use the app with macOS Monterey, and Apple has support documents for migrating from Profile Manager to other MDM solutions.
The iPhone 14 Pro could feature significantly rounder corners to match the larger rear camera array, according to Apple concept graphic renderer Ian Zelbo.
Zelbo, who is best known for creating renders of upcoming Apple devices based on leaked information, including the Mac Studio, Studio Display, rumored mixed-reality headset, and more, believes that the iPhone 14 Pro models are likely to feature corners with larger radii. By cross-referencing CAD renders and dimensions, schematics, images of accessory production molds, and additional information, it is clear that the iPhone 14 Pro is repeatedly being depicted with larger corner radii for a more rounded front and rear appearance compared to the iPhone 13 Pro. The iPhone 14 Pro Max, on the other hand, appears to have the virtually same radii as the iPhone 13 Pro Max.
To scale render of the iPhone 13 Pro (right) and iPhone 14 Pro (left) rear with ostensibly accurate dimensions by Ian Zelbo.
The rear camera arrays of the iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max broadly matched the corner radius of each device's frame, but when Apple increased the size of the camera arrays with the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max, neither device matched its corners. While the difference between the iPhone 12 Pro Max and iPhone 13 Pro Max's camera arrays are minor, the difference between the iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro is significant.
It seems plausible that with another increase in size this year, the incongruence between the curves of the camera plateau, lenses, and corners of the stainless steel frame itself became too severe on the iPhone 14 Pro, leading Apple to amend the design. The new, larger corner radii still do not exactly match the rounded corners of the rear camera array plateau, but are significantly closer, according to Zelbo.
To scale render of the iPhone 13 Pro (left) and iPhone 14 Pro (right) front with ostensibly accurate dimensions by Ian Zelbo.
Similar information related to the iPhone 14 shows that this device does not share the new corner radius, which could indicate that the more rounded design is set to become another differentiating factor between the standard and "Pro" iPhone lines.
Zelbo is working on detailed renders of the iPhone 14 Pro based on a multitude of sources to provide a seemingly accurate look at what Apple's next-generation Pro iPhone could look like when it is announced later this year. The renders will debut on Jon Prosser's Front Page Tech soon.
Canadian smart home accessory maker Ecobee appears to be preparing to release a new version of its SmartThermostat with a built-in indoor air quality sensor.
Ecobee released a new version of its iOS app this week that includes a hidden image of a SmartThermostat with an indoor air quality indicator visible on the screen. The updated app also includes descriptions such as "keep your home's air clean with your Smart Thermostat's built-in air quality sensor" and "your sensor is calibrating to your home," according to code changes discovered by MacRumors contributor Steve Moser.
Ecobee has yet to publicly announce the new SmartThermostat, so no additional details or a release date are known at this time, but the sensor will presumably turn on a home's HVAC fans when indoor air quality has fallen below certain thresholds. This would result in air circulating through the HVAC system's filters for improved air quality.
Ecobee thermostats were previously compatible with the third-party Await+ air quality sensor, but this integration was discontinued in 2020.
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.
To scale render of the iPhone 13 Pro (right) and iPhone 14 Pro (left) rear with ostensibly accurate dimensions by Ian Zelbo.
To scale render of the iPhone 13 Pro (left) and iPhone 14 Pro (right) front with ostensibly accurate dimensions by Ian Zelbo.
