MacRumors

A YouTuber has successfully made the M1 Mac mini 78% smaller and added MagSafe in a unique DIY project, highlighting Apple's iterative approach to the current entry-level ‌Mac mini‌ ahead of the expected launch of a redesigned high-end model.

When Apple introduced the ‌M1‌ ‌Mac mini‌ in November 2020, it retained the exact same unibody design that the company has used since 2010. Subsequent teardowns revealed that the ‌M1‌ ‌Mac mini‌ contains a very large amount of empty space.

This is because the unibody design was conceived for Intel processors and hardware from over the past twelve years, while modern components such as the ‌M1‌ chip and its unified memory system are extremely small and thermally efficient, being suitable for the likes of the thin and passively cooled MacBook Air.

Now, Quinn Nelson, the YouTuber behind the popular channel Snazzy Labs, has shrunk the ‌M1‌ ‌Mac mini‌ as much as possible by relocating its internals and engineering a new casing.

Since most of the ‌Mac mini‌'s internal space is taken up by a 150W power supply, Nelson replaced it with an external 65W Microsoft Surface power supply with a retrofitted ‌MagSafe‌ 2 connector, which connects to a DC voltage regulator leading to the ‌Mac mini‌'s logic board.

Nelson created a smaller new enclosure for the ‌Mac mini‌ using resin 3D printing, adopting the distinctive "cheese grater" design of the 2019 Mac Pro for enhanced thermals. Nelson relocated parts such as the antennae and power button to the new enclosure and removed the ‌Mac mini‌'s fan. Overall, the modified device is 28% of its original volume internally.

Despite the ‌Mac mini‌'s logic board being in a much smaller enclosure with no fan, Nelson noticed virtually no change in performance, with the device benchmarking just as well as the original machine. Nelson has made a detailed build guide available for any skilled users who wish to undertake the project for themselves.

The ‌Mac mini‌ is due to get a significant overhaul this year, featuring the M1 Pro and M1 Max chips from the MacBook Pro in an all-new design. According to leaker Jon Prosser, who shared renders of the new Mac mini's alleged design last year, the new ‌Mac mini‌ will retain a similar form factor to the current ‌Mac mini‌, but with an overall reduction in size.

The new design is purported to feature a "plexiglass-like" top, sitting above an aluminum frame, much like the first-generation Apple TV. The rear of the device is said to feature the same ports that are currently available with the high-end Intel-based ‌Mac mini‌, including four Thunderbolt ports, two USB-A ports, one Ethernet port, and one HDMI port, but will add a magnetic power connector from the 24-inch iMac.

Apple is believed to have been working on a new Mac mini for some time. Apple updated the entry-level ‌Mac mini‌ with the ‌M1‌ chip in November 2020, but the high-end offering is still the Space Gray model with an Intel processor from 2018. It is this high-end model that is expected to be replaced this year with an Apple silicon model that features the first redesign since 2010, but an update for the entry-level ‌M1‌ model to add the M2 chip also seems plausible.

Apple is reportedly planning to launch the new Mac mini at an event in the spring. For more information about what to expect from the high-end ‌Mac mini‌, see our detailed guide.

Apple is being challenged by a group of developers to end WebKit's dominance on its mobile devices and allow other browser engines on iPhone and iPad, following accusations that the current situation amounts to anti-competitive conduct.

For those unfamiliar with WebKit, Apple's browser engine powers Safari and other areas of the operating system where web content is displayed. Apple requires all third-party browser apps on iOS and iPadOS to use WebKit, but many browser developers are not happy with the limitations this imposes on them.

The latest pushback comes in the form of "Open Web Advocacy" or OWA, a project launched by UK-based developers who want third-party access to all the features that Safari enjoys but which are not available in WebKit.

"The motive of the group is to try to persuade Apple that they need to allow other browser engines on iOS, so the iOS can be a better platform for developing stuff for the modern web," developer Bruce Lawson told The Register. "Because at the moment, every browser on iOS, whether it be badged Chrome, Firefox or Edge is actually just a branded skin of Safari, which lags behind [other browsers] because it has no competition on iOS."

Some Safari features that are not available to other browsers that use WebKit include the ability to display fullscreen video on ‌iPhone‌, install web apps, use browser extensions, and integrate Apple Pay. Developers are also frustrated that iOS forces Safari to be used in all instances of in-app browsing. These and more than 30 other missing functions or APIs for WebKit are outlined in the OWA's "Bringing Competition to Walled Gardens" paper.

Apple argues that WebKit limitations are motivated primarily by security and privacy considerations, but Lawson belives Apple's handling of Safari bugs makes a mockery of that claim.

"Over Christmas, there was a huge bug in something called IndexedDB," said Lawson. "That allowed any arbitrary website to see other websites you visited. Not all of them but those that use certain browser features. And that remained unpatched by Apple for 57 days. So for 57 days, every iOS user who used any web browser on iOS – because it was using WebKit – was leaking data left, right and center. If Apple actually did fix security errors fast, that would be a plausible defense, but they don't."

The OWA says it has been communicating with the UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), which has already heavily criticized Apple's policies around WebKit.

• Should Apple Continue to Ban Rival Browser Engines on iOS?

The OWA is now urging Apple users to contact regulators and legislators in other jurisdictions to galvanize support and force Apple to end its restrictions around WebKit, although such a move could make sideloading apps from the web a real possibility, and that is something Apple appears equally reluctant to allow.

Endless snowboarding game "Alto's Adventure" is set to expand to Apple Arcade this month, with Apple launching "Alto's Adventure: The Spirit of the Mountain." The ‌Apple Arcade‌ exclusive title is a remastered version of the original "Alto's Adventure," but with an all-new exclusive character that features unique attributes and special abilities, plus more than 15 new goals to complete.

The game will feature original music and handcrafted audio to provide an immersive experience, and it will be popular with those who were fans of the first "Alto's Adventure" game that came out seven years ago. ‌Apple Arcade‌ will get the title on Friday, March 25.

‌Apple Arcade‌ is gaining new App Store Greats this month, and for those unfamiliar, ‌App Store‌ Greats are classic titles that have been reintroduced on the ‌Apple Arcade‌ platform. "Shadow Blade+" from Crescent Moon Games will come out on March 4, and it is an action-platformer where players take on the role of a ninja named Kuro, racing through different stages filled with traps and enemies.

Popular puzzle game "Monument Valley 2" is also coming to ‌Apple Arcade‌ in March, and players will once again be able to take on the role of Ro, teaching a child about the mysteries of the valley, exploring the environment, and manipulating architecture to progress. The ‌Apple Arcade‌ version of the game includes a new chapter called "The Lost Forest," designed to raise awareness for the conservation of trees.

Several existing ‌Apple Arcade‌ games are set to get notable content updates this March, including "Solitaire Stories," "Disney Melee Mania," and "Taiko no Tatsujin Pop Tap Beat."

‌Apple Arcade‌ can be accessed from the ‌App Store‌ app, and the service is priced at $4.99 per month for the whole family.

Apple today confirmed that it has stopped all product sales from its online website in Russia, which means customers in Russia can no longer purchase Macs, iPhones, iPads, and other Apple devices. Attempting to make a purchase from the Russia store results in a "delivery unavailable" result when trying to add a product to the online cart.

Sales have been halted following a plea last week from Ukrainian vice prime minister Mykhailo Fedorov, who wrote a letter to Apple CEO Tim Cook asking Apple to stop device sales and to block App Store access in Russia.

I appeal to you and I am sure you will not only hear, but also do everything possible to protect Ukraine, Europe, and finally, the entire democratic world from bloody authoritarian aggression - to stop suppling Apple services and products to the Russian Federation, including blocking access to App Store!

We are sure that such actions will motivate youth and active population of Russia to proactively stop the disgraceful military aggression.

Apple said in a statement that it has also stopped all exports into the sales channel in the country and disabled traffic and live incidents in Apple Maps in Ukraine as a safety and precautionary measure for Ukrainian citizens.

We are deeply concerned about the Russian invasion of Ukraine and stand with all of the people who are suffering as a result of the violence. We are supporting humanitarian efforts, providing aid for the unfolding refugee crisis, and doing all we can to support our teams in the region.

We have taken a number of actions in response to the invasion. We have paused all product sales in Russia. Last week, we stopped all exports into our sales channel in the country. Apple Pay and other services have been limited. RT News and Sputnik News are no longer available for download from the App Store outside Russia. And we have disabled both traffic and live incidents in Apple Maps in Ukraine as a safety and precautionary measure for Ukrainian citizens. We will continue to evaluate the situation and are in communication with the relevant governments on the actions we are taking. We join all those around the world who are calling for peace.

Cook explained the same info in a letter sent out to employees, and provided information on how Apple employees can donate. Apple will be matching all donations at a rate of 2:1 for eligible organizations, retroactive for donations made since February 25.

I wanted to take a moment to address the ongoing crisis in Ukraine.

I know I speak for everyone at Apple in expressing our concern for all of those affected by the violence. With each new image of families fleeing their homes and brave citizens fighting for their lives, we see how important it is for people around the world to come together to advance the cause of peace.

Apple is donating to humanitarian relief efforts and providing aid for the unfolding refugee crisis. We are also working with partners to assess what more we can do. I know that many of you are eager to find ways to support as well, and we want to help amplify the impact of your donations. Starting today, Apple will match your donations at a rate of 2:1 for eligible organizations, and we will make this retroactive for donations to those organizations since February 25. Please visit the Employee Giving Portal to learn more.

We are working to support our teams in Ukraine and across the region. In Ukraine, we have been in contact with every employee, assisting them and their families in any way we can. For our Ukrainian team members located outside of the country that may need support, please contact Crisismanagement@apple.com. And for any employee who needs any support, please visit the People site for available resources.

As a company, we are taking additional actions as well. We have paused all product sales in Russia. Last week, we stopped all exports into our sales channel in the country. Apple Pay and other services have been limited. RT News and Sputnik News are no longer available for download from the App Store outside Russia. And we have disabled both traffic and live incidents in Apple Maps in Ukraine as a safety and precautionary measure for Ukrainian citizens.

We will continue to evaluate the situation and are in communication with relevant governments on the actions we are taking.

This moment calls for unity, it calls for courage, and it reminds us that we must never lose sight of the humanity we all share. In these difficult times, I take comfort in knowing that we are united in our commitment to each other, to our users, and to being a force for good in the world.

As of now, ‌App Store‌ access has not been eliminated in Russia, but Apple Pay has been limited and major banks in Russia are not able to use the service. RT News and Sputnik News have been removed from the ‌App Store‌ outside of Russia, in addition to Apple's other measures.

Cook said that Apple is working to support its teams in Ukraine and across the region, and that the company has been in contact with every employee in Ukraine to offer assistance. He wrapped up the letter by saying that "this moment calls for unity, it calls for courage, and it reminds us that we must never lose sight of the humanity that we all share."

Cook's letter and Apple's actions come following U.S. sanctions that were implemented against Russia back in February, preventing companies from exporting select products to the country. Apple did not halt sales at that time, and the response appears to have been made as a result of Ukraine's request.

Apple's next Apple Watch activity challenge is set to take place on International Women's Day, which will be celebrated on Tuesday, March 8.

The Activity Challenge will show up on the Apple Watch as a notification in the days leading up to the event. To win the International Women's Day award, Apple Watch users will need to complete a workout of any kind with a length of at least 20 minutes.

March 8 is a day to celebrate women around the world! Earn this award by doing any workout for 20 minutes or more. Record your time with the Workout app or any app that adds workouts to Health.

Apple Watch users who earn the award will unlock a badge in the Fitness app along with a series of animated stickers that can be used in the Messages and FaceTime apps.

In February, Apple hosted Activity Challenges for Heart Month, Lunar New Year, and Black History Month.

Apple today seeded the fifth beta of an upcoming macOS macOS Monterey 12.3 update to developers for testing purposes, with the new software coming a week after the release of the fourth macOS Monterey 12.3 beta.

Registered developers can download the beta through the Apple Developer Center and after the appropriate profile is installed, betas will be available through the Software Update mechanism in System Preferences.

macOS Monterey 12.3 is a major update that introduces Universal Control, a feature that Apple first teased at WWDC and then delayed for several months. ‌Universal Control‌ is designed to allow you to use a single mouse/trackpad and keyboard across multiple Macs and iPads (with iPads running iPadOS 15.4).

After updating your devices to macOS 12.3 and iPadOS 15.4, ‌Universal Control‌ works automatically, allowing your Mac's cursor and keyboard to work on the iPad and vice versa. It's simple and intuitive to use.

macOS Monterey 12.3 adds support for updating the AirPods firmware when the earbuds are connected to a Mac, plus it deprecates kernel extensions used by Dropbox and Microsoft OneDrive, and it eliminates Python 2, with Apple instructing developers to use an alternative scripting language like Python 3 going forward.

There are also new emoji characters, including melting face, biting lip, heart hands, bubbles, beans, face with diagonal mouth, palm up hand, eggs, troll, low battery, coral, lotus, and more.

Apple today seeded the fifth betas of upcoming iOS 15.4 and iPadOS 15.4 updates to developers for testing purposes, with the new software coming one week after Apple seeded the fourth betas of iOS 15.4 and iPadOS 15.4.

Developers can download iOS 15.4 and iPadOS 15.4 through the Apple Developer Center or over the air after the proper profile has been installed on an iPhone or iPad.

iOS and iPadOS 15.4 introduce some of the most significant changes we've seen in an update since iOS 15 launched. On the ‌iPhone‌ 12 and 13 models, there's now an option to use Face ID while wearing a mask with no Apple Watch required for authentication. It works just like Face ID, but it scans the area around your eyes when you're wearing a mask.

On ‌iPad‌, iPadOS 15.4 brings the long awaited Universal Control feature. Paired with a Mac running macOS Monterey 12.3, Universal Control allows multiple Macs and iPads to be controlled with a single cursor and keyboard. It's a feature that works seamlessly after installing the updates, and it is simple and intuitive to use.

There are 37 new emojis with the addition of Emoji 14 characters, so you can now use emojis that include melting face, biting lip, heart hands, bubbles, beans, face with diagonal mouth, palm up hand, eggs, troll, low battery, coral, lotus, and more.

The second beta added support for the "Tap to Pay on ‌iPhone‌" feature that is designed to allow NFC-compatible iPhones to accept payments through Apple Pay, contactless credit and debit cards, and other digital wallets, without requiring additional hardware.

Tap to Pay on ‌iPhone‌ is enabled in the iOS 15.4 beta, but it does require third-party providers to add support, so it is not yet available for use.

In the fourth beta, Apple added a new Siri voice for American users and support for AirTag anti-stalking features announced in February. When setting up an AirTag or a Find My accessory, there is now a warning that the device is locked to an Apple ID and that using it to track someone without consent is a crime.

"You can locate this item using the ‌Find My‌ network," reads the setup screen. "Using this item to track people without their consent is a crime in many regions around the world. This item is designed to be detected by victims and to enable law enforcement to request identifying information about the owner."

There are also signs that Apple may be planning to roll out support for digital IDs and driver's licenses in iOS 15.4. There isn't a ton of evidence for this at the current time, but there was a mention of the feature in the PassKit code in beta 2. "Find out when your driver's license or state ID is ready to use and get important updates about your ID," it reads.

Other new features include full 120Hz ProMotion support for app animations on ‌iPhone‌ 13 Pro models, EU vaccine certificates in the Wallet app, the ability to turn off notifications for Shortcuts automations, keyboard brightness controls in Control Center on the ‌iPad‌, an Apple Card widget, iCloud Keychain notes, support for adding custom email domains to ‌iCloud‌ Mail right on device, and a SharePlay option in the share sheet.

We have a full list of all of the features introduced in iOS 15.4 and iPadOS 15.4 in our dedicated guide highlighting everything new in the update.

Apple today seeded the fifth beta of an upcoming watchOS 8.5 update to developers for testing purposes, with the software coming a week after the release of the fourth watchOS 8.5 beta.

To install ‌‌‌watchOS 8.5, developers will need to download the configuration profile from the Apple Developer Center. Once installed, ‌‌‌watchOS 8.5‌‌‌ can be downloaded through the dedicated Apple Watch app on the iPhone by going to General > Software update.

To update to new software, an Apple Watch needs to have 50 percent battery life, it must be placed on the charger, and it needs to be in range of the ‌‌‌‌‌iPhone‌‌‌‌‌. You'll also need the accompanying iOS 15.4 update before you can install watchOS 8.5.

watchOS 8.5 introduces support for Emoji 14 characters, with new additions including melting face, biting lip, heart hands, bubbles, beans, face with diagonal mouth, palm up hand, eggs, troll, low battery, coral, lotus, and more.

Nomad today announced the launch of the Base One, its first official MagSafe wireless charger. For a long time, Belkin has had the only official ‌MagSafe‌ charging options, but that's starting to change now that third-party accessory companies are able to get Apple's Made for iPhone-certified hardware.

The Base One is using ‌MagSafe‌ components sourced directly from Apple, so it is able to charge a MagSafe-compatible iPhone at up to 15W (except for the iPhone 12 mini and ‌iPhone‌ 13 mini, which max out at 12W). Non-MagSafe magnetic charging options are limited to 7.5W, much like any other Qi charger.

At 15W, the Base One can charge at the same speed as Apple's official ‌MagSafe‌ Charger, so what Nomad is bringing to the table is it own spin on design. The Base One is priced at $130, so it's $90 more expensive than the ‌MagSafe‌ Charger, making it a premium option. It's worth noting that some of that cost comes from Apple's own hardware fees, as this is using ‌MagSafe‌ technology sourced from Apple.

The Base One has a shiny glass surface and a heavy aluminum body that you can get in either silver or gray. It undoubtedly feels like a high-quality product, weighing in at 515 grams, which is more than a pound. On top of the glass surface, there's the soft-coated ‌MagSafe‌ charger, and a set of feet on the bottom lift it up slightly and add protection for whatever surface it's placed on.

You might think that at the heavier weight it would able to remain on the desk without lifting when you want to pull your ‌iPhone‌ off the charger, but magnets are strong and that's not the case. You need to do the same tilt lift or lift with a finger under the ‌iPhone‌ that you need to do with other ‌MagSafe‌ charging options. The glass surface does collect some fingerprints and dust, but it's easy to clean off.

According to Nomad, the Base One is designed to look great on a desk, which it does, but at this price point it's as expensive as multi-device chargers from Belkin, Mophie, and others, so it may not be worth the high cost for some users. The Base One is a single-device charger, so it only works with one ‌iPhone‌ at a time.

It can be used to charge any MagSafe-compatible ‌iPhone‌ at the supported wireless charging speed, plus it can also charge AirPods or an older non-MagSafe ‌iPhone‌, though the magnets won't work. It connects over USB-C and comes with a braided USB-C cable, but there is no power adapter included so you'll need to supply your own 30W+ charger.

Bottom Line

The Base One for Nomad will likely appeal to those who want a high quality charging accessory for their ‌iPhone‌, but at $90 more than a $40 ‌MagSafe‌ Charger, I find it hard to justify the price.

Yes, it looks nice on a desk, it's more attractive than a plain ‌MagSafe‌ Charger, and the USB-C connectivity is great, but for that kind of money, I'd rather shell out for a more versatile multi-device charger.

How to Buy

The Base One can be purchased from the Nomad website for $130.

Oppo has announced a record-breaking fast charging technology that is around twelve times faster than the iPhone 13 lineup.

On the first day of 2022's Mobile World Congress (MWC) yesterday, Oppo showcased a range of technologies, including its latest Find X5 series of smartphones, the MariSilicon X custom image processor, a retractable camera system, the Air Glass extended reality monocle, and more. Among the announcements and spotlights, Oppo announced two new fast charging technologies.

The first, which Oppo calls "150W SUPERVOOC flash charge," features charge pumps and can charge a device with a 4,500 mAh battery to 50 percent in five minutes and deliver a full charge in just 15 minutes. 150W SUPERVOOC includes Oppo's Battery Health Engine, which recently debuted in the Find X5 lineup, to keep the battery at 80 percent of its original capacity after as many as 1,600 charge cycles – double the industry standard of just 800 cycles. Oppo will introduce 150W SUPERVOOC on selected OnePlus devices in the second quarter of 2022.

The company also revealed "240W SUPERVOOC flash charge" technology, which can charge a 4,500mAh battery to 100 percent in just nine minutes. 240W SUPERVOOC is the fastest-ever charging technology of its kind, surpassing Realme's 150W charging.

Oppo says that the 240W SUPERVOOC charging system contains five safety protection measures, including a custom-designed control chip that monitors voltage, current, and temperature, and conforms to standards for heat dissipation despite the very high power output. Oppo did not say when the first devices with 240W SUPERVOOC will be released.

Apple's ‌iPhone‌ 13 mini and ‌iPhone‌ 13 support wired 20W fast charging, while the ‌iPhone‌ 13 Pro is able to support up to 23W and the ‌iPhone‌ 13 Pro Max is able to support up to 27W. The ‌iPhone‌ 13 models do not sustain peak power for their entire charging cycle due to thermal considerations.

With a 20W power adapter and a Lightning to USB-C cable, users can charge an ‌iPhone‌ 13 from zero to 50 percent in half an hour, and fully charge in about two hours, which is significantly slower than either of Oppo's new charging technologies. Last week, Oppo announced plans to directly compete with Apple on a global scale with a wave of premium devices, starting with the Find X5 models.

Today you can get Apple's 21.5-inch iMac (8GB RAM, 256GB SSD) for $799.99, down from its original price of $1,099.00. This is another Amazon sale price that will not be seen until you head to the checkout screen, at which point a coupon worth $229.01 will be applied.

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.

Compared to past sales, this is a second-best price on the mid-2020 21.5-inch iMac. In January, the iMac hit $599.99, but that sale was extremely limited and did not last long. If you're looking to purchase an iMac for someone who isn't a power user, this is still a solid deal.

You can keep track of ongoing sales on Apple's iMac line by visiting our Best iMac Deals guide. There, we keep track of the best iMac offers from Amazon, Adorama, B&H Photo, and other retailers, so be sure to check back often if you're shopping for an iMac for the first time, or thinking of upgrading.

Apple appears to be working on an upcoming Safari feature that will introduce a Dark mode user preference for individual websites, based on references found in open-source WebKit code.

WebKit is Apple's browser engine that powers all browsers on iOS, and the new option, spotted by 9to5Mac, is referred in the GitHub-hosted WebKit code as "overriding the system color-scheme with a per-website preference." This should, for example, let users always view a particular website in Dark mode, even if the system's Light mode is enabled.

Since Apple introduced Dark mode for iPhone and iPad with iOS 13, developers have updated their app interfaces to match the system setting or allow users to override it. The new per-website preference in Safari would extend this option to browsing sites, and also let users correct for sites that don't display properly in either Light or Dark modes.

In addition to the per-website display setting, Apple is developing another option to block modal popups on specific websites viewed in Safari. Modal popups must be dismissed by tapping a Cancel or other button, and can look like system alerts. Apple also has a new API in the works to manage the process of cookie consent that many websites use.

The new WebKit features are labelled as "TBA," or to be announced, so it's unclear whether they will become available to use in Safari via future iOS 15 and macOS 12 updates or later in the year when the new operating system versions are released.

Qualcomm has unveiled its new 5G Snapdragon X70 modem, which is likely to be the last Qualcomm modem to be used by Apple in its iPhones before it switches to in-house custom-designed chips.

Qualcomm says its latest 5G modem for smartphones includes "the world's first 5G AI processor integrated in a 5G Modem-RF System," which is supposed to increase the average download and uplink speeds on mmWave and sub-6GHz bands. From the company's press release:

Snapdragon X70 inherits the unrivaled 10 Gigabit 5G peak download speed of its predecessor and packs in new, advanced capabilities such as Qualcomm 5G AI Suite, Qualcomm 5G Ultra-Low Latency Suite and 4X carrier aggregation to achieve unmatched 5G speeds, coverage, signal quality and low latency. The Qualcomm 5G Ultra-Low Latency Suite in Snapdragon X70 allows OEMs and operators to minimize latency for hyper-responsive 5G user experiences and applications.

"Our 5th generation modem-RF system extends our global 5G leadership and the introduction of native 5G AI processing creates a platform and inflection point for performance-enhancing innovations," said Durga Malladi, senior vice president and general manager, 5G, Mobile Broadband and Infrastructure, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. "Snapdragon X70 is an example of how we're realizing the full potential of 5G and making an intelligently connected world possible."

According to the company, the Snapdragon X70 can reach up to 10Gbps downlink speed and a peak 3.5Gbps upload speed, and yet it is up to 60% more power efficient, due to its 5G PowerSave Gen 3 technology. The modem also includes support for global 5G multi-SIM and Dual-SIM Dual Active.

The Snapdragon X70 modem is expected to launch in 5G devices by the end of this year, although that doesn't necessarily mean it will appear in the iPhone 14, or indeed any future ‌iPhone‌.

In a 2020 agreement to dismiss a long-running legal battle between Apple and Qualcomm, a settlement filing revealed that Apple has committed to using X65 and X70 modems in products launched between June 1, 2022 and May 31, 2024, which would seem to suggest the X65 will be used in the ‌iPhone‌ 14, while the just-announced X70 modem will be in Apple's 2023 ‌iPhone‌ series.

However, other reports have suggested Apple will have its own custom-designed 5G modem ready for use in 2023 iPhone models, so it's not entirely clear where the X70 fits in. Apple could end up using its own chips in most regions, and rely on Qualcomm for X70 chips in certain areas (or certain models), which could explain why Qualcomm says it is expecting to supply just 20% of Apple's ‌iPhone‌ modems in 2023. When Apple's agreement with Qualcomm ends, Apple will switch to its own custom-designed cellular modem for all future devices.

Rumors in early 2019 suggested that Apple was planning to design a modem in-house, and in mid-2019, Apple purchased the majority of Intel's smartphone modem business to accelerate its own development efforts. Apple took over Intel's modem-related intellectual property and hired 2,200 Intel employees, and it has already lined up its main chip manufacturing partner TSMC to begin producing the majority of its new in-house modem chips.

Honor has announced Earbuds 3 Pro that come with integrated temperature monitoring technology, a feature that has also reportedly been tested by Apple in AirPods prototypes.

Market interest in building temperature measuring functions into earbuds has been mooted for some time now, as it could be useful for fertility tracking, keeping track of sleep, and in the future, it could also detect when a user has a fever.

Honor's $199 buds include a temperature sensor that combines with an AI temperature algorithm and can take a measurement that has about an 80% chance of achieving a ±0.3 degrees Celcius or less error, according to the company.

Tapping three times on the earbud can start a measurement, and a continuous measurement function is available. The Earbuds 3 Pro also feature an "abnormal temperature alert," although Honor's marketing materials stress that they are not for any medical purpose and still need to pass regulatory hurdles.

The earbuds hark back to an October 2021 report by The Wall Street Journal that claimed Apple is developing prototypes of AirPods with temperature sensors for monitoring a wearer's core body temperature from inside the ear.

The report noted that these in-ear temperature sensors could work in tandem with a rumored temperature sensor that could be included in this year's Apple Watch Series 8. However, individuals said to be familiar with Apple's plans told the The ‌Wall Street Journal‌ that AirPods with said health features are not expected to launch in 2022, and may never be released.

Honor unveiled its new noise-canceling Earbuds 3 Pro at MWC 2022 alongside its Magic 4 series of smartphones, "Pro" variants of which can be fast-charged wirelessly at 100W, allowing the phones to be charged to 50% in just 15 minutes. The Chinese company said it hoped to release its new products globally, but whether they will actually arrive in the US anytime is unknown.

Microsoft has been testing a pre-release Apple silicon version of OneDrive since last year, and now the native version of the app is available for all OneDrive users.

"We're excited to announce that OneDrive sync for macOS will now run natively on Apple silicon. This means that OneDrive will take full advantage of the performance improvements of Apple silicon," Microsoft said in an announcement on the OneDrive blog that was first spotted by XDA Developers.

Microsoft said that the long-awaited feature is generally available starting with build 22.022.

With official support for the M1, M1 Pro, and M1 Max chips, the OneDrive app will run faster and more efficiently on the latest Macs as the Rosetta 2 translation software will no longer be required.

Apple is rumored to be introducing an upgraded version of the iPhone SE as soon as March 8, the prospective date of the company's first event of 2022. The new ‌iPhone‌ SE is expected to be priced at $399 and it will be replacing the current ‌iPhone‌ SE, but will Apple keep the older model around and drop the price as it sometimes does when new iPhones come out?

In his most recent "Power On" newsletter, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman suggested that Apple could potentially keep the 2020 ‌iPhone‌ SE around, dropping the price to somewhere around $199. At this price point, Apple would be able to capture market share in places like Africa, India, and South America, where people gravitate toward lower-cost Android devices.

Apple has never had a sub-$200 ‌iPhone‌ before, with the entry-level $399 ‌iPhone‌ SE positioned as the cheapest ‌iPhone‌ that's been released to date, but as Gurman suggests, component costs are low enough that Apple might be willing to consider an even more affordable ‌iPhone‌ option.

Bill-of-material estimates from two years ago pegged the hardware cost of the iPhone SE at around $200, meaning a $199 price tag would be a money-loser. But time and economies of scale have probably made that cost much lower by now. Would the cost be low enough for Apple to earn its typical profit margins? No, but the chance to sell services and other products to big new markets could make up for that.

Most of Apple's focus is on its flagship devices, with Apple never seriously targeting the low-end smartphone market, but Apple is known for keeping older iPhones around and offering them at more affordable price points when introducing new devices. With the ‌iPhone‌ 13, for example, Apple dropped the price of the ‌iPhone‌ 12 and kept it around. 2019's ‌iPhone‌ 11 is also still available for purchase, and at $499, is Apple's most affordable device next to the ‌iPhone‌ SE.

Gurman argues that if Apple does end up keeping the old ‌iPhone‌ SE around and selling it for a ~$199 price point, Apple could see notable sales in developing markets and create long-term services revenue while growing the iOS ecosystem.

Such a device would also allow Apple to replace the long outdated iPod touch, which has gone several years without an update. The iPod touch has seen no updates since 2019 and is still using an A10 Fusion chip. Apple sells the 32GB iPod touch for $199, so a $199 ‌iPhone‌ SE would be a solid replacement.

Gurman has confirmed that there is no sign that Apple actually plans to keep the older ‌iPhone‌ SE around as a lower cost alternative, but it's clear there's incentive. Either way, Apple is poised to bring us a new ‌iPhone‌ SE that features the same general design but chip upgrades and 5G connectivity.

Well-respected Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has said that the 2022 ‌iPhone‌ SE will be Apple's cheapest 5G iPhone to date, bringing faster connectivity to millions of people at an affordable price point.