In the United States, only the 6.1-inch iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro models are available refurbished right now, with no iPhone 12 mini or iPhone 12 Pro Max models to choose from at this time. A variety of colors and storage capacities are available for delivery or scheduled pickup at select Apple Store locations.
As usual, the refurbished iPhones are discounted by around 15 percent compared to the equivalent brand new models. For example, an unlocked iPhone 12 with 64GB of storage is available for $619 through Apple's refurbished store in the United States, whereas Apple currently sells the same model for $729 brand new.
The refurbished iPhone 12 models are all unlocked and SIM-free. All refurbished iPhones come with a new battery, a new outer shell, and a new white box that includes all manuals and a USB-C to Lightning cable. All refurbished iPhones are covered by Apple's standard one-year warranty and are eligible for extended AppleCare+ coverage.
Apple says its refurbished products are thoroughly tested and cleaned, and in our view, they are virtually indistinguishable from brand new Apple products.
Apple today released iOS 15.4 and iPadOS 15.4, the fourth major updates to the iOS and iPadOS 15 operating systems that were released in September 2021. iOS and iPadOS 15.4 come a month after the launch of iOS 15.3.1 and iPadOS 15.3.1.
The iOS 15.4 and iPadOS 15.4 updates can be downloaded for free and the software is available on all eligible devices over-the-air in the Settings app. To access the new software, go to Settings > General > Software Update.
iOS 15.4 adds an option to use Face ID while wearing a mask, which works just like normal Face ID but scans the areas around your eyes for authentication. iPadOS 15.4 introduces Universal Control, allowing multiple Macs and iPads to be controlled with the same mouse/trackpad and keyboard.
The updates also add 37 new emoji characters and they lay the groundwork for the new "Tap to Pay on iPhone" feature that allows NFC-compatible iPhones to accept payments through Apple Pay. There are also updates to add custom domains to iCloud Mail right on device, Siri enhancements, new Emergency SOS features, and tons more. Apple's full release notes for the update are below:
Face ID - Face ID while wearing a mask option on iPhone 12 and newer - Apple Pay and password autofill in apps and Safari can be used with Face ID while wearing a mask
Emoji - New emoji including faces, hand gestures, and household objects are now available in emoji keyboard - Handshake emoji allows you to choose separate skin tones for each hand
FaceTime - SharePlay sessions can be initiated directly from supported apps
Siri - Siri can provide time and date information while offline on iPhone XS, iPhone XR, iPhone 11 or newer - Siri now includes an additional voice, expanding the diversity of options
Vaccine cards - EU Digital COVID Certificate support in Health enables you to download and store verifiable versions of COVID-19 vaccination, lab results, and recovery records - COVID-19 vaccination cards in Apple Wallet now support the EU Digital COVID Certificate format
This release also includes the following enhancements for your iPhone: - Safari webpage translation adds support for Italian and Chinese (Traditional) - Podcasts app adds episode filters for seasons, played, unplayed, saved, or downloaded episodes - iCloud custom email domains can be managed from Settings - News offers enhanced discovery of audio content in the Today feed and Audio tab - Camera in keyboard can be used to add text to Notes and Reminders - Shortcuts now supports adding, removing, or querying tags with Reminders - Emergency SOS settings have changed to use Call with Hold for all users. Call with 5 Presses is still available as an option in Emergency SOS settings - Close-up in Magnifier uses the ultra-wide camera on iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max to help you see small objects - Saved passwords can now include your own notes in Settings
This release also includes bug fixes for your iPhone: - Keyboard may insert period between typed numbers - News widgets in Today View may not open articles when tapped - Photos and videos may not sync to iCloud Photo Library - Speak Screen Accessibility feature may quit unexpectedly within the Books app - Live Listen may not turn off when switched off in Control Center
Some features may not be available for all regions or on all Apple devices. For information on the security content of Apple software updates, please visit this website: https://support.apple.com/kb/HT201222
For a complete overview of all of the features that are available in iOS 15, we have a dedicated iOS 15 roundup.
Apple today released macOS Monterey 12.3, the third major update to the macOS Monterey operating system that launched in October 2021. macOS Monterey 12.3 comes more than a month after the launch of macOS 12.2, an update that addressed a Safari vulnerability.
The macOS Monterey 12.3 update can be downloaded on all eligible Macs using the Software Update section of System Preferences. Apple has also released macOS Big Sur 11.6.5 for users who have not yet upgraded to macOS Monterey.
macOS Monterey 12.3 introduces several new features, the biggest of which is Universal Control. 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.
The update adds new emoji characters 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, plus it brings support for adding notes to iCloud Keychain entries and it adds dynamic head tracking for the Spatial Audio feature on M1 Macs when wearing supported AirPods.
maOS Monterey 12.3 also 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.
Apple's full release notes for the macOS 12.3 update are below:
macOS 12.3 adds Universal Control so you can use a single mouse and keyboard across your Mac and iPad. This release also includes new emoji, dynamic head tracking for Music, and other features and bug fixes for your Mac.
Universal Control (beta) - Universal Control allows you to use a single mouse and keyboard across iPad and Mac - Text can be typed on either Mac or iPad and you can drag and drop files between them
Spatial Audio - Dynamic head tracking is available in Music with supported AirPods on Mac computers with the M1 chip - Customizable spatial audio settings for Off, Fixed, and Head Tracked are now in Control Center with supported AirPods on Mac computers with the M1 chip
Emoji - New emoji including faces, hand gestures, and household objects are available in emoji keyboard - Handshake emoji allows you to choose separate skin tones for each hand
This release also includes the following enhancements for your Mac: - Siri now includes an additional voice, expanding the diversity of options - Podcasts app adds episode filter for seasons, played, unplayed, saved, or downloaded episodes - Safari webpage translation adds support for Italian and Chinese (Traditional) - Shortcuts now supports adding, removing, or querying tags with Reminders - Saved passwords can now include your own notes - Battery capacity readings have improved accuracy
This release also includes bug fixes for your Mac: - News widgets in Today View may not open articles when clicked - Audio may sound distorted while watching video in the Apple TV app - Some photos and videos may be unintentionally moved when organizing albums in Photos
Some features may not be available for all regions or on all Apple devices. For information on the security content of Apple software updates, please visit this website: https://support.apple.com/kb/HT201222
Apple today released watchOS 8.5, the fourth major update to the watchOS 8 operating system that launched in September. watchOS 8.5 comes two months after the launch of watchOS 8.4, which fixed a charging bug.
watchOS 8.5 can be downloaded for free through the dedicated Apple Watch app on the iPhone by going to General > Software Update. To install the new software, the Apple Watch needs to have at least 50 percent battery, it needs to be placed on a charger, and it needs to be in range of the iPhone.
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, plus it includes improvements to Apple's irregular heart rhythm feature that notifies users if atrial fibrillation is detected. Apple's full release notes for the update are below.
watchOS 8.5 includes new features, improvements, and bug fixes, including:
Ability to authorize Apple TV purchases and subscriptions
COVID-19 vaccination cards in Apple Wallet now support the EU Digital COVID Certificate format
Updates to irregular heart rhythm notifications designed to improve atrial fibrillation identification. Available in the United States, Chile, Hong Kong, South Africa, and many more regions where the feature is available.
Audio hints in Fitness+ provide you with audio commentary of visually demonstrated moves during workouts.
Alongside iOS 15.4, iPadOS 15.4, and tvOS 15.4, Apple today released a new 15.4 update that's available for the HomePod and the HomePod mini. The 15.4 update is the fourth major HomePod software update since version 15 was released, and it comes more than a month after the launch of HomePod software 15.3.
The HomePod 15.4 software update brings support for captive WiFi networks, so that users can connect to a HomePod on a network that needs additional steps to sign in. Apple has also added a new Siri voice.
HomePod software is installed automatically on the HomePod unless the feature is disabled, but the HomePod can also be manually updated in the Home app by following the instructions in our HomePod update how to.
Apple today released tvOS 15.4, the fourth major update to the tvOS operating system that first launched in September 2021. tvOS 15.4 comes less than two months after the launch of tvOS 15.3.
tvOS 15.4 can be downloaded over the air on the Apple TV through the Settings app by going to System > Software Update. Apple TV owners who have automatic software updates enabled will be upgraded to tvOS 15.4 automatically.
Apple's tvOS updates are typically more minor in scale, focusing on under-the-hood bug fixes, performance updates, and small tweaks rather than major outward-facing changes, but there are a couple changes in tvOS 15.4.
The update adds support for captive Wi-Fi networks, which means that an iPhone or iPad can be used to connect your Apple TV to networks that require additional sign-in steps, such as in hotel rooms.
tvOS 15.4 introduces an "Up Next" queue directly to the video player to make it easier to get from show to show when you're watching television, plus it includes a new volume button that's accessible from the video player, plus "Tap to Navigate" has returned as an accessibility option and spatial audio controls have also been redesigned.
tvOS 15.4 also allows you to complete a purchase on the Apple TV using an Apple Watch, and adds the ability to display HomeKit cameras in Picture in Picture mode while watching TV.
Apple plans to launch new iPad Pro models with OLED displays in both 11-inch and 12.9-inch sizes in the future, according to a report published today by Ross Young, co-founder and CEO of research firm Display Supply Chain Consultants.
"Looking at tablets beyond 2022, we expect to see Apple shake-up this category again by launching OLED iPad Pros," wrote Young. While mini-LED display technology is currently limited to the 12.9-inch iPad Pro, with no mini-LED version of the 11-inch iPad Pro expected this year, Young believes OLED models will be available in both sizes.
Young cited a recent report from Korean website The Elec that claimed LG is aiming to supply OLED displays for 11-inch and 12.9-inch iPad Pro models, while Samsung is also said to be aiming to supply OLED displays for the 11-inch model only. The report said these iPad Pro models are currently expected to launch in 2024.
The Elec claimed that the OLED displays will be low-power LTPO panels, which could allow for future iPad Pro models to have a wider ProMotion refresh rate range between 10Hz and 120Hz, in line with the iPhone 13 Pro models. iPad Pro models have already supported ProMotion since 2017, but with a refresh rate between 24Hz and 120Hz. A refresh rate as low as 10Hz would allow for even more power efficiency.
The displays are also expected to utilize a two-stack tandem structure for increased brightness and a longer lifespan, The Elec said.
Young has proven to be a reliable source of display-related information for future Apple products. Last year, for example, he accurately claimed that the new iPad mini would feature an 8.3-inch display with the home button removed. He was also first to report that the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro would feature ProMotion displays.
Satechi is celebrating Pi Day with a new coupon code that takes 25 percent off sitewide for today only. In order to get the discount, you can shop for accessories on Satechi's website and then enter the code PiDAY at checkout.
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.
Satechi is known for its wireless chargers, USB-C hubs, keyboards, cables, and other accessories, many of which are compatible with Apple products like the MacBook Pro, iPad Pro, iMac, and iPhone. Satechi has a hub showcasing all of its best products for today's flash sale, but remember that the PiDAY code will work sitewide.
The sale will expire later tonight, so browse Satechi's website soon if you're interested in using the Pi Day discount before the day ends. Additionally, be sure to visit our full Deals Roundup to shop for even more Apple-related products and accessories.
Benchmark results for the new iPad Air reveal that Apple has not downclocked the M1 chip to artificially limit the device's performance.
The M1 chip in the fifth-generation iPad Air has the same 3.2GHz operating frequency as it does in the iPad Pro, according to Geekbench 5 results. As such, the M1 iPad Air has virtually identical performance as the M1 iPad Pro.
Specifically, the M1 iPad Air has average single-core and multi-core scores of around 1,700 and 7,200, respectively. These scores confirm that the M1 iPad Air has performance on par with the M1 iPad Pro, while having around 60% to 70% faster CPU performance than the fourth-generation iPad Air with the A14 Bionic chip.
"The breakthrough M1 chip in iPad Air delivers a giant performance boost to even the most demanding apps and workflows, with incredible power efficiency and all-day battery life," said Apple's press release for the new iPad Air.
First introduced in the MacBook Air, 13-inch MacBook Pro, and Mac mini in November 2020, the M1 chip features an 8‑core CPU, 8‑core GPU, and a 16‑core Neural Engine. The chip provides the new iPad Air with access to 8GB of unified memory.
Apple's decision not to downclock the M1 chip in the iPad Air is notable given that the A15 Bionic chip is downclocked to 2.9GHz in the sixth-generation iPad mini, compared to 3.2GHz for other devices like the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro Max. The downclocked chip results in the iPad mini being around 2% to 8% slower than iPhone 13 models.
Beyond the M1 chip, key features of the new iPad Air include an upgraded 12-megapixel front camera with Center Stage support, 5G connectivity on cellular models, up to a 2x faster USB-C port for data transfer, and new color options. Pre-orders began March 11 ahead of a March 18 launch, with pricing starting at $599 in the United States.
Following the announcement of the fifth generation iPad Air last week, we're now starting to see a return of low prices on the fourth generation models. Particularly focusing on the 64GB Wi-Fi iPad Air, Amazon has these 2020 models for $499.99 in select colors, down from $599.00.
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.
Colors available at this price include Space Gray, Sky Blue, and Green. Discounts this low have been extremely rare on the fourth gen iPad Air, and the new deal is beating the previous sale by about $40.
You can also save on the 256GB Wi-Fi model, which is priced at $649.99, down from $749.00. This sale price is available in Silver, Space Gray, Rose Gold, and Green. For both deals, coupon codes won't be needed as the sale price has been applied automatically.
For even more iPad deals, head to our full Best Deals guide for iPad. In that guide we track the best discounts online for iPad, iPad mini, iPad Air, and iPad Pro.
As announced at Apple's "Peek Performance" media event on March 8, the public release of iOS 15.4, iPadOS 15.4, and macOS 12.3 is set to take place this week. Keep reading to learn when they are likely to become available to download in your time zone.
Many users have been eagerly awaiting iOS 15.4, which adds several new features, such as an option to use Face ID while wearing a mask (iPhone 12 and later), 37 new emoji characters, and support for the new "Tap to Pay on iPhone" feature that allows NFC-compatible iPhones to accept payments through Apple Pay.
Meanwhile, iPadOS 15.4 and macOS 12.3 are set to make Universal Control available to the general public for the first time, allowing multiple Macs and iPads to be controlled with the same mouse/trackpad and keyboard. Also set to be made available to the general public for the first time are watchOS 8.5 and tvOS 15.4.
Apple has said the updates will arrive sometime between March 14 and March 18, and while we don't know the specific day when these updates will drop, Apple typically releases major new versions of its operating systems between Monday and Wednesday.
Regardless of the day they arrive, Apple's OS updates tend to come out around 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time. There are no guarantees Apple will stick to its usual release timing, but that seems to be a pretty reasonable guess, so we've put together this list of corresponding times around the world:
A new report has highlighted how three top prominent executives initially found themselves at odds in early deliberations about Apple's App Tracking Transparency framework.
According to the report from The Information, the executives who disagreed over how far Apple should go in protecting user privacy in digital advertising included Apple's Craig Federighi, who oversees software engineering, Phil Schiller, who manages the App Store, and Eddy Cue, Apple's head of services.
In 2020, Apple rolled out App Tracking Transparency, a feature that lets users decide whether a specific app can track them across other apps and websites.
From a technical standpoint, ATT hides a user's identifier for advertisers, also known as IDFA, from apps that a user has not approved. Eric Neuenschwander, the birther of the identifier, began to raise concerns over IDFA and how it was being used by apps to unethically track users, according to the report.
Eventually, the ad industry began to use the IDFA in ways the privacy engineering team hadn't intended, building an entire tracking ecosystem around it. Unscrupulous developers started using it to gather location data on users and sell that information to data brokers for additional revenue.
Around this time, Neuenschwander privately began telling colleagues he regretted creating the IDFA, in part because others like Google followed with a similar identifier a year later, according to people who have worked with him.
Even before ATT, Apple gave users the ability to enable "Limit ad tracking" in iPhone settings. The toggle, however, was buried deep in the Settings app and often untouched by users.
Neuenschwander's team, around 2016, started to find new ways to enforce a user's choice if they enabled "Limit ad tracking," including out-right hiding the identifier from apps if a user had indicated they did not want to be tracked.
As those efforts did not curtail the improper use of IDFA, Apple's head of software engineering stepped in to move forward with what would later become known as ATT.
According to the report, the idea of ATT first came around in 2019, when Federighi told Eric Neuenschwander "to do something about IDFA." Federighi had agreed to allocate some resources of the software engineering department to those efforts, calling it a "tentpole" idea, implying it could be showcased on-stage during an event.
As those efforts were underway, Apple's executives found themselves in disagreement, according to sources cited in the report familiar with internal meetings at Apple.
Before Apple could make any such public announcement, three Apple senior vice presidents—Federighi, Cue and Schiller—had to come to a consensus about how far the feature would go in crimping tracking and how Apple could soften the expected impact the changes would have on developers.
Schiller, who runs the App Store, was concerned over how a framework like ATT could impact the App Store ecosystem and mobile ads that run within apps.
Schiller and his aides warned that "if new restrictions on the IDFA resulted in users seeing fewer ads, they might download fewer apps," leading to fewer app downloads and potentially fewer in-app purchases, which Apple takes a cut of.
Cue, who was in charge of Apple's iAd network, was concerned that ATT would go too far in eliminating tracking. "Cue's team was especially sensitive to the consequences of kneecapping the IDFA," the report notes.
Federighi, on the other hand, was all-for a framework such as ATT. Federighi "oversaw a team of privacy-minded engineers who wanted to curtail the powers of an Apple tool that unscrupulous advertising companies, mobile developers and data brokers were exploiting to track the behavior of iPhone users," The Information reports.
The varying opinions of Apple's top executives eventually led to the final version of ATT, which offers a simple prompt to users when they first open an app on whether they wanted to be tracked or not.
ATT prompt users see when they first open an app on iOS 14.5 and later
According to the report, Apple's initial idea for ATT was to let users disable tracking across all apps, but part of the concession reached by the executives was to offer a toggle for each app.
The trio eventually settled on a plan: iPhone users would have a choice of whether to opt into app tracking, which Apple executives felt was more defensible if developers and the online advertising industry pushed back, people familiar with the discussions said. They would also be able to do this on a per-app basis, which Apple executives also felt would benefit advertisers, a person familiar with the matter said. This was a big change from Apple's earlier IDFA controls, which enabled tracking across all apps by default.
In the fall of 2019, Federighi tasked members of his software engineering department to begin developing ATT and have it ready by June 2020, when Apple would officially showcase it on-stage during its Worldwide Developers Conference.
In the nine months leading up to the conference, members of Federighi's team consulted with Apple's lawyers to "tread carefully around decisions that could raise regulators' eyebrows." Federighi's team was rigorous in their planning of ATT, even debating whether "tracking" was the right choice of word and carefully designing the prompt users would see when they first open an app.
In response to the report, an Apple spokesperson told The Information that Apple's teams work collaboratively across the company "putting the same effort into privacy innovation as we put into all of our product designs, and the result is greater choice and superior products for our customers."
The Information's full report is an interesting read that details the industry response to ATT and the creation of IDFA.
Amazon today is offering deals on a few models of Apple's 2021 MacBook Pro lineup, with as much as $200 off the newest Apple notebooks. All of these models are in stock and sold directly by Amazon, and no coupon codes are required this time.
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.
Starting with the 14-inch MacBook Pro (M1 Pro, 8-core CPU, 512GB), you can get this model for $1,799.00, down from $1,999.00. Both Space Gray and Silver color options are available, and this is an all-time low price for this model.
If you're looking for more storage, Amazon also has the 14-inch MacBook Pro (M1 Pro, 10-core CPU, 1TB) for $2,299.00, down from $2,499.00. Compared to previous sales, this one is a second-best price.
Moving to the larger display, you can get the 16-inch MacBook Pro (M1 Pro, 10-core CPU, 512GB) for $2,299.00, down from $2,499.00. This is another record low price that's available in both Silver and Space Gray colors.
Lastly, Apple's 16-inch MacBook Pro (M1 Pro, 10-core CPU, 1TB) is on sale for $2,499.00, down from $2,699.00. Like the other model, the 1TB notebook is on sale in both colors and it's the best price we've ever tracked.
You can find the best monthly deals on all MacBook Pro and MacBook Air notebooks in our Best Deals guide. Be sure to visit the guide and bookmark it if you're on the hunt for a new Apple notebook; we'll be updating it weekly as we discover new MacBook offers across the web.
First impressions of the third-generation iPhone SE have now been shared by select media outlets and YouTubers, providing a closer look at Apple's latest entry-level iPhone. Reviewers praised the device's improved specifications, but were disappointed with its aging design and lack of Night mode.
The new model added the A15 Bionic chip from the iPhone 13, 5G connectivity, an upgraded rear camera with more advanced computational photography capabilities, improved battery life, and stronger glass. The third-generation iPhone SE will begin arriving to customers and be available in stores starting this Friday, while delivery times are now slipping into late March.
Design, Display, and Durability
The Verge's Allison Johnson criticized the new iPhone SE's design and display, commenting that "It's a tired design straight out of 2017 that makes an already-small screen feel even smaller than it could be."
Unfortunately, that cutting edge performance is hampered by the small screen. It’s not a bad display – it’s a 4.7-inch 750 x 1334 pixel LCD that gets plenty bright for outdoor use. But you don’t get a faster refresh rate, which would make scrolling look a little smoother, you don’t get the same pop and punchiness of OLED, and it’s definitely one of the smallest screens sold on a new smartphone today. Text looks small at the default setting, and you can enlarge it, but that means doing more scrolling.
[...]
But phone design has moved on in the last two years, and the SE has stayed firmly in the past. Given just how many times per day most of us look at our phone screens and interact with them, I think it’s fair to demand a little more from your mobile device’s screen than the SE is offering.
Engadget's Cherlynn Low praised the device's more durable front and back glass, as well as the familiarity and reliability of the Touch ID fingerprint scanner:
More importantly, Apple says the iPhone SE is covered in the same hardy glass used on the iPhone 13. While I have yet to drop my review unit, knowing that this will be more scratch resistant offers some peace of mind. I don't use a case with the iPhone 13, and it's still pristine, despite having been tossed into bags with keys and other sharp objects. It does pick up fingerprints and smudges very easily, though. It's also nice that the iPhone SE is rated IP67 for dust and water resistance — something the Galaxy A52 5G and the Pixel 5a also offer.
[...]
Unlocking the phone was a breeze, too, and if you're familiar with the last iPhone SE’s sensor you'll be used to this, especially since the hardware is exactly the same. In fact, if you’ve never known life without the button below the screen and don’t want to give it up, this is the only modern phone around with it.
A15 Bionic and 5G Connectivity
Johnson lauded the performance of the iPhone SE's A15 Bionic chip, the same exact same chip from the iPhone 13 lineup:
The iPhone 8 chassis that the SE uses may be vintage, but underneath lies Apple’s very latest mobile processor, the A15 Bionic. It's the same one you'll find in the top-of-the-line 13 Pro Max. Again, the SE costs less than $500, and the 13 Pro Max costs more than twice that. That's just plain cool. And in day-to-day use, the SE behaves like a phone with a top-tier processor. Apps open quickly, and even the graphics-intensive Genshin Impact runs smoothly. There’s not a lot that the SE can’t do that a $1000-plus phone can.
Likewise, ZDNet's Jason Cipriani noted the similarity of the iPhone SE's responsiveness to the high-end iPhone 13 Pro Max:
My personal experience confirms that the iPhone SE is just as fast as the iPhone 13 Pro Max (which is my main phone). It's not only noticeable in how fast apps open or when multitasking, but also while changing between camera modes, for example.
With regards to 5G connectivity, Johnson said that support for it was "a good future-proofing feature, even if it's not tremendously useful yet.
Battery Life
Johnson said that the iPhone SE benefits from a noticeable battery life improvement, especially compared to the previous-generation model:
The 2020's SE weakest point was its sub-par battery life, so one feature that did get a boost this year is stamina. The 2022 SE includes a bigger battery, and power management is improved with the A15 chip. That results in an extra two hours of charge for most users, according to Apple, which checks out with my experience. I got through a day and a half of moderate use, and one full day of heavy use with some video recording, gaming, and a lot of screen on time with brightness boosted.
Rear Camera
Cipriani highlighted that most of the iPhone SE's camera improvements are computational and subtle as a result:
The lone 12-megapixel camera is no slouch. While Apple didn't upgrade the hardware itself, the camera benefits from the A15 Bionic processor and its image signal processor. The end result is a camera that takes clear and crisp photos without any tinkering with settings.
Johnson emphasized the benefits of Deep Fusion on the iPhone SE, but criticized the device's low-light performance and lack of Night mode:
The new processor offers some software-based improvements for this generation, adding Apple's Deep Fusion technology to boost details in medium and dim lighting. It's a feature that engages automatically under certain conditions, and there's no way to tell in image metadata when it's being used, but I can say that photos of static subjects in crappy indoor lighting look plenty detailed.
However, in very low light, the SE doesn't do as well. That's because there’s no night mode, a feature available on many other midrange phones sold in 2022 like the Samsung Galaxy A52 5G, Motorola Moto G Stylus 5G, and of course, the Google Pixel 5A. As a result, images in low light are very dark, and colors look muddled. Night mode on any smartphone has its limitations, and usually isn't very useful for moving subjects. But it's a nice tool to have when conditions are dark and flash isn’t an option, and it's a shame that it’s not included here.
[...]
The A15 chip also enables some improved processing for low light video, which does a good job of removing noise, although clips look fairly soft as a result. Still, mobile video is a strength for Apple, and overall video quality on the SE is excellent considering the price bracket it's in.
Low noted the similarity of photos taken with the iPhone SE to photos taken with the iPhone 13 mini, but said that the lack of Night mode was still a disappointment:
I was surprised by how similar the iPhone SE's pictures were to the iPhone 13 mini's. From landscapes to portraits of my coworkers, there were barely any differences in the shots taken by the two phones.
[...]
Our main complaint about the last iPhone SE's camera was that there was no Night mode. This year's model still doesn't offer one, and though some of the pictures I took of buildings surrounded by mist one night came out muddy, others came out bright and sharp.
Apple on Friday opened pre-orders for the new third-generation iPhone SE with 5G connectivity through its website and the Apple Store app, and estimated delivery times have since slipped into late March for select configurations in the United States.
Pre-orders for all configurations of iPhone SE opened with an estimated delivery date of March 18, but customers in the United States ordering any version of the iPhone SE are now facing an estimated delivery window of March 29, or March 28 if additional shipping costs are paid. All configurations of the iPhone SE will be available for launch day in-store pickup on March 18, but inventory could run out quite quickly for some configurations.
Apple on Friday also started accepting orders for the new iPad Air, which remains available for launch day delivery on March 18 at the time of writing this.
Apple's leading supplier, Foxconn, has been forced to suspend operations in Shenzhen, China, following a city-wide lockdown that sees nonessential businesses close, public transportation halted, and residents advised not to leave their home unless for essential activities only.
Shenzhen is home to major tech companies such as Huawei, Oppo and TCL, and is also one of the biggest manufacturing hubs for Taiwan's Foxconn, supplying clients from Apple to Google to Amazon. The semi-lockdown comes as the global supply chain is still struggling with an ongoing chip shortage, as well as disruptions from the war in Ukraine.
Foxconn, the world's biggest contract electronics manufacturer, said in a statement on Monday that it would suspend production at its Longhua and Guanlan factories in Shenzhen until further notice from the local government. It has activated plans to use facilities in other cities to support production.
It is not entirely clear what devices Foxconn produces for Apple at its two Shenzhen plants, but Foxconn is the largest maker of the iPhone. The new lockdown adds strain to an already crippled global supply chain that's impacting Apple's business.
Apple said the chip shortage cost it $6 billion in the last quarter of 2021, with bullish views on the impact the shortage will have in the coming quarters. Apple is planning a slew of new product launches around the world next week, including the all-new Mac Studio, Studio Display, new iPhone SE, iPad Air, and new colors of the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro.
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Only the iPhone 14 Pro models will have the "A16" chip, while the standard iPhone 14 models will retain the A15 Bionic chip from the iPhone 13, according to insightful Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.
In a tweet, Kuo said that the 6.1-inch "iPhone 14 Pro" and the 6.7-inch "iPhone 14 Pro Max" will get the A16 chip, while the 6.1-inch "iPhone 14" and the 6.7-inch "iPhone 14 Max" will retain the same A15 chip from the iPhone 13 lineup.
Only two Pro models would upgrade to the A16 processor, while the 14 & 14 Max will remain the A15. All four new models will likely come with 6GB RAM, with the difference being LPDDR 5 (14 Pro & 14 Pro Max) vs. LPDDR 4X (14 & 14 Max). https://t.co/tHcszIz6gX
— 郭明錤 (Ming-Chi Kuo) (@mingchikuo) March 13, 2022
The two more affordable iPhone models retaining the same chip as the previous year could be a major new point of differentiation between the standard and "Pro" iPhone models. Going forward, it seems plausible that Apple could only offer a new chip with the "Pro" models, before it subsequently trickles down to the two cheaper iPhone models the following year.
Kuo added that all four of the iPhone 14 models are likely to come with 6GB of memory, with the standard iPhone 14 models having LPDDR 4X memory and the iPhone 14 Pro models having LPDDR 5 memory.
Currently, the iPhone 13 mini and iPhone 13 feature 4GB of memory, while the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max feature 6GB of memory. These amounts are unchanged from the iPhone 12 lineup. For the iPhone 14 lineup, Kuo suggests that all models will feature 6GB of RAM, but the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max's LPDDR 5 memory will be up to one and a half times faster and up to 30 percent more power efficient.
Kuo's claim stands in contrast to a rumor from Haitong International Securities' Jeff Pu, which suggested suggested the iPhone 14 Pro models will feature 8GB of RAM, the same amount as the Samsung Galaxy S22 models. That being said, Pu has a mixed track record with Apple rumors. For example, he accurately claimed that 16-inch MacBook Pro and iPad Pro models with mini-LED displays would launch in 2021, but he was incorrect about HomePods with 3D sensing cameras launching in 2019. This may bring the 8GB RAM rumor into question now that Kuo, a more established analyst in the Apple space with a better track record, is claiming otherwise.
A group of UK network operators have formally urged the UK's Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) to regulate iCloud Private Relay, claiming that Apple's privacy service is anti-competitive, potentially bad for users, and a threat to national security.
In its response to the CMA's Interim Report on mobile ecosystems, Mobile UK, a trade association of British mobile network operators, including EE, Virgin Media O2, Three and Vodafone, has raised concerns that iCloud Private Relay can have a negative impact on user experience, internet safety, and competition.
iCloud Private Relay was new service introduced with iOS 15 that ensures all traffic leaving an iPhone, iPad, or Mac is encrypted using two separate internet relays, so that companies cannot use personal information like IP address, location, and browsing activity to create a detailed profile about users.
Following a formal complaint about Private Relay from Microsoft, Mobile UK claims that the privacy service can have undesired side-effects for users: "Private Relay affects Apple users in many ways, beyond simply what level of privacy a user wants." For example, "Apple users have suffered a worse browsing experience when using Private Relay." This is alleged to have the potential to push users to "migrate" away from "the Safari browser to apps downloaded from the App Store where Apple can earn a commission."
Private Relay prevents network providers from seeing the network traffic from Safari and unencrypted applications. In preventing network operators from seeing this traffic, Mobile UK says that Private Relay prevents service providers from understanding "demand patterns across mobile networks," inhibiting their ability to effectively diagnose customer issues.
Moreover, Private Relay is alleged to compromise "content filtering, malware, anti-scamming and phishing protection provided by network providers." Mobile UK also claims that Private Relay is a threat to national security, since it "impairs the insights available under the Government's investigatory powers, with implication for law enforcement" with regards to "terrorism, serious organized crime, child sexual abuse, and exploitation."
Private Relay purportedly allows Apple "to leverage its considerable market power into many areas of the market and thus being able to further entrench its position." Mobile UK says that due to Private Relay, "providers will be unable to use the traffic data to develop their own competing mobile browsers in the future," as well as other services that directly compete with Apple:
Network providers would no longer be able to use web traffic data over Safari to develop their own digital products and services that complete directly with Apple. For example, a network provider may no longer have access to information about a user's content viewing habits to develop their own content that competes with Apple TV. Similarly, a network provider may no longer be able to share consumer insight with third parties that provide digital advertizing services in competition with Apple Search Ads...
Mobile UK asserts that the ability of UK Internet Service Providers (ISPs) "to differentiate and compete in the market on fair terms" is actively undermined by Private Relay since Apple is effectively becoming an ISP itself:
Apple unilaterally terminates the role of the mobile and fixed connectivity provider in resolving the internet connection, with Apple itself taking over the role of the ISP. The mobile and fixed connectivity provider's role is reduced to providing conveyance from the handset/home to the Apple iCloud platform.
Mobile UK is concerned that "Apple could thus leverage its position in the device and operating system to grow its iCloud+ user based to develop its position as an ISP."
Moreover, the trade association said that Private Relay directs users to more Apple services, "accessing the internet in a manner curated by Apple." Private Relay enables Apple "to favor its own proprietary applications and service, at the expense of other providers."
Mobile UK also said that Private Relay "affects competition in mobile browsers," highlighting that "rival browsers cannot differentiate themselves easily" as a result of Apple's WebKit browser engine restriction. The organization complains that users cannot "switch to an alternative browser" to skirt Private Relay since "the ability of rival browser to differentiate themselves from Safari will still be limited by the terms of Apple's browser engine."
In conclusion, the trade association says that Private Relay must be regulated beyond its superficial existence as a privacy service:
Mobile UK is very concerned that consumers are not fully informed about how Private Relay works or that they understand the full implications of invoking the services...
[...]
The impact of Private Relay is therefore multi-dimensional and cannot be assessed solely through a privacy lens.
Mobile UK urged the CMA to implement "a remedy that limits the use of Private Relay," or "at the very least" prevent "Apple from making Private Relay a default-on service." The complaint noted that "Private relay is currently default-off but it is already being used by a significant portion of Apple customers in the UK, despite being in beta mode."
Private Relay should not be presented as a set up option or installed as an on-default service. It should be made available as an app with others can compete with similar services such as VPNs. Apple should notify relevant third parties in advance of introducing Private Relay services, so that third parties can inform their customers of how their service may change were Private Relay to be used. For example, advance warning of the introduction of Private Relay would have allowed network providers to inform customers how their security solutions may change and also inform Government how it changes their investigatory powers insight from network traffic data.
Earlier this week, Apple aggressively defended its ecosystem in its detailed response to the CMA. It said that the regulator had set the benefits of Apple's ecosystem aside "without reasoned basis, either ignoring them entirely or dismissing them on the basis of nothing more than speculation." Apple alleged that the CMA's Interim Report was based on "unsubstantiated allegations and hypothetical concerns raised primarily by self-serving complaints" from a handful of multi-billion dollar companies, "all seeking to make deep changes to the iPhone for their own commercial gain, without independent verification."
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.
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