MacRumors

Apple's Vice President of iPhone Marketing, Kaiann Drance, has provided a new interview to Rich DeMuro on the Rich on Tech Podcast, to discuss the ‌iPhone‌ 12 and ‌iPhone‌ 12 Pro.

Although much of the interview repeated points from Apple's "Hi, Speed" event, there were a number of interesting tidbits regarding the affect of 5G on battery life, MagSafe concerns, and the lack of a power adapter in the box.

5G and Battery Life

DeMuro asked about the implications of 5G connectivity on the ‌iPhone‌'s battery life, to which Drance responded:

We're able to make a bunch of software optimizations throughout the entire system to make battery life even better, and on top of that we added a new feature called "Smart Data mode" that will allow you to manage your 5G usage and battery life a bit better, so you can use 5G speeds when it really matters, and then for places where maybe it doesn't matter as much it will revert to 4G LTE speeds to save your battery life. And then the last part of it that I think is really important is the work we've done with our carrier partners, working with them on their network settings, on their deployment plan, so they're also optimizing their settings together with iPhone to optimize for battery life.

Glass and Durability

Drance neglected to answer whether a screen protector is still needed with the new Ceramic Sheild front glass on ‌iPhone‌ 12 and ‌iPhone‌ 12 Pro. However, she did explain that the new flat-edged design aids drop protection and makes the ‌iPhone‌ more durable. Although the rear glass of the ‌iPhone‌ 12 and ‌iPhone‌ 12 Pro does not use Ceramic Shield, Drance said that it still uses "the toughest glass available in a smartphone," which achieves "a 2x performance gain" against accidental drops.

MagSafe Concerns

When asked about the new ‌MagSafe‌ system and concerns about whether the magnets could deactivate cards, Drance admitted that some cards could be impacted by Magsafe:

We are taking care to make sure that we're being as protective as possible, and those credit cards, they're made with magnetic stripes that are pretty strong so that shouldn't be a problem next to next to your phone... what you do want to just watch out for is those single-use types of cards like the hotel cards... you might not want to put that right against that, but certainly, we've got great options like the wallet, the wallet is shielded.

iPhone Launch Day

DeMuro also asked about what customers can expect from the ‌iPhone‌ launch this year, and Drance emphasized the need for contactless delivery and ordering ahead for in-store pickups. She also said that walk-in customers should expect delays:

If you do show up as a walk-in... we may give you an appointment to come back at a later time, but certainly you may expect to wait a little longer because of occupancy in the stores and physical distancing... we may not be able to get everyone in as quickly as possible.

USB-C Power Cable Included in the Box

Lastly, DeMuro queried why Apple had still chosen to include a USB-C charging cable in ‌iPhone‌ boxes. Although he acknowledged that Apple has stopped including the power adapter with the ‌iPhone‌ for environmental reasons, he asked why Apple was including a USB-C cable when many customers will not have a USB-C power adapter, especially if they are coming from an older ‌iPhone‌.

Interestingly, Drance suggested that users should continue to use their older Lightning cable if they do not have a USB-C power adapter, or perhaps even use a Mac laptop for charging.

So first of all of the iPhone 12 models, you can still use your old Lightning cables and any of those power adapters that work with that... any of those will still work, in fact we encourage you to still use those as well. Now, if you do need a new one... we did include a USB-C to lightning cable in the box. It's different because it's more modern, it's faster... now that can still be used with any USB-C power adapter, so where can you get one of those?

Well, you might already have one, if you have either another smartphone product or another consumer electronic product. In the past couple of years a lot of those have moved towards those type-C adapters... Now, if you're an Apple user and you happen to have a Mac or an iPad, we've also included those USB-C power adapters in recent years for those products, and the computer ports themselves include USB-C. So those are other options for you.

The ‌iPhone‌ 12 and ‌iPhone‌ 12 Pro is available from today, starting at $799 and $999 respectively.

The iPhone 12, ‌iPhone‌ 12 Pro, and fourth-generation iPad Air are now available in stores and arriving to customers around the world.

Apple has shared a Newsroom post with a range of images to celebrate the launch of the new products. Over the next 24 hours, the Newsroom post will apparently be updated with photos from around the world.

Our own forum members have started a number of threads for tracking and following their ‌iPhone‌ 12 / 12 Pro orders around the world.

Our U.K. readers have been particularly active this morning, posting images of their ‌iPhone‌ 12 pickups at Apple Stores, and deliveries. This image of the line at the Covent Garden Apple Store was taken by paulopadopa.

Brenster visited ‌Apple Store‌ Manchester Trafford Centre and described the scene:

Apple store Manchester Trafford Centre was quiet first thing this morning. Arrived at 7.55 for an 8.15 IUP reservations. Couldn’t have been more than 10 people outside with no real queue, easily outnumbered by the staff inside the store. Opened up at exactly 8; staff member asked those with reservations to stand to one side. The 4 who didn’t who’d turned up on spec for a chance of a walk-in phone were asked to leave and to make an online reservation.

The 4 with 8am reservations were taken in, and 10 mins later those with 8.15 reservations, a couple more having joined the queue since 8.

In store, everything was running like clockwork; temp check, mask and hand wash on the way in, wipes and hand gel on every table for iPhone deactivation and entering details for the IUP application. Then off to the back of the store to pick out a plum silicone case, then out the door before 8.30am. Back home for 9.20am.

Both Apple Store & Trafford Centre staff were fantastic, their system this morning working fantastically well.

He describes his new 256GB Silver ‌iPhone‌ 12 Pro as "hella nice!" with a premium feel.

There are a number of other photos of people picking up their iPhones: Pacific Blue, Gold, Booting Up, and even minor defects.

Join our iPhone forums to keep track of deliveries in your region.

U.S. Carrier Pre-Order Threads:

• Apple.com iPhone 12 Pre-Order / Order Status / Delivery Thread
• T-Mobile iPhone 12 Pre-Order Thread
• AT&T iPhone 12 Pre-Order Thread
• Verizon iPhone 12 Pre-Order and Delivery Thread
• Xfinity Mobile iPhone 12 Pre-Order and Delivery Thread
• Sprint iPhone 12 Pre-Order Thread

International Pre-Order Threads:

• UK iPhone 12 Orders and Dispatch Thread
• Europe ‌iPhone‌ 12 Orders and Dispatch Thread
• Canada iPhone 12 Pre Order Thread
• Australia iPhone 12 Orders and Dispatch

Apple's MagSafe charger charges over two-times slower than a wired 20W USB-C charger, according to a new iPhone 12 video review from the Wall Street Journal's Joanna Stern.

The review of the iPhone 12 and ‌iPhone‌ 12 Pro was generally critical of Apple's ‌MagSafe‌ technology, explaining that the idea seems to be better in theory than in practice.

Although Stern found that the ‌MagSafe‌ charger charged the ‌iPhone‌ 12 faster than a traditional 7.5W Qi wireless charger, it was still slower than plugging directly into a 20W charger. The 20W charger charged an empty ‌iPhone‌ to 50% in only 28 minutes, while the ‌MagSafe‌ took 1 hour.

The full video review covers other aspects of the new ‌iPhone‌ 12 and ‌iPhone‌ 12 Pro:

The review was also critical of the fact that the combined cost of the ‌MagSafe‌ charger and a 20W power adapter was $58 combined, and that the ‌MagSafe‌ charger's cable is less than a yard in length.

Apple is providing Genius Bars and Apple Authorized Service Providers with a new heated display removal fixture for iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro repairs, according to information obtained by MacRumors from a reliable source.

To open iPhone 12 models, technicians will be required to slide the device into a specialized tray, and then place the tray into the high-temperature fixture for two minutes to warm up the adhesive below the display. Once the adhesive is loose, technicians will be able to remove the display by twisting an arm with a suction cup at the top of the machine.

It is unclear why Apple is requiring that heat be used to remove the display on iPhone 12 models, but it could be due to the devices having a new flat-edge design with a display that sits flush with the frame. iPhone 12 models also have improved IP68-rated water resistance up to a depth of six meters, which could mean the devices have stronger adhesive.

Apple's standard display removal tool for previous-generation iPhones is a relatively basic arm with a suction cup, with no heat involved.

Given that teardowns of iPhone 12 models have already surfaced online, it clearly remains possible to open the devices without using Apple's new heated fixture, but it will be a requirement for Genius Bars and Apple Authorized Service Providers nonetheless.

Apple recently disclosed its out-of-warranty repair pricing for iPhone 12 models, including $69 for a replacement battery and $279 for a screen repair. For all other damage, such as cracked rear glass, the repair fee is $449 for the iPhone 12 and $549 for the iPhone 12 Pro. To obtain service, visit the Get Support page on Apple's website.

Update: In response to this news, MacRumors received the following statement from Kyle Wiens, founder of electronics repair website iFixit.com: "iPhone owners should have the ability to repair their own phones. If the new iPhone design requires a fixture to repair, Apple should sell it to their customers."

Update 2: A photo of the heated display removal fixture has surfaced on Twitter:

It's already Friday, October 23, in Australia and New Zealand, which means some customers who purchased an iPhone 12 or 12 Pro already have their new devices in hand. We've seen dozens of reviews of the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro from media sites, but now first impressions from regular Apple customers are available.

New ‌iPhone‌ 12 and 12 Pro owners are sharing their opinions of the device on the MacRumors forums, and for those awaiting their own new ‌iPhone‌ or considering making a purchase, impressions from average consumers provide useful insight.

MacRumors reader Boardiesboi shared several photos and says that the lighter weight of the 12 Pro is immediately noticeable coming from an iPhone 11 Pro Max. The color of the Pacific Blue ‌iPhone‌ is described as "beautiful," and Boardiesboi found the squared-off edges make the ‌iPhone‌ "nice to hold" and "less slippery."

A Redditor who got the new Pro also in Pacific Blue said that he's glad he didn't chose the mini because the squared off shape makes the ‌iPhone‌ 12 more compact. He also said the shiny edges of the ‌iPhone‌ attract a lot of fingerprints.

Twitter user Kewal said the new ‌iPhone‌ 12 Pro feels lighter than the ‌iPhone‌ XS and appears to have a warmer display tint.

Some other insights from new ‌iPhone‌ 12 and 12 owners:

• Hard to tell the difference between photos taken with 12 Pro and 11 Pro Max
• MagSafe magnet is "quite strong" but case doesn't "magically attach" like demoed at Apple Event.
• ‌iPhone‌ 12 Pro has a warmer display than ‌iPhone 11 Pro Max‌
• Bezels appear thinner
• Face ID speed is the same
• New iPhones come with iOS 14.1 installed

Have a new ‌iPhone‌ 12 or 12 Pro? Let us know your thoughts and we'll add it to our first impressions article.

Apple customers in Australia and New Zealand are always the first to get their hands on new devices on launch day because of differences in time zones, and the 2020 iPhone models are now arriving in those countries.

It's Friday morning in Australia and New Zealand, and customers who pre-ordered an ‌iPhone‌ 12 or 12 Pro are beginning to receive their shipments. New device photos and videos and images of lines are popping up on YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, and more.

There are no Apple Stores in New Zealand, so customers in Australia are the first to be able to purchase one of the new ‌iPhone‌ 12 models in a retail location, and people are lining up to get their new devices.

Available in-store stock in Australia should give us an idea of what we can expect in other retail stores as the ‌iPhone‌ 12 and 12 Pro roll out. Early pre-orders from Apple sold out after a short period this year, so many customers may be hoping for in-store stock.

Following New Zealand and Australia, ‌iPhone‌ 12 and 12 Pro sales will begin in Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and then North America. Apple Stores globally are opening up right around 8:00 a.m. local time to allow customers to pick up reserved devices and make walk-in purchases.

Customers hoping to get a device through a walk-in purchase on launch day should go early, and there have been reports that Apple is not allowing walk-in purchases in all stores.

Make sure to stay tuned to MacRumors tomorrow and throughout next week, because we'll have plenty of ‌‌iPhone‌ 12 and 12 Pro coverage. The new iPad Air is also launching tomorrow, so we'll have ‌iPad Air‌ coverage as well.

With the iPhone 12 and ‌iPhone‌ 12 Pro launching in the middle of a global pandemic, Apple is coming up with ways for people to purchase their new devices safely and without unnecessary exposure to the virus.

Apple has been allowing ‌iPhone‌ 12 orders to be placed for in store pickup, and in some locations, is implementing a bank teller-like Express system that allows for minimal exposure to other people. To deal with people lining up outside of stores to get an ‌iPhone‌, Apple may use a reservation system.

Apple told Business Insider that if a long line forms outside of a store that's open, queued customers will be provided with a reservation slot and told to return at a different time to make their device purchase. Those who plan to line up in front of an Apple Store can expect to be provided with a reservation spot rather than being allowed to stand in a long line.

Some stores are also not going to allow for walk-in purchases at all, such as the Union Square store in San Francisco, California. An employee at that store said that customers must make an advanced reservation to purchase an ‌iPhone‌ 12 on launch day, though it's not clear if that means a pre-order or a reservation on launch day.

Though Apple seems to be discouraging people from lining up in front of stores, at least one person claims to have seen a line. MacRumors reader BlueMoose said that there were 11 people sitting outside of his local ‌Apple Store‌ as of 10:30 a.m. waiting for the ‌iPhone‌ 12 launch on Friday.

I want to commend those 11 people sitting in front of my local Apple Store waiting for tomorrow... it's people like them who made Apple successful.

I spoke to the 2nd guy in line. (the first one in line was sleeping... at 12 noon, but he's been there since last night) He wanted to experience what it's like to do something silly... can't argue with that. I overheard an Apple Store employee telling them(at least those 11) that they'll be fine when the doors open tomorrow, as long as they are flexible on the colors of the iPhone 12.

It's not clear how many people are planning to line up outside of Apple Stores around the world, but it seems there may be some stock for in-person purchases at some Apple retail locations. Apple is also planning on having customers come to pick up devices that were pre-ordered back on October 16, with reservations spread out across different time slots.

Have you seen lines outside your local Apple Stores? Let us know in the comments.

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.

Apple University dean and vice president Joel Podolny today wrote an in-depth article on Apple's organizational structure for Harvard Business Review.

Titled "How Apple is Organized for Innovation," Podolny's piece delves deep into Apple's structure and how that has helped it grow over the years. Starting back when Jobs took over the company when he returned to Apple 1997, Podolny explains how Jobs fired the managers of each individual business unit and converted Apple into "one functional organization," a setup that Apple continues to have to this day.

As was the case with Jobs before him, CEO Tim Cook occupies the only position on the organizational chart where the design, engineering, operations, marketing, and retail of any of Apple's main products meet. In effect, besides the CEO, the company operates with no conventional general managers: people who control an entire process from product development through sales and are judged according to a P&L statement.

Apple's structure dictates that the people who have the most expertise and experience in a given domain should have the decision rights for that domain, with the company relying on technical experts rather than managers to make key decisions.

Apple's financial structure, where executive bonuses are based on companywide financial success rather than departmental success, also allows for more freedom when it comes to product decisions because there's not specific financial pressure on a single release. "The finance team is not involved in the product road map meetings of engineering teams, and engineering teams are not involved in pricing decisions," writes Podolny.

All of Apple's managers, from senior vice president and down, are expected to have deep expertise in their area, immersion in detail of the work being done under their leadership, and willingness to collaborate and make collective decisions. "Leaders should know the details of their organization three levels down," is one of Apple's principles.

As Apple has grown, Apple CEO Tim Cook has needed to make adjustments to the structure as Apple enters into new markets and technologies.

The adjustments Tim Cook has implemented in recent years include dividing the hardware function into hardware engineering and hardware technologies; adding artificial intelligence and machine learning as a functional area; and moving human interface out of software to merge it with industrial design, creating an integrated design function.

Podolny's full piece goes into much more detail on how Apple's internal structure works, complete with many examples of Apple's successes. It can be read in full at Harvard Business Review.

GameClub, a subscription-based gaming service that revives classic iOS games, recently expanded into PC and console titles, promising to bring popular console and desktop games to mobile platforms.

Today, GameClub is debuting its first PC to mobile game, Chook & Sosig: Walk the Plank. Available on PC and Mac, this is the first time that Chook & Sosig has been expanded to iPhone, iPad, and Android devices.

Chook & Sosig: Walk the Plank is a hand-drawn point-and-click adventure where titular characters Chook and Sosig play a tabletop game roleplaying as pirates alongside some friends. Players are tasked with seeking treasure, solving puzzles, and more.

GameClub is also working to port additional PC titles to iOS and Android devices this fall, including Tokyo 42 and Ancestors Legacy.

Priced at $4.99 per month, GameClub offers more than 100 games that can be played without additional in-app purchases or ads. Games can be shared with up to 12 family members across iOS and Android devices.

Apple today updated iOS video editing app iMovie to version 2.3, introducing a number of new features to the app. There's support for viewing, editing, and sharing High Dynamic Range videos from the Photos library. There's also an option to import and share 4K videos at 60 frames per second.

Titles can be customized using built-in fonts with easy tools for adjusting title style and capitalization, plus there are three new animated title options including dual-color chromatic.

A slider allows photo and video filter intensity to be adjusted as needed, and solid, gradient, and patterned backgrounds can be added to a movie.

- Customize any title by selecting from dozens of built-in fonts
- Adjust the color of any title by selecting from a grid or spectrum of presets, adjusting numerical sliders, or using the eyedropper in the viewer
- Quickly change a title's default style, capitalization and duration
- Pinch and drag to adjust the size and location of any title
- Choose from three new animated titles: Slide, Split and dual-color Chromatic
- Add solid, gradient, and patterned backgrounds to your movie
- Use the color picker to customize the colors of any background
- Drag the slider to change the intensity of any filter applied to your photos and videos
- Import and share 4K videos at 60 frames per second*
- View, edit, and share High Dynamic Range (HDR) videos from your Photos library**
- Tap the new options button at the top of the Share sheet to share a project or video file and choose properties including resolution, frame rate, and HDR**

* 4K at 60 frames per second requires iPod touch (7th generation), iPhone SE (2nd generation), iPhone 7 or later, iPad (6th generation) or later, iPad mini (5th generation), iPad Air 3 or later, 10.5-inch iPad Pro or later

** Editing and sharing HDR video requires iPhone SE (2nd generation), iPhone 8 Plus, iPhone X or later, iPad mini (5th generation), iPad (7th generation) or later, iPad Air 3 or later, 10.5-inch iPad Pro or later

Apple has also updated GarageBand for iOS with an option to start new audio recordings from the Home Screen by touching and holding the GarageBand app icon, and maximum song length at the default tempo has been increased from 23 to 72 minutes. Apple also added a new "Keyboard Collection" sound pack that features more than 150 keyboard loops.

- New audio recordings can be quickly started from the Home screen by touching and holding the GarageBand app icon
- Maximum song length at default tempo has been increased from 23 to 72 minutes
- The ruler now offers an option to switch from musical bars and beats to minutes and seconds
- New downloadable "Keyboard Collection" sound pack includes over 150 keyboard loops and 50 instrument patches like pianos, organs, and electric pianos

GarageBand and iMovie are both apps that Apple provides to all of its customers for free.

Apple is planning to expand a new "Express" store format that will make it easier and safer for customers to purchase new Apple devices, including the iPhone 12 lineup, reports Reuters.

The Express store format features a wall built around the front of the main Apple Store with temporary sales counters that are protected by plexiglass, similar to a bank. There are shelves of accessories behind store employees, and customers can pick up items at stores after ordering online, or talk with Apple's staff for help.

Apple has been using curbside pickup in some areas where there are serious coronavirus outbreaks, but Apple's retail chief Deirdre O'Brien told Reuters that curbside pickup doesn't work well in shopping malls and downtown shopping centers where the "curb" is far from the store location.

For these situations, the Express format is preferred. Apple has been testing it at 20 stores in the United States and Europe, and is expanding it to 50 by the end of the month.

"It's a swifter way for us to serve customers," O'Brien said. "It allows us to maintain all the appropriate social distancing and maintain all of our health protocols within our stores."

There's no specific list on Apple's site with stores that have the Express setup, but one of the first stores to get the new setup was Apple Burlingame in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Throughout the pandemic, Apple has been closing and reopening stores as needed when cases in a particular area spike. Apple stores that are reopened have cleaning and social distancing policies in place and require customers to wear masks and get a temperature check before entering the store.

With the iPhone 12 launching on Friday and in just a few hours to Australia and New Zealand, hands-on videos, teardowns, reviews, and other iPhone-related content has been coming out. A new teardown video delves into both the ‌iPhone‌ 12 and the 12 Pro, confirming battery life for both models and giving us a closer look at their internals.

The video from Io Technology is in Chinese, but YouTube’s auto-translated subtitles are quite accurate.

Both the ‌iPhone‌ 12 and the ‌iPhone‌ 12 Pro have close to identical L-shaped logic boards inside, with the ‌iPhone‌ 12 Pro featuring an extra LiDAR connector for the LiDAR Scanner. The two phones also share a battery, and this teardown puts to rest rumors about the ‌iPhone‌ 12 Pro's battery capacity.

The ‌iPhone‌ 12 and ‌iPhone‌ 12 Pro have the same 2,815mAh battery inside, which explains why they offer identical battery life. There was some confusion over the battery capacity because leaked specifications in July had suggested the two models had 2,775mAh battery, but Brazilian specifications mentioned a 2,815mAh battery for the ‌iPhone‌ 12, so there was a possibility that the Pro model had the 2,775mAh battery we had been expecting, but that's not the case.

We now know the official capacities for each new ‌iPhone‌ in the lineup:

• iPhone 12 mini - 2,227mAh
• iPhone 12 - 2,815mAh
• iPhone 12 Pro - 2,815mAh
• iPhone 12 Pro Max - 3,687mAh

All of these batteries are smaller than the batteries that were used in the ‌iPhone‌ 11 lineup, with Apple possibly having to cut down on battery size in order to make room for 5G components and new camera technology in the Pro models.

The side-by-side teardown of the ‌iPhone‌ 12 and 12 Pro offers a good look at the similarities and differences between the two models. Both have smaller Taptic Engines and many other identical internal components. Though not shown in this video, a teardown from yesterday confirmed that Apple's ‌iPhone‌ 12 lineup is using Qualcomm's X55 modem.

Apple last week introduced a new $99 HomePod mini, which is a more affordable alternative to the full-size HomePod that's been around since 2017. The ‌HomePod mini‌ isn't shipping out until November, but on paper, it sounds great for those who have been eyeing a ‌HomePod‌ but haven't wanted to shell out $299.

In our latest YouTube video, we outlined the top five reasons why you might want to buy a ‌HomePod mini‌.

1. $99 Price

At $99, the ‌HomePod mini‌ is a lot more affordable than the $299 ‌HomePod‌, which was even more expensive ($349) when it first launched. Rumors have suggested that ‌HomePod‌ sales have been weak because of the high price of the device relative to smart speakers from other companies like Amazon and Google, so it was a no brainer for Apple to come up with a cheaper solution.

It's a lot easier to justify spending $99 on a home speaker than it is to spend $299, so the ‌HomePod mini‌ will likely be appealing to a wider consumer base than the original ‌HomePod‌. At $99, ‌HomePod‌ is a solid choice if you're looking for a decent speaker that also gives you Siri access and HomeKit control.

2. Intercom

With ‌HomePod mini‌ Apple introduced a new Intercom feature that lets you send messages to and from the ‌HomePod‌ and other Apple devices. So, if you put a ‌HomePod mini‌ in oft-used rooms of the house, you can communicate with other family members through the Intercom option.

Parents will be able to do things like call the kids to dinner or make sure they're getting ready for school, and at that $99 price tag, it's more affordable to buy a couple of ‌HomePod‌ minis to place throughout the house.

Intercom messages sent to ‌HomePod‌ are played out loud in the room in your actual voice, and you can send them from any device. You can also send Intercom messages on iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, AirPods, and even CarPlay.

3. HomeKit

A ‌HomePod mini‌ is a great way to control HomeKit-connected devices by voice. It's pretty convenient to be able to just say something like "Hey ‌Siri‌, turn out the lights in the bedroom" at night to turn off the lights, and ‌HomePod mini‌ works with all HomeKit-connected devices.

It's an AirPlay 2 speaker so you can use it in scenes and automations for automatically playing music when desired, plus it serves as a Home Hub to allow you to access all your ‌HomeKit‌ devices when you're away from home.

4. Stereo Pairing

Two ‌HomePod‌ minis can work together as a stereo pair with left and right channels, serving as audio for an Apple TV or a home theater setup. When paired up, two ‌HomePod‌ minis can create a more immersive sound experience.

You can pair two full-size HomePods together too, but it's a lot cheaper to buy two ‌HomePod‌ minis than to buy two HomePods.

5. Handoff

With handoff functionality, you can bring an ‌iPhone‌ or ‌iPad‌ close to your ‌HomePod mini‌ and then the music that's playing on your device will transfer right over to the ‌HomePod mini‌. You can also transfer from ‌HomePod mini‌ to ‌iPhone‌ when you're leaving the house.

There's a U1 chip that's in the ‌HomePod mini‌ (and not the ‌HomePod‌), and Apple says that this chip will enable a different transfer experience with haptic feedback and personalized listening suggestions.

Feedback and Launch Date

Have other reasons you're considering a ‌HomePod mini‌? Let us know in the comments below.

‌HomePod mini‌ will be available to pre-order on Friday, November 6, and it will start arriving to customers on Monday, November 16, the official ‌HomePod mini‌ launch date.

Two patent applications filed by Apple appear to depict the company's widely expected AirTags item trackers (via Patently Apple).

The filings, which include a large number of images, are titled "Mounting Base for a Wirelessly Locatable Tag" and "Fastener with a Constrained Retention Ring," and describe a wirelessly locatable tag that can be used to determine the absolute location of an object in a way that is more accurate than GPS. The patents also reveal a large number of potential AirTags features.

The filings outline "a tag used for tracking physical objects," that is "a small, conveniently shaped device that can be attached to objects," and features "a robust structural design that ensures reliable use through a variety of conditions and environments." They suggest that "the tag may be waterproof or at least splash-proof, and may be capable of withstanding impacts, drop events, or other general trauma resulting from normal use of the tag." It may also be able to provide haptic and audible outputs.

Images in the patent also depicted the potential design of the tag, which happen to closely mirror the rumored design with a metallic disk on the rear and a plastic shell over the top and sides. The speculated leather pouch with a keychain ring also appears to have been illustrated.

The location-tracking and directional capabilities of the tags are said to be extremely accurate, such that "a smartphone may be capable of determining the location of a tag to an accuracy within three feet, and even to within one foot or less." The patents explain how the overall network environment that includes the the tags, smartphones, computers, and other devices provides features, presumably via an ultra-wideband connection.

Beyond locating a misplaced object, the tags may also be used to trigger actions on other devices when they are within a certain proximity or orientation. The patent gives the example of a tag being "positioned in a lobby of a building so that when individuals enter the lobby, their smartphone may detect that it is within a threshold distance of that tag, which in turn causes a map of the building to automatically be displayed on the smartphone."

The patents also explain that the tags may operate in a variety of modes. In a "normal operational mode... the tag may conserve power and establish momentary or intermittent communications with one or more other devices... to confirm the location and may exchange some information about the state or location of the tag. In this way, the tag can essentially periodically update other devices." Interestingly, this communication could apparently function in a one-way system, with the tag recieving no information from other devices despite transmitting it.

"Lost mode" would occur "in response to an unexpected loss of communication between the tag and one or more other devices," allowing the tag to privately route encrypted transmissions through third-party devices to send information to the owner's device. In other words, a lost tag could be silently discovered when another person simply enters its vicinity, allowing the owner to see the tag's location. A different mode could use the same system to report the location and status of tags that have been left at home, for example, via a connection with other devices in the home.

The images also showed tags housed within a compact storage case, an Apple Watch Band, a cord or strap, and a circuit that can close or open. The patent also indicated that the tags could be charged by being mounted on a base, which may be similar to Apple's MagSafe charging cable.

Curiously, images also showed how tags could be positioned on a user's body to monitor posture, track full-body motion to control a game or avatar, or monitor body movements in a workout.

The tags may also be usable for augmented reality and AR gaming. For example, tags could be used as pieces for a game of AR chess since their location can be determineed with high accuracy. They could then be visually replaced in an augmented reality environment with computer-generated graphics.

While the patents do not prove that AirTags will have all of these features when they are announced, the length and breadth of the filings is striking. At minimum, they reinforce Apple's commitment to ultra-wideband technology. Nonetheless, the close correlation of these filings with various AirTags rumors is likely more than a coincidence.

For more information about AirTags, see our full roundup.

Earlier this week, Japanese publication Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun reported that Sony will supply Apple with OLED microdisplays for its widely rumored AR/VR glasses, as spotted by Mac Otakara. The report has since been corroborated by display industry analyst Ross Young, who said multiple sources have informed him that Apple is indeed planning to use Sony's microdisplay technology for its head-mounted accessory.

According to FRAMOS, a supplier of embedded vision technologies, Sony's OLED microdisplays are small, cutting-edge displays with an ultra-fast response rate, ultra-high contrast, a wide color gamut for precise color reproduction, high luminance, low reflectance, and other benefits that would be ideal for Apple's glasses:

OLED (Organic LED) Microdisplays from SONY® Semiconductor Solutions are cutting-edge small video displays providing fast response, high-contrast image technology and precise color reproduction. The very thin displays bring greater visual impact to applications in AR/VR/MR, broadcasting, electronic view finders, industrial maintenance and medical. With large aperture and high luminance, a wide color spectrum, less reflectance and a high dynamic range they operate in extreme speed without showing any motion blur.

Sony's microdisplays also have integrated drivers for a thin and light design, and power-saving modes are available for longer battery life.

Young said the glasses will use a 0.5-inch display with a 1,280x960 resolution, and these specs appear to correspond with Sony's ECX337A component. According to Sony's website, this microdisplay in particular has a max brightness of 1,000 nits, an ultra-high contrast of 100,000:1, and an ultra-fast response rate of 0.01 ms or less.

The high contrast provided by Sony's microdisplays allows an additional information layer to appear seamlessly, and not as an overlay. "This information is simply added to the background for a 'real AR' experience," according to FRAMOS.

According to the Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun, Apple plans to release its AR/VR glasses in 2021, but analyst Ming-Chi Kuo does not expect a release until 2022 at the earliest. Young also believes that the glasses will be introduced in the first half of 2022. For a recap of all rumors to date, be sure to read our detailed Apple Glasses roundup.