Taking a look back at another week of news and headlines from Cupertino, this week’s Apple Loop includes the latest 14 iPhone leaks, pricing details on the next iPhone, how many iPhones Apple will order, a new MacBook Pro delay, WWDC schedule, Apple addresses Union concerns, and WhatsApp’s latest iOS plans.
Apple Loop is here to remind you of a few of the very many discussions that have happened around Apple over the last seven days (and you can read my weekly digest of Android news here on Forbes).
All The iPhone 14 Leaks In One Video
With the piecemeal leaks of the iPhone 14 specs and hardware building up, it’s possible to bring everything together to show the concept of the iPhone 14 range. Which is exactly what viewers of FrontPageTech on YouTube saw this week.
“In the latest video on YouTube channel Front Page Tech, Prosser revealed renders of the iPhone 14 Pro made by Apple concept graphic designer Ian Zelbo, highlighting a range of specific design changes rumored to come to this year’s high-end iPhone model.
“The renders mirror a broad variety of plausible design rumors from reputable sources, including CAD renders and specific dimensions, leaked schematics, images of accessory production molds, early cases, and other information.”
(FrontPageTech via MacRumors).
The Price Is Perhaps Not Right
There is something more important than design, especially in the current economy. How much will the new iPhone 14 family of handsets cost? The answer is going to upset a lot of the geekerati. With Apple switching suppliers for the forward-facing camera, the bill of materials has shot up. Expect a $100 premium on the store price compared to the iPhone 13:
” According to ET News’ source, “the unit price of the iPhone 14 front camera has risen nearly three times compared to previous models.” This is the biggest component price increase I can remember. Historically, Apple’s moves to dual then triple rear cameras and the addition of a high refresh rate display have all added cost, but not a 3x multiple.”
(Forbes).
If The Price Is Right, What About The Volume?
One of the decisions Apple is making around the new iPhone 14 models is how many to make. With the prevailing economic conditions and supply chain issues, Tim Cook and his team are set to keep the numbers relatively low:
“The company is asking suppliers to assemble roughly 220 million iPhones, about the same as last year, according to people familiar with its projections, who asked not to be named as they’re not public. Market forecasts have hovered closer to 240 million units , driven by an expected major update to the iPhone in the fall. But the mobile industry has gotten off to a difficult start to the year and production estimates are down across the board.”
(Bloomberg).
TOKYO, JAPAN – APRIL 07: A businessman looks at a temporary closure notice posted in front of the , [+]
Apple Quietly Delays MacBook Pro
A good illustration of the issues around the supply chain is Apple’s MacBook Pro. The move to Apple Silicon has made the ARM-powered laptop rather desirable… so desirable that stock is limited for the next few months:
“We started seeing more reports of the same and even the stock 14 and 16-inch MacBook Pro models were pushed into mid-July. It’s now a few weeks later and the supply issues are continuing. The stock 14 and 16-inch MacBook Pro notebooks are shipping as late as July 28. And direct from Apple, if you upgrade any component, like the M1 Pro/Max chip, RAM, or storage, the shipping time slips to as late as August 8.”
(9to5Mac via Forbes).
What Will Developers Create And When?
With WWDC getting ever closer, Apple has confirmed the schedule for keynotes, seminars, digital labs, and more. The media’s attention will no doubt be on the opening keynote. If any new hardware is going to be announced alongside the software updates, it will be here.
“Unlike past WWDC events during the pandemic, the 2022 conference will see a limited number of developers on-campus. However, the 10 am Pacific (1 pm Eastern) keynote itself will still be an online-only media event.
“Other key events during WWDC 2022 include the Platforms State of the Union, which will focus on letting developers know how to use the new tools and technologies shown off during the keynote. The State of the Union is scheduled for 2 pm Pacific (5 pm) Eastern) on Monday.”
(Apple.com and Apple Insider).
Who Doesn’t Want A Union?
Apple management continues to lay out why it does not want Apple’s retail staff to form a union, suggesting that a collective bargaining approach would make it more difficult for Apple to improve its conditions. That view has been laid out in a speech to staff, that leaked this week:
“We have a relationship that’s based on an open and collaborative and direct engagement, which I feel could fundamentally change if a store is represented by a union under a collective bargaining agreement,” said Deirdre O’Brien, Apple’s vice president of retail and people , in a six-minute video circulated yesterday among Apple’s 58,000 retail employees in the United States and obtained by Motherboard.”
(Vice).
And finally…
WhatsApp has confirmed that the popular messaging app will lose compatibility with devices running iOS 10 and iOS 11 later this year. Given Apple is set to launch iOS 16 at WWDC next month this is perhaps not as surprising as you might think. Nevertheless, you have six months until the end of life date:
“With that in mind, users that have these iPhones won’t be able to use WhatsApp starting in October. Those who have an iPhone 5s, iPhone 6, or iPhone 6s running iOS 12 don’t have to worry for now, as the company will keep supporting them. On WhatsApp Help Center, the company already states that iPhone users need to be running iOS 12 or newer to keep using the app. Android users, for example, need OS 4.1 or newer.”
(9to5Mac).
Apple Loop brings you seven days worth of highlights every weekend here on Forbes. Don’t forget to follow me so you don’t miss any coverage in the future. Last week’s Apple Loop can be read here, or this week’s edition of Loop’s sister column, Android Circuit, is also available on Forbes.
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