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Are you ready to get back to work after the holiday break? Here are some of the most important slices of Apple-related news to get you up to speed.
So, are you back at work after the long vacation break? As we delve into 2023, these slides of Apple-related news should prepare you for the year ahead as we wait to see what Apple brings in 2023.
iPhone, Mac, iPad and Devices Rumors
Over the course of the season, the following anecdotes of speculation began to circulate:
iPhone 15 rumors envision this year's smartphones with the cutting-edge A17 3nm chipset for better performance and much longer battery life, a slight improvement in performance, 48MP rear cameras across the entire range, tactile buttons and a titanium frame. In related news, Apple may cancel or delay plans for the iPhone SE4.
The first 3nm chips should hit Macs this year, possibly with new M2-branded processors, according to 9-5Mac.
TSMC has started producing 3nm chips in Taiwan. Apple currently relies on chips produced using the 5nm foundry process.
Apple is working on a new version of the iPad mini with a new processor for launch this year. It may eventually release a foldable tablet, but not before 2025.
Apple is said to be working on AirPods Lite, a lower-cost version of its earbuds designed to compete with all those cheap AirPod-like kits you see.
The company is planning a new 27-in. 120 Hz screen with Mini-LED.
Perhaps the most interesting snippet concerns the new Apple Pencil patent. This describes a device that can sample real-world colors and textures for use on an iPad.
Good news, bad news in Apple's supply chain
Apple's challenges with manufacturing in China have been well documented, but a change in the national approach to mitigating COVID-19 appears to have enabled manufacturing partners to return to normal production, albeit at a significant cost.
The changes mean that Foxconn has achieved 90% of its original production target, Reuters reports. This translates to improved device availability across multiple regions
Apple continues to diversify its manufacturing base and brought in LuxShare to manufacture the iPhone 15 Pro Max. However, the echoes of rapidly increasing numbers of infections are being felt at the end of the component supply chain so it remains difficult to assess the long-term availability of devices.
Apple continues to invest in production facilities outside of China, the Indian government is working to take over MacBook and iPad production, and Vietnam is about to open up production locally.
There have been more reports that Apple is seeing some weakness in sales of the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus models, and is allegedly considering lowering the price of the latter. Interestingly, Amazon is now selling this model for $50 below the sticker, even as Apple warns it will not replace more expensive batteries for iPhones, Macs, and iPads, starting in March. All this is happening against a backdrop of deteriorating economic performance across the US, Europe and China.
Apple Research on Corporate Social Responsibility
Cynics might call it “greenwashing,” but the truth is that if every company made the same degree of effort, we'd have a chance of meeting our climate goals. Unfortunately, they don't. The good news from Apple is that it appears to be advancing previously disclosed plans to harvest heat from iCloud data centers to heat nearby homes. What is important about this step is that it sets a precedent for corporate social responsibility elsewhere.
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