Updated on July 21 with new details on the Apple AirPods release dates.
Taking a look back at this week’s news and headlines from Apple, including new iPhone 16 features, iPhone 16 Pro launch dates, Apple’s AI delay, improved Files app for iPad Pro, Cellbrite locked out of iOS, Microsoft grants Apple’s AI wish, and a shelf full of Emmy nominations.
Apple Loop is here to remind you of a few of the many discussions around Apple in the last seven days. You can also read my weekly digest of Android news here on Forbes.
iPhone 16 Pro’s Key Feature Update
Apple continues to lag behind the base features that Android users expect from their mid-range smartphones, let alone their premium smartphones. Building on last weeks leak, we have more information on the faster charging iPhones coming this year.
"It’s not just that the battery will be different, though a recent report says it will, but that when it’s run down, it will be much faster to recharge. That’s down to the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max supporting 40W wired charging speeds...
MORE FOR YOU
"Right now, all phones in the iPhone 15 series support wired charging speeds of up to 27 watts, assuming you have a powerful enough charging plug. That means that you can charge your iPhone 15 from flat to 50% in about 30 minutes. That’s not bad, but faster would be better.
(Forbes).
iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro Launch Dates
Tim Cook’s Apple has adopted a predictable release schedule for each generation of iPhone, and there are no signs that 2024’s iPhone 16 family will change that pattern. Forbes’s David Phelan looks at the likely dates of the announcement and the announcement of the announcement:
"I believe that keynote will be on Tuesday, September 10... Apple varies how much in advance it announces the keynote, usually with a gnomic and obscure message which gives more away than you might expect. Apple likes to make a splash with the reveal of the keynote, so I believe it will deploy this announcement on Wednesday, September 4 or Thursday, September 5 for maximum effect. As soon as this is confirmed, we as good as know the pre-order and release date."
(Forbes).
Update: AirPods 4 Set For Release This Year
It’s not just the latest iPhones that many are waiting on, Apple’s AirPods are even longer in the tooth. The current third-generation AirPods were announced in October 21; a cheaper option that removed MagSafe/Qi charging from the case was released in September 2022 but since then Apple’s audio accessory has remained untouched. Apple’s community will be glad to hear that the fourth generation of AirPods is on course to arrive by the end of the year:
"The AirPods 4 models will reportedly feature a design that “looks like a blend” of AirPods 3 and AirPods Pro, including short stems. Neither of the AirPods 4 variants will feature replaceable tips like AirPods Pro, but they will “offer an improved fit… the new AirPods 4 models are due for a release later in 2024. Typically, Apple has released new AirPods around the same time as new iPhones in September."
(9to5Mac).
iPhone 16 Pro Software Delayed
While the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro may go on sale in late September, the real upgrade will be in Apple’s introduction of AI. The grandiosely titled Apple Intelligence should go some way to catch up with Android, but it’s not going to happen overnight. It’s not even going to happen in 2024:
"Yet the AI that the iPhone is clearly lacking right now will not be available until the first quarter of 2025. Tim Cook and his team will be asking the Apple faithful to buy the smartphone on the promise of receiving the AI at some point in the future. Meanwhile, all of those benefits are available on Android [since 2023]. Apple’s iPhone will be two generations behind Android’s AI efforts before it even leaves the Cupertino stage."
(Forbes).
Take The Files You Want With You
While the update to iPadOS18 is not as extensive as many were hoping for, Apple has addressed several problems and annoyances that users have been facing. The Files app now offers more intelligent downloads and offline access from the primary iCloud sources:
"Not only on the iPad but also the iPhone in iOS 18, you can long-press on a file or folder and find a new ‘Keep Downloaded’ button in the menu. That’s right, you can tell iPadOS to keep an entire folder or a file downloaded permanently, never to be whisked away to the cloud again."
(9o5Mac).
The Secure iPhone Returns
Cellbrite is a recognisble name in insecurity circles, given its proficiency with digitally cracking locked smartphones for law enforcement agencies. It is now reporting that with its current toolset, phones running the latest version of iOS are immune to their approaches
"Leaked documents reveal that Cellebrite can’t unlock iPhones running iOS 17.4 and later, at least as of the date of publication (April 2024). The company has confirmed that the documents are genuine. Cellebrite devices, which are widely used by law enforcement agencies, can crack most Android phones, though there are exceptions …
(9to5Mac).
AI Arrives
While many will wait for AI on the iPhone 16 family, those who need it right now might want to consider an unusual solution, at least for generative AI images… Microsoft:
"Previously available in preview for close to a year, Microsoft Designer has finally become available to everyone. Trialled using Microsoft Edge and other browsers through a website, Designer is now open to use on more platforms, including apps for iOS, Android, and Windows. The app itself is free, but requires a Microsoft account to sign in and use. Previously, elements have been available through Copilot in Microsoft's other apps, including Word."
And Finally...
With this year’s Emmy nominations now announced, Apple is proud to promote the success of Apple TV. With a record 72 nominations, it’s Apple’s best year yet from its production stable:
"With best-ever Emmy showing, Apple TV+ lands nominations across 16 Apple Originals, including Lessons in Chemistry, The Morning Show, Slow Horses, Palm Royale, Loot, Hijack, STEVE! (martin) a documentary in 2 pieces, Girls State, The Reluctant Traveler With Eugene Levy, Masters of the Air, Silo, Physical, Hannah Waddingham: Home for Christmas, The New Look, Sugar, and more"
(Apple).
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.
