Tag: ipad

These Are Apple’s Oldest Products Still Sold Today

Posted on by faz_business


For over two decades, the MacRumors Buyer’s Guide has served as a valuable resource for keeping track of when Apple products were last updated.

AirPods Max 1360 Days Old Feature 2
Below, we have highlighted five current-generation Apple products that have not received hardware upgrades in several years. We also provide some purchasing recommendations based on both rumors and our own opinions.

This list excludes previous-generation Apple products still sold, such as the iPhone 13, along with various accessories and cables.

Pro Display XDR

Pro Display XDR BluePro Display XDR Blue
Apple released the Pro Display XDR in December 2019, so it will be five years old later this year. The high-end monitor starts at $4,999 and features a 32-inch screen size with 6K resolution, but it lacks a built-in camera and speakers.

In December 2022, Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman said Apple was working on multiple new external monitors, including an updated version of the Pro Display XDR that will be equipped with an Apple silicon chip, just like the Studio Display with the A13 chip. However, it’s unclear when the new Pro Display XDR will be released or what other new features it will have.

Age: 4 years and 8 months

Recommendation: Given how expensive the Pro Display XDR is, it is worth waiting for the next model at this point. Also consider the Studio Display, which is over two years newer, more affordable, and has a built-in camera and speakers.

HomePod mini

homepod mini thumb featurehomepod mini thumb feature
Released in November 2020, the HomePod mini is also nearly four years old. The smaller Siri-enabled smart speaker has not received any hardware updates since launching, although it did get Blue, Orange, and Yellow color options in November 2021, and Space Gray was replaced with a virtually-identical Midnight finish a few months ago.

In February 2023, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said mass shipments of a second-generation HomePod mini would begin in the second half of 2024, but it is unclear if that info is still accurate, as there have not been any recent HomePod mini rumors.

Age: 3 years and 9 months

Recommendation: Given there was a rumor that a new HomePod mini might be released later this year, it might be best to hold off for three to four more months to see if that happens. However, given the HomePod mini is a modest $99, there is not too much harm in purchasing one now if you don’t want to wait.

AirPods Max

AirPods Max Gen 2 Feature Black 2AirPods Max Gen 2 Feature Black 2
Released in December 2020, the AirPods Max will turn four years old later this year. Apple’s over-ear headphones have not received any hardware updates since, and remain priced at $549 on Apple’s online store, with five color options available.

Age: 3 years and 8 months

Recommendation: We recommend waiting for the AirPods Max with a USB-C port to launch later this year, but the headphones will still more or less be four years old beyond that change, so you may wish to consider newer competing options, such as the Sony XM5, Bose QuietComfort Ultra, and Sonos Ace. Amazon does have the AirPods Max on sale for $399 if you are interested in purchasing them now at a discount.

iPad mini

iPad mini 6 orange BGiPad mini 6 orange BG
Apple released the current iPad mini in September 2021, with new features at the time including a larger 8.3-inch display, a USB-C port, a Touch ID power button, the A15 Bionic chip, 5G support on cellular models, a 12-megapixel rear camera with Center Stage support, compatibility with the second-generation Apple Pencil, and more.

In November 2023, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said mass production of the next iPad mini would begin in the second half of 2024. More recently, Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman said inventory of the current iPad mini‌ was starting to dwindle at Apple Stores, which could be a sign that the device will be updated in the near future.

Rumored features for the next iPad mini include a newer chip, upgraded cameras, Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3 support, new color options, and a fix for the so-called “jelly scrolling” effect on the current model’s display.

Age: 2 years and 11 months

Recommendation: At this point, we suggest waiting for the new iPad mini that is rumored to launch later this year.

AirPods 3

airpods 3 orangeairpods 3 orange
Released in October 2021, the third-generation AirPods are nearly three years old.

Two new fourth-generation AirPods models are expected to be unveiled at Apple’s special event on September 9, with both options rumored to feature a tweaked design with better fit in the ear, improved sound quality, and an updated charging case with a USB-C port. The higher-end AirPods 4 are also said to feature active noise cancellation, and a speaker in the charging case that can play a sound for Find My location tracking.

Age: 2 years and 10 months

Recommendation: Do not buy! Apple is expected to announce the fourth-generation AirPods in less than two weeks.

$1,700 ‘Spacetop’ Laptop Uses AR Glasses Instead of a Display

Posted on by faz_business


The Apple Vision Pro can be used as a display for a connected Mac, but it is bulky, heavy, and uncomfortable. The Spacetop G1, a new laptop from former Magic Leap employees, promises to solve those problems by pairing a computer with a set of lightweight AR glasses that look more comfortable to wear for long periods of time.

Priced at $1,700, Spacetop is basically a keyboard with an attached set of glasses. There is no display, but there is a top case that the glasses can be stored in when the device is not in use. Videos featuring the device show users typing on the keyboard while viewing a set of AR windows that are placed around them.

The Spacetop runs SpaceOS, which the company says is a spatial operating system built for productivity. It focuses on web tasks, which provides content without the company having to recruit developers to build apps.

The AR glasses weigh in at 85 grams, while the Vision Pro weighs between 600 and 650 grams depending on the attached Light Seal. The keyboard is just under 12 inches wide, and the whole setup weighs three pounds, which is heavier than a MacBook Air or iPad Pro.

spacetop laptop
It includes a Qualcomm Snapdragon QCS8550 chip, 128GB storage, 16GB RAM, and two open-ear speakers. There are two USB-C ports on the keyboard component that allow it to be connected to a traditional external display, and the battery lasts for up to eight hours. The glasses are equipped with two OLED display panels with a 1920×1080 resolution and a 90Hz refresh rate, and custom prescription lenses are supported.

The Spacetop G1 will retail for $1,900, but those who reserve it early can get a $200 discount, dropping the price to $1,700. A machine can be reserved for a $100 refundable deposit, and it is expected to start shipping in October 2024.

TikTok May Be Breaking App Store Rules by Avoiding Commissions on Tips

Posted on by faz_business


TikTok appears to be quietly showing some users an option to purchase “coins” on the web instead of through in-app purchases, circumventing the commission that Apple receives on digital purchases.

tiktok logo
As noted by David Tesler (via TechCrunch) TikTok has been offering a limited number of TikTok app users an option to purchase coins on TikTok.com instead of in the app. “Try recharging on tiktok.com to avoid in-app service fees,” reads the text. “You can save the service fee and get access to popular payment methods.”

Following through and opting to purchase from TikTok.com brings up an interface for using payment options such as PayPal or a credit/debit card. “Save around 25% with a lower third-party service fee,” the app suggests. The purchase workflow can be completed entirely in the TikTok app with no requirement to use in-app purchase.

TikTok’s coins are used as a way for users to provide “Gifts” to creators. Users pay real money for a certain number of coins, and those coins are used for little gift emoji that can be provided to creators. TikTok says that gifts are used to determine the number of “diamonds” awarded to content creators, and diamonds can be redeemed for money. A TikTok coin is worth about half a diamond, and 100 diamonds is worth 50 cents, so TikTok is collecting quite a bit of money during the conversion.

Apple requires in-app purchase to be used for digital goods and services, and TikTok’s “coins” presumably count as a digital good. If TikTok is indeed offering customers a way to purchase coins without in-app purchase as suggested by the screenshots from Tesler, then TikTok is breaking Apple’s App Store rules.

TikTok coins would likely be considered tips, and Apple has forced other major social networks like Facebook to use in-app purchase for a creator tipping feature. What TikTok is doing is actually similar to the direct purchase options that Epic Games added to the Fortnite app back in 2020, a move that ultimately led to the banning of the Fortnite app and a multi-year legal battle.

Most TikTok users are only able to purchase coins through the in-app purchase interface, and the option to purchase direct from TikTok with a credit or debit card is allegedly a feature showing up only for a small number of users. The option is perhaps being limited to those who have spent a lot of money on coins in the past.



Here’s what to expect from the ‘Let Loose’ event

Posted on by faz_business


Apple has scheduled its next product showcase for May 7, a few weeks before the Worldwide Developers Conference gets under way. While the company is, as usual, being a bit coy about what’s on deck, the signs are all there. It had been rumored for months that Apple would refresh its iPad lineup in May. Sure enough, the image on the announcement for this “Let Loose” event includes an illustration of a hand holding an Apple Pencil.

Various reports over recent months have offered some insight as to what Apple has up its sleeves. So, with that in mind, here’s what to expect from the upcoming iPad event:

Apple iPad Pro (2022) Apple iPad Pro (2022)

Nathan Ingraham / Engadget

It’s been about 18 months since Apple updated any of its iPads, so its tablet lineup is due for a refresh. It won’t exactly come as a surprise to see Apple slot M3 chips into the latest iPad Pro models, since the most recent versions run on M2 chipsets.

Otherwise, the biggest update is expected to come in the form of OLED displays, according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman. That should bring richer colors and deeper blacks to the iPad Pro.

Since OLED panels are thinner than LCD panels, that should allow Apple to reduce the thickness of the iPad Pro. According to 9to5 Mac, the 11-inch iPad Pro will be 0.8 mm thinner at 5.1 mm, while the 12.9-inch model will be more noticeably slender, as the thickness is expected to drop by 1.5 mm to 5 mm. A leaker has suggested that the bezels could be up to 15 percent thinner than previous models as well.

Rumors have been swirling for a while that Apple may offer a glass-backed iPad Pro this year to enable MagSafe charging. Meanwhile, there have been hints that Apple will solve one of our biggest iPad bugbears and move the front-facing camera to the landscape edge of the Pro, as it did with the entry-level iPad in late 2022. That means the camera will be more optimally placed for those who use a Magic Keyboard or folks who simply prefer a landscape orientation.

Apple iPad Air (2022)Apple iPad Air (2022)

Nathan Ingraham / Engadget

As for the iPad Air, which Apple has left in stasis for over two years, that’s expected to get an upgrade to M2 chips from the M1 that the tablets currently use. There are rumblings that Apple will go with the older chip in the iPad Air to differentiate it from Pro models and ensure that the latter devices clearly remain its highest-end tablets. Reports suggest that the iPad Air’s front-facing camera is also blessedly moving to the landscape edge.

There is one other big change we’re expecting for the iPad Air, and I mean that in the most literal sense. Apple is rumored to be prepping the first 12.9-inch iPad Air. It’s likely to be the least expensive option for a large-screen iPad, even though that would run somewhat against the “Air” part of the name.

Display analyst Ross Young previously suggested that the 12.9-inch iPad Air screen would have a mini-LED display, but that no longer appears to be happening — at least for now. However, Young says that Apple may release an iPad Air with such a display later this year. Meanwhile, the new iPad Air models may have a larger camera bump, perhaps so Apple can add a flash.

The latest Apple Pencil with USB-C charging falls to a new lowThe latest Apple Pencil with USB-C charging falls to a new low

Engadget

Gurman reported last year that Apple was working on a revamped Magic Keyboard, but only for the iPad Pro, not the Air lineup. The updated keyboard is said to make the iPad Pro look more like a laptop, with a larger trackpad. It’s said to be made of aluminum to make it sturdier than previous models, though “the exterior shell of the Magic Keyboard will retain the cover material of the current model,” Gurman says.

In addition, Apple is expected to unveil a new Apple Pencil to replace the second-gen model. Dataminers have suggested that an updated peripheral could include a squeeze gesture to carry out certain actions and have Find My support. Some reports have indicated the next Apple Pencil could work with Vision Pro drawing apps too.

Even though the iPad mini in particular is getting very long in the tooth — the most recent model arrived in September 2021 — you probably shouldn’t expect a new model to show up at the Let Loose event. Not are we expecting to see a new base iPad. Reports suggest an 11th-gen iPad and an updated iPad mini may arrive later this year, but maybe don’t hold your breath for them.