Here’s a look at this week’s Apple news, including new features for the iPhone 16, launch dates for the iPhone 16 Pro, a delay in Apple’s AI, improvements to the Files app on the iPad Pro, Cellbrite being locked out of iOS, Microsoft helping with Apple’s AI, and a bunch of Emmy nominations.
Apple Loop is here to remind you of some of the key topics about Apple from the past week.
Photo Credits: India Today
iPhone 16 Pro Key Feature Update
The iPhone 16 Pro has an important new feature. Not only will it have a different battery, but it will also charge much faster when it’s low. This is because the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max will support 40W wired charging speeds.
Currently, all iPhone 15 models support wired charging up to 27 watts, as long as you have a strong enough charger. This allows you to charge your iPhone 15 from 0% to 50% in about 30 minutes. While this is good, faster charging would be even better.
iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro Launch Dates
I think the keynote will be on Tuesday, September 10. Apple usually announces it with a mysterious message that hints at more than you’d expect. Apple likes to make a big impact with these announcements, so I believe they’ll reveal it on Wednesday, September 4 or Thursday, September 5 for maximum effect. Once this is confirmed, we can pretty much guess the pre-order and release dates.
Update: AirPods 4 Coming This Year
It’s not just the new iPhones that people are excited about. The current third-generation AirPods came out in October 2021, and a cheaper version without MagSafe/Qi charging was released in September 2022. Since then, there haven’t been any updates. But fans will be happy to know that the fourth generation of AirPods is expected to be released by the end of the year.
The new AirPods 4 will reportedly have a design that combines elements of the AirPods 3 and AirPods Pro, including shorter stems. Unlike the AirPods Pro, they won’t have replaceable tips but will offer a better fit. The AirPods 4 models are expected to be released later in 2024, possibly around the same time as the new iPhones in September.
iPhone 16 Pro Software Delayed
The iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro might be available in late September, but the big upgrade will be Apple’s new AI, called Apple Intelligence. This AI aims to catch up with Android, but it won’t be ready right away. In fact, it won’t be available until the first quarter of 2025.
Tim Cook and his team will ask Apple fans to buy the new smartphone with the promise that the AI feature will come later.
Take The Files You Want With You
The iPadOS 18 update isn’t as big as some had hoped, but Apple has fixed several issues users have been dealing with. The Files app now offers smarter downloads and offline access from main iCloud sources.
On both iPads and iPhones with iOS 18, you can long-press on a file or folder and find a new ‘Keep Downloaded’ button in the menu. This means you can choose to keep an entire folder or file downloaded permanently, so it won’t get moved to the cloud again.
The Secure iPhone Returns
Cellebrite, a well-known company for breaking into locked smartphones for law enforcement, now reports that its current tools can’t unlock phones running the latest iOS version.
Leaked documents show that as of April 2024, Cellebrite can’t unlock iPhones running iOS 17.4 and later. The company has confirmed the documents are real. While Cellebrite devices can still crack most Android phones, there are some exceptions.
AI Arrives
While many people are waiting for AI features on the iPhone 16, those who need AI right now might consider a different option, especially for creating generative AI images… Microsoft:
Microsoft Designer, which was previously available only in preview, is now open to everyone. It can be used on Microsoft Edge and other browsers through a website and is now available as apps for iOS, Android, and Windows. The app is free but requires a Microsoft account to use. Similar features were previously available through Copilot in Microsoft’s other apps, like Word.
And Finally…
With this year’s Emmy nominations announced, Apple is celebrating the success of Apple TV+. It has received a record 72 nominations, its best year ever:
“Apple TV+ has nominations across 16 different Apple Originals, including Lessons in Chemistry, The Morning Show, Slow Horses, Palm Royale, Loot, Hijack, STEVE! (martin) a two-part documentary, 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.”