Benjamin Mayo

Apple is considering future iPhone models with some drastic changes in design. The Bloomberg report details two major differences to the current iPhone lineup, although it sounds like the projects are tentative and experimental; at the very least these features are still years away from shipping.

The report says Apple is testing an iPhone display that can detect gestures from fingers without actually touching the screen, almost like ‘hovering’ over a UI element.

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Apple’s 2018 iPad internals are unsurprisingly similar to the 2017 model, as shown in this photograph of the internals (ready to use as an iPad wallpaper!).

The iFixit teardown report highlights that LCD display repairs are cheaper than Pro models because the screen is not laminated, but any aftermarket service is still difficult due to extensive use of adhesive to secure the internal parts.

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Backing up claims made by Bloomberg last week, Apple is once again reported to be working on microLED displays for future products, in a Digitimes article published today.

The report says the screens are destined for future high-end Apple Watch models and an augmented reality wearable device, measuring around 1.4 and 0.8 inches respectively.

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As promised, Apple has included a new section in Battery Settings to include information about Battery Health. Battery Health (Beta) is available in iOS 11.3 and later and displayed on all iPhone models since the iPhone 6. You can see the estimated battery capacity and the screen explains whether the battery can offer peak performance. iOS will now tell you in this screen if your device is being throttled due to a degraded battery.

When you update to iOS 11.3, the device will have performance management. The device will be throttled automatically when the system first experiences an unexpected shutdown. You can disable the slowdowns in the Battery Health screen if you want. Read everything about Battery Health after the jump …

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One of the features that Apple touted with iOS 11.3 was updates to music videos in the Music app, but was absent from earlier seeds. It has now started appearing for Apple Music customers (requires $9.99/mo subscription). Navigate to the new section by switching to the ‘Browse’ tab and selecting ‘Music Videos’.

Apple now curates playlists of music videos to watch like ‘Today’s Video Hits’, as well as featuring the latest new music videos and spotlights on particular artists.

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Logitech has now officially announced the Logitech Crayon stylus, with Apple Pencil technology for palm rejection, sub-pixel accuracy and tilt support.

It doesn’t seem to support pressure-sensitivity but it is dramatically cheaper. Apple Pencil retails for $99, while the Crayon will cost $49 when it launches this summer into education sales channels.

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KGI is starting off the rumor cycle for the Series 4 Apple Watch today, amidst the madness of the Apple event, with a new report indicating that the company will launch redesigned Apple Watch models in the fall.

The new models will have a larger display, enhanced health monitoring and longer battery life.

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At its education event, Apple has announced new versions of its iWork suite. Updates to Pages, Keynote and Numbers for iPad will bring rich integration with Apple Pencil.

Pages will also integrate book authoring features, as a replacement for the iBooks Author Mac app.

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In traditional fashion, the Apple Store is down ahead of Apple’s announcements at today’s event at Lane Tech High School in Chicago. The education-focused event is expected to feature a new entry-level iPad, as well as a raft of software announcements aimed at attracting schools to convert to Apple devices.

The event kicks off at 10 AM Central time. Apple won’t be live-streaming this time around, but we’ll be bringing liveblog coverage from the event so stay tuned.

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A nice overview on the state of Apple’s Worldwide Video division was published by the New York Times, including a recap of what we know and a few new tidbits. With 12 projects currently in the works, the paper says Apple is targeting a launch somewhere around the summer of next year, as soon as March 2019.

The original content group comprises about 40 staff spanning adult dramas, children’s TV, Latin America and European content.

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Apple has started some temporary construction works at the Lane Technical College Prep High School ahead of its education focused event on Tuesday, March 27. Apple appears to be setting up some kind of stage/demo area outside the main school buildings.

More photos after the break …

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One Bank of America analyst believes that the next major redesign of the iPhone following the drastic changes in the X model will be a new foldable form factor. Via CNBC, BoA Merrill Lynch report that Apple is working with suppliers to create a foldable phone, to launch in 2020.

Samsung has been teasing a foldable device for a while now, although at the moment it’s still vaporware. Foldable and flexible devices are definitely the future, it’s just not clear how soon that can become a reality.

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A new report from Digitimes citing supply chain sources indicates that Android phone makers are ‘rushing’ to implement fingerprint sensors under the display for upcoming handsets.

Android manufacturers have decided that recreating the 3D facial recognition used by iPhone X is simply too costly to include, and are instead focusing on implementing Qualcomm’s ultrasonic fingerprint scanners.

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Bloomberg has today published a report that adds some weight behind the rumor mill ahead of Apple’s spring education event on Tuesday. Mark Gurman writes that Apple will indeed announce a new version of Apple’s cheapest entry-level iPad.

New software for schools is also in the cards, but it seems like the rumored sub-$1000 MacBook will not be shown.

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Sharp is looking to secure future iPad screen orders, according to a new report from Digitimes. The display manufacturer is adjusting its production allocations away from LTPS panels towards OLED and IGZO production.

The company is angling to sign contracts with Apple to supply screens for new iPad models.

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Running from tomorrow until Sunday, global business leaders are converging in China to talk with local government about their relationship. This year, Apple CEO Tim Cook is a co-chair at the conference.

Relations with China are definitely more strained than usual at the moment. The US administration is currently threatening to impose significant tariffs on Chinese imports and technology. Apple is also embroiled in its own juggling act regarding differences in attitudes over privacy and freedoms of speech.

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Apple set expectations for the March 27 event with the invite: ‘creative new ideas for teachers and students’. It’s going to be themed and directed at education markets, no question.

But that doesn’t mean the event will be irrelevant to an average consumer outside of a school. Whilst software announcements will almost certainly focus on things like Apple Classroom, any new hardware revisions affect normal customers just as much as schools. Here’s what I’d like to see happen.

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The developers behind the upcoming mobile game for The Walking Dead, Our World, are using the iPhone X’s TrueDepth’s camera system as a motion capture tool for facial expressions for characters in the game. The developers record actors in front of the iPhone X, using a specially-built app to export the facial motion into their 3D character modelling apps.

Going beyond simple cartoon figures like Animoji, the developers feel the iPhone X sensors are good enough that they can use them to animate realistic face rigs of human characters.

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Sticking to the same as the previous giveaway, Apple has partnered with restaurant delivery apps to offer free delivery on meals ordered through Grubhub, Seamless and Eat24. Orders must be made through the website or the apps using promo code ‘HOOPS’ at checkout, and paid using Apple Pay of course. There are some strings attached though …

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