rumors

Apple continues testing multiple folding iPhone prototypes

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The foldable iPhone 12 Flip concept could someday be a reality.
Folding iPhone prototypes are being tested — possibly in a top-secret Apple lab under a dormant volcano on a mysterious island.
Photo: ConceptsiPhone

Work on a folding iPhone reportedly goes on. Apple is secretly testing “multiple prototypes that contain foldable displays,” according to a reliable tipster.

But the company is also watching closely to see if foldable phones will turn out to be a fad without staying power.

Redesigned AirPods Pro 2 will support high-quality lossless audio

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AirPods Pro bring Active Noise Cancellation with superior sound to the AirPods family.
The current AirPods Pro will stay around for a while, but a replacement is reportedly on the way with some interesting new features.
Photo: Apple

Apple will launch a second generation of AirPods Pro in the fall, according to an analyst who’s also a reliable tipster. The upgraded earbuds allegedly will offer better sound than the current version, via support for lossless audio. And there reportedly will be other changes, too, including a new design.

Long before the launch, AirPods of all kinds are shipping like crazy, thanks to Apple’s lowering the cost, according to the same analyst.

What to expect from Apple in 2018

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iPhone plus model next to iPhone X
Could we see a iPhone X Plus this year?
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

We’re only five days into the new year and I’m personally already itching to see what Apple has planned for this year.

While 2017 was a disappointment of a year in general, Apple released some brilliant products. But what better way to get excited about the year than rounding up all of the rumors for what to expect this year.

Apple ace reporter Mark Gurman is moving to Bloomberg

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Mark Gurman, of 9to5Mac, chats with a developer at the AltConf Journalist Pitch Lab in San Francisco, CA, June 3, 2014. Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac
Mark Gurman is Apple PR's worst nightmare.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

Few Apple bloggers can strike fear in the heart of Apple execs like 9to5Mac’s Mark Gurman, and starting next month the ace Apple reporter will be taking his scooping talents to Bloomberg.

Gurman has been one of the most prolific Apple reporters during his time at 9to5Mac. Despite being just 22 years-old, the scoop master has revealed some of Apple’s biggest products and software updates well in advance of their official unveilings.

Now with the full backing of the Bloomberg media machine, Gurman will be extending his reporting skills to cover other tech companies. According to a memo sent to staff by Bloomberg editor Brad Stone, Mark Gurman will now cover consumer products made by Apple as well as its rivals.

iPhone 7 might get battery boost, new leak suggests

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The next iPhone will have a huge battery.
The next iPhone will have a huge battery.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Leaked images from Apple’s supply chain in Asia have allegedly revealed the upcoming iPhone 7’s battery, and it looks like it will be slightly bigger than the one found in the iPhone 6s.

Photos of the batteries where published this morning on the Chinese micro-blogging site Weibo showing that the iPhone 7 will be upgraded to a 7.04Wh battery — a bump up from the iPhone 6s’ 6.61Wh battery — that will hopefully bring a few more hours a usage time to the new device.

New ultra-thin MacBooks rumored to arrive in June

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macbook air
The new MacBook Pro might be thinner than the MacBook Air.
Photo: Apple

Sad that Tim Cook didn’t unveil a sleek new MacBook Pro yesterday?

You’re not alone, but you won’t have to wait much longer to throw down some money on a new ultra-thin MacBook, according to the latest rumor from Asia.

‘Leaked’ iPhone SE packaging confirms 16GB storage and Apple Pay

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iPhone SE will be the star of Apple's March 21 keynote.
iPhone SE will be the star of Apple's March 21 keynote.
Photo: Martin Hajek

The official debut of the iPhone SE is just days away, but it appears that packaging for the new device has already been spotted in the wild, and it confirms some of the device’s new features.

A photo of what appears to be an iPhone SE box was posted on Weibo this morning. If the box is indeed the real deal, Apple’s new 4-inch device will definitely be called the iPhone SE, and it’ll be the first budget-sized iPhone to support Apple Pay.

Here’s a look at the packaging:

Tiny chip could give iPhone 7 Plus more storage than ever

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Sneeze and it's gone: iPhone 7 may be super-duper thin.
iPhone 7 Plus will pack tons of storage despite being super thin.
Photo: Yasser Farahi

The iPhone 7 Plus may boast more storage than any smartphone Apple’s ever created, if the company uses a tiny new chip by SanDisk that packs 256GB of flash storage.

Photos of the new chip destined for smartphones surfaced on an Italian tech blog comparing them to the old 64GB NAND flash chip SanDisk made for Apple in the past.

Check out how little the new chip is next to the old 64GB model:

Photos of alleged iPhone 7 dual-lens camera sensor leak

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Got a new iPhone? Set it up right.
iPhone 7 might have to cameras in the back
Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

The first images of what could be the iPhone 7’s dual-lens camera leaked online today, giving fans a possible sneak peek at the future of iPhotography.

Apple is rumored to be including a dual-lens camera sensor on at least the iPhone 7 Plus. If the leaked sensor shown below is the real deal, it appears that one lens will be wider than the other to provide optical zooming.

Check it out:

Apple’s new 4-inch iPhone, killer Netflix tips, the FBI fight, and more

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What's next? We've got some ideas.
What's next? We've got some ideas.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

If the rumor mill is correct, Apple’s releasing a new 4-inch iPhone, possibly dubbed the iPhone SE, at its upcoming keynote in March. What the heck will it look like, what are the specs, and how much will it cost?

We’ve got a look at all the possibilities in this week’s Cult of Mac Magazine, plus a look at why your iPhone battery will never last more than a day, Apple’s cryptic “loop you in” invite, a way to lock down your iPhone, and a ton of killer tips and product reviews to keep you informed.

All that, plus a bunch more, in this week’s issue. Here are the top stories for the week:

Apple event for iPhone SE, new iPad to take place March 21

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Apple takes second spot in list of UK's best employers
The keynote is right around the corner.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

It appears we know just about for sure the date of Apple’s upcoming press event, and it’s probably not what you expected. Apparently, the Apple event to unveil the 4-inch iPhone SE and new iPad will happen on Monday, March 21. The rumor floated around a bit Friday morning, but now we have a much more confident report coming from BuzzFeed.

iPhone 7 and 5se concept puts pink spin on Apple’s 2016 lineup

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Is this what the 2016 iPhone lineup will look like?
Is this what the 2016 iPhone lineup will look like?
Photo: Curved

The iPhone 5se could be the pinkest iPhone Apple’s ever made if you believe the rumors, but what if it came the body like an iPhone 6 instead of a 5s?

In a new concept of Apple’s 2016 iPhone lineup, the folks at Curved have put a pink spin on the iPhone 5se that’s expected to be unveiled on March 15th. They also created concepts of the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus that add rumored features like a dual lens camera on the 7 Plus and a simpler frame with fewer antennas and no headphone jack.

Take a closer look:

iPhone 7 may boast extra protection from electromagnetic interference

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Apple chips are getting EMI shielding.
Apple chips are getting EMI shielding.
Photo: Apple

Apple is allegedly planning to beef up the iPhone 7’s shielding against electromagnetic interference this year with new protections for all of the device’s major chips.

The iPhone 7 may not be able to survive a devastating EMP attack — like the one presidential candidate Ted Cruz has been really worried about lately — but it should lead to better performance, according to a report out of South Korea claiming Apple has already hired StatsChipPac and Amkor to do the shielding.

CBS says Apple TV talks didn’t go anywhere

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Apple TV might get exclusive TV shows.
Apple oddly hasn't reached out in a while.
Photo: Apple/YouTube

CBS CEO Les Moonves had plenty to say about the Apple TV last year, but this year for some reason he said that CBS hasn’t been talking with Apple very much at all. Apparently the two companies used to talk pretty frequently about bringing CBS to Apple TV’s rumored streaming television service, but negotiations haven’t gotten anywhere yet.

“We had conversations awhile back, and we haven’t had recent conversations with them,” Moonves said to CNNMoney.

Apple’s iPhone 5se allegedly pictured on camera next to the iPhone 5

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The iPhone 5 on the left, the iPhone 5se on the right.
The iPhone 5 on the left, the iPhone 5se on the right.
Photo: Onemorething.nl

Just a couple days ago, we heard some of the strongest evidence yet that Apple would soon release a new 4-inch iPhone, supposedly called the iPhone 5se. Now we’ve got a shot of what it allegedly looks like in direct comparison  to the iPhone 5. And surprise! The supposed iPhone 5se is plenty sexy.

iPhone 7 will be waterproof, charge wirelessly and have no headphone jack

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iPhone-7-concept
An iPhone 7 concept gets rid of the ugly antenna lines too.
Photo: Eric Huismann

The upcoming iPhone 7 is almost certainly ditching the headphone jack at this point. What at first seemed like a ridiculous stretch is now shaping up to be the most credible rumor about the next-gen iPhone so far.

The latest whispers indicate that, while the headphone jack is out, wireless charging and a waterproof design are finally in.

Apple might cut iPhone 6s production by up to 30% this quarter

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iphone-6s-rose-gold
Is iPhone growth starting to stall?
Photo: Apple

Apple will be allegedly reducing orders of the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus to suppliers by as much as 30 percent this quarter. iPhone 6s and 6s Plus sales are apparently considerably less than that of the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus in the year-ago quarter. If this is true, it seems that Apple has been making too much supply for simply not enough demand.

iPhone 7 may use same touchscreen tech as original iPhone

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Old school iPhone tech is making a comeback.
Old school iPhone tech is making a comeback.
Photo: Gordon Mei/Flickr

The iPhone 6s and 6s Plus haven’t even been revealed yet, but the rumor mill is already spitting out new details about next year’s iPhone 7, which could boast a big display upgrade.

Apple is supposedly considering moving back to the same touchscreen technology it used in the original iPhone, according to a new rumor citing supply chain sources, saying Apple has requested samples of glass-on-glass (G/G) displays for consideration.

Take a closer look at iPhone 6s Force Touch display

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IPhone 6s parts are leaking like crazy.
IPhone 6s parts are leaking like crazy.
Photo: Cult of Mac

The iPhone 6s keynote might be less than two week away, but we’ve already seen a bunch parts leak out of upcoming smartphone. A source provided Cult of Mac with the images above of an iPhone 6s screen assembly. The new assembly is slightly thicker than the iPhone 6 screen assembly, which is in line with previous rumors that the new device won’t have the same width as the iPhone 6.

We haven’t been able to take a closer look at the screen assembly, but another leak this morning takes a closer look at a mysterious new chip on the iPhone display that appears to confirm Force Touch is coming.

iPad Air 3 could be a no-show at Apple event

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iPad Mini 4 upgrades won't suck.
iPad Mini 4 upgrades won't suck.
Photo: Apple

Apple is expected to unveil its new lineup of iPads at a keynote event in early September, but according to a recent rumor mill, the iPad Air 3 might not make an appearance on stage.

Chinese-based tablet supply chain makers have supposedly received decreasing orders because Apple plans to be more conservative with its tablet product line, claims DigiTimes sources who say a replacement for the iPad Air 2 isn’t in the works yet.

Apple reportedly presses pause on its TV service

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AppleTV_TV-Movies-PRINT
Complications with the TV networks might push back Apple's live TV service announcement.
Photo: Apple

Originally slated for announcement during Apple’s alleged September 9 event, the rumored live TV service launch is now being pushed back to 2016. It turns out those stubborn TV networks are foiling Apple’s plans to deliver sooner. Fortunately, the new Apple TV hardware should still get a proper unveiling next month.