Digitimes

Low-end AirPods rumor gains traction yet remains ‘lite’ on credible details

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They AirPods Pro fit in their case like nothing ever happened.
These AirPods Pro are full-strength.
Photo: Charlie Sorrel/Cult of Mac

Tossed into the swirl of rumors and reports about coronavirus and its impact on Apple production is an alleged new entry to the AirPods lineup called “AirPods Pro Lite.”

The quotes bookending the product name are because no one is sure what to make of what is essentially a rumor first reported by a Chinese website with a mixed record for accuracy.

In the last few days, reports have surfaced in DigiTimes of a second “lite” version supplier, giving further credence to the various reports.

Trick or treat? 16-inch MacBooks could arrive before Halloween

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16-inch MacBook Pro concept
A 16-inch MacBook Pro, which might look something like this, could be arrive soon.
Concept Art: Viktor Kádár

The 16-inch MacBook Pro has reportedly begun shipping in volume, indicating the much-anticipated Apple laptop could arrive later this month

October has just 10 days remaining and rumors about a 16-MacBook have kept us guessing for most of this year. Some reports said to expect an October announcement. Others said it would be delayed until 2020.

10.2-inch iPad may launch as soon as September

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iPad
New iPads are on the way.
Photo: Apple

iPad lovers may not have to wait much longer for the next big update to Apple’s most affordable tablet.

According to a new report out of Asia, Apple’s new 10.2-inch iPad — the expected successor to the current 9.7-inch iPad — could launch as soon as the end of September.

‘iPhone Edition’ may get Apple Watch-like steel band

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iPhone 8 concept
Same size as the iPhone 7, but with a bigger screen.
Photo: Martin Hajek

The iPhone 8 may take some design cues from the Apple Watch, if the latest rumor out of Asia turns out to be true.

Apple will supposedly use an improved version of the Apple Watch’s stainless steel as the frame for the new iPhone 8. Glass in the front and the back will sandwich the stainless steel plate on the iPhone 8 but, according to the report, it won’t have a curved screen.

MacBook Air might not be scrapped after all

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Adding an OLED touchpad could make the MacBook Pro even more magical.
The MacBook Pro might not be the only laptop Apple updates this year.
Photo: Martin Hajek

The death of the MacBook Air has seemed pretty much inevitable ever since the introduction of Apple’s super-thin retina MacBook last year, but it appears that Apple may have at least one more update in the pipeline.

Apple is supposedly planning to release a new MacBook Air with USB-C, according to the latest rumor out of Asia, though no timeframe has been given on the launch date.

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.

Crazy rumor claims Apple’s 12-inch iPad will run iOS and OS X

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How OS X may look on an iPad. Mockup: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac
How OS X may look on an iPad. Mockup: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

Having the ability to switch from iOS to OS X on your iPad when you need to get real work done sounds like an awesome idea, but Apple’s full desktop operating system isn’t designed to be used with a touchscreen. That’s why a new rumor that claims the upcoming 12-inch iPad will run both platforms is just downright crazy.

iPhone 6’s big roar scares off smaller smartphone makers

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lion
Consumers are so excited about the iPhone 6 we wish Apple would Mufasa.

Someone looking for a meme worthy video could do worse than overlaying the soundtrack of a Savannah wildlife documentary with footage of tech companies vying for users to buy their next big smartphone.

Just like a lion feeds first, while the scavengers hang around and wait for scraps of spare meat to show up, so a new report from Digitimes claims non-Apple smartphone vendors looking to release high-end models in the second half of 2014 are getting increasingly worried that there aren’t going to be enough component supplies available. The reason? Component makers are all working on the iPhone 6.

And that’s just the start of it.

Production Challenges Slowing Down iWatch Release [Rumor]

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A third-party concept design for the iWatch might look.
A third-party concept design for how the iWatch might look.

DigiTimes is reporting that Apple is experiencing difficulties in its long-rumored iWatch development — meaning that the (as yet unannounced) consumer launch may slip back further during 2014.

The not-always-reliable news site cites sources from the upstream supply chain, who report that the iWatch production slowdown is the result of the device’s body design. Apple is “reportedly seeing less than 50% yield rates due to difficulties applying surface treatments on their metal injection molded (MIM) chassis.”

Larger iPads and iPhones Coming In 2014 [Rumor]

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iphone_2_retina_ipad_maxi-600x300

Call it a stocking filler if you want, but Digitimes has one last (?) rumor to take us out of 2013: that Apple is planning to release a 12.9-inch tablet in October 2014, aimed at the North American educational market.

The rumors allegedly come from “sources from the upstream supply chain”.

Samsung To Adopt 64-Bit Chips & 16MP Cameras For Next Year’s Flagships [Rumor]

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post-253549-image-41730cf88ba3527a86737685bf119ff1-jpg

Apple’s iPhone 5s became the world’s first smartphone with a 64-bit processor when it launched this September, but as you might expect, it’ll have plenty of competitors next year. Unsurprisingly, some of those will come from Samsung, which is already planning 64-bit chips and 16-megapixel cameras for its 2014 flagships, according to industry sources.

New iPad To Launch This September, But New iPad Mini Could Be Delayed [Rumor]

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Tim-Cook-new-iPad

Apple is gearing up to launch its fifth-generation iPad this September, according to sources in its supply chain. The device is expected to offer a new form factor much like the iPad mini’s, as well as some backlighting modifications and better battery life.

We may have to wait a little longer for the second-generation iPad mini, however. The sources claim Apple is still deciding whether to bring a Retina display to the 7.85-inch device, and if it does, the launch could be delayed until “the end of the fourth quarter.”

Android Makers (And Even The 10-Inch iPad) Are Killing Themselves Trying To Compete With iPad Mini

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design

Although it’s been less than a year since it’s debut, and though it was widely criticized at its debut for a beefy $329 price tag and a low-resolution display, the iPad mini has quickly become the one 7-inch tablet to rule them all.

A new supplier report out of Asia puts the iPad mini’s triumph into sharp relief. Not only is the iPad mini pretty much the only 7-inch tablet that isn’t running headfirst down a profitability cliff in a race to crater at the bottom, it’s actually putting iPad sales to the knife.

Apple To Launch 4K Ultra HD TV With Voice & Motion Control In Early 2014 [Rumor]

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A 4K Ultra HD TV from Samsung.
A 4K Ultra HD TV from Samsung.

Apple is gearing up to send its much-anticipated “iTV” into mass production during the second half of this year, according to sources in the Cupertino company’s supply chain, who have been speaking to DigiTimes. The set will reportedly boast a 4K “Ultra HD” display with a 3840×2160 resolution, and it’ll be controlled by voice and motion.

Apple Prepping Two New 4-inch iPhones For 2013, But What About The Math? [Rumor]

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iphone-5

Over the weekend, a rumor from overseas claimed that Apple will announce a 4.8-inch iPhone “Math” alongside a 4-inch iPhone 5S. But it didn’t stop there; the same sources also said that a third iPhone model with a 12-megapixel camera is set to debut “before Christmas” this year. Sounds farfetched, to say the least.

What seems like a good bet for Apple’s 2013 iPhone plans is the prospect of a less expensive model geared towards emerging markets like China. According to a new rumor today, Apple is readying two 4-inch iPhones for 2013 with in-cell display technology. But what about the iPhone Math?