Updated June 8 with details about Siri’s advanced AI features.
A glance back at this week’s Apple news and headlines, including the most recent iPhone 16 Pro leaks, the iPad Pro’s privacy hardware, Apple’s delayed AI adoption, the shortage of hardware at WWDC, Apple’s hidden hardware, Android ruining Apple’s security promise, and the return of the “I’m A Mac” man.
Apple Loop reminds you of a few of the many discussions surrounding Apple over the past seven days. You also can read my weekly roundup of Android news here on Forbes.
Customers take a look at an Apple iPad Pro M4 (Photographer: Michael Nagle/Bloomberg)
Hidden function of the iPad Pro
There’s a brand new feature hidden within the iPad Pro that revolves around user privacy. Apple devices, like many others within the industry, indicate whether a microphone or camera is lively. Without much fanfare, Apple designed this feature to be hardware-based somewhat than software-based, as Guilherme Rambo explains:
“Interesting fact about the M4 iPad Pro: It is the first device to support and utilize Apple’s new Secure Indicator Light (SIL) mechanism. When using the microphone or camera, the corresponding indicator point is effectively presented in hardware (via the display), making it much less likely that malware or user space apps can access these sensors without the user’s knowledge.”
(mastodonvia Forbes).
iPhone 16 Pro: Display size leaked
Apple will increase the perceived screen size of the iPhone 16 Pro. The latest leaks in regards to the design of the upcoming iOS smartphone show that the bezels across the screen will likely be reduced. This is something Apple has been trying to attain for a while:
“[Border Reduction Structure technology] was most recently rumored because Apple was saying that this technology was causing issues in terms of yield. This is because… BRS affects the design: “Wiring and circuitry near the sting of the panel should be bent downward to attain this. This has reportedly caused some manufacturing issues through the production ramp.”
(Forbes).
Apple’s limited AI rollout
The push towards AI by Google and its Android partners has prompted Apple to make the role of AI in iOS more visible than its current uses in Siri, typing and image processing. These changes will likely be unveiled at WWDC next week, however the high demands on iPhone specs mean that not every handset will profit. While iOS 18 is predicted to run on devices all the best way back to the iPhone XR, you will likely need an iPhone 15 Pro to run AI at worst:
“While it’s not entirely clear which hardware factor is the most important requirement for Apple’s on-device AI, it’s worth noting that (unsupported) standard models of the iPhone 15 have 6GB of RAM, while the supported Pro models have 8GB of RAM. Likewise, all Apple Silicon iPads and Macs come with at least 8GB. Even when scaled down for narrow use cases, LLMs require a lot of memory due to the sheer number of parameters involved. So this is where Apple may run into the hardware limitations of its own devices.”
(MacRumors).
No recent hardware at WWDC
It can have been true in years past, but Apple is not expected to unveil any recent hardware at WWDC next week. While some product lines need a mid-cycle refresh (most notably the shortage of M4-powered Macs), Tim Cook and his team will likely concentrate on the long run of AI somewhat than the long run of store shelves:
“WWDC is not intended to be a time for hardware announcements unless Apple unexpectedly unveils a new device that launches later (to be clear: I don’t expect that),” Gurman said in his Power On newsletter today. Notably, Gurman now says a brand new Apple TV model is “not imminent,” despite previously reporting that Apple was aiming to release a brand new Apple TV in the primary half of 2024. The current Apple TV was unveiled in October 2022.”
Siri’s improved AI
Updated on June 8: One of the major focuses of AI will likely be Apple’s long-standing digital assistant Siri. Marko Zivkovic of Apple Insider explains which Siri features in iOS will receive AI support. The core idea is that Siri will process requests in natural language somewhat than formal and strictly defined commands:
“Instead of just containing direct commands like ‘Show me pictures of my cat,’ the company’s test prompts mention that the user wants to create a blog or, in some cases, that they are feeling lazy/nostalgic. In this way, Apple wants to accustom its AI to natural language, speech patterns, sentence structures, and types of instructions that Siri is likely to receive from end users – some of whom may not be as familiar with the new technology.”
Hidden hardware in your recent iPad and Mac
Apple has included support for the IEEE 802.15.4 radio feature, essentially the radio channels utilized by the license-free Matter standard for smart home communications. Apple hasn’t mentioned its support, however the hardware is there and will be turned on when the time (and presumably the software) is correct:
“Although the company does not list Thread in the specifications of these products, FCC reports indicate that many of Apple’s latest devices have been tested for compliance with Thread radios. Generally, you don’t test a radio that isn’t there.”
(The edge).
The iPhone is inferior to Android by way of security promise
Unlike Android manufacturers, who state upfront what number of years a brand new phone will receive software updates and security patches, Apple is a little more reserved about its support period. Following the introduction of the Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure Act within the UK, manufacturers of internet-connected devices must provide declarations of conformity that include software support periods:
“Because iPhones are internet-connected products, Apple must comply with the UK PSTI regulation. The company recently published its declaration of conformity for the iPhone 15 Pro Max, stating that the “defined support period” is “not less than five years from the primary delivery date.” The “first delivery date” is specified as September 22, 2023, which is when the iPhone 15 series went on sale.”
And finally…
Apple’s “I’m A Mac” actor from the classic American campaign was hired by Qualcomm to advertise the brand new Snapdragon X Elite chipset, drawing a direct link between Apple’s past innovations and current Windows innovations.
“During Qualcomm’s Computex 2024 keynote today, Long appeared in a short 30-second skit where he was bombarded by macOS notifications and nag screens, prompting him to look for a Snapdragon PC instead… “Things change,” Long jokes to the camera after looking for a Windows on Arm PC following the pop-up notifications in macOS. The pop-ups include warnings about app compatibility, low storage, battery, and more.”
(The edge).
Apple Loop brings you the highlights every weekend for seven days here on Forbes. Don’t forget to follow me so you do not miss any future coverage. You can read last week’s Apple Loop here, or this week’s edition of Loop’s sister column, Android Circuit, can also be available on Forbes.
