Taking a look back at this week’s news and headlines from Apple, including the new iPhone 16 design, MacBook Air released, the power of Apple Silicon M3, the M2 MacBook Air deal, Epic fights Apple’s App Store rules, and Apple’s Oscars hopes…
Apple Loop is here to remind you of a few of the many discussions around Apple in the last seven days. You can also read my weekly digest of Android news here on Forbes.
iPhone 16’s Apple Vision Camera
Details on the next iPhone design have leaked, with new CAD plans for the iPhone 16 revealed by online tipster Majin Bu. The new camera lens placement is critical to Apple’s ecosystem. With the Apple Vision Pro in mind, the new camera design will accommodate the spatial video recording experience.
"This latest image only shows one angle of the iPhone 16, but it gives us a good look at the new camera bump design. It's no longer a square that can fit diagonal cameras, but an iPhone X-like vertically-aligned pill that'll nearly fit the two expected camera lenses, with what we assume to be the flash module kicked out to the main back panel."
(Tom’s Guide).
Apple CEO Tim Cook arrives at the New York Apple Store (Photo by ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images)
The Surprising New MacBook Air
Catching many commentators by surprise, Apple announced the first M3-powered MacBook Air early this week. UNliek the M2 family, both the 13-inch and 15-inch models were revealed at the same time, with a short pre-order window before going on wide retail release this weekend:
"The MacBook Air 13-inch and 15-inch models have now been updated to include the latest M3 processor, adding speed and power without adding a cent to the price. That means from $1,099 for the 13-incher, while the 15-inch Air starts at $1,299… $500 cheaper for the 13-inch model compared to the [M3 MacBook] Pro, or $300 less for the Air with a bigger screen than the 14-inch Pro."
(Forbes).
The Value Of The MacBook Air M2
Introducing the M3 MacBook Air pushes the older Ais down the portfolio. While the M1 MacBook Air finally falls away, never to be seen as a brand new product in the Apple Store ever again, the M2 Air moves to the entry-level price point:
"This means the M2 MacBook Air can move down the portfolio and pick up the totemic $999 price for the first time. Apple. Thanks to its iterative upgrade approach, the differences between the M2 and M3 Air laptops are few and far between; you have the same memory and storage options and no issues around software compatibility between the two models."
(Forbes).
MacBook Air First Reviews
Apple’s iterative approach means that the changes between the M2 and M3 Air laptops are in the chipset change rather than any design choices—there’s very little external difference. Forbes’ David Phelan has an early review of the hardware, and while the M3 is impressive, it shouldn’t be seen as a dealbreaker:
"This is Apple’s best Air by far, offering stunningly fast performance and excellent design, all at a decent price. In fact, the only quandary might be whether you need the new M3 Air or could settle for the M2 model, which is $100 (£100 U.K.) cheaper. That’s only available in a 13-inch size, please note. The truth is the M2 processor is plenty fast, easily enough to satisfy most users."
(Forbes).
Don’t Stay Away From Your Apple Home Too Long
One of the big changes in iOS 17.4, released this week, is Apple’s implementation of a more open App Store to comply with the European Unions Digital Markets Act. Apple is restricting the changes to those living in the European Union, relying on geolocation as part of the permission checks… which means any EU citizens travelling need to be aware they could lose access to the store if they stay away from home for too long:
“If you leave the European Union for short-term travel, you'll continue to have access to alternative app marketplaces for a grace period. If you're gone for too long, you'll lose access to some features, including installing new alternative app marketplaces. Apps you installed from alternative app marketplaces will continue to function, but they can't be updated by the marketplace you downloaded them from.”
(Apple Support via Forbes).
The Epic App Store Story Continues
As part of the Digital Markets App, Apple has implemented a system allowing EU iPhone owners to access third-party App Stores. Naturally, Epic Games has been looking to benefit from this option, but with Apple cancelling its Developer Account, this may not be as straightforward as the legislation intended:
"Apple on Wednesday announced the termination of Epic Games Sweden's developer account on a global scale, citing the game developer's recurrent untrustworthy actions. Apple said courts had previously granted Apple the authority to end the accounts of any of Epic's subsidiaries due to contractual infractions...
"Epic condemned Apple's decision as a violation of competitive principles, interpreting it as evidence of Apple's unwillingness to allow legitimate competition on its platform. The company claimed Apple's action was an attempt to eliminate a major potential rival to the App Store."
The sun rises, the tides come in, and Apple vs Epic will continue to run and run...
(MacRumors).
And Finally...
With ten nominations at this weekend’s Oscars, Apple’s three “big ticket” Hollywood films are looking to gather critical acclaim. With a combined budget of at least $700 million and box office receipts of $446 million, a gold statue or two might help support the investment:
"Apple isn’t complaining, at least not about “Killers” or “Napoleon.” A studio source says both films are profitable, buoyed by ancillary revenue streams. Both ranked among the 10 highest-grossing films of the past year on the Apple app store, with “Killers” holding the top spot for four weeks. It’s too early to tell how “Napoleon” is faring on Apple TV+ — it debuted March 1 — but “Killers” is off to a strong start as the most-viewed film on the platform over its first 45 days of release, driving new subscriptions in the process."
(Variety).
Apple Loop brings you seven days worth of highlights every weekend here on Forbes. Don’t forget to follow me so you don’t miss any coverage in the future. Last week’s Apple Loop can be read here, or this week’s edition of Loop’s sister column, Android Circuit, is also available on Forbes.
