Apple & Tech

It is so slow to recharge an Apple Magic Mouse. Considering how we need to connect this thing for a recharge, Apple should have made it much quicker to recharge. 😒

Wow, I spent 10 minutes searching for “how to save an email into a .EML file on the iPad”. It’s not in the action menu. The only way is to do a “drag & drop” of the mail into Files.app (or any app that understands this file format, for that matter). Who knew it could be that hard to discover such a simple thing. It should really be in the action menu too.

Apple every second. Mind blown. Source.

9to5Mac reporting about a short Financial Times article on a silent war between Apple and Google:

Former Apple engineers say that Apple still holds a grudge over how Android allegedly copied iOS, and is steadily working to remove Google from the iPhone. Source: Apple is engaged in a ‘silent war’ against Google, claim engineers | AppleInsider

If there is something that I’d like to see Apple do: Apple (oops, Siri) Search for the web. No user tracking, no ads, full integration within Apple’s ecosystem. Imagine the possibilities.

More details are emerging about the rumoured Apple’s headset… and this is troubling…

Using the headset will “feel familiar to Apple users,” with an interface that is close to identical to the look of an ‌iPhone‌ or an ‌iPad‌. There will be a Home screen with app icons that can be rearranged, as well as customizable widgets. Source: Apple’s Mixed Reality Headset to Feature iOS-Like Interface, Advanced Hand Tracking, and Will Work as Second Display for Mac - MacRumors

Oh boy… I would expect a brand-new metaphor for the brand-new form factor. Otherwise, by using a familiar interface, it’s as if Apple is locked into their own creation.

Likely to be named “Reality Pro,” the headset will be able to switch between augmented reality and virtual reality. Augmented reality will overlay virtual objects on the real world, while virtual reality is an entirely virtual environment that shuts out the wearer’s surroundings. Augmented reality functions will work through a pass-through mode that will use the exterior cameras on the headset, and swapping between AR and VR will be done with a Digital Crown-like control knob.

“Reality Pro”!!!?? Someone must be kidding about that one, right? What an awful name! What about “viewPod”? Or something less “Macintosh Performa 620”-type of thing, please.

For those who wear glasses, Apple will provide custom lenses that are able to sit within the enclosure, and Apple is expecting users to wear AirPods to get an audio experience on par with the visual experience that the headset provides, though it will have built-in speakers.

I do.

As previously rumored, the headset will have an external battery pack to prevent it from overheating on a user’s face due to the high-end Mac chips used for the device. The battery is approximately the size of two iPhone 14 Pro Max models stacked on top of one another, and it will power the headset for around two hours. An external battery will allow users to swap one battery and charge another to use the device for a longer period of time.

No. Just no. It’s a proof of concept sold to consumers.

For 2023, Apple is reportedly working on a larger 15-inch MacBook Air to join its Mac lineup. The new MacBook Air will feature the upcoming M3 chip, according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman. The 15-inch MacBook Air is expected to feature the same design as the current 13.6-inch model but with a larger display and longer battery life thanks to the efficiency of the M3 chip and the inclusion of a larger battery. Source: What’s Next for the Mac: M3 iMac, 15-Inch MacBook Air, Mac Pro, and More - MacRumors

The possible 15-inch MacBook Air makes a lot of sense from a product line perspective (non pro machine with high portability but a larger screen). Where I disagree with Gurman is the possibility of the device getting an M3 chip. This is way too early. The rest of the product line is still on the just-released M2. When the Mac Pro finally makes the switch, then the M3 is a higher probability. In other words, I expect to see the 15-inch MacBook Air to get the same M2 chip as the current but smaller ones.

The new HomePod, as well as the mini, can measure room temperature and humidity. I don’t want to sound cynical but, what a clever way for Apple to trigger more HomePod sales. I want temperature and humidity readings in all my house!

The new chips are yet another example of Apple’s chip division being so far ahead of the rest of the company. The reason iPad suffers is not that it isn’t good; it is because it is too good, and very few applications take advantage of its hardware to the maximum. Source: Apple launches new (M2) chips – On my Om

As an owner of an M1 Mac mini, I’m pretty much sure that none of the software I depend on would take advantage of the M2 or M2 Pro. Lightroom? Nope. Screenflow? Nope. Teams? Nope. What else? The same goes for my aging 2018 iPad Pro.

Is there such a thing as a local version of ChatGPT?

I won’t upgrade my original HomePod pair but I thank Apple for bringing new features to a product that I thought was done. I’m happy to learn that release 16.3 will enable dormant sensors of the HomePod mini.

“With the popularity of HomePod mini, we’ve seen growing interest in even more powerful acoustics achievable in a larger HomePod. We’re thrilled to bring the next generation of HomePod to customers around the world.” Source: Apple introduces the new HomePod with breakthrough sound and intelligence - Apple

What?? Am I dreaming? It really seems to be the same device from the exterior. Still expansive. Still wireless only. Old Bluetooth (5.0).

One of the nice surprises about this morning’s announcements is the addition of two more USB-C ports to the Mac mini and the addition of a configuration with M2 Pro in a small package like the mini. This narrows the gap between a Mac Studio and a Mac mini. Oh, and up to three monitors are supported!

An M1 Mac mini owner. 🤔

I kind of forgot in my previous post to include the link to my Apple Rumours Hub that I maintain (using Craft). It’s not only about tomorrow’s product releases but everything Apple is working on. Enjoy.

Krugman said that Musk’s behaviour had shown that he’s nothing like Apple cofounder and former CEO Steve Jobs – who was famed for his high level of discipline and focus on Apple’s products.

And

“I don’t think even if Musk had been as disciplined as Steve Jobs was, that Tesla was ever going to be a sustained profit machine the way that Apple has been,” he added. “It’s just — it’s not his fault. It’s just not that kind of industry.”

And

“But then, you know, I don’t know anyone who’s done as much to hurt his image of cool in as short a time as Musk has done.” Source: Paul Krugman says Elon Musk’s Tesla can never be a ‘profit machine’ like Apple, because there’s no scope for that in the car industry

Comparing Musk to Jobs is tempting, but Musk a so few traits of Steve. Jobs didn’t hurt Apple’s brand when he was at Pixar. Musk, at Twitter is hurting Twitter… and Tesla. Poor guy.

So, Apple is rumoured to release new products through press releases tomorrow. I don’t expect exciting news (M2 MacBook Pro — specs bump). In fact, besides the iPhone 15 Ultra, I think 2023 could be the most boring year in a long time. Since Apple is known to be working its product lines many years in advance, does this reflect the COVID era, where it was hard for Apple to keep the momentum while everyone was enduring the pandemic from 2020 to 2022? Are we paying the COVID price?

Arstechnica’s Jackqui Cheng:

“One way to look at the MacBook Air is as the largest and most capable iPod in Apple’s line—think of it as an iPod touch Extreme with a built-in keyboard.” “I found the Air’s size and weight to be nothing less than absolutely delightful.” “Despite all of the Air’s (sometimes glaring) flaws, I plan to keep it and use it as my notebook from here on out (maybe with a hard drive upgrade in the near future, and definitely with a battery upgrade when they become available).” Source: MacBook Air: The past, the present, and the future

The M1 MacBook Air is, I think, the culmination of the original Air design with a definitive fix for performance and battery life. I’m grateful for owning one.

There are a lot of rumours surrounding the upcoming Apple headset. I call them noise at best. I’m afraid Apple is losing focus on other areas, which would require much more attention to benefit this project. Maybe I’ll eat my words when this thing finally comes out. Maybe I’ll say “OMG, now I understand what the fuss it was all about”. In the meantime, this conclusion from John Gruber is pretty much in line with my view: what is the point?

This headset project is very much real and, I believe, very much shipping this year. But the fundamental question remains: What’s the point? Think back to Steve Jobs’s presentation announcing the original iPad — the nut of the whole keynote was Jobs explaining where the iPad might fit between an iPhone and MacBook. If it didn’t serve some tasks not just a little but a lot better than either an iPhone or Mac, there was no point to the iPad. The same is true for this headset. And if it costs $3,000 and/or requires a tethered battery strapped around your waist, the “this better be an awesome experience” bar is raised even higher. Source: Daring Fireball: Knee-Jerk Reactions and Thoughts Regarding The Information’s Latest Report on Apple’s Upcoming Headset

Disclaimer: I’ll never buy such a thing. We’re already too much sucked into tech, I won’t accept putting a headset on my face and pretending that this is cool. It is not.

As we can see, while there are definite improvements in Windows 11’s design consistency, they are somewhat superficial (but still more thorough than those that were introduced with Windows 10), and there still is plenty of room for improvement. However, compared to Windows 10, at least most of the “casual” UI is somewhat consistent.

In 2023 Windows 11 will reportedly get 3 of the new “moment” updates, which are supposed to bring in new features and UI fixes. Not only that, but Microsoft is thought to be working on decoupling the UI elements from the rest of the OS even further, so we should probably see more improvements more quickly. Source: State of the Windows: How many layers of UI inconsistencies are in Windows 11? – NTDEV

The conclusion of this excellent article about Windows 11 UI design inconsistencies is a bit off compared to the rest of the article. You really have to have a look for yourself. Windows, as it is shipping today, contains a plethora of previous-generation UI design languages, all packed together. When I look at macOS, I fail to find any similar example. Now, my question: why can Apple change everything in the UI (like when they introduced macOS BigSur) and not keep old UI designs? What is Apple doing differently? Is macOS easier to maintain than Windows? Or is it because Microsoft simply doesn’t care enough?

And the Mac and the iPad continue to move closer together… Source: Gurman: Apple working on touchscreen Macs – Six Colors

Jason Snell reacting to an article on Bloomberg about a possible new development for the Mac in 2025: touchscreen. I’m unfazed about this rumour at all. Touching the screen will probably represent 10%-20% of user interaction use cases, while the touchpad or the mouse will grab the rest.

There is one thing that I wonder if it would be possible: can you imagine the macOS UI reacting to the finger coming closer to the screen without actually touching it, something along the lines of the hover gesture with the latest iPad and the Apple Pencil? That could be interesting to watch. Apple will need to increase the size of UI elements, right now, many things are way too small to interact with the fingers. So yeah, the Mac is getting closer to the iPad.

One last thing: I would have thought that Apple would start with the iMac instead of a MacBook Pro, though. The bigger screen and the lack of a touchpad on the iMac would make the touchscreen a helpful option.

A pivotal year for AR/VR? Hu.ma.ne are set to announce their thing this year. Apple is reportedly set to announce their AR/VR headset this year. Other than that, it is expected to be a quiet year for Apple, helping to set the stage for a focus on the headset. BYW, the updated Mac Pro, a niche product, won’t make much noise in the grand scheme of things. What else will bring noise on the line? The iPhone 15 switching to USB-C? Then what? Nothing that I can think of.

Why is it so slow to read content in Apple News in general? Opening an article in News takes 2 to 3 times longer to render than its equivalent through the RSS feed in News Explorer (my RSS reader). Another case for RSS feeds.