Apple's Multibillion Dollar Deal

More components will now be made in the United States

Good morning! ā˜€ļø *Tim Cook voice*

More big iOS 17 features revealed, Apple is becoming more USA-made, Netflix is losing it, iOS 16.6, and more.

Estimated reading time: 3.7 minutes

šŸ“Š Poll

Last week, I asked if youā€™ve ever used a VR headset..

Honestly surprised so many have NOT used a VR headset!

Here were some of my favorite replies:

ā€œOculus 2. I can only wear it for 30 minutes or I start to develop a headache. The device sits & collects dust. Even my teenage kids ignore the Oculus like it's a parent.ā€ Headaches/Nausea seem to be the most common problems. Iā€™d imagine thatā€™s something Apple is aiming to prevent.

ā€œVery cool technology & immersive experiences, but the ā€œwowā€ factor wore off quickly and Iā€™ve barely touched my headset in the past 3 years. Itā€™ll be tough for any company to sell such an expensive product when itā€™s hard to get a lot of practical use out of it.ā€ I agree, and I think Apple is going to have to focus on the practical/daily use aspect in order to sell this headset at scale. Gaming isnā€™t enough.

ā€œI used one for medical purposes. Was used as an aid in physical therapyā€œ Wow, I did not even know this was a thing. I bet Apple taps into this market as well.

ā€œI use my oculus quest 2 everyday. I play modded beat saber, itā€™s a really good workout!ā€ I love Beat Saber!

This week: For your next iPhone, how much storage will you need? And why?

How Much iPhone Storage Do You Need?

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šŸšØ iOS 17 Has Some Surprises

While we were never expecting much from iOS 17, Mark Gurman just dropped some big news that finally gets me excited for the next big update! Hereā€™s what he said to expect:

Smart Display

  • A locked iPhone in landscape mode will display information such as calendar appointments, the weather, and notifications

  • This is for always-on display devices

  • Will be reminiscent of smart home-displays

Journaling App & Mood Tracking

  • New default Journaling app is coming

  • It will analyze what each user's typical day is like, and could integrate with a mood tracking feature that Apple also has planned for iOS 17

  • The emotion tracking app will let users keep track of their mood, answer questions about their day, and view the results over time

AirPlay, SharePlay, Wallet, Find My

  • Apple is working with hotels to ā€œmake it easier for users to beam video and audio to devices they donā€™t ownā€ via AirPlay

  • SharePlay is a total flop feature imo, but Gurman says itā€™ll get improved with iOS 17

  • Wallet will apparently get a ā€œsignificantā€ update

  • Find My will also be improved

So these features sound pretty solid to me, but Iā€™m still waiting to hear about the Control Center changes. I think that will be one of the headlining changes with iOS 17.

June 5th, hurry up!

šŸ‡ŗšŸ‡ø Appleā€™s Huge New Partnership

Apple just expanded their partnership with Broadcom in a new, multibillion-dollar deal. Hereā€™s what you need to know about it:

  • Apple already works with Broadcom to make Wi-Fi and Bluetooth tech for the iPhone, but this new deal is for building out 5G components

  • This does not include the modem, as Apple is likely still working on their own in-house modem. This is expected in 2025

  • Apple says this deal is part of a $430 billion plan to invest in US spending over the next five years

Through this collaboration, Broadcom will develop 5G radio frequency components ā€” including FBAR filters ā€” and cutting-edge wireless connectivity components.

The FBAR filters will be designed and built in several key American manufacturing and technology hubs, including Fort Collins, Colorado, where Broadcom has a major facility.

Apple, PR

Letā€™s not forget, Apple is said to be developing a multipurpose wireless chip that combines cellular, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth connectivity into a single package.

But since weā€™re likely still years away from that, Apple will rely on Broadcom's wireless (and Qualcomm's cellular) technologies in its products.

And if youā€™re wondering if the iPhone will ever be fully USA-made..well, I doubt it. It just simply wouldnā€™t make sense for Apple profit-wise.

Once everything is done in-house, maybe. But until then, donā€™t count on it.

šŸ” Netflix is Cracking Down

We knew it was coming, but now Netflix has begun cracking down on password sharing - and itā€™s worse than we thought.

  • If you share your Netflix password with people outside of your household, you now have to pay for that

  • It costs an additional $8/month and you can only add one person outside of your household (or 2 if you have the most expensive plan)

  • You can only add additional users if subscribed to the Netflix Standard plan or higher

  • Extra members will get their own account & password

Wanna know what really sucks about this? If Netflix sees an uptick in profitability after the wave of backlash passes, other streaming services will copy this model.

I have to ask, and be honest, do you pay for your own Netflix account, or do you use a family or friendā€™s account? Vote below!

Do You Pay For Netflix?

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PS: The new Max streaming service also launched this week, replacing HBO Max. You can check out the app here.

āœ… iOS 16.6 Comes with This Feature

Contact Key Verification Alert in iOS 16.6

The first Beta of iOS 16.6 dropped last Friday and while it isnā€™t expected to be a big update, it will include one new feature weā€™ve been hearing about since last year: Contact Key Verification.

  • Lets Apple device owners verify that they are messaging the person they think they are, rather than a malicious bad actor who could have intercepted a message.

  • If the iPhone detects sus activity, you will get an alert

  • Designed for government, journalists, and others who are prone to malicious digital attacks

So not a feature many of us will care about, but itā€™s still cool to see it come to the iPhone and iMessage.

I would expect iOS 16.6 to release to everybody in July, likely right after the iOS 17 Beta is pushed out to Public Beta testers.

šŸ¤‘ I Spent $1000 on an AirPods Case

Taken on my Sony A7IV

I joked about it last week, but now I have the HermĆØs AirPods Pro case!

Here are my thoughts after using the most expensive AirPods case Iā€™ll ever touch.

  • Unboxing experience was exquisite. Truly feels like luxury

  • Itā€™s made of Swift calfskin and I have to say, this is the softest leather I have ever touched (maybe thatā€™s because I rarely buy nice things šŸ¤£)

  • It comes in various colors but this Blue pops even more than I imagined, and it matches with mostly everything

  • The adjustable strap to wear as a necklace or crossbody is cool, but not my style

  • Iā€™m afraid to take it out in public because Iā€™m worried about dropping it

Itā€™s designer, so of course itā€™s not worth the $990 price tag..but itā€™s still damn good lookinā€™!

Regardless, I only bought this to share on social media & with you guys, so youā€™re welcome šŸ¤£. Now I have to return it & worry about it getting lost in transit.

Anyways, if you want to pick one up for yourself, here you go.

šŸŽØ Set Wallpaper

Click the image to download the full res file.

šŸ«¶ Reader Love

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And I look forward to your responses! šŸ˜

Until next week, āœŒļø

PS: Iā€™m not making a dime from this newsletter, so if you would like to support directly, you can do so here!

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