"I'll Wait for Next Year"

If you don't like leaks, stop reading

Brandon Butch
August 18, 2023

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Good morning! ☀️ *Tim Cook voice*

Major Apple Watch redesign coming, iPhone 15 & 16 leaks, bad news for Apple Card, generative AI, and more!

Estimated reading time: 3.3 minutes

📊 Poll

Last week, I asked: do you enjoy seeing leaks?

Well, got more for ya today

Here were some of my favorite replies:

Yes - “Normally, no. But leaks have been very helpful this year in figuring out my upgrade situation.” That’s a good reason to keep up on the leaks!

Yes - “Love hearing about what to expect since I work for an Apple Store as a technician I like to know what I’m most likely going to have to fix or deal with.” Solid reason to pay attention! You are also probably ahead of your coworkers

No - “It just makes me anxious about the upgrade cycle. I can't stand when the leakers point things right after the new iPhone release.” Ha, I can see that. There’s a new shiny object every year

This week: Do you think Apple’s switch to USB-C will be a big deal to average consumers? Why or why not?

Will USB-C Matter to Average Consumers?

👀 Big Changes Ahead

I don’t normally talk much about products that are over a year away, but the redesigned Apple Watch is worth discussing now. Here’s why:

Apple is planning to completely revamp the Apple Watch in honor of its 10-year anniversary, according to Bloomberg
Apple is now considering a magnetic band attachment system
The watch face is also rumored to be microLED, which has better color and clarity than OLED screens
It may also be the first Apple Watch to feature blood pressure monitoring
Since the original Apple Watch was unveiled in 2014 & launched in 2015, Gurman is unsure whether the Apple Watch X will be released in 2024 or 2025
Meanwhile, Apple Watch Series 9 is "arguably the most minor upgrade in the product's history"
Apple has recently been considering switching the Apple Watch away from an annual upgrade cycle to offer more substantial updates less frequently

Starting with the original Apple Watch, bands have slid into the sides of the chassis and attached with a locking mechanism. Keeping that design the same let the bands stay compatible with old and new models, but it has downsides.

People involved in the development of new Apple Watches say the system takes up a considerable amount of space that could be better filled with a bigger battery or other components.

To that end, the company has explored a new magnetic band attachment system, though it’s unclear if it will be ready or used in the Watch X revamp. Even bigger changes are coming as well: a microLED display that tops the color and clarity of the current OLED screens, as well as a technology for monitoring blood pressure.

Mark Gurman, Bloomberg

So this could mean that your Apple Watch band collection is going to be useless once this new Watch drops.

I’m personally really excited for this change, as the Apple Watch Ultra was the first time I’ve been excited about an Apple Watch since the very first one.

Is this something you’d be interested in?

iPhone 16

Before the iPhone 15 officially arrives, we are now starting to see fresh rumors surrounding the next next iPhone - iPhone 16! Here’s what you need to know:

iPhone 16 Pro & Pro Max models will feature Wi-Fi 7
- Wi-Fi 7 devices will be able to send and receive data over the 2.4GHz, 5GHz, and 6GHz bands simultaneously, resulting in faster Wi-Fi speeds & lower latency
The Pros will also have an upgraded 48mp Ultra Wide camera lens
- This will allow the UW lens to capture more light when shooting in 0.5×
Even leakers on X are mentioning how the iPhone 16 Pros will be the ones to wait for, not the 15 Pros coming next month
We’ve also heard that the 16 Pro Max could be the first to feature a super telephoto periscope camera for “dramatically increased optical zoom”

So the iPhone 16 Pros seem promising but as I always say, if you need a phone now, don’t wait for the next shiny feature. Every new iPhone will technically be “better” than the previous one, so don’t trap yourself in the “I’m waiting until next year” cycle.

iPhone SE 4

The iPhone SE 4 is not expected until 2025, but we now have some potential features to look forward to.

The design is set to be based on the iPhone 14
It will ditch the home button for Face ID
Just like all future iPhones, it will adopt USB-C
There will allegedly be an Action button to replace the mute switch
Only 1 rear camera
One of the first iPhones to contain Apple's custom 5G modem

😳 Will iPhone 15 Disappoint?

Apple will announce the iPhone 15 next month, but rumors are continuing to point to potential production issues. Here’s what to know (via Jeff Pu):

Apple is expected to build 77 million iPhone 15 units by the end of 2023, compared to 83 million previously estimated
This is due to supply issues with Sony’s camera sensors, the new titanium frame for the Pro models, and the new display with thinner bezels
Apple has allegedly adjusted its sales estimates due to “demand concerns”

Combine that with prices increasing for the Pro models and you have a recipe for sales to come in lower than expectations.

We also have further details on the iPhone 15:

According to 9to5Mac, iPhone 15 will be able to charge at up to 35W
For comparison, the iPhone 14 Pro charges at 27W, and the regular 14 is limited to 20W
We also heard rumors that Apple will not be selling their Leather cases for the 15 series this time around. Maybe a new type of case?
Meanwhile, regulatory filings for the iPhone 15 have been found, further validating an imminent launch

While the iPhone 15 seemed promising for several months, it seems that these last 2 months have been awfully negative - both in terms of “wait for iPhone 16” remarks, along with supply chain issues and potential delays.

I personally think that a lot of this is noise and that we won’t really see anything different from what we’ve seen before. I don’t see a delay happening and I think, if anything, we’ll just see limited quantities of the Pro model and far-out delivery dates if you don’t pre-order ASAP.

📲 iOS 17, Generative AI Features, & More

New in Beta 6

On Tuesday, we saw iOS 17 Beta 6/Public Beta 4 get released. And surprisingly, there were more changes than I expected.

Here’s what else you need to know about the latest software updates:

watchOS 9.6.1 was released on Tuesday to fix an API-related issue. Small update that won’t change anything systematically on your watch
macOS Ventura 13.5.1 was released on Thursday to fix an issue in System Settings that “prevents location permissions from appearing”
macOS Sonoma now allows you to initiate a Mac-to-Mac restore, from the Finder app! Here’s a photo of how that Setting looks.

iOS 17.1 & iOS 16.7

There has been an uptick in iOS 17.1 users on 9to5Mac over the last several weeks. This info is visible in the site’s analytics
iOS 17.1 could potentially add features like the Journal app, additional AirDrop improvements, and collaborative playlists in Apple Music
This 17.1 update could come in October
Apple isn’t planning an iOS 16.6.1, according to a rumor, and is instead planning to jump to iOS 16.7
I would expect this release to be similar to last year: no Beta testing (aside from an RC), and then final public release

Google Chrome for iOS Just Got Better

The Google Chrome app has added additional generative AI features to the iOS app
You can now see an AI-generated list of key points in an article and navigate directly to them - basically a summary of an article in a snap
Hovering over certain words will show the definition & allow you to see related diagrams/images on the topic
Coming to Chrome on desktop soon

Apple Card Monthly Financing Has Changed

Apple now requires those who use the Apple Card Monthly Installment plan to purchase an iPhone that is linked to AT&T, Verizon, or T-Mobile
All iPhones purchased through the ‌Apple Card‌ Monthly Installment plan are unlocked, so carrier switching is available afterward
But at purchase, customers have to agree to a plan with one of the above-mentioned carriers

📰 Quick News Bites

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Until next week, ✌️

- Brandon

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