This week in Apple news we saw iPhone 12 rumors ramp up big time. The launch could only be weeks away at this point, so rumors are going to be flooding in fast and furious. The biggest rumor, though, is that Apple could replace the Midnight Green colorway of the iPhone 11 series and replace it with a Dark Blue.
In other Apple news, we heard about the myriad of products Apple allegedly plans to launch between now and early 2021, Mac laptops and computers with Apple’s new in-house processors, Apple Watch health tracking features, and Apple’s and Google’s exposure notification efforts.
See the Apple news roundup below for all the latest.
The top Apple news stories of the past week:
- iPhone 12 rumors coming in hot: The supposed launch of the iPhone 12 could only be weeks away at this point. The latest rumors suggest there could be a new Dark Blue colorway (envisioned in concept renders above) that would replace Midnight Green. There’s also a rumor that only the highest-end iPhone 12 Pro Max will have mmWave 5G connectivity. We also heard more rumors that LiDAR could be used for the rear camera on the Pro variants and that the launch of the iPhones could happen in the middle of October. Expect iPhone 12 rumors to be piling up over the next few weeks as we get closer to the launch.
- Apple might have tons of products in the pipeline: Aside from the iPhone 12 series (which we expect to be the largest ever launch from the company), we also have news on other products Apple will supposedly launch this year or in early 2021. That includes a new Apple Watch, a new HomePod, a redesigned iPad Air, the rumored AirTags trackers, third-gen AirPods, and iMacs and MacBooks with Apple’s new in-house processor. Whew!
- MacBook with Apple silicon this year, maybe: According to The China Times, Apple could release a 12-inch MacBook this year that will be ultra-lightweight (like, less than 1kg) and run on its in-house silicon. Its codename is “Tonga” and it could be the first modern laptop from the company to not feature an Intel processor.
- You’ll need to wait for an Apple-powered iMac, though: Apple also (obviously) has an iMac in the works powered by its in-house chipset and some sort of custom GPU. However, we don’t expect that device to land until the second half of 2021, so you have a ways to wait.
- Third-gen AirPods in 2021, too: Your AirPods won’t become obsolete this year it seems, as it appears Apple won’t be launching a new version of its popular earbuds until early next year. A new version of AirPods Pro likely won’t come until late next year.
- Apple Watch Series 6 could have new health features: Not to be outdone by Fitbit, Apple is allegedly going to give its next Apple Watch model a ton of new health-tracking features. This could include blood oxygen tracking. There will also be the expected upgrades to processing, battery life, etc. What’s more, there could be a second Apple Watch model that might cost less than the fully-featured version.
- Google and Apple make exposure notification easier: Apparently, Google and Apple aren’t pleased with the slow adoption of its hastily-prepared exposure notification API. Instead of waiting around for states and countries to make apps, the companies are just bypassing them and allowing the basics of the system to work on Android and iOS phones — no app needed.
- Apple rolls back iOS 14 change that would “destroy” ad industry: The upcoming stable launch of iOS 14 would have included a mandate that developers offer a way for all users to opt-out of in-app ad tracking. While this sounds awesome, the ad industry — and sites that rely on ad revenue, such as Facebook — weren’t too pleased about it. Bowing to pressure, Apple told TechCrunch that it will delay the mandate rollout until next year.
Thinking about making the switch?
If you are reading this Apple news article on an iOS device and thinking about making the switch to Android, we have multiple articles and guides that can help you with that process. Despite how it might seem, moving from iOS to Android is easier than ever, and many of the services and systems on iOS have similar or even the same counterparts on Android.
The best place to start would be our guide on how to switch from iPhone to Android, which goes over all the basics. We also have more specific guides, such as how to transfer your calendar from iPhone to Android. We also have app guides that will give you the best alternatives to iOS staples, such as our list of best alternatives to FaceTime on Android.
If you’re looking for a great Android device to replace your iPhone, consult our list of the best Android smartphones available now.
