Looking back on another week of news and headlines from Cupertino, this week’s Apple Loop introduces the cost of the iPhone 12 upgrade, a feature missing from the iPhone 13, MacBook Pro 2021 plans at Apple, Christmas iPhone sales, App Store holiday success, the AirPods Pro memory, and my smartphone of the year.
Apple Loop is here to remind you of a few of the many conversations that have taken place around Apple over the past seven days (and you can read my weekly dig of Android news here on Forbes).
Rising cost of the iPhone
How much will the iPhone 12 cost? Not for consumers, but for Apple? Counterpoint has been looking at the cost of building an iOS-powered smartphone. The introduction of mmWave 5G has gone up in cost on US models, although models in other regions have seen smaller increases. Chance Miller quotes from the report:
“Bringing a 128GB iPhone 12 mmWave (millimeter wave) smartphone will cost up to $ 431, 26% higher compared to the iPhone 11, according to the latest product review (BoM) using research Despite the cost of more than $ 27 savings due to the simplified RF design, the BoM cost of the sub – 6GHz model only for overseas markets remained up 18%. “
More at 9to5Mac.
The iSpot Iphone 12 Pro hat can be seen inside the Galeria Krakowska shopping center in Krakow, Poland on … [+]
NurPhoto through Getty Images
Who needs ports in a new iPhone?
With the design of the iPhone 12 looking very similar to the design of the iPhone used over the last few years, it’s time for a major design overhaul. That would only happen if there is something that would be a fundamental change. Now that Apple’s wireless charging is sorted through the rebranded MagSafe connection, and iOs are tightly connected to the cloud, is it time to remove all physical ports? Sean Cameron sets the scene:
“If the natural evolution of phone design is towards something ‘portless’, it seems that only Apple could be executed in a way until it became mainstream. And so far , Apple has been one of the few companies with the ‘courage’ to take away such decisions … could it happen with the iPhone 13? Some leaks and rumors suggest that one of those handsets will be portless … so how likely is it to happen? “
There is more discussion about the capabilities of TechRadar.
Apple’s 2021 line-up
Apple’s 2021 product package is expected to see many long-awaited results, including the launch of the AirTags with geo-focus and new AirPods. But the most impressive is expected to be the mini-LED screen for the new Apple Silicon-powered MacBook Pro laptops. Joe Rossignol reports:
“As expected, Kuo also said that Apple plans to release new AirPods, more Apple Silicon Macs, and its first devices with Mini-LED displays during the year. Previous rumors have pointed to A new 12.9-inch iPad Pro and various MacBook models with Mini-LED Displays launch in 2021, offering richer colors, better contrast, and more.
Kuo previously said that Apple plans to release redesigned 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with Apple Silicon and Mini-LED displays in 2021 “More at MacRumors.
What iPhone did you get for Christmas?
While we await Apple’s quarterly earnings call, Consumer Information Research Partners has taken a look at iPhone sales over the holiday season. The iPhone 12 accounted for 27 percent of the total iPhone market, the iPhone 12 Pro and 12 Pro Plus 20 percent, and the iPhone 12 Mini just 6 percent. I took a look at the sales numbers, and the impact on the reputation of the iPhone 12 Mini, earlier in the week:
“The iPhone 12 Mini has never found a home or a clear purpose within the Apple community, with many citing reduced battery life as a key consideration when considering a purchase. smartphone manufacturers lower than the Mini. talk more to Apple ‘s juggernaut than it does to the desire of another or smaller phone. “
Read more here on Forbes.
App store numbers are up
Of course the real juggernaut, and the ongoing revenue, comes from the App Store and services. It’s been a good holiday season for Apple in this regard as well, with $ 1.8 billion spent on the services in the last week of the year. From Apple’s press release:
“This trend continued over the holiday period, with App Store customers spending $ 1.8 billion on digital goods and services over the week between Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve, directed to a large part by spending on games. Buyers entered in 2021 by setting one new day a spending record of more than $ 540 million on New Year’s Day. “
Mark Gurman has added some context to the numbers, also noting that 2021 could be a rocky road for the App Store:
“The App Store is one of the biggest revenue drivers for Apple’s services segment, but it has been criticized by some regulators and developers over the past year for the percentage it takes from Last month, Apple launched a new program that cuts the iPhone ‘s fee for developers to 15% of sales, down from 30%, for those making $ 1 million or more. less in App Store annual revenue. “
More at Bloomberg.
AIrPods Pro recalled
Apple has addressed the ongoing consumer issues with noise cancellation and non-noise issues with the AirPods Pro by issuing a product recall. This applies to AirPods Pro with the reported cases, made before October 2020. Thomas Hartmann reports:
“Apple has already published supporting documentation that addresses problems with the AirPods Pro making cracked or static sounds, or if active sound removal is not working as expected.
“… However, if that configuration doesn’t work, Apple has now launched the AirPods Pro Service Program for Audio Issues. Apple explains that it has discovered that a small percentage of AirPods Pro made before October 2020 could have sound problems.More at MacRumors.
And finally …
As 2021 begins, I took the opportunity to look back at the 2020 smartphone landscape to choose my personal ‘Smartphone Of The Year’. There is some good news for Apple fans in the review, but here ‘s one spoiler, not the iPhone 12 Pro Plus winner:
“… with everything you could possibly want in a modern iPhone 12 Pro Max you have to deal with two main issues. The first is the size; this is a great handset that makes it almost impossible to use all the features with one hand, and for many reviewers it is just too big to be a ‘phone’, although it is a comfort smart development compared to the iPhone 11 Pro Max. “
You can find the winning phone here.
Apple Loop will give you seven days of ambition every weekend here on Forbes. Don’t forget to follow me so you don’t miss any future broadcasts. 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.