Apple Rumor Roundup: iPhone 17 Air Details, M4 MacBook Pro Leaks, Apple Ring Cancelled
- Apple’s iPhone 17 Air is shaping up to be its thinnest device yet—get ready for something sleek.
- Leaked M4 MacBook Pro benchmarks show off some serious power, but there’s more to the story.
- Apple just killed the Apple Ring project—find out why it won’t make the cut.
- Major updates are coming to macOS Sequoia, and they’re packed with AI goodness.
1. iPhone 17 Air: Ultra-Thin Marvel on the Horizon
Apple's upcoming iPhone 17 Air is the talk of the town, with rumors swirling about its breakthrough design. Partnering with Taiwanese display maker Novatek, Apple could be bringing in a new OLED Touch and Display Driver Integration (TDDI) technology to make the iPhone 17 Air the thinnest iPhone ever. According to reports from DigiTimes, mass production for this tech begins in 2025, perfectly aligning with Apple’s rumored launch schedule.
Photo via FPT // A concept rendering of Apple's 2025 iPhone 17 Air.
Key Features:
- OLED TDDI display – Combines touch sensors and display drivers into a single layer, allowing the iPhone to be thinner than ever.
- A19 chip and 8GB RAM – Powerful upgrades, making the iPhone 17 Air Apple's most advanced non-Pro phone.
- Price: $1,299 – Making it the most expensive non-Pro iPhone to date.
- Design: Ultra-slim, dual-camera setup with a potential battery-life tradeoff.
Joe Rossignol from DigiTimes comments, “This could set a new benchmark for smartphone design.”
2. M4 MacBook Pro Leak: Benchmarks Reveal Impressive Gains
The highly-anticipated M4 MacBook Pro just showed up on Geekbench, giving Apple fans a sneak peek at its incredible performance. With scores of 3,864 (single-core) and 15,228 (multi-core), it’s a step above the current M4 iPad Pro. The M4 MacBook’s GPU is also getting a serious upgrade, delivering a 25% improvement over the M3, scoring 38,153 in OpenCL tests.
According to Mark Gurman at Bloomberg, Apple is expected to reveal five new Macs in November, including 14-inch and 16-inch M4 MacBook Pro models.
Photo via YouTube // Multiple Russian tech YouTubers have now published unboxings of Apple's unreleased M4 MacBook Pro. The question is: is any of this real?
M4 MacBook Pro at a Glance:
- CPU: 10-core configuration with four performance and six efficiency cores.
- GPU: 25% better than the M3 in graphics performance.
- Storage & Ports: 512GB SSD, Thunderbolt 4, HDMI, and MagSafe.
A Russian YouTuber even shared an unboxing video of the 16-inch model, adding fuel to the rumor fire.
3. macOS Sequoia 15.1: Major AI Upgrades Coming Soon
Apple’s upcoming macOS Sequoia 15.1 update is packed with new AI-driven features designed to boost productivity. The star of the show is Apple Intelligence, a new suite of AI tools including advanced writing aids, photo editing, and Siri upgrades. Users will now be able to transcribe Notes automatically and seamlessly drag-and-drop files between their iPhone and Mac.
Photo via Half Man Half Tech // macOS Sequoia 15.1 is bringing some major upgrades to macOS users.
Notable Features:
- Advanced Writing Tools: Including grammar checks and suggestions.
- Photo Editing Upgrades: New Clean Up Tool to remove unwanted objects automatically.
- Low Power Mode Toggle: Simplified access to conserve battery life.
This update will roll out this month, and it’s one of the most significant for macOS users yet. According to Apple, “macOS 15.1 provides critical bug fixes and AI enhancements that users have been asking for.”
4. YouTube and Google Monopoly: Should They Split?
Google and YouTube’s hold on the internet has sparked renewed debates about monopolistic practices, especially with mounting antitrust scrutiny from U.S. regulators. With ads becoming more frequent and intrusive, YouTube viewers are increasingly frustrated. The introduction of YouTube Premium created a paywall to escape this ad-heavy environment, but the recent price hike to $13.99 has only fueled more dissatisfaction.
Photo via Axios // The U.S. Justice Department is considering breaking up Alphabet (Google's parent company) into several smaller companies, with YouTube likely to be one of those smaller companies. However, the Justice Department says that all options are on the table—and industry insiders say it is much more likely that less punitive penalties will apply if the United States wins its various cases against Google.
Monopoly Tactics in Focus:
- Ad Intrusiveness: Double ads, mid-roll interruptions, and hidden skip buttons.
- Creators in a Bind: With Google controlling much of the advertising ecosystem, content creators face strict policies and unfair revenue-sharing models.
- Justice Department Scrutiny: The U.S. Justice Department is reportedly considering breaking up Alphabet (Google’s parent company), potentially splitting off YouTube.
A Scientific American report highlighted Google’s internal study showing it could degrade the quality of its search engine without losing users—clear evidence of monopoly power.
5. Apple Cancels Apple Ring Project: Here’s Why
After years of internal development, Apple has reportedly scrapped its plans to launch an Apple Ring. According to Mark Gurman, the tech giant decided the Apple Ring didn’t justify the investment, particularly with the Apple Watch dominating the market.
Photo via Mashable // The Apple Ring has reportedly been cancelled by Apple.
Why the Apple Ring Got Shelved:
- Apple Watch Dominance: The smartwatch has an unshakable lead in fitness and wearable tech.
- Niche Demand: The Apple Ring market remains small, with uncertain demand.
- Functionality Concerns: Apple likely couldn’t replicate the Apple Watch’s functionality in a smaller form factor.
Other competitors, like the Oura Ring and Samsung Galaxy Ring, may fill this gap in the market, but Apple’s strategic focus is now entirely on enhancing the Apple Watch series.
Looking Ahead
Whether it’s the game-changing design of the iPhone 17 Air, the impressive gains of the M4 MacBook Pro, or the cancellation of the Apple Ring, one thing’s for sure: Apple’s lineup for the next year is going to shake things up. Keep an eye out for official announcements, and expect the rumor mill to keep churning in the weeks ahead!
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Thank you for visiting Apple Scoop! As a dedicated independent news organization, we strive to deliver the latest updates and in-depth journalism on everything Apple. Have insights or thoughts to share? Drop a comment below—our team actively engages with and responds to our community. Return to the home page.11th October, 2024 at 1:56 pm by Flynn
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