Apple should be laser-focused on Vision Pro technology because they have the lead.
Mark Gurman in his latest Power On newsletter discusses Apple’s future plans for the Vision Pro and how Tim Cook is “hell-bent” on the future of Vision Pro technology:
The idea is to create an ultra-low-latency system for streaming a user’s Mac display or for connecting to high-end enterprise applications. Some customers have been using the Vision Pro for things like viewing imaging during surgery or for flight simulators. Those are two areas where a user would want the least amount of lag possible — something that can’t be guaranteed by a fully wireless system.
Still, all of this is a stepping stone toward Cook’s grand vision, which hasn’t changed in a decade. He wants true augmented reality glasses — lightweight spectacles that a customer could wear all day. The AR element will overlay data and images onto real-world views.
Cook has made this idea a top priority for the company and is hell-bent on creating an industry-leading product before Meta can. “Tim cares about nothing else,” says someone with knowledge of the matter. “It’s the only thing he’s really spending his time on from a product development standpoint.”
The Vision Pro is already a game changer for healthcare, and it will only get better with more advanced technology. What seems like a disadvantage for the regular consumer is actually an advantage for healthcare providers. Even though the public perception of the Vision Pro is that of an entertainment device, it wouldn’t surprise me if the Vision Pro starts leaning more heavily into enterprise, and the spectacles become a separate product that is more consumer oriented.
Even though Apple is racing against Meta to be the industry-standard, one key advantage Apple has over Meta is their staunch stance on privacy, which is critical for healthcare and really for any major company that wants to adopt AR/VR headsets. They want to know with reassurance that their data, patient data, and company confidential information is safe. Meta has overhauled their stance on privacy, but the perception of poor privacy practices still lingers from their past blunders. It also doesn’t help that they are a social media conglomerate, which just has anti-privacy vibes written all over it.
Mark Gurman in his latest Power On newsletter discusses Apple’s future plans for the Vision Pro and how Tim Cook is “hell-bent” on the future of Vision Pro technology:
The idea is to create an ultra-low-latency system for streaming a user’s Mac display or for connecting to high-end enterprise applications. Some customers have been using the Vision Pro for things like viewing imaging during surgery or for flight simulators. Those are two areas where a user would want the least amount of lag possible — something that can’t be guaranteed by a fully wireless system.
Still, all of this is a stepping stone toward Cook’s grand vision, which hasn’t changed in a decade. He wants true augmented reality glasses — lightweight spectacles that a customer could wear all day. The AR element will overlay data and images onto real-world views.
Cook has made this idea a top priority for the company and is hell-bent on creating an industry-leading product before Meta can. “Tim cares about nothing else,” says someone with knowledge of the matter. “It’s the only thing he’s really spending his time on from a product development standpoint.”
The Vision Pro is already a game changer for healthcare, and it will only get better with more advanced technology. What seems like a disadvantage for the regular consumer is actually an advantage for healthcare providers. Even though the public perception of the Vision Pro is that of an entertainment device, it wouldn’t surprise me if the Vision Pro starts leaning more heavily into enterprise, and the spectacles become a separate product that is more consumer oriented.
Even though Apple is racing against Meta to be the industry-standard, one key advantage Apple has over Meta is their staunch stance on privacy, which is critical for healthcare and really for any major company that wants to adopt AR/VR headsets. They want to know with reassurance that their data, patient data, and company confidential information is safe. Meta has overhauled their stance on privacy, but the perception of poor privacy practices still lingers from their past blunders. It also doesn’t help that they are a social media conglomerate, which just has anti-privacy vibes written all over it.
Which pink iPhone is right for you? iPhone 15 vs iPhone 16.
The iPhone 15 lineup came in very light, pastel colors and literally pale in comparison to the deep colors of the iPhone 16 lineup.
Our household ended up with these two shades of pink because my wife can’t decide between which pink she wanted, and the only way to really tell which color is best is to look at both of them in person.
She was heavily leaning towards the iPhone 15’s pastel look, but she also likes the deeper pink of the 16 because the all-aluminum sides look lighter in brighter light resembling the iPhone 15, whereas the iPhone 15 in pink looks almost like starlight in bright light.
She was also intrigued by the Action Button that can be changed as needed and the Camera Control button which I told her is best for launching the camera, and that’s it.
That being said, if you’re a fan of pink, these are your two best options available right now. Even though many people will default to the latest iPhone, it really depends on your needs and budget, especially if your carrier is offering a deep discount on an iPhone 15 compared to the 16. I know a guy who bought an iPhone 14 Plus through his carrier just a few months before the 16 was about to be announced, and he essentially got it for free.
The iPhone 15 is in a similar situation right now with the iPhone 17 only 6 months away, and the deals will only get better as carriers are trying to clear out inventory.
If you’re buying straight out of pocket though, get the iPhone 16 because it has many advancements for only $100:
A18 chip vs an almost 3 year old A16 chip.
At least one more major software update over the iPhone 15.
Macro photography and video.
Faster wired and wireless charging.
Apple Intelligence.
Camera Control button.
Spatial photos and videos making them more 3D and lifelike for Vision Pro compatibility.
Action Button vs Mute Switch.
Glancing at the phone in-store (or just the box) doesn’t always give you the best lighting to really appreciate the color of the device, so here’s some comparison photos of the two vastly different pink iPhones in different lighting conditions. 📓
The iPhone 15 lineup came in very light, pastel colors and literally pale in comparison to the deep colors of the iPhone 16 lineup.
Our household ended up with these two shades of pink because my wife can’t decide between which pink she wanted, and the only way to really tell which color is best is to look at both of them in person.
She was heavily leaning towards the iPhone 15’s pastel look, but she also likes the deeper pink of the 16 because the all-aluminum sides look lighter in brighter light resembling the iPhone 15, whereas the iPhone 15 in pink looks almost like starlight in bright light.
She was also intrigued by the Action Button that can be changed as needed and the Camera Control button which I told her is best for launching the camera, and that’s it.
That being said, if you’re a fan of pink, these are your two best options available right now. Even though many people will default to the latest iPhone, it really depends on your needs and budget, especially if your carrier is offering a deep discount on an iPhone 15 compared to the 16. I know a guy who bought an iPhone 14 Plus through his carrier just a few months before the 16 was about to be announced, and he essentially got it for free.
The iPhone 15 is in a similar situation right now with the iPhone 17 only 6 months away, and the deals will only get better as carriers are trying to clear out inventory.
If you’re buying straight out of pocket though, get the iPhone 16 because it has many advancements for only $100:
A18 chip vs an almost 3 year old A16 chip.
At least one more major software update over the iPhone 15.
Macro photography and video.
Faster wired and wireless charging.
Apple Intelligence.
Camera Control button.
Spatial photos and videos making them more 3D and lifelike for Vision Pro compatibility.
Action Button vs Mute Switch.
Glancing at the phone in-store (or just the box) doesn’t always give you the best lighting to really appreciate the color of the device, so here’s some comparison photos of the two vastly different pink iPhones in different lighting conditions.
Unboxing under white light.
The iPhone 15 has the diagonal camera layout vs the capsule-like layout of the iPhone 16.
The lighter pink starts fading to a starlight color in brighter light.
Even the USB-C ports are color coded, which is great attention to detail.
Dim natural lighting.
Near warm LED lighting, with an iPhone 16 Pro Max in White Titanium for reference.
The iPhone 15 gives off a Rose Gold look.
The iPhone 15 pink is almost a starlight color in this photo with natural light on a cloudy day.
Difficult lighting situation with natural light contrasted with warm LEDs bleeding through in the background.
Outdoors in well-lit rainy weather.
Apple Live events were better because, you had to deliver.
Wayne Ma from The Information came out with a new revealing piece discussing why and how Siri got left behind due to poor leadership, complacency, and clashes between the Siri and AI/ML teams at Apple.
Interestingly, the Apple engineers themselves were surprised by the Siri demo at WWDC 2024 where Siri could gather your personal context and give you the information you needed without jumping through multiple apps:
The report claims that the demo of Apple Intelligence's most impressive features at WWDC 2024, such as where Siri accesses a user's emails to find real-time flight data and provides a reminder about lunch plans using messages and plots a route in maps, was effectively fictitious. The demo apparently came as a surprise to members of the Siri team, who had never seen working versions of the capabilities.
This wouldn’t fly during live events and would have kept Apple in check because you have to demo a working product.
I’ve heard many analysts and influencers talk about software promises, and the golden rule still applies:
Never buy a piece of hardware with the promises of future software features. Buy a product for what it has today.
The detailed analysis is paywalled, along with another New York Times piece, but you can get other tidbits from these sites:
Wayne Ma from The Information came out with a new revealing piece discussing why and how Siri got left behind due to poor leadership, complacency, and clashes between the Siri and AI/ML teams at Apple.
Interestingly, the Apple engineers themselves were surprised by the Siri demo at WWDC 2024 where Siri could gather your personal context and give you the information you needed without jumping through multiple apps:
The report claims that the demo of Apple Intelligence's most impressive features at WWDC 2024, such as where Siri accesses a user's emails to find real-time flight data and provides a reminder about lunch plans using messages and plots a route in maps, was effectively fictitious. The demo apparently came as a surprise to members of the Siri team, who had never seen working versions of the capabilities.
This wouldn’t fly during live events and would have kept Apple in check because you have to demo a working product.
I’ve heard many analysts and influencers talk about software promises, and the golden rule still applies:
Never buy a piece of hardware with the promises of future software features. Buy a product for what it has today.
Apple used to be the exception to this rule, but now it seems that even Apple isn’t immune from software challenges.
The detailed analysis is paywalled, along with another New York Times piece, but you can get other tidbits from these sites:
How to quickly and easily tell if an iPhone is genuine before opening the box.
There’s an easy way to check an iPhone 15 or later box to see if what you’re buying is genuine or a fake. All you need is a cheap UV light pen to see the hidden markers. 📓
There’s an easy way to check an iPhone 15 or later box to see if what you’re buying is genuine or a fake. All you need is a cheap UV light pen to see the hidden markers.
Starting with the iPhone 15, Apple made these hidden markers to help thwart off fake iPhones that are all over the markets. There is a QR code, and an “ iPhone” symbol that is only visible with UV light. With the iPhone 15, the QR code and “ iPhone” markers are one on top of another, so when you peel off the tabs, the “ iPhone” gets discarded leaving only the QR code. Take a look at a new iPhone 15 Plus box vs. an opened 15 Pro Max box for comparison:
Figure 1. To the naked eye, nothing is visible. Figure 2. Shine a UV light, and you see the “ iPhone” logo and QR code. Figure 3. Pull the green tab to open the box, and the “ iPhone” logo gets discarded.
On the iPhone 16, both the QR code and “ iPhone” markers are on the same line, so nothing gets discarded after opening the package. Here is a new 16 Plus vs. an opened 16 Pro Max:
Now when you open the device (Figure 3), both the logo and QR code are on the bottom.
There is another QR code at the bottom of the box that you can check in case there are some stickers covering the top areas. It is in the same place on all iPhones.
Whether you have an iPhone 15 or 16, the QR code on the bottom is in the same spot.
This applies to all iPhone 15 or later models, and I’m assuming the iPhone 16e too. These are for iPhones worldwide and not just the USA because I have the following iPhones from the following countries that all have these markings:
15 Pro Max purchased in Saudi Arabia.
16 Pro Max purchased in Toronto.
15 Plus and 16 Plus purchased in USA. (Wife has to decide which one she likes based on color 🧐).
I posted this information on X a few days ago, and it seems that even the scammers have caught up and put these same hidden markings on their boxes. From what I have seen online though, that is not the case and most fake iPhones don’t have these markings because, who really carries a UV light pen with them?
By the way a UV light pen is only a few bucks on Amazon, or you can just ask your daughter or niece if you could borrow her invisible ink spy pen because odds are they have one (my daughter did!).
That being said, this is the quickest and easiest way to determine if an iPhone you’re buying is fake. Nothing is guaranteed until you open the box and boot up the device, but one thing to know for sure is, if you don’t see these markings on an iPhone 15 or 16 box, it is a fake.
Now is a good time to thank Apple for removing the charger and headphones from the iPhone box.
The Times of India:
Apple transported five planes full of iPhones and other products from India to the US in just three days during the final week of March, a senior Indian official confirmed to The Times of India. The urgent shipments were made to avoid a new 10% reciprocal tariff imposed by US President Donald Trump’s administration that took effect on April 5. Sources said that Apple currently has no plans to increase retail prices in India or other markets despite the tariffs.
A whole new meaning to the term “iPhone Air.”
This doesn’t come as a surprise since many people are panic-buying new iPhones to avoid paying a higher price in the near future. The excess supply should delay any potential price increases, if Apple decides to go that route.
I remember in 2020 when the iPhone 12 was announced, Lisa Jackson had a whole segment explaining why Apple was removing the power adapter and headphones from the iPhone box. The main goal was to lessen e-waste and carbon emissions, but I’m sure it also increased Apple’s profits by not including another $40 worth of accessories in the box.
They did mention one fact that I find interesting in todays’ times: the ability to load a ship with 70% more iPhones due to the smaller box size.
People were understandably a bit pissed off that they weren’t getting their accessories anymore, but now is a good time to appreciate the smaller box since I’m sure the planes can also carry at least 50% more iPhones than before.
The Times of India:
Apple transported five planes full of iPhones and other products from India to the US in just three days during the final week of March, a senior Indian official confirmed to The Times of India. The urgent shipments were made to avoid a new 10% reciprocal tariff imposed by US President Donald Trump’s administration that took effect on April 5. Sources said that Apple currently has no plans to increase retail prices in India or other markets despite the tariffs.
A whole new meaning to the term “iPhone Air.”
This doesn’t come as a surprise since many people are panic-buying new iPhones to avoid paying a higher price in the near future. The excess supply should delay any potential price increases, if Apple decides to go that route.
I remember in 2020 when the iPhone 12 was announced, Lisa Jackson had a whole segment explaining why Apple was removing the power adapter and headphones from the iPhone box. The main goal was to lessen e-waste and carbon emissions, but I’m sure it also increased Apple’s profits by not including another $40 worth of accessories in the box.
They did mention one fact that I find interesting in todays’ times: the ability to load a ship with 70% more iPhones due to the smaller box size.
People were understandably a bit pissed off that they weren’t getting their accessories anymore, but now is a good time to appreciate the smaller box since I’m sure the planes can also carry at least 50% more iPhones than before.
Project Titan leftovers are being served as CarPlay 2, and nobody is taking the bait.
The more I look at current car reviews and the path automakers are taking, the more I’m convinced that Apple’s CarPlay 2 is going to be another Project Titan.
One can argue that CarPlay 2 already is Project Titan, repurposed. Apple spent billions on Project Titan trying to make their own car, and it makes perfect sense to repurpose the software under the CarPlay 2 branding, salvaging what they can and trying to get car manufacturers to adopt it.
But it begs the question for car manufacturers:
Why go through a redundant process and work with a second UI that is less reliable?
The car manufacturer already has to make a UI with all of its features for their vehicles, so why try to reproduce that same experience with CarPlay 2 that requires phone projection? Phone projection or tethering (call it what you want) will always have a less reliable connection than the car’s built-in software. It just seems like a waste of resources for automakers in an already low-margin industry, not to mention a safety concern if an entire dash filled with CarPlay 2 projection all of a sudden disconnects from your phone because of some bug.
To make matters worse, Porsche previewed a CarPlay 2 interface back in December 2023, but their latest announcement talks about their updated Porsche Communication Management System (PCM) with no mention of CarPlay 2:
Porsche stands for dynamism, state-of-the-art technical solutions and the highest possible performance. This applies not only to powertrain and chassis technology, but also to the digital experience the sports car manufacturer offers. With the start of the new model year, the 911, Taycan, Panamera and Cayenne model series will benefit from significant improvements in infotainment technology and an expanded range of new functions in this area.
Thanks to new hardware, the PCM system is now more responsive. As well as optimised computing power, it offers additional capabilities, such as direct access to a large number of third-party apps for native use directly in the PCM. To ensure a reliable digital user experience, the Porsche Connect package is included as standard for 10 years.
Their wording isn’t subtle either: “Direct access to a large number of third-party apps for native use directly in the PCM.”
The new reality is that automakers are software companies developing for computers that happen to have wheels. Adding more apps and increasing computing power are all part of a plan to give the customer the best experience possible, and also generate more revenue through subscription services.
Here are just some subscriptions that automakers are offering (from MotorTrend):
BMW: A Drive Recorder feature costs $149 for the lifetime of the vehicle or $39 per year. Traffic-camera information is available for $25 annually.
Ford: Buyers can use the BlueCruise highway hands-free driving system free for 90 days, then keep it activated for $495 a year or $49.99 a month. They can also pay a one-time fee of $2,495 for the service at the time of vehicle order (or they can pay $495 at the time of order for a year) starting with 2025 model year vehicles.
General Motors: Super Cruise costs $2,200 up front for three years on Chevrolet and GMC vehicles and $2,500 for Cadillacs, after which it's $25 a month or $250 per year via subscription.
Mercedes-Benz: The Mercedes Me Connect includes live weather and traffic and connected navigation for a $150 annual subscription, while Digital Extras such as an Acceleration Increase cost $1,200 a year.
Tesla: For a one-time payment of $12,000, or $200 per month, new owners get access to its Full Self-Driving system.
Toyota: It costs $80 a year or $8 a month for remote start.
Let’s not forget about the other elephant in the room:
Selling user data to insurance companies.
With Apple’s huge stance on privacy, there has to be some friction with how deeply CarPlay 2 integrates into a manufacturer’s system, and how much of that data Apple doesn’t want to be made available for sale.
There’s a tug of war between automakers and Apple. If something goes awry, who is to blame for an accident? Likewise, if data is being sold without people knowing about it, who is to blame? Neither party wants to bear the brunt of bad news, but if accidents happen, both the automaker and Apple will be blamed.
Let’s go back to Porsche for a second. Not only did they not mention CarPlay 2, they have integrated Amazon Alexa as their digital assistant:
For the first time, in addition to the Porsche Voice Pilot, Amazon Alexa® can also be used as a digital assistant while driving2. The service can be used, for example, to control smart home functions such as automatic garage doors or home lighting. Other typical functions of Alexa include researching information, creating and editing to-do lists and shopping lists, playing podcasts and music, or checking the latest news and weather reports. It can also be used to control media and supported third-party apps. Alexa is activated via the voice command "Alexa" or via an individually configured button, or icon switch tile in the PCM.
Adding Amazon Alexa is perhaps Porsche’s passive-aggressive way of saying, screw you Apple? Then again, do we really want Siri in our vehicles?
I’m a fan of Apple CarPlay and use it every time I rent a car, but I see where the manufacturers are coming from. “If there’s money to be made, let’s make the best software and driving experience that people won’t even care about CarPlay 2.” It’s an ambitious endeavor with GM taking the first official step, while others have silently followed in their shadow.
As the industry moves towards more automation, CarPlay 2 will be even less relevant since there are huge safety concerns and no manufacturer wants to rely on software that is not 100% in their control.
In the meantime, Apple should really just hyper focus on its standard CarPlay offering for the vast majority of mass-market cars that only have a center screen and make that more stable and efficient. Trying to infiltrate the luxury space where screens and automation are taking over was exactly the trajectory they were on before with Project Titan, and we know how that went.
The more I look at current car reviews and the path automakers are taking, the more I’m convinced that Apple’s CarPlay 2 is going to be another Project Titan.
One can argue that CarPlay 2 already is Project Titan, repurposed. Apple spent billions on Project Titan trying to make their own car, and it makes perfect sense to repurpose the software under the CarPlay 2 branding, salvaging what they can and trying to get car manufacturers to adopt it.
But it begs the question for car manufacturers:
Why go through a redundant process and work with a second UI that is less reliable?
The car manufacturer already has to make a UI with all of its features for their vehicles, so why try to reproduce that same experience with CarPlay 2 that requires phone projection? Phone projection or tethering (call it what you want) will always have a less reliable connection than the car’s built-in software. It just seems like a waste of resources for automakers in an already low-margin industry, not to mention a safety concern if an entire dash filled with CarPlay 2 projection all of a sudden disconnects from your phone because of some bug.
To make matters worse, Porsche previewed a CarPlay 2 interface back in December 2023, but their latest announcement talks about their updated Porsche Communication Management System (PCM) with no mention of CarPlay 2:
Porsche stands for dynamism, state-of-the-art technical solutions and the highest possible performance. This applies not only to powertrain and chassis technology, but also to the digital experience the sports car manufacturer offers. With the start of the new model year, the 911, Taycan, Panamera and Cayenne model series will benefit from significant improvements in infotainment technology and an expanded range of new functions in this area.
Thanks to new hardware, the PCM system is now more responsive. As well as optimised computing power, it offers additional capabilities, such as direct access to a large number of third-party apps for native use directly in the PCM. To ensure a reliable digital user experience, the Porsche Connect package is included as standard for 10 years.
Their wording isn’t subtle either: “Direct access to a large number of third-party apps for native use directly in the PCM.”
The new reality is that automakers are software companies developing for computers that happen to have wheels. Adding more apps and increasing computing power are all part of a plan to give the customer the best experience possible, and also generate more revenue through subscription services.
Here are just some subscriptions that automakers are offering (from MotorTrend):
BMW: A Drive Recorder feature costs $149 for the lifetime of the vehicle or $39 per year. Traffic-camera information is available for $25 annually.
Ford: Buyers can use the BlueCruise highway hands-free driving system free for 90 days, then keep it activated for $495 a year or $49.99 a month. They can also pay a one-time fee of $2,495 for the service at the time of vehicle order (or they can pay $495 at the time of order for a year) starting with 2025 model year vehicles.
General Motors: Super Cruise costs $2,200 up front for three years on Chevrolet and GMC vehicles and $2,500 for Cadillacs, after which it's $25 a month or $250 per year via subscription.
Mercedes-Benz: The Mercedes Me Connect includes live weather and traffic and connected navigation for a $150 annual subscription, while Digital Extras such as an Acceleration Increase cost $1,200 a year.
Tesla: For a one-time payment of $12,000, or $200 per month, new owners get access to its Full Self-Driving system.
Toyota: It costs $80 a year or $8 a month for remote start.
Let’s not forget about the other elephant in the room:
Selling user data to insurance companies.
With Apple’s huge stance on privacy, there has to be some friction with how deeply CarPlay 2 integrates into a manufacturer’s system, and how much of that data Apple doesn’t want to be made available for sale.
There’s a tug of war between automakers and Apple. If something goes awry, who is to blame for an accident? Likewise, if data is being sold without people knowing about it, who is to blame? Neither party wants to bear the brunt of bad news, but if accidents happen, both the automaker and Apple will be blamed.
Let’s go back to Porsche for a second. Not only did they not mention CarPlay 2, they have integrated Amazon Alexa as their digital assistant:
For the first time, in addition to the Porsche Voice Pilot, Amazon Alexa® can also be used as a digital assistant while driving2. The service can be used, for example, to control smart home functions such as automatic garage doors or home lighting. Other typical functions of Alexa include researching information, creating and editing to-do lists and shopping lists, playing podcasts and music, or checking the latest news and weather reports. It can also be used to control media and supported third-party apps. Alexa is activated via the voice command "Alexa" or via an individually configured button, or icon switch tile in the PCM.
Adding Amazon Alexa is perhaps Porsche’s passive-aggressive way of saying, screw you Apple? Then again, do we really want Siri in our vehicles?
I’m a fan of Apple CarPlay and use it every time I rent a car, but I see where the manufacturers are coming from. “If there’s money to be made, let’s make the best software and driving experience that people won’t even care about CarPlay 2.” It’s an ambitious endeavor with GM taking the first official step, while others have silently followed in their shadow.
As the industry moves towards more automation, CarPlay 2 will be even less relevant since there are huge safety concerns and no manufacturer wants to rely on software that is not 100% in their control.
In the meantime, Apple should really just hyper focus on its standard CarPlay offering for the vast majority of mass-market cars that only have a center screen and make that more stable and efficient. Trying to infiltrate the luxury space where screens and automation are taking over was exactly the trajectory they were on before with Project Titan, and we know how that went.
It seems more likely that the iPhone 17 Pro will feature 8K video recording.
Update 4/8/25: 8K resolution and 180-degree field of view are separate parameters and unlikely for an iPhone to support the 180-degree field of view.
Joe Rossignol from MacRumors describes Apple’s new Immersive Video App for Vision Pro and Mac:
Apple Immersive Videos are 3D videos recorded in 8K resolution, with a 180-degree field of view and Spatial Audio. For example, recent performances by singer The Weeknd and heavy metal band Metallica are available in the format.
The new Apple Immersive Video Utility app allows you to import, organize, package, and review Apple Immersive Video files on a Mac. Then, you can connect one or more Vision Pro devices and review the immersive videos. For larger groups, Apple says there is a synchronized playback option for multi-device viewing sessions….
The app seems to be primarily intended for producers of Apple Immersive Videos, but the app is currently available for anyone to download.
I’m speculating here, but this sounds like a giant hint for iPhone 8K video recording support. I had the Vision Pro for a month, and immersive videos were the highlight for me and many others.
If people could record their own families in that same resolution and immersiveness, I think it would entice more people to purchase a Vision Pro. The Vision Pro videos that I have are 2200 x 2200, which is 2.2K resolution in a square aspect ratio, whereas 8K resolution is 7680 x 4320 pixels, or about 7 times the amount of pixels with 180-degree field of view.
8K video would require more storage, and I’m sure the iPhone Pro storage will be bumped up from 128GB to 256GB, along with a $100 price increase.
Update 4/8/25: 8K resolution and 180-degree field of view are separate parameters and unlikely for an iPhone to support the 180-degree field of view.
Joe Rossignol from MacRumors describes Apple’s new Immersive Video App for Vision Pro and Mac:
Apple Immersive Videos are 3D videos recorded in 8K resolution, with a 180-degree field of view and Spatial Audio. For example, recent performances by singer The Weeknd and heavy metal band Metallica are available in the format.
The new Apple Immersive Video Utility app allows you to import, organize, package, and review Apple Immersive Video files on a Mac. Then, you can connect one or more Vision Pro devices and review the immersive videos. For larger groups, Apple says there is a synchronized playback option for multi-device viewing sessions….
The app seems to be primarily intended for producers of Apple Immersive Videos, but the app is currently available for anyone to download.
I’m speculating here, but this sounds like a giant hint for iPhone 8K video recording support. I had the Vision Pro for a month, and immersive videos were the highlight for me and many others.
If people could record their own families in that same resolution and immersiveness, I think it would entice more people to purchase a Vision Pro. The Vision Pro videos that I have are 2200 x 2200, which is 2.2K resolution in a square aspect ratio, whereas 8K resolution is 7680 x 4320 pixels, or about 7 times the amount of pixels with 180-degree field of view.
8K video would require more storage, and I’m sure the iPhone Pro storage will be bumped up from 128GB to 256GB, along with a $100 price increase.
Will tariffs raise iPhone prices?
Allison Johnson at The Verge:
President Trump’s 34 percent tariff increase on Chinese goods is set to take effect on April 9th, making things even more complicated. Will Apple, for instance, pass the extra cost of an iPhone right along to buyers? The market seems to think so. It’s likely why Apple’s shares are down almost 10 percent, the worst drop in about five years.
But Gerrit Schneemann, a senior analyst at Counterpoint Research, doesn’t necessarily believe we’ll see an immediate price increase.
“I don’t foresee them… on a short-term basis just raising prices unnecessarily,” Schneemann told The Verge.
He points out that Apple’s margins (historically about 38 percent) give it more wiggle room to absorb the costs of the tariffs, at least in the short term. “But I think if this sticks, then probably with the 17 we could see a price hike,” he said, referring to the iPhone 17 expected in the fall.
Hard to say what will actually happen, but Apple is in the best position compared to other companies to hold their prices. Apple is focused heavily in growing their services revenue, and if they hold their prices, the price delta between Apple and its competitors will decrease, giving people a huge incentive to buy a higher quality Apple product.
More Apple products sold inevitably means more services revenue.
If prices do go up, I think US customers will be spared at the expense of other countries like it has in the past when Apple adjusts product pricing due to inflation.
What I do know for sure is, prices aren’t going down, so buy now if you are in the market.
Allison Johnson at The Verge:
President Trump’s 34 percent tariff increase on Chinese goods is set to take effect on April 9th, making things even more complicated. Will Apple, for instance, pass the extra cost of an iPhone right along to buyers? The market seems to think so. It’s likely why Apple’s shares are down almost 10 percent, the worst drop in about five years.
But Gerrit Schneemann, a senior analyst at Counterpoint Research, doesn’t necessarily believe we’ll see an immediate price increase.
“I don’t foresee them… on a short-term basis just raising prices unnecessarily,” Schneemann told The Verge.
He points out that Apple’s margins (historically about 38 percent) give it more wiggle room to absorb the costs of the tariffs, at least in the short term. “But I think if this sticks, then probably with the 17 we could see a price hike,” he said, referring to the iPhone 17 expected in the fall.
Hard to say what will actually happen, but Apple is in the best position compared to other companies to hold their prices. Apple is focused heavily in growing their services revenue, and if they hold their prices, the price delta between Apple and its competitors will decrease, giving people a huge incentive to buy a higher quality Apple product.
More Apple products sold inevitably means more services revenue.
If prices do go up, I think US customers will be spared at the expense of other countries like it has in the past when Apple adjusts product pricing due to inflation.
What I do know for sure is, prices aren’t going down, so buy now if you are in the market.
This is why automakers are balking at implementing CarPlay 2.
Chance Miller from 9to5Mac:
Apple released iOS 18.4 for iPhone users on with Priority Notifications, new emoji, several changes to CarPlay, and more. According to a growing number of users, however, the iOS 18.4 update has rendered CarPlay unusable in their cars.
In a thread on Reddit and elsewhere, iPhone users say they are experiencing a wide range of bugs with CarPlay since updating to iOS 18.4 this week. Multiple users say “Now Playing” information from CarPlay no longer shows up on their car’s gear cluster display.
Perhaps more importantly, however, some users are experiencing major connectivity problems with CarPlay in iOS 18.4. One user says their iPhone is “connecting and disconnecting over and over again” when using wireless CarPlay. Another user also says that iOS 18.4 “broke” their wireless CarPlay and made the connection “unstable.” One Honda driver says it “takes plugging and unplugging 5+ times or restarting the car to get CarPlay to connect” since updating to iOS 18.4.
Imagine if your whole instrument panel and all screens were completely taken over by CarPlay, and these bugs render your displays unusable.
Talk about a real cluster.
Chance Miller from 9to5Mac:
Apple released iOS 18.4 for iPhone users on with Priority Notifications, new emoji, several changes to CarPlay, and more. According to a growing number of users, however, the iOS 18.4 update has rendered CarPlay unusable in their cars.
In a thread on Reddit and elsewhere, iPhone users say they are experiencing a wide range of bugs with CarPlay since updating to iOS 18.4 this week. Multiple users say “Now Playing” information from CarPlay no longer shows up on their car’s gear cluster display.
Perhaps more importantly, however, some users are experiencing major connectivity problems with CarPlay in iOS 18.4. One user says their iPhone is “connecting and disconnecting over and over again” when using wireless CarPlay. Another user also says that iOS 18.4 “broke” their wireless CarPlay and made the connection “unstable.” One Honda driver says it “takes plugging and unplugging 5+ times or restarting the car to get CarPlay to connect” since updating to iOS 18.4.
Imagine if your whole instrument panel and all screens were completely taken over by CarPlay, and these bugs render your displays unusable.
Talk about a real cluster.
Apple Watch Series 10 - Jet Black durability after 6 months of use.
I have had the Series 10 Jet Black since launch, and it has been holding up well, much better than the iPhone 7’s Jet Black. According to Apple’s own description, it has gone from a 9-step anodization process to a 30- step anodization process.
To sum it up quickly, if you’re worried it will accumulate micro abrasions and swirls like the iPhone 7 did even while babying the device, that will not happen. It will stay shiny and beautiful. If you abuse it or drop it on an hard surface, expect scratches and even the bare aluminum to shine through. With normal use and occasional bumps here and there, it will also be fine.
The main thing to watch for is imperfections out of the box, which happened to me twice before I got a perfect one without any defects. The imperfections are at the junction between where the display ends and the aluminum body meets. That flat surface of aluminum is not polished as much as the curved body is, making it likely to have bare aluminum shining through the swath of the dark creamy black.
Once you notice it, you can’t unsee it.
Apple’s customer service did take care of me, but they are more lenient and forgiving if you call them versus try to deal with them in store.
Their words, not mine.
You can ready the whole experience below, along with photos showing what happens to the Jet Black finish if dropped on a hard surface.
Jet Black Apple Watch durability 28 days later - part 1
Jet Black Apple Watch Genius Bar Appointment - part 2
Calling Apple to resolve my Jet Black Apple Watch defect - part 3
Jet Black Apple Watch Replacement was worse - part 4
Jet Black Apple Watch durability after hitting the floor…hard.
I have had the Series 10 Jet Black since launch, and it has been holding up well, much better than the iPhone 7’s Jet Black. According to Apple’s own description, it has gone from a 9-step anodization process to a 30- step anodization process.
To sum it up quickly, if you’re worried it will accumulate micro abrasions and swirls like the iPhone 7 did even while babying the device, that will not happen. It will stay shiny and beautiful. If you abuse it or drop it on an hard surface, expect scratches and even the bare aluminum to shine through. With normal use and occasional bumps here and there, it will also be fine.
The main thing to watch for is imperfections out of the box, which happened to me twice before I got a perfect one without any defects. The imperfections are at the junction between where the display ends and the aluminum body meets. That flat surface of aluminum is not polished as much as the curved body is, making it likely to have bare aluminum shining through the swath of the dark creamy black.
Once you notice it, you can’t unsee it.
Apple’s customer service did take care of me, but they are more lenient and forgiving if you call them versus try to deal with them in store.
Their words, not mine.
You can ready the whole experience below, along with photos showing what happens to the Jet Black finish if dropped on a hard surface.
Jet Black Apple Watch durability 28 days later - part 1
Jet Black Apple Watch Genius Bar Appointment - part 2
Calling Apple to resolve my Jet Black Apple Watch defect - part 3
Jet Black Apple Watch Replacement was worse - part 4
Jet Black Apple Watch durability after hitting the floor…hard.
The iPhone 16e is the perfect iPhone for iPhone XR and XS upgraders.
Nothing is set in stone yet, but it seems highly likely that the XR and XS will not be getting iOS 19. It makes sense since iOS is rumored to get an all-new design, and usually an all-new design means older phones have to be left behind.
This makes it a perfect time to upgrade since you can be more up to date both in terms of hardware and software. Odds are if someone is still using an iPhone XR or XS, a 7-year old device, they aren’t really living on the cutting edge.
That is why the iPhone 16e is the perfect upgrade.
The benefits of upgrading from the XS to the 16e are just gobsmackingly insane. Here are just some of the benefits:
USB-C vs lightning.
Solid 48MP camera that will take better photos and videos than both 12MP lenses on the iPhone XS.
A brighter 6.1 inch screen that is a nice balance between the 5.8 inch and 6.5 inch iPhone XS and XS Max.
Same screen size, but smaller form factor than the XR.
Action Button vs the mute switch.
Equivalent wireless charging.
More responsive Face ID that works in landscape.
Huge boost in performance and speed.
Major iOS updates for at least 5 years.
The only downside? You get Apple Intelligence.
Nothing is set in stone yet, but it seems highly likely that the XR and XS will not be getting iOS 19. It makes sense since iOS is rumored to get an all-new design, and usually an all-new design means older phones have to be left behind.
This makes it a perfect time to upgrade since you can be more up to date both in terms of hardware and software. Odds are if someone is still using an iPhone XR or XS, a 7-year old device, they aren’t really living on the cutting edge.
That is why the iPhone 16e is the perfect upgrade.
The benefits of upgrading from the XS to the 16e are just gobsmackingly insane. Here are just some of the benefits:
USB-C vs lightning.
Solid 48MP camera that will take better photos and videos than both 12MP lenses on the iPhone XS.
A brighter 6.1 inch screen that is a nice balance between the 5.8 inch and 6.5 inch iPhone XS and XS Max.
Same screen size, but smaller form factor than the XR.
Action Button vs the mute switch.
Equivalent wireless charging.
More responsive Face ID that works in landscape.
Huge boost in performance and speed.
Major iOS updates for at least 5 years.
The only downside? You get Apple Intelligence.
The iPhone XR, XS, and XS Max will not get iOS 19.
Juli Clover from MacRumors:
iOS 19 will not be available on the iPhone XR, iPhone XS, or the iPhone XS Max, according a private account on social media site X that has accurately provided information on device compatibility in the past.
The iPhone XR, iPhone XS, and iPhone XS Max all have an A12 Bionic chip, so it looks like iOS 19 will discontinue support for that chip. All other iPhones that run iOS 18 are expected to support iOS 19.
It will be the end of an era, as the XS and XS Max were the last iPhones to have 3D Touch support, a feature that was always hidden under the radar, but was a stealth pro feature for those who knew about it.
It was so stealth that the iPhone XR was the first iPhone to remove 3D Touch, but still became the best selling phone in 2019.
Juli Clover from MacRumors:
iOS 19 will not be available on the iPhone XR, iPhone XS, or the iPhone XS Max, according a private account on social media site X that has accurately provided information on device compatibility in the past.
The iPhone XR, iPhone XS, and iPhone XS Max all have an A12 Bionic chip, so it looks like iOS 19 will discontinue support for that chip. All other iPhones that run iOS 18 are expected to support iOS 19.
It will be the end of an era, as the XS and XS Max were the last iPhones to have 3D Touch support, a feature that was always hidden under the radar, but was a stealth pro feature for those who knew about it.
It was so stealth that the iPhone XR was the first iPhone to remove 3D Touch, but still became the best selling phone in 2019.
The iPhone 17 Pro’s exciting feature nobody is talking about.
The iPhone 17 Pro is rumored to have an aluminum chassis with a glass in-lay, and that could mean a special treat for Pro users:
More exciting colors.
The iPhone lost its color palette once it went Pro, sticking mainly with the standard black, white, and gold variants. We did get some different colors over the years, but nothing that really popped:
iPhone X - Black and White
iPhone XS - Gold was added - may be the most exciting color addition.
iPhone 11 Pro - Midnight Green - very muted in most lighting.
iPhone 12 Pro - Pacific Blue - black in many lighting conditions (I had it for a few weeks).
iPhone 13 Pro - Sierra Blue - truly amazing and my phone of choice for the year, but the back looked gray in certain lighting.
iPhone 14 Pro - Deep Purple - almost black in most lighting. I owned this color for a full year, and rarely would I see the purple color except in certain outdoor lighting conditions.
iPhone 15 Pro - Natural Titanium (gray) and Blue Titanium (almost black in most lighting).
iPhone 16 Pro - Desert Titanium - fancy name for a slight gold variation that we’ve seen since the iPhone XS.
Of all the special colors, the only one that stands out was Sierra Blue for the iPhone 13 Pro.
That’s it.
With the switch to aluminum, Apple can wow us with some more brighter color choices, and not just give them to the regular iPhone 17 or 17 Air.
One can only hope, but I’m optimistic.
I’m optimistic because even if we don’t get any new colors, there is a possibility that we could get a two-tone look to the iPhone, a look that we haven’t seen since the iPhone SE in 2016.
According to Wayne Ma from The Information (via MacRumors):
The rear of the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max will also feature a new part-aluminum, part-glass design. The top half of the back will be made of aluminum and feature a "rectangular camera bump made of aluminum rather than traditional 3D glass," while the bottom half will continue to be made of glass to support wireless charging…
The new design will constitute one of the most significant visual changes to the high-end iPhone models in recent years. The Information has an excellent track record for accurate Apple rumors, so the latest report is highly likely to pan out.
The iPhone SE was the last iPhone to have both glass and aluminum, and the last flagship to have a glass and aluminum back was the iPhone 5s in 2013.
If we can’t get bold new colors, at least a two-tone look would be a welcome addition to help spice up the iPhone Pro lineup.
The iPhone 17 Pro is rumored to have an aluminum chassis with a glass in-lay, and that could mean a special treat for Pro users:
More exciting colors.
The iPhone lost its color palette once it went Pro, sticking mainly with the standard black, white, and gold variants. We did get some different colors over the years, but nothing that really popped:
iPhone X - Black and White
iPhone XS - Gold was added - may be the most exciting color addition.
iPhone 11 Pro - Midnight Green - very muted in most lighting.
iPhone 12 Pro - Pacific Blue - black in many lighting conditions (I had it for a few weeks).
iPhone 13 Pro - Sierra Blue - truly amazing and my phone of choice for the year, but the back looked gray in certain lighting.
iPhone 14 Pro - Deep Purple - almost black in most lighting. I owned this color for a full year, and rarely would I see the purple color except in certain outdoor lighting conditions.
iPhone 15 Pro - Natural Titanium (gray) and Blue Titanium (almost black in most lighting).
iPhone 16 Pro - Desert Titanium - fancy name for a slight gold variation that we’ve seen since the iPhone XS.
Of all the special colors, the only one that stands out was Sierra Blue for the iPhone 13 Pro.
That’s it.
With the switch to aluminum, Apple can wow us with some more brighter color choices, and not just give them to the regular iPhone 17 or 17 Air.
One can only hope, but I’m optimistic.
I’m optimistic because even if we don’t get any new colors, there is a possibility that we could get a two-tone look to the iPhone, a look that we haven’t seen since the iPhone SE in 2016.
According to Wayne Ma from The Information (via MacRumors):
The rear of the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max will also feature a new part-aluminum, part-glass design. The top half of the back will be made of aluminum and feature a "rectangular camera bump made of aluminum rather than traditional 3D glass," while the bottom half will continue to be made of glass to support wireless charging…
The new design will constitute one of the most significant visual changes to the high-end iPhone models in recent years. The Information has an excellent track record for accurate Apple rumors, so the latest report is highly likely to pan out.
The iPhone SE was the last iPhone to have both glass and aluminum, and the last flagship to have a glass and aluminum back was the iPhone 5s in 2013.
If we can’t get bold new colors, at least a two-tone look would be a welcome addition to help spice up the iPhone Pro lineup.
Apple developing its own AI Health coach.
Mark Gurman in his Power On Newsletter:
The initiative is called Project Mulberry, and it involves a completely revamped Health app plus a health coach. The service would be powered by a new AI agent that would replicate — at least to some extent — a real doctor…
The idea is this: The Health app will continue to collect data from your devices (whether that’s the iPhone, Apple Watch, earbuds or third-party products), and then the AI coach will use that information to offer tailor-made recommendations about ways to improve health.
The company is currently training the AI agent with data from physicians that it has on staff. Apple is also looking to bring in outside doctors, including experts in sleep, nutrition, physical therapy, mental health and cardiology, to create videos. That content would serve as explainers to users about certain conditions and how to make lifestyle improvements. For instance, if the Health app receives data about poor heart-rate trends, a video explaining the risks of heart disease could appear.
Apple is by far the leader in healthcare among all the tech giants. I can’t think of any other company that comes close.
It’s good to see Apple continue to expand in that direction, and it might not be a bad idea to get some Pharmacists there as well who can advise on medications and what effects they could be having on a person’s health.
Siri has fallen and gotten worse, but I don’t think Tim Cook will let that happen with healthcare.
Mark Gurman in his Power On Newsletter:
The initiative is called Project Mulberry, and it involves a completely revamped Health app plus a health coach. The service would be powered by a new AI agent that would replicate — at least to some extent — a real doctor…
The idea is this: The Health app will continue to collect data from your devices (whether that’s the iPhone, Apple Watch, earbuds or third-party products), and then the AI coach will use that information to offer tailor-made recommendations about ways to improve health.
The company is currently training the AI agent with data from physicians that it has on staff. Apple is also looking to bring in outside doctors, including experts in sleep, nutrition, physical therapy, mental health and cardiology, to create videos. That content would serve as explainers to users about certain conditions and how to make lifestyle improvements. For instance, if the Health app receives data about poor heart-rate trends, a video explaining the risks of heart disease could appear.
Apple is by far the leader in healthcare among all the tech giants. I can’t think of any other company that comes close.
It’s good to see Apple continue to expand in that direction, and it might not be a bad idea to get some Pharmacists there as well who can advise on medications and what effects they could be having on a person’s health.
Siri has fallen and gotten worse, but I don’t think Tim Cook will let that happen with healthcare.
Apple Watch’s new alarm feature needs a small tweak to be perfect.
WatchOS 11.4 has a new feature that allows your Apple Watch alarm to be audible even in Silent Mode. This is perfect for people who are heavy sleepers and the haptic feedback isn’t enough to wake them up. 📓
WatchOS 11.4 has a new feature that allows your Apple Watch alarm to be audible even in Silent Mode. This is perfect for people who are heavy sleepers and the haptic feedback isn’t enough to wake them up. For me personally, I keep my watch on silent all the time, and the haptic feedback from the watch is enough to wake me up without disturbing my wife.
I’m willing to bet that most people keep their Apple Watch on silent too or else this feature wouldn’t be a thing. It’s easy to feel the haptics when you’re awake, but we all know that heavy sleeper that needs both haptics and sound (and even a splash of water!).
If you need that extra jolt to wake you up, just edit the alarm, scroll down and turn on Break Through Silent Mode.
Behold, the alarm times for a Nuclear Pharmacist.
There is one problem though because in the above example, the 1:00 AM alarm has Break Through Silent Mode turned ON, and the 1:10 AM has it turned OFF. There is no way to distinguish which alarms are going to be loud and which ones will just have haptic feedback. Apple can solve this with a simple tweak by adding a little volume glyph in the corner so people can remember which alarms are going to be loud.
With the volume glyph, you can easily tell which alarms will be loud.
iPhone SE (1st gen) is not compatible with the HomePod.
To the three people in the world who have a 1st gen iPhone SE and are trying to connect it to their HomePod mini, just wanted to let you know that you’re resilience is admirable, but you’re out of luck. 📓
Right now my wife uses my “old” iPhone 15 Pro Max as her white noise device connected to the HomePod mini, but I need that iPhone to be ready to be my new main device when WWDC comes along in June. The 16 Pro Max will be designated as my testing device.
The only other iPhone I have that I can use is my 1st gen iPhone SE on its latest software version of 15.8.3.
It wouldn’t connect to the HomePod, or any of my HomeKit devices. Turns out you need iOS or iPad OS 16.3 or later.
To the three people in the world who have a 1st gen iPhone SE and are trying to connect it to their HomePod mini, just wanted to let you know that you’re resilience is admirable, but you’re out of luck.
Apple still sells the iPhone 13 mini as a refurbished device.
Mark Gurman had a livestream today where he had bad news for iPhone mini lovers.
From MacRumors:
Gurman said that Apple currently has no plans to reintroduce a smaller iPhone model.
You didn’t need Mark Gurman to tell you this, but this shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone. If a device doesn’t sell to Apple’s standards, it won’t keep it on the market. On the flip side, Apple’s refurbished store does have the iPhone 13 mini in stock every once in a while, and it was on their site a few days ago (sold out right now).
If you really want one because you missed out earlier, or because your current 12 mini or 13 mini is on its last legs, keep refreshing the site and you might score one.
Just as a reminder, Apple’s refurbished devices are a great deal in my opinion. They do come at a higher price tag than other 3rd party resellers, but you essentially get a brand new iPhone with a full warranty.
From Apple’s website:
All refurbished iPhone models come with a new battery, a new outer shell, a one-year limited warranty, and free delivery and returns.
This also includes:
• Full functional testing, genuine Apple part replacements (if needed), and a thorough cleaning
• The original operating system or a more recent version
• All accessories and cables repackaged in a brand‑new box
Mark Gurman had a livestream today where he had bad news for iPhone mini lovers.
From MacRumors:
Gurman said that Apple currently has no plans to reintroduce a smaller iPhone model.
You didn’t need Mark Gurman to tell you this, but this shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone. If a device doesn’t sell to Apple’s standards, it won’t keep it on the market. On the flip side, Apple’s refurbished store does have the iPhone 13 mini in stock every once in a while, and it was on their site a few days ago (sold out right now).
If you really want one because you missed out earlier, or because your current 12 mini or 13 mini is on its last legs, keep refreshing the site and you might score one.
Just as a reminder, Apple’s refurbished devices are a great deal in my opinion. They do come at a higher price tag than other 3rd party resellers, but you essentially get a brand new iPhone with a full warranty.
From Apple’s website:
All refurbished iPhone models come with a new battery, a new outer shell, a one-year limited warranty, and free delivery and returns.
This also includes:
• Full functional testing, genuine Apple part replacements (if needed), and a thorough cleaning
• The original operating system or a more recent version
• All accessories and cables repackaged in a brand‑new box
I hope WWDC brings these two fixes in watchOS 12.
There’s been a viral clip going around X ever since the Siri fiasco took off.
A clip emphasizing simplicity.
A clip emphasizing stability.
It was about the new features in Snow Leopard back in 2009, and how Apple proudly announced zero new features.
Although there were new features, what Apple was trying to emphasize was software stability and how important it was to them to make sure, “it just works.”
The famous “it just works,” implying how seamless and unbelievable it is, and not the jerry rigged “it juuust (barely) works.”
Apple had a more recent instance similar to this with iOS9 in 2015, where Craig Federighi discussed how the focus was on “elevating the foundations” of iOS, such as extending battery life, improving performance, and enhancing security to protect customer data.
watchOS needs its Snow Leopard / iOS 9 moment. Have a few updates to wow the people and please Wall Street, but really hunker down and fix some key issues.
Two issues to be exact.
The first issue is the ability to swipe between your watch faces. This was a staple and stable feature starting with watchOS 3 before watchOS 10 had its huge overhaul with SmartStack. You would effortlessly swipe between watch faces and all your information was just there, present and up to date. In watchOS 10, that feature went away for a while, and I was not happy about it:
A barbaric touch and hold, followed by scrolling right or left in the edit screen. Even the original Apple Watch had a faster way to change watch faces with its Force Touch ability giving you almost instant access to the watch face edit screen.
Even Apple knew they had to bring this feature back since it made switching watch faces much faster, and they did bring it back as a hidden option with watchOS 10.2 under Settings > Clock > Swipe to Switch Watch Face.
It came back, but it came back the way Michael Jordan came back as a Washington Wizard instead of a Chicago Bull.
No longer the default option, the swipe came back as a 2nd string option due to its glitchy performance. On my 7 and a half year old Series 3 Apple Watch, with its latest software version (Watch OS 8), in the year 2025, you can swipe between watch faces and everything is in memory and seamless. Extremely smooth, with the hour, minute, and seconds hands perfectly in sync between swipes. It just works!
Somehow the architecture of watchOS 10 fundamentally changed some of the inner workings of the Apple Watch, and after almost 2 years now, it’s as if the watch face has to “load” each and every time you swipe watch faces. It feels and looks buggy, especially when you go from an analog watch face to a digital watch face that is full of data. It juuust (barely) works.
The Tips app on your iPhone even demos how to change your watch face, referring to the touch and hold method vs the swipe method.
I’m sure there are Apple Watch engineers who cringe every time they swipe from one watch face to another, knowing that this problem still exists and needs to be fixed. I understand why it’s not a high priority, but it’ll be two years in June when they announce watchOS 12.
Two years is long enough.
The second (more critical) issue that needs to be overhauled are the watch faces. I’ve said this multiple times already, but they need to be updated to support the Series 10’s always on display with seconds hand. To advertise this feature and then to only have it on 3 watch faces at launch is just embarrassing. The Unity Rhythm watch face was released recently with watchOS 11.3, but that is still 4 out of over 40 watch faces. In the Steve Jobs era, this would not have been acceptable. Heck, even Jony Ive would have put the hammer down on this one.
To complicate things further, there are plenty of complications such as the digital time and digital seconds complications that would make this feature pop even more on the watch. Your always on display would look more realistic, with ticking “components” constantly updating every second without sacrificing battery life. That “magical” touch would sell more watches, because we are visual creatures, and to see the Apple Watch acting like an actual watch that ticks and doesn’t stop moving will blur the line between digital and traditional watch faces.
Watch enthusiasts will appreciate it even more, and won’t scoff (as much) at us digital watch wearers. They will still scoff at us when they notice its quartz-like movement, but appreciate the technological step forward and will purchase one, probably a more expensive model to boot.
The real question is, was this a Wall Street move to keep this feature gimped the way Apple has? Perhaps it would have taken sales away from the higher profit margin of the Ultra 2? The Series 10 in 46mm technically does have a bigger display, and to make it more lively with its 1 sec refresh rate for $370 less does make it a much more compelling purchase from a visual standpoint.
As sleezy as it might be to keep the feature purposefully limited to drive Ultra 2 sales (I don’t think this was the plan), it would be reassuring to know they have the capability to make every watch face compatible with the 1 second refresh rate. I really do hope the Ultra 3 and Series 11 have full support for this feature, while updating the Series 10 to match.
Ideally, and this is truly my hope, Apple didn’t have time to fix the issues with the previous watch faces, and they are working diligently to update all watch faces for watchOS 12.
The updated watch faces could even be the main upgrade for watchOS 12 and it could actually revitalize interest in the Apple Watch. The timing would be perfect to coincide with the purported iOS 19 redesign.
There’s been a viral clip going around X ever since the Siri fiasco took off.
A clip emphasizing simplicity.
A clip emphasizing stability.
It was about the new features in Snow Leopard back in 2009, and how Apple proudly announced zero new features.
Although there were new features, what Apple was trying to emphasize was software stability and how important it was to them to make sure, “it just works.”
The famous “it just works,” implying how seamless and unbelievable it is, and not the jerry rigged “it juuust (barely) works.”
Apple had a more recent instance similar to this with iOS9 in 2015, where Craig Federighi discussed how the focus was on “elevating the foundations” of iOS, such as extending battery life, improving performance, and enhancing security to protect customer data.
watchOS needs its Snow Leopard / iOS 9 moment. Have a few updates to wow the people and please Wall Street, but really hunker down and fix some key issues.
Two issues to be exact.
The first issue is the ability to swipe between your watch faces. This was a staple and stable feature starting with watchOS 3 before watchOS 10 had its huge overhaul with SmartStack. You would effortlessly swipe between watch faces and all your information was just there, present and up to date. In watchOS 10, that feature went away for a while, and I was not happy about it:
A barbaric touch and hold, followed by scrolling right or left in the edit screen. Even the original Apple Watch had a faster way to change watch faces with its Force Touch ability giving you almost instant access to the watch face edit screen.
Even Apple knew they had to bring this feature back since it made switching watch faces much faster, and they did bring it back as a hidden option with watchOS 10.2 under Settings > Clock > Swipe to Switch Watch Face.
It came back, but it came back the way Michael Jordan came back as a Washington Wizard instead of a Chicago Bull.
No longer the default option, the swipe came back as a 2nd string option due to its glitchy performance. On my 7 and a half year old Series 3 Apple Watch, with its latest software version (Watch OS 8), in the year 2025, you can swipe between watch faces and everything is in memory and seamless. Extremely smooth, with the hour, minute, and seconds hands perfectly in sync between swipes. It just works!
Somehow the architecture of watchOS 10 fundamentally changed some of the inner workings of the Apple Watch, and after almost 2 years now, it’s as if the watch face has to “load” each and every time you swipe watch faces. It feels and looks buggy, especially when you go from an analog watch face to a digital watch face that is full of data. It juuust (barely) works.
The Tips app on your iPhone even demos how to change your watch face, referring to the touch and hold method vs the swipe method.
I’m sure there are Apple Watch engineers who cringe every time they swipe from one watch face to another, knowing that this problem still exists and needs to be fixed. I understand why it’s not a high priority, but it’ll be two years in June when they announce watchOS 12.
Two years is long enough.
The second (more critical) issue that needs to be overhauled are the watch faces. I’ve said this multiple times already, but they need to be updated to support the Series 10’s always on display with seconds hand. To advertise this feature and then to only have it on 3 watch faces at launch is just embarrassing. The Unity Rhythm watch face was released recently with watchOS 11.3, but that is still 4 out of over 40 watch faces. In the Steve Jobs era, this would not have been acceptable. Heck, even Jony Ive would have put the hammer down on this one.
To complicate things further, there are plenty of complications such as the digital time and digital seconds complications that would make this feature pop even more on the watch. Your always on display would look more realistic, with ticking “components” constantly updating every second without sacrificing battery life. That “magical” touch would sell more watches, because we are visual creatures, and to see the Apple Watch acting like an actual watch that ticks and doesn’t stop moving will blur the line between digital and traditional watch faces.
Watch enthusiasts will appreciate it even more, and won’t scoff (as much) at us digital watch wearers. They will still scoff at us when they notice its quartz-like movement, but appreciate the technological step forward and will purchase one, probably a more expensive model to boot.
The real question is, was this a Wall Street move to keep this feature gimped the way Apple has? Perhaps it would have taken sales away from the higher profit margin of the Ultra 2? The Series 10 in 46mm technically does have a bigger display, and to make it more lively with its 1 sec refresh rate for $370 less does make it a much more compelling purchase from a visual standpoint.
As sleezy as it might be to keep the feature purposefully limited to drive Ultra 2 sales (I don’t think this was the plan), it would be reassuring to know they have the capability to make every watch face compatible with the 1 second refresh rate. I really do hope the Ultra 3 and Series 11 have full support for this feature, while updating the Series 10 to match.
Ideally, and this is truly my hope, Apple didn’t have time to fix the issues with the previous watch faces, and they are working diligently to update all watch faces for watchOS 12.
The updated watch faces could even be the main upgrade for watchOS 12 and it could actually revitalize interest in the Apple Watch. The timing would be perfect to coincide with the purported iOS 19 redesign.
Apple announces WWDC 2025
Apple Newsroom:
Apple today announced it will host its annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) online from June 9 to 13, 2025. Developers and students will also have the opportunity to celebrate in person during a special event at Apple Park on June 9.
Available for free to all developers, WWDC25 will spotlight the latest advancements in Apple software. As part of Apple’s ongoing commitment to supporting developers, the conference will provide them with unique access to Apple experts, as well as insight into new tools, frameworks, and features.
I’m looking forward to this alleged iOS 19 redesign, but what I really want is watchOS 12 to be extremely polished. There are still some rough edges that need to be buffed out.
Apple Newsroom:
Apple today announced it will host its annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) online from June 9 to 13, 2025. Developers and students will also have the opportunity to celebrate in person during a special event at Apple Park on June 9.
Available for free to all developers, WWDC25 will spotlight the latest advancements in Apple software. As part of Apple’s ongoing commitment to supporting developers, the conference will provide them with unique access to Apple experts, as well as insight into new tools, frameworks, and features.
I’m looking forward to this alleged iOS 19 redesign, but what I really want is watchOS 12 to be extremely polished. There are still some rough edges that need to be buffed out.
AirPods Max with USB-C finally get lossless audio and wired playback.
Apple Newsroom:
Next month, a new software update will bring lossless audio and ultra-low latency audio to AirPods Max, delivering the ultimate listening experience and even greater performance for music production. With the included USB-C cable, users can enjoy the highest-quality audio across music, movies, and games, while music creators can experience significant enhancements to songwriting, beat making, production, and mixing.
Another key point Apple mentions in a footnote is their new USB-C to headphone jack cable which brings wired playback back to the AirPods Max. The lightning version of the AirPods Max had this advantage, and now the USB-C version gets the wired treatment:
USB-C to 3.5 mm audio cable will be available today for $39 (U.S.) from apple.com/store, in the Apple Store app, and through Apple Authorized Resellers. It can be used to connect AirPods Max to 3.5 mm audio sources, like the audio-out port on an airplane. Users can also connect their iOS or iPadOS device to 3.5 mm audio ports, like audio-in ports on car stereos or other speakers.
Apple Newsroom:
Next month, a new software update will bring lossless audio and ultra-low latency audio to AirPods Max, delivering the ultimate listening experience and even greater performance for music production. With the included USB-C cable, users can enjoy the highest-quality audio across music, movies, and games, while music creators can experience significant enhancements to songwriting, beat making, production, and mixing.
Another key point Apple mentions in a footnote is their new USB-C to headphone jack cable which brings wired playback back to the AirPods Max. The lightning version of the AirPods Max had this advantage, and now the USB-C version gets the wired treatment:
USB-C to 3.5 mm audio cable will be available today for $39 (U.S.) from apple.com/store, in the Apple Store app, and through Apple Authorized Resellers. It can be used to connect AirPods Max to 3.5 mm audio sources, like the audio-out port on an airplane. Users can also connect their iOS or iPadOS device to 3.5 mm audio ports, like audio-in ports on car stereos or other speakers.