Let’s take a look at this week’s Apple news and headlines, including the latest iPhone 16 specs, iPhone 16 Pro battery changes, RCS Messaging tested, a cheaper Vision Pro, Apple Watch design leaks, a new Apple TV, and Apple Intelligence Pay.
Apple Loop is here to remind you of some of the many discussions surrounding Apple over the past seven days. You can also read my weekly Android news roundup here on Forbes.
iPhone 16 will share the power
Apple is set to introduce AI to the iPhone 16 family, so each device will need a processor capable of using it. This is consistent with a new report this week that looks at both product names and highlights the use of the upcoming A18 chipset for the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro. This is a shift in strategy; previously, Apple has tried to keep regular iPhones a generation behind the Pro models to encourage sales of the more expensive devices:
“So the evidence that the iPhone17.1, iPhone17.2, and similar chips are in place suggests that all models in this fall’s new lineup will feature the same processor. And battery life should benefit as well, as the new chips could help efficiency as well as power.”
(Forbes).
Apple CEO Tim Cook (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
A massive battery change for the iPhone 16 Pro
New regulations around the world are aimed at improving the repairability and durability of consumer electronics, including smartphones. Apple has no choice but to follow this model, which essentially means that old glued-on batteries will have to be removed to allow for easier battery replacement. Naturally, Apple has a high-tech process ready to be implemented:
“Currently, removing the battery from an iPhone requires some skill to remove the adhesive strips that stick it to the chassis. It’s not an easy thing for a regular user, without experience. But Apple wants to change things by using a bonding technology that would release the battery after “administering a small electric shock… this new technology could hit at least one iPhone 16 model this year, and roll out to the entire iPhone 17 lineup in 2025.”
(Forbes).
RCS Messaging Beta
The developer beta of iOS 18 is not yet available to the public, but one of the key features is already being praised by those who have access to it. After many years of stubbornness, Apple is including the RCS messaging protocol in its Messages app. RCS allows for better communication between clients, support for group chat, and sending rich media content:
“Users are reporting that the benefits of RCS, a much more advanced system than SMS, which iPhones previously rejected in favor of their own iMessage setup, are now available on the iPhone for power users, since Apple released the second iOS 18 developer beta on Monday, June 24.
(Forbes).
Plans for a cheaper Vision helmet
The Apple Vision Pro headset is an expensive solution to integrate Apple’s mixed reality ecosystem, and it’s always been understood that a cheaper non-Pro headset would follow. Supply chain analysts have spotted a potential lower-resolution display that could be the heart of a Vision vnailla headset:
“Apple’s interest in larger, lower-resolution OLEDoS panels than those used in the Vision Pro suggests that these could be destined for a new, lower-cost mixed reality headset. Apple has been rumored to be working on such a device for over a year, and the latest indications suggest it could be designed to connect to an iPhone or Mac to eliminate the need for an expensive processor. The lower-cost Apple Vision headset could launch as early as late next year.”
(Mac Rumors).
Apple Watch design leaks
The next Apple Watch will increase in size. Whether it’s the classic Apple Watch 3 or a new variant of the Ultra, a larger display is expected, which will impact the entire design:
“The next watch, whatever it’s called, will have a larger screen than any previous watch, including the Apple Watch Ultra… Raw CAD renderings show a watch with a two-inch screen: the Apple Watch Ultra and Apple Watch Ultra 2 both have the largest screens yet, measuring 1.93 inches.”
(Forbes).
A new Apple TV with AI
Two new devices have been integrated into the developer code. Apple seems to be preparing a new wave of home devices, and we could be ready to see a hybrid product that brings together two popular accessories:
“MacRumors has identified code “discovered in Apple’s backend” that indicates Apple is working on a new home accessory to sit alongside the HomePod and Apple TV… the idea that a new device will be so powerful that it will need the A18 chip, whatever that is. Could this be the Apple TV-with-display hybrid we’ve been hearing about? That would be innovative.”
(MacRumors via Forbes).
And finally…
As manufacturers around the world turn to AI tools, the cost of running these services means that at some point, consumers will have to foot the bill. That includes Apple’s efforts to integrate AI into the iPhone and beyond. When the new iPhones launch, they’ll likely be free, but don’t be surprised if Apple launches another subscription service:
“In his latest Power On newsletter, Gurman said that while Apple Intelligence will be free to start, Apple’s long-term plan is to launch something like “Apple Intelligence+,” with additional features that users pay a monthly fee to access. Making its own AI features another source of services revenue should help Apple offset the slowdown in the pace of hardware upgrades and make the company less reliant on hardware tweaks to drive its business, Gurman said.
(Mac Rumors).
Apple Loop brings you seven days of highlights every weekend here on Forbes. Be sure to follow me so you don’t miss anything in the future. 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.
