O'Grady's PowerPage

Tag: 21

  • Black Friday: Apple offers six months of Apple TV streaming service for $5.99/month to new and returning customers

    Black Friday: Apple offers six months of Apple TV streaming service for $5.99/month to new and returning customers

    It’s a little ahead of Black Friday, but Apple is offering its Apple TV streaming service to both new and returning subscribers, wherein eligible customers can receive six months of the service for $5.99 per month.

    After the six-month period, the subscription price will increase to $12.99, which is the regular price for the Apple TV service.

    The deal will be available from November 21 to December 21 via the Apple TV website.

    Existing subscribers are not eligible for the discount, nor are customers who have subscriptions billed through a third-party service.

    Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.

    Via MacRumors and Apple

  • Rumor: Supply constraints, historical timelines hint at M5-based products en route for October launch

    Rumor: Supply constraints, historical timelines hint at M5-based products en route for October launch

    The rumor and speculation mill is now in overdrive as constrained supplies of the M4 iPad Pro and the lower-end 14-inch M4 MacBook Pro at Apple retail locations are the best signs yet that M5-based deveices are on their way.

    Following September’s iPhone event, Apple is anticipated to launch more hardware later in the fall. If supply levels through Apple’s retail operations are an indicator, it could happen in the near future.

    Per Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, supplies of the M4 iPad Pro are “fairly constrained” in Apple Store locations. In a recent X post, Gurman wrote that online shipments for the iPad Pro have also started to be delayed until between October 21 and October 28 for some configurations.

    AppleInsider has also checked Apple’s online storefront and confirmed delayed shipments for the 14-inch M4 MacBook Pro. The website was not able to confirm online shipments were delayed for the iPad Pro.

    In addition to this, Apple has also historically seen product constraints until the end of October for some custom configurations.. This doesn’t seem to be the case for the 14-inch MacBook Pro with M4 Pro and M4 Max chips, and this could mean the entry-level 14-inch MacBook Pro with M5 is also on the way.

    The 16-inch MacBook Pro is also unaffected, but that may be because the current version is sold with M4 Pro and M4 Max, not the base M4 chip.

    Finally, Apple has often released new products around October, and the date range matches

    A returning timescaleApple’s usual routine for shipping Apple Silicon models. Apple tends to launch the base M-series chip first in a few entry level models, then brings out the Pro and Pro Max versions a few months later. This first wave usually includes the iPad Pro and the base versions of MacBook Pro, along with the Mac mini.

    Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.

    Via AppleInsider and @markgurman

  • Apple unveils iPhone 16e, will open pre-orders on Friday

    Apple unveils iPhone 16e, will open pre-orders on Friday

    The new iPhone has launched, except the rumors were true and it’s known as the “iPhone 16e.”

    While not an update to the $429 iPhone SE, which was last updated in 2022, the new iPhone 16E will ship in a single size and cut $200 off the standard iPhone 16 starting price. Per Macworld, with the launch of the iPhone 16e, the iPhone SE has apparently been eliminated from the iPhone lineup along with several older models, and Apple no longer sells a “budget” phone.

    Pre-orders for the new model begin on February 21, with availability starting on February 28. It is available in white or black, with prices starting at $599/£599 for the 128GB model.

    Where specs are concerned, you’ll get the following:

    • A 6.1-inch OLED display
    • Face ID
    • A18 processor
    • Apple Intelligence support
    • 48MP rear camera with 2x telephoto
    • Satellite connectivity
    • Action Button

    With regard to the standard iPhone 16, the higher-end model offers a Camera Control button, an ultrawide rear camera with macro photography, Dynamic Island, MagSafe charging, a brighter display, ultra-wideband, and the ability to take spatial photos and videos. The iPhone 16 is also available in a variety of colors, while the iPhone 16e will ship in either black or white.

    Apple has apparently also dropped the MagSafe feature from the iPhone 16E, as the magnetic attachment feature has been a staple of the iPhone for the last four years. Users will still get Qi wireless charging up to 7.5 watts, but faster charging (and attachment to magnetic accessories) is off the table. The unit also supports USB-C for charging.

    The display measures 6.1 inches, or the same size as the iPhone 16, but at a lower brightness level. The maximum brightness for iPhone 16e is 800 nits or 1,000 for HDR content. That compares to 1,000/1,600 nits for the iPhone 16, which can boost to 2,000 nits in bright outdoor light, making it comparable to the iPhone 14 display.

    The A18 chip found in the iPhone 16e is not as powerful as the A18 found in the current iPhone 16 model, and only has 4 active GPU cores, while the iPhone 16’s A18 has 5 GPU cores. Apple may reduce performance in other ways as well, such as limiting clock speed. The exact specifics won’t be known until benchmark tests have been run.

    Still, Apple has debuted its new C1 modem with the iPhone 16e, the new hardware supporting sub-6GHz 5G and 4G LTE with 4×4 MIMO, while Apple calls it “the most power-efficient modem ever on an iPhone.” As previously expected, it does not support mmWave 5G connectivity but neither did the previous iPhone SE. model. Other new features include a new internal design that Apple has stated boosts battery life, the company citing up to 26 hours of video playback, compared to 22 hours for the regular iPhone 16 and 27 hours for the iPhone 16 Pro.

    The iPhone 16e differs from the iPhone 16 and doesn’t offer ultra-sideband radio, and while it will work with your AirTags, the “precision finding” capability won’t. It’s also missing Thread networking and has Wi-Fi 6 instead of Wi-Fi 7.

    The iPhone 16e is available in white or black and starts at $599/£599 for 128GB. The 256GB model is $699, and the 512GB model is $899.

    Please let us know what you think in the comments.

    Via Macworld and Apple

  • Apple announces M4-based iMac, boosts RAM and upgrades camera from M3 model

    Apple announces M4-based iMac, boosts RAM and upgrades camera from M3 model

    The new iMac has been unveiled and it seems nifty.

    On Monday, Apple unveiled its new M4-based iMac, which replaces the M3 that was introduced in the iMac a year ago. Apple has increased the base standard configuration of unified memory from 8GB to 16GB.

    The new iMac is available at $1,499, $1,699, and $1,899 price points, and includes four Thunderbolt 4 ports. The M3 model at the same price came with two Thunderbolt 4 ports and two USB-C ports. The $1,299 model still includes two Thunderbolt/USB 4 ports.

    The M4 iMac arrives in the following configurations:

    $1,299: 8-core M4 chip (four performance cores, four efficiency cores), 8-core GPU, 16GB unified memory, 256GB SSD, two Thunderbolt/USB 4 ports, Magic Keyboard

    $1,499: 10-core M4 chip (four performance cores, six efficiency cores), 8-core GPU, 16GB unified memory, 256GB SSD, four Thunderbolt 4 ports, gigabit ethernet, Magic Keyboard with Touch ID

    $1,699: 10-core M4 chip (four performance cores, six efficiency cores), 8-core GPU, 16GB unified memory, 512GB SSD, four Thunderbolt 4 ports, gigabit ethernet, Magic Keyboard with Touch ID

    $1,899: 10-core M4 chip (four performance cores, six efficiency cores), 8-core GPU, 24GB unified memory, 512GB SSD, four Thunderbolt 4 ports, gigabit ethernet, Magic Keyboard with Touch ID

    The new M4 iMac arrives in blue, green, orange, pink, purple, silver, and yellow color options and all colors are available on all models. They also include a color-matching Magic Keyboard and the choice of a Magic Mouse or a Magic Trackpad ($50 extra). As expected, the Magic devices now come with USB-C ports instead of Lightning but otherwise, they’re the same as before.

    Other new changes include Apple’s upgrading the 1080p FaceTime camera found on the previous iMac and transitioning to a 12MP Center Stage camera with support for Desk View. The camera also supports 1080p HD video recording.

    A new option for the M4 iMac is a nano-texture glass for the display, which offers a matte-like finish instead of the standard glossy glass. The nano-texture glass is a $200 option. The display is the same 24-inch, 4.5K retina display with 500 nits of brightness and support for the P3 color gamut and True Tone.

    The M4 iMac is available for pre-order with shipments starting on November 8.

    Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.

    Via Macworld and Apple

  • Rumor: Apple Vision Pro could see “imminent” release in U.S. Apple Store locations

    Rumor: Apple Vision Pro could see “imminent” release in U.S. Apple Store locations

    Apple’s Vision Pro headset could be on the brink of launch which are U.S. Apple Store retail locations, beginning final preparations for the device to go on sale.

    According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman in the latest “Power On” newsletter, Gurman said that the Vision Pro is now shipping in small quantities to warehouses across the United States ahead of direct distribution to Apple retail stores. Although Apple has yet to announce an official release date, it is looking to have sufficient stock ready in the U.S. by the end of January to launch in February. Gurman has also stated that he expects Apple to make a Vision Pro-related announcement “in the next week or so” to “take some of the spotlight away from CES,” which starts on Tuesday, January 9.

    It’s also been noted that on January 21, all Apple Stores in the United States will hold an unusual three-hour-long meeting for all employees that will likely involve training and explanation of the sales procedure related to the device. Further training sessions are planned for the subsequent days, followed by the reception of new inventory racks and backroom equipment.

    Finally, it’s been noted that Luxshare, the Chinese assembler of the Vision Pro, held a delivery ceremony last month to mark the first official shipments of the completed headset. Apple has also purportedly filed design patents “for every hardware and software element of the device,” which further suggests that the launch is likely to be very soon.

    It’s unknown when the Vision Pro will become available via online pre-orders, and Apple may initially only offer an online reservation for an appointment at an Apple Store involving a light seal and headband fitting.

    Gurman has also stated that he doesn’t believe the Vision Pro will launch around the world until “much later” than its U.S. release. Apple is said to be considering the United Kingdom, Canada, and China as the next markets to receive the product.

    Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.

    Via MacRumors and Bloomberg