O'Grady's PowerPage

Tag: hike

  • Rumor: Apple may drop the $599 MacBook Neo configuration due to global component shortage

    Rumor: Apple may drop the $599 MacBook Neo configuration due to global component shortage

    The hardware component shortage continues, and Apple may consider dropping its cheapest MacBook Neo notebook configuration as a result.

    According to Taiwan-based tech columbisat and former Bloomberg contributor Tim Culpan, Apple is considering dropping its $599, 256GB MacBook Neo model, thereby making its cheapest notebook the 512GB version, which retails for $699.

    Writing in his latest Culpium newsletter, Culpan says cutting the entry-level 256GB model is among the options Apple is weighing as component costs climb. Such a move would push the Neo’s effective starting price up by $100 without raising the price of any individual configuration.

    Apple recently executed a similar move with two of its desktop Mac models. The company stopped offering the 512GB version of the Mac Studio in March, and dropped the Mac mini’s lowest 256GB storage option last week, making the latter’s starting price increase from $599 to $799 in the United States. The moves come as a result of a worldwide shortage of memory chips, which are being purchased and used for the construction of AI data centers.

    Culpan’s article states that Apple is pushing to ramp up manufacturing. Shipping estimates on Apple’s website currently put delivery times at two to three weeks across the lineup given stronger-than-expected demand, and Apple is said have instructed suppliers to increase production capacity to 10 million units, roughly double the original forecast of 5 to 6 million.

    Apple is also said to be up against the fact that the initial Neo batch used lower-end A18 Pro chips, which had one GPU core disabled. A fresh production run would produce more fully functional chips, increasing the per-unit cost even before any expedited manufacturing premiums are applied. Should Apple decide against dropping the $599 MacBook Neo configuration, the company may consider introducing new color options for the current-generation Neo to help justify a potential price hike.

    Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.

    Via MacRumors and Culpium.com

  • Robokiller: Spam Call Blocker subscription price to jump 225 percent on July 20

    Robokiller: Spam Call Blocker subscription price to jump 225 percent on July 20

    Sometimes the subscription price for an app you love with all your heart goes through the roof.

    Per Reddit, Apple has sent out a warning that the subscription price for Robokiller: Spam Call Blocker is about to jump from $39.99 per year to $89.99 per year with next to no warning. The price hike will take effect on July 20 with the app’s automatic renewal, and users have until July 20 to cancel their subscriptions to avoid the price increase.

    Robokiller: Spam Call Blocker is developed by TelTech Systems, which somehow thought this would be a great idea, and requires iOS 15.0 or later to install and run.

    Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.

    Via Reddit and the App Store

  • WWDC: Apple announces iOS 18, highlights Home Screen customization, Dark Mode, Game Mode, and other features

    WWDC: Apple announces iOS 18, highlights Home Screen customization, Dark Mode, Game Mode, and other features

    Monday’s keynote speech at WWDC marked a fair amount to come, complete with Apple previewing its iOS 18 update for its iPhone.

    The forthcoming operating system offers new customization tools for the Home Screen, including Dark Mode, which can use a color tint to create a personalized look. Apps can also now be placed anywhere on the ‌Home Screen‌ freely.

    Apple is also looking to update the Control Center, allowing for new widget-like components to be installed. Via the update, users will be able to continuously swipe to access Control Center screen categories, and Lock Screen controls can also be customized.

    Where Messages is concerned, Apple is looking to expand tapback reactions with any emoji. Users will be able to schedule messages to send later, as well as use text formatting options such as bold, italicization, underlining, and strikethrough. Users can also now send and receive messages with satellite connectivity.

    The Mail app will automatically sort messages into categories to help with organization and prioritization. The Maps app will offer access to topographical maps that correspond with trail networks and hiking routes, and over in Wallet, a new Tap to Cash feature sends cash by holding iPhones together.

    The Photos app is receiving a significant overhaul and will offer new user interface options such as a single view, with a photo grid at the top that views the entire library and collections organized by theme below. Users can use Months and Years views at the bottom. This will also correspond with a filter button that allows you to hide screenshots and sort them in other ways. Other filters include topics like Time, People, Memories, Trips, and more.

    In an interesting move, users will be able to lock apps with authentication, hiding the data from Search and Siri.

    iOS 18 will also offer support for the RCS messaging protocol, bringing it closer in line with Google’s Android protocols, which other new changes include larger Home Screen‌ icons, Reminders integration in Calendar, and Game Mode will be available for the first time on iPhone, minimizing background activity to keep frame rates high, plus more responsive connections to AirPods and wireless game controllers.

    The first developer beta of iOS 18 became available on Monday, a public beta is expected for July, and an official public release is expected in the fall.

    Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.

    Via MacRumors and developer.apple.com

  • Rumor: iPhone 15 Pro models could see a $100 to $200 price hike as opposed to iPhone 14 Pro models

    Rumor: iPhone 15 Pro models could see a $100 to $200 price hike as opposed to iPhone 14 Pro models

    If you’re hankering for an iPhone 15 Pro upon its release, it could be up to $200 more expensive than last year’s iPhone 14 Pro model.

    A series of recent rumors have added credence to the idea that the iPhone 15 Pro could be more costly to consumers.

    The report published Tuesday by DigiTimes forecasts the price of the iPhone 15 Pro at $1,099 at a minimum, a cost of $100 more than its iPhone 14 Pro counterpart. Likewise, the iPhone 15 Pro Max may end up costing $1,2,99, $100 more than the iPhone 14 Pro Max at $1,199.

    A $200 price increase could also be likely, as numerous sources have stated that this could be feasible for the iPhone 15 Pro line.

    A price rise could have a negative impact on the sales of the premium models, with the report estimating shipments of new Pro models in 2023 reducing from an initial forecast of 83 million units to 77 million units.

    For Apple, lower sales of its premium models could actually be a good thing, allowing the company to earn a higher profit per device sold.

    Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.

    Via AppleInsider and DigiTimes