MacRumors

For some time now, rumors have suggested Apple will add a laser-powered time-of-flight (ToF) 3D rear camera to its iPhone 12 series, which will bring significant improvements in the form of new augmented reality experiences and better photos.

A report on Wednesday by Fast Company adds to those rumors, citing sources familiar with Apple's plans. According to the report, Apple has tapped San Jose-based Lumentum to supply the VCSEL lasers that will power the "world-facing" 3D depth sensor in "at least one of this year’s iPhones."

VCSELs, or vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers, have been a key component of Apple's TrueDepth camera since the ‌iPhone‌ X in 2017. The lasers power several flagship features like Face ID, Animoji and Portrait mode selfies, as well as the proximity-sensing capabilities of AirPods. However, a ToF camera system is a major step up from TrueDepth due to its more advanced use of laser.

TrueDepth relies on a structured-light technique that projects a pattern of 30,000 laser dots onto a user's face and measures the distortion to generate an accurate 3D image for authentication. By contrast, ToF calculates the time it takes for a laser to bounce off surrounding objects to create a 3D image of the environment. This allows for more accurate depth perception and better placement of virtual objects, and should also result in photos better able to capture depth.

Apple has sourced VCSELs for its TrueDepth cameras from Lumentum before, but the California-based firm has typically shared the spoils of Apple's business with other suppliers in previous years, and Fast Company's source appears to be suggesting they will be Apple's exclusive VCSEL supplier this time around. Lumentum is believed to have been ramping up additional manufacturing capacity for VCSELs and edge-emitting lasers since at least March 2018.

Multiple sources have claimed that Apple's 2020 iPhones will include a laser-powered time-of-flight 3D rear camera that will result in significant improvements to AR experiences, including Bloomberg's Mark Gurman and Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.

Those rumors indicated that two higher-end iPhones coming this year will use the new time-of-flight rear camera, indicating that it may not be available in the lower-end iPhones that are going to have a lower price tag.

Rumors suggest a 6.7-inch ‌iPhone‌ and one 6.1-inch model will be higher-end OLED devices with triple-lens cameras, while the 5.4 and 6.1-inch models will be lower-end iPhones with dual-lens cameras and a more affordable price tag. All iPhones in 2020 are expected to feature OLED displays regardless of price.

In related developments, a report earlier this week claimed that Apple is planning to introduce a new augmented reality app in iOS 14, which is codenamed Gobi. The app is said to allow users to "get more information about the world around them" through AR.

The app may feature integrations with Apple Stores and Starbucks, which suggests users could do something like hold up an ‌iPhone‌ in an Apple Store to view information about products.

In addition to forecasting the launch of new MacBook Pro and MacBook Air models with scissor keyboards in the second quarter of 2020, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo believes that Apple has bigger ambitions for its notebook lineup.

In a research note today, obtained by MacRumors, Kuo said Apple plans to launch MacBook models with its own custom processors in the fourth quarter of 2020 or the first quarter of 2021. Kuo did not indicate whether these will be MacBook Pro or MacBook Air models, or both, nor did he share any further details.

Rumors have suggested that Apple is working on custom Arm-based processors that would allow it to transition away from its current MacBook processor supplier Intel, which has occasionally experienced delays with its chips.

Kuo also believes that Apple will introduce MacBook models with an all-new design in the second or third quarter of 2021, but again, he did not indicate whether these will be Pro or Air models. The last significant redesign of the MacBook Pro occurred in October 2016, while the MacBook Air received a major redesign in October 2018.

Apple plans to release new MacBook Pro and MacBook Air models with scissor keyboards in the second quarter of 2020, according to a new research note today from analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, obtained by MacRumors.

Kuo did not comment on the size of the new MacBook Pro, but he is possibly referring to the 14-inch model that he has previously mentioned given that the 16-inch MacBook Pro was only released four months ago. The new 14-inch model would likely replace the 13-inch MacBook Pro, which would be discontinued.

Kuo expects the new MacBook Pro and MacBook Air models to have various cost optimizations, but he said users will not notice any difference.

The current 13-inch MacBook Pro and MacBook Air are still equipped with butterfly keyboards that can suffer from issues such as sticky or unresponsive keys after prolonged use, which prompted Apple to initiate a free repair program worldwide in 2018. Apple finally solved this problem by reverting back to a scissor mechanism with the new Magic Keyboard on the 16-inch MacBook Pro, which has proven far more reliable.

Kuo himself offered praise for the 16-inch MacBook Pro, noting that customer response to the notebook has been better than expected.

As for the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, Kuo believes that operations at MacBook-related suppliers will improve significantly starting in late March, paving the way for mass production of the new MacBook Pro and MacBook Air models.

If this information proves to be accurate, then Apple's entire notebook lineup should feature scissor keyboards by the end of 2020.

Apple is scaling back Apple Watch and AirPods try-on options at some of its retail stores as part of an effort to cut down on the spread of coronavirus, reports Business Insider.

Customers can still ask to try on Apple Watch and AirPods models, but employees have been told not to offer try-ons proactively or to encourage them. Limited try-ons are part of Apple's broader efforts to fight the coronavirus outbreak, which has infected more than 1,000 people in the United States.

As was reported earlier this week, Apple has ordered extra cleanings of display products throughout the day, introduced hand sanitizing stations, and has reduced the number of chairs at the Genius Bar and cubes in the Forum area to add additional space between customers.

In areas with more severe coronavirus outbreaks, such as the San Francisco Bay Area and Seattle, Today at Apple sessions have been shut down entirely. An Apple spokesperson confirmed that Apple is indeed limiting crowding in stores, but declined to specifically comment on try-ons.

Apple Stores in the United all remain open at the current time, but in other areas hit hard by the coronavirus, Apple has closed retail locations. Stores in China were closed for much of February, and right now, all stores in Italy are closed.

The White House on Wednesday asked tech companies to help fight coronavirus disinformation while also helping the government with its response to the growing outbreak, reports Politico.

The Trump Administration asked Apple, Google, Microsoft, Facebook, Twitter, Amazon, and IBM for help in a meeting that saw representatives from each of the companies speaking with White House officials and representatives from government agencies that include Health and Human Services, the National Institutes of Health, the U.S. Labor Department, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid services, and others.

Coordination efforts and information sharing were key topics during the meeting, with the White House urging tech companies to work together to remove harmful content. Companies have also been asked to use their "technical expertise" to help those "grappling with the fallout from the coronavirus," and to provide the government with any data that can help manage the spread of the virus.

The White House is working to release a database of research related to the coronavirus and wants tech companies to help medical researchers analyze it for insights with AI techniques.

"Cutting edge technology companies and major online platforms will play a critical role in this all-hands-on-deck effort," U.S. Chief Technology Officer Michael Kratsios, who convened he conference call, said in a statement afterward. "Today's meeting outlined an initial path forward and we intend to continue this important conversation."

In the United States, the coronavirus outbreak has led to the closure of schools, concerts, sporting events, and more, and today, the World Health Organization declared a global pandemic.

Tech companies have already been working to combat false information about the coronavirus. Facebook and Twitter have disallowed coronavirus related ads, and Amazon has banned marked up health products like hand sanitizer and masks along with preventing companies from selling items related to the coronavirus.

Apple is rejecting coronavirus apps that aren't provided by health organizations and government institutions, and has launched a coronavirus hub with reliable news information in the Apple News app.

Apple and other tech companies are also having most of their employees work from home for the foreseeable future to cut down on the spread of the virus, and Apple is providing unlimited sick leave to hourly employees become sick with COVID-19.

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Two more major events in the United States have been called off today as the coronavirus continues to spread, with organizers for both E3 and NAB announcing cancelations.

E3, a major gaming convention that draws more than 65,000 people, was set to be held on June 9 to June 11 in Los Angeles, California. E3 event organizers this morning said that canceling was the "best way to proceed" amid "increased and overwhelming concerns about COVID-19."

NAB is an annual trade show produced by the National Association of Broadcasters, and it typically draws somewhere around 100,000 people. This year's event was set to take place at the Las Vegas Convention Center from April 18 to April 22.

NAB event organizers have decided not to hold the event in the "interest of addressing the health and safety concerns" of stakeholders and in consultation with partners throughout the media and entertainment industry. Alternatives are being explored to provide the "best possible experience" for the community.

The cancelations of E3 and NAB come as the World Health Organization has officially declared the COVID-19 outbreak a global pandemic due to its rapid spread across the world.

Apple still has not provided word about its upcoming Worldwide Developers Conference, which is normally held in San Jose, California, in June, but it's looking increasingly likely that the event will be canceled or held in some digital capacity.

Apple is closing all of its retail stores in Italy as the coronavirus outbreak in the country continues to spread, with the stores set to be shuttered as of March 12.

Apple's website for Italian stores says that due to precautionary health measures currently in force, retail locations will remain closed until a later date. Italian customers are instructed to get online support for their devices.

The decision to close all Apple Stores in the country comes following a national quarantine enacted by the Italian government. People in Italy are required to stay in their homes except in situations of necessity for work and health circumstances.

All of the Apple Stores will be closed for the rest of the week, and it is not clear when they will reopen. Italy's mandatory quarantine will last through April 3, 2020.

Apple had previously closed stores in the most widely affected areas in Italy and was operating on reduced hours in some other locations. More than 12,000 people have been infected with the coronavirus in Italy, and there have been over 800 deaths.

Update: Apple has provided a statement on the store closures to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman: "As we support the work to contain and manage the spread of COVID-19, our priority remains the health and safety of everyone in the communities we serve. With that in mind, our stores in Italy will be closed until further notice. We understand customers may need support from Apple during this challenging time and we'll ensure our online and phone support, as well as online store, remain open for customers. We will closely monitor the situation and look forward to reopening our stores as soon as possible."

Update 2: Italy has ordered the closure of all stores in the country except for grocery stores and pharmacies.

Apple today shared a new AirPods Pro ad titled "Snap" on its YouTube channel. The two-minute video revolves around a woman taking advantage of AirPods Pro features such as Active Noise Cancellation and Transparency Mode while navigating a busy city.

"AirPods Pro offer unprecedented control," says Apple. "Active Noise Cancellation for immersive sound. Transparency mode to interact with the world around you."

Apple released the higher-end AirPods Pro in October 2019 with several improvements over regular AirPods, including active noise cancellation, improved sound quality, and water and sweat resistance, along with a new in-ear design. AirPods Pro are priced at $249 in the United States, while regular AirPods with a wireless charging case are $199.

Last week, it was rumored that a new entry-level version of AirPods Pro will enter production by the second quarter of 2020, but no further details have been shared. It has been speculated that the earphones could end up being third-generation regular AirPods with the same design and sound quality as AirPods Pro, but without active noise cancelation.

TSMC will begin volume production of 5nm-based A14 chips for iPhone 12 models in April, according to industry sources cited by DigiTimes. A-series chip production usually begins around April-May, so the process appears to be on schedule.

TSMC has been Apple's exclusive supplier of A-series chips since 2016, and its chips have gradually become smaller as it continues to refine its manufacturing process, benefitting performance, battery life, and thermal management on iPhones.

• A10 chip: 16nm
• A11 chip: 10nm
• A12 chip: 7nm
• A13 chip: 7nm+
• A14 chip: 5nm expected

Last year, TSMC announced a $25 billion investment in its new 5nm node technology in a bid to remain Apple's exclusive supplier of processors.

Apple plans to introduce four high-end iPhone 12 models with 5G support in the fall, including one 5.4-inch model, two 6.1-inch models, and one 6.7-inch model, according to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. A new lower-end iPhone is also widely rumored to launch in the first half of 2020, but it is expected to have an A13 chip.