Beats has collaborated for a third time with fragment design founder Hiroshi Fujiwara for a monochromatic limited-edition version of Beats Fit Pro earbuds.
The two new white and black pairs of Beats Fit Pro are available now from Apple, SSENSE, END, and more, and are priced at $199.99.
First released in November 2021, the Beats Fit Pro feature flexible wingtips for a more secure fit in the ear. The fitness-oriented earbuds have a similar design and features as the AirPods Pro, including silicone ear tips, active noise cancellation with a "Transparency" mode, spatial audio with dynamic head tracking, an H1 chip for one-tap pairing and automatic switching between Apple devices, hands-free "Hey Siri" support, and more.
Beats and Fujiwara have collaborated on several previous projects, including limited-edition Powerbeats Pro and Beats Flex in a similar design scheme back in 2021.
Apple has shared two new ads on its YouTube channel, one promoting the long battery life of the iPhone 14 Plus and the other using the iPhone 14 Pro to highlight Apple's Crash Detection feature.
The first one-minute ad, "Battery for Miles," depicts a man slowly driving a tractor as he tows a gigantic pumpkin along a long, straight road seemingly in the middle of nowhere. "Two Miles An Hour" by Ludacris plays in the background.
Mounted in front of his steering wheel is an iPhone 14 Plus running Apple Maps, which tells him "In 102 miles, continue straight." After the man briefly raises an eyebrow, the tagline appears: "Our longest lasting battery life ever. Relax, it's iPhone 14 Plus."
In the second ad, "Crash Test," a car crash test takes place in a hangar, to the tune of "You Can't Hurt Me No More" by Gene Chandler. The collision occurs in slow motion and tracks a crash test dummy, until the vehicle comes to a rest.
Mounted on the dash is an iPhone 14 Pro with a display that reads "It looks like you've been in a crash." Then the tagline reads: "Crash Detection can sense a severe car crash and automatically call 911. Relax, it's iPhone 14 Pro."
At this point, customers interested in purchasing a new iPhone should consider waiting for the iPhone 15 series, which is expected to launch in September. Various changes are expected for the next iPhones, including Dynamic Island for all models, USB-C instead of Lightning, and a Periscope lens for at least one of the Pro models. Check out our dedicated iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro guides for all the details.
Apple is experimenting with larger iMacs, including a model with around a 32-inch display, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. In his latest Power On newsletter, Gurman said these iMacs are still in early development, so he does not expect them to launch until late 2024 or at some point in 2025 at the earliest.
Gurman previously said Apple was developing a larger iMac with over a 30-inch display, and he has now specified that the display will be around the same 32-inch size as Apple's high-end Pro Display XDR monitor. Released in December 2019, the Pro Display XDR has 6K resolution for Retina-quality content and starts at $4,999.
Apple discontinued the Intel-based 27-inch iMac and iMac Pro over the past few years, and has yet to launch a larger-screen iMac with an Apple silicon chip as a replacement. Instead, Apple offers the 27-inch Studio Display, which can be connected to the Mac Studio or another Mac with Apple silicon, but this is not an all-in-one solution like the iMac.
For now, the 24-inch iMac is the only all-in-one computer sold by Apple. The current model with the M1 chip was released in April 2021, and Gurman expects an updated model with a faster M3 chip to launch by early next year. All current Apple silicon chips are manufactured based on TSMC's 5nm process, while the M3 chip is expected to move to a 3nm process for significant performance and power efficiency improvements.
Apple has moved on to a new round of developer beta testing for iOS 17, iPadOS 17, and related updates, and the public beta program open to everyone should be kicking off very soon.
The next iPhone launch is also just two months away now, and we're continuing to hear rumors about what to expect from the next-generation models, while we've heard more this week about a rumored iPhone SE 4 and an upcoming external Mac monitor that could double as a smart home display.
Finally, Meta this week launched its Twitter competitor known as Threads, and it's seen rapid uptake thanks to its integration with Instagram. Read on for all the details on this week's biggest stories!
The first public beta of iOS 17 will be available later this month, according to Apple, and the software update will be released for all users with an iPhone XS and newer in September. Read our in-depth iOS 17 roundup to learn more about the update and new features.
Apple also released the third developer betas of iPadOS 17, macOS Sonoma, watchOS 10, and tvOS 17 this week.
iPhone 15 Pro Expected to Come in Blue
The iPhone 15 Pro models set to be introduced this September will be available in a unique dark blue color that has a gray tone, according to leaker Unknownz21.
Available in a new titanium material, the blue shade will have a brushed finish that is unlike the stainless steel Apple has used in the past. The color is similar to the blue Apple used for the iPhone 12 Pro models, but it appears to be darker and with more gray to better complement the titanium finish. Check out our article for renderings we created to demonstrate the new color.
iPhone 15 Pro Max Predicted to Be More Expensive Than Previous Model
One reason the Pro Max might be more expensive this year is the device's rumored periscope lens, which is expected to enable up to 5-6x optical zoom, compared to the current limit of 3x. The regular 15 Pro is not expected to have a periscope lens.
Meta's Twitter Alternative 'Threads' Now Available
In his latest Power On newsletter, Gurman said that Apple is developing multiple new monitor offerings, some of which are likely to be successors to its Studio Display and Pro Display XDR, and one that could have smart standby features powered by an onboard iOS chip.
The latest word about the fourth-generation iPhone SE comes from UBI Research analyst Dae-Jeong Yoon, who this week said that mass production of the device has been delayed until some point in 2025.
Each week, we publish an email newsletter like this highlighting the top Apple stories, making it a great way to get a bite-sized recap of the week hitting all of the major topics we've covered and tying together related stories for a big-picture view.
The iPhone 15 Pro models that are set to be introduced this September will be available in a unique dark blue color that has a gray tone, according to Unknownz21, a source that has provided multiple details on what we can expect from the next-generation iPhones and accurate information on other Apple devices like the Vision Pro.
Available in a new titanium material, the blue shade will have a brushed finish that is unlike the stainless steel that Apple has had in the past. The color is similar to the blue that Apple used for the iPhone 12 Pro models, but it appears to be darker and with more gray to better complement the titanium finish. We've created a series of images that show the expected blue shade.
Blue is expected to accompany silver, space gray/space black, and titanium gray shades, with the latter color a lighter silver-gray than the space gray/space black shade.
We've seen multiple rumors of a deep red color for the iPhone 15 Pro models, but Unknownz21 has not seen signs that this color is in development. The blue color, however, has been used on iPhone 15 Pro prototype devices, suggesting that the blue could be the final color that Apple is working on.
There is always a chance that Apple is using the blue to test PVD coating on the new titanium material and will transition to a different color the launch version of the iPhone 15 Pro, but the blue being used for prototyping likely indicates that it is one of the color options that Apple plans to provide for the next-generation smartphones. MacRumors has seen extensive evidence confirming that Apple has used the blue color for prototype versions of the iPhone 15 Pro.
As for the iPhone 15 models, colors that we know of so far include a bright pink shade, a bright blue, and a green color.
When it comes to design, the iPhone 15 Pro models will look similar to the iPhone 14 Pro models, but with some minor design tweaks. Slimmer bezels around the display are expected, and the mute switch will be replaced by a multi-function mute button. There will be a USB-C port instead of a Lightning port, and the volume and power buttons could be in slightly different locations.
The camera lens layout will see an update on the iPhone 15 Pro Max to accommodate the periscope lens that's exclusive to that device, and with the new titanium frame finish that's less shiny, the iPhone 15 Pro models will stand out compared to the iPhone 14 Pro models.
For more on what to expect from the iPhone 15 Pro, we have a complete iPhone 15 Pro roundup where we highlight all of the rumors we've heard so far.
Apple's iPhone 15 lineup is expected to be announced in around two months. A growing pool of rumors about the devices present an increasingly clear picture of what to expect: The iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus are set to gain the Dynamic Island, the A16 Bionic chip, a USB-C port in place of Lightning, and support for 15W wireless charging with third-party chargers. The iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max are expected to offer even further upgrades with features like a new titanium frame, thinner bezels, the A17 Bionic chip, a new periscope telephoto camera with 6x optical zoom on the Pro Max, and a mute button in place of the existing switch. The Pro models could also see a price increase compared to their predecessors.
Apple suppliers will begin mass production of new 11-inch and 13-inch iPad Pro models with OLED displays in the first quarter of 2024, according to research firm Omdia. The information was shared in a report from Korean website The Elec.
Benefits of OLED technology for iPad Pro displays would include increased brightness, higher contrast ratio, greater color accuracy, and lower power consumption compared to existing models with LCD panels. Apple already uses OLED displays for the latest iPhone and Apple Watch models, excluding the lower-end iPhone SE.
iPad Pro models released in 2017 and later support ProMotion, allowing for a variable refresh rate between 24Hz and 120Hz. The switch to OLED would likely allow for the refresh rate to drop down even further to 10Hz or lower to save battery life. iPhone 14 Pro models can reach as low as 1Hz while in always-on display mode.
Apple will reportedly be using very thin hybrid OLED displays with a combination of flexible and rigid materials, which could allow for the iPad Pro to have a slightly thinner design. The panels will be costly to manufacture, according to Ross Young of Display Supply Chain Consultants, so the next iPad Pro models will likely be more expensive.
The current iPad Pro models were released in October 2022 and feature Apple's M2 chip, support for faster Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3 connectivity, and hover functionality for the second-generation Apple Pencil. iPad Pro updates are often around a year and a half apart, so an early 2024 launch for the next models would make sense.
iPad Pro display sizes are expected to see a slight increase from 11 and 12.9 inches currently to 11.1 and 13 inches with the next models.
Omdia expects the first MacBook Pro with an OLED display to be released in 2027.
The luxury $60,000 record player is the first non-Apple hardware project Ive is known to have been involved in since he and four other colleagues left the company in 2019 to found the design firm LoveFrom.
The premium piece of audio technology features many of the classic hallmarks of an Ive-approved product, right down to the smoothed off aluminum edges, circular elements, and neutral, minimalist aesthetic.
Speaking to Fast Company, Ive said he had owned multiple Linn products over the years, explaining that "music has always been profoundly important to me." He continued:
"So you can imagine, I think the first consequential music player that I designed was the first iPod, and that began a journey of multiple generations of iPod, and multiple AirPods and music accessories. I feel really fortunate to have gone the full circle... so many years on from my first visit to the factory."
Ive describes the LP12-50 as "a very gentle and modest project for us that was really motivated by our love and respect for Linn." Indeed, according to Fast Company, LoveFrom completed the work pro bono, and has no contract or other financial arrangement with the company.
"There's a substantial percentage of our work which we do purely for the love of doing it," Ive told the website, which noted that the design firm relies on its longer-term contracts with the likes of Airbnb and Ferrari to make money.
Since leaving Apple to found LoveFrom, Ive and fellow designer Marc Newson have designed a typeface, an emblem for the coronation of King Charles III, and a red clown nose for British charity Comic Relief.
Apple said in 2019 that Ive would continue to be involved in design at Apple and that it would be one of LoveFrom's primary clients. For example, Ive was reportedly involved in the creation of the 2021 iMac. It's unknown whether LoveFrom has worked with Apple since, and the design firm tends to keep a low profile.
When Apple unveiled the Vision Pro at WWDC in June, members of the press invited to try out the headset were able to use an optional secondary head strap that sits across the top of the head. The strap was spotted in Apple's promotional videos for the mixed reality device, but its marketing material made no mention of the accessory.
Still from Apple's WWDC keynote video showing over-the-head strap in use
The braided headband that goes around the back of the head has a fit adjustment dial, but the one headband may not be comfortable or secure enough for some users, especially if the device is going to be worn for extended periods of time, which is where the secondary over-the-head strap comes in.
But Apple has apparently not yet fine-tuned the secondary head strap. According to a new report by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, the secondary strap was introduced after testing determined that some people with smaller body sizes and heads struggle to wear the headset for more than half an hour or thereabouts. However, the design of the strap has "yet to be finalized," says Gurman.
One member of the press who got to try the headset in person at Apple Park was MacRumors videographer Dan Barbera. "A lot of people probably didn't know this just by looking at some press images, but there is another band that goes over the top of your head," said Dan in his initial impressions video.
In his opinion, with the additional strap attached, the Vision Pro is "not that far off from other headsets in terms of weight," but it does "a really good job of dispersing that weight" and making it not so front-heavy. "I do think most people will want to use it," he added.
Apple has not revealed the weight of the Vision Pro, but Apple's decision to offload the battery to an external pack highlights the need to keep the headset as light as possible. Apple is also apparently aware that some customers may not wear clothes with pockets capable of storing the battery pack, so it is considering asking accessory makers to create shoulder-worn pouches.
Other accessories could eventually be sold to protect the device, according to Gurman:
The company has found that the front of the headset could be prone to scratches, but it will likely outsource screen protectors to third-party makers as it does with its other products. Another concern: the front glass cracking if a user walks into a wall or an object. To help prevent such incidents, Apple has built in alerts to deter people from wearing the device while walking at certain speeds.
Gurman's latest report also reveals that Apple plans to launch the Vision Pro headset in the U.K. and Canada by the end of 2024, with preparations for the device's complex retail launch in the U.S. early next year already at an advanced stage.
Apple's Vision Pro is set to launch in the United States early next year, and Apple is discussing the United Kingdom and Canada as two of the first international markets to get the mixed reality headset by the end of 2024, although "a final decision hasn't been made," according to sources cited by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
In his latest report, Gurman says Apple is looking at bringing the Vision Pro to Europe and Asia soon after, with Apple engineers working to localize the device for France, Germany, Australia, China, Hong Kong, Japan, and Korea.
Apple will also sell the Vision Pro through its U.S. online store in early 2024 before expanding online elsewhere, according to the report.
Apple is said to be already preparing the retail launch of its Vision Pro headset in the U.S., with plans in place for special areas in stores where customers can become accustomed to the new $3,500 device. Most stores are initially expected to have only one to two demo units due to limited supply and the high cost of the devices, and Apple is expected to stock head bands and light seals in multiple different sizes. From the report:
The company will designate special areas in the stores with seating, headset demo units and tools to size accessories for buyers. While the device will be sold at all of Apple’s roughly 270 US locations, the company is planning the sections for the Vision Pro initially at stores in major areas — such as New York and Los Angeles — before rolling them out nationwide, according to people with knowledge of the plans.
According to Gurman, Apple will ask in-store buyers to make an appointment to purchase the Vision Pro, similar to the strategy it used for the Apple Watch in 2015. During the appointment, staff will ensure the device is the correct fit for them, and users will be asked in advance for any ophthalmic prescriptions via an online portal so that the right lens inserts can be made available.
Apple is also said to be developing an iPhone app that scans a person's head, in addition to a physical machine that will calculate similar measurements. Online purchasers will also be asked to upload any eye prescription data and use the face scan app to work out the right accessory sizing, reports Gurman.
Apple does not anticipate partnering with third-party resellers to offer the Vision Pro until at least 2025, due to the complex supply chain logistics and staff training involved in handling the device and advising customers, adds the report.
Apple has shared a new action-packed film called "Huracán Ramírez vs. La Piñata Enchilada" on its YouTube channel as part of its Shot on iPhone series. The 13-minute video, filmed by acclaimed director couple Tania Verduzco and Adrián Pérez, also known as "Los Pérez," was shot entirely on the iPhone 14 Pro with the use of additional accessories and software.
The film retells the fortunes of Lucha Libre legend Huracán Ramírez, who is forced to come out of wrestling retirement to defeat an evil piñata that is terrorizing all of Mexico. The monster is unwittingly created by a boy when he uses extra spicy chili powder as a replacement for sugar during the piñata-making process, bringing chaos to the country.
In addition, Apple has shared a video titled "The making of Huracán Ramírez vs. La Piñata Enchilada" to its YouTube channel, showing how Los Pérez set out to modernize the Mexican wrestler movie genre using iPhone 14 Pro.
Apple has partnered with film directors in the past to showcase the capabilities of its smartphones in professional film settings. The iPhone 14 Pro models feature a 48-megapixel Wide lens and offer a new Action Mode with smooth-looking video that ignores shaking, motion, and vibrations.
At this point though, customers interested in purchasing an iPhone 14 Pro should consider waiting for the iPhone 15 Pro, which is expected to launch in September. Various camera improvements are expected for the next iPhones, including an improved sensor from Sony and a periscope lens on the iPhone 15 Pro Max that will enable up to 5-6x optical zoom.
Twitter appears to be unhappy with the runaway success of Threads, Meta's Twitter alternative that launched last night. Threads has amassed more than 30 million users in under 24 hours, making it the biggest threat to Twitter to date.
According to Semafor, Twitter lawyer Alex Spiro yesterday sent Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg a letter [PDF] accusing Meta of "systemic, willful, and unlawful misappropriation of Twitter's trade secrets and other intellectual property."
Twitter claims that Meta hired "dozens" of former Twitter employees that "had and continue to have access to Twitter's trade secrets and other highly confidential information." The company further says that the employees "improperly retained Twitter documents and electronic devices," and that Meta took advantage of this to have those workers develop the "copycat" Threads app on an accelerated timeline.
When Elon Musk took over as CEO of Twitter, he fired thousands of employees who then had to look for work. It is likely that some of those employees transitioned to Meta, but hiring people actively looking for a job is not typically considered poaching.
Competition is fine, cheating is not
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 6, 2023
Twitter's letter says that it plans to "enforce its intellectual property rights," with the company demanding that Meta "take immediate steps to stop using any Twitter trade secrets." Twitter threatens that it reserves the right to seek "civil remedies and injunctive relief" to prevent Meta from using its intellectual property.
Along with claims that Meta poached Twitter employees to develop Threads, Twitter says that Meta is "expressly prohibited" from scraping Twitter's followers or following data. Twitter is asking Meta to "preserve any documents" that could be relevant to a future dispute, suggesting that Twitter might be planning to file a lawsuit in the future.
Twitter has not gone after other Twitter-like social networks that include Bluesky and Mastodon, but Threads is a newly-launched app that is built off of Instagram, giving it a notable user base from its debut. Mastodon and Bluesky have far fewer users. In February, for example, Mastodon had 1.4 million active users, while Bluesky had 50,000 users at the end of April.
Following Twitter's accusations, Meta's communications director Andy Stone said that no one on the Threads engineering team is a former Twitter employee. "That's just not a thing," he wrote.
Apple today updated the TestFlight app to support apps designed for the first visionOS beta, which means that developers may soon be able to use TestFlight for testing apps designed for the Apple Vision Pro headset.
"TestFlight now supports visionOS apps for internal and external testing, as well as testing iOS and iPadOS apps on visionOS," reads Apple's developer update on the functionality.
Of course, no one has an Apple Vision Pro headset to use at this point in time, but Apple has said that it plans to offer Apple Vision Pro developer kits at some point this month.
Apple has not provided details on how the developer kits will work, but Apple says that they will help developers bring their creations to life on Vision Pro, providing an opportunity to build, iterate, and test on the headset.
Kits will be offered starting in July, with Apple planning to allow developers to apply to get a kit. Apple may require developers to purchase an Apple Vision Pro headset to create apps for it, but the purchase price will include access to beta software, developer labs, discussion forums, technical support, and other resources if the Apple Vision Pro development kit is similar to the Apple silicon development kit.
The last developer kit that Apple offered was a Mac mini with an Apple silicon chip inside in 2020, and it was provided to developers to help them transition from Intel to Apple silicon. Apple sold the Mac mini machines for $500, but developers had to return them at the end of the testing program.
Apple also plans to soon let developers visit Apple Vision Pro developer labs that will be available in Cupertino, London, Munich, Shanghai, Singapore, and Tokyo.
The latest version of TestFlight also now supports apps built with the third Xcode 15 beta for iOS 17, iPadOS 17, macOS Sonoma, tvOS 17, and watchOS 10.
Apple today updated its Shazam music recognition app to allow it to recognize and identify songs that are playing in third-party apps like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube.
According to Apple, users can open up Shazam, tap the blue button, and switch back to the app that was in use to see what's playing. The Shazam app engages the iPhone's microphone to hear the song, and it is able to listen while the other app is in use. After a few seconds, the song will be identified and swapping back to Shazam will show the song name and information.
It is simpler to use the built-in Song Recognition feature in the iPhone's Control Center to identify a song. With Song Recognition, you can open up an app like YouTube, play a song, swipe into Control Center, and tap the Song Recognition icon to determine what's playing.
Using this method does not require you to exit out of the YouTube app. Once a song is identified, it shows up as a notification or in the Dynamic Island, and you can tap into the Shazam app to get more information.
Identifying a song with Shazam adds it to a Shazam playlist in Apple Music so you can listen to it in full at a later time. For those who don't have Apple Music, the Shazam app also keeps track of recent Shazams.
Whether your iPhone or iPad is long overdue a battery replacement, or you just want to get more juice out of a single charge, here's a way to keep your device's Low Power Mode on all the time.
Most iPhone and iPad users will be familiar with the way their device throws up a prompt to turn on Low Power Mode when the battery falls to 20 percent. The special mode conserves what remaining battery life the device has left by limiting some features, but by default the mode automatically turns off when a charging iPhone or iPad reaches 80 percent. If that irks you, don't worry – there is a solution.
Perhaps you're running the latest version of iOS or iPadOS on an older device and you've found that the battery life is inadequate to get you through the day. Or maybe you just want to reduce the amount of times you have to charge your iPhone or iPad. Either way, you can keep Low Power Mode enabled regardless of the battery level with the help of an automation.
iPhone/iPad Features Disabled by Low Power Mode
Before you follow the steps in this article to create the automation, it's worth highlighting which of the features it disables to reduce your device's power consumption. According to Apple, Low Power Mode turns off the following:
5G (except for video streaming) on iPhone 12 models
Auto-Lock (defaults to 30 seconds)
Display brightness
Display refresh rate (limited up to 60 Hz) on iPhone and iPad models with ProMotion display
Some visual effects
iCloud Photos (temporarily paused)
Automatic downloads
Email fetch
Background app refresh
If you're happy to live without the above features for as long as Low Power Mode is on, follow the steps below to create your automation.
Creating an Always-On Low Power Mode Automation
Launch the Shortcuts app on your iPhone, then tap the Automation tab at the bottom.
Tap the + button in the top right, then select Create Personal Automation.
Scroll down and choose Low Power Mode.
Deselect the Is Turned On option and select the Is Turned Off option instead, then tap Next.
Tap Add Action.
Tap inside the search field and search for the Set Low Power Mode script, then select it below.
Make sure the Turn and On options in blue are selected, then tap Next.
Toggle off the switch next to Ask Before Running, then tap Don't Ask in the prompt to confirm.
Tap Done to finish.
Low Power Mode can be turned on and off manually at any time by going to Settings -> Battery and toggling on the switch next to Low Power Mode. Just bear in mind that if you want to turn it off, you'll have to disable your automation. You can do this in Shortcuts by selecting the automation and toggling off the switch next to Enable This Automation.
There is now a "low" chance that the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max will be equipped with solid-state volume and mute buttons, according to Jeff Pu, a tech analyst at Hong Kong-based investment firm Haitong International Securities. Pu shared this prediction in a research note today alongside some details about the more imminent iPhone 15 lineup.
With a solid-state design, the buttons on the iPhone 15 Pro would not have moved when pressed. Instead, it was rumored that two additional Taptic Engines inside the iPhone would have provided haptic feedback to simulate the feeling of movement, similar to the Home button introduced with the iPhone 7 and the Force Touch trackpad on newer MacBooks.
iPhone 15 Pro models are still expected to feature a mechanical Action button in place of the Ring/Silent switch. It is likely that users will be able to assign the button to various system functions, such as Ring/Silent or Do Not Disturb.
With solid-state buttons now considered unlikely through 2024, it remains to be seen if Apple will ever move away from mechanical buttons on the iPhone. A benefit of solid-state buttons would be fewer moving parts that can break, and there is also potential for improved water resistance given there would be fewer points of ingress.
iPhone 16 Pro models are still over a year away from launching, so Apple's plans for the devices remain subject to change.
Apple's next-generation iPhone 15 Pro Max will likely be more expensive than the previous Pro Max model, according to Jeff Pu, a tech analyst at Hong Kong-based investment firm Haitong International Securities.
In his latest research note, Pu predicted Apple's larger of the two upcoming Pro models will see a price increase higher than the $1,099 starting price of the current iPhone 14 Pro Max. Pu has previously suggested price increases for the iPhone 15 Pro models, but this is the first time he has singled out the Pro Max as costing more.
Pu doesn't specify why, but apart from a larger battery and display, the iPhone 15 Pro Max is widely expected to feature one major difference compared to the 6.1-inch iPhone 15 Pro – a periscope lens. Both Pro models will include telephoto lens technology as part of their three-camera array, but the iPhone 15 Pro Max is likely to exclusively feature a periscope lens that will enable 5x to 6x optical zoom, a notable improvement over the 3x zoom on the iPhone 14 Pro models.
A periscope lens system generally uses a primary lens to capture a photo, with an angled mirror or prism reflecting the light 90 degrees toward a second lens that then sends it to the image sensor. The image sensor and secondary lens are positioned sideways inside the smartphone to extend focal length, and that takes up valuable surface area.
In his latest note, Pu also said he expects the iPhone 15 series to enter mass production in August, which would be in line with previous years when Apple's iPhone lineup has been announced in September. Pu believes Apple will mass produce around 84 million units for the second half of 2023, with the two Pro models likely to be the most popular devices in the lineup in the first few months after launch.
Threads, Meta's alternative to Twitter, has officially launched. But users thinking of installing the social media app just to check it out should be aware that you can't delete your Threads profile without also deleting your Instagram account.
Meta describes Threads as "Instagram's text-based conversation app," and there's purpose in that precise phrasing. It doesn't just mean that your Instagram username ports over to Threads and that you have the option to follow the same people you follow on Instagram. It also means that once you create a Threads profile, there's no way to delete it unless you're prepared to delete your Instagram account wholesale.
If you want out of Threads but you're not prepared to delete your Instagram account, the only other alternative is to "temporarily" deactivate your Threads profile. This is Meta's way of encouraging you to keep both. Threads' privacy policy makes it pretty clear: "You may deactivate your Threads profile at any time, but your Threads profile can only be deleted by deleting your Instagram account."
I deactivated my threads account already but it turns out you can’t delete your threads account *without also deleting your Instagram account* so maybe just don’t sign up!
— emily hughes ✨ (@emilyhughes) July 6, 2023
The moral of the story for Instagram fans is that if you don't want an eternal Threads profile on Meta's servers, then don't sign up to Threads. If it's too late for that, the less-than-ideal alternative is to deactivate your Threads profile, which you can do by following the steps below.
In the Threads app, tap the profile icon in the bottom-right corner of the screen.
Tap the two-line menu icon in the top right of your profile.
Tap the Account icon, then tap Deactivate profile.
Tap Deactivate Threads profile, then confirm your choice.
When you deactivate your profile, your posts and interactions with others' posts won't be visible until you reactivate your profile. That said, those posts will still live on Threads' servers unless you manually delete them one by one.
If you change your mind after deactivation, you can re-activate your Threads profile simply by logging back into the Threads app using your Instagram account. Just bear in mind that you can only deactivate your profile once a week.
