We made it through another week in April, and still no Apple event invitation in sight...sigh. I'm still holding out hope for one, but with each passing day, it feels like it's just not going to happen. Perhaps we may get some press release announcements, rather than an actual event after all.
Regardless, the iPhone 13 reports are in full swing. A new video has surfaced earlier in the week, showing off a dummy iPhone 13 unit that seems to have a smaller notch. This mockup device seems to be of the supposed iPhone 13 Pro, and it was made using details from supply chain sources. On this dummy device, the notch appears smaller than the current iteration on the iPhone 12 lineup.
I was never a big fan of the notch since it debuted on the iPhone X a few years ago, but I suppose it has grown on me since the iPhone XS. But I think having a smaller notch will definitely be a welcome change because I still think the current notch takes away too much from what I can see in the status bar on my iPhone 12 Pro. I honestly still miss having the battery percentage always displayed, rather than having to bring up Control Center to see it, and I would rather see more bits of data at all times. To be fair, I would rather Apple get rid of the notch entirely and go with that hole-punch kind of design on many Android phones these days, but I think a smaller notch is a step in the right direction. And if the iPhone 13 adds a Touch ID sensor under the display? Hoo boy, sign me up!
Other iPhone 13 reports in the past week include how the A15 chip will start to be mass-produced next month. While last year was quite, uh, interesting with a delayed iPhone, it seems that Apple is set to be on schedule this time around. Let's hope that the global chip shortage won't directly affect the iPhone schedule. And of course, another 120Hz ProMotion screen rumor has reared its head once more — while this would be nice to have, I personally don't think I'm able to tell the difference. Of course, we'll see!
We also learned that iOS 14 is now on more than 90% of iPhones in less than six months, and that's a big feat. Though we shouldn't be shocked because iOS 14 has been one of the biggest overhauls for iOS yet.
Honestly, I think the ability to customize your Home screen icons and theming had a lot to do with it (remember the "aesthetic AF" trend?), but that's just my guess. I am very eager to see what iOS 15 has in store for us when it's unveiled at WWDC 2021 in June. One of the biggest things I want to see in iOS 15 is an easier way to customize my app icons and make themes. We're just so close!
Speaking of things to come, the release of AirTags is just imminent at this point. Apple has opened up the Find My app in the latest update, now allowing compatible third-party products to use Apple's Find My network. The first compatible products that won't be from Apple are coming from Belkin (earbuds), VanMoof (e-bikes), and Chipolo (item tracking). While seeing more third-party accessories support the Find My network is exciting, c'mon Apple, unleash the AirTags already!
Anyways, let's hope to see some sign of an Apple event announcement later this week. There are still a few more weeks in April, after all.
Until next time, folks.
- Christine Romero-Chan
