Week 2–1, August 2021
“What makes innovative thinking happen?… I think it’s really a mindset. You have to decide.” — Elon Musk
1. EU Law That Could Force the iPhone to Switch to USB-C to Be Presented Next Month
● Apple may be forced to remove the Lightning port from the iPhone in favor of USB-C, according to legislation expected to be presented by the European Commission next month, Reuters reports. The legislation would establish a common charging port for all mobile phones and other relevant devices in all European Union countries. The move is expected to primarily affect Apple since many popular Android devices already feature USB-C ports.
2. iOS 15 Spotlight Improvements: Rich Results, Web Images, Photos Search, Lock Screen Access and More
● Apple in iOS 15 is making several improvements to Spotlight, aka the universal search feature that can be accessed on the iPhone or iPad’s Home Screen with a downward swipe. Spotlight is a one-stop resource for accessing everything you might want to find on an iOS device, and in iOS 15, it’s better than ever.
3. Apple Pay set for Central America expansion as BAC Credomatic ramps up testing
● Apple Pay could be readying its launch in Central America as bank BAC Credomatic is testing support for this feature in Costa Rica. As of now, Central America is the only part of the Americas that doesn’t have a country supporting Apple Pay. With this feature available in more than 60 regions all over the world, there is still plenty of space to expand.
4. Apple readies Spatial Audio and Lossless support on HomePod with latest beta
● Spatial Audio and Lossless support are coming to Apple Music on HomePod and HomePod mini. With HomePod 15 beta 5, Apple has added a new toggle dedicated to Dolby Atmos within the Home app.
5. Apple TV+ film ‘Finch’ with Tom Hanks premieres on November 5
● Tom Hanks is set to debut another Apple Original film by the end of the year. After the successful Greyhound, Hanks will star in Finch, which is set to premiere on Friday, November 5.
6. iPhone 13: Latest report corroborates larger batteries, expanded mmWave 5G, more
● According to TrendForce, the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro models will expand support for mmWave 5G to additional countries outside of the US. The devices are also rumored to be powered by Apple’s latest A15 silicon, which will be manufactured using a 5nm+ process. The iPhone 13 models will also reportedly feature larger batteries, thanks to a new space-saving internal design.
7. New Apple research shows how AirPods could be used to monitor respiratory rate
● Apple and Cornell University have published a new piece of research this week highlighting how researchers can estimate respiratory rate using breath audio obtained through wearable microphones such as AirPods and AirPods Pro.
8. Satechi unveils new USB-C Clamp Hub that adds 5 ports to the front of your M1 iMac
● Satechi has unveiled its latest Apple accessory today, a handy USB-C Clamp Hub designed for the 2021 M1 iMac. The Clamp Hub adds 5 ports to the front of the new all-in-one Mac for easy access and a more organized setup.
9. Spain adds support for storing ‘COVID passports’ in the Apple Wallet
● Spain is another EU country supporting the COVID-19 passport within the iPhone’s Wallet app. Since the EU started using a COVID-19 digital certificate for its citizens to travel between countries, it’s now available in an easier way on iPhones.
10. Apple releases watchOS 8 beta 5 with new Weather icon to developers
● Two weeks after seeding watchOS 8 beta 4 to developers, Apple is releasing its fifth beta. Here’s everything new with the upcoming Apple Watch operating system. With iOS 15 beta 5, Apple introduced a new Weather icon, which is now available in today’s beta as well.
11. Latest Today at Apple tutorial shares how to make ‘Magic’ looping videos on iPhone [Video]
● Apple’s new weekly installment of its online Today at Apple session highlights how to bring “Magic” to your videos with shooting and editing loops on iPhone and the Clips app. Check out the full 10-minute video tutorial below.
12. Twitter rolling out design updates including new font, color changes, and more
● Twitter announced a handful of design updates, all targeted at improving the Twitter experience in terms of accessibility. The changes include a new font, tweaks to interface colors, high contrast buttons, and more. The biggest change here is a new font called Chirp.
