Top Stories: WWDC 2021 Announced, iPhone SE Rumors, ‘Cheese Grater’ iPhone Design?

While we’re still waiting for a possible Apple event in April, we received confirmation this week of another Apple event, WWDC 2021, which will return to the usual time frame of early June, but remain in a virtual format , similar to last year’s edition.

Other Apple news and rumors this week included a report on future iPhone SE models, a crazy Apple submission showing an iPhone with the same metal grid design as the latest Mac Pro, and some new changes to the latest iOS 14.5 beta as we were patiently awaiting its public release. Read on for more information on these stories and more from the past week!

Apple announces digital WWDC 2021 event in June

Apple announced this week that its annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) will take place from June 7 to 11. The conference is being held in an overall format for the second consecutive year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

One benefit of keeping WWDC 2021 digital is that access is free for all developers, with sessions and other content shared on the Apple Developer website and in the revamped Apple Developer app. By comparison, Apple has historically required developers to purchase a $ 1,599 ticket to attend WWDC in person, and only after winning a lottery ticket to attend.

As usual, Apple says that WWDC 2021 will give a look at the future of its software platforms, which presumably consist of iOS 15, iPadOS 15, macOS 12, watchOS 8 and tvOS 15. There is always a chance for a hardware announcement or two also at WWDC, such as redesigned MacBook Pro and iMac models with Apple silicone.

Starting April 18, Apple will accept submissions for its annual Swift Student Challenge, a code game that gives students the task of creating an interactive scene in the Swift Playgrounds app. Winners will receive exclusive WWDC 2021 outerwear, a custom pen set and one year membership in the Apple Developer Program.

All in all, WWDC is always one of the most exciting weeks of the year in the Apple world for both developers and users, and we’ll have in – depth coverage of the conference as it unfolds!

The next iPhone SE has a 4.7-inch version, 2023 version, which will have a full hole design

The third-generation iPhone SE, which is rumored to be launched in the first half of 2022, has the same 4.7-inch screen as the current version, according to analyst Ross Young.

Young said he also hears that a 2023 iPhone23 model could feature a so-called “hole punch” screen design, like some Samsung smartphones, which result in an almost full screen, seamless design with only a small hole will have. for the front camera. It is unclear where the Face ID sensors with such a design will be housed if Apple continues to offer Face ID, but there are fingerprint and face recognition systems for smartphones. In fact, there are at least some iPhone 13 models that have rumors of touch ID under the screen.

Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said earlier that the “hole punch” screen will debut on at least some high-quality 2022 iPhone models, so it is likely that the design will be extended to the iPhone SE next year.

iOS 14.5 adds new Siri voices, no longer female standard

The sixth beta of iOS 14.5 released this week adds two new Siri voices for the English language and introduces a new settings option that allows people to choose their preferred voice for Siri, which is currently a female voice in the United States.

“This is a continuation of Apple’s longstanding commitment to diversity and inclusion, and products and services designed to better reflect the diversity of the world in which we live,” Apple said in a statement on the change.

Apple also announced that iOS 14.5 will recalibrate the maximum battery capacity and best performance on the iPhone 11, 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max models to address inaccurate battery health reporting estimates for some users. Apple said the bug did not reflect an actual battery health issue.

iOS 14.5 has been in beta testing since February 1st and is full of new features, such as the ability to unlock an iPhone with an Apple Watch while wearing a mask, support for 5G in Dual-SIM mode on iPhone 12- models, new Waze-like features in Apple Maps, new emoji, AirPlay 2 streaming for Apple Fitness + workouts, and more. Apple had earlier said the software update would be released in early spring for all compatible devices.

Apple investigates Mac Pro’s ‘Cheese Grater’ design for other devices such as iPhone

Apple is considering extending the 2019 Mac Pro’s distinctive “cheese razor” grid design to other devices, including the iPhone and a “trash” style Mac Pro, according to a newly granted patent file.

In 2019, Apple introduced the innovative ground grid pattern on the acMac Pro‌ and Pro Display XDR, which is created by machining a spherical array into the internal and external surfaces of the aluminum. The result is a lightweight grid pattern that maximizes airflow while creating an extremely rigid structure.

Although patent filings are usually all-encompassing and cannot be considered as a thorough proof of Apple’s plans for real consumer hardware, it can provide an interesting overview of the company’s research areas.

Bitcoin Scam App Approved by Apple Robs iPhone User of $ 600,000+

A scam bitcoin app designed to look like a real app was approved by Apple’s App Store review team and cost an iPhone user 17.1 bitcoin, or more than $ 600,000 at the time of the theft, according to The Washington Post.

In a statement, Apple said in the “limited cases” when criminals deceive its users, the company is taking “swift action” to prevent similar offenses in the future.

“User trust is the foundation of why we created the App Store, and we only deepened our commitment in the years that followed,” said Apple. “Study after study has shown that the ‌App Store‌ is the most secure app market in the world, and we are constantly maintaining the standard and further strengthening the protection of the ‌App Store‌.”

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