Top Stories: Apple Car AirTags and Rumors, Belkin’s 3-in-1 MagSafe Charger, Mac App Store Celebrates 10 Years

With the first week of 2021 now under our belts, the news and rumors are starting to mount again. This week saw details on AirTags object trackers, the Apple car, and upcoming upgrades for most of Apple’s iPads.

We also heard a bit about Apple’s AR glasses and the iPhone 13, while we got our hands on Belkin’s new 3-in-1 MagSafe Charger. Finally, the Mac App Store turned ten this week, so read on for full details on all of these stories and more, and watch our video above for even more coverage!

Apple Reportedly Announcing AirTags, Augmented Reality Device, New AirPods And More This Year

The timeline has now moved to 2021, and Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has laid out his expectations for some new Apple devices this year, including the long-awaited AirTags item trackers, new AirPods, the first iPads and Macs with Mini-LED screens, plus Macs with Apple silicone chips and an augmented reality device of sorts.

AirTags are believed to help users keep track of their personal belongings, such as keys, wallets, and backpacks, and would notify users on their Apple devices when they are separated from a tagged item. In 2019, MacRumors obtained screenshots showing that AirTags will be managed through a new Items tab in the Find My app. The accessory manufacturers are already starting to prepare for the accessory launch.

When it comes to the augmented reality device, Apple is reportedly working on both AR / VR headset and AR glasses only. At an internal meeting last year, Apple chief executive Mike Rockwell said the headset could be announced in 2021 and marketed in 2022, while the glasses are expected in 2023 at the earliest, according to Mark Gurman. from Bloomberg.

Taiwanese publication DigiTimes reported this week that a prototype called “Apple Glasses” is about to enter the “second phase” of development as the product progresses to technical verification.

Third-generation AirPods are rumored to feature an in-ear design like the AirPods Pro, but without noise cancellation.

Early Macs with Mini-LED displays will feature redesigned 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pro models with Apple silicon, according to Kuo, while a new 12.9-inch iPad Pro with a Mini-LED display is also expected to be showcased. later. this year. There are conflicting rumors as to whether the 11-inch iPad Pro will also receive a mini-LED display.

Apple negotiates with Hyundai for production of Apple cars

A new report from Bloomberg This week, Apple is indeed aiming to launch a full-fledged car rather than just developing stand-alone systems for other automakers, but Apple’s car won’t be ready to launch for at least five to seven years.

Shortly after the report, it became known that Apple had discussed a potential partnership with Hyundai on battery technology and vehicle production. Hyundai initially confirmed the talks in an official statement, but then waived that to omit any specific mention of Apple, saying only that it had been approached by “various companies regarding the development of autonomous electric vehicles.”

IPhone 13 Pro models use Samsung’s LTPO technology for 120Hz display

Rumors continue to suggest that the iPhone 13 Pro models will feature the low-power LTPO display technology, allowing for a long-awaited 120Hz refresh rate.

A report this week from the Korean website Elec has claimed that Samsung will be the exclusive supplier of this LTPO technology for the iPhone 13 Pro models. LTPO paired with a 120Hz refresh rate would result in smoother scrolling and smoother movement without consuming too much battery life.

In other iPhone 13 rumors this week, we learned that the LiDAR scanner could be extended to the entire iPhone 13 lineup, rather than just Pro models, and that the super-fast 5G mmWave could be available on iPhone 13 models sold outside of the United States. as well as.

While Apple no longer includes a charger in the box with the new iPhones, the company has reportedly been working on GaN-based USB-C power adapters that are smaller, lighter, and more energy efficient than power adapters. silicon-based which it is currently selling for release as early as this year.

Next low-cost iPad said to have a thinner, lighter design

Japanese blog Mac Otakara This week offered potential details on several upcoming iPad models, including the upcoming ninth-generation 10.2-inch iPad, saying the device will feature a thinner and lighter design, and will retain both Touch. ID and a Lightning connector.

The report also claimed that the next iPad Pro will not feature any significant design changes, but the device is expected to come with a much faster A-series chip. In a follow-up report, the site said the 11-inch and 12.9-inch models are expected to be due in March, with the camera lenses no longer protruding from the larger camera bump. The 12.9-inch model may also be 0.5mm thicker as part of the transition to a mini-LED display.

Finally, Mac Otakara claimed that the next-generation iPad mini will also launch in March and will see its display size drop from 7.9 inches to 8.4 inches. Overall, the design will be similar to the third-generation iPad Air, retaining a Touch ID home button and Lightning port, but with thinner display bezels than on the current iPad mini.

Comparison: M1 MacBook Pro vs Razer Book 13

Razer released the Razer Book 13 in November, a new portable laptop focused on productivity rather than gaming. Since it’s similar in many ways to Apple’s recently released Mac M1s, we decided to compare the Razer Book 13 with the M1-based 13in MacBook Pro to see how they stack up.

While the ‌MacBook Pro wins in performance and efficiency, the Razer Book 13 is a performance laptop for those who need or prefer the Windows operating system. Our comparison provides a deeper analysis of technical specifications, features and more.

Review: Belkin’s 3-in-1 Boost Charge Pro Offers Hassle-Free 15W MagSafe Charging for iPhone 12

Belkin’s new Boost Charge Pro 3-in-1 Wireless Charger with MagSafe is now available to order from Apple at a discount of $ 10 from its regular price of $ 150, and in advance we got our hands on the accessory to see if it’s worth it. Cost.

All in all, if you are looking for a multi-device charger for an ‌iPhone 12‌, this is the one for you. It works with any model ‌iPhone 12 the, Apple Watch, and ‌AirPods‌, and costs just $ 30 more than Apple’s MagSafe Duo. And as an Apple Certified MagSafe accessory, the Boost Charge Pro is capable of delivering up to 15W of power to iPhone 12 models, while unofficial wireless magnetic chargers are still limited to charging up to. at 7.5 W.

Belkin also offers a MagSafe compatible car air vent for iPhone 12 models, available for $ 39.95 from Apple’s online store.

This week marks the 10th anniversary of the Mac App Store

While the App Store launched on the iPhone in July 2008, the Mac App Store arrived on January 6, 2011, when Apple released Mac OS X Snow Leopard version 10.6.6. As a result, this week marked the 10th anniversary of the Mac App Store!

Apple announced that the Mac App Store was “open for business” in a press release in 2011. “With over 1,000 apps, the Mac App Store is off to a good start,” said Steve Jobs, co-founder and alumnus. Apple CEO. “We think people will love this innovative new way to discover and buy their favorite apps.”

Since its inception, the Mac App Store has drawn its fair share of criticism from developers. Apple has addressed some of these complaints over the years by allowing developers to offer free trials through in-app purchases, create app bundles, distribute apps across multiple Apple platforms as a universal purchase. , view analytics for Mac apps, respond to customer reviews and more.

In 2018, the Mac App Store received a major overhaul as part of macOS Mojave, with a new “Discover” tab that highlights popular apps and games and features editorials from Apple. Another breakthrough in the Mac App Store came in 2020, when Apple made iPhone and iPad apps available on Macs with Apple silicon, as all devices share the Arm architecture.

Overall, Apple has certainly made strides with the Mac App Store over the past 10 years, but some developers believe further improvements are needed if they are to embrace the storefront.

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