iOS: The new Apple of your eye

Express News Service

It was a great year for Apple. Over 3.2 million iPhone units were sold in India in 2020, a hike of 60 percent. After the successful launch of iPhone 12 – though the Mini did not do as well – tech watchers are looking for the iPhone 13, though the name is not a sure bet yet.

The iPhone 12 and 12 Pro were the first and second best-selling 5G phone models worldwide, with the former bringing in the company’s largest revenue and profit ever. Apple online leaker Jon Prosser predicts that Apple will announce new devices such as the smart tracker tag, AirPods 3 and an iPad Pro update on March 23.

Last week Apple released iOS 14.4.1 update and the next one, iOS 14.5 is supposed to be the coolest update ever with a great Apple Watch interface. The latest version of Apple’s operating system, iOS 14.5, is now available for download in a public beta version but avoid, since it may have some bugs. iOS 14.5 enables you to unlock your iPhone through your Apple Watch while wearing a face mask.

For this, the watch must be passcode-enabled and Unlock with Apple Watch in Settings is on. Each time you check your phone, it consults the Watch whether it should unlock. Apple engineers have ensured that Apple Pay purchases cannot be verified.

The upgrade will get you 200 new trendier emojis, including a bandaged heart! You can turn off the capability of apps to track data while downloading – a bug privacy concern. You get to choose your music provider, control PS5 or Xbox Series X with your iPad or iPhone, swipe the screen to add songs to the queue in Apple Music. Apple’s new Fitness Plus service allows you to cast Apple Watch workout on any device or TV with AirPlay 2.

One of the iOS 14’s party tricks is the App Library that lets you to go minimalistic by removing apps from your home screen into the app drawer without deleting them. You can even give the screen an Android look with different app icons and widgets, though why you should is anyone’s guess. But the Apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.

Do not expect major changes in the iPhone 13 design; since only in 2020 did Apple bring back the iPhone 5’s flat sides with a slabular redesign. Apple is constantly cannibalising, though borrowing would be a kinder word, from its own design lexicon.

The Internet is abuzz with iPhone 13’s possible sizes: iPhone 13 Mini gets a 5.4-inch screen, iPhone 13 itself will be 6.1 inches while the iPhone 13 Pro and 13 Pro Max will be 6.1 and 6.7 inches respectively. The first to go was the headphone jack.

Now tech spies predict two new design elements a shallower screen notch or totally notch-less screen and no Lightning port – an endless source of debate. Frequent leaker Prosser said on his YouTube channel, “The end goal is very obviously portless.”

According to DigiTimes, iPhone 13’s camera could get Lidar (light detection and ranging) tech that measures through remote sensing the exact distance of an object on the earth’s surface by illuminating the target with pulse laser light.

This improves the quality of nighttime photos or in low light. The iPhone 13 may always display the time, battery level and incoming notifications without the whole screen being unlocked. Announched at an iPhone unveiling event last September, Apple’s 2020 iPad Air gets an integrated Touch ID button on its side to adapt to coronavirus problems like a mask preventing the Face ID feature. The iPhone 13 could get one too. 

The year has put out more iPhone 12 gadgets on the market. The AI-enabled AVA Automated Videoing Assistant is probably the coolest. It will follow people, animals, a ball and more moving objects and add movement to Zoom, WhatsApp, and Facetime.

Keeping your iPhone from falling is a test of faith, no longer needed after the arrival of the Moment iPhone 12 Mounts with MagSafe. It is a series of mounts that attach to your car vent, tripod, etc. The Satechi Magnetic 2-in-1 wireless charging stand charges your iPhone 12 and AirPods Pro simultaneously; with a magnetic wireless charger for the phone and a wireless charging pad for AirPods Pro. An Apple a day is going to keep ’em coming.