Top news: WWDC 2021 announced, iPhone SE rumors, ‘Cheese Grater’ iPhone Design?

While we are still waiting for word of a potential Apple event in April, we received confirmation about another upcoming Apple event, WWDC 2021, which will return to its normal period in early June, but will remain in a fully format. similar to last year’s edition.

Other news and rumors from Apple this week included a report on future iPhone SE models, a crazy Apple patent application that shows an iPhone with the same metal frame design as the latest Mac Pro and some new changes in the latest iOS 14.5 beta while patiently awaiting its public release. Read on for details on these stories and more from last week!

Apple announces WWDC 2021 digital event in June

Apple announced this week that its annual World Developer Conference (WWDC) will take place June 7-11. For the second year in a row, the conference will be held in a completely online format due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

A benefit of WWDC 2021 being realized digitally is that entry is free for all developers, with sessions and other content to be shared on the Apple Developer website and the revamped Apple Developer application. In comparison, Apple historically required developers to purchase a $ 1,599 ticket to attend the WWDC in person, and only after winning the lottery to participate.

As usual, Apple says WWDC 2021 will provide a vision of the future of its software platforms, which will 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 at WWDC as well, such as the redesigned MacBook Pro and iMac models with Apple silicone.

Until April 18, Apple is accepting applications for its annual Swift Student Challenge, a programming contest that mandates students to create an interactive scene in the Swift Playgrounds app. Winners will receive exclusive WWDC 2021 outerwear, a set of personalized badges and a year of membership in the Apple Developer Program.

In short, WWDC is always one of the most exciting weeks of the year in the Apple world, for both developers and users, and we will have detailed coverage of the conference as it unfolds!

Next iPhone SE with 4.7 inch screen, version 2023 with full screen drilling design

The third-generation iPhone SE, which is expected to ship in the first half of 2022, will have the same 4.7-inch screen as the current version, according to Ross Young, a screen industry analyst.

Young said he is also hearing that a 2023 model of the iPhone SE could feature a screen design called a “hole punch”, like some Samsung smartphones, which would result in an almost entire screen, uncut design with just a small hole for the camera front. It is unclear where Facial ID sensors would be housed with such a design if Apple continues to offer Face ID, but there are fingerprint and facial recognition systems under the screen for smartphones. In fact, there are rumors that there are Touch ID rumors under the screen for at least some iPhone 13 models.

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

iOS 14.5 adds new Siri voices, no longer standardized for women

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

“This is a continuation of Apple’s long-standing commitment to diversity and inclusion, and products and services that are designed to better reflect the diversity of the world we live in,” Apple said in a statement about the change.

Apple also announced that iOS 14.5 will recalibrate the maximum battery capacity and peak performance capability on the iPhone 11, 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max models to handle inaccurate estimates of battery health reports for some users. Apple said the bug does not reflect a problem with the battery’s real health.

IOS 14.5 has been in beta testing since February 1 and comes with 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 Apple Maps features, new emoji, AirPlay 2 streaming for Apple Fitness + workouts, and more. Apple said earlier that the software update will be released for all compatible devices in “early spring”.

Apple is researching the design of the Mac Pro ‘cheese grater’ for other devices such as the iPhone

Apple is considering expanding the Mac Pro 2019’s distinctive “cheese grater” design to other devices, including the iPhone and a “Mac Pro” style “trash can,” according to a newly granted patent application.

Apple introduced the innovative pattern of milled network in the ‌Mac Pro‌ and Pro Display XDR in 2019, which is created by machining a spherical matrix on the inner and outer surfaces of aluminum. The result is a lightweight mesh pattern that maximizes airflow while creating an extremely rigid structure.

While patent applications are generally comprehensive and cannot be considered solid evidence of Apple’s plans for real consumer hardware, they can provide an interesting insight into the company’s areas of research.

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

A fraudulent bitcoin app designed to look like a genuine app was accepted by the Apple App Store review team and ended up costing 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 that in “limited cases” when criminals defraud its users, the company takes “quick steps” to prevent similar violations in the future.

“User trust is at the heart of why we created the ‌App Store‌, and we’ve only deepened that commitment a few years ago,” said Apple. “Study after study showed that the ‌App Store‌ is the most secure app market in the world and we are constantly working to maintain that standard and further strengthen the ‌App Store‌ protections.”

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