This week we heard some rumors on the Apple news about the three new AirPods products. Third Generation AirPods, Second Generation AirPods Pro, and the iconic AirPods Studio are slated to land in 2021. It was previously rumored that the studio over-ears would land sometime this year.
In other Apple news, we saw Apple slipping in its global smartphone ranking, hints of an imminent hardware launch, an iPhone 12 mini hands-on that started and then disappeared, and news about a possible Apple search engine .
Please see the Apple News summary below for the latest information.
Last week’s top Apple news:
- Probably no new AirPods this year: If you’ve been looking forward to buying a new model of Apple’s AirPods this year, you may be out of luck. According to BloombergThere won’t be any new AirPods or AirPods Pro until 2021. The long-rumored AirPods Studio over-ear headphones may be announced in November, but even if they do, they likely won’t hit shelves for the holiday season.
- iMac with Apple Silicon lands in the first half of next year: According to a report by The China TimesYou’ll have to wait until 2021 to see the first iMac powered by an Apple-made chipset. The chip – previously known as the “A14T” – could dramatically change the game for Apple computer users. Note, however, that the first MacBook with Apple-made silicon is expected to be launched before the end of this year.
- Tim Cook suggests another hardware start: During Apple’s most recent quarterly earnings call, CEO Tim Cook made a strong statement that there will be at least one more hardware launch before the end of 2020. This wasn’t unexpected, but it is the first official statement related to the alleged launch. It will likely happen in November before the U.S. Thanksgiving Day.
- The handy video about the iPhone 12 Mini appears and disappears: The first hands-on third-party video footage of the iPhone 12 Mini was released on YouTube earlier this week. The Romanian video showed the Mini compared to other iPhones. Shortly afterwards, however, the video disappeared from the platform. Hmmm…
- Apple slips to fourth place: Samsung, Huawei and Apple have long been the top three smartphone manufacturers in the world. Samsung and Huawei briefly swapped places in the final quarter, but Samsung regained the lead for Q3 2020. However, Apple actually dropped from third to fourth place, with Xiaomi taking third place. Uh-oh!
- The MagSafe charger is pathetic without paying for the wall adapter: After testing by MacRumorsUsing a MagSafe charger to wirelessly charge iPhone 12 devices only works at its peak under certain conditions. With various wall adapters, the charging speeds can be between 6 W and a respectable 13 W. The only way to get the advertised 15W speed? You guessed it: use Apple’s proprietary 20W adapter, which isn’t included in the latest iPhones – or even in the MagSafe itself!
- Apple search engine in the works, apparently: Partly because of Google’s current antitrust allegations, Apple could develop its own search engine. A recent report outlines the steps Apple is taking in this area.
- Jon Stewart returns to current television: According to The Hollywood Reporter, Daily Show alum Jon Stewart returns with a new current affairs show. The show will be exclusive to Apple TV Plus, although little is known about the format at the moment.
Are you thinking of making the switch?
If you’re reading this Apple article on an iOS device and thinking about switching to Android, there are several articles and guides that can help you with this process. Regardless of what it may seem, moving from iOS to Android is easier than ever, and many of the services and systems on iOS have similar or even the same counterparts on Android.
The best place to start would be our iPhone to Android Moving Guide, which covers all the basics. We also have more specific guides on how to transfer your calendar from iPhone to Android. We also have app guides that will give you the best alternatives to iOS staples such as: For example, our list of the best alternatives to FaceTime for Android.
If you’re looking for a great Android device to replace your iPhone, check out our list of the best Android smartphones currently available.