Apple's USB-C controversy, and more tech news you need to know today

Your Tech News Digest via the DGiT Daily Tech Newsletter for Wednesday October 14, 2020.

1. What Apple announced, with a few strange surprises

Apple’s announcement for the iPhone 12 was in part an eye catcher for the new design that Apple showed yesterday, a kind of throwback to the iPhone 4.

Apple chose the iPhone 12 mini (5.4-inch, $ 729), iPhone 12 (6.1-inch, $ 829), iPhone 12 Pro (6.1-inch, $ 999) and the Pro Max (6.7-inch, $ 1,099) decided there are some noticeable new features.

The heading specifications include:

5G with mmWave and sub-6 GHz support for all new models
The A14 Bionic chipset that Apple has described in detail again, the 5nm process chipset that promises performance and efficiency in battery life.
All displays are now OLED with higher resolutions and superior contrast. (The iPhone 12 mini has the highest pixel density of all new iPhones, but even the expensive Pro Max doesn’t reach a 1440p display.)
Better camera system with some big advantages in the Pro series and the incorporation of magnets into the case of the phone for accessories of the MagSafe type. (Good old Palm Pre also had magnets to align with in 2009!)
There is also “Ceramic Shield” glass, which Apple says improves hardness and fall protection. These variables usually do not go together to improve glass strength. (Apple has invested around $ 450 million in Corning over the years, so it may get exclusive glass).
The Pro and Pro Max both have LiDAR sensors. It’s likely that the best uses for this technology are yet to come, but Apple mentioned autofocus being 6 times faster in low-light and dark environments, which has long been a problem for smartphone shooters.

Some big changes in terms of design:

Gone are curves and rounded sides, with a flat, boxier design and display, not curves.
The outer edges made of stainless steel now have an almost chrome-like sheen.
The notch at the top is retained and there is no return from Touch ID to Touch ID.

5G:

Apple gave 5G a big boost, giving Verizon on stage time to hook up its own network (well, it wasn’t a stage, but you know what I mean). Did Verizon pay for this advertorial? Or a better question: how much did it pay?
Although Apple is late to bring 5G to its device, 5G networks in the US are nowhere near there. Range and speed can be great, but only in certain locations in larger cities. The mmWave connectivity for high speeds and really low latency is even less available.
I can’t help but believe that there will be some disappointments. Still, I remember when I had a 4G capable device and limited 4G options: I blamed the operators, not Samsung back then.
A one-sided announcement here: Verizon said it will expand its “nationwide” 5G network, which is expected to reach 200 million people. This means more than mmWave options that introduce the sub-6 GHz bands used by networks around the world.

And the controversial steps:

Apple no longer has a charger or earphones in the box, as marked a few months ago.
Apple keeps the Lightning charging port on the iPhone 12 series.
However, Apple has switched the included Lightning cable from Lighting to USB-A and from Lightning to USB-C.
This is a strange move! Apple’s argument about not including a charger because we all have a dozen lying around at home is true, but for most people it will be USB-A chargers.
These don’t work: you need a charger with USB-C ports. Even in my house there are only one or two of these: all others are USB-A.
Apple should have moved to a whole USB-C world years ago. The iPad Air uses USB-C. It’s just strange now.
Many people will add a $ 19 Apple 19W USB-C to their purchase or try charging it through their MacBook chargers, which are also USB-C through USB-C.
There are better USB-C chargers out there that are GaN devices and may be scaled down as Amazon Prime Day continues. Most likely, they will deliver more power for the same price, so you can use them on your phone and laptop.
Android manufacturers will follow suit. First, new devices that are now being released will smugly contain marketing notes everything is in the box. Then they’ll let it out too and pretend it never happened. Oh look, it’s already happening (Xiaomi / Twitter).
Also a milder controversy: pricing. Apple lists the iPhone 12 mini and iPhone 12 for $ 699 and $ 799, respectively. However, these prices are only valid with a carrier-specific discount of $ 30 from AT&T and Verizon. If you buy it direct without a SIM card, you pay more. Strange.
So starting MSRP is $ 729 and $ 829 for both, with only 64GB of storage.
One last thing: it’s a shame only the Pro devices have better cameras. To get the best camera from Apple, you can only choose the Pro Max: a 6.7-inch device; too big for too many people.
More: Breakdown of Apple’s Three New iPhone 12 Camera Systems (The Verge).

Questions / misunderstandings:

Apple didn’t offer a higher refresh rate display panel on any of its new iPhones. Some speculate that this was due to problems in the supply chain: it wasn’t possible to get enough of just enough of Samsung’s 120Hz or 90Hz OLED panels.
The battery life requirements will be interesting. 5G is not built into the A14 Bionic chip, so extra silicon will result in more battery drain, as we saw from Qualcomm’s flagship Snapdragon 865 range.
Still no Apple headphones or AirTags! Someday…

HomePod Mini:

Apple also announced a cheaper and smaller version of the HomePod, the HomePod Mini. At $ 99, the price is much cheaper, but at just 3.3 inches, the audio performance might be a little less.
Absolutely no mention of the support for Spotify with this device, what it … well, overall it makes less and sounds worse, forcing you to use Siri. Too strict?
Even so, at $ 99, it’s way more attractive and can be useful as a smart home device for people who like HomeKit functionality.

2. Xiaomi has the ability to save earbuds in your smartphone. Good idea, another example of innovation but not sure it’s going anywhere (Android Authority).

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