MyAppleMenu

The Smaller-Than-11 Edition Thursday, April 16, 2020

Apple Launches New 4.7-inch iPhone SE At $399, by Ryan Christoffel, MacStories

Today Apple announced the successor to 2016’s iPhone SE, a new model that retains the same name and goal of being the budget option for customers. The new iPhone SE will be available for pre-order this Friday, April 17, it ships one week later on April 24, and starts at $399, the same price the original SE had when it launched. Unlike that original model, though, the new SE carries an altogether different form factor. While the original SE was based on the iPhone 5’s 4-inch design, the new SE resembles the iPhone 6/7/8’s 4.7-inch design. This makes it notably larger than the previous iPhone SE, but still smaller than any of the flagship iPhone 11 line.

The iPhone SE 2’s Camera Setup Is Going To Lean On Apple’s Software, by Jon Porter, The Verge

There are inevitably going to be areas where the iPhone SE 2’s hardware will be a limitation. For example, there’s no wide-angle lens here, and no amount of software processing is going to be able to capture data from outside of the main camera’s field of view. But in those cases where you’d normally only rely on the phone’s main camera, Apple’s updated software could do a lot more of the heavy lifting, and we’ll get our best look yet at how far it’s come.

Apple Releases Leather And Silicone Cases For New iPhone SE, Priced From $35, by Chance Miller, 9to5Mac

iPhone SE leather cases are available in three colors: midnight blue, black, and PRODUCT(RED). You can order the leather cases now, with deliveries starting on April 17.

Apologies To Those Looking For A Smaller Phone, by Dan Seifert, The Verge

It’s been a bad year for small phone lovers. It’s no secret that the average size of new smartphones has increased dramatically over the past few years. But this year it feels like the idea of a small phone you’d actually want to use as a primary device (read: not whatever that Palm phone was trying to be a couple years back) is truly dead and gone.

iPhone 8 And iPhone 8 Plus Discontinued, by Joe Rossignol, MacRumors

The second-generation iPhone SE is essentially an upgraded iPhone 8, with a 4.7-inch display and Touch ID home button, but with a faster A13 Bionic chip. As of now, there is no Plus-sized version of the new iPhone SE, so there is no direct replacement for the 5.5-inch iPhone 8 Plus, although rumors suggest that an iPhone SE Plus is under development.

Coming Soon Too

The Trackpad-equipped Magic Keyboard For The iPad Pro Is Now Available To Order, by Samuel Axon, Ars Technica

Apple has started taking orders for its trackpad-equipped Magic Keyboard peripheral for the iPad Pro, and it plans to put units in buyers’ hands as early as next week. The company previously announced that the peripheral was coming in May, so this is a little ahead of the previously described schedule.

Apple Now Sells Mac Pro Wheels And Feet From $299 To $699, by Zac Hall, 9to5Mac

An aggressively priced iPhone SE isn’t the only new hardware coming from Apple today. Apple is also selling replacement kits for Mac Pro feet and wheels, and they’re aggressively priced in a totally different way.

Apple Begins Selling AirPods Pro Replacement Ear Tips Through Its Online Store, by Joe Rossignol, MacRumors

AirPods Pro feature an in-ear design with three sizes of soft, flexible silicone tips included in the box, and if you happen to lose those tips, Apple now sells replacements through its online store. The replacement tips will likely also be stocked at Apple Stores, although all locations outside of Greater China remain closed.

Coming Soon?

Apple Developing High-End Headphones With Interchangeable Parts, by Mark Gurman, Bloomberg

Apple Inc. is developing over-ear wireless headphones with parts that can be swapped in and out, seeking to augment its AirPods business with a high-end audio product, according to people familiar with the matter.

The Cupertino, California-based tech giant is working on at least two variations, including a premium version with leather-like fabrics and a fitness-focused model that uses lighter, breathable materials with small perforations, the people said.

Stuff

Cheaper Logitech Magic Keyboard Alternative For Older iPads Now Available To Order, by Benjamin Mayo, 9to5Mac

After the surprise announcement that the Magic Keyboard for iPad will be available sooner than originally announced, the cheaper Logitech alternative which fits Apple’s non-Pro iPads is also shipping now.

Five Apps That'll Take You On A Virtual Trip Around The World, by Justin Connolly, Manchester Evening News

We all know there are far worse things going on in the world right now than a cancelled holiday.

But if you're stuck at home when you should have been spending the Easter holidays in the sun somewhere, you might be feeling some wanderlust kicking in.

While it’s not possible to travel the real world at the moment, you can still take a virtual trip across the globe and beyond with these apps.

Pokémon Go Adds Remote Raids So You Don’t Have To Go Outside, by Sam Byford, The Verge

Niantic has been tweaking Pokémon Go in an effort to make it more playable from home during the COVID-19 pandemic, and today it’s announcing one of the biggest changes yet: raid battles will soon be accessible remotely. The company is adding a new item called a Remote Raid Pass to the in-game store, letting you play raids that appear on the app’s map or “nearby” page without having to go to the physical location.

Notes

Apple To Redirect (PRODUCT)RED Proceeds To COVID-19 Relief Efforts Through September, by Joe Rossignol, MacRumors

Apple today announced that it is partnering with (RED) to redirect 100 percent of eligible proceeds from purchases of its (PRODUCT)RED products to The Global Fund's newly established COVID‑19 Response Mechanism, through September 30.

Apple's Only Retail Store In South Korea Reopening April 18, by Michael Steeber, 9to5Mac

Apple closed all of its retail stores outside of Greater China on March 13 due to the coronavirus pandemic. After more than a month of closures, Apple’s only store in South Korea is scheduled to reopen to customers at a reduced capacity on April 18.

[...]

Conditions in the United States have pushed back store reopening timelines until May at earliest, and regions like Singapore have seen an uptick in new coronavirus infections following initially successful mitigation. Apple is choosing to reopen in South Korea due to the country’s adequate response to the crisis.

Bottom of the Page

Looks like if you want a smaller phone, perhaps the answer is in the Watch section?

~

Thanks for reading.