Tag Archives: jon prosser

New iPhone 14 Pro renders show controversial notch design, larger cameras and more

The renders: Apple’s upcoming iPhone 14 Pro will look just a bit different year-over-year, according to the latest leaks and rumors rendered out by Jon Prosser (69.1% accurate, via FPT) and Ian Zelbo.

This is what’s new on iPhone 14 Pro:

Sam’s take: This is our best look yet at iPhone 14 Pro yet. These renders are unlike anything we’ve seen so far with impeccable lighting and detail that I’m only used to seeing in imagery from Apple themselves. Does iPhone 14 look that much different than iPhone 13? No. But there are some key changes, like the new notch design, that I’m a huge fan of. I really like the changes that Apple did make here.

Flat-edge Apple Watch Series 8 could finally debut later this year

The rumor: An all-new design for Apple Watch could launch in 2022, according to ShrimpApplePro (not yet tracked).

Sam’s take: While everyone is obviously skeptical of this latest rumor, keep in mind that 3 major sources (Mark Gurman, Jon Prosser, Ming-Chi Kuo) all said a flat-edge design was coming on the Series 7 last year. I think it’s entirely possible, and even likely, that the leaks were just a year ahead, and that 2022 will be when we see this new look release.

New Beats Studio Buds colors rumored to release soon

The rumor: Apple is working on 3 fresh colors for Beats Studio Buds, according to Jon Prosser (69% accurate, via Front Page Tech).

  • Moon Gray, Ocean Blue and Sunset Pink are the rumored trio of colors said to be launching sometime “soon”
  • We don’t have any official images, but we connected what the new colors could look like above
  • Beats Studio Buds first released on June 25, 2021, and these new colors are likely to spur some additional interest in the product as it nears a year old

Sam’s take: Considering that these are on sale right now for $119.99, I’m going to assume that aren’t selling all that well. I tried them out for myself, but in-ear buds (including AirPods Pro) just never work well for me. On top of that, I wasn’t impressed by the sound quality and thought the build felt a bit cheap…which I guess is fair for a lower-end offering like this. Still, I’d love to see Apple bring some colors to AirPods and not just Beats.

WWDC 2022 rumored to take place on June 6 (and it’ll be in-person)

The rumor: Apple’s yearly worldwide developer conference will return to a destination event, according to Jon Prosser (69% accurate).

Sam’s take: I’m almost certain that this is the right date (Apple always holds WWDC in the first or second week of June). But I am skeptical that it’ll be in-person. Sure, COVID-19 cases are steadily decreasing now. But isn’t it possible that another, even more transmissible variant could appear by June? I have no doubt that Apple will take the utmost precaution to keep everyone safe if WWDC 2022 is in-person…but it seems like there’s still a lot of risk in returning to large gatherings right now. I would be comfortable attending, but I can also understand that a lot of folks would not feel the same way.

New iPhone 14 schematic shows actual size of the notch and it’s huge

The rumor: Apple is implementing a larger set of front cutouts than previously expected, according to a new post on Weibo that has been verified by Jon Prosser (69% accurate, via FPT).

  • As seen above, the new cutouts take up much more of the display than previous renders had shown
  • It looks as if Apple is essentially taking the components of the notch and applying them directly in the display, eliminating any waste areas that don’t include the cameras or sensors

Sam’s take: I know the common take would be that this looks worse because it’s bigger…but there’s something about the scale now that actually looks more realistic to me. Probably because it is literally the components of the current notch but without the dead space. I still can’t believe they’re putting a literal i on the front of iPhone 14, but this is a slight improvement?

First images of iPhone SE 3 show (lack of) design changes (update: fake)

Update 2/4: After others pointed out that the Apple logo was placed in the wrong position, Prosser has acknowledged the oddity.

The leak: Apple’s upcoming iPhone SE with 5G won’t look much different than the previous generation, according to Jon Prosser (69.4% accurate) via the Genius Bar podcast.

  • The new images show an iPhone SE in black that looks essentially identical to the iPhone SE released in April 2020
  • Apple is rumored to release the new iPhone SE at an event taking place in March/April

Our take: While I assumed Apple would have some slight way to differentiate the 5G iPhone SE from the 4G version…it doesn’t look like that will be the case. Perhaps only new wallpapers will set this apart from the older model?

New 2022 MacBook Air renders show white bezels and notch + MagSafe charging

The images: New renders courtesy of Jon Prosser (74.6% accurate) and RendersByIan provide our best look yet at Apple’s upcoming, redesigned MacBook Air.

Our take: Call me crazy…but I love it. I’m highly skeptical of the exact level of thinness shown in these renders (because it looks impossibly slim), but I dig the white look for this notebook. Still, I down with the idea of the MacBook Air being ultra-thin and fun with the MacBook Pro being a thicker, more serious machine.

iPhone 14 could get new 2TB storage option

The rumor: Apple could double the top-tier storage option for the 2022 iPhone, according to MyDrivers (not yet rated).

  • 2 terabytes of storage could land on iPhone sometime next year, with Apple rumored to switch from TLC to QLC flash memory, even though “QLC performance and reliability are not as good as TLC flash storage”
  • However, Jon Prosser (74.6% accurate) recently shut down this idea and doesn’t believe we will see 2TB next year

Our take: Gonna say no way on this one. MyDrivers has a despicable track record and we just got 1TB this year. I didn’t see a need for 1TB, so I certainly don’t see a need for 2TB.

First look at iPhone 14 reveals an iPhone 4 design

The leak: This is your first look at the all-new, redesigned iPhone 14…coming in 2022, according to Jon Prosser (74.3% accurate).

  • The new look is a clear spiritual successor to Apple’s 2010 iPhone 4, with large slabs of glass on the front and a titanium band that wraps around the entire device
  • Other features of iPhone 4 are also present, like circular volume up and down buttons and large oval speaker grills
  • But Lightning will remain the defacto port for another year

Our take: This design is timeless and it looks simply phenomenal. With Prosser’s track record of sharing new designs early, this is a pretty safe bet. Too bad it’s not coming until September 2022.

iPhone 13 Face ID could work with foggy glasses and masks

The leak: Apple has been testing a prototype version of Face ID that would make significant improvements, according to Jon Prosser (74.3% accurate, via FrontPageTech.com).

  • The prototype, which currently exists as a case that an iPhone 12 fits inside, features a new Face ID array that is almost identical to the one that will likely be found on iPhone 13, suggesting that these improvements could ship as early as this year
  • “Internally, Apple employees are being asked to wear masks AND glasses to test the new hardware. Some tests are conducted with masks on / masks off. Others are conducted with glasses on / glasses off while wearing a mask” Prosser says

Our take: This is interesting, and would absolutely fix what is still Face ID’s Achilles heel: masks. The unlock with Apple Watch feature was a major step forward, but for everyone without an Apple Watch, wearing a mask with Face ID is still a bad experience. I’m not convinced this will actually happen on iPhone 13 with the testing occurring so recently, but on the 2022 iPhones…maybe.

New report says Apple forcing some employees to wear body cameras in revitalized effort to curb leaks

The rumor: Apple is stepping up their efforts to prevent future products from leaking, according to a new report from Jon Prosser’s (74.2% accurate) FrontPageTech.com.

Our take: At the end of the day, these products leaking are things that people genuinely care about…not governmental conspiracy secrets that must be protected at all costs. Call me crazy, but even if Apple’s entire roadmap leaked, in great detail with product images and videos…I don’t believe that any company other than Apple could pull it off to be market viable. The iPhone has been out since 2007 and everyone from Samsung to LG to OnePlus have tried to copy it: but there’s still only one iPhone.

In conclusion, this is the most serious we have ever seen Apple take leaks, and I have to assume that this will have a negative effect on the culture there. But at least they’re focusing on the source of the leaks, and not on members of the press.