Tag Archives: macotakara

New video goes hands-on with iPhone 14 mockups

The news: Some freshly printed 3D models of the iPhone 14 have been shared online by Apple blog Macotakara (58.5% accurate, source).

Sam’s take: A riveting soundtrack for this hands-on, if I don’t say so myself. Joking aside, it’s not like we’re learning anything new here…it’s just that we get a better look at these than ever before and some good sizing comparisons to iPhone 13 cases. And the iPhone 14 Pros having no notch or cutout at all? That’s not happening. It’ll be the pill + hole design we’ve come to know, it just wasn’t printed on these models for some reason.

iPhone SE 3 rumor says it won’t get MagSafe charging

The rumor: Apple’s next budget iPhone won’t charge like the iPhone 13, according to Macotakara (55.9% accurate).

  • “According to reliable sources in China, the iPhone SE (3rd generation), which is supposed to be the successor to the iPhone SE (2nd generation) released in April 2020, will retain the iPhone SE (2nd generation) chassis design and will continue to support Qi wireless charging, but will not support MagSafe” Macotakara reports
  • Apple’s next iPhone SE is also said to feature a faster processor, but there won’t be much else new

Our take: As much and I thought MagSafe would happen on the new SE, we are talking about Apple’s cheapest iPhone here: implementing MagSafe into a design this old really wouldn’t be worth it for them. Again, this is going to be the smallest SE update yet.

iPhone SE 3 & iPad Air reportedly begin production ahead of Spring event

The rumor: 2 new Apple products are in production, according to Macotakara (55.9% accurate).

  • “Production of the iPhone SE (3rd generation) has apparently begun, as has the iPad Air (5th generation)” the report says
  • Apple is rumored to hold their first event of 2022 in either March or April where the new iPhone SE and iPad Air will be unveiled

Our take: Good news from the supply chain that matches up with what other sources have been saying. But will the next event take place in March or April?

2022 iPad Air coming in Spring with Center Stage & 5G (rumor)

The rumor: Apple will introduce a new iPad Air within the next few months, according to Macotakara (63.3% accurate).

Here’s the report, “according to reliable sources in China…”

  • Same design as current iPad Air but with an ultra-wide front camera that supports Center Stage
  • Quad-LED True Ton Flash for single-lens rear camera
  • A15 Bionic chip
  • 5G connectivity
  • Release in the Spring alongside the new iPhone SE 3

Our take: Sounds like a modest upgrade after the major redesign we saw in 2020. Not convinced we’ll see it this Spring, however, considering Macotakara’s mixed track record. Waiting to hear this from other sources before I believe it…

New images show iPhone 13 Pro dummy unit with smaller notch

The leak: New images of an iPhone 13 dummy unit show design changes in the notch, provided by Macotakara (68.6% accurate).

  • The updated notch is thinner, with the speaker relocated to the upper portion of the bezel
  • Almost all other parts of the 2021 dummy iPhone appear to look identical to last year’s iPhone 12 Pro

Our take: This is the first real-life image we’ve seen of the potential notch design for 2021, and I think it looks great! I really hope we see this instead of the other design Apple is testing.

iPhone SE 3 could release in April

The rumor: Amid mixed rumors for a third-generation iPhone SE, MacOtakara (68.6% accurate) has shared some potentially good news.

Our take: I’m fully behind rumors of new AirPods in April, but I have some serious doubts about a new iPhone SE…considering that no one else, so far, has said that a new SE is coming this year. We’ll see.

AirPods Pro 2 may release in April with redesigned charging case

The rumor: Apple’s second-generation AirPods Pro may be launching sooner than expected, according to MacOtakara (68.6% accurate).

  • While no details were shared about the pods themselves, there may be a new charging case that will be just as thick, but slightly taller and not as wide
  • The new version of AirPods Pro could release in April 2021, just three months from now

Our take: Previous reports pegged AirPods Pro 2 for a launch in the second half of 2021: perhaps they are referring to the redesigned version of AirPods 3?

iPhone 13 may be slighter thicker, ‘thinner’ notch expected

The rumor: A new report about the iPhone 13’s design has surfaced, courtesy of Macotakara (68.6% accurate).

Here are the 4 takeaways:

  • While the overall design will be the same, some models may be 0.26 mm thicker (width and height are said to remain unchanged)
  • The camera module will get roughly 0.9mm larger on all iPhone 13 models, but the lenses won’t stick out as much
  • On iPhone 13 Pro, the upgraded camera module will likely mirror the benefits seen on the Pro Max model…including sensor-shift stabilization on the wide-angle lens
  • The Face ID array is getting “thinner,” which lines up with an earlier rumor

Our take: All of this sounds great. Sure, a thicker phone isn’t great…but Apple has done this time in time again after updating the design in the prior year. Plus, it probably means they’ll be able to fit larger batteries inside.

Apple October 2020 event leaderboard update

This is our biggest leaderboard update yet. While other products see rumors intermittently throughout the year, Apple’s biggest product, the iPhone, is relentlessly leaked week-by-week until the eventual Fall unveil. Following the October 13 event, here’s how iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Pro and HomePod mini rearranged the source leaderboard.

Sources that increased

🏀 Mark Gurman: 87.8 ⮕ 88.3% accurate

  • +30 correct rumors
  • -2 incorrect claims

🧻 Jon Prosser: 74.5 ⮕ 85.2% accurate

  • +69 correct rumors
  • -6 incorrect claims

👨‍💻 Ming-Chi Kuo: 74.6 ⮕ 77.5% accurate

  • +19 correct rumors
  • -1 incorrect claims

🗞 WSJ: 76.7 ⮕ 77.4% accurate

  • +1 correct rumor

❓ MacRumors: 69 ⮕ 70% accurate

  • +1 correct rumor

🧭 Macotakara: 66.7 ⮕ 69.6% accurate

  • +16 correct rumors
  • -5 incorrect claims

🍍 Max Weinbach: 63 ⮕ 67.1% accurate

  • +23 correct rumors
  • -8 incorrect claims

🔢 DigiTimes: 61.3 ⮕ 65% accurate

  • +14 correct rumors
  • -4 incorrect claims

🦅 Barclays: 57.9 ⮕ 64.5% accurate

  • +9 correct rumors
  • -3 incorrect claims

✅ The Verifier: 51.3 ⮕ 51.9% accurate

  • +1 correct rumor

💵 Economic Daily News: 36.1 ⮕ 36.8% accurate

  • +1 correct rumor
  • -1 incorrect claim

Source(s) that stayed the same

🧧 Kang 康总: 97.8 ⮕ 97.8% accurate

  • +84 correct rumors
  • -2 incorrect claims

Sources that decreased

🌙 L0vetodream: 88.9 ⮕ 87.9% accurate

  • +32 correct rumors
  • – 5 incorrect claims

Note: As you may have noticed, no source is 100% accurate. That’s because all sources get some info right and some info wrong: do not harass anyone for their track record. The leaderboard functionality on AppleTrack is here only to help Apple enthusiasts better understand how likely a rumor really is.

As always, if you notice a discrepancy on someone’s record, let us know.

5.5-inch iPhone 13 prototype shows no notch & USB-C

The news: A possible 5.5-inch iPhone prototype for release in 2021 has surfaced, according to Macotakara (67.4% accurate).

  • The notch has been removed, presumably due to in-display Touch ID replacing it
  • Also present on this prototype is USB-C (something most sources have said will never materialize)

Our take: Like the last iPhone 13 leaks, these should be taken as entertainment over anything else. The final design for this year’s iPhone lineup reportedly isn’t even complete. Yet, we’ve been hearing more and more about the removal of the notch on at least one 2021 model…so this is a good sign.

iPad Air 4 to go USB-C, next iPad mini to keep Lightning

The news: Apple is transitioning another iPad model to USB-C later this year, according to Macotakara (67.4% accurate).

  • The next iPad Air is (finally) getting a USB-C port
  • But the next iPad mini is sticking with Lightning

Our take: It would be great if every port on every device switched to USB-C overnight…but we know that will never happen. At least Apple isn’t restricting USB-C to Pro iPads only.