Apple could stop updating the iPad mini

Rumor has it that Apple is about to unveil a brand-new iPad in just a few weeks. But what about the iPad mini? According to a new report from BGR, the iPad mini is not going to receive an update. In fact, the iPad mini could be reaching the end of the road.

At WWDC, Apple could be unveiling a new iPad with a 10.5-inch display and smaller bezels. This iPad is going to be roughly the footprint of the existing 9.7-inch iPad Pro so it’s going to replace the small iPad Pro in the lineup.

On the lower end, Apple recently released a new cheap 9.7-inch iPad. It only costs $320 so it’s even cheaper than the $399 iPad mini 4.

It’s clear that both the entry-level iPad and the iPhone 7 Plus (and phablets in general) have become more popular than the iPad mini. So Apple is just going to get rid of the iPad mini. It could be a brutal end with Apple removing the iPad mini from its stores. But I think Apple will still keep the iPad mini for a little while — it’s just going to slowly fade away.

The iPad mini was the hot new thing when it debuted in 2012. The full-size iPad was a heavy monster, and everybody was excited about the Nexus 7 and the Kindle Fire tablet. Phones had a tiny 3.5-inch display.

People wanted something light so that they could carry it around. The iPad mini was the perfect device to browse the web, read emails and more. It was just a bit small to watch movies. I loved my iPad mini.

But now that iPads have become lighter and phones bigger, the iPad mini isn’t as useful. And the tablet market in general isn’t growing anymore. So let’s wait until WWDC to see what Apple is going to do with the iPad mini.

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Apple could release MacBook updates soon

According to a new report from Bloomberg, Apple is about to release updated MacBook and MacBook Pro models. The company could announce the refresh at its WWDC keynote on June 5.

The 12-inch MacBook with a retina display hasn’t been updated in a year. The design still works quite well, so I wouldn’t expect anything more than a specification bump.

Maybe Apple is going to add a second USB-C port. That would be nice as it’s a bit frustrating that you can’t charge your device and plug something at the same time without a dongle. The keyboard isn’t as good as the one in the most recent MacBook Pro either.

When it comes to the MacBook Pro with the new Touch Bar, it’s still quite new but Apple likes to update its computers regularly with better CPU options, more RAM and storage.

In particular, the MacBook Pro missed the mark for Intel’s Kaby Lake processors. The laptops shipped with Skylake CPUs, but there’s no reason not to update the laptops with the new CPUs.

More surprising, Bloomberg is saying that Apple is also considering updating the MacBook Air. Based on Apple’s own press conference, the entry-level 13-inch MacBook Pro without a touch bar is the perfect MacBook Air replacement.

It’s roughly as heavy as the 13-inch MacBook Air, but it’s still more expensive. That’s why the MacBook Air is still around for the time being. But Apple could even go a step further and refresh the MacBook Air with better components. I wouldn’t hold my breath for this one.

WWDC is a developer conference, so Apple focuses mostly on software news for its developer community. This year should be no different. You can expect some news around iOS 11, tvOS 11, watchOS 4 and macOS 10.12.

At the same time, developers use Macs every day, all day. So it would make sense to spend a minute talking about minor Mac updates. Mac users are also waiting for brand new iMac and Mac Pro models. But those devices aren’t ready just yet.

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Another iPhone 8 leak hints at wireless charging

Slowly but surely, we’re getting hints about the next iPhone from multiple leaks. Today’s new image from @OnLeaks shows that the next iPhone could feature wireless charging.

In this iPhone schematic, it’s easy to spot a rounded surface at the back of the device, indicating that there should be a conductive surface to charge the device.

I know what you’re thinking — Android devices have had wireless charging for years. But it doesn’t mean that iPhone users don’t deserve some wireless love as well.

Other than that, the image shows once again that the two cameras on the back are oriented vertically. The flash should sit in the middle. At the bottom of the device, you can see that the headphone jack is definitely not coming back.

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More interestingly, the top of the device features four different holes next to the speaker. If I look at my current iPhone 7, there’s only one hole for the selfie camera, and another for the proximity and light sensor. It could mean that the next iPhone could have two selfie cameras and… maybe a selfie flash?

While multiple leaks showed a Touch ID sensor on the back of the device, you can’t see it on this leak. Maybe Apple found a way to integrate the Touch ID sensor in the display.

Rumor has it that Apple is going to release three new iPhones in September. Two of those devices could be updated versions of the iPhone 7 and 7s with better components. The high-end device could feature a brand new design with a giant screen.

Just like Samsung and LG, Apple is expected to fill the front of its phone with a screen, removing the physical home button and extending the screen to the edges of the device. Apple could move away from the traditional 16:9 aspect ratio.

This iPhone could be roughly as big as an iPhone 7, but with more screen real estate. It could be a good compromise between an iPhone 7 and an iPhone 7 Plus.

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iPhone sales numbers dip slightly, but iPhone revenue is slightly up in quarterly earnings

Apple’s Q2 earnings report just dropped, and it’s a bit of a mixed bag from the hardware perspective; iPhone sales numbers dropped 1 percent year-over-over, down to around 50.8 million units. That figure also failed to meet analyst expectations of 51.4 million for the quarter.

Tim Cook told CNBC that rumors may be partially to blame for the dip in numbers. Of course, speculation and leaks have always been a constant presence in the iPhone life cycle, though things do appear to have accelerated a bit in recent years. Rumors are coming particularly early for the anticipated 10^th anniversary iPhone 8, due out later this year.

Numbers have also seen a hit in China, due in part to increasingly cutthroat competition from domestic competitors. Consumers in the world’s largest smartphone market may also be holding out for more substantial upgrades, which are expected to come with the iPhone 8.

“We are seeing a kind of delay in purchasing behavior that we think is a consequence of the number of rumors and reports about future products,” Cook told the site.

Still, the company’s in good spirits on that front, thanks in part to the fact that revenue for the category is actually up slightly (also by 1 percent), given the fact that the average selling price per phone has jumped, keeping Apple moving in the right direction in that column, at least. There’s also good news on the Mac front, as unit sales jumped to 4.2 million, a 4 percent increase in numbers and a 14 percent jump in revenue year-over-year.

Anyone who’s been watching the tablet space, meanwhile, likely won’t be too surprised to see that iPad sales numbers have dropped pretty considerably, by 13 percent year-over-year, while revenue is down 12 percent. Apple has clearly noted the stagnation on the tablet front as early adopters have been holding onto their systems a lot longer than the company initially anticipated.

The every-two-years upgrade cycle simply doesn’t apply to tablets the way it traditionally has to smartphones — nor do people wear out those devices as quickly. Back in March, the company issued a significant price drop for the iPad in hopes of convincing apprehensive buyers to take a plunge with an upgrade. The company is also hoping schools will give the space a boost moving forward with the addition of new education-focused applications and third-party hardware.

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Apple starts assembling iPhones in India in play for the world’s fastest growing smartphone market

Apple has taken an important step in its longstanding goal of penetrating the world’s second largest smartphone market. The Wall Street Journal first reported that that the company has completed its first trial run assembly of the iPhone SE in India – a key step in gaining a foothold for a market that has thus far proven elusive for the smartphone maker.

The company has since confirmed the move with TechCrunch, writing in a statement, “We are beginning initial production of a small number of iPhone SE in Bengaluru. iPhone SE is the most popular and powerful phone with a four-inch display in the world and we’ll begin shipping to domestic customers this month.”

Chief competitor Samsung has dominated the ranks in recent years, with around a quarter of the market by various analyst estimates. The rest of top five is monopolized by Chinese brands like Xiaomi, Oppo, Lenovo and Vivo. Apple has managed to see some growth country, but it’s thus far been a tough sell in a market where the average handset runs $150, according to numbers from IDC.

The four-inch SE is Apple’s least expensive model, running $399 in the States. Some retailers in the country have managed to undercut the cost, lower the entry level price of the handset by around $80 – but even at that price, it’s still substantially more expensive than most. In spite of its relatively low pricing, the SE doesn’t appear to have made quite the splash Apple was initially anticipating ing the country.

Apple has long been working to move production to the country, hoping, in part, to retake some of the market it has lost in China in recent years, as domestic handset sales have grown. Locals are hoping that such a move could reduce the retail cost of the SE even further, by as much as $100. But while $220 is certainly a lot more palatable, that still marks a substantial premium over the average handset price.

The fact that Apple looks to keep pricing relatively consistent across markets could also serve as something of a hurdle. Though perhaps its aggressive push in recent years, along with an embrace of lower cost devices could stem the tide. After all, the India smartphone market is big and only getting bigger.

It’s the world’s fastest growing market, having recently surpassed the U.S. to claim the number. The Indian market is expected to generate somewhere in the neighborhood of one billion smartphone sales over the next half-decade.

In spite of its rapid growth, however, little actual manufacturing is occurring in India. Recent numbers have domestic manufacturing and assembly at around six-percent in the country. The addition of a large global name like Apple has been regarded by a big win by the government as it brings more jobs to the country, through initiatives like the Prime Minister-sponsored Make in India program.

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