Originally published at: http://appletalk.com.au/2017/07/friday-morning-news280717/
The Verge tells us about the history of the iPod nano. It wasn’t the shortest-lived iPod ever (with that title going to the iPod mini), but the iPod nano was arguably the coolest iPod. I say that as someone who grew up with the iPod nano, being in high school when they were all the rage, and they’ve always been the most colourful, and most fun MP3 players around. They lasted eight generations, which seems about the right length, and now if you want to buy one, you’ll need to find one in-store (or maybe on Apple’s refurb site).
A report claims LG will be the sole supplier for batteries in next year’s iPhone. While this isn’t the first rumour we’ve heard about an iPhone more than a year out, it’s certainly one of the first that concerns actual component providers.
The Mac Observer says there’s a good chance the next generation of Apple Watch will introduce the most requested feature: mobile data connectivity. I’m not convinced, as having mobile connectivity in a device that small introduces problems of its own as well as solving some. I’m much more interested to see when Apple will update the form factor, if they do at all.
Apple has been approved to renovate a 1765 square metre area in Washington’s Carnegie Museum and Library. There’s no word on when the Apple Store will open given that the terms have just been finalised with the DC convention and sports authority, but there’s a good chance we’ll see something along the lines of Apple’s Grand Central or Opera stores, according to MacRumors.
Apple has also been granted a license to test 5G wireless technology on millimeter waves on the 28 and 39GHz bands. Such high frequencies promise up to 10Gbps speeds in terms of bandwidth, but also require line of sight to work effectively.
In case you missed it, yesterday’s WSJ interview with Sir Jony Ive has Ive telling J.J. Abrams that the glossy white of Apple earbuds were inspired by Stormtrooper armour. And Kylo Ren’s lightsabre was in turn inspired by a suggestion from Ive that said it should have a rougher blade projection that occasionally sparks.
Macworld speculates on the future of the Finder, saying that while the desktop metaphor has been useful for the past few decades, maybe it’s time to move beyond to something else that is a little more futuristic. Perhaps it’s Files as found in iOS, but maybe it’s a time for new interfaces altogether.
The Apple Store app has been updated, now featuring Touch ID to authenticate with your Apple ID, as well as being available as an authentication option for payments using a card linked to your Apple ID.
Apple’s latest Earth Day ad comes just as July is wrapping up, and it’s the story of how Apple decided to ensure that 1 million acres of forest are responsibly managed by 2020.