This is Coins2Day’s weekly roundup of the biggest Apple news this week. To see last week’s roundup, click here.
As the world waits for Apple to release its new MacBook Pro, the news surrounding the Cupertino, Calif.-based company keeps coming.
Over the last week, reports have swirled that Apple is planning some impressive new features in its 2017 iPhone. Meanwhile, an analyst revealed Apple is taking all of the profits out of the worldwide smartphone market, and rumors suggest that even as the MacBook Pro nears its release this month, next year’s model might be the one to buy.
There was also some important news about Apple Car and the company’s new headquarters, Apple Campus 2, or the “Spaceship.”
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Read on to see all the Apple (AAPL) news that mattered this past week:
- Apple might not be developing an automobile, but the company is reportedly hard at work on self-driving car technology. And in order to deliver it, Apple might rely on augmented reality, according to KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. He told investors that Apple might try out augmented reality—or a technology that overlays digital elements on the real world—in the iPhone and Mac before bringing it to an eventual car technology. Apple hasn’t yet confirmed it’s working on car technology.
- In two separate videos published to YouTube this week, documentarians Duncan Sinfeld and Matthew Roberts showcased the progress construction crews are making on Apple’s next campus. The Spaceship, as it’s been called, is nearing the end of its external construction and appears to be on pace to get Apple employees working inside by early 2017.
- Although Apple is offering its new Touch Bar above the keyboard in its MacBook Pro, don’t expect it to deliver a touchscreen. Speaking to CNET in an interview, Apple design guru Jony Ive says Macs aren’t the right home for a touchscreen. Apple actually considered the idea “many, many years ago” but ultimately thought better of it.
- KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo told investors this week that Apple will offer more memory in next year’s MacBook Pro. More importantly, the company will reduce its price a bit to make it more competitive in the marketplace. Apple, however, wouldn’t comment on Kuo’s comments.
- Regardless of what Apple has planned for the future, the MacBook Pro is proving popular among early adopters. Apple senior vice president of worldwide marketing Phil Schiller said this week that the MacBook Pro has registered more online orders through the Apple Store than any “pro notebook” the company has ever released.
- Apple is expected to release a new iPhone next year. When it reaches store shelves, the device could feature all-new screen technology based on organic light-emitting diode, as well as wireless charging. Both features are commonplace among competing devices but conspicuously absent in this year’s iPhone.
- During the third quarter, Apple’s iPhone secured 104% of the worldwide smartphone market’s profits. The company’s success was due in no small part to the Galaxy Note 7’s troubles and Samsung’s ultimate decision to discontinue it, according to BMO Capital Markets analyst Tim Long.
- When Apple releases iOS 10.2 at some point in the future, the operating system will support Unicode 9, and thus, the latest generation of emoji. The support will mean 72 emoji, including the shrug, face palm, and avocado, will finally make their way to iPhones near you.
For more about Apple’s iPhone 7, watch:
One more thing… Apple design guru Jony Ive is designing this year’s Christmas tree at luxury hotel Claridge’s in London. This is the first year a tech executive is designing the company’s tree. The tree will be unveiled in mid-November.