Things are changing in Apple’s world.
Once upon a time, the release of a new Mac would be big news. But earlier this week, Apple unveiled new 13- and 15-inch MacBook Pros, but barely said anything about it. The company issued a press release, said that the laptops would come with improved performance and quieter keyboards, and then went about its day. Nothing more. It was arguably the best illustration yet of just how important the iPhone is—and how the Mac has moved into a supporting role.
This is Coins2Day’s latest weekly roundup of the biggest Apple news. Here’s last week’s roundup.
But it wasn’t only about Macs this week. Apple’s App Store turned 10 years-old, and in a not-so-surprising move, Apple has decided to ditch its Photo Print Products service.
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Read on for more about this week’s biggest Apple headlines:
- The biggest Apple news of the week centered on the company’s new MacBook Pros. Apple announced the notebooks on Thursday, saying that the 13- and 15-inch MacBook Pros now ship with eighth-generation Intel Core processors that will substantially improve performance over the previous models from last year. Apple also said that the new MacBooks Pros come with a fourth-generation keyboard that will be “quieter” than the previous option. They’re available now.
- Apple is upgrading the Maps application in iOS 12, the company confirmed. Apple is now collecting its own mapping information instead of getting it from third-parties. According to the company, the move should mean more accurate information and quicker updates about road changes. Apple is also promising 3D mapping features, including a 3D view of what a location looks like from within the app. Apple’s new Maps will debut with iOS 12 this fall.
- Apple’s App Store turned 10 years-old this week. The store, which launched with just 500 apps, now has more than 2 million. And although it started as a way to bring more features to the iPhone, it’s now a major revenue-maker for Apple’s Services division. Suffice it to say, Apple’s App Store has been critical to the company’s success over the last several years.
- Apple plans to kill its Photo Print Products service at the end of September. The service, which debuted in 2002, let you order photo albums, prints, and photos containing pictures you took on your iPhone. The service was lost amid the countless rivals from other companies. And now, it’s going away.
- A security researcher this week investigated the code inside Apple’s iOS to determine why, when iPhones are set to Chinese location settings, the Taiwan flag emoji cannot be accessed. The researcher ultimately determined that Apple is deliberately stopping the Taiwan flag emoji from being used when a device is in China. Exactly why is unexplained, but the researcher argues that the company may be appeasing the Chinese government, which does not recognize Taiwan as an independent country. Apple never responded to a Coins2Day request for comment about the report.
One more thing… A former Apple engineer who’s been accused of stealing information about the company’s self-driving car project is facing up to 10 years in jail and a $250,000 fine, if he’s convicted.