The Day After: Apple's Announcement Week Begins on Monday.
The top headlines this morning include that Apple is gearing up for a week full of announcements, the UN presents a grim outlook on climate, and we review the Galaxy S24 FE.
Recently, it has been almost a year since Apple made significant updates to its computers, such as the iMac and the MacBook Pro. The last improvement to these models was almost a year ago, while the Mac Pro and the Mac Studio were updated just over a year ago. In this context, Apple’s marketing director, Greg Joswiak, has announced an "exciting week of announcements" starting this Monday.
It is likely that during this week we will see the transition of those models from M3 chip variants to M4. This new processor, which focuses on artificial intelligence, is sure to attract much interest, especially with the arrival of Apple Intelligence through the iOS 18.1 update. Each model is expected to be presented gradually throughout the week, suggesting that there won’t be drastic changes in the products.
Speculation indicates that only the Mac Mini will receive a major hardware revision, which could lead to a reduction in the size of its chassis. However, there are concerns that the Mac Mini could end up being as small as an Apple TV model, which, if true, could lead to the addition of a bulky power supply that could clutter the space.
In other news, the latest version of iOS includes a safety feature for children that deletes explicit content and allows it to be reported to Apple. Regarding entertainment, the latest season of the series Good Omens will only feature one episode, while a remaster of Yooka-Laylee will be released for all consoles, including the upcoming Nintendo one. Additionally, Google Photos will start showing when images have been altered with artificial intelligence.
On another note, the UK's Competition Authority will open a formal investigation into Alphabet's $2.3 billion investment in Anthropic. A new UN report has also been released, warning about the need to drastically reduce emissions to meet climate goals.
As for Samsung technology, the new Galaxy S24 FE has been criticized for not offering enough value compared to the standard versions of the phone. Finally, President Biden’s administration has established new regulations regarding the use of artificial intelligence in military and intelligence fields, clearly prohibiting giving AI control over nuclear weaponry.