How Long until there's a Folding iPhone | AirPods Max vs Sony Headphones |Tips & Tricks for iPad Scribble

There have been plenty of rumors suggesting that a folding phone is very much in Apple’s sights, but Kuo is offering new information, starting with that 2023 release date. 

He also says the product is in the earliest of stages, hence the delay before its appearance—assuming it ever does appear. At this stage, it could easily be that the company will not pursue it as far as product release.

Samsung’s Conor Pierce, he’s that company’s Corporate Vice President, UK and Ireland, says that he believes the future will fold. Talking about the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2, he told me: “We’ve found that 70% of consumers even today would consider purchasing a foldable device in the future, so it's very encouraging. I think people really aspire to move into that form factor. I think it's definitely a huge part of the market, not just for Samsung.

"Obviously, we're at the beginning of this journey but looking at the uptake and reactions of those who actually enjoy the purchase of their Fold I think it's very encouraging. I do believe that the Fold plays where the puck is going to be.”

Apple’s phone looks like it will be a phone that folds out to be a tablet and Kuo reckons the display would measure between 7.5 and 8 inches. In other words, when unfolded it would be the same screen real estate as an iPad mini. And just try cramming one of those into your jeans pocket.

The iMac hasn’t had a design overhaul for a long time, though the current model still looks pretty fetching. But it’s claimed that things are about to change and a complete design overhaul is in the works. Previous rumors have suggested that the current curved back will be replaced by a flat back – which would look more like the previous-generation desktop machines. A slimmer bezel around the display and the removal of the deep brushed aluminum strip along the bottom of the iMac’s design are also expected. This would make the new-design iMac look more like the Pro Display XDR. But there’s one more detail which will mean the new design is unmissable.

According to Jon Prosser from Front Page Tech, the next iMac is going to be a lot more colorful. Prosser claims that the splendid colors used on the current iPad Air will be used in the aluminum cladding the redesigned iMac. That would mean that instead of silver being the only colorway for the iMac, there would additionally be space gray, rose gold, sky blue and—my favorite—a peppy and eye-catching shade of green. 

I think it might be similar but not quite that. Apple likes to choose colors which have a “thoughtful relationship to each other” and one Apple executive told me. Which would mean colors which are different from the iPad Air shades, but still maintain a harmonious relationship to them. 

So, when can we expect this new design? Perhaps not quite as soon as you’d like. Apple introduced its own chip, called the M1, to the MacBook Air and some MacBook Pro models last Fall, but the first-generation M1 Macs have stuck resolutely to the same design as before. 

This isn’t surprising – an upgraded chip would surely be enough of an attraction do drive new sales, right? That certainly seems to have been the case. With Apple silicon expected to arrive in the next refresh of the iMac, I’d say it’s likely the design will stay the same for one more update, with the new look reserved for the update after that. Still, that could still be as early as this year.

What do you think of the above prospects? Be honest. Drop me a line: appleunboxed@forbes.com.

Remember 2012, when Apple swapped the 30-pin connector that connected to the iPhone, iPad and iPod for a slim, tiny new bit of metal, the Lightning connector? Oh my, what a to-do there was. Plenty of iPhone users complained that they didn’t want to embrace change right now, thank you very much. 

But, we came to love the Lightning cable over the years. It was much slimmer, for a start, which made it easier to store (if occasionally harder to find the end of the cable). The thinness of the blade meant that Apple devices could get slimmer, too.

And—best of all—because it was symmetrical on both sides it went in first time every time. This was a big change. For other cables, like USB-A, for instance, I always calculate I need to put it in three times. First, because it won’t fit, second because it really won’t fit and third because I had it right first time, after all. 

But Lightning has become controversial all over again, recently. The European Parliament has taken electronics manufacturers to task for electronic waste, insisting that it would be better if there was just one universally used connector across devices from every company. 

Of course, there are really only two connectors in use in cellphones these days: USB-C and Lightning. Since only Apple uses Lightning, the clear implication is that Apple should switch to USB-C. 

Trouble is, Apple doesn’t take kindly to being told what to do and it has pushed back, saying that being forced to switch to USB-C would reduce innovation. 

The company has a point. USB-C is thicker than Lightning, so on the slimmest of devices there may be issues squeezing in such a connection. Apple, by the way, has also told me that the either-way-up aspect that’s such a joy was thought up by Apple and USB-C reaped the benefit when it was created with a similarly symmetrical design.

Lightning also influenced USB-C with its capability for bi-directional power delivery, for instance.

And Lightning is still developing. If you have an iPhone 11 Pro or iPhone 12 Pro, for instance, if you connect through a cable, it can trigger an external flash accessory for photographers. That is not part of the USB-C specifications.

Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo also pointed out this week that Lightning is better at waterproofing than USB-C.

All of which leads us to another rumor, that future iPhones may ditch Lightning, but not for USB-C. Instead, as pointed out by Apple Insider, Kuo feels that one day Apple might move to an iPhone with no port at all, relying on MagSafe and wireless charging instead. Kuo said, “If the iPhone abandons Lightning in the future, it may directly adopt the portless design with MagSafe support instead of using a USB-C port.”

Apple obviously really doesn’t want to be told to use USB-C, then. Of course, it’s happy to do so on some devices, such as the iPad Air, but that’s because Apple decided that’s the best way to go for that gadget.

Portless is a curious idea – though the prospect of a wire-free iPhone is certainly appealing. It would certainly make for an even more sleek and minimal iPhone design.

But there are issues. Wireless charging does not match the charging speeds of wired. Second, how do you connect your iPhone to your Mac if you need to restore the iPhone? Third, whether you like it or not, you’ll need to listen on headphones wirelessly.

All these issues are awaiting us in the brave new world of all-wireless tech. But, it seems, not yet. 

Ming-Chi Kuo’s conclusion, which also factors in the fact that Apple earns a royalty from every Made for iPhone accessory, such as Lightning, is that the current connector will be here “for the foreseeable future”. So, don’t go throwing those cables away just yet.

Apple’s coolest innovation may be about to add a new feature: Wireless charging is the heart of Apple’s latest MagSafe manifestation, but there’s a new wireless charging battery pack coming, it seems, and it could even include reverse charging. Much more detail here at Forbes.

Sensational news: If you’re a fan of the splendid videogame Ratchet and Clank—and if you’re not, who are you?—then you may be as overjoyed as I was to hear that it’s available free as part of Play at Home. Full details on Pocket-lint, here.

Hmm, that’s disappointing: A rumor that Netflix was introducing Spatial Audio compatibility so listeners on AirPods Pro and AirPods Max could hear compatible content with this excellent surround-sound effect has been rebuffed. This time the source is persuasive: Netflix. Full details here.

New-look AirPods could be coming soon: There are plenty of rumors bouncing about which suggest there’ll be new AirPods and AirPods Pro in the coming weeks or months. The latest rumor–full details here–suggest a new design and a surprise feature.

Don’t worry about going over the edges of a text box  If your writing is too big and exuberant to fit into the web address bar, for example, don’t worry. Provided you start off in the box, you can keep writing even if it goes too far. 

In Notes, tap the Handwriting pen in the pencil case and you’re away The pencil case is found by tapping the pen icon in the top right of the page. Once you’ve chosen the Handwriting pen, the one with the letter A on it, you’re away.

It’s automatic in every other text box You don’t need to select a special tool outside Notes, the iPad understands what you’re doing and translates. The timing is perfect, too – it’ll let you write a few words and then suddenly elevate them into printed text but there’s enough of a gap to make sure it doesn’t confuse you. 

Editing text is amazingly easy to do. Not to mention intuitive. Want to delete a word? Just scribble on top of it as you would with pen and paper, and it’ll vanish. This is extremely satisfying to do. Add a space by drawing a vertical line between two letters, or remove one in the same way.

iPhone SE not coming this year, it seems, so maybe no iPhone mini next year

The iPhone SE is a clever idea. It’s on its second incarnation now and both the current and original versions have followed the same route: take the outward design of an earlier iPhone and put the very latest processor and some other bits in it, and sell it for a competitive price. So, the 2020 edition took the chassis from the iPhone 8, first released in 2017, and installed the A13 Bionic chip which was then in the company’s flagship iPhone 11 series phones. 

If you’re a fan of the SE, you might have been looking forward to the new, updated version which had been rumored to land as soon as this month. According to the reliable Apple analyst, Ming-Chi Kuo, the next iPhone SE won’t be with us for another year. The only other details rumored so far are that it will have the same 4.7in screen as currently, and will still have Touch ID.

Perhaps that’s not surprising as the Touch ID technology is one of the things that keeps the price of the SE down, now other iPhones have Face ID on board. But the other expected change is the most exciting: the inclusion of 5G connectivity. A 5G iPhone at the price an SE usually commands is pretty intriguing. Kuo predicts that the iPhone 12 Pro mini will have a counterpart in the 2021 line-up, but my guess is that a 5G iPhone SE might mean there’s no mini in the 2022 range, so this Fall's iPhone 12S mini, if that's what it's called, could be the last.

This week, here’s a 60-second review of the latest addition to Apple Fitness+, the subscription fitness services for Apple Watch users. 

Time to Walk is a first: it’s a service that’s only for one group of users, Apple Watch owners. While you do need an Apple Watch for Fitness+, you can also watch the other workouts on your iPhone, iPad and Apple TV. But this is dedicated to your wrist and your ears (you need AirPods or other Bluetooth headphones). Plus, it's designed for one specific situation, when you’re walking outdoors. 

Time to Walk is an accompanied walk workout with guests like Shawn Mendes, Dolly Parton, NBA player Draymond Green, NASCAR driver Bubba Wallace and more. So, why is it different from listening to a podcast as you walk? There’s something surprisingly intimate that you’re out walking listening to someone talking while they’re out for a walk, too. Apple says walking is the most popular exercise on Apple Watch, and indeed in the world, so the company is eager to get people to be doing even more of it.

As the guests tell you a little about themselves, and introduce a track or two that’s important to them, there’s the same private feeling you get when walking with a friend. True, you’re not actually hoofing through Griffith Park with Shawn Mendes, but it’s a cool experience even so. The anecdotes are peppered with occasional illustrative photographs. 

Of course, the Apple Watch is recording your steps and monitoring your metrics, so you’re getting exercise that you wouldn’t if listening to a podcast at home, say. You don’t need the iPhone, so you can leave it at home and make the experience even more intimate, just you, the guest and maybe your dog. Some of the guests have their dog with them as they walk. 

Time to Walk is highly enjoyable. Is it reason enough to subscribe to Apple Fitness+? Of course not, but it’s a brilliant addition that’s highly recommended.

I've been using both Apple AirPods Max and Sony WH-1000XM4 headphones since before they were launched. You can read my initial, in-depth of AirPods Max here. Since then, I've regularly switching between the two. Here's my long-term comparison of the two.
Apple’s over-ear headphones were impossibly scarce when first launched but are more widely available now. Should you  buy them or opt for the top-flight Sony noise-cancellers instead? Here are five things to think about when deciding.

Sound quality Actually, this is win-win. Both Sony and Apple have delivered astonishingly good audio in the latest headphones. Both are rich and detailed with precisely placed and balanced vocals, bass and mid-notes. Apple has the edge, for sure, but Sony acquits itself well. Sony is the great all-rounder, sonically, but Apple is a touch more versatile managing warmth, thumping bass or delicate voices as needed.

Noise-cancelling When it’s good, noise-cancelling can transform your listening, when shoddy it just gives you a headache. Both are fantastic but different. Apple does it all for you where Sony has more granular control, letting you choose your level of cancellation between 0 and 20. 

Design This is down to personal taste but for me, Apple’s eye-catching looks, smart colors and utterly distinctive shape win easily. Sony’s headphones look great, but they’re much more conventional, with a much quieter look. That might be what you’re after, of course. Apple’s headphones are not quite as comfortable for extended listening, as they can feel heavy after a while.

Features Apple AirPods Max headphones have a brilliant extra: Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking so when you’re listening to compatible content on an iPad, for instance, it locks the audio to the device. It is a spookily good effect. Sony, on the other hand, has Speak to Chat. It may sound tautological but what it means is that when you start talking to someone, the headphones recognize this and pause the playback. It’s brilliant—unless you’re singing along to the music.

Price Sony’s headphones are the winner here, being cheaper by a long way. Around $200 cheaper, as it happens. 

Which should you choose? For many people, that last consideration will be the clincher. Saving $200 is not inconsiderable and the Sony headphones sound spectacular. You’re unlikely to be disappointed by the Sony sound. However, if you really want the ultimate audio quality and are not worried about the extra cost, and assuming you like Apple’s classy design, then AirPods Max are the audiophile’s dream.

Comments, questions or complaints? All are welcome, well, the complaints maybe not so much, but try me. Drop me a line: appleunboxed@forbes.com.