Apple quietly updates Apple Watch to only work with iPhones on iOS 18 or later.

If you have an iPhone X or earlier, don’t unpair your Apple Watch from your device because it will stop working. You must have iOS 18 now in order to pair any Apple Watch with your device. iOS 18 is available on iPhone XS or later, and iPhone SE 2nd generation or later.

This was changed recently and Apple released an updated support document. Apple’s previous compatibility chart was more complicated, but it allowed older versions of iOS to work with older Apple Watches. Their chart was not complete, and I made a modified chart to include the iPhone SE models.

Apple’s compatibility chart was dated Nov. 20, 2024, and Apple’s most recent support document is dated Feb. 28, 2025, a Friday.

So on a Friday, right when the news cycle for the week ends, Apple published a support document quietly making it impossible to pair usable Apple Watches with iOS 17 or older devices. I was in the process today of pairing a Series 5 on watchOS 10 with my iPhone SE 1st gen on iOS 15 which was possible according to Apple’s chart, but I could no longer do that and when I clicked on the “Learn More” option, the support document spelled it out bluntly:

To set up and use an Apple Watch, you need iPhone XS or later with iOS 18 or later.

Both the iPhone SE 1st gen and the Series 5 watch are on their latest software revisions, but even then it is not possible.

iOS 18 is the minimum you need now.

It is a bitter sweet ending, since it was quite perplexing to keep track of which watches on which version of watchOS would work with which iPhones on which versions of iOS. Even for a geek like me it was hard to keep it straight. The backwards compatibility was bound to come to an end, and that time is now.

Keep these 4 points in mind:

1. If you have iOS 18, you can pair any Apple Watch to it.

2. If you don’t have iOS 18, you cannot pair any Apple Watch to it.

3. If your Apple Watch is currently paired to an iOS 17 device, it will continue to work, but you might eventually be forced to upgrade to iOS 18 if you have an iPhone XS or later or an iPhone SE 2nd gen or later.

4. If you have an iPhone X or earlier, unpairing your current Apple Watch will prevent you from re-pairing the device to your iPhone.

This iPhone 17 Pro camera downgrade will actually be an upgrade.

According to Majin Bu, the iPhone 17 Pro will get a 3.5x telephoto zoom instead of a 5x telephoto:

The new iPhone 17 Pro introduces a completely redesigned camera module. Gone is the diagonal lens arrangement: now the lenses are aligned horizontally in a wider layout. This isn’t just an aesthetic change, it’s a functional choice to integrate an enhanced telephoto lens that delivers exceptional performance.

Telephoto Lens: New Optical Zoom 

The telephoto lens of the iPhone 17 Pro is the heart of this revolution. Here’s what makes it special:

– Versatile focal length: It shifts from 120 mm (5x optical zoom) to 85 mm (3.5x), perfect for portraits and everyday shots.

– 48-megapixel sensor: Compared to the previous 12-megapixel sensors, it offers optical zoom up to 7x (160 mm) with top-quality images.

– Advanced optics: Ensures sharp details even at long distances.

With these features, the telephoto lens combines versatility and power, turning every shot into a masterpiece.

Currently the Pro iPhone has a weird gap in its zoom options at 0.5x, 1x, 2x, and 5x. By having a 48MP 3.5x lens, they can provide 0.5x, 1x, 2x, 3.5x, 5x, and 7x zoom options.

Granted the 2x, 5x, and 7x would be marketing tools for “digital zoom with optical quality,” but they do produce reasonable images considering you’re holding a ultra slim device when compared to a real camera.

The main upgrade for the 3.5x lens would be a lower aperture. The iPhone has been stuck at f2.8 for its telephoto options since the iPhone 13 Pro, and a lot of challenging light situations make the iPhone default back to the 1x Fusion camera leading to worse photos. A lower aperture would mean more low-light 3.5x photos would actually be 3.5x instead of a 3.5x crop from the 1x lens.

The Samsung Galaxy S25 and S25+ have an f2.4 3x optical zoom, and the S25 Ultra has an f2 3x optical zoom. Hopefully the camera tech has advanced enough to give us a similar aperture at 3.5x.

Apple’s Ceramic Shield ad also highlights Camera Control’s foibles.

Apple was trying to highlight the durability of Ceramic Shield, but the only reason why the guy drops the phone is because of Camera Control. The hand placement is just more secure when using the touchscreen.

Apple Intelligence is selling more iPhones, and that’s more money in your pocket…

The CIRP report (covered by MacRumors):

New data from Consumer Intelligence Research Partners (CIRP) suggests Apple's iPhone 16e is off to a strong start, capturing 7% of U.S. iPhone sales in its first partial quarter of availability. The new mid-range offering outperformed the iPhone SE's share from the same quarter last year.

The entire iPhone 16 lineup, now consisting of five models with the addition of the 16e, accounted for 74% of total U.S. iPhone sales in the March 2025 quarter. It's a marked increase from the 68% share held by the four iPhone 15 models during the same period in 2024.

While the 16e drove much of this growth, CIRP's data shows some surprising shifts across the lineup. The standard iPhone 16 saw a decent boost, climbing to 20% of sales compared to just 14% for the iPhone 15 in the previous year's quarter.

Meanwhile, Apple's high-end models had an unexpected decline. The iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max together accounted for 38% of iPhone sales, down from 45% for the iPhone 15 Pro models a year earlier. The iPhone 16 Pro specifically dropped from 22% to 17% market share.

More evidence for the class-action lawyers who are fighting for the little man to get his $8.43 check from Apple in 6 years.

When you walk into an Apple Store, and sell them a product.

I was trying on some cases at the Apple Store just to see how they feel, and when I took out my iPhone 16 Pro Max with the OpenCase, an Apple employee standing beside me was instantly intrigued. I didn’t have my wallet on it at the moment, so she saw the gaping hole in the back.

“What is that case?!” she asked. I told her what it was and why it was a cool case because it secures any accessory that fits in the slot. I slapped my Apple Wallet on the back of the case to show her how seamlessly it fits, put it in my pocket, and showed her that even if the pants snag on the wallet, it never falls.

She was impressed, and the expression on her face just screamed, “Shut up and take my money!”

Now I’m the salesman, and she’s the customer.

You can read more about my thoughts on the OpenCase in my review.

Old ladies love their mini iPhone, and are still hanging on.

Rarely have I seen an iPhone 12 or 13 mini in the wild. Besides my iPhone 12 mini (which I sold to an old lady), I have only seen one other person with one.

I went for a Genius Bar appointment a few days ago and as I was waiting, and an older lady was there with her iPhone 12 mini trying to see why it wouldn’t charge from the lightning port. I didn’t hear everything that was going on, but she was having charging issues because she got the liquid-detection alert on her iPhone 12 mini. Apparently she might have shorted a few of the pins on her iPhone, and her charging was acting weird. They cleaned out her port and told her it is charging for now, but you might want to upgrade.

She asked about the latest iPhone mini, and the Genius told her there is no more mini, and this is the smallest iPhone (showing her a store model iPhone 16).

“What??!” She said, “No more mini?”

She was dumbfounded, and I felt bad for her. We, the enthusiast, were aware the mini would be discontinued about a year in advance when the 13 mini was released, but to get the news like that must have been a shock to her system.

After she was done talking and was about to leave, I couldn’t help myself and felt compelled to step in. I gave her the suggestion to use a magnetic charging pad if her lighting port ever stops working again, pointing and showing her the MagSafe puck sitting on the Genius table.

She thanked me but said she will stick to charging via the lightning cable for now since that’s what she’s used to. At least now she is fully informed and has a backup plan if her lightning port does go completely dead.

I did my due diligence.

The second old lady is someone I know who bought my iPhone 12 mini a few years ago. She still uses her iPhone 12 mini to this day, even though the font size on it is maxed out and you can only see 3 lines of text on the screen.

She barely uses her phone and only uses it when she needs to, so it’s not a big deal for her. She loves the portability of it considering she treats it like a Light phone. Basic calls and messages and maybe a bit of social media to keep up with family. Half the time she forgets it at home because she actively wants to use a smartphone less and not be hooked on it.

Smart lady.

It’s been through hell and back since I gave it to her, and she has had the battery and screen replaced after shattering it. Not sure how much longer it will last, but it’s been 4 years and counting.

That’s the story of the iPhone mini, barely hanging on until they all go extinct.

Fun fact - both these iPhones 12 mini were (PRODUCT)RED.

Google follows Apple and updates Android devices to auto-reboot after 3 days for security purposes.

TechCrunch:

On Monday, the tech giant pushed updates to Google Play services, a core part of Android that provides functionalities for apps and the operating system itself. Listed under “Security & Privacy” is a new security feature that “will automatically restart your device if locked for 3 consecutive days.”

Last year, Apple rolled out the same feature for iOS. The thinking behind adding an automatic reboot after a certain period of inactivity is to make life more difficult for someone who is trying to unlock or extract data from a phone; for example, law enforcement using a forensic analysis device like those made by Cellebrite or Magnet Forensics. 

Before a phone is switched on and unlocked, certain data stored within is fully encrypted and harder to access without the user’s passcode. This is known as the “Before First Unlock” state. Once unlocked, on the other hand, some data gets decrypted and can potentially be accessed by bruteforcing the passcode or taking advantage of security flaws, which is generally how law enforcement forensic devices work. This state is known as “After First Unlock.”

Arstechnica:

The early sluggishness of Android system updates prompted Google to begin moving parts of the OS to Google Play Services. This collection of background services and libraries can be updated by Google automatically in the background as long as your phone is certified for Google services (which almost all are). That's why the inactivity reboot will just show up on your phone in the coming weeks with no notification.

Great update that will come to all Android devices since it’s tied to Google Play Services and not a specific version of Android.

iPhone 16 Pro Max OpenCase Review - less is more.

I bought an OpenCase after hearing about it on the Talk Show, and I found it to be quite fascinating. It’s like ripped jeans, except this actually makes sense. You get less, but it provides more value. Can’t say the same about ripped jeans.

You can guess why it’s called the OpenCase.

You have an iPhone case, but you have a hole in the back of it for MagSafe accessories that attach directly to the phone instead of the case. This gives you an overall thinner profile when attaching your wallet or a battery pack or any other accessory. Not only do you get a thinner profile but you get a better, more secure fit. No more wallets falling off while you stick your iPhone into your skinny jeans.

The cut out matches Apple’s MagSafe wallet and MagSafe battery pack perfectly, so that is your template for fitment. If you have a battery pack that is too bulky, or a wallet with bigger dimensions, this case is not for you. Thankfully OpenCase also makes compatible accessories if you’re looking for a one-stop shop. I do have an Otterbox MagSafe battery pack that fits right into this slot, making it a perfect fit.

Here are some accessories that I have that fit the OpenCase perfectly:

1. Apple MagSafe Battery Pack

2. Apple MagSafe Wallet

3. Otterbox 5K mAh Wireless Power Bank

4. Belkin iPhone Mount with MagSafe

The case material is a vegan leather that feels good in the hand, and more importantly, feels good in the pocket. It doesn’t stick to pockets like silicone cases do, and it makes it easy and hassle-free when removing and putting your phone in your pocket. That is my biggest gripe with silicone cases, and cases in general. No matter how premium they are, they still tend to be lint magnets and have a tendency to turn your pockets inside-out. The OpenCase doesn’t have that problem.

A nice ridged texture that makes it easy to grip and doesn’t attract lint.

Pocket dynamics are also good with the case and a MagSafe accessory because you can even use the MagSafe accessory that is jutting out from the back of the phone to help pull the phone out of your pocket. Normally the MagSafe accessory would just slide off leaving the phone in place, but in this case, the attachment is secure enough to help pull the phone out with ease. It’s almost like a grab handle to help retrieve your iPhone from your pocket.

The cutout at the bottom for the USB-C port is big enough for most cables, but you will have trouble charging with a thicker cable, such as a Nintendo Switch USB-A to USB-C cable. The buttons I think are aluminum, and have a satisfying click to them. If they’re plastic, they do a really good job of looking and feeling like aluminum.

The port cut-out might be a bit small for really big cables, but the alignment is perfect.

I can’t tell if these are aluminum or plastic, which is a good thing.

Volume Buttons and Action Button

The cut out for Camera Control is not the most professional looking, but I can see why they did it the way they did it. Since there is already a big hole in the back of the case, having a bigger cutout for the Camera Control button would have made the case flimsy and on the cusp of breaking. I know their website mentions they went through a lot of prototyping, and I’m sure this Camera Control button gave them frustration. You really do have to press a bit harder to launch Camera Control, which could be a plus or a minus depending on the person. The swipe and click gestures do work on it, but if you are really into the Camera Control button and use it a lot for taking photos and changing controls, zooming, etc, you will get a better experience with other cases or no case. Since I use it solely for launching the Camera app, it’s fine for me.

Not much wiggle room to carve out a Camera Control hole.

That Camera Control button on the White Titanium iPhone closely matches the color of the OpenCase.

The case is a bit recessed by the Camera Control button to make it a bit easier to press.

Let’s talk about that hole in the back in more detail.

The MagSafe charging puck fits right in place near the top of the square hole, so if you have a 3rd party charger with a bigger diameter, it won’t line up properly. Any other accessory that has the same diameter as the standard MagSafe puck will work fine.

The Moment MagSafe puck has the same diameter as a MagSafe, making it a perfect fit in portrait or landscape.

If you have a non-circular MagSafe charger or one with a larger diameter, you can’t put your iPhone flush with the charger due to the nature of the case. You can still charge it, but it won’t be as secure and will fall if bumped lightly.

3rd party charger with bigger diameter leads to…

Improper fit in portrait…

and landscape.

The case is as thick as Apple’s Clear Case and the recessed cutout for MagSafe is 3mm, so you get exactly a 3mm savings in thickness when attaching an accessory. Doesn’t sound like much but you can definitely feel it.

~3mm of thickness is enough to secure your MagSafe accessories.

It’s genuinely harder to take an accessory out of that recessed hole versus a regular case where it will just slide off. Rest assured, any accessory that fits the hole perfectly will not detach without significant force.

You get a certain level of satisfaction when connecting an accessory and seeing it fit right in place, kind of like the classic children’s shape sorting cube toy where you have different shapes and wooden blocks that fit only one particular hole. Magnets are always fun, and so is MagSafe, but this is just that extra level of fun when you magnetically fit it into the perfect shape.

Dear Apple, make another MagSafe Battery Pack with USB-C.

If you’re concerned about durability, I would get the black one since it’s harder to notice wear and tear versus the light gray one. I would like to see more colors in the future.

I don’t normally put a case on my iPhone except when I’m traveling, and this seems like the perfect travel case since I can slap on my wallet or battery pack without worry or bulk. Pocket space is already at a premium when traveling, so if I can consolidate two things into one I’m all for it.

This isn’t an ultra-rugged case for all your outdoor adventures, but it is a nice modern case that will keep your phone protected in day to day use.

The case costs $55 for the iPhone 16 series, but if you own an iPhone 14 or 15 variant, you can snag one for $39.

Even with some of its minor quibbles such as wireless charging, this case was purpose-built for one thing, and it does that one thing very well. If you want the most secure and compact way to carry a MagSafe wallet or battery pack while protecting your iPhone, the OpenCase is not just your only option, but a great option.

Case closed.

You can still access your Wallet while hard-locking your iPhone.

After discussing hard-locking your iPhone a few days ago, it turns out you can still use the Wallet app by double-clicking the Power Button to access your boarding passes, membership cards, and Driver’s License in participating states.

You can also pay with Apple Pay, but you would have to enter your Passcode which I would argue is more dangerous in that situation since you’re probably around other people.

You learn something new everyday.

Fire and Water watch face doesn’t go full screen on the Series 10.

When the Series 4 Apple Watch was announced, it debuted with a multitude of watch faces that embraced the full screen nature of the device. Gone was the harsh rectangular shape of the screen, and in was a new “edge-to-edge” display that gave us 30% more real estate and curved around with the watch’s shape.

These three visually appealing and functionally devoid watch faces were:

1. Fire and Water

2. Liquid Metal

3. Vapor

Fire and Water was the best watch face in my opinion, but you can’t get that in full screen mode on the Series 10. It works in full screen mode on my Series 5 with its now thick bezels, and also on my Series 9. It’s been like this since the Series 10 launched back in September. This problem doesn’t exist with the Liquid Metal and Vapor watch faces.

Bug reported to Apple.

There is no “Dial” option on the Series 10 to change it to full screen mode.

Apple…er, beats launches new beats USB-C cables with 4 color options.

I’ve never seen such a flashy landing page for a charging cable, but the marketing team did their job well. Compared to Apple’s USB-C cable, you get a longer 5 ft. cable vs a 3.3 ft. cable, the same USB 2 data transfer rates, and the same max charging rate at 60W.

All for one cent cheaper than Apple at $18.99 vs a whole $19 because Apple still has to market themself as the premium brand, of course.

They even have an 8-inch version (20cm) at the same price, but that only comes in black.

All cables are USB-C on one end, with lightning, USB-C, or USB-A(!) at the other end.

You can only get the blue cable in the USB-C to USB-C variety.

How to Temporarily Disable Face ID or Touch ID, and Require a Passcode to Unlock Your iPhone or iPad (2025 edition).

There’s never a bad time (and always a good time) to be reminded of this feature.

I copied the title straight from Gruber’s website, and it’s best just to read his description since I couldn’t put it any better. His almost 3-year-old article still holds up well, especially in today’s day and age:

The problem is this: if you use Face ID or Touch ID on your device (and you almost certainly should), what happens if law enforcement (or anyone else for that matter) takes your device and physically forces you to unlock it biometrically? There is some legal precedent supporting the notion that police can force you to do this, but can’t force you to provide them with a passcode or passphrase.

Here are two essential things everyone should know.

The first is hard-locking. When you hard-lock your iPhone or iPad, it enters a mode that requires the device passcode to unlock. With recent iPhones and iPads, you enter this mode the same way that you turn off the device: by pressing and holding the power button and either of the volume buttons for about two seconds.* You’ll know when you’ve pressed the buttons long enough because there’s haptic feedback.** This takes you to the screen where you see a slider to power down the device, and on iPhones, where you can initiate an Emergency SOS call or view the device owner’s Medical ID (if they have one). The important thing to note is that you don’t have to do anything on this screen to hard-lock your device — once you’ve gotten to this screen, the device is already hard-locked and will require the passcode to unlock. You can’t use Face ID or Touch ID again until the passcode has been entered. This is important because it means you can easily hard-lock your iPhone without even looking at it, or removing it from your pocket or purse. That you can do this surreptitiously is very much by design.

Just press and hold the buttons on both sides. Remember that. Try it now. Don’t just memorize it, internalize it, so that you’ll be able to do it without much thought while under duress, like if you’re confronted by a police officer. Remember to do this every time you’re separated from your phone, like when going through the magnetometer at any security checkpoint, especially airports. As soon as you see a metal detector ahead of you, you should think, “Hard-lock my iPhone”.

The second thing is to know your rights. Never ever hand your phone to a cop or anyone vaguely cop-like, like the rent-a-cops working for TSA. If they tell you that you must, refuse. They can and will lie to you about this. If you really need to hand it over, they’ll take it from you. And they won’t get anything from it, because you’ll have already hard-locked it, and you’ll know that you cannot be required to give them your passcode.

* You can also do the same thing by quickly pressing the side button alone five times. On older iPhones (iPhone 7 and earlier), rapidly pressing the side button five times will immediately initiate the SOS phone call to emergency services; on iPhone 8 and later it just takes you to the same lock screen as when you press and hold the side button along with a volume button. I find the press-and-hold method easier to remember. I think of it as squeezing my iPhone for a moment to protect its contents.

**This haptic feedback/confirmation only occurs if “Vibrate on Ring” is turned on in Settings → Sounds & Haptics. I feel like this haptic feedback should occur regardless of this setting.

The only thing that needs a minor update is his second footnote, which has changed with iOS updates. Under Settings > Sounds & Haptics > Haptics, you now have four different options:

1. Always Play

2. Play in Silent Mode

3. Don’t Play in Silent Mode

4. Never Play

Keep your Haptics on “Always Play” so you can always feel the confirmation for hard-locking your device even though it is out of sight, regardless of Silent Mode.

The last thing you want is to second guess yourself and think, “is my iPhone actually hard-locked or not?”

For the iPad, there is no Haptics option, so holding the power button and either volume button (or both volume buttons) for 2 seconds is enough.

If you need repairs done on your iPhone 6s, you need to hurry up…

Juli Clover from MacRumors:

The ‌iPhone‌ 6s initially launched in 2015, but Apple kept it around as a low-cost device until 2018, which is why it is only now being added to the vintage list. The ‌iPhone‌ 6s had Apple's A9 chip, and it was equipped with a strengthened aluminum chassis to fix the ‌iPhone‌ 6 "bendgate" design flaw. It was also the first ‌iPhone‌ with 3D Touch, and the last flagship ‌iPhone‌ with a headphone jack.

I’m sure there are many people still using this as an audio device since it’s still got a headphone jack (Tom Brady?), but if you want to get it fixed to make it last even longer, better get it done sooner than later by Apple before they run out of parts:

A device is considered "vintage" five years after it was last distributed for sale. For vintage products, Apple's retail stores and Apple Authorized Service Providers (AASPs) are still able to offer repairs, but only if the required parts are available.

Apple should be laser-focused on Vision Pro technology because they have the lead.

Mark Gurman in his latest Power On newsletter discusses Apple’s future plans for the Vision Pro and how Tim Cook is “hell-bent” on the future of Vision Pro technology:

The idea is to create an ultra-low-latency system for streaming a user’s Mac display or for connecting to high-end enterprise applications. Some customers have been using the Vision Pro for things like viewing imaging during surgery or for flight simulators. Those are two areas where a user would want the least amount of lag possible — something that can’t be guaranteed by a fully wireless system.

Still, all of this is a stepping stone toward Cook’s grand vision, which hasn’t changed in a decade. He wants true augmented reality glasses — lightweight spectacles that a customer could wear all day. The AR element will overlay data and images onto real-world views.

Cook has made this idea a top priority for the company and is hell-bent on creating an industry-leading product before Meta can. “Tim cares about nothing else,” says someone with knowledge of the matter. “It’s the only thing he’s really spending his time on from a product development standpoint.”

The Vision Pro is already a game changer for healthcare, and it will only get better with more advanced technology. What seems like a disadvantage for the regular consumer is actually an advantage for healthcare providers. Even though the public perception of the Vision Pro is that of an entertainment device, it wouldn’t surprise me if the Vision Pro starts leaning more heavily into enterprise, and the spectacles become a separate product that is more consumer oriented.

Even though Apple is racing against Meta to be the industry-standard, one key advantage Apple has over Meta is their staunch stance on privacy, which is critical for healthcare and really for any major company that wants to adopt AR/VR headsets. They want to know with reassurance that their data, patient data, and company confidential information is safe. Meta has overhauled their stance on privacy, but the perception of poor privacy practices still lingers from their past blunders. It also doesn’t help that they are a social media conglomerate, which just has anti-privacy vibes written all over it.

Which pink iPhone is right for you? iPhone 15 vs iPhone 16.

The iPhone 15 lineup came in very light, pastel colors and literally pale in comparison to the deep colors of the iPhone 16 lineup.

Our household ended up with these two shades of pink because my wife can’t decide between which pink she wanted, and the only way to really tell which color is best is to look at both of them in person.

She was heavily leaning towards the iPhone 15’s pastel look, but she also likes the deeper pink of the 16 because the all-aluminum sides look lighter in brighter light resembling the iPhone 15, whereas the iPhone 15 in pink looks almost like starlight in bright light.

She was also intrigued by the Action Button that can be changed as needed and the Camera Control button which I told her is best for launching the camera, and that’s it.

That being said, if you’re a fan of pink, these are your two best options available right now. Even though many people will default to the latest iPhone, it really depends on your needs and budget, especially if your carrier is offering a deep discount on an iPhone 15 compared to the 16. I know a guy who bought an iPhone 14 Plus through his carrier just a few months before the 16 was about to be announced, and he essentially got it for free.

The iPhone 15 is in a similar situation right now with the iPhone 17 only 6 months away, and the deals will only get better as carriers are trying to clear out inventory.

If you’re buying straight out of pocket though, get the iPhone 16 because it has many advancements for only $100:

1. A18 chip vs an almost 3 year old A16 chip.

2. At least one more major software update over the iPhone 15.

3. Macro photography and video.

4. Faster wired and wireless charging.

5. Apple Intelligence.

6. Camera Control button.

7. Spatial photos and videos making them more 3D and lifelike for Vision Pro compatibility.

8. Action Button vs Mute Switch.

Glancing at the phone in-store (or just the box) doesn’t always give you the best lighting to really appreciate the color of the device, so here’s some comparison photos of the two vastly different pink iPhones in different lighting conditions.

Unboxing under white light.

The iPhone 15 has the diagonal camera layout vs the capsule-like layout of the iPhone 16.

The lighter pink starts fading to a starlight color in brighter light.

Even the USB-C ports are color coded, which is great attention to detail.

Dim natural lighting.

Near warm LED lighting, with an iPhone 16 Pro Max in White Titanium for reference.

The iPhone 15 gives off a Rose Gold look.

The iPhone 15 pink is almost a starlight color in this photo with natural light on a cloudy day.

Difficult lighting situation with natural light contrasted with warm LEDs bleeding through in the background.

Outdoors in well-lit rainy weather.

Apple Live events were better because, you had to deliver.

Wayne Ma from The Information came out with a new revealing piece discussing why and how Siri got left behind due to poor leadership, complacency, and clashes between the Siri and AI/ML teams at Apple.

Interestingly, the Apple engineers themselves were surprised by the Siri demo at WWDC 2024 where Siri could gather your personal context and give you the information you needed without jumping through multiple apps:

The report claims that the demo of ‌Apple Intelligence‌'s most impressive features at WWDC 2024, such as where ‌Siri‌ accesses a user's emails to find real-time flight data and provides a reminder about lunch plans using messages and plots a route in maps, was effectively fictitious. The demo apparently came as a surprise to members of the ‌Siri‌ team, who had never seen working versions of the capabilities.

This wouldn’t fly during live events and would have kept Apple in check because you have to demo a working product.

I’ve heard many analysts and influencers talk about software promises, and the golden rule still applies:

Never buy a piece of hardware with the promises of future software features. Buy a product for what it has today.

Apple used to be the exception to this rule, but now it seems that even Apple isn’t immune from software challenges.

The detailed analysis is paywalled, along with another New York Times piece, but you can get other tidbits from these sites:

MacRumors

9to5Mac

Tom’s Guide

How to quickly and easily tell if an iPhone is genuine before opening the box.

There’s an easy way to check an iPhone 15 or later box to see if what you’re buying is genuine or a fake. All you need is a cheap UV light pen to see the hidden markers.

Starting with the iPhone 15, Apple made these hidden markers to help thwart off fake iPhones that are all over the markets. There is a QR code, and an “ iPhone” symbol that is only visible with UV light. With the iPhone 15, the QR code and “ iPhone” markers are one on top of another, so when you peel off the tabs, the “ iPhone” gets discarded leaving only the QR code. Take a look at a new iPhone 15 Plus box vs. an opened 15 Pro Max box for comparison:

Figure 1. To the naked eye, nothing is visible. Figure 2. Shine a UV light, and you see the “ iPhone” logo and QR code. Figure 3. Pull the green tab to open the box, and the “ iPhone” logo gets discarded.

On the iPhone 16, both the QR code and “ iPhone” markers are on the same line, so nothing gets discarded after opening the package. Here is a new 16 Plus vs. an opened 16 Pro Max:

Now when you open the device (Figure 3), both the logo and QR code are on the bottom.

There is another QR code at the bottom of the box that you can check in case there are some stickers covering the top areas. It is in the same place on all iPhones.

Whether you have an iPhone 15 or 16, the QR code on the bottom is in the same spot.

This applies to all iPhone 15 or later models, and I’m assuming the iPhone 16e too. These are for iPhones worldwide and not just the USA because I have the following iPhones from the following countries that all have these markings:

1. 15 Pro Max purchased in Saudi Arabia.

2. 16 Pro Max purchased in Toronto.

3. 15 Plus and 16 Plus purchased in USA. (Wife has to decide which one she likes based on color 🧐).

I posted this information on X a few days ago, and it seems that even the scammers have caught up and put these same hidden markings on their boxes. From what I have seen online though, that is not the case and most fake iPhones don’t have these markings because, who really carries a UV light pen with them?

By the way a UV light pen is only a few bucks on Amazon, or you can just ask your daughter or niece if you could borrow her invisible ink spy pen because odds are they have one (my daughter did!).

That being said, this is the quickest and easiest way to determine if an iPhone you’re buying is fake. Nothing is guaranteed until you open the box and boot up the device, but one thing to know for sure is, if you don’t see these markings on an iPhone 15 or 16 box, it is a fake.

Now is a good time to thank Apple for removing the charger and headphones from the iPhone box.

The Times of India:

Apple transported five planes full of iPhones and other products from India to the US in just three days during the final week of March, a senior Indian official confirmed to The Times of India. The urgent shipments were made to avoid a new 10% reciprocal tariff imposed by US President Donald Trump’s administration that took effect on April 5. Sources said that Apple currently has no plans to increase retail prices in India or other markets despite the tariffs.

A whole new meaning to the term “iPhone Air.”

This doesn’t come as a surprise since many people are panic-buying new iPhones to avoid paying a higher price in the near future. The excess supply should delay any potential price increases, if Apple decides to go that route.

I remember in 2020 when the iPhone 12 was announced, Lisa Jackson had a whole segment explaining why Apple was removing the power adapter and headphones from the iPhone box. The main goal was to lessen e-waste and carbon emissions, but I’m sure it also increased Apple’s profits by not including another $40 worth of accessories in the box.

They did mention one fact that I find interesting in todays’ times: the ability to load a ship with 70% more iPhones due to the smaller box size.

People were understandably a bit pissed off that they weren’t getting their accessories anymore, but now is a good time to appreciate the smaller box since I’m sure the planes can also carry at least 50% more iPhones than before.

Project Titan leftovers are being served as CarPlay 2, and nobody is taking the bait.

The more I look at current car reviews and the path automakers are taking, the more I’m convinced that Apple’s CarPlay 2 is going to be another Project Titan.

One can argue that CarPlay 2 already is Project Titan, repurposed. Apple spent billions on Project Titan trying to make their own car, and it makes perfect sense to repurpose the software under the CarPlay 2 branding, salvaging what they can and trying to get car manufacturers to adopt it.

But it begs the question for car manufacturers:

Why go through a redundant process and work with a second UI that is less reliable?

The car manufacturer already has to make a UI with all of its features for their vehicles, so why try to reproduce that same experience with CarPlay 2 that requires phone projection? Phone projection or tethering (call it what you want) will always have a less reliable connection than the car’s built-in software. It just seems like a waste of resources for automakers in an already low-margin industry, not to mention a safety concern if an entire dash filled with CarPlay 2 projection all of a sudden disconnects from your phone because of some bug.

To make matters worse, Porsche previewed a CarPlay 2 interface back in December 2023, but their latest announcement talks about their updated Porsche Communication Management System (PCM) with no mention of CarPlay 2:

Porsche stands for dynamism, state-of-the-art technical solutions and the highest possible performance. This applies not only to powertrain and chassis technology, but also to the digital experience the sports car manufacturer offers. With the start of the new model year, the 911, Taycan, Panamera and Cayenne model series will benefit from significant improvements in infotainment technology and an expanded range of new functions in this area.

Thanks to new hardware, the PCM system is now more responsive. As well as optimised computing power, it offers additional capabilities, such as direct access to a large number of third-party apps for native use directly in the PCM. To ensure a reliable digital user experience, the Porsche Connect package is included as standard for 10 years.

Their wording isn’t subtle either: “Direct access to a large number of third-party apps for native use directly in the PCM.”

The new reality is that automakers are software companies developing for computers that happen to have wheels. Adding more apps and increasing computing power are all part of a plan to give the customer the best experience possible, and also generate more revenue through subscription services.

Here are just some subscriptions that automakers are offering (from MotorTrend):

BMW: A Drive Recorder feature costs $149 for the lifetime of the vehicle or $39 per year. Traffic-camera information is available for $25 annually. 

Ford: Buyers can use the BlueCruise highway hands-free driving system free for 90 days, then keep it activated for $495 a year or $49.99 a month. They can also pay a one-time fee of $2,495 for the service at the time of vehicle order (or they can pay $495 at the time of order for a year) starting with 2025 model year vehicles. 

General Motors: Super Cruise costs $2,200 up front for three years on Chevrolet and GMC vehicles and $2,500 for Cadillacs, after which it's $25 a month or $250 per year via subscription.  

Mercedes-Benz: The Mercedes Me Connect includes live weather and traffic and connected navigation for a $150 annual subscription, while Digital Extras such as an Acceleration Increase cost $1,200 a year. 

Tesla: For a one-time payment of $12,000, or $200 per month, new owners get access to its Full Self-Driving system. 

Toyota: It costs $80 a year or $8 a month for remote start. 

Let’s not forget about the other elephant in the room:

Selling user data to insurance companies.

With Apple’s huge stance on privacy, there has to be some friction with how deeply CarPlay 2 integrates into a manufacturer’s system, and how much of that data Apple doesn’t want to be made available for sale.

There’s a tug of war between automakers and Apple. If something goes awry, who is to blame for an accident? Likewise, if data is being sold without people knowing about it, who is to blame? Neither party wants to bear the brunt of bad news, but if accidents happen, both the automaker and Apple will be blamed.

Let’s go back to Porsche for a second. Not only did they not mention CarPlay 2, they have integrated Amazon Alexa as their digital assistant:

For the first time, in addition to the Porsche Voice Pilot, Amazon Alexa® can also be used as a digital assistant while driving2. The service can be used, for example, to control smart home functions such as automatic garage doors or home lighting. Other typical functions of Alexa include researching information, creating and editing to-do lists and shopping lists, playing podcasts and music, or checking the latest news and weather reports. It can also be used to control media and supported third-party apps. Alexa is activated via the voice command "Alexa" or via an individually configured button, or icon switch tile in the PCM.

Adding Amazon Alexa is perhaps Porsche’s passive-aggressive way of saying, screw you Apple? Then again, do we really want Siri in our vehicles?

I’m a fan of Apple CarPlay and use it every time I rent a car, but I see where the manufacturers are coming from. “If there’s money to be made, let’s make the best software and driving experience that people won’t even care about CarPlay 2.” It’s an ambitious endeavor with GM taking the first official step, while others have silently followed in their shadow.

As the industry moves towards more automation, CarPlay 2 will be even less relevant since there are huge safety concerns and no manufacturer wants to rely on software that is not 100% in their control.

In the meantime, Apple should really just hyper focus on its standard CarPlay offering for the vast majority of mass-market cars that only have a center screen and make that more stable and efficient. Trying to infiltrate the luxury space where screens and automation are taking over was exactly the trajectory they were on before with Project Titan, and we know how that went.

It seems more likely that the iPhone 17 Pro will feature 8K video recording.

Update 4/8/25: 8K resolution and 180-degree field of view are separate parameters and unlikely for an iPhone to support the 180-degree field of view.

Joe Rossignol from MacRumors describes Apple’s new Immersive Video App for Vision Pro and Mac:

Apple Immersive Videos are 3D videos recorded in 8K resolution, with a 180-degree field of view and Spatial Audio. For example, recent performances by singer The Weeknd and heavy metal band Metallica are available in the format.

The new Apple Immersive Video Utility app allows you to import, organize, package, and review Apple Immersive Video files on a Mac. Then, you can connect one or more Vision Pro devices and review the immersive videos. For larger groups, Apple says there is a synchronized playback option for multi-device viewing sessions….

The app seems to be primarily intended for producers of Apple Immersive Videos, but the app is currently available for anyone to download.

I’m speculating here, but this sounds like a giant hint for iPhone 8K video recording support. I had the Vision Pro for a month, and immersive videos were the highlight for me and many others.

If people could record their own families in that same resolution and immersiveness, I think it would entice more people to purchase a Vision Pro. The Vision Pro videos that I have are 2200 x 2200, which is 2.2K resolution in a square aspect ratio, whereas 8K resolution is 7680 x 4320 pixels, or about 7 times the amount of pixels with 180-degree field of view.

8K video would require more storage, and I’m sure the iPhone Pro storage will be bumped up from 128GB to 256GB, along with a $100 price increase.