iOS 16.4 Adds Voice Isolation for Cellular Phone Calls
The iOS 16.4 update that is set to be released to the public in the near future includes voice isolation for cellular calls, according to notes that Apple shared today.
Apple says that Voice Isolation will prioritize your voice and block out the ambient noise around you, making for clearer phone calls where you can better hear the person you're chatting with and vice versa.
Voice Isolation has been available for VoIP calls that use FaceTime, WhatsApp, and other apps on devices running iOS 15 or macOS Monterey or later, and it is designed to significantly improve microphone quality when on calls by cutting down on background noise. Until now, it was not available for cellular conversations, with Apple offering no way to improve call quality.
On a FaceTime call, Voice Isolation can be enabled by activating the control center, tapping on the Mic Mode option, and choosing the Voice Isolation option, so the feature may be able to be activated in a similar way for voice calls.
Other iOS 16.4 features include new emojis, Push Notifications for web apps, bug fixes for HomeKit, Crash Detection optimizations, and more.
Apple Working on Beats Studio Buds+ Earphones
Apple is developing a new version of the Beats Studio Buds called the Beats Studio Buds+, signs of which were discovered in the iOS 16.4 release candidate today by 9to5Mac.
The Beats Studio Buds+ look similar to the Beats Studio Buds that were initially introduced in 2021. 9to5Mac has suggested that the earbuds will be upgraded to an H1 or W1 chip, but MacRumors has learned that the Beats Studio Buds will continue to feature a Beats chip rather than the H1/W1.
New Beats Studio Buds coming soon. To be called "Buds+" per @9to5mac pic.twitter.com/NGV6TmrkmO — iSoftware Updates (@iSWUpdates) March 21, 2023
Apple is planning to add improved Active Noise Cancellation and Transparency to the Beats Studio Buds+, which still have some time to go before they see a public launch.
The original Beats Studio Buds were introduced in 2021 and were positioned as a cheaper alternative to the AirPods. The Beats Studio Buds are priced at $150, and the new model is likely to have a similar price tag.
Google Opens Up Access to Bard AI Chatbot
Google today began allowing users to sign up to use Bard, its AI-powered chatbot that rivals Microsoft's Bing chatbot. First announced back in February, Bard is an experimental conversational AI service for Google Search.
Those interested in Bard can join Google's waitlist to get access, and some users have reported getting invitation emails just hours after signing up. There is a long list of sample functions that Google says Bard can perform:
- Explain why lightning might strike in the same place twice
- Help you write your first novel
- Draft a packing list for your weekend trip
- Outline a blog post about your summer mocktail recipes
- Explain why large language models might make mistakes
- Generate an art studio tagline
- Suggest high-protein options to add to a vegan diet
Bard beta access is limited to the United States and the UK at the current time, and there is an unknown wait time. Google does not allow Google Workspace accounts to request an invitation.
According to Google, Bard is using a "lightweight and optimized version of LaMDA," so the chatbot will offer a different experience than the OpenAI-powered Bing chat interface.
Bard is not designed to replace Google Search, and Google instead says it is "complementary." Google warns that Bard learns from a wide range of information that includes real-world biases and stereotypes, so the chatbot can provide inaccurate, misleading, or false information. It will improve over time based on feedback, and Google plans to add capabilities like coding and more languages in the future.
iPhone 12 Pro vs. 15 Pro: New Features to Expect if You've Waited to Upgrade
While year-over-year iPhone upgrades are not always groundbreaking, new features can begin to stack up over multiple generations. For example, the iPhone 15 Pro will be a notable upgrade for those who still have a three-year-old iPhone 12 Pro.
If you are still using an iPhone 12 Pro and are considering upgrading to the iPhone 15 Pro when it launches later this year, we have put together a list of features to expect below. The list includes major changes introduced with the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro, as well as new features rumored for the iPhone 15 Pro.
- A17 chip vs. A14 chip: The 5nm-based A16 chip in the iPhone 14 Pro is already up to 36% faster than the A14 chip in the iPhone 12 Pro, according to the Geekbench 6 benchmark. The iPhone 15 Pro will be equipped with the A17 chip, which is expected to be manufactured based on TSMC's latest 3nm process for even faster performance and improved power efficiency over the previous generation.
- USB-C port: With the iPhone 15 Pro, Apple is finally expected to switch from Lightning to a USB-C port. This change will provide a more universal charging standard and allow for faster-wired data transfer speeds.
- Titanium frame: Like the Apple Watch Ultra, the iPhone 15 Pro is rumored to have a titanium frame instead of stainless steel. The back glass and display bezels are also expected to have slightly curved edges.
- Solid-state buttons: iPhone 15 Pro models are rumored to feature solid-state volume, power, and mute buttons. Two additional Taptic Engines would provide haptic feedback to simulate the feeling of the buttons being pressed, similar to the Home button on the iPhone 7 or the trackpad on newer MacBooks.
- Dynamic Island: With the iPhone 14 Pro, Apple replaced the notch with the Dynamic Island, a pill-shaped area surrounding the Face ID sensors and front camera. Dynamic Island displays system alerts and integrates with iOS 16's Live Activities feature to show live NBA scores, the status of an Uber ride, and more.
- Always On display option: With the iPhone 14 Pro, Apple introduced an always-on display option that dims the entire Lock Screen, but still shows the time and date, widgets, wallpaper, and notifications. Once you raise the iPhone, tap the screen, or press the side button, the display returns to normal brightness.
- Brighter display: The iPhone 14 Pro's display is up to 200 nits brighter indoors compared to the iPhone 12 Pro, and offers up to 2,000 nits of brightness outdoors. The increased brightness should carry over to the iPhone 15 Pro.
- Promotion: Introduced on the iPhone 13 Pro, ProMotion allows for a variable refresh rate of up to 120Hz for smoother appearing content and scrolling.
- Thinner bezels: Similar to the Apple Watch Series 7 and Series 8, the iPhone 15 Pro is rumored to have even thinner bezels around the display.
- Longer battery life: Already, the iPhone 14 Pro lasts up to 23 hours for offline video playback, compared to 17 hours for the iPhone 12 Pro. With components like the A17 chip and the LiDAR Scanner expected to be more power efficient this year, the iPhone 15 Pro could have even longer battery life.
- Numerous camera improvements: iPhone 12 Pro users upgrading to the iPhone 15 Pro will get access to a wide range of camera upgrades, including a 48-megapixel Wide lens, an upgraded front camera with autofocus, increased optical zoom, sensor-shift image stabilization, Macro mode, Cinematic mode, Action mode, ProRes video recording, Photographic Styles, and more.
- eSIM only in the U.S.: Apple removed the physical SIM card tray from all iPhone 14 models sold in the U.S., meaning the devices work with eSIMs only. The devices are still compatible with physical SIM cards in other countries.
- Increased RAM: iPhone 15 Pro models are rumored to be equipped with an increased 8GB of RAM, compared to 6GB for the iPhone 12 Pro. Increased RAM can benefit multitasking on the iPhone by allowing more apps to be open in the background simultaneously without reloading.
- Wi-Fi 6E: iPhone 15 Pro models are rumored to support Wi-Fi 6E, which supports the 6GHz band for faster wireless speeds, lower latency, and less signal interference compared to standard Wi-Fi 6.
- Emergency SOS via Satellite: iPhone 14 models can connect to Globalstar satellites, enabling users to send text messages to emergency services when outside the range of cellular and Wi-Fi coverage. The service is free for two years after activation, and is currently available in the U.S., Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, and the U.K., with more countries to follow later this month.
- Crash Detection: New for the iPhone 14 series, Crash Detection is designed to detect severe car crashes and contact emergency services via Emergency SOS if the user does not respond. The feature is enabled by default.
- 5G improvements: iPhone 15 Pro models are expected to be equipped with Qualcomm's Snapdragon X70 modem for improved 5G performance.
- 1TB option: Starting with the iPhone 13 Pro, Apple introduced a 1TB storage option.
Apple will likely unveil the iPhone 15 series in September as usual, and the devices could have additional features that have yet to be rumored.
Factory-Sealed Original iPhone Sells for $55,000 at Auction
A first-generation iPhone still sealed inside its box sold for $54,904 at auction, which is more than $54,000 over the original $599 price tag of the device when it was released in 2007.
The original iPhone was put up for sale by RR Auction on behalf of a former Apple employee who purchased it back when it first came out. Back in February, an original, sealed iPhone sold for over $63,000, which actually marked a sales record for a first-generation iPhone.
Unopened first generation original Apple iPhone, Model A1203, Order MA712LL/A (8GB). The box features a life-size image of the iPhone with twelve icons on the screen, indicating that it is from the earliest production (2007); a 13th icon, for iTunes, came later in the year. In brand new, factory-sealed condition. Accompanied by an AT&T bag and leaflet regarding rate plans and iPhone activation. The consignor notes that he purchased this phone upon its release in 2007, but also received one through work as an Apple employee; this spare was therefore never opened.
Other unopened original iPhones sold for $35,000 and $39,000 in 2022, so prices have been trending upward.
RR Auction also sold an "undiscovered" Apple-1 computer for an unspecified sum, with other Apple devices and memorabilia also fetching high prices. A Macintosh Plus from Del Yocam sold for $26,590, while a Macintosh 128K prototype sold for $16,500 and an Apple Lisa sold for $81,251.
An iPhone 11 signed by Apple CEO Tim Cook sold for nearly $4,000, technical instructions annotated by Steve Jobs went for $12,500, and a Steve Jobs business card sold for $6,188.
5 Things You May Not Know About the M2 Chip
If you've been following apple's world in recent weeks, you've definitely noticed the introduction of new laptops. Specifically, we've seen a completely redesigned MacBook Air and a new 13" MacBook Pro. Both of these machines hide in the bowels of the currently latest Apple Silicon chip with the designation M2. It is a direct successor to the original M1 chip, and in this article, we are going to talk about 5 things about it that you may not have known.
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| Photo by Yu Kato on Unsplash |
Number of transistors
Each chip has transistors that can be used to determine how complex the chip is. About 55 years ago, Moore's Law was even created on the subject of transistors. Specifically, it states that "the number of transistors that can be placed on an integrated circuit doubles roughly every 18 months while maintaining the same price." In any case, the truth is that recently this law is no longer valid, as increasing the number of transistors on chips is becoming more and more difficult. In any case, the M2 chip has 20 billion transistors, while the M1 chip had "only" 16 billion transistors.
Manufacturing process
The production process is also related to the number of transistors. This figure has recently been given in nanometers and specifically indicates the distance (free area) between two elements on the chip – most often these are electrodes in transistors. Simply put, this means that the smaller the manufacturing process, the better, as the space on the chip itself is better used and smaller free areas are created. As for the M2 chip, it is manufactured, like the original M1, by a 5 nm manufacturing process. However, the manufacturer of these chips, TSMC, uses a second-generation 5nm manufacturing process for the M2 chip, which is slightly more advanced than the first generation. Other M2 chips (Pro, Max, and Ultra) should already use the 3nm manufacturing process.
Memory throughput
An important value for chips is also the throughput of their memory. Specifically, it is a figure that indicates how much data can be "driven" through the memory in a single second. Of course, in this case, the higher the memory throughput, the better, as it can process a larger volume of data. Specifically, the M2 chip offers a memory throughput of 100 GB/s, which is much more than the M1 – this chip can handle a throughput of "only" about 70 GB/s. Interestingly, the M1 Pro chip has a memory throughput of 200 GB/s, the M1 Max has 400 GB/s and the M1 Ultra has 800 GB/s.
Media engine
One of the main things that distinguish the M2 chip from the M1 is the presence of a media engine. This is a special component of the chip, thanks to which it is possible to work with video much faster. This is especially appreciated by professional editors and individuals who work with video, both in video editing and rendering. Specifically, the media engine supports hardware acceleration of H.264, HEVC, ProRes, and ProRes RAW codecs.
All-in-one
Have you ever seen the bowels of a classic laptop or computer? If so, you definitely know that it consists of several basic parts. These are the processor (CPU), graphics card (GPU), operating memory (RAM), and storage, with all these parts being connected to the motherboard. All Apple Silicon chips, they are so-called SoCs (System-on-Chip). This means that the CPU, GPU, and memory, along with some other components, are directly integrated on a single chip that is located on the motherboard. Of the main components, only the disk is outside the chip, in our case an SSD.