Apple's Mac reinvention looks set to crank into high-gear in 2021, with new reports suggesting a huge change to the iMac is imminent along with Mac Pro and display news. The Cupertino company promised in mid-2020 that, over the course of two years, it would completely transition its Mac computer line-up to use its own Apple Silicon chipsets, shifting away from Intel processors.
Following the return of flat edges and the introduction of MagSafe in 2020's iPhones, it looks like the MacBook is next on the docket to receive some big changes. Notable Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo is back with a slate of predictions about the MacBooks he expects Apple to release this year, and some of the changes are huge. For starters, Kuo expects Apple to drop the Touch Bar and return to physical function keys with the next MacBook models, which would be newsworthy even if it were the only prediction Kuo made today in a note to investors.
Apple reportedly weighed acquiring or investing in electric vehicle startup Canoo, potentially tapping its innovative drive-by-wire platform as it works on its own autonomous EVs. While Apple's Project Titan - the in-house team working on car and driverless tech - has seen its longterm goal evolve over the years since its existence was revealed, currently the group is believed to be developing a full Apple vehicle that would showcase its technology.
Tile is preparing to launch its first ultra wideband (UWB) tracker, with new leaks suggesting the upcoming tag will take on Apple and Samsung as the company broadens its partnerships to maintain its defining position in the category. Tile currently relies on Bluetooth for its range of tracking tags, tapping short-range connections to smartphones, routers, and other devices to help people hunt down misplaced items.
Samsung's next big event, "Galaxy Unpacked: Welcome to the Everyday Epic," will be held on Thursday, January 14, 2021, the company has announced today. It's the day we're expecting to see Samsung's first big flagship smartphone launch of the year, the Galaxy S21, which is likely to upend some of the more familiar features and elements of the Galaxy S family.
Some rumors just never seem to die, and the Apple car is shaping up to be an excellent example of that. Ever since the existence of Apple's Project Titan team was first revealed in 2014, we've seen a "will they, won't they" speculation frenzy as to just what the Cupertino firm has in mind, and what it intends to actually sell.
The Apple car is still on the roadmap, insiders say, with the long-rumored electric vehicle potentially aiming for a 2024 launch. The subject of numerous leaks over the past years, the EV - which is part of Apple's Project Titan, an internal group focused on automotive and self-driving technologies - would see Apple expand its ambitions to create a full vehicle.
The new Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro have leaked, with a deep-dive into a prematurely-discovered app revealing features of the earbuds. Expected to launch alongside the Galaxy S21 family of Android smartphones early in the new year, the Galaxy Buds Pro will include active noise cancellation along with a 3D audio feature.
Intel's breakup with Apple may only be the start of the chip-maker's problems, with Microsoft rumored to be planning a similar strike out for independence with its own processor designs. While Intel's long-standing rivalry with AMD has given the computing world two main choices for the past decades, industry heavyweights are increasingly looking to Arm-based chips as an alternative.
Samsung will reveal its latest Exynos chipset on January 12, 2021, the company has confirmed today, teasing what's likely to become the heart of at least some of the company's new Galaxy S21 series. Though Samsung hasn't yet confirmed the unveil of the Galaxy S21 family of flagship phones - which have already been the subject of numerous leaks - that's expected to take place in mid-January.
Apple is working on its own cellular modem, aiming to oust Qualcomm from its iPhone, iPad, and other devices, much in the same way that Apple Silicon is squeezing out Intel from Mac. The move would see Apple gain another degree of control in its device design, a strategy which has seen the consumer electronics firm already segue into chip-design among other things.
The M1 chipset in the new MacBook Air may have wowed, but the Apple Silicon roadmap includes designs with up to 32 cores, it's reported, as the most potent Mac Pro prepares to abandon Intel. Apple's two year transition of its Mac range from Intel's x86 processors to custom Arm-based silicon of its own design was already known to be aggressive, but new leaks suggest it's going all-in to maximize performance.