Last-minute surprise for iPhone 14?

August 31, 2022

The iPhone "notch" has always been controversial, and just as Apple seemed poised to make it less so, the company might pull a last-minute switcheroo and make it controversial again!

How so?

The original notch was a kludge to house the iPhone's forward-facing cameras and Face ID hardware. It's never been a fan favorite, and many outright hate the notch -- it detracts from what should be a pure full-screen experience.

Apple appeared to be finally moving away from the notch with a new hole-and-pill design in the upcoming iPhone 14, which will be unveiled next week.

But a last-minute rumor suggests that the 14 won't have a hole-and-pill look after all. Apple reportedly will connect the space between the hole and the pill, creating an elongated oval almost as big as the notch that will sit just inside the screen’s edge.

But why? Why would Apple do this?

There's actually a good reason, which might surprise you.

-- Leander Kahney, EIC.

Leaks about the “pill and hole” design of the iPhone 14 Pro models started months ago, but Apple still might have a surprise up its sleeve. A new report indicates that software will merge the two display cutouts into one. Note that this is not a hardware change – the screen between the two cutouts will darken so they appear to be combined.

One of the more surprising features in iOS 16 is the ability to cut out people (or a dog, a car, whatever’s in focus) from a picture and copy it into another app. You can send it in iMessage, paste it into a photo editing app, or use Universal Clipboard to paste it on a nearby iPad or Mac.

Both the 65W and 45W versions feature dual USB-C ports and a programmable power supply. The compact chargers are designed for fast charging: You can use them to power up an iPhone 13 to half-full in 28 minutes.

Sometimes Mac users delete or lose important pictures. If you’re in that situation, here's how to recover permanently deleted photos on your Mac.

Satechi’s USB-C Mobile Pro Hub SD sits flush with the side of an iPad and adds a USB-A port, plus others for video, headphones and more.

Want an advanced stylus with most features of the Apple Pencil 2 for much less than fairly steep $129? You have options. A good one is the SwitchEasy EasyPencil Pro.

Noise-canceling wireless earbuds that cost under $100 jostle in a competitive field. The latest contender: Edifier W240TN.

On August 31, 2004, Apple launched the iMac G5, its all-in-one white plastic computer that looked like the world's biggest iPod.

Apple has said many times it won’t produce a touch-screen Mac because that’s what iPads are for. But Sidecar functionality can make an iPad a touch-screen extension of a Mac, where you can drag and drop elements and work with them using Apple Pencil or your fingertips. Today’s featured MacBook Pro setup mounts a big 5K display and an iPad Pro right next to each other. 

Tweets o' the day

One more thing ...

On the Apple II: "When it finally got into the hands of a lot of people, it blossomed. Out of this tiny little seed. It seemed like an incredible amount of leverage -- and it all started with just an idea!" -- Steve Jobs, 1985.

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