While we work our way in our mundane shifts to make a survivable income, tech giants around the world pay millions of dollars to their top hires. Be it Sundar Pichai or Tim Cook, the big tech players of the globe take home a fat slack of salaries. While the current atmosphere on social media has been anti-capitalist with a huge outcry over unfair wealth distribution, we all know the 1% is going to be there not just surviving but striving. But 2022 was different, we saw many tech giants around the world having to let go of their staff amidst uncertain economic situations and plummeting stock prices. it looks like the price cuts have now finally made their way to the higher end of the chain as Apple CEO Tim Cook is all set to receive a major pay cut for 2023.
Tim Cook Pay Cut
As per a new regulatory filing, Apple CEO Tim Cook will receive a salary of $49 million in 2023. This would mark a 40% drop from Cook’s previously drawn salary of $84 million in 2022.
The changes to Cook’s salary are entirely from adjustments made to his equity award value. In 2022, the Apple CEO’s equity award was estimated to be worth $75 million which will now be dropped to $40 million. However, his base salary of $3 million and the annual cash incentive of $6 million will remain intact. But why would an ultra-successful company like Apple need to make pay cuts for its celebrated CEO anyways?
Apple has continued its winning strike in the tech market, however, its market cap has dropped $1 trillion from its peak a year ago while the company continues to face production challenges with its flagship seller, the iPhone. While it’s uncertain whether Apple will continue to face these challenges, a pay cut for Tim Cook surely hints at the changing landscape of the company.
It would be an understatement to say that Apple revolutionized the audio market with the launch of its Airpods back in 2016. It’s not like wireless Bluetooth earphones did not exist before Apple launched them but the company’s decision to get rid of the 3.5mm audio jack altogether made them mainstream. Now, there are TWS available at different price points in an oversaturated market where Apple has carved itself a place in the premium TWS segment. However, it looks like it may not be enough for the tech giant that is now working to capture the midrange TWS market with a cheaper ‘Airpods Lite’
AirPods Lite in the making?
Reliable Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo recently shared that Apple is working on a new generation of AirPods including an entry-level AirPods Lite. The lite version of the AirPods is reportedly aiming to hit the $99 target price. it should be noted that Kuo is not the only analyst to report this development as Jeff Pu had also shared similar news earlier.
Readers should not that AirPods Lite is not the official name of the rumoured budget AirPods. Perhaps, they’ll be called AirPods SE? We never know!
Besides the cheaper AirPods, Apple is also reportedly working on the new-gen AirPods Max. If true, it would be the first update to AirPods Max since its initial release back in December 2020. Kuo states that the new-gen AirPods could be released in the second half of 2024. Thus there won’t be any new updates to the AirPods lineup this year.
What do you think about Apple introducing a cheaper variant of its AirPods lineup? if the TWS is launched at that price point without a cutdown on major features like ANC, then it would make the perfect deal!
When touchscreen smartphones were launched in the market, they created a sensational buzz, and the same happened when touchscreen laptops arrived. However, Apple, famous for being one of the top-notch tech giants in the industry, stayed away from it. Why?
Steve Jobs, the co-founder of Apple, condemned the idea of touchscreen displays for laptops as he thought touch surfaces should be horizontal and shouldn’t be on laptops as they are terrible to operate and ergonomically unpleasant.
Apple did follow his thoughts for a long time, but in a modern age where touchscreen laptops are getting more attention, the company had to break the monotony, and as per the Bloomberg report, Apple is already working on the project to add touch screens to its Mac computers.
The touchscreen feature has already been adopted on several Windows OS laptops, and over the years, they have been through significant progress and success. According to the reports, the first
touchscreen Macs are likely to use macOS and will be out in 2025.
Furthermore, they would retain a traditional laptop design with a trackpad and a keyboard, but the display would be a touchscreen. Along with all the software and design changes, Apple might revamp from LCD screens to an organic light-emitting diode or OLED technology.
Apple needs to do a lot of work on the touchscreen as its rivals are already ahead in the game. Also, in order to develop a touchscreen MacBook Pro, Apple must adopt significant software changes, such as larger buttons instead of mouse clicks.
The touchscreen feature and a few other changes might expand to other models in the lineup as well. In the future, we might also see the company combining the iPad and Mac operating systems to present a better user experience.
Since the past year, the rumour mills have been churning out details about the much anticipated foldable iPhone. However, there haven’t been any concrete leaks around the same. The world of leaks is full of bluffs and it is easy to fall prey to leakers pulling stuff out of thin air but the past few weeks have been hot for iPhone 15, the upcoming iPad series, and the inevitable foldable iPhone leaks. Several reports doing the rounds on the internet claimed that Apple would be discontinuing the iPad Mini series to fit the foldable iPhone in the lineup. Now, a new report from popular Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has presented a different picture.
iPad Mini to be discontinued?
Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo in a set of tweets has rubbished the rumours about Apple discontinuing its iPad Mini lineup. Recent reports had suggested that the iPad Mini lineup will be cut off by Apple to accommodate the foldable iPhone lineup in 2025. However, Kuo believes that the eventual foldable iPhone will not replace the Mini lineup as doing so is not reasonable. One can simply understand that iPads and iPhones have a different customer bases thus replacing one with another could create conflicts in the market. Whereas, Kuo also revealed that the price point at which the foldable iPhone launch will be much higher than that of the iPad Mini.
Ming-Chi revealed furthermore that Apple is currently working on a new iPad Mini with a new processor. According to the analyst, the new processor will be the selling point of the upcoming iPad Mini which could start shipping by the end of 2023 or the first half of 2024. On the other hand, reports are suggesting that Apple will be working with notable companies like Samsung and LG in order to build a foldable 20.25-inch display. It will be interesting to see if Apple surpasses the previous foldable devices launched by major tech players.
Smartwatches have finally reached the point where they can proudly call themselves SMART. Thanks to the more advanced features like displaying smartphone notifications, call and text message support, wellness tracking, monitoring your heart rate, etc.
Today, people buy smartwatches according to their needs and likes, unlike in the initial years, when people preferred smartwatches for the vivid experience and as a smart-looking alternative to traditional watches. However, over the years, one question stayed with every buyer. Which one should I buy?
Apple Watch Series 8
Apple Watch Series 8 is the best smartwatch out there at current times. It arrives with many new features like temperature sensing for sleep and ovulation estimates, crash detection, first responders when you’re in a crash, WR50 water resistance and new advanced workout metrics.
Sizes: 41mm and 45mm
Display: 1.9″ LTPO OLED, 484 x 396 pixels (~326 ppi density)
Swim-Proof: Yes
Heart Rate Monitor: Yes
LTE: Optional
Compatibility: iOS
Battery Life: 308 mAh
Samsung Galaxy Watch5 Pro
The Samsung Galaxy Watch5 Pro is one of the most loved Android smartwatches, thanks to its large battery and attractive design. The smartwatch runs on a Google Wear OS 3 powered by Samsung and has many similar features to the Apple Series 8 watch.
Size: 45mm
Display: 1.40″ Super AMOLED, 450x450px resolution, 9:9 aspect ratio, 321ppi
Processor: Exynos W920 Dual-Core 1.18GHz
Compatibility: Android
Battery Life: 590 mAh
Fitbit Versa 3
If you’re looking for a fitness-friendly budget smartwatch with a minimalistic design, then Fitbit Versa 4 would be the best option for you. The smartwatch features the best step tracker in the market, 40+ exercise modes, reliable sleep-tracking, and other perks available via Fitbit Premium.
Size: 40mm
GPS: Yes
Swim-Proof: Yes
Heart Rate Monitor: Yes
LTE: No
Compatibility: iOS, Android
Battery Life: 6+ days
Apple Watch Ultra
By looking at the name and price tag, you must have understood that Apple Watch Ultra smartwatch is only for some. The highly rugged watch is specifically designed for athletes and those who are into extremesports. It has safety features like Emergency SOS and the Apple Watch Ultra’s Siren.
Size: 49mm
GPS: Yes
LTE: Optional
Swim-Proof: Yes
Mobile Payments: Apple Pay
Battery Life: 36 hours
Google Pixel Watch
Google’s first-ever smartwatch arrives with a unique design and feels great on hand. The compact, light and comfortable watch is packed with loads of great tech and works brilliantly. The watch is best for fitness enthusiasts and Fitbit fans, but it does like a few necessary features.
Size: 41mm
Connectivity: Bluetooth 5.0, Wi-Fi, NFC, GPS, LTE (optional)
Compatibility: Android 8.0 or higher
Storage: 32GB
Water resistance: 5 ATM
Battery life: 24 hours
Apple Watch (SE) 2022
With expensive smartwatches, Apple launched one budget-friendly smartwatch, the second-generation Apple Watch SE. The lightweight watch features an upgraded processor from the previous model and improved real-world battery life. The SE watch is the best Apple Watch option for most iPhone users.
The Garmin Venu 2 Plus is one of the most well-rounded smartwatches on the market. The sports-focused smartwatch has a bright AMOLED touchscreen, features preloaded workouts with animations, onboard music storage, sleep score, hiking and climbing workout modes.
What happens when tech giants like Apple and Google decide to drop an application from their app stores? Besides the obvious lawsuits, the banned application or platform takes a major hit when it comes to revenue and adding new users. Something on similar lines was witnessed by Epic Games’ Fortnite when Apple and Google decided to drop the game from their platform. Now, Elon Musk has shared what his plans are for if and when Apple and Google drop Twitter from their respective stores.
Elon Musk’s ‘Alternative Phone’
Musk fanatics are quick to support the billionaire when it comes to almost anything. But, will they buy a phone to use Twitter and prove their loyalty to him? Musk surely thinks so as he recently hinted that he may have to create an alternative phone.
Both Apple and Google charge app developers a fee of 15-30% on all-app transactions. On the other hand, Twitter is all set to roll out the $8 Blue subscription yet again. Since it will be an in-app purchase, Twitter will have to adhere to the rules laid out by Apple/Google to pay up the 15-30% fee. It is not sure whether Musk will retaliate against this practice by the tech giants or simply go with it. Thus, when a known podcast host put forward the idea of Musk making his own smartphone device, the billionaire found it interesting.
Elon Musk tweeted that if it ever comes to the point where Apple and Google kick Twitter out of their respective app stores then he would be left with no other choice but to build his own alternative smartphone. Musk fanatics were quick to jump in and write that he has the potential to revolutionize the smartphone market. Is a Tesla phone in the works? We’ll see!
Again, Nothing has something new to offer, this time in the name of Nothing Ear (Stick). The London-based company unveiled new TWS earbuds in a Red and White colour option, which are not precisely similar to the previously launched Nothing Ear (1). Along with the Nothing Ear (Stick), they also launched an app – Nothing X, where you can customise the sound output of the earbuds. The buds will be available in India from November 17 and priced at ₹8,499.
Key Features
Bluetooth Version: 5.2
Style: Open-fit true wireless earbuds
Driver type: Custom-made 12.6mm
Weight: 4.4g per earbud, 46.3g charging case
Battery life: Up to 7hrs (29hrs including charging case)
Asus Zenbook 17 Fold OLED
Asus recently unveiled its first foldable laptop in India – the Zenbook 17 Fold OLED, which sports a 17.3” foldable OLED display with 2560 by 1920 resolution. The thin and light foldable laptop from the house of Asus is priced at ₹3,29,290 and has a touchscreen that folds down instantly to a compact 12.5” size. The laptop is powered with a 12th Gen Intel® Core™ processor and features a stunning Harman Kardon-certified quad-speaker Dolby Atmos® audio system.
Key Features
5 MP AI camera video calling
Multiple screens via ScreenXpert
75 Wh all-day battery life
Up to 12th Gen Intel® Core™ i7 processor
Dolby Atmos quad-speaker with smart amplifier technology
Realme 10
In the last week of October 2022, in a series of tweets, Madhav Seth, CEO of Realme, confirmed the release of the Realme 10 in India. The smartphone will have a punch-hole display with a selfie camera in the upper left corner. Realme 10 is powered by the MediaTek Helio G99 SoC with up to 8GB of RAM and has a 90Hz Super AMOLED panel. It will pack a 5,000mAh battery with 33W fast charging support.
Key Features
Colour options – Clash White and Rush Black
MediaTek Helio G99 SoC with up to 8GB of RAM
360Hz touch sampling rate and FHD+ resolution
5,000mAh battery with 33W fast charging support
16MP front camera with AI Clear Fusion technology
MediaTek Dimensity 9200
The MediaTek Dimensity 9200 is on its way, and interestingly, it’s getting a launch before its rival, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2. The successor of the Dimensity 9000 will sport one Cortex-X3 prime core, three Cortex-A715 mid-cores, and four Cortex-A510 cores. The Dimensity 9200 is expected to launch on November 8th and will share a similar architecture with the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, as both of them are said to be fabricated on TSMC’s 4nm process.
Apple iPad Pro (2022)
Apple launched iPad Pro 2022, the new and updated iPad Pro refresh with the company’s M2 chipset. The design of the new powerful tablets remains the same, except for the home button, which is removed. The tablets are available in two size options – 11-inch and 12.9-inch, both with a 120Hz ProMotion refresh rate. The larger 12.9-inch iPad Pro comes with a mini-LED display panel, while the 11-inch iPad has a normal LCD display panel.
Apple introduces the powerful next-generation Apple TV 4K, which will be available from 4th November. The TV is said to be more powerful, entertaining, and affordable than ever and features the A15 Bionic chip, adds HDR10+, and gets the best of Apple to the biggest screen in the home. The TV is available in two configurations: Apple TV 4K (Wi-Fi), which offers 64GB of storage, and Apple TV 4K (Wi-Fi + Ethernet), which provides support for Gigabit Ethernet along with twice storage.
Samsung and Apple have been going against each other for many years. While Apple has the iPhone series, Samsung has the Galaxy S series of smartphones. Similarly, while Apple has the Apple Watch series, Samsung strongly contends with its powerful Samsung Watch series. In 2022, we’re in the 5th generation of the Samsung watch. The Samsung Watch 5 Pro is a direct contender to the Apple Watch Ultra as the two are the best smartwatches the companies have to offer. However, while the Apple Watch Ultra can make you shell out up to 90K which is nearly a lakh, the Samsung Watch 5 Pro with its ‘Pro’ power costs 45K, that’s half the price as compared to the ‘Ultra’ Apple Watch. So, is going for the Samsung Watch 5 Pro at 45K worth it? Or should you go for the Apple Watch Ultra?
Functionality
Both the Ultra and Pro come with a rugged design. The Galaxy Watch 5 pro has a 45mm titanium case with a sapphire crystal display. Whereas, the Apple Watch Ultra comes with a bigger 49mm titanium case and a sapphire glass screen. The Apple Watch takes the cake here when it comes to durability. The watch can be taken for a dive! It has water resistance up to the depths of 100m and IPX6 dust resistance. Besides, the Ultra watch can also survive temperatures below zero up to 130 degrees. On the other hand, the Galaxy Watch Ultra only comes with an IP68 rating, meaning it is water resistant up to 50 meters and is not suitable for high-pressure activities. Another additional point to the Apple Watch Ultra for its 86 decibels siren which can be heard from 180m away. One gripe with the Samsung Watch 5 Pro is that it misses out on the rotating dial which was staple to the previous gen Samsung watches. Due to its big form factor, the Apple Watch Ultra registers a lot of accidental touches which could be an issue for many.
Battery
Here, the Samsung Watch 5 Pro gets a point for longer battery life with its large 590mAh battery. Samsung claims that the watch can last a user up to 80 hours of typical use. On the other hand, the Ultra battery life is limited to merely 36 hours, and 60 hours with the low power settings activated. If you’re someone who likes to get lost in the wilderness without having to worry about charging your watch then the Samsung Watch 5 pro is the best option for you! While Apple claims that the Watch Ultra comes with a 36-hour battery life, our extended testing of the device resulted in an overall usage of under 24 hours.
Battle of the OS
One cannot skip the software while comparing Samsung and Apple devices. The Watch 5 Pro is powered by Google Wear OS while the Ultra operates on Apple’s own WatchOS, as one would expect. Here, Apple’s boat floats to the shore as WearOS is just not there yet as compared to the Apple experience. The Apple Watch Ultra has better app support as it comes with a far more developed app library as compared to the Wear OS by Google. The WatchOS comes with a slew of fitness and music apps at its disposal and Google’s WearOS has a lot of catching up to you.
Pricing
We’ve already discussed the pricing of both of these devices so it ends up being your decision which one you want to go for. The 90K Apple Watch Ultra could be an expensive affair for many to spend on a watch, but Apple has not targeted this product to the everyday joe but for the extreme sports enthusiast. The Watch 5 pro on the other hand is not just for sports enthusiasts but for everyone at a price of 45K.
For the Apple Watch Ultra, buyers shell out an additional 45K. For the bumped up price, users get a dual-frequency GPS and Bluetooth 5.3. The Galaxy Watch 5 Pro comes with Bluetooth 5.2. Of course, there is also the brand value of Apple that comes along with the Apple Watch Ultra which is enough for many to go for it!
Conclusion
Both the Apple Watch Ultra and Samsung Watch Pro 5 are some of the best wearable devices in the market right now. However, it ultimately comes down to the user’s preference. The Apple Watch Ultra is undoubtedly the one for heavy users who work up an appetite on the sports ground. Targeted towards extreme sports enthusiasts, the device can prove to be an asset to people who spend majority of their time outdoors. On the other hand, the Samsung Watch 5 Pro with its stylish design is surely a treat to the eyes. The Apple Watch Ultra is a clear winner in this comparison with its extensive features. Whereas, the Samsung Watch 5 Pro is well suited for people looking for a cheaper smart wearable.
India and Indians around the world are currently celebrating the festival of lights; Diwali. On the occasion, Apple CEO Tim Cook took to his social media and shared Diwali greetings to everyone celebrating. The Apple CEO wrote, “This photo beautifully captures why Diwali is known as the Festival of Lights. Wishing all who celebrate a holiday full of joy and prosperity. #ShotoniPhone by Apeksha Maker.” on Twitter along with a beautiful photo of diyas. Check out Tim Cook’s Diwali greetings below –
Tim Cook shares Diwali greetings
This photo beautifully captures why Diwali is known as the Festival of Lights. Wishing all who celebrate a holiday full of joy and prosperity. #ShotoniPhone by Apeksha Maker. pic.twitter.com/BhUH1MkFfS
For the unversed, this won’t be the first time Tim Cook has shared Diwali greetings for his fans around the world. The CEO of the tech giant has been sharing the festive spirit with Indian spirits for years now. One thing to note this year-round is that Tim did not share which iPhone was this photo clicked on. One can simply assume that it was shot on the iPhone 14 Pro Max as it is the latest premium offering from Apple. For his 2022 Diwali tweet, Tim Cook chose a photo clicked by Apeksha Maker who is based out of Mumbai. She is the co-founder of the ‘The House of Pixels’ company studio. A quick glance at her Instagram profile reveals that she has shot pictures on various generations of the iPhone with her recent being from the iPhone 14 Pro Max. Check out Tim Cook’s Diwali wishes through the years below –
Wishing everyone a Happy Diwali! May the light of this festival bring warmth, health and happiness to you and your families. This beautiful photo was #ShotOniPhone12ProMax by Rohit Vohra (IG: rohit_apf) pic.twitter.com/HTZlqRyqsz
When it comes to Apple, we all expect the company to launch its products in a lavish style. Apple fanatics are presented with highly produced launch events each year. Be it the iPhone or MacBook launch, Apple makes sure that it presents the best launch event to leave a lasting impression. Well, it looks like that won’t be the case this time around with the launch of its speculated iPad Pro and MacBook M2 Pro lineup.
It was Bloomberg’s analyst Mark Gurman who suggested that Apple will be holding back on an in-person event for the new Macbooks, iPads, and Apple TVs, and instead just announce the devices via press releases. As we all know, September was pretty big for Apple as the ‘Far Out’ event introduced the new iPhone 14 lineup along with Apple Watch Series 8, Apple Watch Ultra, and 2nd Gen AirPods Pro. As an Apple fan myself, I was taken by surprise when news about the tech giant skipping the October event started doing rounds on the web. But I was then reminded that it won’t be the first time Apple opts for this release strategy. The tech giant occasionally announces major new products like AirPods Pro and AirPods Max via press releases, hence the move is not unprecedented. So, what are the new devices speculated to be launched by Apple in October?
Apple is expected to release the new iPad Pro with its powerful M2 processor. Besides the Pro model, the company is also expected to launch an entry-level iPad with a revamped design. Besides this, Apple is also expected to unveil three new Mac devices in 2022, and rumor mills had suggested it’ll be in October. The new Mac Mini and Mac Pro were also expected to be launched in October. While reports suggest that Apple has a whole slew of products to be launched in October, others reported that the company decided to skip an in-person event as the new products were not exciting enough to warrant one. None of these new products is a major departure for Apple as it will only be updating upon and building upon previously launched devices. The devices will get improved specifications as opposed to a complete revamp with a chip that was already announced back in June 2022. Hence, the decision to have a ‘soft launch of the new Apple hardware via press releases seems justified.
Now, let’s have a detailed look at all the speculated devices to be launched in October by Apple. Readers must note that the following information is based upon rumors and reports around the internet. Apple might or might not release the products listed below in October as some devices are expected to be launched in early 2023.
M2 Pro and M2 Max MacBook Pro
Apple is expected to launch a revised version of 2021 14 and 16-inch MacBook Pro in October. It would be easy to assume that this new lineup will also come in the standard space gray and silver colors as new colors in the MacBook lineup would surely warrant an event. However, it was back in June when Apple made a darker aluminum finish MacBook called midnight. While this color was only available for the MacBook Air, it would be interesting to see it feature on the MacBook Pro lineup. Last year, Apple fans did not like that the USB-C MagSafe 3 cable only came in white/silver colors. The company had to then launch color-matching cables for space gray, starlight, and midnight variants of the MacBook. It is now expected that the new MacBook Pros will come bundled with color-matching cables.
Ultimately, the reason for this update is mainly internal. Apple introduced the M1 Pro and M1 Max processors back in October 2021 with the 14 and 16-inch MacBook Pros. The M2 was launched back in June with the MacBook Air. Hence, the same can now be expected from the MacBook Pro lineup with integrated MacBook M2 Pro and M2 Max.
iPad Pro
iPad has garnered a strong fanbase through the years with Apple bringing the tablet form factor to a whole new level! Now, iPads are as powerful as MacBooks with strong computing prowess and the comfort of portability. Hence, the anticipation of the iPad Pro 2022 model is at all-time high thanks to rumors suggesting that it will launch in October. Sure, Apple puts a lot of effort into making sure that its new products do not leak before release but it is hard to avoid leaks these days. So, what does the rumor mill suggests?
It has been reported on several portals dedicated to Apple news that the new Ipad pro model will come with wireless charging capabilities. Apple’s iPad charges via USB-C or Lightning, if the tech giant brings wireless charging to the iPad, it would bring it closer to the iPhone. All the newer iPhone models can be charged wirelessly, though the recent iPhone 14 Pro has been facing some issues with wireless charging due to its giant camera module. If the iPad enables wireless charging, the next step is arguably reverse wireless charging. This would allow you to charge your iPhone or AirPods by simply laying them on the back of your iPad, sounds interesting!
It won’t be outlandish to guess that the new iPad Pro will come with improved performance. According to several reports, the 2022 iPad pro will come with Apple’s new M2 processor on board. Other improvements include a better modem for enhanced 5G capabilities and an improved camera setup. One of the first details floating on the internet was that Apple will continue the same size for the iPad Pro 2022 as the 2021 model. There have also been reports which suggest that the new iPad Pro will be coming with the MagSafe charger. It is only about time we see the new products by Apple!
