Apple iPod has captivated the audience since it launched 20 years ago. iPod had become the perfect companion for all the music lovers out there.
“Music has always been part of our core at Apple, and bringing it to hundreds of millions of users in the way iPod did impacted more than just the music industry — it also redefined how music is discovered, listened to, and shared. Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. “Today, the spirit of iPod lives on. We’ve integrated an incredible music experience across all of our products, from the iPhone to the Apple Watch to HomePod mini, and across Mac, iPad, and Apple TV. And Apple Music delivers industry-leading sound quality with support for spatial audio — there’s no better way to enjoy, discover, and experience music”, said Greg Joswiak, Apple’s Senior Vice President of Worldwide Marketing.
Apple has officially announced the discontinuation of the iPod Touch model.
Let us look at the evolution of the iPod since its launch to date.
2001: iPod
2002: iPod 2nd Generation
2003: iPod 3rd Generation
2004: iPod Mini
2005: iPod Shuffle
2007: iPod Shuffle 2nd Generation
2008: iPod Classic
2010: iPod Nano
2012: iPod Touch
2015: iPod Touch 5th Generation
2019: iPod Touch 7th Generation
While the iPod Touch became at times highlighted as a gaming tool, or a extra low-cost Internet-linked device for children, it is less relevant now in the age of streaming content. Apple now says this version will remain available while stocks last, however suggests its diverse other merchandise inclusive of iPhones, the Apple Watch, and HomePod mini as ways to listen to music at the move and at home.
We all know M-series chips for Mac computer systems and iPads have been pretty successful, and now Apple is reportedly working on the subsequent M-series chip, the Apple M2, to be launched later this year. Now, a report from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman has stated that the agency is working on 9 new Mac computer systems as a way to feature the M2 chip. This comes after Apple introduced that the Apple M1 Ultra that powers the Mac Studio will be the last M1 chip from the organisation. At least 2 Mac products with an M2 chip are anticipated this year, while the rest of the Macs can also arrive in the subsequent year.
The M2 processor is expected to be the successor to the M1 and bring enhancements in terms of graphics handling. Bloomberg claims to have seen developer logs, corroborated by people aware of the improvement — Apple is trying out at least 9 Mac devices, powered by 4 distinctive M2-primarily based chips, with third-party apps in the App Store. This is part of the chip improvement technique to ensure the working device and the apps are compatible with the brand new chipset. It also suggests that the new machines can be prepared for launch soon.
The new devices being examined consist of:
1. A MacBook Air with an M2 chip codenamed J413. This Mac could have 8 CPU cores, the additives that manage the primary processing, and 10 cores for graphics. That’s up from 8 graphics cores in the present-day MacBook Air.
2. A Mac mini with an M2 chip codenamed J473. This device may have identical specs as the MacBook Air. In testing, there’s also an “M2 Pro” variation, codenamed J474.
3. An entry-level MacBook Pro with an M2 chip codenamed J493. This, too, could have identical specs as the MacBook Air.
4. A 14-inch MacBook Pro with M2 Pro and “M2 Max” chips, codenamed J414. According to the logs, the M2 Max chip has 12 CPU cores and 38 graphics cores, up from 10 CPU cores and 32 graphics cores in the current model. It may even have 64 gigabytes of memory.
5. A 16-inch MacBook Pro with M2 Pro and M2 Max chips codenamed J416. The 16-inch MacBook Pro’s M2 Max could have identical specs because of the 14-inch MacBook Pro model.
6. A Mac Pro, codenamed J180. This device will consist of a successor to the M1 Ultra chip used in the Mac Studio computer.
7. Apple is also trying out a Mac mini with an M1 Pro chip, the same processor used in today’s entry-level 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros. That device is codenamed J374. The company has also tested an M1 Max model of the Mac mini. However, the new Mac Studio can also additionally make these machines redundant.
After brands like Samsung, Oppo, and Realme, the next brand to join the fast charger bandwagon might be Apple. As per a leaked document for Apple 35W Dual USB-C Port Power Adapter by Apple, 9to5 Mac managed to take a screenshot before Apple took it off.
The deleted document read, “Use the Apple 35W Dual USB-C Port Power Adapter and a USB-C cable (not included) to charge your device. Connect a USB-C cable to either port on the power adapter, extend the electrical prongs (if necessary), then plug the power adapter firmly into the power outlet. Ensure the power outlet is easily accessible for disconnecting. Connect the other end of the cable to your device.”
The 35W of power could be sufficient to charge more than one iPhone, an iPhone, an Apple Watch, or a handful of different combinations of accessories.
According to the publication, the fast-charging capability of the iPhone 13 Pro Max that’s 27W, and it says that with 35W of power, the charger should charge an iPhone 13 Pro Max with an Apple Watch side by side. The tool helps USB-C Power Delivery as well.
It’s uncertain whether Apple plans to launch this accessory. We previously also heard that Apple is seeking to expand its lineup of power adapters, especially with GaN technology inside. This 35W Dual USB-C Port Power adapter should be Apple’s first standalone GaN charger. We must state that if the power adapter does launch, there is no confirmation from the brand with regards to the GaN generation mentioned in the leaked document.
The father of Canadian photojournalism, Ted Grant, once quoted, “When you photograph people in colour, you photograph their clothes, but when you photograph people in black and white, you photograph their souls!” The quote is true to every word, as the colour duo, black and white, is said to be more realistic as it contains all colours, and at the same time, it excludes all, but we all know in which era we’re living and how much colours are important in today’s times. Then, why would our gadget-makers stay behind?
Colour plays a vital role in the world we live in and has always been a prominent aspect of human life. However, the gadget making companies took a lot of time to put coloured clothes on their products. Since the mid-50s, we have been witnessing coloured devices in the form of telephones, radios, speakers, etc. But later on, in the mid-90s, colours moved a little away from us, at least in the gadget sector, due to several concerns and again put on a band of bland colours, including black, white, grey and sometimes blue.
The phones in the early days mainly came in one or two colours, offering limited options for the customer as the companies were bound not to manufacture phones with particular colours as each geography in the world has colours for good and bad omens. Also, customers are treated like a god in most countries, and companies have to show sensitivity to people’s sentiments before launching a global variant. Though in recent times, everything has changed and now gadget makers are competing fiercely over coloured gadgets.
The First Step
Since Apple launched its first iPhone in 2007, whatever happens in the world of tech is directly co-related to Apple. It’s more like when other companies do things they seem ordinary to us, but it becomes cool when Apple tries the same with their products. Apple unveiled the iPhone 5C in 2013 and brought life to their phones with 4-colour variants – banana yellow, bubble gum pink, kiwi green, and Slush Puppie blue.
Since then, almost every smartphone manufacturing company has become colour obsessed. Being one of the top smartphone manufacturing companies globally, Apple has always come up with impressive marketing ideas that attract consumers. For instance, every time someone buys an iPhone with PRODUCT RED colour, they contribute to the Global Fund’s support of AIDS programmes and COVID‑19 Response.
The company has been collaborating with RED for the last 15 years and has raised nearly $270 million since the inception of the idea, including a $21 million donation to the Global Fund’s COVID‑19. Recently, Vivo launched India’s first colour changing smartphone Vivo V23 & V23 Pro. The smartphone has Fluorite AG glass that changes colour when exposed to sunlight and other sources of artificial UV rays.
Along with smartphones, various gadgets boast colours nowadays, and the list includes earphones, headphones, speakers, tablets, smart home gadgets, smartwatches, power banks, and portable mouses. The arrival of various colours in devices made consumers happy as it opened more options. When smartphones were introduced to the world, companies wanted to play it safe, so they only experimented with neutral colours.
Samsung was one of the first who introduced smartphones with colourful backs, but they created a kind of blue and red for their LTE-A phone that is fresh and new to people, which helped them stand apart. Nowadays, people are more open to trying different colours than in the earlier days when people were not welcoming towards various colours, and it allows companies to come up with more colourful designs.
Why are smartphones coming in a coloured back panel?
The younger generation prefers to flaunt colours in every way possible, and all over the world, these fellas are very casual towards new things, especially gadgets. Also, when you can have a smartphone or gadget in your favourite colours, which adds some joy to your life, why would you go for the neutral ones! The smartphone maker understands this mindset and decides to implement the same.
Polycarbonate back panels are usually considered the cheapest material as most mid-range smartphones come with them. Glass has been the preferred smartphone material in the past couple of years, and most flagship smartphones come with glass panels. The glass-panelled back on the smartphones looks premium, and it can be painted in different colours, which paves the way for smartphone makers.
The brighter and gradient colour panelled back in the smartphones was popular among Chinese smartphone makers, but the world accepted it when global players such as Apple and Samsung launched their phones with coloured panel backs. In the future, we might witness something more advanced in this back panel sector where we could get an option to change the colours according to the touch.
Last year, Google launched its Pixel Pass service in the US, a subscription-based service that costs $45 per month for the Pixel 6 and $55 per month for the Pixel 6 Pro. The service lets the subscriber have the respective phones along with YouTube Premium with ad-free watching, YouTube Music Premium with ad-free listening and 200 GB of Google One cloud storage.
Now, following the path of Google, Apple is planning to start a subscription-based service for iPhones and iPads where users will pay a fixed fee each month and get an iPhone (of course, the one they wants to have) with free upgrades. The service will also allow subscribers to change their iPhones with the new models every time a new iPhone is announced.
Currently, the Cupertino-based tech giant offers various services for the customer benefits, such as paying the phone amount in different instalments of 12, 24 or 36 months. The existing Apple ID account holders can bundle up this subscription for free to get Apple Care and Apple One Services, including Apple Music, Apple TV+, Apple Arcade, iCloud+, Apple News+, and Apple Fitness+.
The subscription service is not confirmed by the company yet, but according to the trusted sources, Apple might launch the service by the end of 2022 or early into 2023. The service would initially start with iPhones, followed by Apple’s hardware lineup, including iPads, MacBooks and Apple Watch. The service amount is not yet unveiled but it would be around 20$-40$.
February 2022 was a month of smartphone launches, but sadly Apple didn’t launch anything in the month, which was a little disappointing. However, yesterday, on the occasion of International Women’s Day, Apple unveiled several products, including iPhone SE 3, iPad Air 5, Mac Studio, Apple Studio Display and Apple M1 Ultra chip. Let’s take a look at them one by one.
iPhone SE 3
Apple unveiled iPhone SE 3 at the event, which looks the same as the iPhone 6 design but offers much more. The new iPhone SE (2022) runs on an A15 chipset, the same as the iPhone 13 series. The display and storage options remain the same as it was on the previous model – 4.7″ and 64GB, 128GB, and 256GB. The smartphone has an enhanced battery, superstar camera, an incredible water resistance feature, and of course, a home button, which some of us love while some don’t.
iPad Air 5
The newly launched iPad Air 5 stands firmly between the cheap iPads and expensive iPads. It has Apple’s M1 chipset and optional 5G support with eSIM, but the base model is Wi-Fi-only. The M1 chip allows the iPad Air 5 to match the iPad Pro in performance.
The Air 5 also features the new ultrawide front camera with Center Stage, which automatically pans during video calls. The iPad Air 5 features a 10.9″ Liquid Retina display, landscape stereo speakers, Touch ID, and on the back, it has a 12-MP camera.
Along with these two, Apple also launched a supercharged Mac mini with an M1 Max chip and a 27-inch studio display with 5K resolution and 600 nits, which also has a 12-MP camera and powerful speaker system. Lastly, Apple announced its most powerful ARM-based custom processor, the Apple M1 Ultra chip, which packs a 20-core CPU, 64-core GPU and 32-core Neural Engine.
Since the last couple of years, we have witnessed many top-notch companies launching their audio sunglasses, which ultimately helped the audio sunglasses section to grow and have a category of their own. The original Bose Frames delivered surprisingly pure sound, and with the arrival of three new models, Tempo, Tenor, and Soprano, Bose stands tall in the audio sunglasses market. Bose Tempo is a sporty looking gadget, while the other two, Rectangular shaped Tenor and Cat Eye shaped Soprano, are best for everyday use. The company has done a lot to improve the sound quality, which helps the sunglasses to deliver crisp and clear sound. The audio sunglasses are the best gift option for the person who likes listening to music while riding a bike, resting by the pool/beach, walking, running, or hiking.
Apple MagSafe Battery Pack – Price: ₹10,900
Apple is one of the top-ranked smartphone manufacturing companies in the world, but at the same time, it is infamous for its battery backup. However, the company has understood the issue and has come up with a solution in the form of an Apple MagSafe battery pack. The rectangle-shaped and white coloured MagSafe battery pack fits perfectly on the back and is compatible with iPhone 12 series and iPhone 13 series. The slim and sturdy battery pack is small enough to slide into a pocket or bag. The MagSafe Battery Pack offers a 1,460mAh capacity which sounds low, but the numbers are deceiving as the battery pack easily adds a few hours of use to your iPhone. If you have experienced frequent cries related to battery backup from your loved one who uses an iPhone, then the MagSafe battery pack is a must-buy gift option.
Amazon Echo Show 8 (2nd Gen) – Price: ₹13,999
Amazon has been a leading company in manufacturing smart speaker displays over the years, and its recent launch, the Echo Show 8 (2nd Gen), is the best smart display in the lineup. The 2nd gen Echo Show 8 offers a superior 13-megapixel wide-angle camera for enhanced video calls along with a faster processor and an auto-framing feature, which lets the device pan and zoom automatically to adjust the frame while making video calls. The Echo Show 8’s sound output is way better than the top trim Echo Show 10, but the flagship smart home device Echo Show 10 steals the show when it comes to other features. If the person you’re planning to gift this Christmas is a newcomer to the smart home space, then Amazon Echo Show 8 (2nd Gen) would be a great gift choice.
Ember Mug² –
Price: Various options available from ₹16,000* on amazon.in or get it from ember.com for $129.95 USD
The winter is coming, and all we need to survive the chilliness is a cup of hot tea or coffee by the table, but every time we plan to enjoy the hot drink, it turns cold before we finish it and ruins our mood. Well, if you know someone who is a big-time hot tea or coffee lover, then gift them the Ember Mug² temperature control smart mug, and it will never let their tea or coffee go cold again, at least for up to 1.5 hours with Ember Mug² 10 oz and up to 80 minutes with the Ember Mug² 14 oz. The smart mug is designed for home or office use, and it allows you to set an exact drinking temperature so your coffee is never too hot or cold. The washable smart mug allows you to set and control your prefered temperature with your smartphone via the dedicated Ember app.
Beats Studio Buds Wireless Earbuds – Price: ₹14,499
Apple purchased Beats in 2014, and since then, every product Beats launched was somehow tied up with the Apple ecosystem. Then Beats decided to ditch the traditional Apple H1 and W1 chips and launched Studio Buds Wireless Earbuds with MediaTek chipset. The change in the chip helped Beats to go beyond its competitors and suit Android phones along with Apple devices. The Beats Studio Buds are Beats’ smallest earbuds to date and the best-sounding earbuds Beats has ever manufactured. The wireless noise-cancelling earbuds fit perfectly in the ear, and the solid grip makes sure they’ll not fall out even during intense workouts. So, if you’re looking for a gadget to gift your gym-addict friend, then these stand-out earbuds are the perfect little thing.
GoPro Hero10 Black Action Camera – Price: ₹54,500
GoPro recently launched the new Hero10 Black, with a new faster custom processor. The Hero10 Black sports a 2.27-inch touch screen main display on the back and a 1.4-inch display on the front. It arrives with Incredible video stabilization and a new GP2 chipset, enabling new slow-motion frame rates, faster transfer speeds, and improved image quality. The camera can record smoother videos up to 5.3K @ 60fps, and for slow-mo videos, it can go up to 4K @ 120fps and 2.7K @ 240fps. The waterproof Hero 10 Black is powered by a GP2 sensor and packs a 1,720mAh battery. The GoPro Hero10 Black could be the best gift option if your loved ones are travel enthusiasts, vloggers or into adventure sports.
WD My Passport Go Portable SSD – Price: ₹11,469* (for 1TB on flipkart.com)
SSDs (Solid State Drives) are faster and more power-efficient than HDDs (Hard Disk Drives), and that’s the reason they’re always in demand. WD is one of the most popular SSD and HDD-making companies globally, and their recent addition, WD My Passport Go portable SSD, is one in a million kinds of devices. The My Passport Go portable drive has a shock-absorbing rubber bumper and no moving parts, making it drop-resistant up to 2 meters. The square-shaped, rugged SSD is 2 times faster than typical portable hard disk drives and compatible with both Windows PC and Mac computers. The Pocket-sized drive has a built-in cable for convenient portability and is available in three variants, 500GB, 1TB and 2TB. You can gift the SSD to the person who never feels satisfied with the in-built storage of their respective devices.
Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro – Price: ₹10,990*
Samsung has tasted success with the launch of exceptionally built Galaxy Buds Plus and failure with the launch of not so excellent Galaxy Buds Live, which helped the South Korean tech giant analyse the segment well and come back hard with the Galaxy Buds Pro, the best true wireless earbuds that the company has ever made. The Buds Pro includes active noise cancellation, wireless charging, speech detection mode, and support for the Scalable advanced Bluetooth codec. When paired with a Samsung smartphone or tablet, the earbuds offer the best sound quality and go beyond these key features. The Buds Pro also offers IPX7 water and sweat resistance features along with improved mic performance. So, if you’ve someone who owns a Samsung smartphone or tablet and likes to play along with music and calls, then go for these earbuds and make your loved ones happy.
E-book readers are reliable and handy instead of the traditional paper-based books because e-book readers offer thousands of books in one gadget, and when it comes to choosing the best e-book reader in the market, you’ll never find anything better than Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (10th Gen). The waterproof e-reader has a 6-inch e-ink display, and it is available in different variants that range from 8GB to 32GB of storage. The Kindle Paperwhite is one of the most popular e-readers on the market with good battery life, and if you have someone in your friend circle who’s an avid book reader, then this 10th Gen Kindle Paperwhite could easily replace your place in your friend’s life.
Budget Gifts (Below ₹10,000)
LG XBOOM Go PL2 Water Resistant Wireless Bluetooth Speaker – Price: ₹7,990
The LG XBOOM Go PL2 is the smallest and least expensive portable Bluetooth speaker from the PL range of speakers. The IPX5 water-resistant portable speaker offers a Sound Boost mode, USB-C charging, stereo pairing, and up to 10 hours of battery life. The PL2 speaker can be controlled with your smartphone’s voice assistant and can make any party fun in no time. The rounded design, compact and lightweight speaker has a good build quality and is best suited for travel enthusiasts. If you know someone who is a travel addict and likes to do weekend campaigning by the lake or hill, then LG XBOOM Go PL2 portable speakers can be a good companion for such personalities.
Oral-B Pro 2 2000N Electric Rechargeable Toothbrush – Price: ₹4,199
Technology has evolved our daily needs from smart home devices to electric toothbrushes. A decade ago, Oral-B was making regular manual toothbrushes, but then the company decided to take a look at the big picture and started manufacturing electric toothbrushes to cope up with the new age of connected tech. The Oral-B Pro 2 2000 electric rechargeable toothbrush offers only the necessary features for your dental health and works without any app support. The electric toothbrush helps you to remove more plaque and leave gums healthier than a manual toothbrush. The Oral-B Pro 2 200 electric toothbrush features two brushing modes and a pressure sensor, making it the simplest yet elegant electric toothbrush. It can be an excellent gift for people with sensitive teeth who have never experimented with an electric toothbrush.
Razer Kishi Mobile Game Controller – Price: ₹9,321* on amazon.in
Everyone has their own choice, and not all people want a regular PlayStation or Xbox controller. Some people go beyond the ordinary world and prefer exciting gadgets such as Razer Kishi Mobile Game Controller, which offers a seemingly lag-free gaming experience on the phone. The go-to mobile gaming controller has a split apart design, and it can connect directly through the USB-C charging port. The Razer Kishi Mobile Game Controller fits most smartphone devices and offers a solid grip that lets the gamer have great control over a device. If you’re friends with someone who follows mobile gaming like a devotion, in that case, you should consider gifting Razer Kishi Mobile Game Controller to them this Christmas as this killer gadget will not only please them mentally but will permanently change their mobile gaming experience.
Fire TV Stick 4K Streaming Device with Alexa Voice Remote – Price: ₹5,999
Amazon has acquired almost all crucial markets, from online shopping to smart house gadgets to streaming services and even streaming devices. The business strategies and tough competition in the market have made consumers’ lives easy as many widgets are available at affordable prices, and the list includes 4K streaming devices. Since the Fire TV Stick 4K launch, Amazon has emerged in this market, and the latest Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K includes the Alexa voice remote in the box. The latest 4K stick offers improved performance and is slightly larger than the standard Fire TV Stick but has the same colour and texture. The latest 4K stick features a guide button that can quickly take you to live TV and offer Dolby Vision, HDR10+, HDR10, and HLG like the standard stick. If you’re looking for a budget gift this Christmas, then the Fire TV Stick 4K streaming device with Alexa Voice Remote could be a perfect one.
Bellroy 3 Card iPhone Wallet Case – Price: from $68 to $88 (including $9 express shipping charges)
We often see people, mainly Indians having a 50 or 100 rupees/dollars note on the back of their smartphone cover. Some even put their credit or debit cards on the back of their smartphone cover, and when asked, they defend themselves in the name of emergency needs. Well, Australian accessories making brand Bellroy decided to provide a stylish look to the regular habit and created a multi-functional smartphone wallet case that holds up to 3 cards, slots devoted to a SIM tool and SIM card. The professional-looking case has a smooth, barely textured premium leather sheath covering the back panel, and you can even use the card compartment door as a kickstand to watch videos. So, if you know someone who prefers a luxury lifestyle and owns an iPhone from 12-series or 13-series, then Bellroy 3 Card iPhone Wallet Case will be a great gift and add a style statement to their life. Though the case is only available on the official website of Bellroy, if you want to purchase one, hurry up because it will take a few days or even a week to ship in India.
Noise ColorFit Pro 3 – Price: ₹3,999
Noise, India’s homegrown brand, has already acquired the top position in India’s wearables market. The budget smartwatch, Noise Colorfit 3 Pro, comes with many features and specifications, such as a SpO2 monitor for blood oxygen monitoring, a stress level monitor, and a bigger-better display. The lightweight smartwatch sports a 1.5-inch HD touchscreen colour display and follows the subtle design language like an Apple watch. The water-resistant smartwatch features about 14 workout modes, including Outdoor Walking, Outdoor Running, Outdoor Cycling, Pool Swimming, Open Water Swimming, Cricket, Hiking, Yoga and Workout. The Noise Colorfit Pro 3 comes in 6 colours and offers several high-end features, which we usually find on Apple & Samsung smartwatches. So, if you’re looking for a budget Christmas or new year gift, then Noise Colorfit 3 Pro could do the math.
Wagr’s GPS & Fitness Tracker for Dogs – Price: ₹3,499
The world is getting smarter with smart wearables, and along with us, our very canine best friend also needs smart wearables because about 6 lacs dogs get lost every year in India. The pain of losing our pooch friend can cause severe sickness to dog parents, and this thought made IIT alumnus Advaith Mohan and two of his friends, Siddharth Darbha and Ajith Kochery, come up with a solution. The trio created a dog wearable Wagr, India’s first GPS tracker for dogs which tracks the dog using high-precision GPS and even allows you to create safe zones. Once you attach the Wagr tracker to your pup’s collar, it will help you track your dog’s activity, walks, safe zones, and it will also alert you when they leave the safe zone you’ve created. If you have a dog of your own or someone from your friend’s circle who owns a dog, then Wagr’s location & fitness tracker is a must-have gadget.
One of the top smartphone manufacturers in the world, Apple, has been hooked due to a supply chain crisis and forced to halt the production of its iPhone lineup. According to a Nikkei report, who always digs deeper into the index calculation, Foxconn, Pegatron, and other Apple suppliers halted the production for the first time in more than 10 years, and that too ahead of the Christmas festive season.
Fortunately, the production ramped down only for a few days, mostly due to supply chain constraints and, of course, due to China’s ongoing power restriction. The company was planning to add additional work hours to meet global demand for the holiday shopping season, but workers are getting time off instead of overtime. The unwanted happenings made Apple miss their latest iPhone 13 lineup targets.
The Nikkei report further mentioned that Apple halted iPhone and iPad production for several days in September and October, which shocked the world. The Cupertino-California headquartered company’s initial goal was to manufacture 95 million iPhone 13 models in 2021, but due to the shortage of components and chips, the company made changes in its plans and decided to go with at least 83-85 million units.
Apple CEO Tim Cook recently said the supply chain issues are expected to continue till December, which would cost the company more than $7 billion of loss. At the same time, the company is pressuring its suppliers to reaccelerate their production development of the iPhone for December and January. Along with China’s ongoing power restriction, Malaysian and Vietnamese lockdown measures are also the leading components to halt the production.
Almost 70% of smartphone owners in the world can not live a single day without their smartphones, and more than 50% of smartphone owners believe that their phone is the most valuable asset they own. Being born in a tech-driven world, we naturally get attracted to every other newly launched smartphone, especially iPhones. Nowadays, many major smartphone brands offer remarkable trade-in promotions for users looking to upgrade their phones, and Apple is one such company.
Apple first launched its trade-in program in 2013 and encouraged a vast number of people to obtain the program and do their part for the planet and become beneficiaries by trading their old iPhones or smartphones after they are done with it. The company offers a substantial amount of credit to the consumers when they trade in their old phones, but why does the company offer such a deal? Why is that promotion so valuable to the company? What does the company do with old devices?
Apple Trade-In
Apple plays a mind game with its customers, and being faithful customers, we easily fall for the trap. The company knows human psychology, and they offer programs/promotions basis on it. After using the iPhone for about 2 or 3 years, they know that people start looking for another device and either hand over the old one to someone in the family and friends looking for a phone or sell their old iPhone as a second-hand unit to the local smartphone dealer. Unfortunately, all of the above acts hammer down the company, resulting in reduced sales of new iPhones.
Apple introduced a trade-in program when the company’s first quarterly profit decreased in 2013 after a long time, but the Cupertino, California, headquartered firm, started focusing more on it through advertising after the launch of the iPhone X. The idea was simple, the iPhone X was the costliest iPhone when it was launched for the first time and purchasing it was quite a hefty investment. A large number of customers wanted to buy it but couldn’t afford the price, and that’s when Apple aided consumers with a trade-in promotion and offered them a credit value for their old iPhones.
How does it work?
iPhone’s durability leads customers to buy older versions without any second thought, and since Apple launched its trade-in program, customers are on cloud-9, but if you look at the big picture, it’s supremely profitable for the company. Whenever customers opt for a trade-in program, they move from an older iPhone to a newer iPhone, automatically keeping users locked into Apple’s ecosystem, which best benefits the company. Secondly, by refurbishing the older iPhone and reselling it for a more affordable price in the market, Apple makes double profits from a single handset, boosting their overall revenue.
The company has built a specialised robot called Daisy that is capable of recovering any recyclable materials in a phone, which helps the company recover money from damaged devices. The robot is programmed to recycle a minimum of 200 phones per hour, recovering high-priced materials that could otherwise end up in a junkyard. The trade-in promotion arrives with a win-win situation for everyone, including the environment, as it helps the company reuse working elements from older phones instead of transferring them to the landfill.
A step-by-step guide to trade in your old iPhone or smartphone with Apple:
Answer a few questions about your current smartphone, such as questions related to the brand, model and condition.
After you finish the array of questions, the company will give you an estimated trade-in value and apply it as instant credit towards your purchase.
Add the instant credits to your new purchase and place the order for a new iPhone. You’ll get a confirmed delivery date of your new iPhone along with a trade-in exchange.
By the time the courier guy arrives at your doorstep, you should be ready with your old iPhone so they can run a diagnostic test and verify that your smartphone works.
The courier guy will check your old phone’s physical condition of the touchscreen, enclosure or back glass, camera lenses, front and back camera functionality, battery wear and tear, storage capacity, performance speed, Wi-Fi, mobile functionality and will ask you to turn off Find My iPhone and initiate a factory reset.
That’s it! Clear all these necessary steps, and you’ll have a new iPhone with the advantages of the trade-in value.
With this, Apple plans to retrieve materials from the old devices to make new devices. The action will subtract the need to extract new metals and components from the earth, helping the environment stay intact. According to Apple’s most recent environmental report, the average Apple device generates 252 pounds of CO2, accounting for about 77 per cent of the company’s total greenhouse gas emissions. The renovation method is preferable to save the environmental issues, and Apple might allow third-party companies to repair iPhones in the future.
When Apple added the tagline, “Oh. So. Pro.” under the iPhone 13 Pro Max, to attract consumers, we had no choice but to believe in the company and wait till the launch. When the phone arrived at our office for a review, we realized what Apple said about the iPhone 13 Pro Max was absolutely true as it is the best iPhone ever and features the best camera update along with the best battery life ever on iPhones.
Before moving ahead with the top 5 elements of the iPhone 13 Pro Max, lets first take a look at the common smartphone buying scenario, you’ll find there are three kinds of smartphone buyers in the world now, one who has an iPhone 11 series or before that, the second one who has bought iPhone 12 Pro Max in October 2020 when it was launched and the last ones are Android users who have been forever wanting to switch to apple but haven’t moved to the ship yet.
Now, if you’re the first type of buyer, I would recommend you go for iPhone 13 Pro Max as it’s the best one in the market, worth every penny and you will get a completely updated smartphone which you won’t have to change for another 3-4 years unless Apple drops foldable screen, obliterates notch and adds a fingerprint scanner. Well, these are the three things that I am personally looking forward to but if you have the money buy it now.
If you’re the second type of buyer who has already drilled a hole in a wallet with the iPhone 12 Pro Max, then stay put and be prepared to live your life without the features such as Pro-Motion, Cinematic Mode, Bigger Battery, and 120Hz refresh rate. And for the last type of buyers, switching from Android to Apple is a never-ending journey as the only similarity between the two is the first alphabet of their names.
Battery:
Unfortunately, even in iPhone 13 lineup, you can’t see your battery percentage without pulling down the control center, but all 2021 iPhones come with increased battery capacity, and in the case of the iPhone 13 Pro Max’ battery life, it has a 4352 mAh battery, about 18% more than its predecessor iPhone 12 Pro Max, which has 3687 mAh of battery capacity.
This is a huge upgrade and the gigantic battery can last long for a day at least. When I was on a business trip to Pondicherry, I watched a movie in Full HD resolution on the 13 Pro Max from 6 AM to 9 AM during my flight. Later on, I used the GPS from Chennai to Pondicherry, clicked a few photos during halts, made videos for the gram, and still, at the end of the day, by 10 PM, it had some juice left for me, which is simply incredible and ensures it has the most optimized battery ever in a smartphone today.
Resolution & Refresh Rate:
The Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max has a small bezel around the screen like its older siblings, and it even has the exact screen sizes and resolutions: 6.7 inches at 1284 x 2778 pixels and~458 PPI density with super retina XDR OLED. The significant difference between the two Pro Max’s is in the 13 Pro Max, you get a 120Hz refresh rate and 1000 nits HBM, whereas, in the 12 Pro Max, you get a 60 Hz Refresh Rate and 800 nits. The refresh rate experience is so seamless and fluid in the 13 Pro Max that once you get used to it. But the taste of the pudding is in the eating if you have not used the 13 pro max then you can still live happily with the 12 Pro Max.
Camera & Optics :
The camera system in iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max is identical, and you don’t have to buy the most expensive phone in the lineup to get the best photos. The camera on the iPhone 13 Pro device is advertised as the biggest advancement ever as it offers the Pro-Motion and Cinematic Mode Experience. In terms of camera comparison of the 12 Pro Max and 13 Pro Max, it’s a one-sided game, and discussing it is a complete waste of time.
With the launch of the 13 Pro Max, Apple dropped the best camera smartphone ever. Apple has added improved low-light capability and Night Mode to all three 12MP sensors on the rear of the Pro Max, and the company has also added a feature of a nifty macro photography mode to the phone for a better camera experience. The feature helps the handset shift automatically to an ultrawide camera when you get close to objects, and the effects are stellar.
Since the iPhone 13 Pro Max saves the videos raw, the depth map and the defined focus point stand separate, allowing the video’s focus to be edited afterward not only on the iPhone 13 itself but also on other devices. Currently, Cinematic Mode is available only for the wide-angle, telephoto cameras on the back and the selfie camera.
Chipset:
iPhone 13 Pro Max’s chipset A15 Bionic blows the door off of Android phones as it is extremely fast and gives the phone the title of the world’s fastest phone. The 12 Pro Max has an A14 Bionic, and you’ll know the actual difference between A14 and A15 when you are multitasking and gaming. The new 6-core CPU in the A15 chip is 20-50 % faster than most smartphones, including A14 and snapdragon 888. A15 can process 15.8 trillion operations per second, roughly about 40% more capable than the A14’s 11 trillion operations per second.
Cinematic mode – The Final Nail:
One of the fascinating features of the 2021 iPhones is the Cinematic Mode, which is a total game-changer. Cinematic Mode is basically Portrait Mode, but for video. This mode applies a depth-of-field effect that keeps the focus point of your video sharp while creating a beautifully blurred foreground and background. It also mimics professional videography techniques by adding on-the-fly depth of field effects to recognized subjects. Software algorithms are used to detect and focus on people, pets, and objects, which are made to stand out against blurred backgrounds. With Cinematic Mode, Apple has changed the battlefield where, along with smartphones, even purebred imaging companies like Nikon, Canon, Fujifilm should begin to worry.
Let me try to explain this – Depth of the field in cinematic mode is an illusion, digital illusion rather. When you film, everything is in focus before the computer separates what it perceives as the foreground, background, and everything in between. Now you can decide whether or not to upgrade from the 12 pro max.
Now let’s address the Third Android type – If you are wondering then let me tell you that the closest phone which comes to the 13pro max is still the Samsung S21ultra 5G.
