What will 2021 bring?

Yes, we know that we have some new iPhones to look forward in the very near future, but why not look waaaay further ahead to next year? What’s next after the thing that’s next, right?

Well, apparently there are predictions that we can look waaay forward to an iPhone equipped with both Face ID and an on-display fingerprint sensor in 2021.

The idea is that to enhance security,  Face ID and FOD (Fingerprint on display) technologies are not competitive, but rather complementary.

And line of sight transportation? Still coming? Apple? Yeah? Please?

Apple starts to sell coolest toy ever

Um, yes please?

Apple has begun selling LEGO’s “Hidden Side” LEGO kits. Lego is awesome, yes, but what’s better than awesome? Lego that mixes the physical toy with an augmented reality experience.

It’s a new series of LEGO sets that are based on a “chilling, creative world of ghosts,” so kids can build toys that come to life thanks to augmented reality on a smartphone.

After the sets are built, kids can view them on an iOS device for interactive augmented reality gameplay that varies based on the set.

All of the sets have unique interactions, with mysteries to solve, items to find, games to play, ghosts to collect, AND A GHOST BOSS BATTLE.

Four of the LEGO Hidden Side sets (sell below) are available from the Apple online store as of today, and will likely be available in Apple retail stores as well.

Newbury Haunted High School – $129.95
 

Paranormal Intercept Bus 3000 – $59.95
 

Wrecked Shrimp Boat – $29.95

Graveyard Mystery – $29.95

All of these kits come with mini figures, animals, and other theme related accessories as well as all of the building materials to create the intended design.

Who’s got a birthday coming up? Does 11 months count as coming up?

Apple Card launching super soon!

According to the news around the Apple Tree,  Apple Card is will launch in the U.S. in just a few weeks, coming in live in the first couple of weeks in August.

You’ll be able to sign up for the card in the Wallet app, which will have built-in Apple Card support as part of the latest iOS 12.4 update.

Apple Card will be optimized for Apple Pay but will still work like a traditional credit card for all of your transactions. You can also get a super sleek physical titanium card for use at stores that don’t accept Apple Pay.

Goldman Sachs is responsible for the underlying infrastructure, managing payment disputes, handling transaction data and collating information for monthly statements.

The card comes with some extra perks, too, such as 3% cash back on Apple purchases, 2% cash back on all Apple Pay transactions, and 1% cash back on all other purchases.

You needed another credit card, right?

Spring / T-Mobile merger is closer to happening!

The U.S. Department of Justice just announced that it has approved the $26 BILLION merger of T-Mobile and Sprint… with conditions attached.

T-Mobile and Sprint will become “New T-Mobile” and have committed to building a nationwide 5G network covering 97 percent of the U.S. population within three years and 99 percent within six years.

So what are the conditions?

T-Mobile and Sprint must divest a substantial package of assets to Dish Network, including Sprint’s prepaid subsidiaries Boost Mobile and Virgin Mobile and some 800MHz spectrum. Dish will also gain access to at least 20,000 cell sites and hundreds of retail locations.

From the Sauce, FCC chairman Ajit Pai:

“I am pleased that the U.S. Department of Justice has reached a settlement with T-Mobile and Sprint. The commitments made to the FCC by T-Mobile and Sprint to deploy a 5G network that would cover 99% of the American people, along with the measures outlined in the Department’s consent decree, will advance U.S. leadership in 5G and protect competition.”

And from T-Mobile CEO John Legere:

“The T-Mobile and Sprint merger we announced last April will create a bigger and bolder competitor than ever before — one that will deliver the most transformative 5G network in the country, lower prices, better quality, unmatched value and thousands of jobs, while unlocking an unprecedented $43B net present value in synergies. We are pleased that our previously announced target synergies, profitability and long-term cash generation have not changed.”

The merger remains subject to remaining regulatory approvals and the getting through the barrier of an antitrust lawsuit in U.S. federal court which a number of States filed in June to block the proposed transaction.

Regardless, those in the know believe that T-Mobile and Sprint will expect to see the merger being permitted to close by the end of the year.

iPhone Photo Awards!

The winners of the 12th annual iPhone Photography Awards were just unveiled!

There were thousands of entries from over 140 countries around the world – were you one of them?

The grand prize winner is “Big Sister” shot on an iPhone X by Gabriella Cigliano of Italy.

The photo itself was taken in Zanzibar, Africa.

From the photographer:

“Last year I spent a month in Wasa, Tanzania, teaching a class of young, curious and amazing guys. Before heading back to Italy we stopped in Zanzibar, where this photo was taken. I still wonder how could I capture that exact moment in all its beauty. I was just observing, a few meters from them, but they were probably more curious about me than I was about them, and that’s probably why the girl was looking at me. We couldn’t talk much, except for a few words in Swahili I had learned in the previous weeks, but those kids could definitely talk with their eyes. It was one of the most beautiful things I’ve seen in my life, and I’ll keep it in my memories forever. The best part was showing them and their mums the photos, for some it was the first time they were seeing their faces, and their excitement was unexplainable, unfortunately my iPhone was in their hands and I couldn’t capture that!”

The rest of the winning entrants are from categories like Abstract, Animals, Architecture, Children, Floral, Landscape, Lifestyle, Nature,  News-Events, Panorama, People,  Portrait,  Series, Still Life, Sunset,  Travel,  and Trees.

You can see the rest of the winning photos here. And if this inspires you, you can already enter into next year’s competition here. The deadline is 03/31/2020.

New MacBooks!

The rumors swirling around the Valley today focus on new MacBooks.

Apparently, Apple will release a new 16-inch MacBook Pro (possibly with an all new design), as well as a refresh of the 13-inch MacBook Pro and the MacBook Air in October.

Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has said that a new MacBook Air with a scissor keyboard would launch in the second half of 2019, and a new MacBook Pro with a scissor keyboard in 2020.

This would be roughly a month after the new iPhones are launched, so seems like we’ve only got exciting things to come from Apple!

2 Apple ads score Emmy nominations

The Emmy nominations were just announced and two of Apple’s ads are in the running to receive the 2019 Outstanding Commercial Emmy, which is pretty damn cool.

Both of the ads were created by Apple’s longtime advertising partner, TBWA/Media Arts Lab.

See below the two ads that are in the running:

 “Make Something Wonderful” 

 “Don’t Mess With Mother,” from Apple’s “Shot on iPhone” campaign. 

Apple Celebrates the 50th Anniversary of Apollo 11

Today is the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission leaving earth for the moon, and this coming Saturday will commemorate that mission landing on the Moon.

To celebrate, Apple has shared a video with clips from its upcoming Apple TV+ show “For All Mankind” along with commentary from people who have worked on the series. The show is about an alternate history that explores what might have happened had the global space race never ended and had the USSR landed the first humans on the moon.

See below:

“For All Mankind” will be included in Apple’s upcoming Apple TV+ streaming service, set to launch this fall.

Amazon Prime Day Concert!

Prime day is coming up, starting at midnight on July 15th and lasting through until July 16th.

BUT on July 10th at 9:00 p.m. ET, if you’re a Prime member, you’ll be able to stream the Prime Day Concert starring Taylor Swift,  Dua Lipa, SZA, and Becky G and hosted by Glee alum Jane Lynch. It’ll also be available to Prime members to stream on-demand for a limited time, with select songs from each performance.

See the trailer for the Amazon Prime Concert below!

Jony Ive is leaving Apple!

Design genius Jony Ive announced today that he is leaving Apple after decades at the company!

Limelight-shy Ive is credited with developing the iPhone, iMac, and iPod, and will leave Apple at the end of this year.  So what’s next?

Well, he’s not going too far, actually. Ive is starting his own design firm called LoveFrom – and Apple will be his very first customer. Apple designer Marc Newsom will also be joining him there.

From Tim Cook:

“Jony is a singular figure in the design world and his role in Apple’s revival cannot be overstated, from 1998’s groundbreaking iMac to the iPhone and the unprecedented ambition of Apple Park, where recently he has been putting so much of his energy and care,”

From the man himself:

“There are some areas that are personal natural passions for me,” he said to the FT. “The work that we’ve been doing with wearable technology — with technology becoming more personal, there is an inevitability that it becomes worn.”