For those readers who haven’t heard, it’s the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee here in the UK, which means I’ve eaten a lot of cake and gotten mildly sunburned while seriously regretting not having attempted to tame my new garden for the last 10 months.
What it also means is that I’m writing this newsletter while I should be swinging away in a hammock, and that’s given me a different perspective. So rather than focusing exclusively on what’s happened this past week, let’s spend some time looking ahead, because next week could be seismic in the world of tech…
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We're so excited for realityOS that we've even mocked up an icon for it (Future)
It’s Apple’s Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC) next week, and the main event is usually a long presentation about software with, every so often, a new Mac or MacBook to write about.
It’s all very interesting, but these things don’t generate the same levels of fervor as an iPhone launch, for instance. However, that could all change this year. Rumor has it that we’ll get our first look at Apple’s realityOS, a new platform that will power its mixed reality (both virtual reality and augmented reality) headset – and that would be huge.
I doubt we’ll see the hardware this soon, despite rumors that it was shown off to senior executives recently, but just confirmation from Apple that it’s creating a headset would be a talking point for months to come.
I really want to see Apple do this. I was hugely impressed with Google’s new AR glasses, which it showed off at Google I/O last month, and that likely fuelled Apple’s sense of urgency in delivering something similar.
If I’m talking about the new Apple Glasses in next week’s newsletter then I’m going to be pretty excited.
The next iPhones could feature an always-on display (Future)
One of the things I’m certain we will see at WWDC this year is the new version of iOS, and it doesn’t take a genius to figure out that it’ll be called iOS 16.
We’ve heard a few rumors about the new features it’ll bring, including larger widgets that can be interacted with from the lock screen, improved health features and – this is the big one – the option to enable an always-on display showing information such as the time, weather and notifications.
The rumors are that this feature will only be available on the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max handsets, and that makes sense to me, with Apple pitching it as a premium feature to sell its top-end phones.
I’m not convinced that it will be shown off next week though; instead, the functionality could just be lurking in the code somewhere, waiting to be spotted by an eagle-eyed developer.
The next MacBook Air is rumored to be arriving in a range of colors (Jon Prosser)
For those of you who aren’t interested in what Apple’s doing, I promise I’ll stop talking about the Cupertino outfit after this – but there’s one more thing that I think we could see next week that would be interesting.
Rumor has it that the new MacBook Air will appear at WWDC, powered by Apple's M1 chipset – which may soon not be its newest engine if the new M2 chip is announced this year.
The new MacBook Air is rumored to feature a new design – no longer tapered from front to back, it might instead look more like a smaller MacBook Pro. That would be a big departure from Apple, and would on its own make it worth tuning in to WWDC.
Honor’s new Earbuds 3 Pro have been called ‘Airpods Pro-beaters’ by our excellent new audio writer, Becky Scarrott. They have a new feature that allows users to take their temperature, and Becky is excited that a pair of earbuds is offering some real innovation.
However, it's not clear whether the temperature-sensing tech will be enabled at launch – and it won't be available at all on models sold in the UK and EU, Honor exclusively told TechRadar. While it didn’t explain why, it’s likely that this is due to an issue with regulatory approval, or possibly the climate in Europe not allowing the sensor to work as well.
While it’s not a must-have feature, it’s still a shame that not everyone who buys the Earbuds 3 Pro will get it. Come on Honor – get your story straight before announcing something as innovative as this.
Netflix's crackdown on password sharing may not be going entirely to plan (Shutterstock / rafapress)
Most Netflix users will by now be aware that the streaming giant is planning a crackdown on password sharing, with the streaming giant looking to charge anyone for sharing their password outside of their household.
Some people have said they’re able to simply skip the verification process, while others say they’ve been charged extra without any notification. Netflix claims it’s happy with how the tests are going, but I’d be surprised if it rolls the charges out worldwide any time soon if these reports are accurate.
Sony thinks successors to its new Xperia 1 IV phone, above, will take better photos than DSLRs (Sony)
A senior Sony executive recently told a business briefing that "we expect that still images [from smartphones] will exceed the image quality of single-lens reflex cameras within the next few years".
That’s huge. Phone cameras are inherently limited by their sensor size, and while computational photography (where the phone uses AI and onboard algorithms to improve the image) is becoming increasingly capable, you still feel like you’re going to get the best photos with a good old DSLR.
So why is Sony making such a bold claim? Well, the Japanese firm thinks that smartphone camera hardware and software are being improved at such a rapid rate that phones overtaking DSLRs (and possibly mirrorless cameras too) is inevitable.
We’ll have to see if Sony’s prediction is borne out, but if I can take professional-level shots on my phone in three years’ time – and then view them on a VR headset – then I think I’ll quite like the future.
The Amazon river doesn't have a single bridge over it (mantaphoto via Getty Images)
Sometimes I have to scratch around to bring you an interesting science story at the end of this newsletter, and then other times – like this week – I read something so interesting that I can’t wait to tell you about it.
That’s the case with this article from the excellent Live Science, and the headline – ‘Why are there no bridges over the Amazon River?’ – sells it really. It's hard to imagine isn't it – 4,300 miles of river and not a single bridge.
It turns out that not only does bridging the Amazon pose a host of engineering challenges – among other things, the river can be up to 30 miles wide during the rainy season, which is mind-blowing in itself – but there isn’t actually much need for bridges, as much of the river runs through sparsely populated areas and there are few roads on either side.
Add in the fact that any bridges (some have been proposed) would give deforesters easier access to the rainforest and you can see why this is such an interesting topic. The whole article is well worth a read.
This is from the editor
Thanks for joining me on another roll through the week in tech. If you’re not an Apple fan you may not have enjoyed me giving the company so much coverage, but what Apple does creates ripples that run through the entire tech sector, and its mooted realityOS and VR headset are going to be huge news when they eventually arrive.
You can let me know what you think about Apple’s plans, and anything else, by emailing me, remembering to include 'NEWSLETTER' in the subject line. And, as ever, if you’ve enjoyed this newsletter but haven't subscribed yet, here’s how you can do just that.
Have a great weekend, and thanks to everyone who wished me well ahead of my wedding last weekend – I got hitched without any hitches, and your messages were lovely!
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