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It looks like we know when the first iPhone 12 model will enter production

When the novel coronavirus pandemic began earlier this year, and virtually every major developer conference, reveal event, and trade show was postponed or canceled, it seemed inevitable that product launches would be affected, too.

After all, factories all over the world were being shut down to stop the spread of the coronavirus and keep employees safe. Yet, for the most part, everything has stayed on schedule, including the release of new MacBook Air, iPad Pro, and iPhone SE models. And a new report suggests that the iPhone 12 will launch on time as well.

According to DigiTimes, volume production of the 6.1-inch iPhone 12 models will begin in July-August ahead of other 2020 models later this year. As noted by MacRumors, the reasoning for the staggered timing is because the two 6.1-inch models will use touch modules that have to be outsourced to other supply chain partners. Meanwhile, 5.4-inch and 6.7-inch models are said to use OLED panels from Samsung, which come with Y-OCTA technology. These Y-OCTA panels have touch sensors built-in and don’t require a separate touch layer.

Previous rumors have suggested that there will be four new iPhone models released this fall. In an April leak, Front Page Tech host Jon Prosser claimed that there will be two base iPhone 12 models, one with a 5.4-inch display and a second with a 6.1-inch display. Both are said to feature two rear cameras and aluminum bodies, as well as A14 chips, OLED displays, and 5G support. The second 6.1-inch model will be the iPhone 12 Pro, and will add a third camera, a LiDAR scanner, and a stainless steel body. Finally, the 6.7-inch iPhone 12 Pro Max will have the same upgrades as the iPhone 12 Pro, but in an even larger form factor, with the largest screen of any iPhone to date.

If production is indeed starting next month, it seems likely that the iPhone 12 is still on track to launch this fall, which has been the general consensus of leakers, reporters, and analysts in recent weeks. The DigiTimes report does say that the launch of the 2020 iPhone lineup “is likely to be in October instead of September” though, which might be a product of demand more than supply, as it’s unlikely the pandemic will be over at any point in 2020.

Apple hasn’t said much about its plans for the fall, but reports claim that Sony – which plans to launch the PlayStation 5 this holiday season – is scaling back its production because of the expected dip in demand. Even if production goes smoothly, it’s possible that Apple will adjust its launch plans for the same reason.

iOS 13.5.1 out now on iPhone with ‘important security updates’

Nearly two weeks after the launch of iOS 13.5 and iPadOS 13.5 on iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch, Apple is out with a seemingly minor update that is said to address security issues.

“This update provides important security updates and is recommended for all users,” the company says in the release notes for iOS 13.5.1, which you can download now on your device. To be clear, this is not a beta release, so anyone can get it right away.

It’s worth noting that this update also comes just days after a massive jailbreak for every device capable of running iOS 13.5 was released, which makes it seem possible that this update is solely to combat the unc0ver jailbreak tool. In fact, one of the hackers behind the tool said as much on Twitter just moments ago.

For those who have yet to upgrade to iOS 13.5, the update includes the Exposure Notification API for developers to make contact tracing apps, improvements for Face ID so that users can unlock their devices more easily while they’re wearing a mask, the ability to stop tiles from changing sizes on Group FaceTime calls, and an option to automatically share important health information with emergency services when you call them.

If you’re wondering whether or not your device is compatible with iOS 13.5 or iPadOS 13.5, we put together a full list below that contains every compatible device. If your device is on there, you’re good to go:

  • iPhone SE 2nd generation
  • iPhone 11 Pro
  • iPhone 11 Pro Max
  • iPhone 11
  • iPhone XS
  • iPhone XS Max
  • iPhone XR
  • iPhone X
  • iPhone 8
  • iPhone 8 Plus
  • iPhone 7
  • iPhone 7 Plus
  • iPhone 6s
  • iPhone 6s Plus
  • iPhone SE
  • 12.9-inch iPad Pro 3rd generation
  • 12.9-inch iPad Pro 2nd generation
  • 12.9-inch iPad Pro 1st generation
  • 10.5-inch iPad Pro
  • 9.7-inch iPad Pro
  • iPad Air 3rd generation
  • iPad Air 2
  • iPad 6th generation
  • iPad 5th generation
  • iPad mini 5th generation
  • iPad mini 4
  • iPod touch 7th generation

As we’re sure you know by now, installing a new iOS or iPadOS update on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch couldn’t be easier. Just navigate to Settings > General > Software Update and then tap “Download and Install” at the bottom of that page. If you want, you can also install the update through iTunes by connecting your iOS device to a computer. Whichever method you choose, just make sure to back up your device before installing the update.

Android 11 announcement delayed due to protests over police brutality

Google released the first Android 11 beta version a few weeks ago, but that’s just the developer preview that usually precedes the formal introduction of a new Android version.

The official reveal typically happens in May, and then the first public beta rolls out a few months ahead of the final version. But 2020 has been anything but typical, as the novel coronavirus changed everything we took for granted. Google was forced to shut down its events, and this year’s I/O was canceled entirely. The Pixel 4a launch was pushed back as a result, and so was the Android 11 reveal and the release of the first public beta.

Google planned to announce Android 11 on June 3rd, nearly a month later than it normally would have, but that’s not happening either. This time around, it’s the recent wave of protests in Minneapolis and other places following the murder of George Floyd.

“We are excited to tell you more about Android 11, but now is not the time to celebrate,” Google wrote on the official Android Developers Twitter account a few hours ago. “We are postponing the June 3rd event and beta release. We’ll be back with more on Android 11, soon.”

Google doesn’t explicitly address uprisings, but the release delay is clearly related to the escalating events surrounding the death of Floyd and other unarmed black individuals killed by police in the past few months.

Protests against police brutality intensified in Minnesota this week, leading to an unexpected turn of events. In a matter of days, we saw police clashing with protestors and going as far as arresting CNN reporters who were covering the protests. The reporters were freed and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz apologized for the arrest of the journalists, saying that “it was totally unacceptable.”

As the protests in Minnesota were unfolding, Trump took to Twitter to address them but managed to get one of his messages flagged for the second time in a matter of days. This time around, the tweet that contained the remark “when the looting starts, the shooting starts” prompted Twitter to censor it for glorifying violence. It then applied the same flag to a White House tweet that quoted the same message.

Separately, federal officials were flying an unarmed Predator drone over Minneapolis on Friday for surveillance purposes.

Later on Friday,  police officer Derrick Chauvin was charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter. Chauvin was the arresting officer seen holding his knee on Floyd’s neck in a video that went viral. Floyd died on Monday. Protests over police brutality continued across the country, with some turning violent.

All of this is happening during an ongoing health crisis sparked by the novel coronavirus that’s able to spread with ease inside communities and crowds, such as the gatherings of people taking part in these protests. With all that in mind, celebrating Android is something that has to be postponed and it will be interesting to see if Sony follows suit with its June 4th PS5 event.

Refurbished iPhone XR models now on sale at Apple’s website

About a month and a half ago, Apple launched the long-awaited follow-up to the iPhone SE. While the design of the second-gen iPhone SE was virtually identical to that of the iPhone 8, the A13 Bionic chip inside the phone brought its performance in line with the flagship iPhone 11.

But the most compelling feature was its price, starting at just $399 for the 64GB model. But even with its upgraded hardware, not everyone likes massive bezels, so they will be pleased to learn that Apple has finally started selling refurbished iPhone XR models in the United States.

According to MacRumors, Apple began selling certified refurbished iPhone XR models this week in a variety of colors and storage capacities. Depending on which model you choose, you can shave between $100 and $120 off the retail price of the phone. At the time of writing, Black, White, Yellow, and Coral were all in stock.

As MacRumors notes, the 256GB model of the iPhone XR was discontinued in September 2019 when the iPhone 11 series arrived, but it has returned alongside the refurbished 64GB and 128GB models, though only in Black. Here are the prices for all of the refurbished iPhone XR models compared to their current prices:

Every refurbished iPhone comes unlocked and without a SIM card, so you can activate it on the carrier of your choice. Refurbished iPhone models also come with the same one-year as a brand new iPhone, all of the same manuals and accessories, a new battery and outer shell, and a new box. Apple notes that the refurbished supply “is usually very limited and we often run out of refurbished inventory,” so act soon if you want one.

With refurbished iPhone X models starting at $599, this is now the cheapest way to join the Face ID crowd and leave the bezels of the mid-2010s behind. That said, the iPhone XR uses an A12 Bionic CPU, which means that you’ll pay $100 more for a phone that is less powerful than the second-gen iPhone SE. For some people, the design is a deal-breaker, but if performance is a priority for you, the iPhone SE is simply a much faster phone. That’s not to say that the iPhone XR is a slouch, but depending on how you use your phone, you might notice the difference.

Here’s one way that Google’s Pixel crushes the iPhone

Technically, the Pixel smartphones are Google’s answer to the iPhone. That’s not to say that they always target the same market, but Pixel is Google’s flagship mobile phone, and a new model launches every year like clockwork.

But when it comes to performance, the iPhone is in a league of its own. The Pixel 4 doesn’t even come close to matching the single-core or multi-core scores of the iPhone 11 in Geekbench (though, to be fair, not many phones do). And yet, despite the performance disparity, there are areas where the Pixel totally crushes the iPhone.

In a tweet that went viral earlier this week, Bloomberg Beta’s James Cham shared a video in which he compares the experience of drafting an email using voice-to-text on two unidentified iPhone and Pixel models. As you will see, the results are almost immediately apparent, and the iPhone doesn’t hold a candle to the Pixel:

In addition to being much, much faster on the Pixel, the dictation is far more accurate on the Pixel as well. By the time Cham finishes speaking, there are enough errors on the iPhone email that he might want to consider retyping it from scratch before sending it to anyone. Meanwhile, the email on the Pixel is virtually flawless.

“Speed has its own quality—the current model for speech is like a command line,” Cham explains in a follow-up to his first tweet. “You say something and wait for a response. Now that voice to text is fast and uses fewer resources than you would think, there’s a chance for truly interactive voice experiences.”

There are a number of explanations for the gulf between the quality of voice-to-text transcription between the two devices, including, as 9to5Google points out, the fact that Google lets Pixel owners download the entire English voice model directly to their phone, which allows it to handle real-time dictation just as quickly and as accurately as if it were being sent to Google’s servers. Regardless, it still significantly outclasses Apple’s solution.

Independent iOS developer Ben Harraway chimed in with a demo of his own, using the on-device speech recognition of the iPhone rather than server recognition. Although the Android phone still comes out on top, the results are much more similar than they were in the original test from Cham:

In terms of design and performance, the iPhone has few equals. But there’s no doubt that Apple still lags far behind the competition in certain areas, such as voice-to-text dictation and virtual AI functionality.