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Charlotte Henry

Charlotte is a media junkie, covering how Apple is not just a revolutionary tech firm, but a revolutionary media firm for TMO. She is based in London, and writes and broadcasts for various outlets.

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Articles by Charlotte Henry

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Purple iPhone 12 Begins Shift to Randomized Serial Numbers

Charlotte Henry ·

The transition towards Apple using randomzied serial numbers has begun. The recently released iPhone 12 model is the first device to have them, MacRumors  reported.

With assistance from Aaron Zollo, host of the YouTube channel ZolloTech, we can confirm that the purple iPhone 12 released last month has a new 10-character serial number format, compared to the usual 12 characters for most other Apple products. Apple previously said its randomized serial numbers would initially be 10 characters long, so the purple iPhone 12 appears to be the first Apple product with a randomized serial number. The change likely extends to the purple iPhone 12 mini, but we’ve yet to confirm this.

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Apple Responds After Australian Retailer Pulls AirTags Over Safety Concerns

Charlotte Henry ·

Australian retailer Officeworks pulled AirTags off its shelves this week citing “safety concerns.” Apple has defended the product, reports TechRadar, insisting it meets all the relevant safety standards.

In response to the report, Apple issued the following statement to TechRadar: “AirTag is designed to meet international child safety standards, including those in Australia, by requiring a two step push-and-turn mechanism to access the user-replaceable battery.  “We are following the regulations closely and are working to ensure that our products will meet or exceed new standards, including those for package labelling, well ahead of the timeline required.” As Apple’s statement above shows, the brand believes that it is conforming with the necessary regulations for sale of goods with coin batteries inside, and should be allowed on sale on Australian shelves.

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Sensor From British Startup Could Turn Apple Watch into a Doctor

Charlotte Henry ·

Wearables, including the Apple Watch, are clearly going to play a big part in Apple’s future. According to a Telegraph report picked up on by Cult of Mac, a sensor from a British firm could be key to taking its medical capabilities to the next level.

The British startup promises to “bring laboratory diagnostics to the wrist.” And Rockley is undoubtedly(sic) working with the iPhone-maker. The company is about to have its IPO, and documentation filed with the SEC mentions, “Apple Inc., Rockley’s largest customer.” But the two companies’ cooperation might not lead to significant change as quickly as some might hope. In March, CEO Andrew Rickman said in the SEC filing, “The commercial launch of Rockley’s consumer product offerings is expected to be in 2022.”

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Oprah Reveals Prince Harry Mental Health Apple TV+ Series to Air in May

Charlotte Henry ·

We may finally be getting close to seeing Prince Harry and Oprah’s long-awaited Apple TV+ series on mental health. The talk show queen revealed that it is coming this month during a recent TV appearance, reported The Independent. 

Winfrey confirmed the release during a recent appearance opposite psychiatrist Dr Bruce D Perry on The Drew Barrymore Show.  “I want to just say that Dr Perry and I have also, for the past two years, along with Prince Harry and Apple, we’ve been working on this mental health series that’s coming out in May on Apple,” she said. The announcement of the duo’s partnership was initially made in April 2019 via a post shared to the official Instagram account for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.

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We Still Don’t Know a Key Bit of Information About the Rumored Folding iPhone

Charlotte Henry ·

Rumors about a folding-iPhone circulated recently after analyst Ming Chi-Kuo suggested that a device a bit larger than the iPhone 12 Pro Max will go on sale in 2023. However, as 9to5 Mac noted, we still don’t know one crucial bit of information – how it will actually fold.

But there are two different ways of designing a folding iPhone that opens up to reveal an 8-inch display. First, there is a vertical fold, like the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 2. What you get there is a device slim enough to fit into a jacket pocket, which then opens up into a rather wide iPad mini-like display. The alternative is a horizontal fold, like the 2019 Motorola Razr. What that gives you is a super-pocketable device that opens up into an even larger Pro Max – creating more vertical space rather than more horizontal room.

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There’s Lots For Apple Watchers to be Excited About

Charlotte Henry ·

Following Apple’s latest blockbuster quarter, there’s lots for fans of the company to be excited about according to Dan Moren. He explained what he’s looking forward to in his latest MacWorld column – wearables, to name but one.

There’s nothing that Apple watchers want to know more than what the next big product coming out of Cupertino might be. They scrutinize supply chains, try to draw information out of company contacts, and, of course, closely pore over every public statement by Apple. When it comes to Apple’s financial calls, one key phrase that often signals what areas Apple might be interested in is “very excited.” If you were listening during last week’s financial call, you would hear that exact phrase uttered by Apple CFO Luca Maestri in relation to precisely one product category: Wearables.

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How Apple is Navigating the Great Semiconductor Shortage

Charlotte Henry ·

Apple is faring better than most as the global semiconductor shortage continues. Reuters analyzed why it is in a better position than other firms, particularly automakers, and also explained why it could face some problems in the near future.

Apple, which is famous for its supply chain management and has more buying power than any other company, has avoided problems so far in meeting surging demand in part by burning through supply buffers, Chief Executive Tim Cook told investors on a conference call Wednesday. Problems procuring chips made with older-generation technologies will catch up with Apple in the current quarter, Cook said, noting that other industries also use such chips. He did not cite automakers specifically, but many of their components are based on such earlier-generation tech. Apple expects the problems to mostly affect iPads and Macs – two product lines that have sold well as work-from-home tools during the pandemic but whose sales are a fraction of Apple’s cash cow, the iPhone. Ford, by contrast, is facing production shutdowns for its most profitable product, the F-150 pickup.