Top Stories: iPad Air With Touch ID Power Button, iOS 14 Beta 6, Latest in Epic Games vs. Apple

[MacRumors]

The dispute between Apple and Epic Games continued to be all over the news this week, but we also saw an interesting leak that claims an upcoming revamped iPad Air will incorporate Touch ID into the power button.

Other news this week included a fresh beta of iOS 14 with a few more tweaks as Apple begins finalizing things and tightening up the beta release cycles, more iPhone 12 rumors, a big stock payday for Tim Cook, and our thoughts on Samsung's latest Galaxy Note20 and what features we'd like to see Apple adopt in future iPhones.

Read on below for details on those stories and more from the past week!

Alleged iPad Air 4 Manual Depicts All-Screen Display, USB-C, and Touch ID Built Into Power Button

If photos of a leaked manual are to be believed, the next iPad Air could feature a slim-bezel design like the iPad Pro, but with a Touch ID power button rather than Face ID for unlocking the device. The next iPad Air could also have a USB-C port like recent iPad Pro models.

While these photos could certainly be photoshopped, there are no obvious signs that they have been faked. The rumor also lines up with reputable analyst Ming-Chi Kuo's prediction that Apple plans to release a new iPhone SE with a Touch ID power button in the first half of 2021.

Timing remains a question mark. Apple filed a lengthy list of unreleased iPad and Apple Watch models in a Eurasian database this week, signaling that new devices are on the horizon, but rumors have been conflicting as to whether the iPad Air 4 will be a fall 2020 or spring 2021 product.

According to leaker Jon Prosser, Apple plans to introduce at least some new iPad and Apple Watch models via press release in September, followed by new iPhones at a (presumably virtual) event in October.

Apple last refreshed the iPad Air in March 2019.

Judge Sides With Apple on Fortnite, Epic on Unreal Engine

U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers this week decided not to force Apple to put Fortnite back on to the App Store, but she did grant a temporary restraining order that prevents Apple from terminating Epic Games' access to developer accounts tied to its Unreal Engine game engine for developers. A final decision on an injunction will be made in September.

In a statement, Apple maintained that "Epic's problem is entirely self-inflicted," adding that would "will gladly welcome Fortnite back onto iOS" if Epic resubmits the app without a direct payment option for V-Bucks, which violates the App Store guidelines and is what prompted this legal battle.

Epic Games confirmed that the new season of Fortnite will not be available to players on iPhone, iPad, or Mac at this time due to the legal proceedings, a decision that prevents cross-platform play. Epic also emailed Fortnite users on Apple's platforms to alert them to the issues, blaming Apple for the situation.

With Epic remaining unwilling to remove the direct payment option, Apple followed through on its previous statements on Friday and terminated Epic's developer account tied to Fortnite, the previous Infinity Blade franchise, and other titles. For the latest developments in this case, read our Epic Games vs. Apple timeline.

What's New in iOS 14 Beta 6: Spatial Audio Settings, Maps Splash Screen and More

Apple this week seeded the sixth betas of iOS 14 and iPadOS 14 to developers for testing purposes, updating and refining some features.

As the beta testing period progresses, changes have started to become smaller and less notable. The sixth beta still has some minor tweaks and feature additions worth mentioning though, including a new toggle switch for an upcoming Spatial Audio feature on AirPods Pro.

We've also shared a list of hidden or lesser-known features worth checking out in iOS 14, complete with a video.

In other software news, Apple seeded the first beta of iOS 13.7, which introduces the ability to opt-in to COVID-19 exposure notifications prior to downloading an app that supports the functionality. The sixth betas of watchOS 7 and tvOS 14 were also made available this week.

iPhone 12 Pro Likely to Ship With 60Hz Display, But Launch Delay to Add 120Hz Possible

Rumors continue to conflict as to whether iPhone 12 Pro models will launch with a "ProMotion" display that would allow for a variable refresh rate up to 120Hz.

Display analyst Ross Young this week said that he expects iPhone 12 models to remain limited to 60Hz, but he added that the company could theoretically postpone the launch of the devices slightly to secure necessary components for a "ProMotion" display like recent iPad Pro models have.

Leaked screenshots, if real, suggest that Apple has at least explored the idea of implementing 120Hz support on iPhone 12 Pro models.

In other iPhone 12 rumors, we learned just how much faster the A14 chip should be, that the devices may have a simpler battery board design, and that Apple appears to be set on shipping the devices without a charger or EarPods in the box, leaving only a Lightning to USB-C cable.

The Best Features in Samsung's New Galaxy Note20 That Apple Should Adopt

Earlier this month, Samsung introduced its new flagship Galaxy Note20 smartphone, which will compete with Apple's upcoming iPhone 12 models.

We're going to do an in-depth comparison when the iPhone 12 comes out, but for now, we thought we'd take a look at the new Galaxy Note20 to highlight some of its best features that Apple should adopt.

Apple CEO Tim Cook Sells $131.7 Million in Apple Stock

Apple CEO Tim Cook was recently awarded 560,000 shares of Apple stock as a reward for his tenure as CEO and the company's strong performance under his leadership relative to the S&P 500.

After receiving the award, Cook sold more than 265,000 of those shares at prices ranging from $493.50 to $500.11, netting him somewhere around $131.7 million, according to filings published by the SEC this week.

Apple became the first U.S. company to achieve a $2 trillion valuation this month, and its stock price has also surpassed the $500 mark at times. Apple recently announced a four-for-one stock split that took effect for shareholders of record as of August 24, with split-adjusted trading to begin on August 31.

MacRumors Newsletter

Each week, we publish an email newsletter like this highlighting the top Apple stories, making it a great way to get a bite-sized recap of the week hitting all of the major topics we've covered and tying together related stories for a big-picture view.

So if you want to have top stories like the above recap delivered to your email inbox each week, subscribe to our newsletter!

Article Link: Top Stories: iPad Air With Touch ID Power Button, iOS 14 Beta 6, Latest in Epic Games vs. Apple

 

[I7guy]

120 mhz is an interesting on again/off again rumor. Apple, let's see you make this happen.

As far as reverse wireless charging, is that a useful option or electronics that are adding to the price unnecessarily? I'm on the fence.

 

[mnsportsgeek]

120 mhz is an interesting on again/off again rumor. Apple, let's see you make this happen.

As far as reverse wireless charging, is that a useful option or electronics that are adding to the price unnecessarily? I'm on the fence.

I think reverse charging is mostly a gimmick, and frankly I’d rather not have it so I don’t have to be a jerk to my friends if they ever ask for juice. Not my fault you aren’t prepared.

 

[JosephAW]

Knowing how Apple innovates and sets the bar for everyone else they will use a insanely high refresh rate of 240+ or use a variable speed like the Apple Watch starting at 1 hertz all the way up depending on the content or scrolling speed.

 

[TheYayAreaLiving 🎗️]

Extremely busy week. I hope we start seeing new leaks soon.

 

[anthogag]

If the "Pro" needs a deferred launch date for the 120 Hz screen, I would say "do it!"

 

[Ries]

"All screen"

 

[nylonsteel]

i can live without 120hz for awhile

 

[ELand-SX70]

I still cannot understand what spatial audio is...

 

[BaltimoreMediaBlog]

I don't think I will buy another iPhone until Apple can figure out Touch ID underneath the screen as others have already.

I liked when Apple was a forward technology company, not stuck in their ways. With COVID issues with Face ID, even Steve Jobs would have admitted the mistake and fixed it by now.

 

[Hastings101]

I don't think I will buy another iPhone until Apple can figure out Touch ID underneath the screen as others have already.

I liked when Apple was a forward technology company, not stuck in their ways. With COVID issues with Face ID, even Steve Jobs would have admitted the mistake and fixed it by now.

Agreed Face ID is a huge PITA right now. I won’t buy another phone that doesn’t have a fingerprint sensor again. It’s not just the lock screen it’s all of the apps that use Face ID too, everything is now so tedious to use in public.

Not that Apple could have seen a worldwide pandemic coming when they came up with it, but they need an alternative for their upcoming products.

 

[Apple_Robert]

I still cannot understand what spatial audio is...

Current audio mode = listening to music pool side and having to turn your head at times to better hear what is playing.
Spatial audio = submerging your head in the water and feeling the water envelope your head from every angle regardless of where you turn your head in the water. That is what your ears will experience.

 

[ELand-SX70]

Current audio mode = listening to music pool side and having to turn your head at times to better hear what is playing.
Spatial audio = submerging your head in the water and feeling the water envelope your head from every angle regardless of where you turn your head in the water. That is what your ears will experience.

Thank you!

 

[AngerDanger]

I still cannot understand what spatial audio is...

Normal earbuds have left and right speakers that play different channels of audio to give the impression that an audio source is more to the left or right of you. If both channels play the same sound, the audio doesn't feel like it's coming from any particular place relative to the listener.

If you want to augment this experience, you need more speakers. Home theaters might have "surround sound" which involves adding speakers behind and in front of the viewer, so sounds can also come from behind and ahead. But how do you do that with earbuds, which only have two speakers?

Spatial audio gives the impression that audio is coming from anywhere in space by varying the volume of audio channels as you turn your head. It uses gyroscope data to determine where your head is facing relative to your phone. Then it plays a sound louder in one ear as that ear gets closer to where it would be in the video shown on your phone.

tl;dr: You know how AR headsets change what's shown onscreen as you move your head? Spatial audio changes the volume of various audio channels as you move your head.

 

[JosephAW]

Retina scan would work in place of Face ID. Needs to be an update to be able to chose between face camera or dot scan with existing hardware.
Should be an option to choose the less secure retina scan or enter passcode number instead of Apple ID password for store.

 

[jayducharme]

I'm not sure I'd like Touch ID being on the power button. It's really simple to unlock my current iPad just by picking it up with my thumb at the bottom, which is a natural way to hold it. Reaching around to the top of the iPad for that thin bar seems unintuitive at best and inconvenient at worse. I assume Apple would then adopt the swipe-up gesture to return to the iPad's home screen instead of just pressing the home button, again taking something that was simple and intuitive and making it a bit more complicated. (I assume the power button wouldn't take you home; it would shut off the iPad.)

 

[richinaus]

I'm not sure I'd like Touch ID being on the power button. It's really simple to unlock my current iPad just by picking it up with my thumb at the bottom, which is a natural way to hold it. Reaching around to the top of the iPad for that thin bar seems unintuitive at best and inconvenient at worse. I assume Apple would then adopt the swipe-up gesture to return to the iPad's home screen instead of just pressing the home button, again taking something that was simple and intuitive and making it a bit more complicated. (I assume the power button wouldn't take you home; it would shut off the iPad.)

if I turn the iPad on and scan my finger at the same time then it really is the same but the button is in a different place. I would prefer this and full screen over the home button any day of the week.
i am looking forward to seeing this iPad.... just hoping there is a mini version.

 

[goobot]

I'm not sure I'd like Touch ID being on the power button. It's really simple to unlock my current iPad just by picking it up with my thumb at the bottom, which is a natural way to hold it. Reaching around to the top of the iPad for that thin bar seems unintuitive at best and inconvenient at worse. I assume Apple would then adopt the swipe-up gesture to return to the iPad's home screen instead of just pressing the home button, again taking something that was simple and intuitive and making it a bit more complicated. (I assume the power button wouldn't take you home; it would shut off the iPad.)

The power button is siri

 

[BaltimoreMediaBlog]

Agreed Face ID is a huge PITA right now. I won’t buy another phone that doesn’t have a fingerprint sensor again. It’s not just the lock screen it’s all of the apps that use Face ID too, everything is now so tedious to use in public.

Not that Apple could have seen a worldwide pandemic coming when they came up with it, but they need an alternative for their upcoming products.

I couldn't have said it better than you, and of course, we all wish the pandemic would disappear in a perfect world. But Apple needs to adapt to the world we now live in, not the one in their laboratories. Face ID is simply a pain right now and unworkable in so many parts of the world and I don't see 2021 being vastly different.

 

[ErikGrim]

Kudos to the team member who came up with this graphic. Genius!

 

[darkslide29]

120 mhz is an interesting on again/off again rumor. Apple, let's see you make this happen.

As far as reverse wireless charging, is that a useful option or electronics that are adding to the price unnecessarily? I'm on the fence.

One would think that parts would add a price increase that Apple may be hesitant to do. But it is interesting to know that the current iPhone 11 has the necessary hardware for two-way charging, but it was software disabled. I couldn’t find the more recent tear down article I’d read that confirmed this, but there was this article too:

iPhone 11 Lineup Said to Include Two-Way Charging Hardware, But Software Disabled

iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, and iPhone 11 Pro Max models include the necessary hardware for a two-way charging feature that was widely rumored for the...

www.macrumors.com

 

[I7guy]

I couldn't have said it better than you, and of course, we all wish the pandemic would disappear in a perfect world. But Apple needs to adapt to the world we now live in, not the one in their laboratories. Face ID is simply a pain right now and unworkable in so many parts of the world and I don't see 2021 being vastly different.

I agree, face id is a bit of a pain, but I'm managing. But then again touch id with gloves is also a bit of a pain. So there is no perfect solution.

 

[0906742]

Where is power button located if it has touch id? I mean if it is thin bar like in the current Air 3 I don't see how it could work? It would have to be the kind where you need to slide your finger over to get it scanned...? Also it would eliminate possibility to use protective covers like Logitech Combo Touch.

I guess the only way would be to use a bit thicker Pro chassis to get enough room for fingerprint scanner.
I would rather guess they are moving to Face id, so it would be still possible to implement it in a current Air 3 like case.
Or perhaps they are bringing something new in the current Pro models (like that new MicroLed display and new CPU) and then just make current Pro to new Air with some features removed (like it was with Pro 10.5" to Air 3).

 

[insoft.uk]

I don't think I will buy another iPhone until Apple can figure out Touch ID underneath the screen as others have already.

I liked when Apple was a forward technology company, not stuck in their ways. With COVID issues with Face ID, even Steve Jobs would have admitted the mistake and fixed it by now.

under the screen for a tablet is not a good fit,one naturally would have their fingers on the edge of the tablet when picking it up unlike a phone, with a phone one is more used to raising it then pressing onto the screen with a tablet you pick it up with both hands and naturally it would be the side you touch first.

 

[ArtOfWarfare]

Kudos to the team member who came up with this graphic. Genius!

Funny perhaps, but likely backwards. Sentiment outside of MacRumors and 9to5Mac is uniformly negative towards Apple over this story.

There's a growing pile of investigations into Apple's practices around the world. I'm sure we'll see a whole spectrum of conclusions reached - I don't think anyone would disagree with me on that? This is going to lead to Apple having to make changes. They could just make the changes in how the app store or IAP works in some regions, but I find that unlikely. It'd be a major crack in Apple's armor and lead to more governments demanding the same changes get made in their part of the world. Apple could just withdraw from some smaller countries, but that contraction would (rightfully) spook investors.

I think Apple will most likely make major changes. Maybe those changes will be revealed at WWDC 2021 and roll out in iOS 15? Apple would want to save face and make it look like they're doing it of their own accord because they want to and like they've planned it since iPhone OS 3, 12 years ago. But... that just seems like it's too far away. Governments will demand changes sooner than that.