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This week saw a good mix of Apple news and rumors, including an update for Apple's MagSafe Battery Pack that will let you charge your iPhone more quickly while on the go and some fresh iPhone 14 lineup rumors.

top-stories-23-apr-2022.jpg

Other topics included Samsung's new M8 display as a competitor to Apple's Studio Display, a fresh round of operating system betas, and more, so read on below for all of the details!

MagSafe Battery Pack Now Able to Charge at Faster 7.5W Speed After Firmware Update

Apple this week released a firmware update for the MagSafe Battery Pack that allows the battery pack to wirelessly charge an iPhone at up to 7.5W speeds, up from the previous 5W limit.

magsafe-battery-pack-iphone-12-mini.jpg

We've shared step-by-step instructions on how to update the MagSafe Battery Pack's firmware. The firmware version can be checked on an iPhone in the Settings app under General > About > MagSafe Battery Pack.

Kuo: iPhone 14 Models Likely to Feature Upgraded Front Camera With Autofocus

All four iPhone 14 models that are expected to launch later this year will likely feature an upgraded front camera with autofocus and a wider ƒ/1.9 aperture, according to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.

iPhone-14-Purple-Feature.jpg

Kuo said these camera upgrades could result in an improved depth-of-field effect for Portrait mode photos and videos, while autofocus can enhance focus during video calls in apps like FaceTime and Zoom.

In other iPhone 14 rumors, we caught our first sight of case manufacturer molds for the lineup, giving us a better real-world idea of how the lineup will look as it transitions to two Max-sized models and no mini-sized model.

Samsung's New 32-Inch 'M8' Display vs. Apple's Studio Display

Samsung recently introduced the M8, a new 32-inch 4K display that's priced at $700, making it less than half as expensive as the Studio Display from Apple.

samsung-m8-display.jpg

For one of our latest YouTube videos, we decided to compare the M8 to Apple's Studio Display to see how it performs and whether you can save some money by going with a cheaper option.

Apple Seeds Second Betas of iOS 15.5 and iPadOS 15.5

Apple this week seeded the second betas of iOS 15.5 and iPadOS 15.5 to developers and public beta testers. So far, these updates have only minor changes, such as tweaks to Apple Pay Cash.

iOS-15.5-Version-Feature-2.jpg

iOS 15.5 and iPadOS 15.5 will likely be the final notable updates ahead of iOS 16 and iPadOS 16 being announced. Apple also seeded the second betas of macOS Monterey 12.4, watchOS 8.6, and tvOS 15.5.

The MacRumors Show: Jon Rettinger Talks WWDC 2022 Expectations, iOS 16 Wishlist, and More

Jon Rettinger, a YouTuber and founder of tech website TechnoBuffalo, joined us on The MacRumors Show podcast this week to take a deep dive into WWDC expectations and what we would like to see from Apple's forthcoming software updates.

the-MacRumors-show-jon-Rettinger-1.jpg

Listen to The MacRumors Show via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Pocket Casts, Castro, Google Podcasts, or subscribe by copying our RSS feed directly into your podcast player. You can also watch a video version of the podcast on our YouTube channel.

Netflix Loses Subscribers for the First Time in 10 Years, Blames Account Sharing

Netflix this week announced that it lost 200,000 subscribers in the first quarter of 2022, marking the streaming service's first quarter-over-quarter decline in subscribers in a decade.

netflix2.jpg

In a letter to shareholders, Netflix said that its revenue growth has "slowed considerably," with the company faulting "a large number of households sharing accounts" and "competition" as reasons for the drop off.

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: MagSafe Battery Pack Update, iPhone 14 Rumors, and More
 

Hmm... I would have gone with a quarter inch camera 'bump', four lenses, and a small flat radar plate antenna myself, but... OH, I KNOW! An Iridium style 'stick' antenna, because anything else isn't likely to be usable. *shrug*

From someone who has a few images with part of a finger in them, this is pretty funny. No way to avoid that with this mock-up...
 
That Samsung display is looking like a really good deal
It’s not. I’ve had mine 2 days and already have dead pixels. Also don’t put this next to a new iMac or Apple display. You’ll notice the subpar performance, the dim display and how the monitor gets dark around the edges.
The good thing, the return process seems to be solid.
 

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That Samsung display is looking like a really good deal
I saw the max tech review and the M8 looks like a good display until you put it next to a good display.

The camera isn’t as good despite being always 1080p, the microphone system is bad. The speakers are just barely almost okay, and the colors are not as good. Off axis viewing falls off way faster.

So it costs about half as much, but is still overpriced. Maybe at $400, but at $700, you are getting close to a48” OLED.
 
Glad I skipped last years iphone for this one. Looks like worth the wait
 


This week saw a good mix of Apple news and rumors, including an update for Apple's MagSafe Battery Pack that will let you charge your iPhone more quickly while on the go and some fresh iPhone 14 lineup rumors.

top-stories-23-apr-2022.jpg

Other topics included Samsung's new M8 display as a competitor to Apple's Studio Display, a fresh round of operating system betas, and more, so read on below for all of the details!

MagSafe Battery Pack Now Able to Charge at Faster 7.5W Speed After Firmware Update

Apple this week released a firmware update for the MagSafe Battery Pack that allows the battery pack to wirelessly charge an iPhone at up to 7.5W speeds, up from the previous 5W limit.

magsafe-battery-pack-iphone-12-mini.jpg

We've shared step-by-step instructions on how to update the MagSafe Battery Pack's firmware. The firmware version can be checked on an iPhone in the Settings app under General > About > MagSafe Battery Pack.

Kuo: iPhone 14 Models Likely to Feature Upgraded Front Camera With Autofocus

All four iPhone 14 models that are expected to launch later this year will likely feature an upgraded front camera with autofocus and a wider ƒ/1.9 aperture, according to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.

iPhone-14-Purple-Feature.jpg

Kuo said these camera upgrades could result in an improved depth-of-field effect for Portrait mode photos and videos, while autofocus can enhance focus during video calls in apps like FaceTime and Zoom.

In other iPhone 14 rumors, we caught our first sight of case manufacturer molds for the lineup, giving us a better real-world idea of how the lineup will look as it transitions to two Max-sized models and no mini-sized model.

Samsung's New 32-Inch 'M8' Display vs. Apple's Studio Display

Samsung recently introduced the M8, a new 32-inch 4K display that's priced at $700, making it less than half as expensive as the Studio Display from Apple.

samsung-m8-display.jpg

For one of our latest YouTube videos, we decided to compare the M8 to Apple's Studio Display to see how it performs and whether you can save some money by going with a cheaper option.

Apple Seeds Second Betas of iOS 15.5 and iPadOS 15.5

Apple this week seeded the second betas of iOS 15.5 and iPadOS 15.5 to developers and public beta testers. So far, these updates have only minor changes, such as tweaks to Apple Pay Cash.

iOS-15.5-Version-Feature-2.jpg

iOS 15.5 and iPadOS 15.5 will likely be the final notable updates ahead of iOS 16 and iPadOS 16 being announced. Apple also seeded the second betas of macOS Monterey 12.4, watchOS 8.6, and tvOS 15.5.

The MacRumors Show: Jon Rettinger Talks WWDC 2022 Expectations, iOS 16 Wishlist, and More

Jon Rettinger, a YouTuber and founder of tech website TechnoBuffalo, joined us on The MacRumors Show podcast this week to take a deep dive into WWDC expectations and what we would like to see from Apple's forthcoming software updates.

the-MacRumors-show-jon-Rettinger-1.jpg

Listen to The MacRumors Show via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Pocket Casts, Castro, Google Podcasts, or subscribe by copying our RSS feed directly into your podcast player. You can also watch a video version of the podcast on our YouTube channel.

Netflix Loses Subscribers for the First Time in 10 Years, Blames Account Sharing

Netflix this week announced that it lost 200,000 subscribers in the first quarter of 2022, marking the streaming service's first quarter-over-quarter decline in subscribers in a decade.

netflix2.jpg

In a letter to shareholders, Netflix said that its revenue growth has "slowed considerably," with the company faulting "a large number of households sharing accounts" and "competition" as reasons for the drop off.

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: MagSafe Battery Pack Update, iPhone 14 Rumors, and More
Just updated my Magsafe battery pack to latest firmware. Noticed it runs less warm
 
Anyone using a MagSafe battery pack? I'd be happy to read your usecase! Thanks
 
Anyone using a MagSafe battery pack? I'd be happy to read your usecase! Thanks
i've been using it since launch but havent tried the update yet. i use iphone 13 pro max and it only charges about 50-65% ish depending if your'e using your phone or not. only reason for use is portability and ease of use (no cables)
 
Just updated my Magsafe battery pack to latest firmware. Noticed it runs less warm
How can it possibly run less warm when it's charging faster? And that means it's pushing more electrons, which means more friction and more heat.
 
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