iOS 16 Wish List: We Hope These iPhone Features Debut at WWDC 2022

Commentary: WWDC 2022 is just days away. Here’s everything we want Apple to add and fix in its next big iPhone update.

Commentary: WWDC 2022 is just days away. Here’s everything we want Apple to add and fix in its next big iPhone update.

Apple’s annual Worldwide Developers Conference kicks off Monday, and with it we’re expecting an early look at iOS 16 — likely the name of Apple’s next software version for the iPhone. Apple is expected to share previews of iOS 16, iPadOS 16, WatchOS 9, MacOS and other software. We’re most excited about the next version of iOS, since it usually includes a few impressive changes for the iPhone.

Rumors for iOS 16 are relatively sparse, which is typical for unreleased Apple software. So it will truly be a surprise to see what new iOS features are revealed.

The last three versions of iOS have been similar. iOS 15 feels like a riff on iOS 14, which felt like a continuation of iOS 13. Any visual changes are able to be turned on and off instead of being forced onto your iPhone. For example, if you don’t like home screen widgets or Focus mode, you don’t have to use them. Even if you opt out of the more conspicuous changes, running iOS 15 brings a bunch of background improvements to keep your iPhone running smoothly and securely. And that will likely be the case with iOS 16.

iOS 15 has been out for seven months and the operating system has been relatively stable with very few bugs. Some features, such as Universal Control and SharePlay, took a while to roll out, but everything seems to be up and running now. iOS 16 will likely continue where iOS 15 leaves off, adding new features to the existing design.

But that doesn’t mean there aren’t things Apple needs to add or improve. My colleagues and I came up with a list of improvements, additions and fixes that we’d like Apple to make for iOS 16. Some are big, like adding support for the Apple Pencil, and others are small but significant, like giving home screen widgets more functionality. We’ll have to wait until June to see what Apple actually does.

Facebook Parent Meta to Change Stock Ticker Symbol to META on June 9

Change comes amid rebranding to focus on building the virtual world of the metaverse.Facebook parent company Meta Platforms said Tuesday its stock will begin trading on the Nasdaq exchange under the ticker symbol META on June 9, replacing the FB symbol it went public with a little more than a decade ago.

The ticker symbol change comes roughly seven months after Facebook announced its rebranding to Meta to reflect the company’s focus on building the metaverse, a virtual world where people work, play, learn and connect with their friends and family.

At the time, Facebook announced it would start trading under the new stock ticker MVRS but later said it would delay the change until the first until the first quarter of this year.

Roundhill Investments had used the META stock symbol for its Roundhill Ball Metaverse ETF but relinquished it in January, allowing Meta to take over ownership.

The change comes at a challenging time for the social networking giant. In February, the company reported disappointing fourth-quarter earnings and a drop in daily users, underscoring how much the company relies on social media as it develops its metaverse ambitions.

Stock Up on Cables, Adapters and More With One-Day Discounts on UGreen Accessories

Ditch that tangled nest of cables on your desk or nightstand with these handy UGreen adapters.

Sometimes, the added “convenience” of wireless connectivity ends up being more of a hassle than it’s worth. The simplest way to connect two devices is still with a hardwired connection, and there’s a whole ecosystem of cords and adapters out there that make it easier than ever. And today only at Amazon, you can shop a huge selection of UGreen cables, USB-hubs, adapters and other devices that are on sale for up to 38% off. These deals expire tonight at 11:55 p.m. PT (2:55 a.m. ET), so be sure to get your order in before then.

Whether you use a Mac or a PC, an iPhone or an Android, you’ll find tons of helpful cords and adapters that can add some serious versatility to your devices at this sale. If your laptop, tablet or two-in-one is pretty limited on ports, you can grab this handy seven-in-one USB-C hub. It features an Ethernet port, an SD and microSD card reader, an HDMI port that supports 4K video at 60Hz and more, and you can pick it up for just $27, $13 off the usual price. Or, if you’re tired of constantly having to track down a different cable specifically for your Apple devices, you can pick up this simple Lightning cable-to-USB-C adapter for just $20, saving you $5 off the normal price. Even if you’re not looking for any adapters, this sale is still a great chance to snag a few extra charging cables at a discount. You can pick up this two-pack of 6-foot USB-A-to-USB-C cables for just $7, or this single USB-C-to-USB-C fast charging cable for just $9.

Apple’s iPhone 14 Release Date May Be Just 3 Months Away

When does the iPhone 14 arrive? Here’s what Apple’s history and some current rumors tell us.

The iPhone 14 is expected to be the next phone in Apple’s 2022 flagship line. There are numerous rumors buzzing around regarding the next iPhone’s design, price and new features (maybe it’ll finally be notchless with Touch ID), but at this stage in its development cycle, most leaks and rumors should probably be taken with a grain of salt. Plenty of iPhone 13 rumors turned out to be false, after all.

There haven’t been rumors on the release date for the next iPhone. We know that Apple is hosting WWDC 2022 starting June 6. It’s likely Apple will announce iOS 16, the next major software version for the iPhone, during the keynote on the first day. Apple hasn’t announced a date for a fall event, when the newest iPhone is typically announced. Typically Apple hosts the annual fall iPhone event in September with releases coming shortly thereafter.

Read more: Hey, Apple, Here’s What I Want to See on the iPhone 14

Apple tends to unveil its new iPhones either on the first or second Tuesday of September. Last year, the iPhone 13 series officially made its debut on Tuesday, Sept. 14, followed by preorders beginning on Friday, Sept. 17, and then the phones went on sale Sept. 24. For the iPhone 14, Apple could hold its fall event either on Tuesday, Sept. 6, or Tuesday, Sept. 13. Since iPhones usually go up for preorder on the Fridays of the same week, I’d expect that to happen next year on Friday, Sept. 9, or Friday, Sept. 16.

iPhone release dates are usually a week and a half after Apple’s announcements. Sometimes launch dates are staggered for specific models, especially when introducing a new design or size. So it’s possible the iPhone 14 lineup will have more than one release date.

There’s also another theory that’s been floating around for a few years. In 2018, CNET took a deep dive into the Apple event timeline and emerged with a compelling Labor Day hypothesis. Based on the 2022 calendar, the Labor Day rule would put the September Apple event (and the iPhone 14 unveil) on Wednesday, Sept. 7, with a Friday, Sept. 16, release date. However, the Labor Day prediction was a week off for 2021 — and, because of coronavirus delays, about a month off in 2020.

For a more in-depth look at iPhone rumors, check out every rumor we’ve heard about Apple’s iPhone 14 and our story on whether there will be a foldable iPhone. Also, take a look at how the iPhone 13 compares with the iPhone 12, the best iPhone cases you can buy in 2021 and our guesses about the next Apple event in general.

Google probed by competition watchdog over ad dominance

The UK’s competition watchdog has announced a probe into Google’s dominance of the advertising market.

The Competitions and Markets Authority (CMA) is investigating whether Google used its prominence to illegally favour its own services over those of rivals.

This is its second active investigation into Google’s ad-tech practices.

A Google representative said: “We will continue to work with the CMA to answer their questions and share the details on how our systems work.”

They said: “Advertising tools from Google and many competitors help websites and apps fund their content – and help businesses of all sizes effectively reach their customers.

“Google’s tools alone have supported an estimated £55bn in economic activity for over 700,000 businesses in the UK – and when publishers choose to use our advertising services, they keep the majority of revenue.”

UK government sets out plans to rein in Big Tech
The investigation will look at the “ad-tech stack”, services that allow online advertising slots to be bought and sold.

It has divided this into three sections, in each of which, it says, Google owns the largest service provider:

demand-side platforms – where advertisers buy online advertising space
ad exchanges – where companies buy ads
ad servers – which choose the ads shown on a website
According to the CMA, UK advertisers spent about £1.8bn on this type of online advertising in 2019.

Ioannis Kokkoris, professor of competition law and economics, at Queen Mary University of London, said the issue for the CMA surrounded Google packaging up services from these sections.

“Under standard competition law, a company which is dominant in one market cannot tie together different products that it sells,” he said.

“It cannot impose exclusivities of any type.

“The CMA says what Google is doing is imposing on the advertisers, ‘If you want to use our ad exchange, then you must use our ad server.’

“It says Google is foreclosing other players from entering these markets.

“If the CMA can prove what it says the issue is, then that conduct is anticompetitive.

“It all boils down to whether the CMA will have the evidence to actually prove it.”

‘Loom large’
CMA chief executive Andrea Coscelli said: “We’re worried that Google may be using its position in ad tech to favour its own services to the detriment of its rivals, of its customers and ultimately of consumers.

“It’s vital that we continue to scrutinise the behaviour of the tech firms which loom large over our lives and ensure the best outcomes for people and businesses throughout the UK.”

If Google is found to have broken competition law, the CMA may choose to launch a subsequent investigation under the Competition Act 1998.

If this further investigation finds a breach of the law, it can impose a fine of up to 10% of Google’s worldwide turnover.

Looking for a Career in IT? Apple Could Train You

These self-paced IT training and certification programs can show you how to support iPhones, Macs and other Apple devices in the workplace.

If you’re looking to change careers, Apple has introduced two new professional training and certification programs to train IT workers, or anyone who wants to start a career in IT. Apple’s programs will explain how to deploy, manage and support iPhones, Macs and other Apple devices used in the workplace. You can sign up for the courses here.

Apple named the courses Apple Device Support and Apple Deployment and Management, and the courses are sequential.

The Apple Device Support course covers tools, services and best practices for Apple products, and the company said the course has about 14 hours of content to cover. Once completed, you’ll have to take an exam to earn certification and to advance to the next course.

The Apple Deployment and Management course will show you how to configure, manage and secure Apple products using Mobile Device Management. Apple estimates there is about 13 hours of content in this course. Once the course is complete, you can take the certification exam.

Each exam costs $149. Apple said it will offer scholarships covering the cost of the exams to students in its Community Education Initiative. Anyone with financial difficulties can also apply for vouchers from the Mac Admins Foundation to help pay for the cost of the exams.

“Apple Professional Training helps anyone with an interest in technology … pursue high-paying IT jobs with certifications that will stand out to potential employers,” Susan Prescott, Apple’s vice president of enterprise and education marketing, said in a release. “The new courses are self-paced and freely available, and we are working to ensure ability to pay isn’t a barrier to earning Apple certification.”

Apple is also offering in-person preparatory courses at community colleges and universities. A version of these courses was offered at Austin Community College in Austin, Texas, in 2020. Maricopa Community Colleges in Chandler and Mesa, Arizona and Ed Farm, an education nonprofit based in Birmingham, Alabama, will offer the courses soon.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics found the number of jobs in the computer and information technology field is expected to grow by 13% by 2030, and there are about 42,400 openings in this field each year. The median yearly wage for these careers is about $97,430, which is much higher than the median yearly wage for all other jobs at $45,760.

iPhone 14 Will Reportedly Come With a Better Front Camera

A South Korean supplier could bring the iPhone’s front-facing camera to a high-end standard.

Apple has reportedly chosen a new supplier for its front-facing camera to make a high-end lens. South Korean supplier LG Innotek will install the new selfie camera on the upcoming iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro, according to a report Monday from South Korea-based tech news site ET News, citing unnamed industry sources. The front camera will also come with an auto-focus function, the report said.

The iPhone 14 is expected to be launched in the fall and is rumored to ditch the notched display. Apple is also expected to get rid of the iPhone Mini, leaving an iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Pro, iPhone 14 Max and iPhone 14 Pro Max in the new lineup. Screen sizes are also expected to get a little bigger, while physical SIM cards could also be on the way out as iPhones move to eSIM only.

Apple didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

AMD Previews CPUs for Cheap Laptops, Flagship Gaming PCs

During her keynote for Computex 2022, chip-giant AMD’s CEO Lisa Su previewed new products and technologies we can expect to see starting in the next few months and heading into the rest of 2022. They include the long-teased next-gen Ryzen 7000 series of 5nm desktop CPUs — code named “Rafael” — and its accompanying platform architecture, as well as new Ryzen CPUs (code name “Mendocino”) intended for cheap laptops and Chromebooks costing $399-$699.

New budget mobile CPUs aren’t seismic news, but the products they drive are the ones people are looking for. In this case, AMD will be bumping its low-end Ryzen mobile chips for Windows laptops and Chromebooks, seemingly updates to the Ryzen 3 5425U and 5425C (though AMD didn’t specify, not did it specify the name of the lines), most notably with RDNA 2 integrated graphics and some of the newer power-saving technologies that will allow the laptops to hit AMD’s target 10 hours of battery life in mixed use. The jump to RDNA 2 alone should provide a notable lift for those laptops.

Next-gen PC CPUs
AMD dropped a bit about its upcoming Zen 4 architecture at CES 2022, and today offered up a lot more detail — including that it seems to be on track for the second half of this year.

Zen 4 is based on dual 5nm chiplets containing the processor cores sharing space with 6nm supporting chipset that adds an integrated GPU based on its RDNA 2 architecture — recently incorporated into its Ryzen 6000 mobile processors — which can output HDMI 2.1 and DisplayPort 2. It also catches up to Intel with support for DDR5 memory, Wi-Fi 6E and up to 24 lanes for storage and graphics of bleeding-edge PCIe Gen 5 slots.

The cores have twice as much L2 cache (1MB per core) and an expanded instruction set to enable more AI acceleration. AMD claims that all this results in more than a 15% increase in single core performance and allowing it to hit a max boost frequency of more than 5GHz. Although it’s shrunk the gap substantially, AMD still tends to lag Intel for single-core speed, which applications tend to use for intensive processing for short bursts.

There aren’t any PCIe 5 NVMe SSDs shipping yet, but AMD says that at least Crucial should have one ready when the new motherboards launch in the fall.

Speaking of motherboards, the Ryzen 7000 uses a new socket, AM5, that has a larger number of pins than AM4, as well as native support for a processor power draw of 170 watts (AM4 is 142 watts). One drawback of the new architecture: it doesn’t support DDR5, only DDR4. Since DDR5 is still more expensive than DDR4, it means you can’t configure cheap and wait until prices drop to upgrade.

The motherboard chipsets will come in three versions, just like they do today: An X670 Extreme for control-freak overclockers, with PCIe 5 throughout; X670 with based overclocking, at least one PCIe 5 m.2 NVMe slot and optional PCIe 5 for the graphics card; and a mainstream B650, which only has PCIe 5 for the m.2 SSD. Motherboards for the first wave of systems will come from the usual suspects, ASRock, Asus, BioStar, Gigabyte and MSI.

Speedier Storage
The company also announced a new addition to its “Smart” gaming laptop repertoire, SmartAccess Storage, which incorporates support for Windows 11’s DirectStorage — the technology used by the Xbox Series X and S — to speed the loading of games and gaming assets from an SSD by performing texture decompression on the graphics chip and providing the GPU direct access to system memory (SmartAccess Memory), allowing it to take a speedier route to graphics memory rather than the usual long way around via the CPU.

It joins SmartShift Max, which can shuffle power as needed between the CPU and GPU in supported games to maximize speed where you need it most and SmartAccess Graphics, which intelligently switches the display connection between integrated and discrete graphics processors (a convenient change that uses less power than the typical hybrid graphics design), as well as SmartShift Eco, which can automatically switch between the two GPUs when it detects you’ve disconnected your power adapter.

All of these go into a laptop that AMD dubs AMD Advantage, which like Intel’s Evo branding, signifies that it uses the most current AMD chips and technologies. This summer, Corsair will launch a new AMD Advantage laptop, which AMD claims is the first optimized for streaming, the Corsair Voyager. “Optimized” means it incorporates streaming tech from Elgato (owned by Corsair) with software and 10 dedicated keyboard keys to emulate a Stream Deck and a FHD webcam plus software based off the Elgato Facecam. You’ll be able to buy customized versions of the Voyager through Origin PC (also owned by Corsair).

Microsoft’s Bing Applied China’s Political Censorship to Some North American Searches, Report Says

The tech giant’s Bing search engine reportedly didn’t autofill search suggestions for terms the Chinese government typically censors. Microsoft said it was a “misconfiguration.”

Microsoft’s search engine applied Chinese-style censorship to some North American searches, according to a new report, raising questions about the tech giant’s dedication to the flow of information across the internet.

Bing’s autofill search system, which lists suggestions based on a word or the beginning letters typed into a search box, failed to work with names and terms that the Chinese government is known to find politically sensitive, according to a new report from Citizen Lab, a public interest cybersecurity group. The organization found that in December last year, people prompting searches that would suggest connections to Chinese party leaders, dissidents or other politically sensitive topics, were regularly censored.

Microsoft acknowledged and reportedly fixed the issue, telling a reporter at The Wall Street Journal that it was a technical error that had caused people outside China to be affected by settings meant for that country. “A small number of users may have experienced a misconfiguration that prevented surfacing some valid autosuggest terms, and we thank Citizen Lab for bringing this to our attention,” a Microsoft spokeswoman said, according to The Wall Street Journal. Microsoft didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

Citizen Lab contended that regardless of Microsoft’s intention, the result harmed internet use around the world. “The findings in this report again demonstrate that an Internet platform cannot facilitate free speech for one demographic of its users while applying extensive political censorship against another demographic of its users,” Citizen Lab researchers wrote.

The report from Citizen Lab is the latest in a string of examples in which tech companies have failed to live up to their stated goals of encouraging free expression and the flow of information around the globe. Microsoft in particular has been outspoken against the Chinese government, which often demands tech giants censor politically sensitive information. That includes, for example, history of the Tiananmen Square democratic protests in 1989.

Microsoft isn’t the only tech company grappling with these issues. Apple has been widely criticized for censoring its App Store in China, among other reported privacy concessions. Google as well has a contentious relationship with the Chinese government, having pulled its search engine from the country in 2010, yet still seeing its Android software power most of the phones people use there.

Citizen Lab’s latest report on Microsoft follows a string of other investigations, including one that found Apple censored engravings for products in China and Hong Kong. Citizen Lab is connected to the University of Toronto and has helped identify threats against free expression, such as the Pegasus spyware operations that targeted activists, journalists, politicians and corporate executives.

Canada to ban China’s Huawei and ZTE from its 5G networks

Canada says it will ban two of China’s biggest telecoms equipment makers from working on its 5G phone networks.

The restrictions against Huawei and ZTE were announced by the country’s industry minister on Thursday.

Francois-Philippe Champagne says the move will improve Canada’s mobile internet services and “protect the safety and security of Canadians”.

Several nations – including the UK, US, Australia and New Zealand – have already put restrictions on the firms.

The four countries, along with Canada, make up an intelligence-sharing arrangement named ‘Five Eyes’. It evolved during the Cold War as a mechanism for monitoring the Soviet Union and sharing classified information.

Canada’s announcement was widely expected, as its allies had already barred Huawei and ZTE from their own high-speed networks.

Speaking to reporters in the Canadian capital of Ottawa, Mr Champagne said the decision came after “a full review by our security agencies and consultation with our closest allies”.

“Let me be very clear: We will always protect the safety and security of Canadians and will take any actions necessary to safeguard our telecommunication infrastructure,” he added.

“In a 5G world, at a time where we rely more and more in our daily lives [on] our network, this is the right decision.”

A spokesperson for the Chinese embassy in Ottawa told the Reuters news agency that Beijing sees the security concerns raised by Canada as a “pretext for political manipulation”.

The spokesperson for China also accused Canada of working with the US to suppress Chinese companies.

The Chinese embassy in Ottawa, Huawei and ZTE did not immediately respond to BBC requests for comment.

Huawei board members resign over stance on Ukraine
US bans Chinese telecom giant over spying concerns
5G, or fifth generation, is the next upgrade to mobile internet networks, offering much faster data download and upload speeds.

It also allows more devices to simultaneously access the internet.

It comes as data usage is soaring, as the popularity of video and music streaming grows. This is pushing governments and mobile phone network operators to improve their telecommunications infrastructures.

The Canadian government’s decision means that telecoms firms in country will no longer be allowed to use equipment made by Huawei and ZTE.

Companies that have already installed the equipment made by the Chinese manufacturers must now remove it, Mr Champagne said.

Canada first announced a review of Huawei equipment in September 2018.

Some of China’s biggest technology and telecoms firms have been targeted in recent years by governments in the US and other Western nations over national security concerns.

In November, US President Joe Biden signed legislation that stops companies judged to be security threats from receiving new telecoms equipment licences in the country.

It means equipment from Huawei, ZTE and three other Chinese companies are banned for use in US telecoms networks.