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Feature AppleInsider is supported by its audience and may earn commission as an Amazon Associate and affiliate partner on qualifying purchases. These affiliate partnerships do not influence our editorial content. Apple has decisively transitioned its new MacBook Pros to use the slim, unidirectional new USB-C port first introduced on the Retina MacBook a year and a half ago. Its latest MacBook Pro machines not only supply more connectors, but also support the enhanced new USB 3.1 Gen 2 and Thunderbolt 3 protocols for blazing fast wired connectivity and high resolution displays. Flex your power Like the Retina MacBook, the new MacBook Pro models no longer use MagSafe, Apple's quick release magnetic plug for delivering power. Power is now delivered via USB-C, which fits snuggly enough to pull your laptop off the edge of a table if something inadvertently tugs the cable hard enough. While many are weeping over the death of their beloved MagSafe, I've … [Read more...] about Everything you need to know about USB-C & Thunderbolt 3 on Apple’s new MacBook Pro

Apple this week posted repairability scores for flagship iPhone and Mac products in France, a measure mandated by the country's government in January. The listings, known as repair indexes, are now displayed on official Apple Store app purchase pages and on Apple's website, reports MacGeneration . Current-generation flagship devices including the iPhone 12 , iPhone 11 and iPhone SE series, as well as MacBook Pro and MacBook Air models, carry the informational mark designed to offer insight into a product's life cycle. Separately, Apple has posted a dedicated webpage on its French website with links to detailed repair index reports covering documentation; disassembly, access and tools; parts availability; parts pricing; and software and services support. Indexes are self-reported and assigned based on cumulative scores in a range of sub-categories. All models in the current iPhone 12 series were assigned a score of 6 out of 10. The iPhone 11 and 11 Pro … [Read more...] about Apple now displays iPhone and Mac repairability scores in France

Apple has informed partner suppliers that it has reduced iPhone 12 mini production plans for the first half of 2021, with manufacturing of some specialty parts suspended altogether, according to a report on Wednesday. Citing industry sources familiar with the matter, Nikkei reports major suppliers were recently informed of the production shift that marks a change in Apple's procurement strategy. Prior to the reported downward revision, the tech giant was aggressively buying semiconductors, printed circuit boards and displays amid a worldwide parts shortage. Apple is targeting output at around 75 million iPhone units for the first half of 2021, down 20% from December 2020, the report says. Much of that downgrade is blamed on iPhone 12 mini. Nikkei sources note that demand for other iPhone models like the iPhone 12 Pro remains strong. Today's report echoes rumblings out of Apple's Asian supply chain in January when Pegatron supposedly saw reduced orders for … [Read more...] about Apple reportedly cuts iPhone 12 mini production amid tepid demand

AppleInsider is supported by its audience and may earn commission as an Amazon Associate and affiliate partner on qualifying purchases. These affiliate partnerships do not influence our editorial content. Apple on Wednesday clarified its stance on future integration of Intel's Thunderbolt protocol, saying Macs powered by custom-designed Apple silicon ARM chips will continue to support the connectivity technology. The tech giant in a statement to AppleInsider said Apple silicon Macs will support Thunderbolt's latest specifications. Thunderbolt's future on Mac was in question as Apple is in the beginning stages of transitioning away from Intel's x86 architecture in favor of its own ARM designs. "Over a decade ago, Apple partnered with Intel to design and develop Thunderbolt, and today our customers enjoy the speed and flexibility it brings to every Mac," the company said. "We remain committed to the future of Thunderbolt and will support it in Macs with Apple … [Read more...] about Apple silicon Macs to support Thunderbolt despite shift to ARM

AppleInsider breaks down every record Apple smashed in its gargantuan fiscal quarter ending in December 2020. Apple's first fiscal quarter was one to remember, breaking records left and right on its way to a staggering $111.4 billion in total revenue. While that number was the biggest takeaway, it was far from the only record the company shattered. Total revenue Apple brought in a staggering $111.4B in Q1 2021 During the 1Q 2021 financial quarter, Apple raked in $111.4 billion in total revenue. This is the first time the company has passed $100 billion for a quarter, breaking its previous record of $91.8 billion in the prior year's December-ending quarter. It's all the more surprising that Apple did this during a global pandemic, as many working families cut down on luxury purchases. Impressive iPad and Mac sales boosts may have partially reflected the greater need for work-from-home and Zoom-friendly computing devices. However, the iPhone continued … [Read more...] about Ten records Apple broke in its historic holiday 2020 quarter

Investment bank Morgan Stanley calls recent reports of weaker iPhone demand "supply chain noise," and sees the AAPL pullback as a buying opportunity for investors. In a note to investors seen by AppleInsider , analyst Katy Huberty says she agrees with reports of iPhone 12 mini weakness, but adds that the overall demand environment remains positive for the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro lineup. For one, she cites reports that Apple is cutting iPhone production to 75 million units in the first half of 2021. Although Huberty admits this has contributed to recent AAPL underperformance, she says the news is "noise rather than anything that impacts the fundamental outlook." A recent Morgan Stanley check indicated that there's between three million and five million units of total iPhone build upside risk for the first half of 2021. That's because the bank's research indicates that build orders for specific iPhone 12 and iPhone 11 models are being revised up, not … [Read more...] about iPhone demand weakness just ‘noise,’ outlook remains strong, analyst says

Investment bank Wedbush says that the recent Apple stock sell-off creates a "golden buying opportunity" for investors, and predicts that Apple still has a $3 trillion valuation on the horizon. In a note to investors seen by AppleInsider , lead Wedbush analyst Daniel Ives says the bank has added Apple to its "Best Ideas List." He says that, in the wake of a historic December quarter for Apple, Wall Street has been expecting modest cuts to 2021 iPhone forecasts. Despite that, the analyst says recent checks in Asia are continuing to come in bullish. He continues to predict that Apple could ship upwards of 230 million iPhone units during the year. That number is higher than the current Wall Street consensus of 220 million units. Based on the current trajectory, Ives says that Apple could sell north of 240 million units — with an "eye popping" 250 million units possibly in the cards. He adds that demand in China still looks strong coming out of the Chinese New Year. … [Read more...] about Recent Apple sell-off a ‘golden buying opportunity,’ analyst says

TF Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo in a note to investors on Tuesday reported stronger than expected demand for the tech giant's major device lines, including high-end iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max models. According to a recent survey, demand for Apple's top-tier iPhone 12 models, the new iPad Air , Apple Watch Series 6 and SE , and M1 MacBook models is better than expected moving into the lucrative holiday season, Kuo said. The analyst references a number of previous predictions regarding future products, including new M1 MacBook Pro variants and " AirPods 3 ." The analyst is tracking positive momentum for Apple's important iPhone business despite lower than expected demand for iPhone 12 and 12 mini , with increased interest in the high-end iPhone 12 Pro and 12 Pro Max picking up the slack. Those trends should carry forward into the first half of 2021 and toward an anticipated refresh cycle next fall. Apple's iPad Air, which benefitted from a … [Read more...] about Kuo: Apple’s major product lines enjoy healthy demand in Q4, but AirPods shipments muted

AppleInsider is supported by its audience and may earn commission when you buy through our links. These affiliate partnerships do not influence our editorial content. Industry reports say that Pegatron is seeing reduced orders for the iPhone 12 mini , while Apple has charged Foxconn with making more of the iPhone 12 Pro series. Despite recently expanding its manufacturing capacity, Pegatron was already facing a slowdown in orders from Apple over its alleged student labor violations. Now it has also seen a reduction in orders, with Apple reportedly requiring fewer of the iPhone 12 mini. According to Digitimes , Pegatron has seen a slowdown in orders for the smallest iPhone, blamed on the coronavirus affecting demand in the US and Europe. Citing unnamed market observers, Digitimes separately reports that Foxconn has received an increase in orders for its production of the iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max . Digitimes has a poor track … [Read more...] about Apple shifts more production from iPhone 12 mini, to iPhone 12 Pro

AppleInsider is supported by its audience and may earn commission when you buy through our links. These affiliate partnerships do not influence our editorial content. Morgan Stanley is "increasingly bullish" about the iPhone 12 cycle and has hiked the target Apple stock price, because of better-than-expected sales performance in China, stable build numbers, and other positive data. In a note to investor seen by AppleInsider , lead analyst Katy Huberty writes that the iPhone 12 is "surprising to the upside in China." The trend comes after months of supposed smartphone weakness in China. The analyst estimates that iPhone shipments are up around 40% year-over-year in China in the quarter to date. That's based on smartphone shipment information released by the Chinese government. Since it doesn't break out Android versus non-Android devices, the percentage of smartphones sold in China that are iPhones is an estimate. Total smartphone shipments in China did … [Read more...] about Morgan Stanley raises AAPL to $144 on iPhone 12 strength in China