iPhone 17 Pro leaks, MacBook Pro release date, fixes iPhone 16 issues

A look back at Apple's news and headlines this week, including iPhone 17 Pro details, an improved capture button, iPhone SE design, a fix for the latest iPhone 16 problems, iPad release date, new MacBook Pro specs, and improved USB-C for AirPods.

Apple Loop is here to remind you of some of the many discussions surrounding Apple over the last seven days. You can also read my weekly Android news roundup here on Forbes.

Another new iPhone button

It's never too early for an iPhone 17 Pro leak, and the critical success of the new camera button could lead to a new combined power and volume button, replacing the current independent buttons with a multi-function capacitive sensor similar to the camera button. It's also never too early to consider that Apple may be testing multiple models with different physical interfaces, as it did with the Action and Camera Button options last year:

“[Majin Bu reports that] Apple plans to replace the action button and volume buttons on the iPhone 17 Pro with a single button. The change sounds crazy at first, but if you follow the iPhone rumors closely, it starts to make sense.”

(BGR).

Everyone loves a good button

Speaking of the camera button, the popular pro-focused camera app Halide has been updated with deeper integration into the camera button. New focus and exposure controls are just a touch and a slide away:

“Sebastiaan De With, the founder of Halide, says that the exposure setting can be adjusted with an exposure bias “three times” that of Apple (plus or minus 6 EV versus 2) and that manual focus at The camera controls are a “really nice, smooth experience on the iPhone.” Lux also has its own review of the iPhone 16 Pro’s camera.

(The Edge).

Goodbye home, hello SE

With Apple Intelligence support almost a given, next year's iPhone SE will need to match the iPhone 16's specs to support generative AI software. But that's not the only way the SE will mimic the SE, as the latest details about the new design have leaked:

“The current SE will be the last iPhone with the iconic button and integrated TouchID sensor. Instead, the SE will follow the current iPhone trend and move to a full display with minimal bezels, supported by the dynamic island cutout used to mask the selfie camera, FaceID and other sensors.

(Forbes).

Fixes some iPhone 16 issues

Apple is struggling with several software issues in iOS 18, which comes with the iPhone 16 family and is available for over-the-air updates. Now the first update to iOS is here, Apple hopes iOS 18.01 will fix the problems, including two issues that could cause a customer's iPhone to freeze or crash:

“Next, a camera issue was fixed. I've never encountered this, but some iPhone 16 Pro users noticed that the camera could freeze in a specific situation: when shooting video in macro mode with the ultra-wide lens in 4K and HDR turned off… Another very specific problem came into play messages. Some users found that if they shared a watch face with another iPhone user and that user responded, the iPhone would crash.

(Forbes).

Your next iPad is coming soon

Although it's not as reliable as the iPhone launch events, October is generally considered the time when Apple announces new MacBooks and new iPads – it's also an opportune time to celebrate the success of the iPhone launch and all that comes with it to repeat connected moments. Undoubtedly, the awkwardly nicknamed “Apple Intelligence” will be highlighted at every launch event as Apple struggles to identify with the generative AI revolution. But when will that be? David Phelan discusses the possible dates:

“Last year the event took place on October 30th, just before Halloween, giving the keynote the slogan “Scary fast.” This year I expect the same time frame, perhaps Monday, October 28th, or the following week, Monday, November 4th. Apple Intelligence is coming sometime in October and it makes sense to me that new hardware that supports Apple Intelligence should arrive on or after the software release.”

(Forbes).

The time could be ripe for the MacBook Pro

After the debut of the Apple Silicon M4 in the iPad Pro in March, the Mac community has been waiting for its moment in the sun. This is expected to happen in October. Thanks to a look at the potential retail packaging, it seems like one of the biggest complaints surrounding the entry-level Pro laptop will soon be addressed:

“If it's the base model MacBook Pro, it's interesting that it has 16GB of RAM instead of the expected 8GB usually offered by Apple's laptops. With Apple Intelligence being a major focus, it would make sense for the company to increase the minimum RAM.” Plus, it's 2024 and a laptop with “Pro” in the name should have more than 8GB of RAM.

(Tom's Guide).

And finally…

While Apple updated the AirPods case to USB-C, what about the untold millions on the current Lightning-equipped model? You could upgrade or turn to open source hardware designer NAME and his new case for the Airpods case. The design of a USB-C to Lightning adapter sits flush with the hardware and fits harmoniously into the Apple aesthetic:

“Simply plug your device into this protective case and get USB-C in seconds. You don't have to buy a brand new device to get the “update.” Wireless charging works perfectly through the case. Charging with MagSafe works too! The magnetic connection may feel a little gentler compared to a bare AirPods case, but this has no impact on charging performance.”

(Kenp.io via YouTube).

Apple Loop brings you seven days of highlights every weekend here on Forbes. Don't forget to follow me so you don't miss any future coverage. You can read last week's Apple Loop here, or this week's edition of Loop's sister column Android Circuit is also available on Forbes.