iPhone 17 not working, Forbes’ exclusive Tim Cook interview, iPad Mini specs

Taking a look back at this week’s Apple news and headlines, including the iPhone 17 Air leak, iPhone SE camera changes, iOS 18.2 and Apple Intelligence, Tim Cook interviewed, Apple’s 5G modem plans, waiting for the iPad Mini and the end of the Apple Vision Pro of the year price.

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

What the iPhone 17 Air will miss

2025 should see two exciting iPhones that break out of the three standard models. Early in the year, we expect the iPhone SE to debut in the mid-range, but the September launch should see a more fashionable arrival. The presumably named iPhone Air will see Apple join the trend of super-thin phones. That means some serious trimming of the hardware and Apple’s decision that the camera will be the biggest loss when it moves to a single lens:

“This appears to be the ultimate selling point, a design element that stands out above all other features, not least because it is believed to have a single camera, as opposed to the dual lenses on the regular iPhone and three on the Pro models .”

(Forbes).

iPhone SE camera changes

Chasing the camera could be the theme of 2025, although in the case of the iPhone SE, Apple is going the other way. While the single lens remains, the specs of that lens light up:

“The rear camera will see a significant boost over 2022’s iPhone SE, moving from 12 megapixels to 48 megapixels. Along with Apple’s software advances in image processing, capturing more light data through the lens will improve image quality, low-light performance, and digital zoom The selfie camera will also see an increase in pixel count from 7 megapixels to 12 megapixels.

(Forbes).

iOS 18.2 is more than Apple Intelligence

This week iOS 18.2 was released. This is a critical release as it brings ChatGPT to the awkwardly backnamed Apple Intelligence. It’s not the only addition to iOS, though you wouldn’t be criticized if the other features passed you by.

“In addition to Apple Intelligence, and therefore available to all iOS 18-compatible iPhones, are features including photo enhancements, voice memos that now let you add vocals over existing audio, natural language search in apps like Apple Music and Sudoku puzzles in Apple News for News+ subscribers.”

(Forbes).

Tim Cook talks about Apple Intelligence

Nevertheless, iOS 18.2 is a big moment for Apple Intelligence; this is the first time the service is available outside the US. One of those territories is Great Britain, and Tim Cook flew into the country to talk about the impact of iOS. The Forbes contributor was there with an exclusive interview:

“In the future you will see more features added and it will just get better and better. Artificial intelligence is a horizontal technology in that it will touch everything in your life over time. It will change everything because it will be like having a assistant to prepare things that would have taken you longer to do, to free you to spend more time, pull that string of curiosity or create or follow your passion.”

(Forbes).

Apple’s magic modem

Apple’s 2025 will also have another seismic change, and it is the first 5G modem designed by Apple. This should cut them off from Qualcomm’s communications hardware and provide more precise control over its own hardware. The first consumers to test the hardware in anger will be those who buy the iPhone SE, but they won’t be the last:

“It’s worth noting that Apple isn’t committing to using the new technology in its major product lines, instead sticking with the cheaper and more consumer-friendly hardware for the initial rollout phase. And as Gurman reports, after the iPhone and iPad , Apple will turn to the Mac platform with its newfound love for its homegrown modems, and the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro should be first in line.”

(Forbes).

Waiting for the iPad Mini

Apple’s refresh rate on the iPad Mini isn’t as fast as the larger, more expensive tablets, and those looking for a new smaller tablet may have to wait a while. But for those who wait, there is good news coming:

“According to Omdia’s latest long-term OLED adoption forecast, the iPad mini will get the technology in 2026 or 2027, followed by the 11-inch and 13-inch iPad Air in 2027-2028. These devices will apparently use single-stack 60Hz OLED panels .”

(MacRumors)

And finally…

Popular Science has released its annual “… of the year” awards, and Apple will be pleased to see the Apple Vision Pro headset included as “Innovation Of The Year”:

“While AR headsets have existed before, this one gets our award because of how much potential it shows. It’s part of Apple’s overall hardware plan. The new iPhone cameras have a specific arrangement to record spatial video for consumption in AR .well-known apps can offer augmented experiences specifically for headsets… we’re curious to see what Apple does next, because a consumer-friendly price for an experience like this could be a true game changer.

(Popsci).

The 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 coverage in the future. Last week’s Apple Loop can be read here, or this week’s edition of Loop’s sister column, Android Circuit, is also available on Forbes.