Plenty of Apple, iPhone, and iPad news gets released every single day – but we know you’re busy, so we’ve got your back. Here, we’ve picked out some of the most important stories from the past week or so and summarized them for easy digestion. You’re welcome.
Let’s take a quickfire look at some of the most interesting recent headlines of late. As ever, click through to read the full stories if you want to know more!
Apple announces record App Store Holiday spending
Apple has revealed that App Store customers spent more than ever during the recent Holiday period. An unprecedented $1.8 billion was spent on digital goods and services between Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve, while New Year’s Day witnessed a new single-day spending record of more than $540 million. Games are named as the major driver for this spending spree, though the most downloaded apps were Zoom and Disney+. Apple also took the opportunity to announce that developers have earned more than $200 billion since the App Store launched in 2008.
iPhone 13 to use Samsung 120Hz displays
It’s been widely rumoured that the iPhone 12 range only narrowly missed out on including high refresh rate 120Hz display technology akin to the iPad Pro’s ProMotion feature, and that it would debut in the iPhone 13 instead. Now a fresh report from South Korea suggests that Samsung has been lined up to produced the relevant components for Apple’s top 2021 smartphone models. According to The Elec, Apple’s occasional partner will be the sole source of LTPO OLED displays for the iPhone 13 Pro.
iPhone 12 mini sales disappoint
Great things were expected of the iPhone 12 mini, Apple’s first truly small phone since the original iPhone SE in 2016. But recent reports suggest that it hasn’t sold as well has hoped in its home market. Consumer Intelligence Research Partners (CIRP) claims that while the iPhone 12 range as a whole sold well overall in October and November, the mini represented by far the lowest proportion. Apple’s tiny powerhouse accounted for just 6% of all iPhones sold during the period, while the iPhone 12 represented 27%, and the iPhone 12 Pro and iPhone 12 Pro Max accounted for around 20% each.
Apple set to hold first virtual shareholder meeting
Apple has announced that it is to hold its first virtual annual shareholder meeting on February 23 at 9:00 a.m. PT. The company typically holds these events in person at its HQ, but the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has prompted a change of approach. With physical capacity no longer an issue, Apple’s 2021 shareholder meeting will be limited only by the virtual meeting platform provider used. While these meetings are rarely too thrilling to the average observer, they can contain hints at future release plans.