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Tiny iPhone 17 Pro leak, Apple's Magic Mouse bug, new MacBook Pro release

Let's take a look back at Apple's news and headlines this week, including the latest iPhone 17 Pro design leaks, the launch of a new MacBook Pro, the iMac's move to USB, a surprise MacBook Air update, the Mac's new ports Mini, Apple's Q4 numbers and a Magic Mouse bug.

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.

The smaller design of the iPhone 17 Pro Max

Before we get to Apple's busy week of product launches, there's the small matter of a major leak. The design for the iPhone 17 Pro Max 2025 was revealed this week and is intended to shrink the dynamic island and sensors on the front of the handset, providing a more usable display on Apple's largest iPhone:

“The introduction of a so-called Metalens means that Apple can reduce the part of the front of the display that is taken up by the front camera and Face ID technology. As you know, the term Dynamic Island is the term used by Apple to describe the way the screen shrinks, grows and changes shape around the cutout to add additional information to the home screen… Interestingly [Apple Analyst Jeff Pu]

(Forbes).

More performance for your professional

Apple's flagship reveal this week was the high-end MacBook Pro models aimed at professional users. These offer significantly more performance, with Apple citing a battery life of 24 hours partly due to the chip efficiency. There are more optimizations on the way, including one often requested by the creative community:

“Unlike the M4, the M4 Pro and M4 Max processors may allow Apple to introduce Thunderbolt 5 on the MacBook Pro for the first time, which has also been introduced on the latest Mac mini on some models.”

(Forbes).

MacBook Air surprise

There was a strange change from this week in the MacBook Air portfolio. While an M4 Air is not expected until March 2024, Apple has finally removed the controversial entry-level model with 8 GB of RAM. While Apple considered 8GB to be more than enough given the efficiency of Apple Silicon, Apple has decided to increase the storage:

“Why did Apple do this? Well, the company probably wants to avoid criticism that the MacBook Air doesn't have the latest processor (although, to be fair, the M3 chip was only included in the MacBook Air). since March 2024, so an upgrade to M4 now appears rather early after just seven months).

(Forbes).

iMac relies on USB-C

This week also saw the launch of the M4-powered iMac, the first to hit the market as part of an unusual (for Apple) staggered product release. The desktop Macs feature the latest consumer-focused M4 chipset and a subtle refresh of the cotton candy colors on offer. They also address an important change that will increase compatibility and meet regulatory requirements in Europe:

“There is a very practical upgrade: the mouse, keyboard and trackpad are all wireless, but now connect via USB-C instead of Lightning. Almost all of your gadgets now use a single port, although I think charging times and battery life are unchanged. “

(Forbes).

Around the front of the Mini

The last big item is the Mac Mini. The size has been reduced to 5 inches by 5 inches at the base, which is barely larger than the Apple TV. But Apple can offer not only the M4 chipset, but also the more powerful M4 Pro chipset for those who need the additional power of a large processor. However, there is one change that everyone agrees was necessary:

“But the other big design change is perhaps the most important: the front of the device now features two Thunderbolt ports. Hallelujah! This is something customers have been asking for ever since ports appeared on the front of the much more expensive Mac Studio. The Mac mini continues to be clad in a silver aluminum finish, although Apple says the new design uses an extrusion process, meaning it can be made with 85% less aluminum.”

(Forbes).

Everything is OK

This week Apple announced its Q4 2024 numbers, and there's little that will be a surprise (once you deduct a one-off charge for losing the Irish tax case in the European Union). What has been rising steadily is still rising steadily:

“All in all, Apple's business has been relatively flat. iPhone sales rose 6% but were flat for the fiscal year; Mac sales rose 2%, roughly in line with the full year; Services continue to deliver reliable double-digit growth, but the growth rate slowed to 12% year-over-year.

(Apple via Six Colors).

And finally…

Apple is known to pay attention to the small details to ensure the best possible experience. Sometimes this reputation seems undeserved, especially in the case of the Magic Mouse. With the announcement of the updated model this week, many hoped that Apple's awkward design decision in the previous generation would be remedied. Oh….

“Apple could have used the launch as an opportunity to move the charging port from the bottom of the device – where the port has remained for nearly a decade, despite other updates to the mouse and ridicule of the decision – that “Connection is still present” there, as shown in the “View in Your Space” augmented reality rendering from Apple’s website.

(The Edge).

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.

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