Leaked iPhone 17 specs, iMac M4 review, surprising cost from Apple Intelligence

A look back at Apple's news and headlines this week, including leaked iPhone 17 specs, the latest iPhone software problems, M4 iMac in review, Apple Watch anniversary celebrations, an early release for iOS, the cost of Apple Intelligence and the return of the iPod.

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 slow arrival of a faster screen for the iPhone 17

Apple appears ready to acknowledge another hardware option that has become widespread in the Android ecosystem and has stubbornly refused to include it in its own portfolio. The rise of fast-refreshing screens in Android began on gaming-focused handhelds, with premium devices following shortly thereafter. It is now a common feature on mid-range cell phones. It could (finally) appear on the vanilla iPhone 17 in 2025:

“The next iPhone could change all this as the same low-temperature polycrystalline oxide panel technology will be applied to all models in the iPhone 17 series, says a new report from South Korean website ET News. …it's hard to escape the idea that it's coming too, as LTPO enables variable refresh rates with lower power consumption, meaning Apple could introduce ProMotion without sacrificing battery life.”

(Forbes).

If your iPhone is missing your notes

Some iPhone users who have updated to iOS 18.2 are facing blank Notes application and loss of their personal memories. It's not the end of the world; The culprit appears to be a cloud syncing issue, and Apple will no doubt release an iOS patch as soon as possible. For now, Benjamin Mayo has a possible solution:

“Go to Settings -> [your name] -> iCloud -> Notes.

“Wait for the Sync this iPhone switch to appear and make sure it is turned on.

“Wait a moment and reopen the Notes app.

“The Notes app should now spring into action and begin re-downloading all of your notes from iCloud.

(9to5Mac).

M4 iMac review

In addition to the shiny MacBook Pro laptops that launched late last month, Apple has also updated iMac hardware for consumer desktops. The M4-equipped iMacs offer at least 16GB of RAM, the basis for Apple's generative AI suite. With the M4 Apple Silicon, the desktop has a lot of power, as the Forbes contributor found out in his review:

“The new iMac has the Apple M4 chip at its heart, a step up from last year's M3 version. To be clear, the M3 iMac I've used so far has always been fast and powerful and I've never experienced it slowing down or having any issues. But it’s definitely faster.”

(Forbes).

Let's celebrate like it's 2025

As the Apple Watch celebrates its tenth anniversary, the team behind the wearable is planning a little party. The code for an anniversary achievement is hidden in the latest beta version of iOS:

“Apple is apparently planning an activity challenge to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Apple Watch, released in 2015. The latest iOS 18.2 beta says there's talk of a “ten-year celebration” with hints of an Activity success, so it sounds like something is in the works.”

(MacRumors).

Christmas comes early

We'll probably see the next version of iOS sooner than expected. iOS 18.2 was originally scheduled to be unavailable at the end of the year, but as we get closer to the holidays and beta versions are released, a more concrete time frame is becoming clearer:

“The iOS 18.2 operating system update, which includes significant improvements to Apple Intelligence… will likely arrive in early December, I'm told. How early? The week of December 2nd, barring any unexpected delays.”

(Mark Gurman via Bloomberg)

The literal cost of AI

iOS 18.2 will introduce the second wave of Apple Intelligence apps – alongside iPadOS and macOS. The main feature will be the addition of ChatGPT to Siri, but it won't be a smooth process. Unlike Galaxy AI and Google AI, those who want the latest ChatGPT models will need a subscription… Apple will not subsidize the service to the same extent as competitors:

“…the system settings [of the iOS 18.2 beta] Displays a daily limit for ChatGPT usage and an option to upgrade to the paid ChatGPT Plus plan or switch to an older AI model. Existing ChatGPT Plus users can log in on their iPhone, while those new to the system have the option to upgrade to ChatGPT Plus. I would be interested to see if Apple will take its usual thirty percent share of the $19.99 monthly subscription fee.”

(Forbes).

And finally…

Apple may have stopped selling new iPods, but that doesn't mean the community has given up its love for the revolutionary digital audio player. Bradley Chambers introduced a company that serves this community… Elite Obsolete Electronics:

“What started out as buying broken Apple products on eBay, fixing them, and selling them for a profit soon grew into a full-fledged business. Elite Obsolete Electronics took advantage of a growing Reddit community and other online forums for iPod fans. Lucas noted, “There used to be a large iPod community, but as people moved to iPhones and iPads, iPod repair skills waned.” Still, Elite Obsolete Electronics became the go-to resource for those who wanted more than just battery replacements.”

(9to5Mac).

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.