Taking a look back at this week’s news and headlines from Apple, including the impact of US tariffs on the iPhone, a surprise iOS update, the radical iPhone redesign, spare parts for the iPhone 16e, BBC attacks Apple News, and Instagram finally arrives on the iPad.
Apple Loop is here to remind you of a few of the many discussions around Apple in the last seven days. You can also read my weekly digest of Android news here on Forbes.
Surprise iOS Update Arriving Soon
Apple is preparing a minor upgrade to iOS. Version 18.4.1 is due to arrive next week. The minor point releases tend to be reserved for urgent bug fixes or security update, as such you shouldn’t expect any significant new features, but this will likely be a “must have” install:
“There are no developer or public betas for minor updates like iOS 18.4.1. iOS 18.4.1 will be a stop-gap update ahead of iOS 18.5, which remains in beta testing. iOS 18.5 will likely be released to the general public in May, and so far the update includes only two minor changes in the Mail and Settings apps.”
(MacRumors).
The Tariff And The iPhone
This week saw the subject of international tariffs impacting world trade, resulting in knock-on effects across entire swathes of industry. Apple, with a strong US retail base and extended supply lines in China, is particularly vulnerable to the current high tariffs placed on Chinese-supplied goods and parts.
In broad terms, these tariffs could impact the iPhone’s retail price. The cost of the iPhone is estimated at $550 for the various raw materials. Add in some assembly and you have a likely cost of around $580, according to Techinight’s Wayne Lam. What impact will the Chinese tariffs have on the US cos of the iPhone:
“Now factor in the newly announced tariff for goods from China, which currently totals 54%. The cost rises to around $850. That profit margin would shrink dramatically if Apple didn’t up the price. And you don’t become a trillion-dollar gadget company by charging for things at cost.”
(WSJ)
There has been talk of Apple moving production to different countries to reduce the imapct of tariffs, especially as many have been paused in countries where Apple has alternative manufacturing capabilities—although these fall short of the volumes China could supply:
“Apple has been assembling products in Brazil since 2011. The company built a facility in São Paulo in partnership with Taiwanese company Foxconn. However, due to its small capacity, only a few products are assembled in Brazil, such as entry-level iPhones, to supply the local market. According to the report, Apple wants to assemble even more iPhone models in Brazil in the near future.”
(9to5Mac).
The idea that Apple could move production to the United States—a situation that President Donald Trump would be strongly in favor of—falls apart when you think about the supply chain, raw materials, the infrastructure required, and the spin-up costs of doing this from scratch:
“These remarks are all made despite the United States not having a single iPhone assembly facility that takes four or more years to build, does not have inexpensive and skilled labor that can take decades to foster, has to import nearly all of rare earth materials to make an iPhone that will all be tariffed on their own, and there are no sub-assembly factories to use those raw materials necessary for iPhone component production.”
(Apple Insider).
iPhone Anniversary Design Refresh
Once more, “the next iPhone” will make the difference (which also means it’s “the next iPhone” that will have potential features stripped away over the next eighteen months). That date ties in with the twentieth anniversary of the iPhone, and Apple is expected to flex its muscles with two new form factors:
“But the company is preparing a major shake-up for the iPhone’s 20-year anniversary, including a foldable version and a bold new Pro model that makes more extensive use of glass.”
(Bloomberg).
iPhone 16e DIY Repair Parts
Weeks after the launch of the iPhone 16e, Apple has begun offering spare parts for the latest iPhone. While you still need Apple’s expansive and hefty repair toolkit (available only on loan direct from Apple), the more popular parts available are as follows:
“There are parts and tools available for repairing an iPhone 16e’s display, battery, cameras, back glass, speakers, and more. Apple also allows customers to rent an iPhone toolkit for seven days, with U.S. pricing set at $49. Apple offers a comprehensive iPhone 16e repair manual on its website, and now the necessary parts for the device are available.”
(MacRumors).
Do You Know Where Your News Is Coming From?
BBC News has filed an official complaint with the UK’s Competitions and Market Authority over a lack of identification and attribution to the BBC in aggregation services such as Apple News. It’s a ruling that, if successful, would only apply in the UK but would likely set a precedent for news organisations the world over:
“The BBC is asking for the CMA to require Apple and Google to give more prominence to the sources of news stories it features in its news and podcast apps… Although the BBC is best known outside the UK for its news and entertainment TV programming, it also operates the World Service radio news network, and is a prominent source of news online.”
(Apple Insider).
And Finally…
It may have taken fifteen years, but is one of the most requested Instagram features about to be added? Will the juggernaut social media app will finally get a dedicated version for the iPad:
“Instagram is also working on a version of the Instagram app designed for iPads, the current employee said, which could further drive usage of Instagram. Currently, iPad users can download a version of the Instagram app designed for iPhones, which appears zoomed-in on iPads—not a good experience!”
(The Information).
Apple Loop brings you seven days worth 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.
