
Apple Releases Metallica on Vision Pro, Thoughts on Apple Immersive Metallica, Apple’s Immersive Video Release Strategy
Today's Above Avalon Daily email contains the following stories:
Apple Releases Metallica on Vision Pro
Thoughts on Apple Immersive Metallica
Apple’s Immersive Video Release Strategy
Hello everyone. Happy Monday.
Last week was jam-packed with Siri / Apple Intelligence talk. There was no consensus reaction or response to the Above Avalon Daily update sent out this past Friday. Some members agreed with my stance while others disagreed. A few people reached out to say the situation felt overblown given what unfolded on the ground.
We are going to shift gears and talk about other topics. Depending on the news flow, we will circle back to Siri / Apple Intelligence in due time.
Today's update will take us to Apple Vision Pro land and a new Apple Immersive Video film. Apple Immersive Metallica may be the best immersive film Apple has released to date.
Let's jump right in.
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Thoughts on John Gruber's “Something Is Rotten in the State of Cupertino” Post
Today's Above Avalon Daily email contains the following story:
Thoughts on John Gruber's “Something Is Rotten in the State of Cupertino” Post
Hello everyone. Welcome to a special Friday edition of the Above Avalon Daily. Today’s update will be focused on John Gruber’s indictment of Apple, published on his Daring Fireball website. Published on Wednesday, this article has made some waves. The update will make for good weekend reading as it’s a bit longer than the usual update.
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Curating AI, How AI Curation Breeds Apple Intelligence Criticism
Today's Above Avalon Daily email contains the following stories:
Curating AI
How AI Curation Breeds Apple Intelligence Criticism
Hello everyone. Instead of getting this update out very late Wednesday night, I decided to wait and publish it mid-day Thursday. There will be one more update published this week (tomorrow). We will talk about John Gruber’s (Daring Fireball) indictment of Apple as it relates to Apple Intelligence and the delayed Siri features. The way it works out, today’s discussion will serve as a good lead-in for tomorrow’s update. In a way, we can think of it as this is the first half of a two-part update.
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Siri’s Promise, My Issues With Siri, How to Gauge Siri’s Progress
Today's Above Avalon Daily email contains the following stories:
Siri’s Promise
My Issues With Siri
How to Gauge Siri’s Progress
We will continue our discussion from yesterday regarding Siri. There is value found in assessing the promise Apple saw in Siri when acquiring the company. We then go over three issues that have led to some Siri friction. The update concludes with my thoughts on how Siri's progress can be properly measured.
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Apple Delays Siri Features, What’s Going On?, Broader Implications
Today's Above Avalon Daily email contains the following stories:
Apple Delays Siri Features
What’s Going On?
Broader Implications
Welcome to a new week. Today's update will be dedicated to Apple's Siri news. Apple announced some Siri features that were unveiled as part of Apple Intelligence features need more time before being released. There's much to talk about, so let's jump right in.
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Qualcomm Sounds Nervous About Apple, MacBook Air and Perfection, What’s Next for MacBook Air?
Today's Above Avalon Daily email contains the following stories:
Qualcomm Sounds Nervous About Apple
MacBook Air and Perfection
What’s Next for MacBook Air?
Today's update will have a few follow-up stories to topics that we have discussed. We will begin with new comments from Qualcomm's CEO regarding Apple's modem. The discussion will then turn to the MacBook Air and the idea that the form factor has been perfected. We conclude with my thoughts on Apple's mission for the MacBook Air over the next five to ten years.
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Apple Updates MacBook Air, The Mac Studio Update, Mac Momentum
Today's Above Avalon Daily email contains the following stories:
Apple Updates MacBook Air
The Mac Studio Update
Mac Momentum
Earlier today, Apple announced updates to the MacBook Air and Mac Studio. Apple staggered its press releases with iPad news on Tuesday and the Mac on Wednesday.
We will kick off today’s update with a few observations regarding the Mac updates. The discussion will then turn to tying it all together.
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Apple Updates the iPad Air, Apple Updates the Entry-Level iPad, The iPad Strategy
Today's Above Avalon Daily email contains the following stories:
Apple Updates the iPad Air
Apple Updates the Entry-Level iPad
The iPad Strategy
In yesterday’s update, we discussed how the iPhone 16e is aimed at existing iPhone owners who likely have gone at least five years without an upgrade. Evidence backing up that claim can be seen on Apple’s iPhone 16e minisite.
Consider the following comparison tool for the iPhone 16e:
The following iPhones are used as comparison options:
iPhone 11 (launched in Sept 2019)
iPhone 12 (launched in Oct 2020)
iPhone 12 mini (launched in Nov 2020)
iPhone SE 2nd and 3rd gen (launched in April 2020 and March 2022)
Similar comparison tools for the iPhone 16 use more recent iPhone models (iPhone 12 to iPhone 15 Plus). The iPhone 16 Pro comparison tool goes from iPhone 12 Pro to iPhone 15 Pro Max.
For today’s update, we will focus on Apple’s iPad news. The update concludes with my broader thoughts on Apple’s iPad strategy.
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Who Will Buy the iPhone 16e?, The Apple Intelligence Factor, Apple Discloses C1 Modem Efficiency Gains
Today's Above Avalon Daily email contains the following stories:
Who Will Buy the iPhone 16e?
The Apple Intelligence Factor
Apple Discloses C1 Modem Efficiency Gains
One quick programming note. Inside Orchard is the sibling website to Above Avalon where I write about broader tech topics. While I don’t normally call out Inside Orchard essays as they are published, the newest essay, "Apple News Is Winning," went over how changes in social media and the legacy news industry are boosting Apple News. If you have an interest in the topic, check out the essay (also available in podcast form).
Receive 50% off regular Inside Orchard membership pricing by bundling with an Above Avalon membership via the Inside Orchard add-on. For those of you with the Inside Orchard add-on, the essay is already in your inboxes.
Today's update will be focused on the iPhone 16e and C1 modem. As iPhone 16e reviews came out last week, a few observations jumped out at me.
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Amazon Unveils Alexa+, Apple News+ Expands Into Food, Apple News+ Food and New HW
Today's Above Avalon Daily email contains the following stories:
Amazon Unveils Alexa+
Apple News+ Expands Into Food
Apple News+ Food and New HW
We will kick things off with Amazon unveiling Alexa+. The framing Amazon is using to market Alexa+ is dramatically different than Apple Intelligence marketing. Our focus will then shift to an update coming to Apple News+ that raises new HW speculation.
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An audio version of this update is available to members who have the podcast add-on attached to their membership.
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Exclusive Analysis. Receive the Above Avalon Daily newsletter, widely-recognized as the leading daily newsletter dedicated to Apple. Now in its tenth year.
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Apple Intelligence Expands to Apple Vision Pro, Spatial Gallery for Apple Vision Pro, Apple Vision Pro App for iPhone
Today's Above Avalon Daily email contains the following stories:
Apple Intelligence Expands to Apple Vision Pro
Spatial Gallery for Apple Vision Pro
Apple Vision Pro App for iPhone
Over the past week, Apple has announced several product updates. For today’s update, we will focus on new items coming to Apple Vision Pro.
One quick update to Monday’s discussion. U.S. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard is out with comments regarding the U.K.’s request for an Apple backdoor. Gabbard says she was only made aware of the U.K.’s request via recent press reports. She had harsh comments for U.K. officials, saying their request for a backdoor to be used to access encrypted data of any Apple user, including U.S. citizens, likely goes against the CLOUD Act.
My expectation is that Washington will stop the U.K. order in its tracks as it pertains to Apple users in the U.S. being impacted. The unknown is if the U.S. goes so far as to say Apple pulling Advanced Data Protection in the U.K. jeopardizes U.S. citizens who engage with Apple users in the U.K. We will continue to follow the story for updates.
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Apple Announces New U.S. Commitment, Untangling the Politics from Apple’s Commitment, Apple and Trump 2.0
Today's Above Avalon Daily email contains the following stories:
Apple Announces New U.S. Commitment
Untangling the Politics from Apple’s Commitment
Apple and Trump 2.0
Hello everyone. For today's update, we will focus on Apple's $500 billion U.S. investment commitment. Unfortunately, the news has been weaponized by both side of the political aisle. After we go over what Apple actually announced, we untangle the politics from Apple's commitment.
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Member Privileges and Benefits
Become an Above Avalon member and receive the following privileges and benefits:
Exclusive Analysis. Receive the Above Avalon Daily newsletter, widely-recognized as the leading daily newsletter dedicated to Apple. Now in its tenth year.
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U.K. Demands Apple Backdoor, Apple Disables Advanced Data Protection in U.K., Apple’s Strategy
Today's Above Avalon Daily email contains the following stories:
U.K. Demands Apple Backdoor
Apple Disables Advanced Data Protection in U.K.
Apple’s Strategy
Today’s update will be focused on the developing situation involving Apple and the U.K. as it pertains to encryption and cloud backdoors. The update begins by going over how the U.K. government is ordering Apple to create a backdoor to encrypted material. We then discuss what I think Apple’s larger strategy is by pulling Advanced Data Protection (ADP) in the U.K.
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An audio version of this update is available to members who have the podcast add-on attached to their membership.
Member Privileges and Benefits
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Exclusive Analysis. Receive the Above Avalon Daily newsletter, widely-recognized as the leading daily newsletter dedicated to Apple. Now in its tenth year.
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Apple Unveils First In-House Modem, Apple Unveils the iPhone 16e, The iPhone 16e Bet
Today's Above Avalon Daily email contains the following stories:
Apple Unveils First In-House Modem
Apple Unveils the iPhone 16e
The iPhone 16e Bet
Today’s update will include plenty of good old Apple strategy talk. There is much to cover with Apple unveiling C1, its first in-house modem, and the iPhone 16e. Let’s jump right in.
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Member Privileges and Benefits
Become an Above Avalon member and receive the following privileges and benefits:
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HP Buys Humane, Humane’s Autopsy, What Comes After Smartphones?
Today's Above Avalon Daily email contains the following stories:
HP Buys Humane
Humane’s Autopsy
What Comes After Smartphones?
Happy Wednesday.
Earlier today, Apple unveiled the iPhone 16e, a new addition to the iPhone 16 family. It’s an interesting product on a few fronts. We will dedicate Thursday’s update to the news.
For today’s update, we will look at HP buying Humane. There’s a deeper story at play here than just a failed hardware start-up. As we will discuss, there are some takeaways related to a post-smartphone world.
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Exclusive Analysis. Receive the Above Avalon Daily newsletter, widely-recognized as the leading daily newsletter dedicated to Apple. Now in its tenth year.
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Above Avalon Support. Play an active role in supporting Above Avalon as an independent voice and resource.