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Nearly All of Apple's AirPods Get Sweet Deals in This 1-Day Woot Sale
Nearly All of Apple's AirPods Get Sweet Deals in This 1-Day Woot Sale
If you're looking for a new pair of wireless earbuds and use Apple devices, there aren't many better choices than a pair of AirPods. And, thanks to a one-day sale at Woot, you can save on pretty much every model of AirPods that Apple currently offers with AirPods deals starting at just $115.
The AirPods Pro are Apple's most advanced wireless earbuds and Woot has them on sale in Grade A refurb condition for just $140. They offer active noise cancellation and silicone tips so you can immerse yourself in the music, or you can use the transparency mode when you need to be more aware of your surroundings. With the charging case (included in this price) the battery can last over 24 hours on a charge.
For a more affordable pick, go for Apple AirPods 2 in this sale. These are offered brand new with a one-year Apple warranty for just $115. That's $14 less than buying them directly at Apple and even lower than Amazon has then on sale for right now. While the AirPods 2 aren't the most advanced model on the market any more, they still boast some impressive specs and are a great choice for those on a tighter budget. They're equipped with the same H1 chip as the AirPods 3, so they have the same fast connectivity, and they support hands-free Siri access.
If over-ear headphones are more your bag, you'll be pleased to learn that Apple's AirPods Max are also on sale at Woot for only $370 in factory refurbished condition. That's around $180 less than their price brand new and, since they have been reconditioned by Apple, you can trust that they will look and work like new. Apple's first full-size headphones are chock-full of high-end features like noise cancellation, spatial audio and easy integration with Apple devices. You'll enjoy up to 20 hours of listening time per charge, too.
This Woot sale, which also features essential charging gear for your AirPods including Apple's MagSafe Charger, is set to expire tonight or when items sell out. The AirPods 3 were also included in the sale but sold out within a few hours so it remains to be seen how long the other models will last.
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The iPhone at 15: How Apple's Phone Became the Center of Your Life
The iPhone at 15: How Apple's Phone Became the Center of Your Life
This story is part of Focal Point iPhone 2022, CNET's collection of news, tips and advice around Apple's most popular product.
What's happening
On June 29, 2007, the first iPhone went on sale. A decade and a half later what defines the iPhone has shifted away from just design and hardware specs to dozens of Apple-centric features and services.
Why it matters
For better or worse, the iPhone has become home to our photos, music, conversations, ideas, games, identity, work, social media, shopping, keys and money. It will likely continue to do so for the foreseeable future.
Today marks 15 years since the first iPhone went on sale. When Steve Jobs introduced the original iPhone he wryly hyped it as three revolutionary products: an iPod, a phone and an internet communicator. The first iPhone only came in one size and the only decision you had was whether to get 4GB of storage or 8GB. As far as carriers, only AT&T supported Apple's first phone in the US.
At the time, the idea of carrying an iPhone instead of a flip phone and an iPod was enough to convince some people to buy one. For others like me, the iPhone's main appeal was the touchscreen, which seemed unreal and futuristic.
"From the very beginning, one of the unique things about [the] iPhone was that we wanted to fuse together software, services and hardware to create a simple, powerful kind of magical experience," said Bob Borchers, Apple's vice president for product marketing. "And with the original iPhone, it was that interaction of multitouch and pinch to zoom, where you started to see that come together."
Fifteen years later, Apple sells eight different models of iPhone, five of which have launched in the past 10 months. There is at least one version that works with pretty much every major phone carrier in the world. The iPhone is available in an array of colors, finishes, sizes and storage options that now top out at 1TB. And while the screen is where most of the magic happens, it's no longer the main appeal of the iPhone.
Over the past decade and a half, what defines the iPhone has shifted away from just design and hardware specs. Instead, the iPhone and iOS have become a gateway into Apple services and features like iMessage, FaceTime, Siri, Apple Music, Apple Pay, top-of-the-line cameras and apps like Uber, TikTok, Twitter and WhatsApp. For better or worse, the iPhone has become home to our photos, music, conversations, ideas, games, identity, work, social media, shopping, keys and money.
In 2022, the iPhone continues to extend beyond its svelte metal-and-glass chassis into the world around us. It's the backbone for products like the Apple Watch and AirPods, and will likely play a role in future Apple products like rumored AR glasses.
It also serves as the foundation for Apple's digital services, which have become an increasingly important factor to differentiate the iPhone from competing mobile devices. These services have evolved rapidly in recent years along with the iPhone.
Find My, which started as a tool in 2010 for locating a lost iPhone, has grown into a network for finding Apple devices and pretty much anything you can attach one of Apple's tiny AirTag trackers to. Some products, like VanMoof's S3 bike, even have built-in Find My support, eliminating the need to add an AirTag entirely. As of 2021, Apple's Find My network had hundreds of millions of devices, most of which were iPhones.
Just weeks ago at WWDC, Apple's annual software developers conference, the company announced iOS 16 with expansions to its nearly decade-old Wallet app and Apple Pay service. Essentially, Apple wants to make your physical wallet obsolete. There's also a new feature called Apple Pay Later that lets you split the cost of an Apple Pay purchase into four equal payments spread over six weeks, with zero interest and no fees. It's done entirely through your iPhone.
The 2022 iPhone SE is nearly identical to the 2020 version but gets more durable glass, 5G and the A15 Bionic chip that debuted in the iPhone 13.
Kevin Heinz/CNET
In fact, you need an iPhone to access or use most of these services. Keep in mind that, for years, the iPhone's premium price made it inaccessible to many, and that's still true of Apple's top-of-the-line iPhone Pro models. The recently upgraded iPhone SE gives Apple the opportunity to expand the iPhone's reach even further. It's the purest example of what defines an iPhone in 2022. The SE blends the body of an iPhone 8 with the glass and processor from the iPhone 13. At $429, it's currently the most affordable way to get people into Apple experiences.
I spoke with Borchers ahead of the iPhone SE launch in March about the phone and why Apple added an A15 Bionic chip to it.
"It's actually a really easy decision to put as much capability as we can in today, in order to invest in and create opportunities for those future experiences. It's something that distinguishes us from others," said Borchers.
No other phone maker takes this approach. It would be like Samsung using the body of its Galaxy S8 and putting the Galaxy S22's processing power inside. The upcoming Pixel 6A will be the first budget Android phone that uses the same processor, Google's Tensor chip, as the flagship Pixel 6 and 6 Pro. Of course, Google isn't putting it into the body of Pixel 2 and instead is introducing a new design.
It makes sense that Apple's cheapest phone has the same processor as its most expensive: It's all about giving people access to Apple experiences. For example, if you buy an iPhone SE, you can use the Live Text feature in iOS 15 to grab text with your camera or copy it from a photo. And while the 2016 and 2020 versions of the iPhone SE sold well, it seems the 2022 version isn't breaking any sales records yet. Apple doesn't disclose a specific model breakdown of how many iPhones it sells, but analyst Ming-Chi Kuo lowered his shipping estimates for the iPhone SE (2022) by 10 million. The lower demand could be an effect of rising inflation and the fact that the 2022 and 2020 versions of the iPhone SE look identical.
The SE showcases how iOS and Apple Silicon become the bedrock for everything you do on your iPhone. Obviously, not every model in Apple's iPhone lineup is equal. More expensive phones like the iPhone 13 Pro come with a contemporary design, high refresh-rate screens, larger camera sensors and tools like the U1 ultrawideband chip and lidar.
These extra perks mean you can use your iPhone in more ways. For example, if you've got the right car, you can unlock it and start it with your iPhone. Borscher describes moments like these as "automagic," meaning it just works. The same way a pair of AirPods can switch from your iPhone to your Mac for watching a video, or the way you can unlock your Mac using your Apple Watch.
Apple first introduced AirPods in 2017 with the release of the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus, which lacked a physical headphone jack.
Sarah Tew/CNET
Such growth has consequences. Antitrust concerns over the app store and mobile payments, debates about screen time, Apple's contentious dealings with the FBI, criticism that all these services are part of a strategy to lock people into Apple's ecosystem and, more recently, privacy questions over AirTags are just some of the concerns that have grown alongside the iPhone's meteoric success. There are even questions as to whether Apple can launch another product line that is even half as successful as the iPhone. My CNET colleague and Apple reporter Ian Sherr points out that products like the Apple Watch and AirPods are lucrative lar gely because of their connection to the iPhone.
Over 15 years, the iPhone has become ubiquitous and helped Apple become a nearly $3 trillion company. The next iteration of the phone, likely called the iPhone 14, is expected to launch this September. It will no doubt run on iOS 16 and have the newest version of Apple's A-series processor and will continue to support the Apple experience. As for the long-term, my colleague Lisa Eadicicco thinks the most important part of future iPhones will be how it works with everything around it.
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Best MacBook for 2022
Apple offers MacBooks from $999 all the way up to $3,499, and that's just the default configurations without optional upgrades, which can add thousands more. With the new M2 chip, we're now firmly in the second generation of Apple Silicon, and the new M2 MacBook Air is already a favorite, even if it's more expensive than its predecessor.
The MacBook Air and MacBook Pro are known for excellent design, build quality and ease of use. The generally intuitive nature of MacOS plays a big part in that, as does the fact that Apple makes both the hardware and software, leading to inherent synergies.
Here are some MacBook shopping tips and answers to common questions, as well as our breakdown of which Mac is right for whom.
Apple is still offering education deals on MacBooks: Normally, the Apple Store is (ironically) not the best place to buy an Apple laptop (really, almost any Apple product) because sales are all but nonexistent. The big exception to the rule is Apple's education sales, which usually include MacBook deals. If you're a student or teacher, that can mean $100 off a MacBook Air and a free pair of AirPods, plus a 20% discount on the AppleCare Plus extended warranty (which I have mixed feelings about). On the other hand, we've also found Apple laptop deals through Best Buy's Student Deals page.
The TouchBar is (mostly)dead: Despite being announced with great fanfare in 2016, the TouchBar, a slim secondary touchscreen that sits above the keyboard, is now only available on one model, the M2 13-inch MacBook Pro, which retains its dated design, despite having Apple's latest chip.
Great webcam on the 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pro, and the 13-inch Air; 13-inch MacBook Pro webcam is meh: The jump to a 1,080-pixel resolution camera in the newest MacBooks, as well as the 24-inch iMac, is a game-changer for people sitting in video meetings all day. Here are some tips on making the 720-pixel cameras in those other Macs look better.
If you need something bigger and don't mind it being tied to a desk: Apple updated its smaller iMac (formerly 21.5 inches, now 24 inches) in 2021, and it now comes in seven color options and runs on the company's M1 processor. You can also pair a Mac Mini or Mac Studio desktop with the new 27-inch Mac Studio Display.
Almost all Macs have transitioned to Apple's own M1 and M2 chips: Since late 2020, the MacBook Air, 13-inch MacBook Pro, Mac Mini, Mac Studio, 24-inch iMac, 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro now all run either M1, M2, M1 Pro or M1 Max/Ultra chips, which include both CPU and GPU cores. Based on our testing so far, the Apple M1/M2 line has largely delivered on Apple's promises of better battery life and faster performance. You can still find one old Mac Mini and the really old Mac Pro desktop with an Intel chip.
The key question is how to make sure you're not buying too little MacBook -- or too much. What is the best MacBook for your needs? For most people, the 13-inch Air remains the default choice and rightly so. The new 14-inch and 16-inch Pro models are more powerful, but in a way that only people who need heavy GPU support will appreciate. Yes, you get a better display, new camera and more ports with those, but if you're buying a new Pro just for that, be aware that you're essentially making a vanity purchase.
Read more: Best Mac VPN for 2022
MacBook starting configurations
14-inch MacBook Pro
16-inch MacBook Pro
MacBook Air (13-inch, M1)
MacBook Air (13-inch, M2)
13-inch MacBook Pro (M2)
CPU
M1 Pro or M1 Max
M1 Pro or M1 Max
M1
M2
M2
No. of GPU cores
14-16 (M1 Pro), 24-32 (M1 Max)
16 (M1Pro), 24-32 (M1 Max)
7
8
8
Screen size
14.2
16.2-inch
13.3-inch
13.6-inch
13.3-inch
Screen resolution
3,024x1,964 pixels
3,456x2,234 pixels
2,560x1,600 pixels
2,560x1,664 pixels
2,560x1,600 pixels
Starting storage
512GB
512GB
256GB
256GB
256GB
Starting RAM
16GB
16GB
8GB
8GB
8GB
Webcam
1080p
1080p
720p
1080p
720p
Networking
802.11ax Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.0
802.11ax Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.0
802.11ax Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.0
802.11ax Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.0
802.11ax Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.0
Connections
Thunderbolt USB-C x3, HDMI, SDXC card, MagSafe 3
Thunderbolt USB-C x3, HDMI, SDXC card, MagSafe 3
Thunderbolt USB-C x2
Thunderbolt USB-C x2
Thunderbolt USB-C x2
Weight
3.5 lbs
4.7 lbs
2.8 lbs
2.7 lbs
3.0 lbs
Starting price
$1,999
$2,499
$999
$1,199
$1,299
Dan Ackerman/CNET
The new-for-2022 MacBook Air gets its biggest refresh in many years, moving to the latest M2 chip and adopting a new design. Thanks to that new MacBook-Pro-like design, larger display (13.6-inch vs 13.3-inch), faster M2 chip and a long-awaited upgrade to a higher-res webcam, it's now my favorite Mac, with one caveat. At $1,199, the $200 increase over the traditional $999 MacBook Air starting price is a disappointment.
The new MacBook Air goes beyond the Pro models it mimics in one important respect – it adds new colors to the space gray and silver, with a new gold-like Starlight and a deep, dark Midnight finish. That Midnight, which appears as a matte black finish, reminds me of the old matte black polycarbonate MacBooks of the mid 2000's, which I've always thought was a very sharp look.
We've got a lot of different MacBook models, prices and specs to keep track of. To sum it up, the key reasons you're going to prefer the new M2 Air over the previous M1 model are:
Slimmer, more modern design in new colors
Upgraded full-HD webcam
Larger, brighter display (13.6 inches vs. 13.3 inches)
Faster M2 processor
Read our full review of the MacBook Air M2.
Dan Ackerman/CNET
This model has been surpassed, but not replaced, by the new M2 MacBook Air. Because it's staying on as Apple's sole $999 laptop, it still deserves a place on this list.
For many years, this Apple laptop was everyone's favorite laptop. It was reasonably priced, thin, light and built like a tank. It could last for years and take lots of falls and bumps. For any college student or coffee shop creative type, $999 would get you sorted.
You only get two Thunderbolt 3 USB-C ports, but for most people that's enough, as long as you can get a whatever-to-USB-C dongle.
The 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pro laptops, like the new M2 MacBook Air, have better displays, faster processors and more ports. The Pro models also have HDMI and SD card slots.
Read our full review of the MacBook Air M1.
Read our Apple MacBook Air 11 review.
Dan Ackerman/CNET
Compared to the 13-inch Pro, the screen size here jumps from 13.3 to 14.2 inches. It's what Apple calls a Liquid Retina XDR display, which is basically a mini LED screen, like in the 12.9-inch iPad Pro. It also has the same HDMI, SD card and MagSafe ports as the 16-inch MacBook Pro, and the same 1080 webcam.
Both the M1 Pro and M1 Max chips are available in the 14-inch, and it can be configured with the same 64GB RAM and 8TB storage as the 16-inch Pro. But one thing you can only get on the 14-inch are a couple of lower-end Apple M1 Pro options not available for the 16-inch, with fewer CPU and GPU cores, and a lower cost.
If you're a college student, coffeeshop writer or other mainstream laptop user, consider that this is a hefty premium to pay for a better screen, better webcam and more ports. It might be like buying a sports car just for driving on city streets. Bring in all-day, every day web video meetings, you might be able to make a good case, but the new M2 Air also solves that problem.
Read our full review of the 14-inch MacBook Pro.
Dan Ackerman/CNET
The 16-inch MacBook Pro is the biggest, most-powerful MacBook you can buy. It's a true desktop replacement and a worthy heir to the late, great 17-inch MacBook Pro, last seen in 2012.
Both this and the 14-inch version add the same resurrected ports, new Mini-LED display, MagSafe power connection and improved webcam. Both are available with either the M1 Pro or M1 Max chip, which are precisely what a slice of the creative pro market has been waiting for. These new chips offer up to 36 GPU cores (and up to 10 CPU cores) and replace the need for both an Intel CPU and discrete AMD graphics, a combo previously found in only a few high-end Macs. In other words, after a long wait, professional video editors and 3D modelers have a MacBook aimed squarely at them.
The border around the display here has gotten so thin that there's not even room for a webcam any longer. Here the camera gets slotted into an iPhone-like notch at the top of the display. Yes, just like an iPhone. And like the iPhone, it's annoying and too obvious at first. But it's worth the tradeoff, as the higher-res 1,080 camera will spoil you quickly if you're used to the lower-res 720p cameras in other laptops.
With a starting price of $2,450, just keep in mind that if you're not specifically going to use these new GPU capabilities, this is a pretty expensive way to get an HDMI port and SD card slot.
Read our full review of the 16-inch MacBook Pro.
Dan Ackerman/CNET
This new 2022 version of the 13-inch MacBook Pro looks just like the 13-inch MacBook Pro that was part of Apple's first wave of M1-chip Macs in late 2020. Same body, same camera, same limited ports, same Touch Bar. Yes, this remains the last holdout of the Apple Touch Bar, a clever-but-underused second screen that's fallen out of favor.
And that's exactly what this system is: The 2020 13-inch MacBook Pro, with the initial M1 chip swapped out for the new M2 chip. That makes it Apple's most powerful 13-inch laptop, and it edges out the otherwise similar new M2 MacBook Air because its active cooling allows it to run at higher temperatures.
Read our full review of the M2 13-inch MacBook ProThat means it's less likely to be your best choice for a MacBook. But there are some reasons you may still want the 13-inch MacBook Pro over either the new MacBook Air or the much-more-expensive 14- or 16-inch MacBook Pro. We outlined the most obvious reasons here, and they include:
It's the last opportunity to get a Touch Bar MacBook.
It's the smallest MacBook with the longest battery life (at least until we test the new Air model).
It provides platform continuity for your company or creative shop.
Read our full review of the M2 13-inch MacBook Pro.
Which MacBook should I buy?
My TL;DR advice is as follows.
If you need a MacBook for everyday work, schoolwork, web surfing, movies and light creativity, go with the MacBook Air. For most people, this is all the MacBook they'll need.
The new design and camera are great, as is the bigger screen, but the $999 M1 version of the MacBook Air is still great if you don't want to spend $200 more on the M2 version.
The 13-inch MacBook Pro remains a tough sell. More expensive than the Air, but essentially the same performance and same Apple M2 chip. It's also the last holdout of the Touch Bar.
The 16-inch MacBook Pro is the one high-end creative types have been waiting for. The video editor and creative pros I've spoken to have flocked to it, and usually with the highest-end M1 Max chip.
The 14-inch MacBook Pro can do almost everything the 16-inch can, but in a smaller package. It's either a premium mainstream laptop splurge or a work tool for creative types who need something a little more portable.
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iPhone 12 finally gets a new design, which means it could be even harder to repair
iPhone 12 finally gets a new design, which means it could be even harder to repair
When Apple's5GiPhone 12, or whatever it's called, gets announced on Tuesday, Oct. 13, during the company's online-only launch event, industry watchers will be looking closely to see how Apple sells us on 5G wireless, its new chips and cameras, and whatever other new features it might pack in. (Here are all the final iPhone 12 rumors we've heard, and the latest major leak.)
But it's the design that may end up being its most important feature. The new iPhone is expected to shave the device's curved edges into squares, much like those on the current iPad Pro. After three years of the same design, the refresh will likely draw eyes from a lot of consumers eager for a shake up.
But it'll also draw the attention of repair experts around the world, who will rush to YouTube and Twitter once they get hold of the device to start dissecting it down to each seam, screw and cable inside to learn what's fixable and what isn't.
"Apple's the best at everything they do except serviceability," said Kyle Wiens, head of repair instruction and parts site iFixit, which typically rushes to perform online tear-downs of new Apple devices when they launch.
People like Wiens highlight an increasingly public debate within the tech industry over form and function. As gadgets from computers to phones get smaller and lighter, people around the tech world are wondering how far this push for slim design will go, and whether it'll take precedence over being easy to repair.
Repair advocates note, for example, that the batteries in Apple's popular AirPods wireless headphones can't be replaced without destroying them. "That's the difference between a product that can last 18 months and what can last 10 years," Wiens added. But at the same time, the AirPods' popularity stems in part from how lightweight, small and slick they are -- all aspects that would likely be altered by having compartments and connectors for replaceable batteries.
A mockup of what the iPhone 12 may look like, with straight edges on the sides.
Svetapple
Over the years, Apple's tipped further toward that consumable end of the spectrum. Its laptops, which once had easily replaceable batteries, are screwed shut with the batteries glued to the case. Pretty much all its computers other than its $5,999 Mac Pro desktop aren't designed to be easily opened by non-technical people either.
Apple has investigated taking those designs a step further, too. In a patent application published in August called "unitary housing for electronic device," the company described a way to build devices with their electronics encased in two pieces that are sealed with "one or more ultrasonic welds." The fully enclosed housing can be hermetically sealed, the company said.
"Even in the more eloquently designed electronic devices, outer housings are still typically formed from multiple parts, which tends to result in at least seams or other discontinuities, if not exposed screws, tabs or other component fasteners," Apple said in its application. "While many designs and techniques used to provide outer housings for electronic devices and components have generally worked well in the past, there is always a desire to provide alternative housing designs and techniques for new and aesthetically pleasing devices."
Sleek obsession
Apple's designs, under Jobs, led to a series of hits including the iMac, iPod, iPhone and iPad.
CNET
Apple co-founder Steve Jobs famously micromanaged the look of the company's products, in and out. He obsessed over the smallest dot on the screen and the angle of the curves on its devices. The night before the first iPod music player was introduced in 2001, Jobs demanded engineers tear apart and remake the device to make that satisfying click-feeling you get when you plug in a cord.
"The back of this thing looks better than the front of the other guys," Jobs quipped as he showed off the company's first iMac computer in 1998.
While that obsession with design has won Apple praise and loyal fans, it's also attracted criticism. As the company's Mac computers have gotten sleeker, easily removable or replaceable parts like the battery, memory and storage drives became largely inaccessible to people without technical skill.
In 2010, when Apple introduced the iPhone 4, Jobs focused on the device's stainless steel sides that doubled as cellular and Wi-Fi antennas. After its release, users quickly learned that holding the phone a certain way scrambled the device's reception.
Apple's "butterfly" keyboards were largely criticized by reviewers.
iFixit
In 2015, the company introduced a new "butterfly" keyboard for its laptops, which was 40% thinner than previous technologies while potentially offering better accuracy. The design became hated among reviewers as user complaints poured in about failing and mistyped keys.
"Perhaps the kindest thing we can say about the Apple MacBook butterfly keyboard is, 'Thank you for your service,'" CNET's computer reviewer Dan Ackerman wrote after the company finally ditched the technology starting last year. "So long and good riddance."
Whether Apple's newest devices use its seam-removing process is yet to be seen. The company's filed for similar patents in 2010, 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2018. Each time, the it's given more of a window into how it could use the technology. In 2015, it was for a process to house an "operational component" (think more compactly squeezing parts into a MacBook or iPhone). In 2016, it was for using these techniques in a laptop. Now, it's for a broadly described "electronic device."
Apple's also filed patents for "ultrasonic welding" techniques, indicating they could be used to join metal and plastic parts inside an iPad or iPhone. They could also create a laptop with "no apparent seams or other artifacts of manufacture on its outer surface," Apple's said.
Most people expect to see seams, screws and hinges since they've been visible on products for decades. To designers, those "artifacts" aren't so much a part of the design they created.
"When you look at a hinge you think, 'I get how that opens and closes.' But the more they make it just disappear, you get this magical mystery of 'How's it doing that?'" said Francois Nguyen, head of industrial design at consultancy Frog's North American studio.
Apple loved that manilla-envelope MacBook Air reveal so much it was featured in the device's ads too.
Apple
That kind of "ooh" and "ahh" doesn't happen much in the tech industry, but Apple under Jobs made it happen several times. He showed off the first MacBook Air in 2008 by hiding it in an interoffice envelope to show how thin it was. He pulled the first iPod Nano music player out of the small fifth pocket in his jeans in 2005. He showed off that first iMac's colorful translucent case in 1998 by turning down the stage lights while it sat on a bright pedestal.
"All those little moments and details that Apple focuses on really sets them apart from all these other tried and true processes that everyone else has at their disposal," Nguyen said.
There's only so much you can do to reinvent a sheet of glass on a metal body. Still, Nguyen -- who led design for the original "Beats by Dre" headphones, whose namesake company Apple bought for about $3.2 billion in 2014 -- said he expects new technologies, like additional and more advanced cameras, will continue to force design, ergonomic and other changes as Apple adjusts its devices to accommodate them.
"The technology could still be the size of a needle, you still have to hold this thing," he said.
Steps forward and back
Sen. Elizabeth Warren took a hard position against tech companies during her presidential campaign last year.
Angela Lang/CNET
Apple appears to at least understand that form over function is something the world is increasingly paying attention to.
When a member of the New York Times editorial board asked Apple for comment last year on upcoming legislation from Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren pushing for national right to repair laws, it set off a flurry of emails within Apple's PR team.
"We're still not clear on our seemingly evolving position," Lori Lodes, a former director of corporate communications, said in one message.
"Right now we're talking out of both sides of our mouth and no one is clear on where we're headed," added Kristin Huguet, head of corporate communications.
The messages, published by the House Judiciary's subcommittee on antitrust as part of an investigation of Apple and other tech giants, were among the first times Apple's internal struggles between form and function were made public.
So far, Apple has focused its efforts on expanding the servicing programs it has in place within its stores and through repair shops it certifies. Last year, the company began offering independent repair shops the same "genuine parts, tools, training, repair manuals and diagnostics" that its authorized service providers have access to. In July, the company said it's working with more than 700 businesses across the US, including uBreakiFix.
"When a customer needs a repair, we want them to have a range of options that not only suits their needs but also guarantees safety and quality so their iPhone can be used for as long as possible," Jeff Williams, Apple's chief operating officer, said in a July statement.
That's why, come Apple's event on Oct. 13, some people will be eyeing the bottom of the new iPhone to see whether the two screws typically used to start opening the phone are still there, as well as any other indications of how more tightly sealed the device is.
"Sadly, it's part of the evolution of technology," said Carolina Milanesi, an analyst at market research firm Creative Strategies. The challenge, she said, is that whatever changes Apple makes will need to strike that right compromise between new design, features, and making sure the experience is worth it. Because after all, these phones will likely be used by hundreds of millions of people, all of whom will carry it around with them every day.
"Even if change is better, people just don't like change -- especially when it's with something you're dependent on," she said. "I'm glad it's not my job."
Updated Oct. 13 at 1:55 p.m. PT: To correct the spelling of Carolina Milanesi's last name. We regret the error.
