This week in Apple: AirPods lineup likely delayed, Apple slips to fourth place

This week in Apple news we heard some rumors related to the three new AirPods products. Third-gen AirPods, second-gen AirPods Pro, and the long-fabled AirPods Studio will likely land in 2021. It was previously rumored the Studio over-ears would land this year at some point.

In other Apple news, we saw Apple slip in its global smartphone ranking, hints about an upcoming hardware launch, an iPhone 12 Mini hands-on that launched and then vanished, and news related to a possible Apple search engine.

See the Apple news roundup below for all the latest.

The top Apple news stories of the past week:

• Probably no new AirPods this year: If you were looking forward to grabbing a new model of Apple’s AirPods this year, you might be out of luck. According to Bloomberg, there won’t be any new AirPods or AirPods Pro until 2021. As for the long-rumored AirPods Studio over-ear headphones, those might get announced in November, but even if they do, they likely wouldn’t hit store shelves for the holiday season.
• iMac with Apple silicon landing first half of next year: According to a report from The China Times, you’ll need to wait until 2021 to see the first iMac powered by an Apple-made chipset. The chip — so far known as an “A14T” — could drastically change the game for Apple computer users. Keep in mind, though, that the first MacBook with Apple-made silicon will likely launch before the end of this year.
• Tim Cook hints at another hardware launch: During Apple’s recent quarterly earnings call, CEO Tim Cook strongly hinted that there will be at least one more hardware launch before the end of 2020. This wasn’t unexpected, but it’s the first official statement related to the supposed launch. It will likely happen in November before the US Thanksgiving holiday.
• iPhone 12 Mini hands-on video appears, vanishes: The first third-party hands-on video footage of the iPhone 12 Mini hit YouTube earlier this week. The Romanian video showed the Mini as compared to other iPhones. However, not long after, the video vanished from the platform. Hmmm…
• Apple slips to fourth place: For a long time now, the top-three smartphone manufacturers globally have been Samsung, HUAWEI, and Apple. Samsung and HUAWEI briefly swapped places last quarter, but Samsung regained the lead for Q3 2020. However, Apple actually dropped from third to fourth, with Xiaomi taking its third-place slot. Uh-oh!
• MagSafe charger is pitiful without paying for the wall adapter: According to testing by MacRumors, using a MagSafe charger to wirelessly charge iPhone 12 devices only works at its peak under certain conditions. Using various wall adapters, charging speeds could be anywhere from a drip-slow 6W to a respectable 13W. The only way to get the advertised 15W speed? You guessed it: using Apple’s proprietary 20W adapter that isn’t included with the latest iPhones — or even with the MagSafe itself!
• Apple search engine in the works, apparently: Partly due to Google’s current antitrust accusation problems, Apple could be developing its own search engine. A recent report highlights the steps Apple is taking in this realm.
• Jon Stewart returning to current affairs TV: According to The Hollywood Reporter, Daily Show-alum Jon Stewart is returning to TV with a new current affairs show. The show will be an Apple TV Plus exclusive, although little is known about its format at the moment.

Thinking about making the switch?

If you are reading this Apple news article on an iOS device and thinking about making the switch to Android, we have multiple articles and guides that can help you with that process. Despite how it might seem, moving from iOS to Android is easier than ever, and many of the services and systems on iOS have similar or even the same counterparts on Android.

The best place to start would be our guide on how to switch from iPhone to Android, which goes over all the basics. We also have more specific guides, such as how to transfer your calendar from iPhone to Android. We also have app guides that will give you the best alternatives to iOS staples, such as our list of best alternatives to FaceTime on Android.

If you’re looking for a great Android device to replace your iPhone, consult our list of the best Android smartphones available now.