This week in Apple: New iMac, Apple Watch rumors, iPhone 12 launch rumors

This week in Apple news we saw a brand new refresh from the company: the 2020 iMac. Although it looks nearly the same as the previous iteration, it’s got some upgraded internals and some new powers that could make it a good choice for desktop PC shoppers.

In other Apple news, we saw some new Apple Watch rumors, some rumors related to the iPhone 12 launch, a leak of a new display patent that might affect future Apple phones, and the new way that Apple’s gift card system works.

See the Apple news roundup below for all the latest.

The top Apple news stories of the past week:

• The 2020 iMac with a 27-inch display is here: On Tuesday, Apple officially revealed the new 27-inch iMac. On the outside, you won’t notice many differences, but it does feature tenth-generation Intel chips, a new AMD graphics card, up to 128GB of RAM, up to 8TB of SSD storage, and a new 1080p front-facing webcam. The all-in-one PC starts at $1,799.
• Alleged iPhone 12 display leaks, kills off rumors: We originally expected Apple to significantly shrink the display notch on the iPhone 12 series. However, a recent leak (deleted, but now mirrored by MacRumors) of what appears to be an iPhone 12 display shows the notch is about the same size as every premium iPhone since the iPhone X. Oh well, looks like iPhone users are stuck with a big ol’ notch for another year.
• iPhone 12 releases could happen in stages: We already know that the iPhone 12 release will be late, but now we have rumors that the launch could happen in stages. Allegedly, the two 6.1-inch iPhones — likely to be known as the iPhone 12 Max and iPhone 12 Pro — could launch first. The 5.4-inch iPhone 12 model and the 6.7-inch iPhone 12 Pro Max model would land sometime thereafter if this rumor is to be believed.
• Next Apple Watch could have blood oxygen monitoring: There will likely be a new Apple Watch launch this year, and there’s a new rumor that it could have a new trick. According to a DigiTimes report, the Apple Watch Series 6 might come with a blood oxygen monitor. If true, this would make the watch an even more powerful health-tracking tool.
• Is there a convex iPhone in the works?: Thanks to MacRumors, we have an idea of what Apple might be working on for the future of iPhones. A recently unearthed patent suggests Apple is toying with using flexible displays to create a convex smartphone. You can check out some concept art of how this might possibly look here.
• iOS and iPad OS users won’t get xCloud: Microsoft is prepping the official rollout of its “Netflix for games” cloud service called xCloud. However, even though MS conducted beta rounds on iPhones and iPads, Apple’s stringent App Store policies leave no room for the service. That means xCloud will debut exclusively on Android with no planned App Store debut in sight.
• Apple’s gift cards are now more versatile: Late last week, Apple updated its gift cards to be more all-encompassing. Now, when you buy an Apple gift card, it can be used for both hardware and software. In other words, the same Apple gift card can be used to buy a new iPhone or an app from the App Store. Nice and simple!

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.