This week in Apple: iPhone 9 could be mad cheap, 'AirPods Pro Lite' possible

This week in Apple news we heard more about pricing for the upcoming iPhone 9 (or iPhone SE 2, take your pick). The mid-range entry in the iPhone lineup is expected to launch in just a few months, and the price tag could pit it against the Google Pixel 3a.

Elsewhere, we heard Apple news related to some sort of “Lite” variant of the Apple AirPods Pro, the FTC making some big moves investigating Apple and other tech companies, and how the HomePod is really not doing well at all in the smart speaker market.

See the Apple news roundup below for all the latest.

The top Apple news stories of the past week:

• Mid-range iPhone could be cheaper than expected: According to a report this past weekend from Fast Company, the iPhone SE 2 — or iPhone 9, as it might be called — could be priced as low as $399. This would make it less than half as expensive as the iPhone 11 Pro and put it in direct competition with the Google Pixel 3a.
• Apple could be working on a “Lite” version of the AirPods Pro: According to some supply chain information dished out by DigiTimes, Apple could be working on a less-expensive variant of its AirPods Pro. However, we’re not sure what that would mean as there are already the regular AirPods that are cheaper and with fewer features. It could be a mistake and Apple is simply working on AirPods Lite that will be cheaper than regular AirPods. Stay tuned, we guess.
• California says Apple must pay its employees for their time: When Apple Store employees leave work, they are subject to bag security checks. Makes sense, right? However, Apple doesn’t pay employees for the time it takes for them to wait for a bag check and go through the checking procedure. Doesn’t make sense at all, right? California lawmakers agree and will now force Apple to pay employees for their bag check time.
• FTC examining Big Tech companies, including Apple: This week, it came out that the FTC is looking into anti-trust problems that could have originated through Big Tech acquisitions. The government organization is looking into Apple as well as Google, Facebook, Amazon, and Microsoft.
• The HomePod is still doing pretty poorly in the market: Apple’s one and only smart speaker, the HomePod, isn’t doing too well. A recent report from Strategy Analytics (via Business Wire) shows the HomePod in sixth place for market share. The companies with the most market share, in order, are Amazon, Google, Baidu, Alibaba, Xiaomi, and then Apple.

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.