This week in Apple: iPhone 12 RAM, iPad Pro 5G rumors

This week in Apple news we found out about some rumored RAM variants that could appear in the flagship iPhone 12 lineup this Fall. For the first time, there could be iPhones with 6GB of RAM. However, not all iPhone 12 models are likely to get that much.

Elsewhere, we heard some rumors related to an iPad Pro with 5G support, Apple messing with its trade-in program, Mac shipment numbers heading in the wrong direction, and the US government stepping in to ask Apple about breaking its own encryption (again).

See the Apple news roundup below for all the latest.

The top Apple news stories of the past week:

• Two out of four ain’t bad when it comes to 6GB of RAM: We expect there to be four devices in the main iPhone 12 lineup. According to a new rumor stemming from MacRumors, two of those iPhones could have 6GB of RAM, a first for any iPhone. The two smaller iPhones, though, might still be stuck on 4GB of RAM.
• A 5G-connected iPad Pro could be on the way: According to hit-and-miss publication DigiTimes, Apple could be planning on releasing an iPad Pro with 5G support. That would include mmWave support. This would very likely make this iPad Pro very expensive.
• US government wants Apple to break its encryption again: The world was shaken again by another mass shooting recently, this time in Pensacola, FL. United States Attorney General William Barr asked Apple to unlock the iPhones used in the mass shooting, but Apple declined. President Donald Trump was not pleased with this.
• Your used Apple product just lost a lot of value: Last week, Apple quietly reduced the trade-in values of many of its high-profile products, including the iPhone. An iPhone XS Max used to get you $600 for a trade-in at Apple, but now it gets you only $500. You can see all the values and how much they dropped here.
• PC shipments grew this past quarter, but Mac shipments didn’t: According to Gartner, the overall PC market saw an uptick in shipments, the first in nearly 10 years. However, Apple’s shipments of its Mac-based PCs did not go up. In fact, they went down, and Apple also lost some of its market share.
• Apple buys a young startup focused on AI: This week, Apple closed a reported $200 million deal on purchasing a startup called Xnor.ai. The company specializes in onboard artificial intelligence systems. Apple will likely push the team to work on Siri-related products.
• Unofficial site chronicles Apple’s past: A new site, unsanctioned by Apple, collected nearly 1TB of data on Apple’s history, including ads, wallpapers, images, and videos. It’s the kind of thing Apple fans could spend hours on. See it yourself here.
• Apple TV Plus nabs its first industry award: Apple’s exclusive The Morning Show didn’t win anything at the Golden Globes, but actor Billy Crudup — who plays Cory Ellison on the series — did nab a coveted Critics’ Choice Award for Best Supporting Actor. This represents the first major industry win for an Apple show.
• Tile to testify in court against Apple: Apple is developing its own Tile-like tracking device, and Tile isn’t happy about it. The company will testify against Apple today in a congressional antitrust hearing for its anti-competitive practices.

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.