This week in Apple: Coronavirus wreaking havoc, March hardware launch postponed

This week in Apple news we saw a lot of problems for the company caused by the coronavirus. You can see the roundup below for all the information, but suffice it to say that Apple’s plans for the next few months are all messed up now — and who knows how this will affect its bottom line.

It wasn’t all about the coronavirus, though. In other Apple news, we saw some more information supporting the rumors surrounding some upcoming over-ear headphones from the company, rumors about as ToF sensor on the iPhone 12, and the launch of a new trailer for a Beastie Boys documentary on Apple TV Plus.

See the Apple news roundup below for all the latest.

The top Apple news stories of the past week:

• The coronavirus is making business for Apple quite difficult: The coronavirus is quite possibly the biggest thing that’s happened globally in the past decade. As one would expect, it’s wreaking havoc on all aspects of Apple’s business. First, the unannounced March hardware event Apple likely would have staged has now been postponed, according to industry insiders. That event would likely have been the launch of the rumored iPhone 9, a mid-ranger destined for developing markets. Additionally, iPhone sales in China took a massive hit and production for the iPhone 12 — expected in September — could be facing setbacks, too.
• WWDC moved to an online-only event: Just as Google did with its own I/O event, Apple will move its Worldwide Developers Conference to an online-only event. The move is an obvious response to coronavirus fears.
• iPhone 12 ToF sensor seems more certain than ever: Speaking of the iPhone 12, rumors have run rampant that at least one of the models in the line will have a time-of-flight (ToF) sensor on the rear. According to Fast Company, Apple could refer to this as a “world-facing” sensor, and it should allow for better photos as well as improved AR experiences.
• iOS 14 points to new over-ear headphones: In leaked code for the upcoming iOS 14, 9to5Mac reports there are hidden icons that show a set of over-ear headphones. The icons appear to relate to two different colors — likely white and Space Gray — and lend credence to the rumor that Apple will release its own brand of over-ears this year sometime.
• New iMessage features could include retracting texts: Ever mistakenly send a text you didn’t mean to? Using an upcoming version of iMessage, you might be able to take messages like those back, according to MacRumors. There also might be a new feature that allows you to “mention” other people in messages using the familiar “@” symbol.
• Highly-anticipated Beastie Boys documentary gets a trailer: Apple TV Plus will debut a new feature-length documentary about legendary hip-hop group Beastie Boys. Directed by Spike Jonze, who also directed the famous “Sabotage” music video, the film now has a trailer. Check it out here.

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.