💨 Hi there! It’s been a super windy week over here. September 1 is looming, which is supposed to be Spring Day, but I’m not counting on beach weather just yet.

iPhone Day is confirmed

True to leaks from Bloomberg, Apple has announced a September 7 event scheduled for 10 AM PT (1 PM ET, 7 PM CET). The company hasn’t said that it will launch the iPhone 14 series here, although it’s all but guaranteed at this point.

What does the poster tell us?

• That “Far out” tagline and accompanying image (seen above) suggest that rumored satellite connectivity features could debut here.
• Leaks point to upcoming iPhones gaining satellite connectivity for features like emergency services.
• Then again, we’ve heard about these claims before prior to the iPhone 13 launch.
• 9to5Mac also suggests that the poster could hint at astrophotography or iOS 16’s always-on display functionality.
• Astrophotography modes are pretty niche but I want my next phone to have it after using Android devices with the feature.
• Me? I’m banking on the artwork hinting at satellite connectivity.

What should you expect from the iPhone 14 series?

• Apple will apparently drop the iPhone 14 Mini in favor of the iPhone 14 Max, for one.
• The iPhone 14 Max is basically a cheaper large-screen iPhone. So you don’t need to buy the pricier Pro Max device if you just want a big screen.
• Otherwise, you should also expect a standard iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Pro, and iPhone 14 Pro Max.
• It’s believed that only the Pro models will gain the new A16 Bionic processor, while the standard devices stick with the current A15 chip.
• The Pro models might also be the only ones to gain 48MP main cameras.
• If Apple’s take on 48MP cameras is anything like that of Android OEMs, then it’ll use pixel-binning to deliver cleaner 12MP shots.
• 48MP cameras also open the door for 8K video capabilities. Will Apple finally bring 8K recording to its iPhones?
• Apple’s new phones might also get rid of the long-running and unsightly notch in favor of cutouts instead.
• You can also read our iPhone 14 series rumor hub for all the prominent leaks.

Roundup

🛰 T-Mobile and SpaceX team up for mystery announcement: The two companies say the announcement involves increasing connectivity. A partnership with Starlink to bring satellite internet connectivity for some scenarios? (Android Authority)

⚡ Now even Redmi Note phones might skip the bundled charger (Android Authority).

🎮 Google Play Games opens its beta to let more users play Android games on PC (Android Authority)

🖥 Samsung’s latest gaming monitors have Google Stadia, GeForce Now, and more built-in: A pretty neat approach, meaning you won’t need a connected PC, Android TV box, or console to get your game on. This is possible thanks to Samsung using Tizen on these monitors (9to5Google).

🔋 Another day, another battery breakthrough promised: Researchers have created cheap, fast-charging aluminum battery tech. But the tech needs to be at 90 degrees Celsius or 194 degrees Fahrenheit to work properly (Arstechnica).

✉ Emails don’t suck, it’s email clients that need improving: A pretty interesting argument in defense of standalone email clients over web-based email (Wired).

🔍 Massive study involving YouTube finds ‘pre-bunking’ innoculates people against misinfo: A neat study found that telling users about misinformation tactics helped them identify misinformation when presented to them. It kinda sounds obvious, but we all know someone who could do with some ‘pre-bunking’ (Gizmodo).

📱 Wallpaper Wednesday: Readers and AA team members have once again shared some of their favorite pictures for you to use as a wallpaper (Android Authority).

💻 NVIDIA said it built too many GPUs, expect sales while it works on something ‘new’: Those waiting for crazy GPU prices to subside might be in luck (The Verge).

💵 The PS5 just got a price hike in several regions: The US is safe for now, but expect a pricier PS5 in Canada, the EU, the UK, and several other markets (Android Authority).

Thursday Thing

Natural language processing has come in leaps and bounds over the years, enabling everything from voice assistants and live caption functionality to real-time voice translation. Now, it looks like we can add accent altering to the list of applications.

• Startup company Sanas has innovated accent-altering tech that uses AI to make people sound more western. Or whiter, as this SFGate article notes.
• The tech is currently used by seven outsourcing firms for call centers, but the company also wants to bring it to video and audio calls.
• Call center workers changing their accent (and name) for Western consumers isn’t a new thing, but is this AI software a step too far?
• “On the surface it reflects communication difficulty — people not being able to understand someone else’s speech,” sociology professor Winifred Poster told the outlet. “But, really, it’s coded for a whole bunch of other issues about how accent triggers racism and ethnocentrism.”
• Still, is it weird that I think accent-altering tech might be fun fodder for the likes of TikTok?

Enjoy the rest of the day!

Hadlee Simons, Editor