Disney will reportedly end its use of Slack for internal employee communications and migrate to Microsoft Teams after a hacking group stole and leaked more than a terabyte of corporate data.
Disney CFO Hugh Johnson announced plans to move away from Slack in a memo to staff earlier this week, according to a report Wednesday by Oliver Darcy in the “Status” newsletter. The company now plans to complete the migration during the second quarter of 2025.
Disney will move employees onto Microsoft’s rival collaboration application, Teams, according to aBusiness Insider report — a switch that is apparently unpopular with some Disney employees.
A group called “Nullbulge” published a 1.1 TB file containing data taken from Disney’s internal Slack archive in July. This included 44 million messages between Disney employees, 18,800 spreadsheets and at least 13,000 PDFs, according to a Wall Street Journal report earlier this month. Information posted publicly included details on Disney’s financial status and strategy, as well as personally identifiable information on some staffers and customers.
The breach apparently occurred after a computer belonging to software development manager at Disney was compromised. Data was then stolen from public and private Slack channels, though private messages were unaffected, according to the Journal.
Slack is owned by business software vendor Salesforce following a $28 billion acquisition in 2020. At the company’s Dreamforce event this week, Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff highlighted Disney’s continued use of Salesforce products across its operations, including by Disney retail workers and customer service staff.
Benioff also commented on Disney’s decision to drop Slack during a Bloomberg interview on Thursday.
“Our security is rock-solid,” said Benioff. “This is really important. Also, there’s no finish line when it comes to security. But companies have to also take the right measures to prevent phishing attacks and to lockdown their employees from social engineering. So, we can do our part, but our customers also have to do their part — that’s extremely important.”
The iPhone has come a long way since its arrival in 2007. Here’s our look at every iPhone that Apple has released since the original iconic iPhone arrived in 2007.
Every iPhone model from 2007 to 2023
The original iPhone (2007)
The iPhone 3G (2008)
The iPhone 3GS (2009)
The iPhone 4 (2010)
The iPhone 4S (2011)
The iPhone 5 (2012)
The iPhone 5s and 5c (2013)
The iPhone 6 and 6 Plus (2014)
The iPhone 6s and 6s Plus (2015)
The iPhone 7 and 7 Plus (2016)
The iPhone 8 and 8 Plus (2017)
The iPhone X (2017)
The iPhone Xr (2018)
The iPhone Xs and Xs Max (2018)
The iPhone 11 (2019)
The iPhone 11 Pro and Pro Max (2019)
The iPhone 12 and 12 mini (2020)
The iPhone 12 Pro and Pro Max (2020)
The iPhone 13 and 13 mini (2021)
The iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max (2021)
The iPhone 14 and 14 Plus (2022)
The iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max (2022)
The iPhone 15 and 15 Plus (2023)
The iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max (2023)
First iPhone
loading="lazy" width="400px">
Apple’s first iPhone arrived in June 2007.
After months of rumors and speculation, Apple CEO Steve Jobs unveiled the first iPhone on Jan. 9, 2007. The device, which didn’t actually go on sale until June, started at $499 for a 4GB model, $599 for the 8GB version (with a two-year contract). It offered a 3.5-in. screen, a 2-megapixel camera and won plaudits for the then-new multitouch features. Critics, however, said the phone was too expensive to do well in the market. (See iPhone launch story.)
iPhone 3G
loading="lazy" width="400px">
Apple’s iPhone 3G arrived in July 2008
On June 9, 2008, a year after the original iPhone went on sale, Apple rolled out its successor, the iPhone 3G. The new model could connect to faster 3G-based networks, included built-in GPS, offered more storage and was cheaper. Selling for $199 for the 8GB model, $299 for the 16GB version, the iPhone 3G was available on July 11, and offered something called location services. “Location services is going to be a really big deal on the iPhone,” said CEO Steve Jobs. “It’s going to explode.” (See launch story.)
iPhone 3GS
loading="lazy" width="400px">
Apple’s iPhone 3Gs arrived in June 2009.
Again at WWDC, Apple’s Steve Jobs announced the next iPhone, a faster version called the iPhone 3GS. Although the form factor was unchanged from the previous version, the new iPhone was twice as fast as its predecessor and ran iPhone 3.0 (an early version of iOS 8, due out later this month). The 32GB iPhone 3G S sold for $299; a 16GB model went for $199. An 8GB iPhone 3G was also offered for $99. The iPhone 3GS was available June 19, 2009. (See launch story.)
iPhone 4
loading="lazy" width="400px">
Apple’s iPhone 4 arrived in June 2010.
The redesigned iPhone 4 arrived on June 7, 2010 in tandem with the newly-renamed iOS 4, and marked the arrival of FaceTime video chat. Prices remained unchanged: $199 for a 16GB model and $299 for the 32GB version. It went on sale on June 24, and heralded the arrival of the first high-resolution “Retina” screen. “Once you use a Retina Display, you can’t go back,” said Steve Jobs. (See launch story.)
iPhone 4S
loading="lazy" width="400px">
Apple’s iPhone 4S arrived in October 2011.
In a change of pace, Apple unveiled the iPhone 4S on Oct. 4, 2011, a few weeks after Steve Jobs stepped down because of health issues. New CEO Tim Cook talked up the new phone’s dual-core processor (the same used in the iPad 2), and said the 4S would go on sale Oct. 14. In addition to the usual 16GB and 32GB models, Apple also unveiled a 64GB version that sold for $399. (See launch story.)
iPhone 5
loading="lazy" width="400px">
Apple’s iPhone 5 arrived in September 2012.
The iPhone 5, the first version to have a 4-in. screen, arrived on Sept. 12, 2012, as CEO Tim Cook touted the faster, slimmer upgrade to the iPhone 4S during a 90-minute presentation in San Francisco. “This is the biggest thing to happen to iPhone since the [original] iPhone,” he said, referring to the first-gen smartphone Steve Jobs had launched in 2007. The iPhone 5 hit the streets on Sept. 21; prices for the 16GB, 32GB and 64GB models were unchanged. (See launch story.)
iPhone 5S and 5C
loading="lazy" width="400px">
Apple’s iPhone 5s and 5c arrived in September 2013.
On Sept. 10, 2013, Apple CEO Tim Cook rolled out not one, but two iPhones: the upscale iPhone 5S (now in gold, in addition to the usual white and black), and the colorful, less-expensive iPhone 5C. (The iPhone 5C was basically a reskinned iPhone 5.) The iPhone 5S got a faster, 64-bit A7 SoC (system on a chip), Touch ID, and a new motion data processor touted as the foundation for a new wave of health and fitness apps. The iPhone 5C started at $99 for a $16GB model; the iPhone 5S started at $199 for the same amount of storage. Both went on sale Sept. 20. (See launch story.)
iPhone 6 and 6 Plus
loading="lazy" width="400px">
Apple’s iPhone 6 and 6 Plus arrived in September 2014.
For the second year in a row, Apple unveiled two iPhones in 2014: the iPhone 6, which has a 4.7-in. screen, and the iPhone 6 Plus, with a 5.5-in. screen. Both iPhones sported new A8 processors that were faster and more efficient than the previous year’s models. Both also had upgraded cameras and were NFC-ready for access to the new Apple Pay network that rolled out in October. Although the iPhone 6 was priced the same as 2013’s iPhone 5S, the Plus model was $100 more. (See launch story.)
iPhone 6S and 6S Plus
loading="lazy" width="400px">
Apple’s iPhone 6s and 6s Plus arrived in September 2015.
Apple’s iPhone 6S and 6S Plus represented meaty upgrades to the 2014 models on which they were based. The 6S and 6S plus got new force touch technology called 3D Touch, as well as a beefed up 12-megapixel iSight camera that shot 4K video. (The 5-megapixel FaceTime camera was also new, and was designed to take better selfies.) Both phones ran on a faster A9 chip, and came in a new color for 2015: rose gold. (See launch story.)
iPhone 7 and 7 Plus
loading="lazy" width="400px">
Apple’s iPhone 7 and 7 Plus were released in September 2016.
The iPhone 7 and 7 Plus looked much like the 2015 models, with three major exceptions: Apple eliminated the audio jack, changed the home button into a haptic-based virtual button, and added a dual-camera setup in the 7S. The loss of the audio jack, a somewhat controversial move, meant users had to rely on the Apple-supplied earbuds or use their old headphones with the included adapter. Both phones ran on a quad-core A10 Fusion chip, and came in two new colors: Black (a matte-finish charcoal color) and the super shiny Jet Black. (See launch story launch story.)
iPhone 8/8 Plus
loading="lazy" width="400px">
Apple’s iPhone 8 and 8 Plus were released in September 2017.
Apple introduced the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus with a new glass and aluminium enclosure, Retina HD display, A11 Bionic Chip, and wireless charging on Sept. 12, 2017. The front and back glass enclosure, which Apple said was the most durable glass ever in a smartphone, was reminiscent of the design of the iPhone 4 and 4s. True Tone technology adjusted the white balance of the display to match the surrounding light. Redesigned stereo speakers were 25% louder and delivered deeper bass.
Apple called the A11 Bionic chip “the most powerful and smartest chip ever in a smartphone.” It featured a six-core CPU with two performance cores and four efficiency cores, which were 25% and 70% faster than the A10 Fusion chip, respectively. The new iPhones included an Apple-designed GPU that delivered up to 30% faster graphics than in 2016’s iPhone 7.
Each model featured an improved 12-megapixel camera with a larger (and faster) sensor, a new color filter, deeper pixels, and capabilities for 4K video up to 60fps and 1080p slo-mo up to 240fps. ARKit in iOS 11 allowed developers to create AR games and apps offering immersive and fluid experiences. Color variations included space gray, silver, and a new version of gold.
iPhone X
loading="lazy" width="400px">
Apple’s iPhone X arrived in November 2017.
To commemorate a decade of iPhones, Apple ended its September event with “one more thing,” the iPhone X (“ten”). Starting at $999 for 64GB and $1,149 for 256GB, it was Apple’s most expensive iPhone to date. It included a redesigned glass and stainless steel enclosure, wireless charging, and dual cameras. Its flagship feature was an edge-to-edge “Super Retina display” — a 5.8-in. OLED display that supports Dolby Vision and HDR 10. It had a pixel resolution of 458ppi, a 1 million-to-1 contrast ratio, and True Tone.
Touch ID and the Home button were removed in favor of a new biometric security feature: Face ID. Face ID uses a TrueDepth camera system made up of a dot projector, infrared camera and flood illuminator. The A11 Bionic chip works in tandem with advanced depth-sensing technologies to map and recognize a user’s face to securely unlock the iPhone or make a transaction with Apple Pay. Face ID only works when a user looks at the iPhone X directly and is designed to prevent spoofing by photos and masks.
The 7-megapixel TrueDepth front-facing camera that enables Face ID also included auto image stabilization and delivered Portrait mode for better selfies with a depth-of-field effect. The TrueDepth camera also could animate emoji, which Apple playfully calls Animoji. The dual 12-megapixel rear camera included dual optical image stabilization, and an improved f/2.4 aperature on the telephoto lens.
According to Apple, the A11 Bionic neural engine performed up to 600 billion operations per second and was designed for specific machine learning algorithms, enabling Face ID, Animoji, and other features. Colors included silver and space gray.
iPhone Xr
loading="lazy" width="400px">
Apple’s iPhone Xr arrived in October 2018.
The Xr had an aluminum-and-glass design in six finishes, with improved water resistance and a 6.1-in. “Liquid Retina” display. Available in 64GB, 128GB and 256GB models and starting at $749, it featured Apple’s A12 Bionic Chip with second-generation Neural Engine — the first 7-nanometer chip in a smartphone.
Portrait mode with depth control was available on the TrueDepth camera for selfies, which included support for Memoji and face tracking for Face ID authentication, while the 12-megapixel camera with an f/1.8-aperture wide-angle lens featured a new sensor and improved software algorithms for faster focusing and enhanced portraiture with depth control. Established iPhone gestures were supported, and haptic touch controls could be used to instantly launch the camera or flashlight from the home screen.
iPhone Xs and Xs Max
loading="lazy" width="400px">
Apple’s iPhone Xs and Xs Max arrived in September 2018.
Featuring 5.8- and 6.5-in. all-screen designs and improved scratch- and water-resistance, Apple’s iPhone Xs and Xs Max both offered Super Retina OLED displays that supported Dolby Vision and HDR10 and had iOS system-wide color management; the Xs Max had the largest iPhone display to date, with more than 3 million pixels, and the biggest battery — promising up to an hour and a half more battery life than the iPhone X.
The 12-megapixel dual-camera system offered advanced depth segmentation in Portrait mode with the ability to adjust depth of field both in preview and post-capture for precise control in portrait creation; the system allowed for faster face tracking for Face ID, Memoji, and third-party ARKit apps. Low-light performance and image stabilization were enhanced for both still photography and video capture, in addition to an extended dynamic range for better highlight and shadow detail. Four built-in mics could record stereo sound.
These models were the first to include Apple’s A12 Bionic Chip with second-generation Neural Engine. The chip design was capable of completing up to 5 trillion operations per second (compared with 600 billion in its predecessor). Models in 64GB, 256GB and 512GB configurations started at $999 and $1,099 for the Xs and Xs Max, respectively.
iPhone 11
loading="lazy" width="400px">
The iPhone 11 arrived in September 2019.
The iPhone 11, which succeeded 2018’s iPhone XR, got a $50 price cut (to $699), a new color (purple), a redesigned two-camera system, and a number of under-the-hood technology upgrades. The screen is a 6.1-in. Liquid Retina HD display, storage comes in 64GB, 128GB or 256GB options, and the phone uses Apple’s new A13 “Bionic” processor.
The camera system features an ultra-wide camera that captures more than four times the scenery and 4K video at up to 60 frames per second. It also features audio zoom, so if you zoom in on video, the audio does, too. The front-facing camera is a 12-megapixel model that allows for slow-motion selfies, which Apple dubbed “slofies.” The camera system also offers a new “night mode” for better images in low-light conditions. According to Apple, the A13 bionic chip allows for an extra hour of use compared to the 2018 models.
iPhone 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max
loading="lazy" width="400px">
The iPhone 11 Pro and Pro Max arrived in September 2019.
The iPhone 11 Pro and Pro Max succeeded 2018’s iPhone XS and XS Max, and started at $999. The phones come in four colors, including a new one (Midnight Green), and feature a wholly new three-camera system and a variety of under-the-hood technology upgrades. The screen is either a 5.8-in. or 6.5-in. Super Retina XDR display, storage cames in 64GB, 128GB or 256GB options, and the phone uses Apple’s new A13 “Bionic” processor.
The camera system features an ultra-wide camera that captures more than four times the scenery and 4K video at up to 60 frames per second. It also features audio zoom, so if you zoom in on video, the audio does too. The front-facing camera is a 12-megapixel model that allows for slow-motion selfies, which Apple dubbed “slofies.” The camera system offers a “night mode” for better images in low-light conditions.
According to Apple, the A13 bionic chip and the third-generation Neural Engine run more efficiently, allowing for up to four or five hours of additional use compared to the previous year’s models.
The iPhone 12 and 12 mini arrived in October and November, 2020.
The iPhone 12 took over for the iPhone 11, as Apple expanded its OLED displays across its smartphone lineup and rolled out a new 5.4-in. iPhone mini. Prices started at $699 for the mini ($100 more for the larger iPhone 12), with storage options of 64GB, 128GB, and 256GB. The new Super Retina XDR displays are built with what Apple calls “Ceramic Shield” for four times better resistance to breaking if dropped.
All iPhone 12 models use the A14 Bionic chip and offered 5G networking — both the sub-6GHz and mmWave varieties. Both models offer a dual 12MP camera system with Ultra Wide and Wide cameras that include Night Mode for better photos in low-light conditions. 4K video recording can be done at 24 fps, 30 fps, or 60 fps and HDR video recording with Dolby Vision is available at up to 30 fps.
Apple’s iPhone 12 Pro and Pro Max arrived in October and November, 2020.
The iPhone 12 Pro got an even larger big brother with the 6.7-in. iPhone 12 Pro Max. Prices started at $999 for the iPhone 12 Pro ($100 more for the Pro Max), with storage options of 128GB, 256GB and 512GB. The Super Retina XDR OLED displays are built with what Apple calls “Ceramic Shield” for four times better resistance to breaking if dropped.
Both Pro models use the A14 Bionic chip and offered 5G networking — both the sub-6GHz and mmWave varieties. The three-lens Pro 12MP camera system includes either a 4X or 5X optical zoom range, Night Mode for better photos in low-light conditions, and LiDAR sensors for faster focus and improved AR/VR. 4K video recording can be done at 24 fps, 30 fps, or 60 fps and HDR video recording with Dolby Vision is available at up to 60 fps.
The iPhone 13 and 13 mini arrived in September 2021.
The iPhone 13 and 13 mini picked up where the previous year’s models left off: they have the same form factor and price range as in 2020, plus a new processor and better battery life. Prices started at $699 for the mini ($100 more for the larger iPhone 13), with storage options of 128GB (twice the base amount offered last year), 256GB, and 512GB. Both models sport Apple’s Super Retina XDR displays and run on the new A15 Bionic chip.
Both also feature a 12MP dual-camera system with Ultra Wide and Wide cameras, sensor‑shift optical image stabilization for sharper photos, and “cinematic mode” for video. 4K video can be shot at 24 fps, 25 fps, 30 fps, or 60 fps and HDR video recording with Dolby Vision is available at up to 60 fps. Both have larger batteries for up to 2.5 hours more battery life in the iPhone 13 (1.5 hours more in the mini).
The Apple iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max arrived in September 2021.
The iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max are virtually identical to their predecessors (though slightly thicker and heavier). They got Apple’s newest A15 bionic processor and delivered better battery life. Prices again started at $999 (for the iPhone 13 Pro) and $1099 (for the iPhone 13 Pro Max), with storage options ranging from 128GB to a whopping 1TB. Both models again use Apple’s Super Retina XDR displays, with the Pro models getting ProMotion screens for smoother on-screen graphics.
Both feature a 12MP triple-camera system with revamped Ultra Wide and Wide cameras, “cinematic mode” for video, and macro photography. 4K video can be shot at 24 fps, 25 fps, 30 fps, or 60 fps and HDR video recording with Dolby Vision is available at up to 60 fps. A larger battery means up to 2.5 hours more battery life in the iPhone 13 Pro Max (1.5 hours more in the 13 Pro).
The Apple iPhone 14 and 14 Plus arrived in September and October 2022, respectively.
The iPhone 14 and new 14 Plus have the same form factor and price range as the previous year, with the larger Plus model replacing the discontinued iPhone 13 mini. Both use an updated version of the Bionic A15 processor — the same chip used in the 2021 models — and offer better battery life. Prices start at $799 for the iPhone 14 and $899 for the larger 14 Plus, with storage options of 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB.
Both models use Apple’s Super Retina XDR displays with the iPhone 14 having a 6.1-in. screen and the 14 Plus model sporting a 6.7-in. display. (Unlike the Pro models, these versions of the iPhone do not have an always-on display or any changes to the screen “notch.”) Both feature a 12MP dual-camera system with Ultra Wide and Wide cameras, sensor‑shift optical image stabilization, and cinematic and action modes for video. 4K video can be shot at 24 fps, 25 fps, 30 fps, or 60 fps and HDR video recording with Dolby Vision is available at up to 60 fps. Pre-orders began Sept. 7, with the phones available in stores on Sept. 16 (iPhone 14) and Oct. 7 (iPhone 14 Plus).
The Apple iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max arrived in September 2022.
The iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max look similar to last year’s models, but get noteworthy new features, including the new A16 processor and a more powerful 48MP rear camera system. Prices are unchanged from 2021, storage options range between 128GB and 1TB, and this year brings a new “Deep Purple” color as an option. Both models again use Apple’s Super Retina XDR displays, but this year get an always-on display. (The screen dims when not in use to save on battery life, but can display as much as 2000 nits of brightness outdoors.)
Both feature a 48MP triple-camera system with tweaked Ultra Wide and Wide cameras, and the same 3X optical zoom in/2X optical zoom out as last year. 4K video can be shot at 24 fps, 25 fps, 30 fps, or 60 fps, HDR video recording with Dolby Vision is available at up to 60 fps, and cinematic video stabilization is available in 4K, 1080p and 720p.) Gone this year are SIM cards, which Apple has replaced with eSIMs. Pre-orders began Sept. 7, with the phones available in stores on Sept. 16.
iPhone 15 and 15 Plus
loading="lazy" width="400px">
The Apple iPhone 15 and 15 Plus were released in September 2023.
TheiPhone 15 and new 15 Pluslook much like their 2022 predecessors (with prices in the same range), but offer design tweaks that include an aluminum and color-infused glass combo and new colors. Both use the Bionic A16 processor — the same chip used in the 2022 Pro models — and get USB-C charging for the first time. Prices again start at $799 for the iPhone 15 and $899 for the larger 15 Plus, with storage options remaining unchanged at 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB.
Both models continue to feature Apple’s Super Retina XDR display; the iPhone 15 has a 6.1-in. screen, the 15 Plus model has a 6.7-in. display — and both get the Dynamic Island feature at the top of the screen for more interactivity with various apps. The iPhone 15 now features a revamped camera system that includes a 48-megapixel main camera, a 26 mm ƒ/1.6 aperture, sensor‑shift optical image stabilization with support for super-high-resolution photos, and a 4x optical optical zoom range. Both models now get Roadside assistance via satellite through AAA.
Pre-orders begin Sept. 15, with the phones available in stores on Sept. 22.
iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max
loading="lazy" width="400px">
The Apple iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max were released in September 2023.
The big change for the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Maxthis year involves a new Titanium-based design that cuts 19 grams of weight and allows for thinner bezels around both models’ screens. Inside, both run Apple’s new A17 Pro processor (with 6 cores) and get a tweaked 48MP rear camera system. The main difference between the two camera systems: the Pro Max version gets a 12-megapixel 5x Telephoto feature at 120 mm with an ƒ/2.8 aperture; 3D sensor‑shift optical image stabilization and autofocus, and a new tetraprism design; the smaller Pro version features a 12-megapixel 3x Telephoto at 77 mm with an ƒ/2.8 aperture. Coming later this year on Pro models: the ability to capture spatial video for playback on Apple’s upcoming Vision Pro device.
For connectivity, the Pro models move to USB-C, with USB 3 support and Wi-Fi 6E for faster wireless speeds. Screen sizes remain the same as last year — 6.1-in. and 6.7-in. — but thinner bezels allow for a slightly smaller overall size. The mute button has been replaced with a programmable “Action” button similar to the one that debuted in 2022 on the Apple Watch Ultra. And Find My Friends gets more powerful “Precision Finding.” Storage options start at 128GB for the Pro model, 256GB for Pro Max version, and range up to 1TB.
As with the regular iPhone 15, pre-orders for the Pro models begin Sept. 15, with the phones available in stores on Sept. 22.
The iPhone 16 and 16 Plus look much like their 2023 predecessors (and they both start at the same prices). The big news is inside: both get Apple’s new A18 processor, a 3-nanometer chip the company says is designed for Apple Intelligence — the generative AI features that will roll out later this year with iOS 18.1. Apple also made changes on the outside, bringing the “Action button” from the Pro line-up and adding a new “Camera Control” button for easier photo and video shoots. Prices again start at $799 for the iPhone 16 ($100 more for the larger 16 Plus), with storage options the same as last year: 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB.
Both models feature Apple’s Super Retina XDR display; the iPhone 16 has a 6.1-in. screen, the 16 Plus has a 6.7-in. display — and both get an internal redesign that allows for a larger battery and longer battery life. Both models get a revamped camera system that includes a 48-megapixel main camera with a 2x optical telephoto capabilities and a new 12-megapixel Ultra Wide camera with autofocus for macro photography. Both models can now shoot spatial photos and video for playback on the Apple Vision Pro.
Pre-orders began Sept. 13, with the phones available in stores on Sept. 20.
The iPhone 16 Pro and Pro Max grew a little this year and now offer larger Super Retina XDR displays; the Pro model has a 6.3-in. screen, the Pro Max gets a 6.9-in display. Both also get Apple’s new “Camera Control” button for easier photo and video shoots. Inside, both rely on Apple’s new 3-nanometer A18 Pro processor (with a 16-core neural engine) designed for Apple Intelligence — the generative AI features slated to arrive later this year with iOS 18.1. There’s also an upgraded camera system with a new 48-megapixel Fusion camera that allows for 4K120 fps video recording in Dolby Vision and spatial photos for display on the Apple Vision Pro.
Both devices now have four new studio-quality mics that allow users to modify sound afterit’s captured and to record Spatial audio for more immersive playback. Apple is also touting an internal redesign that allows for a bigger battery — and longer battery life. Storage options start at 128GB for the Pro model, 256GB for Pro Max version, and range up to 1TB. New for 2024 is a “Desert Titanium” color to go with Natural Titanium, White Titanium and Black Titanium.
As with the regular iPhone 16 line-up, pre-orders for the Pro models began Sept. 13, with the phones available in stores on Sept. 20.
During an earnings call in the summer of 2021, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg first publicly used the M-word. “In the coming years,” Zuck told investors, “I expect people will transition from seeing us primarily as a social media company to seeing us as a metaverse company.”
“Um, what?” said every cyberpunk sci-fi fan on Earth in unison.
Until that moment, Neal Stephenson (who coined the word) described the “metaverse” in his 1992 science fiction novel “Snow Crash” this way: as a virtual reality (VR) platform controlled by wealthy leaders of powerful corporations that exacerbated social inequality and was so addictive that people spent all their time there, neglecting their real lives in the real world.
The “metaverse” was a warning, not a business plan.
His essential vision back then was a new internet anchored in VR. Just as today we shop, learn, and find entertainment on the internet, the “metaverse” version would do all those things in 3D environments, in which we would move around as avatars. Sure, elements of this VR world would be accessible via augmented reality (AR) and even phones, tablets, and PCs. But Meta’s essential belief was that the future is VR.
Not so fast, said Apple
“AR is going to become really big,” Apple CEO Tim Cook said in 2016. “VR, I think, is not going to be that big compared to AR… and we will wonder… how we lived without it.”
Back then, Apple was hard at work in its labs creating what it hoped would be the future of consumer technology — AR. And Meta was working on what it hoped would be the future of consumer technology — VR.
Apple envisioned business meetings, random social interactions, professional conferences, and family get-togethers as happening in person in the real world. Everyone would wear Apple glasses that displayed digital information based on the context of the interaction.
Meta envisioned business meetings, random social interactions, professional conferences, and family get-togethers happening in virtual spaces in the “metaverse,” with everyone wearing Meta goggles that immersed them in a believable 3D world.
Apple envisioned ordinary-looking eyeglasses. Meta envisioned big, bulky headsets.
Based on these respective inclinations, something unpredictable happened. Meta released ordinary-looking eyeglasses, and Apple released big, bulky headsets.
Specifically, a year ago, Meta replaced its lackluster and uninteresting Ray-Ban Stories glasses with Ray-Ban Meta glasses, which took off in popularity. They looked like regular Ray-Ban glasses, but contained high-quality microphones, speakers, and a camera. Best of all, they accessed AI via the camera, including (later) multimodal AI.
It’s likely that Meta was surprised by the success of Ray-Ban Meta glasses as a product and thrilled that Meta alone provided a compelling daily mobile use case for its AI.
Then, in January, Apple shipped Apple Vision Pro. Let’s be very clear about what Apple Vision Pro hardware is — it’s VR hardware. It’s a big, heavy, bulky headset that delivers incredible visuals and features unique to Apple Vision Pro. But it’s VR delivering an AR experience.
Apple has made a big point of emphasizing the categorization of Apple Vision Pro as spatial computing, not AR or VR. The spatial features are among the best things about Apple Vision Pro. The augmented reality feel of Apple Vision Pro is achieved through pass-through video. You don’t actually see the room you’re in; you see a video of the room. Others don’t actually see your eyes. They see an avatar of your eyes.
Apple required a lot of VR hardware to create AR and eventually wants to sell spatial computing AR glasses that look like ordinary eyeglasses. But that technology is a few years in the future, which is why Apple’s AR vision requires VR hardware.
Meta, meanwhile, also seems super excited about augmented reality glasses — something like Ray-Ban Meta glasses, but with spatial-computing visuals. It seems less excited about VR, as evidenced by losses and cutbacks. Meta’s Reality Labs division has lost tens of billions of dollars and laid off thousands of employees in the past few years.
Enter Project Nazare
Instead of going big on the “metaverse,” Meta focuses more on AR and AI.
Project Nazare is its first big hope in that space. Zuckerberg described this project as the company’s first attempt at creating true AR glasses. The device they’re working on sounds like Ray-Ban Meta glasses, plus holographic displays and sensors for mapping the physical environment for spatial computing (the placement of virtual objects in relation to the physical environment).
As with Apple Vision Pro, Nazare glasses would facilitate interaction with holographic avatars mapped to real people in real time, showing facial expressions, mouth movements, and hand gestures.
Meta is focusing on a problem critics have drawn attention to with Apple Vision Pro, Microsoft Hololens, and Magic Leap: the narrow visual field. Nazare is reportedly working on a 200- to 220-degree field of holographic visuals.
The company is also working on using multimodal AI through the camera to enable AI image recognition.
And that maps with Apple’s glasses
Meanwhile, Apple is reportedly focused on something similar. Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reported that Apple is working on lightweight AR glasses that could be worn all day and could be launched as early as 2027 (but are more likely to arrive in 2028 or 2029).
Both Apple and Meta face immense hurdles in reducing the size and cost of these glasses. Battery size and weight are an enormous issue, and the miniaturization of all components remains a major focus.
But both companies are moving in the same direction. The disparate visions of the future each once had appear to no longer exist.
Even though Apple’s current face computer is essentially VR hardware and Meta’s is essentially AR hardware (minus the light engine for holographic imagery), both companies appear to be well on their way to realizing what used to be Apple’s vision — everyday, all-day AR glasses that will one day replace the smartphone as our main device.
IBM has apparently begun layoffs of as many as 8,000 people — layoffs that were announced back in January. But those layoffs are avoiding the age-related criticisms of IBM’s past and are also too early to reflect the IBM-promised generative artificial intelligence (genAI) layoffs, according to Jason Andersen, a former IBM manager who today serves as VP/principal analyst at Moor Insights & Strategy.
Andersen said his overall take on the layoffs is that “it was a bit of a yawn,” given IBM’s January announcement and Big Blue’s recent workforce reduction efforts. “IBM has used this tactic of kind of quietly laying people off for many, many years,” said Andersen, who spent more than eight years as a senior product manager at IBM, leaving in 2008. He works with IBM today as an analyst.
IBM spokesperson Sarah Minkel emailed a rather vague statement to Computerworldthat seemed to confirm the layoffs: “Early this year, IBM disclosed a workforce rebalancing charge that would represent a very low single digit percentage of IBM’s global workforce, and we still expect to exit 2024 at roughly the same level of employment as we entered with.”
The Register did some quick math, based on IBM’s global employment numbers. “With about 288,000 employees worldwide at the end of 2023, the ‘very low single digit percentage’ possibilities for 2024 might be 1 percent (2,880 layoffs), 2 percent (5,760 layoffs), 3 percent (8,640 layoffs), or more,” the Register story noted.
It also noted, “last year, CEO Arvind Krishna said IBM expected to replace around 7,800 jobs with AI, though no specific time frame was provided.”
Andersen said that the AI reference was to generative AI, and that it was far too early to have IBM layoffs due to that. “Is it genAI? I don’t buy it. it’s a little too far ahead now. Maybe two years from now,” he said. He estimated that such IBM genAI layoffs wouldn’t happen until late 2026.
Andersen couldn’t directly confirm that these are the layoffs that IBM talked about in January, but he has seen anecdotal evidence that the layoffs have happened.
Over the last few months, he said, “I have seen twice as many people leaving IBM for whatever reason than the previous six months. And IBM is not the only one doing this.”
Andersen stressed that he seriously doubts that IBM is doing anything that will get them into trouble with age- or gender-related issues.
“IBM doesn’t necessarily look at it demographically. They look at it functionally in terms of individual contributors in a group versus managers — explicitly, because IBM has been called out on this this so many times, there are a number of reviews to prevent any type of -ism,” Andersen said. Sometimes he has seen the company go in the opposite direction. “Maybe this person is a poor performer, but they may get a second chance because it might possibly be seen as ageism or sexism.”
He sees many of the layoffs as related to cloud cutbacks, as enterprises rebalance their on-prem versus cloud environments. Many enterprises, he said, went too far into the cloud at the beginning of the pandemic in 2020.
That’s where the definition of ‘AI’ comes into play. Today, most AI workforce reduction references involve genAI. But he doessee some of the cloud reductions being driven by greater efficiencies due to IT automation and automated IT operations. Given that much of the sophisticated automation at IBM is leveraging other forms of AI, most likely machine learning, one could say that AI is a little bit involved in these layoffs — just not genAI.
Symbol Zero CEO Rafael Brown said that IBM was one of many companies that over hired during the start of the pandemic, and this is a correction. Back in 2020, IBM “anticipated, they made some guesses, and they were wrong. If they hired slower, as Apple did, they wouldn’t be cutting back as much as they are,” Brown said.
Brown said that another factor that is playing into this situation is the return to offices movement, and the move away from remote sites including home offices.
“Large tech companies are boiling the frog on return to work,” Brown said, “and creating a culture of fear that if you don’t come back in, you’re going to get laid off.”
Some of this may also be manipulative, he said, suggesting that CEOs are hoping that a demand for five days in the office will encourage people to quit, which is a lot cheaper than having to lay them off.
“My kudos for Nvidia that they haven’t pushed people back into offices,” Brown said, adding that Nvidia is hiring away a lot of the people who were pushed into return to the office at other high tech companies. But, ironically, he said, Nvidia is finding that a lot of the managers they are hiring are themselves insisting on workers returning to the office.
The UN Secretary-General’s Advisory Body on Artificial Intelligence has released its final report — “Governing AI for Humanity” — detailing how AI can best serve humanity, especially people who are often underrepresented and left out of such discussions.
The report builds on months of extensive global consultation with more than 2,000 participants and the publication of a provisional report last December. The group behind the report is described as the world’s first and most representative collection of experts capable of reflecting humanity’s aspirations for AI.
The final report sets out a plan to manage AI-related risks and share the technology’s potential globally. Among other things, it calls for the foundation to be laid for the first globally inclusive and distributed architecture for AI governance based on international cooperation. It also proposes seven recommendations to address shortcomings in current AI governance and calls on all governments and stakeholders to cooperate in overseeing AI to promote the development and protection of all human rights.
