We are still in the middle of the regular lull of Apple-related news we see around this time every year, but that doesn't mean it's been a tedious week by and stretch. The minds of the iMore team have been thinking hard about what future Apple products might look like and outlining our hopes for some of the new devices we know are coming eventually. Plus, Apple services — Apple Music and Apple TV+ — are trucking along at a nice pace.
Without further ado, here's what happened at iMore this past week!
Apple Music is #2!
This probably isn't the most surprising news, but Apple Music is the second-most popular music streaming service.
A report by Midia Research states that Apple Music grabbed a 15% market share in the second quarter of 2021, which is certainly a respectable number, but still pails in comparison to Spotify, which commands a whopping 31% of the market share.
No surprise there — Spotify has been the top dog for quite a while. I'm curious if the launch of the Apple Music Voice Plan will help Apple pick up more subscribers in 2022. Only time will tell.
Christine's hope for the iPhone 14
We know the iPhone 14 is coming — as sure as the sun rises. The only question; how can the iPhone 14 improve on the iPhone 13 to be the next best iPhone? Well, Christine has put a lot of thought into what she wants to see in the iPhone 14.
With the number of rumors surrounding the death of the notch and the frenzy around what will replace it, Christine's biggest plea is that Apple just changes the notch in some form as long as Apple makes proper use of the space. Perhaps the ability to display the battery percentage?
Christine also has dreams of an under-display Touch ID, flush cameras, and a bunch of other ideas, so be sure to check her article out.
Apple Watch SE 2 — yes, please!
As an Apple Watch SE owner myself, I have been excited about the second version of the device for a while. For me, the Apple Watch SE is a great product with a clear vision. Bring 98% of the amazing features from the flagship Apple Watch model, and make it a bit more affordable. I want the Apple Watch SE 2 (that's the name I'm going with for now) to stick with that direction.
I've been using the Apple Watch SE since it launched, and although it is missing a few of the advanced health features — like Blood Oxygen monitoring — there's nothing I miss more on my Apple Watch SE than an always-on display.
I believe the Apple Watch SE 2 can be a huge success, and it doesn't even need to be that much different. But, the inclusion of an always-on display is paramount for me.
Servant season 3 starts today on Apple TV+
Perhaps, this isn't the biggest news, but I have been a fan of the Apple TV+ original series Servant since it came out. So I thought I would end this week's Editor's Desk column with a recommendation — go watch this series.
It's a bit of a slow burn, but it creates a wonderfully tense and creepy atmosphere and offers plenty of mind-blowing WTF moments that keep me coming back for more. If you enjoy thrillers at all, it's worth a try.
Thanks for reading, and I'll catch you all later.
- Luke
