Skip to main content

Here are 6 old technologies Apple wants you to think are revolutionary

apple new tech is old iphone x
Apple
We know, we know. Apple takes its time to do new technologies “right,” not “first.” But if you watched Apple’s September 12 announcements for the iPhone 8, iPhone X, Apple TV 4K and Apple Watch Series 3, you might be wondering just how long it takes to perfect an animated 3D turd.

While Apple acolytes inside the newly minted Steve Jobs Theater breathlessly applauded new “features” paraded on stage by Apple VPs, the rest of us were feeling a wave of déjà vu. OLED screens, wireless charging, 4K … haven’t we seen this stuff before?

Yup. Even by its own standards, Apple dredged up some almost embarrassingly dated technologies for its latest round of refreshes. In case Tim Cook’s teary-eyed reality distortion field threw you for a loop, we thought we would provide some perspective on how long Apple’s new features have existed in competing devices. Put on some Black Eyed Peas, because we’re going back to a time people took will.i.am. seriously.

Nick Mokey
As Digital Trends’ Editor in Chief, Nick Mokey oversees an editorial team covering every gadget under the sun, along with…
The iPhone SE 4 camera specs have leaked. Here’s what we know
The back of the Apple iPhone SE (2022).

Recent reports regarding the upcoming iPhone SE 4 suggest that it will be released in just a few months. Now, we have more news about Apple’s next budget handset.

According to ET News, the iPhone SE 4 is expected to feature a single 48-megapixel rear camera and a 12MP TrueDepth camera on the front. This information comes from a recent supply report from Korea. These upgrades represent a significant improvement over the current iPhone SE 3, which has a 12MP wide camera system and a 7MP front-facing camera. Korea-based LG Innotek has been chosen as the main supplier for both the front and rear camera systems of the upcoming iPhone SE.

Read more
Apple insider leaks future plans for a significant iPhone spec change
iPhone 16 Plus and iPhone 16 Pro Max close up of the cameras

Apple has long followed a strategy of consolidating the hardware supply chain within its own circle. Shifting away from Intel to in-house M-series processors was one of the biggest bets in recent memory. Now, the company is eyeing the same strategy for a critical part that allows iPhones to, well, act like phones.

According to Apple tipster Mark Gurman at Bloomberg, Apple will finally put its own cellular modem inside iPhones and iPads starting next year. The plans will be executed over three years, spanning three generations of modems, as part of a plan to end Apple’s reliance on Qualcomm for the part.

Read more
The iPhone SE 4 is going to be a bigger deal than you think
The Apple iPhone SE (2022) and Apple iPhone SE (2020) together.

The iPhone 16 line has come and gone, and now most of us are looking forward to what the next iPhone has in store. Though the first thing that may come to your mind is the iPhone 17, don’t forget about Apple’s more budget-friendly offering, the iPhone SE.

It’s heavily suggested that we’ll be seeing the next iteration of Apple’s budget-friendly iPhone SE in 2025, likely sometime in the first couple of months. While you may not be as interested in this compared to the flagship model, the iPhone SE 4 could be a very big deal for Apple.
The iPhone SE 4 should be a big upgrade

Read more