Apple Weekly Review – January Week 4 2023 (1/21-1/29)
China censorship, iOS 16.3 released, iPhone shipments, and trade in prices
This week, Apple released multiple new products and updated their operating systems, introducing new features and bug fixes. Rumors swirled around the iPhone 15 lineup and Apple's AR/VR headset, and we shared advice on how to maximize your macOS experience. Let's review the highlights!
What's New in iOS 16.3?
iOS 16.3 was released this week after a period of around six weeks in beta. It contains a number of changes and new features, so be sure to read about all that iOS 16.3 offers. The update was accompanied by iPadOS 16.3, macOS 13.2, watchOS 9.3, tvOS 16.3, and HomePod software version 16.3, with features available across the iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, Apple TV, and HomePod.
Adjustments to Apple Trade-In Values
The release of new Mac and HomePod models last week triggered Apple to alter their trade-in values in the U.S. iPhone trade-in values decreased by up to $80, and trade-in values for many Android smartphones also dropped. Mac trade-in values either remained the same or increased by up to $40, while some Apple Watch models rose in value and some decreased. No iPad models had their trade-in values changed.
iPhone Shipments Declined Significantly
Data from IDC showed that worldwide smartphone shipments experienced a historic quarterly decrease over the holiday period. Apple felt the effects of this drop in consumer demand, shipping 72.3 million iPhones in the December quarter, a decrease year-on-year from 85 million units, representing a 14.9% decline in shipments compared to the same quarter a year ago.
Apple Expands Censorship in China
This week, Apple came under scrutiny and criticism for extending Tencent and Google Safe Browsing filters in Safari in China to users in Hong Kong, without explanation. These filters are designed to keep users away from malicious sites, known as the "Fraudulent Website Warning".
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