Welcome to the Monday after the day of transition for Daylight Saving Time. If you’re too tired to go to work or think the world is coming to an end because we lost an hour of sleep, I would advise you to look forward to November 1st when we’ll get that hour back. In the meantime, enjoy the longer days, warmer weather, and all the festivities that occur during the middle of the year. I know I will.
I’ve got a few stories I’d like to chat about, starting with the possible cancellation of Apple’s March event.
Apple reportedly cancels March hardware event due to Coronavirus
According to a tweet from Front Page Tech founder Jon Prosser, Apple may have already canned its rumored March hardware event over Coronavirus concerns. The company never made the event official, but we’ve been expecting the company to have one given the amount of hardware it has planned.
According to Prosser, there have been 32 confirmed cases of the virus in the Santa Clara area, the same county where Apple would’ve held their event. While it’s entirely possible Apple will be canceling the in-person portion of the keynote, I wouldn’t take a live stream featuring Tim Cook and a few executives off the table. On the other hand, the company could do another week full of press releases like it did last March so it isn’t clear what exactly the iPhone maker will do.
It’s also still unclear as to whether the company actually canceled its event or not. Prosser is still trying to check with other sources on this matter, so I can’t confirm that the event was actually scrapped. Of course, if I hear anything further, I’ll let you know.
Powerbeats 4 wireless earbuds leak in new images
Beats’ upcoming Powerbeats 4 wireless earbuds have leaked in new images thanks to WinFuture. The headphones are reported to feature up to 15 hours of battery life, Apple’s new H1 chip for easy setup and new capabilities, “Hey Siri” access, and fast charging. The buds also look nearly identical to the Powerbeats 3 with some slight differences. It isn’t clear when they’ll go on sale.
Apple’s own over-ear headphones surface in iOS 14
Meanwhile, Apple’s own over-ear headphones have surfaced in leaked code from iOS 14 and obtained by 9to5Mac. The image found doesn’t show off a ton, but we do get to see what the form factor will look like for the headphones, with an ample amount of cushioning and what appear to be pretty sizable cups. These headphones are expected to arrive this year (hence they popped up in iOS 14) so be on the lookout for more news surrounding Apple’s first in-house pair of over-ear headphones.
Google Pixel 4a supposedly leaks alongside its fabric case companion
In Google news, the company’s upcoming Pixel 4a has apparently leaked in new images. I say apparently since they seem pretty sketchy. We get a glimpse at the back of the device which has a pretty large camera bump and Google’s internal logos and markings, while the device’s fabric case companion shows off the device’s front side, hole-punch cutout and all. I can’t tell you the validity of these leaks, but I can tell you we’re about two months away from the phone debuting so you won’t have to put up with leaks anymore.
Moto G8 goes official with low-end specs
Finally, I’m not sure how I missed this one, but Motorola unveiled its G8 low-end smartphone last week. I just wanted to mention it quickly here. It has a triple-camera system with a 16MP main lens, a 2MP macro lens, and an 8MP ultra-wide lens; a Snapdragon 665 processor; a 6.4-inch HD+ display; a 4,000mAh battery; a fingerprint sensor; Android 10; 4GB of RAM; and 64GB of storage.
Overall, the device seems pretty solid. Motorola will be selling it in Brazil for 1,299 Reals (around $280). It goes on sale in the near future and won’t make it to the United States.
Talk to ya tomorrow.
– Your pal, Max
[From the March 9th, 2020 Wiretapped newsletter. Subscribe below.]
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