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

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…
Why I’m sad this delightful iPhone camera is about to go away
OuttaFocus promotional image.

When Apple replaces the current iPhone SE (2022) with a new version, it seems increasingly likely it’ll mark the end of an era, because the SE as we know it is the only current iPhone still available with a 12-megapixel camera on the back. Once a mainstay of all iPhones, the 12MP camera is about to be completely superseded by the 48MP camera. You may be surprised to hear I’m going to miss it, so let me explain why.
The end is near

Several months after the iPhone SE (2022) came out, Apple released the iPhone 14 series and it put a 12MP camera on the non-Pro models, just as it had done since the iPhone 6S. While you can still buy the iPhone 14 new today, it was the last brand new device to launch with a 12MP camera, and when the iPhone 15 came along all the models received a 48MP main camera. Unlike the iPhone 14, the iPhone SE (2022) has lived on as a current phone since then, and is only now about to be replaced.

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Apple launches ambitious health study to advance wellness tech
Banner inviting users to join Apple Health Study.

Apple recently launched its first pair of wireless earbuds with an integrated heart rate sensor. Down the road, this convenience will reportedly arrive on the AirPods family, as well. The uber popular earbuds have already landed their hearing aid clearance, alongside a slew of new wellness-centric features.

The focus is clear. Health-tech is the next great avenue for innovation at Apple.

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Apple expected to unveil iPhone SE 4 ‘in the coming days’
The back of the Apple iPhone SE (2022).

Apple is set to unveil the long-awaited iPhone SE 4 “ in the coming days,” according to prominent Apple tipster Mark Gurman.

In an article for Bloomberg posted on Thursday, Gurman said that “the company expects to announce the device as early as next week, ahead of it going on sale later in the month."

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