Apple Loop: Final iPhone SE Details, Apple’s Shy Android TV Launch, MacBook Pro Leaks

Taking a look back at this week’s news and headlines from Apple, including awkward iPhone SE design choices and release dates, OLED MacBook Pro schedule, MacBook Air specs, Apple TV's Android launch, transferring App Store purchases, and the tricky question of a gulf.

Apple Loop is here to remind you of a few of the many discussions around Apple in the last seven days. You can also read my weekly digest of Android news here on Forbes.

iPhone SE Release Date

Apple’s next iPhone, the mid-range iPhone SE, is expected to launch next week. While Tim Cook or his team has made no announcement, there are enough clues that the community has worked out the options. Given “...before the end of February has been reported in the strongest terms by Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, what does that mean for the launch date? Forbes contributor David Phelan gets out the calendar:

"My gut tells me Feb. 28 is the onsale date, pre-sales a week before. Which means the reveal is likely set for the week before that, perhaps Tuesday, Feb. 18 or Wednesday, Feb. 19. "

(Forbes).

The iPhone SE’s Weak Points

The iPhone SE will have several advantages, but aiming for a comparatively low price point means compromises, and Apple’s compromises are far more than the competing Android handsets. The slower screen, the weaker generative AI, and the under-specced camera all play into a narrative of weaker yet more expensive:

"One of the issues Tim Cook and his team are facing is the iPhone 16. Apple needs to balance out offering enough capability in the iPhone SE to make it attractive to the mid-range market while keeping enough technological distance from the iPhone 16 to allow for a meaningful upsell to the more expensive smartphone."

(Forbes).

The OLED MacBook Pro Is Slowly Coming

It may be more than a year away from retail launch, but the ambition for the MacBook Pro to join the rest of the Windows laptop market and offer an OLED display is finally becoming a reality. Samsung Display’s test samples have reportedly been fitted to the demonstration units. But much remains to be done to get ready for the 2026 target:

"However, industry projections estimate just 3 to 5 million OLED panels to be shipped annually for the MacBook Pro. Given that the supplier's IT 8th-generation OLED line is designed to produce 10 million units annually (based on 14.3-inch OLED panels), the company will need to secure additional customers to maximize its production efficiency.

(MacRumors).

MacBook Air Components Spotted

Before then, Apple should have an update to the MacBook Air, which is still waiting for a version with last year’s new Apple Silicon M4 chipset. The variant of the M4 destined for the Air has been spotted, suggesting that an arrival in the next few months is likely:

"According to the source, both the 13-inch ‌MacBook Air‌ and the 15-inch ‌MacBook Air‌ will be equipped with Apple's "T8132" chip, which is the M4 SoC. Apple inadvertently confirmed the upcoming M4 ‌MacBook Air‌ machines back in December when the macOS Sequoia 15.2 release included files for unreleased "Mac16,12" and "Mac16,13" machines.”"

(MacRumors).

Apple’s Quiet Android TV Launch

This week saw Apple releae an Android client for AppleTV. Supporters of open ecosystems and cross-platform compatibility welcomed the release, but Apple doesn’t seem comfortable with its own move.As Daring Fireball's Jon Gruber notes, something is missing in the press release:

"One thing that’s funny about this press release is that no one from Apple is quoted in it. Not just not Eddy Cue, but no one, not even a lieutenant under Cue. The second-paragraph quote from executives are where these press releases contain their superlatives proclaiming how awesome the news is… They didn’t want to include one of those sugary quotes saying how frigging awesome it is that there’s now an Apple TV app for Android, and that it works great and if you use an Android device you can still have a great Apple TV experience.

"But the Apple TV app does seems frigging awesome."

(Daring Fireball).

Apple Account App Purchase Transfers

Apple has launched a migration service that allows app purchases to be transfered to another Apple Account. It is in very limited circumstances, but it is a start in a process that has been requested for many years:

"You can choose to migrate apps, music, and other content you’ve purchased from Apple on a secondary Apple Account to a primary Apple Account. The secondary Apple Account might be an account that's only used for purchases. You’ll need to know the primary email address or phone number and password for both accounts, and neither account should be shared with anyone else."

(Apple Support).

And Finally...

Apple has decided to follow President Trump’s wish to rename the Gulf Of Mexico. US-based users will now see the alternative name in Apple Maps, while the chnage will be rolled out globally later this year:

"Unlike Apple, Google Maps displays different names depending on a user’s location. Users in Mexico will continue to see the body of water labeled as the “Gulf of Mexico,” and users in other countries will see “Gulf of Mexico” alongside “Gulf of America” in parentheses. Other mapping apps, like Microsoft’s Bing and MapQuest, continue to show the Gulf of Mexico."

(The Verge).

Apple Loop brings you seven days worth of highlights every weekend here on Forbes. Don’t forget to follow me so you don’t miss any coverage in the future. Last week’s Apple Loop can be read here, or this week’s edition of Loop’s sister column, Android Circuit, is also available on Forbes.