Apple Loop: New iPhone Leaks, Curved iPhone Confirmed, MacBook Cancelled, The Wizard Steve Jobs

Taking a look back at another week of news and headlines from Cupertino, this week’s Apple Loop includes leaked iPhone specs, details of the new iPhone circuit board, Tim Cook’s smartphone features that will ‘blow us away’, the cancelled MacBook and the updated MacBook Pro, testing FaceID for iCloud access, fixing the secret Zoom server, and why Steve Jobs was a wizard.

Apple Loop is here to remind you of a few of the very many discussions that have happened around Apple over the last seven days (and you can find the weekly Android news digest here).

iPhone 11 Circuit Board Leak Reveals Secrets

Thanks to the leaked circuit board of the upcoming iPhone 11, it’s possible to see the changes that Apple will be making to the flagship smartphones. Apart from a slight increase in battery capacity, there’s not much change on offer from 2018’s handsets. Forbes’ Gordon Kelly explains:

At face value, the alteration seems minor: Apple is moving from the L-shaped logic board inside both the iPhone X and iPhone XS, to a more compact, stacked rectangular design. And what the new design enables Apple to do is fit much larger batteries than the iPhone XS (Koroy states 15-20% larger) which will drive the leap from 4G to 5G as well as providing the extra capacity to compensate for reverse wireless charging devices like AirPods.

…Does all this clever circuitry mean you should now buy the iPhone 11? Absolutely not. While it looks set to deliver improved battery life, the real benefits will only be reaped in 2020 when Apple catches up to rivals with 5G. Moreover, don’t expect an iPhone 11 to hold its price when you eventually sell it in a 5G world. That’s why the smart money waits.

More here on Forbes.

Tim Cook opens the Apple's annual product launch, Wednesday, Sept. 12, 2018, at company headquarters in Cupertino, Calif. (Karl Mondon/Digital First Media/The Mercury News via Getty Images)

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Where’s The New In The 2019 iPhone?

The big problem Apple has, which the circuit board lead confirms it, is that there’s nothing genuinely new in the 2019 iPhone family. Specs are bumped up to maintain parity with Android, new features (such as reverse wireless charging) finally reach the iPhone, but there’s nothing here that could significantly increase Apple’s revenue, as I noted earlier this week:

Manchester United beat Perth Glory 2-0: Paul Pogba says 'no need' to talk

Manchester United's £89m record signing Paul Pogba said there was "no need" to talk after helping Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side start their pre-season campaign with a 2-0 win against Perth Glory.

Second-half goals from Marcus Rashford and James Garner proved decisive at the Optus Stadium.

Pogba provided the assist for Rashford in his first game since stating a desire to leave Old Trafford, a view that has been reinforced twice since by his adviser Mino Raiola.

The midfielder declined to speak to reporters after the game, saying there was "no need" to do so.

Real Madrid and Juventus are both interested in the 26-year-old, although neither club has made a bid. United are understood to value Pogba at over £150m.

Pogba was overlooked for the captaincy in Perth as Juan Mata wore the armband after half-time, although Solskjaer said the France midfielder would be considered for the role this season.

"I don't think that needs explaining, we will discuss that later on," said Solskjaer, when asked why he was thinking about Pogba for the role.

New leak claims Trump scrapped Iran nuclear deal 'to spite Obama'

Donald Trump abandoned the Iran nuclear deal to spite Barack Obama, according to a leaked memo written by the UK's former ambassador to the US.

Sir Kim Darroch described the move as an act of "diplomatic vandalism", according to the Mail on Sunday.

It says the memo was written after the then Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson appealed to the US in 2018 to stick with the nuclear deal.

Under that agreement Iran agreed to limit its sensitive nuclear activities.

It would also allow in international inspectors in return for the lifting of crippling economic sanctions.

However, President Trump did not think that the deal went far enough.

The newspaper reports that after Mr Johnson returned to the UK from the US, Sir Kim wrote that President Trump appeared to be abandoning the nuclear deal for "personality reasons" because the pact had been agreed by his predecessor, Barack Obama.

• Iran nuclear deal in 300 words
• Key details of nuclear deal
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• Iran confirms enrichment breach

The British ambassador is said to have highlighted splits amongst US presidential advisors and that the White House did not have a "day-to-day" strategy of what to do following withdrawal from the deal.

The paper reports that Sir Kim wrote a memo to Mr Johnson, saying: "The outcome illustrated the paradox of this White House: you got exceptional access, seeing everyone short of the president; but on the substance, the administration is set upon an act of diplomatic vandalism, seemingly for ideological and personality reasons - it was Obama's deal.

"Moreover, they can't articulate any 'day-after' strategy; and contacts with State Department this morning suggest no sort of plan for reaching out to partners and allies, whether in Europe or the region."

The latest disclosure comes despite a warning from Scotland Yard to media about publishing leaked diplomatic memos.

They warned that journalists who released further details of the former ambassador's communications could be in breach of the Official Secrets Act.

The first memos, which emerged a week ago, saw the then UK ambassador refer to the Trump administration as "clumsy and inept".

• What is the Official Secrets Act?
• Met Police criticised over press leak warning

That prompted a furious response from the US president, who described Sir Kim as "a very stupid guy" with whom he would no longer deal.

The government launched an internal Whitehall inquiry into the publication following the reports.

But Sir Kim stepped down as US ambassador on Wednesday, saying it was "impossible" for him to continue.

Following his resignation police launched a criminal investigation into the origins of the leak with Scotland Yard's Assistant Commissioner Neil Basu saying there was a "clear public interest" in bringing those responsible to justice.

Press freedom row

But editors and senior politicians - including the two men vying to become the next prime minister - have criticised his warning against publishing further details.

Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said he defended "to the hilt" the right of the press to publish leaks if they "judge them to be in the public interest"

Nicolas Pepe agent gives transfer update amid Manchester United links

Lille's in-demand forward Nicolas Pepe is open to a move to the Premier League this summer, according to his agent.

Pepe was in sensational form for the Ligue 1 runners-up last season and is likely to leave the club during this transfer window, with Manchester United among the Premier League clubs linked with a move for him.

The 24-year-old racked up 22 goals and 11 assists in 38 league games for Lille last term, which has put him on the radar of some of Europe's biggest clubs.

Pepe, who has recently been playing for the Ivory Coast in the Africa Cup of Nations, would be available for about £59million this summer.

He has also been linked with a move to Arsenal, Liverpool and Everton in the Premier League, as well as French giants Paris Saint-Germain, and his agent Samir Khiat said he would consider a move to the Premier League.