This week’s top stories: iPad Pro rumors, the end of Adobe Flash, Apple Car, and more

In this week’s top stories: A reliable Apple analyst casts doubt on Apple Car rumors, a new iPad Pro in Q1 2021, the end of Adobe Flash, and much more. Read on for all of this week’s top Apple Stories.

Apple Car

Last week, we learned more details about Apple’s evolving plans to enter the self-driving electric car industry, as soon as 2025. More recently, however, reliable Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has cast some doubt on that timeline.

In an investor note this week, Kuo wrote that Apple Car could launch between 2025 and 2025, if development begins this year and goes according to plan. But with that being said, based on Apple’s standards, the fast-moving changes in the EV and self-driving car industry, Kuo says “would not be surprised” if Apple Car doesn’t arrive until “2028 or later.”

2021 iPad Pro

Elsewhere this week, a report indicated that Apple is still on track to launch a new 12.9-inch iPad Pro with mini LED in Q1 of 2021. This isn’t the first time reports have indicated that the mini LED iPad Pro is coming in Q1 2021, but it serves as continued supply chain corroboration that the transition is still moving ahead on schedule.

History would suggest that the new iPad Pro would launch sometime towards the end of Q1, likely in March.

Corellium

Apple came out on the losing end of a notable lawsuit this week, with a judge in Florida throwing out Apple’s claims that Corellium’s virtualization tools violated copyright law. Corellium is a security research platform that allows users to run virtualized versions of iOS on desktop computers.

Read more about the Apple vs Corellium legal battle in our full coverage right here.

iPhone for Christmas

Apple once again dominated Christmas day smartphone activations in the US, new data published this week indicated. The iPhone 11 was the most popular iPhone activated on Christmas day, followed by the iPhone XR and the iPhone 12 Pro Max.

Also notably, the iPhone 12 mini was nowhere to be found on the list this year, adding more fuel to claims that it is a rather niche product for Apple.

These and the rest of this week’s top stories below.

iOS | tvOS |

• These iPhone and Apple Watch apps help you create and achieve New Year’s resolutions
• App that promoted secret parties during the COVID-19 pandemic is removed from App Store

iPhone |

• These are some of the best camera and photo editing apps for your new iPhone
• Best iPhone apps to enhance your experience with Apple Music
• iPhone workers given choice of forced labor or being sent to detention centers, says report
• COVID-19 vaccination proof can be added to Apple Wallet in Los Angeles
• iPhone wins Christmas, claims top 9 spots for new smartphone activations in the US

Apple Watch |

• Here are some of the best features to try on your new Apple Watch
• These are some of our must-have apps to install on a new Apple Watch
• Images show disguised Apple Watch prototype running pre-watchOS software
• How to change your Apple Watch move, exercise, and stand goals with watchOS 7

Mac and iPad |

• New Mac for Christmas? Here are some of the best apps to download
• End of an era: As promised, Adobe is officially ending support for Adobe Flash today
• With support officially ended, Adobe ‘strongly recommends’ removing Flash now, here’s how
• New 12.9-inch iPad Pro with mini LED still on track for Q1 2021, report says
• Apple patents ‘reconfigurable’ Mac keyboard with small display for each key
• Apple says fix coming for using an M1 Mac with ultrawide monitors

Top Apple stories, retail |

• Download festive wallpapers from The 12 Days of Apple Stores
• COVID-19: Which Apple Stores have reopened?

HomePod and Apple TV |

• Getting started with Apple TV: How to set up Apple TV for the best experience
• Apple TV+ Guide: Here are all the Apple TV shows and movies available now
• HomePod mini adds support for 18W power adapters with 14.3 software update
• LG rolling out AirPlay 2 and HomeKit support for its 2018 Smart TVs

Apple Car |

• Kuo: Market ‘too bullish’ on Apple Car, launch could be 2028 or later

Top Apple stories, company |

• Apple negotiating settlement with Prepear after opposing its pear-shaped logo
• Apple loses copyright lawsuit against iOS virtualization company Corellium
• Apple’s report card 2020: My take on Apple’s performance this year
• Year in review: All of the new hardware Apple released in 2020

Subscribe to 9to5Mac’s YouTube channel for more videos.

This week’s top videos |

• Is this MagSafe Alligator-Leather Wallet any good?

9to5Mac Daily |

Listen to a recap of the top stories of the day from 9to5Mac. 9to5Mac Daily is available on iTunes and Apple’s Podcasts app, Stitcher, TuneIn, Google Play, or through our dedicated RSS feed for Overcast and other podcast players.

Sponsored by HabitMinder: Change your habits, change your life. HabitMinder helps you form healthy habits and stay accountable. Get started for free on iOS, Mac, and Apple Watch.

iPhone 15 Pro buttons, more – 9to5Mac Daily

Listen to a recap of the top stories of the day from 9to5Mac. 9to5Mac Daily is available on iTunes and Apple’s Podcasts app, Stitcher, TuneIn, Google Play, or through our dedicated RSS feed for Overcast and other podcast players. Sponsored by Mkeke: Since 2015 Mkeke has been a  top iPhone case brand specializing in designing exquisite, diverse and comfortable iPhone cases.  Get 20% off for a limited time. New episodes of 9to5Mac Daily are recorded every weekday. Subscribe to our podcast in Apple Podcast or your favorite podcast player to guarantee new episodes are delivered as soon as they’re available. Stories discussed in this episode: Apple delays certain projects as it reallocates R&D spending to cut costs iPhone 15 Pro design leak corroborates revamped mute and volume buttons An Xbox app store could come to iPhone Follow Chance: Twitter: @ChanceHMiller Mastodon: @chancehmiller@mastodon.social Follow Rikka: Twitter: @rikkaaltland Listen & Subscribe: Apple Podcasts Overcast RSS Spotify TuneIn Google Play Enjoy the podcast? Shop Apple at Amazon to support 9to5Mac Daily! Catch up on 9to5Mac Daily episodes! Don’t miss out on our other daily podcasts: Quick Charge 9to5Toys Daily The Buzz Share your thoughts! Drop us a line at happyhour@9to5mac.com. You can also rate us in Apple Podcasts or recommend us in Overcast to help more people discover the sh

1. iPhone 15 Pro buttons, more 06:36
2. iPhone 15 Pro Max’s rumored immersive screen 09:55
3. Exclusive details on Apple’s AI plans for Siri 06:44
4. Apple budget cuts, Siri baggage 06:29
5. AirPods health features, the latest headset rumors 07:31

9to5Mac Watch Time |

Jeff Benjamin joins Zac Hall to give Apple Watch Series 3 and Series 5 an exit interview before new models are announced. 9to5Mac Watch Time is a podcast series hosted by Zac Hall. In this series, we talk to real people about how Apple Watch is affecting their lives.

Sponsored by HabitMinder: Change your habits, change your life. HabitMinder helps you form healthy habits and stay accountable. Get started for free on iOS, Mac, and Apple Watch.

Sponsored by Pillow: Pillow is an all-in-one sleep tracking solution to help you get a better night’s sleep. Download it from the App Store today.

Week 6 – 9to5Mac Watch Time

This week on Watch Time join 9to5Mac's Zac Hall and Tempo developer Rahul Matta in the final episode of this podcast "season". 9to5Mac Watch Time is a podcast series hosted by Zac Hall. In this series, we talk to real people about how Apple Watch is affecting their lives. Subscribe now to catch up with each episode and automatically hear new episodes as soon as they’re released every two weeks: 🟣 Apple Podcasts | 🟠 Overcast | 🟢 Spotify Follow Zac Instagram @apollozac Twitter @apollozac SpaceExplored.com Follow Rahul Matta Twitter @rmatta Twitter @TempoLog Blog indie.sh Follow 9to5Mac Instagram @9to5mac Twitter @9to5mac Facebook YouTube.com/9to5Mac Listen & Subscribe Apple Podcasts Spotify Overcast RSS Read More Toning down the Apple Watch: Tips and feature requests to avoid being overwhelmed Apple releases watchOS 7.4.1 with security improvements Apple Watch blood sugar and blood pressure measurement could be a step closer watchOS 7.4 brings iPhone mask unlock feature for Apple Watch Enjoy the podcast? Shop Apple at Amazon to support 9to5Mac Watch Time!

1. Week 6 46:48
2. With guest Sigmund Judge 42:59
3. Week 5 52:45
4. Week 4 57:20
5. Week 3 56:40

9to5Mac Happy Hour Podcast |

9to5Mac Happy Hour is available on iTunes and Apple’s Podcasts app, Stitcher, TuneIn, Google Play Music, or through our dedicated RSS feed for Overcast and other podcast players.

Sponsored by Helix Sleep: Learn more and take the Helix Sleep quiz at helixsleep.com/happyhour.

Sponsored by Sun Basket: Save $35 off your order when you go to sunbasket.com/happyhour and use promo code happyhour.

Sponsored by CleanMyMac X: Learn more about CleanMyMac X and download it for free at macpaw.app/happyhour.

HomePod with screen rumored, Apple exec turnover, AR/VR headset market fit – 9to5Mac Happy Hour

Benjamin bought a new keyboard, and talks about the ‘magic’ found within. Zac is excited for a new rumored HomePod model coming next year with a 7-inch display. And the pair evaluate whether it makes sense for Apple to enter the AR/VR headset market now, or whether the company should have held off, as some members of Apple’s design team purportedly argued for internally. Sponsored by Factor: Factor has everything I need for a week of flavorful, nutritious eats. Head to factormeals.com/happyhour50 and use code happyhour50 to get 50% off your first box. Sponsored by LinkedIn Jobs: LinkedIn Jobs helps you find the candidates you want to talk to, faster. Post your job for free at LinkedIn.com/HAPPYHOUR. Follow Zac Hall @apollozac or @zac@lunarpunk.social Benjamin Mayo @bzamayo or @bzamayo@mastodon.social Read More MACBREAK WEEKLY 861: THE NUMBER BEFORE TWO Want Touch ID for Mac with any keyboard? Developer finds a way Kuo: New HomePod with built-in 7-inch display to be announced in early 2024 Report: Tim Cook and Jeff Williams push forward with AR/VR headset launch this year, design team wanted to hold off until AR glasses Bloomberg: Apple reshuffling its sales organization 'to put a bigger focus on India' Apple shareholder meeting: investors approve Tim Cook’s $50 million pay cut, more Apple's Head of iCloud heading out the door in latest executive exit Subscribe or Follow Apple Podcasts Overcast Spotify

1. HomePod with screen rumored, Apple exec turnover, AR/VR headset market fit 01:18:28
2. Apple Music Classical announced, iPhone 15 mute switch, M3 Mac schedule 01:06:32
3. iOS 16.4 beta 2, 2018 iPad Pro in hindsight, MLS Season Pass experience 01:24:53
4. iPhone 15 Pro design leaks, iOS 16.4 new features, non-invasive glucose monitoring progress 01:20:52
5. iPhone 15 USB-C, 15-inch MacBook Air coming soon, Apple headset delayed again 01:00:43

Stacktrace Podcast |

Stacktrace by 9to5Mac is available on iTunes and Apple’s Podcasts app or through our dedicated RSS feed for Overcast and other podcast players.

Sponsored by MacStadium: Get a cloud hosted M1 Mac mini from $99 or use promo code 9TO5MAC for half off the first two months of a Gen 3 or 4 (Intel) mini. Enter the Mac mini giveaway here. 

Stacktrace has moved! – Stacktrace

As we've mentioned in the last episode, the Stacktrace podcast is no longer a part of the 9to5Mac network. If you're seeing this entry in your podcast player, then you probably need to unfollow Stacktrace and follow the podcast again. Start by unfollowing the show in your podcast player, then just search for "Stacktrace" and follow the show again. You'll notice that the updated show has a new artwork and that episode 179 has already been released there. To learn more about how to listen to Stacktrace, check out our new website. Thanks for listening!

1. Stacktrace has moved! 01:00
2. 178: “Let’s try something new” 01:03:25
3. 177: “The stand is included!” 01:09:24
4. 176: “Extra Keynote Poker” 01:19:00
5. 175: “A Bluetooth fanboy” 54:35

Apple @ Work Podcast |

Apple @ Work by 9to5Mac is available on Apple Podcasts, Overcast, Spotify, and via RSS for other podcast players.

Cisco and Apple – better together – Apple @ Work

Apple @ Work is brought to you by Mosyle, the only Apple Unified Platform. Mosyle is the only solution that fully integrates 5 different applications on a single Apple-only platform, allowing Businesses to easily and automatically deploy, manage & protect all their Apple devices. Over 38,000 organizations leverage Mosyle solutions to automate the deployment,  management, and security of millions of Apple devices daily. Request a FREE account today and discover how you can put your Apple fleet on auto-pilot at a price point that is hard to believe. In this episode of Apple @ Work, Kristyn Hogan from Cisco joins the show to talk about their latest iPad announcement, the Apple partnership, and more. Links: Cisco Webex on iPad: Better Together General Overview Cisco and Apple Strategic Partnership Apple and Cisco: Wireless Partnership Cisco and Apple: a collaboration steeped in technical innovation Case Studies Today's Collaboration Strategy Needs a Mobile First Approach Webex App | Use iPhone Continuity Camera in a call or meeting Bringing More Flexibility in Hybrid Work Making hybrid work more magical: Webex devices now support Apple AirPlay Connect with Bradley Nostr Twitter LinkedIn Listen and subscribe Apple Podcasts Overcast Spotify Pocket Casts Castro RSS Listen to Past Episodes

1. Cisco and Apple – better together 28:24
2. What are the latest K-12 IT trends? 29:22
3. Where did the name Meeting Owl come from? 25:02
4. Microsoft Policies are just IT Policies 22:38
5. Building a healthy password management ecosystem 27:11

Subscribe to get all 9to5Mac’s stories delivered to your inbox daily. And to 9to5Toys for the best deals from around the web.