Skip to main content

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

apple new tech is old iphone x
Apple
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…
New iPhone SE 4 details just leaked. Here’s what we learned
The iPhone 14 Plus's main Home screen.

The iPhone SE will finally get a new look, though it might still appear identical to a two-generation-old mainline model. This nugget of information comes from Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, who claims that the next “SE” trim could arrive early next year.

“The new model will resemble the iPhone 14, including the notch cutout at the top,” says the report. That means the upcoming iPhone could also be the last Apple smartphone with a physical home button with the integrated Touch ID sensor.

Read more
5 phones you should buy instead of the Google Pixel 9
Someone holding the Google Pixel 9.

Fall has arrived, and the year is inching closer to its end. We now have all of the major phone releases out for 2024, with powerful phones from Google, Apple, Samsung, and more.

If you’re in the market for a new phone right now, you may be eyeing the Google Pixel 9. It’s a pretty great phone, but there are some other fantastic alternatives to consider as well. Let’s take a look at five other options to think about before you go out and buy a Pixel 9.
Google Pixel 9 Pro

Read more
I’ve used iOS 18 for months. Here are 10 reasons you should update right now
iOS 18 logo on the iPhone 16 Pro

On September 16, Apple launched the new iOS 18 update for the iPhone, and while the company always says it’s the biggest update ever, this year, that’s true. So many new iOS 18 features will delight you, but many of these are also fundamental changes to how you use your iPhone.

I’ve been using iOS 18 in beta for months and love many of the new features. They’ve breathed new life into my iPhone 15 Pro Max and will do the same for all iPhones that support the update.

Read more