Apple and the iMac are as intertwined as strawberries and Wimbledon; they truly belong together. My trusty 27-inch 5K iMac from 2015 has been a joy, but with the advancements in Apple silicon, it has become somewhat sluggish for my needs. However, there's a silver lining for iMac enthusiasts.

Rumors suggest that we might soon see a revamped 24-inch iMac featuring an M3 3-nanometer chip, possibly launching later this year. Moreover, a 32-inch iMac is currently undergoing early testing, hinting at its eventual release.

Additionally, whispers abound about Apple's largest display to date—a rumored 42-inch OLED iMac might also be on the horizon.

The ongoing speculation about a foldable Apple device has resurfaced once more. According to Business Korea, the tech giant is in discussions with a South Korean display manufacturer regarding a foldable MacBook. This topic has been circulating for over five years, yet we remain far from seeing it materialize.

While the debate about Apple's potential entry into the foldable market continues, I'd prefer to wait for credible sources like Gurman, Young, and Kuo to weigh in before getting too excited.

In other news, Project Titan, known as the Apple Car initiative, has made headlines once again. The project has recently increased its test driver count, reversing a previous decision to cut back the team significantly. Although there's no official confirmation of an Apple Car in the works, it's widely believed that this project has been in development for the past decade.

Data from California's DMV revealed that Apple had registered 66 vehicles and 201 drivers for testing on public roads as of March. Interestingly, that number dropped to 145 in April but has since risen to 152, indicating that Apple's ambitions for an autonomous vehicle, potentially slated for a 2025 or 2026 release, are still very much alive.

In the U.K., Apple has bucked the tech trend, with sales rising over the past year. According to filings at Companies House, sales from both physical and online stores reached £1.5 billion for the year ending September 24, 2022, reflecting the performance of the iPhone 13 rather than the 14. This impressive growth of 61% can largely be attributed to the sustained demand for high-end iPhones, as Apple's customer base typically enjoys higher disposable incomes.

Apple has also opened two flagship stores in London—Brompton Road and Battersea—demonstrating the company's commitment to its U.K. presence.

However, challenges loom as employees at Apple’s Maryland store have accused the company of unfair practices in its efforts to resist unionization. Staff allege that Apple has engaged in "surface bargaining" and "regressive bargaining." Surface Bargaining refers to a façade of negotiations that gives the impression of progress while maintaining the status quo. Regressive Bargaining involves presenting an initial proposal only to later suggest a less favorable one.

Bloomberg reported that contract negotiations with Apple’s first unionized U.S. retail store reached a critical point recently, with labor representatives filing a complaint about what they describe as bad faith negotiations. CORE, representing the Towson, Maryland store, claims that Apple is stalling and has not addressed crucial employee proposals, leading to a complaint filed with the National Labor Relations Board regarding a "clear pattern" of regressive bargaining.

In design news, Jony Ive, Apple's former design chief, has been busy. He co-founded the creative agency LoveFrom, which has secured long-term contracts with brands like Ferrari and Airbnb. Recently, he unveiled his first hardware project post-Apple: a special 50th-anniversary edition of the Sondek LP12 turntable, made in collaboration with British hi-fi brand Linn. Limited to just 250 units, this exquisite turntable starts at £50,000—definitely a luxury item!

Meanwhile, Apple TV+ is facing difficulties as actors have joined writers on the picket line. The Writers Guild went on strike in May, and this simultaneous action by both the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) and writers is unprecedented since the 1960s. SAG is advocating for improved compensation for streaming content and safeguards against AI usage in the industry. Negotiations with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), which includes Apple TV+, have yielded little progress.

The SAG members have announced an immediate halt to all labor, affecting not just on-set performances but also promotional activities. This strike comes at a critical time for Apple, as they need their stars to promote upcoming releases, such as Napoleon, for the awards season.

The impact of the ongoing strikes is significant for Apple, as the content pipeline may quickly dwindle if resolutions aren't found. The writers' strike has already led to project cancellations, and with actors now joining the fray, all scripted content is effectively on pause. Potential alternatives could involve sourcing talent from outside the U.S. or ramping up non-scripted programming.

In those pre-strike days, Apple had already produced season two of the hit sci-fi series Foundation. To promote its release last Monday, Apple employed a guerrilla marketing strategy similar to that used for Silo, streaming a Live Premiere of the episode on YouTube, accompanied by a Q&A session with showrunner David Goyer.

If you're enjoying my articles and want to stay updated, you can support my work by signing up through this link to receive my blogs as soon as they're published, along with email notifications.

Originally published at https://talkingtechandaudio.com on July 14, 2023.