And so, with that… it begins to feel very autumnal. It’s getting darker earlier, slightly colder in the mornings etc.. however, I hear that in the UK, we’re going to have a mini (2 to 3 days) heatwave!
And with that… let’s move onto the Top Two Tech Stories of the week.
- Up first… iPhone 13 information!
The Apple iPhone 13 is set to arrive in the UK in September.
The technology giant has not announced the launch date of its new smart phone but rumours suggest it could be September, with UK pre orders set to open as early as 17 September.
Previous launches have taken place on the final Friday of the month but the launch could be October.
The iPhone 13 could be in high demand when it does hit the shelves in the UK because there are signs Apple will struggle to have enough units for everybody who wants the new handset.
It is believed the Chinese manufacturer Foxconn, is hiring hundreds of thousands of extra workers over the next month to make enough of the smartphones but this recruitment drive may be slower than Apple needs to meet demand.
There is also a global shortage of chips that could impact supply. Apple’s finance chief Luca Maestri said: “We expect supply constraints during the September quarter to be greater than what we experienced during the June quarter. The constraints will primarily impact iPhone and iPad.”
Also.. the shortage of chips which has been widely acknowledged is having an impact on cars and many other electronic items. Let’s hope we can resume production and up the productivity sooner rather than later.
2. Up next, BMW’s new electric bike!
BMW’s Motorrad division has been pumping out some wild concepts over the last few years as the larger company turns its attention towards electric vehicles. It’s latest is also the to date, but still looks extremely cool: the CE 02 mini-bike.
Debuted this week ahead of the IAA Mobility conference in Germany, the CE 02 is a tiny two-wheeler that borrows some of the futuristic vibes BMW has been honing for its larger concept bikes — including the CE 04, which is actually going into production. Clad in silver and black and “technoid typography,” the minimalist design looks like it came right off the set of a sci-fi movie.
The CE 02 has an 11kW belt-drive motor, which can help the bike reach a top speed of around 90 kilometers per hour (about 56 miles per hour). BMW isn’t sharing the battery capacity, but claims the CE 02 can go about 90 kilometers on a full charge.
There are no pedals, but BMW says there will be footrests — though in the photos, the only footrest that anyone is using is a skateboard clipped to the underside of the bike. (Hey, it’s a concept!) A circular LED headlight lights the way, while a small display between the handlebars serves up the basic information like speed and battery status. “Otherwise, the technology is deliberately restrained,” BMW says. The whole package weighs 120 kilograms (about 265 pounds).
I love this… because we need smaller, electric vehicles that can transport us around towns and inner cities. I personally would definitely purchase this!
So there we go… get ready for the new iPhone 13 and the new electric scooters which are a concept but could quickly turn to be reality!