The unpredictable and fanatical tech realm

Every week something distinct happens in the tech domain and, this week was no different. We may not have seen intriguing hardware, but we sure got to see some exclusive developments. Let's skip the modest introduction and dive right into the tech news.

The best thing that happened this week was the USB-C iPhone. Honestly, lightning cables are a hassle. Why not have uniformity and simplicity? Apple has failed to listen to the general public on this front and has never lived up to its end of the bargain. Frankly, it always pisses the tech community off. But last month, an unconventional event took place. An engineering student based in Switzerland- Ken Pillonel, took the internet by storm by replacing the lightning port of his iPhone X with a USB-C port. What is more surprising is that he pulled it off without sacrificing any of the phone’s features. On top of this, he boldly published a GitHub repository with the technical details of the custom PCB for anyone to try this open-source hack. Woah! I mean, neither one of us could even dream about that! Then he went on to publish a YouTube video on the same. Astonished? Well, he has got something else in store for you too, he tried to auction the first-ever iPhone with a USB-C port on eBay and this week it reached an all-time high of $100,100 after 173 bids. That’s about the same price as a base model Kia SUV in India. Boy! The tech realm is crazy, innit?

Okay, now for some staggering news. Meta founder- the grey t-shirt guy- bummed Apple with his new product. Apple’s 30% tax on payments is unreal and unjustified! And Meta sympathises with iOS developers. Meta has developed its own native payment gateway that will allow developers to route their subscriptions payments to Facebook instead of Apple. Wait, so Apple gets nothing? Essentially, yes. Again, Meta allows the developers to take all the money on the table and in return, asks for a small subscription fee. This service is rolling out in 27 countries across the globe for creators who meet certain eligibility criteria. How cool is that? Ha, Apple!

Now for some rumours. We know that Google is working on its foldable phone and, we couldn’t be more excited! But we also have some tragic news. Turns out, the Google camera update this week gives some hints about the new phone’s camera hardware. Turns out, the folding phone will feature a 12-megapixel camera similar to the hardware of the first Pixel, which was launched in 2016. I mean, how depressing is that? We spent 5 years trying to convince Google to give us better camera hardware and they finally listened this year but, what’s the point of going back to square one? Huh, Google?

Oh also! Microsoft is hosting an education-focused event on 9th November at noon EST. So for my lovely Indian readers, it is 9:30 PM IST. Microsoft’s tweet said;

Join us at 9 a.m. PT on Tuesday, Nov. 9, as we share an inside look at the latest tech solutions while examining gaps in learning left by the pandemic. Hear from Microsoft partners, school leaders and a few special guests, and learn about new and existing technology from Microsoft Education.

The event is taking place subsequently a month after Microsoft’s major unveiling of its new operating system, Windows 11. Microsoft is likely launching an educational variant of Windows 11. Something less powerful but with the features essential to classroom-based learning. Or perhaps, the company isn't done announcing all its hardware for 2021. Leaks and rumours which surfaced online claimed that Microsoft is working on a less powerful version of the Surface, the Surface SE. Microsoft’s probable plans to unveil it? I don’t know. Stay tuned and watch Microsoft’s event on the 9th of November.

Ah yes, before I forget, I have some fascinating news for you. Next week, along with the tech news, we will start a new series, Best Tech Apps of the Week. Yes, this would be embedded in the newsletter, so no extra hassle :) Here we will cover some great tech apps that have just sprung into the tech domain and deserve some recognition for their remarkable work. Impatient like me? Go check out raycast.com, a Spotlight search alternative- till I write the next issue of Sunday Tech Highlights. Make sure to update your devices till then, and I'll catch you next week.