eXtensions - Tuesday 28 October 2025
By Graham K. Rogers
Despite some rumors on the iPhone Air, sales of iPhones continue apace. Germans do have a sense of humor as the Louvre heist reveals. Online observations on the M5 MacBook Pro; and the Touch Bar - missed by some. Comments on recent and future television from Apple and Netflix. Like seeing the Emperors new clothes, US corporations risk much by not toeing the line.
With the release of Apple's latest financial figures in a couple of days time (31 Oct), analysts are generally positive about expectations. All except those from Asia of course. Despite record sales of the iPhone 17 models, the iPhone Air has been tagged as a dud by some analysts there because, they report, Apple had reduced orders for the Air, while increasing those for the other models. That, however, was just after the latest iPhone models were released in China and the iPhone Air sold out. Everyone seemed to ignore that.
Not wishing to be left out, some in the tech press also retold the tale making it appear like an iPhone Air disaster. Year after year, certain analysts in Asia are first to come out with negative stories on Apple, especially when the rest of the picture is looking good. Investors sell off, the share price drops, other investors buy the drop and make a healthy profit when the price rises again. As it always does. Many of those stories turn out to be duds, but the tech analysts report them anyway. There should be a health warning.
Some commentators, however, did put out stories noting how Apple will always adjust its order levels as time passes. It is no longer a situation in which thousands of models are in store waiting for orders. The supply chain is organized so that orders may be adjusted up or down in a relatively short time, and there is more than one factory. Dennis Sellers (AppleWorld Today), notes that this may all have been the fiction that I thought it was all along. Information in an investors' note from one analyst suggests that "Apple may not be changing its production figures for the iPhone Air after all" and that there are no changes to forecasts for now. What a surprise.
The British and others often claim that Germans have no sense of humor, but I am finding - through Netflix and other sources - that this is not true. Examples include Kleo, How to Sell Drugs Online (Fast), and others. Recently the world was shocked by a daylight heist of jewels from the Louvre. That these had belonged to Napoleon made them culturally important, but the speed in and out of the criminals added to the excitement. The entry was particularly dramatic: using a hoist, the Böcker Agilo, they broke in through a window several floors up then overpowered guards.
It is the hoist (stolen for the job) that was interesting. Böcker is a German product and the family owners, after their initial shock, spotted an opportunity. Jeremy Gray (PetaPixel) reports how they licensed the AFP image and put out an advertisement in German. This was so popular that an English version (with slightly different wording) followed a few days later. Carpe diem.
Following the release of M5 devices, the initial reports have been fairly positive, although there are always some that strike a sour note: more hits that way. I detest those that claim the writer is sending the device back for various reasons: mainly attention, I guess. The new MacBook Pro is an evolution of the current MacBook Pro line, with the same exterior design but with many changes under the hood. On the face of things, it works out of the box with no drama and users should be able to pick up where they left off on the previous device, which is exactly as it should be. Stephen Hacket (512 Pixels) comments on an earlier comment from John Gruber, who wrote about "another boring incremental upgrade". As Hackett writes, boring is exactly what we want, and he reminds us of the Intel days when Apple had to wait in line for the same upgrades that all PC makers had available.
I have had my M1 MacBook Pro since they were first available here and I am in no hurry to upgrade: not just yet. While Hackett is critical of the TouchBar, I find this an advantage. I use it often, particularly with writing and editing when suggestions appear. All I need to do is touch the right word and it is entered into the text. There is a feature like that on the iPad which offers me choices for the next word or the word I am currently typing and, again, I will sometimes make use of that. William Gallagher (AppleInsider) points out a number of reasons why the feature became unpopular, particularly with developers, but notes some users were upset when Apple stopped including it. When I replace my M1 MacBook Pro, I will miss this; but like all changes, once the tech writers stop moaning about features they don't like, I just get on with it.
I have been enjoying The Morning Show on AppleTV, but the breakups Stella suffers - her job and her relationship - leave her taking a flight to Naples. And my brain went into high gear speculating on this. Why Naples? Why is Stella decamping to Naples, but more important, why is the plot line of The Morning Show, shifting there? The last time The Morning Show had any connection with this part of Italy was when Mitch Kessler died although did anybody actually see his body? Is this a chance for a resurrection of the character with all with all the baggage that may carry? I checked back with some of those episodes, and it's not easy on Apple TV.
This would be a fine way to end the current series, and of course, a thrilling way to start the next series. The accident and the after effects occur in Season 2, Episodes 7, 8 and 9. We do not see a body or even a casket, and so much is left unsaid about what happened in Italy. We do see a Memorial Service in the USA, but that is it. Paola, the Italian lady Mitch met, is guarded with what she says over the phone to Alex Levy: many loose ends here. Is there to be a resurrection? This week (29 Oct) is Episode 7 of Season 4, "Person of Interest". That is followed by 3 more episodes, ending 19 November.
We are also coming to the end of Slow Horses this week, while Season 3 of Invasion finished last Friday. We know that the former has been renewed for more seasons, but I am hoping that Invasion will also be coming back. The tentative happy ending of Season 3 was almost too glib. The Aliens appear to have been defeated, but the characters thought that before. The plan is for 4 seasons, but Apple has not made any announcement as yet about Season 4. We also have a long wait for the return of Foundation. Filming is expected to begin in 2026 with Season 4 arriving in 2027. The F1 movie will finally be available to subscribers of AppleTV in early December.
Netflix has been producing some good output too of late and we can expect some more. I was delighted by The Diplomat and even happier when I saw at the end that a new series was on the way. The President who died at the end of season 2 had some baggage, as did his VP, who automatically became president. Now Kate Wyler's husband is VP. Is this one stage in the eventual appointment of Hal, or Kate to the highest office?
I also watched the compelling Netflix movie, A House of Dynamite. Using three different timelines it follows a surprise nuclear attack on the USA. I was immediately reminded of Vantage Point (2008), with William Hurt, Dennis Quaid, Sigourney Weaver and Forest Whittaker. In both movies, the picture builds as we see the action from different viewpoints: each rendition adding to the overall picture. The ending of A House of Dynamite while not actually showing the missile hitting, makes it fairly clear that there was an explosion. And so much for fail-safe, backup systems.
I followed that with one of the interesting foreign language series that Netflix offers: Sara - Woman in the Shadows, an Italian security series with a focus on organized crime. It is set in Naples, but apart from a couple of scenes in beautiful galleries, the city view is mainly of back streets. Coming soon on Netflix is 3 Body Problem. I have been looking forward to this for a while. Although there have been some video teasers there is still no date shown.
I try to avoid politics in this forum, but it is becoming increasingly difficult. Many will be aware of the recent adjustments being made to the White House in preparation for what appears to be a somewhat gaudy ballroom: like the wrestler chic of the redecorated Oval Office. Some are beginning to call this the Epstein Ballroom. I saw an article earlier that noted Google as a major contributor and wondered if Apple would join this party, following earlier gifts. Zac Hall (9to5Mac) reports that several tech companies are footing the bill for this design error, and lists (not alphabetically), Apple, Amazon, Lockheed Martin, Microsoft, Google, Coinbase, Comcast and Meta. No surprise there really.
These companies know which side their bread is buttered in the current political climate. Amber Neely (AppleInsider) adds to that list, and notes that "Companies like Apple have found themselves making increasingly elaborate gestures to the Trump administration in an effort to curry favor and avoid punitive action" [my italics].
Graham K. Rogers teaches at the Faculty of Engineering, Mahidol University in Thailand. He wrote in the Bangkok Post, Database supplement on IT subjects. For the last seven years of Database he wrote a column on Apple and Macs. After 3 years writing a column in the Life supplement, he is now no longer associated with the Bangkok Post. He can be followed on X (@extensions_th). The RSS feed for the articles is http://www.extensions.in.th/ext_link.xml - copy and paste into your feed reader. No AI was used in writing this item.
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