Linked List: April 8, 2021

Thursday, 8 April 2021

Samsung Announces SmartTag+ Tile Tracker With Ultra Wideband ★

Samsung:

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. today announced the official launch of Galaxy SmartTag+, available starting on April 16. Galaxy SmartTag+ is equipped with both Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) and ultra-wideband (UWB) technology so that it can pinpoint the location with greater accuracy. It also uses augmented reality (AR) technology to visually guide you towards where your missing item is located using your smartphone’s camera.

Ultra wideband for precise location, augmented reality for showing you where to go. Have I mentioned recently that Apple’s AirTags product — which, admittedly, the company has never mentioned — feels late?

I still don’t get how this is more than a big $40 keychain. I’m not saying I never misplace my keys, but it doesn’t happen often enough that I’d want a big tag like this on my keyring all the time. And if I did have something this big on my keys, I’d be less likely to lose them even if the device wasn’t “smart”. All the other small things I lose track of — Apple Watch, my iPhone, my AirPods — have built-in location tracking.

Nikkei Asia Report: ‘MacBook and iPad Production Delayed as Supply Crunch Hits Apple’ ★

Cheng Ting-Fang and Lauly Li, reporting for Nikkei Asia from Taipei:

Production of some MacBooks and iPads has been postponed due to the global component shortage, Nikkei Asia has learned, in a sign that even Apple, with its massive procurement power, is not immune from the unprecedented supply crunch.

Chip shortages have caused delays in a key step in MacBook production — the mounting of components on printed circuit boards before final assembly — sources briefed on the matter told Nikkei Asia. Some iPad assembly, meanwhile, was postponed because of a shortage of displays and display components, sources said.

As a result of the delay, Apple has pushed back a portion of component orders for the two devices from the first half of this year to the second half, the people said. Industry sources and experts say the delays are a sign that the chip shortage is growing more serious and could impact smaller tech players even more heavily.

No word on which MacBook or iPad models, and Nikkei claims iPhone production hasn’t been affected yet. But, it seems possible that this might explain the fact that Apple hasn’t announced a spring special event yet — all-new iPad Pros are widely anticipated to be coming soon.