The new Apple iPhone 16 could have a slightly improved battery, some credible rumors say.
Apple says there will be fancy new AI features, but what about what we REALLY care about?
My kingdom for a longer battery life!
We are still about two months away from the iPhone 16's September release, but rumors are already starting to trickle out about certain aspects of the phone's build.
Yes, the iPhone 16 lineup will have all those fancy and fun new AI ("Apple Intelligence") features that Apple is excited about. But what about the stuff that really matters? Folks, I'm worried.
As my colleague Jordan Hart reported earlier this week about what to expect for the iPhone 16, there's something new potentially going on with the battery. Ming-Chi Kuo, an analyst based in Taiwan who looks at Apple's supply chain, has surmised there will be a new type of steel-cased battery that will be removable to comply with European standards.
The good news is this could mean longer battery life (or the same battery life, but with a lighter battery). But a steel-cased battery instead of the current aluminum one might also mean it's more prone to getting hot — something my older phones did a lot. My iPhone 14 Pro Max is fine (for now), but with some of my older phones, I'd find myself cooling down my fingertips on the sweat of a cold drink if I was using my phone for a long time.
What to expect from the new iPhones
Before you get too excited about the potential for longer battery life — the thing we all want — it's not totally clear just how much longer we're talking. According to one report on the rumors about the new phones, the difference in how much charge the battery can store is expected to vary only slightly compared to the iPhone 15 lineup — and in the case of the 16 Plus, it may actually go down.
Look, most likely, the battery life will be slightly improved compared to an iPhone15. How much, we don't know yet.
But if you're considering buying an iPhone 16, chances are your current phone is way older, right? In the last few years, it's made more sense to hold onto a phone for more years instead of upgrading every cycle or even every two cycles (if you do upgrade every year, congrats to you and your checking account). The changes in phones have been incremental — a slightly better camera, maybe a brighter screen.
The "Low Battery" message is exactly what you don't want to see on your iPhone. It's time to improve!
NurPhoto/Getty Images
The one thing we all want, that we all crave, is much better battery life, not just a small boost. The new AI features might be cool — even more optical zoom would be — but what I really REALLY want is for my phone to last all day without needing to charge by 9 p.m.
I recently got a Series 9 Apple Watch after losing my previous Series 8. And the upgrade in battery life in the Series 9 is — I do not exaggerate — life-changing. I've had several Apple Watches and for the first time, I don't ever have to worry about it running out of charge by the end of the day.
My current phone can't make it through a busy workday without a midday charge — and if I forget to do it on a day I commute into the office I'm really in trouble for my (long) commute home at night. I've caught myself thinking, "I should get a new portable charger." Shudder.
Claim our independence from the iPhone charger
Imagine all the brain space you could claim back if you didn't have to ever worry about your phone battery. If you could just charge it overnight, wake up, use it all day long — even running Maps for a car trip as well as watching half of a four-hour YouTube video about the Disney Star Wars Hotel without your battery level sinking to 5%.
You and I could win Nobel Prizes and learn the viola with all our regained brainpower!
On this Fourth of July, I'd like you to imagine a beautiful land of freedom, the promise of independence from the charging cord. The American Experiment is about ideals and dreams — and we can dream of a world with really, really long battery life.
Apple's former design chief, Jony Ive ,talked about the device that left a deep impression on him.
Getty Images/Michael Kovac
Apple's former design chief, Jony Ive, revealed the creation that left a "deep" impression on him.
Ive said Apple's first wearable product device reflects the evolution of our intimacy with tech.
A decade later, the Apple Watch is one of the most popular wearables ever.
If you're unfamiliar with Jony Ive, odds are you might be reading this on a device he designed.
Apple's legendary former design chief has helped develop some of the company's most iconic products, including the iPhone, iPad, and Macbook.
Yet the device that might just be his favorite isn't in your hand, but it may be on your wrist — the Apple Watch.
When asked recently which Apple product left "a deep impression" on him, Ive mentioned the device.
"I'm proud of what we did with the watch because that's something that I started after Steve had passed," Ive said in a podcast episode of "Life in Seven Songs," referring to Apple's late cofounder, Steve Jobs.
Three years after Jobs' death, Apple unveiled the Apple Watch, its first wearable device and major product line since the iPad. The company then officially released the watch the following year, and it has since undergone nine generations.
Ive described the watch as "one of the most personal products" when looking at the trajectory of Apple devices.
Apple products started off "sitting on your desk, and then they ended up in your bag, and then they ended up in your pocket," he said. "And then it's on your wrist, and it's something that's worn."
The designer noted that people "have a different sort of relationship" with things they wear and "that are that intimate" — an observation that could probably explain why wearable tech is still a fickle product to get right to this day (just look to the mixed reviews of Apple's latest major product, the Vision Pro headset).
"And I've always loved watches anyway," he said. "So as a category, I think this is an interesting one."
Ive, who left Apple in 2019 after more than two decades with the company, has since started his own design firm, LoveFrom.
The Apple Watch has gone on to become a major seller for Apple, helping drive the company's wearables division to $7.9 billion in quarterly revenue in the first three months of 2024.
Sources close to the White House say that Joe Biden is overly insulated by a close group of advisors.
Anonymous sources told Politico that information is carefully curated before being presented to him.
The sources accused Biden of being difficult to please, and that "people are scared shitless of him."
As new explanations pop up to explain President Joe Biden's poor showing in the presidential debate last Thursday, a group of Democrats and White House staffers have pointed the blame at the people helping to run the house.
Speaking to Politico, anonymous sources close to the White House revealed that Biden is cloistered and insulated by his closest aides, which has isolated him from the rest of his party.
That group of aides includes Biden's senior advisor, Anita Dunn; her husband, Bob Bauer, Biden's personal attorney; and Biden's former chief of staff, Ron Klain, among others.
A senior administration official told Politico: "He doesn't take advice from anyone other than those few top aides, and it becomes a perfect storm because he just gets more and more isolated from their efforts to control it."
Politico's sources added that the aides feed him information and advice that he will react well to and block out the rest.
One source close to Biden's campaign told Politico: "If I'm talking to Anita, and I say, 'what about X?' She's quick to say, 'The president's not going to do that. No chance.'"
A separate Politico source said that people who express dissent tend to not be invited to the next call or meeting.
A senior administration official Politico spoke to also accused Biden of being unpleasant to be around when he's being briefed. Staffers work hard to curate the information for briefings in a way that will not set him off.
"It's like, 'You can't include that, that will set him off,' or 'Put that in, he likes that,'" the official told Politico. "It's a Rorschach test, not a briefing."
"It's very difficult, and people are scared shitless of him," the official added.
The White House denied the claims that Biden is "isolated," telling Politico that he regularly gets input from multiple sources and has eight to 10 people in briefings.
Others have criticized Biden's top aides
The anonymous staffers are not the only ones assigning blame to Biden's top advisors.
Democratic megadonor John Morgan echoed these sentiments, telling Politico he thinks the president has a "cabal" of close aides.
"I think he has misplaced trust in these three people, and I believe he has from the inception," Morgan told Politico.
Morgan also took to X on Sunday to express his displeasure with the aides.
"Biden has for too long been fooled by the value of Anita Dunn and her husband. They need to go… TODAY," he wrote.
Biden's family members have also pinned the blame for his bad debate showing on his inner circle, saying they failed to prepare him adequately to go on the offensive, per an earlier report by Politico.
Representatives for Biden didn't immediately respond to requests for comment from Business Insider sent outside regular business hours.
The author says in Germany there's not as much variety as there is in the US when it comes to groceries.
Simon Ritzmann/Getty Images
I'm American but have been living in Germany with my family for over a decade.
Here grocery stores are closed on Sundays and close at midday on Saturdays.
You have to bag your own groceries while being mindful of not taking too long.
If you are planning a trip, a long-term visit or even a move to Germany, I have some advice for you. I'm American, but have beenliving in Germanywith my family for over a decade.
One thing you'll probably notice early on is that yourtrip to the grocery storeto stock up on supplies might look a little different than what you're used to in the United States. Here is why.
There are less brands and varieties of products
Given that the United States is simply much bigger than Germany as a country, it stands to reason that German grocery stores have less of a selection when it comes to brands andvarieties within products.
A great example isorange juice. At a typical US supermarket, you can find a range of highly specific types of orange juice, like "added calcium," "some pulp," or "heart-healthy with Omega-3's." Not so in Germany for the most part: you'll typically have a selection between a couple of brands, perhaps narrowed down by being with pulp or without pulp. Although larger grocery stores will offer a bigger variety, it generally won't be as vast as an American supermarket.
Within Germany, brands are often somewhat regional as well. When you buy milk in Bavaria, the brand selection is likely to be exclusivelyBavarian companies. And of course, some of it comes down to space. For instance, urban grocery stores in Germany simply don't have the physical capacity the way many American grocery shops do, allowing American shops to stock numerous brands and types of the same product.
Speaking of space, given that many people do get around without a car in German cities, you'll also have to keep in mind that not every German grocery store will have a parking lot or easy street parking if you're in a major city like Frankfurt or Hamburg.
You have to bag your own stuff
At most major American grocery stores, your groceries generally get bagged for you as you check out. When you shop in Germany, be prepared for a bit of a workout: the checkers scan the items rapidly while you are in charge ofbagging them up yourself, sometimes with a lengthy line of people behind you during busy times.
It's almost an art form, as shoppers have to be quick and strategic to prevent their groceries from piling up before the next customers starts scanning. The only other effective strategy is to try to shop for groceries during more obscure times of day — orgrocery delivery.
There's a range of grocery store types, from health food shops to discount grocers
Similar to the US, options in Germany are greater in larger urban areas than rural villages and towns. Most Germans do their grocery shopping at standard and discount grocery stores. In fact, some German discount grocery stores have achieved international success, so many Americans arefamiliar with Aldiand Lidl in particular. There are "mega" markets more comparable to bigger American supermarkets as well, such as Hit, V-Markt and Kaufland.
Organic and biodynamic groceries are very popular in Germany, so there are a number of organic grocery stores throughout the country, including some national chains. Certified organic products tend to be less expensive in Germany than in the US, although they still tend to have a higher price tag than non-organic products. Most cities and towns offer farmer's markets on a regular basis, where locals can get fresh produce, dairy and meat from nearby farms. Germany has a large Turkish community, and there are many Turkish grocers throughout the country. In urban centers you can also find other international grocery stores.
A unique German element are some long standing traditional department store grocery sections or gourmet grocery shops that are legendary in certain cities. These stores have been around for generations and tend to be quite expensive and exclusive. Some famous examples areKadewein Berlin andKaferin Munich.
Opening times at German grocery stores may seem short in comparison to US stores
Many Americans who visit Germany are surprised to find that German grocery stores have more limited opening times than they are used to. For starters, throughout the country, almost all grocery stores are completely closed onSundays. It's the same story on public holidays.
If you're absolutely stranded, most major cities will still have a few grocery stores that operate on Sundays at places like the main train station or the airport, and gas stations sell a number of basic goods, but for the most part your options will be very limited or non-existent.
For Americans who live in cities or towns where grocery stores are open till 10 p.m. or run 24 hours, don't expect to find that in Germany. Most German grocery stores close at 8 p.m., and small shops in rural areas close even earlier, such as 6 p.m. on weekdays and 1 p.m. on Saturdays.
Pete Ballmer, Alisa Solo/Getty Images, Abanti Chowdhury/BI
This as-told-to essay is based on a transcribed conversation with29-year-old Pete Ballmer, a standup comedian and former product manager in San Francisco and one of the sons of billionaire and former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer. It has been edited for length and clarity.
As a kid, I liked computers. I used to subscribe to PCWorld Magazine because I liked reading about new products. I took computer science classes at my high school and really enjoyed them.
I majored in computer science with a concentration in human-computer interaction at Stanford. Many people told me I was doing what my dad, Steve Ballmer, did, but he wasn't a programmer. He was a business guy familiar with the subject but didn't push me into it.
My dad always told my brothers and me that he just wanted us to do what we were passionate about. He made it clear that he didn't have specific expectations for our achievements, but he did harp a lot on working hard and doing our best. He would always say, "If you're going to do a job, do a job. And if you're not going to do a job, don't do a job." The rhetoric was, if you're going to do something, do it to the fullest extent.
I worked a few internships
The summers after my junior and senior years of high school, I did a software engineering internship at a small startup called Dashwire.
I then did a software engineering internship at Expedia the summer after my first year of college. I kind of hated it. I was fine as a programmer but wasn't the best, and I learned that I didn't love programming.
During my sophomore year, I heard one of my friends talk about his product management internship. The nature of the role appealed to me; it's a people-oriented job while still being analytical and creative.
The next summer, I got a product management internship at a startup called Travelnuts, which I liked. After my junior year, I interned at TripIt.
I never considered not working a full-time job after college
During my junior year, I was told I would inherit a six-figure sum from my grandfather when I turned 25. When I graduated from college at 22, I didn't have that money yet and needed a job.
I had done some standup comedy in college and knew I wanted to do more, but I also knew the odds of "making it" were low. I didn't have a lot of material, and the material I had wasn't very good, so trying to pursue comedy full-time would've been a very risky move.
My parents paid for my college education, and it was unfathomable that I not get a full-time job after graduating. There was no way they would've paid for me to live in San Francisco and do open mics. Neither my brothers nor I have ever asked my parents for a notable sum, nor have our parents given us a significant amount of money.
I applied and was hired as a rotational product manager at Zynga, the company that made games like Words with Friends and Farmville. I was excited about having a product management job that paid well.
Working at Zynga was fantastic. It was a very fun environment with smart people, a good culture, and happy hours all the time with homemade beer. I respected my boss and liked the nature of my work.
I think there are two ways you can get fulfillment from a job: either the day-to-day work is enjoyable — that was true for me — or you have a long-term sense that what you're doing matters. I knew I wasn't making a massive impact on the world by making Harry Potter: Puzzles & Spells games, but I wasn't looking to get that out of my job, so that was fine.
My dad, however, did go to Stanford, and I don't think I would've gotten in if he didn't because I was a good student but not exceptional. I didn't want my family connection to influence my college acceptance, but I also really wanted to go to Stanford. I couldn't escape the fact that my connections helped me, so I decided to make the most of it.
I agree that it's kind of pathetic for rich kids to use connections to get everything they have. My parents had money, I went to good schools, and I had enough given to me that I should be able to then turn that into something on my own.
I did learn about my high school internship opportunity from a friend of my mom's, but my boss specifically told me that I was the strongest applicant they had and I didn't receive preferential treatment because of my family.
I wasn't entirely qualified for my job at Expedia, but my boss from my high school internship, who had moved to Expedia, put in a good word for me because he'd enjoyed working with me and I'd done a good job.
There were a couple of people at Expedia who made comments about my family, like, "Did he really deserve to get this job, or did he just get hired because of who his dad is?" That was frustrating because I did feel like I didn't deserve the job, but it wasn't because of who my dad was. That sucked.
I didn't know anyone at Zynga before getting the job, so I got it without any connections. Once I was working at Zynga, some coworkers would make little comments like, "Oh, you're using a Mac!" occasionally, but not a ton. Nobody made me feel uncomfortable.
I decided to focus on comedy in 2021
Four years into my time at Zynga, I'd been promoted twice, the game I was working on was doing well, and I'd accomplished enough in product management that I felt I could go back and do it again if I wanted to. By then, I'd also inherited the money from my grandfather.
I'd been doing comedy on the side, performing at open mics after work, and producing some shows. I'd gone from thinking of myself as a product manager who does comedy at night to a comedian with a day job as a product manager.
In 2021, I quit my job to pursue comedy full-time. I'm now a paid regular at some comedy clubs in the Bay Area. I do around five shows a week and an open mic or two. I've also done some festivals and produced Don't Tell Comedy shows.
I don't find it difficult to write relatable jokes. I joke about gossip, my dog, being red-green colorblind, and high school. It's all stuff that's just part of the human experience.
My family background is still a part of my perspective, so I have a few jokes about growing up rich or inheriting money. Once I have a following of people coming explicitly to see me at a show, I'm happy to do standup about growing up as a billionaire's son because I have a unique perspective.
My greatest fear is excuse-less failure
It's sad that some people have to stop pursuing comedy to earn money elsewhere, but at the same time, they can ask themselves, "Who knows what would've happened with my comedy career if I hadn't had to quit?"
I don't have that option.
My money allows me the luxury of time and choice to pursue my passion, but it also allows me to purely fail at it. At a certain point, maybe I'll plateau or stop progressing, and I'll have to choose to stop because I'm just not good enough.
I'm not saying that my situation is harder than being a comic without financial backing, but it would be really hard to fail so profoundly.
My dad has said that once someone is 35, their career trajectory is pretty set. I'm 29 now, so the idea that in about five years, I'm supposed to roughly know my trajectory kind of haunts me.
Would I ever be a product manager again? Maybe, but at the same time, I don't know if I'd choose to work 40 to 60 hours a week doing a job that I wouldn't need to work for the money, even if I enjoy it enough.
I'm pretty confident in my comedy, so I'm full speed ahead on being a comedian. I've continued to improve, and I don't see any reason that wouldn't continue. I'll keep going with this as long as I keep honing my skillset and moving up the ladder.
If you had a unique experience growing up with money and would like to share your story, email Jane Zhang atjanezhang@businessinsider.com.
Armed with a credit card and a dream, Daniel Jailani set off to see the Eras Tour as many times as possible.
Going to 10 shows across four countries cost him $4,280 in tickets, flights, hotels, and outfits.
He says it was an experience of a lifetime, one he would gladly repeat.
Daniel Jailani, a 24-year-old legal counsel from Singapore and a hardcore Taylor Swift fan, was laser-focused on catching as many of his idol's Eras Tour shows as possible.
Even if it meant using up almost all his paid time off, he traveled to Australia, France, and the United Kingdom to catch 10 of Swift's three-and-a-half-hour-long concerts.
Jailani said Swift is his favorite artist of all time. Growing up gay in a conservative Muslim family in Singapore, he said: "Her music transported me to a place where I was not stuck in my very difficult reality."
He added that he lived vicariously through Swift's music in his formative years.
"And at that point in time, her music was about high school and falling in love with boys, so that's how she allowed me to experience all that," he said.
In five months, Jailani has taken six flights, tailored eight concert outfits himself, and spent $4,279.76 to see the shows.
He said that the main motivation to see Swift across multiple nights was to catch her three surprise songs every night, which are not in her set list of 46 songs and are unique to each city.
He's not done yet and plans to attend one last show in London in August.
Here's what the whole experience cost him, according to receipts and invoices verified by Business Insider.
He attended one night in Melbourne, all six nights in Singapore, two in Lyon, and one in London, with one more — Swift's August show at Wembley Stadium — left.
Jailani said securing the tickets was a team effort, with his family and friends helping him purchase additional tickets.
For example, one of his friends traded her extra Melbourne Eras Tour ticket for his spare Singapore Coldplay "Music of the Spheres" ticket.
$1,083.51 for flights
The fan chased Swift around the world, flying to three different countries from Singapore to see his idol. He purchased six flight tickets, return journeys from Singapore to Melbourne, Paris and London.
Daniel Jailani on a flight, traveling to the Eras Tour in Melbourne.
Daniel Jailani
Jailani booked them all with deals on Singapore Airlines, the country's national carrier.
He has yet to book his last return flight to London for Swift's August show.
S$396.48 for hotels
Here's where Jailani saved big. Opting to bunk in with his friends and family in Lyon and London rather than in hotels or Airbnbs helped him save.
In Melbourne, however, he chose to stay in a serviced apartment just half a mile from the concert venue.
$230 on Eras Tour merch
He spent about $230 on official Eras Tour souvenirs, which included two t-shirts, one hoodie, and one crewneck sweater.
$328.55 for outfits
Jailani designed his own outfits for the concerts, inspired by eight of Swift's 11 albums, or eras.
Daniel's Midnights outfit mood board.
Daniel Jailani
From a rhinestone-studded black pantsuit inspired by the Midnights album to a sweeping green cape for the Folklore album, he pieced all his outfits together by hand.
The materials used cost him $328.55, he said.
Swifties are shelling out big time for the Eras Tour
He also hasn't broken the record for most shows attended. According to Rolling Stone, a 27-year-old fan visited the Eras Tour 20 times across North America.
The Eras Tour is the first-ever concert tour to gross over $1 billion, and the QuestionPro report found that it could result in $4.6 billion in consumer spending in the US.
Swift is expected to boost the economies of countries in Europe in a similar way as her tour makes its way through the continent.
Hotel prices in Milan, ahead of her show in July, spiked by 45% on the nights of her concerts, compared to the weeks before and after the show, Italian tourism company Tourist Italy told Business Insider.
Portugal, Spain, and Sweden's hotel prices in May increased several times from their 2021 to 2023 average, according to a June report from BMI, an analytics subsidiary of Fitch Solutions.
The one European country that didn't seem to have benefited from Swiftonomics, however, was France, where hotel prices dropped, per the BMI report.
Swift still has 34 shows left in Europe and Canada, with the tour slated to end in December.
Joe Biden's campaign money would largely go to Kamala Harris if he steps down, a Biden aide said, per NBC.
Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images
Biden's campaign manager had a call with around 40 of his top financial backers on Sunday, NBC reports.
Julie Chavez Rodriguez said Biden stepping aside would mean the war chest would get redistributed, per NBC.
And the lion's share would go to Kamala Harris, she said, with a smaller amount going to the DNC.
President Joe Biden's campaign has been pulling out the stops to shore up support for him after his disastrous debate performance on Thursday. But the president's top donors have been briefed on what might happen and the messy financial situation that might ensue if he were to end his presidential run, NBC reported.
According to NBC's Mike Memoli and Monica Alba, Biden's campaign manager, Julie Chavez Rodriguez, had a call with around 40 of Biden's top financial backers on Sunday.
During the call, Chavez Rodriguez told the donors — while emphasizing that Biden had no intention to give up on his 2024 run — that the lion's share of the campaign money would go to Vice President Kamala Harris.
A smaller amount would go to the Democratic National Committee, NBC reported.
NBC further reported that the Biden camp has held similar conversations, with more to come in the weak ahead. Biden campaign chair Jen O'Malley Dillon, per two NBC sources, will also talk to donors on Monday night.
For his part, Biden has given little indication that he plans to step aside. In a speech to some 2,000 supporters in North Carolina, Biden acknowledged his poor showing at the debate while attempting to rally support.
"Folks, I might not walk as easily or talk as smoothly as I used to. I might not debate as well as I used to. But what I do know is how to tell the truth," Biden said.
Biden added that he would not be running for office again if he did not believe with all his "heart and soul" that he could still do the job.
And as speculation about whether the president plans to stay the course persists, dissatisfaction is growing in Harris' camp, Politico reported. Harris allies are complaining that other influential Democrats — like Gov. Gavin Newsom of California and Gov. Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan — are being prioritized over the VP as potential Biden replacements, per Politico.
Representatives for Biden did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider sent outside regular business hours.
