Apple Hit by iPhone 18 Pro Issues as Mac Mini Price Soars
Baca dalam 60 detik
- Sejumlah pengguna iPhone 18 Pro melaporkan perangkat restart mendadak saat Face ID gagal, dan Apple berjanji merilis perbaikan lewat pembaruan perangkat lunak.
- Harga Mac Mini generasi terbaru naik tajam menjadi $899, memicu kekhawatiran bahwa kenaikan biaya komponen mulai menggerus nilai jual produk Apple.
- Perpanjangan lisensi paten antara Apple dan Qualcomm menegaskan ketergantungan strategis pada modem 5G, sementara ekspansi Apple Music Hall menunjukkan ambisi ekosistem layanan.
Apple is back in the spotlight after a number of iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max users reported their devices restarting on their own when Face ID authentication fails. The complaints emerged just weeks after the global launch, and Apple has confirmed the bug exists. The company plans to distribute a fix through an over-the-air update soon.
According to circulating reports, the issue does not affect every unit, but it is fairly widespread. One user was even able to reproduce it by covering their face while accessing the Passwords app. The phone screen stops responding to touch, and the device performs a hard reboot within seconds. A panic log can then be found in the Analytics menu in the device settings. Incidents like this could erode consumer trust in the quality of Apple software, which is usually the industry benchmark.
On the other hand, Apple still has one product it has not put on open sale: the iPhone Duo. The foldable device is scheduled to launch after the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max are available in stores. Prospective buyers can already pre-order on Apple's official site, choosing the Night Sky or Star White color, storage capacity, trade-in options, and AppleCare packages. This strategy lets Apple gauge initial demand before the official launch on October 16.
On the audio device side, Apple introduced the AirPods 5 in two variants. The base model is priced at $129, while the more expensive $149 version offers longer battery life, wireless charging, and touch volume controls. Notably, the premium AirPods 5 edition is actually cheaper than its predecessor, the AirPods 4, which launched at $179. The move is seen as an effort by Apple to expand its user base in the mid-range segment while encouraging adoption of its AI-based Siri assistant.
However, the biggest spotlight came from the computer line. The latest Mac Mini and Mac Studio are officially on sale, bringing GPU improvements with a Neural Accelerator in every core. Unfortunately, surging prices for memory and storage components have sent the Mac Mini price soaring. The M6 model is now priced from $899, up $300 from the Mac Mini M4 launched two years ago. The increase has sparked discussion about whether Apple still maintains its value proposition for lower-end desktop computers.
"The $599 price for the Mac Mini M4 was a sweet spot that was hard to beat. The jump to $899 makes us back off considerably," said Andrew Cunningham, a technology reviewer, describing his disappointment with Apple's pricing strategy.
Meanwhile, Qualcomm and Apple agreed to extend their global patent license agreement. The previous deal had gone to court before finally being reached. Although the duration of the extension has not been announced, the last license ran for five years with a two-year extension option that will end in March 2027. The move underscores that Apple still depends on Qualcomm modem technology for 5G devices, at least in the medium term.
In the services arena, Apple inaugurated the Apple Music Hall at its London headquarters. The 600-capacity concert venue is equipped with a backstage studio that allows every performance to be recorded in multitrack and presented in Spatial Audio format. The facility is part of Apple's strategy to strengthen its music services ecosystem while delivering a more immersive listening experience for Apple Music customers.
For the Indonesian market, these dynamics are worth watching. The soaring Mac Mini price could affect the purchasing power of professional consumers and creative businesses that rely on Apple devices for content production. Meanwhile, the Qualcomm license extension has implications for the availability of 5G iPhones in the country, given that Qualcomm remains the main modem supplier. Observers say Apple needs to balance innovation and affordability so it does not lose market share in developing countries.
Going forward, the big question is whether Apple will be able to hold down production costs without sacrificing quality, especially as global component inflation pressure has yet to ease. If the price increase trend continues, consumers in Indonesia and Southeast Asia may become increasingly selective in choosing devices, and Apple will have to contend with competitors such as Samsung and Xiaomi that are aggressive in the mid-range price segment.
