analogjack

I feel pretty safe in saying that a small device with a folding screen whether it's a phone or a small pad, is DOA. So it makes sense that MS would go down this road. 

welshdog said:

Seems like Apple has an opportunity to here to create the "CenterPod" designed to combine with two HomePods to create a decent 2.1 surround system.  Center channel speakers have a psecific design in order to reproduce vocals (and other center channel content) properly and with correct directionality.  HomePods are not suited for this functiuon.

Apple needs to make an 8" HomePod woofer for the perfect 2.1 they would not need a dedicated centre speaker for voice because Apple controls all that magic with an A8 processor.

To summarise, the HomePods sound better but the volume control on the soundbar goes to 11.

If Samsung can drop the entire Note 7 and come out relatively unscathed and Apple can delay the big screen iPhone 6 and also keep making the iPhone 8 while the X in in production, not to mention forgoing OLED screens for so long then it would seem that with iPhones having reached the point that they have, one (meaning me) wonders why they just don't skip a 7nm process and wait for TSMC to get their 5nm online. 

This is very strange, if it just hinges on 'prior art' then this does not involve deep investigation into the code, so there is prior art or there is not, if there is Apple has it or they don't. You'd think that the beaks on both sides would be able to recognise prior art when they see it.