More ‘iPhone 6s’ Display Assembly Photos and Renderings Revealed
Following the release of several photos of a claimed display assembly for the “iPhone 6s” over the weekend, Macfixit Australia has shared additional images of what appears to be the same display assembly, further suggesting the leaked images to be real internal parts for the next-generation iPhone.
One of Macfixit’s photos includes a quality control label showing a pass date of July 29, which, if legitimate, would put the assembly in a correct time frame for Apple’s traditional September iPhone launches. The image also appears identical to those released over the weekend by repair company GeekBar, with the same possible cutouts for a taptic engine to fuel Force Touch and a slightly thicker frame.
A few possible third-party case manufacturer design renders have also been shared by uSwitch and Nowhereelse.fr‘s OnLeaks channel, backing the theory that this year’s iPhone line will be slightly thicker than the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus. Theories that support Apple’s reasoning behind increasing the iPhone’s thickness — other than the inclusion of Force Touch — include attempts to avoid another “Bendgate” controversy from last year with a stronger body. Height and width of the iPhones shown in the renderings are also marginally larger than the measurements for the current lineup.
While the iPhone 6 came in at 6.9mm thick, the iPhone 6S is 7.1mm, according to our source.
The iPhone 6S Plus, which was the model most often cited in the so-called ‘bendgate’ scandal, has also been body-building. It’s gone from 7.1mm thick to 7.3mm, we were told.
The renders also suggest that the “iPhone 6s” could be missing the slightly protruding camera found on the current lineup, perhaps made possible by the slightly thicker body. The “iPhone 6s Plus” renderings, however, continue to show a protruding rear camera. uSwitch does note the renders could simply be incomplete, so Apple’s plans for rear camera designs remain unconfirmed. Otherwise, the site notes an overall similarity between generations, with a home button, volume rockers, lock switch, and screen size that make the new phones “largely indistinguishable” from last year’s models.
Even with the possibility of a thicker frame, the size increase of the so-called iPhone 6s would be small enough to allow most accessories and cases to function with both generations of the device. News and rumors regarding the “iPhone 6s” and “iPhone 6s Plus” have begun to proliferate in the past few weeks, and will no doubt continue to do so as we head into the iPhone launch season.
Apple Reportedly Considers Becoming a Mobile Carrier by Leasing Network Capacity in U.S. and Europe
Apple is currently in early talks to launch its own mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) in both the United States and Europe, according to information gathered by Business Insider. A few sources close to Apple suggest that the company is testing the service right now in the United States, with early negotiations beginning in Europe to bring the MVNO service overseas.
If completed, Apple would essentially become its own network carrier, freeing the company and iPhone users from any particular current carrier like T-Mobile or AT&T, and allow users to pay for the usual data, calls, and text services directly from Apple. The MVNO would allow Apple to lease space from network carriers already in the business of providing data to customers, with the Apple SIM card — already included in the cellular versions of the iPad Air 2 and iPad Mini 3 — picking up and switching between carriers on the fly for the best service possible.
As Business Insider points out, the testing of the MVNO service doesn’t guarantee its eventual arrival for customers using an iPhone in the United States and Europe. But, if the company does intend to eventually become a carrier itself, it would be a fairly long-term goal of five years or more to be fully implemented.
If Apple is testing the service then there’s no guarantee that it will launch, and if it does, it’s not going to roll out anytime soon. Telecoms sources say that Apple is looking long-term with its MVNO, and could take at least five years to fully launch the service. Apple has been in talks with telecoms companies for years over its MVNO plans, and it’s an “open secret” amongst carriers that a virtual Apple network is on the way.
Speculation surrounding Apple becoming its own wireless provider has been swirling for a decade now, resurging in various rumor and patent stories every now and again over the years. With Apple rumored to be in “advanced talks” with mobile standards organization GSMA in the production of a standardized mobile electronic SIM card — which would allow customers to avoid being locked into a dedicated network carrier — the company appears to at least be positioning itself for the possibility of a future MVNO launch.
Get a brand new Nexus 9 for just $350
While the HTC Nexus 9 has garnered some mixed reviews in its life, there’s still a lot of positives to be said about the tablet and it is easily one of the best Android tablets on there on the market today. For those looking to pick one up without paying full price, right now it is being offered from Ebay seller Gravitybuys for just $349.99, a pretty significant discount over the list price of $479 (27% off).
With the exception of HTC’s previous Hot Deals sale price, this is one of the cheapest prices we’ve ever seen the Nexus 9 listed for. And yes, this is in brand new condition in original packing and not a refurbished unit.
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As a refresher, the Nexus 9 is powered by a dual-core Nvidia Tegra K1 processor clocked at 2.3GHz with 2GB RAM, and boasts an 8.9-inch display with a 2048 x 1536 resolution. Other specs include an 8MP rear camera, a 1.2MP front facing camera, 32GB storage, Bluetooth v4.1 with apt-X, NFC, dual-band WI-Fi and a non-removable 6700 mAh battery. Android Lollipop will also come pre-installed out of the box, though you can expect the Android M upgrade to roll out sometime shortly after its final release.
If you are all interested in picking up the Nexus 9 for just $350, you better act quickly, as the seller says supplies are limited. What do you think, anyone picking this one up?
Deal: Pick up the Android-powered Avy Smart Speaker for 15% off
The Avy Smart Speaker came to Kickstarter last January, offering users an all-in-one Bluetooth speaker and Android-powered touchscreen media center for just under $200. This audio device is finally available to purchase for all, and it’s currently 15% off in the AA Deals Store!
At its core, the Avy is a Smart Speaker that will allow you to stream music or video via Wi-Fi, Bluetooth or locally from the built-in Android tablet that comes with this speaker. Featuring a 7.0-inch display, the Avy runs Android 4.4 KitKat, complete with access to the Google Play Store. This allows you to download Google Play Music, Netflix, YouTube and anything else that you can normally find on an Android device, which will make your experience with this speaker much more enjoyable. You can even mirror Avy to your television by using your Chromecast or HDMI if you’d like to watch on a bigger screen.
As for the specs, this device features an Android 4.4 KitKat-powered tablet with a 7.0-inch display, 1GB of RAM, microSD card expansion, as well as a 1GHz quad-core ARM processor. The Avy also comes with a built-in front-facing VGA camera, allowing you to stay in touch with family and friends by using Skype or Hangouts. As an added bonus, the multi-touch capacitive touch screen is complemented by an 11 button plus d-pad remote control and an internal 14.8Wh battery gives you a little bit of portability.
If you’re interested in this all-in-one Android-powered Bluetooth speaker, it can be yours for just $169.99, which is 15% off the suggested retail price! Don’t miss out – head to the link below for more details.
Epic App Battles of Android: Google Play Music vs. Tidal
Today’s Epic App Battles of Android has two of round 1’s champions going head to head. The winner will go on to the final round and have one last chance at the title of Best Music Streaming App.
In the blue corner, we have Google Play Music, launched in 2011, with over 500m downloads and a user rating of 3.9.
In the red corner, we have TIDAL, Jay-Z’s premium service launched in 2015, with over 500,000 downloads and a user rating of 3.5.
Who will come out on top in this Epic App Battle of Android?
Round 1: App design
Google Play Music uses Android’s material design. And that is completely logical because it’s Google after all. That, of course, makes for a very familiar interface that doesn’t require you to fiddle to find your way around. When you first open the app, you’ll be greeted by the same interface found on their web portal. This makes it very easy to transition from the app to the web portal and vice versa. The color scheme is very light and clean. Personally I like the darker color scheme of Tidal a little better. It would be nice if Google would give you the option to select a color scheme based on your own tastes.
When you first open the app you are greeted by some automatically generated playlists. This is a feature that they brought in from their Songza acquisition last year. Songza’s streaming service, of course, still exists. In fact, it went head to head with Spotify last week. Even though it lost the battle, its automatic playlist feature is pretty cool and it really helps Google Play find you some music that you want to listen to quickly.
Right below the playlists are the recently listened to stations. This is handy if you have a station that you really liked.
Rating: 8.9
Tidal uses a darker color scheme of black and gray. This makes for a high-end feel in the app. The colors contrast very nicely together and it’s much easier to look at in the dark than Google Play Music’s interface. They use some of the elements found in Google’s material design, but they keep their own distinct flavor in the app.
Unfortunately, Tidal’s interface is not as easy to use as Google’s is. I found music that I wanted to listen within moments of opening up the app. I suppose that if I was more into modern hip-hop, then I might have had an easier time finding something to listen to in Tidal. But, I’m a 90’s child and grew up listening to Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Tupac, Warren G, Stone Temple Pilots, etc… Needless to say, I had to do some hunting and pecking to find something to listen to. It’s not even that difficult, it just takes longer.
I would think that as I listened to music, that the app would learn my tastes in music, but that just wasn’t the case. No matter how long I listened, it seemed bent one suggesting whatever it felt like.
One area that Tidal really needs help in is making the app more intuitive. When I first started using the app I thought that they didn’t have the ability to create a radio station around a particular track. Almost every streaming music service since Pandora has included this and I had no clue how to do in in Tidal. I ended up accidentally swiping down on the now playing screen thinking that it would work like Google Play and minimize the now playing screen. Instead, it ended up bringing down another menu, giving me the option to create a radio station around the track as well as some other options.
Rating: 8.0
| Round 1: App Design | Score /10 |
|---|---|
| Google Play Music | 8.9 |
| Tidal | 8.0 |
Round 2: Features
Google Play Music comes to the table with some pretty strong features. As I mentioned in its Epic App Battles of Android with Amazon, one of it’s strongest features is its enormous catalog. I was able to find the most obscure music that I knew of. I even found a relatively unknown Salvadoran band called R.E.D.D.. They are very well known in El Salvador, but not so much in the rest of the world. Every song and every artist I looked for, I found. To me, that is a huge benefit of a streaming music app.
Another nice feature of the paid version was that when you listen to a song that has a music video on Youtube, there will be the option to watch the music video. This is more of a novelty than anything, as I usually listen to music while I am otherwise occupied with another task. This makes it difficult to enjoy this feature. It’s more of a cool feature to show your friends. Also, the video doesn’t open up in the native Youtube app, where you could cast it to your TV. It instead opens in a player within the app. To be fair, you can still open the video in the Youtube app, but it’s not intuitive. Tidal also features music videos, but they are separated from the music.
Chromecast support is another feature that you’ll find on Google Play. If you want to play your music on your television, you can with the Chromecast. Technically if you have Youtube on your TV or other streaming device, you can open the video in the Youtube app and cast the music video to other non-Chromcast devices. Tidal does not give you that option.
One of the best features of Google Play is that you can upload 50,000 songs from your own music library. You don’t need to subscribe to the premium service to enjoy this feature either.
What we like about Google Play Music
- Music Catalog
- Chromecast support
- Explicit music filter
What could be better
- UI theming
- Cheaper price
Rating: 9.1
Tidal’s biggest feature is that it offers HiFi, lossless audio quality with 1411/kbps. Google only offers 320/kbps streaming. Now before, you start saying that you can’t tell the difference, let me tell you that it is noticeable. Just like the difference between 720p and 4k is not as noticeable on a smaller screen, the difference between Google Play and Tidal’s audio quality does not make itself as apparent until you listen to it on a higher quality speaker system.
Another factor that can make a difference is if you are using Bluetooth to stream the audio or using a wired audio connection. The A2DP Bluetooth audio streaming profile limits the maximum available bit rate to 512 kbps. However, the bit rate is largely determined by the codecs supported by both the streaming and the receiving device. The SBC codec is only able to transmit at 328/kbps and the aptX at 352/kbps. So if you’re streaming via Bluetooth, then the advantage of HiFi streaming that Tidal offers is effectively negated by the limitations of the hardware.
HiFi streaming isn’t their only ace in the hole. They like Google have a large library of over 30 million songs. However, Google seems to have a slight edge here. I was unable to find Salvadoran band R.E.D.D. in Tidal’s catalog, but just about everything else I searched for, I found.
One disappointment I had in searching for Artists or songs in Tidal was the lack of search suggestions. If you misspell something it won’t try to correct you or even offer suggestions. It’s just blank. This is especially inconvenient for bands with unique spellings of their band names.
Realistically, both apps offer a comparable set of features and both bring some their own unique features to the table as well.
What we like about Tidal
- Music Catalog
- HiFi music streaming
What could be better
- Search suggestions
- Cheaper price
Rating: 9.0
| Round 2: Features | Score /10 |
|---|---|
| Google Play Music | 9.1 |
| Tidal | 9.0 |
Round 3: Price
Google Play Music has both paid and free versions. The free version is essentially Songza with Google’s UI. You get unlimited ad-supported music streaming with 6 skips per hour. Chromecast support is included.
The paid subscription will give you offline play, unlimited skips, and no ads. You can watch music videos for many of the songs, as well as play specific songs and albums. It costs $9.99 per month and you get a free 30 day trial.
Rating: 7.0
Tidal has no free streaming what so ever. They do have a 30 day trial and 2 pricing tiers. Their standard tier will cost you $9.99/month. However, this will not get you Tidal’s HiFi streaming. You’ll need to pay an additional $10/month for the privelege of listening to your music in HiFi.
Tidal does offer a 50% discount to students enrolled at a U.S. accredited higher education institution such as a college or university, which makes Tidal much more affordable. Unfortunately the majority of the population will be unable to qualify for the discount.
Tidal also offers family discounts. While the original account is charged the original pricing. Each additional account is given a 50% discount per line.
Google Play Music does not offer any discount pricing.
Rating: 7.6
| Round 3: Pricing | Score /10 |
|---|---|
| Google Play Music | 7.0 |
| Tidal | 7.6 |
Summary
This was a pretty close battle. Google won the app design category hands down for their easy to use interface and ease of finding something to listen to.
Both Google and Tidal came to the table with some pretty strong features. Google’s slightly larger music catalog, explicit search filter, and 50,000 song uploads on the free tier slightly edged out Tidal’s HiFi music streaming.
Tidal won in the pricing category, because while Google offers a free tier, Tidal has discounts.
In the end, Google wins this Epic App Battles of Android and advances to the next round.
Rating: 7.6
| Final Score | Score /10 |
|---|---|
| Google Play Music | 25.0 |
| Tidal | 24.6 |
What do you think? Do you agree with our scores? Who do you think won? Let us know in the comments below.
The post Epic App Battles of Android: Google Play Music vs. Tidal appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Get a $100 prepaid gift card with your new Verizon LG G4
If you’re in the market for a new phone, Verizon is offering a pretty good deal for anyone looking to get the LG G4. If you purchase LG’s newest flagship, the G4, you will get a $100 gift card. There is one caveat to this deal, however. You must purchase the device between now and August 12th, and fill out the necessary form in order to be eligible for this deal.
It does seem that you can either get this device via Verizon’s Edge program, or through the “normal” two-year contract pricing. One more thing to take note of with this deal, is that you must purchase the device through Verizon’s website, or from their brick and mortar locations. Meaning that you will not be eligible for the deal if you go through a third-party retailer.
The G4 has been subject to a lot of various deals since its launch. The latest promotion was through T-Mobile, where they reduced the full-retail cost of the device from $600 down to $480. There were also a couple of deals that were available from LG where consumers received some freebies for picking up the device.
LG G4 owners were able to get a free battery, charging cradle, and leather back directly from LG. This deal was so popular that when the initial promotion ended, LG decided to bring it back to try and drive some more sales. The other promotion was a Buy One Get One Free for their leather back covers for the G4. Both of these promotions have since ended.
Are you in the market for a G4? Let us know in the comments below if you’re looking at picking up the G4 from Big Red. If you already have the G4, be sure to let us know your thoughts on LG’s latest flagship device.
Source: LG via Android Authority
The post Get a $100 prepaid gift card with your new Verizon LG G4 appeared first on AndroidGuys.
Engadget UK giveaway: win wireless charging furniture courtesy of IKEA
Wireless charging has become an increasingly popular feature among high-end smartphones, but it’s not particularly useful when you leave your lone charging plate at the office. IKEA recognises that for wireless charging to be truly convenient, it needs to be widely accessible, which is why the company’s created a range of homeware with Qi-compatible wireless charging plates subtly integrated into their design. And thanks to our friends at IKEA, we’ve got a collection of these high-tech furnishings to give away to readers this week, so they might make their homes a little more wireless charging friendly. We’ve got no less than four SELJE bedside tables and four RIGGAD desk lamps to be won, so whether you prefer working or sleeping, there’s something for everyone. As always, you can submit your entries via the Rafflecopter widget below, but give the rules a quick scan beforehand, if you wouldn’t mind.
- Entries are handled through the Rafflecopter widget above. Comments are no longer accepted as valid methods of entry. You may enter without any obligation to social media accounts, though we may offer them as opportunities for extra entries. Your email address is required so we can get in touch with you if you win, but it will not be given to third parties.
- Contest is open to all residents of the UK, 18 or older! Sorry, we don’t make this rule (we hate excluding anyone), so direct your anger at our lawyers and contest laws if you have to be mad.
- Winners will be chosen randomly. Eight (8) winners will receive either one (1) SELJE bedside table or one (1) RIGGAD table lamp.
- If you are chosen, you will be notified by email. Winners must respond within three days of being contacted. If you do not respond within that period, another winner will be chosen. Make sure that the account you use to enter the contest includes your real name and a contact email or Facebook login. We do not track any of this information for marketing or third-party purposes.
- This unit is purely for promotional giveaway. IKEA and Engadget / AOL are not held liable to honor warranties, exchanges or customer service.
- The full list of rules, in all its legalese glory, can be found here.
- Entries can be submitted until August 7th at 11:59PM BST. Good luck!
Filed under:
Household, Mobile
Source:
IKEA
Tags: EngadgetGiveaway, engadgetukgiveaway, giveaway, ikea, mobilepostcross, qi, uk-feature, WirelessCharging
Windows 10 is coming to these Lumia phones first
In case you haven’t heard, Windows 10 is here, and the version for phones will arrive soon. To help you prepare, Microsoft posted the initial list of Lumia handsets that’ll be privy to the free upgrade later this year. The collection of mobile devices includes Lumia 430, Lumia 535, Lumia 640 XL, Lumia 735, Lumia 830, Lumia 930 and others for 10 total. This means that if you own one of group, or have been thinking about picking one up, you’ll be able to grab the new software when it’s released. Of course, Windows 10 Mobile will deliver those universal apps, a retooled Action Center and Microsoft’s new Edge browser. For the full list of phones that will be included in the initial update, jump down past the break. Bummed because your daily driver didn’t make the cut? Don’t fret: this is the first set and there could be more included later.
- Lumia 430
- Lumia 435
- Lumia 532
- Lumia 535
- Lumia 540
- Lumia 640
- Lumia 640 XL
- Lumia 735
- Lumia 830
- Lumia 930
[Image credit: David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty Images]
Filed under:
Cellphones, Software, Mobile, Microsoft
Via:
ZDNet
Source:
Microsoft
Tags: lumia, microsoft, mobilepostcross, nokia, software, update, windows10, windows10mobile
Buying ‘Gears of War: Ultimate Edition’ gets you past games, too
It’s all well and good that Gears of War: Ultimate Edition lets you relive the original game in the series, but what about the other three titles? Don’t worry — you’ll get those too. Microsoft and The Coalition have revealed that anyone who buys Ultimate Edition between its August 25th launch and the end of the year will also get access to all of the Xbox 360 Gears games through backward compatibility. They won’t look nearly as polished as the remaster, of course, but you also won’t have to dig out your old copies (or buy any games you don’t have) just to follow humanity’s fight against the Locust from start to finish. While it’d be nicer if this offer lasted so long as Ultimate Edition was available, this is still a big deal in an era when some studios are only interested in letting you replay one game from a much larger franchise.
Filed under:
Gaming, Microsoft
Source:
Xbox Wire
Tags: gaming, gearsofwar, gearsofwarultimateedition, microsoft, thecoalition, videogames, xbox360, xboxone
Soylent 2.0 comes ready-made in bottles
The next version of Soylent is perfect for anyone who’s been intrigued by the curiously named food replacement, but doesn’t want to deal with mixing messy powders and storing pitchers of liquid. Soylent 2.0 is actually going to be pre-mixed and bottled, making it just as convenient as plenty other nutritional drinks out there, like Ensure. Each bottle has around 20 percent of your daily recommended values for vitamins and minerals, and the drink also has a low glycemic index of 49.2 (which means it won’t shoot up your blood sugar). It also has a shelf life of one year and doesn’t require refrigeration, so you could conceivably keep a few around your desk for when you can’t make it out for lunch. Soylent 2.0 is clearly an attempt by Rosa Labs to make its hyped up meal replacement, which has been popular with techies, more palatable with mainstream consumers.
A 12-pack will run you $29 when it starts shipping this October, whereas you’d have to shell out at least $70 to test out the powdered version (for 28 meals). And no, it’s still not made of people. This time, the company is going with sustainable algae for half of its fat content (the protein component is still soy). “This next generation agricultural technology has the potential to reduce the ecological impact of food production by orders of magnitude, signifying a major step towards a future of abundance, a world where optimal nutrition is the new normal,” the company said in a blog post. That’s all well and good (if somewhat overly-optimistic), but our big hope is that this version of the drink doesn’t taste like pancake batter.
The powdered Soylent mix won’t be going anywhere, but expect to see the company touting this easier to use version more over time. If anything, it’s a smart way for Soylent to get its product into stores so anyone can try it out.
Source:
Soylent
Tags: food, foodreplacement, RosaLabs, Soylent
AIVAnet 