iPhone Sales Predicted to ‘Remain Feeble’ Until Early Next Year

Japanese website Nikkei is continuing the 2016 doom and gloom sentiment surrounding iPhone sales, reporting that an unnamed source has confirmed that sales figures and shipment numbers for Apple’s smartphone lineup will see the first year-over-year decline since the iPhone debuted in 2007. The website cites “lukewarm demand for a new model” and a lack of innovation as the major reasons behind the predicted sales decline.

Specifically, iPhone shipments in 2016 are estimated to total between 210 and 220 million units, which would be a drop off of as much as 8.6 percent from 2015. The “people familiar with the matter” within Hon Hai Precision Industries noted that one of the company’s executives described a lower iPhone demand for the remainder of this year, lasting “until at least early next year.”

iPhone 7 Plus design mockup in “Deep Blue”

“Hon Hai Precision Industry Chairman Terry Gou has told his staff that the demand for iPhones will remain feeble until at least early next year,” a source said. Hon Hai, better known as Foxconn Technology Group, declined to comment.

Gou told Chinese Premier Li Keqiang in China in late May that the company’s overall orders were falling this year, although Foxconn did receive a sudden rush of orders in April and May. Foxconn makes about 70% of iPhones sold globally.

Whether that means the supplier would begin working on the expected mega-cycle “iPhone 8,” or another mid-cycle upgrade similar to the iPhone SE, early in 2017 is unclear. Nikkei’s sources opine that Apple’s attempt to shake up an upgrade cycle with no notable new hardware features by introducing new colors — seemingly referring to the recently rumored Deep Blue — proves “that the company now has no way of breaking out of the current doldrums.”

Still, the 5.5-inch iPhone 7 Plus could come with a few notable new hardware revisions, namely a dual-lens camera that would allow for 2-3x optical zoom capabilities, clearer and brighter images, and the ability for users to refocus an image after taking a picture. Otherwise, the handsets are expected to remain largely in line with the iPhone 6s design, besides the potential removal of the headphone jack and redesigned set of antennae bands.

Related Roundup: iPhone 7
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WWDC 2016 Spoiler-Free Video Stream

Apple’s WWDC keynote will be kicking off in a matter of hours, and as is tradition, some MacRumors readers who can’t follow the event live are interested in avoiding all of the announcements and waiting until Apple posts the recorded video of the event so as to experience it without already knowing the outcome.

For those individuals, we’ve posted this news story, which will be updated with a direct link to the presentation once it becomes available from Apple. No other news stories or announcements will be displayed alongside this story.

Apple has become quicker about making event videos available for replay over the past several years, and videos are now frequently available within an hour of an event’s conclusion.

Users waiting for the video to be posted are welcome to gather in the thread associated with this news story, and we ask that those who follow the events refrain from making any posts about Apple’s announcements in this thread.

Related Roundup: WWDC 2016
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Sony XD9405 4K TV review: The 75-inch UHD wonder

Love movies? Got a big living room? Feeling flush this month? Then Sony thinks it has just the ticket for you in the shape of its new flagship TV, the KD-75XD9405.

For the princely sum of £4,999 the XD9405 gives you a huge 75-inch screen stuffed with a native 4K/UHD pixel count and capable of pumping out enough brightness to handle the new high dynamic range (HDR) picture format now available via selected Amazon and Netflix streams, as well as Ultra HD Blu-ray.

Also onboard are not one but two smart TV systems – Android TV and YouView – as well as Sony’s much-acclaimed Triluminos wide colour spectrum technology and the latest version of the brand’s 4K-optimised “X1” video processing system.

Add all this promising tech to the fact that its predecessor, the 75X9405C, was one of the very best TVs of 2015 and it’s fair to say that the omens for the 75XD9405 are good. Very good indeed.

Sony XD9405 4K TV review: Design

The 75XD9405 even looks attractive, which is no mean feat given how massive its screen is. Its black frame is both strikingly trim considering how many acres of picture it holds and rather stylish thanks to its angular edges and tasteful sliver of gold running through the centre of each outer edge.

Sony

The lack of bodywork around the screen does hide one potentially disappointing secret, though: the lack of the spectacular speaker system that made last year’s Sony 75X9405C the best sounding TV we’ve heard (bar, perhaps, a few ultra-expensive Bang and Olufsen models).

Equally, such giant speaker arrangements made the 2015 and earlier models look ug-er-ly. Our inner AV fan can’t help but rue the passing of the 75X9405C’s speakers, though, but we can’t blame Sony for deciding that the 75XD9405’s slimmed-down design is likely a much easier sell to an often space-restricted UK marketplace.

Sony XD9405 4K TV review: All the mod cons

The 75XD9405 is appropriately well connected for a flagship TV in 2016. Its four HDMIs can, of course, handle 4K video up to 60 frames a second, as well as HDR content. Multimedia duties, meanwhile, are serviced by a trio of USBs as well as Ethernet and integrated Wi-Fi network options.

The network options can either stream content into the TV from other DLNA-enabled devices on your network, or access Sony’s online services. These online services predominantly come via Sony’s integration into the 75XD9405 of Google’s latest Android TV platform – though given Android TV’s ongoing lack of support for the main UK catch-up TV services it’s a relief to also find the 75XD9405 packing the same YouView catch-up TV engine Sony eventually added via software update to its mid-range and high-end 2015 TVs.

However, Android TV still feels like a pretty unhelpful smart system, sadly. Even though the platform runs more quickly and stably on the XD9405 than it did on Sony’s 2015 TVs, the interface still looks cluttered, does precious little to pick out links to your favourite stuff and doesn’t permit enough customisation. The sheer number of apps on offer also strikes me as more of a hindrance than a help in a TV (as opposed to smartphone) operating environment.

Further hindrance to using the 75XD9405 comes from its remote control, which bizarrely uses buttons almost flush with the remote’s main bodywork, making it all but impossible to use in a darkened room, or without tearing your eyes away from the onscreen action.

Sony XD9405 4K TV review: Superb direct LED system

Letting the 75XD9405 loose on our shiny new collection of Ultra HD Blu-ray discs pretty much instantly reveals it to be an outstanding television.

For starters its direct LED lighting system, where the lights sit directly behind the screen rather than around its edges, helps it deliver a fantastically HDR-friendly combination of deep, rich blacks at one of the brightness spectrum and punchy, bold whites at the other.

Arguably the real beauty of HDR, though, lies not in the expanded gulf between its light and dark extremes but in the way it fills that gulf with far more subtle light and shade information than you could ever fit into a standard dynamic range image. It’s here that the 75XD9405 is on outstanding form, rendering even the subtlest shadow detailing and the darkest colours with a precision and delicacy that would have been unthinkable in the pre-HDR age – and which actually precious few HDR-capable TVs can deliver with such authority.

As hoped, meanwhile, the 75XD9405’s Triluminos colour system – which includes high levels of colour management as well as phosphors that deliver a wider-than-normal colour range – proves a perfect match for the wider colour ranges and subtler colour tone shifts and blends associated with all of the currently available HDR sources.

As well as making pictures look more natural, more like the real world, the expanded colour and light performance you can clearly see when watching HDR on the 75XD9405 also helps to emphasise the impact of the native 4K resolution. The impact of having four times as many pixels as an HD TV to play with always increases in direct proportion to the size of your screen anyway, but when it’s partnered with colour and light handling precision on the level you get from the 75XD9405 the 4K effect really becomes something special.

If you’ve never seen HDR in action before, the XD9405 leaves you in no doubt whatsoever of the advantages the format brings to the table. And if you have seen it before, you’ll unlikely have seen it looking as all-round gorgeous as it does here – even though some of Samsung’s HDR TVs are capable of delivering more brightness.

Sony XD9405 4K TV review: Halos and colour shift

Even a TV as excellent as the 75XD9405, though, isn’t completely immune to the sorts of backlighting issues HDR’s extreme demands can cause with LCD TVs. Very bright HDR objects can reveal halos of unwanted light around them when they appear against dark backdrops.

If the very bright object occupies a big enough proportion of a mostly dark image the image’s colour tone becomes noticeably cooler (bluer) until a less extreme image returns. This colour shift issue does only happen very rarely, though, while the haloing is pretty low in intensity for most of the time, and less distracting than on some of the smaller but more defined areas of haloing we’ve seen on other HDR TVs like the Panasonic DX902 series.

Sony

With standard dynamic range content of the sort most of us will still be watching for most of our viewing time, the 75XD9405 is pretty much flawless. Because such content doesn’t run as brightly, the haloing and colour temperature flaws noted with HDR disappear almost entirely if you keep the backlight setting to a reasonably low level, leaving you free to bathe in the screen’s contrast, colour and detail glories without distraction.

Sony XD9405 4K TV review: Sound quality

Joining the 75XD9405’s huge and usually stunning pictures is a middling to good sound performance. Voices sound clear and well rounded, action scenes are detailed and have just enough bass behind them to avoid sounding thin, and you can hit movie-friendly volume levels comfortably without harshness setting in.

However, ditching the array of giant built-in speakers found in last year’s 75X9405C means there is a pretty huge step down in sound quality. But at least not having the same massive speakers on the 75XD9405 means it’s your choice over whether you take up more of your valuable living room space by adding a separate audio system. And the earlier model was a full £1,000 more expensive too, so the XD9405 puts the buying power back in your hands.

Verdict

The 75XD9405 won’t be for everyone because it’s simply too big and too expensive for any sort of mass market consumption. Which makes us wish, actually, that Sony did 65-inch and 55-inch XD9405 models too, rather than sticking to a single king-sized option for the second year in a row. There is the edge-LED illuminated XD9305 model in such sizes, though.

If you do happen to have the space and financial wherewithal to get the 75-inch XD9405 into your life, though, you can snap one up safe in the knowledge that it’s got the features and the performance talents to do the brave new world of 4K and HDR ample justice. And for standard dynamic range images it’s pretty much flawless.

Fallout’s Pip-Boy: Deluxe Edition connects to your phone and works for real

Remember when Bethesda released a limited edition real world version of the Pip-Boy wearable from its Fallout 4 game? Now it’s taken that to another level with one that actually works with your phone too. Vault dwellers rejoice.

The Pip-Boy: Deluxe Edition, unlike the model released last year, can actually connect to your phone via Bluetooth to work for real. The last model was more of a shell that held your phone. This Pip-Boy has its own screen, hardware and software built-in so that it can operate with or without your smartphone or tablet. Plus it looks identical to the RoboCo Industries’ Pip-Boy Model 3000 Mk IV.

The Pip-Boy: Deluxe Edition will allow you to take calls, view contacts, set alarms, read text messages and even displays Fallout screens like data readouts for Status, Special and Perks screens from the game. On top of that the holotape slot is actually a USB drive and the device is even able to play audio files. All this stuff can be controlled using the actual knobs and dials which work just like the model in the game. The Pip-Boy also comes with a stand that doubles as a charging base and more powerful speakers.

The Pip-Boy: Deluxe Edition will be available to pre-order now with a release date set for 11 November. There is a $350 price that’s been announced but Bethesda has said it will only be producing 5000 models, so if you want one you’d better be quick.

READ: Fallout 4 first impressions review

Get premier IT certification with CompTIA A+ IT Support Technician 2016 Certification Training

If a company’s servers go down, so too does its livelihood–particularly if it’s a tech corporation.

So there’s no overstating the importance of high-level IT support personnel in an organization, with IT maintenance and support requirements evolving at an astounding pace with today’s technology.

If you’re an aspiring IT professional, a world of resources and training awaits in the CompTIA A+ IT Support Technician 2016 Certification Training offer, preparing you to conquer the upgraded premiere IT Professional Certification Exam and step into a lucrative career as an IT Support Technician. Pick it up today for just £33.86 ($49) from Pocket-lint Deals.

CompTIA certifications are among the most valuable industry certifications, and are often mandatory for many entry-level IT jobs and roles at Fortune 500 companies. Other in-demand CompTIA certifications, such as Network+ and Security+, build on the information taught in the CompTIA A+ 900 Series certifications. With this training, you’ll learn the methods on providing optimal IT service, exploring computer components, RAM types, networking devices, and much more.

All levels of skill and experience are welcome, and with 24/7 access to course materials, you can learn at your own pace and advance when you’re confident in your own understanding of the materials. Start down the path to becoming a certified IT Support Technician with the CompTIA A+ IT Support Technician 2016 Certification Training offer, just £33.86 ($49) from Pocket-lint Deals.

It’s available for a limited time only, so grab the deal soon before time runs out.

Expert dictation and creation with Dragon for Mac, V5 (50 per cent off)

Can you talk faster than you can type? Most likely.

Now you can save time, and lessen typing strain with Dragon 5 for Mac, which lets you dictate commands to do everything from send emails to create spreadsheets. And with speech recognition that’s 15 per cent more accurate than with the previous version, Dragon is a bigger steal than ever–now a full 50 per cent off from Pocket-lint Deals.

Dragon 5 for Mac can sharply increase your productivity, allowing you to customize words for the terms you use every day, insert frequently used text or graphics, and create command shortcuts for repetitive tasks. Enjoy a fully customizable experience as you sharpen speed and accuracy through dictation, allowing you to work smarter and faster. You can even connect to the newly released Dragon Anywhere mobile app for iOS or Android, putting you in command of document creation, editing and sharing wherever you may be.

A potentially enormous efficiency upgrade awaits with Dragon 5’s many capabilities, including audio playback for easy proofreading and additional microphone options, including supported Bluetooth microphones for headset-free usage. Execute documentation faster than ever before, and utilize a robust set of tools to enhance your experience. Simply read your text aloud, and watch Dragon work its magic with whatever your project may be.

Take a break from the keyboard with Dragon 5 for Mac, now available for just £70.09 ($99) from Pocket-lint Deals.

MacBook Pro OLED concept drawings will make you want the rumoured feature more than ever

Apple’s developer conference, WWDC, is predominantly known for updating developers on the latest progress in the company’s range of operating systems from iOS to OS X.

This year, rumours are flying around that the company will announce an update to its MacBook Pro range of laptops.

If rumours are to be believed, Apple is reportedly ditching the function keys in favour of a new OLED display touch bar that can be adapted and changed to suit your needs at any given time.

While the rumourmill has generated nothing but speculation and hearsay at the moment, that hasn’t stopped serial Apple concept designer Martin Hajek creating some stunning 3D renders of what he thinks such a laptop would look like.

Martin Hajek

Hajek isn’t shy of using his spare time to envision how yet to be announced Apple products could be designed turning his craft to Apple TV mocks ups, iPhone 7 mock ups, and other Apple devices over the years.

For his MacBook Pro with OLED display concept, Hajek sees Apple using the addition screen on the keyboard above the standard keys to mirror some elements of the OS 10 X menu bar at the top of the screen.

The touchscreen display would be able to give you access to media controls, battery information, search buttons, time and date, as well as, info like download times, or just being the function keys they all ready are.

It’s all conjecturer of course, but if the Apple new Macbook Pro looks even anywhere near as good, we are sure it would encourage many to reach for their credit card.

NASA aims to predict dust storms on Mars

If NASA is going to send people to Mars, it needs to predict the planet’s weather. You don’t want to land in the middle of a ferocious storm that wipes out your entire mission. Thankfully, the space agency just took a step toward making that happen. It’s now detecting patterns in large regional dust storms by studying high-altitude (16 miles) temperature data from its orbiters. As dusty air tends to be much hotter at those heights, it’s easy to tell when a giant regional storm is flaring up — you just look for hot patches and their effects on the wind.

There’s still a lot more to understand at this stage. Also, the findings don’t apply to either local storms (which don’t have much impact on the high Martian sky) or all-encompassing global storms. If NASA can refine its techniques, though, it could tell future explorers both where to land and when to take cover.

Source: NASA, Geophysical Research Letters

Some Dish subscribers will miss NBA and NHL playoff games

There’s bad news for some folks hoping to catch the NBA or NHL finals today. The Tribune network, which owns WGN and affiliates for FOX, CBS and other networks, is no longer available on Dish. As usual with such disputes (which often involve Dish), the reason for the blackout is money. Tribune says that Dish “refuses to reach an agreement based on fair-market value” for its stations, while Dish says “Tribune is demanding an unreasonable rate increase for channels that are available for free over the air.”

Both sides have dueling press releases to sway the public to their respective arguments. Interestingly, each claims to have offered stop-gap contracts to keep Tribune stations on their air. “Dish offered a short-term contract extension … [that] would ensure that Tribune was made whole at the new rates for the period of an contract extension,” says Dish. Meanwhile, Tribune says that “we want to keep servicing our local communities and we have repeatedly offered Dish a lengthy extension to continue negotiations — unfortunately, Dish rejected these offers.”

Interestingly, each side claims to have offered stop-gap contracts to keep Tribune stations on their air.

Tribune says that Dish subscribers in Indianapolis, Richmond, Memphis and several other markets missed last night’s Tony awards. Subscribers in Scranton/Wilkes Barre, New Orleans and Quad Cities will miss Game 5 of the NBA finals, while folks in Des Moines and Oklahoma City will lose game 5 of the Stanley Cup finals. Baseball fans in New York and Chicago will miss Mets/Yankees and Cubs/White Sox games.

As Variety points out, media companies like Tribune are increasingly relying on cable fees since the internet has cut into ad rates. However, Dish is also taking a big risk by pulling important content from sports-crazy local markets. When Time Warner pulled the plug on CBS several years ago over a contract dispute, it lost 117,000 customers in three months.

Source: Tribune, Dish

India is building a monsoon-predicting supercomputer

In India, monsoons are big business. If the country has a healthy rainy season, its agricultural industry thrives and helps account for a fifth of the total value of its goods and services. It’s vitally important for meteorologists to predict when those rains will come, so instead of utilizing numerical or statistical predictions — which once failed to predict India’s biggest drought in 40 years in 2009 — the country is spending $60 million on a supercomputer that could give farmers the advance notice they need to plant crops and increase yields.

Reuters reports that while government representatives won’t say who will provide the new supercomputer, it will be 10 times faster than India’s existing supercomputer, supplied by IBM. Once operational, the machine will generate 3D weather models of India’s 29 states with help from data collected by balloons, planes and satellites.

Government scientists hope to have the supercomputer ready before monsoon season next year, which typically lasts between June and September and provides the country with 80 percent of its total annual rainfall. As one of the biggest producers of many fresh fruits and vegetables, but also rice and wheat, the machine could boost India’s farming output by up to 15 percent, justifying the cost of the new supercomputer in just one season.

Via: Popular Mechanics

Source: Reuters