iPhone 7 Plus is Most Popular ‘Plus’ Model Apple Has Released

According to Apple CEO Tim Cook, the 5.5-inch iPhone 7 Plus, released in September of 2016 alongside the smaller 4.7-inch iPhone 7, is the most popular “Plus” model Apple has released, outselling the 2014 iPhone 6 Plus and the 2015 iPhone 6s Plus.

Apple’s Plus lineup has always had differentiating factors compared to the smaller iPhones Apple offers, but in the iPhone 7 Plus, the dual camera appears to have been particularly popular with customers. The iPhone 7 Plus features both a standard wide-angle lens and a 56mm telephoto lens, which can be used to improve photos.

It also features a “Portrait” mode that’s used with the 56mm lens to create high-quality DSLR-style images with blurred backgrounds to highlight subjects, a unique function that may have drawn more interest.

Customers may also be getting used to the larger form factor in general. In 2014, with the switch to the 4.7 and 5.5-inch sizes, going from the 4-inch iPhone 5 line to the 5.5-inch size was a huge jump, but with two years to adjust to the new display sizes, it’s not such a leap.

Cook said that Apple had underestimated demand for the iPhone 7 Plus, leading to supply and demand issues with the device that impacted sales. Despite that, Apple saw record iPhone sales during the quarter, selling a total of 78.3 million iPhones.

Related Roundup: iPhone 7
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Facebook Developing App for Set-Top Boxes Like Apple TV

Social networking site Facebook is currently working on an app for set-top boxes like the Apple TV, reports The Wall Street Journal. The new app is said to be part of a series of projects aimed at expanding Facebook’s video content offerings and expanding revenue sources.

Citing sources with knowledge of Facebook’s plans, The Wall Street Journal says Facebook is speaking with media companies about licensing long-form TV-quality “premium” programming that would be shared in a Facebook app on set-top boxes. Media companies say Facebook is aiming for videos that are upwards of 10 minutes in length and are created specifically for the social network, with a focus on everything from sports to scripted shows.

Late last year, some employees at Facebook started referring to the platform’s future as a type of “mobile TV,” one of the people said. The social network is hoping to cut into the time Americans spend watching live television–around four hours a day on average, according to media measurement firm Nielsen.

Facebook has been delving heavily into video content in recent years, promoting both short videos and live video capabilities that allow people to broadcast content live to their friends and family. Facebook is said to be ready to move on from shorter videos and live video to longer form higher-quality videos, including original programming.

There’s no word on when Facebook’s app designed for television sets could be released, but work on the app has been in high gear since the second half of 2016.

Tag: Facebook
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Caseable: Device Protection with style [Review]

I don’t know about you, but I never take my phone anywhere without some sort of case. I once had no case for 3 days after purchasing my Galaxy S7 and in those 3 days, you guessed it, I broke the screen. Cases not only allow us to protect the financial investment we put into our phones but they also allow us to personalize the items that we keep on us all day, every day. Caseable provided us four cases, two hardback and two pouch, that we are using for this review.

Function:

I figure we should start with the main purpose of the cases, protection. Both of the shell cases we were provided with leave the top and bottom of the device exposed, undesirable if you are rough on your devices like I am. There are also cutouts for side buttons that leave ample space for proper functionality. There is also a piece of felt’ish material on the inside of the case, which, I can only assume is to prevent slipping of the device while in the case. The only real issue I have with the shell cases is the that the case does not have a very tight fit. One of the cases we received is designed for my Galaxy S7 and, as you can see in the picture, there is some overhang when installed on the device.

Casable also sent us two of their pouch style cases to check out. These cases feel like they are made of quality material. There is nice stitch work and some quality elastic on the sides. the real selling feature for these cases is that they have a pull tab that allows you to easily remove your phone from the case. This feature works great, provided your device does not have any rubberized material on it. My biggest complaint with the pouches is who uses pouch cases any more. Seriously though, I think Casable is going to have a difficult time marketing this case. I couldn’t name one guy who wants to pull the case our of their pocket then out of the case or a girl who wants to do the same in their purse. At least add a clip for belt/pocket/purse attachment. That being said, your screen is protected from scratches and scuffs.

Form:

This is where Casable makes their case (yup, i really did that) for their product line. Every one of their products has the potential to be whatever you want it to be, from some artwork they have of up and coming designers to a collage of images you upload yourself. After taking a look through their design tool i would say the possibilities are endless depending on how you choose to design and manipulate your images. With cases starting as low as $24.99 (at least that’s the lowest I could find) not a bad price for personalized images.

Overview:

Casable makes some decent device protection. I think their application of the hard cover cases could use a little refinement and the pouches would be a hard sell to anyone I know. The ability to completely customize the design is what sets them apart from other case companies.

If you’re interested in picking one up, head over to Caseable.com and start your customization right away.

What iPhone sales decline? Apple breaks records again

The big story over the last six months in regards to Apple earnings has been that iPhone sales are declining. Well, that ends today.

Apple just posted strong financial results for the first quarter of 2017. In a letter to investors on Tuesday, CEO Tim Cook said: “We’re thrilled to report that our holiday quarter results generated Apple’s highest quarterly revenue ever, and broke multiple records along the way. We sold more iPhones than ever before and set all-time revenue records for iPhone, Services, Mac, and Apple Watch.”

Apple sold 78 million iPhones during the 90-day period. Cook also said revenue from services grew strongly over last year, thanks to record customer activity on the App Store.  It had a services revenue of $7.2 billion, which actually exceeds Facebook’s total revenue of $6.8 billion in the most recently reported quarter.

As for iPhones, last October Apple reported weak fourth-quarter sales. At the time, iPhone sales had dropped 13 percent year over year to 45.5 million units. Some critics questioned Apple’s ability to innovate, while others noted smartphone sales have softened for everyone. 

Still, it was hard not to notice that Apple — after more than a decade of revenue gains — was no longer posting record setting sales not only for iPhone, but also the iPad. Now, however, it seems that the introduction of the iPhone 7 has put an end to that slump (for now, at least). 

Sketchy adoption app Adoptly is a hoax after all

A few weeks ago, a company called Adoptly stated a Kickstarter for an app that promised to make adoption easier — with the help of a ridiculous, Tinder-style interface for swiping left and right on children. We immediately questioned whether something like this was even real, although it did seem to be legally plausible if extremely ill-advised. But now, the truth comes out: Adoptly was part of an “ongoing satirical art project” from Ben Becker and Elliot Glass, the duo who brought us the “Pooper” hoax of last summer.

Becker and Glass used almost the same strategy with Adoptly as they did with Pooper. News releases were sent out to various media organizations, including Engadget, and a “spokesperson” did his best Silicon Valley CEO impression and sold reporters (including this one) on the app. We tried but ultimately failed to discern whether Adoptly was a hoax, and we regret the error.

But this time, Becker and Glass roped in innocent people that may have actually been looking for help with adoption via a Kickstarter campaign. In doing so, they blurred the lines between satire and hoax, and not in a good way. It might be easy in retrospect to see how Adoptify was just a joke, asking for real money from unsuspecting, would-be parents is a pretty cruel prank. Even if you’re not looking to adopt, using fake news as a joke seems like the kind of thing that helps exactly no one.

Becker and Glass said they were going to refund any donations, and both Kickstarter and eventually Indiegogo canceled the Adoptify campaigns before they finished. That means backers never had to worry about giving up funds to the project. No harm, no foul right?

In a purely practical sense, sure. But if even one hopeful parent was emotionally hoodwinked by the Adoptly scheme, that’s one too many. But this prank preyed on the emotions of people who are often desperate to adopt and might consider any option to help their chances — even an app that seems too ridiculous to be true. Messing with the press is a time-honored tradition, but potentially involving people looking to adopt is just mean-spirited.

That’s not to totally dismiss Becker and Glass’s idea for satire. Silicon Valley is always breathlessly introducing revolutionary apps that will change users’ lives. The Adoptify website copy and video all nailed the sometimes-clueless tone as companies large and small introduce minor updates or products that people simply have no need for. In that sense, the Adoptly satire was on point — even if plenty of people were skeptical about it, it so closely mimicked the hundreds of similar campaigns we’ve all seen.

However, Adoptify’s satire wouldn’t have really been diminished if it was done in the style of the many April Fool’s Day PR pranks that are pushed out by companies every year. The Adoptify website could have really sold the idea and pulled back the curtain at the end of the experience, letting people in on the joke quickly. Of course, the press would have been less likely to write about it, if that was how it operated. But when using adoption as a tool for satirical gains, perhaps a little bit of extra sensitivity would be warranted.

GitHub rallies Silicon Valley companies to oppose Muslim ban

GitHub plans to meet with a number of Silicon Valley tech companies to discuss filing an amicus brief in lawsuits targeting Trump’s immigration and refugee ban.

Those invited, according to a Reuters report, include Google, Netflix and Airbnb. All four of the companies declined to comment on the meeting. Kickstarter, Box, AdRoll and Twilio have voiced their interest in participating as well. Amicus (“friend of the court”) briefs are legal documents made by parties not directly involved in a litigation but have a strong interest in the matter. Last year, for example, the tech industry rallied behind Apple in its lawsuit against Samsung and stridently opposed North Carolina’s inhumane HB2 legislation.

The group hasn’t specified in which cases the document could or would be filed. If it were to file such a brief, it would place the industry squarely in opposition of the administration. While Silicon Valley has made overtures to Trump’s team during the transition — going so far as to sit through the president’s theatrics during a meeting at Trump Tower in December — the industry has increasingly objected to his actions through the first two weeks of the presidency. Amazon, Microsoft and Expedia have voiced their support for Washington State’s lawsuit against Trump’s administration. Google employees staged a work stoppage and protest on Monday.

Source: Reuters

Apple Services Revenue Up 18% on App Store Growth

During today’s earnings call for the first calendar quarter of 2017 (fourth fiscal quarter), Apple announced that its services revenue is up an impressive 18.4 percent year-over-year.

Services brought in $7.17 billion during the quarter, up from $6 billion in the year-ago quarter. Services revenue now nearly matches Mac revenue, which was at $7.24 billion.

The “Services” category includes the App Store, Apple Music, Apple Pay, iTunes, and iCloud, with continued growth largely attributed to the App Store. As was previously announced, the App Store saw its single best month ever in December of 2016, with $3 billion in app purchases alone.

Developers have now earned more than $60 billion through the App Store, with $20 billion earned in 2016 alone.

Revenue from Apple Music has continued to grow for the third quarter in a row, and AppleCare and iCloud saw all time record revenue results. As for Apple Pay, usage tripled over the course of 2016 and hundreds of millions of transactions were conducted in December alone. Transaction volume is up more than 500 percent year over year and more than two million small businesses accept it. Apple says Comcast will begin accepting Apple Pay later this month.

As he has said in the past, Cook expects the services category to reach the size of a Fortune 100 company this year, and Apple’s goal is to double it within the next four years.

Tag: App Store
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Apple Watch Sets All Time Revenue Record in Q1 2017

Apple does not break out sales of the Apple Watch like it does for the iPhone, iPad, and Mac, but according to Apple CEO Tim Cook, the Apple Watch set all time unit and revenue records during the first fiscal quarter of 2017, suggesting significant sales during the holidays.

Cook said holiday demand was “so strong” that Apple “couldn’t make enough.” He went on to say the company is thrilled with the response its seen to the wearable device.

While the Apple Watch set an all time revenue record, that’s not reflected in Apple’s “Other” products category, which was down eight percent year over year.

“Other,” which includes the Apple TV, Apple Watch, Beats products, the iPod, and Apple-branded and third-party accessories (including the new AirPods), brought in $4.02 billion, down from $4.35 billion in the year-ago quarter.

It’s not clear what was responsible for the drop if Apple Watch sales are up, but slower Beats and Apple TV sales could be one explanation.

Apple also set revenue records for the iPhone and Mac, along with its Services category.

Related Roundups: Apple Watch Series 2, watchOS 3, iPad Air 2
Tags: Apple Watch Sets All Time Revenue Record in Q1 2017 Apple does not break out sales of the Apple Watch like it does for the iPhone, and Mac, but according to Apple CEO Tim Cook, the Apple Watch set all time unit and revenue records during the first fiscal quarter of 2017
Buyer’s Guide: Apple Watch (Neutral)
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Bad vibrations: Are ‘phantom messages’ a sign of smartphone addiction?

Why it matters to you

Researchers believe that phantom vibrations from your phone — admit it, you’ve felt them too — could be a sign of addiction.

If you’ve ever felt your phone vibrating in your pocket, pulled it out, and realized it wasn’t ringing, you’re far from the only one. It’s a phenomenon sociologists call a “phantom communication experience,” and according to researchers at the University of Michigan Institute for Social Research, it’s a sign of addiction.

Scientists asked 766 students, 384 women and 382 men, to complete a personality test that assessed traits like openness, emotional stability, neuroticism, extroversion, and conscientiousness. They then filled out the Mobile Phone Problem Use Scale, a survey designed to gauged their level of dependence on their smartphone. Finally, they were asked about their smartphone usage — specifically, the amount of times they experienced “phantom vibrations,” formally defined as a false perception that a smartphone notification or message has arrived.

More: Is smartphone addiction real? We ask the experts

The researchers found that participants who rated higher for consciousness and emotional stability were less dependent on their phones and therefore less likely to experience phantom notifications. The personality tests, meanwhile, showed women to be more conscientious, extroverted, and agreeable than the male test subjects, but more likely on average to exhibit the symptoms of smartphone dependency.

“When people have addictions, there’s a phenomenon in which they are hypersensitive to stimuli associated with a rewarding stimulus,” said Kruger. “This study provides some real insight and maybe some evidence that people can have a real dependency on cellphone use.”

The results of the study are in line with anecdotal findings. According to David Brudo, founder of Swedish mental health and well-being app Remente, the average person checks their phone 80 to 150 times a day.

More: Sex or your smartphone? Americans’ answers may surprise you

“Imagine carrying your phone in your pocket for more than 10 years,” Brudo told Mirror Online. “Not having it there anymore will feel like you’re missing a limb, since your mind become programmed to answer to the stimulus.”

The researchers believe that the findings could provide evidence of a link between mobile phone addiction and mental health. But as the International Business Times notes, previous attempts to add research to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, the handbook published by the American Psychiatric Association (APA) that lists all classifications of mental disorders, have failed.

“I think these findings are something that can be inform the discussion,” Kruger said. “[Certainly,] it pushes in the direction of saying, ‘Hey, whether you want to call it dependency or addiction, it’s real, it’s important, and we should be paying attention to this.’”

Crowdfunded Moto Z Mod adds wireless charging with no extra bulk

Why it matters to you

This slim Moto Z Mod grants your phone the power of wireless charging without adding bulk.

There are Moto Mods for taking better pictures, projecting media, and playing music louder. If it’s battery life you’re after, there are a handful of options from Incipio and Mophie that will help the Moto Z last even longer through the day and offer wireless charging. But the one common problem with all of the Mods is that they add quite a bit of heft to the device, and most will only be used in limited circumstances.

Mike Paukert, a candidate in Motorola’s “Transform the Smartphone Challenge,” set out to do something about that. The Omaha, Nebraska-based developer has built a prototype of a shell that adds Qi wireless charging to the device, but measures just about a millimeter thicker than Motorola’s own slim style Mods. The result is attractive as well as functional.

More: Hasselblad True Zoom Moto Mod review

In its current proof-of-concept form, the Mod is harnessing power wirelessly but sending it to the phone via a USB cable, instead of the Moto Z’s pin connectors at the rear. Paukert hopes to refine the design over the next several months and eventually come out with another version that contains an IR emitter.

Right now, the engineer is collecting funds via an Indiegogo campaign, where those interested can put $35 toward one of the wireless charging shells. Adding IR functionality will cost an extra $10. According to the page, Paukert hopes to have these ready to ship in November. The prototype utilizes “off-the-shelf, commercially-available” components, and Paukert says funding will go a long way toward building something that is more presentable to Motorola. Finalists in the challenge will get to work alongside the company and may even receive an investment to bring their Mod to the market.

This proposal is precisely what many hoped for when the Moto Z was first announced. There is a clear demand for wireless charging, though all the Mods that currently offer it also contain extra batteries, which, while providing a benefit, also tack on considerable bulk and ratchet up the price. It’s interesting that it took an independent developer — not an accessories manufacturer or Motorola itself — to answer the call for an inexpensive, lightweight wireless charging solution.