New sources confirm three iPhones for 2017, iPhone 8 with curved OLED display

There have been plenty of previous reports claiming Apple will launch three iPhones in 2017 and Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman has added extra weight to the rumours.

Gurman is renowned for his inside Apple knowledge and industry sources.

Citing information that comes from “people familiar with the matter”, his report states a new, flagship iPhone 8 will adopt a curved OLED display, much like the Samsung Galaxy S8 and, like that rival handset, the screen will cover the entire front of the phone. It will also feature stainless steel in the design of the chassis and “more advanced cameras”.

However, supply constraints could delay the handset from its usual September release slot.

• Apple iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus: What’s the story so far?
• Great iPhone 8 schematic shows Apple’s next phone with an edge-to-edge display

As well as the iPhone 8, it is said that Apple will release updated models of the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus. Previous rumours have suggested they will be called the iPhone 7s and 7s Plus, which makes sense considering the company’s usual naming conventions. The iPhone 8, therefore, will be seen as a separate premium device.

Prototype handsets have been provided by some Asian manufacturing partners, it is claimed. At least one is reported similar in shape to the iPhone 4, with a steel band around the outside. The OLED display itself is said to be flat on that design, but the glass is curved around the edges.

Samsung is thought to be providing the OLED panels.

Report: Apple launching three iPhones this fall

Apple is prepping up to three iPhones for a possible fall launch, including a flagship stainless steel and curved glass tenth anniversary model, according to Bloomberg’s Apple guru Mark Gurman. That jibes very closely with past rumors from Fast Company and others that believe Apple will release two iPhone 7s models along with a pricey high-end version. Unlike others, however, Gurman thinks the new model will not have a curved OLED display, but merely curved glass on the back and front.

Recent supply leaks hinted that the next iPhone design would use a curved OLED display, but apparently Apple abandoned that idea, possibly over supply concerns. Even if it’s not curved, it’ll still have an OLED screen that takes up most of the front of the device, though. It would thus have a screen around the same size as the current iPhone 7 Plus, but crammed into a body the size of the iPhone 7.

That said, Apple is apparently testing multiple devices and hasn’t quite settled on a final design. For instance, it developed one prototype that uses a dramatically curved glass back like the original 2007 iPhone, which would be appropriate for a tenth anniversary device. However, suppliers reportedly struggled to build the highly curved glass, so it has also tested a slightly larger version with an aluminum back.

The one most likely to ship, however, is a device that uses subtly curved glass on both the back and front, Gurman’s sources believe. Whichever way it goes for the screen, it’s likely that Apple will use stainless steel rather than more expensive aluminum for the frame.

Apple has reportedly tapped Samsung for the OLED screens and ordered up to 100 million of them, as other suppliers don’t have enough capacity to meet expected demand. The screen is said to look dramatically better than those on the current iPhone 7 models, according to Fast Co’s sources.

As for the rest of the device, Apple is supposedly testing a vertical rather than horizontal dual-lens camera for the overhauled iPhone. It’s also trying a dual-lens front camera with a Sony sensor similar to those used on the back of the iPhone 7 Plus (above), along with the previously-reported depth sensor.

Apple has been experimenting with a screen-based Touch ID fingerprint reader, but it’s not clear whether that feature will make it into the next-gen iPhone. It has also been testing a 10-nanometer processor that would be more powerful and efficient, giving the device decent battery life without expanding its battery size over past models.

Much of this information isn’t new, but Gurman has one of the best track records for predicting new Apple devices, so the report helps further clarify its plans. It seems that Apple still hasn’t settled on an exact design for the iPhone 8 or X, or whatever the next-gen device will be called. Even if the company does unveil it this fall (which seems a stretch if all this is accurate), don’t count on buying one immediately afterwards — it could take several months for Apple to get all the parts it needs, Bloomberg says.

Source: Bloomberg

Huawei Watch 2 arrives in the US for $300

Huawei Watch 2, the wearable we think Google should have used to launch Android Wear 2.0, is finally out in the US. Starting today, you can get the $300 standard variant with its mixed rubber strap in Carbon Black and Concrete Grey from the usual retailers, including Best Buy, Amazon, NewEgg and Walmart. There’s a classic variant with a rubber-leather hybrid strap and a metallic casing in case you want something that looks more formal. However, that one’s not yet available (it’ll be out “soon,” the company promises) and will set you back $370. If you do snap up one of the standard variants, you’ll also get 10 free weeks of Google Play Music, which will come bundled with the device for a limited time.

It’s a clever freebie, considering the watch can directly connect to a pair of Bluetooth earphones. A Play Music subscription can get you accustomed to the idea of listening to music straight from your smartwatch instead of from your phone while jogging or commuting. You can even download songs on its 4GB onboard memory instead of streaming them if you frequent places with poor signal. It’s not entirely clear if the freebie will still be available for the classic version when it comes out, though you can always sign up for the service’s standard 30-day free trial if it doesn’t.

AMD’s mid-range Radeon 500-series video cards are here

With last year’s Radeon RX 480, AMD wowed us with a $200 video card that could tackle VR and 1,440p gaming. But with its 500-series cards, it’s aiming to make an even bigger leap. How does 1,440p gaming beyond 60 frames per second sound? That’s what AMD is promising with the RX 580, the most powerful option in this new mid-range lineup. At the same time, the company is also unveiling cheaper cards, the RX 570, 560 and 550, which cater to gamers who might want to save a few more bucks, or want something that could fit into a tiny case.

While these cards aren’t enough of an improvement for 400-series owners to upgrade, their hardware changes are worth noting. They’re second-generation Polaris GPUs built on a third-gen FinFET (a type of 3D transistor) architecture. The 400-series cards, meanwhile, were manufactured on a much earlier FinFET process. All of that means AMD was able to make the new cards more efficient, as well as clock them to higher speeds (the RX 580 is around 150MHz faster than the RX 480).

Just like last year, AMD is targeting dedicated gamers who are still running older GPUs, so it’s placing a priority on affordability. Prices will fall in line with the previous models, with the RX 580 going for around $229 with 8GB of RAM and $200 with 4GB. The RX 570, which aims for “maximum” 1080p gaming, will go for around $169, while the slightly slower RX 560 will start at $99. At the lowest end there’s the RX 550, which AMD sees a step up from integrated graphics for $79. The RX 580 and 570 should hit stores today, while the 550 will come on the 20th. You’ll have to wait until May to see the RX 560, unfortunately.

While the 500-series are improvements, they’re still very much mid-range video cards. We’re still waiting for AMD to announce its high-end Vega GPUs, which will likely go toe-to-toe with NVIDIA’s powerful GTX 1080 Ti in the 4K gaming arena. Rumors previously pointed to a Vega announcement in the second quarter, but at this point it seems more likely we’ll get something around E3 in June.

Pandora’s on-demand streaming service is available to everyone

It’s been just about a month since Pandora unveiled its attempt at building full-fledged, on-demand streaming music service. Aside from a handful of bugs, the big problem with Pandora Premium was that it was invite only. That’s changing today: Pandora Premium is now available for anyone to try. Like just about every other streaming music service, it’ll run you $9.99 per month and the app is available for Android and iOS (a web version of Pandora’s on-demand service is coming soon).

If you didn’t catch the news in March, Pandora Premium has a few notable features that set it apart from the competition. If you put a few songs into a playlist, the app will use Pandora’s Music Genome Project to automatically add sonically similar tunes. If you’ve been using Pandora for a long time, it’ll draw on your listening history and “thumbs-up” songs to build you custom playlists and recommend new releases that are tailored specifically to your music history. And from a design perspective, Pandora is one of the simplest and best-looking streaming music services I’ve tried. There are a number of kinks that need to be worked out, but there’s enough good stuff going on in Pandora Premium that I’ll be keeping an eye on it to see how the service improves over time.

Pandora’s also putting some cash and big names behind its new service to make sure it doesn’t get lost amidst Spotify, Apple Music and all the rest. The company’s “Sounds Like You” campaign will feature 18 different artists including Big Sean, Gorillaz, Questlove, 2 Chainz, Halsey, Keith Urban, Maggie Rogers, Pitbull, Ziggy Marley and a bunch more. That’s a lot of star power to throw behind its new service — here’s hoping that all the artists involved don’t pull their music from other streaming services. While an ad campaign isn’t generally all that exciting, Pandora did confirm that they’ll be hosting exclusive “mixtapes” from each of the 18 artists involved in the campaign that feature the songs that have inspired them the most over the years. So if you want to know what drove Gorillaz to get as weird as they are, you’ll want to tune in to these mixes.

If you’re ready to give Pandora Premium a try, the company is offering either 30 or 60 days for free, depending on where you sign up. Signing up on Pandora’s site will net you the longer free trial and lower monthly price, as the company charges more when you sign up inside the app itself — thank Apple and its 30 percent cut from subscriptions for that. And if you’ve been paying for the $5 Pandora Plus service, you’ll get a whopping six months of Premium at that same price point. Considering how much more you get with Premium, doing that is basically a no-brainer. Pandora hasn’t tweaked anything else over the last month, but we should see the app get some tweaks and improvements in the coming months, as well.

Master & Dynamic developed its own concrete for its first speaker

When a company moves into a new product category, it’s important to make a statement with that first device. Master & Dynamic has been designing some of the best-looking headphones you can buy for just under three years; today it’s introducing its first speaker, the MA770. This isn’t just any wireless speaker, though. Rather than using wood, plastic or metal for the primary material on the MA770, Master & Dynamic chose concrete. That decision led the company to develop its own composite and collaborate with world-renowned architect Sir David Adjaye on the design.

Sure, concrete speakers have been done before, but Master & Dynamic went a step further. The company developed a proprietary concrete composite, which it says provides increased damping and lower resonance. The final form of the MA770 is one solid molded piece. In fact, Master & Dynamic’s chief product officer Drew Stone Briggs told me the damping properties of this concrete composite are five times better than wood and 10 times better than plastic.

“We set out to use concrete not just because it’s cool, but we liked it for the ability to completely control every aspect of it,” he explained. “Not only can we control it for sound-dampening and to make it a much better acoustic enclosure, since it’s our material, we can change every aspect of the tuning. That’s what makes it special.”

The increased damping means you can position a turntable close to the MA770 and crank the volume up without worrying about the record skipping.

The MA770 is, unsurprisingly, a beast of a wireless speaker. It sits 20 inches wide by 16 inches tall and weighs 35 pounds. Yes, that heft is because it’s made of concrete. That’s also only a smidge lighter than the Sonos Sub, that company’s beefiest speaker. While it sounds like a huge device, it really isn’t. When you first walk into a room and see one sitting on a shelf or in the middle of the table, it immediately grabs your attention, but not in an overly imposing fashion. It’s the combination of shape and materials, rather than its size, that catches your eye.

Master & Dynamic’s speaker is a collaboration with Ghanaian-British architect Sir David Adjaye. You might not recognize the name immediately, but you may have seen one of his recent projects: the National Museum of African-American History and Culture at the Smithsonian in Washington. Adjaye worked with Master & Dynamic on the overall design and shape of the MA770, using triangles to “break down the mass of the box” rather than keep with the convention of rectangular enclosures.

“He really understands how forms work and he works with concrete all the time,” Master & Dynamic founder and CEO Jonathan Levine told me. “He was very involved. This isn’t a project where he just assigns his name and hands it off.”

Adjaye created an angular geometric shape that not only gives the MA770 a distinct look but helps with the overall acoustic properties of the speaker. The architect uses a lot of angles and geometric shapes in his work and that certainly carries over here. In fact, there are some obvious aesthetic similarities between the exterior of the newest Smithsonian museum and Master & Dynamic’s new speaker.

At a time when you can get wireless speaker that’s small enough to fit in your pocket, the company is going big with its first offering. With Adjaye’s experience designing large structures, it’s no surprise the MA770 has a considerable size. In fact, creating something small and portable — two big selling points for a lot of speakers these days — wasn’t on the table.

“The only parameters we gave to David were we didn’t want a portable thing — we wanted something with stature and scale,” Levine continued. “And David did the majority of the design work.”

Aside from the concrete shell, Master & Dynamic opted for a magnetic etched steel grille to protect the speaker’s components on the front side. The metal shields sensitive parts, and reminds me of the company’s headphone designs. On models like the MH40 and others, Master & Dynamic combines steel and aluminum with leather to achieve its signature look. It’s removable, which is a nice touch. The company gives you the option of covering those dual woofers and tweeter or leaving the smooth concrete surface exposed.

The controls on the front of the speaker are also situated on a metal strip, but all the text is in white, so you can’t see them unless you’re standing right at the speaker. This attention to detail gives the MA770 a seamless facade rather than a front panel that’s littered with controls and icons. There are buttons for switching between audio sources, play/pause and volume adjustments.

As far as connectivity goes, the MA770 has a 3.5-inch auxiliary port and an optical input around back. It’s also equipped with Bluetooth and WiFi for wireless audio streaming. Thanks to that internet connection, the speaker features Chromecast built-in to easily connect to all of your go-to apps. The decision to go with Google’s audio standard means that MA770 is not only a breeze to set up but Master & Dynamic won’t clutter up your phone with a dedicated app just for its speaker. There’s no AirPlay option, and Apple Music doesn’t support Chromecast, so that’s something to consider if you’re a fan of that particular service.

“[Chromecast] allows us to focus on what we do well,” Stone Briggs explained. “We thought about an app, but not for very long.” He said that while the company is certainly capable designing its own software, everything it needed for the speaker — setup, connectivity, multiroom audio and more — is already supported in Google’s platform. That meant there really wasn’t a need to create a companion app.

Speaking of Chromecast, the MA770 is the first wireless speaker to use Google’s connectivity tool for stereo pairing. You could already use Chromecast to group speakers or a set up multiroom configuration, but now you can use it to use two speakers in stereo. This means that if you have two speakers, you can opt for true left and right channels in a room rather than just grouping them for louder sound.

In terms of audio, the MA770 carries the trademark Master & Dynamic sound profile that doesn’t futz too much with the EQ from what the artist intended. What you get is a more natural sound where highs, mids and lows are all equally represented. There’s enough bass for genres like hip-hop and others, but it never comes close to being overwhelming. The company said it still has some work to do for the final sound, but even at the not-quite-finished stage, the audio and power on display here is pretty damn impressive.

Vocals are also prominent in the sound profile. This was evident even in grungy early ’90s rock songs, where the words tend to blend in with the distorted guitars and pounding drums — I could hear Scott Weiland’s throaty growls a bit clearer on “Dead & Bloated” over the MA770 than I typically can on a set of headphones. It’s not a huge difference, but it’s noticeable, and for some genres is actually quite nice.

As you might expect, a premium speaker that’s made out of concrete commands a premium price. The MA770 will set you back $1,800 when it arrives in the middle of next month. If you really want to make sure you can get one, Master & Dynamic is taking preorders starting today. Of course, a near-$2,000 asking price puts the company’s first speaker on par with the likes of Bang & Olufsen when it comes to cost. Like B&O, Master & Dynamic considers its speaker somewhat of a showpiece — a piece of art rather than just some audio gear.

Despite the unique mix of design and materials, the MA770 still costs much more than what you can get from Sonos and others. For example, $1,800 is enough to cover a Playbar, Sub and a pair for Play:1 speakers from Sonos. There’s also the more-compact Play:5 for $500. Master & Dynamic is going after people who want something that’s not mass-produced or available everywhere. This is a high-end device, and to get one you’ll have to be willing to pay a high-end price.

“I had this idea that someone buys it and it becomes the centerpiece in their living room,” Levine said. “Eventually it becomes a family heirloom that their kids ask to take with them when they move out of the house.” He compares it to what a turntable was years ago; many people recall that setup as focal point in the home. Tech moves a lot faster these days, so it could be tough to fill that void with a wireless speaker.

That price may be a turnoff for many, but what Master & Dynamic has built here is still a compelling package. Aside from using its own type of concrete to enhance the acoustic properties of the speaker and simple operation with Chromecast, the MA770 stands out in a product space that’s dominated with plastic, wood and metal. The architectural aesthetic under Adjaye’s direction breaks from the round and rectangular boxes we’re used to seeing with speakers. If the MA770 is a sign of things to come for speakers from Master & Dynamic, it will be interesting to see what shape those future devices take.

Source: Master & Dynamic

Ecobee4 Thermostat to Come With Built-In Alexa Voice Assistant

The Ecobee4 will come with a built-in microphone for issuing Alexa-based voice commands, according to leaked marketing materials for the upcoming smart wireless thermostat (via The Verge).

Ecobee3 owners with supporting Amazon hardware have been able to use Alexa to control their devices since the thermostat maker added support in December, but it looks as if the next iteration of the product will include the virtual assistant as a built-in feature.

Apple initially leaked the existence of the Ecobee4 last month when it issued a list of HomeKit-compatible thermostats, while recent FCC filings showed what appeared to be a small rear-firing speaker on the upcoming device’s enclosure, hinting at Alexa voice integration.

That now looks to have been confirmed, courtesy of blogger Dave Zatz, who revealed on Monday the leaked promotional material. Users of the Ecobee4 will be able to not only adjust the temperature via their voice, but also “leverage many if not all of Amazon’s voice assistant capabilities” by speaking to the device, which features a signature blue Alexa light bar along the top.

Apart from Alexa integration, the ecobee4 is said to be sleeker than the existing ecobee3 thermostat, and will retain the latter’s HomeKit support; Ecobee3 devices received a software update back in January that added the feature. The number of leaks combined with steep discounts on existing Ecobee3 devices suggests the Ecobee4 will launch within the next couple of months.

Tag: Ecobee
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Bloomberg Backs Latest ‘iPhone 8’ Prototype Having Stainless Steel and Glass Design With Vertical Camera

Bloomberg today has published a detailed report about what it expects from the tentatively named iPhone 8.

“iPhone Edition” render by Japanese blog Mac Otakara
The report, citing people familiar with the matter, claims Apple’s latest prototype features a stainless steel frame sandwiched between symmetrical glass on the front and the back. That design, one of several that Apple has tested, would be similar conceptually to the iPhone 4 launched in 2010.

The overhauled iPhone will also adopt an OLED display that covers almost the entire front of the device, according to the report. The display itself will be flat, while the cover glass curves into the stainless steel frame along the edges. The cover glass will have similar 2.5D curvature as the iPhone 7.

The report backs rumors of Apple testing at least one high-end iPhone prototype with a rear dual-lens camera positioned vertically, instead of horizontally like on iPhone 7 Plus. Apple is also said to be testing dual lenses for a revamped front camera, compared to a single lens on current iPhones.

Apple has reportedly experimented with integrating the iPhone’s fingerprint scanner into the screen, but noted it would be technically challenging, and said it’s currently unclear if that feature will make it into the final product. Earlier research said Apple is facing yield issues with the under-display solution.

Apple also tested a prototype with a glass back that had more dramatic curves on the top and bottom like the original iPhone from 2007, perhaps alluding to a previous water drop design rumor, but the report says Apple is more likely to ship the version with more subdued curves due to mass production considerations.

Bloomberg believes that supply constraints could mean the high-end iPhone isn’t readily available until one or two months after Apple’s typical September event, where it is also expected to announce updated 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch iPhone models. All three new iPhones will run iOS 11 and could have faster Apple A11 chips.

Today’s report corroborates several “iPhone 8” design rumors that have surfaced in recent months, while the existence of multiple prototypes explains why some rumors have been conflicting so far.

Related Roundup: iPhone 8 (2017)
Tag: bloomberg.com
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May Cover of Food Magazine ‘Bon Appétit’ Shot on an iPhone 7

Food magazine Bon Appétit has used an iPhone to shoot the cover photography for its latest travel issue. The Condé Nast-owned publication follows in the footsteps of magazines like Billboard and Condé Nast Traveler, both of which have recently run covers shot on iPhones.

Bon Appètit has used iPhone-shot photos in the past – including in last year’s Culture issue – but this is the first time photography shot using Apple’s smartphone camera has graced the cover. The image, taken by Peden + Munk on an iPhone 7 Plus, shows a woman holding a strawberry Paleta, on location in the Tlacoula Market of Oaxaca, Mexico.

Peden told TechCrunch that the iPhone’s portability and the “comfortability [of] not having some humungous lens in your face” allowed them to work with a tiny crew, so it felt like a “throwback to the early days” of their career.

“It didn’t feel like a big magazine cover shoot where there were a bunch of assistants and light reflectors,” Peden said. “It felt very comfortable and natural.”

The photographers also said the VSCO app allowed them to edit photos while at their favorite bar or brunch spot, rather than having to drag out their laptop.

Creative director Alex Grossman said it made sense to lead with an iPhone picture for the May travel issue, given the close connection between photography and travel. The iPhone 7 “works really well picking up people and places”, said Grossman, and while it’s not completely comparable to “a $25,000 DSLR”, when shot in the right conditions, “99.9 percent of people out there” are unlikely to notice the difference.

Apple is a Bon Appétit advertiser, and an Apple ad on the back cover of the May issue highlights the fact that the cover photo was taken on an iPhone.

Related Roundup: iPhone 7
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Pickpocket steals 100 phones at Coachella festival, underestimates Find My Phone tech

Why it matters to you

Setting up and using a “Find My Phone” tracking system really can reunite you with a stolen or misplaced phone

Tracking technology for smartphones, whether it’s Apple’s Find My iPhone or Google’s Android Device Manager system, really can reunite you with a stolen or misplaced phone. Sometimes it can go above and beyond, and reunite many people with many phones in one go, and help police apprehend the nasty piece of work that took them in first place. One low-life thief discovered this the hard way at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival.

More than 100,000 people attend the Coachella festival in California, but not everyone is there to have a good time. One man, subsequently identified as 36-year old New Yorker Reinaldo De Jesus Henao, came to steal smartphones. He wandered the festival space, pickpocketing his marks, and stashing the stolen goods in his backpack. When people began to notice their phones were missing, many decided to enlist the help of their respective “find my phone” service.

The stolen phones showed up as still being in the area, and owners were able to pinpoint their exact location, which was given to security personnel on site. Luckily, the thief wasn’t clever enough to turn off all the devices after nabbing them. In a statement released by the Indio Police Department, the pickpocket was apprehended and upon opening his backpack, more than 100 stolen phones were discovered inside. Devices were returned to owners who had already discovered their phones were missing, while the rest wait to be collected. Henao was arrested for theft and possession of stolen property.

While things worked out here, and the phones were returned with help from security and the police, we’d always recommend contacting law enforcement rather than go searching for a stolen phone using a tracking system yourself. Thieves are rarely nice people, and confronting them on your own isn’t a good idea. Find My iPhone and Android Device Manager are equally useful if you accidentally leave your phone somewhere, rather than it getting stolen. There are also plenty of other tracking services for phones out there, for both before and after you lose it.