How to clean and disinfect your Android smartphone

Regardless of the Android phone you’re carrying, make sure it’s clean enough for you — and your loved ones, too.

You’ve seen the statistics, but have you seen the evidence? Awhile back, Buzzfeed kept a lively bunch of Petri dishes colonized with the same bacteria found on the smartphones of several colleagues. The unfortunate discovery was that there were actual pathogens found on the phones; essentially, potentially disease-causing strains of bacteria.

Whether you’re a germaphobe, or someone who doesn’t mind a bit of rolling around in the dirt, surely we can all agree that anything that can potentially cause disease is bad news. There are some quick things you can do to keep your Android devices clean and disinfected, however, and free of what could be harmful to your health.

Make a cleaning kit

The necessities for cleaning your Android smartphone are actually quite basic.

You have a kit for all your various USB charging cables and gadgets that plug into your Android device, so why not make a kit for cleaning your smartphone? At home, stock up on 70 percent or higher rubbing alcohol, finely pointed cotton swabs, and a barrel of toothpicks. You should also consider stocking up on a pack of microfiber cloths, as well as a few cans of compressed air. Most of them come in packs of two or three anyway.

Why not make a kit for cleaning your smartphone?

You’ll also want some sort of cleaning solution that will disinfect the phone. I’ve built my only little collection of pre-mixed spritzers based on whatever I’d find on sale at Amazon, though the Whoosh! brand cleaner was suggested by one of our iMore brethren, and it’s a good deal since it comes with a travel spritzer and microfiber cleaning cloth.

You could also make your own cleaning solution with 8 ounces of rubbing alcohol and 8 ounces of distilled water inside a spray bottle. A 50-50 mixture of white vinegar and distilled water also works if you’re into keeping things relatively organic and don’t mind the intense smell of the vinegar.

How to clean your Android phone

Every Android phone is different — a special, individual flower, if you will. But cleaning it is generally the same as cleaning any other mobile phone. There are ports, buttons, a screen, and an entire chassis that could all use a bit of a rubdown with some grime-cleaning solution.

Be careful not to puncture any speakers or wriggle any ports.

Grab a large, clean microfiber cloth or soft towel and lay it out. Or, you can quickly wipe over a substantial bit of table area with a winged out soapy sponge or towel. Just making sure the “operating” area is clean. Then, lay the phone down. Grab the can of compressed air and start blowing out the charging port, ensuring that whatever little particles are in there are flying up and out. (If you have trouble seeing, use the aid of a desk lamp and take off the shade for more light.) You can pump air into the rear speakers to clear them out, as dirt and gross particles also collect there.

If you see that there’s too much grossness to clear out with just the compressed air, grab a fine toothpick and carefully dig out the grime that’s causing you stress. Be careful not to puncture any speakers or wriggle any ports. If you see debris collecting elsewhere on the phone — like in the cracks around the frame, and in the top speaker grill — you can clear those out with a toothpick, too.

Cotton swabs can be helpful on the edges, but don’t use them inside ports or speaker grilles.

Spray your phone with cleaning solution and wipe it down — as often as you possibly can.

Now that you’ve primed the device for disinfecting, grab your alcohol- or vinegar-based cleaner. Spray it on the microfiber cloth and wipe it down. Then, take a cotton swab and dip it inside the bottle of rubbing alcohol. Trace it around the edges, the buttons, and any other crevices of the chassis that require cleaning, but take heed not to use them inside ports or speaker grilles. Wipe it all off with the microfiber cloth when you’re finished.

Cleaning on the go

For a quicker cleaning experience, a pre-moistened cleaning cloth is just as apt at cleaning your smartphone as the multi-tool cleaning process. Grab a brand like these Wireless Wipes, which smell nice and clean your device. Sephora also offers a batch of stylishly-packed screen cleansing towelettes for those who like a little flair with their cleaning supplies. Or, just get into the habit of cleaning your phone once a week at home — maybe even designate a night of the week as phone cleaning night. Make it excited by adding music.

A pre-moistened cleaning cloth is just as apt at cleaning your smartphone.

Also, consider using hand sanitizer between meals and before touching your phone. A little can go a long way, and I’ve often found that something as simple as a travel bottle of Purell hand sanitizer can work miracles at removing dirt from the fingers.

Your methods

What are your methods for keeping your phone and other gadgets clean and germ-free? Let us know!

Nintendo 2DS XL preview: Lighter, no 3D but still at top of its game

Nintendo has been milking its 3DS range of handheld consoles for a considerable while – after all, the first 3DS came out in 2011. The DS, on which it is based, came to the UK considerably earlier, in 2005.

It’s no exaggeration therefore to say it’s the most endearing console concept we’ve seen. And we’re not about to see the back of it anytime soon.

Even though the Switch brings a new era of portable games consoles to the fray, the Nintendo 2DS XL proves there’s still a valid reason to have a dedicated handheld.

Pocket-lint

It is fast, well supported and, most importantly, light and easy to shove in a bag. It is smaller than the existing “new” 3DS XL, less weighty too, yet as powerful and will screens of an equivalent size. It also dispenses with the 3D option which, to be honest, many we’ve spoken to prefer, even when offered the option.

• Nintendo 2DS XL vs 2DS vs 3DS vs 3DS XL: What’s the difference?

There are two colour schemes that will be available from launch – a white unit with orange trim and buttons, and a black version with blue trim. Both are identical save for the colour and both have a few refinements, even over their 3D stablemates.

Pocket-lint

The cartridge slot is on the bottom left corner, as on the latest 3DS XL, but it’s now secured by a flap to stop the game popping out when in a bag. Better still, the microSD card slot is under the same flap, so you can swap it out easily.

Having to unscrew the rear of the 3DS XL just to change over a microSD card was a real pain.

Cameras have been moved. The front-facing cam is now on the hinge, while the rear 3D cameras (yep, they can still take 3D images even considering the 2DS XL’s 2D screen) are centrally located on the back these days.

The hinge also gets notifications lights, to tell you when you have StreetPass or SpotPass data to check out.

Other than those tweaks, everything is similar to the 3D model. The bezel around the screens are a tad smaller, making the whole unit smaller too, but you don’t really notice unless both consoles are side-by-side.

Pocket-lint

The upper screen is, obviously, 2D rather than autostereoscopic 3D like the other family members, but it’s still 4.88-inches in size. It has a 400 x 240 pixel resolution, which is half the vertical resolution of the 3DS XL, but those extra pixels in that case are used to send light to different eyes, so in practical terms you do not notice the difference at all. The display looks very similar to a 3DS XL screen with the 3D switched off.

The lower touchscreen is identical: 4.18-inches with a pixel resolution of 320 x 240.

Behind the lower screen is an NFC reader for Amiibo interactivity, and the main thumbstick, mini thumbstick and extra shoulder buttons (ZL and ZR) are all present. The home button has been moved from the bottom of the lower screen to the left-hand side, but it makes little difference.

We’re pleased that Nintendo is seeing sense this time around and including a power adapter in the box (it didn’t with the 3DS model upgrades). Perhaps it feels the 2DS XL will be a jumping on point for many – after all, would you downscale your new 3DS XL to a 2DS XL version?

Naturally, this new handheld will work with all 3DS and DS games released over the years and those yet to come. It also has access to the Nintendo eShop for digital purchases and downloads.

Pocket-lint

First Impressions

When we played on a new 2DS XL for the first time, our immediate impression was that it was light, much lighter than a 3DS XL. Holding one in each hand provided confirmation. It is much lighter, slightly sexier too, with the coloured trim and slightly mottled exterior.

It does feel slightly flimsier however, and definitely more so than the existing, unibody 2DS. That was designed to appeal to younger children, with a simpler shape to hold for smaller hands and robust build quality in case of spills.

The Nintendo 2DS XL doesn’t feel like it’s made for kids. We’re not sure it’d last too many bounces off the floor, that’s for sure.

Instead, we feel it is aimed at those attracted to the 3DS in recent times, through games like Pokemon Sun/Moon or Fire Emblem, but put off by the price of the 3DS XL.

We don’t have a UK price for the new version yet, but it’ll be $149.99 in the States (around £116 at the current exchange rate) so cheaper than the $240-plus heavier sibling. And who needs the 3D anyway?

The Nintendo 2DS XL will be available in numerous territories from 28 July. We’ll be reviewing it in more depth closer to then.

Fitbit GPS smartwatch rumours: Everything we know so far about Project Higgs

Fitbit is well known in the activity tracking field but it has yet to fully take the leap into the smartwatch world. The Fitbit Blaze was an attempt at bridging the gap between fitness tracker and smartwatch but it isn’t an Apple Watch or Android Wear competitor.

Since the launch of the Blaze however, Fitbit has bought smartwatch companies Pebble and Vector, as well as mobile payment company Coin and now there are rumours of a new GPS Fitbit smartwatch in the works.

Here is everything we know so far about the new Fitbit smartwatch, which is reportedly codenamed Project Higgs.

Fitbit GPS smartwatch rumours: Design

• Expect to see same interchangeable mechanism as Charge 2 and Alta HR
• Waterproofing also expected 
• Square, coloured display rumoured like Blaze

Fitbit’s next smartwatch could follow in the design footsteps of the Fitbit Blaze, if a leak from Yahoo Finance is to be believed. The leaked image show a very similar device to the Blaze but with a few changes.

There appears to be a square coloured display like the Blaze, but there is no gap between the screen and what looks like the company’s signature textured elastomer band. The Blaze has a screen module that slots into a frame, while the new smartwatch appears to take design tips from the more recent Fitbit Charge 2 and Fitbit Alta HR devices.

Yahoo Finance

We would assume the smartwatch will feature the interchangeable strap mechanism on the latest activity trackers, rather than requiring a full frame change for a new strap like the Blaze. If this is the case, the strap will be able to be unclipped from the underside of the device and replaced easily.

Based on the leak, there will be two function buttons on the right of the screen and a buckle fastening mechanism on the strap itself. We would also assume there will be a PurePulse heart rate monitor on the underside of the display, as well charging pins for attaching what will likely be another bulldog-style charging cable.

The Verge has claimed this is the first time Fitbit is designing its own device rather than contracting the design out to another company, but if the leaked image is legitimate, it suggests the new smartwatch will still continue in the same path as the company’s new trackers.

The only waterproof Fitbit device currently available is the Flex 2, but reports suggest the new Fitbit GPS smartwatch has been delayed due to waterproofing and GPS antenna challenges so we would hope to see waterproofing on this new device.

• Fitbit Blaze review

Fitbit GPS smartwatch rumours: Features

• Built-in GPS expected and NFC
• Heart-rate monitor rumoured, as well as four-day battery
• Fitbit thought to be introducing own app store, likely to use Pebble acquisition to help

Rumours suggest the new Fitbit smartwatch will feature GPS, like the Fitbit Surge, rather than just Connected GPS like the Charge 2. It is also thought it will come with NFC for mobile payments, a heart rate monitor and a four-day battery life, the latter of which would be a day less than the Blaze if accurate.

It is likely that the new smartwatch will offer everything the Blaze already offers though, including smartphone notifications, Multi-Sport tracking, On-Screen workouts, Cardio Fitness Level, Guided Breathing Sessions and music control, as well as a few additional extras. Those extras are likely to lean on the Pebble platform, perhaps opening the door for wider compatibility with services and apps.

We’d also expect to see the new sleep tracking functionality that launched on the Alta HR present on the new device, allowing users to see light sleep, deep sleep and REM sleep durations.

As we mentioned previously, it looks like the new Fitbit smartwatch will have a coloured touchscreen and reports have suggested the company is planning on launching its own app store at some point in 2017 so it is likely we can expect to see a different interface too, or compatibility with more third party apps.

This will hopefully also transfer into smartphone notifications for the likes of Facebook, Twitter and WhatsApp rather than just texts, calls and calendar alerts as the Charge 2, Alta HR and Blaze currently offer. Notifications was something that Pebble tackled well, so we’d expect to see a lot of control running into the hew Fitbit.

Naturally, as you would expect from any smartwatch or activity tracker these days, the new Fitbit will almost certainly track steps, distance, elevation and calories burned, in addition to the other features mentioned above.

• Fitbit tips and tricks

Fitbit GPS smartwatch rumours: Release date and price

• Educated guess would suggest IFA 2017
• Likely to cost around £200

Fitbit doesn’t tend to follow a specific release pattern for its devices, though it does tend to launch new products either at or around the big trade shows.

The Blaze was revealed at CES 2016, the Charge 2 and Flex 2 both arrived just before consumer electronics trade show IFA in 2016, while the Alta HR was announced around Mobile World Congress 2017.

An educated guess would suggest the new Fitbit smartwatch will appear around IFA 2017, which takes place at the end of August. Fitbit might surprise us all and announce early, but given there have been reported delays, we’d say IFA is the most likely launch platform.

In terms of price, the Blaze currently starts at £159.99, while the Surge costs £199.99. We’d therefore expect the new smartwatch to be more expensive than the Blaze but hopefully around the same as the Surge.

• Fitbit Charge 2 review

Fitbit GPS smartwatch rumours: Conclusion

Fitbit has yet to confirm details of the new smartwatch but its CEO has previously confirmed the company will be expanding into the category so we can expect one at some point.

Based on the leaks, we’re expecting a device similar to the Blaze but with the new design ethos like the Charge 2 and Alta HR. We’re also expecting all the same features as the current Blaze, along with built-in GPS, hopefully waterproofing and a few extra functions.

We will keep you updated on any further leaks and rumours we hear.

• Which Fitbit is right for you?

ICYMI: A prosthetic hand with two senses

Today on In Case You Missed It: We get our first close-up look at Saturn’s rings thanks to the Cassini spacecraft — which just completed the first of its twenty-two passes through the planets’ famed hoops. NASA stitched together the images from the craft to give us Earthlings an incredible first-person (first-spacecraft?) point-of-view of the recent dive, which began at the north pole of the planet and moved down its side. The imaging team working on Cassini’s trips expects to get even better data from the subsequent trips, which will gather information on Saturn’s gravity and magnetic fields.

Meanwhile, a biomedical engineering team at Newcastle University in the UK is using computer vision in a robotic hand to make an “Intuitive” hand prosthetic. The team used a camera, AI and neural networking to enable the hand to recognize objects in front of it, and then change its grasp in response. The hand has four different grips and can react within milliseconds to determine whether it should use a pinch, tripod, wrist pronated or wrist neutral method to interact with the object in question. This is a major development in the field, as prosthetics have historically lacked this vital responsive element. The team hopes to progress the development by integrating it directly into the nervous system to send pressure and temperature.

As always, please share any interesting tech or science videos you find by using the #ICYMI hashtag on Twitter for @Dameright.

The OnePlus 5 is the company’s next smartphone

In a move that will shock no one, OnePlus is planning to release a new smartphone this year. What might take you by surprise, however, is the name: OnePlus 5. According to The Verge, OnePlus skipped the number four because it’s considered unlucky in China (it’s pronounced similar to “death” and “decease”). Also, employees really like former NBA player Robert Horry, who wore a number five jersey. Not that it really matters — the OnePlus 3T was released last November, so this is technically the fifth OnePlus flagship. Little is known about the device, although a handful of rumors have pointed to a dual-camera setup and a 3,600 mAh battery.

The OnePlus 3 and 3T were both excellent phones at the time of their release (the 3T is still a good choice if your budget is around $450.) The company has made a name for itself releasing handsets with close-to-flagship performance, but at a price-point far below their competition. If you can’t afford a $700 phone, a OnePlus is often your best bet. How the company hopes to differentiate in 2017 is, for now, a mystery. It might not be long before we know what the company has in store, however — The Verge reports that the OnePlus 5 will be arriving “this summer.”

True Story. https://t.co/1hjRY6s1HP pic.twitter.com/y7ipvbpJ4p

— OnePlus (@oneplus) May 5, 2017

Via: The Verge

Source: OnePlus

Nintendo’s 2DS XL doesn’t need 3D to be a solid handheld

Nintendo’s latest portable, the New 2DS XL, isn’t even out yet and people are already questioning its existence. Does the company really need another handheld gaming console, especially with the recent launch of its hybrid Switch? For Nintendo, the answer is an obvious “yes,” based on the belief that consumers want a 2DS with the form factor of a 3DS XL. At $150, the 2DS XL will slot in between these two models, which cost $80 and $200, respectively. So, what exactly do you get in return? If you’re comparing it to the 2DS, the extra-large version is nearly identical, with the main difference being the clamshell design. Otherwise they both come with the same processor, same battery, same low-resolution cameras and, well, you get the point.

That said, there are a some notable differences between the 2DS and 2DS XL, aside from the most obvious one (read: it folds). While there’s no 3D effect here, the 2DS XL borrows few features from the flagship 3DS XL, such as the C Stick and ZL/ZR buttons, the larger upper (4.88 inches) and lower screens (4.18 inches), as well as built-in NFC. Most importantly, though, the 2DS XL will support software that’s exclusive to Nintendo’s 3DS platform, something that can’t be said for the entry-level 2DS. When the 2DS XL arrives this summer, two games will be released alongside it: Hey! Pikmin and Miitopia, both of which are a ball of fun if you’re into quirky adventure titles.

When I picked up the 2DS XL for the first time, I noticed right away how much lighter it is than the 3DS XL. (The 2DS XL is about nine ounces, whereas the 3DS XL is closer to 12.) That’s good and bad simultaneously, since its lightweight design also makes it feel less sturdy and premium than its 3D-enabled sibling. The black/turquoise colors on the 2DS XL’s launch model are nice, though, as is the overall matte finish on the shell and buttons. Weirdly enough, the thing which made me most happy about the 2DS XL is that the microSD card is easily accessible, meaning you no longer have to worry about unscrewing any compartments. There’s now a cover on the bottom that houses two slots, one for your game cartridge and another for the microSD card.

In terms of ergonomics, the 2DS XL is just as comfortable to hold as the 3DS XL. The face buttons (A,B,X,Y), joystick and C stick are placed the same across the board, although the speakers on the 2DS XL have been moved below the lower screen. That change gives you the sense that the 2DS XL’s display is bigger than it actually is, thanks to the black bezels on the sides. You’ll also notice the stylus now lives more to the center of the device, next to the 3.5mm headphone jack. All in all, I can see how some people may be interested in the 2DS XL, particularly those who don’t want or need the 3D effect but want something with a little more oomph (and a better design) than the 2DS.

If that’s you, the 2DS XL is set to hit stores on July 28th for $150. We’ll know then whether Nintendo was right about the market for its handhelds.

The Apple Watch outsold every other wearable last quarter

Apple might not be selling as many iPhones as it would like, but it sounds like its Watches have been doing quite well. According to Strategy Analytics, it shipped 3.5 million wearables in the first quarter of 2017, 59 percent higher than the 2.2 million devices it did in the same period last year. Cupertino captured 16 percent of the global marketshare and stole the wearables crown from Fitbit, which had a much less stellar quarter. Fitbit only shipped 2.9 million devices in Q1, 36 percent less than the 4.5 million units it moved in the first quarter of 2016. Even Xiaomi sold more devices, putting the beleaguered wearables-maker in third place.

Those results are consistent with Apple’s latest earnings report. The company said its Watch and TV sales jumped up 31 percent year-over-year, and head honcho Tim Cook said Watch sales have nearly doubled since last year. Neil Mawston, Strategy Analytics executive director, said Apple’s Watch Series 2 has been selling well “due to enhanced styling, intensive marketing and a good retail presence.”

On the other hand, there’s less and less demand for Fitbit’s bands, perhaps due to the increasing number of sports-oriented smartwatch options for buyers, among other factors. Its attempt to enter the smartwatch market was also late and quite underwhelming. While Fitbit still sold the most wearables late last year, it was already in trouble by the beginning of 2017. It had to cut 110 jobs in January, which might not sound like much but is still 6 percent of its workforce. In an attempt to recapture part of the market it lost, Fitbit is reportedly preparing to release a new smartwatch and a pair of wireless headphones in the fall.

Source: Strategy Analytics

How tech is changing the world of sports memorabilia

The story of Super Bowl 51 should have been all about one of the most remarkable comebacks in football history. Despite trailing by 16 points with about eight minutes to go in the fourth quarter, the New England Patriots rallied to take the game to overtime and then basically stole the championship from the Atlanta Falcons. Most of this feat was thanks to none other than Tom Brady, the superstar quarterback who now has five Super Bowl rings to his name. What Brady didn’t have after that game, however, was the jersey he wore that day, which was later reported stolen — a crime that turned the football world upside down.

“Someone stole my game jersey,” Brady whispered to Patriots owner Robert Kraft during the team’s locker room celebrations. “Are you serious? You better look online,” Kraft replied with a nervous smile on his face. It turns out the thief, Martin Mauricio Ortega, was a member of the media who used his credentials to sneak into the Patriots’ locker room and snatched the garment right from the quarterback’s bag. According to experts, that stained and sweaty item would have been worth over $500,000. The problem for Ortega, though, would’ve been finding a way to authenticate his embezzled prize — especially after the FBI got involved.

Tom Brady looks for his jersey after Super Bowl 51.

For the past 15 years, the NFL has worked with PSA/DNA, an authentication service that uses invisible ink to certify items such as helmets, footballs, baseballs, cards and autographs. While the company’s own technology doesn’t cover jerseys yet, there are others looking to fill that void. PROVA, a startup founded by Dallas Cowboys legend Emmitt Smith (himself a three-time Super Bowl champion), has created stamp-sized NFC chips that can track when an item is worn or used in-game. PROVA’s smart tags can identify stolen goods too, making it harder for any NFL-owned property to be illegally sold at auction or online. They can also embed valuable information in tagged items, like how many touchdowns a player scored while wearing a particular jersey.

Right now, they’re only being used by the Dallas Cowboys, but Smith hopes that Brady’s case will spark interest from other NFL teams. Given the media frenzy surrounding Brady’s stolen jersey, there’s no way Ortega could’ve gotten away with posting it on eBay or anywhere on the web… at least not without being caught. His options would have been to keep it in his personal collection (also comprised of stolen goods) or sell it on the black market, where he could use a process known as “photo-matching” to authenticate the jersey.

Before PSA/DNA and PROVA’s technologies existed, sports collectors relied heavily on pictures from games to ensure the legitimacy of items. With jerseys or bats, for example, they’d have to look for grass stains, cracks and other unique markings caused by playing football or baseball. Of course, with the high-resolution quality of the latest photography and video cameras, it’s easier than ever to know whether an item is the real deal. Photo-matching certainly serves its main purpose well, but it’s not always efficient, since collectors may not always find the right image to authenticate every item.

Haroon Alvi, PROVA’s president and CEO, says his company’s NFC-powered tags are better than invisible ink because they won’t wear out during the season, which is apparently a common problem with the method used by firms like PSA/DNA. Down the road, Alvi says he hopes to bring these NFC chips to more sports and other industries. One day, he says, PROVA could offer its tech to luxury goods manufacturers, which may help them add another line of protection against counterfeits.

That said, as great as it would be to authenticate a Gucci purse on your smartphone, PROVA does face some challenges. Given that Apple doesn’t provide third-party developers full access to the iPhone’s NFC capabilities, PROVA can only go as far as offering an Android app right now.

Back in the 70s and 80s, it was kind of the Wild West days. [You] really had to know what you were doing.

Stephen Wong

Stephen Wong, a collector and author of Game Worn: Baseball Treasures from the Game’s Greatest Heroes and Moments, says the technology being used by these authentication services has been key to combating non-authentic and forged sports memorabilia. “It’s very different from what it was like 10 years ago and 20 years ago,” he says. “In every collectible, you’re always going to get certain people that are living above the law, whatever, and doing bad things. We’ve had our fair share of that, but a lot of these guys are getting kicked out and ostracized from the hobby.”

Wong, who says he’s been collecting sports memorabilia virtually all his life, thinks what’s missing from the space is a platform that keeps track of every item that goes on sale online or at auction. “It would be nice to have an app that you can just press a button and boom,” he says, adding that there’s not a service at the moment that provides the full history behind items being sold, like who was the previous owner or when the item was worn in a game. “Quite frankly, a lot of the auction houses are not really that thorough,” he says.

Even with PROVA’s smart tags, or PSA/DNA’s invisible ink, you get the sense there’s room for another company to really disrupt the sports memorabilia industry. That’s particularly true when you think about the fact that some collectors are still relying on photo-matching to authenticate items, which may continue to be the case until other technologies prove their worth. PROVA is definitely on the right track with its NFC product, but it needs to figure out a way to expand to the iPhone, because not every collector is going to have an Android device.

Wong, for his part, says companies like PSA/DNA have already changed his hobby for the better. “Back in the 70s and 80s, it was kind of the Wild West days,” he says. “You were buying things without these authentications services, and really had to know what you were doing.”

Images: Getty (Tom Brady / Baseballs)

Apple TV will reportedly get Amazon’s Video app this summer

The squabbling between Amazon and Apple might soon be over — at least, on the TV front. Amazon’s Video app might finally be heading to the Apple TV this summer, giving consumers an easy way to watch Amazon’s streaming content on the set-top box, Recode reports. Up until now, you were forced to use AirPlay to send Amazon’s streaming video titles to the Apple TV. That’s been one of the Apple TV’s biggest downsides since it debuted in 2015, together with a lack of 4K support.

The deal between Apple and Amazon might also lead to other changes. Amazon, for example, stopped selling the Apple TV in 2015 because it didn’t support its Prime Video service. That likely made a big dent in sales for Apple, especially as newer devices from Roku hit the market with 4K support. If Apple actually plans to release a newer 4K Apple TV this year, as rumors suggest, then landing back on Amazon would be essential.

At this point, it’s unclear if anything will change for Amazon’s Video apps on iOS. You can currently use them to watch Amazon Prime videos, as well as things you’ve already rented or purchased, but you can’t actually make those transactions within the app. That’s similar to how Amazon handles digital purchases on its Kindle and Comixology iOS apps. By forgoing in-app purchases on Apple’s ecosystem, Amazon avoids having to give the iPhone maker a cut of the revenue.

Source: Recode

Apple Raises $7 Billion in Debt Ahead of Trump’s Proposed Tax Holiday

Apple has raised $7 billion in debt in a six-part bond sale, according the company’s final pricing term sheet filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission today. The fixed and floating notes mature between 2020 and 2027.

Apple said it entered 2017 with $256.8 billion in cash and marketable securities, but approximately 93 percent of that amount is held outside of the United States. Those foreign reserves would be subject to up to a 35 percent corporate tax rate if repatriated, so Apple turns to the debt markets to raise money at a cheaper cost.

Apple will use the $7 billion raised to continue funding dividend payments and share buybacks. Apple expanded its share repurchase authorization by an additional $50 billion this week, and the company says it expects to spend a total $300 billion in cash under its capital return program through March 2019.

Apple also typically puts the money towards operational expenses, repayment of earlier debt, and acquisitions of other companies.

Apple may not have to raise as much through debt markets in the future, as U.S. President Donald Trump has expressed his desire for a tax holiday that would allow domestic companies to repatriate foreign cash at a discounted tax rate. Reports have suggested the rate could be as low as 10 percent.

Interestingly, unlike many of Apple’s recent bond offerings, today’s sale does not include any notes with 30-year maturities. Some analysts believe Apple may be avoiding long-term bonds given the possibility of a tax holiday.

Peter Tchir of Brean Capital in a note to clients obtained by Barron’s:

This is the 7th time Apple has come to market with a big slate of bonds. They started in 2013 with no debt and should be at about $100 billion by the end of today. In each of those prior deals they issued 30 year bonds – but not this time. Is it uncertainty over taxes? Talk about an ultra-bond on treasury side? Repatriation? Maybe it means nothing, but I think it is at least mildly curious that they aren’t doing a new long bond here.

Apple’s financial chief Luca Maestri this week acknowledged “there is a lot that still needs to happen there,” in regards to the Trump administration’s tax plans. “The program we’re announcing today reflects the current tax legislation in this country,” he said. “Obviously we will reassess our situation if things change.”

The debt raised may also fund Apple’s $1 billion advanced manufacturing fund announced by CEO Tim Cook earlier this week.

Note: Due to the political nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Politics, Religion, Social Issues forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.

Tags: bonds, corporate tax, Donald Trump
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