Pandora is looking for a buyer

Pandora’s recent relaunch as a Premium on-demand streaming service helped to boost CEO Tim Westergren’s case that the company was prepared to take on its bigger rivals like Spotify and Apple Music. The company also made a significant investment in its future by buying up Rdio’s design team and later revving up its marketing push to lure new users away from the competition. Now, with the ship apparently headed in the right direction, it appears Pandora is putting itself up for sale and possibly trying to get out while the getting is good.

According to a new report from CNBC, Pandora is currently in the process of closing a $150 million investment from hedge fund and private equity firm KKR. As part of the deal, a KKR executive will get a seat on Pandora’s board while two current members will step down, but until the deal closes in 30 days, the company is positioning itself as an attractive target for acquisition.

“Having secured a significant financial commitment from KKR to strengthen the Company’s balance sheet,” outgoing Pandora board member James M. P. Feuille said in a statement, “we have positioned the Company to evaluate any potential strategic alternatives, including a sale, in the 30 days before the financing is set to close.”

While Feuille believes Pandora’s future is “exciting,” a potential sale could bring a lot of uncertainty for Pandora die-hards and scare off potential new users — some of whom might like to know if the service will still be around at the end of their 30-day free trial. On the other hand, just because Pandora is making itself available doesn’t necessarily mean the company wants to get out of the game entirely. If an attractive buyer doesn’t come through, the KKR investment is still a healthy infusion of cash for a popular service that is consistently among the top grossing music apps in the App Store.

Source: CNBC

Airports may use face recognition to screen US citizens

Right now, the US is trotting out an airport security plan revolving around facial recognition. It’s supposed to automatically register visitors to the US when they leave, and signal when they come back. However, Customs and Border Protection now wants to expand the effort to include virtually every situation where you normally need an ID — and that could include scanning US citizens. The agency’s John Wagner has floated the possibility that face recognition could also be used to scan all arrivals, TSA checkpoints and lounge access, including citizens. CBP hasn’t committed to a firm plan, but it tells The Verge it wants to “open the dialogue” to people outside its walls.

This could end up streamlining your airport security experience, Wagner says. If you’re an everyday traveler short connecting flight, you might be directed to a different security lane than someone considered high-risk. However, the privacy concerns might outweigh saving a few minutes on your way to the gate.

The existing plan has facial recognition systems tossing out photos of US citizens as soon as they’re recognized. It’s primarily meant to target visa holders, who are already subject to identity checks when they leave the US. However, the answers on citizen privacy safeguards aren’t completely reassuring. Wagner says CBP will “work through the privacy approvals” if it has a need to keep citizen info, but there are other questions that haven’t been answered. Will there be measures ensuring those photos are scrubbed, and sufficient punishment if agents abuse the system? What if an innocent person keeps getting dumped into lines for higher-risk travelers, with all the privacy intrusions that follow? We’ve asked the CBP if it can elaborate, and we’ve also asked the Electronic Frontier Foundation for its take on the potential privacy issues. We’ll let you know what either can add to the discussion.

There are also worries about accuracy. Current facial recognition technology requires a clear, emotionless and well-lit view of your face, and you don’t get all of those very often at the airport. Outdated source photos could be a problem, too. The CBP hasn’t addressed how its system would deal with crowds or poorly-lit areas, let alone what happens if there’s a false identification. Officials are putting a lot of faith in technology that doesn’t work flawlessly, and might create more security problems than it solves.

Source: The Verge

Pinterest’s app can identify multiple items in one photo

Last year, Pinterest started encouraging its users to buy things with just a photo. Last February it gave everyone in the US access to its new Lens beta, which lets you search for pins of cool things with a snapshot. Today, Pinterest continues to improve its Lens feature with a new update that gives you the power to “lens” more than one thing at a time, snap QR codes and use app shortcuts on the iPhone, along with improvements to Lens’ analysis.

Now you can search between multiple objects in a single photo, which should come in handy when you want to search for Pinterest boards about kitchen decorating ideas. Simply snap a photo of the entire room and Lens will detect a bunch of objects in the scene and give you the option to dig deeper for boards about it. A tap on the back arrow takes you to the original snap, so you can basically just search around a single photo. If you still live in a world where QR codes are relevant (education, libraries), Lens now acts as a QR-reader — just point your phone and Lens at one of those squiggly squares and Lens will bring up whatever it links to without you having to tap.

Lens shortcuts migrate their way from Android to the iPhone with this new update, as well. If you have an iPhone with 3D Touch, you can hard press on the Pinterest icon on your home screen to find shortcuts that will take you directly to Lens, Explore, Search and your Saved Pinterest boards without having to navigate within the app itself.

Pinterest’s Lens feature will make mistakes from time to time, of course, but you can always tap the plus button if it analyzes your photo incorrectly to help the entire system do better. So whether you’re looking to find a sweet antique coffee table for your swank apartment or an adorable pair of shoes to match that cute little outfit you just got, snapping a photo for Lens could be a solid option.

Source: Pinterest

Apple’s Plans for Upcoming Siri Speaker Remain Unclear in Regard to Display

With Amazon having launched the Echo Show, a new Alexa-enabled smart speaker that comes equipped with a 7-inch screen, Bloomberg has shared a little tidbit on Apple’s own speaker plans, making it clear that there’s still no concrete information on whether Apple’s speaker will include a display.

In a piece outlining Amazon’s new speaker, Bloomberg references a comment made recently by Apple marketing chief Phil Schiller, where he said that a voice assistant in a device without a screen doesn’t “suit many situations.”

While marketing chief Phil Schiller recently talked up the benefits of having a screen on a voice-activated device, it’s not clear whether the Apple version will in fact have one.

Rumors of Apple’s work on some kind of in-home Siri-based smart speaker to compete with the Amazon Echo first surfaced in early 2016, but while the speaker is said to be close to launching, details remain scant.

The new Amazon Echo Show
We’ve heard it will feature Siri integration and focus heavily on sound quality, with “excellent acoustics performance” and some form of Beats technology. Design details shared in late April said it would feature a Mac Pro-style concave top with built-in controls and a “fat” body with speaker mesh covering the majority of the device, but no display was mentioned.

KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has said the speaker has a 50 percent chance of debuting at Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference coming in June, and as Bloomberg first mentioned in September (and reiterates again today) the speaker is currently being tested within the homes of Apple employees, so it may not be long before we have more concrete details about the device.

Based on today’s Bloomberg report, Apple’s speaker will have one benefit over the Amazon Echo and Google Home – native Apple Music integration. Amazon devices chief Dave Limp told Bloomberg that while Amazon would “love to have Apple” the company is “not super big” on allowing Apple Music integration.

For more details on Apple’s upcoming Siri speaker, make sure to check out our dedicated roundup, which aggregates all of the information we’ve heard about the device so far. More information about Amazon’s Echo Show can be found in our launch article.

Related Roundup: Siri Smart Speaker
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Many Apple Stores Set to Receive Overnight Makeover on May 16

MacRumors has learned that Apple is planning to quickly refurbish several of its retail stores after closing time on May 16, with the overnight transformations to be completed by the time each store reopens on May 17.

Many older and smaller Apple Stores that have yet to be fully renovated with the company’s next-generation retail design will receive new fixtures that mirror the updated look and feel as much as possible, according to a source. It’s unclear how many stores will be involved, but we’ve learned it’s a worldwide effort.

Apple plans to replace its existing accessory shelves in each store with what it calls the Avenue, as pictured above, a person familiar with the matter said. Apple will also be adding more “feature bays” to each store for displaying products and accessories, and new stools for the Genius Bar and other seating areas.

Here’s how Apple described the Avenue when it opened its flagship Union Square store in San Francisco last year:

“The Avenue,” inspired by the window displays along a boulevard that dynamically change with the season. Avenue walls are interactive themed “windows” where Apple’s products and services come to life, from music, to creativity, apps, photography and more. New “Creative Pros,” Apple experts in creative arts, offer advice and expertise at each of the displays. Customers will also find “Only at Apple” products on the Avenue, a curated collection of third-party accessories.

Apple will significantly reduce the number of accessories it keeps on display on the sales floor, but it will still have ample stock in the back of the store, the person said. A customer interested in purchasing an accessory that isn’t readily shelved can simply ask an employee, who will grab it from the back.

Apple has over 35 next-generation retail stores around the world, including locations in Brussels, Dubai, London, Mexico City, New York, Paris, San Francisco, and elsewhere. It has also fully updated and expanded many existing stores with the new look, but those larger renovations usually take several months.

Apple has 460 other retail stores, however, and this quick facelift will bring many of them closer in line with the newer aesthetics.

Related Roundup: Apple Stores
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Apple Sends Out Press Invites for WWDC Keynote on June 5

Apple today sent press invites to a variety of news and media sites for its upcoming Worldwide Developers Conference, confirming plans to hold a keynote event on June 5 at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time.

Apple traditionally holds a keynote event on the first day of the Worldwide Developers Conference, where new software is introduced. We expect to see new versions of iOS, macOS, tvOS, and watchOS at the conference, and there’s a chance we could also see new hardware like updated iMacs and Apple’s rumored Siri speaker.

As was announced in February, the Worldwide Developers Conference will take place from June 5 to June 9 in San Jose, California, a departure from past events that have long been held in San Francisco at the Moscone Center.

Tickets, which were priced at $1,599, were distributed by random selection at the end of March, and free tickets provided to scholarship winners were also handed out in April.

Apple expects to host about 5,000 developers, with hundreds of Apple engineers available to answer questions and host app development sessions. Developers who cannot attend will be able to watch the sessions through the WWDC 2017 website, and the WWDC app for iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV.

For the June 5 keynote event, MacRumors will provide a live blog both here on MacRumors.com and on our MacRumorsLive Twitter account, along with detailed coverage of everything Apple announces during the week.

Related Roundup: WWDC 2017
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Severe Supply Shortages Again Rumored for iPhone 8 Due to Production Difficulties

There have been several rumors suggesting the upcoming OLED “iPhone 8” could potentially be delayed due to production delays, and in a new note to investors sent out today, KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reiterates his prediction that production ramp-up will be delayed.

According to Kuo, who titled his note “Rising probability of worst-case scenario for iPhone shipments,” production ramp-up of the iPhone 8 could be delayed to “as late as October-November,” a departure from Apple’s traditional August to September ramp-up period.

The result will be “severe supply shortages” that persist for “a while” after the new iPhone models are introduced in September. To be clear, Kuo continues to believe Apple will introduce the iPhone in September, but he suggests there’s a strong possibility the device will be hard to come by for several months following its release.

“iPhone 8” mockup with rear Touch ID sensor by Benjamin Geskin
Due to the possible iPhone 8 shortages, Kuo believes Apple may only ship 80 to 90 million iPhone units during the second half of 2017, down from 100 to 110 million units. Kuo does say it’s not clear if demand will fully shift to the iPhone 8, due to questions about the usefulness of a rumored 3D sensor, the potential for Touch ID to be eliminated, and market competition.

While we are positive on potential replacement demand triggered by OLED iPhone, it’s too early to determine if demand will shift fully in that direction. We recommend investors keep tabs on the following issues: (1) whether the 3D sensor of OLED iPhone provides an innovative user experience; (2) whether OLED iPhone cancels Touch ID (fingerprint recognition); and (3) whether Apple’s competitors launch more innovative products which could compete with OLED iPhone in 4Q17-2Q18.

It is not unusual for us to hear rumors of production delays and supply shortages ahead of an iPhone release, and indeed, the iPhone 7 Plus was constrained for months after its launch, but the warnings about the iPhone 8 are popping up more frequently from trusted sources and are more dire than warnings we’ve seen for past iPhone release cycles.

Rumors have suggested that Apple is struggling with integrating the Touch ID fingerprint sensor underneath the glass of the iPhone 8, which has led to production difficulties. Due to these issues, rumors have also indicated that Apple could potentially put Touch ID on the back of the device or perhaps more unlikely, eliminate it entirely in favor of other biometric systems, like facial recognition. Kuo has not mentioned removing Touch ID entirely in previous research notes, but the wording of today’s document seems to suggest he believes it’s a possibility.

Apple is also said to be having trouble with the display lamination process and integrating a new 3D sensing front camera system into the device. Given the major design changes coming in the iPhone 8, including an edge-to-edge OLED display and a glass body, it is not surprising to hear that many of the new technologies involved are causing production problems.

Some rumors have suggested Apple could delay the debut of the iPhone 8 entirely, not introducing it in September, but most rumors believe the company will show it off at the event and perhaps launch it in small quantities.

Related Roundup: iPhone 8 (2017)
Tag: Ming-Chi Kuo
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Tap Hero – A more original Flappy Bird (Review)

Yes, I know that I probably deserve to be burned at the stake for bringing up this cursed game from 2013, but by the end of this, you’ll see where I am coming from.

Alright, down to business. Tap Hero, the sole product offered by APPLICATTURA Michal Walaszczyk is offered on both Google Play and the Apple Store, supporting 4 1/2 star ratings on both. You play as a pixel knight, defending your castle by tapping to attack(and switching direction, more on that later)

AHHH! PRIVACY!

Well, this is fun. as far as permissions go:

Version 1.01(Latest) can access:

In-app purchases

Photos / Media / Files

• read the contents of your USB storage, modify or delete the contents of your USB storage.

Storage

• read the contents of your USB storage, modify or delete the contents of your USB storage.

Other

• view network connections, full network access.

So, pretty permission light. But, oddly, the app has never requested these permissions.

Never requests them, at least for me.

How does it play?

It’s about… well, I’m not sure. As far as I can tell, you protect a castle from a variety of enemies. As in the aforementioned title, it is not frantic screen tapping that will get you through this game, but thought out, precision tapping. Tapping the screen essentially attacks the person behind your knight.

The enemies always spawn in alternating sides, making sense why the attack mechanic is the way it is. Don’t let that give you a false sense of security, missing gives you a huge stagger, meaning you are dead– The constant horde is not patient – but you can revive yourself with 100 coins, or an advert*.

Speaking of coins, you can use them to buy armor(in which a full set give you one hit immunity every run) as well as a better Sword and a Hammer. What these weapons do is unclear – try as I might, I couldn’t actually earn them (Money is hard to get hold of.) The developer does plan to add more weapons and armor in a later update.

Even Slightly Late or Early? Death to you!

*Wait, did you just say adverts?

Yup. At the end of a run, you may get an advert, usually a quick image you can just close. You can tap the end of run scroll (Left-center on your score) and watch a 30 second advert to get a buff, like a revive, money, or double money generation. I’ll admit, I do like the options, but I wish you could pick what you got, rather than choosing whether to deal with the option given.

If you hate the adverts, options are available, in our favourite form:

In App Purchases! (IAP’s)

If you read my previous review on Dragonstone: Guilds & Heroes, you know I am not a fan of overpriced IAP’s. Luckily, Tap Hero passes the test here. You can either:

• Buy Ad-free mode for $0.99/£1.09
• Double coin rate for $1.99/£1.79
• Buy the full set of gear, and ad-free, for $3.99/£3.89

Which is certainly bearable. Little confused why GBP costs more than USD on the Ad-free mode, but not elsewhere, however, it could just be a slip-up by the developer, and its not an awful lot of money regardless.

Conclusion

Overall, pretty decent. The game’s soundtrack is a pretty good tune, and the 8 bit graphics do the game justice. I’m not a personal fan of any games that rely on reflexes and timing, but this has covered it with a rather fun twist to that sort of game – Actual ways to last longer than a few seconds.

Samsung launches the Galaxy C7 Pro in China, but there’s no C5 Pro in sight

Samsung is upgrading its Galaxy C series with follow-ups to last year’s Galaxy C5 and C7, but now we also have word that the company could be working on both a Galaxy C10 and C10 Plus as well. Both the C5 Pro and C7 Pro have been the subject of quite a lot of rumors to date, but now we have some official information: The company has quietly launched the Galaxy C7 Pro in China. The phones will join the already-released C9 Pro, which is only available in China.

So what should we expect from the new C-series phones? Here’s everything we think we know so far.

Galaxy C10 and C10 Plus

Samsung is reportedly working on an even more powerful phone in the C series: The Galaxy C10 and C10 Plus. According to a report from SamMobile, the C10 and C10 Plus will both come with some pretty impressive specs, including a possible 6GB of RAM. The report also notes that the devices could be called the C10 and C10 Pro instead of C10 Plus — which would make sense as far as consistency goes, as other handsets in the C series come with the Pro moniker.

Unfortunately, about all we know at this point is that a C10 and C10 Plus are in the works, but we’ll update this story as we hear more.

Galaxy C5 Pro

The Galaxy C5 Pro, which hasn’t been released yet, was first leaked on import tracking website Zauba with the model number SM-C5000 — proving that the device does exist. Then we got a full-on spec leak for the device on Chinese social media website Weibo, which showed that it would be powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 625 processor and sport 3GB of RAM or more.

Now, we finally have a better look at the device thanks to an introductory video that has surfaced online. According to the video, which was picked up by SamMobile, the device pretty much matches up with previous leaks. The video largely focuses on the phone’s camera, which is expected to be 16MP on both the front and the back. Check out the video for yourself below.

Our first look at the design of the C5 Pro came from a tweet that also showed the C7 Pro and the already-released C9 Pro. The leak comes from Twitter user @mmddj_china, and shows that the phones will indeed feature quite a sleek design.

C is coming. pic.twitter.com/QIU3wBTxu3

— 萌萌的电教 (@mmddj_china) January 10, 2017

It appears as though the leak also shows that the phones will feature a 16MP rear-facing and front-facing camera — which will be very nice for the selfie-lovers among us. That makes sense, as the C9 Pro did indeed feature a 16MP camera on both sides, and the C7 Pro does too.

Galaxy C7 Pro

The Samsung Galaxy C7 Pro has finally been unveiled on Samsung’s Chinese website, confirming almost all of the specs we already knew about.

The device is built with a 5.7-inch super AMOLED display, along with a Snapdragon 625 processor, a nice 4GB of RAM, and 64GB of storage. One of the more interesting things about the Galaxy C7 Pro is that both the front-facing and rear-facing camera are 16MP, so this is a perfect option for the selfie-lovers among us.

The phone will be up for pre-order in China on January 16. However, there is unfortunately no word yet as to whether the device will come to other markets.

Updated on 05-09-2017 by Christian de Looper: Added reports of Galaxy C10 and C10 Plus.

Nokia’s Android phones 2017: Rumors and news leaks

Nokia is back — and it’s back with a vengeance. The Finnish company finally launched its first Android-powered smartphone, the Nokia 6, but we’re expecting to see a lot more action this year. While the new devices won’t be made by Nokia, they will follow the company’s design guidelines and will retain the brand name.

HMD Global will be manufacturing these devices exclusively. We originally thought there would be up to four new phones in 2017, but rumors suggest there will actually be as many as six or seven. The rumors come from Malaysian distributor Avaxx, which said Nokia will aim to launch phones in all price ranges.

Here’s everything we know about Nokia’s 2017 Android phones so far.

Nokia 8

To date, speculation around the Nokia 8 has been just that — speculation. Now, however, rumors are a little more solid. According to recent reports, the Nokia 8 will be launched alongside the Nokia 3 and Nokia 5 at some point in June. There’s no word yet on a specific launch date. The report, which comes from India Today, also highlighted that the device will likely come with a Snapdragon 835 processor and a 23MP rear-facing camera.

Previously, the Nokia 8 was recently listed on Jingdong, or JD.com, for pre-sale. The listing did not state exactly when the phone would go on sale officially, but it did list a price of 3,188 yuan, which equates to around $463. It is worth noting, however, that the images listed are very similar to a concept design that was released earlier, suggesting that it could in fact be a fake listing.

In addition to the leaked sketch of the Nokia 9, Nokia Power User shared a similar image of the Nokia 8. The two devices appear to be very much alike from the outside, with the only major differences being the larger bezels surrounding the Nokia 8’s display, and the front-facing fingerprint sensor. The screen still spans from edge to edge, but the rounded corners are notably absent. It is worth noting that the phone pictured here looks very different from one that surfaced at the Consumer Electronics Show in January that was also believed to be the Nokia 8, seen in a video below.

Other rumors from Nokia Power User directly contradict information we originally heard about the phone. While the Nokia 8 has been rumored to feature a flagship-spec processor like the Snapdragon 821 or Snapdragon 835, new reports indicate that instead it will feature a much more midrange Qualcomm Snapdragon 660.

A YouTuber, however, uploaded footage of alleged Nokia devices powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 821 and 835. The device was at Qualcomm’s booth at CES 2017, and the chipset manufacturer reportedly asked people not to take videos or photos of it. The YouTuber, whose account is named Total Tech, didn’t comply.

Before we take a look at the video — it should be noted that we can’t verify this information, and the devices do not have any “Nokia” branding, so we’re casting a heavy dose of skepticism here. The YouTuber says Nokia and Qualcomm “have been working together on the Snapdragon 835 and the 10 nanometer process for the chip with Samsung for a while, according to inside sources, and Nokia has been their hardware reference provider for the 821 and 835.”

Again, we can’t verify these insider sources’ claims, and whether or not Nokia has been in partnership with Qualcomm. Total Tech claims the device in his video is the upcoming Nokia 8.

The video shows the difference in camera stabilization between a Snapdragon 821 processor and the Snapdragon 835. Total Tech says both devices are the Nokia 8 with the two processors — the one with the Snapdragon 821 will come with 4GB of RAM, and the Snapdragon 835 variant will have 6GB RAM.

Both allegedly also feature electronic image stabilization, a 5.7-inch Quad HD Super AMOLED display, MicroSD card support up to 256GB, 64GB and 128GB internal storage options, dual front-facing speakers, and LED notification lights.

Total Tech also says the Nokia 8 will have a 24-megapixel rear camera with optical image stabilization, as well as a front-facing camera with 12-megapixels — it’s unclear if this applies to both models.

What’s interesting is the back of the device, which Total Tech briefly shows in the video. There’s a large camera, like the one found on the back of the Lumia 1020 Windows Mobile device. That camera packed 41-megapixels and featured Carl Zeiss optics — it’s quite possible the partnership could come into play again.

Nokia 9

A sketch of a device claimed to be the Nokia 9 obtained by Nokia Power User may give us our first look at the company’s upcoming flagship — although it is important to note we can’t verify its authenticity. The design appears to follow the example of LG’s recently released G6, particularly in its edge-to-edge display with an 18:9 aspect ratio and slightly rounded corners.

Around the back, we see a series of vertically arranged cutouts for what would appear to be dual cameras, a flash, and potentially a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor.

This leak follows another report from Nokia Power User that indicated the Nokia 9 — not the Nokia 8, as initially believed — will, in fact, be HMD’s flagship for 2017. Early on, there was confusion about the name of Nokia’s range-topping device, though now it seems the Nokia 8 is lower on the pecking order.

According to Nokia Power User, the Nokia 9 is believed to feature a Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor, along with a hefty 6GB of RAM and either 64GB or 128GB of storage. A 22-megapixel rear-facing camera and 12-megapixel front-facing camera are also rumored.

Perhaps most interesting is the claim that the Nokia 9 will reportedly offer an Iris scanner, bringing its security features in line with Samsung’s new Galaxy S8.

The same report also notes that the device will be the first to offer the “Nokia OZO audio” enhancements, so it should be pretty good in the sound department. Last but not least, the report suggests the phone will have a 5.5-inch QHD display.

Nokia Power User

Nokia 7

Fresh rumors indicate that Nokia is also working on a Nokia 7 handset — filling in the gap between the Nokia 6 and the so far only rumored Nokia 8. According to rumors from Nokia Power User, the Nokia 7 will feature a Qualcomm Snapdragon 660, and it may feature a 1080p display and a metallic body.

That’s pretty much all we know about the Nokia 7 at this point — but we’ll update this article as we hear more.