NTSB places blame on both driver and tech in fatal Tesla crash

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has made its final determinations on the cause of the fatal Tesla Model S crash that took place in Florida in May of last year. In a report set to be released in the next few days, the NTSB concludes that the accident was the fault of both drivers and has issued a series of recommendations to the Department of Transportation (DOT), the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), manufacturers of Level 2 automated driving systems, the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers and Global Automakers.

The report’s findings state that while the driver of the truck failed to yield the right of way to the Tesla driver, the latter was too heavily reliant on the car’s automated system, which is the likely reason he did not try to avoid the oncoming collision. Data from the Autopilot system show that the Tesla driver’s use pattern reflects a lack of understanding regarding the system’s limitations — which the NTSB says need to be configured to restrict themselves in order to prevent misuse. The Tesla Autopilot system monitored the driver’s attention through his interaction with the steering wheel, which previous findings have determined was incredibly limited. The NTSB report notes that the method isn’t adequate for measuring driver engagement. Tesla has already made changes to that part of its system.

To the DOT, the NTSB recommends better parameters for assessing automated system and driver performance prior to and during a crash. To the NHTSA, the report suggests it develop a way to verify that these sorts of automated systems have appropriate safeguards that limit their use with respect to their abilities and recommends a standard format for reporting automated system data that manufacturers can comply with. And finally, to Level 2 automation system manufacturers and automaker organizations, the NTSB reiterates the need for appropriate safeguards that align with their technology’s limitations.

You can read a summary of the NTSB’s report here and the full write up should be available soon.

Source: NTSB (1), (2)

iPhone 8 and 8 Plus hands-on

While the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus aren’t a complete redesign like the iPhone X, there’s still plenty to dig into here. For starters, the new phones take the glass back design that is also in the X — a move that makes them work with wireless charging. But from the front, they’re basically indistinguishable from all of Apple’s phones all the way back to the iPhone 6, which first came out in 2014. The larger bezels are still in place here, as is the home button, something that should make change-averse iPhone users happy. We’re just getting our first look at these phones, but wanted to share these photos immediately. We’ll be updating this post with more photos and impressions soon, so stay tuned!

I realize most people are probably drooling over the iPhone X, but make no mistake: the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus have important jobs to do. They have to keep the lion’s share of the world’s iPhone users happy while Apple gets more experimental with its thousand-dollar phone. After a little bit of playtime, I don’t doubt that people will ultimately enjoy Apple’s conventional new iPhones — they just might be too excited by them.

Developing…

Follow all the latest news from Apple’s iPhone event here!

The new iPhones vs. the iPhone 7: What’s changed?

This year’s iPhone anniversary event has given us not one or two, but three new handsets to ponder over. The iPhone X is the star, offering us an edge-to-edge screen and a new front-facing TrueDepth camera. But we’re still getting a new pair of numbered phones, the 8 and 8 Plus, for those who like to go a little more traditional, so to speak. If you’re currently mulling an upgrade from your 7 or 7 Plus, we’ve made it a little easier by having the new phones face off in two tables — one comparing the 4.7-inch devices and another for their bigger siblings, with the iPhone X making an appearance in both. Of course, specs aren’t everything, so we’ll have a review (or two) for you later this year for all the phones we saw today.

iPhone X
iPhone 8
iPhone 7
Pricing
$999, $1149 (off contract)
$699, $849 (off contract)
$649, $749, $849 (offcontract)
Dimensions
143.6 x 70.9 x 7.7mm (5.65 x 2.79 x 0.30 inches)
138.4 x 67.3 x 7.3mm (5.45 x 2.65 x 0.29 inches)
138.3 x 67.1 x 7.1mm (5.44 x 2.64 x 0.28 inches)
Weight
174g (6.14 ounces)
148g (5.22 ounces)
138g (4.87 ounces)
Screen size
5.8 inches (147.32mm)
4.7 inches (119.38mm)
4.7 inches (119.38mm)
Screen resolution
2,436 x 1,125 (458ppi)
1,334 x 750 (326ppi)
1,334 x 750 (326ppi)
Screen type
Super Retina OLED
Retina HD IPS LCD
Retina HD IPS LCD
Battery
Size not available (up to 21 hours talk time, 12 hours internet)
Size not available (up to 14 hours talk time, 12 hours internet)
1,960mAh
Internal storage
64 / 256 GB
64 / 256 GB
32/128/256GB
External storage
None
None
None
Rear camera
Dual cameras:
Wide-angle, 12MP, f/1.8
Telephoto, 12MP, f/2.4
12MP, f/1.8
12MP, f/1.8
Front-facing cam
7MP TrueDepth, f/2.2
10MP, f/2.2
7MP, f/2.2
Video capture
4K at 60fps
4K at 60fps
4K at 30fps
NFC
Yes
Yes
Yes
Bluetooth
v5.0
v5.0
v4.2
SoC
Apple A11 Bionic
Apple A11 Bionic
Apple A10 Fusion
CPU
Not available
Not available
2.34GHz quad-core
GPU
Not available
Not available
PowerVR Series 7XT GT7600 Plus
RAM
Not available
Not available
2GB
WiFi
Dual band, 802.11ac
Dual band, 802.11ac
Dual band, 802.11ac
Operating system
iOS 11
iOS 11
iOS 10
Notable features
Face ID, new gyroscope and accelerometer, IP67 certified, wireless charging
New gyroscope and accelerometer, IP67 certified, wireless charging
Touch ID, IP67 certified

iPhone X
iPhone 8 Plus
iPhone 7 Plus
Pricing
$999, $1149 (off contract)
$799, $949 (off contract)
$769, $869, $969 (off-contract)
Known dimensions
143.6 x 70.9 x 7.7mm (5.65 x 2.79 x 0.30 inches)
158.4 x 78.1 x 7.5mm (6.24 x 3.07 x 0.30 inches)
158.2 x 77.9 x 7.3mm (6.23 x 3.07 x 0.29 inches)
Weight
174g (6.14 ounces)
202g (7.13 ounces)
188g (6.63 ounces)
Screen size
5.8 inches (147.32mm)
5.5 inches (139.7mm)
5.5 inches (139.7mm)
Screen resolution
2,436 x 1,125 (458ppi)
1,920 x 1,080 (401 ppi)
1,920 x 1,080 (401 ppi)
Screen type
Super Retina OLED
Retina HD IPS LCD
Retina HD IPS LCD
Battery
Size not available (Up to 21 hours talk time, 12 hours internet)
Size not available (Up to 21 hours talk time, 13 hours internet)
2,900mAh
Internal storage
64 / 256 GB
64 GB / 256 GB
32/128/256GB
External storage
None
None
None
Rear camera
Dual cameras:
Wide-angle, 12MP, f/1.8
Telephoto, 12MP, f/2.4
Dual cameras:
Wide-angle, 12MP, f/1.8
Telephoto, 12MP, f/2.8
Dual cameras:
Wide-angle, 12MP, f/1.8
Telephoto, 12MP, f/2.8
Front-facing cam
7MP TrueDepth, f/2.2
7MP f/2.2
7MP, f/2.2
Video capture
4K at 60fps
4K at 60fps
4K at 30fps
NFC
Yes
Yes
Yes
Bluetooth
v5.0
v5.0
v4.2
SoC
Apple A11 Bionic
Apple A11 Bionic
Apple A10 Fusion
CPU
Not available
Not available
2.34GHz quad-core
GPU
Not available
Not available
PowerVR Series 7XT GT7600 Plus
RAM
Not available
Not available
3GB
WiFi
Dual band, 802.11ac
Dual band, 802.11ac
Dual band, 802.11ac
Operating system
iOS 11
iOS 11
iOS 10
Notable features
Face ID, new gyroscope and accelerometer, IP67 certified, wireless charging
New gyroscope and accelerometer, IP67 certified, wireless charging
Touch ID, IP67 certified

Follow all the latest news from Apple’s iPhone event here!

Apple TV’s 4K movie pricing is exactly what the 4K world needs

The Apple TV 4K’s announcement was pretty much everything we expected — after all, it was only a matter of time before Apple moved on from 1080p video with a more powerful set-top box. But there were a few big surprises in tow: Apple says it will upgrade 1080p films that you’ve purchased with 4K/HDR versions at no extra cost. And, moving forward, it won’t be charging a premium for 4K movies, either. Together, these announcements are a big deal.

With the new Apple TV, iTunes shoppers will instantly have a library of 4K films. For most consumers, that’ll be a huge upgrade from owning no 4K movies at all. You’ll get a sharper picture, thanks to those additional pixels, but an even bigger benefit is HDR support with newer films, which adds more realistic lighting. The lower cost will also push more people towards buying 4K releases than they would otherwise. Up until now, you’d have to pay between $25 and $30 to get a 4K film on Vudu. But they’d end up between $15 and $20 on the Apple TV 4K.

That sensible pricing will make a huge difference. 4K is already a tough sell for consumers — even for those who own newer televisions. The big issue with the new format is that 1080p video already looks pretty good. It’s tough to tell the difference with 4K unless you’re sitting very close to a large TV screen. It’s not anywhere near the night and day difference we saw with the jump from DVD to HD. Another plus: Apple will hopefully nudge competitors like Vudu to reduce their prices and offer free 4K upgrades, as well. So even if you’re not an Apple fan, you’ll likely benefit.

With streaming services like Netflix and Amazon Video offering 4K content at a low monthly cost, only serious moviephiles will seek out 4K digital releases. And even then, many will likely hold out for 4K Blu-rays. But who knows how long that physical format will stick around — it already seems dead in the water. A digital movie library might not feel as substantial as having a wall full of disc cases, but it’s where the industry is headed. It’s nice to see that Apple is treating its existing customers well by offering free 4K upgrades.

Of course, Apple’s grand 4K pricing plan will require Hollywood’s cooperation. It’s reportedly been battling with studios, who would prefer to keep 4K releases at a premium. But this is the same company who fought with record labels over digital music prices in the early days of iTunes and the iPod. And it’s not as if movie studios have much of a choice, with digital sales already outpacing discs. If anyone can push Hollywood to accept more reasonable prices, it’s Apple.

Follow all the latest news from Apple’s iPhone event here!

Apple Reveals ‘iPhone 8’ and ‘iPhone 8 Plus’ With Glass Bodies and A11 Bionic Chip

Apple today officially announced the all-new “iPhone 8″ and ‘iPhone 8 Plus.” The iPhones are made from glass, combined with an aluminum frame design, and both come in three colors: Silver, Space Gray, and a new Gold finish

The backs of the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus are made from “the most durable glass ever in a smartphone,” according to Apple, and each one is color-matched to an aerospace-grade aluminum bezel. Both devices are splash, water, and dust resistant to IP67 standards.

The iPhone 8 measures in at 4.7 inches and the iPhone 8 Plus is 5.5 inches, like the past few models of iPhone, and they come with a new Retina HD display with True Tone technology. True Tone adjusts the white balance of the display to match the surrounding light so looking at the iPhone 8 provides a “more natural, paper-like” experience.

“iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus are a new generation of iPhone that improve on everything we love about iPhone,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. “iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus have new glass and aluminum designs, new Retina HD displays and A11 Bionic — the smartest chip ever in a smartphone. Packed with more advanced cameras with Portrait mode and Portrait Lighting, and the highest quality video capture in a smartphone, iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus enable the freedom of wireless charging, all with AR optimization like no phone ever before.”

Apple said that the speakers have been redesigned and are as much as 25 percent louder and deliver deeper bass than the iPhone 7. All of the iPhone 8’s new technology is powered by the A11 Bionic chip, featuring a six-core CPU design with two performance cores and four efficiency cores. A11 Bionic integrates an Apple-designed GPU for “up to 30 percent faster” graphics performance than the A10.

All of these advancements will help boost app performance on the new iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus, particularly including the new ARKit-fueled augmented reality experiences. The A11 Bionic chip handles world tracking, scene recognition, and the GPU enables graphics running at 60fps.

The iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus are each getting a “more advanced” 12-megapixel rear camera, with a faster and larger sensor, new color filter, and deeper pixels. Each smartphone includes Portrait mode with Portrait Lighting, which introduces studio lighting effects to iPhone, letting users change the depth-of-field effect with five different lighting styles.

In terms of video, users can capture 4K video up to 60fps and 1080p, and slo-mo up to 240fps. Thanks to HEIF and HEVC in iOS 11, there will also be room for twice the photos and videos.

The glass backs of the iPhones enable wireless charging on inductive charging pads, and support the Qi ecosystem of accessories. Apple’s own mat is called the “AirPower mat” and it’ll launch sometime in 2018 with the ability and room to charge an iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods simultaneously. Before that, users will be able to purchase mats from Mophie and Belkin to use iPhone 8 inductive charging.

The iPhone 8 will be available in 64GB ($699) and 256GB ($849), while the iPhone 8 Plus will be available in 64GB ($799) and 256GB ($949). Each device will be available to order starting Friday, September 15 and then launch September 22.

Upon launch, the iPhones will be available in the following territories: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, China, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, UAE, the UK, the US, and US Virgin Islands.

Tag: September 2017 event
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Apple Confirms iPhone Wireless Charging Accessories Coming from Mophie, Belkin, and More

Apple today revealed the iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, and iPhone X, all of which will support Qi wireless charging. Although Apple’s own wireless charging accessory won’t be coming out for a while, customers will be able to purchase charging pads from other accessory makers: Mophie, Belkin, Incipio, and more.

The iPhone’s charging is based on the Qi standard, so users will be able to charge their iPhones anywhere they can find a Qi charging pad.

Tag: September 2017 event
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Apple Announces 5.8-inch ‘iPhone X’ With Super Retina OLED Edge-to-Edge Display

Apple announced the iPhone X during its special event at Steve Jobs Theater in Apple Park, Cupertino, today. Apple CEO Tim Cook said the iPhone X was “the future of the smartphone” and will “set the path for technology for the next decade”.

“For more than a decade, our intention has been to create an iPhone that is all display. The iPhone X is the realization of that vision,” said Jony Ive, Apple’s chief design officer. “With the introduction of iPhone ten years ago, we revolutionized the mobile phone with Multi-Touch. iPhone X marks a new era for iPhone — one in which the device disappears into the experience.”

The iPhone X, pronounced “ten”, features a 5.8-inch Super Retina OLED edge-to-edge display with a 2436 x 1125 resolution and 458 pixels per inch, including HDR support in Dolby Vision and HDR10 formats, as well as True Tone technology.

The device uses touch-based gestures to interact with iOS 11 in lieu of a home button, and is powered by a next-generation A11 Bionic neural processor that handles world tracking and scene recognition, backed up by a GPU that enables graphics at 60 frames per second. The handset comprises a glass and stainless steel design, which features a front-facing camera with advanced facial recognition and authentication technology called Face ID.

The Face ID authentication process utilizes the 7-megapixel front-facing TrueDepth camera along with a dot projector, infrared camera, and flood illuminator, in order to accurately map and recognize the user’s face, so that it can be used to authenticate Apple Pay and gain access to secure apps. By combining these technologies, Apple claims that Face ID learns to recognize the user’s face under a variety of conditions, and can’t be fooled by photographs.

There’s also a redesigned, vertically aligned dual-lens TrueDepth 12-megapixel rear camera, featuring Quad-LED True Tone flash with dual optical image stabilization, while Portrait mode with Portrait Lighting on both the front and rear cameras offers dramatic studio lighting effects for creating portraits with a shallow depth-of-field effect in five different lighting styles.

Elsewhere, the iPhone X’s glass back supports wireless inductive charging that works with Qi-certified third-party charging devices, including pads offered by Mophie and Belkin. Apple also gave a sneak peek of AirPower, an Apple-designed wireless charging accessory coming in 2018, which offers an active charging area to simultaneously charge up to three devices, including Apple Watch Series 3 and a new optional wireless charging case for AirPods.

The iPhone X is fast-charge capable, while its surgical steel band is said to enhance its water and dust resistance at a microscopic level. The handset will be available in space gray and silver colors.

The iPhone X also supports new animated emoji, or “Animoji”, thanks to the phone’s new 3D sensing capability, enabling users to create custom 3D animated emoji based on facial expressions picked up by the camera. The new A11 Bionic chip is also tuned for augmented reality experiences made using Apple’s ARKit software framework.

The iPhone X comes in 64GB and 256GB storage capacities, costing $999 and $1149, respectively. The iPhone X will be available to pre-order from October 27 and will ship on November 3.

Related Roundups: iPhone 8, iPhone X
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Apple Seeds iOS 11 Golden Master to Developers Ahead of September 19 Public Launch

Apple today seeded the golden master (GM) version of iOS 11 to developers. The golden master represents the final version of iOS 11 that will be released to the public, and it comes after a beta testing period that saw Apple release a record 10 betas.

Registered developers can download the iOS 11 golden master from the Apple Developer Center or over-the-air once the proper configuration profile has been installed.

iOS 11 is a major update to the operating system designed for the iPhone and the iPad. It introduces several new design changes like a customizable Control Center and a reimagined Lock screen that’s been merged with the Notification Center, along with smaller tweaks like bolder fonts, redesigned app icons for major apps, and a revamped App Store.

Peer-to-peer Apple Pay payments are coming in the Messages app, a Do Not Disturb While Driving feature is designed to help drivers stay focused on the road, and Siri has been enhanced with a new more natural voice, cross-device syncing, and the ability to learn more about each user’s habits.

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Photos includes new editing options for Live Photos, the Camera app offers optical image stabilization for Portrait Mode, Apple Music lets you follow friends, Maps features indoor mapping and lane guidance, and Notes has a new Document Scanner and handwriting recognition.

ARKit for developers brings a range of new augmented reality apps and games to iOS devices, and a new Core ML SDK lets developers build smarter apps. iOS 11 is also the biggest update ever for the iPad, with a new Dock that introduces much improved multitasking, a Files app for better managing files, improved Apple Pencil support, a revamped App Switcher, and a system-wide drag and drop feature.

iOS 11 will be released to the public on Tuesday, September 19, three days ahead of the official launch date of the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus.

For more details on all of the new features included in iOS 11, make sure to check out our iOS 11 roundup.

Related Roundup: iOS 11
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Apple Unveils ‘AirPower’ Multi-Device Wireless Charging Accessory Coming Next Year

At its iPhone-centric event that saw the unveiling of the new iPhone X and iPhone 8 equipped with Qi wireless charging capabilities, Apple announced a new wireless charging accessory called “AirPower.”

Designed as a simple oval-shaped white charging mat, AirPower is able to charge the iPhone X and the iPhone 8 inductively. It also works with the Apple Watch Series 3 models and a new AirPods charging case that was briefly mentioned during the keynote.

The new AirPods charging case is identical to the current case, with the exception of a new indicator light located on the outside of the body and the wireless charging capabilities.

In addition to being able to charge through Apple’s AirPower charging mat, the new iPhone X and the iPhone 8 will also be able to charge using Qi-based charging accessories. Apple will partner with companies like Mophie and Belkin to create iPhone-specific accessories, but all Qi chargers should work as event videos showed the iPhone charging in cafes and other locations.

According to Apple, its AirPower charging mat uses a new kind of charging standard that is able to support multiple devices at once, so it won’t be immediately available.

Apple plans to ship the AirPower in 2018, but a more specific launch date hasn’t been announced. Pricing is alwo unknown at this time.

Tags: wireless charging, Qi, AirPower
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Apple Seeds tvOS 11 Golden Master to Developers

Apple today seeded the golden master (GM) version of tvOS 11 to developers following a beta testing period that saw the company release 10 tvOS 11 betas. The golden master represents the final version of tvOS 11 that will be released to the public on Tuesday, September 19.

Registered developers can download the tvOS 11 update by connecting the Apple TV to a computer with a USB-C cable and installing a beta profile using iTunes. Once the profile is in place, new beta updates are available over the air.

tvOS 11 is a modest update that has not received a lot of attention from Apple. It brings automatic switching between light/dark mode based on local time, Home screen syncing options that keep multiple Apple TVs in a household in sync, new background modes and notification support, Focus API improvements, custom sound support, network-based pairing and development support, improvements to Mobile Device Management, and other small changes.

Related Roundups: Apple TV, tvOS 10
Buyer’s Guide: Apple TV (Don’t Buy)
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