Apple Celebrates Launch of iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, and Apple Watch Series 3

As it traditionally does on product launch days, Apple today has celebrated the launch of the new iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, and Apple Watch Series 3 by sharing a few images of customers around the world buying and trying out the devices for the first time.

The new iPhone and Apple Watch models went on sale (or will soon go on sale) at 8 a.m. local time around the world today, and Apple posted pictures of customers purchasing the devices at Apple Stores in London, Singapore, Taipei, and Sydney.

Apple Orchard Road, Singapore
The iPhone 8 and 8 Plus are Apple’s latest smartphones, with a glass back design, inductive wireless charging, Retina HD displays, faster A11 Bionic chips, and advanced augmented reality capabilities.

Although the new iPhone 8 and 8 Plus launched first in countries like New Zealand, Australia, Japan, and China, a Reuters report last night referenced “a bleak turnout” for the smartphones. Fewer than 30 people were said to have lined up outside of the Sydney Apple Store on George Street, in comparison to the hundreds who typically show up for an iPhone launch. Most Apple customers are likely waiting for the iPhone X, coming November 3.

Apple Taipei 101
Since the devices launched in other countries, the first sets of unboxing, speed test, and durability videos have been posted online. The iPhone 8 is said to be as resistant to scratches as the iPhone 7, but it emerged from a bend test with higher marks than the previous generation iPhone models.

Apple Regent Street, London
For the Apple Watch Series 3 Apple has made improvements to the wearable’s health and fitness metrics, improving heart rate sensing and enhancing a few user interface elements in watchOS 4 to make it easier to sync to gym equipment and be warned of an elevated heart rate. Series 3 models also include faster dual-core processors and LTE connections in cellular models, letting users stream Apple Music, send texts, and more without needing their iPhone nearby.

Apple Sydney
Apple also launched the Apple TV 4K today, which introduces the ability to view 4K HDR content on Apple’s set-top box. The company confirmed yesterday that the new 4K content on iTunes is limited to streaming only, and can’t be downloaded directly to the Apple TV to view offline, so only HD quality versions of films and below can be downloaded.

For more information on all of the new Apple products launching today, be sure to check out our roundups for each of the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus, Apple Watch Series 3, and fifth-generation Apple TV 4K.

Related Roundups: Apple Watch, watchOS 4, iPhone 8
Buyer’s Guide: Apple Watch (Buy Now), iPhone (Buy Now)
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T-Mobile and Sprint ‘Close’ to Finalizing Merger Deal, John Legere Said to Lead Combined Company

T-Mobile and Sprint are said to be “close to agreeing” to terms regarding a deal that would merge the third and fourth largest United States wireless carriers together. People close to the deal told Reuters that Sprint parent company SoftBank would own 40 to 50 percent of the combined company, while T-Mobile parent company Deutsche Telekom will gain the majority stake.

The terms of the deal are expected to be finalized by the end of October, “though talks may still fall through,” the two sources said. Previously, U.S. antitrust officials told Sprint that a merger with another wireless carrier would face intense scrutiny because having four major carriers in the U.S. was important to maintaining a competitive market. During those talks a few years ago the situation of the companies was reversed — since T-Mobile had yet to gain in popularity — with Sprint seeking to acquire T-Mobile for more than $20 billion.

Now, those concerns are said to come into play again with regulatory scrutiny expected to face any deal between Sprint and T-Mobile “over concerns that the U.S. wireless market is becoming too concentrated.”

T-Mobile US Inc is close to agreeing tentative terms on a deal to merge with peer Sprint Corp, people familiar with the matter said, a major breakthrough in efforts to merge the third and fourth largest U.S. wireless carriers.

Once terms are finalized, due diligence by the two companies will follow and a deal is expected by the end of October, though talks may still fall through, the sources said.

If the merger happens, the resulting company would have revenues topping $70 billion and more than 130 million subscribers, falling in line behind the two other major U.S. carriers — Verizon and AT&T — in terms of subscribers.

The combined company would be led by T-Mobile CEO John Legere, according to the sources, thanks to T-Mobile outperforming Sprint under his leadership. The new company would also undertake a “massive” effort to cut costs early on.

Tags: Sprint, T-Mobile
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DxO Labs Says iPhone 8 Plus Has Best Smartphone Camera They’ve Ever Tested

DxO Labs has declared the iPhone 8 Plus has the best smartphone camera it has ever tested in a new in-depth review.

iPhone 8 Plus set a new record with an overall DxOMark Mobile score of 94, two points higher than its smaller iPhone 8 sibling. iPhone 8 Plus also topped the Google Pixel and HTC U11, which both scored 90 points, as well as last year’s iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus which scored 88 and 85 points respectively.

DxO said iPhone 8 models do a better job of capturing HDR scenes. In the comparison below, it found the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus offer better detail preservation and overall exposure than the iPhone 7 Plus. The performance matches that of the Google Pixel, which was released nearly one year ago.

In low light, DxO said the iPhone 8 Plus camera’s exposures are generally accurate, with some underexposure in very low light.

iPhone 8 Plus
DxO said the iPhone 8 Plus is the highest-performing smartphone camera it tested in relation to the bokeh effect, which makes the subject in the foreground sharp while creating an out-of-focus blur in the background.

iPhone 8 Plus
Google Pixel
DxO said the iPhone 8 Plus improves slightly over the iPhone 8 in its color performance by completely avoiding visible color shading, even in low light.

DxO said, overall, the iPhone 8 Plus is an “excellent choice” for the needs of “nearly every smartphone photographer.”

It features outstanding image quality, zoom for those needing to get closer to their subjects, and an industry-leading Portrait mode for artistic efforts. It is at the top of our scoring charts in nearly every category — and in particular, its advanced software allows it to do an amazing job of capturing high-dynamic range scenes and images in which it can recognize faces.

DxO says it has analyzed the image and video quality of over 10,000 cameras, lenses, and mobile phones, and its tests are generally respected within the industry. The company also sells some consumer-facing products like the DxO ONE camera, which can be plugged into an iPhone’s Lightning connector.

The full review is a worthwhile read for additional photos and analysis of the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus cameras.

Related Roundup: iPhone 8
Tag: DxOMark
Buyer’s Guide: iPhone (Buy Now)
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Texting-and-driving documentary highlights our smartphone addiction

Why it matters to you

The film may be a wake-up call for some drivers who still find it hard to ignore their phone when they’re behind the wheel.

“I don’t even realize half the time how much I actually use my phone [while driving], it kind of just happens … I’m lucky that I haven’t had an accident yet.” So says one of the subjects in a new documentary featuring five Australians in Melbourne hooked on their smartphones to such an extent that “common sense and self-preservation” go out of the window.

Directed by award-winning filmmaker Eva Orner, It’s People Like Us features plenty of terrifying footage of guys and gals using their smartphone behind the wheel, despite each one of them acknowledging the dangers posed by such behavior.

“I know it’s not safe but I still feel like I’m not going to have a crash,” one of the subjects says in the just-released film.

The release of the short comes as Australia’s Transport Accident Commission released data showing that half of drivers aged between 18 and 30 in the Australian state of Victoria check their handset immediately when they receive a message while motoring along.

Orner said that with smartphone users checking their devices an average of 150 times a day, “phone attachment has become ingrained in our everyday lives.”

She continues, “We haven’t established boundaries on when and where it’s OK to use our phones, resulting in a profound impact on our behaviour, our relationships, and our personal health and safety.”

The filmmaker says she hopes the documentary will “get each and every one of us to think about how we use our phones in everyday life, question how they have become an extension of ourselves, and inspire change and self-regulation.”

Toward the end of the film, one of the subjects says: “I’m very sure one day I’m going to be checking my phone at the lights thinking it’s all good and an undercover cop car is going to pull me up and I’m going to be caught red-handed … I know it’s going to happen.” Of course, the fact that she’s gone on in front of a camera to admit her dodgy driving behavior should make it a little easier for cops to catch her in the act.

“Their argument is that they’re only using it at the lights but the problem is their attention is all centered on the phone,” one of the officers says in the documentary. “The light goes green, they’re still looking at it when they’re driving forward; you could get a pet run across, you could get a bike coming in the way. It may not be your fault because you’ve got a green light, but you’ve got to live with the fact that you’ve killed someone, it’s as simple as that.”

You can watch It’s People Like Us on YouTube.

The Morning After: Friday, September 22nd 2017

It’s officially iPhone 8 day: Apple’s newest devices go on sale in stores and start to reach new owners. (Pro tip: To reset the iPhone 8, you have to press volume up, volume down, then hold the power switch for what feels like far too long.) It’s not all iPhone, though. Read on.

No Atmos.
Apple TV 4K hands-on

The Ultra HD Apple TV is here, and it’s everything Devindra Hardawar could ask for. Dolby Vision and HDR10 support are present and accounted for, while the remote has a subtle tweak to help users know if they’re holding it the right way. We’ll have a full review for you next week, but enjoy this taste if you’re waiting to find an accessory for your new 4K TV.

Hail to the king.
Original Xbox’s ‘Duke’ controller is returning for current platforms

Xbox designer Seamus Blackley has been building a near-perfect recreation of the 17-year-old Duke controller for peripheral company Hyperkin. We don’t have a price or release date yet, but gamers with super-sized paws should keep an eye out for the return of a classic.

Maybe a Model 3 is the one for you.
Tesla will discontinue its most affordable Model SOn Sunday, Tesla’s vehicle lineup will be smaller by one as it discontinues its cheapest Model S option, the Model S 75. That means the all-wheel-drive version — the 75D — will take its place as the low-end Model S sedan, currently listed at a starting price of $74,500.

On Sunday, Tesla’s vehicle lineup will be smaller by one as it discontinues its cheapest Model S option, the Model S 75. That means the all-wheel-drive version — the 75D — will take its place as the low-end Model S sedan, currently listed at a starting price of $74,500.

Researchers claim it’s the closest artificial material equivalent to a natural muscle.

Synthetic muscle breakthrough could lead to ‘lifelike’ robots

A breakthrough in soft robotics means scientists are now one step closer to creating lifelike machines. Researchers at Columbia Engineering have developed a 3D printed synthetic tissue that can act as active muscle. The material, which can push, pull, bend, and twist (thanks to its use of silicone rubber and ethanol-dispensing micro-bubbles) is also capable of carrying 1,000 times its own weight. Finally: Soft robots will be able to actually do things.

I’m not sure who will buy it.

Royole’s ‘personal cinema’ headset carries a heavy premium

The personal cinema: A head-mounted display that lets you immerse yourself in a movie, blocking out the distractions of modern life. No matter if you’re on a plane or train, you can pretend that you have your very own screening room. The latest entrant into that world is Royole, a company that doesn’t have a storied history in consumer devices. It hopes to use its know-how to out-do rival headsets, like Avegant and Sony, which have both offered similar hardware in the past. But is a headset really the future of cinema?

Lots of space gym.
How Peggy Whitson stayed in shape aboard the ISS

Space is no place for battles of the bulge. That’s why NASA insists on getting its astronauts into peak physical condition before sending them offworld. But aboard the ISS, in a living space the size of a football field, the human body will readily go to pot. So how did Peggy Whitson, the longest-orbiting astronaut in American history, manage an astonishing nine and a half months in microgravity without having her body and mind atrophy? She hit the astronaut gym.

But wait, there’s more…

• ‘Doom’ for the Nintendo Switch feels exactly like it’s supposed to
• Netflix adds HDR support for iPhone 8, iPhone X, and iPad Pro
• What if the Google-HTC deal is actually about voice assistants?
• Mercedes is building smarter headlights for its cars of the future
• NVIDIA drops the basic Shield TV’s price to $180

Uber just lost its London taxi license

In a surprise announcement today, Transport for London (TfL) has confirmed that it will not reissue Uber’s private hire licence within the city. In a statement, the regulator said that the company’s operations were not “fit and proper” and that has just a week (until September 30th) until its licence runs out. Uber will appeal the decision, which will allow its drivers to stay on the road until a final ruling is passed.

According to Transport for London, Uber’s policies regarding the reporting of serious criminal offences, how it obtains medical certificates and performs driver checks did not meet its standards. It also noted Uber’s use of its “Greyball” software, which allowed the company to evade authorities all over the world by tagging known officials and serving up dummy versions of the app that were populated with ghost cars.

“3.5 million Londoners who use our app, and more than 40,000 licensed drivers who rely on Uber to make a living, will be astounded by this decision,” said Tom Elvidge, General Manager of Uber in London. “By wanting to ban our app from the capital Transport for London and the Mayor have caved in to a small number of people who want to restrict consumer choice. If this decision stands, it will put more than 40,000 licensed drivers out of work and deprive Londoners of a convenient and affordable form of transport.”

Uber denies TfL’s claim that the company utilised Greyball in London: “We have always followed TfL rules on reporting serious incidents and have a dedicated team who work closely with the Metropolitan Police. As we have already told TfL, an independent review has found that ‘greyball’ has never been used or considered in the UK for the purposes cited by TfL.”

“Drivers who use Uber are licensed by Transport for London and have been through the same enhanced DBS background checks as black cab drivers. Our pioneering technology has gone further to enhance safety with every trip tracked and recorded by GPS,” Eldridge added. “Uber operates in more than 600 cities around the world, including more than 40 towns and cities here in the UK. This ban would show the world that, far from being open, London is closed to innovative companies who bring choice to consumers.”

The decision comes after officials decided to extend Uber’s licence by just four months back in May. It wanted time to decide whether Uber warranted another five year extension as it faced criticism from politicians and established taxi trades. At the same time, it also proposed a significant hike in operator fees for private hire companies, like Uber, across the capital.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan supports TfL’s decision, stating that any private hire company operating in London “needs to play by the rules”:

Providing an innovative service must not be at the expense of Londoners safety. My response to @TfL’s Uber decision. https://t.co/iEUal9VLU3 pic.twitter.com/B9V0mEKrWr

— Sadiq Khan (@SadiqKhan) September 22, 2017

Uber considers its 40,000+ drivers as independent contractors, not employees. Its drivers disagree. With help from the GMB union, they won an employment tribunal case in October 2016 that made them entitled to holiday pay, paid rest breaks and the National Minimum Wage. In recent months, the company attempted to silence its critics by partnering with the Association of Independent Professionals and the Self Employed (IPSE) to offer sickness and injury cover, jury cover and occupational accident cover.

Uber’s rivals are delighted at the news. Some have gone as far to celebrate by slashing the cost of their own services:

50% off fares now, we are undercutting UberX on the news that they are not fit and proper to operate. Discount applied automatically.

— mytaxi uk (@mytaxiuk) September 22, 2017

For now, Uber will continue to operate within the capital. As per the Private Hire Vehicles (London) Act 1998, companies have the right to appeal a decision within 21 days. Uber noted in its statement that it will fight TfL in the courts, which would enable drivers to operate in London until a final judgement is passed, which could be many months away.

Instagram apologizes after a rape threat is reposted as an ad

Facebook’s algorithms have embarrassed the social network once again, this time by highlighting an example of harassment as an advertisement. The Guardian reporter Olivia Solon posted an offensive and threatening message she received to Instagram. On the Facebook side, some system decided it showed engagement and used a screenshot of the message reading “”Olivia, you fucking bitch!!!!!!!” and “I Will Rape You” as an advertisement in an attempt to lure more of her friends to Instagram.

Recently, its algorithms have allowed advertisers to target users based on their anti-Semitism, it’s blacklisted posts attempting to expose ongoing ethnic cleansing and moderators reported they were not prepared to screen for Russian propaganda during the election. In this case, Solon apparently posted the screenshot last year, and it’s unclear why it popped up now. A spokesperson for Instagram apologized, saying “This notification post was surfaced as part of an effort to encourage engagement on Instagram. Posts are generally received by a small percentage of a person’s Facebook friends.”

Repeatedly, the company seems to implement systems without considering or accounting for negative implications. Blaming automated systems for an occasional issue is one thing, but we haven’t seen the evidence that the people managing those systems understand their users or the world they operate in.

Instagram is using one of my most “engaging” posts to advertise its service to others on Facebook 😂 pic.twitter.com/lyEBHQXMfa

— Olivia Solon (@oliviasolon) September 21, 2017

Source: The Guardian, Olivia Solon (Twitter)

There’s something called ‘Enhanced HD Voice’ and EE supports it

Most weirdos people that actually use their smartphones to make calls will be aware of the eerily crisp connections of HD Voice. All major carriers in the UK support the standard at this point, which is technically known as Voice over LTE (VoLTE), since 4G frequencies are responsible for the improved call clarity. But apparently, there’s something better. It’s called Enhanced HD Voice, and EE is today boasting it’s the first network in the UK to support it.

EE isn’t just making this up — providers in other parts of the world already support Enhanced HD Voice, also known as Enhanced Voice Services. The upgrade from HD Voice promises not only to improve call quality, but also reliability. Naturally, it’ll only be available when a 4G or WiFi connection is, but there’s another catch. For now, it only works on the new iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus, which just happen to launch in the UK today.

Source: EE

Facebook will show ads based on the stores you visit in real life

Some things you do in real life will now have influence on the Facebook ads you see. The social network has introduced new tools for its advertisers that rely on your location and the activities you do on your phone. If you’ve given the Facebook app permission to track your whereabouts, it’ll allow select businesses to target you if you’ve recently been to one of their brick-and-mortar locations. Say, you visit Dick’s Sporting Goods, one of the company’s partner businesses — don’t freak out when you see its ads on your page.

At the same time, your friend who’s sitting at home can get an ad meant for new customers that you won’t see if you’ve been to one of that certain business’ stores. Since Facebook is giving thousands of businesses across the globe access to people’s store visit data, you might encounter the behavior even while abroad. You might also come across advertisements for companies you’ve recently interacted with in the real world. Real estate firms could, for instance, show you their latest listings if you called them up.

Facebook’s ad network has been center of controversy these past few weeks. Earlier this month, the social network revealed that Russian-related accounts purchased at least $100,000 worth of ads pointing to fake news pages that operate out of Russia. More recently, a ProPublica investigation found that its ad network allowed advertisers to target anti-Semites. These new features sound a lot tamer by comparison, but you can always switch off Facebook’s location tracking to minimize their effects if they feel a bit too stalkerish for comfort.

Via: CNET

Source: Facebook

Google pays tribute to ‘West Side Story’ with VR pics and video

Audiences first got the chance to witness Tony’s and Maria’s tragic love story in Broadway 60 years ago. To pay tribute to the Romeo-and-Juliet-like romance, Google Arts and Culture has launched a virtual museum packed with the history behind West Side Side Story. It offers behind-the-scenes photos of the movie and original production, along with images of various productions over the years and of one of the latest renditions. You might also want to drop by the website on a VR headset if you want to visit iconic locations that inspired the musical’s sets through panoramic images or to watch Riff’s Get Cool, Boy number as a 360-degree video.

The museum also has something for those who want to go deeper than images and videos that make you want to sing Tonight. Since it tells the story of a local New Yorker falling in love with a Puerto Rican immigrant, it has essays and editorials you can read on how the musical tackled immigration, civil rights and racial stereotypes, as well as how it was seen as a “plea for racial tolerance.” You can find them all on Google’s West Side Story portal or on the Google Arts and Culture app for iOS and Android.

Source: Google