Qualcomm files new suit against Apple for breach of contract

Just a couple of days after a report that Apple is designing its mobile devices without Qualcomm technology, the chipmaker has filed another suit against Apple. According to a report at Bloomberg, the chipmaker is suing Apple for breach of contract around a reported failure to comply with the terms of a software license and allegedly sharing proprietary information with a competitor.

Apple fired the first salvo in the prolonged legal battle this past January when it filed suit over what it claimed were unfair royalties required by Qualcomm. The chipmaker was also sued right after by the FTC over alleged monopolistic and exclusionary business practices. For its part, Qualcomm sued Apple earlier this month in China, requesting a sales and manufacturing ban on iPhones.

According to Bloomberg, the new suit alleges that Apple refuses to allow Qualcomm to audit Apple’s handling of the chipmaker’s proprietary software, something the company says is in the current contract. In addition, says Qualcomm, Apple requested proprietary information from Qualcomm and included an engineer from a competitor (read, Intel) in the email distribution list. The chipmaker also says that an Apple engineer who was working with a competitor (still probably Intel) requested protected information about data download tech.

Bloomberg reports that the loss of Apple’s business could cut Qualcomm’s revenue by 7.5 percent. It’s hard not to see the suit as a last-ditch attempt by Qualcomm to recoup potential future losses if Apple decides to use other competitor’s chipsets in upcoming iOS devices.

Source: Bloomberg

BenQ’s 4K HDR monitor for graphics pros has a glare hood

It’s easy and cheap to go buy yourself a 4K HDR TV with billions of colors these days, so why the heck is it so hard to find a PC monitor that can do the same? Benq’s latest professional monitor, the SW271, shows how the economics of the PC business has a lot to do with it. The 27-inch, 4K monitor can accurately render 10-bit, HDR images for professionals working on photos, video or graphics, and is actually pretty cheap in its category at $1,100.

The BenQ SW271 offers HDR10 support, with 99 percent Adobe RGB and 93 percent DCI-P3 coverage, some of the highest numbers for those color accuracy standards. Its AQCOLOR tech provides fine control over calibration settings and it comes with Technicolor certification, meeting Hollywood standards for film productions.

You can tune it using Benq’s Palette software and color calibration hardware from X-Rite, Datacolor Spider and others. There’s even a hotkey “puck” to access commonly used settings and, of course, a glare hood to reduce room light interference that can affect your perception of colors.

Most streaming companies, including Amazon Prime and Netflix, offer both 10-bits of color and HDR. 4K Ultra HD Blu-Rays also offer HDR and 10-bit for the best possible image, and thanks to the PlayStation Pro and XBox One X, 4K HDR games are also becoming the norm.

However, 10-bit (“deep color) monitors with a billion colors or so still aren’t very common. The best you can hope for at a reasonable price is 8-bit+FRC, which dithers colors to approximate 10-bit resolution. Such screens, however, aren’t as smooth as true 10-bit screens when rendering fine gradients or transitions between colors and shades. HDR, meanwhile, lets you see more detail in the lightest and darkest parts of an image.

The reason for this lack of availability is the economics of the PC business. Because there is still money to be made in high-end graphics, most monitor makers aren’t really interested in selling screens with similar specs to gamers or streaming video watchers. That situation isn’t likely to change in the near future, either, given that the most profitable PC clients are businesses, VFX companies, professional photographers and the like. The BenQ SW271 is now available in the US for $1,100.

Via: DP Review

Source: BenQ

OnePlus confirms the 5T will keep the headphone jack

While the headphone jack on smartphones isn’t an endangered species just yet, it’s clearly falling out of favor — and that’s bound to make you nervous if you don’t want to live the dongle lifestyle. You won’t have that problem with the OnePlus 5T, at least. OnePlus has not only confirmed that the 5T is coming, but is boasting that its upcoming handset will keep the 3.5mm port that so many hold dear. It cites both usage habits (almost 80 percent of OnePlus users rely on 3.5mm headphones) and its own analysis. It didn’t see much benefit from asking people to plug in to the USB-C port, so why remove it?

This is undoubtedly a publicity grab. And of course, phone manufacturers have a habit of celebrating legacy features only to pull them later. Remember how Google touted the original Pixel phone line’s headphone jacks, only to take them away for the Pixel 2? Although OnePlus’ reputation is built on responding to customer input, we wouldn’t interpret this as a promise that the headphone jack will stick around forever. Just take comfort in knowing that you won’t have to forego that familiar plug to get a modern Android smartphone… at least, not for a while.

Via: 9to5Google

Source: OnePlus, Twitter (1), (2)

iPhone, Mac and iPad sales all increased this quarter

One day before Apple’s most important product launch in years, the company has released its quarterly earnings info. As usual, Apple’s fiscal Q4 doesn’t contain a full three months of iPhone sales, so it’s hard to tell how the launch of the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus affected the company, let alone the iPhone X. But, the company did manage to sell 46.7 million iPhones in the last three months, good for a slight 2.6 percent growth compared to a year ago.

iPhones weren’t the only hardware Apple released in the last quarter, though — in fact, most of the company’s product line got a pretty big shake-up. The combo of new iPad Pro models alongside the inexpensive but excellent standard iPad led to 10.3 million tablets sold for Apple, up 11 percent year-over-year. This marks the second consecutive quarter of iPad growth after years of slipping sales. Updated MacBook Pro models helped move 5.3 million Macs, up 10 percent from a year ago. Across the board, it’s a strong quarter for all of Apple’s major product categories.

Apple’s services business continues to be the second-strongest part of the company, however. This quarter, the company made $8.5 billion in services revenue, up 34 percent from a year ago. On today’s call with investors, CFO Luca Maestri noted that the services revenue included a one-time $640 million adjustment in Apple’s favor; excluding that, services were still up 24 percent. He mentioned a few highlights, as well: Apple Music subscriptions are up a whopping 75 percent year-over-year, App Store revenue set a new all-time record, and iCloud continues to grow in the “strong double-digits” range. Between those three, the company’s services business is becoming a juggernaut.

Surprisingly, that’s not the fastest-growing category for Apple — that would be the “other products” category that includes hardware like the Apple Watch, AirPods and Apple TV. Revenue hit $3.23 billion in the last quarter, up 36 percent year-over-year. It’s the smallest revenue category for Apple, so it’s easier to make big percentage gains in that fashion, but it does point to strength in the company’s smaller products. If only we’d get Apple Watch or Apple TV sales numbers.

This strong performance led to total revenue of $52.6 billion, up 12 percent from one year ago; net income of $10.7 billion was likewise up 19 percent year-over-year. In a quarter that’s typically the calm before the holiday storm, Apple has to be happy with these results.

Source: Apple

The US government may take away the $7,500 tax credit for EVs

If you were hoping to take advantage of the federal government’s $7,500 tax credit for buying an electric vehicle, you may soon be out of luck. According to a report at Bloomberg, the provisions in the US tax code may be eliminated in the current round of tax cut efforts. If so, it could affect the entire nascent industry by not supporting EV sales at a federal level.

Bloomberg notes that eleven states, including California and New York, offer credits and rebates to help drive interest in the new technology, but the larger federal tax credit for electric cars serves as a bigger incentive for Americans to buy them; the credit phases out after a manufacturer sells 200,000 cars.

Bloomberg also reports that Tesla could be the first company to hit that limit, though GM and Nissan have sold quite a few electric autos as well. The credit doesn’t simply disappear, of course, but each new buyer will get a successively smaller credit after the limit is reached.

Still, keeping the larger federal tax credit can only help car buyers choose electric vehicles for their next auto purchase. “Right now the EV market isn’t driven by natural demand,” CarLab president Eric Noble told Bloomberg. “If you remove the tax credit, then either the manufacturer eats it or sells fewer vehicles.”

A GM spokesperson reached out to Engadget via email to share the automaker’s perspective. “Tax credits are an important customer benefit that can help accelerate the acceptance of electric vehicles,” they said. “Because General Motors believes in an all-electric future, we will work with Congress to explore ways to maintain this incentive.”

Via: Technology Review

Source: Bloomberg

CBS is bringing back ‘The Twilight Zone’ on All Access

During a call to discuss CBS’ most recent quarterly earnings, CEO Les Moonves announced the network is planning a new version of The Twilight Zone for its streaming All Access service. It’s already launched (and renewed) Star Trek Discovery to pull in subscribers, and is ready to lean on another established name to add value on top of new series like its Will Ferrell comedy No Activity that is launching this month. It’s a sign of how much things have changed since the days when CBS simply licensed back episodes to Netflix, and now it’s relaunching the series in a move that competes with Netflix’s award-winning show Black Mirror that draws inspiration from Twilight Zone.

Also, while currently a show like Star Trek Discovery is distributed outside the US and Canada by Netflix, Moonves also revealed that CBS All Access will be available internationally in the future. Separately, CBS revealed the name of its new streaming sports network, CBS Sports HQ. The first two employees named are Chris Hassell and Danny Kannell.

Helping to explain CBS’ growing interest in building up streaming, Moonves repeatedly stated that the economics there favor his company even as cord-cutting grows. He said “At CBS, when a consumer switches from a traditional to a skinny bundle, we get double the fees.”

$CBS Moonves: “All Access will be the home of a new version of one of the most iconic television shows of all time – The Twilight Zone”

— CBS IR (@CBSInvestors) November 2, 2017

Source: CBS

Wirecutter’s best deals: Save 20 percent on a Kwikset Kevo Smart Lock

This post was done in partnership with Wirecutter, reviews for the real world. When readers choose to buy Wirecutter’s independently chosen editorial picks, it may earn affiliate commissions that support its work. Read their continuously updated list of deals here.

You may have already seen Engadget posting reviews from our friends at Wirecutter. Now, from time to time, we’ll also be publishing their recommended deals on some of their top picks. Read on, and strike while the iron is hot — some of these sales could expire mighty soon.

Shure MV5 USB Microphone

Street Price: $99; Deal Price: $79

This is a rare drop on the Shure MV5, our runner-up USB microphone pick. Usually nearly $100, it has remained stubbornly around that price for as long as we’ve been monitoring it. At $79, this is the lowest price we’ve seen for this mic. The price is available for the gray with black foam (pictured) and the black with red foam colors. This looks to be a holiday promotion, so we wouldn’t be surprised to see it stick around awhile, but there’s no telling whether stock will, so pick one up early.

The Shure MV5 is our smaller, more portable runner-up pick in our guide to the best USB microphone. Kevin Purdy and Lauren Dragan wrote, “Perhaps the greatest downsides to the Yeti are its weight and tricky-to-assemble base; it’s best for keeping near your computer, and it’s not backpack-friendly. The Shure MV5 is the opposite. It weighs just over one pound fully assembled, its ball-shaped head can be unscrewed from its small base, and it can plug directly into an iPhone, iPad, or Android device. But what really makes the MV5 worth considering is its sound. When using the “voice” preset, its audio samples received a second-place ranking from all four experts (working blind to each other’s results), and a tie for third place from Wirecutter staffers. If the Yeti is sold out or you want to spend a little less and save some room on your desk, the MV5 is a fine single-voice runner-up to the Yeti, although you’ll have to figure out how to get it at your own personal speaking height.”

Honeywell HCM-350 Germ Free Cool Mist Humidifier

Street Price: $60; Deal Price: $53

If you’re looking for a humidifier to get you through the winter months, the Honeywell HCM-350 is a great option. At $53, while not the lowest price we’ve seen for it, it’s at the lowest price we’ve seen in around six months. Grab one while you can, as recent pricing has been significantly higher.

The Honeywell HCM-350 Germ Free Cool Mist Humidifier is our top pick in our guide to the best humidifier. John Holecek and Tim Heffernan wrote, “The Honeywell’s evaporative technology (as opposed to ultrasonic or warm mist), avoids problems common to the other methods, like overhumidification, pools of condensed water around the base, and white mineral dust building up on nearby surfaces. The HCM-350 Germ Free Cool Mist Humidifier is easier to keep clean than nearly every other humidifier we’ve tested, because every part that touches water is free of electronic components and lacks the sharp angles that harbor buildup. And the HCM-350 is the only humidifier we’ve found that has a seamless, molded reservoir, which eliminates a problem common in inferior models: leaks. Evaporative humidifiers like this are not the most powerful type, but in less than two hours, the Honeywell reaches and maintains a comfortable level of humidity in a room up to about 400 square feet.”

Aukey Mohawk Drone

Street Price: $65; Deal Price: $50 w/ code AUKDRONE

This is the first deal we’ve posted from our new guide on best drones under $100, and is a nice drop in price on the Aukey Mohawk. While there have been lightning deals for less in the past, this is still one of the better prices we’ve seen, matching the low from last year. Make sure to use code: AUKDRONE in order to get the extra $16 off.

The Aukey Mohawk is our experienced pilot pick in our guide to the best drones under $100. Signe Brewster wrote, “If you’ll accept a more difficult learning curve in exchange for faster flying, or if you’re already a capable drone pilot, the Aukey Mohawk might be the right drone for you. In our tests, it responded nimbly to flight controls, performing the best of the larger drones we flew through our obstacle course. It also has a few autonomous features, such as returning to home and flipping.”

Kwikset Kevo Smart Lock 2nd Gen

Street Price: $230; Deal Price: $182 w/ code 20KEVO2

For the entire month of November, Amazon is running a 20 percent promotion on these Kwikset Kevo smart locks. While this isn’t the lowest price we’ve seen, it’s a big $50 drop from the normal street price of $230 and a great deal. Available bronze, brass, and nickel finishes, this deal should automatically apply and show the discount during checkout. If you don’t see a deal price of around $182, use code 20KEVO2 in order to get the 20% off promotion.

The Kwikset Kevo Smart Lock 2nd Gen is our top pick in our guide to the best smart locks. Jon Chase wrote, “Kevo’s Bluetooth-based close-range authentication system is also more secure than the geofence-based auto-unlocking features employed by many locks, which proved unreliable in our testing. The fact that you can control the Kevo with a standard key, a wireless key fob, or a smartphone app also makes it the most versatile option we’ve ever tested. The Kevo app makes it easy to administer the lock and share eKeys, which allow guests to lock and unlock your Kevo; the Kevo Plus upgrade lets you control and monitor your Kevo when you’re away from home. While no lock can provide perfect security (and we considered smart features rather than physical robustness for this guide) Kwikset has been making locks for more than 60 years and the Kevo has an ANSI Grade 2 rating. (That’s the intermediate level of the three ANSI residential grades— if you want Grade 1, the highest rating for residential locks, take a look at our touchscreen pick from Schlage.”

Because great deals don’t just happen on Thursday, sign up for our daily deals email and we’ll send you the best deals we find every weekday. Also, deals change all the time, and some of these may have expired. To see an updated list of current deals, please go to thewirecutter.com.

RCA’s 4K Roku TVs start at $600

When RCA introduced its low-cost Roku TV sets, there was one glaring problem: you couldn’t get one with 4K support, no matter how much you were willing to pay. That won’t be a problem going into the holidays. RCA has launched a line of 4K TVs that mate Roku’s streaming media interface with the high resolution you’d expect from most sets in 2017. They’ll offer a largely familiar experience if you’ve used a Roku player, although RCA is promising to update them to Roku OS 8 (which includes a Smart Guide and upgraded voice commands) by the end of the year.

Not surprisingly, the 4K model range starts where the regular HD models leave off: it begins with a $600 50-inch model, and you can spring for 55-inch ($700) and 65-inch ($1,099) models if you want more visual real estate. They should be available today through Walmart’s online and retail stores as of today. These aren’t the most affordable Roku sets we’ve seen at this very moment (TCL can give you a 50-inch 4K set for less), but keep an eye out — we wouldn’t be surprised if Walmart offers bargains, especially as holiday shopping reaches its crescendo.

Source: RCA, Walmart

iPhone X Apps Now Widely Rolling Out on App Store Ahead of Device’s Launch Tomorrow

An increasing number of developers have updated their apps over the past few days with support for the iPhone X’s new screen dimensions. We’ve rounded up some of the more popular titles below ahead of the device’s launch tomorrow.

• Shazam
• Discord
• Pennies
• Super Mario Run
• Heads Up!
• Fandango
• Tweetbot 4
• Fantastical 2
• Threes!
• Plex
• Alto’s Adventure
• SpeedSmart
• Mint
• DataMan Next
• SoundShare• GoodNotes 4
• United Airlines
• Nike+ Run Club
• 1Password
• Living Earth
• SoundCloud
• infltr
• ProCam 5
• Astro Mail
• Calm
• Google Photos
• Halide
• GroupMe
• Buffer
Apple has highlighted many other apps ready for the device in a “Great on iPhone X” section on the App Store, including Afterlight 2, Citymapper, Launch Center Pro, Netflix, Twitter, CARROT Weather, Wikipedia, and Yelp.

Apple has been encouraging developers to optimize their apps for the iPhone X for weeks, so there are likely dozens if not hundreds of other apps ready for the device. If you know of any others, be sure to share them in the comments section.

Related Roundup: iPhone XBuyer’s Guide: iPhone X (Buy Now)
Discuss this article in our forums

First iPhone X Orders Start Arriving to Customers in New Zealand

Apple customers in Australia and New Zealand are always the first to get their hands on new devices on launch day because of time zone differences, and the iPhone X is no exception.

It’s nearly 9:00 a.m. in New Zealand, and customers who pre-ordered an iPhone X are beginning to receive their shipments and have started sharing the first customer photos of the new device on Twitter, Instagram, reddit, and the MacRumors forums.

Image via reddit user ekalb22
There are no Apple Stores in New Zealand, so customers in Australia will be the first to be able to purchase devices from an Apple retail location. Available stock in Australia should give us an idea of what we can expect as it rolls around to November 3 across the globe.

Following New Zealand and Australia, iPhone X sales will kick off in Asia, Europe, and finally, North America. Apple Stores globally are opening at 8:00 a.m. local time to allow customers to pick up reserved devices and make walk-in purchases.

Omg it’s happened iPhone X dayyyyy #iPhoneX pic.twitter.com/GxwuJhVC6X

— look at all those 🐔 (@vegceduna) November 2, 2017

Apple has promised that its retail locations have stock available for walk-in customers, but supplies are believed to be limited. In countries where the iPhone X launch is approaching, lines are growing longer and longer. In the United States, customers hoping for a device should try to get to Apple Stores early.

Along with Apple Stores, other retailers are offering the iPhone X for purchase, but supplies may be even tighter at these locations. For U.S. customers, we’ve heard rumors suggesting some retailers like Target and AT&T may not have any iPhone X stock at some locations.

First wave iPhone X launch countries where the device is available starting on November 3 include Andorra, Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Greenland, Guernsey, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Ireland, Isle of Man, Italy, Japan, Jersey, Kuwait, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Mexico, Monaco, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, United Arab Emirates, the UK, the US and the US Virgin Islands.

In the United States, the first iPhone X deliveries will take place on the east coast starting at 8:00 a.m. iPhone X pricing starts at $999 for the 64GB model, with the 256GB model priced at $1,149.

Make sure to stay tuned to MacRumors both tomorrow and throughout next week, because we’ll have plenty of iPhone X coverage to share.

Related Roundup: iPhone XBuyer’s Guide: iPhone X (Buy Now)
Discuss this article in our forums