Review: Mophie’s Juice Pack Reserve & Power Reserve Offer Power in Small Packages
Back in September, Mophie launched two brand-new battery products, the Juice Pack Reserve, a $59.95 battery case for the iPhone 6 and 6s, and the Power Reserve 1X, a small $34.95 external battery for smartphones and wearables. I have been testing both for the past two weeks in regular daily use and at a wedding, an environment that tends to be more smartphone-intensive than a typical day.
Mophie says the Juice Pack Reserve is the most compact battery case it’s ever created, adding just 0.3 inches of thickness and 75 grams of weight to the iPhone 6 or 6s. In my testing, I found that Mophie’s claim that the case is in a form factor that “you’ll barely notice” is mostly true, although with a caveat. Its soft-touch back provided a comfortable and easy-to-grasp grip despite feeling noticeably more dense. However, the case’s lower lip, where the speaker grille resides and the case plugs into the iPhone, is far more noticeable and users not accustomed to the extra length will have to spend some time acclimating to it when scrolling or typing.
The case’s extra mass was not a hindrance when attemtping to quickly capture moments at the wedding though, as it slipped in and out of tuxedo pockets fairly easily. In fact, the in-pocket feel of the case was barely noticeable in tuxedo pants, even during more intensive activites like dancing. The extra mass of the case is, however, more obvious visually. In more regular daily use, the case was even less of a hindrance.
Mophie claims the Juice Pack Reserve will provide an additional 60 percent charge to an iPhone 6 or 6s, with the latter carrying a 1,840 mAh battery. This claim was actually conservative in my testing, with an iPhone 6, as I was able to consistently get a full charge from the case. For example, I was able to go from 10 percent to 100 perfect battery in just about two hours and six minutes and then 4 percent to 93 percent in about the same time.
Apple Seeking New Supplier to Help Manufacture Apple Watch 2
Apple is currently searching for an additional supplier of next year’s rumored Apple Watch 2, according to a new report from supply chain sources (via DigiTimes). The company is speaking with Inventec, Wistron and Foxconn Electronics to join Quanta Computer in the manufacturing of the next generation of the Apple Watch. The report cites a “weaker than expected” profit return for Quanta in regards to the first generation Apple Watch, which is causing a few of the targeted manufacturers to voice concern about supporting the long-term investment in the future device.
Quanta has invested heavily in equipment for Apple Watch’s manufacturing, but its profit return from the device has been weaker than expected. This is a concern for the ODMs that have been approached as a secondary supply partner, the paper added.
Also mentioned in the report is Apple’s ordering of 4 million Apple Watch units for the fourth quarter of 2015, slightly down from the original 6 million planned in preparation for the holiday season since demand is “not as strong as expected.” Still, the company expects sales for the wearable device to surpass 10 million units by the end of the year, before leading into the rumored launch period of the Apple Watch 2 sometime in the second quarter of 2016.
Today’s news comes after Quanta Computer’s chairman Barry Lam was reported to have commented on the impending manufacturing process of the Apple Watch 2, giving the device a launch window sometime late in Q2 2016 and higher volume shipments beginning in Q3. Little is known about the second generation Apple Watch, besides a few rumors that pointed to the possibility of a thinner device, integrated FaceTime camera, and a growing independence from the iPhone.
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Apple Watch Space Black Link Bracelet Kit Now Available for $49
Apple today released a Space Black color Link Bracelet Kit, which contains six additional stainless steel links for wrists that exceed 205mm. The six links extend the 42mm Apple Watch band by up to 40mm, for a maximum size of 245mm.
The new Space Black kit is available on the Apple Online Store for $49, the same price as the Silver Link Bracelet Kit released in August, despite the full Space Black Link Bracelet carrying a $100 premium over the Silver Link Bracelet.
The kit is estimated for delivery as early as Tuesday, November 24 with expedited shipping, or Friday, November 27 with standard shipping, in the United States. The kit is also available in Canada for $69 and the United Kingdom for £39.
Apple also released an official Apple Watch magnetic charging dock for $79 today.
Tags: Link Bracelet, Apple retail
Buyer’s Guide: Apple Watch (Neutral)
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Official Apple Watch Charging Dock Packaging Shown in Leaked Photo
Apple is developing its own in-house docking solution for charging the Apple Watch, reports French site iGeneration [Google Translate]. Citing sources with knowledge of Apple’s plans, iGeneration says the dock will be called simply the “Magnetic Charging Dock,” a name also seen in alleged packaging photos below.
Circular in shape, the dock appears to support the Apple Watch in two orientations, both laid flat over the top in portrait mode and on its side in landscape mode, useful for Nightstand mode. The charging puck within the dock seems to adjust from flat to upright to accommodate both orientations.
The Magnetic Charging Dock is said to come with a Lightning cable that will be used to charge the Apple Watch through the dock, but it does not include a USB power adapter. The packaging for the dock lists a price of €89, which likely means it will be priced at $79 in the United States.
At $79, the Magnetic Charging Dock is significantly more expensive than Apple’s dock for the iPhone, but it appears to have a more complicated design with the ability to support both portrait and landscape charging. It is not known when the dock might go on sale, but the completed packaging signals an imminent release date.
Update: German site Grobgebloggt.de (via Apfelpage.de) has shared photos of the Magnetic Apple Watch dock. It ships with a 2M Lightning cable.
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Quanta Reportedly Developing Next-Gen Apple Watch for 2016 Launch
Quanta Computer is reportedly working with Apple on development of the next-generation Apple Watch, according to Chinese-language website United Daily News [Google Translate].
The report is based on recent comments made by Quanta Computer chairman Barry Lam, who allegedly said development of Apple’s next wearable device is underway. Quanta assembles the current Apple Watch.
UDN claims the new Apple Watch will launch late in the second quarter of 2016, with volume shipments beginning in the third quarter.
If the rumored timeline is correct, the next-generation Apple Watch could launch by June 2016, with increased production towards mid- to late-2016. The current Apple Watch was announced in September 2014 and released last April.
A few months ago, Cowen and Company analyst Timothy Arcuri claimed the second-generation Apple Watch will launch in mid- to late-2016 and be thinner than current models. Few details are known about the upcoming device beyond a June report that said it will feature a FaceTime video camera and expanded Wi-Fi capabilities.
While a next-generation Apple Watch launching next year is realistic, UDN‘s report is questionable and should be treated with a proverbial grain of salt.
Tags: udn.com, Quanta, Apple Watch 2
Buyer’s Guide: Apple Watch (Neutral)
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New Apple Music Ad Goes Behind-the-Scenes of Kenny Chesney’s Tour
Country music singer Kenny Chesney is the focus of the latest Apple Music advertisement, which aired last night during the Country Music Association awards on ABC. Taking a glimpse behind the scenes of Chesney’s “No Shoes Nation” tour, the ad shows the singer going through a day of preparing for his next concert by creating a “Show Day List” playlist on Apple Music and touting the service’s “human element.”
https://embed.itunes.apple.com/us/embedded-player/idsa.6410ed21-8363-11e5-aa71-8c2240f9512c
Chesney can also be seen working out with an Apple Watch early on in the ad, checking on his progress with the help of the device’s activity rings. The one-minute ad ends with a promotion for Apple Music’s three month free trial, which still runs for any new users signing up for the music streaming service.
Apple has been debuting a wave of commercials as the holiday season grows nearer, not only for Apple Music but for the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus.
Tags: Apple ads, Apple Music
Buyer’s Guide: Apple Watch (Neutral)
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Apple Offering $50 Off Apple Watch With Any iPhone Purchase in Select Apple Stores
Apple has started a new limited time in-store promotion that offers customers $50 off an Apple Watch Sport or Apple Watch with the purchase of any new iPhone, including the latest iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus, the company confirmed to MacRumors. Apple Watch Edition and Apple Watch Hermès models are ineligible for the discount.
The promotion is available at participating Apple Store locations in California and Massachusetts, including Burlingame, Chestnut Street, Corte Madera, Hillsdale, San Francisco and Stonestown in the Bay Area, and Boylston Street, Burlington, CambridgeSide and Chestnut Hill in the Boston metro area.
Apple confirmed that the promotion runs from October 30 through November 15, 2015, and is not available online. The deal does not require purchasing AppleCare+ or other accessories and add-ons. The offer is only valid when the qualifying iPhone and Apple Watch are purchased together on one transaction.
(Thanks, Robert!)
Tags: Apple Store, San Francisco, Boston
Buyer’s Guide: iPhone (Buy Now), Apple Watch (Neutral)
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Apple eclipses Samsung smartwatch sales in Q3
Smartwatches may still not be a hugely popular market segment, but the competition is certainly heating up. Since the launch of the Apple Watch, Samsung has now slipped out of the top spot in the smartwatch market, and has seen its sales eclipsed by its US rival.
According to a market report from Korea, Samsung sold approximately 600,000 wearables device between July and September, which is not too bad. Apple is estimated to have sold an impressive 4.5 million units over the same period, leaving Samsung on just a 9.8 percent global share for Q3 2015 while Apple sales accounted for a huge 72.8 percent. This leaves other smartwatch manufacturers on just 17.4 percent of the market between them.
Of course, many had expected that Apple’s brand appeal would help its first wearable shoot out of the gates. The real test for the Apple Watch will be to see whether this type of sales momentum can be sustained, or if the company’s smartwatch will only have limited appeal to the early adopter crowd.
Battle of the smartwatches:
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Samsung is facing an equally tall challenge of its own. The company’s Gear S2 smartwatch is scheduled for its global release over the next quarter, after already apparently getting off to a strong start in South Korea. We found the Gear S2 to be the company’s best smartwatch so far and it is priced far more competitively than Apple’s offering, so it will be very telling if Samsung can’t close the gap on Apple with its latest release.
Despite mixed consumer interest in the market, global smartwatch sales are estimated to have seen a six fold increase over the past twelve months. OEMs are surely keep to stake out a significant early share of this growing market, in case smartwatches finally hit mainstream demand.
Apple’s Latest Apple Watch Ads Showcase Siri, Apple Music, Apple Pay and More
Apple today released a new series of short 15 second ads, all of which highlight different Apple Watch features like Siri, Apple Music, Apple Pay, notifications, fitness tracking, and more.
In the ad titled “Skate,” a group of skaters use Apple Pay to buy ice cream, while in “Travel,” the Apple Watch’s Wallet app is used to display a boarding pass.
In the “Play” ad, the Apple Watch is used to make a bid on eBay while its wearer is also playing the piano, and in “Kiss,” two people about to kiss are interrupted by a notification for an Uber arrival, which is dismissed so the moment can quickly continue.
“Dance” showcases Siri and Apple Music, depicting a guy dancing around after asking Siri to play 80s music, while “Move” highlights the activity tracking capabilities of the Apple Watch.
“Style” is the sole ad that stands out from the other ads that show the Apple Watch in action, as it focuses on the different band options for the Apple Watch.
All of the videos depict the Apple Watch in use while on the go or performing other tasks, giving examples of how it fits into daily life in an unobtrusive way to make mundane tasks easier. The seven new ads that have been released today are the second wave in the latest Apple Watch ad series, which previously featured six similar short ads that were released two weeks after watchOS 2 launched. The full set of ads is available on Apple’s YouTube channel.
Apple Releases WatchOS 2.0.1 Update for Apple Watch With Multiple Bug Fixes
Apple today released a new software update for the Apple Watch, upgrading watchOS 2 to version 2.0.1. The update comes one month after Apple first released watchOS 2 to the public with new features like Nightstand mode, native apps, new watch faces, and more.
The 2.0.1 update can be downloaded through the dedicated Apple Watch app on the iPhone by going to General –> Software Update. To install the update, the Apple Watch must have 50 percent battery, it must be placed on the charger, and it must be in range of the iPhone. watchOS 2.0.1 requires iOS 9.1 to be installed on the iPhone.
This update contains new emoji characters, performance improvements, and bug fixes, including:
– Fixes an issue that could cause software updates to stall
– Fixes issues that were impacting battery performance
– Resolves an issue that prevented a managed iPhone from syncing iOS Calendar events to Apple Watch
– Addresses an issue that could prevent location information from properly updating
– Fixes an issue that could cause Digital Touch to send from an email address instead of a phone number
– Addresses an issue that could cause instability when using a Live Photo as a watch face
– Resolves an issue that allows the sensors to stay on indefinitely when using Siri to measure heart rate
The watchOS 2.0.1 update includes a whole slew of bug fixes, as listed above, and it also includes support for the new emoji also made available in OS X with 10.11.1 El Capitan and iOS with iOS 9.1.
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