Bloomberg: An OLED iPhone is coming next year
OLEDs make for better displays because they draw less power and provide much nicer color reproduction. The only thing stopping them from being on every smartphone in the world is that they’re a hassle to make. It’s one of the reasons that an OLED iPhone remains as much-rumored as Half-Life 2: Episode Three. Bloomberg, however, believes that we’ll see the device hit store shelves in limited quantities by next year. At least, that’s what Apple is planning, but like the sapphire crystal display that never was, these things can always change.
The story claims that the change will coincide with a radical new design for the iPhone to celebrate its 10th anniversary. It will be “all glass,” with an edge-to-edge design and a virtual home button in place of the physical one we currently have. But Bloomberg also says that Apple wants to push an OLED iPhone in 2017, despite there being some obvious supply constrains that it can avoid if it just waited a year. It’s believed that suppliers like Samsung, LG, Sharp and Japan Display will only be able to meet Apple’s demand by 2018.
The report says that, in a rush to get OLED out of the door, it will release one device with the specification rather than across the whole line. It doesn’t seem likely that Apple would so radically bifurcate its iPhone product line beyond the two different sizes it already offers (not counting the iPhone SE). The only main difference between the iPhone 7 and its larger sibling is display size, battery capacity and an improved camera. To introduce an OLED display (and a new design) on one and not the other seems uncharacteristic.
Then again, looking at Apple’s strategy with the new MacBook Pro: keeping a lower-priced version with function keys around since the Touch Bar hardware itself is too expensive. Although it seems like it would annoy more customers than it would delight, especially since the company makes a big deal of introducing new technologies across both of its devices. It would also muddy the sensible “Small,” “Big,” “Bigger” philosophy that the company has going on across its mobile range, and make things much more like the cluttered iPad landscape.
Source: Bloomberg
Swift Playgrounds Updated With New Coding Lessons, Hour of Code Challenge
Apple’s Swift Playgrounds app received its first update today, introducing a new set of coding lessons and a few new features to enhance the coding experience.
Included in the update is the “Learn to Code 3” module, which features a fresh guided learning experience designed to walk children and adults through basic coding with Apple’s Swift programming language. Learn to Code 3 features lessons based around Blu, a fun character that’s aimed at making it easy to learn to code.
Along with Learn to Code 3, Swift Playgrounds version 1.1 features an Hour of Code challenge, which Apple says is meant to give new Swift Playground users a taste of the Learn to Code lessons.
Apple today announced plans to host several free one-hour Hour of Code workshops between December 5 and December 11 at retail stores across the world. Registration for Hour of Code is now open.
Also new in Swift Playgrounds are music and sound effects, notifications for new content, and a feature that highlights each line of code as it is run.
What’s New in Version 1.1
– Learn to Code 3 continues the guided learning experience as you help Blu explore the universe
– Hour of Code challenge gives a Byte-sized introduction to the Learn to Code lessons
– Step through your code to highlight each line as it is run
– Learn to Code now includes music and sound effects
– Notifications for new and updated contentNote: Download new copies of Learn to Code from the Featured page to get the music, sound effects, and line highlighting features.
Swift Playgrounds, which is available for all the iPad Air and later, iPad mini 2 and later, and all iPad Pro models, can be downloaded from the App Store for free. [Direct Link]
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PlayStation Vue makes its Apple TV debut
You can already find PlayStation Vue, Sony’s proprietary streaming service, on most every device in your living room. It’s native on the Playstation 3 and 4, available on Android TV, Roku boxes, Fire TV and Stick, not to mention compatible smart TVs. You can also find it on Android and iOS devices as a mobile app, which can be streamed to Chromecasts. Today, that ecosystem grew a bit more with the announcement that Vue is now available on Apple TV as well.
Vue’s UI and features like cloud DVR won’t change from what you’re used to but it will take advantage of Apple TV’s hardware including the Siri Remote and touch navigation. You’ll be able to stream live television and sports plus gain access to premium channels like HBO and CInemax, if you don’t already — you simply need to link your Vue and Apple TV accounts. Vue offers a bunch of different channel packages and a la carte options so head over to the Vue website for more details.
Source: Sony (PlayStation blog)
PlayStation Vue Now Available on Apple TV
PlayStation today announced that its PlayStation Vue television service has expanded to the fourth-generation Apple TV, allowing PlayStation Vue subscribers to watch live TV and access other Vue features on Apple’s set top box.
Priced at $30 to $65 per month, PlayStation Vue provides several different live streaming television packages that include live TV, sports, movies, and more, plus it offers on-demand video and cloud-based DVR streaming so recorded content can be watched across multiple devices.
Starting today, PlayStation Vue will be supported on Apple TV (4th generation), leveraging Apple TV’s latest hardware to create an innovative experience. You will be able to take advantage of Apple TV’s Siri Remote and easy navigation with touch, while enjoying PlayStation Vue’s sleek look and feel. PlayStation Vue brings popular programming to Apple TV, from live sports networks like ESPN and NFL Network, to premium channels like AMC, FX, HBO, and Showtime.
PlayStation Vue subscribers can link their accounts to the Apple TV after downloading the PlayStation Vue app, which is available as of this morning. PlayStation Vue allows for content to be streamed simultaneously on up to five devices at once, making it ideal for families.
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Apple could lower its cut of subscription fees on video apps
Earlier this year Apple sweetened the split with iOS developers on subscriptions, by promising to halve its usual 30 percent cut — once a user has been signed up for a year. Now, Bloomberg reports rumors that the company will move to an 85/15 split for all subscription video apps, with no time restriction. That could make partners and customers alike happy, since some services like Spotify, Netflix and YouTube have tacked on an extra buck or two whenever customers sign up via iTunes, just to cover the extra costs.
If it happens, this could also help Apple snag video services to be a part of its new TV app. The just-revealed app has yet to launch officially, the Apple TV is still lacking direct access to Amazon Prime subscription videos, and Netflix has said it won’t be a part of the TV guide and its Watch Now menuing. Even if the extra bucks fails to make Netflix friendlier, it could be good for other services considering billing via iTunes vs. being sold as add-ons for services like Prime or Sling TV.
Source: Bloomberg
Snapchat’s Spectacles won’t make you look like a Glasshole
You would have thought that after the spectacular failure of Google Glass and the virulent public rejection its users experienced, other companies would be wary of developing and marketing camera glasses. But 2016 has been that kind of year. Earlier this week, Snapchat, they of the wildly popular messaging app, began rolling out its first wearable, Spectacles, through a series of pop-up vending machines. The $130 glasses are already a hot commodity, fetching upward of $900 on eBay. I managed to get my hands on a pair (don’t ask how) and have some thoughts on the matter.
The Spectacles are sunglasses first and foremost, and they function well in that role. The plastic frames are lightweight with circular lenses and come in a variety of increasingly loud colors: black, aqua and fire-engine red. I personally prefer a nice wayfarer or aviator shape, but the Spectacles still performed an admirable job of shielding my eyes from the sun’s damaging UV rays.
The camera itself is mounted on the tip of the left temple arm, where it meets the eye wire. The camera unit is entirely self-contained and runs on a rechargeable lithium-ion battery. And, like Apple’s wireless AirPods, the Spectacle’s case doubles as a charging station that can fully fill a dead battery in about 90 minutes. The camera, while not nearly as powerful as what you’d find on an iPhone 7 or Android Pixel, is good enough for what most people use Snapchat for.
And what they lack in image quality they make up for in ease of use. By not requiring you to have your phone in hand, the Spectacles can be used in a much wider range of situations. Suddenly, all of those action sports shots for which you previously had to break out the GoPro can be done in 10-second increments. Really, any two-handed activity would benefit from using these glasses. Take note, however: The glasses are not waterproof and are also susceptible to temperature extremes, so be sure to leave them back at the ski lodge this winter.
Pairing the Spectacles to the Snapchat app is super-simple. You simply put on the Spectacles, look at your snapcode and tap the “record” button on the glasses. Downloading data from the specs is straightforward, too. Just navigate to the Memories screen, pick the Specs tab from the top bar and select the correct Snap from the list. We’re not sure if there’s an upper limit to how many Snaps you can record on the device before syncing with the app, but we got north of 10.
I noticed that the app routinely failed to properly download video from the glasses to the phone, but usually did so on the second try. It’s a bit of a hassle, but an easily remedied one. Aside from being unable to actively monitor what I’m recording or reframe a shot, using Spectacles wasn’t all that different from using my phone. At least with the Specs, I never had to worry about my thumb covering the lens. Plus, if the worst happens, I’d rather drop a pair of $130 novelty camera-glasses than my $600 smartphone.
Now, whether I, as a 35-year-old attention-averse adult, would ever be caught dead wearing them in public is an entirely different question. See, I remember the dark days of the Google Glasshole. Even in techtopias like San Francisco, Glass wearers were publicly mocked. One lady was even physically assaulted at a bar in the Lower Haight. Many fine drinking establishments throughout the city still ban them outright. Granted, the Spectacles can capture only 10 seconds of video at a time, but I’d be very hesitant to show up to a place like Molotov’s or the Lucky 13 with these on my face.
Another question is: Where do you actually use them? They’re clearly geared for people who are out and about in the daylight hours (hence the sunglasses the camera’s built into). But what of Snaps taken indoors or at night? The camera is subtle enough that you won’t attract attention, but the bright-ring LED that flickers on to indicate that you’re recording — not to mention that you’re wearing electric-blue sunglasses in a bar at 11PM — is likely enough to draw quizzical looks from other patrons and questions from management.
Overall, though, these are a clever, relatively inexpensive wearable. They’re a tenth of the price of Google Glass, they actually function beyond serving as a way to strap a camera to your face and, depending on your age bracket, they could even be considered stylish. Getting your hands on a pair is going to be a challenge in the immediate future, but for those of us with active Snapchat followings, these Specs will prove invaluable.
Apple to Halve App Store Fees for Subscription Video Apps
To appease video content makers and lure new video services to the App Store, Apple plans to cut the fees it charges streaming video apps, reports Bloomberg.
Apple normally takes a 30 percent cut of all App Store app purchases and subscriptions, but for subscription-based streaming video apps like Netflix and Hulu, Apple plans to cut its fee to 15 percent. Apple has already reduced the fees for some of its video partners, and will soon extend the 15 percent rate to all subscription video services that are integrated with the company’s upcoming TV app.
Apple’s hefty cut of sales made via its App Store has long angered partners, some of whom have accused the technology giant of anti-competitive behavior. The concessions speak to the growing importance of video to Apple, which next month will introduce a new app devoted to TV shows and movies.
For non-video subscription apps, Apple will continue to charge 30 percent, but will reduce that amount to 15 percent after an Apple customer has been subscribed to the service for a year, a change that was announced earlier this year.
Fee reduction rumors come as Apple is preparing to launch the aforementioned TV app, which will be available on both the fourth-generation Apple TV and iOS devices. Currently in beta testing, the TV app is designed to make it easier for users to find content to watch across multiple apps.
Because TV app is reliant on third-party content providers, it is in Apple’s best interest to lure as many content providers to its platform as possible for the best user experience.
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The new MacBook Pro is more appliance than PC
It almost goes without saying that modern Apple devices are tough to repair or upgrade, but the Touch Bar-equipped MacBook Pro might just take the cake. An iFixit teardown of the 13-inch model reveals that there are even fewer replaceable parts than before. The solid-state drive is embedded on the motherboard (even the non-Touch Bar model has a removable card), to begin with — whatever capacity you choose is what you’ll have for the life of the system. The Touch Bar, as you might guess, isn’t exactly easy to replace. And while having a fingerprint reader in the power button is very convenient for sign-ins and purchases, that also makes repairs complicated. The button is tied to a chip on the motherboard (since it needs a secure element), so you can’t just slip in an aftermarket component and call it a day.
There are a few surprises. There’s an unusually beefy three-microphone array, possibly to improve Siri voice commands. And curiously, the speakers on the 13-inch Touch Bar system don’t actually sit underneath the grilles — those openings are only there for the more conventional model. Instead, sound blasts out the side vents.
There are advantages to this design. It’s more compact and lighter than its predecessors despite the improved performance and extra features. However, there’s no denying that the new MacBook Pro represents the end of an era for Apple’s pro machines. Although there weren’t that many people upgrading SSDs or otherwise tinkering with previous-generation MacBook Pros, this system effectively rules that out. It’s a powerful portable appliance rather than a conventional PC, and you’re expected to use it as-is until you need a full-fledged replacement.
Source: iFixit
The Morning After: Wednesday, November 16, 2016
A smart oven that does the thinking for you, a new product from Apple that costs $300 and doesn’t even have a touchscreen, and DJI’s duo of upgraded drones that are tailored for filmographers. We’re halfway through, folks, you’ve got this.
It comes in standard and Plus sizesApple wants to sell you a $300 design book
Apple has announced a new photo book that “chronicles 20 years of Apple design.” Yes, the clue is in the title. Dedicated to the memory of co-founder Steve Jobs, it features 450 photos of gadgets past and present, shot by famed photographer Andrew Zuckerman. Both a small (10.2 x 12.75 inches) and a larger (13 x 16.25 inches) volume will go on sale online and in select Apple stores starting today, for $199 and $299 respectively.
Store old photos with your smartphoneGoogle’s PhotoScan app digitizes your physical prints
Google says it wants the service to be a home for all of your photos, and today that mission expanded to encompass the old photos housed in shoeboxes and albums around the world. Its new app, PhotoScan, is part of that, and it’s just landed on both iOS and Android devices. If you want to try PhotoScan but are worried about your privacy, you don’t even need to upload your pictures to Google. (All those facial recognition skills will require Google’s online AI skills, however.)
Tastes like the futureJune the smart oven makes a mean steak
Smart cooking gadgets are relatively de rigueur these days: connected sous vide machines, smart kitchen scales and even a WiFi slow cooker have already made an appearance. The June smart oven, however, is a lot more than an oven with a connected app. It’s outfitted with a quad-core NVIDIA CPU and a slew of sensors, all for the purpose of taking the guesswork out of cooking. And after three years of development, June is ready to cook. The downside? She charges $1,495 for her services.
From the developer of “Thomas Was Alone” and “Volume”Mike Bithell’s “point-and-bounce” VR game has a strange inspiration
EarthShape launched last week on Google’s Daydream VR platform, and its indie developer explains where the unusual gameplay model came from: drawing lines in a car window’s condensation, attempting to “catch” raindrops as they rolled down. In the game, players draw lines on a grid to control a bouncing ball, thereby cultivating life across 25-plus alien planets. All this, of course, occurs as Sue Perkins of “The Great British Bake Off” narrates the action.
Not the Eero we wanted, but the one we deserved?Google WiFi routers are available for pre-order
The folks in Mountain View are giving WiFi routing another shot, with these units capable of creating a mesh network covering up to 4,500 square feet. The Google WiFi box is $129 for one, or $300 for a three-pack, and they should start shipping in December.
Pro dronesDJI’s newest drones are built for filmmakers
DJI’s new Phantom 4 Pro can capture 20-megapixel stills and 4K video at 60 frames per second, thanks to its new 1-inch CMOS, while its Inspire drone sequel is just downright speedy. The filmography drone can accelerate to 50MPH in a mere four seconds and hit a top speed of 67MPH. It’s still capable of moving that fast despite packing an on-board SSD instead of an SD card storage option. Coolest part: The new Inspire 2 now offers a dedicated first-person-view camera for the pilot. I’m flying!
Hacking is the new name of the game“Overwatch” hacker Sombra is now available to everyone
After her Blizzcon debut and a short test period, Sombra is ready for play on all platforms. The latest “Overwatch” character’s abilities include hacking, teleportation, invisibility and an EMP blast. It’s also added an Arcade that rotates maps and rules as well as a new Antarctica map, and Season 3 of Competitive Play is scheduled to begin November 30th.
But wait, there’s more…
- Snapchat’s secret IPO filing
- NVIDIA helped to build an AI for cancer research
- Governments routinely blocked messaging apps in 2016
- Engadget giveaway: Win an Overdrive smart racing set courtesy of Anki!
Apple wants to sell you a $300 photo book about its products
Apple is known for two things: design and modesty. Okay, one thing. Today, the company announced a new photo book that “chronicles 20 years of Apple design,” called Designed by Apple in California.
Dedicated to the memory of its co-founder and former CEO, Steve Jobs, the new book intends to highlight both Apple’s design process as well as its products. It features 450 photos of gadgets past and present, shot by Andrew Zuckerman, a photographer who is perhaps most famous for his Creature book and subsequent sequels.
Designed by Apple in California employs Zuckerman’s signature style: bold imagery contrasted against white backgrounds. In a foreword, Apple’s Chief Design Officer Jonathan Ive says:
“While this is a design book, it is not about the design team, the creative process or product development. It is an objective representation of our work that, ironically, describes who we are. It describes how we work, our values, our preoccupations and our goals. We have always hoped to be defined by what we do rather than by what we say.”
“We strive, with varying degrees of success, to define objects that appear effortless. Objects that appear so simple, coherent and inevitable that there could be no rational alternative.”
The book itself is a linen-bound hardcover volume, available in two sizes. There’s a small $199 (£169) 10.2″ x 12.75″ and a larger $299 (£249) 13″ x 16.25″ edition. Both will be available online and in select Apple stores around the world starting tomorrow, Wednesday November 16th.
Source: Apple
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