Apple pulls the original iPad Mini, its last non-Retina iOS device
Pour one out for the OG iPad Mini, as Apple has just removed it from its website and online store, 9to5Mac reports. It proved Apple could effectively build a smaller tablet, though its low-resolution (1024 by 768) display doesn’t hold a candle to the sharp Retina screens we’re used to today. And with the iPad Mini 2 at $299 (and no shortage of deals available), there simply wasn’t any room for the older tablet on the market. Now Apple is only promoting the iPad Mini 2 and 3 online. And given the $100 price difference between those two tablets, as well as the fact that they sport the same hardware (aside from Touch ID on the iPad Mini 3), we recommend snapping up the iPad Mini 2 for now. By dumping the original iPad Mini, Apple now has a fully 64-bit lineup of iPads, which should make life easier for developers moving forward.
[Photo credit:Noah Berger/Bloomberg via Getty Images]
Filed under: Tablets, Mobile, Apple
Via: 9to5Mac
Source: Apple
Apple Removes Original iPad Mini From Apple Online Store
Apple has quietly pulled the original iPad mini from the Apple Online Store this week and removed other references of the tablet from its website, as noted by 9to5Mac. The nearly three-year-old iPad mini was announced in October 2012 as a smaller 7.9-inch version of the iPad, but the tablet has since been succeeded by the iPad mini 2 and iPad mini 3, the latter featuring a Retina display, Touch ID and 64-bit A7 processor.
Apple dropped the price of the first-gen A5-based iPad mini to $299 in October 2013 and further discounted the tablet to $249 in October 2014, but the device was a hard sell given the iPad mini 2 starts at $299 with newer features. The original iPad mini remains available in the refurbished section of the Apple Online Store for between $209 and $409 depending on the specific model and storage capacity.
The original iPad mini remains available in limited quantities through authorized third-party resellers such as Amazon, although likely only until leftover stock is depleted. Apple’s remaining tablet lineup for sale includes the iPad Air 2, iPad Air, iPad mini 3 and iPad mini 2, and the company is widely rumored to introduce a larger 12.9-inch “iPad Pro” targeted at professional users later this year.
Timed exclusive games: Does anybody win?
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We recently found out that Fallout Shelter, recently crowned #1 game on the Apple App Store, would eventually be arriving on Android in a few months. I postulated that it was ridiculous that big developers were still delaying Android games after their iOS counterparts, but I completely forgot the possibility that Fallout Shelter might have timed exclusivity attached to it. Certainly, this isn’t the first time that this has happened, if true, though it often happens the same way: iOS game gets released, Android release comes months later. Which got me thinking about the question – timed exclusive games: Does anybody win?
Whether it’s a monetary bonus that’s offered to the developers, or some other assurance, we’re honestly baffled why this is still a thing. Sure, if you are Microsoft and Sony and you’re still trying to sell your relatively new game console hardware, that makes sense – however, if you are the two most established mobile platforms in the world and hardware is not really a question anymore (besides eking out percentage points of market share every year) and games aren’t a major selling point, it kind of stops making sense.
If you only release your game on one mobile platform, you’re potentially short-changing yourself of immediate profit – it’s not like users are going to flock to the other platform if they don’t release their game on that platform immediately. If you release your product on both platforms at the same time, you’re going to make more money right now. Is the amount of money Apple is offering Bethesda going to offset the loss of sales due to the delayed launch – possibly. However, one thing’s for sure: smartphones and tablets aren’t like game consoles – while they still polarize people, they are considerably more expensive than a game console, which really makes the notion of video game exclusivity on a mobile platform even more moot.
There’s perhaps only one scenario where this practice would make sense – if Apple were pushing the iPhone and iPad as a gaming platform. Is Apple selling Fallout Shelter as an iOS exclusive? No. And even if they were, what difference does it make? – after all, they’re only denying the other platform’s profit by a few months. Keep in mind that I’m not having a go at small development studios that can only afford to develop one game at a time. But when you’re backed by a huge publisher like Bethesda in the case of Fallout Shelter, that’s not really an excuse anymore.
The only reason I can see that either Apple or Google would bother to do something like this is to engage in their (at times) medieval pursuit of dominance over the other, which I think is as disappointing in the 21st century as it is backwards. Nobody wins with time exclusivity, and we’d all be better off without it.
That’s my rant over. What do you think? Let us know your thoughts about timed exclusive games in the comments below.
The post Timed exclusive games: Does anybody win? appeared first on AndroidSPIN.
Apple Explored 4K Video Distribution in 2013
Apple requested 4K video content from Sony Pictures for the purpose of digital distribution and on-demand streaming testing, according to a new document [PDF] released by WikiLeaks from the Sony data breach (via AppleInsider).
The document is a materials access letter from Culver Digital Distribution Inc, a division of Sony Pictures Entertainment, to Apple. It served as a formal agreement between the two companies for the “testing and / or preparing” of 4K content from Sony movies and TV shows. The letter is dated September 26, 2013, hinting that Apple has been exploring distributing 4K content for the past two years.
The Cupertino company has been rumored to be working 4K in the past, most notably in 2013 when two reports suggested Apple was working on a 4K TV set. Those plans were eventually nixed and reports emerged of a brand new set-top box Apple TV with an A8 chip alongside a TV streaming service. Speculation suggested the new Apple TV’s rumored A8 chip, which is capable of playing 4K content, would result in a 4K-capable Apple TV and streaming service. However, a report earlier this year confirmed that a new Apple TV would not support 4K content.
While 4K, also known as Ultra HD, has seen an increased amount of popularity recently with more affordable 4K TV sets from manufacturers and some availability of 4K content on streaming services like Netflix, the format is not yet ubiquitous.
Apple Discounts ‘Amazing Fantasy Games’ for New iOS App Store Promotion [iOS Blog]
Apple today updated its iOS App Store with a new “Amazing Fantasy Games” section, discounting a wide selection of popular iOS games in the fantasy genre by 50 percent or more. Most of the 16 games universal, and all are available on both iPhone and iPad. The games range from puzzle games to platformers to full RPGs.
Discounted titles are listed below:
– BADLAND
– Terraria
– Oceanhorn
– LIMBO
– Block Fortress
– Radiation Island
– Goblin Sword
– Final Fantasy IV
– Monster Hunter Freedom Unite
– Final Fantasy V, Evoland
– The Bard’s Tale
– Final Fantasy III
– Heroes and Castles 2
– Hero Emblems
– Ravensword: Shadowlands
Several of the games on the list are highly popular award-winning titles and are well worth picking up at a discounted price. Apple’s sale lasts for “a limited time,” which typically means that it will run from today until next Thursday, when the App Store is updated again.
Along with discounting several fantasy games, Apple has also made Warhammer: Snotling Fling its app of the week, and as a result, that game will be free to download for the next seven days.
Review: Hands-On With Olloclip’s Telephoto + Ultra Wide-Angle Active Lens and Ollocase [iOS Blog]
iPhone camera accessory maker Olloclip has been producing lenses for the iPhone 6 since shortly after the phone debuted last year, but the company recently improved its product lineup with the addition new iPhone 6 and 6 Plus cases and a new Active Lens, which combines an ultra wide-angle lens with a telephoto lens.
Olloclip’s iPhone photography accessories are some of the most popular on the market because of their quality and ease of use, and the company’s two newest products are a welcome addition to the product lineup. The iPhone 6 Ollocase works perfectly with Olloclip lenses and the Active Lens is one of Olloclip’s most versatile lenses, useful for landscapes, selfies, portraits, and shots where you need to get just a bit closer to your subject.
Ollocase
Olloclip’s lenses don’t work with iPhone cases because of the way the lenses fit over the top of the iPhone 6 or 6 Plus, leading Olloclip to create the Ollocase, a specialized case that does accommodate its lineup of camera lenses.
Olloclip first ventured into case making with the iPhone 5s, producing a two-piece plastic case that was bulky and overly complicated, but their new case for the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus is much, much improved, and it’s clear that a lot of thought went into the design.
It’s constructed from a thin polycarbonate shell that adds little bulk to the iPhone, and around the sides, it has a rubber bumper. The rubber bumper protects from minor drops and extends a bit past the display, keeping it from touching a table or desk when it’s face down. As a bonus, the flexibility also makes it easy to put on and take off if you like to swap cases often.
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What You Need to Know About Recent ‘XARA’ Exploits Against iOS and OS X
Earlier this week, researchers from several universities published a report exposing a string of security vulnerabilities in iOS and OS X. The vulnerabilities, all labeled as XARA weaknesses, let malicious apps approved on the Mac and iOS App Stores gain access to sensitive data like passwords.
The report details several methods that inter-app interaction services can use to access everything from the Keychain and Websocket on OS X to the URL scheme on iOS and OS X, giving hackers access to sensitive data, including information stored within third-party apps like 1Password, Gmail, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Evernote, and more.
Following the release of the report, iMore‘s Nick Arnott and Rene Ritchie have taken an in-depth look at the XARA weaknesses in a series of posts on the subject, explaining exactly what they do, how they work on iOS and OS X, and the steps that you can take to protect yourself.
The first post from iMore gives a quick overview of what XARA is, explaining that it’s a group of exploits that use malicious apps to gain access to secure information by inserting themselves into the middle of a communications chain or sandbox.
OS X, not iOS, is primarily affected by XARA exploits, and the malicious apps are able to be distributed through the Mac App Store and the iOS Store. After being downloaded, an app using XARA exploits waits to intercept data. Ritchie explains how it works:
For OS X Keychains, it includes pre-registering or deleting and re-registering items. For WebSockets, it includes preemptively claiming a port. For Bundle IDs, it includes getting malicious sub-targets added to the access control lists (ACL) of legitimate apps.
For iOS, it includes hijacking the URL scheme of a legitimate app.
iMore‘s second in-depth XARA post, written by Nick Arnott, goes into even more detail on the XARA weaknesses and details how to determine if you’ve been affected. On OS X, checking for malicious keychain entries is possible by opening the Keychain Access app, clicking on an item in the list, choosing “Get Info” and looking at the “Access Control” tab to see which apps have access to the Keychain item.
As detailed by Arnott, the only XARA exploit that affects OS devices is the one that involves URL scheme hijacking, detectable by paying careful attention to apps that open via URL scheme, as they may look slightly different than the real thing.
All that said, you can help protect yourself from URL scheme hijacking if you’re paying attention: When URL schemes are called, the responding application gets called to the foreground. This means that even if a malicious app intercepts the URL scheme intended for another app, it will have to come to the foreground to respond. As such, an attacker will have to do a bit of work to pull of this sort of attack without being noticed by the user.
In one of the videos provided by the researchers, their malicious app attempts to impersonate Facebook. Similar to a phishing website that doesn’t look quite like the real thing, the interface presented in the video as Facebook may give some users pause: The app presented isn’t logged in to Facebook, and its UI is that of a web view, not the native app.
Apple’s known about XARA for several months, and according to the researchers who shared the vulnerability with Apple, the company does appear to have tried to fix it several times without success. Avoiding the exploit is relatively simple, as Ritchie and Arnott point out. Avoiding malicious apps can be done by downloading software only from trusted developers and avoiding anything that seems suspicious.
For those interested in learning more about the XARA weaknesses, iMore‘s overview post on the exploit and the site’s more in-depth post are well worth a read.
The next Apple Watch reportedly has a video chat camera
The first Apple Watch might have only just reached stores, but that isn’t stopping rumors about Cupertino’s next wearable. Sources for 9to5Mac claim that Apple already has some big plans for its second-generation Watch, and the highlight would be a front camera for video calls — yes, you’d get to live out your Inspector Gadget dreams and have a face-to-face chat from your wrist. There’s a chance this feature could get cut if there’s either a change in the roadmap or logistical problems, but it’s currently on the cards for a “likely” 2016 debut.
The reported upgrade would also be a big deal if you don’t like lugging your iPhone around. You’d still need your handset for syncing and updates, but the Watch would get a new WiFi chipset that gives it more independence. You could message friends and otherwise use many apps without worrying about the phone you left at the other end of the house.
It’s not clear if this future wearable would have other new tricks in store. However, the supposed leak suggests that Watch version two won’t satisfy everyone. Apple is reportedly content with the battery life, which turned out better than expected — future models should last the whole day, but you might not get a Pebble-like multi-day charge. Also, the tipsters claim that Apple is exploring new upscale models between the steel Watch and the solid gold Watch Edition, with no immediate mention of lowering the price of entry. While we won’t be surprised if there’s more to this future smartwatch than the rumor lets on, it may still leave plenty of room for improvement.
Filed under: Wearables, Mobile, Apple
Source: 9to5Mac
Apple Watch 2 Said to Feature FaceTime Camera, Expanded Wi-Fi Capabilities and New Models
Apple is planning a second-generation Apple Watch with new features including a front-facing FaceTime video camera, expanded Wi-Fi capabilities and possibly additional models based on new materials, according to 9to5Mac. The report claims the so-called “Apple Watch 2″ is likely to be introduced in 2016 following the release of WatchOS 2 and native Apple Watch apps in the fall.
The new FaceTime camera will reportedly be built into the Apple Watch’s top bezel and enable users to make and receive FaceTime calls on their wrists. Apple previously announced at WWDC that WatchOS 2 will have a new FaceTime Audio feature for Wi-Fi-based calling, and the new software also enables Apple Watch users to answer or reject FaceTime video calls through a paired iPhone.
A new Wi-Fi chip inside the Apple Watch 2 will expand the wrist-worn device’s iPhone-free Wi-Fi capabilities for basic tasks, possibly including text messaging, emailing and up-to-date weather data. The new wireless chipset will also enable Find my Watch for tracking a lost, stolen or misplaced Apple Watch using Wi-Fi router triangulation technology as opposed to GPS.
Despite gaining several new features, the Apple Watch 2 will likely have similar battery life as the original model. The report claims that Apple has conducted market research and determined that, despite early concerns, most customers are satisfied with their Apple Watch’s battery life, allowing Apple engineers to focus their efforts on other areas besides battery improvements.
Apple is also said to be exploring different Apple Watch variations beyond the Sport, Watch and Edition models currently available, in an effort to attract customers at price points between $1,000 and $10,000. The report claims it is possible, but not certain, that Apple may release new Apple Watch models based on metals such as titanium, tungsten, palladium or platinum.
Full Video of Jeff Williams Interview at Code Conference Now Available
Re/code has shared the full video and transcript of Apple senior vice president of operations Jeff Williams speaking with journalist Walt Mossberg at Code Conference in Ranchos Palos Verdes last month. Williams reflected on a number of topics during the half-hour session, ranging from the Apple Watch and wearable technology to running Apple’s supply chain and overseeing the development of ResearchKit.
Williams also fielded questions from the audience about the changing need for physical storage and processing power on an iPhone, health-related monitoring systems on the Apple Watch, entering new product categories such as the car, vertical integration within Apple and the company’s responsibility to advancing technologies and bringing jobs to the United States as a U.S. corporation.
http://player.theplatform.com/p/PhfuRC/vNP4WUiQeJFa/embed/select/_TMKji6NzfJg?autoPlay=true&t=7
Williams confirmed at the time that native Apple Watch apps will be available this fall through the WatchOS 2 SDK, providing developers with access to the wrist-worn device’s Taptic Engine, Digital Crown, accelerometer, heart rate sensor, speaker and microphone. He also said Apple Watch sales are “fantastic,” but neglected to provide any specific sales figures beyond saying “demand divided by supply is greater than one.”
AIVAnet 