Apple Watch Debut in ‘Style’ Suggests Space Gray Pricing May Start at $349 [iOS Blog]

The worldwide magazine debut of the Apple Watch continues this week on the cover of fashion magazine Style in the United Kingdom. The cover of the Big Spring Issue for March features model Guinevere Van Seenus wearing an Apple Watch and is accompanied by a two-page spread inside the magazine that provides further details about the wrist-worn device, including an interesting hint about the pricing of space gray models.

A caption in the magazine spotted below model Guinevere Van Seenus claims that the “Apple Watch Sport with 38mm Space Grey aluminum case and black band” will cost $349. The price is notable given that Apple pundit John Gruber of Daring Fireball previously speculated that Apple may charge more for the space gray Apple Watch Sport and space black stainless steel Apple Watch.

“Note that the silver Apple Watch Sport only has four band color choices: white, blue, green, and pink,” wrote Gruber. “The space gray Sport edition has only one band: black. I think Apple might charge more for both the space gray Sport model and the space black stainless steel model.”

Gruber may still be correct in that the magazine may simply be referencing the $349 starting price that Apple CEO Tim Cook announced during a media event last September. While the Apple Watch Sport will start at $349, the stainless steel Apple Watch has been speculated to cost at least $500 and the luxurious Apple Watch Edition is predicted to cost up to $20,000 depending on the band.

Apple will provide more details about the Apple Watch at its March 9th media event.

SanDisk Announces 128GB iXpand Flash Drive and Updated Sync App With Touch ID [iOS Blog]

This week at mobile-focused technology show Mobile World Congress, SanDisk plans to announce a several updates to its line of iXpand Flash Drives and companion app, mainly focused on expanding storage space and enabling quicker and more secure data decryption with the help of Touch ID.

The iXpand flash drive includes both USB and Lightning connectors to allow users the ability to easily transfer files, photos, and videos from an iOS device to a desktop or notebook with a traditional USB port. Currently available in 16GB, 32GB, and 64GB sizes, the company will be announcing its first addition to the iXpand line with the introduction of a 128GB model for even more file storage.

SanDisk also promises new iOS 8-inspired updates to the iXpand Sync app, notably implementing Touch ID to let users encrypt and decrypt their most sensitive files while transferring data to and from the drive. The company also notes that the update will allow users to interact and open files from the iXpand drive with various other “popular apps”, as well as save content inside of the third-party apps directly onto the drive.

No official pricing has been given for the 128GB drive yet, but seeing as the current highest capacity version of the iXpand flash drive at 64GB retails for $109.99, those interested in the new high-end model can expect to pay a substantial premium over that for double the storage.

The company says the extensive update to the iXpand app will be going live this week during Mobile World Congress, taking place in Barcelona from March 2-5. The SanDisk iXpand Sync app is a free download from the App Store. [Direct Link]

Apple Showcases ‘Shot on iPhone 6’ World Gallery on Homepage

Apple has refreshed its homepage to showcase a gallery of photos taken with iPhone 6 across the world, unsurprisingly coinciding with today’s announcements of the Samsung Galaxy S6 and HTC One M9 at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. The gallery shows photos taken by iPhone 6 users in several countries, including the United States, Canada, Japan, Iceland, South Korea, China, Scotland, Indonesia, Thailand and New Zealand.

Some of the photos have been filtered, enhanced or shared with apps such as Instagram, Snapseed, VSCO Cam, Mextures, Filterstorm Neue, Camera+ and Adobe Photoshop Express. “People take incredible photos and videos on iPhone 6 every day,” writes Apple. “And here are some of our favorites. Explore the gallery, learn a few tips, and see what’s possible with the world’s most popular camera.”

Samsung Announces Galaxy S6, Galaxy S6 Edge and Samsung Pay

Samsung at Mobile World Congress on Sunday announced its latest flagship smartphones, the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge, each compatible with a new mobile payments service called Samsung Pay. The smartphones are a significant refresh to the Galaxy lineup, featuring a slimmer and lighter metal and glass curved design, all-new front and rear cameras, improved hardware specifications under the hood and more.

Samsung Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge (via The Verge)
The Galaxy S6 Edge is notable in that it is the first smartphone to feature a curved display on both sides of the device, constructed from Gorilla Glass 4. Both smartphones have 16-megapixel rear-facing cameras and 5-megapixel front-facing cameras with f/1.9 lenses for improved low-light photos, Auto HDR, optical image stabilization, IR white balance and a “Quick Launch” feature for accessing the camera from any screen in less than one second.

Samsung Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge have improved hardware specifications in most areas, each featuring a 5.1-inch 2560×1440 Super AMOLED display at 577 ppi, Exynos 8-core processor, 3GB of RAM up, 32GB to 128GB of internal storage, Category 6 LTE, 802.11/a/c Wi-Fi, Bluetooth LE, NFC and 2,550 mAh and 2,600 mAh batteries respectively. The devices will run Android 5.0 Lollipop out of the box.

Notably absent from the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge is a MicroSD slot for expandable storage, waterproofing and a removable battery, three features that Samsung often promoted over the iPhone in the past. The smartphones do gain a feature that the iPhone does not have in wireless charging with support for WPC and PMA standards, allowing you to charge the device at Starbucks or using Qi-enabled chargers.

Samsung introduced a new fingerprint scanner on the Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge, to be used for Samsung Pay, that functions like Touch ID on iPhone by no longer requiring swiping. Samsung Pay will be available this summer and rival Apple Pay with NFC and magnetic secure transmission (MST) technologies that make the service compatible with both NFC-enabled payment terminals and older magnetic swipe readers.

The Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge will be available April 10 across several countries worldwide in White Pearl, Black Sapphire, and Gold Platinum color options. A special Blue Topaz edition will be exclusive to the United States. The smartphones will be available on AT&T, Verizon, Sprint and T-Mobile in the U.S., and will also be on sale through Amazon, Best Buy, Costco, Target, Walmart and Sam’s Club.

Apple Watch to Feature Time-Only ‘Power Reserve’ Mode, Prototypes Disguised as Samsung Watches

With Apple’s media event just a week away and the company expected to offer final details there on the Apple Watch ahead of its April debut, The New York Times has a new report out sharing a few new tidbits on the device.

Among the interesting details is the existence of an unannounced “Power Reserve” mode for the watch that will display only the time and cut off all other functions as the battery begins to run critically low, preserving the most basic functionality of the watch. The report also notes that while the Apple Watch has been widely tested by Apple employees, the company did work to conceal many of those prototypes by disguising them to resemble Samsung smartwatches.

Sources have also provided more context to a Wall Street Journal article from last month that discussed how many of the originally planned health features for Apple Watch were dropped due to consistency issues. According to The New York Times‘ sources, the decision to drop many of those features came more than 18 months ago, refuting off-target reports in recent weeks claiming the cuts have come at the last minute.

Nearly two years ago, the company experimented with advanced health monitoring sensors that tracked blood pressure and stress, among other variables. Many of those experiments were abandoned more than 18 months ago after the sensors proved unreliable and cumbersome, these people said.

Apple long ago decided that for the first version of the product, it would include a heart rate sensor and a sensor for tracking movement, to market the device as a fitness-tracking companion to the iPhone.

Previous reports have indicated Apple is still working on those technologies, and they could appear in future versions of the Apple Watch.

Today’s report reveals some additional insight into the development process, noting that the Apple Watch is coming a bit later than originally hoped due to technical challenges that were likely exacerbated by the loss of several engineers working on the project. Google’s Nest Labs, headed by iPod pioneer Tony Fadell, was responsible for poaching several of the key Apple Watch employees.

Apple’s media event will take place at 10:00 AM Pacific Time on Monday, March 8 at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco. The company will offer a live video stream of the event, and MacRumors will provide full coverage of the event.

Apple Watch Pop-Up Shop Also Planned for London’s Selfridges Department Store

Apple is planning to open a dedicated pop-up shop for the Apple Watch at high-end department store Selfridges in London, according to sources. The shop will likely be located near the entrance of the iconic Wonder Room, a 19,000-square-foot shopping hall that houses a wide selection of luxury jewelry and watch brands alongside a concept store and mezzanine wine bar.

Wonder Room at Selfridges in London houses fine jewelry and watches
A section of Selfridges located near the Wonder Room was boarded up earlier this month to allow for construction of the expected Apple Watch pop-up shop, sources say. The store-within-a-store concept will display various Apple Watch models and provide customers with a personalized shopping experience, potentially including One to One service for those interested in learning more about the wrist-worn device.

Apple is recruiting retail employees from nearby Apple Stores in London to fill Specialist vacancies at an upcoming Central London location, which is likely to be this Selfridges boutique. The pop-up shop is expected to be readied in time for the Apple Watch launch in April and will likely join Galeries Lafayette as one of multiple standalone Apple Watch stores that Apple plans to open throughout Europe.

Selfridges has the second-largest retail space in the United Kingdom behind competing high-end department store Harrods. The store offers a myriad of designer jewelry and accessories, such as watches, bracelets, earrings, necklaces, pendants and rings. With the Apple Watch positioned at least partially as a fashion item, the department store offers an ideal setting for the wrist-worn device to be displayed.

Apple Likely Building Apple Watch Demo Area at Yerba Buena Center

A new image has surfaced that shows construction of an outdoor extension at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco, as reported by 9to5Mac. The tented space will likely serve as an Apple Watch demo area at the upcoming “Spring Forward” media event on March 9th, where Apple is widely expected to provide further details about the Apple Watch’s features, pricing and release date.

According to the tipster that submitted the photos, there are security guards wearing “Apple Security” shirts monitoring the construction site, all but confirming that the external addition belongs to Apple. The company previously built a similar structure outside of the Flint Center as a demo area for the iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus and Apple Watch, so an exterior demo area would not be unprecedented.

Apple sent out invites for its “Spring Forward” media event earlier this week, and will also be providing a live stream of the event on its website for Mac, iPhone and iPad. The media event will take place at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco on March 9th at 10:00 AM Pacific and should be focused on the Apple Watch ahead of the wrist-worn device’s launch in April.

Buyer’s Guide: Deals on iPad Air, iMac, MacBook Air, and Apple Accessories [iOS Blog]

As we head into March, deals are beginning to pick up a little bit. The iPad Air 2 is still available at discounted prices from B&H Photo, and Best Buy is offering discounts on its stock of original iPad Air tablets.

There are also deals to be had on the iMac, the MacBook Air, and the Retina MacBook Pro, plus, as always, we have a nice selection of Apple accessories that have been discounted this week.

iPad Air 2

B&H Photo is offering up to $60 off its entire stock of iPad Air 2 models, dropping the price of the entry-level 16GB Wi-Fi only iPad Air 2 to $459. Discounts vary based on model, but the lowest discount is $35 and the highest is $60 off the 128GB Wi-Fi only iPad Air 2.

iPad Air

Best Buy is discounting its entire stock of original iPad Air tablets by $50 to $100, depending on the model. Wi-Fi only models are discounted by $50, dropping the price of the entry-level 16GB iPad Air to $349.99, and cellular models are discounted by $100, dropping the price of the entry-level 16GB cellular model to $379.99.

Best Buy also has a few now-discontinued higher-capacity iPad Air models available at low prices.

– iPad Air Cellular Silver 128GB (AT&T) – $599.99
– iPad Air Cellular Space Gray 128GB (AT&T) – $599.99
– iPad Air Cellular Silver 64GB (Verizon) – $566.99
– iPad Air Cellular Space Gray 64GB (Verizon) – $566.99

iPad mini 3

Best Buy is discounting its stock of 16GB iPad mini 3 models by $50, dropping the price on cellular versions to $479.99 and the price of Wi-Fi only versions to $349.99.

iPad mini 2

Best Buy still has a few now-discontinued higher-capacity iPad mini 2 models available at low prices.

– iPad mini 2 Cellular AT&T Silver 64GB – $399.99
– iPad mini 2 Cellular AT&T Space Gray 128GB – $499.99
– iPad mini 2 Cellular AT&T Silver 128GB – $499.99
– iPad mini 2 Cellular Verizon Silver 64GB – $412.99
– iPad mini 2 Cellular Verizon Space Gray 128GB – $566.99

iMac

– 21.5-inch 2.7GHz/8GB/1TB (Adorama) – $1,189, $110 off
– 21.5-inch 2.9GHz/8GB/1TB (Adorama) – $1,389, $100 off
– 27-inch 3.2GHz/8GB/1TB (Adorama) – $1,689, $110 off
– 27-inch 3.4GHz/8GB/1TB (Adorama) (B&H Photo) – $1,794, $205 off
– 27-inch 3.5Ghz/8GB/1TB Retina iMac (Adorama) (B&H Photo) (MacMall) – $2,349, $150 off

MacBook Air

– 11-inch 1.4GHz/4GB/128GB (Adorama) – $799, $100 off
– 11-inch 1.4GHz/4GB/256GB (B&H Photo) (Adorama) – $999, $100 off
– 13-inch 1.4GHz/4GB/128GB (B&H Photo (Adorama) – $919, $80 off
– 13-inch 1.4GHz/4GB/256GB (B&H Photo) (Adorama) – $1,099, $100 off

Retina Macbook Pro

– 13-inch 2.6GHz/8GB/128GB (Adorama) (B&H Photo) – $1,189, $100 off
– 13-inch 2.6GHz/8GB/256GB (B&H Photo) (Adorama) – $1,399, $100 off
– 13-inch 2.8GHz/8GB/512GB (Adorama) – $1,599, $200 off
– 15-inch 2.2GHz/16GB/256GB (Best Buy) (Adorama) (B&H Photo) – $1,799.99, $200 off
– 15-inch 2.5GHz/16GB/512GB – (Best Buy) (Adorama) (B&H Photo) – $2,249.99, $200 off

Apps

There are quite a few apps that are on sale at discounted prices or available for free for a limited time. We’ll highlight a few here, but make sure to check out our sister site AppShopper for a complete list.

Toca Hair Salon, a popular game for children, is available for free this week, down from $2.99. NFL Quarterback 15 is available for free, down from $0.99. Duet Display is half off this week, priced at $7.99 instead of $15.99.

Twisty Hollow is priced at $0.99 this week, down from $2.99. Space Age: A Cosmic Adventure is available for $1.99, down from $3.99. Botanicula is available for $1.99, down from $4.99.

Printer Pro was named Apple’s app of the week this week, and it will be available to download for free for the next six days.

Apple Accessories

The Bolt battery and wall charger is available for $44.99 from StackSocial, a $15 discount off its regular price. The Griffin PowerJolt car charger is available for $24.99 from Groupon, $10 off its normal price. Groupon is also selling the Mophie Powerstation 4,000mAh battery charger for $29.99, down from its original price of $79.95.

The second-generation Jawbone UP fitness tracker is available for $49.99 from LivingSocial, down from its original price of $129.99. The Ion iCade Arcade Bluetooth cabinet is available for $59.99 from Amazon, $70 off its regular price of $129.99. PayPal Digital Gifts on eBay is offering a $100 iTunes gift card for $80.

The JBL OnBeat Mini Speaker Dock for iPhone 5/5s/6/6 Plus and iPad is available for $39.99 from Groupon, an 80 percent discount off its regular price.LivingSocial is selling the Speck CandyShell Grip case for iPad mini for $14.99, down from $44.95.

Speck is offering 50 percent off site wide, discounting its entire stock of iPhone cases and accessories. The discount will be available until Saturday and is applied at checkout.

SkinIt, a site that makes custom skins for a wide range of devices from the iPhone to the MacBook, is offering a special deal buy one get one 50 percent off deal for MacRumors readers. With the code MACRUMORS, you can get 50% off a second skin after purchasing one skin.

MacRumors is an affiliate partner of some of these vendors.

Case Logic Video Review: Hands-On With the Ibira MacBook Backpack [Mac Blog]

Case Logic is known its line of backpacks, cases, and other storage accessories, all of which are priced affordably, making it quite popular with people looking for inexpensive but quality solutions for carrying around their devices.

We met up with Case Logic at CES this year, where the company had a large booth showcasing all of its products, including the Ibira backpack, one of its newest offerings. We went hands-on with the Ibira backpack in our latest video review, so check it out to see what we thought.

The Ibira is a lightweight, slim backpack but we were impressed with what it was able to hold. We fit in a MacBook, an iPad, an Apple keyboard, an iPhone, several chargers and accessories, a water bottle, and several notebooks. Build wise, the backpack is made of a high quality material that feels like it will stand up to heavy usage, but the straps were a bit too thin and could use more padding to be comfortable.

Case Logic’s Ibira Backpack is available in black and anthracite from the Case Logic website for $29.99.

iOS 8.2 Could See Public Release Next Week, Two More Betas of iOS 8.3 to Come

Apple may be planning to release iOS 8.2 to the public as early as next Monday, reports BGR. iOS 8.2 has been in testing since November and notably contains support for the Apple Watch. The March release date has been rumored for several weeks now, but earlier information pointed towards a launch a bit later in the month, possibly during the second week of March.

A Monday, March 2 release date for iOS 8.2 would mean the software would be released to consumers a full week ahead of Apple’s scheduled March 9 “Spring Forward” media event, where the company is expected to divulge additional details on the Apple Watch.

BGR is fairly accurate when it comes to iOS release date predictions. The site correctly determined several iOS 7 beta release dates, but it has been wrong on occasion. Because March 2 is not in line with earlier predictions, BGR could be off by a week, but we will certainly be seeing a public release of iOS 8.2 sometime during the first two weeks of March, even if the March 2 date is inaccurate.

Thus far, there have been five iOS 8.2 betas, with the last beta coming on Monday, February 2, suggesting either another beta or a public release is coming in the near future.

The site also says that it has learned from its sources that there may be as many as four betas of iOS 8.3. We have had two iOS 8.3 betas, so there could be two more beta updates before the software is provided to the public. That would put iOS 8.3 on track to launch in April. iOS 8.3 brings several new features to the operating system, most notably introducing a redesigned emoji picker and adding both new emoji and emoji skin tone modifiers.