Apple’s New Taiwanese Lab May Focus on OLED and Micro-LED Display Technology
Taiwanese website DigiTimes has published a new report corroborating rumors that Apple is developing flexible OLED technology for future devices, including iPhones and iPads, at its newly discovered factory in northern Taiwan.
The report, citing sources within the Taiwanese supply chain, claims Apple has recruited a team of R&D engineers from local companies including AU Optronics and Qualcomm subsidiary SolLink, echoing a Bloomberg report from earlier this week.
Last month, Japanese website Nikkei reported that Apple plans to switch to OLED displays for iPhones starting in 2018. The report said LG Display and Samsung Electronics will likely share a large portion of the OLED panel production, with LG already planning capacity upgrades for high-volume organic light-emitting diode production.
Apple’s current LCD supplier Japan Display is also reportedly in negotiations with Apple about securing OLED orders for future iPhones, in an effort to compete with LG and Samsung. The joint venture between Hitachi, Sony and Toshiba reportedly plans to begin mass production of OLED panels in early 2018.
KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo believes Apple will continue using TFT-LCD display technology for iPhones for at least the next three years, lining up with the 2018 timeframe claimed by other reports. Kuo also said Apple manufacturer Foxconn is preparing to invest in advanced TFT-LCD production lines for mass production in 2018.
While multiple reports suggest Apple is moving towards OLED displays for iPhones, including DigiTimes, the Taiwanese website shared a second report claiming Apple may focus on micro-LED technology at its secretive Taiwanese factory. The report does not specify if the technology would be used for iPhones or other future devices.
Micro-LED displays eliminate the need for backlighting unlike traditional LCDs, and allow for improved color gamut in addition to higher resolution. However, the technology suffers from low yields when used in a TFT manufacturing process and therefore is difficult to mass produce. […]
However, it is still too early to know whether Apple plans to use micro-LED displays for existing or new applications. Apple is showing signs of moving toward OLED for most of its small- to medium-size products as early as 2017-2018 based on emerging developments in the display industry.
Apple acquired micro-LED display maker LuxVue Technology in 2014. Back in December of 2013, LuxVue raised $25.2 million in funding to pursue the display technology, and the company also filed several patents on micro-LEDs. At the time, one of LuxVue’s investors said the company had “a technical breakthrough in displays.”
OLED displays generally have brighter colors and deeper blacks, and no backlight increases power efficiency, but the panels can also have shorter lifespans and higher manufacturing costs compared to LCD technology. Apple has reportedly been “consulting with display makers” about OLED technology to eliminate potential drawbacks.
Samsung’s flagship lineup of Galaxy smartphones have long used AMOLED displays, but iPhones have stuck to various LCD technologies since the original model launched in 2007. The first and only Apple product to feature OLED display technology is the Apple Watch, but the 1.5-inch to 1.7-inch screen is only a fraction of the size of the 4.7-inch iPhone 6s and 5.5-inch iPhone 6s Plus.
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Jeb Bush has strong feelings about the Apple Watch
Republican presidential candidate Jeb Bush is open about being an Apple fanboy, but now we know that he’s got the same love/hate relationship with the Apple Watch that many others have. In an interview with Business Insider, the politician reveals that the device is “not as intuitive as the other Apple products,” adding that it “takes a lot more work.” In addition, John-Ellis (for that is his name) threw shade at the wearable’s battery life, saying that it “gives out too quick.”
Bush is the third member of his family to campaign for the highest office, but the first that’s seemingly clued-up to technology. He admits that he’s no expert, saying that he doesn’t have the time to learn how to use all of the Watch’s features, but concedes that it’s cool. The website also asked the figure to reveal his most-used apps on his iPhone, which included CBS Sports for his fantasy football draft, Kindle for reading and Kayak for managing his schedule.
A campaign video from summer revealing his love of all things Apple
The politician’s recent history of tech isn’t the greatest, after his experiment in email-based transparency turned into a privacy nightmare. To cap it off, his campaign also managed to score an own-goal by not registering JebBush.com, which was subsequently hijacked by one of his rivals.
Despite this, Bush was a high-scorer on our recent guide to the candidates on tech-relevant issues, scoring a B+. He was praised for his considered opinions on immigration reform, climate change and evolution. Unfortunately, the figure also said that the latter subject shouldn’t be taught in schools and is an outspoken critic of net neutrality laws. Shame.
Source: Business Insider
IBM Releases 100th MobileFirst for iOS App, Expanding Suite to iPad Pro
IBM today announced that it has released its 100th MobileFirst for iOS app, fulfilling its goal set in partnership with Apple. The made-for-business apps are used by enterprise customers across 14 industries and 65 individual professions, including wealth advisors, flight attendants, first responders, nurses, retail buyers and more.
MobileFirst for iOS apps include Advisor Alerts, Asset Care, Hospital RN, Passenger+, Sales Assist, Sales Consult, Train Tickets, Traveler Care and dozens others, used by clients such as Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank, Air Canada, AXA, Bosch, Coca-Cola Amatil, Japan Post, Rimac, SAS and Vodafone Netherlands.
IBM also said it is developing MobileFirst for iOS apps for iPad Pro, which will take advantage of the 12.9-inch tablet’s expanded power, performance, larger screen size and iOS 9 multitasking features. Apple Pencil’s precision and functionality will enable enterprise users to design and layout a room, log transactions or annotate maintenance logs.
Apple and IBM announced an enterprise partnership in 2014, released the first ten MobileFirst for iOS apps at yearend and have launched new apps periodically since. MobileFirst for iOS apps are designed in a secure environment, and can easily be deployed, managed and upgraded through IBM cloud services.
Apple and IBM list all of the MobileFirst for iOS apps on their websites.
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iPhone 6s Tops Google’s 2015 ‘Year in Search’ List in Consumer Tech
Google today released its annual “Year in Search” results, highlighting popular and trending searches in 2015. Apple-related search terms continued to rank highly in the consumer tech category, with iPhone 6s taking the top spot and Samsung Galaxy S6, Apple Watch, iPad Pro and LG G4 rounding off the top five globally.
Samsung’s Galaxy Note 5 and Galaxy J5, HTC’s One M9, Huawei’s Nexus 6P and Microsoft’s Surface Pro 4 were also among the top ten Google searches in the consumer tech category this year. No technology-related terms made it into Google’s top ten searches overall in 2015.
In Google’s 2014 Year in Search, a number of Apple-related search terms similarly ranked highly among the most trending searches in the Consumer Electronics category, with “iPhone 6” taking #1, “Apple Watch” taking #8, and “iPad Air” taking #10. Flappy Bird also ranked #6 in Google’s top 10 overall trending searches in 2014.
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Rdio to Officially Shut Down on December 22, Will Allow Users to Download Collection Archive
Last month Pandora announced that it acquired “key assets” and employees from Rdio for $75 million. Tonight, Rdio began emailing its users to let them know that it would officially shut down on December 22, 2015 at 5 p.m. PST.
Rdio will also let its former subscribers download an archive of their favorite music and playlists in various formats so that they can import them into their new music streaming service of choice. The service also created a timeline that allows users to see their “life on Rdio”, including a user’s most played song and album and the first playlist they created.
The streaming service also shared its own timeline. Rdio revealed that its first subscriber signed up on August 3, 2010, that the first played song was Katy Perry’s “California Girls”, the most played album was Drake’s “Nothing Was The Same”, the most played song was Bruno Mars’ “When I Was Your Man”, the most popular playlist was Dave Novak’s “1000 (April 2015)” and the company’s favorite comment was “Very touching tribute to turning things down for reasons we forget,” regarding DJ Snake and Lil Jon’s “Turn Down For What.”
On its export page, Rdio says the files it’s allowing users to download are metadata that’ll make it easier for users to restore their collections in their next music streaming service. It also points users to Soundiiz and StAMP, two services that allow users to directly transfer their collections to their next music streaming service. Finally, Rdio warns that it doesn’t know when its exporting website will go down, so users should download their collections as soon as possible.
Rdio subscribers can download their collection and view their timeline at Rdio’s farewell page.
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Los Angeles Public Transit Information Added to Apple Maps
As noted by IT professional and writer Tom Bridge on Twitter, public transit information for Los Angeles has started to go live in Apple Maps on both iOS and El Capitan. The rollout adds another major city to a feature that launched as part of iOS 9.
Transit information may still be rolling out to users. Support will include train, light rail and bus services in addition to transit directions. In October, Apple added transit directions for both Sydney and Boston. Apple has not yet added Los Angeles to the transit section of its iOS 9 feature page.
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Apple Working on Scalable 3D Touch Technology for Future iPads and iPhones
Apple is working on next-generation pressure-sensing display technology that will work on screen sizes as large as the iPad Pro, reports AppleInsider citing a source with knowledge of Apple’s plans. The new display technology is said to be in development, but it won’t be finished in time for inclusion in the third-generation iPad Air or the next-generation iPhone.
According to a source familiar with the matter, Apple is unable to scale existing 3D Touch technology to accommodate larger displays like the 9.7-inch panels used in the iPad Air line. The source, who has in the past provided accurate information about Apple’s future plans, said the company is working on a comparable technology for integration in both iPhones and iPads, potentially offering support for the 12.9-inch iPad Pro, Apple’s largest iOS device.
AppleInsider‘s information comes following a similar report from KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who said the next iPad Air, set to be released in the first half of 2016, will not include 3D Touch because of production issues. Kuo also said the upcoming iPhone 7, coming in the fall of 2016, will continue to use 3D Touch technology that’s similar in structure to the 3D Touch in the iPhone 6s and the iPhone 6s Plus.
Positioned as one of the flagship features of the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus, 3D Touch adds new pressure-based gestures to iOS devices. Apple has called 3D Touch “the future of multi-touch,” so it’s a logical assumption that the company is working on expanding pressure sensitive touch gestures to its entire iOS lineup.
Taken in tandem, Kuo’s statements along with AppleInsider‘s rumor suggest 3D Touch or a comparable technology will not be available on iPhones and iPads until after the fall of 2016, perhaps pointing towards a 2017 debut for the feature.
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ConnectSense Review: The Smart Outlet Offers Two HomeKit-Enabled Sockets and a USB Port
Now that HomeKit’s been available for several months, more and more HomeKit-enabled products are popping up. When HomeKit first launched in June, there was only one smart plug available (the Elgato Eve), but now there are a handful to choose from. ConnectSense is the latest company to develop a HomeKit-enabled plug, debuting its Smart Outlet in October.
I went hands-on with the new ConnectSense Smart Outlet to see how it measures up to similar HomeKit products that are available for purchase.
Design
Unlike the other intelligent HomeKit-compatible plugs on the market, the Smart Outlet from ConnectSense combines two outlets in one simple device, with an additional USB charging port for charging an iPhone or iPad. To connect to the iPhone and other HomeKit devices, the Smart Outlet uses Wi-Fi and connects to a home Wi-Fi network.
The Smart Outlet plugs into any traditional outlet in the home, fitting into either the bottom or the top socket. Plugged into the top socket, it fits neatly over an in-the-wall outlet, and while it sticks out about an inch, it’s largely unobtrusive thanks to a simple design. It can also be plugged into the bottom socket of a standard wall socket, but its shape does not allow it to leave the top socket free for use, so there’s no real reason to use it that way.
Made of a smooth white plastic with curved edges, the Smart Outlet has an attractive no-frills design and a decent build quality, but I’m not entirely sure it feels like an $80 product.
Each socket in the Smart Outlet is treated as an individual HomeKit product, so devices plugged into the Outlet can be controlled separately. On the left side, there’s also a USB port for charging iPads and iPhones, but this port can’t be controlled via Siri or through the app.
Skype’s latest iOS update makes sharing content easier
Skype released an update for iOS on Tuesday that makes sharing content during calls easier. Version 6.8 allows users to send links, web pages or camera roll photos to whoever they’re calling with a single click of the share button. Simply select the content you want to send, swipe right until you see the More button and then select Skype from the Activities section to initiate a call.
Via: Phone Scoop
Source: Skype
OtterBox Launches New Cases for iPad Pro, iPad Air 2 and iPad Mini 4
OtterBox today announced the debut of new protective cases designed for the iPad Pro, the iPad mini 4, and the iPad Air 2. The Defender Series is being updated with cases for the iPad Pro, the Profile Series is being updated with cases for the iPad Air 2, and a new Symmetry Series Folio is available for the iPad mini 4.
The Defender Series for iPad Pro, priced at $129.95, includes a built-in screen protector to keep the tablet’s display free from scratches, and like other cases in the Defender Series, its three-layer design protects the iPad from drops and dust. It also includes a shield stand for use when watching videos. Unique to the iPad Pro is a slot that holds the Apple Pencil.
OtterBox’s Symmetry Series Folio for the iPad mini 4 is priced at $59.95 and offers full coverage with a protective back shell and a wrap-around faux leather or fabric cover. The Folio cover converts into a multi-position stand with 360-degree rotation for use in both landscape and portrait mode.
The Profile Series for the iPad Air 2 is an inexpensive, simple folio case that’s priced at $49.95. It includes a protective rear shell that keeps the iPad Air 2 safe from drops and scratches, plus a wrap-around folio-style cover that doubles as a single-position stand.
OtterBox’s new cases for Apple’s iPad lineup are available from the OtterBox website and are currently discounted by 25 percent. Cases for the iPad Air 2 and the iPad mini 4 will ship by Christmas with free express shipping, but the iPad Pro Defender Series Case won’t be in stock until January.
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