Amazon and Apple out new iPhone 7 ahead of announcement
Looks like Amazon jumped the gun and accidentally posted its iPhone 7 accessories landing page ahead of Apple’s actual event. While we can’t guarantee that the page has the correct information about the yet-to-be-announced iPhone, it does look like at least Amazon and Speck are expecting to see the end of the headphone jack on the device. So many Bluetooth headphones. It also looks like the dual camera cases are only for the 7 Plus.
Update: Looks like Apple is getting in on the fun of outing its hardware before the official announcement. The company’s Twitter account just dropped tweets about the new iPhone 7 being water resistant, having stereo speakers and a longer battery life. Plus you can pre-order the new phone on September 16.
Update: Looks like Apple pulled the offending tweets. So here are some screenshots.
New cameras. Water-resistant. Stereo speakers. Longer battery life. This is 7. Learn more. https://t.co/yhSolSpN7J pic.twitter.com/fHHJTnaFEp
— Apple (@Apple) September 7, 2016
iPhone 7. The best iPhone ever, in every way that matters. Pre-order now. Available 9/16. https://t.co/x7ssUQ99p3 pic.twitter.com/jK5y3cpzpr
— Apple (@Apple) September 7, 2016
Click here to catch all the latest news from Apple’s “See You” event.
Via: Gizmodo
Apple announces the water-resistant iPhone 7 and 7 Plus
Apple accidentally introduced the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus, the latest iterations of its premium smartphone, via Twitter, before deleting the tweets. The iPhone 7 and 7 Plus look remarkably similar to the phones they replace — this is the smallest generational design shift in the iPhone’s history — but that’s not to say nothing has changed.
The antenna bands on the back of the previous models have been made more discreet; they now hug the edges of the device. This repositioning has allowed Apple to squeeze in larger camera bumps on the back. For the first time in the iPhone’s history, the new phones are “water-resistant,” and have stereo speakers. And although they haven’t said so yet, there’s no headphone port to be seen
As hinted at by the larger bumps, the cameras for both models are new. The iPhone 7 Plus — which is sporting that rumored “piano black” look in the render — has a dual-camera setup that we’ll learn more about soon. The iPhone 7 has a 12-megapixel “low-light loving” camera with optical image stabilization.
The new iPhones will be available on September 16th, with pre-orders set to open today. We’ll have much more detail for you when Apple actually announces these things.
This story is developing, please refresh your page for more information…
Click here to catch all the latest news from Apple’s “See You” event.
Apple’s high-end wireless earbuds may not ship with iPhone 7
The long-rumoured death of the iPhone’s headphone jack has left everybody wondering: What’s going to become of Apple’s EarPods? Well, they’ll probably go wireless, but according to one analyst, they won’t come with your iPhone. They’ll be sold separately — and they might be expensive. KGI Securities’ Ming-Chi Kuo believes that Apple will announce a pair of high-end “AirPod” earbuds tomorrow as a premium accessory for iPhone 7 buyers. They won’t come in the box like Apple’s current earbuds, he says, and may not even use Bluetooth.
According to Kuo, Apple may have designed a “Bluetooth-like communications chip” with more strict limits on power consumption. This same low-power chip may also be used to communicate with smart car systems and other home accessories. The Analyst even goes as far as to name Taiwan Semiconductor as the company he believes developed the chip.
So, if Apple’s wireless answer to removing the headphone jack is going to be a premium accessory, what about the average user? Not to worry: Kuo believes the iPhone 7 will bundle in a pair of lighting-connector compatible earbuds or, at bare minimum, a 3.5mm to lighting adapter. Even so, take this report with a grain of salt — Kuo has a strong history of getting these kinds of predictions right, but we won’t know for sure until tomorrow.
Source: Apple Insider, Digital Trends
Trademarks for ‘AirPod Case,’ ‘Iris Engine,’ ‘Touch Bar,’ and More Hint at Future Apple Products
Trademark lawyer Brian Conroy today shared the culmination of months of intensive research on Apple trademarks, giving us some solid insight into what the company might be working on based on its trademark filings around the world.
First and foremost, Conroy has tracked down a trademark filing for the iPhone 7, seemingly confirming the “iPhone 7” name just ahead of tomorrow’s event. The larger version of the iPhone, the “iPhone 7 Plus” is also mentioned in a separate filing, confirming that name as well.
Conroy has also found a trademark filing that confirms the “AirPods” trademark has been registered by Apple. MacRumors first discovered the AirPods trademark late last year and linked it to a lawyer associated with Apple, but Apple was careful to use a shell company for trademark registration. While there was little doubt the AirPods trademark belonged to Apple, there is now no question.
Alongside the AirPods, which are said to be wireless Bluetooth earbuds, Apple also appears to have trademarked the name “AirPod Case,” which is in line with rumors suggesting the AirPods will come with a battery case that is aimed at charging them on the go to increase battery life. The AirPods are rumored to feature four hours of battery life sans case and they could be announced at tomorrow’s event along with updated Beats headphones.
Conroy has also found trademark filings for future Apple products that include “Apple Iris Engine,” “Apple Iris Image Engine,” “Apple Smart Button,” and “Apple Touch Bar,” which he plans to cover in greater detail in later posts. Apple is rumored to be working on iris recognition capabilities for the 2017 iPhone, and “Apple Touch Bar” could potentially refer to the touch panel that’s built into the next-generation MacBook Pro, rumored to be coming tis October. Apple Smart Button is less clear, but could potentially refer to the new touch-based flush Home button coming in the iPhone 7.
Software-based filings have also been discovered, including “Apple Swift Labs,” “Apple Progress Card,” “Apple Breathe,” “Apple Smart View,” “Apple Rich Links,” “iBooks Storytime,” “Control Strip,” and many other trademarks for known iOS 10 features. macOS Sierra trademarks that hint at alternate names Apple might have used for the operating system have also been discovered and will be shared later.
Discuss this article in our forums
Here’s how the iPhone 7 Plus’ dual cameras could work
Apple’s 2016 iPhone launch event may be just days away, but that isn’t stemming the tide of leaks and rumors. KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo (who is frequently, though not always, on the mark with Apple launches) has published a last-minute report claiming very detailed knowledge of Apple’s handset plans, including a few tidbits that have remained unclear. He now says he understands how the larger 5.5-inch model’s (for sake of reference, the iPhone 7 Plus) long-reported dual rear cameras would work. The two 12-megapixel sensors would reportedly be used for both zoom and “light field camera applications” — typically, that means after-shot refocusing. This would be at least somewhat similar to the dual-camera setup on the Huawei P9, where you can play with focal points and simulate different apertures. Huawei doesn’t offer an enhanced zoom, though.
On top of that, Apple would purportedly include higher-quality lenses (with more elements) and extra LED flashes to produce more natural color in low-light photos.
If the report is accurate, you also wouldn’t have to worry quite so much about Apple ditching the headphone jack. Much like Motorola, Apple is supposedly bundling a headphone adapter (in this case, Lightning to 3.5mm) in every iPhone 7 and 7 Plus box on top of native Lightning earbuds. It still wouldn’t be as elegant as a native 3.5mm port (you’d likely have to go wireless to listen to music while you charge), but you wouldn’t have to buy a dongle to keep using your pricey wired headphones.
There’s more. Kuo also hears that the A10 chip powering the new iPhones will run at a much higher 2.4GHz clock speed (the A9 in the iPhone 6s and SE tops out at 1.85GHz). And if you’re the sort who has to get a new color to prove that you have the latest iPhone, it might be your lucky day. The analyst elaborates on a previous rumor by claiming that Apple will replace its seemingly ubiquitous space gray color with “dark black,” and there would even be a glossy “piano black” if you’re feeling ostentatious. Oh, and the purported second speaker grille? That would hold a new sensor to improve Force Touch, though it’s not certain how that would work.
To top it all off, the report also supports a few existing stories. The new iPhones would indeed be water-resistant, surviving depths of 3.3 feet for 30 minutes. And Apple would not only double the base storage, but the mid-tier’s storage as well. You’d be shopping between 32GB, 128GB and 256GB models, much like you do with the iPad Pro. The display resolution won’t be going up, Kuo says (boo!), but you would get the smaller iPad Pro’s wider color range. All told, Apple would be counting on a ton of iterative improvements to get you to upgrade. Even if this isn’t the big redesign you’d hope for, it’d be more than just a modest tune-up.
Source: 9to5Mac
What we expect from Apple’s big iPhone event
Apple is holding a big press event next week, and it’s a pretty safe assumption at this point that we’re getting a new iPhone. We’re not expecting a radical reimagining of the device, but there might be a few surprises here (like no headphone jack!) to keep people on their toes. Will we see a new Apple Watch? Maybe. New MacBook Pros? Probably not. A play to repay $14.5 billion in back taxes? Keep dreaming. Watch the video above for all the latest on the Apple rumor mill.
Apple activates its Twitter account ahead of iPhone event
Apple has activated its Twitter account and redesigned the Newsroom just days ahead of its iPhone 7 event on September 7th. The company has had a Twitter account since September 2011, but has never tweeted anything and, until now, had a generic “egg” avatar. That’s now been replaced by the Apple logo and a background with the same design as its event invitation. It still has only 50,000 followers, but that will change very quickly if it starts to tweet regularly.
My guess as well: they’ll live tweet the event. https://t.co/XBbhk3ptZM
— Mark Gurman (@markgurman) September 2, 2016
Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, who has broken numerous Apple stories in the past, suggested that Apple activated its Twitter account in order to live Tweet next week’s event. The company has live-blogged events before, to accompany its video streams, but doing one on Twitter would be new.
Apple also redesigned its Newsroom press relations site. Articles are now much larger, feature images, and have been arranged in a “Storify” style with a card for each. The company recently added three “Apple Original” articles about how to use Siri. At the bottom of each article, it now includes the direct contact information for PR personnel, something it has never done before. The changes wouldn’t be that big a deal for most companies, but Apple hasn’t changed its approach to the press since, well, forever.
Source: Apple (Twitter), Apple
Zagg Debuts New ‘InvisibleShield Sapphire Defense’ Screen Protector Infused With Sapphire Glass
Zagg today announced the launch of its two newest screen protectors for the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus, introducing the InvisibleShield Sapphire Defense and the InvisibleShield Glass+.
The Sapphire Defense InvisibleShield is a hybrid glass screen protector infused with sapphire to give it superior scratch resistance. According to Zagg, the Sapphire Defense combines sapphire, glass, and traditional screen protection for a “virtually indestructible” screen protector that offers 7x better impact protection compared to an unprotected screen.
It also features smudge resistance, a self-healing surface to mask minor scratches, and the smooth feel and clarity of traditional glass screen protectors from Zagg.
“Almost everyone can relate to the fear associated with accidentally dropping your smartphone onto a hard surface,” said Brian Stech, president of ZAGG. “As mobile devices have become the epicenter of our lives, we believe your screen should look as good today as the day you first purchased your device. This mentality drives us to work tirelessly to ensure mobile users can charge through life free from the fear of a damaged screen, confident to know the world’s most advanced screen protection and lifetime warranty are protecting them.”
The InvisibleShield Glass+ is a less expensive tempered glass screen protector which Zagg says features advanced impact protection, scratch resistance, and reinforced edges. It’s constructed from several layers to protect against scratches and it offers 2x more impact protection than an unprotected screen.
The InvisibleShield Sapphire Defense is priced at $49.99 while the InvisibleShield Glass+ is priced at $39.99. Both new screen protectors can be purchased from the Zagg website, with the Glass+ coming in early September and the Sapphire Defense coming in early October.
Discuss this article in our forums
Apple to Clean Up App Store, Eliminate Outdated and Non-Functional Apps
Apple today notified developers about some upcoming changes to the App Store, which are designed to make it easier for customers to find high-quality app content.
Starting on September 7, Apple will begin removing old, outdated apps that have not received compatibility updates, do not comply with current review guidelines, or that no longer function as intended. This will see the elimination of many older apps that have been long abandoned.
Quality is extremely important to us. We know that many of you work hard to build innovative apps and update your apps on the App Store with new content and features. However, there are also apps on the App Store that no longer function as intended or follow current review guidelines, and others which have not been supported with compatibility updates for a long time. We are implementing an ongoing process of evaluating apps for these issues, notifying their developers, and removing problematic and abandoned apps from the App Store.
Apps across all categories will be subject to Apple’s new review process this September. Developers with problematic apps will be notified and will have 30 days to make changes to their app to prevent it from being removed from the App Store. Apps that crash on launch will, however, be removed from the App Store immediately.
Apple also plans to limit the number of characters that can be used in an app name, preventing some developers from using excessively long app names to influence search results. Beginning on September 7, app names submitted in iTunes Connect for both new apps and app updates will be limited to a maximum of 50 characters.
Search is one of the most frequently used methods for customers to discover and download apps from the App Store. In hopes of influencing search results, some developers have used extremely long app names which include descriptions and terms not directly related to their app. These long names are not fully displayed on the App Store and provide no user value. App names you submit in iTunes Connect for new apps and updates will now be limited to no longer than 50 characters.
Over the course of the last few months, Apple has been dedicating resources to improving the App Store. In June, Apple announced plans to open up app subscriptions to all product categories, offer more favorable subscription revenue splits, improve sharing tools, and introduce ads to App Store search results to give developers new ways to promote their apps.
Update: Apple has also released updated App Store guidelines that cover new features in iOS 10 like SiriKit, sticker packs, Messages App Store, the new subscription policies, and more.
Discuss this article in our forums
Logitech Unveils New Subscription Video Storage Plan for Circle Camera
Logitech released its Logi Circle home monitoring camera last September, but up until now, it has offered only 24 hours of storage, leaving users with no way to store multiple days of footage.
That’s set to change with the debut of the new Logitech “Circle Safe” subscription-based video storage plan that will let users keep and replay video footage beyond 24 hours.
Circle Safe will allow Logi Circle owners to store and access video footage for a full 31 days, keeping important moments available for a much longer period of time.
Alongside Circle Safe, Logitech is debuting improvements to Day Briefs, so subscribers will be able to create time lapse videos for the past day, week, or month. It also supports the creation of Day Briefs for specific user-inputted time frames.
Pricing for Circle Safe starts at $9.99 per account per month, and Logitech is providing all Logi Circle owners with a free 31-day trial. Introductory pricing options are also available.
Logitech’s Logi Circle home camera, which includes features like night vision, activity alerts, battery support, and two-way communication, is priced at $199.99 and can be purchased from the Logitech website.
Discuss this article in our forums
AIVAnet 