iPhone 7 may keep the headphone jack and support dual SIMs
One of the most intriguing rumors about the upcoming iPhone 7 is that it’ll ditch the 3.5mm headphone jack, meaning users will have to get audio output via Lightning or Bluetooth. But according to a leakster, this may no longer be the case. Rock Fix, a smartphone repair shop based in China’s Ganzhou, has recently been posting photos of alleged iPhone 7 components. One of these is apparently the 4.7-inch model’s Lightning cable assembly which, contrary to what we’ve been hearing before, still has a headphone jack attached to it. And more recently, the shop shared photos of what it claims to be the next iPhone’s dual-SIM trays, which will be a first for Apple if true.
Other parts shown off by Rock Fix include some screen panels in the usual two sizes, some SanDisk memory chips of up to a whopping 256GB, plus a dual-lens camera for the larger model (hello, Huawei!). The shop owner also told us that there will be some changes to the antenna design, though he clarified that this won’t get rid of those antenna bands on the back of the phone; maybe it’s more to do with the rumored switch to Intel’s modem for the GSM models.
Despite such recent leaks, there’s still some uncertainty regarding the iPhone 7’s features. For one, just three days ago, an industry insider claimed he heard from a Foxconn source saying Apple had canned the dual-lens camera because the technology wasn’t ready, but the following day another insider shot this rumor down, as he had heard from multiple suppliers saying the tooling was already made and that it’d be too late to change it (a self-proclaimed Foxconn employee commented below this Weibo post to say mass production started last month). He added that Samsung, Oppo, Vivo and Xiaomi are also exploring dual-lens cameras for their upcoming smartphones, so it’ll be interesting to see what the mobile industry will offer in the coming months.
Source: Rock Fix (1), (2)
Chinese firm claims Apple copied its design for iPhone 6
It’s tough for foreign companies to do business in China, so much that even Apple is having a hard time. After the iTunes Movies and iBooks Store ban back in April, the previous generation of iPhones have recently been accused of infringing the design patent of some random Chinese company’s “100C” smartphone under the “100+” brand. Don’t laugh, because the Beijing Intellectual Property Office has since ordered Apple to stop selling its iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus in Beijing, with the reason being the general consumers won’t be able to tell the “minute differences” between Apple’s design and the 100C. No, really.
Of course, Apple and its distribution partner aren’t having any of this, so they have initiated an administrative litigation to reverse the ban. But given Apple’s previous failed attempt in China, they’re going to need a lot of luck to win this fight.
Source: Beijing Morning Post, TENAA
iOS 10 can livestream your games
You won’t have to use an Android phone if you want to livestream your mobile gaming sessions. Apple has revealed that iOS 10 will include ReplayKit Live, a feature that livestreams apps in addition to previous recording support. As you might expect, you can also include your own audio or video remarks. You’ll have to wait for both iOS 10 and supporting apps, of course (Mobcrush is one of the first to make plans), but it could be a big deal for iOS gamers who’ve wanted to share a hot new title while they’re playing it. ReplayKit Live should be useful in more productive apps, too — it could help teachers demonstrate concepts through educational apps, or open the window to live technical help.
Via: 9to5Mac
Source: Mobcrush (Medium)
Netflix Updated With Picture in Picture Support for Compatible iPads
Netflix for iOS was today updated with a highly desired and long-awaited new feature, Picture in Picture support. Introduced in iOS 9, Picture in Picture is an iPad multitasking capability that allows a video that’s playing to be minimized to a corner while other apps are open.
With Picture in Picture support, iPad users can now watch TV shows and movies on Netflix while doing other things on their iPads.
Picture in Picture is available on the iPad Air, iPad Air 2, iPad mini 2, iPad mini 3, iPad mini 4, 9.7-inch iPad Pro, and 12.9-inch iPad Pro. iOS 9.3.2 is required to take advantage of Picture and Picture in Netflix.
Today’s Netflix update also includes unspecified bug fixes and stability improvements.
Netflix can be downloaded from the App Store for free. [Direct Link]
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What happened at WWDC 2016?
Need a quick recap on all the news from WWDC 2016? Our own Dana Wollman and Chris Velazco were on the scene and are ready to run through all the news about macOS, iOS, watchOS, tvOS and any other platforms Apple may have introduced. Most of these changes won’t hit your devices until the fall, but this way it will only take a few minutes to get familiar with all the new features immediately.
Get all the latest news from WWDC 2016 here!
Apple’s new file system revolves around encryption
One of Apple’s quietest announcements at WWDC might also be its most important. The company has introduced a brand new file system, simply called Apple File System (APFS) that makes security its centerpiece. It offers a unified encryption method for virtually every device Apple makes, ranging from the Apple Watch to the Mac. That includes multi-key encryption, which makes it tough to crack even if you have physical access to the storage. In short, the FBI won’t be happy: Encryption is now a core part of the operating system, not just something bolted on after the fact.
APFS also acknowledges the advances in technology in the nearly two decades since Apple’s current file system, HFS+, hit the scene. It’s optimized for flash storage, uses extremely fine-grained time stamps (down to the nanosecond) and supports a whopping 9 quintillion files on a single volume. You’ll also see “snapshots” (read-only instances of the file system) that make Time Machine-style backups easier.
The file system is available to developers in preview form right now, and it should launch in earnest in 2017. However, unlike the usual operating system previews, you don’t even dare try this unless you’re writing apps where it’d be a factor. The pre-release APFS can’t be used to boot a device and doesn’t support many Mac staples, such as Fusion Drives or Time Machine. There’s no certainty that the data you put on a drive now will be readable by later versions of APFS, for that matter. Nonetheless, its very existence is noteworthy: It’ll likely dictate the features of Apple gadgets for years to come.
Get all the latest news from WWDC 2016 here!
Source: Apple (1), (2)
Apple iOS 10 uses AI to help you find photos and type faster
Apple is making artificial intelligence a big, big cornerstone of iOS 10. To start, the software uses on-device computer vision to detect both faces and objects in photos. It’ll recognize a familiar friend, for instance, and can tell that there’s a mountain in the background. While this is handy for tagging your shots, the feature really comes into its own when you let the AI do the hard work. There’s a new Memories section in the Photos app that automatically organizes pictures based on events, people and places, complete with related memories (such as similar trips) and smart presentations. Think of it as Google Photos without having to go online.
AI plays a role even when you’re punching out a message, for that matter. QuickType text suggestions now lean on Siri intelligence to understand the broader context of what you’re trying to say. It’ll be aware of what you’re doing that day, and suggest things based on elements like your contacts or your location. If a friend asks for someone’s email address or wonders where you are, you can share it with one tap. QuickType is better at handling multiple languages and schedules, as well.
These features were somewhat expected — until now, Apple was one of the few big tech companies that wasn’t focusing heavily on AI as a helper for all your day-to-day tasks. We’re not going to knock a serious upgrade, though, and that local support might come in handy for those times when internet access isn’t always guaranteed.
Get all the latest news from WWDC 2016 here!
Apple is getting serious with Messages
Apple announced at WWDC 2016 on Monday that it is drastically changing the way its Messages app operates. Don’t worry, it’s a good thing. Users will now be able to add a bunch more context to their conversations beyond colorful language.
You can add photos and live video feeds to the transcript or drop in rich links. And lo, the emojis. They now appear three times larger than before, so you don’t have to squint at the screen as hard. Apple is also integrating an emoji search engine directly into Messages’ keyboard, a la Google’s gBoard. What’s more, the keyboard will also automatically notice and highlight “emojiable” words so you simply tap on the word to replace it with an emoji. Hopefully, there’s a reversible process for parents so they can have some idea of what their kids are typing at them.
Additionally, you’ll be able to add scalable “bubble effects” that adjust the font size of your text, simulating whispers and shouts. Plus, you can now add your own handwriting as well as small special effects — think, fireworks or strobe lights — to individual texts that briefly take over the screen. Because that won’t get irritating after the first dozen times.
And, like Facebook’s Messenger app, Apple’s Messages now allows you to overlay text atop images. The difference here is that Apple allows you to add actual handwriting rather than fonted text, similar to what Snapchat does. You can expect more new features and functionality in the coming months as Apple is opening up the Messages platform to developers. This is going to be awesome.
Get all the latest news from WWDC 2016 here!
Apple-backed Chinese Uber Rival Didi Chuxing Raises Another $600 Million
Chinese car-hailing service Didi Chuxing revealed today that it has secured a $600 million investment from China Life Insurance Company Ltd, one month after it raised $1 billion courtesy of Apple (via Fortune).
China Life is the largest insurer in the Asia-Pacific region by market value. The agreed investment reportedly includes equity of $300 million and a long-term borrowing commitment of $305 million, the companies said in a statement.
“The two parties will also collaborate on investment opportunities in mobile transportation and related sectors in China and beyond,” the statement said.
The company’s fund-rasing efforts are aimed at helping it fend off Uber’s encroachment into China. Earlier this month, Uber raised $3.5 billion in resources from Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund, while Apple CEO Tim Cook called Apple’s investment in Didi a strategic move that would help the Cupertino company better understand the Chinese market.
In related news, Uber announced last week that users of the service will now be able to reserve rides from 30 minutes to 30 days in advance.
The pre-booking option was introduced in Seattle on Thursday and will extend to other “top business travel cities” in the near future, Uber revealed in a blog post.
The feature is currently limited to the company’s low-cost Uber X service, which operates its fleet of non-luxury cars.
Users of the Uber app need only to select “uberX” and tap “Schedule a ride”, whereupon they can set a pickup date, time, location, and destination, confirm their details, and tap “Schedule uberX”.
The decision to offer a pre-booking option marks a shift away from the company’s original “on-demand” ethos, and follows in the footsteps of Lyft, which began testing a similar service in May in San Francisco.
“Scheduled rides have been a top requested feature at Uber since the very early days,” said Tom Fallows, Uber’s director of global experiences. “Even though we’re an on-demand company we totally get it. Sometimes you want that extra reassurance.”
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Bloomberg: Intel will supply modem chips for the next iPhone
Bloomberg is reporting that Intel will replace Qualcomm as the supplier of modem hardware for some models in the next generation of iPhones. The news service believes that the move is down to Apple’s desire to “diversify its supplier” base for the best-selling devices. Intel will provide the wireless hardware for the GSM version of the device, compatible with AT&T and T-Mobile in the US as well as most worldwide carriers. Qualcomm, meanwhile, will still provide the gear that goes into the Verizon/Sprint model, as well as for other mobile networks that use the CDMA protocol.
It’s a small step for Apple, but a pretty giant leap for Intel, a company that famously turned down the chance to supply key components for the iPhone. Before the first generation device launched, then CEO Paul Otellini was offered the chance to fabricate the processors that would reside within each handset. But, as the chips were designed by a rival, ARM, he decided to take a pass. It wound up costing him big, and firms like Samsung became wealthy from his mistake knocking out the A-series of mobile CPUs.
Realizing its mistake too late, Intel attempted to beat ARM on its own turf, releasing a series of low-power mobile chips designed for Android smartphones. But the gear arrived too late and was considerably slower than the alternatives from Qualcomm, NVIDIA and Samsung. The demise of the PC market has compounded the issue, and the company is now lurching around in crisis mode. Earlier this year it revealed that it’ll have to fire 12,000 employees and re-shape its business in order to remain relevant in the new world.
Source: Bloomberg
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