Apple wins lawsuit claiming messages to Android were blocked
You certainly have reason to be upset at how Apple handled iMessages for users switching away from iOS, but it’s clear that not everyone has raised those gripes the right way. Judge Lucy Koh (from the Apple-versus-Samsung case) has dismissed a lawsuit arguing that Apple effectively wiretapped iMessage chats to prevent them from reaching Android users. There’s no mention of the reasons for dismissal in the court order. However, Apple had asked the judge to toss the case when it learned that two of the plaintiffs dumped their iPhones after the case began — they’d eliminated important evidence.
As it stands, the wiretapping connection was strained. The issue wasn’t that Apple was looking at and blocking iMessages, but rather that it didn’t have a way to deliver those texts when recipients ditched their iPhones without deactivating iMessage first. Think of it as moving without leaving a forwarding address — the post office can’t give you a letter if it still thinks you’re at your old place. This doesn’t excuse the headaches involved with ditching iOS, but it’s clear that this suit didn’t have much chance of success.
Source: Business Insider
Apple wins lawsuit claiming messages to Android were blocked
You certainly have reason to be upset at how Apple handled iMessages for users switching away from iOS, but it’s clear that not everyone has raised those gripes the right way. Judge Lucy Koh (from the Apple-versus-Samsung case) has dismissed a lawsuit arguing that Apple effectively wiretapped iMessage chats to prevent them from reaching Android users. There’s no mention of the reasons for dismissal in the court order. However, Apple had asked the judge to toss the case when it learned that two of the plaintiffs dumped their iPhones after the case began — they’d eliminated important evidence.
As it stands, the wiretapping connection was strained. The issue wasn’t that Apple was looking at and blocking iMessages, but rather that it didn’t have a way to deliver those texts when recipients ditched their iPhones without deactivating iMessage first. Think of it as moving without leaving a forwarding address — the post office can’t give you a letter if it still thinks you’re at your old place. This doesn’t excuse the headaches involved with ditching iOS, but it’s clear that this suit didn’t have much chance of success.
Source: Business Insider
Apple wins lawsuit claiming messages to Android were blocked
You certainly have reason to be upset at how Apple handled iMessages for users switching away from iOS, but it’s clear that not everyone has raised those gripes the right way. Judge Lucy Koh (from the Apple-versus-Samsung case) has dismissed a lawsuit arguing that Apple effectively wiretapped iMessage chats to prevent them from reaching Android users. There’s no mention of the reasons for dismissal in the court order. However, Apple had asked the judge to toss the case when it learned that two of the plaintiffs dumped their iPhones after the case began — they’d eliminated important evidence.
As it stands, the wiretapping connection was strained. The issue wasn’t that Apple was looking at and blocking iMessages, but rather that it didn’t have a way to deliver those texts when recipients ditched their iPhones without deactivating iMessage first. Think of it as moving without leaving a forwarding address — the post office can’t give you a letter if it still thinks you’re at your old place. This doesn’t excuse the headaches involved with ditching iOS, but it’s clear that this suit didn’t have much chance of success.
Source: Business Insider
Unofficial Apple museum shows decades worth of gear
Apple isn’t about to open a museum any time soon, but that isn’t stopping fans from making one of their own. Prague’s newly opened Apple Museum showcases what’s billed as the “biggest” private collection of Apple gear, ranging from some of the earliest systems to models you can find in stores today. The collection includes some relatively hard-to-find items, too, including the Lisa, the Twentieth Anniversary Mac and a Beatles Collector’s Box (complete with iPod and rip-it-yourself CD library). The tributes to the company are over the top at times — expect to see a lot of Steve Jobs quotes — but it might be worth the trip if you’re in town and have a penchant for Apple gear.
[Image credit: Apple Museum, Imgur]
Source: Apple Museum, Imgur
Apple Reduces Price of iPhone 6s and 6s Plus in India
Apple continues to strengthen its foothold in the Indian smartphone market by now reducing the price of the two-month-old iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus in the country. According to a report by The Times of India, sales for the new iPhones have dived following an upsurge during Diwali festivities in November.
As a result, Apple has cut the price of the 6s and 6s Plus by up to 16 percent from the original price point. The iPhone 6s 16GB model began at 62,000 Rupees in October, and now sells for between 52,000 and 55,000 Rupees, with prices varying between retail locations. All storage sizes of both the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus received price cuts, with the average difference in price between the October launch date and now being about 15 percent lower.
Below is the approximate prices of iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus on one of the country’s biggest e-commerce website:
– iPhone 6S (16GB): Rs 48,499
– iPhone 6S (64GB): Rs 62,849
– iPhone 6S (128GB): Rs 74,940
– iPhone 6S Plus (16GB): Rs 61,999
– iPhone 6S Plus (64GB): Rs 75,499
– iPhone 6S Plus (128GB): Rs 85,999
One advantage to lowering the iPhones’ price point, according to a few anonymous retail executives, is making the new generation of iPhone more enticing of an upgrade for users still on the 6 and 6 Plus from 2014. On average, the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus were Rs 8,000 to Rs 9,500 more expensive than the models released the year before, and even about Rs 14,000 to Rs 16,000 more expensive than the same versions launched in the United States, Middle East, and Hong Kong.
The reduction also narrows the gap with prices of iPhone 6 devices launched in 2014, making an upgrade more attractive for customers. “The price difference between the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6s was a lot, so many customers are not willing to upgrade to the new model,” said a senior executive of another national retailer.
The new price cut follows a similar one for the iPhone 5s in India last week, which saw the 2013 iPhone reduced by nearly half of what it was selling for in September: 44,500 Rupees to 24,999 Rupees.
Tarun Pathak, senior analyst at Counterpoint Technology Market Research, noted that the price reduction of the 5s could easily “take the wind out of iPhone 6s sales” in the immediate future given the large gap in price between the two. But in the January to September timeframe, he sees the price cuts “re-igniting” demand for the 6s and 6s Plus in India.
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Roli’s quirky musical keyboard is now an iPhone app
When ROLI introduced the Seaboard — a quirky interpretation of the musical keyboard — it was hard not be curious. But, at $2,000, that’s likely where you remained. Even the smaller, more affordable Seaboard Rise was a little out of reach for many casual musicians wanting to try its tactile trickery (watch this to see what we mean). Today, however, there’s a ROLI for everyone, as the British firm has just announced Noise: a virtual Seaboard in iPhone app form. If you want to know why Apple’s 3D Touch matters, it’s apps like this that will show you — and Noise is much easier on your pocket (in fact, it’s free).
The Seaboard series of instruments look a bit like someone left a regular keyboard out in the sun; the smooth, contiguous keys give them an iconic look. This aesthetic spills over to the app. So does the nifty mechanism for manipulating sound with gestures. Just as you can wiggle a finger on a key to create vibrato on the Seaboard, you can do the same on the Noise app. That’s neat, but nothing new. What’s exciting here is the implementation of 3D Touch.
Apple’s pressure sensitive input might be good for adding in context menus and “peek and pop”-ing messages, but it really comes into its own with music apps, and Noise is a stellar example of that. Press hard and the notes sound louder. Or, keep a finger on the screen and push/release continuously to hear the sound change in organic, expressive ways (like changing the speed of a dubstep “wobble”). We’ve already seen similar tricks in music apps, but ROLI’s Noise is a particularly good fit.
As for Noise itself. You can choose the number of keys on screen (13, 17 or 25), and change the layout to include on screen modulation controls (like the Rise’s touchpad). There’s also support for MIDI over Bluetooth. The app is free, and includes 25 pre-installed sounds. If you want to expand that library, then add on packs can be purchased for a few dollars a pop.
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
No 3D Touch for iPad Air 3 Due in First Half of 2016, iPhone 7’s 3D Touch Tech Similar to iPhone 6s
KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has issued a research note obtained by MacRumors that predicts the iPad Air 3 will be released in the first half of 2016 and is unlikely to adopt 3D Touch because of production issues within Apple’s supply chain.
Kuo also believes the iPhone 7’s pressure-sensitive 3D Touch display will have “similar technology and structure” as the iPhone 6s. The report confirms the iPhone 7 will be released in 2016, likely around Apple’s usual September timeframe.
Apple introduced the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus in September with 3D Touch as a headline new feature. The pressure-sensing technology enables iPhone users to perform additional “Peek” and “Pop” gestures to access Quick Action shortcut menus or preview content within apps.
3D Touch also enables iPhone 6s and 6s Plus users to press the left side of the Home screen to switch to multitasking view, press lightly for finer lines or more deeply for thicker ones in Notes, swipe left to delete an email or swipe right to mark it as unread in Mail and more.
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