Foxconn’s Profits Slide 31% as iPhone Sales Continue to Drop

Following in line with a slump in iPhone sales, Apple manufacturer Foxconn recently reported a 31 percent decline in profits in the second quarter of 2016. For the full quarter, ending in June, Foxconn was said to have amassed a net profit of 17.7 billion New Taiwan dollars, down from NT$25.7 billion a year earlier. Analysts watching the company had expected a revenue of around NT$23.9 billion for the quarter (via The Wall Street Journal).

A doom and gloom sentiment began surrounding Apple, and its overseas manufacturers, soon after the Cupertino-based company reported its first quarterly sales decline since 2003 in April. Despite a strong presence of the iPhone SE in the market, iPhone sales continued to contribute to an overall revenue decline for the company as the year continued.

The slump in the iPhone market now appears to be fully affecting Apple’s manufacturing partners with the news out of Foxconn today, but both companies are looking forward to an uptick in sales in the future. Notably, Foxconn’s acquisition of Japanese electronics maker Sharp has been officially approved by Chinese antitrust authorities, “clearing the final hurdle” in the lengthy buyout process. With the acquisition over, it should be easier for Foxconn to move forward with not only manufacturing of parts for the iPhone 7, but potentially even ramping up development of AMOLED displays and glass casings for the 2017 iPhone.

Overall, weak demand for the iPhone 7 — due to a “lack of innovation” — was predicted by a group of Apple suppliers in May. Multiple companies, like Japan Display and Taiwanese Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, reported fears of both huge net profit declines and a worrisome decrease in chip orders thanks to an overall declining iPhone market. Still, Apple CEO Tim Cook is optimistic about iPhone sales moving forward, saying that he sees “so many signs that are positive” as the company moves towards the iPhone 7 and iOS 10 in the fall.

Related Roundup: iPhone 7
Tag: Foxconn
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Apple Gets Approval for Irish Data Center Construction After Months of Objections

Following months of being repeatedly blocked by independent planning body An Bord Pleanála, Apple has finally been granted the go-ahead to build its massive data center in Galway County, Ireland (via Business Insider). The Irish planning board reversed course on its earlier oppositions to the data center, “despite opposition from a number of individuals and local businesses,” giving Apple permission to build just one data hall. Each time an extension of the property is to be made, Apple will have to reapply for permission with the local planning body.

The original objections to the facility — which will specifically be located in Derrydonnell Forest — cited a worry over the local wildlife and the potential for negative impact that Apple’s data center could have on it, as well as flooding concerns in a neighboring golf course. In June, these issues continued anew with fresh worry that the data center’s proximity to a nuclear power plant could be harmful, despite the plant having been shut down for years.

The planning body said the data centre will provide the area with a significant economic boost, adding that they took into account how hard it is to find sites that are able to accommodate huge data centres that need to be connected to the national grid.

With the new majority vote from An Bord Pleanála overpowering the last few protestors, Apple now can continue with its 10-15 year construction plan of a massive data center site for services like the App Store, Apple Music, Apple Pay and iCloud. After winning permission for this first building, Apple’s ultimate goal by the end of its decade-long plan is a total of eight buildings housing servers for the company’s online services.

Apple’s plan was to originally have the Irish data center up and running by early 2017, but since its first proposal in September 2015 and the ensuing blockades, it’s expected that goal has been pushed further back. The company is also planning the construction of a data center of similar scale (about 166,000 square meters) in Denmark.

Tag: data center
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Essential accessories for the OnePlus One

What are the best accessories for the OnePlus One? Let’s take a look at some of the must-have add-ons for your phone!

Whether you recently picked up a OnePlus One or have had one for a while, there are a number of great accessories that you should have in your collection. From cases to screen protectors, extra ways to charge your phone and more, odds are that your accessory collection could use some expanding. Luckily, you don’t have to spend a ton of money to get some cool accessories for your OnePlus One, so let’s take a look at some of the ones you should consider picking up.

PThink Tempered Glass

When you think of protecting your phone, odds are that you think of grabbing a case, but what about the screen? Well, PThink’s tempered glass protector will add another layer to your screen to prevent scratches and dings from hitting the screen so it can look good for the long haul. It also could potentially help during the event of a fall or drop, as it is likely the glass screen protector will shatter before the screen itself — at least, that’s the idea!

The screen protector has an anti-scratch coating and is fingerprint resistant to keep it looking good while you are using it. For less than $10, you can’t go wrong with this extra protection on your phone.

See at Amazon

TUDIA Ultra Slim TPU

Cases aren’t for everyone, but the protection they provide sure is nice. TUDIA’s Ultra Slim TPU case offers a clear thin layer to the phone so it doesn’t add much bulk or detract from the look of the phone itself. The case itself is very durable and has a soft touch feel to make it comfortable to use. It is form-fitting and provides access to all your ports. You can pick one up in clear, black or blue for just around $10 at Amazon.

See at Amazon

Aukey 5000mAh battery pack

Sometimes the battery inside the phone isn’t enough to make it through the day, or you may not find yourself around a charger at night. If that is the case for you, you’ll want to have a spare battery pack around to give you some extra power, and Aukey’s 5000mAh is a great choice. It has a small cylindrical design that makes it easy to keep in your pocket, bag or anywhere else. It has a single USB port on it which allows you to use a cable of choice to charge the phone, and the battery pack itself charges through a microUSB port. For just $10, this is a perfect addition to your collection.

See at Amazon

iOrange-E microUSB cable

Having an extra USB cable around is never a bad thing, especially a durable one. iOrange-E has a nylon braiding on its cable that makes it able to withstand more use and abuse than other cables. It is just over six feet long, so you won’t have to sit right on top of your charger or tied to the wall. The cable supports high-speed charging and allows for 2.4A to pass through it. The cable is available in a variety of colors and some longer lengths should you need the additional cable for your charging setup.

See at Amazon

OnePlus USB Power Adapter

Even though the OnePlus One comes with a wall charger in the box, you may want to have an extra around for your bag, office or other room in the house. OnePlus offers its USB Power Adapter, which has a small overall profile, as an extra accessory. Some people only prefer to charge their phone with a branded charger from the same company, so this will allow you to do that without having to transport just one charger everywhere with you. For just about $10, it would be silly not to have an extra laying around.

See at OnePlus

Your turn

What are your essential accessories for the OnePlus One? Such a great phone — even more than two years later — deserves the best. Let us know in the comments!

Spotify Gaming gives you playlists to power your play

Spotify has introduced a new section of its music streaming service dedicated to games.

Now available as part of Spotify’s “moods and genres”, Gaming rounds up official games soundtracks and related playlists, including many that have been curated around specific game types to give you an external (or internal on the PS4) vibe to accompany your play sessions.

There are also plenty of tracks available that are retro-inspired, which echo soundtracks and theme tunes as far back as the 8-bit days of yore.

For example, a Retrowave/Outrun playlist is full of remixed dance music using sounds from early games consoles and titles.

• Which is the best music streaming service in the UK? Apple Music vs Spotify vs Tidal and more

Other playlists include Power Gaming, with rap and and hip-hop tracks to inspire you, and Epic Gaming, with tunes and tracks with big, bombastic scores.

Soundtracks listed include Uncharted 4, Dark Souls III and Street Fighter V.

You can access the Spotify Gaming section through the app for multiple platforms or online at spotify-gaming.com. You can even head over there and start building your own games-inspired playlist now, for everyone else to enjoy.

We bet it’ll be flooded in tracks to listen to while playing Pokemon Go in no time.

Asus Zenwatch 3 revealed in leaked hands-on pics ahead of IFA 2016

After originally being spotted on a posting by the Federal Communications Commission, the new, round Asus Zenwatch 3 has broken further cover in a collection of hands-on pictures leaked online.

The FCC filing suggested that the forthcoming smartwatch, expected to launch at IFA 2016 in Berlin at the end of August, will be round. The leaked images suggest the same.

As well as its shape, other things that can be gleaned from the pictures include confirmation that the Zenwatch 3 will not have contactless charging. There are two golden contacts on the rear that suggest it will need to be connected to a charging ring.

• Asus ZenWatch 3 is round, likely to launch at IFA 2016

It will support fast charging though, with 5V/2A charging revealed in the earlier leak. That also stated it will have Bluetooth 4.2 and Wi-Fi built into the device.

Apart from those nuggets, the rest is purely visual.

This particular variant has a gold circular band and the presence of three buttons suggests that it will not swivel to access functions, unlike the Samsung Gear S2.

It is also rather beefy, much like former Huawei or Motorola devices. We’re not yet sure what it looks like when switched on, and whether it will have a complete round display or if it will adopt the flat tire-style of the Moto 360.

We should find out more in the coming weeks as IFA looms.

Squid protein makes textiles self-healing

You might be able to repair your ripped jeans one day just be adding water, thanks to a breakthrough from Penn State researchers. Based on its earlier research on self-healing plastics, the team turned squid teeth proteins (yep) into a liquid form using yeast and bacteria, then used it to coat cotton, wool and other fabrics. If the material is torn, you just need to put the edges together, apply warm water and it magically “heals,” as flexible and strong as before — even after being laundered.

“Fashion designers use natural fibers made of proteins like wool or silk that are expensive and they are not self-healing,” said Penn State Professor Melik C. Demirel. “We were looking for a way to make fabrics self-healing using conventional textiles. So we came up with this coating technology.”

The proteins can be used to fix regular, non-coated fabrics by adding water, or applied to threads before the material is even made. The technique isn’t perfect — there are visible seams — but it’s still better, stronger and easier than any sew job I’d attempt. As the garments can be self-healed by water, throwing them in the wash would also fix small tears or other defects.

It sounds great for klutzy clothes owners, but the research, supported by the US Army and Navy research arms, isn’t just aimed at consumers. Dermirel thinks the substance could be adapted to create clothing that protects soldiers, farmers or industrial workers by neutralizing toxic chemicals. “If you need to use enzymes for biological or chemical effects, you can have an encapsulated enzyme with self-healing properties degrade the toxin before it reaches the skin,” he said. By adding anti-bacterial properties, it could also be used in medical dressings or mesh clothing to reduce infection risks.

The team now needs to figure out how to create the proteins without using actual squid or their teeth, and plans to further torture-test the repaired materials. “The next step would be to see if clothes can self-repair when we pour the liquid into a washing machine, like you would a detergent, and apply water and heat,” Demirel tells CNN.

Via: Gizmodo

Source: Penn State

Volkswagen Touran review: Peak practicality

The world might have gone SUV and crossover mad, but if you’ve a brood of three (or more) to cart around then a mid-sized crossover like the Nissan Qashqai doesn’t actually cut it. That’s why – despite their perceived lack of sexiness – MPVs like the Volkswagen Touran continue to prevail.

If you need five or seven seats, want more than two isofix child seat fixing points and, frankly, aren’t looking to spend oodles of cash on a car, then a mid-sized MPV such as this really is your best bet when buying new.

Handy, then, that Volkswagen has just refreshed the Touran as part of its on-going range renewal. Based on the underpinning of a Golf (the MQB platform), the Touran comes with seven seats as standard and starts from £22,270 in the UK. Is this the family “Wagen” to go for?

Volkswagen Touran review: Petrol heads

You can choose from two petrols and three diesel engine options in the Touran. You’ll have read a lot about diesels recently – not least in regard to Volkswagen. The company’s new-generation engines, fitted to the Touran in 1.6-litre (110hp) and 2.0-litre (150 or 190hp) are modern units which use ad-blue technology to reduce NOx emissions, and are highly efficient. But they cost more to buy and will still produce higher NOx and particulate levels than a petrol engine.

Pocket-lint

Given that many cars like this will be put to use on the school run, working at low speed and covering comparatively low mileages, we’d therefore reckon many buyers would do well to try a petrol engine. And with Volkswagen’s new turbo petrols being some of the best, we chose to test the 1.2 TSi 110hp engine in this car. It’s the lowliest powered Touran you can buy, and this isn’t a small car – so we were interested to find out if a small capacity petrol unit felt right here.

Start up a modern direct-injection petrol like this, and beyond a slightly audible injector tick from the engine, one of its most pleasant attributes is quietness. The Touran’s unit is a winner in this regard – it’s refined, yet set out along the road and it’s eager too. It revs happily, doesn’t feel as slow as you might imagine and is generally a pleasant thing to drive.

The engine is aided by light yet precise controls and a nice, positive action gearshift – just as we’ve come to expect from the Volkswagen group. The ride is pliant and clam, helped by this model’s small wheels, and the handling is tidy and neat. The Touran doesn’t drive like a van, in fact it feels more car like than many crossovers.

The real surprise though is that it returned 47mpg during our test route. Whether you’d get those kind of figures just driving the Touran around town, we’re unable to verify. But taken at face value, the smallest petrol version of the car is frugal enough to make you think twice about going diesel – which will cost you £1,600 more in list-price terms.

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Just be careful if your driving involves a lot of high-speed, out of town work, or if you’re regularly loaded up with a full cargo – because then you need to work the engine harder and it can occasionally feel lacking in power. But it never gets too noisy and harsh. It’s just if we were using our Touran that way, we’d be swayed towards the diesel – or the more powerful 1.4 TSi petrol.

Volkswagen Touran review: People power

Where MPVs come into their own is inside. And here, Volkswagen truly raises the bar in the Touran. Everything feels incredibly high quality and works with a high level of precision. Perhaps most importantly, the Touran is stuffed full of clever storage spaces, compartments, nets and bins that make family life in the car just so much easier. Volkswagen says you can specify up to 47 of them in total.

The ones that we would “drawer” your attention to (sorry, couldn’t resist) that came with our SE-spec car were the four bins/slots on the dashboard (two to the right side of the driver, one on top of the dash, one in front of the passenger) – plus the glovebox. The net on the passenger side footwell, huge (lined) door bins which can store 1.5-litre bottles in each front door, and an overhead drop down console which will store two pairs of sunglasses. In the back, we got airline-style fold up tables, another roof-mounted sunglasses holder and storage units for the third row passengers. Be warned, you’ll lose stuff in your Touran. But at least it’ll stay tidy.

Pocket-lint

Storage for things is one skill, but seating seven can be a headache. Yet here, too, the Touran seems to have things licked. Each chair feels chunky, sturdy and high quality. They’re well trimmed with no odd sharp edges to catch unsuspecting hands, and high quality fabric. Parents will be interested to hear that every single rear seat (including the middle perch and the very rear-most third row seats) have isofix attachments. Middle row leg room is great for 6-foot adults. And the rear seats can cope with adults for a short journey. Kids and teenagers are likely to be happy for longer runs.

But the bug bear of this type of car has always been accessing that rear row of seats, and folding seats quickly to transport more load and less people. Handily, a new fold-flat system means that the rear-most seats fold flat into the floor with a single tug of a lever. When they do this, there are no odd gaps in the floor either, so the Touran should be easy to keep clean. The middle row all topple to fold flat too. And unlike many cars, the front passenger seat can be folded forwarded – meaning the Touran makes a great impromptu IKEA / DIY van.

There’s other clever stuff too. The outer rear seats feature a simple pull-and-lift mechanism to allow reasonable access to the back row, and the rear parcel shelf stores below the boot floor when it’s not being used. When this is in place, a simple tap gets it to retract half way back into the boot, creating easy access to stuff.

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Many cars of this ilk get this stuff wrong – and having a young family ourselves, we appreciated the fact that the Touran has clearly been designed by a sympathetic, smart team that’s clearly used to the trials of shepherding a herd of young people (and their paraphernalia) around.

If we’re being picky, though, it’s all terribly dull. There’s no flash, and a lot of black and grey to go with this review car’s brown exterior. Oh, and the boot lid is heavy to pull down, as it isn’t powered (that’s a £335 option).

Volkswagen Touran review: Technical spectacle

The Touran comes in five spec levels. Our SE-grade car is an obvious choice over the base S car, because it comes with alloy wheels, a USB port, lots more of the storage cubbies (and the folding front passenger seat), rear tinted glass and parking sensors.

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Higher spec models – there’s the SEL “luxury” and R-Line “performance” cars – get bigger wheels, more storage, nicer upholstery and bigger, better tech (CarPlay / Android Auto is standard from next-step up SEL grade). However, nothing that jumps out as a must have.

But our pick of the specs is SE Family which adds a sat nav system, VW’s Car-Net “Guide and inform” online data system, a panoramic sunroof, rear door sunblinds and adaptive cruise control. There’s even a system which amplifies the driver’s voice around the car so those in the back can hear (it’s £95 in the other models, included in the SE Family). It’s a £1,485 jump from SE to SE Family.

Like most new cars, you can add (at cost) a raft of advanced driver support and safety systems like lane keep assist, high beam assist, a driver concentration alert system and park assist (which steers into parallel park bays for you and is a reasonably priced £190 option on all models about S spec).

Pocket-lint

All models allow Bluetooth streaming of music, have a DAB radio and come with a number of 12-volt sockets. What we’d like to see is a few more USB sockets dotted around the cabin, given how tech-focused modern families are.

Volkswagen Touran review: A van with windows

If only the exterior looked as good as the interior, eh?

Ultimately the Touran’s exterior finish follows the same functionally-led approach as the car’s inside, meaning it puts function over form. And all of that boxy interior space can’t be magic-ed from nowhere, as reflected on the outside.

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But we still wish the Touran didn’t subscribe quite so closely to the “van-with-windows” formula of MPV design. Perhaps that’s unfair – it does have some neat design details here and there.

But in silhouette, a Citroen Grand Picasso easily out-styles it, and Renault’s forthcoming Scenic is about to set the cat amongst the pigeons in this class, with its crossover-like design, and standard 20-inch wheels laying on the style with a trowel.

Verdict

The Volkswagen Touran is a sleeper car among a vehicle fleet of look-at-me crossovers. It wears its practicality on its sleeve and that creates a boxy-looking car, which – particularly when rendered in the brown of our test model – isn’t what you’d describe as a looker. But you already knew that from our pictures.

Still, if you really need the space – for stuff and people – then the Touran does an admirable and impressive job. It never wows, as such, but just constantly supports your life and impresses with it ability to cope with almost anything you throw at it. The interior space, storage and seat design makes it a go-to model for anyone with three or more children.

Add that it’s good value, a decent drive for this type of vehicle, highly refined and well built, and the Touran is a car that has truly surprised us with its blend of abilities. And with its range of engines and specs, there’s a Touran to suit most budgets and most needs.

It might not be all the car you’ll ever desire – but for a young or growing family crowd, it is arguably more than all the car you could ever need.

New iPhone 7 leaks show off dual-camera setup and new home button

Apple is likely getting ready to unveil new iPhone models in just a few weeks, so it’s no surprise to see more sets of photos leak out, purportedly revealing the upcoming devices and what they might feature.

Rumours claim Apple might offer up to three different models of the iPhone 7 this year, including a “Pro” model that would bring major features such as a dual-camera setup. That said, the most recent leak (from LSA) seems to only reveal a pair of phones, though one of them appears to feature the dual camera. There are no metal connectors on the back, however, which conflicts with previous reports about the Pro model.

Keep in mind these pictures, which supposedly show the exterior of the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, could simply depict dummy units.

As for that other set of leaked photos (via MacRumours), which show the screen assembly for the iPhone 7, they seem to be missing the cutout for a traditional home button, coinciding with previous rumours about Apple using Force Touch-like technology in conjunction with a Touch ID fingerprint sensor. In other words, the next iPhone might have a pressure-sensitive home button.

Check out Pocket-lint’s rumour round-up for more details about the the next iPhone models, which will presumably sport the iPhone 7 brand. They are expected to be an interim update ahead of a 2017 overhaul in honour of the iPhone’s tenth anniversary.

The gallery above has all the new leaks.