Category: Apple

Apple Resumes Production Of iPhone X Due To Lower XS And XS Max Sales

The iPhone X is Apple’s flagship smartphone from last year. When the latest iPhone XS and XS Max started hitting stands after their launch this year, Apple quietly removed the iPhone XS from stores. This was done to ensure that all the focus is on the latest phones. However, in a turn of events, Apple has now resumed production of the iPhone X.

The Reason

The move has been detailed in a report by The Wall Street Journal. According to their source, the move is due to a deal between Apple and Samsung with regard to the purchase of OLED screens. Apple had agreed to purchase a certain quantity of OLED screens from the company. However, the tech giant is finding it difficult to keep up with the sheer number of displays. This is due to a much lower than expected demand for the iPhone XS and XS Max.

Therefore, they are switching back to producing the iPhone X. The product is a cheaper alternative, for both Apple and for consumers. Since the iPhone X has lesser component and manufacturing equipment costs than the XS and XS Max, the costs that Apple will incur will be lesser. Additionally, it seems like a more feasible option as most of the consumers are more likely to purchase the iPhone X as well. This is a trend that has been seen over a period of time. People tend to purchase older variants of iPhones as they get cheaper. More and more people are buying the older iPhone 8 and 8 Plus over the iPhone XR because it is cheaper.

Also Read : Porsche Design Huawei Mate 20 RS Set To Launch In India

At the end of the day, sales do not look very bright for the latest lineup of iPhones. Analysts had already predicted lower sales for the iPhone XS and XS Max, even before the release of the phones. However, even the iPhone XR, which was expected to have a higher number of sales is seeing grim figures. Recently, Apple also announced that they will stop disclosing the sales figures of the iPhones as well.

November 23, 2018

Apple iPad Pro Up For Pre-Order In India

The iPad Pro 11 inch and iPad Pro 12.9 inch with an edge-to-edge display was launched last month in the US. And now the devices are available for pre-order in India. The new devices are significantly more powerful than the previous generation and now have Face ID support like the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max.

Click here to pre-order the iPad Pro

Design & Specifications

The new iPad Pro has thin bezels on all four sides & is available in two screen sizes which are 11-inch and 12.9-inch. Both the variants have similar specifications except for a few differences. The iPad Pro has a LED-backlit display with a pixel density of 265 ppi. Its displays have a scratch resistant glass and an oleophobic coating which reduces the number of fingerprint smudges left behind after using it. The iPad Pro runs on iOS 12.1 and has the 7 nm A12X Bionic chipset. The chipset is integrated with an Octa-Core CPU and 7 Core GPU. In terms of memory, the larger 12.1-inch variant has 6 GB of RAM while the 11-inch variant gets 4 GB of RAM. With the new iPad Pro, Apple has also bumped up the storage capacities.

The new device is available in 4 storage capacities which are as follows:

64 GB
256 GB
512 GB
1 TB

For photography, the iPad Pro has an f/1.8 aperture equipped 12 MP rear sensor & an f/2.2 aperture equipped front-facing cameras. The tablet can shoot 2160p videos at 60fps with the rear camera while the front camera can shoot 1080p videos @ 30fps. The iPad Pro also has a Quad LED dual-tone flash for the rear camera. The 12.9-inch variant has a 36 Wh battery while the 11-inch variant has a smaller 29 Wh battery.

In terms of connectivity, the iPad Pro has 802.11 Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.0, GPS and a Type-C USB port for charging and data transfer. The device is available in Wi-FI and Wi-Fi + Cellular options. The tablet also has a host of sensors which are Face ID, accelerometer, gyroscope, barometer and a proximity sensor.

Accessories

With the iPad Pro, Apple also introduced a folio style detachable smart keyboard for it. The keyboard magnetically attaches to the tablet and can be set to two different viewing angles. It is sold separately as an accessory for the iPad Pro & it definitely boosts productivity on the powerful device. The tablet with the smart keyboard is pretty capable of replacing your everyday laptop. Additionally, it offers support for a wide variety of applications which range from casual games to professional video editing software like Luma Fusion.

Apple pencil is an accessory that opens a whole new world of possibilities with the iPad Pro. It is developed for design professionals who are on the go and want a portable workstation. The Apple pencil charges wirelessly from the iPad Pro which it connects to magnetically. To change tools, the user can double-tap on the side of the pencil.

The iPad has always been a class-leading product and with the new keyboard attachment and a more powerful processor, it also intends to challenge the ultrabook segment.

Price, Colors & Availability

Click here to pre-order the iPad Pro

The iPad Pro is available in two colors which are Silver & Space Gray. The device is up for pre-order in India and the deliveries will commence soon. The price for different variants of the device is as follows:

Variant	Apple iPad Pro 11-inch	Apple iPad Pro 12.9-inch
Wi-Fi only
64GB	Rs. 71,900	Rs. 89,900
256GB	Rs. 85,900	Rs. 1,03,900
512GB	Rs. 1,03,990	Rs. 1,21,900
1TB	Rs. 1,39,900	Rs. 1,57,900
Wi-Fi + Cellular
64GB	Rs. 85,900	Rs. 1,03,900
256GB	Rs. 99,900	Rs. 1,17,900
512GB	Rs. 1,17,900	Rs. 1,35,900
1TB	Rs. 1,53,900	Rs. 1,71,900

November 14, 2018

Apple Confirms T2 Chip Limits 3rd-Party Repairs On New Macs

Apple is pretty ruthless when it comes to their business strategies. The company is said to overprice many products accessories. It is also reported that they charge hefty sums of money for simple jobs like a screen or battery replacement. In the past, Apple has tried to limit users from purchasing non-authentic charging cables for the iPhones. Such charging cables would prompt as not supported when plugged in. Recently, Apple launched a new series of Macs with a built-in T2 security chip. The company claims it increases the security of devices but 3rd party repairers like iFixit profess otherwise. 3rd party repairers suggest that this is a move to limit the repair of Apple devices by non-certified technicians.

What Is The T2 Chip?

The T2 Chip is an IC (Integrated Circuit) which acts as a co-processor to the main CPU on Macs. According to Apple, the chip stores sensitive user data like the Touch ID details and cryptographic key which are essential for a device to boot. But, the T2 chip is not only limited to this and it is much more capable than basic security features. It can even leave a Mac device inoperable if the user opts for 3rd party components or repairs.

What’s Noteworthy

Also Read: Galaxy S10 Lite Pricing & Specs Leaked

Recently, TheVerge asked Apple to comment on these allegations, which the company did reply to. The company agreed that the T2 Chip would lock down a Mac device if non-Apple certified service provider fixed a device. It is for the first time that Apple has openly acknowledged the fact. The company added that the T2 chip is critical for features like responding to ‘Hey Siri’ commands. It also prevents the microphones to be taken over by remote hackers when the lid of the device is closed. Conclusively, the chip can communicate with other parts on Mac devices, and Apple can control these devices however they wish. Whether in a positive manner like tightening the security or in a negative way by overcharging customers for repairs.

November 13, 2018
Analyst Predicts iPhone XR Shipments To Be 30 % Lower
iPhone XR is the cheapest iPhone sold by Apple, from its latest lineup. Except for the Liquid Retina display, single camera, 3 GB RAM, IP 67 rating and lack of 3D Touch, it gets almost all the same specs as the more expensive iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max. The smartphone definitely catches a lot of attention due to its funky colours and low price, but that is not enough to rake in high sales, claims an analyst. Ming-Chi Kuo is a senior writer at Macrumors and is also an analyst at TF Securities, a financial services group in Asia-Pacific region. The analyst gathers information from Apple’s Asian supply chain to further pass it to his clients.

The analyst claims that the demand for Apple’s iPhone XR is less than expected and which might result in 30% lower shipments. Previously, it was estimated that Apple will ship 100 million units of the iPhone XR between Q4 of 2018 and Q3 of 2019. But now it is reckoned that the company will only be able to ship out around 70 million units of the handset during the given period.

Top factors affecting its demand are:
- Price of iPhone XR
- Competition from other smartphones
Additionally, the report points that overall sales of iPhones might also decline by 15-20 % in Q1 of 2019 compared to the this year. The demands might fall short, however, the iPhone XR is definitely a smartphone with solid performance, sturdy build, and top-notch specifications. For reference:

iPhone XR Tech Specs

Also Read: A ‘Concept Video’ Of The Samsung Galaxy F Surfaces
- Display: 6.1-inch LCD, 1792 x 828 pixels, 19.5:9 aspect ratio
- Operating System: iOS 12
- RAM: 3 GB
- Storage: 64GB/128GB/256GB
- Rear Cameras: 12 MP, Quad-LED Flash
- Selfie Camera: 7 MP
- Security: 3D Face Unlock
- Connectivity: 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi 802.11 ac, Bluetooth 5 .0, Lightning Port, NFC, GPS
- Battery: 2942 mAh
- Dimensions: 150.9 x 75.7 x 8.3 mm
- Weight: 194 g
Watch our unboxing video of the iPhone XR
November 13, 2018
Apple’s New Patent Show’s Off An In-Display Camera

With the notch being present on two generations of iPhones, everyone was wondering as to what will be Apple’s next step towards a bezel-less display. Well, we might have the answer now. A patent, filed by Apple back in June, has finally been approved. The patent shows a smartphone with just a camera cut-out in the display.

The Bezel-Less Future

Apple isn’t the first company to patent such a design, though. This was seen in patents by Samsung, LG and even Asus. Huawei recently patented a design with just a cut-out for the earpiece. While these designs were only limited to smartphones, the patent by Apple seems to have much more.

The patent describes a method with which a camera window can be integrated with the ‘cover glass’. Obviously the cover glass being referred to here is the display. Additionally it mentions only LCD displays as an example. This may not mean that OLED displays are completely eliminated. But, we can expect that the technology might be restricted to just LCD displays as of now.

It is possible that Apple may just introduce it in its 6.1 inch LCD iPhone coming next year. Which might be the successor to the iPhone XR. However, there is also a possibility that the tech giant won’t hold back. It might ensure that its flagship devices carry the latest design language as well. Considering the fact that the patent was filed back in June, the company might have figured out a way to integrate it into OLED displays as well.

Not Just iPhones

Another interesting bit of information we get from the patent is the fact that it mentions not only mobile phones but also other hand held devices. These include larger devices such as portable computers, tablet commuters, etc. This could mean that Apple might not limit this design to only the iPhones. It might extend it to iPads, MacBooks and iMacs as well. This is quite probable as Apple introduced a totally new design language with the latest iPad Pro.

Also Read: OnePlus 6T Thunder Purple Variant To Launch In India On November 16

Whether this patent will be seen through and will give us a device which goes into production is still a huge question. But, considering the pace at which the smartphone industry is moving forward, it is safe to assume that companies will no longer hold back on any innovations they have.

For those of you interested in reading through each and every detail of the patent, you can do so by clicking here.

November 13, 2018
Apple MacBook Air With Intel i7 Processor Spotted On Geekbench
Apple recently launched the updated versions of their ultra-thin MacBook Air. The updated laptop now has a 13.3 inch Retina display, new i5 processor, built in Touch ID sensor, and a T2 security Chip. What’s more is that it packs all of this in an even more compact form factor. And now an unreleased Intel i7 MacBook Air has been spotted on the Geekbench app.

Geekbench Listing

The Geekbench 4 listing reveals an unreleased variant of the Apple MacBook Air running on the Intel i7 processor. The MacBook Air has a model number AAPJ140K1,1 and is running on the latest 10.14.1 macOS Mojave with night mode. The laptop has 16 GB of 2133 MHz LPDD3 RAM and the exact processor name is Intel core i7-8510y. Whats more interesting is that the i7-8510y processor is also unreleased till date. The processor was spotted on GFXbench back in August which revealed that the chipset has UHD 617 Graphics.

It is a 2 core, 4 thread processor with a base clock frequency of 1.8 GHz. However, the turbo clock speed is unknown. The MacBook Air has 64 KB of L1 Cache, 512 KB of L2 Cache and 4 MB of L3 Cache. The amount of L1,L2 and L3 Cache affect the processing speed of a computer.

Talking about benchmarks, the i7 MacBook Pro has a single-core score of 4249 and a multi-core score of 8553. The single core scores places it just below the quad core 2.3GHz i5 Macbook Pro which gets 4510 points.

Also Read: Samsung To Launch The Next Exynos SoC on November 14

To conclude, the price and official release date of the i7 MacBook Air is not available. But, we expect Apple to soon launch this powerful variant of the extremely thin and light laptop. For reference, the i5 variant of the MacBook Air starts at $ 1,1199 in the US and is available in three colours which are as follow:
- Space Gray
- Silver
- Gold
November 10, 2018
Amazon To Start Selling iPhones & iPads In Several Regions, Including India

Amazon has officially announced that it will be selling more Apple products on its website. This will be done when the holiday season starts. The move reflects on how important e-commerce platforms like Amazon are becoming, even for brands such as Apple.

Earlier, Amazon only sold limited items from Apple’s inventory such as Mac computers and Beats headphones. Since Apple offers direct competition to the e-commerce giant with some consumer products, the companies always has their differences. Some issues also rose over Apple not adopting Amazon apps into its devices, which saw its resolution later. Now, the e-commerce giant will sell the latest iPhones, iPads and the Apple Watch 4 in select regions. These include the United States, Europe, Japan and most importantly, India. The company is already stocking up the devices, so that they are available in plenty in the coming weeks. The Apple products will now be available exclusively on the Apple Amazon page.

It’s Not All Additive

The move also resulted in the elimination of third-party and unauthorised sellers who sell Apple products on Amazon. However, third party accessories supporting Apple devices will be found on the website. Only third- party sellers retailing Apple products will no longer be present .

The list of products will however not include the Apple HomePod, as it is a direct competition to the Alexa Powered Speakers offered by Amazon. The reasons for a stand-off between these tech giants are never-ending, but this seems to be a promising move towards a better future for consumers. As most of the consumers prefer to buy products from e-commerce websites, this is a welcome step.

Apple has said that they will continue to work to improve the experience for Apple customers on Amazon and are looking forward to customers having ‘another great way’ to buy their products. A notable statistic is the fact that about 71% of Apple’s sales in 2018 came through distribution channels such as Amazon.

November 10, 2018
Apple Admits That The iPhone X & 13 inch MacBook Pro Have Hardware Issues
Technology is evolving rapidly and companies are bound to update products every year to keep up with their competition. But, this fast-paced development can often lead to hardware issues which arise after the products have reached the customers. One such infamous case was the ‘exploding batteries’ on the Samsung Galaxy Note 7. And recently, Apple has announced that the iPhone X and 13-inch MacBook Pro have some issues. This causes the hardware to fail or not respond for no apparent reason.

The Issues
- The iPhone X’s screen or part of the screen randomly stops recognising the user’s touch. Sometimes, it even reacts when the user has not touched it.
- The 13 inch MacBook Pro (non-touch bar) that was sold between June 2017 & June 2018 might have an issue that leads to hard disk failure or data loss.
The Good

Apple has admitted to the issues with their products and is offering a free replacement to solve the issues. The users with eligible iPhone Xs can get a free screen replacement from Apple’s Authorised Service Providers or retail stores. Similarly, the MacBooks that face the disk failure issue can get a free service at an Apple retail store or an Authorised Service Provider. To check if your MacBook has such an issue, you can simply type the serial number on the company’s support page.

The Bad

Also Read: Top Books A Tech Enthusiast Must Read

The iPhone X users have been complaining about the screen issue for almost a year now. And the company’s delayed response definitely made the customers suffer all this while. Also, Apple being one of the leaders in the tech industry, is not expected to ship products that have such issues.
November 10, 2018
Apple iPhones To Get 5G Connectivity In 2020

With 5G technology at the brink of reaching consumers soon, it is not surprising that tech giant Apple is gearing up to launch its own 5G handsets. Companies like OnePlus, Xiaomi and Oppo have already partnered with Qualcomm. They have even started testing some of their 5G compatible devices. However, Apple is partnering with Intel to make 5G enabled iPhones available by 2020. Apple will use Intel’s 8161 5G modem, according to reports.

Apple’s 5G

Intel plans to use the 10nm process for its 8161 chip, which will increase transistor density and hence provide more speed and efficiency. Intel is also working on a separate chip, the 8060. This will be used for prototyping and testing on the 5G iPhone. However, things have not been all smooth sailing between Apple and Intel.

The 8060 has some heat dissipation issues which has not yet been solved by Intel. This could be due to the fact that 5G carriers will initially rely on the millimetre-wave spectrum to connect the first few 5G phones. However, this process is extremely demanding on the modems. It causes them to release levels of heat which are higher than the normal. These levels can reach a stage where they can be felt on the exterior of the device as well and also affects battery life. Obviously, Apple is not happy with these results.

Intel is said to be working on solving this issue. But it seems like this hurdle isn’t big enough for Apple to reopen talks with Qualcomm regarding the supply of chips. Qualcomm’s 5G modem also has its own share of heat dissipation issues. However, the chip maker has said that it has found a way around this and solved the issue. Apple has reportedly held conversations with MediaTek as well, regarding the supply of 5G modems. However, MediaTek usually makes chips for budget and mid-range devices. Therefore, it might not be the perfect fit for Apple’s flagship iPhones. The talks however have taken place and MediaTek is just a distant ‘Plan B’, according to reports.

Also Read: PrimeOS Equips Any Laptop Or PC With Android

The Race To 5G

A number of Android devices with 5G capability will be showcased at the Mobile World Congress, early next year. This might make it seem like Apple is joining the party a bit too late, however, the move makes perfect sense. Although chip manufacturers are making 5G modems this year itself and basic infrastructure for 5G will be set up soon. It does not guarantee great 5G connectivity. Infrastructure will be present, but it will be limited. This would give users great download speeds at very limited places and not any dependable connectivity. Therefore, waiting till 2020 to ensure that the required infrastructure is present, instead of rushing into making sure ‘we did it first’ could be a logical move by Apple.

November 5, 2018
Apple Is Selling Refurbished iPhone 8 & iPhone 8 Plus Units

Apple launched the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus last year, along with the iPhone X. The iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus were launched at a price of $ 699 and $ 799, respectively for the base 64 GB variant. Now, Apple is offering refurbished models of both the iPhone 8 and the iPhone 8 Plus at a much lower price.

Design & Features

Both, the iPhone 8 & iPhone 8 Plus have similar specifications except for the larger screen, larger battery, dual rear cameras and higher RAM on the 8 Plus. The smartphones have an aluminum frame with front and rear glass build. They have a front mounted home button which also doubles as the fingerprint sensor for unlocking the device.

The iPhone 8 & iPhone 8 Plus have 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch LED displays respectively, and they run on the Apple A11 Bionic chipset. The iPhone 8 has 2 GB of RAM while the 8 Plus has 3 GB of RAM. Both the devices have a 7 MP front camera which can capture 1080p videos @ 30fps. Talking about rear cameras, the iPhone 8 has a 12 MP sensor while the Plus has dual 12 MP sensors. The smartphones are available in 3 colours which are, Silver, Space Grey & Gold.

Refurbished Price

Also read: Samsung Galaxy A9 With Five Cameras To Launch At Rs 39,000

Since their launch, Apple has dropped the price of both devices to 599 USD and 699 USD. But, the refurbished units are priced even lower. The iPhone 8 is available at a price of $ 499 and the iPhone 8 Plus at $ 599. However, it must be noted these devices are available in limited quantities and run out of stock very quickly.

November 3, 2018
Apple Launches Upgraded Mac Mini

Apple has finally brought an upgrade to its 4-year-old Mac mini. The new Mac mini is made from 100% recyclable aluminium, just like the new MacBook Air. It is available in a space grey finish. Apple claims that the new Mac mini offers 5x better performance than its predecessor with bigger and better specifications. The Mac mini starts at a price of $ 799 and goes up to $ 4,199 for its top variant.

What’s New

The upgraded Mac mini has Quad and 6 Core, 8th generation Intel Core Processors. This consists of a 3.63 GHz, Quad Core i3 processor and a 3.0 GHz, 6 Core i5 processor. The device has Turbo Boost up to 4.1 GHz. It has 8 GB of DDR4 RAM and has 128 GB and 256 GB SSD-only storage options. The Mac mini uses the Intel UHD Graphics 630 GPU and offers a 60% boost over the previous generation in terms of graphically-intensive tasks.

The Mac mini has a lot of ports to ensure greater connectivity. It has a 10Gbps capable ethernet port, a full-sized HDMI 2.0 port, 2 USB 3 ports and 4 Thunderbolt 3 ports, along with a 3.5mm audio jack. Additionally, it features Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 5.0.

The device also has the T2 security chip from Apple for added security and encrypting your data. The Mac mini also connects to a MacBook to split the load of your laptop while rendering or running intensive tasks. The device weighs in at 1.3 kg and has 19.7 cm x 3.6 cm x 19.7 cm dimensions.

The Mac mini will available starting November 7th, while pre-orders for the device start tomorrow. The base model of the device costs $ 799 compared to the $ 499 base model of the previous generation. No comment about the India launch or price has been made by Apple.

October 31, 2018
Apple Launches The New MacBook Air

Apple has launched an upgraded version of the MacBook Air at an event held by the company in New York. The laptop has a 13.3 inch Retina display with a resolution that is four times higher than the previous model. The new MacBook Air is also slimmer and lighter. Most notably, the laptop is made from 100% recycled aluminium, and is Apple’s ‘Greenest laptop ever’.

The new MacBook Air has a 13.3 inch display with a 2560 x 1600 px resolution. The laptop has a Retina display, making it the cheapest laptop in Apple’s lineup with a Retina display. The display also has thinner bezels, as Apple has made them 50% thinner than before. It also has 48% more colours compared to the previous generation, making the display more colourful.

The new MacBook Air also has Touch ID built-in. You can use this to unlock the device, access locked documents, notes, system settings and more. Additionally, it features the Apple T2 security chip, to make it more secure. This stores all the data on the SSD automatically, including the Touch ID data, and encrypts it as well. Another addition made by the T2 Chip is that of Siri, who can now be accessed through the MacBook Air.

For improved usability, the MacBook Air features the butterfly keyboard by Apple. This offers lesser travel and more key stability when compared to traditional keyboards. The keyboard has backlit keys with ambient sensors, helping you type in low-light conditions. The laptop also features a Force Touch Trackpad which performs different tasks based on the pressure applied. The new trackpad is also 20% larger, offering more room for Multi-Touch gestures.

The MacBook Air runs on the eighth generation i5 processor by Intel and has 8 GB or 16 GB of RAM. The device has storage options of up to 1.5 GB of SSD storage. It runs on the latest macOS Mojave and claims a battery life of up to 12 hours.

The laptop has two Thunderbolt 3 ports for connectivity and charging, along with a 3.5mm headphone jack. In terms of sound, it has 2x more bass than the previous generation, coupled with 25% more volume. Additionally, it has a three-microphone array to capture your voice and an HD camera for video calling.

The new MacBook Air starts at a price of $ 1,199 in the US. Details about the availability and price in India are yet to be revealed.

October 31, 2018
Apple Updates The iPad Pro With Face ID And USB C Ports

Apple has updated the iPad Pro models and removed the Touch ID and Home Button. Apple has also replaced the lightning connectors with a more efficient USB C port and added Face ID with a 3D depth camera. Apple claims that the company sold more iPads last year than the entire notebook lineup of all of the biggest notebook vendors.

The new iPad Pro models will be available in two sizes 11-inch and 12.9-inch. The 11 inch model has an 11 inch display that fits in the same size as the 10.5 inch iPad Pro and prices start at $799. The 12.9 inch has reduced dimensions because the screen size remains the same but Apple has considerably reduced the bezels on the iPad. The larger 12.9 inch iPad Pro will start at $999.

Apple calls the display, same as the iPhone XR, the “Liquid Retina” display. And has reduced the bezels on all sides. The iPad Pro models become the first iPad’s without Apple’s Home Button, or Touch ID. Apple has also removed the headphone jack and now apart from the quad speakers the iPad Pro also have USB C ports.

The Face ID is available both horizontally as well as vertically and will allow Apple to bring Animoji’s and FaceTime calls filled with emojis for iPad users. The iPad Pros get Apple’s new A12X Bionic chip with an 8-core CPU and 7-core GPU which is basically an upgraded version of what was launched with the iPhone XS, XS Max and XR.

The iPad Pro’s now offer great functionality for additional usage throughout the USB C ports for example all MacBook dongles will now work on the iPad Pro. This port will also allow external monitors to be connected to the iPad Pro. User will also be able to charge their iPhones, or any other devices through the USB C ports.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LjaKHqDbzSA

The 12 MP main camera allows 4K 6-fps video and is the same sensor seen on the wide side on the iPhone XS, or the exact same sensor in the iPhone XR. Apple includes an 18 watt charger in the box, and users will be able to use after charger like, MacBook chargers to charge up the iPad Pro quicker.

The new Apple Pencil also is redesigned, it attaches to the iPad Pro magnetically and charges wirelessly. Tapping the screen with the pencil will wake the iPad Pro and Apple has included other gesture capabilities for the Apple Pencil.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YJ5q8Wrkbdw

October 30, 2018
Apple To Roll Out iOS 12.1 Update With New Emojis & Group FaceTime

The latest Apple iOS 12.1 for the iPhone, iPad & iPod Touch will be released today under the free software update. The update will add multiple new features to the current devices like new emojis, real-time Depth Control for portrait mode, Group FaceTime and dual SIM support. Additionally, the update might fix the ‘beauty-gate’ issue that has affected iPhone XS & iPhone XS Max’s front selfie camera.

Dual SIM iPhone

The Dual SIM support is new to the latest Apple iPhones which include the iPhone XS, iPhone XS MAX, and iPhone XR. The new iPhones have one physical sim card slot and an additional in-built eSIM which is programmable for the second number. This iOS update will bring support for the second SIM to other phones as well. The update also displays the currently active SIM and the network indicator in the Control Centre.

However, the Chinese variant of iPhones doesn’t support eSIM card. Hence, the Chinese variant has a slightly different hardware to accommodate the two physical SIM cards.

All New Emojis

The initial release of iOS 12 added the customizable memojis and four new Animoji characters. The latest iOS 12.1 will add human-like emojis including bald people, redheads and several other characters.

Group Facetime

With iOS 12, Apple completely redesigned the video and audio calling app, FaceTime. The redesign adds memoji, animoji support and effects like stickers. The latest iOS 12.1 will support group video calling between up to 32 individuals. The latest FaceTime software is built with Apple’s iMessage and it allows users to leave or join the ongoing call without reconnecting.

It is noteworthy that some devices running on the iOS 12.1 will not support group video chat due to hardware limitations. The unsupported devices include iPad mini 2, iPad mini 3, iPad Air and phones released prior to the iPhone 7. However, they do support audio group chat.

Real-Time Depth Control Support

The Portrait mode on the new iPhones creates a dept effect by adding a background blur to the subjects in the photo. The iPhone XR, XS, and XS Max already allow editing the amount of background blur from the photos app.

Also read: OnePlus 6T Unboxing And Hands On Video

Even more, the latest update will allow the users to edit the amount of blur before clicking the picture. To toggle the feature the update will add a new ‘f’ button in the camera interface. Touching the ‘f’ button will bring up a dial to change the amount of blur.

October 30, 2018
Apple Accused Of Unpaid Chip Royalties By Qualcomm

Apple and Qualcomm are at it again. Apple recently had accused Qualcomm of unfair patent licensing practices and Qualcomm has in turn accused Apple of patent infringement. Qualcomm revealed the amount of unpaid royalties by Apple in a hearing. The hearing was of one of the cases in a Federal court in San Diego. Apple however, have disputes about the amount. At this moment, the companies are involved in about 100 legal proceedings around the world. Qualcomm wishes 56 patents to be dropped and wants to follow the licensing dispute between the two companies instead. According to Qualcomm, Apple has $7 billion in unpaid chip royalty payments.

Apple’s Reply

Apple has, in a statement, said that for many years Qualcomm has unfairly insisted on charging royalties for technologies they have nothing to do with. The company has also accused Qualcomm stating that the more Apple innovates with unique features for phones, the more money Qualcomm collects. Apple claims that this makes it more expensive to fund these innovations. Apple has accused Qualcomm of building its business on older, legacy, standards. They claim that Qualcomm has reinforced its dominance through exclusionary tactics and excessive royalties. The smartphone giant also said that the latter insists on charging Apple at least five times more in payments. This is in comparison to all the other cellular patent licensors they have agreements with combined.

Also read: Apple Demands Bloomberg To Take Down Chinese Chip Hacking Report

A U.S. International Trade Commission administrative law judge had, in September, ruled in favour of Qualcomm, stating that Apple had infringed on a power saving patent to extend battery life in mobile devices. The judge had also said that this will not hinder Apple from selling their phones in the US. Apple also said that Qualcomm is withholding nearly $1 Billion in payments from Apple as ‘retaliation for responding truthfully to law enforcement agencies investigating them’.

October 29, 2018