Category: Apple

ATMs to Support Apple and Android Pay

Because many retailers still don’t offer NFC support for payments, life is still not as easy as it could be if among other things smartphones could also be used to do ATM transactions as well. This is precisely what Bank of America and Wells Fargo are working on offering at their ATMs in the US.

“We’ve been working on the technology that allows us to hook to digital wallets, leveraging NFC on mobile phones to replace the card at the transaction at the ATM. Right now the wallet that we support is Android Pay,” says Jonathan Velline, Wells Fargo’s Head of ATMs.

Similarly, Bank of America is also working of employing NFC at its ATMs. It should be made available in February in some ATMs in Silicon Valley, New York, San Francisco, Charlotte and Boston. Even though Bank of America has not explicitly mentioned which wallets would be supported, we can assume them to be Apple and Android Pay for now.

While these potential developments sound fancy and appealing, there is no news on when they will be available in India as well. Hold your breath until we update you about the next development on this front.

Source

January 29, 2016
Chrome for iOS Faster and more Stable after Major Update

Chrome for iOS has received a major update which the company says will give the browser a huge increase in speed and stability. The developers attribute this to using WebKit (WKWebView) instead of the older UIWebView.

With the introduction of the WKWebView rendering engine, Google said it has been able to update its Chrome Web browser in such a way that it can perform far better on iPhones and iPads than the previous version. The new 48th version of Google Chrome for iOS according to estimates is almost 10x faster and 5x more stable than previous generations of the browser.

This particular switch to WKWebView from the previous iOS rendering engine has enabled Google to reduce Chrome browser crashes for Apple device users by upto a whopping 70 percent. According to a blog post by Google software engineer Stuart Morgan, Even Google’s “Aw, Snap!” error page loads faster when the renderer does crash, he noted.

Morgan further added “Out-of-process rendering was one of Chrome’s earliest innovations, and we’ve always wanted to bring its benefits to our iOS users,” Morgan said. “Unfortunately UIWebView, the component used to render Web pages on iOS, is in-process, so that’s never been possible before.”

This particular news comes on the heels of all the troubles Apple’s Safari web browser has been facing on iOS devices in the last couple of days. The issue of Safari crashing during searches has bothered iOS users for some time now. A fix had been issued but the timing of Google’s latest announcement will certainly take away a number of frustrated Safari users away from the Cupertino-based company.

January 29, 2016
iPhone 5se Production begins, Manufacturers Launch Cases

Whispers making their way out from the manufacturing centres in China and Japan suggest that what could be the next iPhone, the 5se, may already be rolling off the assembly line in a bid to be ready for a March 2016 launch.

After witnessing decline in sales of iPhones, Apple looks in no mood to let things get worse in the coming quarters and hence is planning to launch a smaller screen variant of the iPhone for emerging markets where buyers can’t pay as much as their counterparts in western economies.

The iPhone 5se, news of which has not even been confirmed by Apple yet looks to become a reality very soon.Number of case makers have started to come up with custom cases for the next iPhone, seemingly confirming to the world the plans of Apple for launching this phone soon.

KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who has an outstanding track record making forecasts about the iPhone or iPad, expects the 4-inch device to resemble the iPhone 6. Case maker Rearth USA has also released renders of a case for what it is calling the Apple iPhone 6c.

Latest reports further suggest that Apple had come up with this idea of the 4 inch iPhone last year only but was waiting for the perfect time to bring it to the markets.

The iPhone 5se is expected to be powered by the A9 chipset, and come equipped with an 8 MP or 12 MP rear-facing camera and Live Photos. The handset will miss out on the 3D Touch feature The display could be the same as on the last 4- inch iPhone, the 5c.

The 5se will be offered in two storage options, 16 GB, and 64 GB. Pricing is expected to be around $450 (approximately Rs 30,000).

January 29, 2016
iPhone 7 Rumoured to Sport Dual-Camera Set-Up

In today’s update about the iPhone 7, we have speculations from Ming-Chi Kuo, the Apple analyst from KGI. In the latest KGI memo, Kuo further strengthens the rumours of a dual-camera set-up for the iPhone 7 Plus.

The note was released on Wednesday in which Kuo talks about Apple maintaining its trend of coming out with two iPhone models in 2016 as well. We expect to see iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus at the September event this year.

The iPhone 7 would be a 4.7-inch model with the regular iSight camera built on LinX imaging technology. The iPhone 7 Plus, however, with its 5.5 inch screen will have two variants – one with a single camera, while the other would feature a dual-camera design. This design would include two sensors, both marked at 12 MP each. While Optical Image Stabilisation is a feature iPhone users are already used to, optical zoom is something we can look forward to in the new device, along with a whole new set of features like bokeh effects and variable focus this design change is likely to bring.Kuo further speculates that all iPhone 7 Plus models will not have the new dual-camera set-up. Only 25%-35% of shipped models will sport the new feature. Apple is gearing up for some complicated production that involves high costs with two variants of just the iPhone 7 Plus. It would be interesting to see how it pans out for the Cupertino-based company.

Source

January 28, 2016
Safari Crashing on iPhones and Macs World Over

Just this morning Apple couldn’t stop talking about its quarterly profits. But now comes another update from the company which it would try its best to shove under the carpet. The Safari browser is crashing all over the world when the user tries to run a search from the address bar in both iOS and OS X.

We hate to say it but a glitch like this would have been unthinkable when Steve Jobs was around. But ah, gone are the good old days as users struggle with crashing browsers globally.

Steven Troughton-Smith, an iOS developer, says Safari’s search engine suggestion feature is to be blamed for this. The problem can be taken care of by disabling this feature or by using the browser in private mode for now, according to Smith. Additionally, not everyone has faced this problem because some users have the search suggestions cached locally or they’re still able to reach Apple’s servers owing to a DNS cache.

Apple is yet to release an official comment -we’ll update you as soon as it does.

January 27, 2016
Apple Reports Quarterly Profit of $18.4 Billion, Sets New Record

Another year another record quarterly earnings by Apple. The Cupertino-based giant announced their fiscal first quarter earnings ended December 26, 2015. A record quarterly revenue of $75.9 billion with a profit of $18.4 billion, the largest in history. This is a little over than the numbers Apple raked in the same quarter the year before, which was the largest ever recorded by a single public corporation then.

“Our team delivered Apple’s biggest quarter ever, thanks to the world’s most innovative products and all-time record sales of iPhone, Apple Watch and Apple TV,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO. “The growth of our Services business accelerated during the quarter to produce record results, and our installed base recently crossed a major milestone of one billion active devices.”

Now that the earnings are in, Apple has provided their prediction for the second quarter, which is the first three months of 2016 for the company. It expects to generate between $50 billion to $53 billion in revenues which is down from $58 billion in revenues it booked for the same quarter last year.

“Our record sales and strong margins drove all-time records for net income and EPS in spite of a very difficult macroeconomic environment,” said Luca Maestri, Apple’s CFO. “We generated operating cash flow of $27.5 billion during the quarter, and returned over $9 billion to investors through share repurchases and dividends. We have now completed $153 billion of our $200 billion capital return program.”

The past few weeks, reports have been emerging that Apple suppliers have seen a decline on orders, but the earnings tell a different tale. This is partly due to the record-setting sales seen in China. As usual, the iPhones have been the major generators of revenue for the company, but now it also looks like Apple is earning well from its “services” and “other products”. The services consist of things like the app store, iCloud, AppleCare, and Apple Pay, which grew 26 percent year over year to $6.05 billion.

“Other products” includes the Apple Watch and Apple TV, grew its revenue 62 percent year-over-year, bringing in $4.3 billion this quarter.

What does the future look like now for Apple and what new product can become the next cash-cow for the giant is something we’ll just have to wait and see. If recent trend is any sign, then Apple could be making its entry into the virtual reality sector pretty soon.

January 27, 2016
Patent Reveals Smaller, High Resolution Camera for iPhone 7

As revealed by reports, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has granted Apple a Patent for a “Small form factor high-resolution camera” that will see the amalgamation of cutting edge sensor technology with similarly complex optics to create a compact, high-performance camera suitable for use in there future ultra slim iPhones.

The application, aptly titled “Small form factor high-resolution camera,” reveals a spherically curved sensor that would work with three different lenses to focus light onto a sensing surface.

This would be in line with the already strong rumours of a new iPhone for the next year which will be thinnner than anything that we’ve seen before. Apple has also been looking for ways to make the iPhone thinner and add a higher capacity battery, and this particular switch in camera tech will help in achieving this.

But this move will not come without its drawbacks, the biggest being native barrel distortion, or a bubble-like warping of photos. But if reports are to be beileved then Apple plans to fix this with a software solution for this.

Other than this, the next iteration of the iPhone is expected to come with an OLED diplay, with a full body speaker grill, and could even support Li-Fi. It is also expected to skip on the 3.5mm jack in favour of a system that will see audio accesories being connected to it via the lightning port.

January 26, 2016
Apple iPad Air 3 Schematics Reveal Design Changes

Instead of an iPad Air 3 release a couple of months back, we saw the launch of the iPad Pro instead. However, recent rumours point to the possibility of the iPad Air 3 arriving early this year. And from what leaked schematics of the iPad Air 3 reveal, it could very well be worth the wait.

On the outside, the shape of the tablet appears to be similar in dimensions to its predecessors. The schematics also reveal the iPad Air 3 could be equipped with additional speakers around the tablet, similar to the ones found on the iPad Pro. The schematic shows speakers on the bottom and on the top of the device.

What will also be interesting news is that a cut out below the camera is seen which could well house a flash to complement the shooter. The schematic also shows the survival of the 3.5mm jack on the iPad 3 Air.

January 26, 2016
Samsung to Launch its Apps for iOS

Looks like Samsung is going by the “if you can’t beat them, join them” philosophy. The Korean giant is reportedly planning to launch its apps for iOS devices. Though the love-hate relationship between Samsung and Apple continues, it doesn’t mean the former can’t make some cash off of the latter’s user base.

Gear Manager, S Health, Smart Camera and Remote Control are some of the apps that Samsung is planning to launch on iOS. These utility apps are meant to work for Samsung’s smart devices like smart TVs, smartwatches and smart cameras.

Samsung’s idea accepts that there is a huge iOS user base who are being shunned from buying Samsung’s other smart devices for compatibility reasons, and it wishes to change that. Samsung’s smart TVs, for example, have a number of neat features that iPhone users cannot use through their phones. The company wants to make money where it can, and including iOS users is just a smart way to do that.

Google and HTC have already embraced the idea of having as many users using their products as they can no matter which platform they use. It doesn’t look like Apple would have any problem with Samsung’s app on its App Store if it means more users buying iOS devices as well. It looks like a win-win situation from where we see it.

January 26, 2016
Apple 5SE First Images Leaked

BIt by bit, picture by picture, more and more clues regarding what could be Apple’s next phone are making their way out of Apple’s manufacturing plants and on to the Internet helping us get a fair idea of what exactly the final 5se puzzle is going to look like.

But now what has emerged courtesy of latest leaks pieces it all together. Latest leaked images show The new 4-inch handset from the stables of Apple. With Apple’s iPhone sales slowing down in the past two-quarters, there’s no doubt that Apple is going to see a boost in interest and sales with the 4-inch iPhone 5se if and when it comes to the markets.

iPhone 5 (left), iPhone 5se (right)

Leaked picture that have surfaced show the 4-inch iPhone 5se on the right-hand side and the iPhone 5 on the left. The images fail to hide much, and its easy to observe that the iPhone 5se will come with a TouchID fingerprint scanner embedded in its home button and thinner bezels as compared to the iPhone 5. The phone’s power button will be on the side, and a FaceTime camera also housed left of the earpiece.

Hardware-wise, the latest rumours suggest that the iPhone 5se will come equipped with an A8 chipset, Bluetooth 4.2, Wi-Fi 802.11ac, an 8 MP rear camera, and a 1.2 MP front snapper. A march Release date is expected for the phone.

January 26, 2016
2016 MacBook Range Set for a Possible June 13 Unveiling

Apple updated its MacBook range during this time last year, and fans and industry experts expect the tech giant to do the same this year too. Unlike how things have gone for the iPhone, Apple has managed to keep a tight lid on the information leaking out of Cupertino for its range of MacBooks.

But from whatever little is known courtesy of reports circulating on the Internet, one big upgrade that the 2016 MacBook range will see the inclusion of newer Skylake processors up from the present fifth-generation Broadwell chipsets. This upgrade could be significant in the sense that it will bring to the new lineup better performance with its improved hyperthreading architecture.

Additionally, for devices such as the MacBook Pro range the Skylake mobile CPUs are expected to deliver up to 2.5 times faster processing performance, 30 times better graphics performance, and three times the battery life of earlier generation processors owing to the 14nm chips used for manufacturing them.

To top it off Integrating Skylake will also allow the company’s complete lineup to run on the same core hardware from end to end, thus making life a lot easier for prospective customers around the globe.

Though there were rumors earlier of major design change, but such chatter has quietened a bit off late, and it is expected when it comes to aesthetic design no remodeling to the upcoming MacBooks will be seen.

Reports peg Apple to introduce the revamped MacBook lineup at its Worldwide Developers Conference in June, and possibly a larger 15-inch version could also be unveiled sometime in March which would be some surprise.

January 25, 2016
Apple to Launch 4-Inch iPhone and iPad Air 3 in First Half of 2016

Just a couple of days ago, reports suggested that Apple’s upcoming 4-inch iPhone was going to be called the iPhone 5se, which meant and “enhanced” iPhone modelled on the iPhone 5’s design language. Now, according to KGI analyst and trusted insider Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple is likely to unveil the third generation iPad Air along with the iPhone 5se in the first half of 2016.

From what we’ve come to know so far in terms of specs, the iPhone 5se will be powered by the A8 chipset with the M8 motion co-processor as was seen in the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus.

Furthermore, the miniature iPhone will sport an 8MP rear camera and a 1.2MP front, again similar to the iPhone 6. What the iPhone 5se borrows from the current iPhone 6s is the Live Photos feature that records a video of 1.5 seconds before the shutter is snapped and 1.5 seconds after, the result being a GIF-like video that makes it look like the photograph has come alive.

Not much is known about the iPad Air 3 at this time. The reason behind an early launch of the tablet is because a refreshed iPad Air was ignored last year in favour of the iPad Pro and iPad Mini 4. We’ll learn more about the tablet at Apple’s March event.

January 25, 2016
Apple iPhone : The best $150m Investment Ever?

Apple Inc. is one of the biggest companies in the world, and the iPhone the biggest reason behind the Cupertino-based company being up there racking up record revenue figures year after year.

iPhone truly has been the Kohinoor in Apple’s assortment of gems, the nuke missile in its arsenal of weapons that it uses to deal knockout punches to its enemies. It is the one device which has become synonymous with Apple’s very being.

For most it is the device which encapsulates the essence of Apple’s quest for innovation, creativity and quality. It is like the phoenix that rises from its own ashes, reinventing itself after each financial cycle all so that it could mint Apple some more money.

According to estimates, Apple under Steve Jobs spent close to $150 million developing the concept of the iPhone. Put that in perspective with the fact that since that huge gamble, Apple has sold over 600 million iPhones, generating revenues running into hundreds of billions of dollars, and it becomes clear as daylight why the iPhone has to be the best investment the world has ever seen.

Industry estimates claim that Apple today is selling record number of phones. They peg profit margins on the new iPhones to be as high as 70 percent. That percentage is unusually high and especially notable considering that many of its competitors usually work on margins which are not even in the same ball park as Apple’s.

The main reason why Apple has managed to achieve such margins is because it has managed to work around the wants, and needs of the buyer. To its credit the iPhone has never gone down the path of vulgarity in trying to woo consumer. Unlike its competition, it never jumps in your face with “Market Leading” flashy specs, nor does it chase and hound you with the aim of coercing you into believing that a 10-Core processor is the need of the hour just because the calendar says it’s 2016.

iPhone being the iPhone does not promise you the moon and the stars just to make you throw more money at it. Rather the phone just stands there looks pretty with the promise of a phone that will give you that and some more. It comes across as a stable trustworthy product, and with its own swag tells you, “if you don’t have an iPhone, well then you don’t have an iPhone” and in the process it not only makes you happy, but also helps it to seal its place in history as the biggest cash cow that the industry has ever seen.

January 24, 2016
Facebook App To Bring more 3D Touch Capabilities

Facebook which had earlier introduced some 3D touch capabilities to its native iPhone app, has now added some more features for its users. This will be a slow rollout and Facebook will now release more features that can make use of the tech.

The Facebook app will let users of iPhone 6s, and 6s Plus peek and pop to view profiles, take a closer look at photos or to preview web links, pages, groups and events. The app’s icon will also get a new shortcut option along with an option that will take you directly to your timeline.

“We are excited to start rolling out support for 3D Touch in our iOS app so people can quickly and easily peek into a preview of anything they are interested in on Facebook, and pop into that content to see more,” a Facebook spokesperson said, confirming the addition.

But there’s a catch, Facebook has said that it’ll start the roll out of these new 3D Touch tricks first to “a small group of people beginning today,”. The rest of the loyal Facebook community on the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus will get this update “over the coming months.” That’s sounds like a long wait really.

January 23, 2016
Apple Watch 2 set for a Possible September Launch

According to latest rumours, it has been claimed that the new redesigned Apple Watch might not be ready before September. According to these reports Apple will talk about the Apple Watch at an event in March, but will only unveil a new range of band color options and other accessories.

Apple will unviel the new bands at this rumored March event and also announce the release of watchOS 2.2, a software update that adds some minor functionality to Maps and lets iPhones sync with multiple Apple Watch devices.

A redesigned new iteration of the Apple Watch isn’t expected to be unveiled by Apple later this September, along with the iPhone 7. It is expected that the second-generation Apple Watch will likely feature new hardware functionality, and come equipped with more health-focused sensors. A front camera is also being expected.

January 23, 2016