Category: Apple

This Might be the Easiest Way to Tell Your Friends You’re ‘Free’ to Hang Out

On an odd Friday night, when you decide you’d rather spend the night in, you want some company to watch a movie or grab a quiet meal. What do you do? You don’t want to spam the handful of close buddies who might already have their plans set for the evening. Nor can you put up a status on a social networking site, lest a creepy acquaintance accepts your invitation and lands up to your door.

Well, here is a solution to that: the ‘Free’ App. This app shows you a list of your friends who are free. It will allow you to share your availability to coordinate easily and make plans with friends. Developed by Danny Trinh, a former lead designer at Path, a social app, he explains:

With smartphones, we’re more connected than ever—there’s Gchat, WeChat, Snapchat, Facebook Messenger, and more—but as connection has become the default, we’ve lost ways to announce, “I’m up to hang.” In a world where everyone’s online all the time, what’s the actual availability signal on top of that? That’s what we’re trying to build. Put another way, now that we carry chat on us at all times, the green dot is assumed.

Once downloaded, the app asks you to enter your number, register an account and provide your name, a username and your email address. You can set up your photo and use a given list of filters. The app then syncs your contacts.

You can let your friends, who might be nearby at that time, know that you are ready to go out (green), flexible (yellow) or busy at that moment (red). However, for the app to work, you must enable location services on your phone. You can also attach a message, tag friends you are with and select a place and time, just like Facebook. Once you set up your first status, you have the option to choose which buddies to send it to and for how long they can see the message or status. These statuses go into Free’s feed that you can quickly flick through to all your friends’ plans, and disappear the next morning.

True, there are so many social networking apps right now, like Facebook, WhatsApp and Twitter. But the reason Free might win is that it cuts out the clutter to focus back on in-person communication. For now, the app is available only for iOS devices.

June 22, 2015
Apple is Already Prepping Apple Watch 2; Here’s What We Know

It’s been just two months since the arrival of Apple’s luxury wearable and the tech firm is already developing its successor. Yes, following the massive success of Apple Watch, the Cupertino-based organization is reportedly building its next-gen model, the Apple Watch 2. Sources close to Apple disclosed its plans of launching an improved iWatch version, which is said to reduce the dependence of the wearable on iPhone.

If we go by the revelations made by 9to5mac, the next Apple Watch will sport a camera on top of the watch bezel, to provide users with the facility of video calling. Watch owners can make or receive FaceTime calls while on the go, and there is no need to slip an extra gadget in your pocket. The inclusion seems rational as the company laid the ground for audio assimilation with watchOS 2.0, launched at their annual developer’s conference. A camera on the smartwatch is not a first, as Samsung has already incorporated on the Galaxy Gear.

As we said earlier, the second-gen Apple Watch will have minimal dependency on the iPhone, and will be able to perform maximum functions solely. Replacing the currently embedded Wi-Fi, a chip with the potential to locate a user’s location will be installed. Things like ordinary conversation can take place with the integration of a dynamic wireless chipset, but substantial actions such as software updates, media files synchronization, and few more will indeed require an iPhone.

The battery is what’s likely to remain unchanged in the next Apple Watch. The battery of first-gen watch has received positive reviews, and since customers are happy with its fuelling power, Apple aims to devote attention to other features.

It is also learnt from the same source that Apple might add new more options within the price range of $1,000 and $10,000. More options means more colour variants. Apple is speculated to consider the following colour options for the Watch – titanium, platinum tungsten, and palladium.

[tw-button size=”medium” background=”” color=”blue” target=”_blank” link=”http://9to5mac.com/2015/06/18/apple-watch-2-camera-tetherless/”]Source[/tw-button]

June 19, 2015
After the iPhone, the Apple Watch Might Soon be “Assembled in India”

Narendra Modi’s Make in India campaign is growing at a steady pace. After companies like Celkon, one of the leading cell phone players and Mercedes-Benz have set up their manufacturing plants on Indian soil, Taiwan’s Quanta Computer Inc has commented saying that they are considering establishing their manufacturing plant in India. Quanta Computer Inc is one of the top laptop makers and assembly plant of Apple’s high-tech Apple Watch.

Quanta Vice President, C.C. Leung, said that the senior officials are gathering materials for evaluation and are considering the idea.

After Foxconn, Quanta is the largest maker of iPhones and iPads for Apple. Foxconn Technology, which is one of the world’s largest contract manufacturers of electric products, is trying to develop 10-12 facilities in India, including factories by 2020. The Taiwan-based tech giant said that the company is in talks to manufacture Apple iPhones in India. The move would help Foxconn decrease stimulating labour costs in China, possibly lower prices for iPhones sold in India and transfer the site of the manufacturing assembly closer to its buyers in the world’s third-largest smartphone market.

Quanta Inc has no present investment plans for now. Leung is examining several considerations like transportation convenience and access to ports in India. But, we hope for the best, as the initiative looks promising. It is understandable that many more companies will join in soon; creating job opportunities and improving the overall economic well-being of the masses.

‘Make in India’ is an initiative that was started back in September 2014 by the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi. The primary objective of this initiative is to create manufacturing firms within India to create more job opportunities and enhance the skills of the people of India across different sectors like automobile, aviation, biotechnology, defence manufacturing, mining, oil and gas, ports, railways, textile and much more. With this initiative, the Government of India hopes to bring in high-quality standards and minimise the impact on the environment.

You can also follow Make in India YouTube campaign here.

June 19, 2015
Force Touch and New Casing Material to Make iPhone 6s Wider, Taller, Stronger

Earlier this year, Apple’s next-generation iPhone was reported to come with the ‘Force Touch’ feature, which made a debut with the Apple Watch and the new 13-inch MacBook. The inclusion was widely expected and now, a new report by analyst Ming-Chi Kuo of KGI Securities has affirmed its existence stating that the enforcement of Force Touch on iPhone 6s might even add to the thickness of the device.

Force Touch is a brainy touch feature which senses the level of force applied on the screen. It uses tiny electrodes around the flexible Retina display to distinguish between a light tap and a deep press, which trigger instant access to a range of contextually specific controls. This feature adds the possibility of embedding more gestures onto the device.

Kuo argued that Force Touch will lead to the forthcoming iDevice (tentatively titled iPhone 6s) being wider, taller, and thicker. It is speculated to increase the dimensions of the phone by 0.15 millimetres crosswise as well as in length, and 0.2mm in thickness.

As per Kuo, Apple will employ Series 7000 Aluminium, introduced with Apple Watch, on the next-generation iPhones. The custom metal is 60 percent stronger than the regular aluminium and has just one-third the density of stainless steel.

Along with presenting fact about the redesigned casing material, Ming-Chi reiterates that the iPhone 6s will be coming in a rose gold colour option. He also believes that few more colour options available with the phone will be yellow gold and dark space grey.

June 19, 2015
Apple to Use Better Battery Tech in its Upcoming iPhone 6s

Post the launch of iPhone 6 and its bigger sibling, Apple fans have awaited the release of the improved iPhone 6s. The handset is speculated to bring major changes including an upgraded RAM, enhanced 12MP camera and the newly introduced Force Touch. Although the innards have been beefed up, the tech giant continues to push the envelope by making slimmer smartphones. Going by this approach, the upcoming addition to iPhone 6 series will be thinner than the previously launched iterations.

Now we hear that a battery breakthrough that failed to attain the much-deserved hype at the previous Apple Event will fuel the next iPhone, making it last long between two subsequent charges. The innovative battery was patented by Apple in 2012, but came into practice in 2015 with MacBook.

The next-gen battery goes beyond the barrier of the conventional rectangular slab type and can take any shape. This battery consists of thin electrode sheets stacked on one another. These electrodes are cells of different sizes and are installed in the specific contours of the enclosure. This way, developers would be able to utilize the reserved battery space to embed an LTE chip.

This arrangement gives 35 percent more battery cell capacity, using every single millimeter of space available in the enclosure. The technology is currently powering the super-slender 13-inch MacBook that has been engineered to give 9 hours of standby on web browsing and up to 10 hours on iTunes Movie Playback. By incorporating the same battery technology, the Apple iPhone 6s is expected to provide better battery cycles.

With the redesigned batteries rooted in iPhone 6s and the 6s Plus, the future products will be slimmer than the latest model with 6.9mm thickness. More reported specifications of the device include a 2GB RAM and a 12MP dual-lens camera. A new design using an improved casing material is expected on the handset. One more microphone is said to be added near the new handset’s speakers in an attempt to improve sound quality.

As every year, Apple’s upcoming flagships would be released in the month of September.

June 18, 2015
10 Hidden iOS 9 Features That are Sure to Make iPhones Way Smarter

Apple iOS 9, announced at WWDC, was seen to be a major overhaul. The company showed off the software’s multitasking feature, low power mode and Siri’s Proactive mode. However, Apple didn’t disclose many fresh apps and exciting features, which make its OS all the more seamless, bridging the gap between the two major operating systems – Android and iOS. Apple has borrowed many features from Android, along with incorporating many firsts.

A few of you may not agree with us if you go by the announcements made at the launch, but there’s lots more. We have listed some of the hidden features that prove iOS 9 is a cut above the previous iterations.

1. Universal App Search

We are sure you’re going to love this. The newest iOS 9 accommodates a Search bar on top of Settings, allowing you to search any app within the menu. The Settings option is better than ever, enabling you to pick any specific app from the mess just by typing its initials or the full name. For example, if you type ‘Battery’, the Battery feature will appear in front, hiding all in the background. You can tap on it, and its settings will come up, allowing you to make a choice.

2. Tweaked Shift Key

This one was on Android since long, but Apple has incorporated it now with iOS 9. Pressing the shift key allows you to switch between upper case and lower case, rather than only the shift key changing colour and characters not swapping to lower case. We soon won’t need to remember which colour was for caps.

3. Your Keyboard Now Acts as a Trackpad

Even Android disciples will shift their loyalty to Apple after hearing this; well, some might. Earlier limited to iPad, this feature has now landed on the iPhone as well. Drop two fingers onto the keyboard of your iPhone to make a selection, edit and shift text from one place to another. The keypad becomes your trackpad, increasing the productivity of your phone. The feature first debuted on iPad.

4. Swipe to Select Multiple Photos

Ok. Selecting multiple photos on iPhone’s preceding OS iterations was a pain. The company has altered the tedious approach, and the new operating system comes with multiple photo selection support, allowing you to use your finger as a cursor. Widen the cursor to increase the selection area and mass-pictures will be selected as per requirement. No need to tap one-by-one to delete bulk pictures now. Just swipe to choose and dump them in the bin or on cloud.

Along with this, the Photo app features a ‘scrubber’ beneath, enabling you to flip quickly through the images secured in the camera roll.

5. “Back to Search/App” Shortcut

Apple has taken modification real serious this time. Emphasizing on cultivating the already built, iOS 9 includes a ‘Back to Search’ or ‘Back to App’ option that directs you straight to Spotlight without the need of pressing a back button repeatedly. Swipe down on the Home screen, search for content on Spotlight and once you’re done, press ‘Back to Search’ on the top left to reach the main screen.

6. Customizable Side Switch

iOS 9 gives you the option to use side switch for locking rotation of the display or to mute the phone. This option has been available on iPad. Unfortunately, you can choose between the two only.

7. 6-Digit Passcode Option

In an attempt to increase the security of the iPhone, a user with iOS 9 installed on their handsets now has the option to extend the password to 6 digits, which was 4 digits in the previous versions. Above is a screenshot establishing the same.

8. Mute Phone

No matter how cool and secure a iPhone is, its inability to go mute has drawn embarrassment to the user at times. iOS 9 resolves the issue by introducing vibration disable button that lets you shut all vibrations on your iPhone in a single go. Under Settings menu, there is an Accessibility option, which when turned off disables all vibrations including earthquake, tsunami and other emergency alerts.

9. Save To and Add from iCloud

Emails are an indispensable part of any smartphone and so is Cloud when it comes to low memory storage. Until now, iPhone users have been using third-party apps to attach files to emails, but now attachments can be added from iCloud Drive in the Mail app. Also, files can be saved on iCloud by long pressing the attachment. A new window with Save Attachment icon will then open, clicking which the file will go to iCloud Drive.

10. Customizable Assistive Touch

Assistive touch is the binding element that draws users back to the main screen from where ever a person is. But since long, we have been viewing the same four options on the main screen of the top level menu in Assistive touch. Now, you don’t need to compromise any longer as iOS 9 is giving you the freedom to customize the Assistive Touch menu. Add 2 or more buttons to the menu list and quickly navigate through the app.

[tw-button size=”medium” background=”” color=”” target=”_self”]Image Source[/tw-button] [tw-button size=”medium” background=”” color=”blue” target=”_blank” link=”http://www.iphonehacks.com/2015/06/ios-9-hidden-features.html”]iPhone Hacks[/tw-button]

June 18, 2015
How Apple Plans to Take Over India’s Smartphone Market

India has moved straight from the lowermost section of Apple’s priority list to sit right on top. The Cupertino-based firm, which has long snubbed the country for other nations like the US, UK and more, now plans to be the No. 1 smartphone seller in India, next year. According to a report by Business Insider, Apple has signed a partnership agreement with Optiemus Group, based in Delhi, to double its iPhone sales.

Optiemus Group has been a major distributor of Samsung and HTC brand handsets in India. Following this partnership, Optiemus will be distributing iPhones as well, increasing the volume of the iPhones in India. Besides this, Apple is reportedly considering teaming up with other distributors whose distribution network is vast. The company is also considering over appointing a new distributor, which may be either of the four – Redington, Ingram Micro, Rashi Peripherals and Brightstar. Optiemus Group then follows, being the fifth larger dealer.

Apple iPhone 6

The company sold a total of one million iPhones last year in India, and with the aim to double its smartphone sales this year, its goal is 2 million iPhone sales in FY 2015. By tying up better distribution networks, the company may even make India one of the priority countries for launches. Apple Watch, its first smartwatch, is yet to arrive in India.

As per an industry insider –

Since shipment figures are one of the indicators of success in the smart phone industry, any new distributor Apple appoints will lead to an instant surge in shipments, which will help it to achieve the target fixed by headquarters and will also lead to a significant jump in retail reach.

In such circumstances, the company will turn into a threat for Samsung and Micromax, who have been battling each other for the top spot, with minimal complexities. The inclusion of Apple in the game, by giving more choices to customers, will make business tougher for Samsung and Micromax. Although it takes a backseat in the overall Indian smartphone market, Apple is the most valuable smartphone brand in the whole world.

[tw-button size=”medium” background=”” color=”” target=”_self”]Source[/tw-button] [tw-button size=”medium” background=”” color=”red” target=”_blank” link=”http://www.businessinsider.in/Know-about-Apples-new-strategy-to-knock-Samsung-out-of-competition-in-India/articleshow/47673988.cms”]Business Insider[/tw-button]

June 15, 2015
Upcoming Apple Products Likely to be Manufactured in India : Report

Yes, the back panel of your iDevice might shortly read “Assembled in India” as Foxconn, the major contract manufacturer of Apple, is planning to set up an Apple assembly plant in India. Industries Minister of Maharashtra, Subhash Desai remarked that Foxconn will come to scout for a location in India, as reported by Reuters.

The statement by Desai says, “Foxconn is sending a delegation of their officers to scout for locations in a month’s time.” The relocation of Apple assembly store from China to India will first of all aid Foxconn in cutting down the accelerated wage cost, and the lower production cost will help catch up with the mounting demand, which the Cupertino-based firm was failing to match with its supply shortage. The increased production will make the revenue numbers jump, hence, giving a stiff competition to India’s leading smartphone manufacturer Samsung and Micromax.

The world’s biggest Taiwanese electronics producer is said to build up 10-12 facilities in India by 2020, which includes data centres and factories. No confirmation has come from either Foxconn or Apple on the same, and an official statement would be required to authenticate the report.

It’s not the first time Foxconn will operate from India. The tech firm was earlier functioning in India, manufacturing Nokia phones, but as soon as Nokia’s mobile division was acquired by Microsoft last year, Foxconn had to shut shop in India. The return of Foxconn will boost smartphone manufacturing in the country, making it an electronics hub. Simultaneously, it will give a major push to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Make in India’ campaign of bringing multinational companies to produce goods and services locally in India.

Along with Apple, Foxconn is under contract with Acer, Sony and Xiaomi to manufacture devices for them. If Foxconn comes to India, other brands assembled by the manufacturing company are likely to go cheap as the transportation charges and service tax will be eliminated.

The institution of the Foxconn manufacturing plant in India will establish our country as the biggest producer of technology products, and can also be a threat to Samsung in the high-end product segment, in the future.

[tw-button size=”medium” background=”” color=”” target=”_self”]Source[/tw-button] [tw-button size=”medium” background=”” color=”blue” target=”_self” link=”https://sg.finance.yahoo.com/news/iphone-maker-foxconn-talks-build-130931349.html”]Reuters[/tw-button]

June 12, 2015
5 Tech Patents that Thankfully Never Worked Out

In the world of technology, there is no space for redundancy. Technology is getting updated time after time since tech fanatics are always carving out the next great gadget. The major number of brains swell up for innovating and creating such devices. Gadgets are continuously upgraded and tweaked, but some do not turn out as planned.

We will see some of the weirdest patents filed by the biggest tech powerhouses today:

Nokia’s Vibrating Tattoos

In 2011, Nokia signed a patent for the first vibrating tattoo. Yes, a vibrating tattoo that alerts users when their phone is ringing. According to the official patent, the apparatus would be able to detect a magnetic field and transfer a ‘percievable stimulus’ to alert its users about an incoming call, text ot dead battery.

But for some people, getting inked for the sake of technology was too much. People said the device plunges into a ‘creepy territory’. In an era of iPhones and Android devices, what would be the cost of unplugging a permanent tattoo?

Nokia never discussed anything about the tattoo including the potential health risks.

Google Background Advertising

Google, in 2012, signed a patent that would enable the search giant to base advertisements on background noise. According to the patents, Google would install sensors on handsets that would detect temperature, humidity, sound, light or air distribution near a device and ads would be served accordingly.

For example, if you are at the gym and make a call, Google will be able to catch the gym machinery in the background and then serve up adverts for home gym equipment. If it is 30 degrees or more outside, Google will throw in adverts for sun cream, air conditioning units or ice creams.

But it raised the question of privacy. People were not pleased with the idea of Google tracking down their location wherever they went. Although from the use and productivity aspect, this patent was quite useless.

Amazon Airbag

Amazon came up with this idea in 2012 for a protective system for mobile phones. The patent describes a system that utilizes a gadget’s built-in gyroscope, camera, accelerometers and other onboard sensors to decide if the device has entered an airborne state. If it has, the technology will release airbags to decrease potential damage – or possibly even alter the trajectory of its fall by firing jets of air.

But this idea gathered much criticism like ‘What’s next, smartphones with built-in parachutes? Or maybe handsets with wings and propellers?’ and ‘From a logistical point of view, the handset would have to be rather big to hide an airbag.’

There has been no track of progress regarding this airbag. Let’s wait and find out!

Microsoft Remote Control Charging Patent

Imagine a situation where you have to pay more for skipping an ad while watching a movie or watching a sporting event and you have to pay extra for accessing the replay. Luckily, this patent did not fly off as imagined by Microsoft when they filed this patent back in 2004. This wasn’t very welcomed by the masses because these charges would be on top of the base price as a way to boost up profits.

Apple Air Jet Keyboard Patent

It isn’t too hard to imagine a flat keyboard without keys- we don’t really look at our fingers when we type, ourselves. But, it’s still a little hard to imagine actually using one. In 2011, Apple patented a unique keyboard design that uses micro-perforations to shoot air at the user’s fingers upon touch, giving tactile feedback to whoever is. One of the biggest objections about virtual keyboards is the lack of tactile feedback, making it much laborious to touch-type at any speed, with much accuracy.

June 11, 2015
Apple Music Arrives in India on 30th June; Pricing Revealed
The world was recently abuzz with the recently held WWDC’ 15 in San Francisco and we now have more great news for Apple fans, especially in India. That’s right, Apple Music is set to launch in India by June 30th. The company at the event had stated that it would be released 100 other countries worldwide, now recent reports claim that India will be included in the list.

“We love music, and the new Apple Music service puts an incredible experience at every fan’s fingertips, all the ways people love enjoying music come together in one app — a revolutionary streaming service, live worldwide radio and an exciting way for fans to connect with artists.”

We first brought you the news that Apple Music will be launched and that it will be a universal app catering to three things:
- Apple Music: We will have access to all kinds of music, whether from iTunes or ripped from CDs.
- Apple Connect: This is a way for fans and artists to connect by sharing videos, lyrics, backstage videos etc.
- Apple Radio: We will be able to stream live music and have access to all kinds of tunes, on a global platform.
In addition to this, Siri will be synced in with the App and we will be able to ask Siri to play our favourite tracks or even find songs of a particular genre. The statement released by Apple press contact stated:

Siri is also dedicated to helping you enjoy great music and will help you have fun with Apple Music. Ask Siri to, “Play me the best songs from 1994,” or “What was the number one song in February 2011?”

While all this seemed too good to be true, we in India often read posts like these and felt disappointed with the fact that this might either not come to India at all, or might come in really late. Therefore, you would be pleased to know that this time around, India will have Apple Music by June 30th, at Rs.120 and Rs.180 (family pack) a month.

This spells good news for Indian users as Spotify still hasn’t managed to make its way to the Indian market. This doesn’t matter anymore, though. Apple Music will really change the face of streaming music and will fit in every users requirements. Jimmy Iovine, Record Producer, stated:

“Apple Music is really going to move the needle for fans and artists. Online music has become a complicated mess of apps, services and websites. Apple Music brings the best features together for an experience every music lover will appreciate.”

We couldn’t agree more and we look forward to June 30th, eagerly.[tw-button size=”small” background=”#07ABE2″ color=”” target=”_blank”]Source[/tw-button] [tw-button size=”medium” background=”#07ABE2″ color=”” target=”_blank” link=”https://twitter.com/jayesh”]Twitter[/tw-button]
June 11, 2015
Apple’s Next iDevice Might Feature a Front Camera Flash

The selfie has gained social, political and global recognition in the past two years, given its high popularity and almost contagious qualities, Apple may be coming up with a plan to up the selfie quotient in the next iPhone or tablet.

Hamza Sood, a developer, said that the phone or tablet will have, not just a front facing camera flash, but also the ability to record 1080p videos along with recording slow-motion videos in 720p. Referring to the codes, Sood also derived that one might be able to take panorama shots using the front facing camera.

iOS 9 is hinting at future device front cameras having: 1080p resolution, 240fps slow mo, panoramamic capture, flash pic.twitter.com/NkMjdsUZEX

— Hamza Sood (@hamzasood) June 10, 2015

So far, all the features that we mentioned, are only present in the rear cameras of smartphones. But with the new set of devices, Apple hopes to makes the selfie game, even stronger. Although these reports seem frivolous, Sood was previously right in recognising that Apple was coming out with fingerprint recognition two months before it actually came to the markets. He also identified slow motion shooting, before it finally made an appearance in the iPhone 5S.

Even though the iPhone 6s is expected to arrive later this year, we’ve already heard several rumours about the upcoming device. As reported earlier by an analyst from KGI Securities, the forthcoming iPhone 6s will sport a bumped up camera of 12MP. Powered by a next-gen A9 processor, 2GB RAM will equip the device with newfangled features like Force Touch. Some of the changes the ‘iPhone 6s’ is said to include is a new design using an improved casing material and a newly resurrected inner design. One more microphone is said to be added near the new handset’s speakers in an attempt to improve sound quality. It is also likely that Apple will release two variants of the iPhone 6s.

While we don’t know if the phone camera, that is slated to be bigger and better, will actually succeed, we hope to be clearer in September, when the announcement might be made.

June 11, 2015
New Photos Reveal Apple’s Insane Spaceship-Shaped Campus

Apple is in the process of setting up a new campus in Cupertino, California and its architectural design is what’s drawing the attention of the world. Their second campus, which has been under construction since 2013, will reportedly the biggest with exceptional “spaceship-like” structure. Thanks to Nearmap, we now got a glimpse of sleepy Cupertino transforming into a fully developed space centre from the future.

Nearmaps, which is a geospatial mapping and visual analytics company, made public some images of Apple’s new headquarter that illustrates the campus taking shape in the sand. The released GIFs given below give a bird’s eye view of the under construction site. The developments happened in the past few months can be seen below:

The idea of a spaceship-shaped property was proposed by the then-CEO Steve Jobs on June 7, 2011. The new campus, built on 175 acres, is said to house 13,000 employees, a cafe with 3,000 strong seating, extensive landscaping and a parking – both underground and in a parking structure.

Other services include an auditorium with 1,000 seat, R&D facilities on 300,000 square feet, a fitness centre, an orchard, and a dedicated generating plant to produce electricity. The power plant will generate electricity through natural gas and other environment-friendly measures. It will reportedly cost Apple $5 billion, up from $3 billion estimated in 2011.

June 10, 2015
Apple Music Rivals Are Not Impressed

At the Worldwide Developers Conference last night, Apple introduced to the world its new music streaming service. Over the past few months, we’d heard multiple rumours that this service was in the works, and last evening, Apple finally threw the covers off.

There’s a lot going on with this service. You can use Apple Music to stream songs, listen the Beats 1 radio, watch music videos, follow your favourite artists. The company claims that they’ve managed to combine the best ways of consuming music, into one consolidated app. While this all sounds super, our first reaction to the Apple Music was, how is this going to affect its competitors?

Just like us, Apple Music rivals not only followed the event minute-by-minute, but also decided to comment on it.

Daniel Ek, CEO and Founder of one of the successful music service, Spotify, was the first to publicly snark Apple music. He tweeted a sardonic ‘Oh ok.’

The tweet was deleted minutes later, but the damage was done.

Rdio, an online music and radio streaming service, perhaps gave the most brutal response to Apple. They copied Apple’s old advertisement from 1981, and welcomed Apple to the party as a latecomer. The original Apple ad was released two weeks after the debut of IBM PC back in 1981 by Apple, in a way to ‘welcome’ IBM into the PC marketplace.

Welcome, Apple. Seriously. #applemusic pic.twitter.com/AnoeKZ5ZIa

— Rdio (@Rdio) June 8, 2015

Slacker Radio also sent out a similar message in a less hostile way, tweeting that Apple is too late for the race.

Great radio = artists + DJs + curation. Welcome to the party, @AppleMusic: http://t.co/LihSRb09kV #WWDC15 @Beats1 pic.twitter.com/4qmvfYuhKl — Slacker Radio (@SlackerRadio) June 8, 2015

Finally, 8tracks responded to an Apple critic.

HA, true…but we don’t need one celebrity DJ when we have millions of people like you making beautiful playlists. ???? https://t.co/IfyigzmEfq

— 8tracks (@8tracks) June 8, 2015

While it’s easy to conclude that Apple Music may not be the “revolutionary” service the company claims it is. The music service has, however, managed to consolidate various forms of music consumption into one single widget on our phones. Not only that, it will be available for Android and Windows, later this year.

With the absence of services like Spotify in India, we’re quite excited to find out if Apple Music will arrive in our country.

June 9, 2015
Apple Pay Steps Out of the US For the First Time, Arrives in UK Next Month

The WWDC 2015 kicked off in style. Along with introducing iOS 9 and OS X El Capitan, another set of important announcements made by the tech giant were about Apple Pay, the company’s NFC and Touch ID-based mobile payment solution.

Jennifer Bailey, Vice President of the Online Store of Apple, came up on stage to talk about the service. She announced that it will finally be made available in the UK, from July 2015. People will now be able to make quick transactions at Boots UK, BP, Costa Coffee, Dune, JD Sports, KFC UK & Ireland, Liberty, LIDL, Marks & Spencer (M&S), McDonald’s UK, Nando’s, New Look, Post Office, Pret A Manger, SPAR, Starbucks, SUBWAY stores, Wagamama and Waitrose.

Apple is partnering along with HSBC, Santander, Natwest, Nationwide, First Direct for the UK launch, and many more. Users will also be able to redeem reward cards from Kohl’s, Walgreens and Dunkin’ Donuts. The biggest news of all was that Apple even managed to rope in Transport for London to accept Apple Pay. So you can use your iPhone or Apple Watch to pay for your travel or daily commute.

Physical stores aren’t the only places where this service comes of use, you can use Apple Pay to pay within apps; cutting short the procedure. Apps that will accept Apple Pay in the UK, include Addison Lee, Airbnb, Argos, Booking.com, British Airways, Domino’s, easyJet, Hailo, HotelTonight, hungryhouse, JD Sports, Just Eat, lastminute.com, Miss Selfridge, Ocado, Stubhub, thetrainline.com, Top 10, Topshop, Uncover, Vueling, YPlan, Zalando and Zara, among others. To pay within apps, Apple Pay is compatible with iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPad Air 2 and iPad mini 3. Another important advancement to Apple Pay is that later this month, Pinterest will launch ‘buyable pins’ that will allow you to buy things from Nieman Marcus and Macy’s using the Apple Pay.

Other than the UK, Apple also announced Apple Pay will be adding support for rewards programs and store-issued credit and debit cards. Apple Pay has managed to expand merchant acceptance to over one million locations in the coming month. With this addition, Apple Pay will accept credit and debit cards across all major card networks, issued by the most popular banks, representing 98 percent of all credit card purchase volume in the US.

Paying using Apple Pay is as simple as holding your iPhone near the contactless reader in the store, while keeping a finger on the Touch ID. With Apple Watch just double click the side button and hold the face up to the contactless reader to make a purchase right from your wrist. For now, Apple Pay is currently supported for iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus and the new Apple Watch, allowing you to pay for items. Apple uses the NFC technology and the Touch ID fingerprint reader to authenticate purchases for buying goods in a store. Keep on checking iGyaan for more updates.

June 9, 2015
All the Important Apple Announcements From WWDC 2015 in One Place

At this year’s WWDC, Apple made a string of announcements about its future. From the new Mac OS X El Capitan to the now widely accepted Apple Pay, here’s everything important that the California-based tech giant disclosed at the event:

Launch of Mac OS X El Capitan

The new OS brings out a lot of new visual changes, as well as enhanced performance. The OS comes with several features like a new Safari browser, improved ‘Spotlight’ and enhancements to mission control. It has improved gesture support and the ability to snap windows to fill the sides of the screen.

Click here to read more about Apple’s latest operating system.

Siri Gets ‘Proactive’

In an attempt to beat Google, Apple has brought in significant changes and new features for Siri. Instead of scouring through the cloud, they have given their Digital Assistant the permission to monitor a user’s daily habits to help give them better suggestions. Overall, it’s a step towards making Siri more intuitive, and subsequently, more helpful. The Calendar app supports the cause.

Read more about it here.

The New Power Saver Mode

Battery life was one of the most important issues discussed at WWDC 2015. A new low-power mode will allow devices to reduce power consumption and restrict to only phone call capability; improving the last few minutes of battery to upto 3 hours of usage.

Click here to read more.

Apple has Open Sourced their New Coding Language “Swift”

For faster bug fixing and developing new features, Apple has open sourced their coding language, Swift, for developers. But, does this mean other manufacturers will be able to make iOS devices?

Click here to know more.

Multi-Tasking is Here!

The company brings in the much-awaited multi-tasking feature, which was missing on Apple devices. Multitasking has been broken down into three fundamental characteristics – Slide Over, Picture in Picture, and Split View. There is a basic version that can multi-task on the most recent iPad models, while the newer iPad Air 2 will support full screen split with any app.

Click here for more details.

Watch OS with Improved Performance and Native Apps

Apple has added new updates to the Apple Watch OS 2. Apple has now allowed moving the logic and processing directly to the Apple Watch; improving the long and nagging load time everyone has been complaining about.Developers create applications that run on the Watch itself rather than in the background on a paired phone.

For more details about the improved Watch OS, click here.

A Truly Consolidated Music Streaming Service

Yes, the rumours were true. The Cupertino-based tech giant introduced its new music streaming service. Apple Music will be available 30th June onwards. For the initial three months, the service is available free of cost. After which, it will cost 9.99$ per month. Click here for more.

June 9, 2015