Category: Design

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.

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January 28, 2016
Samsung Galaxy S7 May be Edge-Only

Sources close to iGyaan have suggested that the much-anticipated Galaxy S7 flagship smartphones will only come in ‘edge’ form. This means that you might not see a flat S7 device at all.

This latest rumour brings in line with what past renders of the S7 have revealed. The 5.1 Galaxy S7 will likely come in the form of last year’s Galaxy Note 5 where the sides curve at the back. Meanwhile, the 5.5-inch S7 Edge will have curved edges at the front and so will the 5.7-inch S7 Edge+. The video of the render shows the front design of the S7 having narrower side bezels, 2.5D glass covering the display and the Home Button.

The move to curved-only smartphones makes sense as Samsung won widespread praise for its design language last year. The Galaxy S7 Edge, Edge+ and Note 5 were among Samsung’s best-looking devices in 2015.

Meanwhile, the specs of the device remain unchanged from past rumors. It is already confirmed that the flagship device will sport Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 820 chipset. Other likely specs include 4 GB of RAM, 64 GB internal storage, Adreno 530 GPU. The device will run of Android 6.0 Marshmallow (no surprises there).

On the camera front, Samsung is looking to downgrade to 12 MP camera and focus more on improving low-light imaging and wider dynamic range for the upcoming flagship. To do this, Samsung is taking help of the new BRITECELL setup. AnTuTu listing also confirms that the device will sport a 12 MP rear sensor and a 5 MP front. Looks like Samsung is sticking to quality rather than quantity here.

January 19, 2016
Huawei P9 Leaks Reveal Impressive Specifications and a Revamped Design

CES saw a lot of big companies show off their new phones, and upcoming projects, but Huawei, the thirld largest phone maker in the world in terms of sales volumes, revealed nothing, leaving its fans guessing what the company has in works for them. But worry no more, new leaks suggest that all the suspense, and the wait was worth it.

Reports, and leaked design schematics reveal that Huawei is delivering final touches to what is going to be its next offering, the P9, which can be expected to be unveiled by the company in the coming weeks.

The schematics reveal major changes to the design of the phone from last year’s P8. The new phone will come with a physical home button which according to reports will also house a finger print scanner. The phone will also sport dual-cameras along with dual-led setup at the back. There’s also a speaker at the bottom, with a headset jack nearby.

On the specs front the phone is rumoured to come with a 5.2 inch Full HD Display, 3000 mAh battery, and 4 GB of RAM, but most interesting is the news of the P9 coming with a Kirin 950 SoC. That means that the phone will have an octa-core CPU and the Mali-T880 MP4 GPU.

Want to know what that translates to in real life? Well, something very impressive according to benchmarks reports posted on GeekBench. The website today listed an anonymous Huawei device with the Kirin SoC on board clocking up a serious Multi-Core score of 7313. That score is more than the previous best clocked by the X20 Helio Deca-Core processor.

If these leaks are indeed true, and the benchmark results anything to go by, it looks like Huawei has in works a powerhouse waiting to be unleashed. Can’t say we’re not excited.

January 16, 2016
New iPhone 7 Concepts Emerge Online

Here’s a little visual treat for all Apple fan-boys and girls. New iPhone 7 concepts have emerged online, and who are we kidding? Speculating about one of the most significant events of the tech world just became so much funner. Yes, Apple is going to come out with another fancy device, all set to burn a major whole in our pockets. But that’s not going to stop us from talking about these new concepts.

Arthur Reis is the artist of the concepts and he borrows from the designs of both the old and the new Apple devices to give us a glimpse of these new babies. The front of the renders reminds us a lot of iPhone 6/6s while the back is definitely reminiscent of iPhone 3G and 3GS.

Speculations do suggest that Apple may go back to one of its older devices for inspiration with the iPhone 7 but nothing seems confirmed at this point. While rumours about a waterproof iPhone which may be sans a headphone jack are all over the place, Apple has dropped not even the slightest of hints of what the device could possibly lbe like. We’ll have to wait patiently for the September event of the company, because that’s when we expect the iPhone 7 to arrive. Until then, there are only rumours and speculations to go on with.

January 14, 2016
LG G5 Could Feature a Modular Design

LG’s next flagship smartphone is just around the corner. The company will be unveiling the device at the MWC on the 21st of February. As it happens with every major flagship (and non-flagship) devices, rumors and speculations are always at its highest when nearing the launch date. We already know a lot about the G5, which we’ll get to in a bit. But this new rumor is sure to take your fancy.

A rumor straight out of Korea suggests that the LG G5 may come with a ‘modular’ design. Now before you thing of Google’s Proje ARA here, the G5 is going full modular, and you won’t be able to replace parts as you please. The G5’s modular nature is more to do with design rather than anything else. The design and the ability to still preserve the removable battery is LG’s top priority.

The G5’s modular design, according to rumors, involves a detachable bottom, which will reveal the battery and allow it to simply slide in and out. Not only does this design help in making a thinner looking device, but it also gives easy access to the removable battery. This would put some of the hardware to be mounted on detachable connectors as well, like the speaker, USB port, microphone, among other things.

Other than this latest rumor, what we know about the flagship is that it is rumoured to come equipped with a 5.3-inch QHD display, sporting a Snapdragon 820 processor and 3GB of RAM with 32GB of internal storage. It’s also suggested that LG G5 might include an eye scanner, USB-C connectivity and a fingerprint sensor. Speculation also points to a 21-megapixel rear camera and an 8-megapixel front-facing sensor.

January 13, 2016
iPhone 7 To Include Improved Speaker System

Today’s dose of iPhone leaks and rumours brings to us news which will be music to curious ears. After angering audiophiles world over with its alleged decision to do away with the headphone jack, the Cupertino based company is now is looking to atone for its sins by planning to equip the next iPhone with a new and improved speaker system.

Latest set of patents doing rounds on the internet reveal Apple is looking at ways to boost the audio for the iPhone 7. As suggested by the patents, the next iteration of the iPhone could have significantly improved sound output.

Apple is to create a new sound system for the iPhone 7 which will use the entire phone as an audio chamber. The idea is to use the phone’s interiors to improve the amount of air that can pass through the speaker system, thus resulting in better volume output as well as audio quality. This new system adopted by Apple would also see the phone keeping up with the rumoured sleeker form of the phone.

The patent reads,

“As portable electronic devices get smaller and thinner, there are increased difficulties in providing the same or greater functionality in a smaller area.The one or more speakers of the system can produce audio sound that can be directed to one or more audio output openings.”

The interpretation of this patent information also hints at a better system for audio input which would essentially mean an upgrade to the phone’s microphone too! Nice try Apple, but the loss of the 3.5mm jack still hurts.

January 13, 2016
Samsung Galaxy S7 3D Renders Suggest Possible Design Language

Samsung is on course to unveil its Galaxy S7 flagship devices at next month’s Mobile World Conference. While the many, many rumors about the device have mostly surrounded the specs, which have pretty much been confirmed now thanks to an AnTuTu listing yesterday, not much has been spoken or even hinted at regarding the design.

But a new 3D renders of the device, designed by 3D designer Jermaine Smith, have surfaced that show what the flagship device could look like. The renders are of the 5.1-inch Galaxy S7 handset. The renders including the video show the device with curved sides at the back, much like the Galaxy Note 5. The 5.5-inch S7 Edge will have curved edges at the front. The front design of the S7 shows narrower side bezels, 2.5D glass covering the display and the Home Button.

The video by Smith is based on popular tipster @onleaks leaked design blueprints of the Galaxy S7. The front design of the S7 shows narrower side bezels, 2.5D glass covering the display and the Home Button. Now while the renders cannot be confirmed, it is likely that the Galaxy S7 will sport the same design aesthetics as shown in the video. The video also shows 5 color variants for the phone including rose gold, silver, black, blue and gold, although this may just be the video maker’s personal choices.

Meanwhile, the specs of the device remain unchanged from past rumors. It is already confirmed that the flagship device will sport Qualcomm’s latest Snapdragon 820 chipset. Other likely specs include 4 GB of RAM, 64 GB internal storage, Adreno 530 GPU. The device will run of Android 6.0 Marshmallow (no surprises there).

On the camera front, Samsung is looking to downgrade to 12 MP camera and focus more on improving low-light imaging and wider dynamic range for the upcoming flagship. To do this, Samsung is taking help of the new BRITECELL setup. AnTuTu listing also confirms that the device will sport a 12 MP rear sensor and a 5 MP front. Looks like Samsung is sticking to quality rather than quantity here.

January 12, 2016
Xiaomi Mi 5 Leak Reveals Black Variant Design

We’re all eagerly awaiting the launch of Xiaomi’s Mi 5 flagship smartphone. It’s only normal for alleged images and specs to surface prior to a launch. Earlier today, Weibo posted some images of the Mi 5 in its black variant which has since been removed.

The images concur with past renders of the device. The 5.2-inch QHD device sports a slimming frame and a wide display. The handset also comes with a thick lower bezel.

The Mi 5 is slated to feature a 5.2-inch display with Quad HD resolution. The handset is confirmed to feature Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 820 chipset. Other rumored specs include 3GB or 4GB RAM, with a minimum of 32GB internal storage. The camera on the device is expected to be a 16-megapixel at the back, and an equally impressive 13-megapixel snapper at the front.

This power hungry device is set to pack a battery of 3600 mAh with support for Quick Charge 3.0 technology. At the software end, the handset will run MIUI 7 based on Android 6.0 Marshmallow. Xiaomi is set to launch the Mi 5 on January 21.

January 11, 2016
Coolest Tech at CES 2016 So Far

CES 2016 kicked off in the most spectacular way possible. The technological fest had everything a tech junkie could ask for. While drones and hover boards were the ones that stole the spotlight, there were some others that just inspired awe. Here are some of our favorites so far.

Razor Blade Stealth

Razer – maker of the coolest and most badass gadgets around – unveiled its 12.5-inch Razer Blade Stealth with Super HD 2,560×1,440-pixel resolution touchscreen display, a Core i7 processor, 8GB of memory and 128GB of solid-state storage. And since the laptop is a Razer product, the device comes with RGB backlit keyboard that lets you program every key to light up in individual colors.

Saving the best for last, the laptop also features Razer Core, an external graphics docking station which will arrive for an undisclosed price in the first half of this year.

Intel RealSense Technology

Intel reminded everyone that the future is indeed here. The chipmaker showed off its RealSense sensor technology, which allows computers to map an environment in real time and react to it. Intel used this technology in three different products – a helmet, a car, and a robot.

The Daqri is a smart helet that is aimed at construction workers and athletes. The helmet has inbuilt glasses that are AR-ready. The helmet uses RealSense 3D camera to create augmented reality on the screen of the glasses. The RealSense technology was also seen in Segway’s Advanced Personal Robots, which is a hoverboard that doubles into a robot. Finally, the technology was seen in a race car that showed movements on the screen following the driver wherever they turned their head.

Ehang 148 Drone

A Chinese company, Ehang Inc., unveiled what is being touted as the first ever drone capable of carrying a human being, on Wednesday at CES.

The Ehang 184 was unveiled yesterday as an electric-power drone that can carry up to 220 pounds and is capable of flying for 23 minutes. It looks like a small helicopter, but of course, along with the four doubled propellers of a drone. The air-conditioned cabin has room for one person and is capable of being charged fully in only two hours. It also has a reading light and space for a back-pack, just because.

Faraday Future’s FFZero1 Electric Concept

One of the coolest unveiling in the automotive departments comes from Faraday Future. The startup, which is backed by Chinese internet TV provider LeTV, unveiled its first-ever electric concept, the FFZero1 which will be production ready by 2018. The exterior design of the vehicle draws inspiration from the 1960s Batmobile.

The FFZero1 has a smartphone embedded in the steering wheel to give the vehicle a “sixth sense” that understands the driver’s preferences and is also capable of driving itself. The internet-connected FFZero1 has a top speed of 200mph (321 kph) and accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in less than 3 seconds. Furthermore, the car has what the company calls ‘aero tunnels’ that channels air through the car to reduce drag and cool the batteries.

Faraday Future research chief Nick Sampson said that the company can achieve production of the FFZero1 faster than other automakers thanks to its adoption of “variable production architecture”. “Our lifestyle is becoming very digital and connected, and the car industry isn’t responding to those needs quick enough,” Sampson said. “Our architecture allows us to create different batteries without completely re-engineering the thing each time.”

Fitbit Blaze

Fitbit – the company that’s currently dominating the fitness tracking market – showcased its new wearable that looks more like a smartwatch than any of its previous offerings. The smartwatch was also launched in India yesterday at Rs. 19,999 and is up for pre-orders.

The watch comes equipped with a sleep-tracker, GPS and Bluetooth Smart which notifies the user of calls, texts and calendars notifications. The user can also accept or reject calls using the watch when its connected to a compatible smartphone. On-screen controls also allows the user to navigate and play music from the connected smartphone. PurePulse feature of Blaze tracks the heart-rate of the user and helps make training routines more efficient.

Blaze seems high on design with its interchangeable bands, modular design and a high resolution colour touchscreen. It has a stainless steel display which further has three options to choose from -black, mist grey and camel. There is another option of a Luxe stainless steel band paired with the display frame available in silver.

January 8, 2016
Letv Launches World’s Thinnest TV, First Smartphone with Snapdragon 820

Letv made its presence felt at CES 2016 today in a big way. The internet and technology conglomerate unveiled the world’s thinnest TV. Yes, it’s Letv who has done it this time with a Max65 Blade that actually lives up to its name.

Because the 65-inch TV was designed to set a new record for slimness, it comes with a separate speaker rather than a built in one.

But just when you thought Letv had managed to inspire awe in those present at the event with the TV, the company pulled another surprise by bringing out the world’s first smartphone with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 820 chipset. Yes, it is Letv again that has beat the likes of Samsung to become the first company to use the Snapdragon 820 SoC for its new smartphone, Le Max Pro.

Along with this powerful new chipset under the hood of the device, the Le Max Pro will be featuring ultrasonic fingerprint technology made possible by the chipset and it will also support WiFi ad. Letv has indeed managed to steal the spotlight at CES 2016 with these two announcement.

Another interesting point to note is that it was confirmed that Samsung would have the exclusivity of the new Snapdragon 820 chipset for the first quarter. So, seeing that Letv has managed to sneak in its own device sporting the new SoC first could mean that other companies ready to release their Snapdragon-powered flagships might not need to wait until April to do so.

January 6, 2016
Phone Cases Reveal Design of Samsung Galaxy A3 and A5 Second-Gen

Krushell, maker of phone cases, has begun pre-orders for cases and glass protectors for Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy A3 and A5 second-gen models. The updated devices are set to launch in China this month and will see a European launch in January.

The cases for both the devices reveal what could be the final design of the Galaxy A3 and A5. The images show a pretty clear camera hump on the back of the device, which the cases try to level with. The front looks pretty much similar to the previous models, although the screen looks bigger with the display almost touching either sides.

The A5 upgrades to 5.2-inch AMOLED screen with 1080p resolution. 2GB RAM and 16GB storage, quad-core processor and bumps the battery to 2,900mAh as well, 13MP primary camera with OIS and a 5MP front. The device will also feature a fingerprint scanner.

The Galaxy A3, comes with a 4.7-inch AMOLED screen and 720p resolution. The device also features 1.5GB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage. The A3 will not feature a fingerprint scanner. The device also bumps up the rear camera to 13MP with a 5MP front, with both having f/1.9 apertures (no OIS here, though).

December 18, 2015
Apple Filed a Patent for Waterproof iPhones Last Year

Earlier this week, Apple publicly revealed filing for a patent for waterproof devices. The paperwork was completed in June 2014 and is centered around making iPhones waterproof using rubber or “self-healing elastomer” that gains or loses its shape to protect the device from moisture and dust.

Ports like that of chargers or headphones on the phone would be protected with a rubber covering that would be removed when an external device or chord is to be inserted. Once the external device is removed, the rubber device would go back to covering the port.

Depending on the kind of elastomer, it can provide protection against dust, debris, water, and gas. Hello, pretty pictures in all kinds of environmental conditions.

Companies like Samsung and Sony have employed waterproof tech in their devices in the past. Having said that, this patent does not mean whether we can expect the iPhone 7 to be entirely water-resistant.

At the same time, it should be kept in mind that iPhone 6s and 6s Plus are modeled on similar principles of water-resistance and are definitely more resilient than previous Apple devices. Let’s see if the iPhone 7 actually turns out to be the hardiest of all the iPhones so far.

December 12, 2015
Samsung Galaxy S7 Design Leaked in New Video

A new short video leaked online by popular leakster @onleaks and uSwitch shows off what could be the design for the upcoming Galaxy S7 flagship devices.

The video shows a very S6-like design for the S7 only with more rounded sides that works well with the 2.5D glass on the front and back. The render also shows just one card slot for the SIM, which means that it is likely that the S7 will not support MicroSD card.

You also see a protruding camera lens on the back similar to its predecessor. The camera is also rumoured to house a 20 MP ‘BRITECELL’ camera sensor technology.

The S7 Plus shown in the video measures 163.32 x 82.01 x 7.82mm. The 6-inch device pushes the front-facing camera to the top right end. One must take the rendered video with a pinch of salt. The actual device may look a little different but @onleaks has so far had a near 100% accuracy when it comes to leaked renders.

That being said, renders have a way of showing some added thickness and bulge in certain areas (as was the case with the Nexus 6P camera bar, which didn’t protrude as much as the renders suggested). You can expect the finished product to look slimmer and cleaner.

The Galaxy S7 devices are rumoured for a 21 February unveiling. We’ll have more details about the flagship devices as we get closer to the date.

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December 11, 2015
Top 5 Best Looking Phones of 2015

Technology never ceases to surprise us and 2015 just proved this right. The year saw some brilliant smartphones being introduced to the market. Devices with high end specs, snazzy designs and all kinds of technological breakthroughs previously unencountered entered the tech circuit. Some handsets, however, were prettier than others, and we cannot help but talk about them in this top 5 of the most stylish smartphones this year.

1. Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge and S6 Edge+

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Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge+ is the company’s first big S series phone, as an add-on to the Galaxy S line of devices. The Galaxy S6 edge+ was designed to one up the iPhone 6 Plus in terms of specifications and hardware. But it did not simply stop there -the device is not only high on specs but the Galaxy S6 Edge and Edge+ with their curved screen and glass back are both a beauty to behold.

2. iPhone 6s and 6s Plus (Rose Gold Variant):

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With iPhone 6s and 6s Plus, Apple did not make major design changes. In fact the only design change was that the new iPhones were heavier and thicker than their predecessors. Looks like the entire Bendgate-controversy did make Apple sit up and listen. The one design change that Apple did introduce, however, was a new colour variant -the rose gold.

Though the Apple device is not the only device to offer a rose gold variant, another example being that of Huawei’s Mate S, it’s definitely one of the most popular. Before the Apple haters get started -it is not us but the market which affirms this -the rose gold variant was the most pre-ordered version of the new iPhones.

3. Moto X Style and Moto X Pure:

The versions of these two smartphones that launched in India did not fare too well on the looks front. But the Moto Maker available outside India allows you to customise you device in great detail. From the back to the front, to the colour and texture and feel -pretty much all of it can be altered and modified depending on the taste of the user. Moto Maker has not arrived in India yet, but if sources are to be believed, it should be here soon. Looks like the day when you get to lay your hands on a customised Moto X Pure or Style in India is not far.

4. OnePlus X

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OnePlus X was the company’s second device launched this year, closely preceded by OnePlus 2. OnePlus X was a bit of a downer in terms of performance and user interface, but that did not keep it from becoming one of the best phones in the price bracket. It’s also a very pretty looking phone with its slim and light body, very reminiscent of iPhone 4s. Despite its glitches with SD card and camera software, OnePlus X manages to do well solely based on looks.

5. HTC One A9

This device received a lot of hate and became a topic of great discussion owing to its iPhone-‘inspired’ design. Having said that, One A9 is indeed a very impressive looking smartphone for the metal unibody frame is a winner no matter which brand sports it. The curved edges and glass screen gives the device a premium look. The team behind the design of the One A9 have stated that great amount of time and attention has gone into its design, which does feel true.

December 4, 2015
What a Thinner iPhone Could Mean for You: Pros and Cons

Apple has been obsessed with making its iPhones thinner for a while now and has consciously and noticeably worked on reducing the thickness of its devices in the past. However, it may have not always ended too well for the company -Bendgate definitely not being the highlight of Apple’s history.

Though the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus were thicker than their predecessors at a 7.1 mm and a 7.3 mm, iPhone 7 is rumoured to be slimmest iPhones so far. Since speculations about this new Apple device have already begun,let’s see what this could mean for the user.

Pros:

No Ear-Phone Port:
If rumours are to be believed, Apple is planning to get rid of the earphone jack to make the iPhone 7 thinner than any of its predecessors. This move is part of Apple’s patent which aims to make the new device waterproof by getting rid of the port, thereby reducing the number of potential entrances of moisture and liquids for the device. Voila! Say hello to a waterproof iPhone (or at least one less exposed to damage by liquids), boys and girls.

Consequently, the device will probably need to have one common adapter that makes all earphones compatible with it. Additionally, Apple could also include a standard pair of earphones that could be used with the help of a connection to a Lightening conductor. Even if the device requires third-party adapters, they will be available at a fairly affordable price. Bluetooth can also be used as a replacement for earphones.

Convenient Size:
A thinner iPhone would definitely be easier to carry around. In all likelihood, it will weigh less than the 143 gms of the iPhone 6s and the 192 gms of iPhone 6s Plus, and thus would be lighter and more portable for the user.

Also, the current iPhones -6s and 6s Plus- have a thickness of 7.1 mm and 7.3 mm respectively. With its latest devices, Apple has come a long way from Bendgate. None of that was witnessed this year as the devices seems sturdy and hardy, in addition to being water-resistant. Time to rejoice, Apple fans and loyalists.

Cons:

Yes, the Ear-Phone Port:
Users would have to use Bluetooth or the Lightning connector instead of the earphone port. A Lightning cable or a 3.5 mm-to-Lightning adapter would have to be provided by third-party sellers in order to ensure compatibility with iPhone 7. These third-party sellers and their products, the hassle of extra accessories, or the need to use adapters -all of it will make things more complicated for users.

Apple is expected to take care of earpods that would connect to the Lightning port and launch accessories specific to the iPhone 7 and its absence of an earphone port. Needless to say -if this happens, be prepared to burn a whole in your pocket for a pure and authentic iPhone 7 experience.

Might be Sturdier, But Not Comfortable:
A thinner iPhone will not be very comfortable in the hand. The device will not provide a firm grip to the user if made too thin. The attempt of making the device sleek and stylish will completely backfire if it keeps slipping out of the hands. As sturdy as it might be, it will still be an iPhone.

Apple would also have to notch-up the speaker quality to ensure a decent over-all sound experience for iPhone 7. Instead of getting rid of the ear-phone jack, the company can instead tone down its paranoia of being repetitive with design, and let go of their obsession of making tech breakthroughs with a new iPhone every year. But if that happens, Apple would perhaps cease to be Apple.

December 2, 2015