Apple cuts iPhone 13 output forecast on chip shortage: report

SAN FRANCISCO, United States - Apple is unlikely to meet production goals for its new iPhone before the holidays because of a global electronic chip shortage, a report said Tuesday. 

The firm had planned to produce 90 million iPhone 13s before the end of the year, but will have to settle with 80 million as suppliers Broadcom and Texas Instruments cannot meet demand, the Bloomberg News said, citing sources familiar with the matter who asked to remain anonymous.

Apple presented a new line of iPhones last month, with four new models, including the iPhone 13 Mini, which sells from $700, and the iPhone 13 Pro Max, which costs $1,100.

"We estimate that overall demand has been robust globally," Wedbush analyst Dan Ives said, highlighting strong demand in China and the United States especially. 

"Apple will be running into a 5 million-plus iPhone 13 unit shortage for the holiday season if consumer demand keeps up at this pace," he added.

Chief executive Tim Cook warned during quarterly earnings reports in late July that supply chain constraints would have an even bigger impact on the current quarter than it had in the previous three months. 

He pointed out that electronic chip shortages were affecting all parts of the industry, not just Apple, and stemmed from significantly higher-than-expected demand.

Agence France-Presse

Amid array of challenges, Apple unveils new products

Apple CEO Tim Cook strode through a slickly produced video Tuesday to launch a new iPhone, with few hints of the exceptional string of troubles facing his company including policy reversals, a spyware attack and legal fights.

Cook, from an empty, darkened auditorium, raved over upgraded cameras, brighter screens and new features for some of the Silicon Valley giant's other devices such as the iPad.

"These are the best iPhones we've ever created," Cook said, noting Apple's work to design the "very best products and services to enrich people's lives."

Yet a head-spinning series of problems have occupied the recent public discussion of one the world's most valuable companies. 

Due to a long and loud fight over its online app marketplace, a judge ordered Apple last week to allow developers to sidestep its hefty commission on purchases.

It delayed a plan to scan its customers' devices as part of a child abuse prevention move, after privacy advocates howled over the risk of opening a backdoor for government surveillance.

And then Monday it was forced to roll out an urgent fix after cybersecurity researchers found a weakness that allowed Pegasus spyware to infect Apple devices without users so much as clicking a malicious message.

That said, Apple still possesses massive reach in the digital world and beyond, and manages to be worth over $2 trillion.

Its fans cheered the release of the updated products Tuesday, including analyst Daniel Ives who noted "the supercycle for Cupertino," referring to the California city that is home to Apple's headquarters.

"Apple remains in the midst of its strongest overall product cycle in roughly a decade," he added.

- Array of challenges - 

It is true the company has racked up massive profits driven by the demand for its devices as much of the world hunkered down at home due to the pandemic. 

At the same time legal battles, new laws and the scrutiny of regulators around the world has added up to a series of challenges against the company. 

As Cook expounded on iPhone developments, a group fighting to loosen Apple's control over its App Store tweeted its verdict on the new handset.

"Today's rollout of the iPhone 13 only tells us one thing: new iPhone, same bad App Store," wrote Coalition for App Fairness. 

"It's time for @Apple to #OpenTheAppStore and level the playing field for app developers and innovators."

Apple has started to cede ground on its App Store dominance, including in an agreement with Japanese regulators.

It also faces the legislation adopted by South Korean lawmakers, which banned Apple and Google from forcing app developers to use the tech giants' payment systems. 

Yet when the verdict came in a California court Friday, Apple barely complained about the ruling ordering it to ease control over its App Store.

Instead it heaved a public sigh of relief the judge had not found it to be an illegal monopoly, which could have opened doors for regulators and prosecutors to go after the tech giant. 

"We consider this a huge win for Apple," it told reporters. 

Agence France-Presse

Apple touts App Store economy as its clout challenged

SAN FRANCISCO, United States - Apple said Wednesday its App Store "ecosystem" surged in 2020, fueled by pandemic-hit consumers seeking to stay connected for work, school and play.

Apple spotlighted an independent study by Analysis Group indicating billings and sales of digital and physical goods as well as advertising "facilitated" by the App Store worldwide last year was up 24 percent from 2019 to $643 billion.

"The apps we’ve relied on through the pandemic have been life-changing in so many ways - from groceries delivered to our homes, to teaching tools for parents and educators, to an imaginative and ever-expanding universe of games and entertainment," Apple chief executive Tim Cook said in a release.

"The result isn’t just incredible apps for users: it’s jobs, it’s opportunity, and it's untold innovation that will power global economies for many years to come."

The Global Perspective on the Apple App Store Ecosystem study focused on small developers with fewer than a million downloads and less than $1 million in earnings last year.

About 90 percent of total billings and sales facilitated by the App Store ecosystem in 2020 occurred outside of the App Store, meaning that Apple collected no commission on those sales, according to the study.

The release of the study comes as US District Court Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers mulls evidence presented during a trial in which Epic Games is trying to break Apple's tight grip on its App Store, and potentially disrupt the entire mobile ecosystem.

Epic, maker of the popular Fortnite video game, is seeking to force Apple to open up the App Store to third parties seeking to circumvent Apple's procedures payment systems and its commission as high as 30 percent in the process.

Agence France-Presse

Apple packs iPad Pros with faster chips, slims iMacs and jumps into tracking tags

Apple Inc announced on Tuesday a range of new computers, a paid podcasting service and devices for finding lost items, signaling the continued expansion of its once-simple product line into more and more corners of customers' lives.

The new $30 AirTags, tiny devices that can be attached to items such as keys and wallets to locate them when they are lost, were applauded by analysts as a likely hot-seller that would also keep the company's more than 1 billion customers locked into its products.

A new iPad Pro tablet, featuring the same Apple-designed processor that powers the company's more recent Mac computers, has keyboard and trackpad options that help make it a full-blown alternative to traditional laptops and desktops.

And a refresh of the Mac desktop line boasts seven color options, harkening back to the famous candy-colored Macs that helped Steve Jobs revive the company in the 1990s.

The announcements show how the iPhone maker is accelerating the expansion of its product portfolio and working to keep customers committed to its family of devices even as government scrutiny of the power and reach of major technology firms intensifies.

Most of the product introductions had been telegraphed before the presentation, which had no major surprises. Shares of Apple were down 1.3 percent, slightly more than the 1 percent drop in the Nasdaq index.

The new iMacs, which start at $1,299, feature a higher quality front-facing camera and microphone, responding to complaints from consumers during the pandemic that the computer's cameras had not kept pace with iPhones and iPads during an era of pervasive video calls.

"Apple cameras in their computers have been terrible, frankly. They finally have a reasonable camera in the iMac," said Bob O'Donnell, head of TECHnalysis Research, who added that the new colors were likely to stand out in a market dominated by black, white and silver machines. "For right now, it feels fresh and new."

The new iPad Pros, starting at $799, use the same M1 chip as Apple's other computers, rather than the beefed-up version of iPhone chips found in previous models. The tablets also have additional ports for connecting monitors and 5G connectivity, while featuring a higher-quality display than the company's laptops. 

Analysts said that when combined with Apple's keyboard and trackpad accessories, the new iPad Pro models could be a compelling replacement for a laptop, especially for content creators or business travelers. But those accessories also push the price to nearly $1,100 - more than Apple's cheapest laptop, the $1,000 MacBook Air.

Ben Bajarin, principal analyst for consumer market intelligence at Creative Strategies, said the devices are not likely to be volume sellers but will target the niche of consumers who value versatility.

"If you want to go the gamut from mobile production, content consumption and or creativity, that’s the device that does it,” he said.

Apple also announced podcast subscription services that will compete with rival Spotify Technology SA, a move to regain ground in a market it popularized years ago but never made money from.

Apple shares have risen nearly 95 percent over the past year, faster than the 63 percent rise in the Nasdaq Composite Index, thanks to a record $274.5 billion in sales for fiscal 2020 as consumers stocked up on electronics during the pandemic.

The AirTags announcement could result in a new round of complaints to lawmakers that Apple is hurting smaller rivals. Tile, a private company that has sold a competing tracker for nearly a decade, last year testified before the U.S. House of Representatives that Apple's App Store rules had made it harder to use Tile's products and will be called before the U.S. Senate to testify on Wednesday.

Apple has said it subjects all apps, including its own, to the same App Store review rules, and recently allowed third-party developers to access the same systems as its AirTags.

In a research note, Raymond James analysts Chris Caso and Melissa Fairbanks said AirTags "could grow to become a $10 billion opportunity, similar to AirPods."

But Bajarin of Creative Strategies said that iPhone owners who come to rely the tags to help them keep track of everyday items are likely to stick with Apple's brand over a longer time.

"The more you buy into just one hardware product, the less likely it is you’ll ever leave," Bajarin said.

-reuters

Google challenges Apple’s Siri by opening digital assistant to iPhone

Alphabet Inc’s Google said on Wednesday it would make its digital assistant available on Apple Inc’s iPhone, making a play for the higher end of the smartphone market and challenging Apple’s Siri feature on its own devices.

The announcement heralds a step by Google, whose Android system runs on the majority of the world’s smartphones, to get a foothold on Apple’s phones, which have smaller market share but are used by people who tend to spend more on technology.

It comes as Google, Apple and Amazon.com Inc are competing to establish the dominant voice-powered digital assistant, which many in the industry believe will supplant keyboards and touch screens as a primary way that users interact with technology.

Speaking at an annual developer conference in Mountain View, California, Google Chief Executive Sundar Pichai touted the company’s progress with the Google Assistant, which allows users to complete various tasks through voice commands.

“Humans are interacting with computing in more natural and immersive ways,” he said. “We’ve been using voice as an input across many of our products. We’ve had significant breakthroughs.”

The Assistant debuted last year on Google’s own hardware, and the company has gradually extended the tool to devices from other manufacturers running on its Android operating system.

Google, which gets most of its revenue from its dominant search engine, also released a host of new features for Google Home, a speaker released last year. Users will soon be able to make phone calls using the device, and the HBO Now streaming service, owned by Time Warner Inc, will be integrated as well.

In addition, the company announced that it will offer physical photo albums through its photo app.

source: beta.interaksyon.com

IPHONE MINI? | Apple to unveil new product on March 21

Apple Inc sent an invite to reporters on Thursday for an event at its Cupertino, California headquarters on March 21, possibly signaling the unveiling of a new, smaller iPhone.

The world’s best-known technology company often reveals new products at such events. It is expected to update its flagship iPhone and iPad products soon.

Some Wall Street analysts expect the company to use the event to unveil a four-inch (10-cm) screen phone, reintroducing the smaller size after enlarging screens with the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus in 2014.

Apple shares have risen in the past two weeks as Wall Street bet the company will launch a less expensive iPhone this month to boost sales in developing countries like China.

With U.S. consumers upgrading their smartphones less often, manufacturers have been relying on China for growth.

source: interaksyon.com

Apple’s quarterly revenue jumps 27 percent

Apple Inc reported a 27 percent rise in quarterly revenue as iPhone sales surged and the company raised its share repurchase program by $50 billion.

The most valuable publicly traded U.S. company said net income rose to $13.57 billion, or $2.33 per share, from $10.22 billion, or $1.66 per share, a year earlier.

Revenue rose to $58.01 billion in the second quarter ended March 28, from $45.65 billion a year earlier.

Apple increased its share repurchase authorization to $140 billion from $90 billion announced last year.

source: interaksyon.com

iPhone comes out of a ‘bygone era’, reviewers hail bigger handset

Bigger is better and Apple Inc has finally realized that and given iPhone users a product that may be low on novelty but high on improvements, reviewers wrote.

Most reviewers say that the iPhone 6 is the best smartphone available or “ever made”, while the 5.5-inch iPhone 6 Plus has been described as a “phablet” that will give competition to Samsung Electronics Co Ltd’s Galaxy S line of ‘big’ Android phones.

“I think it’s a terrific phone. In my view, it’s the best smartphone on the market, when you combine its hardware, all-new operating system, and the Apple ecosystem whose doors it opens,” Walt Mossberg wrote of the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 in the tech blog Re/code.

Geoffrey Fowler, who reviewed the phones for the Wall Street Journal, said Apple has “successfully addressed its size deficiency.”

Mossberg said the increase in the screen size is a “catch-up” feature. But it is seen as a welcome change by Fowler, who said the iPhone “felt stuck in a bygone era called 2012″ before the launch of the bigger phones.

New York Times reviewer Molly Wood appreciated the new “thinner, flatter and more rounded shapes” of both the phones. But she pointed out that the sleek look comes at the cost of the phones feeling “slippery”. (nyti.ms/1woWs9r)

The improvements made to the operating system – the iOS 8 software, and that to the camera were given a thumbs up by reviewers across the board. However, most believed that Apple could have done more to enhance the battery life of the phones.

Joshua Topolski, who reviewed the phones for Bloomberg, said they were faster than their predecessors.

“Apple will tell you that these are the fastest mobile devices it’s ever made, and it wouldn’t be lying. These phones scream,” Topolski wrote.

The new iPhone 6 goes on sale on Sept. 19 in the United States.

source: interaksyon.com

Apple eyes future course with new devices

SAN FRANCISCO — Tech trend-setter Apple charts its future course Tuesday amid expectations for new big-screen iPhones and possibly an “iWatch” which could shake up the world of wearable computing.

Apple has maintained its customary arch silence, but a frenzy of speculation suggests a push into a new segment as it seeks to broaden the appeal of its iconic iPhone.

Forrester Research analyst James McQuivey said a widely predicted iWatch launch would “be one of its most important and brand-reinforcing launches in years.”

According to new Forrester data, 25 percent of US adults online anticipate purchasing a wearable device in the next year, and 42 percent are specifically interested in a wrist device.

“Apple will show again how computing platforms are won or lost on the one-two punch of eager consumers and hungry ecosystem partners,” McQuivey said.

Regaining its old magic

Apple is seeking to show that it hasn’t lost its magic and to shift attention from a recent celebrity photo theft scandal.

Tuesday’s event is at a performing arts center where late Apple co-founder Steve Jobs introduced the Macintosh computer 30 years ago, fueling talk that a new “big thing” is on the way.

“I’m expecting a few surprises, despite all the pre-event reports,” said Yankee Group analyst Carl Howe in a tweet.

Work on a wrist-worn computing device with a heath theme is believed to have begun years ago at Apple, inspired by Jobs and his battle with an illness that took his life in 2011.

Apple is fine-tuning a new mobile operating system that could allow for mobile payments and includes a health platform, which could mesh nicely with an “iWatch” for tracking activity, sleep, pulse and more and connecting to an iPhone or iPad.

Observers say the timing is right for Apple to introduce a generation of iPhone 6 models with screen sizes stretched to tap into love for “phablets” combining the features of smartphones and tablets.

An Adobe Digital Index report found that people prefer screens larger than five inches when browsing the Internet on mobile devices.

Browsing the Internet on smartphones with four-inch screens, like those on iPhones, dropped 11 percent during the past year, according to the report.

Apple has seen sales growth for iPhones, but slower than its rivals like Samsung, which sells an array of big-screen smartphones.

Dave Hoch at the research firm Localytics predicts a wave of upgrades because roughly one-fourth of the Apple devices in use are the iPhone 5 — which was released two years ago preceding the 5S and 5C — and are likely to be replaced.

“This is likely because most iPhones come with a cheaper price if the consumer locks into a two-year contract, putting the average consumer on a two-year upgrade cycle,” Hoch said in a blog post.

‘Blockbuster’ demand

Greg Sterling at Opus Research said this data suggests potential sales of 50 million units of the iPhone 6 for the US alone.

“These numbers argue it has the potential to be a blockbuster for Apple,” he said in a post on the Marketing Land blog.

The iPhone has a leading share in the US market of some 40 percent, but its worldwide share of the smartphone market is less than 12 percent, according to surveys.

Gartner analyst Van Baker predicts Apple will unveil an iPhone 6 with a screen increased to 4.7 inches, and that odds are strong for a 5.5-inch version.

“There is gigantic pent-up demand for a larger iPhone,” Creative Strategies president Tim Bajarin told AFP.

“Apple will likely have a monster fourth quarter.”

New iPhones are expected to feature near-field communication chips that will let them be used as mobile wallets, challenging services such as Square or Google Wallet.

Apple would be asking people to trust it with health and financial data after taking a bruising over the release of nude photos of celebrities including Oscar winner Jennifer Lawrence from its cloud.

Apple says there was no breach of its iCloud and that the celebrities had their accounts hacked by using easy-to-guess passwords, or by giving up their personal data to cybercriminals posing as Apple.

source: interaksyon.com

New app sheds virtual weight so faces look slimmer on ‘selfies’

TORONTO — A new app that lets users shed virtual weight so their faces look skinnier on “selfie” photos is raising concerns about health and body-image issues.

SkinneePix, for iPhone and Android devices, can trim from five to 15 pounds (2-6 kg) of virtual fat for a slimmer selfie look.



“Cameras add additional weight to photos and when you’re taking a selfie you’re also dealing with bad lighting, angles, close-ups and a lot of other factors that make people complain that the photo isn’t an accurate representation of themselves,” said Susan Green, co-founder of the Phoenix-based company Pretty Smart Women that created the app.

It was originally designed to help overweight adults show a leaner version of themselves, but Robin J Phillips, the other co-founder, said the app has also motivated people to lose weight.

“It’s a good reminder to get off the couch, turn the TV off, and go for a walk,” she said.

But some critics fear the $1.99 app, which only works on single head shots, could encourage an unhealthy body image.

Lauren Dickson, a social worker in the eating disorders and addiction clinic at the Center of Addiction and Mental Health in Toronto, said the app is one of many factors that could contribute towards a young adult developing an eating disorder.

“The media obviously has some effect on people developing eating disorders, but it’s not the only variable. It’s one of many factors,” she said in an interview.

“The majority of young girls wouldn’t develop an eating disorder because of an app like this, but some might be more vulnerable and it could contribute,” Dickson added.

Green said the virtual weight loss in the app is capped at 15 pounds and the app focuses only on the face and not the entire body.

“We definitely understand that people can have body image problems and we’re not trying to contribute to that in any way,” she said.

“I think if someone who is very thin uses it and goes straight for 15 (pounds), then that’s probably not the best thing, but they could also do that in Photoshop,” Green added.

Other apps can also add or remove weight, including one called FatBooth.

source: interaksyon.com

Apple did not violate Google patent, says US appeals court

WASHINGTON — Apple Inc does not use patented technology owned by Google unit Motorola Mobility in making its iPhones, an appeals court said on Friday.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit upheld a decision by the International Trade Commission in April that Apple did not violate a Google patent to make the popular iPhone.

The smartphone industry has seen dozens of lawsuits on several continents as Apple vies for market share with companies that make smartphones using Google’s Android software.

“We’re disappointed in this decision and are evaluating our options,” Google unit Motorola said in a statement. Apple had no comment on the decision.

Motorola Mobility accused Apple in 2010 of infringing on six of its patents covering technology such as reducing signal noise and programming the device’s touch screen so a user’s head does not accidentally activate it while talking on the phone. The ITC ruled in April 2013 that Apple did not violate any of the six. The appeals court addressed just one of the six patents.

Google acquired the patents in the case – and the lawsuit – when it purchased Motorola Mobility for $12.5 billion in 2012, partly for its library of telecommunications patents.

Google’s Android software, which the company lets handset makers use for free, has become the world’s No. 1 smartphone operating system, ahead of the iOS software used on Apple iPhones.

The ITC, a U.S. trade panel that investigates patent infringement involving imported goods, is a popular venue for patent lawsuits because it can bar the importation of infringing products and because it issues decisions relatively quickly.

The case at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit is Motorola Mobility LLC v. International Trade Commission and Apple, Inc. The case is No. 2012-1666.

source: interaksyon.com

Looking forward to Christmas

At the end of every year, just like everyone else that I know — I look forward to gifting myself with something special.

For this year, I have my sights on that new iPhone 5S, dubbed as the forward-thinking iPhone. Through the years, I have seen every new incarnation of the iPhone that Apple has had to offer. And each time I am a little more impressed with the new model than I was with the last.

And so it is with the iPhone 5S. Fingerprint scanning is an innovation that got the techie in me really curious. Sure, well-meaning friends have told me that aside from the new color that is gold and the fingerprint scanning, nothing much is new with the iPhone 5S.

I still remember it was in 2008 when I got my first iPhone from Globe Telecom, then the exclusive network carrier of the iPhone in the Philippines. After all, I have been a Globe subscriber for almost 15 years now and when they offered it back then, I just had to have one.

Several iPhones later, I have been lucky get my hands on the latest iPhone year after year. Each new iPhone definitely offered something different from any of the other smartphones, and every iPhone fanatic knows exactly what I’m talking about.

Today, with technology changing faster than Superman’s speed of light, there are so many other smartphones in the market that have and continue to spark my techie interest.


But, old habits die hard — and so it is with the iPhone.

There is always something new about the iPhone that captures the world’s attention. Clear sign of this are the thousands of people around the world who line up to be the first to own one.



What’s under the case

For starters, the most notable has to be the new Touch ID fingerprint scanner, which is embedded directly into the home button. I also noticed the dual-LED flash on the back,  as well as the word iPhone in a slightly lighter font near the bottom of the rear to match the look of iOS 7.

When it comes to technology, the 5s steps up from Apple’s A6 chip to the A7, the first smartphone processor with 64-bit support. Rounding up the specs list, the iPhone 5s features Bluetooth 4.0, GPS and GLONASS for navigation, dual-band and options for 16GB, 32GB or 64GB of built-in storage. It also comes in three color options such as silver (just like the iPhone 5), space gray (gunmetal gray with black highlights on the top and bottom) and gold.

I wonder though why the gold-colored one has received the lion’s share of the attention. All that glitters is gold?

I really believe that it was a stroke of genius for Apple to add a state-of-the-art capacitive fingerprint sensor into the home button itself and protected it with a sturdy sapphire crystal overlay. It’s embedded so well, in fact, that the giveaway that it’s a fingerprint reader is the silver ring encircling the sensor. That steel ring acts as a trigger, which detects your finger and then initiates the scan. Once it’s activated, the sensor is capable of taking high-resolution pictures of your fingerprint from any angle, which it then sends back to the A7 chip for analysis.

The setup process is simple: it took me less than a minute to get scanned. The phone can memorize up to five different fingers (or thumbs), and they can belong to the same person or multiple people, depending on how many friends and family members you’d like to grant access. The training process may sound cumbersome at first, but it gets easier after just a few tries.

First, you start by placing your finger on the home button several times — it usually took us six or seven repeats — and then, once the phone has enough information, it asks you to put your finger on the button at different angles. This can be done by rolling your finger from one side to another, or lifting your finger on and off a few times. After that, you’ll see the final version added to your list of learned prints — you could rename each one so you don’t forget which one is which.

The Touch ID is a great added layer of protection while shaving a couple seconds off the unlock process. It also comes in handy for purchasing iTunes content: you can buy apps, music, books and more without having to type the entire password each time.

Get rolling

One of the first activities I tried with my iPhone 5S is video camera feature. The camera is armed with larger image sensor, larger aperture, and increased light sensitivity.  I have to say that I am more than happy with the video clips I took with the iPhone 5S. A friend asked me to video a concert she was a part of.

I had never taken a video of anything. But, I took the task at hand to heart, and armed with my iPhone 5S, I did the best I could.

No one was more surprised than me to watch just how well the sound of the choir and solo singers had come out and just how steady my hand was in capturing the video.  Pat on the back for me.

Connections matter

After I took the video, sharing it on Instagram and Facebook was my next project.

Using my Globe LTE connection, which offers  great Internet speeds, I was able to upload the video in a matter of seconds and read comments almost instantaneously. In this age of social media, it is considered a crime to store your photos and videos in your phone. With a reliable data connection, we are now empowered to share the things we see, hear, taste, smell, and feel to the rest of the world in just a quick click or tap of a finger.

And speaking of data connection, Globe launched its iPhone Forever program perfect for iPhone fans like me. With the iPhone Forever, subscribers can get a new iPhone year after year, allowing them to swap their current devices with the latest iPhone models for free or with a one-time cashout.

In the case of the iPhone 5S, subscribers can get it for free at iPhone Forever Plan 1999, which already comes with one gigabyte (GB) of LTE surfing and a monthly consumable amount for call and text combo services. The postpaid plan is already bundled with one-month free subscription to Globe Gadget Care and free access to Facebook until Jan. 2014.

If you are an iPhone Forever subscriber, you are bound to get a new iPhone every year. Who gets a new iPhone every year even without finishing the required contract? Only Globe subscribers are given this privilege, and I’m happy to be part of its almost two million postpaid subscriber base.

The forward-thinking iPhone is best paired with a forward-thinking postpaid plan that only Globe can offer with iPhone Forever. Like the millions of others who watch out for every new tweak that Apple adds to its iPhone, in the same way that Globe ups the ante when it comes to its innovative postpaid plan offers, I am there holding my breath and looking forward to see what these will be.

source: philstar.com

German group claims to have hacked Apple iPhone fingerprint scanner

BOSTON — A group of German hackers claimed to have cracked the iPhone fingerprint scanner on Sunday, just two days after Apple Inc launched the technology that it promises will better protect devices from criminals and snoopers seeking access.

If the claim is verified, it will be embarrassing for Apple which is betting on the scanner to set its smartphone apart from new models of Samsung Electronics Co Ltd and others running the Android operating system of Google Inc.

Two prominent iPhone security experts told Reuters that they believed the German group, known as the Chaos Computing Club, or CCC, had succeeded in defeating Apple’s Touch ID, though they had not personally replicated the work.

One of them, Charlie Miller, co-author of the iOS Hacker’s Handbook, described the work as “a complete break” of Touch ID security. “It certainly opens up a new possibility for attackers.”

Apple representatives did not respond to requests for comment.

CCC, one the world’s largest and most respected hacking groups, posted a video on its website that appeared to show somebody accessing an iPhone 5S with a fabricated print. The site described how members of its biometrics team had cracked the new fingerprint reader, one of the few major high-tech features added to the latest version of the iPhone.

The group said they targeted Touch ID to knock down reports about its “marvels,” which suggested it would be difficult to crack.

“Fingerprints should not be used to secure anything. You leave them everywhere, and it is far too easy to make fake fingers out of lifted prints,” a hacker named Starbug was quoted as saying on the CCC’s site.

The group said it defeated Touch ID by photographing the fingerprint of an iPhone’s user, then printing it on to a transparent sheet, which it used to create a mold for a “fake finger.”

CCC said similar processes have been used to crack “the vast majority” of fingerprint sensors on the market.

“I think it’s legit,” said Dino Dai Zovi,” another co-author of the iOS Hacker’s Handbook. “The CCC doesn’t fool around or over-hype, especially when they are trying to make a political point.”

Touch ID, which was only introduced on the top-of-the-line iPhone 5S, lets users unlock their devices or make purchases on iTunes by simply pressing their finger on the home button. It uses a sapphire crystal sensor embedded in the button.

Data used for verification is encrypted and stored in a secure enclave of the phone’s A7 processor chip.

Two security experts who sponsored an impromptu competition offering cash and other prizes to the first hackers who cracked the iPhone said they had reviewed the information posted on the CCC website, but wanted more documentation.

“We are simply awaiting a full video documentation and walk through of the process that they have claimed,” said mobile security researcher Nick DePetrillo, who started the contest with another security expert, Robert Graham. “When they deliver that video we will review it.”

The two of them each put up $100 toward a prize for the contest winner, then set up a website inviting others to contribute. While the booty now includes more than $13,000 in cash, it was not clear that the CCC would receive the full payout, even if DePetrillo and Graham declared them winners.

A micro venture capital firm known as I/O Capital, which had offered to pay $10,000 of the prize money, issued a press release late on Sunday saying that it would make its own determination about who won the contest.

source: interaksyon.com

What iPhone, iPad owners need to know about iOS 7

(CNN) -- Apple is releasing its latest operating system for the iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch today.

The system, iOS 7, will come installed on the new iPhone 5S and 5C models that go on sale Friday. Owners of some older Apple devices also can download it to replace their current systems. But should they?

Before you jump in and upgrade, here's what you need to know about iOS 7.  



What is iOS 7?

Apple's iOS is the software that controls all the basics of your gadget, including the look, feel, settings and hardware. iOS 7 is Apple's latest update to this system and its biggest change since iOS debuted six years ago.



What time is the iOS 7 download available?

Developers have been testing early versions of the new operating system for months, but Apple made it available to the general public at 1 p.m. ET today.

To see whether it is available, go to Settings > General > Software Update on your device, or visit iTunes on your computer.

How is it different from what's already on my iPhone or iPad?

Six years is a long time to wear the same look. Apple's iOS has received a major design overhaul in this version and now has a more streamlined, flat, abstract look. The typography is all new, and nice touches like transparency and subtle animations abound.

There are also a handful of new features, though some are not available on all older devices. Here are a few of the biggies:

• A new time-saving control center slides up from the bottom of the screen for easy access to basic settings such as brightness and Airplane Mode. It has shortcuts for the flashlight, timer, calculator and camera.

• An updated notification center now shows a summary of what you have in store for the day and details on the weather and your commute.

• The camera adds a square-photo option and new filters, while the photos app drops the map view and sorts your images into events by date and location.

• It adds AirDrop, a feature for people who use iCloud that makes it easier to move photos and files between computers and mobile devices.

• The Siri voice-search tool adds an option for male voice, defaults to Bing for Web searches and pulls in results from Twitter and Wikipedia.

• Multitasking looks different. The same double-click of the home button now zooms you out to show a carousel of mini versions of all your open apps.

iOS 7 won't require a great deal of re-learning. The basic layout and functions are the same: The home screen is still a grid of icons, there's a dock with your favorite apps at the bottom, and the gestures you've become used to work the same. There will probably be some initial confusion as you struggle to re-identify all the new icons, but a proper upgrade should leave them all in the same spots they were in before.



Can I update my iPhone/iPad/iPod Touch?

Although iOS is coming out the same time as a pair of brand new iPhone models, it can also be installed for free on some older devices.

At the press event announcing the new models, Apple CEO Tim Cook said there were 600 million devices running iOS. Just because you have a year-old iPhone 5 doesn't mean you can't freshen it up with the latest operating system. Look for your device below to see whether it is eligible.

• iPhone (original): No

• iPhone 3G: No

• iPhone 3GS: No

• iPhone 4: Yes. Does not include AirDrop, Siri or camera filters (you can add filters later in the photos app).

• iPhone 4S: Yes. No AirDrop.

• iPhone 5: Yes. Includes all new iOS 7 features.

• iPod Touch: Only the 5th-generation iPod Touch can upgrade but will include all new iOS 7 features.

• iPad (original): No

• iPad 2: Yes. No AirDrop, Siri, camera filters or square format, or Photos app filters.

• iPad 3rd generation: Yes. No AirDrop or camera filters.

• iPad 4th generation: Yes

• iPad Mini: Yes

Some of the cooler new features you may have heard about, like the Touch ID fingerprint sensor and the new camera tools -- slow-motion, burst mode and image-stabilization -- are available only on the new Phone 5S.

Should I update?

Just because your device is compatible doesn't mean it should be upgraded right away. Once you update your device to iOS 7, there is no going back to iOS 6 or whichever earlier iOS you were running. (Yes, there are unofficial ways to downgrade, but these are not recommended for regular iPhone and iPad users.)

If you are not in a rush, wait a few weeks or months until Apple releases the first updated version of iOS 7. The early releases of the operation system can include bugs that should be addressed with subsequent iOS 7 updates. Let other eager people spend the next few weeks finding and reporting these issues so you don't have to deal with them.

Older devices can experience frustrating performance issues when upgraded to a new OS. The iOS 7 software was designed specifically for the hardware that's faster than your trusty old iPhone 4. If your device is anything older than the most recent generation, it might suddenly slow down, and battery life can suffer.

This should not be as much of a problem for newer devices, such as the iPhone 5, 4th generation iPad and iPad Mini, or the latest iPod Touch. If you are worried about performance issues, skip the update.

Updating immediately is recommended only for tech-savvy early adopters who are comfortable with the risks.

Are there any downsides of not updating?

Immediately, not much. You won't have the new features to play with, but your phone will continue to work as it always did.

In the long run, there could be a few drawbacks. Apple has been pushing developers to update their apps to be iOS 7 compatible. The updates can be as minor as changing the look of an icon or as major as adding all new features. Many developers may stop updating and supporting older versions of their apps as they move their focus to iOS 7. That means eventually, you could be stuck with out-of-date (or even non-working) versions of your favorite apps.

I'm going for it! How do I upgrade?

1. Back up: Before you make the leap, it is very important that you back up your iPhone or iPad. There is always a small chance your device could be wiped clean in the upgrade process, so make a full backup of everything. To back up, plug your device into your computer, open iTunes, and if it does not start backing up automatically, click the "Back Up Now" button.

If your photos are not set to back up automatically, use Image Capture or iPhone on a Mac and Windows Explorer on a Windows PC to make copies of all your pictures.

Another option is to skip the cord and back up to iCloud over Wi-Fi. On your device, go to Settings > iCloud > Storage & Backup. Tap the "Back Up Now" button.

2: Download the new iOS: You can get the update by plugging into a computer and opening iTunes (this is the faster option) or over a Wi-Fi connection directly to your phone.

If iTunes doesn't automatically ask whether you'd like to upgrade when you plug in, click "Check For Updates" in the Summary tab. It will do the rest automatically.

From your phone, go to Settings > Software Update and click the install button. Make sure your phone is fully charged and connected to a Wi-Fi network, not your cellular network.

source: CNN

New iPhone app targets child predators

WASHINGTON — The US Department of Homeland Security enlisted smartphone users in its fight against child pornography Thursday with an iPhone app intended to make it easy to report suspected child predators.

The Operation Predator app lets informants submit information via email or a telephone tipline, and also includes a run-down of the nation’s most-wanted alleged child sex offenders.

It is free to download via iTunes — albeit with a warning that it is not for persons under the age of 17, presumably the group most vulnerable to child sex crimes.

“When children are being sexually abused and exploited, it’s a race against the clock to rescue the child and bring the predator to justice,” said John Sandweg, acting director of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the Homeland Security unit behind the app.

“These investigations are one of our highest priorities and, in today’s world, we need to be technologically savvy and innovative in our approach,” he said.

Topping the app’s list of nine fugitive suspects was one “John Doe,” a white male aged 45 to 55, “wanted for production of child pornography,” who could be living “anywhere in the world.”

ICE said the unidentified man appears in glasses and a beard in video files seen by ICE agents in Los Angeles earlier this year sexually abusing a girl aged between 10 and 12 in a wood-panelled room.

Other suspects — all wanted for making, distributing or owning child pornography — include a 35-year-old Indian national who allegedly helped run an Internet bulletin board for child-porn purveyors.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has for some time offered a broadly similar app that features not only America’s 10 most wanted criminals and terrorists, but also a list of missing children.

ICE said its app would be available for non-Apple devices “in the near future.”

source: interaksyon.com

With week to go, iPhone fans already queuing in Japan

TOKYO — Another wave of iPhone excitement has swept Japan, where Apple fans were queueing Wednesday for the new handset, more than a week before it hits the shelves.

A 44-year-old Japanese businessman began lining up outside the Apple store in Tokyo’s glitzy shopping district of Ginza on Tuesday, hours before the US IT giant unveiled two new iPhones.

“I’m glad to have secured first place,” Tetsuya Tamura told AFP, as he sat on a camping chair Tweeting on his iPhone 4, adding the number of people following him on the microblog has shot up by 1,000 since he began his vigil.

“Being here gets my adrenaline going,” Tamura said. “I am using up my annual leave to be here, but getting the first handset will make it all worth it.”

The iPhone goes on sale in Japan on September 20.

Apple on Tuesday unveiled its latest models to an expectant room in California. The company is offering the iPhone 5S, a slick new top-end model, along with iPhone 5C, a pared down version aimed at budget-conscious smartphone shoppers around the world.

Apple has suffered a decline in its global share of the lucrative market as Android-run models, led by Samsung, expand their presence.

The firm now has a window of opportunity in Japan, where the nation’s biggest mobile carrier NTT Docomo will sell the gadget for the first time.

Although sales are now rocketing, Japan came relatively late to the smartphone, with many consumers preferring to stick to clam-shell models that have long-since looked outdated in other developed markets.

While mobile phone technology in Japan initially raced ahead of other parts of the world, it developed in ways that never took off elsewhere, leading to a phenomenon dubbed “Galapagos-ization”, which slowed the introduction of smartphones.

Docomo is now looking to reverse years of lost business after watching domestic rivals cash in on the iPhone bonanza.

The firm, which has about 42 percent of the Japanese market, has lost more than 3.5 million subscribers to rivals since 2008, when SoftBank first rolled out the iPhone in Japan, local media have reported.

source: interaksyon.com

Eyes on Apple for new iPhones

SAN FRANCISCO — Apple’s shares climbed and rumors sizzled ahead of an expected move on Tuesday to expand the iPhone domain with a pair of new models, including one aimed at China.

Analysts believe a special event at Apple’s headquarters in Silicon Valley will spotlight a more economical iPhone priced to compete in emerging markets where money is tight, along with a beefed-up top-end model.

“The key challenge for Apple this week is to demonstrate that it can maintain momentum in overall iPhone sales, and to do so in a way which won’t drive down margins significantly,” said Ovum chief telecoms analyst Jan Dawson.

“It’s key for Apple to be able to find ways to drive growth at a higher rate again, and getting China’s biggest carrier on board and launching a cheaper version of the iPhone are both key to doing that.”

Apple became a Wall Street darling by pairing blistering sales of culture-changing gadgets such as iPods, iPhones, and iPads with enviable “margins,” the difference between cost and price.

Forrester analyst Charles Golvin told AFP the consensus is for Apple to unveil a new high-end phone, “most likely called the 5S, with the same look and feel physically but with a speed boost; new processor, and new graphics capabilities.”

A lower-cost iPhone has been dubbed the 5C, “because it would come in multiple colors analogous to today’s iPod touch,” Golvin said.

Speculation about the iPhone 5S included the debut of a gold color and fingerprint recognition for enhanced security.

“For the most part, we view the iPhone5S as an evolution of the iPhone5 and as such do not view it as especially innovative,” Citi Research said in a note to investors on Monday.

“However, with the inclusion of a fingerprint reader, Apple opens itself up to new opportunities, most notably mobile payments.”

It remained unknown how low a price Apple would be able to hit with the 5C.

Gartner estimates that mobile phones priced $300 or more accounted for only 13.7 percent of overall phone sales last year, according to Citi.

Analysts were keenly focused on the promise of a 5C to win over buyers in China and other developing markets, where there is fierce competition from low-priced smartphones powered by Google’s Android operating system.

FBN Securities on Monday predicted that launching two new iPhones would reverse gains made by Android-powered rivals in the market.

Apple shares were up nearly two percent to $506.17 at the close of the trading day on the Nasdaq exchange.

Apple has also invited press to a Wednesday event in Beijing that analysts believe signals a deal to add iPhones to China Mobile’s massive telecom network in that country.

“The only real potential to surprise investors seems to be in the scope and velocity of a new China strategy and any new features within iOS 7 and fingerprint scanner technology,” Barclays Equity Research said in a note focused on what is expected from Apple.

Apple’s iPhone franchise has historically focused on premium products at premium prices, essentially leaving the company “unable to address” approximately 60 percent of the opportunity in the smartphone market, the investment bank Cantor Fitzgerald said in an analyst note.

“We expect this to change with the introduction of the plastic-encased iPhone 5C,” Cantor Fitzgerald said.

Analysts did not foresee any talk of Apple watches or TV at the Tuesday event.

The smartphone market is now dominated by Android devices, with roughly three-fourths of all handsets, but a forecast by research firm IDC suggested Apple will increase its share this year to 17.9 percent from 16.9 percent.

At the heart of any iPhone announcements on Tuesday would be a dramatic overhaul to the iOS software powering Apple handsets.

New iOS 7 software will debut with a free iTunes Radio Service featuring more than 200 stations “and an incredible catalog of music from the iTunes Store,” Apple announced earlier this year.

The streaming radio service is part of what Apple chief Tim Cook branded the biggest change to iOS — Apple’s mobile operating system — since the introduction of the iPhone in 2007.

source: interaksyon.com

New Apple iPhone expected on September 10

SAN FRANCISCO — Apple Inc on Tuesday sent official invitations to a September 10 event at which it is expected to unveil the latest version of the iPhone, possibly in colors other than its trademark black and white.

“This should brighten everyone’s day,” the typically cryptic invitation read, under a graphic depicting pastel-colored circles surrounding a stark white Apple logo.

The company, which is making a focused effort to win over consumers in Asia where rivals Samsung Electronics Co Ltd and other Android manufacturers dominate, said in the invitation it will host a breakfast and presentation at its Cupertino, California headquarters.


The company did not specify as to what the presentation will be about.

But supply chain sources told Reuters in June that Apple is expected to launch two new models this year – widely referred to as the iPhone 5S – with new fingerprint technology as well as a cheaper version in plastic casing.

Apple plans to dress up the phone in a range of five or six colors to differentiate it from the more expensive model that has traditionally come only in black and white, according to the sources.

Analysts say the company needs a cheaper phone to drive faster growth in markets like China and India, and to counter Samsung’s edge in having a wide range of devices at varying prices.

Growth in Asian markets is seen as key for smartphone makers. China’s smartphone market, for example, is set to grow 48 percent this year, outpacing the global increase of 31 percent, according to industry forecasts.

source: interaksyon.com

Apple iOS 7 – “Most Significant Update Since The Original iPhone”

When the internal strife over Apple‘s pre-mature launch of its Maps app finally boiled over late last year, many analysts discounted the Cupertino-base electronic giant to bounce back from such a publicized failure any time soon. Yet today, less than a year later, they’re all singing the company’s praise once again. For the most part, it is due to the unveiling of iOS 7 today at WWDC 2013, Apple’s latest mobile operating system. Hailed as “…the most significant iOS update since the original iPhone…” by Craig Federighi, Apple’s senior vice president of Software Engineering, the iOS 7 is “a pure representation of simplicity” yet “takes full advantage of technologies.”

To salvage any creditability after the Maps app debacle last year, Apple looked to its famed design team and Jony Ives, the company’s senior vice president of Design. With a clean slate, the team went on to re-design every aspect of the operating system, right down to its typography and color palette. One of the first thing you’ll notice is the new home screen and translucent features. Though flatter since Ives did away with the original skeumorphic design, the layering arrangement actually allows a “parallax effect” in conjunction to the device’s movement.




Other improvements include:

• Control Center – With just one swipe from the bottom of your screen, you have access to controls for Airplane Mode, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth or Do Not Disturb, and the ability to adjust screen brightness, pause or play a song, jump to the next track and stream your music with AirPlay. Control Center also gives you instant access to apps such as Clock, Camera, Calculator and the Flashlight.
• Notification Center – now available from the Lock screen so you can see all your notifications with a simple swipe, and the new Today feature in Notification Center gives you an at-a-glance view of your day with a summary of the important details such as weather, traffic, meetings and events.
• Multitasking – Users have the ability to switch between their apps in a more visual and intuitive way, and iOS 7 pays attention to which apps you use most and automatically keeps your content up to date in the background.
• AirDrop – When you’ve got something you want to share, AirDrop shows you your contacts close by. Just select who you want to share with and AirDrop does the rest. AirDrop transfers are peer-to-peer so you can use it anywhere, without any network or set up required, and transfers are fully encrypted so your content is protected and private.
• Camera – Features filters so you can add real-time photo effects. The Camera app now also includes a square camera option, and you can quickly and easily switch between your four cameras—video, photo, square and panorama—with just a swipe.
• Moments – A new way to automatically organize your photos and videos based on time and location.
• iCloud Keychain – Passwords and credit card information are securely stored and available on all your devices, so navigating password protected sites or autofilling during transactions is simple and secure.
• Siri – With new male and female voices and includes Twitter search integration. Also has Wikipedia integration, providing access to the world’s most popular Internet reference site. Siri offers Bing web search within the app and the ability to change device settings and play back voicemail.
• iTunes Radio – Have access to stations inspired by the music you already listen to, Featured Stations curated by Apple and genre-focused stations that are personalized just for you. iTunes Radio evolves based on the music you play and download. The more you use iTunes Radio and iTunes, the more it knows what you like to listen to and the more personalized your experience becomes. iTunes Radio also gives you access to exclusive “first listen” premieres from top selling artists, Siri integration plus the ability to buy anything you hear with just one tap. The free Internet radio service features over 200 stations and accessible on iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Mac, PC or Apple TV.

The iOS 7 beta software and SDK are both available to software developers now. The rest of us will have to wait till this fall for its complete version.

source: freshnessmag.com

Wirelessly receive your cycling data via iPhone app

The RFLKT, the world’s first and only iPhone-powered cycling computer, wirelessly receives all App data and ride info from the iPhone 4S and/or iPhone 5 via Bluetooth Smart. Equipped with control buttons, cyclists can operate their favorite iPhone cycling App, toggle between screens, start/stop intervals and even control iPhone functionality such as music playback all from the RFLKT, while the iPhone remains safely in a jersey pocket or bike mounted compartment. RFLKT’s sleek profile and lowly 2 ounce weight, make it virtually unnoticeable when mounted, while the coin cell operated battery has a life of over one year and requires no charging.


Now avalailable at WahooFitness.com

source: interaksyon.com