T-Mobile today announced support for Business Chat in the Messages app on iOS devices, a feature Apple introduced in a beta capacity with the release of iOS 11.3 and macOS 10.13.4.
Apple Business Chat is available for all T-Mobile customers, allowing them to interact with T-Mobile's support staff directly in the Messages app.
T-Mobile says that its customers can access Apple Business Chat by searching for T-Mobile and tapping on the "chat" or "message" icon either through the iPhone's main search window or in Apple Maps.
Business Chat can be used to change a rate plan, change an address, purchase a new smartphone, ask questions, make payments, check plan details, and more. T-Mobile says customers can also send screenshots for "quickly and easily" troubleshooting issues.
Business Chat can also be used across devices, so customer support chats can be conducted and resumed on iPhone, iPad, Mac, or Apple Watch.
At the current time, Apple's Business Chat feature is limited to the United States. Many other companies have previously announced support for Business Chat, including Zendesk, Lowe's, Discover, Hilton, and Wells Fargo.
Instagram is working on a new data portability tool that will let you download all of the content that you've shared on the social network, reports TechCrunch.
According to an Instagram spokesperson, Instagram users will be able to download photos, videos, and messages using the upcoming tool.
Instagram parent company Facebook already offers such a tool on Facebook, allowing you to download your photos, videos, and other content that's been uploaded to Facebook, but as of right now, Instagram has no equivalent feature.
That makes it difficult for Instagram users who have shared a lot of content on Instagram to leave the platform, as the content is inaccessible and can't be transported to another photo sharing service.
As TechCrunch points out, Instagram has made an effort to make it difficult for its users to get content off of the platform in the past. There are no options for saving images through simple sharing tools or tap/drag gestures.
Instagram has not shared information on what will be downloadable aside from images, and it's not yet clear if downloaded content will be full resolution. Instagram says it plans to share additional details "very soon" when the tool is launched.
iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, and iPhone X models that have been repaired with a new display by an unauthorized third-party repair outlet are affected by a problem where the fix seems to disable the device's ability to adjust brightness automatically, according to report from Engadget and Motherboard.
The issue appears to impact replacement displays installed by non-Apple certified repair shops even when using genuine Apple parts, and it seems to be related to the functionality of the ambient light sensor. It is not a problem that affects display components replaced by Apple or an Apple Authorized Service Provider.
According to Engadget, the aftermarket repair community has confirmed the issue in multiple countries and in several versions of iOS, including iOS 11.1, iOS 11.2, and iOS 11.3. Engadget also experienced the bug first hand after swapping the displays of two new iPhones, which disabled the ambient light sensor of the devices.
I was able to confirm that even swapping the displays of two brand-new iPhones causes the ambient light sensor to stop working, despite it not being altered or touched in any way. Experiments have shown that the sensor is disabled by iOS during the boot process.
It is not known if the disabling of the ambient light sensor after a display replacement is a feature or a bug, because there is precedent for iPhone features to be disabled following unauthorized repairs. As an example, after Touch ID was introduced, users who had their Home buttons and Touch ID sensors repaired by non-Apple technicians saw Touch ID disabled.
This was known as the "Error 53" issue, and Apple at the time confirmed that it was intentionally disabling Touch ID following unauthorized third-party repairs using non-original components because of security and validation issues. Error 53 initially bricked iPhones, which Apple said was in error and fixed, but to this day an unauthorized Touch ID repair will disable the Touch ID sensor on an affected device.
Repair outlets that spoke to Engadget suspect that Apple may be using the ambient light sensor as a "test-case" to control the repair process and "link hardware with logic boards so if [an iPhone is] repaired outside of the Apple network it loses functionality," but this has not been confirmed.
"We try to offer a cheap alternative [to Apple], and we only use genuine parts. I'm worried that customers are going to come back to me and demand that I fix it. What can I do if Apple is the one disabling the sensor?" Another source said that they repaired between 20 and 50 iPhone 8 screens per month.
Apple has not yet commented on the ambient light sensor issue affecting iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, and iPhone X models repaired by non-Apple service providers, and there is also a separate but unrelated bug that appears to be impacting some iPhone 8 displays.
As discovered yesterday by Motherboard, some iPhone 8 and 8 Plus models that have had aftermarket display replacements are experiencing issues following the release of iOS 11.3, which appears to have disabled touch functionality in the repaired devices.
One repair shop told Motherboard that the issue has caused "over 2,000 reshipments." "Customers are annoyed and it seems like Apple is doing this to prevent customers from doing 3rd party repair," said the shop owner.
The iOS 11.3 bug seems to be related to a small microchip in the display, which disables touch functionality following the update. Repair shops have discovered a fix, but each affected iPhone must be re-opened so the chip can be upgraded, which is a hassle. Motherboard also learned that it's "an absolute nightmare" for unauthorized shops to repair iPhone X components, with the front camera and Face ID components unable to be repaired by aftermarket shops entirely.
For end users who don't want to hassle with non-functional iPhone components, Apple's message is clear: visit an Apple retail store or an Apple Authorized Service Provider to avoid serious issues. For devices out of warranty, authorized repairs can be prohibitively expensive, however, which leaves customers with limited options.
These reports of repair issues come as Apple works to fight "Right to Repair" legislation in multiple states, which would potentially require smartphone manufacturers to provide repair information, replacement parts, and diagnostic tools to both product owners and independent repair shops.
Late last night the Federal Communications Commission published a new filing for a "wearable video camera" that was registered by Snap Inc and designated as "model 002." The filing is believed to be for the rumored second iteration of Snapchat's Spectacles device, with multiple snippets from the redacted documents specifically referencing the "Spectacles" brand.
According to the filing, which was spotted by Variety, one of the changes coming to the second version of Spectacles revolves around support for the 802.11ac Wi-Fi standard. This will help the glasses "support faster file transfers in the 5GHz band," improving upon the first generation's transfer speed issues. The second model will also support Bluetooth 4.2 (Bluetooth Low Energy).
The packaging label also appears in the filing, mentioning the wearable device will carry a Made For iPhone certification and come with the Spectacles, a carrying case, and a charging cable -- similar to the original pair.
Image via FCC
Additionally, Variety noted a snippet that could suggest the frames will be redesigned in the second generation.
Also notable: Snap’s original Spectacles featured a FCC ID label on the inside of the temples. The new version will instead come with an electronic ID label, accessible within the Snapchat app, which could suggest a redesigned frame.
A previous rumor from last month suggested that the 2018 update to the Spectacles will be water resistant, fix bugs, improve performance, and add new color options, but otherwise refrain from implementing any "dramatic changes." That same report also stated that a third-generation pair of Spectacles is expected for 2019 with an all-new design, built-in GPS, two camera lenses, and better camera technology for "3D-like depth effects" in videos.
Although Snapchat has now filed with the FCC, it's still unclear when the new Spectacles will actually launch to the public. Both rumored upcoming versions of the Spectacles are said to incorporate AR abilities of some kind, which could potentially compete with Apple's long-rumored "Apple Glasses," if and when those come to market. Right now, Apple is searching for the "most compelling application" for AR glasses by working on "several different kinds" of prototypes.
Apple Music hit a new milestone this week as it officially reached 40 million paid subscribers across 115 countries, reports Variety. The new number was shared in a memo circulated by Eddy Cue, who also announced the promotion of Oliver Schusser to Apple's new head of Apple Music Worldwide.
Schusser previously served as vice president of Apple Music and International Content and has worked alongside Eddy Cue for several years handling Apple's non-U.S. affairs for Apple Music, the App Store, iTunes Movies and TV shows, iBooks, Podcasts, and more. He is said to have had a key role in Apple's recently announced, but not yet finalized, acquisition of Shazam.
Apple hit its new 40 million subscriber milestone less than a month after iTunes chief Eddy Cue announced 38 million subscribers at the SXSW conference in Austin, Texas, suggesting the music service is continuing to gain subscribers at a rapid pace.
Apple Music had 27 million subscribers last June, 30 million subscribers last September, 36 million subscribers in February, and 38 million subscribers in March. Adding an additional 2 million subscribers to hit 40 million subscribers in April marks Apple Music's fastest growth yet.
According to Cue, Apple also has an additional eight million people who are testing Apple Music through the three-month free trial that the company offers.
A recent report from The Wall Street Journal has suggested that Apple Music is on track to overtake Spotify in U.S. subscribers as soon as this summer because its five percent growth rate per month outpaces Spotify's two percent growth rate.
Spotify, when it filed for IPO in late February, said that it has 71 million paying subscribers in total along with 159 million monthly active users.
Apple's "biggest challenge in innovation in recent years has been in software, not hardware," according to KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.
"In several cases we have seen Apple lagging in software versus hardware development, which bodes badly for its innovation strategy of software and hardware integration," wrote Kuo, in a research note obtained by MacRumors.
Kuo's sole example is that Apple's first-mover advantage in augmented reality has been "significantly narrowed" by Chinese smartphone maker OPPO.
He believes that OPPO has caught up with Apple's ARKit platform in only six to nine months, largely based on the fact that the augmented reality version of Honour of Kings will be compatible with not only iPhones but also OPPO's lower-priced smartphones when it launches next month, despite high-tech requirements.
"The key is that OPPO is in charge of developing API, integrating hardware and software, and cooperating with SenseTime's algorithm and Tencent's game software development team," said Kuo, referring to the two Chinese companies that developed Honour of Kings, estimated to have over 200 million players, mainly in China.
Kuo adds that, since the debut of ARKit at WWDC 2017, there has been no "heavyweight" augmented reality app for iPhones and iPads.
We think Apple's endeavors in the AR field should have enabled it to offer AR applications popular with the market before the Android camp, including: (1) the announcement of ARKit, an AR development tool, ahead of Google; (2) customization of the SoC (including CPU and GPU); and (3) customization of the rear camera.
However, since the debut of the ARKit nearly a year ago, there has been no heavyweight AR application on iOS. Given that the AR version of Honour of Kings runs not only on the iPhone but also on OPPO's smartphone, Apple's first-mover advantage gap in AR has been significantly narrowed by OPPO.
In terms of software in general, it can be argued that the past year wasn't Apple's greatest. iOS 11 and macOS High Sierra have suffered from several bugs, ranging in severity, including a major root password vulnerability on Macs to iMessages appearing in the wrong order across devices.
Fortunately, in January, multiplereports claimed that Apple plans to increase its focus on the quality of its software platforms, presumably resulting in a greater emphasis on bug fixes, performance improvements, and stability.
Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi today announced a series of updates and expansions coming to the Uber mobile app, which will provide users with "a great variety of transportation modes" all in one place.
Uber's new updates include the ability for customers to gain access to bikes, car rentals, and public transportation tickets, all in addition to the app's traditional ride-hailing services.
To start, today the company is expanding "Uber Bike by JUMP" into Washington, DC, following an initial pilot in San Francisco in January.
JUMP provides customers with "pedal-assist" electric bicycles to get to their destinations, which Uber says is "often faster" in cities with dense traffic. With the partnership, users can find and book a JUMP bike from within the Uber app.
Later in April, Uber will launch "Uber Rent powered by Getaround" in San Francisco, allowing users to quickly and easily rent cars from people nearby. Through the integration with Getaround, the rental service's cars will be available "instantly" for rent in the Uber app, with rental periods lasting from hours to days and insurance included, according to Getaround.
Getaround for iOS
Lastly, Uber is partnering with Masabi to provide users the ability to book and use transit tickets within the Uber app. Masabi's mobile ticketing services will fuel the new feature in Uber so that customers can "seamlessly combine public transport with other transportation options," like ridesharing or the new bike rentals.
Ultimately Khosrowshahi called the new series of updates to Uber a "new direction" for the company, hoping that the addition of transportation options within the mobile app will help "make it increasingly easy to live without a car." He continued: "That’s why we want to provide alternatives to personal car ownership by bringing together multiple modes of transportation right in our app."
Uber also provided an update on data sharing and its privacy policies, including a "SharedStreets" pilot that the company says will "respect the need for rider and driver privacy," while still understanding the "competitive landscape of the industry."
Successful collaboration with cities depends on open, non-proprietary data standards and replicable models for sharing insights. To this end we’re working with the DC Departments of Transportation and For Hire Vehicles and SharedStreets to create new methods for public-private collaboration and data sharing that respect the need for rider and driver privacy as well as the competitive landscape of the industry.
We’re starting with a pilot in DC to share data on curb usage across all modes of transportation. Better understanding curb utilization can help cities around the world prepare for a future where more and more of us are accessing transportation through a combination of shared modes, rather than relying on our own vehicles. We’re looking forward to building on what we learn from working with DC to support data partnerships in other cities using SharedStreets data standards.
To read more about Uber's updates, check out Khosrowshahi's blog post. Yesterday, the company revealed a revamp of the Uber Driver app with a real-time earnings tracker, Status Bar, enhanced notifications, enhanced Driver Profiles, and more.
Apple Maps now supports public transportation in several Tennessee metropolitan areas, including Nashville, Memphis, Knoxville, and Chattanooga.
By selecting the Transit tab in Apple Maps on iPhone, iPad, Mac, or Apple Watch, commuters can navigate with bus routes, complete with arrival and departure times, service advisories, and other detailed information.
Transit agencies supported include MTA in Nashville, MATA in Memphis, KAT in Knoxville, CARTA in Chattanooga, and a few others in outlying areas.
Apple Maps has aggressively expanded its transit-supported cities over the past few months to include St. Louis, Missouri; Richmond, Virginia; Norfolk, Virginia; Tucson, Arizona; Albuquerque, New Mexico; Orlando, Florida; Toledo, Ohio; and Columbia, Charleston, and Greenville in South Carolina.
When the feature launched in 2015, it was initially limited to Baltimore, Berlin, Boston, Chicago, London, Los Angeles, Mexico City, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Sydney, Toronto, and around 300 cities in China.
A complete list of supported cities can be found on Apple's iOS Feature Availability page. A reliable tipster recently informed MacRumors that Charlotte, Oklahoma City, Tulsa, Wichita, Indianapolis, Grand Rapids, Lansing, Brunswick, and Portland, Maine are candidates for the feature's continued rollout this month.
Spotify and Hulu today announced an expansion of their previous students-only initiative that bundled both services together for the low monthly cost of $4.99. Now all Spotify and Hulu subscribers in the United States will get a chance to lock into the same bundle through a single $12.99/month subscription price.
This bundle includes the ad-free Spotify Premium tier of the music streaming service (normally $9.99/month) and the Hulu With Limited Commercials plan (normally $7.99/month). The $12.99 bundle amounts to savings of $5 per month, and the companies noted that existing Spotify Premium subscribers will have early access to the offer.
“Based on the outstanding performance of the Spotify and Hulu student package, it’s clear that consumers love to combine their music and television experiences together,” said Tim Connolly, SVP, Head of Distribution and Partnerships at Hulu. “Hulu and Spotify are brands that are defining how fans connect with entertainment in the future, and we are excited to expand our partnership to bring this combined package to all existing and new Spotify Premium subscribers.”
Additionally, eligible Spotify Premium subscribers will be able to upgrade their existing plan to the new combo plan through an introductory offer that grants a three-month Hulu subscription for just $0.99, on top of their Spotify subscription. Afterwards, the $12.99/month price of the bundle will go into effect.
Here's a full breakdown of the initial pricing structure:
You’ll pay one bill to Spotify for both services. Your first month is the price of your Premium plan plus the Hulu 3-month trial price. After your trial, you’ll then start paying $12.99/month for both. Here’s what it looks like:
The companies said that they anticipate opening up the new bundle to anyone without a Spotify Premium account later this summer. Head over to Spotify's FAQ page for more info on the plan, which also states that it will not be possible to upgrade to the Hulu With No Commercials or Live TV plans, "nor to any Hulu Premium Add-ons."
In macOS, tags provide you with an alternative way to organize your files and folders, and can make items in Finder easier to locate. To tag a file in Finder, simply right-click (or Ctrl-click) it and select one of the colored tags in the dropdown menu.
Alternatively, click on Tags... in the same dropdown menu, type in a custom name for a tag, press Enter, and a new tag will be created automatically, ready to be applied again from the dropdown.
Yesterday, Apple began taking pre-orders for new (PRODUCT)RED versions of the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus ahead of the smartphones' official launch this Friday.
Like it did with last year's (RED) iPhone 7, Apple has given YouTube tech reviewer Marques Brownlee (MKBHD) exclusive access to one of the phones ahead of launch to bring viewers the first obligatory unboxing and hands-on video of a 256GB iPhone 8 Plus.
As expected, the handset comes in a familiar box containing Lightning cable, wired headphones, and standard wall plug, with the only addition being a small card detailing the (RED) brand's aim of raising funds for HIV/AIDS programs – for each (RED) product sold, Apple makes a contribution to The Global Fund, raising over $160 million to date.
As for the handset itself, it has an anodized red aluminum band similar to last year's (RED) iPhone 7, but the glossy glass back to support wireless charging gives the iPhone 8 a deeper "Ferrari-like" candy red finish, as opposed to the matte look of the iPhone 7's brushed aluminum.
The other big change is the fact that Apple has gone with smart-looking black bezels on the front of the device. That should please users who skipped the (RED) iPhone 7 because they disliked the white bezels that gave the handset a candy cane-style color combination.
According to Brownlee, Apple wouldn't let on when asked whether it had a (PRODUCT)RED iPhone X planned. iMore's Rene Ritchie has suggested the current lack of one could be down to the manufacturing complexities involved in accurately coloring the iPhone X's stainless steel band via a vapor deposition process.
At the same time, the continued absence of a (RED) iPhone X going into the summer months could hint at the company's plans for its smartphone lineup. Apple is expected to discontinue the first-generation iPhone X when the second-generation model launches this year, which could mean a red iPhone X variant might not arrive until spring 2019 at the earliest.
(PRODUCT)RED editions of iPhone 8 are available with 64GB or 256GB storage for the same $699-$849 and $799-$949 prices as the equivalent iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus models in space gray, silver, and gold.
Israel is the latest country to launch an investigation into Apple over the ongoing iPhone slowdown issue that saw the company fail to adequately inform users about a 2017 software update that could result in slower performance on some older iPhones with degraded batteries.
The Israeli Consumer Protection on Fair Trade Authority on Tuesday said it had launched an investigation into Apple over Apple's failure to disclose the details of the iOS 10.2.1 software update that introduced the changes, reports Reuters.
The head of Apple in Israel, Tony Friedman, has been questioned as part of the investigation. Israel's Fair Trade Authority has confirmed that it could levy "significant fines" against Apple in civil proceedings, but says it is too early in the investigation to discuss the possibility.
Apple implemented iOS 10.2.1 with power management features in January of 2017 to cut down on instances of unexpected shutdowns in iPhones with degraded batteries, but it wasn't until December of 2017 that the full scope of the update became clear and consumers learned that some devices were being throttled.
Apple has since offered low-cost battery replacements and instituted new features in iOS 11.3 that both disable the power management features until an unexpected shutdown is detected and provide additional information on the health of an iPhone's battery and whether or not the battery status has resulted in processor slowdowns. The update also gives consumers the option to choose device shutdowns over power management with a toggle to turn the management feature off entirely on potentially affected devices, which include the iPhone 6s, 6s Plus, 7, 7 Plus, and SE.
Despite Apple's efforts to rectify its lack of communication over the iOS 10.2.1 update, Apple is facing inquiries and investigations in multiple countries, including China, Italy, South Korea, France, Brazil, and the United States.
Apple has also been hit with dozens of lawsuits over the issue, which will be centralized in a Northern California District Court.
VirnetX was today awarded $502.6 million in a patent trial against Apple, reports Bloomberg. Apple's FaceTime, iMessage, and VPN on Demand features are said to infringe on four VirnetX patents related to communications security.
Apple's legal dispute with VirnetX has spanned eight years and multiple trials thus far, and the $502.6 million awarded to the patent company today is separate from the $439 million awarded to VirnetX in October in a different trial. Today's $502.6 million jury award appears to pertain to newer versions of Apple devices that have a redesigned FaceTime protocol introduced in iOS 7 and iOS 8.
VirnetX CEO said the damages awarded, which were based on sales of upwards of 400 million Apple devices, were "fair" and that the "evidence was clear."
VirnetX originally sued Apple in 2010, alleging that Apple's FaceTime peer-to-peer connection technology infringed on its patents. VirnetX was initially awarded $368.2 million in 2012, but the original case has been wrapped up in appeals since then. In October of 2017, Apple was told to pay $439.7 million in a final judgement of the original case, which the Cupertino company said it would appeal.
Combined, Apple now owes VirnetX $942 million, but Apple is likely to appeal this most recent ruling so that may not be the final award granted to the patent company. The Patent Trial and Appeal Board has also said that the patents involved in the case are invalid in separate cases that are being handled by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit in Washington.
A final validity ruling has not been made yet, and the outcome of that case could ultimately impact this trial. The Federal Circuit declined to put the current trial on hold despite the question of the patent validity, says Bloomberg, because it was so far along.
Apple's smart home platform, HomeKit, has grown significantly since its 2015 launch, and there are now dozens of HomeKit products on the market that include everything from lights and smart outlets to thermostats, fans, cameras, and locks.
There are so many HomeKit products available that you can essentially outfit an entire house with smart accessories, but it can be tough to figure out the best HomeKit products if you're new to the ecosystem. In our latest YouTube video, we've rounded up several of our favorite HomeKit products.
Our video encompasses several product categories, including smart locks, connected lights, smart outlets for adding HomeKit functionality to any appliance or device, thermostats, buttons for easier control, and more. Products mentioned in the video are listed below with prices and purchase links:
HomeKit products are designed to allow all of your devices to be controlled via the Home app and through Siri commands. The platform includes scenes, automations, triggers, and more, allowing for you to automate the smart home products you own.
You can control HomeKit devices using an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch, but we wanted to give a special shoutout to the HomePod, Apple's smart speaker. The $349 HomePod speaker has built-in Siri capabilities and an exceptional microphone, plus it serves as a Home hub, making it a great method of control for your HomeKit devices.
HomeKit functionality may expand significantly in the near future, thanks to iOS 11.3, which introduces software authentication so existing products can be updated with HomeKit support. Prior to iOS 11.3, special hardware was required, with companies required to add a chip to an accessory to introduce HomeKit support. With that limitation lifted, HomeKit adoption may see rapid growth.
Do you have favorite HomeKit products we didn't mention in the video? Let us know in the comments.
Facebook today announced the launch of a new data abuse bounty program that will see it rewarding Facebook users who discover instances of companies using unauthorized data.
Facebook users who report companies for misusing data can receive rewards that range from $500 to $40,000 for major discoveries impacting at least 10,000 people. Companies who are discovered misusing data will have their app removed from the Facebook platform, will face a forensic audit of related systems, and could face legal action.
This program will reward people with first-hand knowledge and proof of cases where a Facebook platform app collects and transfers people's data to another party to be sold, stolen or used for scams or political influence. Just like the bug bounty program, we will reward based on the impact of each report. While there is no maximum, high impact bug reports have garnered as much as $40,000 for people who bring them to our attention.
The social network says the new program is designed to protect people's data on Facebook by helping identify violations of the company's policies.
Facebook says all "legitimate reports" will be reviewed and responded to as quickly as possible. If data abuse is confirmed, the person who made the report will receive payment. Users must have first-hand knowledge of facts and cannot submit reports based on speculation.
You must have direct first-hand knowledge of facts showing that data collected by a Facebook platform app is or has been passed to another party. You cannot submit a report based on speculation, but must be aware of the facts yourself. The scenario we expect is one company that built an app to collect information that then passes that information to another company to be abused. You must have knowledge of both of these parties.
The new Data Abuse Bounty comes in the wake of the ongoing Cambridge Analytica scandal Facebook is facing, which has resulted in Facebook implementing stronger privacy policies. Cambridge Analytica used personal data acquired from Facebook in an illicit manner by a third-party app ("This is Your Digital Life") to create targeted political advertisements during the 2016 election.
Just this morning, Facebook launched an official Help center tool that lets users see if their data was harvested by the app that supplied Cambridge Analytica with info. The tool is designed to let you know if you or someone you know installed the app and what was shared with Cambridge Analytica. 87 million users were impacted.
CEO Mark Zuckerberg is also testifying before Congress this afternoon, explaining Facebook's role in the scandal and the changes it plans to make going forward to prevent it from happening again.
The iPhone continues to be the most popular smartphone by far among teens, according to new data gathered by investment firm Piper Jaffray for its most recent semiannual teen survey in the United States.
82 percent of teens surveyed own an iPhone, up from 78 percent in the fall of 2017, while 84 percent of teens expect their next phone to be an iPhone, up from 82 percent in fall 2017. Teen ownership and interest in iPhone has grown steadily over the past several years, as demonstrated in the chart below.
The Apple Watch is also becoming more popular among teens and saw its highest teen survey share yet in the spring of 2018. 12 percent of upper income teens said Apple Watch was their preferred watch brand, up from just seven percent in the fall of 2017. Among all watch brands, Apple Watch was the second most popular after Rolex.
20 percent of teens said they plan to buy an Apple Watch in the next six months, up from 17 percent in the year-ago survey. Strong growth in Apple Watch interest in the current quarter suggests Apple's Series 3 and Series 1 models are popular among teens.
Interest in both Apple Watch and iPhone could see improvement in the coming fall 2018 survey, as major changes are rumored for both devices.
The Apple Watch Series 4 could bring the first design changes for the wrist-worn device, while rumors suggest Apple will be introducing three iPhones in 2018, including a 5.8-inch iPhone X followup, a larger 6.5-inch OLED device that can be thought of as an "iPhone X Plus" and a 6.1-inch LCD device that's expected to carry a lower price tag.
All three iPhones are rumored to include an iPhone X-style design with an edge-to-edge display that does away with Touch ID in favor of Face ID.
For the spring 2018 teen survey, Piper Jaffray surveyed a total of 6,000 teens with an average age of 16.4 and an average household income of $66,296. 45 percent of teens surveyed were female, while 55 percent were male.
Sprint and T-Mobile have once again entered into talks over a potential merger, reports The Wall Street Journal.
The revitalization of the discussion comes just five months after the two companies officially called off plans for a merger following an inability to reach "mutually agreeable terms."
At the time, Sprint parent company SoftBank was not satisfied with the deal because of ownership terms, with SoftBank concerned about losing control of the combined company after T-Mobile parent company Deutsche Telekom requested a controlling stake.
The current discussions are said to be in a preliminary stage, and it's not clear what terms the two companies are considering, nor if the current administration would allow the deal to go through. Talks between the two companies have fallen apart several times before, and the same could be true of this round of discussions.
Should T-Mobile and Sprint be able to establish a satisfactory deal, the combined company would have close to 100 million customers, putting it ahead of AT&T and just behind Verizon.
When the last deal fell through in November of 2017, Sprint CEO Marcelo Claure said it was best for Sprint to move forward on its own and that the company would be "accelerating significant investments" to ensure its continued growth.
T-Mobile CEO John Legere said that a deal between T-Mobile and Sprint would need to "result in superior long-term value for T-Mobile's shareholders," and that T-Mobile would continue to disrupt the industry.
Instagram today announced the launch of a new "Focus" mode, which is designed to allow Instagram users to take portrait images with a softly blurred background.
The feature is available as a new option next to "Superzoom" when you open up the camera. It can be used with the front or rear-facing cameras, and Instagram says as soon as someone is in the shot, the person will stay in focus while the background becomes blurred. Focus mode only works with a person in the frame.
Focus mode can be used with either photos or videos, and it's designed to be similar to the Portrait Mode feature available on Apple's newer dual-lens devices. While Portrait Mode is a hardware-based feature available on the iPhone 7 Plus, iPhone 8 Plus, and iPhone X, Instagram's Focus mode is software based, making it available on a wider range of devices.
Instagram says Focus works on the iPhone SE, iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus, iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus, iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, iPhone X, and "select Android devices."
In addition to Focus, Instagram is also adding a new @mention sticker on iOS devices so you can use a sticker to tag your friends using the stories camera.
Both Focus and the new Mention sticker are available in the latest version of Instagram, which can be downloaded from the App Store. [Direct Link]
Instagram is working on a new data portability tool that will let you download all of the content that you've shared on the social network, reports 
Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi today 
Facebook today announced the launch of a 
