MacRumors

In addition to our more in-depth coverage of the latest Apple news and rumors at MacRumors, Quick Takes is a new column that will provide a bite-sized recap of other Apple-related headlines on weekdays.

galaxy s9 iphone x
February is generally a slower time of the year for Apple, but Monday's news cycle has been slightly busier given it is the first day of Mobile World Congress in Spain, where many Apple rivals unveil new products.

Monday, February 26:

  • Apple CEO Tim Cook will be co-chairman at the annual China Development Forum next month, according to The Wall Street Journal. It will be the second consecutive year that Cook speaks at the forum, and reportedly his fifth appearance at a major event in China in a little over a year.

    Context: Cook has been visiting China more frequently in recent years as he attempts to strengthen Apple's relationship with the Chinese government. Apple is often at the mercy of Chinese laws, such as one requiring iCloud accounts in China to be hosted by a Chinese data center by the end of this month.

  • CBS today launched CBS SPORTS HQ, a 24-hour digital network offering live streaming of sports news, highlights, and analysis, but not actual games. The stream is free to watch in the United States on the CBS Sports website, and through the CBS Sports app for iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, and other platforms.

    cbs sports hq
    Context: CBS SPORTS HQ should cater to cord-cutters, and the best part is that no cable TV subscription is required. It should be the sports equivalent of CBS's successful CBSN streaming news network.

  • Billionaire investor Warren Buffett told CNBC that his company Berkshire Hathaway has purchased more shares of Apple than any other stock over the past year. Berkshire Hathaway increased its Apple holdings by 23.3 percent, to 165.3 million shares, according to SEC filings published a few weeks ago.

    Context: Berkshire Hathaway has been increasingly bullish on Apple over the past few years. Buffett believes Apple has an "extraordinary consumer franchise" with a very strong ecosystem. AAPL is up over two percent following the positive comments, and up over 15 percent since February 8.

  • Samsung indirectly poked fun at the iPhone X during its Galaxy S9 introduction on Sunday. During the presentation, the company's marketing chief Justin Denison said "and as always, you know, there's no notch," referring to the cutout at the top of the iPhone X for the TrueDepth camera system.

    Skip to the 18:00 mark to listen to Samsung poke fun at the iPhone X

    Context: While some other Android smartphone makers like Huawei and Asus appear to be embracing the notched design, the Galaxy S9 looks virtually identical to the Galaxy S8, with slim top and bottom bezels that uniformly stretch across the device. The device even retains a 3.5mm headphone jack.

  • A new unofficial app called OneCast has launched that claims to bring Xbox One game streaming to the Mac with 1080p video and low input lag. Features include support for multiple profiles, full screen or windowed mode, and playing with an original Xbox One wireless controller on Mac via USB or Bluetooth.

    onecast
    Context: The app allows Xbox One games to be played remotely, whether in another room away from the TV, or even while away from home by streaming over an internet connection. Keep in mind this app isn't sanctioned by Microsoft, which only officially supports Xbox One streaming on Windows 10.

    For more Apple news and rumors coverage, visit our Front Page, Mac Blog, and iOS Blog. Also visit our forums to join in the discussion.

  • Apple this afternoon uploaded a new iPhone tutorial video that's aimed at encouraging users to experiment with color when editing an iPhone shot to get a more distinctive photo.

    The 32 second video walks users through selecting a photo, selecting the "Edit" function in the Photos app, and then tweaking the color levels to get a new look.


    For the last several months, Apple has been sharing iPhone photography tutorials on a regular basis as part of an ongoing series designed to provide users with tips and tricks on using Camera and Photos features.

    Like many videos in the photography series, the video focusing on color experimentation is aimed at people who aren't particularly familiar with the feature set of the iPhone.

    More advanced users may not find this video, or other similar videos, useful, but for those who are new to the iPhone or who have yet to delve into all of the editing tools and features available when capturing images, Apple's info is worth checking out.

    Apple has a dedicated Photography How To website where it aggregates many of the past tutorial videos it's shared. Topics include shooting selfie Portraits, adjusting slo-mo timing, experimenting with framing, using Portrait Lighting effects, and more.

    Apple this afternoon uploaded several new short videos to its YouTube channel, which are aimed at luring current Android smartphone users to the iPhone.

    The first video, "Ease," is meant to demonstrate how easy it is to transfer content from an Android device to an iPhone using the Move to iOS app from Apple.


    In the video, a man holding an umbrella floats from the bottom of the screen, titled "Your phone" to the top of the screen, titled "iPhone," while the video's description points users towards the Move to iOS app.

    Upgrade to iPhone. The Move to iOS app makes it simple to move your music, photos, and more to iPhone. Switch today.

    A second video, styled in the same way, is meant to demonstrate the security of iOS devices compared to Android devices. The video's description highlights the frequent iOS updates that Apple releases.

    Frequent iOS updates help keep your iPhone more secure. Life's easier on iPhone. Switch today.

    Two additional videos, "Environment" and "Apple Support" focus on Apple's commitment to the environment and its support options, which include Apple retail stores, online support, and phone support.



    All of the videos direct users to Apple's "Switch" website, which is designed for customers who use an Android or another smartphone and are thinking of switching to an iPhone.

    The website answers simple questions like "Will it be easy to switch to iPhone?" and "Will iPhone be easy to use?"

    It also offers up details on key features that differentiate the iPhone from other devices, such as Portrait Mode, iMessages, Apple-designed chips, Touch ID and Face ID, user privacy, the App Store, and more.

    Since 2015, Apple has offered the "Move to iOS" app which is designed to make it quick for Android users to swap to an iPhone by transferring data like contacts, message history, photos and videos, web bookmarks, mail account information, calendars, wallpapers, DRM-free songs, and books.

    Apple has been ramping up its efforts to lure Android switchers to iPhone since 2017, when it overhauled the "Switch" site and first began releasing ads targeted at Android users.

    B&H Photo and Amazon have discounted the base model of Apple's new high-end iMac Pro desktop computer by $500 this week, offering it for $4,499, down from $4,999. Since early January, Micro Center has had the best deal on iMac Pro -- pricing the base model at $3,999.99 -- but this offer is unobtainable for those who don't live near one of Micro Center's locations, so B&H Photo and Amazon's deals should be good alternatives for online shoppers with their eyes on iMac Pro.

    imac pro white backgroundNote: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

    There are two 27-inch models on sale at B&H Photo, including the base $4,999 configuration and a custom configuration with more RAM and an improved graphics card, both marked down by $500. In comparison, Micro Center's sale is only on the base model, and prior to that the only other sale was a $250 discount from Best Buy.

    • 27-inch 5K iMac Pro, 3.2 GHz, 32GB RAM, 1TB SSD, AMD Radeon Pro Vega 56 - $4,499.00, down from $4,999.00 (B&H Photo / Amazon)
    • 27-inch 5K iMac Pro, 3.2 GHz, 64GB RAM, 1TB SSD, AMD Radeon Pro Vega 64 - $5,899.00, down from $6,399.00 (B&H Photo)

    Also of note on Amazon today, you can get the Black and Midnight Blue leather iPhone X cases for just $34.99, dropping further down from a price point of about $37 last week, and originally priced at $50 on Apple.com. The only other color on sale is Charcoal Gray, running for $38.72 at the time of writing.

    iphone x leather amazon sale
    Head to our Deals Roundup for more Apple, Mac, and iPhone-related device and accessory sales, including a $40 discount on the UE Wonderboom speaker this week.

    Related Roundup: Apple Deals
    Related Forum: iMac

    Israel-based software developer Cellebrite, known for breaking into mobile devices like the iPhone to obtain sensitive data, recently began informing customers that it can circumvent the security of iOS devices running iOS 11, reports Forbes.

    With a way to break into iPhones running iOS 11, Cellebrite can potentially crack most of the iPhones available on the market. According to Forbes, the Department for Homeland Security was able to obtain data from an iPhone X in an arms-trafficking case in November, probably using Cellebrite technology to do so.

    ios 11 duo
    A warrant found by Forbes suggests an iPhone X was sent to Cellebrite on November 20, with data successfully extracted on December 5. Based on the warrant, it's not clear how data was obtained, but given the time gap, it's unlikely Face ID was used.

    Cellebrite has not publicly announced or shared details on its ability to break into devices running iOS 11, but as noted by Forbes, the company's documentation [PDF] on what it can access now includes iPhones and iPads running iOS 11. Sources that spoke to Forbes have also confirmed the company is marketing its iOS 11 cracking techniques to law enforcement agencies around the world.

    Devices supported for Advanced Unlocking and Extraction Services include:

    Apple iOS devices and operating systems, including iPhone, iPad, iPad mini, iPad Pro and iPod touch, running iOS 5 to iOS 11.

    Apple continually introduces improvements to the security of its operating systems in order to keep ahead of companies like Cellebrite that are always searching for flaws and vulnerabilities to exploit in order to access the data on locked iOS devices.

    In iOS 11, for example, Apple began requiring an iPhone's passcode to establish trust with a computer, a change from earlier versions of iOS that also would authenticate a connection via Touch ID. Apple also added a secret biometric disabling mechanism to its SOS feature, which shuts down Touch ID or Face ID and requires a password when the SOS screen is triggered by pressing on the Sleep/Wake or Side button five times in rapid succession.

    Still, even as Apple works to increase the security of its iOS devices, companies like Cellebrite work to find new ways to crack iOS devices and then sell their services to governments and other entities. Cellebrite also offers software that customers can purchase, but its most sensitive and secret tools, such as its method for unlocking devices running iOS 11, is not included to prevent Apple from finding and patching whatever vulnerability is being exploited.

    Instead, Cellebrite requires law enforcement to send locked devices to their labs to keep techniques secret.

    Cellebrite first garnered significant attention in 2016, when it was believed the company was enlisted to help the FBI break into the iPhone 5c of San Bernardino shooter Syed Farook after Apple refused to provide the FBI with tools to unlock the device.

    The FBI did not use Cellebrite's services for that particular case, but several United States government agencies do regularly work with Cellebrite to unlock iOS devices.

    Note: Due to the political nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Politics, Religion, Social Issues forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.

    Related Forum: iOS 11

    Apple in 2018 will release three new iPhones, according to a report shared by Bloomberg this morning. The three devices, as we've heard before, will include an upgraded version of the iPhone X, "the largest iPhone ever" with a screen size close to 6.5 inches, and a third less expensive model.

    Apple is said to be aiming to offer "a model for everyone" to rekindle iPhone sales after iPhone X sales came in lower than analyst expectations last quarter.

    iphonexplus1


    Bloomberg's report confirms details we've been hearing from KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who often shares accurate insight into Apple's plans. Kuo has said for months now that Apple is working on a second-generation 5.8-inch OLED iPhone, a larger 6.5-inch OLED iPhone that can be thought of as an "iPhone X Plus," and a lower-cost 6.1-inch iPhone with an LCD display.

    While the 6.1-inch iPhone will feature a lower price tag, Kuo (and now Bloomberg) say all three devices will feature Face ID. The three devices will also feature edge-to-edge displays with the exception of a notch on the front of each device that will house the TrueDepth camera system.

    The two higher-end devices will use A12 processors and will feature stainless steel edges, and at least one model could be available in gold, a color Apple is said to be considering adding. As for the lower-cost model, it will feature aluminum edges to keep costs down. Like the two higher-end models, it will feature a glass back for wireless charging.

    For the larger iPhone model, Apple is said to be considering implementing a dual-SIM feature that would make it easier for people to switch carriers when traveling, but Bloomberg says it's not yet clear if the company will implement the feature.

    Apple hasn't made a final decision on including the feature and could choose to wait for E-SIM technology, which will connect phones to multiple networks without the need for a removable chip. Apple has wanted to offer E-SIM technology, but some carriers are resistant to the idea and Apple needs their support. A dual-SIM capability would provide a compromise.

    Apple's largest iPhone, which will measure in at 6.5 inches, is code named "D33." According to Bloomberg, some prototypes of this device feature a screen resolution of 1242 x 2688. Kuo has previously said the device will feature 480 to 500 pixels per inch, similar to the new 5.8-inch model, codenamed "D32."

    Our first look at what could be the display for Apple's larger 6.5-inch iPhone leaked over the weekend, allegedly sourced from an LG Display plant in Vietnam. Apple is rumored to be sourcing displays for the larger 6.5-inch iPhone from LG, so the leak is potentially accurate.

    iphone x plus digitizer
    As you might expect, the display component and digitizer looks a lot like an iPhone X display, only larger. The cutout at the top for the TrueDepth camera is visible, but little else can be gleaned from the image.

    According to Bloomberg, Apple is already running production tests with suppliers, and so we could start seeing a significant pickup in part leaks in the near future.

    Related Forum: iPhone

    Late in 2017, a crop of iPhone X clones began popping up in China, with each device deciding to copy the tenth anniversary iPhone's main identifier: the front-facing "notch." One such model was the "Leagoo S9," and at Mobile World Congress this week the company has announced new details about the phone, including a price tag of $149.99.

    Leagoo S9 MWC 2

    Images via Leagoo

    Leagoo confirmed that the device has a 5.85-inch "HD+" IPS notch display, further describing the phone as the "World's First Android iPhone X." Leagoo's notch includes technology that fuels a "Face Access" feature, allowing users to unlock the phone in under 0.1 seconds. According to the company's website, there will also be a "Leagoo S9 Pro."

    Other internal specs include an eight core chipset, 4GB RAM, a 3,300 mAh battery, and 32GB of storage, with a microSD card slot for further expansion possibilities. As a comparison, iPhone X's A11 chip includes six cores, the smartphone has 3GB of RAM, and it uses a 2,716 mAh battery.

    Leagoo S9 MWC 1
    The Leagoo S9 also features a rear fingerprint sensor for additional biometric security entry options for users, physical lock and volume buttons on the right of the device, a vertical rear camera, and a bottom bezel with the Leagoo logo. Each shot of the phone's software shows what appears to be consistent on-screen controls for returning home and going backwards within apps, suggesting these might be Leagoo's answer for the iPhone X's swipe up to go home gesture.

    Besides the new information on the internals and cost of the Leagoo S9, the company has yet to announce a release date. Many more Android versions of the iPhone X are expected throughout 2018, with Google itself said to be expecting such a huge wave of iPhone X clones that it's "embracing" an iPhone X notch-like design within Android P.

    Tag: Android
    Related Forum: iPhone

    Over the past few days there have been multiple reports of a new update to the Netflix app on iOS and Android devices, which includes a design overhaul for the streaming service's navigation bar on smartphones. Instead of placing every piece of navigation within the top lefthand corner "hamburger" menu, Netflix has introduced a simpler tab bar at the bottom of the app with four tabs for Home, Search, Downloads, and More.

    netflix update ios

    Netflix's hamburger menu (iPad) compared to the new bottom tab bar (iPhone)

    Previously, the left-handed menu housed profile switching, notifications, downloads, My List, and various themed categories. Now, these options are mostly located in the "More" tab, and Netflix has broken out Search and Downloads as a quicker method of jumping into those areas of the app. TV and film categories are also now located in the Search tab, including those Available for Download, Netflix Originals, Action, Dramas, Horror, and more. On Android, it appears that there will be an additional tab for users called "Coming Soon," displaying TV shows and movies launching soon on Netflix.

    Apple encourages developers to use tab bars at the bottom of their apps in its Human Interface Guidelines, since they're easier to use one-handed and provide more information at a glance. Two years ago Spotify made a similar change, replacing its hamburger menu with five tabs for Home, Browse, Search, Radio, and Your Library, akin to Apple Music's tabs on iOS. Earlier this month, Google Maps added a bottom tab bar in its iOS app as well, so users could easily jump to Explore, Driving, or Transit information.

    Netflix's rollout plan for the new tab bar remains unclear, with some iPhone and iPad users already seeing the update and others remaining on the older hamburger menu style.

    Tag: Netflix

    Apple's legal battle against accusations that it intentionally slows down older iPhones to incentivize customers to upgrade to newer models will likely take place in one courtroom near the company's headquarters in California.

    iphone 6s battery
    The U.S. Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation has disclosed that it will consider consolidating dozens of iPhone performance-related complaints filed against Apple during a hearing scheduled for Thursday, March 29 in Atlanta, Georgia, as is routine for similar cases filed across multiple states.

    Apple currently faces 59 putative class actions across 16 district courts in the United States. The total includes 30 before Judge Edward J. Davila in the Northern District of California, where the lawsuits will likely be centralized given their overlapping claims, according to court documents obtained by MacRumors.

    Apple faces similar class action lawsuits in at least six other countries, including one filed with the Ontario Superior Court of Justice in Canada on Friday, according to Toronto-based law firm Rochon Genova LLP.

    The lawsuits have been mounting since late December, when Apple revealed that it throttles the maximum performance of some older iPhone models with chemically aged batteries when necessary in order to prevent the devices from unexpectedly shutting down. The so-called feature was introduced in iOS 10.2.1.

    Apple initially didn't mention the change in its iOS 10.2.1 release notes, and in a statement issued a month later, it still only mentioned vague "improvements" resulting in a significant reduction in unexpected shutdowns.

    Apple only revealed exactly what the so-called "improvements" were after Primate Labs founder John Poole visualized that some iPhone 6s and iPhone 7 devices suddenly had lower benchmark scores starting with iOS 10.2.1 and iOS 11.2 respectively, despite operating at maximum performance on previous versions.

    Apple apologized for its lack of communication in December, and reduced the price of battery replacements to $29 for iPhone 6 and newer through the end of 2018. Apple will also provide users with more visibility into the health of their iPhone's battery in iOS 11.3, with the feature already available in beta.

    Apple also emphatically denied any kind of planned obsolescence:

    First and foremost, we have never — and would never — do anything to intentionally shorten the life of any Apple product, or degrade the user experience to drive customer upgrades. Our goal has always been to create products that our customers love, and making iPhones last as long as possible is an important part of that.

    Keep in mind that Apple is not permanently or persistently slowing down older iPhones. Even if your iPhone is affected, the performance limitations only happen intermittently, and only when the device is completing demanding tasks.

    MacRumors previously answered many frequently asked questions about Apple's power management process, which can be disabled in iOS 11.3, or avoided by replacing your iPhone's battery if necessary. Read our guide on how to get an iPhone's battery replaced at an Apple Store or Apple Authorized Service Provider.

    Sony today at Mobile World Congress revealed an upgraded version of its Xperia Ear earphones, called the Xperia Ear Duo. Sony previously showed the earphones in prototype form during last year's MWC, but the company has now officially announced a price point of $280 and release date of May 2018 for its latest smart assistant earphones (via The Verge).

    The main new addition to Sony's earphones is the "Spatial Acoustic Conductor," which Sony describes as a way to allow the sound generated behind the user's ear by the unit's driver "to be transmitted directly into the ear." This way users will be able to hear their music while not being totally out of tune with noises coming in from their environment, which the company refers to as "Dual Listening." As such, there is no toggle to turn off the feature and block out ambient sounds.

    sony xperia ear duo

    The Xperia Ear Duo doesn’t block the ear canal, so you can hear your music and the environment around you simultaneously. Even better, the volume automatically adjusts depending on your surroundings for an optimised audio experience.

    The Spatial Acoustic Conductor, developed by our in-house technology incubator Future Lab Program™, allows the sound generated behind the ear by the unit´s driver to be transmitted directly into the ear. The specially designed ring supporter surrounds the ear canal so your music can blend seamlessly with sounds from your environment.

    Similar to Apple's AirPods, the Xperia Ear Duo earphones have multiple gesture controls that let users control music playback with taps. Additionally, Sony's earphones recognize head movement and support head nods and shakes to accept or decline incoming calls.

    The Xperia Ear Duo will support iOS and Android smartphone connections, and subsequently have Google Assistant and Siri integration for both types of users, with a single tap bringing up each voice assistant for traditional commands like starting music or reading texts. The assistants will also be able to read missed alerts from calendar, email, and other applications.


    Additionally, Sony said the earphones last for about four hours on one charge, and will come with a carrying case that adds an additional three charges. When they go on sale in May, the Xperia Ear Duo will be available in black and gold color options. For more information on the earphones, check out Sony's website.

    Tag: Sony

    Popular cross-platform 3D graphics and compute API Vulkan is gaining support for the Apple ecosystem, which means Mac and iOS developers will be able to build and run Vulkan apps on Apple devices.

    Valve, LunarG, and The Brenwill Workshop, members of The Khronos Group consortium that developed Vulkan, have worked together with the Khronos Group Portability Initiative to allow Vulkan apps to be ported to Apple platforms.

    vulkanappsmac
    The aim of Khronos Group’s Vulkan Portability Initiative is a universal subset of Vulkan 1.0 that is designed to run at native performance levels over Metal and DirectX 12 drivers. Metal and DirectX 12 are able to support almost all of Vulkan, with the exception of elements like triangle fans, separate stencil reference masks, Vulkan Event functionality, and a few other features.

    Valve used Vulkan tools on macOS with Dota 2 and was able to achieve "significantly higher performance" than native OpenGL drivers.

    vulkandota2
    An open source collection of tools, SDKs, and runtime libraries that enable Vulkan development and deployment on macOS and iOS is now available on the Portability Landing Page on the Khronos Group website. With Vulkan support for Mac and iOS devices, developers will be able to support multiple platforms while cutting down on porting and development costs.

    "Running Vulkan applications on Apple platforms has been the number one request from developers and today’s release of the MoltenVK runtime and LunarG macOS SDK brings that capability to life,” said Neil Trevett, VP NVIDIA and Khronos Group President. “Developers are invited to download the open source Vulkan Portability tools today and provide feedback via Vulkan Ecosystem GitHub Issue. The Vulkan Portability Initiative will continue to strengthen the infrastructure and tooling around bringing Vulkan capabilities to multiple Metal and DX12 platforms - our long-term goal is to enable portable Vulkan code to be executed on any platform that developers care about."

    Starting today, a MoltenVK library from The Brenwill Workshop that translates Vulkan calls into Metal calls on macOS and iOS is being open sourced.

    The open source LunarG Vulkan SDK for macOS is also available today on LunarXchange, enabling developers to build, run, and debug Vulkan applications on Mac. Going forward, LunarG plans to continue to evolve its Mac SDK to add additional tools and features.

    More information on Vulkan support for Apple devices can be found on The Khronos Group website.

    Apple has confirmed that Google Cloud Platform is one of at least two third-party services it relies upon for storing encrypted iCloud account data, which it notes doesn't include any user-identifying information.

    icloud google cloud platform
    Apple made the disclosure in the latest version of its iOS Security Guide, which was updated last month. This particular change went unnoticed until it was reported by CNBC's Jordan Novet earlier today.

    The encrypted chunks of the file are stored, without any user-identifying information, using third-party storage services, such as S3 and Google Cloud Platform.

    Previous versions of the iOS Security Guide mentioned Microsoft Azure, but Google Cloud Platform is now listed in its place. Apple also continues to rely on Amazon's S3 web service for additional storage.

    iCloud stores a user's contacts, calendars, photos, documents, and more, and since each file is broken into chunks and encrypted with AES-128 and SHA-256 keys, storage on Google Cloud Platform shouldn't be a security concern.

    Apple reached a multi-million dollar deal with Google Cloud Platform in 2016, according to reports from CRN and the Financial Times.

    Samsung today at Mobile World Congress revealed a new set of end-to-end 5G commercial solutions, which will launch later this year alongside Verizon's first commercial 5G network in the United States.

    The 5G fixed wireless access solutions include "commercial form-factor" 5G home routers for both indoor and outdoor use, and Samsung said it used its own in-house technology to create the first commercial ASIC-based 5G modems and millimeter wave RFICs, "enabling the design of compact access units and CPEs."

    samsung 5g
    The solutions also include a 5G Radio Access Network, and Samsung mentioned that each product has "already been proven through months of field trials in multiple markets."

    Samsung has developed the world’s first complete commercial 5G FWA solutions, which includes: commercial form-factor 5G home routers (CPEs) for both indoors and outdoors, 5G Radio Access Network (RAN) comprised of a radio access unit and virtualized RAN, a next-generation core, as well as AI-powered 3D radio frequency planning tools and services.

    “At MWC 2018, Samsung plans to show how our homes, cars and cities can be transformed by building user-centric 5G networks” said Youngky Kim, President and Head of Networks Business at Samsung Electronics. “Since the beginning of our 5G research in 2012, Samsung stood firm among industry players to trust in the potentials of the millimeter wave spectrum. Our efforts towards advancing this technology will see the light this year, making 5G a reality and opening up new territories’ possibilities for consumers, operators and enterprises.”

    On February 23 the Federal Communications Commission approved Samsung's 5G access units, which the company said makes the devices the first 5G millimeter wave products in the world to be granted government regulatory approval. At MWC 2018, Samsung also plans to present its first 5G New Radio products supporting spectrum bands both below and above 6GHz, which will be compliant with the 3rd Generation Partnership Project's Release 15 plan, delivering the first set of 5G standards for the industry.

    All of Samsung's product announcements today follow an announcement earlier in the year that confirmed the company will be providing Verizon with commercial 5G home routers and other devices to help fuel the carrier's 5G network rollout. This is said to begin in Sacramento, California in the second half of 2018 and expand from there.

    Besides Verizon, most other carriers have announced tests or plans to introduce a 5G network in the near future, including AT&T and T-Mobile. Late in January, a new report suggested that the United States federal government was looking into building a centralized 5G wireless network across the country, which would fundamentally alter the way that communications networks are implemented by having the government "rent access to carriers."

    For Apple, the first iPhone that could support 5G is believed to be coming through a partnership between Apple and Intel.

    Tags: 5G, Samsung

    Samsung on Sunday unveiled its latest Galaxy S9 and S9+ flagship smartphones at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, showcasing the handset's new dual-lens camera, stereo speakers, and AR-powered emoji. The new smartphones take the same general design as the Galaxy S8 devices, with slightly slimmer bezels on the top and bottom.

    The headline feature of the S9 and S9+ is a 12-megapixel dual lens camera, boasting the first variable aperture system built into a smartphone, which promises better results in low light conditions and hardware-based shallow depth of field effects. Samsung's new photography computation also shoots 12 photos in three groups of four and then combines them at the pixel level to eliminate noise and boost detail.

    samsung galaxy s9 and s9 plus
    The S9 features variable dual lens 12-megapixel cameras with dual optical image stabilization, while the S9+ features a variable aperture lens paired with a second 12-megapixel lens with a fixed aperture. The S9 Plus also includes a new slow-motion mode that can shoot at 960 frames per second, which can turn a 2-millisecond recording into six seconds of video. For comparison's sake, Apple's iPhone X shoots at a maximum of 240 frames per second.

    In U.S. models, the S9 is powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon 845 processor, but in other regions, including Europe, the smartphone is powered by Samsung's own Exynos chip. Samsung has combined the face and iris recognition features into a new system called Intelligent Scan, which uses the best biometric sensor for the given situation. The fingerprint scanner on the back now sits below the camera module rather than alongside it. Like the S8 devices, the displays on the 5.8-inch and 6.2-inch models are Quad HD+ and Super AMOLED, respectively. Also, there's a headphone jack.


    The inevitable comparison of Samsung's new AR-based emoji will be Animoji on iPhone X, which map users' facial expressions onto cartoon facades using Apple's TrueDepth camera technology. However the Galaxy S9 diverges here by creating 3D personalized characters more akin to Bitmoji or Nintendo Mii avatars, which can then be shared as GIFs.

    The S9 comes with 4GB of RAM while the S9+ has 6GB of memory. Both versions come with a base 64GB storage (user expandable up to 400GB via the Micro SD slot). In the U.S., the S9 starts at $720, with the S9+ costing $840. Pre-orders for both models begin on March 2 and the phones start shipping on March 16.

    Apple Australia has published a series of new iPhone X ads to its YouTube channel showcasing the smartphone's camera being used at various weddings.


    Titled "First Dance", the short ads continue the company's "Shot on iPhone" series by demonstrating the general quality of the iPhone X camera rather than highlighting any specific feature.


    Of the four videos, three are 15-second spots that focus on a single nuptial event – "Meg and Ann-Marie", "Nick and Rob", and "Anthony and Ron" – while one minute-long ad includes clips from several weddings.


    All of the ads feature same-sex couples tying the knot, following the recent change in Australian law to formally recognize same-sex unions.


    The ads are set to the music "Never Tear Us Apart", as sung by Australian singer-songwriter Courtney Barnett.

    Note: Due to the political nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Politics, Religion, Social Issues forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.

    Tag: Ads
    Related Forum: iPhone

    KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has issued a new research note outlining his expectations for Apple's "acoustic accessories" pipeline, claiming the company is working on both updated AirPods and "own-brand, high-end over-ear headphones" with an "all-new design." The new over-ear headphones are said to debut in the fourth quarter of this year at the earliest.

    Apple to have own-brand, high-end over-ear headphones with all-new design; to be as convenient as AirPods with better sound quality; shipments to begin 4Q18F at earliest; Primax & SZS will be the key suppliers & will benefit from high ASPs. We believe that after AirPods and HomePod, Apple’s next addition will be high-end over-ear headphones, making its acoustic accessory lineup more complete. Existing suppliers Primax and SZS will be Apple’s partners on this new product. Primax will receive assembly orders on its familiarity with the acoustic business, and SZS is likely to use MIM technology advantages as leverage to become the exclusive or main MIM part supplier. The new headphones will be priced higher than AirPods and should help boost the business momentum of Primax as the assembly provider.

    beats studio3 airpods

    Beats Studio3 Wireless and current AirPods

    Kuo's prediction on upgraded AirPods follows a similar report just a few days ago from Bloomberg. Kuo says the new AirPods should launch in the second half of this year.

    We think the main difference of the upgraded AirPods, which won’t look much different from current AirPods, will be the wireless charging case and the adoption of an upgraded W1 chip. We believe that the charging case will adopt different processes for the external appearance and to meet thermal requirements from wireless charging, the hinge price will rise 60-80%.

    Beyond this year's update for the AirPods, Bloomberg claimed this week that Apple is working on a subsequent AirPods update that would bring water resistance to the earphones, but that model wouldn't arrive until 2019 at the earliest.

    Related Roundup: AirPods Max
    Buyer's Guide: AirPods Max (Buy Now)
    Related Forum: AirPods

    New photos claimed to be of the rumored 6.5-inch "iPhone X Plus" screen and digitizer have been shared on the MacX forums [Google Translate], with the poster claiming the parts come from a "trial run of production equipment" at LG's facilities in Vietnam.

    The first photo shows a single digitizer held in a person's hand, and the overall size certainly appears larger than an iPhone X part, while the relative size of the notch to the digitizer's width is slightly different than on the iPhone X. At least one rumor has, however, claimed the second-generation iPhone X could have a smaller notch, so we shouldn't necessarily expect the notch-to-display proportions to be the same between iPhone X generations.

    iphone x plus digitizer
    The digitizer includes a flex cable at the bottom of the part for connecting to the iPhone's logic board, and the part number printed on the cable is similar to the format typically used by Apple.

    An apparent date code also shown on the flex cable points to a production date in the 46th week of 2017, which would correspond to mid-November, so this isn't a particularly recent part although there could be substantial lag between digitizer production and the part's incorporation into a full display assembly.

    The second photo shows a tray containing a set of four assembled display/digitizer components. Again, the size appears larger than the corresponding iPhone X part based on the relative size of the small earpiece slot visible on one of the parts. The rear design of the part is also very similar but not identical to the iPhone X display assembly.

    iphone x plus displays
    Samsung is the exclusive supplier of OLED displays for the iPhone X, but previous rumors have indicated LG could become the supplier for the so-called iPhone X Plus this year, so the purported location of these photos at LG's plant in Vietnam fits with those rumors. Apple has reportedly invested billions of dollars to help LG get its OLED display production up and running to increase overall supplies and give Apple more flexibility in not needing to rely solely on Samsung.

    kuo2018iphonelineup2
    Apple is rumored to be launching three new iPhones around the usual September timeframe this year: a second-generation iPhone X with the same 5.8-inch OLED display size, a larger "iPhone X Plus" with a 6.5-inch OLED display, and a new LCD-based model with a similar full-face display to the iPhone X design but measuring about 6.1 inches.

    (Thanks, Siting!)

    Related Forum: iPhone

    Apple yesterday published a new support document noting that security changes being implemented on May 25 will prevent the first-generation Apple TV and PCs running Windows XP or Vista from using the iTunes Store. Apple has also begun emailing users with active first-generation Apple TVs to warn them of the upcoming change.

    apple tv 1st gen

    Beginning on 2018-05-25, Apple will introduce security changes that prevent Apple TV (1st generation) from using the iTunes Store. This device is an obsolete Apple product and will not be updated to support these security changes.

    Apple notes that second-generation and later Apple TV models will continue to work with the iTunes Store.

    The first-generation Apple TV based on a traditional hard drive was introduced back in 2007 and was supplanted by the much smaller flash-based second-generation model in late 2010. The first-generation model was officially declared obsolete by Apple in late 2015.

    As for PC users, Apple notes that machines running Windows XP or Vista are no longer supported by Microsoft and are unable to use the latest versions of iTunes, as iTunes 12 requires Windows 7 or later. With the upcoming changes, users running these older versions of Windows and iTunes won't be able to make new purchases or redownload previous purchases from the iTunes Store.

    (Thanks, Greg!)

    Related Roundup: Apple TV
    Buyer's Guide: Apple TV (Don't Buy)