MacRumors

Taiwanese manufacturer Quanta Computer, a primary assembler of the Apple Watch, has revealed that it is working on an augmented reality product for an undisclosed company that some industry observers believe is Apple.

"Currently, we see such a device available in the market no later than the year 2019," he told reporters after the company's earnings conference.

Leung noted that if an augmented reality device could carry a price tag lower than $1,000, it would likely become a hit in the market, although it is unlikely he has any knowledge of Apple's pricing plans if they even exist yet.

Quanta is the second Apple supplier to mention involvement with an augmented reality product after fellow Taiwanese company Catcher Technology said it has been tapped to supply parts for an undisclosed wearable device.

Bloomberg was among the first to report on Apple's work on an augmented reality headset. It said Apple aims to have the technology ready by 2019, and could ship a finished product as early as 2020, which is a slightly longer timeline.

The headset's custom operating system, based on iOS, is reportedly dubbed "rOS" for "reality operating system."

Apple hasn't finalized how users will control the headset and launch apps, but it is investigating touchscreens, Siri voice activation, and head gestures as it creates prototypes, the report said.

Apple CEO Tim Cook alluded to any headset being at least a few years away during a recent interview about augmented reality.

"Today I can tell you that the technology itself doesn't exist to do that in a quality way," Cook said. "We don't give a rats about being first, we want to be best in creating people's experiences. Something that you would see out in the market any time soon would not be something that any of us would be satisfied with."

Cook has repeatedly expressed a "profound interest" in augmented reality, which he favors over virtual reality. Apple's ARKit platform on iOS 11 enables developers to integrate augmented reality features into iPhone and iPad apps, potentially laying the foundation for what's to come.

Johny Srouji, Senior Vice President of Hardware Technologies at Apple, recently talked about iPhone chipmaking, Face ID security, augmented reality, and more in a wide-ranging interview with Israeli website CTech by Calcalist.

For context, Srouji leads the team responsible for custom silicon and hardware technologies like batteries, storage controllers, and application processors, including the new A11 Bionic chip in the iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, and iPhone X.

Apple's control over both hardware and software allows Srouji's team to have a three-year roadmap for iPhone and iPad processors:

"Silicon is unforgiving," Mr. Srouji said. "My team is already working on the chips you're going to see in 2020. You make bets. We have the system and the software. We have better knowledge versus external chipmakers about where things are going to end up. Since we own the silicon, we own the software, the operating system and everything else, we deliver, always. We deliver for the exact specification of iOS and nothing else. We don't have to worry about other operating systems."

Srouji complimented Israel, where he was born and raised, for its significant technological contributions to Apple products. He said Apple now employs over 900 engineers in Israel, up from a reported 700 or so in 2015.

A few years ago, Apple opened research and development offices in Haifa, north of Tel Aviv, with the facilities serving as the iPhone maker's second-largest R&D operations outside of the United States at the time.

There, a team of engineers are focused on chip design, testing, and engineering, according to Apple's job listings over the years.

"The team in Israel is a key part of the overall engineering team in the U.S. and other areas of the world – wherever we have our R&D," he said. "The things they do are key to any device we ship, to all devices."

As examples, he mentioned the A11 Bionic system on the chip powering the new iPhone X, the integrated Wi-Fi Bluetooth chipset in and the Apple Watch, and the storage component in every Apple device.

"We depend on the team as part of the overall R&D team in the U.S. and other parts of the world to deliver," Mr. Srouji said. “And if they don't—bad things happen, alright?"

Apple has also acquired several Israeli companies over the years, including PrimeSense, which developed the original Kinect sensor for Xbox. PrimeSense's 3D sensing tech is believed to be at the core of Face ID on the iPhone X.

Apple later scooped up Israeli startup LinX, whose dual-lens camera technologies are likely used in the latest iPhone models. It also bought Israeli flash memory firm Anobit Technologies and facial recognition startup RealFace.

Srouji added that Face ID is the fastest and most secure facial recognition system in the industry. He also said 3D masks shouldn't be able to spoof Face ID, although a questionable video may have proved otherwise just days later.

"When Apple delivers Face ID, we deliver it in the fastest, smartest, and most secure way," he said.

"If I want to spoof and create some 3D model mask of your face—it shouldn't work. When Apple does it you know it's going to be the most secure, reliable and fastest, and if it doesn't work there is a reason. The other thing about Face ID is that actually, we learn. We learn to adapt—if you grow a beard, if you have sunglasses, if you have eyeglasses, a hat—it works."

Full Interview: Silicon is "Unforgiving," Says Apple's Chip Chief Johny Srouji

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.

Apple is developing 3D depth sensing technology for the rear-facing cameras in its 2019 iPhones, according to a new report by Bloomberg on Tuesday. The 3D sensor system will be different to the one found in the iPhone X's front-facing camera, and is said to be the next big step in turning the smartphone into a leading augmented reality device.

Apple is evaluating a different technology from the one it currently uses in the TrueDepth sensor system on the front of the iPhone X, the people said. The existing system relies on a structured-light technique that projects a pattern of 30,000 laser dots onto a user's face and measures the distortion to generate an accurate 3D image for authentication. The planned rear-facing sensor would instead use a time-of-flight approach that calculates the time it takes for a laser to bounce off surrounding objects to create a three-dimensional picture of the environment.

The existing TrueDepth camera would continue to be used in the front-facing camera of future iPhones in order to power Face ID, while the new system would bring the more advanced "time-of-flight" 3D sensing capability to the rear camera, according to the sources cited. Discussions with manufacturers are reportedly already underway, and include Infineon, Sony, STMicroelectronics, and Panasonic. Testing is said to be still in the early stages, and could end up not being used in the phones at all.

With the release of iOS 11, Apple introduced the ARKit software framework that allows iPhone developers to build augmented reality experiences into their apps. The addition of a rear-facing 3D sensor could theoretically increase the ability for virtual objects to interact with environments and enhance the illusion of solidity.

Apple was reportedly beset with production problems when making the sensor in the iPhone X's front-facing camera, because the components used in the sensor array have to be assembled with a very high degree of accuracy. According to Bloomberg, while the time-of-flight technology uses a more advanced image sensor than the existing one in the iPhone X, it does not require the same level of precision during assembly. That fact alone could make a rear-facing 3D sensor easier to produce at high volume.

Late last month, oft-reliable KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo claimed that Apple is unlikely to expand its front-facing 3D sensing system to the rear-facing camera module on iPhones released in 2018. Kuo said the iPhone X's 3D sensing capabilities are already at least one year ahead of Android smartphones, therefore he believes Apple's focus with next year's iPhone models will be ensuring an on-time launch with adequate supply.

Apple has retaken the lead in the global wearable band market thanks to strong Apple Watch shipments in the third quarter of this year, according to new research data from Canalys. According to the data, Apple shipped 3.9 million units in Q3 2017, compared to 2.8 million the year previous.

Those figures gave the tech giant 23 percent of the market, placing it marginally ahead of the 21 percent recorded for Xiaomi, which briefly held the number 1 spot for the first time the previous quarter. Canalys estimates that the new Apple Watch Series 3 LTE accounted for only 800,000 shipments because of constrained supplies.

"Strong demand for the LTE-enabled Apple Watch Series 3 has dispelled service providers' doubts about the cellular smartwatch not appealing to customers," said Canalys Analyst Jason Low. Despite strong shipments, the Apple Watch Series 3 did not reach its full potential in Q3. It suffered limited availability as demand outstripped supply in major markets. Service providers had underestimated demand for the new Apple Watch.

According to Low, customers in China have so far been driven away by service disruption, therefore operators need to not only bring in more stock, but also work on their service coverage to cater for expected higher demand in the fourth quarter.

Xiaomi and Fitbit, which shipped 3.6 million and 3.5 million wearable bands respectively, also appear to have bucked the trend of a traditionally weaker Q3 by posting quarter-on-quarter growth. However, despite increased smartwatch shipments, Canalys estimates waning demand for basic bands meant the overall wearable band market fell 2 percent, totaling 17.3 million units. 

All indications point towards a comeback for the Apple Watch this year, thanks to Apple's wearable division promoting a "tetherless" experience and putting particular emphasis on the device's health features – factors that CEO Tim Cook was eager to highlight in his recent earnings call.

"The ability to go for a run with just your Apple Watch, or go for a quick errand without your phone, while staying connected, is a game changer," said Cook. "Now more than ever, Apple Watch is the ultimate device for healthy life, and is already making a big difference in our customers' lives.

Apple's entire wearables business was up 75 percent year over year in the fourth quarter, according to Cook. In fiscal 2017, it had already generated the annual revenue of a Fortune 400 company.

If supplies are able to meet demand, Apple could be looking at a bumper holiday season for Apple Watch, while the device's continued maturation could be further underlined by its medical potential, such as in the upcoming launch of the Apple Watch heart study. The study will use data from Apple Watch to see if it's possible to identify irregular heart rhythms and notify users when unusual patterns are detected. Indeed, the smartwatch may already be able to accurately detect hypertension and sleep apnea in users, according to a study published on Monday.

Starting with iOS 11.2, the iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, and iPhone X are able to charge at 7.5 watts using compatible Qi-based wireless charging accessories.

Currently, on iOS 11.1.1, the three devices charge at 5 watts using Qi wireless chargers, but Apple promised that faster speeds would become available in a future update. It appears that update is iOS 11.2.

MacRumors received a tip about the new feature from accessory maker RAVpower this evening, and tested the new charging speeds to confirm. Using the Belkin charger that Apple sells, which does support 7.5W charging speeds, the iPhone X was charged from 46 to 66 percent over the course of thirty minutes.

The same iPhone charged from 46 percent to 60 percent over 30 minutes when using a wireless charging accessory that does not offer 7.5W charging speeds. Our testing was intended to emulate real world conditions, with a case on and Airplane Mode not activated.

With support for 7.5W charging speeds, the iPhone 8, 8 Plus, and iPhone X will be able to charge more quickly over a wireless connection, and it appears 7.5W wireless charging speeds are faster than the speeds you get with the standard wired 5W power adapter.

At 7.5 watts, Apple's wireless iPhones do not support the same wireless charging speeds that are available on some other Qi-based smartphones, as the current Qi 1.2 standard allows for up to 15W of wireless charging power. Still, 7.5 watts is better than 5 watts and should offer some noticeable improvements for iPhone 8, 8 Plus, and X owners.

Both the Mophie Wireless Charging Base and the Belkin Boost Up Wireless Charging Pad that are available from Apple support the faster 7.5W wireless charging speeds.

Several other Qi-based wireless charging accessories from other third-party manufacturers also support the higher speeds, such as the RAVpower Fast Wireless Charger, but there are accessories out there that don't, so you'll want to look for 7.5W charging speeds as a listed feature when making a purchase.

iOS 11.2 is limited to developers and public beta testers at this time, but as we're on the third beta, a public release could come in a few weeks to a month.

Apple late last week updated its "Clips" video editing app, introducing the first major new feature additions since it was first released in April of 2017. The updated version of the app overhauls the interface to make it simpler to upload videos, and it includes features that take advantage of the TrueDepth camera in the iPhone X.

We went hands-on with the new version of Clips to see if the changes Apple made to the app might possibly make it something that people will want to use more frequently.

Clips has been somewhat confusing since launch due to its convoluted interface, but that's been improved in the new version of the app. It's simpler to start up a clip, with the app opening directly to the camera interface where content can be recorded without adding confusing icons at the top. Quick swipes will also let you start a clip using a scene, a photo from the camera roll, or a poster, which is a solid background with a saying like "Check this out" or "Let's do this."

Scenes, aka "Selfie Scenes," are a new feature available only on the iPhone X. Selfie Scenes use the TrueDepth camera to detect a person and then cut out the background, replacing it with one of several animated backgrounds like Metropolis, Riverfront, or Sketchbook, complete with sounds and filters. There are even two Star Wars scenes that put you on the Millennium Falcon or Mega-Destroyer.

Clips, as the name suggests, lets you combine several different "clips" of content, so you can film yourself talking using a Selfie Scene, insert a poster with a voice over, throw in a few photos, and end with a standard video, all of which are automatically merged together into one video.

You can dress up your videos using Live Titles, aka subtitles that are added automatically using transcription, stickers, filters, emoji, and labels that are customizable based on location and time. The new update adds several additional stickers (including Star Wars) and new royalty-free music that can be applied to videos.

Once finished, the video you created in Clips can be messaged to a contact or saved to the camera roll where it can be shared on social networks like Facebook and Instagram.

Clips was downloaded more than a million times following its release, but since then, it's failed to really catch on with iOS users. Right now, Clips is the #44 app in the Photo & Video section, and it does not rank as one of the top 200 free apps on the overall Top Charts listing.

With iOS 11, Apple changed the way the Bluetooth and Wi-Fi toggles in Control Center work. The two buttons are no longer standard on/off switches, and instead disable Bluetooth and Wi-Fi only for a set period of time.

In the new iOS 11.2 beta released this morning, Apple has added new informational pop-ups to let users know exactly how these toggles work. The new pop-ups explain that Bluetooth and Wi-Fi will be disabled temporarily rather than permanently.

Prior to today's update, the Control Center toggles for Wi-Fi and Bluetooth could be somewhat confusing, because there was no on-device explanation. Apple outlined how the toggles work in a support document, but if you didn't see it, you might wonder why Wi-Fi or Bluetooth were turning themselves back on after being disabled via Control Center.

These new messages will appear the first time the Control Center toggles are used. Subsequent uses will show a message at the top that reads "Disconnecting Nearby Wi-Fi Networks Until Tomorrow" or "Disconnecting Bluetooth Devices Until Tomorrow."

While Apple's new pop-ups offer a better explanation than was previously available, there are other situations where Wi-Fi or Bluetooth might be turned back on sooner than one day. When you use the Wi-Fi toggle in Control Center, Wi-Fi is disabled until one of the following conditions occurs:

- Wi-Fi is reactivated using Control Center
- You connect to a Wi-Fi network using Settings > Wi-Fi
- You walk or drive to a new location
- It's 5:00 a.m. local time
- Your iOS device is restarted

When you use the Bluetooth toggle in Control Center, Bluetooth is disabled until one of the following conditions occurs:

- Bluetooth is reactivated using control Center
- You connect to a Bluetooth accessory in Settings > Bluetooth
- It's 5:00 a.m. local time
- Your iOS device is restarted

To more permanently disable Bluetooth and Wi-Fi on an iOS device running iOS 11, it's necessary to go to the Settings app and toggle these features off in the Wi-Fi and Bluetooth sections. Apple likely made the change to Control Center in iOS 11 for a better overall user experience, as some iPhone and iPad owners might not realize the impact that turning Wi-Fi and Bluetooth off can have when it comes to iOS features like GPS directions, Continuity, and more.

In addition to introducing a message to let users know how Bluetooth and Wi-Fi work in Control Center, on the iPhone X, there's also a small UI change designed to make the Control Center gesture more obvious. Whenever you're on the Lock screen, there's a small bar underneath the icons on the right side of the device, letting you know there's more to see there. The bar is not displayed on the Home screen of an unlocked iPhone X, nor is it displayed within apps.

For those unfamiliar, accessing the Control Center on the iPhone X is done from a swipe down on the top right side of the device rather than a swipe upwards from the bottom.