MacRumors


Exactly 10 years ago today, on June 29, 2007, the original iPhone went on sale, six months after Steve Jobs stood onstage at Macworld Expo 2007 in San Francisco and told the world Apple was reinventing the phone, revolutionizing an entire industry like it had done with the Macintosh in 1984 and the iPod in 2001.


The iPhone, with its 3.5-inch display, lack of a physical keyboard, Apple-designed touch-based user interface, and multi-touch support, was unique among phones of that era, and as Jobs promised, it changed everything. The product that some speculated would fail miserably shaped the smartphone industry and made Apple one of the most valuable companies in the world.

original iphone
Even before the public had touched an iPhone, there was incredible hype, just like there is today with each new iteration. In the days leading up to the iPhone's release, MacRumors shared dozens of stories, like sightings out in the wild, photos of training manuals, benchmarks, in-store displays, and banners outside of stores. And of course, before the first iPhone launched, there were already rumors of an iPhone 2.

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Related Forum: iPhone

Following the debut of "Prime Day" in 2015, and its return in 2016, Amazon this morning announced the third annual Prime Day will arrive next month, on July 11. Amazon calls this year's event an "epic day of deals on everything you're into," and like previous iterations you'll have to be subscribed to Amazon Prime to gain access to the discounts.

Prime Day is expanding this year as well, beginning officially on July 10 at 6 PM PT and lasting a total of 30 hours into July 11, with "new deals as often as every five minutes." Additionally, Amazon has expanded the sale to 13 total countries in 2017, including the U.S., U.K., Spain, Mexico, Japan, Italy, India, Germany, France, China, Canada, Belgium and Austria.

primeday 2017
To give a spotlight on small businesses throughout Prime Day, Amazon said that nearly 40 percent of the Lightning Deals that appear during the event will come from small businesses and entrepreneurs.

“Our members love Prime Day and we have been thrilled by the response over the last two years. It is inspiring us to make it even better this year for Prime members,” said Greg Greeley, Vice President, Amazon Prime. “Every part of our business is working to deliver more deals for a record number of shoppers. This year’s Prime Day is too big for 24 hours – so we’re giving Prime members 30 hours to shop!”

Deals will be organized by more than 20 themes, including topics like pet lovers, gardeners, techies, artists, and more, so shoppers can quickly find items that they're interested in. To entice users to engage with Alexa devices, Amazon is introducing even more Alexa-exclusive deals discoverable through Echo devices and Fire Tablets.


Similar to last year, Amazon is touting its TV deals in 2017, saying that a large variety of brands will be sold on Prime Day and specifically naming the new Element 4K Ultra HD Smart LED TV - Amazon Fire TV Edition. Amazon said that Prime Day 2017 will represent "one of its largest volume TV deals in history," with a record amount of inventory, but Amazon reminded shoppers the TV category is the one likely to sell out the fastest.

To prepare, Amazon encourages shoppers to visit the Amazon app on iOS [Direct Link] to preview, track, shop deals, and set up alerts. Leading up to July 11, the company is also offering discounts on various subscriptions and items across the website every day, and starting today that includes discounts related to Amazon Music Unlimited, Prime Video, Kindle Unlimited, Audible, and Prime Pantry items. More information about the items on sale now can be found on Amazon's Prime Day webpage.

mac yoink3 iconPopular Mac drag-and-drop app Yoink received a substantial update on Thursday, adding the ability to bring back last removed files and better sharing options, as well as many smaller improvements.

The Yoink app aims to simplify the action of dragging and dropping files and app-content on the macOS desktop by providing a temporary place for files to be dragged to. Yoink fades in when users starts a drag - either with files from Finder or app-content, like an image from a website - offering them a temporary place for your dragged files.

With their files temporarily docked in the Yoink pane and the mouse free, users can more easily navigate to the intended destination of files, which is especially helpful when moving and copying files between different windows, Spaces or (fullscreen) apps.

Today's version 3.3 update allows users to bring back Yoink's last removed files by keeping its keyboard shortcut pressed down or right-clicking on Yoink's window. The update also makes it easier to add links from a browser to Yoink by adding an option to the Share drop-down menu when users right-click on a link.


In addition, a new Alfred File Action allows users to quickly send files from Alfred to Yoink (activated in Yoink's advanced preferences).

Other notable improvements include the added ability to drag Yoink's menu bar icon off the system menu bar, just like other menu bar items, a new "Open With..." menu that lets users launch the Mac App Store with an extension search, and several compatibility fixes with Safari and Firefox.

Several bug fixes have also been implemented in the latest version of the app, which costs $6.99 and is available to download from the Mac App Store. A free 15-day trial version of Yoink is available on the developer's website.

Tag: Yoink

Popular journaling app Day One announced on Wednesday that it is transitioning its platform to a subscription-based service because it offers a more sustainable business model.

The Day One Premium service costs $50 per year and allows users to create unlimited journals, with the promise of additional forthcoming features like Audio Entries, Writing Prompts, and Guided Journaling, as well as a 25 percent discount on book orders.

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Subscription-based apps tend to divide the user community, but adoption of the model has increased over recent months. Apple incentivized developers to sell their apps for a recurring fee instead of a one-time cost when it made changes to its App Store subscription policies last year. Usually, Apple takes 30 percent of app revenue, but developers who are able to maintain a subscription with a customer longer than a year now see Apple's cut drop down to 15 percent.

In a FAQ posted to its website, the Day One team gave the following reason for its decision to switch to a subscription-based service:

In short, Day One Premium provides the steady, reliable income needed to maintain and grow the Day One platform. It pays for customer support, QA, maintenance, bug-fixes, and development of new features. Recurring revenue from this subscription ensures the Day One Team will continue to provide the level of quality and reliability you've come to expect from us. 

Users who download the Day One app after June 29, 2017, will have a Basic account, which are limited to one photo per entry, one journal, no cloud services, and no access to other Premium features.

Users who paid for Day One last year who don't want to pay a subscription won't lose any features included in Day One 2.0 and all users will continue to receive maintenance and non-Premium updates, according to the company. Users can check their account type in-app by looking at their Account Status – if it says "Plus", then the user purchased Day One 2.0 (or later) before June 29, so they will retain all existing features.

The Day One Premium subscription is available via in-app purchase. Day One Premium is $49.99 per year, but new users are being offered an introductory discount of 30 percent off (so $34.99 per year), while existing users are being offered 50 percent off ($24.99 per year). 

The journaling platform received end-to-end encryption earlier this month. The company also said that Day One Web is currently in beta testing and is scheduled to be released later this year. Day One is now a free download on the iOS App Store and a free app on the Mac App Store.

Tag: Day One

Game-streaming platform Twitch is set to bring a host of new features to its mobile app in an update currently rolling out across the globe.

The new version of the app for iOS brings a number of long-requested functionality tweaks, like the ability to stream directly from the mobile app, along with several visual changes, such as the introduction of a dark mode.

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The update also brings Twitch Pulse, a social network feed that keeps users in the loop on breaking developments in the Twitch sphere via text and multimedia content, as well as providing links to other services like Imgur and Vimeo.

Other interface changes include new navigation bars for the Live, Pulse, and Browse sections of the app, and "swipe surfing" gestures for selecting videos and playlists, as well as returning to previously viewed streams. In addition, a new section called Instant Playlists offers a collection of videos that can be accessed by swiping down from the top of the screen.

Elsewhere, there's now language ranking in featured streams, so videos are organized based on languages and regions, and a more seamless way of viewing notifications.

Twitch says the new version of the app, which is a free download on the App Store, should be available to everyone by early July. [Direct Link]

Apple today updated its developer news site to remind developers about 64-bit requirements for both Mac and iOS apps.

Apple has required all new iOS apps and app updates submitted to the iOS App Store to support 64-bit since June of 2015. Since then, Apple has begun phasing out support for 32-bit apps, and plans to stop supporting them all together with iOS 11.

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While Apple has enforced 64-bit support for several years, there are still a number of older iOS apps that have not been updated since 2015 but remain in use. When attempting to open a 32-bit app on iOS 11, it will not run and users will see a popup that says "The developer of this app needs to update it to work with iOS 11."

As a reminder, new iOS apps and updates submitted to the App Store must support 64-bit. Support for 32-bit apps is not available in iOS 11 and all 32-bit apps previously installed on a user's device will not launch. If you haven't updated your app on the App Store to support 64-bit, we recommend submitting an update so your users can continue to run your apps on iOS 11, which will be in the hands of hundreds of millions of customers this fall.

At WWDC, Apple announced plans to start phasing out 32-bit Mac App Store apps as well. Starting in January of 2018, Apple will require all new Mac apps submitted to the Mac App Store to support 64-bit, and all existing apps must implement support by June of 2018. According to Apple, macOS High Sierra will be the last version of macOS that will support 32-bit apps "without compromise."

At WWDC 2017, we announced new apps submitted to the Mac App Store must support 64-bit starting January 2018, and Mac app updates and existing apps must support 64-bit starting June 2018. If you distribute your apps outside the Mac App Store, we highly recommend distributing 64-bit binaries to make sure your users can continue to run your apps on future versions of macOS. macOS High Sierra will be the last macOS release to support 32-bit apps without compromise.

When phasing out 32-bit apps on iOS devices, Apple gave both end users and developers ample notice and several warnings, and the company plans to follow the same path as it phases out 32-bit Mac apps.

Along with reminding developers about its app requirements, Apple today also announced the availability of transcripts for all of its WWDC 2017 videos, making it easier for users to find and share specific information that was covered at the event. Transcripts can be searched by keyword, with those keywords linked to the specific times when they were mentioned.

applewwdcvideos
Apple's session videos cover a wide range of topics, including Core ML, ARKit, Metal 2, Drag and Drop, Swift, Touch Bar, CareKit, tvOS, and much, much more.

Related Roundup: WWDC 2025

According to Apple's System Status website and multiple reports sent in by MacRumors readers, Apple's iCloud Backup service is unavailable for some users. Apple's site says iCloud backup is down for "less than 1 percent of users," but those affected have been unable to restore from an iCloud backup since yesterday.

Customers impacted by the iCloud outage who attempt to restore an iOS device using a backup are seeing the process hang while in progress, with the restore failing to complete. iCloud backups can still be made from iOS devices, so data is safe, but affected users will not be able to restore from backups until Apple's servers are back up. In some cases, existing iCloud backups are also not showing up on new devices.

systemstatusicloudoutage
Apple employees have been telling customers to wait it out and set up recently purchased iPhones and iPads as new devices rather than restoring from an existing backup.

Apple's iCloud Backup service has been experiencing issues since 8:00 a.m. yesterday morning, and it is not clear when a fix will be implemented. We'll update this post when the problem is resolved.

We've seen countless renderings, dummy models, and design leaks that give us a decent idea of what we can expect the "iPhone 8" to look like, but OnLeaks and Tiger Mobiles have teamed up on a new video that perhaps gives us the clearest look yet at the iPhone 8's design based on current rumors.

The video features an iPhone 8 dummy model with an edge-to-edge display, a top bar that will accommodate the front-facing camera and sensors, a vertical dual-lens rear camera, and a glossy black chassis made from glass with a matching and indistinguishable steel band around the edges.


This new dummy model is similar to previous dummy models that we've seen, and it is in line with rumors and design drawings that have suggested the iPhone 8 will feature a slim, almost bezel-free design with a Touch ID fingerprint sensor built into the display of the device.

It measures in at 71mm wide, 144mm long, and 7.5mm thick, which matches up with previous size estimates we've seen leaked. For comparison's sake, the iPhone 7 measures in at 67.1mm wide, 138.3mm long, and 7.1mm thick. The new device, if the dummy models and other rumors are correct, will be similar in size to the iPhone 7, but will have a display that is similar in size to the iPhone 7 Plus display.

Dummy models are often constructed by case makers and other accessory manufacturers based on rumors and leaks coming out of the supply chain. Case makers use dummy models to create cases ahead of an iPhone's launch to be first on the market with accessories. In past years, these dummy models have been largely accurate, but there are, on occasion, design discrepancies.

When it comes to the iPhone 8, Apple was originally said to be working with up to 10 prototypes, including one with a rear Touch ID button, making it hard to pinpoint a design. Much of the recent leaked information has centered on a design similar to the device in the video, and it's looking more and more like that's the design we'll see in the finished device when it launches this fall.

Rumors, blueprints, and dummy devices can often be confirmed with myriad part leaks, but we're seeing relatively few part leaks this year, so there's still some uncertainty. So far, we've only seen alleged front and rear panels, featuring no visible Home button, an edge-to-edge display design, and a vertical dual-lens rear camera.

Beyond what's visible, we've heard a whole slew of rumors about the iPhone 8, with details ranging from wireless charging to impressive 3D sensing and facial recognition capabilities for the front-facing camera. For a complete picture of what to expect, make sure to check out our roundup.

Related Forum: iPhone

Nearly 21 percent of current Windows laptop owners and 25 percent of current Windows desktop owners intend to switch to a Mac within the next six months, according to a recent survey conducted by market research firm Verto Analytics.

macbook pro vs surface
Verto Analytics told MacRumors the survey is based on 6,000 current Windows PC owners age 18 and older in the United States.

Of the respondents, those with an average annual income of $150,000 or more showed the highest likelihood of switching to a Mac.

verto analytics chart week mac windows
By comparison, the research firm said at least 98 percent of current Mac owners surveyed intend to stick with Mac as their next computer. In other words, only 2 percent of current Mac users surveyed are planning to switch to another computer brand, be it running Windows or another operating system.

Microsoft is experiencing a resurgence in the post-PC world with an attractive lineup of devices, such as the new Surface Pro and Surface Studio desktop computer, which have even caught the attention of some Apple aficionados.

Last December, Microsoft said more people were switching from Mac to Surface devices than ever before following the supposed "disappointment" of the 2016 MacBook Pro, particularly among professional users.

In April, however, Microsoft said Surface revenue declined 26 percent to $831 million last quarter, down from $1.1 billion in the year-ago quarter. By comparison, Apple reported Mac revenue of $5.84 billion last quarter, a 14 percent increase from $5.1 billion in the year-ago quarter, on the strength of a new MacBook Pro.

Microsoft's new Surface devices should help it combat that decline, while Lenovo, HP, and Dell, the top three worldwide Windows PC vendors, saw shipment growth last quarter, according to market research firm Gartner.

A documentary about "Twist and Shout" songwriter and producer Bert Berns is set to come to Apple Music this fall, reports Variety. "Bang! The Bert Berns Story" chronicles the life of Berns, a well-known record producer in the 1960s responsible for hits like "Brown Eyed Girl," "Here Comes the Night," "Piece of My Heart," and more.


Berns started out as a songwriter before moving on to Atlantic Records, where he worked as a staff producer. Following his success and his work with bands like the Beatles and the Rolling Stones, he went on to form his own record labels, BANG Records and Shout Records, where he signed artists like the McCoys, the Strangeloves, and Neil Diamond.

The documentary covers Berns' relationships with Carmine "Wassel" DeNoia, his manager and best friend, and mobster Tommy Eboli, once the acting boss of the Genovese crime family in New York. Van Morrison, Paul McCartney, Keith Richards, Ben E. King, Solomon Burke, and more, all make appearances in the film.

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Berns' son, Brett Berns, directs, and the documentary is narrated by Bruce Springsteen guitarist and "Sopranos" star Steven Van Zandt.

The documentary will first debut on iTunes Movies in the fall, and then it will be exclusively streamed on Apple Music. It will join several other documentaries Apple has secured for Apple Music, including Sean Combs' "Can't Stop Won't Stop: A Bad Boy Story" and "Clive Davis: The Soundtrack of Our Lives."

Related Forum: Mac Apps

Buried in iOS 11, there seems to be a new sound file that could potentially be implemented when the rumored "iPhone 8" is released with inductive wireless charging capabilities. Highlighted on YouTube, the sound file is called "engage_power.caf," and it is distinct from the existing "connect_power.caf" sound file that's used whenever an iPhone is connected to a Lightning cable.

In the video below, the unused charging sound is compared to the existing charging sound in iOS 11. The new audio file provides a longer, more distinct sound that could perhaps be used to assure iPhone users that their devices are properly charging should the iPhone 8 indeed include an inductive-based wireless charging function as has been rumored.


While both the name of the file and the sound seem to indicate that it is related to some kind of charging purpose, there's no way to confirm why the sound has been added, so this is all pure speculation at this point.

In fact, there are several other sound files in iOS 10 and 11 that are unused and do not have a purpose, so it's not entirely clear if the new charging sound will actually be added to the iOS 11 operating system or what it will be used for. The hidden sound file in iOS 11 is not accessible on a device running iOS 11 and must be accessed using a computer.

Wireless charging is expected to be included in the radically redesigned "iPhone 8" coming in the fall of 2017, and perhaps its two companion devices (presumably the iPhone 7s and the iPhone 7s Plus), but there's still some question about the form the wireless charging functionality will take.

Early 2017 iPhone rumors suggested Apple was aiming to implement long-range wireless charging, perhaps through a partnership with a company like Energous, but that technology may not be advanced enough to be used in the iPhone. Long-range wireless charging continues to suffer from problems like object interference and much slower charging rates as the distance between the receiver and the transmitter increases.

Apple is no doubt working on long-range wireless charging, but recent information suggests a simpler solution will be added to the iPhone 8 - inductive charging. An inductive charging solution, which is what's used for the Apple Watch, would require the iPhone to attach to some kind of charging puck, mat, dock, or other device. It would perhaps be simpler than a Lightning port, but it isn't a full wire-free contactless solution.

Apple Watch MagSafe Inductive Charger
Regardless of how wireless charging is implemented, there's overwhelming evidence that this is a technology Apple is aggressively pursuing. Apple joined the Wireless Power Consortium in February, hired dozens of employees with expertise in wireless charging, and has sourced wireless charging components from a range of manufacturers including Lite-On Semiconductor, MediaTek, and Luxshare.

Related Forums: iOS 11, iPhone

Apple today shared a new video called "A Portrait of Canada" on its YouTube channel for Canada. The 30-second ad is part of Apple's ongoing "Shot on iPhone" campaign, with an emphasis on Portrait Mode on iPhone 7 Plus.


Apple highlighted the video on its Canadian website, describing it as "a portrait of Canada's inclusive spirit shot on iPhone, brought to life by three Canadian artists as well as Canadians across the country."

The ad showcases photos by Caitlin Cronenberg and other Canadians in locations across the country, ranging from Toronto to the Canadian Rockies.

safaripreviewiconApple today released a new update for Safari Technology Preview, the experimental browser Apple first introduced one year ago in March of 2016. Apple designed the Safari Technology Preview to test features that may be introduced into future release versions of Safari.

Safari Technology Preview release 34 includes fixes and improvements for Media, JavaScript, Security, Web Inspector, Web API, WebCrypto, WebAssembly, Rendering, and Accessibility. Today's update also moves WebRTC options from the Experimental Features menu to the developer menu and introduces WebRTC improvements and fixes.

With Safari 11 now available to developers through the macOS High Sierra beta, Apple is providing two versions of Safari Technology Preview, one for macOS Sierra users and one for those using macOS High Sierra.

The Safari Technology Preview update is available through the Software Update mechanism in the Mac App Store to anyone who has downloaded the browser. Full release notes for the update are available on the Safari Technology Preview website.

Apple's aim with Safari Technology Preview is to gather feedback from developers and users on its browser development process. Safari Technology Preview can run side-by-side with the existing Safari browser and while designed for developers, it does not require a developer account to download.

Apple today seeded the fifth beta of an upcoming macOS Sierra 10.12.6 update to developers, two weeks after seeding the fourth beta and over a month after releasing macOS Sierra 10.12.5, a minor bug fix update.

The fifth beta of macOS Sierra 10.12.6 can be downloaded through the Apple Developer Center or through the Software Update mechanism in the Mac App Store.

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We didn't find any significant features or notable bug fixes in the first four macOS Sierra betas, and because Apple does not provide beta release notes, we may not know just what's included in the update until its public release.

macOS Sierra 10.12.6 is likely to be one of the final updates to the Sierra operating system as Apple transitions to macOS High Sierra, which was introduced at the Worldwide Developers Conference in June.

Update: A public beta is also available.

Related Forum: macOS Sierra

Apple today seeded the fifth beta of an upcoming iOS 10.3.3 update to developers, one week after seeding the fourth beta and over a month after the release of iOS 10.3.2, which was a minor bug fix update.

Registered developers can download the fifth iOS 10.3.3 beta from the Apple Developer Center or over-the-air with the proper configuration profile installed.

iOS 10
There were no significant features or notable bug fixes found in the first four iOS 10.3.3 betas, suggesting iOS 10.3.3 is an update that's minor in scale, focusing primarily on security updates and bug fixes.

iOS 10.3.3 will likely be one of the last updates to the iOS 10 operating system as Apple shifts development to iOS 11. The first beta of iOS 11 was released to developers on June 5 following Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference keynote, and two betas have been seeded thus far.

Update: A public beta is also available.

Related Forum: iOS 10

Earlier this year, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo of KGI Securities said the widely rumored 5.8-inch iPhone with an OLED display will feature a Lightning connector with USB-C Power Delivery that enables fast charging capabilities.

iphone 8 usb c wall charger

"iPhone 8" mockup by Benjamin Geskin for iDrop News

Lending credence to that rumor, Barclays analyst Blayne Curtis today in a research note said the so-called "iPhone 8" will come bundled with a 10W power adapter with a USB-C connector and an integrated USB-C Power Delivery chip.

Curtis said the USB-C Power Delivery chips built into both the iPhone and 10W power adapter will be supplied by Cypress Semiconductor. The research note suggests it'll be the same CYPD2104 chip used in the new 10.5-inch iPad Pro.

An excerpt from the Barclays research note distributed to clients, obtained by MacRumors and edited slightly for clarity:

We believe that in the iPhone 8, Apple likely includes Cypress Semiconductor's USB-C Power Delivery chip in the phone and an additional chip within the power brick in box (likely a new 10W, which would use a more integrated solution with Cypress Power Delivery).

Like the new 10.5-inch and 12.9-inch iPad Pro, the so-called "iPhone 8" would be capable of fast charging with a Lightning to USB-C cable connected to the new 10W power adapter or Apple's 29W USB-C power adapter for MacBook.

Apple will presumably include a Lightning to USB-C cable in the box if it's going in this direction, possibly instead of the traditional Lightning to USB cable. Apple could also opt to include a female USB-C to male USB-A adapter in the box.

Apple's current 5W Power Adapter for iPhone and 12W Power Adapter for iPad both have slower USB-A ports.

Given the "iPhone 8" is expected to have around a 2,700 mAh L-shaped two-cell battery pack, faster charging would be a welcomed addition. The device is also widely rumored to feature wireless charging on top.

Related Forum: iPhone

Steve Jobs' iconic black turtleneck will be making a comeback of sorts this summer, with the company behind the original garment, Issey Miyake Inc., announcing a new version coming this July for $270 and called the "Semi-Dull T" (via Bloomberg).

The model that Jobs wore was officially retired from production following his death in 2011, and a protege of Miyake, Yusuke Takahashi, is said to be the designer of the new turtleneck.

Steve Jobs
The new garment is said to have the same slim black aesthetic as the ones worn by Jobs throughout the latter half of his career as Apple CEO, particularly on stage during major product announcement keynotes.

The model was retired from production in 2011, after Jobs’s death, but in July, Issey Miyake Inc.—the innovative craftsman’s eponymous clothing brand—is releasing a $270 garment called the Semi-Dull T. It’s 60 percent polyester, 40 percent cotton, and guaranteed to inspire déjà vu.

Don’t call it a comeback. The company is at pains to state that the turtleneck, designed by Miyake protégé Yusuke Takahashi with a trimmer silhouette and higher shoulders than the original, isn’t a reissue. And even if the garment were a straight-up imitation, its importance as a cultural artifact is more about the inimitable way Jobs wore it.

All the same, the company said that it's not a reissue or "comeback," because it has an even "trimmer silhoutte and higher shoulders" than the one Jobs wore, including during his final Apple keynote appearance at WWDC 2011.

jobs new turtleneck

The new Semi-Dull T

Bloomberg's report on the turtleneck includes a bit of the shirt's origin story, wherein Jobs unsuccessfully attempted to pitch a vest-like uniform for workers at Apple. Instead, the former Apple CEO came up with a uniform for himself based on his existing wardrobe of jeans, sneakers, and "stacks of black turtlenecks" he had already purchased from Miyake.

About ten months after the first reported cases of Galaxy Note 7 fires began circulating online, Samsung is gearing up to re-launch the smartphone "initially" only in South Korea, according to people familiar with the company's plans (via The Wall Street Journal). Referred to as the Galaxy Note 7 FE, or "Fandom Edition," the launch is said to be coming on July 7 in the country, and it'll represent the third debut for Note 7 devices following the original launch last August, and a widespread recall and replacement later in 2016.

Even those replacement devices caught fire, but Samsung has chosen to continue the Note 7 brand with the new Fandom Edition and bring a "relatively modest" stock of inventory to retailers in South Korea. In total, it's believed 400,000 Note 7 Fandom Editions will debut among three major telecom companies in the country.

galaxy note7 product l
Samsung will bring the Fandom Edition to market "with different components," instead of the faulty battery components that caused the first launch and some replacement devices to catch fire. Any word on a wider launch for the Fandom Edition was not mentioned by the sources.

A refurbished version of the premium smartphone, whose global recall last year garnered unwanted attention for the South Korean technology giant after some caught fire, is coming to retailers’ shelves on July 7 with different components under the name Galaxy Note 7 FE, according to people familiar with the matter.

The refurbished Note 7 will be priced below 700,000 South Korean won ($616), although smartphone prices are generally adjusted up to the point of release due to fluctuating market conditions, the person said.

Samsung's intent to keep the Note brand alive was detailed in a report earlier this month, which also pointed towards the unveiling of the Galaxy Note 8 coming sometime in August. Since the Note 7 was discontinued, Samsung released the mid-cycle Galaxy S8 smartphone in April, with the company saying pre-orders for the device were its "best ever" and analysts suggesting that the S8's messaging and launch helped it to begin recovering from the Note 7 disaster.