MacRumors

In a new 45 page report by Mark Schaffer of Repair.org, Apple, Sony, and other tech industry companies have been targeted as the reason behind lagging green electronics standards in the United States, which are meant to establish an overall set of environmental leadership specifications for the design, usage, and end-of-life phases of electronic devices.

According to Repair.org, Apple and companies like it consistently output products with extremely low repairability scores, and often fail to meet quality green electronics standards.

The report said that this is mostly because these tech companies "hold so many positions" on the boards of green electronics standards that they can vote and resist changes they see as potentially unfavorable for their product development. This has caused the standards to become "increasingly ineffectual," making them hard to update and unable to keep up with the fast-paced advancements in the technology that they are written for.

“Green standards in the US play an important role. They are supposed to shape the electronics industry for the better and encourage manufacturers to make more sustainable products. As consumers, we should be able to trust them to identify only the most sustainable products,” says Gay Gordon-Byrne, Executive Director of Repair.org. “Instead, members of the IT industry have co-opted standards for their own benefit, warping them into a tool that drives sales at the expense of the environment. This is patently unacceptable, and it needs to change.”

Manufacturers including Apple, Blackberry, and Sony have consistently blocked meaningful criteria that would influence their product design, including strong incentives to encourage design for repair or recycling.

In the report, Repair.org looks at the repair/reuse criteria included in the UL 110 standard for cell phones, which was approved in early 2017 and "contains some repair criteria and optional requirements for battery removability without tools." Apple and Samsung were able to claim the highest "gold" ratings for the iPhone 7 and Galaxy S8 right off the bat when the standard went live in July, which the report called "troubling." Repair.org explained that a "properly developed" standard should see newly claimed devices barely able to achieve a lower "bronze" rating, and have to work their way up the standard.

Under a section called "manufacturers oppose leadership standards," the report delves more into Apple's refusal to comply with the support of standardized tools that could be used to disassemble their products. Despite Apple's voting against such a rule, it's said that enough companies decided to vote in favor of this section of UL 110.

The only effective, repair-focused language in UL 110 is an optional criterion that awards manufacturers extra points for batteries that can be removed without the use of tools. It is the only repair-related criterion in the UL 110 standard that incentivizes a different design. Still, one manufacturer steadfastly opposed this proposal and refused to vote for its inclusion in the standard: Apple. Ultimately, this was one of the few instances in which manufacturers broke ranks. Enough device-makers voted to have the optional criterion included in the recently published version of the standard.

Still, the UL 110 standard's various sections -- including end-of-life, reuse, and recycle -- are described as "watered down" and "neutered" to the point that device makers don't have to alter the course of EOL practices that they've been following in previous years. The report then lists a few common arguments manufacturers have given for their actions, including public safety concerns if at-home repair was widely supported, easily accessible authorized repair centers, and more, all of which Repair.org refutes.

Apple has long been a proponent of environmental protection and action in its position as one of the biggest device makers on the planet. This past April, the company released its 2017 Environmental Responsibility Report and announced its goal to set up a "closed-loop supply chain," which would drastically reduce global electronics waste by building new Apple products using only recycled materials, including old Apple products.

Late last month Apple revealed it had partnered with hearing aid company Cochlear to launch the first Made For iPhone Cochlear implant, which can stream audio from an iOS device directly to a surgically embedded sound processor.

Now, in a new Wired article titled "How Apple is Putting Voices in Users' Heads – Literally", the company has offered up a few more details on how it was able to achieve the technical feat of transmitting high bandwidth data to such a low-powered device.

To solve the problem of streaming high-quality audio without draining the tiny zinc batteries in hearing aids, Apple's accessibility team essentially had to create a more advanced version of the existing Bluetooth Low Energy profile.

Bluetooth LE is only meant to be used to send low-bandwidth data signals, like getting heart rate monitor readings from wearables, so Apple developed a more advanced version called Bluetooth Low Energy Audio (BLEA), which can stream high quality audio whilst preserving the LE profile's battery-extending properties.

Apple has had BLEA in the works for some time, and the profile appeared in patents dating back to 2014, but this is the first time Apple has spoken about using the profile in an actual consumer product.

Sarah Herrlinger, Apple's director of global accessibility policy, summarized the company's efforts with the following comments:

While our devices have been built to support hearing aids for years, we found that the experience of people trying to make a phone call was not always a good one. So we brought together a lot of people in different areas around the company to start investigating ways to make the process easier.

Our goal was to get rid of all those extra things that need batteries and can get in the way, so when a phone call comes in you just hit the button to answer it and that sound is streaming into your hearing aid.

The technical detail about the Bluetooth profile is revealed in the context of the story of implant wearer Mathias Bahnmueller, a 49-year-old who suffers from hearing loss and uses the system developed by Apple and Cochlear. Called the Nucleus 7 sound processor, the device won FDA approval in June and is the first of its kind in the hearing aid industry.

The extended article is certainly worth a read, and Tim Cook has already shared the piece on Twitter, saying he is proud of the work Apple is doing in this area.

Apple today uploaded three short 15 second ads in its "The Rock x Siri" series, with content that's primarily been pulled from the main three minute "The Rock x Siri Dominate the Day" video, which was originally released on July 23.

Each video features The Rock interacting with Siri to set a reminder, take a selfie, and set a timer. The reminder video is new, while the selfie and timer videos feature scenes from the original spot.

"I partnered with #Apple to make the BIGGEST, COOLEST, CRAZIEST, DOPEST, MOST OVER THE TOP, FUNNEST (is that even a word?) movie ever," The Rock wrote on Facebook ahead of the ad's launch.

Apple is using The Rock to show off the range of tasks that can be completed using the Siri personal assistant built in to the iPhone and the iPad. "You should never, ever, under any circumstances underestimate how much Dwayne Johnson can get done in a day with Siri," reads the description for the first video.

iDevices was one of the first companies to announce plans for producing HomeKit-compatible products, focusing primarily on switches and outlets but also branching out a bit with a thermostat. Earlier this year, iDevices was acquired by major electrical equipment manufacturer Hubbell, but the iDevices brand and product lineup lives on.

I've been using a number of iDevices products, including the recently launched Wall Switch and Wall Outlet, as well as the Switch and Outdoor Switch that launched some time ago, and I've gotten a pretty good idea of how well these accessories fit into my home and integrate with other HomeKit devices through HomeKit. All of the devices are also compatible with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant, but for my purposes I focused on HomeKit.

Wall Switch and Wall Outlet

iDevices' Wall Switch and Wall Outlet are the latest additions to the company's HomeKit family, and they're the most complicated to install since they require in-wall installation. It's a little bit of a hassle and some users such as renters may not be able take advantage of them, but installation is a pretty straightforward project and they provide a much cleaner and more integrated look to your HomeKit system.

As with any other time you're performing electrical work, you should turn off power at the circuit breaker and make sure electricity isn't flowing to the circuits where you're working. iDevices includes step-by-step instructions to walk you through the entire installation process and also includes some helpful videos on its YouTube channel.

➜ Click here to read more...

In May, Lyft launched a "Round Up and Donate" program where riders can opt in to have the app round up their fare to the nearest dollar, and automatically donate the difference to one of a few participating organizations like the Human Rights Campaign and the ACLU.

This week, Lyft announced that it's going to match donations made by riders when they pay for their trips using Apple Pay throughout the month of August. The Apple Pay news comes alongside the announcement of three new donation partners: Girls Who Code, Habitat for Humanity and the World Wildlife Fund (via TechCrunch).

Thousands of passengers have opted in to our Round Up & Donate program, and this month, participants can double their impact when they use Apple Pay.

Every time you ride, we’ll round up your fare to the nearest dollar, and all month long your donation will be matched to the cause you choose.

Users can opt in to Round Up and Donate within the Settings of the Lyft app, and afterwards all of their trips will be automatically rounded up with the difference going to their charity of choice. Since the program launched in May, Lyft said that over 100,000 of its riders have joined in Round Up and Donate, totaling $315,000 donations raised for existing partners.

On its website, Lyft has shared a few steps on how to join the donation program, as well as how to pick Apple Pay as the main payment option for the ride hailing app.

Microsoft appears to be working on a Touch Cover smart keyboard for at least one iPad model, according to battery information for products containing lithium-ion batteries shared on its website earlier this year.

Microsoft previously sold Touch Covers for its Surface tablets that doubled as pressure-sensitive keyboards and protective covers.

Those covers magnetically click into place and provide protection for the Surface's touchscreen. They have a standard keyboard layout, shortcut keys, and a two-button touchpad that supports gestures.

It's unknown if the iPad version would be similar. All that's known is that it presumably has a lithium-ion battery, suggesting it could connect over Bluetooth. It could also work with an iPad Pro's Smart Connector, but that seems less likely.

Of course, Microsoft could have scrapped plans to release an iPad keyboard between April and now, or perhaps even earlier. For now, the single document is all we have to go on. We'll provide an update if that changes.

Google Earth for iOS today received a major update that brings a collection of new features to the interactive mapping app, as well as introducing 64-bit app support so it can run on iOS 11 devices. Apple reminded developers over the summer that once iOS 11 launches to the public, it will cease support of 32-bit apps altogether and only allow 64-bit apps and app updates to be submitted to the App Store.

In its announcement, Google positioned the updated app as a way for users to discover new travel destinations. With the new add-ons, users will now be able to explore locations around the world with a 3D button that refocuses Google Maps and begins circling around a city chosen by the user, similar to Flyover in Apple Maps. All of the updates coming to iOS previously debuted on Android in April.

Summer is one of my favorite seasons. It's a time to travel with my family, for discovering new places and creating new memories. Google Earth is where I turn to for travel ideas. Just last month I was exploring Canada's National Parks. Inspired by the beautiful outdoor imagery, I'm planning to hit the road with my wife and kids in a couple weeks, up the coast to Hoh Rain Forest in Washington, and then onward to beautiful Victoria, Canada, home of the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve.

And starting today, if you’re an iOS user, you can download Google Earth and discover your next travel destination, too.

There's also a new feature called "Voyager" that brings up interactive stories from places around the world with information like the best museums, parks, and landmarks broken down in categories including editor's picks, travel, nature, culture, history, and education.

To discover a random new destination on the planet, there's a new dice rolling button that surfaces a new location for users to read up on each time it's pressed. Google also added an in-app screenshot, or "Postcard," feature that lets users take pictures of the locations they explore with the new 3D mode.

Google Earth is available to download from the iOS App Store for free. [Direct Link]

Two months after rolling out Plex Live TV to iOS and Android TV devices, Plex today announced that its live streaming TV feature is now available for users on Apple TV.

In addition, on any app where Plex Live TV is available, Plex Pass users will be able to use a new "Time Shift" feature, meaning they can scrub back and forth through any live broadcast, as well as pause it.

We’re thrilled to bring Live TV to Apple TV and Live TV and DVR support to Android mobile, joining iOS, Android TV, and our lovely Plex Web app (DVR only).

We can’t quite include a TARDIS with your Plex Pass yet, but we can do the next best thing, which is allowing you to time shift Live TV! That’s right, with our latest enhancements, you can now time-travel (well, pause or skip around) when watching Live TV. No longer will you be forced to choose between getting more Cheetos and seeing who gets voted off the island. Life is hard enough.

To gain access to Plex Live TV, users must be a Plex Pass subscriber (beginning at $4.99/month), and then install a digital antenna, connect a digital tuner, and sync everything to their Plex Pass subscription account.

Plex Pass subscribers can watch live HD content on channels available over-the-air, including major US networks like ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX, and CW, as well as local programming, news, and sports. For apps that support DVR, Plex also said that the feature is officially out of beta.

For a list of compatible tuners and antennas that enable Plex's live broadcasting and DVR features, check out the company's list here. The Plex app is available to download from the iOS App Store for free. [Direct Link]

Skype today announced that users across 22 countries can now send money with PayPal in its mobile app for iOS and Android.

Skype said the person-to-person payments feature is rolling out today in the United States, United Kingdom, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Portugal, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Spain.

Where available, users will need to link their PayPal account to their Skype profile. In a chat, users can then swipe right, tap Send Money, and complete the near-instant money transfer process, which is handled by PayPal. Both the sender and recipient must reside in one of the 22 countries supported.

PayPal within Skype will support currency exchange as usual. If a user is sending funds from the United States, for example, to someone in Europe, the user will have the option to send money in euros if preferred.

The feature will require the latest version of Skype for iOS, available as a free download on the App Store [Direct Link]. However, users receiving money can have any version of the Skype app installed.

Last week, a source in the Taiwanese supply chain reported that Facebook has entered into small production on a smart home speaker with a touchscreen, preparing to compete with companies like Apple and Amazon in the smart speaker market. A report by Bloomberg this week has continued that rumor, and added onto it by claiming the company is in fact working on two separate speaker devices to release to the public, and that it's hiring from Apple to get a "Siri-style" AI voice assistant up and running for the devices' launch.

Coming out of Facebook's Building 8 lab, today's report confirmed many of the features already discussed regarding the touchscreen-enabled speaker. Facebook plans to launch it with a screen size between 13 and 15 inches, a wide-angle lens, and microphones and speakers all powered by artificial intelligence. The screen rests on a thin, vertical stand and Facebook is now deciding whether the UI will run on a version of Android or if it will build its own OS, according to people familiar with the plans.

Featuring a laptop-sized touchscreen, the device represents a new product category and could be announced as soon as next spring’s F8 developer conference, according to people familiar with the matter. They say the large screen and smart camera technology could help farflung people feel like they’re in the same room, which aligns with Chief Executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg’s mission of bringing Facebook users closer together. The device is in the prototype phase but is already being tested in people’s homes.

The advanced smart speaker will be aimed at video calling and connecting friends and family members across long distances, with Facebook testing a way for its camera to automatically scan a user in its range, lock onto them, and track their movements to keep them in shot during a video call. A 360-degree camera was a possibility at one point during the touchscreen device's development, but now it's "unlikely" to be ready in time for Facebook's rumored launch of early 2018, likely ahead of or around the company's annual F8 conference in the spring.

In addition, Facebook is working on "at least one other product," representing a more basic and "standalone" smart speaker that would be aimed at competing with the Amazon Echo and Google Home. It's rumored that the standalone speaker would be priced "in the low $100 range," coming in under the flagship Echo ($180) and Google Home ($130). On the higher end, the touchscreen speaker made by Facebook would be priced at "a few hundred dollars."

In order to get a helpful AI assistant on both devices, Facebook is looking at hiring some "Apple Inc. veterans" to work at Building 8 and help create the social network company's own version of assistants like Siri and Alexa. The exact Apple veterans that Facebook is hiring were not specified in the report.

The social media giant is working on at least one other product -- a standalone smart speaker that would compete with the Amazon Echo and Google Home, said the people, who asked not be named discussing unannounced products. Facebook is hiring Apple Inc. veterans to help it create a Siri-style voice assistant that would run on both devices, they said.

Last week's supply chain sources claimed that Facebook's smart speaker would be mostly controlled through the touchscreen and lack voice controls, but now Bloomberg's sources suggest the company is in fact working to include such voice-activated features. People close to the plans also mentioned that Facebook is prepared to abandon the cheaper, more basic speaker and pivot to prioritizing the touchscreen-enabled speaker instead, due to potentially intense competition in the standalone smart speaker market.

Apple will finally enter the same space later this year with the HomePod, which the company is billing as primarily a high-quality music playback device that also has helpful smart features that can be controlled by Siri. HomePod will sell for $350 when it launches this December.