MacRumors

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.

Apple today seeded the third beta of an upcoming iOS 11.2 update to developers, one week after releasing the second iOS 11.2 beta and two weeks after releasing the iOS 11.1 update.

Registered developers can download the new iOS 11.2 beta from Apple's Developer Center or over-the-air once the proper configuration profile has been installed from the Developer Center.

iOS 11.2 introduces Apple Pay Cash, Apple's new peer-to-peer payments service. Apple Pay Cash works through the Messages app and is designed to allow for quick person-to-person money transfers. It's available as a dedicated iMessage app in Messages, with cash transferred through the app.

Cash can be sent from a linked debit or credit card, while received cash is stored in an Apple Pay Cash card in Wallet that can be used for purchases or sent to a bank account.

The iOS 11.2 update also addresses an animation bug in the Calculator app that caused some numbers and symbols to be ignored when entered in rapid succession. The update removes the animations from the calculator app so calculations can be done quickly with no need to pause between entering numbers to obtain the correct result.

In addition to these bug fixes, iOS 11.2 introduces a new Now Playing option for controlling content on the Apple TV in Control Center, redesigned camera emoji, a new loading animation for Live Photos effects, and new Live wallpapers for the iPhone X, plus it adds a feature that lets developers offer new customers discounted introductory pricing for auto-renewable subscriptions on the App Store.

Update: Today's iOS 11.2 beta has also been provided to public beta testers.

Apple will launch a trio of new iPhone models in 2018, including 5.8-inch and 6.5-inch models with OLED displays and a 6.1-inch model with an LCD display, according to respected KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.

Kuo expects the 5.8-inch model to have 458 pixels per inch, suggesting the second-generation iPhone X's display will likely continue to have a resolution of 1,125×2,436. He said the 6.5-inch model will have roughly 480 to 500 PPI, while the 6.1-inch model is estimated to have between 320 and 330 PPI.

In his latest research note, obtained by MacRumors, Kuo said the 6.1-inch model will have a lower-resolution LCD display and target the low-end and mid-range markets with an estimated $649 to $749 starting price in the United States.

Two new OLED models target high-end market; new TFT-LCD model aims at low-end & midrange markets: We believe the major hardware difference in the two new OLED models is size, in a bid to satisfy various needs of the high-end market. The new TFT-LCD model will differ significantly from the OLED models in hardware and design specs (for instance, the PPI will be lower). The primary selling points of the TFT-LCD model may be the innovative user experience of an integrated full-screen design and 3D sensing with a lower price tag (we expect it will likely be US$649-749).

His research note didn't outline any pricing estimates for the next 5.8-inch iPhone X, which currently starts at $999, or the all-new 6.5-inch model.

If accurate, next year's new iPhone lineup would consist of the second-gen iPhone X with the same size screen, a larger 6.5-inch version that we're tentatively calling the iPhone X Plus, and a mid-range 6.1-inch LCD model that adopts an iPhone X form factor and features but with a cheaper price point.

Kuo is upbeat on the shipments momentum of all three new iPhone models, and expects them to launch without any delays in 2018, given Apple's supply chain will be well experienced with iPhone X production by next year.

While he doesn't have an absolutely perfect track record, Kuo often relays accurate information from his sources within Apple's supply chain. Ahead of the iPhone X, he accurately detailed its 5.8-inch display, glass and stainless steel design, lack of Touch ID, 3D sensing, and several other features.

We've also already heard a few rumors about a 6.46-inch iPhone launching next year, so iPhone X Plus rumor season is well underway.

Nike today announced the Apple Watch Nike+ Series 3 will be available with a new "Midnight Fog" colored Sport Loop starting November 24.

Nike says the Space Gray aluminum casing coupled with the darkly shaded Sport Loop combine to give this particular model a so-called "stealthy color scheme" of "deep grays with iridescent accents."

The new Midnight Fog edition will be offered in a Cellular + GPS configuration for the usual $399 on Nike.com and at Nike retail stores in the United States. It's unclear if the model will be sold by Apple as well.

The new Apple Watch Nike+ Series 3 variation will be accompanied by Nike's new Air VaporMax in a matching Midnight Fog color. The $190 running shoes will be available November 24.

Apple Watch Nike+ comes with all the features of Apple Watch Series 3, including cellular, which lets you take calls, send messages, and stream Apple Music without needing to pair the watch to your iPhone.

Apple Watch Nike+ models have exclusive Nike watch faces designed specifically for Apple Watch, with digital and analog styles. You can launch the Nike+ Run Club app directly from the face by tapping the complication.

Update: Subsequent to publishing, Nike revised its press release to state that the new Midnight Fog Apple Watch Nike+ Series 3 model launches November 24, not November 14 as originally stated.

A new rumor out of Apple's supply chain over the weekend suggests future iterations of the HomePod could come with 3D-sensing cameras supporting Face ID, similar to the front-facing technology on the iPhone X. Specifically, Inventec Appliances president David Ho mentioned recently that the company sees a trend towards both facial and image recognition technology being incorporated into smart speakers, without specifying which speakers in particular (via Nikkei).

Ho made the comment following Inventec's latest earnings conference, and analysts listening predict that he was likely referring to "the next generation of Apple's HomePod." Inventec Appliances is currently the sole supplier of both Apple's AirPods and HomePod, but also makes Xiaomi smartphones, Fitbit devices, and Sonos speakers, among others. Given the company's ties to Apple, analyst Jeff Pu predicts Ho's comments could suggest a Face ID-enabled HomePod in 2019.

"We see trends that engineers are designing smart speakers that will not only come with voice recognition but also incorporate features such as facial and image recognition," President David Ho told reporters after the company's earnings conference.

Jeff Pu, an analyst at Yuanta Investment Consulting, said Apple could roll out HomePods with 3D-sensing cameras in 2019.

Ho said that facial recognition features "are set to make people's lives more convenient and to make the product easier to use." He further clarified his comments, however, citing hesitancy about whether smart speakers "with more AI features" would become popular.

HomePod is set to release in December, although Apple has yet to confirm a specific release date for the new device. The upcoming smart speaker was first revealed during WWDC in June, where Apple explained it would be a music-focused speaker with high quality sound, deep Siri integration, and spatial recognition for providing the best sound in any space. Even before it was officially announced, rumors of the device's production were connected to Inventec Appliances.

Over a year before its unveiling at WWDC 2017, Apple's "Siri Speaker" was rumored to include facial recognition of some kind as another leg up on competing Echo products from Amazon. At the time, sources with knowledge of Apple's project said the device would be "self aware" and able to bring up different user profiles as people walk into a room, "such as the music and lighting they like." The HomePod launching next month will lack any such features and instead be controlled mainly through voice-enabled user prompts with Siri.