MacRumors

Apple is widely expected to introduce its first iPhone with an OLED display later this year, after a decade of using solely LCD technology.

Earlier reports peg Samsung as the exclusive supplier of OLED displays for the high-end smartphone, as the only company that can reliably produce both the quantity and quality of panels that Apple demands.

That could change within a few years, however, as Apple has decided to invest 3 trillion won/$2.67 billion in LG's OLED production for smartphones, according to The Investor, citing a Korea Economic Daily newspaper report.

Apple will reportedly make the investment as advance payment for the planned OLED display supplies from the Korean display maker. The iPhone maker is said to secure 45,000 panels per month for future iPhones from 2019.

Apple always aims to diversify its supply chain in order to secure lower prices and reduce the risk of relying on one supplier, so it's easy to see why the iPhone maker appears to be willing to help LG ramp up OLED display production.

Reports about Apple's potential investment first surfaced earlier this month, after the companies allegedly tentatively agreed upon the investment plans, and it now appears that a deal has been or is nearly finalized.

LG is likely to build a production line dedicated to iPhone orders only, as part of its agreement with Apple, according to The Investor.

It is frequently rumored that Apple will introduce a trio of new iPhone models later this year, including iterative iPhone 7s and iPhone 7s Plus models with LCDs and the so-called "iPhone 8" or "iPhone X" with an OLED display.

Rumors suggest Apple could switch to OLED displays for its entire iPhone lineup by 2019, potentially lining up nicely with LG's production readiness.

One year ago, Apple began a staunch defense of its proposed data center in Galway County, Ireland, as a group of locals attempted to derail construction by reciting various environmental concerns for the area if Apple successfully built the facility.

The delayed data center was supposed to be met with a decision this week, but now The Irish Times is reporting that a final verdict has been delayed yet again, with the Court Services confirming this week that the case will not be heard until October 12. While there are some residents opposing the data center, there remains a large group fighting with Apple to help bring jobs to the area.

But Local resident Paul Keane, who is a member of the Athenry for Apple Facebook group, said: "Some have totally lost hope and more are now more fearful of a complete loss of confidence in investment for the west and long term damage to the country simply because we couldn't get our act together."

The residents against Apple attempted to halt construction last November by claiming that the permission it was granted by independent planning body An Bord Pleanála was invalid. They alleged that An Bord Pleanála didn't perform a proper environmental impact assessment of the proposed data center at Derrydonnell, located on the outskirts of Athenry, where the residents live. Apple successfully asked the High Court to fast-track the case, but a final decision was still set for months later, and now it has been pushed back even further.

When Apple announced the Irish data center in February 2015, it also announced one for Denmark. Construction for that site has completed, and now the center is ready to go live sometime later this year. Around 300 jobs would be created over "multiple phases of construction" at the Irish data center, which would help power Apple's online services across Europe, including iTunes, the App Store, iMessage, Maps, and Siri.

Eagle-eyed MacRumors reader Tony today noticed the iPod mini has made a nostalgic reappearance on Apple's website in Singapore.

Apple's online store says the iPod mini models are available to ship in 2-3 weeks, but we strongly advise against ordering. Apple discontinued the iPod mini over 12 years ago, and the product pages have an outdated design when accessed from a desktop browser, so this is certainly a glitch that will soon be corrected.

For now, the colors listed include Blue, Green, Pink, and Silver, with 4GB or 6GB of storage, indicating these are second-generation models released in February 2005. It was enough space for up to 1,500 songs in your pocket.

In September 2005, Apple discontinued the iPod mini after introducing the iPod nano, which itself was discontinued alongside the iPod shuffle yesterday. The internet-connected iPod touch is now the only product Apple sells under its iconic iPod brand, effectively marking the end of an era for the company.

Update: Apple removed the iPod mini listings from its online store a few hours after this article was published.

Apple today updated its official Apple Store shopping app with the ability to use Touch ID to securely and conveniently pay for an order with a credit card tied to an Apple ID, as well as make changes to account settings.

The Apple Store app has long allowed shoppers to pay for purchases with the credit card associated with their Apple ID, but users needed to type their password for authentication. Now, users can simply use Touch ID.

To pay with a credit card associated with an Apple ID at checkout, tap on the white "buy with other payment options" button.

Apple said the new Apple Store app also makes its easier to see if an iPhone you want is available at an Apple Store near you.

The Apple Store app is free on the App Store [Direct Link] for iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch.

Canadian coffee and donut chain Tim Hortons today launched a revamped app that enables customers to order and pay ahead of time with Apple Pay. Customers can also add a credit card or TimCard manually and pay by scanning an in-app barcode.

The app enables customers to choose their preferred Tim Hortons location and pick-up method. Payment is completed within the app, so customers can grab their orders to go at the counter or drive-thru, or dine in at the restaurant.

The minimum reload amount in the Tim Hortons app is set at the default of $10, but can be set at increments of $10, $25, $50, or $100, in both Canadian or U.S. dollars. Tim Horton's app FAQ outlines more details.

Tim Hortons locations will have new "Mobile Pickup" signage displayed at counters to inform customers where to pick up their mobile orders, enabling them to skip the line, according to the blog iPhone in Canada.

The new Tim Hortons app replaces the company's old TimmyMe app with limited TimCard barcode functionality. Tim Hortons says customers can seamlessly transfer their TimmyMe funds for use in the new app.

Restaurants offering the ability to order and pay ahead on a smartphone is hardly a new concept, but it's nice to see Canada's largest quick service chain, with over 3,800 locations across the country, get on board.

The new Tim Hortons app is available now for free on the App Store [Direct Link] for iPhone users in Canada and the United States.

BuzzFeed and its food-centric brand Tasty today announced its first foray into smart consumer appliances with a device called the "Tasty One Top," a $149 Bluetooth-enabled induction cooktop that consumers can place anywhere in their kitchen and connect to an iOS app for easy-to-follow recipes. BuzzFeed Product Labs partnered with GE Appliances to create the Tasty One Top, with the announcement coming ahead of Tasty's two year anniversary on July 31.

When the device syncs to the Tasty iOS app, users can choose which recipe they want to create. As they start cooking, the Tasty One Top will automatically adjust the temperature and power settings for each step of the recipe. When the recipe calls for specific instructions like flipping a pancake or adding veggies, the cooktop will notify the user with audible cues.

BuzzFeed today unveiled its first-ever smart appliance, the Tasty One Top, a Bluetooth-enabled induction cooktop now available for pre-order. The One Top will connect directly to the all-new Tasty app for iPhone, which is available on the App Store today with nearly 1,700 video recipes.

Designed by BuzzFeed Product Labs and brought to life with the help of GE Appliance’s First Build team, the One Top tracks the surface temperature of a pan or pot, as well as the internal temperature of your food, to assure perfect execution of every recipe. It’s induction technology is faster, safer, and more precise than traditional forms of cooking.

Tasty said that the One Top is perfect for pan cooking, pot cooking, slow cooking, sous vide, and more, with the ability to heat up faster and more consistently than traditional stovetops. The top of the device has capacitive touch power control buttons, and it's all housed in a pentagon design that the company pointed out is perfect for posting pictures on Instagram.

“Tasty’s strong brand and massive fan base give it almost limitless avenues for expansion — from cookbooks to licensing to consumer tech — and we’re excited to take a new big step with the One Top, a product that has the potential to truly make precision cooking widely accessible,” said Ben Kaufman, Head of BuzzFeed Product Labs.

Starting today, users can download the new Tasty iOS app through a one-time SMS link on BuzzFeed's One Top product page, with a wider launch expected to follow. With the app, users can browse more than 1,700 recipes that can be searched by specific ingredients, time of day, social events, difficulty, speed, or dietary needs. Recipes can be made without the One Top's automatic recipe adjustments, with the app offering step-by-step instructions along with helpful videos.

GoPro today announced a new feature for its iOS and Android applications called "QuikStories," launching within a rebranded app that's now simply called "GoPro" [Direct Link], which works in conjunction with another app called "Quik" [Direct Link]. The company described QuikStories as way for users to easily share cool experiences to social media that they captured on a HERO5 camera.

Similar to Apple's Memories feature in the iOS Photos app, QuikStories accumulates recent footage captured by the user and generates easily-shareable videos on the user's smartphone. This removes the need for users to go through a cumbersome editing process for shorter-length footage that they just want to share to social networks like Instagram and Snapchat.

To make a QuikStory, users have to pair a HERO5 Black or HERO5 Session GoPro device with their smartphone, open the main GoPro app, and pull down on the home screen, which begins the process of copying the latest footage to create the QuikStory. The main app communicates with the Quik app so users don't have to jump between the two.

"QuikStories is our biggest leap forward since the invention of the GoPro itself," says GoPro founder and CEO, Nicholas Woodman. "QuikStories is the simple storytelling solution our customers have been dreaming about for years. It's an absolute game changer."

If deeper customization is desired, users can also add their own text, slow motion and speed effects, alternate filters and soundtracks, edit the video's length, and more. On the Quik app's description within the App Store, the company said that transitions are automatically synced to the beat of the chosen song, with users able to import their own music from iCloud Drive, Dropbox, Google Drive, and more.

The main GoPro app, formerly known as Capture, is available to download from the iOS App Store for free [Direct Link].

TransferWise has updated its iPhone and iPad app this week with Apple Pay support for U.S. dollar transfers.

Now, users can simply add a debit or credit card to the Wallet app and select it as a payment method in the TransferWise app.

TransferWise said Apple Pay integration is also being rolled out in Australia, Switzerland, France, Spain, Ireland, and Italy, according to Reuters. Apple Pay is already supported for British pound transfers.

TransferWise version 3.1.2 is available as a free update on the App Store [Direct Link] for iPhone and iPad.

Loss-making LCD manufacturer Japan Display has reportedly asked banks and its largest shareholder for around 100 billion yen, or roughly $897 million, to fund restructuring efforts, according to Nikkei Asian Review and Reuters.

The Tokyo-based manufacturer of liquid crystal display panels, also known as JDI, requested the loan from lenders including Mizuho Bank and Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp. Innovation Network Corp. of Japan, the government-backed fund that is Japan Display's largest shareholder, will provide indirect support in the form of loan guarantees.

The capital raised will help Japan Display's turnaround efforts, which reportedly may involve halting production and trimming staff at smartphone panel plants in the central Japanese city of Nomi and China's Jiangsu Province.

Japan Display, formed in 2012 when the LCD divisions of Hitachi, Sony, and Toshiba merged, has lost money for a third consecutive year, reportedly due to problems getting smartphone panel production up to speed. The company also faces increased competition from South Korean and Chinese rivals.

Japan Display is also threatened by the increasing adoption of OLED displays in smartphones, which it doesn't produce. Samsung is currently the only company that can reliably manufacture OLED displays for smartphones, with LG and Foxconn aiming to begin mass production over the next few years.

Apple, which has long been Japan Display's biggest customer, is widely rumored to release its first iPhone with an OLED display in the coming months. At least two new iPhone models are expected to continue using LCDs, but rumors suggest Apple's entire iPhone lineup could use OLED displays by 2019.

Earlier reports have claimed Japan Display is also planning to manufacture OLED displays, but if it doesn't act fast, it could eventually lose Apple as a customer and face significantly worse financial problems.