MacRumors

AT&T has announced that it is working with several global tech leaders to enable faster 5G deployment once 3GPP completes the first release of the official specifications, which will form the basis of the global standards for the next-generation wireless technology.

Specifically, the carrier has entered preliminary discussions with Deutsche Telekom, Ericsson, Huawei, Intel, LG, Nokia, Qualcomm, Samsung, SK Telecom, Telstra, Vodafone, and others to find and resolve key standards issues early and bring 5G to market sooner.

“We’re joining other tech leaders to find and resolve key standards issues early and bring 5G to market sooner,” said Tom Keathley, senior vice president- wireless network architecture and design, AT&T. “Interim and fragmented pre-standard specifications can distract from the ultimate goal. Linking trials to the standards process is the fastest path to large-scale global 5G deployment.”

AT&T began trialing 5G wireless technologies this year, including lab tests in the second quarter and outdoor tests in Middletown, New Jersey and Austin, Texas over the summer. The carrier anticipated 5G speeds to be 10 to 100 times faster than today's average 4G LTE connections, with reduced latency, and it achieved that goal in June when its 5G data speeds hit up to 10 Gbps in the lab.

As it stands, 5G is still a ways off. The 3GPP group aims to complete the first phase of the worldwide standards process by 2018, but AT&T's own 5G network rollout is not expected until a few years later in 2020. It also remains too soon to determine Apple's roadmap for 5G in terms of future iPhones. But, given AT&T's efforts, 5G deployment could take place at least somewhat sooner than anticipated.

The SnapPower Charger, designed to make it easy to add USB ports to a wall outlet with no complicated wiring, originated on Kickstarter in 2015. It's basically an outlet replacement that features two standard sockets and an additional USB port, and it's meant to be simple enough to install in just a couple of minutes.

SnapPower is available in three colors (white, light almond, and ivory) to match different home decor. Design wise, it looks identical to a standard outlet cover, but it features a hump at the bottom that houses a USB port for charging iOS devices. There are two versions of the SnapPower, designed to fit square or round outlets, which make up most of the types of modern outlet plates in the United States.

The SnapPower works by connecting the two metal tabs at the sides of the outlet cover to the screws of the outlet, allowing for a small amount of power to be drawn into the USB port of the device.

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The "mega cycle" iPhone 8 and, presumably, iPhone 8 Plus, might have different displays according to new speculation from Gabelli & Co. research analyst Hendi Susanto (via Barrons). In a discussion with Universal Display executive Darice Liu, Apple's potential use of OLED displays in an upcoming iPhone model surfaced, leading to the talk about overall display technology for the iPhone 8.

Susanto agreed that 2017 is likely the year that Apple will introduce OLED displays into the iPhone, with the caveat that it may go for a "partial adoption" of OLED because the company's suppliers might not be able to meet its needs for a full rollout.

This suggests that a higher-tier version of the smartphone -- perhaps the iPhone 8 Plus, or equivalent model -- will be this "specialized edition" of the 2017 iPhone, incorporating an OLED display as its distinguishing factor against other versions.

Speculation regarding the potential adoption of OLED displays by Apple continues to dominate major discussions with investors. The current speculation anticipates Apple’s adoption of OLED displays in its iPhone in 2017 or 2018. We believe that Apple can adopt OLED displays sooner rather than later by pursuing a partial adoption and incorporating it in a specialized edition of a new iPhone version.

This will alleviate the needs of huge supply capacity and accelerate OLED display adoption. Alternatively, Apple could choose to wait and finally adopt OLED displays for all new iPhone versions. We remain cautiously opportunistic. We believe it’s a matter of when, not if.

This would leave the remaining models of the iPhone 8 with the traditional LCD screen technology currently used in the iPhone 6s, and coming in the iPhone 7. Apple has introduced slight variations in same-generation iPhone models since the launch of the iPhone 6 in 2014. Subtle differences have included battery life, camera performance, and a landscape mode for the 5.5-inch iPhones. A major difference in the upcoming iPhone 7 Plus is expected to revolve around a feature-packed, dual-lens camera.

The alternative option exists that Apple could also simply wait and adopt OLED displays when the technology and supply chain is ready to produce them "for all new iPhone versions," which could mean 2018 or even later. Both pieces of information are pure speculation, so should be treated tentatively, but they do add to the early reports of the tenth-anniversary iPhone's drastic changes, including the introduction of an OLED display and its potential for slimming down the iPhone, the removal of the home button, and possible support for wireless charging.

Automatic today announced the launch of its next-generation connected car adapter, the Automatic Pro. The Automatic Pro, built on the second-generation Automatic Adapter, is the company's new flagship adapter, equipped with 3G cellular connectivity.

With an always-on 3G connection that carries no subscription fees, the Automatic Adapter is no longer reliant on an iPhone for functionality. Data is collected continuously, even when someone else is driving or when a smartphone isn't in the car.

Like the existing Automatic Adapter, the new version plugs into a car's OBD-II port to provide information like distance traveled, gas used, time spent in the car, and more. In addition to offering notifications to advise drivers on how to optimize speeds, save gas, and monitor engine alerts, the Automatic Pro can also do things like let users know when the time limit on a parking spot is up or connect with emergency services in the event of an accident with real-time vehicle location tracking.

"We're excited to be using the power of cellular connectivity to build upon the offerings of the second generation adapter and combine a beautiful, scalable UI with an extensive range of features that will help consumers the most," said Ljuba Miljkovic, Co-Founder of Automatic.

Along with the Automatic Pro, Automatic is launching a new Automatic app featuring customizable notifications, built-in IFTTT integration, the aforementioned emergency crash alert feature, and more advanced engine light diagnostics.

The Automatic Pro adapter is available beginning today for $129.95. It can be purchased from Automatic.com, Best Buy, or Amazon and it includes no ongoing service fees.

Alleged leaked images of two new upcoming products from Fitbit were published by TechnoBuffalo yesterday.

The images claim to show promotional shots of the wearable company's Fitbit Charge 2 and Fitbit Flex 2, both of which have been rumored since trademark applications for the Mark II devices were discovered earlier this year.

The image of the Fitbit Charge 2 shows a larger screen than its popular predecessor, offering more space for information to be displayed. The listed features include PurePulse heart rate tracking and interchangeable bands, both of which didn't feature on the original Charge, which debuted in 2014.

The Flex 2 remains display-less like its previous incarnation, although "Swim-Proof" is listed in the included features, whereas the original Flex was only sweat, rain, and splash-proof. Also, the Flex 2 has vertical LED lights instead of the familiar horizontal ones.

Otherwise, the features appear similar to the originals, with smartphone notifications and multi-sport tracking already featured in Fitbit's lineup.

While Fitbit revealed in its recent earnings call that it would be releasing two new products this year, the company gave no specific date. However, some of the promotional images give a date of November 27. Pricing remains a mystery, although Fitbit tends to sell its wearables significantly cheaper than most smartwatches.

This week, Google released a new app called Duo, which allows for FaceTime-style video calling. Unlike FaceTime, though, Duo allows for cross platform calls that work on both Android and iOS mobile devices, so it isn't limited to users who only have an iPhone. In the video below, we went hands on with Duo to see just how well it works and whether it's a serious FaceTime competitor.

When in a video call, you get many of the features you'd expect from a service like FaceTime, including mute, switching between the rear and front-facing camera, and ending the call. One new feature, however, is called Knock Knock, which is a sort of video caller-ID that lets the person receiving a call see what the caller is doing before answering. Think of it like a FaceTime video preview that's available before the FaceTime call is accepted.

Because Duo uses a phone number for authentication, the app is not available for the desktop, and you are only able to use one device associated with a certain phone number at a time. This may be a deal breaker for those who like to chat on multiple devices, but for those looking for easy video calling, it's worth a try.

We all likely know someone who doesn't use an iPhone, and Duo seems to be a good alternative for those looking for a FaceTime-like feature on Android. Duo is available from the App Store [Direct Link] and Google Play Store and can be downloaded for free.

Apple is hiring a Lyrics Curation Manager and Lyrics Curators, presumably to work on the new Apple Music feature in iOS 10 that provides song lyrics alongside each Apple Music song that is playing.

First noticed by MusicBusinessWorldwide, the job listings are for the Content Curation team, responsible for "maintaining the very best user experience possible around content."

We're looking for a manager to lead a team of lyrics curators with excellent writing skills, music knowledge, and attention to detail. Passion for technology and a will to question the current workflows with the mindset to improve tools and processes. General understanding, love, and ideally, experience in writing lyrics.

For the non-manager positions, Apple is seeking candidates with competency in Italian, Portuguese, Chinese, German, and Spanish, so at least some of the Lyrics team will focus on translating song lyrics into additional languages. Other job requirements include the ability to "accurately and quickly transcribe lyrics," "superlative writing skills" and a willingness to learn "new and complicated tools and processes."

In Apple Music in iOS 10, scrolling down on the "Now Playing" window brings up an option to show song lyrics on most Apple Music songs. Lyrics are still a work in progress and are not available for all songs, especially new releases.

It is not clear if Apple's lyric transcriptions are done in-house, but given the sheer number of songs on Apple Music, it seems likely Apple has partner services with lyrics provided by a company specializing in lyric transcription or directly from music labels.

The new Apple Music, which has seen a significant redesign in iOS 10, will launch to the public this fall.