Seagate today announced the world's first eight terabyte hard drive, designed to provide high capacity storage for private and cloud-based data centers. The single 3.5-inch hard disk drive surpasses the storage capacity of previously available hard drives, including 6 TB HDDs from both Western Digital and Seagate itself.
Unlike similar high-capacity offerings from Western Digital, Seagate does not use helium in either its 6 TB HDD or its new 8 TB offering. While Seagate has not released the details behind the 8 TB drive, it's likely the HDD uses Seagate's shingled magnetic recording technology, which, according to the company, adds more than 25 percent capacity growth by maximizing the number of tracks per inch on a single disk.
Seagate says that its new 8 TB HDD also uses fewer components to make it more power efficient, which ultimately lowers power costs for enterprise customers.
A cornerstone for growing capacities in multiple applications, the 8TB hard drive delivers bulk data storage solutions for online content storage providing customers with the highest capacity density needed to address an ever increasing amount of unstructured data in an industry-standard 3.5-inch HDD. Providing up to 8TB in a single drive slot, the drive delivers maximum rack density, within an existing footprint, for the most efficient data center floor space usage possible.
The 8TB hard disk drive increases system capacity using fewer components for increased system and staffing efficiencies while lowering power costs. With its low operating power consumption, the drive reliably conserves energy thereby reducing overall operating costs. Helping customers economically store data, it boasts the best Watts/GB for enterprise bulk data storage in the industry.
Seagate is currently shipping the drives to select numbers with wide scale availability coming next quarter. The company did not release pricing on the drives.
After a long delay, the August Smart Lock is finally shipping out to preorder customers beginning today. First introduced in May of 2013, the August Smart Lock is a Bluetooth-based iPhone-compatible locking system designed by Jason Johnson and notable designer Yves Béhar.
At August, our mission is to make beautiful products that allow your physical environment to seamlessly respond to you. Today, we are one step closer to achieving that goal. We are excited to announce that the August Smart Lock has begun shipping in limited quantities.
The August Smart Lock, which allows users to unlock their doors with their iPhones, is crafted from anodized aluminum and looks similar to a standard home lock. It comes with several different faceplates and deadbolt adapters to fit the majority of locks on the market, functioning on four AA batteries.
Like competing products from Lockitron and Kevo, the lock can be programmed remotely to let in visitors through an accompanying iPhone app. It's also designed to monitor when guests enter and it can be customized with specific timers.
Initial preorders of the August Smart Lock, which originally had an estimated shipping date of November or December 2013, were available for $199, but the retail price of the lock is now $249.99. The company plans to fulfill orders for the lock over the course of the next few months, with new orders displaying a prospective shipping date of "late October."
When iOS 8 is released to the public in the fall, iOS users will be able to take advantage of several new operating system features, including system wide third-party keyboards, which will bring fresh functionality to the default iOS keyboard.
Third-party keyboards are available on Android devices and have been long-desired on iOS, so several popular keyboard developers announced plans to bring their software to iOS shortly after third-party keyboard integration was announced at WWDC. After iOS 8 launches, we'll be seeing new keyboards from well-known developers like Fleksy, Swype, SwiftKey, and TouchPal.
iOS 8's third-party keyboard support will also allow new entrants into the customized keyboard arena, with developers bringing us apps that offer all kinds of different functions to improve the way we use our keyboards. One such developer, Kevin Wolkober, has created a quick text insertion keyboard that offers a unique function we haven't seen with previously previewed keyboards.
While keyboards like Swype and Fleksy focus on improving the typing experience through gestures and predictive text, Wolkober's QuickBoard is designed to give users a quicker way to enter the snippets of text that they type repeatedly into their iOS devices, including addresses, credit card information, email signatures, and more.
QuickBoard is actually split by function into three separate keyboard elements, including TextBoard, MeBoard, and LocationBoard. Each of these three keyboard functions lets users to tap to insert often-repeated text elements in any app to save time and effort.
TextBoard allows users to store snippets of text, accommodating any text from a one line signature to a lengthy paragraph. MeBoard stores all of a user's contact info, such as name, email, and home address, and is handy when filling out forms. LocationBoard will automatically determine a user's current location, allowing them to paste in a Google Maps URL or coordinates, or an approximate address, which is useful when a location needs to be shared outside of Messages.
Like any other customized keyboard, QuickBoard operates through an app that's installed on the iOS device and set up in iOS 8's Settings, as described in our hands-on TouchPal installation guide. The personal information and pre-written snippets of text available in the QuickBoard keyboard are created using the installed QuickBoard app.
Inserting text into the QuickBoard app
Chunks of text can be entered into TextBoard section of the app, for example, while the MeBoard pulls in information like name, address, and phone number. Though MeBoard is currently limited to information pulled from the Contacts app, custom information will be added before the app's official launch. Location data isn't inserted in the app itself, since it is pulled from the phone's current location whenever it's used.
The text elements saved in the QuickBoard app can be used in any other app, including Mail, Safari, Messages, Notes, iWork, and more. Inserting saved text into one of these apps is as simple as tapping on the globe icon on the keyboard to activate QuickBoard and then tapping on the relevant block of text.
Personal information, such as name and address, can be inserted by tapping on the person icon, and the arrow will determine a user's approximate location, allowing it to be quickly inserted into a text message, email, or other app. Location information is especially useful, as it cuts out several steps that would normally be necessary when sharing a location an email or other app.
QuickBoard demonstrated in the Notes app
QuickBoard includes access to a space bar, return key, and delete key for formatting purposes, but the rest of the typing is left to another keyboard app or iOS 8's default predictive text function. QuickBoard works seamlessly with any other keyboards installed, and switching between them is as simple as tapping on the globe icon.
Though simpler than most of the other keyboards we've seen before, QuickBoard hints at some of the innovative ways developers will take advantage of third-party keyboard integration in iOS 8. At the current time, QuickBoard is still in the beta testing phases, but Wolkober tells MacRumors that the app will be ready for download shortly after iOS 8 officially launches in the fall, with pricing yet to be determined.
PayPal is currently offering 25 percent off digital iTunes cards in the United Kingdom, allowing users to purchase iTunes codes for the App Store, Mac App Store, iBooks Store, and iTunes Store at a discount.
Under the terms of the deal, an £15 iTunes card drops to £11.25, while a £25 card drops to £18.75. Larger denomination iTunes cards of £50 and £100 are available for £37.50 and £75. Cards are only redeemable in the UK iTunes Store.
The offer lasts until Thursday, August 28 at 11:59 BST, but as with all PayPal iTunes discounts, there are a limited number of codes available and discounts will only be available while supplies last.
Just before news of Apple's upcoming 12.9-inch iPad Pro was reported by Bloomberg, Re/Code's Walt Mossberg shared a snippet of an interview with Apple CEO Tim Cook commenting on the recent state of the tablet market, which has been on the decline. According to Cook, the dip in iPad sales over the past two quarters is just a "speed bump" for Apple.
In a brief interview about tablets I had this week with Apple CEO Tim Cook, he said, "We couldn't be happier with how we've done with the first four years of the iPad," and added that, "I'd call what's going on recently a speed bump, and I've seen that in every category."
The sentiment echoes comments that Cook made during the company's third quarter earnings call, where Apple announced iPad sales of just 13.3 million, down from 14.6 million in the year-ago quarter. The drop followed a Q2 sales dip that saw sales of 16.35 million iPads, down from 19.5 in Q2 2013.
During the call, Cook highlighted overall sales of more than 225 million iPads over the course of the last four years and suggested the tablet market itself was still "in its infancy." The CEO said that "significant innovation can be brought to the iPad," and pointed towards plans to bring improvements to Apple's tablet lineup.
Part of those plans may include the introduction of a larger 12.9-inch iPad Pro, which will launch in early 2015, according to Bloomberg. Rumors have suggested the larger tablet will include an ultra high-definition display and that it will be marketed towards Apple's enterprise customers.
12.9-inch iPad mockup (left) with fourth-generation iPad (right) and iPad mini (bottom)
While Apple has seen a serious drop in iPad sales over the past two quarters, the company continues to be the world's leading tablet vendor, holding 26.9 percent of the total tablet market. The company's iPad Air and iPad mini have hit 98% and 100% customer satisfaction rankings, respectively, and the iPad holds an 85 percent share of the U.S education market.
Apple is not the only company experiencing a drop in tablet sales, as noted by Mossberg. Microsoft and Samsung have also seen slumping sales, possibly due to the fact that people see less of a need to upgrade their tablets on a regular basis, as suggested by Samsung, or the tablet's position as a want rather than a need.
In addition to kickstarting iPad sales with the introduction of a larger iPad, Apple may see a jump in iPad sales during the last few months of the year, as the company is said to be introducing both a new iPad Air and a new Retina iPad mini with improved processors and a Touch ID fingerprint sensor. Touch ID proved to be a major draw for the iPhone, and its inclusion in the iPad may entice both new buyers and upgraders.
Apple is planning to launch its much-rumored 12.9-inch iPad in early 2015, reports Bloomberg. Hints of the tablet, which has been dubbed the "iPad Pro" in rumors, first appeared in mid-2013, with a prospective 2014 launch date. Recent rumors, however, suggested plans for the tablet had been put on hold.
Mockup of a 12.9-inch iPad next to a 13-inch MacBook Air
The new iPad will have a screen measuring 12.9 inches diagonally, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the details aren't public. Apple currently produces iPads with 9.7-inch and 7.9-inch displays. The Cupertino, California-based company has been working with suppliers for at least a year to develop a new range of larger touch-screen devices, said the people.
According to rumors, the larger 12.9-inch iPad will include a high pixel density with a display that nears ultra high-definition quality. It will likely adopt many of the design elements offered in the current iPad Air and iPad mini, like an ultrathin chassis and narrow side bezels.
Bloomberg suggests that the larger tablet is an effort to "shake up the iPad line" as sales of the iPad have been on the decline for the past two quarters. The larger tablets may appeal heavily to businesses, a market that Apple is also aiming for with its recent IBM partnership.
Along with a larger "iPad Pro" Apple is also working on a second-generation iPad Air and Retina iPad mini, both of which are expected to include upgraded processors and support for the Touch ID fingerprint sensor.
In an attempt to garner new users from parent company Apple, Beats Music has launched a contest to coincide with the upcoming London iTunes Festival. Beats Music's #GoWithMe contest is offering 25 Beats Music users in the United States a chance to win two tickets to see one of several musical acts during the festival, with the prize package including airfare to London and hotel accommodation.
Tickets to the London iTunes Festival traditionally are available for free, but are distributed through iTunes via a lottery system due to extremely high demand. Beats Music will announce the winners of the contest on August 28.
Announced last month, Apple's London iTunes Festival will begin on September 1 and run for 30 nights, with a different musical act performing each night. Announced performers include deadmau5, Pharrell Williams, Maroon 5, Lenny Kravitz, Mary J. Blige, and more. While most performances have been revealed over the last couple of weeks, two performers remain unknown.
Apple has been heavily promoting Beats Music in recent weeks, adding Beats Music to the list of "Apps Made by Apple," encouraging new iOS users to download the app, and sending out emails about Beats Music. The promotions have been somewhat successful, temporarily skyrocketing the Beats Music app to the top 10 free apps chart in the App Store. Beats Music wasn't able to retain its position on the charts, however, and has dropped back down to number 30.
Instagram today launched a new standalone video app called Hyperlapse, which is designed to allow users to capture high-quality time lapse videos enhanced with built-in stabilization features. According to the app's description, the image stabilization allows users to create "polished" time lapse videos that would normally only be possible with the use of a tripod.
In an interview with Wired, Instagram reveals that its image stabilization feature uses the iPhone's gyroscope to measure the camera's movement, which allows video to be stabilized with a simple algorithm.
Hyperlapse mimics the time lapse feature introduced with iOS 8, but it includes customization features not found in Apple's own time lapse capabilities. Along with image stabilization, the app also lets users choose a playback speed, from 1X to 12X, and it can capture short bursts of video or shoot all day long.
When you shoot a time lapse video with Hyperlapse, your footage will be instantly stabilized to smooth out the bumps from the road and give it a cinematic feeling. Capture an entire sunrise in 10 seconds--even from the back of a moving motorcycle. Walk through the crowds at an all-day music festival, then distill it into a 30 second spot. Capture your bumpy trail run and share your 5k in 5 seconds.
Though created by Instagram, which is owned by Facebook, Hyperlapse does not require an account to log in and it features a simple interface with one-tap video capturing capabilities. It also includes sharing tools to let users share time lapse videos to both Instagram and Facebook, but videos can also be saved to the camera roll.
Hyperlapse can be downloaded from the App Store for free. [Direct Link]
Verizon today announced that it is preparing to launch its voice over LTE (VoLTE) service sometime in September, reports CNET. The new service will be available nationwide on supported phones that are connected to the carrier's LTE network.
VoLTE will provide high-definition quality voice and video calls that will significantly improve the overall calling experience. Not only will customers notice an enhancement in voice call quality, they also will be able to initiate a FaceTime-like video call right from the dialer app.
Once you experience the HD quality voice, you don't want to go back," Greg Dial, executive director of mobile services for Verizon, said in a pre-briefing and demonstration of the new service with reporters. "The tight integration of the video calling feature is also significant. You can launch it right from the dialer. There's no opening a separate app."
These new HD VoLTE calls will be considered voice calls and will count against a customer's available minutes. Video calls will be counted as data and will subtract from the customer's data allotment. There will be no extra charges for using this service, and it will be optional for customers.
Verizon has not specified which phones will be updated to support its new calling service, but the iPhone may be included on this list. The current generation iPhone chipset supports this feature, and it can be enabled with a software update. Rumors have suggested that Apple has plans to support VoLTE with the launch of iOS 8 and the iPhone 6. Along with Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile have announced plans to add VoLTE to their networks in the near future.
iOS 8 will also bring a WiFi calling feature, allowing customers to place higher-quality voice calls over WiFi instead of using a cellular network. T-Mobile is the first carrier to confirm that it will support Apple's WiFi calling feature when it launches this fall along with iOS 8.
Los Angeles school district superintendent John Deasy halted the district's iPad contract with Apple in mid-rollout, reports the LA Times. The $1-billion multi-year contract would supply LAUSD students with iPads that were pre-loaded with curriculum from Pearson.
The contract was administered in phases with an initial $30-million investment to equip a pilot group of students with iPads. Additional payments totaling almost $1 billion would expand the project to additional students and build out the wireless infrastructure to support tablet usage at the district's schools. Each phase was subject to approval with the option of canceling the project if it no longer met the district's needs.
Deasy's suspension follows criticism of the project rollout and its bidding process, which some claim was modified to favor Apple and Pearson. While issues with securing the iPads surfaced shortly after rollout, the contractual complaints were detailed in a district technology committee draft report that was obtained recently by the LA Times.
Among the findings was that the initial rules for winning the contract appeared to be tailored to the products of the eventual winners — Apple and Pearson — rather than to demonstrated district needs. The report found that key changes to the bidding rules were made after most of the competition had been eliminated under the original specifications.
In addition, the report said that past comments or associations with vendors, including Deasy, created an appearance of conflict even if no ethics rules were violated.
While Deasy responds to these criticisms, the technology program at LAUSD is moving forward with other devices and alternative curriculum being adopted by schools in the district. The district is expected to purchase up to 18,000 laptops with Apple and Pearson invited to bid on this new contract.
In addition to the return of the iTunes Festival channel for Apple TV today ahead of September's concert series in London, Apple has also added a new Showtime Anytime channel to its set-top box.
The Apple TV channel is a companion to the Showtime premium cable network and offers limited free content to all users. Most content, which includes live and on-demand shows and events, is limited to customers who subscribe to the network through a participating cable provider.
Update 8:52 AM: As noted by Mac1 [Google Translate], Norwegian public television network NRK has also launched on Apple TV in that country.
Update 9:50 AM: Swedish public broadcaster SVT has also announced [Google Translate] the launch of its SVT Play channel for Apple TV.
Apple today launched its iTunes Festival channel on the Apple TV ahead of the festival's start on September 1. Similar to previous years, the iTunes Festival channel contains information relevant to the upcoming London version of the popular music festival.
Ahead of the event, the channel allows you to browse information on the history of the festival, details on the Roadhouse, and the performance schedule for next month. When the festival begins, Apple TV owners can watch HD streams of both live and archived performances.
Apple recently filled its performance calendar adding well-known musicians such as Mary J. Blige and Tony Bennett to the festival lineup. These performers will join previously announced acts such as Maroon 5, Pharrell Williams and Lenny Kravitz. Tickets for the concert are available for free via a lottery system and through local radio station promotions.
Apple's iTunes Festival iOS app is also showing as having an update available to support the upcoming concert series, but many users are reporting errors when trying to update their apps.
As first reported by The Loop, Apple has announced that it will again be expanding the lineup for this year's iTunes Festival in London to include 19 more acts such as Tony Bennett, Mary J. Blige, Ed Sheeran, and more. The festival's schedule has also been updated to show when artists will perform, as deadmau5 will kick off the show on September 1, which will be followed by Beck and Jenny Lewis the next day. Apple has not yet revealed the lineup for the final day.
Apple announced earlier this month that it would be expanding its original lineup to include acts such as Lenny Kravitz and Foxes. The festival's date was announced last month as Apple revealed that Maroon 5, Pharrell Williams, and Calvin Harris would be among the acts performing.
Tickets for the iTunes Festival will be given out through iTunes in a lottery system, and will also be broadcast via the Apple TV, an official iOS app, and through the iTunes desktop application on OS X and Windows.
Earlier this year, Apple held the first annual U.S. iTunes Festival at South by Southwest (SXSW), which featured artists such as Coldplay, Imagine Dragons, Keith Urban, and more. The 2013 iTunes Festival in London was held last September and saw shows from Jack Johnson, Justin Timberlake, and Jessie J, who will also be again be performing at this year's iTunes Festival.
A California bill requiring all smartphones sold in the state to have antitheft technology installed was today signed into law by California governor Jerry Brown. Introduced in February, the SB-962 Smartphones bill, which mandates a "kill switch" for cellular devices, was initially approved by the California State Assembly in early August and passed a final vote in the California Senate shortly after.
The law requires smartphones to include software or hardware that will render the device inoperable to an unauthorized user in the event that the phone is misplaced or stolen. The anti-theft technology, which has to be able to withstand a hard reset or operating system downgrade, must prevent reactivation of the smartphone on a wireless network except by the authorized user. The anti-theft tools must be installed during the phone's initial setup process, and it must be reversible so an authorized user can unlock the device if it is returned to their possession.
California's new law is designed to curb smartphone thefts, which have long been a problem plaguing major metropolitan areas like San Francisco and New York City. Co-sponsored by San Francisco district attorney George Gascón and state Senator Mark Leno, the law will go into effect in July of 2015.
"California has just put smartphone thieves on notice," said Senator Leno, D-San Francisco. "Starting next year, all smartphones sold in California, and most likely every other state in the union, will come equipped with theft deterrent technology when they purchase new phones. Our efforts will effectively wipe out the incentive to steal smartphones and curb this crime of convenience, which is fueling street crime and violence within our communities."
"This epidemic has impacted millions across the nation and millions more around the globe, but today we turn the page," said District Attorney George Gascón. "Seldom can a public safety crisis be addressed by a technological solution, but today wireless consumers everywhere can breathe a sigh of relief. Soon, stealing a smartphone won't be worth the trouble, and these violent street crimes will be a thing of the past. The devices we use every day will no longer make us targets for violent criminals."
While the bill will likely affect smartphone manufacturers like Samsung and Microsoft, Apple already ships its iPhones with Activation Lock, a feature first introduced with iOS 7 that likely fulfills the terms of the law. Activation Lock locks the device to a user's iCloud account and is turned on when Find My iPhone is enabled. A stolen iPhone is essentially bricked with Activation Lock, as thieves cannot sign out of Find My iPhone, deactivate iCloud, or wipe the device without the original user's Apple ID.
A similar federal law might be passed, if The Smartphone Theft Prevention Act is approved. This act would mandate the inclusion of a "kill switch" in all smartphones sold across the country, which would be used to make a lost or stolen device inoperable and allow consumers to remotely wipe all of their personal data.
Currently, only Minnesota and California have legislation mandating anti-theft technology for smartphones, but back in April, major smartphone manufacturers like Apple, Google, Samsung, Nokia, and all major carriers agreed to add anti-theft tools to all smartphones manufactured after July 2015.
While we've seen dozens of images depicting iPhone 6 elements that are likely to be real versions of parts that will make their way into the finished device, we've also been seeing quite a few iPhone 6 mockups, iPhone 6 clones, and other fake iPhone 6 parts as we creep closer to the device's launch date.
French site Nowhereelse.fr [Google Translate] has today shared what it believes may be a genuine iPhone 6 box insert (or quick start guide) that "confirms" the launch date of the iPhone 6 as Tuesday, September 9, but MacRumors believes the insert to be fake based on several different design elements.
(Click for Full Size)
Nowhereelse.Fr compares the September 9 date listed on the fake insert to the "10" date on the calendar icon of the original iPhone 5s card as proof the iPhone 6 insert is real, but the site erroneously assumes that the date on the iPhone 5s insert referred to the Tuesday, September 10 unveiling of the iPhone 5s.
The "10" date actually corresponds to the date when iOS 7 debuted, Monday, June 10. Therefore, the iPhone 5s card did not depict the phone's debut date, which means an actual Apple quick start card for the iPhone 6 would be unlikely to display "September 9" over the iOS default date.
Additionally, the design of the card also lacks slashes between the Ring/Silent switch and Home Button/Touch ID sensor, and the font of the time is not quite in line with Apple's style. Nowhereelse.Fr claims that Apple has opted for a more simple insert design that does not show the actual device to explain its difference from the iPhone 5s insert, but it is unclear whether that is factual. Even when poised as a possible rough draft for a finished quick start guide, the glaring errors on the card continue suggest that it is indeed a fake and not representative of the actual insert card that will be included with the finished iPhone 6.
Apple is expected to introduce its iPhone 6 on Tuesday, September 9 at a media event. The device is rumored to come in two variations, 4.7 inches and 5.5-inches, but it is unclear if both models will ship at the same time as production issues are said to be plaguing the larger iPhone 6.
Google today launched a new Google Slides app for the iPhone to complement both Google Docs and Google Sheets, putting it in a position to better compete with business-oriented iOS software suites from both Apple and Microsoft. With Slides, Google now offers apps for creating word-based documents, spreadsheets, and presentations directly on the iPhone.
Slides is designed to allow users to create, edit, and collaborate with other users on presentations from the iPhone, iPad, or desktop. The app allows users to create new presentations or edit existing presentations, and it's possible to share presentations with others as well as work on a single presentation with multiple people at the same time. Like other Google apps, Slides saves automatically and works offline.
Along with launching Slides, Google has also updated both Docs and Sheets with support for Microsoft Word and Microsoft Excel, respectively, allowing users to open and edit Microsoft documents with Google apps. Slides is also able to open Microsoft PowerPoint files.
Here's the lowdown on what you can now do with Docs, Sheets, and Slides:
You can truly get stuff done from any device--your iPhone, iPad, Android phone, Android tablet, laptop or desktop computer. Any change you make on any of these devices is saved automatically, so you can pick up right where you left off any time, anywhere that you can sign in.
The Docs, Sheets and Slides apps come with offline editing built right in. Just make the files you want to edit available offline. Any changes you make offline get automatically synced when you reconnect, just like when you make offline edits from your computer.
And while converting Office files to Docs, Sheets and Slides is a cinch, the new iPhone/iPad apps also let you edit Office files directly -- just like on the Android apps and the web.
All three of Google's productivity apps can be downloaded from the App Store at no cost.
Earlier today, Weibo user GeekBar continued his leaks of claimed wiring schematics of iPhone 6 components with a new "Phosphorus" component that was interpreted as the next-generation version of Apple's M7 co-processor. The M7 collects and tracks motion data from various sensors in the iPhone 5s, iPad Air, and Retina iPad mini, and with the iPhone 6 rumored to be including a number of new health- and fitness-related sensors, a more powerful version of the M7 seems possible for the new device.
But according to MacRumors forum poster leecbaker, who is clearly familiar with these types of components, the item depicted in the schematic is not a next-generation M7 and actually appears to be a barometric pressure sensor. The iPhone 6 has been rumored to include a number of new environmental sensors such as an atmospheric pressure sensor.
The chip pictured has the part number BMP282. I'm 99.99% sure this is a Bosch barometric pressure sensor, similar to this part BMP280. Variants of one part often have slightly different part numbers- if Apple got Bosch to customize the chip for them with different packaging, or a slightly different measurement range, that would explain the difference in part number.
Bosch's BMP280 barometric pressure sensor
leecbaker goes on to highlight a number of applications for that Bosch pressure sensor, including GPS and indoor/outdoor navigation enhancement, weather forecasting, altimetry, and spirometry, the lung function measurements that were added to Apple's Health app in a recent iOS 8 beta.
Another MacRumors poster, kdarling, corroboratesleecbaker's conclusions, noting that the pins on the Bosch sensor match those outlined in the schematic. He also notes that the BMP series is limited to pressure sensing and does not include the humidity and temperature sensing capabilities found in Bosch's BME series of sensors.
Assuming this new information is correct, and it certainly appears to make sense, this marks the second time a component leaked by GeekBar has been incorrectly identified. The poster had previously claimed a schematic showed the iPhone 6 carrying the same 1 GB RAM found in previous A-series chips, but that was quickly revealed to be a reference to an aspect of flash storage rather than RAM.
According to Taiwan's Economic Daily News [Google Translate, via Digitimes], Apple's reported current A-series chip partner Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) is ahead of schedule with its next-generation 16nm process for chip production. The Chinese-language report claims TSMC will begin 16nm volume production in Q1 2015, a full quarter earlier than its originally projected Q2 2015 start. This advancement may pave the way for TSMC to supply Apple with the future A9 processor that would be used in the late 2015 iPhone.
TSMC is reportedly installing this 16mm capability in its manufacturing plants with the potential for a monthly output of 50,000 wafers. This capability positions TSMC favorably against Samsung as the two companies vie to supply Apple with processors for both its current and future iPhone and iPad models.
Reports from last year suggested Samsung, GlobalFoundries and TSMC would share production of Apple's A9 processor in 2015. Samsung is expected to handle the lion's share of the production, providing up to 40% of Apple's processor supply, although TSMC may be looking to alter that balance with its accelerated work. GlobalFoundries, TSMC and possibly even Intel may be used to complement Samsung's production to provide the remaining chip inventory necessary to meet Apple's demand.
As first reported by 
