Since the release of the iPhone 5s last September, most observers have expected that the Touch ID fingerprint feature will be making its way into the iPad lineup as Apple is able ramp up production on the sensors, so it is no surprise that KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo earlier this month predicted that both the iPad Air and Retina iPad mini will be gaining the feature later this year.
Actual evidence of iPad Touch ID support has now been discovered by French iOS developer Pierre Blazquez, as noted by iDownloadBlog. The evidence comes in the form of a BiometricKit bundle in iOS that serves as the framework for the Touch ID functionality, with the bundle being listed as compatible with both iPhone/iPod and iPad families.
Apple classifies its iOS devices into three families, with iPhone/iPod receiving a "1" designation, iPad receiving a "2" designation, and Apple TV classified as "3". BiometricKit is currently showing compatibility with both 1 and 2 families, although it is not exactly clear when iPad was added to the list.
Apple is likely to stick to its typical yearly upgrade cycle for this iPad generation, meaning that new iPads should appear in the latter part of this year. Kuo predicts that the new iPads will appear in late Q3 around the same time as new iPhones and perhaps Apple's much-rumored iWatch.
Update 9:07 AM: As noted by Benjamin Mayo, the reference has been around for "several iOS updates", but it still indicates that iPad support is likely in the works.
Apple tablet sales may have been lower this past quarter than analysts expected, but usage of the tablet remains strong. According to a recent Chitika Insights report, the iPad accounted for more than three quarters of all U.S. and Canadian tablet-based Web traffic in April. Chitika derived this traffic data by sampling tens of millions U.S. and Canadian tablet online impressions across its ad network during the first week of April 2014.
The iPad is the dominant tablet in North America with a mobile web traffic share of 77 percent as compared to 8.3 percent from number two Samsung. Amazon's Kindle Fire devices generated 6.3 percent of web traffic, while Google's Nexus tablets accounedt for 2.2 percent. The remaining tablets from Microsoft, Asus, Acer and others contributed 4.5 percent combined.
Though the iPad is the market leader with significantly more web traffic than all the other manufacturers combined, the tablet's traffic share fell slightly year over year from the 81.3 percent measured in April 2013. Samsung showed the biggest yearly gains, growing from 4.7 percent in April 2013 to 8.3 percent in April 2014. Amazon, similar to Apple, also lost 1.3 percentage points year over year.
The proverbial elephant in the room is iPad usage share, which still stands at over 77% of all U.S. and Canadian tablet-based Web traffic (Section 4). This is down a few percentage points year-over-year, but the current share is very notable in the context of the North American tablet market, which analyst estimates pointed to growing significantly throughout 2013 from a penetration standpoint. While it is uncertain if Apple can reverse the tide and grow its domestic tablet usage share in the coming months, it is clear that iPad users remain the most active aggregate tablet user base by a wide margin, with that likely to remain the case for the foreseeable future.
During Apple's Q2 2014 earnings conference call earlier this week, CEO Tim Cook commented on the slight drop in iPad sales this past quarter, citing high channel inventory levels that artificially inflated the company's March 2013 sales. Channel inventory in 2014 was significantly reduced, with a balance between iPad supply and demand achieved early in the launch cycle of the iPad Air and Retina iPad mini.
Apple is expected to introduce updated versions of the iPad Air and Retina iPad mini later this year. The company also may be developing a 12.9-inch iPad Pro that could possibly debut sometime next year.
Following a report from Mac Otakara yesterday claiming the iPhone 6 will feature a curved glass display and an all-aluminum rear shell, French website Nowhereelse.fr [Google Translate] and designer Martin Hajek have partnered up to showcase renders visualizing such a device based off of the recent information.
The renderings show an iPhone 6 that emphasizes rounded corners, complete with display glass that slightly wraps around the front of the device. Similar to other previous renders, the phone is shown with a power button on its upper right side, with rectangular volume controls on its left. The bottom of the device is also shown housing a headphone jack, Lightning port, and speaker.
To this point, multiple reports have indicated that the iPhone 6 will feature slightly rounded edges, which would be a departure from the straight edges seen on the iPhone 4 and 5s. However, only Bloomberg noted that the device will carry a curved glass display, with a report last December stating that Apple would be releasing two iPhones will large curved screens in the second half of 2014.
iPhone 5s (left) and iPhone 6 with curved glass display (right)
Apple is expected to launch the iPhone 6 later this year in two different sizes of 4.7 inches and 5.5 inches. According to recent reports, the 4.7-inch version will be the first to ship, while the larger 5.5-inch version will ship later as Apple attempts to solve issues with the phone's battery life and display.
Aside from a larger display, both models of the iPhone 6 are expected to feature a thinner profile, faster A8 processor, an improved camera with optical image stabilization, and Touch ID fingerprint sensor. According to Jefferies analyst Peter Misek, Apple is also negotiating with carriers for a $100 price increase on the iPhone 6.
California legislators narrowly rejected a bill that would require smartphone manufacturers like Apple to preload and automatically enable antitheft "kill switch" in their phones, according to CNET. The law was backed by California State Senator Mark Leno and San Francisco District Attorney George Gascon.
Failing to reach a minimum of 21 votes in favor, the final tally was 19 yes's to 17 no's, with one senator not voting. Leno told CNET that he plans to take the bill up again next week. "The game is not yet over," he said.
Gascon accused opposition of the bill of protecting the interest of the "billion dollar industry profits" of the wireless industry and their insurance partners. Though some critics of the plan note that wiping software and locking phones would be ineffectual as thieves are likely to sell the device's hardware components.
The law was unlikely to affect Apple much, as the company introduced its own antitheft technology with iOS 7's Activation Lock feature, which locks a device to a user's iCloud account and is automatically turned on when Find My iPhone is enabled. However, Apple would likely have to make Find My iPhone mandatory to meet the requirements of Leno's bill.
Activation Lock won cautious optimism from both Gascon and New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman when it was announced at 2013's WWDC.
The Smartphone Theft Prevention Act, a federal bill that would also mandate the inclusion of a "kill switch" in smartphones, has been introduced at the national level.
Apple’s Mac Pro is now shipping within three to five weeks in the United States, a slight improvement from its previous shipping estimate of four to five weeks.
Both stock and custom configurations list the same shipping estimates, indicating that Apple is slowly making its way towards achieving supply/demand balance on the professional desktop computers.
In early April, shipping estimates were as high as five to six weeks and back in early 2014, shipping estimates were as high as eight weeks, with Apple giving estimates of "March" or "April" for computers ordered in January or February.
Apple’s Mac Pro has been in short supply since its December launch, selling out of stock configurations in a matter of hours. While some early buyers received their machines as early as December 24, buyers who ordered custom configurations had to wait much longer to receive their machines, as did purchasers who ordered after December 19.
"Demand for the all new Mac Pro is great," said an Apple spokesperson in December. "It will take time before supply catches up with demand."
Apple, Google, Intel, and Adobe have settled the lawsuit levied against them for their anti-poaching agreements, reports Reuters. The settlement was revealed in a court filing, but the terms of the deal have not yet been disclosed.
The no-hire agreements between the companies first came to light in 2011, after tech workers filed a class action lawsuit alleging the companies had conspired not to poach employees from one another in an effort to keep salaries lower.
No-solicitation agreements dated back to 2005 and in addition to Apple, Google, Intel, and Adobe, involved Intuit, Lucasfilm, and Pixar, among others. The agreements prevented company recruiters from contacting employees on specific no contact lists.
The United States Department of Justice got involved in the lawsuit back in 2010 and the companies were required to cease entering into anti-poaching agreements. A class-action civil suit covering 64,000 employees was allowed to proceed, and that is the lawsuit that was settled today for an unspecified amount of money. The terms of the settlement will be presented to District Judge Lucy Koh on May 27.
Pixar, Lucasfilm, and Intuit previously settled their cases for approximately $20 million.
Update 4PM PT: According to Reuters, the four companies have agreed to pay a total of $324 million in order to settle the lawsuit. While spokespeople for Apple, Google, and Intel declined to comment, an Adobe representative said the company settled "in order to avoid the uncertanties, cost, and distraction of litigation."
The class-action suit was asking for $3 billion in damages, which could have tripled to $9 billion under antitrust law.
Countless details on the development of the original iPhone have been shared by various Apple employees in several different publications, but a new story on the creation of the phone's first web browser has surfaced courtesy of Francisco Tolmasky, an early iPhone engineer who interviewed with The New York Times.
Tolmasky joined Apple when he was just 20 years old, working under Steve Jobs to create a mobile web browser for the original iPhone. Jobs regularly gave him feedback on his project, often sending Tolmasky back to the drawing board because his creation wasn't "magical" enough.
"Steve was really adamant, where he said, 'This needs to be like magic. Go back, this isn't magical enough!'" Mr. Tolmasky said about his experience developing the mobile Safari app. "I remember being very frustrated. This was, like, an impossible task."
Countless hours of work resulted in Safari for iPhone, which used WebKit to load web pages on a small screen and allowed users to interact with sites via pinches, swipes, and taps.
As with other accounts of the iPhone's creation, Tolmasky details the intense security behind the project, explaining how the software team was split into sections focusing on web and apps. "Each one of these things is basically one person," explained Tolmasky, speaking of the original iPhone apps.
In one anecdote, Tolmasky divulges the origin of the iPhone's keyboard, which reportedly came about during a week-long hackathon where Jobs instructed the software team to work only on keyboard prototypes. The engineer who won the hackathon was assigned to the keyboard permanently.
According to Tolmasky, Apple's original iPhone Maps app was a last minute addition to the device, as Jobs decided the app should be added just a few weeks before the smartphone was first introduced at the Macworld Expo in January of 2007. It only took his teammate, Chris Blumenberg, a week to have a workable prototype.
"Within a week he had something that was working, and in two weeks he had something to show at Macworld that we were showing," Mr. Tolmasky said. "That was the kind of effect Steve could have on you: This is important, this needs to happen, and you do it."
Tolmasky left Apple shortly after the original iPhone was released as the company no longer felt like a startup, and now he works as a mobile game designer. His most recent creation, Bonsai Slice [Direct Link], was released today. Tolmasky's full interview and additional details on his game can be found in the original NYT piece.
Apple today released a new support document, detailing the issue behind the recent problems some iOS 6 users have been experiencing with FaceTime. According to Apple, a bug resulting from an expired device certificate has rendered FaceTime unusable on older versions of iOS and the only solution to the problem is to update to the latest version of the operating system.
Devices capable of running iOS 7 must be upgraded to iOS 7.0.4 or later, while devices unable to run iOS 7, such as the fourth-generation iPod touch, must upgrade to iOS 6.1.6.
If you started to have issues making or receiving FaceTime calls after April 16, 2014, your device or your friend's device may have encountered a bug resulting from a device certificate that expired on that date. Updating both devices to the latest software will resolve this issue.
If you're using iOS 7.0.4 or later or iOS 6.1.6, this issue doesn't affect you.
If you're using these versions of OS X or FaceTime for Mac, this issue doesn't affect you:
- OS X Mavericks v10.9.2 or later - OS X Mountain Lion v10.8 with the latest security updates - OS X Lion v10.7 with the latest security updates - FaceTime for Mac version 1.0.5 or later for Mac OS X v10.6
While FaceTime does work with iOS 6.1.6, that particular update is not available to recent devices that are able to run iOS 7, which means iOS 6 users with newer devices who wish to access FaceTime must upgrade to iOS 7.
There's a sizable contingent of iOS users who opted to stick with iOS 6 over iOS 7 due to the drastic visual changes introduced with the operating system update, so Apple's upgrade suggestion is likely to be unpopular with those users.
Apple's FaceTime issues first began on April 16, with many iOS 6 users reporting an inability to use the service. At that time, it was unclear whether Apple would implement a fix, but customer service representatives have been presenting iOS 7 updates as a solution since the problem was first uncovered, and it appears that Apple does not plan to offer another solution. The company did, however, release a FaceTime update for OS X users to fix the issue earlier this week.
Following recent trademark investigations related to the iWatch, French site Consomac has discovered [Google Translate] that Apple may also be using a pair of shell companies to protect various California-related names in anticipation of future OS X releases. Apple's Craig Federighi announced at last year's Worldwide Developers Conference that the company would be shifting gears on OS X naming, moving from big cats to "places that inspire us in California". The current OS X Mavericks was the first to adopt the new naming pattern, taking its name from a popular surfing spot known for its massive waves.
Consomac notes that a pair of companies going by the names of Yosemite Research LLC and Coast Research LLC applied for trademarks on several California-related terms in the category of computer software on the same day back in early December. The terms for which the companies are seeking trademark protection include Yosemite, Redwood, and Mammoth (via Yosemite Research), and California, Big Sur, and Pacific (via Coast Research).
As with several other Apple shell companies created for quietly protecting trademarks, such as CarPlay Enterprises and perhaps Brightflash USA, both Yosemite Research and Coast Research are registered in the state of Delaware and use the Corporation Trust Center as their addresses. Both companies were registered with the state on November 22, 2013. Those details by themselves do not clinch the companies' association with Apple, as the Corporation Trust Center is used by many companies large and small to facilitate corporate registrations, but it is consistent with Apple's past behavior.
Another intriguing connection noticed by Consomac is that the attorney listed on the Coast Research applications is Stephen Brown, and an attorney by the same name is listed on an "iGuide" application dating back to late 2007 from iGuide Media LLC, a company MacRumorslinked to Apple a number of years ago. Another attorney on that iGuide application is James Johnston, who was involved with Apple's efforts to protect the "iPhone" name using another shell company by the name of Ocean Telecom Services LLC.
The U.S. trademark applications by Yosemite Research and Coast Research from early December also all cite filings in Trinidad and Tobago for priority purposes, similar to Apple's CarPlay strategy. Those California-themed filings in Trinidad and Tobago were made on June 7, 2013, the Friday before Apple's WWDC 2013 keynote where it announced the change in naming scheme for OS X.
Taken together, all of these pieces of information make a strong case for Apple being the company behind the recent California-themed trademark applications. If this is indeed in the case, past history shows that Apple may or may not elect to use all of these names for future versions of OS X. For example, the company long ago filed for protection on various big cat names to reserve them for OS X releases, but never used some of them such as Lynx and Cougar.
The next version of OS X, 10.10, has been showing up in server logs for some time and according to 9to5Mac is expected to feature a "flatter" look compared to OS X Mavericks. Apple made similar changes with iOS 7, but the OS X changes are said to not be as drastic as those seen on iOS. OS X 10.10 is likely to be previewed at this year's WWDC, which will kick off with a keynote on June 2.
Update 10:15 AM: MacRumors has discovered many more trademark applications from other apparent shell companies that carry the same Corporation Trust Center address and June 7, 2013 priority dates from applications in Trinidad and Tobago. As with the other registrations, the U.S. applications were filed on December 5 or 6.
- Diablo, Miramar, Rincon, and El Cap (Landmark Associates LLC) - Redtail, Condor, and Grizzly (Cassowary Devices LLC) - Farallon, Tiburon, and Monterey (Asilomar Enterprises LLC) - Skyline, Shasta, and Sierra (Antalos Apps LLC)
Charity auction site CharityBuzz is hosting a second listing to meet with Apple CEO Tim Cook at Apple's headquarters in Cupertino, California, this time offering a lunch meeting.
The auction is the second Cook has volunteered his time for, with last year's coffee auction raising $610,000 for the RFK Center for Justice & Human Rights. The 2014 auction benefits the same cause, which aims to achieve a "just and peaceful world by partnering with human rights leaders, teaching social justice and advancing corporate responsibility."
Two people can meet with Cook for lunch, for approximately one hour. The cost of the meal is included, and the auction winner must agree to travel to Cupertino for the meeting, which will be scheduled on a "mutually agreed upon date."
The current high bid on the auction, which has an estimated value of $100,000, is at $10,000 with 19 days left to go. The auction will end on Tuesday, May 13. Due to shill bids last year, all bidders are required to submit credit card authorization to bid.
Facebook today announced that it is acquiring mobile fitness app developer ProtoGeo Oy, reports the Wall Street Journal. The Helsinki-based company was founded in January 2012 and launched its first and only app, Moves [iTunes] one year later. The fitness tracking app debuted first for the iPhone and was made available for Android in August of 2013. It is popular, accruing 4 million downloads across both mobile platforms.
In a post on its website, ProtoGeo confirms Moves will continue to operate as a standalone app and adds that the company has no plans to share its fitness data with Facebook's social network.
Today, we're delighted to announce that Facebook has acquired our company and the Moves app. Since we launched Moves, we’ve been focused on running a simple and clean activity diary that millions of people have enjoyed using.
Now, we’re joining Facebook’s talented team to work on building and improving their products and services with a shared mission of supporting simple, efficient tools for more than a billion people.
For those of you that use the Moves app – the Moves experience will continue to operate as a standalone app, and there are no plans to change that or commingle data with Facebook.
Moves stand out from competing fitness apps by automating the tedious process of data entry, which can be a hindrance to the effective use of a fitness tracking app. Move imports data from a variety of third-party apps and automatically detects activities such as entering the gym, going out to lunch or riding on public transit. On the iPhone, Moves supports Apple's M7 motion co-processor, which is available in the iPhone 5s.
This acquisition by Facebook is one of several high-profile app purchases by the social network as the company continues its expansion into the mobile app market. Moves will join Instagram, WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger and Paper, all of which operate as stand-alone apps under the Facebook umbrella.
The amount Facebook paid to acquire ProtoGeo was not revealed, but a Facebook spokesperson told the Wall Street Journal that the amount is "nowhere near the size of other acquisitions the company has made in recent months." Facebook announced earlier this year it was acquiring mobile messenger WhatsApp for $19 billion and Oculus Rift for $2 billion.
Following last month's formal introduction of Apple's CarPlay system for integrating iPhones with in-dash vehicle systems, there were some questions about whether the feature would be able to make its way to aftermarket products or if it would be limited to auto manufacturers putting it into brand-new vehicles. That question was answered earlier this month, with both Alpine and Pioneer announcing their plans to launch CarPlay-compatible systems.
Pioneer appears to be in the best position to move quickly with CarPlay, as its latest NEX systems already include CarPlay-compatible hardware, which will be enabled with a firmware update expected in early summer. In contrast, Alpine will not be launching its CarPlay support until the fall as part of new product debuts.
MacRumors recently spoke with Ted Cardenas, marketing vice president in Pioneer's car electronics division, and he shared a bit of perspective about CarPlay and its development. Far from being taken by surprise by Apple's CarPlay announcement last month, Cardenas notes that Apple signaled to Pioneer that there would be coming changes to in-car connectivity even prior to last year's Worldwide Developers Conference, where Apple first showed what was then known as iOS in the Car as part of its iOS 7 preview.
According to Cardenas, development picked up in earnest in July of last year, with Apple putting together a dedicated team to help car manufacturers and aftermarket electronics companies build out their CarPlay support. Unsurprisingly, Apple took a fairly hands-on role in the process, sharing specifications and other information to assist Pioneer with its work.
As noted by Billboard, the Beats Music app [iTunes] for the iPhone climbed to the top of the iOS Music charts on Wednesday, amid grumblings that the streaming music service is struggling to attract customers.
Founded by music producer Jimmy Iovine and Dr. Dre, Beats Music launched its streaming music service earlier this year, entering a crowded market that is dominated by Pandora, iHeartRadio, and Spotify. Beats has aggressively marketed its service, spending millions of dollars for a splashy Superbowl ad featuring Ellen Degeneres and recently partnering with AT&T Mobility to offer its service to AT&T's 110 million mobile customers.
Beats Music has not released subscriber numbers, but sources for Billboard claim early subscriber estimates are "disappointing," with numbers climbing only to the "low six figures." These subscribers are an important metric as they represent the number of customers who exit the free trial and opt to pay for the service. In comparison, market leader Pandora has more than 3.3 million paying subscribers and 75.3 million active listeners.
Beats Music recently updated its streaming music app, allowing users to subscribe to the service via their iTunes account. Beats will be sharing its in-app revenue with Apple according to the App Store's 70/30 split, but this loss in cash may be offset by an increase in subscriber numbers.
The ability to easily purchase a subscription within the iPhone app may have boosted interest in the service causing it to climb up the App Store charts. Not only is the Beats Music app number one in the free music category, it is also number 5 in the overall Top Free Apps chart and number 8 in the Top Grossing music category. This latter metric suggests more than a few customers are deciding to subscribe to the music streaming service using this new in-app option.
Besides the new in-app subscription, the updated Beats Music app also added support for Facebook friend search, an offline mode, artist promotional offers and more.
A pair of patent applications published today by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and spotted by AppleInsider describes how an electronic device such as an iPhone, iPad or even a wristwatch could be used to detect ambient conditions such as temperature, pressure, humidity and sound. The applications appear just as Apple has been rumored to be incorporating such functionality into the iPhone 6, and the company's rumored iWatch has also been said to include an array of sensors.
Cutaway view showing environmental sensors inside a mesh-covered recess in a device's body
The first patent, titled "Electronic Devices With Environmental Sensors," describes a device equipped with a speaker, microphone and a suite of sensors to monitor environmental conditions in the immediate surroundings. Sensor components may include a temperature sensor, a pressure sensor, a humidity sensor and other sensor combinations.
An electronic device may be provided with environmental sensors. Environmental sensors may include one or more environmental sensor components and one or more acoustic components. Acoustic components may include a speaker or a microphone. Environmental sensor components may include a temperature sensor, a pressure sensor, a humidity sensor, or other sensors or combinations of sensors for sensing attributes of the environment surrounding the device.
The second patent, "Electronic Devices With Temperature Sensors," is more specific, covering electronic devices that can monitor ambient temperature. In this scenario, a thermal sensor could be embedded into a button, switch or slider component. A piece of thermally conductive metal could be used to transfer temperature data from the air or from an item such as a finger placed on the material to a sensor embedded within the device.
Though these are inventions and not a specific feature roadmap for future devices, they do suggest Apple is considering the ways in which sensors could be incorporated into a device to improve the overall user experience. For example, Apple could use the temperature sensor technology to build an iWatch that could warn you when you are starting to overheat while mowing the lawn in the high summer heat.
Looking beyond the patent applications, Apple has been hiring experts from the health and medical sensor field in recent years. The long list of new hires include former Philips sleep researcher Roy J.E.M Raymann, biosensor hardware engineer Nancy Dougherty, pulse oximetry expert Michael O'Reilly and others. These engineers allegedly are joining Apple to work on its iWatch team, which may also include exercise physiologists and other non-hardware experts.
Apple's iWatch is rumored to include biometric functions such as pulse rate, blood oxygen saturation, glucose levels and more. Apple is said to be making the health-tracking experience more accessible to the general public and may use the iOS 8 Healthbook app to compile this health and fitness data and present it in a user-friendly way.
Back in September, Opera Software released its Coast WebKit-based browser for the iPad and now the company is debuting a new version of the browser designed for Apple's iPhones.
Like the iPad version of the app, Opera Coast for iPhone has been optimized for the touchscreen. Initiating a search is as simple as pulling down on the home screen, which brings up an input interface with an icon-based autofill that allows users to tap the site they want to visit.
Made for thumbs: The iPhone was made for having all screen real estate within a thumb's reach, and Opera Coast takes this idea one step further. Gestures take care of practically all of the navigation needs, with the rest handled by a bare minimum of conveniently placed buttons. Two, to be exact.
Websites are displayed full screen, and swipe gestures let users navigate between pages. There's a small toolbar on the bottom that brings up a visual grid of saved websites, which can be altered with a simple tap and drag gesture. Users can have multiple screens of saved websites, providing easy access to all favorite sites, and search is enhanced with related words and suggestions.
The app also recommends popular websites to visit in a "Stuff we like" section, and provides a sharing tool to send links via iMessage, email, or social networks like Facebook and Twitter. An info tool also provides safety information, letting a user know whether a website is secure. While there is a lot of competition in the browser space, with Safari and Google Chrome readily available, Opera Coast is well worth checking out for its unique touch-focused interface.
Opera Coast for the iPhone will be available today as a free download.
Prong, the company behind the iPhone case with a built-in plug for easy charging, today announced an expansion to its product line up, debuting the Prong PWR case.
Like its existing PocketPlug combo cases, the PWR case includes an integrated plug for charging the iPhone, but it also comes equipped with a 1500 mAh detachable backup battery that can be used to charge the iPhone when it is away from a power source. The backup battery itself can also be detached and recharged via its built-in plug.
The Prong PWR Case includes a detachable backup battery and integrated plugs for charging in any outlet, along with a Micro USB port and cable. The backup battery is easily detachable and can be recharged without any additional accessories while the smartphone remains with the user, safe in the inner-protective bumper.
No matter how much someone uses their phone, they can have power all day with the Prong PWR case and their phone never has to leave their side. The battery can be detached and plugged into any outlet to be recharged whenever needed. Once the back-up battery is charged, it quickly reconnects to the back of the case and the phone can then be recharged while on the go.
The case itself comes in multiple colors (black, white, blue-gray, and white-pink) and can be used with or without the battery pack attached, protecting the iPhone from scratches and drops. Designed for the iPhone 5 and 5s, the case also has a retractable A/C plug that folds down flat when it is not in use, and the battery pack utilizes "Quick Charge Technology" to deliver fast charging.
The Prong PWR Case can be preordered from the Prong website for $65, but will retail for $80. It will ship during the summer of 2014.
Apple may be planning to update its MacBook Air line next week, according to a new report from MacGeneration [Google Translate]. Citing reliable sources, the website notes that references have been made towards new devices featuring screens of 11-inches and 13-inches, which are the current display sizes for the MacBook Air.
Apple last updated the MacBook Air in June 2013, which featured Intel's energy-efficient Haswell processors, faster PCI Express-based storage, and faster 802.11ac Wi-Fi.
If the claims turn out to be true, it is likely that a new MacBook Air at this point in time would feature a small speed bump among few other changes. As outlined by Intel's processor roadmap, Apple could choose to use a number of just-launched processors for an updated entry-level MacBook Air, including the 1.4 GHz i5-4260U, 1.4 GHz i5-4350U, or the 1.5 GHz i5-4360U.
Notably, the 4350U chip has been available since last year, but Apple elected not to use it in the current MacBook Air. It is also unclear as to what processor Apple would integrate into an updated high-end MacBook Air, as leaked roadmaps have still yet to show a direct successor to the current i7-4650U chip.
Multiplereports have also indicated that Apple is working on a brand new 12-inch MacBook Air for later this year. According to KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the notebook is expected to feature a thinner design than the current MacBook Air, and utilize a fan-less cooling system, buttonless trackpad, and higher resolution Retina display.
While it is unclear how a 12-inch Retina MacBook Air would fit into the current lineup, analyst Daniel Matte argued that the laptop will be exactly 11.88'' in diagonal screen size, allowing Apple to offer a Retina Display (2732 x 1536, twice 1366x768) with the exact same PPI as the iPad Air (264 PPI).
Apple is also expected to update its line of Retina MacBook Pros during the third quarter of 2014 alongside the aforementioned 12-inch Retina MacBook Air.
Citing "reliable sources", the publication notes that the iPhone 6's cover glass will sit flush with the device's rounded corners, departing from the straight edges seen on the iPhone 4 and iPhone 5s. The report likens the device's profile to the Squair Curvaceous Bumper, a Japan-made aluminum bumper for the iPhone that features a rounded housing.
The report also claims that Apple will do away with the rear glass antenna breaks found on the iPhone 5 and iPhone 5s in favor of an all-aluminum design. Such a move would likely mean that Apple is incorporating significant changes to its overall antenna layout, perhaps positioning current radios in different locations.
Throughout the past few months, variousreports have indicated that the iPhone 6 may feature slightly rounded edges. However, only a few reports have claimed that the device will feature a curved glass display, with Bloombergnoting last December that the company was working on two iPhones with large curved screens for this year. That account however was contrasted by The Wall Street Journal this past January, which said that Apple would not be using a curved display in its devices.
Renderings of the iPhone 6 (4.7") and iPhone 6 (5.7") based on leaked schematics
Apple will likely unveil the iPhone 6 later this year in two different sizes of 4.7 inches and 5.5 inches. It is also likely that the smaller 4.7-inch version of the phone will ship first in the third quarter of this year, while the larger version is estimated to ship later due to challenges with the device's display technology and battery life.
In addition to a larger display, both versions of the iPhone 6 are expected to include a thinner, bezel-free design, faster A8 processor, Touch ID fingerprint sensor and an upgraded camera with optical image stabilization. The device is also expected to debut with Apple's latest iOS 8 mobile operating system, which will likely feature enhancements to Maps, Siri, and iCloud in addition to a new "Healthbook" app. Apple is also said to be negotiating with carriers to increase the price of the iPhone 6 by $100.
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