Tag: Apple

  • Apple Reportedly Planning to Release Different Sized Iphones in 2020

    Apple Reportedly Planning to Release Different Sized Iphones in 2020

    Apple is reportedly planning to shake things up in 2020. A new report now suggests that the company will offer a smaller and a larger iPhone in 2020, different than those currently available.

    According to a report by Korean publication ETNews, Apple is planning to introduce a smaller 5.4-inch iPhone, a 6.1-inch iPhone model, along with a 6.7-inch iPhone with thinner OLED displays in 2020. The report says that the upcoming 5.4-inch and 6.1-inch model will use a new technology from Samsung that allows manufacturers to build thinner displays and also reduces production costs. Meanwhile, LG will reportedly supply an OLED panel for the 6.1-inch iPhone model.

    Multiple sources in the past have indicated that 2020 is going to be a big year for Apple, as the company plans to shake up the iPhone lineup with two new screen sizes mentioned above. Besides, reports also indicate a redesigned metal frame inspired by the iPhone 4, 5G support, and up to 6GB of RAM.

    Industry experts have also claimed that Apple plans to introduce an iPhone model featuring both Face ID and in-display scanner in 2020. The in-display Touch ID would allow user authentication by placing the finger anywhere on the display. However, it remains unclear whether the handset would arrive in 2020 or 2021.

    Credible Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo also suggests that a smaller iPhone in 2020, possibly called the iPhone SE 2. Notably, Kuo’s predictions fall in line with other key sources who’ve also claimed that Apple plans to launch a cheaper iPhone next year in order to boost its share in the mid-tier smartphone market. It’ll be aggressively priced at around $399 and will rival smartphones from the likes of Oppo, Vivo, and Xiaomi.

    Kuo further notes that it’ll get powered by new A13 Bionic chipset, the company’s top-end chipset that powers the latest iPhone 11 Pro range. The chipset will be paired with 3GB LPDDR4X RAM, also found on the new iPhone 11. He also suggests that the iPhone SE2 will not be a smaller version of the iPhone 11. Instead, the handset’s form factor will be similar to the iPhone 8 making it much more compact than most of the smartphones currently available these days.

  • Apple Announces Surprise Event on December 2

    Apple Announces Surprise Event on December 2

    Apple recently confirmed its plans to hold a surprise event on December 2 that will be held in New York City. Going by the invite, it appears the event will be largely focussed on apps and services. “Loved by millions. Created by the best. Join us for an Apple special event honoring our favorite apps and games of 2019,” reads the invite.

    However, many still believe that Apple might also unveil new hardware during this event. With that being said, services have become one of the biggest revenue streams for Apple in the last few years. The company’s revenue from its services unit reached $12.51 billion in the latest quarter, up from $3.69 billion in 2013.

    Therefore, it appears the upcoming event signifies Apple’s renewed focus on services such as apps and games. Besides, Apple usually announces its top apps and games in the App Store for the year in December, hence, it appears the company might’ve held a dedicated event to detail its apps and services.

    Talking about hardware, sources indicate that Apple could also share details about the rumored second-generation iPhone SE at the event. Expected to release in Spring 2020, the upcoming iPhone SE is said to be inspired by the iPhone 8 and is likely to feature a 4.7-inch LCD display, Touch ID, and a single-lens camera.

    However, credible Apple insider Ming Chi-Kuo suggests that it’ll get powered by new A13 Bionic chipset, the company’s top-end chipset that powers the latest iPhone 11 Pro range. The chipset will be paired with 3GB LPDDR4X RAM, also found on the new iPhone 11.

    To recall, Apple surprised everyone with the launch of the iPhone SE at a time when 5-inch smartphones were in vogue. The original iPhone SE was targetted at a specific user base that preferred 4-inch handsets as opposed to giant-sized screens.

    That said, 4-inch smartphones are fast diminishing these days given the widely adopted trend of bezel-free smartphones, allowing manufacturers to fit bigger screens in a compact form factor.

    We’ll bring all the updates from the event on December 2. Until then, stay tuned for the latest updates.

  • Apple May Soon Unveil a 16-inch Macbook Pro With Revamped Keyboard Design

    Apple May Soon Unveil a 16-inch Macbook Pro With Revamped Keyboard Design

    There’s been no dearth of reports about the long-rumoured 16-inch MacBook Pro. Now, a new report by Bloomberg suggests that Apple plans to officially unveil the device as early as tomorrow, i.e November 13. In addition, the report also notes that it’ll go on sale this week.

    The upcoming 16-inch MacBook Pro is expected to get the same $2399 price tag as the 15-inch model. The reason for that is because it’s going to fully replace the classic 15-inch MacBook Pro in the MacBook lineup, contrary to earlier rumors that it would be offered as a premium option.

    Apart from its larger 16-inch display, the 16-inch MacBook Pro also marks the debut of a revamped keyboard mechanism, which is designed to be more reliable compared to the butterfly styled keyboards we’ve seen on MacBooks since 2016.

    MacBook users have consistently reported of dropped keystrokes with butterfly switch-based keyboards. The reason being that butterfly keyboards have a tendency to let debris accumulate under the keys which essentially affects normal functioning. With external debris under the keyboard, it usually led to individual keypresses going unregistered or cases of multiple keypresses. Besides, it also led to overheating issues with MacBook keyboards.

    Hence, it appears Apple could finally ditch the butterfly mechanism and employ scissor-switch style keyboards for upcoming MacBook models. The switch to a new keyboard design could improve the typing experience with longer key travel.

    Elsewhere, the report also notes that Apple plans to release the high-end Mac Pro sometime in December.

  • Apple officially unveils AirPods Pro with active noise cancellation

    Apple officially unveils AirPods Pro with active noise cancellation

    Apple has announced the latest version of AirPods called the AirPods Pro, which features active noise cancellation and in-ear design. The new AirPods Pro is now available for order in the US and will arrive in Apple retail stores on Wednesday, October 30.

    As for pricing, the latest version of AirPods gets a price tag of $249, and come bundled with a Qi-wireless charging case. In comparison, the AirPods 2 are priced at $199 with the wireless charging case and $159 without the wireless charging case.

    “The new in-ear AirPods Pro sound amazing with Adaptive EQ, fit comfortably with flexible ear tips and have innovative Active Noise Cancellation and Transparency Mode. We think customers are going to love this new addition to the AirPods family,” said Phil Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IC9urbiVp4M

    AirPods Pro features a new, curvier design with flexible ear tips. Apple will include three sizes of flexible silicone ear tips. The company adds that the ear tip provides a comfy fit and superior seal in the user’s ears.

    Also, there’s an ‘Ear Fit Tip Test’ that is designed to ensure that users get the best audio experience by testing the quality of the seal and identifying the best ear tip size. It uses advanced algorithms that work together with microphones in each Airpod to measure the sound level, and detects whether the ear tip is the right size and fit for a user.

    Apple also notes that the AirPods Pro is sweat- and water-resistant for non-water sports and exercise. These wireless earbuds have a rating of IPX4.

    Other new features include audio sharing, which allows users to listen to the same song or watch the same movie with a friend by simply bringing another pair of AirPods close to the iPhone or iPad. Besides, Siri gets the ability to speak incoming messages as and when they arrive.

    Besides, there’s also a transparency mode, which lets customers listen to music while still hearing the surrounding environment.

    In terms of battery life, AirPods Pro is rated to deliver 5 hours of listening time, 4.5 hours with Active Noise Cancellation mode enabled, or 3.5 hours of talk time.

  • Safari in iOS sends user browsing data to Chinese company Tencent

    Safari in iOS sends user browsing data to Chinese company Tencent

    Apple has seemingly found itself tangled in yet another controversy related to China, as reports indicate that Chinese tech giant Tencent gets user browsing data from its Safari browser. The data sent includes the IP address of the user along with websites visited by the user.

    In case you aren’t aware, such data sharing is done to help protect users from malicious websites. Apple has long been a part of Google’s Safe Browsing to help protect users from phishing scams using its fraudulent website warning feature. For instance, if a user tries to visit a website that has been flagged as fraudulent by Google, a warning is shown in Safari advising users not to visit the website. However, the fact that a Chinese company also receives such data has raised some eyebrows.

    Johns Hopkins University professor and cryptographer Matthew Green suggests this could have consequences as it may reveal both the webpage a user is trying to visit, as well as his IP address. Besides, it could also leave a cookie on a device, and the data could possibly be used to build up a profile of a user’s browsing behavior.

    However, evidence suggests that Apple sends browsing data to Tencent only when a user’s iOS region is set to China. That said, it’s still unclear as Green adds that the warning not only appears on Chinese-registered iPhones’, but also shows up on iPhones’ operating in the US.

    Apple is one of the companies along with a few others who’ve long been criticized for appearing to bend over backward to China’s demands. Industry experts and users are concerned about China’s bullish influence on tech companies.

    Apple came under fire last week when it removed the HKmap Live app from the App Store after pressure from Chinese authorities. Apple removed the app stating that it was violating local laws that targeted individuals and police. Besides, the company also removed the app of news outlet Quartz from China’s app store, on grounds that content found in the app is illegal in China.

    Several American organizations operating in China have come under immense scrutiny and criticism for yielding to China’s censorship demands. Recently, Blizzard came under immense scrutiny after it imposed a ban on a pro-Hearthstone player who showed up in an interview and appeared to shout a slogan associated with Hong Kong protesters: “Liberate Hong Kong, revolution of our time”.

  • Critical iOS exploit impacts millions of devices from iPhone 4S to the iPhone X

    Critical iOS exploit impacts millions of devices from iPhone 4S to the iPhone X

    A newly discovered bootrom exploit in iOS, dubbed as ‘checkm8’, could lead to permanent jailbreak on iOS devices that run on Apple’s A-series processors.

    According to security researcher axiomX, the vulnerability affects hundreds of millions of iOS devices starting from the iPhone 4S, to the iPhone 8, as well as the iPhone X. The affected devices also include iPad models starting with the iPad 2 up to the 2017 iPad Pro.

    The vulnerability could give attackers deep access to iOS devices. axiomX claims that ‘checkm8’ is possibly one of the biggest news in the iPhone hacking community for years. Being a bootrom exploit, it affects devices at bootrom level instead of taking advantage of vulnerabilities in the OS or software. Now, this essentially means that Apple won’t be able to fix the issue with a simple patch or an update. To fix the issue, Apple would need to make physical changes directly to its A-series processors.

    As expected, the new flaw has some serious security concerns, as the vulnerability can offer root access to affected devices. Therefore, it’s possible that attackers could use the exploit to take control and delete sensitive information from other user’s devices.

    However, there’s some good news as axiomX explained that the vulnerability can’t be used remotely. Now, this means that attackers would need physical access to an iOS device to take undue advantage of this vulnerability. Therefore, just make sure you’re iPhone or iPad is passcode protected.

    Apple is yet to make any official statement regarding this exploit, though we’ll update you as soon as Apple responds to the matter.

    iPhone jailbreaking isn’t as popular as it was 7 years from now. During the early days of the iPhone, jailbreaking was primarily done to install third party apps that were not available via the App Store. Jailbreaking allows iOS users to add apps and other functions that Apple wouldn’t usually allow users to perform on their iPhones. iOS has rather strict limitations that are designed to protect users from malicious apps but also gives Apple’s more control over the ecosystem. Therefore, jailbreaking hurts your iPhone’s security, but at the same time gives users more control over the phone.

    The last jailbreak we heard was back in August this year when a new vulnerability was found in iOS 12.4. It was the first iOS jailbreak to be publicly revealed in years.

  • Apple Arcade available ahead of official release

    Apple Arcade available ahead of official release

    Apple’s gaming subscription service Apple Arcade is now available for iOS 13 and iPadOS 13 users ahead of its official release. Users can now sign up for the service and start using Apple Arcade a couple of days earlier ahead of its September 19 launch.

    All you need to do is sign up for the iOS 13 Beta. To do so, just go to the Apple Beta Software Program website on your iPhone, and sign in with your Apple ID. Once you’ve installed the iOS 13 beta, just go to the App Store. You’ll find a new joystick logo on the guide bar at the bottom of the screen for Arcade. Then, all you need to do is sign up. However, you’ll need to have an active credit card linked to your App Store account. Once you’ve signed up, you’re ready to start using Apple Arcade.

    Apple has promised that its gaming subscription service will offer users over 100 new and exclusive games. That said, sources indicate that only 53 games are currently available in the Apple Arcade library, with more added to the service every week.

    Apple is offering a one-month free trial for users to try out the service. Users can play the games both online and offline during the free trial. Besides, users also have the option to cancel the service before the free trial expires. The service will cost $4.99 per month after the free trial is over.

    Apple Arcade will arrive on the App Store on Thursday, September 19. The service will also be available on the Mac with macOS Catalina and Apple TV with tvOS 13 in October.

  • Apple Store down ahead of iPhone 11 pre-orders

    Apple Store down ahead of iPhone 11 pre-orders

    The Apple Store is down as the company prepares to kick off pre-orders for the new iPhone 11 range, which kick off today at 5:00 am PDT. Unlike previous years where Apple started taking pre-orders for new iPhones at noon, this year’s pre-orders begin at 5 am giving buyers more time to purchase. “Staying up late is so last year. The good news is, now you don’t have to. This year, pre-order begins at 5:00 a.m. PDT. See you then,” reads a message posted on the Apple Store website.

    Apple unveiled the new iPhone range on September 10. These include the iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, and iPhone 11 Pro Max. The iPhone 11 starts at $699 for the 64GB version, the 128GB version is priced at $749, and its 256GB version gets a price tag of $849.

    The iPhone Pro is priced at $999 for 64GB storage, the 256GB model is priced at $1149, and 256GB storage is available at $1349. The top-end iPhone Pro Max offers the same storage variants priced at $1099, $1249, $1449 respectively.

    Customers who are able to successfully pre-order their iPhone 11 will get it in weeks on September 20. Besides, the iPhone 11 range will also be available in authorized Apple Stores and resellers starting September 20.

    Along with new iPhones, Apple also announced its brand new smartwatch with Apple Watch Series 5. The newly announced smartwatch gets a bevy of hardware and software changes, along with a plethora of choices for cases and straps. It the first Apple Watch to come with an always-on display, which Apple calls the ‘Always On Retina display’.

    Apple’s latest smartwatch features a built-in compass and an updated Map app to give users a navigation device right on their wrist. There’s also a new compass app that displays latitude and longitude, heading, incline, and current elevation.

    The Apple Watch Series 5 starts at $399 for the GPS version, while its 4G version gets a price tag of $499. It is now available for pre-order via Apple.com and the Apple Store app, while it’ll arrive on store shelves on September 20.

  • Apple Watch Series 5: All you need to know

    Apple Watch Series 5: All you need to know

    Along with the iPhone 11 range, Apple also announced its brand new smartwatch with Apple Watch Series 5. For the most part, Apple hasn’t made any radical changes when it comes to the look and feel of the smartwatch. However, the Apple Watch Series 5 gets a bevy of hardware and software changes, along with a plethora of choices for cases and straps.

    To begin with, the Apple Watch Series 5 is the first Apple Watch to come with an always-on display, which Apple calls the ‘Always On Retina display’. With this new feature, the latest Apple Watch joins the number of competitor smartwatches that come with ‘Always On’ displays. Apple has used an LTPO (Low-Temperature Polysilicone and Oxide) Retina Display, which allows the watch to adjust the display’s refresh rate. It goes up to 60Hz when a user is interacting with the smartwatch, and drops to 1Hz in Always On mode.

    The addition of an ‘always-on’ display wouldn’t affect the battery life, as the Apple Watch Series 5 is rated to deliver the same 18-hour backup as its predecessor.

    “Apple Watch Series 5 features an innovative new display that allows the time and important information to remain visible at all times. Each watch face has been carefully optimized for the new display and to preserve battery life, the screen intelligently dims when a user’s wrist is down and returns to full brightness with a raise or a tap. This combination of hardware innovation and incredible software design allows Apple Watch Series 5 to offer an all-day 18-hour battery life,” said Apple.

    Elsewhere, Apple’s latest smartwatch features a built-in compass and an updated Map app to give users a navigation device right on their wrist. There’s also a new compass app that displays latitude and longitude, heading, incline, and current elevation. And to give users an extra layer of safety when traveling, the Apple Watch Series 5 comes with the international emergency calling.

    Like its predecessors, the Apple Watch Series 5 focuses on health and fitness. The smartwatch now features menstrual cycle tracking, as well as a new research app. As far as software goes, the Apple Watch Series 5 gets powered by watchOS 6.

    Besides, Apple Watch Series 5 is also the first of its kind available in four different casing materials. These include aluminum, stainless steel, ceramic, as well as titanium. Apple has also made the App Store accessible within the smartwatch. The company has also created a brand new online “Apple Watch Studio”, which allows users to mix and match Apple Watch cases and straps and choose a combination that works for them.

    In terms of pricing, the Apple Watch Series 5 starts at $399 for the GPS version, while its 4G version gets a price tag of $499. It is now available for pre-order via Apple.com and the Apple Store app, while it’ll arrive on store shelves on September 20.

    You can find out more about the Apple Watch Series 5 on the official Apple website.

  • Apple unveils the iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, and iPhone 11 Pro Max

    Apple unveils the iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, and iPhone 11 Pro Max

    Apple announced its 2019 iPhone line-up during an event held at the Steve Jobs Theatre at Apple’s headquarters in Cupertino, California. Just like last year, this year’s iPhone range consists of a trio of models. These include the iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, and iPhone 11 Pro Max.

    All three iPhone models are quite similar to their predecessors. That said, Apple boasted about some massive improvements in the camera department during the event. Besides, several upgrades have been made under the hood to deliver faster performance and better battery life. The iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max feature 5.8-inch and 6.5-inch OLED displays, respectively.

    The highlight of these devices is the new triple-lens primary camera, which includes a telephoto lens, a wide-angle camera, along with an ultra-wide camera with a 120-degree field of view. The triple-lens camera system on the back is also capable of recording 4K videos at 60fps. Besides, users will be able to edit a video using the Photos app.

    Elsewhere, the iPhone Pro range gets support for HDR10, spatial audio, Dolby Vision, and Dolby Atmos. Besides, Apple has promised four more hours of battery life with the iPhone Pro series compared to their predecessors. Both iPhone Pro models also ship with an 18W charger in the box.

    The most affordable of the lot, the iPhone 11, features a 6.1-inch Liquid Retina displays. It’ll be offered in a choice of six color variants. These include green, purple, yellow, red, white, and black. Under the hood, it comes with the A13 Bionic processor, which Apple claims makes it the fastest GPU and CPU ever in a smartphone.

    Talking about cameras, the iPhone 11 packs a dual-lens primary camera which includes a wide-angle lens and an ultra-wide-angle lens with a 120-degree field of view. For selfies, the handset features a 12MP TrueDepth camera, which lets users take wide-angle selfies and shoot slow-motion videos.

    The iPhone 11 also comes with Night Mode, which is said to improve low-light photography. Apple explained that Night mode gets automatically activated when it detects low light to increase the brightness and reduce noise. The dual-lens camera system on the iPhone can also shoot 4K videos at 60fps.

    iPhone 11 range: Price and availability

    All three iPhone 11 models are available for pre-order starting September 13 at 5 am Pacific Standard Time, while shipping begins on September 20. The ‘iPhone 11 Pro’ and ‘iPhone 11 Pro Max’ are priced at $999 and $1099 respectively, while the iPhone 11 gets a price tag of $699.

    Meanwhile, Apple also announced a new trade-in program for several countries as a part of the iPhone launch. The trade-in program allows you to return your old iPhone to get a new one at discounted prices. With the trade-in offer, new iPhones start at $399, $599, and $699.

  • Apple Special Event 2019: How to watch iPhone 11 launch stream

    Apple Special Event 2019: How to watch iPhone 11 launch stream

    The iPhone 11 launch is almost upon us. Surprisingly, Apple plans to live stream the iPhone 11 launch event on YouTube, unlike previous years where streaming was limited to its own devices and browsers like Microsoft Edge. Therefore, anyone around the world can easily watch this year’s iPhone launch, regardless of the device or the platform they use. They can watch it on smart TVs, tablets, smartphones, laptops, desktops, as well as on Chromebooks and Linux PCs.

    Besides YouTube, Apple will live stream the event on Apple TV, so all Apple users can watch it on their iPhones and iPads using the Safari browser.

    As to what we can expect at the event. Well, it appears it is going to be a busy launch party. Apart from the trio of iPhone models, Apple is also expected to announce the refreshed Apple Watch. Unconfirmed reports suggest we may not see a new-generation Watch, but an upgraded Apple Watch Series 4 at the event.

    Apple is widely expected to introduce three iPhone models at the event. These will include successors to the current iPhone Xs, iPhone Xs Max, and iPhone Xr. That said, rumor has it that Apple plans to change the naming scheme for its 2019 iPhone lineup. Apple is said to announce the iPhone 11 as the upgraded iPhone XR, alongside the iPhone 11 Pro (iPhone XS successor) and iPhone 11 Pro Max (the top-end model).

    The upcoming iPhones are expected to get similar screens as the current-gen iPhone models, though with larger batteries. The top-of-the-line iPhone 11 Pro is expected to pack three rear cameras. Besides, the selfie camera might also get an upgrade, while one of the rear lenses is expected to boast a 14-megapixel sensor.

    Meanwhile, the iPhone XIR is expected to come with dual-rear cameras, as opposed to a single-lens primary camera found on the current iPhone XR. Besides, analysts at Citi Research suggest that Apple Pencil support might also arrive with new-gen iPhones.

    As far as the release goes, leaks suggest that Apple will unveil its 2019 iPhone range on September 11, while shipping is likely to commence on September 20.

    You can find the embedded YouTube version of the Apple launch event below. Besides, you can also open it via the YouTube app if you’re planning to watch the event on a smartphone or tablet. The event kicks off 10 am Pacific Time on September 10.

  • State-backed effort responsible for the massive iPhone hack: Report

    State-backed effort responsible for the massive iPhone hack: Report

    Google’s Project Zero team recently found multiple flaws in iOS that allowed hackers to gain access to an iPhone. The attack involved a small group of websites which targeted visitors’ devices to gain access to their personal information, as well as location data. Besides, the attack could also gather encrypted information from apps such as WhatsApp, iMessage, and Telegram.

    According to sources, such websites have been running for two years, during which thousands of visitors possibly accessed them every week. Apple, however, was quick to roll out a fix for the flaw in iOS 12.1.4. Apple revealed in the update that the vulnerability, referred to as ‘memory corruption issues’, was fixed with ‘improved input validation. Hence, iPhone owners are most likely protected against these exploits, as a fix was rolled out for the same with iOS 12.1.4 on February 7.

    That said, the perpetrator behind these attacks remained a mystery. Now, thanks to some digging by TechCrunch, it turns out that the culprit behind these attacks was the Chinese government.

    The attack was apparently part of a campaign to gather surveillance on a minority Muslim group in China, the Uyghur community, residing in China’s Xinjiang territory. The Chinese government claims that Islamists militants and separatists target the country’s Xinjiang region. Reports indicate that China has forced nearly 2 million people from the Uyghur community and Muslim minorities into camps for indoctrination, prompting activists to call on China to stop such mass detention efforts.

    Google revealed in its disclosure that merely visiting the infected sites was enough for the exploit to attack your device. Therefore, even people outside the Uyghur community may have been affected by this state-sponsored spy effort. Key sources also indicate that not only iPhone users were affected by the attack, but even devices running Android and Microsoft’s operating systems. With thousands of visitors accessing such malicious websites, it allowed the Chinese government to capture their private data as well as their location data.

  • Apple TV+ set for a November release at $9.99 a month

    Apple TV+ set for a November release at $9.99 a month

    Apple’s upcoming streaming service, Apple TV+, is all set for a release in November. Although Apple is yet to confirm any launch window or monthly tiers officially, key sources indicate that the company plans to launch its streaming service at $9.99 a month. Upon its release, the service will directly compete with the likes of Netflix, Prime Video, Hulu, and more.

    Apple will likely offer a free trial period for subscribers, just like Apple Music, which had a free trial period of three months. Likewise, even Apple’s game subscription services offer a free trial, but only for a month.

    For now, sources indicate Apple will offer five shows when Apple TV Plus is officially released. These include ‘Truth Be Told’ featuring actress Octavia Spencer, ‘See’ starring Jason Momoa, and ‘The Morning Show’ featuring Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon. Besides, there’s also going to be a show called Amazing Stories by Steven Spielberg, along with a show called ‘Home’ that’ll showcase luxury and extravagant houses.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eA7D4_qU9jo

    That said, Apple will to need to acquire rights for many other shows, as the original content they have on offer isn’t enough.
    In comparison to what competitors have on offer, Apple’s streaming service pales in comparison.

    Well established names like Netflix and Disney have more to offer for the same basic monthly plan. The iPhone-maker is late to the party with its streaming service, and the only way to make a mark into the streaming world would be to offer viewers a plethora of choices. Now, this means investing a lot of money to make binge-worthy content. Financial Times reports that Apple plans to spend nearly $6 billion on shows and rights.

    That said, it is still far less than what the likes of Netflix and Disney are expected to invest. Netflix is reported to have a budget of $14 billion for new releases this year, while Disney is said to spend around $24 billion on new releases this year.

    As already mentioned, Apple’s new streaming service launches in November with tiers starting at $9.99 per month. It’ll be interesting to see how Apple TV+ will compete against the likes of Netflix and Disney, who offer a plethora of content for their viewers.

  • iOS 13 beta tips at an iPhone 11 event on September 10

    iOS 13 beta tips at an iPhone 11 event on September 10

    Apple today started rolling out iOS 13 beta 7 for developers. As expected, people are already looking for clues through the software about the upcoming iPhone 11. It appears iHelp BR has found something concrete in the latest iOS 13 beta. They’ve discovered an image named ‘HoldForRelease,’ which shows the September 10 date on the calendar of iOS 13’s home screen. Now, this implies that Apple might hold an iPhone event on the said date.

    Notably, even iOS 12 included a similar image, which displayed September 12, which was, in fact, the date Apple officially announced the iPhone XS range. Now, the presence of a similar picture in iOS 13 beta, only points to the fact that Apple might hold an iPhone 11 event on September 10.

    Apple typically holds an iPhone event on the second Tuesday or Wednesday in September. For instance, the iPhone XS event was held on Wednesday, September 12, 2018, while the iPhone X went official on Tuesday, September 12, 2017. Similarly, the iPhone 8 event was held on Wednesday, September 7, 2016, while the iPhone 7 was unveiled on
    Wednesday, September 9, 2015.

    Are three iPhones incoming?

    As per earlier reports, Apple is expected to launch three new iPhones in 2019. These include the successor to the iPhone XR with a 6.1-inch LCD screen, along with two OLED models with 5.8-inch and 6.5-inch displays. The upcoming iPhones are expected to get similar screens as the current-gen iPhone models, though with larger batteries.

    Multiple sources also point to the fact that Apple will incorporate a triple-lens camera setup for this year’s flagship iPhone model. Besides, a recent leak via Twitter suggests that Apple’s top-end iPhone model for 2019 might have the word ‘Pro’ in its name, as opposed to the ‘Max’ moniker. Now, this suggests that Apple’s top-end iPhone for 2019 might be called the iPhone 11 Pro, or simply the iPhone Pro.

    Besides, analysts at Citi Research predict that Apple Pencil support might finally arrive on the next iPhone.

  • Some MacBook Pro units pose a fire risk, now banned from US flights

    Some MacBook Pro units pose a fire risk, now banned from US flights

    Select MacBook Pro models are considered a fire threat and banned on flights in the United States. The US Federal Aviation Authority has stated that some MacBook Pro laptops pose a fire risk, and won’t be allowed on board any flights in the country. The aviation body added these MacBook units wouldn’t be allowed either as hand baggage in the cabin or the cargo.

    Apple had earlier confirmed that the batteries of MacBook Pro units sold between September 2015 and February 2017 tend to overheat, therefore, could pose a fire risk. The company issued a recall back in June for faulty MacBook Pro models which might have an issue with lithium-ion batteries. Apple, however, stated that only a small number of MacBook Pro units had flaws with the battery.

    Notably, the company hasn’t revealed an exact number of faulty MacBook units sold between the said period. That said, researchers estimate the number of affected units to be 460,000, out of which 26,000 were from Canada.

    The ban mainly applies to 15-inch Macbook models sold between September 2015 and February 2017. To find out whether your MacBook Pro is or isn’t a safety risk on flights, you’ll have to find out your serial number. Just go to the ‘About this Mac’ page found at the top-left corner of your Mac’s screen. Then head over to the link and type in your serial number in the search bar under ‘Eligibility.’ If your MacBook is eligible for a recall, go to your local Apple store and get a battery replacement for free.

    Apple reportedly received “26 reports of battery overheating, one report of smoke inhalation and five incidents of minor burns, along with 17 reports of minor damage to personal property in close vicinity.”

    The FAA is now working with major airlines in the US to enforce safety guidelines for affected MacBook Pro units by ensuring that passengers don’t take them on flights.