Apple

Rumors are flying concerning Microsoft's Surface line, speculating that the Redmond regent may soon produce another low-cost Surface tablet to compete directly against Apple's iPad. If true, the budget Surface will feature a 10-inch screen, rounded corners, and USB Type-C.

The iPhone SE 2 has been in the headlines for a few weeks now. The successor to the pint-sized, cheaper iPhone released two years ago is on its way, and could very well be released sooner than expected, in September.

A class action law suit against Apple was filed in the Northern District Court of California by two plaintiffs who have been at the receiving end of the Apple MacBook Pro faulty keyboard fiasco. The suit alleges that Apple intentionally promoted and sold these laptops knowing very well that the keyboards were inherently defective.

A press release from a strategy consulting firm has stated that voice-based shopping will enjoy incredible growth over the next four years, hitting a total of more than US$40 billion in sales across the US and UK by 2022. The market forecast, issued by OC&C, highlights how the increasing adoption of smart speakers in millions of homes will help drive growth.

According to a report by the Wall Street Journal, Apple has teamed up with investment bank Goldman Sachs to produce a joint credit card. The Cupertino-based company already has a deal with Barclaycard in regard to financing purchases of Apple products. Apparently, the upcoming card may feature the Apple Pay brand.

A patent has been granted to Apple for an “electronic device having display with curved edges.” The patent was filed in January 2016 and features a number of images that could easily be described as potential smartwatch displays. Producing a circular smartwatch would be something of a design departure for the Cupertino-based company.

Leaker Ice Universe claims that TSMC is manufacturing A12 prototypes using the new 7 nm process, and the performance gains over the current A11 are considerable, sitting at ~30%. However, the power consumption is not on par with what 7 nm chips should yield, and this could be caused by the lacking lithography. The A12 SoCs should be launched next year wit the tri-cam smartphones.

According to a Yuanta Securities report, Apple already expressed its interest in integrating rear tri-camera setups for its upcoming high-end smartphones. The future iPhones could get 5X optical zoom per lens and it looks like there will be at least a 12 MP sensor. Apple's tri-cam devices are slated to be released in 2019.

Although iOS 12 beta is not available yet for the public, a recent leak revealed a few details about its successor. According to this leak, iOS 13 "Yukon" will come with an updated Files app, a home screen redesign, tabs in apps like in macOS, as well as other iPad-focused features.

The latest data from Strategy Analytics, which tracks global smartphone shipments, shows that iPhone X was the best-selling smartphone in Q1, 2018. Rounding out an impressive quarter for Apple, its iPhone 8, 8 Plus and iPhone 7 models took out the number 2, 3, and 4 positions, respectively.

The slate tablet continues to sink while detachables steadily grow to take its place. Apple, Samsung, and Huawei were collectively responsible for over 55 percent of all tablets sold worldwide during the first quarter of 2018. Convertible notebooks, or systems that can twist, flip, or spin, have not been included in the data. The news comes just days after rumors of Q2 2018 being yet another low for the tablet market.

A long-time Apple user has launched a change.org petition calling on Apple to issue a mass recall of all MacBook Pros released from the Late 2016 model. Apple is under fire from the Apple community about the keyboard on the devices, which it is claimed are prone to having keys getting stuck or becoming non-responsive.

Despite concerns that Apple might miss its targets for the quarter, the company has instead returned record numbers for its fiscal Q2. The Cupertino giant raked in a net profit of US$13.8B for the quarter on gross revenue of US$61.1B.

It looks like a certain type of governments does not like Telegram at all since Iran is now banning the popular encrypted messaging service that was recently taken down in Russia. Telegram has about 40 million users in Iran and has been apparently used to organize the protests that took place back in January.

Ming-Chi Kuo, serial leaker of Apple's product plans, has left KGI Securities. The news could mean a slow down in the number of accurate leaks about Apple's product plans, much to the relief of many an executive at Apple's Cupertino HQ.

A new analysis of MacBook Pro keyboards suggests that since their introduction, there have been twice as many service requests for keyboard repairs. The study seems to align with reports that MacBook Pro users have had to deal with stuck keys or keys that are non-responsive.

Barclay's analyst Blayne Curtis is predicting that Apple will stop bundling the Lightning to 3.5mm audio adapter with the iPhone released this fall. If this prediction comes true, iPhone users that want wired audio would have to separately purchase the adapter at a small (but annoying) additional cost.

It seems that the delay of the 10 nm Intel Cannon Lake processors and the current pricing of 32 GB memory modules compatible with Apple's requirements are both pushing the launch of the next-gen MacBook Pro to 2019. Two years ago, Apple was afraid that 32 GB of memory would require a different design with reduced battery space, but those fears are gone now.

There has been a growing wave of people in the community calling the Exklim eX Core a scam. Some feel that the eX Core fills a new niche, some think that it can't achieve the claimed performance, while others believe it doesn't exist at all. We haven't seen any working products and we don't endorse the eX Core, but we did feel it was important to give Edgar the chance to answer some of the communities questions.

Although it was initially supposed to become available via the Microsoft Store before the end of 2017, Apple needed some additional to make iTunes ready for the Windows platform. When installing from the Microsoft Store, the iTunes app removes its desktop variant — if installed already — and uses its settings.

Apple is taking flak for its current-gen MacBook Pro keyboards from its usually loyal community. Daring Fireball’s John Gruber has labeled it “one of the biggest design screw ups in Apple history,” while others are calling it “defective” and suggesting it should be recalled.

Although we recently heard that the upcoming iPhone SE 2 would drop the audio jack, a set of leaked images shows that the refreshed version of Apple's compact handset will keep this traditional jack around. These photos also reveal a design with a glass back, apparently inspired by the classic iPhone 5.

Intel is putting together a team of industry visionaries to help counterattack AMD's Ryzen offensive. Ironically, most of the industry veterans recently coopted by Intel include veterans who used to work for AMD. Raja Koduri and possibly Chris Hook could focus on the development of discrete GPUs, while the latest addition, Jim Keller - one of AMD's prominent CPU engineers, would work his magic on upcoming innovative microprocessors.

Opera Touch is a new mobile browser from Opera Software that is only available for Android now, but an iOS version will arrive later this year as well. Its main highlight is Flow, a feature that syncs the desktop Opera browser with Opera Touch without requiring logins or authentication.

Although it still does not feature filters and themes or the ability to add text, the movie editor inside Google Photos has just received a new interface with a white color scheme, as well as new controls and commands that aim to improve the video editing capabilities of this popular app.

TSMC has revealed that its new 7nm FinFet process will deliver mobile chips that are at least 20 percent faster and 40 percent more efficient. It has also revealed that it has developed two separate 7nm FinFet tracks, one optimized for mobile applications, the other for "high performance computing applications."

Apple has officially launched a battery replacement program for some of its recent non-Touch Bar 13-inch MacBook Pros. The affected devices were manufactured between October 2016 and October 2017.

Apple's iPhone SE sequel could be set for a May launch and will only feature upgraded internals for the most part, according to the latest rumors. Meanwhile, Apple looks like it will have to stick with Samsung as its sole supplier for OLED panels in its high-end smartphones.

Daisy can dismantle up to 200 handsets per hour while salvaging a variety of materials that can be reused in future devices. This is part of Apple's GiveBack program that incentivizes users to turn in their old models for dismantling, which, in turn, contributes to a donation fund for the Conservation International non-profit organization.

A recent EEC approval filing revealed that Apple could be preparing to launch a slew of unannounced mobile devices and one of these could be the iPhone SE 2. No specific hardware specs were revealed in the EEC file, but the iPhone SE 2 could come with the A10 Fusion SoC coupled with 2 GB of RAM, up to 128 GB storage and improved cameras, plus the latest iOS 11 version, but would still retain the 4-inch display found on the original model.

Thanks to the optimizations done in the last few months, the Microsoft Translator app can now use AI-powered offline translation packs without the need of a processor with hardware-accelerated AI capabilities. The new packs are 23 percent better and 50 percent smaller than their non-AI predecessors.

Apple could be set to introduce the rumored 6.1-inch LCD iPhone "9" starting from as low as US$550, according to KGI Securities analyst Ming Chi Kuo. Kuo also predicts that Apple will start selling dual SIM, dual standby (DSDS) iPhones starting September as well.

Acer has updated its Chromebox line with new 8th Gen Intel Core-series processors up to i7 variants. The new Chromebox CXI3 lineup also feature additional upgrades including USB Type-C ports and M2 SSDs.

An internal memo warning Apple employees about the consequences of leaking information has been leaked. The tech giant has suffered from a considerable number of leaks in the past, and the memo warns that leakers face losing their jobs and may be fined and even imprisoned. Apparently, the Cupertino-based firm caught 29 leakers in 2017.

Less than a month since it managed to reach 200 million users within a 30-day period, Telegram Messenger has to take a serious blow as the Russian authorities decide to ban its use in the country. The reason for this decision is the company's unwillingness to provide the keys required by the Federal Security Service to decrypt the users' messages.

Sales of desktop PCs and laptops are continuing their downward trend into the new year according to Gartner. While EMEA is seeing a slight uptick, the sharper declines in other regions worldwide paint a more pessimistic picture. This latest quarter marks the fourteenth in a row of slowing PC sales. Note that the data does not include iPads or Android tablets.

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has published a patent application for “Luminescence shock avoidance in display devices” that was filed by Apple in December 2017. Luminescence shock occurs when a device is turned on in a dark environment and the brightness of the display temporarily impairs the user’s vision.

A report from Bloomberg has stated that Apple has had to cut manufacturing orders with Inventec in regard to the HomePod. Apparently, the smart speaker has not been selling in huge numbers and Apple workers have commented that store inventories are simply piling up with the device. A number of factors are being accused for the HomePod's sluggish sales, including the relatively high price of US$349.

The trendsetter may become the copycat: rumors coming out of Taiwan speculate that Apple may be releasing an iPhone with three lenses in 2019, a design that may be inspired by Huawei's P20 Pro.

Apple has announced the impending release of the Product Red Special Edition iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus. The devices will be available to order from April 10 and physical units will start appearing in Apple stores in some countries on April 13. The Special Edition smartphones will come in an eye-catching red finish. Part of the money made from selling these devices goes to The Global Fund financing organization.

Apple has published a press release today claiming that the company is now 100% powered by renewable energy. The tech giant has heavily invested in a number of sustainable energy projects such as wind farms and solar power production. Apple’s CEO, Tim Cook, has called the news a “significant milestone” and insists that the company will continue to be committed to a cleaner environment.

In an event hosted for creative professionals earlier today, Apple executives clarified that the new Mac Pro desktop will indeed be released in 2019. In a somewhat surprising move, Apple will be working with professionals outside of the company to refine the product, which the company says will be designed from scratch.

A report from Bloomberg has suggested that Apple is working on a couple of interesting features for future smartphone releases. The first feature is touchless gesture controls, which would enable the user to operate the phone by moving a finger near to the screen rather than actually tapping it. The other rumored feature is a curved display, possibly to help differentiate a future iPhone device from other similar products in the smartphone market.

Analysts are skeptical that the new 2018 9.7-inch iPad with A10 Fusion SoC will be as successful as the last generation iPads. Apple is predicted to lose 0.8 percent of the tablet market YoY while Amazon and Huawei can gain as much as 0.7 percent and 1 percent, respectively. Even so, Apple will still lead its closest competitor Samsung by almost 2x in market share.

After big names like Amazon, eBay, and Twitter discontinued their apps for Apple Watch, the time has come for Instagram to do the same. The Instagram app for Apple's wearable will no longer provide a standalone experience once users upgrade to version 39 on iOS, and it will be replaced by various notifications.

If Intel was counting on keeping Apple as a customer into the future, it might have to think again if a new report from Bloomberg is accurate. The Cupertino giant, which has long made the market-leading silicon powering its iPhone lineup, could end up powering its Mac line as soon as 2020.

Although Apple also had some problems with inflated batteries lately, the class action lawsuit involving no less than 63,767 South Korean customers has been filed to seek damages because of the company's intentional CPU throttling on older models to increase their battery life. The amount Apple might pay is the equivalent of almost US$12 million.

Although using an external GPU on a MacBook was possible in the past by booting up Windows on it, macOS High Sierra 10.13.4 finally brings native support for external graphics processors to Apple's operating system. This update also contains multiple minor tweaks and fixes, including a fix for the graphics corruption issues encountered in certain apps on the iMac Pro.

Apple has baked a new privacy feature into iOS 11.3, the latest software update for its iPhones and iPads. Following the update, a new icon will appear each time personal information is required to enable a service providing users with a new layer of transparency over how their data is handled.