iPhone

Foxconn's reported directions as regards display technology production have sparked speculation that the iPhones of the future may have microLED displays. This next-gen form of screen is starting to manifest in TVs at this point. However, Foxconn may think it is also the future of smartphone panels.

iPhone leaks are like buses. You wait for one and two turn up at once. The iPhone XI Max is the supersized version of its little brother; both have the same gargantuan notch and square rear-facing camera bump. Undoubtedly, both will be ludicrously expensive too.

Did you buy a Mac, iOS device or the Apple World Travel Adapter Kit between 2003 and 2010? If you did, chances are that you received a wall plug too. Turns out that the three-prong adapters sold in certain countries during that period can break and cause an electric shock if touched.

Creative has finally joined the true wireless earphone market with the new Outlier Air buds. They boast IP5X ingress protection, 10 hours of playback on a single charge and graphene in their driver-diaphragms. These Bluetooth 5.0 buds retail for US$79.99 on the OEM's own website.

The latest figures on the global premium smartphone market reportedly show that OPPO increased its share of it by a stunning 863% in 2018. This stripped out comparable performances on the part of competitors such as Xiaomi and even Huawei. On the other hand, it did not threaten Apple's place at the top of this market.

WhatsApp is reportedly working on animated stickers in its latest betas. This enables a user to superimpose a a moving piece of art (e.g. a drawing or character) on a message. A blog has also apparently found that the app is going to replace its existing emoji design with a new one.

By now, it is likely that you have read at least one rumor that the typical lozenge shape of the main iPhone camera module will mutate into a perfect square this year. The latest possible leak on the subject seems to confirm this design decision. It involves images of a case-mould for what may be 2 new iPhones.

A new report by Consumer Intelligence Research Partners has thrown light on the state of the US smartphone market in Q1. Apple had a tenuous dominance over the market, with the company's devices accounting for 36% of device activations in the first quarter of the year. Samsung is second with 34%.

Apple is not ready to make the jump to foldable designs for the time being, but luxury modification company Caviar from Russia might be able to inspire the Californian giant with its impressive iPhone Z concept. The Z-shaped folding pattern allows for quite a few interesting uses, including a laptop mode, a selfie mode, and a screen mode.

A new report from Counterpoint Research has found that, of all Apple smartphones, the iPhone XR did the best in the US market in the month of February 2019. Of those who bought this device, 20% of those already using iOS upgraded from the 7, whereas 32% more exchanged models older than this for the XR. Counterpoint also found that the XR was responsible for the greatest conversion from Android to this platform in February.

Want a new phone? Fine, but clicking 'Pay Now' on the first listing you see for it could cost you. The analyst firm Minderest has found that there is a margin of as much as 41.3% between the worst and best prices for the same device online. According to this report, WirelessBoss gives the best deals on average.

The prolific Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo's latest prediction concerning the 2019 iPhones indicate that at least one of them will have triple rear cameras, augmented by an improved wide-angle lens in one module. In addition, the new devices' selfie cameras may be upgraded. On the other hand, they are likely to retain a notch and glass rear panels.

The Indian Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has ordered Google and Apple to remove the app TikTok from their respective stores. This ban has followed allegations that the service increases the risk of child abuse. TikTok can now appeal this ruling on dates set for about a week from today (April 17, 2019).

Surprisingly enough, Apple not only decided to drop all charges regarding Qualcomm's unfair patent licensing practices, but the Cupertino company agreed to pay Qualcomm an undisclosed sum, as well. The unexpected settlement comes with additional agreements that make Qualcomm the only 5G modem supplier for the 2020 iPhone models, which immediately prompted Intel to announce its exit from the mobile 5G modem business.

Samsung designed the Galaxy Buds as a wireless audio companion for devices such as the Galaxy S10s. However, they have recently improved in this capacity through a new software update. It allows the user to operate them using Bixby alone if they choose.

Casio has unveiled a new addition to the MT-G line of G-SHOCKs. It has Bluetooth connectivity so as to maintain accurate time via a dedicated phone app. This new 'bright red' MT-G is rated for 200M water- and shock- resistance, as well as its maker's 'tough' solar technology to stay charged.

Parrot has unveiled its latest drone. The new ANAFI not only allows for 4K video in both live and recorded formats, but also has a high-end FLIR mode for thermal imaging. It can fly over potential dangerous hot-spots for up to 26 minutes on a single battery's charge for professional-grade safety and thermal gradient monitoring.

Samsung has announced that it is finally in a position to send samples of its new, ground-breaking 5nm processor technology to its customers. The OEM claims that this new architecture brings 25% improvements in logic-area efficiency compared to 7nm, with up to 10% potential performance enhancements.

Apple is throwing US $500 million behind its upcoming Arcade gaming subscription service, according to a report by Financial Times. The service could be a big payoff for Apple; devs that release games via Arcade will be bound to a period of exclusivity before they can release their game on other non-mobile platforms. That means Arcade may be the only place gamers can access certain Indie titles, some of which may provide unique and fun experiences.

Huawei recently held its own in-house Analyst Summit for 2019. During a Q&A at this event, its representatives reportedly confirmed that Apple has not responded to its proposal to sell it the 5G modems it needs for its iPhones. This offer had recently been made publicly, possibly to highlight the fact that one OEM can use next-gen radio bands and the other cannot.

Google and Apple provide and maintain 2 of the largest app markets in the world. The Dutch Authority for Consumers and Markets has decided to investigate them with regard to how third-party developers are treated on these platforms compared to their respective first-party counterparts.

A new report indicates that iOS 12's successor may gain a system-wide dark mode. In addition, this OS upgrade will lose the requirement for a profile in order to manage fonts. iPads may also get a version of Safari that defaults to desktop mode in iOS 13.

Apple and Huawei are some of a handful of smartphone OEMs that develop in-house chipsets. Their upcoming 2019 generations - the A13 Bionic and Kirin 985 CPUs respectively - are now said to be nearly ready for production in earnest soon. They are both 7nm and are being fabricated by the same chipmaker: TSMC.

The iPhone SE has made another unexpected appearance on Apple’s online store. Several different-colored variants are listed and there is even a 128 GB version available. Prices for the diminutive iPhone SE start at US$249 and they are all categorized as “certified refurbished” as part of the clearance section of the website.

Skype for Mobile now offers the user an option to share their screen with a caller. This could enable people on a Skype call to share things such as slideshows, webpages, a homescreen and so on. The new function is found in the '...' menu on the mobile version of this app.

Samsung sold 16% more units of its early 2019 flagships compared to those of their predecessors in the first week of sales in the United States. These are the results of a new report conducted by Counterpoint Research. This group also now concludes that the Galaxy S10s are Samsung's best chance of regaining the majority of this market yet.

Apple has convinced its main manufacturing partners, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) and Foxconn, to makes its parts and/or devices using green energy by 2020. This achievement is a big part of the OEM's current drive towards making its business as sustainable as possible.

PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds, or PUBG for short, is one of the Korean studio Bluehole's biggest success stories. However, some state regulators seem not to like it as much as its millions of players do. Nepal is the latest country to ban the game, citing detrimental effects on children and teenagers.

A new study from Counterpoint Research has shed a little light on Samsung’s smartphone sales woes. Although still the number one smartphone maker in the world, its profits have taken a big hit with lower sales of its premium devices. Now we know where some of these customers are heading.

The new Disney+ streaming service will entail a mixture of old and new shows from all of the studios under its umbrella. This, therefore, includes Lucasfilm, 21st Century Fox, Pixar and Marvel. Therefore, Netflix may indeed forfeit several lucrative series-length titles as Disney parts company with it in 2019. This year should also see much more granular detail on what this new subscription has to offer.

The action camera market is projected to be worth over $10 billion in 7 years. It has been found to be made up of the popular brands in this space, such as GoPro, Sony, Olympus, Garmin and others. This market is reportedly driven by increasing levels of disposable income and interest in relevant outdoor pursuits.

YouTube has amassed a 265 million-stong user based in the Indian market. Speaking at a recent Google conference, the service's CEO, Susan Wojcicki, projected that this number would grow further to 500 million by next year. The executive attributed this to the availability of 4G in this country.

Canon has launched the EOS Rebel SL3, the latest in this line of compact DLSRs. This model is capable of 4K reconding, a first for the EOS Rebel series. It does so with its 24.1 megapixel (MP) APS-C sensor, which is compatible with EF and EF-S lenses. The EOS Rebel is capable of various autofocus settings, and has a completely adjustable LCD touchscreen.

WhatsApp has nearly always been available on iOS, but not on iPads. However, as these tablets come with SIM-enabled variants, some users would probably like the option. The app's developers may now be working on a new beta that is optimized for these Apple slates.

Apple may be obliged to delay its adoption of 5G until 2020 at the earliest. This is due to its ongoing feud with Qualcomm, who, as it is claimed, will not sell the necessary hardware to the Cupertino company. More recently, Huawei has said it may sell its own modems to Apple.

Huawei is set to release its latest power bank for sale for the first time in China. This will take place in the coming week (on April 11, 2019). The OEM alleges that this power bank is compatible with devices that can charge at 40 watts. This includes the P30 line of smartphones, as well as some Matebooks.

Major Australian consumer electronics retailer JB Hi-Fi has extended its massive AU$320 discount on the 512GB variants of the iPhone Xs model until 1 June. The initial price cut was already unprecedented for current-generation flagship iPhone in Australia, but to see the deal extended till 1 June highlights just how much iPhone sales are stagnating.

Netflix has dropped something of a bomb on iOS users who like streaming its service over AirPlay. Effective immediately, Netflix will no longer support AirPlay, Apple’s proprietary steaming protocol, just as it goes mainstream on OEM TV sets from makers including Samsung and Sony.

MiLi is a company that integrates its Furniture Mate wireless-charging pad into any table-top. It aims this product at those in the service industry and also to those who want decor that can charge an increasing number of phones at home. MiLi also makes the Table Mate, a similar pad that can be attached to nearly any table.

Aukey, a common name in USB power and mobile-device accessories, has launched a new technology called Dynamic Detect. It allows a dual-port USB-Power Delivery (USB-PD) charger to recognize the number of devices connected to it and allocate its full wattage accordingly. This could allow an ultrabook to fast-charge at the full wattage it needs.

The under-display fingerprint sensor built into the new Samsung Galaxy S10 is often perceived as the most secure. This is due to its state-of-the-art, ultrasonic nature that builds a 3D map of the user biometric in question. A Reddit user has claimed to have fooled it with a mock print made of resin.

Beats has unveiled its new Powerbeats Pro on its website. These new earbuds are of the 'sports' variety, and thus have over-the-ear loops built into a completely wireless design. Like the new AirPods, they can activate Siri hands-free and have the new H1 chip for wearables.

Duplex is the strikingly realistic voice-enabled arm of the Google Assistant. It can carry out tasks such as booking tables at restaurants for smartphone users in 43 US states. It had been restricted to doing so on Pixel-line phones only; however, an XDA contributor has claimed that it may now work on devices from other OEMs.

A new report has stated that Apple could be planning on releasing three iPhones in 2020 that all feature OLED panels, which will probably be supplied by Samsung. As one of the 2020 phones is rumored to be coming in a 5.42-inch size, there has been speculation this could be a next-generation iPhone SE.

Samsung followed Huawei into reverse wireless charging territory in 2019. Now, the respected analyst Ming-Chi Kuo asserts that Apple will do the same. This feature would align nicely with the new capabilities of the AirPods.

Ting Mobile, a North American mobile service provider, recently conducted a survey of just over 1.400 smartphone users. It found that 64% of these respondents reported cracks in their screens, most of which (62%) did so through dropping their devices. The survey also found that only 11% repaired their own phones, whereas 64% would be interested in a DIY repair kit to help them do so.

The ultimate demise of the AirPower charging mat appears to have been foretold by Apple insider Sonny Dickson several months ago. In the absence of any official word from Apple, other than it cancelled AirPower because it couldn’t “achieve our high standards,” it appears that Dickson’s is the most plausible explanation of what went wrong.

Gerard Williams III, the lead designer of Apple’s industry-leading custom A-series ARM-based chips has left the company according to a CNET report. The departure couldn’t have come at a worse time for Apple which has been reeling from negative publicity surrounding the termination of the high-profile AirPower charging mat device and an admission that its third-generation butterfly-mechanism based keyboards are also susceptible to failing.

A new video posted by YouTube channel PhoneBuff has pitted the Samsung Galaxy S10+ against the iPhone XS Max in a series of brutal drop tests. Although the flagship from the South Korean manufacturer is wrapped in Corning’s Gorilla Glass 6, it loses to the subjectively better durability performance of its iPhone rival.

In what will surely go down as one of the biggest fails in tech history, Apple has quietly announced that it has cancelled its Qi-enabled, long overdue, AirPower charging mat. Apple quietly made the dumbfounding announcement in a written statement to TechCrunch.