iPhone

The months of December 2017 through to January 2019 have been associated with declining smartphone sale numbers in the United States on a year-on-year basis. Counterpoint, a market analysis firm, cited the lack of deals on flagships and the government shutdown as factors in the trend as it applied to January.

Geologists at the School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences at the University of Plymouth in England have blended an iPhone so they could scrutinize the elements it’s made from more closely. Using their specialist knowledge and skills, the researchers found that the iPhone had enough gold and tungsten in it to be classified as high-grade.

Apple has developed a habit of disappointing its fans by including power bricks that charge at only 5W with its iPhones. However, a new leak has predicted that the company will put an end to this in 2019. It also projects that the next generation of Apple mobile devices will be capable of reverse wireless charging.

Apple used to be the tech company that led consumer technology design unchallenged. After a week of rehashed designs masquerading as, in at least one instance, “all new” product launches, the company feels like it is asleep at the wheel under CEO Tim Cook.

A designer called Antonio De Rosa has come up with a concept video of what an iPhone foldable smartphone, which is called the iPhone X Fold in the clip, could actually look like. Unsurprisingly, there are plenty of familiar Samsung Galaxy Fold and Huawei Mate X elements in the mix, but the presence of a square triple camera setup and some innovative packaging are highlights.

Apple's market share in China has reportedly fallen by 26.6% in 2018. Unsurprisingly, the culprits are more 'local' OEMs such as Huawei and Xiaomi, who offer more innovative features in premium handsets that go for less than those from the Cupertino company.

Arrested Huawei CFO and daughter of founder Ren Zhengfei, Meng Wanzhou, has had further embarrassment heaped on her. As if getting arrested in Canada at the request of the US government on espionage charges isn’t enough, it has now been revealed that when arrested, Meng was in possession of several Apple products instead of Huawei equivalents.

Huntkey, a company based in Shenzhen, has announced that it is currently producing a 90-watt wall-wart intended for mobile devices. This next-gen power-brick also has a USB type-C output, rather than type-A as normal. It supports various fast-charging profiles, in addition to USB Power Delivery and Qualcomm QuickCharge3.0+.

DigiTimes has cited sources at a components supplier in a new report that alleges the AirPower accessory is finally going to be released soon. This article also asserts that the long-awaited wireless charging pad will work with at least one generation of the Apple Watch.

Apple's latest press release has unveiled the AirPods 2. These new earbuds integrate handsfree Siri activation, faster switching between different devices and wireless charging. However, their design is largely unchanged compared to their preceding generation.

LumiCharge made a good impression among tech correspondents with its first-gen desk lamp. This product had an LED clock, not to mention ways to charge iOS and Android smartphones with built-in wired connections. Now, the company is back on Indiegogo with the LumiCharge II, which adds wireless charging to this set-up.

Samsung’s latest Galaxy S10 models pack a serious punch and have been getting very positive reviews on the whole. This includes the Galaxy S10+, which picks up dual-front facing cameras to go with its triple-rear facing camera array. But there is one thing missing from Samsung’s camera equation that is letting it down when compared with the iPhone.

Qualcomm has successfully pressed its latest legal complaint against Apple in a San Diego court. Its jury has ruled that the Cupertino company did in fact use 3 patents that did not belong to it in the making of its 2016-2018 iPhones. Qualcomm can now collect the US$31 million that, as it asserts, Apple needs to pay for this infringement.

If smartwatches have one problem, it is their restricted battery capacities. The company Togvu has announced its "battery case" that may solve this problem for Apple Watch users. It is a strap for these devices that integrates wireless charging and a 600mAh battery.

Some renders and rumors have asserted that the iPhones to be released this year will have triple rear cameras. This, apparently, will necessitate a Huawei Mate 20-esque square module for these sensors. MacOtakara has claimed that its sources in the supply industry have confirmed this rumor.

Over the past week or so, WhatsApp has taken to enforcing its strict anti-third-party policies. The company considers third-party versions of the messenger a security risk and is now banning users of such apps. GB WhatsApp and WhatsApp Plus are examples.

A mobile insurance and device company, Asurion, has announced its findings on a study about missing devices and cases in which their owners managed to get them back. The company reported that having a lockscreen showing a contact number resulted in 3 times the chances of recovering such a device. In addition, the use of a cross-platform browser is a good idea in case of phone loss.

The popular tech YouTuber Lewis Hilsenteger has posted a video to his channel claiming that the new Samsung Galaxy S10 series' Face Unlock security can be hacked. Hilsenteger demonstrated this by holding his Galaxy S10+ up to a 2nd phone playing a video of his face, which appeared to successfully unlock the former's screen.

Ming-Chi Kuo is back to stick another thorn in Apple’s side with more news about Apple’s future product plans. This time around, Kuo has revealed that Apple’s rumoured augmented reality glasses could be coming as soon as late 2019 or early 2020.

The Samsung Galaxy S10e is one of the new additions to the flagship series. It has the smallest screen (and price) of all its variants, yet retains many of the new features associated with it. The S10e has been made available on Boost Mobile today (March 8, 2019) at an out-right price of US$749.

Wireless charging is becoming increasingly popular with mobile device designers, particularly at the higher end of the market. However, it is associated with a potentially significant problem: the inability to use a phone effectively while it has to be on its pad or station. The makers of a novel smartphone stand now available on Indiegogo claim they can help with that.

Thanks to the latest update for the PlayStation 4 and the addition of an officially supported app in the Apple App Store, the PS4's Remote Play is now available on compatible iOS devices. However, since iOS doesn't natively support the PS4's DualShock 4 controllers, gamers will have to resort to on-screen controls or a supported third-party solution.

Bloomberg's most recent report on Apple and its next-generation modem woes suggest that the company is in even more trouble than previously imagined. Its choices for 5G hardware in future iPhones are apparently limited and come with compromises. Therefore, it JUST may skip this feature in 2020 as well as 2019.

iPhones whose batteries have been replaced by third-party repair shops are now eligible for service at Genius Bars and Apple Authorized Service Providers (AASPs). The new guidelines are applicable worldwide and provide for both battery and component replacement but the guidelines are restricted only to third-party batteries. Apple will still deny service if any other component has been altered via non-Apple repairs.

According to a new report in the Wall Street Journal, Nintendo has at least started to intervene in order to prevent disproportional amounts of in-game transactions in the titles it has licensed to Android and iOS developers. This may reflect the increasing drive to regulate such charges, which can lead to significant profits as a result of using free apps.

A new feature in Facebook's Messenger app - Dark Mode - has been in the works for some time now. A Redditor has recently noticed that it can be activated by sending a specific emoji. The new Mode may particularly benefit those with light sensitivities or whose devices have OLED screens.

The new version of Microsoft Edge, a browser whose development is now driven by that of Chromium's, has been leaked in a set of images by Neowin. They show a browser that will indeed ring a number of bells for those who follow the open-source project. However, there is a Microsoft extensions store and Bing integration.

A start-up called Energous has announced a collaboration with Vivo. This move could bring Energous' over-the-air charging technology, WattUp 2.0, to the smartphone OEM's devices. Vivo has said that this move could alleviate "battery anxiety" for its customers.

The short-video app TikTok has seen its billionth download on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store combined. It has also rivalled Facebook and surpassed Instagram for app install counts in 2018. It was also the most-downloaded non-game app in the US in January 2019.

The upcoming Apple iPhone's screen could double-up as a speaker going by the company's patent filing at the USPTO. The patent is not detailed explicitly but does point to hermetic sealing around the device. It also suggests reduction of distortion by ensuring a near-perfect vertical speaker diaphragm motion. While not 100% indicative, there is every possibility of Apple incorporating this technology following in the footsteps of Android phones such as the LG G8 ThinQ.

Google engineers are developing a 'back/forward cache' to reduce the latency with which Chrome returns to a previous page, or goes forward from one. This involves saving an entire webpage in memory, JavaScript included. While this may enhance the browser's UX, it also implies privacy issues.

The HERO7 Black is the top-spec'd SKU of its GoPro camera series. It is now available in a limited-edition alternative finish, Dusk White. This version will be released on March 3, 2019 on gopro.com and selected retailers worldwide.

RAVPower, the well-known accessory-maker, has a stand at MWC this year. It showcases a new PD charger, an ultra-thin (14mm) 'wall wart' based on gallium nitride (GaN) technology. RAVPower also has a new wireless charging stand that is also a power bank.

The popular case-maker Spigen is collaborating with Ossia, a true-wireless charging pioneer, to bring a phone case that integrates the necessary Cota technology to market. The two groups have brought renders of this product (which comprises a 'phone sleeve' and a transceiver) to this year's Mobile World Congress (MWC19).

Jim Harris, an author and speaker on disruptive innovations, has released a new report on consumer tech ahead of MWC 2019. In it, he claims that 59% of all the money spent in the same market in 2018 was expended on smartphones. Harris also asserts that Android is now the most popular software platform.

It has been reported that TSMC could have a 5 nm FinFET process ready for commercial use by 2020, and the rumored Apple A14 SoC would be one of the first chips to benefit from the advanced technology. The semiconductor foundry has announced it will start risk production for 5 nm technology in the second half of this year.

Renders of a foldable iPhone have been created and published by LetsGoDigital. The images are based on a patent application Apple made with the USPTO. Unlike many recent foldable offerings, the smartphone does not turn into a tablet-sized device. The standout feature of this potential foldable iPhone is that it can fold inwards and outwards.

PlusUs has introduced its Xpad, a charging pad that measures only 2.2 millimeters in depth. This spec leads the start-up to assert that it is the thinnest product of its kind worldwide. It is available as a reward as part of an Indiegogo campaign, which aims to raise US$20,000.

Ming-Chi Kuo, one of the most accurate analyst going around when it comes to Apple’s product plans, has spilled the beans on its entire 2019 product pipeline. Kuo’s latest investor note for TF International Securities includes details about the next iPhone, Mac news, iPad news, AirPod news, a 6K 31.5-inch monitor and a ceramic Apple Watch.

A fresh patent granted to Apple shows that the Cupertino giant is hard at work on its own foldable smartphone. Interestingly, there are several different types of options that Apple is looking at in terms of the way the screen folds, the number of folding segments, and the types of hinges that it might use.

Apple will release red versions of the iPhone XS and XS Max, but only in China. At least, this is what a new post on Weibo claims. It cites the OEM's declining fortunes in the country in this apparent marketing decision.

The new video streaming service will be officialized on March 25 and should be launched by summer. There will be some free content, some Apple-funded shows, the usual selection of movies and shows, plus the possibility to access content providers like Starz. Additionally, Apple is planning to release a sub-based news service.

According to some recent leaks, Apple may resurrect the iPad Mini name this year. A new post on MacOtakara has suggested that this tablet may be even more budget-friendly than usual. It claims that the 5th generation of the device could use the A10 Fusion - the chipset found in the iPhone 7.

Apple was supposed to completely fix the eavesdropping vulnerability triggered via the Group feature in the FaceTime app last week, but it looks like the company found a few more bugs and fixed them as well. One bug is related to the Live Photos feature in FaceTime, while the other two are related to memory corruption flaws occurring in the IOKit and Foundation.

A recent report in TechCrunch has revealed that a number of companies use a service that allows 'session replay', which can effectively translate into recordings of what users do on their iOS apps. This data can include on-screen taps and text field inputs. Apple has responded by insisting that all developers disclose their use of these services.

The latest update to the VLC media player (4.0) will bring more features, especially for iOS. However, it will also no longer support older versions of the same platform, along with some others (e.g. Windows XP). It also now offers the ability to play a full list of music without pauses of any kind.

A Samsung Galaxy S10+ variant with the model number SM-G975F has been spotted on Geekbench by MySmartPrice, and it has delivered some impressive scores. It managed 4,472 in the single-core test and scored 10,387 points in the multi-core benchmark. This particular version of the Samsung Galaxy S10+ is powered by Samsung’s own Exynos 9820 SoC.

Anker now has a USB type C-to-Lightning cable with MFi certifcation available for pre-order on its website. This cable is 3 feet in length and has TPE shielding for durability and longevity. Anker claims that it can charge an iPhone (8 or later) by as much as 50% in 30 minutes, so long as a USB-PD brick is used.

A new report by ResearchandMarkets.com has indicated that the mobile wallet market value could reach as much as US$9,352.15 billion by 2026. This is particularly impressive as it was worth about $880 billion in 2017. This growth may be driven by factors such as improved awareness of these products, and improvements in the services they provide.