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Apple has started selling refurbished iPhone 8 devices for $499

Apple's in-house refurbished store has started selling 64 GB iPhone 8 handsets for $499, $100 less than a new phone. Apple's refurbished iPhones are basically used internals that are cleaned and repaired, then placed into a new chassis with a new battery. Higher capacity iPhone 8 models and the iPhone 8 Plus should be available in the refurbished store soon.

Sam Medley, 05 Nov 2018 02:10

Apple lost its trillion-dollar value status today. (Source: AppleInsider)

Apple to cease sharing sales figures; stock prices fall

It has been reported that Apple will no longer provide detailed sales figures for its products in future financial reports, starting in Q1 2019. The Cupertino-based tech giant has just released its fourth quarter results; the quarterly revenue amount posted was US$62.9 billion. The company’s stock prices plunged as investors fretted over the surprising announcement.

Daniel R Deakin, 02 Nov 2018 19:16

Spotify shares were affected by less than completely positive earnings reports. (Source: djtimes.com)

Spotify shares sank by 11% due to pessimistic earnings forecast

The shares of the company Spotify were down 11% at the start of today (November 1, 2018) due to a forecast that shows relatively poor fourth-quarter performance. In addition, Spotify is now reported to be committed to new investments to boost innovation and future-proofing in its products.

Deirdre O Donnell, 01 Nov 2018 19:20

Apple iPhone X gets CPU throttling (Source: Apple)

Apple's iPhone X gets speed throttling

Although Apple has previously said that this controversial feature would not be pushed to its post-iPhone 7 handsets, it seems that the Cupertino-based giant has decided to add speed throttling for the iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, and iPhone X in the iOS 12.1 update after all.

Codrut Nistor, 01 Nov 2018 18:48

MRI machines: helpful to humans, deadly to electronics. (Source: myprincegeorgenow.com)

Reddit post claims that an MRI machine killed all the Apple devices in the same hospital

A curious incident of the iPhones in the hospital: A post in r/sysadmin by a hospital IT admin tells a strange story: devices in his hospital either died completely or lost important functions on the same day. Oddly, all these electronics had only one thing in common: they were all Apple products.

Deirdre O Donnell, 31 Oct 2018 18:47

New iPhones can connect to two separate carriers using a single SIM card, but there are some issues with Verizon and T-Mobile. (Image via iFixIt)

Verizon and T-Mobile don't support iOS 12's dual-SIM feature

Apple is rolling out iOS 12.1 today, and if you have an iPhone Xs, Xs Max, or XR, you can use Apple's new dual-SIM feature... as long as you're not using Verizon on your digital SIM or as your secondary number. Both T-Mobile and Verizon have stated that their networks are not ready to fully support the dual-SIM tech but are working on getting their networks up to scratch "in the near future."

Sam Medley, 30 Oct 2018 22:23

New emojis in iOS 12.1 (Source: Apple Newsroom)

Apple unleashes iOS 12.1, Group FaceTime and new emojis in tow

Just as previously rumored, the new update for Apple's mobile operating system — iOS 12.1 — comes with Group FaceTime and a set of new emojis. In addition to these changes that target all compatible iPhones and iPads, the iPhone XR, iPhone XS, and iPhone XS Max receive depth control in camera preview and dual-SIM support.

Codrut Nistor, 30 Oct 2018 10:48

All charts via Geekbench. See below for the top Android and iOS benchmarks, as of 10/28/2018

The iPhone XR is 25% faster than the fastest Android phones in Geekbench 4

The iPhone XR scored about 25% better than Android's best in Geekbench 4's multi-core benchmark. While this is impressive on paper (considering that the $750 iPhone XR is cheaper than most Android flagships), there is much more to consider when buying a phone than synthetic benchmarks and raw specs.

Sam Medley, 28 Oct 2018 17:18

The iPhone Xs Max uses an Intel modem instead of a modem supplied by Qualcomm as in the past. (Source: Notebook Check)

Qualcomm claims Apple has dudded it US$7 billion

Apple and Qualcomm don’t look to be nearing any kind of truce in their ongoing patent battle. In a federal court in San Diego, Qualcomm has accused Apple of being US$7 billion in arrears with patent royalty payments it believes it is owed.

Sanjiv Sathiah, 28 Oct 2018 10:51

Group FaceTime in action. (Source: Apple)

iOS 12.1 will unlock Dual SIM and Group FaceTime - but only for newer devices

The next upcoming update for iOS is now rumored to add Group FaceTime and dual SIM support to some phones. For some other, older models, however, only restricted forms of Group FaceTime are coming. Some others are not getting this feature at all.

Deirdre O Donnell, 27 Oct 2018 16:08

Samsung Galaxy S10 now rumored to come in 4 variants, one of which will have 12GB of RAM

A leak on Weibo claims that the Galaxy S10 lineup will consist of 4 versions of the phone rather than the usual 2. One of these will be a 5G variant - with 12GB RAM. The Weibo poster also believes that the Huawei P30 Pro will have this spec.

Deirdre O Donnell, 25 Oct 2018 20:05

Both speakers in this iPhone XS Max diagram should function to play audio. (Source: iphonefaqs.com)

Stereo-gate: iPhone XS and XS Max hit with new bug (audio this time)

The latest Apple flagship smartphones are facing yet another issue that means they do not work out of the box as described. This time, it seems that one of their dual speakers does not fire while playing audio. The bug has been reported numerous times on several different types of forum by now.

Deirdre O Donnell, 24 Oct 2018 18:56

The iPhone XR adds blue to the Apple back-panel color gamut. (Source: Rogers)

iPhone XR now available for pre-order

The iPhone XR may be the be-notched version of the SE line of old. It offers many new Apple features in a slightly cheaper chassis. This alternative to the XS and XS Max may be attractive for those who like different colors, don't care that much about screen quality and don't want to spend all of US$1000 on a new iPhone.

Deirdre O Donnell, 19 Oct 2018 13:23

If you're a bit short of cash, consider the regular-sized XS for US$74,995. (Source: Brikk)

Own a solid gold Apple iPhone XS Max for just under US$100,000

A luxury customization company called Brikk has created a solid gold Apple iPhone XS Max that costs US$94,995. The device features 313 g (11.08 oz) of 22K gold and is appropriately part of the firm's Ingot Collection. Brikk has also developed a gold DualShock 4 controller, featuring diamond-studded buttons, available for US$13,995. A rather opulent set of AirPods with a whole carat of diamonds on each bud can be snapped up for US$9,995.

Daniel R Deakin, 16 Oct 2018 21:36

An EUV machine used in semiconductor manufacturing. (Source: Medium)

2019 iPhone processors to be exclusively provided by TSMC

Apple reportedly only has one partner to make chips for the next iPhones after the XS/R series: TSMC. These A13 processors are likely to be 7nm in die size. If so, TSMC could make history in being the first company to manufacture this architecture using the EUV technique.

Deirdre O Donnell, 12 Oct 2018 22:39

Farmer in my Pocket: Stardew Valley is coming to iOS October 24, Android port will follow soon

The uber-popular indie farming simulator Stardew Valley is getting an iOS port this month. The title is up for pre-order on the Apple App Store now and will be available for download October 24 for US$7.99. An Android port will be coming soon. If you haven't tried one of the many ports of the excellent farming/relationship-building/role-playing game, you can check it out on your iPhone later this month.

Sam Medley, 11 Oct 2018 16:13

Apple-branded device owners would choose Huawei over Samsung devices. (Source: Tech.Co)

Smartphone research data shows Apple winning over Android users

Research data, created by BofA Merrill Lynch Global Research and shared by Horace Dediu on Twitter, has shown that Apple and its products seem to be succeeding in tempting Android users away from their currently owned devices. For example, according to the statistics in the chart, 19% of Samsung-smartphone owners are considering an Apple device as their next purchase.

Daniel R Deakin, 11 Oct 2018 00:51

Google has not increased the rear camera count of its Pixel lineup this year. (Source: Google)

In a world of multiple rear smartphone cameras, the Pixel 3 XL sticks with one

2018 is definitely the year of the at-least-three-camera phone. Some upcoming devices may have even more. However, Google seems content with the single rear shooter it has incorporated into the new Pixel 3 series.

Deirdre O Donnell, 10 Oct 2018 17:33

Apple iPhone XS charging bug solved by iOS 12.0.1

Apple fixes iPhone XS charging problems (and more) in iOS 12.0.1

Apple has just released iOS 12.0.1, just in time to stop what appeared to be an upcoming "charge gate" scandal caused by an issue that made iPhone XS handsets fail to charge when using a Lightning cable. This brand-new iOS update also irons out a WiFi-related problem, a Bluetooth bug, and more.

Codrut Nistor, 09 Oct 2018 19:34

Jailbreaking in iOS 12 is looking more and more likely. (Source: redmondpie.com)

Developer claims to have jailbroken iPhone XS Max

A well-known iOS developer, Luca Tudesco, is reported as stating that jailbreaking in the iPhone XS Max's A12 chip is possible. It may be a follow-up in which the related group Pangu claimed that they had done the same in iOS 12. However, there is no evidence that this option is more generally available yet.

Deirdre O Donnell, 08 Oct 2018 19:52

New Samsung Galaxy Note 9 or old iPhone X? Hm... (Source: CNET)

Samsung US is temporarily doubling its trade-in payoffs - even for iPhones

How about a new Galaxy S9, S9 Plus or Note 9 for your iPhone X? No? What if you get $600 as well? This is the premise of Samsung USA's new promotion. The company will increase its usual trade-in price, even for Apple products, for a limited time.

Deirdre O Donnell, 08 Oct 2018 19:22

The iPhone XS Max - Excellent but a notch below the best (DxOMark)

The iPhone XS Max was recently unveiled with one of the heftiest price tags we've ever seen on a production smartphone. Thankfully, it offers a matching camera performance, but one still a touch below the absolute best. According to DxOMark, anyway.

Ricci Rox, 07 Oct 2018 16:02

The latest iPhone series has already beaten its forebears in early market share. (Source: Engadget)

iPhone XS series has outdone its predecessors in first-week sales

The iPhone XS and XS Max models have collectively outdone their predecessors when it comes to capturing a share of Apple customers in their launch year. They have also exceeded the iPhones 8 and 8 Plus when it comes to gaining this share in the week after their launch. However, the iPhone 7 Plus remains the most popular Apple smartphone.

Deirdre O Donnell, 04 Oct 2018 23:13

The iPhone 6S is being rivalled by Apple's newest wearable in some respects. (Source: takealot.com)

Apple Watch 4 found to be just as fast as iPhone 6S, but only for certain metrics

A developer has created an app that can test the 60fps rendering capabilities of the S4 SIP, the processing platform found in the 4th-gen Apple Watch. He has reported that the watch equals the iPhone 6S in this test. The watch also used less than 70% of its processing power while running this app.

Deirdre O Donnell, 04 Oct 2018 19:11

Huawei might have been a bit too overconfident with their claims regarding the supermacy of the Kirin 980. (Source: Pocketnow)

Huawei's Kirin 980 does not beat Apple's A12 Bionic in leaked Geekbench results

The latest Geekbench results come to contradict Huawei's claims from last week. The Kirin 980 is certainly not faster than the A12 Bionic, but it does perform better than Qualcomm's Snapdragon 845. This might just be an early Mate 20 test sample and performance might be better on the final version, we'll just have to wait two more weeks to find out for sure.

Bogdan Solca, 02 Oct 2018 21:48

Do the latest iPhones have a fundamental issue with their use? (Source: iPhoneTricks.org)

'Charge-gate'? Emerging reports of charging-port issues in some iPhone XS and XS Max units

Reports coming from several different sources claim that some brand-new iPhones are not charging unless their screens are on. This issue apparently affects both the iPhone XS and XS Max. However, the reports also suggest that this problem is software based, yet not constant across all devices.

Deirdre O Donnell, 30 Sep 2018 19:48

Google is shelling out billions to remain the default search engine for Apple's Safari browser

Google will reportedly pay US $9 billion over 2018 to remain the default search engine for the Safari browser. This price may go up to as much as $12 billion next year. However, due to the growing popularity of Apple's devices, the privilege may be worth the cost to Google.

Sam Medley, 30 Sep 2018 07:53

The iPhone XR will hit Apple stores and retailers on October 26, but do not expect it to be too affordable. (Source: Apple)

iPhone XR gets FCC approval, will ship in late October

The FCC has finally approved Apple's iPhone XR, and the smartphone is expected to hit the stores on October 26. Apart from the fast A12 Bionic SoC, the "more affordable" iPhone does not really feature anything that justifies the US$750 price tag. It only has 3 GB of RAM, a 12 MP rear cam and a 7 MP selfie, which in most cases is subpar even for mid-range phones.

Bogdan Solca, 28 Sep 2018 20:11

The iPhone XS Max (left) is estimated to cost Apple US$443 each in components. (Source: Apple)

iPhone XS Max component costs revealed

If there’s one thing that matches the size of the new iPhone XS Max models from Apple, it is their price. If you want to know how much money of yours the Cupertino giant is sticking straight into its bank account, read on. If you don't, it might be best to look away.

Sanjiv Sathiah, 26 Sep 2018 06:32

Antennagate 2.0? The iPhone XS and XS Max users are complaining of poor cellular and WiFi connections

The new iPhone XS and XS Max may have inherited the iPhone 4's poor cellular connection strength. Several users are complaining of poor or dropped cellular and WiFi connections. While these claims are still just conjecture, they are rapidly growing in number.

Sam Medley, 26 Sep 2018 05:59

A new survey suggests that consumers prefer their services as on-the-go as possible. (Source: SlashGear)

Over half of consumers surveyed would prefer a service accessible from their phones: new data

A new survey has indicated that the majority of consumers today may be more likely to support a business that demonstrates good mobile service implementation. This means that their apps, websites or online presences are easily accessible from a smartphone. The data suggests that this holds true for many industries, but applies to food delivery services in particular.

Deirdre O Donnell, 25 Sep 2018 20:17

Cables, cables everywhere - but for how long? (Source: Electricals4Dummies)

Cable-based connectivity set to be worth US$34 billion in 5 years

The wired interface market - which encompasses all types of USB cable, as well as others (e.g. Thunderbolt or HDMI) - is estimated to have a compound annual growth rate of 6.2% well into the next decade. However, it appears that their wireless counterparts have the potential to outstrip them in the same general time-frame.

Deirdre O Donnell, 25 Sep 2018 18:57

The iPhone XS (right) has a single battery. Notice the slightly smaller width along the top right edge. (Image source: FixjeiPhone)

The iPhone XS has a smaller battery capacity than the iPhone X

According to TENAA, the iPhone XS has a 2658 mAh battery, a small downgrade from the iPhone X's 2716 mAh battery. Considering that the iPhone X was criticized for its mediocre battery life last year, this could be a sticking point for the XS.

Sam Medley, 22 Sep 2018 03:52

Samsung's RAM is used in everything, from desktops to laptops to phones. This supply decrease may affect more than DIY PC parts. (Source: GameRevolution)

Samsung plans to lower memory supply in order to keep prices high

While DRAM prices have been dropping since January of this year, the price of DDR4 memory is still significantly higher than it was in 2016. Now, during a time of reduced demand, Samsung may be planning to cut down on supply in order to keep today's prices.

Matthew Connatser, 22 Sep 2018 02:05

A new reports estimates the worth of the smart home market in 2025. (Source: medium.com)

Smart home market to exceed US$90 billion by 2025: new report

Smart home technology has definitely caught on by now, with many people automating or controlling their living spaces with new products designed to be integrated into them. A new market research report suggests that the market built up around this trend is worth billions now and will be worth even more in the future.

Deirdre O Donnell, 21 Sep 2018 19:14

Code buried in iOS 12.1 heavily implies that new iPads are coming this year

Code discovered in the Setup app for iOS 12.1 references a device called "iPad2018Fall," This, combined with other rumors of upcoming features that make sense for an iPad, all but confirm that new Apple tablets are coming in the next couple of months. This would coincide with Apple's typical release schedule.

Sam Medley, 21 Sep 2018 05:07

Sony has released a limited edition of aibo in the United States. (Source: hothardware)

Limited "First Litter" edition of Sony's robotic dog, aibo, released in US

aibo, Sony's robot in the shape of a puppy, is available from today (September 18, 2018) for purchase in the US. This event is being dubbed the "First Litter" release of the mechanical pets. Sony claims that aibo can learn to recognize up to 100 faces and develops a unique personality based on how it is treated.

Deirdre O Donnell, 18 Sep 2018 23:12

iOS 12 is here, bringing performance improvements, AR features, Siri Shortcuts, and more

Apple release iOS 12 today as a free update. The new version of Apple's mobile OS includes better AR support, automation via Siri, and performance optimizations. The update largely feels like Apple playing catch up with Android, which has offered some of the new features for years.

Sam Medley, 17 Sep 2018 23:27

Apple iPhone X flagship, iPhones plagued by a CSS bug (Source: Apple)

Defective CSS code crashes, causes iPhones to restart

Using the rather new backdrop-filter CSS property can lead to a crash of the entire iOS on an iPhone. An exploit that does this and the code behind it have recently been unveiled by a software engineer and security researcher at Wire. The even worse part is that this issue might affect macOS-driven systems as well.

Codrut Nistor, 17 Sep 2018 19:45

SIM cards through the years. (Source: GSMArena)

eSIM phone shipments could number at least 400 million by 2022

Traditional nano-, micro- or mini-SIMs have dominated mobile connection delivery for smartphones during the devices' rise in the 21st century. Now, however, ABI Research think eSIMs are going to start getting much more popular, mainly as a result of Apple's inclusion of them in their newest iPhones.

Deirdre O Donnell, 17 Sep 2018 19:31

WhatsApp are now rumored to be bringing Dark Mode to its popular interface. (Source: WhatsApp)

WhatsApp may implement a dark mode soon

WhatsApp is working on a dark mode for its app, according to a Twitter-based leaker. The relevant posts project that this option will be OLED-screen friendly. Dark mode may also help save battery life while messaging on the app.

Deirdre O Donnell, 16 Sep 2018 00:00

Samsung Health 6.0 mobile app (Source: Samsung Global Newsroom)

Samsung Health 6.0 comes with a new UI and updated tools

Providing health- and wellness-related services to a crowd of over 65 million active users worldwide, Samsung Health has just been updated to version 6.0. This major release comes with a redesigned interface, updated tools, as well as a whole new range of personalization options.

Codrut Nistor, 13 Sep 2018 20:28

The iPhone Xr is the 'cost saving' version of the iPhone X/Xs

The slightly more affordable Apple iPhone Xr is the iPhone 5c/SE of this generation

The iPhone Xs and iPhone Xs Max — with their engineering triumphs and associated price tags — might have been the headlining announcement out of Apple today, but the cheaper iPhone Xr has the potential to be where most consumers direct their money. Reminiscent of the iPhone 5c and iPhone S, the iPhone Xr brings many of its flashier siblings features for US$250 less.

Craig Ward, 13 Sep 2018 07:42

Apple has announced the iPhone Xs and iPhone Xs Max. (Source: Apple)

Apple follows the size trend, announces the 5.8-inch iPhone Xs and behemoth 6.5-inch iPhone Xs Max

The Apple iPhone Xs and iPhone Xs Max were launched today as the ‘s’ year upgrades to 2017’s iPhone X. As is common for ‘s’ releases, iterative improvements have been made across the board, with a particular focus on the screen, dual camera system, and new A12 Bionic SoC.

Craig Ward, 13 Sep 2018 03:33

New predictions concerning the next iPad Pro indicate that it will dump the Lightning port. (Source: techgenyz.com)

Ming-Chi Kuo: Next iPad Pro will trade Lightning for USB-C

The respected technology analyst, Ming-Chi Kuo, is on record with yet another prediction for upcoming Apple devices. This time it's the iPad Pro, which, Kuo projects, will lose the Lightning port this year. Instead, it will use USB-C - and also, possibly, an 18-watt adapter.

Deirdre O Donnell, 11 Sep 2018 18:29

The Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear 3100 has been released. (Source: XDA)

Qualcomm officially launches Snapdragon Wear 3100

The Snapdragon Wear 3100 is likely to feature in many next-generation wearables. Qualcomm held a launch event for it yesterday (September 10, 2018). The company claimed it will bring improvements in battery life and usability. The Wear 3100 is also to be used by new, high-end players in the wearables game.

Deirdre O Donnell, 10 Sep 2018 23:50

Upcoming Apple iPhone Xs/Xs Max/9 listed in Romania (Source: QuickMobile.ro via Go4It)

Apple iPhone Xc, iPhone Xs and iPhone Xs Max details surface online

With screen sizes between 5.8 and 6.5 inches, the upcoming Apple iPhone handsets will bring the A12 processor into the spotlight, but they are also expected to be the first phones released by the Cupertino giant to ship with a fast charger and a Lightning-to-USB Type-C cable in the retail box.

Codrut Nistor, 10 Sep 2018 20:35

iPhone

Apple has started selling refurbished iPhone 8 devices for $499

Apple to cease sharing sales figures; stock prices fall

Spotify shares sank by 11% due to pessimistic earnings forecast

Apple's iPhone X gets speed throttling

Reddit post claims that an MRI machine killed all the Apple devices in the same hospital

Verizon and T-Mobile don't support iOS 12's dual-SIM feature

Apple unleashes iOS 12.1, Group FaceTime and new emojis in tow

The iPhone XR is 25% faster than the fastest Android phones in Geekbench 4

Qualcomm claims Apple has dudded it US$7 billion

86% Apple iPhone XR Smartphone Review

iOS 12.1 will unlock Dual SIM and Group FaceTime - but only for newer devices

Samsung Galaxy S10 now rumored to come in 4 variants, one of which will have 12GB of RAM

Stereo-gate: iPhone XS and XS Max hit with new bug (audio this time)

iPhone XR now available for pre-order

Own a solid gold Apple iPhone XS Max for just under US$100,000

2019 iPhone processors to be exclusively provided by TSMC

Farmer in my Pocket: Stardew Valley is coming to iOS October 24, Android port will follow soon

Smartphone research data shows Apple winning over Android users

In a world of multiple rear smartphone cameras, the Pixel 3 XL sticks with one

Apple fixes iPhone XS charging problems (and more) in iOS 12.0.1

Developer claims to have jailbroken iPhone XS Max

Samsung US is temporarily doubling its trade-in payoffs - even for iPhones

The iPhone XS Max - Excellent but a notch below the best (DxOMark)

iPhone XS series has outdone its predecessors in first-week sales

Apple Watch 4 found to be just as fast as iPhone 6S, but only for certain metrics

Huawei's Kirin 980 does not beat Apple's A12 Bionic in leaked Geekbench results

'Charge-gate'? Emerging reports of charging-port issues in some iPhone XS and XS Max units

Google is shelling out billions to remain the default search engine for Apple's Safari browser

iPhone XR gets FCC approval, will ship in late October

87% Apple iPhone XS Smartphone Review

86% Apple iPhone XS Max Smartphone Review

iPhone XS Max component costs revealed

Antennagate 2.0? The iPhone XS and XS Max users are complaining of poor cellular and WiFi connections

Over half of consumers surveyed would prefer a service accessible from their phones: new data

Cable-based connectivity set to be worth US$34 billion in 5 years

The iPhone XS has a smaller battery capacity than the iPhone X

Samsung plans to lower memory supply in order to keep prices high

Smart home market to exceed US$90 billion by 2025: new report

Code buried in iOS 12.1 heavily implies that new iPads are coming this year

Limited "First Litter" edition of Sony's robotic dog, aibo, released in US

iOS 12 is here, bringing performance improvements, AR features, Siri Shortcuts, and more

Defective CSS code crashes, causes iPhones to restart

eSIM phone shipments could number at least 400 million by 2022

WhatsApp may implement a dark mode soon

Samsung Health 6.0 comes with a new UI and updated tools

The slightly more affordable Apple iPhone Xr is the iPhone 5c/SE of this generation

Apple follows the size trend, announces the 5.8-inch iPhone Xs and behemoth 6.5-inch iPhone Xs Max

Ming-Chi Kuo: Next iPad Pro will trade Lightning for USB-C

Qualcomm officially launches Snapdragon Wear 3100

Apple iPhone Xc, iPhone Xs and iPhone Xs Max details surface online

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