iDownloadBlog.com

How about Jet Black AirPods?

Christian Zibreg ∙ December 30, 2016

If it hadn't been for the new gloss and matte black color options, this year's iPhone 7 refresh would have admittedly been underwhelming as most buyers are not eager to buy the same basic handset design for three years in a row. Which begs the question of Jet Black AirPods you've been dreaming about.

Colors are important and no matter how you look at it, black-clad AirPods would perfectly compliment the superior sheen of Jet Black iPhone 7. Well, earlier this month Dutch artist Martin Hajek took it upon himself to imagine what a pair of AirPods done in black would look like.

2017 iPhone 7 production cut by 10 percent

Christian Zibreg ∙ December 30, 2016

Several analysts interviewed recently by The Wall Street Journal opined that iPhone 7's supposed lack of compelling features probably convinced many owners of the exploding Note 7 to opt for another high-end Galaxy handset, and not Apple's flagship phone.

Their remarks were corroborated today by supplier data collected by Japanese newspaper Nikkei Asian Review, which claims Apple is planning to cut iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus orders by ten percent starting in the first quarter of 2017 after they “sold more sluggishly than expected”.

Changes to Apple’s TSS servers currently render Prometheus non functional

Joaquim Barbosa ∙ Updated May 8, 2017

Update: tihmstar has stated that the tool is working perfectly, and that he has used it successfully multiple times today. However, some users have been encountering a TSS server error when using the tool nonetheless.

Hot on the heels of Prometheus' release at the 33c3 convention two days ago, tihmstar's tool for upgrading and downgrading to unsigned iOS firmwares seems already to have hit a snag. Following some changes to Apple's TSS servers today, the nature of which are yet to be investigated, the tool has been rendered non-functional at the present time.

Foxconn has 10 fully automated production lines

Christian Zibreg ∙ December 30, 2016

iPhone manufacturer Foxconn continues to replace factory workers with industrial robots, called Foxbots. These machines take advantage of artificial intelligence to perform elaborate assembly work more efficiently than humans can. As of May 2016, Foxbots had replaced as many as 60,000 factory workers and now a new report from DigiTimes details progress the contract manufacturer has since made in terms of boosting automated production across its facilities in China.

Apple has reportedly commissioned three different manufacturers to build iPhone 8

Christian Zibreg ∙ December 30, 2016

Hedging its bets, Apple has apparently commissioned a third contract manufacturer to build iPhone 8 alongside established suppliers and longtime partners Foxconn and Pegatron. According to a Chinese-language report in the Economic Daily News newspaper, quoted by Taiwanese trade publication DigiTimes, Apple supplier Wistron will get to build some of the future iPhone units.

Cydia beta for iOS 10.1.x jailbreak released

Joaquim Barbosa ∙ December 30, 2016

Thursday saw the release of a new build of Cydia from its creator Jay Freeman (Saurik). Coming in at version 1.1.28, the build is marked as a beta, designed for use with the fledgling iOS 10.1.x jailbreak from Luca Todesco.

Although I still do not recommend the average user to jailbreak with Yalu for 10.1.x, those who are confident doing so and have already taken the plunge may find this Cydia release improves their experience running the jailbreak slightly.

Samsung developing own AirPods-like earphones for Galaxy S8 launch

Christian Zibreg ∙ December 30, 2016

Samsung is probably going to rip off AirPods next: the company should debut all-new wireless earphones alongside Galaxy S8 launch, according to confidential information received by SamMobile. “Samsung is surely looking to put out a product that competes with Apple’s AirPods,” reads the report.

Samsung, of course, was found guilty of lifting Apple's hardware and software designs in the past.

It currently owes the Cupertino firm hundreds of millions of dollars in damages. Back in 2015, Samsung copied the look and feel of Apple's wired EarPods for Galaxy S6.

AirPods manufacturer Inventec is expanding capacity to meet strong demand

Christian Zibreg ∙ December 30, 2016

According to a brief report in the Chinese-language Economic Daily Times newspaper that was quoted Friday by DigiTimes, strong sales of the W1-enhanced AirPods and robust demand for Apple's earphones during the year-end holidays have prompted supplier Inventec to increase production capacity. While Inventec declined to comment on its orders, it's reportedly begun expanding capacity at its Shanghai plants, which are currently working overtime to deliver orders.

Why Apple shouldn’t pass on the rumored Jet White iPhone 7

Steffen Reich ∙ Updated May 17, 2018

On Tuesday, Apple afficionados were treated to a new wave of white shell iPhone 7 mock-ups and purported leaks hitting the internet, advancing the notion that the Cupertino-based company could plan to release a white counterpart to their Jet Black coating some time around March 2017.

From an aesthetic standpoint, everyone is going to have their two cents on the necessity of it in the grand scheme of things. Simply by moving the discussion from the fashion sphere to the finance department though, the ambivalence in regard to whether or not this iPhone release is genuinely necessary quickly crumbles and clearly comes down on one side of the fence.

As we will learn in late January, Apple’s first quarter of the fiscal year 2017 is going to look after itself nicely, but in view of the Q2 figures and a long summer following, Jet White definitely needs to happen. Two key reasons must be paid attention to in order to understand the imperative of a Jet White iPhone for a healthier bottom line in the fiscal year of 2017.

NYT details Foxconn’s Zhengzhou facility that manufactures iPhones on a massive scale

Christian Zibreg ∙ December 29, 2016

Most of the iPhone models Apple develops, markets and sells are being assembled by Foxconn, the world's leading contract manufacturer. In a new investigative piece, The New York Times newspaper delves into the inner workings of Foxconn's iPhone manufacturing plant in Zhengzhou, a city of six million people in an impoverished region of China.

Fun fact: the world’s biggest iPhone factory, referred to as “iPhone City” by the locals, is capable of churning out half a million iPhones per day at peak.

Sign up on Google Play Store to be notified when Super Mario Run launches on Android

Christian Zibreg ∙ December 29, 2016

Following its December 15 debut on App Store, Nintendo's one-handed side-scrolling platformer Super Mario Run will be coming to Android sooner than later: you can now pre-register on Google's Play Store to be alerted when the game is available to download.

Super Mario Run is free to download on iPhone, with a $9.99 In-App Purchase required to unlock the 24 levels across six worlds.

Sharp working to secure iPhone camera lens orders from Apple

Christian Zibreg ∙ December 29, 2016

According to Japanese outlet Nikkei, cited by DigiTimes, Sharp is hoping to secure some camera lens orders from Apple for future iPhones. To boost its chances of cutting a lucrative deal with Apple, Sharp is now speculated to increase its investment in Japan-based lens module maker Kantatsu, in which it currently holds a 44 percent stake.

Sharp would need to compete with Taiwan-based Largan Precision, which currently supplies iPhone camera lens modules in volume. Sharp is owned by Foxconn, the world's top contract manufacturer that assembles iPhones.