Apple

Apple Watch 2 could employ One Glass Solution technology for a thinner, lighter display

Christian Zibreg ∙ July 29, 2016

Aside from other rumored hardware improvements, a second-generation Apple Watch should ditch the current Glass on Glass (G/G) Retina touchscreen and replace it with a thinner and lighter display based on so-called One Glass Solution (OGS) screen technology, according to Apple supplier TPK Holding cited Friday by Taiwan's infamous hit-and-miss trade publication DigiTimes.

Because OGS eliminates a layer, adopting the technology should help the Apple Watch 2 conserve space and potentially even accommodate a larger battery.

CarPlay is coming to Hyundai’s 2017 Sonata and Tucson models

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated November 2, 2017

After releasing a firmware update which brought CarPlay support to the 2016 Sonata and a few other 2015 and 2016 models, Hyundai today announced that Apple's CarPlay infotainment system will be offered as a standard feature on its 2017 Sonata and limited-edition Tucson models.

CBS All Access and Showtime streaming services have surpassed 2M subscribers

Christian Zibreg ∙ July 29, 2016

Cable providers can complain all they want about Apple’s “hard-nosed” negotiation tactics when it comes to digital entertainment, but some of them seem to be enjoying unexpected success after introducing over-the-top subscription packages specifically aimed at cord cutters.

Take as an example CBS and its All Access and Showtime Anytime video-streaming services, which have now surpassed two million subscribers, with user bases evenly split between the two, as revealed by CBS's CEO on a quarterly results conference call with analysts and investors.

Square Enix releases Cosmos Rings, unique role-playing game for Apple Watch

Christian Zibreg ∙ July 29, 2016

Japanese developer Square Enix last evening released a cool new role-playing game for the Apple Watch—titled Cosmos Rings—featuring nostalgia-evoking visuals, simple touch screen controls and intuitive gameplay. Cosmos Rings has automatic battles supplemented by the Active Chain Skill (A.C.S.) system, allowing players to unleash powerful skill combinations. With visuals by Final Fantasy series art director Yusuke Naora, Cosmos Rings immerses you in “a mysterious realm where they must face a whirlwind of pathos in an effort to bring back the Goddess of Time.”

New Apple Store app in the works with ‘For You’ recommendations

Cody Lee ∙ Updated May 3, 2018

Apple is currently working on a redesigned version of its Apple Store mobile app with new recommendation features, reports Bloomberg. Citing sources familiar with the project, the outlet says the updated app could be rolled out in the next two weeks.

At the heart of the refresh is expected to be a "For You" tab, that will suggest products based on prior orders—similar to what Amazon.com does with its recommendations. So after buying an iPhone, the app could recommend cases and other accessories.

iMovie for iOS updated with improved sharing and project creation

Cody Lee ∙ July 28, 2016

Apple on Thursday pushed out an update for the iOS version of iMovie, bringing the video editing software to version 2.2.3. The update features much-needed improvements to the sharing and project creation processes, as well as the usual batch of stability and performance improvements.

Bloomberg: Apple’s Project Titan prioritizes autonomous driving amid new hirings

Christian Zibreg ∙ July 28, 2016

Apple's rumored electric vehicle project has shifted its focus towards autonomous driving systems although that shouldn't be interpreted as Apple abandoning efforts to design its own vehicle, Bloomberg reported today.

After bringing former hardware chief Bob Mansfield back from retirement to run its Project Titan initiative, Apple has now hired BlackBerry and Ford talent to help perfect its secret self-driving software.

Last month, revenue from U.S. sales of wireless headphones surpassed that of wired ones

Christian Zibreg ∙ July 28, 2016

If you need the definite proof that Apple's rumored decision to remove the 3.5mm headphone jack from the next iPhone is based on some actual real-world numbers, here's one. According to the latest stats for the month of June, published Thursday by research firm NPD, revenue from sales of wireless headphones in the United States during the month of June beat that of their wired counterparts. Revenue from wireless headphones accounted for 54 percent of U.S. dollar sales and 17 percent of unit sales in the headphone category.

Apple confirms a new retail store opening at World Trade Center later this year

Christian Zibreg ∙ July 28, 2016

Jason Barlia, who is Market Director for Apple's New York stores, confirmed today to CNET plans to open a brand new brick-and-mortar store at the World Trade Center Transportation Hub, a $4 billion train transit station in Lower Manhattan. The forthcoming store will be opening doors to shoppers later in 2016.

WSJ: Apple’s “hard-nosed” negotiation tactics have “alienated” cable providers

Christian Zibreg ∙ July 28, 2016

Apple's stubbornness and “hard-nosed” negotiation tactics have backfired and “alienated” cable providers, who say the firm is a cheapskate in terms of paying for digital content, reports The Wall Street Journal. For years, Apple's been persuading cable firms to let it sell their cherry-picked programming in a skinny TV bundle of its own for about $30 per month vs. $80+ for traditional cable subscriptions.

Pegatron, another iPhone manufacturer, cuts back on hiring due to assembly line automation

Christian Zibreg ∙ July 28, 2016

Taiwan-based Pegatron Corporation, which has long been Apple's secondary product manufacturer after Foxconn, has begun automating production lines where gadgets for other companies are being assembled. As a result of increased automation at the Shanghai plant, the company cut back on new hires, said its chairman TH Tung according to Chinese media quoted Thursday by DigiTimes.

Genuine-looking iPhone 7 Lightning-to-3.5-mm audio adapter caught on video

Christian Zibreg ∙ July 28, 2016

As you know, the next iPhone is expected to ditch the 3.5mm analog audio jack for wireless headphones, powered by Bluetooth, and wired ones, driven by Lightning. Now, certain sources are adamant that the handset may ship with a Lightning-to-3.5-mm audio adapter in the box so that folks could continue using their existing audio accessories.

Today, we get another glimpse of the claimed adapter in a set of leaked images and an accompanying high-resolution video. This latest leak came on Thursday via Vietnamese blog Tinhte.vn, which claims to have received the adapter from a Foxconn factory.