Apple

Tech companies ask court to keep Steve Jobs’ personality out of hiring trial

Cody Lee ∙ April 15, 2014

Although the patent battle with Samsung is far from over in northern California, Apple's legal team has to start preparing for another high profile trial coming up next month. The iPad-maker, along with Google and others, is being sued over no-hire agreements in Silicon Valley.

This week, those companies in a joint court filing asked that witnesses in the upcoming suit not be allowed to offer evidence that Steve Jobs was "a bully." Emails regarding the case are fine, but excerpts from the Isaacson bio and other sources should be barred from admission...

Apple patent ditches GPS for Wi-Fi to better determine location indoors

Jake Smith ∙ Updated April 16, 2018

Apple has been granted a patent by the US Patent and Trademark Office on Tuesday that will help its Maps app better track your location indoors.

The patent describes a technology that temporarily ditches the GPS sensor, and uses Wi-Fi access points, location databases, and other sensors to determine your location where the GPS sensor may not be as accurate, Apple Insider first reported.

Apple joins Google, HTC and others to curb smartphone theft

Jake Smith ∙ Updated April 16, 2018

Apple has entered into the "Smartphone Anti-Theft Voluntary Commitment" with HTC, Motorola, Samsung, and others, to curb the smartphone theft epidemic that has been plaguing many city streets.

Under the voluntary agreement, the manufacturers are planning to add several new security features to their smartphones going on sale after July 2015, to make for an industry standard.

Under the Commitment, manufacturers' smartphones must:

Galaxy S5 fingerprint scanner isn’t immune, can also be tricked like iPhone 5s

Jake Smith ∙ Updated April 18, 2018

The fingerprint scanner on Samsung's flagship Galaxy S5 is suffering from the same security flaw as the fingerprint scanner on the iPhone 5s, creating a bit of a risk for owners.

Germany-based security blog H Security found that using a wood glue mold from the fingerprint already set on the Galaxy S5, someone else could gain unauthorized access to your phone. Given Samsung's fingerprint scanner tie-ins with the PayPal app, this means not only contacts and photos are up for grabs, but mobile payments, as well.

China Mobile iPhone sales boosting App Store downloads in China, pushing revenue up 70 percent

Jake Smith ∙ Updated October 13, 2018

App Store downloads and sales have risen vastly in China, following the deal between Apple and China Mobile to launch the iPhone on the world's-largest carrier during the first quarter of 2014.

Research website App Annie found in a report released Tuesday morning that China was the key market for iOS App Store growth during the first quarter of 2014, boosting revenue on the China App Store up around 70 percent compared to the fourth quarter of 2013.

iTunes Radio expanding to UK soon, iAd director meets with UK ad agencies

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 27, 2016

More signs are pointing to an imminent iTunes Radio launch in the United Kingdom. The company recently banned London-based music streaming service Bloom.fm from advertising on its iAd platform citing competitive reasons and now Apple's iAd director is meeting with the country's ad agencies, seemingly in preparation for iTunes Radio roll-out in the 63 million people market of United Kingdom...

Tempo Smart Calendar gains free conference calls, app icon date and new alert sound

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated February 28, 2018

Tempo Smart Calendar by Tempo AI, Inc. is one of the best calendar apps for the iPhone. Best of all, Tempo is totally free (unlike some other premium calendar apps on the iOS platform). Today, the app got bumped to version 1.3, offering a new conference calling feature with up to five participants, free of charge and without ever leaving your calendar.

There's also a new custom alert sound and an option to add the current date to the Home screen app icon. The update is now live in the App Store...

Amazon smartphone head-tracking and 3D UI detailed, possible device prototype leaks

Christian Zibreg ∙ April 15, 2014

As we told you this past weekend, The Wall Street Journal has it on good authority that the online retail giant Amazon is gearing up to launch its rumored smartphone with a 3D screen around September, after entering the crowded living room market with its own $99 set-top box, the Fire TV.

TechCrunch is now chiming in with new details regarding the handset's head-tracking capabilities that are thought to offer up some "limited 3D effects" via a few built-in gestures. Also, a scoop from BGR claims to show a prototype Amazon smartphone device that may or may not have entered in production...

$7 per month Office 365 Personal subscription plan launches with iPad editing

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 26, 2018

Microsoft last month released its native and rather nicely done Word, PowerPoint and Excel iPad apps as free downloads from the App Store. You're limited to using these apps to view Microsoft Office documents on your tablet as editing and creating new ones requires one of the many Office 365 subscriptions available.

The iPad apps launched with Microsoft's entry-level Office 365 Home subscription plan costing $9.99 per month. If you don't want to pay ten bucks per month just to edit Office documents, Microsoft now offers a more affordable Personal plan for $6.99 per month...

Pioneer confirms five aftermarket options bringing CarPlay to older vehicles in early-summer

Christian Zibreg ∙ April 15, 2014

A Pioneer customer service representative yesterday said the company's been looking into the possibility of implementing CarPlay compatibility with both its existing and future products.

Sure enough, the maker of in-car electronic systems today announced five CarPlay aftermarket options.

Chances are you're not rich enough to buy a brand new Ferrari, Mercedes or Volvo just to enjoy CarPlay so these kits will be Godsent to those looking to put CarPlay into older vehicles that officially don't support Apple's in-car system...

Claimed photos of 4.7″ iPhone 6 front panel and batteries surface

Christian Zibreg ∙ April 15, 2014

Another day, another iPhone 6 leak. Two separate reports Tuesday claim to show what seem to be iPhone 6 components in a production setting. The first set shows off a genuine looking front panel part, depicting the size difference between the current four-inch form factor and the upcoming iPhone 6, said to come in 4.7 and 5.5-inch flavors.

The other purported leak depicts some sort of batteries on a production tray that appear to share more than a passing resemblance to other iPhone batteries.

I've included the photographs below the fold so give them a look and tell us what you think in the comments...

Rumor: iWatch with flexible LG screen to start rolling out by September in two sizes

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated August 29, 2016

Earlier this week KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo wrote in a note to clients that Apple's rumored wearable device - which was dubbed by the press the iWatch - should come in two sizes, featuring wireless charging and "fashionable" design.

Corroborating the analyst report, a new story has it that the device is indeed coming later this year in two sizes, outfitted with a flexible screen made by LG Display, a company thought to be the sole display supplier for the device...