Apple

Verizon brings same-day delivery service to ten more U.S. cities

Christian Zibreg ∙ February 12, 2014

Verizon Wireless, the nation's top wireless carrier by subscribers and revenue, announced Wednesday its same-day delivery service is now available in an additional ten cities in the United States. The expansion comes on top of the five launch markets.

In July 2013, Verizon became the first wireless carrier to offer this service with a pilot program in Philadelphia, which was then expanded in October to include New York City, Dallas, Pittsburgh and San Francisco. The Big Red carrier charges $19.99 to get your mobile device delivered the same day, with delivery guaranteed by 7pm local time...

Rumor: the next iPhones have sharper 4.7″ and 5.5″ Retina screens with sapphire protection

Christian Zibreg ∙ February 12, 2014

According to a new report by the South China Morning Post, Apple is reportedly gearing up to launch two new iPhones with bigger screens sporting sapphire crystal protection. The handsets are reportedly scheduled to launch in September 2014.

In corroborating previous rumors by Bloomberg and The Wall Street Journal, sources claim the upcoming iPhones have 4.7 and 5.5-inch screens coated in sapphire, the expensive gemstone Apple uses to protect its Touch ID fingerprint sensor on the iPhone 5s and iSight camera lenses on iOS devices. And, the screens will be flat, not curved...

Former Apple designer explains why he walked out on his dream job

Cody Lee ∙ February 12, 2014

From the outside, Apple seems like the perfect place to work. After all, who wouldn't want to be a part of one of the most renown companies in the world, transforming industries and creating revolutionary products? Sounds like the perfect job, right? Not according to Jordan Price.

Price, a former mobile designer at Apple, has caused quite the commotion these last few days with a blog post entitled "I wanted to work at Apple really bad, and now not so much." And in it, he describes how his dream job in Cupertino became so unbearable he felt he had to quit...

New mockups visualize Apple’s rumored iOS 8 ‘Healthbook’ app

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 16, 2018

A couple of mockup images surfaced on the web today, hoping to visualize what Apple's rumored health-tracking app could look like. A January report from 9to5Mac said that the app, codenamed 'Healthbook,' would gather health and fitness data from iWatch and launch alongside iOS 8.

In its current state, the Healthbook app is said to resemble the UI of Apple's Passbook application, with various cards offering health and fitness data points. This is what designer Carlos Quijano based his concept on, and according to those with knowledge of the app, it's vaguely accurate...

Apple names Denise Smith as new head of human resources

Cody Lee ∙ February 11, 2014

Hoping to continue its efforts to attract and retain top talent, Apple has named Denise Young Smith its new head of human resources. Smith replaces Joel Podolny, who will now focus all of his energy on Apple University—a platform for teaching 'Apple' culture.

The announcement is notable for a few reasons. First, Smith will be the latest woman to join Apple's top ranks— the company has taken heat recently over the lack of diversity on its executive team—and two, she will be in charge of attracting and retaining talent...

Developers say iOS 7.1 fixes issue impacting location-based apps

Cody Lee ∙ February 11, 2014

It appears that an issue in iOS 7 that disabled the geolocation functions on apps that were force-closed by the user is being corrected in iOS 7.1. Developers say that in the latest iOS 7.1 betas, force-closing an app does not disable its location-aware functions.

This has been a major problem for developers since the launch of iOS 7 last fall—particularly for those who had location-based apps. Some devs have even reported that their App Store ratings have plummeted in the last 6 months due to the technical change...

Good-bye, grainy selfies! Sony tipped as FaceTime camera supplier for 2015 iPhones

Christian Zibreg ∙ February 11, 2014

Your selfies will receive a significant and much welcomed upgrade next year as Sony - which last week announced plans to unload its computer business and spin off its TV segment - is gearing up to kick off production of front-facing cameras for next-generation iPhones in 2015, if a report from Japanese business site Nikkei is an indication.

The Japanese consumer electronics giant has been making iSight back cameras since the iPhone 4s, with current estimates in the ballpark of a hundred million CMOS sensors a year. It also makes cameras for Samsung and Huawei smartphones.

Therefore, landing that contract would mark a major win for both parties and a huge loss for OmniVision, which currently supplies CMOS sensors for the iPhone's rather unimpressive front-facing camera...

Flappy Bird creator: it’s become ‘an addictive product’ so I killed it

Christian Zibreg ∙ February 11, 2014

If you can't get enough of Flappy Bird news, the app's creator has come clean on the reasons behind the app's sudden removal. Speaking out for the first time since he pulled his sleeper hit of a game from Apple's App Store and Google's Play store, Vietnam-born Flappy Bird creator Dong Nguyen said in an exclusive interview with Forbes that he made the decision to kill the game because it has become "an addictive product".

I wish I could kill half as much addictive product of my own! Some have suspected that Flappy Bird got yanked out of the App Store over intellectual property complaints from Nintendo, but the Japanese games took the unusual step of going on the record yesterday to confirm that Mario had no hand in killing Nguyen's game...

iPhone 6 to feature ‘bezel-free’ display, rumor has it

Christian Zibreg ∙ February 11, 2014

Analysts and high-profile outlets like The Wall Street Journal are expecting not one, but two new iPhones this year, each outfitted with a display significantly larger than the current four-inch iPhone 5/5s/5c. The Japanese magazine Mac Fan claimed in a report last October that the iPhone 6 will be the first phablet on the market optimized for one-hand operation.

A month earlier, analyst Ming Chi-Kuo opined that Apple would want to honor its self-imposed “unwavering principle of one hand use”. But how does one make a five-inch iPhablet optimized for one-hand use? By dropping the side bezels, that's how...

iTunes Inc. would rank #130 on Fortune 500

Christian Zibreg ∙ February 11, 2014

If Apple's iTunes were a separate company, it would rank 130th on Fortune’s annual list of the Top 500 companies in the United States. It's also half the size of Google's search business! The high-volume, low-margin store raked in an astounding $4.4 billion in revenue during Apple's fiscal 2014 first quarter ended December 28, 2013.

And according to independent analyst Horace Dediu of Asymco, total iTunes revenue in 2013 topped - wait for it - an incredible $23.5 billion. That's an awful lot of money for an online-only content store...

Google to automate production lines at iPhone manufacturer Foxconn with advanced robots

Christian Zibreg ∙ February 11, 2014

Future iPhones could be built by Google robots as The Wall Street Journal reports that the search monster is working with Apple's favorite contract manufacturer, Foxconn of Taiwan, on automating production lines.

Foxconn Chairman Terry Gou reportedly met with Google's Andy Rubin in Taipei to talk new robotic technologies meant to "speed up robot deployment" at Foxconn plants. The machines would run Google's upcoming robotic operating system for manufacturers. The two men have reportedly been collaborating since last year to carry out Google's vision for robotics.

Eagled-eyed readers will remember that Google's boss Larry Page in March 2013 put former Android head Andy Rubin in charge of a moonshot project to create a new generation of robots...

Apple’s VP of iPad and Mac operations retires

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 26, 2016

Apple has lost one of its key iPad and Mac executives, Rita Lane, who has retired from the company, according to her public LinkedIn profile highlighted by Mark Gurman of 9to5Mac. Her role at Apple as Vice President of Operations was a significant one.

As such, she was instrumental in helping manage Apple's supply chain and manufacturing for iPads, Macs and Mac accessories. Lane worked under the supervision of Apple's Senior Vice President of Operations, Jeff Williams, who took over from the previous op-chief Tim Cook, now the Apple CEO...