Apple

Shazam’s iPhone app gets an overhaul

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated November 9, 2016

With increased competition in the media-fingerprinting and recommendations space and an ever-growing number of new music services vying for our attention, incumbents like Shazam are finding it harder to stay relevant.

Shazam is of course wildly popular so it's not really going anywhere. On the other hand, with growth slowing - they have 150 million users - the company has now decided to redesign the iPhone app in order to increase engagement.

The app redesign signals bigger changes coming to the service later this month. Both Shazam and Shazam Encore have received this visual makeover, now live in the App Store...

How Arizona wooed Apple to build sapphire plant

Christian Zibreg ∙ February 10, 2014

Apple last week began moving sophisticated equipment and furnaces into its new manufacturing facility in Mesa, Arizona. The plant, operated by a company called GT Advanced, should produce two times the current worldwide capacity of sapphire, enough for an annual production of about 100 million iPhones with a sapphire-protected cover glass.

But how exactly did State of Arizona attract Apple to build the plant in Mesa and create more than 700 high-quality jobs in the first year, and 4,000 more if successful? With the right package of incentives, perks and tax breaks, that's how...

As institutional investors side with Apple, Carl Icahn withdraws his buyback proposal

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated June 16, 2016

Controversial activist investor Carl Icahn continues to aggressively purchase shares of Apple while insisting that the company increase the size of its share buyback program. His proposal for a $50 billion buyback has been met with resistance by proxy advisory firm Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS) which now recommends voting against the plan.

ISS argues that the Apple board has already returned the bulk of its U.S.-generated cash to shareholders through the company's aggressive stock buybacks and dividends payouts. As a result of large institutional investors siding with Apple, Icahn has withdrawn his proposal...

New Apple TV channel celebrates 50th anniversary of Beatles on 1964 Ed Sullivan Show

Christian Zibreg ∙ February 10, 2014

Apple is celebrating the 50th anniversary of The Beatles' performance on The Ed Sullivan Show with a new Apple TV channel. Simply named 'The Beatles,' the new channel allows you to watch the legendary British rock band's performance on The Ed Sullivan Show from 1964. There are also links to the band's digital releases on iTunes, which are available for purchase on iTunes digitally for the first time...

This nicely done concept video depicts just how thin a bigger iPhone could get

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated October 24, 2017

Many designers who take a crack at envisioning Apple's rumored five-inch iPhone make a rookie mistake by focusing on the screen instead of the engineering benefits stemming from a larger form factor. As is its wont, Apple has a penchant for advertising each new iPhone as being thinner and lighter than the previous one. The bigger iPhones are thought to be coming because the credulous Wall Street Journal said so last month.

Now, assuming one of the bigger iPhones will in fact incorporate a screen measuring more than five inches diagonally, Jony Ive and his design team could easily make the iPhone 6 thinner just because a larger form factor would allow some more space for internal components.

An interesting video concept by Dutch-based 3D artist Joseph Farahi of OvalPicture, created exclusively for the ConceptsiPhone YouTube channel, gives us some food for though. I've included it right after the break so give it a look and meet us in comments afterwards...

Scotland Yard spending $360M on tablets, trial purchase comprising 600 iPad minis

Christian Zibreg ∙ February 10, 2014

Scotland Yard - yes, Scotland Yard - has joined the post-PC revolution by announcing a tablet investment worth £200 million, or about $360 million, part of which is the trial purchase comprising 600 iPad minis.

Scotland Yard, which is a metonym for the headquarters of the Metropolitan Police Service, the territorial police force responsible for policing most of London, said the iPad minis will be used as a replacement for police notebooks.

As part of the trial program, officers in Hammersmith and Fulham will be using Apple's tablet to record crimes and taking witness statements using custom-made apps by the Metropolitan Police...

DoJ reprimands Samsung over leveraging standards-essential patents for import ban

Christian Zibreg ∙ February 10, 2014

The Galaxy maker Samsung has been reprimanded by the United States Department of Justice (DoJ) over its improper use of standards-essential patents in litigation. As Samsung leveraged standards-essential patents to seek an import ban against older Apple products into the United States, DoJ has decided to scold but not fine Samsung as a message of sorts to other companies that asserting these patents to hamper competition isn't acceptable. The full reveal is after the break...

Chevy’s new Equinox ad stars Siri Eyes Free and it’s funny

Christian Zibreg ∙ February 10, 2014

General Motors a few days ago started airing a new television commercial for its brand now 2014 vehicle, the Chevrolet Equinox. The car features integration with Siri Eyes Free, an Apple-made voice-activated system which debuted in 2012 allowing drivers to interact with Siri on an iPhone, iPod touch or iPad using their voice, without taking their hands off the steering wheel.

Watch now how a perfectly normal conversation between a husband and wife goes wrong thanks to Siri...

Proposed CA bill would require antitheft tech in smartphones

Cody Lee ∙ Updated March 19, 2018

The New York Times is reporting that California State Senator Mark Leno plans to introduce a bill that would require all cell phones sold in the state to include antitheft technology. He hopes to curb smartphone thefts—a major problem in larger cities.

The bill is being co-sponsored by San Francisco DA George Gascón, which isn't surprising considering he's long been pushing for Apple and other manufacturers to build 'kill switches' in their devices. And if it passes, it could go into effect as early as next year...

Exhaustive list details Apple’s recent hires for rumored iWatch project

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 16, 2018

Last night we passed along a report from The Wall Street Journal, which featured an interview with Apple CEO Tim Cook talking about the company's past, and its future. And one of the things he harped on was that it has some big things in the pipeline.

A quick look at the rumor mill tells you what some of those things could be: a bigger iPhone, a new Apple TV product, etc. But perhaps the most anticipated unreleased Apple product is the health-sensing, fitness tracking smartwatch known as the iWatch.

We've seen a lot of evidence that Apple is working on a new wearable device, but none of it is more telling than its recent string of medical and fitness expert hires. And 9to5Mac has put together an exhaustive list, detailing what each brings to the table...

Tim Cook on bigger iPhones, ‘crappy’ Android experience, not making junk and more

Christian Zibreg ∙ February 7, 2014

Following notable excerpts from Daisuke Wakabayashi’s interview with Tim Cook in The Wall Street Journal, the financial newspaper has now posted the whole thing on its Digits blog.

The full interview gives us a more detailed insight into the mindset of Tim Cook's Apple as the CEO discusses recent topics of interest, including Lenovo's $2.9 billion purchase of Google's Motorola Mobility unit and additional information regarding Apple's share buyback program.

He also took time to touch upon the ongoing discussion concerning supposedly bigger iPhones in the pipeline, the current products not yet hitting the ceiling and lots more. I've included the best quotes and tidbits for your reading pleasure after the break...

This sweet iPhone 6 concept is definitely worth checking out…

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated December 30, 2016

We've run a few iPhone 6 concepts here on iDownloadBlog, but none has captured our attention like the newest work by Italy's established 3D artist Federico Ciccarese who took a crack at envisioning what a large-screened iPhone could look like. Like most mockups, this is one concept that Apple most likely will never make, probably.

Nevertheless, that doesn't mean a guy can't dream, no? With that in mind, do take a look at Federico's latest batch of iPhone 6 mockups and then chime in with your thoughts down in the comments...