Apple

Microsoft’s Surface Watch to come housed in exquisite translucent aluminum chassis?

Christian Zibreg ∙ July 15, 2013

Microsoft's rumored smartwatch will reportedly compete with Apple's rumored iWatch by designing the product around Surface and Xbox technology, while giving it a cool translucent shell along with a variety of colorized removable wrist bands for a dash of fashion statement. Oh, and it will supposedly do LTE on its own.

Sources familiar with the matter told The Verge that prototype smartwatch testing at Microsoft has moved over to the Surface team. The move is likely in line with a recent company-wide reorganization effort that saw Xbox and Surface hardware divisions folded into a single unit, with former Windows chief Julie Larson-Green now responsible for all of Microsoft's hardware efforts...

iPhone to become dashboard in 2014 iScooters

Ed Sutherland ∙ Updated December 22, 2017

Apple for some time has expressed interest in designing products for high-end automobiles, creating Siri Eyes Free to act as a driver's personal assistant. However, with the growing use of scooters - particularly ones electric-powered - the Apple handset is set to become the dashboard, serving up GPS information, speed and more. The iScooters should appear in 2014, one version from the maker of the tiny Smart Car and another from that wonderland of gadgets, Japan...

Google’s Moto X to include always-on voice assistant and other innovative features

Cody Lee ∙ July 15, 2013

When it comes to flagship smartphone sales, it's essentially a two-horse race between Apple's iPhone line and Samsung's Galaxy S line. Both companies account for nearly all of the industry's profits, and frequently trade-off the title of top-selling manufacturer.

But Google is looking to change that with its upcoming Moto X handset. The device, which has been the subject of a number of rumors and leaks over the past few months, is the company's first since it acquired Motorola's hardware division nearly two years ago...

Chip-making venture could cost Apple $7 billion

Christian Zibreg ∙ July 15, 2013

A story published this past weekend by a website called SemiAccurate has renewed speculation of Apple's supposed interest in producing the engine for iDevices at a plant of its own, as opposed to simply designing silicon blueprints in-house and commissioning others to build the chips, as has been the case since 2010.

So if Apple really bought into a fab, as the exclusive story alleges, the non-trivial move would span years to complete while costing billions of dollars.

Worse, Apple would expose itself to unforeseen difficulties not limited to yield issues: running a sophisticated chip-making factory requires a disciplined approach to attracting and retaining highly-trained engineers, one analyst cautioned Monday...

Analyst says mass production of iPhone 5S to start this month

Cody Lee ∙ July 15, 2013

According to Peter Misek, Apple will begin mass production of its next flagship smartphone, believed to be the iPhone 5S, later this month. The Jefferies analyst issued a note to investors this morning saying that the handset will launch in late September or early October.

Misek's report comes hot on the heels of a story from Chinese Business News claiming that Foxconn has restarted mass-hiring assembly line workers in the Chinese mainland to prepare for 5S production. It too said Apple was preparing for an early to mid-fall introduction...

Apple revamps support pages on its website

Christian Zibreg ∙ July 15, 2013

Following the flattening of both the iOS software which powers iDevices and Jony Ive's title (now shortened to SVP of Design), Apple seems adamant to remove shine and gloss across its marketing communications and visual communication channels.

A slight revamp of the online Apple Store for Father's Day was obviously a sign of things to come as the company has now tweaked the appearance of a number of support pages on its website - again, adopting the simpler two-dimensional appearance reminiscent of iOS 7...

WWDC 2013 session videos surface on YouTube

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 26, 2016

Apple's registered developers who have downloaded an updated version of the official WWDC app have been able to stream this year's session videos the day they were made. Developers can alternatively access an archive of WWDC 2013 session videos through both the app and Apple's official portal for developers.

It looks like Apple has now published those clips on YouTube for everyone to watch, or so it seems. It was unclear at post time whether the iPhone maker actually operates a brand new account seemingly created for the purpose of hosting these NDA clips...

Did an iPhone 5 charger electrocute a Chinese woman?

Ed Sutherland ∙ Updated April 18, 2016

Was a Chinese stewardess, just weeks from her wedding, electrocuted by her iPhone 5 charger? That's the claim Apple is investigating following a report widely distributed across a Chinese social media site.

Ma Ailun, a 23-year-old China Airlines flight attendant reportedly died after being electrocuted Thursday when she answered a call using her iPhone 5 that was recharging. The message was reposted more than 3,000 times on Weibo, China's microblogging site...

Samsung apparently lands contract to produce A9 chips for iPhone 7 in 2015

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated December 29, 2016

The Wall Street Journal recently ran a report claiming that Apple has finally inked a deal with TSMC, or Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., to produce chips for iDevices, after the foundry met Apple’s requirements for speed and power usage. Pundits are adamant the agreement put the final nail in the coffin of the Apple-Samsung relationship.

They should hold their horses: it now seems Samsung has wrestled back some of the control amid talk its components arm will indeed produce sophisticated A9 chips to power Apple's iPhone 7 in 2015...

DigiTimes: minor iPad mini refresh this year, ‘almost bezel-free’ Retina version in 2014

Christian Zibreg ∙ July 15, 2013

We've already heard from multiple sources that Apple is still 'adjusting' new iPad mini, with alleged panel shortages pushing a Retina iPad mini 2 into 2014 and prompting Apple to ready a minor update this year until the Retina version with a faster chip is ready next year. A new report out this morning from Taiwan adds more color to these rumors.

For starters, the Retina iPad mini is said to be "almost bezel-free," which will allow for a bigger viewing area.

A slightly updated model should be expected in the fourth quarter of this year and is said to be "lighter, thinner and equipped with improved specifications," which probably includes a faster chip than the A5 package found inside the current iPad mini model...

Microsoft suing US Customs for not enforcing ban on Motorola devices

Cody Lee ∙ July 14, 2013

As Apple fights to stay a recently-imposed import ban on some of its iOS devices, Microsoft is trying to push one forward. The Redmond company is suing the US Customs and Border Protection office for refusing to enforce an ITC order to block imports of Motorola phones.

In May 2012, the US International Trade Commission issued a ban on Motorola devices for infringing a Microsoft patent on syncing calendar events with other computers. The suit alleges Google has held secret meetings with US Customs, convincing the office to ignore the ban...

Report: Apple hiring aggressively to tackle iWatch design problems

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated July 12, 2017

According to people familiar with Apple’s wearable technology roadmap who spoke to Financial Times, the company is in search of "fresh expertise" and has begun hiring engineers “aggressively” to help with the rumored smartwatch project.

Now, Bloomberg said in February Apple had tasked 100+ engineers with iWatch work.

According to one source who spoke to The Financial Times on the condition of anonymity, the project has faced “hard engineering problems that they’ve not been able to solve”, prompting the leadership to look for outside help...