There are powerful magnets in a lot of different consumer devices, especially smartphones and other smart devices. As such, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has been investigating if many of these devices can cause major issues for individuals with pacemakers and similar medical devices.
It wasn’t long ago that I shared my personal experience with using the Google Fi cellular service as a secondary carrier on my iPhone. But my curiosity pertaining to a dual carrier setup on my iPhone led to me to research several other Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs), and you can probably take a few accurate guesses as to where that rabbit hole took me.
Upon being blown away by Google Fi’s cellular reception and data speeds, I decided to drop AT&T as my primary carrier and switch over to T-Mobile. To those asking why – the T-Mobile network powers Google Fi in my region, and the un-carrier provided an enticing offer after announcing its new truly unlimited Magenta MAX plan earlier this year for a fraction of what I was paying AT&T.
Twelve South is back with another accessory, this one designed specifically for the iPhone 12 lineup -- but also for AirPods and AirPods Pro with a wireless charging case.
Apple's first event for 2021 was a busy one, and yet the company hummed right along and wrapped it up within an hour. But in that time, Apple announced quite a few new products.
As part of Apple's Spring-themed product refresh, you can now get your iPhone 12 or iPhone 12 mini in a striking new purple color finish that's guaranteed to turn heads.
Apple has a tendency to refresh its color lineup for accessories on a regular basis, adding to what's already available. And, indeed, this year is no different.
A revered Apple analyst has suggested what we've been suspecting all along—the Cupertino technology giant will apparently remove the iPhone mini from its lineup the next year because sales haven't been following the company's internal projections for that model.
Earlier this year, rumors started to swirl that Apple was going to launch a battery pack featuring MagSafe technology. This would veer away from Apple's battery case, choosing to connect the charging accessory directly to the back of the handset instead. But, we're still waiting for that to happen and third-party accessory makers are filling in the gap.
Last year, Apple introduced the iPhone 12 lineup. At the same time, the company also confirmed the handsets would feature 5G connectivity for faster cellular service. They did that alongside Verizon, with the carrier touting its network coverage and speeds. What they did not do, though, is tell folks that keeping 5G on would noticeably impact battery life on your new phone.
Today, Consumer Reports has showcased the "best smartphones of 2021", with several different models making the list this year.
Apple could be on the hook for missing contractual purchasing obligations concerning OLED panels for iPhones due to lower-than-expected sales of the iPhone 12 mini.
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Apple couldn’t fulfill previously-contracted OLED orders. This is blamed on sluggish iPhone 12 mini sales. Another proof that folks want larger phones. Apple could pay a penalty to SamsungA report from The Korea Herald hints that Apple may be unable to fulfill its previously agreed-upon purchasing order volume for Samsung-built OLED panels. The report suggests that no middle ground could be found between Apple and its chief OLED supplier, suggesting the iPhone maker would need to compensate Samsung's display-making arm.
Samsung Display’s worldwide small OLED shipments in January dropped nine percent month-to-month to 45 million units, according to market researcher Omdia, which added that the decline is apparently prompted by sluggish sales of Apple’s iPhone 12 mini.
Recent reports claim Apple slashed its planned iPhone production targets for the first half of 2021 by twenty percent, with poor iPhone 12 mini responsible for the majority of the cuts.
Industry observers are now predicting that Apple may once again have to pay Samsung a hefty penalty for not meeting the minimum order quantity.
Samsung Display is the sole supplier of 5.4-inch OLED panels for the iPhone 12 mini.
Apple has ordered a certain number of 5.4-inch OLED panels for the iPhone 12 mini. It's no secret that the iPhone 12 mini hasn't met Apple's internal expectations in terms of sales, thereby prompting the company to order fewer OLED panels for the device from Samsung.
And as a result of that, Apple may now need to compensate its rival.
It wouldn't be the first timeThis is hardly the first time the Cupertino tech giant has been punished financially for missing its previously-established component purchase targets.
Back in 2019, Samsung was paid a cool $638 million by Apple to compensate the Galaxy maker for lower-than-contracted orders for the iPhone's OLED panels. The following year, the Cupertino firm reportedly paid Samsung Display a whopping $950 million for failing to meet its OLED panel purchase targets. As Apple is a just-in-time operation, it's crucial that its leadership correctly estimates demand in order to avoid being punished by its suppliers like that.
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OLED panels are notoriously difficult and expensive to produce in mass quantity. That's why OLED panel suppliers, of which Samsung Display is definitely the leader, define strict purchase order guarantees in their multi-year agreements with clients like Apple. It's no surprise that those agreements typically include clauses covering penalties for any unfulfilled orders.
When Apple launched the iPhone 12 lineup, the company also reintroduced MagSafe as a magnetic wireless charging and accessory feature. This means you can attach things like a wireless charger or even a case to the iPhone 12 and it will magnetically attach. But, like other Apple features, it doesn't mean that every third-party company is going to use MagSafe for their magnetic accessories.