News

3D Touch component costs for iPhone 8 to double vs iPhone 7

Christian Zibreg ∙ May 19, 2017

Apple is paying between $7 and $9 per unit for iPhone 7's 3D Touch components, but that price is expected to triple for the firm's rumored OLED-based iPhone 8 model to between $18 and $22.

The 150 percent price increase, according to a report in the Chinese-language Economic Daily News cited by DigiTimes, stems from the fact that pressure sensors for OLED displays require a separate protective glass bonding on both the front and rear of the display panel.

“Due to the additional bonding of glass covers, overall processing cost for OLED-based 3D Touch solution is about 50 percent higher than that for the LCD-based one but the quotes for the client is about 150 percent higher,” reads the report.

Taiwanese touch panel makers TPK Holdings and General Interface Solution act as suppliers of 3D Touch parts for existing LCD-based iPhones. Both TPK and General Interface Solution should be the sole suppliers of iPhone 8's enhanced 3D Touch components as well.

Apple has accepted the price increase, according to Economic Daily News.

iPhone 7's 3D Touch module, as mentioned before, directly bonds pressure sensors on the LCD display panel. For OLED display technology, TPK's 3D Touch solution entails bonding of a glass cover on the front and back side of an OLED panel each “to reinforce the fragile panel.”

TPK has reportedly passed certification for its OLED-based 3D Touch solution for iPhone 8. The company now expects to obtain significant orders from Apple.

Last chance to save blobs for, or restore to, iOS 10.3.1

Joaquim Barbosa ∙ Updated February 23, 2021

The signing window for iOS 10.3.1 could close any moment now, with iOS 10.3.2 released and iOS 10.3.3 in beta already, so this is your last chance to save your blobs for iOS 10.3.1, to upgrade to it from a lower firmware, or to downgrade to it from iOS 10.3.2+.

iOS 10.3.1 isn't currently jailbroken, and being on that firmware is in no way a guarantee of a jailbreak. However, you never know what'll happen, and there have been some stirrings, so act now! Take necessary precautions before signing ends.

Tim Cook is testing Apple’s glucose tracker prototype on his body

Christian Zibreg ∙ May 18, 2017

Apple's chief executive Tim Cook was spotted around Apple's campus wearing a non-invasive glucose tracker prototype on his body, CNBC said Thursday. A mystery device was connected to his Apple Watch. He's been test-driving this rumored accessory to understand how his blood sugar responds to factors like food and exercise, according to the report.

This is yet another hint at Apple's interest in non-invasive and continuous glucose monitoring, an effort described as a holy grail for treating diabetes and life sciences.

“A source said that Cook was wearing a prototype glucose-tracker on Apple Watch, which points to future applications that would make the device a must have for millions of people with diabetes—or at risk for the disease,” reads the report.

The news adds context to Cook's comment made in February at the University of Glasgow, where he received an honorary degree. “I've been wearing a continuous glucose monitor for a few weeks,” he told a roomful of students. “I just took it off before coming on this trip.”

While Cook did not say if the medical device he had been wearing was an Apple prototype, this now seems perfectly plausible. Companies like Medtronic and Dexcom sell iPhone-connected health accessories for tracking blood sugar levels, invasively.

Cook also spoke about the struggles faced by people with diabetes:

It's mentally anguishing to stick yourself many times a day to check your blood sugar. There is lots of hope out there that if someone has constant knowledge of what they're eating, they can instantly know what causes the response... and that they can adjust well before they become diabetic.

CNBC reported a month ago that Apple had hired a small group of dedicated biomedical engineers to develop advanced sensors that would monitor blood sugar levels non-invasively.

This team is allegedly working from a nondescript office in Palo Alto, miles from Apple’s corporate headquarters, reporting directly to Johny Srouji, Senior Vice President of Hardware Technologies who joined Apple back in 2008.

Apple's non-invasive diabetes treatment technology may not require all-new Apple Watch hardware with additional sensors. According to BGR, Apple is working on smart bands for Apple Watch that would contain sensors for measuring blood sugar levels non-invasively.

This may actually be a good idea because each Apple Watch features a diagnostic port with six pins, meaning Apple could simply release smart bands for existing Apple Watch models as there's already a path for data flow between the watch and the smart band.

Windows 10 is getting fully customizable Control Center

Christian Zibreg ∙ May 18, 2017

Microsoft accidentally leaked a new Control Center feature understood to be coming to Windows 10 this fall. A screenshot from an internal build of the software (Windows 10 build 16199 for PC) reveals a new settings cog icon in the system tray.

The icon is not present in the latest Insider Preview builds.

Microsoft removed the screenshot from its Windows Blog, but not before Windows Central was able to grab a copy of it. Clicking the settings cog icon pulls up an overlay, called Control Center, that houses all of the Quick Actions available in Windows' Action Center today.

You can quickly enable or disable Wi-Fi, activate battery saver mode and more. A few additional toggles, such as a brightness slider, are present as well. Plus, Control Center houses useful shortcuts to full settings menus for things like networking, Control Panel and more.

Here's an excerpt from the Windows Central article:

Sources say that moving Quick Actions to Control Center means they will no longer be present in Notification Center, as having them in both locations would be confusing. It appears Microsoft will be turning Action Center into a pure notification center with the Fall Creators Update, moving out all the Quick Action stuff into Control Center instead.

Unlike Control Center in iOS, its Windows counterpart is fully customizable.

You can change what shows up there and even reorganize some of the settings to your liking, unlike Apple's implementation which doesn't let iPhone or iPad owners add or remove toggles in Control Center or customize existing ones to their liking (unless they jailbreak).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HZkC43771r4

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One interesting change that iOS 10 brought to Control Center is the ability to access Quick Actions on devices with 3D Touch by pressing the Flashlight, Clock, Timer or Camera icon at the bottom of the Control Center interface.

Control Center, along with other improvements, should be part of Windows 10’s Fall Creators Update. Apple will be previewing its own OS updates next month and it'll be interesting seeing if the Cupertino company is planning on porting iOS's Control Center feature to macOS.

Things 3 is out with overhauled interface and multiple new features

Christian Zibreg ∙ May 18, 2017

German developer Cultured Code on Thursday released Things 3, a major new iteration of its powerful personal task manager for iPhone, Apple Watch, iPad and Mac. Things 3 brings out a beautiful timeless new design with delightful interactions and animations. Aside from the new look and feel, the refreshed app is packed to the gills with a host of new features.

Released as three separate apps (they've kept the current pricing), Things 3 is Cultured Code's first paid update for existing users since versions 1.0.

Here's what developers had to say about the app's gorgeous new UI:

The all-new Things comes with an all-new design. It's not just how it looks—but also how it works, and how it feels. The interactions are delightful. The animations are smooth. The content is more structured. The concepts are clearer.

Open a to-do and you'll immediately get a sense of how the new apps feel.

Nicely animated transitions expand the selected to-do into an empty white piece of paper. You can add additional details to your to-do, neatly tucked away in the corner until you need them.

“There are no distractions here, it’s just you and your thoughts,” said developers.

The choice is yours: you can create either a simple to-do that looks like text on a piece of paper or opt for a richer to-do which may include additional details such as tags, checklists (a new feature for to-dos in Things 3), a start date, a deadline and so forth.

Speaking of to-dos, Things 3 introduces an all-new Magic Plus Button.

Found in the corner of the screen, you can tap it to quickly add a new to-do or actually drag the button to a particular list in order to generate a to-do in a specific location. Plus, managing to-dos is now way easier than before with expanded support for gestures, like dragging and dropping, swiping, tapping to expand and more.

Seasoned Things users will be delighted to know that developers have implemented one of the most-requested features: time-based reminders. For those to-dos you absolutely cannot miss, adding a reminder will give you peace of mind.

While scheduling a to-do in Jump Start, click Add Reminder and set the time. There are three ways to set the time: manually, using the app's natural language parser (just type “Wed 8pm” or some such, and you're all set) or you can speak to Siri (“Remind me to call Seb at 5am.”)

Watch the promotional video for Things 3.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2R6o5t0VK_A

Things 3 now supports headings to break up complex projects into sections.

And with the app's Magic Plus Button, you can create and place headings in new projects like a pro. The app's cleaner design extends to your Today and Upcoming sections which now combine calendar events and to-dos into one unified view with a timeline at the top, giving an outline of your schedule.

A new This Evening section is your at-a-glance overview of any to-dos that you won’t get to until later in the day, like things you can only do when you get home. The This Evening section is a handy way to keep these to-dos separate from the rest, in their own discrete list.

And to help you find a needle in the haystack, Things 3 now includes a Quick Find feature.

Just pull down on any list to reveal search, which can now find content across the entire app. Quick Find also includes handy shortcuts to your to-dos, lists, tags and more.

Type Travel, another new feature in Things 3, lets you navigation to any project, area or to-do in the app. On iPad, you can now swipe away the sidebar and focus on just the current list you’re working on, both in portrait and landscape orientations.

On your Mac, Things now has a Slim Mode which cuts out distractions so you can focus on the task at hand. To enter this mode, collapse the sidebar with a two-finger swipe. Slim Mode is especially great when you’re working in macOS's Split View multitasking mode.

You can even open multiple windows in Slim Mode and drag and drop items between them.

https://culturedcode.cachefly.net/things/videos/2017-05-03-allnewthings-when/video.mp4

Developers have completely rewritten core layers of the apps, which are now shared between macOS and iOS for increased reliability. The Apple Watch app has been updated as well (it now shows checklists and headings), there's a new structure for Areas in the iOS app and you can now import data from Wunderlist or OmniFocus into Things 3.

And with TouchBar support, owners of the new MacBook Pro can take advantage of convenient access to the app's most-used commands.

Things is fully integrated with all the latest iOS technologies: Apple Watch, Calendars, Siri, Reminders, Today Widget, Quick Actions, Action Extension, Handoff and Notifications.

The apps all stay updated via Things Cloud, which is the push sync service that Cultured Code custom-built for the app. Unfortunately, iCloud syncing is not supported in Things.

For the complete overview of what's new in the app, visit the official Things website.

Things 3 for iPhone and Apple Watch is $9.99 on App Store.

Things 3 for iPad is $19.99 on App Store.

Things 3 for Mac is $49.99 on Mac App Store.

To celebrate the launch of Things 3, all apps are 20 percent off until next Thursday, May 25.

A 14-day trial of Things for Mac is available via the Cultured Code website.

This iPhone 8 mockup is believed to feature Apple’s final design

Christian Zibreg ∙ May 18, 2017

The design of iPhone 8 has seemingly been finalized and BGR has now obtained the first photos of a poorly built iPhone 8 mockup which it says is “believed to feature Apple’s final design.” It was likely built using claimed schematics that were leaked from Asian factories in the past few weeks. Some of these schematics have been debunked as fake so take BGR's report with a few pinches of salt.

The cheap-looking mockup appears to suggests that Apple has managed to integrate a Touch ID sensor into the display assembly because there isn't any indication of a fingerprint scanner on the back of the phone.

Assuming the mockup does in fact approximates iPhone 8's design closely, iPhone 8 should feature a full-screen face and a “glass sandwich” design where it would have 2.5D glass panels on the front and back that curve slightly at their edges, sandwiched between a polished stainless steel frame that's rounded as well.

At the bottom, we still see Lightning I/O rather than USB-C.

The Mute switch and the Volume Up and Down buttons are on the left side of the device. The Power button and a SIM tray are on the right side. The Power button does not appear to be elongated like with some earlier mockups.

A 3.5mm headphone jack is nowhere to be seen.

The back of the mockup shows a vertically aligned dual-camera system with an LED flash and a microphone built directly into an oversized bump. Even if this mockup has been built to closely match genuine iPhone 8 manufacturing drawings, there's no telling if it represents the actual device that Apple is expected to ship come this fall.

The Cupertino giant is said to be testing nearly a dozen iPhone prototypes.

Aside from iPhone 8, Apple should release the iterative iPhone 7s and iPhone 7s Plus smartphones with screens based on the traditional LCD technology.

All 2017 iPhones should feature wireless charging, according to analysts.

To help with the wireless charging feature, iPhone 7s and iPhone 7s Plus are expected to switch from the aluminum rear side to the back made from glass.

What do you think, guys?

Is Apple trolling us all? Could this particular iPhone 8 mockup represent the real deal?

Let us know by leaving a comment below!

Google Maps gains 3D imagery of Apple Park

Christian Zibreg ∙ May 18, 2017

Google has updated its imagery on Earth and Maps services so you can now tour Apple's massive new headquarters in glorious 3D graphics. However, Google's data appears to be out of date as the Apple Park imagery shows the site in an earlier state, with the main ring-shaped building still being worked on and Steve Jobs Theater in its early stages of development.

According to the Google Maps team, they refresh 3D images of major landmarks and metropolitan areas at least once per year. As the screenshots attest, Google's data still shows the whole mountain of dirt which has since been reduced substantially as Apple is re-using the earth for landscaping, as evidenced by the latest drone flyovers.

To tour Apple Park in 3D on Google Maps, go to maps.google.com or fire up the Google Maps app on your iPhone or iPad, and search for “Apple Park Visitor Centre”. Now zoom all the way in, switch to Satellite view and click the “3D” icon in the lower-right corner of the interface.

You can now drag the view around, Control-click to rotate and more.

The best way to experience Apple Park headquarters in either 2D or 3D is definitely the recently overhauled Google Earth web app, but you'll need Chrome to use it.

Apple in March 2017 added 3D images of Apple Park to its own Maps service, including support for related details, descriptions and searchable geolocation tags.

Thanks, Carlos!

Futurama: Worlds of Tomorrow coming to iOS, will contain some entirely new episodes

Christian Zibreg ∙ May 18, 2017

Game developers FoxNext Games and Jam City (via its game studio TinyCo) announced today that Futurama: Worlds of Tomorrow for iPhone and iPad will arrive sometime in early summer.

The new game will blend simulation, combat, galactic exploration and choose-your-own-adventure mechanics together to bring the escapades of the Planet Express crew to life. In his February interview with USA Today, Matt Goering said that the game will contain some entirely new episodes of the show.

“Oh, you guys wanna do a game? That’s fine,” he said. “But we’re gonna sneak some more Futurama episodes in there on whatever device people are gonna be using.”

The game features two main settings: New New York, which focuses on simulation and character progression gameplay, and Space Adventures, in which players explore and battle their way through planets, nebulas and other weird stuff across the Futurama universe.

Futurama: Worlds of Tomorrow is being developed in partnership with Futurama and The Simpsons creator Matt Groening and his Curiosity Company, along with executive producer David X. Cohen and original Futurama writers.

“Jam City is working with the writers, animators, and cast to produce even more original animation that will have fans waving their tentacles in the air,” according to developers.

The official teaser trailer embedded below is the first new animation from the Futurama universe since the show's original TV run ended in 2013.

“I'm proud to say that Futurama lives! In mobile-video-game teaser trailer form, anyway,” said the series' creator Matt Groening. “If you squint, it's kind of like a little episode!”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2Izx4MQCwQ

“Working on this new Futurama animation has been a thrilling adventure,” said David X. Cohen.

“I finally understand how Neil Armstrong must have felt when he first landed on the lunar surface, watched some funny cartoons on the control screen, and did whatever else was on his schedule that day,” he added, jokingly.

In the New New York setting, your main focus will be on rescuing characters, collecting special items and materials, expanding your characters' capabilities by leveling them up and crafting ability-defining character outfits and tackling story-driven quests.

According to developers, events that occur in New New York will often move the game's overarching narrative forward, by allowing players to assemble a crew of their favorite Futurama characters and take to the stars for Space Adventures.

“While traversing the depths of space, players will fight alien enemies in retro arcade-style combat, rendered in beautiful 16-bit graphics, and explore strange lands in which their choices determine their fate,” they said.

Futurama: Worlds of Tomorrow will arrive sometime in early summer to iPhone, iPad, Android and Amazon devices. More information on the game will be released in the near future and we'll be making sure to keep you in the loop.

You can pre-register at youwillplayfuturama.com to receive a special in-game gift when you start playing. More original Futurama animation is coming too, so stay tuned.

Tim Cook talks assistive technologies with Accessibility evangelists

Christian Zibreg ∙ May 18, 2017

Apple CEO Tim Cook sat down with three YouTubers who are Accessibility evangelists to discuss the importance of the assistive technologies built into the company's iOS, macOS, tvOS and watchOS platforms.

James Rath, a legally blind filmmaker; Tatiana Lee, a model, actress and lifestyle blogger; and Rikki Poynter, a North Carolina-based writer and deaf awareness activist, all published their video interviews with Apple's chief on their respective YouTube channels on Wednesday.

James Rath interview

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kXy8KcONTSs

Rikki Poynter interview

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6_iOVSavdE

Cook explained to Poyter what Apple is all about when it comes to Accessibility:

Apple is founded on giving people power to create things, to do things that they couldn't do without those tools. And we've always viewed accessibility as a human right. And so just like human rights are for everyone, we want our products to be accessible for everyone.

He added that accessibility should be a basic human right:

It's a basic core value of Apple. We don't make products for a particular group of people. We make products for everybody.

We feel very strongly that everyone deserves an equal opportunity and equal access. So we don't look at this thing from a return on investment point of view—I've been asked that before. The answer is no, I've never looked at that. We don't care about that.

A lot of these Accessibility features, everyone can use. With HomeKit, I use HomeKit every day and control my house with my voice.

“It’s a basic core value of Apple,” said Cook.

Tatiana Lee interview

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=58ZZFUDIM0g

Lee's whole video was shot with her iPhone 7 and edited using Apple's new app Clips.

Cook did the interviews to honor Global Accessibility Awareness Day, an initiative that promotes inclusion when it comes to creating products, content and experiences for everyone.

The company is currently highlighting apps on App Store that implement Accessibility features.

Lastly, Apple posted seven inspiring videos showcasing how people with disabilities are using assistive technologies built into iPhone, iPad and Mac. For the full overview of the extensive assistive features built into Apple products, check out its dedicated Accessibility webpage.

Google Home is gaining hands-free calling, Apple Music streaming via Bluetooth & visual responses via iPhone

Christian Zibreg ∙ May 17, 2017

Google's AI-powered speaker, called Home, is getting new features announced earlier today during the keynote address at the company's annual conference for developers. Soon, Home owners will be able to stream songs from Apple Music and other apps running on their iPhone, iPad, Mac or Android device via Bluetooth.

Hands-free calling

And with hands-free calling, customers will be able ask Assistant running on the device to place calls to mobile phones or landlines in the US or Canada for free.

Even better, there’ll be no setup and no need for a phone or additional app.

Visual responses

Yet another upcoming enhancement, called visual responses, will let the smart speaker put responses to queries on a supported display, including your iPhone's.

That's right, you’ll be able to see Assistant answers on the biggest screen in your house, whether you're asking “What's on YouTube TV right now?” or “What's on my calendar today?”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dpnxTXILS4s

Getting visual responses from Home's Assistant on a TV will be even easier with Chromecast.

Bluetooth streaming

Google is adding Bluetooth support to let Home users enjoy more music, movies and TV shows in apps running on Bluetooth-enabled smartphones, tablets and computers, like Apple Music.

Soundcloud, Deezer and Spotify’s free music offering are coming soon to Home as well. On the video front, they've already added Netflix, and have more partners on the way like HBO NOW, CBS All Access and HGTV.

Reminders, additional countries

You can now use your Home speaker to schedule new calendar appointments and create reminders (support for adding reminders is coming soon). “Since it’s the same Google Assistant across devices, you’ll be able to get a reminder at home or on the go,” said the firm.

Google provided this brief explanation for proactive notifications:

Conversations can take place in many different ways. Sometimes your Assistant should be the one to start it—so over the next few months, we’re bringing proactive notifications to Google Home.

Google Home is currently available in a few markets, but that's about to change later this year as they expand it to new places, including Australia, Canada, France, Germany and Japan.

Assistant updates

Hands-free calling, adding reminders, Bluetooth streaming and visual responses will all be enabled for Google Home users in the coming months via a free firmware update.

Google Home is powered by Google Assistant (now available as a dedicated iPhone app).

Speaking of Assistant, the AI-powered helper will be rolling out to eligible Android phones in Brazilian Portuguese, French, German and Japanese. By the end of the year, Assistant will support Italian, Korean and Spanish.

Starting today, developers can build conversational apps for the Google Assistant on phones. As a result, you’ll soon be able to not only get help and answers from Google, but also from third party services.

The company currently has 70+ smart home partners backing Assistant across Google Home, Android phones and iPhone, including August locks, TP-Link, Honeywell, Logitech and LG.

Google Photos launching automatically curated albums, photo books & sharing suggestions

Christian Zibreg ∙ May 17, 2017

During today's keynote address at Google's annual I/O conference for developers, the company announced a trio of smart features powered by machine learning intelligence.

For starters, the app now automatically curates albums for the user.

Even better, Google Photos provides suggestions when sharing photos with others. As a bonus, there's now an Apple Photos-like feature for ordering printed photo books from within the app.

But first, check out the new features for yourself in Google's video embedded below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SN_7r0mFf5Y

Sharing suggestions

Photos now uses Google's machine learning technology to remind you when it's time to share some photos. The app automatically select the right photos and even suggest who you should send them to based on who was in the photos.

All that's left for you to do is review the choices the app's made on your behalf before hitting that Send button. People you're sharing with will see all your photos and get a reminder to add theirs too. Your sharing activities are collated in the app's new Sharing tab.

This feature will be rolling out on Android, iOS and web in the coming weeks.

Automatically curated albums

Google Photos can now automatically share relevant photos with specific people. Say you took a bunch of photos of your kids: Photos may offer to automatically share them with your wife.

Called Shared Libraries, it lets you give a person access to your full photo library.

Don't worry, you can easily choose to limit sharing by having the app include just the photos of certain people or the images taken from a certain date forward. When the other person shares their library with you, you can automatically save their photos to your own library.

Shared Libraries will be rolling out on iOS, Android and web in the coming weeks.

Photo Books

Like with Apple Photos or services like Shutterfly, you can now order a printed coffee table book comprised of your best photographs without ever leaving the app. Simply select the images you'd like to fill your album with and Google's machine learning algorithm will pick the best shots, removing duplicates and poor quality images.

When placing your order, choose between a high-quality twenty-page softcover book for ten bucks a piece or a hardcover variant for twice as much. Your photo book will be delivered to that special person in your life in the mail.

This feature is rolling out today in the US on web, and on Android and iOS next week.

“We’ll bring photo books to more countries soon,” said the search giant.

Another feature that's coming soon to Photos: personalized suggestions for photo books (i.e. your trip to the Grand Canyon, time with family during the holidays, your puppy and so forth). Machine learning powers features in other Google apps, including smart replies in Gmail for iOS and the newly launched Assistant for iPhone app.

Grab Google Photos for free from App Store.

Gmail for iOS now uses machine learning to provide smart replies

Christian Zibreg ∙ May 17, 2017

Google on Wednesday launched an updated version of the mobile Gmail app for iOS and Android, bringing out a handy new Smart Reply feature based on the company's machine learning technology. Like with canned responses in Apple's own Messages app, Gmail analyzes the contents of your emails to provide up to three canned responses based on what it thinks the sender is asking in their original message.

Smart Replies may include simple “Yes” and “No” responses. If the sender is asking whether to meet on Wednesday or Friday, Gmail may provide a bit more complex replies such as “Let's do Wednesday”, “Friday works for me” or “Either day works for me”.

Once you’ve selected one, you can send it immediately or edit your response starting with the Smart Reply text. By utilizing machine learning, the Smart Reply feature produces better responses the more you use it. “If you're more of a 'thanks!' than a 'thanks.' person, we'll suggest the response that's, well, more you,” says Google.

To learn about the smarts behind Smart Reply, check out the Google Research Blog.

Smart Reply will roll out globally in English first, with Spanish following in the coming weeks. Additional languages for Smart Replies will be added soon, Google has promised.

According to the search monster, the machine learning-assisted Smart Reply feature already drives twelve percent of replies in its Inbox email app.

Aside from Smart Replies in the Gmail app, today's keynote address at Google's annual I/O conference for developers saw the release of the official Google Assistant app for iOS.

Gmail for iOS is available at no charge from App Store.