Rumors

Sharp exec confirms iPhone 8 will have curved OLED screen & all-glass design

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated October 17, 2018

Sharp President Tai Jeng-wu—who is also a high-profile executive at Foxconn, Sharp's parent company and Apple's favorite contract manufacturer—said publicly that Apple's next iPhone will use a curved screen based on organic light-emitting diode (OLED) technology akin to that on Samsung's Galaxy S7 smartphone, Nikkei reported Saturday.

As you know, Apple currently uses OLED screens on the Apple Watch and the new MacBook Pro's Touch Bar. All iPhone, iPad and iPod touch devices to date have used traditional LCD screens.

Apple said to be launching new TV guide app tomorrow

Cody Lee ∙ Updated May 17, 2018

Apple plans to unveil a new TV guide app tomorrow during its Hello Again Mac event, reports Recode. Citing a source familiar with the initiative, the site says the guide will aggregate and show content that's available, and will work on Apple TV and iOS devices.

Unfortunately, not all major video providers have agreed to participate in the program. Most notably, the report claims that Netflix data will not be available in the guide, which is odd considering that the two companies have worked closely together in the past.

New report rebuffs claim that Apple will release 5-inch iPhone in 2017

Cody Lee ∙ October 26, 2016

A new report is out late Wednesday rebuffing an earlier claim that Apple intends to release 3 iPhone models next year. Citing sources familiar with Apple's plans, AppleInsider says the company will be sticking with its 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch handset sizes in 2017.

For those that missed it, Asian news outlet Nikkei reported Wednesday morning that Apple would be adding a 5-inch option to its current two-size lineup. It didn't, however, explain why it would want to do so, given how close it would be to the 4.7-inch model.

Nikkei: all iPhone 8 models to have all-glass design, new 5″ model in the works

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated October 19, 2018

According to Nikkei Asian Review today, Apple's 2017 iPhone family (which may be called “iPhone 8” rather than “iPhone 7s”) will include three models, adding a brand new five-inch form factor to the mix. All three models of the iPhone 8 should boast refreshed industrial design.

The overhauled phones would be sandwiched between two pieces of chemically hardened curved glass—like KGI's Ming-Chi Kuo predicted in a report to clients.

Both glass backs and cover glass for the iPhone 8 will be supplied by China's Biel Crystal Manufactory and Lens Technology, an industry source told the publication. The glass front and back will be held together by a brand new metal frame, but Apple is said to have yet make a final decision on the design of the metal frames.

New Apple TV app launching Thursday to give users personalized TV show recommendations

Christian Zibreg ∙ October 26, 2016

For years, Apple's been courting content owners to support its ambitions to provide its users a package of TV programming and live broadcasts, to no avail.

But Apple's living room strategy is said to have shifted recently from building an inexpensive skinny bundle of TV programming to developing a simple interface for browsing digital programming guides.

First signs of this new direction should become visible at Thursday's “Hello again” Mac event: USA Today claims that Apple will unveil a new app for giving owners of the fourth-generation Apple TV personalized recommendations for television shows.

Report: Apple has team in Canada working on car operating system

Cody Lee ∙ Updated May 17, 2018

Apple has dozens of software engineers in Canada building a car operating system, reports Bloomberg. The engineers are said to be working at an office in Kanata, close to the offices of BlackBerry's QNX, where many of them were previously employed.

Note 7 recall has Apple boosting iPhone 7 orders to snatch market share from Samsung

Christian Zibreg ∙ October 25, 2016

Samsung is expected to lose a few billion dollars over the ill-fated Note 7 which got discontinued after numerous reports of spontaneous battery fires. The Note 7 debacle has created an opportunity not just for Apple and Google, but just about every vendor out there that builds high-end smartphones.

According to DigiTimes, Apple has now increased iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus orders for the crucial holiday quarter as it looks to snatch some market share from Samsung.

One more hint that the next MacBook Pro will have OLED touch bar

Christian Zibreg ∙ October 25, 2016

If you need another “proof” that the next MacBook Pro will indeed feature an OLED touch bar in place of the function key row, feel free to comb through system resources in the macOS Sierra 10.12.1 software update which released yesterday.

As first discovered by MacRumors reader Gabriel Lorin, the System Preferences assets for the Mac's virtual keyboard now come with refreshed image assets depicting an updated keyboard layout which no longer shows the standard row of function keys.

Suge Knight sues Dr. Dre for alleged attempted murder over Beats money

Christian Zibreg ∙ October 25, 2016

Marion Hugh Knight Jr., better known as rap mogul Suge Knight or just Suge, is suing Apple employee Dr. Dre for $300 million, alleging Dre hired a hitman in an attempt to murder him after cutting Suge out of earnings for Beats. According to TMZ, Suge and his attorney are convinced that it was Dre who had him pumped with seven bullets in 2014 in a West Hollywood night club.

Apple’s created mockups of iMessage for Android, including one with pure Material Design

Christian Zibreg ∙ October 25, 2016

I was just reading a post titled “On iMessage's Stickiness” from Apple pundit John Gruber, published last evening on his Daring Fireball blog, and stumbled upon an interesting passage alleging that Apple's created several mockups of iMessage for Android.

One of the mockups of iMessage for Android reportedly looks like a carbon copy of its iOS counterpart, with another one based on Google's Material Design guidelines.

“I’ve heard from little birdies that mockups of iMessage for Android have circulated within the company, with varying UI styles ranging from looking like the iOS Messages app to pure Material Design,” reads the post.

Instagram is testing live video broadcasts in its Stories feature

Christian Zibreg ∙ October 24, 2016

According to Russian news outlet Tjournal.ru a few days ago, the popular photo-sharing service Instagram is testing live video functionality in its recently-launched Stories feature which permits users to create slideshows from their photos that automatically disappear after 24 hours.

Facebook added live video to its mobile app in August 2015. Facebook Messenger gained the ability to share live video with contacts while chatting in September 2016.

Pokémon GO celebrates Halloween with first in-game event

Christian Zibreg ∙ October 24, 2016

Halloween is approaching and Pokémon GO has a treat for you in the form of a special Halloween-themed event, the first in-game event since the game's release in July 2016.

Developer Niantic Labs has said that players will have a chance to earn double the amount of Candy every time they catch, hatch and transfer Pokémon from October 26 to November 1. Other perks will be available to trainers as well.