Apple has begun early production of new iPhone models with a feature called Force Touch, Bloomberg reports. Citing sources familiar with the matter, the outlet says that volume manufacturing is expected to ramp up as soon as next month.
Force Touch was first introduced in the Apple Watch last fall, and it enables a device to sense how hard users press down on its screen. The technology has since made its way into the MacBook, and has long been rumored for the next iPhone.
A new rumor from Asia suggests that Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), one of the world's largest semiconductor foundries, is ready to kick off mass production of Apple's in-house designed 'A9' mobile processor for the new iPhones, tentatively called an 'iPhone 6s' and 'iPhone 6s Plus'.
At the same time, another rumor from Apple's supply chain has reaffirmed that 2015 iPhones will have a chassis made from 7000 Series aluminum, a custom alloy the Cupertino firm originally developed for the Apple Watch Sport.
Apple's upcoming streaming music service will offer a lengthy free trial period to new users, according to the Financial Times. Citing sources familiar with the company's plans, the outlet says that 'Apple Music' will be free for the first 3 months.
Apple hopes the extended trial period will give users plenty of time to immerse themselves in the service, making it harder to cancel. For comparison, Spotify currently offers a 30-day free trial, and Rdio's Unlimited trial period lasts just 2 days.
Apple is planning a departure from the long-standing 70/30 iTunes pricing arrangement it has with digital media companies, reports the Financial Times. According to sources familiar with the matter, Apple is discussing new commercial terms with a number of players in the video, music and news subscription space.
The split, which doles out 70% of app and media sales to content owners/creators and 30% to Apple for hosting and distribution, has been around since the iTunes Store first launched in 2003. Apple hopes the change can improve its relationships with media firms, and reassure regulators that it's not abusing its power.
Apple has apparently decided to postpone the announcement of a new Apple TV at WWDC next week, according to The New York Times. In a sweeping report on what to expect from the annual developer's conference, the publication says the highly anticipated refresh of Apple's set-top box is no longer in the cards for Monday's keynote.
Apple won't be announcing a new subscription TV service at WWDC next week, reports Recode. According to its sources, the Cupertino company has told network executives the unveiling will be postponed until the proper licensing deals are in place.
The holdup seems to be with negotiations over financial terms and new tech that would be required for broadcasters to deliver local programming. Apple is hoping that offering local stations will differentiate its service from Dish's Sling and others.
In addition to Apple Watch talk, Jeff Williams made some other interesting comments at the Code Conference on Wednesday. During his interview with Recode, Apple's SVP of Operations seemingly confirmed the company's rumored interest in cars.
"The car is the ultimate mobile device," Williams nonchalantly noted, in response to a question regarding what the Cupertino firm will do with its staggering cash hoard beyond returning money to investors. "We are exploring a lot of different markets."
CBS CEO Les Moonves says his network will “probably” sign a deal with Apple for its upcoming streaming TV service. Speaking at the Code Conference on Wednesday, Moonves told Recode's Kara Swisher that he met with Apple's Eddy Cue last week to discuss the service.
“The talks are still early, but we’re very excited about it,” he told Swisher. The executive went on to say that he believes the age of the 200-channel universe is slowly dying, and if companies like Apple are going to offer trim 15-20 channel packages, CBS has to be included.
You may soon be able to pickup new Apple Watch bands in-store, according to 9to5Mac. Citing an internal memo sent out to employees, the outlet reports that Apple Stores will soon start carrying limited quantities of bands for the just-released wearable.
Before you get too excited, the message indicates that a majority of the stock will be made up of Sport bands. Also, it sounds like much of the inventory is reserved for customers looking to swap their pre-bundled bands, and replacing worn out demo bands.
Apple quietly shelved plans to make an ultra-HD TV set with video calling and other features last year, reports the Wall Street Journal. The report follows an open letter to Tim Cook from activist investor Carl Ichan, published earlier today, which pointed to Apple releasing a 4K TV set in 2016.
Apparently, Apple was working on a full-blown television, and had been researching the project for nearly a decade. But Apple executives didn’t feel like the product or its feature set was compelling enough to enter the cutthroat market, which offers small margins to even the largest competitors.
Rdio is planning to launch a new budget tier for its streaming music service soon, BuzzFeed reported on Wednesday. CEO Anthony Bay tells the publication that they are calling the new tier 'Rdio Select,' and it will give users limited access to the streaming service for just $3.99 per month.
“We’ve all been flying airplanes that had business class only,” Bay quips. “There is no coach.” The $4 tier will include two components: the first is a Pandora-like streaming radio offering without ads and unlimited skips, and the second is on-demand music with a daily allowance of 25 songs.
Apple is collaborating with US researchers to launch apps that would allow iPhone owners to get their DNA tested, according to a new report from MIT's Technology Review. The apps are based on ResearchKit, a software platform Apple introduced in March that helps researchers gather data.
If true, Apple would join a growing battle for genetic information. Everyone from Google, to the government, to top universities are spending millions of dollars to amass large databases of DNA info in an effort to uncover clues that would help identify causes and possible cures for diseases.