Apple Seeds Second OS X 10.11.3 El Capitan Beta to Developers and Public Beta Testers

Apple today seeded the second beta of an upcoming OS X 10.11.3 El Capitan update to developers and public beta testers for testing purposes, three weeks after seeding the first OS X 10.11.3 beta and a month after releasing OS X 10.11.2.

The second OS X 10.11.3 beta, build 15D13b, can be downloaded through the Apple Developer Center or via the Software Update Mechanism in the Mac App Store for those who installed the first beta.

os_x_el_capitan_roundup The first beta of OS X 10.11.3 did not include any noticeable outward-facing changes, suggesting the update will focus on security enhancements, performance improvements, and bug fixes to address issues that have been discovered since the release of OS X 10.11.2. Prior OS X El Capitan updates have also focused mainly on under-the-hood improvements.

We'll update this post with any changes that are discovered in the beta.

Swiss Manufacturer Creates High-End Mechanical Apple Watch Clone

Ahead of the Apple Watch's launch, many high-end Swiss watch makers were critical of its design and Apple's efforts to position it as a high-fashion item. TAG Heuer CEO Jean-Claude Biver went as far as to call it "too feminine," saying the Apple Watch looked like "it was designed by a student in their first trimester."

As time has passed, opinions on the Apple Watch have changed. It has prompted some high-end luxury watch makers to consider delving into the smart watch market themselves, and it also seems to be the inspiration behind high-end watchmaker H. Moser & Cie.'s latest product.

swissalpwatch Shared today by watch site Hodinkee, H. Moser & Cie.'s Swiss Alp Watch has a design that's immediately familiar, featuring a rectangular watch face with curved, rounded edges, a crown at the side, and Apple Watch-style lugs for holding a band in place.

Constructed from solid 18-karat white gold, the Swiss Alp Watch measures in at 38.2mm by 44mm, with a depth of 10.3mm. That's comparable to the 42mm Apple Watch, which is 35.9mm by 42mm with a depth of 10.5mm. It comes with a beige kudu leather strap with a white gold pin buckle.

The resemblance between the Swiss Alp Watch and the Apple Watch is purely physical. There is no processor, no OLED display, and no sensors in the Swiss Alp Watch, which is entirely mechanical. When flipped over, there's no heart rate sensor -- instead, the inner mechanics of the watch (a finished tonneau movement with a Straumann hairspring, according to Hodinkee) are visible through a clear sapphire crystal panel.

swissalpwatch2 H. Moser & Cie. does not mention the Apple Watch on its website or in its marketing materials, but when speaking to Hodinkee, H. Moser & Cie. CEO Edouard Meylan said the Swiss Alp Watch is symbolic, serving as a proof traditional mechanical watchmaking has a future in a world where the digital smart watch is becoming commonplace. Swiss watchmaking, he says, has weathered other challenges and it will continue on.
"Today, H. Moser & Cie. launches the Swiss Alp Watch as a statement of this new challenge and to prove that traditional mechanical watchmaking has a future, and it is, in fact, the future. It is much more than a watch for us. The Swiss Alp Watch is symbolic. It represents our resilience, our ferocious desire to fight for our values and traditions. It embodies everything we believe in."
Given that H. Moser & Cie. is pricing the white gold Swiss Alp Watch at $24,900 with only 50 pieces available, it's unlikely Apple will take offense over the copycat design.

The full story of the H. Moser & Cie. Swiss Alp Watch, which includes background color on the Swiss watch industry and hands-on details, can be read over at Hodkinee.

Apple CEO Tim Cook Earned $10.3M in Fiscal 2015, Up From $9.2M in 2014

Apple CEO Tim Cook's compensation for fiscal 2015 was $10,281,327, according to a newly released SEC filing. That breaks down to a salary of $2 million, non-equity incentive compensation of $8 million, and other compensation of $280k. Cook earned approximately $1 million more than he did in fiscal 2014, when he brought in $9.2 million.

Last year, with stock awards and hiring bonuses, Apple retail chief Angela Ahrendts earned $73 million, but in 2015, her compensation was $25.8 million, in line with other Apple executives, all of whom received $20 million in stock awards and $4 million in non-equity incentive compensation in addition to their $1 million salaries.

Senior executives Bruce Sewell, Dan Riccio, Eddy Cue, and Luca Maestri all earned more than $25 million in 2015, numbers that do not include restricted stock units that vested in 2015. Over the course of the year, Tim Cook received 560,000 shares of stock worth over $57 million, Angela Ahrendts received 391,634 shares worth $50 million. Eddy Cue, Dan Riccio, Bruce Sewell, and Luca Maestri also had shares worth between $11 million and $38 million vest.

apple2015executivesalaries Under the guidance of Tim Cook, Apple had another record year, generating $233.7 billion in sales, an increase of 28 percent over 2014 and a new high for the company. Earnings per diluted share were at $9.22, up 43 percent from 2014. According to its October forecast, Apple expects to continue its record earnings streak into 2016, with projected revenue between $75.5 and $77.5 billion for the first quarter of 2016.

Apple will announce its earnings for the first fiscal quarter of 2015 on Tuesday, January 26. MacRumors will provide live coverage of both the earnings release and the conference call.

T-Mobile CEO Responds to 'Binge On’ Controversy, Announces 14 New Partners

T-Mobile CEO John Legere today wrote a letter in response to recent criticisms of the company's new free video streaming service "Binge On," claiming that the program does not permanently slow down data and that claims of throttling are just "playing semantics." Legere also reiterated the fact that users can opt out of the service at any time, and that anyone with the ability to access Binge On has "complete control" over the experience if they want higher than 480p resolution.

There are people out there saying we’re “throttling.” They’re playing semantics! Binge On does NOT permanently slow down data nor remove customer control. Here’s the thing, mobile customers don’t always want or need giant heavy data files. So we created adaptive video technology to optimize for mobile screens and stream at a bitrate designed to stretch your data (pssst, Google, that's a GOOD thing).

You get the same quality of video as watching a DVD – 480p or higher – but use only 1/3 as much data (or, of course, NO data used when it’s a Binge On content provider!). Watch more video, use less data from your service plan. That's an important and valuable benefit!
In the rest of the letter, the CEO calls out media outlets for making Binge On into a negative story over the past few weeks, suggesting some places as "using Net Neutrality as a platform to get into the news." Legere compares the new service to T-Mobile's "Music Freedom" platform that launched in 2014, giving customers free music streaming that wouldn't affect data plan cost.

In addition to reassuring customers, T-Mobile today announced a slate of fourteen new Binge On partners including: A&E, Lifetime, HISTORY Channel, and PlayStation Vue Live TV. The new additions bring the partner total to 38 and the company said that more than 50 providers are preparing to back the free streaming program in the months ahead.

Since Binge On launched in November, the service's questionable video throttling of non-partner content has brought it under scrutiny multiple times. Just this week, an independent test proved that a smartphone with Binge On enabled throttled video streaming of services not affiliated with T-Mobile and the free initiative. CEO John Legere's response today is the second time the company has directly addressed Binge On's negative accusations, following a dispute with YouTube in December.

Those interested can read Legere's full letter on T-Mobile's blog.

Apple Acquires Facial Expression Analysis Startup Emotient

Apple has purchased artificial intelligence startup Emotient, reports The Wall Street Journal. According to its website, Emotient uses artificial intelligence to read emotion through the analysis of facial expressions.

Emotient's technology was previously used by advertisers to determine emotional reactions to advertisements. It let advertisers know whether an ad was getting noticed, how people responded, and whether a reaction was positive or negative. The technology used cameras to capture video that was then analyzed to "learn about the customer's state of mind."


Emotient is the leader in emotion detection and sentiment analysis, part of a neuromarketing wave that is driving a quantum leap in customer understanding. Our services quantify emotional response, leading to insights and actions that improves your products and how you market them.
An Apple spokesperson confirmed the acquisition to The Wall Street Journal with its standard acquisition statement: "Apple buys smaller technology companies from time to time, and we generally do not discuss our purpose or plans."


It isn't known what Apple will do with Emotient's technology, but the company has made two other semi-related acquisitions in recent months. In October, Apple purchased Perceptio, a startup focused on deep learning and image-recognition systems, and in September, Apple acquired real-time motion capture firm Faceshift, a company that worked on technology to capture facial expressions using 3D sensors.

iPhone 7 May Feature Thinner, Waterproof Body With No Headphone Jack and Wireless Charging

Apple's iPhone 7 may feature wireless charging and a thinner waterproof body with no headphone jack, according to a new report from Fast Company that is in line with previous iPhone 7 rumors from the Asian supply chain.

Citing a source with "knowledge of the company's plans," Fast Company says the iPhone 7 will not include a headphone jack in an effort to make the device even thinner than the iPhone 6s. The device will also "very likely" be waterproof and support some form of wireless charging.

Apple is said to be working with Cirrus Logic to adapt the audio chipset in the iPhone to work with the Lightning port. With no 3.5mm headphone jack, the Lightning port, which is currently used for charging, will also be used to transmit sound to wired headphones. The chipset may also include new noise-canceling technology to remove background noise during music playback and phone calls.

According to Fast Company's source, Apple may not ship Lightning-connected EarPods alongside the iPhone 7, instead opting to sell noise-canceling Lightning-connected headphones separately under its Beats brand. It is not clear if that means the iPhone 7 will come with no EarPods or if Apple will ship standard EarPods with some kind of adapter.



While Fast Company's source sounds sure of the removal of the headphone jack, there is a caveat about the potential inclusion of wireless charging technology and waterproofing. Apple is said to be working on these technologies at the current time, but Fast Company warns that the features could be pulled ahead of when the iPhone 7 goes into production.

Wireless charging is a feature that has been long rumored for potential inclusion in the iPhone and it's certainly technology that Apple has been exploring for many years, based on patents and earlier iPhone and Apple Watch rumors. A waterproof iPhone 7 body made from a new non-aluminum composite material is a rumor that first surfaced a few months ago. Further rumors have suggested the new material will also allow Apple to do away with the prominent antenna bands that were included on the iPhone 6s.

The removal of the headphone jack was first reported by Japanese site Mac Otakara and has since been backed up by a supply chain rumor, but Apple has been laying the groundwork for the elimination of the jack for several months. In 2014, the company introduced a new MFi program to allow third-party manufacturers to develop headphones that connect to iOS devices over Lightning, paving the way for Lightning-equipped headphones like the Philips Fidelio M2L.

Philips-M2L-iPhone-Trio Mark Sullivan, who penned today's rumor, has a bit of a mixed track record in the pieces he's written for Fast Company and VentureBeat. His sources accurately predicted some iPhone 6 features like the Qualcomm MDM9825 LTE chip, but he also reported that Apple was working with Swatch to develop the Apple Watch, a rumor that turned out to be untrue.

Apple's iPhone 7 and 7 Plus are expected to be released in September of 2016. Along with the above-mentioned rumored features, the device will also include an upgraded A-series processor and it could include features like an improved camera. Other rumors specific to the iPhone 7 Plus have suggested it could include a 256GB storage option, a 3,100 mAh battery, and 3GB RAM.

Apple and Ericsson Settle Litigation With Global Patent License Agreement

Ericsson announced today that it has reached a seven-year global patent cross licensing agreement with Apple for standard-essential technologies, including GSM, UMTS and LTE cellular standards, thereby settling all litigation between the two technology companies.

Apple will make an upfront payment to Ericsson and continue paying royalties on an ongoing basis. The terms of the agreement are confidential, but investment bank ABG Sundal Collier believes Apple could be charged around 0.5% of iPhone and iPad revenue, per Reuters.

The licensing agreement applies to several technology areas, including 5G development, video network traffic management and wireless network optimization, and grants certain other undisclosed patent rights. The deal ends all litigation before the U.S. International Trade Commission, U.S. District Courts and European courts.
"We are pleased with this new agreement with Apple, which clears the way for both companies to continue to focus on bringing new technology to the global market, and opens up for more joint business opportunities in the future," said Kasim Alfalahi, Chief Intellectual Property Officer at Ericsson.
Apple originally filed suit against Ericsson in January 2015, arguing that it was demanding excessive royalties for patents not essential to LTE standards. Ericsson countersued in a Texas courtroom just hours later, seeking an estimated $250 to $750 million in annual royalties for Apple to continue licensing its patented wireless technologies. Apple declined to honor those demands.

Ericsson subsequently sued Apple again in February 2015 for allegedly infringing 41 wireless-related patents that it believed to be critical to the functionality of products such as the iPhone and iPad. At the time, Ericsson filed two complaints with the U.S. ITC in an effort to secure a U.S. sales ban on infringing products, in addition to filing seven complaints with the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas.

The U.S. ITC agreed to launch an investigation into the Apple-Ericsson patent infringement claims in March 2015, and Ericsson extended the lawsuit to Germany, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom in May 2015, but today's agreement precedes any courtroom rulings.

Ericsson is the world's largest provider of mobile network equipment and holds over 35,000 patents related to 2G, 3G and 4G wireless technologies. Ericsson's cellular technology patents are considered essential and are subject to fair, reasonable, and non-discriminatory terms (FRAND).

Apple's previous licensing deal with Ericsson signed in 2008 expired in January 2015.

Tags: patents, Apple, Ericsson, ITC

Judge Dismisses Android-Switching iMessage Lawsuit Against Apple

U.S. District Judge Lucy H. Koh has dismissed [PDF] a lawsuit against Apple over a long-standing issue that prevented some former iPhone owners who switched to Android smartphones from receiving text messages from other iOS users, as reported by Business Insider.

Koh originally ruled against granting the lawsuit class-action status, because it was not clear enough that all Android smartphone switchers were actually affected by the issue, but a trio of plaintiffs Adam Backhaut, Bouakhay Joy Backhaut and Kenneth Morris persisted with their case.
The three alleged that they switched from iPhones to Android phones in 2012. After that, texts sent to them from other iPhone users were not delivered. They were probably stuck in Apple's iMessage system, which was notoriously unreliable at delivering texts to Android phones until late 2014, when Apple introduced a fix for the bug. That constitutes a violation of the Federal Wire Tap Act, the three claim. Apple denied the allegations.
Apple launched a web tool in November 2014 for users to deregister their phone number from iMessage in the event they switched to a non-Apple device, and Koh ruled that Apple would face a federal lawsuit over the issue just two days later. As of Koh's ruling on Tuesday, however, all lawsuits against Apple related to the matter have come to a close with no punitive damages against the company.

Tags: lawsuit, Android, iMessage

'OpenEmu' for OS X Now Supports Nintendo 64, PlayStation 1 and More

OpenEmu, an open source retro and arcade game emulator for OS X, has been updated to version 2.0.1 with support for 16 additional gaming systems, including Nintendo 64, Sony PlayStation 1 and PSP, ColecoVision, Intellivision and others listed below.

OpenEmu 2.0.1 also features a redesigned user interface, real-time gameplay rewinding, save states and screenshots organizers, automap support for SteelSeries Nimbus and Stratus XL controllers, performance improvements, bug fixes and other changes.

New Gaming Systems Supported

- Atari 5200
- Atari 7800
- Atari Lynx
- ColecoVision
- Famicom Disk System
- Intellivision
- Nintendo 64
- Odyssey²/Videopac+
- PC-FX
- SG-1000
- Sega CD
- Sony PSP
- Sony PlayStation 1
- TurboGrafx-CD/PCE-CD
- Vectrex
- WonderSwan

OpenEmu was designed specifically for OS X with an iTunes-like design that lists ROMs in a unified card-style menu organized by gaming system. The emulator offers full save state support, allowing multiple ROMs to be played at once, and it also provides OpenGL scaling, multithreaded playback, a homebrew collection of over 80 games, gamepad support and more.

OpenEmu-2-0-OS-X
OpenEmu 2.0 for OS X El Capitan features a redesigned user interface

OpenEmu 1.0 launched in December 2013 with support for several 16-bit systems, including the Game Boy, Game Boy Color, Game Boy Advance, Game Gear, NeoGeo Pocket, NES, Sega Genesis and Super Nintendo. The emulator also supports multiple controllers, including Nintendo, PlayStation and Xbox controllers and virtually any generic HID compliant USB or Bluetooth gamepad.

OpenEmu 2.0.1 is a free download and requires a Mac running OS X 10.11 or later.

Tags: OS X, PlayStation, OpenEmu, Nintendo 64

Hyundai Launching CarPlay in Sonata in First Quarter of 2016

Hyundai has confirmed that CarPlay will launch in the 2016 Sonata in the first quarter of next year, per the Detroit Free Press. The carmaker will reportedly sell an SD card with new software to get the system for an undisclosed price.

The report does not specify if CarPlay will be available in 2016 Sonata models sold outside of the United States, or if Apple's in-dash software will be backwards compatible with the 2015 Sonata. The carmaker has not yet outlined plans to bring CarPlay to the rest of its vehicle lineup.

In April 2014, Hyundai announced that CarPlay would be available in the Sonata beginning in the 2015 model year, but it failed to deliver on that promise. CarPlay is only now beginning to experience wider U.S. adoption in 2016 vehicles from General Motors, Volkswagen, Honda and other automakers, as either a standard feature or entertainment package upgrade.

CarPlay provides hands-free or eyes-free access to Maps, Phone, Messages, Music, Podcasts and third-party apps including Spotify, Rdio, iHeartRadio, CBS Radio and MLB At Bat. The platform uses Siri and interfaces with your vehicle's knobs, dials and buttons for safer access to common iPhone features. The software is compatible with iPhone 5 or later running iOS 8 or above.

Related Roundup: CarPlay
Tags: Hyundai, Sonata

Apple Files Trademarks for Beats 2, 3, 4, and 5 Radio Stations

Apple filed trademark applications for the word marks B2, B3, B4, and B5 with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office in November, including the matching marks Beats Two, Beats Three, Beats Four, and Beats Five, as spotted by French website Consomac [Google Translate]. The applications are currently pending review.

Beats-1-2-3-4-5
All four trademark applications are assigned to "Beats Electronics, LLC," have the same logo that Apple uses for its Beats 1 radio station, and are listed under broadcasting- and streaming music-related categories, indicating that Apple could be planning an expansion of its Beats radio network in the future.
Goods and Services: broadcasting and transmission of voice, data, images, music, audio, video, multimedia, television, and radio by means of telecommunications networks; broadcast and transmission of streamed music, audio, video, and multimedia content by means of telecommunications networks; matching users for the transfer of music, audio, video, and multimedia by means of telecommunications networks; providing access to websites, databases, electronic bulletin boards, on-line forums, directories, music, and video and audio programs
Apple's licensing terms with record labels reportedly give the company permission to create up to five additional radio stations like Beats 1 without needing to negotiate new terms. Apple could potentially launch additional Beats stations around the world, adding DJs in other countries or launching stations with a specific focus or genre.

MacRumors previously discovered that Apple has registered domains such as beats2.com.cn, beats2.hk, and beats4.com.ru in various countries around the world. Beats 1 is broadcast worldwide, but in the future, Apple may wish to offer stations that cater to different languages and musical preferences around the world.

Beats 1 is broadcast in over 100 countries and has been on air since Apple Music launched on June 30. Apple's 24/7 live global radio station, anchored by renowned DJs Zane Lowe, Ebro Darden and Julie Adenuga, provides a mix of the latest music, guest interviews and more. Beats 1 can be streamed through Apple Music and iTunes.

Tags: trademark, Beats 1, USPTO, Beats 2, Beats 3, Beats 4, Beats 5

Apple Dominates Holiday Sales With Nearly 50% of All New Device Activations

Apple devices accounted for just under half of new mobile device activations during the holiday season, according to a new report released today by mobile analytics firm Flurry. 49.1 percent of all new devices activated were Apple devices, and while that number is slightly down from last year's 51.3 percent, Apple still dominated all other mobile device companies.

Samsung devices, for example, were responsible for 19.8 percent of all device activations, while Nokia devices made up 2 percent and Xiaomi devices made up 1.5 percent of all device activations.

flurryholidayactivationsbymanufacturer
Larger-screened "phablets" like Apple's 5.5-inch iPhone 6s Plus were especially popular during the 2015 holiday season compared to prior years, representing 27 percent of new device activations. That's up from 4 percent in 2013 and 13 percent in 2014. Full-sized tablets have gone down in popularity, making up only 9 percent of new device activations in 2015.

activationsbyformfactor
Medium-sized iPhones like the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 were still the most popular Apple devices over the holiday period at 65 percent, followed by full-sized tablets, phablets, and smaller tablets like the iPad mini. Comparatively, only 35 percent of Android devices activated were medium-sized smartphones, while 50 percent were phablets.

androidiosformfactor
Apple's phablet was introduced in September 2014, and in less than a year and a half has commanded 12% share of all Apple devices activated during Christmas week. This appears to be coming at the expense of medium phones and small tablets as more users opt for the size in between the iPhone and iPad Mini. You'll note we did not break out a "Large Tablet" category for the new iPad Pro. These are grouped into "Full-Size Tablets" and represented less than 1% of device activations.
As for app downloads, Christmas day saw customers downloading 2.2x as many apps as the average day in December across multiple platforms including the Apple App Store and Android's Google Play.

To gather its data, Flurry measured smart device activations and app downloads from the more than 780,000 apps it tracks. Data was collected from December 19 to December 25.

Tag: Flurry Analytics

New Year's Resolution Apps: CARROT Fit, Lifesum, Mint and More

January 1 is a popular day to begin New Year's resolutions, but many people fall back to bad habits by February because the goals they set are not realistic. If you are one of those people, consider focusing on making small improvements to your lifestyle this year by taking advantage of iOS apps that can help you succeed.

LifesumDrink more water with Lifesum, a free healthy living app for easily tracking each glass or bottle of water you drink. The daily goal is set to 8 glasses, or 68 fl. oz, by default, but can be adjusted based on your personal needs. Water intake data can be exported to Apple's official Health app.

Drinking water can contribute to better alertness and productivity, weight loss, improved digestion and many other benefits. Lifesum can also help you track your breakfast, lunch, dinner and exercise. Some features require upgrading to a Lifesum Gold subscription. [Direct Link]

Mint-appSave more money with Mint, a free app that links to your U.S. or Canadian bank account and provides an overview of your cash flow, recent transactions, upcoming bills and spending habits based on categories such as restaurants, groceries, fast food, alcohol and bars, clothing and more.

Mint enables you to create budgets to help you save money. Aim to reduce your spending by a realistic amount relative to your net income. If you spend $83.33 less per month on non-essential purchases, for example, the savings quickly add up to $1,000 in one year. [Direct Link]

BUDGT [Direct Link] is a simplistic budget and expense tracking alternative that does not link with your bank account. The app costs $1.99.

Carrot-FitGet in shape with CARROT Fit, a top-rated fitness app that delivers an exhaustive 7-minute interval workout based on 12 high intensity 30-second exercises with 10 seconds of rest in between each set. The app also features a step counter, weight tracker, workout calendar and more.

CARROT Fit is $2.99, so it is worth a try before signing up for an annual gym membership or personal training, which can easily cost upwards of $300 or $50 per hour respectively. The app's 7 Minutes in Hell workout can be completed anywhere, and the only equipment needed is a chair. [Direct Link]

Smoke-Free-appQuit smoking with Smoke Free, which tracks how much money you have saved since quitting, how many cigarettes you've avoided smoking, how long you've been smoke free, how many hours of life you've theoretically regained, overall health improvements and more.

Smoke Free provides you with daily missions and tips to help you stop smoking, and rewards you with badges for not smoking or avoiding cravings for various lengths of time. These features can be unlocked via in-app purchase, while most of the app's other features are free to use. [Direct Link]

Sleep-cycle-appWake up rested with Sleep Cycle, a free intelligent alarm clock app that analyzes your sleep and wakes you in the lightest sleep phase, allowing you to feel rested and relaxed. The app has patented technology that monitors your sleep movements using sound or vibration analysis.

Simply open Sleep Cycle and place your iPhone on a nightside table or floor near your bed, and the app will find the optimal time to wake you up during a 30 minute window that ends at your set alarm time. Make sure that your iPhone is connected to a power source to ensure it does not die overnight. [Direct Link]

Sleep Cycle offers an optional annual Premium subscription for $1.99 per year featuring online backup, long term sleeping trends, sleep notes, a heart rate monitor, Philips HUE lightbulb support and more. Sleep Cycle's developer Northcube AB says the app was developed using proven sleep science and years of research and development. The app is also fully integrated with Apple's stock Health app.

Wunderlist-iconOrganize your life with Wunderlist, a popular task management and to-do list app acquired by Microsoft in June 2015. The app allows you to create to-do lists with optional subtasks, notes, files and comments, and set due dates and reminders for important deadlines.

Wunderlist is free to use, while upgrading to Wunderlist Pro is optional and provides unlimited access to Files, Assigning and Subtasks for $4.99 a month or $49.99 a year through an auto-renewing subscription. [Direct Link]

Lifesum, Mint, CARROT Fit and Wunderlist have companion Apple Watch apps available.

Tag: App Store

Apple Refreshes 'Start Something New' Campaign Worldwide

Apple has reintroduced its "Start Something New" campaign ahead of New Year's Day in the U.S., Australia, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, Philippines, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, U.K., Vietnam and several other countries worldwide.

Start-Something-New-Apple
"Start Something New" features a gallery of nearly a dozen paintings, photos, drawings, short films and other pieces of creative work made by artists using Apple products and apps, ranging from the Apple Pencil, iMac and iPad Air 2 to Adobe After Effects, Darkroom and Procreate.

Apple has also shared individual profiles for each new work and artist on its website:

- Painting fluid landscapes by Lu Jun, China
- Painting with dots by Lieu Nguyen, Vietnam
- Chasing wild vistas by Emma Phillips, Australia
- Illustrating nature through its details by Tiffany Bozic, USA
- Drawing with light by Darren Pearson, USA
- Shooting from a new perspective by Bernhard Lang, Germany
- Visualizing the power of gravity by Greg Barth, UK
- Cultivating a different kind of rose by Kahori Maki, Japan
- Composing a sense of wonder by Jake Sargeant, USA
- Seeking color in the streets by Brian Lotti, USA
- Capturing the texture of movement by William Hundley, USA

Apple ran a nearly identical campaign in December 2014, starting in Japan and later expanding to the U.S. and other countries.

'iPhone 7' Waterproof Rumors Persist Amid Claims of Hidden Antenna Bands

Catcher Technology will remain the largest chassis supplier for the upcoming line of next-generation iPhones, tentatively referred to as the "iPhone 7," according to the China-based Commercial Times (via DigiTimes). Sources noted that Catcher's non-Apple clients, representing about 40 percent of its overall sales, will keep it going until the majority of its output begins with the manufacturing of the iPhone 7 later in 2016. In total, Catcher Technology's manufacturing supply is estimated to account for 30 to 35 percent of the shipment numbers for the iPhone 7.

iPhone-7-Martin-Hajek
iPhone 7 concept mock-up by designer Martin Hajek

The report also mentioned the continuing rumor that the iPhone 7 may be a completely waterproof device, building on the recent momentum that the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus had this year that showed improved water resistance. The Commercial Times also spoke of "new compound materials" that would be put in place to form a discreet housing for the iPhone 7's antenna, suggesting the possible removal of the bands from the back of the current iPhone generation.

As a non S-generation year, the iPhone 7 is expected to be a big step-up from the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus, in terms of design and functionality, when it launches next year. Besides a waterproof design and now the possibility of a hidden antenna band, another rumor suggested Apple could be phasing out the 3.5mm headphone jack for an all-in-one Lightning connector port.

Related Roundup: iPhone 7

'iPhone 6c' Said to Have Slightly Larger Battery Than iPhone 5s and 2GB of RAM

Apple's so-called "iPhone 6c" will have a 1,642 mAh battery, slightly larger than the iPhone 5s battery's 1,570 mAh capacity, according to Chinese website MyDrivers [Google Translate] (via Gadgetz Arena).

The report, citing "insider Foxconn employees," also corroborates multiple rumors claiming the 4-inch iPhone will feature an A9 processor, 2GB of RAM, 16GB base storage, Touch ID and the same 2.5d curved glass used on the iPhone 6 and later.

Apple's suppliers will reportedly begin mass production of the much-rumored smartphone in January ahead of a possible March announcement and subsequent April release. At least five sources have now predicted the "iPhone 6c" will launch in early 2016 since rumors about the device began circulating this year.

In November, often-reliable Japanese blog Mac Otakara reported that Apple has developed a new 4-inch iPhone that is essentially an iPhone 5s with sixth-generation iPod touch features, including an A8 chip, 802.11ac Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.1 and an improved FaceTime HD camera with ƒ/2.2 aperture. The "iPhone 6c" may also come in at least three colors and lack 3D Touch.

Related Roundup: iPhone 6c (2016)
Tag: battery life

Class Action Lawsuit Accuses Apple of Crippling iPhone 4s With iOS 9 Update

Apple today was hit with a class action lawsuit seeking over $5 million in damages for deceptive trade practices and false advertising, as noted by AppleInsider). Plaintiff Chaim Lerman says he and other iPhone 4s owners became unable to use their devices after upgrading to iOS 9 as the update "significantly slowed down" their iPhones and "interfered with the normal usage of the device."

According to the lawsuit, the plaintiffs were forced to either live with a "slow and buggy" device that "disrupts every day life" or shell out hundreds of dollars for a new iPhone.

iphone4s
When iPhone 4s owners are faced with the dilemma of continuing to use a slow, buggy phone or spend hundreds to buy a new phone, Apple often benefits because consumers will often buy a new iPhone to keep their investment in the App ecosystem. [...]

Furthermore, iPhone owners will buy a newer iPhone when faced with the choice because it is familiar and they can easily transfer their information, media, contacts, and apps without a major disruption in usage. There is no learning curve and no delays and trouble that accompany new information input. Thus Apple stands to benefit financially when older iPhones are slowed down and owners are forced to purchase a new phone.
The plaintiffs argue that Apple failed to properly warn iPhone 4s users that the update would "significantly interfere" with the performance of their phones. When Lerman and other plaintiffs upgraded their devices, they noticed a significant drop in performance in both third-party apps and basic functions like using the Phone app. Because Apple does not allow iPhone users to easily downgrade their devices to a previous iOS version, the plaintiffs feel they're forced into either using a slower phone or purchasing a new one.

Apple's advertising, the plaintiffs allege, does not mention the potential of slowed performance for iPhone 4s users, instead focusing on performance improvements. The lawsuit points towards Apple's iOS 9 website, which says the update brings "faster performance, improved security, convenient updates, and longer battery life." The plaintiffs argue that Apple must have known about the iPhone 4s' slower performance from internal testing or other means and did not warn users about potential headaches in their advertising.

This isn't the first time Apple has been accused of planned obsolescence, as the company was hit with a lawsuit in 2011 regarding the iPhone 3G and iOS 4. That case was thrown out by the judge who ruled the iOS 4 update was not a "good or service" and dismissed claims of false advertising and deceptive business practices.

Apple is 'Close' to OLED Screen Deal With LG and Samsung for Future iPhones

Apple is close to signing a final agreement with LG Display and Samsung to provide OLED screens for next-generation iPhones, according to a new report from ET News [Google Translate] (via Reuters). The OLED panels are rumored to be included with iPhones starting in 2018.

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The two Korean companies plan to spend around $12.8 billion (15 trillion won) combined to build up OLED production capacity over the next two to three years. ET News also adds that Apple is likely to provide some funding to both LG and Samsung to help with their investments. Additionally, LG plans on converting existing LCD production lines into OLED production lines to reduce costs. Samsung, on the other hand, will produce 30 percent fewer orders than LG.

Last month, Nikkei reported that Apple plans to switch iPhones over to OLED displays starting in 2018, with both LG and Samsung sharing a large portion of OLED panel production. LG was already planning capacity upgrades for high-volume OLED screen production that would be required for iPhone demand. Earlier this month, it was reported that Japan Display was also planning mass production of OLED displays for iPhones starting in 2018.

OLED displays can provide sharper images and brighter colors compared to LCD displays. However, OLED displays tend to have shorter lifespans and come with higher manufacturing costs. Apple has been reportedly "consulting with display makers" on how to minimize potential drawbacks.

Related Roundup: iPhone 6s
Tags: Samsung, etnews.com, OLED, LG Display
Buyer's Guide: iPhone (Buy Now)

T-Mobile Disputes YouTube's Throttling Accusations, Calls Binge On 'Mobile Optimized' or 'Downgraded'

Last week, YouTube criticized T-Mobile's recently introduced Binge On program for throttling all streaming video to 480p quality rather than just the video of participating services.

T-Mobile has now responded to the accusations, telling DSLReports that "mobile optimized" or "downgraded" are better phrases to describe how Binge On works.
"Using the term 'throttle' is misleading," a representative tells me in an e-mail. "We aren’t slowing down YouTube or any other site. In fact, because video is optimized for mobile devices, streaming from these sites should be just as fast, if not faster than before. A better phrase is “mobile optimized” or a less flattering “downgraded” is also accurate."
Binge On is a free program that allows T-Mobile customers on a qualifying Simple Choice plan to stream unlimited 480p video from 24 partners, including Netflix, HBO NOW, Hulu and many others, without using any data towards their plan. YouTube, the largest video sharing service, does not participate in the program.
YouTube, which is owned by Alphabet Inc., said T-Mobile is effectively throttling, or degrading, its traffic. "Reducing data charges can be good for users, but it doesn't justify throttling all video services, especially without explicit user consent," a YouTube spokesman said.
T-Mobile stresses that all customers can disable Binge On through their account settings, but that has not stopped the U.S. Federal Communications Commission from questioning the U.S.'s third-largest carrier and its competitors about services that allow customers to access certain content without paying for the data usage.
The FCC rules prohibit throttling "particular classes of content, applications, or services" and, should Google pursue a complaint, T-Mobile's behavior may qualify. T-mobile's apparent solution? Call what they're doing something else. T-Mobile may also be able to dodge any complaints by insisting that users can disable Binge On at any time. Google's argument, in contrast, is that the program should be opt in, not opt out.
T-Mobile says it is "looking forward" to talking with the FCC, and believes Binge On is "absolutely in line with net-neutrality rules."

Tags: T-Mobile, FCC, YouTube, Binge On

Apple's Kevin Lynch Explains Method Behind Apple Watch's Precise Timekeeping

One of the Apple Watch features Apple often highlights is the device's precise timekeeping, which Apple says is within 50 milliseconds of the global time standard. Apple's VP of Technology, Kevin Lynch, today spoke with Mashable and The Telegraph to share some details on how Apple achieves that level of accuracy.

Lynch told Mashable that the Apple Watch is so accurate that the hands of two Apple Watches placed next to one another will move in perfect unison. This is achieved primarily through 15 Network Time Protocol (NTP) servers that Apple has around the world, kept inside of buildings with GPS antennas that connect to GPS satellites broadcasting time data from the U.S. Naval Observatory in Washington, D.C. The Observatory houses an ultra accurate atomic clock, which uses electronic transition frequency to measure time.

Apple's time servers communicate the time to iPhones across the world, and the iPhone in turn syncs with the Apple Watch via Bluetooth to provide the exact time. Communicating a GPS signal from a server to an iPhone to an Apple Watch over Bluetooth has its own delays, which Apple corrects for via software. Apple's NTP servers make sure iPhones and Apple Watches keep time at "Stratum One" accuracy, within milliseconds of "Stratum Zero" devices.

Speaking to The Telegraph, Lynch also described the hardware inside of the Apple Watch that makes sure the time remains accurate. Each Apple Watch has a temperature-controlled crystal oscillator inside to combat time drift that clocks and watches see. The oscillator also makes sure the Apple Watch remains warm enough to keep accurate time in very cold climates. Thanks to this hardware, the Apple Watch is even more accurate than the iPhone.
"The second hand on every Apple Watch is perfectly in sync, and each device is accurate to 50 milliseconds of Co-ordinated Universal Time (UTC), the world's time standard, which is below human perception, so when you look at it you can't tell the difference," he explains.
With New Year's Eve approaching, Lynch says Apple Watch owners will have the most accurate watches in the room. "If you're in a room on New Year's Eve wearing one, you will be the best reference for when the New Year actually begins," he said.

Related Roundups: Apple Watch, watchOS 2
Buyer's Guide: Apple Watch (Neutral)

AT&T to Stop Offering Two-Year Phone Contracts Starting January 8

Starting on January 8, 2016, AT&T plans to introduce a "pricing simplification effort" that will see the end of device subsidies and two-year contracts. According to an internal training document shared by Engadget, new and existing AT&T customers will only be able to purchase a smartphone at full price or with an AT&T Next payment plan going forward.

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As outlined in the document, the new rules apply to all of the phones that AT&T sells, including smartphones and more basic devices, which will be paid for using new installment plans. More information on how AT&T will handle corporate accounts and non-smartphone devices like tablets and wearables will become available after an official announcement from AT&T, but it appears certain corporate users will be able to continue making two-year contract purchases.

The shift away from two-year contracts and iPhone subsidies began with T-Mobile in 2013, when the company introduced its Un-carrier payment plans uncoupling device costs from plan costs. Verizon followed suit in August of 2015, debuting new smartphone rate plans and eliminating its subsidized two-year contract option for new users.

Existing Verizon customers can still renew their two-year contracts, but AT&T's no-contract implementation is more extreme and will not offer existing customers the option to keep their contracts once they expire.

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AT&T has already been working on shifting away from two-year contracts by pushing its Next plans. In June of 2015, AT&T forced Apple and other third-party retailers to remove the option to purchase AT&T phones with a two-year contract, leaving customers with AT&T Next or a full-priced smartphone as their only third-party purchase options.

Update: AT&T has confirmed its plans to stop offering two-year contracts in a statement given to Re/code.
"With $0 down for well-qualified customers, the ability to upgrade early and down-payment options available with even lower monthly installments, our customers are overwhelmingly choosing AT&T Next," AT&T told Re/code. "Starting January 8, AT&T Next will be the primary way to get a new smartphone at AT&T."


Tag: AT&T