Apple could have done better with the iPhone 6S

353

So, Apple announced its new
iPhone
6
S and iPhone 6S Plus and although there were some things that was welcomed in the iPhone, pretty much everything else was either already done on an Android but deemed “gimmicky”, or Apple did not address it in the new iteration of the iPhone 6. Let’s see what new things Apple announced when they unveiled the iPhone 6S and 6S Plus.

3D Touch

If you have had experience with the new MacBooks, the 3D Touch works the same way as the Force Touch found on the MacBook’s trackpad, just that on the iPhone 6S, it is on the screen. You click an app and press down to get a drop down menu without having to open the app all the way. So you can lightly press and access shortcuts and popups, or you can just push down harder to open it all the way. The iPhone 6S and 6S Plus can detect three levels of pressure, and with the new “Taptic Engine” on the phone, the display almost feels like it is like a button.

OK, so maybe the Force Touch is pretty cool and new since the screen itself can detect pressure. However, the haptic feedback is not exactly new since many Android phones have been using it already especially with onscreen keyboards such as with
Samsung
 phones. And although
Samsung
 phones did not have the pressure detection to open shortcuts and popups, they did have the Air View, which did the same thing except that Samsung did not pursue it further and decided to take it out of its recent models. Apple just took this feature to another level, which is great but not exactly revolutionary.

Live Photos

This new feature feels a little gimmicky. What it does is basically take a photo like a video. The new iPhone 6S and 6S Plus camera will record a short video footage just after the photo has been taken, say, for about 1 second after you click the photo capture button. It doesn’t do anything useful other than just look “cool” when you’re looking at the live photos in your gallery. But who knows, maybe this feature will also be available in social media next.

Anyway, this new feature is also not really a new feature since HTC did introduce something like this before called the Zoe Capture. Zoe Capture takes 20 shots as well as a video footage before and after the shutter button was pressed.

Upgraded Hardware

Before we get into the favorite hardware of smartphone users – the camera, let’s take a look at the new processor embedded in the iPhone 6S and
6S
Plus
. Apple has upgraded its processor to a third-gen A9 64-bit chip and claims that it is 70% faster than the A8 in terms of functional tasks, and 90% faster when it comes to graphic-based tasks such as gaming.

In addition to a new processor, the iPhone 6S and
6S
Plus
 will also feature a second-gen Touch ID sensor that will launch your phone faster. Hopefully the fingerprint recognition will also speed up since right now it is still a little too slow.

The Camera

So finally Apple has made a big jump in the megapixel department, by offering
12MP
camera
 for the rear camera and 5MP at the front. Despite Apple having one of the best phone cameras around, many Android phones have finally step up to the challenge, but it looks like maybe Apple might take that top spot again.

Not only did Apple up the megapixels, both the iPhone 6S and 6S Plus is also fitted with a new image signal processor, improved tone mapping and Focus Pixels, an advanced pixel technology of sorts. For the front camera, there is this new technology called Retina Flash, where you use the phone’s screen to simulate a flash by making it bright white. The new iPhone also shoots in 4K however, it is rather disappointing that Apple did not incorporate OIS in the
iPhone
6
, which is seen in almost all Android flagship phones these days, and only the iPhone 6S Plus will have OIS incorporated in it.

New Colour, New Chassis

The new iPhone 6S and
6S
Plus
 will come in the usual three colors of white, gold and black, with a new addition – rose gold. To me it looks more like a pink instead of a rose gold color usually seen in jewelries, but this will be the only physical difference to tell people that you are using an iPhone 6S instead of the 6.

If you are worried about the whole bending fiasco, well, Apple has mentioned that the new iPhone will have a sturdier upgraded aluminium for its chassis, apparently also used in the aerospace industry. It is the same aluminium alloy that is used in the
Apple
Watch
Sport
 called the Series 7,000. The new iPhone will also sport a new type of chemically strengthened glass but Apple did not mention if it was from Corning Gorilla Glass or not.

Other Stuff

There are also small upgrades such as “Hey, Siri”, which will allow you to launch Siri anytime, just like how you use “OK, Google” on Android devices. There is also Motion Wallpapers, moving wallpapers like how Android has its Live Wallpapers.

Pricing

Here is the price of the iPhone 6S and
6S
Plus
, and they will both be on sale in the next few weeks in Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, New Zealand, Puerto Rico, Singapore, UK and the US.

iPhone 6S: $649 (16GB); $749 (64GB); $849 (128GB)

iPhone 6S Plus: $749 (16GB); $849 (64GB); $949 (128GB)

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Apple could launch the AirPods Pro Lite as manufacturers are reportedly being enlisted

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With the success of Apple’s AirPods and AirPods Pro devices – the fruit company trumps its competition in the wireless earbuds arena with aplomp.

They’re so confident in the AriPods that they’ve begun sourcing manufacturers to produce a new addition into the line-up – the AirPods Pro Lite. According to DIGITIMES, Taiwanese company Universal Scientific Industrial (USI) had been approached by Apple with orders for the device.

According to the report, other companies Amkor, JCET and Murata are also in the running to manufacture the AirPods Lite.

As its name may suggest, the product is Apple’s entry-level offering in the series – which beckons the thought of where exactly in the line-up its positioned. We reckon between the AirPods and AirPods Pro – so we can expect the device to come with silicon earbuds, with ANC, whilst other features could be omitted to remain affordable.

With the base variant of the AirPods and AirPods Pro priced at RM699 and RM1,099 respectively, we can safely assume the AirPods Pro Lite to be priced around RM800, which is what the AirPods with a Wireless Charging Case costs.

If the AirPods Pro Lite comes with wireless charging, then Apple’s intention could be offer the regular Pods with wireless charging at a cheaper price – meaning no more option for one without the wireless charging case.

We’re unsure of when it’ll be launched, but with manufacturing only taking place now, we could possibly see a mid- to late-2020 debut for the new hearbuds.

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Apple could launch the iPhone 11 on September 10th

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It’s that time of the year to look forward to a new iPhone release, as Apple has just seeded the 7th beta of iOS 13 to developers today, iHelp BR has discovered an image asset that could possibly determine the launch date of the iPhone 11, the image “HoldForRelease” showed Tuesday, September 10th on the Calendar app icon, which is usually the day that Apple holds its iPhone event in a week.

Like last year, we are expecting Apple to launch three new iPhone models, with rumors suggesting the names being the iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max. We have also seen leaked images a triple camera setup, which we expect that to be made available on the iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max. Apple has also been promoting a lot of its ARKit last WWDC, so we should also see these iPhones having better AR capabilities.

What do you want to see from Apple this round? Let us know in the comments!

apple
iPhone 11
iPhone 11 pro
iPhone 11 pro max


Apple could release a more affordable monitor than the Pro XDR Display

748

If you wanted an Apple branded display to pair up with your Mac Mini or Mac Pro, you will be glad to know that Apple could release a more affordable external display as an alternative to RM26K Pro Display XDR.

Apple’s last mainstream monitor is the Thunderbolt Monitor and was discontinued on 2016, and ever since consumers who purchase the Mac Mini and Mac Pro will need to purchase a monitor from other brands to get them work, this will be great news for those who has always looked forward to a more affordable Apple-branded display that’s tailored for the Mac experience.

According to MacRumors, the affordable Apple monitor could come in sizes of 24-inch and 27-inch models, while a 32-inch model is also expected to be in the works as the successor to the current Pro XDR display. Furthermore, the 27-inch  and 32-inch monitors are expected to come with LG made mini-LED panels and a 120Hz variable refresh rate.

While we can expect the new displays to have design cues taken from the 24-inch M1 iMac, one thing we can be sure is that these displays would probably still cost way more than regular monitors you can buy off the market, it would be interesting to see what features Apple could pack in these new monitors to make it worth the value.

We can expect to see a whole new line up of Macs later this year, and let’s hope these displays are part of the launch as well.

Source:
MacRumors

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Apple could unveil its new Magic Mouse 2 and wireless keyboard soon

338

Apple has made great interaction on the Watch and MacBooks with its Force Touch technology, however its desktop input devices have not been updated since 2006, current Mac desktop users can finally look forward to the day that Apple’s 2nd generation Magic Mouse and wireless keyboard to be unveiled, as the company has just submitted approval documents up to the FCC and it tells us a couple of long awaited features.

First, users will be happy to know that the 2nd generation Magic Mouse and keyboard would have built-in rechargeable lithium batteries which will eliminate the need to swap the dual AA batteries, the new devices also uses the latest and more efficient Bluetooth 4.2 LE connection and we should actually see significant improvements in battery life over the current devices that is still on Bluetooth 2.0. In other aspects, sources also believe that the new Magic Mouse 2 might feature Force Touch while the new keyboard could actually feature new function keys to play nice with OS X El Capitan.

If the time is right, Apple should be announcing the Magic Mouse 2 and new wireless keyboard on its September 9th event, which is also when we could expect the announcement of the company’s iPhone,
iPad
, OS X El Capitan and iOS 9 release.

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keyboard
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Apple silently discontinues their 21.5-inch Intel-powered iMac

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Apple has supposedly discontinued its 21.5-inch Intel-based iMac with no prior statement leading up to its removal. This doesn’t come as a surprise because now that Apple has announced their new
M1 Pro and M1 Max chips
, it would make sense that Apple is paving a path for more powerful iMacs to hit the market.

After Apple’s latest October Unleashed event, the 21.5-inch iMac was still available for purchase, but had went missing from their websites only recently. After being asked about it, Apple had confirmed that the iMac is being discontinued and will no longer be sold in Apple stores.

However, Apple still has a few Intel-based iMacs that are being sold – namely the 27-inch Intel-based iMac that uses a 3.6GHz 10-core Intel Core-i9 CPU, and refurbished 21.5-inch iMacs via Apple’s online stores.

In March, Apple stopped selling the 512GB and 1TB versions of the 21.5-inch iMac, meaning they had been slowly discontinuing this product since that time. A month later, the thinner, more colourful
M1-powered iMacs
 were revealed.

Whilst there are
r
umours of Apple releasing a new M1 iMac
,
 nothing has been officially stated by Apple, and it is mostly speculation. You can stay tuned on our website as we bring you more updates in due time.

Source

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Apple discontinues Thunderbolt Displays

270

Looking to get an additional monitor for your Mac/Macbook? You better get one soon as Apple has announced that they will be discontinuing the Thunderbolt Display.

While the Thunderbolt Display will no longer be in production, you can still get the monitor through Apple.com, Apple retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers while supplies last. Once supplies of the Thunderbolt Display has been exhausted however, that would be the end of the Thunderbolt Display. As for those who wish to own a Mac-compatible display, Apple has suggested that Mac users opt for third-party options.

The question remains as to what Apple intends to do with the monitor side of things. While Apple is remaining quite for now, rumours are going around that Apple may be announcing a new monitor that would support Thunderbolt 3-equipped Macs. There are also talks that Apple may be leaving the monitor market entirely, but until the company issues an official statement, all of these are purely speculation.

Source:
TechCrunch

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display
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Here’s why Apple discourages users on unauthorised battery replacements

355

There are many who aren’t happy when they found out Apple is trying to stop them from going to a third-party repair centre, but Apple has provided clarifications on why they chose to do so.

In a statement to iMore, Apple said, “We take the safety of our customers very seriously and want to make sure any battery replacement is done properly. There are now over 1,800 Apple authorized service providers across the US so our customers have even more convenient access to quality repairs.”

It has been quite a while, but iPhone users whose battery wasn’t replaced by authorised service providers will be shown an error message that says, “Unable to verify this iPhone has a genuine Apple battery. Health information not available for this battery.” This does not necessarily prove that the iPhone battery is not a genuine Apple battery; it could mean that iOS couldn’t detect the right micro-controller that only authorised technicians can properly configure hence the error message.

“This notification does not impact the customer’s ability to use the phone after an unauthorized repair,” said Apple. Therefore, iPhone users can rest assured that even if they’re shown the error message, they can still use their iPhones normally. The only issue is the battery health stats won’t be shown so you won’t know your battery’s maximum capacity.

apple
battery replacement
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iphone


Apple is dismissing plans to fully encrypt iCloud data

336

Apple is letting go of the idea to offer full iCloud encryption after many years due to complaints from FBI.

The tech giant offers full encryption for on-device data but when it comes to iCloud, Apple and its users have one key each — in case users need the company to help them retrieve their data. However, after discussing with the FBI, the tech giant now decided to scrape off about full iCloud encryption.

This is seen as Apple’s willingness to aid the government and law enforcement agencies, though there have been several conflicts in the past. Back in 2016, Apple had a court battle with the FBI as the law enforcement agency wanted the company to decrypt an iPhone used in a mass shooting in San Bernadino. Apple refused to create a “backdoor” as it will weaken the security of all its iPhones.

Recently, Apple was again asked to do the same with a Pensacola case; U.S. Attorney General William Barr and President Donald Trump attacked Apple and accused the company of being uncooperative, but Apple denied those claims in its statement, revealing that it has been providing the iCloud backups of the shooter’s phones.

Well, at least we can still depend on Apple is we somehow lose or forget our encryption keys.

apple
encryption
fbi
icloud
iphone


Apple engineer fired after his daughter uploads video of the iPhone X

318

Apple has had a really good track record in keeping the details of their new products tightly guarded to ensure that they can give a nice surprise to its users. However, when information leaked from within the company gets out there is really not much that can be done and that is the case of a video from the daughter of one of the Apple engineer who showed off the iPhone X to the world.

A YouTuber by the name of Brook Amelia Peterson showed off some features and the overall design of the phone said that her father was fired from Apple due to the video she posted up. Even if other people have recorded features on the phone, it was only done during the launch event and not in this case. Apple has a very strict policy about information leaked by its employees and this is no special case.

After the video reached the trending page on YouTube, Apple contacted Brook Peterson and told her that she needed to take down the video to which she immediately did but her dad was still fired from the company because of the breach of trust.

apple
fired
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Apple engineers may quit if FBI forces them to create a backdoor to iOS

298

Image Source: Last Week Tonight

It seems that even if the FBI manages to force Apple to build them a backdoor for iOS, they would have to deal with the fact that Apple’s engineers may resign in protest.

In an interview with The New York Times, Apple employees are currently discussing what they will do should the court side with the FBI. While some believe that they will balk at the work, some have said that they rather quit their high-paying jobs than to undermine the security of the software they created. “If someone attempts to force them to work on something that’s outside their personal values, they can expect to find a position that’s a better fit somewhere else,” says Window Snyder, former senior product manager at Apple’s security and privacy division.

Former engineering manager at Apple Jean-Louis Gassée believes that the employees who are contemplating resignation aren’t just full of hot air. “It’s an independent culture and a rebellious one. If the government tries to compel testimony or action from these engineers, good luck with that,” says Gassée.

Source:
The New York Times

apple
encryption
fbi
ios
politics
security


iPhone 12 rumored to launch at Apple Event happening October 13

656

FINALLY! The 2020
Apple Event
 is happening next week – the event is set to take place at the Apple Park, Cupertino on 13 October 10am PDT, or 14 October 1am here in Malaysia.

With the Apple Watch and iPads now launched, there really isn’t much else left to announce other than the much-anticipated iPhone 12. On Apple’s website, you’ll find a poster for the event which reads “Hi, Speed”, which could reference the iPhone 12’s 5G support.

During the event, we could also very well be seeing the introduction of the
AirPod
 Studios
 – the company’s over-ear headphones with ANC support.

It’s exciting times for Apple fans and the tech world alike, and excited we are for the live stream happening next week.

apple
apple event 2020
apple event malaysia
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iPhone 12
iphone 12 launch 2020


Apple Event confirmed: iPhone 13 to launch on September 14

676

Apple announced its biggest event of the year; the Apple Event with the tagline “California Streaming” will be happening on September 14 with products like the
iPhone 13
, Apple Watch and more to make an appearance.

Apple has always stuck to September when it comes to introducing its new iPhone models. Unlike last year’s delay due to the pandemic, iPhone 13 production has started much earlier which is why we’re certain to see them next week during the event.

We’re California Streaming on September 14th. See you real soon. 🏞
#AppleEvent

pic.twitter.com/OjOvJFXlHd

— Greg Joswiak (@gregjoz)
September 7, 2021

As expected, this will be another online event that’s broadcasted from Apple Park. It’ll be starting at 10am PDT which is 1am in Malaysia. Apart from the new iPhones and the Apple Watch Series 7, we’re also expecting to see new AirPods and MacBook Pros.

iPhone 13 mini may not appear this time

As for the iPhone 13 models, previous rumours indicated that there will be no iPhone 13 mini; instead, you’ll be getting the iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Max. These phones may also come with higher refresh rate screens, so perhaps we’ll finally see the ProMotion display on them.

Experience Apple Event’s teaser using your iPhone

If you own an iOS device, you can even tap on the Apple logo in this
site
 – it’ll take you to an AR experience so you can see the virtual landscape and sky as shown in the picture. You’ll also get to see the date of the event – for Malaysians, it’s September 15.

airpods
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Apple Watch Series 7
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Apple may launch Macs with Apple Silicon chip this November 10

406

Apple is at it again with the vague event posters – this time, their upcoming launch will take place this November 10 at 10am PST – meaning 2am in Malaysia (prepare the coffee lads).

Their poster simply says “One more thing” which is a tagline used by the company since the launch of the iPhone X back in 2017. This time around, the signs are pointing towards the unveiling of a new Mac computer that’ll run on Apple’s own chipsets instead of Intel-made ones – the kind they’ve been using since 2005.

The development for this ARM-based chip has been going on since
2017
, and we initially thought we would only see it arrive in
2021
; but reports are suggesting that Apple will close out 2020 in in big fashion by introducing a few Mac models to run on new Apple Silicon chips.

In any case, the
event
 is only a week away and we’ll be covering the live stream event happening then, so stay tuned on our page for the latest
deets
.

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Apple evidently has plans to add crash detection to their devices next year

776

Apple has a list of safety features like fall detection, which was first seen on the
Apple Watch Series 4
, as well as emergency SOS on their cellular devices; now it is looking like they’re looing to expand on that list with a new crash detection feature that’ll be available on their Watch and iPhones next year as.

Although nothing has been confirmed yet, but
The Wall Street Journal
 reports that Apple has been collecting data and had established over 10 million suspected vehicle crashes, 50,000 of which have been paired with SOS calls.

This would work similarly to the fall detection feature that places a call to an emergency service if you do not discharge the alert after 1 minute. Now your device would measure for a sudden change its gravitational force during impact and then call emergency services.

It is also worth noting that if you included an emergency contact, they would be notified with a message and a location at the time of the accident.

The crash detection feature is predicted to release in 2022, presumably with iOS 16 and WatchOS 9. Nevertheless, since nothing has been officially confirmed, we’ll have to keep an eye on any new developments before we give you a more detailed low-down.

Source

apple
apple watch
Crash detection
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Apple expected to refresh iPads at upcoming March event

358

Looking to get a new iPad sometime in the near future? Well, you might want to put those plans on hold for now as Japanese Apple-centric website Mac Otakara is reporting that Apple will be refreshing its iPad Pro lineup at an event scheduled for March.

According to Mac Otakara, the new iPad Pros will come in 7.9″, 9.7″, 10.5″ and 12.9″ models. With the introduction of a 7.9″ iPad Pro, it appears that Apple will be looking to replace the iPad mini 4 with this particular model. On top of that, the 7.9″ model is expected to sport a Smart Connector port, True Tone display, four speakers, and a 12MP rear iSight camera with True Tone flash.

For the new 10.5″ iPad Pro, the website is reporting that the iPad as a whole will have a similar footprint to the 9.7″ model thanks to its edge-to-edge design. As for performance, the 7.9″ and 9.7″ models will be powered by the A9X chip, while the 10.5″ and 12.9″ models will be powered by the A10X chip.

iPads aren’t the only devices that will be present at Apple’s March event as Mac Otakara is also reporting that Apple would take the opportunity to introduce a new iPhone SE that has 128GB of internal storage. Apple will also announce a new red colour option for the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus at the event as well. As always, these are all rumours at the moment, and you should really take then with a grain of salt.

Source:
Mac Otakara
,
MacRumours

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Apple extends warranty of first-gen Watch to three years

353

If you have the first generation of the Apple Watch, then you probably heard about the battery that swells up displacing the screen. Because of that, Apple quietly extended the warranty of the watch by a year. Now they are extending it again as reports are flooding in about the back cover that keeps separating from the device.

Owners of the watch that have this problem will have a total coverage of three years from the date of purchase, so if you watch shows signs of these problems, you can visit the authorised Apple store and get your watch fixed or call Apple Support for more information and solutions. There are reports that some people are still required to pay for the repair even if they are within the coverage period, Apple has already circulated the memo internally on this and if they still refuse to acknowledge the warranty extension, escalate this problem to the management as they would probably know about this new warranty extension.

It is good to know Apple is owning up to their mistakes when it comes to faulty builds, though it is still questionable as to why they have not released this statement to the public. If you own a first-gen Apple watch do check your date of purchase and see if you are still covered.

apple
hardware
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The new iPhones face another bug called “beautygate” that iOS 12.1 will fix

364

When the new iPhones were out, a number of users encountered the issue of “crashgate” whereby their iPhone Xs and Xs Max will not charge when the screens are not activated. Apple then promised to fix the issue, and that was done with the iOS 12.0.1 update. Now, the iPhone users face another issue they refer to as “beautygate”.

Users noticed that their iPhone Xs, Xs Max and XR have fake filter-like result when they take pictures, and this is due to the skin-smoothening effect that many are disliking and complaining. Users initially thought that this is a new feature that Apple is going to adapt to like some Android phones with the AI beautification function but turns out it’s actually a bug.

Image credit : Business Insider

The bug causes the Smart HDR feature that is available in the new iPhones to select a wrong reference frame when users shoot themselves with the front cameras. Now usually the HDR system should select a reference frame with short shutter speed so that there is less motion but this bug has caused the system to instead use the reference frame with longer shutter speed, causing blur in pictures which results in the fake filter-like result.

Apple promises to fix the bug by updating the Smart HDR system which will ensure it picks the sharpest frame with shortest shutter speed to avoid the smooth-skin effect. The fix will be available in iOS 12.1 and it was reported that it will be released before October ends, though now it seems like it might take a little longer.

apple
Beautygate
bug
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Smart HDR


Apple filed a patent that would make Siri whisper to you

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AI assistants are really good at what they do but sometimes it’s not a welcome sight when you hear Siri or Google Assistant answering you a question allowing everyone to hear and worst of when the question could potentially be an embarrassing one. Apple tends to fix this problem by making Siri whisper her answers to you.

Apple filed a patent last year which was made public now, the patent states that Siri normally responds in a regular or loud voice, which could be undesired under certain circumstances where a whisper response more appropriate. Other examples that they mentioned is using Siri in a library or an office cubical or just a general method to protect privacy. Siri enabled devices could measure the input’s amplitude and frequency patterns to determine if the reply should be a whisper.

We have seen patents that sound more like a gimmick rather than something that could be used in real life but this filing seems to hold some sustainable potential and would be a welcome sight if Apple actually manages to implement this into the iPhone and Apple Watch. All we need to do now is wait and see what is Google and Amazon’s move from here.

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Apple files two additional lawsuits against Qualcomm

365

Apple’s legal fight against Qualcomm has just gotten worse as it appears that the Cupertino-based company has filed two additional lawsuits on top of the
pre-existing one
 that was filed on Monday.

The first of the two new lawsuit was filed in Beijing where Apple claims that Qualcomm has violated China’s anti-monopoly law. In addition to that, Apple claims that Qualcomm has abused its position as a dominant chip supplier, which has supposedly harmed Apple in the process. The second lawsuit focuses on Qualcomm’s patent deals with Apple asking the court to rule on the terms of a licensing agreement between the two companies. The wording used on this lawsuit hints that it may be related to the
U.S. Federal Trade Commissions’ lawsuit
 against Qualcomm over the company’s supposed violation of the fair, reasonable, and non-discriminatory (FRAND) terms.

Qualcomm has since stated that “it was prepared to defend its business model”. “These filings by Apple’s Chinese subsidiary are just part of Apple’s efforts to find ways to pay less for Qualcomm’s technology. Apple was offered terms consistent with terms accepted by more than one hundred other Chinese companies and refused to even consider them,” says Don Rosenberg, general counsel for Qualcomm. As for Apple, the company did release any new statements, pointing instead to the one it released back when the first lawsuit against Qualcomm was filed.

Source:
The Verge

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Apple files a wireless charging patent that can prioritize device charging

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It appears that Apple has filed two new patents that are related to wireless charging. The first is an option to charge multiple devices at once with the option to prioritise which device gets charged first and under what circumstances and the other is the possibility of placing wireless charging devices into structures like furniture and vehicles.

As most of you know, the new iPhones support wireless charging and Apple themselves has shown off the AirPower charger that allows multiple devices to be charged no one charger. With the first patent, it will allow users to dictate to the charger which device should it charge first, effectively saving power and charging a particular device faster than the others. Apple has opted to use Qi standards for its wireless charging which could mean that these patents could potentially work for other devices as well.

As with most patent registrations, we should not expect to see this device anytime soon as most companies file patents as a future-proof safeguard. Apple has not commented on this patents so we are still not sure if these devices will even see the light of day.

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charging
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Apple finally allows DIY screen replacements for the iPhone 13

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Right to repair is a movement that’s fiercely fought for by independent repair specialists for years now; it challenges the anti-consumerism practices of certain big-name companies that make it difficult for users to get affordable repairs for their devices.

A frequent antagonist in this plot against big corps is Apple – a common practice that’s constantly brought up during debates is the ability to repair iPhone displays. Only Apple-authorised technicians, who have specialised software and tools provided by the brand, can replace panels without users losing the ability to use Face ID – but this always comes at a relatively high cost.

There’s a chip under the hood that syncs with the phone’s serial number – this makes life difficult for lesser-equipped, and lesser-skilled independent technicians.

Image credit: Tom’s Guide

New
developments

in the arena suggest that Apple are finally showing signs of cracking as they’ll soon launch a software that allows iPhone 13 displays to be replaced via DIY methods. It would allow Face ID to still work and let consumers get their cracked panels replaced at more affordable prices.

There’s no word on when this software will be rolled out, but watch this space as we bring you more updates in due time.

apple
iphone 13
iphone screen
right to repair


Apple finally revealed the iPhone XR clear case, priced at RM169

370

Apple finally released the iPhone XR clear case on its website after several weeks of delay, and those who are looking forward to this case will have to pay RM169 to get it.

According to Apple’s website, the clear case is made from a blend of optically clear polycarbonate and flexible TPU materials, so that the case fits easily and remains light and thin so that the iPhone XR can still be wirelessly charged. The case is also said to be scratch-resistant both in and out because the scratch-resistant coating is applied on the exterior and the interior of the case.

The iPhone XR clear case is to this day the only clear case made by Apple for its iPhones, and since Apple has never done this before, it can be assumed that this is an effort to promote the colourful options that the iPhone XR has.

The clear case is already available for purchase on the official site but it is expected to be in Apple retail stores on 10 December. However, there are many other iPhone XR clear cases that are more affordable compared to this RM169 clear case by Apple so you might want to reconsider if you’re buying this clear case just to showcase your iPhone XR’s beautiful colour but if you’re just a loyal Apple fan and you have the money to do so, then go ahead and get this clear case.

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clear case
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Apple fixed FaceTime camera issue with the release of iOS 12.1.1 update

296

Since iPhone has updated to iOS 12, many has express their frustration towards the changes the iOS 12 has brought. Now with the new Apple iOS 12.1.1 update, it will come with new improvements and fixes for some of the Apple’s iOS 12 controversial changes.

One of the controversial changes from the iOS 12 is FaceTime, which faced a lot of criticism from users for removing features such as the ability to take Live photos during calls and making the “Flip camera” button harder to find behind a menu, but now, all of these problems has been tweaked. Apple has made the button returned to the main screen, which is located on the bottom menu row alongside the Mute, Effects and End Call button.

Other than that, other features include dual SIM with eSIM support for additional carriers on iPhone XR, iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max and a notification preview using haptic touch on iPhone XR.

Besides that, bugs like issues with visual voicemail downloading, Face ID being temporarily unavailable and broken predictive text suggestions on Chinese and Japanese keyboards have also been fixed.

You can read the full list of changes in Apple’s support by clicking
here
.

ios 12
iOS 12.1.1
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Apple forced to remove older iPhone models from stores in Germany

314

Apple has been involved with a lawsuit against Qualcomm for quite some time now, and with the recent defeat in the District Court of Munich, the company’s iPhone 7 and iPhone 8 models can no longer be in Germany’s stores because the company is charged with intellectual property infringement in the devices’ power saving mode.

The conflict between Apple and Qualcomm began since two years back when Apple accused Qualcomm of hiking up the prices for its modem chips more than it should, and in return Qualcomm responded by filing various lawsuits against Apple for IP violation.

With the current lawsuit, Apple’s stock price also fell by 2.5%, and while Apple is planning to appeal the ruling that will not be effective immediately, the iPhone 7 and iPhone 8 models will have to be temporarily suspended until further notice. However, the iPhone Xs, iPhone Xs Max and iPhone XR will remained unaffected. The iPhone 7 and iPhone 8 models might not be available in Apple retail stores in Germany, but one can still get the devices through carriers and other retailers in Germany, so it’s not a total wipeout of the models in the country.

Aside from the German case, Apple also faced infringement issues from both United States and China. The China case granted Qualcomm an injunction against Apple, which bans the import and sale of almost all the iPhone models in China, which has also caused Apple to lose 2% shares while Qualcomm gained 3% shares.

Seems like Apple is at the losing end in the battle against Qualcomm, but hopefully the older iPhone models will not be permanently banned.

apple
germany
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Apple Glass is coming in the first half of 2020, says Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo

401

Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo predicted the iPhone SE 2 to arrive in 2020, but that’s not the only surprise. He recently issued a note suggesting that Apple Glass will be making its debut in the first half of 2020, among other new hardwares.

According to Kuo, Apple is forming partnerships with third-party brands to create the its own AR glasses, the Apple Glass. There’s no denying that Apple has indeed been focusing on augmented reality in the past few years, integrating the technology into the newer iPhones and iPads.

But while we’re getting excited about the Apple Glass, let’s not forget that there have been many other companies that have been releasing their own version of AR glasses.

Microsoft and Google has already done so, but no mass adoption is seen — probably due to its bulky and less-than-stylish designs.

Apart from the Apple Glass, we should also be expecting to see the new iPad Pro next year, alongside a new Macbook with a scissor-switching keyboard. We should also be witnessing the first 5G iPhone next year, but definitely not in the first half of 2020.

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Apple Glass
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Apple and Google teams up to reduce spread of COVID-19

375

Just a few days back, Apple and Google announced a partnership so that they can lend a hand in reducing the spread of COVID-19. Both companies will be using contact tracing technology so that individuals can be tracked without violating their privacy.

Starting from May, Apple and Google will be releasing “APIs that enable interoperability between Android and iOS devices using apps from public health authorities.” Apple also has a specific
webpage
 that provides more technical information on its contact tracing specifications and framework.

Apart from that, the companies will be developing a Bluetooth-based contact tracing method that individuals can choose to join.
TechCrunch
 provided an explanation on how it works — basically, the tracing system assigns a rotating identifier that will be transmitted to other nearby devices via Bluetooth. If you’ve been in contact with someone who has been tested positive for coronavirus, you’ll be notified. However, rest assured that this information will not be revealed to others.

Alongside the announcement, MacRumors also discovered that Apple has registered the domain name AppleCoronavirus.com. It’s safe to assume that Apple will be using this domain to share coronavirus-related information.

apple
Coronavirus
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Apple and Google launched Exposure Notification technology for contact tracing apps

366

UPDATE:
 Minister Khairy Jamaluddin has confirmed in a tweet that Malaysia is one of the 22 countries to have requested for the Exposure Notification API.

I’ve just checked with the team. We have requested for the API. Hope to get it in the next few days.

— Khairy Jamaluddin (@Khairykj)
May 21, 2020

Google and Apple
 started collaborating and announced their plan on releasing a COVID-19 contact tracing technology over a month ago. Now, both companies have released public software updates to introduce their latest project, the Exposure Notification System.

The Exposure Notification System is available on both Android and iOS and can be used by public health agencies (PHAs) around the world to create their apps based on this Exposure Notification API. The framework has been improved and adjusted during its testing period after the tech giants get feedback from various authorities from five continents – PHAs, NGOs, academics, government officials, and privacy experts. For iOS users,
iOS 13.5
 is already released and comes with the Exposure Notification settings. For Android users, this will be available to those with Android 6.0 Marshmallow and above.

Interoperability, Battery Life, and Privacy

Interoperability, battery life, and privacy are three huge factors that are included when designing the Exposure Notification API. Google and Apple made sure that even when individuals are traveling across countries, the system still works despite the different apps offered in different countries. Nobody likes a battery-draining app, so the new technology is also optimized to prevent high consumption of battery life.

Android and iOS users also get to decide whether they’d want to opt-in or out of the system and this can be toggled on/off at any time. The Temporary Exposure Keys that are refreshed daily are also randomly generated instead of deriving from a tracing key, making it difficult for ill-intent individuals to track others. In addition to that, all Bluetooth metadata will be encrypted to prevent hackers from identifying phones and their owners.

Exposure Notification to support, not replace

“What we’ve built is not an app — rather public health agencies will incorporate the API into their own apps that people install,” Apple and Google said. The technology is merely a form of support to traditional contact tracing, not as a form of replacement. PHAs will still be able to define an exposure based on their own data and expertise.

Why Exposure Notification is beneficial

Let’s say there’s an individual who is tested positive with COVID-19; the traditional method of tracking down his family members and friends might be easy, but when it comes to strangers he has been in contact with, that will either be too time-consuming or sometimes, impossible – that’s where Exposure Notification comes in. “Exposure Notification has the specific goal of rapid notification, which is especially important to slowing the spread of the disease with a virus that can be spread asymptomatically,” the tech giants said.

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Apple has 59 new emojis including a sloth, an orangutan, a guide dog and more

277

Last year, Apple introduced over 70 new emojis in iOS 12.1. This year, the tech giant is bringing in 59 new emojis that include food, animals, smiley faces and more.

The current Holding Hands emoji only comes in three options, but the new update will allow users to select different combinations of skin tones and genders with more than 75 combinations in total. This is Apple’s efforts to include diversity in its emoji so that everyone can pick emojis that are fitted to them.

Image credit: Apple

In addition to that, Apple also revealed disability-themed emojis such as a prosthetic arm, wheelchairs, an ear with a hearing aid and more. Users will even get a guide dog emoji and a man with a walking stick.

Image credit: Apple

But that’s not all the exciting emojis that are coming up. Animals like the orangutan, sloth, flamingo and skunk are joining the animal category while the food category will welcome emojis like garlic, butter, waffle and falafel.

There are still many other emojis that are coming to us this fall, but one I wouldn’t miss out on is the yawn emoji. You’ll get these emojis with a free software update to your Apple devices, so don’t worry about these being exclusive.

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Apple has a YouTube playlist for iPhone features you might not know of

268

Smartphones can sometimes have hidden features that users won’t discover unless they really explore their phones but let’s be honest, many of us don’t. This is probably why Apple decided to create a playlist to inform iOS users on features that they might not know about their iPhones.

While some of the features are known by many, there are also a few that you might’ve missed out. One of the videos posted on 6 March revealed a car icon that can be placed at the Control Centre to prevent notifications from coming in when you’re driving. This icon is labelled as “Do Not Disturb While Driving” and can be found in Settings>Control Centre>Customise Controls.

Did you also know that you can search your photos by subject? We’re not talking about people, we’re talking bout objects. You can search for things like flowers, caps, rings and your iPhone will show you pictures that contain such items.

Another interesting feature that iOS users might not know is that Apple Support actually has an app and can be installed into your iPhone. This makes it so much easier to chat with the company’s support team wherever you are instead of relying on laptops and browsers.

To discover more features that you might or might not know about your iPhone, visit
here
.

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Apple has announced that WWDC 2018 will be held on 4th June

332

Apple has announced the date of their annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in San Jose from June 4 to June 8 at The McEnery Convention Center, where the company will share its future products and services.

The event serves as a common ground for developers to share and create new experiences on Apple’s platforms like the iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, Apple TV, Mac and even the Home Pod. Other than that, there will also be a range of developer APIs that they will be showing off to build applications for users to make their daily lives easier. The company is also taking a big step to bring up student developers by offering up to 350 WWDC Student Scholarships this year and providing students and STEM organizations the opportunity to earn free tickets to WWDC. We are expected to see some new MacBooks and possibly new and refreshed iPads as well as future developments for the Home Pod, Apple’s Siri enabled smart speaker. The most exciting part of the event will be the unveiling of the iOS 12 which is said to bring some design changes and how we interact with the iPhone.

The event will be live streamed on all Apple produces and their Apple Developer Website. Tickets will be available from now through March 22 via the WWDC website, but tickets will be given out through a random selection process and developers will be notified if they are receiving the tickets on March 23.

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Apple has discontinued the golden Apple Watch Edition

488

Remember the time when Apple announced the USD10,000 golden Apple Watch Edition? Well, that will soon become a thing of the past as Apple will no longer offer the golden Apple Watch.

Apple has been downplaying the presence of the gold Apple Watch Edition for a while now, with mentions of this particular watch being scrubbed off its Apple Watch product page sometime during the launch of the iPhone SE. With the reveal that the ceramic version of the Watch Series 2 being the new Apple Watch Edition, this means that the ridiculously priced golden watch will no longer be a part of Apple’s inventory.

The ceramic version of the Apple Watch Edition would also make it far more affordable than the 10k gold watch. Priced at USD1,249, the ceramic Apple Watch Edition is by no means cheap, but it is a much more feasible purchase for Apple diehards around the world.

Source:
Ars Technica

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Apple has given up on the iPhone mini

1.4K

In a recent exclusive report by
9to5Mac
, the next iPhone 14 lineup will comprise of four models without of a mini model within the lineup. Instead, Apple is expected to release two iPhone 14 models in 6.1-inch and 6.7-inch display sizes, along with the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max.

Discontinuing the iPhone mini hasn’t been a surprise since Apple has received underwhelming response since the iPhone 12 mini, which could be attributed to the iPhone SE for its much cheaper price tag and smaller display, most people would have already gotten used to Apple’s new larger display form as well as the little price difference to the regular iPhone, there’s no reason to pay for a premium price tag for Apple’s compact iPhone.

In other details, 9to5Mac has shared that the regular iPhone 14 will continue to ship with the current gen A15 Bionic chip, while the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max will receive a more powerful A15X or A16 chip and taller displays to accomodate a new ‘Notch + Pill’ design.

While its sad to see the mini going into Apple history that fast, we won’t be surprised if it will be resurrected as a new iPhone SE in the future. So long, you will be missed.

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Apple has its reasons for removing other screen time monitoring apps

293

Apple has been removing several third party apps that does screen time monitoring, especially since it has Screen Time — its own monitoring tool — when users update their iOS to iOS 12. Apparently, these apps are removed without prior warnings to the app developers, but that might just be rumours.

Apple explained in a recent press release that these apps where actually using Mobile Device Management — a highly invasive technology — to control and access the device and its information which is highly against their guidelines because the parental control apps are consumer-focused apps that are private and the use of MDM expose the devices to be hacked.

Image credit: Cnet

On Apple’s side, the company stated that the app developers have been informed and even given 30 days to update their apps to ensure that it follows the guidelines provided. Only those who failed to obey the policies were removed, and to further prove that Apple hasn’t been trying to remove every other screen time monitoring apps, they mentioned a few that are still available such as Balance Screen Time by Moment Health and Verizon Smart Family.

Spotify had also claimed that Apple was being unfair previously, in which Apple made sure to defend themselves. It’s best to listen to both sides of the story before you pick a side.

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Apple has joined the Wireless Power Consortium

384

Rumours that the upcoming iPhone may be wireless charging-capable may now have merit as it appears that Apple has recently joined the Wireless Power Consortium.

Apple’s joining of the Wireless Power Consortium was discovered as the company has been listed down as a member of the 213-company strong consortium. For those who are unaware of what this consortium does, the Wireless Power Consortium promotes the use of a single standard for wireless charging known as Qi.

Qi isn’t exactly new to Apple as the tech has been utilise on the company’s Apple Watch, although that version of Qi has been tweaked to make sure that the Watch can only be wirelessly charged on Apple-specific wireless chargers and not with other Qi-powered wireless chargers. With Apple now part of the consortium, the company could potentially make its future devices support the standard Qi wireless charging standards. Seeing as Apple is planning big things for the iPhone this year, an iPhone that can be charged wirelessly would be a great feature to have

Source:
Business Insider
,
9to5Mac

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Apple has made resolving issues easier with the Support app

416

The effort of going to Apple’s support website or calling up the customer service for troubleshooting is now simplified with the Apple Support app, available as a free download on the App Store, the app delivers a user friendly and straightforward user interface that let’s users access tips and tricks, and troubleshooting topics for all Apple products and services, you will also be able to check service coverage status for your Apple products, which saves a lot of trouble entering the serial number on to Apple’s website to get such info.

The Apple Support app will require you to sign in with your Apple ID, which pulls all the information of the devices that you have signed on, it will offer native, chat and e-mail features to contact Apple experts and will be able to pull interaction history should you need to check back. Best of all, if the app isn’t able to resolve any of your issues, you can even schedule a repair appointment with an authorized service provider near you within the app.

Download
Apple Support
 from the App Store to find out.

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Apple has reportedly cut 20% of iPhone SE production due to low demand

1.2K

The iPhone SE may be one excellent small and affordable iPhone, but the market hasn’t reacted well to Apple’s expectations, as Nikkei Asia reports that Apple has halted 20% of production the iPhone SE in the next quarter and 10 million fewer AirPods for 2022, well-known analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has also speculated Apple to ship only 15-20 million iPhone SE in 2022, as opposed to his previous 25-30 million estimation.

Shanghai lockdown doesn’t affect the iPhone SE production. However, the new iPhone SE demand is lower than expected (the delivery status “in stock” as one of the proofs), and I cut my shipment estimation in 2022 to 15-20M (vs. 25-30M previously).

— 郭明錤 (Ming-Chi Kuo) (@mingchikuo)
March 28, 2022

While there hasn’t been an exact reason for this production cut, various reports cites COVID lockdowns in China and the Ukraine war to be the probable reason, but in most cases the iPhone SE’s low demand could be attributed to its target audience, as the phone only features very minor upgrades in the same design, making it less compelling for previous owners to upgrade or even attract new customers.

The iPhone SE isn’t exactly a budget phone for what it is priced at, but it sure has certain unique selling points over similar priced Android phones, such as a more capable A15 Bionic chip, 5G, years of iOS software updates and IP67 water and dust resistance, but considering how many Android phones are already way ahead of the iPhone SE in features with much lower price tags, and how brands like Xiaomi and Samsung have committed to several years of OS and security updates, the iPhone SE’s value proposition is just hardly there like it used to.

Source:
Nikkei Asia
, via
The Verge

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Apple has sold one billion iPhones as of today

265

Apple’s iPhone has hit a landmark milestone today as Apple CEO Tim Cook has announced that the company has sold one billion iPhones.

Since the iPhone was first launched back in 2007, Apple’s own smartphone has been a dominant force in the smartphone market. It isn’t too much of an exaggeration to say that the smartphone was made mainstream thanks to the iPhone. In some countries, the introduction of the iPhone has led to a rapid growth in the smartphone market in a short amount of time.

The iPhone’s astronomical growth rate indicates that nearly half of those iPhones have been sold within the last two years. Roughly 472 million units were sold between Q3 of 2014, and Q3 of 2016. Of course, sales of the iPhone has since slowed down, but Cook believes that this slump in sales is temporary. With a new iPhone expected to be available in September, it’ll be interesting to see if sales of the iPhone will pick up once again.

Source:
Ars Technica

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Apple looking for other manufacturers for ultra-wide lens as COVID-19 hits main supplier

344

As the COVID-19 outbreaks continue to rapidly spread across the globe major companies are reeling at the slow down in production due to factory closures and lack of productivity. Apple is no exception as they too have been impacted by the virus outbreak.

Reports say that the fruit company has had to diversifying orders for their ultra-wide angle lenses, as their main suppliers based in Yujingguang are having issues with production.

According to reports, Apple may only get 30% to 40% of orders from there, and will have to fill the gap with contributions from other manufacturers. Apple has to do this if they are to keep their iPhone 11 devices rolling out the factory floors.

Just January this year, Apple was reporting strong earnings during the last quarter of 2019, which was attributed to the sale of the iPhone 11 series devices – the company’s positive financials are under threat of plunging should their prized flagship fail to reach customers.

With more countries now reported infection cases for the first time, it doesn’t look likely that we’ll be recovering anytime soon – if the situation persists in Q3 of this year, we’ll likely be thrown into a financial crisis.

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Apple wants to help with relieving the floods, but Malaysians don’t want the money to go to the government

1.3K

Currently, Malaysia and Philipinnes are facing the effects of Typhoon Rai, with heavy damages and floods happening throughout both countries causing hundreds of casualties and citizens to be displaced.

Thankfully, in this time of need
Apple
‘s CEO, Tim Cook, has published a tweet saying that Apple is willing to donate to relief, recover and rebuild the damages done by the flood, but it seems that Netizens would happily accept the donations, under the condition that it would
NOT
 go the government.

Please dont send the donations to Malaysia’s government. You can reach out all the NGOs in Malaysia to send the donation 🙏🏻 Thank youuu 🙏🏻

— HN 🇲🇾🇵🇸 (@nabilahariss)
December 21, 2021

It still isn’t clear how much Apple is willing to give, but earlier this week they said that they will be donating to the tornado damages in the
United States
 too. As we said earlier, Malaysian’s don’t want Apple’s donations to go to the government, as they criticized the government for not taking enough action to help those in need compared to other Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), who seemed to be putting it as their first priority.

Image Credit – World Of Buzz

Users from the Philipines also came forward and had spoken about the issues within the government, and were agreeing with what the Malaysian Netizens had to say, mostly discussing “corruption” in their countries. Even earlier when the floods first started, Malaysians were already criticizing the government for
hosting events
 for the relief instead of going into the field to help.

With that being said, there are still many struggling during this time, and we will have to see what the government will do next, and whether or not Apple will listen to the people and donate to the NGOs.

Via –
(1)

(2)

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Apple hits 11 million subscribers on Apple Music

325

A recent report revealed that Apple Music have achieved over 10 million subscribers, but the music streaming platform has since been crunching on the numbers, reaching 11 million.

This latest figure was revealed on a podcast known as The Talk Show, hosted by renowned Apple blogger John Gruber, who interviewed Apple’s senior vice presidents – Craig Federighi and Eddy Cue. Both of them claimed that Apple Music has reached 11 million subscribers and counting, instead of the reported 10 million. The number can almost be confirmed as true since it slipped out from big time Apple representatives.

This is great news for Apple, and would definitely have silenced many critics who were against Apple Music’s three-month free trial, claiming that Apple would be making losses instead. It sure seems like a a risk well taken by the Cupertino company.

As compared to other music streaming platforms, old timer Spotify has approximately 75 million users, nearly a third of them who are paying subscribers at 20 million users. Tidal on the other hand, a premium service which emphasizes on quality sound has around a million users, largely dwarfed by Apple Music who achieved the 11 million in only 8 months.

Have you tried Apple Music? The music streaming service is still offering its three-month free trial for those who are interested.

Source:
Tech Radar

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Apple HomePod Mini smart speaker launched for just $99

429

Apple announces a new follow up to the
HomePod

series
 – the
HomePod
 Mini packs the same Siri-enabled features the original models offer, all while in a smaller package.

The device takes on a spherical shape but with a flat top – here, you’ll find a backlit touch panel that lets you adjust the volume output. The finish of the
HomePod
 Mini is mesh fabric which Apple claims offer better acoustics.

Under the hood is the Apple S5 chip that runs the show; add to that a central 360-degree audio driver that outputs audio around the device. Should you have two
HomePod
 Minis placed side by side, the speakers will automatically function as a stereo system, offering you more immersive audio.

A new feature comes by way of ‘Intercom’ which allows users to repeat instructions to nearby smart home speakers – useful in helping family members get across a message to each other anywhere in the house. To make this feature more
accessible
,
HomePod
 Mini is capable of recognizing multiple voices too.

The Apple
HomePod Mini
 is available in Space Grey and White; it’s priced at just $99 (about RM410); orders for the device start this November 6, and will begin shipping this November 16. There’s no word on when it’ll arrive in
Malaysia
 yet, but we’ll be sure to keep you updated when we get more updates.

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Apple announced iCloud Passwords extension for Chrome on Windows

439

Apple’s own extension for iCloud Passwords is now available on Chrome, allowing users to save all their passwords on their Chrome the same way they did on Safari.

Apple is giving the Safari treatment to Chrome

Those who are familiar with Safari will remember being offered strong passwords every time they create a new account, or the ability to just use their saved passwords for seamless connection. Now, Windows users can do the same on their Chrome — these passwords will be also be saved in their iCloud Keychain so they can access them from their Apple devices.

iCloud Passwords lets you sync between Apple devices and Chrome on Windows

This allows Apple users to sync their password across their Windows PC and their Apple devices like the iPhone, iPad and Mac devices. Currently, the extension is only 154kb and is available in 36 languages. You can download it from
Chrome Web Store
.

As mentioned by
9to5Google
, iCloud Passwords for Chrome is the second extension after iCloud Bookmarks. However, reports suggest that there will be more Apple apps in Microsoft Store soon.

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Apple introduces new iMac with M1 chip; available in 7 vibrant colours

591

As expected, Apple’s new iMac is now powered by the M1 chip. However, Apple also decided to introduce the new iMac in seven different colours instead of sticking to its usual colours.

Vibrant colours are spreading across Apple products

The iMac is available in green, yellow, orange, pink, purple, blue and silver. Apple also launched three different Magic Keyboards, the Magic Mouse and Magic Trackpad – all three accessories are available in the same colour schemes to match the iMac.

The iMac gets a pro display with minimalist design

The new iMac is now thinner thanks to the M1’s architecture and has a 24-inch display with narrow bezels. It houses a 4.5K Retina display which offers 11.3 million pixels and a P3 wide colour gamut. With the M1 chip, this powerhouse is 85% faster in CPU performance, 2x faster in GPU performance and 3x faster in machine learning.

Everything else is also upgraded

Apple also upgraded its camera, speakers and mics. The iMac now comes with studio-quality mics that supposedly blocks out external noises, a six-speaker sound system that supports spatial audio and a 1080p FaceTime HD camera.

The M1
iMac
 starts at RM5,599 but its highest variant will cost you RM7,249. You can preorder it on April 30 but it’ll only be available sometime in May.

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Apple in the works of wireless charging

276

According to a Bloomberg report, Apple is working on wireless charging technology that might be featured in iPhones by 2017. But this isn’t like any other wireless charging technologies. In fact, the report claims that it is a long range wireless technology, which can mean that charging will go beyond current inductive solutions for wireless charging.

As cool as it may sound, there are some shortcomings as well. Apple might have to deal with the fact that distance will affect this technology, meaning that the further the device is away from the receiver, the lesser power it receives, and eventually, a charging connection loss.

Wireless charging is a feature that has been rumored to be on the next iteration of the iPhone. However, after this report, it seems like we won’t be meeting this feature in 2016.

Apple has been submitting patents regarding wireless charging technology for more than five years now since 2010. The Apple Watch is capable of wireless charging, but only via a inductive method of charging, which means the Apple Watch has to make contact with the charging pad in order for it to be charged.

Would you like to see this innovative wireless charging in any of your devices? Comment below!

Source:
9to5Mac

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Apple infringed three Qualcomm patents and has to pay $31 million in damages

302

Apple and Qualcomm has been going at each other for quite awhile, but recently the chipset manufacturer managed to win one of their battles. Apple was found to infringe three patents from Qualcomm last Friday, resulting in a $31 million payment.

According to TechCrunch, the three patents are regarding Qualcomm’s “flashless booting, data management between the applications processor and the modem, and high performance rich visual graphics with power management.” These patents are found in the iPhone 7, 7 Plus, 8, 8 Plus and X.

This lawsuit has been filed since July 2017, which means that it has almost been two full years since the companies has been conflict. Cnet also wrote that the outcome will affect the next trial between both tech giants that is set in April, a trial that involves even more money and will be one of the most anticipated trials regarding the whole lawsuit.

The iPhone company also expressed its disappointment with the outcome, though the company refused to comment further and did not reveal if they will be filing an appeal to the decision.

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Apple introduces Apple Card, their own credit card, giving more options to the public.

329

If you’ve been keeping up with all the latest Apple announcements for the past day, you’d know that the fruit company’s newest offerings don’t stray far from what the company does – consumer tech. The most far-fetched announcement came by way of Apple Arcade – their very own gaming subscription service.

It seems like Apple isn’t just a company that makes phones, computers and operating systems – they’re also dipping their toes into the finance and e-wallet market by introducing Apple Card.

Image credit: Apple

Developed in partnership with Goldman Sachs and MasterCard, Apple Card is basically a credit card that can be used like any other credit card; but one benefit is that it can be stored digitally on Apple’s Wallet app so all banking details such as statements, balance and payment due dates can be viewed in your Apple device.

The card doesn’t have a CVV, signature or expiration date like a traditional credit card, but it generates security codes for e-shopping purposes. However, this only works for websites that support Apple Card; otherwise, you’ll have to provide your 16-digit card number.

If you’re planning to use the card to make physical purchases, you should be able to do so at any store that accepts MasterCard.

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Apple introduces Apple News+, but it’s only available in US, UK, Canada and Australia

273

Alongside with the long-awaited Apple TV+ video streaming service, Apple also introduced Apple News+, a news subscription service that lets user access more than 300 reading materials with a single subscription.

Apple News+ is made with the goal to bring reliable news to users in US, Canada, UK and Australia, and Apple has not announced whether its availability will be expanded to other countries.
 However, Apple News readers should rest assured that they can still access to the free content on the app without any issues.

“We’re committed to supporting quality journalism, and with Apple News+, we want to celebrate the great work being done by magazines and news outlets,” said Lauren Kern, editor-in-chief of Apple News. The new subscription service includes publications such as ELLE, Vogue, People, The Wall Street Journal — all of which have reached global recognition.

“The Wall Street Journal is certainly the most trusted newspaper in the US and its coverage of politics, business, economics, national news and lifestyle issues is nonpareil. We expect through the Apple platform, our journalism will reach and inform many more millions of readers, viewers and listeners around the country and the world,” said the Chief Executive of News Corp, Robert Thomson. With the subscription, Apple users will not only be able to access new content from various publications, they’ll also be able to revisit old articles if they chose to do so.

Unlike Apple Arcade and Apple TV+, Apple News+ is already available in US for $9.99 a month and in Canada for $12.99 a month, in which users will be able to get a one-month trial for free and ensure that their devices are iOS 12.2 or macOS 10.14. and above. It will be available in UK and Australia later this year though not specified, and can be shared through Family Sharing.

apple
Apple News


Apple introduces Apple Pay, tends to put an end to your wallets

281

Apple has introduced the Apple Pay, a revolutionary payment method that will let you store your credit card information with the Passbook app on the
iPhone 6
 and iPhone 6 Plus and lets you pay wirelessly via its NFC connection.

The security layer of the Apple Pay is pretty secure and straightforward as you can see above.

And here’s how easy that you are able to make payments with Apple Pay, it will currently support most US merchants and major credit cards, the company is also working hard to bring Apple Pay to other countries as well.


Apple introduces iOS patch to counter 'Error 53'

283

‘Error 53’, the error message that disables iPhones if the phone’s connector that ran between the Touch ID sensor in an iPhone’s home button by unauthorised stores, has been the subject of anger for many iPhone users. Not wanting to prolong this issue any further, Apple will issuing an updated version of iOS 9.2.1 for users that update their iPhones via iTunes only.

In a statement issued to TechCrunch, Apple has stated that Error 53 occurs when a device fails a security test. In the iPhone’s case, the test was designed to check whether Touch ID works properly before the device leaves the factory.

With the updated iOS 9.2.1, users will be able to restore their ‘bricked’ iPhones. This update is meant only for users who rely on iTunes to update their iPhones. According to Apple, those who update their iPhones over the air via iCloud would never have encountered Error 53.

Do note that this update WILL NOT re-enable Touch ID. If you wish to retain Touch ID functionality, you’re going to have to get your home button replaced by Apple.

Source :
TechCrunch

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error53
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Apple introduces iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Mini

682

Its official, Apple has finally unveiled the iPhone 12 at its virtual event with a stunning new block design that most of us have been anticipating, and finally sporting 5G connectivity.

Like its predecessor, it comes with a 6.1″ display with five colorful options to choose from, screen technology is however a much better Super Retina XDR Display and protected a stronger glass called Ceramic Shield, which Apple has worked with Corning to develop a crystalized glass that’s claimed to have 4x better drop performance than most smartphone glass.

In terms of performance, the iPhone 12 is powered by the A14 Bionic chip that’s built on a 5nm process and features a 6-core CPU and 4-core GPU, it is the very same silicon that powers the latest iPad Air and Apple claims it is 50% faster than most current smartphone chips in both performance and graphics.

Although the iPhone 12 still retains a dual camera setup, they have been significantly improved for low light shooting with a 12MP f/1.6 7-element wide angle lens and an all-new 12MP f/2.4 ultra-wide angle lens. With the new camera system, the iPhone 12 also introduces a new Night Mode Time Lapse feature that takes impressive low light videos.

On top of that, the iPhone 12 will include a new way of charging by using the MagSafe connector and supports a variety of accessories, while Apple is shipping the USB-C to Lightning cable as standard despite omitting the charging brick for environmental reasons.

Last but not least, Apple also introduced the iPhone 12 Mini, which comes with a much smaller 5.4-inch display while retaining the same features as its larger siblings.

iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Mini Malaysia Price

The iPhone 12 Mini and iPhone 12 will retail from RM3399 and RM3899 respectively, while storage capacity will be available in 64GB, 128GB and 256GB with color options of blue, green, black, white and (PRODUCT)RED.

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iPhone 12
iPhone 12 mini


Apple introduces Mac Studio powered by M1 Ultra chip and A13-powered Studio Display

1.9K

Rather than the new M2 chip, Apple has introduced a much more powerful M1 Ultra chip, which debuted on the rumored Mac Studio desktop computer, which makes it the first high-performance Mac desktop powered by Apple Silicon, while Apple has also teased that a new Mac Pro is also coming later in the year.

The M1 Ultra chip brings a new level of performance that comprise a 20-core CPU with 16 high-performance cores and four high-efficiency cores, which Apple claims that it has 90% higher multi-threaded performance than a 16-core PC desktop chip within the same power envelope, it also has a 64-core GPU that has faster performance than the highest end PC GPU while using less than 200 watts of power. Last but not least, it can be configured up to 128GB of unified memory.

Compared to the Mac Mini, the Mac Studio features a much thicker form factor and is full of ports this round, including four Thunderbolt 4 USB-C ports on the back, two USB-A ports that works up to 10Gbps, a 10Gb Ethernet port, an HDMI and a high impedance audio jack. On the front, you get two USB-C ports and a SDXC card slot, while only the M1 Ultra variant will get Thunderbolt 4 on the front, Apple says that the Mac Studio can power up to four Pro Display XDR displays and a 4K TV at the same time, which is insanely powerful.

On the other hand, the 27-inch Studio Display is also announced alongside to work well with the Mac Studio, which sports a 5K Retina screen with 600 nits brightness, a 12MP ultra-wide camera with Center Stage, a high fidelity six speaker system that supports Spatial Audio and Dolby Atmos, three USB-C 10Gbps ports and one Thunderbolt 4 port that delivers 40Gbps transfer speed and 96W of charging speeds, and to handle all these things, Apple has equipped it with an A13 Bionic Chip.

Mac Studio will be available in M1 Max and M1 Ultra configurations and will start at RM8,799 and RM16,799 respectively, they can be configured up to 8TB of storage while Unified Memory is limited to 64GB for the M1 Max configuration, it can cost up to RM32,799 for the decked out configuration with the M1 Ultra with 20-Core CPU, 64-Core GPU, and 32-Core Neural engine, 128GB Unified Memory and 8TB storage.

The Studio Display will start at RM6,999 and like the Pro Display XDR, it can be configured with a Nano-texture glass that will cost a cool RM8,299, either configurations will still come with a standard monitor stand.

apple
apple silicon
m1 max
m1 ultra
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Apple introduces new 16-inch MacBook Pro priced from RM10,499

316

Apple has just introduced it’s the new 16-inch MacBook Pro – the largest MBP ever – replacing the current 15-inch model. It obviously sports a 16-inch Retina display that pushes 3072 x 1920 resolution with a pixel density of 226ppi.

Also new is the Magic Keyboard that uses scissor switches instead of the older butterfly switches which were problematic. On the new keyboard is also a physical Escape key as well as “
interted
 T” directional keys. Being a MacBook Pro, the signature Touch Bar remains along with Touch ID and Force Touch track pad.

Under the hood is your choice of a six-core Intel Core i7 CPU or an eight-core Intel Core i9 processor. The Core i7 variant will sport an AMD Radeon Pro 5300M GPU while the Core i9 variant comes with an AMD Radeon Pro 5500M.

In terms of memory, both models support up to 16GB DDR4 RAM (upgradeable to 64GB), while the smaller model gets 512GB storage and the bigger model gets 1TB storage – both variants upgradeable to 8TB
storage
. According to Apple, the new MacBook Pro is 2.1 times faster than its 15-inch predecessor when on MATLAB, can complete a code on Xcode at 1.8 times faster, and can edit images on Photoshop 1.7 times quicker too.

For audio, the new MBP also comes with six speakers along with an upgraded mic. The laptop will ship with macOS Catalina and will offer features like Dark Mode, Sidecar, and more.

The new 16-inch MacBook Pro is available in Space Gray and Silver and will be priced at RM10,499 for the Core i7 variant, and RM12,199 for the Core i9 variant. Visit Apple’s website
here
 to make your purchase.

apple
macbook pro
scissor switches


Apple introduces new MacBook Air with M2 chip

5.2K

Apple has broke the tradtion of WWDC by introducing the new MacBook Air that’s powered by the M2 chip.

For starters, the Apple M2 chip is built on a 2nd generation 5nm process and comes with a 8-core CPU and 10-core GPU architecture, it delivers up to 100GB/s of unified memory bandwidth and can support up to 24GB of unified memory, there’s also a next gen media engine and ProRes video engine that could playback more 4K and 8K video streams simultaneously.

The M2 MacBook Air features the very same design language as the higher end MacBook Pros, it features a fanless deisng like its predecessor and is a lot more compact with a 13.6-inch Liquid Retina display that has a standard 500nit brightness, it also gets a notch like the MacBook Pro that houses a 1080p FaceTime camera that supports Center Stage, there is a 4-speaker system that supports Spatial Audio and three beamforming microphone array that’s built into the top part of the keyboard.

In terms of ports, you get two Thunderbolt 4 USB-C ports and MagSafe 3 on the left and a headphone jack on the right, there’s no SD card slot and HDMI port like the Pro due to its slim form factor, which is rather forgiveable in that sense when you consider that it weighs a mere 1.24kg and measures 11.3mm thick.

Apple quotes up to 18 hours of battery life for movie playback on the Apple TV app and 15 hours of wireless web browsing, the M2 MacBook Air will ship with a 30W charger for the base model and a 35W dual USB-C charger for the more expensive configuration, it is fortunately fast charge capable up to 67W with USB PD.

On top of that, the current 13-inch MacBook Pro has also been refreshed with the M2 chip but unlike the Air, it comes with a single fan that can cool down the system when running intensive tasks, battery life is claimed to be up to 20 hours which is the same as the previous model and can be configured with up to 24GB of unified memory similar to the Air.

The M2 MacBook Air will be available in colors of Silver, Starlight, Space Gray and Midnight, it will start at US$1199 for the base model that comes with an 8-core CPU and 8-Core GPU, 8GB of unified memory and 256GB of storage.

Apple will continue to sell the M1 MacBook Air with a lower starting price of US$999, though it will only come in a single variant of an 8-core CPU, 7-core GPU M1 chip with 8GB unified memory and 256GB storage.

apple
apple m2
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Apple introduces repair program for MacBook and MacBook Pro keyboard issues

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If you have been using a modern MacBook or MacBook Pro that comes with the infamous flat butterfly switches, Apple has introduced a new repair program for those who are facing issues with it, this comes after several complains from customers, one of the more well known issues include dust stuck under the keys causing them unable to type properly.

With this worldwide repair program, customers who encounter issues with their MacBook’s keyboard can request for a free replacement within 4 years of the purchase date, and you don’t need to own an Apple Care Protection Plan to be eligible for it.

According to Apple’s support page for the issue, the service center could either replace a single key or the entire keyboard after being diagnosed with the following issues:

Letters or characters repeat unexpectedly

Letters or characters do not appear

Key(s) feel “sticky” or do not respond in a consistent manner

If you happen to have paid for a fee to replace your MacBook’s keyboard recently, you are eligible to request a refund. Its good to see Apple responding to this issue in a proactive manner and even extending the support for the next 4 years of your purchase, and let’s hope that the company will introduce better keyboards for the next generation of MacBooks.

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macbook
macbook keyboard issues
macbook pro keyboard


Apple introduces Vision Pro mixed reality headset for $3499

3.4K

After much leaks and rumors, Apple has finally unveiled the Vision Pro at WWDC 2023, a mixed reality headset which the company has fondly called it the next-generation spatial computer, offering users an immersive blending of digital and physical reality, while also fostering interpersonal connectivity.

This new device takes digital interaction into an entirely new dimension with a three-dimensional user interface controlled through the user’s eyes, hands, and voice.

The innovative design features an ultra-high-resolution display system with an impressive 23 million pixels across dual displays, backed by custom Apple silicon in a dual-chip design for seamless real-time experiences.

The Apple Vision Pro expands the user experience by introducing a new paradigm of personal computing. It allows apps to exist in a 3D interface free from traditional display constraints, offering endless screen space and new ways to multitask. Users can also connect with the Apple Vision Pro wirelessly, transforming it into an expansive, personal, and portable 4K display.

In the realm of entertainment, Apple Vision Pro’s dual ultra-high-resolution displays transform any space into a personal cinema, complete with an advanced Spatial Audio system. Additionally, the new device introduces an exciting dimension to gaming, with support for a broad spectrum of Apple Arcade games and popular game controllers.

Apple Vision Pro also elevates the FaceTime experience with the use of Personas—digital avatars reflecting a user’s face and hand movements in real-time. This innovative feature, enabled through advanced machine learning, allows users to share experiences like watching a movie, browsing photos, or collaborating on presentations.

Powering the Vision Pro is visionOS, a pioneering spatial operating system that enables digital content to feel like an integral part of the user’s physical environment.

Built on the solid foundation of decades of engineering innovation, visionOS introduces a three-dimensional interface that brings digital content to life within a user’s physical space. The innovative operating system introduces an intuitive, person-centric input system. Features like EyeSight allow users to seamlessly interact with their environment and others.

The Apple Vision Pro exemplifies a pinnacle of tech-design by leveraging advanced materials and techniques to deliver a highly portable device with unparalleled performance. The device is comprised of a laminated glass optical surface acting as a lens for an array of cameras and sensors, all housed within a custom aluminum alloy frame.

The Apple Vision Pro features a compact wearable form factor that offers powerful compute performance. The device is powered by an advanced Spatial Audio system and a high-performance eye-tracking system, both of which ensure an immersive and interactive user experience.

Furthermore, the device is powered by Apple’s M2 and R1 chips, which facilitate the seamless processing of input from numerous cameras, sensors, and microphones. This ensures a lag-free, real-time experience for users. The Vision Pro also boasts a strong battery life, capable of running for two hours on a single charge.

Apple Vision Pro comes with robust privacy and security features. A new secure authentication system, Optic ID, uses an iris analysis to unlock the device, with user data securely encrypted and stored on the device.

Apple Vision Pro is priced at $3,499 (U.S.) and will be available for purchase early next year on Apple’s official website and in Apple Store locations across the U.S.

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vision pro
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Apple’s iOS 13.5.1 update to fix dangerous iPhone jailbreak flaw

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The iOS 13.5 update introduced a host of useful additions including COVID-19 exposure notification and faster unlock when the user is wearing a mask. The software update also brought along with it a
security flaw
 that allowed iPhones to be jailbroken within days of its rollout.

Fixing the problem

In response, Apple is pushing out a major update the in the form of iOS 13.5.1 in order to patch the issues. As we reported earlier, the high-profile vulnerability was discovered by the Unc0ver team and it’s said to allow people to add exceptions to existing security rules.

Image credit: Apple

Learning from mistakes

This, of course, also means people can exploit the jailbreak for malicious purposes. In 2015, a whopping
225,000

jailbroken
 Phones were hit with a malware attack that stole
AppleID
 accounts, personal data, App Store purchasing information and more.

The good news is at this point, many people understand the risks of jailbreaking their iPhones and are likely to not do it – those who do probably know what they’re doing too.

The
iPadOS
 13.5.1 update will also be released at the same time to address the same issue but on
Apple’s
 tablet devices. The updates should arrive soon, so keep an eye out and patch your device as soon as you can.

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Apple iPad Pro now available in Malaysia from RM3,499

428

The new Apple iPad Pro is now available to purchase in Malaysia and you’ll be able to get it in two size variants – 11-inches and 12.9-inches.

The local prices were already announced last month, but here it is again for your convenience:

iPad Pro 11-inch

128GB – RM3,499 (WiFi), RM4,149 (WiFi+Cellular)

256GB – RM3,949 (WiFi), RM4,549 (WiFi+Cellular)

512GB – RM4,849 (WiFi), RM5,499 (WiFi+Cellular)

1TB – RM5,749 (WiFi), RM6,399 (WiFi+Cellular)

iPad Pro 12.9-inch

128GB – RM4,399 (WiFi), RM5,049 (WiFi+Cellular)

256GB – RM4,849 (WiFi), RM5,499 (WiFi+Cellular)

512GB – RM5,749 (WiFi), RM6,399 (WiFi+Cellular)

1TB – RM6,649 (
WiFi
), RM7,299 (
WiFi+Cellular
)

Both variants are powered by Apple’s new A12Z Bionic chip alongside 6GB of RAM; if you head over to Apple’s website, it’ll say the iPad Pro is faster than most PC laptops today, which is a bold statement – but with an 8-core GPU and its Neural Engine, this could very well be true.

Over on the back, you’ll see a refreshed set of cameras placed in square module, like the iPhone 11. The main shooter here is a 12MP wide shooter that’s accompanied by LiDAR scanner. It’s supposed to scan and measure distance between you and the objects around you. This is used for AR applications like measurement, creating 3D objects and more.

The most exciting feature actually isn’t inside actually built into the device, but rather its ability to now be used with the new Apple Magic Keyboard – it attaches to the iPad Pro magnetically, and this time, it lifts the tablet off the ground and tilt it at an angle for a better viewing experience. The Magic Keyboard obviously comes with a keyboard, but not so obviously, it also comes with a trackpad. So right now, you probably have an image in your head that looks a lot like a laptop, and you’re right! The sentiment that iPads can replace laptops have now been fully realized thanks to the new feature.

As with an iPad Pro, you still get four speakers, Apple Pencil 2
nd

Gen  support
, and a USB-C charging port.

If you’re interested in getting yourself one, visit Apple’s website
here
 to purcahse your iPad Pro.

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Apple iPad Pro will be available this Wednesday

423

Remember the latest Apple MWC where the first 12.9-inch iPad Pro being unveiled? At that time, nobody knew when was its official release date going to be, but not anymore because Apple just announced the official date of the iPad Pro availability. This Wednesday, November 11, the iPad Pro will be available in more than 40 countries. There will be no pre-order period plus the XL-sized tablet will be available immediately at Apple stores (online and offline), select retailers and carriers.

The US prices start at USD 800 for the base model (Wi-Fi only, 32GB storage) and you’ll probably want the USD 170 keyboard, and USD 100 iPencil. These are the first Apple-made tablet keyboard and stylus, putting the “pro” in iPad Pro. Besides that, there will be an LTE version of the tablet as well. Comparing the Apple iPad Pro with Galaxy Note Pro 12.2-inch, the iPad Pro still looks slightly better in term of specifications.

Here’s the list of countries getting the iPad Pro:

Anguilla

Antigua and Barbuda

Australia

Austria

Belgium

Canada

Cayman Islands

China

Czech Republic

Denmark

El Salvador

Finland

France

Germany

Gibraltar

Greenland

Guatemala

Hong Kong

Hungary

Ireland

Isle of Man

Italy

Japan

Liechtenstein

Luxembourg

Malaysia

Mexico

Monaco

Netherlands

New Zealand

Norway

Poland

Portugal

Puerto Rico

Russia

Singapore

Slovenia

Spain

Sweden

Switzerland

Thailand

Trinidad and Tobago

Turkey

UAE

US

UK

Uruguay

US Virgin Islands

SOURCE:
Apple

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availability
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Apple iPhone 11 pre-order with Digi PhoneFreedom 365 starts September 20

399

The new iPhone 11 is a pricey device (as usual), and if you’re looking for a bang for your buck kind of deal, the quickest out the block is Digi’s PhoneFreedom 365 postpaid plan promo.

As you may already know, PhoneFreedom 365 is essentially offers data-plus-phone plans at zero-interests and zero-upfront payments. The Apple iPhone 11 line-up will be available for pre-order starting September 20 via the telco, so although it isn’t the buy-phone-get-free-stuff kind of affair we Malaysians like, this is neat for those who’re looking for an upgrade in data plans.

Plus, the iPhone 11 has eSIM support, so you can opt for Digi’s eSIM offerings too. If you’d like to know more about the phone, read up on our
coverage
 of the phone’s launch and watch our summary of Apple’s Special Event from yesterday.

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5G iPhone 12 might be delayed to 2021 due to COVID-19

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Many of us have been looking forward to this year’s iPhones; after all, it’s the first iPhones to get 5G support. However, recent reports indicated that the current COVID-19 situation will affect Apple’s supplies, production process and eventually, the launching of the iPhone 12.

The flagship iPhones have always been launched in September, but there might be an exception this time. It is possible that the iPhone 12 models will be postponed to 2021 if the current situation does not get any better.

This might be a win-win situation; Apple wouldn’t want to launch its first 5G iPhone in the midst of this chaotic situation and there might be many of us who couldn’t afford to spend that extra cash at a time like this.

There are also reports that revealed that China suppliers were notified to postpone their shipping by August instead of June — indicating that the production of the iPhone will be delayed too.

We’d be disappointed if the iPhones get delayed, but perhaps it’s really for the best.

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Apple won’t include charging adapter and earphones with iPhone 12 to cut cost

654

You can always count on Apple to do something controversial and bold, like removing the headphone jack from the iPhone 7. It looks like the company is up to something again as new reports suggest that the upcoming iPhone 12 won’t ship with a charging brick and a pair of earphones.

For the sake of 5G

Image credit: PhoneArena

This, however, isn’t concrete news yet, but it’s the word of reliable tech
analyst

Kuo
 Ming Chi, who also says that Apple wants to offer the iPhone 12 at the same price as its predecessor even with added 5G capabilities. With the charging adapter gone, one can also expect the lightning cable to be omitted as well.

Sold separately

Image credit: Apple

With that, we have to wonder if the iPhone 12 will support faster charging than the iPhone 11 – if Apple is expecting people to re-use their existing charging adapters, you’re looking at a standard 5W charging speed, or up to
18W
 of fast charging but with a separate adapter and a
USB-C to Lighting
 cable for it to work.

With no wired earphones packaged with the iPhone 12, Apple is banking on people to make the switch to the
AirPods
 for their choice of audio peripherals – most people who own newer iPhones most likely already have a pair.

No all will be happy

So
 with this, Apple possibly
alienates
 two consumer groups – iPhone users planning to upgrade from something very old, and those who are planning on switching from Android to iOS. These are the folks who will likely have to fork out extra for the missing accessories, and that could potentially put off some from getting the iPhone 12; lest they want people to buy
knockoff Apple products
 to save a buck.

Regardless
, as we’ve seen with the removal of the headphone jack, people tend to follow and adapt to whatever Apple sets as a standard, so we doubt this is going to have a long-term negative impact on the company anyway.

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Apple unlocked secret iPhone 12 feature: Reverse wireless charging

962

In a recent
documentation
 regarding the new
MagSafe Battery Pack
, Apple confirmed that the iPhone 12 supports reverse wireless charging.

According to Apple, you can charge your iPhone and the MagSafe Battery Pack by attaching the battery pack to your iPhone and connecting your iPhone to a power source.

iPhone 12’s reverse wireless charge doesn’t work with everything…yet

This is solid proof that the iPhone can reverse charge the battery pack wirelessly. We tried to reverse charge our Apple Watch and wireless earbuds by placing them at the back of the iPhone, but both devices did not charge at all.

This means the battery pack is the only compatible accessory for the iPhone 12’s reverse charging as of now — many are hoping that Apple will ‘activate’ the phone’s ability to reverse the AirPods or Apple Watch in the near future.

MagSafe Battery Pack charges the iPhone faster when using a higher watt adapter

On a side note, you can also charge the battery pack and your iPhone simultaneously by plugging the former into a power adapter. If you use an adapter with at least 20W, your iPhone can get up to 15W of charging power. Without a power adapter, the battery pack only charges the iPhone at 5W.

apple
iPhone 12
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