If there's one thing that Apple values more than most other tech companies, it's product secrecy. Whereas other big name tech companies like Google and Microsoft enjoy showing users what type of crazy new technologies they've been working on, Apple in contrast prefers to keep everything under wraps until it has a shipping product to show off.That said, a recent letter that Apple sent to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) finally gives us some concrete proof that the company has a strong and ongoing interest in self-driving car technology. Sure, it was no secret that Apple was working on a car initiative of some sort given its hiring spree of engineers with deep experience across the entirety of the car design and manufacturing process. Still, it was never entirely clear if Apple was initially looking into building a car of its own or, perhaps, focusing on ancillary software technologies instead.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
Now that the iPhone 7 has been out for nearly three months now, the always-busy Apple rumor mill is refocusing its attention on what may very well be Apple's most anticipated product launch in years -- the iPhone 8.Speaking to the gravitas that surrounds Apple's next-gen iPhone, it's widely believed that Apple next year will forgo the iPhone 7s name and will instead call its 2017 smartphone the iPhone 8. Not only does the upcoming iPhone mark the 10th anniversary of the iPhone, it will also usher in some long-overdue changes to the iPhone's industrial design.According to a number of reports, Apple's upper-tier iPhone model will feature a curved OLED panel along with an edge to edge display. In effect, the entire device will effectively consist of one giant piece of glass. As a result, many of the device's sensors are said to be embedded underneath or into the display itself.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
Black Friday this year certainly lived up to the hype. With incredible savings to be had on products as far ranging as HDTVs and iPhones, shoppers this year flooded nationwide retailers while also taking advantage of alluring deals online. In fact, Black Friday this year set new all-time records on a number of fronts. According to Adobe, shoppers this year spent approximately $3.34 billion on any number of deals, representing a nearly 22% increase compared to 2015.If you happened to miss out on Black Friday this year, there's no reason to fret. Cyber Monday is just a few hours a way and consumers looking for incredible deals on the latest and greatest tech gadgets have no shortage of options to choose from.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
T-Mobile CEO John Legere has a penchant for making a big splash, and with Black Friday just a few days away, Legere on Tuesday announced an intriguing new promotion that prospective iPhone 7 buyers might want to keep on their radar.As part of the company's Black Friday push, T-Mobile is offering users either a free iPhone 7 or iPhone 7 Plus with a qualifying trade-in. In order to get a free 32GB iPhone 7, users can trade in the following devices: an iPhone 6s, an iPhone 6s Plus, Samsung's Galaxy S6, the S6 Edge, the S7, the S7 Edge and the Note 5. Other qualifying devices include the LG V20 and the LG G5.If you have an older device, there are still good deals to be had. Case in point: users can get $100 off a 32GB iPhone 7 if they trade-in any of the following devices: iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone SE, Samsung Note 4, Samsung Galaxy S5, the LG G4 and the LG V10.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
Given that the overall design of the iPhone hasn't changed much since the release of the iPhone 6 back in 2014, there's a lot of pressure on Apple to deliver a home run when the company launches the iPhone 8 later next year.Though next year's iPhone would ordinarily be called the iPhone 7s, it's widely believed that Apple's next-gen iPhone will represent such a compelling upgrade that Apple will opt to call it the iPhone 8 instead.Now as for what Apple has in store for us with the iPhone 8, the company's plans are beginning to crystalize slowly but surely. According to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo (via Apple Insider), Apple next year will introduce three distinct iPhone models.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
Given that the overall design of the iPhone hasn't changed much since the release of the iPhone 6 back in 2014, there's a lot of pressure on Apple to deliver a home run when the company launches the iPhone 8 later next year.Though next year's iPhone would ordinarily be called the iPhone 7s, it's widely believed that Apple's next-gen iPhone will represent such a compelling upgrade that Apple will opt to call it the iPhone 8 instead.Now, as for what Apple has in store for us with the iPhone 8, the company's plans are beginning to crystalize slowly but surely. According to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo (via Apple Insider), Apple next year will introduce three distinct iPhone models.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
Well before Donald Trump became the Republican nominee for President, the current President-elect didn't mince words when it came to American companies relying upon factories in China for manufacturing purposes.Speaking to a crowd at Liberty University last January, Trump said that if were to become President, he would take steps to ensure that Apple "builds their damn computers in this country." More broadly, Trump added that he'd like to see Apple manufacture all of their devices in the United States instead of outsourcing said duties to Asian-based partners like Foxconn.While Trump's promise will likely go unfulfilled, Apple reportedly isn't taking any chances. In an apparent effort to remain prepared for any type of new policy Trump might dream up, Apple has reportedly asked both Foxconn and Pegatron about the feasibility of "moving iPhone production" to the United States.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
Well before Donald Trump became the Republican nominee for President, the current President-elect didn't mince words when it came to American companies relying upon factories in China for manufacturing purposes.
Speaking to a crowd at Liberty University last January, Trump said if he were to become President, he would take steps to ensure Apple "builds their damn computers in this country." More broadly, Trump added that he'd like to see Apple manufacture all of their devices in the United States instead of outsourcing said duties to Asian-based partners such as Foxconn.
While Trump's promise will likely go unfulfilled, Apple reportedly isn't taking any chances. In an apparent effort to remain prepared for any type of new policy Trump might dream up, Apple has reportedly asked both Foxconn and Pegatron about the feasibility of "moving iPhone production" to the United States.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
There's no better time to get a new iPhone than in November. Not only have all the kinks associated with iOS presumably been ironed out by then, but Black Friday promotions across a number of big name retail outlets makes finding incredible deals on Apple smartphones surprisingly easy.In what's become something of a tradition, many retailers have started publishing their Black Friday deals weeks in advance, presumably so that shoppers can take stock of what's available and plan accordingly. While Black Friday may be more closely associated with finding tremendous deals on HDTVs, it's also a great time to pick up all types of consumer electronics.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
Earlier this week, Donald Trump shocked pollsters and political pundits across the country after winning the 2016 U.S. presidential election. Despite an incredibly close race, Trump managed to win the election after over-performing in a number of key battleground states, such as Michigan, Florida and Pennsylvania. Consequently, Trump received more than the needed 270 electoral votes even though Hillary Clinton received more votes in the popular vote.Taking a step back, it would be a gross understatement to call this year's election divisive. Trump is nothing if not controversial, and his recent victory has generated a tremendous amount of backlash and fear on the left and an equal amount of applause on the right.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
One of the reason's behind Microsoft's recent resurgence has been the company's somewhat surprising and ongoing commitment towards making their own hardware. This new strategy was on full display two weeks ago when the company introduced the Surface Studio, a 28-in. desktop/tablet hybrid that left many tech observers beyond impressed.While Microsoft's foray into the world of hardware began with Steve Ballmer at the helm, the company's hardware strategy was kicked up a notch once Satya Nadella assumed CEO duties in February of 2014.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
It's already early November and, in case you missed it, Apple's AirPods are nowhere to be found in stores. Originally introduced alongside the iPhone 7 in September, Apple's new AirPods were poised to help usher in a new wireless era where the notion of connecting to a device via a cord would seem backwards if not downright antiquated. To that end, the unveiling of Apple's AirPods came at an appropriate time, right next to the iPhone 7 which famously was designed without a traditional 3.5mm headphone jack.Back in September, Apple said that its AirPods would launch in late October. And yet, October has come and gone and the highly-anticipated earbuds still lack a release date. Addressing the delay just ahead of the company's special Mac event in late October, an Apple spokesperson told TechCrunch that the AirPods launch was being pushed back so that Apple could presumably address some lingering bugs and usability issues.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
Apple didn't kill the 3.5mm headphone jack on its new lineup of MacBook Pros, but new design changes to Apple's revamped notebook lineup will undoubtedly irk many customers.Sure, the new Touch Bar looks amazing, and sure, the specs on the new MacBook Pro models certainly warrant getting excited about, but the port situation on the MacBook Pro is a mixed bag.+ Also on Network World: First Look: Apple’s new MacBook Pro lineup, and more +
As Phil Schiller explained during today's event, Apple's new MacBook Pros feature four Thunderbolt 3 USB Type-C ports, and conveniently, each of these can be used to charge the machine. Now, USB-C is incredibly versatile, and Apple will use the advanced port for power charging, HDMI and much more.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
The iPod celebrates 15 yearsFifteen years ago this week, Apple released the original iPod, and the tech and music world was never the same.The iPod wasn’t an immediate hit, but it eventually helped kick-start the digital music revolution. In addition to changing the way the world listened to and eventually would buy music, the iPod helped transform Apple into a force to be reckoned with in the tech world.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
On Thursday morning, Tim Cook and other Apple executives will appear on stage and introduce long-awaited changes to Apple's Mac lineup. With Apple understandably focused on iterating the iPhone every single year, Apple's lineup of desktops and notebooks haven't seen a meaningful refresh in quite some time. Thankfully, that is poised to change this week.Based on rumblings from the rumor mill, the keynote item from Apple's "Hello Again" media event will be a completely retooled MacBook Pro. By all accounts, the new MacBook Pro will be thinner and lighter than previous models. Additionally, the machines should offer improvements in battery life thanks to Intel's more power efficient SkyLake processors.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
26 cool iOS 10 featuresIt’s now been more than a month since Apple released iOS 10, and adoption of Apple’s latest and greatest mobile OS has already set new records. As it stands now, more than 54 percent of all iOS users already use iOS 10, an impressive feat for any new operating system. All the more so when one looks at how slow adoption of any new Android OS usually is.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
At long last, Apple has plans to refresh its beleaguered Mac lineup. Late yesterday afternoon, Apple sent invitations to select media outlets for a special Mac-oriented event that will take place next Thursday at 10 a.m. PT at 1 Infinite Loop.The upcoming event will focus largely on refreshed Macs and will likely be anchored by a completely revamped MacBook Pro. According to various rumblings from the rumor mill, Apple's upcoming MacBook Pro will not only have upgraded internals, but it will feature an OLED touch panel located at the top of the keyboard in place of where the function row resides.One of the more intriguing benefits of an OLED touch panel built directly into the keyboard is that the keys themselves would presumably be able to adjust in real time to correspond to the demands of the user or a specific application. For example, if you have Netflix running, the OLED touch panel would display Netflix-centric commands to provide a more efficient and intuitive user experience.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
Earlier today, Wikileaks published a new set of documents from John Podesta's private Gmail account. Of all the new revelations, one of the more intriguing developments is an email that lays out many of the vice president candidates Hillary Clinton's campaign had under consideration. In an email Podesta sent out in March of 2016, the chairman of Hillary Clinton’s 2016 Presidential campaign listed a number of potential VP picks, including former Microsoft CEO Bill Gates and current Apple CEO Tim Cook.The list, according to Podesta, was a "first cut," so it's anybody's guess as to how seriously the Clinton campaign thought about pursuing either Gates or Cook. As a point of interest, Cook is a noted supporter of Clinton and just this past summer held a fundraiser where all proceeds were donated to Hillary Clinton's Presidential campaign.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
At the end of the trading day on Monday, shares of Apple were up nearly 1.75% before ultimately closing at $116.05 per share. All told, Apple stock is now trading at levels not seen since December of 2015.Part of the recent upswing in Apple shares can of course be attributed to better than anticipated iPhone 7 demand. Though the iPhone 7 was initially pegged as a lackluster upgrade, consumers on the whole appear to be impressed with the device's new camera and blazing fast hardware. Recall, pre-orders for the iPhone 7 set new records at both Sprint and T-Mobile.Additionally, analyst reports in recent weeks have suggested that many iPhone buyers are opting for the more margin-friendly iPhone 7 Plus, further padding Apple's bottom line in the process.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here
Aside from a completely new form factor, Apple’s 2017 iPhone -- a device that will reportedly be called the iPhone 8 – will also employ some interesting new materials. According to a new research report from reputed analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple is planning to use a glass casing on its next-gen iPhone model.Kuo’s report, per MacRumors, adds that the iPhone 8’s glass casing will be strengthened by a stainless steel frame, at least on the higher-end models.
Metal frame can be stainless steel or aluminum, with former more likely for high-end models. As all-glass casing is not possible at present given technological bottlenecks, a metal frame surrounding the edge is necessary for reinforced structure design. As stainless steel has a better look than aluminum and costs more, we expect only high-end new iPhone models to come with a stainless steel frame next year.To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here