If you want to know what products a company like Apple plans to launch, trademark filings can be a good way to find out because anyone can search them. Apple’s registration of the trademark ‘Apple Watch’ was a bit of a giveaway, for example.

But there is one way tech companies can keep them secret for the first six months, and it’s a method Apple has used no fewer than 343 times: taking advantage of section 44(d) of the US Trademark Act …

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I suggested last week that Apple’s apparent move to remove security tethers from demo devices in its retail stores likely wasn’t too risky thanks to a range of hidden security measures, and we’ve been hearing a little detail on how some of these work.

Apple has long had special OS images for demo devices. You can’t, for example, set a passcode on a iOS device and then lock it, and Macs revert to their original state after a reboot.

Apple regularly tweaks these images. For example, at one time you could go into Safari and change the homepage to any site you liked; there’s now a lock-out to prevent this.

One security feature on the current display models of both iOS devices and Macs is designed to instantly render them useless if someone removes them from the store …

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If you want to control your thermostat with Siri or Apple’s new Home app, the ecobee3 smart home thermostat is one of the best HomeKit models on the market. Today the smart thermostat maker is announcing a more affordable version of their HomeKit-enabled thermostat with the new ecobee3 lite version.

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Apple appears to the be the primary beneficiary of the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 recall blunders, with replacement devices also prone to catching fire which eventually resulted in the company cancelling production of the Note 7 entirely. This means Note 7 customers have no choice but to choose another type of phone. Obviously, Samsung hopes customers will flock to one of its other phones (like the Galaxy S7) but a report from KGI believes that Apple and Android manufacturer Huawei will be the biggest benefactors.

Ming-Chi Kuo estimates that 5-7 million ex-Note 7 orders will convert into iPhone 7 sales, predominantly iPhone 7 Plus thanks to the dual camera. KGI says Note 7 users will have lost faith in the Samsung brand and have a tendency to like iOS and camera features, making the new iPhone an attractive sale.

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Tim Cook has told the Nikkei Asian Review that the company hopes that Apple Pay will help to bring about a cashless society. The statement was made a month before the iPhone 7 becomes the first iPhone to support FeliCa, the contactless payment standard used in Japan.

We would like to be a catalyst for taking cash out of the system. We don’t think the consumer particularly likes cash.

Cook also spoke rather mysteriously about the work that will be performed by the R&D center the company is building in Yokohama, expected to open in March …

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Apple has reportedly changed its near-term plans for the Project Titan electric car project, moving away from the development of a vehicle for the time being. After Bob Mansfield took the helm in July, Apple changed its outlook for the team according to Bloomberg.

Hundreds of employees have been let go or re-assigned with the remaining members focusing on development of a self-driving autonomous car platform. In the future, Apple may return to developing its own vehicle or could partner with an existing car manufacturer. Apparently, executives have set a late 2017 deadline for the team to “prove the feasibility” of the autonomous driving system. Reports about the project shifting gears towards the software stack first surfaced in July.

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We learned a few weeks ago that Apple would be opening a major new UK campus inside the iconic Battersea Power Station building. A developer video has now given us a sneak preview of how the $17B redevelopment will look once it is complete in 2021 – and it’s pretty spectacular.

As we mentioned last time, Apple will be the main tenant of the building, which will also be home to shops, leisure facilities and luxury residential apartments …

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The new iPhone 7/7 Plus, and all the previous models for that matter, were designed to be as thin as possible without sacrificing functionality, and that’s why we’re picky when it comes to a case that feels great in the hand.

This week’s sponsor, Southern California based startup totallee, offers exactly that: thin, protective iPhone cases at a great price. Its collection consists of 3 models that offer some of the best options around for super thin cases. That includes a completely clear case that is perfect for the new jet black iPhone 7. All are available today for $19. 
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In this week’s top stories: The latest iOS 10, watchOS, and tvOS beta releases,  Apple Watch Nike+ goes on sale Oct. 28 and we go hands-on, Ben shows you how to get bokeh in photos taken with older iPhones, and much more.

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iPhone 7’s new solid state Home button has been met with mixed reactions thus far. While the switch to a non-mechchancial implantation means there’s one less moving part to fail, it also comes with its own fair share of pitfalls. Apple, however, appears to have built in a new safeguard in the event the Home button does fail…

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