New lithium metal tech holds out promise of double-life batteries by 2017
Yeah, we know, you’ve heard it all before. It sometimes feels like some revolutionary new battery technology gets promoted every other month, and the one thing they have in common is that they never seem to materialize in real-life products. But new battery tech from a MIT spinoff may actually prove to be the exception, with the company aiming to enter production next year.
Filed under: Apple
Apple, AT&T, Google and others working with FCC to combat robocall phone spam
AT&T chairman Randall Stephenson will soon announce that a consortium of 33 companies, including Apple, AT&T, Google and Comcast are joining the FCC in an effort to crack down on phone call spam made by robots, according to Reuters. In the inaugural “Robocall Strike Force” meeting, the companies will announce their initial plans on how to stop US phone owners from receiving advertorial spam run by automated machines …
Filed under: Apple
Malwarebytes reports new OS X malware that could easily fool less technical users
No 9to5Mac reader is going to be at risk from malware that directs users to a scam website and asks them to download software, but Malwarebytes has discovered a previously unknown piece of Mac malware that could easily fool less technical users.
Thomas Reed, lead researcher at Malwarebytes, told us that he found the malware on a scam page hosted on the official Advanced Mac Cleaner website …
Filed under: Apple
Comment: As optical image stabilization seemingly confirmed in iPhone 7, package starts to add up
Zac made the point yesterday that just because the iPhone 7 is sounding like a second S-year model, that doesn’t mean that mass-market buyers – ‘normals’ – won’t be wowed by it. Apple has an enviable ability to take relatively mainstream features and make them sound magical, and a report by French site NWE seems to make one rumored feature sound more likely.
While the dual-camera system slated for the larger iPhone 7 Plus is an obvious talking point, it’s also been suggested that the smaller model may get the optical image stabilisation (OIS) currently limited to the iPhone 6/6s Plus.
A claimed photo of the camera module for the 4.7-inch iPhone has four slots around it, similar to those found in the 6/6s Plus, but not in the standard model. These would appear to be for the tiny motors needed to move the lens in an OIS system …
Filed under: Apple
Taiwanese supply-chain kicks back on Apple’s demands for lower pricing
Apple has a fierce reputation for driving a hard bargain with its component suppliers, using its size and status to demand ultra-competitive pricing. But according to Digitimes, suppliers in Taiwan are starting to resist demands for ever-greater discounts.
Apple is said to have asked downstream part and component suppliers […] to reduce their quotes for iPhone 7 devices by as much as 20% even though order volumes for new phones are reportedly 30% lower than those placed a year earlier. Major downstream suppliers, notably Advanced Semiconductor Engineering (ASE) and associated companies under the Foxconn Group, have replied Apple that they could not be able to accept orders without reasonable profits at this time.
The two sides each appear to be bringing persuasive arguments to the table …
Filed under: Apple
This crazily expensive levitating Apple Watch charger is very silly (but I still want one)
You’re officially the person with everything if you’re seriously planning to lay out $249 on a levitating Apple Watch charger – though Kickstarter backers can get one for slightly less at $199, or $159 if you’re very quick.
Since the Apple Watch itself charges inductively, the designers of the LIFT charger decided to take things one step further by using magnets to suspend the charger above its powered base, allowing it to float freely in mid air …
Filed under: Apple
New York Times closing free NYT Now app at the end of the month
The New York Times has announced that its NYT Now app is to be withdrawn as of 29th August. The app, which provided a curated selection of stories from the paper aimed at younger readers, was launched at South by Southwest back in 2014.
Filed under: Apple
Australian banks denied interim decision over Apple Pay dispute, ruling expected in October
The Australian banks have been denied permission to act as a monopolistic cartel in the country, preventing them from negotiating collectively with Apple over Apple Pay terms for the time being as reported by Reuters. Australian banks are resisting adoption of Apple’s mobile payment solution (available in iPhone 6 and iPhone 6s), referring to hefty fees and loss of customer control.
Apple says that the banks are being anti-competitive by blocking the introduction of innovative payment technologies like Apple Pay. The banks want to force Apple to open up the NFC chip to third-party developers, which Apple says would cripple the security standards of its platform.
Filed under: Apple
Frank Ocean releases new visual album ‘Endless’ exclusively on Apple Music, more content to come
In what appears to be a supplement to his upcoming “Boys Don’t Cry” album, Frank Ocean today has released a new visual album “Endless” exclusively to Apple Music. It was originally reported that “Boys Don’t Cry” would drop two weeks ago on Apple Music, but as has been the case many times throughout the wait for the album, it didn’t actually release. Instead, we have a visual album.
Filed under: Apple
Twitter announces new tools to let users better control tweet quality and notifications
Twitter today has announced an update to its iOS app that gives users more control over what they see in their timeline and who is able to interact with them. Announced on the official Twitter blog, the changes come to notification settings and a new quality filter setting. The update specifically brings more control to users who are not lucky enough to be verified on the service.
Filed under: Apple