Final decision on Apple’s Irish data center expected this month after inspector makes recommendation

Galway Bay FM reports that the planning inspector responsible for advising on whether or not to approve Apple’s planned data center in Ireland has submitted his recommendation. However, we won’t get to see the report until the planning board has met and announced its decision, expected by the end of the month.

An Bord Pleanala has begun its final deliberations on the proposed 850 million euro Apple data centre in Athenry. The inspector Stephen Kay has now submitted his recommendations to the board for consideration.

Apple was originally granted planning permission for the $950M data center, which was first announced last year, before an appeal was lodged based on environmental objections, throwing the decision into doubt …

more…

Filed under: Apple

Apple granted patent for Samsung Edge-style virtual buttons on curved glass sidewall

Apple was today granted a patent for devices with a curved glass sidewall with virtual buttons, switches and information displayed on the edge of the device. This approach is the same as that used by Samsung on its Galaxy Edge devices, and a less radical version of an earlier Apple patent for a full wraparound curved display.

edge

However, before anyone suggests that Samsung should sue Apple for copying its idea, it should be noted that Apple first applied for the patent in May 2014, almost a full year before Samsung launched its first Edge device, the Galaxy S6 Edge …

more…

Filed under: Apple

Sketchy Geekbench test of iPhone 7 emerges, following purported logic board photos

A sketchy screenshot from a Chinese forum spotted by TechTastic claims to show a Geekbench test for an iPhone 7 that give the A10-powered device higher scores than the 12.9-inch iPad Pro. The image shows a 2.37GHz device with 3GB RAM and performance scores of 3,548 and 6,430 for single- and multi-core respectively.

To put these numbers into perspective, the iPhone 6s scores 2,490 and 4,405, while Apple’s most powerful current-generation iOS device, the 12.9-inch iPad Pro, scores 3,224 and 5,466 …

more…

Filed under: Apple

Snapchat partners with NBC to bring original short-form TV shows to the app

As Apple itself starts work on its own original content, Snapchat has today entered a new agreement with NBCUniversal to do the same. As reported by Variety, the popular ephemeral social network is partnering with NBCUniversal to produce original episodic shows for existing broadcasts including “The Voice,” “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon,” “Saturday Night Live,” and others.

more…

Filed under: Apple