All the Q3 AAPL numbers analysts are expecting to hear today; listen live

Business Insider gave us a steer last week on analyst expectations from Apple’s fiscal Q3 earnings report due later today, and the WSJ has now put together its own roundup of the consensus numbers analysts are expecting to hear.

Apple told us last quarter to expect revenue in the $41-43B range, with analysts anticipating that the company will land pretty much in the middle at $42.1B. Apple didn’t provide an estimate of earnings per share, but a Wall Street survey by Thomson Reuters forecasts the number at around $1.39 – a big drop on the $1.85 in the same quarter last year.

Analysts are pessimistic about iPhone numbers and revenues …

more…

Filed under: Apple

Apple & others may soon be barred from using SMS for two-factor authentication

One of the options available when using Apple’s two-factor authentication (2FA) is to have a code sent to you via SMS. The US National Institute for Standards and Technology, which sets the standards for authentication software, says that text messaging is not sufficiently secure, and that its use for two-factor authentication will in future be barred.

more…

Filed under: Apple

Google Maps continues attempt to tempt back iOS users with cleaner UI, highlighted ‘areas of interest’ [Video]

While Apple Maps got off to a rocky start, with many of us opting to use Google Maps instead, it did manage to gradually win back our confidence – with three times as many users as its Google rival by the end of last year. But Google is working hard to tempt back iOS users with an improved user-interface and a new way to highlight where the action is when visiting a new city.

The most visible difference is that many road outlines have been replaced with solid color. This small change makes a surprisingly big difference to the clarity of the maps, as seen above. But it’s the new ‘areas of interest’ feature that may provide the greatest temptation to switch apps …

more…

Filed under: Apple

Opinion: 5 reasons why you shouldn’t jailbreak your iPhone

Most people know that I’ve been a staunch jailbreak proponent over the years, but my enthusiasm for jailbreaking has been waning as of late. Much of this has to do with the amount of features, jailbreak-inspired or not, that Apple stuffs into new iOS software each summer.

That’s not to say that I’d knock anyone who chooses to jailbreak, because that’s your prerogative. But there are some things that should give potential jailbreakers pause when it comes to the latest iOS jailbreak. Ladies and gentlemen, it’s time to play devil’s advocate… more…

Filed under: Apple

Here’s how the rumored ‘iPhone 7’ release date compares to every iPhone launch so far

Two dates surfaced over the weekend regarding when the so-called iPhone 7 could be introduced and available to purchase. Evan Blass, better known as @evleaks, tweeted Friday night that the next iPhone would be released during the week of September 12th, then added on Saturday that he indeed meant the actual retail release and that “it should happen on Friday, Sept. 16th.”

We noted in our coverage this morning that a two-week period typically occurs the time between the iPhone announcement and release date, which suggests a late August to early September Apple event assuming the September 16th date is accurate. So how does that date compare to past iPhone releases? Below we’ve compared every iPhone announcement, pre-order, and release date so far…

more…

Filed under: Apple

With iOS 10 Safari, Apple improves the animated GIFs experience on iPhone and iPad

iOS 10 includes a lot of new flagship features, from iMessage apps to a Siri SDK, as well as a lot of small tweaks and enhancements. The WebKit blog is highlighting one of these small feature changes, which makes watching animated GIFs on the web way better with iOS 10.

A lot of GIFs today are actually encoded as videos as GIF itself is a very bad format for animated content despite its popularity. However, Apple has imposed many restrictions on how videos behave in iPhone Safari such as requiring user interaction for playback to start until now. Up until iOS 9, many websites displayed GIFs as <video> elements but were held back by the limitations Apple enforced. With iOS 10, silent videos can now autoplay in the page, perfect for animated GIFs …

more…

Filed under: Apple

9to5Toys Lunch Break: 13-inch MacBook Air from $700 w/ .edu, iPad mini 4 $300, Apple TV 64GB $150, more

Keep up with the best gear and deals on the web by signing up for the 9to5Toys Newsletter. Also, be sure to check us out on: TwitterRSS FeedFacebookGoogle+ and Safari push notifications.

TODAY’S CAN’T MISS DEALS:

best-buy-cyber-monday-july

Best Buy launches 1-day Cyber Monday in July Sale, MacBook Air $200 off (or more!)

apple-ipad-mini-4

You can save $100 on iPad mini 4 today only at Best Buy, prices start at $300 shipped

apple-tv-4th-generation-copy

Take home this 64GB Apple TV for only $150 (Orig. $199)

bose-sound-true-headphones

Daily Deals: Bose SoundTrue Headphones II for iOS $100, more

Super Arc Light

App Store Free App of the Week: Super Arc Light minimal shooter goes free for the first time (Reg. $2)

The original Angry Birds game for iOS gets updated with new content and goes free for the first time in years (Reg. up to $3)

BADLAND 1 & 2 for iOS up to 66% off – matching lowest prices ever from $1 (Reg. up to $4)

lego-star-wars-the-force-awakens-01

The Best New Games on the App Store: LEGO Star Wars, Heroes of Loot 2, Perchang, Stickman Golf and more

pokemon-go-bike-psyduck

How-to build the perfect Pokémon Go Machine: accessories, tips and more

MORE NEW GEAR FROM TODAY:

moko-milanese-loop-apple-watch

You can add a third-party Milanese Loop band to your Apple Watch for as little as $6 Prime shipped

MORE DEALS STILL LIVE:

cyberpower-csp105u-professional-dual-usb-power-station-1

CyberPower’s Dual USB Charging Station + Power Outlet for $10 Prime shipped

nordstrom-anniversary-sale-mens

Nordstrom Anniversary Sale (Men’s): North Face, Patagonia, Lacoste, more

Nordstrom Anniversary Sale (Women’s): Tory Burch, Vince Camuto, Kate Spade, more

more…

Filed under: Apple