Chinese accessory maker shows prototype 3.5mm-jack-to-Lightning dongles ready for iPhone 7
With the iPhone 7 (or whatever Apple calls it) looking increasingly likely to lose the 3.5mm headphone socket, Chinese accessory makers are gearing up to meet demand from those who don’t want to replace their existing headphones. Macotakara spotted a couple of Chinese companies who are already advertising 3.5mm-to-Lightning adapters.
It’s unlikely these are real products yet, especially as one claims to be MFi-certified. They are more likely dummies or prototypes, perhaps created for submission for MFi status. Also pictured below are some Lightning earbuds though probably not the ones Apple intends to bundle with the next iPhone.
Filed under: iOS Devices Tagged: 3.5mm to Lightning headphone adapter, 3.5mm to Lightning headphone dongle, headphones, iPhone 7, Lightning, Lightning headphones
iPhone 7 might have to wait: Nikkei reports Apple moves to 3-year major iPhone refresh cycle
Japanese newspaper Nikkei is claiming that Apple is moving from a tick-tock cycle with a major iPhone refresh every two years to a three-year cycle.
Apple will likely take three years between full-model changes of its iPhone devices, a year longer than the current cycle. In a typical two-year term, fall 2016 was supposed to see a major upgrade. But the changes on the model to be launched this autumn will be minor, such as improved camera quality.
The paper says that the change is driven by two factors …
Filed under: AAPL Company, iOS Devices Tagged: iPhone, iPhone 7, iPhone 8, Tick-tock cycle
Analyst claims next-gen iPhone 7 to feature 32 GB base storage and up, finally dropping 16 GB models
An IHS Technology analyst has posted on Chinese social media that company supply chain research indicates that the iPhone 7 will feature 32 GB storage as the $199 base model, which would mean Apple would finally drop the much-loathed 16 GB SKU from its lineup with its new flagship smartphone expected in the fall. IHS has a reasonable track record of accuracy when it comes to Apple rumors, correctly predicting last year that a 4 inch iPhone would debut in 2016 based on supply chain sources … which obviously transpired into reality as the iPhone SE.
The analyst also claims that iPhone 7 will feature 2 GB of RAM, the same specification as iPhone 6s. It is unclear if the analyst is referring to the iPhone 7 as a category or the specific 4.7 inch model. KGI analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has reported that the larger 5.5 inch iPhone 7 Plus will be equipped with 3GB RAM to handle the processing needs demanded by the dual-camera components. The big story here though is the claim that we could finally be saying goodbye to 16 GB flagship iPhones later this year …
Filed under: AAPL Company, iOS, iOS Devices, Tech Industry Tagged: 16GB, 32GB, iPhone 7, storage space
How-To: Make Sony’s a6300 a vlogging camera by using an iPhone as a viewfinder
Sony’s a6300 is one of the Japanese company’s most recently released cameras and is the successor to the very popular a6000. The camera has already received a ton of praise — Jeff took it for a test drive the other week, and enjoyed its 4K shooting abilities.
One common complaint, however, is the lack of a selfie screen on the a6300. Sony missed a big opportunity by not including a built-in way for vloggers to view themselves while on camera.
The solution? Use your iPhone as a digital viewfinder. Not only will such a setup work with the a6300, but it’ll work with other digital cameras that support such functionality.
Filed under: Apps, iOS Devices, Tips and Tricks Tagged: a6000, a6300, app, hot shoe, how to, mount, play memories, selfie, Sony, viewfinder, vlogging
9to5Toys Last Call: Memorial Day Fashion/Apple Sales up to 50%+ off, Apple’s $1 iOS Game/App Sale, 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: Twitter, RSS Feed, Facebook, Google+ and Safari push notifications.
TODAY’S CAN’T MISS DEALS:
Save on apparel, shoes, and more at Memorial Day Fashion Sales: Puma, Gap, Ralph Lauren, many more
Gear up for summer with Sperry’s Memorial Day Sale: save up to 50% + additional 30% off, more
eBay $15 off $75 Memorial Day Sale: Cuisinart blender/knife block $75, more
Belkin Memorial Sale: Valet Apple Watch/iPhone Charge Dock $91, Thunderbolt 2 Dock $210, more
Memorial Day magazine titles from $4/yr: Wired, GQ, ESPN, Forbes, Dwell, many more
Best Buy’s Memorial Day sale takes up to $200 off select Apple Watch models + bands, prices start at $349
App Store $1 Amazing Apps & Games Sale: Halo, Runtastic, Lifeline, djay 2, Runstastic, more
App Store Free App of the Week: Octagon arcade-runner free for the first time in over a year ($2 value)
KAMI paper puzzle game goes free on iOS for the very first time today (Reg. $2)
Apple’s newest 13-inch 1.6GHz/8GB/256GB MacBook Air is on sale for $1,000 shipped (Reg. $1,119)
Get a free iPad mini 2 ($269 value) w/ the purchase of a MacBook Pro or 27-inch Retina iMac at Best Buy
Best Buy 4-Day Sale: UE Roll Wireless Bluetooth Speaker $50, Logitech Bluetooth Mouse $24, kitchenware, more
Pay what you want for 26.5 hours of photography tutorials and 100 stock images
Get 83 hours of coding tutorials with the Comprehensive Android Development Bundle: $40 (Orig. $727)
Review: Pelican’s impressive Elite Luggage is built like a tank, but is it worth the price tag?
MORE NEW GEAR FROM TODAY:
Piper Smart Home Security Cam w/ night vision & iOS/Android notifications: $175 shipped (Reg. $280)
- Daily Deals: Sennheiser Titan Over-the-Ear Headphones $80, more
- Sabrent dock: multiple powered USB ports+ HDMI to your Mac $60 shipped (Reg. $90)
- Cabela’s $100 Gift Card for $85 shipped (15% off), more
- Amazon is handing out $5 in-app credits when you download select Android games
- Philips Norelco Electric Shaver w/ charging system: $140 shipped (Reg. up to $190+)
- Games/Apps: The Division from $36, Zelda Twilight Princess HD + amiibo $35, iOS freebies, more
- Black+Decker Power Orbital Sander $25 Prime shipped (Reg. $32), more
- Samsung 11.6-inch Chromebook 2 2.16GHz/4GB/16GB SSD: $169 shipped (Reg. $225+)
MORE DEALS STILL ALIVE:
Philips Smart Lighting: Hue Go Portable LED $80, Wireless Hue Tap Switch $50
Many acclaimed Bose speakers & headphones now on sale, SoundLink Mini II $179 shipped (Reg. $199)
- Smart 1080p HDTVs (Refurb): 50″ VIZIO $320 (Orig. $430), Sony 48″ $300 (Orig. $500)
- Withings Activité Pop Activity Tracker and Watch: $85 shipped (Reg. $140+)
- BlenderBottle ProStak 22-Ounce Bottle from $9 Prime shipped (Reg. $12+)
- Cuisinart Food Processor in Brushed Stainless Steel $119 shipped (Reg. $150), more
- Google Play MP3 Albums for $1 (Reg. $12+): Goo Goo Dolls Greatest Hits, Deftones, more
- SanDisk Ultra II 480GB 2.5-inch Internal Solid-State Drive: $108 shipped (Reg. $130+)
- Garmin vívofit Activity Tracker in multiple colors w/ Heart Rate Monitor: $50 (Reg. $80)
- OLALA’s 13000mAh portable iPhone charger packs a lot of juice for just $28
- Gold’s Gym XRS 20 Olympic Multi-Workout Bench for $97 shipped (Reg. $200+)
- FoodSaver Vacuum Sealing System with Starter Bag/Roll Set $60 shipped (Reg. $80+)
- Get a two-pack of Mini 7W LED Flashlights for only $7 Prime shipped (Reg. $9)
- Black+Decker Mini Rice/Food Cooker for under $15 Prime shipped (Reg. $20+), more
- Load up on discounted Toms shoes, accessories & more with this up to 75% off Surprise Sale
- OLALA’s 13000mAh portable iPhone charger packs a lot of juice for just $28
- Goat Simulator heads to outer space in its latest must-see iOS release [Video]
- LEGO Games for Android on sale for $1 (Reg. $5): Batman, Marvel, Lord of the Rings, more
- Mackie Studio Speakers: 5-inch w/ Bluetooth $200 (Reg. $250), 6.5-inch $160 (Reg. $200)
- Get SSD speed and size for $50 w/ Lexar 256GB S75 USB 3 Jumpdrive retractable Flash Drive
- Samsung’s SmartThings home automation lineup now 20% off, get the 2nd gen Hub for $79
- 1byone 50-mile invisible HDTV Antenna $22 Prime shipped (Reg. $30)
- Gift Cards up to 20% off: CVS, Jiffy Lube, more
- LG 55-inch 4K Smart Ultra HDTV + 320W 2.1-Ch. Sound Bar: $849 ($1,200+ value)
- Audio-Technica ATH-M40X Headphones + FiiO A1 Amp: $79 (~$160+ value)
- Grab a 10,000 BTU LG Portable AirCon w/remote for $279 Shipped
- Wenger Backpack for MacBooks up to 15-inches: $35 Prime shipped (Reg. $50+)
- mophie 32GB Space Pack for iPhone 5/s/SE: $40 shipped (Reg. $110)
- mophie’s juice pack reserve case for $40 Prime shipped (Reg. $60)
- Acer 11.6-inch Touchscreen Convertible 1.6GHz/2GB/32GB Refurb: $180 shipped
Review: We flew DJI’s impressive Phantom 4 drone towards a wall at 20MPH and nothing happened
NEW PRODUCTS & MORE:
iDevices’ latest creation brings HomeKit control to nearly any lightbulb in your house
- This record player has Don Draper-style, AirPlay connectivity and a secret bar
- Olympus wants you to beat the hell out of its new Tough TG-Tracker 4K Action Camera
- Grado Labs latest Brooklyn-made set of headphones blend mahogany & maple woods
- Xiaomi’s first drone records 4K video, lasts 27mins, costs $460
- LG’s new OLED 4K Ultra HDTVs are still lustworthy, just as expensive
- Jaybird’s new Freedom Bluetooth earbuds have an Apple-inspired metal design
- The second generation Boosted electric skateboard promises longer range
- National Streaming Day: I finally cut the cord and haven’t looked back, here’s how I pulled it off…
- Roboterra’s K’NEX-like coding system aims to empower young engineers
- TRNTBL is a modern day vinyl-lovers dream w/ built-in AirPlay, SONOS and Bluetooth
- Black + Decker launches app-connected Bluetooth batteries w/ USB port
- Garmin’s new vívosmart HR+ opts for GPS-tracking and heart rate monitoring over battery life
- The Tap Bluetooth wearable turns nearly any surface into a functioning Bluetooth keyboard
Filed under: Tips and Tricks Tagged: 9to5Toys, Amazon, app deals, Apple watch, Apps & Games Sale, Best Buy, Daily Deals, djay 2, free apps, Gold Box, Lifeline, Memorial Day Sale, Piper Smart Home Security Cam, Runstastic, Runtastic, video games
Report: Developers losing interest in Apple Watch until apps can run independently
Realm, a company which provides mobile databases to around 100,000 app developers, told Business Insider that its stats show that developers are losing interest in the Apple Watch.
“On a weekly basis we’re seeing very few Watch apps, compared to iOS apps,” says VP Tim Anglade. “For every 1,000 new iOS apps being built, there are 10 tvOS apps and maybe 1 Watch app” …
Filed under: Apple Watch Tagged: Apple watch, Apple Watch apps, Apple Watch developers, Apps, developers, iOS apps
Poll: With new tech for both all-metal and all-glass designs, which should Apple use for 2017 iPhone?
A KGI report last month suggested that Apple could be headed back to an all-glass iPhone after a succession of metal-bodied models. Different people will have different aesthetic preferences, but there have also so far been practical considerations at play.
Glass backs allow for a clean design, but are vulnerable to smashing if dropped. Metal is more robust, but requires antenna cutouts which are not to everyone’s tastes.
However, new tech could overcome both issues, so we thought it would be interesting to find out which way you’d like Apple to go if the drawbacks of each could be eliminated from the equation …
Filed under: iOS Devices Tagged: iPhone, iPhone 7, iPhone 7 concepts, iPhone 7 design, iPhone 7 renders
Building permits break down costs of new SF Apple Store, inc $1M staircase
Apple recently provided a sneak preview of its latest retail store in San Francisco’s Union Square ahead of its grand opening, and building permits shared with Patently Apple have now revealed some of the costs involved in buying and prepping the store.
Filed under: AAPL Company Tagged: Apple Store, Apple Store San Francisco, Apple Store Union Square, Apple Store Union Square San Francisco, Apple Stores, San Francisco, Union Square
India rejects Apple’s request to sell used iPhones, retail store waiver still uncertain
Indian site LiveMint is reporting that the Indian government has formally rejected Apple’s request to sell refurbished iPhones in the country as a way to make them more affordable to local consumers.
A newly-formed lobbying group opposed the plan, with Bloomberg reporting earlier this month that the government was expected to rule against Apple. This now seems to have been confirmed, despite Tim Cook making the case for the exception during his recent meeting with Prime Minister Modi …
Filed under: AAPL Company, iOS Devices
VocalIQ acquisition hints at how Apple plans to win the intelligent assistant war
When the original developers of Siri jumped ship to develop a competing intelligent assistant called Viv, they dismissed Apple’s implementation of their intelligent assistant as just ‘a clever AI chatbot.’ We’ve since heard that Apple plans to offer a Siri SDK that will allow it to call on the capabilities of third-party apps (something I called for last year) – but it seems like the company is also seeking to go even beyond Viv’s capabilities.
Apple last year acquired British intelligent assistant developer VocalIQ – a tool specifically geared to truly conversational queries – and a source who spoke to Business Insider gave some insight into just how intelligent Siri could become when infused with this tech …
Filed under: AAPL Company, iOS Devices Tagged: Cortana, google home, Google Now, Hound, intelligent assistants, Siri, Viv, VocalIQ