Recent MacBooks aren’t exactly noted for their repairability, a change that started in 2012 with the 15-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display. Among the many changes introduced was a battery very firmly glued to the chassis, making it next to impossible to replace.

But iFixit likes a challenge, and has now come up with a DIY battery replacement kit which it reckons allows the job to be tackled by mere mortals …

more…

After debuting his new album exclusively on his own Tidal music streaming service last week, today Apple Music is premiering the first music video from the release despite still not offering the actual album.

more…

We’ve been hearing a lot about the 3D camera system in the iPhone 8 being capable of facial recognition to allow automatic login without Touch ID or passcode. A new patent application published today suggests that Apple also wants to bring this capability to future Macs.

But Apple has more in mind that just a simple unlock function …

more…

Once the iPhone 8 debuts this fall, attention will naturally start to turn the 2018 iPhone lineup. It is well known that Apple begins designing iPhones many years ahead, which means preparations for the model after the 2017 iPhones are already underway. Nikkei’s sources suggest that Apple will launch three new iPhone models in 2018, all featuring OLED displays …

more…

KGI analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has been making some interesting predictions about the iPhone 8 of late. The most surprising one of these is that it won’t offer any form of Touch ID.

While some have reported him as simply saying that it wouldn’t be embedded in the screen, this appears to be based on missing the significance of the word ‘model’ in what he said.

We predict the OLED model won’t support fingerprint recognition

I’m not sure he’s correct about that, but he made one other prediction which seems plausible: that the iPhone 8 will be available in fewer colors than usual, to maintain a ’boutique’ branding …

more…

The official unveiling of the iPhone 8 is still several months away but that hasn’t stopped the Chinese manufacturers from producing their usual clone hardware in advance.

EverythingApplePro got his hands on one of the ‘working’ clones which have surfaced online in the last couple of weeks, and it really doesn’t take much to notice how bad they really are. Video of the device in action after the jump …

more…

The ban on laptops and tablets in cabin baggage on certain flights into the USA is over in all but name as a fourth airline is exempted. It’s clear by this stage that the ban was simply an aggressive way to force airports and airlines to adopt tougher security screening measures.

more…

Apple suppliers are apparently facing issues with production of the new storage chips destined for the 2017 iPhone series, the all-new-design iPhone 8 and the iterative iPhone 7s devices (which will look similar to the current iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, but with glass backs).

The Digitimes report claims that SK Hynix and Toshiba have fallen short of production by as much as 30% due to poor yields of the 3D NAND chips. Apple has apparently turned to Samsung to pick up the shortfall …

more…

As Apple continues to increase its focused on mixed reality experiences, the company has recently joined the WebVR Community Group. WebVR is an initiative that aims to make virtual reality content viewable by everyone, regardless of browser or device…

more…

As it always does ahead of earnings season, Apple today updated its Investor Relations webpage to announce that it will hold its Q3 2017 earnings call on Tuesday, August 1st, 2017. The call will be held at 2PM PT/5PM ET with the earnings release dropping 30 minutes before that…

more…