Mobile Devices - Page 27

The Apple iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus are not expected to be announced until this coming September but there are already rumors about what the new handsets will have to offer and which features buyers can look forward to. The iPhone 15 and iPHone 15 Plus have only been on sale for a few months, but that was never going to stop the rumors from circulating

One of those rumors suggested that Apple would choose to change the layout of the back of the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus to put its two cameras into a vertical orientation. The change would mean ditching the familiar diagonal setup, but it's a switch that is about more than aesthetics and a new leak appears to have confirmed the change is coming.

A new part leak by the X leaker Majin Bu appears to show the chassis that the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus cameras will be mounted in and sure enough, they have a vertical orientation. But what makes that so important is the fact that it would put the two cameras in a horizontal orientation when the iPhone is turned on its side - just like the Pro iPhones.

If you own an iPhone and want to install the iOS 17.3 update, you're now unfortunately out of luck. Apple is no longer allowing people to do that which means that iPhone owners have just a single release to choose from - it's iOS 17.3.1 or nothing, at least for now.

The change comes a week or so after Apple released iOS 17.3.1 to the public, an update that didn't bring any new features to the mix but did add a bug fix. That fix was related to a situation that could reportedly cause unexpected duplication or overlapping of text when typing, an issue that could be particularly irritating for those who suffered from it.

However, those who would prefer to install iOS 17.3 are now unable to do so after Apple stopped signing the update. Installing a version of iOS requires that it be authenticated by Apple and if that isn't the case, it can't be installed. Apple regularly stops signing older versions of iOS to ensure that people cannot install older, less secure versions of the iPhone's software. That can be vital to stopping people from jailbreaking or simply exploiting an old bug to gain access to an iPhone and its data.

We are still many months away from the official next-generation iPhone reveal, and as expected, we already have a slew of rumors to sink our teeth into. All of these aren't confirmed, so take them with a grain of healthy skepticism.

A Korean leaker who is reportedly an avid source of iPhone news has posted a new blog that summarizes all of the leaks that have been surfacing around the internet. These new leaks concentrate on what we can expect out of the iPhone 16 Pro / iPhone 16 Pro Max, and if true, Apple's next-generation iPhone 16 Pro models will come with a few changes. According to the leak, the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max will arrive with 6.3-inch and 6.9-inch OLED panels, respectively.

If the aforementioned display sizes are true, that would mean a slight increase in size for both the Pro and Max models. However, the leaker says this size increase is almost negligible and will hardly be noticed compared to the previous generation. Additionally, the leaker says the 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max will come with the new Capture button, 48-megapixel ultrawide angle camera, and the A18 Pro chip.

When Apple makes the iOS 17.4 iPhone software update available to everyone within the next few weeks it will bring with it support for third-party app stores and more, but only for those in the European Union. However, while that's good news for developers and users alike, there's some bad news to go with it.

That's after it was discovered that the current iOS 17.4 developer beta actually removes a feature and it doesn't appear to be a bug. The feature, the ability to install progressive web apps (PWA), appears to have been removed from Safari which means that PWAs can no longer be used on EU-based iPhones running iOS 17.4.

A progressive web app is a website that can be added to the iPhone's Home screen and effectively turned into an app. That includes support for badges and push notifications, while PWAs also have access to dedicated storage as well. Launching a PWA doesn't open Safari but instead launches the web app without any of the cruft normally associated with a web browser.

Whether you're in the market for a new coffee maker or want to treat yourself to a new TV, the New York Times' Wirecutter can be a great resource for product reviews and roundups. But paying for it isn't something that people like to do - so it's sure to be a popular move that all Apple News users can now read Wirecutter articles for absolutely free.

Unlike similar deals that saw Apple News+ subscribers gain access to magazines, newspapers, and more, this new Wirecutter addition isn't one that is hidden behind the Apple News+ paywall. Instead, everyone who uses the Apple News app will be able to read Wirecutter content for the first time.

This is particularly interesting when you consider that the New York Times also owns The Athletic, a website dedicated to sports coverage. The Athletic is available in the Apple News app also, but only for those who have a subscription or pay for Apple News+.

The iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro, and iPhone 15 Pro Max might only have been on sale for a few months but Apple's attention ahs already very much turned to wat comes next. And a new report claims that the iPhone 16 Pro Max could be a monster in more ways than one.

While the iPhone 16 Pro Max will have the fastest chip, biggest screen, and strongest cameras, a new report hints that it will also have the best battery life of any iPhone that has ever been sold. This comes thanks to a couple of improvements that Apple has made - not least the addition of a bigger battery.

That bigger battery is expected to be around 5% larger than the battery used in the iPhone 15 Pro Max, something that definitely won't hurt its longevity. But the report, posted on Naver by the user known as "yeux1122", suggests that multiple components within Apple's upcoming phones will sue less power which in turn means an even longer runtime between charges.

Apple's net big iPhone software update, set to be called iOS 18, is likely to be announced during the WWDC event in June if history is to be any indication. That also means that the software is likely to be released to iPhone owners around the world this September as well, but before any of that can happen a new report suggests that Apple will take some inspiration from the Vision Pro when iOS 18 is finally unveiled.

That inspiration, we're told, will see the iOS 18 software update take some design cues from visionOS while also borrowing something from the tvOS software that powers the Apple TV hardware. However, it's important to note that the source of this report, the Israeli site The Verifier, has a mixed track record when it comes to predicting Apple's plans. With that in mind, we're going to take a look at what's been claimed but it's important to remember that there is some way to go before any of this is confirmed.

The report starts by saying that Apple will redesign various system menus and built-in apps with the release of IOS 18, That redesign could see Apple start to use more translucent navigation menus throughout apps such as those used in visionOS currently. To get a feel for what Apple might have in mind we only have to look as far as the tvOS 17.2 software on the Apple TV and in particular, the TV app. There, we see a relatively new sidebar that slides out from the side with a translucent effect hiding some of the content beneath. This would suggest that the TV app could be one of the main beneficiaries of this new change in design, but other apps like Notes, Reminders, and more could also follow suit.

Apple is expected to roll out a new feature for Apple Pay users who get stumped when attempting to checkout when Apple Pay online isn't available.

The new feature is currently available for iOS beta users who have downloaded the iOS 17.4 update, and according to reports, the new feature is a "Virtual Card Number". The new feature is somewhat of an extension of Apple's prepaid debit card called Apple Cash, which has historically been linked to Apple Pay.

However, Apple Cash doesn't require the user to hook up a card number and ultimately can be used to send money to friends, transfer to a bank account, or simply add money to an Apple Card balance.

A new report from The Information claims Apple has two foldable iPhones in development that are half as thick as current-gen iPhones.

According to the report both of these purported iPhones resemble Samsung's Galaxy Z Flip models and have a severe reduction in thickness compared to the current-gen iPhones we know today. The report also states that Apple is exploring the idea of adding an exterior screen, but engineers are struggling with implementing batteries and display technology to meet this design.

Furthermore, Apple is reportedly in talks with Asian manufacturers regarding ordering components for these two new iPhones, with the possibility always being on the table that if designs don't meet Apple's high standards, both projects will be scrapped. However, that doesn't rule out a foldable iPad, which seems to be a much more achievable task given the larger footprint of the device.

Minisforum has just formally launched its new V3 high-performance AMD AI 3-in-1 tablet, powered by AMD's latest Ryzen 7 8840U "Hawk Point" APU.

Minisforum will be the first in the world with an AMD AI-powered 3-in-1 tablet, packing the latest Ryzen 7 8840U "Hawk Point" APU that sees 8 cores and 16 threads of Zen 4-based CPU power built on the 4nm process node and featuring a base clock of 3.30GHz and a max boost clock of 5.1GHz.

The Minisforum V3 tablet is equipped with a 14-inch screen, offering a 2.5K resolution and a high refresh rate of 165Hz, complemented by 32GB of RAM and a substantial 2TB of storage. It's powered by the "Ryzen 7 flagship chip," specifically the Ryzen 7 8840U, which brings 8 cores and 16 threads of Zen 4 processing capability, along with 16MB of L3 cache, 8MB of L2 cache, and clock speeds ranging from a 3.3GHz base to a 5.1GHz boost.

If you're looking to pick up Apple's iPhone 16 or iPhone 16 Plus when the two new models arrive later this year, reports suggest that you should look for one specific design change that will be immediately familiar to those who had an iPhone X.

The change, which has been shown off in schematics shared by the X user Maikin Bu and backed up by a MacRumors report, suggests that Apple intends to ditch the familiar square camera area on the back of the iPhones. Instead, buyers can look forward to a new design that will actually not be all that new at all. Instead of being square with the two cameras set up diagonally, the upcoming iPhones will feature a slim and vertical arrangement similar to that of the iconic 2017 iPhone X.

The pill-shaped arrangement will feature separate camera rings for the wide and ultrawide cameras, we're told, with Apple having used this arrangement throughout the prototyping process. MacRumors also notes that the LED flash will be placed to the side of the camera array, too.

The AYANEO Pocket S is the company's new high-end flagship Android handheld, powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon G3x Gen 2 gaming platform - the enthusiast gaming class chip from Qualcomm that boasts an Adreno A32 GPU twice as fast as the first generation. Throw in a 30% faster eight-core Kryo CPU, and you're looking at mobile tech powerful enough to support real-time ray tracing.

The AYANEO Pocket S is a sleek handheld with a 6" 1440p screen, borderless mirrored glass finish, and ultra-thin body of just 14mm. The specs here are impressive, with 490PPI pixel density, 100% sRGB coverage, and a peak brightness of 400 nits. A 'standard' model is also coming, with a 6" 2K display.

The Snapdragon G3x Gen 2 is backed up with up to 16GB of memory and up to 1TB of onboard storage. The good news for handheld gamers is that the Pocket S has been designed to deliver 15W of sustained performance, fully using the 1GHz boost clock speed on the GPU.

There have been solid rumors of late that the upcoming iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro models will benefit from a new Capture Button, quite apart from the Action Button that is already part of the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max. Little was really known about what that Capture Button would do, although its name would suggest that it would have something to do with photography or videography. Now, a new report appears to have added more light to the situation.

That report comes via MacRumors and a post by the Instant Digital account on Weibo, a Chinese social network. According to that report, the Capture Button's main use will be to capture photos and videos as expected, but with a notable and particularly interesting twist.

According to Instant Digital, the pressure-sensitive Capture Button will allow people to press it slightly to begin the focus setting before pressing it further to fully fire the shutter in the Camera app. That would be a feature that closely mimics the way a real digital camera's shutter button works and it's thought that the move will be part of a wider focus on photography across the entire iPhone.

Apple is very much expected to announce a couple of refreshed iPad Pro tablets this coming March, although rumors also suggest that we might have to wait until April. Whichever month it will be, there were previous reports that the new high-end tablets would be prohibitively expensive thanks to the use of impressive new OLED displays. Some suggestions claimed that the prices would be as high as a $1,800 starting price for the 12.9-inch model and $1,500 for the 11-inch one. But a new report claims that might not be the case after all.

The report, a paywalled text from DigiTimes and picked up by 9to5Mac, suggests that Apple's iPad Pro price increase won't be as huge as was feared although the prices will still go up.

The DigiTimes report cites unnamed sources when it says that the new 11-inch and 12.9-inch iPad Pros will cost around $160 more than the models that are currently on sale. It's thought that the extra money will pay for the new OLED displays as well as the faster M3 chip - the same chip that powers Apple's most recent Macs.

If you're the driver of an older Honda Accord you can choose to add Apple CarPlay and Android Auto to your vehicle and it'll even be wireless, to boot. That news was recently confirmed by the company but it wasn't clear how much it would choose to charge people who took it up on the offer. Now, we have an answer.

9to5Mac reports that the carmaker will charge customers $112 to add wireless CarPlay and Android Auto to their vehicles which is a bargain when you consider how much an ugly third-party head unit or add-on display can be. The move is one that will no doubt be popular in part thanks to the fact that users can get a first-party solution even in vehicles that they have owned for years.

To that point, Honda says that it can add CarPlay and Android Auto support to around 631,000 Accord models from the 2018-2022 model years. The company also says that the process will require a software update rather than any additional hardware, something that will likely explain the surprisingly low asking price.

Last week Apple released its first iOS 17.4 beta, an update that will bring with it support for third-party app stores in the EU and more. But alongside all the controversy related to that, the company also had another issue - the software update was causing problems. Now, a new re-released version of the same iOS 17.4 beta has been shared.

This updated version has now been made available to developers while also being released to the public beta channel for the first time. The update brings with it all of the same changes that were present in the initial release but with the addition of fixes. Those who downloaded the update last week reported that there were issues with the Shortcuts app, with many shortcuts no longer working.

It now appears that this new update has been released to address that issue, with some reporting on social media that the updated iOS 17.4 fixes the issues that they were previously experiencing.

Apple's iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro models might have only been on sale for a few months but we're already wondering what will come next when Apple unveils the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro. They're likely to debut in or around September of this year, and expectations are growing that the hardware at least might not be all that exciting

While we've learned from various reports that Apple intends to add a new Capture button to this year's iPhones and that the iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max will sport increased display sizes, that might be all we have to look forward to.

That's according to a report by analyst Ming-Chi Kuo who said as much in a new report on his Medium blog. The analyst believes that iPhone shipments as a whole will be reduced by around 15% in 2024 as a direct response to the lack of upgrades offered by the new models.

Apple is currently testing the iOS 17.4 beta with developers ahead of a public release that is expected to happen within the next few weeks but no firm details have yet been released to the public. For now, though, the first beta is available and we can expect more beta updates to arrive as time progresses. We can also expect to see more information about what new features will arrive in iOS 17.4, too.

In the first beta, we learned that Apple is going to make a handful of new emojis available to iPhone owners, with six additions on the way. Those additions add more options for people who like to use emojis as a way to communicate or add context to their text. The same new emojis are also part of the macOS 14.4 beta on the Mac, iPadOS 17.4 on the iPad, and watchOS 10.4 on the Apple Watch.

In terms of the new emojis, 9to5Mac shared details about what users can look forward to. One of the emojis is a broken chain, while another is a red phoenix. In addition, a brown mushroom and a green slice of lime are also part of this update. Two more depict someone agreeing and disagreeing with faces moving in a vertical and horizontal motion, respectively.

Samsung Display is rumored to adopt inkjet printing in an attempt for the smartphone manufacturer to cut costs on its foldable devices.

A report from The Elec states Samsung Display is currently preparing to use inkjet printing technology to create the bezels on its foldable devices, which would be a step away from the company's traditional means of making bezels on its devices Micro Dry Process Decoration (MDD). That process involves using a film that was later cut off to form the bezels, while inkjet printing could already have the bezels in place. For those who don't know, bezel films are placed between the OLED panel and the thin sheet of glass to protect the display.

Gizmochina explains that the switch to inkjet printing will enable Samsung to extract more frames from the original film compared to MDD while also simultaneously reducing manufacturing costs that could trickle down to the total price of Samsung's next foldable smartphones. Notably, Samsung is also rumored to be working on a much more affordable smartphone that is expected to be released alongside its next Galaxy Z series, which are currently priced at $999 (Flip) and $1,799 (Fold).

2023 was the first year since the introduction of the iPad that Apple hasn't refreshed any models in its lineup throughout the entire calendar, but that's all going to change in 2024 if the reports we've seen turn out to be anything close to accurate. We've been hearing reports of new iPads being in the works for some time and now a new report claims that some of those tablets will debut within the next couple of months.

That report comes via Bloomberg's Mark Gurman who claims that we should expect Apple to launch its new tablets around the end of March. Gurman says that the new iPad Pros are already in production at Apple's overseas factories which suggests that Apple is very much set to bring those to market.

In terms of the hardware that we should expect, there's plenty for iPad buyers to sink their teeth into. Things begin with a brand-new 12.9-inch iPad Air, for example, the biggest iPad Air that the company has ever made. That'll likely be joined by a refreshed 10.9-inch model with both display sizes benefiting from Apple's M2 chip for the first time. No major design changes are expected, however.