Mobile Devices - Page 49

If you're thinking of picking up a new iPhone later this year you should probably think again if rumors of a new, higher price are to be believed. Especially if you had your eye on the iPhone 15 Pro Max.

Historically the most expensive iPhone of all, the Pro Max is reportedly going to break new ground and become the most expensive iPhone ever when the iPhone 15 series is announced this September. That's according to a new report by China's United Daily News.

According to that report the iPhone 15 Pro Max will cost as much as RMB 20,000 which works out to be around $2,900 at the current exchange rate. To put that into perspective the iPhone 14 Pro Max currently sells for $1,099 in its 128GB configuration. Even the range-topping 1TB model sells for just $1,599. The prospect of Apple increasing the price so much is, frankly, insane. But that's what the report is claiming.

Owners of iPhones, iPads, and Macs around the world should stop what they are doing and download the latest software updates available to them. That's after Apple released new versions that deal with two security flaws that have been exploited in the wild.

The software updates in question are iOS 16.4.1, iPadOS 16.4.1, and macOS 13.3.1 with the release notes making it clear that these updates are in part to help address security flaws. Those security flaws appear to be related to vulnerabilities that have been actively exploited, which means that there is someone out there using them to do bad things with other people's devices.

The first is an IOSurfaceAccelerator vulnerability that could allow an app to execute arbitrary code with kernel privileges, which is of course bad. Apple says that it has now addressed the out-of-bounds write issue and improved input validation, according to a MacRumors report.

If you wake up one morning and find that you have a burning desire to install iOS 16.3.1 on your iPhone, you're going to be out of luck. That's because Apple is now actively preventing people from doing exactly that.

Apple has reportedly stopped signing iOS 16.3.1 which means that it cannot be installed on iPhones anymore. That's the same whether people want to upgrade from an older version of iOS or want to downgrade from something newer - no matter what, iOS 16.3.1 is off the table as of right now.

That in turn means that the only versions of iOS that can now be installed on an iPHone are iOS 16.4 and iOS 16.4.1. We'd suggest staying clear of iOS 16.4 because while it did include some improvements, it also managed to cause some people to have to re-enter their Wi-Fi password repeatedly. There were also reports of other issues relating to things like the Home app and smart home accessories simply not responding.

A report from earlier in the week claimed that Apple was working on a new software update that would address some big bugs that it introduced to iPhone users with its last one. Now, a new report claims to have confirmation that Apple is indeed testing that update ahead of a public release.

That report comes via MacRumors which says that it can independently confirm that testing is underway internally, although there is no beta that has been handed over to either developers or those who are on the public beta program.

The update, which is likely to be iOS 16.4.1 - that's the version number that MacRumors is giving it - could be released within the next couple of weeks, although no information on a specific release window has been leaked so far.

If you're in the market for a new iPhone and don't want to be tied to any specific carrier, Best Buy is now the place to go. Depending on which model you want to pick up, that is.

Best Buy will now sell you an unlocked iPhone, allowing you to use it on any carrier you choose. That's the first time that Best Buy has offered an unlocked phone, but you won't be able to buy an unlocked iPhone 14 or iPhone 14 Pro, unfortunately.

That's because Best Buy is only offering specific models as part of this change. The unlocked phones available include the iPhone 12, iPhone 13 mini, iPhone 13, and third-generation iPhone SE. That means that those looking to get their hands-on Apple's latest and greatest models will still need to go to Apple if they want to get an unlocked handset.

Apple is getting ready to give the iPhone 17 one of the best features of the iPhone 14 Pro, according to a new report. It will be the first time that the feature has been made available on a non-Pro iPhone if the report turns out to be accurate.

There's a very good chance that will be the case as well, with display analyst Ross Young being the one responsible for it. Young has a great track record for these kinds of display-related things, with the report being that Apple will bring 120Hz ProMotion to the non-Pro iPhone in 2025.

Apple's ProMotion technology allows for a variable refresh rate all the way to a maximum 120Hz. It means that iPhones with ProMotion are capable of smoother animations and transitions thanks to the faster refresh rate of their LPTO displays. Those displays also support a refresh rate of just 1Hz, making them able to offer an always-on display with minimal battery life impact.

Apple is reportedly getting a new software update ready that the company hopes will deal with a couple of niggling issues that it has so far been unable to deal with.

The new software update, set to be called iOS 16.4.1, is said to be in the works. That's according to a Twitter leaker who has a reasonable track record when sharing details about unannounced software updates. They have a protected Twitter account, but MacRumors reports that they believe that iOS 16.4.1 is incoming, although no hard release date has been shared.

With that being said, given the relatively small software number change and the nature of the update we expect Apple to release iOS 16.4.1 sooner rather than later. The update will likely arrive later this week or next week, but Apple and iPhone users will no doubt want it to be the former.

Owners of the iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus, iPhone 14 Pro, and iPhone 14 Pro Max can now make use of the potentially lifesaving Emergency SOS via Satellite feature in a number of new countries as of today.

Apple's release of the iOS 16.4 update brings with it additional support for the important feature. Now, people in Austria, Belgium, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and Portugal can all call for help even when they don't have access to a cellular or Wi-Fi connection.

Normally people in those situations are left with no way to summon the help that they need. Maybe they're at the top of a mountain or out in the wilderness. Now, they can use Apple's integration with Globalstar satellites to send information to emergency dispatchers that allows them to send help.

Owners of older iPhones that don't support iOS 16 should download a new update to make sure that they aren't at risk from an actively exploited security risk.

That new update is iOS 15.7.4 and it's available right now as a free download for anyone whose iPhone is a little long in the tooth and isn't supported by some of Apple's latest releases. That includes the iPhone 6s, iPhone 7, and the first-generation iPhone SE. There is also a version of iPadOS 15.7.4 that has been released for the iPad Air 2 and fourth-generation iPad mini. Amazingly, the seventh-generation iPod touch is also impacted.

Who remembers the iPod touch?

Apple has released iOS 16.4 to the public after weeks of beta testing. The new update adds a number of features and fixes a few bugs, one of which Apple will hope is a problem that caused emergency services to receive unneeded calls.

The iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro devices support something called Crash Detection. It's a feature that should call emergency services when a car crash is detected similar to the way Fall Detection works when someone takes a tumble. But since the phones went on sale in September 2022 emergency workers have reported that they get calls when they shouldn't. This update might fix that.

With the release of iOS 16.4, Apple hopes to have fixed the issue. The update's release notes don't specifically say that's what is going on, but they do say that the update includes Crash Detection optimizations for the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro models. With that in mind, it seems pretty clear what Apple is doing.

Have you ever turned on your Android phone and been immediately blinded because the screen brightness was set too high? We're willing to bet that you have, but now it looks like Google is working on a fix for that infuriating problem.

According to a new report, Google has a fix in the works via a future Android software update but it will be a while before you can actually install it on your phone.

The problem comes when you first wake your phone because it doesn't yet know how bright the room is. The ambient light sensor doesn't kick in until after that point, meaning it doesn't have time to turn the brightness down if you're in a dark room in the middle of the night, for example.

Apple's iPhone 15 Pro could get a new design for its volume and mute buttons, and many folks aren't happy about it - though we should bear in mind, this is just a rumor at this stage.

The speculation comes from ShrimpApplePro on Twitter, a solid Apple source who has been right in the past (although the leaked CAD images of the purported new button design originate from the Chinese equivalent of TikTok).

Apple is apparently changing the iPhone 15 Pro's buttons (and Pro Max - but not the base iPhone 15 or Plus model) so they aren't physically pressed in any longer. Rather, they'll be flat and use haptic feedback (with two Taptic Engines inside the smartphone) to simulate the feeling of pressing the buttons.

A new patent application filed by Apple shows the company is looking for new ways to prevent iPhone screens from being damaged when the device is dropped.

The new patent application details a new self-retracting technology that would be capable of detecting when the device is dropped and immediately initiating the closure of the screen to protect it from any potential impact. This drop detection technology, paired with what the patent describes as a release mechanism that can "automatically retract the foldable display," would give iPhone users an increased chance at keeping their phone screen from being damaged as the screen wouldn't be exposed to any surface.

Apple releasing a foldable iPhone has been rumored for several years now, with swirling's of the unconfirmed product being first reported back in 2016. Since then, Apple enthusiasts have speculated that the company is inching closer to the release of its first foldable device, especially after Samsung proved there is demand for such devices in the mobile market with its now growing range of foldable smartphones.

When Google's Pixel 8 smartphone rolls around, it might just come with a feature that lets you unblur videos, which would be pretty nifty.

As you're likely aware, the ability to unblur photos is something Google has provided to buyers of its latest handsets, the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro.

It's a logical step, then, that such a feature might be extended to cover video, despite that being a clearly more complex endeavor - and clues unearthed in a freshly released APK for Google Photos suggest this ability could be inbound.

Apple could be preparing to increase the price tag of the iPhone 15 Pro, at least according to fresh news from the grapevine.

This comes from Jeff Pu, a tech analyst at Haitong International Securities, an investment firm in Hong Kong, who claimed in a research note that price hikes will be visited upon the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max.

As you may be aware, Apple's iPhone Pro models have stuck at the US$999 price point since the price tag was upped to that level with the iPhone X some six years ago. If Pu is correct, the iPhone 15 Pro will become the first Pro model to push above a grand - the question is, how far above?

Google will reportedly announce two new phones at its Google I/O event on 10 May. And we might even know how much they'll cost when it does it.

Everyone is waiting for Google to announce the Pixel Fold, the company's first foldable phone. That's now expected to get a Google I/O debut alongside the much cheaper Pixel 7a. New reports have the phones costing between $450 and $1500.

A new report by 9to5Google has Google announcing the Pixel Fold in Carbon and Porcelain colors, or black and white if you prefer. That's based on supposed retail listings for the product which also claim that there will be storage options of 256GB and 512GB, although the latter might be limited to the Carbon color.

The iPhone 15 Pro could be a super-speedy smartphone if freshly leaked benchmarks prove to be correct.

The Geekbench 6 benchmarks come from Revegnus on Twitter, who notes that they unearthed them over at Chinese forum Weibo. (Sadly, there's no direct link to the purported results in the Geekbench database).

The benchmarks show the A17 Bionic chip, which will power the iPhone 15 Pro, hitting a score of 3,019 points in single-core and 7,860 for multi-core performance. That's incredibly fast for a smartphone, and if true, it'd be a massive leap in speed for the next-gen Apple handset.

Google I/O 2023 will kick off on May 10, the company has confirmed. The keynote will take place at Google's Mountain View, California HQ and will also be livestreamed for those who can't attend or just want to follow along at home.

While essentially a developer affair, Google I/O has historically also played host to new hardware launches and updates on the state of Android. We expect no different this time around and it's possible that we will see Google announce the Pixel 7a smartphone as well.

Those who can't attend will not only be able to see the keynote online. Google has said that it will also be making all of the sessions available to watch on-demand afterward as well. That's a good job as well, with only a 'limited live audience' set to be allowed into the event.

The Nothing Phone (2) has reportedly already entered serial production, with the company also getting all of its certification ducks in a row.

The next phone out of the UK-based Nothing is already shaping up to be an interesting one and now Twitter tipster Mukul Sharma claims that the company is already beginning to grease the wheels of production ahead of a full global release later this year.

Nothing has of course already confirmed that the Phone (2) will get a global launch, and while it had also said that the phone would use a Qualcomm 8-series chip, we've now been told by Qualcomm's side that it'll be a Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1. That's mildly disappointing news, partly because we would have hoped that Nothing would use Qualcomm's current flagship chip, the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2.

Apple has revealed that the iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus will indeed get a new color for spring, and that's yellow.

As Apple puts it, these smartphones will be available to buy in a "beautiful yellow color" as the rumor mill had already insisted last week.

While we did know that yellow was inbound as the new paint job, we didn't know exactly what shade of yellow Apple would grace us with.