Apple Opens Up iPhone Code in What Could Be Savvy Strategy or Security Screwup

Developers got a pretty big surprise with the first preview release of iOS 10. It turns out that the iOS 10 kernel, the heart of the operating system, was left unencrypted by Apple. This is not only the first time that Apple has released an unencrypted version of its kernel, but no one knows why it happened, or even if it was intentional.

Apple iPhone 6S, iPhone 6S Plus, Apple Watch iPad Mini 4, iPad Air 2 Are Massively Discounted On Best Buy

Best Buy is offering massive discounts on several Apple devices for the end of the year holiday season. Beginning from today, Best Buy has introduced new price cuts on the iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S Plus handsets. Both the smartphones are available with $100 discount on their two year on-contract pricing through carriers like Verizon and Sprint.

iOS 9 Battery Life: 7 Tips To Make Your iPhone Last Longer

Apple's iOS 9 comes with a number of battery improving features, including a Low Power Mode. Stephen Lam/Getty Image

Features may come and go, but one thing remains the same -- customers always want more battery life out of their iPhones. That still applies with iOS 9.

Apple files patent application for improved noise cancellation for wireless earbuds

It most likely won't be offered as an accessory for the upcoming Apple iPhone 6s and Apple iPhone 6s Plus, but a patent application filed by Apple shows that the tech titan is looking at a method to improve the voice quality heard on wireless earbuds. Filed with the USPTO, the application is entitled "System and method of improving voice quality in a wireless headset with untethered earbuds of a mobile device." The technology includes two microphones, each positioned inside an earbud.

Apple iPhone 6s screen and logic board appear on video

A mashup phone consisting of an Apple iPhone 6s screen and logic board, combined with Apple iPhone 6 components, shows up on a video with the device booting up to reveal a gear icon. Because of the mismatched parts, that is all that will show up on the screen when the phone is turned on. The video also shows off the iPhone 6s logic board, which includes the larger Apple A9 chipset. Right now, the A9 isn't stamped with the chip's name, but you can see it nonetheless.

Apple starts iSight camera replacement program for certain Apple iPhone 6 Plus units

 

Apple has acknowledged that it sold some Apple iPhone 6 Plus units with a faulty iSight camera between September 2014 and January 2015. The cameras on these iPhone 6 Plus models contain a bad component which results in blurry photographs being taken. As a result, Apple has initiated a free camera replacement plan to those units that fall within a small range of serial numbers.

Sprint lets you keep switching to the newest iPhone for $22 per month

Today Sprint has announced a new "revolution" intended for those who are big iPhone fans. The gist of the new iPhone Forever plan is this: you get the newest iPhone for free, then start paying $22 per month. And when a new iPhone launches, you can get it. Without any additional cost. You do however need to trade in your existing iPhone. That's it.

More 'iPhone 6s' Display Assembly Photos and Renderings Revealed

Following the release of several photos of a claimed display assembly for the "iPhone 6s" over the weekend, Macfixit Australia has shared additional images of what appears to be the same display assembly, further suggesting the leaked images to be real internal parts for the next-generation iPhone. 

Apple's Siri May Soon Take Your iPhone Calls And Transcribe Voicemails

Apple is testing a service that transcribes voice messages through Siri. Sean Gallup/Getty Images

Listening to voicemails on an iPhone may soon be a thing of the past. Apple employees are testing a new service that transcribes voicemail messages using Siri, according to a report from Business Insider.

Apple is rolling out second iOS 9 public beta

A second public beta of iOS 9 has started rolling out to those who are running the first iteration. The the first iOS 9 public beta arrived earlier this month, on July 9

Apple is rolling out second iOS 9 public beta

The new iOS 9 public beta brings back the Home Sharing for option that allows sharing your iTunes Library over a Wi-Fi network with other mobile devices. The Handoff feature in the app switcher has moved to the bottom of the screen.

Volume buttons can now be used to take photos. Support for the new iPod touch has also been added.

Apple iPad users can multitask using the Picture-in-Picture option. Several bug fixes and improvement tweaks are bundled along as well.

Do note that the public beta is a work-in-progress and not a finished build, so unexpected behavior and bugs are likely to appear. If you still wish to try out the second iOS 9 public beta, head over to the source link and sign up using your Apple ID.

Source | Via

iPhone Sales 2014: UBS Data Suggests 69 Million iPhones Sold In December Quarter

The record-breaking number is said to be fueled by the new iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus holiday sales. Pictured is Apple CEO Tim Cook, standing in front of a screen displaying the IPhone 6 during a presentation at Apple headquarters in Cupertino, California on Oct. 16, 2014. Reuters/Robert Galbraith

Apple Inc. has broken its previous all-time sales record by selling a staggering 69 million iPhones in the December quarter, according to the latest estimates released by UBS, a Switzerland-based global financial services company.

Steve Milunovich, an analyst at UBS, wrote in a note to investors on Wednesday that the California-based technology giant is expected to have sold a total of 69.3 million iPhones in the three months to December, fueled by holiday sales of the new iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus models. The UBS estimate is beyond the Wall Street estimate of 65.5 million units for the quarter, Apple Insider reported.

Apple’s previous all-time record of iPhone sales was in the December quarter of 2013 when the company claimed it sold 51 million iPhones during the period. However, the sales figure did not meet the Wall Street estimate as investors had pegged the company's sales figure at 56.5 million units.

Apple announced on Monday that it will release the financial results for the first fiscal quarter of 2015 on Jan. 27. According to the company, it will be hosting a conference call at 2:00 p.m. PT (5:00 p.m. ET). The upcoming earnings call is expected to be Apple’s most significant report as it will cover the company’s performance during the three months of holiday shopping period.

It should be noted that the UBS data is about sales to the customer, while Apple’s actual number for each quarter is about shipments to its sales channels, irrespective of sales to customers, Barron’s reported, adding that there has been a major surge in demand for the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus models from consumers in China.

“Recent data suggests that iPhone demand saw outsized growth in China, even finding that China could constitute as much as 35% of shipments in the quarter compared with 22% a year ago,” UBS' Milunovich wrote. “China Mobile's distribution agreement with Apple was signed in late Dec 2013 and Apple began shipping the iPhone 6/6+ in October, so it seems reasonable that demand in China surged relative to other regions – which our iPhone study also found.” UBS has maintained a “buy” rating on shares of Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) with a 12-month price target of $125.

On Wednesday’s close, Apple shares were up $1.49, or 1.4 percent, at $107.75.

source

Apple iCloud Hack: 'Obvious' Security Flaw Patched After New Year's Day Disclosure

Apple ID holders with two-step verification enabled may see a few more padlocks on their iCloud screen. Screenshot/Apple

This time Apple acted fast. The tech giant has fixed a security flaw that targeted iCloud customers who used common Internet passwords. Known as iDict, the hacking tool was released on New Year’s Day and patched days later, a quick turnaround that comes after Cupertino was criticized for doing too little to prevent last year’s attack on the iCloud accounts of a number of female celebrities.

5 Best Free Apps To Reach New Year's Resolutions: Lose Weight, Increase Happiness And More

Happier will bring some positivity into your life. Courtesy/Happier

We’re barely into 2015, but many have undoubtedly compiled a list of resolutions that they hope to stick to this year – maybe lose a few pounds, snag a few more hours of sleep or eat a healthier diet. Though some of these may require some good old-fashioned willpower and planning, technology has made some of these tasks significantly easier, and there are a ton of apps that can help people reach their goals in no time. Check out our list below of the best apps to help reach and stick to New Year’s resolutions.

12 best smartphones with nano-SIM card slots (2014 edition)

Ever since nano-SIM cards made their market debut alongside the Apple iPhone 5 (the first device to make use of such a module) in late 2012, more and more manufacturers have put their faith into this SIM standard. Being noticeably more compact than the way more common micro-SIM modules, nano-SIM cards are mostly used in devices that have absolutely no spare space in tow, allowing manufacturers to pack their hardware insides like sardines.

Apple resumes iPhone sales in Russia with increased pricing

Less than a week after it halted online sales in Russia, Apple resumed offering its products in the country. Unsurprisingly, the Cupertino giant increased the prices of its iPhone lineup to counter the drop of the local currency against the U.S. dollar.

Apple iPhone 6 with 16GB of on-board memory now costs 53,990 rubles (about $956). The price is up by roughly a third over the 39,990 rubles that the manufacturer previously asked for the smartphone.

Automatic Web Browser for iOS automates your browsing experience so you spend less time tapping buttons

Automatic Web Browser for iOS automates your browsing experience so you spend less time tapping buttons

Developer: IPS Mobile

Download: iPhone / iPad

Category: Browsers

Price: $1.99

Internet browsers usually don't usually do the whole typing, scrolling, opening, closing, switching, and tapping thing on an automated basis. That's been fine with us for the past 20+ years, but it didn't jibe with Dutch software house IPS Mobile. As networks and devices grow quicker, the sole bottleneck appears to be the user interaction Thus, instead of settling for another traditional browser, one slowly operated by humans, it decided to innovate. That's how Automatic Web Browser was born - a full-auto browser that can open pages, close pages, scroll, and open links automatically.

Apple And IBM, With Microsoft In The Crosshairs, Roll Out 10 iOS Apps For Business

Time may be winding down on 2014, but Apple is keeping its foot on the gas, releasing a new suite of iPhone and iPad business apps in conjunction with IBM on Wednesday. With the apps, Apple is hoping to boost sales of iPads, which have been dwindling over the past year, while gaining a larger foothold in the enterprise market at the expense of rival Microsoft. As for growth-challenged Big Blue, its partnership with Cupertino is a way into mobile computing, where it’s largely been absent.

iOS 8.1.2 Update Restores Missing Ringtones From iPhones And Fixes Bugs

Apple’s mobile operating system received a number of fixes in an update on Tuesday, including one for a bug where users unexpectedly lost purchased ringtones. The latest iOS version, iOS 8.1.2, covers a number of the company’s mobile products including its iPhones, iPod Touches and iPads.

Apple Patents Laser-Mapping System For The iPhone

Pictured is iPin, an existing iPhone accessory that turns the smartphone into a laser pointer. Apple is reportedly planning a laser that would record information around the iPhone. Conary Enterprises

Apple Inc. is fond of patenting futuristic new features for its iPhone, plenty of which it never implements into consumer models. Last week, it was awarded a patent for a built-in laser that would allow the iPhone to map indoor areas.

Apple Holiday Gift Guide 2014: 12 Ideas For The iPad, iPhone And MacBook Pro User Who Has Everything

Find the right holiday gift for the Apple lover who owns just about every device. IBTimes/Luke Villapaz

Chances are the Apple lovers in your life have just about every product from the iPhone to the iPad. But that doesn’t mean shopping for them has to be difficult. From cases to headphones to gloves, there's plenty of accessories and gadgets on the market to make the Apple product experience even better. Here are 12 gift ideas for the Apple owner covering a range of price points to fit any holiday-buying budget: