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  • Apple could end up buying 5G modem chips from unlikely sources

    Apple could end up buying 5G modem chips from unlikely sources

    You might know that Huawei manufacturers handsets and networking equipment. At the end of last year, it was the third largest smartphone company in the world and the top provider of networking gear. What you might not know is that Huawei designs its own chips. Its Hi-Silicon unit created the Kirin 980 SoC which is currently found powering up the Huawei Mate 20 Pro and the Huawei P30 series. It also will be used to drive the foldable Huawei Mate X. While Huawei designs the chips, they are actually manufactured by TSMC.

    Now as we discussed yesterday, Apple is relying on Intel to have its XMM 8160 5G modem chip ready in time for its 2020 iPhone models. There are conflicting reports about whether Intel will deliver the component in time, and as a result, we have seen rumors that a 5G iPhone might not surface until 2021. Intel says that it will be shipping the chip later this year, but just in case there is a problem, Apple has found an unlikely friend in Huawei.

    Huawei would consider selling its 5G Balong 5000 modem chips to Apple. The report cites a source who has “knowledge of the situation.” This is an unusual thing for Huawei to do considering that an executive said earlier this year that “Balong is mainly for supporting Huawei’s smart products, such as phones and IoT products, and is currently for Huawei’s internal use only.” It also seems strange considering that Huawei is looking to leapfrog over both Apple and Samsung to become the global leader in smartphones by 2020.

    Apple could turn to Qualcomm, but that is unlikely to happen since both firms have been squaring off in court over patent infringements, antitrust claims, and royalty payments, In fact, a week from today a courtroom in San Diego will host a multi-billion dollar trial between Apple, its contract manufacturers like Foxconn and Wistron, and Qualcomm. At stake are unpaid royalties amounting to billions of dollars. Qualcomm CEO Steve Mollenkopf said back in November that his company was “on the doorstep” of resolving its differences with Apple; we now know that this was not the case.

    While it seems that Huawei would be “open” to selling Apple its 5G modem chips, the other side of the equation is whether the gang in Cupertino would be willing to buy them. During the FTC v. Qualcomm case, Apple supply chain executive Tony Blevins testified that Apple was considering the use of 5G modem chips from Samsung or MediaTekfor the iPhone. Even though Apple currently uses only Intel modem chips for its handsets, Blevins talked on the stand about “Project Antique.” This was Apple’s attempt to find a second supplier to provide it with modem chips. As Blevins noted, “No offense to (Intel) but we don’t want to be single supplier with them. We wanted both Qualcomm and (Intel) in the mix.”

    Huawei’s Balong 5000 modem chip supports both mmWave and sub-6GHz 5G networks. It also is compatible with 4G LTE, 3G, and 2G networks. The important thing about using Huawei’s modem chip is that Apple could get its hands on it earlier than Intel’s chip and have more time to test a 5G iPhone. The Balong 5000 5G modem chip will debut on Huawei’s first phone to support the next generation of wireless connectivity. That device happens to be the foldable Mate X.

    Apple wouldn’t be the only one in such a partnership to benefit. Huawei would get to widen the use of its chips beyond its own devices, and you can just imagine how much revenue would flow into the company’s coffers. It also might play well in China after U.S. government attacks on Huawei have led some Chinese consumers to unofficially boycott Apple products.

    There is a huge unknown here, and that is how the Trump administration might react. Huawei is considered a threat to U.S. national security and allies have been warned not to use Huawei’s networking gear to build out 5G networks. That’s because the law in China requires a company like Huawei to gather intelligence if requested to do so. Considering that we are talking about the modem chip, a major component in communicating voice and data, there are bound to be concerns about the use of Huawei’s component inside the iPhone.

  • 5G Apple iPhone likely to appear next year

    5G Apple iPhone likely to appear next year

    With several Android manufacturers releasing 5G enabled phones this year (and technically the Moto Z3 with the 5G Moto Mod is the first), Apple iPhone users might wonder when they will have the opportunity to buy a 5G iPhone. We don’t expect it to happen this year, and one analyst said earlier this month that it won’t happen next year either. Timothy Arcuri, who hangs his hat at the Union Bank of Switzerland (UBS), believes that Intel won’t have its 5G modem chip available in time for Apple to introduce a 5G phone in 2020.

    Sure, Apple could turn to Qualcomm to provide it 5G modem chips, but the two firms have been battling each other in court over numerous issues ranging from patent infringement to anti-trust violations. A new trial will start soon in San Diego with Apple and its contract manufacturers seeking billions of dollars from the chip maker. Besides, Qualcomm reportedly refused to sell its 4G LTE modem chips to Apple for the iPhone XS and iPhone XR.

    Those familiar with the situation say that Intel has been missing deadlines as it develops the XMM 8160 5G modem chip. In order for Apple to unveil a 5G iPhone next September, Intel would have to deliver sample parts to Cupertino early this summer and a final version of the chip’s design by early next year. But Intel says that it is fully capable of delivering its 5G modem chip to Apple in time for a 5G iPhone to be launched in 2020.

    Last November, Intel said that it expected to start shipping the XMM 8160 5G modem chip during the second half of this year, and it would appear as though no changes have been made to those plans. In a statement emailed to Fast Company, Intel wrote, “As we said in November 2018, Intel plans to support customer device launches in 2020 with its XMM 8160 5G multimode modem.”

    From 2011-2015, Apple used only Qualcomm modem chips for the iPhone. In 2016 and 2017, both Qualcomm and Intel supplied Apple with modem chips for the iPhone. Last year, with Apple and Qualcomm suing each other, Apple stuck with Intel for the part and expects to do the same this year. Apple is known to be a rather demanding customer (Intel has had three project managers handle its modem business with Apple thus far), and the profits from selling Apple these chips is not overwhelming. But Intel needs the revenue to justify the expense of building 10nm and 7nm fabrication platforms in order to keep up with TSMC. The Intel 7560 modem chips used on the 2018 iPhone models were manufactured using the 14nm process. This means that newer modem chips will contain more transistors than older versions, allowing them to have improved performance and consume less power. But this can also backfire as far as Intel is concerned. As part of its deal with Intel, Apple gets to be first in line to have its chips roll off the assembly line. That means other chip orders that might be more profitable to Intel must wait until Apple’s order is completed.

    Other chip makers like Samsung and MediaTek are apparently not being considered. UBS’ Arcuri says that if Intel’s chip isn’t ready for next year as he believes, neither company would be able to fulfill the order in time to deliver the goods for 2020. Meanwhile, rumors that Apple is designing its own 5G modem chips are apparently true. The company reportedly has 1,000 to 1,200 engineers developing such a component. Additionally, Apple has allegedly hired RF engineers from both Qualcomm and Intel who are said to be toiling away in San Diego. Any modem chip designed by Apple would have to be manufactured by a company with production capabilities like TSMC or Samsung. A self-designed 5G modem chip for the iPhone would probably not be found on the device until 2021 at the earliest.

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  • Apple’s Melbourne flagship Delay Due to Cultural Reasons

    Apple’s Melbourne flagship Delay Due to Cultural Reasons

    The Andrews Labor Government has said it will launch a review of Melbourne’s Federation Square after Heritage Victoria blocked the construction of an Apple flagship on the site, citing adverse effects on the square’s cultural heritage.

    The plan, which would have seen the three-storey Yarra building demolished to make room for the tech flagship, was denied on Friday when the Heritage Victoria deemed the construction would cause “an unacceptable and irreversible detrimental impact on the cultural heritage significance of Federation Square.”

    Apple said it was disappointed by the decision, but would remain committed to customers in Melbourne and Australia.

    The tech retailer currently runs five stores across Melbourne, in Chadstone Shopping Centre, Highpoint Shopping Centre, Westfield Southland, Westfield Doncaster, and Westfield Fountain Gate.

    Victorian minister for tourism, sport and major events Martin Pakula said the of Federation Square will examine how it looks, how it is funded and how it operates in an effort to ensure it continues to stand out as an attraction to Melbourne.

    “Since its opening in 2002, Federation Square has hosted creative events and world leading attractions,” Pakula said.

    “The review will ensure this much-loved space can thrive as a civic, cultural and commercial hub for years to come.”

    After the 2017 plan for an Apple flagship was put through without public consultation, Victorians will be given the opportunity to have their say in the review, which is set to be completed by the end of 2019.

    Victorian shadow minister for planning and heritage Tim Smith said the decision was a “humiliation” for the state government on Twitter.

    “After years of secret negotiations, with one of the world’s iconic brands, Apple, Daniel Andrews has been forced into a cringe worthy climb-down because his ministers didn’t do their due diligence,” Smith said.

    Smith also called on Heritage Victoria for having fast-tracked such a nomination when it is “often missing in action when it comes to protecting heritage homes.”

  • Netflix removes key feature from its iOS app

    Netflix removes key feature from its iOS app

    AirPlay is a feature found on iOS and Mac devices that allows users to send audio, video, photographs, screenshots and more between Apple devices sharing a similar network. Using Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, AirPlay will let a home with multiple HomePod speakers in different rooms, share the same song throughout the house. And with several smart TV manufacturers adding support for the feature, content from an iOS or Mac device can be viewable on certain large-screen smart TVs.

    There have been a number of complaints from iPhone and iPad users stating that AirPlay was no longer working with Netflix. That was unusual because the iOS version of the streaming video app has supported AirPlay since 2013. The complaints from iOS users state that when they tried to use AirPlay in the Netflix app, a pop-up error message appeared that said, “Cannot play title. Please try again later.”

    But there is a reason why AirPlay no longer works with Netflix. As a result of what it is calling “technical limitations,” Netflix has pulled AirPlay support from its iOS app. This is actually noted by the video streamer on its support page. Considering that this was an iOS feature that Netflix had supported for over five years, it is strange that AirPlay would all of a sudden no longer work with Netflix. The company has not divulged the details of the “technical limitations” that have forced it to stop offering AirPlay support (more on that later).

    This isn’t the end of the world for Netflix subscribers used to employing AirPlay. After all, the Netflix app can be installed or is already installed on a number of smart television sets. But using AirPlay does make it easier for iOS users with Netflix to stream content from their own account to a smart TV that does not have their Netflix login information.

    “We want to make sure our members have a great Netflix experience on any device they use. With AirPlay support rolling out to third-party devices, there isn’t a way for us to distinguish between devices (what is an Apple TV vs. what isn’t) or certify these experiences. Therefore, we have decided to discontinue Netflix AirPlay support to ensure our standard of quality for viewing is being met. Members can continue to access Netflix on the built-in app across Apple TV and other devices.”-Netflix< The Netflix support page lists some other options that iOS users can try in order to cast Netflix from their phone or tablet to a compatible television. With the Netflix 2nd Screen option, subscribers open the Netflix app on their iOS device and television, signing into the same account on both devices. The mobile device and the TV must share the same Wi-Fi network. On the mobile device, the user needs to tap on "Cast" found in the upper or lower right of the screen, and select the television that he/she wants to view Netflix on. After deciding which show or movie to watch, the user hits play and the selected content will appear on the TV. Another option, found on Philips, Polaroid, Sharp, Skyworth, Soniq, Sony, Toshiba, and Vizio TVs, will allow you to Chromecast Netflix from your iOS device to your television. Simply open the Netflix app on your iOS device, and tap on the "Cast" icon in the upper or lower right hand side of the screen. Select the device you want to watch Netflix on, choose a television show or movie, and hit play. Last month, Apple became a Netflix competitor by unveiling Apple TV+. This is a video streaming service that will be available this fall on iOS devices along with certain smart TVs. There will be new, original programming from Apple along with content from HBO, Showtime and others. Could this new rivalry be behind the "technical limitations" that forced Netflix to stop supporting AirPlay? After all, it does seem strange that Netflix was able to support AirPlay for from 2013 until now, just when Apple introduces a service that will compete with it. Netflix, of course, will never admit to this. And regardless what the true reasons are, the bottom line is that iOS users will have to resort to the aforementioned alternatives if they want to cast any streaming Netflix content from their iPhone or iPad to their smart TV.

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  • Fitbit partners with Snapchat to make Apple Watch owners jealous

    Fitbit partners with Snapchat to make Apple Watch owners jealous

    Fitbit may have joined the “true” smartwatch game a bit late compared to Samsung or Apple, but after a somewhat slow start in this potential-brimming market, the Versa seems to have put the company on the right track. The world’s second-largest smartwatch vendor took quite a risk by developing its wearable software from scratch rather than adopting Google’s Wear OS, but this proprietary platform continues to grow at a healthy pace in terms of capabilities and ease of use.

    Of course, everyone needs high-profile partners to boost the appeal and trendiness of today’s wearable devices, and Fitbit’s newest ally in its fight against Apple and Samsung is as high-profile as they come. We’re talking about Snap, the company behind one of the world’s most popular social networks.

    Snapchat users who just so happen to own a Fitbit Versa, Versa Lite, or Ionic as well can now connect their Bitmoji account to their smartwatch to display their “personal emoji” on their wrist. For those unfamiliar with the Bitmoji app, we should probably mention the experience is very similar to what Apple offers with Memoji and Animoji on iPhones and Samsung’s own AR Emoji experiments for recent high-end Galaxy handsets.

    Obviously, the main difference is you can have fun with Bitmoji on both Android and iOS, as well as on Fitbit devices starting today. Your cartoon avatar will show up on the “first-ever” Bitmoji clock face (once you download it from the Fitbit App Gallery, that is), aiming to motivate you to be more active, help you create healthier habits, and celebrate personal achievements.

    While unlikely to be as expressive as its smartphone counterpart, your wrist Bitmoji promises to support more than 50 fun clock face variations, changing throughout your day to reflect your activity and progress towards your fitness goals. For instance, your personal emoji will wave hello to start your day, dance with your alarm clock to annoy help you wake up in a better mood, throw confetti after you hit your daily step objective, meditate when you’re totally relaxed and zen, carry an umbrella if there’s a chance of rain, and much more.

    That definitely sounds like something Apple Watch and Samsung Galaxy Watch owners could also appreciate, but for the time being, all we can do is wait and see if there are any Memoji or AR Emoji expansions planned for the near future.

  • Apple poached one of Google’s best AI specialists recently

    Apple poached one of Google’s best AI specialists recently

    We all get to see changes in market share percentages, sales numbers and all sorts of data showing how competing companies on the mobile market exchange blows all over the world. In California’s Silicon Valley there is another, less covered fight going on between the tech giants that call it home: the war for talent. There are only a few people at the top of each field and if you want to be the best, you have to get them.

    It seems that Apple did just that last month, CNBC reports, as it managed to bring a very important specialist to Cupertino. His name is Ian Goodfellow and for the last two years, he was a Senior Staff Research Scientist with a focus on machine learning at Google. Since March, however, he’s the Director of Machine Learning in the Special Projects Group at Apple, according to his LinkedIn profile.

    Just by comparing the two titles, Senior Staff versus Director, you get an idea about why Ian might have taken the job at Apple. Of course, we have no doubt that the new position came with a significant salary bump as well. Which seems completely justified considering his expertise. According to his own summary, Goodfellow is “an industry leader in machine learning”, and while that might sound a bit cocky, it’s not wrong. Ian has co-authored tens of publications about machine learning, including the book Deep Learning. He’s also invented multiple machine-learning algorithms that we’re not even going to try to describe here.

    As you might have noticed if you’re following closely the mobile technology scene, AI and machine learning are already deeply integrated within smartphones and other gadgets. This makes it harder to guess what exactly is Ian going to work on as part of Apple’s Special Projects Group. Is he tasked with the development of a brand new product? Is the “special project” making Siri actually useful? Are we going to see even more AI in Apple’s upcoming smartphone cameras? With a company the size of Apple, the possibilities are endless.

    It will take months, if not years before we see the results of Mr. Goodfellow’s work at Apple, but one thing is certain, the move is a huge win for Apple and an equally huge loss for Google. It’s not like AI geniuses are dime a dozen. At least we shouldn’t see any regression in Google Assistant if that’s any consolation.

  • Integration will define the 2019 smart home

    Integration will define the 2019 smart home

    IDC says the global market for smart home devices will grow 26.9% year over year in 2019 to 832.7 million units shipped. The analyst predicts consumers to adopt multiple devices within their homes, which will result in 1.6 billion devices shipped by 2023.

    “2018 was all about getting products into consumers’ homes and both Amazon and Google excelled at this through low-cost smart speakers and multiple bundles across device categories,” said Jitesh Ubrani research manager for IDC Mobile Device Trackers. “However, 2019 will be more about tying the various devices together to form a more cohesive experience and more importantly, layering in additional services.”

    The smart home will be dominated by the likes of Amazon and Google, with Apple following suite. The popularity of iOS and macOS devices combined with the availability of Apple apps/services on non-Apple products will help the company slowly entice more consumers into their ecosystem while also attracting third parties to build compatible devices.

    “One important trend to watch is how smart assistants become integrated throughout the home,” said Ramon T. Llamas, research director for IDC’s Consumer IoT Program. “Smart assistants will act as the point of contact with multiple smart home devices and essentially become the cornerstone of the smart home experience. Already we’ve been seeing that with smart speakers and this will eventually move on to appliances, thermostats, and all sorts of video entertainment.”

  • Android Q will bring an iconic Apple iPhone feature

    Android Q will bring an iconic Apple iPhone feature

    Introduced in 2015 with the Apple iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus, 3D Touch allows iOS users to press the screen to see previews, details, and shortcuts. Some applications allow users to Peek and Pop. For example, you can get a preview of an address in the Maps app. That’s a “Peek.” Applying a little harder force will “Pop” you into the app. Note that for technical reasons related to the Liquid Retina display on the iPhone XR, that model does not feature 3D Touch.

    In Android 8 Oreo, Google added a long press gesture that allows Android users to see shortcuts related to certain apps. That feature was continued on Android 9 Pie. For example, press hard on the YouTube icon in either build, and you’ll see shortcut options that can take you to the app’s search feature, and a list of your YouTube subscriptions. Documentation for Android Q reveals that the next Android build will allow users to see the same information, only faster, with a “deep press.”

    Found inside documentation for MotionEvents is a statement that says a touch on the touchscreen can be classified as a “deep press” when a user presses harder on the screen intentionally. This will “accelerate the long press behavior.” In other words, a “deep press” will reveal the same information as a long press, only quicker. Unlike 3D Touch, it doesn’t appear that Android devices will be able to distinguish between a light press, a medium press, and a hard press.

    Google could turn to algorithms to determine whether a user is using enough force to count a touch as a “deep press.” Or, the new feature might require specialized hardware. Either way, we could hear more about this during Google I/O. The annual developer conference will run from May 7th through May 9th. During the conference, Google traditionally reveals new features that will be found on the upcoming Android build.

    Just the other day, Google disseminated the second beta preview for Android Q. This included a foldable device emulator to help developers see how their apps will look on one of the new foldable phones that will be released soon. That includes the Samsung Galaxy Fold, due out on April 26th, and the Huawei Mate X. That model will be launched sometime this summer. Another feature called Bubbles allows you to take the functionality of certain apps with you from screen to screen on Android Q.

    Google plans on releasing six beta versions of Android Q with the final version scheduled to drop during the third quarter. If you have a Pixel handset, you can quickly sign up to receive the Android Q beta versions OTA. Simply head to the Android Beta for Pixel website and click on the Devices tab. Scroll down to “Your Eligible Devices” and tap the Opt-in button. Expect to wait up to 24 hours before the update arrives. When you’re ready to return to the public version of Android, repeat the process and tap on the Opt-out button. Keep in mind that the beta versions of Android are unstable and many of the features that you might depend on could fail to work. As a result, you might want to think twice before signing up to receive the Android Q beta previews.

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  • Important change for next-gen Apple Watch Screen

    Important change for next-gen Apple Watch Screen

    It’s a little premature to make anything more than educated guesses regarding the key selling points and major new features of an Apple Watch Series 5 expected out sometime in the fall. But it’s certainly not too early for the manufacturer of the world’s most popular smartwatch family to line up its component suppliers and lay out some general production plans.

    While these are obviously rarely made public, we can typically rely on inside sources to spill the beans for reputable news organizations like Reuters. These often rock-solid informants are claiming Apple has reached a deal with Japan Display that represents a major breakthrough for the financially struggling screen manufacturer. The company, which is a long-time Apple partner, should start supplying OLED panels for the Apple Watch lineup at some point “later this year.”

    Even though there’s absolutely nothing wrong with the Apple Watch Series 4 screen, supply chain competition is always good, generally driving progress and innovation forward at a much faster pace than when a company holds a monopoly on one or several essential components. Unless we’re talking about Samsung, which has managed to exclusively take care of the iPhone X, XS, and XS Max OLED panels while maintaining an impressively high standard of quality and performance.

    By the way, you might be surprised to hear Samsung doesn’t also handle the production of the small but sharp OLED display on the Apple Watch Series 4. That’s actually LG’s business, which is soon expected to be shared with Japan Display. If and when that happens, Apple’s bill of materials could go down, as increased competition among suppliers has a tendency of impacting component prices.

    In other words, LG is likely to charge less for its Apple Watch Series 5 screens than those of the next-gen wearable’s predecessor, as Japan Display finally joins the OLED supply game. This company, which was born as an LCD technology joint venture by Sony, Toshiba, and Hitachi, realized the full potential of OLED (organic light-emitting diode) panels a little too late, staying focused on liquid-crystal displays past their prime. While Japan Display’s financial troubles are far from over, any OLED partnership with Apple would provide a welcome boost to a fledgling business division.

    What it means for future iPhones

    In short, not much. After all, it’s taken LG a long time to start supplying a small number of OLED iPhone screens. Meanwhile, Apple’s two 2019 and three 2020 OLED iPhones are all expected to primarily use Samsung-made displays. That’s obviously because the world’s largest smartphone vendor makes the most sophisticated handset panels out there, lightyears ahead of LG or Japan Display’s alternatives.

    Therefore, as much as Apple would like to further diversify its iPhone supply chain and reduce the company’s reliance on its Korea-based arch-rival, quality trumps any discounts Samsung’s display-making rivals could offer. Basically, unless Apple plans to release a lower-quality, lower-cost OLED iPhone variant in the near future, Japan Display is facing quite an uphill battle here.

    The same goes for LG, although the backup supplier could earn a slightly larger share of 2019 and 2020 OLED iPhone orders, offsetting its Apple Watch losses caused by Japan Display’s newly reported “breakthrough.”

    In theory, all these possible changes and shifts of suppliers could yield lower retail prices for future Apple Watch and iPhone generations, but knowing how the Cupertino-based tech giant typically operates, we wouldn’t hold our breath. After all, the best way to make up for shrinking sales numbers is to jack up profit margins.

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  • Westpac introduces Apple Pay in New Zealand

    Westpac introduces Apple Pay in New Zealand

    Westpac New Zealand customers can now use Apple Pay wherever contactless payments are accepted.

    This reflects the findings of a recent study by Allied Market Research, which found that younger consumers appreciate the simplicity of mobile payments.

    The mobile payment market is expected to reach $4.5 trillion by 2023, according to the research firm, which also notes the market is growing with a “lightning-fast” rate in Asia-Pacific.

    However, even mobile payments are beginning to be superseded.

    The report noted that near field communication (NFC) and QR technology is fast becoming standard in various parts of Asia-Pacific, and various market players are already investing in this new technology.

    Westpac is celebrating the launch of Apple Pay by donating $2.50 for every customer who uses Apple Pay five times before May 2, 2019, to charity. Each customer will also receive a one-off payment of $10.

    “It is yet another reason for our customers to get excited about Apple Pay,” Shane Howell, Westpac’s chief experience officer, said.

    The four charities that will benefit from the initiative are the Mental Health Foundation, Shine, Sustainable Coastlines, and New Zealand’s rescue helicopter services.

  • Logitech unveils affordable Smart Keyboard alternatives for Apple iPad PROs

    Logitech unveils affordable Smart Keyboard alternatives for Apple iPad PROs

    Logitech makes some of the best third-party accessories for iPhones and iPads, a few of which can even be purchased directly from Apple at very competitive prices. Just think of the $69.95 Logitech Crayon, which substantially undercuts the $99 and up Apple Pencil. Or the $69.95 Logitech Powered wireless charging stand, or $130 and up Logitech Slim Combos with detachable keyboards for previous-generation iPad Pros

    Oddly enough, Logitech still doesn’t sell any keyboard accessories tailor-made for Apple’s newest iPad Pro models, but that’s finally set to change later this month. The Slim Folio Pro looks and sounds extremely similar to the first-party Smart Keyboard Folio, starting however at only $119.99. That’s a whopping 60 bucks cheaper than Apple’s own 11-inch option, while the Logitech Slim Folio Pro for 2018’s 12.9-inch iPad Pro will cost $129.99, compared to the $199 price tag of its Apple-made counterpart.

    Impressively enough, it doesn’t seem like Logitech has had to cut many corners or make any big compromises to go this low in terms of retail prices, as the Slim Folio Pro ticks all the essential boxes of a robust “all-in-one case”… and then some. You get both front and back protection against scuffs, scratches, and spills for your new 11 or 12.9-inch iPad Pro, an “edge-to-edge” backlit keyboard design aimed at stellar productivity, and even a special magnetic latch to safely store your Apple Pencil when not in use.

    Without a doubt, the best thing about this overall top-notch Smart Keyboard alternative is its battery life, rated at “up to three months” on a single charge. The Slim Folio Pro is also pretty versatile, enabling comfortable typing, sketching, and reading experiences by propping up your iPad Pro, sliding underneath it, or effortlessly folding back.

    The only possible drawback is the use of Bluetooth technology to wirelessly connect to Apple’s latest powerhouses rather than leveraging their magnetic Smart Connectors. But Bluetooth keyboards can be reliable too, so if you want to save a few bucks, you should definitely consider the Logitech Slim Folio Pro… when it actually goes on sale.

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  • Swatch wins trademark lawsuit against Apple

    Swatch wins trademark lawsuit against Apple

    Swatch is no stranger to legal battles with giants like Apple and Samsung, and to some success, we might add. The Swiss company filed a lawsuit against Samsung two months ago, because the South Korean company copied Swatch’s trademark on its smartwatch faces. However, Swatch was sued by Apple two years ago for a similar reason. The Cupertino-based company claimed in the lawsuit that Swatch’s logo – “Tick different,” which is etched on some of its smartwatches, strongly resemble its famous “Think different” slogan.

    Unfortunately for Apple, a Swiss court has just ruled in Swatch’s favor over the use of its “Tick different” logo. Apparently, the court doesn’t think that Swatch’s slogan infringes on Apple’s own logo, but even if they are very similar, the Swiss company claims the “Think Different” advertising campaign wasn’t too popular in Switzerland to warrant protection.

    The Federal Administrative Court has agreed with Swatch and said that Apple hasn’t given the court enough documents that would back up its case. Of course, Swatch wouldn’t stand a chance in the United States where the “Think Different” advertising campaign remains one the most famous in the company’s history.

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  • Spotify and Apple Music were very important to the music industry Last Year

    Spotify and Apple Music were very important to the music industry Last Year

    It’s okay to dance now that the 2019 IFPI Global Music Report is out. The report from The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry shows that a 32.9% increase in paid streaming revenues helped drive a similar increase in total streaming revenue last year. Streaming now accounts for 46.9% of the music industry. Overall, the global music market increased its top line by 9.7% last year to $19.1 billion and revenue from streaming music came to $8.9 billion, up from $6.7 billion in 2017. Streaming was obviously very important to the music industry during 2018. That is especially true since last year music downloads and physical music sales declined 21.2% and 10.1%, respectively.

    As 2018 came to an end, there were 255 million people around the world paying monthly for streaming music. The leading provider globally was Spotify, with 87 million paying subscribers. Apple Music came in second. In the U.S., growth in streaming music revenue came to 33.4% last year, while sales of physical music (records, CDs) declined 22.1%. In the states, the fastest growth came from the paid streaming segment.

    “Streaming revenues, particularly from paid subscriptions, continued to grow in 2018, with all regions posting growth in this area. Overall, growth trends were more diverse across different markets.”-IFPI

    The top two music streamers in the world, Spotify and Apple, are at odds over the 30% that Apple charges Spotify subscribers who pay monthly through the App Store. As we told you last month, Spotify has filed a complaint with the European Commission over this so-called “Apple Tax.” This is why individual Spotify subscriptions cost $12.99 on the App Store as opposed to the usual $9.99 price. With Apple Music available from the iOS app storefront for only $9.99 a month, Spotify claims Apple is giving its own music streaming app a major advantage.

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  • Apple cuts the prices of its devices in China

    Apple cuts the prices of its devices in China

    Earlier this year, there were quite a few reasons why Apple decided to cut the wholesale price of the 2018 iPhone models in China. First, the strength of the U.S. Dollar against the Chinese Yuan forced Apple to price the ‘more affordable’ iPhone XR higher than the premium-priced Huawei Mate 20 Pro in China. When the dollar is stronger against the Yuan, it means that Apple gets fewer dollars back when it converts the Yuans it receives from sales of its products in China. At this point, Apple has a choice; it can keep pricing the same and suffer the consequences, or it can lower its prices in China and take a hit to its margins.

    In addition, a rise of Chinese nationalism hurt iPhone sales as consumers in the country protested the U.S.-China trade war and the U.S. government’s treatment of Huawei. There was the overall sluggishness in the smartphone market due to high prices, lack of innovation and high penetration rates for smartphones. Lower sales in China of iPhone models forced Apple to cut its revenue guidance for the fiscal first quarter, leading to a selloff in the company’s stock. At the time, Apple CEO Tim Cook said, “If you look at our results, our shortfall is over 100 percent from iPhone and it’s primarily in greater China.” As it turned out, Apple ended up shipping 20% fewer iPhone units to China during the three month period, and its overall revenue in the market declined by 28% or $5 billion.

    Caixin reports today that Apple has made another bold pricing move in China, this time slashing prices of certain devices in the company’s own online and physical stores by as much as 6%. The affected products include iPhones, iPads, AirPods and Macs. For example, in China’s version of the Apple Store, the 64GB iPhone XR is now priced at 6,199 Yuan (equivalent to $924 USD at current exchange rates), a 4.6% decline from the 6,499 Yuan that the phone was listed at just a few days ago. The price cut took 500 Yuan ($74.50 USD) off the prices of the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max.

    This is why Apple cut its prices in China today

    However, unlike the previous price cut in China, this time the reason has nothing to do with the supply-demand balance. Starting today, new regulations dropped the value-added tax (VAT) for manufacturers in China to 13% from 16%. This gives Apple some leeway to lower the pricing of Apple devices in the country. Still, consumers in China often find better pricing for the company’s products online. Prices for the iPhone XS Max and iPhone XS declined by as much as 2,000 Yuan ($298 USD) last month on these sites due to tepid sales of the phones. E-commerce firms in China such as Tmall and JD.com have now cut their prices on the 2018 iPhone models twice this year.

    It wasn’t until 2009 that a Chinese wireless provider offered the Apple iPhone to consumers. Before the iPhone 3GS became available from China Unicom, iPhone models could only be purchased from the black market.

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  • Google yanks controversial app from the Play Store

    Google yanks controversial app from the Play Store

    Axios revealed last week that Google has removed the Living Hope Ministries app from the Google Play Store. Those who installed the app could listen to recordings of sermons and view texts of devotionals for men, women, parents and their children. However, despite the Ministry’s denial, the app was also known for offering gay conversion therapy. This is a controversial method that some (including Vice President Mike Pence) believe will convert gay and bisexual men and women to a heterosexual orientation. The conversion is done by a brainwashing-like technique that uses psychology and religious belief to pound messages into subjects over and over again. Some say that this technique is harmful, ineffective, and could lead to depression, drug use and suicide.

    Meanwhile, Google’s action came after 142,212 people signed a petition on Change.org that called for the app’s removal. Several LGBTQ organizations also demanded that the app is removed. But Google did not respond immediately; it took months of protesting before the company finally followed the lead of other tech firms that had already removed the app from their storefronts such as Apple, Microsoft and Amazon.

    “It took months of activism by Truth Wins Out and Change.org, and today Human Rights Campaign, to get Google to pull a conversion therapy app. I called Google out in the press about this in January. They took no action. Credit is due for finally acting — but Google now needs a serious internal audit examining why it delayed so long.”-Sen. Brad Hoylman.

    “After consulting with outside advocacy groups, reviewing our policies, and making sure we had a thorough understanding of the app and its relation to conversion therapy, we’ve decided to remove it from the Play Store, consistent with other app stores.”-Google

    Before the Human Rights Campaign fought for the removal of the app, it had given Google a perfect 100% score for its annual Corporate Equality Index. The score was based on Google’s offering of health benefits for same-sex couples, and for providing health care to Transgender employees. However, the organization pulled its support for Google because it would not originally remove the Living Hope Ministries app.

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