MacRumors

During the second quarter of 2018, Apple shipped an estimated 3.5 million Apple Watches worldwide, according to new data shared today by analytics firm Canalys.

At 3.5 million units shipped, Apple sold 30 percent more watches than it did a year ago during the second quarter of 2017, with the difference being the availability of the Apple Watch Series 3 with LTE connection, a feature that likely spurred many customers to upgrade or purchase one of the watches for the first time.

Apple's LTE Apple Watch was especially popular in Asia, accounting for 60 percent of the 250,000 units that were shipped to the region. The Apple Watch Series 3 with LTE was the best-shipping smartwatch in Asia in Q2 2018, according to Canalys.

While Apple's shipments were up, the company's share of the smartwatch market dropped to 34 percent from 43 percent in the first quarter of 2018. Canalys attributes this to competition in the smartwatch market, including strong performances from Fitbit and Garmin.

Total global smartwatch shipments reached 10 million units during the second quarter.

Apple faces a growing threat from competitors, which have started to pass the million quarterly shipments mark," said Canalys Research Analyst Vincent Thielke. "Vendors are trying to differentiate their products with advanced heart-rate metrics, smart coaching and mapping, and consumers now have a much wider range of smartwatches to choose from than they did a year ago. Amid further competition from Samsung and Google, rumored to be launching Galaxy and Pixel watches respectively, Apple needs to work out how to drive refreshes in markets such as the US, where its penetration into the existing iPhone installed base has started to level off."

Canalys' Apple Watch shipment numbers are estimates, as Apple does not report the number of Apple Watches that it has sold and specific numbers are not available. Apple Watch sales are lumped into the company's "Other" category, which also includes AirPods, Apple TV, HomePod, Beats products, iPod touch, and other Apple-branded and third-party accessories.

Last quarter, Apple CEO Tim Cook said that the Apple Watch saw strong revenue growth "in the double digits," setting a March quarter revenue record. Apple plans to report its fiscal third quarter earnings results next week, which should give us a bit more insight into the performance of the Apple Watch from April to June.

As Canalys points out, with Apple facing competition from other vendors, updates to the Apple Watch are needed. Apple has not changed the design of the device since it was introduced in 2015, but this year, rumors suggest it will feature a larger display (1.57 inches and 1.78 inches) perhaps implemented through a reduction in bezel size, a higher-capacity battery, and enhanced heart rate detection features.

Samsung this morning shared three new ads in its "Ingenius" series that's designed to make fun of the Apple Genius Bar while highlighting features that Samsung believes will lure people to its Galaxy S9 devices instead of one of Apple's iPhones.

The first ad makes fun of the notch on the iPhone X, with a customer who comes into the "Ingenius" bar asking the employee about the notch on the device, pointing out that it covers a portion of the display when watching a movie.

"It does still cover up some of the movie," says customer. "It takes time to get used to it," the employee responds before the ad cuts away to a family with notch-style haircuts.

While the Samsung Galaxy S9 has no notch, it does have top and bottom bezels, with the top bezel housing the camera, microphone, and ambient light sensor. Samsung has preferred to keep the two bezels rather than using the notch design that many Android smartphones have adopted from Apple.

In the second ad, "Storage," a customer asks the Ingenius Bar employee where the microSD slot is on the iPhone. "I can't find the microSD slot," she laments. "Yeah, that's because it doesn't have one," the employee replies. "Oh, Galaxy S9 has one," she responds before explaining that she doesn't want to store her content in the cloud.

In the third and final ad, a customer asks how to run two apps at once on the iPhone's display, something that's not possible. "I wanna know how to do the split screen because my sister was doing it on her Galaxy S9," she explains as the tech tells her that's not possible.

Multitasking on iOS devices is limited to the iPad, and while customers have asked for it to be ported to the larger screened phones, this is not something that Apple has implemented at the current time.

Samsung started sharing its new Ingenius ad campaign last week, in a video touting the Galaxy S9's faster LTE download speeds.

Samsung followed that initial ad with additional spots mocking the iPhone's lack of a headphone jack, the fact that it doesn't ship with the equipment necessary for fast charging, and that the iPhone received a lower DxOMark score than the Galaxy S9 for its camera capabilities.

As highlighted by Digital Trends and VentureBeat, a small number of users have turned to the Apple Support Communities to report incidents of kernel panicking on the new MacBook Pro, possibly linked to Apple's T2 chip. The issue has also been highlighted by some of our own readers in the MacRumors forums.

Many of the crash logs shared by users mention bridgeOS, which is the device firmware on the logic board that controls many functions, including the T2, fueling speculation that the chip is the root cause of the problem.

Similar reports of kernel panicking began last year with the iMac Pro, which is also equipped with the T2, so this does seem to be a potential issue with the chip, or the bridgeOS firmware that manages it, rather than an entirely new MacBook Pro controversy like the since-fixed excessive throttling.

Apple's custom T2 chip integrates several previously separate components, including the system management controller, image signal processor, audio controller, and SSD controller. It also features a Secure Enclave coprocessor for secure boot, encrypted storage, and authenticating Touch ID.

Apple support representatives appear to have provided a wide variety of solutions, ranging from disabling FileVault to turning off Power Nap, but none of the advice customers received suggests there is a permanent fix.

MacRumors reached out to Apple, which told us that this is not a widespread issue, nor one that it has received any direct reports about. Nevertheless, Apple said it has relevant teams looking into the matter and, unsurprisingly, is always aiming to improve the stability and reliability of its products.

In general, Apple recommends that customers update their MacBook Pros with the macOS High Sierra Supplemental Update released earlier this week, which contains reliability and stability improvements, including a bug fix that addresses excessive thermal throttling with the latest MacBook Pro models.

According to at least one user, the Supplemental Update has not resolved the kernel panicking. Hopefully, whatever is causing the issue can be identified and promptly fixed in a future software update.

Apple's iPhone 8 Plus was the number one selling iPhone in the United States during the second quarter of 2018 according to new data shared today by Consumer Intelligence Research Partners.

The iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, and iPhone X accounted for 54 percent of US iPhone sales during the quarter, with the iPhone 8 making up 13 percent of sales, the iPhone 8 Plus making up 24 percent of sales, and the iPhone X making up 17 percent of sales.

Older iPhones continued to be popular as well, with the iPhone 7, 7 Plus, SE, 6s Plus and 6s making up 46 percent of sales. Apple's Q2 2018 sales are a deviation from its Q2 2017 sales, where the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus, the flagship phones at that time, made up more than 80 percent of sales.

In what is usually a quieter quarter for iPhone sales, the model breakdown is interesting, as older models persisted in popularity," said Josh Lowitz, CIRP Partner and Co-Founder. "The latest iPhone 8, 8 Plus, and X models accounted for a little more than half of sales, yet last year at this time the then-latest iPhone 7 and 7 Plus accounted for over 80%. And, the iPhone 6S, 6S Plus, and SE grabbed 20% in the past quarter, virtually the same as in the June 2017 quarter, though at lower price points. So, it looks like two-year old legacy iPhones have squeezed the newer models. Still, because Apple increased base storage and boosted prices, we expect Average Selling Price to increase nicely over the June 2017 quarter."

Combined, the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus made up 37 percent of purchases, far exceeding purchases of the iPhone X, according to CIRP's data.

This is likely attributable to the high price of the iPhone X, with pricing that starts at $999 vs. the iPhone 8's $699 starting price. Given the popularity of the two lower-cost devices, Apple plans to continue offering consumers an affordable option in 2018 with the 6.1-inch LCD iPhone that rumors suggest will be sold alongside more expensive 5.8 and 6.5-inch OLED models.

As for iPads, the low-cost iPad continues to be the best selling tablet, with CIRP lumping the 5th and 6th-generation models together. 31 percent of customers bought a low-cost iPad during the quarter, but the iPad Pro was also popular with a combined 40 percent of sales for the 10.5 and 12.9-inch models.

While CIRP's data can provide an interesting look at the iPhones customers in the United States are choosing to purchase, it's worth keeping in mind that CIRP's numbers are aggregated from surveys that encompass just 500 customers who purchased an iPhone, iPad, or Mac during the second quarter of 2018, which spans from April to June.

Samsung Display today announced an unbreakable OLED smartphone panel that's been certified by Underwriters Laboratory (UL), an official testing company for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration of the U.S. Department of Labor.

The UL test indicates that Samsung's unbreakable display withstood 26 drops from 1.2 meters (4 feet) with no damage and held up to extreme temperature testing. Samsung says that the display was also subjected to a drop of six feet with no sign of damage.

According to UL, the unbreakable display developed by Samsung Display passed the rigorous real-time durability test that is based on military standards set by the U.S. Department of Defense. After a drop test administered at 1.2 meters (nearly 4 feet) above the ground 26 times in succession, and accompanying high (71 degrees) and low (-32 degrees) temperature tests, the Samsung unbreakable panel continued to function normally with no damage to its front, sides or edges.

According to Samsung, its flexible OLED panel uses an unbreakable substrate that's adhered to an overlay window, a deviation from other, more breakable flexible OLED panels that use a glass-covered window.

Samsung says that the unbreakable panels are being developed for use on smartphones but are likely to find viable markets with other products like display consoles for automobiles, mobile military devices, portable game consoles, and tablet PCs.

"The fortified plastic window is especially suitable for portable electronic devices not only because of its unbreakable characteristics, but also because of its lightweight, transmissivity and hardness, which are all very similar to glass," said Hojung Kim, general manager of the Communication Team, Samsung Display Company.

While UL-certification for the panel is being announced today, Samsung first showed off its technology at DisplayWeek in May, in the form of a 6.22-inch display that was targeted at automotive customers. Samsung has been developing flexible display technology for years.

As CNET's Shara Tibken points out, Samsung's announcement comes just two weeks ahead of when it plans to unveil the Galaxy Note 9, so it's possible Samsung's upcoming flagship smartphone could use this new display technology. With UL certification, the panel is ready to be used in consumer products.

Apple uses displays sourced from Samsung in its iPhone lineup, so it's not unreasonable to think that the Cupertino company could potentially adopt this technology in the future, should it meet Apple's demands for quality.

Apple sources its OLED displays for the iPhone X from Samsung and is expected to continue using Samsung as a supplier for the foreseeable future, though the company is working on securing additional display suppliers for diversification purposes.

Apple does not have plans to use Qualcomm's LTE chips in its next-generation devices, Qualcomm's CFO said today during Qualcomm's second quarter earnings call.

As relayed by CNBC, Qualcomm CFO George Davis told investors Apple will use a competitor's chips in its 2018 iPhones, likely speaking of Intel.

"We believe Apple intends to solely use our competitors' modems rather than our modems in its next iPhone release. We will continue to provide modems for Apple legacy devices," said Davis.

Over the course of the last few months, there have been mixed reports about Apple's LTE chip plans given the legal disagreement between the two companies. Respected Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said in February that Intel would be the supplier of LTE modems for all 2018 iPhones, with Apple using no Qualcomm chips.

Kuo's report was called into question in April when Fast Company said that Intel would supply Apple with 70 percent of the LTE chips needed for the 2018 iPhones while Qualcomm would provide the rest, but it appears that report was inaccurate.

Qualcomm's statement today is also in line with an October report from The Wall Street Journal suggesting Apple would eliminate Qualcomm chips from its 2018 iPhone and iPad lineup, instead using chips from Intel and perhaps MediaTek.

Apple's decision not to use Qualcomm chips in its latest crop of iPhones is understandable given the increasingly bitter legal battle the two companies have been embroiled in for more than a year.

Apple in January 2017 sued Qualcomm for $1 billion, accusing Qualcomm of charging unfair royalties for "technologies they have nothing to do with" and failing to pay quarterly rebates. Apple and its suppliers stopped paying licensing fees at that time.

While Apple insists Qualcomm charges unfair royalties, Qualcomm claims that its technology "is at the heart of every iPhone."

It didn't take long for Qualcomm to file a countersuit claiming that Apple had infringed on several of its patents. Since then, both companies have filed multiple lawsuits against one another, and Qualcomm has also sought import and export bans on some iPhones in the United States and China.

Apple has used Qualcomm chips in its iPhones for years, but until the legal dispute is resolved, the iPhone X, iPhone 8, and iPhone 8 Plus could be the last iPhones with Qualcomm chips.

Apple is rumored to be working on its own Apple-designed modem chips for future iPhones, but until its own technology is ready, Apple devices may be equipped with Intel technology.

Rumors suggest that Apple's 2018 iPhones will use Intel's XMM 7560 modems, which support both GSM and CDMA networks. Apple is said to be planning to introduce improved antenna technology for faster connection speeds and dual-SIM dual standby functionality.

Qualcomm today reported better-than-expected quarterly results with $5.6 billion in revenue and earnings of $1.01 per share. Qualcomm saw "strong demand" from Chinese device makers amid "lower demand" from Apple.

Following the launch of the App Store in 2008, Apple CEO Steve Jobs sat down for an interview with The Wall Street Journal.

In celebration of the recent 10th anniversary of the App Store, The Wall Street Journal today published both the audio and transcript of that interview, where Jobs shares his view on the future of the App Store and the future of Apple.

The interview took place in August of 2008, a month after the launch of the App Store. Even back then, just after its debut, the App Store's success surprised Jobs, who said Apple hadn't expected the App Store to "be this big." "The mobile industry's never seen anything like this," he said.

Within 30 days, users had downloaded 30 percent as many apps as everybody in the world downloaded songs from iTunes during the same period of time. Jobs said he could not even predict how many new apps would be uploaded by a particular date given the App Store's wildly popular debut.

I would not trust any of our predictions because reality has so far exceeded them by such a great degree that we've been reduced to spectators just like you, watching this amazing phenomenon and just doing our best to try to help everybody get their apps done and get them on the store.

In the early days of the App Store, Apple was criticized for high app prices. "It's a competition," said Jobs. "Who knew what to price things at?" According to Jobs, Apple didn't have advice for developers on pricing either. "Our opinions are no better than yours because this is so new."

Jobs went on to mull how the App Store could grow in the future as people adopted the iPhone and the iPod touch, speculating that it could be a billion dollar marketplace, which Apple has significantly exceeded. As of July 2018, developers have earned more than $100 billion from the App Store.

Who knows? Maybe it'll be a billion dollar marketplace at some point in time. This doesn't happen very often. A whole new billion dollar market opens up. 360 million in the first 30 days, I've never seen anything like this in my career for software.

Jobs said that he didn't expect the App Store would be a big profit generator, with Apple instead launching it to add value to the iPhone. Jobs was wrong, though, and Apple's services category is the size of a Fortune 100 company, largely on the strength of the App Store. In Q2 2018, for example, services brought in $9.19 billion and the App Store set an all time revenue record.

While Jobs was surprised by the success of the App Store, it didn't stop him from declaring that the "phone of the future will be differentiated by software," a prediction that has largely come true. Today, many high-end smartphones share similar features and designs, with software - iOS and Android - as one of the main factors that people take into consideration when choosing a device.

The entire interview with Steve Jobs is well worth listening to and can be found over at The Wall Street Journal.

Apple CEO Tim Cook will speak at the second annual LOVELOUD festival at Rice Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City this Saturday. He will then introduce the band Imagine Dragons for a live performance on stage.

LOVELOUD was founded in 2017 by Dan Reynolds, the lead singer of Imagine Dragons, to "help ignite the relevant and vital conversation of what it means to unconditionally love, understand, accept, and support LGBTQ+ youth in an effort to keep families together," according to the foundation's website.

"Tim Cook joining us in Utah for LOVELOUD sends a clear message to LGBTQ youth that they have unlimited potential to achieve their dreams," said Reynolds. "Tim is an unwavering advocate for human rights and equality, and we're thrilled he'll be joining our powerful line-up of speakers and performers."

Other guest speakers will include actor Alfonso Ribeiro, dancer Julianne Hough, Ellen Show star Kalen Allen, Tegan Quin of Tegan and Sara, Grammy-nominated songwriter Justin Tranter, musician WRABEL, singer Mary Lambert, comic Dana Goldberg, singer-songwriters VINCINT & Parson James, and more.

Other performers will include Zedd, Linkin Park's Mike Shinoda, Grace Vanderwaal, and Neon Trees' Tyler Glenn. Nationally touring stand-up comedian Cameron Esposito will also perform and emcee the day's festivities.

LOVELOUD tickets are available for purchase online, while AT&T will be live streaming the entire event on Twitter. The non-profit LOVELOUD Foundation says proceeds from this year's event will be donated to LGBTQ+ organizations, including Encircle, the Tegan and Sara Foundation, and the Trevor Project.

The festival is scheduled for Saturday, July 28, with doors open at 2 p.m. local time, and music beginning at 3:30 p.m. local time.

Apple as a company has shown its support for the LGBTQ community over the years by participating in Pride parades around the world, introducing Pride-themed Apple Watch bands, and supporting LGBTQ rights and laws.

Note: Due to the political nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Politics, Religion, Social Issues forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.

Apple today shared a fun new iPhone X ad on its YouTube channel, this time touting the capabilities of the A11 Bionic chip built into the device.

In the video, a student walks down the street playing popular iOS game Vainglory on his iPhone when the game characters start coming to life and attacking him, causing him to fight them off in the real world.

Apple has shared multiple clever iPhone X ads focusing on features like Face ID, Animoji, Portrait Mode, Portrait Lighting, and more, but this is the first video that has specifically highlighted the A11 Bionic chip, which is the fastest chip ever in one of Apple's mobile devices.

The A11 is a 10-nanometer six-core 2.4GHz chip with two performance cores and four high-efficiency cores, and it's powerful enough for console-quality games and augmented reality applications. It includes a three-core Apple-designed GPU too, along with an embedded M11 Motion coprocessor.

In benchmarks, the A11 significantly outperforms the A10 included in previous models for better gaming and better performance all around. It's called the "Bionic" because two of the cores in the chip are dedicated to a neural engine that's able to process more than 600 billion operations per second, powering Face ID and other machine learning tasks.

Apple's latest iPhone X ad will be shown on TV and on social networks starting soon. According to Vainglory's developers, there's an exclusive skin tied to the ad that can be downloaded in game.