MacRumors

A new report out today by Bloomberg's Mark Gurman and Debby Wu further confirms a bevy of rumors centering upon Apple's three 2018 iPhones. Expected to be revealed at an event in just a few weeks, the iPhones will all look visually similar to last year's iPhone X, but "boast a wider range of prices, features, and sizes to increase their appeal."

According to people familiar with Apple's launch plans, some inside of the company have referred to this year's launch as an "S year," designated for years when its smartphones keep the same design of a previous generation but bump up internals and add new features. "The company is planning more significant changes for next year," the people said.

One of the tidbits from today's report focuses on the naming scheme for this year's iPhone models, which appears to have caused somewhat of a "naming conundrum" within Apple. The company reportedly considered going with "iPhone Xs" for the OLED models, akin to the iPhone 5s, iPhone 6s, etc., but has "altered the name multiple times," so it's unclear what Apple finally landed on. We'll have to wait a few more weeks to know the official names of the 5.8-inch, 6.1-inch, and 6.5-inch iPhones.

The new iPhone lineup has presented Apple with a naming conundrum, according to a person familiar with the deliberations. The company will be selling three phones that look similar and all have Face ID. But the cheapest model will be larger than the mid-range version, potentially confusing consumers.

While planning the new devices, Apple has altered the names multiple times. It has at least considered branding the new premium phones the "iPhone Xs," indicating that they’re an upgrade to last year’s iPhone X, the person said. The company has also weighed eschewing the "Plus" label for the larger model, which it has used since the iPhone 6 Plus launched with a larger screen in 2014. The final names could be different, the person noted.

Reiterating on previous rumors, Bloomberg mentions that Apple will launch a 6.5-inch "high-end" iPhone this year with a glass back, stainless steel edges, dual cameras, and an iPad-like landscape view. This would introduce a feature similar to iPad and previous "Plus" iPhones, although Apple has been thinking about ditching the "Plus" label this year.

There’ll be a new high-end iPhone, internally dubbed D33, with a display that measures about 6.5-inch diagonally, according to the people familiar with the matter. That would make it the largest iPhone by far and one of the biggest mainstream phones on the market. It will continue to have a glass back with stainless steel edges and dual cameras on the back.

The big difference on the software side will be the ability to view content side-by-side in apps like Mail and Calendar. It will be Apple’s second phone with a crisper organic light-emitting diode, or OLED, screen.

For the upgrade to the 5.8-inch iPhone X, the "main changes" will be iterative updates to processing speed and the camera. Lastly, the low-cost 6.1-inch iPhone will also look visually similar to the iPhone X, but include multiple color options, include aluminum edges instead of stainless steel, and have a cheaper LCD screen. According to the sources, "the cheaper version's aluminum edges won't necessarily be the same color as the colored glass back," similar to the way the White/Space Gray of the iPhone X's back did not affect the color of the silver stainless steel edges last year.

Further confirming previous rumors, all three models will have Face ID, and the two larger iPhones will have dual-SIM card slots "in at least some regions." Previously, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reported that the 6.1-inch iPhone would come in two models, one that includes a single SIM and a second that offers dual-SIM card slots. Today Bloomberg suggests the 6.5-inch model will get this feature as well.

Today's report also briefly mentions a "nearly edge-to-edge" Apple Watch, while confirming compatibility with existing Apple Watch bands. The next iPad Pros will measure around 11-inches and 12.9-inches with slimmer bezels and Face ID, although anyone awaiting an update to the iPad mini will again be disappointed this year as this model "won't be upgraded."

We're getting very close to the launch of the 2018 iPhones, with German carriers suggesting that pre-orders for the iPhone will take place on Friday, September 14. That puts an announcement earlier in the week, perhaps on September 12, which would be in line with historic iPhone event dates. Following September 14 pre-orders, new 2018 iPhones are likely to see a launch on Friday, September 21.

A security flaw in Apple's online store exposed the account PINs of more than 72 million T-Mobile customers, reports BuzzFeed News.

The vulnerability was discovered by security researchers Phobia and Nicholas "Convict" Ceraolo, who also found a similar flaw in the website for phone insurance company Asurion that exposed AT&T account PINs.

Both Apple and Asurion fixed the website flaws that left the PINs vulnerable after learning about them from BuzzFeed News. Apple opted not to provide further comment on the situation, but told BuzzFeed News that it is "very grateful to the researchers who found the flaw."

PINs, or passcodes, are numbers that are used as an additional account security measure by many carriers in the United States. Mobile device PINs are typically a last line of defense for a cellular account as both carrier websites and support staff will ask for the PIN for confirmation before making account changes.

SIM hacking, which uses social engineering to get carrier support staff to transfer a person's phone number to a new SIM, has become increasingly prevalent due to the number of accounts (bank, email, social media, etc.) that are tied to a person's phone number. A PIN is used as a defense mechanism against SIM hacking, which means exposed PINs can be particularly dangerous.

Accessing the T-Mobile PINs on Apple's website involved a brute force attack where a hacker used software to input multiple different numeric combinations to guess the proper one.

As BuzzFeed News explains, after initiating a T-Mobile iPhone purchase on the Apple online store and selecting monthly payment options through T-Mobile, Apple's site directs users to an authentication form asking for a T-Mobile number and account PIN or last four digits of a social security number (which most carriers use in place of a PIN when one has not been set).

The page allowed for infinite entry attempts into the PIN field, enabling the brute force attack that let hackers guess PINs associated with a T-Mobile phone number.

The security vulnerability appears to have been limited to T-Mobile accounts, as the same validation page for other carriers on Apple's site uses a rate limit that locks access to the form for 60 minutes after five to 10 incorrect entries. Given that the other carrier pages had rate limiting enabled, it's likely Apple made an error on the T-Mobile page.

According to Ceraolo, the vulnerability is likely due to an engineering mistake made when connecting T-Mobile's account validation API to Apple's website.

A similar vulnerability on Asurion's website exposed an unspecified number of AT&T account PINs. An AT&T spokesperson said that it is working with Asurion to investigate the issue and will "take any additional action that may be appropriate."

A phone number was required for both of these attacks, limiting the number of people who may have been impacted, but AT&T and T-Mobile customers who are concerned about their account safety should choose a new PIN.

Samsung recently released its latest flagship device, the Galaxy Note 9, which is set to be one of the main competitors to Apple's 2018 iPhone lineup, consisting of three iPhones in 5.8, 6.1, and 6.5 inch sizes.

Apple won't announce its new 2018 smartphones until sometime around mid-September, but given the wealth of part leaks and rumors, we have a clear picture of what to expect.

We may not have real iPhones to compare to the Galaxy Note 9, but we've taken a look at Samsung's new flagship next to dummy models of the 6.1 and 6.5-inch iPhones to see how Apple's larger-screened devices will measure up to the Note 9.

Samsung's Galaxy Note 9 features a 6.4-inch display but Samsung has refused to embrace the notch, so it continues to feature bezels at the top and bottom. That sets it apart from Apple's lineup, as all three iPhones are adopting the edge-to-edge design that was first introduced with the iPhone X.

Apple is planning on a second-generation 5.8-inch OLED iPhone, a 6.5-inch OLED iPhone, and a 6.1-inch iPhone with an LCD, which is set to be a low-priced option. Even though the 6.1-inch iPhone is expected to be priced as low as $700, all of Apple's 2018 iPhone lineup is adopting the TrueDepth camera system and Face ID, doing away with Home buttons entirely.

Size wise, the 6.4-inch Galaxy Note 9 is most similar in size to Apple's upcoming 6.5-inch iPhone, but the Note 9 feels bulkier in the hand due because it's taller with buttons that are placed in inconvenient locations. The 6.5-inch iPhone is a more comfortable shape, while the 6.1 and 5.8-inch iPhones are even easier to hold.

Aside from size, Apple's iPhones and Samsung's Galaxy Note are rather different. Along with the difference in bezels (Apple's are much smaller), the Note 9 continues to offer a headphone jack, a fingerprint sensor on the rear of the phone, and integration for the S-Pen, Samsung's stylus.

Some rumors have suggested Apple is planning on introducing Apple Pencil support in at least some of the new iPhones, but it's not clear if this is actually going to happen. If it does, though, it would introduce further feature parity between the Note and the iPhone.

Dual cameras are included with the Note 9, which we're also expecting for two of three of the upcoming iPhones. Both the 5.8 and 6.5-inch models will feature a dual-lens camera setup, while the 6.1-inch model will feature a single-lens camera.

Since these are iPhone dummy models and not the real thing, we can't compare performance between the Note and the upcoming iPhones. Samsung's new smartphone uses a Snapdragon 845 chip, though, which is already outperformed by the A11. Apple's new iPhones will use a faster, more efficient A12 chip, which will introduce further speed improvements. The 5.8 and 6.5-inch models are also rumored to include 4GB RAM. The Galaxy Note 9 offers 6 to 8GB RAM, but Apple often matches or exceeds the performance of Android phones with more RAM due to tight integration of hardware and software.

Samsung's smartphones win out when it comes to LTE speeds right now, but that could change with the 2018 iPhone lineup as Apple is using upgraded Intel chips that offer faster connection speeds than the chips in the iPhone X, 8, and 8 Plus. The Note 9 may also have superior battery life with its included 4,000 mAh battery, but we haven't heard a lot of rumors about Apple's battery plans as of yet.

The Galaxy Note 9 is actually one of the Android smartphones that looks the least like the iPhone X and the iPhones coming in 2018, but as Samsung's newest flagship device with performance and features close to what we're expecting to see in the new iPhone lineup, it is going to be one of the main competitors Apple will need to contend with this fall.

What do you think of the Galaxy Note 9 compared to the design of Apple's larger-screened 6.5-inch iPhone? Let us know in the comments.

Apple may adopt a new power-saving backplane technology for iPhone and Apple Watch displays in the long term, which should contribute to longer battery life on those devices, according to research firm IHS Markit.

For context, the backplane is responsible for turning individual pixels on and off, meaning that it plays a significant role in determining a display's resolution, refresh rate, and power consumption, as IHS explains.

At present, OLED displays in smartphones use LTPS TFT, or low-temperature polysilicon thin-film transistors, as the standard backplane technology. But, in the coming years, IHS believes Apple could switch to LTPO TFT, or low-temperature polycrystalline oxide, for the backplane in future iPhones.

In theory, IHS estimates that LTPO can save 5-15% in power consumption versus LTPS, resulting in extended battery life on future iPhones. The reasons for this are quite technical, but from a high level, IHS says that LTPO has an Oxide TFT structure that can reduce the power leakage of LTPS.

The more technical explanation is that power consumption would be especially reduced under a "switching model," where "the pixel circuit would be patterned such that the switching TFT would be p-Si and the drive TFT would be IGZO."

As the size and resolution of iPhone displays continues to increase, power consumption increases, so any battery life gains are beneficial.

IHS believes that Apple may also be interested in developing LTPO technology to gain more control over components of OLED displays, as it says manufacturers like Samsung and LG currently maintain exclusive control over the process.

Apple currently sources flexible OLED panels exclusively from Samsung, but LG may emerge as a second supplier as it aims for qualification, according to IHS. Samsung and LG are both suppliers of flexible OLED panels for the Apple Watch, too, and IHS says Apple may soon require them to look at LTPO.

IHS Markit believes Apple may ask display manufacturers to start deploying LTPO first on the Apple Watch, and then gradually introduce it in the iPhone display over the long term, as it did with OLED first on Apple Watch and then iPhone X.

Today marks the seventh anniversary of the late Steve Jobs resigning as CEO of Apple. In a letter addressed to Apple's Board of Directors, dated August 24, 2011, Jobs strongly recommended then-COO Tim Cook be named his successor.

Letter from Steve Jobs:

To the Apple Board of Directors and the Apple Community:

I have always said if there ever came a day when I could no longer meet my duties and expectations as Apple’s CEO, I would be the first to let you know. Unfortunately, that day has come.

I hereby resign as CEO of Apple. I would like to serve, if the Board sees fit, as Chairman of the Board, director and Apple employee.

As far as my successor goes, I strongly recommend that we execute our succession plan and name Tim Cook as CEO of Apple.

I believe Apple’s brightest and most innovative days are ahead of it. And I look forward to watching and contributing to its success in a new role.

I have made some of the best friends of my life at Apple, and I thank you all for the many years of being able to work alongside you.

Steve

Apple's Board of Directors approved the request, effective immediately, with Jobs elected Chairman of the Board. Jobs reportedly remained closely involved with Apple's strategic decision-making until passing away October 5, 2011.

Alleged leaked images of a case for one of the upcoming redesigned iPad Pro models were shared by Slashleaks today showing a mysterious new cutout on the back.

Reliable Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has said Apple is working on two new iPad Pro models, to measure 11 and 12.9-inches. These images are said to be for the "10.5-inch" model – likely a reference to the new 11-inch device with slimmer bezels and a corresponding larger display – and reveal a pill-shaped hollow on the rear of the case that is horizontally aligned with the Lightning connector.

The case images hark back to a July Mac Otakara report suggesting Apple has relocated the Smart Connector on its upcoming redesigned iPad Pro models from the side to the bottom near the Lightning port.

Shortly after the Mac Otakara report emerged, an alleged CAD image shared by mobile leaker Steve Hemmerstoffer appeared to depict the Smart Connector gone from its usual place and a new oblong indentation near the Lightning port.

The cutout in today's alleged iPad case leak looks just like the indentation in the CAD render, however unlike the render this case still has a horizontal cutout similar to where a Smart Connector resides on the current crop of iPad Pro models, albeit on the opposite side of the device alongside the volume buttons.

The image throws up a number of questions. Not least of those is how a proposed Smart Connector on the bottom of an iPad Pro would work with Apple's Smart Keyboard accessory.

The relocated connector would require a new vertically oriented Smart Keyboard, but a keyboard in that orientation would presumably be unstable, especially for the larger iPad Pro, plus it would likely be unsuitable for Office-style productivity work.

Mac Otakara has suggested that Apple is making the change because Face ID will work only when the iPad Pro is in a vertical orientation. However, previous information from Mac Otakara suggested Apple was working on horizontal Face ID in iOS 12 for the new iPad Pro models, which are expected to incorporate Apple's TrueDepth Camera system first introduced on the iPhone X.

Commenting on the Mac Otakara report, well-connected Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman also said the horizontal Face ID support is designed for the upcoming iPad Pro models, expected to be announced in September.

But what if the new pill-shaped hollow in the alleged case images is actually for something other than a new Smart Connector, as suggested by the continuing existence of a horizontal cutout?

Is it a magnetic alignment for another type of keyboard or accessory? A wireless charging contact? USB-C? The (highly unlikely) relocation of Touch ID in lieu of support for horizontal Face ID? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

T-Mobile customers are now able to enroll in the iPhone Upgrade program online, a process that used to require a visit to an Apple Store.

The change is reflected in updated language in the Apple Store app, which now says that customers can join the iPhone Upgrade Program online with AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, or Verizon.

AT&T, Verizon, and Sprint users have been able to enroll in the iPhone Upgrade Program online since the program launched, allowing for online purchases of new iPhones, but T-Mobile subscribers who wanted to upgrade to a new iPhone using the iPhone Upgrade Program could not do so online like other customers for previous iPhone launches.

With this policy change, T-Mobile customers who plan to purchase a new iPhone using the iPhone Upgrade Program when the 2018 iPhones launch should be able to do so entirely online without visiting a retail store.

Apple last year offered pre-approvals for the iPhone Upgrade Program, which allowed iPhone Upgrade Program customers to get through the checkout process more quickly when pre-orders kicked off.

Apple is likely to offer the same pre-approval process this year, which customers of all carriers will be able to participate in. Apple also offered Trade-in kits delivered by mail last year, another option previously not available to T-Mobile users.

[via Reddit]

Apple today seeded the tenth beta of an upcoming iOS 12 update to developers for testing purposes, three days after seeding the ninth beta and more than two months after introducing the new software at the Worldwide Developers Conference. Apple has also seeded an 8th beta to public beta testers.

Registered developers can download the new iOS 12 beta from Apple's Developer Center or over-the-air after installing the proper certificate, while public beta testers can download the beta over-the-air.

iOS 12 brings several major new features, with Apple revamping the operating system from top to bottom to make iPhones and iPads, especially the older models, faster and more responsive.

On the iPhone X, there are new Animoji characters along with "Memoji," which are customizable, personalized, humanoid Animoji that can be used both in Messages and in FaceTime, and there are new camera effects in both of those apps.

Apple originally planned to introduce Group FaceTime support in iOS 12, but the feature was removed in iOS 12 beta 7 and will not be reintroduced until later this fall in a future update to iOS 12.

Siri is smarter in iOS 12 with a new Shortcuts feature that lets you create multi-step customized automations using first and third-party apps that can be activated with Siri voice commands. Shortcuts can be created through the Shortcuts app, available as a beta from Apple's Developer Center.

Apple built comprehensive time management and monitoring tools into iOS 12 with Screen Time, allowing you to keep track of how much time you're spending in apps on your iPhone and iPad. App limits can help you cut back on iOS device usage, and robust parental controls are included for families.

Updated Do Not Disturb options make activating Do Not Disturb more intuitive and simple, and a new Do Not Disturb at Bedtime feature cuts down on nighttime distractions and sleep interruptions.

Grouped Notifications make incoming notifications easier to view and manage, while a new Instant Tuning feature lets you tweak your notification settings right on the Lock screen on a notification-by-notification basis.

Apple News has a new Browse feature, the Stocks app has been redesigned and brought to the iPad, iBooks has been overhauled with a new look and a new name -- Apple Books -- and Voice Memos has been revamped with iCloud support and an iPad app.

ARKit 2.0 introduces new capabilities like shared experiences that let two people see the same AR environment on separate devices, and persistence, which allows AR experiences to be saved across multiple sessions. There's also a new Apple-built Measure app for measuring objects using AR capabilities.

iOS 12 includes a revamped and rebuilt Maps app that uses a new Apple-designed Maps engine that will display foliage, pools, buildings, pedestrian pathways, and other map elements more accurately. The new Maps also includes significant improvements to traffic, real-time road conditions, construction, and more, plus it will enable Apple to push out changes and fixes more quickly.

The updated Maps app is available in the Northern California area during beta testing. After iOS 12 launches, Apple will continue rolling out the new maps to additional U.S. locations

New betas of upcoming operating system updates always introduce tweaked features and new functionality, and we'll be outlining what's new in the seventh beta below. We also rounded up all of the changes that were introduced in the previous betas: beta 2 and beta 3, beta 4, beta 5, beta 6, and beta 7.

Later betas have had fewer changes because we're approaching the end of the beta testing period, with a public launch for iOS 12 planned for September alongside new iPhones.

During quarterly earnings calls, Apple CEO Tim Cook often boasts about the high rate of customers who are switching from Android devices over to iPhones. Recent research data has suggested Android switchers account for 15 to 20 percent of iPhone purchases.

A new survey of 2,500 people conducted by PCMag delves into the reasons why iOS users switch to Android and why Android users switch to iOS.

18 percent of customers who switched mobile operating systems went from Android to iOS, while just 11 percent dropped iOS for Android.

47 percent of customers who switched over to iOS from Android said that they chose to do so for a "better user experience," while 25 percent cited "better features" like camera and design.

11 percent of respondents switched to iOS for better prices, while other reasons for switching included more apps, faster software updates, and better customer service.

On the Android side, customers switching to Android from iOS cited better user experience and better prices as the main reasons why they chose to adopt a new operating system.

While there were a small number of switchers among those surveyed, 71 percent have never switched at all, remaining loyal to their operating system of choice. According to data shared earlier this year by Consumer Intelligence Research Partners, both iOS and Android have high customer loyalty rates.

It's difficult for smartphone companies to get customers to switch operating systems, and this has led Apple to lure Android users through a variety of methods, including trade-in options, ads touting iPhone features compared to Android devices, a Move to iOS app to make transitioning simple, and a "Switch" website dedicated to explaining all of the reasons why the iPhone is better than competing smartphones.

According to PCMag's survey, operating system isn't the biggest factor in why customers choose one smartphone over another. 33 percent cited price as the reason for picking an iOS device or an Android device, while 26 percent said brand mattered. 19 percent said that operating system was the main reason for choosing iOS or Android.

PCMag also shared a few other interesting data points that came from the Apple and Android customers it surveyed. Among customers who made a switch to a new operating system or are considering making a switch, 56 percent said they didn't care about new smartphone releases.

34 percent said they buy a new phone when their contract is up, and 17 percent said they make a new phone purchase only when they break the screen on their current phone.

Apple may see a new wave of Android switchers over the course of the next few months with the launch of the 2018 iPhones. Android switchers typically choose larger "Plus" sized iPhones when switching and Apple is set to debut an iPhone with a 6.5-inch OLED display, the company's biggest iPhone screen to date.

The 6.5-inch OLED iPhone will be sold alongside a 5.8-inch OLED iPhone and a 6.1-inch iPhone with an LCD and a lower price tag, which could also lure Android users. Rumors have suggested the 6.1-inch iPhone, which will offer up Face ID and an edge-to-edge design, could be priced somewhere around $700.