Apple is widely expected to launch a new lower-priced notebook later this year, likely with a 13-inch Retina display and a starting price below $1,000. It's unclear if it will be branded as a MacBook, MacBook Air, or otherwise, but it'll be a new lower-cost, lower-spec option below the MacBook Pro.
According to a translated report from Taiwanese publication Economic Daily News, the notebook will be powered by Intel's eighth-generation Kaby Lake Refresh processors, released in the second half of 2017.
The translated report suggests that Apple's decision to use the Kaby Lake Refresh processors, manufactured based on a 14nm process, is due to repeated delays with Intel's transition to Cannon Lake chips, based on a 10nm process. The latest word is that Cannon Lake won't be ready until the end of 2019.
The Kaby Lake Refresh lineup includes quad-core Core i5 and Core i7 processors with base clock speeds between 1.6GHz and 1.9GHz, and max Turbo Boost speeds between 3.4GHz and 4.2GHz. The 15W chips feature integrated Intel UHD Graphics 620, with support for up to 32GB of DDR4 or LPDDR3 RAM.
This means Apple's lower-priced notebook would be significantly faster than the latest MacBook Air models, which is unsurprising, given they use Intel's fifth-generation, dual-core Core i5 and Core i7 processors released in 2015. It'd also be much faster than the 12-inch MacBook, which uses ultra-low-power chips.
Kaby Lake Refresh chips are already nearly one year old, and Intel will be releasing faster Whiskey Lake processors suitable for Apple's notebook in the second half of 2018, but they might not be ready in time, as manufacturing needs to begin over the summer for the notebook to launch in the fall.
It appears Apple will have a jam-packed September event, with a trio of new iPhones, Apple Watch Series 4 models, new AirPods, and AirPower, so the Mac and iPad Pro could see some attention at an October event.
It's not entirely clear how Apple will shake up its notebook lineup below the MacBook Pro. The new notebook could be the first MacBook Air with a Retina display, or replace the MacBook Air entirely, or slot into the MacBook family, with price adjustments across the line, but it all remains to be seen.
Apple's plans for the notebook have been detailed by reliable Apple sources Ming-Chi Kuo and Mark Gurman in recent months.
Beyond the mid-range notebook, an October event could see refreshes to the 12-inch MacBook lineup with Intel's upcoming low-power Amber Lake chips, a refreshed Mac mini with Kaby Lake Refresh chips, and new standard iMac models with faster processors and a significant display-related upgrade.
Juniper Research today published new data outlining predictions for mobile payments processing over the next five years, placing Apple Pay at the forefront in the market ahead of rivals like Samsung and Google. The study looked at Apple Pay, Samsung Pay, Google Pay, and other "OEM Pay" (official equipment manufacturer) wallets.
In total, OEM Pay users will reach 450 million globally by 2020, and the researchers predict that Apple Pay will account for 1 in 2 of these OEM Pay users at that time. This growth will cause OEM Pay wallets to reach $300 billion in transactions by 2020, representing 15 percent of total contactless in-store transactions within two years.
While Juniper Research included newcomers to the mobile payments market like Fitbit Pay and Huawei Pay, they admit that these will likely not grow much and mobile wallets will continue to see leaders in Apple, Samsung, and Google.
Research author Nitin Bhas explained: “We believe that growth over the next 5 years will continue to be dominated by offerings from the major OEM players. Additionally, we now have the likes of Huawei Pay and Fitbit Pay launching in several markets; this is now included in Juniper’s contactless forecasts”.
Although mobile wallets will continue to grow, the research shared today also looked at the overall market of contactless payments, which will still see dominance from contactless card payments made using physical credit and debit cards. In-store contactless payments will reach $2 trillion by 2020, making up 15 percent of the total point of sale transactions and driven by "strong adoption" in Europe and countries in the Asia Pacific region.
Sooner than 2020, contactless payments are already set to exceed the $1 trillion mark for the first time in 2018, one year earlier than Juniper Research previously predicted. These NFC-enabled credit cards began growing in popularity in recent years, arriving at a time when major credit card companies are aiming to simplify the checkout process for customers using both physical and digital cards.
In another Apple Pay-related research note shared earlier this year, Loup Ventures estimated that Apple Pay was being used on 16 percent of active iPhones worldwide. Looking to the future, Loup Ventures also predicted that Apple's mobile wallet will "gain widespread adoption" over the next three to five years, despite a slow few years of growth that began when Apple Pay launched in 2014.
Smart thermostat company Ecobee has become the focus of a new profile shared online today by CNET, and alongside that article the company has revealed a new money saving feature for select Ecobee users called "Peak Relief." This feature was created to help users save on energy bills by automatically cutting down on heating and cooling when energy rates are higher, and then using more when rates are lower.
For those in the test, Ecobee says Peak Relief can help customers save an extra 10 percent on heating and cooling bills. Adding in the up to 23 percent of savings that Ecobee already claims from normal use, the company now aims to save customers as much as 33 percent on monthly heating and cooling bills.
Ecobee CEO Stuart Lombard mentioned that the feature was developed over a year and a half and uses artificial intelligence and indoor/outdoor temperature readings to customize settings for each home. This is then combined with time-of-use rates from a utilities provider, which charge customers different prices depending on the time of day versus standard flat rates that go up as users consume more energy.
CNET explains that Peak Relief requires time-of-use utility rates, and while these rates have the potential to cut-down costs it can be difficult to keep track of the higher demand periods, which is where Ecobee's new feature comes in:
Time-of-use has the potential to save customers money and help utilities avoid spikes in demand. But, many customers have a hard time keeping track of varying time-of-use rates, resulting in less energy savings for utilities and potentially higher costs for customers. Peak Relief may be able to alleviate that problem.
So, how does Peak Relief work? Let's say you set your thermostat temperature to cool at 74 degrees. With Peak Relief, the thermostat will automatically cool your home to 71 or 72 degrees when rates are lower, then allow the temperature to slowly go back up to 74 when rates increase.
The feature offers two preferences, so your thermostat will either focus more on comfort and stay closer to your temperature settings or focus more on savings and veer a little further away from those settings when rates change.
Peak Relief is rolling out today, but it appears that the test is fairly small and only for "select customers" in California, Arizona, and Ontario, Canada, and again only if those customers are using time-of-use utility rates. However, the company has already said that it plans to roll out Peak Relief to a wide audience "early next year."
Ecobee's line of thermostats are part of over two dozen heating and cooling controllers compatible with Apple HomeKit, also including thermostats from Elgato, Honeywell, iDevices, and Netatmo. On Apple.com, customers can buy the Ecobee3 Lite Smart Thermostat, but the company's latest iteration is the Ecobee4, which includes built-in Alexa support.
Serial mobile leaker Benjamin Geskin today shared images depicting what he claims are dummy units of Apple's upcoming 6.5-inch "iPhone X Plus" and mid-tier 6.1-inch LCD iPhone.
Images of iPhone dummy units have become something of an annual tradition in the rumor mill and these pictures come at the expected time in the yearly iPhone cycle, just a couple of months ahead of Apple's usual September-October launch timeframe.
Dummy units are usually based on chassis design schematics sourced from the Chinese supply chain, and like previous years, these images conform with details we already know.
Apple is expected to launch two flagship OLED iPhones this year that measure in at 5.8 and 6.5 inches. The latter model shown in the leaked images features the same vertically oriented dual-lens rear camera as the current iPhone X. One uncorroborated report claimed the 6.5-inch iPhone will use a triple-lens camera setup, but that's actually something that's been rumored for the 2019 iPhone lineup.
Apple is also expected to debut a lower-cost 6.1-inch device that features an LCD display to keep the price tag more affordable. As predicted, the 6.1-inch dummy unit in the images has slightly larger bezels to accommodate the lower-spec LCD panel.
As a mid-range device, the 6.1-inch model will feature some iPhone X features including Face ID, but Apple is planning to make other compromises apart from the screen to keep the cost down. The single-lens rear camera shown in the images is the most obvious of these. Apple is also believed to be using aluminum for the frame of the 6.1-inch device instead of steel.
While the current iPhone X is limited to Space Gray and Silver, well-connected Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo believes the next-generation iPhone X models will be available in Black, White, and Gold. The 6.1-inch model however could come in a wide array of colors, including red, blue, orange, gray, and white.
Kuo believes the 6.1-inch LCD device will be priced at around the $700 to $800 mark, similar to the iPhone 8 and the iPhone 8 Plus. RBC Capital Markets analyst Amit Daryanani believes Apple will sell the iPhone X Plus at $999, the price of the current iPhone X, while the next-generation iPhone X could sell for $899.
Apple's upcoming iPad Pro models will feature slightly smaller bodies, a relocated Smart Connector, and no headphone jack, according to information shared by Japanese site Mac Otakara.
Citing supply chain sources, Mac Otakara says the new 10.5-inch iPad Pro will measure in at 247.5mm tall, 178.7mm wide, and 6mm, compared to the current size of 250.6mm x 174.1mm x 6.1mm. The 12.9-inch iPad Pro is said to measure 280mm tall, 215mm wide, and 6.4mm thick, compared to the current measurements of 305.7mm x 220.6mm x 6.9mm.
These dimensions line up with rumors suggesting Apple plans to introduce a full redesign with the 2018 iPad Pro models, slimming down the bezels much like it did with the iPhone X. Though smaller in size, the new iPads will feature larger displays thanks to the bezel reduction. The new iPad Pros are not expected to feature a Home button, and according to previous rumors, will include a TrueDepth camera system for Face ID.
Mac Otakara also suggests that the 2018 iPad Pro models will not feature a 3.5mm headphone jack, with Apple opting to eliminate it.
iPhones have not had a headphone jack since it was removed in the iPhone 7, and Apple has instead relied on Bluetooth devices like the AirPods along with Lightning-based headphones. Apple is not expected to ship the new iPad Pro models with a Lightning to 3.5mm adapter, which would be in line with analyst predictions suggesting that adapter will not come with the 2018 iPhones either.
In the iPhone lineup, the headphone jack was removed for improved water resistance and to make space for internal components like a bigger battery, the Taptic Engine, and the rear camera system. It is not clear if Apple is facing the same space constraints in the iPad Pro with the introduction of the TrueDepth camera system or if this is a move to align iPad and iPhone features.
A portion of Mac Otakara's report says that Apple will use a "diamond cut" for both the front and the back of the new iPad Pro models, which seems to mean that the tablets could have a design that's similar the iPhone SE with beveled edges.
The Smart Connector on the iPads has reportedly been relocated from the side to the bottom near the Lightning port, which may require a new vertically oriented Smart Keyboard. It's not clear how a vertical Smart Keyboard would work, as it would likely be unstable in that orientation, especially for the larger iPad Pro.
Apple is said to be making this change because Face ID will work only when the iPad Pro is in a vertical orientation, with Mac Otakara saying that it is "impossible to release the lock with the main unit turned sideways." Previous information from Mac Otakara suggested Apple was working on horizontal Face ID for the iPad Pro, and hints of such a feature were discovered in iOS 12.
In addition to these changes to the iPad Pro, Mac Otakara also shared a bit of information on the rumored 6.1-inch low-cost iPhone. Confirming previous rumors, the site says the device will use a "Full Active" LCD display sourced from Japan Display. Full Active panels allow Apple to slim down the bezels of the LCD iPhone, bringing it in line with the two OLED devices.
Possible front glass panels for the 2018 iPhones, with 6.1-inch model in middle
Mac Otakara's sources have also echoed previous reports pointing towards production difficulties for the 6.1-inch iPhone. When production on the phone started this month, Apple was reportedly seeing a 1 percent completion rate, suggesting a delayed November launch for the device.
Morgan Stanley analyst Katy Huberty made a similar prediction earlier this week, suggesting issues with "LED backlight leakage" could lead to a one month delay in production. Huberty's information indicated the delay had originally been six weeks, so it's possible Mac Otakara is working with older data. Other sources, such as Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, are not expecting launch delays, so it's unclear what's going on with the 6.1-inch iPhone at this time.
Mac Otakara has a somewhat mixed track record when it comes to rumors, sometimes sharing information that's spot on and sometimes missing the mark. For that reason, though this information is quite specific, these new details should be viewed with some skepticism until confirmed by secondary sources.
Elevation Lab, known for its popular line of wired dock options for the iPhone, recently came out with its first wireless charging dock, the NightPad.
The NightPad, which is a 7.5W charger, looks like a lot of other wireless chargers on the market, but there are some premium features to be aware of. It's covered in a soft silicone material that holds the iPhone in place while it's charging, and there's also a raised ring that makes sure the iPhone stays secure.
While the design of the NightPad is simple, that silicone material has such a matte finish that it makes the charging pad look super black, so it does stand out from your average charging pad. There is subtle Elevation Lab branding on the top of the charger, but it can be hard to see just because it's so dark.
Size wise, the NightPad is palm-sized and a little larger than a coaster. As with most wireless chargers this size, you do need to make sure to get the iPhone lined up in the center because if it's off to the side a bit (which can happen -- especially in the dark) it won't charge.
Apple is close to securing a deal for the rights to turn 1980s fantasy movie "Time Bandits" into a TV series, reports Deadline.
Directed by Terry Gilliam, "Time Bandits" featured the story of an imaginative 11-year-old boy, Kevin, who gets sucked into a fantastical adventure with a band of dwarves during the Napoleonic Wars in Italy.
Kevin and the dwarves travel through time using a magical map, visiting places like ancient Greece and the Titanic and fighting off an evil being intent on stealing the map for his own purposes.
The original film starred John Cleese, Sean Connery, Shelley Duvall, Kenny Baker, David Warner, Ian Holm, Katherine Helmond, Jim Broadbent, and others.
According to Deadline, the new TV series based on the movie will be a co-production between Anonymous Content, Paramount Television, and Media Rights Capital. Gilliam is set to serve as a non-writing executive producer.
If Apple secures the rights to the "Time Bandits" TV spinoff, it will join the other more than a dozen television shows Apple has in the works, which span genres from drama to comedy to shows for children.
In other related news, comedy writer Regina Hicks has signed on to be a co-showrunner for Apple's upcoming animated television show "Central Park" alongside Loren Bouchard and Josh Gad.
Samsung's display unit earlier this week announced a new "unbreakable" OLED panel designed for smartphones, and a new video Samsung Display shared on YouTube demonstrates the durability of the display.
In the video, the unbreakable OLED panel is subjected to a beating with what appears to be a plastic or rubber mallet, and it withstands several blows without damage.
Samsung's flexible all-plastic OLED panel is made from what it says is an unbreakable substrate adhered to an overlay window, a deviation from other, more breakable flexible OLED panels that use a glass-covered window.
The new OLED panel has been certified by Underwriters Laboratories, an official testing company for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration of the U.S. Department of Labor.
To earn the certification, the panel withstood 26 drops from 1.2 meters (4 feet) with no damage and held up to extreme temperature testing. Samsung says the display was also subjected to drops from six feet with no signs of damage.
According to Samsung, its unbreakable panels are being developed for use in smartphones, but can also be used in 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.
Samsung's first product to use the new unbreakable panel could be its upcoming Galaxy Note 9, which it is set to unveil on August 9.
While Apple uses OLED displays sourced from Samsung in its iPhone lineup, it is not clear if the Cupertino company plans to adopt this technology in the future.
Apple has thus far opted to use a Gorilla Glass cover for its displays and has not ventured into plastic, but it is not out of the realm of possibility should the display meet Apple's demands for quality.
Apple today shared a video on its Apple Music YouTube channel promoting DJ Khaled's newest single that's available today on Apple Music.
Starring Khaled and his son Asahd, the humorous ad features Asahd conversing as an adult (voiced by Kevin Hart) and calling his lawyer before disagreeing with Khaled on what to listen to on the HomePod.
The spot is promoting "No Brainer," a new DJ Khaled single featuring Justin Bieber, Quavo from Migos, and Chance the Rapper.
Both a music video for "No Brainer" and the new single are available now on Apple Music, following the song's debut on Zane Lowe's Beats 1 show this morning.
One week after Comcast officially bowed out of the bidding war for 21st Century Fox's entertainment assets by ceding to Disney, shareholders of both Fox and Disney have today approved Disney's $71.3 billion acquisition offer for Fox (via The Wall Street Journal).
At two separate gatherings this morning in Manhattan, both company's shareholders were said to have "voiced their support" for the acquisition in brief meetings that lasted less than 15 minutes.
There are still a few hurdles before Disney officially acquires 21st Century Fox's entertainment assets, mostly related to approval from overseas entities. Specifically, Disney is waiting for the European Union and China to grant approval for the acquisition, as well as "more than a dozen" other international territories.
Still, with the United States Justice Department approving the acquisition last month (with one condition for Disney) and now the shareholders voting to approve, it's believed Disney's acquisition of Fox will be done by early 2019.
News of Disney's interest in Fox dates back to last December when Disney initially announced its bid to acquire Fox for $52.4 billion in stock. Comcast entered with its own $65 million cash offer for Fox's assets, leading to Disney's increased $71.3 billion cash and stock bid in June. At the time that it bowed out of the running for Fox, Comcast CEO Brian L. Roberts congratulated Disney and its CEO Bob Iger and commended the Murdoch family and Fox "for creating such a desirable and respected company."
Disney's plans for Fox line up with its intent to launch a streaming service in late 2019, showcasing a lineup of content from Walt Disney Animation Studios, Marvel, Pixar, Star Wars, and likely a back catalog of films and TV shows owned by Fox, further enticing customers to sign up. Under the agreement Disney will acquire Fox assets including Twentieth Century Fox Film and Television Studios, Fox-related cable and international TV businesses, Fox's 30 percent stake in Hulu, the film rights to the X-Men and Avatar franchises, and more.
Disney has already launched its first streaming service in the form of ESPN+ this past spring, granting subscribers access to live sports, original shows and films, studio programs, and an on-demand library of content. Ahead of the debut of its main streaming service a little of a year from now, Disney has warned Netflix users that it will begin removing its TV shows and films from Netflix before its own platform launches.
New Disney-owned movies have still appeared on Netflix at a decent rate this year -- including Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Coco, and Thor: Ragnarok -- but a few have begun to disappear, including the impending removal of Pixar's Finding Dory in August.
A Disney streaming service filled with Fox content will be a direct competitor to Apple's upcoming streaming service, also believed to see a launch at some point in 2019. Apple's partners in the original TV content space include Oprah Winfrey, M. Night Shyamalan, J.J. Abrams, Kumail Nanjiani, and more.
Amazon has begun testing a small but useful new feature across its iOS app and mobile/desktop websites, allowing users to invite friends and family members to collaborate on a shopping list together. Amazon customers have long been asking for such a feature, and it seems like a small set of them have been selected to test it out ahead of a potential wider launch in the future (via Android Police).
On iOS, after you open the Amazon app and navigate to one of your wish lists, you'll see a new prompt that says "Invite others to add or remove list items." If you tap this, you'll get the usual iOS sharing sheet with options like AirDrop, Message, E-Mail, and simply copying a URL to share with someone.
Once the recipient gets the list invite, Amazon will open up in a browser (both mobile and desktop appear to work), and your list will now effectively appear as one of their own in their Amazon account. They'll be able to view it, add items to it, remove items, edit quantity, and edit comments. Collaborative lists will be designated as such at the top of the list near its name with two user icons and a "Shared" banner.
Once multiple members are sharing a list, a new conversation icon will appear on the right of the list's page and act as a hub for users to send messages and discuss items on the list. Above this is an ellipsis icon that lets the list's original owner manage members and remove any they don't want to be able to access the list anymore. It appears that a few of these features are missing for some users at the time of writing, likely due to the feature still being in a testing phase.
The feature is in testing on iOS and Amazon.com on mobile and desktop websites, but Android Central reports that it does not appear to be on the native Android app yet. As with all feature tests, it's unclear when -- or if -- collaborative shopping lists on Amazon will roll out to all users.
Apple has announced that it will repair any Mac, iPhone, Apple Watch, iPad, iPod, or Thunderbolt Display directly damaged by heavy rains in Japan in July, free of charge, so long as the product is actually repairable.
Affected customers can contact Apple by dialing 0120-27753-5 to arrange for pick up of any eligible products through the end of September, according to a notice on Apple's website spotted by Japanese blog Mac Otakara.
Apple will service the damaged products free of charge and then return them to customers, although there may be delays, as delivery services by courier companies are suspended in some areas due to damage from the floodwaters.
Record rainfall in southwestern Japan in July resulted in widespread flooding, landslides, burst riverbanks, and collapsed buildings across the region.
LinkedIn has introduced a new voice messaging service that's built in to the latest version of its mobile app.
Called LinkedIn Messaging, the feature gives users the ability to record and send audio messages up to one minute long.
Voice messaging is rolling out now in the LinkedIn app on iOS and Android, and you can receive voice messages on mobile and on web. This feature will be available globally to all members in the next few weeks.
We hope this makes it easier than ever to communicate when you want, how you want with your professional community.
Voice messages are recorded by tapping the microphone icon on the mobile messaging keyboard. Users then tap and hold the microphone symbol in the circle to record their voice message and release their finger to send.
The business networking platform is touting voice messages as an easier way to communicate when you're on the go or multi-tasking, but many account holders will likely be wary of the feature given the already high volume of unsolicited messages sent over LinkedIn.
LinkedIn is a free download for iPhone available on the App Store. [Direct Link]
The Apple Store app for iOS devices was today updated to version 5.1, introducing improvements for the search feature.
The new version of the app features a redesigned look for the search section, with both search suggestions and support for voice-based searches. You can tap on the microphone icon located in the search bar to conduct a search using speech rather than text.
Old search interface on left, new search interface on right
Some of the new search suggestions include options like "Stores near me," "Cases compatible with this device," "Sessions near me," "iPhone upgrade information," and more. Aside from the new search interface, the app is otherwise unchanged and uses the same design.
What's New Search has been updated with an enhanced design. And it's now powered with speech recognition technology for better search results.
The Apple Store app can be downloaded from the App Store for free. [Direct Link]
Apple's newest flagship Apple Store, Piazza Liberty, opened in Milan, Italy today and to celebrate the occasion, Apple shared some images of the new location.
Piazza Liberty is the first Italian Apple Store to feature the updated Apple Store layout with areas that include Genius Grove, The Forum, and The Avenue, aka parts of the store dedicated to activities like support, classes, and shopping.
This new flagship location features a huge fountain with water cascading over glass walls that customers walk through to enter the store.
Piazza Liberty includes a public plaza where visitors to the store gathered ahead of its unveiling, and Apple plans to host Today at Apple sessions and performances all weekend at the new location. Milanese artist L I M was on hand to perform during the store's launch.
Customers who visited the store early received free tote bags and artist books, and Apple retail chief Angela Ahrendts was on hand to greet guests. Ahead of the store's opening, Apple worked with 21 local artists to celebrate the creative community of Milan.
The store is home to 230 new Apple retail employees, many of whom Apple says came to Milan from Apple stores around the world. Counting the new store in Milan, Apple now has 17 retail locations across Italy.
Koogeek is one of the more interesting HomeKit accessory manufacturers, with an array of relatively low-cost and in some cases unusual products that can help users expand their Apple-focused smart home ecosystems.
The company offers HomeKit-compatible smart outlets, switches, bulbs, and sockets similar to other manufacturers, but also has some less common products like light strips, door/window sensors, environmental monitors, and even power strips.
LS1 Light Strip
One of Koogeek's more popular HomeKit accessories is the LS1 Light Strip, a 2-meter string of LED lights that lets you choose from 16 million dimmable colors, whether you're looking for bias lighting behind your television or monitor, accent lighting in a kitchen, or any of a number of other applications. While Koogeek offers its own app for setting up and managing the LS1 Light Strip, HomeKit support means you can access it from the centralized Home app on iOS (and soon macOS Mojave) or Siri, and you can integrate it with other HomeKit devices to activate as part of a scene or other automations.
Consisting of 60 LEDs, the LS1 is a 2-meter strip with some additional cord and a single-button controller that allows you to turn the lights on and off manually. The light strip is USB-powered, which can be a benefit as it gives you some interesting flexibility in terms of mounting locations when you can use a USB port on your TV, a computer, a dock, or a power bank to run them.
On the downside, Koogeek doesn't provide a power adapter in the box, so you'll need to provide your own if you want to power it from a wall outlet. The light strip is rated for 10-watt power draw, and Koogeek recommends a 2A power adapter for maximum brightness. The power cord isn't terribly long (about 0.5 meters), so that may also be an issue depending on where you want to install the light strip.
The LS1 Light Strip offers a total of 500 lumens of light output for the entire string, which is a decent amount of light but less than some competitors like Hue and LIFX Z that offer 1400–1600 lumens. Particularly for ambient lighting in darkened or semi-darkened rooms as many people are likely to use light strips, I found Koogeek's light strip plenty bright.
Setup of the light strip is extremely simple, requiring you to download the Koogeek app, create an account, and grant permissions for Home and location access. From there, just plug in the light strip, scan the HomeKit code on the controller or instruction manual, allow it to connect to your Wi-Fi (requires a 2.4 GHz network), and give it a name and room location. Colors can be adjusted either in the Koogeek app or the Home app, but the Koogeek app is a bit more powerful in that regard.
Adding an accessory in the Koogeek app takes you straight to the HomeKit interface
Overall documentation is a little bit weak, and there are a few language issues here and there in written materials, the app, and Koogeek's website. They could certainly benefit from some polish by native English speakers, but it's clear enough to let you figure out what you're doing.
Mounting the light strip is fairly straightforward, with 3M adhesive running along the entire back of the light strip portion. It's very strong, so you shouldn't have to worry about your lights falling down, although it does give me pause about whether certain surfaces might be damaged in the removal process.
As with pretty much every light strip, it's a little tricky making the LS1 conform to the exact shape you want, as it's thick enough that bends and corners become tricky. The adhesive is strong enough to help secure the light strip, but you'll want to be careful not to bend the strip too much as Koogeek says you shouldn't bend to less than a 30-degree angle. The LED portion of the light strip is rated IP65 for water and dust resistance, but Koogeek says it shouldn't be used outdoors or in a bathroom or other humid environment.
The LS1 Light Strip can be cut to shorten it to a desired length, but obviously only the portion with the controller will be functional, so the removed pieces will need to be thrown away. Unlike some other light strip brands, the LS1 is also not extendable. Hue and LIFX Z, for example, come as 2-meter strips like the LS1, but you can purchase extensions in various lengths up to a total length of 10 meters with one controller and plug. With the LS1, you'll need to use separate strips if you want to go longer than 2 meters.
While the light strip will remember your selected color when you turn it on and off, if the strip is ever unplugged or completely loses power for any other reason, it will default back to white and you'll have to set your desired color again.
The Koogeek Home app can serve as a nearly full substitute for the Home app, as it shows all of your HomeKit devices and offers you quick access for controlling them, but I wouldn't recommend the app for regular use. While it's good enough to get your Light Strip set up, the design is certainly lacking and there are some bugs such as my thermostat's temperature being displayed in Celsius units despite Fahrenheit being selected in its options within the app. During the World Cup, the Automations tab also included an odd ad offering prizes and discounts for participating in Koogeek's contest related to the event.
General Koogeek Home app interface
For the light strip in particular, Koogeek's app offers quick access to a brightness slider, as well as a selection of favorite colors. But you can also dig in further to customize your colors using a color wheel or temperature wheel. You can even upload photos and let the app automatically select a single color that represents the photo, and you can configure Alexa and Google Assistant integration.
Color controls in Koogeek Home app
Controls in Apple's Home app are somewhat similar, with a quick tap on the light strip's tile toggling it on and off and a deeper press bringing up a brightness slider. From there, you can dive in further to choose from favorite colors or customize by color and temperature.
Color controls in Apple's Home app
While Koogeek's LS1 Light Strip comes up short in the feature department compared to other strips that are brighter, can be extended, and perhaps support multiple color zones (LIFX Z) or syncing with music and movies (Hue), where it wins out is in the price department, and that's a big one. The LS1 is currently available for $35 at Amazon, compared to $90 for Hue and LIFX and more like $55–60 for Sylvania's offering. Unlike Hue, Koogeek also doesn't require a hub, making for simpler installation and less clutter attached to your router.
So if price is a significant consideration for you, the Koogeek LS1 Light Strip is definitely worth checking out as a HomeKit light strip solution. It's not as full featured as some of the other available light strips on the market, and it lacks some polish in the app and documentation areas, but if those aren't deal-breakers for you it's hard to beat the value of Koogeek's LS1.
DW1 Door & Window Sensor
Among Koogeek's other products is the DW1 Door & Window Sensor, a simple magnet-based contact sensor for letting you know whether a door or window is open or closed. We looked at similar sensors as part of the Ring Alarm kit, but other companies like Koogeek also sell standalone sensors that with HomeKit support can send you notifications when there is a change in status of the monitored door or window. You can also check on the status at any time via Siri, the Home app, or Koogeek's app.
Aside from simple status checks and updates, HomeKit support allows you to integrate Koogeek's Door & Window Sensor with other HomeKit products in the form of scenes and automations. For example, you can trigger a light to come on when a door is opened, either for security purposes or to simply provide light in a dark closet or room without needing to fumble for a light switch.
Setup of the DW1 is again very simple, with the Koogeek app pulling up a Home app interface to handle the addition. Pulling the battery protection tab on the sensor turns it on, allowing it to be automatically discovered by the app via Bluetooth. Once you've scanned the HomeKit code, it'll take a minute to get fully activated, and then you'll be able to give it a name and a room location for grouping and automation purposes.
Sensor installed on inside of door frame and magnet on door
Stick the sensor and the magnet on your door or window, and you're good to go. The two pieces must be within 2 cm of each other to register the closed state, and Koogeek recommends that the lighter magnet portion be mounted on the movable door or window while the larger sensor sits on the frame. Attachment is via adhesive included on the rear of the parts, and an extra set of adhesives is included in case the initial set wears out or you decide to change locations.
Once you're up and running, you can use Siri, the Home app, or the Koogeek app at any time to check on the status of the door or window, and you can configure notifications and see battery level in the Home app.
As with the LS1 Light Strip, the Koogeek app leaves a bit to be desired when it comes to managing the Door & Window Sensor. It similarly displays battery level and pertinent information like open/closed state and room location. It also has a section for "Logs Records" which shows a history of the last 100 open and close events, but date and time formatting are rudimentary and events are shown as non-intuitive "On" and "Off" states rather than "Open" and "Closed."
The DW1 Door & Window Sensor uses a replaceable CR2450 button battery, and should last up to a year on a single battery. The DW1 is currently available for $31.99 from Amazon and includes the sensor and magnet parts, an extra set of adhesives, and a SIM removal tool to access a pinhole reset button on the sensor if needed. That's a bit cheaper than the Eve Door & Window and significantly cheaper than Fibaro's Door/Window Sensor, so the Koogeek DW1 might be a good option for those looking to integrate this type of sensor into their HomeKit setups.
Note: Koogeek provided the LS1 light strip and DW1 door and window sensor to MacRumors free of charge for the purposes of this review. No other compensation was received. MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon and may earn commissions on purchases made through links in this article.
Apple design chief Jony Ive will be one of the speakers at WIRED's upcoming 25th anniversary event that's set to take place in San Francisco, California from October 12 to October 15, the magazine announced today.
Ive does not often participate in public discussions, so WIRED's event represents a rare opportunity where he will speak on stage. Ive is set to participate in the event on Monday, October 15.
WIRED's summit features many high-profile speakers in addition to Ive, including Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, Google CEO Sundar Pichai, 23andMe CEO Anne Wojcicki, Instagram CEO Kevin Systrom, Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff, YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki, and more.
There are no details on what Ive will discuss specifically, but the event is focused on "a day of smart, relevant business conversations." WIRED editor in chief Nicholas Thompson called the event "a great way to look back at everything that has changed, and to look ahead at what will change next too." From the event website:
In 1993, WIRED made a bold prediction--that technology would radically change our world. This year, the silver anniversary edition of our annual Business Conference will gather the titans of tech from the past 25 years on one stage. They'll reflect on the innovations that made the whole world WIRED and introduce you to the ideas and leaders who will shape the 25 years to come.
An all access pass to WIRED's event, which includes the discussion with tech leaders, a festival, and an event at WIRED's office is priced at $1,125. A ticket to the summit where Ive will speak is priced at $993. Pricing is valid until August 20, at which point the ticket cost will increase.
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.
Apple design chief Jony Ive will be one of the speakers at WIRED's 
