MacRumors

As promised, special (PRODUCT)RED editions of the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus unveiled yesterday are now available to order on Apple.com and through the Apple Store app on iPhone and iPad in the United States and several other countries.

The new models are available with 64GB or 256GB storage for the same prices as the equivalent iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus models in Apple's standard space gray, silver, and gold colorways, which remain available.

• iPhone 8 / (RED) / 64GB: $699
  

• iPhone 8 / (RED) / 256GB: $849
  

• iPhone 8 Plus / (RED) / 64GB: $799
  

• iPhone 8 Plus / (RED) / 256GB: $949

The first deliveries will arrive to customers Friday, April 13, and in-store availability at Apple Stores and select authorized resellers will begin on the same day in the United States, Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, and the United Kingdom.

Availability in Brazil, Denmark, Ireland, Italy, Malaysia, Mexico, the Netherlands, Norway, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, the United Arab Emirates, and other regions will follow later in April, followed by Chile, Colombia, India, Israel, Turkey, and more regions in May.

While the (PRODUCT)RED edition iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus had white front bezels, the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus versions have black front bezels. Otherwise, these iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus models are identical to those unveiled last September, with the new color likely introduced to boost sales.

Apple's new (PRODUCT)RED edition iPhone X Leather Folio is also available to purchase for $99 starting today from Apple.com, Apple Stores, and the Apple Store app in dozens of countries around the world.

The products are part of Apple's 11-year partnership with (RED), founded in 2006 by U2 frontman Bono and activist Bobby Shriver. The brand and its licensed red-colored products helps to raise funds for The Global Fund, which helps people affected by HIV or AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria in eight African countries.

For each (RED) product sold, Apple makes a contribution to The Global Fund, raising over $160 million to date.

Apple today announced that its global facilities, including retail stores, offices, data centers, and more, are powered with 100 percent clean energy.

Apple's 100 percent clean energy figure encompasses facilities in 43 countries, including the United States, UK, China, and India. In a statement, Apple CEO Tim Cook said Apple is "committed to leaving the world better than we found it."

"We're committed to leaving the world better than we found it. After years of hard work we're proud to have reached this significant milestone," said Tim Cook, Apple's CEO. "We're going to keep pushing the boundaries of what is possible with the materials in our products, the way we recycle them, our facilities and our work with suppliers to establish new creative and forward-looking sources of renewable energy because we know the future depends on it."

To reach its clean energy goals, Apple has invested in and constructed renewable energy facilities all around the world, such as solar arrays, wind farms, biogas fuel cells, micro-hydration generation systems, and other energy storage technologies.

Apple says it has 25 operational renewable energy projects around the world, totaling 626 megawatts of generation capacity. 286 megawatts of solar PV generation came online in 2017, which Apple says is the most ever in a single year. An additional 15 projects are under construction, and once finished, will offer a total of 1.4 gigawatts of clean renewable energy generation across 11 countries.

Some of Apple's renewable energy projects include the solar panels on the roof of Apple Park, its newest campus, 485 megawatts of wind and solar projects across China, solar facilities in Reno, Nevada and Maiden, North Carolina, more than 300 rooftop solar systems in Japan, and an 800-rooftop renewable energy system in Singapore.

Reaching 100 percent renewable energy for all Apple facilities has been a longtime goal for the company. Since 2014, 100 percent of Apple's data centers have been powered by clean energy, and since 2016, 96 percent of Apple facilities have been run on renewable energy.

In an interview with Fast Company, Apple VP of environment, policy, and social initiatives Lisa Jackson said that Apple has been working hard in recent months to ink energy deals to cover its remotest offices and retail stores in countries like Brazil, India, Israel, Mexico, and Turkey.

"If you look at our trajectory, for the last couple of years we've been close to 100%," she says. "It's just four percent more, but it's four percent done the right way. So this announcement feels like a classic Apple product release. Like our products, we sweat the details, we have pretty strict standards, and we prefer to wait and meet our standards than to rush and make a claim."

Since 2011, Apple's projects have reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 54 percent and prevented close to 2.1 million metric tons of CO2e from entering the atmosphere.

Apple has also been pushing its suppliers to use clean energy, and along with its own announcement, nine additional manufacturing powers have committed to using renewable energy sources, bringing the total number of supplier commitments to 23. New suppliers that plan to use renewable energy include Quanta Computer, Pegatron, Finisar, and more.

At least one new iPhone with a triple-lens rear camera led by a 12-megapixel lens may be introduced in 2019, according to Taiwan's Economic Daily News.

The report predicts the camera would have a 6P lens design with 5x zoom, but it doesn't specify whether that pertains to optical, digital, or hybrid zoom. The single-lens iPhone 8 has up to 5x digital zoom, while the dual-lens iPhone 8 Plus and iPhone X have up to 2x optical zoom and 10x digital zoom.

If the report proves to be accurate, then Apple will be following in the footsteps of Huawei and its new P20 Pro smartphone, which also has a three-lens rear camera system, including a primary 40-megapixel f/1.8 lens, a 20-megapixel f/1.6 monochrome lens, and an 8-megapixel f/2.4 telephoto lens with 3x optical zoom.

A three-lens rear camera would provide a lot of advantages, including greatly improved low-light performance. In his P20 Pro review, The Verge's Vlad Savov said Huawei's new camera system is "superior to those on the Galaxy S9 and iPhone X," though he noted that personal preference may sway that decision.

All in all, this prediction suggests a third-generation iPhone X with an even better camera and possibly 3x optical zoom will launch in 2019. As far as this year is concerned, KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo doesn't expect many changes to the iPhone X's current dual-lens rear camera system.

Apple today introduced a (PRODUCT)RED edition of the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus, available to order on Apple.com starting Tuesday, April 10, after 5:30 a.m. Pacific Time, and in Apple Stores starting Friday, April 13.

PRODUCT(RED) editions will be available with 64GB or 256GB storage for the same $699-$849 and $799-$949 prices as the equivalent iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus models in space gray, silver, and gold.

Notably, the red finish is complemented by black front bezels, compared to white bezels on the (RED) edition iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus. Otherwise, these are identical iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus models as unveiled last September, with the new color introduced mid-cycle likely only to bolster sales.

Orders begin Tuesday, April 10 after 5:30 a.m. Pacific Time, with deliveries and in-store availability beginning Friday, April 13 at Apple Stores and select authorized resellers in the United States, Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, and the United Kingdom.

Availability in Brazil, Denmark, Ireland, Italy, Malaysia, Mexico, the Netherlands, Norway, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, the United Arab Emirates, and other regions will follow later in April, followed by Chile, Colombia, India, Israel, Turkey, and more regions in May.

Apple also introduced a new (PRODUCT)RED edition iPhone X Leather Folio, which will be available for $99 beginning Tuesday, April 10 from Apple.com, Apple Stores, and the Apple Store app around the world.

(RED) was founded in 2006 by U2 frontman Bono and activist Bobby Shriver to raise funds for The Global Fund, which helps people affected by HIV or AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria in eight African countries, including Ghana, Lesotho, Rwanda, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Kenya, and Zambia.

(RED) CEO Deborah Dugan:

Today's announcement is further evidence of Apple's leadership in and commitment to the AIDS fight since the beginning of (RED) in 2006. The more than $160 million Apple has donated in the last 11 years today equates to more than 800 million days of lifesaving ARV medication that prevents the transmission of HIV from mothers to their babies. We're honored that Apple has dedicated its resources to our purpose, and can't wait to see customers bring our mission to life through the purchase of iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus (PRODUCT)RED Special Edition.

Apple has partnered with (RED) for nearly 12 years to sell a variety of red-colored devices and accessories. For each product sold, Apple makes an unspecified contribution to The Global Fund, raising over $160 million to date.

Apple's vice president of product marketing Greg Joswiak:

This special edition (PRODUCT)RED iPhone features a stunning red and black color combination and also offers customers the opportunity to make an impact in fighting the spread of HIV and AIDS. iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus improve on everything we love about iPhone, including Retina HD displays that are more beautiful than ever, the most powerful and smartest chip ever in a smartphone with the A11 Bionic and more advanced cameras for unbelievable photos and videos. We are proud to support (RED) with this bold new iPhone and hope customers think it is as special as we do.

Apple introduced a (PRODUCT)RED edition iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus in March 2017. The special color was discontinued alongside the launch of the iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, and iPhone X in September 2017.

iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus models in a limited edition (PRODUCT)RED color will be unveiled as early as tomorrow, according to an internal memo distributed to Virgin Mobile employees in the UK and obtained by MacRumors.

Virgin Mobile UK states that it will add the new smartphone models to its inventory system on Monday, April 9, coinciding with a launch announcement from Apple, which would likely be in the form of a press release. The memo doesn't mention a (PRODUCT)RED edition iPhone X, so there might not be one.

The memo notes that there will be pre-orders, so it's unclear if the new color would be available immediately or begin shipping later in April, but it does appear that Apple will introduce the models this week.

The information lines up with rumors about new red-colored iPhones from both Rosenblatt Securities analyst Jun Zhang and Steve Hemmerstoffer, who leaks information about mobile devices through his Twitter account OnLeaks. Ben Geskin also said the new color might be (PRODUCT)RED, after initially saying Blush Gold.

Mark Gurman, a very reliable Apple reporter at Bloomberg News, has also corroborated this story in a follow-up tweet.

Apple unveiled a (PRODUCT)RED edition of the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus in March 2017, but it may have decided to wait until April this year so that sales of the red iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus models are fully reflected in its earnings results for the third quarter, generally a slower period of its fiscal year.

A recent report said Apple will also unveil a gold iPhone X, which the Virgin Mobile UK memo does not mention. It's certainly possible Apple could have a wave of press releases tomorrow detailing availability of the (PRODUCT)RED edition iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus, gold iPhone X, and its AirPower charging mat.

Update: This story has been updated to reflect that the memo originated from Virgin Mobile in the United Kingdom.

Apple CEO Tim Cook is set to appear on MSNBC tonight at 5:00 p.m. Pacific Time or 8:00 p.m. Eastern time in an interview called "Revolution: Apple Changing the World" with MSNBC's Christopher Hayes and Recode's Kara Swisher.

Much of what Tim Cook had to say was already covered in news stories earlier this week as the interview took place on March 28 and was covered by reporters who attended it live.

It will be well worth watching in its entirety, however, as Cook had a lot to say during the segment. He covered favored topics like education and coding, but he also commented on the current political climate in the United States and talked extensively about the ongoing Cambridge Analytica privacy scandal Facebook is facing.

Cook had some inflammatory words about Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, for example, stating "I wouldn't be in this situation" when asked what he would have done in Zuckerberg's shoes.

We could make a ton of money if we monetized our customers. If our customers were our product. We've elected not to do that. ...We're not going to traffic in your personal life.

Cook also said Apple's customers are not the company's product, and that "well-crafted" regulation "is necessary" to prevent another Cambridge Analytica-style scandal.

It's clear to me that something, some large profound change is needed... I'm personally not a big fan of regulation because sometimes regulation can have unexpected consequences to it, however I think this certain situation is so dire and has become so large, that probably some well-crafted regulation is necessary.

Cook also commented on criticism over the fact that the iPhone is manufactured in China. "It's not true that the iPhone is not made in the United States," he said, referencing U.S.-based component manufacturers like Corning and Finisar. Cook also said Apple is always focused on job creation and doesn't need political pressure to do the right thing.

"We know that Apple could only have been created in the United States. We know that. This company would not have flourished in any other country in the world. We love this country. We are patriots. This is our country and we want to create as many jobs as we can in the U.S. We don't need any political pressure for that."

Cook also discussed DACA, a fourth major U.S. campus that's in development, the importance of coding, technology in education, lifelong education, and more.

We already have a full, detailed recap of what Tim Cook discussed during the interview, but should there be other interesting comments that were missed in earlier coverage, we'll update this post.

We'll also plan to provide an update if Recode and MSNBC make the interview available to watch for free after it airs. To watch the interview as it airs, you will need to tune into MSNBC through your cable package.

You can also watch on the NBC website or through the "Live" section of the MSNBC app, but cable authentication is required.

Apple is facing a lawsuit from Omni MedSci, a company that says Apple is infringing on its patented technology with the Apple Watch's heart rate sensor, reports Axios.

Omni MedSci claims to have met with Apple from 2014 until 2016, but Apple ultimately ended discussions for a partnership and then reportedly used Omni MedSci's patented technology.

Omni MedSci filed a lawsuit in the Eastern district of Texas today, claiming that Apple willfully infringed on its patents and asking for an injunction against Apple along with damages.

Apple first introduced the Apple Watch in 2015, and since its debut, the Apple Watch has featured a built-in heart rate sensor. Heart rate sensing is a key feature of the wrist-worn device, and recent studies have suggested it can be used to detect a wealth of health problems, like atrial fibrillation, early signs of diabetes, hypertension, and more.

Omni MedSci, the company suing Apple, is owned by Mohammed Islam, who in 2015 was described by a Detroit news site as a "poster child for a patenting professional." He owns six companies and has collected more than 150 patents.

"There's getting a patent and there's getting a patent that will withstand litigation," he told the site. "It's an art form."

Islam has expertise in optical and laster technology and appears to hold several related patents. His patent holding company, Cheetah Omni, has levied lawsuits against companies that include Fujitsu, Alcatel-Lucent, Huawei, Nokia, and Siemens.

In 2015, Islam said that Omni MedSci was working on a wearable glucose monitor that uses lasers to monitor blood sugar levels. At the time, he said that he had met with Apple about the product.