Although sales on App Store and iTunes gift cards usually end soon after they launch, Amazon and PayPal still have 15 percent discounts on $100 iTunes cards happening in the last few days before Christmas. The ongoing sales make for easy last-minute gift ideas since you can get a code emailed in under 24 hours.
At Amazon, if you purchase $100 or more in iTunes credit you'll get $15 off once you enter the promo code ITUNES15 during checkout. This will lower the $100 iTunes card to $85, and Amazon's storefront limits the promotion to one card per customer.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
PayPal's sale is happening through its Digital Gifts eBay store and is the same as Amazon's: you can buy the $100 iTunes card for $85, but no promo code is required. You'll need a PayPal account to complete the purchase, and the card will be valid only on purchases made on the United States App Store. With both sales, you can enter your own email address, or enter the email address of a friend or family member and directly send the code to them.
App Store and iTunes gift cards can be used for a variety of items and services found on Apple devices. You can rent and buy movies on iTunes, subscribe to Apple Music, pay for your monthly iCloud storage, purchase a new app, expand your iBooks collection, and much more. If you're looking for more specific ideas, MacRumors will be sharing a roundup of apps, games, movies, books, subscriptions, and more that you can buy with any iTunes cards you might get this Christmas, so be sure to check back on Monday for the full list.
Google has reportedly poached one of Apple's top chip designers, as it continues to pursue plans to design its own chipsets for consumer devices like its Pixel range of smartphones.
According to The Information, the search giant has hired well-regarded Apple chip expert John Bruno, who has worked on silicon architecture for iPhones since 2012. Before moving offices to Cupertino to help with Apple's ARM-based mobile chip push, Bruno worked at Advanced Micro Devices and led chip design at ATI Technologies.
Bruno founded and managed Apple's silicon competitive analysis group, which sought to keep the company ahead of competitors in the area of chip performance. He follows several other experienced chip engineers who have defected to Google from Apple over the past year, including Manu Gulati, Wonjae (Gregory) Choi and Tayo Fadelu.
The hires highlight Google's attempt to keep pace with Apple, which has been designing its own mobile chips since 2010. Recently, Google said it would sell chips known as Cloud Tensor Processing Units (TPU) to other companies so that they could benefit from its deep learning tool set, TensorFlow. However, the recruitment drive is more likely to be aimed at making own-branded chips for Google's Pixel smartphones.
Indeed, Google's first mobile chip could be right around the corner, according to Jim McGregor, an analyst at Tirias Research who spoke to The Information. With the help of off-the-shelf intellectual property, the Mountain View-based tech giant could have a multifunctional system-on-a-chip up and running in as soon as six months, McGregor said.
Popular pro-grade photo editing software Darkroom reached version 3.3 on Saturday, bringing improved image format handling to the app and smoothing out a handful of new features that were introduced in November's iPhone X focused redesign.
Last month, Darkroom v3.2 embraced Apple's latest dual-lens camera smartphone with a brand new 5.8-inch user interface and support for Wide Gamut Color, which makes the most of the OLED screen's full-color depth and contrast. It also received a 20 percent boost in performance thanks to its implementation of Metal 2 rendering.
The big news in today's v3.3 update is added support for RAW+JPEG images. Now, when Darkroom detects that a photo is a RAW+JPG composite image, it will default to treating it as a RAW image.
The feature is designed to appeal to DSLR users who prefer shooting in RAW, as well as bring Darkroom into a greater level of harmony with the Halide camera app, which is often included in user workflows. The only caveat is that Darkroom users won't have access to the JPEG variant of the composite image, although the developers aim to add support for the file type in the future.
Moving on, Darkroom now has an in improved Modify Original export option which aims to make workflows that rely on multiple apps more seamless. Users can now continue editing on top of previous edits made either by Apple's native Photos app or other third-party apps.
Previously, Darkroom had an issue where image edits would be double applied when the image was edited in another app, after being exported from Darkroom using Modify Original. That's now been fixed. This update also fixes an issue where depth information captured using Portrait Mode would be lost upon export.
Elsewhere, an option has been added to the recently introduced Auto Align setting that allows users to turn it off or back on at will. A bug has also been fixed that caused the app icon to show incorrectly on iPad.
Darkroom is a free download from the App Store and includes in-app purchases for some tools. [Direct Link]. The developers are currently promoting a weeklong holiday giveaway: users are encouraged to share their Darkroom-edited holiday photos with the #darkroomapp hashtag on Instagram, to be in for a chance to win one of 50 promo codes to unlock absolutely everything in the app.
PureSwitch fits in any standard U.S. outlet, and it's designed to let you manage your energy use by allowing you to wirelessly control whatever's plugged into the Smart Plug. It can turn any appliance or lamp into a smart device that can be controlled alongside the rest of your HomeKit products.
The PureSwitch Smart Plug connects to your HomeKit setup over WiFi, and it can be controlled with the PureSwitch app, Apple's Home app, or Siri voice commands. It can also interact with other HomeKit products and it can be used in scenes for automation purposes.
At $39.99, PureSwitch is priced competitively with other HomeKit-compatible smart plugs on the market, and at one side, there's a built-in 2.1A USB-charging port you can use to charge your iPhone, iPad, or any other USB device.
Like any other HomeKit product, the PureSwitch can be controlled on all of your devices, including iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch, and with Home hub functionality enabled through an Apple TV or an iPad, it can be controlled remotely.
We have seven of the PureSwitch Wireless Smart Plugs to give to MacRumors readers. To enter to win, use the Rafflecopter widget below and enter an email address. Email addresses will be used solely for contact purposes to reach the winners and send the prizes. You can earn additional entries by subscribing to our weekly newsletter, subscribing to our YouTube channel, following us on Twitter, or visiting the MacRumorsFacebook page.
Due to the complexities of international laws regarding giveaways, only U.S. residents who are 18 years or older and Canadian residents (excluding Quebec) who have reached the age of majority in their province or territory are eligible to enter. To offer feedback or get more information on the giveaway restrictions, please refer to our Site Feedback section, as that is where discussion of the rules will be redirected.
The contest will run from today (December 22) at 11:00 a.m. Pacific Time through 11:00 a.m. Pacific Time on December 29. The winners will be chosen randomly on December 29 and will be contacted by email. The winners will have 48 hours to respond and provide a shipping address before new winners are chosen.
Tidal today announced that starting on Christmas Day anyone will be able to try out its music-streaming service for free for a period of 12 days. This free trial will include the company's $19.99/month High Fidelity tier that includes lossless sound quality, and it does not require a credit card for you to start so all you will need is an email address (via The Verge).
Tidal's new Apple TV app
To celebrate its free trial, Tidal will release exclusive content every day of the 12 day trial. The content will range from four new original shows to interviews, music videos, and documentaries on Rapsody and Trombone Shorty. Additionally, free trial users will have a chance to win concert tickets, but to which specific show was not mentioned.
Tidal has been in the news recently for its reportedly dire financial state, with the company believed to have enough capital to last only another six months. In the wake of that news, Tidal launched a new app for Apple TV and Android TV devices so users can listen to music and watch videos on a larger screen. With the new free trial, more users will have a chance to check out the service's features and potentially bump up its "stalled" user growth.
The $39.95 screen protector is no longer available to purchase from Belkin's website or Apple's online store after dozens of customers—but not all—complained about it cracking in normal usage conditions and without ever dropping their devices. We're told it has also been pulled from shelves at Apple retail stores around the world.
Here's one customer review from Belkin's website:
I purchased this at the Apple Store a little over a month ago and had them install it using their machine. Installation was quick and the fit on my iPhone X was flawless. I loved the glass feel and everything was fine until a couple days ago when I lightly tapped on the top portion of the screen with my pen and it cracked! There are 3 crack lines coming from the initial crack point. I am very disappointed in the durability of this product to say the least.
When we first reached out to Belkin about the InvisiGlass Ultra's many one-star reviews in November, a company spokesperson informed us that it had not identified any issues with the screen protector at the time. It has since changed tune.
"We have been constantly testing this product since we released the first generation of it timed to iPhone X availability and things have evolved since you and I last spoke," a Belkin spokesperson informed MacRumors. "We identified some improvements to be made in the next generation of this product."
A new and hopefully improved version of the InvisiGlass Ultra screen protector for the iPhone X will be available to purchase from Apple in January and from Belkin around January or February, according to the spokesperson.
Belkin said it considers "product quality and consumer feedback of paramount importance" and said that customers who have any questions should contact the company directly or reach out to their local Apple store. Belkin didn't specify if customers will be eligible for a refund, but hopefully it honors these requests.
The original InvisiGlass Ultra uses 0.21mm ion-strengthened glass from iPhone display glass manufacturer Corning. Belkin said the screen protector improved the iPhone X's scratch resistance by up to three to five times, with up to a 25 percent increase in protection against cracking and breakage from drops.
The InvisiGlass Ultra was released in late October alongside Belkin's anti-glare and tempered glass screen protectors for iPhone X, which both remain available to purchase for $19.95 and $24.95 respectively.
Sources in the semiconductor packaging and testing service industry claim that pre-orders for the iPhone X are not as strong as expected in some markets, such as the U.S., Taiwan, and Singapore, although supply remains tight in other markets including Japan (via DigiTimes).
In contrast, Apple Watch sales are said to have been impressive across the board, with shipment estimates reaching 27 million units, which is higher than an earlier forecast putting the number around 23 to 25 million units.
iPhone X shipments are expected to reach 30-35 million units in the fourth quarter of 2017 and level out or dip slightly going into next year, according to the same sources from the upstream supply chain.
Today's report casts a different light on steady improvements in iPhone X supplies which have seen shipping estimates fall to 1 to 2 weeks in several countries. According to KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who frequently shares accurate information from Apple's supply chain, the supply increase is due to better-than-expected improvements in production since the device's launch, rather than weakening demand.
As a result of the improved production, Kuo believes iPhone X shipments in the fourth calendar quarter could be higher than previous estimates, although he too expects the acceleration to cause shipments in the first quarter of 2018 to be flat or slightly lower compared to the fourth quarter.
Apple is rumored to be launching a trio of new iPhone models in 2018, including 5.8-inch and 6.5-inch models with OLED displays and a 6.1-inch model with an LCD display.
Instagram today announced the addition of live video support for Direct Messages. Instagram users can tap the Direct icon, create a live video, and then send it to a friend or a group of friends. There's also an option to for Instagram users to share a live video they're currently watching with friends.
Live videos sent via Direct Message can only be viewed while the live video is ongoing -i it's not watchable after streaming has concluded.
When you're live, just tap the Direct icon at the bottom of the screen and send your live video to friends. You'll also have this option when going live with a friend. Once sent, the recipient will see your live video in their Direct inbox. Friends can only view your video if you're currently live. If your live video is over, your friend will see a message saying the video has ended.
Those who do not want to send live videos to friends in Direct can disable the option in the stories settings.
Instagram says the new live video feature is designed to make it easier for people to watch and send live videos to friends, and it comes as Instagram tests a standalone direct messaging app with a small number of users in Chile, Israel, Italy, Portugal, Turkey, and Uruguay.
Instagram can be downloaded from the App Store for free. [Direct Link]
Customers who signed up for a "No Commercials" Hulu streaming plan via an iOS device or Apple TV have been paying $13.99, a $2 premium over the cost of the subscription plan if purchased via the web.
Starting this week, Hulu has dropped the $13.99 subscription price to $11.99, so customers who subscribe via an Apple device using iTunes billing will now pay the same price as other Hulu customers.
Hulu informed subscribers about the change through emails that went out yesterday. Beyond the emails, Hulu offered no explanation for the sudden price drop, which was originally in place because of the cut Apple takes from all App Store purchases, including subscriptions.
Prior to 2016, Apple took a 30 percent cut of all transactions, but in late 2016, Apple cut that in half for video subscription apps. Apple now takes a 15 percent cut of subscription fees for subscriptions for apps like Netflix and Hulu that are purchased via the App Store.
Hulu's App Store description continues to list $13.99 as the price for the No Commercials plan, but when you sign up in app, it's providing the new $11.99 price tag.
Hulu's Limited Commercial plan continues to be priced at $7.99 on Apple devices. $7.99 is the standard price on the Hulu website as well, but at the current time, Hulu is offering a promotion that drops the price to $5.99. That promotion is not available in the Hulu apps for Apple TV and iOS.
Three more former Amazon Studios executives are joining Apple as the company continues to work to build out its video team, reports Variety.
Tara Sorensen, who previously served as the head of Amazon kids programming, is taking on a similar role at Apple. Sorensen will report directly to former Sony executives Zack Van Amburg and Jamie Erlicht, who are running Apple's video team under iTunes chief Eddy Cue.
Amazon international development executive Carina Walker and business affairs chief Tara Pietri are also leaving Amazon for Apple. Pietri will lead Apple's legal affairs division, while Walker will serve as an international creative executive under Morgan Wandell. Wandell, also from Amazon Studios, leads international creative development at Apple.
Apple started building its new video division in June of 2017 following the hiring of Erlicht and Van Amburg. The company has been making regular hires for its content team since then, and it has started inking deals for television shows.
So far, Apple has purchased a reboot of Steven Spielberg's sci-fi series "Amazing Stories," an untitled "morning show drama" that will star Reese Witherspoon and Jennifer Aniston, and an untitled space drama that "explores what would have happened if the global space race had never ended" created by Ronald D. Moore, known for Battlestar Galactica.
Apple yesterday confirmed that it has implemented power management features in older iPhones to improve performance and prevent unexpected shutdowns as the battery in the devices starts to degrade, and this admission has now led to a class action lawsuit, which was first noticed by TMZ.
Los Angeles residents Stefan Bogdanovich and Dakota Speas, represented by Wilshire Law Firm, this morning filed a lawsuit with the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California accusing Apple of slowing down their older iPhone models when new models come out.
Defendant breached the implied contracts it made with Plaintiffs and Class Members by purposefully slowing down older iPhone models when new models come out and by failing to properly disclose that at the time of that the parties entered into an agreement.
According to the lawsuit, Bogdanovich and Speas have owned the iPhone 7 and several older iPhone models and have noticed that their "older iPhone models slows (sic) down when new models come out." The two say they did not consent to have Apple slow down their devices, nor were they able to "choose whether they preferred to have their iPhones slower than normal."
They're seeking both California and Nationwide class action certification, which would cover all persons residing in the United States who have owned iPhone models older than the iPhone 8.
Apple yesterday addressed speculation that it throttles the performance of older iPhones with degraded batteries, confirming that there are power management features in place to attempt to prolong the life of the iPhone and its battery. Apple implemented these features last year in iOS 10.2.1.
When an iPhone's battery health starts to decline, the battery is not capable of supplying enough power to the iPhone in times of peak processor usage, which can lead to shutdowns, Apple says.
"Our goal is to deliver the best experience for customers, which includes overall performance and prolonging the life of their devices. Lithium-ion batteries become less capable of supplying peak current demands when in cold conditions, have a low battery charge or as they age over time, which can result in the device unexpectedly shutting down to protect its electronic components.
Last year we released a feature for iPhone 6, iPhone 6s and iPhone SE to smooth out the instantaneous peaks only when needed to prevent the device from unexpectedly shutting down during these conditions. We've now extended that feature to iPhone 7 with iOS 11.2, and plan to add support for other products in the future."
The lawsuit seemingly misrepresents Apple's original statement and suggests the plaintiffs and their lawyers do not understand Apple's explanation for how iPhone power management features work and why they were implemented, given the lawsuit's suggestion that it's tied to the release of new devices. As explained by Apple, when certain iPhone models hit a peak of processor power, a degraded battery is sometimes unable to provide enough juice, leading to a shutdown. Apple says it "smooths out" these peaks by limiting the power draw from the battery or by spreading power requests over several cycles.
Lithium-ion batteries degrade over time by nature, and this eventual wearing out addressed by the power management features is unrelated to the release of new iPhone models.
Apple does not deny that iPhones with older batteries can sometimes see slower performance, but power management is a feature that Apple says has been implemented to improve overall performance by preventing an iPhone from shutting down completely rather than a feature that's been implemented to force users to upgrade by deliberately slowing devices.
As many people have suggested, Apple has done a poor job of explaining why it has implemented these power management features and how the state of the battery ultimately affects iPhone performance. More transparent information about battery health should be provided, and customers should be better informed when their batteries start to degrade so they can choose whether or not to pay for a replacement. Apple may also need to relax its policies on when customers can pay for a battery replacement, as currently, a battery can't be replaced unless in-store equipment registers it as near failing.
An iPhone's battery is designed to retain 80 percent of its original capacity at 500 complete charge cycles. A defective battery that does not meet those parameters can be replaced for free for customers who have AppleCare+ or who have devices still under warranty.
The lawsuit is demanding the replacement of the old iPhone and compensation for loss of use, loss of value, the purchase of new batteries, ascertainable losses in the form of the deprivation of the value of the iPhone, and overpayments because Plaintiffs and Class Members "did not receive what they paid for" when Apple interfered with the usage of their iPhones.
Additional class action lawsuits have been filed against Apple in Chicago, New York, and Northern California. All three lawsuits allege that Apple slowed down iPhones in an effort to get customers to upgrade to new devices.
While deliveries of the first 8 and 10-core iMac Pro orders are set to begin as soon as next week, customers who opted for upgraded 14 or 18-core options were given shipping estimates ranging from 6 to 8 weeks for the machine when ordering.
It appears the 6 to 8 week estimate may not be quite accurate for all orders, as MacRumors reader Adam, who ordered a top-of-the-line machine with an 18-core processor, has received an updated delivery estimate of January 8 to January 9, which will be just a little over three weeks after the iMac Pro was first was ordered.
MacRumors forum member gobluejd has also received a sooner-than-expected shipping estimate for his 14-core iMac Pro, which will arrive on January 9 to 10 instead of the end of January.
Other customers who purchased 14 and 18-core machines may also be seeing updated delivery estimates from Apple, though on Apple's site, iMac Pro orders placed today still list the same 6 to 8 week shipping estimate for high-end iMac Pro configurations.
It's likely that once initial orders go out, Apple will be able to improve those shipping estimates for new orders.
Customers who ordered 8 and 10-core machines will begin receiving their orders in the near future, as some iMac Pro orders started shipping just this morning in the United States and Canada.
The iMac Pro is still listed as unavailable in retail stores. Apple said the new machine would be available in stores by the middle of this week, a deadline that's been missed, but we could still see them in pop up in stores on Friday or Saturday.
Apple's iMac Pro is a workstation-class machine aimed at professional users who have demanding workflows. The iMac Pro supports up to an 18-core Xeon W processor, 128GB ECC RAM, an AMD Radeon Pro Vega 64 graphics card with 16GB of HBM2 memory, and up to 4TB of SSD storage.
Pricing on the iMac Pro starts at $4,999 and goes up to $13,199 for a fully maxed out model.
Update: Some customers who received emails letting them know their orders will arrive early have received second emails informing them that the original emails were sent accidentally, so it is not clear if 14 and 18-core iMac Pro orders are indeed going to be arriving early.
Earlier this year, popular smart doorbell and home security company Ring debuted its Video Doorbell 2, equipped with a motion sensing 1080p camera, a removable battery, and two-way audio capabilities. Integration with Ring's mobile app lets you see activity at your door from anywhere, and even communicate with visitors.
The Video Doorbell 2 is priced at $199 and can either replace an existing wired doorbell or be freshly installed in either a wired or a battery-powered configuration.
We've been testing one out over the past month to see how it works on a standalone basis and in conjunction with the Floodlight Cam and Chime Pro accessory we reviewed a couple of months ago, so read on to see what we thought of it.
Future Apple Watch models could include a sensor that allows for continuous electrocardiograph monitoring to better detect serious heart conditions, reports Bloomberg.
Apple is said to be testing a version of the Apple Watch that records the electrical activity of the heart using two fingers on either side of the device, a test that is known as an electrocardiogram or EKG/ECG. With an EKG, sensors detect electrical changes in the skin caused by the rhythm of your heart beat.
A version being tested requires users to squeeze the frame of the Apple Watch with two fingers from the hand that's not wearing the device, one of the people said. It then passes an imperceptible current across the person's chest to track electrical signals in the heart and detect any abnormalities like irregular heart rates.
EKGs today are most often done in medical offices and hospitals, but there are some continuous-wear EKG monitors on the market for those who need more frequent monitoring. With the ability to detect irregular heart beats and other oddities, the Apple Watch would be able to better predict and monitor serious heart conditions. Such functionality has the potential to allow people to catch and treat heart problems early.
Bloomberg says development is ongoing on the EKG functionality for the Apple Watch, and Apple could still decide to scrap it. With the first Apple Watch, Apple reportedly dropped several sensors because they weren't accurate enough.
Apple has taken a deep interest in heart health in recent months, and in November launched a ResearchKit-based Apple Heart Study app in partnership with Stanford University's School of Medicine. The aim of the study is to determine whether the existing heart rate monitoring functionality of the Apple Watch can accurately detect irregular heart rhythms.
It's not clear if adding EKG functionality to the Apple Watch would require Apple to get FDA approval. Apple CEO Tim Cook has said in the past that he doesn't want to get the FDA involved with the Apple Watch, but Apple is participating in a pilot program for faster approval of digital health tools.
Just this past November, the FDA approved the EKG Kardia Band from AliveCor, the first official medical-grade accessory designed for the Apple Watch.
Popular turn-based strategy game Civilization VI made its way to the iPad today thanks to Aspyr Media. The sixth game in the Civilization series, Civilization VI was originally released on Mac and PC in October of 2016.
As with all Civilization games, the aim is to lead a newly-established civilization to glory over many hundreds of years to ultimately become a world power.
Civilization VI offers new ways to interact with your world, expand your empire across the map, advance your culture, and compete against history's greatest leaders to build a civilization that will stand the test of time. Play as one of 20 historical leaders including Roosevelt (America) and Victoria (England).
Cities now physically expand across the map, active research in technology and culture unlocks new potential, and competing leaders will pursue their own agendas based on their historical traits as you race for one of five ways to achieve victory in the game.
Civilization VI is compatible with the iPad Air 2, the fifth-generation iPad, and all iPad Pro models. Aspyr has made Civilization VI free to download and has included a sort of in-game trial period.
The first 60 turns of the game can be played for free, but after that, players must purchase the full game for $60, which is likely to be a surprise to many who have come to expect iOS games to cost less than their PC counterparts.
Aspyr is, however, offering a limited time discount, dropping the price from $60 to $30 through January 4. Civilization VI can be downloaded from the App Store. [Direct Link]
For any last-minute holiday shoppers out there, B&H Photo has a great free shipping offer that will end in under a few hours. B&H Photo says that the offer ends today at 12:00 p.m. ET, in under an hour, and is focused on thousands of tech and electronic items on the retailer's storefront. For some product pages, the free next day shipping offer extends to 2 p.m. ET today, however, so there should be more time to get your shopping done.
B&H Photo has divided up the items that you can shop in by category and brand, including Bose, Sonos, OWC, and many more. Some of the items might not be discounted in any way, but if you're under the wire for gifts that you need to have guaranteed Christmas delivery dates, this will be one of your last chances. All products that qualify for free next day delivery are only able to be shipped to the continental United States, so Alaska and Hawaii are excluded.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with B&H Photo. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Apple products available with free next day shipping include MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, iPad Pro, iPad, iPad mini, iMac, and more, all of which you can see on B&H Photo's Apple-specific page. Yesterday we shared a few MacBook Pro models on sale at B&H Photo, all of which are offered for free next day delivery:
A handful of MacRumors readers in our iMac Pro order tracking discussion topic have confirmed that their orders have shipped in the United States and Canada, while at least one order in the United Kingdom is still preparing for dispatch.
Many of the orders that have shipped are estimated for delivery in the last week of December or the first week of January.
At $4,999 and up, the iMac Pro is an expensive workstation aimed at professional users with the most demanding of workflows, such as advanced video and graphics editing, virtual reality content creation, and real-time 3D rendering.
At least one MacRumors reader claims to have ordered a 10-core model that costs $7,999, over four times as much as a regular, base model 27-inch iMac.
iMac Pro orders placed today ship in an estimated 1-2 weeks for 8-core and 10-core models, and an estimated 6-8 weeks for 14-core and 18-core models, with prices topping out at $13,199 for the highest end hardware available.
iPhone models released in 2019 and later will likely feature an upgraded TrueDepth camera system that will consume more power, resulting in a need for larger-capacity batteries, according to KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.
In a research note obtained by MacRumors, Kuo said Apple has technologies at its disposal to develop larger-capacity batteries.
Apple capable of designing new system for large-capacity batteries: We believe the adoption of TrueDepth camera for 3D sensing in 2017-18 will create demand for larger-capacity batteries. From 2019, we predict iPhone may adopt upgraded 3D-sensing and AR-related functions, and it will consume more power, further increasing demand for large-capacity batteries. We believe Apple's key technologies, including semiconductor manufacturing processes, system-in-package (SIP), and substrate-like PCB (SLP), will create the required space for larger batteries.
Kuo unsurprisingly expects Apple will use these technologies to continue increasing iPhone battery capacities in 2019 and 2020, as it routinely does, which should result in even longer battery life for future models.
Kuo reiterated that TrueDepth will be expanded to a trio of iPhone models next year, including a new 5.8-inch iPhone X, a larger 6.5-inch model we're calling iPhone X Plus, and a new 6.1-inch mid-range model with an LCD display, but it sounds like the facial system will remain unchanged in 2018.
As far as next year is concerned, Kuo previously said the second-generation iPhone X could have a one-cell L-shaped battery that would provide up to 10 percent additional capacity compared to the two-cell battery in the current iPhone X, which of course could result in slightly longer battery life.
He added that next year's so-called "iPhone X Plus" is likely to retain a two-cell battery design, but the larger size of the 6.5-inch device will still allow it to have a higher capacity in the range of 3,300 to 3,400 mAh.
Apple is expected to release the new iPhone X and iPhone X Plus in its usual timeframe of September to October next year.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Sources in the semiconductor packaging and testing service industry claim that pre-orders for the iPhone X are not as strong as expected in some markets, such as the U.S., Taiwan, and Singapore, although supply remains tight in other markets including Japan (via 
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with B&H Photo. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
