Following a report claiming Apple's suppliers are shipping only about 40 percent of the components originally planned for initial production of the iPhone X, a new report suggests the TrueDepth camera is the primary bottleneck.
The word comes from KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who said the facial recognition system is "far more complex" than those on competing devices, which is making it challenging for Apple to achieve mass production.
An excerpt from Kuo's research note obtained by MacRumors:
TrueDepth camera may be main production bottleneck of iPhone X ramp. The 3D sensing (TrueDepth camera) on iPhone X is composed of a structured-light system, time-of-flight system and a front-facing camera, which represents a far more complex structure than those of rivals. It will therefore be harder to achieve mass production. While we project iPhone X will see output ramp up meaningfully in mid/ late October, tight supply may only start to ease in 1H18F due to strong demand.
Kuo said shipments of iPhone X components will likely ramp up in mid to late October. Given pre-orders begin October 27, with in-store availability starting November 3, all signs point towards the iPhone X being in extremely short supply.
Kuo believes iPhone X pre-orders have the potential to exceed 40-50 million units, so it's clear the device won't achieve supply-chain balance for quite awhile.
Apple has instructed some of its suppliers to slow down delivery of iPhone X components, according to Taiwanese website DigiTimes.
The report, citing unnamed sources from within Apple's supply chain, claims the suppliers are now shipping only about 40 percent of the components originally planned for the initial production of the iPhone X.
Apple is allegedly waiting to see how many iPhone X pre-orders it receives, and monitoring how well the already-released iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus sell, before fully ramping up production overseas.
However, the report mentions some suppliers still need to step up production to meet the 40 percent requirement due to low yield rates at their production lines, which is the more likely reason for the slowdown.
Essentially, since some suppliers are manufacturing iPhone X parts more slowly than others, Apple could be capping shipments from all suppliers so it has an equal number of all components when the device launches in just under six weeks.
Whatever the case may be, this report provides yet another indication that the iPhone X is proving especially challenging to make.
Just one day before the device was unveiled, KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said iPhone X production totaled fewer than 10,000 units per day. In a follow-up research note, Kuo said the device is unlikely to achieve complete supply-demand equilibrium until at least the first half of next year.
Apple's lineup of iPhones next year will introduce a larger-screened LCD model, measuring more than 6 inches, according to a report today by The Bell (via The Korea Herald). It's unclear whether this size will be an additional offering to the current LCD iPhone lineup (including 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch models), or if it's replacing these sizes completely.
In May we heard the first rumor about Apple's 2018 iPhones, which at the time focused solely on the OLED versions and did not mention the LCD models. This rumor stated that the devices would come in 5.28-inch and 6.46-inch OLED screen sizes. A subsequent report by ETNews suggested that Apple had ditched the small 5.28-inch size and moved to focus on 5.85-inch and 6.46-inch models, and today's report corroborates those claims.
This means that next year Apple could potentially launch the following iPhones: a 5.8-inch OLED model, a 6.46-inch "Plus" OLED model, and at least one LCD model that measures 6 inches (or larger).
Apple has decided to ditch the smallest 5.28-inch OLED iPhone next year, while adding a larger -- possibly more than 6 inches -- LCD model into the full lineup, according to The Bell on Sept. 25.
Citing local parts makers, the report said Apple had originally given panel orders to Samsung Display, its sole OLED supplier, under a plan to launch three OLED iPhones next year -- 5.28-, 5.85-, and 6.46-inch models. But the report said the development work for the 5.28-inch model has recently been suspended possibly due to the low marketability of the smaller version.
The Bell cites local parts makers who claimed that Apple decided to scrap the 5.28-inch model of next year's iPhone "due to the low marketability" of such a small-screened device. Apple is said to have given OLED orders to Samsung Display for the other two sizes.
Apple will continue sourcing 2018's LCD iPhone screens from supplier Japan Display, which already includes panel orders for the new larger screen size. According to industry watchers, Apple's decision to ditch the 5.28-inch iPhone 9 is due to the "popularity of larger-screen phones for video viewing." A 6.46-inch iPhone would be larger than Samsung's 6.3-inch Galaxy Note 8.
In regards to when Apple might switch to OLED-only iPhones, 2019 has been eyed as the year that Apple might finally make that transition.
Although employees moved into Apple Park earlier in the spring, it has been reported that it will take until the end of the year for construction to be completed. Since that date is now fast approaching, a new drone video by Matthew Roberts has shared some aerial footage of the progress Apple has made since the last update earlier in September.
The video provides a few clear shots inside of the main spaceship building at Apple Park during sunset, where the tree-lined atrium welcomes employees, as well as some views inside the Steve Jobs Theater. Apple introduced the iPhone X there on September 12, inviting employees and members of the media to watch the event inside the underground auditorium and then get hands-on with the new smartphone as the event ended.
The new drone video even includes a quick glimpse directly down through the roof of Apple Park's main building, thanks to a series of glass panels sitting between the solar panels that line the top of the structure. It's unclear exactly when Apple expects to finally be done with construction on the campus. In today's video there are still multiple construction crews and pieces of equipment sitting outside of the central building.
Roberts' video also includes a few shots of the Visitor's Center and the underground tunnel that funnels traffic through the campus. Once everything is completed Apple Park will house around 12,000 employees, and include 9,000 trees, a large pond, walking trails, benches, and a fitness center for workers.
New data shows iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus adoption was lower than previous models over the first three days of availability.
During the first weekend of sales, the devices combined for an estimated 0.7 percent market share of all iPhone models, the lowest since the iPhone 5s in 2013, according to mobile engagement platform Localytics.
With an estimated 0.4 percent market share, the iPhone 8 Plus recorded higher first weekend adoption than any Plus-sized iPhone ever, as demand continues to shift towards the larger 5.5-inch smartphone.
It is important to note the data does not represent actual sales of the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus, but measures users who have received the devices and started using one of the 37,000 apps integrated with the Localytics SDK.
The slow start for the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus is unsurprising, as the type of customers who would rush to purchase a new iPhone during the first weekend are likely waiting for the iPhone X to launch in November.
"Apple is betting big on the iPhone X, and so far it looks like consumers may be doing the same," said Localytics.
Apple stopped releasing first weekend sales numbers for new iPhone models last year, as demand typically outweighs supply, so the company feels it is no longer a representative metric for investors or customers.
In years past, we've announced how many new iPhones had been sold as of the first weekend following launch. But as we have expanded our distribution through carriers and resellers to hundreds of thousands of locations around the world, we are now at a point where we know before taking the first customer pre-order that we will sell out of iPhone 7.
These initial sales will be governed by supply, not demand, and we have decided that it is no longer a representative metric for our investors and customers. Therefore we won’t be releasing a first-weekend number any longer.
iOS 11's estimated 22 percent adoption is also lower than previous versions through the first six days of availability.
These numbers may or may not be completely accurate, but together with shorter lines reported at Apple retail stores on iPhone 8 launch day, there is an overall sense there will be overwhelming demand for the iPhone X.
The display is unchanged from the Series 2, with one key difference being that it now functions as a multifrequency antenna for cellular. Series 3 models support LTE and UMTS, according to Apple's tech specs.
The battery in the 38mm model with GPS + Cellular has a capacity of 279 mAh at 3.82V, or 1.07 watt hours, which is only a slight increase of about 3.8 percent over the 38mm Series 2 model without cellular.
Apple said Series 3 models with cellular get up to 18 hours of battery life, including four hours of LTE and 14 hours of connection to an iPhone via Bluetooth. Series 2 models are also rated to last 18 hours with mixed usage.
iFixit was surprised that Apple managed to increase the battery size while still leaving room for the added functionality of cellular antennas, radios, power amplifiers, the embedded SIM card, and so on in the same form factor.
The embedded SIM, outlined in red, appears to be sourced from ST Microelectronics, and it is positioned next to a Wi-Fi module from Broadcom and other RF chips that enable cellular capabilities in the watch.
Last, we finally know what the tiny meshed hole is next to the diagnostic port: it's an air vent, since the Apple Watch Series 3's new barometric altimeter took over the vent's previous location next to the microphone.
Apple Watch Series 3's relocated air vent outlined in yellow
iFixit gave the Apple Watch Series 3 a repairability score of 6 out of a possible 10 points. Display repairs and battery replacements are both possible, albeit tricky, but replacing any of the component cables requires micro-soldering.
Several MacRumors readers who purchased Apple's new iPhone 8 Plus have reported hearing intermittent crackling noises while taking calls on the device. MacRumors forum member vask first posted about the issue on Friday and a number of iPhone 8 Plus owners from Australia, the U.S., and across Europe have since contributed to the thread describing similar experiences.
According to iPhone 8 Plus owners, "very annoying" static sounds can sometimes be heard from the handset's earpiece during regular cellular calls, but the issue doesn't occur when using headphones or if speaker phone is enabled, which could indicate a software issue rather than a speaker defect. The audible crackling has also been reported when using FaceTime, increasing suspicions that the problem doesn't lie with network carriers. Forum member Jgpsolo describes the issue like so:
It is a high-pitched crackle like an audio pop that happens in the earpiece top speaker intermittently during calls. Some calls are fine and others crackle. It is not audible on earphones or on speakerphone, only through the earpiece. The caller on the other end doesn’t hear it.
I don’t know whether this is hardware or software related, but one thing that made me think it’s software related is that if you switch on to speakerphone for a few seconds then back to earpiece, the crackles resolve for the duration of the rest of the call. If this was a hardware issue with the earpiece, doing this shouldn’t make a difference.
The problem occurs "with or without WiFi calling, with 4G voice (VoLTE) on or off, with phone noise cancelling enabled or disabled under accessibility, and even with third party VoIP apps (like Acrobits Groundwire), with several different carriers," according to forum member ManuCH in Switzerland.
Some users have tried performing a hard reset on their iPhone 8 Plus, with mixed results. Apple's support team has advised some owners to restore their phone to factory settings and set up again via iCloud backup, again with variable results. Other users have even reported the same problem on like-for-like replacement devices after exchanging what they thought were faulty handsets.
Apple is apparently aware of the issue and is currently looking into it. We'll update this article as soon as we know more.
Super Mario Run will receive its "biggest update ever" later this week, according to a sneak peek shared on the App Store this weekend.
A new gameplay mode called Remix 10 will include a set of 10 super-short sections from Super Mario Run's existing levels in quick succession. The stages are remixed with each attempt, with rainbow-colored bonus medals throughout.
Remix 10 has no Game Over screen, and even if you fail to complete a level, you'll just proceed to the next one without any penalty. This means new players can familiarize themselves with a variety of different levels easily and experts can attempt to collect every bonus medal for a perfect rating.
Finishing stages and collecting medals in Remix 10 mode gives players the chance to collect new items to decorate their Mushroom Kingdom, and eventually rescue the newly added character Princess Daisy.
Once rescued, Princess Daisy can be used as a playable character in all of Super Mario Run's other gameplay modes.
Daisy's special ability is to perform a double jump, opening up a brand new way to beat the stages you find trickiest, collect the coveted black coins, or race against other players in Toad Rally.
Super Mario Run will gain a brand new world called World Star, which has nine new levels that are unlocked once players have finished all of the existing stages in the six worlds of the World Tour.
These new levels are filled with new enemies, gameplay mechanics, and of course include pink, purple, and black coin-collecting challenges. Nintendo is promising surprises for even the most seasoned Super Mario Run players in this one.
The update will also allow Super Mario Run to be played while listening to any music in the background, rather than the game soundtrack only.
The update will be available on the App Store [Direct Link] on Friday, September 29, and on the same day, the $9.99 in-app purchase that unlocks the full game will be discounted by 50 percent for two weeks.
About the Game
Super Mario Run is a runner designed for one-handed gameplay. Mario runs forward automatically as players tap to jump, collect coins, pounce on Goombas, avoid obstacles, and reach the flagpole at the end of each course before the timer runs out. In the end, Mario must rescue Princess Peach from the infamous Bowser.
Pioneer has informed customers it has discovered an incompatibility between iOS 11 and AppRadio Mode on certain in-dash receivers it sells.
If you connect an iPhone or iPod touch that has been updated to iOS 11 and launch AppRadio Mode, you will experience a blank screen or other display malfunction that disables AppRadio Mode, according to the company.
Pioneer said it is working to resolve the issue and will update a notice posted on its website once firmware updates for the receivers are available. For now, the only solution to maintain compatibility is to remain on iOS 10.
AppRadio Mode is Pioneer's own interface for running over 30 compatible smartphone apps, browsing the web, navigating, and listening to music, podcasts, and internet radio through your car's speakers.
Pioneer's list of affected models include many AVH, AVIC, and SPH receivers, some of which double as aftermarket CarPlay systems.
With the new LTE Series 3 Apple Watches now out in the wild, we got our hands on one of the new devices to give MacRumors readers a closer look at its design, features, and improvements compared to previous-generation Apple Watch models.
In the video below, we took a look at one of the new 42mm Aluminum Sport models connected to the AT&T network.
Design wise, the new Apple Watch LTE models are almost identical to the Series 2 models, with the exception of a 0.25mm thicker back glass that houses the heart rate sensors and the glaringly red Digital Crown that denotes its LTE status.
That red Digital Crown definitely stands out, and it's kind of a love it or hate it aspect of the new Apple Watch.
Inside, the Apple Watch Series 3 is sporting an upgraded S3 processor, and this thing is fast. It's noticeably quicker than the Series 2 Apple Watch and if you're coming from a Series 0 or a Series 1, you're going to see some serious speed gains.
Quite a few new LTE Apple Watch owners have been running into activation issues trying to get their new devices set up, but we had no problems getting it connected to the AT&T network and up and running. When using cellular, it's going to drain a decent amount of battery, so while this watch can work without an iPhone, you're still going to want one around at least some of the time.
The Series 3 Apple Watch can be purchased from the online Apple Store and Apple retail stores around the world starting today. There are both LTE and non-LTE models available, with LTE models starting at $399 and non-LTE models starting at $329. LTE models are largely sold out and harder to come by, so you may need to wait a few weeks to get your hands on one.
It's officially iPhone launch day, and MacRumors videographer Matt stopped by the Palo Alto Apple Store this morning to pick up some new products to test out. After running into Apple CEO Tim Cook and COO Jeff Williams, who were also hanging around the store, Matt walked away with a Space Gray iPhone 8 and a Gold iPhone 8 Plus.
Matt went hands-on with both products to give MacRumors readers still on the fence about purchasing a chance to see them up close.
Apple's Gold iPhone 8 and 8 Plus are using a new shade of the color that's almost a meld of last year's Gold and Rose Gold shades. It's a rosier color with more red in it than past iPhone models, and it looks great paired with the glass body. The Space Gray is a darker shade that's almost similar to the Matte Black of the iPhone 7, and it too looks great with that shiny glass finish.
Because of the glass body, the iPhone 8 and the iPhone 8 Plus are heavier than past iPhones, but at the same time, easier to hold, both due to small thickness increases and the grip of the glass itself.
With the new speaker enhancements, the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus are loud, and the True Tone display looks different, but it's not a major change over previous-generation devices.
Apple's iPhone 8 and 8 Plus are available for purchase starting today online and in Apple retail stores around the world. The iPhone 8 starts at $699, while the iPhone 8 Plus starts at $799.
In iOS 12 and earlier versions of iOS, Siri analyzes your app use, browsing history, emails, messages, contacts, and information from third-party apps to provide customized suggestions for searches, Look Up, News, Photos, and more.
Siri syncs this information across all of your devices to provide a more personalized experience, and this information is also anonymously sent back to Apple to "make your searches more relevant."
All of this information is encrypted, but you may not want to use the feature because of privacy issues or you may not want certain apps showing up on your device. For that reason, Apple has expanded privacy controls so you can customize Search and Siri Suggestions to your liking.
How to Disable Siri Suggestions for Individual Apps
If you want to use Siri Suggestions but don't want certain apps to show up as suggested content, you can disable them on an app by app basis. This feature was introduced in iOS 11 and it keeps sensitive apps from showing up in suggestions, searches, and more across your operating system.
Open the Settings app.
Scroll down to Siri & Search and tap it.
Scroll down to see a list of all of the apps that work with the feature.
Select each app you don't want to show up in search and Siri suggestions.
Tap the Siri & Suggestions button to toggle it off.
When you disable apps, information from those apps will not show up in Search, Look Up, and Keyboard as you use your iOS device. So, for example, if I disable the Files app, content stored in my Files app will no longer come up in a search or anywhere else.
In the screenshot below, I have Files enabled for Siri and Search Suggestions on the left, and on the right, I've disabled the feature. As you can see, content from the Files app no longer shows up.
You can toggle off any of your installed apps to prevent their data from being displayed when you search, use the keyboard, and ask Siri questions.
Siri will ignore disabled files but will continue to learn your preferences from enabled apps and show content from those apps, which is probably how most people will prefer to use this feature. For a full lockdown, though, disable your apps and turn off Siri Suggestions entirely.
How to Turn Off Siri Suggestions Entirely
If you don't want to use Siri suggestions at all, there are three simple toggles for turning it off.
Open the Settings app.
Scroll down to Siri & Search and tap it.
Scroll down to Siri Suggestions.
Toggle off Suggestions in Search.
Toggle off Suggestions in Look Up.
Toggle off Suggestions on Lock Screen.
With these two settings toggled off Siri will not provide personalized suggestions when you search for things, and your data will not be anonymously sent to Apple to power the Siri features. Note that Siri will still bring up apps installed on your devices in search and other areas -- this just disables the feature that lets Siri learn your preferences and send data to Apple.
To keep apps from showing up entirely, you'll need to use the individual app settings, as outlined above.
Preventing Siri Suggestions From Sending Your Location to Apple
In some cases, Siri Suggestions sends the location of your device to Apple alongside your search queries so Apple can provide more relevant recommendations. You can keep your location from being sent to Apple by disabling a specific Location setting.
Open the Settings app.
Choose Privacy.
Tap Location Services.
Scroll down to System Services and tap it.
Scroll down to Location-Based Suggestions and toggle it off.
Siri Suggestions is a useful feature so most people won't want to toggle it off completely (and it is completely private -- Apple encrypts and anonymizes all data) but being able to prevent individual apps like Safari, Mail, and others from showing up lets you customize your results for a more streamlined experience and it prevents anything you don't want to see from popping up unexpectedly.
As customers around the world begin to unbox their new Apple Watch Series 3 models, some early adopters have started to share their first impressions and unboxings of the device in the MacRumors discussion forums.
Apple Watch Series 3 with LTE shared by MacRumors reader gatorknight904
We've already seen Apple Watch Series 3 reviews from the media, but opinions shared by regular customers can provide additional insight. We've rounded up some of the comments below, which we've edited very slightly for clarity.
While there appear to be some early activation issues, particularly for AT&T and Verizon customers, those who have been able to set up their Apple Watch Series 3 are generally impressed with LTE connectivity and call quality.
"LTE seems to be working great here in Dallas-Fort Worth On AT&T," said MacRumors forum member gatorknight904.
"Agreed," replied MacRumors forum member 3goldens. "I've had no issues whatsoever."
In the Apple Watch Series 3 pre-order thread, several MacRumors readers have shared unboxing photos of their new Apple Watch Series 3 models. Others are still patiently waiting for couriers like UPS or FedEx to arrive.
There is a general sense of excitement throughout the entire discussion topic, with many customers upgrading from an original Apple Watch.
"I have to say, this thing is super fast," said MacRumors forum member roncito. "Way faster than I thought, even coming from my first-generation Apple Watch. And the screen is bright too. I love my Apple Watch all over again!"
"Just picked mine up from my local Apple Store," wrote MacRumors forum member virginblue4. "I haven't done much with it, but there is a definite noticeable speed improvement. Also loving the red crown!"
Unsurprisingly, the red Digital Crown that differentiates the Apple Watch Series 3 with built-in cellular is a subjective matter.
"I must say that the red dot on the Digital Crown sure sticks out like a sore thumb," opined MacRumors forum member largefarrva. "Was hoping it would be a little more subdued in person, but it doesn't appear to be the case."
Apple Watch Series 3 unboxed by MacRumors forum member puckhead193
MacRumors forum member rstark18 said he recently purchased an Apple Watch Series 2, but he plans to return it now, as he purchased an Apple Watch Series 3 and found it better delivers the watch experience he was expecting.
I picked up an aluminum Apple Watch Series 2 last week when they went on sale because I didn't want an LTE watch and I liked the idea of the sapphire back. It was my first Apple Watch, and honestly I wasn't that impressed. I liked it, but everything seemed a little slow to me. I guess I'm used to the iPhone 7 being nice and snappy. I decided to place an order for an Apple Watch Series 3 and compare the two. If they seemed similar then I'd just keep the Series 2 and return the Series 3. […]
The Series 3 is noticeably much faster. On the Series 2, when I would swipe watch faces, it seemed to lag and sometimes take a few swipes to move to the next face. With the Series 3, it is super fast and smooth. Opening any app is almost instantaneous.
This is the watch experience I was expecting. I will be returning the Series 2.
If you have an iPad Pro, there's a new feature in iOS 11 that's designed to let you open up a new document in Notes just by tapping the Apple Pencil on the iPad's display.
The feature, Instant Notes, works even when the iPad is locked, so you can pick up the iPad and get right to writing without having to go through the hassle of unlocking the device, opening the Notes app, and creating a document.
Using Instant Notes
On a locked iPad, press the Home button or the sleep/wake button to activate the display.
Tap the Apple Pencil anywhere on the iPad's screen.
Once you've tapped the Apple Pencil on the display of a locked iPad, it launches straight into the Notes app, creating a new note for you (or allowing you to edit an existing note, depending on your settings).
Because the iPad is still locked when the Instant Notes Apple Pencil gesture is used, you can't access additional notes or any other apps until you unlock the device with Touch ID. In this locked mode, you can access all of the Notes features, including the pen tools, the document scanner, the camera, and the sketch tools.
Instant Notes can only be activated from the Lock screen on the iPad. When the iPad is unlocked, you'll need to access your Notes through the app or through the new Notes option in the Control Center.
Turning Off Instant Notes
If you don't want to allow the Apple Pencil to open the Notes app, you can turn off Instant Notes in the Settings app.
Open the Settings app.
Scroll down to Notes and tap it.
Choose "Access Notes from Lock Screen." The feature is toggled on by default.
Select "Off."
Adjusting Instant Notes Settings
You can also adjust your Instant Notes options in the Settings app. A tap with the Apple Pencil can be set to create a new note, resume the last note created on the Lock screen, or resume the last note viewed in the Notes app.
When using the two options to resume the last note created on the Lock screen or in the Notes app, you can also set time limits. For the "Resume Last Note Created on Lock Screen" option, you can choose to automatically create a new note instead of resuming after a set time period.
For the "Resume Last Note Viewed in Notes App" option, you can set a time limit after which a passcode will be required to view the note. This makes sure someone who gets a hold of your iPad can't access sensitive data.
An Apple Pencil is required to activate Instant Notes, so it only works with iPad Pro models including the 9.7-inch iPad Pro, the 10.5-inch iPad Pro, and the 12.9-inch iPad Pro.
As customers around the world begin to receive their new iPhone 8 or iPhone 8 Plus today, some early adopters have turned to the MacRumors forums to share their first impressions of Apple's latest smartphones.
iPhone 8 Plus in Space Gray shared by MacRumors forum member Veridis
We've already seen iPhone 8 reviews from the media, but opinions shared by regular customers can provide additional insight. We've rounded up some of the comments below, which we've edited slightly for clarity.
Many of the reviews complimented each device's new glass-backed design, which has drawn some comparisons to the iPhone 4.
• "Picked up my iPhone 8 Plus from Summit Mall in Akron, Ohio this morning," said MacRumors reader John. "Coming from the iPhone 7 Plus, I wasn't expecting a huge surprise, but I have to say the glass back is a thing of beautiful. Love the naked feel in my hand of the iPhone 8 Plus."
• "I really appreciate the glass back, as the iPhone 6 and iPhone 7 were just way too slippery, which made it impossible to use them without a case," said MacRumors forum member borgeindergaard, who said he purchased a space gray iPhone 8 Plus. "I can comfortably use the 8 Plus without a case!"
• "I am impressed," said MacRumors forum member cleebrown93, who said he purchased a gold iPhone 8 Plus. "I am happy with it. Camera is for sure improved. Speakers are clearer and louder. Glass back is a welcome change back from the iPhone 4. True Tone display works great. It is more of an iPhone 7s, but I still think it was worth it for those not interested in the iPhone X."
• "Upgraded from the iPhone 7," said MacRumors forum member ApplePersonFreak. "Love the glass back, and it's so zippy. For what I use my phone for, it works for me and is a great upgrade. Can't wait to use wireless charging eventually."
A few forum members are concerned the glass on their iPhone 8 isn't properly aligned. With millions of iPhones coming off the production line, it's common for a few to have manufacturing defects, but based on the pictures shared, it's hard to see much of any problem being described.
• "Love the glass back, but my phone's glass on the back is not seamless," said MacRumors reader Christian Terra. "The bottom right side feels sharp and raised compared to the rest of the back. I will probably take it to get replaced. I don't want issues with waterproofing or just placing my finger on a sharp edge, as I tend to go caseless."
• "Just had my iPhone 8 Plus delivered and I'm happy for the most part," said MacRumors forum member Macs4u. "Only issue I have is that if you look at the phone, the left top seems to have a little more gap between the glass and the aluminium than the right top. I don't know if that would decrease its waterproofness?"
MacRumors forum member Alexander.Of.Oz shared a few beautiful photos he shot with his iPhone 8 Plus—the first with the stock Camera app and the second with third-party app PureShot—but he did note some shortcomings.
Shot on iPhone 8 Plus with default Camera app
I took the first photo using the built-in Camera app with Portrait mode turned on and set to natural, then exported the image as a JPEG. I made the built-in camera expose for the highlights on the iris's pistil, where all the white and yellow is, and made it lock the exposure for that as I took the shot. As can be seen, it didn't cope very well with the highlights presented here—there's very little detail there and in other sections of the flower with whites present.
Shot on iPhone 8 Plus with PureShot app
I took the second image using the app called PureShot, which allows manual control of the camera. I used spot metering on the whites, selected where I wanted the focus to be, underexposed by a stop, and exported the image as a RAW file. PureShot does not have the portrait mode background blurring—the background here is what the lens actually sees. There's a lot more detail to this one, both in the darker and lighter regions, which gives a good indication of what the camera is actually capable of.
Many early adopters were also impressed with the new True Tone display on the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus.
With True Tone, which debuted on iPad Pro, the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus displays automatically adapt their color and intensity to match the color temperature of the light in the surrounding environment.
If you are standing in a dimly lit room with incandescent light bulbs, for example, the display would appear warmer and yellower. If you are standing outside on a cloudy day, the display would appear cooler and bluer.
• "True tone works as advertised and is a welcomed feature," said MacRumors forum member gmillz22.
• "Man, did I miss this on my iPhone 7," which doesn't have a True Tone display, said MacRumors forum member gui0312. "Having the 10.5-inch iPad Pro with True Tone was awesome, and now on the iPhone, it just completes the package. At least for me, this little thing makes a nice difference among others."
• "Got my space gray iPhone 8 Plus this morning," said MacRumors reader Keenan. "Really love it over the iPhone 7 Plus. The screen with True Tone is great and I love the glass back. The extra weight feels better in the hand. The pictures from the camera also seem a lot brighter than the iPhone 7 Plus."
• "So I upgraded from an iPhone 6s Plus to an iPhone 8 Plus," said MacRumors forum member Creep89. "I love the True Tone display. The only thing missing is the higher frame rate like on my iPad Pro."
iPhone 8 Plus in Silver shared by MacRumors forum member AintDutchNotMuch
MacRumors forum member AintDutchNotMuch gave an all-around positive review of the iPhone 8, in which he said he is impressed with its battery life, performance, louder speakers, cameras, and build quality.
I really love my iPhone 8 Silver 64GB. Battery life is amazing. Around 8 to 10% of battery loss in an hour of browsing, watching YouTube videos and taking pictures with brightness set at 50%. It's blazing fast, loud speakers which provide quality sound, great camera also in low light and the build quality is very good too. The glass back is grippy and it seems like it's made of a solid kind of glass too. Apple did a great job with this phone!
Not everyone was impressed with every aspect, or felt it is worth upgrading to, the iPhone 8 or iPhone 8 Plus.
• "I got my iPhone 8 Plus this morning and I am moving from an iPhone 7 Plus," said MacRumors forum member earthdog. "Honestly, I am already struggling to find a good reason to keep it. The differences are so slight. I am going to use it over the weekend to see if I can justify the move. I really want to love it, but right now I just am not impressed."
Overall, however, those who aren't waiting for the iPhone X are mostly impressed with the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus. Share your thoughts in our first impressions discussion topic on the MacRumors forums.
Apple Watch Series 3 models are being delivered across the United States and the rest of the world today, and as customers start attempting to activate their new LTE devices, some of them are running into serious setup issues.
On the MacRumors forums, several AT&T customers have received messages stating AT&T is not supported. Support reps seem confused about how Apple Watch activation works, with one rep telling MacRumors reader KG87 that his watch needs a new number.
I am having the same problem. I contacted AT&T and they said I need to have a new number created for the watch before it will work and I am almost certain that is not true.
I contacted AppleCare and they said that there are connectivity issues with the watch and the engineers are working very hard to get it fixed.
Basically, this is a nightmare scenario for Apple and we're left without the #1 reason we made this purchase.
Many of the affected AT&T customers have said the company seems to be having trouble activating watches not purchased directly through AT&T and have been spending quite a lot of time on the phone in an attempt to get the problem ironed out. Some customers are even being told to call back tomorrow. From MacRumors reader Greg:
I have been on the phone for quite a while today with AT&T, transferred over 10 times, only to be told that they can't activate watches today due to a system issue and to call back tomorrow. It seems to be gaining notice on reddit on the apple watch subreddit.
According to another AT&T support rep, customers who ordered an Apple Watch directly from Apple will not be getting them activated until tomorrow because they're missing key information Apple was supposed to send them.
Verizon users don't seem to be having as much trouble as AT&T users, but several have been told Verizon's systems aren't fully functional. Verizon is said to be doing maintenance to fix the problem and there's no estimate of when issues will be worked out. Many VZW customers may not be able to make phone calls due to the server issues.
T-Mobile customers also appear to be having significant issues, like MacRumors reader Jesse, who said he's spent several hours on the phone with T-Mobile trying to work out an authentication error with his social security number. "T-Mobile reps are completely unprepared for dealing with this issue today. Spent many hours on the phone with T-Mobile and Apple already. Apple claims this is T-Mobile issue," he told us.
T-Mobile customers have also been told the company is having system wide issues affecting the signal T-Mobile users are getting on the Apple Watch.
At least some of the activation issues are due to customers who have incompatible plans. AT&T customers with a grandfathered unlimited data plan, for example, are not able to use the Apple Watch Series 3, despite assurances from AT&T reps that the watch was compatible with the plan.
Across the pond, some EE subscribers in the UK are having the same activation problems, and EE reps are at a loss on how to help
I'm on EE and my Apple Watch wasn't connecting either so called EE and they did some checks and asked me to restart the watch but still no go. They can't figure it out either and said they are working on a fix from Apple as lot of EE customers are having issues. They did not have any problem with what type of contract I had with EE as I'm on a monthly 20GB for GBP21 plan.
Though some customers are having issues, others have been able to activate their LTE watches with no problems and have even said it's an easy process. For the subset of users running into issues, though, it's been a frustrating afternoon attempting to deal with Apple support and carrier representatives who are still struggling to figure out all the quirks and problems that come along with supporting a new device.
Update: Several AT&T customers with grandfathered unlimited data plans have been able get an Apple Watch Series 3 to work with their plans with the help of an AT&T representative. The Apple Watch can be set up as an independent wearable and then linked to the iPhone using NumberSync.
Apple originally debuted Live Photos in 2015, alongside the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus, marking it as a feature that enhances the smartphone's photography with pictures that move when a user performs a 3D Touch on them. With the launch of iOS 11, Live Photos can now be edited in a few useful ways, and this guide will help you make a new key photo (which shows up first in your Photo Album), as well as explain how to add new animation effects to a Live Photo.
To begin, taking a Live Photo hasn't changed with the new iPhone software: simply open your Camera app, tap the circular Live Photos icon at the top center of the screen, and take a picture.
Making a New Key Photo
Open Photos.
Tap the "Albums" tab, then navigate to the Live Photos album to find your image.
Tap "Edit" in the top right corner of the image you select.
At the bottom of the screen, scrub through your Live Photo and find the exact spot you want for a new Key Photo.
Tap "Make Key Photo."
Tap "Done."
Changing a Live Photo Effect
Find the Live Photo you want to edit and select it.
From the center of the screen, swipe up.
Here you'll find three new Live Photo effects.
Choose Loop, Bounce, or Long Exposure.
Swipe down to see the effect in full screen.
Live Photos now have the full suite of editing options previously available to traditional still photos only, including: rotating, cropping, filters, and light and color balancing. You can also choose to mute the Live Photo (volume icon at the top left in edit mode), and automatically enhance it (wand icon at the top right in edit mode). Markup is one editing feature that does not support Live Photos, however.
After you choose a new Key Photo and find a new effect, you can replay your Live Photo like before by performing a 3D Touch action anywhere on the screen of an iPhone 6s device or later.
Last year when the iPhone 7 came out, we posted this article detailing some of the most graphically impressive games on the App Store to stretch the legs of the increasingly powerful GPUs inside of these devices. With today's launch of the iPhone 8, we've assembled another article that has been updated with some new games that will be great for pushing the limits of the iPhone 8.
Oddly enough, the Infinity Blade trilogy is still some of the best eye candy available on the App Store, and chances are if you've been an iOS gamer for a while now you own at least one of the Infinity Blade games if not all three. If you're looking for cool games for your iPhone 8, definitely hit up our list.
While a whole bunch of new iOS games were released this week, the iOS port of The Witness is without a doubt the biggest. Whether or not it's the best is up for discussion, as our 4.5 star review of the game has been far more controversial than we originally expected.
If this is the first you've heard of The Witness, a great way to describe the game is that it's a modern version of Myst from the creator of Braid. It takes place on a mysterious island filled with puzzles at every turn, and even the island itself is a puzzle. The Witness sells for $39.99 on every other platform it's on, but the same great game can be played on your iPad or iPhone for $9.99 — a pretty great deal, overall.
We've been following classic iOS games that are still in need of 32-bit updates, and when we had all but given up on 2K to update any of its titles (given how Bioshock was left to die on the vine), XCOM: Enemy Within gets updated. The entire XCOM series of games is pretty legendary in its own right, but it'd be easy to argue that Enemy Within is among the best strategy games (if not the best strategy game) available on the App Store.
We reviewed the game back when it was originally released in 2014, and it's really only gotten better over the years. XCOM really pushed 2014's iOS devices to the limit, but after a few years of hardware releases, the game just sings on modern devices like the iPad Pro. With a 64-bit update, it's reasonable to assume XCOMshould work until whatever the next massive compatibility event that happens in the world of iOS is, which hopefully is a few years off still.
Another Lost Phone: Laura's Story is another great game that hit the App Store this week. It's the sequel to A Normal Lost Phone which was a hit when it was first released (the original game is also now on sale for a buck). Both games are mysterious puzzlers with the basic premise of the player finding someone else's phone, and exploring the story by going through the various "apps" in the game.
It's an interesting feeling, as even though the text messages, emails, and other aspects of the games are all fake, playing at times seems oddly invasive as phones have evolved to be an ultra-private treasure trove of (in this case, made up) personal information that you're sifting through. Another game which does a similar thing but in a more hacker-ish setting is the Mr. Robot:1.51exfiltrati0n.ipa — all three are worth checking out.
The App Store is assembling an oddly complete collection of Phoenix Wright games, and this week Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Spirit of Justice joined the rest of the titles available on mobile. The way these games are structured is the first episode is a buck, then the rest of the game's content is unlocked via a $15 IAP.
The Phoenix Wright series has been adored on Nintendo handhelds, and it's really cool being able to play them all on the iPhone. They all feature different legal mysteries which must be investigated, then argued in court. It's a super unique experience that you simply must try if you've never played one. It doesn't really matter too much what order you play them in, so you can just hop right into this most recent release.
Continuing right along with awesome games released this week is Crescent Moon Games' Morphite. The title has easily become the most anticipated game in the TouchArcade community, and so far it seems to deliver on the promise of being a mobile (and potentially better) spin on No Man's Sky. It's an open world planet exploration game where you wander around in a procedurally generated world completing missions, discovering civilizations, cataloging creatures, and a ton more. Morphitealso launching this week has made this one of the best weeks for iOS game releases in recent memory.
I've mentioned it a few times in these roundups, but the Minecraft: Pocket Edition "Better Together" update is now live. It adds full cross platform play between iOS, Android, Windows 10, Xbox One, and (eventually) the Nintendo Switch. Regardless of what platform you're on, you can play together with friends in the same world.
Also, in order to make cross-device play easier, the update also adds Invite Links to the game, custom URLs you can generate that are unique to your Realm and will allow friends who use them to jump straight into the world even if the owner isn't online. The mobile marketplace is also getting more stuff, bringing it in line with the features and functionality of the "full" versions of Minecraft on other platforms. I really wish more games were this friendly in regards to not caring what platform you're playing it on, as long as you're playing it.
We're still on the fence about the usefulness of ARKit in games, but if you're really itching for a cool AR game, the creators of Zombie Gunshipreleased Zombie Gunship Revenant, which uses whatever surface is nearby as the game world for your AC-130 to rain hell down upon. It's neat, but again, we've yet to really see an ARKit game that really does something truly amazing. As cool as Revenant is, all you're really doing is controlling the camera by moving your iPhone instead of swiping the screen with your finger.
That's about it for this week when it comes to the biggest stories in the world of iOS gaming. All of the games mentioned in this roundup come with strong recommendations from us, and you really can't go wrong with any of them. This is definitely one of those weeks that triples down on proving just how wrong people are when they say there are no good mobile games. Anyway, as usual, for all this and more be sure to stop by TouchArcade.com.
