Apple's new iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus have smaller batteries than the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, respectively, according to details discovered today on China's official communications certification board.
The TENAA listings were highlighted by mobile leaker Steve Hemmerstoffer in a tweet, revealing that the iPhone 8 comes with a 1,821mAh battery, while the iPhone 8 Plus has a 2,675mAh battery.
If the TENAA listing is correct, the iPhone 8 line-up therefore features smaller batteries than last year's flagship Apple smartphones. In comparison, the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus feature 1,960mAh and 2,900mAh batteries, respectively.
Be that as it may, Apple claims its iPhone 8 devices offer "about the same" battery life as the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus when it comes to internet use, talk time, and audio and video playback over wireless.
It looks as if Apple has been able to eke out near identical battery life out of smaller batteries in the iPhone 8 devices thanks to the company's new high performance A11 Bionic processor, which Apple claims is more power efficient than previous chipsets.
The smaller batteries also boast support for wireless Qi charging and a new fast-charge capability, which means the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus can be charged to 50 percent battery life in 30 minutes using Apple's 29W, 61W, or 87W USB-C Power Adapters (sold separately and included with Apple's latest MacBook and MacBook Pro models).
In addition to the battery details, the TENAA listings also appear to confirm the iPhone 8 has 2GB of RAM and the iPhone 8 Plus packs 3GB of RAM, as previously reported.
We'll have to wait for the inevitable device teardowns for conclusive evidence about these specs. The new smartphones will be available to pre-order from September 15, with the devices launching on September 22. Prices start from $699 for the iPhone 8 and $799 for the iPhone 8 Plus.
Sport headphone company Jaybird today announced two new pairs of wireless headphones, including its first pair of truly wireless Bluetooth earbuds.
The Jaybird RUN True Wireless Headphones feature a four-hour battery life and come with a pocket-sized charging case providing an additional eight hours, for a total of 12 hours of battery life on the go, while a five-minute charge gives around one hour of play time.
Jaybird says the buds have a "double hydrophobic nano coating" that protects them from sweat and water damage. There's a single button on both earpieces that takes calls, starts and stops music, skips tracks, and activates Siri. The buds are also designed for one-ear use, allowing runners to stay more aware of their surroundings.
The Jaybird mobile app lets users adjust the sound signature of the earbuds in the lows, miss, and highs, and includes a Find My Buds feature if they go missing. The app also supports sharing of Spotify running-themed playlists with other Jaybird users.
At $180, the Jaybird RUN headphones are pricier than Apple's AirPods ($159) and come in two colors: Drift, which has white and silver metal accents, and Jet, which is black with silver metal accents.
The company's second new pair of headphones are basically a redesign of its miniscule Freedom buds and still have a wire that connects them behind the neck, but the Freedom 2 are said to have an improved fit and greater comfort, with double the battery life (up to eight hours) and water resistance.
The Freedom 2 headphones cost $149, and along with the new RUN earbuds should be available in stores in October, with pre-orders beginning today over on BestBuy, Amazon, and the Jaybird website.
Conan O'Brien, host of late night talk show Conan, last night did a skit covering Apple's keynote and the new Face ID feature designed to unlock the iPhone X with a facial scan.
A fake Craig Federighi takes the stage to answer inane Face ID questions from the audience. "Does it work with the butt?" asks one person. "What's the maximum number of faces that the phone can recognize?" asks another man. "That's a good question. Just one," says fake Federighi. "I have six," says the audience member, holding up a garbage bag.
Face ID is a new technology, so naturally there are a lot of questions about how it works and whether it can be fooled by things like photos or masks (it can't), which is what makes this skit humorous.
The Face ID feature is limited to the iPhone X right now, but Apple has said that Face ID is the future of how we will unlock our smartphones. Face ID works in the dark because it uses infrared, and it can also correctly scan a face that's obscured by hats, glasses, makeup, beards, and more.
During an iPhone X demo conducted by Craig Federighi in yesterday's keynote, Face ID appeared to fail to recognize his face, leading to doubts about the feature's reliability and accuracy.
There was a lot of speculation about just what went wrong on stage, ranging from a Face ID failure to a passcode lock, and according to Apple, it was the latter issue that caused the device not to work properly on stage. In a statement provided to Yahoo's David Pogue, Apple says the device locked after several people interacted with it ahead of Federighi, causing it to require a passcode to unlock.
Tonight, I was able to contact Apple. After examining the logs of the demo iPhone X, they now know exactly what went down. Turns out my first theory in this story was wrong--but my first UPDATE theory above was correct: "People were handling the device for stage demo ahead of time," says a rep, "and didn't realize Face ID was trying to authenticate their face. After failing a number of times, because they weren't Craig, the iPhone did what it was designed to do, which was to require his passcode." In other words, "Face ID worked as it was designed to."
While Touch ID locks the iPhone and requires users to input a passcode after five failed entry attempts, Face ID only allows for two failed recognition attempts before it locks the iPhone and requires a passcode to access the device, according to developer documentation. There were arguments over how many times Federighi attempted to unlock the iPhone X with Face ID while on stage given that two attempt limitation, but Apple's explanation makes sense. A secondary iPhone X unlocked with no issues during the demonstration.
The ins and outs of Face ID and its reliability will remain largely unknown until the iPhone X launches in November and is in the hands of customers. Members of the media received hands-on time with the device following the event, but reviews were somewhat mixed. Most people were generally impressed with Face ID and saw it work seamlessly, but there was also at least one report of a problems with the feature not working until the display was turned on and off.
Face ID uses infrared scanning techniques to create a mathematical model of a user's face, which is compared to a facial scan stored on the device to authenticate. Because it uses infrared, Face ID works in the dark and in low lighting conditions, and Apple says it also works with hats, glasses, and beards, makeup, and other items that might partially obscure the face.
Just a day after Apple unveiled its new flagship iPhone X equipped with a facial recognition system, United States Senator Al Franken (D-MN), who is a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee on Privacy, Technology, and the Law, sent a letter [PDF] to Apple CEO Tim Cook with some questions on the privacy and the security of the Face ID feature.
Face ID is designed to take a 3D face scan that determines the structure of a person's face and transforms it into a mathematical model for device authentication and unlocking purposes. Apple has said that Face ID is protected by the same Secure Enclave that keeps Touch ID data safe, and that all processing takes place on the device itself with no data uploaded to the cloud. Furthermore, Apple says Face ID can't be fooled by a photo or a mask.
In his letter, Franken raises concerns about how Apple plans to use facial recognition data in the future, the diversity of its training, how Apple will respond to law enforcement requests for Face ID data or the Face ID system, and if it might be fooled by a photo or a mask.
Since the announcement, however, reporters, advocates, and iPhone users have raised concerns about how Face ID could impact Americans' fundamental right to privacy, speculated on the ways in which Apple could use faceprint data in the future, and questioned the quality and security of the technology.
For example, it has previously been reported that many facial recognition systems have a higher rate of error when tested for accuracy in identifying people of color, which may be explained by variety of factors, including a lack of diversity in the faces that were used to train a system. Furthermore, some have expressed concern that the system could be fooled, and thus the device unlocked, by a photo or a mask of the owner of the device.
- Can Apple extract Face ID data from a device, will Apple ever store Face ID data remotely, and can Apple confirm that it has no plans to use faceprint data for purposes other than Face ID?
- Where did the one billion images that were used to train Face ID come from, and what steps did the company take to ensure the system was trained on a diverse set of faces?
- Does Face ID perpetually search for a face, and does Apple locally retain the raw photos of faces used to unlock the device? Will Apple retain the faceprints of individuals other than the owner of the device?
- What safeguard has Apple implemented to prevent the unlocking of the iPhone X when someone other than the owner holds the device up to the owners face? How does it distinguish a user's face from a photo or mask?
- How will Apple respond to law enforcement requests to access Apple's faceprint data or the Face ID system itself?
Back when Touch ID was first announced as a new feature in the iPhone 5s, Franken sent Cook a similar letter asking for clarification on how the Touch ID feature works.
Franken asks Tim Cook to respond to all of his Face ID questions by October 13, 2017. Apple is not obligated to respond as this is not a subpoena, but the company will likely cooperate with the request for information.
The iPhone 8, 8 Plus, and X are equipped with a six-core A11 chip, which Apple says brings some major improvements over the A10 chip in the iPhone 7. The chip features two performance cores and four efficiency cores.
Early Geekbench scores for iPhone X and iPhone 8 devices suggest that not only does the new A11 significantly outperform the A10, it beats the A10X Fusion in the iPad Pro and it is on par with the chips in Apple's latest 13-inch MacBook Pro models.
In 12 Geekbench scans, the A11 chip saw an average single-core score of 4169, and an average multi-core score of 9836. Some individual scores were much higher, though, with single-core scores topping out at 4274 and multi-core scores at 10438.
A single A11 Geekbench score
Comparatively, the 10.5-inch iPad Pro with A10 Fusion chip has an average Geekbench single-core score of 3887 and a multi-core score of 9210. Apple's highest-end dual-core 3.5GHz 13-inch 2017 MacBook Pro has a single-core score of 4592 and a multi-core score of 9602, suggesting the A11 outperforms it on multi-core tasks and comes close on single-core tasks.
Geekbench average for 10.5-inch iPad Pro with A10X Fusion
Performance is even better stacked up against the lower-end 2017 MacBook Pro models. The 2.3GHz machine has scores of 4321/9183 and the 3.1GHz machine has scores of 4227/8955.
Average Geekbench score for high-end 3.5GHz 13-inch MacBook Pro
On paper, the iPhone X and iPhone 8 Plus will offer significantly better performance than the iPhone 7. The iPhone 7 has an average single-core Geekbench score of 3327 and a multi-core score of 5542.
Average Geekbench score for iPhone 7 with A10 Fusion chip
According to Apple, the performance cores in the A11 chip are 25 percent faster than the A10 chip, while the efficiency cores are 70 percent faster than the A10 chip. The A11 chip is better at multi-threaded tasks because a second-generation performance controller is able to harness all six of the cores simultaneously.
MacRumors spoke to Geekbench's John Poole, who said he believes the A11 benchmarks are real. Poole believes the two high performance cores in the A11 are running at 2.5GHz, up from 2.34GHz in the A10. The 24MHz reading is an anomaly.
Though the iPhone X and the iPhone 8 offer impressive Geekbench scores, how that translates to real world performance remains to be seen. According to analyst Dan Matte, IPC (instructions per cycle) improvements are "relatively modest" and Geekbench scores should be ignored.
If you subtract out the efficiency gains from removing 32-bit support, you're left with maybe very roughly a 15% improvement in CPU IPC for the big cores, assuming equivalent clocks to the A10. Apple could have pushed performance and efficiency further, if not for 10FF being really bad. The era of the hyper Moore's Law curve in mobile is officially over, in my opinion, though maybe the A10 already signaled that. It's all rough sledding from here on out, based on the state of foundry challenges.
The iPhone 8, 8 Plus, and iPhone X all adopt the A11 chip, so with the iPhone 8 models set to launch next week, the improvements introduced in the A11 will become more clear.
In the new iPhone X, Face ID, a facial recognition system, replaces the Touch ID fingerprint sensor we've grown accustomed to since it was introduced in the iPhone 5s.
Because Face ID is a new biometric system, there are a lot of questions about its accuracy and how it will work in various conditions, all of which Apple has answered both in the keynote and on its website.
How Face ID Scans Your Face
Face ID is enabled through a TrueDepth front-facing camera on the iPhone X, which has multiple components. A Dot Projector projects more than 30,000 invisible dots onto your face to map its structure.
The dot map is then read by an infrared camera and the structure of your face is relayed to the A11 Bionic chip in the iPhone X and transformed into a mathematical model. The A11 chip then compares your facial structure to the facial scan stored in the iPhone X during the setup process.
As with Touch ID, if there is a match between the two face scans, the iPhone X will unlock. From there, you can swipe upwards to get to the Home screen.
Face ID in the Dark
Face ID uses infrared to scan your face, so it works in low lighting conditions and in the dark. The TrueDepth camera also has what Apple calls a "Flood Illuminator," aka an infrared light that illuminates your face in the dark so the dot map and the infrared camera can do their jobs.
Fooling Face ID
First of all, Face ID can't be fooled by a photo because it takes a 3D facial scan to unlock a device. Face ID is also "attention aware," a feature Apple implemented for extra security.
Face ID will only unlock your device when you look in the direction of the iPhone X with your eyes open, meaning Face ID only works when there's a live person in front of it. Attention aware is optional, though, and can be turned off if you choose. Most people will want to leave attention awareness on, but for users unable to focus their attention on the iPhone, turning it off will allow the iPhone X to unlock with just a facial scan.
Face ID is also sensitive enough to tell the difference between you and someone who is wearing a mask of your face. Apple trained Face ID with hyperrealistic masks created by Hollywood studios, ensuring a mask of a person wouldn't be able to fool the Face ID system.
According to Apple, Face ID is more secure than Touch ID because there are slimmer chances of a mismatch. There's a 1 in 50,000 chance someone will be able to unlock your iPhone with their fingerprint, but a 1 in 1,000,000 chance someone else's face will fool Face ID. That doesn't count for twins, though -- if you have an identical twin, that error rate increases.
Touch ID locks a device after five failed attempts, but with Face ID, Apple is only allowing two failed attempts. After two incorrect scans, the iPhone X will lock and require your passcode to unlock again. You can also discreetly disable Face ID by pressing the side button and volume buttons at the same time. This will lock it and require a passcode to access your device.
Face ID With Hats, Beards, Makeup, and Glasses
Face ID works with hats, beards, glasses, scarves, and other accessories that partially obscure the face. According to Apple, this is because the A11 Bionic chip in the iPhone X uses machine learning and a neural engine to recognize changes in your appearance.
It's also likely that Face ID, like other facial recognition systems, has a match threshold that's below 100 percent, so even with part of the face not visible, it recognizes the part that is visible.
Face ID also adapts to changes in your appearance over time, so it will continue to recognize you as you grow a beard or grow your hair longer.
Update: Apple software chief Craig Federighi has confirmed that Face ID will work with most sunglasses. The infrared light used by Face ID can penetrate all but the darkest sunglasses.
Face ID When Unconscious or Sleeping
If someone knocks you unconscious or attempts to unlock your iPhone X with your face while you're sleeping, it's not going to work.
As mentioned above, you need to look at your iPhone for Face ID to grant access to your device.
Face ID Privacy
On iPhones with Touch ID, your fingerprint data is stored in a Secure Enclave on the device, and the same is true of Face ID. Your facial map is encrypted and kept in the Secure Enclave, with authentication happening entirely on your device. No Face ID data is uploaded to iCloud or sent to Apple.
Multiple Faces in Face ID
When using Touch ID, multiple fingerprints can be added to a device so more than one person can unlock it. That is not possible with Face ID. Face ID makes a map of a single face and that's the only face that can unlock the iPhone X. To add a new face, the existing face must be removed.
Face ID at an Angle
You don't need to hold the iPhone X right in front of your face for it to make a Face ID scan. On stage at the keynote event, it was shown held at a comfortable viewing angle and held flat downwards while making an Apple Pay payment at payment terminal.
Face ID and Apple Pay
Face ID replaces Touch ID when authenticating Apple Pay purchases. When checking out with Apple Pay, a glance at the iPhone X will authenticate a payment, and a double click on the side button of the device will confirm it.
Face ID will also work in lieu of Touch ID for confirming iTunes payments, accessing secure apps, and more. All third-party apps that use Touch ID will also be able to use Face ID.
Face ID Special Features
With the "attention aware" feature, the iPhone X knows when you're looking at it. Face ID will display notifications and messages on the Lock screen when you look at the iPhone X, it will keep the screen lit, and it will automatically lower the volume of an alarm or ringer when it knows your attention is on the iPhone X's display.
Face ID Neural Engine
Face ID is powered by a two-core neural engine built into the A11 Bionic chip. It works in real time and can process more than 600 billion operations per second.
To train the neural engine, Apple used more than a billion facial images and created several neural networks.
Face ID Growing Pains
Touch ID was slow and imperfect when it first launched, and Face ID may not be perfect right away either. iPhone X hands-on reports were generally impressed with the Face ID feature, but there were some reports of problems with the feature not working until the display was turned on and off.
Apple will likely refine Face ID in software updates to further work out bugs, and future iPhones will undoubtedly come with more advanced Face ID systems that further improve the feature's functionality.
Apple says Face ID is the future of how we will unlock our smartphones, suggesting Face ID will be the de facto Touch ID replacement in devices going forward.
Multimedia software maker Magix is offering MacRumors readers an exclusive discount, knocking the price of its advanced audio waveform editor SOUND FORGE Pro Mac 3 bundle down to $249, a savings of over $300 compared to the regular price of $557 for the entire bundle.
SOUND FORGE Pro Mac 3 is an advanced audio editing suite with multi-channel recording and editing, mastering for music and dialogue clips, and support for high-resolution audio recording at 24 bits with sampling rates as high as 192kHz. Users can edit down to the sample level and have access to customizable window layouts and configurable viewing panels to enable a streamlined workflow.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Magix
Magix notes that SOUND FORGE Pro Mac 3 was optimized and designed for macOS, and can work with both native and third-party plug-ins. Here are a few other features found in the software:
Precise Editing - Configurable viewing panels enable you to toggle between multiple open files and configure open projects for easy access to the editing features you need. Easily switch between time-based or event-based editing modes.
Loudness metering - Precisely calibrated AES/EBU loudness meters help you make use of the entire dynamic range for broadcast audio while you ensure compliance with standards such as the CALM Act (Commercial Advertisement Loudness Mitigation Act).
Interoperability with SpectraLayers Pro 4 - SOUND FORGE Pro Mac 3 offers a complete round-trip workflow with SpectraLayers Pro 4. Experience the best of both waveform editing and spectral editing.
Disc-at-Once CD Burning - Burn all open files directly to a Redbook compliant, replication-ready master CD. Or add track markers to a single-file recording of a live set and burn a gapless, disc-at-once, Redbook standard audio CD.
File Conversion Automation - The standalone batch processing application included with SOUND FORGE Pro Mac automates multiple file processing in a single operation. Convert to a new file format, add processing and effects, add metadata including art work, to multiple files in a single batch process.
Audio Effects - Improve the quality of your audio or create unique sounds using the included processes and effects. To add more sound-shaping possibilities, SOUND FORGE Pro also supports 64-bit Audio Units (AU) and 64-bit VST 2.x plug-ins.
In addition to the base SOUND FORGE Pro Mac 3 software, the bundle offer also includes iZotope's RX Elements and Ozone Elements tools, normally priced at $129 each. RX Elements offers spectral editing capabilities and four additional audio-enhancing plug-ins, while Ozone Elements includes professionally designed presets and precise macro controls to help guide users into making "a full, rich, and loud final master."
SOUND FORGE Pro Mac 3 supports Mac computers running OS X Mavericks 10.9 and newer, with an Intel Core 2 Duo, Core i3, Core i5, Core i7, or Xeon-Processor, as well as 2GB RAM and 200MB of hard drive space. Check out Magix's specifications page for more information.
Visit Magix's website to find additional details and purchase SOUND FORGE Pro Mac 3; no coupon or discount code is required to take advantage of the discount. The offer ends on Friday, October 13.
The MacRumors Deals Roundup has all of the latest Apple-related discounts, so check it out if you're looking for even more information on current sales.
iPhone X is Apple's new flagship smartphone, with a radically redesigned edge-to-edge OLED display and a TrueDepth front camera system with Face ID facial recognition, but it's also considerably more expensive at $999 and up.
iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus are the natural successors to the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus. The devices aren't dramatically different, but start at $699 and share many improvements like faster A11 Bionic chips and wireless charging.
If you have an iPhone 7 Plus, or are considering purchasing one, you may be wondering how the year-old smartphone stacks up to the iPhone 8 Plus. For that reason, we've created a list of new and unchanged features and tech specs.
iPhone 8 Plus vs. iPhone 7 Plus: What's the Same?
Touch ID: Both the iPhone 8 Plus and iPhone 7 Plus have Home buttons with Touch ID fingerprint authentication.
Front Cameras: The front-facing camera is a 7-megapixel sensor with ƒ/2.2 aperture, Retina Flash, and 1080p HD video recording on both the iPhone 8 Plus and iPhone 7 Plus. Front-facing Portrait Mode and Animoji aren't supported.
Water Resistance: Both the iPhone 8 Plus and iPhone 7 Plus have IP67-rated splash, water, and dust resistance.
Memory: Both models are believed to have 3GB of RAM.
Battery Life: Both the iPhone 8 Plus and iPhone 7 Plus have the same battery life, according to Apple's testing:
• Talk: Up to 21 hours • Internet: Up to 13 hours • Video Playback: Up to 14 hours • Audio Playback: Up to 60 hours
Both models have a Lightning connector but no 3.5mm headphone jack.
Both models also support LTE Advanced, VoLTE, 802.11ac Wi-Fi, and Wi-Fi calling.
iPhone 8 Plus vs. iPhone 7 Plus: What's Similar?
Displays: Both the iPhone 8 Plus and iPhone 7 Plus have 5.5-inch LCD displays—called Retina HD Displays—with 1920×1080 resolution. Nearly all other display tech specs are identical, including a 1300:1 contrast ratio, 3D Touch, Wide Color (P3) support, and 625 cd/m2 max brightness.
The sole difference is the iPhone 8 Plus has a True Tone display, which automatically adapts the color and intensity of the display to match the color temperature of the light in its 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, meanwhile, the display would appear cooler and bluer.
Rear Cameras: Both the iPhone 8 Plus and iPhone 7 Plus have 12-megapixel rear-facing dual cameras consisting of a telephoto lens with ƒ/2.8 aperture and a wide-angle lens with ƒ/1.8 aperture. iPhone 8 Plus has Portrait Lighting beta support, but all other rear camera tech specs are identical on paper.
However, Apple says the iPhone 8 Plus rear camera has been advanced with a larger, faster sensor, new color filter, and deeper pixels.
Size and Weight: iPhone 8 Plus is just slightly heavier at 7.13 ounces, compared to 6.63 ounces for the iPhone 7 Plus. iPhone 8 Plus is also marginally thicker—0.2mm—than iPhone 7 Plus, so some very tight cases may not fit.
iPhone 8 Plus vs. iPhone 7 Plus: What's Different?
Glass-Backed Design: iPhone 8 Plus has an all-new glass-backed design, along with the same color-matching, 7000 Series aluminum edges and glass front as iPhone 7 Plus. Apple says the rear glass is the strongest glass in any smartphone, with a "50 percent deeper strengthening layer."
Performance: iPhone 8 Plus has Apple's latest A11 Bionic chip. It has two performance cores that are 25 percent faster, and four high-efficiency cores that are 70 percent faster, than the A10 chip in iPhone 7 Plus. The A11 chip also has a neural engine and a more powerful M11 motion coprocessor vs. M10.
Wireless Charging: iPhone 8 Plus supports wireless charging based on the Qi standard. The device can charge by being placed on an inductive charging pad, such options from accessory makers such as Mophie, Belkin, and Incipio.
Fast Charging: iPhone 8 Plus is "fast-charge capable," which means the device can be charged to 50 percent battery life in 30 minutes using Apple's 29W, 61W, or 87W USB-C Power Adapters, sold separately and included with any 12-inch MacBook and 2016 or later MacBook Pro models.
Fewer Colorways: iPhone 8 Plus comes in glass-backed Silver, Space Gray, and a new shade of Gold, while the iPhone 7 Plus remains available in aluminum-backed Black, Gold, Jet Black, Rose Gold, and Silver.
iPhone 8 Plus on left and iPhone 7 Plus on right
Bluetooth: iPhone 8 Plus has Bluetooth 5.0, while iPhone 7 Plus has Bluetooth 4.2.
iPhone 8 Plus has 4K video recording at up to 60 FPS, while iPhone 7 Plus has 4K video recording at 30 FPS.
Conclusion
The key new features of the iPhone 8 Plus include a new glass-backed design, True Tone display, faster A11 Bionic chip, wireless charging, fast charging, 4K video recording at up to 60 FPS, and Bluetooth 5.0.
All in all, those features make the iPhone 8 Plus a considerable upgrade over the iPhone 7 Plus, which is perhaps why Apple skipped over calling it the iPhone 7s Plus. Alongside the iPhone X, it's an option worth considering.
iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus will be available to pre-order starting Friday, September 15 at 12:01 a.m. Pacific Time, with in-store availability in limited quantities starting Friday, September 22, in the first wave of launch countries.
iPhone 8 Plus starts at $799, which is $30 more expensive than the iPhone 7 Plus cost at launch. iPhone 7 Plus is now priced from $669.
Apple will begin accepting pre-orders for the new iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus on Friday, September 15 at 12:01 a.m. Pacific Time or 3:01 a.m. Eastern Time in the United States, according to the company's website. The iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus will launch simultaneously in all first wave launch countries, so pre-orders will kick off at 8:01 a.m. in the United Kingdom and 3:01 p.m. in Hong Kong, for example.
While there are many who may be waiting for the iPhone X, customers planning to buy an iPhone 8 or an iPhone 8 Plus should attempt to pre-order early as it's not clear what available supply looks like.
There were rumors suggesting that supplies of the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus would be constrained alongside the iPhone X, and Plus models in particular are often in short supply.
Apple will accept pre-orders both on its Apple.com website and in the Apple Store app. The Apple Store app often comes back online earlier than Apple.com and is easier to use when ordering.
Other stores and carriers, like Best Buy, Verizon, AT&T, Sprint, and T-Mobile, are also likely to begin accepting iPhone 8 pre-orders on September 15 at 12:01 a.m.
iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus first wave launch countries include Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, China, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, UAE, the UK, the US and US Virgin Islands. In all of these locations, the two new devices will be available for pre-order on September 15 with general availability coming on September 22.
Pricing on the iPhone 8 and the iPhone 8 Plus begins at $699 and $799, respectively. Pricing for iPhone Upgrade Program customers starts at $34.50 for iPhone 8 and $39.50, and Apple today began offering pre-approvals for iPhone Upgrade Program users who want a streamlined ordering experience.
Though a specific pre-order time is not listed for the Apple Watch Series 3 nor the Apple TV 4K, both are also likely to be available for order at 12:01 a.m. alongside the iPhone 8 and the iPhone 8 Plus.
The iPhone X, Apple's new $999 flagship iPhone, will not be available for pre-order until October 27 ahead of a November 3 launch.
While the Apple Watch Series 3 officially launches September 22 in the first wave of countries, those interested in Nike+ models will have to wait a bit longer.
In fine print, Apple announced that new Series 3 models of Apple Watch Nike+ will be available in limited quantities starting Thursday, October 5. Apple Watch Nike+ pre-orders still start September 15 like regular Series 3 models.
Apple Watch Nike+ comes with all the features of Apple Watch Series 3, including cellular, which lets you take calls, send messages, and soon stream Apple Music without needing to pair the watch to your iPhone.
Apple Watch Nike+ models have exclusive Nike watch faces designed specifically for Apple Watch, with digital and analog styles. You can launch the Nike+ Run Club app directly from the face by tapping the complication.
With just a tap, you can start an in-ear Audio Guided Run featuring the voice of a Nike+ Run Club coach, world-class athlete, or special guest. Each guided run features coach-curated soundtracks to keep you in the zone.
Apple Watch Nike+ comes in four styles in both 38mm and 42mm sizes, with both cellular and Wi-Fi + GPS only models to choose from:
Apple Watch Nike+ models are priced between $329 and $429 in the United States. Additional Nike+ bands are $49 each.
Launch countries include the United States, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, China, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Guam, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kuwait, Luxembourg, Macau, Monaco, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, and the United Kingdom.
With the launch of a new Apple Watch comes a few refreshed collections that the device is available in, requiring users to choose from specific case/band combinations to enter the Apple Watch ecosystem. The Apple Watch Series 3 is available in both non-LTE and LTE-capable models, but there is one downside: if you want a Series 3 in Stainless Steel or Ceramic, you have no choice but to buy a cellular-enabled Apple Watch.
Apple's non-LTE Series 3 Apple Watch brings about all of the usual performance improvements over the previous generation, including a faster processor, W2 chip, barometric altimeter, and more. The LTE models include all of this, on top of cellular capabilities that further de-tether your iPhone from your Apple Watch, so you can make calls, send messages, stream Apple Music, and more right on your wrist.
Apple added in non-LTE versions of the Series 3 for those users who don't think they need a cellular Apple Watch, but it's limited collections for these models to just Aluminum cases. All Series 3 collections in Stainless Steel -- of which there are only four non-Hermés models -- come with LTE, as do both White Ceramic and Gray Ceramic collections. There are also eight Hermés collections with Stainless Steel cases, each one backing the new cellular features.
If you want the improved features of a new Apple Watch Series 3 without LTE, you'll have to choose from four Apple Watch Sport models: one Silver Aluminum Case with Fog Sport Band, one Gold Aluminum Case with Pink Sand Sport Band, and two Space Gray Aluminum Cases (one with a Gray Sport Band and one with a Black Sport Band).
There are also two Series 3 Nike+ collections without LTE, both in Aluminum: a Silver Aluminum Case with Pure Platinum/Black Nike Sport Band and a Space Gray Aluminum Case with Anthracite/Black Nike Sport Band.
That makes six total Apple Watch Series 3 collections without LTE among Apple's 31 new collections of the revamped wearable device. Also of note is that in launch countries where Apple isn't yet offering cellular support, buyers will then be left with Aluminum as their only option.
Launch Countries
Non-cellular available: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, China, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, the UK, the US and US Virgin Islands.
Cellular available: Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Japan, Puerto Rico, Switzerland, the UK and the US
The first impressions of the Apple Watch Series 3 have been largely positive, particularly thanks to its improved performance, Siri's ability to speak aloud, and new heart rate detection metrics. Some initial hands-on reports have noted uncertainty about LTE, but like most premium features the usefulness of a cellular-capable Apple Watch will vary greatly person-to-person.
For a look at all of the new bands that Apple launched yesterday, check out our blog post right here.
Ahead of the 2017 International Broadcasting Convention set to take place on September 14, Adobe has shared details on a series of updates to its video and sound editing software that will be announced at the event. Adobe's fall Creative Cloud updates will focus on Premiere Pro, After Effects, Character Animator, and Audition, introducing new tools for VR, animations, and audio.
Premiere Pro CC, Adobe's video editing software aimed at professionals, features collaboration tools that let users work on multiple open projects simultaneously. Using a tab-based structure, Premiere Pro CC eliminates the need to open and close multiple timelines and allows for copying parts of one project into another with just a few clicks.
There's also a feature for locking a project to prevent edits from being overwritten while also leaving read-only access available, and there are new tools for viewing personal auto-save history, bringing an asset from a previous auto-save to the current version, and creating a new Team Project from an auto-save.
The Essential Graphics panel in Premiere Pro has been updated with time and position-based controls for building Responsive Design into motion graphics, there's a new feature for selecting and manipulating multiple graphic layers at the same time, and there are Motion Graphics templates included in Adobe Stock.
Other new features in Premiere Pro include an updated startup experience that walks users through the editing process, new color labels, and automatic gap removal to make editing the timeline faster and more streamlined.
After Effects CC, Adobe's pro-level app for creating motion graphics and visual effects, includes new Data Driven Animations that use JSON data to create charts and graphs, and expressions for path points on masks, shape layers, and paint brush strokes. Improvements have been made to performance when rendering layer transforms, motion blur, and other effects on the GPU, there's a font menu with live previews, and Adobe has added a new visual map for mapping keyboard shortcuts.
Both After Effects and Premiere Pro feature an immersive display, letting editors experience the content they're editing while wearing VR headsets like the Oculus Rift or the HTC Vive. There are also new orientation-based audio editing tools, new immersive video transitions, and new effects like VR Blur, VR Glow, VR Sharpen, VR De-Noise, and VR Chromatic Aberration.
Adobe Character Animator CC features a new Controls panel for posing and animating characters, a Triggers & Behavior panel, auto stapling for limbs, eye and eyebrow improvements for more expressive looks, and several new behaviors including Layer Picker, Collisions, and Fader. Visual representations of audio waveforms and integration with Adobe Audition have been added, and there are improvements to lip syncing and walk behaviors.
As for Audition CC, Adobe's professional audio editing app, there are editing and performance enhancements, auto-ducking in the Essential Sound panel, smart input monitoring, a new Timecode overlay display, and more.
Adobe plans to make all of these features available to its Creative Cloud users later this year. Creative Cloud plans are available from Adobe.com and start at $50 per month for an individual plan.
Ahead of the Nintendo Direct coming this afternoon, Nintendo recently updated its Switch Online voice chat iOS app with a few useful tweaks to the way the software handles chatting online with friends. Prior to the update, you had to keep the app open at all times to hear and be heard by your friends while playing games like Splatoon 2.
Now, Nintendo explains in the app's update notes that you can both browse to other iPhone apps and lock the device, and voice chat will continue to function in the background through the Nintendo Switch Online app.
The expanded functionality of voice chat should greatly enhance the usefulness of Nintendo's app and online services, which will turn into a monthly paid subscription sometime in 2018. Pricing and tiers include $3.99/month, $7.99/3 months, and $19.99/year.
The app first launched on July 18, a few days ahead of Splatoon 2's debut, allowing gamers to visit SplatNet 2 on their iOS device to look at previous match statistics, check out current stages in rotation, and invite friends to Private Battles on the Switch console. Nintendo's upcoming 45-minute Direct will begin this afternoon at 3 p.m PT and plans to focus on games coming to Switch and 3DS consoles.
Apple has emailed customers enrolled in its iPhone Upgrade Program with instructions on how to get a head start on the iPhone 8 pre-order process.
Apple advises customers to open the Apple Store app on their current iPhone, choose their preferred iPhone 8 or iPhone 8 Plus model, and get pre-approved for an iPhone Upgrade Program loan. The window to get pre-approved ends tomorrow, Thursday, September 14, at 4:00 p.m. Pacific Time.
Pre-approved customers can then return to the Apple Store app when iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus pre-orders begin on Friday, September 15 at 12:01 a.m. Pacific Time to complete the process.
This year, it appears that iPhone Upgrade Program members will be able to use a Trade-in Kit with a prepaid shipping label to return their old iPhone to Apple, rather than being forced to visit an Apple Store to complete the upgrade process. The mail-in option should make this year's launch a less frustrating experience.
While the iPhone X is Apple's new flagship smartphone, iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus shipping estimates could become lengthy soon after pre-orders begin, so getting pre-approved is highly recommended.
Apple's iPhone Upgrade Program lets customers upgrade to a new iPhone after they have made at least 12 payments towards their current iPhone and trade it in upon upgrading. The full cost of the iPhone and included AppleCare+ coverage is spread out over 24 months with zero percent interest.
Here's the monthly cost breakdown for the iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, and iPhone X in the United States. The program is also available in the UK.
At this time, the pre-approval process doesn't appear to apply to the iPhone X, which can't be ordered until Friday, October 27.
Apple yesterday revealed the Apple TV 4K, a new set-top box that will bring all the features of the fourth-generation Apple TV, along with the ability to stream 4K HDR video content. This includes iTunes 4K movies, which the company confirmed will be sold for the same price as HD movies at $20 apiece. Users will even be able to gain access to 4K movies they've already purchased in HD at no extra charge.
When it made this announcement, Apple showed off a list of Hollywood studios during the keynote that will support 4K movies on iTunes at this price: 20th Century Fox, Lionsgate, Paramount, Sony, Warner Bros., and Universal Pictures. In a new report today, The Wall Street Journal noted that the major absence among this list is Disney.
The one absence from Apple’s list of big studios selling movies in UHD is Disney. It wasn’t immediately clear why the company behind Star Wars and Marvel couldn’t reach an arrangement with Apple. It currently sells its films in 4K on other digital stores, such as Wal-Mart Stores Inc.‘s Vudu, for $24.99.
Disney’s absence is particularly notable given a longstanding close relationship between the two companies. Disney Chief Executive Robert Iger is on Apple’s board of directors and Disney was the first studio to sell television shows and movies on iTunes.
Apple is said to have made deals with these studios so that 4K films would not rise above $20, but a few weeks ago it was reported that some studios were vying for $25-$30 for each 4K movie on iTunes. It isn't currently clear why Disney films -- which include Marvel and Star Wars -- won't be available in 4K on iTunes, but the WSJ pointed out that Disney currently sells its films in 4K on apps like Vudu, but at a higher price of $24.99. If talks fell through with Apple, that price tag is likely the reason why.
Apple's negotiations with participating studios reportedly went down to the wire, ending just weeks ahead of the September 12 reveal of the Apple TV 4K. Some studios are also said to still be interested in offering movies on platforms like iTunes just weeks after they debut in theaters, suggesting time frames and prices like 17 days after a theatrical debut for $50, or four to six weeks from release for $30. These talks are still ongoing and it remains to be seen if Apple and iTunes would ultimately take part in such a feature.
Game developer thatgamecompany appeared on stage at the Apple Event yesterday with a title that will be launching exclusively on the iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV soon, called Sky. The game is described as a "social adventure" where players navigate a world in the clouds alongside their friends, and marks thatgamecompany's first game in five years, since 2012's Journey.
Journey was a game that automatically matched players with random other people online throughout the adventure, but it was impossible to join up with a specific friend. In its press release for the game, along with a new interview with president and creative director Jenova Chen, thatgamecompany explained that many fans wrote them after Journey and asked for "a game where they could play together" with friends and family members.
The idea of a wider audience playing the game on smartphones, not just video game consoles, led the developer to launch Sky mobile first and exclusively on Apple devices. This will make it easier to play the game with others, and thatgamecompany said it is "a game specially created to be played, and shared, among loved ones and family." During the keynote, the company confirmed that up to eight players from anywhere in the world can play together at a time.
We wanted as many people to love games, and so we were encouraged to explore this idea at thatgamecompany. Which brings our games, for the first time, to mobile – a platform that many have access to, the world over.
It’s hard to explain the game, but a good place would be to say that Sky is a game specially created to be played, and shared, among loved ones and family. If you can imagine the delight of visiting a theme park where lasting memories are made, we envision Sky will sometimes feel like that.
In a six-minute interview with Geoff Keighley, thatgamecompany president and creative director Jenova Chen -- who was on stage during Apple's keynote -- said that it's "difficult" to summarize the entire game, but many of its mechanics surround "giving" to and helping out other players. Sky is set in a "whimsical" world above the clouds, where a great civilization once resided but is currently in ruins. Chen mentioned that the idea behind this world and the game as a whole was to build a theme park of sorts, where players can return daily and spend minutes or hours discovering new lands alone or with friends.
He also hinted at frequent updates and changes coming to the world, stating that it is "constantly evolving" and when players return there might be new places and sections of the world that open up that weren't there before. Because of the consistent additions and new discoveries happening in the game, Chen compared Sky to a television series that players can return to and experience new chapters in the story and game environment.
A specific release date and price point for Sky have still not been revealed by thatgamecompany, but Chen mentioned that it should arrive on tvOS and iOS "this winter." The company encourages those interested to stay up-to-date on development through a newsletter sign-up than can be found on the game's webpage.
Apple on Tuesday hosted its first-ever event at Steve Jobs Theater, where it unveiled the iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, and iPhone X.
iPhone X is Apple's new flagship smartphone, with a stainless steel frame sandwiched between a nearly edge to edge OLED display on the front and glass on the back. iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus also received a glass-backed design, but otherwise the devices look virtually the same as the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus.
iPhone X starts at $999 in the United States, while the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus start at $699 and $799 respectively.
If cost wasn't a factor, the iPhone X is undoubtedly the better smartphone in more ways than one. But the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus are very capable smartphones as well, so when there is at least $200 or $300 in savings to be had, it's worth considering which of the three smartphones best suits your needs. Find out ahead…
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