Apple today seeded the fourth beta of a new tvOS 12 operating system to developers for testing purposes, two weeks after releasing the third beta and more than a month after introducing the new software at the 2018 Worldwide Developers Conference.
Designed for the fourth and fifth-generation Apple TV, the tvOS 12 developer beta can be downloaded onto the Apple TV using a profile that's installed through the Xcode software. Subsequent betas can be downloaded via the software update mechanism on the Apple TV.
tvOS 12 introduces support for Dolby Atmos sound, which was activated in the second beta. Apple says that iTunes will be home to the largest collection of Dolby Atmos-supported movies anywhere this fall. Customers that have previously purchased movies that gain Dolby Atmos support will see free upgrades to their titles, much like the rollout of 4K support.
Building on single sign-on, a new zero sign-on feature will further simplify the cable authentication process. With zero sign-on, the Apple TV can detect a user's broadband network and automatically sign them into supported apps they receive through their accompanying cable subscription.
Zero sign-on will be available for Charter Communications customers this fall and will expand to additional cable providers in the future.
Aerial screensavers now include location information and there are new screensavers captured in collaboration with the International Space Station. According to Apple's release notes, location information for aerials should be available as of beta 4.
Other improvements tvOS-related improvements include AutoFill passwords from iPhone, an Apple TV Remote automatically added to Control Center on the iPhone or iPad, and Apple TV support on Home control systems like Control4, Crestron, and Savant.
tvOS 12 is available for developers and public beta testers to work out bugs and other issues ahead of a fall public launch.
Samsung today announced it has completed functional testing and validation of the industry's first 10-nanometer class 8-gigabit LPDDR5 DRAM.
Samsung says the prototype chip boasts a data rate of up to 6.4 Gbps, which is 1.5 times as fast as the LPDDR4X DRAM used in the iPhone X and other flagship smartphones. The chip also features an all-new sleep mode and other features that reduce power consumption by up to 30 percent.
AnandTech has a good overview of the chip's technical details, but from a higher level, this development could result in future iPhones having even faster, yet even more efficient, memory. That would translate to maximized performance and extended battery life, which is good news all around.
Samsung said it plans to begin mass production of its next-generation DRAM lineups, including this LPDDR5 DRAM chip, but didn't specify when. LPDDR5 is said to be so cutting edge that the JEDEC standards group has not yet finalized the specifications for it, so it could take some time.
Apple currently sources DRAM from multiple suppliers, including Samsung, SK Hynix, and Micron, varying by iPhone model.
A few months ago, in an internal document obtained by MacRumors, Apple acknowledged that some iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus users may experience a grayed-out speaker button during phone calls, or not be heard during phone calls or FaceTime chats. Apple didn't identify a cause for the issues.
If an affected iPhone is no longer covered by warranty, Apple's document said Genius Bars or Apple Authorized Service Providers could escalate the case to Apple, and the company would grant an exception, resulting in a free repair for the customer. Of note, this was never a full-out service program.
"I just had my wife's iPhone 7 replaced this morning," said one MacRumors forum member, in a discussion thread about these issues. "Out of warranty and Apple took care of the bill. The mic on the device had failed."
As of last week, however, Apple appears to have stopped offering that exception. Reliable sources at multiple Apple Authorized Service Providers informed MacRumors that Apple has now deleted its internal document related to these issues, and they are no longer able to put through free repairs via Apple's system.
Instead, if an affected iPhone is past its warranty period, Genius Bars and Apple Authorized Service Providers must charge a standard out-of-warranty fee for the repair to be completed, according to the sources we spoke with.
While only a limited number of customers are affected, one source told us that the microphone issues are still prevalent, and do not appear to have been resolved, so it's unclear why Apple chose to stop offering exceptions. We've reached out to Apple for comment on the matter — we'll update if we hear back.
iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus devices still within Apple's limited one-year warranty period or covered by AppleCare+ should remain eligible for a free repair.
Repairs can be initiated by booking an appointment at a Genius Bar, or at an Apple Authorized Service Provider, via the Contact Apple Support page: iPhone → Repairs & Physical Damage → Unable to Hear Through Receiver or Speakers → Built-in Speaker → Bring In For Repair and select a location and time.
Well-known leaker Ben Geskin today tweeted a photo of what he claims are front glass panels for Apple's widely rumored trio of new iPhones, all of which are expected to be announced in September as usual.
The lineup is expected to include a second-generation iPhone X, a so-called iPhone X Plus, and what will essentially be a budget iPhone X, with 5.8-inch, 6.5-inch, and 6.1-inch screen sizes respectively.
Geskin tweeted a second photo of the front glass panels with wallpapers, providing a realistic visualization of the 2018 iPhones.
As he depicted in mockups last month, Geskin says the 6.1-inch model with an LCD panel will have slightly thicker bezels compared to the iPhone X and iPhone X Plus, which are expected to have OLED displays.
A similar photo was uploaded to Slashleaks by user Dimitri12, providing a closer look at the thicker bezels on the 6.1-inch model.
All three devices are expected to feature edge-to-edge displays with a notch for the TrueDepth sensors that enable Face ID.
Global shipments of 3D sensing smartphones are expected to reach over 100 million units in 2018, according to China-based analyst Sigmaintell, as Android phone makers gradually adopt the technology that Apple introduced to market last year.
China-based Xiaomi and Oppo have already unveiled phones featuring their own versions of the 3D scanning technology that Apple launched in the iPhone X back in September, while Apple is expected to bring Face ID to three new iPhones that are set for launch in the fall.
Xiaomi Mi 8 Explorer Edition
Announced in May, Xiaomi's 6.28-inch Mi 8 Explorer Edition, which combines 3D facial recognition technology and an in-display fingerprint sensor, is expected to hit stores in China on July 24, with a price tag in the region of $550.
In June, Oppo announced the Find X with a 6.42-inch AMOLED display. The 3D-sensing enabled phone is a direct competitor to the Mi 8, and features the same 8GB of RAM and Snapdragon 845 processor as its rival, with a higher price tag of around $750.
Also in June, Vivo unveiled new 3D sensing technology which it says has 10 times the accuracy of the Face ID authentication system in Apple's iPhone X.
Oppo Find X
Vivo's claim stems from its Time of Flight (TOF) system using 300,000 data points to map the user's face in three dimensions, compared to the 30,000 points of infrared light used in Apple's smartphone. The hardware is expected to feature in Vivo's new flagship model set for launch later this year, so whether the specs translate in practice to better security and accuracy remains to be seen.
As for Samsung, the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S9 models already feature facial recognition, but it is 2D, and tests have proved that the systems could be spoofed with a photo of a face. The Korea-based firm is said to be considering adding more sophisticated 3D facial recognition to the Galaxy S9 lineup later this year.
Despite growing adoption of 3D sensing across the market, Apple will remain the primary vendor of the technology throughout 2018, with combined shipments of equivalent Android smartphones likely to reach only 12 million units, according to Sigmaintell.
The latest Sonos product, the Sonos Beam, is today available for purchase from the Sonos website and from various retailers around the world.
First announced in June, the Sonos Beam has been available for pre-order, but today is its official launch date. The Sonos Beam is a $399 smart, compact sound bar that's designed for use with TV sets.
Sonos says the Beam offers five Class-D digital amplifiers, four full-range woofers for true playback of mid-range vocal frequencies, one tweeter for creating crisp and clear dialogue, three passive radiators for deep, warm bass, and a five far-field microphone array.
Available in black or white, the Sonos Beam includes features like a dialog clarity speech enhancement to make dialog in TV shows and movies easier to hear, and there's a night sound mode for watching late night TV without waking the house.
Like the Sonos One, Sonos Playbase, and second-generation Play:5, the Sonos Beam supports Apple's new AirPlay 2 feature, which allows for Siri control of Apple Music and the ability to play and control multi-room audio on compatible devices.
Along with AirPlay 2 and Siri support, Sonos Beam works with Alexa, and it pairs well with other Sonos speakers.
Sonos is offering limited time discounts on its speaker lineup to complement the beam, including $20 off two Sonos Ones, $100 off four Sonos Ones, and $50 off a Sonos Beam set that includes two Play:1 speakers.
Sonos is also today announcing that Audible can now be controlled on Sonos using voice with Amazon Alexa. Sonos devices have supported Audible since earlier this year, but voice control has been added.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Sonos. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
In celebration of World Emoji Day, which takes place tomorrow, Apple today updated its Apple Leadership site to introduce Memoji avatars for all of the key executives listed on the page.
Tim Cook, Angela Ahrendts, Jony Ive, Eddy Cue, Craig Federighi, Luca Maestri, Phil Schiller, and the rest of the leadership team are now represented by Memojis.
Memojis are an iPhone X feature coming in iOS 12. Similar to Animoji, Memoji are humanoid avatars that can be customized and personalized to look just like you with an array of options.
You can choose skin color, hair color, hair style, eye color, eyebrows, nose, features like freckles and facial hair, accessories, and headwear when creating a Memoji.
Right now, Memoji, like Animoji, are limited to iPhone X, but future devices that include the Face ID camera system will also work with Animoji and Memoji, such as rumored iPad Pro models expected this fall.
To celebrate World Emoji Day, Apple also highlighted the emojis we can expect to see in Unicode 11, which Apple plans to adopt later this year in either iOS 12 or an update to iOS 12.
Upcoming emoji characters include cold face, party face, pleading face, peacock, kangaroo, parrot, and more, along with options for red hair, gray hair, and no hair.
iFixit on Friday started a teardown on the new 2018 MacBook Pro, discovering a new silicone membrane underneath the keyboard keys, which the site believes is an ingress-proofing measure to prevent the keys from seizing up when exposed to small particulates.
That was by far the most interesting bit of information about the new MacBook Pro models, but iFixit has now finished a teardown of the 13-inch MacBook Pro and has a few other tidbits to share.
Both the new 13 and 15-inch MacBook Pro models are using higher capacity batteries, with iFixit discovering a larger 58wh, 232.7 gram 6-cell battery in the 13-inch model, up from the 5 cell 196.7 gram battery in the 2017 model. Though the battery is heavier, the MacBook Pro has not changed in weight, nor has battery life changed.
It's not entirely clear where Apple made up for the extra weight, but iFixit says Apple "shaved some mass" from the top case of the device.
The speakers in the new machine are longer and narrower, bumping right up against the logic board, and an internal connector used for diagnostics has been removed.
Apple added a new T2 chip in the 2018 MacBook Pro, which is the same chip first used in the iMac Pro. It houses the Secure Enclave and allows for on-the-fly encryption in addition to consolidating several controllers including the system management controller, image signal processor, audio controller, and SSD controller.
It also enables "Hey Siri" functionality, a feature that wasn't even added to the iMac Pro. While the T2 chip is a new addition, the design of the heat sink system has not changed.
Apple shipped the 13-inch MacBook Pro with a new A1947 power adapter, which iFixit says offers more shielding and impact-resistant foam rubber inside, but with a plastic USB-C port rather than a metal one.
As with prior MacBook Pro models, the RAM, processor, and SSD are soldered down, and the keyboard, battery, and speakers are all one unit, which means none of these components are user replaceable and repairs are difficult. For that reason, iFixit gave the 2018 MacBook Pro a repairability score of 1 out of 10, the same score earned by the 2017 model.
For further details on all of the components in the new 13-inch MacBook Pro, make sure to check out iFixit's full teardown. For additional info on Apple's new 2018 MacBook Pro models, visit our MacBook Pro roundup.
Apple today seeded the fourth beta of an upcoming macOS Mojave update to developers for testing purposes, two weeks after releasing the third beta and more than a month after introducing the software at the Worldwide Developers Conference.
macOS Mojave introduces a new method of installing software updates, so after you've installed the appropriate profile from the Apple Developer Center, additional betas can be downloaded clicking on the Apple in the menu bar, choosing "About This Mac" and clicking "Software Update." Alternatively, open System Preferences and choose the "Software Update" icon.
Today's beta is available for the 2018 MacBook Pro, so those who have purchased one of Apple's machines can now try it with macOS Mojave.
The macOS Mojave update brings a long-awaited systemwide Dark Mode, with Mojave users able to choose between a light theme or the new dark theme, which changes the color of the dock, menu bar, apps, and other elements. Dark Mode is accompanied by Dynamic Desktops, aka wallpapers that subtly change throughout the day.
Stacks, a new desktop organization system, keeps all of your desktop files neat and organized, while Finder has been enhanced with a Gallery View, a Sidebar, a revamped Quick Look option and Quick Actions, so you can do more in the Finder window than ever before.
Screenshots can now be edited using Markup tools and a new management options that also allow for easy screen recording, while Continuity camera, a new feature, allows you to import photos and document scans directly from an iPhone or iPad to the Mac.
The Apple News, Stocks, Home, and Voice Memos apps have been ported from iOS to macOS as part of a multiyear project Apple is working on to make it easier to bring iOS apps to Macs, and Apple has introduced several new privacy protections to keep your data safer than ever.
Apple is also making it harder for websites to track you with a range of new Safari tools, and it's also easier to make and store secure, hard-to-guess passwords for each and every website.
Apple has added an entirely revamped Mac App Store to macOS Mojave that makes it easier to discover apps with a featured section and specific categories for games, creative apps, productivity apps, apps for developers, and more.
macOS Mojave is available to developers and public beta testers to work out bugs and other issues ahead of an upcoming fall public release.
Update: macOS Mojave fixes the bug that prevented Dynamic Desktop from working while in Dark Mode, and it introduces a new Solar Gradient dynamic wallpaper option.
Belkin was one of the first companies to come out with a faster 7.5W wireless charger for the iPhone X, iPhone 8, and iPhone 8 Plus after wireless charging launched, and the company has now had time to create a second round of wireless chargers with a more refined design.
Both of these chargers are 7.5W, which means they're able to charge an iPhone with Qi wireless charging capabilities at a faster speed than traditional 5W chargers. I tested Belkin's two new chargers with an iPhone drained to 1 percent, and both charged up to right around 40 percent after an hour, which is in line with other summertime 7.5W charging speeds that I've seen.
Belkin advertises these chargers as 10W, but 7.5W is the maximum charging speed for iPhones. So if you have a Samsung device or something else that also charges via Qi and can charge at a faster speed, Belkin's charging pad and stand can charge those electronics at their maximum charging speed too.
Wireless charging speeds can vary quite a bit depending on factors like temperature, so you're not always going to see a lot of difference between 5W and 7.5W chargers as explained in our wireless charging guide.
For example, the original Belkin charger I have can charge my iPhone to about 46-48 percent in an hour during the wintertime (when it's ~65 degrees), but those speeds drop when the ambient temperature is higher in my apartment in the summer and I see a smaller difference between 5W and 7.5W.
In general, I've found it's better to use a 7.5W charger to eke out every bit of speed that you can, but on the whole, there's not going to be a huge difference between 5W charging speeds and 7.5W charging speeds, and bells and whistles like fans and power management options (Belkin claims optimized performance via "premium shielding" and "precision resistors") don't seem to make a noticeable difference.
With performance not drastically different between wireless chargers - and to be clear, Belkin's are charging at 7.5W - choosing a charger comes down to factors like price point and design. Belkin's not going to win in the former category, but when it comes to design, these are well thought out.
I've used an original Belkin Boost Up Wireless Charging Pad on my nightstand for months, and it's been a frustrating experience just because it's so large. Finding the sweet spot on the charger to get my iPhone X to charge is one of my absolute least favorite late night activities, and with a smaller area for the Bold Charging Pad, I am able to get my iPhone X situated in the dark much more quickly.
New charging pad on left, old charging pad on right
Belkin sells the Boost Up Wireless Charging Pad in pink, black, or white, and each is made from plastic and rubber. At the base, there's a rubber bottom to keep the Charging Pad in place on a desk or a nightstand, and there's a matching rubber ring at the top to prevent the iPhone from slipping when it's placed on the charger.
The rest of the top of the charger is a soft, smooth material that has a subtle Belkin logo, and all in all, it's a clean, attractive charger with no obvious branding.
The side of the Charging Pad is made from a shinier plastic that goes well with the matte top, and an unobtrusive LED at the side comes on when the iPhone is in the right spot, which lets you confirm that it's being charged. I like the soft light that's included on the charger - it's not overly bright while providing me with charging status at a glance.
This same LED will light up if a foreign object like keys or coins are placed on the charger that could potentially affect wireless charging speeds.
At the back of the Charging Pad, there's a single hole for the power source. All 7.5W chargers need ~18W+ power adapters to charge at maximum speeds, so Belkin has included its own 22.5W adapter. The adapter has a rather large power brick for a wireless charger, which may be of concern if you have limited plug space. It otherwise has a long 1.5m cord that can reach a power strip underneath a desk.
Belkin's Boost Up Wireless Charging Stand
Belkin's Boost Up Wireless Charging Stand, available in black or white, is the first stand-style wireless charging device that Belkin has designed for the iPhone. Rather than laying flat, the iPhone sits upright in Belkin's Charging Stand in either portrait or landscape orientation.
Design wise, the Charging Stand looks similar to the Boost Up Bold Charging Pad, but with a plastic frame to hold it upright. The charging surface of the stand is just a bit larger than the pad's surface, but the overall footprint is larger because of the design of the frame.
The frame extends several inches behind the charger and about an inch in front of it to provide stability. Each portion of the stand that makes contact with a desk or a nightstand is covered in a grippy rubber material to keep it in place, while the front of the stand and the charging portion are both covered in a soft, smooth silicone-style material.
An iPhone can either rest on the bottom of the stand's frame while in Portrait orientation, or lay across the top of the frame while in landscape orientation. While the iPhone isn't going to go anywhere on its own, it's not as stable as a flat design just because the iPhone is in an upright position. That said, though, the design of the frame means that it's not going to move from slight bumps.
There are two LEDs on the Charging Stand's surface, one visible when the iPhone is in portrait orientation and one visible when it's in landscape orientation. These use the same soft light as the Charging Pad, providing a way for you to tell if your device is charging without a glaringly bright LED drawing your eye at night.
The Boost Up Wireless Charging Stand ships with the same 22.5W adapter and power cord that comes with the Charging Pad.
Though the Charging Stand has a larger footprint than the Wireless Charging Pad and other similar flat wireless charging options, I liked that it was impossible to place my iPhone in the wrong spot. That made it perfect for nightstand use, because I can just drop my iPhone in place without needing to worry that it's not getting power overnight.
I was also able to glance over and unlock it with Face ID in some situations without even picking up the iPhone, just because of its upright position.
It would be nice if Belkin had made the stand adjustable in some way to let people change the angle of the iPhone if desired, but by default, it's in an ideal position for movie watching in landscape mode if you also want your Charging Stand to double as a regular stand.
Bottom Line
At $60 for the Boost Up Wireless Charging Pad and $70 for the Boost Up Wireless Charging Stand, Belkin is charging a lot more than some other companies. At this point, you can get a 7.5W charger for $20 to $40 from Amazon. Not all of those are Apple certified, of course, which is worth noting.
Belkin does have Apple approval for its wireless chargers, and both the pad and the stand come with the Belkin Connected Equipment Warranty. Belkin says if your device is damaged by an electrical charge while properly connected to the charger, it will repair or replace it up to a value of $2,500. I don't know of anyone who has had an iPhone damaged by a wireless charger, but I guess it could happen.
Clear Apple certification is one benefit of the Wireless Charging Pad and the Wireless Charging Stand, but design is another. Most of the cheap chargers on Amazon all look and function the same. Belkin's Wireless Charging Stand, though, offers a unique, hassle-free design that looks nice on a desk and provides the convenience of not having to fuss with positioning.
The Wireless Charging Pad isn't quite as unique looking, but it features a solid build with grippiness in all the right places, along with a size that isn't overwhelming to also make for easier positioning.
These chargers aren't going to be for everyone because there are much cheaper options on the market, but for customers who want the peace of mind of Apple certification or more thoughtful design elements, the Belkin Boost Up Wireless Charging Pad and the Boost Up Wireless Charging Stand may be worth paying a premium for.
Note: Belkin provided MacRumors with a Boost Up Wireless Charging Pad and a Boost Up Wireless Charging Stand for the purpose of this review. No other compensation was received.
Microsoft today highlighted Skype 8 and recommended that customers upgrade to the new software as the company plans to retire Skype 7, aka Skype classic, later this year.
Skype 8 includes free HD video and screensharing calls with up to 24 people, reaction options for messages in conversations and @mentions to get someone's attention in a group chat, a chat media gallery for viewing photos and links, customizable themes, a notification panel, and options to share photos, videos, and files over Skype that are up to 300MB in size.
In the future, Microsoft plans to add additional features that include read receipts, private conversations with end-to-end encryption, call recording, profile invites, and group links for initiating a call with multiple people. Skype 8 features are also rolling out on the iPad starting today.
Microsoft is encouraging all Skype users to update to the new 8.0 version of the software as earlier versions of Skype will stop working on September 1, 2018. Microsoft says it is discontinuing older versions of Skype in order to provide the best possible Skype experience with no quality or reliability issues.
Note: A previous version of this post listed the 8.0 update as new, due to the fact that Microsoft published a blog post announcing it as new this morning. Our readers have pointed out that Skype 8 has been available for some time, with 8.25 listed as the current version of the software.
World Emoji Day kicks off on July 17, and in celebration of the event, Apple today shared details on new emoji that are coming to iOS devices "later this year" as part of the Unicode 11 emoji release.
Apple plans to introduce 70 new emoji characters later this year, with new options for red hair, gray hair, curly hair, and no hair, along with smiley faces that include cold face, party face, pleading face, and face with hearts.
Super heroes, an eye-shaped nazar amulet, and an infinity symbol will be added, along with new animals such as kangaroo, peacock, parrot, and lobster. New food items include mango, lettuce, cupcake, and moon cake.
A full list of the emoji included in Unicode 11 are listed on the Emojipedia site, and Emojipedia was also able to interview Alan Dye, Apple's VP of User Interface Design to get some insight into how Apple designs new emoji.
According to Dye, when designing new emoji characters, Apple aims for a design that's "the most iconic" and "the most timeless representation" of the item in question. There's no specific formula, though, behind the look of each individual emoji.
"Without a doubt, we want it to always feel like an Apple emoji and that's what we're going for, but we really make that decision on a case by case basis," Dye said.
Apple often discusses adding more diverse options, such as emojis for black families, but it's a challenge to come up with an appropriate interface. "I think that you need a UI that can accommodate the variations," Dye told Emojipedia.
All of the new emoji Apple shared today will be available across iOS, macOS, and watchOS, joining the hundreds of emoji options that are already available. Apple has not said when the new emoji will be released, but they could come out either alongside the release of iOS 12 this September or in an iOS 12 update later this year.
Today kicks off Amazon's annual Prime Day shopping event, offering customers with an Amazon Prime subscription the chance to save money on nearly countless items across the retailer's storefront.
Since we routinely share great deals on Apple products and accessories being sold on Amazon, we've launched a live blog today that will track notable Prime Day discounts from Apple accessory makers like Anker and EasyAcc, as well as other interesting sales as they go live. Prime Day will officially begin this afternoon at 3 p.m. ET and continue for 36 hours afterwards.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Before that time, Amazon has debuted early access Prime Day discounts on its own range of Alexa and Echo devices, with up to 50 percent off of products like the Echo Look, Fire TV Stick, Fire HD 10 tablet, and more, which are expected to last throughout Prime Day.
In contrast to deals that last for a majority of the event, there will also be limited-time lightning deals that appear at different times throughout the day and night, and only last for an hour or so.
In this live blog, we'll be tracking lightning deals, longer-lasting discounts, and competitor sales as products get marked down throughout Prime Day, so be sure to bookmark this page and check back for new bargains as Amazon's mid-year shopping event continues into Wednesday morning.
Prime Day is over for 2018 – check back next year!
Apple is widely rumored to introduce a trio of new iPhones in September, including a second-generation 5.8-inch iPhone X, a larger 6.46-inch version dubbed iPhone X Plus, and a 6.1-inch model with only some iPhone X features.
Galaxy S9
Perhaps inspired by those plans, respected analyst Ming-Chi Kuo claims that Samsung will follow suit with its Galaxy S10 lineup next year, including 5.8-inch, 6.1-inch, and 6.4-inch models. Kuo outlined his predictions in his latest research note with TF International Securities, seen by Business Insider.
Kuo notes that the 6.1-inch and 6.4-inch models will be equipped with an ultrasonic fingerprint scanner built into the display, a feature that Apple decided against on the iPhone X. The technology will also be built into the Galaxy Note 10 later in 2019, according to his research note.
Korean website The Bell previously reported that one of the Galaxy S10 models will be a lower-cost option, in line with the rumored 6.1-inch iPhone, which is expected to have some iPhone X features like Face ID, and an edge-to-edge display with a notch, but lack others, like an OLED display.
The lower-cost Galaxy S10 will also have tradeoffs, such as a fingerprint scanner built into the edge of the device, according to Kuo.
The Bell also said the Galaxy S10+ will feature five camera lenses: three on the back, and two on the front. The rear system is said to include the same 12-megapixel wide-angle lens and 12-megapixel telephoto lens as the Galaxy S9+, plus an all-new 16-megapixel 120º ultra-wide-angle lens.
Apple is also rumored to introduce at least one new iPhone with a triple-lens rear camera in 2019, but likely not until September, which would likely be after the first triple-lens Galaxy S10 is released, so it's not always Samsung following second. Huawei was first to release a triple-lens smartphone regardless.
Samsung is also said to be considering adding 3D facial recognition to the Galaxy S9 lineup, in line with Face ID on the iPhone X. Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S9 models already feature facial recognition, but it is 2D, and tests proved that the systems could be spoofed with a photo of a face.
One feature that Samsung has yet to copy, unlike several other Android smartphone makers, is the iPhone X's notch. Galaxy S9 models still have slim, uniform bezels along the top and bottom of the display, although Samsung has patented a notched smartphone design, and could use it eventually.
As usual, Samsung will likely unveil its Galaxy S10 lineup at Mobile World Congress in February 2019, with availability in March.
Uber today announced new tools for its iOS app that aim to simplify and streamline stressful pickup situations for both riders and drivers.
To start, there's a new "Spotlight" feature that will light up the rider's iPhone display with a bright, color-specific hue. The driver will be notified to which color has been chosen, so when the rider holds their iPhone in the air they'll know exactly who to pick up.
Uber has been testing such a system since late 2015 with technology that displayed a chosen color inside of the driver's car using a small mounted light. Those tests eventually became "Uber Beacons," which drivers can purchase to place in their vehicles so that riders can more easily find them.
The ride-hailing company has also committed to a new guarantee for on-time scheduled pickups, promising riders that they'll make important appointments when setting a specific time and place for an upcoming Uber ride. If riders are ever late for an appointment, the company will give them Uber credit for their next ride.
Lastly, Uber has added in short "Pickup Messages" that riders can send to their drivers and vice versa. The company says that riders can send helpful visual hints like details of clothing to drivers, and when the message is received the Uber Driver app reads it aloud so drivers aren't distracted. Uber first began allowing in-app chats between riders and drivers last August.
Next, Uber says that users can expect more features and updates aimed at "taking the stress out of the experience" coming later this year.
Best Buy today kicked off its latest discount event, marking down prices on MacBook Pros, Apple TVs, Beats headphones, and more for two days only. For students who don't mind purchasing last year's MacBook Pro models, Best Buy's new sale is particularly noteworthy since you can get as much as $350 off certain configurations and an extra $150 off with Student Deals.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
The cheapest model available is the 13-inch/8GB RAM/256GB SSD/3.1 GHz configuration, priced at $1,399.99 for students and parents of students, down from $1,799.99. Check out more of the MacBook Pros and other products on sale in the list below, and head over to Best Buy to place your orders before the offers expire tomorrow, July 17 at 11:59 p.m. PT.
MacBook Pro - Students save up to $500 / as low as $1,399.99
Apple Watch Series 3 - Save $50 / $279 for 38mm Aluminum and $309 for 42mm Aluminum
iPhone 7 and 7 Plus - Save $200 when you buy and activate on a monthly installment plan
Apple TV - Fourth generation for $139.99, down from $149.99
BeatsX - $94.99 in select colors, down from $149.99
DJI - Save up to $300 / Mavic Pro Quadcopter Fly More Combo for $999.99, down from $1,299.99
Linksys - Velop Tri-Band Mesh Wi-Fi System (3 Pack) for $399.99, down from $479.99
If you've been waiting for the next 15 percent discount on App Store and iTunes gift cards, PayPal's Digital Gifts eBay store today has launched its newest sale. For a limited time, anyone with a PayPal account can get a digital $100 iTunes gift card for $85, and you'll receive the code for the iTunes credit via email within a few hours after the purchase.
The credit will only be valid on purchases made on the United States App and iTunes stores. PayPal's iTunes gift card sales are limited and typically tend to last for a day or two, so be sure to visit PayPal's Digital Gifts eBay store and place your order soon if you want to stock up on some iTunes credit, or send it as a gift to a friend or family member.
Today is also the beginning of Amazon Prime Day, which has a collection of Amazon's own devices discounted this morning and will see an official kickoff later today at 3 p.m. ET. We'll be keeping track of many of Amazon's best tech sales in a live blog that will go up later today, and for more information on the latest discounts and offers be sure to head to our full Deals Roundup.
Apple has shared three new Close Your Rings ads on its YouTube channel in Australia, highlighting the Activity app on Apple Watch.
The fast-paced, 15-second videos each feature a different person — Eric, Atilla, and Yocelin — as they go about their busy days, closing their Move, Exercise, and Stand rings on the Apple Watch Series 3 in the process.
Eric bikes, walks his dog, purchases seafood, cooks, walks the stairs, and dances. Atilla runs, swims, plays table tennis, and shops. Yocelin plays basketball, dances, draws, tries on new clothes, and practises yoga.
Apple Watch users can close the Move ring by hitting their personalized daily goal for active calories burned, close the Exercise ring by completing at least 30 minutes of daily activity, and close the Stand ring by getting up and moving around for at least one minute during 12 different hours in the day.
Apple Watch users can also complete Monthly Challenges and earn Achievements badges by repeatedly closing the rings in the Activity app, and compete with friends and family, making it a motivating feature for many wearers.
These ads likely represent one of the final marketing campaigns for the Apple Watch Series 3, with new larger-display Series 4 models expected in September. The videos have yet to be uploaded to Apple's main YouTube channel in the United States, or elsewhere, but they likely will be soon.
Update: The three new Apple Watch ads are also now available on Apple's YouTube channel in the United States.
Apple sold fewer than a million iPhones in India in the first half of 2018, according to Bloomberg. The company has suffered slowing sales in the world's second largest smartphone market, which has reportedly seen three high-ranking sales executives leave Apple as the company restructures its operations there.
Among the executives who've departed are its national sales and distribution chief, the head of its commercial channels and mid-market business, and the head of telecom carrier sales, said the people, who asked not to be identified discussing internal matters. Apple's Indian sales team is now undergoing a restructuring, one of the people said.
Apple has a 2 percent market share in India, according to Counterpoint Research. It sold 3.2 million iPhones in the country in 2017, but high tariffs on imported electronic devices continue to push consumers toward cheaper alternatives from Xiaomi, Samsung, and other phone makers. In February, India announced the latest tax increase on imported mobile phones from 15 percent to 20 percent, and that came under two months after the previous increase.
Last year, Apple started manufacturing the iPhone SE and iPhone 6S in India in an effort to exempt the phones from import duties and reduce their price, but the company's facilities have yet to start running at full capacity. Apple doesn't manufacture its latest iPhone models domestically, so they still incur import levies.
"iPhone India sales were weak in the first half of 2018 and, even if they show a big jump in the traditionally strong second half, Apple will still fall short of last year," said Neil Shah, a research director with Counterpoint who spoke to Bloomberg.
Apple CEO Tim Cook has made upbeat comments about the company's performance in the Indian market, despite Apple's sluggish growth and single-digit market share.
Cook believes that young, aspiring Indians will look to upgrade their devices as they move up the socio-economic ladder, but sales have yet to reflect that prediction. Apple has also faced criticism for the poor performance of core services like Apple Maps and Siri in India, suggesting the Apple ecosystem has yet to align well to the usage and value of Indian users.
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