To celebrate the two-year anniversary of Outlook Mobile, Microsoft is today introducing a major feature for the iOS version of the Outlook email app -- add-ins. For the first time, add-ins are able to be used with the mobile version Outlook, mirroring functionality available on the desktop.
Add-ins can help you get more done on the go, and save you valuable time spent switching between apps. This is why we introduced add-ins for Outlook on Windows, Mac (in Insiders) and on the web--and are now bringing them to iOS. Support for Android is coming soon.
Microsoft is adding a wide range of add-ins, that will let users do things like translate messages into different languages, automatically add actions to Trello, add email clips to Evernote, insert GIFs, and more. A full list of what Microsoft is adding is below:
Dynamics 365 to get real time insights about your business contacts and their organization, right in your inbox, so you can focus on the selling and have more meaningful interactions.
Translator to help you read messages in your preferred language, across devices, with support for 60 languages.
Nimble to help you get prepared for meetings and engage effectively with business intelligence about your email contacts and their organizations, right in email.
Trello to turn your email into actionable items, keep track of projects, and make sure emails don't go unseen.
Evernote to capture what's on your mind and stay organized by clipping emails from Outlook to a project notebook in Evernote.
Smartsheet to help you manage and automate work so you can get work assigned, updated, and completed more quickly.
GIPHY to easily add GIFs to your emails and make "Congratulations" a little more fun!
Microsoft is letting developers create additional add-ins for iOS, with instructions available from the Office Dev Center.
Subaru today announced it will debut its all-new 2018 Legacy at the annual Chicago Auto Show next week. The mid-size sedan will be one of Subaru's first vehicles to support CarPlay alongside the 2017 Impreza introduced last year.
CarPlay and Android Auto will be available through Subaru's STARLINK multimedia system with Bluetooth connectivity and iPod controls. The standard system has a 6.5-inch touchscreen, while an 8-inch touchscreen is available with a faster CPU, TomTom navigation, and enhanced multimedia capabilities.
Subaru said the 2018 Legacy will go on sale this summer. Pricing was not disclosed.
Connected smart home company Wink today announced the addition of August Smart Locks into its collection of supported brands, which already includes GE, Nest, Philips, Schlage, and more. Now, any users who have an August Smart Lock paired with an August Connect (which provides remote access to the lock) can add their lock into the Wink mobile app on iOS.
The advantage of using Wink, similar to HomeKit, is for users with a wide variety of smart home products -- Wink lets them add, organize, and control multiple devices in one place. From Wink, users will now be able to monitor the status of the August Smart Lock, lock and unlock it while not at home, and get push notifications when it's used. These features are available in the individual August Home app [Direct Link] as well.
Integration with Wink Shortcuts will further expand August Smart Lock functionality and allow users to more seamlessly automate their homes. Wink gave a few examples of these shortcuts in its press release today:
For example, a “Goodnight” Shortcut could be used to automatically lock your front door while turning off the lights and adjusting the temperature with just one tap in the Wink app. With an “I’m Home” Robot, unlocking your August Smart Lock can trigger the hallway lights to illuminate and your smart blinds to open.
Wink strives to bring the best products from the most trusted brands together, and we’re very excited to expand our smart home security footprint with Wink + August Home.
Wink says that approximately 2.3 million smart home products have been added onto its platform to date, and tells its users they can continue to expect new partnerships in the future.
The Wink app is available to download on the App Store for free [Direct Link]. For those interested in getting started with smart home products, Wink has a dedicated section of its website with various starter kits and packages to get things up and running.
While the iPhone 7 Plus helped Apple achieve record-breaking earnings results last quarter, iPad sales remained on a downward trend.
Apple earlier this week reported that it sold 13.1 million iPads in the first quarter, which encompasses the holiday shopping season, down from 16.1 million in the year-ago quarter. As noted by Jason Snell at Six Colors, that's nearly half as many iPads as the 26 million that Apple sold during the same period in 2013.
Apple isn't the only tablet maker suffering from declining sales. The overall category continued to shrink by between 9% and 20% worldwide compared to the same quarter a year ago, placing pressure on Samsung and other vendors, according to the latest estimates from research firms IDC and Strategy Analytics.
Price remains a "key sticking point" for consumers looking to adopt high-end tablets such as the iPad Pro, which has created room for smaller vendors to capitalize on low-priced tablets, according to Strategy Analytics. Lenovo, for example, shipped an estimated 3.7 million tablets and grew 16% year-over-year in the quarter.
"2-in-1 tablets are a hot market segment but price remains a key factor in consumer behaviors around PC and tablet replacement devices, which is evident in lower shipments of iPad Pro and Surface Pro 4 devices in the quarter," said Eric Smith, Senior Analyst at Strategy Analytics.
IDC said the iPad Air 2 and iPad mini, rather than the iPad Pro lineup, continued to account for the majority of Apple's tablet shipments. For every ten slate tablets shipped, Apple sold only one iPad Pro, the research firm said. Apple does not officially break out iPad sales on a model-by-model basis.
Apple said it underestimated holiday demand for the iPad quarter, and that compounded a supply issue with one of its suppliers. Apple also drew down channel inventory by 700,000 units, so its results are not as bad as they look. Last year, Apple increased channel inventory by 900,000 units as the iPad Pro launched.
Apple also said the iPad has an 85% share of the U.S. tablet market priced above $200, so the tablet is doing exceptionally well in the premium segment that the company has targeted. iPad also undoubtedly remains the world's best-selling tablet, with a comfortable lead over its rivals, based on industry estimates.
Samsung was Apple's closest competitor with an estimated 8.1 million tablets shipped in the quarter for 12.8% market share, according to Strategy Analytics. Amazon, Lenovo, and Huawei rounded off the top five with an estimated 4.2 million, 3.7 million, and 3.4 million shipments in the quarter respectively.
As always, it is important to acknowledge that these are estimated figures, and that shipments do not necessarily reflect sales. There are also significant discrepancies between the IDC and Strategy Analytics datasets—particularly as it relates to Amazon—so treat the numbers with a proverbial grain of salt.
What if, like so much in technology, it’s mostly just additive, rather than largely replacing PCs and Macs, and furthermore had a cooling-fad effect as initial enthusiasm wore off and customers came to this conclusion?
One thing is for certain: consumers are not upgrading their tablets nearly as often as smartphones. In order to reignite iPad sales, Apple will have to add compelling new features that entice the large base of existing iPad owners to swap out their current "good enough" tablet for a new one.
"We've got some exciting things coming on iPad and I'm optimistic about where things are headed," said Apple CEO Tim Cook. "Customer satisfaction is through the roof. iPad Pro at 99%. So I see a lot of good things and hope for better results."
Update: Strategy Analytics notified us that it made an error in its chart. The original graphic transposed the names of the 3-5 ranked vendors incorrectly. The chart above has the correct rankings. This article has been updated accordingly where necessary based on the adjusted information.
Google yesterday updated the iOS version of Google Chrome with two new features for the iPhone and iPad web browsing app. On iOS devices that support 3D Touch, users can now 3D Touch on Google Chrome to bring up a quick access menu that now includes "Scan QR Code," directly integrating a feature that traditionally requires users to download a random third-party app to be able to scan codes.
In addition to the new Scan QR Code option, from the 3D Touch menu users can initiate a Voice Search, start a New Incognito Tab, open a regular New Tab, or open the most recent copied link. Users can also use Spotlight on iOS to search for "QR Code" and Chrome's "Scan QR Code" function will appear in the results list.
Additionally, the update has redesigned the tab switcher on the iPad version of Google Chrome, which the company says makes "it easier to access your open sites" within the app.
A new collaboration between Apple, IBM, and United Airlines was announced today, with the companies joining together to bring "a robust suite of enterprise iOS apps" to United's flight attendants and gate agents as a means to make the customer's flying experience smoother. In total, Apple and United Airlines have issued over 50,000 iPhones, iPads, and Apple Watches to front-line employees of United, and the airline intends to use resources from Apple and IBM to deliver app-based tools and services at a faster and more consistent pace.
United is seeking the opinion of its employees to figure out which features it should focus on in the apps being built for workers. According to a top executive in charge of United's technology division speaking with Business Insider, flight attendants and gate agents met with Apple and IBM in Cupertino last week, helping to start work on an app that will allow flight attendants "to communicate maintenance items discovered on the plane back to the maintenance teams."
“United Airlines is committed to delivering positive traveler experiences that begin with front line engagements during all points of the passenger journey – from check-in to departure to destination,” said Dee Waddell, Global Managing Director, Travel & Transportation Industries, IBM. “This enhanced strategy with mobile solutions from IBM and Apple allows United Airlines employees to tap into the right information at the right time to instantaneously address the needs that matter most to passengers.”
The new deal with United Airlines is the latest evolution in the partnership between Apple and IBM, which began in 2014 with the purpose of creating transformative mobile apps for the enterprise sector. In regards to its reason for joining Apple and IBM, United's CIO Linda Jojo said, "we wanted to have the best devices in the hands of our employees."
Apple and IBM's partnership has included travel-related apps in the past, including one that let flight attendants sell seat upgrades, food, beverages, and merchandise to passengers with the ease of Apple Pay. The app, called Ancillary Sale, also remembered individual passenger preferences, so flight attendants could recommend items on current flights based on the purchases a user made on previous flights.
One of United's new apps is said to provide flight attendants with information on which passengers have connecting flights so they can better help customers find their gates upon arrival. Another will allow customer service agents more mobility to move about the concourse to help customers, instead of being tied to a single location.
Last night news broke that a collection of major technology companies, including Apple among them, were prepping an open letter to United States President Donald Trump as a means to voice opposition to the immigration executive order that he signed last Friday.
Today, a draft of the full letter has been shared online, and it goes into detail about the importance of immigrants in the U.S., mentions concern for how the order will affect employees with visas, and explains that the companies are prepared to lend a hand to help the Trump administration make logical and necessary changes if and when it is ready to accept the help (via Recode).
Along with Apple, other companies collaborating on the letter are said to include Facebook, Google, Uber, Microsoft, Stripe, and more. The technology companies drafting the letter are reportedly working to include non-tech companies as well, but as yet none have joined.
Recode obtained a draft of the letter:
Dear President Trump,
Since the country’s birth, America has been the land of opportunity – welcoming newcomers and giving them the chance to build families, careers, and businesses in the United States. We are a nation made stronger by immigrants. As entrepreneurs and business leaders, our ability to grow our companies and create jobs depends on the contributions of immigrants from all backgrounds.
We share your goal of ensuring that our immigration system meets today’s security needs and keeps our country safe. We are concerned, however, that your recent executive order will affect many visa holders who work hard here in the United States and contribute to our country’s success. In a global economy, it is critical that we continue to attract the best and brightest from around the world. We welcome the changes your administration has made in recent days in how the Department of Homeland Security will implement the executive order, and we stand ready to help your administration identify other opportunities to ensure that our employees can travel with predictability and without undue delay.
Our nation’s compassion is a part of what makes it exceptional, and we are committed to helping your administration identify approaches for thorough screening without a blanket suspension of admissions under the U.S. Refugee Admissions program. While security and vetting procedures can and should always be subject to continuous evaluation and improvement, a blanket suspension is not the right approach.
Similarly, we stand ready to identify ways of helping to achieve your stated goal of bringing clarity to the future of the 750,000 Dreamers in this country under the protections of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program in a way “that will make people happy and proud.” Removing these protections by barring renewals would effectively end the program and eliminate the ability for these Dreamers to work and live without the fear of deportation.
The business community shares your commitment to growing the American economy and expanding job creation across the country. We hire both thousands of Americans and some of the most talented people from abroad, who work together to help our companies succeed and expand our overall employment. As you contemplate changes to the nation’s complex and interconnected immigration policies, whether business and employment-based visas, refugees, or DACA, we hope that you will use us as a resource to help achieve immigration policies that both support the work of American businesses and reflect American values.
Trump's order banned Syrian refugees from entering the country, blocked citizens of seven countries (Iraq, Iran, Somalia, Sudan, Libya, Syria, and Yemen) from entering the U.S. for 90 days, and suspended entry of all refugees entering the U.S. for 120 days. The bans left groups of immigrants stranded in airports around the country while also sparking protests and blowback from various tech companies, some of which are now included in the open letter.
Apple CEO Tim Cook said that "it is not a policy we support" in an internal letter sent to employees last weekend, explaining that the company had reached out to the White House to try to "explain the negative effect" the ban would have on Apple. Included in the potential negative reaction surrounding Apple and other tech companies is another Trump executive order, currently in the drafting stages, that centers around changes to various work-visa programs and could greatly affect how Apple hires tens of thousands of foreign workers each year.
For the immigration-related ban, Tim Cook told The Wall Street Journal on Tuesday that Apple is considering its legal options as a way to pressure the Trump administration into rescinding the executive order. Cook didn't give further details, but said Apple would be "productive" and "constructive" in its opposing response to the Trump order, which now includes a partnership with other tech companies and today's open letter.
Note: Due to the political nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Politics, Religion, Social Issues forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.
Apple is weighing up the possibility of developing a wearable battery module to charge an Apple Watch while it's being worn, according to a patent published on Thursday (via AppleInsider).
Details of the invention were released by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, under the title "Charging apparatus for wearable electronic device". The module uses an inductive element to transmit power to the smartwatch, similar to the one used in the existing Apple Watch magnetic charging cable.
Two embodiments are described in the patent. The first shows the charger embedded in the wristband – an idea similar to previous inventions – while the second depicts a separate module that sits underneath the watch chassis and attaches to an existing band.
The induction component in the portable module is capable of both transmitting and receiving power, and aligns itself with the smartwatch or an external charging source using magnets. Apple proposes the use of heat-dissipating circuitry to ensure the module is comfortable to wear against the skin, while various wired solutions are also described for charging the device itself when not in use.
It's impossible to say whether the patent will see use in a future product, but Apple is clearly investigating various battery life solutions that don't sacrifice the thinness of the Series 2 design, which is already slightly thicker than the first generation. Improving the battery life of the next Apple Watch is also reportedly the "main task" of Quanta, the Taiwan-based company responsible for manufacturing the wearable.
Extending the time between charges would allow users to wear their watch to sleep over consecutive days, which would give Apple the opportunity to introduce sleep tracking features into the next WatchOS, as well as potentially introduce resting heart-rate tracking - a primary indicator of overall health. Extended battery life could even potentially usher in a future Apple Watch with an always-on display.
Nintendo's newest mobile smartphone game, Fire Emblem Heroes, is officially out on the iOS App Store in the U.S. [Direct Link], as well as in Japan, Australia, Europe, and over 30 other countries. Announced last spring, Fire Emblem on smartphones adopts the tactical role-playing gameplay of the popular franchise, with a few mobile-optimized tweaks. These changes mainly center around battle maps that have been designed to specifically fit smartphone screens.
To attack, players tap and drag their allies over the enemy forces, while paying attention to a rock-paper-scissors weapon types system that greatly affects attack power in the heat of battle. The main game lies in the "Story Maps," where players will fight through enemy defenses to complete objectives, eventually earning Orbs that summon classic Fire Emblem characters to fight for them in battle.
Orbs will be one of the monetization points of Fire Emblem Heroes, as players can also choose to skip earning them through Story Maps and pay for the booster item in the game's shop. Nintendo hasn't yet detailed what else will be available as an in-app purchase in the game, but it did confirmFire Emblem Heroes will be free-to-download with IAPs as its main revenue model.
Also included in the game will be an Arena mode where players can fight against rivals around the world to earn high scores, increase rankings, and get exclusive rewards to increase the abilities of each hero. Additionally, Training Tower will let players hone their Fire Emblem skills with randomly generated maps, and Hero Battles will pit players against new Heroes during limited events -- winning will convince them to become an ally.
The official website for Fire Emblem Heroes has more information about gameplay, including its Home screen where players will check notifications, view their friend list, and peruse various other front-end features each time they log in. Fire Emblem Heroes is launching simultaneously on the iOS App Store and Google Play, similar to Miitomo but unlike Super Mario Run, which remains exclusive to Apple devices with a planned launch on Android in March.
For those keeping count, that makes Fire Emblem Heroes the third official release for Nintendo's original smartphone gaming plan it detailed back in 2015. We now know that Animal Crossing and the unknown fifth game won't launch before March, and Nintendo recently reported that its future on mobile devices won't end after the launch of the fifth game made through its partnership with DeNA. This week, the company confirmed its intention to release two to three smartphone games every year.
The game is available in over 30 countries, including the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Mexico, and more. The full list of launch countries can be found within a link in the top right section on the official Fire Emblem Heroes website.
Fire Emblem Heroes is available as a free download on the iOS App Store. [Direct Link]
Chromecast users can now control YouTube streaming to their TV from the lock screen of their iPhone, thanks to the latest update to the YouTube app.
Like YouTube for Android devices, version 12.03 of the iOS app adds play, pause, previous, next, and volume controls to the iPhone's lock screen whenever YouTube is casting to Chromecast devices, smart TVs, game consoles, and other living room devices. The same controls can also now be found in the iOS Control Center.
In addition, the update enables iPhone owners with a paired Apple Watch to access the same controls from their wrist. YouTube is available to download for free from the App Store. [Direct Link]
The Apple Pay mobile payment system will be available in Taiwan soon, Apple announced on its regional website today.
A total of seven banks, including Cathay United Bank, CTBC Bank, E. Sun Commercial Bank, Standard Chartered Bank, Taipei Fubon Commercial Bank, Taishin International Bank and Union Bank of Taiwan, will join Apple to launch the mobile payment service initially, Apple said.
Taiwan becomes the 14th region to gain access to Apple Pay, following the U.S., the U.K., Canada, Hong Kong, Australia, China, France, Russia, Switzerland, New Zealand, Spain, Singapore and Japan.
During Apple's 2017 first quarter earnings call, CEO Tim Cook said Apple Pay was "setting records", with transaction volume up over 500 percent year over year. Apple Pay on the web is also seeing great results, said Cook, with nearly two million small businesses now accepting the payment system online.
Facebook is rolling out a new section to its mobile app called "Discover People", which is designed to encourage connections between people who aren't yet Facebook friends (via TechCrunch).
The new feature, which can be found at the bottom of the navigation section of the app, allows users to scroll through a list of upcoming events to see who else is going, as well as browse through lists of people in the local area or those who share the same employer.
Image via TechCrunch
Entering "Discover People" for the first time, users are asked to introduce themselves by updating the various sections of their public profile. Once the profile is set, a list of upcoming events appear below, featuring any events the user plans to attend, has registered an interest in, or has been invited to. Users can also check out the profiles of others similarly linked to the event.
True to the feature's billing, profiles of people already befriended on Facebook don't show up in the lists, only people who don't know each other – though whether this "discovery" mechanism will sit comfortably with all users is unclear. For example, not everyone automatically wants to make their interest in an event public knowledge, and currently there's no way to control privacy settings when a user registers such interest.
Facebook has tested similar features in the past, only to roll them back following users' privacy concerns – "Friends Nearby" being one example. TechCrunch suggests that with the latest attempt to connect people, Facebook is pushing back against dating apps like Tinder and Bumble, two apps that recently expanded their dating remit to include finding new friends to hang out with.
"Discover People" was first launched late last year, but was initially restricted to New Zealand and Australia. Facebook says the feature is rolling out now and should appear for all iOS users in the coming days.
Facebook is free download on the App Store for iPhone and iPad. [Direct Link]
Apple is currently working on renovating its iconic Fifth Avenue Apple Store in Manhattan, and when finished, the new store will be more than double the size of the original location, according to a new report from Bloomberg.
The store will be expanded from 32,000 square feet to 77,000 square feet, giving Apple more space to work with. The company's plans were shared by Douglas Linde, president of Boston Properties Inc., which owns the General Motors Building where the store is located.
Apple spokesman Nick Leahy said the company anticipates an "incredible" new Fifth Avenue store, "where our customers will enjoy new services and experiences in a much larger space."
While construction is underway, Apple has relocated the store to a nearby empty storefront that formerly housed the FAO Schwarz toy store. Plans to renovate the Fifth Avenue store were first announced in 2015 and are part of a wider set of Apple Store renovations Apple has undertaken.
It is not clear how long it will take Apple to revamp the store, but while work is underway, the temporary FAO Schwarz location will remain open.
Apple shipped a record-breaking 5.2 million Apple Watch units last quarter, making it by far the most popular smartwatch of the holiday shopping season, according to the latest data from research firm Strategy Analytics. Apple captured an estimated 63.4% of the worldwide smartwatch market during the quarter.
Apple's closest competitor Samsung shipped only 800,000 smartwatches in the quarter, for an estimated 9.8% market share, according to Strategy Analytics. All other smartwatch vendors, such as Garmin, Fitbit, and Huawei, combined for an estimated 2.2 million shipments and 26.8% market share.
"Demand for Apple's new Watch Series 2 as a holiday-season gift in Western markets was surprisingly strong and it enabled Apple to clear a large backlog of smartwatch inventory during the quarter," said Strategy Analytics director Cliff Raskind.
It is important to acknowledge that these are estimated figures, and that shipments do not necessarily reflect sales.
Apple does not break out Apple Watch sales like it does with iPhones, iPads, and Macs, and instead groups the device under its "Other Products" category. Given the category also includes the Apple TV, Beats products, iPods, AirPods, and other accessories, figuring out Apple Watch revenue is deliberately challenging.
Strategy Analytics will not disclose its exact methodology for competitive reasons, but executive director Neil Mawston told us the company uses "a blend of channel checks, financial analysis, and other sources" to estimate Apple Watch shipments. "It is the same methodology we have used for phones since the 1990s and for wearables since the modern market first emerged circa 2013."
Apple saw its "Other Products" revenue drop 8% to $4.02 billion in the quarter compared to $4.35 billion in the year-ago quarter, a sizeable decline that Apple financial chief Luca Maestri attributed to declining Apple TV sales.
Strategy Analytics said the smartwatch industry is showing "tentative signs of recovery" this year, but Raskind noted there remain "several barriers to growth" that must be addressed.
Smartwatch vendors like Samsung need to launch more exciting or cheaper models, Apple must engage closer with mobile operators to stock or subsidize its popular Watch portfolio, while component makers need to develop more accurate sensors for health and fitness tracking that consumers will trust and use more.
Apple Watch shipments totaled 11.6 million units in 2016, or slightly more than half of the estimated 21.1 million smartwatches shipped by all vendors in the year, according to Strategy Analytics. The firm's data shows a slightly lower 20.8 million smartwatches were shipped globally in 2015 for comparison.
Olloclip has been making lenses for the iPhone since 2011, expanding the range of tools at an iPhone photographer's fingertips. For the iPhone 7 and the iPhone 7 Plus, Olloclip has redesigned its product lineup, offering the same lenses in a new package that better fits the latest iPhones and provides more utility, like a stand.
I've been using Olloclip to spice up my iPhone photographs since the iPhone 5, so I was eager to try out Olloclip's latest products with the iPhone 7 Plus, which has two rear cameras instead of one.
Olloclip sent me its Core Lens Set, priced at $100, its Macro Pro Lens Set, priced at $80, and its Active Lens Set, priced at $120.
The Core Lens Set features a fisheye lens, a 120 degree wide-angle lens, and a 15x macro lens, while the Macro Pro Lens Set includes three macro magnifications at 7x, 14x, and 21x. The Active Lens Set, Olloclip's most expensive, offers a 2x telephoto lens and a 155 degree ultra-wide lens.
All of the lenses are compatible with both the rear and front-facing cameras of the iPhone 7 and the iPhone 7 Plus, snapping right on for quick access. Each one is interchangeable, so if you own multiple lens sets, you can create your favorite combination to have on-hand at all times.
Apple is developing a new ARM-based chip for its Mac lineup that would "take on more of the functionality" handled by Intel processors, reports Bloomberg.
In development since last year, the chip, codenamed T310, is said to be similar to the chip used to power the Touch Bar in the new 2016 Macbook Pro. It's built using ARM technology and will work with the standard Intel processor, handling "Power Nap" low-power mode functionality.
Apple engineers are planning to offload the Mac's low-power mode, a feature marketed as "Power Nap," to the next-generation ARM-based chip. This function allows Mac laptops to retrieve e-mails, install software updates, and synchronize calendar appointments with the display shut and not in use. The feature currently uses little battery life while run on the Intel chip, but the move to ARM would conserve even more power, according to one of the people.
Apple's 2016 MacBook Pro uses an independent ARM-based chip called the T1 to power the Touch Bar, the Touch ID fingerprint sensor built into the Touch Bar, and the secure enclave that stores payment and biometric data.
According to Bloomberg's report, the upcoming ARM-based chip will "go further," connecting to storage and wireless components to take on additional power management capabilities.
Apple could begin using the new chip in an upgraded version of the MacBook Pro set to launch later this year, but it could be introduced as a quiet update with little fanfare as the chip that powers the Touch Bar was not promoted by Apple.
Despite Apple's plans to offload some tasks to a new ARM chip, Apple is said to have no intention of abandoning Intel chips in its laptop and desktop computers.
Snap is said to be working on a collection of "smarter lenses" that would let users overlay virtual images and objects onto landscapes in the real world, "not just faces," and let them interact with the virtual objects similar to augmented reality (via The Information). The smarter lenses are an advancement of the "world lenses" that came to Snapchat last year, which placed various simple animations on top of real world scenes, like clouds and snowstorms.
The difference with the new technology is that it "can identify environmental elements," subsequently allowing virtual objects to interact with objects in the real world, instead of acting as a simple filter. As with most of Snapchat's popular camera additions, the smarter lenses are believed to eventually lead to bountiful advertising opportunities for brands on the social media app.
An example of Snapchat's World Lenses from last year
Currently, the new lenses are only being tested on the company's internal version of the app, and they are "not on Snap's near-term product roadmap." If and when they are released, people familiar with the matter believe users would receive the lenses first, ahead of advertisers, who could then construct campaigns and strategies based on how Snapchat's user base reacts to the advanced feature.
The addition of new features and a potential boost to advertising support is seen as a keen strategy on Snap's part, amid news that the company is planning to go public in the coming weeks.
Smarter lenses for its users could also help convince Snapchatters to stick around amid growing competition from Instagram and Facebook. Last summer Instagram launched a copy of Snapchat's disappearing story idea, called Instagram Stories, and now Facebook plans to extend the feature into the main Facebook app with Facebook Stories. According to Facebook, Instagram has 150 million users posting to Stories every day, roughly mirroring Snapchat's reported user base.
Smart payments company Coin this week announced the shutdown of its various product services, officially closing product support, social media channels, and the connected Coin app on iOS and Android devices on February 28, 2017. The news follows the discontinuation of all Coin products last May, when Coin was acquired by Fitbit and the company subsequently ceased selling its line of smart payment cards.
With no new Coins available to purchase and its services shutting down, users will no longer be able to add new cards to the device without the mobile app being supported. Coins themselves will continue to work until their batteries die (two years from initial activation), so the company is encouraging users to add any cards they want before February 28.
With the acquisition of Coin by Fitbit, all business operations ceased on June 13, 2016. The company is no longer manufacturing, promoting, or selling any new devices or products.
Effective from February 28, 2017, the Coin product services will officially be shut down. As a result, support through the Coin website or through social media channels will no longer be available.
The original Coin, as well as Coin 2.0, was a single credit card-sized device that stored a collection of credit and debit cards that users could toggle through with a small button on the front of the Coin. Once the desired card was selected, users swiped Coin like any normal payment card, and the charge went through to whatever card was chosen.
Coin was first announced and began receiving orders in 2013, one year before Apple would launch Apple Pay in 2014, but Coins didn't begin arriving to customers until 2015. Although Coin's shutdown has been clear since the Fitbit acquisition last year, the growing popularity of smartphone mobile wallets like Apple Pay and Samsung Pay undoubtedly became large competitors to Coin's business in 2015 and 2016.
In Fitbit's own press release last year, the company described a deal that focused on the specific acquisition of "Coin's wearables payment platform," although at the time there were "no plans to integrate Coin's wearable payments technology" into its 2016 roadmap. That still leaves future Fitbit devices in 2017 and beyond wide open for an "active NFC payment solution."
Amid acquisitions of Pebble and luxury watch maker Vector Watch, Fitbit has faced lower-than-expected revenue results for the fourth quarter of 2016, leading to cuts of between 5 to 10 percent to its workforce. With Apple Watch gaining ground in the smartwatch space, Fitbit appears to be gearing up to launch a more feature-rich wearable with its own app store, mobile wallet, and more, instead of the activity-focused wearables it currently sells.
To celebrate the two-year anniversary of Outlook Mobile, Microsoft is today introducing a major feature for the iOS version of the Outlook email app -- add-ins. For the first time, add-ins are able to be used with the mobile version Outlook, mirroring functionality available on the desktop.
