Apple has upgraded Siri to improve answers to baseball-related questions in time for Major League Baseball's new season (via The Verge).
Apple's voice-activated assistant is now able to draw on an updated database that includes statistics going back to the beginning of the sport's history. Siri users can also enjoy more detailed Major League Baseball career stats as well as additional information for 28 other leagues and minors.
Siri has provided sports results since iOS 6. However, The Verge notes that, when it comes to sports, Siri's responses to more specific questions still feel limited. For example, asking "When was the last time the Yankees had a perfect game?" returns a generic search for the baseball team, with similar searches resulting in simple Google queries.
Apple is continually working to improve Siri's breadth of knowledge and often quietly updates its responses to particular topics. The personal assistant also received additional improvements to its contextual awareness with the release of iOS 9. Siri is expected make its long-anticipated debut on Mac in OS X 10.12 later this year.
Just last week, Apple agreed a deal with Major League Baseball that will see the sports league's coaching staffs use iPad Pros in dugouts to make better use of data during games.
Early last month we reported that Apple was planning to sell refurbished iPhones in India and had submitted a formal request to the country's government in order to allow it to begin importing pre-owned iPhones into the country.
This morning, however, news has surfaced that major smartphone makers in the Indian market including Samsung, Karbonn, Micromax and Intex are actively opposing Apple's move on environmental grounds.
According to Bloomberg, phone manufacturers argue that elevated electronic waste levels could threaten the viability of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Make in India program, which promotes and encourages local manufacturing. Critics argue that destroying the phones produces toxic materials that could harm the country's precarious ecological balance, which is already struggling to deal with a massive e-waste problem.
The opposition came in a letter sent to the Indian government by a lobbying group recently set up by India's Consumer Electronics and Appliances Manufacturers Association (CEAMA). In the letter, manufacturers argued that allowing the sale of used iPhones in India would not only negatively impact the environment, but it would also go against the country's importation policy.
"Why even consider allowing import of used phones when import of other used goods such as cars are precluded by 300 percent duty levies?" asked Ravinder Zutshi, chairman of the newly formed Mobile and Communications Council, which issued the letter.
Apple’s initial application in 2015 was rejected by the environment ministry. The company's latest application has gone to "inter-ministerial discussion", leaving its outcome uncertain, according to the report. If approved, India would be the first territory with used iPhones to be sold directly from Apple.
Earlier in February, Apple was said to be close to opening its own retail locations within India, after having to rely on an "Authorized Mobility Resellers" program due to the country's strict real estate and zoning laws.
In December of last year, Apple cut the prices of its iPhone 6s and 6s Plus handsets in India by up to 16 percent, following a reported dive in sales. The move quickly followed Apple's decision to halve the price of iPhone 5s, from 45,500 Rupees ($688) to 24,999 Rupees ($377).
Apple CEO Tim Cook recently praised India's business environment and stated that the company is putting increasingly more energy into the country, which has the third largest smartphone market in the world, behind China and the U.S.
Apple has less than 2 percent of the market, in which four-fifths of phones cost less than $150. Branded smartphones are available for as little as $35 in India, yet less than one third of the population uses them.
Earlier this morning, Apple posted a pair of videos onto its YouTube channel to join in on celebrating Autism Acceptance Month. The videos - titled "Dillan's Voice" and "Dillan's Path" - show how the company's technology, namely the iPad, has helped a young man with autism navigate a world that doesn't fully understand what he's going through.
Dillan narrates the first video, Dillan's Voice, using the help of an assistive communication app on the iPad. He mentions that most of his life it was impossible to convey what he felt to people around him, but with the help of the iPad he can finally speak and have conversations with his friends and family.
So many people can't understand that I have a mind. All they can see is a person who is not in control. But now you can hear me. The iPad helps me to see not only my words but to hold onto my thoughts. Having a voice has changed everything in my life. No more isolation. I can finally speak with the people that love me. I can say what I think and let them know I love them too.
Dillan's mom Tami, and his therapist Deborah Spengler, provide some background into Dillan's past in the second video. Dillan was born in 1999 and Tami mentions that what the iPad has done for her son is "just the most incredible thing ever, to suddenly start to hear your child's voice." Before he could use the iPad to type, Dillan describes "a lonely existence" where he had to create relationships with his various toy animals since he couldn't communicate with his family.
Apple has been known as a big proponent for first-party accessibility features on its devices, as well as encouraging the development of third-party apps that facilitate educational experiences for users with vision, hearing, physical, or learning impairments. Many of its award-winning efforts have yielded results such as bringing gaming to the blind on iOS, and even various assistive technologies like VoiceOver and haptic feedback on the Apple Watch.
Apple has also launched a section of the app store, called Voices of Autism, inspired by Dillan's story. There users can download educational and every-day apps, helpful books, and listen to podcasts about "real-life stories" from people living with autism.
More can be discovered about Apple's extensive accessibility features on the company's website.
In January of 2015, Belkin said it was working with Apple to add HomeKit compatibility to its popular line of WeMo smart products "in the very near future," but more than a year later, HomeKit-compatible WeMo products have not debuted.
As it turns out, Belkin appears to be putting its plans to introduce HomeKit compatibility on hold because there is no way to add HomeKit to products that are already on the market. Belkin would need to develop an entire line of new HomeKit-enabled WeMo products, something that the company says it is not interested in doing in at the time being. The information was shared with MacRumors reader Steve on Facebook after he asked about HomeKit.
We've been trying to integrate with HomeKit for sometime, as you know, but as of yet have not found a way to make existing WeMo products work with HomeKit that fall within the Apple guidelines. HomeKit integration requires a specific hardware component - it cannot happen with just a software or firmware update - which means that we would have to make a separate line of HomeKit enabled WeMo products in addition to the ones already out on the market.
This also means that all of the WeMo products you already own still wouldn't work with HomeKit and you would have to buy new ones in order to get compatibility. We have put HomeKit compatibility on hold until we can find a way to make it work for both new and existing users. We are sorry for the disappointing news.
The WeMo Facebook representative goes on to say that "nothing is off the table" but the company wants to be sure that its product decisions "make sense for the entire WeMo ecosystem" and all current and future users.
Apple's HomeKit system has specific and stringent security requirements [PDF] that must be included with products that Apple certifies as HomeKit compatible. Existing Belkin WeMo products may not meet Apple's security specifications, which have been described as "bleeding edge."
Apple's demand for strong end-to-end encryption, even for Bluetooth LE, has been citied as one of the reasons why HomeKit-enabled products were slow to roll out to consumers following the mid-2015 HomeKit launch. Unless Apple relaxes its requirements, which seems unlikely, HomeKit compatibility won't come to the WeMo line until Belkin decides to create new HomeKit-enabled products.
With a huge range of WeMo products, from smart outlets and bulbs to cameras and crockpots, already on the market, it's not hard to understand Belkin's reluctance to create all new products and alienate its existing customer base. Some customers using the WeMo line could have hundreds of dollars invested in various products, and for existing customers interested in HomeKit compatibility, all of those items would need to be repurchased.
Starting today, Walmart is offering $100 off its selection of Apple iPhones, including the iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus, and newly released iPhone SE, making the already affordable device available at an even lower price point.
The discount applies to iPhones purchased through AT&T, Verizon, and Sprint and is available on devices bought using a monthly installment plan. The discounted price will be reflected through each customer's cell phone bill, with the monthly payments lowered by an appropriate amount.
Customers who want to purchase an iPhone eligible for the discount will need to do so in store, as AT&T, Verizon, and Sprint iPhones are not sold online. Walmart plans to offer the $100 off deal through the end of June.
In other deal news, Belkin.com is offering a 25 percent discount on all of its products through the end of the day with the promo code IMNOFOOL, and Best Buy is offering solid discounts on the 12-inch Retina MacBook, MacBook Air, and Retina MacBook Pro dropping prices by up to $300.
For a full list of this week's deals and discounts, make sure to check out our dedicated deals roundup, which is updated on a daily basis with new accessories, significant deals, and app discounts. It also contains a price list for all of Apple's major products and is an excellent resource for finding the best deal on a Mac or iPad.
Apple's newest iPad Pro, the 9.7-inch model, made its way into the hands of customers on March 31, and now that a day has passed, many people who purchased the powerful little tablet have shared their thoughts on the device on our forums.
Reviews and impressions from media sites came out earlier this month, but there are always new details and small tidbits of information that come out when products see a wide release. First impressions from actual Apple consumers can also be valuable for those considering a purchase, so we've gathered up some of the details MacRumors readers have shared about the 9.7-inch iPad Pro.
A thread querying users about their happiness level with the new iPad Pro suggests opinions on the device are largely positive. More than half of respondents said the device is "amazing" or a "great upgrade." While some are upgrading from an iPad Air 2 or earlier, there are buyers who traded their 12.9-inch iPad Pros for the smaller models. MacRumors reader Traverse outlined a long list of positives about his iPad Pro, highlighting the speed improvements over the iPad Air 2.
Noticeably faster performance than my Air 2. I loved the Air 2 and never thought of it as slow and expected the A9X to yield no real world benefit in day to day use. I think a combination of that and the NAND flash improvements are huge. Apps install faster, many app launches are noticeably faster. The Music app is nearly instant open whereas the Air 2 took 2-3 seconds. I set up my iPad as new and launched Sky Guide for the first time by accident when I was putting it's widget in NC and by the time NC swiped up the app was already loaded and waiting :eek:. It's noticeable more zippy.
The True Tone display, unique to the 9.7-inch iPad Pro, is getting some rave reviews, but not all iPad Pro owners are fans of the yellowing of the display. Patriot24 says it's "insanely great," but BitSlap says he prefers bright and crisp whites. On the whole, most readers seem to like the feature quite a bit.
Yesterday marked the official launch date of the iPhone SE, with the device arriving to pre-order customers and becoming available for purchase in retail stores. Now that the new 4-inch iPhone is in the hands consumers, many MacRumors readers have been sharing their opinions on the iPhone SE in the forums.
We've already seen reviews and first impressions of the 4-inch iPhone from media sites, but details and thoughts shared by actual customers are often more informative. We've rounded up some of the more interesting tidbits that our readers have shared, which can be seen below.
On the whole, reactions to the iPhone SE are positive among customers who have been awaiting a smaller 4-inch iPhone. PaladinGuy finds the 4-inch form factor to be more comfortable, but does miss the 3D Touch feature of the iPhone 6s.
It's WAY more comfortable in my hand to have 4" again, but I have to say that I keep trying to use 3D Touch for different things, and then remembering the SE doesn't have it. We'll see how big of a deal it is to me.
Many MacRumors readers who purchased the iPhone SE favor one handed operation over screen size, and with a 4-inch iPhone, the entire screen can be accessed with a thumb as Hal~9000 points out.
Apple, co-founded by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Ronald Wayne on April 1, 1976, celebrates its 40th anniversary today.
Last night, the company hung up a pirate flag at its One Infinite Loop campus to pay homage to the Jobs-led team that worked on the original Macintosh, which was viewed as rebellious at a time when Apple was focusing on the Lisa.
From near-bankruptcy to becoming the world's most valuable public company, Apple has been through a series of highs and lows over the past four decades.
Apple's history is vast, but the timeline below provides a basic overview of some of the company's important moments over the years.
Apple Timeline
1976 - Apple's history begins in the garage of Steve Jobs' childhood home in Los Altos, California, where Steve Wozniak and Jobs tested -- but designed elsewhere -- the first Apple I computers, which they later introduced at the Homebrew Computer Club. The Byte Shop places 50 orders. The computer later sells for $666.66.
Apple today debuted a new ad for its music streaming service Apple Music, this time centering around a workout session by artist Taylor Swift. The singer posted the 1-minute video on Twitter earlier this morning, captioning it as "based on true events."
In the commercial, she begins preparing for a treadmill workout by browsing Apple Music for some workout-related songs. After navigating through the service's recommended Activity Playlists and landing on the Running sub-category, Swift decides on a playlist called "#GYMFLOW" and begins listening to Drake & Future's song "Jumpman."
As the video continues, Swift gets really into the song and sings along with the lyrics, ultimately leading her to wipe out on the treadmill with the accompanying tagline for the video describing Apple Music as "distractingly good."
Unlike the "For You" section of Apple Music, the pre-set playlists found on the service's New tab are the same for every user and get specifically curated for different events -- like a BBQ or studying -- by Apple behind the scenes.
Dyson recently launched the Pure Cool Link, a fan that looks and functions similarly to the company's previous line of high-end oscillating personal air controlling devices, but now with the added bonus of cleaning the air in a home (via The Guardian). Thanks to its HEPA filter, the Pure Cool Link promises to remove 99.97% of particles as minuscule as 0.3 microns, so potentially hazardous pollutants like pollen, bacteria, mold, Asbestos, odors, tobacco smoke and even carbon dust can all be successfully captured.
The company is also integrating its connected smartphone app, Dyson Link, into its new Pure Cool Link fan, which marks the first time one of its fans will be able to be controlled through an app. The experience will let users monitor both indoor and outdoor air quality, and even let them set the connected device to automatically clean a room whenever the standards for clean air drop below a certain mark. The Dyson Link app was previously supported as a connected accessory to the Dyson 360 Eye robotic vacuum cleaner.
Company founder James Dyson said: “We think it is polluted outside of our homes, but the air inside can be far worse. Dyson engineers focused on developing a purifier that automatically removes ultrafine allergens, odours and pollutants from the indoor air, feeding real time air quality data back to you.”
Beyond air quality monitoring, the app gives users a suite of basic remote control functionality to the Pure Cool Link while displaced from it, including: a scheduling system, manual on/off controls, temperature and humidity numbers, and a complete history of the air quality levels in a room. It can also give users an updated reminder of the filter life inside of the Pure Cool Link, so they can be warned ahead of time when it needs to be changed.
Other features of the Pure Cool Link include a "night-time mode" that turns down the audible noise disturbance of the fan and dims the display, for users who want to keep its features running through night hours. Although the fan isn't directly billed as a personal air condition device like Dyson's other products, the Pure Cool Link can sense when it is a warmer day, automatically helping to drop the temperature within the room a few degrees "with smooth, long-range air flow."
The range of connected Dyson devices is limited to the Pure Cool Link system, but the company is expected to continue to expand these smartphone app connectivity features to its other products in the future. At launch, the new Pure Cool Link system does not integrate with Apple's HomeKit platform.
Those interested can purchase the Dyson Pure Cool Link tower for $499.99 from the company's website, in either blue or white. There is also a smaller desktop version of the new air quality-controlling fan, but it appears to currently not be available to purchase from Dyson's United States store. If abiding by the pricing tiers of previous Dyson products, the desk fan version of the Pure Cool Link would be $100 less and come in at $399.99.
The Dyson Link app can be downloaded from the iTunes App Store for free. [Direct Link]
Apple has filed a patent application hinting that the company could be working on modular smart bands for the Apple Watch, allowing users to add functions such as wireless charging battery packs and GPS receivers to an existing timepiece (via AppleInsider).
The application, titled "Modular functional band links for wearable devices", was published yesterday by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and details strap designs with embedded electronic devices that connect via the Apple Watch's diagnostics port.
Rather than building complex components into the Apple Watch chassis, the designs propose breaking functional units out into a range of separate watch band 'links' that can work serially or in parallel.
A number of Apple Watch accessories with added functionality are described in the patent, including batteries, displays, processors, electricity generators, GPS sensors, cameras, thermometers, blood pressure sensors, sweat sensors and speakers.
Arranged as links, the modules would connect to each other and to the 6-pin diagnostics port on the Apple Watch. In some cases, links also act as an external port for accepting electronic components, such as a SIM card or powered memory module.
Even before the launch of the Apple Watch, the inclusion of a diagnostics port on the device fueled speculation that Apple is planning to bring smart band accessories to market at some point in the future. However, if the patent is indicative of upcoming Apple Watch products, such a significant extension of functionality would more likely be held back for inclusion in a second-generation device. Apple Watch 2 is expected to launch later in the year.
Apple refreshed its Apple Watch lineup on March 21, 2016, introducing new spring colors in yellows, blues, and pinks, along with new Nylon Apple Watch bands.
The highly anticipated Tesla Model 3 electric car was unveiled by Tesla CEO Elon Musk on Thursday night in a converted hangar in Los Angeles, California.
The company's first mass-market electric car was driven onto a foggy stage in an extravagant unveiling, where Musk revealed that the Tesla Model 3 will seat five, and be able to cover at least 215 miles on one charge.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk unveils the Model 3 in Los Angeles (Image: TechCrunch)
Musk said the standard Model 3 would be capable of zero to 60 miles per hour in less than 6 seconds, and will cost $35,000, which is half that of the company's current flagship cars, the Model S sedan and Model X crossover.
Despite photo restrictions at the unveiling, TechCrunch was able to get some good shots of a red Model 3, which looks like a more sporty version of the company's Model S.
The Model 3 will also feature Autopilot for assisted driving and be future-proof for self-driving road use. Shipping begins late 2017, by which time Tesla says it will have doubled the number of charging stations worldwide and will include charging for free.
The Model 3 is Tesla's attempt to bring electric cars to the mass market and is considered critical to the company's future success.
Interest has been strong, with yesterday's reservations for the Model 3 at Tesla stores and galleries – some of which are located directly adjacent to Apple retail stores – arguably eclipsing the launch of the iPhone SE. Musk later boasted on stage that the company had already secured 115,000 reservations before the car had even been revealed.
The full selection of photos of the red Model 3 is available on the TechCrunch site. The video below, posted by iVenyaWay, shows off Tesla's new car in silver. A matte black option briefly features towards the end.
Apple is widely believed to be working on its own electric road vehicle, commonly referred to as the Apple Car, which Musk has called an "open secret" in the industry. According to Musk, the hundreds of engineers Apple has taken on make it clear there's an electric car in the works.
Apple and Tesla have hired each other's employees over the last couple of years, with Musk saying that Apple has hired away "very few people" from the car company despite offering $250,000 signing bonuses and 60 percent salary increases to its employees. Tesla meanwhile has hired nearly 150 Apple employees.
April 1 is here again, and as with every April Fools' Day that comes around, readers should be on the alert for hoaxes and claims at both news and rumor sites.
As tradition would have it, plenty of today's pranks involve Apple and tech. Here are a few of the more intriguing ones that are making the rounds so far today. Bear in mind that some of the hoaxes may be NSFW, so after-office viewing or headphone donning may be the safest option.
SpatiaFlight
Moshi launches SpatiaFlight, the next generation of AirPlay.
T-Mobile #BingeOnUp Service
T-Mobile are offering Binge On Up!, a truly mobile binge-watching experience free to all their customers.
Google Cardboard Plastic
Google announces Cardboard Plastic, for the ultimate immersive "AR" experience.
Other Pranks and Hoaxes
Autonomous RV – World's first self-driving trailer van Virgin America – Introducing the airline's dubious new logo Product Hunt – Product Hunt acquires Yahoo in all-stock deal Mark for H&M – Mark Zuckerberg exclusive fashion collection Lexus V-LCRO – Revolutionary human-machine interface for tackling hard corners Android Developer Story – The Guardian goes galactic with Google Play
This post will be updated throughout April Fools' Day with the latest pranks and hoaxes.
Disney today released Star Wars: The Force Awakens onto digital platforms, including iTunes, Disney Movies Anywhere, and other Digital HD platforms. The company first confirmed the release date in early March, also announcing the long-awaited film will launch at physical retailers on April 5.
The iTunes version of the film has the same bonus content as the standard retail editions set to launch next week, including a table read of the script and a behind-the-scenes look at the development of the film's creatures. Fans who purchase the film on April 5 will have a handful of retailerexclusive editions to choose from, some of which include bonus content unavailable elsewhere.
iTunes Extras: Discover the complete story behind the film's making in Secrets of The Force Awakens: A Cinematic Journey, revealed through in-depth footage and exclusive interviews with the actors and filmmakers in this feature-length documentary. In The Story Awakens: The Table Read, cast members reflect on the memorable day they all came together for the first time to read the movie's script. Plus Crafting Creatures, Building BB-8, Blueprint of a Battle: The Snow Fight, a host of Deleted Scenes, and more.
Star Wars: The Force Awakens is available to download from the iTunes Store for $19.99 in HD, with the SD version to follow on April 5 for $14.99. [Direct Link]
Yesterday, Chipworks' teardown of the iPhone SE confirmed that the new device uses a potpourri of components from several past iPhones, including the iPhone 5s. iFixit has completed its own teardown of the device, and its findings show that the new device includes several components that are interchangeable with iPhone 5s parts.
iFixit found that the iPhone SE's speaker, chassis, vibrator, SIM tray and display assembly, which includes the LCD, digitizer, front camera, earpiece speaker and proximity sensor are the same parts used in the iPhone 5s. According to iFixit's testing, the components are easily swappable and work in a "plug and play" fashion.
The non-swappable parts include the logic board, rear-facing camera, Lightning connector assembly and battery. The iPhone SE's battery comes in at 1,624 mAh, which is up from the iPhone 5s' 1,560 mAh battery. However, iFixit notes that the SE's battery comes with a different battery connector, so iPhone 5s users hoping to install a larger battery in their phones are out of luck.
The camera on the iPhone SE also comes with a different connector, using far fewer pins than the connector on the iPhone 5s' camera. Other differences include a Lightning connector that's a little different from the iPhone 5s' Lightning connector, failing iFixit's compatibility test. The power button bracket also has a contact cable "doohickey," likely for grounding.
iFixit awarded the iPhone SE a repairability score of 6 out of 10, with 10 being the easiest to repair. While the iPhone SE's similarities to the iPhone 5s make it easier to repair, it's still difficult to open because of the Pentalobe screws on the device's exterior. Like most iPhones, the Touch ID cable is also easily damaged if a user is not careful when opening the device.
Since the launch of iOS 9.3 last week, some Sprint users have been unable to connect to LTE networks, according to reports on Twitter and reddit. After updating, affected users say their iPhones will only connect 3G, and there appears to be no clear fix with resets and reinstalls not solving the problem for most people.
According to one reddit user in California, he's having issues when his iPhone attempts to connect to a specific LTE band. Affected users are frustrated with the connectivity problems, with some reporting an inability to receive any messages or updates when not on Wi-Fi. Most users seeing problems appear to be using Apple's latest devices.
I'm having data issues as well on my 6s Plus in the LA/OC market. Over the past three days I've been troubleshooting on my 80 mile round trip commute via Field Test and Speedtest. I've figured out that data transfer is broken when connected to Clear B41. No problems on Sprint B41, B25 or EVDO. I've created a ticket with Sprint Care, and supposedly they have notified their network team. I'm awaiting a response.
I've talked to Apple as well, they did a diagnostic test that came up normal...of course it did, because I was not connected to Clear B41 at the time. At this point, the only course of action is to either disable LTE or revert back to 9.2.1 before Apple stops signing it. I'm not sure if this has to do with the WiMAX shutdown in my market, but I have noticed that the TAC went from 9xxx to 3xxxx after the shutdown. I've restored three times via iTunes to no avail.
As of this afternoon, Sprint has begun sending out text messages to its subscriber base, acknowledging the data connection problem. Sprint says that it is aware of the issue and "working quickly" on a fix.
Apple this morning released an iOS 9.3.1 update with a fix for an unrelated web linking bug, and while it's not clear if the new update fixes the Sprint issue, it's unlikely as Sprint's text messages were sent out after the update was released.
Update 4/1: According to Sprint, the data connection issues affecting users were resolved this morning.
Rumors have suggested the iPhone 7 will be thinner and lighter than the iPhone 6s, and a new report from Korean site ETNews shares some technical details on the methods Apple may use to save space internally and shave off precious fractions of a millimeter from the device's size.
Apple is said to be planning to use a new fan-out packaging technology for the antenna switching module and radio frequency chip in the iPhone 7, which is a feature that allows the iPhone to switch between LTE and other antennas like GSM and CDMA. Fan-out packaging technology allows for a greater number of I/O terminals while cutting down on chip size.
A mockup of what the iPhone 7 might look like
Fan Out technology is a technology that increases number of I/O (Input/Output) terminals within a package by pulling out wiring of I/O terminals to outside from a semiconductor chip (Die), which is a previous step before packaging. As area of a chip had become narrower as manufacturing processes had become finer, it was difficult to increase number of I/O terminals. Because industries do not want to increase size of a chip just for I/O terminals, they have been paying attention to Fan Out Packaging technology recently. It is most cost effective from production cost perspective if number of I/O terminals increases within a package while still decreasing size of a chip.
Using this packaging method, along with single-chip EMI shields, Apple will be able to fit more components into a single package while minimizing signal loss and also cutting down on the potential for interference in wireless communication. The radio frequency chip built into the antenna switching module is said to include two chips in one package rather than two chips built into a printed circuit board to save space.
Apple's iPhone 7 is expected to launch in the fall of 2016. Rumors about the device suggest it will look similar to the iPhone 6s, but with redesigned antenna bands and a somewhat thinner chassis. Along with the chip packaging techniques shared today, Apple is rumored to be cutting down on the size of the device through the removal of the headphone jack and the slimming of the Lightning port.
Former chairman and CEO of General Electric Jack Welch had an opportunity to purchase Apple for $2 billion and passed at the chance, according to information shared by Bob Wright in an interview with The New York Post about his book The Wright Stuff: From NBC to Autism Speaks.
Back in 1996, when Apple was struggling ahead of Steve Jobs' return, then CEO Michael Spindler, who took over after John Sculley was ousted, was "practically begging" General Electric to buy Apple.
"The stock price was $20, and [Spindler] was explaining he couldn't get the company moving fast enough and the analysts were on his case," Wright told The Post in an interview on Tuesday. "He was sweating like mad and everybody said, 'We can't manage technology like that.' We had a chance to buy it for $2 billion."
A purchase by General Electric would have radically changed the company's history and it's questionable whether Apple would still be around as a brand today had that happened. Later that same year, after GE declined to make the purchase, Apple bought NeXT for $427 million and Steve Jobs returned to lead the company in 1997.
One of Jobs' first major projects was the iPod, which launched in 2001 and set the company on its current path. The iPhone followed in 2007, the iPad came in 2010, and the Apple Watch, Apple's newest product, launched in 2015.
As of today, Apple is worth more than $600 billion, while General Electric is worth less than half of that. In fact, Apple holds more than two thirds of the value of General Electric in cash, with over $215 billion on hand.
