MacRumors

Apple's upcoming iPhone 7 may include a larger battery than the one found in the iPhone 6s, which could mean a longer battery life. According to OnLeaks' Steve Hemmerstoffer, who often shares part leaks and information on new devices ahead of their launch, the 4.7-inch iPhone 7 may include a 1,960 mAh battery, an improvement over the 1,715 mAh battery in the iPhone 6s.

Citing a "pretty reliable" source, but cautioning that it's not 100 percent reliable, Hemmerstoffer revealed the information in a tweet shared this morning.

Longer battery life is often one of the most popular feature requests for new iPhones, and with the iPhone 7 expected to include only minor exterior design changes, better battery life could be an important selling point. In addition to a higher capacity battery, Apple could also improve battery life through software optimizations and the more efficient A10 processor that's expected to be included in next-generation devices.

We've heard few rumors about prospective battery life so far, but one image of a battery said to be for the iPhone 7 listed a capacity of 7.04 watt-hours, larger than the 6.61 watt-hour battery in the iPhone 6s and nearly identical to the 7.01 watt-hour battery in the iPhone 6, in line with today's rumor. With the upgrade to the iPhone 6s from the iPhone 6, Apple used a lower-capacity battery, something that may be reversed with the iPhone 7 if Hemmerstoffer's information is correct.

No information has been shared on the battery expected to be included in the 5.5-inch iPhone 7 Plus, but it too could feature a larger capacity more in line with the iPhone 6 Plus (2,915 mAh) than the iPhone 6s Plus (2,750 mAh).

Additional information on battery life will undoubtedly become available as part leaks continue ahead of the fall release of the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus. Other features rumored for the two devices include no headphone jack, relocated antenna bands, improved water resistance, a flush touch sensitive home button, and better camera technology, implemented through a larger camera sensor in the iPhone 7 and a dual-camera setup in the iPhone 7 Plus.

Niantic Labs, the developer behind the hit augmented reality game Pokémon Go, today hinted to the Financial Times that it plans to allow retailers and other companies to introduce sponsored locations in the future as a way to monetize the app.

Real world locations in Pokémon Go serve as "Pokéstops" for collecting in-game items and power-ups including "Pokéballs" or as "gyms" for battling the pokémon of other players. Right now, Pokéstops and gyms are largely located at notable landmarks like parks and statues, but may expand to encompass retailer-sponsored locations.

Niantic Labs' previous app, Ingress, featured similar branded portals purchased by retailers like Jamba Juice and Zipcar. Advertisers who purchased portals through Niantic Labs paid on a "cost per visit" basis, and a similar tactic could be used in Pokémon Go.

John Hanke, chief executive of Niantic, which developed Pokémon Go in partnership with the Japanese games group, said "sponsored locations" would provide a new revenue stream, in addition to in-app purchases of power-ups and virtual items. [...]

Alongside in-app payments, "there is a second component to our business model at Niantic, which is this concept of sponsored locations", Mr Hanke said, where companies "pay us to be locations within the virtual game board -- the premise being that it is an inducement that drives foot traffic".

Niantic CEO John Hanke declined to tell Financial Times about any sponsorship deals already in the works for Pokémon Go, but code within the app discovered this morning suggests a deal may have been established with McDonald's. McDonald's imagery is included in the app and the McDonald's name is listed in the app's code.

Pokémon Go has become a global phenomenon since its launch last week, earning an estimated $1.6 million in daily revenue with more than 7.5 million downloads in the United States. The app received its first update yesterday, fixing a number of bugs and changing Google permissions that sparked privacy concerns.

A series of photos have been posted on Chinese microblogging service Weibo, and later shared by French website NWE, that provide a closer look at what appear to be Lightning-equipped EarPods. However, it cannot be fully distinguished if these are official Apple headphones or simply Chinese counterfeits.

Apple is expected to remove the 3.5mm headphone jack on the iPhone 7 series, and multiple rumors have suggested that Apple will release EarPods with a Lightning connector in turn. The headphones, beyond having no 3.5mm headphone jack, look nearly identical to current EarPods.

One discernible difference is the larger plastic housing around the Lightning connector compared to the 3.5mm headphone jack on current EarPods. However, the switch to Lightning likely means EarPods will be equipped with a DAC, or digital-to-analog converter, and it needs to be built in somewhere.

While these photos could easily be fake, the switch to Lightning-equipped EarPods makes sense given rumors about the headphone jack's impending demise. Apple may also release a dongle for connecting wired headphones with standard 3.5mm jacks, while wireless Bluetooth headphones will continue to be supported.

Apple's exact reasons behind its supposed plans to remove the 3.5mm headphone jack are unknown, but rumors suggest that iPhones could have wireless charging by 2017. The iPhone 7 is also expected to be up to 1mm thinner and have increased waterproofing compared to the iPhone 6s.

While the Lightning connector is expected to become an all-in-one port for audio output, charging, and accessories, only a handful of Lightning-equipped headphones are available today, including Philips' Fidelio M2L and Fidelio NC1L models.

Last month, Apple supplier Cirrus Logic introduced a new MFi Headset Development Kit, a reference platform that is designed to help "Made for iPhone/iPad/iPod" accessory makers quickly develop Lightning-based headphones. The development kit is available through Apple's MFi Program for registered licensees.

Those interested in learning more about Lightning-equipped headphones can watch our video: Lightning Headphones: Are They Better or Just an Inconvenience? We also shared a video showing what an aftermarket 3.5mm-to-Lightning adapter looks like as they began to reach the market in recent months.

Update: NWE editor Steve Hemmerstoffer has updated his article to confirm that these are not official EarPods.

Pokémon Go has become available in the German App Store this morning as the ultra-popular game begins its much-anticipated rollout in Europe and elsewhere.

With the smash hit's release last week initially limited to the U.S., Australia, and New Zealand, iOS users in other countries have been left waiting for the game to become available in regional App Stores around the world.

According to a Monday report in The Wall Street Journal, Pokémon Go was set to launch in Europe and Asia "within a few days", with the delay thought to be necessary as developers Niantic attempt to deal with the crippling overload of its servers due to the game's unparalleled popularity.

That surge has reportedly caused issues for some users already playing the game, while many of those still waiting have been duped into downloading and installing fake versions.

We'll update this article if and when Pokémon Go appears in other App Stores around the world today.

Direct link to Pokémon Go on the German App Store.

Apple has posted an open casting call (via Cult of Mac) for its upcoming original TV show Planet of the Apps, an unscripted program about apps and the people who make them. The show is currently looking for developers from San Francisco, Austin, New York and Los Angeles to participate.

Executive producers will.i.am, Ben Silverman, and Howard Owens are teaming up for an unscripted series about the world of apps and the talented people that drive its innovation. They’re looking for developers with the vision to shape the future, solve real problems, and inspire change within our daily lives. “We can really tell their stories as we explore how apps are developed and created and incubated,” says Silverman.

The site says the show isn't just a show, but a "launchpad" and "accelerator" that'll offer developers three unique opportunities. Developers on Planet of the Apps will receive mentorship from the "world's best experts" in tech and entertainment, up to $10 million in funding if they reach the final round of the show, and featured placement in the App Store at the end of the show.

Participation will be limited to 100 developers. Apps must be for either iOS, macOS, tvOS or watchOS and the app must be in a functional state or beta by October 21, so that developers have something to share on the show. Developers are allowed to submit multiple apps and individuals can apply with multiple development teams. Developers have until August 26, 2016 to apply. Filming will take place in Los Angeles in late 2016 and early 2017.

Planet of the Apps is part of Apple's push into original television programming. The show was first announced in March, and other original content will include Vital Signs, a show about and starring Beats co-founder and Apple executive Dr. Dre. While Vital Signs will help promote Apple Music, Planet of the Apps will help promote the App Store.

Interested developers can apply on the show's website.

Somaltus, LLC has filed a complaint against Apple today in an Eastern Texas district court, accusing the iPhone maker of infringing upon its 2010 patent related to complex battery technologies. The small Frisco, Texas-based firm also filed lawsuits against Asus, Lenovo, Samsung, Sony, and Toshiba over the same patent.

The lawsuit claims that the iPhone 6s and any similar devices sold by Apple infringe upon U.S. Patent No. 7,657,386, titled "Integrated Battery Service System," and seeks unspecified monetary damages or, alternatively, a running royalty on sales of infringing devices from the time of judgment going forward.

Defendant sells, offers to sell, and/or uses telephones including, without limitation, the iPhone 6s (the "Product"), for example, and any similar devices, which infringe at least Claim 1 of the ‘386 Patent.

On information and belief, the Product includes a battery service system including a processor (e.g., the A9 chip), which is configured to receive signals from connectors coupled to a battery (e.g., the Product's rechargeable lithium-ion battery).

Specifically, it appears that the infringement claim at least partially relates to the iPhone's process of charging in fast-charge mode until the battery reaches 80% capacity, and then adjusting to trickle-charge mode above 80% capacity.

On information and belief, the processor executes the control codes to continually adjust a charge level to the battery. The Product has a charging system according to which the system operates in fast-charge mode until the battery reaches 80% capacity and then adjusts to trickle-charge mode when the capacity exceeds 80%. When the capacity drops below 80%, the system gain adjusts to fast-charge operation. The purpose of the system is to reduce the charging level applied to the battery at high capacity in order to extend the battery lifespan. Thus, the system adjusts the charging level applied to the battery and does so continuously as the battery charge capacity repeatedly exceeds and drops below 80%.

Somaltus, LLC generally fits the description of a "patent troll," as it does not appear to provide any obvious products or services and lacks an easily identifiable online presence. Nevertheless, it has successfully reached out-of-court settlements with automakers like Ford and Nissan in the past in relation to the same particular patent.

The legal complaint's case number is 2:16-cv-00758 in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas.

Ultra popular augmented reality game Pokémon Go received its first update since its July 5 launch, introducing some much-needed bug fixes to resolve several issues Pokémon players have run into while using the app.

A major concern with Pokémon Go was the app's access to a user's full Google account when signing in through Google on an iPhone, a problem that has now been fixed. Users worried Pokémon Go developer Niantic Labs would have access to Google account information like Gmail messages, Google Drive documents, and more through its full account access, but Niantic clarified asking for full access was a mistake and that nothing more than basic profile information had been utilized.

As of today's update, Pokémon Go will no longer request full access to Google accounts when a Google account is used as a sign-in option.

Niantic Labs is also introducing fixes to the log in process, which should cut down on the number of times that players have to log into the game, and there are fixes for the frequent crashes users have been experiencing. Many Pokémon Go players have noticed crashes when discovering pokémon and attempting to catch them, and today's update may fix these problems.

Thank you for your incredible response and support of Pokémon GO! We are working hard to improve the experience for everyone. This update focuses on making Pokémon GO more stable with the following improvements:

- Trainers do not to have to enter their username and password repeatedly after a force log out
- Added stability to Pokémon Trainer Club account log-in process
- Resolved issues causing crashes
- Fixed Google account scope

Since its release last week, Pokémon Go has been hugely successful, earning an estimated $1.6 million in daily revenue with approximately 7.5 million downloads in the United States alone. The game has sparked a worldwide phenomenon, garnering heavy coverage in the media and driving traffic to local businesses as players set out on foot around their neighborhoods to track down pokémon.

Pokémon Go can be downloaded from the App Store for free. [Direct Link]

Market research company J.D. Power has published the results of its 2016 Smartwatch Device Satisfaction Report, and Apple ranked highest among smartwatch manufacturers in customer satisfaction. Samsung finished in second place, although it was first in the related fitness band category.

The report measured overall satisfaction among 2,696 customers who purchased a smartwatch within the past year, including these factors listed in order of importance: ease of use, comfort, battery life, phone features, price, strength/durability, display size, styling/appearance, reliability, apps available, and customer service.

Apple earned a satisfaction score of 852 out of 1000, and a five-out-of-five Power Circle rating, compared to runner-up Samsung's score of 842 and two-out-of-five Power Circle rating. Sony, Fitbit, and LG rounded off the top five smartwatch manufacturers with scores of 840, 839, and 827 respectively.

In June 2015, research panel Wristly said overall customer satisfaction with the Apple Watch was 97%, a statistic that Apple CEO Tim Cook cited during the company's subsequent financial earnings call. Apple Watch's customer satisfaction has dropped slightly since then, but it has remained consistently high overall.

J.D. Power and Associates, a division of McGraw Hill Financial, has conducted highly-regarded customer satisfaction surveys for automakers, airlines, technology brands, and more since 1968. iPhones and iPads have consistently topped J.D. Power's smartphone and tablet customer satisfaction ratings in past years.