MacRumors

With the launch of the iPad Pro coming up shortly, technology and education expert Fraser Speirs got some hands-on time with the device at an invitation-only event in London yesterday. Speirs has been sharing his thoughts from his one-hour session with the iPad Pro and its accessories and answering questions on Twitter, offering an interesting perspective on the user experience.

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Overall, Speirs was impressed by the iPad Pro, finding it most ideal for productivity tasks in noting the device "is expansive where the Air 2 is intimate. It definitely has a 'work' feel to it, although photos/media are fantastic." Multitasking in particular is "a whole different thing" on the iPad Pro with a true feeling of "two iPads stuck together," an experience that makes it "a great device for serious work and creativity."


Speirs is a bit less enthusiastic about other use cases, noting that "if you just use it to browse and Netflix" there may not be enough benefit from the iPad Pro to make it worth the increased size and weight compared to iPad Air 2. For reading, he feels "it's not a device to snuggle up with" but would be solid for reference work.

Turning to the Apple Pencil, Speirs calls it "extremely impressive" and "certainly the best iPad stylus I have used by a country mile." Palm rejection is described as "near-perfect" and the "best I have ever seen on iOS," making for a smooth experience with writing and drawing apps.

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Speirs was less impressed with the Smart Keyboard, calling it "a bit fiddly" due to its size and complexity but a "decent enough" keyboard. As far as the keyboard feel, Speirs compares it most closely to Logitech's Keys-to-Go among accessories iPad users might already be familiar with.

For more of Speirs' thoughts on the iPad Pro and its accessories, check out his Twitter timeline, which is full of tidbits and other impressions.

Related Roundup: iPad Pro
Buyer's Guide: iPad Pro (Caution)

For this week's giveaway, we've teamed up with Neo Smartpen to give away a Neo Smartpen N2 and a matching N Notebook, which work together to let you write on traditional paper while also transferring your notes to your iPhone or iPad to use in apps like Evernote.

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The Neo Smartpen N2 and its accompanying Neo Notes app is able to sync what is written in the N Notebook to an iOS device, transcribing any written text into digital text. Made of aluminum and stainless steel, the N2 is similar in size to a traditional ballpoint pen and weighs just 22 grams, so it's easy to transport anywhere you go.


It includes a dual-core processor that can capture more than 120 frames per second, transferring information to an iPhone or iPad via Bluetooth. Its built-in battery will work for five hours of constant usage or three days of normal usage.

The N2 Smartpen does need to be used with an N Notebook that has tiny symbols printed on it to transfer written words to an iPhone, but the company also recently introduced software that is able to print paper that can be used with the N2. Special paper is needed because the N2 has a small built-in camera that records the position and pressure of each pen stroke.

The Neo Smartpen N2 is available from Amazon for $169, but one MacRumors reader will be able to win one in today's giveaway. To enter to win, use the Rafflecopter widget below and enter an email address. Email addresses will be used solely for contact purposes to reach the winner and send the prize.

You can earn additional entries by subscribing to our weekly newsletter, subscribing to our YouTube channel, following us on Twitter, or visiting the MacRumors Facebook page. Due to the complexities of international laws regarding giveaways, only U.S. residents who are 18 years of age or older are eligible to enter.

The contest will run from today (October 23) at 12:15 p.m. Pacific Time through 12:15 p.m. Pacific Time on October 30. The winner will be chosen randomly on October 30 and will be contacted by email. The winner has 48 hours to respond and provide a shipping address before a new winner is chosen. The prize will be shipped to the winner for free.

Apple has released iCloud for Windows 5 with support for iCloud Photo Library and two-factor authentication for Apple ID accounts. Windows users were previously limited to accessing iCloud Photo Library through the web interface.

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Apple recommends that iCloud for Windows users have Windows 7, 8 or 10 installed. For email, the software currently supports Outlook 2007 through Outlook 2013, while Outlook 2016 users can access iCloud Mail, Contacts, and Calendars on iCloud.com.

Use iCloud Photo Library on your Windows PC to download all of the photos and videos from your Apple devices to your computer, or upload your Windows Pictures library to iCloud. And when you turn on iCloud Photo Sharing, you can share your captured memories with just the people you choose.

Apple has published a support document for setting up and using iCloud Photo Library on Windows.

Target has delivered on its plans and is now selling the Apple Watch in U.S. stores and online (via The Loop). The large retailer is carrying both Apple Watch Sport and Apple Watch models with the same pricing as Apple.

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Target has also listed dozens of bands on its website, including the Classic Buckle, Leather Loop, Milanese Loop and Sport Band, but most remain unavailable for delivery or in-store pickup at this time. Apple Watch accessories and AppleCare+ are also listed.

Apple Watch also became available through B&H Photo earlier this month, as part of a growing group of Apple Watch authorized resellers.

Related Roundup: Apple Watch 10
Tag: Target
Buyer's Guide: Apple Watch (Neutral)

Apple Pay badges have been added to Apple Maps listings for select Coles and Woolworths supermarket locations in Australia, as spotted by multiple users on discussion forum AppleTalk Australia. The badges are normally reserved for locations that accept Apple Pay, which is noteworthy given the mobile payments service has yet to officially launch in Australia.

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Apple Pay badges added to some Apple Maps listings in Melbourne, Perth and Sydney

The badges appear in Apple Maps for select Coles and Woolworths store listings in or near large Australian cities such as Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney. Many other Coles and Woolworths listings do not have the badge, nor do large Australian chains such as McDonald's, so it remains unclear if they were added by mistake, or are indicative of forthcoming Apple Pay support in Australia.

Apple Pay launched in the U.S. in October 2014 before arriving in the U.K. last July, but Apple has remained quiet about its plans to expand iPhone-based contactless payments to additional countries. In August, Fairfax Media reported that Australian banks oppose Apple sharing a portion of the $2 billion interchange fees they collect from merchants each year in return for use of payment infrastructure.

Australia is a well-prepared candidate for Apple Pay, as contactless payments technology has been widely adopted throughout the country over the past few years. Several retailers that support Apple Pay in the U.S. and U.K. also operate in Australia, including Aéropostale, Apple, Babies "R" Us, Champs Sports, Foot Locker, GameStop, McDonald's, Nike, OfficeMax and Subway.

Beyond Australia, The Wall Street Journal previously reported that Apple is planning a November launch of Apple Pay in Canada, which was likely prematurely leaked by TD Canada Trust last week. Apple has reportedly been in talks with Canada's six largest banks, including the Bank of Montreal, CIBC, National Bank of Canada, Royal Bank of Canada, Scotiabank and TD Canada Trust.

Update: Apple Pay badges have also been spotted on some Apple Maps listings in Canada, Czech Republic, Finland, Germany, Poland and Singapore.

Related Roundup: Apple Pay

Steve Jobs has been out in limited release for two weeks now, meaning fans in New York, Los Angeles, Toronto and select other locations in the U.S. and Canada have been able to see the Danny Boyle-directed film about the former Apple CEO ahead of today's official wide release. Since its debut on October 9, the movie has grossed $2,601,320 as of Wednesday, October 21.

With the wide release, Universal Pictures has uploaded a handful of new videos to its YouTube channel. Throughout its limited release, the company posted unique content surrounding the launch of the movie, including a video where Steve Wozniak discusses his relationship with the real Steve Jobs and new clips from the movie. Yesterday, a roundtable discussion video was posted showcasing the film's cast and crew talking about the legacy of Jobs.


The new movie, made on a budget of $30 million, is projected to gross between $15 and $19 million on opening weekend, with its direct competitor for the top spot at the box office being the supernatural horror sequel Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension (via Variety). In total, Steve Jobs will expand from its 60 previous limited release theater locations to 2,411 across the country today.

Apple has updated its regional website for India to indicate the Apple Watch will be available in the world's second most populous country on November 6.

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India will be part of the tenth launch wave. Apple Watch most recently became available for purchase on October 22 in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, followed by Chile, South Africa and the Philippines on October 23.

  • April 24: Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, UK, US
  • June 26: Italy, Mexico, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland, and Taiwan
  • July 17: The Netherlands, Sweden, and Thailand
  • July 31: New Zealand, Russia, and Turkey
  • September 25: Austria, Denmark, and Ireland
  • October 9: Belgium, Finland, Norway, Luxembourg, and Poland
  • October 16: Brazil and Colombia
  • October 22: Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates
  • October 23: Chile, Philippines, and South Africa
  • November 6: India

Apple Watch prices in India are not yet listed on the Apple Online Store. Apple Watch Sport prices have been speculated to start at between Rs. 24,999 and Rs. 30,000 in the country.

Related Roundup: Apple Watch 10
Tag: India
Buyer's Guide: Apple Watch (Neutral)

Facebook's newest iOS update, out today, fixes a major battery draining bug that some Facebook users have been experiencing in recent weeks. Affected users were seeing large amounts of battery drain on their iPhones due to Facebook running in the background, something that happened even when background app refresh was toggled off in the Settings app.

While the latest Facebook app release notes don't include a reference to the issue, Facebook engineering manager Ari Grant wrote a post (via TechCrunch) explaining the issues behind the battery drain and what Facebook has done to fix it. According to Grant, there were several factors that contributed to the problem, including a "CPU spin" in the network code and silent background audio sessions that kept the app awake even when it wasn't open.

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The first issue we found was a "CPU spin" in our network code. A CPU spin is like a child in a car asking, "Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet?"with the question not resulting in any progress to reaching the destination. This repeated processing causes our app to use more battery than intended. The version released today has some improvements that should start making this better.

The second issue is with how we manage audio sessions. If you leave the Facebook app after watching a video, the audio session sometimes stays open as if the app was playing audio silently. This is similar to when you close a music app and want to keep listening to the music while you do other things, except in this case it was unintentional and nothing kept playing. The app isn't actually doing anything while awake in the background, but it does use more battery simply by being awake. Our fixes will solve this audio issue and remove background audio completely.

When the Facebook battery draining issue first began circulating, MacStories' Federico Vittici hypothesized it was caused by silent audio running in the background, which turned out to be correct. Vittici believed Facebook used silent audio intentionally as a way to keep the app active in the background for tasks like pre-loading content, which he said showed "a deep lack of respect for iOS users."

Regarding today's comment from Facebook engineer Ari Grant, TechCrunch's Matthew Panzarino also suspects there's a possibility Facebook's use of background audio might have been done on purpose, despite Facebook's claim that it was an unintentional bug.

So if you believe Grant, this is a simple bug. It could happen to anyone etc etc. If you don't believe him, it was a thing Facebook was doing to make their app work a way they wanted it to but Apple didn't and they got caught. I'm not gonna pass any judgments here -- bugs happen all of the time and it's not fun to get pilloried over a simple mistake. Either way, attention was brought to it and it's fixed now.

Grant says fixes have been implemented for both of the issues causing battery drain and Facebook users "should see improvements in the version released today." Facebook will also continue to improve the battery usage of its iOS app.

Twelve South was one of the first companies to come out with an Apple Watch stand, announcing its HiRise for Apple Watch before the wrist-worn device even launched, but with watchOS 2, Apple introduced Nightstand mode, a function that required the Apple Watch to be placed in landscape mode on its side.

The HiRise isn't designed to be used in landscape mode, so as a result, Twelve South has come out with a second Apple Watch stand, the Forté. The Forté works in both portrait and landscape mode, so it's able to be used with Nightstand mode. Twelve South also worked with Apple on this design, so the Forté is one of only a handful of Apple Watch stands available in Apple retail stores.

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When it comes to design, the Forté doesn't look very different from the dozens of other Apple Watch stands on the market, but it does boast high quality materials and a shape that's both versatile and attractive. It consists of a leather-covered weighted chrome base and a chrome arm that holds the Apple Watch charger.

The base is larger than the base of the HiRise, but it has the benefit of being a suitable spot to rest an open-loop band on. When an Apple Watch isn't on the Forté, or when it's used with a closed-loop band, it's the perfect size to hold an iPhone. On desks with little space, it's a nice little charging platform for both an Apple Watch and an iPhone. On the bottom, there's a silicone pad for some extra grip on a desktop or night stand surface.

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Unfortunately, the Forté only comes in chrome with a black leather base, so it's not going to match well with all Apple Watch models, namely the Gold and Rose Gold Apple Watch Sport.

As with most Apple Watch stands, you're going to need to supply your own Apple Watch cable. There's only one stand on the market right now that has a built-in Apple Watch charging puck, and that stand comes from Belkin. We'll likely see more of those in the future, but for now, using your own cable is still a necessity.

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imovieApple today updated its iMovie app for iOS devices to version 2.2.1, fixing several bugs and adding 4K support for the iPad Air 2 following yesterday's release of iOS 9.1. An iPad Air 2 running iOS 9.1 can now be used to edit and share 4K resolution videos.

iMovie first began supporting 4K video editing with the 2.2 update released in September after the launch of the iPhone 6s and the iPhone 6s Plus. The two new iPhones are the first Apple devices that are capable of capturing 4K video, and along with the iPad Pro and the iPad Air 2, they're also the only devices that can edit 4K video.

Today's 2.2.1 iMovie update also includes several fixes for bugs that were discovered after the major 2.2 September update.

What's New
- Create and share movies at 4K resolution on iPad Air 2 with iOS 9.1*
- Fixes an issue that could prevent users from creating new trailers in some languages
- Resolves issues importing and removing projects from iCloud Drive
- Addresses interface issues that could appear in some right-to-left languages
- Addresses interface issues that could appear in iMovie extension for Photos
- Performance and stability improvementsiMovie supports 4K on iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus, iPad Air 2, and iPad Pro

iMovie can be downloaded from the App Store for $4.99. [Direct Link]

Tag: iMovie

In betas of iOS 9.1 and OS X 10.11.1, Apple added a mysterious emoji symbol consisting of an eye inside of a speech bubble. At the time, it was not clear what purpose the mystery emoji served, but as Wired points out, it's Apple's way of supporting an anti-bullying campaign launched today by the Ad Council.

The "I Am A Witness" digital anti-bullying campaign aims to empower teenagers to speak up whenever they see bullying, with the emoji Apple implemented serving as a way to show support for someone who is being bullied.


Two designers at ad agency Goodby, Silverstein & Partners, Angie Elko and Patrick Knowlton, came up with the eye-in-a-speech bubble symbol, and then the ad agency approached Apple to add it as an emoji to the Apple Keyboard. According to Goodby art director Hanna Wittmark, Apple was a fan of the symbol.

"When we first asked about bringing this emoji to the official Apple keyboard, they told us it would take at least a year or two to get it through and approved under Unicode," says Wittmark. The company found a way to fast-track it, she says, by combining two existing emoji.

To create the new anti-bullying emoji, Apple combined the eye emoji with the left speech bubble emoji using what's called a Zero Width Joiner, described on Emojipedia as a unicode character that's able to join two or more characters together. It's also used in emoji like the family, combining Man, Woman, Girl, and Boy emoji to create a single character emoji.

eyeemoji

Image via Jeremy Burge of Emojipedia

The emoji is a key symbol in the campaign and is available on iPhones running iOS 9.1 and Macs running OS X 10.11.1. The dedicated "I Am A Witness" website asks teens to use the emoji or a specially created "I Am A Witness third-party keyboard to call out bullying.

iamawitnessinstructions
In addition to Apple, several other tech companies are also supporting the new campaign, including Adobe, Facebook, Google, YouTube, and Twitter, with each of these providing customized content on their respective platforms.

Tag: Emoji

Siri and other voice-activated systems can cause potentially unsafe mental distractions lasting several seconds while driving, according to a new research study by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. Siri's score of 3.4 on the five-point scale is considered more distracting than Google Now's 3.0 score, but less distracting than Microsoft Cortana, which received a 3.8 rating.

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AAA's mental distraction rankings also included vehicles, ranging from the least distracting Chevy Equinox at 2.4 to the Mazda 6 at 4.6, which is nearly the highest level of cognitive distraction. The study found that mental distractions can persist for as long as 27 seconds after using hands-free or voice-activated systems, as drivers readjust to the task of driving.

“The lasting effects of mental distraction pose a hidden and pervasive danger that would likely come as a surprise to most drivers,” said Peter Kissinger, President and CEO of the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. “The results indicate that motorists could miss stop signs, pedestrians and other vehicles while the mind is readjusting to the task of driving.”

Researchers found that potentially unsafe levels of mental distraction can last for as long as 27 seconds after completing a distracting task in the worst-performing systems studied. At the 25 MPH speed limit in the study, drivers traveled the length of nearly three football fields during this time. When using the least distracting systems, drivers remained impaired for more than 15 seconds after completing a task.

AAA's mental distraction rankings while driving are broken down into five categories:

- Category 1: About the same as listening to the radio or an audio book
- Category 2: About the same as talking on the phone
- Category 3: Equivalent to sending voice-activated texts on an error-free system
- Category 4: About the same as uploading social media
- Category 5: Highly challenging, scientific test designed to overload a driver's attention

The study did not include the latest in-dash systems such as CarPlay or Android Auto.

The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety published Phase I and Phase II of this study over the past few years. In the second phase, the foundation found Siri's high complexity and low intuitiveness resulted in some of the highest levels of mental distraction compared to other in-car tasks such as adjusting the radio or navigating complex menus.

Third-party accessory manufacturer Griffin today announced a new combination Apple Watch and iPhone charging stand called the "WatchStand Powered Charging Station." The dock takes the original design of the company's WatchStand dock and adds on a new section that acts as a landing pad to charge an iPhone or iPad next to the Apple Watch.

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The new version of the WatchStand comes with a built-in power supply and two dedicated USB charging ports so the cable clutter is visually reduced trailing out from the back of the dock. The WatchStand's underside provides multiple cable management opportunities to ensure that the cords for the Apple Watch and iPhone don't become unruly when both are placed on the stand.

griffin new watchstand
Just as with the original WatchStand, the new version supports all bands for the Apple Watch and can even adapt to horizontal and vertical positions, giving users the option to try out new WatchOS 2 features like Nightstand mode. The base of the WatchStand lets users place their iPhone either on the top of a flat, felt surface or angled against the piece that holds up the Apple Watch, to watch videos while the iPhone charges.

The WatchStand Powered Charging Station is available to purchase from Griffin's official website for $59.99 starting today.

Related Roundup: Apple Watch 10
Tag: Griffin
Buyer's Guide: Apple Watch (Neutral)
Related Forum: iPhone

HTC has denied claims that its new flagship One A9 smartphone copies the iPhone. At a press briefing in Taiwan, company executive Jack Tong said that "it's Apple that copies us" in terms of antenna design—the Taiwanese handset maker was first to release a metal unibody smartphone nearly three years ago.

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The HTC One A9 compared to the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus (via The Verge)

The response was reported by Want China Times (via BGR):

"We're not copying. We made a uni-body metal-clad phone in 2013. It's Apple that copies us in terms of the antenna design on the back," Jack Tong, president of HTC North Asia, said at a press briefing at the Taiwan launch of the One A9.

"The A9 is made thinner and more lightweight than our previous metal-clad phones. This is a change and evolution, and we're not copying," he said.

The original HTC One M7 launched in March 2013 with an aluminum unibody frame and plastic antenna lines along the top and bottom of the smartphone, both design cues that Apple adopted for the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, released 18 months later, and has since carried over to the iPhone 6s lineup.

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The original HTC One with an all-metal unibody design launched in March 2013

The One A9 is considered an iPhone lookalike because it has a similar rounded chassis, plastic antenna lines and a protruding rear-facing camera, and because it is available in almost identical colors as the current iPhone lineup. The smartphone also has one speaker located next to the charging port on the bottom.

HTC's rebuttal comes after The Verge described the One A9 as "the most blatant and highest-profile iPhone ripoff since Samsung's original Galaxy S," a bold argument that has been contested by some HTC supporters. The copycat allegations have received significant media coverage this week.

Ultimately, while there is no denying that HTC's One A9 is an iPhone-driven evolution of the HTC One series, it is clear that both smartphone makers have borrowed similar design qualities from each other over the years. Apple has not commented on the matter, but has taken legal action against Samsung for copying in the past.


The One A9 is HTC's latest flagship Android smartphone, featuring a 5-inch screen with a curved-edge display, 13-megapixel rear-facing camera, 1.5 GHz octa-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 617 processor, 3GB of RAM, 16GB or 32GB storage, Quick Charge 2.0 and Android 6.0 Marshmallow. The smartphone is available in a range of colors, including Carbon Gray, Opal Silver, Deep Garnet and Topaz Gold, for $399 unlocked.

In a new nationwide study conducted by retailer Best Buy, the top gadgets and products planned to be gifted and asked for this holiday season were detailed in a "Top 15 Tech Gifts for 2015" list. Apple's iPad (with no specific preference given to the Air or Mini line) came out on top, with the Bose QuietComfort Noise Cancelling Headphones, MacBook, and smart HD TVs rounding out the top five spots.
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1. iPad
2. Bose QuietComfort 25 Noise Cancelling Headphones
3. MacBook
4. Samsung 48” Smart 4K Ultra HD TV
5. Sharp 43” Smart HDTV with Roku
6. Microsoft Surface
7. Bose SoundLink Mini Bluetooth Speaker II
8. Fitbit Charge HR Heart Rate and Activity Tracker
9. Samsung Galaxy Tab S2
10. Dyson V6 Absolute Bagless Cordless Vacuum
11. Vizio 43” Smart 4K Ultra HD TV
12. Apple Watch
13. SONOS PLAY:1 Wireless Speaker
14. iRobot Roomba Vacuum Cleaning Robot
15. GoPro HERO4 Action Camera

Apple's products account for three of the top 15 gifts this year, with the newest device -- the Apple Watch -- also ranking the lowest of the company's devices in the twelfth spot, four places below the Fitbit Charge activity tracker. Unsurprisingly, Best Buy's study also found that those aged 18-34 placed consumer electronics highest on their wish lists, prioritizing technology over other categories like clothing, books, and jewelry.

The report also found that men are both more likely than women to want tech-related gifts for the holidays are be the ones who gift consumer electronics to friends and family more frequently. Self-gifting was also factored into the survey thanks to the highly discounted nature of holiday shopping, with 19 percent of those interested in Apple's iPad planning on buying it for themselves during the gift-giving season. Similarly, 15 percent of those who chose the MacBook said it would be a present for themselves.

Related Roundups: Apple Watch 10, iPad
Related Forums: MacBook, iPad

Popular rugged case manufacturer LifeProof today revealed its newest protective offering for the iPhone 6s, the FRĒ Power, which promises to double the battery life of the smartphone while providing the expected protection the brand's previous products have afforded. LifeProof says the new case is fully waterproof and will let users take Live Photos and 4K videos "in almost every environment."
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"We challenge our engineers to defy what is expected and they've gone well beyond that with our waterproof iPhone 6s battery case," said LifeProof President and CEO Pete Lindgren. "FR? Power provides protection and power so you can adventure further than ever before. The combination of iPhone 6s Live Photos and 4k video with double the battery life from FRĒ Power lets you capture better content and keep shooting longer than ever before."

The source of the FRĒ Power comes from a built-in 2,600 mAh lithium ion battery, which LifeProof says provides "2x battery capacity" over the normal life of the iPhone 6s. On the outside, the case will protect from water, drop damage, dirt, and snow, the usual tenants of the LifeProof line. The company also ensures that the case's built-in scratch protection screen allows uninhibited access to the new features of the iPhone 6s, like 3D Touch and the front-facing retina flash.

Those interested can visit LifeProof's official website to pre-order the $129.99 FRĒ Power iPhone 6s case, which has an estimated in-stock launch date of Friday, November 6. The color options for the battery case include Blacktop, Base Jump Blue, and Avalanche, although the last two have no estimated release date. The new case is also available for last year's iPhone 6, but the company hasn't announced support for the iPhone 6 Plus or iPhone 6s Plus.

Related Forum: iPhone

The developers behind popular third-party keyboard Fleksy today announced the debut of a new custom theme builder for a keyboard with deeper personalization. With the custom keyboard feature, the Fleksy keyboard can be customized with a range of unique colors, photos, and other effects.

Fleksy has long had different themes available in the app as additional in-app purchases, allowing users to adjust the look of the keyboard, but its new options take customization even further. As can be seen in the image below, a photo can be used underneath a keyboard for a one-of-a-kind look.

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The background color of the keyboard can be customized, and users can also select specific colors for things like keys, word suggestions, and autocorrected words. According to Fleksy, its built-in themes have been popular with users, so the idea was to allow them to create personalized content that can be changed and updated on a regular basis.

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Custom themes created by Fleksy users can be used on their own devices and also shared with friends. A sharing tool within the app makes it easy for themes to be shared with other users. Theme recipients who have the Fleksy app on their iOS devices can install new themes with a click, while those who are not current Fleksy users will be prompted to download the app.

Fleksy Keyboard can be downloaded from the App Store for free. [Direct Link]

KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has released shipments forecasts for the iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple Watch for upcoming fiscal quarters. Kuo estimates between 70-75 million iPhone and 3.5-4 million Apple Watch shipments during Q1 2016 of the fiscal year, which encompasses the busy holiday shopping season in the U.S., Australia, Canada, Europe and many other regions.

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In a research note, a copy of which was obtained by MacRumors, Kuo believes that iPhone sales momentum could gradually decline in the new year, possibly enough for the device to experience its first year-over-year shipments decline in the first quarter of a year in 2016.

We estimate iPhone shipments rose 2.1% QoQ and 23.6% YoY to 48.5mn units in 3Q15, of which 20-22mn units were iPhone 6s. We attribute the solid YoY growth to the inclusion of China as the first-launch market for iPhone 6s and to increased output of the new model (versus 14-15mn units of iPhone 6 in 3Q14).

However, as we do not expect overall demand for iPhone 6s to be significantly stronger than that for iPhone 6, we expect shipments momentum could gradually decline in 4Q15-1Q16F on a YoY basis. We expect iPhone may see its first YoY shipments decline in the first quarter of a year in 2016.

Kuo also forecasts between 14.5-15.5 million iPad shipments and 5.4-5.6 million Mac shipments in fiscal Q1 2016, which lines up with Q4 2015 of the calendar year, a three-month period ending December 31.

The analyst expects iPad Pro shipments to be around 2 million in fiscal Q1 2016, and believes the tablet's higher selling price will help offset an annual decline in iPad shipments, which could fall 16% to 40-42 million units in 2016.

We now expect shipments of iPad Pro to be around 2mn units in 4Q15, versus our previous forecast of 4-5mn units given quality issues with Sharp’s panel supply. However, thanks to a higher shipments weighting of iPad Pro, coupled with a lower mix of iPad mini, we anticipate the ASP of end-products and some components will trend up in 2016F (e.g. we estimate the ASP of backlight unit to rise 30-35% in 2016). This should be enough to offset total iPad shipments decline, which we estimate will fall 16% to 40-42mn units in 2016F.

Kuo expects that, amid lackluster sales for PCs, Mac sales will continue to be better than those of competitors. The well-informed analyst says the 13.3-inch MacBook Pro is Apple's most popular notebook, followed by the 12-inch MacBook, and expects the new iMacs with 4K and 5K Retina displays to account for at least 50-60% of total iMac shipments in Q1 2016 of the fiscal year.

Related Roundups: Apple Watch 10, iPad Pro
Related Forum: iPhone