MacRumors

Amazon today unveiled its much-anticipated new smartphone, the Fire Phone, which Amazon calls "refined, beautiful, and robust." The phone has a 4.7-inch LCD HD display along with Gorilla Glass 3 on both sides and "precise" aluminum buttons.

It includes a quad-core 2.2GHz processor, an Adreno 330 Graphics Processor, 2GB of RAM, and dual stereo speakers. There's a 13-megapixel rear-facing camera with an f/2.0 five element lens and built-in optical image stabilization.

Aiming at Apple, Amazon touted the low-light capabilities of the camera included in the phone and announced free unlimited photo storage through its Amazon Cloud Drive service. Apple recently announced its own iCloud Photo Library, but it offers a limited amount of storage for free.

Along with standard cameras, Amazon's Fire Phone utilizes four additional cameras for a 3D interface, called "Dynamic Perspective." 3D images on the phone change as it is tilted and viewed from different angles, thanks to advanced eye and face tracking capabilities. Demonstrated with a mapping app, the 3D UI displayed a 3D version of the Empire State Building that could be viewed from all angles, with a tilt of the phone expanding the view.

Amazon's Fire Phone accomplishes the facial tracking with its four corner cameras and knows where a user's head is at all times to aid Dynamic Perspective, using infrared for tracking in the dark and advanced algorithms for head continuous tracking.

Accelerometers enable navigation through tilt gestures, demonstrated within a maps app that brought up Yelp when the phone was tilted slightly. Tilting and Dynamic Perspective can also be used in apps and for web browsing -- scrolling through items, zooming in, pulling up menus, and more. There's an autoscroll feature that will scroll through web pages and books automatically, which Jeff Bezos called "incredibly natural." Amazon is releasing a Dynamic Perspective SDK for developers today.

Also included with the phone is a new flagship feature called Firefly, a virtual recognition program able to recognize QR codes, barcodes, objects, and more, which facilitates the discovery and purchase of various items. Firefly is built directly into the Fire Phone with a dedicated button on the side.

On stage, Amazon demoed Firefly scanning barcodes, URLs, and products like games, keeping a record of what was scanned and allowing the info to be used to make purchases, phone calls, and more. Firefly is also able to listen to music and recognize audio like TV shows, much like Siri can now do with Shazam, and it's also able to recognize art, pulling up a Wikipedia page for a painting.

It's a fully featured recognition system that can even read street signs and phone numbers from a distance. According to Amazon, it recognizes a hundred million different items in real world situations, and provides a button so users can buy most of them on the spot. There's also a Firefly SDK that developers can utilize to build Firefly into apps.

As for the phone's UI, it includes an app grid that lets users pin content like books, apps, magazines, and more, and there's also a scrollable carousel of apps at the top of the screen and four common apps on the bottom of the phone's interface. The phone also includes active widgets that can be used when opening a full app is unnecessary.

Both the Kindle Fire's Second Screen and X-Ray feature work on the Fire phone, and users are able to "fling" video from the phone to the Amazon TV, while X-Ray gives details on whatever is being watched. HBO Go, Netflix, YouTube, ESPN, and more are all supposed in addition to Amazon's own video services.

The Fire Phone will also support Amazon's new Prime music service, which the company launched last week, as well as music from Spotify, Pandora, and iHeartMusic, and it will include Kindle and Audible support. Much like the latest Fire tablets, it supports Mayday, a free service that lets users contact customer support representatives for free.

Amazon's Fire Phone is exclusive to AT&T and will be priced at $199/$299 for 32/64GB of storage with a standard contract or carrier agreement. The price includes the phone, stay-flat cables, and premium magnetic earbuds. It can be pre-ordered from Amazon.com and is expected to begin shipping in July.

(Images courtesy of CNET)

Sharp today announced its upcoming "Free-Form Display" technology that will allow the company to nearly eliminate the traditional bezel that surrounds LCD displays. As a result, Sharp will be able to build LCD panels in nearly any shape to conform to the display area of the intended product.

Conventional displays are rectangular because they require a minimal width for the bezel in order to accommodate the drive circuit, called the gate driver, around the perimeter of the screen's display area. With the Free-Form Display, the gate driver's function is dispersed throughout the pixels on the display area. This allows the bezel to be shrunk considerably, and it gives the freedom to design the LCD to match whatever shape the display area of the screen needs to be.

As an example, Sharp demonstrates a prototype display for a vehicle dashboard, with the display conforming to the shape of the main instrument panel, but the company also address the possibility of using the technology for "wearable devices with elliptical displays".

The concept of non-rectangular LCD displays naturally ties in to Apple's rumored iWatch, which at least one analyst believes will include a round display, although most recent rumors have suggested the device will use an OLED display. Still, advancements in LCD technology that would allow for non-traditional display shapes open the door to many different possibilities for future devices, particularly as wearables appear set to become an increasingly significant focus for mobile device companies.

Reducing bezel thickness on traditionally shaped devices such as the iPhone and iPad has also been a goal for Apple, seeking to maximize display size relative to the overall device size. Sharp's technology could serve to push this effort even further, and issues with devices registering unintended touches from simply holding the device should be minimized as Apple has already developed software solutions for recognizing those touches as part of the development of the iPad mini and iPad Air.

Sharp has not announced when its Free-Form Display technology will be ready for use, noting only that will enter mass production "at the earliest possible date."

Apple may add an atmospheric pressure sensor to the iPhone 6, according to a report by 9to5Mac. This follows on a rumor from March that suggested the iPhone 6 could include humidity, temperature and pressure sensors when it comes out this fall.

A barometer is used to measure atmospheric pressure, giving indications on current and future weather trends as well as altitude data. The report says new APIs in iOS 8 reference altitude data, including one called "isRelativeAltitudeAvailable" that tells apps if a device "supports reporting relative altitude changes". For an iPhone 5s, the API returns "no".

According to sources at Apple, the Cupertino-company has been working on an updated version of the Compass application that includes altitude tracking, so perhaps that application, which was originally added in 2009 alongside the iPhone 3GS, is what customers will utilize to track their altitude.

iOS 8 is expected to be launched this fall alongside new, larger iPhones. The altitude and pressure sensors could make an appearance in the phone as well as new iPads that are expected later this fall.

Developers who have installed the newest iOS 8 beta, the latest version of OS X Yosemite, and the current Apple TV beta, all released yesterday, have noticed a new pop up notification suggesting the Apple TV will gain some of the Continuity features Apple introduced during its Worldwide Developers Conference.

As noted by 9to5Mac, the notifications are being received on Macs running on the same local WiFi network as Apple TVs that also have the newest software, suggesting at the least, that with Yosemite, Macs will be able to interact with the Apple TV in new ways.

It is unclear how Yosemite and the Apple TV might interact as any Continuity features between the two are not yet functional, but it is possible that a feature like Handoff could be used in conjunction with AirPlay, allowing a movie, TV show, or music to be seamlessly transferred from one device to another.

It's also possible the Apple TV could display notifications when a phone call is incoming to an iPhone, much like the Mac and the iPad are able to do. Call notifications and on-screen caller ID are not far-fetched, as some telecommunications providers that offer TV, Internet, and phone access are able to display caller information on screen.

Continuity features like Handoff appear to require Bluetooth 4.0, a feature that is only available in the third-generation Apple TV. Yesterday's update was only available for third-generation Apple TVs, providing more evidence that the device is likely to gain some Continuity features.

OS X Yosemite, the new Apple TV software, and iOS 8 are all expected to be released to the public in the fall after an extended beta testing period. Apple is also said to be working on an upgraded Apple TV set top box with new capabilities, which could also take advantage of Continuity features.

Following today's launch of a new entry-level iMac model featuring an ultra-low voltage Intel processor actually used in the MacBook Air, the new iMac appears to have shown up in Geekbench's benchmarking database. The use of an ultra-low voltage chip in the iMac is a somewhat curious move for Apple, as the company has traditionally used much more powerful desktop processors in the line.

As expected, the new machine posts relatively low 64-bit scores of 2820 in single-core mode and 5435 in multi-core mode. These scores are marginally better than the 2690/5254 scores posted by the current-generation MacBook Air running the same chip and roughly 10% slower than the 3168 single-core score from the previous low-end iMac model, which remains available.

But where this new low-end iMac falls far short of the previous low-end model is in multi-core performance, where the older model clocks in at 10253. This major difference is due primarily to the chip used in the new low-end model being a dual-core chip, while the older low-end chip is quad-core.

The new low-end iMac comes in $200 cheaper than the previous entry-level model, but for that savings users will sacrifice some CPU and graphics performance and will have a 500 GB hard drive rather than the 1 TB drive included in the more expensive low-end model.

Update 12:25 PM: Primate Labs' John Poole has shared a blog post putting the new low-end iMac's performance in perspective compared to other iMac models and highlighting a Tweet from Ars Technica's Andrew Cunningham noting that Apple's decision to use a chip from its MacBook Air line may have been made for graphics reasons.

Adobe today announced the launch of a new suite of mobile apps and accompanying hardware that includes its Adobe Ink digital pen and its Adobe Slide digital ruler. Previously known as the "Mighty" stylus and the "Napoleon" digital ruler while in development, Adobe's new tools were created in partnership with Adonit, the company behind a line of popular styluses.

Adobe's three-sided aluminum Ink stylus is pressure sensitive and connects to Creative Cloud, allowing users to access photos, color palettes, drawings, and more, while drawing within Adobe's mobile apps. Adobe Slide, the ruler that accompanies the stylus, is designed to enable precision sketching, including straight lines, perfect circles, and balanced shapes on Apple's iPad.

The Ink and Slide are complemented by two new iPad apps, Adobe Sketch and Adobe Line. Sketch is a social sketching app for free-form drawing, with a set of simple tools (pencil, ink pen, blending markers, and eraser) and Behance integration to share sketches with the creative community. Line allows iPad users to create precision drafts and drawings, with a reimagining of traditional tools like rulers, T-squares, and shape templates.

Along with Line and Sketch Adobe is introducing Photoshop Mix, an iPad app that interfaces with Photoshop on the desktop and makes it easy for users to do masking and compositing of images. It's a simple way to create masks on a touch screen, which can then be transferred to the desktop version of Photoshop. It is able to open PSD files and it includes features like Content Aware Fill and Camera Shake Reduction.

There are also new Creative Cloud apps for the iPhone and the iPad, which allow Creative Cloud members to access and manage their files and assets from their mobile devices. Finally, the mobile version of Adobe Lightroom, initially available only for the iPad is now expanding to the iPhone.

Adobe's new apps have been built using the Creative SDK, which is currently undergoing private beta testing but will be released to developers in the future, allowing for additional apps that will be able to take advantage of Adobe's new hardware and Creative Cloud connectivity.

Adobe has also updated all of its Creative Cloud apps for the desktop and introduced expanded Creative Cloud profiles to improve connectivity between mobile devices and apps.

Ink and Slide, Adobe's new hardware tools, are sold in a set and are available immediately from Adobe.com for $199. Ink and Slide are currently limited to U.S. customers only, but Adobe has plans to expand availability in the future. Adobe's new apps, Sketch, Line and Photoshop Mix will all be from the App Store today for free, as will the new Creative Cloud app and Lightroom for iPhone. Download links below:

- Adobe Line [Direct Link]
- Adobe Sketch [Direct Link]
- Photoshop Mix [Direct Link]
- Lightroom for iPhone [Direct Link]
- Adobe Creative Cloud [Direct Link]

On the same day it launched a new entry-level iMac model, Apple also used the downtime to adjust the prices on other hardware in some European markets. The price cuts we've noticed affect European models of the Mac mini, the European Apple TV and iMac models in the UK.

Pricing on the Mac mini dropped between €30 and €60, depending on the country and model. Most European stores are now offering the entry-level Mac Mini for €619 with the quad-core and OS X server models selling for €819 and €1019, respectively, although some euro countries such as Germany are showing slightly lower pricing of €599/€799/€999. In the UK, the entry-level Mac Mini remains the same at £499, with price drops between €30 and €50 being applied to the quad-core and server models.

Apple also cut the prices on the Apple TV in Europe, reducing the cost by €10/£20. The once €109/£99 media streaming device is now available for €99/£79 throughout most of Apple's European stores. While Europe saw a reduction, the Apple TV price remains the same in the US at $99.

Along with the new entry-level 21.5-inch iMac, Apple UK also lowered the cost of existing iMac models. The existing 21.5-inch models were lowered by £100, while the 27-inch models saw similar reductions of £150. The reduction appears to limited only to the UK with most of Europe and the US still selling the iMac at its original pricing.

While rumors last week indicated that Apple would be launching minor updates to its iMac line, Apple today unveiled a new lower-cost 21.5-inch iMac starting at $1,099. Previously, the entry level iMac started at $1299.

The new entry-level 21.5-inch iMac comes with a 1.4GHz dual-core Intel i5 processor, a 500GB hard drive, 8GB of memory, and an Intel HD 5000 Graphics chip for $1,099. Customers can also choose to include a 1TB hard drive, a 1TB Fusion Drive, or 256GB of flash storage on build to order options. All of Apple's other 21.5-inch and 27-inch iMacs are still available as well.

KGI Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo predicted last year and earlier this year that Apple would be launching a lower-cost iMac in 2014 to bolster sales in critical foreign markets.

Apple is also rumored to be working on Retina Display-equipped iMacs, as recent evidence in the OS X Yosemite developer preview suggested such models were in the works. While there is no specific release date for a Retina iMac, Apple could launch the new desktop computer later this year.

Apple's new entry-level iMac is available today through Apple's various retail locations and online store, and shows an availability of "within 24 hours."

Update 5:41 AM: Apple has issued a press release announcing the lower-cost iMac.

Apple and Samsung are attempting to find "common ground" in efforts to end their ongoing legal battle, reports The Korea Times (via GforGames). Citing sources "familiar with the negotiations", the paper notes that both firms are "trimming the number of disputed issues", stating that both Apple and Samsung are attempting to become "more practical" about finding a solution.

Another source also claimed that Apple would like to keep Samsung as one of its main parts suppliers, with the report referencing the long-rumored iWatch:

"As technology shifts toward wearable devices, Apple still wants to keep Samsung as its top-tier parts sourcing channel," another source said.

"The recent release of the Samsung OLED tablet is an indication that Samsung can manage OLED displays to be used in almost all wearable devices, a segment that Apple is greatly interested in."

In the past two years, Apple and Samsung have been in two trials over the issue of patent infringement. The first trial in 2012 awarded Apple more than $1 billion in damages, however a damages retrial last November brought that amount down to $290 million. Meanwhile, the second trial wrapped up last month and found both companies guilty, although Samsung was ordered to pay $119.6 million while Apple was to pay just $158,400. Samsung has since filed an appeal to challenge the second verdict.

Last week, both companies also agreed to drop their cross-appeal rulings on an ITC ban for older Samsung products, which focused on patent 7,789,697, and dealt with the concept of accessories being recognized when they plug in to devices.

Apple CEO Tim Cook and Samsung Electronics CEO Oh-Hyun Kwon also reportedly attending a mediation session earlier this year, however both parties failed to reach an agreement in their ongoing legal battle. While a new agreement would take some time to reach, a move to end the ongoing legal battle would prove to be very beneficial for both Apple and Samsung.

While there have been plenty of videos comparing the 4.7-inch version of the iPhone 6 to the Samsung Galaxy S5 and other smartphones, there haven't been many comparing the 5.5-inch iPhone 6 to other devices.

However, YouTube channel TechSmartt (via AppleInsider) has acquired a dummy of the 5.5-inch iPhone 6 and compared it to the Samsung Galaxy Note 3, offering a look at Apple's rumored "phablet" against its main competition.

If believed, these dummy models signal that the 5.5-inch iPhone 6 could be taller than the Note 3's height of 151.2mm. The extra height is largely due to a carryover of design decisions from previous iPhone models, which include identically sized top and bottom bezels. These bezels contain the FaceTime camera, the Touch ID Home button and numerous sensors.

Over the weekend, we posted a story that Apple's Handoff feature was limited to Macs that support the Bluetooth 4.0/LE specification. Handoff/Continuity allows OS X and iOS device users to seamlessly transition between the two operating systems. However, there was some debate about the accuracy of that claim at the time, though now it seems almost certain to be true.

Bluetooth 4.0 was was first introduced in the MacBook Air and Mac mini in Mid 2011. The feature has since made its way into later Mac releases, finally coming to every Mac as of the 2013 Mac Pro.

Apfeleimer put together this nice graph showing which Macs support Bluetooth 4.0/LE.

The full bars represent Macs that can run OS X Yosemite, while only Mac models in the green bar timeframes support the required Bluetooth protocol for Handoff. For iOS users, the iPad 2 is the only device that is capable of running iOS 8 but doesn't come with hardware support for Bluetooth LE.

There was some uncertainty about this being an absolute requirement, though in the WWDC sessions, Apple clearly states that Handoff runs on Bluetooth LE technology. However, now with the release of Yosemite Developer Preview 2, Apple has added a new field for Continuity Support in the System Information. The new field falls under the Bluetooth category:

Owners of late generation Macs seem to be showing Continuity support in line with the chart above, while older Mac owners are seeing Continuity support set to "No". It's not yet clear if adding a 3rd party Bluetooth 4.0 dongle will enable support on older Macs.

OS X Yosemite is in developer beta right now and will be released to customers later this year. Handoff support in the early betas remain spotty, so even those with supported devices may not see the feature working. Apple, of course, could change requirements over time.