MacRumors

In a commentary piece arguing for users to open up free guest networks on their Wi-Fi access points to the public, Re/code's Walt Mossberg shares the story of how Steve Jobs saw such networks as the future of Internet access, supplementing cellular networks to allow for faster and broader access for users.

Mossberg notes that Jobs envisioned the open Wi-Fi networks during development of the original iPhone, which was hampered by a "lousy, sluggish cellular-data network." An open Wi-Fi network built on the cooperation of both business and private citizens who were wiling to share their Wi-Fi connections with strangers would have addressed this problem by offering another connectivity option for iPhone users.

His idea was to get as many wireless router makers as possible to build in a “guest network” option — essentially a second Wi-Fi network, securely walled off from the rest of the home network, and with its own name. Then, he hoped that the industry would encourage people to share their bandwidth with strangers via these guest networks. That way, a smartphone user could walk around, moving from one Wi-Fi hotspot to another, without logging in — much like people using cellular data move from one cell tower to another.

While there are certainly potential issues with security and bandwidth hogging by guest users, Mossberg argues that these issues are not insurmountable, and in fact some companies have made strides in this area. On a micro level, Apple's AirPort base stations have supported guest networks since 2009, and on a broader scale, some Internet service providers such as Comcast have been working to turn customers' home routers into Wi-Fi access points available to other customers as a public network.

Use of Wi-Fi to supplement cellular coverage is also growing, with one example being T-Mobile's effort in the U.S. to route phone calls over a more reliable Wi-Fi network instead of the cellular connection. Apple is adding iPhone support for the feature as part of iOS 8 later this year.

Apple has been expanding its supply chain, bringing in companies like Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing to produce components for its iPhone and iPad devices. This supply chain diversification may benefit Apple, but it is having a negative effect on rival Samsung's chip manufacturing business, reports The Wall Street Journal.

Since 2007, Samsung has enjoyed the coveted position of being the only manufacturer of Apple's Ax series of processors and their predecessors. But after several years of negotiations and technical work as the popularity of Apple's iOS devices has soared, Apple has brought TSMC on board to produce A-series chips for the next generation of devices. This transition away from Samsung as the sole supplier of the main chip for iOS devices is cutting into the Korean company's logic chip business.

“Sales and profitability from System LSI (logic chip business) worsened as demand from main customers continued to decline,” Robert Yi, Samsung’s head of investor relations said last week.

Samsung's logic chip division struggled in the just-ended quarter, and the outlook for the business is equally bleak with Samsung acknowledging the continued low demand from customers will remain an issue going forward.

The sharp turnaround has led to analysts such as IBK Securities' Lee Seung-woo predicting losses of approximately 877 billion won ($848.5 million) for the division in 2014, compared to operating profits of 203 billion won ($196.3 million) in 2013 and 1 trillion won ($967.8 million) in 2012.

The United States Department of Transportation has plans to pursue a ban on in-flight phone calls, reports The Wall Street Journal. In a speech last week at the International Aviation Club, general counsel of the Department Kathryn Thompson suggested restrictions were in the works, and a DOT spokesperson later confirmed the plans.

A spokeswoman confirmed that the DOT is developing "a notice of proposed rulemaking" for publication in December. "At this point, there is no final determination" as to what the notice or the final rule will say, said another spokeswoman.

The Department of Transportation's move to pursue a ban on in-flight cellular phone calls follows an FCC proposal to overturn the current restrictions that prevent airline passengers from making phone calls and using cellular data while in flight.

The existing rules state that all cellular telephones on board an aircraft must be turned off when an aircraft leaves the ground in order to keep them from interfering with ground networks, but the FCC no longer believes in-flight interference is an issue. In 2013, the FCC officially relaxed its restrictions on the use of portable electronics in flight, allowing them to be used during landing and takeoff while in Airplane Mode.

After the FCC suggested it might permit cellular phone usage in flight, the Department of Transportation, airlines, and several other consumer groups expressed concern over the disruption voice calls could introduce if permitted in flight. Though airlines have largely been against in-flight cell phone calls, they believe the final decision on in-flight calls should be left up to them rather than in government control.

"Airlines aren't clamoring to allow mobile-phone use during flight, and some have already said they'd prohibit it on their own flights," said Jeffrey Shane, general counsel for the International Air Transport Association, and a former senior Transportation Department policy maker. But Mr. Shane said some carriers may want to explore passenger-friendly ways to introduce calls, such as in-flight phone booths or quiet zones.

The FCC is continuing to investigate the safety of allowing cell phone service on planes, and a ban on voice calls from the Department of Transportation, which supersedes any FCC decision, may result in a situation where customers are permitted to use cellular data in-flight for texting and web browsing but are banned from making voice calls. The Department of Transportation is expected to release more information on a potential ban in December.

Note: Due to the political nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Politics, Religion, Social Issues forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.

Apple's sapphire partner GT Advanced Technologies today announced financial results for the second quarter of 2014, acknowledging publicly that the companies' facility in Mesa, Arizona is "commencing the transition to volume production."

"The build-out of our Arizona facility, which has involved taking a 1.4 million square foot facility from a shell to a functional structure as well as the installation of sapphire growth and fabrication equipment, is nearly complete and we are commencing the transition to volume production," Gutierrez continued. "We remain confident about the long-term potential of the sapphire materials business for GT.

Overall, GT reported a net loss of $86 million for the quarter, a result that is not unexpected given that the company is significantly restructuring itself as part of the Apple deal, essentially shutting down its sales of sapphire furnaces to other customers in order to devote all of those resources to setting up the Arizona facility for Apple. The facility is owned by Apple and being run by GT, with Apple providing some upfront financing to help get production rolling.

GT allocated over $45 million to "sapphire production ramp up costs" during the quarter, with the company stating that those costs relate to "production inefficiencies and inventory losses" associated with building out its facilities and are not part of ongoing operations for the company. That amount is up from just $1.9 million in the prior quarter, signaling the company's massive move to launch production for Apple.

GT also confirmed that it expects to meet the targets outlined in its deal with Apple, allowing to receive the final $139 million prepayment from Apple by the end of October.

Apple has used sapphire for the camera lens cover on several iOS devices and for the Touch ID sensor on the iPhone 5s, but the company is pursuing a massive increase in sapphire usage for future products. The iPhone 6 display has been rumored to include a sapphire cover, but rumors are divided on whether the material will be included on all models or just higher-end models, as well as whether the entire cover will be full sapphire or a thinner lamination layer.

Apple's rumored iWatch has also been speculated to include a sapphire cover, as the material is fairly common on high-end watches to minimize scratching.

(Image: GT sapphire furnace)

Apple today released the fifth beta of iOS 8, which brings a number of improvements, tweaks, and bug fixes to the beta software that was first introduced on June 2.

iOS 8 beta 5, like previous betas, includes several minor interface modifications designed to make iOS 8 feel faster and more polished. We've gathered up a comprehensive list of all the enhancements that have been bundled into the new beta release below, and to find out about all of the under-the-radar changes in iOS 8 so far, make sure to check out our iOS 8 Hidden Features Roundup.

Health: According to the beta's release notes, Apple's Health app now collects Spirometry data. Spirometry tests measure lung function, tracking the volume and flow of air when inhaling and exhaling. The app has gained several new icons, the ability to export Health data, and a "Show When Logged" option to display Medical ID on the lock screen. There are also privacy settings for Health in the Settings app.

SMS Relay: iOS 8 users are getting a popup that asks them to use their phone numbers for SMS Relay on their MacBooks, one of the new Continuity features between OS X Yosemite and iOS 8.

Photos: Photos now displays a "Last Updated" notification to let users know when images were last synced to iCloud. There's also an iCloud Photo Settings option to store full resolution photos solely in iCloud while keeping device-optimized versions available on the iPhone to save storage space.

iCloud icons: iCloud Drive, Backup, and Keychain have new icons in the iCloud section of the Settings app. The overall iCloud icon has also been updated, featuring a white cloud on a field of blue.

WiFi Calling: When WiFi calling is enabled, it's now labeled T-Mobile WiFi at the top of the iPhone screen.

Predictive text: There's now an option on the keyboard to toggle on predictive text.

Wallpaper Settings: The Brightness toggle has been removed from the Wallpaper section of the Settings app. Changing screen brightness can now be done via the Display & Brightness section of the Settings app that was added in a previous iOS 8 beta.

Additional features in iOS 8 beta 5 will be added here as they are discovered. Apple is likely to continue pushing regular updates to iOS 8 at two or three-week intervals to bring minor performance boosts and changes ahead of the operating system's launch. For more information on iOS 8's features, major and minor, make sure to check out our roundups.

Alongside iOS 8 beta 5, Apple today released a new version of OS X Yosemite to developers, two weeks after releasing the fourth Developer Preview and two months after unveiling the new desktop operating system at its annual Worldwide Developers Conference.

The update can be downloaded from the Mac App Store and should be available through the Mac Developer Center shortly. Apple has also released new beta versions of Xcode, OS X Server, and Apple Configurator.

OS X Yosemite brings a flatter, more modern look to OS X, with an emphasis on translucency and redesigned dock, windows, and more. It also includes a multitude of new features, such as improved integration with iOS 8 through Continuity, a new "Today" view in Notification Center that offers integration with third-party apps, a retooled Spotlight search with new data sources, and several new features for apps like Mail, Safari, and Messages.

Over the course of the beta testing period, each Developer Preview has added new features and refined the look and performance of OS X Yosemite. DP 4, for example, added a revamped version of iTunes with a streamlined design and support for Family Sharing, while an earlier beta introduced a new Dark Mode.

Today's Developer Preview is limited to registered developers, but last week, Apple made a version of OS X Yosemite available to the public as part of a wide-ranging beta test. The pre-release version of Yosemite available to those participating in the public beta program is not expected to receive as many updates as the developer version.

Notable changes in DP 5:

System Preferences - System Preferences has an updated look with a slightly redesigned top bar.

Launchpad - Launchpad has a new download progress bar.

Volume/Brightness Controls - The Volume and Brightness controls in Yosemite have a new look.

Calculator - The look of the redesigned Calculator has been tweaked slightly and it is now more transparent.

Safari - There's a new setting in Safari to show full website addresses.

Apple today released the fifth beta of iOS 8 to developers, two weeks after releasing the fourth beta update and two months since introducing the new mobile operating system at the Worldwide Developers Conference.

The update, build 12A4345d, is available through Apple's over-the-air updating mechanism on iOS devices and can also be downloaded via the iOS Developer Center. Apple has also released a new Apple TV software beta update that includes a redesigned UI.

iOS 8 introduces a range of new features, including improved integration with OS X through Continuity, a Health app, Family Sharing features, interactive notifications, a new QuickType Keyboard and improvements to several apps like Safari, Mail, and Messages.

Each beta update thus far has brought refinements and additional features to iOS 8, with beta 4, for example, bringing a new Tips app and a redesigned Control Center, among other improvements. iOS 8 beta 5 adds new options for SMS Relay, new features in Health, and more. For a full list of the changes in beta 5, make sure to check out our iOS 8 beta 5 tidbits post.

Currently, iOS 8 is only available to registered developers, but the operating system is expected to be released to the public this fall after several beta iterations. We may be getting close to the end of the beta testing period, however, as one rumor has suggested iOS 8 beta 5 may be the final beta version while another indicates it's the second-to-last beta before a golden master.

Cowen & Co. analyst Timothy Arcuri claims the 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch iPhone 6 will differ in more than just display size, reports AppleInsider. According to Arcuri's supply chain checks, the 5.5-inch iPhone 6 may include a more powerful processor and a different touch module than the 4.7-inch model.

Arcuri suggests the processor in the faster 5.5-inch iPhone 6 may actually have a larger die than the version found in the 4.7-inch model. This architectural change may hint at an A8 processor with a different graphics processor or possibly a new process for the fabrication of the chip.

Besides two different processors, Arcuri also believes the two iPhone 6 models may ship with different touch modules, with TPK as the likely manufacturer.

Apple is expected to unveil the iPhone at a September event with the 4.7-inch model possibly arriving first and the 5.5-inch following up to several months later.

While many NFL fans have been hoping the Sunday Ticket subscription service will make its way to the Apple TV someday, the league appears set to make its first foray onto the set-top box with an upcoming NFL Now channel, reports 9to5Mac.

Announced earlier this year for a launch this month, NFL Now is a personalized digital video library of on-demand news, features, highlights and more, as well as live streaming of press conferences and other events, but not games. The new service will be launching across a number of platforms later this month as the 2014 NFL season begins, but Apple TV support had not been confirmed.

Sports content has been a major theme for Apple TV content, with MLB.tv, NBA League Pass, NHL GameCenter, and MLS Live subscription services all available on the platform. Other sports channels on Apple TV include Watch ESPN, action sports channel Red Bull TV, college-focused ACC + Campus Insiders, and cricket channel Willow.

Update 6:40 AM: 9to5Mac now says the new channel will be launching this week.

Taiwan-based accessory maker Yi Lin Enterprises has posted new photos on Weibo showing the purported rear shell of Apple's iPad Air 2 (Google Translate, via Mac Otakara). The images show off a gold housing with a number of design changes, including a new speaker grille with larger holes and a relocated rear microphone alongside the iSight camera.

Last month, an alleged "perfect replica" of the iPad Air 2 surfaced, showing off a Touch ID home button for the device and recessed volume buttons along with the same refined speaker grille. The prototype followed the leak of a supposed front panel from the iPad Air 2 this past April, which showed an integrated display that may hint at a thinner form factor for the tablet.

Apple's iPad Air 2 is expected to launch alongside the iPad mini 3 later this year, and is expected to include a faster A8 processor in addition to the aforementioned Touch ID fingerprint sensor and refined physical features. Rumors have also suggested that Apple is working on a larger, 12.9-inch iPad Pro, however recent reports have indicated that plans for the tablet may be on hold for the foreseeable future.

Apple launched a new television ad in its "You're More Powerful Than You Think" campaign, this time called "Dreams". The song in the ad is "When I Grow Up" by Jennifer O'Connor.

It is the fourth ad in the series, with previous spots "Powerful", "Strength", and "Parenthood" focusing on the sheer variety of apps on the iPhone, workout apps, and apps for parents.

- Vaavud Wind Meter, an anemometer that plugs into the iPhone's headphone jack
- Response Deck, an app for fire and EMS first responders
- iTranslate Voice, a near-real time language translation app
- Veterinary AliveECG, a portable heart monitor for pets
- ForeFlight Mobile, a civil aviation mapping and weather app for pilots
- SAM-1, an appcessory for measuring water pH and other data

"Dreams" debuts just over a month after the previous spot, "Parenthood", was released at the end of June.