The developer of the iPhone game Ninja Fish has released a video showing what the game would look like on a next-generation iPhone with a taller screen. The developer doesn't have any special information about the next iPhone, but is sharing the video as an intellectual exercise to show how games could look on the larger screen.
Fortune reports on a new analyst report published by Pacific Crest's Andy Hargreaves. The report was written after a meeting on Wednesday with Apple's Peter Oppenheimer and Eddy Cue, Apple Senior Vice President for Internet services and software.
Hargreaves' interpretation of that meeting was that an Apple television would be "extremely unlikely" in the near term. Hargreaves writes:
Relative to the television market, Eddy Cue, Apple SVP of Internet Software and Services, reiterated the company's mantra that it will enter markets where it feels it can create great customer experiences and address key problems. The key problems in the television market are the poor quality of the user interface and the forced bundling of pay TV content, in our view. While Apple could almost certainly create a better user interface, Mr. Cue's commentary suggested that this would be an incomplete solution from Apple's perspective unless it could deliver content in a way that is different from the current multichannel pay TV model.
As pointed out by Fortune's Philip Elmer-DeWitt, SEC rules prohibit sharing insider information that might have material affect on the company's stock, so Hargreaves' interpretation is just that - his interpretation of Apple's comments about delivering a "great customer experience and addressing key problems."
Apple has been rumored to be entering the television market for some time. The most recent rumors, however, have suggested that Apple is still deep in negotiations for content for their television services.
Earlier this month, Arstechnica had reported that many users had found a significant decrease in battery life after upgrading to OS X 10.8 (Mountain Lion).
Ars writer Chris Foresman, after extended testing, discovered that the battery life of his Retina MacBook Pro review unit dropped 38% from its previous 8-hours.
The same findings were reported by many others in Apple's own support forums, and there were some reports that the development versions of OS X 10.8.1 may have addressed this issue.
MacObserver has conducted battery life tests on the final release build of OS X 10.8.1 to see if there had indeed been any improvement. Their testing process included using an Automator script that launched several apps and navigated to websites. The script would cycle this process continuously. The tests were run on a 2011 Macbook Pro. Here are their findings:
First, they were able to confirm the drop in battery life when going from OS X 10.7.4 to OS X 10.8. The drop they measured was 33% (2 hours and 10 minutes) just from upgrading OS X to 10.8. The "No WiFi Icon" was a "fix" of suggested by one of their readers, but showed no appreciable effect. They did find that OS X 10.8.1 (beta and release) builds did improve the battery life stats, adding as much as 52 minutes in their testing. The overall numbers, however, are still well under their battery life measurements in OS X 10.7.4 (Lion).
Apple is currently testing OS X 10.8.2, but there's been no word if that build helps further improve battery times back towards OS X Lion levels.
The Wall Street Journal reports that a panel of three judges in a South Korean court rendered a split decision against Apple and Samsung, stating that the companies violated each other's patents. The court assessed fines and damages against both technology manufacturers, requiring Apple to pay approximately $17,650 to Samsung for each of two violated patents and cease sales of the iPhone 4 and iPad 2 in South Korea, while Samsung must pay approximately $22,000 to Apple and stop selling its older Samsung Galaxy S, Galaxy SII, and Galaxy Nexus smartphones as well as the 7-inch and 10.1-inch Galaxy Tab tablet devices.
The lawsuit filed by Samsung and the countersuit filed by Apple in South Korea focus on the same patents at issue in the high-profile case currently in process in a U.S. District Court in which Apple claims that Samsung infringed upon Apple's patents and trade dress while Samsung claims that Apple owes licensing fees for using 3G technology covered by its patents.
Interestingly, the South Korean court stated that Apple and Samsung smartphones were dissimilar enough that there would be "no possibility" for consumers to confuse the products of the two companies.
In the U.S., both Apple and Samsung have completed their presentations to the jury and the most recent update on the case earlier this week indicated that Apple's CEO, Tim Cook, and Samsung's CEO, Kwon Oh Hyun, would meet and discuss the issues in a last-ditch effort for resolution for the jury began its deliberations.
GizChina points to several case designs for the upcoming 7.85" iPad Mini. The new smaller iPad has been rumored to be launched later this year. The most recent rumors have suggested the new device will look closer to a large iPod touch, than a smaller iPad. Specifically, the side bezels are expected to be narrower as shown in the previous rendering.
Some case manufacturers seem to be taking similar dimensions into account with new case designs intended for the 7.85" iPad. As shown here, the side-bezels are much narrower than the top and bottom. The case designs also show off the Facetime Camera and a hole for the rear camera.
The iPad depicted within the case shows the new smaller dock connector, but those device images tend to be rendered mockups based on circulating expectations. In the past, the case designs themselves have been sourced from leaked/stolen specifications of the upcoming Apple device.
Other images show the usual microphone opening at the top of the device, though there is also an extra upper-back opening, the purpose of which isn't clear.
Renowned Apple journalist Jim Dalrymple -- known for his "Yep" confirmations to Apple rumors -- has posted a cryptic message suggesting that Apple will hold two separate media events this fall for the new iPhone and iPad mini.
I’m thinking it makes more sense for Apple to hold two events. First, an iPhone event, focused solely on the new iPhone and iOS 6. Then, the iPhone ships nine days later, and there’s another wave of iPhone-focused attention as the reviews come out. Then, in the first or second week of October, Apple holds its traditional “music event”, exactly along the lines of the events at which they’ve been debuting new iPods for the last decade.
It has previously been all but confirmed that Apple will hold a media event on September 12th to announce a new product, initially presumed to be the next-generation iPhone and an iPad Mini. With Dalrymple's track record, however, it seems possible that the new iPhone will come first and a smaller iPad will be announced later in the fall at a separate event.
Angry Birds Space has received a new update adding a new episode with content tied to NASA's Curiosity Mars Rover. NASA and Rovio have partnered extensively on marketing for Angry Birds Space, using the game to promote NASA's educational and scientific discoveries.
The new update sees the piggies hijacking the Curiosity Mars Rover and serving 20 new levels on Mars for the angry birds.
NASA is helping pigs and birds explore the Martian terrain and shed light on the agency's missions to the Red Planet in the latest update to the game Angry Birds Space. Rovio Entertainment, creator of Angry Birds, announced the update Thursday, complete with a cast of agency rovers and landers.
Earlier this year, millions of gamers were introduced to concepts of microgravity in Angry Birds Space, which was supported through a partnership with NASA and includes links to a variety of education information.
"Rovio is teaching huge new audiences about NASA's missions to Mars thanks to this collaboration," said David Weaver, associate administrator for communications at NASA Headquarters in Washington. "It's a great way to introduce both kids and adults to the wonders of the planet in a fun and entertaining way."
Facebook has released a completely rewritten iOS app that is significantly faster than the prior version. With more and more Facebook users accessing the social network via mobile, the company views having a fast mobile app as increasingly essential. News that the update was forthcoming was first reported back in June.
With the updated version, Facebook's engineers have dumped the HTML5-based app and rebuilt it using Objective-C programming to make it perform more like a native iOS app. From All Things D:
“People have different expectations when it comes to using Facebook for iOS,” Mick Johnson, Facebook iOS mobile product manager, told me in an interview this morning. “They expect a level of performance and speed that just wasn’t there.”
Johnson says that the largest pain points — scrolling through the feed, photos and loading the app — will all be much faster, by a factor of three. Also, Facebook mobile developers working on the three separate iOS apps — Facebook, Camera and Messenger — all all now sharing a code base with each other, so Messenger and Camera are actually running inside of the proper Facebook app, bringing many of those features to Facebook for iOS. (As a bonus, a shared code base means faster development cycles, so we’ll probably see improvements sooner.)
Facebook for iPhone is available free via the App Store. [Direct Link]
Following yesterday's news that testing of OS X 10.8.2 was imminent, Apple today pushed out the first developer build of the update. The testing begins just as Apple is making OS X 10.8.1 available to the public.
The first developer build of OS X 10.8.2 arrives as Build 12C31a in the form of a 641.83 MB combo update, and Apple is asking testers to focus on Messages, Facebook, Game Center, Safari, and Reminders. Apple also notes no known issues with the build, and we'll provide additional information on the update as it surfaces.
Apple today released OS X 10.8.1, the first maintenance update to OS X Mountain Lion. The update is available directly from Apple's site or via the Software Update mechanism that directs users to the Mac App Store for updates.
The update is Build 12B19, up two build numbers from last Friday's developer seed.
This update includes general operating system fixes that improve the stability and compatibility of your Mac, including fixes that:
- Resolve an issue that may cause Migration Assistant to unexpectedly quit
- Improve compatibility when connecting to a Microsoft Exchange server in Mail
- Address an issue playing audio through a Thunderbolt display
- Resolve an issue that could prevent iMessages from being sent
- Address an issue that could cause the system to become unresponsive when using Pinyin input
- Resolve an issue when connecting to SMB servers with long names
- Address a issue that may prevent Safari from launching when using a Proxy Automatic Configuration (PAC) file
- Improve 802.1X authentication with Active Directory credentials.
OS X 10.8.1 is a relatively small update at just 24.2 MB, with Apple pushing out a handful of high-priority fixes for issues discovered in the initial public release of OS X Mountain Lion.
VMware today announced the immediate availability of VMware Fusion 5, the latest version of the company's virtualization software that allows users to run Windows and other operating systems virtualized alongside their native OS X operating systems. Optimized for both OS X Mountain Lion and Windows 8, Fusion 5 contains over 70 new features.
- Designed for Mountain Lion – Run Windows on Mountain Lion and search Windows programs in Launchpad, use “AirPlay Mirroring” to stream Mac and Windows applications on an HDTV and get VMware Fusion notifications in Mountain Lion’s notification center.
- Windows 8 Optimization – VMware Fusion 5 supports Windows 8 standard, pro and enterprise editions so consumers can optimize the new Windows 8 “Metro” environment directly on a Mac.
- Enhanced Mac Support – Support for the latest Mac technologies include compatibility with Mountain Lion, retina display optimization, USB 3 connectivity, and improved support for large memory Macs.
- Next Generation Performance – Performance enhancements include up to 40% faster general performance speeds compared to the previous version of the product, improved power management for longer battery life and faster 3D graphics.
- Additional Functionalities – New, powerful ways to experience Windows on a Mac are available through an updated virtual machine library that enables seamless transitions between multiple operating systems, one click snapshots with improved graphical appearance, a brand new graphics driver for Linux 3D desktops, and a new embedded learning center for immediate support.
Fusion 5 is priced at $49.99 for the standard version, with an enhanced Professional version available for $99.99. Users who purchased Fusion 4 on or after July 25 can receive a free upgrade to the new version.
VMware's major competitor in the virtualization market is Parallels, which is also preparing to launch an updated version of its own software. Parallels has yet to share full details on its forthcoming Parallels 8, but does note that it will debut on September 4 and customers who purchase now will receive a free upgrade to the new version when it launches.
Repair firm SmartPhone Medic has just posted a new video comparing several parts from the next-generation iPhone to their counterparts from the iPhone 4S.
The parts shown include the front panel and flex cables for the external controls and dock connector/headphone jack, and while all of these parts have been seen previously, the video offers another good look at what changes can be expected for the next-generation iPhone.
Reuters reports that LG Display has officially announced the start of mass production on new displays that are thought to be making their way into the next-generation iPhone. The news, which follows similar comments from Sharp earlier this month, comes three weeks ahead of Apple's expected media event to introduce the new device.
Flat-screen maker LG Display has started mass production of a new and thinner display, widely speculated to be for use in Apple Inc's next iPhone, and the display's production schedule remains in line with customers' product release plans, LG's chief executive said.
"We just began mass production and we don't expect any disruption in supplies," Han Sang-beom, chief executive of LG Display, a panel supplier for Apple products, told reporters late on Wednesday.
The report also reiterates claims that the new iPhone displays will measure four inches diagonally and incorporate in-cell technology to embed touch sensors directly into the display, thereby decreasing the thickness of the component.
Update 8:17 PM: The Wall Street Journal has a similar report discussing Apple's plans for the panels:
The chief executive of LG Display Co. said the company has started the mass production of panels using the so-called in-cell technology since earlier this month, a new display technology that is widely expected to be used for Apple Inc.'s next iPhone device.
"We had some hard times (in developing the new in-cell technology) at first ... but it seems those hard times have finally ended," Han Sang-beom, LG Display's chief executive, told reporters late Wednesday.
"The in-cell technology is the industry's latest development. (But) we will be able to supply the panels without any fail," Mr. Han said.
The report goes on to note that LG, Sharp, and Japan Display are all producing displays with in-cell touch sensors for the next-generation iPhone, meeting their production goals despite the challenges of the new technology.
Last week, a pair of photos surfaced showing what is claimed to be the logic board for the next-generation iPhone, although relatively little information could be gleaned from the photos due to shielding covering the majority of the component.
Chinese site Sina.com now shares [Google translation] a new set of photos showing components allegedly from the next-generation iPhone, including a pair of photos showing the logic board with the shielding removed. Unfortunately, the blurry nature of the photos and the apparently incomplete stage of assembly for the part continue to limit the amount of information that can be determined.
The report claims that the original source has said that the next-generation iPhone will use the A5X system-on-a-chip found in the third-generation iPad, although that conclusion does not appear to be directly drawn from the logic board photos. Other sources have been unclear on what chip Apple will use in the new iPhone given that it does not necessarily need the full graphics capabilities of the latest iPad and will almost certainly require that RAM be included within the package rather than separately as seen with the A5X in the iPad.
Chair Entertainment, the division of Epic Games responsible for the first two games in the Infinity Blade series, has released a new game called Vote!!!. The game pits U.S. presidential candidates Barack Obama and Mitt Romney against each other with the same gesture-based fighting mechanics from Infinity Blade.
Though the game only launched today, it has already drawn a lot of media attention including from Bloomberg:
The candidates wield lightsabers and baton-like microphones, facing off in the Oval Office, the White House lawn and the debate stage in "Vote," from Epic Games Inc.’s Chair Entertainment. The company plans to offer the game for free starting tomorrow on Apple Inc.’s App Store. It lets users of iPods, iPhones and iPads pick either the president or his Republican challenger, Technical Director Geremy Mustard said.
Chair Entertainment, maker of the popular "Infinity Blade" sword-fighting game, goes a step beyond political satire by working with Washington-based Rock the Vote for the first in-game attempt to register thousands of young people to cast a ballot this November.
"Gamers are a pretty hard audience to reach, and the game is a really fun way to keep people engaged in the political process these next critical two months," Mustard said in an interview.
Our sister site TouchArcade recorded this video of their first play through.
Note: Due to the inevitable 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.
Even as Apple is continuing to seed builds of OS X 10.8.1 to developers in order to address some of the most significant issues with the initial release version of OS X Mountain Lion, the company has already notified some users that it is preparing to begin seeding builds of OS X 10.8.2 for testing.
Join us for 10.8.2!
You are invited to participate in the next Mountain Lion Software Update seed project, 10.8.2. Apple will provide you with the pre-release software. Once builds are available, we ask that you install and test each build to help us make sure that this is a high quality release!
While Apple is likely moving fairly quickly on OS X 10.8.1 in order to deliver fixes for major issues to users as quickly as possible, the company may spend more time on OS X 10.8.2 to address other issues that require attention but which are not of as critical importance.
Earlier this month, photos of what was claimed to be the cable portion of Apple's smaller dock connector surfaced, showing the part next to the traditional USB end of the cable. iLounge now points to a photo of the entire cable, showing what the mini dock plug will look like in its fully-assembled form with cable and strain relief components attached.
The cable contains some text and a scannable code on the USB connector portion of the cable, but those features will almost certainly not be included on the final version of the cable.
Apple has removed the controversial 'Genius' TV spots from its YouTube channel and from the Apple.com marketing page for the Mac. The ads were poorly received with some critics asking if it was a good idea to make potential customers seem clueless. Others thought they were excellent ads that showed non-technical Mac buyers the support options available to them.
Apple stopped airing the ads on television soon after they were introduced during the Opening Ceremonies of the Olympics, with Apple's ad agency saying they "were intended only for a 'first run' during the Olympics". They remained on YouTube and Apple's website for several weeks, and only in the past several days were they removed entirely.
Apple does tend to remove older advertisements from its website and YouTube over time, but the company still has ads on YouTube from as far back as November 2010.
Thanks Danny!
New visual intelligence features for iPhone 16 models, tweaks for notification summaries, and more.
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Image Playground is Apple's dedicated image creation app that can build cartoon-like pictures based on text descriptions.
If you're experiencing issues with iPhone Mirroring, follow these steps to get it working again.
Apple's annual developer conference where it will unveil iOS 19, macOS 16, and more.
Biggest design overhaul since iOS 7, new Apple Intelligence features, and more.
Apple's next-generation iPhone models with a new "Air" or "Slim" model replacing the current Plus model.
4 hours ago by Joe Rossignol
12 hours ago by Tim Hardwick
12 hours ago by Tim Hardwick
13 hours ago by Tim Hardwick
13 hours ago by Tim Hardwick
New visual intelligence features for iPhone 16 models, tweaks for notification summaries, and more.
Apple Intelligence is what Apple is calling its artificial intelligence feature set, previewed at WWDC in June 2024. Here's everything we know.
Image Playground is Apple's dedicated image creation app that can build cartoon-like pictures based on text descriptions.
If you're experiencing issues with iPhone Mirroring, follow these steps to get it working again.
Apple's annual developer conference where it will unveil iOS 19, macOS 16, and more.
Biggest design overhaul since iOS 7, new Apple Intelligence features, and more.
Apple's next-generation iPhone models with a new "Air" or "Slim" model replacing the current Plus model.
4 hours ago by Joe Rossignol
12 hours ago by Tim Hardwick
12 hours ago by Tim Hardwick
13 hours ago by Tim Hardwick
13 hours ago by Tim Hardwick