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Apple will throttle last year's iPhones after all
Despite apologies, updates, and a $5.7 million fine in Italy, Apple's Batterygate woes refuse to go away. The tech giant previously told Congress there was no need to throttle last year's iPhones to preserve battery due to their advanced hardware, but it's now changed tack. With the release of iOS 12.1, the controversial feature is finding its way on to the iPhone 8, 8 Plus, and iPhone X after all.
Logitech's wireless iPhone charging stand helps you watch movies
Wireless chargers are often finicky things: they tend to require that you place your phone just so, and stands usually preclude you from using your phone in anything but a vertical position. Logitech and Apple think they can lick both of those problems at once. They've teamed up on Powered, an iPhone-oriented wireless charging stand that promises to keep your device topped up no matter how you're using it. The cradle design both simplifies placement (just drop it in and go) and lets you charge while the phone is turned sideways -- helpful if you're determined to finish watching a movie when you return home.
I'm giving 'Pokémon Go' another try
I'll be the first to admit that I am not a serious Pokémon player. I don't know a Kanto from a Johto, and really have no clue where an Alolan Exeggutor comes from. Still, when Pokémon Go came out for mobile two years ago, this almost 50-year old was outside with everyone else in our downtown area, capturing little pocket monsters and trying to take over gyms.
Apple's next AirPods case may also charge your iPhone
Apple is reportedly about to give you a new way to wirelessly charge your iPhone: by using your AirPods case. The plan, if it comes to fruition, will let you top up your phone (as long as it's an iPhone 8, 8 Plus or X) using the case for your earbuds while you're on the go. Apple could make the feature available by the end of the year, but that's likely dependent on the company releasing the long-awaited wireless charging version of the cases by then.
Apple's AirPower wireless charger could launch around September
Apple's iPhone X, iPhone 8 and 8 Plus are the company's first devices to include wireless charging support. Back when they announced last September, Apple also said it would be releasing its own wireless charging mat, called AirPower. This wasn't like every other mat out there, though, in that it could charge multiple devices at once -- an iPhone X, Apple Watch Series 3 and a set of AirPods, for example. The AirPower was given a vague 2018 release date, but according to sources speaking to Bloomberg, development of the mat has been marred with issues. Apparently it was expected to be on sale by this month, but is now likely to hit shelves around September, probably with the AirPods wireless charging case in tow.
Ogling Apple's Product RED iPhone 8 Plus
Continuing a tradition that began with a special edition iPod Nano in 2006, Apple is gearing up to sell Product RED versions of the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus in stores tomorrow. To commemorate the occasion, we've taken possession of a new iPhone 8 Plus to ogle and, erm, yeah: it's red. A really nice, deep red. Unlike last year's Product RED phones, Apple did the right thing and paired the deep red glass-and-metal frame with a black front. (That unfortunately means we can no longer crack jokes in Slack about 2017's "Canada edition" iPhones.)
iOS 11.3 may break aftermarket iPhone 8 displays
iOS 11.3 brought with it some improvements for your iPhone, including ARKit updates, new battery features, and a new message that informs you when it wants access to personal data. Unfortunately, if you had your iPhone 8 display replaced by an aftermarket part, iOS 11.3 might also stop it from working. According to a post at Motherboard, several users who have third-party displays are reporting that their iPhones are unresponsive to touch after updating to the latest mobile operating system.
Apple's red iPhone 8 and 8 Plus go on sale tomorrow
For over a decade now, Apple has worked with HIV/AIDS charity Product RED, raising over $160 million for the non-profit to date. That money comes from the sales of scarlet-colored covers, cases, Apple Watch bands and rarer, special edition devices. A recent rumor suggested the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus would be next to receive the Product RED treatment, which has just been validated by Apple. The deep red editions will be available to buy online tomorrow and in stores from Friday April 13th for the same price as existing models.
Apple may unveil red iPhone 8 and 8 Plus models this week
Apple may be poised to spice up the iPhone 8's color selection much as it did for the 7 series last year. MacRumors has obtained a Virgin Mobile memo claiming (Product) Red versions of the 8 and 8 Plus will be announced soon, possibly as early as April 9th. It's not clear whether they'll ship this week (Virgin would be taking pre-orders), but we wouldn't expect a lengthy delay between the press release and availability. Bloomberg's Mark Gurman (who has historically been an accurate source of Apple leaks) backed up the story.
The Galaxy S9+ vs. the competition: Beyond the dual cameras
This year's bigger Galaxy handset focuses on its picture-taking capabilities: The S9+ is Samsung's first flagship with a dual camera, which brings it in line with competing phones like the Pixel 2 XL as well as its sibling Galaxy Note 8. There's also a plethora of new software tricks to make the most of its new picture taking rig, which you can read all about in our hands-on. However, if you're all about the number crunching, check out the table below, where we'd laid out the key specs of the S9+ as well as its closest competition, including both flavors of iPhone. Of course, numbers aren't everything, so you'll have to stay tuned for our full review of the S9 and S9+ in a few weeks.
Apple sold the most smartphones over the holidays
Smartphone sales were so slow during the holiday season of 2017, that Apple overtook Samsung to capture the first place in the market, according to IDC and Strategy Analytics. This, despite the fact that iPhone sales dropped during the holidays -- down 1.3 percent from the same period the year before -- and that the iPhone X hasn't been doing as well as Cupertino hoped for. Smartphone manufacturers apparently only shipped 403.5 million units during the holidays last year compared to 430.7 million units in 2016. Samsung, which usually sits at the top of the list, shipped 74.1 million phones in the last few months of 2017, down 4.4 percent from the year before.
Apple releases iOS 11.2 with Apple Pay Cash and a bug fix
Apple doesn't usually release its iOS updates in the middle of the night, but it appears to have pushed the 11.2 schedule forward thanks to a date bug that just started making iPhones reset. iOS 11.2 is a pretty major update and it also brings new features, including a Venmo or Square Cash-like person-to-person money transfer system, Apple Pay Cash (available only in the US, for now -- and according to reports, it's not actually live yet). If you have the new iPhone 8, 8 Plus or X, it also adds support for faster 7.5W wireless charging when used with a compatible Wireless Qi pad, and it updates the control center to let you know what's really happening when you try to turn Bluetooth or WiFi on and off. There are new emoji for everyone, and MacRumors points out there's a sports section in the TV app now that curates live games streaming via the ESPN app. The most recent beta version of iOS 11.2 was just released yesterday, and a little more than twelve hours later it's rolling out to everyone. Apple has had a bad month in terms of software issues, but at least we can let you know that there is a fix. Go ahead and look for the latest software update on compatible iPhones (5s and later), iPads (Air or mini 2 and later) and the sixth generation iPod touch.
Qualcomm hopes to ban Apple's iPhone X sales with new lawsuit
The legal battle between Apple and Qualcomm is even hotter than you might have thought -- so hot they were suing each other on the same day. While Apple was busy suing Qualcomm over Snapdragon chips on November 29th, Qualcomm was filing its own lawsuit claiming that phones ranging from the iPhone 7 to the iPhone X violate 16 patents, including power-saving methods, interfaces and even camera autofocus. There's a matching complaint with the US International Trade Commission that would ban imports (and thus sales) of the iPhone X and other models over five of the patents.
New in our buyer's guide: Apple, Google and a little Sonos
Separate from our holiday gift guide, it was time for us to update our year-round shortlist of recommendations. Since our last round of additions, three months ago, we've reviewed a boatload of flagship handsets, with the iPhone 8/8 Plus and Pixel 2/Pixel 2 XL all making the list. (It's not that we don't recommend the iPhone X, but we recommend the 8 and particularly the 8 Plus for more people.) While we were at it, we also decided that the Sonos One, Google Home Mini, Apple TV 4K, second-gen Daydream View VR headset and the GoPro Hero6 were also worthy of this list. Find all that and more in the Engadget buyer's guide.
The best smartphones and tablets to give as gifts
Let's be real: Smartphones are pricey and as far as gifts go, they're hard to keep a surprise. But there's also a good chance someone in your life is due for an upgrade, and as the holiday season approaches, you're likely to spot some good deals. For Engadget's 2017 holiday gift guide, we recommend four phones: the iPhone 8/8 Plus, the Google Pixel 2 and 2XL, the older-but-still-good Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus, and the Moto G5 Plus, for the budget conscious. We also threw in some tablets for good measure: the basic iPad for Apple fans and the Galaxy Tab S3 for Android users. Certain folks requiring more power might be better served by the 10.5-inch iPad Pro or Microsoft's Surface Pro, but unless your giftee also needs a laptop replacement, you can easily get by with something less expensive.
Israeli company claims Apple copied its dual-camera tech
Whatever you think of your dual-camera iPhone, there's one company that's less than thrilled. Israeli startup Corephotonics is suing Apple for allegedly infringing on patented technology with the cameras in the iPhone 7 Plus and 8 Plus (it's likely none too pleased about the iPhone X, for that matter). Corephotonics says it pitched Apple about a potential alliance, only to be shot down and see Apple implement dual cameras on its own. The plaintiff company even claims that Apple boasted it could infringe on patents without fear. Apple's negotiator said it would take "years and millions of dollars" before the iPhone maker would have to pay if it did infringe, according to Corephotonics' version of events.
Samsung trolls every generation of the iPhone in one video
If you want to start your week with a little bit of tech shade, check out Samsung's new Galaxy commercial. The ad follows a young man through the years as he meets and falls for a young woman. However, the focus of each touching moment in their blossoming relationship is how his iPhone is inferior to her Samsung Galaxy and Samsung makes sure to put every single downside of owning an iPhone on blast. That includes waiting in lines for the new model, inadequate photo storage space, lack of water resistance and, of course, the headphone dongle. There's even a not-so-subtle swipe at the iPhone X's notch. And if all of that wasn't enough, there's the ad's title -- "Samsung Galaxy: Growing Up."
Apple lists the cars that can wirelessly charge your iPhone
Sure, you know that most wireless charging pads will top up the iPhone 8 or iPhone X, but what about the pad in your car? That's a little more complicated, but Apple is willing to help out. It just posted a list of manufacturers whose vehicles can charge the latest crop of iPhones, and it's mostly good news... mostly. Audi, BMW, Chrysler, Ford, Honda, Mercedes-Benz, Toyota, Volkswagen, Volvo and the PSA group (Citroen, DS, Peugeot, Opel and Vauxhall) all have cars that will charge at least the iPhone 8 (and likely X), and can charge the 8 Plus if there's enough room. Be careful if you're a GM fan, though, as you'll have to be extra-picky about your driving machine.
A 'new' version of iTunes brings back apps and ringtones
Still need a way to manage your applications and ringtones in addition to your music, movies and other media on your iPhone? Well, there's an app for that. Following iTunes' massive overhaul (version 12.7 if you're keeping track at home), the company has since released a version of the software that will let you continue to download and install apps to your handset via a desktop computer.
The Google Pixel 2 XL vs. the competition: Cameras rule
In a year where the Galaxy Note made a comeback and Apple is mixing things up by offering both the iPhone 8 and the iPhone X, it's hard to know what to make of Google's newest handsets at first. The Pixel XL isn't particularly flashy on the outside, though the single 12.2MP camera looks promising. But can it compete against the dual camera rigs on other flagship handsets? To see what else this 6-inch handset has to offer versus some of its major competitors, we've stacked up their specs in the table below. Be sure to check back later this fall to see how both the new Pixels and the iPhone X fare in their respective full reviews.
