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The original Apple Watch gets a price drop to $269
While the reveal of the Apple Watch Series 2 is getting all the glitz and glamor, the tech giant isn't putting the wearable's first generation out to pasture just yet. The renamed and slightly boosted Series 1 will be available as a budget option at $269 compared to the newest model's $369 price tag. While it won't get its successor's water resistance down to 50m nor its built-in GPS, it will get the faster dual-core processor.
Pokémon Go coming to Apple Watch, phone still required to catch 'em all
It was the question every Pokémon trainer with an Apple Watch asked on day one: "Why isn't this game on my wrist?" Well, now it is -- before the end of the year, Pokémon Go will have Apple Watch support. Trainers will be able to track their steps, egg-hatching progress and collect items from Pokéstops directly from their wrist. The watch app will even notify you when you come across a wild pocket monster. Unfortunately, you'll still need to take your iPhone out of your pocket to actually catch it.
Apple announces the water-resistant iPhone 7 and 7 Plus
Apple just introduced the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus, the latest iterations of its premium smartphone. The iPhone 7 and 7 Plus look remarkably similar to the phones they replace -- this is the smallest generational design shift in the iPhone's history -- but that's not to say nothing has changed. The antenna bands on the back of the previous models have been made more discreet; they now hug the edges of the device. This repositioning has allowed Apple to squeeze in larger camera bumps on the back. For the first time in the iPhone's history, the new phones are "water and dust resistant," up to IP67 (i.e., splashproof, not submersible). As we expected, there's no headphone port to be seen, but there's at least a stereo speaker for the first time. The home button no longer physically clicks in, but a haptic-feedback mechanism will trick your finger into thinking it has.
Amazon and Apple out new iPhone 7 ahead of announcement
Looks like Amazon jumped the gun and accidentally posted its iPhone 7 accessories landing page ahead of Apple's actual event. While we can't guarantee that the page has the correct information about the yet-to-be-announced iPhone, it looks like at least Amazon and Speck are expecting to see the end of the headphone jack on the device. So many Bluetooth headphones. It also looks like the dual camera cases are only for the 7 Plus.
Apple's high-end wireless earbuds may not ship with iPhone 7
The long-rumoured death of the iPhone's headphone jack has left everybody wondering: What's going to become of Apple's EarPods? Well, they'll probably go wireless, but according to one analyst, they won't come with your iPhone. They'll be sold separately -- and they might be expensive. KGI Securities' Ming-Chi Kuo believes that Apple will announce a pair of high-end "AirPod" earbuds tomorrow as a premium accessory for iPhone 7 buyers. They won't come in the box like Apple's current earbuds, he says, and may not even use Bluetooth.
Here's how the iPhone 7 Plus' dual cameras could work
Apple's 2016 iPhone launch event may be just days away, but that isn't stemming the tide of leaks and rumors. KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo (who is frequently, though not always, on the mark with Apple launches) has published a last-minute report claiming very detailed knowledge of Apple's handset plans, including a few tidbits that have remained unclear. He now says he understands how the larger 5.5-inch model's (for sake of reference, the iPhone 7 Plus) long-reported dual rear cameras would work. The two 12-megapixel sensors would reportedly be used for both zoom and "light field camera applications" -- typically, that means after-shot refocusing. This would be at least somewhat similar to the dual-camera setup on the Huawei P9, where you can play with focal points and simulate different apertures. Huawei doesn't offer an enhanced zoom, though.
What we expect from Apple's big iPhone event
Apple is holding a big press event next week, and it's a pretty safe assumption at this point that we're getting a new iPhone. We're not expecting a radical reimagining of the device, but there might be a few surprises here (like no headphone jack!) to keep people on their toes. Will we see a new Apple Watch? Maybe. New MacBook Pros? Probably not. A play to repay $14.5 billion in back taxes? Keep dreaming. Watch the video above for all the latest on the Apple rumor mill.
Apple activates its Twitter account ahead of iPhone event
Apple has activated its Twitter account and redesigned the Newsroom just days ahead of its iPhone 7 event on September 7th. The company has had a Twitter account since September 2011, but has never tweeted anything and, until now, had a generic "egg" avatar. That's now been replaced by the Apple logo and a background with the same design as its event invitation. It still has only 50,000 followers, but that will change very quickly if it starts to tweet regularly.
The DxO One gets Wi-Fi control and a suite of accessories
If you take a lot of photos with your smartphone, you've probably noticed they're not always up to snuff with the kind of images you'd see from a DSLR camera.
What to expect from Apple's 'See You' iPhone event
It's that time of year again. It's the end of summer, and Apple is once again on the cusp of introducing a new iPhone. Only this year, there's a different buzz. There's been talk of Cupertino playing it relatively safe with a new smartphone for the second year in a row or even taking away the time-honored headphone jack. What's the deal with that? And of course, this is likely just the tip of the iceberg. The Apple Watch is getting long in the tooth, new versions of iOS and macOS are nearly ready... and as many will tell you, large swaths of Apple's iPad and Mac lineups are gathering dust. But just what are you going to see when Tim Cook and company take the stage? We've rounded up some of the more plausible leaks, rumors and educated guesses to help set expectations for Apple's September 7th media extravaganza.
iPhone 7 could have tap-to-pay feature for Japan's subways
Apple might give its upcoming iPhones an extra feature exclusively for people living in Japan. According to Bloomberg, the tech titan is planning to add tap-to-pay support for the country's extensive subway system. To accomplish that, it will equip the devices with FeliCa chips, the Sony-developed mobile tap-to-pay standard in the country. Think of FeliCa as Japan's equivalent to NFC, except a lot more people use it.
Apple patenting a way to collect iPhone thieves' fingerprints
Apple's done a lot to curb iPhone theft via the "Find my iPhone" feature and encryption that locks out users if an incorrect code or fingerprint is used too often. However, it's thinking about getting more proactive, judging by a recent patent application. It claims a method of "capturing biometric information for identifying unauthorized users," including fingerprints, video or audio. The information could be stored or send to a server, where police could presumably use it to figure out who nabbed your device.
Twitter's night mode comes to iOS
It was only a matter of time before Twitter brought its night mode to iOS, and sure enough, it's here. The social network has started rolling out a settings tweak that, like on Android, lets you shift to a darker color scheme to avoid straining your eyes (or because you prefer the look, of course). This definitely isn't the first Twitter client on iOS to do a night mode, or even the best implementation -- Tweetbot has had the option for ages, and it switches automatically based on time of day where Twitter asks you to toggle it manually. Still, it's nice to see such a practical feature reach the widest audience possible.
Apple builds an R&D center in China to survive a tough market
There's no question that China isn't as much of a money maker for Apple as it once was. However, it's not about to quit the country -- if anything, it's settling in for the long haul. The company has unveiled plans to build a Chinese research and development center by the end of the year. Just what it'll work on isn't evident at this stage, although it's part of an overall increased investment in Apple's second-largest market.
The Engadget Podcast returns!
In 2014 we said the Engadget Podcast was going on hiatus to "retool." Well, we haven't been sitting on our laurels. Over the last two years we've rethought our editorial mission, completely redesigned the website and, now, we're launching a new and improved podcast.
ICYMI: Wannabe spies can make iPhone screens invisible
try{document.getElementById("aol-cms-player-1").style.display="none";}catch(e){}Today on In Case You Missed It: A phone repair store owner in Turkey is trying to copyright his invention that syncs a pair of eyeglasses to the screen of an iPhone. When the glasses are worn, the screen can be viewed perfectly. But to anyone without the glasses, the screen will only look white. However, buyer beware. The stories about this man's invention detail his claim that he's inserted a chip into the eyeglasses to view the screen, but it may be that he just removed the polarized filter built into the phone, then pointed polarized 3D glasses at it.
Apple TV's new iPhone remote control app talks to Siri
As promised, you no longer need to use the new Apple TV's standard remote control to take advantage of all the media hub's features. Apple has released a brand new Apple TV Remote app that drags its iOS interface into the modern era. You can not only use the same touch-based control as on the hardware remote, but talk to Siri -- handy if you lost the physical controller between the couch cushions. It also supports motion controls for games, and there's even a Game Mode that strips things down.
Apple has sold its billionth iPhone
Apple has managed to pull in some extremely impressive numbers when it comes to its flagship mobile phone. While iPhone sales overall had begun to decline over the last quarter, that didn't stop the company from selling its one billionth iPhone last week.
Firefox for iOS just received a slew of new updates
Firefox has rolled out some brand new features for its iOS browser, including the ability to add website-specific search engines and tab recovery.
Electro-Harmonix brings '80s synth sounds to your iPad
The likes of Korg and Moog have their own synthesizer apps for iOS devices, and now there's a new option for loading up a virtual instrument on those mobile devices. Electro-Harmonix has released a version of its Mini-Synthesizer EH-1600 for iPad and iPhone that delivers a digital re-creation of the '80s analog gear. The original had pretty basic controls, but it was responsible for some fairly iconic synthesizer sounds like you've heard from Rush, Van Halen and more.
