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WSJ: This year's iPhone won't feature big changes
If you're eagerly awaiting a load of new features for this year's iPhone, you might be a bit disappointed come fall. The Wall Street Journal reports that the upcoming models will offer only modest changes from the current iPhone 6S and 6S Plus rather than a more robust redesign. Apple has been trotting out new designs every two years with the "S" models offering mostly internal tweaks in between. According to WSJ's sources though, that won't be the case this year.
iPhone 7 may keep the headphone jack and support dual SIMs
One of the most intriguing rumors about the upcoming iPhone 7 is that it'll ditch the 3.5mm headphone jack, meaning users will have to get audio output via Lightning or Bluetooth. But according to a leakster, this may no longer be the case. Rock Fix, a smartphone repair shop based in China's Ganzhou, has recently been posting photos of alleged iPhone 7 components. One of these is apparently the 4.7-inch model's Lightning cable assembly which, contrary to what we've been hearing before, still has a headphone jack attached to it. And more recently, the shop shared photos of what it claims to be the next iPhone's dual-SIM trays, which will be a first for Apple if true.
Chinese firm claims Apple copied its design for iPhone 6 (update)
It's tough for foreign companies to do business in China, so much that even Apple is having a hard time. After the iTunes Movies and iBooks Store ban back in April, the previous generation of iPhones have recently been accused of infringing the design patent of some random Chinese company's "100C" smartphone under the "100+" brand. Don't laugh, because the Beijing Intellectual Property Office has since ordered Apple to stop selling its iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus in Beijing, with the reason being the general consumers won't be able to tell the "minute differences" between Apple's design and the 100C. No, really.
iOS 10 can livestream your games
You won't have to use an Android phone if you want to livestream your mobile gaming sessions. Apple has revealed that iOS 10 will include ReplayKit Live, a feature that livestreams apps in addition to previous recording support. As you might expect, you can also include your own audio or video remarks. You'll have to wait for both iOS 10 and supporting apps, of course (Mobcrush is one of the first to make plans), but it could be a big deal for iOS gamers who've wanted to share a hot new title while they're playing it. ReplayKit Live should be useful in more productive apps, too -- it could help teachers demonstrate concepts through educational apps, or open the window to live technical help.
What happened at WWDC 2016?
Need a quick recap on all the news from WWDC 2016? Our own Dana Wollman and Chris Velazco were on the scene and are ready to run through all the news about macOS, iOS, watchOS, tvOS and any other platforms Apple may have introduced. Most of these changes won't hit your devices until the fall, but this way it will only take a few minutes to get familiar with all the new features immediately.
Apple's new file system revolves around encryption
One of Apple's quietest announcements at WWDC might also be its most important. The company has introduced a brand new file system, simply called Apple File System (APFS) that makes security its centerpiece. It offers a unified encryption method for virtually every device Apple makes, ranging from the Apple Watch to the Mac. That includes multikey encryption, which makes it tough to crack even if you have physical access to the storage. In short, the FBI won't be happy: Encryption is now a core part of the operating system, not just something bolted on after the fact.
Apple iOS 10 uses AI to help you find photos and type faster
Apple is making artificial intelligence a big, big cornerstone of iOS 10. To start, the software uses on-device computer vision to detect both faces and objects in photos. It'll recognize a familiar friend, for instance, and can tell that there's a mountain in the background. While this is handy for tagging your shots, the feature really comes into its own when you let the AI do the hard work. There's a new Memories section in the Photos app that automatically organizes pictures based on events, people and places, complete with related memories (such as similar trips) and smart presentations. Think of it as Google Photos without having to go online.
Bloomberg: Intel will supply modem chips for the next iPhone
Bloomberg is reporting that Intel will replace Qualcomm as the supplier of modem hardware for some models in the next generation of iPhones. The news service believes that the move is down to Apple's desire to "diversify its supplier" base for the best-selling devices. Intel will provide the wireless hardware for the GSM version of the device, compatible with AT&T and T-Mobile in the US as well as most worldwide carriers. Qualcomm, meanwhile, will still provide the gear that goes into the Verizon/Sprint model, as well as for other mobile networks that use the CDMA protocol.
Apple's App Store is changing, starting with subscriptions
At next week's WWDC, Apple is set to unveil some major changes to the way developers and users interact with the App Store. According to Apple's senior VP of Worldwide Marketing (and perennial WWDC keynote presence) Phil Schiller, Apple is working to improve everything from the app review experience to the discovery process. But the most notable change is a shift in the business models to allow for subscriptions from any kind of app.
Run Android on an iPhone - with some heavy engineering and caveats
Familiar with cramming one operating system into somewhere it doesn't belong, developers at Tendigi have just created a homemade iPhone case that lets you run Android on your iOS smartphone. (Well, kind of). Fortunately, because of the Android Open Source Project, it gave Nick Lee the freedom to clone the mobile OS and build his own local hardware. Before he went that far, Lee decided to test the concept -- streaming Android across to an iPhone through a cable -- with a Nexus 5. He needed tools that could communicate with iOS, as well as services that let USB cables play nice with an iPhone. Lee also crafted software that transmitted what was happening on the Android devices' screen to the iPhone, while also send touch-input back. The next challenge: cramming it all into an iPhone "case". See it working after the break.
Google's new iOS app turns Live Photos into GIFs
Cinemagraphs -- those artsy hybrids of animated gifs and film stills -- used to require a good deal of work to set up and create. That changes today with Google's latest iOS app Motion Stills, which uses Apple's Live Photos feature along with Google's own video stabilization to freeze the background of your photos and create dramatic looping gifs or video snippets.
You can finally post to Instagram from other iOS apps
Ever since Apple introduced app sharing extensions in iOS 8, budding iPhone photographers have been wondering where Instagram's extension was. Wouldn't it be nice if you could share a photo from any app, rather than diving into Instagram and choosing from your camera roll? You're getting that chance today: Instagram has quietly introduced a sharing extension to the latest version of its iOS app. So long as you turn on the extension, any app that supports iOS' official sharing method can send a photo Instagram's way. That's a particularly big deal if you're fond of third-party imaging apps, which don't always automatically save pictures to your photo library.
Apple faces Caltech lawsuit over WiFi patents
Apple's legal troubles with schools aren't over yet: Caltech has sued Apple and chipmaker Broadcom for allegedly violating four WiFi-related patents. Supposedly, most Apple devices (including the iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple Watch) from the iPhone 5 onward use Broadcom chips that copy Caltech decoding and encoding technology to improve data flow. As with most such lawsuits, the institute is calling for both damages and a ban on offending hardware.
The best mobile phone on the UK market for 2016
Picking the right smartphone can be tough. With Apple, Samsung, LG, HTC and plenty of other manufacturers releasing handsets at a steady clip, it can be difficult to keep up with each and every launch. We use our smartphones for work, play and everything in between, so it's important to settle on the right blend of hardware, operating system and price tag that makes sense for you. After all, you're likely going to be spending anywhere from 18 months to two years of your life with your new handset, unless your budget allows you to upgrade on whim. Deciding between so many candidates can be a bit of a struggle, but we're here to help with our guide to the best smartphones around. Article prices are based on the RRP, but more up-to-date listings can be found in the buyers guide widget below.
Otterbox's new case lets you use accessories without removing it
Ah yes, phone cases. A necessary purchase if you're accident prone or tend to drop your handset on the regular. Unfortunately, adding that accessory usually makes for a headaches whenever you try to use another mobile add-on like a thermal camera or lens clip. Typically, you would have to remove your protective case before you could use any of those other gadgets. Well, Otterbox is looking to rid you of that frustration with the new Universe system and it's swappable "accessory modules."
I salvaged my shattered iPhone with a 'Band-Aid' screen cover
After a BBQ last Sunday (there may have been alcohol), I dropped my phone. Multiple times. And I wasn't lucky. Although my iPhone 6 Plus has suffered tiny hairline cracks in two of the corners, this time the drops were critical hits resulting in a spiderweb of substantial cracks, the majority of them around the bottom right corner -- you know, where your thumb always is. Typing on it meant risking a tiny shard or two cutting into my thumb, and even when I avoided that, those cracks still irritated my fingertips. Touch functions were also impaired. Google Maps was not cooperating. While the brunt of the damage was in the lower corner, the drop had also crippled my front-facing camera. Perhaps the camera leaves the screen structurally weaker there, or was this the universe's way of saying I'd taken one too many self-portraits?
YouTube for iOS now works with Google's Cardboard headset
You no longer have to pick up an Android phone to watch YouTube videos with a Google Cardboard headset. YouTube has updated its iOS app to introduce Cardboard support, so you can watch any clip (not just virtual reality videos) using your iPhone and a low-cost paper box. You've already had 360-degree video support before, but this is a big deal if you'd rather not swipe the screen to view footage from every conceivable angle... or if you'd just like to immerse yourself in 2D. There aren't any other big upgrades here, but Cardboard support may be all that matters if you've been itching to try VR without spending a fortune or switching phones.
Google puts search, GIFs and more inside its new iOS keyboard
Although Google has plenty of iOS apps, switching between them to share directions or perform a web search can be time-consuming. The company knows that the iPhone keyboard is where you spend a lot of your time, so it's decided to launch fresh take on Apple's default option. It's called Gboard and it can search the web, embed GIFs, locate the perfect emoji and grab weather reports. It will also help send restaurant information, flight times and news articles to friends and family. "Anything you'd search on Google, you can search with Gboard," says Rajan Patel, Principal Engineer at Google.
One of Apple's earliest Siri engineers reportedly leaves for GE
Apple hasn't had a great time holding on to the original Siri team, and we don't just mean the founders -- there are precious few of those core members left. And today, we're learning that one of those last remaining pioneers may have walked out the door. The Information's sources claim that Darren Haas, a Siri co-founder and Apple's head of compute-focused cloud engineering, has left the company to join GE a few weeks after one of his fellow Siri alumni, Steve D'Aurora, reportedly did the same. The two are believed to be working on a similar cloud platform at their new employer.
Apple Pay finally becomes useful in Canada
Apple Pay technically launched in Canada back in November, but it might as well have been non-existent -- you could only use a directly-issued American Express card, which isn't all that common in the country. At last, though, things are opening up. Apple has announced that its tap-to-pay service is now available through a much, much wider range of providers. Right now, you can use it through heavyweights CIBC and RBC (both credit and debit cards) as well as smaller providers ATB (initially MasterCard-only) and Canadian Tire (MasterCard). The other big three (BMO, Scotiabank and TD) aren't ready yet, but they've all committed to letting you pay with your iPhone or Apple Watch in the months ahead.
