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Apple warns the new jet-black iPhones are prone to scratches
If you've always preferred shiny gadgets, the jet-black iPhone 7 is totally up your alley. A word of warning, though: Apple admits that you might have to take extra good care of it to keep it scratch-free. On the new iPhone 7 page on the company's website, part of the fine print at the bottom reads: "The high-gloss finish of the jet black iPhone 7 is achieved through a precision nine-step anodization and polishing process. Its surface is equally as hard as other anodized Apple products; however, its high shine may show fine micro-abrasions with use. If you are concerned about this, we suggest you use one of the many cases available to protect your iPhone."
Apple's iPhone upgrade programme is coming to the UK
Apple is bringing its iPhone upgrade programme to the UK, giving diehard fans a new way to fund their annual upgrade. Plans start at £33.45 per month, netting you the regular iPhone 7 with 32GB of storage. Upping the instalments to £38.45 per month will grant you the 128GB model, or you can spend an extra pound (£39.45 per month) to get the 32GB iPhone 7 Plus. All six plans are listed on Apple's website -- in the fine print you'll see that each one requires a £49, upfront payment on the day of the purchase.
Apple kills off 16GB storage for the iPhone 7
If you're looking for just a little bit of on-device storage in your next phone, the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus aren't for you. At its fall announcement event in San Francisco on Wednesday, Apple revealed that its newest handset iterations will no longer offer 16GB hard drives. Instead, the new phones will offer a minimum of double that and be available all the way up to 256GB. But don't think you're getting these devices for cheap. The iPhone 7 starts at $649 for the 32GB model and the iPhone 7 Plus starts at a jaw-dropping $769. Luckily, with Apple's installment plan, those figures work out to $27 and $32 a month, respectively. Click here to catch all the latest news from the Apple's "See You" event.
Instagram will take advantage of your iPhone 7's camera
You won't have to wait long to find apps that take advantage of the iPhone 7's upgraded camera system. Instagram has revealed that an updated version of its iOS app will take and share photos using the wider color range captured by the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus' image sensors. You should see more vivid colors than you'd get from a phone taking photos in the usual sRGB color gamut. Instagram's update will arrive sometime later this year. Click here to catch all the latest news from Apple's "See You" event.
Apple's AirPods are smart wireless earbuds with a new W1 chip
The rumor that Apple would nix the headphone jack on the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus has been circulating off and on since late last year. Today, the company made it official: RIP 3.5mm port on the iPhone. Apple says that Lightning offers multiple uses where the old port did a single job, so that headphone jack is gone and it's being replaced with a fancy new wireless audio accessory and Lightning EarPods. The new Bluetooth wireless earbuds are called AirPods, and they weren't exactly a well-kept secret either.
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.
Live from Apple's iPhone 7 launch!
It's September and Apple is hosting an event. That can only mean one thing: New iPhones are afoot. You may have heard that the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus are rumored to ditch the headphone jack, but we're also hearing talk of larger (maybe even dual) cameras, a pressure-sensitive home button, increased base storage and possible new color options. Even if the no-headphone-jack thing ends up feeling unsurprising, though, we'll still be curious to hear how Apple justifies the move to would-be buyers, who are likely pretty set in their ways.
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.
Of course EE's hyping wireless headphones on iPhone 7 day
EE's Add to Plan scheme lets anyone taking out a two-year smartphone contract walk away with accessories in exchange for a couple of extra quid tacked onto their bill each month. Launched last year, EE today announced a slight change to the T&Cs. Instead of the cost being spread over 18 months and customers paying a premium for the convenience, they'll now square it away in 11 and pay out no more than the retail price. A wider product range will soon be offered, too, including wearables from Fitbit (from £8 per month), smartwatches and Samsung's Gear VR headset (also £8 per month).
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.
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.
Apple sends out invitations for its September 7th iPhone event
The rumor was right on the money -- Apple has sent out invitations for a media event on September 7th. The teaser is characteristically cryptic between its out-of-focus lights (which, naturally, form an Apple logo) and "see you on the 7th" slogan. However, you don't have to read the tea leaves to have an idea of what to expect when Tim Cook and company take the stage. It's very likely that you'll see the next iPhone, which may ditch the conventional headphone jack, tout improved cameras and carry extra storage. There's also a chance that you'll see a new Apple Watch with GPS, a bigger battery and better water resistance. One thing's for sure: we'll be there to give you the full scoop.
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.
Bloomberg: iPhone 7 gets new home button, drops headphone port
Another report has suggested that Apple is taking a different tack with this year's iPhone. Bloomberg reporter and renowned Apple scooper Mark Gurman has published a story claiming that the new handset will have a design "similar to the 6 and 6s." We've heard this before -- it suggests that Apple is holding back on a big aesthetic change until next year, when the iPhone celebrates its 10th birthday. Gurman is also reporting that the next iPhone will ditch the headphone jack -- again, something that's been rumored for some time -- switching instead to "connectivity via Bluetooth and the charging port." (Get ready for lots of Lightning headphones.)
iPhone 7 spy shot offers a clearer look at its camera
If you're wondering what the iPhone 7 should look like when it's more than just a bare shell covered in watermarks, look no further. NowhereElse.fr has obtained a leaked photo that appears to offer an exceptionally clear, more complete view of Apple's upcoming handset. The snapshot of the device sample shows that, yes, the standard-sized future iPhone should have a much larger, protruding camera lens (and presumably a larger sensor) along with cleaner antenna lines. While there's no guarantees that this is exactly what Apple will launch later this year, we believe this photo was taken outside of the offices of Lite-On, a company with expertise optical and power supply technologies. It's possible that someone brought the iPhone chassis to Lite-On or a nearby firm for testing.
The next iPhone reportedly starts with twice the storage
Apple maintained that a 16GB iPhone was enough last year, but the company might be singing a different tune in 2016. A Wall Street Journal source claims that the next iPhone will start with 32GB of storage -- at last, buyers of the base model won't have to be quite so thrifty with their free space. That kind of entry capacity is far from new, of course (HTC, LG, Samsung and others have had 32GB starters for a while), but it'll be more than welcome if you prefer iPhones and can't justify more expensive versions.
