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Apple invests $390 million into Face ID and AirPod tech
Apple has made another investment with its Advanced Manufacturing Fund (AMF), awarding Finisar $390 million. If the name doesn't sound familiar, its work will. Finisar is the company behind the iPhone X's Face ID, Animoji and Portrait mode for selfies -- all of which rely on vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSEL). It's also responsible for your AirPods' proximity sensing tech. The investment means Finisar will set up shop in a 700,000 square-foot manufacturing facility in Texas in addition to expanding its research and development team.
Google’s year in search finds people ready to take action
It's been a heck of a year. And as 2017 draws to a close, a bunch of web giants are on hand to remind us of what we got up to on their services. Twitter had us raging, Facebook saw us praying for victims of tragedies, and now Google (the biggest of the three) is sharing its year in search. The top spot in the US and worldwide was reserved for Hurricane Irma. The same went for Google news trends in the US, which were dominated by natural disasters, including Hurricane Harvey, Hurricane Jose, and Hurricane Maria, with the looming threat of North Korea and the tragic mass shooting in Las Vegas making the top ten as well.
Apple’s Jony Ive will return to his design management role
Apple's chief design officer, Jony Ive, is picking his old management duties back up again, 9to5Mac reports. Back in 2015, Ive was upgraded to chief design officer from senior VP and day-to-day management was taken over by Alan Dye and Richard Howarth. Earlier today, 9to5Mac noted that Dye and Howarth were no longer listed on Apple's leadership page and now word's out that Ive is back at the management helm. In a statement to Bloomberg, an Apple spokesperson said, "With the completion of Apple Park, Apple's design leaders and teams are again reporting directly to Jony Ive, who remains focused purely on design."
Google embraces the notch with iPhone X Gmail update
First released on November 3rd, the iPhone X forced developers to scramble to adapt apps to that famous notch and the lack of a home button. Google is no exception, and after optimizing its productivity suite last week (Docs, Sheets and Slides), it's now Gmail's turn. No longer will you have to put up with a letterboxed view of your communications, as Google's mail app now integrates the cutout in its top rail.
Apple's iPhone X is available SIM-free in the US
Apple is offering another reason to nab its thousand-dollar smartphone. A month since the iPhone X landed, the handset is now selling SIM-free and unlocked in the US with full support for both CDMA and GSM networks. You should see the new "buy without a carrier" option on Apple's online store, allowing you to ditch the likes of AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon, and Sprint. Click on it, and you'l be able to choose your finish (silver or space gray) and the storage: 64GB for $999 or 256GB for $1,149.
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.
Apple pushes iOS fix for unresponsive iPhone X screens in cold weather
Last week, reports trickled in that the brand-new iPhone X's screen was unresponsive in cold weather. Apple has rushed out a new iOS update (version 11.1.2) to quick-fix the issue, which is available now to download.
Vimeo can stream videos in 8K and HDR
A few streaming services have supported colorful high dynamic range video and ultra-high resolutions for a while, but Vimeo is making up for lost time in grand style. The company has added support for both HDR videos and resolutions as high as 8K. You're going to need a very rare 8K display to see footage in its full glory. However, HDR support is considerably broader: you 'only' need a device that can play HEVC video using HDR10. Some of Apple's newer devices (including the Apple TV 4K, iPhone X and 2017 iPad Pros) already do, and Vimeo is quick to point out that it's currently the only video hosting service to play HDR on Apple gear.
Apple’s 2019 iPhone could have a rear-facing 3D sensor
Apple has made no secret of its interest in augmented reality (AR) -- in interviews CEO Tim Cook gives it as much attention as sales growth. Now, it's rumoured that the company's 2019 iPhone release will come with a rear-facing 3D sensor, potentially turning the model into a leading AR device.
Some iPhone X units suffer from crackling speakers at high volume
The iPhone X appears to have multiple teething troubles, albeit ones that aren't necessarily common. Some users on Reddit, MacRumors and Twitter report that the new handset's top speaker is crackling at higher volume levels. The severity varies, but it happens regardless of what you're playing and persists with replacement units. It doesn't appear to affect most units, but it's common enough that it's not necessarily an isolated issue.
Security firm claims to thwart iPhone X's Face ID with a mask
When Apple introduced Face ID security alongside the iPhone X, it boasted that even Hollywood-quality masks couldn't fool the system. It might not be a question of movie-like authenticity, however -- security researchers at Bkav claim to have thwarted Face ID by using a specially-built mask. Rather than strive for absolute realism, the team built its mask with the aim of tricking the depth-mapping technology. The creation uses hand-crafted "skin" made specifically to exploit Face ID, while 3D printing produced the face model. Other parts, such as the eyes, are 2D images. The proof of concept appears to work, as you can see in the clip below. The question is: do iPhone X owners actually have to worry about it?
Some iPhone X displays have a nasty green line
The iPhone X's design revolves around its all-encompassing OLED display, so you can imagine the heartbreak when that display is glitchy... and unfortunately, it looks like a handful of owners are going through that pain. People on Apple's forums, Reddit and elsewhere are reporting a glitch where a green line runs down the left or right edge of the display, regardless of what's happening on-screen. This doesn't appear to affect the functionality, but it's clearly annoying.
Apple pledges to fix iPhone X cold-weather issues
Some iPhone X owners have apparently been having issues using their brand new devices in the cold. According to a few users on Reddit, the pricey phone would stop recognizing most of their touches as soon as they step outside. It would happen even if temperatures are still within 0 to 35 degree Celsius -- Apple's recommended ambient temperature range when using iOS devices. The issue sounds like a dealbreaker for people living cold climates or anywhere with four seasons, but based on Apple's response to The Loop, it could be fixed with a software update.
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.
Warby Parker recommends glasses using your iPhone X's depth camera
The depth-sensing front camera on the iPhone X isn't just useful for unlocking your phone or making silly emoji clips. Eyewear maker Warby Parker has updated its Glasses app for iOS to include an iPhone X-only recommendation feature. Let the app scan your face and it'll recommend the frames that are most likely to fit your measurements. This isn't the same as modeling the frames on your face (wouldn't the iPhone X be ideal for that?), but it could save you a lot of hemming and hawing as you wonder which styles are a good match.
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 reminds iPhone X owners they're using an OLED display
Apple's bezel-less "X" is the first iPhone with an OLED screen -- a technology known for its greater contrast and saturation, but also for its tendency to get burn-in. To make sure customers understand that their $1,000 phone might suffer from image persistence in the future, the tech titan has updated the iPhone X's display support page to explain how an OLED screen works.
Take a peek inside the iPhone X
As they tend to do, the folks at iFixit have descended upon Apple's latest creation to pull it apart piece by piece. While we didn't spot any fairie dust spilling out of the iPhone X, they did dig into its TrueDepth camera system (above) that enables all those new recognition features like FaceID and Animoji. Interestingly, Apple decided to rely on a dual-celled battery design to better utilize space behind the nearly-all-screen OLED display. In total, it packs 2,716mAh, which is just a bit larger than the iPhone 8 Plus (2,691mAh) but smaller than the iPhone 7 Plus (2,900mAh) and Galaxy Note 8 (3,300 mAh).
Apple says 'tears of joy' face is the most-used emoji
In an overview of its differential privacy technology, Apple slipped in some super important data regarding the popularity of its emojis. The document included an image ranking the top 10 emojis among US English speakers and taking the number one spot was the "face with tears of joy" emoji. The red heart and "loudly crying face" rounded out the top three.
