Tuesday, June 28, 2016

thaverak

Apple to reveal June quarter numbers on July 26

By     No comments:
Apple will talk sales, revenue, profitability, the cost of doing business and other financial metrics pertaining to its third fiscal quarter, which translates into the second calendar quarter of this year, on July 26, according to an announcement posted on the Apple Investor webpage.
A conference call in which the company will discuss the latest quarterly results with investors and Wall Street analysts is scheduled for Tuesday, July 26, 2016 at 2pm Pacific / 5pm Eastern.
Apple CEO Tim Cook and CFO Luca Maestri are both expected to attend the conference call. The actual press release announcing the earnings should be out 30 minutes ahead of the conference call. A link to the live audio webcast will be provided at a later date.
For the March quarter, Apple reported the first decline in iPhone sales since the handset’s 2007 debut and the first annual revenue decline since 2003. The company’s guidance for the June quarter includes a revenue of $41 to $43 billion and gross margin between 37.5 and 38 percent. Operating expenses are projected to fall between $6 billion and $6.1 billion.
Source: Apple
Read More

Tuesday, May 31, 2016

thaverak

Analyst sees Apple finally dropping much-loathed 16GB iPhone from lineup

By     No comments:
Apple can be finally ditching the oft-criticized sixteen-gigabyte iPhaone from the combo and replace it with a 32 GB SKU because the new baseline model. That’s if you think what associate degree IHS Technology analyst denote on Chinese social media this morning, as per 9to5Mac.
Based on IHS’s provide chain analysis, the analysts wrote that the iPhone seven would come back outfitted with thirty two gigabytes of storage because the new $199 base model. IHS properly foretold that a four-inch iPhone refresh would be introduced in 2016.
The analyst conjointly same that the iPhone seven would feature 2 gigabytes of RAM while not specifying whether or not or not the flagship iPhone seven and model would come with 3 gigabytes of RAM, as KGI Securities Ming-Chi Kuo foretold.
Japanese newspaper Nikkei created a motivating claim these days, locution that Apple would switch from a tick-tock cycle of refreshing the iPhone each 2 years to a three-year cycle, as a result of deceleration smartphone market and innovation.
Read More

Wednesday, May 25, 2016

thaverak

Apple’s Plan to Open Retail Stores in India Takes a Massive Hit

By     No comments:
Apple’s hopes of gap up its initial retail stores in Asian nation are dealt a vast blow by the country’s minister. Arun Jaitley has set that Apple should meet native sourcing rules a bit like different makers if it needs to open its own retail locations.

“Minister Arun Jaitley set to support the choice by India’s Foreign Investment Promotion Board that Apple can got to procure thirty % of parts domestically if it needs to sell through its own retail stores,” reports Bloomberg.

This is a vast issue for Apple, that manufactures most of its product in China. Asian nation is turning into Associate in Nursing more and more necessary marketplace for the corporate as smartphone adoption flies there, with one billion handsets expected to be oversubscribed over ensuing 5 years. “The government’s call can have a reasonably profound impact on Apple,” aforesaid Neil sovereign, at Counterpoint analysis. “The company generally likes to regulate every bit of the iPhone worth chain right from sourcing parts to the purpose of sale.” Apple has met alter native retailers to sell the iPhone in Asian nation, however gap its own stores may have given the device — and different Apple product — a vast boost. however it looks India’s strict retail laws may stop that. In an attempt to encourage native producing and increase the quantity of jobs, the Indian government stipulates that technology firms cannot sell product domestically while not investment in native producing facilities. This isn’t the tip for Apple, though. Jaitley’s call will still be upset, however it should need intervention from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, WHO met with Tim Cook last week. However, there’s little doubt this may create things harder for the iPhone maker. [Via Bloomberg] Like this post? Share it!
Read More

Monday, May 23, 2016

thaverak

New concept video imagines assumed iPhone7 and options based mostly on the rumors

By     No comments:
Apple’s next smartphone refresh might or may not bring a significant style overhaul to the iPhone that fans are holding their breath for, but we have a tendency to still totally expect the iPhone seven and iPhone seven and to be worthy upgrades in terms of each the appearance and the options.
The rumor-mill does suppose, however, the device could have a cleaner look and feel due to the antenna lines being settled to the terribly prime and bottom.
The rear camera is said to protrude less from the housing and have a bevelled look and that we would possibly even get a try of grilles at the lowest for stereo speakers. Taking it all in, Dutch 3D artist Jermaine Smit has fanciful the iPhone seven and in a construct video.

And here it is.
I’m liking his implementation of the Lock screen widgets!
If Apple’s history of innovation is indicative of its future moves, the next iPhone should boost your mobile photography with improved low-light performance and higher lightweight sensitivity.
Check out another concept video from a similar creative person, this one from three months past.
Apple bought Israeli imaging firm LinX which proprietary some curious photography solutions, based on twin cameras. Were Apple to implement LinX technology into the next iPhone, we may be treated to  RAW image capture, the ability to regulate focus after the photograph has been taken and alternative photography goodies.
What do you consider these concept videos and what iPhone seven options ar you trying forward to the most? I’m abundantly interested by those twin cameras.

Source: YouTube
Read More

Thursday, May 12, 2016

thaverak

This iPhone 7 design drawing lacks stereo speakers

By     No comments:
As you know, prior rumors have insisted that Apple’s iPhone 7 will arrive outfitted with the iPad Pro’s Smart Connector and a dual-speaker setup.
Hope you’re ready for some bad news though: design blueprints that surfaced today pour cold water on those rumors, suggesting strongly that the new phones won’t have stereo speakers. As for two compelling hardware additions—the Smart Connector and dual-lens cameras—they’ll be iPhone 7 Plus-exclusives.
Prolific gadget leaker Steve Hemmerstoffer of Nowwhereelse.fr published the drawings top of post via his @OnLeaks account on Twitter, in co-operation with uSwitch. The design blueprints were purportedly obtained from a source at Apple supplier Catcher Technology, which builds the iPhone’s and Mac’s unibody enclosures.
To differentiate the iPhone 7 Plus from the iPhone 7, the ‘Plus’ includes a Smart Connector on the rear and dual-lens cameras, neither of which are found on the standard-sized iPhone 7. That device will retain a single-lens camera on the back, as per these CAD drawings.
Both new iPhones still show a camera protrusion on the back, but the metal ring surrounding the rear camera lens is no longer present. As I mentioned before, the CAD drawings clearly show a single-speaker setup versus stereo speakers that prior rumors insisted would be found on the new iPhones.
The dimensions of both iPhone 7 models are unchanged from the iPhone 6s generation: the iPhone 7 appears to come in at 138.30 mm x 67.12 mm x 7.1 mm while the iPlus 7 Plus measures at 158.22 mm x 77.94 mm x 7.3 mm.
A word of warning: these renders are 3-4 months old and are taken from Apple’s January testing stage. As such, they may not accurately represent the handsets that’ll start shipping to customers this fall.
Earlier this morning, KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo issued his latest research note to clients, in which he predicts there won’t be an ‘iPhone 7 Pro’ model after all as Apple remains focused on producing a single iPhone 7 Plus model.
As per Kuo, the iPhone 7 Plus will have dual-lens cameras and include three gigabytes of RAM, a fifty percent more RAM than in the current iPhone 6/6s models. The extra RAM is needed so that the device can keep up with the increased bandwidth and image processing demands stemming from the dual cameras.
Source: OnLeaks
Read More

Monday, May 9, 2016

thaverak

Tip: stop YouTube’s annoying video autoplay ‘Up Next’ feature within iOS app

By     No comments:

My colleague Anthony recently vented his frustration with YouTube’s default handling of the ‘Up Next’ feature on the web. Autoplay in YouTube is one of the banes of my existence, too, but as Anthony states in his write-up, YouTube for iOS lacks a switch to disable auto-play videos.
Not anymore, though: the latest version of Google’s native YouTube client for the iPhone, iPod touch and iPad includes an easily overlooked switch that lets you stop an endless stream of recommended videos from being spoon-fed down your throat with a single tap.
If you watch a lot of YouTube through your iPhone’s cellular connection, you’re wholeheartedly recommended to disable ‘Up Next’ on the iOS app, here’s how.

How to stop YouTube for iOS from automatically playing recommended videos

1) Launch YouTube’s iOS app on your iPhone. Make sure that your device is running version 11.17 or later of the YouTube app. To see which version of YouTube is installed on your iOS device, tap the three vertical dots in the upper right of the app, select Settings from the menu, scroll all the way to the bottom and read the Version field.
2) Use the search field at the top to find a video to play. Or, simply tap any recommended video in your Home feed.
3) Slide the Autoplay toggle below the video to the OFF position.
On the iPad, the Autoplay toggle is located in the upper right corner in landscape mode, between the channel name/link and the similar/recommended videos list. In portrait mode on the iPad, the Autoplay toggle can be found on the right side, below the video title, channel name and other stats.
And that’s all there’s to it.
Now when you finish watching a video on YouTube for iOS, the app won’t automatically play an endless stream of recommended clips, saving you both frustration and money due to potentially wasted cellular data incurring overage charges.
Of course, this setting has no bearing on playlists, which will automatically play the next video as they should. To learn how to disable autoplay in YouTube’s web interface and in YouTube on the Apple TV, check out Anthony’s tutorial.

Recommended articles:

You may be interesting in the following tutorials as well:
If you found this how-to helpful, let us know in the comments below.

Read More
thaverak

Another technical drawing suggests iPhone 7 has same width and height as iPhone 6s

By     No comments:
Reliable French leaker Steve Hemmerstoffer via his blog NowhereElse.fr and Twitter handle@OnLeaks published this morning another claimed technical drawing of Apple’s forthcoming iPhone 7 which suggests that the device will be as tall and wide as the current-generation iPhone 6s, measuring in at exactly 67.1 mm wide and 138.3 mm tall.
The leaked drawing does not specify the depth of the iPhone 7, but previous rumors did point to an iPod touch-thin phone so it’s too early to tell if existing cases will fit the iPhone 7 or if these will need reengineering for a thinner form factor.
Another thing we can glean from the purported drawing: Apple’s next iPhone will have the rounded edges similar to, if not the same as, the current iPhone 6s generation.
The cutout for the rear camera appears to be slightly larger than that on the iPhone 6s and is located closer to the top left corner. The slightly larger camera cutout might mean that the iPhone 7 could improve low light performance by utilizing a larger sensor.
Lastly, it would seem that the rear camera won’t be flush with the housing. Assuming the drawing is genuine—and these things can be easily created in Photoshop—the next iPhone won’t bring an all-new form factor as some people have been hoping for.
NowhereElse claims it received the image from a reliable source who is an employee at Catcher Technology, an Apple supplier that builds the iPhone’s unibody case.
Read More

Friday, May 6, 2016

thaverak

Tim Cook’s charity lunch auction raises $515K for human rights

By     No comments:
Tim Cook’s annual CharityBuzz auction ended this afternoon, with the winning bid raising $515,000 for the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice & Human Rights. The winner of the auction will get a one-hour lunch date with Tim Cook at Apple headquarters, as well as tickets to an upcoming Apple keynote event.
There were over 40 bids in the auction, with the high bid nearly doubling over the last 24 hours. The lunch date is valid for up to two people, and will be scheduled at an agreed upon date, based on availability. Obviously the guests will be subject to security screenings, but don’t worry, the cost of the meal is included.
Cook has built up quite the resume over the past several years. In addition to being CEO of one of the world’s largest companies, he has repeatedly made TIME magazine’s 100 Most Influential People list, was ranked #1 on Fortune’s World’s Greatest Leader list in 2015, and was Financial Time’s Person of the Year in 2014.
Proceeds from the auction will benefit the RFK Center for Justice and Human Rights, a cause Tim Cook has publicly spoken about on numerous occasions. Last year, the RFK Center gave Cook the Ripple of Hope Award for his commitment to social change, and in early 2016 he was named to the charity’s Board of Directors.
Source: CharityBuzz
Read More
thaverak

$4.99 Apple Music subscriptions now available to eligible students in seven countries

By     No comments:
As first reported by TechCrunch, Apple’s begun offering half-price Apple Music subscriptions to students who are enrolled in an eligible college or university.
Costing just $4.99 per month in the United States with the same features as the regular $9.99 per month plan for consumers, the fifty percent discount is now available to students in the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, Denmark, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand.
The company is working with UNiDAY, a student verification technology provider, to ensure that students who sign up are actually enrolled in classes.
The 50 percent student discount is available for up to 4 years following enrollment. The years needn’t be continuous so those who take a break in between semesters can still sign up for a student membership when they return to school.
“In addition, those who are enrolled in Master’s programs are also able to sign up for a student membership, as it’s aimed at anyone attending college or university, regardless of degree,” explains the publication.

Both new and existing subscribers can sign up for the new plan from the web or the Apple Music mobile application for iOS and Android.
Apple’s boss Tim Cook said on a conference call with analysts last month that Apple Music currently claims thirteen million paying members, up from ten million subscribers two months prior.
The service is said to be getting a much needed makeover this summer at WWDC, with an overhauled interface apparently being easier to use. Other improvements are in tow for Apple Music next month, too, including integration of lyrics, a new Browse section, combined music downloads and streaming and other enhancements.
Source: TechCrunch
Read More
thaverak

Design of Apple’s ‘A11’ chip for 2017 iPhones and iPads has been finalized

By     No comments:
Taiwanese component makers are currently scrambling to fulfill orders as the Cupertino firm is getting ready to kick off production of this year’s upcoming iPhones and iPads.
Moreover, Apple’s engineers should now be close to completing work on a 2017 iPhone and have certainly been developing a 2018 iPhone for some time now.
Trade publication DigiTimes wrote in a new report that Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited (TSMC), a foundry that builds chips for Apple, has now taped out an Apple-designed ‘A11’ chip that will power 2017 iPhones and iPads.
“TSMC is expected to achieve certification on its ten-nanometer process in the fourth quarter of 2016 and deliver product samples to the customer for validation in the first quarter of 2017,” reads the article.

What does “taping out” refer to?

In semiconductor talk, “taping out” refers to the completion of a chip’s initial design, paving the way for the creation of so-called photomasks that will be used to print the actual chips. This is an important milestone in chip production as taped out designs allow semiconductor makers to kick off the verification and test production phases ahead of mass production.
If all goes well, TSMC could begin small-volume production for A11 chips as early as the second quarter of 2017, but don’t write off Samsung yet—the South Korean conglomerate is still going to obtain about one-third of the overall A11 chip orders from Apple, as per DigiTimes’ sources.

A11: faster, smaller and more power efficient

Not much is known of the kind of power that the A11 chip will bring to next year’s iOS devices. DigiTimes states that these chips will be fabbed on TSMC’s ten-nanometer FinFET process. By comparison, the current generation A9 chip inside the iPhone 6s is being built on TSMC’s 16-nanometer and Samsung’s 14-nanometer process technology.
The ten-nanometer FinFET process is a state-of-the-art technology that has yet to be used in mass production of mobile chips. It will result in smaller semiconductor dies which consume less power and run faster than the chips built on 14 and 16-nanometer processes.
Photo courtesy iFixit.
Source: DigiTimes

Read More

Thursday, April 21, 2016

thaverak

Qualcomm is “assuming” that Apple will give LTE modem orders for iPhone 7 to rival Intel

By     No comments:
Shares of Qualcomm have dropped two percent after CEO Steve Mollenkopf told analysts on an earnings call Wednesday that it may lose some of its “biggest customers” as they are going with a “second source,” Bloomberg reported.
The fabless chip maker’s been Apple’s exclusive supplier of LTE modems for over three years now.
That’s about to change soon: Mollenkopf is now “assuming” that a major customer will give orders to a rival, indicating a potential loss of business for the company. Analysts said they think the customer is Apple and the rival is Intel.

Bye, bye Qualcomm—hello, Intel!

Apple and Samsung are two biggest customers of Qualcomm’s.
Samsung has already cost Qualcomm its business as the new Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge smartphones feature Samsung’s in-house designed Exynos 8890 system-on-a-chip that combines processing and graphics cores, memory and an integrated LTE modem on a single die. Samsung’s own built-in LTE modem supports Cat.12 download speeds (up to 600Mbps) and Cat.13 uploads (150Mbps maximum).
As for Apple, the next iPhone is said to pack in an Intel-made LTE modem.

Intel only a temporary solution?

The chip giant, according to one analyst, has secured orders for a “significant portion” of cellular modems on the upcoming iPhone 7. DigiTimes first reported in August 2015 that Intel might provide provide some of the modem chips for 2017 iPhones. Venture Beat corroborated the Digitimes report, claiming Intel has allocated more than a thousand engineers toward developing chips for the iPhone.

Apple will eventually build LTE modems into its own chips

Other rumors have suggested that Apple is interested to actually develop its own LTE modem and build it inside a future A-series processors, a feat that would further reduce the number of chips used on iPhones and enable additional power savings, efficiency and integration.
The iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus include Qualcomm’s MDM9635M LTE chip, part of its ‘Gobi’ modem platform. The chip doubles LTE download speeds while operating more efficiently than its predecessor, the Qualcomm MDM9635M LTE modem found inside the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus. It claims, however, the same 50Mbps uplink speed as its iPhone 6 counterpart.
Image: Qualcomm’s MDM9635M LTE modem chip on the iPhone 6s logic board.
Source: Bloomberg

Read More

Tuesday, March 29, 2016

thaverak

KGI: 5.8″ AMOLED iPhone with iPhone 4-like curved glass design due in 2017

By     No comments:
Last month, supply chain sources claimed Apple was working to launch a 5.8-inch iPhone featuring rigid AMOLED display panels some time in 2017.
And now, KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has said pretty much the same thing in his most recent analysis issued to clients yesterday, a copy of which was obtained by AppleInsider.
The device should have a curved glass casing similar to the design of the iPhone 4 and iPhone 4s and a “completely new form factor design” with narrow bezels providing a “more comfortably grip.”
“We expect the 2017 new iPhone model to adopt a structural design similar to that of iPhone 4/4s, meaning it will be equipped with glass on both the front and back sides, and a metal frame surrounded the edges,” reads Kuo’s note to clients.
That rumored iPhone should also have a curved screen, too, but overall the device may look smaller than the 5.5-inch iPhone 6s Plus due to the rumored narrower bezels and optimized design.
Other features mentioned in Kuo’s report include wireless charging and even stuff like facial or iris recognition as an additional layer of biometric security.
In addition to glass, Apple is experimenting with plastic and ceramic casings but glass is their preferred material because “plastic doesn’t offer thin and light form factor designs, and it would be not easy to precisely control the tolerance of ceramic.”
Apple could either market a 5.8-inch AMOLED iPhone as a replacement for the current generation’s 5.5-inch model or add it to the lineup as a new flagship model if it faces constrained supply of AMOLED panels.
“If the supply of AMOLED panel is sufficient, we believe it is more likely that the first scenario will happen, in which case a 5.8-inch AMOLED model will entirely replace the 5.5-inch TFT-LCD iPhone,” Kuo said.
Long used on Samsung’s Galaxy S series and some other high-end Android devices, AMOLED technology provides better screen visibility at direct sunlight, crisper colors and deeper blacks while consuming a fraction of the power of the traditional LCD IPS technology employed on all iOS devices to date.
Source: AppleInsider
Read More
thaverak

Apple to hold Q2 2016 earnings call on April 25

By     No comments:
Apple has scheduled an earnings call to discuss its second fiscal quarter results for Monday, April 25, 2016 at 2:00pm Pacific Time, 5pm Eastern Time, according to a note on the Apple Investor website. The conference call will discuss Apple’s financial performance during a three-month period ending this month following its lucrative holiday quarter.
The quarterly earnings statement will be released thirty minutes in advance of the conference call. The company provided revenue guidance of $50 to $53 billion for the quarter and gross margin between 39 and 39.5 percent, prompting concern among investors as these numbers represent Apple’s first revenue decrease in thirteen years.
We will also get our first glimpse of any potential impact of the new iPhone SE, which goes on sale this Thursday, and the iPad Pro, which launched in October 2015, on Apple’s bottom line. But don’t count on seeing official numbers for the Apple Watch: the company has maintained from the beginning of Apple Watch sales that it won’t be divulging the number of units sold for competitive reasons.
First and second calendar quarters are typically quiet periods for the company as sales of latest iPhones begin to show decelerate because many people hold off purchasing the handset in anticipation of a new model.
Apple is widely expected to announce an ‘iPhone 7’ this fall.
During the holiday quarter, the company moved 74.8 million iPhones and reported $18.4 billion profit on $75.9 billion in revenue.
Source: Apple
Read More

Saturday, March 26, 2016

thaverak

Best iPhone SE insurance: AppleCare+ vs. SquareTrade vs. Other warranty options

By     No comments:
If you are planning on purchasing the new iPhone SE , you may want to consider adding an insurance option to protect your device in case of damage, loss or theft. This optional coverage extends Apple’s one-year limited warranty, which already covers any hardware defects in the phone. In this column, we will discuss the benefits of AppleCare+ and compare it with other warranty plans available from SquareTrade and wireless carriers. 

AppleCare+

AppleCare+ is the de facto insurance option that many iPhone owners add to their handset. It can be purchased directly from Apple and extends the hardware warranty on the phone from one to two years. It also adds additional customer service options and covers accidental damage under most conditions. AppleCare+ is available as an optional add-on when you purchase your iPhone, but you also can add it on later. If you decide to add AppleCare, you must purchase it within 60 days of purchasing the phone. You also may be required to bring the device in for inspection or conduct a remote test to validate that the phone is in operational condition
AppleCare+ for the iPhone SE costs $129 and provides two years of coverage. You will receive two accidental claims that’ll replace your phone in case you crack the screen or damage the phone by dropping it in water. Each accidental damage claim for the iPhone SE requires a $79 service fee, slightly less than the $99 fee for the iPhone 6s/6s Plus.
To service the phone under AppleCare+, you can either send the phone into Apple or visit an Apple retail store for repair or replacement. Unlike carrier insurance, AppleCare+ does not cover lost or stolen devices. I learned from the first-hand experience that if you drop your phone into a lake and can’t retrieve it, then you are out of luck. AppleCare+ also will replace any defective or broken iPhone headphones, a defective Lightning cable or a battery that has been depleted by more than 50 percent within your warranty coverage period. If you jailbreak a device, Apple will refuse your warranty repair. If you require service on your jailbroken device, just restore your device to factory settings before bringing it in for service.
AppleCare+ is available internationally and is transferrable, so you can transfer your iPhone to someone else, and the plan goes along with the device. You also can cancel the policy at any time and receive a pro-rated refund.

SquareTrade

Third-party companies like SquareTrade offer an affordable alternative to AppleCare+, but there are a few catches. The SquareTrade plans provide three years of coverage for $139 ($4/month), two years for $119 ($5 per month) or one year for $69 ($6 per month). The warranty extends the manufacturer warranty as well as provides up to three accidental damage claims with a $99 deductible.
SquareTrade is less expensive than AppleCare+, but it is not as convenient as AppleCare+. To receive service with SquareTrade, you can send your iPhone in to be fixed after you’ve paid the deductible. This mail-in service is the most convenient option, but you will be without your phone for several days while it is being fixed. You also can to go the Apple Genius bar or a third-party repair shop to have your iPhone fixed. In these cases, SquareTrade will reimburse you for the repairs. Only certain repairs are reimbursable including a cracked screen, camera failure, battery failure, liquid damage, charging port failure, touchscreen malfunction, headphone jack problems and others. Similar to AppleCare+, SquareTrade does not cover the loss or theft of devices.

Wireless Carrier Warranties

Most carriers offer a warranty service that you can add onto your monthly wireless bill. These plans are similar to AppleCare and SquareTrade in that they cover manufacturer defects, offer accidental damage coverage and include a deductible. Unlike AppleCare and SquareTrade, these policies also cover theft and loss, providing you extra protection in case you no longer have your phone. They are more expensive than other warranty options, but some people may prefer paying a bit more for this loss/theft protection.
Pricing varies between carriers, so you will have to check with your provider for detailed information. For example, AT&T offers its Mobile insurance on most phones for $7.99 per month with a deductible that decreases over time. A claim within six months of purchase will cost $199 while a claim within 6-12 months is $149 and claims after 12 months require a $99 deductible. You are eligible to file two claims of up to $1,500 each in any 12-month period.

Retailer Warranties

Last bu not least, a few select retailers also offer warranty service through third-party companies that’ll repair your phone after you send it to them. Best Buy, for example, offers a warranty on smartphones that costs $7.99 a month or $159.99 for two years. There is a limit of three claims with a service fee that varies based on the price of your device ($149.99 for phones under $799; $199 for phones over $799). Out of all the available insurance options, retailer warranties tend to be the most expensive.

Credit Card Warranties

If you own a Visa, MasterCard, American Express or another credit card, you should check the terms of your card to see if they offer any form of insurance when you use the card to purchase a device. Plans will vary, but you may be eligible for insurance at a rate that is much lower than competing services.

Conclusion

Purchasing a warranty is useful, but not a necessity. It all depends on how much you want to spend, how well you take care of your iPhone and what retailers or stores in your area. If you opt not purchase a warranty, then you should invest in a durable case and screen protector to protect your phone from an unexpected drop or water damage. Is your current iPhone covered by a warranty plan? Do you plan adding one when your purchase your next phone? Let us know in the comments.
iPhone SE Buyer’s Guide:
Like this post? Share it!

Read More

Friday, March 25, 2016

thaverak

Deal: Best Buy has sweet discounts on iPhone SE, iPhone 6s, 9.7″ iPad Pro and Apple Watch

By     No comments:
If you’re thinking about getting an iPhone SE or Apple’s new 9.7-inch iPad Pro, you might want to check out the new promotions over at Best Buy. The electronics retailer is currently offering notable discounts and deals on both devices, as well as on the iPhone 6s and Apple Watch.
For starters, if you purchase and activate an iPhone SE with a two-year contract and sign up for a free My Best Buy Mobile account, they’ll throw in a free $50 gift card for good measure. The offer is valid if you get the device on monthly installments, too.
Those who are in the market for Apple’s new 9.7-inch iPad Pro can trade in their existing iPad 2 or newer model and receive a $100 gift card for the new model purchase.
But that’s not all.
How about a cool $300 off a Wi-Fi + Cellular edition of the new iPad Pro on a two-year Verizon plan? Or, buy any iPhone on a two-year Verizon contract and an iPad Pro and you’ll get $350 off.
Both deals are in-store only.
Best Buy is accepting online pre-orders for the new iPhone SE and the 9.7-inch iPad Proand also has some cool deals for customers who’d purchase an iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus or Apple Watch.
For example, you’ll receive a free Beats Pill 2.0 speaker if you buy/lease and activate a 64GB or 128GB iPhone 6s or iPhone 6s Plus with Sprint Lease or monthly installment plan for Verizon Wireless, AT&T or Sprint.
That particular deal is in-store only.
As for the Apple Watch, they’ve discounted all Apple Watch models by up to $100 from their original prices before Apple slashed the lineup by $50 at the ‘Let us loop you in’ event.
Specifically, you can get a 38mm aluminum Apple Watch Sport model with a Sport band for just $249 at Best Buy ($299 for the larger 42mm model), or $449 for a 38mm stainless steel Apple Watch model with a Sport band (add an extra $50 if you’re picking up a 42mm model).
By comparison, the 38mm aluminum Apple Watch now starts at $299 over at the Apple Store, or $349 for the 42mm model. As for the 38mm stainless steel Apple Watch, that one will now set you back $549 through Apple, or $599 for the 42mm variant.
It’s worth mentioning that these are prices for the stainless steel model with Apple’s new Woven Nylon band while Best Buy currently offers the new band only with Apple Watch Sport models.
On a related note, the Apple Online Store is now offering all new Apple Watch bands that were introduced at Monday’s event with an in-store pickup (select Personal Pickup at checkout).
Read More

Thursday, March 24, 2016

thaverak

The iPhone SE Battery Outlasts the iPhone 6S and Samsung Galaxy S7 in One Stress Test

By     No comments:
The iPhone SE might not be a flagship device, but that doesn’t mean it’s not worth picking up for fans of 4-inch smartphones. Especially if they’re at all interested in battery life.
The Wall Street Journal put together a review of Apple’s newest 4-inch iPhone, and one of the major takeaways is the improvement in battery life, especially compared to much higher-end and expensive devices.
Specifically, the reviewer put a stress test together, which cycles through websites with a uniform brightness applied to each device, and discovered that the iPhone SE lasted 10 hours. That’s actually two hours longer than what the iPhone 6s and iPhone 5s brought to the table. Perhaps even more interestingly, the iPhone SE lasted three hours longer than Samsung’s newest flagship, the Galaxy S7.
“The standout news is battery life. Unlike many other recent Apple products, the iPhone SE’s is a significant improvement over its predecessors’. In my lab stress test, which cycles through websites with uniform screen brightness, the SE lasted 10 hours—more than two hours longer than both the iPhone 6s and iPhone 5s, and nearly three hours longer than the Galaxy S7.”
Of course, the display size and resolution/features have to be considered here. The iPhone SE’s display is a 4-inch panel with a resolution of 1136×640 and doesn’t feature things like 3D Touch. To compare, the iPhone 6s screen measures in at 4.7 inches with a resolution of 1334×750; while the Galaxy S7’s screen measures in at 5.1 inches, and boasts a resolution of 2560×1440.
Still, considering the iPhone SE starts at $399 –$250 less than what the iPhone 6s starts at– it’s a feather in the smaller iPhone’s cap, to be sure.
Like this post? Share it!
Read More

Tuesday, March 22, 2016

thaverak

9.7-inch iPad Pro and iPhone SE confirmed to have 2GB of RAM

By     No comments:
With Apple’s announcement of the iPhone SE and 9.7-inch iPad Pro on Monday at the ‘Let us loop you in’ event, there has been a ton of excitement over the amount of power built into these smaller packages.
Following the event, iDB shared the tech specs of the iPhone SE and the tech specs of the 9.7-inch iPad Pro, but one of the things Apple never shares and prefers to keep to itself are the RAM specs for its devices. New information on Tuesday reveals both devices come with 2GB of RAM.

2GB of RAM

First shared by TechCrunch‘s own Matthew Panzarino, who managed to get a hardware statistic app to run on the devices while going hands-on with it, 2GB of RAM is present on both the iPhone SE and 9.7-inch iPad Pro.

Good or bad?

For the iPhone SE, 2GB of RAM is a good thing. It puts the device on par with the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus, which both have 2GB of RAM themselves. As shown with the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, 1GB of RAM just doesn’t cut it, and may cause issues with device performance.
On the other hand, seeing 2GB of RAM on the 9.7-inch iPad Pro is a bit of a disappointment because it’s a shocking downgrade from the 12.9-inch iPad Pro, which comes with a hefty4GB of RAM. For professionals, who will be doing a lot of multitasking with large apps on the iPad Pro, 4GB was an exciting number.
Unfortunately, because the little brother of the larger iPad Pro has half of the memory, it puts it more inline with the iPad Air 2 than anything else, and further supports the notion that the 9.7-inch iPad Pro may be an overpriced iPad Air 2 upgrade with a starting price tag of $599and going up from there.

Wrapping up

For many, this is going to be a deal-breaker that will have consumers flocking either to the larger 12.9-inch iPad Pro, or to the slightly older iPad Air 2, which received a slight price drop as of yesterday’s announcements.
2GB of RAM is perfect for the iPhone SE because it’s smaller and can perform well on it, but a pro tablet like the 9.7-inch iPad Pro would have been expected to come with the same 4GB that comes in its bigger brother. This is because such a device is targeted towards an audience that will use different kinds of software suites, like Office, iLife, and iWork, which are naturally memory hogs.
What are your thoughts on seeing 2GB of RAM in both the iPhone SE and 9.7-inch iPad Pro? Share in the comments!
Source: MacRumors
    Read More
    thaverak

    Charge in style with the HoverDock iPhone Dock

    By     No comments:
    Just Mobile introduced a new HoverDock iPhone Dock at CES, delivering a perfectly minimalist answer to our charging needs. With a modern design and a sturdy, steady presentation, it’s the ideal display charging dock – and for a limited time you can pick it up for $27.95 from iDB Deals.
    “HoverDock is the low-profile charging bed for iPhone,” said Nils Gustafsson, Co-founder of creator Just Mobile. It’s also another of Just Mobile’s iconic charging dock which blends the minimalist design and exquisite aluminum craftsmanship together.” .
    HoverDock is surrounded by an aluminum ring, with a soft-touch top section, and cable management hidden inside the dock, accessible through a removable plastic-and-rubber base. Cleverly, HoverDock’s base can be rotated to further retract the Lightning cable (though you’ll have to supply your own cable). The dock offers the sense that a Lightning-based iPhone is floating, hence the name HoverDock.
    At 20% off, your charging needs are met in style and substance – get the HoverDock iPhone Dock.
    Read More

    Monday, March 21, 2016

    thaverak

    Video roundup: Hands-on with the new iPhone SE and 9.7-inch iPad Pro

    By     No comments:
    Apple earlier today officially took the wraps off of the iPhone SE and iPad Pro 9.7-inch. While the two devices are largely similar to devices we’ve seen in the past, there are a few tweaks here and there that people have been requesting to get a look at. Members of the press who were in attendance of the event at Apple’s campus in Cupertino had an opportunity to go hands-on with the new iPhone and iPad and videos have been rolling in…
    Jon Rettinger of TechnoBuffalo went hands-on with the new 9.7-inch iPad Pro at the event in Cupertino, showing off features such as its new True Tone display, the infamous camera bump on the back, noting of the increased price, and more.
    Furthermore, Rettinger also showed off using the Apple Pencil with the iPad Pro 9.7-inch, as well as the new, smaller Smart Keyboard accessory made for the device, as well as the new rose gold color variant that is exclusive to the smaller iPad Pro model.
    TechnoBuffalo’s video can be seen below:
    TechnoBuffalo also went hands-on with the iPhone SE, showing off the new rose gold model of the device, as well as the speed and performance, camera capabilities, and more.
    The Verge and CNET also both went hands-on with the new 9.7-inch iPad Pro. The outlets showed off the Smart Connector on the side of the device. Dieter Bohn of The Verge noted that the keyboard on the smaller iPad Pro requires some getting used to, but overall is fine.
    Sascha Segan of PCMag also got to try out the iPad Pro, as did Lance Ulanoff of Mashable. Segan noted of how the 9.7-inch iPad Pro is nearly the same as the iPad Air 2 in terms of size and weight, but the speakers are much more powerful.
    Moving on to the iPhone SE, Dieter Bohn of The Verge compared Apple’s latest flagship 4-inch device to the iPhone 5s, showing off the few design differences that there are, such as the matte border around the edges. Bohn also showed off the device’s support for Live Photos, but lack of 3D Touch. Segan of PCMag noted of many of the same things, showing off the speed of the device and more.

    Read More
    © Copyright 2016 News4World. Designed by News4world. Powered by Blogger.