O'Grady's PowerPage

Category: iPhone

  • iOS 13 beta code strings offer direct hints at Apple’s Augmented Reality glasses, project

    With Apple’s announced media event on September 10th, the company may have its augmented reality (AR) glasses coming down the pipeline sooner than expected. A discovery in an internal iOS 13 development build suggests Apple hasn’t stopped developing its rumored augmented reality (AR) glasses, revealing some details about the unreleased device.

    The AR glasses are currently thought to be unveiled in 2020 at the earliest.

    Recent builds of the iOS 13 betas have seen new AR tricks, which helps indicate that Apple is laying the foundation of what will eventually become the operating system for the AR device. The code is thought to be based on iOS, and are thought to function like a companion device to an iPhone, requiring a connection to an iPhone to an operate, as the Apple Watch currently does.

    iOS beta testers noted a startester app that can switch in and out of head-mounted mode “presumably to replicate the functionality of an augmented reality headset on an iPhone for testing purposes.” The test includes two modes, “Worn,” and “Held,” which lends credence to the idea that this is a test function for the AR glasses.

    An internal “README” file in iOS 13 notes a “Starboard” shell system for stereo AR apps, which could indicate the use of a headset. Other code strings with names like “Views” and “Scenes” an “ARStarboardViewController” and “ARStarboardManager” mention AR functionality even more directly.

    Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.

    Via Boy Genius Report, MacRumors, and iDrop News

  • Apple distributes invitations to September 10th media event

    The rumors were true.

    On Thursday, Apple sent out a wave of invitations to the media announcing its September 10th event to be held at Apple Park.

    The tagline is “By innovation only” and features a multi-colored Apple logo. The rumor mill currently has it that green and purple models might be available as new additions to the iPhone XR’s color lineup.

    Other persistent rumors for the 2019 iPhones include a new naming scheme (such as the “iPhone Pro”), two new models with three cameras, a matte finish for the back glass, improved Face ID, and the removal of 3D Touch.

    We’ll see what happens come September 10th, and stay tuned for additional details as they become available.

    Via The Mac Observer

  • Apple releases iOS 13.1 developer beta 1

    Albeit the official release of iOS 12 is still weeks away, Apple has begun beta testing iOS 13.1 within its developer community. This is a highly unusual move, especially given that this is a point release being externally tested before the prior version is finished.

    This first major update to iOS 13 will bring several features that appear not to be in the initial iOS 13 release. The early timing makes us think that iOS 13.1 will be release relatively quickly after iOS 13, perhaps even by late September when the new iPhones are expected to release.

    According to initial reports, the following new features could be found in iOS 13.1 that won’t be seen in the initial iOS 13 release:

    Shortcuts Automations: This functions as an upgrade to the Shortcuts feature in iOS. Automations allows your Shortcuts to run automatically once certain conditions are met, as opposed to triggering them manually. For example, a workout playlist can begin when you start a workout on your Apple Watch, or turn on all your lights when you arrive home, all hands-free. 

    Share ETA in Maps: Estimated times of arrival can be shared with your contacts via Maps.

    Dynamic Wallpapers: Dynamic Wallpapers feature new colors and designs, and are also available on more devices.

    Volume slider icons: The new volume slider shows icons of the type of device connected, such as AirPods, Powerbeats Pro, or HomePod.

    HomeKit icons: HomeKit icons are new, and feature more detailed icons for your HomeKit devices.

    iOS 13.1 is expected around the end of October, and the first external beta tests usually begin around mid-September, the time the official release. Users could also see iOS 13.1 release early in October, or possibly even late September, around the time when we expect the new iPhones to ship to customers and stores.

    Via Macworld

  • AT&T, FTC, settle data throttling lawsuit from 2014

    Wireless carrier AT&T has apparently reached a settlement with the Federal Trade Commission regarding its data throttling practices. The two parties have reached a settlement regarding a case that originally began in 2014.

    Details of the settlement are still unknown, but a recently published federal court ruling says the deal was reached on August 2nd, with the parties subsequently requesting a 90-day stay to allow the FTC to review the details. Past reports have suggested the deal will include an injunction as well as a monetary payment.

    The FTC initially filed suit against AT&T over what it claimed were deceptive unlimited data claims. The complaint cited that AT&T failed to inform customers that their speeds would be significantly throttled if they used a certain amount of data per month. This rule applied to users who had been grandfathered in to AT&T’s early “unlimited” data plans. The FTC, in turn, argued that customers were not getting what they initially signed up for.

    AT&T responded by saying the throttling affected only a small number of users, and that those users were notified via text when the throttling kicked in. The carrier called the claims made by the FTC “baseless” and “baffling.”

    A 2016 appeals court decision stated that AT&T’s “common carrier status” meant that it didn’t have to disclose the throttling per the FTC. A 2018 legal decision, however, stated that the FTC could move forward with its case against AT&T, and that data services were not part of common carrier status.

    The practice that the FTC initially sued AT&T over is now common among carriers in the United States, the differentiator seemingly being better disclosure. It’s unclear what, if anything, the FTC’s settlement with AT&T could mean for the rest of the industry and consumers.

    Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.

    Via 9to5Mac and Reuters

  • Trump says he and Apple CEO Tim Cook discussed tariffs on Friday evening

    President Donald Trump stated that he spoke with Apple CEO Tim Cook about tariffs as well as South Korean competitor Samsung.

    Trump stated that Cook made a “good case” as to how it would be difficult for Apple to pay tariffs, especially when Samsung does not face this obstacle given how much of its manufacturing takes place in South Korea.

    “I thought he made a very compelling argument,” Trump told reporters on Sunday. The president said he had dinner with Cook on Friday evening.

    Trump has presently ordered 10 percent tariffs on an additional $300 billion in goods imported from China. All of the tariffs were scheduled to go into effect on September 1st, but Trump has delayed some of the import duties until December 15th given concerns as to how they might impact the holiday shopping season.

    “It’s tough for Apple to pay tariffs if it’s competing with a very good company that’s not,” Trump said.

    From its end, Apple is expected to release its next-gen iPhone models in December.

    Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.

    Via CNBC