O'Grady's PowerPage

Category: iPhone

  • Apple releases statement that iPhone Battery Warning utility might not function as intended

    This probably calls for a software update in the near future.

    Following news that a new iOS feature warned users if an iPhone battery can’t be verified as genuine, Apple released the following statement defending its stance.

    “We take the safety of our customers very seriously and want to make sure any battery replacement is done properly. There are now over 1,800 Apple authorized service providers across the US, so our customers have even more convenient access to quality repairs. Last year, we introduced a new feature to notify customers if we were unable to verify that a new, genuine battery was installed by a certified technician following Apple repair processes.

    This information is there to help protect our customers from damaged, poor quality, or used batteries that can lead to safety or performance issues. This notification does not impact the customer’s ability to use the phone after an unauthorized repair.”

    The warning indicates that users can’t check their iPhone’s battery health upon going to Settings > Battery > Battery Health. This is due to Apple batteries featuring a special chip that allowed for it to run diagnostics.

    Batteries that don’t come from an Apple authorized service provider or from Apple itself may feature this chip. The warning appears in iOS 12 and iOS 13, affecting the iPhone XR, iPhone XS, and iPhone XS Max.

    Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.

    Via The Mac Observer

  • Rumor: Apple could opt for “Pro” monicker with next-gen iPhone models

    Apple may go the “Pro” naming route with the next-gen iPhone models.

    CoinX, a noted and reliable Twitter leaker, said that Apple looks like it will use the Pro suffix branding for the new iPhone.

    The source previously corrected named the iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max and iPhone XR a week before their debut. They also stated the exact weight of the XS Max, described the default wallpaper set and even the asymmetric grille hole arrangement seen in the iPhone XS line.

    While CoinX doesn’t clarify the naming, he stated that there are several ways Apple could incorporate the “Pro” moniker into its upcoming iPhone lineup.

    This could mean that Apple is readying an “iPhone” and “iPhone Pro” tiered lineup, using the new XR as the “iPhone” and the triple-camera iPhone 11 as “iPhone Pro”.

    Apple could also retain the numbers and opt for both “iPhone 11” and “iPhone 11” product names upon launch.

    The “Pro” features could model themselves after the current rumors and incorporate a new square camera bump which incorporates a third, ultra-wide, lens. The three lenses are arranged in a triangular configuration. There have also been some discussions of a new matte texture for the back glass.

    Other rumors for the next-gen iPhones center around new antennas for precise indoor positioning, the 7 nanometer A13 processor, and bilateral wireless charging that will allow users to charge their AirPods by placing them on the back of the iPhone.

    Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.

    Via 9to5Mac and Twitter

  • Rumor: Next-gen iPad, iPad Pro units could transition from single-lens cameras to multi-sensor arrays

    The current stirrings from the rumor mill have Apple debuting new iPad Pro and iPad variants in October, both of them moving from single-lens cameras to multi-sensor arrays.

    Per an anonymous Chinese supply chain source, it was stated that Apple’s next-gen iPad could feature a triple-lens camera array, while a 10.2-inch entry-level iPad might benefit from a dual-sensor solution similar to iPhone XS. 

    Both models are rumored to launch in October. 

    The rumor also stated that diagrams of related accessories are currently “floating around,” albeit the official Apple products and/or third-party add-ons are unknown.

    Adopting multi-sensor rear-facing cameras in two new iPads would be an unprecedented move for Apple, as the company has yet to migrate dual-lens shooters to its tablet line despite first integrating the technology in 2016’s iPhone 7 Plus. The setup, which incorporates a wide-angle and “telephoto” lens, was later used in 2017’s iPhone 8 Plus and iPhone X, and last year’s iPhone XS and XS Max. 

    The iPad Pro has not been updated since a massive redesign with a full-face display and Face ID were launched in 2018. The 9.7-inch iPad was redesigned in 2018, making both models due for a refresh.

    If the rumor is true, this would put both the iPad Pro and iPad lines on par with the iPhone’s camera technologies, as the next-gen iPhone is rumored to be released in September with a triple-sensor camera design as well as a super-wide angle lens.

    Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.

    Via AppleInsider and Mac Otakara

  • Apple working on folding iPhone, folding iPad, 2021 release date more likely for folding iPad, which is expected to be released first

    Apple’s future might be foldable.

    Per a new note addressed to investors from USB, Apple is “steadily working on technology for folding devices. The note suggests that while a folding iPhone is en route, Apple could release a folding iPad.

    While Apple could release a folding iPad in 2020, the note states that 2021 is a more likely release date for the device.

    Per CNBC:

    UBS said Samsung “dominates” intellectual property filings for folding display and device technologies, and the bank expects “Samsung will lead the way for foldable adoption as a smartphones vendor.”

    But Apple is steadily working on the technology and UBS believes a folding Apple product could come next year, although it said “2021 is more likely.” UBS thinks the first folding Apple product is more likely to be an iPad than an iPhone.

    It’s thought that price will be the latest obstacle to adoption, and while customers are willing to pay a premium for a folding device, they won’t pay something along the lines of the $2,000 asking price of Samsung’s Galaxy Fold.

    The survey found that most consumers were willing to pay $400-500 extra for a folding device, though Apple owners would pay a little more.

    “Price remains the key hurdle in most consumers’ minds, while the adequate average premium vs regular smartphones surveyed to be c. US$400-500,” UBS analysts wrote in a note to investors.

    The bank said that the idea of a folding smartphone held ‘reasonably high’ appeal for more than a third of consumers, with China likely leading demand.

    A number of Apple patents have surfaced for foldable devices, and it’s thought that the company is actively working on the technology. Still, Apple may want to put more time in than Samsung did with the Galaxy Fold, which sold well via pre-order, but within 48 hours, was found to have major problems as reviewers tested the device back in April. Samsung then delayed the product launch until May prior to canceling pre-orders. Its latest claim is that the Galaxy Fold will launch in September.

    Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.

    Via 9to5Mac and CNBC

  • Apple reportedly set to announce iOS, macOS bug bounty programs starting later this month

    If you’re looking to turn your Mac bug hunting efforts into money, you’ll have a chance soon.

    Apple is reportedly set to launch its Mac bug bounty program before the end of August. Recent reports have noted the company handing out iPhones to top hackers during a briefing at its headquarters.

    Apple is also expected to announce plans to offer security researchers iPhone handsets at the Black Hat security conference in Las Vegas later this week. This program is expected to make it easier for Apple to find weaknesses in iOS’ security features.

    The company is also expected to be announcing an Apple Mac bounty, offering users who find researchers in macOS significant cash awards. Apple has declined to comment.

    The iPhones will be given to the rock star hackers that participate in the Cupertino company’s invitation-only bug bounty program, where participants disclose bugs in Apple products in return for monetary rewards. Payments can go as high as $200,000, as announced at the 2016 Black Hat conference

    Stay tuned for additional details as they become available.

    Via The Mac Observer and Forbes