iOS 9 Built-in Apps

Apple is improving built-in apps that iOS already has and even bringing new default apps to iOS 9. Every-time the company expands functionality of some of its existing apps or introduces new apps it tends to disrupt the business of some of the third-party apps.

News

In iOS 9 Apple is all set to introduce News which will bring personalised news stories based on the type of articles you read and the topics you are interested in. Sounds a bit like Flipboard right? Apple will be releasing special set of tools to enable publishers to create content for the News app. This content will include immersive design, interactivity and beautiful typography.

These special print style layouts would be great for editorial and in-dept articles.

Notes

The Notes app in iOS 9 is getting a lot of love from Apple. The updated app will allow you to do more than just note taking. It now includes creating a checklist, adding photo, map or a URL to your note. Another addition to the app is the ability to sketch with your finger.

I use Notes app a lot and even though my devices have many third-party apps I’ve always gone back to the default Notes app in iOS. These new features would certainly make Apple’s Notes app a whole lot powerful and iCloud syncing will support all these features between OS X and iOS.

Maps

Ever since Apple and Google’s maps licensing ended, the company has been hard at work to improve its mapping solution. Apple Maps were initially criticised for inaccuracies and limited features. In iOS 9 Apple is bringing Transit vier with routes and directors. The new maps app will also include Nearby search to find local businesses from categories such as Food, Shopping, Fun, and more.

Wallet

Passbook has been renamed to Wallet app in iOS 9. It will not just store credit cards you use but also include reward and loyalty cards. You will be able to use Apple Pay to redeem rewards or apply offer.

CarPlay

Apple has pulled the cord from CarPlay for the new cars that support wireless connection to your iPhone. You can have your iPhone in the pocket never take it out and still access CarPlay. The updated app will also support apps developed by car manufactures so that you can use the car’s features without leaving CarPlay.

iOS 9 for iPad

With iOS 9 Apple has taken multi-tasking on the iPad to a whole new level. The upcoming software update will support slide over, split view and picture in picture which will utilise the true potential of the iPad. Apple has also improved the QuickType feature introduced in iOS 8.

Multitasking

Slide Over allows you to quickly take action in another app without ever leaving the first one. Split View allows you to have work in two apps simultaneously. Picture in Picture takes any video content and floats in on the screen when you press the home button.

QuickType

Selecting text, copying and pasting while these tasks have been very easy to do on iOS. However, for getting some serious work done receptively selecting text, copying and pasting involves constantly lifting your finger from the keyboard the tap and hold on the screen to have controls appear on the screen. All this is changing with iOS 9. Two finger tap on the new keyboard in iOS 9 for iPad transforms it into a trackpad allowing you to move the cursor and then use dedicated keys for cut, copy, paste, text formatting and adding attachments.

Intelligence

Siri received a major upgrade in iOS 8 and now with iOS 9 it is getting much better. Apple is allowing Siri to search built-in apps to source answers, deliver results faster and even offering suggestions proactively.

Siri can now offer you quick access to different apps depending on the time of the day and your location. It can automatically create events when it detects invitations in an email and much more.

Foundation

Apple has made a number of under-the-hood refinements to iOS 9 to make its performance faster and even improve battery life.

One of the biggest hurdles in users upgrading to iOS 8 was the amount of free space the software requested for over-the-air update. In iOS 9 Apple has reduced it by more than 70%. A new developer API called App Thinness will allow the App Store to download assets for the app that match the users screen density.

Security has also been improved in the OS. The devices will now require a six-digit passcode. Two-factor authentication will be required when you sign in from anew browser or on a new device.

Conclusion

iOS 9 brings many features that will enhance users productivity in performing day to day tasks. Intelligence and improved multitasking are certainly some of the best new features in iOS 9.

The public beta will be available in July followed by final release this Fall.

Apple has been meticulously planning the launch of Apple Watch, with advertising in full swing, getting print ads in top magazines, integrating fitness blog page by top model Christy Turlington Burns and also giving third-party app developers access to the hardware much before the launch.

Unlike the iPhone that launched without the App Store, the Apple Watch just like the iPad will launch with many third-party apps available on launch day. Apple has been showcasing apps like Target, American Airlines, Instagram, Twitter, ESPN and many more.

YouVersion the developers of The Bible app for iOS earlier today announced the availability of The Bible app for the Apple Watch. The app will be available when the Apple Watch ships.

The Bible app for Apple Watch includes features from its iOS app specifically reimagined for the watch. The app will bring Verse of the Day, Friends Notifications, Trending Verses and Your Verse Images, Bookmarks, and Highlights.

The developers state that their mission with the app is to simply, “help you engage with the Bible.”

Because we’re convinced that when you spend time with the Bible, either reading or listening, and then carefully reflect on what it’s saying to you, God’s Spirit will do something inside of you. His words will change you, make you into a new person. Ultimately, His words will draw you closer to Him.

Seven years ago when the App Store for the iPhone was launched YouVersion’s Bible app was amongst the first 200 apps approved for the launch day. Just like the iPhone version, the Apple Watch version will also be available on launch day.

Have you pre-ordered the Apple Watch yet? Share the model you’ve ordered in the comments section below.

Here are some of the top iOS 8.3 enhancements / fixes you need to know:

1. Emoji

Apple has revamped the UI for emoji keyboard and also added more than 300 new emojis. The new additions also bring diversity options such as changing the skin tone of the people emojis. To access the skin tone variations tap and hold the emoji to change the default colour.

Tip: Don’t know what some of the emojis mean? Type them in the Notes app and have Siri speak.

2. Password Settings for App Store

In iOS 8.3 Apple allows you to change how frequently should the App Store prompt you for your Apple ID password. You can set it to always require password or require after 15 minutes of having entered the password.

The next setting is something that I had always wanted to exist in iOS. You can now “finally” turn off the requirement for password for free downloads. Yes, finally!

3. New Siri Languages

Siri can now understand even more languages. The new update adds support for: English (India, New Zealand), Danish (Denmark), Dutch (Netherlands), Portuguese (Brazil), Russian (Russia), Swedish (Sweden), Thai (Thailand), Turkish (Turkey).

4. Tell Siri to call a contact on speakerphone

Ever since I started using Siri while driving I never understood why Apple wouldn’t include support for Siri command, “call on speakerphone”. Well now with iOS 8.3 you do just that. This is another step to keeping all eyes on road and operating your phone hands and eyes free.

5. Fixes. Lots of Fixes.

iOS 8.3 brings many bug fixes so if you ever tried to do something and it failed or did not work reliably you should try doing that again. From issues like iOS 8 preventing autocorrecting “FYI” to WiFi, bluetooth issues and much more. Apple has fixed a lot of issues and even claims to improve performance for app launch, responsiveness and more.

Overall, iOS 8.3 is a highly recommended update for anyone who wants a reliable and stable experience on their iOS device.

Have you upgraded your iPhone or iPad yet? Did you notice any other significant changes? Let us know in the comments section below.

Apple took the lead from Samsung that sold 73,032 units during the same time period. For comparison in the year ago quarter Apple sold 50,224 units while Samsung sold 83,317 units. With iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 plus Apple captured the pent up demand for iPhone with a large screen.

Samsung continued to be the top smartphone vendor in the entire year selling 307,597 units while Apple sold 191,426 units. Samsung sells smartphones in almost all price categories from low-end to high-end and offers different options from budget phones to flagship phones.

Apple has continued to sell only one flagship phone each year until it introduced the iPhone 6 in two variations. iPhone 6 Plus has proved to be a major hit in the Asian markets where Samsung’s large Android phones were the bestsellers.

Samsung recently announced its two new flagship phones called Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge, the design is strikingly different from anything that the company has offered before. With aluminium enclosure, glass back, no external SD card slot and non-removable battery it could be closest thing to owning an iPhone running Android.

It will be interesting to see what will be the impact on market share in Q2. Do you think Samsung will take back the lead from Apple? Let us know what you think in the comments below.

Using force touch Apple Watch can provide the user with new user interactions and offers an unobtrusive way to access menu within an app or even change watch faces. According to AppleInsider’s report which cites people familiar with the matter, Apple could be looking at including the same ‘force touch’ technology in the upcoming ‘iPhone 6s’.

While describing the technology Apple refers to force touch as the “most significant new sensing capability since Multi‑Touch”. Apple introduced multi-touch technology first on the iPhone, then on the iPad and it was also extended to its trackpad. The company is known to offer unified user interface across all its devices so it is possible that after Apple Watch iPhone 6s could be the next device featuring the new technology.

It is interesting to note that the report mentions that Apple was working on including the technology even on iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 plus however, due to technical reasons it was scheduled for inclusion in the next iPhone. It is possible that with phone screens getting bigger, sensing force could be a great way to add contextual menu’s in the middle of the screen to avoid stretching your thumb all the way to the top.

Apple is holding ‘spring forward’ special media event on March 9 where the company is widely expected to announce Apple Watch apps, availability and pricing. As the watch becomes available sometime in April we will have to wait and see how ‘force touch’ can change the way we interact with touch based interfaces.

The company created the accessory featuring a full backlit keyboard, battery indicator, smart typing, dedicated lock key  and more. The design and aesthetics of the device does resemble the physical keyboard found on old BlackBerry phones.

The Canadian smartphone manufacturer was quick to notice the similarities and sued Typo. BlackBerry won an injunction however, in response the keyboard maker launched second-gen model called Typo 2 which they believe does not infringe on BlackBerry’s patents.

According to a new report published by The Hollywood Reporter, BlackBerry has filed a second lawsuit against Typo alleging that Typo 2 continues to infringe on BlackBerry’s intellectual property.

The court announced an award of $860,000 to BlackBerry as Typo continued selling its original keyboard despite the injunction. BlackBerry has now demanded for for “enhanced and exemplary” damages for Typo’s continued infringement.

Since iPhones’ introduction in 2007 now every smartphone features touchscreen keyboards. Some device makers initially did try to differentiate their offering from the iPhone by offering a physical keyboard however, that strategy hasn’t worked too well as such phones have clearly not become a huge success.

Typo and Typo 2 caters to a niche segment that still prefers the old-school physical keyboard typing experience. Typo 2 design features flat keys that reduces its resemblance to BlackBerry’s keyboards however, it blocks the home button / Touch ID sensor on the iPhone 6.

Are you a fan of Typo 2 for iPhone? What do you think about BlackBerry suing Typo Innovations LLC? Let us know in the comments below.

Apple’s plan to replace Gorilla Glass with sapphire glass in iPhone 6 didn’t go so well as their partnership with GT Advanced resulted in dissolution due to production issues.

Apple and Corning’s Gorilla Glass share a long history. When Steve Jobs was working on the original iPhone he didn’t want to use a plastic screen, instead wanted it to be made of glass. Since glass screen would have been too easy to break someone recommended that Jobs should see what Corning was doing. At that time Corning was developing the Gorilla Glass technology however, it wasn’t ready for mass production. Jobs ordered a ton of Gorilla Glass and kept telling Corning CEO Wendell Weeks, “Don’t be afraid. You can do this.” In 2007 Apple introduced the iPhone with Gorilla Glass.

Corning’s Gorilla Glass has seen tremendous improvements since it began its first mass production in 2006. Gorilla Glass 2 was 30% thinner than the former, Gorilla Glass 3 used an entirely new composition. Gorilla Glass 4 which is expected to be featured on smartphones, tablets and other devices this year is twice as shatter-resistant in drop tests when compared to previous version.

It’s obvious that Apple makes for a large part of Corning’s revenue and they would’ve seen Apple’s move to consider sapphire for iPhone 6 as a possible threat. The company seems to have taken that as a challenge and started work on offering the same scratch-resistance as sapphire with ‘Project Phire’.

Competition in most cases can lead to innovation and if ‘Project Phire’ turns out to offer what Corning is promising then it is possible that Apple will continue to use Corning’s technology in upcoming iOS devices. Coring didn’t immediately provide any demo video or live demonstration of its new technology however, we can expect the company to share an update soon.

Glass used on smartphones and tablets is increasingly becoming another core technology. Apple has consistently shown interest in owning core technologies as it did try to “own” glass technology by partnering with GT Advanced for sapphire production.

It will be interesting to see if Apple continues to rely on Corning for its screen technology or develop something new.

Corning Gorilla Glass 4 Video

If you consider only mobile cameras then Apple sweeps the top 5 category with top four ranks featuring iPhone 5, iPhone 4S, iPhone 4 and iPhone 5c. In 2013 the original iPhone was at the fifth position but this year Samsung Galaxy S3 replaced the fifth spot.

The most interesting rank in the stats shared by Flickr is that Apple is now the second most popular “camera brand”. Last year the company featured at third position.

When the original iPhone was launched in 2007 it featured a modest 2 MP camera with no flash and not many editing or sharing features. It was the iPhone 4 that received a major camera upgrade. It’s been eight years since the launch of the first gen iPhone and the improvements the company has been making to it’s camera is clearly winning the hearts of its users.

Apple introduced the all-new iPhone 6 in September 2014 and within 3 months it already featured at number 7 claiming 1% share of top mobile cameras according to Flickr. With new features like Focus Pixel, improved face detection, image stabilisation, burst mode and exposure control Apple is making sure that it retains the top spot in 2015 as well.

It is important to consider that it is not just the camera hardware but, also the software that made iPhone reach this far by enabling easy edit and share options. The Photos app in iOS 8 received a major upgrade adding photo filters, advanced exposure, light and color controls.

Unlike its competitors Apple hasn’t focused on “megapixels” what it has done is focus on making it easier for users to take great photos.

We’ll have to wait until the end of 2015 to find out if Apple can retain its existing position or it may just topple Canon for the number one camera brand.

Set in a fantasy world full of monsters and magic, Outcast Odyssey tasks you with exploring your surroundings and collecting treasures, as well as defeating the various creatures that you encounter in RPG-like battles.

Your weapons of choice in these battles are – of course – cards. There are hundreds of hand-drawn cards available to collect in Outcast Odyssey – many of which can be enhanced and even evolved to create more powerful variants.

You won’t just be battling monsters in Outcast Odyssey, mind. Through the game’s PvP mode, you can compete against other players from around the globe and even earn weekly prizes if you manage to outshine your opponents.

Are you a fan of joining guilds with other players? If so, you’ll be pleased to hear that you can do just that. In fact, you can battle outcasts from opposing guilds in the game’s arena for the chance to pick up ‘great rewards’.

Outcast Odyssey is now available to download worldwide for free. Be sure to grab it for your iPhone and iPad [download] right away. The game will be available for Android-powered smartphones and tablets very soon.

Trailer

Gallery

This is a sponsored feature.

Having access to important documents on your iOS devices has proved to be one of the key factors that has lead to the growing adoption of iPhone and iPad in business. Apple understands the importance of having powerful business tools and as a result they’ve been aggressively marketing iWork suite of apps for iOS.

If you often use MS Office for creating documents, presentations or spreadsheets then iWork for iOS might not be the best solution. Even though you can import and export MS Office docs using iWork you will often run into compatibility or formatting issues.

Polaris Office previously $19.99 and now $0.99 (for limited time) offers more than 230 editing functions and features  Microsoft Office document compatibility that will put your worries about editing documents on iOS devices at rest. The developers of Polaris Office are working on a new version 5.0 update that will enhance compatibility features and add more cloud services.

The app allows you to create documents in .doc, .docx, .xls, .xlsx, .ppt, .pptx and .txt format. The user interface is simple and easy to follow. Selecting an element and then tapping the inspector button will expand options in the keyboard area where all options are arranged in vertical tabs.

One of the unique features of the app is the ability to take photos within the app and then apply border, light and other effects. To help you with the creation process Polaris Office even features 15 templates, 18 2D/3D charts and 80 figures.

For those who can’t live without creating spreadsheets for budgets, shopping lists, or sales records, Polaris Office features over 300 functions. The list of features in this app is huge it almost feels like the entire MS Office was squeezed to a 4inch display (when on iPhone). If these features were not enough, you can even directly open zip files and in slideshow mode you can use pointers or even scribble on the slides.

The blogosphere has been reporting on rumours about Microsoft developing MS Office apps for iPhone and iPad, but you can buy Polaris Office for just $0.99 and your wait just got over.

Polaris Office has cloud based storage services such as Google Drive, Dropbox, Box, cloud built in so you will never lose access to your files whether you created them online or edited on your iOS device.

Overall the app is robust in terms of the features it provides. The app has been downloaded over 400 million times and for a limited period the app is available at 95% off sale. If you’ve always been looking for an app that offers MS Office compatibility and editing features then get this app before the price goes up.

Ubisoft is all set to launch Rabbids Big Bang for the iPhone and iPad on October 17th. It is a physics-based game where you get to control little mammals called Rabbids.

Rabbids belong to the race of bunnies that have evolved over a hundred years. The Earth is not enough for them so they are taking a journey to space to explore and make it their playground.

You get to pilot the Rabbids using jetpack boots and gravitational pull of the planets. The goal is to avoid accidents by flying around various obstacles.

The game will include 150 different missions including “crash-landing landing on planets, bouncing off of space cows and reaching specific speeds.” Ubisoft in a press release revealed that Rabbids Big Bang will include lots of customisation options such as upgrading jetpacks, dressing up Rabbids and much more.

Rabbids Big Bang for iPhone and iPad will be priced at $0.99. Ubisoft shared a few screenshots of the game with us. The 3D game environment reveals that you will collect bunny coins and you will have limited fuel to complete your journey around the planets.

Physics-based games have proved to be a popular genre on the App Store. Angry Birds has been one of the most successful series in this genre. In Angry Birds Space we saw the birds fighting the pigs in space.

We will have to wait for the launch of Rabbids on iPhone to see how exciting will the gameplay be and if it manages to get us addicted.

In the top five most popular cameras in the Flickr community Apple’s iPhone takes the first three spots with iPhone 5, iPhone 4s and iPhone 4. Clearly more people take photos with their iPhone than any other camera and upload it to Flickr. The popular online photo management and sharing giant now has more to offer.

Flickr has updated its iPhone app for iOS 7 which now features auto-upload feature. I could not test the feature at the time of writing as the app refused to let me sign in and gave an error which said that it could connect to Flickr servers.

Photos last a lifetime on Flickr where every picture is saved and displayed in full resolution. And with a free terabyte of space, your photos will always have a place to call home.

Flickr for iPhone gives you 1TB of storage which in comparison to Apple’s PhotoStream 1000 image upload limit is probably the most amazing feature of the app. It also includes free filters and stores all photos in full resolution.

The app also features privacy settings that allow you easily set photos as private or public. The latest version also includes auto straighten for your photos using the Flickr editor. Goggle sign-in issues have also been reportedly fixed.

If you had been looking for a seamless photo uploading and sharing service then Flickr for iPhone is certainly worth giving a try. Let us know if you’re using Flickr and if you like the service.

iOS 7 was released worldwide on September 18th and according to a new report 36% of iPhone users have already upgraded to the new mobile operating system.

Mobile analytics firm, Mixpanel, provides an SDK tool for developers to integrate custom event analytics platform in the apps. The graph of iOS 7 adoption when viewed by hours shows how dramatically the launch suddenly resulted in the fall of iOS 6 share and thus increasing iOS 7 share.

Apple’s iOS 7 is a complete redesign of the mobile OS and features over 100 new user features. With iOS 7 now users have access to control center, new notification center, HD voice for Siri, AirDrop, dynamic wallpapers, FaceTime audio and much more.

Another repot was made public by ad network Chitika that estimates first 24 hours iOS 7 adoption at 18%. The variances in both reports is very high as each relies on the number of apps displaying their tracking code. It’s interesting to note that Chitika released figures of iOS 6 adoption which was 15% and on the other hand iOS 5 took five days to reach 20%.

Since the introduction of over-the-air updates in iOS 5 Apple has helped in accelerating the adoption rate of iOS. It’s very easy and quick to update the entire OS without requiring any cables or PC.

In an interview with Bloomberg Businessweek, Apple CEO, Tim Cook commented on Android market share and highlighted the issue of fragmentation. Even as Android continues to launch new versions it takes several months before users get the updated version as it has to go through several different network operators and hardware manufacturers.

Apple’s integration of hardware and software services enables the company to make new versions of the software available to all its users near instantly. During the special iPhone media event Cook shared that Apple is on track to sell 700 millionth iOS device in September.

Apple unveiled the all-new iPhone 5C during a keynote presentation on September 10th, the phone is now available for pre-order in 10 countries. The company began taking preorders for iPhone 5C at 12:01 am PT on September 13 on Apple.com.

iPhone 5C is also available for pre-order at major carrier partners. The phone is available in 5 colours: green, blue, pink, white and yellow. 5C is available in 16GB and 32GB models and is priced at $99 and $199 respectively with a two year contract. List of countries where the pre-orders have gone live include: U.S., Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore and the United Kingdom

Technical specifications of iPhone 5C are similar to last years iPhone 5. It features a dual-core A6 chip, 8 megapixel rear camera, 4 inch retina display however, the shell of the phone is now polycarbonate. Apple has improved the front facing camera by featuring a 1.2 megapixel camera and the battery has been slightly improved.

Many believed that iPhone 5C will be a budget phone but, the phone will retail at $549 without a contract which is still very expensive. Apple’s strategy continues to remain the same. The company doesn’t want to cut down its margin and will offer its smartphone at premium price.

Mid-priced smartphones running Android have become increasingly popular in Asia for Samsung. Apple feels confident to compete in the $500-$700 range even for a phone with specifications same as last years and a polycarbonate body.

Third party retailers are offering discounts on the iPhone 5C even before it launches. Walmart is offering 5C at $79 with a two year contract. Even T-Mobile has a deal for no money down and 24 monthly payments of $22.

Will you buying the new iPhone 5C? What is the best feature according to you? Let us know what you think in the comments below.

We’ve been reporting about the rumors and various leaks surrounding the fingerprint sensor in iPhone 5S. Photos of the home button flex cable that leaked last week was a strong indicator about the inclusion of the new sensor in iPhone 5S. Additionally, packaging of the upcoming iPhone was also leaked that showed silver button on the home button.

All the recent leaks and rumors have provided significant proof that we will indeed see Apple announce the new iPhone 5S with a fingerprint sensor. Analysts have repeatedly predicted Apple’s purchase of Authentec to be closely tied in with the fingerprint sensor making it to the iPhone. Now, The Wall Street Journal has also confirmed the rumor based on sources close to the matter.

Placing a finger on a computer or smartphone has long been proposed as a way to avoid the need for passwords to authenticate users of computers and other devices. People familiar with the matter said last week that Apple will include a fingerprint scanner on the more expensive of two iPhones it is expected to unveil Tuesday at an event at its Cupertino, Calif., headquarters.

Even though Apple’s iPhone may not not be the first smartphone to feature a fingerprint scanner, it is believed that Apple’s implementation of the feature is the easiest and seamless. Using fingerprint data to unlock devices or use as a replacement for passwords has been available on computers and phones however, the accuracy and reliability has always been a concern.

iPhone 5S will be unveiled at a media event being held today at the Town Hall Campus in Cupertino, Calif. It will be interesting to see how Apple uses the fingerprint scanning technology to make iPhone even more secure and easy to use.

The new iPhone 5S is expected to be unveiled in less than two hours at Apple’s media event being hosted at the Cupertino, Calif. Town Hall auditorium. Banners resembling the media invite have been put up at the gate entrance. It shows colorful circles with Apple logo in the middle.

iPhone 5S keynote event will go live at 10:00 AM PT. This years media event theme is, “This should brighten everyone’s day.” It is widely believed that Apple will announce iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C at today’s keynote event.

According to various rumors we’ve published in the past iPhone 5S will retain the same design as the iPhone 5. The highlight features in the hardware could be new fingerprint sensor, dual-led flashlight and new A7 processor. The camera sensor is rumored to have new slow motion recording feature. A patent filing we reported on yesterday also suggested that the home button fingerprint sensor could also feature NFC for contactless financial transactions.

Apple is also expected to announce the all-new low-cost iPhone 5C model which will have a polycarbonate body with the same design and tech specs as the iPhone 5. A special media event scheduled for September 11 for Chinese media could suggest deal with China Mobile to carry iPhone 5C on its network. With over 700 million subscribers, a deal with China Mobile could prove to be a huge win for Apple.

In addition to iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C, Apple will share updates on iOS 7 and OS X Mavericks release date. Are you excited about today’s event? Will you be upgrading your iPhone based on the rumors about the iPhone 5S? Let us know what you think in the comments below.

A new patent filing by Apple suggests that the fingerprint sensor in iPhone 5S could be combined with NFC for the rumored iWallet technology. Near Field Communications (or NFC) supports data transmission over short ranges, perfect for financial transactions.

Recent photo of the alleged iPhone 5S packaging revealed that the upcoming iPhone 5S home button will have silver ring around it to act as a sensor to read your fingerprints. Now, the patent which was filed back in March 2012 contains artwork which resembles the home button of iPhone 5S. The patent explores the possibility to embed NFC circuitry below the home button.

 Contactless payment system is not widespread in the US, however it has seen significant adoption in the UK, South-East Asian and mainland Europe. Apple has in the past not shown any interest in NFC publicly but, the company continues to make investment in “iWallet” product.

An electronic device may have electrical components such as sensors. A sensor may have sensor circuitry that gathers sensor data using a conductive structure. The sensor may be a touch sensor that uses the conductive structure to form a capacitive touch sensor electrode or may be a fingerprint sensor that uses the conductive structure with a fingerprint electrode array to handle fingerprint sensor signals. Near field communications circuitry may be included in an electronic device. When operated in a sensor mode, the sensor circuitry may use the conductive structure to gather a fingerprint or other sensor data. When operated in near field communications mode, the near field communications circuitry can use the conductive structure to transmit and receive capacitively coupled or inductively coupled near field communications signals. A fingerprint sensor may have optical structures that communicate with external equipment.

The European patent application has just been assigned to Apple which has lead many to speculate if Apple will indeed introduce NFC capable iPhone 5S. Contactless payment is a faster and easier to make payment when compared with the swiping, signing or entering pin method. However, risk about losing an NFC device capable of making financial transactions is certainly one of the disadvantages. NFC combined with fingerprint sensor could provide the ultimate security to authenticate any financial transaction.

Apple is known to adopt new technology only after thinking about its usefulness. It’s possible that the company stayed away from NFC until the inclusion of a fingerprint sensor in the iPhone.

iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C are rumored to be unveiled at a keynote event at a special media event on September 10th. Do you think iPhone 5S will finally include NFC? Let us know what you think in the comments below.

iPhone 5S release date will be announced on September 10th during the special media event. However, a few customers are already excited about the launch and have been spotted camping outside Apple’s Fifth Avenue Store.

Major Apple product launches have received great first day response and customers often camp days in advance in anticipation of the release. This year campers have again set out their chairs on the streets waiting to be the first ones to buy the new iPhone 5S.

Apple’s new iPhone is expected to be released on September 20th in the US. The company is widely rumored to unveil two models this year. iPhone 5S will be the flagship model while iPhone 5C will be a more affordable option for the mass market.

According to reports and leaks in the past it is believed that iPhone 5S will feature A7 processor, dual-led flash, fingerprint sensor and advanced camera software. iPhone 5C is expected to support a plastic body with 4-inch retina display running the same hardware specification as the iPhone 5.

In addition to the media event in the US, Apple is also holding an event for the Chinese media in Beijing on September 11th. This move is being seen as a breakthrough deal with China Mobile, worlds largest telecom operator with over 700 million subscribers. Asian market is of strategic importance for Apple and the company is making more and more efforts to capture market share.

Are you excited about iPhone 5S launch? Will you visit the Apple Store on the first day to buy one? Let us know what you think in the comments below.

{via 9to5 Mac}

Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) on Wednesday issued invites for a media event in Beijing scheduled to be held on September 11. AAPL is holding another event in Cupertino, Calif. on September 10 where Apple Inc. could announce the new iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C.

This is the first time Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) is holding the special iPhone event in China [Google Translate] in addition to the main event in the United States. It is being speculated that the media event in Beijing could suggest a possible deal with China Mobile, world’s largest telecom operator in terms of subscribers.

China is an important market for Apple to further its growth in revenue and market share. Apple executives have been in talks with China Mobile since many years however, the terms could not be agreed upon. China Mobile on record had stated many times that they were interested in bringing the revolutionary iPhone to their network.

As Apple is about to introduce the low-cost iPhone 5C and new iPhone 5S in gold and graphite color, it’s possible that these new launches could be closely tied to the China Mobile launch. The tag line on Apple’s invites states, “This should brighten everyone’s day” and the availability in multiple colors on the worlds largest telecom operator and at lower cost certainly reflect the theme of the event.

Analysts in the past have noted that Apple could see huge boost in China with the introduction of a low-cost phone. If Apple’s iPhone becomes available on China Mobile it could be considered a huge win for Tim Cook.

Apple has sent out media invites for iPhone 5S, iPhone 5C release date event. The iPhone keynote event as rumored in the past will be held on September 10th at 10 AM PST.

The media invite design has the Apple logo surrounded by colourful dots and carries the tagline, “This should brighten everyone’s day.” Apple is widely rumored to unveil the new iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C during the keynote presentation. Colorful dots could suggest the rumored iPhone 5C to be available in different colors. A number of leaks in the past seem to true about the new cheaper plastic iPhone.

New cheaper iPhone 5C is expected to be a major hit in the Asian market and could potentially grab significant market share from Samsung’s low-end Android phones. WIth 4-inch retina display, A6 Chip, 1GB RAM, 8 megapixel camera and a smartphone running iOS 7 at lower price point could be huge win for the Cupertino, Calif. based company.

On the other hand, Apple will also announce the all-new iPhone 5S. While the design of the new iPhone will remain the same as the iPhone 5, Apple is expected to announce significant hardware improvements. The new iPhone 5S is rumored to feature fingerprint sensor, dual led flash for low light pictures and improved A7 processor.

During the media event Apple could release iOS 7 golden master seed to the developers and the new mobile OS could be made available to users in a weeks time. We could also get an update on new OS X Mavericks.

The iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C could go on sale as early as September 20th with pre-booking starting about two-three days earlier.

{via The Loop}

The official packaging of the new cheaper iPhone 5C has leaked according to new photos published on the web. Apple is widely rumoured to unveil the next-gen iPhone sometime this month.

New photos have appeared on multiple online publications, the first set of photos appeared on Chinese site iApps.im and then on C Technology. The photos show an iPhone that appears to be enclosed in coloured plastic bodies. Judging by the looks of the iPhone 5C, the overall design resembles iPhone 5 with a plastic case around it.

The photos show blue, yellow and green colour iPhone 5C models. Apple’s next-gen products have often been subjected to leaks ahead of release date. The company’s supply chain is huge and its hard to monitor such leaks given the large scale production of the components.

Apple has gone one record to share their intent to double-down on secrecy however, year-after-year the number of leaks have only risen. Even though the company tries hard to retain the status of a secretive company that doesn’t believe in announcing plans about upcoming products, the rumour sites and their sources manage to get insider information.

iPhone 5C is Apple’s answer to the low-cost Android smartphones that are swarming the Asian market and grabbing significant market share. The new phone is expected to be priced at $399 without a two-year contract. The plastic body with hardware specifications same as iPhone 5 would significantly reduce the production cost for Apple.

With an entry price of less than $400 to the iOS ecosystem with a retina display smartphone could certainly create a stir in the market and create new demand for Apple. The new plastic model is expected to feature 8 megapixel camera and A6 chip with 1GB RAM.

If Apple releases plastic iPhone 5C would you buy it? Do you think this is a good move for Apple Inc.? Let us know what you think in the comments below.

{MacRumors, Sim Only Radar}

Apple has begun training its AppleCare support staff to tackle user questions regarding iOS 7. According to a 9to5Mac, the training is expected to be completed by the second week of September, in time for the release date of iOS 7.

iOS 7 is the biggest change to the iPhone OS since the introduction of the original iPhone. Every screen, button and color palette has been redesigned to give it a more clean and fresh look. Apple is anticipating customer “shock” when they see iPhone running iOS 7 and the support staff is being trained accordingly. The support employees are expected to explain potential customers that even though the operating system looks different the core functionality remains the same.

Training its support staff is extremely important for Apple since the changes in iOS 7 are quite drastic and could lead to a lot of questions. AppleCare support employees are reportedly going to focus on explaining customers the Find my iPhone Activation Lock feature, show how Photo Stream works, sharing files using AirDrop, new settings in Control Center, new Safari enhancements and more.

After ousting Scott Forstall, Apple CEO made Jony Ive the head of human interface design at Apple and iOS 7 will be the first mobile OS released under his leadership. iOS 7 is a complete departure from the design language used in previous versions of iOS. The new operating system has been given a more simplistic look without any heavy ornamentation.

Apple is rumored to release the GM version of iOS 7 on September 10th and also unveil the new iPhone 5S alongwith the cheap iPhone 5C.

iPhone 5S release date could be set for September 20th as T-Mobile has issued a vacation blackout for its employees starting 20th and ending 22nd. Apple is widely rumored to hold iPhone 5S media event on September 10th so its possible that 20th may in-fact be the release date for the new iPhone.

Apple’s carrier partners usually issue blackout dates in order to make sure that they have maximum workforce during the first week of the launch of a major product. iPhone launch day has traditionally witnessed long queues and such blackout dates have been reported in the past with other carriers as well.

This year Apple is expected to introduce two iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C. While iPhone 5S will be the flagship product for 2013, iPhone 5C will be a more economical model geared towards pre-paid users and the Asian market.

iPhone 5S is widely reported to feature dual-led flash, A7 processor expected to be 31% faster, new fingerprint sensor and advanced camera software supported by new motion sensors. The overall design of the new iPhone will remain the same as the current gen phone.

On the other hand iPhone 5C will support a polycarbonate body with a 4inch retina display and will sell in multiple colors. The hardware is expected to run on A6 chip and the same 8 megapixel camera.

If previous years launch is any indication then September 20th launch of iPhone 5S in the United States could be followed by the second round of countries about two weeks later.

{via TmoNews}

Clash of Clans, the hugely popular game for iPhone and iPad will be receiving the much awaited update later today. The developers posted an update on the official facebook page announcing the release of the new content update for Clash of Clans.

Supercell in the past had updated archers, barbarians, balloons and giants to level 6 and in a recent update wall breakers were also updated to level 6. In the latest update expected to go live in a few hours level 6 Wizard troops, level 8 Wizard tower and level 5 Freeze spell will be added.

In addition to introducing new high level troops, Clash of Clans will also receive a brand new player profile page where you’ll be able to view player statistics related to progress, clan status, wins and troop donations.

Hog Rider which is a dark elixir troop had been known to not be good troop for an aggressive attack strategy. However, in the new update Hog Rider now gets a favourite target, the defences. The attack power has also been increased as well as the training time has been reduced. This could result in new attack tactics and experimenting.

A common problem with clan elders was that few player on becoming a clan elder would kick members just for fun. It appears that Supercell has taken this into consideration and now the new update adds a cooldown period for elders who kick out clan members.

Other notable improvements include, new replay sharing where it shows loot and achievement progress can be tracked even after an achievement is fully completed.

The new update for Clash of Clans will be available today according to the developers.

{via Supercell}

The App Store has been a huge success for Apple’s iOS devices. The availability of high quality apps and games on the App Store is responsible for a thriving ecosystem of iPhone and iPad apps. The exposure and profitability of having apps on Apple’s app store has attracted both, established and indie developers to offer unique apps and games.

Having a large number of apps on the store and delivering the most relevant search results or even top app rankings is a complex task. Apple has repeatedly tried to experiment with the search results in the past. According to a new report Apple may be altering the algorithm for the top app charts.

The report published by TechCrunch refers to studies by app store chart analysing services. It appears that in late July the App Store started ranking apps with 4 or 5 stars higher even thought these apps didn’t see significant rise in download numbers according to Fiksu.

Apple has until now ranked apps in the top app charts according to the download numbers and how fast these are downloaded. So, if an app sees a large number of downloads in short period of time it could quickly rise on the charts. However, now it is being reported that  instead of using 15 minute refresh intervals now three hour window is used to update the App Store ranking. This would allow Apple to verify if the downloads are legit and not being driven by some automated software.

We suspect they are adding a ‘buffer’ period to prevent rank manipulation through short download bursts often associated with robotic downloads and other actions not in the best interests of the app ecosystem. Three hours allows enough time to identify anomalies and remove apps before they suddenly appear at the top of the rankings.

Another factor affecting the ranking could be user engagement according to Niren Hiro of SearchMan. Factors like how often user opens the app and how much time is being spent could also play a role in the top app ranking.

App discovery, improving relevance of search and appropriate top charts these are increasingly becoming crucial aspects and Apple continues to invest and research to enhance its performance.

{via MacRumors}