Taylor Swift on her tumblr blog posted details about why she wouldn’t let Apple stream her latest album 1989 on Apple Music. She had many words to praise Apple for “innovation and pushing the right boundaries” however, she clearly termed Apple Music’s policy of non-payment during trial period as “unfair”.

This is about the new artist or band that has just released their first single and will not be paid for its success. This is about the young songwriter who just got his or her first cut and thought that the royalties from that would get them out of debt. This is about the producer who works tirelessly to innovate and create, just like the innovators and creators at Apple are pioneering in their field…but will not get paid for a quarter of a year’s worth of plays on his or her songs.

To Apple, Love Taylor http://t.co/GN9jiRkqlj

— Taylor Swift (@taylorswift13) June 21, 2015

It didn’t take much time for Eddy Cue, Apple’s SVP of Internet Services, to reply to Taylor’s tweet:

Apple will always make sure that artist are paid #iTunes #AppleMusic

— Eddy Cue (@cue) June 22, 2015

#AppleMusic will pay artist for streaming, even during customer’s free trial period

— Eddy Cue (@cue) June 22, 2015

#AppleMusic will pay artist for streaming, even during customer’s free trial period

— Eddy Cue (@cue) June 22, 2015

We hear you @taylorswift13 and indie artists. Love, Apple

— Eddy Cue (@cue) June 22, 2015

Apple announced the change in policy on Twitter regarding Apple Music payments to artists and record labels during the free-trial period. The company has now decided to pay music owners per stream during the free-trail.

On one hand this move is being praised by everyone in the music industry while on the other, it raises questions about Apple’s ability to negotiate better deals with content providers in the future.

I am elated and relieved. Thank you for your words of support today. They listened to us.

— Taylor Swift (@taylorswift13) June 22, 2015

Now, that Apple will pay every artist during the free-trial we can expect the collection of music available at the launch of Apple Music to improve drastically.

What do you think about Apple’s change of policy? Let us know what you think in the comments below.

Just like most Apple products, Apple Music isn’t the first of its kind in the market. Apps like Pandora, Spotify, iHeart Radio and many more have been dominating the music streaming market.

Jimmy Iovine took the stage for the first time as an Apple employee during the WWDC keynote event and shared details about Apple’s upcoming music streaming service. Apple Music will allow users to stream unlimited music, offer 24×7 global radio station and include social media integration for artists to connect with their fans.

Apple Music will recommend songs based on the music you own and offer hand-picked playlists that match your taste in music. This will allow users to discover great tracks that otherwise could go undiscovered.

Beats 1 will be integrated into the default Music app on iOS 9 and will mark Apple’s entry into the world of radio stations as it will offer a global 24×7 channel for the latest music, interviews and culture.

Another feature as a part of the new music streaming service is Connect. It’s where artists will be able to share unreleased demo tracks, acoustic version of the latest hit, video shot in the studio and much more.

Apple Music will be publicly available on June 30 on iOS and Android. The service will offer a generous three-month trial and post that it will cost $9.99 a month for an individual user and $14.99 a month for family plan.

Apple Inc. is no alien to lawsuits and counter lawsuits. The most talked about lawsuit the company has been involved in is against Samsung. Time and again we hear that companies sue Apple for alleged infringement in the U.S.. However, this time Ericsson has beefed up its attempt to make Apple pay royalties by suing the company in Germany, the U.K, the Netherlands in addition to U.S. filings.

Kasim Alfalahi, Ericsson’s chief IP officer said, “Everybody needs to take a license for the technologies we are providing to them”. He further added, “It’s a very serious thing, regardless of who the company is.”

Apple Inc. had singed a licensing agreement with Ericsson and paid royalties for use of its intellectual property until the license expired in mid-January. Failed talks over renewal fees is likely the cause behind Ericsson now seeking court ruling in this matter.

When the news about this lawsuit broke Ericsson shared took a huge leap of 6.3 percent. The company ‘s market value has risen to $38 billion.

Apple in its complaint in January mentioned that Ericsson, “seeks to exploit its patents to take the value of these cutting-edge Apple innovations” and referred to their tactic as “abusive licensing practices.”

Legal battles aren’t new in tech industry and we will just have to wait and see how this one turns out. Many intellectual property activists have highlighted the need to reform patent litigation given the massive scale and implication of these lawsuits.

With all the attention Apple Watch is getting even Siri didn’t want to feel left behind. Apple has updated Siri’s quirky responses to show that even Siri is involved with Apple Watch preparations.

If you ask Siri “what are you doing right now?” you’ll get various responses related to Apple Watch. Some of the responses we got:

I was just chatting with the Apple metallurgists about Apple Watch. Those guys get the gist of metals.

Oh, you know, just helping to gather Zn-Mg “eta prime” precipitates for the 7000 series aluminium Apple Watch. The usual.

I’m helping to round up jellyfish for the Apple Watch. Ouch!

Since the introduction of Siri as a personal assistant in iOS, it has always been projected as an assistant with a certain “personality”. Sometimes you get moody responses and at other times Siri doesn’t hesitate to show disapproval of something negative you might say.

It’s always fun to discover new responses Siri comes up as it continues to make itself appear as a very intelligent personal assistant who is well aware of what is happening around you.

Siri even poked fun at Google Glass which used the catch phrase “Ok Glass” to get tasks done. If you said “OK Glass” to Siri it would respond with:

Glass? I think you’ve got the wrong assistant,

Siri is certainly excited about Apple Watch pre-orders going live today. Did you pre-order your watch? Let us know if you encountered any other unique Siri responses in the comments section below.

‘Spring forward’ banners have been put up at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts ahead of todays media event. The banners show the same Apple logo that was sent in the invite. Some onlookers also noticed an additional temporary building being constructed which is believed to be Apple Watch demo area. The temporary structure was seen guarded by security staff at all times.

Apple is expected to announce Apple Watch launch date for the U.S. alongside a few other chosen countries. We know that the Sport model will cost $349 however, the price for the Apple Watch and Apple Watch Edition has been unknown all this while. According to John Gruber of Daring Fireball here’s what the Apple Watch pricing could be:

Apple Watch Sport (all colors, with Sport Band): $349/399
Apple Watch, steel, Sport Band: $749/799
Apple Watch, steel, Classic Buckle: $849/899
Apple Watch, steel, Milanese Loop: $949/999
Apple Watch, steel, Modern Buckle (38mm only): $1199
Apple Watch, steel, Leather Loop (42mm only): $1299
Apple Watch, steel, Link Bracelet: $1499/1599
Apple Watch, space black steel, Link Bracelet: $1899/1999
Apple Watch Edition, Sport Band: $7499/7999
Apple Watch Edition, Modern Buckle (38mm only): $9999
Apple Watch Edition, Classic Buckle (42mm only): $10,999

According to another rumour Apple’s new SVP of Retail and Online sales Angela Ahrendts and SVP of Design Jony Ive collaborated to transform Apple retail stores to create new shopping experience for customers coming in to buy the company’s first wearable device. It is possible that Ahrendts makes her first appearance on stage to talk about the state of Apple retail.

Visit Apple’s website to live stream the media event. What are your expectations from today’s event? Do you think Apple will announce the Retina MacBook Air or new Apple TV? Let us know what you think in the comments below.

A photo posted by Dieter Bohn (@backlon) on Mar 9, 2015 at 7:46am PDT

Johnson who is from Long Island, had to reportedly spend 10 days in a burn unit. He suffered second and third-degree burns on his inner thigh. Apple in a statement to WABC-TV said that the company is investigating the matter. However, according to CBS New York Johnson is considering suing Apple for this mishap.

This isn’t the first time we are hearing about iPhone bursting for unknown reasons. There have been reports in the past about iPhone 4 catching fire and bursting. While in another case the phone blew up while it was charging.

Even though such cases have been fairly limited in number, it does raise concerns about faulty battery in certain devices. In the past, if any particular issue has been found with a component in the devices the company sells, it has initiated replacement and exchange programmes.

We will have to wait for the results of Apple’s investigation regarding this matter. As a general practice it is always advised to use original accessories for your devices to avoid any damage to the battery or other components.

Apple is providing a live stream of the special event. The event will go live at 10 a.m. PDT on March 9. Live streaming video requires Safari on OS X or iOS. Streaming via Apple TV requires second- or third-generation Apple TV.

It is widely expected that Apple will announce the release date of Apple Watch and share more details about the upcoming wearable device. Apple’s CEO, Tim Cook, has already hinted at April launch of the device however, we will get to know the exact launch date during the event.

Apple is also expected to showcase third-party apps developed for the Apple Watch, provide information on battery life and other features which weren’t showcased during the iPhone 6 event last year. Most importantly the event will finally end the suspense over Apple Watch and Apple Watch Edition pricing. So far all we know is that Apple Watch Sport will be priced at $349.

Apple Watch has been a topic of much discussion since its official announcement last year. Apple has worked closely with high-fashion media outlets such as the Vogue magazine to feature the upcoming Apple wearable device.

Are you excited about the Apple Watch event? Let us know what you think in the comments below.

The ad begins with showing a classroom with “Make a film with iPad” written on a blackboard and then goes on to show students preparing and shooting their video projects. Apple’s latest ad features voiceover by Martin Scorsese. Mr. Scorsese is regarded as one of the most significant and influential filmmakers in cinema history.

“Make a film with iPad” features excerpts from Martin Scorsese’s commencement speech to the NYU Tisch School of the Arts Class of 2014.

In addition to posting the new tv ad Apple has also posted videos of students of Los Angeles County High School, featured in the ad, sharing their inspiration and concept behind their video project.

As a disclosure Apple shared that the company provided iPads to the students for the purpose of creating their movies. The students used the iPad to write, produce, shoot, score, and edit their films.

The ad also highlights the apps and accessories the students used during the making of the video. The apps shown in the video include: Final Draft Writer, FiLMiC Pro, GarageBand, and VideoGrade. The students also used the Apogee MiC (available from Apple’s online store) to record high-fidelity dialogues.

Apple’s iOS tv ads have almost always focused on what you can accomplish with the devices rather than talking about the hardware specifications. This contrasts with its competitors ad campaigns that boast about camera megapixels, RAM and processors.

What do you think about Apple’s new iPad tv ad? Let us know what you think in the comments below.

The publication quotes Taipei-based analyst Jeff Pu who suggests that Largan Precision Co, a major smartphone camera lens supplier to Apple Inc. will “face limited earnings” due to slow transition to higher-resolution lenses.

Pu said that the camera specifications of the next-generation iPhone, dubbed iPhone 6S, will stay the same as the current iPhone 6 at 8-megapixels, limiting potential catalysts to push Largan’s stock price higher in the second half of the year.

The report published by Taipei Times contradicts Daring Fireball’s John Gruber belief that Apple may be working on major camera improvements for the next iPhone.

Apple has been following a pattern when it comes to launching new iPhone each year. The company introduces an all-new design one year and then follows up with the same design but with new processor and camera enhancements.

Most companies have launched new phones with more megapixels each year whereas Apple has retained the 8 megapixel camera since the iPhone 4s but, improved the sensor and added new technologies to allow users to take better photos.

Apple leads the list of most popular cameras on Flickr and to retain that spot the company would need to continue making the iPhone camera better each year. It will be interesting to see if Apple features a higher megapixel camera in the new iPhone. The new iPhones are likely to be unveiled sometime near September this year.

The ad showcases the entire process that goes into creating music, from writing the lyrics, making beats, remixing to filming the performance entirely on an iPad Air 2. Elliphant’s song “All or Nothing” was remixed specifically for this advertisement and it is estimated that Apple spent somewhere around $2 million for this.

In this ad we can see the recording artist using Pages to write lyrics and then GarageBand and Apogee Mic to record bits and pieces of audio. Then Riton, the producer makes beats using iMPC Pro and NanoStudio. DJ The Gaslamp Killer used Serato Remote to remix the song live while roaming the stage. The performance was filmed by  Director So Me using a specialized lens and handheld mount with the Manual Camera app.

In order to showcase iPad’s capabilities Apple has once again chosen to show real tasks done entirely on an iPad. Instead of highlighting hardware features or camera specifications the company continues to showcase apps from the App Store to show what you can do with the device.

The ad was debuted ahead of 57th annual Grammy Awards telecast. It is also believed that Apple CEO Tim Cook and SVP of Internet Software and Services Eddy Cue were the focus of attention at a Grammy party held by record producer Clive Davis.

Apple acquired Beats Music for $3 billion, the biggest acquisition in the history of Apple. The company has been reportedly working on integrating Beats music with OS X and iOS.

Watch the new tv ad below and let us know what you think.

We recently covered a story where we explained why Apple isn’t afraid of cannibalising its own products and the all-new Photos app is just another example of that. However, this time they have killed two of their powerful applications in favour of simplicity and making Mac apps work better with iOS devices. Earlier today, for the first time Apple made the new Photos app available for download to developers as a part of first beta of OS X 10.10.3.

According to David Pogue, “Photos is fast, slick, and very easy to learn and navigate”. Photos for Mac looks very similar to Photos for iOS. The new app will feature layout just like on an iPhone and iPad. With iCloud for Photos users will be able to store their entire photo library to the cloud and have them available across all Apple devices. Editing features like adjusting light, colour and more work just like on iOS and for the first time your edits will also be synced across iOS devices.

Every year we see Apple reducing the boundaries between OS X and iOS by re-writing existing apps and by enabling new capabilities. With Yosemite Apple introduced Continuity and Handoff that allows the user to switch between devices as if they are same but, just different in form factor.

Photos for OS X Yosemite is expected to be made available for download “this spring”.

What happened to the iPod product category? iPod sales were cannibalized first by the iPod touch and then iPhone slowly cannibalized sales of the iPod touch. Apple has never been afraid of cannibalising the sales of its existing products. Apple’s late CEO Steve Jobs famously said, “If you don’t cannibalize yourself, someone else will.”

Is iPad facing the same fate as of the iPod? Will the iPad soon not be a major source of revenue for Apple? To understand these aspects let’s get into the details.

From iPad Air to iPad Air 2 – Not a major product update

If we look at the current trend of iPad sales we see some interesting figures; in Q1 2014 Apple sold 26 million tablets compare that to Q1 2015 the company sold 21.4 million. In 2013 Apple launched the new iPad Air and in 2014 the company launched iPad Air 2. Apple sold more iPad Air’s than iPad Air 2 during their respective holiday quarters.

One of the most obvious reasons that explains the fall in sales figures for iPad Air 2 could be due to the new tablet not being a major update when compared to its predecessor. iPad Air was a radical redesign and added many enhancements however, the iPad Air 2 received a modest update with improvements being camera, barometer, new processor with motion co-processor, and Touch-ID. These updates were certainly not enough for users who already own an iPad Air to upgrade.

Was iPad just a fad? Before we jump onto any conclusions we need to delve further into the tablet category.

Different Upgrade Cycles

Unlike iPhones customers are not looking to upgrade their tablets every two-years. Our smartphones have to endure much more rigorous use each day compared to the tablets. So even if you still own an iPad that was introduced in 2012 it may still be working just fine. I have an iPad 2, Retina Display MacBook Pro and iPhone 5. Even though the second-gen iPad now lags in performance after iOS 8 update I still don’t see the need to upgrade. One possible reason could also be that after purchasing the latest MacBook Pro I have increasingly felt lesser need to work on my iPad.

Users’ tablet upgrade cycle will largely depend on what you use the tablet for. If it’s just for browsing, emails, and watching movies then you’re probably not going to upgrade every two years. If you’re into gaming and love to play games on your iPad then upgrading every two years makes sense as Apple upgrades the tablets with much more capable graphic chips and all AAA game titles are quickly updated to take advantage of new features.

Smartphones have also become an expression of showing off the latest gadget you bought as one obviously tends to use it more often no matter where you are. Tablets would probably never reach that level of attention. You don’t upgrade your MacBook Air or MacBook Pro every year just because a new model was made available.

If we look at iPhone’s upgrade cycle where the company introduces major improvements every two years and follows up with minor improvements the following year it still continues to outperform previous years sales figures. iPad category certainly won’t give the same results. There’s still a lot of scope for the tablet however, its adoption into new markets and industries is dependent on factors other than just faster processor and better camera.

More choice

Another reason attributing to the decline in sales could be the introduction of large screen iPhones. Users who would previously carry an iPad mini and an iPhone can now carry just an iPhone 6 Plus. Apple has been always accused of not offering much choice to its customers however, now its a different story.

There’s a 7.9 inch iPad mini, 9.7 inch iPad, 4 inch iPhone 5S, 4.7 inch iPhone 6, and 5.5 inch iPhone 6 Plus. So, even though iPad sales in particular may have been affected, it could potentially be getting converted into iPhone sales.

With the new range of choices now available to customers it may take a couple of years for the sales figures to stabilise and adjust as customers make their choice for their preferred device for various computing purposes.

Content

iPhone had a three years lead on the iPad. When the iPad was first introduced it was not until the iPad 2 that we started seeing a large number of companies creating apps for their employees. iPad’s growth depends a lot on the ecosystem of apps other than games and productivity category. As web developers, companies, educational institutions develop more and more content optimised for the tablet we will witness continuous rise in tablet sales. Apple made a great move to tackle this issue by partnering with IBM to create enterprise ready apps.

So, should Apple be worried about the state of the iPad? No!  Apple should not be worried about lower iPad sales as it leads in market share and competitors aren’t making much progress in differentiating their products from the iPad. Microsoft is offering desktop computer experience on a tablet however, it doesn’t appear to be working favourably for the company. So, clearly if someone needs a tablet they are still looking at Apple.

The tablet market exploded after the introduction of the iPad. Apple’s competitors are waiting on Apple to take the next leap so that they can copy it.

As long as Apple continues to make improvements and make more capable tablets each year, this category is here to stay.

Photos Credit: Ben Miller, Lap Fung Chan

Here are 5 interesting facts to note from Apple’s earnings call.

1. Apple beat every company in the world with the highest quarterly net profit.

Apple’s Q1 2015 net profit was more than any other company in the world. In the top 20 list of highest quarterly net profit Apple is the only consumer electronics company to be featured on the list, others are Oil & Gas companies. Apple is featured 5 times on the same list.

2. Apple made a net profit of $8.3 million every hour this quarter.

When you were happy that you got a good 7 hour sleep on a certain day, Apple earned about $58.1 million in the same amount of time. That’s not bad for a company whose entire product lineup could fit on top of your dinning table.

3. The billionth iOS device Apple sold was a Space Gray 64GB iPhone 6 Plus.

During its earnings call Apple’s CEO Tim Cook announced that on November 22nd the company shipped their 1 billionth iOS device. Apple has saved the billionth iOS device at the Apple HQ in Cupertino.

4. Apple Pay makes up more than $2 out of $3 spent on purchase using contactless payment in the U.S.

Within three months after launch of Apple Pay, the service now supports about 750 banks and credit unions. According to Apple WholeFoods saw a 400% increase in mobile payment since the introduction of Apple Pay.

5. iPad sales slumped this quarter.

While all major product categories grew in revenue and units sold, Apple’s iPad sales figures were lower than expected. In Q1 2015 Apple sold 21.4 million devices compared to 26 in the year ago quarter. Apple introduced the all-new iPad Air 2 and iPad mini however, this did not help Apple is posting record sales for the tablet.

A larger iPad with a screen size of about 12.2 inches could potentially compete with the MacBook Air. While Apple has never shown any interest in developing a touch compatible version of OS X, it remains unclear if the iPad Pro will run iOS or a modified version of OS X. Apple has been known to be working on screen splitting on iOS and it’s possible that iPad Pro may introduce this feature if it runs iOS.

According to KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple could also be working on a stylus for the iPad Pro which would probably be an optional accessory as opposed to being a required accessory to use the device.

The photo of the purported third-party case of the iPad Pro certainly appears to be significantly larger than the cases of iPad Air 2 and also shows four cut-outs for the rumoured stereo speakers.

Apple’s current line-up of tablets offer both 7.9 inch and 9.7 inch screen options. Making the iPad Pro just larger probably won’t be the only differentiating factor that Apple is looking at. For the “Pro” moniker the company could be looking at offering significant differences to the features of the existing line-up. At this time not much is known about the rumoured device. The new device could feature a more powerful A9 processor and more RAM.

Release date of iPad Pro is being speculated to be sometime this year. Apple is on schedule to release Apple Watch in April. So we can expect an Apple media event in September / October.

What do you think about the possibility of the iPad Pro. Will you buy one based on the features being rumoured? Let us know what you think in the comments below.

iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 plus launch was no different, it set all time high record for the company and until recently the company had been struggling to catch up with the demand. Due to differences in pricing, currency and contract terms iPhones are sometimes cheaper in certain countries when compared with others.

The black market is known to import phones from countries where it is available earlier or cheaper and make profit by selling at higher price. One Chinese man thought about doing the same, however the import technique he used was rather unique.

According to the report published by Huffington Post, the man strapped 94 iPhones to his body as he was allegedly smuggling the phones from HongKong to mainland China. The report mentions that the custom officials noticed his “weird walking posture, joint stiffness, muscle tension” and pulled him aside for questioning.

When I first saw the photo of the man with all those phones strapped to his body I was reminded about the iPhone 6 bendgate. I wonder if any of those 94 iPhone were bent during the course of his journey. While we may never find out if those iPhones did bend or not but, considering the fact that those were meant to be sold it seems that the man was fairly confident about his technique.

Apple is committed to increase the number of Apple Stores in China from 15 to 40 within two years. Making the devices available easily and on the same launch date as the U.S. may help discourage such activities in future.

The live streaming of the launch event will be available on Apple’s website and Apple TV. The live stream didn’t go so well during the iPhone event however, we hope that this time the company is well prepared to handle it.

Media invites were sent out by Apple last week which carried a tag line “It’s been way too long.” While it obviously doesn’t give much hint as to what the company will be unveiling, but it’s quite evident that the iPad lineup will be refreshed for the holiday season. Some are speculating that “been way too long” could be referring to iMacs finally getting Retina Display technology. Apple’s entire product lineup features the high resolution displays except the desktop computer.

We can expect an update on OS X Yosemite release date and it could be made available later this week. We can’t rule out that Apple TV could also be refreshed today. It’s been quite a long while since it has seen any major update.

iPad Air 2 could finally get TouchID making it easier for users to access secure information with the touch of their finger. NFC could also be included to facilitate ApplePay functionality.

A new processor, A8X will bring improved CPU and GPU performance and RAM could be bumped to 2 GB. It is unclear if the new processor will offer improved battery performance on the new iPad Air 2.

It may be hard to believe, but a lot of users do use tablets to take pictures and videos. The new iPad Air 2 is rumoured to feature 8-megapixel camera. We could also see Retina HD displays as iOS 8.1 code did reveal 3x graphics.

iPad mini 3 just like iPad 2 Air is rumoured to feature A8X processor, TouchID, and improved cameras.

What are your expectations from the event? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

After a few images of a bent iPhone 6 plus surfaced online the media took immediate notice and widely reported the “bendgate”. A video posted by Unbox Therapy demonstrated how putting a lot of pressure can bend the iPhone 6 plus went viral. As the mainstream media and even television shows took notice, it became obvious that Apple would soon have to issue a public response to iPhone 6 plus bending when someone tried to, you guessed it, bend the phone.

We reported on Apple’s response and the company even invited the press to iPhone testing facility to show how the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 plus go through a series of test to simulate real world usage.

Smartphone insurance company Square Trade’s verdict was simply that the latest phones from Apple are “more durable than any before them.”

Most publications which reviewed the device after testing it wrote highly about the new phones and praised Apple for creating the best iPhone yet.

If this wasn’t enough, Consumer Reports unhappy with the “unscientific” nature of the viral video went ahead and performed their own scientific tests to examine how much force does it take to break the new phones. The tests revealed that it takes 70 pounds to bend the iPhone 6 and 90 pounds to bend the iPhone 6 plus. The publication concluded “any of these phones should stand up to typical use.”

After reading multiple stories and watching many videos, here are my views and also an open letter to tech journalists.

Dear Journalists,

One thing is clear: Things break! That’s it. Things break!

If one puts enough pressure or handles things in a way it is not meant to then it would most certainly break.

I sincerely appreciate all the drop tests and bend tests that are published online. These videos show us the extent of damage that can be caused to our devices in case it suffers an extreme situation. While the iPhone 6 plus did survive the drop test here and here, it seems that it doesn’t pass the bend test.

I’ve wondered why this happens. Each iPhone bending video I watch shows the person trying very hard, gasping, pursing their lips, fingers shivering and skin blanching to the extreme while performing the bendgate. They are giving it whatever they have to prove that iPhone 6 plus bends when you put extreme pressure on it.

If the same people who performed this test actually took time and came back to report that the iPhone 6 plus bends under normal use over a period of maybe 15 or 30 days it would have proved to be a more believable story.

Only 9 out of the 10 million reported any bending issue, according to Apple. So, people who actually use their phone like a phone most certainly are not complaining about this issue.

One argument that has become common is that Samsung phones are large too, but it does not bend as much as iPhone. I agree. But, does Apple have to opt for plastic body so that we can be happy that it does not bend much when we intentionally want to bend it? I think Apple is probably not catering to such audience.

I actually wonder why Apple was never struck with “entanglegate” since the headphones entangle when you put it in your pockets. Shocking! Right?

iPhone 6 has an aluminium body and a glass front, the company does not claim either of the materials to be non-destructible. So, stop trying to prove the obvious by intentionally bending the phone. Instead try using the phone in real life and then come back and report if it didn’t meet your expectations. Apple is not responsible for people intentionally trying to deform the device, however if the bending occurs as a result of normal use then the device should be covered under Apple warranty and that story is worth highlighting.

It’s clear that there was pent-up demand for a large screen iPhone. With iPhone 6 plus launch Apple is all set to take the market by storm. iPhone 6 plus features 5.5inch Retina HD display , second generation 64-bit chip, improved camera sensor, NFC chip and more. iPhone 6 features nearly the same features as iPhone 6 plus except the display size which is 4.7 inch and doesn’t feature optical image stabilisation.

The new iPhones will be available in retail stores on September 19. Eager customers began queuing outside the stores much before the phone was announced. Apple may face shortage of stock to meet the release day demand. This has become a trend of sorts with all major product launches from Apple in the recent past.

Apple’s CEO, Tim Cook, didn’t hesitate to comment that iPhone 6 will be mother of all upgrades. Publications that have published early impressions seem to be highly positive about the new phones.

With both new phones featuring larger displays there is something new to experience for everyone. Apple Pay could also play a major factor in bringing in new customers as Apple plans to revolutionise mobile payments. Apple claims that Apple Pay will be easy, fast and secure. The service demo shown during the event involved bringing the phone near the NFC device and simply touching the Touch ID to authenticate payment. The company claims that it will not store any data on its server and will use token system to completely randomise every transaction without storing any sensitive information.

Bigger display, NFC, better camera, faster processor and thinner design that’s exactly what people wanted and Apple has delivered.

Did you manage to pre-order your new iPhone? Which one did you order, iPhone 6 or iPhone 6 Plus? Let us know in the comments below.

The campers often have an ‘agenda’ which is either to gain fame, promote their products or earn some money in exchange of the first spot in the line. Apple has been known to be extremely supportive of its customers lining outside the retail stores by offering food and coffee for free. Other companies are also eager to join the bandwagon by sponsoring the campers with their products of course.

Rob Shoesmith camped outside Apple’s retail store for 10 days in anticipation of iPhone 4S which got him a lot of media attention and sponsors. This year Jason and Moon Ray got the first spot after paying $2500 to Brian Ceballo and Joseph Cruz of BuyBackWorld. Jason and Moon Ray are promoting a health app called VideoMedicine which can used to videoconference with doctors.

This year Apple is widely expected to announce 4.7 inch and 5.5 inch screen iPhones. The next iPhone is rumoured to feature sapphire crystal display, improved camera sensor, new biometric sensors, improved battery performance and NFC chip. Analysts report suggest that Apple will finally enter the mobile payment segment with NFC enabled iPhone by partnering with American Express, Visa and MasterCard.

iPhone 6 / iPhone Air is also expected to be available in 128GB capacity in addition to 16GB, 32GB and 64GB models. The pricing of these models is unknown however, it is estimated that 5.5 inch model will cost $100 more that the current price points.

Apart from iPhone announcement the company is also rumoured to enter wearable product category. Apple CEO Tim Cook has commented on wearable technology in the past and has noted that the wrist continues to be an area of interest. In the recent past the company has made notable hires from Nike which further fuel the rumours about an iWatch.

All rumours will be put to rest on September 09, 2014 when Apple kicks starts its special iPhone keynote event. Are you excited about the new iPhone 6? Do you think Apple will unveil an iWatch during the event? Let us know what you think in the comments below.

According to the latest rumours based on schematics posted by GeekBar, Apple’s upcoming iPhone 6 could feature NFC and include 1GB RAM. Rumours about Apple including NFC aren’t new there have been many reports even before the introduction of iPhone 5 suggesting that Apple was looking to include Near Field Communications technology. However, Apple introduced AirDrop and PassBook but left out NFC.

This year once again we are hearing about the possibility of NFC in iOS devices. The leaked schematics appears to be design for a NAND flash component according to 9to5Mac.

Todd DeRego, a SoC memory engineer, says that the schematic does not have enough signals for it to be a DRAM interface. He also points out that the AP_TO_NAND text refers to an application processor to NAND link, indicating this memory is actually used as a way of storing the booting firmware and not the main memory of the iPhone. Although the RAM claim is almost certainly untrue, the NFC claim cannot be so easily dismissed.

iPhone 5S just like iPhone 5 features 1GB RAM. Apple hasn’t felt the need to follow in the footsteps of its competitors who market the amount of RAM their smartphone has. Instead Apple has always focused on user experience, even with a dual core 64-bit chip it beats a quad-core Samsung Galaxy S4 in benchmarks.

iPhone 6 release date is expected to be announced at a special media event on September 9th. The new iPhone is widely rumoured to be available in two screen sizes and feature sapphire glass in the high end model.

As I began using my first Mac with 27-inch large display and the fastest processors available at that time it was certainly an enjoyable experience. I could multitask and have TweetDeck open with almost 7 to 8 columns of different twitter feeds. So, more screen space allowed me to open more apps on the same desktop space. During the course of the last three years I increasingly felt tied to my workspace as working with a desktop obviously takes away the freedom of moving around.

When Apple announced the new iPad 2 in March 2011, it seemed to be the best option to bring balance to desktop computing by having a tablet to do other tasks while on the move. This combination of iMac and an iPad worked. I was able to check emails and respond while I was on the move, write reviews and more. As the App Store became populated with powerful apps like iWork, AppCooker, Omnigraffle I began doing advanced tasks like designing and wire framing apps and websites on the tablet. iPad became my first choice for tasks such as wire framing and designing as it felt extremely intuitive on a multi-touch screen.

All computing devices have a limited shelf life and as technology advances older products start slowing down. So, around mid 2013 the iMac and iPad 2 both started to age and not offer the same experience as before. Working from a stationary workspace also added more fatigue. This made me reflect back on that day when I had second thoughts about picking up a MacBook Pro instead of an iMac. Apple now had Retina displays in its MacBook Pro lineup and it felt like the perfect device for someone whose work involves a lot of writing and designing.

I waited for a while before making the switch to a Retina MacBook Pro as I wanted the processors to mature and offer stable experience to Retina display users.

When Apple announced OS X Yosemite during the WWDC, new features such as handoff wouldn’t work in my mid-2010 iMac. So, it was clear that iMac days were limited. On July 24 when public beta of OS X Yosemite was made available I installed in on my iMac and it worked fine for a few hours. The performance was laggy but that could be mainly due to the fact that it is a beta software and not final release. I rebooted the system a couple of times and it was the third reboot that killed my hard drive. The iMac was stuck on the boot screen and after a series of attempts to get the hard drive to work nothing worked. Eventually, I had to buy a new hard drive and then everything was fine. iMac being out of AppleCare warranty costs expensive repair. This particular model had a history of display and super drive being changed twice while under Apple Care.

After replacing the hard drive I decided to sell the iMac and buy a mid-2014 15.4-inch Retina MacBook Pro 512 GB SSD, 2.5GHz i7 Processor, 16GB RAM. It’s just been 2 days since I’ve started using the MacBook Pro and I haven’t missed having the iMac even one bit. Coming from HDD to SSD is like someone from the dialup connection days suddenly experiences the modern-day broadband. The absolutely stunning Retina display has an overwhelming “wow” factor. The text as I’m typing is set to very small font size but it’s so crisp and pleasing to the eye. Photos and videos look stunning with great colours.

I usually don’t quit apps as it used to take a little while to re-launch them but with the new Retina MacBook Pro tasks such as launching new apps, rebooting are so fast that you begin to appreciate the amount of power this machine has.

It’s only been two days, so there’s a lot for me to discover and it will be interesting to see how my impressions change after putting the device through daily usage. But, I can certainly say it’s been an extremely satisfying experience so far.

Do you have any first time Mac experiences to share? Let us know in the comments below.

The App Store over the years has won customer trust for secure apps since each app goes through an approval process. However, in the recent past there have been many cases where users’ data has been compromised due to the app developers server being hacked or not using enough security measures.

It was recently revealed that the popular Starbucks app for iOS stores user names, email address and passwords in clear text. This valuable information could easily be accessed by connecting your smartphone with the app installed to a computer. While this is not the same as recent Snapchat security breach that happened last week. It does raise some concerns over app developers commitment to keep their users’ data secure.

Starbucks spokeswoman in a statement to PCMag said, “While we are aware of this report, there is no known impact to our customers,”. Customers who often buy from Starbucks enjoy the connivence of customising their order and paying online through the application.

According to a report, Starbucks mobile app is the most used mobile payment application in the U.S. While it does provide ease of use, customers have repeatedly complained about the app not remembering passwords and often losing all information of gift cards.

Apple has set a number of guidelines for app developer to follow to have their apps approved for sale on the App Store. The recent security breaches and inadequate measures for protecting users data may soon become a huge concern for Apple.

In coming months it won’t be surprising for Apple to start rejecting applications that don’t comply with strict security measures for apps that store sensitive user information. It will be interesting to see if Apple improves its guidelines for developers to develop more secure apps for its audience.

The holiday season has been dominated by Apple in the recent past and 2013 Christmas wasn’t any different. Apple’s gold iPhone 5s turned out to be the most popular smartphone during Christmas.

According to data published by uSwitch.com for December 2013 iPhone 5s won over Samsung Galaxy S4 for the third consecutive month. The data analysed was based on live searches, pre-orders and sales.

Samsung’s Galaxy S3 also saw some gains in popularity as it rose five places to become the third most popular phone in the UK during the holidays. Apple’s iPhone has been consistently popular with customers as it has topped the charts since March 2013 with iPhone 5 being the most popular phone for seven consecutive months which was later dethroned with the release of iPhone 5s.

In 2013 for the first time Apple released two new iPhone designs in the same year. iPhone 5c the colourful plastic version of iPhone 5c came in fifth in the popular smartphones list for December. Ernest Doku, telecoms expert at uSwitch.com said:

The iPhone 5S deserved to be the Christmas number one. As well as giving gleeful members of the cult of Apple hours of fun with its Touch ID feature, which can read more than just fingerprints, it also made gold the new black,

Doku further added that the battle for the top spot wasn’t an easy one. Galaxy S3 rise to the third spot was a surprise with the lower pricing acting as a key factor. Pricing of smartphones certainly act as an important factor since the technology leaps between two generations of products is becoming narrower.

The tech advancement from iPhone 4s to iPhone 5 is not the same as from iPhone 5 to iPhone 5s. Apple is expected to release iPhone 6 in 2014 which could have a new design and even feature larger screen according to many rumours in the recent past.

The price of iPhone 5c could also see reduction later this year as the device has not been as well received with customers as the company would have hoped for.

Did you buy iPhone 5s this holiday season? Which gadgets made it to your shopping bag this year? Let us know in the comments section below.

{via The Telegraph}

Apple recently released all-new versions of iWork apps for Mac and iOS. The updated versions of Pages, Keynote and Numbers feature a complete design overhaul and also introduces some new features. However, as users began to explore the new update many found that some features were removed.

Users reported their concerns on Apple support forums and the started listing the features that had been removed. This isn’t the first time the company has faced strong comments or feedback after a major update. When Apple released a brand new version of Final Cut Pro many users said it was a step back rather than a step forward. But, Apple promised users that they would be restoring popular features in upcoming updates.

This time Apple has responded similarly, by announcing that many user requested features for the iWork apps will be coming in a future update.

The new iWork applications—Pages, Numbers, and Keynote—were released for Mac on October 22nd. These applications were rewritten from the ground up to be fully 64-bit and to support a unified file format between OS X and iOS 7 versions, as well as iWork for iCloud beta.

These apps feature an all-new design with an intelligent format panel and many new features such as easy ways to share documents, Apple-designed styles for objects, interactive charts, new templates, and new animations in Keynote.

In rewriting these applications, some features from iWork ’09 were not available for the initial release. We plan to reintroduce some of these features in the next few releases and will continue to add brand new features on an ongoing basis.

The new version of iWork apps ensure that there is complete compatibility between iOS and Mac version of the apps. This will server users better in the long run as they create files on their iPhone or iPad and the continue to work on it on their Mac without worrying about compatibility or messing up the format.

Some of the most requested features in the new iWork applications according to the threads on Apple support forums have been the ability to customise the toolbar, use AppleScripts and vertical ruler. Apple will re-introduce these features in upcoming updates over a period of six months.

It’s important to note that files created in new iWork apps aren’t compatible with older versions of the software suite. However, you can convert the files created with the new version to run on older iWork apps.

iWork apps are now free for anyone who buys a new Mac or iOS device. The update is free for anyone who previously owned any of the iWork apps.

This years special iPad event ‘finally’ put all rumours and speculations at rest as Apple announced second gen iPad mini with Retina Display.

Apple entered into a new product category with a smaller version of the full size tablet. The purpose of iPad mini was to make the device even more portable. It was aimed at those of us who want to hold the device for long hours to read books, browse the web and want something that fits in a small bag without adding any extra weight. In 2012 when all iOS devices were already supporting high resolution display Apple announced iPad mini with the same resolution as iPad 2 with 1024×768 pixels.

Since its introduction many started speculating that the next gen 7.9 inch tablet will certainly feature retina display. However, some reports and bloggers expressed concerns about battery and weight of the device. John Gruber of Daring Fireball also remained sceptical about iPad mini going retina in 2013 and said, “we demand magic — a retina iPad Mini with no decrease in battery life, but no increase in thickness, weight, or price. And they need to produce at least 20 million of them by Christmas. Something has to give.”

Apple has made iPad mini with retina display a reality this year with the same 10 hour long battery performance. The display features 2048×1536 resolution  which is the same as iPad Air at 326 pixels per inch. With the new retina screen the hardware saw an increase of 0.01 inches in thickness and 23 grams (0.06 pounds) in weight. The fact that the device continues to provide battery for a full days worth of use even with retina certainly makes it worth the negligible thickness and weight.

iPad mini with retina display also features the 64-bit A7 chip and M7 coprocessor introduced in the iPhone 5s. This boost the performance of the new tablet upto 4 times in CPU and upto 8 times in GPU performance.

The 5MP rear camera and 1.2MP FaceTime HD camera remain the same even in the new model. Apple has added support for even more LTE bands in this new device and also delivers twice the Wi-Fi performance than before.

If reading and browsing the web are the primary tasks that you use the iPad mini for, then upgrading to the latest model is certainly worth considering. High resolution screen makes the text crisp without any fuzziness and each pixel in the photos deliver fantastic detail.

Apple will continue to sell the original iPad mini with 16GB storage at $299 for the WiFi and $429 for WiFi + Cellular. iPad mini with retina display will be available in 16GB, 32GB, 64GB and 128GB. The WiFi models start at $399 while cellular version starts at $529 and each model gets $100 expensive for more storage.

Will you be buying the new iPad mini this holiday season? Let us know what you think in the comments below.