In the wake of its legal dispute with Nokia, Apple has pulled all Withings-branded accessories from its online store and presumably from all of its retail stores around the world.
Apple appears to have pulled the accessories in the last day or two, eliminating Withings products like the Body Cardio Scale, the Smart Body Analyzer, and the Wireless Blood Pressure Monitor. When searching for these products on Apple's site, they are no longer listed as available for purchase.
Apple has stopped offering all Withings products because Withings is owned by Nokia following a spring 2016 purchase worth an estimated $192 million. The Withings brand has been integrated into Nokia's Digital Health unit and is led by Cedric Hutchings, formerly the CEO of Withings.
withingsbloodpressure
A cached version of the listing for the Withings Wireless Blood Pressure Monitor, no longer available from Apple.com
Earlier this week, Apple filed an antitrust lawsuit accusing Nokia and several patent assertion entities of illegally transferring patents to attempt to extort excessive royalty fees from the Cupertino company. Apple had established FRAND (Fair, Reasonable, and Non-Discriminatory) deals with Nokia, but by transferring patents to patent holding companies, additional royalties can be demanded.
In response, Nokia filed 40 patent infringement lawsuits against Apple across 11 countries, accusing the Cupertino company of failing to establish licensing deals for Nokia patents that cover displays, user interface, software, antenna, chipsets, and video coding.
According to Apple, Nokia has been conspiring with patent assertion entities (Acacia Research and Conversant Property Management) in an "illegal patent transfer scheme" to wring money out of Apple because Nokia's cell phone business is failing. Nokia, meanwhile, says that it has not been able to reach a licensing agreement with Apple and must defend its rights.
Tags: Withings, Nokia, Patent lawsuits, lawsuits
วันเสาร์ที่ 24 ธันวาคม พ.ศ. 2559
Phil Schiller: Apple Working With Consumer Reports to Understand MacBook Pro Battery Test
That Apple's 2016 MacBook Pro became the first MacBook to fail to achieve a recommendation due to inconsistent battery life. Apple SVP Phil Schiller today tweeted that the Cupertino company is working with Consumer Reports to understand the battery tests.
macbookpromodelssideview
"Working with [Consumer Reports] to understand their battery tests, " Schiller tweeted. "Results do not match our extensive lab tests or field data." Apple claims its internal testing has seen the new MacBook Pro providing up to 10 hours of battery life when watching iTunes movies or browsing the web.
Consumer Reports' test has come under scrutiny since publication of the non-recommendation. The tests were conducted by opening a series of 10 web pages sequentially on Safari. This tests' inconsistency had the 13-inch MacBook Pro with Touch Bar registering 16 hours, 12.75 hours and 3.75 hours of battery life. A 15-inch MacBook Pro ranged from 18.5 hours to 8 hours of battery life.
When Consumer Reports tried the test with Chrome rather than Safari, it found consistently high battery life. "For this exercise, we ran two trials on each of the laptops, and found battery life to be consistently high on all six runs," the report said. Consumer Reports did not think it was enough data to draw a conclusion, though they also point out their test results only take default browsers into consideration.
Critics, like iMore's Rene Ritchie, argue that inconsistent test results require more testing to ferret out whether the issue is easily fixable, like a Safari glitch. Consumer Reports noted in its report that if Apple issues a software update that it claims will fix battery life inconsistency, they will conduct fresh tests.
Related Roundup: MacBook Pro
Buyer's Guide: MacBook Pro (Buy Now)
macbookpromodelssideview
"Working with [Consumer Reports] to understand their battery tests, " Schiller tweeted. "Results do not match our extensive lab tests or field data." Apple claims its internal testing has seen the new MacBook Pro providing up to 10 hours of battery life when watching iTunes movies or browsing the web.
Consumer Reports' test has come under scrutiny since publication of the non-recommendation. The tests were conducted by opening a series of 10 web pages sequentially on Safari. This tests' inconsistency had the 13-inch MacBook Pro with Touch Bar registering 16 hours, 12.75 hours and 3.75 hours of battery life. A 15-inch MacBook Pro ranged from 18.5 hours to 8 hours of battery life.
When Consumer Reports tried the test with Chrome rather than Safari, it found consistently high battery life. "For this exercise, we ran two trials on each of the laptops, and found battery life to be consistently high on all six runs," the report said. Consumer Reports did not think it was enough data to draw a conclusion, though they also point out their test results only take default browsers into consideration.
Critics, like iMore's Rene Ritchie, argue that inconsistent test results require more testing to ferret out whether the issue is easily fixable, like a Safari glitch. Consumer Reports noted in its report that if Apple issues a software update that it claims will fix battery life inconsistency, they will conduct fresh tests.
Related Roundup: MacBook Pro
Buyer's Guide: MacBook Pro (Buy Now)
First LG UltraFine 5K Displays Arrive Early for Lucky Customers
While the LG UltraFine 5K Display went on sale earlier this week, it was actually the second time it became available for purchase. Apple very briefly accepted orders for the display in late November, possibly by mistake, and some lucky customers who bought one received six to eight week shipping estimates.
Apple emailed some of those first-wave customers earlier this week to let them know their order would be shipping sooner than expected, typically with an expected delivery date of December 28 to December 29. But, in the United Kingdom at least, at least a few lucky customers received their displays today.
lg-5k
LG UltraFine 5K Display delivered to a lucky customer in the United Kingdom
"I ordered literally within seconds of them going on sale, with estimated delivery of December 28-30," said MacRumors forum member Stealth66, who ordered two LG UltraFine 5K displays. "I received a shipping email out of the blue yesterday afternoon, and they were delivered today by UK Mail."
"I've used Apple's Thunderbolt Displays for a few years and I must say these LG 5Ks are awesome," he added. "Very bright, incredibly sharp, and worked flawlessly out of the box, just like an Apple product! It works fine with the Belkin Ethernet adapter plugged into the back of the display."
The forum member noted the Thunderbolt 3 cable included in the box with one of the displays was defective, prompting him to make a Genius Bar appointment to obtain a replacement cable.
MacRumors forum member iBrooker, located in Wales, said his LG UltraFine 5K Display coincidentally arrived today at the same time as his new MacBook Pro, with the deliveries handled separately by couriers DHL and DPD.
"I've spent a couple of hours setting it all up and have to say the display itself is stunning," said iBrooker. "However, I'm still a bit peed that there is no headphone out—so I will have to waste one USB-C port for that. I am not fussed on the built in speakers, and didn't really want/need a camera."
LG's UltraFine 5K Display, designed in partnership with Apple, connects to the new 15-inch MacBook Pro with a single Thunderbolt 3 cable, which provides up to 85W of power to charge the notebook. The 27-inch IPS LED display has peak brightness of 500 nits and a wide DCI-P3 color gamut for more accurate and vivid colors.
The display has an adjustable and removable stand with VESA mount, built-in camera, microphone, stereo speakers, and three downstream USB-C ports at 5 Gbps speeds. It has a 60Hz refresh rate and 217 PPI. The display can be purchased from Apple for $974 until March 31, when it increases to $1,299.95.
The majority of orders placed in late November should begin arriving to customers in the United States and elsewhere next week. Orders placed this week were initially estimated to ship in as few as 3-5 business days, but orders quickly became backlogged and shipping estimates slipped to 2-4 weeks.
For those still looking into purchasing a 4K or 5K display, be sure to consider the smaller LG UltraFine 4K Display or other USB-C displays available.
Related Roundup: Displays
Tag: LG
Apple emailed some of those first-wave customers earlier this week to let them know their order would be shipping sooner than expected, typically with an expected delivery date of December 28 to December 29. But, in the United Kingdom at least, at least a few lucky customers received their displays today.
lg-5k
LG UltraFine 5K Display delivered to a lucky customer in the United Kingdom
"I ordered literally within seconds of them going on sale, with estimated delivery of December 28-30," said MacRumors forum member Stealth66, who ordered two LG UltraFine 5K displays. "I received a shipping email out of the blue yesterday afternoon, and they were delivered today by UK Mail."
"I've used Apple's Thunderbolt Displays for a few years and I must say these LG 5Ks are awesome," he added. "Very bright, incredibly sharp, and worked flawlessly out of the box, just like an Apple product! It works fine with the Belkin Ethernet adapter plugged into the back of the display."
The forum member noted the Thunderbolt 3 cable included in the box with one of the displays was defective, prompting him to make a Genius Bar appointment to obtain a replacement cable.
MacRumors forum member iBrooker, located in Wales, said his LG UltraFine 5K Display coincidentally arrived today at the same time as his new MacBook Pro, with the deliveries handled separately by couriers DHL and DPD.
"I've spent a couple of hours setting it all up and have to say the display itself is stunning," said iBrooker. "However, I'm still a bit peed that there is no headphone out—so I will have to waste one USB-C port for that. I am not fussed on the built in speakers, and didn't really want/need a camera."
LG's UltraFine 5K Display, designed in partnership with Apple, connects to the new 15-inch MacBook Pro with a single Thunderbolt 3 cable, which provides up to 85W of power to charge the notebook. The 27-inch IPS LED display has peak brightness of 500 nits and a wide DCI-P3 color gamut for more accurate and vivid colors.
The display has an adjustable and removable stand with VESA mount, built-in camera, microphone, stereo speakers, and three downstream USB-C ports at 5 Gbps speeds. It has a 60Hz refresh rate and 217 PPI. The display can be purchased from Apple for $974 until March 31, when it increases to $1,299.95.
The majority of orders placed in late November should begin arriving to customers in the United States and elsewhere next week. Orders placed this week were initially estimated to ship in as few as 3-5 business days, but orders quickly became backlogged and shipping estimates slipped to 2-4 weeks.
For those still looking into purchasing a 4K or 5K display, be sure to consider the smaller LG UltraFine 4K Display or other USB-C displays available.
Related Roundup: Displays
Tag: LG
Rumored March 2017 iPad Update in Question Due to Poor Chip Yield Rates
Sources in Apple's supply chain are suggesting that "lower-than-expected" yield rates for the 10-nanometer manufacturing process could "disrupt the schedule" of next year's iPad launch, previously rumored to be coming in March 2017 (via DigiTimes). Specifically, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company and Samsung are said to be facing the biggest issues with their 10nm processes, and TSMC's in turn has the potential to delay production for the A10X chips in the next-generation of iPads.
Apple typically sticks to the same manufacturing process for "X" labeled chips, and the current-generation A10 chip was crafted using the 16-nanometer process. The move to a more efficient 10nm chip in a new iPad line, while still unconfirmed, would go towards making the tablet more power efficient and able to fuel a speedier operating system experience for users.
ipadprodesign
TSMC has reportedly obtained 10nm chip orders from Apple, HiSilicon and MediaTek, with volume production set to kick off in the first quarter of 2017. Nevertheless, yield rates for TSMC's 10nm process technology are not what the foundry expected, the sources said.
TSMC is scheduled to start making Apple's A10X chips for the next-generation iPad series slated for launch in March 2017. Unsatisfactory yields for the foundry's 10nm process could disrupt the schedule, the sources indicated.
Recent rumors suggest that the 2017 line of iPads will include three models: refreshed 9.7-inch and 12.9-inch versions, along with an all-new bezel-free 10.9-inch model. The new bezel-free model is said to be a thicker iPad at 7.5mm (the current 9.7-inch iPad Pro measures 6.1mm) and not include a Home Button. The specific size of the new iPad has varied in reports, including rumors that it will be 10.1 inches, 10.5 inches, and -- most recently -- 10.9 inches.
In the same report, DigiTimes mentioned that TSMC is also gearing up to produce A11 chips in the upcoming "iPhone 8." According to supply chain sources, volume production for those chips is expected to begin in Q2 2017, which aligns with Apple's annual September iPhone launch schedule.
Related Roundup: iPad Pro
Tag: digitimes.com
Buyer's Guide: 12.9" iPad Pro (Caution)
Apple typically sticks to the same manufacturing process for "X" labeled chips, and the current-generation A10 chip was crafted using the 16-nanometer process. The move to a more efficient 10nm chip in a new iPad line, while still unconfirmed, would go towards making the tablet more power efficient and able to fuel a speedier operating system experience for users.
ipadprodesign
TSMC has reportedly obtained 10nm chip orders from Apple, HiSilicon and MediaTek, with volume production set to kick off in the first quarter of 2017. Nevertheless, yield rates for TSMC's 10nm process technology are not what the foundry expected, the sources said.
TSMC is scheduled to start making Apple's A10X chips for the next-generation iPad series slated for launch in March 2017. Unsatisfactory yields for the foundry's 10nm process could disrupt the schedule, the sources indicated.
Recent rumors suggest that the 2017 line of iPads will include three models: refreshed 9.7-inch and 12.9-inch versions, along with an all-new bezel-free 10.9-inch model. The new bezel-free model is said to be a thicker iPad at 7.5mm (the current 9.7-inch iPad Pro measures 6.1mm) and not include a Home Button. The specific size of the new iPad has varied in reports, including rumors that it will be 10.1 inches, 10.5 inches, and -- most recently -- 10.9 inches.
In the same report, DigiTimes mentioned that TSMC is also gearing up to produce A11 chips in the upcoming "iPhone 8." According to supply chain sources, volume production for those chips is expected to begin in Q2 2017, which aligns with Apple's annual September iPhone launch schedule.
Related Roundup: iPad Pro
Tag: digitimes.com
Buyer's Guide: 12.9" iPad Pro (Caution)
Apple Shares New 'Go Swim' Ad for Apple Watch
Apple continues to position the Apple Watch as "the gift of go" with a new ten-second ad called "Go Swim" that shows an Apple Watch Series 2 being used in a backyard swimming pool. It is the seventh ad in Apple's "the gift of go" ad campaign for the Apple Watch this holiday shopping season.
The ads will likely appear on TV in the United States, and possibly elsewhere, alongside "Go Surf," "Go Ride," "Go Play," "Go Run," "Go Out," and "Go Dance" ads shared earlier this month. Apple said it set a new Apple Watch sales record during the first week of the holiday shopping season.
Related Roundups: Apple Watch Series 2, watchOS 3
Tag: Apple ads
Buyer's Guide: Apple Watch (Neutral)
The ads will likely appear on TV in the United States, and possibly elsewhere, alongside "Go Surf," "Go Ride," "Go Play," "Go Run," "Go Out," and "Go Dance" ads shared earlier this month. Apple said it set a new Apple Watch sales record during the first week of the holiday shopping season.
Related Roundups: Apple Watch Series 2, watchOS 3
Tag: Apple ads
Buyer's Guide: Apple Watch (Neutral)
2016 MacBook Pro Denied Recommendation From Consumer Reports Due to Battery Life Inconsistencies
Apple's 2016 MacBook Pro has failed to receive a purchase recommendation from Consumer Reports due to battery life issues that were encountered during testing. Battery life reportedly "varied dramatically" from one trial to another.
According to a new report that covers the new MacBook Pro, the machine is the first of Apple's MacBooks that has not received a Consumer Reports recommendation.
The MacBook Pro battery life results were highly inconsistent from one trial to the next.
For instance, in a series of three consecutive tests, the 13-inch model with the Touch Bar ran for 16 hours in the first trial, 12.75 hours in the second, and just 3.75 hours in the third. The 13-inch model without the Touch Bar worked for 19.5 hours in one trial but only 4.5 hours in the next. And the numbers for the 15-inch laptop ranged from 18.5 down to 8 hours.
Consumer Reports says that a laptop's battery generally varies by less than five percent from test to test, but because of the "disparate figures" found in the MacBook Pro test, an average battery life consumers might expect to see could not be determined.
For that reason, Consumer Reports used the lowest battery score, which prevented the MacBook Pro from getting a recommendation. "Consumer Reports finds that all three MacBook Pro laptops fail to meet our standards for recommended models," reads the report.
Some customers who bought a 2016 MacBook Pro began complaining of ongoing battery life issues with the machine shortly after purchasing, which ultimately led Apple to remove the "Time Remaining" battery life estimate in the macOS Sierra 10.12.2 update.
While removing the indicator didn't fix battery life issues, some other tweaks may have been implemented at the same time, as there have been reports of better battery life following the update.
Apple claims that its own internal testing has seen the MacBook Pro performing up to the company's standards, providing up to 10 hours of battery life when watching iTunes movies or browsing the web.
Apple declined to provide a comment to Consumer Reports, but had this to say: "Any customer who has a question about their Mac or its operation should contact AppleCare."
Related Roundup: MacBook Pro
Buyer's Guide: MacBook Pro (Buy Now)
According to a new report that covers the new MacBook Pro, the machine is the first of Apple's MacBooks that has not received a Consumer Reports recommendation.
The MacBook Pro battery life results were highly inconsistent from one trial to the next.
For instance, in a series of three consecutive tests, the 13-inch model with the Touch Bar ran for 16 hours in the first trial, 12.75 hours in the second, and just 3.75 hours in the third. The 13-inch model without the Touch Bar worked for 19.5 hours in one trial but only 4.5 hours in the next. And the numbers for the 15-inch laptop ranged from 18.5 down to 8 hours.
Consumer Reports says that a laptop's battery generally varies by less than five percent from test to test, but because of the "disparate figures" found in the MacBook Pro test, an average battery life consumers might expect to see could not be determined.
For that reason, Consumer Reports used the lowest battery score, which prevented the MacBook Pro from getting a recommendation. "Consumer Reports finds that all three MacBook Pro laptops fail to meet our standards for recommended models," reads the report.
Some customers who bought a 2016 MacBook Pro began complaining of ongoing battery life issues with the machine shortly after purchasing, which ultimately led Apple to remove the "Time Remaining" battery life estimate in the macOS Sierra 10.12.2 update.
While removing the indicator didn't fix battery life issues, some other tweaks may have been implemented at the same time, as there have been reports of better battery life following the update.
Apple claims that its own internal testing has seen the MacBook Pro performing up to the company's standards, providing up to 10 hours of battery life when watching iTunes movies or browsing the web.
Apple declined to provide a comment to Consumer Reports, but had this to say: "Any customer who has a question about their Mac or its operation should contact AppleCare."
Related Roundup: MacBook Pro
Buyer's Guide: MacBook Pro (Buy Now)
First Android Wear 2.0 Smartwatches to Launch Early Next Year
The first Android Wear 2.0 smartwatches will launch in the first quarter of next year, according to Android Wear product manager Jeff Chang, who took part in an exclusive interview with The Verge.
The two new flagship models will not have Google or Pixel branding, but rather branding from the undisclosed company manufacturing them—so one of Asus, Huawei, LG, Motorola, or a few other brands.
Following the launch of the two new smartwatches, the Android Wear 2.0 update will be pushed out for some, but not all, existing Android Wear watches:
• Moto 360 Gen 2
• Moto 360 Sport
• LG Watch Urbane 2nd Edition LTE
• LG Watch Urbane
• LG G Watch R
• Polar M600
• Casio Smart Outdoor Watch
• Nixon Mission
• Tag Heuer Connected• Fossil Q Wander
• Fossil Q Marshal
• Fossil Q Founder
• Michael Kors Access Bradshaw
• Michael Kors Access Dylan
• Huawei Watch
• Huawei Watch Ladies
• Asus ZenWatch 2
• Asus ZenWatch 3
Following the launch of Google's two flagship models, other vendors will release new Android Wear 2.0 smartwatches throughout 2017. The first Android 2.0 smartwatches are expected to be announced at CES in the first week of January. Other product unveilings will follow at the Baselworld trade show later in 2017.
The new Android Wear smartwatches will compete with the Apple Watch, which remains the best-selling smartwatch following the launch of new Series 2 models in September. Google also faces competition from Samsung, which runs its own Tizen software on its smartwatches rather than Android Wear.
Android Wear 2.0 will support native, standalone apps that do not require a paired smartphone to work, in addition to Android Pay and Google Assistant. The new version will also feature Apple Watch-like complications on watch faces and a Material Design makeover. The final developer preview will be released in January.
Tag: Android Wear
The two new flagship models will not have Google or Pixel branding, but rather branding from the undisclosed company manufacturing them—so one of Asus, Huawei, LG, Motorola, or a few other brands.
Following the launch of the two new smartwatches, the Android Wear 2.0 update will be pushed out for some, but not all, existing Android Wear watches:
• Moto 360 Gen 2
• Moto 360 Sport
• LG Watch Urbane 2nd Edition LTE
• LG Watch Urbane
• LG G Watch R
• Polar M600
• Casio Smart Outdoor Watch
• Nixon Mission
• Tag Heuer Connected• Fossil Q Wander
• Fossil Q Marshal
• Fossil Q Founder
• Michael Kors Access Bradshaw
• Michael Kors Access Dylan
• Huawei Watch
• Huawei Watch Ladies
• Asus ZenWatch 2
• Asus ZenWatch 3
Following the launch of Google's two flagship models, other vendors will release new Android Wear 2.0 smartwatches throughout 2017. The first Android 2.0 smartwatches are expected to be announced at CES in the first week of January. Other product unveilings will follow at the Baselworld trade show later in 2017.
The new Android Wear smartwatches will compete with the Apple Watch, which remains the best-selling smartwatch following the launch of new Series 2 models in September. Google also faces competition from Samsung, which runs its own Tizen software on its smartwatches rather than Android Wear.
Android Wear 2.0 will support native, standalone apps that do not require a paired smartphone to work, in addition to Android Pay and Google Assistant. The new version will also feature Apple Watch-like complications on watch faces and a Material Design makeover. The final developer preview will be released in January.
Tag: Android Wear
'Super Mario Run' Survey Asks Players How Much Game Should Cost And If They Would Play a Sequel
Nintendo recently began sending email surveys to a few Super Mario Run players who linked the iOS game with their My Nintendo account, MacRumors has learned.
The 10-minute long survey asks basic questions pertaining to how users found out about the game, what modes they liked, and how much they are willing to pay for a game like Super Mario Run. The survey fluctuates between multiple choice and written answers.
The survey's construction and questions are similar to the ones Nintendo used to give out to Club Nintendo users so they could receive points to spend on exclusive merchandise from the company. Now, it appears Nintendo is aiming to discover for itself what players think of Super Mario Run, following a week of press that mostly centered around the opinion that $9.99 is too high a price for the amount of content presented within the game.
super-mario-run-survey-1
With the new survey, players can now give Nintendo their own thoughts on the matter. One of the questions even asks if users would play a sequel to Super Mario Run "if one was released in the future." As of now, Nintendo is supposed to be gearing up to announce more information on the launch of Animal Crossing and Fire Emblem for iOS, both said to debut before March 2017 if the company's original plan from 2015 remains intact.
super-mario-run-survey-2
The negative reactions to the pricing structure and online requirements of Super Mario Run have gone so far as to cause Nintendo's stock to lower earlier this week, with players rating the game a 2.5/5 on average on the App Store. Although news has been scarce, in May it was reported that Animal Crossing and Fire Emblem would adopt the free-to-play model, with users able to purchase in-game items and boosts of some kind after downloading at no cost.
Miitomo -- Nintendo's first true iOS game -- was free-to-play, but the user base slacked off precipitously after launch, with data suggesting "users didn't really get" the game and its basic, social network inspired gameplay loop.
Super Mario Run [Direct Link] got its first update this week, introducing a new "Friendly Run" mode where players can compete against ghosts of friends and family members, with the caveat that no coins or Toads can be collected during each run. There's also a few new holiday-themed items in the Kingdom Builder shop.
(Thanks, Dan!)
Tag: Super Mario Run
The 10-minute long survey asks basic questions pertaining to how users found out about the game, what modes they liked, and how much they are willing to pay for a game like Super Mario Run. The survey fluctuates between multiple choice and written answers.
The survey's construction and questions are similar to the ones Nintendo used to give out to Club Nintendo users so they could receive points to spend on exclusive merchandise from the company. Now, it appears Nintendo is aiming to discover for itself what players think of Super Mario Run, following a week of press that mostly centered around the opinion that $9.99 is too high a price for the amount of content presented within the game.
super-mario-run-survey-1
With the new survey, players can now give Nintendo their own thoughts on the matter. One of the questions even asks if users would play a sequel to Super Mario Run "if one was released in the future." As of now, Nintendo is supposed to be gearing up to announce more information on the launch of Animal Crossing and Fire Emblem for iOS, both said to debut before March 2017 if the company's original plan from 2015 remains intact.
super-mario-run-survey-2
The negative reactions to the pricing structure and online requirements of Super Mario Run have gone so far as to cause Nintendo's stock to lower earlier this week, with players rating the game a 2.5/5 on average on the App Store. Although news has been scarce, in May it was reported that Animal Crossing and Fire Emblem would adopt the free-to-play model, with users able to purchase in-game items and boosts of some kind after downloading at no cost.
Miitomo -- Nintendo's first true iOS game -- was free-to-play, but the user base slacked off precipitously after launch, with data suggesting "users didn't really get" the game and its basic, social network inspired gameplay loop.
Super Mario Run [Direct Link] got its first update this week, introducing a new "Friendly Run" mode where players can compete against ghosts of friends and family members, with the caveat that no coins or Toads can be collected during each run. There's also a few new holiday-themed items in the Kingdom Builder shop.
(Thanks, Dan!)
Tag: Super Mario Run
Pokémon GO for Apple Watch Now Available on App Store
Niantic has announced Pokémon GO is now available for Apple Watch as expected, enabling players to discover nearby Pokémon and collect items from PokéStops directly from their wrists. The companion app is bundled with the latest update to Pokémon GO for iPhone [Direct Link], version 1.21.2, rolling out on the App Store now.
apple-watch-pokemon-go
Pokémon GO for Apple Watch enables players to log each play session as a Workout, with gameplay counting toward personal Activity rings, receive notifications about nearby Pokémon, view distances toward hatching Pokémon Eggs, receive notifications when Eggs hatch and medals are awarded, and more at a glance.
Pokémon GO cannot be fully played on Apple Watch, as once you encounter a Pokémon, you must catch it from your iPhone. Nevertheless, it should allow players to stare less at their smartphone screens and focus on the real world around them while playing the game, which should dually make catching Pokémon safer.
Related Roundups: Apple Watch Series 2, watchOS 3
Tag: Pokémon GO
Buyer's Guide: Apple Watch (Neutral)
apple-watch-pokemon-go
Pokémon GO for Apple Watch enables players to log each play session as a Workout, with gameplay counting toward personal Activity rings, receive notifications about nearby Pokémon, view distances toward hatching Pokémon Eggs, receive notifications when Eggs hatch and medals are awarded, and more at a glance.
Pokémon GO cannot be fully played on Apple Watch, as once you encounter a Pokémon, you must catch it from your iPhone. Nevertheless, it should allow players to stare less at their smartphone screens and focus on the real world around them while playing the game, which should dually make catching Pokémon safer.
Related Roundups: Apple Watch Series 2, watchOS 3
Tag: Pokémon GO
Buyer's Guide: Apple Watch (Neutral)
Shortage of OLED-Making Machines Could Potentially Impact Production of 2017 iPhone
Amid rumors suggesting Apple is planning on introducing at least one iPhone model with a flexible OLED display in 2017, Bloomberg has taken a closer look at Japanese company Canon Tokki, the corporation responsible for making the machines that will likely be used to create OLED displays for the iPhone.
Canon Tokki is said to produce nearly all of the machines that make OLED Displays. Each ELVESS OLED machine is actually a vacuum production system that's 328 feet in length and is used to deposit red, blue, and green pixels on a glass surface using evaporating organic materials.
Canon Tokki has developed key technologies for the production process that have significantly reduced the margin of error, leading to much higher yields that other companies can't compete with.
canontokkimachine
According to Bloomberg, Canon Tokki reportedly makes fewer than 10 machines per year and has a two-year backlog due to high-demand, but it is not clear if this will have an impact on Apple. Apple is rumored to be using OLED displays produced by Samsung, and much of the equipment may already be on hand.
Samsung's own line of smartphones have used OLED displays for several years, but Blooomberg does warn that Samsung may not be able to make enough OLED displays to meet Apple's demand due to low yield rates.
The potential production bottleneck is raising questions over Apple's ability to feature OLED displays in next year's iPhones, and whether the Cupertino, California-based company will be able to line up additional suppliers. The current wait for a machine, which can cost more than 10 billion yen ($85 million) each, is about two years.
"We are doing all we can to increase output and make that wait shorter," said Chief Executive Officer Teruhisa Tsugami, adding that demand from display makers, including Samsung Display Co., LG Display Co. and Sharp Corp., will remain strong for the next three years.
OLED displays offer superior contrast and better power efficiency for improved battery life compared to traditional LCDs. OLED displays can also be made from flexible plastic and can be made much thinner.
According to rumors, Apple will release at least one iPhone model that uses an OLED display in 2017, but rumors have disagreed on what the display will look like. While some rumors suggest the iPhone 8 will use a curved OLED display that wraps around the edges of the device (similar to the Galaxy S7 Edge), others point towards less dramatic curves, suggesting a flat OLED display that eliminates all bezels for an edge-to-edge design.
Related Roundup: iPhone 8 (2017)
Canon Tokki is said to produce nearly all of the machines that make OLED Displays. Each ELVESS OLED machine is actually a vacuum production system that's 328 feet in length and is used to deposit red, blue, and green pixels on a glass surface using evaporating organic materials.
Canon Tokki has developed key technologies for the production process that have significantly reduced the margin of error, leading to much higher yields that other companies can't compete with.
canontokkimachine
According to Bloomberg, Canon Tokki reportedly makes fewer than 10 machines per year and has a two-year backlog due to high-demand, but it is not clear if this will have an impact on Apple. Apple is rumored to be using OLED displays produced by Samsung, and much of the equipment may already be on hand.
Samsung's own line of smartphones have used OLED displays for several years, but Blooomberg does warn that Samsung may not be able to make enough OLED displays to meet Apple's demand due to low yield rates.
The potential production bottleneck is raising questions over Apple's ability to feature OLED displays in next year's iPhones, and whether the Cupertino, California-based company will be able to line up additional suppliers. The current wait for a machine, which can cost more than 10 billion yen ($85 million) each, is about two years.
"We are doing all we can to increase output and make that wait shorter," said Chief Executive Officer Teruhisa Tsugami, adding that demand from display makers, including Samsung Display Co., LG Display Co. and Sharp Corp., will remain strong for the next three years.
OLED displays offer superior contrast and better power efficiency for improved battery life compared to traditional LCDs. OLED displays can also be made from flexible plastic and can be made much thinner.
According to rumors, Apple will release at least one iPhone model that uses an OLED display in 2017, but rumors have disagreed on what the display will look like. While some rumors suggest the iPhone 8 will use a curved OLED display that wraps around the edges of the device (similar to the Galaxy S7 Edge), others point towards less dramatic curves, suggesting a flat OLED display that eliminates all bezels for an edge-to-edge design.
Related Roundup: iPhone 8 (2017)
AirPods Shipping Sooner Than Expected to Many Customers
AirPods became available for purchase on Apple's website on December 13, and customers who ordered quickly began receiving their shipments as early as December 19. Orders quickly became backlogged, however, and Apple's shipping estimate slipped to four weeks in less than two hours, and to six weeks by the following day.
For customers that ordered within the past nine days, the six-week wait potentially meant waiting until late January or early February to get the all-new wireless earphones. Fortunately, as is often the case, Apple is now shipping many of those orders sooner than expected, with some deliveries now slated for late December.
airpods-delivery
AirPods delivered to MacRumors forum member iPhenom
"Just received my shipping notice for my AirPod order," said MacRumors reader York in an email. "The original delivery date was January 12, but it should arrive on December 28th." Likewise, another reader with an original December 29 delivery estimate has now seen his AirPods ship with an estimated delivery date of December 23.
In the AirPods order tracking topic in the MacRumors discussion forums, a handful of other customers with estimated delivery dates ranging from December 29 to January 12 claim their AirPods have now shipped for delivery as early as this week. For some of those customers, AirPods will arrive just in time for Christmas.
"Awesome, mine were scheduled for delivery on the 29th, but suddenly they are supposed to get here tomorrow, the 22nd," said one person. "Order scheduled for delivery on January 12th has shipped with a delivery date of December 28th," said another, noting his shipment was still in China.
With only three days remaining until Christmas, customers may now be pushing their luck to find AirPods in time for the holidays, but a lucky few have managed to find a pair at an Apple Store or place an order through resellers such as Best Buy and the United Kingdom's Carphone Warehouse over the past few days.
Other resellers such as Sprint and Verizon have unfortunately been less reliable, as some customers were able to purchase AirPods from these vendors only to later receive an email saying the order could not be fulfilled at this time. AT&T also has AirPods on sale, but it is unclear when orders will ship.
AirPods are Apple's all-new $159 wireless earphones. The cord-free earphones instantly turn on and connect to your iPhone, Apple Watch, iPad, or Mac when taken out of their charging case thanks to Apple's custom W1 chip. Likewise, audio automatically plays as soon as you put them in your ears and pauses when you take them out.
AirPods are controlled mainly by Siri. Doubling tapping an earpiece invokes Siri, and voice commands can be used to adjust the volume, change the song, make a call, and so forth. AirPods deliver up to 5 hours of listening time on one charge, and a 15-minute fast charge provides up to 3 hours of listening time.
Tag: AirPods
For customers that ordered within the past nine days, the six-week wait potentially meant waiting until late January or early February to get the all-new wireless earphones. Fortunately, as is often the case, Apple is now shipping many of those orders sooner than expected, with some deliveries now slated for late December.
airpods-delivery
AirPods delivered to MacRumors forum member iPhenom
"Just received my shipping notice for my AirPod order," said MacRumors reader York in an email. "The original delivery date was January 12, but it should arrive on December 28th." Likewise, another reader with an original December 29 delivery estimate has now seen his AirPods ship with an estimated delivery date of December 23.
In the AirPods order tracking topic in the MacRumors discussion forums, a handful of other customers with estimated delivery dates ranging from December 29 to January 12 claim their AirPods have now shipped for delivery as early as this week. For some of those customers, AirPods will arrive just in time for Christmas.
"Awesome, mine were scheduled for delivery on the 29th, but suddenly they are supposed to get here tomorrow, the 22nd," said one person. "Order scheduled for delivery on January 12th has shipped with a delivery date of December 28th," said another, noting his shipment was still in China.
With only three days remaining until Christmas, customers may now be pushing their luck to find AirPods in time for the holidays, but a lucky few have managed to find a pair at an Apple Store or place an order through resellers such as Best Buy and the United Kingdom's Carphone Warehouse over the past few days.
Other resellers such as Sprint and Verizon have unfortunately been less reliable, as some customers were able to purchase AirPods from these vendors only to later receive an email saying the order could not be fulfilled at this time. AT&T also has AirPods on sale, but it is unclear when orders will ship.
AirPods are Apple's all-new $159 wireless earphones. The cord-free earphones instantly turn on and connect to your iPhone, Apple Watch, iPad, or Mac when taken out of their charging case thanks to Apple's custom W1 chip. Likewise, audio automatically plays as soon as you put them in your ears and pauses when you take them out.
AirPods are controlled mainly by Siri. Doubling tapping an earpiece invokes Siri, and voice commands can be used to adjust the volume, change the song, make a call, and so forth. AirPods deliver up to 5 hours of listening time on one charge, and a 15-minute fast charge provides up to 3 hours of listening time.
Tag: AirPods
Nokia Sues Apple for Patent Infringement in Germany and the U.S. Following Licensing Disagreement [Updated]
Nokia today announced that it has filed several complaints against Apple in Germany and the United States, accusing the Cupertino company of infringing on Nokia patents.
Nokia's lawsuit stems from a disagreement between Apple and Nokia over licensing fees for Nokia technology. Apple this morning filed an antitrust lawsuit against several patent assertion entities that it claims are attempting to collect excessive fees for Nokia patents through lawsuits and royalty demands.
nokialogo
According to Apple, Nokia's failing cellphone business has prompted Nokia to transfer patents to patent assertion entities to get out of FRAND (Fair, Reasonable, and Non-Discriminatory) licensing deals it established for essential patents, allowing the company to collect higher royalties. From Apple's complaint:
With its cell phone business dying, Nokia began to seek out willing conspirators and to commence its illegal patent transfer scheme in full force; that scheme has continued in full effect to the present. The driving force behind Nokia's strategy was to diffuse its patent portfolio and place it in the hands of PAEs. Acacia and Conversant were its chief conspirators.
Nokia's own patent infringement complaint against Apple claims that Apple has declined to establish licensing deals for Nokia technology that is used in Apple products.
Ilkka Rahnasto, head of Patent Business at Nokia, said: "Through our sustained investment in research and development, Nokia has created or contributed to many of the fundamental technologies used in today's mobile devices, including Apple products. After several years of negotiations trying to reach agreement to cover Apple's use of these patents, we are now taking action to defend our rights."
Nokia has filed lawsuits in the US District Court for the Eastern District of Texas and Dusseldorf, Mannheim and Munich in Germany. The lawsuits cover 32 patents that cover technologies including display, user interface, software, antenna, chipsets, and video coding. Nokia says additional actions are to come.
Update: Nokia today filed additional patent lawsuits against Apple in Asia, Europe, and the United States. As of today, Nokia has filed 40 patent suits in 11 countries.
Update 2: Apple is now suing Nokia itself as the legal battle continues to escalate. Apple has added Nokia Corporation, Nokia Solutions and Networks Oy, and Nokia Technologies Oy to the list of defendants in its aforementioned antitrust case against several patent assertion entities that have sued Apple over Nokia patents.
Tags: lawsuit, patent, Nokia, Patent lawsuits
Nokia's lawsuit stems from a disagreement between Apple and Nokia over licensing fees for Nokia technology. Apple this morning filed an antitrust lawsuit against several patent assertion entities that it claims are attempting to collect excessive fees for Nokia patents through lawsuits and royalty demands.
nokialogo
According to Apple, Nokia's failing cellphone business has prompted Nokia to transfer patents to patent assertion entities to get out of FRAND (Fair, Reasonable, and Non-Discriminatory) licensing deals it established for essential patents, allowing the company to collect higher royalties. From Apple's complaint:
With its cell phone business dying, Nokia began to seek out willing conspirators and to commence its illegal patent transfer scheme in full force; that scheme has continued in full effect to the present. The driving force behind Nokia's strategy was to diffuse its patent portfolio and place it in the hands of PAEs. Acacia and Conversant were its chief conspirators.
Nokia's own patent infringement complaint against Apple claims that Apple has declined to establish licensing deals for Nokia technology that is used in Apple products.
Ilkka Rahnasto, head of Patent Business at Nokia, said: "Through our sustained investment in research and development, Nokia has created or contributed to many of the fundamental technologies used in today's mobile devices, including Apple products. After several years of negotiations trying to reach agreement to cover Apple's use of these patents, we are now taking action to defend our rights."
Nokia has filed lawsuits in the US District Court for the Eastern District of Texas and Dusseldorf, Mannheim and Munich in Germany. The lawsuits cover 32 patents that cover technologies including display, user interface, software, antenna, chipsets, and video coding. Nokia says additional actions are to come.
Update: Nokia today filed additional patent lawsuits against Apple in Asia, Europe, and the United States. As of today, Nokia has filed 40 patent suits in 11 countries.
Update 2: Apple is now suing Nokia itself as the legal battle continues to escalate. Apple has added Nokia Corporation, Nokia Solutions and Networks Oy, and Nokia Technologies Oy to the list of defendants in its aforementioned antitrust case against several patent assertion entities that have sued Apple over Nokia patents.
Tags: lawsuit, patent, Nokia, Patent lawsuits
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