Luke Dormehl is a U.K.-based journalist and author, with a background working in documentary film for Channel 4 and the BBC. He is the author of The Apple Revolution and The Formula: How Algorithms Solve All Our Problems ... and Create More, both published by Penguin/Random House. His tech writing has also appeared in Wired, Fast Company, Techmeme and other publications.
Fall detection was introduced with the Apple Watch Series 4. Screenshot: Apple
The Apple Watch Series 4’s fall detection feature has been credited with potentially helping save an 87-year-old woman’s life after a car accident.
Maine octogenarian Dotty White was on her way back from grocery shopping when she was involved in a collision. Fortunately, her trusty Apple wearable was on hand (literally) to help.
Japan Display currently makes LCD screens for the iPhone XR. Photo: Apple
Apple could give struggling supplier Japan Display a boost by investing $100 million in the company. This will offer a valuable lifeline as Japan Display goes through restructuring after a key investment fell through.
Apple currently represents 60% of Japan Display’s sales. Thanks to the deal, it could soon make up even more.
The burgeoning trade war with China has caused Apple no end of headaches. But an end could be in sight, according to Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin.
Speaking with CNBC, Mnuchin said that the U.S. and China have a “path to complete this.” He notes that both parties were “90% of the way there” during previous talks, before discussions broke down.
Having gotten out of the 5G smartphone modem game, Intel is auctioning off its IP related to cellular wireless technology. In total, a massive 8,500 assets will be up for auction.
Intel made the call to get out of 5G modems after Apple made up with Qualcomm. At the time, Intel noted that there was no profitable route forward.
Apple News will shine a light on 2020 Democratic candidates. Photo: Apple
Apple has launched a special guide section for Apple News, featuring coverage of 20 Democratic candidates in the lead-up to the 2020 U.S. Elections.
The section of the app curates content from a variety of news sources. It also includes basic information about the different candidates who will take place in the first debate. This includes their biography and current position on key issues.
Apple Pay continues its international rollout. Photo: Apple
Update: Apple Pay launched in a total of 13 markets today. The full list includes Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Estonia, Greece, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Malta, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, and Slovakia.
Apple Pay has debuted in four new countries. The mobile payment service is now live in Greece, Romania, Slovakia and Portugal.
Apple has said that Apple Pay will be supported in 40 countries by the end of 2019. This marks yet another step toward that goal.
App has been criticized as a tool for radicalization. Photo: Fatwa and Research Council of Europe
Apple has declined to remove the Euro Fatwa app from the App Store, despite critics’ allegations that it contains hate speech and is a tool for Islamic radicalization.
Google removed the Euro Fatwa app from its store last month shortly after its launch. However, Euro Fatwa remains available in the App Store. Apple says the app does not fall afoul of its guidelines.
Apple Watch Series 4 was a big seller. Photo: Apple
Apple Watch is going from strength to strength, with shipments of the device growing 22% last year. That’s according to Counterpoint Research, which pins the cause on the excellent Apple Watch Series 4.
Analyst Satyajit Sinha notes that the Apple Watch Series 4 was the year’s “star performer.” Sinha says that it sold 11.5 million units in 2018, making it the year’s best-selling smartwatch.
And you thought the iPhone XS was expensive! Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
A lobbyist representing tech companies including Apple has warned that tariffs on Chinese products will have a catastrophic impact.
Sage Chandler, of the Consumer Technology Association, said that President Trump’s proposed import tariffs will cause the price of consumer products to rise significantly.
Fire resulted in the death of an apartment tenant. Photo: Pexels
An insurance firm and apartment complex in New Jersey are suing Apple over a fire allegedly involving an iPad. The February 2017 fire caused the death of apartment tenant, Bradley Ireland.
Quantum dot technology was reportedly too pricey. Photo: Apple
Apple has cancelled a contract with British company Nanoco. The company was working on technology that could have improved future iPhone cameras.
Nanoco is a leader in so-called “quantum dot” technology. This allows camera sensors to gather light with more efficiency than traditional silicon. However, Apple reportedly ditched plans after finding that the sensors would be too expensive to produce.
Stop or I'll shoot... you with the high-quality rear camera. Photo: Apple
A suspected car thief in Miami was held at the scene until cops arrived by an enterprising iPhone owner. The Apple customer was able to trick the apparent crook by holding his iPhone like a gun.
A concept for how a next-gen MacBook Pro could look. Photo: Viktor Kadar
A new 16-inch MacBook Pro is coming this fall, according to analysts at IHS Markit. This would give it the largest screen size of any MacBook Pro model currently available. (Although it still would be smaller than the dearly departed 17-inch model.)
The analysts claim Apple will unleash the new laptop at the company’s September media event alongside the new iPhone.
Not every important feature of the iPhone is immediately visible. Photo: Apple
Not every feature that makes the iPhone special is an immediately visible one like fancy new displays or new color options. Some of the things which make iOS great are under-the-hood features like its focus on encryption, privacy in the App Store — and even Apple’s sustainable focus on iPhone recycling.
Those are three of the topic highlighted in a series of new ads. Apple shared them to its YouTube channel in Australia over the weekend. Check them out:
Should criminals have to unlock their iPhones? Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
A Florida appeals court has sided with a criminal defendant who refused to turn over his iPhone passcode to the cops.
The 1st District Court of Appeal was responding to a 2018 robbery case in Alachua County. Previous courts had come to conflicting decisions about whether the defendant must reveal how to unlock his devices.
Departing Foxconn chairman Terry Gou has some words of wisdom for Apple. Photo: Voice of America/Wikimedia Commons
Terry Gou, departing founder of Apple’s biggest supplier Foxconn, has urged Apple to move manufacturing out of China. Gou suggests that Apple select neighboring country Taiwan as a location.
This would allow Apple to avoid any tariffs that come from the United States’ burgeoning trade war with China.
AT&T came out on top. Photo: Luismt94/Wikipedia CC
AT&T has beaten out its rival networks to claim the title of fastest LTE carrier in the United States.
That’s according to a new rundown of mobile networks by PCMag. The publication issues its report every year, with Verizon and AT&T typically battling back and forth for first place. This year was AT&T’s turn — marking the first time in six years that it’s managed to overthrow Verizon.
Foxconn is the largest private employer in China. Photo: CBS
Foxconn, Apple’s oldest and largest supplier, has announced its new boss. Young Liu will step into the role of chairman after billionaire founder Terry Gou announced that he was stepping down.
Gou, who is 68 years old, is planning to run as a candidate in the 2020 presidential election in the Taiwanese elections.
FTC argues that Qualcomm should have introduced documents earlier. Photo: Pexels
The legal battle between Apple and Qualcomm may be settled. But that hasn’t stopped Qualcomm from bringing up Apple’s name in court.
As part of a hearing to stop the enforcement of an antitrust ruling, Qualcomm used internal Apple documents as evidence. And the U.S. Federal Trade Commission wasn’t too happy about it.
Tim Cook speaks with a worker on an iPhone production line. Photo: Apple
Wedbush analyst Daniel Ives thinks this could be a bad time for Apple to shake up its supply chain by moving iPhone manufacturing out of China.
In a note to clients, Ives singles out the first 5G iPhone and the launch of Apple TV+ as reasons why Apple should seek to minimize stress right now. In other words, Apple execs could do without the “gargantuan” headache that shifting around its supply chain would involve.
Make sure you trust the companies you're buying from. Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
$120,000 of knockoff parts for iPhones and other handsets have been seized by customs officials in Hong Kong. The parts were being used to repair handsets sent in from countries including the United States, U.K. and Australia.
The director and manager of the company were arrested during a raid on the company’s offices in the city of Tuen Mun. The offices were being used as a workshop and warehouse. One hundred phones sent in for repairs were found onsite.