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Luke Dormehl - page 185

iPhone 8’s pricier components nibble away at Apple’s margins

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What’s it like to have your startup bought by Apple? Stressful
Apple still makes a killing on its new handsets. But a bit less than before.
Photo illustration: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Each iPhone 8 costs Apple approximately $288.08 to build, while iPhone 8 Plus handsets cost an estimated $295.44, according to a new breakdown by IHS Markit. On top of this, Apple pays around $7.36 in basic manufacturing costs per device.

The new handsets are slightly more expensive than Apple’s previous generation of iPhones, with the smaller iPhone 8 costing around $9.57 in components more than the iPhone 7 did upon release.

Apple’s biggest spoilers: The devs who cracked the code on iPhone X

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Apple keynote spoiler, Steven Troughton-Smith.
One of the devs who helped crack Apple's code. Literally.
Steve Troughton Smith/Flickr

When Apple execs stepped onstage for September’s big iPhone X unveiling, they had precious few surprises up their sleeves. This year’s iPhone keynote became one of the most spoiled in history, thanks to major software leaks — and a pair of industrious young developers who dug into Apple’s code to pierce the veil of Apple’s vaunted secrecy apparatus.

Steven Troughton-Smith and Guilherme Rambo, who live thousands of miles apart in Ireland and Brazil, dutifully combed through the leaked code. Working separately but in parallel, they pieced together clues that allowed them to reverse-engineer Apple’s plans. Then they released their findings on Twitter, painting an incredibly accurate picture of the iPhone X in a drip-drip-drip of juicy, spoiler-filled tweets.

The end result? An Apple event upstaged by leaks, and by the hard work of two curious coders. Cult of Mac talked with Troughton-Smith and Rambo to find out how they uncovered some of Apple’s most closely kept secrets.

Apple TV 4K teardown reveals powerful new internals

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Apple TV
You don't even own an Apple TV 4K yet. These folks have already broken one.
Photo: iFixit

The new fifth-generation Apple TV 4K brings impressively sharp ultra HD video to Apple’s set-top box, but what changes has Apple made the internals of its latest Apple TV model?

To answer that question, our friends over at iFixit have carried out a complete teardown of the new device to find out what makes it tick. Or, in this case, quietly whir.

Foxconn chairman will visit site of company’s first U.S. factory next month

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iPhone sales drive Apple’s biggest supplier to big profits
One of Foxconn's many existing factories.
Photo: CBS

Apple supplier Foxconn’s chairman Terry Gou will reportedly visit Wisconsin, site of its first U.S. manufacturing facility, in early October to sign subsidy agreements with the local government.

Wisconsin has recently approved a package of subsidies that will help Foxconn establish manufacturing plants in the state. Ahead of Gou’s visit, the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation will meet on September 28 to discuss the arrangement.

Apple sold an incredible number of Watches over the past year

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apple watch 1
Apple Watch is now outselling Rolex.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

During Apple’s recent iPhone X keynote, CEO Tim Cook noted that Apple Watch has overtaken Rolex to become the biggest watchmaker in the world, although the company still refuses to reveal any actual sales numbers.

According to analysts at Asymco analyst Horace Dediu, Apple has likely sold around 15 million Watches in the past 12 months at an average price of around $330. Rolex, meanwhile, produces around 1 million watches a year, with average cost per watch being in the region of $4,700. Added up, that makes the Apple Watch revenue run rate $4.9 billion, compared to Rolex’s $4.7 billion.

Not bad for a device that’s been around only a couple of years, taking on a business that started in 1905!

iPhone X could rack up giant preorder numbers

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Apple could be a $2 trillion company by end of 2021
Apple's on track to make some serious bank!
Photo illustration: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

The iPhone X is Apple’s biggest handset refresh since 2014’s iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, and respected KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo thinks that its highly anticipated status is set to make it a giant hit.

In a new note to investors, Kuo suggests that iPhone X preorders could exceed 40 million, and may even hit 50 million. If true, this would be a massive achievement for Apple, particularly given the high price of the handset, which some predicted would be a major strike against it.

iPhone 8 may be Apple’s worst September launch weekend in years

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iPhone
Fans queuing for the iPhone 8 on launch day.
Photo: S Marshall-McCormack/Twitter

The iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus have seen lower adoption rates than any September launch of an iPhone since at least 2013, a new report by “lifestyle engagement platform” Localytics claims.

During its first weekend on sale, the iPhone 8 reportedly seized 0.3 percent of the total iPhone device market share, while the iPhone 8 Plus managed 0.4 percent. By contrast, last year’s iPhone 7 generation of handsets racked up 1.2 percent of the market in its opening weekend.

Apple may switch up iPhone sizes again next year

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iPhone X
Is Apple planning a new iPhone display size for next year?
Photo: Apple

The new iPhone X isn’t even out yet, but already the rumor mill is starting to churn about what Apple plans to offer for next year’s 2018-era iPhone refresh.

The report suggests that Apple is ditching plans to produce an 5.28 inch OLED iPhone, and instead to have its handsets start at 5.85 inches. The three iPhones for next year will therefore reportedly come in screen sizes of 5.85 inches, 6.4 inches, and an unspecified model also in excess of 6 inches.

Apple tells iPhone X component suppliers to slow down shipments

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iPhone 8
Apple is still trying to figure out the demand for its iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus first.
Photo: Apple

You might think that Apple’s busy manufacturing every iPhone X handset it’s able to, but according to a new report, that’s not exactly the case.

In fact, Apple has supposedly told component makers for the iPhone X to withhold shipments until Apple has gauged the sales performance of the recently released iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus.

Morphite, Ikea Place, and other awesome apps of the week

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Awesome Apps
'Appy weekend everyone!
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Apple’s ARKit takes center stage in this week’s “Awesome Apps” roundup — with two impressive demos of iOS 11’s new augmented reality platform that, hopefully, will help convince you that AR is every bit as revolutionary as Tim Cook thinks it is.

In addition, we’ve picked a great open world universe game that’s sure to go down as one of the year’s best iOS titles, and a new entry in a beloved series of legal games (yes, really!). Check out our choices below.

iPhone 8 reviews: You’re better off waiting for iPhone X

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iphone 8 plus
The iPhone 8 and 8 Plus bring good, but nonessential, updates.
Photo: Apple

The iPhone 8 was always going to be stuck in a tough spot: It’s a marginal upgrade that lands the same year that Apple introduced the iPhone X, the biggest refresh since 2014’s iPhone 6.

Now that review embargoes have lifted, Apple’s favorite tech journalists are busting out their iPhone 8 reviews. Are the iPhone 8 or 8 Plus worth shelling out for? Check out our iPhone 8 review roundup below.

iPhone 8 gets lukewarm reception around the world

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iPhone
The iPhone 8 queues in Australia weren't what they've been in previous years.
Photo: S Marshall-McCormack/Twitter

Fans queuing for the latest iPhone is something customary for new launches, but according to reports from across the globe, demand isn’t what it has been in previous years.

Interest in the new handset seems to be muted, with Apple stores seeing a fraction of the lines that have greeted previous iPhone launches. At Apple stores in New York City, where typically hundreds of fans are queued up for hours to buy the iPhone, the entire line was gone within the first hour of the store opening.

Best iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus cases so far

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8_Cases
Which iPhone case have you picked?
Photo: Mujjo

The iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus may cost as much as the top-end iPhone X, but that certainly doesn’t mean you don’t want to protect your new iPhone.

You’ll find a range of cases on the market. Ultra-thin “skins” will to protect your iPhone 8 from scratches without changing its appearance much. Heavy-duty armor will save it from concrete smashes. And wallet-style cases let get organized. Here are our top picks for the iPhone 8/8 Plus cases you need to know about.

iPhone 8 teardown reveals smaller battery, 2GB of RAM, more

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iFixit iPhone 8
If your iPhone 8 looks like this when it arrives, you're probably not going to be too happy!
Photo: iFixit

Most people haven’t even laid their hands on one yet, but the good folks at iFixit have already gotten hold of a new iPhone device and cracked it open to see what its insides look like.

While the new handset is very similar to the existing iPhone 7, it does include a few notable differences, which can be described as follows:

Apple promises Dolby Atmos is coming to Apple TV 4K

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Apple TV 4K
Apple TV 4K may look amazing, but its sound doesn't quite match. Yet.
Photo: Apple

Apple’s new Apple TV 4K set-top box doesn’t currently support Dolby Atmos surround sound, an early review reveals. However, this is something Apple plans to add in a future update.

Atmos, along with competitor DTS:X, are next generation surround sound formats, referred to in the industry as “object-based surround.” In contrast to regular surround sound, which sends specific audio tracks to different speakers, Atmos lets sound engineers place their sound “objects” in 3D space, and then makes your sound system work out how to replicate this.

Qualcomm suffers double defeat in fight against Apple

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Qualcomm patents
Qualcomm has been battling Apple since the start of the year.
Photo: Qualcomm

Qualcomm has suffered a blow in its patent royalty battle with Apple after losing two hearings.

The first hearing means that Qualcomm cannot force Apple’s manufacturing partners to make royalty payments before the total quantity of royalties are settled. The second means that it cannot stop Apple from seeking antitrust cases against Qualcomm in other countries.

Manufacturing problems mean final iPhone X production hasn’t started yet

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iPhone X
Building the iPhone X hasn't been without its challenges.
Photo: Apple

The iPhone X may be Apple’s most exciting iPhone refresh in years, but it’s causing the company no end of production issues. According to a new report, the iPhone X has run into more late stage manufacturing problems, causing an additional “incremental” delay for shipping.

The result? Final production on the handset hasn’t even started yet.

Amazon could launch Alexa smart glasses this year

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Google Glass 2.0
Creator of the Google Glass is behind Amazon's new initiative.
Photo: Google

Amazon is working on developing a pair of smart glasses that will come with its virtual assistant Alexa built in, a new report claims.

It’s not clear the exact functionality that the smart glasses will offer, but among them will be to the ability to let users converse with Alexa at any time. This will work via a bone-conduction audio system so that the user does not have to wear headphones to hear Alexa’s responses.

Connectivity fault hampers new LTE Apple Watch Series 3

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Apple Watch Series 3
There's a fix coming, but it's not here yet.
Photo: Apple

A fault with Apple Watch Series 3 LTE models can make cellular connectivity unreliable, Apple admits.

“We have discovered that when Apple Watch Series 3 joins unauthenticated Wi-Fi networks without connectivity, it may at times prevent the watch from using cellular,” Apple said in a statement. “We are investigating a fix for a future software release.”

Apple VP slams Trump’s EPA over lack of transparency

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Jackson
Apple should focus on building durable products, Lisa Jackson says.
Photo: Apple

Apple’s VP of Environment, Policy and Social Initiatives Lisa Jackson has criticized the Trump administration for hurting the Environmental Protection Agency. Jackson worked as an administrator for the EPA during the first term of President Obama’s presidency, prior to taking her current job at Apple.

“The EPA has been run by Democrats, by Republicans, but has never, in its history — that is 40+ years old — been run by someone who seems to be determined to do the one thing that could destroy its credibility, which is not making it transparent,” Jackson told the audience at the TechCrunch Disrupt conference.

Ikea’s new iPhone app brings virtual furniture to your home

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Apple and Ikea are collaborating on artificial intelligence.
IKEA's new app is now available to download.
Photo: IKEA

Following the release of iOS 11 and Apple’s much-hyped ARKit augmented reality platform, Ikea’s new furniture-testing “Place” app has officially landed in the App Store.

Ikea Place lets users take advantage of AR technology to position furniture from the Ikea catalog in their own home. The “try before you buy” concept shows off ARKit’s impressive ability to handle 3D scaling with millimeter-accurate positioning.

Apple will make iPhone wireless charging faster soon

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iphone x dock
Future firmware update will improve iPhone's wireless charging.
Photo: Apple

The wireless charging capabilities of the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus will reportedly receive a boost later this year, courtesy of a future over-the-air firmware update from Apple.

Right now, the iPhone 8 charges at a rate equal to that of the 5-watt USB Power Adapter that Apple provides with the iPhone. However, according to an early review of the device (no doubt with a tip-off from Apple), this will increase slightly later this year.

$1,000 iPhone X is a steal, says Tim Cook

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Tim Cook
Tim Cook talks up Apple's new iPhones.
Photo: Good Morning America

$1,000 for the iPhone X is a “value price” to pay for such a premium product, Tim Cook told viewers during an in-studio interview with Good Morning America today.

In the 10-minute interview, Cook defended the pricing of the next-generation iPhone, talked about his excitement over augmented reality, discussed Steve Jobs’ legacy at Apple, and touched on the ongoing political topic of “Dreamers” in the United States — referring to illegal immigrants who were brought into the U.S. as children.