The iPhone 6s smashed records in its first weekend on sale, selling a massive 13 million handsets in just three days. However, integrated circuit makers in Apple’s supply chain are complaining that Apple is reportedly lowering its number of orders for this year’s holiday season.
No, it’s not a collective delusion — the iPhone 6s really is more water-resistant than its predecessors.
In a new teardown carried out by our friends at iFixit, the iPhone 6s was found to include a gasket-style “mystery adhesive” around the handset display, specially designed to keep water out.
Apple has agreed the $3.6 million purchase of close to 200 acres of land in Crook County, Oregon, which it will hopefully use to double the footprint of its Prineville data center.
According to analysis from research firm IHS Technology, the iPhone 6s Plus costs Apple an estimated $236 to make — but nets the company an impressive $749 when it goes on sale.
That’s $513 markup per handset, if you’re keeping track at home.
Apple today launched Apple Music, iTunes Movies and iBooks in China.
As with the U.S., Chinese customers are being treated to a three-month free trial for Apple Music. After this, the subscription service will cost a very reasonable 10 yuan ($1.57) per month — just one-sixth of what customers in the U.S. pay for the service.
After the opening of the redesigned, tree-filled Apple Store in Brussels, Apple’s flagship Regent Street store in London is the next to get the Jony Ive treatment.
Working with Foster & Partners, the architectural firm responsible for the Gherkin skyscraper, Apple’s plans call for it to transform what it refers to as the “tired and outdated” look of the Regent Street Apple Store — even removing the instantly-recognizable four giant Apple logos outside the store entrance.
Beats 1 launched triumphantly with Apple Music, but in a new interview with Beats DJ Zane Lowe, the radio presenter admits he’s “not sure” whether Beats 1 is a crucial part of the Apple Music package — although he hopes “there’s a place for it.”
The long-running disaster that was the Los Angeles Unified School District scheme to provide iPads to every student, teacher and campus administrator is apparently over — with Apple among the companies agreeing to pay out a $6.4 million settlement.
The tentative payout is hopefully the last phase in an aborted $1.3-billion plan for the second-largest district in the U.S. to get its hands on new iPads and Pearson educational software.
What kind of person hands over $750 for two new iPhone 6s handsets from a person they’ve just met on the street?
Apparently the kind of person who’s then surprised that the bag supposedly carrying his new iPhones instead contains a large amount of sugar, that’s who!
3D Touch was the most widely-praised feature of the new iPhone 6s, and something that has the potential to be a real game-changer going forward.
In a newly-published patent, Apple explains how 3D Touch-style technology could revolutionize maps, by letting users animate the screen with different levels of touch.
Apple has updated its website with new details about about its privacy policy and how it uses customer data.
Under the heading “The most personal technology must also be the most private,” the site runs down all of Apple’s core services, and explains how Apple protects user data in each case.
Here are some of the highlights:
It’s almost the end of September, which not only means the evenings are starting to draw in for most of us, but also that Apple Music’s three-month free trial is about to come to an end — with the $9.99 per month premium service kicking in from October.
After its Apple Music Emmys ad, Apple is making one more big push to sell users on its streaming music service. If you want to throw in the towel before getting charged, however, now’s the time to do it.
Read on if you need a quick “how to” reminder.
Apple is presenting gay propaganda with its same-sex emoticons — and Russia isn’t Putin up with it any more!
According to a new report, the Russian police are stepping up their investigation of Apple for “promoting homosexuality” with its range of LGBT-friendly emojis.
And the punishment could be a whopping 800,000 to 1 million rubles — which is roughly what Apple makes in 2.5 seconds, if our calculations are correct.
Every Apple fan is likely familiar with Steve Jobs’ pilgrimage to India, during which he formulated some of the ideas that would serve him so well in the future.
But did you know that, years later, Jobs would suggest that fellow entrepreneurs follow in his path by visiting the same mountain Kainchi Dham Ashram temple that he once had?
According to a new story told by Mark Zuckerberg, that’s exactly the advice that Jobs once laid out for the then-green Facebook CEO. And Zuckerberg was pleased to take him up on his advice.
The iPhone 6s and 6s Plus have sold a record 13 million handsets in their first three days on the market, according to Apple.
“Sales for iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus have been phenomenal, blowing past any previous first weekend sales results in Apple’s history,” said Tim Cook.
Apple may be one step closer to bringing Apple Pay and a permanent manufacturing base in India, following a meeting between India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Tim Cook.
“Cook responded positively,” India’s Ministry of External Affairs spokesman Vikas Swarup said after the meeting. “I think India does fits into his long term plans.”
Apple hasn’t advertised the iPhone 6s as being waterproof, but it seems that the new handset (unofficially) isn’t totally adverse to taking a dip.
In a new video test, YouTuber Zach Straley submerged both the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus in a bowl of water and let them sit there for an hour, powered up.
While the test certainly isn’t comprehensive — and we recommend all Cult of Mac readers leave their new handsets on dry land — it certainly bodes well if you happen to accidentally drop your iPhone 6s in the bath or down the toilet sometime in the next year.
Tim Cook and Steve Jobs screenwriter Aaron Sorkin had a war of words last week.
First off, Cook made some disparaging comments about the upcoming movie biopic on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert — prompting Sorkin to lash back by criticizing Apple for employing a “factory full of children in China” who are paid “17 cents an hour” for building iPhones. Ouch!
It seems that PR types have worked their dark magic calmer heads have prevailed, however, because in a new interview, Sorkin says that him and Cook “probably both went a little too far” with their comments.
Apple’s retail guru Angela Ahrendts paid a surprise visit to Apple’s flagship retail store in Covent Garden today.
Ahrendts — who joined Apple last year and is currently the most highly-paid woman in the U.S. — praised the “positive energy” in Apple Stores, but noted that launch days amplify that feeling “about 100-fold.”
It’s hard to disagree.
The iPhone 6s has Apple’s best iPhone camera to date, but just how good is the company’s 12-megapixel marvel?
To give you an idea, Apple recently handed an advance iPhone 6s Plus to documentary and VR makers RYOT. They used it shoot a short documentary about a painter in Haiti, who uses colors to transform his poor neighborhood.
It’s a great demo of the iPhone 6s Plus in action — and a fantastic short film, to boot.
Check it out below.
Although we’re not sure if it did much to damage sales, last year’s iPhone launch was marred slightly by the so-called Bendgate problem — most famously shown off by the man who bent an iPhone 6 Plus with his bare hands.
Given the notoriety that video enjoyed, it’s no surprise that this year’s customers would be willing to put their new iPhone 6s handsets through the wringer to answer the immortal question: Will it bend?
While his testing method isn’t exactly scientific, Australian YouTuber Christian from FoneFox took up the challenge with his brand new iPhone 6s — and the results look very promising indeed.
Check it out below:
Having Apple on your side can, unsurprisingly, be a massive boon to any manufacturer. But don’t try and play hard ball with Cupertino — as the Taiwan-based Largan Precision could be about to find out.
According to a new report, Apple may shift 30 percent of its orders for the lens modules for the iPhone 6s away from current contractors Largan Precision to Japanese rival company Kantatsu, over Largan’s refusal to lower its prices.
iOS 9’s new always-on “Hey Siri” feature promises to be a game changer for iPhone 6s-owning users of Apple’s AI assistant. For the first time ever, these owners won’t have to plug in their handsets in order to use Siri’s new voice activation tech.
So how exactly will this untethered “Hey Siri” improve your life? Let us count the ways…
Here’s a thought to make you feel old: With the launch of the iPhone 6s, Tim Cook will have officially overseen the launch of more new iPhone generations as CEO than Steve Jobs.
While Jobs was running the show at Apple during the original iPhone, 3G, 3GS and iPhone 4 era, Cook has been in charge during the 4s, 5, 5s, 6 and 6s timeframe.
3D Touch has been the most widely-praised feature of the iPhone 6s in its advance reviews, so it’s no great surprise that savvy jailbreakers would attempt to replicate the technology in older iPhones.
One attempt at this is a new free tweak called ForceTouchActivator, which tries to impersonate 3D Touch by using long presses to expand the functionality of your iPhone.
And as far as free tweaks go, it’s not a bad effort. Sort of.