Apple’s early software for the HomePod continues to reveal new features of the smart speaker, as developers dive deeper into files. After details on the speaker’s screen got discovered, another developer unearthed the UI sounds that will be used on HomePod.
Listen for yourself:
Thanks to secrets hidden inside Apple’s firmware, we’ve discovered a lot about the iPhone 8 this week. One of its biggest features — quite literally — will be a significantly larger display that leaves no room for a physical Home button or bulky bezels.
Here’s how iOS could change to take advantage of it with a sweet new user interface.
Yet more information about the iPhone 8 has been discovered in Apple’s HomePod firmware. We now know the device will have a split status bar designed to fit its edge-to-edge display and tap to wake functionality like its Android-powered rivals.
However, the future of Touch ID still looks bleak.
Apple is set to unveil its latest earnings report on Tuesday, and Wall Street analysts predict it will probably be the most boring earnings call of 2017.
This will likely be Apple’s last public announcement before it unveils the next generation of iPhones. Apple CEO Tim Cook might drop some hints on what to expect, and when, as investors look forward to Apple’s next big blockbuster quarter. As usual, Cult of Mac will be here liveblogging the entire event with all the analysis and wit we can muster.
Watch for these five things during the call:
Apple manufacturing partner TSMC has reportedly started mass-production of the A11 chip that will power the iPhone 8.
The new chip is said to be based on a 10-nanometer manufacturing process, which should make it faster and more efficient than the 16-nanometer A10 Fusion in the iPhone 7.
Early benchmarks suggest it will be even faster than the A10X Fusion chip in the latest iPad Pros.
Apple will cough up 3 billion won (approx. $2.7 billion) for exclusivity over LG Display’s new OLED production facility, according to a new report.
It’s thought Samsung has been tasked with manufacturing displays for this year’s iPhone 8, but Apple’s big investment could mean all future handsets use LG panels.
Being one of the first to market with new iPhone accessories can mean big business. We won’t get confirmation of Apple’s plans for the iPhone 8 until September, but some companies are already manufacturing cases based on leaks and rumors.
One of those is Nodus. Launched in 2013, the case-maker focuses exclusively on the iPhone, and its plans for Apple’s next big refresh are already well underway. Here’s everything it knows about the iPhone 8 so far, and how it’s fighting to beat others to market.
A new iPhone 8 leak all but confirms one of the handset’s biggest new features.
A component we haven’t seen in an iPhone before — almost certainly a wireless charging module — surfaced recently on a Chinese social network. It appears to be equipped with a Lightning connector and is clearly labeled “iPhone.”
iPhone 7s production has already started and iPhone 8 won’t be delayed, according to one tipster, who claims to have been speaking to a source at Foxconn.
It is believed that Apple’s largest manufacturing partner is currently assembling around 200 units per day as part of a trial run, but that number will increase significantly as we approach an official unveiling this September.
LG Display plans to take on Samsung in the battle to be Apple’s number one supplier of OLED display panels.
According to a new report, LG will invest $13.5 billion into the production of OLED screens over the next few three years in order to make a stronger play in the smartphone display market.
Apple Park is finally starting to look like a finished project in the latest drone flyover video. Landscaping work is in full swing as construction crews race to finish the final details on the Steve Jobs Theater and other buildings.
The new Apple campus is still weeks away from being move-in ready. Vehicle traffic on Tantau Ave. was shutdown for most of July as Apple rushes to finish the Visitor’s Center too.
Take a look at the progress:
Apple is reportedly planning to manufacture its own OLED displays for future iPhones so that it can reduce its reliance on Samsung.
The South Korean company is said to be producing around 80 million panels this year alone for the big iPhone 8 refresh, but it could get its nose pushed out later on.
This week on The CultCast: Why Apple’s making an iPhone Pro, a tech-packed cutting-edge phone that will showcase what Cupertino is capable of. Plus: Genius Bar jackpot! (Or, why Apple sometimes replaces your old, broken gear for a brand new model.) And stick around for a super-powerful electric long board, a HomeKit-enabled ceiling fan, and a pro-level keyboard case for your iPad Pro in an all-new Under Review.
Our thanks to Squarespace for supporting this episode. It’s simple to accept Apple Pay and sell your wares with your very own Squarespace.com website. Enter offer code “CultCast” at checkout to get 10 percent off any hosting plan.
Recent iPhone 8 rumors have left the future of Touch ID unclear. Some indicate it will remain, but in a new position, while others warn that Apple plans to replace it with iris scanning and facial recognition.
These aren’t entirely new technologies; other manufacturers have been offering them for years with mixed results. But can Apple deliver a solution that’s simple, fast, and secure enough to replace the fingerprint scanner?
Join us in this week’s Friday Night Fight as we battle it out over whether the iPhone can bid farewell to Touch ID.
The positioning of Touch ID has changed yet again in the latest iPhone 8 leak.
A machined rear panel for Apple’s upcoming device suggests the company still has plans to put a fingerprint scanner on its back — as indicated by earlier leaks. But it won’t be a pain to reach like the Galaxy S8’s.
We’re all wondering where Apple will place Touch ID on the iPhone 8, with the physical Home button set to disappear in favor of a larger display. The latest report indicates it could be embedded in the handset’s power button on its right side.
Apple investors have been urged to “quit worrying” by one analyst, who insists the “short-lived” iPhone 8 delay won’t impact stock price.
Robert Cihra from Guggenheim doesn’t deny that iPhone 8 will launch late, but he’s confident fans will wait, rather than jump ship.
Yet another analyst is warning that this year’s big iPhone 8 upgrade will launch late, but they promise it will be worth the wait.
Morgan Stanley’s Katy Huberty has told investors that the device won’t be available until October, rather than September, but it will bring “the most meaningful feature and technology upgrades in iPhone’s history.”
Want to be one of the first to get your hands on Apple’s big iPhone 8 upgrade this fall? Prepare yourself for disappointment.
According to a new report, the device won’t enter mass-production until months after its official unveiling, and only small quantities will be available at first.
This week on The CultCast: The magic of HomePod! We’ll tell you about the built-in audio tech that’s getting even the most ardent audiophiles hyped about Apple’s upcoming smart speaker.
Plus: Why iPhone 8’s biggest features may be disabled at launch; how you can grab Apple’s new back-to-school promo without being in college; the fascinating story behind Steve Jobs’ iconic turtleneck; more of iOS 11’s best unknown features; and we wrap with the heartwarming story of why Jobs insisted on always buying his friends’ lunches.
Our thanks to Casper for supporting this episode. Learn why Casper makes the internet’s favorite mattress, and save $50 off your order at casper.com/cultcast.
Samsung is planning a new smartphone to tackle Apple’s massive iPhone 8 upgrade this fall.
The Galaxy Note 8 is expected to land as early as next month, but thanks to a “leak” from one of its own Twitter accounts, we don’t have to wait until then to get our first glimpse.
Apple has reportedly invested tens of millions of dollars in equipment for producing rigid-flexible printed circuit boards (RFPCBs) for its upcoming iPhone, claims a new report.
Although Apple typically contracts third parties to produce its products, rather than building them itself, it was allegedly pushed into making the investment after one of Apple’s RFPCB suppliers backed out at the last minute.
Apple’s rumored decision to ditch Touch ID on the iPhone 8 may not be as rushed a decision as some rumors have claimed.
Facial recognition features could replace Touch ID on Apple’s premium handset this year and a new patent filing shows the company has been working on the technology behind it for over 3 years.
Apple will pack lasers into the iPhone 8 to deliver improved augmented reality and autofocus, according to a new report. One source says that the rear-facing sensor will provide better depth perception in ARKit apps, and sharper photos.
Shipping estimates for the iPhone 8 have been slashed by one firm amid concerns that the device could be delayed by up to a month.
Following a trip to Apple suppliers, Bank of America Merrill Lynch analysts blamed delays on “technological issues” related to the handset’s fingerprint scanner and 3D facial recognition sensors.
