Apple's next iPad: bigger screen, Touch ID, Apple Pay and multi-window? - The Guardian

Hidden code within the latest iOS 8.1 beta software suggests that Apple’s next-generation iPads, expected to be announced in October, will have both the Touch ID fingerprint sensor and Apple Pay functionality, like the iPhone 6.

Apple is also expected to introduce a larger iPad measuring 12.9in diagonally, which would have 76% more screen area, at 79.88 square inches, than the current 9.7in iPad Air if it retains the same 4:3 ratio for its width and length.

Separate sources have suggested that Apple will introduce a “multi-window” split screen function for the larger iPad, like that used by Microsoft’s Windows 8 software on its tablets and Samsung on its Galaxy Tab range.

With sales of iPads having slowed dramatically in the first half, and fallen year-on-year for two quarters in succession, Apple will be looking to tempt business users with its new devices. A deal with IBM, signed in July, could be crucial to reviving flagging sales as consumers have cooled on buying new tablets, replacing them far more slowly than they do their smartphones.

Buried payments

The Touch ID and payment code, discovered by Hamza Sood, is buried in the latest developer test version of Apple’s iPhone and iPad software specifically states that users can “pay with iPad using Touch ID. With Apple Pay, you no longer need to type card numbers and shipping information.”

Apple’s Touch ID fingerprint scanner was first introduced with the iPhone 5S, released in September 2013, but was not fitted to the iPad Air or iPad mini with Retina display released in November later that year.

The iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, launched this month, also have the Touch ID sensor, which integrates with Apple’s new payments service Apple Pay to allow contactless payments from an encrypted form of the user’s credit card, either in store or online. Apple has said it will activate Apple Pay with a software update in October.

The code indicates that as many have expected, the new iPads - rumoured to debut in October – will include Touch ID fingerprint scanners. However it is unclear whether the new iPads would include NFC functionality for in-store contactless payments, as that would require wireless connectivity to complete the transaction, either via Wi-Fi or a mobile connection.

Larger screens?

Rumours have long suggested that Apple’s next iPad have larger screens than the current 9.7in and 7.9in displays on the iPad Air and iPad mini. An “iPad Pro” has been suggested by various sources close to Apple’s supply chain sources in Asia, with Taiwan’s Technews showing photos that appear to show a thinner device with a 12.9in screen and more powerful processor, which it calls the A8X.

An “iPad Pro” would resemble the 11in MacBook Air in size, but thinner and without a keyboard. Separate, but so far unconfirmed, rumours have suggested that Apple will offer an attachable keyboard as an accessory for the device.

Apple’s iPad is currently used by the NHS, publishers and other office-based industries, where it is often used instead of a laptop with increased security, battery life and portability for a lesser cost than laptop alternatives.

The 9.7in iPad Air is expected to get a faster processor and to get a RAM upgrade from 1GB to 2GB. Apple’s iPhone 6 and 6 Plus both have 1GB of RAM.

The increased memory is expected to aid with the iPad’s multitasking capabilities. A split-screen mode that allows two apps to be used at once side-by-side on one screen has long been rumoured in development at Apple. The increased RAM could help with support for that feature, which would likely feature on an iPad Pro too.

Thin bezels and more storage

The next generation iPad Air is expected to maintain a similar design as the 2013 iPad Air. The Air, released in November 2013, was the biggest design change since the iPad was introduced in 2010, with thinner bezels around the screen and a significantly lighter and slimmer design.

Apple is likely to change the storage available on the new iPads. The iPhone 6 and 6 Plus are available in three variants with 16, 64 and 128GB, up from the 16, 32 and 64GB storage options of the iPhone 5S.

The new iPads Air is likely to follow suit with 16, 64 and 128GB options available, and possibly a 256GB version, up from the current 16, 32, 64 and 128 storage options. It is also possible that the smallest storage available will be 32GB on the iPad.

A larger storage capacity will mean more apps and games, which have increased in size dramatically over the last couple of years with many taking up well over 500MB of space each, can be installed along with photos, videos and music.

• iPad Air review: lighter, thinner and raising the bar for software

• Samsung Galaxy Tab S review: a rival for the iPad?

• Sony Xperia Z2 Tablet review: a serious iPad Air competitor

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U.S. Law Enforcement Seeks to Halt Apple-Google Encryption of Mobile Data - Bloomberg

U.S. law enforcement officials are urging Apple Inc. (AAPL) and Google Inc. (GOOG) to give authorities access to smartphone data that the companies have decided to block, and are weighing whether to appeal to executives or seek congressional legislation.

The new privacy features, announced two weeks ago by the California-based companies, will stymie investigations into crimes ranging from drug dealing to terrorism, law enforcement officials said.

“This is a very bad idea,” said Cathy Lanier, chief of the Washington Metropolitan Police Department, in an interview. Smartphone communication is “going to be the preferred method of the pedophile and the criminal. We are going to lose a lot of investigative opportunities.”

The dispute is the latest flare-up that pits the federal government against the nation’s leading technology companies since National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden disclosed last year the extent of U.S. snooping on phone and Internet communications -- and how companies cooperated.

U.S. Justice Department and FBI officials are trying to understand how the new Apple and Google Android systems work and how the companies could change the encryption to make it accessible when court ordered. Their requests to the companies may include letters, personal appeals or congressional legislation, said a federal law official who requested anonymity to discuss the sensitive issue.

NSA Spying

Beyond lobbying the companies, there is little law enforcement can do without congressional action. Technology companies have stepped up efforts to shield customer data from hackers -- and the government -- after the NSA spy revelations and the recent theft of celebrity nude photos from Apple’s iCloud service.

“These companies are trying to build products that people want to use,” said Carl Howe, a mobility analyst with 451 Research in Boston. “They want to provide that feeling of privacy. Otherwise, people won’t use them.”

Apple described the new measures on Sept. 17 on its website, noting that it can no longer bypass customers’ passcodes and “therefore cannot access this data.” Apple has in the past cooperated with court orders and unlocked phones for law enforcement or provided data from its systems. Apple’s message said in most cases law enforcement doesn’t ask for content such as e-mails, photos or data stored on its iCloud or iTunes accounts.

Technical Feasibility

“It’s not technically feasible for us to respond to government warrants for the extraction of this data from devices in their possession running” the latest version of the company’s operating system, iOS 8, the Cupertino, California-based company said.

Evidence from mobile devices has provided critical help in solving crimes ranging from homicides to drug trafficking. Just as most people spend time on smartphones, so do criminals.

Investigators routinely recover from the devices videos of crimes in progress, photos of drug gang members flashing weapons, text exchanges between conspirators, and child pornography.

Federal Bureau of Investigation Director James Comey entered the debate last week, telling reporters that he opposed the companies’ decision. He said the FBI was working to get them to change the policies.

“What concerns me about this is companies marketing something expressly to allow people to place themselves beyond the law,” Comey said.

‘Fundamental Tension’

Kristin Huguet, a spokeswoman for Apple, and Christopher Katsaros, a spokesman for Mountain View, California-based Google, declined to comment on the efforts by federal officials.

“This is a fundamental tension,” Howe said. The “balance between how much privacy you’re allowed to have and how many rights the government has” is a question that has continued historically in the U.S., he said.

A half-dozen police and federal officials interviewed said that Apple, in particular, was taking an aggressive posture on the issue.

Law enforcement officials emphasized that they get court orders, and that they aren’t seeking to randomly root through phones. They said they were unsure whether the same encryption protocols would make it impossible to get data stored in cloud-based servers operated by the companies.

Drug Investigations

James Soiles, a deputy chief of operations at the Drug Enforcement Administration, said the stakes in resolving the dispute are high.

“It’s a significant issue for law enforcement,” Soiles said. “As long as we are doing it with court orders, there shouldn’t be any reason to keep us from it. We want to attack command-and-control structures of drug organizations, and to do that we have to be able to exploit their communication devices.”

Andrew Weissmann, the top lawyer at the FBI from 2011 through 2013, said the bureau was especially concerned that criminals could soon “go dark” with the aid of encryption.

Google and Apple faced a choice, Weissmann said: Creating vault-like systems that nobody could penetrate or ones that were less-secure and would permit authorities to investigate crimes.

‘Balancing Act’

“They have created a system that is a free-for-all for criminals,” said Weissmann, a law professor at New York University. “It’s the wrong balancing act. Having court-ordered access to telephones is essential to thwart criminal acts and terrorist acts.”

Weissmann said there was little the Justice Department could do to stop the emerging policies. The companies are permitted to have encryption systems. The only way to ensure law enforcement access is for Congress to pass legislation, he said.

Following the Snowden revelations over the National Security Agency’s data collection, Google, Apple and other tech giants in January got permission to disclose more about government orders for customer data. Microsoft Corp. (MSFT), Yahoo! Inc. (YHOO) and Facebook Inc. (FB), had filed motions with the secret court that oversees spying under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act asking to be able to publish details.

Some tech companies, including Google and Facebook, are pushing for more help with disclosures. That includes support of legislation called the USA FREEDOM Act, which would allow the search-engine provider to be more clear about the volume, scope and type of national security demands the company receives.

To contact the reporter on this story: Del Quentin Wilber in Washington at dwilber@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Steven Komarow at skomarow1@bloomberg.net Justin Blum

Press spacebar to pause and continue. Press esc to stop.

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Apple's next iPad: bigger screen, Touch ID, Apple Pay and multi-window? - The Guardian

Hidden code within the latest iOS 8.1 beta software suggests that Apple’s next-generation iPads, expected to be announced in October, will have both the Touch ID fingerprint sensor and Apple Pay functionality, like the iPhone 6.

Apple is also expected to introduce a larger iPad measuring 12.9in diagonally, which would have 76% more screen area, at 79.88 square inches, than the current 9.7in iPad Air if it retains the same 4:3 ratio for its width and length.

Separate sources have suggested that Apple will introduce a “multi-window” split screen function for the larger iPad, like that used by Microsoft’s Windows 8 software on its tablets and Samsung on its Galaxy Tab range.

With sales of iPads having slowed dramatically in the first half, and fallen year-on-year for two quarters in succession, Apple will be looking to tempt business users with its new devices. A deal with IBM, signed in July, could be crucial to reviving flagging sales as consumers have cooled on buying new tablets, replacing them far more slowly than they do their smartphones.

Buried payments

The Touch ID and payment code, discovered by Hamza Sood, is buried in the latest developer test version of Apple’s iPhone and iPad software specifically states that users can “pay with iPad using Touch ID. With Apple Pay, you no longer need to type card numbers and shipping information.”

Apple’s Touch ID fingerprint scanner was first introduced with the iPhone 5S, released in September 2013, but was not fitted to the iPad Air or iPad mini with Retina display released in November later that year.

The iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, launched this month, also have the Touch ID sensor, which integrates with Apple’s new payments service Apple Pay to allow contactless payments from an encrypted form of the user’s credit card, either in store or online. Apple has said it will activate Apple Pay with a software update in October.

The code indicates that as many have expected, the new iPads - rumoured to debut in October – will include Touch ID fingerprint scanners. However it is unclear whether the new iPads would include NFC functionality for in-store contactless payments, as that would require wireless connectivity to complete the transaction, either via Wi-Fi or a mobile connection.

Larger screens?

Rumours have long suggested that Apple’s next iPad have larger screens than the current 9.7in and 7.9in displays on the iPad Air and iPad mini. An “iPad Pro” has been suggested by various sources close to Apple’s supply chain sources in Asia, with Taiwan’s Technews showing photos that appear to show a thinner device with a 12.9in screen and more powerful processor, which it calls the A8X.

An “iPad Pro” would resemble the 11in MacBook Air in size, but thinner and without a keyboard. Separate, but so far unconfirmed, rumours have suggested that Apple will offer an attachable keyboard as an accessory for the device.

Apple’s iPad is currently used by the NHS, publishers and other office-based industries, where it is often used instead of a laptop with increased security, battery life and portability for a lesser cost than laptop alternatives.

The 9.7in iPad Air is expected to get a faster processor and to get a RAM upgrade from 1GB to 2GB. Apple’s iPhone 6 and 6 Plus both have 1GB of RAM.

The increased memory is expected to aid with the iPad’s multitasking capabilities. A split-screen mode that allows two apps to be used at once side-by-side on one screen has long been rumoured in development at Apple. The increased RAM could help with support for that feature, which would likely feature on an iPad Pro too.

Thin bezels and more storage

The next generation iPad Air is expected to maintain a similar design as the 2013 iPad Air. The Air, released in November 2013, was the biggest design change since the iPad was introduced in 2010, with thinner bezels around the screen and a significantly lighter and slimmer design.

Apple is likely to change the storage available on the new iPads. The iPhone 6 and 6 Plus are available in three variants with 16, 64 and 128GB, up from the 16, 32 and 64GB storage options of the iPhone 5S.

The new iPads Air is likely to follow suit with 16, 64 and 128GB options available, and possibly a 256GB version, up from the current 16, 32, 64 and 128 storage options. It is also possible that the smallest storage available will be 32GB on the iPad.

A larger storage capacity will mean more apps and games, which have increased in size dramatically over the last couple of years with many taking up well over 500MB of space each, can be installed along with photos, videos and music.

• iPad Air review: lighter, thinner and raising the bar for software

• Samsung Galaxy Tab S review: a rival for the iPad?

• Sony Xperia Z2 Tablet review: a serious iPad Air competitor

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China OKs iPhone 6 sale after Apple addresses security concerns - Reuters

A customer holds an iPhone 6 (R) and iPhone 6 Plus after the phones went on sale at the Fifth Avenue Apple store in Manhattan, New York September 19, 2014.

Credit: Reuters/Adrees Latif

(Reuters) - The iPhone 6 will be sold in China from Oct 17, after rigorous regulator scrutiny led to Apple Inc (AAPL.O) reassuring the Chinese government that the smartphones did not have security "backdoors" through which U.S. agencies can access users' data.

Apple won approval to sell the phones after also addressing risks of personal information leaks related to the operating system's diagnostic tools, China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) said on its website on Tuesday.

The iPhone 6 and 6 Plus were released on Sept 19 in the United States and elsewhere, but regulatory delay meant Chinese consumers had to wait. The initial lack of a China launch date caught analysts by surprise because of Apple's repeated comments about the importance of the world's biggest smartphone market.

Apple and other American technology companies have been subject to greater scrutiny in China after former U.S. National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden last year revealed spying and surveillance campaigns, including programs that obtained private data through U.S. technology firms.

In July, Chinese state media accused Apple of providing user data to U.S. agencies and called for 'severe punishment'. Apple responded by publicly denying the existence of backdoors.

The notice of approval for the iPhone 6 could potentially mark the ministry's first for a specific smartphone, suggesting Apple is subject to more scrutiny than its peers in a year in which the U.S. tech giant will release a new phone on all three of China's major mobile networks for the first time.

BACKDOORS

The MIIT said it conducted "rigorous security testing" on the iPhone 6 and held talks with Apple on the issue, and that Apple shared with the ministry materials related to the potential security issues.

One of the concerns the MIIT raised was over a third party's ability to take control of a computer that had been given trusted access to the phone by a user. They also queried Apple on the ability of staff repairing iPhones to access user data through background services.

Apple told the MIIT it had adopted new security measures in its latest smartphone operating system, iOS 8, and promised that it had never installed backdoors into its products or services to allow access for any government agency in any country, the MIIT said.

Apple earlier this month was hiring a head of law enforcement in Beijing to deal with user data requests from China's government, after it last month began storing private data on Chinese soil for the first time.

1.27 BILLION SUBSCRIBERS

With regulatory approval from the world's largest smartphone market, analysts expect the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus to sell well in China, where many people prefer phones with larger screens.

The phone will be made available on all three of China's state-owned wireless carriers: China Mobile Ltd (0941.HK), China Unicom Hong Kong Ltd (0762.HK) and China Telecom Corp Ltd (0728.HK). Together, the three had more than 1.27 billion mobile subscribers in August.

"iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus customers will have access to high-speed mobile networks from China Mobile, China Telecom and China Unicom," Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook said in a press release on Tuesday.

The iPhone 6 will be available in gold, silver and gray with a suggested retail price of 5,288 yuan ($860.16) for the cheapest model with 16GB of storage. The iPhone 6 Plus, in the same colors, will be 6,088 yuan ($990.29) for the cheapest model, also with 16GB of storage. The most expensive iPhone 6 Plus with 128GB storage will be 7,788 yuan ($1,266.82).

The phones will also be available online and by reservation from Apple stores.

Apple sold a record 10 million iPhone 6 handsets in the first weekend after their launch, which excluded China. Last year, the U.S. tech firm sold 9 million iPhone 5S and 5C models in 11 countries, including China, in the same period.

The Cupertino, California-based company said iPhone sales in China grew 50 percent during in April-June from a year earlier, effectively salvaging an otherwise lackluster quarter. The strong sales came despite signs that Chinese consumers were waiting for the next-generation iPhone 6, analysts said.

(1 US dollar = 6.1477 Chinese yuan)

(Additional reporting by Beijing Newsroom; Editing by Miral Fahmy and Christopher Cushing)

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U.S. Law Enforcement Seeks to Halt Apple-Google Encryption of Mobile Data - Bloomberg

U.S. law enforcement officials are urging Apple Inc. (AAPL) and Google Inc. (GOOG) to give authorities access to smartphone data that the companies have decided to block, and are weighing whether to appeal to executives or seek congressional legislation.

The new privacy features, announced two weeks ago by the California-based companies, will stymie investigations into crimes ranging from drug dealing to terrorism, law enforcement officials said.

“This is a very bad idea,” said Cathy Lanier, chief of the Washington Metropolitan Police Department, in an interview. Smartphone communication is “going to be the preferred method of the pedophile and the criminal. We are going to lose a lot of investigative opportunities.”

The dispute is the latest flare-up that pits the federal government against the nation’s leading technology companies since National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden disclosed last year the extent of U.S. snooping on phone and Internet communications -- and how companies cooperated.

U.S. Justice Department and FBI officials are trying to understand how the new Apple and Google Android systems work and how the companies could change the encryption to make it accessible when court ordered. Their requests to the companies may include letters, personal appeals or congressional legislation, said a federal law official who requested anonymity to discuss the sensitive issue.

NSA Spying

Beyond lobbying the companies, there is little law enforcement can do without congressional action. Technology companies have stepped up efforts to shield customer data from hackers -- and the government -- after the NSA spy revelations and the recent theft of celebrity nude photos from Apple’s iCloud service.

“These companies are trying to build products that people want to use,” said Carl Howe, a mobility analyst with 451 Research in Boston. “They want to provide that feeling of privacy. Otherwise, people won’t use them.”

Apple described the new measures on Sept. 17 on its website, noting that it can no longer bypass customers’ passcodes and “therefore cannot access this data.” Apple has in the past cooperated with court orders and unlocked phones for law enforcement or provided data from its systems. Apple’s message said in most cases law enforcement doesn’t ask for content such as e-mails, photos or data stored on its iCloud or iTunes accounts.

Technical Feasibility

“It’s not technically feasible for us to respond to government warrants for the extraction of this data from devices in their possession running” the latest version of the company’s operating system, iOS 8, the Cupertino, California-based company said.

Evidence from mobile devices has provided critical help in solving crimes ranging from homicides to drug trafficking. Just as most people spend time on smartphones, so do criminals.

Investigators routinely recover from the devices videos of crimes in progress, photos of drug gang members flashing weapons, text exchanges between conspirators, and child pornography.

Federal Bureau of Investigation Director James Comey entered the debate last week, telling reporters that he opposed the companies’ decision. He said the FBI was working to get them to change the policies.

“What concerns me about this is companies marketing something expressly to allow people to place themselves beyond the law,” Comey said.

‘Fundamental Tension’

Kristin Huguet, a spokeswoman for Apple, and Christopher Katsaros, a spokesman for Mountain View, California-based Google, declined to comment on the efforts by federal officials.

“This is a fundamental tension,” Howe said. The “balance between how much privacy you’re allowed to have and how many rights the government has” is a question that has continued historically in the U.S., he said.

A half-dozen police and federal officials interviewed said that Apple, in particular, was taking an aggressive posture on the issue.

Law enforcement officials emphasized that they get court orders, and that they aren’t seeking to randomly root through phones. They said they were unsure whether the same encryption protocols would make it impossible to get data stored in cloud-based servers operated by the companies.

Drug Investigations

James Soiles, a deputy chief of operations at the Drug Enforcement Administration, said the stakes in resolving the dispute are high.

“It’s a significant issue for law enforcement,” Soiles said. “As long as we are doing it with court orders, there shouldn’t be any reason to keep us from it. We want to attack command-and-control structures of drug organizations, and to do that we have to be able to exploit their communication devices.”

Andrew Weissmann, the top lawyer at the FBI from 2011 through 2013, said the bureau was especially concerned that criminals could soon “go dark” with the aid of encryption.

Google and Apple faced a choice, Weissmann said: Creating vault-like systems that nobody could penetrate or ones that were less-secure and would permit authorities to investigate crimes.

‘Balancing Act’

“They have created a system that is a free-for-all for criminals,” said Weissmann, a law professor at New York University. “It’s the wrong balancing act. Having court-ordered access to telephones is essential to thwart criminal acts and terrorist acts.”

Weissmann said there was little the Justice Department could do to stop the emerging policies. The companies are permitted to have encryption systems. The only way to ensure law enforcement access is for Congress to pass legislation, he said.

Following the Snowden revelations over the National Security Agency’s data collection, Google, Apple and other tech giants in January got permission to disclose more about government orders for customer data. Microsoft Corp. (MSFT), Yahoo! Inc. (YHOO) and Facebook Inc. (FB), had filed motions with the secret court that oversees spying under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act asking to be able to publish details.

Some tech companies, including Google and Facebook, are pushing for more help with disclosures. That includes support of legislation called the USA FREEDOM Act, which would allow the search-engine provider to be more clear about the volume, scope and type of national security demands the company receives.

To contact the reporter on this story: Del Quentin Wilber in Washington at dwilber@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Steven Komarow at skomarow1@bloomberg.net Justin Blum

Press spacebar to pause and continue. Press esc to stop.

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Jawbone's trackerless Up app syncs with Apple Health, other fitness services ... - Engadget

As it promised mere weeks ago, Jawbone has launched a new version of Up for iOS that syncs data from numerous health services and doesn't require its own tracker. Confusingly, the Jawbone app which does require an Up or Up24 tracker is also called 'Up' and is still available. However, the new version is more of a fitness catchall app that works with Apple's Health and over a hundred other apps (and their trackers), like RunKeeper and IFTTT. In fact, the new Up wants to manage all aspects of your health by tracking your sleep, nutrition and workouts. Once it learns your habits, the "Insight Engine" will then give you personalized health tips and other info. There are also social functions, including team tracking and the ability to boast about fitness milestones. Apple had pulled HealthKit apps a few days ago due to bugs, but after some scrambling they're now back -- you can grab Jawbone's UP for iOS here.

Update: Jawbone has told us that the new Up app doesn't work with Nest after all, despite the app saying otherwise. We've updated the post to reflect that.

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Teens Share Video Of Themselves Testing Bendgate In Apple Store - Forbes

Just when one would think that the goofiness around “Bendgate” was over along comes a pair of teenagers with a video of them running rampant through an Apple Store trying to bend the display models of the iPhone 6 – and then bragging about it.

The teens, a pair named Cudy and Danny from somewhere in England, start the video by explaining exactly what they did and why they did it. They tried to bend iPhones to prove that they could be bent, because an employee at the Apple store told them that Bendgate was an “online rumor”.

These teens clearly miss the point – many modern smartphones can be bent if one tries hard enough. This writer had an iPhone 3Gs that didn’t end up well after an afternoon in camping chair, but he doesn’t blame Apple, he blames the beer he was drinking in the hot, hot sun that day. Nobody — especially Apple — has claimed that the new iPhones are completely unbendable or indestructible.

The worst part is that after admitting to the crime – and make no mistake, what these kids did is a crime – they tried to blame Apple. “I don’t even care to be honest,” one of the kids says, “because it’s Apple’s fault.”

Clearly that is an absurd notion; destroying a device through non-typical use is not proof of some fault in it. That would be like one taking a test drive at a Ferarri dealership and then crashing the car into a tree — it’s not Ferarri’s fault that the driver is an idiot.

Here’s the roughly five-minute video in its entirety:

To their credit, Cudy, the apparent leader of the two, has just posted a response video (or audio message, really) in which he claims that he and his pal take full responsibility for being meatheads and claims that if asked by Apple that they would gladly pay the purchase price of the phone. Cudy also wants viewers to know that unlike what some other outlets are reporting, they didn’t break multiple iPhones on their crime spree, but just one. We should be glad that he cleared that up.

Be warned, Cudy uses some not-safe-for-work language in his apology:

Apple has so far been quiet about the acts in the video and a spokesperson for the company was not immediately available to comment, so we don’t know if Apple has anything planned for the dopey duo. We’d be surprised, though, if this kind of activity isn’t on Apple’s metaphorical radar right now. These two likely aren’t the only people checking out the new iPhone’s bending abilities in its retail stores, but it should be noted that people who break things that don’t belong to them don’t prove anything except that they are something of an idiot.

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China regulator approves Apple's iPhone 6 for sale in China - Reuters

A customer holds an iPhone 6 (R) and iPhone 6 Plus after the phones went on sale at the Fifth Avenue Apple store in Manhattan, New York September 19, 2014.

Credit: Reuters/Adrees Latif

(Reuters) - Apple Inc's (AAPL.O) iPhone 6 can now be sold in China, after the firm received a license for the device to be used on China's wireless networks.

The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) said on its website on Tuesday that it had approved the iPhone 6 after Apple addressed potential security risks that could allow personal data to leak.

The iPhone 6 had been released in other countries, including the United States, on September 19 but Apple did not give a release data for China.

The approval paves the way for Apple to sell the iPhone 6 in China, the world's largest smartphone market and one of Apple's biggest for iPhone sales. Analysts expect the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus to sell well in China, where many people prefer phones with larger screens.

The MIIT said it had conducted "rigorous security testing" on the iPhone 6, and that it had held talks with Apple on the issue. Apple also shared with the ministry materials related to the potential security issues, which it said were related to diagnostic tools, the statement said.

Apple sold a record 10 million units of the iPhone 6 models in the first weekend after their launch, which excluded China. Last year, the U.S. tech firm sold 9 million iPhone 5S and 5C models in 11 countries, including China, in the same period.

Apple was not available for immediate comment.

(Additional reporting by Beijing Newsroom; Editing by Miral Fahmy)

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Jawbone's trackerless Up app syncs with Apple Health, other fitness services ... - Engadget

As it promised mere weeks ago, Jawbone has launched a new version of Up for iOS that syncs data from numerous health services and doesn't require its own tracker. Confusingly, the Jawbone app which does require an Up or Up24 tracker is also called 'Up' and is still available. However, the new version is more of a fitness catchall app that works with Apple's Health and over a hundred other apps (and their trackers), like RunKeeper and IFTTT. In fact, the new Up wants to manage all aspects of your health by tracking your sleep, nutrition and workouts. Once it learns your habits, the "Insight Engine" will then give you personalized health tips and other info. There are also social functions, including team tracking and the ability to boast about fitness milestones. Apple had pulled HealthKit apps a few days ago due to bugs, but after some scrambling they're now back -- you can grab Jawbone's UP for iOS here.

Update: Jawbone has told us that the new Up app doesn't work with Nest after all, despite the app saying otherwise. We've updated the post to reflect that.

via apple - Google News http://ift.tt/1DUiztu

Teens Share Video Of Themselves Testing Bendgate In Apple Store - Forbes

Just when one would think that the goofiness around “Bendgate” was over along comes a pair of teenagers with a video of them running rampant through an Apple Store trying to bend the display models of the iPhone 6 – and then bragging about it.

The teens, a pair named Cudy and Danny from somewhere in England, start the video by explaining exactly what they did and why they did it. They tried to bend iPhones to prove that they could be bent, because an employee at the Apple store told them that Bendgate was an “online rumor”.

These teens clearly miss the point – many modern smartphones can be bent if one tries hard enough. This writer had an iPhone 3Gs that didn’t end up well after an afternoon in camping chair, but he doesn’t blame Apple, he blames the beer he was drinking in the hot, hot sun that day. Nobody — especially Apple — has claimed that the new iPhones are completely unbendable or indestructible.

The worst part is that after admitting to the crime – and make no mistake, what these kids did is a crime – they tried to blame Apple. “I don’t even care to be honest,” one of the kids says, “because it’s Apple’s fault.”

Clearly that is an absurd notion; destroying a device through non-typical use is not proof of some fault in it. That would be like one taking a test drive at a Ferarri dealership and then crashing the car into a tree — it’s not Ferarri’s fault that the driver is an idiot.

Here’s the roughly five-minute video in its entirety:

To their credit, Cudy, the apparent leader of the two, has just posted a response video (or audio message, really) in which he claims that he and his pal take full responsibility for being meatheads and claims that if asked by Apple that they would gladly pay the purchase price of the phone. Cudy also wants viewers to know that unlike what some other outlets are reporting, they didn’t break multiple iPhones on their crime spree, but just one. We should be glad that he cleared that up.

Be warned, Cudy uses some not-safe-for-work language in his apology:

Apple has so far been quiet about the acts in the video and a spokesperson for the company was not immediately available to comment, so we don’t know if Apple has anything planned for the dopey duo. We’d be surprised, though, if this kind of activity isn’t on Apple’s metaphorical radar right now. These two likely aren’t the only people checking out the new iPhone’s bending abilities in its retail stores, but it should be noted that people who break things that don’t belong to them don’t prove anything except that they are something of an idiot.

via apple - Google News http://ift.tt/1rAPPAJ

China regulator approves Apple's iPhone 6 for sale in China - Reuters

A customer holds an iPhone 6 (R) and iPhone 6 Plus after the phones went on sale at the Fifth Avenue Apple store in Manhattan, New York September 19, 2014.

Credit: Reuters/Adrees Latif

(Reuters) - Apple Inc's (AAPL.O) iPhone 6 can now be sold in China, after the firm received a license for the device to be used on China's wireless networks.

The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) said on its website on Tuesday that it had approved the iPhone 6 after Apple addressed potential security risks that could allow personal data to leak.

The iPhone 6 had been released in other countries, including the United States, on September 19 but Apple did not give a release data for China.

The approval paves the way for Apple to sell the iPhone 6 in China, the world's largest smartphone market and one of Apple's biggest for iPhone sales. Analysts expect the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus to sell well in China, where many people prefer phones with larger screens.

The MIIT said it had conducted "rigorous security testing" on the iPhone 6, and that it had held talks with Apple on the issue. Apple also shared with the ministry materials related to the potential security issues, which it said were related to diagnostic tools, the statement said.

Apple sold a record 10 million units of the iPhone 6 models in the first weekend after their launch, which excluded China. Last year, the U.S. tech firm sold 9 million iPhone 5S and 5C models in 11 countries, including China, in the same period.

Apple was not available for immediate comment.

(Additional reporting by Beijing Newsroom; Editing by Miral Fahmy)

via apple - Google News http://ift.tt/1qQub6p

Jawbone's trackerless Up app syncs with Apple Health, other fitness services ... - Engadget

As it promised mere weeks ago, Jawbone has launched a new version of Up for iOS that syncs data from numerous health services and doesn't require its own tracker. Confusingly, the Jawbone app which does require an Up or Up24 tracker is also called 'Up' and is still available. However, the new version is more of a fitness catchall app that works with Apple's Health and over a hundred other apps (and their trackers), like RunKeeper and IFTTT. In fact, the new Up wants to manage all aspects of your health by tracking your sleep, nutrition and workouts. Once it learns your habits, the "Insight Engine" will then give you personalized health tips and other info. There are also social functions, including team tracking and the ability to boast about fitness milestones. Apple had pulled HealthKit apps a few days ago due to bugs, but after some scrambling they're now back -- you can grab Jawbone's UP for iOS here.

Update: Jawbone has told us that the new Up app doesn't work with Nest after all, despite the app saying otherwise. We've updated the post to reflect that.

via apple - Google News http://ift.tt/1qQudeA

Teens Share Video Of Themselves Testing Bendgate In Apple Store - Forbes

Just when one would think that the goofiness around “Bendgate” was over along comes a pair of teenagers with a video of them running rampant through an Apple Store trying to bend the display models of the iPhone 6 – and then bragging about it.

The teens, a pair named Cudy and Danny from somewhere in England, start the video by explaining exactly what they did and why they did it. They tried to bend iPhones to prove that they could be bent, because an employee at the Apple store told them that Bendgate was an “online rumor”.

These teens clearly miss the point – many modern smartphones can be bent if one tries hard enough. This writer had an iPhone 3Gs that didn’t end up well after an afternoon in camping chair, but he doesn’t blame Apple, he blames the beer he was drinking in the hot, hot sun that day. Nobody — especially Apple — has claimed that the new iPhones are completely unbendable or indestructible.

The worst part is that after admitting to the crime – and make no mistake, what these kids did is a crime – they tried to blame Apple. “I don’t even care to be honest,” one of the kids says, “because it’s Apple’s fault.”

Clearly that is an absurd notion; destroying a device through non-typical use is not proof of some fault in it. That would be like one taking a test drive at a Ferarri dealership and then crashing the car into a tree — it’s not Ferarri’s fault that the driver is an idiot.

Here’s the roughly five-minute video in its entirety:

To their credit, Cudy, the apparent leader of the two, has just posted a response video (or audio message, really) in which he claims that he and his pal take full responsibility for being meatheads and claims that if asked by Apple that they would gladly pay the purchase price of the phone. Cudy also wants viewers to know that unlike what some other outlets are reporting, they didn’t break multiple iPhones on their crime spree, but just one. We should be glad that he cleared that up.

Be warned, Cudy uses some not-safe-for-work language in his apology:

Apple has so far been quiet about the acts in the video and a spokesperson for the company was not immediately available to comment, so we don’t know if Apple has anything planned for the dopey duo. We’d be surprised, though, if this kind of activity isn’t on Apple’s metaphorical radar right now. These two likely aren’t the only people checking out the new iPhone’s bending abilities in its retail stores, but it should be noted that people who break things that don’t belong to them don’t prove anything except that they are something of an idiot.

via apple - Google News http://ift.tt/YKCDxz

China regulator approves Apple's iPhone 6 for sale in China - Reuters

A customer holds an iPhone 6 (R) and iPhone 6 Plus after the phones went on sale at the Fifth Avenue Apple store in Manhattan, New York September 19, 2014.

Credit: Reuters/Adrees Latif

(Reuters) - Apple Inc's (AAPL.O) iPhone 6 can now be sold in China, after the firm received a license for the device to be used on China's wireless networks.

The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) said on its website on Tuesday that it had approved the iPhone 6 after Apple addressed potential security risks that could allow personal data to leak.

The iPhone 6 had been released in other countries, including the United States, on September 19 but Apple did not give a release data for China.

The approval paves the way for Apple to sell the iPhone 6 in China, the world's largest smartphone market and one of Apple's biggest for iPhone sales. Analysts expect the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus to sell well in China, where many people prefer phones with larger screens.

The MIIT said it had conducted "rigorous security testing" on the iPhone 6, and that it had held talks with Apple on the issue. Apple also shared with the ministry materials related to the potential security issues, which it said were related to diagnostic tools, the statement said.

Apple sold a record 10 million units of the iPhone 6 models in the first weekend after their launch, which excluded China. Last year, the U.S. tech firm sold 9 million iPhone 5S and 5C models in 11 countries, including China, in the same period.

Apple was not available for immediate comment.

(Additional reporting by Beijing Newsroom; Editing by Miral Fahmy)

via apple - Google News http://ift.tt/YKCwlG

Teens Share Video Of Themselves Testing Bendgate In Apple Store - Forbes

Just when one would think that the goofiness around “Bendgate” was over along comes a pair of teenagers with a video of them running rampant through an Apple Store trying to bend the display models of the iPhone 6 – and then bragging about it.

The teens, a pair named Cudy and Danny from somewhere in England, start the video by explaining exactly what they did and why they did it. They tried to bend iPhones to prove that they could be bent, because an employee at the Apple store told them that Bendgate was an “online rumor”.

These teens clearly miss the point – many modern smartphones can be bent if one tries hard enough. This writer had an iPhone 3Gs that didn’t end up well after an afternoon in camping chair, but he doesn’t blame Apple, he blames the beer he was drinking in the hot, hot sun that day. Nobody — especially Apple — has claimed that the new iPhones are completely unbendable or indestructible.

The worst part is that after admitting to the crime – and make no mistake, what these kids did is a crime – they tried to blame Apple. “I don’t even care to be honest,” one of the kids says, “because it’s Apple’s fault.”

Clearly that is an absurd notion; destroying a device through non-typical use is not proof of some fault in it. That would be like one taking a test drive at a Ferarri dealership and then crashing the car into a tree — it’s not Ferarri’s fault that the driver is an idiot.

Here’s the roughly five-minute video in its entirety:

To their credit, Cudy, the apparent leader of the two, has just posted a response video (or audio message, really) in which he claims that he and his pal take full responsibility for being meatheads and claims that if asked by Apple that they would gladly pay the purchase price of the phone. Cudy also wants viewers to know that unlike what some other outlets are reporting, they didn’t break multiple iPhones on their crime spree, but just one. We should be glad that he cleared that up.

Be warned, Cudy uses some not-safe-for-work language in his apology:

Apple has so far been quiet about the acts in the video and a spokesperson for the company was not immediately available to comment, so we don’t know if Apple has anything planned for the dopey duo. We’d be surprised, though, if this kind of activity isn’t on Apple’s metaphorical radar right now. These two likely aren’t the only people checking out the new iPhone’s bending abilities in its retail stores, but it should be noted that people who break things that don’t belong to them don’t prove anything except that they are something of an idiot.

via apple - Google News http://ift.tt/1rpmCdg

China regulator approves Apple's iPhone 6 for sale in China - Reuters

A customer holds an iPhone 6 (R) and iPhone 6 Plus after the phones went on sale at the Fifth Avenue Apple store in Manhattan, New York September 19, 2014.

Credit: Reuters/Adrees Latif

(Reuters) - Apple Inc's (AAPL.O) iPhone 6 can now be sold in China, after the firm received a license for the device to be used on China's wireless networks.

The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) said on its website on Tuesday that it had approved the iPhone 6 after Apple addressed potential security risks that could allow personal data to leak.

The iPhone 6 had been released in other countries, including the United States, on September 19 but Apple did not give a release data for China.

The approval paves the way for Apple to sell the iPhone 6 in China, the world's largest smartphone market and one of Apple's biggest for iPhone sales. Analysts expect the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus to sell well in China, where many people prefer phones with larger screens.

The MIIT said it had conducted "rigorous security testing" on the iPhone 6, and that it had held talks with Apple on the issue. Apple also shared with the ministry materials related to the potential security issues, which it said were related to diagnostic tools, the statement said.

Apple sold a record 10 million units of the iPhone 6 models in the first weekend after their launch, which excluded China. Last year, the U.S. tech firm sold 9 million iPhone 5S and 5C models in 11 countries, including China, in the same period.

Apple was not available for immediate comment.

(Additional reporting by Beijing Newsroom; Editing by Miral Fahmy)

via apple - Google News http://ift.tt/1pnrB8x

Have an iPhone 6? Apple Says, "Bend Over" - Huffington Post

Bloomberg via Getty Images

Right after the iPhone 4 was released (back in June 2010), people noticed that holding the device in a normal, natural way caused it to drop calls. I remember this well because not only was it a fact that I personally verified, but it was a fact the late Steve Jobs "Lenny Bruced" his way through. He put out a statement that included this remarkable paragraph:

"Gripping any phone will result in some attenuation of its antenna performance, with certain places being worse than others depending on the placement of the antennas. This is a fact of life for every wireless phone. If you ever experience this on your iPhone 4, avoid gripping it in the lower left corner in a way that covers both sides of the black strip in the metal band, or simply use one of many available cases."

His message was clear -- if it doesn't work when you hold it that way, don't hold it that way! It was not the message new iPhone 4 owners were expecting, but it was prescient.

Unless you were off planet (or not paying attention in class) this past week, you've probably heard that the iPhone 6 has a "form-fitting" case that will shape itself to match your backside -- if you keep the device in your back pocket. In other words... it bends.

Sadly for iPhone 6 and 6 Plus owners, it does not bend back.

According to Apple, this is not true:

"We (also) perform rigorous tests throughout the entire development cycle including 3-point bending, pressure point cycling, sit, torsion, and user studies ... iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus meet or exceed all of our high quality standards to endure everyday, real life use."

Apparently "only nine people have complained" so far. Not eight, not 10... nine! That's an exact quote. (Someone counted.) Let's put that in perspective. Ten million units sold, nine complaints. If we believe what Apple is telling us, more people probably injured themselves opening the box than experienced the now infamous bend.

However, other than saying that the devices have been tested and that it has only received a de minimis number of complaints, Apple has not said anything that might comfort the afflicted.

Do iPhone 6s bend and, if so, is it Apple's problem?

Photographs do lie, but alas, the photographs of bent iPhones are mostly real. I have received several phone calls from actual victims seeking help. Sorrowfully, I have no help to offer.

Apple shares were down a bit on this news along with the news that the company had to pull its iOS 8.0.1 release just hours after it became available. But do not despair. This is only a temporary setback for the newest global high-fashion brand and purveyors of objets d'art. "Thin is pretty. Let's make a watch out of gold. Mobile devices are fashion accessories, we've already proved it!" Self-hypnosis is one thing, but making buyers of $400-$950 smartphones bend over is something else entirely.

In practice, none of us have any standing to criticize or question. On any given day, Apple is either the most valuable company in the world -- or close to it. It has more cash on its balance sheet than most countries, and it employs -- without question -- some of the smartest people on earth. So, it should come as no surprise that the rest of us are just stupid fanboys and fangirls (actually, I don't think fangirls is a word) on an Apple juice drinking bender. The shareholder value and the cash had to come from somewhere.

While we wait for Apple to offer a solution (as opposed to a non-explanation or flat-out denial), we can pass the time by considering all possible meanings of the phrase "bend over."

It's what Steve would have wanted us to do.

via apple - Google News http://ift.tt/1rpmyKu

Teens Share Video Of Themselves Testing Bendgate In Apple Store - Forbes

Just when one would think that the goofiness around “Bendgate” was over along comes a pair of teenagers with a video of them running rampant through an Apple Store trying to bend the display models of the iPhone 6 – and then bragging about it.

The teens, a pair named Cudy and Danny from somewhere in England, start the video by explaining exactly what they did and why they did it. They tried to bend iPhones to prove that they could be bent, because an employee at the Apple store told them that Bendgate was an “online rumor”.

These teens clearly miss the point – many modern smartphones can be bent if one tries hard enough. This writer had an iPhone 3Gs that didn’t end up well after an afternoon in camping chair, but he doesn’t blame Apple, he blames the beer he was drinking in the hot, hot sun that day. Nobody — especially Apple — has claimed that the new iPhones are completely unbendable or indestructible.

The worst part is that after admitting to the crime – and make no mistake, what these kids did is a crime – they tried to blame Apple. “I don’t even care to be honest,” one of the kids says, “because it’s Apple’s fault.”

Clearly that is an absurd notion; destroying a device through non-typical use is not proof of some fault in it. That would be like one taking a test drive at a Ferarri dealership and then crashing the car into a tree — it’s not Ferarri’s fault that the driver is an idiot.

Here’s the roughly five-minute video in its entirety:

To their credit, Cudy, the apparent leader of the two, has just posted a response video (or audio message, really) in which he claims that he and his pal take full responsibility for being meatheads and claims that if asked by Apple that they would gladly pay the purchase price of the phone. Cudy also wants viewers to know that unlike what some other outlets are reporting, they didn’t break multiple iPhones on their crime spree, but just one. We should be glad that he cleared that up.

Be warned, Cudy uses some not-safe-for-work language in his apology:

Apple has so far been quiet about the acts in the video and a spokesperson for the company was not immediately available to comment, so we don’t know if Apple has anything planned for the dopey duo. We’d be surprised, though, if this kind of activity isn’t on Apple’s metaphorical radar right now. These two likely aren’t the only people checking out the new iPhone’s bending abilities in its retail stores, but it should be noted that people who break things that don’t belong to them don’t prove anything except that they are something of an idiot.

via apple - Google News http://ift.tt/1uYJ7Di

China regulator approves Apple's iPhone 6 for sale in China - Reuters

A customer holds an iPhone 6 (R) and iPhone 6 Plus after the phones went on sale at the Fifth Avenue Apple store in Manhattan, New York September 19, 2014.

Credit: Reuters/Adrees Latif

(Reuters) - Apple Inc's (AAPL.O) iPhone 6 can now be sold in China, after the firm received a license for the device to be used on China's wireless networks.

The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) said on its website on Tuesday that it had approved the iPhone 6 after Apple addressed potential security risks that could allow personal data to leak.

The iPhone 6 had been released in other countries, including the United States, on September 19 but Apple did not give a release data for China.

The approval paves the way for Apple to sell the iPhone 6 in China, the world's largest smartphone market and one of Apple's biggest for iPhone sales. Analysts expect the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus to sell well in China, where many people prefer phones with larger screens.

The MIIT said it had conducted "rigorous security testing" on the iPhone 6, and that it had held talks with Apple on the issue. Apple also shared with the ministry materials related to the potential security issues, which it said were related to diagnostic tools, the statement said.

Apple sold a record 10 million units of the iPhone 6 models in the first weekend after their launch, which excluded China. Last year, the U.S. tech firm sold 9 million iPhone 5S and 5C models in 11 countries, including China, in the same period.

Apple was not available for immediate comment.

(Additional reporting by Beijing Newsroom; Editing by Miral Fahmy)

via apple - Google News http://ift.tt/1uYJ9LD

Have an iPhone 6? Apple Says, "Bend Over" - Huffington Post

Bloomberg via Getty Images

Right after the iPhone 4 was released (back in June 2010), people noticed that holding the device in a normal, natural way caused it to drop calls. I remember this well because not only was it a fact that I personally verified, but it was a fact the late Steve Jobs "Lenny Bruced" his way through. He put out a statement that included this remarkable paragraph:

"Gripping any phone will result in some attenuation of its antenna performance, with certain places being worse than others depending on the placement of the antennas. This is a fact of life for every wireless phone. If you ever experience this on your iPhone 4, avoid gripping it in the lower left corner in a way that covers both sides of the black strip in the metal band, or simply use one of many available cases."

His message was clear -- if it doesn't work when you hold it that way, don't hold it that way! It was not the message new iPhone 4 owners were expecting, but it was prescient.

Unless you were off planet (or not paying attention in class) this past week, you've probably heard that the iPhone 6 has a "form-fitting" case that will shape itself to match your backside -- if you keep the device in your back pocket. In other words... it bends.

Sadly for iPhone 6 and 6 Plus owners, it does not bend back.

According to Apple, this is not true:

"We (also) perform rigorous tests throughout the entire development cycle including 3-point bending, pressure point cycling, sit, torsion, and user studies ... iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus meet or exceed all of our high quality standards to endure everyday, real life use."

Apparently "only nine people have complained" so far. Not eight, not 10... nine! That's an exact quote. (Someone counted.) Let's put that in perspective. Ten million units sold, nine complaints. If we believe what Apple is telling us, more people probably injured themselves opening the box than experienced the now infamous bend.

However, other than saying that the devices have been tested and that it has only received a de minimis number of complaints, Apple has not said anything that might comfort the afflicted.

Do iPhone 6s bend and, if so, is it Apple's problem?

Photographs do lie, but alas, the photographs of bent iPhones are mostly real. I have received several phone calls from actual victims seeking help. Sorrowfully, I have no help to offer.

Apple shares were down a bit on this news along with the news that the company had to pull its iOS 8.0.1 release just hours after it became available. But do not despair. This is only a temporary setback for the newest global high-fashion brand and purveyors of objets d'art. "Thin is pretty. Let's make a watch out of gold. Mobile devices are fashion accessories, we've already proved it!" Self-hypnosis is one thing, but making buyers of $400-$950 smartphones bend over is something else entirely.

In practice, none of us have any standing to criticize or question. On any given day, Apple is either the most valuable company in the world -- or close to it. It has more cash on its balance sheet than most countries, and it employs -- without question -- some of the smartest people on earth. So, it should come as no surprise that the rest of us are just stupid fanboys and fangirls (actually, I don't think fangirls is a word) on an Apple juice drinking bender. The shareholder value and the cash had to come from somewhere.

While we wait for Apple to offer a solution (as opposed to a non-explanation or flat-out denial), we can pass the time by considering all possible meanings of the phrase "bend over."

It's what Steve would have wanted us to do.

via apple - Google News http://ift.tt/1nDctsA

Teens Share Video Of Themselves Testing Bendgate In Apple Store - Forbes

Just when one would think that the goofiness around “Bendgate” was over along comes a pair of teenagers with a video of them running rampant through an Apple Store trying to bend the display models of the iPhone 6 – and then bragging about it.

The teens, a pair named Cudy and Danny from somewhere in England, start the video by explaining exactly what they did and why they did it. They tried to bend iPhones to prove that they could be bent, because an employee at the Apple store told them that Bendgate was an “online rumor”.

These teens clearly miss the point – many modern smartphones can be bent if one tries hard enough. This writer had an iPhone 3Gs that didn’t end up well after an afternoon in camping chair, but he doesn’t blame Apple, he blames the beer he was drinking in the hot, hot sun that day. Nobody — especially Apple — has claimed that the new iPhones are completely unbendable or indestructible.

The worst part is that after admitting to the crime – and make no mistake, what these kids did is a crime – they tried to blame Apple. “I don’t even care to be honest,” one of the kids says, “because it’s Apple’s fault.”

Clearly that is an absurd notion; destroying a device through non-typical use is not proof of some fault in it. That would be like one taking a test drive at a Ferarri dealership and then crashing the car into a tree — it’s not Ferarri’s fault that the driver is an idiot.

Here’s the roughly five-minute video in its entirety:

To their credit, Cudy, the apparent leader of the two, has just posted a response video (or audio message, really) in which he claims that he and his pal take full responsibility for being meatheads and claims that if asked by Apple that they would gladly pay the purchase price of the phone. Cudy also wants viewers to know that unlike what some other outlets are reporting, they didn’t break multiple iPhones on their crime spree, but just one. We should be glad that he cleared that up.

Be warned, Cudy uses some not-safe-for-work language in his apology:

Apple has so far been quiet about the acts in the video and a spokesperson for the company was not immediately available to comment, so we don’t know if Apple has anything planned for the dopey duo. We’d be surprised, though, if this kind of activity isn’t on Apple’s metaphorical radar right now. These two likely aren’t the only people checking out the new iPhone’s bending abilities in its retail stores, but it should be noted that people who break things that don’t belong to them don’t prove anything except that they are something of an idiot.

via apple - Google News http://ift.tt/1uYGly2

China regulator approves Apple's iPhone 6 for sale in China - Reuters

A customer holds an iPhone 6 (R) and iPhone 6 Plus after the phones went on sale at the Fifth Avenue Apple store in Manhattan, New York September 19, 2014.

Credit: Reuters/Adrees Latif

(Reuters) - Apple Inc's (AAPL.O) iPhone 6 can now be sold in China, after the firm received a license for the device to be used on China's wireless networks.

The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) said on its website on Tuesday that it had approved the iPhone 6 after Apple addressed potential security risks that could allow personal data to leak.

The iPhone 6 had been released in other countries, including the United States, on September 19 but Apple did not give a release data for China.

The approval paves the way for Apple to sell the iPhone 6 in China, the world's largest smartphone market and one of Apple's biggest for iPhone sales. Analysts expect the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus to sell well in China, where many people prefer phones with larger screens.

The MIIT said it had conducted "rigorous security testing" on the iPhone 6, and that it had held talks with Apple on the issue. Apple also shared with the ministry materials related to the potential security issues, which it said were related to diagnostic tools, the statement said.

Apple sold a record 10 million units of the iPhone 6 models in the first weekend after their launch, which excluded China. Last year, the U.S. tech firm sold 9 million iPhone 5S and 5C models in 11 countries, including China, in the same period.

Apple was not available for immediate comment.

(Additional reporting by Beijing Newsroom; Editing by Miral Fahmy)

via apple - Google News http://ift.tt/1nD9v7F

Have an iPhone 6? Apple Says, "Bend Over" - Huffington Post

Bloomberg via Getty Images

Right after the iPhone 4 was released (back in June 2010), people noticed that holding the device in a normal, natural way caused it to drop calls. I remember this well because not only was it a fact that I personally verified, but it was a fact the late Steve Jobs "Lenny Bruced" his way through. He put out a statement that included this remarkable paragraph:

"Gripping any phone will result in some attenuation of its antenna performance, with certain places being worse than others depending on the placement of the antennas. This is a fact of life for every wireless phone. If you ever experience this on your iPhone 4, avoid gripping it in the lower left corner in a way that covers both sides of the black strip in the metal band, or simply use one of many available cases."

His message was clear -- if it doesn't work when you hold it that way, don't hold it that way! It was not the message new iPhone 4 owners were expecting, but it was prescient.

Unless you were off planet (or not paying attention in class) this past week, you've probably heard that the iPhone 6 has a "form-fitting" case that will shape itself to match your backside -- if you keep the device in your back pocket. In other words... it bends.

Sadly for iPhone 6 and 6 Plus owners, it does not bend back.

According to Apple, this is not true:

"We (also) perform rigorous tests throughout the entire development cycle including 3-point bending, pressure point cycling, sit, torsion, and user studies ... iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus meet or exceed all of our high quality standards to endure everyday, real life use."

Apparently "only nine people have complained" so far. Not eight, not 10... nine! That's an exact quote. (Someone counted.) Let's put that in perspective. Ten million units sold, nine complaints. If we believe what Apple is telling us, more people probably injured themselves opening the box than experienced the now infamous bend.

However, other than saying that the devices have been tested and that it has only received a de minimis number of complaints, Apple has not said anything that might comfort the afflicted.

Do iPhone 6s bend and, if so, is it Apple's problem?

Photographs do lie, but alas, the photographs of bent iPhones are mostly real. I have received several phone calls from actual victims seeking help. Sorrowfully, I have no help to offer.

Apple shares were down a bit on this news along with the news that the company had to pull its iOS 8.0.1 release just hours after it became available. But do not despair. This is only a temporary setback for the newest global high-fashion brand and purveyors of objets d'art. "Thin is pretty. Let's make a watch out of gold. Mobile devices are fashion accessories, we've already proved it!" Self-hypnosis is one thing, but making buyers of $400-$950 smartphones bend over is something else entirely.

In practice, none of us have any standing to criticize or question. On any given day, Apple is either the most valuable company in the world -- or close to it. It has more cash on its balance sheet than most countries, and it employs -- without question -- some of the smartest people on earth. So, it should come as no surprise that the rest of us are just stupid fanboys and fangirls (actually, I don't think fangirls is a word) on an Apple juice drinking bender. The shareholder value and the cash had to come from somewhere.

While we wait for Apple to offer a solution (as opposed to a non-explanation or flat-out denial), we can pass the time by considering all possible meanings of the phrase "bend over."

It's what Steve would have wanted us to do.

via apple - Google News http://ift.tt/1uYGjX2

Teens Share Video Of Themselves Testing Bendgate In Apple Store - Forbes

Just when one would think that the goofiness around “Bendgate” was over along comes a pair of teenagers with a video of them running rampant through an Apple Store trying to bend the display models of the iPhone 6 – and then bragging about it.

The teens, a pair named Cudy and Danny from somewhere in England, start the video by explaining exactly what they did and why they did it. They tried to bend iPhones to prove that they could be bent, because an employee at the Apple store told them that Bendgate was an “online rumor”.

These teens clearly miss the point – many modern smartphones can be bent if one tries hard enough. This writer had an iPhone 3Gs that didn’t end up well after an afternoon in camping chair, but he doesn’t blame Apple, he blames the beer he was drinking in the hot, hot sun that day. Nobody — especially Apple — has claimed that the new iPhones are completely unbendable or indestructible.

The worst part is that after admitting to the crime – and make no mistake, what these kids did is a crime – they tried to blame Apple. “I don’t even care to be honest,” one of the kids says, “because it’s Apple’s fault.”

Clearly that is an absurd notion; destroying a device through non-typical use is not proof of some fault in it. That would be like one taking a test drive at a Ferarri dealership and then crashing the car into a tree — it’s not Ferarri’s fault that the driver is an idiot.

Here’s the roughly five-minute video in its entirety:

To their credit, Cudy, the apparent leader of the two, has just posted a response video (or audio message, really) in which he claims that he and his pal take full responsibility for being meatheads and claims that if asked by Apple that they would gladly pay the purchase price of the phone. Cudy also wants viewers to know that unlike what some other outlets are reporting, they didn’t break multiple iPhones on their crime spree, but just one. We should be glad that he cleared that up.

Be warned, Cudy uses some not-safe-for-work language in his apology:

Apple has so far been quiet about the acts in the video and a spokesperson for the company was not immediately available to comment, so we don’t know if Apple has anything planned for the dopey duo. We’d be surprised, though, if this kind of activity isn’t on Apple’s metaphorical radar right now. These two likely aren’t the only people checking out the new iPhone’s bending abilities in its retail stores, but it should be noted that people who break things that don’t belong to them don’t prove anything except that they are something of an idiot.

via apple - Google News http://ift.tt/1xvWU9j

China regulator approves Apple's iPhone 6 for sale in China - Reuters

A customer holds an iPhone 6 (R) and iPhone 6 Plus after the phones went on sale at the Fifth Avenue Apple store in Manhattan, New York September 19, 2014.

Credit: Reuters/Adrees Latif

(Reuters) - Apple Inc's (AAPL.O) iPhone 6 can now be sold in China, after the firm received a license for the device to be used on China's wireless networks.

The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) said on its website on Tuesday that it had approved the iPhone 6 after Apple addressed potential security risks that could allow personal data to leak.

The iPhone 6 had been released in other countries, including the United States, on September 19 but Apple did not give a release data for China.

The approval paves the way for Apple to sell the iPhone 6 in China, the world's largest smartphone market and one of Apple's biggest for iPhone sales. Analysts expect the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus to sell well in China, where many people prefer phones with larger screens.

The MIIT said it had conducted "rigorous security testing" on the iPhone 6, and that it had held talks with Apple on the issue. Apple also shared with the ministry materials related to the potential security issues, which it said were related to diagnostic tools, the statement said.

Apple sold a record 10 million units of the iPhone 6 models in the first weekend after their launch, which excluded China. Last year, the U.S. tech firm sold 9 million iPhone 5S and 5C models in 11 countries, including China, in the same period.

Apple was not available for immediate comment.

(Additional reporting by Beijing Newsroom; Editing by Miral Fahmy)

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Have an iPhone 6? Apple Says, "Bend Over" - Huffington Post

Bloomberg via Getty Images

Right after the iPhone 4 was released (back in June 2010), people noticed that holding the device in a normal, natural way caused it to drop calls. I remember this well because not only was it a fact that I personally verified, but it was a fact the late Steve Jobs "Lenny Bruced" his way through. He put out a statement that included this remarkable paragraph:

"Gripping any phone will result in some attenuation of its antenna performance, with certain places being worse than others depending on the placement of the antennas. This is a fact of life for every wireless phone. If you ever experience this on your iPhone 4, avoid gripping it in the lower left corner in a way that covers both sides of the black strip in the metal band, or simply use one of many available cases."

His message was clear -- if it doesn't work when you hold it that way, don't hold it that way! It was not the message new iPhone 4 owners were expecting, but it was prescient.

Unless you were off planet (or not paying attention in class) this past week, you've probably heard that the iPhone 6 has a "form-fitting" case that will shape itself to match your backside -- if you keep the device in your back pocket. In other words... it bends.

Sadly for iPhone 6 and 6 Plus owners, it does not bend back.

According to Apple, this is not true:

"We (also) perform rigorous tests throughout the entire development cycle including 3-point bending, pressure point cycling, sit, torsion, and user studies ... iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus meet or exceed all of our high quality standards to endure everyday, real life use."

Apparently "only nine people have complained" so far. Not eight, not 10... nine! That's an exact quote. (Someone counted.) Let's put that in perspective. Ten million units sold, nine complaints. If we believe what Apple is telling us, more people probably injured themselves opening the box than experienced the now infamous bend.

However, other than saying that the devices have been tested and that it has only received a de minimis number of complaints, Apple has not said anything that might comfort the afflicted.

Do iPhone 6s bend and, if so, is it Apple's problem?

Photographs do lie, but alas, the photographs of bent iPhones are mostly real. I have received several phone calls from actual victims seeking help. Sorrowfully, I have no help to offer.

Apple shares were down a bit on this news along with the news that the company had to pull its iOS 8.0.1 release just hours after it became available. But do not despair. This is only a temporary setback for the newest global high-fashion brand and purveyors of objets d'art. "Thin is pretty. Let's make a watch out of gold. Mobile devices are fashion accessories, we've already proved it!" Self-hypnosis is one thing, but making buyers of $400-$950 smartphones bend over is something else entirely.

In practice, none of us have any standing to criticize or question. On any given day, Apple is either the most valuable company in the world -- or close to it. It has more cash on its balance sheet than most countries, and it employs -- without question -- some of the smartest people on earth. So, it should come as no surprise that the rest of us are just stupid fanboys and fangirls (actually, I don't think fangirls is a word) on an Apple juice drinking bender. The shareholder value and the cash had to come from somewhere.

While we wait for Apple to offer a solution (as opposed to a non-explanation or flat-out denial), we can pass the time by considering all possible meanings of the phrase "bend over."

It's what Steve would have wanted us to do.

via apple - Google News http://ift.tt/1ryE38w

Teens Share Video Of Themselves Testing Bendgate In Apple Store - Forbes

Just when one would think that the goofiness around “Bendgate” was over along comes a pair of teenagers with a video of them running rampant through an Apple Store trying to bend the display models of the iPhone 6 – and then bragging about it.

The teens, a pair named Cudy and Danny from somewhere in England, start the video by explaining exactly what they did and why they did it. They tried to bend iPhones to prove that they could be bent, because an employee at the Apple store told them that Bendgate was an “online rumor”.

These teens clearly miss the point – many modern smartphones can be bent if one tries hard enough. This writer had an iPhone 3Gs that didn’t end up well after an afternoon in camping chair, but he doesn’t blame Apple, he blames the beer he was drinking in the hot, hot sun that day. Nobody — especially Apple — has claimed that the new iPhones are completely unbendable or indestructible.

The worst part is that after admitting to the crime – and make no mistake, what these kids did is a crime – they tried to blame Apple. “I don’t even care to be honest,” one of the kids says, “because it’s Apple’s fault.”

Clearly that is an absurd notion; destroying a device through non-typical use is not proof of some fault in it. That would be like one taking a test drive at a Ferarri dealership and then crashing the car into a tree — it’s not Ferarri’s fault that the driver is an idiot.

Here’s the roughly five-minute video in its entirety:

To their credit, Cudy, the apparent leader of the two, has just posted a response video (or audio message, really) in which he claims that he and his pal take full responsibility for being meatheads and claims that if asked by Apple that they would gladly pay the purchase price of the phone. Cudy also wants viewers to know that unlike what some other outlets are reporting, they didn’t break multiple iPhones on their crime spree, but just one. We should be glad that he cleared that up.

Be warned, Cudy uses some not-safe-for-work language in his apology:

Apple has so far been quiet about the acts in the video and a spokesperson for the company was not immediately available to comment, so we don’t know if Apple has anything planned for the dopey duo. We’d be surprised, though, if this kind of activity isn’t on Apple’s metaphorical radar right now. These two likely aren’t the only people checking out the new iPhone’s bending abilities in its retail stores, but it should be noted that people who break things that don’t belong to them don’t prove anything except that they are something of an idiot.

via apple - Google News http://ift.tt/1nD2Rhs