Apple Sapphire Deal with GT to Hit Full Production Beginning in 2H 2014 Posted: 25 Feb 2014 07:29 AM PST GT Advanced Technologies, Apple's partner in a new sapphire plant in Arizona, today announced earnings for the fourth quarter of 2013 while also providing a forward look at what will be a "transformational" year for the company. The company's comments help put into perspective just how large the deal with Apple is, with significant ramping heading into the second half of this year and into 2015.
As part of the deal with Apple, GT halted sales of its sapphire production furnaces in order to focus on building out capacity for Apple, a move that resulted in a drastic reduction in GT's revenue for the latter half of 2013 and saw the company's full-year revenue drop to $299 million in 2013 from $733.5 million in 2012.
With sapphire estimated to account for 80% of GT's revenue for the year and Apple undoubtedly representing the lion's share of that segment, the deal with Apple could be generating in the range of $400-500 million for GT this year. Looking further ahead, GT sees even more growth with estimates of over $1 billion in total revenue for 2015. Apple has been looking to rush its new sapphire plant into production this month to "create a critical new sub-component of Apple Products". Given the number of sapphire furnaces delivered to the facility and on order, the partnership between Apple and GT could be sufficient to produce 100-200 million sapphire-covered iPhone displays per year. Recent Mac and iOS Blog Stories
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Alleged iOS Security Flaw Enables Malicious Apps to Secretly Log User Touch Inputs Posted: 25 Feb 2014 01:37 AM PST Researchers from security firm FireEye have revealed a new bug in iOS that enables a malicious app to monitor and log a user's touch inputs and button uses while running in the background, reports Ars Technica. The exploit reportedly targets a flaw in iOS' multitasking capabilities to capture user inputs, and allows for them to be sent to a remote server. To demonstrate the flaw, the researchers created a proof-of-concept monitoring app and developed approaches to "bypass" Apple's App Store Review process effectively. Once the app was installed on an iOS device, actions including keyboard inputs, use of the volume, home, and power buttons, screen touches with exact coordinates, and Touch ID events were all captured. The researchers also noted that disabling iOS 7's "Background App Refresh" setting would not disable a malicious app from logging data, as the only present solution to the problem is to manually remove apps from the task switcher. FireEye also spoke about the flaw being identified in current versions of iOS:
The group added that it is actively working with Apple on the issue, although the company has yet to comment publicly. The news comes less than a week after Apple issued iOS 7.0.6 in response to a SSL vulnerability that allowed a hacker to capture or modify data from Safari in supposedly secure sessions. The SSL security bug was also found to be present in OS X, as new research over the weekend revealed that additional apps such as FaceTime and iMessage could be compromised. Apple confirmed to Reuters that it will issue an OS X software update "very soon" to patch the bug. Recent Mac and iOS Blog Stories
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Statue Honoring Steve Jobs Destined for Apple Headquarters Unveiled in Belgrade Posted: 24 Feb 2014 02:09 PM PST A bust of Steve Jobs by famed Serbian sculptor Dragan Radenovic was unveiled in Belgrade today, the result of a competition covering more than 10,000 submitted works that will see the statue placed at Apple's headquarters in Cupertino. The statue unveiled today is a maquette, a sculpture substantially smaller than the final version for demonstration purposes, that features Jobs' head at the top, with a pair of Cyrillic letters, the Latin letter A, and the binary digits one and zero. According to a report in the Serbian press [Google Translate], sketches of the proposed status were sent to Apple executives, who said they were very interested in the sculpture and liked "the imperfections of his work".
The sculptor will head to Apple HQ next to discuss the final version of the statue, which will be approximately 3 to 5 meters in height -- 10 to 16 feet -- and will be shipped to Cupertino upon completion. Thanks Ivan! Recent Mac and iOS Blog Stories
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Broadcom Announces New 5G 802.11ac Wi-Fi Chip for Smartphones Posted: 24 Feb 2014 01:48 PM PST Communications chip maker Broadcom today announced a new 5G Wi-Fi Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) system-on-a-chip (SoC) designed for smartphones, bringing 802.11ac connectivity with 2x2 MIMO to mobile devices. The Broadcom BCM4354 chip marks the first implementation of 2x2 MIMO for smartphones, bringing up to twice the Wi-Fi performance with 25 percent more power efficiency than the current 1x1 MIMO chips.
MIMO is a technology that uses multiple antennas for both the transmitter and the receiver to improve communication performance. Apple first adopted MIMO technology for the iPad Air and the iPad mini with Retina display. Broadcom's chip also uses the newer 802.11ac Wi-Fi protocol for transferring data, which is considered "Gigabit Wi-Fi" with transfer speeds up to three times as fast as 802.11n networks. With the addition of Broadcom's Transmit Beamforming technology, photo and video uploads can be twice as fast at crowded events.
Apple uses Broadcom's technology in its line of Macs that support 802.11ac, including the newest MacBook Air, Retina MacBook Pro, and iMac. Broadcom also provides the Wi-Fi/Bluetooth chips for Apple's iPhones, so it is possible that the iPhone 6 will feature Broadcom's newest chip, marking the first iPhone with 802.11ac support. Previous iPhone 6 rumors have also pointed to 802.11ac support. Recent Mac and iOS Blog Stories
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Samsung Reveals Galaxy S5 With Home Button Fingerprint Sensor, Accompanying 'Gear Fit' Band Posted: 24 Feb 2014 11:42 AM PST Samsung today revealed its next-generation Galaxy S5 flagship phone at its Unpacked 5 event at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain. As rumored, the 5.1-inch Galaxy S5 includes a fingerprint sensor built into the device's home button, mirroring Apple's own Touch ID introduced with the iPhone 5s.
Design-wise, the polycarbonate Samsung Galaxy S5 looks similar to previous models, though it has a unique soft-touch textured backing, a water resistant casing, and it comes in both blue and copper gold along with black and white. The 5.1-inch Super AMOLED display features a resolution of 1920 x 1080 and the phone offers a 2.5GHz quad core processor with 2GB of memory. It runs Android KitKat 4.4.2 and includes an upgraded 16-megapixel camera with quick autofocus and real-time HDR. It has a 20 percent better battery life than the previous generation phone and includes a built-in power saving mode that will activate a black and white display with limited app access when the battery is low. Taking a cue from Apple's reported interest in health-related applications, Samsung has included a heart rate sensor next to the camera's flash, able to measure heart rate with a finger on the sensor. The heart rate sensor accompanies the standard accelerometer, gyroscope, proximity sensor, compass and an IR-based gesture sensor. Samsung's Galaxy S5 is also designed to work with a new fitness device, the Gear Fit, which accompanies Samsung's recently revealed Gear 2 and Gear 2 Neo smart watches. The Gear Fit is smaller than Samsung's other offerings and focuses on measuring heart rate and counting steps. It incorporates an AMOLED touchscreen panel and offers smartphone notifications and alerts, but it does not include a camera, a microphone, or a speaker.
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Profile of Apple CEO Tim Cook Gives Insight Into His Alabama Roots Posted: 24 Feb 2014 10:45 AM PST Details on Apple CEO Tim Cook's early life in Robertsdale, Alabama have been shared by Alabama news site AL.com , giving readers a look at Cook's high school years and detailing the place where one of the most well-known CEOs in the world grew up. Don and Geraldine, Cook's parents, moved to the small town of Robertsdale, Alabama with Tim and his three brothers in 1971, when Cook was 11 years old. Cook attended the local schools and is said to have had a "studious nature." He joined the yearbook staff, taking care of the business end of things, and was a part of the band, where he played the trombone.
Tim Cook's senior yearbook photo, 1978
Cook, who was salutatorian of his graduating class, was voted "most studious" and he was also selected as a Baldwin EMC Youth Tour candidate to take a trip to Washington, D.C. in 1977.
Tim Cook and yearbook staff, 1978
Following his graduation from Robertsdale High School, Cook went on to attend Auburn University, a longtime goal of his. After working at IBM, Intelligent Electronics, and Compaq, he moved on to Apple in 1998. Following Steve Jobs' illness and subsequent death in 2011, Cook took over as CEO of the company, aiming to continue on with Jobs' legacy. According to the Alabama newspaper, Cook still returns home to Robertsdale for holidays, and visited last December. That month, Auburn University also presented Cook with a lifetime achievement award at an event in New York City, and he gave a speech to attendees on equality. The full account of Tim Cook's childhood, which has additional details on both his high school years and his later impact, can be read at AL.com. Recent Mac and iOS Blog Stories
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ReSound LiNX Launches as World's First 'Made for iPhone' Hearing Aid Posted: 24 Feb 2014 09:26 AM PST The ReSound LiNX is the first Apple-certified "MFi" or Made for iPhone hearing aid that connects directly to the iPhone or other iOS device without any intermediary devices. Launching alongside the LiNX is a new iOS app that works as a remote for the hearing aid, allowing wearers to adjust volume levels, equalizers, and switch between preset environments for the hearing aid, allowing the device to optimize to the user's environment. Hearing aids can have several different modes, adjusting to the acoustics of each environment -- the app even uses geofencing to automatically change sound profiles based on the location of the wearer, changing for work, home, or a favorite restaurant. There is also a "Find My Hearing Aid" function to help users find their device if it's lost. A company representative told MacRumors that the app was an attempt to connect the hearing aid to the Internet for the first time. By using GPS geofencing, the hearing aid can change and adapt to its environment for the first time without user intervention. The 2.4GHz protocol used by the LiNX is also unique -- the company worked closely with Apple to develop a special protocol specifically for communication between iPhones and hearing aids, and that GN built a new hearing aid processor to support it. It is much smarter about turning on and off quickly, saving battery life and delivering five to six days of battery life in normal use, even with the added technology.
Previously, hearing aid wearers would need to carry a cumbersome pendant or other wireless device in order to make changes to settings on a tiny hearing aid -- adjusting volume or switching between profiles -- now, users can make those changes directly on the iPhone, a device that many are carrying anyway in a significant quality of life improvement. It also allows users to listen directly to games, calls, FaceTime conversations, music, and any other audio directly from the iOS device, without a handheld dongle or other intermediary devices. The technology will be available in hearing aids from both GN ReSound and its sister-brand Beltone, available through the company's network of dealer audiologists. Interested parties can sign up for the company's mailing list on its website. Recent Mac and iOS Blog Stories
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Posted: 21 Feb 2014 12:42 PM PST According to KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple is planning to introduce a new iPad Air in 2014, offering an upgraded A8 processor along with a Touch ID fingerprint sensor. Kuo does not believe that Apple will debut an updated Retina iPad mini in 2014 as Apple is said to be focusing its resources on the 12.9-inch "iPad Pro." The larger iPad could be released in limited quantities in late 2014 or in early 2015. Recent Mac and iOS Blog Stories |
Posted: 21 Feb 2014 12:30 PM PST The current publicly available version of iOS 7 was updated to iOS 7.0.6 on February 21, adding a fix for SSL connection verification. iOS 7.1, which is likely slated for release in March, may include new Mobile Device Management options designed to allow corporate and educational organizations to manage a large number of devices. New over-the-air supervision could alleviate the need for management via Apple Configurator and the update may also introduce new methods to prevent students from bypassing restrictions on school issued devices. Recent Mac and iOS Blog Stories |
Posted: 21 Feb 2014 11:40 AM PST Apple may bolster its iWatch development with the purchase of Basis, the company behind the Basis Health fitness tracker. The smart watch includes a number of health-related sensors that measure heart rate, sleep activity, movement, perspiration levels, and skin temperature. Basis is currently for sale and reportedly entertaining a buyout from several tech companies including Apple, Google, Samsung, and Microsoft. A recent rumor suggests Apple may use flexible AMOLED panels from touch panel supplier TPK for the iWatch, utilizing silver nanowire touch screen technology for the displays. Recent Mac and iOS Blog Stories |
Tuesday, 25 February 2014
MacRumors : Mac News and Rumors
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