Physical Mockup Appears to Show Larger 5.5-Inch iPhone 6 in Hand Posted: 30 Apr 2014 09:17 AM PDT Yesterday, several images surfaced on Chinese site Feng [Google Translate, via Nowhereelse.fr ] showing a physical mockup of what was said to be Apple's upcoming iPhone 6. The mockup appears to be based on design drawings shared by Japanese magazine MacFan last month.
- Protruding rear camera: In the design drawings, only the larger model is depicted with a protruding rear camera similar to that seen on the current iPod touch. The drawings show the larger iPhone 6 as slightly thinner than its smaller sibling, necessitating a slight protrusion to accommodate the camera module.
- Size in hand: Hand size obviously varies significantly from person to person, making comparisons difficult, but the physical mockup simply looks very large in the hand. According to the design drawings, the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 is just 13 mm taller and 7.5 mm wider than the iPhone 5s, but the mockup looks more like the larger iPhone 6 design, which is an additional 20 mm taller and 11 mm wider.
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Apple Again Trails Market in Smartphone Growth, but Closes on Nokia in Overall Mobile Phones Posted: 30 Apr 2014 06:49 AM PDT As it has for several quarters now, Apple continues to trail the overall smartphone market's booming growth, with the company's 16.8 percent year-over-year growth in the first quarter registering as the lowest among top five vendors in a market that grew by 28.6 percent as a whole, according to a new report from research firm IDC. Market leader Samsung also trailed the broader market's growth as Huawei, Lenovo, and LG all jockeyed for position in the closely contested third through fifth spots in the rankings.
Worldwide smartphone shipments in 1Q14 in millions of units (Source: IDC)
In the overall mobile phone market, Apple again outperformed most of the competition as feature phone sales continue to dwindle. With Apple's all-smartphone lineup taking nearly 10 percent of the overall market in the quarter, the company is within striking distance of Nokia, which garnered 11.3 percent of the market as it continues to be hit hard by the decline in feature phone sales and instability as it has shifted from Symbian to Windows Phone. Just days ago, Microsoft completed its acquisition of Nokia's phone unit, officially uniting software and hardware in what has been a close partnership over the last several years.
Worldwide mobile phone shipments in 1Q14 in millions of units (Source: IDC) Apple last week announced record March quarter earnings on the strength of its 43.7 million iPhones shipped. The iPhone continues to drive Apple's overall financial performance, representing 57 percent of the company's revenue for the quarter. Recent Mac and iOS Blog Stories
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Microsoft Research Demos Motion Sensing Keyboard with Gestures Posted: 29 Apr 2014 06:32 PM PDT Microsoft Research has demoed a new augmented mechanical keyboard that allows users to use motion controls either on or slightly above the keyboard to interact with their computers. The prototype was curiously made using keycaps from an Apple keyboard.
The gestures that the keyboard can recognize include traditional gestures like "pinch-to-zoom" and swiping to static gestures like holding a single finger above the keyboard to advanced gestures like turning an imaginary steering wheel. It's unclear whether the augmented keyboard, referred to as the Type-Hover-Swipe, could eventually turn into a real product, but it's another step in Microsoft exploring motion control after its Kinect device. Apple, too, has been exploring motion sensing with its purchase of PrimeSense, the 3D body sensing firm that developed the technology for Kinect. The Type-Hover-Swipe keyboard is also similar to the technology of Leap Motion, who former Apple iAd chief Andy Miller worked for for close to two years. Recent Mac and iOS Blog Stories
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iWatch Reportedly Entering Production in Small Quantities Ahead of Fall 2014 Launch Posted: 29 Apr 2014 10:23 AM PDT Apple's suppliers have already begun producing the iWatch in small quantities, according to supply chain sources cited by China Times via G for Games , ahead of a prospective launch during the second half of 2014. Echoing an earlier report from notable analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the site's sources also suggest the iWatch will take advantage of a system-in-package (SiP) design that allows a multitude of chips to be placed on a single module. This could allow Apple to the fit multiple sensors rumored for the smart watch into a tiny area while keeping the device small enough to be worn comfortably on the wrist.
Traditional watch-style iWatch concept by Gábor Balogh Rumors have indicated Apple's iWatch will contain several different biometric sensors allowing it to track health-related statistics like heart rate, sleep quality, movement, and more. The sensors will aggregate data that will be stored in a rumored "Healthbook" application, slated for inclusion in iOS 8. Along with including health sensors, the iWatch will likely function similarly to other smart watches on the market, integrating with the iPhone and iPad to provide notifications and quick access to frequently used apps and services. Apple's iWatch is expected to ship in two different sizes to accommodate different sized wrists and it may also come in multiple price points and materials. According to recent reports, Apple's iWatch could make an appearance as soon as September, but a solid launch date remains unclear. Recent Mac and iOS Blog Stories
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Microsoft's Office for iPad Apps Gain Printing Capabilities Posted: 29 Apr 2014 09:44 AM PDT Microsoft's Office for iPad apps, including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint received their first major update today, gaining the printing capabilities that were notably absent when the apps launched back in March. The lack of an ability to print documents directly from the apps was a major complaint in initial reviews of the mobile productivity suite.
Along with printing capabilities, the apps have gained a few other highly-requested features, including SmartGuides for PowerPoint and AutoFit for Excel. While SmartGuides help PowerPoint users align pictures, shapes, and textboxes on a slide page, AutoFit will let Excel users adjust the width and height of multiple rows and columns at once. Each update also includes a number of bug fixes, along with a note from Microsoft outlining its commitment to continually improving its Office for iPad apps. "We're already working on the next update," reads the post. All of the updates are currently available and can be downloaded from the App Store for free, but editing and creating documents requires an Office 365 subscription. Microsoft OneNote has also been updated with bug fixes. - Microsoft Word for iPad [Direct Link] Recent Mac and iOS Blog Stories
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Wednesday 30 April 2014
MacRumors : Mac News and Rumors
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