Apple’s Media Event To Be Held On March 21st Instead Of March 15th [Report]

Apple is rumored to he hosting a media event in March next month to announce its next wave of products. Previously, it was reported that this event will take place on March 15th, with announced products being available for purchase almost immediately on March 18th.

Now however it seems like that rumored March 15th event will instead take place in the week of March 21st, with Monday, March 21st itself being the most likely date for the event.

Whether Apple always planned the event for March 21st instead of March 15th isn’t confirmed yet, neither is the exact reason for a week delay, if that indeed was the case. Maybe Apple executives unexpectedly got too busy this whole week to deal with FBI and court matters? Who knows!

Whatever the case maybe, according to the reports, Apple’s media event will be a small-scale event which will be hosted at Apple’s Town Hall inside Apple’s campus in Cupertino, California.

As for what is Apple going to announce at the event: expect the company to unveil a new 4-inch iPhone called the iPhone SE. This iPhone is said to sport same design as iPhone 5s but with internals of iPhone 6s barring 3D Touch functionality. What this means is that expect the phone tofeature A9/M9 processors, 2GB RAM, 12MP rear camera with Live Photos capability, 5MP front camera, NFC for Apple Pay, updated Touch ID, and latest Wi-Fi and bluetooth spec. It will come in 16GB and 64GB storage options and will be offered in the usual colors, including the new Rose Gold color. The phone is expected to cost between $400-$500 for the unlocked model.

Apple is also expected to unveil its next 9.7-inch iPad model. Instead of being called iPad Air 3, rumor has it that Apple will brand it under iPad Pro branding. This iPad model is expected to feature almost all of the specs and features of iPad Pro, including A9X chip, 4GB RAM, 4 speakers system, thinner and lighter profile, support for Apple Pencil, Smart Connector for connecting Smart Keyboard like accessories, and more, with only difference being in display size of 9.7-inch instead of 12.9-inch.

Also expected are some upgrades for the current Apple Watch model in the form of accessories, which will include a new line of Watch bands and new colors for existing bands such as Milanese Loop in Space Black color.

Besides all this, final versions of iOS 9.3, tvOS 9.2, OS X 10.11.4 and watchOS 2.2 are also expected to go live after the event. There are also some reports on Apple dropping price of unlocked iPhone 5s model to just $250.

(source: BuzzFeed)

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How To Enable 1080p Slo-Mo Recording On iPhone 6s

Love the Slo-mo video recording feature on your iPhone 6s or iPhone 6s Plus? Not many of you would know that the A9 chip has enough power to shoot Slo-mo videos at full HD 1080p resolution, something that A8 in iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus could not do, but it’s not enabled by default on Apple’s latest handsets.

Slo-mo video recording has been one of the popular additions to iPhone’s camera since theintroduction of the 720p@120fps feature back in 2013 with iPhone 5s. In iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, Apple brought 240fps Slo-mo video recording at 720p resolution. With iPhone 6s and 6s Plus, we finally have 1080p full HD Slo-mo video recording at 120fps. 240fps Slo-mo though is still limited to 720p. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how you can go about recording 120fps Slo-mo videos in 1080p on your iPhone 6s or iPhone 6s Plus.

How to enable Slo-mo video recording in 1080p resolution on iPhone 6s:

Step 1: To begin, launch the Settings app on your iPhone, scroll down, then tap Photos & Camera.

Step 2: Here under Camera label, tap on Record Slo-mo.

Step 3: Now simply select 1080p HD at 120 fps option so that a blue check mark is placed next to it. Goes without saying that this increase the resolution of the video recording.

Exit the Settings.app and then launch the Camera app. Switch to Slo-mo video recording mode. You should now be able to record Slo-mo videos in 1080p@120fps. There will obviously be a difference in the ‘motion’ of the recorded video when compared with the 720p@240fps mode, but there will be a significant improvement in video quality.

Yes, enabling this feature is no rocket science. But when features like these are disabled by default and hidden deep inside settings somewhere in the operating system, they go unnoticed by many users. I for one didn’t knew this existed until I accidentally stumbled upon it while looking for another option in Settings.app.

Siri Coming To Mac With OS X 10.12 [Report]

Mac owners may still be getting semi-regular updates of OS X 10.11 delivered through the Mac App Store, but Apple is also working on producing the next major version of the platform behind the scenes. As is always the case, Apple will take the opportunity with OS X 10.12 to introduce sweeping under-the-hood improvements that will massively improve the user experience within OS X. The Cupertino-based company is also expected to introduce Siri to the Mac and make it a huge focal point of the improvements arriving with OS X 10.12 in 2016.

Apple’s digital assistant, Siri, has been a feature that the company has been keen to introduce across as many platforms as possible over the last twelve months. Both the Apple Watch –released in April 2015 – and the Apple TV 4 – released in October 2015 – now use Siri as a differentiating feature intended to attract interest from consumers. It seems that Apple also sees the future of OS X relying heavily on Siri integration going forward as pointed out by 9to5Mac.

The Siri and OS X combination isn’t entirely new. The company has regularly been testing out internal builds of OS X running the digital assistant from as far back as 2012. For one reason or another, Tim Cook’s team of engineers feel that the integration isn’t yet ready to make it into a public facing version of the operating system. With that said, sources are now suggesting that Apple has ironed out the internal conflicts on how it envisages Siri working on a Mac, and that it’s apparently ready for being launched with a polished user-interface in OS X 10.12 that should hopefully delight those interacting with it.

If the sources are accurate, then it looks as though Siri could find itself having a pivotal role in the future successes of OS X. The feature will come with its own configurable set of options within the System Preferences area of OS X, and will have a custom user-interface that is designed to show when Siri is available via the Menu Bar, but also when it’s being interacted with through the use of system overlays on the top-right part of the display. Sources also suggest that Mac owners will be able to benefit from the “Hey Siri“ always-on command that works with recent iPhone and iPad models.

Apple is expected to introduce an initial preview of OS X 10.12 “Fuji” during Worldwide Developer Conference 2016 (WWDC) this coming June.

Fix Slow iOS App Store Downloads / Updates Over WiFi, Here’s How [Tips]

App Store updates and downloads are an extremely important part of the iOS device experience. Apple’s App Store clearly has its faults – a lot of which lie in the discovery of apps and behind the scenes algos that determine visibility – but on the whole, it’s generally a pleasurable experience that is interacted with by millions of people on a daily basis. The unfortunate thing is that a lot of the users regularly experience very slow download of apps and updates when accessing the App Store on an iPhone, iPad or iPod touch over a WiFi network.

There’s no “one size fits all” solution here, but we’re going to a take a look at some of the good housekeeping tasks and tips you can perform to speed up that download. So let’s get started.

Reboot Your Router

This one is really a no-brainer, but often one that people simply don’t think of doing. Whenever issues are encountered relating to an Internet connection or speed of downloads, then it’s prudent in the first instance to reboot the router/model that you have serving up that connection. Reboot through the routers settings, or by turning the power switch off and back again.

Hard Reboot Your iPhone Or iPad 

The issue could lie with the iOS device that you’re actually using to download apps with from the App Store. That hardware is essentially the middle man between the Internet connection and the App Store itself, facilitating the whole process. Follow our simple guide below on how to reboot the iOS device properly:

• How To Hard Reboot / Restart Your iPhone, iPad Or iPod touch

Forget WiFi Network & Reconnect

Once again, this is done on the iOS device side. In the individual settings for each connected WiFi network it’s possible to “Forget This Network”. That’s essentially Apple’s way of forcing all settings pertaining to the network to be removed from the device. Head on over to Settings > Wi-Fi, and tap the little information button (“i”) to the right of the connected network. Simply tap Forget This Network to remove it from the device’s memory.

Now, connect to the network as you would connect to any new network, and things should hopefully be back to normal.

Reset Network Settings

Things are getting a little more serious now. Resetting the network settings on the iOS device essentially means that you are setting anything network related that has been customized back to manufacturer default. This won’t delete any personal data on the device, but you need to be aware you’re going to lose all that you’ve configured from a network settings perspective. To do this, launch the Settings app and navigate to General > Reset > Reset Network Settings.

Use Google Or Open DNS Servers

Often enough, a bad DNS server would really botch down your entire Internet experience, but luckily your ISP’s DNS server can be dumped and you can switch to the faster Google’s or an Open DNS. Simply, head over to the details of your Wi-Fi connection (Settings > Wi-Fi > tap on “i” on the right side of the WiFi network name) on your iPhone or iPad and under “IP ADDRESS” files next to DNS label, enter any one the following addresses:

Google DNS: 8.8.8.8, 8.8.4.4

OpenDNS: 208.67.222.123, 208.67.220.123

Disable Location Services For Wi-Fi Networking

iOS, along with a number of first and third-party apps, uses the location of a device to perform some pretty neat tasks. Some apps are actually just location specific, and therefore access to the device’s GPS location is actually required, but some aren’t. For one reason or the other, disabling Location Services for Wi-Fi Networking can help fix this issue. To disable Location Services for Wi-Fi Networking within iOS head on over to Settings > Privacy > Location Services > System Services and then turn off Wi-Fi Networking.

AT&T 5G Trials To Begin This Year With 10-100 Times Faster Speeds Than 4G LTE

AT&T has laid out its 5G roadmap that will see consumers in the United States who are part of the AT&T experience offered the next-generation of super-fast, flexible wireless connectivity. The U.S. based network has confirmed via an official press release that it will work closely with Intel and Ericsson on planned 5G trials in order to provide a strong platform for future services that the company has in the pipeline. Trials with Intel and Ericsson will reportedly begin internally during the second quarter of this year.

AT&T has confirmed that internal tests will begin in the company’s labs during the second quarter of 2016. Those tests will be backed up by the expertise of Intel and Ericsson as the company looks to test out technologies such as millimeter waves, network functions virtualization (NFV), and software-defined networking (SDN). AT&T makes a point of stipulating that all of these individual technologies will form part of the larger 5G experience when it eventually becomes mainstream.

Pending successful internal trials, AT&T and chosen partners are looking to move onto the next stage with outdoor trials beginning hopefully over the summer period. Those outdoor trials would then pave the way for actual field trials, which are currently penciled to take place in Austin, Texas before the end of the calendar year:

We plan to collaborate with Ericsson and Intel to work on 5G solutions in our labs starting in the second quarter of this year, with outdoor tests and trials over the summer. And, we expect field trials of 5G technologies to provide wireless connectivity to fixed locations in Austin before the end of this year.

There’s been a lot of talk about what 5G will actually bring to consumers with compatible devices. AT&T speculates that the technology should hopefully deliver speeds 10-100 times faster than the average 4G LTE speeds that are currently offered. For the first time, it’s predicted that customers will actually be talking about their device connection and download speeds in terms of “gigabits” per second rather than “megabits” per second as we currently do.

It’s undeniably great news to learn that networks are proactively looking to trial 5G technology in the hope of increasing data speeds and opening up the door for new experiences to be offered, such as enhanced video and Virtual Reality. It is still important to remember that consuming this technology will require a compatible 5G smartphone or tablet.

(Source: AT&T)

Apple’s iPhone 5se, iPad Air 3 Release Date Rumored For March 18

 Those who are waiting for Apple’s March event in order to pick up a new iPhone or iPad will be pleased to know that they won’t have to wait long to get their hands on their new toy following the event, as a new report now suggests that Apple will make the 4-inch iPhone 5se and iPad Air 3available for purchase the same week they are announced.

Apple is expected to host a media event on 15th March at which the new 4-inch iPhone 5se and iPad Air 3 will be announced alongside new Apple Watch bands. While Apple would normally announced new iPhones and iPads and then offer a pre-order window the following weekend before beginning sales of the products another week later, it would seem that this March event will see the end of that particular practice, if only for this one time, reports 9to5Mac.

With no sales delay and no pre-order window to speak of, those wishing to order a new piece of Apple kit may be able to get their hands on it in a matter of days after Apple takes to the stage on March 15. While excellent news for those of us who are terrible at waiting to get their hands on a new toy, we doubt such a timescale will be workable for devices with a bigger and wider appeal than the iPhone 5se and iPad Air 3. The iPad Pro, for example, took two months from its announcement to actually go on sale.

The iPhone 5se is expected to be a 4-inch iPhone that is essentially a cross between an iPhone 5s and an iPhone 6, with all the important parts and design coming from the newer, latter iPhone. Apple’s iPad Air 3 is expected to carry on the iPad Air 2 mantra of thinness and lightness while also gaining support for the Smart Connector as well as, potentially, the Apple Pencil.

Personally I’ve had my eyes on the iPad Air 3 ever since Apple didn’t refresh the line at the end of 2015, so I can’t wait to see what the next iPad Air has to offer, even more-so than the next 4-inch iPhone.

(Source: 9to5Mac)

How To Schedule SMS Text Messages On iPhone [No Jailbreak Required]

Looking to schedule SMS text messages on your iPhone and have them sent automatically? Well, the idea is not entirely a new one, but when it comes to an iPhone, things do tend to become a bit tricky. Jailbroken users have it easy with some of the tweaks available, but for those who don’t have jailbroken devices, having your iPhone automatically send a text at a specified time isn’t as easy to achieve, even with third-party apps because of restrictions in place by Apple. But there is one app that goes around Apple’s restrictions to help schedule and automatically send texts at specified time. Here we are going to look into this app.

The stock Messages app is great and all, but it still doesn’t offer any way to schedule SMS or iMessages even though users have been requesting this feature for a long time now. Apple seems unfazed so far. This is where a third-party app named Delayd comes into play.

The functions of Delayd app are designed with the no-nonsense approach and it pretty much does as it says on the tin. While you will find many apps on the App Store claiming to let you schedule an SMS and automatically have them sent at specified time, they don’t really work as they. If you have tried some of those options, you will have noticed that while those apps do let you schedule texts, they prompt you with a notification for sending the text when it’s time, after which you will need to confirm and send the message manually. Not exactly automatic or is it? This is where Delayd app excels as it offers the ability to automatically deliver your scheduled message without you having to do anything. Simply set a date and time – which can be adjusted by 15 minutes – hit the Schedule button and forget all about it, your work is done. Once the message is delivered, you will be notified about it.

Delayd also lets you schedule messages which can be set to recur on different intervals. The app neatly lays out the Scheduled, Sent, and Recurring on the main screen under their relevant tabs so you have a very clear layout of what’s going on. Moreover, besides SMS text messages, there is also support for scheduling automatic sending of emails, Facebook status updates and even tweets on Twitter!

However, as mentioned earlier, due to restrictions in place by Apple, Delayd achieves automatic sending of scheduled SMS through a workaround which involves using its own servers to deliver all your scheduled text messages and emails, as a result of which the recipient cannot directly reply back to that number or email address as he or she cannot see your real number from where the message is sent. Yes, you can include your number or email ID in the message so that recipient knows where it’s coming from and where to reply to but that’s not exactly ideal. More so, because Delayd uses its own servers, what that unfortunately means is that you will need to pay for credits as in-app purchases to schedule and send texts. 50 credits cost $0.99 and up to 500 credits costs about $3.99. Though the app does include 50 free credits for you to try when you download the app for the first without having to pay anything. If you are convinced with what it offers and want to continue using the service after your 50 free credits are finished, you can choose to do so via an in-app purchase.

(Download: Delayd for iPhone from the iOS App Store)

Bright Pink Color Option Rumored For Apple’s 4-Inch iPhone 5se

As we step closer to an official introduction of the 4-inch iPhone 5se by Apple, more speculation pertaining to the device is emerging. Apple is expected to introduce the device at its March 15th event, along with a slew of other hardware improvements across multiple product lines. A new report is laying the foundations for what consumers can potentially expect from an external finish perspective. Citing third-party vendor sources, the report suggests the iPhone 5se will be made available in Silver, Space Gray, and Bright Pink colors.

The potential availability of the Silver and Space Gray finish really won’t come as a great shock to anyone. Apple has regularly introduced those particular exterior finishes to the iPhone and iPad for a number of years now. The raised eyebrows may come from the fact that sources are now predicting a bright pink finish that differs hugely from the Rose Gold option that has proven so popular on the iPhone 6s range. The speculation is likening the pink option to the ‘Pink’ that was introduced with the iPod nano and sixth-generation iPod touch.

Speculation pertaining to the iPhone 6s prior to it actually being publicly unveiled suggested that it would be offered with a “pink” color option. As it transpired, that turned out to be a very subtle pink in the form of a more elegant Rose Gold option, but it seems that there’s potential for consumers to snap up this new iPhone with a finish that makes a distinct separation between itself and the Rose Gold iPhone 6s. It’ll be interesting to see if this pink option does come to light, and secondly if there are any additional color options available or if the iPhone 5se will be offered with just these three finishes.

The likelihood is that as we get closer to Apple’s speculated event on March 15, the more leaks and concrete reveals we will start to see about the iPhone 5se and what it will offer. There’s a general consensus amongst analysts that the hardware will ship with technologies like Touch ID and NFC for Apple Pay compatibility and carry an A9/M9 combo at the heart of things. The camera modules are also expected to support Apple’s Live Photos feature, although there won’t be a pressure sensitive display to interact with those photos via 3D Touch.

(Source: Mac Otakara [Google Translate])

The Best iPhone 6s, 6, Plus Wireless Charging Cases

You only need to have taken a passing interest in some of the iPhone 7 rumors to know that talk of a wireless charging solution has sprung up again. Some people believe the next flagship iPhone will feature the Qi-wireless charging technology that Android device owners now take for granted, while others think the iPhone after the next one may be the one that makes the jump by featuring a new kind of wireless charging tech that can enable charging from a distance. While we don’t know for sure which of those two camps have it right, but what we do know is you don’t need to wait to charge your iPhone wirelessly.

We’ve already shown you how to get the kit needed to add wireless charging to iPhone 6s or iPhone 6s Plus today should you wish, but there are yet other alternatives to be considered as well. If you’re a fan of iPhone cases for example, you’re going to want to check out a plethora of cases that actually feature Qi wireless charging technology built right in.

Amongst the best recommended cases we are going to tell you about, all of them feature Qi-compatible wireless charging capabilities, although some of them come complete with charging pads while others do not. Keep that in mind when you are making your buying decision, because it may be an additional cost that you were not planning on. In case you choose to get the case without charging pad combo, you can pick a charging pad separately for under $15 bucks, such as this Upow Qi Wireless Charging Pad from Amazon which costs just $14.

With that out of the way, let’s take a look shall we?

Power Wireless iPhone Charging Receiver Case for iPhone 6s/6 ($23.95, usually $39.99)

While it is made by a company that you may have not heard of, this case has got good reviews and actually looks quite nice. It’s not overly bulky, which is something we like in a case, and connects its charging electronics to the iPhone’s Lightning port via a ribbon cable of sorts. It’s not going to break the bank, either.

Buy: Power Wireless iPhone Charging Receiver Case for iPhone 6s/6 from Amazon: $23.95 | Original price: $39.99

BELUGA iPhone 6s/6 and 6s Plus/6 Plus Wireless Charging Case ($29.99, usually $39.99)

BELUGA’s wireless charging case for the iPhone 6s/6 and iPhone 6s Plus/6 Plus certainly looks the business. Slim and with a non-slip back, we are quite taken with the BELUGA.

Buy: BELUGA iPhone 6s/6 Wireless Charging Case from Amazon: $29.99 | Original price: $39.99

Buy: BELUGA iPhone 6s Plus/6 Plus Wireless Charging Case from Amazon: $29.99 | Original price: $39.99

Spigen Tough Armor Volt (iPhone 6s/6) and Slim Armor Volt (iPhone 6s Plus/6 Plus) ($29.99, usually $99.99)

If brand name is something that you look for in an iPhone accessory, then Spigen is about as big as it gets. With versions on offer for both iPhone sizes, the regular and the Plus, it’s just a shame that these cases are so thick. They offer more protection than some other cases here, but may not be for everyone. Your mileage may vary, though.

Buy: Spigen Tough Armor Volt (iPhone 6s/6) from Amazon: $29.99 | Original price: $99.99

Buy: Spigen Slim Armor Volt (iPhone 6s Plus/6 Plus) from Amazon: $29.99 | Original price: $99.99

Antye Qi Wireless Charger Kit for iPhone 6s/6 and iPhone 6s Plus/6 Plus ($28.99-$29.99, usually $99.99)

Now, this is where things get interesting, because not only is the Antye one of the best looking cases here, but it also comes complete with its own Qi-compatible charging pad. You may expect that to bump the price up, because we certainly did, but no – $30 is all you need. The reviews on Amazon look quite positive, too.

Buy: Antye Qi Wireless Charger Kit for iPhone 6s/6 from Amazon: $28.99 | Original price: $99.99

Buy: Antye Qi Wireless Charger Kit for iPhone 6s Plus/6 Plus from Amazon: $29.99 | Original price: $99.99

Touch Charge iPhone 6s/6 Wireless Charging Pack ($79.99, usually $149.99)

The most expensive in our list, this pack also offers a charging pad as well as an iPhone 6s/6 case but with a much steeper price. It’s arguably a nicer kit than the Antye as well, so depending on whether you’re willing to drop the extra cash, this may be a better bet, especially if you have concerns about the Antye offering being perhaps a little too cheap.

Buy: Touch Charge iPhone 6s/6 Wireless Charging Pack from Amazon: $79.99 | Original price: $149.99

That completes our top recommendation for wireless charging cases for iPhone. Get whichever fits your budget and offers whatever you need from a case whether that be protection or good looks. You can’t really have both, unfortunately.

iPhone 6 Error 53: Third-Party Touch ID Repairs Will Brick The Device, Confirms Apple

Apple has taken the opportunity to acknowledge that any third-party repair to the Touch ID Home button on the iPhone 6 or 6 Plus can eventually result in the device being bricked when iOS is updated on the device. Rather than being an error and something that has slipped through the net, Apple is confirming that this is indeed a deliberate security feature designed to protect users.

The problem appears to have been affecting a growing number of users who have opted to have some kind of unofficial repair work carried out on the Home/Touch ID button or connecting cable internally. Those affected users have been receiving “error 53″ when trying to update the device firmware via iTunes, and as yet have not found a way to actually get the device back up and running.

Kyle Wiens of iFixit has previously shone light on the issue by highlighting that the “error 53″ page on his site has been had more than 183,000 hits. That number along provides a fairly decent indication that the problem is being experienced by a far reaching set of users:

The problem occurs if the repairer changes the home button or the cable. Following the software upgrade the phone in effect checks to make sure it is still using the original components, and if it isn’t, it simply locks out the phone.

It all sounded a little difficult to believe, until Apple actually chimed in with an official response that outlines the intended behaviour designed to protect the Secure Enclave within the device:

We protect fingerprint data using a secure enclave, which is uniquely paired to the Touch ID sensor. When iPhone is serviced by an authorised Apple service provider or Apple retail store for changes that affect the touch ID sensor, the pairing is re-validated. This check ensures the device and the iOS features related to touch ID remain secure. Without this unique pairing, a malicious touch ID sensor could be substituted, thereby gaining access to the secure enclave. When iOS detects that the pairing fails, touch ID, including Apple Pay, is disabled so the device remains secure.

The explanation from Apple actually makes perfect sense. There will likely be a heap of affected users who are outraged by the fact that Apple is purposely running checks to determine whether or not it should brick the device, rendering it unusable. However, all it would take is for one security breach related to this type of repair for Apple to find itself in a publicity nightmare relating to security. Whether or not there is a way to bring the device back to life is still up in the air.

(source: The Guardian)