The iPhone X's High Demand And Production Delays Might Push Its Release To 2018

If you are one of those people who is stashing up their cash to buy the new iPhone X, you can expect to wait for a while before you can actually get your hands on it. The iPhone X has a beautiful display and has a facial recognition system that are the marquee feature of the device. 

© Apple

However, be prepared to struggle to get your hands on one as several analysts are suggesting that Apple is facing production delays. The burgeoning demand for the iPhone X and shortages in supply may leave a lot of customers waiting until 2018. 

According to USA Today, the high number of orders on October 27th will force a few customers to wait until February or March next year. It might be hard for you to accept that a phone that costs INR 89,000 would have such a high demand, however, pre-order numbers and demand forecasts are suggesting the contrary. 

© Apple

"We believe slow carrier promotions and relatively modest feature upgrades to the 8 are shifting demand to the X, which is a positive for Apple," said Instinet analyst Jeffrey Kvaal, explaining the phone's popularity.

The iPhone X uses OLED panels for their displays and there are only a handful of suppliers, globally, that can produce and meet Apple's demand. Hence, yield issues make bulk orders a difficult task and are the main reason behind the delays. 

© Apple

Apple normally sells at least 75 million iPhones globally in the holiday quarter and the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus is expected to make most of those sale numbers. Analysts believe that only 10-12 million iPhone X units are expected to be available on launch day and won't be enough to meet the demand. 

Due to the high demand and constraints in the supply chain, you can expect people to buy the iPhone X early and sell it at a higher price for customers who cannot wait until February 2018. 

Source: The iPhone X's High Demand And Production Delays Might Push Its Release To 2018

Apple iPhone X price, features, specs and release date: How will iPhone X's Face ID work?

Apple's 10th anniversary iPhone, the iPhone X, was announced on 12 September at the Steve Jobs Theatre at Apple Park, the tech giant's new San Francisco headquarters. 

It brings a whole range of new features to Apple's flagship device a decade after Jobs launched the original, multi-touch iPhone.

iPhone X latest news

29/09/2017: How will iPhone X's Face ID work?

Apple has released a video explaining how its FaceID identification platform will work, revealing it uses neural networks to resist spoofing attempts. However, it would seem even Apple can't explain exactly how the technology works, according to the BBC.

Because it's been designed to prevent people that are not the owner from breaking into the phone, its behaviour "can be observed but the underlying process remains opaque," the BBC explained.

Although it will be able to tell the difference between its rightful owner trying to unlock the device and someone wearing a mask that closely resembles them, it will never be able to reveal how it came to the conclusion the disguised individual wasn't the person who set up Face ID.

"The developers of these kinds of systems have some level of insight into what is happening but can't really create a narrative answer for why, in a specific case, a specific action is selected," Rob Wortham, an artificial intelligence researcher at the University of Bath told the broadcaster.

"With neural networks there's nothing in there to hang on to - even if you can inspect what's going on inside the black box, you are none the wiser after doing so. There's no machinery to enable you to trace what decisions led to the outputs."

However, Apple does explain very roughly how it identifies the facial features of the face trying to unlock the device, shining 30,000 invisible infrared dots on it in a randomised way (which will vary from device to device). The information is then turned into an encrypted mathematical formulation and then compared to the data gleaned from the owner's face, which is stored in a secure compartment of the iPhone.

It's this final part that uses Apple-developed neural networks that cannot be hacked or changed, or in fact, explained by Apple.

Facial recognition has come under quite a lot of scrutiny in the past, with people claiming it's not as secure as fingerprint recognition, for example. However, Apple launching the video so far ahead of the iPhone X's launch date will hopefully go some way to allay those worries.

25/09/2017: iPhone X launch could cause iPhone 8 sales to nosedive

The iPhone 8 launched on Friday and it seems sales may be a bit lacklustre compared to previous iPhone sales on launch weekend as people wait for the iPhone X to become available later in the year.

Instead of massive queues for the latest iPhone to land, Apple Store staff were instead left a little disappointed by demand for the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus, which were both available to pre-order from September 15th. The Metro explained the queues outside Apple stores around the country were shorter than they had been for any other device launch in recent years.

This is because the new flagship, the higher-specced iPhone X, won't come out until November, although some analysts have anticipated that may need to be pushed back because some of the parts to make the edge-to-edge display are in short supply.

Apple is yet to comment on sales of the iPhone 8 on its launch weekend and as is the case in the past, it's unlikely to reveal how many devices have shipped until much later down the line. Even then, we don't expect them to be particularly accurate.

20/09/2017: 40% of Apple fans won't use Face ID for Apple Pay

Almost half of iPhone users won't make payments using Face ID, a report by Juniper Research has revealed. The research firm explained 74% of iPhone owners would prefer to use their fingerprint to authenticate transactions, while 64% are more likely to opt for voice recognition methods.

The reason for this could be that iPhone users are more accustomed to using their fingerprint to verify their identity rather than having to look at their phone's screen. Although voice recognition isn't available natively on the iPhone for use with Apple Pay, it is supported by some third party apps.

Juniper Research questioned 500 smartphone users in the UK and the same number in the US about their attitude towards making contactless payments. Although the number of people using contactless technologies to buy things rose by 12% in the UK, 32% of non-contactless payment users are concerned about the security of technology, perhaps slowing down adoption in the future.

Only 26% of those not currently using contactless payments think they might start using Apple Pay and other contactless services such as Samsung Pay and Apple Pay in future.

"Transaction security is a key barrier for mobile financial services adoption," remarked research author James Moar. "Addressing these concerns will bring many consumers to the point where they will consider using such services."

15/09/2017: Apple's iPhone X Face ID will only recognise one face

If you were hoping to share an iPhone X between family members or colleagues, it seems only one person will be able to unlock it using FaceID, which could certainly cause a family/employment rift.

A number of sources asked Apple about the technology at the launch on Wednesday and whether it will support multiple faces. However, the company explained it will only support one face when the device launches toward the end of the year.

Although this makes sense if you're using your phone for business and you need to keep information secured against unauthorised use, it could cause problems if someone else needs to access your device, obviously with your permission.

Apple's previous security feature, TouchID, supported a number of fingerprints, allowing the user to scan up to five digits to unlock the device (because you may use the phone in different positions according to what you're doing on the device), but as you only have one face, it does make sense for only one face to be recognised.

For those who wish to share access to their iPhone X with others, they can add a backup passcode and shared users can just use that instead.

14/09/2017: Apple explains away Craig Federighi's Face ID misfortune

When Apple launched the iPhone X's Face ID feature on stage earlier this week, the facial recognition feature appeared to malfunction - but Apple says it's not so.

Executive Craig Federighi ran into some trouble when attempting to demonstrate how easily and efficiently the new Face ID works on Tuesday. While trying to unlock the phone on stage, the device refused to recognise his face, prompting him to enter the passcode.

Apple has since claimed that this glitch came from a large number of its own employees trying to use the phone backstage, which led to the phone trying to authenticate each person handling the device.

Since none of these people were Craig Federighi, the phone locked up and required a passcode for entry.

"People were handling the device for stage demo ahead of time," an Apple spokesperson told Yahoo (via the Guardian - the quote isn't currently on Yahoo's story), "and didn't realise Face ID was trying to authenticate their face.

"After failing a number of times, because they weren't Craig, the iPhone did what it was designed to do, which was to require his passcode. Face ID worked as it was designed to."

However, while Federighi successfully demoed Face ID with a backup phone, the failure might still create concern for those planning on purchasing the iPhone X, due to the likelihood of accidental lockouts this suggests.

12/09/2017: Apple launches iPhone 10 as well as iPhone 8 and 8 Plus

Apple has finally taken the wraps off the new iPhone X, confirming details that have been widely rumoured for months.

The biggest change is the new edge-to-edge OLED Super Retina Display. Measuring 5.8in, with a resolution of 2436 x 1125 and a pixel density of 458ppi, the display is the first OLED panel the company has ever used. As with the iPhone 8, the display features TrueTone and HDR technology. 

Like the iPhone 8, it has a glass back, which allows it to also take advantage of wireless charging. The two front and rear glass panels are banded with stainless steel, and the iPhone X will be available in space grey and silver.

As the screen now takes up the entire surface area of the phone, the home button has been completely eliminated and with it, the Touch ID fingerprint sensor. Instead, the iPhone X is unlocked with facial recognition, which Apple is dubbing 'Face ID'. The iPhone X uses machine learning to recognise your face, and Apple claims that it will work even in the dark.

Any apps that currently work with Touch ID will work with Face ID, including Apple Pay and third-party software.

The iPhone X will also support 'animoji' - animated emojis that uses AR technology to map your face and transpose your movements to certain Emoji, creating stickers and animated voice messages Naturally, the company has also partnered with Snapchat to optimise masks and filters for the iPhone X's new AR capabilities.

The iPhone X uses the same camera technology as the iPhone 8 Plus - a dual-camera setup with a telephoto and wide-angle lens. The main improvements are the addition of dual OIS for both cameras and quad-LED True Tone flash, but the software features of the iPhone 8 are also supported, including the new portrait lighting mode, which is also available on the front-facing camera.

Hardware-wise, the iPhone X also uses the A11 Bionic chip, and promises 2 hours longer battery life than the iPhone 7. 

As predicted, the iPhone X is the most expensive iPhone ever, retailing for $999. It will be available for pre-order starting October 27, available in stores on November 3. 

UK release date

The iPhone 10 comes out on 3 November. There were plenty of rumours of supply chain delays in the months preceding the device's unveiling, and it looks like they were true. While the iPhone 8 comes out on 22 September, roughly the usual time an iPhone comes out, the iPhone 10 won't follow for another six weeks. However, it is available for pre-order on 27 October.

Price

Even for Apple the iPhone X costs a pretty penny. At £999 for the 64GB model, the iPhone X is the most expensive smartphone Apple - or probably most major smartphone vendors - has ever produced.

Specs and hardware

A new six-core A11 Bionic chip with 64-bit architecture (up from last year's four-core A10) powers most of the iPhone X's capabilities. It has 30% faster graphics than the A10, and runs 70% faster, according to Apple.

When it comes to storage, the iPhone X comes in only two sizes - 64GB and 256GB.

Display

The iPhone 10's 5.8in screen is Apple's first to cover the entire front of the phone, which has a glass front OLED multi-touch display on the front, and a glass back as well - pretty sleek, but also pretty breakable, though it is toughened glass.

Its Super Retina HD display helps the Face ID feature (more on which below), while it boasts a 2436x1125-pixel resolution at 458 ppi. The screen includes 3D Touch, which allows you to execute different commands by pressing the screen with varying degrees of pressure.

Crucially, this edge-toedge display leaves no room for the home button, meaning Touch ID is no more.

Battery

Apple reckons the iPhone X lasts up to two hours longer than the iPhone 7, which itself lasted an impressive 13 hours in our review.

Camera

The iPhone X's 12MP camera is the same - on the surface - as the iPhone 7's, but boasts a lot more in terms of its software capabilities. Both larger and faster, this camera can measure depth with the TrueDepth sensor - key to the X's Face ID feature. There's also two of them, one front-facing and one rear-facing, both of course using optical image stabilisation.

Digital zoom on the lenses offers 10x zoom on photos and 6x for videos. The front-facing camera also offers a Portait Lighting feature using the 3D TrueDepth sensor. 

It's faster than ever before, too, recording 4K video at 60fps and slo-mo videos in 1080p at 240fps.

Features

Face ID

The A11 chip's integrated neural engine powers the iPhone X's Face ID feature, which replaces Apple's Touch ID fingerprint sensor of yore.

This facial recognition capability has been trained on one billion photos (and on rubber masks to distinguish between real and fake faces) to be able to recognise a user quickly and easily. Apple claims this means Face ID is so secure the chances of it being fooled are one in one million, compared to Touch ID's one in 50,000.

Animoji/AR

In a lighthearted move, Apple has made use of the camera's augmented reality technology to map your facial movements to various animals emoji, 

The iPhone X will also support 'animoji' - animated emojis that uses AR technology to map your face and transpose your movements to certain Emoji, creating stickers and animated voice messages Naturally, the company has also partnered with Snapchat to optimise masks and filters for the iPhone X's new AR capabilities.

Wireless charging

This feature isn't exclusive to the iPhone X, but Apple's AirPower pad allows you to charge your iPhone 8, X or Apple Watch 3 without the tangly mess of attaching a cable. 

Colours

The iPhone X is available in Silver and Space Gray on launch.

Source: Apple iPhone X price, features, specs and release date: How will iPhone X's Face ID work?

Essential has probably sold around 5,000 Essential Phones since its release

More than a month after its initial release, the Essential Phone has only sold 5,000 units. That's not good.

Just like every year, 2017 has brought the release of a lot of new phones — most of them very good. You've got your heavy-hitters like the Galaxy Note 8 and LG V30, but then there's the market oddity that is the Essential Phone. The very first product from Andy Rubin's new startup was officially launched on August 17, and since then, it's being reported that a mere 5,000 units of the Essential Phone have been sold.

In the smartphone world, 5,000 units sold in more than a month's time is nothing. BayStreet Research came up with this number by tracking shipments of the Essential Phone across the United States, and when BayStreet asked Essential for a comment on their findings, they didn't receive any sort of response.

To put things into perspective, Samsung's Galaxy Note 8 saw 650,000 preorders in South Korea in just five days. Compared to the Essential Phone's reported 5,000 units for more than a month, that's not a great start at all.

So, what's the cause for the Essential Phone's weak sales? Although we can't say with absolute certainty because every person has different buying habits, we can safely narrow it down to a handful of possibilities.

For starters, if you want to buy the Essential Phone in the United States, the only carrier you can get it from is Sprint. If that isn't your carrier of choice, you'll need to pay the full $699 asking price upfront. Carrier exclusivity is never helpful for increasing sales numbers as much as possible, and that point is further reinforced when you limit your phone to the least popular major carrier in the country.

If you want to sell a lot of phones, don't limit yourself to the country's weakest carrier

Along with its limited availability, the Essential Phone really isn't a complete product. Between unfinished software and numerous camera issues, the phone doesn't perfectly justify its $700 asking price. The premium materials used for its construction are something to behold, but when you're advertising a phone as having all of the "essentials" that everybody needs and don't include a headphone jack, you're looking at a tough sell.

Andy Rubin has reiterated numerous times that the Essential Phone is just the beginning for a host of other products that will make up Essential's ecosystem, and while that may be true, 5,000 units sold in a month's time isn't the best way to kick things off.

How much longer do we wait for Essential to figure it out?

Source: Essential has probably sold around 5,000 Essential Phones since its release

Weakening 'smartphone effect' may mean peak in Asia's trade performance

HONG KONG: The rush to upgrade smartphones may be ebbing, prompting economists to dial back the outlook for Asian exporters.

Early indications, including signs of disappointing orders, point to a mixed reaction to the latest iPhones, hurting the share prices of Apple Inc's Asia-based suppliers. Given that smartphone improvements help power demand for electronics components from supply-chain powerhouses such as South Korea, Japan and Taiwan, a weaker upgrade cycle would have macro-economic implications too.

The weakening "smartphone effect" is not the only reason economists are sensing a peak in this year's better-than-expected trade performance in Asia. Other threats include forecasts that China's economy is slowing again and the shift by some developed-world central banks away from years of extraordinarily easy money.

"It feels like we are toward the tail end of the upswing at a time, ominously, that the other key driver of Asian exports - China - is showin g signs of resuming its economic slowdown," said Rob Subbaraman, chief economist for Asia ex-Japan at Nomura Holdings Inc in Singapore.

The smartphone cycle and firmer Chinese growth were among reasons Asia defied predictions of trade wars, deflation and tepid demand to instead see increased exports of everything from cosmetics to semiconductors. In the year-to-date through August, the region's exports have been the strongest in dollar terms since 2011, according to economists at Morgan Stanley.

There is no precise measure of the impact of smartphone production on Asian trade, but economists say it's sizable. Take South Korea: Exports of semiconductors jumped 57% in August to a record US$8.8bil, owing to the release of new phones and increases in DRAM capacities. That was about 18.6% of the country's total exports for the month.

Signs of Cooling

There are other signs that Asia's trade recovery is starting to cool. China's year-to-date exports are up 7.6%, but growth slowed to 5.6% in August and imports are showing signs of consolidating. And some analysts say South Korea's impressive export growth rates could soften in coming months as a weak performance in 2016 is no longer the base for comparison.

Slipping activity at major Asian ports, including hubs such as Busan and Shenzhen, are among indications that a recovery in the global container trade may have peaked, according to economists at Bloomberg Intelligence.

A new Asian trade tracker from Goldman Sachs also registered slower export momentum in August, and a broad deceleration across sectors, with the exception of semiconductors. Imports are also weakening. A recent moderation in commodity prices has played a part, Goldman said in the report.

Other Drivers

To be sure, few are predicting trade will slump, particularly in the near term. Klaus Baader, chief Asia-Pacific economist at Societe Generale SA, says Asia's trade recovery goes beyond sma rtphones and China. New drivers will include an expected acceleration in business investment, especially in electronics and software, which would have knock-on consequences for Asian manufacturers, Baader said.

"There is a lot more to the Asian electronics trade than just the iPhone," he said.

Exports from Japan will remain strong through the next six months or so, but economic momentum may slow as global interest rates start to rise, said Hiroaki Muto, chief economist at Tokai Tokyo Research Center. "The second half of next year may be a bit dangerous," Muto said.

Some of the gloss on Asia's export performance is bound to come off as volumes in 2018 are compared to the stellar performance in 2017, the World Trade Organization warned last week. It upgraded its estimate for growth in global merchandise trade volume this year to 3.6% from 2.4%, due in large part to Asia's robust performance.

Expectations for tighter monetary policy in the US and Eur ope along with China's push to rein in credit growth will weigh on trade growth in 2018, the WTO said. Geopolitical risks such as tensions with North Korea and trade disputes between the U.S. and its large trading partners could also derail the Asia trade story.

That all points to reason for caution, said Nomura's Subbaraman. "Enjoy the party but stay close to the door' is my mantra," he said. - Bloomberg

Source: Weakening 'smartphone effect' may mean peak in Asia's trade performance

Razer developing gaming smartphone for release by the end of year

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Razer has announced it will be bringing a dedicated gaming smartphone to the market by 2018.

Appearing on CNBC's Managing Asia, CEO and co-founder Min-Liang Tan outlined the company's plans for growing in China. Localisation, software, and the virtual credit system zGold all have a role to play, but Tan placed particular emphasis on the burgeoning mobile market.

"Mobile gaming is getting massive everywhere - US, Europe, China - and we hope to have products to serve the mobile gamer everywhere in the world," he said.

"One of the most hotly rumored things about Razer is that we're coming up with a mobile device. And I can say that we are coming up with a mobile device specifically geared toward gamers and entertainment.

"We're hoping to have it come... by the end of the year, so that's something we're working on," said Tan.

The news follows on from Razer's recent filing to go public on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. Tan didn't give an exact figure of how much the firm was hoping to raise with an IPO next month, but reports have suggested it could be anywhere between $3 billion and $5 billion.

He said: "We would love to have that war chest to allow us to invest in R&D. We are known to have disrupted many industries."

Razer's move into the mobile market has been a long time coming since it bought out Ouya in July 2015. While the acquisition ignored hardware, Razer swallowed up the employees, software assets, online store, branding, and catalogue of around 1,500 games.

Additionally Razer acquired Nextbit, the team behind the cloud powered Robin Android smartphone, in January of this year.

Tan said: "The way that we do things is that we want to find the best talent and bring them in. We want to learn how make products that we don't necessarily have the engineering talent for at the point in time. So Nextbit was our move in terms of getting great talent. These were some of the founding team members of Android at Google, because we wanted to get a lot more engineering talent from a mobile gaming perspective.

"Ouya was the same thing. We wanted to get from a game store perspective to understand, what else can we do for mobile gaming? And that's what we want to do, bring the best together, look at new categories or industries that we can disrupt."

Source: Razer developing gaming smartphone for release by the end of year

Foldable Samsung Galaxy smartphone receives certification in South Korea; expected to release in 2019

Home > News > Foldable Samsung Galaxy smartphone receives certification in South Korea; expected to release in 2019 Here's yet another proof of Samsung Foldable Galaxy smartphone being real.

Samsung's foldable smartphone has been talked about for some time now. According to a new report, a Samsung phone with the model number SM-G888N0 has received its certification from the National Radio Research Agency (NRRA) in South Korea. However, it is rumored that the smartphone will be called the Samsung Galaxy X aka the foldable smartphone post its launch.

It has been widely rumored that Samsung has been working on the Galaxy X1 and Galaxy X1 Plus foldable smartphones. Considering the smartphones have been certified for use by NRRA, we can expect them to launch anytime soon. According to a report in PocketNow the phone will only arrive in 2019. The device is expected to enter the prototyping phase in "this quarter". This is contradictory to recent reports where Koh Dong-jin, president of the mobile business at Samsung Electronics, said that the company is setting its eyes on 2018 to release a smartphone with a bendable display. He further added that the company aims to launch a foldable smartphone next year under its 'Galaxy Note' brand.

Apart from that, the smartphone has received Bluetooth 5.0 and Wi-Fi Alliance certification. From what we know from the renders leaked so far, the Galaxy X is expected to come with "flexible" or "secondary" display. According to the patent, the secondary display turns on when the smartphone is folded. The phone will have a bendable section right in the middle, allowing users to hold the device like a flip phone. The smartphone is said to feature a physical home button up front. ALSO READ: Samsung's foldable Galaxy X smartphone receives Bluetooth certification

The earliest rumors suggested that the phone would come with Bluetooth 5.0 and Android 6.0.1 Marshmallow on Wi-Fi Alliance and Bluetooth SIG. However, we suggest you take the listing with a pinch of salt, considering that Samsung might rethink its decision of including an outdated OS  and specifications in its first foldable smartphone. The smartphone will be launched in two variants; Galaxy X and Galaxy X1 under the codename Project Valley.

Published: September 24, 2017 2:17 PM IST | Updated: September 24, 2017 2:17 PM IST
Source: Foldable Samsung Galaxy smartphone receives certification in South Korea; expected to release in 2019

Apple is about to release new operating system for iPhones

IPhone owners are getting an upgrade on Tuesday — even if they are not planning on buying an iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus or iPhone X.

Every Apple smartphone will become more useful because the tech titan will begin rolling out its latest version of its mobile operating system.

Called iOS 11, the operating system will update several iPhone features, including ones you use regularly. Here are seven key updates included with iOS 11, which should be available starting at around 1 p.m. ET.

New emojis: iOS 11 will see the expansion of Apple's already enormous roster of emojis. Your texts will be more customizable than ever with the addition of Bearded Man, Woman with Headscarf, Exploding Head smiley and Throwing Up smiley, among many others.

A redesigned, customizable Control Center: Gone is the current multi-windowed Control Center that allows you quick access to features like the camera, flashlight and airplane mode. In iOS 11, the Control Center is customizable so that you can add the features you use most, such as Voice Memos, Alarms and Wallet.

Files: For the first time, Apple's mobile devices are getting their own file-sorting program. The aptly-named Files will let you see all the documents and files you have stored in the Cloud that are synced across all your devices. It will also be able to files you keep in third-party apps like Google drive and DropBox.

Siri gets smarter: Apple's virtual assistant now has a new, more natural-sounding voice. You can also ask it to translate your words to Spanish, French, German, Chinese and Italian.

Storage optimization: Gone will be the days where your iPhone's storage is clogged with apps and data you never use. The new storage tool in iOS 11's settings will "offload" apps you never use off of your phone, and will also ask if you'd like to store old iMessage conversations in the Cloud.

Easier WiFi: Getting on the WiFi at a friend's house is simpler than ever before. Rather than needing to dig up a password, you can now hold your phone up next to theirs, and they will receive a notification asking them if they want to allow you onto the network.

One-handed typing: Sending a text while carrying your morning coffee will soon be easier than ever. IOS 11 now offers a specialized keyboard designed to be used with only one hand. When you select it under your keyboard settings, it will shift all the keys to the left or right side so that they can all be easily accessed with a single thumb.

Source: Apple is about to release new operating system for iPhones

Google to Buy a Part of HTC's Smartphone Team for $1.1 Billion

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Rajat Kabade

The search engine giant is making another tech acquisition to better its expertise in smartphone hardware. Google plans to acquire a part of HTC's mobile team for $1.1 billion. 

Under this agreement, Google will acquire a team from HTC that has worked on Pixel line-up.

Google will sign a non-exclusive license for HTC intellectual property.

HTC will receive $1.1 billion in cash as part of the deal.


Google's head of hardware, Rick Osterloh has just confirmed the news. He states that the company is working closely with HTC on Pixel smartphone line-up. Google is keen on merging the HTC's Pixel team to improve the productivity of both the companies. The deal also includes a non-exclusive license for HTC intellectual property.

HTC too is quite excited about the deal. Cher Wang, CEO of HTC believes that this agreement will help in continuing the innovation within HTC smartphones and vive virtual reality business. The press release by HTC hints at the next-generation flagship smartphone by HTC. As part of the deal, HTC will hand-over a major portion of its talent and operations to Google but the company will continue with its own smartphone business. 

Google has acquired major smartphone manufactures in past as well. The company acquired Motorola Mobility for $12.5 billion six years ago. In 2011, the search engine company ended up selling Motorola to Lenovo for a fraction of what it had originally shelled out. Google believes in acquiring tech manufacturers to enhance the user experience that charges the Android ecosystem. The company wants to benefit consumers, partners, and developers around the world. 

The Pixel line-up has turned out to be a great success in the consumer market. The team from Google took the entire charge of hardware development for Pixel and Pixel XL. While HTC played a silent contractor's role, the engineering team from HTC along with Google's team manufactured both Pixels last year. Google will directly challenge major Android partners like Samsung, LG, and Huawei by this acquisition. 

Source: Google to Buy a Part of HTC's Smartphone Team for $1.1 Billion

Samsung Plans to Release a Folding Screen Smartphone Next Year

In Brief Samsung has promised to deliver a folding smartphone next year if it can overcome a few nondescript hurdles. The physical versatility of these phones can help us carry around tablet-size power in a smartphone package.

Next-Gen Flip Phones

Samsung hasn't been extremely forthcoming with updates about its foldable screen since it debuted the technology at 2013's Consumer Electronics Show (CES). We finally have something a little bit more concrete as Dongjin Koh, president of mobile business at Samsung, told reporters that the company is planning to release a foldable phone in its Galaxy Note line in 2018.

Samsung does have a little bit of wiggle room with the unveiling of their first bending screens as Koh added, "When we can overcome some problems for sure, we will launch the product," he said. "We are digging thoroughly into several issues we must overcome, as we don't want to just make a few, sell a few and be done. We want to hear that Samsung made a very good product." He doesn't go into detail about what those hurdles might be.

Phoning in the Future

Samsung has begun to integrate similar tech in their phones since the last generation of the Galaxy S series. The phones have a curved "infinity" display that allow the screen to take up more of the phone's real estate. The implementation of this less advanced technology bring up some questions for the promised screens of the future. App-makers haven't exactly embraced the potential of the screen curvature in current models, so it will be interesting to see what functionality such a major leap forward would lead to.Click to View Full Infographic

Other electronics companies are also working on bending and folding screens. Lenovo displayed their Folio tablet that can fold into a smartphone sized device at this year's Lenovo's Tech World conference in July. The company made no promises for delivering a product at the time, so not much is known about the progress of their tech.

Smartphones have increasingly improved their versatility in terms of functionality with each new generation. It looks like folding screens will be the start of adding physical versatility to our pocket computers.

Source: Samsung Plans to Release a Folding Screen Smartphone Next Year

SARS releases suspected burglar who stole N1.5m phones

Samson Folarin

A phone dealer, Toyin Shokefun, has faulted the release of a suspected burglar, identified only as Omotola, by the Special Anti-Robbery Squad of the Lagos State Police Command, saying the officers were compromised.

Shokefun alleged that Omotola was let off the hook after the Investigating Police Officer, Omoniyi, aka Omo, was given money by "gang members" of the suspect.

PUNCH Metro learnt that Shokefun's shop on Bankole Street, Agege, was burgled on August 12, 2017, from where 52 phones valued at N1.5m were stolen.

According to the 28-year-old, while some of the phones were new, others were brought to her for repairs. Also stolen were a laptop and a camera.

The Remo, Ogun State indigene said she invited policemen from the Alabo Police Station to the scene, who took photographs and promised to get back to her.

"A friend, however, advised me that instead of waiting for the police, I should check those displaying phones for sales along the railway line in the community. She said most of their phones were usually stolen.

"We were both checking around when we came across the table of Omotola, who had five of the phones we were looking for.

"We quietly returned to the police station and reported our findings. Some policemen were detailed to follow us and we arrested the man," she added.

Shokefun said she immediately observed familiarity between the policemen and the suspect, adding that they might have had dealings in the past.

She said she later became uncomfortable with the way the policemen at the station were handling the case and asked for a transfer.

The matter was said to have been taken to the SARS office in Ikeja, where the suspect was detained and some of the exhibits recovered.

Shokefun said, "The SARS men promised to investigate the matter, but first demanded a deposit of N50,000 for the job. I begged them and gave a deposit of N20,000.

"After they grilled the man, he said he was not the one that broke into my shop, but two members of his gang did the job. He said they only brought part of the phones for him to sell.

"By the time we returned to the SARS office, we learnt that he had given the police the names of the two accomplices. The IPO, Omoniyi, promised to arrest the accomplices."

The complainant said she observed that anytime she called for an update on the case, the IPO would shun her, saying he had other cases to attend to.

She said two weeks after the matter got to SARS, she called Omoniyi and he asked her to stop bothering him.

"Another time when I called, he said he had released the suspect. He said the man did not talk about paying for my stolen phones and he would charge the case to court later. But he had earlier told us that he knew members of the gang and they were powerful robbers. I was surprised he said he had released the man," Shokefun added.

The victim said a lawyer friend, whom she approached for assistance to compel Omoniyi to do the right thing, said the policeman was notorious for such behaviour.

 After reportedly going to the SARS office several times without any success, the lawyer gave up.

 "He dribbled the lawyer several times. The lawyer said when he went to see him at the state command, Omoniyi mocked him. The lawyer said he didn't want to write a petition against him because of their friendship.

"I was told that the IPO could decide to arraign the suspect on light charges just to get rid of the case. I want the police to reopen the case, arrest the suspect and his accomplices and get back my stolen property or its value.

"I just started selling phones; I have been repairing phones for the past 10 years and the owners of some of the stolen phones have not allowed me to rest. I have only been asking for their understanding and saying the case is still at SARS," she said.

The Officer-in-Charge of SARS, Muhammed Sanusi, while frowning on the incident, which he said was against the ethics of the Force, asked to see the complainant.

He said, "I will never allow that under my watch. Please ask the woman to see me. I will look into the case expeditiously."

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Source: SARS releases suspected burglar who stole N1.5m phones

Apple is about to release new operating system for iPhones

IPhone owners are getting an upgrade on Tuesday — even if they are not planning on buying an iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus or iPhone X.

Every Apple smartphone will become more useful because the tech titan will begin rolling out its latest version of its mobile operating system.

Called iOS 11, the operating system will update several iPhone features, including ones you use regularly. Here are seven key updates included with iOS 11, which should be available starting at around 1 p.m. ET.

New emojis: iOS 11 will see the expansion of Apple's already enormous roster of emojis. Your texts will be more customizable than ever with the addition of Bearded Man, Woman with Headscarf, Exploding Head smiley and Throwing Up smiley, among many others.

A redesigned, customizable Control Center: Gone is the current multi-windowed Control Center that allows you quick access to features like the camera, flashlight and airplane mode. In iOS 11, the Control Center is customizable so that you can add the features you use most, such as Voice Memos, Alarms and Wallet.

Files: For the first time, Apple's mobile devices are getting their own file-sorting program. The aptly-named Files will let you see all the documents and files you have stored in the Cloud that are synced across all your devices. It will also be able to files you keep in third-party apps like Google drive and DropBox.

Siri gets smarter: Apple's virtual assistant now has a new, more natural-sounding voice. You can also ask it to translate your words to Spanish, French, German, Chinese and Italian.

Storage optimization: Gone will be the days where your iPhone's storage is clogged with apps and data you never use. The new storage tool in iOS 11's settings will "offload" apps you never use off of your phone, and will also ask if you'd like to store old iMessage conversations in the Cloud.

Easier WiFi: Getting on the WiFi at a friend's house is simpler than ever before. Rather than needing to dig up a password, you can now hold your phone up next to theirs, and they will receive a notification asking them if they want to allow you onto the network.

One-handed typing: Sending a text while carrying your morning coffee will soon be easier than ever. IOS 11 now offers a specialized keyboard designed to be used with only one hand. When you select it under your keyboard settings, it will shift all the keys to the left or right side so that they can all be easily accessed with a single thumb.

Source: Apple is about to release new operating system for iPhones

Dramatic Declines In Teen Sex, Dating Began With iPhone Release: Study Says

Teenagers and those born after the mid-90s are dating far less and engaging in sexual activity at a dramatically lower rate than their Millennial counterparts, according to a new book on technology's generational effects.

Author Jean Twenge, a Professor of Psychology at San Diego State University, conducted in-depth analysis and research into the social impact of smartphones on young people and the differences with the Baby Boomer and Millennial generations before them. Although her book posits that today's "i-Gen" youth are physically safer than their predecessors, their mental and social health has reached crisis-level in part due to today's barrage of technology.

Her analysis of the first "5G-Generation" shows high schoolers and teenagers today are not hanging out with friends and avoiding dates with their peers – something that rapidly picked up pace following the release of the iPhone in 2007.

While Baby Boomers and Millennials saw gradual individualistic trends between them, a massive generational rift formed around 2012 when the proportion of Americans who owned a smartphone surpassed 50 percent. Tenth and 12th graders show massive spikes in feelings of loneliness, with double digit percentage increases occurring between 2007 and 2015.

Dating, time spent with friends and the pursuit of sexual activity all took a backseat to social media and smartphones after 2007.

"The advent of the smartphone and its cousin the tablet was followed quickly by hand-wringing about the deleterious effects of 'screen time,' Twenge wrote in The Atlantic. "But the impact of these devices has not been fully appreciated, and goes far beyond the usual concerns about curtailed attention spans."

Based on Twenge's surveys and interviews with 11 million young people, she found that sexual activity among 14 and 15-year-olds has dropped nearly 40 percent since 1991. Her research notes that just over half of teenagers in 2015 went on dates, while 85 percent of their Generation X and Baby Boomer counterparts reporting dating at the same age.

Twenge's book analyzing children born between 1995 and 2012, labeled the i-Generation, makes the argument that today's youth are far less interested and engaged in romantic partnerships than those in the so-called millennial generation, those born between the early 1980s and 2004.

"Teens are spending less time interacting with their friends in person, hanging out with their friends," Twenge said.

Twenge notes that iGen's oldest members were early adolescents when Steve Jobs' world-changing device was introduced in 2007. She cites a 2017 survey of more than 5,000 American teens that saw three out of four of them owning an iPhone.

Her in-depth personal interviews with U.S. teenagers and analysis of mental and social health data suggests that the technological blast today's young people receive has caused steep rises in anxiety, depression, sleep deprivation, loneliness and a myriad of other emotional crises.

"There is compelling evidence that the devices we've placed in young people's hands are having profound effects on their lives—and making them seriously unhappy," she writes.

Twenge's book, iGen: Why Today's Super-Connected Kids Are Growing Up Less Rebellious, More Tolerant, Less Happy--and Completely Unprepared for Adulthood--and What That Means for the Rest of Us, was released on Aug. 22. She is also the author of Generation Me.

Source: Dramatic Declines In Teen Sex, Dating Began With iPhone Release: Study Says

iPhone 8 - Best FIVE new features coming to latest Apple smartphone

APPLE

Apple iPhone 8 release date

After months of rumours, leaks and plenty of speculation the iPhone 8 has finally be unveiled.

This latest flagship smartphone was shown to the world during a major keynote at Apple's new HQ in Cupertino last week.

The iPhone 8 and larger iPhone 8 Plus both include a number of improvements over their predecessors making them the best Apple smartphones to date.

Alongside the iPhone 8, the US technology giant also revealed its iPhone X which has a new design with a screen that covers the entire front of the device.

However, with a £999 price tag, and a release date of November, the iPhone X may not be the first choice for many Apple fans.

So, if you are in the market for a new smartphone here's everything you need to know about the latest iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus.

iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus and iPhone X pictures - Apple reveals three new iPhones Tue, September 12, 2017 Apple has unveiled the iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus and iPhone X at the Steve Jobs Theater in Apple Park. Here are the hot new iOS 11 devices in pictures

APPLE

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The Apple iPhone X features an edge-to-edge display and ditched the Home Button

1. WIRELESS CHARGING

Apple has now included wireless charging on its latest smartphone which means it can get a refill by simply being placed on a compatible pad.

The iPhone 8 uses the established Qi ecosystem which means it will work with most accessories currently available on the market.

It's worth noting that Apple doesn't include a charging pad in the box so you'll have buy one separately to use this new feature.

As well as wireless charging the iPhone 8 can have its battery boosted in super-quick time with it capable of getting 50 per cent of battery life with just 30-minutes of charge.

APPLE

Apple iPhone 8 features wireless charging2. IMPROVED CAMERA

There's an improved 12-megapixel camera with a larger and faster sensor, a new colour filter and deeper pixels. 

A new Apple-designed image signal processor delivers advanced pixel processing, wide colour capture, faster autofocus in low light and better HDR photos, while a new quad LED True Tone Flash with Slow Sync results in more uniformly lit backgrounds and foregrounds. 

Apple says that all this adds up to outstanding photos with vibrant, realistic colours and more detail.

The iPhone 8 Plus retains its dual-lens camera which, along with its clever zoom and Portrait Mode, can now change the lighting in pictures.

Portrait Lighting, brings dramatic studio lighting effects to iPhone, allowing customers to capture stunning portraits with a shallow depth-of-field effect in five different lighting styles.

3 A11 BIONIC PROCESSOR

Apple is boasting its new processor is the fastest ever to be seen in an iPhone.

The new A11 Bionic chip has around 30 per cent faster graphics performance than the previous brains found inside the iPhone 7.

If true it's likely to outperform not only its predecessor but all of the latest Android competition.

4. NEW COLOURS & GLASS DESIGN 

Apple has included some new colours on the iPhone 8 with the device going on sale in space gray, silver and gold

The iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus also introduce a beautiful glass back design and don't worry about it breaking as Apple says it's the most durable glass ever in a smartphone.

The finish is made using a seven-layer colour process for precise hue and opacity, delivering a rich depth of colour with a colour-matched aerospace-grade aluminium bezel.

Both the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus are also water and dust resistant.

APPLE

Apple iPhone 8 release date5. EXTRA STORAGE

There's some very good news if you are always running out of storage space as Apple has now included 64GB as standard.

This is double the basic memory on the iPhone 7.

Apple has also ditched the 128GB version with the only other model of the iPhone 8 featuring 256GB of in-built memory.

It's also worth noting that iOS 11, which launches next week, will automatically reduce the size of photos taken on the iPhone's camera, giving users some more extra space.

The iPhone 8 and 8 Plus can be pre-ordered now with it arriving in shops from Friday September 22.

Prices SIM-only start from £699 with contracts available from around £40 per month.

Related articles
Source: iPhone 8 - Best FIVE new features coming to latest Apple smartphone

Powering the shift to mCommerce, MageNative launches smartphone app facility for Shopify Stores

The MageNative Shopify Mobile App is available for all Shopify store owners and will allow them to create and deploy native mobile applications for Android and iOS smartphones.

2nd of September, 2017, Portland, Oregon: Committed to powering, and easing the transition from offline retail and eCommerce to mCommerce, MageNative today unveiled a brand new product, to cater to over half a million strong and growing Shopify Stores.

The Shopify Mobile App, is available for all Shopify store owners, and will allow them to create native mobile applications for Android and iOS smartphones. The applications are designed by MageNative's team of veteran developers, and are completely customized to each and every client's specifications.

Under the terms of the offer, Shopify Store owners can get a brand new, customized application developed for their stores, at minimal costs.

The applications are synchronized to their Shopify stores, so that any change made to the store are also reflected in the app, allowing sellers to reach billions of new customers over mobile.  

Pricing and Availability:

Native app development can cost you hundreds of thousands of dollars. This is a factor which keeps many eCommerce stores from reaching the kind of growth they would otherwise achieve. MageNative has set out to solve this problem with its state-of-the-art, customized, yet inexpensive mobile solutions.  

The app costs merely $40 per month for both Android and iOS applications. Customers can also purchase apps for single platforms at $20 apiece. There is no commitment and shoppers can cancel their subscription anytime they want.

As a vote of confidence in its product, MageNative has announced that everyone can create and use an app for their Shopify Store, free of cost for a period of 30 days. What's more, all Shopify store owners who have purchased one of CedCommerce's other Shopify extensions, can get the app absolutely free of cost for up to 6 months.  

Features and Specifications:

Some prominent features of the application, that will be developed and customized by MageNative on behalf of its clients, are as follows:

Attractive and user-friendly layout.

Complete Synchronization with your Shopify Store.

Multilingual and RTL Support.

Push Notifications to enable you to send news of exciting offers or any new happenings, straight to your customer.

Social Login feature to enable users to sign in with a single tap, by using their Facebook or Google accounts.

Voice Search feature to enable users to search for any new products or services with their voice alone.

eCommerce is quickly being swallowed up by the rise of mCommerce. Customers are now spending far more time on their smartphones than they are on their desktops. Business Insider predicts that mCommerce will be a $285 billion industry by 2020.

Considering all this, MageNative's offer could offer a great window of opportunity to Shopify Store owners, looking to expand the reach of their stores to billions of potential customers on smartphones.

About MageNative:

Established in 2015, MageNative has been heavily involved with customized m-Commerce developments. The company offers a slew of solutions and has a vast, global client base. The company has a full-fledged research division, which constantly strives to create state-of-the-art solutions for eCommerce store owners, looking to expand into mobile commerce.

Source: Powering the shift to mCommerce, MageNative launches smartphone app facility for Shopify Stores

Apple vs Samsung: How you can avoid paying more for a new smartphone

TWO technology giants will go head-to-head in Australia next Friday in an unprecedented clash of smartphone launches.

In one corner, the world's richest technology company will launch two updates to its most popular handsets, the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus.

In the other corner, the world's biggest smartphone maker will release its most expensive handset yet, the Samsung Galaxy Note 8.

But this Apple versus Samsung battle is not as clear cut as you might expect, as Note users are likely to be haunted by last year's handset fires, and Apple is rolling the dice to discover how many of its users will opt for modestly updated handsets rather than its most advanced and most expensive iPhone yet.

Regardless of which firm wins the war, industry experts predict it will force up the price of smartphones for all buyers, and convince more Australians to upgrade the device in their pockets.

IPHONE X: All the details from the launch

They also recommend consumers make a decision quickly to save the most money.

The big-name smartphone clash will be an Australian-only phenomenon this year, after Samsung delayed the local launch of its Galaxy Note 8 until September 22 — a date this week revealed to be Apple's worldwide iPhone 8 launch.

But while Apple would normally outsell Samsung's big-screen flagship smartphone by a large margin, it will be challenged from within its own ranks after announcing its first premium smartphone at the same time as the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus, potentially stealing their thunder.

MORE: The big problem with Apple's Face ID revealed

IHS Markit mobile and telecoms senior director Ian Fogg said Apple was right to unveil all phones at the same time, to prevent iPhone 8 buyers from later feeling cheated, but warned the strategy could hit sales next Friday.

"Apple's lower iPhone 8 pricing should limit the impact but it remains a risk," Mr Fogg said.

"iPhone X is the future of smartphone design but it's also available in the future too.

"(Buyers) have a clear choice: buy an iPhone 8 or 8 Plus now and enjoy Touch ID, wireless charging and improved performance, or wait and spend more on iPhone X in a month's time."

Read more: How has the iPhone changed over time?

Apple's iPhone X features a significantly larger, brighter screen, 3D face-scanner, better cameras, and more refined design, while the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus feature more modest upgrades.

There is also a significant price gap between the three phones.

The iPhone X will cost $500 more than the iPhone 8's price tag of $1079.

​

While Apple's move might hurt iPhone 8 sales, Creative Strategies principal analyst Carolina Milanesi said introducing more handsets at different prices could attract a bigger audience, and ensure it kept users unwilling to spend big bucks on a big phone.

"The (iPhone audience) is so broad now that not everybody will want the top model," Ms Milanesi said.

"Not everybody wants to spend ($1879) on a phone and that's what Apple is catering to. Not everybody wants that much technology. That's why having a portfolio is important."

Telsyte managing director Foad Fadaghi said launching more smartphones could also nudge thrifty Australians stubbornly holding on to three-year-old phones.

Mr Fadaghi said Australian Apple users were typically loyal to the brand and intended to purchase an iPhone again, but some may be thrown by the iPhone X's price.

"It's quite apparent that these products are very much designed for iPhone 6 and 6s users who have been holding out for an update," Mr Fadaghi said.

"There is a lot of choice and different price opportunities now for returning customers."

Having both Apple and Samsung launch pricier products this year could permanently raise the price of smartphones, however.

The top model iPhone will cost $260 more than its predecessor, while Samsung's new Note 8 will add $150 to its price.

Mr Fogg said Apple had successfully pushed the average sales price of smartphones up five times over the past 10 years, when Nokia dominated the market, and predicted it would raise price expectations again with the iPhone X.

"Apple has succeeded with all previous iPhone models leading to the highest average selling price in the smartphone market," he said.

"Apple is the most successful smartphone maker because of its revenues, not its 1.2 billion iPhone shipments over the last decade."

And experts offer seemingly "unbelievable" advice for avoiding price rises: pick a model, and buy it early.

WhistleOut spokesman Joseph Hanlon said other smartphones typically lost value over time but, after reviewing every iPhone plan from major Australian carriers for the past six releases, he confirmed they became more expensive in the months after launch.

Invest too late, he warned, and you could end up paying "as much as $250 extra in handset repayments for the iPhone X".

"Regardless of which phone plan you buy an iPhone on, the numbers tell us it's likely to get more expensive if you wait," Mr Hanlon said.

"The fact that handset repayments can cost you 50 per cent more when getting an iPhone plan after the initial launch ... will be almost unbelievable to some people but it's true."

Those who pre-order Samsung's Galaxy Note 8 before its crowded launch date will also get a benefit: a $119 wireless charging pad.

As for who will win this year's September 22 smartphone clash, Mr Fadaghi said Apple held the advantage as its customers were more loyal and many were due to upgrade.

"Apple should be taking the lion's share of sales," he said.

"There have been months where Samsung outsold Apple, but overall Apple has been a consistent seller in the Australian market."

Source: Apple vs Samsung: How you can avoid paying more for a new smartphone

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Contec Global Group / AfriOne Provides Chibok Survivors With Tools For Financial and Technological Empowerment

Lagos, Nigeria – WEBWIRE – Thursday, September 14, 2017

As many academic calendars in Nigeria get underway, AfriOne, renowned developer of the first Nigerian-'In Country' produced smartphone, alongside its international conglomerate, Contec Global Group, have together announced at a Forum held in Lagos in tandem with Nigerian Vice President Osinbajo and select representatives from the Federal Government (FG) that the innovative enterprise will, in yet another milestone of public-private-partnership (PPP) driven achievement, be providing many of the surviving victims of the 'Chibok 200' with vital financial and educational resources such as tablets, smartphones, and laptop computers. All parties will be offering these tools to provide a modicum of financial and technological liberation to the Chibok survivors, both those who have returned safely and "…those who we still hold out hope for," stated Sahir Berry, Founder and Managing Director, AfriOne.  Through being equipped with an array of today wholly-necessary mobile t echnology, it is planned that the girls once kidnapped in 2014 from the Government Secondary School in Borno State (the latter translated in English to 'The Home of Peace') by the militant cabal Boko Haram, will be able to join classmates and colleagues in pursuing academic ambition and achievement through connectivity, restoring ties to their respective communities and families in the process. Sahir Berry continued that he "…is inspired by the strength of these girls and uplifted by their safe return home. This gift is ultimately about regaining a sense of security and control in their daily lives. AfriOne and Contec Global are delighted to contribute to the empowerment of the returned young women and to their re-integration in to society through the provision of our in-country-produced mobile technology". Sahir was joined by Federal Government representatives when meeting the survivors and at that time, made the announcement of the joint offering. Roheen Berry, Managi ng Director, Contec Global Group, added that "…with these gifts, we fulfill our mantra of 'AfriOne for Everyone'; the girls will be able to feel at ease, re-gain independence, and be able to pursue their individual goals and aspirations with autonomy, made possible here through the latest, greatest and proudly Nigerian technology." ***ENDS*** About AfriOne   AfriOne is the proud manufacturer of the first in-country produced Nigerian smartphone. Accomplished within its state of the art factories in Ilupeju, AfriOne provides advanced mobile technology such as tablets, smart-mobile tech and laptop computers to the public at affordable price-points, aiming to increase connectivity in-country and meet the rising demands of globalization. About Contec Global Group Contec Global Group is a family run, multinational enterprise providing technology-based solutions to everyday challenges. Specializing in innovation-driven business, Contec has a range of subsidiary enterprises that develop targeted products aimed to resolve the many unique regional challenges that come with globalization and its impetus of diversification. Operating in Africa, Asia, the Middle East and Europe, its solutions focus on sustainable development in the areas of biometric security, hospitality, vehicle manufacturing, agriculture, FinTech, mobile technology, ICT and power generation. Editor's Note: Media Inquiries for AfriOne and/or Contec Global can be forwarded to International Counsel, Mr. Sam Amsterdam of Amsterdam Group Public Relations Inc. - sam@AmsterdamGroup.net 

( Press Release Image: https://photos.webwire.com/prmedia/47230/213615/213615-1.jpg )

Related Links www.ContecGlobal.com www.AfriOne.com

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  AfriOne Contec Global #BringBackOurGirls Chibok Nigeria Contact Information Sam Amsterdam Of Counsel Amsterdam Group Public Relations Inc. Sam@AmsterdamGroup.net

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Source: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Contec Global Group / AfriOne Provides Chibok Survivors With Tools For Financial and Technological Empowerment

Samsung Foldable Phones Will Be Available In 2018

The upcoming iPhone 8 launch is already seeing tech-nerds and Apple fiends assemble from all corners of the world, but on Tuesday Samsung teased some pretty juicy news. 

Falling under the Samsung Galaxy Note umbrella, the tech company plans to release a foldable smartphone in 2018. 

Koh Dong-jin, president of mobile business at Samsung Electronic, told Associated Press reporters, "as the head of the business, I can say our current goal is next year. When we can overcome some problems, for sure, we will launch the product."

He didn't elaborate on what these problems are but let's hope they solve them pretty damn fast. Although - to be fair - mass-producing a phone with a thin body and top-tech features probably does take some time. Samsung first demonstrated that it was working on a phone with flexible display back in 2013, even releasing a video of the prototype called Youm. 

Whatever the case, 2018 is already shaping up to be a great year. 

--

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Source: Samsung Foldable Phones Will Be Available In 2018

iOS 11 release date, key features and what iPhones and iPads can I get it on?

It will also be compatible with the following iPhones, iPads and iPod models:

iPhone: 5s, 6, 6 Plus, 6s, 6s Plus, SE, 7, 7 Plus

iPad: 5th generation (2017); Mini 2, 3 and 4; all Air models and all Pro Models

iPod Touch: 6th generation (2015)

How do I get it?

iOS 11 will be available on all devices from the iPhone 5s and later. When it is made available, simply go to Settings -> General -> Software Update.

Some developers have already had early access to iOS 11, by signing up to Apple's Beta programme.

Source: iOS 11 release date, key features and what iPhones and iPads can I get it on?

Xiaomi steals the show with launch of `iPhone 8 killer' on eve of release of Apple's 10th anniversary model

BEIJING - Chinese phone-maker Xiaomi has unveiled its most expensive device - Mi Mix 2 - on the eve of the widely anticipated release of Apple's 10th anniversary model.

Xiaomi's latest model, unveiled in Beijing on Sept 11, features an all-screen design that shares some characteristics with Apple's premium model, the iPhone X.

The Mi Mix 2 has an all-ceramic "unibody" design by Philippe Starck and comes with a full-screen display that retails for 4,699 yuan (S$969.40). A variant retails between 3,299 yuan and 3,999 yuan, reported Chinese media.

"We're always striving to provide consumers with better products at cheaper prices" all the time, the Beijing-based company's founder and chief executive Lei Jun said on Monday.

It will be available in China from Sept 15 and will make its way to selected global markets at a later date, according to Xinhua news agency.

Apple plans to unveil on Sept 12 three iPhones, including two that are upgrades to the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus called the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus and a premium model called the iPhone X.

The new "iPhone 8" is tipped to have a price tag upward of US$1,000 (S$1,346.80), compared with less than US$800 for the top-end iPhone 7 Plus. That is unlikely to make a major dent in US sales, analysts say, but could have a greater impact in the world's biggest smartphone market, where the cost is roughly double the average Chinese monthly salary.

Xiaomi's new Mi Mix 2 model is smaller in size than the company's first full-screen display smartphone the Mi Mix, which has a 17:9 aspect ratio screen. The Mi Mix 2 has a 18:9 full screen display, making the screen look like it almost entirely fills the front surface.

The updated version also has a hidden speaker and a stronger ultrasonic proximity sensor.

Supported by 43 networks, the Mi Mix 2 can be used almost anywhere in the world, making it convenient for travellers who often use different networks, according to Xinhua.

Mr Lei Jun, chief executive officer of Xiaomi, speaks during the launch of the company's Mi Mix 2 smartphone in Beijing, on Sept 11, 2017. PHOTO: BLOOMBERG 

Hong Kong's South China Morning Post said the release of Xiaomi's latest smartphone model marked the company's progress up the value chain. Xiaomi's smartphones outsold Apple Inc in China during the second quarter of this year.

The success of Apple's next iPhone in China is crucial for the Cupertino-based firm, which has seen its once-coveted phone slip into fifth position in China behind offerings from local rivals Huawei Technologies Co Ltd, Oppo, Vivo and Xiaomi Inc.

Greater China, which for Apple includes Taiwan and Hong Kong, accounted for roughly 18 per cent of iPhone sales in the quarter ended in July, making it the company's top market after the United States and Europe, according to a Reuters report.

Attendees look at the Xiaomi Mi Mix 2 smartphone during a launch event in Beijing, on Sept 11, 2017. PHOTO: BLOOMBERG 

Yet those sales have been declining steadily and are down 10 per cent from a year earlier, in contrast with growth in all other regions. And the iPhone's share of China's smartphone shipments fell to 9 per cent in January-June, down from 14 per cent in 2015, showed data from consultancy Counterpoint Research. While the iPhone 6 took China by storm in 2014, models since have received a more muted response.

Mentions of "iPhone 8" on popular Chinese social media platform Weibo - an indicator of consumer interest - were running slightly ahead of the similar period before the iPhone 7 launch, but were far more muted than with the iPhone 6, reported Reuters.

Besides Xiaomi, the US company must also fight off competition from Huawei, Oppo and Vivo, all of which are releasing Android-based devices at cheaper prices, but with comparable, if not better, hardware specifications, reported SCMP.

Attendees look at the Xiaomi Mi Mix 2 smartphone during a launch event in Beijing, on Sept 11, 2017. PHOTO: BLOOMBERG 

Huawei, the world's largest manufacturer of network and phone hardware equipment, surpassed Apple as the world's second-largest seller of smartphones by shipment in June and July for the first time, according to report by Counterpoint Technology Market Research. August also looked like a good month for the Chinese company, analysts said.

"Chinese players such as Xiaomi and Huawei have become increasingly competitive in the high-end price range between 3,000 yuan and 4,000 yuan, that is in line with their effort to shed their old cheap image and Chinese consumers' demands for better quality products, " Jin Di, research manager with IDC China, was quoted as saying by SCMP.

According to Counterpoint Research, Chinese phone maker Huawei has surpassed Apple as the second largest smartphone brand after Samsung. For its part, the South Korean company has launched its own trio of well-received phones this year, the Note 8, Galaxy S8, and Galaxy S8+. Google is expected to announce new versions of its Pixel phones in October, reported Washington Post.

Source: Xiaomi steals the show with launch of `iPhone 8 killer' on eve of release of Apple's 10th anniversary model

iPhone 8 release countdown - FIVE things we want Apple to include on its next smartphone

APPLE • PH

Apple will reveal its next iPhone on Tuesday

There's just a few days to go until Apple reveals the next chapter in the life of its iconic iPhone.

This latest device looks set to be revealed at a major event on September 12 with Apple unveiling its latest and greatest device at its new HQ in Cupertino.

Apple Park has just opened its doors and even includes a purpose built theatre named after the firm's founder, Steve Jobs.

It's here that Apple boss, Tim Cook, will give fans across the world their first look at the iPhone 8.

There's already been plenty of rumours and leaks about this latest device with it expected to include numerous new features such as a much faster processor and improved camera.

So, all signs point to an iPhone that will be in high demand but here's five features we think will make this latest Apple smartphone a must for all fans.

Apple iPhone 8 - Leaked photos, prototypes, concept images, and renders Sun, January 1, 2017 iPhone 8 is shaping up to be one of the most impressive Apple smartphones to date, with glass panels on the front and rear of the device, a curved borderless OLED display and no Home Button

INSTAGRAM • APPLEDESIGNER

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Apple iPhone 8 will debut a brand-new all-glass look, with a curved OLED display

NEW DESIGN

Apple's iPhone has long been famed for its iconic design.

Since the original device was unveiled 10 years ago by Apple co-founder, Steve Jobs, it's set the trend for the smartphones we all use today.

However, with the competition pushing the boundaries further each year, the iPhone has begun to look a little tired.

Luckily, there's been plenty of rumours and leaks which suggests the new iPhone 8 is going to get its most radical facelift in years.

It's thought Apple is likely to include an edge-to-edge display which will cover the entire front of the device.

This will mean users get more screen space on a device that's physically smaller in their pocket.

A glass and metal look could improve its appeal even further and new colours are also expected to be unveiled during this week's event.

PH

Apple's iPhone looks set to feature a radical new designIMPROVED BATTERY LIFE & WIRELESS CHARGING

It's one problem most smartphone users are still faced with on an almost daily basis.

Battery life continues to be an issue for owners and a headache for manufacturers who are restricted by current technology.

Although its unlikely the new iPhone 8 will last for weeks on a single charge, it could get a boost via Apple's latest processor.

The A11 chip, which is thought be tucked under the hood of the iPhone 8, could improve battery performance giving owners a few extra hours of life before needing to head towards a plug.

Something that could also help iPhone owners to keep their devices packed with power is the possible inclusion of wireless charging.

It's currently unclear how Apple will tackle this wire-free technology but a charging station that comes in the box as standard would certainly put it one step ahead of its rivals.

PH

Some rumours have suggested the end of the home button is comingDON'T KILL THE HOME BUTTON

Rumours are rife that the famous home button, that sits neatly at the bottom of the iPhone's display, is heading for the history books.

With Apple looking likely to feature an edge-to-edge display on the iPhone 8, there's unlikely to be any space for this vital feature.

It's currently unclear how Apple will combat the loss of the home button with some reports suggesting it will be placed under the display.

Other experts are speculating that the iPhone 8 won't have a home button at all with iris/facial recognition being used to unlock the device instead.

Samsung has already faced the issue of losing the physical button on the front of the device and its alternatives are a way off being perfect.

The Korean tech company has opted for a rear mounted scanner which is nowhere near as easy to use and its facial technology can be frustratingly hit and miss.

We hope Apple has come up with the perfect solution as many fans will surely miss the simplicity of the humble home button.

GABOR BALOUGH

Many Apple fans would like to see an always on display feature on the iPhone 8 EVEN MORE MEMORY

When Apple revealed its iPhone 7 and 7 Plus it finally boosted the basic memory from 16GB to 32GB and also gave fans the option to buy a 256GB model.

These upgrades were certainly a huge improvement but, with many flagships now offering 64GB of expandable memory as standard, it would be good to see Apple follow with a more memory-packed entry-level iPhone.

AN ALWAYS-ON DISPLAY

An always-on display is something we've been wanting for a while but, so far, Apple hasn't followed LG or Samsung by including this technology.

Having used devices that feature an always-on screen it's certainly a feature that improves the user experience especially when the phone is sitting idlly on your desk.

If Apple was to finally include always-on technology it would mean time, date and notifications could all be visible on the screen at all times.

• Apple's big launch event takes place on Tuesday September 12 and Express.co.uk will bring you all the news live from Cupertino so be sure to visit Express.co.uk/technology

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Source: iPhone 8 release countdown - FIVE things we want Apple to include on its next smartphone

iPhone 8: Release date, price, specs, rumours and news about Apple's flagship smartphone for 2017

Apple is preparing to release its iPhone 8 next week, in what is expected to be the company's biggest smartphone launch in years.

This year marks the tenth anniversary of the original iPhone , which was first announced by Steve Jobs on 9 January 2007, and released later that year on June 29.

Given the momentous occasion, rumour has it that Apple has been holding back some of its most groundbreaking features for its 2017 model.

We've rounded up all the latest rumours and leaks, to give you a sneak preview what Apple has in store.

iPhone 8 release date

Apple is holding an event on September 12 at its newly built headquarters in Cupertino, California, where it is widely expected to unveil the iPhone 8.

This will be the first iPhone launch held at the company's massive new headquarters - known as the "spaceship campus" .

(Image: Apple)

Tim Cook will take to the stage of the Steve Jobs Theatre - named after Apple's legendary co-founder - at 10am Pacific Time, which translates to 6pm here in the UK. As ever, it is expected to be live streamed so thousands of eager Apple fans around the world can watch.

Apple traditionally releases its latest iPhones in mid-September, in good time for the start of the Christmas shopping season. If the company follows its normal pattern, the new iPhones will be available for pre-order from Friday, September 15, and will hit the shelves on September 22.

(Image: Getty)

However, problems with the manufacturing process could mean that supplies are limited, leading to shipping delays for the new handset, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Sources familiar with the matter reportedly told the newspaper that production glitches related to the smartphone's OLED screen have delayed the manufacturing process by about a month.

Carphone Warehouse has already opened a pre-registration page, so if you are looking to pick up the new iPhone as soon as it's released, you can sign up for free here.

Read More Name

Apple traditionally releases a new iPhone every year - redesigning the device every two years and refreshing the internal components and software features on alternate years. This is referred to internally as the "tick-tock" cycle.

The company's naming convention follows the same pattern, so on a "tick" year, the iPhone gets a new number (iPhone 5, 6, 7 etc) and on a "tock" year Apple adds an "s" on the end (iPhone 4s, 5s, 6s etc).

By that logic, the 2017 model would be called the iPhone 7s. However, all the rumours suggest that Apple is planning a fairly major upgrade this year - both in terms of the design and the inner workings of the phone - to mark the 10-year anniversary.

These photos taken in China and obtained by the blog site Apple Insider allegedly show an iPhone with a very different design. (Image: AppleInsider) Read More

It seems unlikely, therefore, that Apple will opt for the name iPhone 7s - as that would downplay the upgrade. It's much more likely that it will be called the iPhone 8.

Apple may even decide to go for something completely different - the iPhone 10 or iPhone X , to mark the anniversary, perhaps, or even the iPhone Air, iPhone Pro or iPhone Edition, to reflect the iPad and Apple watch lineups.

Read More Price

Apple products are not exactly known for being cheap. When the company launched its 'budget' iPhone 5c in 2013, it still cost an eye-watering £469.

But the latest reports suggest that Apple's next device will be its most expensive yet, exceeding the $1,000 (£757) mark for the first time.

The price was reportedly leaked to The Fast Company by "a source with knowledge of Apple's plans" in February. Some more recent estimates put the price of the top model as high as $1,200 (£908).

Part of the reason for the high price tag is that the iPhone 8 is rumoured to have a new OLED display that will stretch across the whole front of the phone, according to the source. The OLED display will cost Apple roughly twice as much as the LCD display used in current iPhones.

The new phone is also likely to get a memory upgrade from the current iPhone 7 line, which will add to the cost of manufacturing the device.

Read More Apple Event 2017 TL;DR

Rumours and leaks about the new iPhone have been filling the internet for months – so we've picked out some of the most likely ones and discussed their implications in the debut episode of our Future File podcast. You can listen to it right here:

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All-glass design

Apple is allegedly planning a major design overhaul for the iPhone 8.

Instead of the aluminium casing used in the iPhone 7 , Apple will move to an all-glass enclosure.

Could this be the iPhone 8? (Image: SlashLeaks)

This wouldn't be the first time Apple has used glass in its iPhones. The iPhone 4 and 4s had glass front and back panels, with a stainless steel band sandwiched between the two.

However, these phones were plagued by durability issues, with many customers claiming their phones cracked too easily when dropped .

KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo noted that some investors are concerned that glass casing would be too heavy or fail a drop test, but said he believes a return to glass will not be problematic for Apple.

The phone screen break is the fear of all avid smartphone users (Image: Getty)

"Apple already uses glass casing for iPhone 4/ 4S, and non-Apple brands have also been using glass casings. We therefore think a drop test will not be problematic for glass casing," he wrote in his report, according to MacRumours .

"A glass casing may be slightly heavier than an aluminum one of the same thickness, but the difference is so small that the use of the thinner and lighter AMOLED panel will compensate for that."

Read More

The rumour has been backed up by a couple of other leaks. A source reportedly told Japanese website Nikkei that "Foxconn has been trying glass chassis' since last year."

The arguments to be made for a glass smartphone include better antenna reception and more options for wireless charging .

Curved OLED 'True Tone' display

The iPhone 8 is said to feature a 5.8-inch OLED "True Tone" display with virtually no bezels - similar to that used on Samsung's Galaxy Note 8.

While the 5.8-inch screen size makes it sound like the iPhone 8 will be massive, the screen-to-body ratio will be higher than on iPhone current models, so although the display area will be bigger, the phone itself could actually be smaller than the iPhone 7s Plus, which has a 5.5-inch display.

True Tone, first introduced with the 9.7-inch iPad Pro, automatically adjusts the intensity of white light to suit the lighting conditions in the room. 9to5mac claims the display will have a resolution of 1125×2436.

Some reports also suggest that the edges of the display will be curved - like on Samsung's Galaxy S8. Although there is no functional reason to have a curved screen, Samsung has been seeing significantly higher sales of the curved versions of its Galaxy smartphones.

Concept image of an iPhone with curved OLED display (Image: Martin Hajek)

In March 2016, Nikkei reported that Apple was planning to ditch LCD displays in favour of OLED screens, with the first OLED iPhone arriving in 2017.

Then in April 2017, DigiTimes reported that Apple had signed a two-year deal with Samsung to supply the OLED panels.

The deal, which is rumoured to be worth $9 billion, will see Samsung shipping 70-92 million OLED panels to Apple this year, representing 30% of all iPhone devices expected to be sold in 2017.

OLED displays are superior to the LCD panels currently used in Apple's iPhones because, rather than requiring a backlight, an OLED-based screen lights up individual pixels when necessary.

(Image: Martin Hajek) Read More

This translates to blacker blacks and brighter whites, lower power consumption and faster response times compared to LED displays.

Like the LG G6 and Samsung Galaxy S8, the iPhone 8's display could have a new longer aspect ratio, IHS Markit analyst Wayne Lam told MacRumors .

It could also have a 4K resolution - which would make it more suitable for virtual reality applications.

Read More End of the Home button

Rumours have been swirling for some time that Apple is planning to get rid of the traditional physical Home button and replace it with a touch-sensitive digital button.

This was originally rumoured for the iPhone 7, but it's now looking likely that it will be one of the major changes coming with the iPhone 8.

Weidlich has turned the entire front of the futuristic smartphone into a screen (Image: Marek Weidlich)

A Chinese website called Storm reports that the virtual home button will have the same haptic feedback motors used in the iPhone 7 to create the illusion of a Home button, even if it's really just a flat capacitive surface.

Meanwhile, 9to5Mac claims that the Home button could simply by denoted by a line at the bottom of each app.

The biggest challenge appears to be integrating the Touch ID sensor into the display, with some rumours suggesting Apple will get around the problem by moving the fingerprint reader to the back of the phone.

Read More

However, a patent uncovered by Apple Insider appears to reveal how Apple could be planning to incorporate TouchID into the screen .

The patent suggests Apple will use acoustic imaging technology to record a fingerprint.

The technology doesn't need an optical image of your finger. Instead an acoustic transducer under the glass sends so-called 'piezoelectric signals' through the phone when it detects impact. These signals trigger waves sent through the screen.

The returning waves scan the tiny ridges and valleys of your fingerprint to work out if it's actually you or not. Each fingerprint has a unique acoustic pattern that would then allow you access to the phone.

In June, mobile technology firm Qualcomm unveiled a similar "ultrasonic" fingerprint technology that is capable of scanning through thick glass, metal and - crucially - OLED smartphone displays.

The technology works by emitting ultrasonic sound waves, which penetrate the skin of your finger and capture a precise, 3D image of your fingerprint, according to Mashable .

(Image: VIVO)

Qualcomm already provides many of the internal components of Apple's iPhones, but the relationship between the two companies has soured in recent months, due to an ongoing lawsuit.

Mashable claims that Apple is unlikely to use Qualcomm's solution, but could use it as the basis for similar technology developed in-house.

Meanwhile, according to Ming-Chi Kuo, the iPhone 8 could ship without a TouchID fingerprint scanner at all.

Kuo doesn't go into any more detail about how Apple will replace TouchID, but notes that "3D sensing for facial recognition" will be a part of the iPhone 8, suggesting that Apple could replace fingerprint scanning with facial recognition or eye-scanning tech.

(Image: VIVO) Read More Leaked pictures

Designers around the world have been speculating about what Apple has planned, and one artist, Marek Weidlich , has created an intriguing concept video.

Weidlich has turned the entire front of the iPhone into a screen - leaving no home button or any visible bezel.

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Meanwhile, new renders and drawings leaked by Weibo user KK appear to show an iPhone 8 with a curved screen that covers the entire front of the device .

An accompanying dimensional drawing shows that the bezel around the edge of the display is only 4mm thick, with the curved glass on either side of the screen accounting for 2.577mm of that width.

The device itself measures 137.54 x 67.54 mm, which is roughly the same size as the iPhone 7 , but the screen is 5.768 inches diagonally - almost identical to the Galaxy S8 .

(Image: ifanr.com)

The drawing shows a narrow earpiece at the top of the screen, with the selfie camera, microphone and other sensors on either side.

The renderings suggest that these components will all be concealed below the glass, although it is unclear how this would work in reality.

One of the renderings shows the back of the phone with a new vertical dual camera setup.

(Image: ifanr.com)

The veracity of the images cannot be confirmed, but KK has on several occasions shared accurate details about previous devices, according to MacRumours .

Camera

The iPhone 8 is expected the feature a dual-lens rear camera, similar to the one featured on the iPhone 7 Plus.

Given that Apple only unveiled its dual-lens technology in 2016, it is unlikely to make any major changes to it in 2017. However, leaked images show that the two lenses will be positioned vertically rather than horizontally.

(Image: Onleaks)

KGI analyst Ming-Chi Kuo thinks that Apple's next iPhone could come with a "revolutionary" new selfie camera that uses infrared technology to detect the location and depth of objects in its field of vision.

The 3D camera system could be used for facial recognition, iris recognition and 3D selfies. It could also be used in augmented reality mobile games, to accurately replace a character's head with that of the user, Kuo wrote in a research report seen by 9to5mac.

Smiling teenage girl taking a selfie with smartphone (Image: REX/Shutterstock)

The 3D system works by sending invisible infrared light signals outwards from the phone and then detecting the signals that bounce back off of objects using the 1.4 megapixel infrared receiver.

Kuo said that, in the future, Apple could add 3D sensing technology to its rear cameras as well, removing the need for large dual camera iris systems.

iPhone 8 Specs iPhone concept (Image: Yasser Farahi)

The iPhone 8 will, more than likely, feature an A11 chip, built on ARM's highly-efficient 10nm manufacturing process, and run the next version of Apple's mobile operating system, iOS 11 .

Apple may decide to keep the same storage options as the iPhone 7 - 32GB, 128GB and 256GB. However, Chinese tipster GeekBar claims that Apple will double the storage capacity at each level, offering a choice of 64GB, 256GB or 512GB.

When does iOS 11 come out? 2017 release date and key features including indoor maps, iMessage payments and looping Live Photos

Wireless charging

Wireless charging has become a common feature of some Android smartphones - including Samsung's latest family of devices - although it is still a lot slower than wired charging methods.

Some of Samsung's devices can already be charged wirelessly (Image: Samsung)

A report in Bloomberg in January claimed that Apple was working on "cutting edge" wireless technology that would allow future iPhones and iPads to be placed further away from charging mats than current smartphones.

The unnamed sources said Apple was working on overcoming "technical barriers including loss of power over distance," and that the technology will feature in iPhones coming out in 2017.

Now pictures have been leaked on Chinese social networking site Weibo by a Foxconn employee, providing a look at the inside of Apple's OLED iPhone.

(Image: Weibo/MacRumours)

The pictures show a large, central black spot, which represents the device's wireless charging coil, according to MacRumours .

Read More Face ID

One of the stand-out features of Samsung 's latest flagship smartphone, the Galaxy S8, is facial recognition technology, allowing users to unlock their phone by simply looking at it.

Eye scanning on the Samsung Galaxy Note 7 (Image: PA)

Now eagle-eyed software engineers have found evidence that the same feature could be included in Apple's iPhone 8, by scouring through the code for one of Apple's other gadgets .

The HomePod speaker is Apple's version of the Amazon Echo or Google Home and is set to be launched in December 2017. As the speaker needs to work seamlessly with Apple's new phones, the firmware code contains references to some upcoming features that Apple fans can expect to see.

Revealed on Twitter by developer Steve Troughton-Smith, and later confirmed by 9to5mac, it appears the next iPhone will include an infrared camera that could be used to scan your face, even in the dark.

This technology could allow users to unlock the phone just by looking at it - in a similar way to Samsung's Galaxy S8 smartphone. It would also fit with the rumours of a 3D selfie camera, mentioned above.

Meanwhile, an earlier report from Chinese-language website MoneyDJ.com , picked up by Digitimes , suggests that Apple may be planning to introduce iris recognition technology with the iPhone 8.

According to the report, a Taiwan-based company called Xintec is to start mass producing iris-recognition chips, some of which will be embedded in the 2017 series of iPhones.

Water-resistant

Apple's iPhone 7 is water-resistant to a depth of one metre for up to 30 minutes - a rating known as IP67, which is the same as the Apple Watch .

It therefore makes sense that Apple would carry this through to the iPhone 8.

IP67 means it will survive a dip in the sink or down the loo, and it won't break if you pour a drink over it, but you probably don't want to take it swimming.

New 'blush gold' colour

Apple's next iPhone X could come in a striking copper colour known as "blush gold", if new leaked photos are to be believed.

The pictures, shared on Twitter by prolific leaker Benjamin Geskin , allegedly come straight from Chinese iPhone manufacturer Foxconn, providing more evidence that Apple is planning to replace its "rose gold" colour variant with a more rusty, copper-like colour.

(Image: Twitter/VenyaGeskin1)

The name "blush gold" is what Foxconn staff are using internally, according to Geskin.

Previously, pictures shared on popular Chinese microblogging site Weibo showed what appears to be Apple's forthcoming iPhone 8 in three colours - white, jet black and a new colour, described then as a "champagne gold".

Chinese website MyDrivers , which first shared the images, said the gold option was "closer to copper" in colour.

(Image: Mac Rumors) Read More

It is not clear whether the devices pictured were taken directly from the supply chain, or if they are dummy models made by non-Apple suppliers based on recent rumours.

However, KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who has a track record of leaking accurate information on Apple products, said that the iPhone X would be available in fewer colour options than the other two models launching in September.

(Image: Mac Rumors)

This is because Apple wants to maintain the iPhone X's "boutique image", according to MacRumours .

Apple's next iPhone could come in a striking "blush gold" colour , if new leaked photos are to be believed.

The pictures, which have not been verified, also show the widely-rumoured vertical dual-lens rear camera, as well as a slightly elongated power button on the side of the device.

AirPods

According to a report from analysts at JPMorgan, seen by 9to5Mac , the iPhone 8 may come bundled with a free pair of AirPods worth £160 in the box.

The wireless earphones were first announced along with the iPhone 7 last year and went on sale just before Christmas. They currently cost £159 to buy in the Apple Store .

(Image: Reuters)

The AirPods link up to your iPhone or Apple Watch via Bluetooth. They use sensors to automatically detect when they are in your ears, and play or pause your music accordingly.

They contain a pair of microphones, so you can control your music, change the volume and check your battery life using Siri.

The AirPods deliver up to 5 hours of listening time on one charge, and come in a special case that doubles as a charger, offering more than 24 hours of listening time in total.

iPhone 7s and 7s Plus A mockup image showing (L-R) the iPhone 7s, iPhone 8 and iPhone 7s Plus (Image: iDrop news)

The iPhone 8 may not be the only iPhone Apple unveils on September 12. The company is currently rumoured to be working on three devices - a flagship iPhone 8 (described above), and two lower-spec models called the iPhone 7s and 7s Plus.

The lower-spec models are intended as direct updates to the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus, retaining the metal design and 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch display sizes of the existing models. However, they will be upgraded with faster processors and software enhancements.

Meanwhile, a report in the Wall Street Journal claimed that Apple has been testing more than 10 different prototypes for its next smartphone.

iPhone 7s and 7s Plus: Release date, price, news and rumours about Apple's 2017 upgrade

Made in the USA? Capitol idea: Invictus is keen on getting into the Senate and serving his voters (Image: Getty)

President Trump has previously said he plans for Apple to build its gadgets in the USA rather than China and that he would offer "incentives" for the company to do so.

This next version of the iPhone is rumoured to be the most expensive yet - possibly due to the higher production costs of building them in the US.

Read More

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Source: iPhone 8: Release date, price, specs, rumours and news about Apple's flagship smartphone for 2017