The Groter The Better

Zoals we gewend zijn van macrumors hebben ze altijd de leukste feitjes en laatst kwam ik dit tegen. Consumenten willen groteren schermenen in de iPhone 6. Maar natuurlijk! Hoe groter hoe beter! Een paar jaar geleden wilde we nog allemaal het kleinste telefoontje wat er bestond en inmiddels willen we alleen maar groter en groter.

http://www.macrumors.com/2014/04/10/strong-interest-larger-iphone6/

Survey Shows Strong Consumer Interest in Larger-Screen iPhone 6

Thursday April 10, 2014 5:21 am PDT by Richard Padilla

Research firm ChangeWave (via Fortune) has released the results of a new survey, showing that interest among early-adopter and professional consumers in a larger-screen iPhone 6 is at an all time high.

40% of respondents indicated they are ‘very likely’ or ‘somewhat likely’ to buy an iPhone 6 that is described as having a “larger screen size” and a “faster processor” along with an “updated iOS operating system” at a starting price of $199 with a two year contract.

“This is the highest level of demand for an unannounced Apple model in a ChangeWave survey – stronger than we’ve seen in previous years for the iPhone 5S and iPhone 5 models prior to their announcements,” said Andy Golub of 451 Research. “Speculation over a larger screen iPhone is clearly striking a chord with consumers.”

Internal memos from the second ongoing trial between Apple and Samsung indicate that Apple is eager to release a larger phone, as a slide deck from an April 2013 presentation showed that customers want less expensive and notably, larger screen smartphones.

Apple will likely unveil its next-generation iPhone later this year, as it has done with previous models. Unlike past iterations however, the iPhone 6 may come in two versions, including one with a 4.7-inch screen and another with a larger 5.5-inch screen that will be released later.

In addition to a larger display, the iPhone 6 is expected to feature a narrower bezel that surrounds a thinner design along with a faster A8 processor and an upgraded camera. According to a research note from well-sourced KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the high-end models of the iPhone 6 may also feature a durable, sapphire display as Apple is expected to become temporarily limited by the low supply yields of the material.

Watch it

En toch wil ik zo’n iWatch hoe duur ze dan ook mogen zijn. Hoe ijzingwekkend cool is het om een mini computer om je pols te hebben! Ik kan niet wachten tot deze nieuwe gadget op de markt ligt.

http://www.macrumors.com/2014/04/09/iwatch-2014-predictions/

iWatch to Come in Two Sizes With ‘Fashionable Appearance’, Top End to Cost ‘Several Thousand’ Dollars

Wednesday April 9, 2014 5:14 pm PDT by Juli Clover
In a 2014 product roadmap that outlines all of Apple’s plans for the year, KGI Securities analyst Ming Chi Kuo revealed his predictions for Apple’s much-rumored iWatch, which may ship as soon as the third quarter of 2014.

According to Kuo, the iWatch will come in two separate sizes to accommodate different sized wrists: 1.3 inches and 1.5 inches. Multiple sizes for the device were first predicted in late 2013, though the original rumor pointed towards displays of 1.3 and 1.7 inches. Both watches will include flexible AMOLED displays with sapphire covers to protect the device from scratches.

Along with a multitude of biometric sensors, coupled in a system-in-a-package design, Kuo predicts the iWatch will include integration with the iPhone, iPad, and Mac, along with a “fashionable appearance,” an NFC chip, and a slim and light design.

Traditional watch-style iWatch concept by Gábor Balogh

We are confident on Apple’s ability to make wearable devices with good fashion sense, which sets Apple apart from rivals.

Kuo believes many of the iWatch’s mechanical parts may be constructed using liquid metal and that it may include an “innovative” antenna design that allows for wireless charging functionality. 

Battery life has been a major challenge for Apple when it comes to iWatch development and Kuo forecasts a 200 to 250mAh battery for the device that will provide at least a one day of operating power. Earlier reports have suggested the company is aiming for three to four days of battery life, however, and Kuo does note that the battery will be longer than “most wearable devices” due to the company’s “vertically integrated operating system and key components.”

Kuo suggests Apple will release the iWatch at multiple price points and in a variety of materials, competing with low and high-end watches alike. At the high end, Kuo suggests Apple’s iWatch could sell for thousands of dollars.

Fashion is the name of the game; most expensive model likely priced at several thousand US dollars. Referring to the rules of the fashion market, we predict the iWatch casing and band will come in various materials. The most expensive model of the iWatch line will carry a price tag of several thousand US dollars.

Apple’s iWatch is not expected until the end of the year, but Kuo believes it will be the most important product of 2014, outshining even the iPhone 6. He is estimating shipments of 5.5 million units in 2014, which will rise to 30 to 50 million units in 2015.

Betalen Kreng

En de strijd onder de giganten gaat onverminderd door. Beter besteden ze dat geld aan de ontwikkeling van nieuw gadgets en handige updates in plaats van elke keer maar weer naar de rechtbank te gaan. Doe even normaal zeg.

 

http://www.macrumors.com/2014/04/08/apple-samsung-2-billion-damages/

Apple Calls in Experts to Explain Why Samsung Owes $2B in Damages

Tuesday April 8, 2014 4:21 pm PDT by Juli Clover
In the ongoing Samsung vs. Apple lawsuit, two experts hired by Apple took the stand on Tuesday to explain to the jury why Samsung deserves to pay $2 billion in damages for infringing on Apple’s patents.

First up was John Hauser, a professor of marketing at the MIT Sloan School of Management, who argued (via CNET) that the specific features patented by Apple, such as slide to unlock, made Samsung’s devices far more appealing to consumers.

To reach that conclusion, Hauser surveyed 966 Samsung device users (507 phone owners and 459 tablet owners) to measure the percentage of consumers who would buy devices with specific features, including universal search, background syncing, quick links, automatic word correction, and slide-to-unlock, among others.

Those metrics were then used to determine how much people would pay for the Apple-patented features that Samsung included in its devices, with Hauser coming to the conclusion that customers would shell out $32 to $102 for each feature.

“The features that were enabled by the patents at issue in this case have a measurable impact on consumer demand for Samsung devices,” Hauser said during his testimony Tuesday.

During cross examination, Samsung objected to Hauser’s methodology, which had concluded that Samsung largely sold devices due to the features copied from Apple, and criticized it for overlooking the importance of the Samsung brand and the Android operating system.

Following Hauser’s testimony, MIT-trained economist Chris Vellturo took the stand (via Re/code) to explain how Apple arrived at its $2 billion number. The damages, he said, are a mix of lost profits and estimated reasonable royalties on the millions Samsung devices that have been accused of infringing on Apple’s patents.

“It’s a very large market and Samsung has made a lot of sales into that market,” Vellturo said, before getting into the specifics of how he came to his estimate. Samsung’s alleged infringement, he said, came at a time of dramatic growth in the market as many people were buying their first smartphone. 

“It’s a particularly significant period for Samsung to have been infringing,” Vellturo said, adding that one’s first smartphone purchase is a key determining factor in future phone and tablet purchases. He added that Samsung was behind in ease of use and took Apple’s know-how to aid its effort to be more competitive. 

In the original Apple vs. Samsung trial, Samsung was ordered to pay Apple $890 million in damages. The latest suit focuses on newer devices, including the Galaxy S III, Galaxy Note II, Galaxy Tab 10.1, the iPhone 4/4s/5, the iPad 2/3/4, the iPad mini, and fourth and fifth generation iPod touch.

Following today’s expert testimony, Apple is nearing the end of its case against Samsung. Next week, Samsung will present its infringement case against Apple, where it is asking for $7 million in damages. The entire trial is expected to continue until April 29 or 30, at which point the jury will enter deliberations.

WhiOS

Jeej! een nieuwe iOS is weer in aantocht en ik voorspel dat het een goede update gaat worden van een nu al geweldig besturingsysteem. De innovatie en ontwikkelingen van deze besturingssystemen zijn altijd al geweldig te noemen ook al zitten ze soms nog vol met fouten. Laten we hopen dat ze met 8 in één keer alles goed doen, al zal het wel niet zo zijn.

http://www.macrumors.com/2014/04/07/ios-7-adoption-87/

iOS 7 Adoption up to 87% Ahead of WWDC’s Likely iOS 8 Announcement

Monday April 7, 2014 2:23 pm PDT by Jordan Golson
iOS 7 adoption continues to grow, with Apple seeing the operating system on 87 percent of devices connected to the App Store, according to Apple’s App Store developer support page. The numbers come seven months after the operating system’s original release and two months ahead of the expected preview of iOS 8 at Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference in two month’s time.

Apple has traditionally seen speedy adoption of its new iOS releases because it makes it easy for customers to upgrade to the new operating system without too much trouble, and it’s likely that iOS 8 will see similar adoption after its expected release this fall.

iOS 8 is expected to include upgrades to Apple’s Maps app, including possible support for public transit directions and enhanced points of interest, a Healthbook app that assists users in aggregating personal health data like blood pressure, heart rate, and more — perhaps in concert with a smart watch product — as well as improvements to Siri and iTunes Radio, two of the more recent additions to Apple’s mobile operating system.

In contrast to Apple, Google sees only 5.3% of its users running the latest version of its Android operating system, version 4.4 or KitKat, which came out in October 2013 — a month after iOS 7 was released.

The increasing adoption rate of iOS 7 has also led to a drop in iOS 6 usage, with the older operating system now installed on just 11 percent of devices. 2 percent of devices are using older versions of iOS. In early December, iOS 7 usage was at 74 percent, jumping to 78 percent later in December, 80 percent in late January and 85 percent towards the end of March.

Apple’s data, which comes directly from the App Store, represents concrete iOS 7 adoption information for developers.

Scan Vergelijkingen

Persoonlijk vind ik dat hele vingerafdruk gedoe op telefoons maar niks maar goed als fan van gadgets was ik best benieuwd naar welke telefoon het nu beter zou doen. Volgende stap iris scanner.

http://www.macrumors.com/2014/04/03/iphone-5s-and-galaxy-s5-fingerprint-comparison/

Fingerprint Scanners on iPhone 5s and Galaxy S5 Compared in New Video

Thursday April 3, 2014 4:45 pm PDT by Juli Clover
Apple debuted its Touch ID fingerprint sensor in September of 2013 with the iPhone 5s, making it the first major smartphone to include fingerprint recognition technology. Samsung followed with its own version of a fingerprint scanner in the Galaxy S5, which is slated to be released on April 11.

A new YouTube video from Tanner Marsh compares Touch ID on iPhone 5s with the fingerprint scanner of the upcoming Galaxy S5, walking through the process of setting up fingerprint recognition on both devices and comparing and contrasting some of the available functionality.

The two fingerprint scanners are quite different, with Apple’s Touch ID utilizing a round home button that captures a motionless fingerprint while Samsung’s sensor is activated using a swiping motion that scans the finger from base to tip using a rectangular home button.

iPhone 5s users may be familiar with the setup process of Touch ID, which includes placing each finger on the home button multiple times in order to register a fingerprint from multiple angles. Samsung’s setup is a bit different, involving multiple swipes downward on the screen over the home button.

Early reports suggested Samsung’s fingerprint sensor was somewhat inaccurate, and the video depicts some of the same problems with fingerprint recognition. Marsh notes that he has to swipe directly over the center of the home button for a fingerprint to register and describes how the sensor on the S5 is hard to use with a single hand.

It seems like it’s sort of hit or miss unless you swipe directly over the center of the button, covering most of it with your finger. Moreover because you have to swipe starting from the bottom of the touchscreen it makes the process nearly impossible with one hand. 

As for the iPhone 5s, because the device essentially captures multiple scans of your finger in various positions you can literally unlock it from any orientation including upside down, left, right, or diagonally. It doesn’t matter. It will almost always recognize your finger.

While Samsung’s fingerprint sensor appears to have some issues, Apple’s Touch ID faced its own problems early on, including “fade,” or the increasingly erratic performance of the fingerprint sensor over time. iOS 7.1, released in March, solved the issue, bringing much-needed improvements to Touch ID’s fingerprint recognition capabilities.

Apple also faced significant scrutiny over both hacking and privacy concerns after the launch of the iPhone 5s, leading it to publish multiple documents detailing how the feature works, assuring users that only mathematical representations of fingerprints are stored in the A7 processor’s Secure Enclave, which is walled off from the rest of iOS.

Samsung may face some of the same scrutiny following the April 11 release of the Galaxy S5, especially as the company has plans to allow developers access to the feature.

Samsung’s S5 will also be compatible with PayPal’s mobile payment app, allowing users to authorize PayPal payments with a fingerprint, a feature that could also cause concern with some users. Apple has plans to enter the payment arena with its Touch ID fingerprint scanner, but has yet to do so.

WiFree

Wie houd er nu niet van gratis Wi-Fi!

http://www.macrumors.com/2014/04/02/wifi-faster-fcc/

WiFi Performance to Improve As FCC Opens Unlicensed Frequencies

Tuesday April 1, 2014 11:16 pm PDT by Arnold Kim

In February, the Wall Street Journal reported on the formation of a new lobbying group called WifiForward that advocated the opening up of unlicensed frequencies to alleviate Wi-Fi congestion and improve performance. The group consisted of industry partners including Google, Best Buy, Microsoft, and many others.

On Monday, the FCC announced that it was freeing up more airwaves for Wi-Fi usage in the U.S. The WiFiForward group wrote in response to the ruling:

Today, the FCC voted unanimously to unleash more unlicensed spectrum will support all the things we already use and further drive investment and experimentation—a 50% increase in spectrum available for Wi-Fi, to be exact. Consumer devices are already equipped to operate in the band, so they can easily be adapted to quickly take advantage of new 5 GHz channels. And a new Wi-Fi standard, 802.11ac, has just been approved for the 5 GHz band. 802.11ac’s wide channels will allow for a better consumer experience.

The group indicates that consumer devices will be “easily” adapted to take advantage of the new 5GHz channels, and that 802.11ac will be able to take advantage of the new bandwidth.

802.11ac or “Gigabit” Wi-Fi offers speeds up to three times as fast as existing 802.11n wireless networks. 802.11ac has been introduced into Apple’s Mac line starting in 2013, and is expected to be included in the iPhone 6 later this year.

Frapp store

Eindelijk gaan ze die fouten ook eens oplossen!

http://www.macrumors.com/2014/03/25/related-search-suggestions-app-store/

Apple Begins Testing Related Search Suggestions Feature on App Store

Monday March 24, 2014 11:14 pm PDT by Richard Padilla
As first spotted by TIME Planner developer Olga Osadcha on Twitter (via MacStories), Apple has begun testing a related search suggestions feature for some users in the App Store.

The new menu appears to overlay itself on top of an existing search query, giving users search suggestions in similar categories – for instance, searching for “calendar” gives related suggestions for “calendar planner” and “daily planner”, while a search for “sports games” displays suggestions to “action games” and “RPG games”.

The suggestions box also appears to extend to some searches for specific terms, as searching for “twitter” will result in suggestions for “news apps” and the like. Suggested searches can also lead to more sub-suggested keywords, which can be made up of general phrases and specific company and product names.

The results appear in a similar fashion to queries in Chomp, which was an app search startup acquired by Apple in 2012. It is therefore likely that Apple could be using some of the suggestion technology utilized in Chomp, as Apple’s reported reason for acquiring the search engine was to improve the App Store search and app discovery. Apple added the single-tile styled result to the App Store in 2012, which was also based off of Chomp’s layout.

Currently, Apple’s new App Store search suggestions are not appearing for all users, however that is likely to change as the feature undergoes more testing. It is also possible that the new search suggestions will not require a full update for iOS, as Apple is expected to roll out the new feature on top of the App Store’s existing interface.

Het lange leve

Wat een kut gedoe met die tablet dingen daar heb je toch niks aan en dan beweren ze nog dat ze lang meegaan.

http://www.macrumors.com/2014/03/21/ipad-replacement-cycle-slow-cirp/

iPad Lifecycle Mirrors Macs and Maybe Even TVs Rather Than iPhones

Friday March 21, 2014 6:30 am PDT by Kelly Hodgkins
A new report by Consumer Intelligence Research Partners (CIRP) suggests iPad owners replace their tablets less frequently than their iPhone-owning counterparts, who upgrade almost every two years. The longer iPad replacement cycle may be more like the Mac, which tends to be replaced every 2-4 years, or possibly even televisions which have a five to 10-year ownership span. (Via Fortune)

The CIRP report, which surveyed 2,000 U.S. customers who purchased an iPhone, iPad or Mac in 2013, shows that almost half of iPad owners will go without their tablet, waiting a week or more to replace a broken, lost or stolen device. They also are twice as likely as iPhone owners to give their older iPad to friends or family members.

“We think Apple would prefer the iPad become a big iPhone,” the report concludes. “We suspect, though, based on recent CIRP data about how buyers use them, that it’s as much like a Mac, TV, or iPod, with less frequent replacement.”

This replacement rate could affect future sales, driving them down as the tablet market becomes saturated. In this scenario, consumers would hold onto an iPad for a longer period of time, and future first-time iPad owners would be more likely to receive an older iPad than buy a new one.

Even as competition increases and the tablet market slows, Apple still is the top tablet vendor worldwide with 36 percent market share, according to Gartner’s March 2014 report. The Cupertino company sold a record 26 million iPads in Q1 2014 and 195 million tablets overall.

Laars ondersteuning voor Mac Pro

Dat is nou handig voor mij.

 

http://www.macrumors.com/2014/03/17/mac-pro-drops-windows-7-support/

Apple Drops Windows 7 Boot Camp Support in New Mac Pro

Monday March 17, 2014 11:38 am PDT by Juli Clover

Apple’s Mac Pro only supports installations of Windows 8 or later with Boot Camp, according to an updated Apple Support document that lists versions of Windows compatible with the 2013 Mac Pro.

Boot Camp Assistant on the Mac Pro also specifies that it only includes support for Windows 8 or later, as evidenced in a screenshot from Twocanoes Software (via MacWindows) indicating that users are not able to install earlier versions of Windows. The 2013 Mac Pro is the first Mac that does not include support for Windows 7 with Boot Camp 5.

It is unclear why Apple has chosen to drop support for Windows 7 on the Mac Pro, but it could be a sign that the company intends to discontinue support for the operating system in future Macs given its advanced age.

This decision may not sit well with users, as Windows 8, released in 2012, has not been particularly popular. As of this month, Windows 8 and 8.1 only represented 10.68 percent of total worldwide OS market share, while Windows 7 represented 47.31 percent. Combined, Windows is installed on 90.84 percent of the world’s computers.