Tag: iPhone/Apple Watch

 

By Amber Neely
Saturday, September 28, 2019, 08:36 am PT (11:36 am ET)

Apple Antara has opened in Mexico City, welcoming thousands of customers in the Polacano district.

Apple has shared photos of the opening of Apple Antara, their first flagship store in Latin America. The store is a large, single-story structure located at Antara Fashion Hall in Cuidad de Mexico’s Polanco district.

It boasts a glass facade that doubles as an entryway. Curved glass corner pieces round out a nearly seamless glass-walled design. The 20-foot wide opening takes advantage of the mild climate to help blur the line between indoors and out.

Deirdre O’Brien, Apple’s senior vice president of Retail + People was on site to to welcome customers to Apple Antara.

Customers got to experience the latest offerings from Apple, including the iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, iPhone 11 Pro Max, and the Apple Watch Series 5.

Mexican illustrator Edgar Flores made an appearance, leading a Today at Apple session and creating a communal art piece with participants.

R&B singer Mariana de Miguel, better known as Girl Ultra, gave a performance for the stores opening.

 

By Roger Fingas
Thursday, March 28, 2019, 02:26 pm PT (05:26 pm ET)

Students at Baltimore’s Johns Hopkins University can now use an iPhone or Apple Watch in place of a physical ID card for getting around campus, as well as paying for university services.

Once activated, a digital “J-Card” ID appears in Apple’s Wallet app, the Baltimore Sun said on Thursday. With “Express Mode” left on by default, all that’s needed is to hold an iPhone or Watch next to a reader — no Face ID, Touch ID, passcode, or even waking or unlocking a device.

For extra security students can turn Express Mode off, resulting in an experience like Apple Pay. Apple’s ID system lets students check their account info via Wallet, such as food and print amounts.

On campus, students will be able to do things like unlock doors, print at the library and buy items at the bookstore. Some off-campus businesses are participating in purchases as well, among them Chipotle, CVS and 7-Eleven.

Johns Hopkins is the fifth U.S. school to support Wallet IDs — the others are Duke, Temple, Santa Clara, and the Universities of Alabama and Oklahoma. That leaves many others to go, including every Ivy League institution.

Device requirements are relatively low, starting with only an iPhone 6 and/or an Apple Watch Series 1. Users must also download the eAccounts app.

Apple is anticipated to update nearly every line of hardware it has in 2019. AppleInsider shows you what we’re expecting to see, including the “AirPods 2,” 2019 Mac Pro, Apple Pro displays, new iPhones, the “iPad mini 5,” and more.

As happens every year, Apple makes a large number of changes to its product portfolio, and 2019 is shaping up to feature a considerable amount of major upgrades.

Practically all corners of Apple’s hardware empire will see changes, including the iOS-based iPhone and iPad ranges, MacBook Pro and Mac Pro, and accessories such as AirPods and the long-awaited AirPower.

AirPods 2

Anticipated to launch in the first half of 2019, or at latest, the fall.

Health-related features reminiscent of the Apple Watch’s functions are touted, monitoring inside the ear for the user’s heart rate.

While similar in appearance to the originals, the second generation may ship with a black color option alongside white. Extra grip in the ear is expected, via a change in its coating rather than by physical design alterations.

16-inch MacBook Pro

A larger model of MacBook Pro is tipped for launch, with a 16 to 16.5-inch display.

Apple’s last 17-inch MacBook Pro shipped in late 2011. It is presently considered an obsolete product, and Apple isn’t offering service for it any longer.

iPad Mini 5

International regulatory filings indicate new models are on the way, potentially including the iPad mini and could arrive early in the year.

An early-2019 launch for the new fifth-generation iPad mini is expected.

The update is thought to be relatively similar to its previous form, including a headphone jack, 7.9-inch display, and the continued use of Touch ID instead of shifting to Face ID.

One big change is the possible addition of Smart Keyboard support, along with the Apple Pencil.

2019 iPhone

Apple is expected to release three iPhones this fall, following a similar pattern to the 2018 releases, with two OLED models joined by a cheaper iPhone XR-style LCD model.

This could be the last generation to use LCD before Apple moves completely over to OLED in 2020, though it is also possible the shift could happen this year.

A triple camera setup is tipped to appear on the rear, which could include the ability to produce depth maps similar to the front-facing TrueDepth camera in current-generation models.

The front TrueDepth camera could get an upgrade, making it capable of producing a 10-megapixel image.

It is suggested there could be bilateral wireless charging, allowing an iPhone to provide charge to another device. Other new additions could be larger batteries, a frosted glass casing, and support for UWB (ultra-wide band) for indoor positioning and navigation.

There have been some debate about whether Apple will stick to Lightning or shift to USB-C, just like the iPad Pro.

2019 Mac Pro

Expected for launch sometime in 2019, but it is unclear when in the year it will take place. Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo claims that it will be easy to upgrade, but Apple has only said that this model will be modular in design.

What that “modular” specifically means for the end-user isn’t clear at present.

Apple Professional 6K Display

Anticipated to launch alongside the new Mac Pro, though it is unknown when that will be during the year.

Expected to be a 31.6-inch 6K3K display (6,144 x 3,072 resolution) and will use a “mini LED-like backlight design” to deliver outstanding picture quality.

After decades of continuous monitor production, Apple’s last display was the 27-inch Apple Thunderbolt Display. It was discontinued on June 23, 2016.

Seventh generation iPad

An early 2019 launch is expected for the model, based on rumors and the existence of regulatory model number filings.

A design refresh is tipped to take place, possibly borrowing elements from the iPad Pro design.

The well-known 9.7-inch display is expected to increase in size, possibly measuring 10.2 inches, though it is likely the overall device size won’t grow as much.

Smart Keyboard support is touted for the model, allowing the accessory to connect in a similar way to the iPad Pro range.

Even with the changes, it is probable that the iPad will continue to use Touch ID, not Face ID.

iPad Pro

Following the previous model updates, Apple is thought to ship two models of the iPad Pro as part of its usual refresh, with upgraded processors.

Apple last updated the iPad Pro in October 2018 with a new exterior design, and Face ID.

AirPower

Originally slated for launch in 2018, but now expected to ship in the first half of 2019.

Allows up to three devices to wirelessly charge at the same time, such as an iPhone, Apple Watch, and an AirPods charging case

Apple Watch Series 5

At present, there are few rumors discussing the Apple Watch —save one from Ming Chi Kuo.

The Apple Watch “Series 5” is thought to reintroduce the option for a ceramic body, after being dropped from the Series 4 roster.

iPod Touch

Tipped for launch at some point in 2019, but with no indication as to when the seventh-generation iPod Touch will make an appearance.

No details about changes have emerged, except for speculation it will have an upgraded processor.

All quiet regarding the Apple TV, the iMac, and the Mac mini

Very little has emerged on the Apple TV since the 4K version was launched. Similarly, the iMac 4K and iMac 5K are likely to get an update, but there hasn’t been anything of any substance in from the supply chain regarding the topic.

Apple has very recently updated the Mac mini, and probably won’t do so again in 2019.

 

By Roger Fingas
Thursday, January 31, 2019, 08:56 am PT (11:56 am ET)

Puma this week revealed its Fit Intelligence self-lacing shoe, set to compete against Nike beginning in 2020.

Known as “Fi” for short, the shoe uses a custom motor to tighten and loosen, according to Bay McLaughlin. Owners can adjust it manually using on-shoe swipe gestures, or with upcoming iPhone and Apple Watch apps. There are three tightness levels — unlike Nike’s Adapt BB though, the Fi won’t automatically adjust while being worn.

The shoe has LED lights on both sides, but another sacrifice versus the Adapt BB is color changing options.

Puma is planning to ship the Fi for $330, $20 less than Nike’s product. Buyers will get a Qi-compatible mat to making charging as seamless as possible.

Both the Fi and the Adapt BB can trace their history back to the 1989 movie “Back to the Future Part II,” which featured self-lacing Nike “Air Mag” shoes in its fictional version of 2015. Nike seized on this to develop the Mag, a real-world product, and then the HyperAdapt 1.0 that shipped in 2016. Its $720 pricetag put it out of range for most people.

Apple and Nike have a long-running partnership extending back to “Nike + iPod” fitness tracking. In the modern era Apple sells Nike+ versions of the Apple Watch, which are effectively the same as other models but with different bundled straps and unique watchfaces.

 

By Roger Fingas
Wednesday, January 16, 2019, 06:29 am PT (09:29 am ET)

Potentially keeping hope that the AirPower is still alive, Apple’s Malaysian website makes a reference to the charging mat in relation to its new Smart Battery Cases.

“The Smart Battery Case is compatible with AirPower Wireless Charging Mat and other Qi-certified chargers,” a Malaysian product page reads as of Wednesday morning Eastern time. On Apple’s U.S. site, the equivalent page says simply that the case is “compatible with Qi-certified chargers.”

The reason for the discrepancy is uncertain, but the culprit may be older marketing copy, in which case Apple was apparently expecting AirPower to already be available or ship alongside the new cases.

Apple first teased the AirPower at a fall 2017 press event, intending it to complement its newfound Qi support in the iPhone 8 and X. The company even gave the press hands-on time with the accessory, promising a 2018 launch.

As the year progressed though the company said virtually nothing about the product, sometimes outright refusing to comment to media outlets, AppleInsider among them. By the time the iPhone XS and XR were revealed Apple had practically wiped all mention from its website, fueling speculation that the company couldn’t make the technology work and was simply abandoning it.

The iPhone XS did ship with mention of the AirPower in its user guide however, and by mid-January manufacturing partner Luxshare Precision was reported to be going into production. Luxshare also produces some of Apple’s AirPods and USB-C cables.

Apple may have been held up by heat, mechanical, and interference problems, such as interdevice connections to communicate battery level, and its use of up to 24 power coils. The same rumor pointed to a spring 2019 release date at the earliest.