The iPhone 5S and 5C

Apple held a special event yesterday, the 10th of September, to unveil their new iPhones - the 5C and 5S. A lot of leaked images and rumours showered the web before the launch, most of which happened to be true. Most surprisingly, the iPhone 5 has now been dropped from Apple's iPhone line-up.

The low-cost iPhone 5C was unveiled first, in which the 'C' presumably stands for 'colour'. It comes in a dazzling range of colours: yellow, red, blue, white and green. Silicone covers of the same colours are available for £25, they have holes on the back to create the "two-tone effect". Phil Schiller stated "There's colour throughout the product. Volume buttons, switches. The entire back and sides is made from a single part, and the front is a one glass multitouch surface."

The 5C has a steel-reinforced structure and a hard-coated polycarbonate back, making it more durable. Just like the iPhone 5, it has an A6 chip and a stunning 4-inch Retina display. The iPhone 5C's battery is a bit bigger than the iPhone 5's, therefore increasing battery life. It stands at 124.4 mm, it's 59.2 mm wide, 8.97 mm thin and weighs just 132 grams. The iPhone 5C has an 8 megapixel back facing iSight camera, which shoots 1080p HD video at 30fps. The rear camera features an LED flash, a backside illumination sensor, a five-element lense and a hybrid IR filter. The FaceTime camera shoots 720p HD video and has a backside illumination sensor too.


The iPhone 5C is available to pre-order from the 13th of September. Here are the prices:
- 16GB for £469
- 32GB for £549


Moving on to the iPhone 5S - as Schiller said: "The 5S is the most forward-thinking phone Apple has ever created. Perhaps the most forward-thinking phone anyone has ever made." 

It comes in three cool colours: silver, gold and space grey. As speculated, the iPhone 5S has the same 4-inch Retina display. It's 123.8 mm tall, 58.6 mm wide, 7.6 mm thin and weighs only 112 grams. The iPhone 5S features a super fast 64-bit A7 chip and an M7 motion coprocessor. The A7 chip is claimed to be up to twice as fast as the previous chip; and the CPU performance has apparently risen by 40x since the first iPhone - half of that increase coming from the A7.  The graphics have risen by an astonishing 56x since the first iPhone, and once again half of that increase comes with the A7.  The new M7 motion coprocessor "takes advantage of all the sensors and continuously measures the data coming from the gyroscope, accelerometer and compass without having to wake up the A7." This presumably saves battery life. Speaking of which, it is equal or greater than the iPhone 5's.

The biggest change comes with the home button, which now features a fingerprint sensor. You can easily unlock your iPhone with a touch of the home button; and best of all, it doesn't matter which way you place your finger. The user can also login top their Apple ID using their fingerprint. All of this means that your iPhone is safer than ever before, not to mention quicker to unlock.

The iPhone 5S has a top-end 8 megapixel iSight camera, which is kitted out to the max. It has a five-element lens with a Sapphire crystal lens cover. As well as that, it has a true tone flash, a backside illumination sensor and a hybrid IR filter. Burst mode has also been added - the camera takes 10 pictures per second - and all you have to do is hold down the camera button for as long as you like. The rear facing iSight camera shoots 1080p HD video at the standard 30fps. Surprisingly, Apple has added a slo-mo video option, which I believe shoots at about 120fps. The front facing FaceTime camera records 720p HD video and has a backside illumination sensor.

The iPhone 5S is available to order from the 20th of September. Here are the prices:
- 16GB for £549
- 32GB for £629
- 64GB for £709
The iPhone 5S also has a new range of leather cases to come with it.

Both, the 5C and 5S, will come with iOS 7 already installed. iOS 7 is compatible with: iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, iPhone 5, iPhone 5S, iPhone 5C, iPod Touch 5th gen, iPad 2, iPad with Retina display and the iPad Mini. You will be able to download it on the 18th of September. 


Visit my Apple blog for more news :)

iOS 7 - The Mobile OS from a Whole New Perspective

A completely redesigned UI, a pure representation of simplicity, all-new apps and more. Ladies and gentlemen, iOS 7 is here, prepare to be amazed. Rumours said it's going to be different, rumours said it's going to be flat, rumours said it will change the whole course of iOS forever. Well, here it is:

The User Interface has got a completely new look. It's fresh. It's clean. It has a whole new sense of depth, brought to us by distinct layers, which establish order along the software. iOS 7 cleverly takes advantage of translucency, this makes even the simplest of tasks more engaging. A whole new set of motions and animations has been introduced - scrolling, unlocking, swiping and simple movements of your device make it all a little bit more interesting. Tilting your iDevice left or right, when in the home screen view, reveals new parts of your background image by moving the icons in a 3D sort of way. Each and every icon on the home screen has been radically redesigned around a new grid system. A whole new pallette of beautiful colours has been added. None of this may matter to you, but it makes a massive difference.

To read more visit my Apple blog.

Apple Devices can be Hacked Using a Malicious Charger

Current Apple devices - the iPhone, iPad and iPod - can be hacked using an innocent looking wall charger. A team from the Georgia Institute of Technology developed a charger, named Mactans, which installs malicious software onto an iDevice in less than sixty seconds.

The malware is practically undetectable, meaning that the user is oblivious to what's going on inside their iPhone, iPad or iPod. The USB charger has a BeagleBoard built into it, turning what you think is a standard charger into a harmful computer that is capable of doing quite a lot of damage. The BeagleBoard is a low-cost (£30 / $45), single-board open source computer produced by Texas Instruments to teach open source hardware and software capabilities. Once your device is plugged in, the custom software cracks the iOS code to install malware...

To read more visit my Apple blog.

iOS Much Safer Than Android

The amount of malware on mobile devices is quickly growing, putting many users at risk, many Android users. iOS is much safer than Android and attacks aren't easily made, thanks to Apple's developer program. According to F-Secure's report, the number of active mobile threat families and variants on Android has risen to 96 out of 100, from a much smaller 49 out of 74 known threats in the third quarter of 2012. It was then that Phil Schiller, Apple's head of worldwide marketing, decided to tweet (a very rare occasion) a link to the report; alongside "Be safe out there."...

To read more visit my blog or the Macworld website, where it has also been published.

Apple Sees Way of Using Multiple iPhones as Camera Flashes

Apple have filed a new patent, in which a primary iOS device controls many other secondary devices as assistant flashes; to light the scene. When taking photos in low light the outcome may not always be as desired, that's why we use flashes to light the scene up. But, one flash might not be enough or it might ruin a face shot, that is why Apple have come up with this new system...

You can read more on my blog or visit the Macworld website, where it has also been published.

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iOS 6.1 Released

When iOS 6 was first released it didn't get the expected 'thumbs up' from the public. Many improvements needed to be made, including an update to the maps application. However, iOS 6.1 is now available to download. After four beta versions, the final update has been released by Apple, to the relief of customers. But is it all that we wanted?

The update is available for the iPhone 3GS and later versions of the iPhone, iPad 2 and later versions of the iPad, iPod touch 4th generation and later versions of the iPod Touch. It takes about 5 minutes to install on the iPad mini and may take longer on older devices. Here are the improvements and bug fixes that Apple have made to the software:

• LTE support for more carriers (there is a complete list of supported carriers at www.apple.com/iphone/LTE/)
• You can now purchase movie tickets through Fandango with Siri (USA only)
• iTunes Match subscribers can now download individual songs from iCloud
• There is a new button to reset the Advertising Identifier

For information on the security content of this update, please visit this website: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1222

Although most iDevice users were hoping for a Maps update, there is no sign of one at the moment. It looks like we will maybe have to wait until iOS 7 for that to come. There aren't any 'visible' updates to the new software but there are a lot of bug fixes which improve the whole user experience. What will Apple do next?

iPhone 6 Rumours

Recent rumours suggest that Apple have been testing hardware which relates to a new 'iPhone 6,1' identifier, powered by a device running iOS 7. So we might see a new iPhone and software version coming out later this year. However people are still waiting for an update to the not quite successful Maps application. Apple received piles of complaints after its release stating that the maps are inaccurate, black and white in some places and that the 3D mode suddenly decided that roads shouldn't be straight. You can see an example of that at the Hoover Dam on the maps; a bridge is nowhere near the shape that it should be. The same can be said for the surrounding roads. The Eiffel Tower doesn't look too good either. It appears to be squashed to the ground in 3D mode and people agree that mistakes like these shouldn't even be happening with a company like Apple. A Map update is expected to be released shortly, in the meanwhile Google Maps is available to download from the App Store.

There haven't been many changes made to the current iPhone 5 as there aren't many differences between it and the iPhone 4s. However, the iPhone 5 has had a screen size update and it has been fitted with a very fast and powerful A6 chip, it comes with better cameras and a beautiful display. Some of the differences have been made by iOS 6, which is available for most iOS devices. The iPhone 5 has only just been released, but people are already thinking about the next generation. Here is a list of what people want to see in the new iPhone 6:
 - A quad core processor
 - A wider screen, people say that the current iPhone has a display that is too tall and it needs to be wider
 - Siri to be able to translate speech, to and from different languages
 - Expandable storage
 - Near Field Communication technology (NFC)
 - A lower price, not a higher one
 - Wireless charging

These are some of the more sensible and possible ideas. One of the not so possible ones is a projector fitted into the iPhone, I think we will have to wait a few more years for that one. A source has revealed that it is possible for the next generation of the iPhone to have a curved glass screen. Apple have apparently bought over 200 glass cutting machines, which are said to be specialised in cutting curved glass. Furthermore, it is said that Apple have been granted a patent which indicates that the iPhone 6 might be made of a single piece of metal, making the phone lighter and thinner. Recently, Sharp has developed a new generation of displays, called p-Si LCD. It stands for PolySilicon Liquid Crystal Display, which is said to have numerous advancements and new features that will make the display brighter and sharper than it already is. The Retina display has beautiful colours and an astonishingly good resolution, I can't imagine how good Sharp's new display is going to be.

iOS 6 still needs a lot of improvements, mostly with Maps. To many people it seems that the release was rushed and it wasn't 'polished down' enough. It is suggested that Apple may release iOS 7 later on this year with the iPhone 6, but only if the rumours are true. A majority of users are wanting live widgets on the home screen to be introduced to the software, as they will make it more interesting and fun to navigate through the device. However, others are saying that the current look is very original and if it is changed it will ruin the simplicity and ease of use.

Apple better have something big and exciting up their sleeve, otherwise the public will lose interest in the company and their devices. It looks like without Steve Jobs Apple isn't the same anymore. The firm are making the wrong decisions too quickly and definitely need to slow down and think about what their next step is going to be. Luckily for them, this hasn't had a big impact on the company or their sales. The technology world is growing and developing faster than ever. What seemed to be the impossible a few years ago has been made into reality today. Who knows what gadgets we will end up with in a hundred years. People all over the world are already buzzing about the hopeful release of the iPhone 6, what will Apple come up with?

Apple May Refuse Google Maps On iOS

Since Apple released iOS 6, piles of complaints have been made about the firm's own maps app. We are still waiting for an improvement. A new report cliams that Apple may refuse Google's upcoming Maps app for iOS, simply because the tech giant produced it's own.  As well as maps, Apple erased YouTube from the software, but allowed it to be downloaded from the App Store. Many people think that because Apple haven't made their own competitor for Google's YouTube, they agreed for it to be available to download.

If Apple don't allow Google Maps to be available on the App Store, they have to bring their maps app to the 21st century; otherwise people won't be too happy. With black and white images, shaky roads, not enough details and poor navigation; Apple need to step it up a gear and bring everything under control or they will come hurtling down to Earth.

iOS 6.0.1 Update

Yesterday, Apple released a new update for iOS 6. They haven't done anything noticeable with the software; but improvements and bug fixes have been made. The update is only available for the iPhone 4S, iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS,  iPad 3, iPad 2 and the iPod Touch 4th generation. However, the iPhone 5 is not able to download software updates right now; iOS 6.0.1 will allow it to update. iPhone 5 users need to download an app from the app store to update to this new version. This problem might occur in the iPod Touch 5th generation too. Here is the full list of barely noticeable improvements:

 • Fixes a bug that prevents iPhone 5 from installing software updates wirelessly over the air
• Fixes a bug where horizontal lines may be displayed across the keyboard
• Fixes an issue that could cause camera flash to not go off
• Improves reliability of iPhone 5 and iPod touch (5th generation) when connected to encrypted WPA2                
    Wi-Fi networks
• Resolves an issue that prevents iPhone from using the cellular network in some instances
• Consolidated the Use Cellular Data switch for iTunes Match
• Fixes a Passcode Lock bug which sometimes allowed access to Passbook pass details from lock
    screen
• Fixes a bug affecting Exchange meetings

As well as this, the App Store doesn't crash when trying to update, search apps or look in the Genius section; but it still does when you want to look at the apps you have already purchased. It seems that Apple are still working on the Maps app, which has been designed with appalling accuracy and detailing. There will hopefully be another update early next year, maybe in February or March.

Two Senior Executives To Leave Apple

After a disappointing quarterly profit and piles of complaints about the new maps app; John Browett and Scott Forstall, have decided to leave Apple.John Browett was the head of retail and started working at the firm just six months ago. Scott Forstall will leave next year after working as the head of the iOS software, and has been with Apple since 1997. It is said that later on he will work as an adviser for Tim Cook; Apple's CEO.

No one knows if there will be more drastic changes at Apple, things haven't been going too well lately as their market value dropped down to 604. There have been a lot of iPads sold this week, but it wasn't enough to make Apple happy. Maybe the prices are too high, and people haven't got enough money to buy Apple products? As far as I'm aware Apple are beating the competition and leaving them years behind, so they haven't got much to worry about.

Apple Tracking Their Customers?

Recently, some news have emerged that Apple seems to be tracking their customers; without the infringement of privacy. The new mobile operating system, iOS6, has an unknown feature that allows different advertisers to track potential customers. There is a randomly generated number, made by the Identification For Advertisers (IFA); which is assigned to every Apple device. The IFA allows advertisers to access peoples app history and search history on their device, without revealing any personal information.

Apple have had numerous complaints about this in the previous operating system; which is why they have decided to turn the IFA off. Unfortunately, for those who wish to do that, they have to overcome many obstacles that take time. However, mobile app providers are taking advantage of this, as it will help them find their target audience. On the other hand, Apple's customers aren't too happy about this, but as long as none of their personal information is revealed; Apple will get away with it.

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