Today, ten years later, Apple is introducing the iPhone X. And, by the way, it’s pronounced “Ten.”
Apple’s iPhone X, like the new iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus, comes with a brand new design, ditching bezels and opting for a glass front and back.
Thanks to this new design, the iPhone X is sealed for water and dust resistance.
It’s made from surgical-grade, stainless steel
OLED display for the very first time, calling it the Super Retina Display. This brings with it all the standard benefits of OLED, including more accurate colors, better image uniformity across the screen, etc.
The iPhone X Super Retina display supports 2046×1125 resolution, with 455 PPI, and HDR in both Dolby Vision and HDR.
The company is reportedly paying around $125 per panel
The new iPhone 8 camera packs a new chip called the A11 bionic, which is loaded with an upgraded amount of power with a 6-core chip — but that’s probably not the most important part of the company’s announcement.
Apple is including a custom-designed GPU in the iPhone 8. GPUs excel at machine learning
Apple demonstrated a new type of emoji today at its press event unveiling the new iPhone 8 and iPhone X.
The iPhone X includes a new facial camera system that allows for practical applications like unlocking your phone (and payments) with your face. It’s also used for something that looks fun and maybe a little creepy — it can track your facial expressions and use them to animate your favorite emojis.
Apple has a new feature for its iPhone 8 camera called ‘Portrait Lighting’ that works in addition to its existing Portrait Mode. The feature uses machine learning to analyze the images taken with the camera in real-time, letting you change the lighting effects either in preview, or after you’ve taken the photo using the Photos app.
Portrait Mode last year allowed for users to create a sense of depth of field with a simulated bokeh effect
It remains to be seen whether Apple’s FaceID will be as convenient as TouchID (it already failed on stage), but at the very least we can’t accuse Apple of not dedicating enough hardware to the task. The front of the new iPhone X has a full-on depth-sensing system much like that of the original Kinect.
Goodbye fingers, hello faces. With the introduction of FaceID, and the removal of the TouchID button, Apple today confirmed speculation about its next generation of on-device authentication when it comes to paying for things: you will now be able to buy goods using your new iPhone X, authenticating your identity with facial recognition.
We’ve noted before that Apple tends to follow a pretty consistent trend: the company has a big iPhone event, and the stock price doesn’t really do all that much because everyone knows what to expect.
Steve Jobs said “Simple can be harder than complex”, so it looks like Apple is taking the easy route. Customers will now have to choose between 8 different iPhones with today’s addition of the iPhone 8, 8 Plus, and X.
Apple today announced the digital equivalent of a singing telegram, a perversion of the emoji concept that embodies the worst of both the company’s exclusionary philosophy and the worst of CG animals and excreta. Animoji are dumb and I loathe them.
There were new iPhones, a new Apple Watch and even a new Apple TV. Surprisingly, Apple announced not one, not two but three different iPhone models — including a mysterious iPhone X.
iOS 11 is coming to change your iPhone and iPad, and its official release date is next week, September 19, according to Apple at its conference today.
We just saw the iPhone 8 and iPhone X at this launch event, but really, every recent iPhone and iPad is getting a big software update.
iOS 11 is transforming your iPhone and iPad, and Apple’s update is either out right now or coming as soon as next week, depending on who you are.
It’s an especially big upgrade for the iPad, which can be considered a laptop replacement (for some people) thanks to revamped iOS multitasking. Both the iPad and iPhone get a much-needed Control Center reorganization, too.
The new iPad Pro 10.5 and iPad Pro 12.9 are becoming laptop replacements for many people, and iOS 11 makes that a reality thanks to improved multitasking.
iOS 11 includes a dock just like a Mac computer, and it follows you from app-to-app along the bottom. It’s hidden, but you can always swipe up to access it.
Drag and Drop also debuts on iOS 11, and instantly launches apps into split-screen mode when you drag them to the side of the screen.
iOS 11 gives Apple the largest AR platform in the world – overnight, thanks to so many iPhones and iPads out there.
That’s why the developer-focused Apple ARKit is a big deal for everyone, not just app makers.
Apple Files not only has recent files from your iPad, but on other iOS devices, in iCloud Drive and from other services, including Box, Google Drive and Dropbox
Soon, with iOS 11, you’ll be able to back up all of your iMessages to iCloud as they get archived to Apple’s secure internet servers.
It’s not confirmed, but it’s been hinted that iOS 11 could support lossless audio, all thanks to the new Files app.
Siri is smarter and sounds different
Lock screen and notification center are now one
The iOS 11 camera app debuts new modes that further chip away at the need to always bring a high-end DSLR with you. It’s that advanced.
You shouldn’t be driving and texting anyway, but Apple is literally driving that point home with a new Do Not Disturb While Driving feature in iOS 11.
Apple Maps goes indoors, adds lane assist
Apple is expanding its already leading presence in Smart Home control with new iOS 11 multi-speaker controls and further tweaking the Apple Music design.
The official iOS 11 release date is still months away, but developers are sure to discover new features in between now and then.
Romain Dillet / TechCrunch:
iPhone 8 and 8 Plus: 6-core A11 “Bionic” SOC with Apple-designed GPU, glass back, Retina HD True Tone display, 12MP cameras, Qi wireless charging — Apple just unveiled the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus at its press event. It looks a lot like the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus, but with a glass back.
Chaim Gartenberg / The Verge:
How the specs of the iPhone 8, 8 Plus, and X compare to iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus, Samsung Galaxy devices, Essential Phone, LG V30, Pixel, Pixel XL, and HTC U11 — The iPhone X is here, and it might be the most dramatic update to Apple’s flagship smartphone in years.
Chaim Gartenberg / The Verge:
New iPhones support 4K video at 60FPS and 240FPS 1080p slow-motion, larger sensors, “Portrait Lighting” and f/1.8 and f/2.8 apertures on 8 Plus, more
Darrell Etherington / TechCrunch:
Apple unveils AirPower wireless charging pad for iPhone 8/8+/X, Apple Watch, and AirPods with new charging case, coming in 2018
Apple has a new wireless charging pad called the AirPower, which is essentially a mat with room for your new iPhone 8 or iPhone X, as well as your Apple Watch, and even AirPods with a new optional wireless charging case accessory. It’ll charge all of them without any cables required, but you’ll have to wait until 2018 to get one – Apple said it’s coming early next year.
The AirPower mat uses a new kind of charging standard that supports multi-device charging, which might explain why it’s not shipping right away: It probably requires more work to bring it to full scale production, which is actually something that was reported as a rumor earlier today prior to this event.
Mitchel Broussard / MacRumors:
Apple says it’s partnered with Mophie, Belkin, Incipio, and more on wireless charging accessories for iPhone 8, 8 Plus, and X
Apple today revealed the iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, and iPhone X, all of which will support Qi wireless charging. Although Apple’s own wireless charging accessory won’t be coming out for a while, customers will be able to purchase charging pads from other accessory makers: Mophie, Belkin, Incipio, and more.
The iPhone’s charging is based on the Qi standard, so users will be able to charge their iPhones anywhere they can find a Qi charging pad.
Chris Nolter / TheStreet:
Apple Watch Series 3 LTE plans: $10 per month on AT&T, $10 per month on Verizon with three months free, no prices yet for Sprint and T-Mobile — Apple (AAPL) Chief Operating Officer Jeff Williams gave A&T (T) a plug during the tech company’s special event on Tuesday …
Darrell Etherington / TechCrunch:
Apple debuts Apple Watch Series 3 with LTE built-in for $399+, same size casing as Series 2, new colors, W2 networking chip; preorder Sept. 15, ships Sept. 22
Valentina Palladino / Ars Technica:
Apple says that watchOS 4 will be available to Apple Watch users on September 19 with new health features, watch faces, more
Chris Welch / The Verge:
Apple announces Apple TV 4K, with 4K HDR video, powered by A10X Fusion chip; preorders open Sept. 15 starting at $179, ships Sept. 22 — Apple’s streaming box is now a better match for the latest and greatest TVs — Apple has just unveiled a long anticipated upgrade to its Apple TV set-top box …
Apple has just unveiled a long anticipated upgrade to its Apple TV set-top box, which is now capable of playing movies and TV shows at 4K Ultra HD resolution. Tim Cook said TV is at an “inflection point” with the mainstream adoption of 4K. The new Apple TV hardware puts the company on equal footing with Roku, Amazon, and Chrome, all of which already offer devices capable of 4K streaming. The latest Apple TV will be available on September 22nd for $179 with 32GB of internal storage or $199 with 64GB. Preorders start September 15th.
In addition to 4K, Apple is embracing HDR with this latest Apple TV with support for both Dolby Vision and HDR10. These high dynamic range technologies allow for brighter highlights and an expanded range of colors on television sets that also have HDR. The difference can be striking — sometimes even more so than the jump in resolution to 4K.
While nearly all consumer electronics goods decline in price over time and most of the smartphone industry is scraping by on razor-thin margins, Apple and rival Samsung are upping the ante with flagship handsets that cost $1,000 and up.
Apple’s introduction of a smartphone with a $1,000 had been widely predicted. Even so, it’s still a bit of a bombshell.
While prices for nearly all consumer electronics goods are in constant decline and while the vast majority of smartphone vendors scrap by on razor thin margins, Apple and rival Samsung — which together account for nearly all smartphone profits — are upping the ante.
Why? Because they can.
“Apple, more than any other tech company, has been able to create a premium brand for its products, and according to the laws of supply and demand, there is a certain demand at every price point,” said Jim McGregor, principal analyst at Tirias Research.
The iPhone X is not ticketed for the mainstream. Despite the near universal appeal of the iPhone, $1,000 is a bridge too far for the vast majority of smartphone buyers — even existing iPhone users.
“If you are buying iPhone X, you are already part of the iPhone ecosystem. And if you want to stay in the ecosystem, this is the best you can get,”
Apple is getting rid of touch-based fingerprint ID in iPhone X altogether and staking its future on Face ID.
Putting the new UI in place, Apple is “renewing the [whole] user experience of the smartphone,” observed Pierre Cambou, activity leader for imaging and sensor at market research firm Yole Développement.
With Face ID, the user simply makes “eye contact” with the new iPhone and it unlocks. The iPhone X can also help turn emojis into animated emojis, or Animoji. Sensors can capture and analyze more than 50 different facial muscle movements, enabling the user to changing the expression of emoji characters such as a panda, chicken or unicorn. The iPhone X provides a range of on-screen masks, turning the user virtually into someone — or something — else.
In short, the many sensors deployed in the iPhone X are there primarily for facial ID, but they also enable other apps, including Animoji and Augmented Reality. Cambou believes this versatility is the genius of Apple. “They know their audience well,” he said.
A host of sensors in iPhone X
an infrared camera, flood illuminator, proximity sensor, ambient light sensor, front camera, dot projector, speaker and microphone.
Because all these building blocks maintain certain interdependency, an active alignment process must take place among all the modules before final assembly, to ensure accurate operation. Cambou said, “Well done indeed, if they were able to do such complex assembly.”
The Yole analyst suspects that STMicroelectronics is supplying the infrared camera and the proximity sensor. Apple might have sourced the front camera and the dot projector from AMS, he added.
While admitting that Apple isn’t — after all — using in iPhone X “ST’s SPAD imager as I dreamed,” Cambou conceded, “Apple combined admirably all the available technologies.”
3D sensing in iPhone X starts at the ToF (time of flight) sensor. Describing ToF as “more or less a presence detector,”
Asked about the role of a dot projector, Cambou explained, “One needs to project infrared dots in the scene for a structured camera… so that the infrared camera from ST can pick up the image of the projected dot.”
Accuracy and security
The consensus among analysts is that, in contrast to Samsung, which used a single camera and iris scanning for its face ID in Galaxy S8, Apple is using a far more sophisticated and advanced 3D sensing technology by bringing in a set of different sensors.
Although some Galaxy S8 users demonstrated that low-quality pictures could easily unlock Samsung’s phone, Apple’s advanced facial recognition technology reportedly knows how to tell the difference between a real face and photograph.
To demonstrate Apple’s serious investment in Face ID, Apple senior vice president Phil Schiller said, “Face ID learns your face” and can adapt to recognize changes in the user’s appearance.
Apple also emphasized that a user’s biometric data — fingerprint or face — does not leave his or her device. It’s stored in an encrypted form in the phone’s “Secure Enclave,” where it can’t be accessed by an operating system or any of the apps running on the phone.
Those two new features in iOS 11 are a native QR code reader built directly into the Camera app, and an expansion of the onboard NFC chip support to allow it to read NFC tags in the real world (previously, NFC was strictly limited to Apple Pay use).
The iPhone 7 and above are required to use the NFC reading functionality
QR codes have been used to this end for a decade or more in many Asian markets, and remain tremendously popular. NFC has long been present in Android phones, and can enable a range of experiences including things like verifying that physical goods on sale are the real deal and not counterfeit, or even transmitting transit directions to a landmark when you wave your phone over a public information kiosk.
Juli Clover / MacRumors:
Apple’s iPhone 8 and X can charge to 50% in 30 minutes when plugged into USB-C power adapter — Though not mentioned on stage at today’s event, both the iPhone X and the iPhone 8 are “fast-charge capable,” which means the two devices can be charged to 50 percent battery life in 30 minutes.
Though not mentioned on stage at today’s event, both the iPhone X and the iPhone 8 are “fast-charge capable,” which means the two devices can be charged to 50 percent battery life in 30 minutes.
Unfortunately, that fast-charging feature is not available using accessories that are sold alongside the two devices. To charge at that level, the iPhone X and the iPhone 8 need to be plugged into Apple’s 29W, 61W, or 87W USB-C Power Adapters, which are sold alongside its USB-C MacBook and MacBook Pro models.
The least expensive USB-C Power Adapter is the 29W version for the MacBook, priced at $49. The 61W USB-C Power Adapter for the 13-inch MacBook Pro is $69, and the 87W USB-C Power Adapter for the 15-inch MacBook Pro is $79.
Nilay Patel / The Verge:
iPhone X hands-on: Face ID feels natural and faster than other smartphones’ face unlock methods, gestures work well, 1125×2436 Super Retina display is brilliant
The facial recognition system built into the iPhone X raises plenty of questions. Can I fool it with a photo? (No.) Will it work if I’m sleeping and someone puts my iPhone up to my face? (It shouldn’t, unless you sleep with your eyes open.)
Who better than Apple’s Craig Federighi to answer all these burning questions? No one — no one except for a fake Craig Federighi, perhaps.
Apple launched three new iPhones packed with upgrades to processing power, display technology and new capabilities such as wireless charging, including a new flagship 10th anniversary iPhone that carries a sticker price starting at $999.
The new flagship iPhone, iPhone X (pronounced 10) as well as the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus are powered by Apple’s new custom A11 Bionic chip, which boasts significant gains in performance and efficiency over its predecessor A10 Fusion and integrates a neural engine supporting artificial intelligence (AI) as well Apple’s first internally designed GPU.
Apple has explained why its new facial recognition feature failed to unlock a handset at an on-stage demo at the iPhone X’s launch on Tuesday.
The company blamed the Face ID glitch on a lockout mechanism triggered by staff members moving the device ahead of its unveil. Yahoo News was first to report the details.
Apple’s software chief dealt with the hiccup by moving on to a back-up device, which worked as intended.
But the hitch was widely reported.
“People were handling the device for [the] stage demo ahead of time and didn’t realise Face ID was trying to authenticate their face,” an unnamed company representative is quoted as saying by Yahoo’s David Pogue.
On the 10th anniversary of the iPhone’s release, Apple has decided to skip over nine and jump straight to 10 with the release of the iPhone X (pronounced “iPhone 10”). And while fans will be delighted with the larger “Super Retina” display, wireless charging, and improved cameras, the real innovation is going on under the hood, with a new chip, the A11 Bionic, that is optimized for next-gen technologies like advanced machine learning and augmented reality (AR).
The A11 Bionic replaces the A10 processor from previous iPhone models and will be the core of the new iPhone 8 and 8 Plus models as well as the X. But its in the X where the chip really shows its capabilities
Manufactured using a 10 nm FinFET process, the system-on-a-chip has 4.3 billion transistors and an integrated 64-bit, six-core CPU (two performance cores and four efficiency cores) as well as a three-core GPU. Apple says the A11 can deliver up to 70 percent greater performance and has an up to 30 percent faster graphics performance than previous iPhone chips.
Matthew Panzarino / TechCrunch:
Interview about Face ID with Apple’s SVP of software engineering Craig Federighi, who says no data from Face ID is sent to the cloud — Face ID is easily the most hot-button topic to come out of Apple’s iPhone event this week, notch be damned. As people have parsed just how serious Apple is about it …
Face ID is easily the most hot-button topic to come out of Apple’s iPhone event this week, notch be damned. As people have parsed just how serious Apple is about it, questions have rightly begun to be raised about its effectiveness, security and creation.
To get some answers, I hopped on the phone with Apple’s SVP of Software Engineering, Craig Federighi. We went through a bunch of the common concerns in rapid-fire fashion, and I’ve also been asking around and listening to Apple folks who have been using the feature over long periods. Hopefully we can clear up some of the FUD about it.
Apple software chief Craig Federighi has revealed that Face ID unlock on the new iPhone X will come with a hidden security feature, allowing users to press buttons on both sides of the phone to temporarily disable the facial recognition capabilities.
Sometimes it’s hard to tell exactly how fast technology is moving. “We put a man on the moon using the computing power of a handheld calculator,” as Richard Hendricks reminds us in Silicon Valley. In 2017, I use my pocket supercomputer of a phone to tweet with brands.
But Apple’s iPhone X provides a nice little illustration of how sensor and processing technology has evolved in the past decade. In June 2009, Microsoft unveiled
Microsoft’s original Kinect hardware was powered by a little-known Israeli company called PrimeSense. PrimeSense pioneered the technology of projecting a grid of infrared dots onto a scene, then detecting them with an IR camera and acsertaining depth information through a special processing chip.
In its day, the Kinect was the fastest selling consumer electronics device of all time, while it was also widely regarded as a flop for gaming.
In 2013, Apple bought PrimeSense. Depth cameras continued to evolve: Kinect 2.0 for the Xbox One replaced PrimeSense technology with Microsoft’s own tech and had much higher accuracy and resolution. It could recognize faces and even detect a player’s heart rate. Meanwhile, Intel also built its own depth sensor, Intel RealSense, and in 2015 worked with Microsoft to power Windows Hello. In 2016, Lenovo launched the Phab 2 Pro, the first phone to carry Google’s Tango technology for augmented reality and machine vision, which is also based on infrared depth detection.
And now, in late 2017, Apple is going to sell a phone with a front-facing depth camera. Unlike the original Kinect, which was built to track motion in a whole living room, the sensor is primarily designed for scanning faces and powers Apple’s Face ID feature.
Daniel Eran Dilger / AppleInsider:
Geekbench benchmarks: Apple’s A11 Bionic is 25% faster in single core and 80% faster in multicore than A10 Fusion, beats i5 MacBook Pro and all other phones
By Daniel Eran Dilger
Monday, September 18, 2017, 02:10 am PT (05:10 am ET)
Official benchmarks posted by Geekbench show that Apple’s A11 Bionic delivers a huge jump in performance over last year’s A10 Fusion used in iPhone 7, with scores that are not just far beyond other mobile ARM competitors’ latest chips, but higher than the base Intel Kaby Lake Core i5 processor Apple uses in its 13 inch MacBook Pro.
By Daniel Eran Dilger
Tuesday, September 12, 2017, 05:34 pm PT (08:34 pm ET)
Apple released its first major iPhone redesign in three years on Tuesday with iPhone X, a technologically advanced smartphone that boasts an all-new OLED Super Retina Display, TrueDepth camera system, Face ID, A11 Bionic Chip with onboard neural engine and more. AppleInsider went hands-on with Apple’s newest flagship and came away impressed by the handset’s fit and finish.
Nilay Patel / The Verge:
iPhone 8 and 8 Plus review: wireless charging is good but slow, Portrait Lighting is fun, but design is getting dated and it’s not worth upgrading from iPhone 7 — It’s an iPhone — I was at a party the other night with several people who knew I’d just been to Apple’s annual iPhone launch event.
Chris Velazco / Engadget:
iPhone 8 and 8 Plus review: wireless charging works well, great cameras and performance in a familiar design, good for those not ready to forgo home button — It’s no secret that smartphones have tended to get sleeker and less obtrusive over time. Screens are growing, but bezels are shrinking.
Andrew Cunningham / Ars Technica:
iOS 11 review: a major stepping-stone towards a full-fledged productivity OS, benefits iPad the most, has a more versatile and useful Control Center — Wide-ranging update is full of changes, but iPad benefits the most. — The iPad is having a great year.
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79 Comments
Tomi Engdahl says:
The cellular-enabled Apple Watch has the SIM built in
https://techcrunch.com/2017/09/12/the-cellular-enabled-apple-watch-has-the-sim-built-in/?ncid=rss&utm_source=tcfbpage&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Techcrunch+%28TechCrunch%29&utm_content=FaceBook&sr_share=facebook
Tomi Engdahl says:
This is the iPhone X
https://techcrunch.com/2017/09/12/iphone-x/?ncid=rss&utm_source=tcfbpage&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Techcrunch+%28TechCrunch%29&utm_content=FaceBook&sr_share=facebook
Today, ten years later, Apple is introducing the iPhone X. And, by the way, it’s pronounced “Ten.”
Apple’s iPhone X, like the new iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus, comes with a brand new design, ditching bezels and opting for a glass front and back.
Thanks to this new design, the iPhone X is sealed for water and dust resistance.
It’s made from surgical-grade, stainless steel
OLED display for the very first time, calling it the Super Retina Display. This brings with it all the standard benefits of OLED, including more accurate colors, better image uniformity across the screen, etc.
The iPhone X Super Retina display supports 2046×1125 resolution, with 455 PPI, and HDR in both Dolby Vision and HDR.
The company is reportedly paying around $125 per panel
Tomi Engdahl says:
The new iPhone 8 has a custom GPU designed by Apple with its new A11 Bionic chip
https://techcrunch.com/2017/09/12/the-new-iphone-8-has-a-custom-gpu-designed-by-apple-with-its-new-a11-bionic-chip/?ncid=rss&utm_source=tcfbpage&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Techcrunch+%28TechCrunch%29&utm_content=FaceBook&sr_share=facebook
The new iPhone 8 camera packs a new chip called the A11 bionic, which is loaded with an upgraded amount of power with a 6-core chip — but that’s probably not the most important part of the company’s announcement.
Apple is including a custom-designed GPU in the iPhone 8. GPUs excel at machine learning
Tomi Engdahl says:
The iPhone X will include animoji, emojis animated based on your facial expressions
https://techcrunch.com/2017/09/12/iphone-x-animoji/?ncid=rss&utm_source=tcfbpage&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Techcrunch+%28TechCrunch%29&utm_content=FaceBook&sr_share=facebook
Apple demonstrated a new type of emoji today at its press event unveiling the new iPhone 8 and iPhone X.
The iPhone X includes a new facial camera system that allows for practical applications like unlocking your phone (and payments) with your face. It’s also used for something that looks fun and maybe a little creepy — it can track your facial expressions and use them to animate your favorite emojis.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Apple’s iPhone 8 Portrait Lighting lets mobile photographers mimic studio effects
https://techcrunch.com/2017/09/12/apples-iphone-8-portrait-lighting-lets-mobile-photographers-mimic-studio-effects/?ncid=rss&utm_source=tcfbpage&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Techcrunch+%28TechCrunch%29&utm_content=FaceBook&sr_share=facebook
Apple has a new feature for its iPhone 8 camera called ‘Portrait Lighting’ that works in addition to its existing Portrait Mode. The feature uses machine learning to analyze the images taken with the camera in real-time, letting you change the lighting effects either in preview, or after you’ve taken the photo using the Photos app.
Portrait Mode last year allowed for users to create a sense of depth of field with a simulated bokeh effect
Tomi Engdahl says:
Face ID is replacing Touch ID on the new iPhone X
https://techcrunch.com/2017/09/12/face-id-is-replacing-touch-id-on-the-new-iphone-x/?ncid=rss&utm_source=tcfbpage&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Techcrunch+%28TechCrunch%29&utm_content=FaceBook&sr_share=facebook
Tomi Engdahl says:
iPhone X basically has a Kinect on the front to enable FaceID
https://techcrunch.com/2017/09/12/iphone-x-basically-has-a-kinect-on-the-front-to-enable-faceid/?ncid=rss&utm_source=tcfbpage&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Techcrunch+%28TechCrunch%29&utm_content=FaceBook&sr_share=facebook
It remains to be seen whether Apple’s FaceID will be as convenient as TouchID (it already failed on stage), but at the very least we can’t accuse Apple of not dedicating enough hardware to the task. The front of the new iPhone X has a full-on depth-sensing system much like that of the original Kinect.
Tomi Engdahl says:
FaceID will work with Apple Pay, third-party apps
https://techcrunch.com/2017/09/12/faceid-will-work-with-apple-pay-third-party-apps/?ncid=rss&utm_source=tcfbpage&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Techcrunch+%28TechCrunch%29&sr_share=facebook
Goodbye fingers, hello faces. With the introduction of FaceID, and the removal of the TouchID button, Apple today confirmed speculation about its next generation of on-device authentication when it comes to paying for things: you will now be able to buy goods using your new iPhone X, authenticating your identity with facial recognition.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Apple slides through its iPhone X event sijoitu any major surprises for Wall Street
https://techcrunch.com/2017/09/12/apple-slides-through-its-iphone-x-event-without-any-major-surprises-for-wall-street/?ncid=rss&utm_source=tcfbpage&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Techcrunch+%28TechCrunch%29&utm_content=FaceBook&sr_share=facebook
We’ve noted before that Apple tends to follow a pretty consistent trend: the company has a big iPhone event, and the stock price doesn’t really do all that much because everyone knows what to expect.
Tomi Engdahl says:
The iPhone lineup just got really compleX
https://techcrunch.com/2017/09/12/compare-iphones/
Steve Jobs said “Simple can be harder than complex”, so it looks like Apple is taking the easy route. Customers will now have to choose between 8 different iPhones with today’s addition of the iPhone 8, 8 Plus, and X.
Tomi Engdahl says:
The iPhone X is Apple’s best phone ever
https://techcrunch.com/2017/09/12/apples-iphone-x-might-be-the-best-phone-money-can-buy/?ncid=rss&utm_source=tcfbpage&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Techcrunch+%28TechCrunch%29&utm_content=FaceBook&sr_share=facebook
Tomi Engdahl says:
Animoji are dumb and I detest them
https://techcrunch.com/2017/09/12/animoji-are-dumb-and-i-detest-them/?ncid=rss&utm_source=tcfbpage&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Techcrunch+%28TechCrunch%29&utm_content=FaceBook&sr_share=facebook
Apple today announced the digital equivalent of a singing telegram, a perversion of the emoji concept that embodies the worst of both the company’s exclusionary philosophy and the worst of CG animals and excreta. Animoji are dumb and I loathe them.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Everything Apple announced at its iPhone X keynote
https://techcrunch.com/gallery/everything-apple-announced-at-its-iphone-x-keynote/
There were new iPhones, a new Apple Watch and even a new Apple TV. Surprisingly, Apple announced not one, not two but three different iPhone models — including a mysterious iPhone X.
Tomi Engdahl says:
iOS 11 release date, news and features
By Matt Swider 11 hours ago Operating systems
Apple’s iOS 11 update will change your iPhone and iPad next week
http://www.techradar.com/news/ios-11-release-date-news-and-features
iOS 11 is coming to change your iPhone and iPad, and its official release date is next week, September 19, according to Apple at its conference today.
We just saw the iPhone 8 and iPhone X at this launch event, but really, every recent iPhone and iPad is getting a big software update.
iOS 11 is transforming your iPhone and iPad, and Apple’s update is either out right now or coming as soon as next week, depending on who you are.
It’s an especially big upgrade for the iPad, which can be considered a laptop replacement (for some people) thanks to revamped iOS multitasking. Both the iPad and iPhone get a much-needed Control Center reorganization, too.
The new iPad Pro 10.5 and iPad Pro 12.9 are becoming laptop replacements for many people, and iOS 11 makes that a reality thanks to improved multitasking.
iOS 11 includes a dock just like a Mac computer, and it follows you from app-to-app along the bottom. It’s hidden, but you can always swipe up to access it.
Drag and Drop also debuts on iOS 11, and instantly launches apps into split-screen mode when you drag them to the side of the screen.
iOS 11 gives Apple the largest AR platform in the world – overnight, thanks to so many iPhones and iPads out there.
That’s why the developer-focused Apple ARKit is a big deal for everyone, not just app makers.
Apple Files not only has recent files from your iPad, but on other iOS devices, in iCloud Drive and from other services, including Box, Google Drive and Dropbox
Soon, with iOS 11, you’ll be able to back up all of your iMessages to iCloud as they get archived to Apple’s secure internet servers.
It’s not confirmed, but it’s been hinted that iOS 11 could support lossless audio, all thanks to the new Files app.
Siri is smarter and sounds different
Lock screen and notification center are now one
The iOS 11 camera app debuts new modes that further chip away at the need to always bring a high-end DSLR with you. It’s that advanced.
You shouldn’t be driving and texting anyway, but Apple is literally driving that point home with a new Do Not Disturb While Driving feature in iOS 11.
Apple Maps goes indoors, adds lane assist
Apple is expanding its already leading presence in Smart Home control with new iOS 11 multi-speaker controls and further tweaking the Apple Music design.
The official iOS 11 release date is still months away, but developers are sure to discover new features in between now and then.
Tomi Engdahl says:
The Morning After: Wednesday, September 13th 2017
Can you really put a price on animated poop emoji?
https://www.engadget.com/2017/09/13/the-morning-after-wednesday-september-13th-2017/
Tomi Engdahl says:
http://mobiili.fi/2017/09/12/ios-11-julkaisu/
Tomi Engdahl says:
http://www.etn.fi/index.php/13-news/6823-iphone-x-ssae-on-jollaa-ja-vanhaa-nokiaa
Tomi Engdahl says:
Tom Warren / The Verge:
Apple announces Animoji, animated versions of Emoji, which uses iPhone X’s face tracking hardware to create custom 3D emoji based on your facial expressions
https://www.theverge.com/2017/9/12/16290210/new-iphone-emoji-animated-animoji-apple-ios-11-update
Tomi Engdahl says:
Romain Dillet / TechCrunch:
iPhone 8 and 8 Plus: 6-core A11 “Bionic” SOC with Apple-designed GPU, glass back, Retina HD True Tone display, 12MP cameras, Qi wireless charging — Apple just unveiled the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus at its press event. It looks a lot like the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus, but with a glass back.
Apple announces the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus
https://techcrunch.com/2017/09/12/apple-announces-the-iphone-8-and-iphone-8-plus/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Chaim Gartenberg / The Verge:
How the specs of the iPhone 8, 8 Plus, and X compare to iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus, Samsung Galaxy devices, Essential Phone, LG V30, Pixel, Pixel XL, and HTC U11 — The iPhone X is here, and it might be the most dramatic update to Apple’s flagship smartphone in years.
How the iPhone X compares to the best Android phones
https://www.theverge.com/circuitbreaker/2017/9/12/16288462/apple-iphone-x-vs-samsung-galaxy-8-android-spec-comparison
Tomi Engdahl says:
Chaim Gartenberg / The Verge:
New iPhones support 4K video at 60FPS and 240FPS 1080p slow-motion, larger sensors, “Portrait Lighting” and f/1.8 and f/2.8 apertures on 8 Plus, more
iPhone 8 and 8 Plus announced with wireless charging, True Tone display, A11 Bionic processor
An iPhone 7S in all but name
https://www.theverge.com/circuitbreaker/2017/9/12/16277764/apple-iphone-8-announced-features-price-release-date
Tomi Engdahl says:
Darrell Etherington / TechCrunch:
Apple unveils AirPower wireless charging pad for iPhone 8/8+/X, Apple Watch, and AirPods with new charging case, coming in 2018
Apple reveals AirPower wireless charging pad coming in 2018
https://techcrunch.com/2017/09/12/apple-reveals-airpower-wireless-charging-pad-coming-in-2018/
Apple has a new wireless charging pad called the AirPower, which is essentially a mat with room for your new iPhone 8 or iPhone X, as well as your Apple Watch, and even AirPods with a new optional wireless charging case accessory. It’ll charge all of them without any cables required, but you’ll have to wait until 2018 to get one – Apple said it’s coming early next year.
The AirPower mat uses a new kind of charging standard that supports multi-device charging, which might explain why it’s not shipping right away: It probably requires more work to bring it to full scale production, which is actually something that was reported as a rumor earlier today prior to this event.
Mitchel Broussard / MacRumors:
Apple says it’s partnered with Mophie, Belkin, Incipio, and more on wireless charging accessories for iPhone 8, 8 Plus, and X
Apple Confirms iPhone Wireless Charging Accessories Coming from Mophie, Belkin, and More
https://www.macrumors.com/2017/09/12/apple-confirms-iphone-wireless-charging-accessories-coming-from-mophie-belkin-and-more/
Apple today revealed the iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, and iPhone X, all of which will support Qi wireless charging. Although Apple’s own wireless charging accessory won’t be coming out for a while, customers will be able to purchase charging pads from other accessory makers: Mophie, Belkin, Incipio, and more.
The iPhone’s charging is based on the Qi standard, so users will be able to charge their iPhones anywhere they can find a Qi charging pad.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Chris Nolter / TheStreet:
Apple Watch Series 3 LTE plans: $10 per month on AT&T, $10 per month on Verizon with three months free, no prices yet for Sprint and T-Mobile — Apple (AAPL) Chief Operating Officer Jeff Williams gave A&T (T) a plug during the tech company’s special event on Tuesday …
Wireless Carriers Eager to Connect Apple Watch Series 3 to Their Networks
AT&T got a shout-out during Apple’s presentation on Tuesday, but Sprint, T-Mobile and Verizon will also carry the first networked Apple Watch.
https://www.thestreet.com/story/14302553/1/wireless-carriers-eager-for-apple-watch.html
Darrell Etherington / TechCrunch:
Apple debuts Apple Watch Series 3 with LTE built-in for $399+, same size casing as Series 2, new colors, W2 networking chip; preorder Sept. 15, ships Sept. 22
The Apple Watch Series 3 comes with LTE connectivity
https://techcrunch.com/2017/09/12/the-new-apple-watch-series-3-has-cellular-built-in/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Valentina Palladino / Ars Technica:
Apple says that watchOS 4 will be available to Apple Watch users on September 19 with new health features, watch faces, more
Apple Watch users can download watchOS 4 on September 19
Bringing a Siri watch face, workout motivation prompts, and more to the watch.
https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2017/09/apple-watch-users-can-download-watchos-4-on-september-19/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Chris Welch / The Verge:
Apple announces Apple TV 4K, with 4K HDR video, powered by A10X Fusion chip; preorders open Sept. 15 starting at $179, ships Sept. 22 — Apple’s streaming box is now a better match for the latest and greatest TVs — Apple has just unveiled a long anticipated upgrade to its Apple TV set-top box …
New Apple TV 4K announced, launches September 22nd for $179
Apple’s streaming box is now a better match for the latest and greatest TVs
https://www.theverge.com/circuitbreaker/2017/9/12/16277592/4k-apple-tv-announced-price-release-date-features
Apple has just unveiled a long anticipated upgrade to its Apple TV set-top box, which is now capable of playing movies and TV shows at 4K Ultra HD resolution. Tim Cook said TV is at an “inflection point” with the mainstream adoption of 4K. The new Apple TV hardware puts the company on equal footing with Roku, Amazon, and Chrome, all of which already offer devices capable of 4K streaming. The latest Apple TV will be available on September 22nd for $179 with 32GB of internal storage or $199 with 64GB. Preorders start September 15th.
In addition to 4K, Apple is embracing HDR with this latest Apple TV with support for both Dolby Vision and HDR10. These high dynamic range technologies allow for brighter highlights and an expanded range of colors on television sets that also have HDR. The difference can be striking — sometimes even more so than the jump in resolution to 4K.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Dawn of the $1,000 Smartphone Era
http://www.eetimes.com/author.asp?section_id=40&doc_id=1332287&
While nearly all consumer electronics goods decline in price over time and most of the smartphone industry is scraping by on razor-thin margins, Apple and rival Samsung are upping the ante with flagship handsets that cost $1,000 and up.
Apple’s introduction of a smartphone with a $1,000 had been widely predicted. Even so, it’s still a bit of a bombshell.
While prices for nearly all consumer electronics goods are in constant decline and while the vast majority of smartphone vendors scrap by on razor thin margins, Apple and rival Samsung — which together account for nearly all smartphone profits — are upping the ante.
Why? Because they can.
“Apple, more than any other tech company, has been able to create a premium brand for its products, and according to the laws of supply and demand, there is a certain demand at every price point,” said Jim McGregor, principal analyst at Tirias Research.
The iPhone X is not ticketed for the mainstream. Despite the near universal appeal of the iPhone, $1,000 is a bridge too far for the vast majority of smartphone buyers — even existing iPhone users.
“If you are buying iPhone X, you are already part of the iPhone ecosystem. And if you want to stay in the ecosystem, this is the best you can get,”
Tomi Engdahl says:
iPhone X Use Which Sensors For Face ID?
…and where does ST fit in?
http://www.eetimes.com/document.asp?doc_id=1332274&
Apple is getting rid of touch-based fingerprint ID in iPhone X altogether and staking its future on Face ID.
Putting the new UI in place, Apple is “renewing the [whole] user experience of the smartphone,” observed Pierre Cambou, activity leader for imaging and sensor at market research firm Yole Développement.
With Face ID, the user simply makes “eye contact” with the new iPhone and it unlocks. The iPhone X can also help turn emojis into animated emojis, or Animoji. Sensors can capture and analyze more than 50 different facial muscle movements, enabling the user to changing the expression of emoji characters such as a panda, chicken or unicorn. The iPhone X provides a range of on-screen masks, turning the user virtually into someone — or something — else.
In short, the many sensors deployed in the iPhone X are there primarily for facial ID, but they also enable other apps, including Animoji and Augmented Reality. Cambou believes this versatility is the genius of Apple. “They know their audience well,” he said.
A host of sensors in iPhone X
an infrared camera, flood illuminator, proximity sensor, ambient light sensor, front camera, dot projector, speaker and microphone.
Because all these building blocks maintain certain interdependency, an active alignment process must take place among all the modules before final assembly, to ensure accurate operation. Cambou said, “Well done indeed, if they were able to do such complex assembly.”
The Yole analyst suspects that STMicroelectronics is supplying the infrared camera and the proximity sensor. Apple might have sourced the front camera and the dot projector from AMS, he added.
While admitting that Apple isn’t — after all — using in iPhone X “ST’s SPAD imager as I dreamed,” Cambou conceded, “Apple combined admirably all the available technologies.”
3D sensing in iPhone X starts at the ToF (time of flight) sensor. Describing ToF as “more or less a presence detector,”
Asked about the role of a dot projector, Cambou explained, “One needs to project infrared dots in the scene for a structured camera… so that the infrared camera from ST can pick up the image of the projected dot.”
Accuracy and security
The consensus among analysts is that, in contrast to Samsung, which used a single camera and iris scanning for its face ID in Galaxy S8, Apple is using a far more sophisticated and advanced 3D sensing technology by bringing in a set of different sensors.
Although some Galaxy S8 users demonstrated that low-quality pictures could easily unlock Samsung’s phone, Apple’s advanced facial recognition technology reportedly knows how to tell the difference between a real face and photograph.
To demonstrate Apple’s serious investment in Face ID, Apple senior vice president Phil Schiller said, “Face ID learns your face” and can adapt to recognize changes in the user’s appearance.
Apple also emphasized that a user’s biometric data — fingerprint or face — does not leave his or her device. It’s stored in an encrypted form in the phone’s “Secure Enclave,” where it can’t be accessed by an operating system or any of the apps running on the phone.
Tomi Engdahl says:
iOS 11’s new HEIF/HEVC camera formats will save you 50% on storage
https://9to5mac.com/2017/06/08/ios-11s-new-heifhevc-camera-formats-will-save-you-50-on-storage/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Apple iOS 11 Photo and Video Formats Will Cut Your Storage Use in Half
https://petapixel.com/2017/06/13/apple-ios-11-photo-video-formats-will-cut-storage-use-half/
Tomi Engdahl says:
https://www.apple.com/fi/ios/ios-11/
Tomi Engdahl says:
iOS 11 is a second chance for QR codes and NFC to hit it big
https://techcrunch.com/2017/09/13/ios-11-is-a-second-chance-for-qr-codes-and-nfc-to-hit-it-big/?utm_source=tcfbpage&sr_share=facebook
Those two new features in iOS 11 are a native QR code reader built directly into the Camera app, and an expansion of the onboard NFC chip support to allow it to read NFC tags in the real world (previously, NFC was strictly limited to Apple Pay use).
The iPhone 7 and above are required to use the NFC reading functionality
QR codes have been used to this end for a decade or more in many Asian markets, and remain tremendously popular. NFC has long been present in Android phones, and can enable a range of experiences including things like verifying that physical goods on sale are the real deal and not counterfeit, or even transmitting transit directions to a landmark when you wave your phone over a public information kiosk.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Juli Clover / MacRumors:
Apple’s iPhone 8 and X can charge to 50% in 30 minutes when plugged into USB-C power adapter — Though not mentioned on stage at today’s event, both the iPhone X and the iPhone 8 are “fast-charge capable,” which means the two devices can be charged to 50 percent battery life in 30 minutes.
iPhone X and iPhone 8 Charge to 50% in 30 Minutes With Fast-Charge Feature
https://www.macrumors.com/2017/09/12/iphone-x-iphone-8-fast-charge/
Though not mentioned on stage at today’s event, both the iPhone X and the iPhone 8 are “fast-charge capable,” which means the two devices can be charged to 50 percent battery life in 30 minutes.
Unfortunately, that fast-charging feature is not available using accessories that are sold alongside the two devices. To charge at that level, the iPhone X and the iPhone 8 need to be plugged into Apple’s 29W, 61W, or 87W USB-C Power Adapters, which are sold alongside its USB-C MacBook and MacBook Pro models.
The least expensive USB-C Power Adapter is the 29W version for the MacBook, priced at $49. The 61W USB-C Power Adapter for the 13-inch MacBook Pro is $69, and the 87W USB-C Power Adapter for the 15-inch MacBook Pro is $79.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Nilay Patel / The Verge:
iPhone X hands-on: Face ID feels natural and faster than other smartphones’ face unlock methods, gestures work well, 1125×2436 Super Retina display is brilliant
The iPhone X feels like ‘the future of the smartphone’
It’s all about that screen
https://www.theverge.com/2017/9/12/16291244/new-iphone-x-photos-video-hands-on
Tomi Engdahl says:
Conan jabs at the new iPhone’s facial recognition system
https://techcrunch.com/2017/09/13/conan-jabs-at-the-new-iphones-facial-recognition-system/?utm_source=tcfbpage&sr_share=facebook
The facial recognition system built into the iPhone X raises plenty of questions. Can I fool it with a photo? (No.) Will it work if I’m sleeping and someone puts my iPhone up to my face? (It shouldn’t, unless you sleep with your eyes open.)
Who better than Apple’s Craig Federighi to answer all these burning questions? No one — no one except for a fake Craig Federighi, perhaps.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Five ways Apple can fix the iPhone, but won’t
We’ve got a little listicle… of missing, must-have features
https://www.theregister.co.uk/2017/09/12/apple_could_improve_iphonex_iphone/
1. Two-day battery life
2. A Hub
3. A proper DAC
4. Dual SIM… or no plastic at all, thx
5. A headphone jack
Tomi Engdahl says:
iPhone X Packs Upgrades—at a Price
http://www.eetimes.com/document.asp?doc_id=1332272
Apple launched three new iPhones packed with upgrades to processing power, display technology and new capabilities such as wireless charging, including a new flagship 10th anniversary iPhone that carries a sticker price starting at $999.
The new flagship iPhone, iPhone X (pronounced 10) as well as the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus are powered by Apple’s new custom A11 Bionic chip, which boasts significant gains in performance and efficiency over its predecessor A10 Fusion and integrates a neural engine supporting artificial intelligence (AI) as well Apple’s first internally designed GPU.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Apple explains Face ID on-stage failure
http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-41266216
Apple has explained why its new facial recognition feature failed to unlock a handset at an on-stage demo at the iPhone X’s launch on Tuesday.
The company blamed the Face ID glitch on a lockout mechanism triggered by staff members moving the device ahead of its unveil. Yahoo News was first to report the details.
Apple’s software chief dealt with the hiccup by moving on to a back-up device, which worked as intended.
But the hitch was widely reported.
“People were handling the device for [the] stage demo ahead of time and didn’t realise Face ID was trying to authenticate their face,” an unnamed company representative is quoted as saying by Yahoo’s David Pogue.
What really happened with Apple’s Face ID ‘fail’ onstage [UPDATED]
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/really-happened-apples-face-id-fail-onstage-181213050.html
Tomi Engdahl says:
iPhone X Packs Upgrades—at a Price
http://www.eetimes.com/document.asp?doc_id=1332272
Tomi Engdahl says:
Apple’s New A11 Chip is the Real iPhone X Innovation
The A11 Bionic chip inside of the new iPhone X points to Apple’s future ambitions for advanced machine learning and augmented reality.
https://www.designnews.com/electronics-test/apples-new-a11-chip-real-iphone-x-innovation/104358116757466?ADTRK=UBM&elq_mid=1029&elq_cid=876648
On the 10th anniversary of the iPhone’s release, Apple has decided to skip over nine and jump straight to 10 with the release of the iPhone X (pronounced “iPhone 10”). And while fans will be delighted with the larger “Super Retina” display, wireless charging, and improved cameras, the real innovation is going on under the hood, with a new chip, the A11 Bionic, that is optimized for next-gen technologies like advanced machine learning and augmented reality (AR).
The A11 Bionic replaces the A10 processor from previous iPhone models and will be the core of the new iPhone 8 and 8 Plus models as well as the X. But its in the X where the chip really shows its capabilities
Manufactured using a 10 nm FinFET process, the system-on-a-chip has 4.3 billion transistors and an integrated 64-bit, six-core CPU (two performance cores and four efficiency cores) as well as a three-core GPU. Apple says the A11 can deliver up to 70 percent greater performance and has an up to 30 percent faster graphics performance than previous iPhone chips.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Troy Hunt:
Face ID has upsides and downsides on both security and usability and isn’t less secure than a PIN or Touch ID in practice
Face ID, Touch ID, No ID, PINs and Pragmatic Security
https://www.troyhunt.com/face-id-touch-id-pins-no-id-and-pragmatic-security/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Matthew Panzarino / TechCrunch:
Interview about Face ID with Apple’s SVP of software engineering Craig Federighi, who says no data from Face ID is sent to the cloud — Face ID is easily the most hot-button topic to come out of Apple’s iPhone event this week, notch be damned. As people have parsed just how serious Apple is about it …
Interview: Apple’s Craig Federighi answers some burning questions about Face ID
https://techcrunch.com/2017/09/15/interview-apples-craig-federighi-answers-some-burning-questions-about-face-id/
Face ID is easily the most hot-button topic to come out of Apple’s iPhone event this week, notch be damned. As people have parsed just how serious Apple is about it, questions have rightly begun to be raised about its effectiveness, security and creation.
To get some answers, I hopped on the phone with Apple’s SVP of Software Engineering, Craig Federighi. We went through a bunch of the common concerns in rapid-fire fashion, and I’ve also been asking around and listening to Apple folks who have been using the feature over long periods. Hopefully we can clear up some of the FUD about it.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Gripping buttons on both sides of iPhone X disables Face ID, recognition works with most sunglasses
By Neil Hughes
Thursday, September 14, 2017, 12:40 pm PT (03:40 pm ET)
http://appleinsider.com/articles/17/09/14/gripping-buttons-on-both-sides-of-iphone-x-disables-face-id-recognition-works-with-most-sunglasses
Apple software chief Craig Federighi has revealed that Face ID unlock on the new iPhone X will come with a hidden security feature, allowing users to press buttons on both sides of the phone to temporarily disable the facial recognition capabilities.
Tomi Engdahl says:
The iPhone X’s notch is basically a Kinect
https://www.theverge.com/circuitbreaker/2017/9/17/16315510/iphone-x-notch-kinect-apple-primesense-microsoft
Sometimes it’s hard to tell exactly how fast technology is moving. “We put a man on the moon using the computing power of a handheld calculator,” as Richard Hendricks reminds us in Silicon Valley. In 2017, I use my pocket supercomputer of a phone to tweet with brands.
But Apple’s iPhone X provides a nice little illustration of how sensor and processing technology has evolved in the past decade. In June 2009, Microsoft unveiled
Microsoft’s original Kinect hardware was powered by a little-known Israeli company called PrimeSense. PrimeSense pioneered the technology of projecting a grid of infrared dots onto a scene, then detecting them with an IR camera and acsertaining depth information through a special processing chip.
In its day, the Kinect was the fastest selling consumer electronics device of all time, while it was also widely regarded as a flop for gaming.
In 2013, Apple bought PrimeSense. Depth cameras continued to evolve: Kinect 2.0 for the Xbox One replaced PrimeSense technology with Microsoft’s own tech and had much higher accuracy and resolution. It could recognize faces and even detect a player’s heart rate. Meanwhile, Intel also built its own depth sensor, Intel RealSense, and in 2015 worked with Microsoft to power Windows Hello. In 2016, Lenovo launched the Phab 2 Pro, the first phone to carry Google’s Tango technology for augmented reality and machine vision, which is also based on infrared depth detection.
And now, in late 2017, Apple is going to sell a phone with a front-facing depth camera. Unlike the original Kinect, which was built to track motion in a whole living room, the sensor is primarily designed for scanning faces and powers Apple’s Face ID feature.
Tomi Engdahl says:
Daniel Eran Dilger / AppleInsider:
Geekbench benchmarks: Apple’s A11 Bionic is 25% faster in single core and 80% faster in multicore than A10 Fusion, beats i5 MacBook Pro and all other phones
With iPhone 8, Apple’s Silicon Gap widens as the new A11 Bionic obliterates top chips from Qualcomm, Samsung & Huawei
http://appleinsider.com/articles/17/09/18/with-iphone-8-apples-silicon-gap-widens-as-the-new-a11-bionic-obliterates-top-chips-from-qualcomm-samsung-huawei
By Daniel Eran Dilger
Monday, September 18, 2017, 02:10 am PT (05:10 am ET)
Official benchmarks posted by Geekbench show that Apple’s A11 Bionic delivers a huge jump in performance over last year’s A10 Fusion used in iPhone 7, with scores that are not just far beyond other mobile ARM competitors’ latest chips, but higher than the base Intel Kaby Lake Core i5 processor Apple uses in its 13 inch MacBook Pro.
Tomi Engdahl says:
First look: Hands-on with Apple’s iPhone X
http://appleinsider.com/articles/17/09/12/first-look-hands-on-with-apples-iphone-x
By Daniel Eran Dilger
Tuesday, September 12, 2017, 05:34 pm PT (08:34 pm ET)
Apple released its first major iPhone redesign in three years on Tuesday with iPhone X, a technologically advanced smartphone that boasts an all-new OLED Super Retina Display, TrueDepth camera system, Face ID, A11 Bionic Chip with onboard neural engine and more. AppleInsider went hands-on with Apple’s newest flagship and came away impressed by the handset’s fit and finish.
Tomi Engdahl says:
iOS 11 is a fresh start for the iPad
https://techcrunch.com/2017/09/19/ios-11-review/?utm_source=tcfbpage&sr_share=facebook
Tomi Engdahl says:
Nilay Patel / The Verge:
iPhone 8 and 8 Plus review: wireless charging is good but slow, Portrait Lighting is fun, but design is getting dated and it’s not worth upgrading from iPhone 7 — It’s an iPhone — I was at a party the other night with several people who knew I’d just been to Apple’s annual iPhone launch event.
Reviews
iPhone 8 and 8 Plus review: the default option
It’s an iPhone
https://www.theverge.com/2017/9/19/16323570/apple-new-iphone-8-review-plus-2017
Tomi Engdahl says:
Chris Velazco / Engadget:
iPhone 8 and 8 Plus review: wireless charging works well, great cameras and performance in a familiar design, good for those not ready to forgo home button — It’s no secret that smartphones have tended to get sleeker and less obtrusive over time. Screens are growing, but bezels are shrinking.
iPhone 8 and 8 Plus review: Change in small doses
They’re great choices for people who aren’t ready to forgo the home button.
https://www.engadget.com/2017/09/19/iphone-8-and-8-plus-review/?sr_source=Twitter
Tomi Engdahl says:
Andrew Cunningham / Ars Technica:
iOS 11 review: a major stepping-stone towards a full-fledged productivity OS, benefits iPad the most, has a more versatile and useful Control Center — Wide-ranging update is full of changes, but iPad benefits the most. — The iPad is having a great year.
iOS 11, thoroughly reviewed
Wide-ranging update is full of changes, but iPad benefits the most.
https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2017/09/ios-11-thoroughly-reviewed/
Tomi Engdahl says:
Khari Johnson / VentureBeat:
Apple releases iOS 11 with improved Siri, Files app, new iPad dock, Live Photo effects, Do Not Disturb While Driving, ARKit, new Control Center and Lock Screen
http://venturebeat.com/2017/09/19/apple-starts-rolling-out-ios-11-for-all-users/