Apple has just dropped iOS 7.1 for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch owners, with features spanning from Siri improvements to the introduction of CarPlay. But precisely which features you'll be getting depends largely upon the region in which you reside, and if you're unsure as to what to expect after downloading and installing iOS 7.1, then Apple has created a useful check-list.
In between the major upgrades to its iOS device roster, Apple often quietly pushes refreshed hardware, tweaking a certain fault or improving overall efficiency or performance. Today's iOS 7.1 update appears to indicate that the iPad range has been subject to one or two subtle alterations, with the list of devices compatible with the new firmware revealing two new unidentified iPad device numbers. iOS 7.1 for iPads 4,3 and 4,6 - neither of which have been announced by Apple - suggest that the Cupertino has been doing a little hardware-based housekeeping, but since no announcement was made, any changes are probably rudimentary, with no immediately apparent differences.
The next Apple smartphone, unofficially dubbed the "iPhone 6," will reportedly arrive in two different configurations - both of which are said to be larger than any iPhone released hitherto. As well as a 4.7-inch model, there will, it has been suggested, also be a 5.5-inch variant, and both of these new handsets could, as other bits of info have implied, be notably thinner than its would-be predecessor, akin to the new iPad Air. With this in mind, one concept maker has come through with an 'iPhone Air' concept, and as well as a stunning appearance, it also boasts a fairly tasty list of specs. Check it out below.
The beauty of Kickstarter is that it makes it possible for people to launch products that would normally never see the light of day. In the technology arena especially, we've seen all kinds of awesome and not-so-awesome things come out of the crowd-sourcing funding machine that is Kickstarter. We're not really sure which side of that fence we're going to put the SlatePro desk just yet, but it sure looks nice.
We've mulled other what seems like thousands of concepts pertaining to the so-called Apple iWatch, and even though designers and fans of the idea have been tripping over themselves to put a face to the name, we're still none the wiser as to what the fruit company has in its plans. Today, designer Gábor Balogh has come through with a rather interesting take on the iWatch, which sticks with the recognized form factor of a normal wristwatch while cramming in all of the digital niceties that appease us tech fans. Check it out after the break!
The Apple iPhone regularly tops the charts when it comes to overall customer satisfaction, and the desirability factor of the Cupertino's prized asset is showing no signs of wearing down. A new piece of research by a mobile insurance firm has discovered that not only are iPhones seemingly more robust in that they're less likely do be damaged than most competitors, but notably, are more likely to be stolen, with uncanny individuals clearly having a keener eye for the iPhone over some of the market's other high-end handsets.
Apple has, for a good while now, been looking to expand the reach, functionality and general usefulness of the Apple Store app. In short, the Cupertino company wants it to serve as the focal point of the consumer's Apple experience, and in order to help familiarize iOS users with the service, the company has been running a series of promotional giveaways. Going on the premise that everybody loves a freebie, we've already seen paid apps go free through the Apple Store app, and over the festive period, a special free playlist of tracks was compiled and distributed in the spirit of the occasion. Today, Apple is back with another free mixtape of sorts, pushing a three-song bundle out focusing on new artists for 2014.
The Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), which recently struck a deal with Apple to begin the production of some of its device's hardware components, has reportedly gotten to work on the new A8 processing chip, which will power the upcoming iPhone 6 later on this year. The report, which has arrived courtesy of the Commercial Times in Taiwan, notes that the A8 SoC began production last month, and although we'd expect it to serve as the workhorse of the next Apple smartphone, it's also reasonable to speculate that the iPad range could also benefit from the upgraded chip at some point this fall.
When branching out of its own particular niche, Apple tends to cozy up to high-end manufacturers within the new industry it's trying to capture. Nike, for example, has been a key partner in the Cupertino's various fitness-related enterprises, and with CarPlay now at the fore, Apple marketing lead Greg Joswiak has been at the Geneva Motor Show discussing a tie-in with Italian supercar maker Ferrari. Joining Ferrari chairman Luca Cordero di Montezemolo on stage, the pair showcased CarPlay integration in the revamped four-seater Ferrari FF grand tourer.
With CarPlay having been demonstrated heavily by Apple and its auto partners over the past couple of days, we have more than a slight inkling that iOS 7.1 won't be too far away. After all, betas of the forthcoming release have served as virtually the sole source of information pertaining to the in-car flavor of iOS, and although the automobiles themselves won't be shipping just yet, it would make sense for Apple to begin distributing the necessary iOS updates as soon as feasibly possible. Previously, we'd heard that iOS 7.1 would hit the scene "mid-March," and now, as surmised by the folks of Daring Fireball, it could be set to make its début in the next few days.
