A report from The Wall Street Journal is suggesting that Apple is becoming increasingly interested in exploring the ever-important world of mobile based payments. Research and future projection has suggested that proliferation of mobile devices into every corner of the globe will mean that mobile payments could account for more than $90 billion worth of annual transactions in the United States alone by the end of 2017. As one of the most important providers of smartphones and tablets in the world, Apple Inc. is said to be laying the foundations that could see the introduction of its own mobile payments solution.
A short while ago, we reported on the news that today marks the 30th birthday of the Mac, and in celebration of this momentous occasion, Apple pieced together a short video clip. But considering how integral the Mac has become not only to Apple's product range, but also to its identity as a company, there was always going to be more to today than just a video clip. Three of Apple's head honchos, including the Cupertino's CEO Tim Cook, have sat down for an interview for ABC News, and although we've only a short preview of the full-length piece set to air tonight, it'll surely be a must-watch for any ardent Apple fan.
Apple may have enjoyed a successful 2013 with the iPhone 5s in particular, smashing first-weekend sales records for a smartphone, but even with the impressive number of units shifted, the Cupertino company only has to look at BlackBerry or Nokia for a reminder of where complacency can lead. Thus, with the dust having settled on that major smartphone release, Tim Cook's men are out to discover how iPhone buyers feel about their purchase, specific features like Touch ID, as well as rivaling products like Android. Taking the form of a rather long survey, it looks as though the fruit company is seeking thorough, enlightening feedback in its quest for an even more fruitful 2014.
When it comes to the online world, pretty much anything is possible, which is why we need to be extremely careful and vigilant when enjoying the spoils that the cyber world offers. Unfortunately not everyone is as ethical or as moral as we would hope, which is why we need to be on the lookout for Internet scams and those trying to take advantage. The latest malicious plan that Internet users need to be aware of is an Apple ID phishing attempt that looks deceptively realistic.
The Siri digital assistant that ships with all mobile compatible devices running iOS has been known to put its foot in its mouth on more than one occasion. Barely a day could pass in the early days of the digital assistant without someone using Twitter, Facebook or Reddit to post screenshots of Siri replying to a seemingly innocent question with a ridiculous, controversial or opinionated answer. Long periods of silence on the Siri front seemed to suggest that we had passed that stage but the existence of Samantha in the movie Her seems to have ruffled a few electronic feathers.
It has long since been common knowledge that certain government agencies use a number of digital spying tactics to keep tabs on certain activity. Only recently, details have begun to emerge of just how much intel the NSA has been collecting, to the point where it seems as though there's very little that anybody can do digitally without the NSA brown-nosing. With some products having leaked info to the NSA without the knowledge of the user, Apple has taken the opportunity to distance itself from such behavior in stating that it has "never worked with the NSA to create a backdoor in any products."
It takes a lot to be able to lead someone, to inspire and to change lives, and even more for corporations to do it. Yet, in today’s world, Apple has done it, and it all started not long before 2007, when the company unveiled the first iPhone to the world and changed everything - smartphones, at least - as we know it today. In an internal memo today, Apple’s CEO, Tim Cook, reflected on what the company has been able to achieve in 2013, and their outlook for the upcoming next year. If it says anything, Apple is full of hopes for a better future.
One of the great things about the release of the Walter Isaacson biography detailing the life and times of Steve Jobs, was that we learned much more of events and instances that we'd only previously gathered the crux of. We hear names, we see keynotes, we enjoy products; but the ins and outs of what exactly goes on tend to remain obscured from the public eye - at least until another extensive book hits the market. Fred Vogelstein’s Dogfight: How Apple and Google Went to War and Started a Revolution, is a self-explanatory tale of two modern-day tech titans, and The Atlantic has posted an interesting piece dissecting a particular chapter about the release of the iPhone and notably, Google's reaction.
Apple gets more than its fair share of stick for supposedly not being innovative enough these days, but that wasn't what everyone was saying when the iPhone was first announced in 2007. Offering what, at the time, was the holy grail of mobile telecommunications in something the size of a smartphone, the iPhone was a truly revolutionary device.
Apple released iOS 7.1 beta 2 earlier today. Here we take a look at all the changes in iOS 7.1 beta 2 as well as first impressions of the new seed after a few hours of use.
