WebProNews

Tag: Facetime

  • Zoom Adds iPad Pro Center Stage Support

    Zoom Adds iPad Pro Center Stage Support

    Zoom is releasing a major update to its iPad client, adding support for the iPad Pro’s Center Stage, as well as 48-person Gallery View.

    While the move to the M1 processor and mini-LED display stole the show when Apple introduced the new iPad Pro, it was the Center Stage announcement that had many professionals ready to upgrade.

    For individuals using an iPad Pro as their primary machine (such as yours truly) the offset camera is a constant irritation. It’s impossible to look at the camera without appearing to the other participants as if you’re staring offscreen.

    Center Stage solves that problem, using a wide angle camera and machine learning, to keep you centered onscreen. Apple quickly announced the feature would not only work with FaceTime, but with third-party video apps as well.

    Zoom’s latest release adopts the feature, bringing a welcome improvement to company meetings.

    With support for Center Stage, you can participate more naturally in our Zoom video calls. Never again worry about whether you’re out of frame during a workout, teaching a class, or celebrating with friends and family over Zoom.

    Another major new addition to this release is expanded Gallery View, with support for 48 video tiles, up from 25 in the previous version. While only the 2021 iPad Pro will increase to 48 tiles, Zoom says previous models will get an expanded Gallery View as well, although the number of added tiles will depend on the device and screen size.

  • iPad Pro’s Center Stage Will Work With Third-Party Video Apps

    iPad Pro’s Center Stage Will Work With Third-Party Video Apps

    Apple has answered a big question about the upcoming Center Stage iPad Pro feature, stating it will work with third-party video apps.

    One of the most frustrating things about videoconferencing on an iPad is the placement of the camera. Because the camera is placed at the top of the screen when held in portrait mode, it is off to the side when in landscape mode, such as when it’s in a keyboard case. As a result, looking at the screen during a video conference makes it appear as if the person is looking off to the side — because they are, in relation to the camera.

    When Apple unveiled the new iPad Pro at its Spring Loaded event, one of the most promising features was one called Center Stage. Using the iPad’s Ultra Wide camera, in combination with machine learning, Center Stage keeps the user centered in the screen, appearing to look directly at the camera.

    One of the biggest questions was whether the new feature would only work with FaceTime, or if it would support third-party apps, such as Zoom, Skype or Teams. Apple has clarified on its iPad Pro page that the feature will work with third-party apps.

    The all‑new Center Stage uses the Ultra Wide camera and machine learning to change the way you participate in video calls. As you move around, it automatically pans to keep you centered in the frame. When others join in or leave the call, the view expands or zooms in. Center Stage works with FaceTime and other video conferencing apps for an even more engaging experience

    The news will remove a significant irritation for anyone primarily using an iPad Pro for their work and virtual meetings.

  • Microsoft Rolls Out Together Mode to Improve Teams Meetings

    Microsoft Rolls Out Together Mode to Improve Teams Meetings

    Microsoft has rolled out Together mode to Teams in an effort to significantly improve video conferencing.

    As social distancing and remote work have become standard, video conferencing and communication tools have become critical components for individuals and businesses alike. Whether its corporate teams keeping in touch, churches conducting services or individuals keeping up with family and friends, Teams, Zoom, FaceTime, Skype and others have become lifelines.

    At the same time, video fatigue has taken its toll, with widespread reports of video conferencing being exhausting and draining on its users. Microsoft has set out to address that with its new Together mode.

    Together mode uses AI segmentation tech to create the illusion that everyone is together in the same place, such as a meeting room, auditorium or coffee shop. This creates a much more familiar and comfortable experience, as opposed to the traditional grid placement.

    “We’re social creatures, and the social and spatial awareness systems in the brain can finally function more naturally” within Together mode, says Microsoft’s Jaron Lanier.

    Microsoft Teams Meeting
    Microsoft Teams Meeting

    The end result is a more engaging experience “by helping you focus on other people’s faces and body language and making it easier to pick up on the non-verbal cues that are so important to human interaction. It’s great for meetings in which multiple people will speak, such as brainstorms or roundtable discussions, because it makes it easier for participants to understand who is talking.”

    With no immediate end in sight to the pandemic, improvements like this will go a long way toward helping people stay productive and connected.

     

  • WWDC 2020 Part 2: iPadOS Blurs the Computing Line Even More

    WWDC 2020 Part 2: iPadOS Blurs the Computing Line Even More

    Apple unveiled a number of welcome improvements to iPadOS, further blurring the line between tablet and computer.

    Widgets, Search and Interface

    Like iOS 14, iPadOS 14 gains improved widgets to help users get more from their Home Screen.

    In addition, Search has been completely revamped to make it much more powerful on the iPad. The new Universal Search can much more effectively act as an app launcher.

    Universal Search
    Universal Search

    Siri also gains the more streamlined interface that it receives on the iPhone. Similarly, FaceTime calls no longer take up the entire screen, blocking access to other apps. Instead, the incoming call appears in a small notification box at the top of the screen. This feature is also being implemented on iOS for the iPhone.

    iOS and iPadOS Incoming Calls
    iOS and iPadOS Incoming Calls

    Handwriting

    Apple is significantly improving the handwriting recognition on the iPad, closing the gap between handwriting and text input. The new handwriting engine, Scribble, can automatically clean up shapes drawn on the screen.

    Scribble
    Scribble

    What’s more, Scribble makes it possible to use the Apple Pencil for input in any text field. When writing with the Pencil, text can be selected using the same tap gestures for manipulating traditional text.

    Scribble Handwriting
    Scribble Handwriting

    More significantly, iPadOS will be able to recognize email addresses and phone numbers in handwriting and interact with them accordingly.

    Default Apps

    One of the biggest complaints about the iPad is the inability to change default apps for web browsing and email. It appears that iPadOS finally rectifies this. This will be a big improvement, especially in the enterprise, where many users prefer Outlook.

    Stay tuned for Part 3: The Mac

  • Apple Releases macOS 10.15.5 With Battery Health Feature

    Apple Releases macOS 10.15.5 With Battery Health Feature

    Apple has released macOS 10.15.5 with a new feature that should help maximize the lifespan of MacBook batteries.

    Like all lithium-ion batteries, the batteries in Apple’s notebooks age and gradually deteriorate over time. The older a battery is, the less maximum capacity it has compared to when it was new. This means that a MacBook Air that once achieved 10 hours of battery life may only achieve five or six. Leaving a notebook plugged in much of the time can accelerate that decay.

    In macOS Catalina 10.15.5, Apple has introduced a new feature designed to help alleviate these issues and extend a battery’s lifespan. According to Apple’s documentation, the new feature monitors your battery’s charing patterns and temperature history, and alters how your Mac notebook charges.

    “Based on the measurements that it collects, battery health management may reduce your battery’s maximum charge when in this mode. This happens as needed to ensure that your battery charges to a level that’s optimized for your usage—reducing wear on the battery, and slowing its chemical aging.

    “While battery health management benefits your battery’s long-term lifespan, it can also reduce the amount of time your Mac runs on one battery charge when capacity limits are applied. If your priority is making your Mac notebook last as long as possible before recharging, you can turn the feature off.”

    The release also provides information on the battery’s health in the Energy Saver preferences, much as iPhones show battery health under the Battery settings in iOS.

    macOS 10.15.5 also includes the ability to control the prominence of video tiles in Group FaceTime calls, as well as calibration controls to fine-tune the Pro Display XDR.

    Overall, this is a welcome release. The battery health features, in particular, are an excellent improvement for individuals (such as yours truly) that rely on a Mac notebook as their primary machine.

  • Humane Scores Another Apple Executive

    Humane Scores Another Apple Executive

    Humane has announced that Patrick Gates, former Apple Internet Services executive, has joined the startup as Chief Technology Officer.

    According to the announcement, “Patrick led the development of iconic Apple services like iCloud, iMessage and FaceTime. During his 13 years at Apple, he oversaw technical design, built critical infrastructure, and led the teams for numerous industry-defining features across all platforms.

    “A Silicon Valley veteran, Patrick did research at Sun Microsystems and built developer frameworks at NeXT before his time at Apple. He is passionate about building and scaling teams and technologies with an unrelenting focus on customer privacy and security.”

    Gates joins a startup founded by two other former Apple employees, Imran Chaudhri and Bethany Bongiorno. Chaudhri is a designer who “spent over 20 years at Apple imagining and creating some of the world’s most beloved consumer products, like the Macintosh, iPod, iPad, Apple Watch and iPhone.” Bongiorno was a Director of Software Engineering and “responsible for all software project management for iOS and macOS and also played a key leadership role in the execution of critical projects such as the launch of the original iPad.”

    While Humane is still in stealth mode, the addition of Gates as CTO is a big win for the startup. Together, the three former Apple employees give the young company a significant creative pedigree.

  • ToTok Co-Creator Denies App Is A Tool For UAE Spying

    ToTok Co-Creator Denies App Is A Tool For UAE Spying

    ToTok was recently removed from both Apple and Google’s app stores over allegations it was being used by the United Arab Emirates government to spy on users. In an interview with the Associated Press, co-creator Giacomo Ziani defended the app and denied it was a tool for spying.

    ToTok was released only months ago, and quickly rose to become one of the most popular social apps. Helping drive its popularity was the fact that it was the only app offering internet calling that was allowed in the UAE. Competing apps, such as FaceTime, WhatsApp, Skype and others are not allowed.

    In a report by the New York Times—that was based on information from American officials who had access to classified intelligence—the app was accused of being a spying tool for the UAE to “track every conversation, movement, relationship, appointment, sound and image of those who install it on their phones.”

    Ziani, however, defended his creation and denied the allegations.

    “I was not aware, and I’m even not aware now of who was who, who was doing what in the past,” Ziani told the AP.

    Ziani attributed the allegations to professional jealousy, although he failed to provide any evidence to support his claim. It will be interesting to watch what happens with ToTok and whether Ziani is successful in getting the app reinstated on Apple and Google’s app stores.

    In the meantime, ToTok is a cautionary tale that illustrates the lengths some governments and organizations will go in order to spy on individuals.

  • Gwen Stefani, Blake Shelton Share Disneyland Adventure Via Facetime

    Gwen Stefani spent Thanksgiving in L.A., while new beau Blake Shelton spent it at his Oklahoma abode. The next day, however, the two shared a Disneyland adventure. No, Blake didn’t hope a plan for L.A. the day after Thanksgiving. Instead Gwen Stefani Facetimed him from Anaheim.

    Gwen Stefani was spotted strolling through Disneyland on Friday with sons Kingston, nine, Zuma, seven, and one-year-old Apollo. She was smiling as she talked to Blake Shelton on her phone via Facetime. Kingston even got in on part of the conversation.

    Blake Shelton likely loved what he saw during his Facetime session with Gwen Stefani. An Instagram photo she shared earlier that day showed a very stylish, sexy Gwen. The Facetime call no doubt (or No Doubt) brightened her fellow Voice coach’s day.

    #disneyland !!!!!!!! Gx

    A photo posted by Gwen Stefani (@gwenstefani) on

    Following her call with Blake Shelton, Gwen Stefani had fun with some Star Wars characters at Disneyland.

    “#disneyland #darthvader gx,” she captioned this one with Darth Vader.

    A photo posted by Gwen Stefani (@gwenstefani) on

    “Hi #chewbacca gx,” Gwen Stefani captioned this photo of her with Chewbacca.

    A photo posted by Gwen Stefani (@gwenstefani) on

    It’s likely when Voice coach and Maroon 5 front man Adam Levine sees the photo of Gwen Stefani with Chewbacca that he’ll make a comment about the character being better looking than Blake Shelton. Blake and Adam love to slam each other as part of their ongoing bromance.

    Blake Shelton will be back in L.A. soon, as both he and Gwen Stefani are scheduled to appear on the next live airing of The Voice on Monday.

    Facetime is a great substitute when you can’t be with the ones you love, but there’s nothing quite like being together in person.

  • Apple Watch 2 Rumors Point to FaceTime Camera

    After enjoying online ordering-only status since its launch, the Apple Watch finally arrived in stores this week. Apple just released its first wearable device a couple of months ago, but the rumors are already flying about the next version of the device.

    9to5Mac quotes the ubiquitous sources familiar with the matter, who claim that Apple is already spinning up ideas for the Apple Watch 2 (sure to be called something other than the Apple Watch 2).

    The most interesting new feature said to be planned for the next Apple Watch is a FaceTime camera. The current model allows users to answer FaceTime audio calls and redirect video calls to another device – but having a camera “integrated into the top bezel” would allow users to make face-to-face video calls from their wrists.

    Surely, this sort of functionality is what people had in mind when they first heard about Apple Watch.

    Also, according to 9to5 Mac‘s sources, Apple wants to release the Watch from the chains of the iPhone. Kind of.

    In order to make the next-generation Apple Watch more capable without a connected iPhone, Apple intends to integrate a new and more dynamic wireless chipset into the wearable. Although the Apple Watch 2 will likely continue to require an iPhone for heavy data transfers, including software upgrades and the synchronization of media files, basic communication tasks could be handled without iPhone assistance.

    We’re talking texting, emailing, and using some apps. This would go a long way to assuage critics who lamented that they still need their phones to have a functional Apple Watch.

    Apple hasn’t released any official sales figures for the Watch, but the latest independent estimate pegs sales at 2.79 million.

  • Evan Longoria Meets His Son For The First Time Via Facetime From Japan

    Evan Longoria, the Rays’ third basemen, may have been in Japan for the birth of his son, but that doesn’t mean he didn’t get to see the entire delivery unfold.

    Longoria has been in Japan for the Major League Baseball’s Japan All-Star Series, and has been obsessively checking his cell phone for any word about when his baby boy would be born. He hoped that he would be able to return stateside before the delivery, however that wasn’t the case.

    Longoria’s fiancee Jaime Edmondson went into labor in Arizona while Evan was still in Japan, during the middle of Saturday night’s game. However, thanks to modern technology, Evan was able to watch the birth of his newborn baby boy via Facetime on his cell phone.

    “I got to see it all on FaceTime,” Longoria said. “It was a pretty cool moment.”

    This makes the second child for Longoria, who knew that he may miss the birth when he left for Japan. However, with Edmondson’s blessing, he decided to go ahead, and he plans on staying until the end of the series.

    “I’ve been kind of keeping an eye on the phone pretty much the whole time I’ve been here,” Longoria said. “Now it’s a little bit of a relief that she made it through healthy and that the baby is healthy. But at the same time, I’m looking forward to getting back, seeing him and seeing her, and my daughter as well. I miss them.”

    After the birth, Edmondson tweeted the name of the newest Rays’ fan. “Evan, Elle &I welcome with love…Nash Harrison Longoria…6.7lbs, 20 inches, born 11/15 @ 4:33am,” she tweeted, along with a picture of her new bundle of joy.

    Congratulations to the happy couple!

  • iPhone 5C: Welcome to the Apple Family

    iPhone 5C: Welcome to the Apple Family

    On September 10, Apple Inc. will introduce two new iPhone models. The iPhone 5S, the high end phone and the iPhone 5C, with plastic packaging, aka “The Budget iPhone.” The rumored release date is September 20. According to the Apple employee calendar, employees were unable to take time off between September 15 to September 28. T-Mobile also limited their employees vacation days between September 18 through September 22. Verizon did not comment when asked about blackout dates for employees. But, Apple and Verizon stores are preparing for a busy iPhone 5S release.

    The drive behind the iPhone 5C is to offer an iPhone to people who are currently Apple’s untouched markets, the lower income brackets, including China and India. Tim Cook, Apple CEO, has made visits to the largest telecommunications carrier in the world, China Mobile Ltd., with over 703 million subscribers. Coincidence? I think not. If Apple is able to create a cheaper iPhone, they can make a deal with China Mobile.

    Here’s some features to be unveiled on September 10:

    1. We finally have a choice of color! What?! It will likely be available in five “candy” colors: red, green, yellow, blue, and white. Basically pastels. The alleged photos show a black front face on all models, regardless of rear color, but it will likely be different for the white colored shell. Heck, sources are even predicting color front-face options when it is released.

    2. It will likely be that the iPhone 5C will have the same specs as the iPhone 5, with the 326 ppi Retina display, an A6 chip, a FaceTime HD camera and an 8-megapixel rear side camera. Rumors have predicted a faster processor and better Retina display. The 8-megapixel camera has already been rumored to have been on the leaked photos of the iPhone 5C. The aluminum shelled iPhone 5S will come with a dual-LED flash, which is meant to capture naturally looking pictures. A fingeprint sensor meant for user security is predicted be included on the device, after Apple purchased Authentec.

    3. The new iPhone 5C will come pre-loaded with iOS 7. This system will be released most likely on September 18, a few days before the new phone. Though the actual hardware typically gains more attention, the new iOS system is just as important. Apple has revamped the style, making changes to icons, textures, and features of the iOS system to bring a familiar, yet, new experience. This of course comes with a variety of new tools and features.
    The coolest features include :
    – the revamped Control Center that allows quick access to more important settings.
    – a way to Multitask apps.
    – the AirDrop feature for sharing pics and documents with other iPhones in your area.
    – the ability to shift the background image in response to one’s movements.

    Some surprise features were discovered in the very first iOS 7 beta release.

    4. Plastic – This is a major difference from previous iPhones. This is cheaper, but sturdier and more scratch proof than the iPhone 5 anodized aluminum body. Jeremy Horwitz, iLounge editor-in-chief spoke in January that the iPhone being a love child between the existing iPhone 5, the 5th Generation iPod Touch and the iPod classic. They’re going old school and I like it. The iPhone 5S features a 4-inch screen like the iPhone 5, with a tapered bottom like the 5th Generation iPod touch, and the rectangular shape inspired by the iPod classic. The iPhone 5C will be made mostly of plastic, but also manufactures with a hybrid plastic and metal chassis. The same locations of the camera, microphone of the iPhone 5, but the rear flash similar to the iPod touch.

    5. It will be cheap. (That’s what she said.) This selling point was the driving point behind the new exterior shell. On-contract: $99. Off-contract: between $450 and $500 (via MacRumors).

    The iPhone 4S from 2011 may sell for the same price of the plastic iPhone 5C at $0 on-contract. Apple may eliminate the iPhone 5 from the iPhone family altogether, or drop its price to $99. But perhaps it won’t be discontinued yet, due to having the same specs. The iPhone 4 after being on the market this long, may be endangered.

  • AT&T Backs Down on Holding Apple’s FaceTime Hostage

    AT&T Backs Down on Holding Apple’s FaceTime Hostage

    AT&T today announced that it will enable Apple’s FaceTime software for use on its data customers for all of its customers on any type of tiered data plan – not just those with one of the new AT&T Mobile Share plans. Customers will also have to have iOS 6 and an LTE device to use the video calling software. The service will be enabled over the course of the next “eight to ten weeks.”

    This is a change from the policy that AT&T announced back in August. At the time, the company enabled the use of FaceTime over its data networks – but only for customers who were on AT&T’s new, more expensive, Mobile Share data plans. The U.S. wireless carrier with the largest number of iPhone subscribers was holding Apple software hostage, trying to pressure existing customers onto the new shared plans.

    AT&T released a response on its Public Policy Blog that was long on explaining how the move was legal. It may have been legal, but it certainly wasn’t in the spirit of net neutrality. Policies such as these, which restrict customers from using the data they pay for in whatever way they want, are the reason net neutrality laws are being crafted.

    AT&T was fined $700,000 by the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) yesterday, which may or may not have anything to do with the timing of today’s FaceTime announcement. Part of the company’s deal with the FCC was a “compliance plan” that included customer notifications, customer representative training, and compliance reports to the FCC.

  • Apple’s FaceTime Held Hostage Over AT&T Mobile Share Plans

    Apple’s FaceTime Held Hostage Over AT&T Mobile Share Plans

    AT&T announced last week that it will finally allow its iPhone and iPad customers to use Apple’s FaceTime video chat application over its mobile broadband network – but only for customers on its new, more expensive, Mobile Share data plans. Today, Bob Quinn, the senior vice president of AT&T’s federal regulatory group, took to AT&T’s Public Policy Blog to defend the company’s actions. Specifically, Quinn seeks to defend AT&T against charges that it broke net neutrality rules. From the blog post:

    Providers of mobile broadband Internet access service are subject to two net neutrality requirements: (1) a transparency requirement pursuant to which they must disclose accurate information regarding the network management practices, performance, and commercial terms of their broadband Internet access services; and (2) a no-blocking requirement under which they are prohibited, subject to reasonable network management, from blocking applications that compete with the provider’s voice or video telephony services.

    AT&T’s plans for FaceTime will not violate either requirement. Our policies regarding FaceTime will be fully transparent to all consumers, and no one has argued to the contrary. There is no transparency issue here.

    A quick time-out here to point out that AT&T is very specifically following the net neutrality rules it is required to. Namely, they must disclose their network management practices and not block applications that the company itself competes with.

    Sure, AT&T may not be ringing any anti-competitive bells with its FaceTime decision and it is, according to Quinn, following the FCC’s rules to the letter. It is, however, holding the app hostage to coerce its subscribers to change to a more expensive mobile plan. The spirit of net neutrality is that customers should be able to use the bandwidth they pay for however they choose – and AT&T is certainly violating that spirit.

    Quinn goes on to state that blocking applications that are preloaded on phones is not against FCC rules, because there are other video chat apps available. Quinn continues:

    Although the rules don’t require it, some preloaded apps are available without charge on phones sold by AT&T, including FaceTime, but subject to some reasonable restrictions. To date, all of the preloaded video chat applications on the phones we sell, including FaceTime, have been limited to Wi-Fi. With the introduction of iOS6, we will extend the availability of the preloaded FaceTime to our mobile broadband network for our Mobile Share data plans which were designed to make more data available to consumers. To be clear, customers will continue to be able to use FaceTime over Wi-Fi irrespective of the data plan they choose. We are broadening our customers’ ability to use the preloaded version of FaceTime but limiting it in this manner to our newly developed AT&T Mobile Share data plans out of an overriding concern for the impact this expansion may have on our network and the overall customer experience.

    There you have it. AT&T’s response is long on how legal its actions are, but not a lot was said to allay consumer complaints. On the other hand, AT&T is a carrier with a massive number of iPhone subscribers, and the iPhone’s popularity doesn’t appear to be waning. With that much data flying across their network, perhaps the company really does need to parse out access to things such as video chat.

  • Apple Announcement: FaceTime Will Work Over Cellular Network

    When FaceTime was first introduced, people often wondered if they would one day have the ability to make calls over 3G. At first it was only available on Wi-Fi, but no longer.

    As part of the announcement for the new iOS 6 mobile operating software, Apple said that its users will now be able to take and receive FaceTime calls over a cellular network. (3G for iPhone, 4G for iPad) This is a huge deal for FaceTime users, as it makes video calling truly mobile.

    Carriers may have to deal with a lot of extra data through their networks, which was though to be the reason Facetime wasn’t cellular network enabled from the get-go. If you have unlimited data, then go for it. Otherwise you may find your data cap has been maxed out after just a few calls. But, still, it’s nie to have the option.

    Apple will also unify your Apple ID and your phone number, allowing you to take calls from your Mac or iPad with FaceTime.

    Apple is constantly trying to merge its mobile and desktop/laptop devices while trying to keep you constantly connected to an Apple machine of some type. This will allow people to take a call from their iPhone and transfer it to their Mac if they happen to be at their computer.

    [TNW]

  • iPhone 5 Rumor: New iPhone To Get HD FaceTime Camera

    If you have an iPhone 4S, you know that it’s got one of the best cameras ever put into a mobile phone. In fact, for many iPhone users – myself included – the iPhone has taken the place of the traditional point-and-shoot camera for everyday photography needs. It takes excellent photos, HD video, has a ridiculously bright LED flash, and is a lot less bulky than your average camera.

    The front-facing camera – the FaceTime camera, as Apple calls it – is a completely different story. If you need it for video chatting – via FaceTime, Skype, ooVoo, or whatever your chat service of choice is – it definitely gets the job done. If you want to check your hair or make sure you got that bit of broccoli out of your teeth, it’s fine. If you want to take actual pictures, it’s… okay. In good light (i.e., sunlight) the pictures are fine. In anything less, they tend to be grainy and generally unimpressive.

    The new iPhone, expected to release in October, may change all that. AppleInsider is reporting that while the new iPhone’s rear camera will be getting a minor boost, the FaceTime camera will be getting a major upgrade. Mingchi Kuo, an analyst with KGI, said in a note to investors that he expected the new iPhone to sport an HD FaceTime camera, instead of the VGA camera currently found on the iPHone 4S. He also expects the iSight camera (i.e., the rear camera) to remain at 8 megapixels, but get an increased aperture range.

    Kuo also said that he expects the iSight camera on the new iPhone to be thinner, and in fact that the iPhone itself will be significantly thinner than the iPhone 4S. Whereas the iPhone 4S is 9.3 millimeters thick, Kuo expects the new iPhone to be only 7.9 millimeters thick.

  • iTV Is Real, Comes With Siri And FaceTime [RUMOR]

    Apple’s HDTV is real, and includes Siri and FaceTime, according to a recent report. The TV is currently in the prototype phase, and is being prepared for a market release later this year.

    Citing an anonymous source, CultofMac is reporting that Apple’s new TV closely resembles the company’s current line of LED Cinema Displays, except on a much larger scale. While few of the TV’s specs are known, the source does say that it will have Siri integration, a built-in iSight camera that will allow for FaceTime calls, and AirPlay integration.

    Check out CultofMac’s mockup of the TV below:

    Apple TV iTV Mockup

    Rumors of an Apple-branded HDTV have been around at least as far back as the launch of the Apple TV 2 in 2010. Since then, rumors of what is usually called an iTV have surfaced with some regularity. Of course, nothing has ever come of these rumors. This time, though, it looks like Apple really does have a TV in the works, whether CultofMac’s source is to be believed or not. According to Steve Jobs’s biography by Walter Isaacson, Jobs was working on the TV during his last days at Apple, and told Isaacson that during that time he finally “cracked it.” Since then, increasingly reliable rumors have suggested that Apple really is working on their own TV.

    Unfortunately, CultofMac’s source gives little real information about the TV other than its general look and the three features already mentioned. There is no information on when Apple might release such a TV, how much it might cost, or what size options there will be. What is fairly certain is that they will not actually call the device an “iTV,” owing to the fact that two separate entertainment companies – one British, one American – currently operate under the name ITV.

    Of course, this rumor could wind up like all the other iTV rumors and never actually pan out. Even CultofMac acknowledges that this could be the case, as their source does not have a perfect record when it comes to leaks of this kind, “due to the fact that our source tends to see products in the prototype or early development stage.”

    That said, it’s a fair bet that Apple does want to break into the HDTV market. There are questions as to whether an Apple-branded TV could revolutionize the TV market the way the iPhone and iPad revolutionized their respective markets. After all, neither the smartphone nor the tablet had broad consumer appeal before Apple got into those markets, while the Tv market is aimed primarily at consumers. That said, there is no doubt that such a TV would be quite popular.

    What do you think? Would you buy an Apple HDTV that looked like the one above? Could Apple do to TVs what they did to smartphones, or is that market too well-established already? Would you use a TV for FaceTime calls? Let us know in the comments.

  • New iPad: No FaceTime Over 4G LTE

    New iPad: No FaceTime Over 4G LTE

    The ever-expanding 4G LTE networks run by Verizon and AT&T offer enormous advantages to those whose devices are 4G-capable. On a good day, a 4G connection is comparable to your home wi-fi network in terms of speed. To the delight of many, Apple has included this technology in their third-generation iPad. Those who are eagerly awaiting their new iPad (which hits stores tomorrow) are no doubt eager to test out their fast new 4G connection on some of their favorite activities: surfing the web, watching movies on Netflix, playing music from Pandora, and making video calls with FaceTime.

    Well, those who want to use their 4G iPad for FaceTime are, it seems, out of luck. The Verge is reporting this morning that the new iPad has the same restrictions that FaceTime came with all the way back in 2010, when Steve Jobs introduced it alongside the iPhone 4. If you want to use FaceTime on your new iPad, you still have to be connected to a wi-fi network.

    This restriction (arguably) made a certain amount of sense two years ago when the iPhone 4 debuted. At the time only one carrier – AT&T – had the iPhone or the iPad, and if people started using their iPhone’s for FaceTime calls, it could put a strain on AT&T’s 3G network (which was less robust at the time). Now, though, it seems increasingly passé, especially in light of the proliferation of 4G-enabled smartphones that include mobile hotspot capabilities. Suppose, for example, that you’re a Verizon customer with a Samsung Galaxy Nexus and a 4G iPad. You can’t use your iPad to make FaceTime calls over 4G, but you can use your Galaxy Nexus to create a mobile hotspot, connect your iPad to it, and then make a FaceTime call. It all seems a little ridiculous.

    I sent a message to Apple requesting some clarification on this issue. In 2010 Steve Jobs cited AT&T as the reason for keeping FaceTime wi-fi-only. I asked if this was still the case, and what the reasoning for keeping the restriction in place was. As yet they have not responded.

    What do you think? Should Apple, AT&T, Verizon, or whoever is responsible allow FaceTime calls over 4G? Do you use FaceTime on your iOS device? Let us know in the comments.

  • iPad To The Face: How Apple Revolutionizes Sibling Rivalry

    The iPad has revolutionized the way we do a lot of things: watch movies, read books, shop online, and more. Now it looks like we can add sibling rivalry to that list. In the video below, we see a two brothers reenacting a story as old as brotherhood: the younger one wants attention, the older one is busy, so the younger one pokes and prods and pesters until the older one has enough. Watch and see how the iPad makes this ordinary encounter a little more… magical.

    Ouch.

    [Hat Tip: Macgasm]

  • Apple Refreshes iMac Desktops With Quad-Core Processors & Thunderbolt

    Apple Refreshes iMac Desktops With Quad-Core Processors & Thunderbolt

    Earlier today the Apple Store was down for a bit. Upon its return some new iMacs had surfaced, which confirmed the rumors that a iMac refresh may be in the works.

    The new iMacs boast quad-core processors, up to 3x faster graphics, HD FaceTime camera and a new Thunderbolt port, which makes it the first desktop computer to feature it.

    Like other iOS devices, the new FaceTime HD camera will allow users to video call between all capable Apple products. This includes the iPad, iPhone 4, and the latest generation of the iPod Touch.

    As for the other specifications: AMD Radeon HD 6750M (which can be upgraded), 4GB of RAM comes standard, 1 or 2 Thunderbolt ports (dependent upon model purchased), LED-backlit high-res display, up to 1TB of storage, and of course either a Magic Mouse or Magic Trackpad.

    “With next generation quad-core processors, powerful new graphics, Thunderbolt technology and a FaceTime HD camera, we’ve made the world’s best desktop even better”, saidPhilip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing.

    The prices of the new iMacs are comparable to the old, prices range from $1,199 to $1,999.