Category Archives: Apple

There has been much speculation about the prospect of the fabled Apple TV, better known among its theoretical fans as the iTV, and now another development has sparked further debate, rumours and general excitement that surrounds news of this nature. The development comes in the form of yet another Apple patent application finding its way into the public eye, which details an enhanced audio system. All we know for sure from this is that Apple plans to improve the audio on something, which will come as no surprise and is a perfectly logical move, but the exciting part is the fact that it would be perfectly at home on a TV… maybe even an iTV. Fuelling the rumour mill are reports from China that Apple is in fact working on three different models for the iTV.

Published on Thursday, the patent application describes a new sound system with an enticing feature; intelligence. In other words, it can detect where a viewer is in relation to it and automatically adjust the volume accordingly. It may also be able to take into account which direction the viewer is facing, as well as the kind of environment surrounding it and, once again, adjust its audio for optimal volume. Apple itself dropped the hint that it may be for TV, but only as part of a list of possible applications, which also included laptops, tablets and smartphones.

Video conferencing has been cited as another potential use for it. If the rumours are true, you could soon be participating in a FaceTime call through your TV, while the audio system would adjust the volume on your screen for each participant based on their position onscreen. Better still is the possibility of an image processing unit that would be able to use facial recognition and eye tracking in order to figure out whereabouts exactly your mouth is. With this information it will direct its microphone towards it for superior audio quality.

We do not yet know for sure if Apple has definite plans to use this enhanced audio system anytime soon but reports do indicate that three differently shaped television sets are in the planning stages and two of them are even ready to enter production. A source in China claims to have seen these three models and describes a possible entry-level model that could be launched in May. This model measures 13 to 18 inches, while the largest model measures 50 inches. All three are expected to come with Retina Display. But of course, we do not know just how reliable the source is at this point.

But the idea of an Apple TV is nothing new and there has been talk among fans and analysts since 2009 that such a product would see the light of day. What sparked the rumours more recently though is the fact that Apple CEO Tim Cook has expressed interest in TV on behalf of the company and has hinted that a lot could be done in this area. Analysts are divided on what this could mean. Some say it simply means Apple will continue to develop its set-top box, while others are confident that 2013 will see an Apple TV emerge.

People have been speculating about the next generation of the iPhone and iPad ever since the release of the latest products and it seems the internet is always one step ahead of Apple. Sure enough, several sources have revealed rumours that we could be seeing the new iPhone and iPad as early as March and it will come as no surprise that this information was supposedly uncovered at the Consumer Electronics Show, or CES, in Las Vegas last week.

If the rumours are anything to go by, the iPad 5 will be lighter and thinner than the New iPad released in October, which will have to change its name presumably. Of course, this is hardly breaking news as we were hardly expecting Apple to work on a bigger, chunkier model but, while the details are nothing new, it could at least confirm that a new device is on the way soon. It is also expected to have a faster A6X processor, while the iPad Mini 2 will also be upgraded to feature a faster chip. As for the new iPhone, it could be coming in a variety of different sizes and colours and we should see it launched at some point in the next six months.

It seems the question is not so much what we will see, but rather when we will see it. What makes these rumours more believable is the fact that the fourth-generation iPad was released a mere six months after the previous incarnation and it could be the case that Apple is stepping up its product cycle. After all, with rival smartphones and tablets from the likes of Samsung among others popping up, Apple has more competition to contend with and there is more pressure to remain ahead of the pack. While iPad production has already begun to speed up, there is every chance that the same thing will happen with the iPhone and we could be seeing regular upgrades every six months from now on.

It is also worth noting that we could be seeing a cheaper iPhone released as well. Rumours have already been floating around about this possibility but what makes it more plausible is the fact that the rival products generally offer more competitive prices and, as a result, Apple’s share price has dropped significantly. The company may need to release a more affordable alternative in order to attract more customers. It already worked with the iPad Mini after all.

What we will almost certainly see is a new and improved Apple Maps app. Apple has had plenty of time to learn from its mistake and has already made an effort to fix the errors. The current app has admittedly improved with subsequent updates but we should be seeing a brand new version released with the next iOS update. It would be a foolish move not to provide one.

With all this pressure on Apple, it is highly unlikely that the company will wait until October to release a new iPhone. Whether we get the iPhone 5S, 6 or whatever its name turns out to be, we will not have to wait long. The only real challenge is to get it made in time without diminishing the quality of it. with so much competition now, a new Apple product is no longer a guaranteed success.

Apple may have acknowledged its error with its signature Maps app, apologised profusely for it and removed the people responsible for it but the fact remains that it needs to be fixed and, while some efforts have already been made to achieve this, it is a huge task that will require a lot of research and input. However recent speculation suggests that Apple may have found its solution and we could soon be seeing the new and improved Apple Maps app, complete with accurate representations of the world.

While there were already rumours that Apple was working out a deal with Foursquare in order to rival Google with a new maps app, the latest rumours suggest that Apple has now turned its attention to navigation app Waze as a means to improve its iOS 6 navigation tool. According to a report that surfaced on Wednesday, Apple is considering the acquisition of Waze as a possible solution.

If you are unfamiliar with Waze, it is free to download for iOS and currently has more than 30 million users taking advantage of the traffic and navigation features it has to offer its community. The app allows its users to share traffic information and help each other plan more effective routes when driving. As it turns out, it is also already a data partner with Apple’s not quite so loved Maps app.

If the name Waze does sound familiar to you then it may be because it was one of the alternatives mentioned by Tim Cook when he apologised for the disappointing iOS 6 app. With so many fans behind it already, it would make sense for him to turn customers’ attention towards a company he intends to ultimately acquire. Whether that was his original intention remains to be seen but if the rumours are true, it could prove to be a smart move.

So far there has been no comment on the issue from either Apple or Waze but one source claims that the two companies have reached an advanced stage of their negotiations, although at this point no price has been agreed on. Waze is said to be demanding $750 million but the offer from Apple does not quite live up to that, amounting only to $400 million plus a further $100 million in incentives.

It seems Waze was already wise to the failings of Apple’s Maps app back before it was unleashed on the public.  CEO of the company Noam Bardin predicted that it would be inadequate because of Apple’s poor choice of partner in its development. With a weak data set paling in comparison with the well-established one used by Google, there was no way it could live up to the excellent Google Maps app.

After the drama surrounding the release of Apple’s Maps app, December saw the release of Google’s new Maps app, which proved to be an instant hit. In the first 48 hours the app enjoyed more than 10 million downloads and it even led to a significant increase in iOS adoption. As for Apple, it promised to improve and if the rumours are anything to go by, it may stand a better chance of rivalling Google with a little help from Waze.

As if the new campus in Cupertino isn’t enough, Apple is already starting work on another one in Austin, Texas. The huge 2.8 million square foot Cupertino project is still to go ahead of course and that will provide the company with its global headquarters but the Texas building will also play its role as Apple’s America’s Operations Center.

Apple may already have an operations center in Austin and has done for years but now the company is expanding its horizons and thinking much bigger than before. Currently there are 3500 hardware engineers, support staff and operations people employed here but with the new campus built, Apple will be able to add another 1 million square feet of office space, which in turn will create a further 3600 job roles within the company. Once these are filled, Austin will be home to a total of 7100 Apple employees. In addition to this, Apple can also expect a generous amount of tax breaks, exceeding $30 million altogether.

On this occasion, it seems Apple is going for a much more low-key building, rather than the futuristic spaceship design currently under construction in Cupertino. The current Austin building blends in with the other office buildings in the area and the new ones are expected to follow suit. With three construction permits on this new campus, Apple has begun the early stages of constructing the new buildings with county and city planners. Apple has made an agreement with the city that states that Austin’s new campus will provide an office for any overflow from the Cupertino spaceship for the America operations team and the company claims that such an operational center is required to bring all the various accounting and human resources together in one efficient place.

According to the development agreement negotiated by Apple with Austin’s city planners, the first phase of the $287 million project will deal with the construction of the first two facility buildings, which will cover 200,000 square feet at a cost of $56 million. This stage is expected to be completed by the end of 2015 and then the second phase can be put into action, in which several more buildings covering up to 800,000 square feet will be constructed, with completion expected by the end of 2021.

Being one of the biggest commercial development projects in progress in Austin this year, it would come as no surprise that Apple is the giant behind it. Austin is of course very welcoming of such a significant venture and a partnership with Apple could never be anything but lucrative. There has been some speculation that this new campus may be used for manufacturing Macs on home soil but Apple CEO Tim Cook has shot down these rumours. While he has indeed been talking about carrying out such plans, he states that the Austin campus will not be used for this purpose. But it will certainly double the workforce Apple currently has over the next ten years.

Apple Maps will send you out to the desert when all you wanted was a coffee and the new release of Google Maps will almost certainly hammer the final nails into its coffin, at least until Apple’s new and improved version comes out but that could take some time. However, while Google Maps is an excellent navigational tool, there is another type of navigation app that is more useful in one area and that is finding local facilities and amenities. If you want to plan a journey then Google is the way to go but if you are more interested in seeking out all the various places of interest in your immediate surroundings then there is something else you might like to try. The aptly named Around Me is available now for the iPad and iPhone from the App Store and it is completely free.

Around Me is already proving successful despite its many rivals but this is hardly surprising because it is a great app, easy to use and extremely useful. If you ever find yourself looking for a certain facility near you then this is the perfect app to help you and since it covers a wide range of categories, it should be able to help you find what you are looking for without having to trek too far. Whether you wish to find a gas station or a restaurant, Around Me will be able to tell you what is closest and provide plenty of other information about it too. In addition to this it has just received a new feature in the form of hotel booking.

For an independent app, Around Me is very well researched and improving all the time. Partnerships with various countries mean its capabilities are broadening all the time and it seems that booking a hotel is only the start of what it can do. The fact that it does all this well without charging a penny is even better, although there is one optional cost you can pay and that is $2.99 to disable the ads that fund it.

The app is incredibly easy to use and you can begin a search by browsing through an extensive list of categories so whether you want to see a movie, go for a meal, find a parking spot or pick up your medicine, Around Me can tell you where all the nearest places for your needs are. If you are just curious about what is near you then you can also browse a more general Nearby category, which will show you what kind of places are just around the corner. Pick a category and you will be presented with a more detailed list of locations, which include such information as their addresses and contact details. Once you have found a desirable place you can tap on it and see it pinpointed on a map.

Around Me lives up to its name and does a stunning job of keeping you informed of your local facilities. This is one everyone should consider as it will be highly useful to everyone.