What Could be Apple’s Next Smash Hit?

What Could be Apple’s Next Smash Hit?

Former iPhone engineer Ken Kocienda, developer of the on-screen keyboard on the original iPhone and the autocorrect feature, figures Apple’s next big hit will probably surround AR, or augmented reality. AR allows its users to see information overlying on their surroundings via their smartphones or other devices; this technology is used in Nintendo’s popular mobile game “Pokemon Go.”

“You can take your phone and you could point its camera at something in the world,” said Kocienda. According to Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Apple‘s move into augmented reality could boost iPhone and App Store sales. This could result in as much as $8 billion in revenue for Apple. Last quarter, Apple reported $3.74 billion in revenue from its “other products” division, which includes sales of Apple Watches, iPods and home products.

Replace Your iPhone Battery for $29

Replace Your iPhone Battery for $29

Usually, the cost to replace your iPhone battery is $79. However, last year Apple announced the price drop to $29 for users of the iPhone 6 or later. If you are fall into this category, now is the time to take advantage of this low price – you have until December 31!

Last December, Apple acknowledged the fact that iPhone users’ device performance had been lowering on its older models. Apple said the goal was to preserve battery life on those older phones and prevent them from shutting down unexpectedly, although many users believe it was make them purchase the latest model that came out that year.

Here are some tips to improve battery life in the mean time!

Low Battery Mode – turning on low battery mode in settings will help to preserve your battery a little longer, especially if your phone is on the verge of dying and you’re nowhere near a charger.

Close All Apps – pretty simple, right? Yet, most of us forget! If you’re not using an app, swipe to close it and see much longer your phone lasts you.

Don’t Overcharge – overcharging your phone can actually drain your battery quicker; always be sure to unplug as soon as it hits 100%, or even beforehand. And NEVER charge it overnight as your phone can be fully charged for hours!

 

Tariffs on Apple Products May Hurt the Company

Tariffs on Apple Products May Hurt the Company

President Trump’s proposed tariffs on China include a wide range of Apple products, including the Apple Watch, AirPods, Apple Pencil, HomePod, Mac Mini, as well as chargers and adapters for a host of products. The outcome of this proposal? Apple customers will have to pay more for Apple products, which could definitely hurt the company.

“It is difficult to see how tariffs that hurt U.S. companies and U.S. consumers will advance the Government’s objectives with respect to China’s technology policies. We hope, instead, that you will reconsider these measures and work to find other, more effective solutions that leave the U.S. economy and U.S. consumer stronger and healthier than ever before,” Apple said in a letter to the U.S. Trade Representative.

Apple CEO Tim Cook had brushed off tariff concerns, saying he was confident that tariffs would not affect the iPhone. It’s not a shock that the iPhone drives most of Apple’s profits; it wasn’t on the list as one of the products that would be affected by the tariffs.

Apple shares dropped 1 percent just before market closed on Friday, after gaining as much as 1 percent earlier in the session. You can read Apple’s letter here.

Apple’s Next Big Event

Apple’s Next Big Event

Well, it’s about that time of year again for Apple’s event, where we’re all excited to find out about the latest version of Apple’s hottest product – top being the iPhone. On September 12th, we’ll hear about the redesigned version of last year’s iPhone X, new Apple Watch, and upcoming software.

iPhones: First up, the iPhone XS is an updated version of last year’s iPhone X,  having the same size 5.8-inch screen, but with improved internal specs, such as the other -S class updates Apple has had in the past. Next, the iPhone XS Max, also rumored as the iPhone XS Plus, is a larger, 6.5-inch version of the XS that offers a bigger screen and larger battery. Both XS phones will have the same features as last year’s X, with the new changes coming internally. There is, however, the chance that Apple will have some new feature for the XS models as previous -S class updates. Lastly, the new iPhone is said to be a cheaper, 6.1 inch version of the iPhone X/XS, and would still offer the bezel-less display and Face ID. Instead, it would possibly cut some of the X and XS phone’s more premium features like the OLED screen, stainless steel frame, and possibly the 3D Touch system. 

Watch:  It has been rumored that Apple will be offering a bigger display on the new Series 4 Watch for a nearly edge-to-edge design, along with a slimmer size than the previous versions since it had been introduced in 2015. Similar to last year’s Series 3, the new version will also have LTE capability, with a more subtle red ring on the digital crown to indicate the cellular status. The new version will come with watchOS 5, which adds automatic workout detection, a walkie-talkie mode, and better notifications.

Software: Although we’re all looking forward to seeing Apple’s latest products at this year’s event, we will also likely to be getting some final release dates for iOS 12, watchOS 5, tvOS, and possibly macOS Mojave. New features to be seen this year include Screen Time for tracking your time spent on your phone, better notifications, and a new custom emoji called “Memoji”.

We all know anything can happen at an Apple event, so we’re ready for some surprises too!