T-Mobile Pledges to Roll out Coast-to-Coast 5G by 2020

T-Mobile is planning on rolling out a nationwide 5G network by 2020, the company announced on Tuesday. The Un-carrier’s announcement marks it as the first U.S.-based wireless company to unveil plans for a national 5G network. To do so, the company will use a portion of its $8 billion purchase of low-band 600 MHz spectrum to deliver 5G coverage coast-to-coast, according to T-Mobile’s press release. “5G will be amazing, and we can’t even imagine all the cool stuff it will bring, just like with our earlier network innovations,” CEO John Legere said. “That’s why truly mobile 5G has to be nationwide — period, the end.”

 
T-Mobile contrasts their approach to Verizon’s and AT&T’s 5G networks — which the Un-carrier likens to small “hotspots,” as opposed to actual nationwide coverage. Since a coast-to-coast 5G network would require a mixture of high-band and low-band coverage, T-Mobile claims that it’s in an excellent position to deliver — owing to its currently unused 600 MHz spectrum.

Benefits of 5G

When 5G coverage finally does roll out, it’ll be insanely fast. Massive files like HD movies could be downloaded from iTunes in seconds and will undoubtedly open up a whole other realm of possibilities. Other than allowing higher-quality multimedia to be more convenient for mobile devices, 5G networks could also lead to better self-driving vehicle systems, real-time virtual reality and near-instantaneous access to cloud-based data.

Of course, Apple fans will probably have to wait a few more years before they can expect to see a 5G-compatible modem in an iPhone. In fact, the mobile industry is still standardizing what 5G actually is. And 5G modems like the likes of industry giants like Intel and Qualcomm won’t show up in phones until at least 2018. So while T-Mobile may be the first carrier to officially announce such plans, their timeframe actually lines up with when the rest of the industry is expected to begin implementing 5G networks and systems.

T-Mobile’s rollout is expected to begin in 2019, with the ultimate goal of achieving full, nationwide coverage by 2020, the company said.

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Major Companies Are Mysteriously Deleting Their Apple Watch Apps

In a bizarre turn of events, some major companies, including Amazon, Google, and eBay, have quietly updated their iOS apps reflecting that support for watchOS companion apps will no longer be offered. What’s so strange about this is that it’s a trend which has been taking place over the last few months — as recent updates to eBay, Amazon, and Google Maps apps have been updated removing support for future watchOS updates.

In the April 17th, version 4.30.0 update to Google Maps, for instance, it appears that the Mountain View, California Search-giant has ditched support for the Apple Watch companion app entirely — even despite the end of support not being mentioned anywhere in the update’s release notes. This could be due to a number of reasons, including that the app was simply not being used enough, or perhaps that Google has temporarily withdrawn support for Maps so as to bring changes the user experience on Apple Watch.

Fortunately, when contacted by a myriad of news outlets for comment on the situation this morning, Google responded in a Tweet, saying “We removed Apple Watch support from our latest iOS release,” however “[we] expect to support it again in the future.”

Of course, this comment may or may not indicate that Google has just temporarily withdrawn support for watchOS, while it works towards an update that fortifies the Apple Watch experience for Google Maps users — but an expectation of “supporting it again in the future” is certainly a good reason to stay tuned for an update.

Meanwhile, online commerce giants Amazon and eBay — whose iOS apps were last updated on April 20th and April 24th, respectively — also withdrew support for their Apple Watch companion apps. The eBay app for Apple Watch, in particular, had boasted a number of features like the ability to track bid statuses and receive sale notifications. Amazon, likewise, withdrew support for its Apple Watch companion app — but I suppose one can only fathom that the experience of shopping on their wrist is not for the faint of heart, right?

Worth noting is that while there may be no clear indication from Amazon or eBay about the future of their apps, it could very well be that they simply were not being used enough for the commerce-giants to justify issuing updates. However, on the whole, these Apple Watch-abandoning updates have essentially slipped by under the radar, leaving us with little choice but to speculate until further notice.

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iPhone 8 Function Area: Here’s Everything We Know So Far

While the location of Touch ID on this year’s flagship iPhone has been a matter of speculation and debate, it’s a near certainty that the iPhone 8 (or iPhone Edition) won’t have a Home button or much of a bottom bezel. Instead, Apple’s latest and greatest could feature a so-called “Function Area.”

What Is a Function Area?

This Function Area would essentially be a portion of the iPhone 8’s rumored 5.8-inch display set aside for a virtual Home button (and possibly a display-embedded fingerprint sensor). This function area would leave about 5.15 inches left of “usable” screen space. Renowned Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo of KGI Securities originally made the prediction back in February — adding that the final device should be around the same size as the 4.7-inch iPhone 7, but with a much larger display. Similarly, the New York Times reported in September 2016 that the iPhone 8 would ditch physical buttons for digital ones.

While we can safely assume that this new Function Area will replace the physical Home button on the iPhone 8, it could also be used for a variety of other functions. Presumably, Apple could integrate app-contextual controls into the Function Area, similar to what they did on the MacBook Pro’s new OLED Touch Bar. From music and video controls to app-specific buttons, the possibilities for a Function Area could be limitless (especially considering the creativity of iOS app developers).

Will the Function Area Feature Embedded Touch ID?

Of course, the big question on everyone’s mind is whether the function area will integrate Touch ID via a display-embedded fingerprint sensor. While iDrop News has published reports pointing to the contrary, there’s still plenty of evidence that Apple is testing at least one prototype with under-the-display Touch ID — including a recent leaked photo of what is allegedly an iPhone 8 case, clearly showing no cutout for a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor.

Reportedly, embedding a fingerprint sensor within the iPhone 8’s display has been one of Apple’s biggest design bottlenecks. Of course, rather than following in Samsung’s footsteps, Apple could ostensibly replace Touch ID entirely with any manner of biometric recognition systems like facial or iris scanners. There still might be hope for Apple fans wanting to see display-embedded Touch ID, however. Several reports have indicated that mass production of the iPhone 8 could be delayed, perhaps giving Apple enough time to see a truly revolutionary design come to fruition.

Curious what a “Function Area” would end up looking like? Take a look at these exclusive new concept images below.

iPhone 8 Function Area Image Gallery

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AirPods Achieve Record-Breaking 98% Satisfaction Rating

When designing a new product, late Apple co-founder Steve Jobs and his team of visionaries never really bothered to consider how the public might perceive it — but rather, Jobs had a penchant for deigning and developing products that only they, themselves, would consider utilizing in their everyday lives. In other words, while some of the most critique-able Apple products of all time may have faced initial skepticism, they also turned out to boast the most functionality, practicality, and desirability among users — even despite what the critics and naysayers thought.

Consider the Apple Watch, for example — a product that wasn’t the most warmly received by critics and early reviewers at launch, but which still managed to balloon in popularity among Apple faithfuls over time, ultimately climbing to the top of the charts in J.D. Power’s Smartwatch Device Satisfaction Report last year. Another example would be Apple’s luxury wireless earphones, AirPods, which were released last fall to the backdrop of mass-hysteria over Cupertino’s decision to axe the 3.5mm headphone jack on its iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus handsets.

Over the last few months of their existence, AirPods have received their fair share of criticism and acclaim, however, a new study released this week reveals that AirPods have become quite a sought after product in Apple’s vast portfolio.

 

Conducted by leading market research firm, Creative Strategies, in partnership with Experian, data collected via the study revealed that a record-smashing 98% of AirPods owners are satisfied with their purchase — with 82% of the 942 respondents indicating they were “very satisfied” with their AirPods, and another 16% indicating they were at least “satisfied.”

“The overall customer satisfaction level of 98% sets the record for the highest level of satisfaction for a new product from Apple,” writes Creative Strategies’ principal analyst, Ben Bajarin, while adding that “When the iPhone came out in 2007, it held a 92 percent customer satisfaction level, iPad in 2010 had 92 percent, and Apple Watch in 2015 had 97 percent.”

In addition to their satisfaction ratings, users were asked whether or not they’d recommend AirPods to a friend. Creative Strategies’ proprietary metric for assessing this, known as the Net Promoter Scale (NPS), is based on a 0-10 point range — with 0 corresponding to “not likely at all,” and 10 corresponding with “extremely likely.” Surprisingly, AirPods scored an average of 75 on this index, which Bajarin says is indicative that most users perceive AirPods as a world-class product.

Delving further into the survey’s overall findings, it’s revealed that between 97 and 98% of respondents lauded AirPods’ most unique features, including the amount of time they require to charge, the charging case’s design, and their ease of pairing thanks in part to Apple’s custom W1 Bluetooth chip.

Interestingly, even despite their myriad of delays in reaching market, the majority of AirPods users (82%) strongly or somewhat believe that AirPods are their favorite Apple product to debut in recent memory, which is rather notable considering they are branded as an iPhone accessory.

How do you feel about your AirPods? Let us know in the comments!

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5 Reasons You Need a VPN for Your iPhone

Last month, a Republican-led Congress voted to repeal FCC privacy protections, leaving your data vulnerable to internet service providers who could sell it to third parties. If that wasn’t enough cause for concern over the security of your browsing data, there’s always the possibility of intrusion by cyber criminals like identity thieves and hackers. It’s no small wonder that VPNs have become a necessity in the digital age.

Whether you’re accessing the internet from your laptop or smartphone, VPNs allow you to take your data into your own hands. And thankfully, there is a wealth of VPNs that come with iOS support. Just be sure to get one that’s legitimate, because you’re entrusting your browsing activity to your VPN provider. Also, remember that VPNs for mobile devices only encrypt data channels (e.g. your email and web browser) and not your voice calls. With that, here are five reasons you should get one for your iPhone.

Click the Right Arrow to Begin.

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iPad Pro 2 and iPad mini 5 Rumored to Be Announced at WWDC

We’re about 17 weeks into the year, and so far the only major announcement pertaining to Apple’s iPad was the introduction of a revamped 9.7-inch model boasting slightly beefed-up specifications over the iPad Air 2 — albeit at the most affordable price point ever for an iPad in its class. Apple has for long been rumored to be introducing as many as three other iPad models this year, however, including a refreshed 12.9-inch iPad Pro 2, a slightly smaller, bezel-free iPad Pro boasting an edge-to-edge display measuring 10.5-inches, and possibly even an iPad mini 5, which could also be christened iPad Pro mini credentials to help distinguish it from iPad minis past.

Though these models were first rumored to launch way back in March, then again in April, and yet again by April — while shipping to customers in May or June — a new report published over the weekend suggests that the tablets could be debuted live during the keynote address at Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) next month.

While reiterating many of the same details we already know about the 2017 iPad lineup, including how they will run on a beefed-up ‘A10X’ variant of Apple’s A10 Fusion SoC, boast variable screen sizes including 12.9-, 10.5-, and 7.9-inches, and other upgrades including better camera hardware, True Tone displays, and more, Donklephant is now suggesting that the next-generation iPad trio is likely to debut at WWDC alongside the unveiling of iOS 11.

The report doesn’t cite anything in the way of breaking news about the upcoming iPad devices, but appears to converge around a spat of previous reports that may lend a bit of cautious credence to its case.

First and foremost, it’s been over a year and a half now since Apple last refreshed the 12.9-inch iPad Pro and the 7.9-inch iPad mini, which debuted back in the fall of 2015, respectively. Moreover, Apple has historically released new iPad models no later than 12-18 months apart, which in itself is an indication that new iPads are not very far off. To that end, one of these previous reports suggested that while the iPad Pros might be unveiled as early as April, they might not ship to customers until late May or early June, which would coincide quite nicely with a potential announcement at WWDC.

Historically speaking, Apple isn’t known for using WWDC as a venue to showcase new products, with the exception in recent years, of WWDC 2013, whereat new MacBook Air and Mac Pro models were unveiled. 2017 might be a slightly different story, though: not only is Apple rumored to be unveiling new Siri/AirPlay-enabled hardware at this year’s event, but, quite frankly, it’s been so long since Apple has shaken things up with the iPad, we can only hope the company uses WWDC ’17 as a forum to do so.

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Apple Watches with Battery Issues May Receive Extended Service Coverage

Apple is extending the service coverage period for first-gen Apple Watch devices with battery problems to three years, according to a new report. The service extension reportedly applies to Apple Watch models that are experiencing swollen or expanding batteries, according to an Apple repair database entry obtained by 9to5Mac. That entry was reportedly sent via email to Apple Store employees and Authorized Service Providers, but as of the writing of this article, the company has not publicly announced the extended coverage period.

“Apple has extended Service coverage for eligible Apple Watch (1st gen) models with an expanded/swollen battery to three years after the original date of purchase. Eligible devices will be covered for two years beyond the original 1-year Limited Warranty,” the database entry reads. The change will allow first-gen Apple Watch owners to have their devices repaired up to three years from its purchase date — even if they did not purchase an AppleCare plan.

Worth noting is that, due to the lack of public announcement, it’s currently unknown whether Apple will reimburse customers who have already paid for Apple Watch battery replacements.

The issue in question is the result of the Apple Watch’s lithium-ion battery swelling or expanding after being overcharged, overheated or punctured. Reportedly, the problem renders an Apple Watch unusable, as the expanding battery causes the screen to push away from the device’s casing. While the battery issue seems relatively rare, reports have circulated in various places, including Reddit and Apple’s official Support Communities forums. Currently, the issue seems to be uncommon enough to have not been covered by mainstream media outlets.

The first-generation of Apple Watch was originally unveiled on April 24, 2015 — meaning that original devices sold that year are just passing the two-year mark.

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Why Elon Musk’s Latest Vision Is ‘Boring’

Elon Musk took to the stage at the 2017 TED conference this past Friday to discuss, among other things, why his latest idea is boring. To be clear, Musk’s newest idea isn’t uninteresting — it involves boring (drilling a network of tunnels and related infrastructure underneath a city that could transport vehicles more efficiently).

Musk formed The Boring Company in late 2016, after dreaming up the concept while stuck in LA traffic. Eventually, Musk hopes that such a network of tunnels could ease traffic congestion and the inconveniences that go along with it. At TED, Musk showed off a video of the concept, which you can view below.

The infrastructure of such a system would include parking spots that double as elevators to this tunnel network, where cars are transported on sleds through a network of layered tunnels. The sleds will ferry vehicles at speeds reaching around 130 mph, and the system will be computer-controlled to ensure that maximum efficiency is achieved. Similarly, while above-ground rounds can really only be stacked one or two layers high, an underground system could be made up of “any number” of layered tunnels crisscrossing each other, Musk said.

Of course, such a utopian vision is still quite a ways off — and Musk even admitted that there must be a massive cost reduction in tunneling and boring technology before anything remotely close to his idea could be accomplished. And while The Boring Company may be Musk’s newest venture, he isn’t pouring all of his time into it — reportedly, he said the new company is taking up “maybe 2 to 3 percent” of his time. The rest of it is being spent on his older endeavors, namely Tesla and spaceflight corporation SpaceX.

During the TED talk, Musk also touched on a rather aggressive timeline for Tesla — specifically, he said the electric carmaker is “still on track for being able to go cross country from LA to NY by the end of the year, fully autonomous.” Tesla is also “about two years” from allowing drivers to nap during autonomous car rides.. The trick to that, Musk added, is to refine the underlying technology enough that a Tesla is “unlikely to crash in a minimum of 100 lifetimes.”

Additionally, Musk mentioned Tesla’s upcoming electric semi truck (and how he got to drive a prototype of it) and the forthcoming announcements of new gigafactories. Lastly, he reiterated some of his ambitions for SpaceX, and why he still believes reaching and colonizing Mars is so important.

See the full Elon Musk TED Talk interview below.

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iOS 11 Rumored to Feature ‘Intelligent Low Power Mode’ and More

Apple is widely expected to take the wraps off its next major software update for iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch during the keynote of its Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) on Monday, June 5th. And while we’ve heard a few rumors in the past concerning what iOS 11 might bring to the table, a revelation this morning courtesy of Reddit user, cyanhat, seeks to provide a bit more confirmation about the next installment of iOS — plus some sweet new surprises we can only hope make their way into the final build.

Improvements to FaceTime

First and foremost, cyanhat echoed a rumor that first broke earlier this year, which suggested that FaceTime group calling feature would be coming to iOS 11 — meaning that users might soon be able to conduct FaceTime video calls with as many as five other individuals, according to the leaked information which was posted to Reddit over the weekend.

Interestingly, cyanhat also suggests that Apple could make FaceTime Audio the default calling method between iPhone users — albeit to the dismay of wireless carriers all around the globe. This feature would essentially allow anyone using an iPhone to call and talk to their fellow iPhone owners, free of charge, and thereby bypassing the need for a cellular LTE connection to enjoy crisp, clear audio calls.

“FaceTime Audio is going to become the default calling method for iPhone users,” writes cyanhat in their Reddit post. “If [an iPhone user] calls any iPhone user, it will automatically use FaceTime Audio so that you can enjoy a crisp, high-quality calling experience. If you call a non-iOS phone, it will fallback to the older cellular calling technology (the one that is currently standard and sounds terrible).”

Intelligent Low Power Mode

Last but not least, cyanhat talks about a so-called AI-based ‘Intelligent Low Power Mode’ for iOS 11 devices, which would adapt according to one’s usage patterns to help maximize battery performance throughout the day. Details about this technology are scant at this point, so we will have to just wait and see what Apple has in store for us next month, but it does sound quite promising.

“Intelligent, automatic low power mode. It will study your low power mode habits (how often and when you turn it on) and adapt to that schedule,” cyanhat writes, while adding that “It will also be location and context based. For example, if you leave your home Wi-Fi network and have 20% or less, it will turn on low power mode automatically.”

Additional iOS 11 Features

Additional features that could be coming to iOS 11 include Apple’s rumored person-to-person iPhone-based payment system, tons of exciting new features to Apple Music subscribers, as well as the oft-rumored Dark Mode feature, which has been floating around the rumor mill since before iOS 10 was announced at WWDC last year. The feature didn’t end up making it to the final release though, which leads us to believe it has a much better chance of arriving this year — particularly in light of Apple’s OLED-equipped iPhone 8 (or iPhone Edition).

iOS 11 could also undergo some major design changes, including the addition of new Control Center buttons, improvements to the widget panel, and a slate of overall speed and security enhancements across the board.

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Apple’s Siri/AirPlay Device Expected to Boast Premium Specs and Price

Just days ago, word first began circulating the web about Apple’s intent to release a Siri-based competitor to Amazon’s Echo, the Alexa-powered voice assistant. Courtesy of famed, though historically inconsistent serial leaker, Sonny Dickson, Apple was actually said to be in the finishing stages of “finalizing designs” for a Siri/AirPlay device that would likely run a reconfigured variant of iOS, while affording users a premium audio experience.

Although that rumor was scant on details, KGI Securities heavyweight, Ming-Chi Kuo, officially weighed in on the future of Apple’s debut home-based artificial intelligence product. According to his most recent research note, a copy of which was obtained on Monday morning by AppleInsider, there is a “greater than 50% chance” that Cupertino will debut its powerful and premium device at this year’s Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) next month — potentially ahead of an early August or September launch.

Kuo went on to detail some of the device’s most noteworthy specifications, which he claims will include the presence of at least one dedicated subwoofer and up to seven tweeters, promoting “excellent” acoustics and all-around stellar audio quality. Interestingly, he also suggested that the device will likely run a custom ARM-based processor — at least as powerful as the company’s A8 SoC — meaning the Siri/AirPlay device would be as powerful as an iPhone 6.

If true, it would certainly appear as if Apple is positioning its Siri-based gadget for the higher-end of the market — with pricing likely to far exceed that of Amazon’s $179 Alexa-only Echo speaker. Still, Kuo justifies that while Apple’s device may be higher-priced than its competitors, he believes that Apple’s product will offer users a better entertainment experience and superb sound quality to warrant the price.

Kuo further suggested that Apple could sell as many as 12 million of the devices by the end of this year, and that the company may be positioning itself to expand the product into a broader category of products — similar to how Amazon did with the Echo.

Though these estimates may seem high at this point, Kuo points out a number of advantages that Apple’s Siri platform has over Amazon’s Alexa, right out of the gate, including the former’s ability to communicate in 18 different languages, as opposed to the latter’s English-only operability. He also referenced Apple’s hardware advantage, namely by invoking the company’s custom W1 chip, which allows Apple devices to connect to compatible accessories instantly so long as they’re affiliated with the same iCloud account. Kuo also believes that Apple’s potential to integrate the product with iOS or macOS devices will only bolster the product’s position as a must-have for Apple lovers.

Fortunately, with WWDC 2017 set to kick off on June 5th, it won’t be too long until we find out what products Apple has in store for us this year, alongside the all new iOS 11, macOS 10.13, watchOS 4, and tvOS 11 unveilings that are already expected.

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