Investors, just like gamers, are a fickle lot, and Pokémon GO is showing just how true that is for Nintendo. The company’s stock shot up to its highest point in decades after pretty much everyone with a smartphone went crazy over the game, then took a big hit when Nintendo reminded investors it has only a partial stake in developer Niantic and Pokémon Company.
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AAPL Q3 Earnings Report Set for Tuesday Afternoon
Apple’s 2016 third fiscal quarter earnings report is scheduled to start this afternoon after the market closes. This quarter will include iPhone SE sales, and analysts will be watching closely to see if the company’s smartphone numbers show a year-over-year decline for a second quarter. The Mac Observer will be here to bring you the latest news and analysis from the event, so be sure to follow along with us this afternoon.
Report Says iPhone 7 May be Called iPhone 6SE
Since this fall’s iPhone is expected to stick with the same body design as the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6s a new report claims instead of iPhone 7 Apple will call the new model iPhone 6SE. The source for the next iPhone’s name comes from supply sources in China, and doesn’t seem like a good fit considering Apple already sells an iPhone SE.
iPhone 7 Reportedly Launching on Sept 16
Apple’s still unannounced iPhone 7 will reportedly be announced a little earlier than usual this year and hit store shelves on Friday, September 16th. Word of the release date comes via Venture Beat’s Evan Blass, who has a track record for predicting Android smartphone rollouts.
Apple Has Olympic Limited Edition Apple Watch Bands in Brazil, But We Found Alternatives
Apple is offering limited edition Apple Watch bands for the Olympics, but you can only get them at the Apple Store VillageMall in Barra da Tijuca. That’s in Brazil. GQ reported that Apple has Apple Watch bands commemorating 14 “major competitor” countries. But if you can’t go to Brazil, we did some digging and found a couple of alternatives at Amazon and AliExpress.
Apple to Announce Earnings July 26th
Apple announced Friday that it will hold its quarterly call with analysts on Tuesday, July 26th. Investors will be keenly watching results and guidance looking for signs in renewed growth for Apple. In the March quarter, Apple reported year-over-year declines in revenue and iPhone sales.
iPhone 7 will be Waterproof, Include Lightning Headphone Dongle
Apple’s iPhone 7, expected to ship this fall, will include “professional class waterproofing” and a Lightning to 3.5mm headphone jack dongle. That’s according to Deutsche Bank analysts following Apple’s production closely.
New Security Threat Targets OS X, iOS through Graphics
There’s a new security threat for OS X and iOS that could let attackers remotely control your device or install malware by sending you an image file. The threat is fairly serious, although so far it’s still just a proof of concept, and Apple patched the flaw in OS X 10.11.6 and iOS 9.3.3.
No, Apple didn't Buy Music Provider Omnifone
Earlier this month a report said online music provider Omnifone was being purchased by an unnamed U.S. company for US$10 million. Now a new report is out saying that company was Apple, but it’s very likely that’s not really the case.
WebP Comes to iOS 10, macOS Sierra Betas: What You Need to Know
Apple added support for Google’s WebP image format to Safari in the beta versions of iOS 10 and macOS Sierra, which could make websites load faster. “Could,” in this case, assumes Apple keeps WebP support in the shipping versions of its operating systems, and Web developers adopt the format for their site images.
How to Apply for Twitter Account Verification
Previously only available by private invitation, Twitter now allows users to apply for account verification. Note that you still need to be noteworthy or otherwise provide a compelling reason for Twitter to approve your verification, but at least now you can ask instead of having to sniff around at cocktail parties and coffee shops for someone who knows someone. To get verified your account must first be in proper shape. Read along and we’ll help get you there.
Apple Music Users: How to Disable iTunes Match Subscription Auto-renew
Apple is taking some of the confusion out of its subscription services by bringing iTunes Match’s song matching system to Apple Music. That means Apple Music users will have get a much better matching algorithm, they get DRM-free versions of matched songs, and they don’t need their iTunes Match subscriptions any more. If that sounds like a winning combo to you, it’s time to disable auto-renew for your iTunes Match account. Read on to learn how.
Iran Ready to Ban and Confiscate iPhones
The Iranian government has given Apple an ultimatum: register with the country’s anti-smuggling office now, or all iPhones will be banned and confiscated. The demand comes as part of Iran’s plans to create a database of every cell phone in the country under the guise of blocking smuggling.
New Star Trek Series Coming to Netflix Streaming, but not in the US
Netflix announced a deal with CBS Studios International on Monday to stream the new Star Trek television series in countries around the world. Episodes will air within 24 hours of their showing after the show launches in 21017, except in the United States where viewers will still need a CBS All Access account. You didn’t misread that: the new Star Trek series won’t be available on Netflix Streaming in the U.S.
Apple Rolls Out Bug Fix and Security Updates for OS X, iOS, watchOS, tvOS
Apple rolled out updates for OS X, iOS, watchOS, and tvOS on Monday. The updates are all free and fairly easy to install, and they haven’t caused any problems on The Mac Observer’s test devices so far. Read on to learn about the updates and how you can get them installed.
Apple Snubs Samsung for iPhone 7 and 8 Processors
Apple reportedly gave an exclusive manufacturing deal to Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company for the A10 processor used in the upcoming iPhone 7. The deal means Samsung won’t get to cash in on the next iPhone model, and sources say TSMC already scored an exclusive deal for the A11 processor in 2017’s iPhone lineup.
SoftBank to Buy Apple Chip Designer ARM
Apple chip designer ARM Holdings is about to get bought by Japan’s SoftBank in a £24.3 billion (about US$32.16 billion) deal. SoftBank plans to keep ARM in the UK while using the deal to make itself the preeminent mobile chip designer and cash in on the growing “internet of things” product market.
Supreme Court to Hear Samsung's iPhone Patent Appeal Oct 11
Samsung’s appeal in its ongoing patent infringement fight with Apple over smartphone designs goes before the U.S. Supreme Court on October 11th. This doesn’t, however, signal the end of a battle that started in 2011 and is only the latest round in a dispute that’s drug on for years.
How to Limit Pokémon GO's Access to Your Google Account
Nintendo and Niantic’s wildly popular Pokémon GO came under fire only days after it launched when users found out the game had permission to access everything in their Google accounts. Niantic said the game checked only basic account information and wasn’t supposed to get unfettered access to everything. There’s an patch out that fixes the permissions issue, but you’ll need to do more than simply install the update. Read on to learn how to limit Pokémon GO’s access to your Google account.
Apple Watch Scores Top Spot in J.D. Power Smartwatch Satisfaction
Apple Watch came out on top in J.D. Power’s newest smartwatch satisfaction survey. The Apple device narrowly beat out the competition in overall points, but scored significantly higher in J.D. Power’s Power Circle Ratings, as shown in the chart.
Leaked iPhone 7 Plus Pics Show Mute Switch is Gone
Yesterday we saw a leaked photo of what looks to be the 4.7-inch iPhone 7, and today brings us the iPhone 7 Plus. The new photos look pretty much like what we’re expecting, but with a glaring omission: the physical mute switch is gone.
Pokémon GO isn't Stealing all Your Data
Pokémon GO is the game to play, and it’s so popular that Nintendo’s servers can’t keep up with demand. That led to loads of people signing up with their Google ID, promptly followed by loads of people freaking out thinking the game is accessing all of their email, contacts, and documents. The game isn’t really stealing all your data, and the developers said they’re fixing the error that granted Pokémon GO full access to your Google account.
Photo Shows iPhone 7 with Bigger Camera Lens
A new photo of what appears to be the next iPhone hit the internet on Monday showing what we’ve already heard from rumors, like a new camera and redesigned antenna lines. In fact, the biggest surprise in this shot is how clear the photo is.
Apple Settles Coverflow Patent Fight for $25M
A patent infringement fight against Apple over Coverflow technology that started in 2008 has finally come to an end with a US$25 million settlement. Apple agreed to pay the sum to Network-1 Technologies, far less than the $625 million originally awarded.