Apple’s Touch ID fingerprint technology is getting a major revamp in the iPhone 8, and that’s pushing the start of production out to September. The later production date means Apple won’t hit the usual September shipping window for its flagship model.
Jeff Gamet
Jeff Gamet is the Mac Observer’s Managing Editor, and co-host of the Apple Context Machine podcast. He is the author of “The Designer’s Guide to Mac OS X” from Peachpit Press, and writes for several design-related publications. Jeff has presented at events such as Macworld Expo, the RSA Conference, and the Mac Computer Expo. In all his spare time, he also hosts TMO’s Daily Observations podcast, co-hosts The iOS Show podcast, and makes guest appearances on several other shows, too. Jeff dreams in HD.
Articles by Jeff Gamet
Kelly Guimont Talks IoT and More on MacVoices
The Mac Observer’s Kelly Guimont, who you can hear regularly on TMO’s Daily Observations podcast, joined Chuck Joiner this week on MacVoices. Chuck quizzed her about Internet of Things, backup strategies, upgrading your tech gear, favorite iOS apps, and more. MacVoices is a video podcast, but there’s an audio version available, too. You can check out Chuck’s interview with Kelly at the MacVoices website, or on Apple’s iTunes Store as audio or video.
Working Smarter for Mac Users Preview with Bob "Dr Mac" LeVitus - TMO Daily Observations 2017-03-01
Working Smarter for Mac Users is the latest book from Bob “Dr. Mac” LeVitus, so he’s joining Jeff Gamet to give us a preview before it launches this Friday. Bob also shares a couple tips to help improve your Mac productivity.
Apple and the Future of the iPhone's Lightning Port - TMO Daily Observations 2017-02-28
The iPhone’s Lightning port may be a thing of the past, or at least that’s what one report claims. Bryan Chaffin and John Martellaro join Jeff Gamet to talk about the future of the Lightning port, plus they share their thoughts on what Apple Watch Steve Jobs would’ve worn.
Apple Dropping iPhone Lightning Port for USB-C? I Don't Think So
Hold on to your cables, kids, because Apple is ditching the Lightning port on the iPhone 8. A new report claims Apple is replacing the Lightning connector with USB-C on the new model, but I’m not convinced.
Apple gets the Upper Hand on Qualcomm Thanks to Intel's CDMA Chips
Now that Intel is making cell phone radio chips that support CDMA as well as GSM, Apple can source more than just Qualcomm for CDMA-compatible iPhones. That doesn’t, however, mean Qualcomm is about to lose its Apple contract. Instead, Apple has two suppliers it can rely on.
Why Apple Might Discontinue the Mac Pro - TMO Daily Observations 2017-02-27
Apple’s Mac Pro has gone nearly four years without an update, leave plenty of people wondering if its a dead product. John Martellaro and Bryan Chaffin join Jeff Gamet to talk about the reasons why Apple might considering discontinuing the Mac Pro, although Bryan questions if that would be a smart move.
New Drone Footage Shows Nearly Complete Apple Park
Apple announced last week its spaceship campus is named Apple Park, and will open in April. Now, only days later, we get to see new drone footage showing the nearly complete facility. The new drone flyover shows the main ring-shaped building with its finished solar panel roof, and construction still underway on other structures. Landscaping is coming along, as are the two miles of trails winding through the park. Matthew Roberts shot the video showing Apple Park’s current state as of the end of February, and the entire campus is looking more impressive every day.
AT&T Revamps Unlimited Data Plans with Tethering, Lower Prices
AT&T didn’t waste any time revamping its brand new unlimited data plans for the iPhone and other smartphones. Starting on March 2, AT&T’s new plans get a price drop and add tethering, but there are some catches.
Amazon's Echo First Amendment Rights Fight - TMO Daily Observations 2017-02-24
Amazon thinks smart home devices shouldn’t be used for government surveillance, and is going to court to keep Echo Alexa requests out of police hands. John Martellaro and Bryan Chaffin join Jeff Gamet to look at Amazon’s argument and the impact in-home listening products are having on freedom of speech and privacy.
iTunes Remote App gets Two-Factor Authentication Support
Apple released a new update for the iPhone and iPad iTunes Remote app on Thursday that adds two-factor authentication support when signing in to Home Sharing. The 4.3.1 update enhances security when remote controlling iTunes on our Macs because who decides which songs we listen to is seriously important.
New Mac Ransomware Leaves Your Files Permanently Encrypted
Mac users hoping to score Adobe Premiere Pro CC and Microsoft Office for free through BitTorrent sites are in for an ugly surprise thanks to a new ransomware making the rounds. The ransomware, called OSX/Filecoder.E, encrypts the contents of victim’s hard drives and demands payment in Bitcoin, but there isn’t any way to actually decrypt and recover files.
iPhone 8 3D Cameras, iMazing Tips - TMO Daily Observations 2017-02-23
Word on the street says the iPhone 8 is packing a front-facing 3D camera for facial recognition. Bryan Chaffin and Jeff Butts join Jeff Gamet to talk about the camera and what they think could really be in store for it. Jeff B also has some tips on using iMazing with your iPhone and Mac.
What Apple TV Could've Been - TMO Daily Observations 2017-02-22
There’s a new set top box coming that shows what Apple TV could’ve been. John Martellaro and Kelly Guimont join Jeff Gamet to take a look at Caavo and its promise to unify our TV viewing experience.
New Apple Campus, Dubbed Apple Park, Opens in April
Apple Park, the official name for Apple’s new spaceship campus, is set to open for employees in April. The campus will hold 12,000 employees, and the on-location theater has been named the Steve Jobs Theater.
Han Solo Star Wars Movie Starts Filming
It’s like the whole Star Wars universe has been begging for a Han Solo movie, and it’s finally in production. Filming started this week in London, and the cast photo gives us a glimpse into the movie without giving anything away. The pic includes Alden Ehrenreich (Han Solo), Donald Glover (Lando Calrissian), and Joonas Suotamo (Chewbacca). The cast also includes Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Emilia Clarke, Woody Harrelson, and Thandie Newton all packed into the Millennium Falcon cockpit. Details about the movie are under wraps, but we do know it’s set for release on May 25, 2018. Hey Disney, now that the Han Solo movie is underway how about you get to work on the Boba Fett flick?
Apple Watch 3 Shipping in Fall, Switching to Glass-film Touch Surface
Apple is reportedly planning to ship the third generation Apple Watch this fall, and it’s getting a new touch surface. This year’s model will launch with a glass-film touch panel instead of the touch on lens technology Apple currently uses in Apple Watch Series 2.
New iPad Pro and iPhone SE Report - TMO Daily Observations 2017-02-21
A report claims Apple will introduce new iPads and an updated iPhone SE in March. Bryan Chaffin and Dave Hamilton join Jeff Gamet to look at what Apple may have in store for the iPad Pro lineup, plus they share their thoughts on an updated iPhone SE.
Apple Using PrimeSense Tech for iPhone 8 3D Front Facing Camera
iPhone 8 rumors are pretty much a daily thing now and the latest says the smartphone’s front facing camera will include 3D sensing for facial recognition. KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo told investors the camera system will be “revolutionary” thanks to the motion tracking and depth-sensing technology it scored from PrimeSense.
Apple's Facial Recognition Plans, the AI Race - TMO Daily Observations 2017-02-20
Apple buying RealFace has people talking even more about using facial recognition to unlock our iPhones. John Martellaro and Bryan Chaffin join Jeff Gamet to talk about Apple’s potential plans and what they think the company has in store for facial recognition technology. They also look at Apple’s Siri and Amazon’s Alexa and the race for mainstream artificial intelligence.
AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile and Verizon Unlimited Data Plan Comparison
After spending years pressuring customers to give up their unlimited data plans, the cell carriers have come full circle and are offering unlimited data plans. Sorting out which carrier offers the best deal—AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, or Verizon—isn’t exactly straight forward, so we ranked each based on their features. Read on to see which comes out on top.
iPhone 8: Goodbye Home Button, Hello Function Area
The latest in the steady stream of iPhone 8 reports says the familiar Home button with Touch ID is going away and in its place we’ll get the Function Area. That’s fancy talk for a space at the bottom of the iPhone screen for a row of virtual buttons.
iPhone 8 Biometric Sensors, FCC and Smartphone Radio Chips - TMO Daily Observations 2017-02-17
New reports say Apple won’t include a Home button on the iPhone 8 this fall. Bryan Chaffin and Jeff Butts join Jeff Gamet to look at what that means for Touch ID and biometric authentication on the new phone, plus they offer up their thoughts on an FCC request for smartphone makers to enable the FM radio chips in smartphones.
Pokémon GO Adding 80 New Monsters to Catch
Get ready for Pokémon GO Gen 2 and 80 new monsters because Niantic plans to give us more characters we gotta catch by this weekend. The new monsters come from the Pokémon Silver and Pokémon Gold video games, so if you’re tired of the gobs of characters already available you’ll have plenty more to keep you roaming around your neighborhood. Niantic also rolled in new evolutions and Evolution items to collect, new berries, new avatars, and more. The updates are free, unlike the time we’ll all spend hunting for Chikorita, Cyndaquil, Totodile.