iPhone news
27/03/2017
Court overturns iPhone 6 ban in China
A ruling preventing Apple from selling the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus in China has been overturned by a Beijing court following a 2016 patent dispute, reports BBC News.
Little-known Chinese manufacturer Shenzhen Baili last year claimed that the Apple smartphones violated design patents it held for its 100C handset.
The Beijing Intellectual Property Office subsequently ruled in favour of the Chinese firm, noting infringements relating to the exterior design of the handset.
On appeal, however, Apple and reseller Zoomflight were granted permission to continue selling the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus while the case continued.
The Beijing Intellectual Property Court has now ruled that the iPhone 6 did not infringe on Baili’s design, concluding that there was not enough evidence to prove a violation had occurred. The court added that consumers could “easily distinguish” between the two smartphones.
Despite the ruling, Apple’s further request to have the patent stripped from the Chinese company was denied.
At the time of Baili’s initial victory in 2016, The Wall Street Journal noted that the firm “barely exists” and had been absent from the market for “at least a year”.
However, the company’s legal team has said it plans to appeal the ruling, according to TechCrunch.
26/01/17
iOS 10.2.1 doesn't fix 6s battery drain
The latest update for iOS (10.2.1) still does not provide a fix for the battery drain issue that has been plaguing a number of iPhone 6s handsets.
The "30% bug" – which causes devices to suddenly shut down despite having a significant amount of battery life remaining – seemingly first appeared with the arrival of iOS 10.1.1, with the ensuing iOS 10.2 seemingly only making the problem worse.
Apple had suggested a software fix could provide a solution for the issue – and many iPhone owners were hoping that would arrive with the final version of iOS 10.2.1.
Affected users will now have to wait several weeks to see if iOS 10.3 will resolve the problem instead.
Apple has, however, opened up a replacement program for "a very small number of iPhone 6s devices" that were made between September and October 2015. Users can determine whether their device is eligible by entering the handset's serial number at Apple's website.
Last week, Apple denied any plans to extend this battery replacement program to the older iPhone 6 models. According to Appleinsider, one source said: "We constantly evaluate service statistics. There are no plans or grounds for a wide iPhone 6 battery exchange program at this time."
04/01/17
iPhone SE knocked off top selling smartphone spot
The iPhone SE is no longer the bestselling smartphone in the UK, according to the latest data from Kantar WorldPanel ComTech.
That accolade now belongs to Apple's latest flagship device, the iPhone 7, but the SE and 6s do still remain in the top three.
Dominic Sunnebo, business unit director for Kantar Worldpanel ComTech Europe, said: "In Great Britain, as in the US, iPhone 7 was the top selling device, pushing the previous top device (iPhone SE) to third, while iPhone 6s remained the second best-selling device."
For the three months ending October 2016, Apple accrued 44% of the UK smartphone market thanks to the increased sales - marking a 4.5% rise over the same period in 2015.
The iPhone 7 also topped the chart in the US with 10.6%, while the iPhone 6s continued to perform strongly in second place. The Samsung Galaxy S7 completed the top three.
The report also reveals that, with the exception of Germany, iOS achieved year-on-year growth across the big European markets (Great Britain, France, Italy and Spain) - with Apple's operating system accounting for 21.2% of smartphone sales, though Android made up 75.2%.
26/04/16
Customers snubbing newer iPhones, says research
With Apple set to announce its Q1 results later today, it’s being reported that the firm will report it’s first-ever decline in iPhone sales.
According to new research, the newest iPhone flagship models, the iPhone 6S and 6S Plus, are not selling as well now as the then-new models iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus sold a year ago.
Fortune reports that the two newest models comprised 61 percent of new iPhone sales in the first quarter, compared to a 78 percent share for the comparable models in the first quarter of last year, according to a customer survey by Consumer Intelligence Research Partners (CIRP).
It says that experts predict Apple to have sold approximately 50m iPhones in Q1, the company’s second fiscal quarter of 2016, which would represent an 18 percent decline from a year earlier.
Back in the first three months of 2015, Apple sold more 61m iPhones, which was a 40 percent increase from 2014.
However, there is some good news for the manufacturer regarding its iPad sales, which have been slipping for several years. The newest and most expensive models are selling well, with the 12.9-inch iPad Pro off to a strong start, CIRP said, capturing 20 percent of all iPad sales.
“The 12-inch iPad Pro appears to have succeeded in attracting a significant share of iPad sales,” says Mike Levin, co-founder of CIRP. “While iPad sales may be softening over time, the flagship models, the Pro, Air 2 and mini 4, are more dominant in the iPad sales mix.”
iPhone SE vs iPhone 6s: how do they compare?
After months of speculation, Apple finally announced a new iPhone this week – the iPhone SE. Prospective users will immediately notice a familiar design – a smaller 4inch display reminiscent of the older 5s – but how does Apple’s newest creation compare to the last year’s iPhone 6s?
Screen and Display
The most obvious difference between the models is the size of the screen, with Apple reverting back to the 4in versions we last saw on the iPhone 5s.
Screen resolution has been reduced from 1334 x 750 to 1136 x 640 but, due to the smaller screen size, the SE retains the same 326ppi pixel density present on the 6s. Contrast ratio is also down from 1400:1 to 800:1.
One particularly notable feature missing from the new model is Apple’s 3D Touch – meaning users will not be able to take advantage of a pressure-sensitive screen.
Processor and Hardware
Apple has retained the A9 processor present in the 6s – meaning this latest offering provides the same powerful capabilities as its flagship predecessor. Apps and games will run just as efficiently.
Battery power stumbles slightly in comparison, however, with capacity estimated to be around the 1642mAh mark.
In what may also prove to be a stumbling block for some, the SE doesn’t offer the same storage options as previous models - handsets are only available in 16GB and 64GB models. This does come with a drop in price, however, with the handsets set to cost £359 and £439 respectively.
Apple Pay is again supported and includes the same NFC capabilities as the iPhone 6 range.
Camera
A feature that is sure to please fans of smaller handsets is the rear-facing camera.
Such an important feature of the modern smartphone, the iPhone SE holds its own alongside its larger counterparts – boasting the same 12MP that helped make the 6s a popular upgrade.
Video can also be captured up to an impressive 4K resolution and slow-motion at 1080p (at a maximum frame rate of 240fps).
Case
Ditching the larger, curved design of the 6s, Apple has opted for a square-shaped handset with the SE. The aluminium body is now flanked by matte-finish edges and is lighter than the previous models – weighing in at just 113g.
Despite the different style of the new phone, there is no change in terms of colours – gold, silver, grey and rose gold are all still available.
