#100 Apple’s Secret Design Lab Where It’s Working To Make iPhones Even Thinner

PowerTech & Powertechmation: Short Bytes: Earlier this year, Apple began working on a secret design lab in Taiwan that focused on making the next-gen displays for its future devices. The latest media reports have suggested that the lab has at least 50 engineers and other employees who are working on new LCD and OLED screen technologies to make the devices even thinner.

Just like every other smartphone company, Apple is working hard to make its future smartphone thinners and more powerful. This never ending quest of the smartphone makers is motivated further by users’ fantasies to own thinner devices. To achieve this goal, Apple has opened a new production laboratory in northern Taiwan.

The secret design lab of Apple is rumored to work on the new LCD and OLED screen technologies for the future Apple devices. Exposed by Bloomberg, this lab has at least 50 engineers and other employees working upon the new screens for iPads and iPhones.

It’s being reported that Apple has recruited the manpower from the local company AU Optronics Corp. and Qualcomm Inc. This lab began its functions earlier this year to make more advanced liquid-crystal displays and adopt the use of organic LEDs which don’t even need a backlight.

This move by Apple is expected to reduce Apple’s dependency on its long-time suppliers like Samsung, LG, Sharp, and Japan Display. This report about outsourcing this job to the local manufacturers was soon reflected in the stocks of the companies that recorded a big jump.

“Shares of AU Optronics surged 7 percent, the most in four months, in Taipei and Innolux jumped 2.6 percent. Japan Display dropped 3.9 percent in Tokyo to the lowest in more than two months, and Sharp fell 1.6 percent,” writes Bloomberg.

However, Apple is yet to release any official statement about this secret facility in Taiwan. The reports suggest that Apple won’t be making this transition to the iPhone 8.

In another similar development, 60 Minutes ran a segment on Apple that featured Apple campus, Apple design studio, and the in-progress new headquarter.

Watch the complete video here.

Did you find this news about Apple’s secret lab interesting? Tell us your views in the comments below.

#91 Apple shuts the doors on Pangu Jailbreak tool in iOS 9.1

Apple closes the two exploits which allowed Pangu to create jailbreak for iOS 9

Apple is known to be a closed-source software creator and no it does not like jailbreaks! This was again proved when the company moved at lightening speed to close two of the exploits which allowed Pangu to create its untethered jailbreak for iOS 9.

Apple released iOS 9.1 today morning, only a week after the first public jailbreak for iOS 9 devices hit the web. From the looks of it, the latest iOS iteration seems to shut doors on two of the exploits used by the Chinese hacking team Pangu, whose untethered jailbreak allowed users to jailbreak nearly all iPhones, iPad and iPod touch devices running IOS versions 9.0 through 9.0.2.

However, Apple has acknowledged the Pangu team for discovering two vulnerabilities in IOS operating system. In a security document posted on Apple’s website, the Cupertino giant credited Pangu with discovering two vulnerabilities. According to the web posting, both of the vulnerabilities have now been patched though it is unknown whether Pangu team will get any bug bounty for discovering them.

These include one vulnerability that would allow a malicious application to elevate privileges, and another that would allow a malicious application to execute arbitrary code with kernel privileges.

The Apple jailbreaking community was not surprised at the closing of the two exploits because the Pangu jailbreak tool did not work with beta build of iOS 9.1. In fact, the general consensus among the jailbreaking crowd is that Pangu pushed their jailbreak just ahead of the iOS 9.1 release so that it could reach the hands of iPhone/iPad owners before the exploits were patched.

Meanwhile Pangu released a new build of their jailbreak tool (version 1.1.0) ahead of the 9.1 release of Apple this morning, Pangu said that the latest build was more stable and saw better results. The team has not said yet if it has a 9.1 hack in the works.

If you want to jailbreak your Apple devices, it is suggested that you stay away for iOS 9.1 version till Pangu or other jailbreakers find a new exploit on which they can build the next jailbreak tool. Do remember that the first malware to hit iPhones was spread through jailbroken phones.

#45 Apple planning to launch three new iPhone's this year

iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus and a 4 inch iPhone are slated for release in 2015, unlike what Apple has done ever before. 

Apple is planning to release three new iPhone models in 2015, according to reports. The Cupertino-based technology giant is working on the 4.7 inch iPhone 6s, a 5.5 inch iPhone 6s Plus and a new 4-inch iPhone model, which will all be launched later this year.

According to reports, Apple is working on two successors to the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, named iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S Plus. In addition, Apple is also working on a 4 inch model called the iPhone 6C.   

Rumors suggest that all three devices will be equipped with LTPS panels from Japan Display, LG for the 6S models and Sharp for the iPhone 6C model. The two 6S variants will be powered by an Apple A9 chip, while the 6C will have the A8 chip found in current models.

Other specifications reported for the iPhone 6S include 2GB of LPDDR4 RAM. All the three devices will come with Corning Gorilla Glass protection and inbuilt NFC and fingerprint scanning technology. According to reports Wistron may be in charge of manufacturing the 6C units, while the rest will be developed by Foxconn Electronics (Hon Hai Precision Industry) and Pegatron.

Apple's CEO Tim Cook had stated that the new, larger iPhone models had record sales and brought the highest Android switcher rate over in the past three years. It's possible that Apple now plans to offer more sizing options to customers to further improve iPhone sales, as Cook also mentioned different regions preferred different screen sizes. 

The new iPhone models are expected to be launched in September, with Apple's new Force Touch technology, that was introduced in the Apple Watch, the new MacBook and new 13-inch MacBook Pros. 

#17 Apple plans public betas for iOS 8.3 and iOS 9

Apple plans to release iOS public betas for testing iOS 8.3 and iOS 9 ahead of global launch.

Apple is planning to launch a public beta program to eliminate bugs from upcoming iOS versions ahead of their general releases. The company will roll out iOS 8.3 betas in March and iOS 9 beta in summer, according to reports.

Apple had come under fire for the lack of quality control in iOS 8. The launch of the iOS beta program will ensure that the OS is more reliable and widely tested by consumer launch.

According to reports, Apple will open the iOS public beta builds for the first 100,000 users who sign up. Apple will release the upcoming iOS 8.3 as a public beta through the AppleSeed program in mid-March. The iOS 9 are expected to be unveiled at the Worldwide Developer Conference in June, with a public beta release during the summer, ahead of a fall release.

iOS 8.3 codenamed 'Stowe', is expected to bring Apple's as-yet-unnamed music streaming service, based on Beats Music that the company acquired last year. Apart from that iOS 8.3 will also bring in support for Wireless Car Play and a new image keyboard. 

The iOS 9 codenamed 'Monarch' is expected to be primarily focused on bug fixes and stability issues. It may also bring in new features like transit directions and indoor modes to the mapping service.

Last year, Apple had provided 1 million people a chance to test OS X Yosemite ahead of its launch. Since then the Cupertino firm has offered public betas to users for minor OS X updates as well.

Apple plans to release iOS public betas for testing iOS 8.3 and iOS 9 ahead of global launch - See more at: http://www.digit.in/mobile-phones/apple-plans-public-betas-for-ios-83-and-ios-9-25362.html#sthash.AaUIxNnU.dpuf

Apple plans to release iOS public betas for testing iOS 8.3 and iOS 9 ahead of global launch - See more at: http://www.digit.in/mobile-phones/apple-plans-public-betas-for-ios-83-and-ios-9-25362.html#sthash.AaUIxNnU.dpuf

Apple plans to release iOS public betas for testing iOS 8.3 and iOS 9 ahead of global launch - See more at: http://www.digit.in/mobile-phones/apple-plans-public-betas-for-ios-83-and-ios-9-25362.html#sthash.AaUIxNnU.dpuf

Apple plans to release iOS public betas for testing iOS 8.3 and iOS 9 ahead of global launch. - See more at: http://www.digit.in/mobile-phones/apple-plans-public-betas-for-ios-83-and-ios-9-25362.html#sthash.AaUIxNnU.dpuf

Apple plans to release iOS public betas for testing iOS 8.3 and iOS 9 ahead of global launch. - See more at: http://www.digit.in/mobile-phones/apple-plans-public-betas-for-ios-83-and-ios-9-25362.html#sthash.AaUIxNnU.dpuf

Apple plans to release iOS public betas for testing iOS 8.3 and iOS 9 ahead of global launch. - See more at: http://www.digit.in/mobile-phones/apple-plans-public-betas-for-ios-83-and-ios-9-25362.html#sthash.AaUIxNnU.dpuf

Apple plans to release iOS public betas for testing iOS 8.3 and iOS 9 ahead of global launch. - See more at: http://www.digit.in/mobile-phones/apple-plans-public-betas-for-ios-83-and-ios-9-25362.html#sthash.AaUIxNnU.dpuf

Apple plans to release iOS public betas for testing iOS 8.3 and iOS 9 ahead of global launch. - See more at: http://www.digit.in/mobile-phones/apple-plans-public-betas-for-ios-83-and-ios-9-25362.html#sthash.AaUIxNnU.dpuf