Tag: apple watch

Apple Announces 2023 App Store Award Finalists, Featuring Duolingo, Honkai: Star Rail and More

Apple has announced the 2023 App Store Award finalists. Each year, the App Store’s editorial team select and spotlight some of the best apps across categories on Apple’s Storefront. Apps and games on App Store are recognised for their technical and creative achievements. This year’s App Store Award finalists include over 40 app and game developers across 10 different categories. Awards are given out to apps across Apple’s lineup of devices, including iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV, and Apple Watch. Popular apps like language learning tool Duolingo, professional video editing software DaVinci Resolve, and film streaming platform Mubi have made the cut this year.

Kicking off the finalists list is the iPhone App of the Year category. Finalists for the best iPhone apps of 2023 include the hiking app AllTrails, the language coach Duolingo, and flights tracker Flighty. The finalists for the best games on iPhone feature the retro RPG Afterplace, miHoYo’s latest Honkai: Star Rail, and the roguelike sensation Vampire Survivors.

The iPad App of the Year finalists are focussed on creativity. These include sketching app Concepts, video editing software DaVinci Resolve, and makeup designs app Prêt-à-Makeup. The iPad Game of the Year category features party game Eggy Party, puzzle game Lost in Play, and city builder sim Pocket City 2.

Finalists for the best games on Mac for 2023
Photo Credit: Apple

Meanwhile on Mac, the finalists for the best apps of the year include graphic design app Linearity Curve, photo editing app Photomator, and immersive productivity app Portal. On the gaming side, the finalists for best Mac games of the year are the open-world RPG title ELEX II, the popular Soulslike Lies of P, and point and click adventure title Return to Monkey Island.

On Apple Watch, the finalists for the best app of the year include to-do and planner app Planny, workouts app SmartGym, and weather alerts app Tide Guide. The best Apple TV apps, on the other hand, include creature collection game Bugsnax, training and workouts app FitOn, and streaming app Mubi.

App Store also listed finalists for the best games on the Apple Arcade service in 2023. These include city builder sim Cityscapes, the cozy adventure title Hello Kitty Island Adventure, and the puzzle embroidery app stitch. The storefront rounded up its app of the year finalists with Cultural Impact Finalists, which celebrate apps that explore new and diverse ways to connect. These finalists comprise a list of 10 apps, including menopause support app balance, personal finance app Copilot, environmental impact app Endling, and more.

Apple will select the winners from these finalists. The winners in all categories will be announced in the coming weeks, the company said.

Apple launched the iPad Pro (2022) and the iPad (2022) alongside the new Apple TV this week. We discuss the company’s latest products, along with our review of the iPhone 14 Pro on Orbital, the Gadgets 360 podcast. Orbital is available on Spotify, Gaana, JioSaavn, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music and wherever you get your podcasts.
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iPhone Sales Help Apple Beat Q4 Estimates, Holiday Forecast Disappoints Amid Weak iPad, Wearables Demand

Apple on Thursday gave a sales forecast for the holiday quarter that missed Wall Street expectations, hurt by weak demand for iPads and wearables, sending its shares down about 3 percent in after-hours trading. Chief Executive Tim Cook insisted that the company’s new iPhone 15 models were doing well in China, seeking to ease Wall Street worries that Apple was losing market share to a resurgent Huawei and other local smartphone sellers. Apple’s revenue from China dipped 2.5 percent overall in the fiscal fourth quarter ended September 30, though Cook said it grew after accounting for foreign-exchange rates.

Chief Financial Officer Luca Maestri told analysts on a conference call that sales for the current quarter, which includes the Christmas holidays and when Apple typically has its biggest sales of new iPhone models, will be similar to the previous year. Wall Street had expected a forecast for a rise in sales of 4.97 percent to $122.98 billion (roughly Rs. 10,23,790 crore).

Apple shares, which have risen 37 percent so far this year, dropped 3.4 percent after-hours, following the forecast.

Maestri said Apple expects to have higher iPhone sales for the fiscal first quarter, even though this year’s holiday quarter has one fewer week of sales than the year-ago.

“I’d say it was surprising to see how confident Tim Cook was on future China performance given the many potential geopolitical challenges that we know exist for that market,” said Bob O’Donnell, chief analyst at TECHnalysis Research.

Apple on Thursday reported sales and profit for the fiscal fourth quarter that beat Wall Street expectations, helped by an uptick in iPhone sales and a $1 billion (roughly Rs. 8,325 crore) boost to services revenue that offset large drops in Mac and iPad sales.

Cook said the company’s new high-end handset models – the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max devices – are facing supply constraints.

The Cupertino, California-based company has navigated a global smartphone slump better than many of its rivals, but faces an uneven economic recovery in China, a key market.

“While we believe investors should breathe a sigh of relief because sales and profits both exceeded expectations, the upside was small and we were concerned to see weak sales from China,” DA Davidson analyst Tom Forte said.

Apple said sales for the most recent quarter fell roughly 1 percent to $89.50 billion (about Rs. 7,45,130 crore), but beat analyst estimates of $89.28 billion (about Rs. 7,43,307 crore), according to LSEG data. Net income rose about 11 percent. Profit per share of $1.46 beat analyst expectations of $1.39 per share, according to LSEG.

Apple is facing tougher competition in the smartphone market this year as Huawei Technologies returns to the field with new phones powered by Chinese-made chips after being all but shut out of the market for several years by US government trade curbs.

Apple’s sales in China fell to $15.08 billion (roughly Rs. 1,25,544 crore) from $15.47 billion (roughly Rs. 1,28,791 crore)in the fourth quarter a year ago. Cook said that after accounting for foreign-exchange rates, Apple’s business in China grew year-over-year, driven by iPhone sales and services revenue.

“In mainland China, we set a quarterly record for the September quarter for iPhone,” Cook told Reuters. “We had four out of the top five best-selling smartphones in urban China.”

Cook said Apple was “working hard to manufacture more” iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max devices. “We do believe that later this quarter, we’ll reach a supply-demand balance.”

For now, the iPhone remains Apple’s biggest seller. Sales were $43.81 billion (roughly Rs. 3,64,732 crore) in the fourth quarter, in line with analyst expectations, according to LSEG data.

“We expect its performance to further improve in (Apple’s fiscal first quarter) as the supply issues of the top Pro and Pro Max models will be resolved by then,” said IDC analyst Nabila Popal. “Demand across regions continues to show preference for the most premium models, and we expect an even larger proportion” of those models this year than last year, she said.

The personal computer market is also expected to fare better in the coming year. Earlier this week, Apple rolled out new Mac machines.

Still, Mac sales slumped by a third to $7.61 billion (roughly Rs. 63,355 crore) and iPad sales declined 10 percent to $6.44 billion (roughly Rs. 53,615 crore), compared with expectations of $8.63 billion (roughly Rs. 71,847 crore) and $6.07 billion (roughly Rs. 50,534 crore), respectively.

Sales in Apple’s wearables segment, which includes the Apple Watch and AirPods, fell 3 percent to $9.32 billion (roughly Rs. 77,591 crore), short of estimates of $9.43 billion (roughly Rs. 78,507 crore), according to LSEG data.

Apple has faced several quarters of declining sales of Macs and iPads, and the fourth quarter continued that trend.

Sales in Apple’s services segment, which includes Apple TV+ and which recently closed a deal with global soccer superstar Lionel Messi, rose 16 percent to $22.31 billion (roughly Rs. 1,85,748 crore), compared with analyst estimates of $21.35 billion (roughly Rs. 1,77,755 crore).

© Thomson Reuters 2023

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Apple Watch SE 2 Available With Nearly Rs. 10,000 Discount During Amazon Great Indian Festival Finale Days Sale

Apple Watch SE 2 is the most affordable current-generation smartwatch from Apple that you can buy today and the ongoing Amazon sale — now in its final phase — has resulted in a notable price drop, making it one of the best times to purchase the wearable device. If you purchase the second-generation Apple Watch during the Amazon Great Indian Festival Finale Days sale, you can avail of bank discounts that can lower the final price of the smartwatch by nearly Rs. 10,000.

As part of the Amazon Great Indian Festival Finale Days sale, you can purchase the Apple Watch SE 2 model with Wi-Fi and GPS connectivity for Rs. 23,999, down from the listed price of Rs. 29,900. If you have an ICICI Bank credit card, you can avail of an instant discount of Rs. 3,750 to further lower the price of the smartwatch to Rs. 20,249.

Photo Credit: Screenshot/ Amazon

 

It is worth noting that this discount is valid for the 40mm Apple Watch SE 2 with Wi-Fi and GPS connectivity, and lowers the price by a whopping Rs. 9,651. You can also avail of the ICICI bank discount on the 44mm Wi-Fi + GPS model, as well as the 40mm and 44mm models with cellular connectivity.

Amazon has confirmed that the ongoing Great Indian Festival Finale Days sale will conclude on November 10. The sale, which began on October 8, entered its final phase over the weekend and will run for another nine days. During the sale event, you can avail of a 10 percent instant discount up to Rs. 6,500 on ICICI Bank, Bank of Baroda, IDFC First Bank, and OneCard credit, debit, and EMI transactions.

The second-generation Apple Watch runs on an S8 SiP from Apple and sports a Retina OLED display that is 30 percent larger than the first Apple Watch SE model that introduced by the company in 2020. It comes with health features like hearth rate monitoring, fall detection, workout tracking, and supports the crash detection features that were introduced with the Apple Watch Series 8 lineup. It is water resistant up to 50m and is available in GPS and cellular variants.

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Apple Probing Screen ‘Flickering’ Issue Impacting Apple Watch Series 9, Watch Ultra 2: Report

Apple is reportedly probing complaints of screen flickering affecting two Apple Watch models running on watchOS 10. The California-based company has asked Apple Authorized Service Providers to refrain from repairing Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 models and ask customers to make sure their affected models are updated to the latest version, according to a report. Apple is expected to roll out watchOS 10.1, the first notable software update for its operating system for smartwatches since September, but it is unclear whether the flickering issues will be fixed with this update.

MacRumors reports that Apple on Wednesday issued an internal service memo to Apple Authorized Service Providers stating that it is investigating an issue affecting some Apple Watch models that causes the screen to flicker or pulse for a short period. The problem appears to be related to the always-on mode on the smartwatch, but does not specify which models are affected.

Apple Watch Ultra 2 users are complaining of flickering and colour tint issues
Photo Credit: Screenshot/ Reddit

 

Based on user reports on Reddit and Apple’s community forum, users with the latest models — the Apple Watch Series 9 and the Apple Watch Ultra 2 — appear to be affected by the issue. One user states that the Watch Ultra 2 screen flickers when the wearer raises their wrist,  while another says that the issue occurs when a timer is running on the smartwatch and when the Modular Ultra watch face is in use.

Another user on the same thread on Reddit complains that some complications on the Apple Watch Ultra 2 flash pink when raising their wrist. The issue persists on a replacement watch provided by Apple, according to another user. On Apple’s community forum, two users have complained that the same issue is affecting their Apple Watch Series 9 when they raise the screen to wake the watch.  

Meanwhile, updating to watchOS 10.1 beta 3, which was recent rolled out, appears to resolve the issue for a user on the Reddit thread. According to the MacRumors report, Apple has asked Apple Authorized Service Providers to refrain from repairing affected Apple Watch models and ask users to update their devices to future software releases, which suggests that this is a software-related issue. However, it is currently unclear whether updating to watchOS 10.1 — expected to roll out next week — will resolve the screen flickering issues on the affected Apple Watch models.

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Apple Watch Series 9 vs Apple Watch Series 8: Price, Specifications Compared

Apple Watch Series 9 was launched at the recently held ‘Wonderlust’ event by the company, which also saw the debit of iPhone 15 series and Apple Watch Ultra 2. The Watch Series 9 was released in 41mm and 45mm display screen variants, and was claimed to be Apple’s first carbon-neutral product. It succeeded last year’s Apple Watch Series 8 launched at the company’s ‘Far Out’ event. In terms of design, the wearables share similarities. However, Watch Series 9 has received significant upgrades over the Watch Series 8 in terms of specifications.

In order to understand the differences and similarities between the two wearables, we have compared Apple Watch Series 9 with its predecessor, the Watch Series 8.

Apple Watch Series 9 vs Apple Watch Series 8: Price in India

The Apple Watch Series 9 is offered in two display sizes — 41mm and 45mm — available in aluminium and stainless steel built. For the aluminium finish, the 41mm dial size wearable is priced at Rs. 41,900. Whereas, the stainless steal body for the same dial size costs Rs. 70,900.

For 45mm display, the stainless steel body finish is being sold at Rs. 75,900, while the aluminium finish is listed at Rs. 44,900. One can avail Watch Series 9 in aluminium body in in Midnight, Pink, (Product) Red, Starlight, and Silver colour options, where as the stainless steel look is offered in Gold, Graphite and Silver variants.

On the other hand, Apple Watch Series 8 GPS was released in India at the starting price of Rs. 45,900, while the Apple Watch Series 8 Cellular costed Rs. 55,900. It was also offered in 41mm and 45mm case sizes, with choice between Gold, Graphite, Midnight, Red, Silver, and Starlight colour variants.

Apple Watch Series 9 vs Apple Watch Series 8: Specifications

Last year’s Apple Watch series 8 was launched in GPS and cellular options. It is powered by S8 SiP with 64-bit dual-core processor, along with a W3 wireless chip and first-generation Ultra Wideband chip. Meanwhile, the Apple Watch Series 9 is claimed to be 60 percent faster than its predecessor. It comes equipped with the new Apple S9 SiP process with a second-generation Ultra Wideband (UWB) chip.

Both smartwatches get the Always-On Retina LTPO OLED display with up to 2,000 nits brightness. In terms of battery, the Watch Series 8 as well as Watch Series 9 are claimed to offer up to 18 hours of battery life, which increased to 36 hours of battery life using the low power mode.

The Watch Series 9 comes with a “Double Tap” gesture that lets users do various actions including answering or ending a call, stoping a timer, or snooze alarm. It can also be integrated with HomePod. In further specifications, the smartwatch gets cycling and hiking features, new watch faces and mental health support 2, over the Watch Series 8 which offer SpO2 tracking, heart rate monitoring, atrial fibrillation (AFib) detection, and ECG monitoring.

The Apple Watch Series 9 runs watchOS 10, while the Apple Watch Series 8 was launched with watchOS 9. In terms of storage, the latest model offers 64GB storage, while Watch Series 8 is available with 32GB storage capacity.

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Apple Watch Series 9 vs Apple Watch Series 8 GPS comparison

 



Key Specs
Display Size 41mm 41mm
Dial Shape Rectangle Rectangle
Display Type OLED Retina OLED Retina
Ideal For Unisex Unisex
GENERAL
Brand Apple Apple
Model Watch Series 9 Watch Series 8 GPS
Release date September 12, 2023 September 7, 2022
Model Name Watch Series 9 Watch Series 8 GPS
Dial Shape Rectangle Rectangle
Size Regular Regular
Water Resistant Yes Yes
Usage Fitness & Outdoor Fitness & Outdoor
Ideal For Unisex Unisex
PRODUCT DETAILS
Sensor Compass, Always-On Altimeter, optical heart rate sensor, Accelerometer, Gyroscope and Ambient light sensor Compass, Always-On Altimeter, third-gen optical heart rate sensor, Accelerometer, Gyroscope, and Ambient light sensor
Compatible Device iOS –
Notification Yes Yes
Battery Life 18 hours 18 hours
Rechargeable Battery Yes Yes
Battery Type – Lithium Ion
CONNECTIVITY FEATURES
Call Function Yes Yes
Bluetooth Yes Yes
Call Features International Emergency Calling International Emergency Calling
Other Connectivity Features Emergency SOS Emergency SOS
PLATFORM AND STORAGE FEATURES
Operating System watchOS watchOS 9
CAMERA AND DISPLAY FEATURES
Display Size 41mm 41mm
Display Type OLED Retina OLED Retina
Backlight Display Yes Yes
Other Display Features LTPO OLED Always-On Retina display, up to 2000 nits of peak brightness LTPO OLED Always-On Retina display
FITNESS AND WATCH FUNCTIONS
Step Count Yes Yes
Calorie Count Yes Yes
Heart Rate Monitor Yes Yes
Altimeter Yes Yes
Compass Yes Yes
Calendar Yes Yes
Alarm Clock Yes Yes
Date & Time Display Yes Yes
Language English English
Other Fitness Features Blood Oxgen Sensor, ECG sensor Blood Oxgen Sensor, ECG sensor
AUDIO AND VIDEO FEATURES
Speaker Yes Yes
Gesture Control Yes –
Microphone Yes Yes
Voice Control Yes –

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Apple Watch Series 9, Apple Watch Ultra 2 Go On Sale Today: Price in India and Offers

Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 were launched on September 12 at the Wonderlust event where the company also unveiled the iPhone 15 series with a base model, along with iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max. The wearable smartwatches come with considerable upgrades over their preceding models. In terms of design language, they look similar to the Apple Watch Series 8 which was released in September 2022. The newly launched devices are up for sale starting today, September 22.

Apple Watch Series 9, Apple Watch Ultra 2 price in India, offers

Starting at Rs. 41,900 in India, the Apple Watch Series 9 is offered in Midnight, Pink, (Product) Red, Starlight, and Silver colour options. It is available in aluminium and stainless steel body finishes. The latter is offered in Gold, Graphite and Silver variants.

The more expensive stainless steel variants are available in two sizes — 41mm and 45mm, priced at Rs. 70,900 and Rs. 75,900, respectively. Meanwhile, the 45mm display model of the aluminium finish is listed at Rs. 44,900.

The Apple Watch Ultra 2, on the other hand, is priced at Rs. 89,900 in India. It comes with Alpine Loop, Trail Loop, and Ocean band options.

Apple is extending a payment-based discount option to eligible HDFC Bank card users. The Apple Watch Series 9 can be bought at a starting price of Rs. 39,400, while the Watch Ultra 2 can be purchased at Rs. 86,900.

Apple Watch Series 9, Apple Watch Ultra 2 specifications

Apple Watch Series 9 comes in 41mm and 45mm display screen options and is powered by the new Apple S9 SiP (system in package) with a second-generation Ultra Wideband (UWB) chip. Claimed to be 60 percent faster than the Apple Watch Series 8, the watch has a “Double Tap” feature which enables the user to answer or end a call, stop a timer, snoozer alarm, control music, access the camera and more by tapping their thumb and index finger fingers together. It runs watchOS 10 and claims to be Apple’s first carbon-neutral product.

With a singular 49mm case, the Watch Ultra 2 is powered by a custom S9 SiP chip. With several improved options, the watch offers up to 36 hours of battery life on regular use and up to 72 hours of battery life in Low Power Mode. It comes with a new Modular Ultra watch face. This also runs the watchOS 10 and supports on-device Siri processing.

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Apple Watch Series 9, Apple Watch Ultra 2 With S9 SiP, Double Tap Gesture Launched in India : Details

Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 were launched at the company’s ‘Wonderlust’ event on Tuesday (September 12). The new Apple Watch Series 9 arrives as the tenth iteration in the series of smartwatches launched by the Cupertino giant. The new models look quite similar to the Apple Watch Series 8. However, it does boast new hardware features that are touted to deliver improved performance. Apple’s new wearables include the Apple S9 SiP (system in package). The Apple Watch Series 9 is offered in 41mm and 45mm sizes, while the Apple Watch Ultra is launched in 49mm size. They include support for the WatchOS 10 software version as well. 

Apple Watch Series 9 price, availability

The Apple Watch Series 9 price starts at Rs. 41,900 in India. It has an initial price tag of $399 (roughly Rs. 33,000) in the US. The wearable comes in five shades — Midnight, Starlight, Silver, (Product) Red, and a new Pink.

The second-generation Apple Watch Ultra 2 is priced at Rs. 89,900 in India. In the US, it’ll cost you $799 (roughly Rs. 64,000). 

Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 are currently up for pre-orders. They will go on sale starting Friday, September 22. 

To recall, the Apple Watch Series 8 GPS was launched with a price tag of $399 (roughly Rs. 31,800) in the US and Rs. 45,900 in India. The Apple Watch Ultra was unveiled last year for Rs. 89,900. It is priced at $799 (roughly Rs, 63,600) in the US.

Apple Watch Series 9 specifications, features

The Apple Watch Series 9 comes in 41mm and 45mm case options. Like the previous Watch Series 7 and Watch Series 8 models, they have the always-on Retina display with up to 2,000 nits of peak brightness. It is claimed to deliver up to 18 hours of battery life on a single charge. 

The smartwatch is powered by a new Apple S9 SiP (system in package) with a second-generation Ultra Wideband (UWB) chip. Apple claims that the new chip is 60 percent faster than the Apple Watch Series 8. The new wearable allows users to access their health data through Siri. It comes with a “Double Tap” gesture that lets users answer or end a call, stop a timer, snoozer alarm, control music, access camera and more just by tapping their thumb and index finger fingers together. Fuelled by Digital Crown and Taptic Engine, the Double Tap feature will also allow users to open the Smart Stack from the watch face and scroll through widgets in the stack. Further, the wearable also has the ability to ping the user’s iPhone. It can be integrated with HomePod as well.

The Apple Watch Series 9 runs watchOS 10 and the new operating system comes with redesigned apps, a fresh Smart Stack, new watch faces, new cycling and hiking features, and tools to support mental health. Further, the smartwatch comprises a four-core Neural Engine that can process machine learning tasks faster than previous Watch Series 8 models. It is also said to make dictation up to 25 percent more accurate than the Apple Watch Series 8.

The new model is claimed to be Apple’s first carbon-neutral product. 

Apple Watch Ultra 2 specifications, features

The second-generation Apple Watch Ultra 2 features a 49mm case with an improved Retina display that now offers up to 3,000 nits of peak brightness. Like the Apple Watch Series 9, the latest Apple Watch Ultra 2 also runs on the S9 SiP. The flagship smartwatch also comes with advanced features like on-device Siri processing and improved location tracking. 

The Apple Watch Ultra is said to deliver up to 36 hours of battery life during normal use.

Apple unveiled its first mixed reality headset, the Apple Vision Pro, at its annual developer conference, along with new Mac models and upcoming software updates. We discuss all the most important announcements made by the company at WWDC 2023 on Orbital, the Gadgets 360 podcast. Orbital is available on Spotify, Gaana, JioSaavn, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music and wherever you get your podcasts.
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Apple Granted Patent That Could Allow for Truly ‘Matte Black’ iPhone, MacBook, Apple Watch Models: Details

iPhone and MacBook models could arrive in new matte black colour options in the future, as the Cupertino company was granted a patent that could allow the company to produce a dark version of its smartphone, laptops, tablets, and smartwatches, according to details shared in the patent document issued by the US Patent Office (USPTO) on Tuesday. While original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) including Apple have launched devices with matte finishes in the past, creating one with a dark colour — such as black — has proved to be challenging.

US patent 11751349-B2, titled “Anodised part having a matte black appearance” was granted to Apple on Tuesday and the USPTO credits James Curran, Aaron Paterson, and Sonja Postak as the inventors of the technology. The document that was published by the patent office also reveals that Apple filed the application for the patent in May 2020. 

Apple’s latest patent refers to the use of an anodised part that comprises both a metal substrate and an anodised layer that is created from the metal substrate. The company has designed the anodised layer to utilise light-absorbing features that are located at varying locations and can absorb light that falls on the surface of the device’s enclosure. Apple details plans to etch the surface of an anodised part to create these light-absorbing features.

In order to impart colour to the anodised layer, Apple describes the use of “pores” on the surface that have particles of colour infused in them. The patent document claims the anodised layer will have a CIELAB L* value that is lower than 10. This means that the appearance of the product’s surface would be nearly black, but with a matte finish.

Figures 6A, 6B, 7A, and 7B depict the etched anodised part under an electron microscope
Photo Credit: USPTO/ Apple

 

Many manufacturers have tried to create devices with a matte finish that is nearly black in colour, but most efforts have failed — anodised metal that is black in colour appears glossy and reflects large amounts of light instead of absorbing it. Apple has provided details of how the company managed to create a truly black device with a metal finish in the patent document. 

Recent reports suggest that Apple could be working on products such as a smart ring that can provide haptic feedback and pressure-sensitive input. Similarly, a recent patent application hints at work on AirPods sensors that allow Apple’s wireless earphones to measure brain electrical activity. Apple was also recently granted a second patent that points to the possible addition of Face ID support on future MacBook and Mac computers.

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Apple Testing Use of 3D Printers in Production of Upcoming Apple Watch Series 9 Chassis

Apple is testing the use of 3D printers to produce the steel chassis used by some of its upcoming smartwatches, according to people with knowledge of the matter, heralding a major change to how the company manufactures products.

The technique would obviate the need to cut large slabs of metal into the product’s shape. That would reduce the time it takes to build devices while also helping the environment by using less material, according to the people, who asked not to be identified because the plan is private.

The new approach has the potential to streamline Apple’s supply chain and kick off a broader shift. If the work with Apple Watch models goes to plan, the tech giant will look to expand the process to more products over the next several years, the people said. A spokeswoman for the Cupertino, California-based company declined to comment.

To date, Apple has used a more conventional manufacturing approach for its stainless-steel watches, which account for about 10 percent of the product line’s total units. A process called forging is used to form bricks of material into a smaller block of metal close to the size of the device. A CNC, or computer numerical control, machine is then used to cut into the metal and create the exact design and button holes.

The new technique uses a type of 3D printing called binder jetting to create the device’s general outline at close to its actual size, or what is known in manufacturing as the “near net shape.” The print is made with a powdered substance, which afterward goes through a process called sintering. That uses heat and pressure to squeeze the material into what feels like traditional steel. The exact design and cutouts are then milled like in the previous process.

The news gave a boost to 3D printing companies such as 3D Systems Corp. and Stratasys Ltd. The shares of 3D Systems soared as much as 10 percent, while Stratasys jumped 6.9 percent. The stocks later pared those gains. Apple was up 1.8 percent to $187.46 (roughly Rs. 15,492) as of 2:48pm in New York.

Apple and its suppliers have been quietly developing the technique for at least three years. Over the past several months, they’ve been testing the process with steel cases destined for the Apple Watch Series 9, which is set to be unveiled on September 12. The smartwatch will get a performance increase and new case colours, though its look will largely stay the same, Bloomberg has reported.

There’s no guarantee the first consumer shipments of the new steel Apple Watches will be built with the revamped manufacturing technique, but the test run suggests the company is serious about the approach. Apple also plans to apply the process to its titanium Ultra watch, but such a shift isn’t planned until 2024.

The approach benefits the environment because it only uses the approximate amount of metal necessary to create the device enclosures. In another move toward sustainability, Apple is planning to use new materials to replace leather in some of its new iPhone cases and other accessories, other people with knowledge of the matter said.

The 3D printing work is being led by Apple’s manufacturing design team, which is overseen by Rob York, a company vice president, and reports up to operations head Sabih Khan. The move to 3D-printed watch cases has been an expensive endeavour for Apple and its suppliers, but it should prove to simplify production and potentially lower costs over time. For now, the cost per watch case with the new process is in line with that of the prior method.

The work is still nascent and, for the time being, will be reserved for lower-volume products. Most Apple Watch casings are aluminium, not stainless steel. The company hasn’t made headway on mass-producing 3D-printed enclosures with that material, which is also used for Macs and iPads, as well as lower-end iPhones. But the company is discussing bringing materials that can be 3D-printed, like steel and titanium, to more devices.

The initiative is one of the first cases of using binder jetting to mass-produce a high-volume metal part. Making the Apple Watch a test case for new technology is part of a pattern for the company. For instance, Apple added steel frames to the iPhone two years after they appeared on the original Apple Watch. And this year’s high-end iPhone models will use titanium a year after the material debuted on the Apple Watch Ultra.

© 2023 Bloomberg LP

Apple launched the iPad Pro (2022) and the iPad (2022) alongside the new Apple TV this week. We discuss the company’s latest products, along with our review of the iPhone 14 Pro on Orbital, the Gadgets 360 podcast. Orbital is available on Spotify, Gaana, JioSaavn, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music and wherever you get your podcasts.
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Apple Watch X Model With New Design, Magnetic Band System in Development: Mark Gurman

Apple Watch X is in development as a completely redesigned version of the company’s popular smartwatche, according to a report. The Cupertino company previously launched a revamped version of its smartphone — the iPhone X — in time for its tenth anniversary, and the Apple Watch could get the same treatment as soon as next year. The purported Apple Watch X will reportedly change how users wear the smartwatch, by swapping the existing locking mechanism for bands with a magnetic attachment system.

The new smartwatch has been dubbed the Apple Watch X by Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman in the latest edition of his Power On newsletter. Gurman’s sources say that the company’s next-generation smartwatch will sport a slimmer chassis, and that Apple is now considering a magnetic mechanism to hold the bands in place. A report earlier this year claimed that Apple would launch an advanced smartwatch with the same name in 2023, along with watchOS 10.

Until now, Apple Watch bands have used a press-to-release locking mechanism that has offered compatibility across generations. Replacing the existing band locking mechanism could mean that existing bands would no longer work with upcoming models, but the space freed up with the redesign could make way for additional internals or a larger battery for improved battery life.

Gurman has previously reported that Apple has been working on adding support for MicroLED technology to its smartwatches for several months, but the company is yet to unveil such a device. Gurman suggests that the Apple Watch X might be the first smartwatch from the company to feature these advanced screens. Another feature that is rumoured to be in development for a while now — blood pressure monitoring — could make its way to Apple’s next-generation smartwatch.

Customers shouldn’t expect the purported Apple Watch X to be launched in the near future — the company is expected to unveil the Apple Watch Series 9 alongside the iPhone 15 series of smartphones. While the handsets are set to bring a few notable hardware upgrades, the smartwatches are tipped to offer new chips and colour options. 

Meanwhile, the Apple Watch X could be released in 2024 or 2025, according to Gurman. This is because the Apple Watch was unveiled in 2014 and went on sale in 2015, so the launch of the smartwatch could coincide with whichever date the firm considers to be the 10th anniversary of the Apple Watch. The company doesn’t announce any details of products that it plans to release except at the actual launch event, so enthusiasts will have to wait until at least next year until the Apple Watch X is unveiled.

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