Apple has released watchOS 4 and tvOS 11 to users with Apple Watch and Apple TV. The new watchOS 4 and tvOS 11 software updates bring a variety of changes and updates to the Apple Watch and Apple TV experience.
watchOS 4 for Apple Watch includes a new Siri watch face, improved activity tracking, a new Music app, and other adjustments and new features.
tvOS 11 includes home screen adjustments for multiple Apple TV devices, the ability to control Apple TV via an iOS device Control Center, new language support, as well as a variety other new features and changes.
watchOS 4 is compatible with all Apple Watch devices, where as tvOS 11 is compatible with the latest Apple TV hardware.
The software updates can be installed via the respective Settings applications on tvOS or the accompanying Apple Watch settings app on a paired iPhone.
Updating to watchOS 4 on Apple Watch
For watchOS 4, open the Apple Watch app on the paired iPhone and then go to the Software Update section to install the latest version available.
Compatible Apple TV hardware can find the tvOS 11 update available in the Settings app Software Update section. Users can also update via iTunes and a computer if desired.
Apple has released Safari 11 for macOS Sierra 10.12.6 and Mac OS X El Capitan 10.11.6. The update to Safari includes various security patches, bug fixes, and includes a handful of new features for the Mac web browser.
Perhaps the most noteworthy feature of Safari 11 is that it stops media from automatically playing audio on most websites, thereby helping to prevent the user from having to mute tabs and tracking down which tab is playing sound when unexpected audio starts playing on sites like Facebook or many news websites.
Mac users can find the Safari 11 software update available in the Mac App Store Updates tab. You must be on the most recent version of Sierra or El Capitan to find the software update available, if you’re running a prior release of either Mac OS version the update does not appear to be available.
The release notes for Safari 11 include a focus on the following features and changes:
Stop media with audio from automatically playing on most websites
Adds the ability to configure Reader, content blockers, page zoom, and auto-play settings on a per-website basis, or for all websites
Improves AutoFill accuracy from Contacts cards
Includes updated media controls for HTML video and audio
Enhances performance and efficiency
Safari 11 as a separate download is only available for Sierra and El Capitan. Safari 11 is included by default in macOS High Sierra 10.13, which is due for widespread public release for Mac users on September 25.
As soon as you get your shiny new iPhone 8, you’ll probably want to download some apps. So Apple took the opportunity to update its developer app review guidelines to make sure the App Store is in tip top shape. According to 9to5 Mac, it’s now officially cracking down on misleading apps.
The App Store has already had policies against such apps already, but the recent update makes it more explicit. The ban is against apps “including content or services that it does not actually offer.” As those fake antivirus apps don’t actually work, they’re definitely on this list. Apple has already removed a number of these apps from the App Store, but this new guideline makes the ban explicit so that they can’t get on in the first place.
In addition, the new guidelines also include clauses for ARKit and Face ID. Apple wants the ARKit apps you see in the App Store to be more than just one-note apps with single objects, adding that it needs to offer “rich and integrated augmented reality experiences.” As for Face ID, Apple added that it must offer an alternate unlocking method for children under the age of 13.
It’ll also now be possible for apps to offer 100 percent of funds to be gifted from one person to another without using In-App Purchases, thus bypassing the need to give 30 percent of it to Apple. The caveat is that giving said money must be an optional choice.
Last but not least, there is also a new clause that explicitly prohibits apps that “facilitate human trafficking and/or the exploitation of children.” They’ve always been illegal anyway, but Apple is simply adding language to make it more explicit that it will take legal action if it finds such apps.
Apple TV 4K delivers a stunning cinematic experience at home, along with an incredible selection of 4K HDR content on iTunes, Netflix and more.
Cupertino, California — Apple today introduced the new Apple TV 4K designed to deliver a stunning cinematic experience at home. With support for both 4K and High Dynamic Range (HDR), Apple TV 4K features unbelievably sharp, crisp images, richer, more true-to-life colors, and far greater detail in both dark and bright scenes. With Apple TV 4K, viewers can enjoy a growing selection of 4K HDR movies on iTunes. iTunes users will get automatic upgrades of HD titles in their existing iTunes library to 4K HDR versions when they become available. Apple TV 4K will also offer 4K HDR content from popular video services, including Netflix and Amazon Prime Video, coming soon.
With the introduction of Apple TV 4K, the Siri Remote gets a subtle redesign with a new white circle around the “menu” button.
“Bring the magic of the cinema straight to your living room with the new Apple TV 4K,” said Eddy Cue, Apple’s senior vice president of Internet Software and Services. “Customers will love watching stunning 4K HDR movies from an impressive catalog on iTunes, while also getting automatic upgrades of 4K HDR movies already in their iTunes library and enjoying 4K content on services like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video, coming soon.”
4K and HDR
The combination of 4K HDR on Apple TV 4K lets viewers enjoy unbelievably sharp, crisp images, richer, more true-to-life colors and far greater detail in both dark and bright scenes (image for simulation and dramatic effect only).
Built on the groundbreaking A10X Fusion chip — the same chip that powers iPad Pro — the new Apple TV 4Kdelivers a vivid 4K HDR experience.
Support for both Dolby Vision and HDR10 ensures users can enjoy incredible-looking TV shows and movies on any HDR TV.
Built-in high-performance 4K video scaler makes HD content look better than ever on a 4K TV.
Always outputting to the highest resolution possible allows viewers to get the most out of their TV, whether it’s an older HDTV or the latest 4K Dolby Vision OLED.
Automatic detection of a 4K TV’s capabilities optimizes setup for the best quality picture.
Siri and the Apple TV App
The TV app will expand to seven countries by the end of the year, making it easier for viewers to discover and watch TV shows and movies from multiple apps in one place.
Siri and the Apple TV app are easy ways to find and play exactly what you want. The TV app brings all your favorite shows and movies together, and Siri makes it possible to search and access content across Apple TV using just your voice.
The TV app supports over 60 services on Apple TV and iOS devices, with more being added all the time. Whether you’re at home or on the go, it’s easy to discover and watch TV shows and movies from multiple apps in one place.
Siri is smart about 4K HDR, so it’s unbelievably simple to find movies and TV shows in the highest picture quality across your apps (e.g., “Show me movies in 4K”).
Later this year, the TV app is making it easier than ever to watch and get updates about live sports just by saying “Watch the Warriors game” or “What’s the score of the Cubs game?”
Sports fans in the US will be able to track their favorite teams and get on-screen notifications whenever they are playing, as well as see all the teams, leagues and sporting events currently playing through a dedicated Sports tab.2
Starting this month, the TV app will be available in Australia and Canada, in addition to the US. And, by the end of the year, it will expand to France, Germany, Norway, Sweden and the UK.
Apple TV at Home
Apple TV 4K is the perfect big screen companion to iPhone and iPad, bringing family and friends together for an incredible viewing experience.
Apple TV is the perfect addition to any household, with great apps from the App Store on Apple TV, as well as photos, videos, music and more. If you already own an iPhone or iPad, there’s no better choice in the living room than Apple TV.
Users can share recent photos and videos from your iPhone and iPad, including the best Memories, with friends and family on the biggest screen, with iCloud on Apple TV.
It’s also simple to send movies, TV shows, home videos and photos from iPhone or iPad instantly to the TV using AirPlay from your iOS devices.
With support for AirPlay 2, coming later this year, Apple TV can control multiple AirPlay 2-compatible speakers as well as your home theater speakers to create the ultimate home music experience.
Apple TV goes beyond entertainment to help deliver on Apple’s vision of the smart home. Since Apple TV is always at home, it’s perfectly suited to act as a home hub for all of your HomeKit accessories, enabling remote access as well as automated control (e.g., automatically turning on the lights at sunset).
Pricing and Availability
Apple TV 4K starts at $179 (US) for 32GB or $199 (US) for 64GB, joining Apple TV (4th generation) 32GB at $149 (US), available from apple.com and Apple Stores, as well as through select Apple Authorized Resellers and carriers (prices may vary). Customers will be able to order both Apple TV 4K models beginning Friday, September 15, with availability beginning Friday, September 22. For more information, visit apple.com/tv.
Apple revolutionized personal technology with the introduction of the Macintosh in 1984. Today, Apple leads the world in innovation with iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch and Apple TV. Apple’s four software platforms — iOS, macOS, watchOS and tvOS — provide seamless experiences across all Apple devices and empower people with breakthrough services including the App Store, Apple Music, Apple Pay and iCloud. Apple’s more than 100,000 employees are dedicated to making the best products on earth, and to leaving the world better than we found it.
1 Subscription may be required to access some content. Not all content is available in 4K HDR. 4K resolution requires 4K capable TV. Playback quality will depend on hardware and Internet connection. 2 Live sports are subject to blackout.
Apple’s 2017 iPhones will inevitably influence the top end of the smartphone market. Here’s how it looks at the moment, with a number of key launches expected soon.
Smartphones are the focus of most people’s digital lives these days, and are likely to remain so until computing becomes truly ‘ambient’ — probably involving some seamless combination of wearables (particularly augmented reality [AR] goggles), IoT devices, cloud services and artificial intelligence (AI).
Following the launch of the iPhone 8, 8 Plus and X, it’s a good time to take stock of the current state of the smartphone market by examining the vital statistics of leading vendors’ flagship handsets.
Apple‘s new iPhones, and Samsung‘s Galaxy S8/S8+ and Galaxy Note 8, show the general direction in which top-end smartphones are heading: powerful, attractive (and expensive) handsets whose user experiences increasingly leverage AI and AR, integrated with an ecosystem of add-on devices and services in various sectors including gaming, AR and VR, smart home, healthcare, shopping and office productivity.
Following last year’s well-publicised Galaxy Note 7 debacle and strong fourth-quarter performance from Apple, Samsung briefly ceded first place to its main rival in the Q4 2016 smartphone market. However, the Korean company swiftly returned to the number-one spot in 2017 (see chart). Apple‘s new iPhones face stiff competition from Samsung, Huawei and other top-five vendors, and from several manufacturers in the ‘Others’ category — including Google, HTC, LG, Motorola, Nokia, OnePlus and Sony — that also offer premium smartphones.
“Despite some key launches in the second quarter from some well-known players, all eyes will be on the ultra-high-end flagships set to arrive this fall,” said Anthony Scarsella, research manager with IDC’s Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker, when the Q2 2017 figures were released at the beginning of August. “With devices like the iPhone 8, Pixel 2, Note 8, and V30 in the pipeline, the competition will be fierce come September. We expect all the key players to promote their latest and greatest flagships with an assortment of deals, bundles, and trade-in offers across a variety of channels in most key markets,” he added.
Here’s how the flagship smartphone market looks following Apple‘s 2017 iPhone launch, presented as far as possible in graphical form. (Note: we’ll update this article as new handsets from Google, Huawei, LG and any other leading vendors are released.)
DESIGN
Screen size & Pixel density
Screen size — measured in inches across the diagonal — is a smartphone’s defining design characteristic, and the range on offer from leading vendors is now very wide. BlackBerry‘s 4.5-inch keyboard-equipped KEYone is the smallest, while Samsung‘s Galaxy Note 8 currently leads the field at 6.3 inches, with 16 out of the 25 handsets covered here falling between 5.5 and 6 inches. Display technologies are split between IPS LCD (Apple, BlackBerry, Huawei, HTC, LG [G6], Sony) and various species of OLED (Apple [iPhone X], Google, HP, Huawei [Mate 9 Pro], LG [V30], Motorola, OnePlus and Samsung).
Recent developments in smartphone displays include curved minimal-bezel screens with on-screen home buttons, 18:9 aspect ratio, Gorilla Glass 5 screen protection and — in the HTC U Ultra — a small secondary screen for notifications and other useful information (an idea recently dropped by LG when updating the V20 to the V30). Samsung‘s Note 8 is the only handset covered here that offers a stylus (the S-Pen). Apple‘s 2017 iPhones add True Tone technology (first seen in the 2016 9.7-inch iPad Pro) that automatically adjusts colour temperature and intensity to the ambient light, while the iPhone X made more space for the screen by removing the home button (and Touch ID) altogether.
The other key statistic here is pixel density, measured as pixels per inch (ppi), which factors in the display resolution. The graph below shows that Samsung (Galaxy S8) and LG (G6) lead the mainstream field with pixel densities of 567 and 564ppi respectively. The outlier is Sony‘s 5.5-inch Xperia XZ Premium, which offers a maximum 4K resolution of 3,840 by 2,160 for a massive 807ppi. This looks extremely impressive, but note that, for much of the time, the Xperia XZ Premium works at 1,080p resolution to save battery life, resulting in a much more mundane 403.5ppi.
Not everyone is comfortable with a large-screen handset, but if you want a leading-edge device, that’s increasingly what you’re being offered. If you’re happy with a large screen (>5.5in.) and also want high pixel density (>500ppi), you should be looking at Samsung‘s Galaxy Note 8 and Galaxy S8+, LG‘s V30 or, if you’re happy to run Windows 10 Mobile, the HP Elite x3. If your hands are on the small side, the 5.3-inch Nokia 8 offers a good combination of moderate screen size and high resolution (550ppi).
Screen-to-body ratio & Thickness
Another key smartphone design metric is the screen-to-body ratio, which measures how much of a handset’s fascia is occupied by screen compared to non-display elements like bezels, camera lenses and control buttons.
If low screen/body ratios are ‘old-fashioned’, then Apple’s 2016 iPhone 7 and 7 Plus were showing their age at 65.5 percent and 67.5 percent respectively — and their 8 and 8 Plus successors have done nothing to change that. Apart from BlackBerry‘s KEYone, only four other handsets have sub-70 percent ratios: Google Pixel, HTC U Ultra, Nokia 8 and Sony Xperia XZ Premium. The 4.5-inch KEYone is an outlier at 55.9 percent because, of course, it has a hardware keyboard, which decreases the screen-to-body ratio (and also increases the thickness compared to touchscreen-only handsets — see below).
At the other end of the scale, Samsung‘s Galaxy S8, S8+ and Note 8 handsets, with their curved Infinity Display screens and on-screen home buttons, lead the field with screen/body ratios of 83-84 percent. LG‘s V30 and Apple‘s new iPhone X are the only other flagship handsets with screen/body ratios over 80 percent.
Smartphone vendors often make much of the slimness of their handsets, and it’s clear from the chart below that Huawei is particularly keen on this design feature. Conversely, Samsung and Google (and BlackBerry) deliver notably thicker handsets:
Motorola‘s modular Moto Z2 Force, at 6.1mm with no Mods fitted, is the thinnest handset here. There are trade-offs though: the camera lens housing protrudes from the rear, and the device’s body is too thin to accommodate a 3.5mm headset jack. With the increasing use of glass on both the front and back of premium handsets (to accommodate wireless charging), most people immediately put their expensive and shiny new handset in a protective case, which renders the quest for extreme slimness somewhat pointless.
Volume & Weight
As you’d expect, there’s a clear relationship between a smartphone’s physical volume and its weight, although the variation around the trendline is interesting.
For example, the handsets that are thick for their screen/body ratio — notably the HTC-designed Google Pixel and Pixel XL, HTC U Ultra and U11 — are also relatively light for their volume, suggesting that there’s plenty of room for components inside the case. Another handset that’s below the weight/volume trendline is Samsung‘s Galaxy Note 8 — evidence, perhaps, of design changes following the Note 7 debacle (especially as the Note 8 also packs a smaller-capacity 3,300mAh battery than its ill-fated predecessor, which ran on a 3500mAh unit). Conversely, it’s noteworthy how Apple‘s iPhone 8 Plus is particularly heavy (at 202g) for its volume, that the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus are slightly bulkier and heavier than their predecessors, and that the 5.8-inch iPhone X is considerably lighter and more compact than Samsung’s 6.3-inch Galaxy Note 8.
Dust and water resistance
Another key smartphone design factor is resistance to the ingress of foreign matter, as commonly indicated by a two-digit IP rating: the first number describes dust resistance on a 1-6 scale, while the second describes water resistance on a 1-8 scale. The highest rating among the flagship handsets covered here is IP68, where ‘6’ indicates that the device is ‘dust tight’ and ‘8’ signifies that it can withstand immersion in water (usually at least 30 minutes to depth of at least 1m).
An IP rating of 5 for dust means the device is merely ‘dust protected’, while 7 for water means it can withstand immersion in up to 1m for 30 minutes, 4 means it can resist ‘splashing water’ and 3 means it can handle ‘spraying water’, both of the latter for at least 10 minutes.
IP ratings are not available for the BlackBerry KEYone, Huawei (and Honor) handsets, HTC U Ultra, Motorola Moto Z2 Force (although it does claim a ‘water repellent nano-coating’) and OnePlus 5. However, two of the flagship smartphones — the LG V30 and HP Elite X3 — also boast a military-grade MIL-STD 810G ruggedness certification.
Somewhat surprisingly, Apple‘s 2017 iPhones did not bump up their IP ratings from IP67 to IP68, to match Samsung‘s Galaxy S8/8+/Note 8. Looking ahead, it will be surprising if Google‘s second-generation Pixel handsets don’t move beyond IP53.
PLATFORM
Chipsets, CPU & GPU performance
A flagship smartphone should do its job — launching, running and switching between apps, and displaying on-screen content — quickly and smoothly, without any delays or glitches that would mar the user experience. It shouldn’t become uncomfortably hot in operation either — or, of course, burst into flames.
Chipsets from four main vendors power the handsets covered here:
Apple‘s 4-core A10 Fusion (iPhone 7/7 plus) and 6-core AI- and AR-optimised A11 Bionic(iPhone 8/8Plus/X)
Samsung‘s 8-core Exynos 8995 in the Galaxy S8/S8+/Note 8 (worldwide versions)
Qualcomm’s mid-range 8-core Snapdragon 625 (BlackBerry KEYone); 4-core 820 (HP Elite x3) and 821 (Google Pixel/XL, HTC U Ultra, LG G6); and top-end 8-core 835 (HTC U11, LG V30, Moto Z2 Force, OnePlus 5, Galaxy S8/S8+/Note 8 [US/China versions], Sony Xperia XZ Premium)
HiSilicon’s Kirin 960 in the Huawei and Honor handsets.
Here’s how these platforms shape up in terms of processor and graphics performance, as measured by the Primate Labs’ multi-core Geekbench 4 (Gb4) and Futuremark’s 3DMark Ice Storm Unlimited (ISU) benchmarks respectively:
The top-performing chipset — on these measures at any rate — is the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835, with Gb4 and ISU scores of up to 6500 and 40000 respectively. Note that the Exynos 8995 versions of the Samsung S8 and S8+ deliver better CPU results but weaker GPU performance (benchmarks are currently only available for the Exynos 8995 version of the Galaxy Note 8).
Apple‘s A10 Fusion-powered iPhone 7 and 7 Plus were strong performers, with scores of around 5400 (Gb4) and 37000 (ISU), and the new A11 Bionic-powered iPhones are sure to see a significant speed bump when benchmarks appear (here’s a leaked report). At the 2017 launch, Apple claimed that the A11 Bionic’s two performance CPU cores are 25 percent faster than the A10, while its four high-efficiency cores are 70 percent faster. Apple‘s 2nd-generation performance controller is reportedly 70 percent faster for multithreaded workloads, while the A11’s GPU is 30 percent faster and delivers A10-level performance at half the power, according to Apple.
Also prominent are the Kirin 960-powered handsets from Huawei and Honor, which cluster around the 6000 (Gb4)/27000 (ISU) mark. Again, we expect to see a performance boost when the AI-optimised Kirin 970 chipset becomes available in the Huawei Mate 10 and Mate 10 Pro in October.
The remaining Snapdragon 821-powered smartphones on this chart — notably Google‘s Pixel and Pixel XL — are well behind the 2017 curve, and will certainly be updated with the 835 chipset in due course. Very much in last place in this company is BlackBerry‘s KEYone, which is powered by Qualcomm’s mid-range 8-core Snapdragon 625 SoC.
RAM & Storage
When it comes to memory, the clear leader of the pack is the OnePlus 5, which is currently unique in offering 8GB or 6GB of RAM. Next come seven flagship handsets with a maximum of 6GB, all of which bar the Samsung Galaxy Note 8 also have a 4GB variant. The most common RAM complement is 4GB, which is the only choice with 11 handsets and the maximum for BlackBerry‘s KEYone (which also comes with 3GB).
Apple has always fitted less RAM in its iPhones than the Android competition, and that hasn’t changed with its 2017 handsets: the iPhone X and 8 Plus have 3GB (like the iPhone 7 Plus), while the iPhone 8 has 2GB (like the iPhone 7).
As far as internal storage is concerned, Apple‘s 2017 iPhones stand out with their maximum complement of 256GB — a feature that betrays the company’s disdain for external storage expansion via a MicroSD card slot. Samsung‘s Galaxy Note 8 also offers a maximum of 256GB (in some territories), but has a MicroSD card slot too, making it the top choice for the data-hungry.
Google‘s Pixel handsets and the OnePlus 5 also lack MicroSD expansion and, like the previous-generation iPhone 7 and 7 Plus, provide up to 128GB rather than 256GB of internal storage.
The most common maximum internal storage complement is 128GB, which is offered by 13 of the 25 handsets covered here.
CAMERAS
Rear cameras
Cameras have become a key battleground for smartphone makers, and several approaches are currently on view among the flagship population. Although it wasn’t the first to do so, Apple kick-started a trend last year by offering dual rear cameras on the iPhone 7 Plus: a primary 12-megapixel (MP) camera with an f/1.8 wide-angle lens and optical image stabilisation (OIS), and a secondary camera with an f/2.8 telephoto lens with 2x optical zoom but no OIS.
As well as adding telephoto capability, Apple‘s dual-camera system allowed depth information to be calculated, enabling features like bokeh — sharp foreground and blurred background — to be supported on portrait shots that were previously the province of expensive digital SLR cameras with high-end optics.
Apple‘s 2017 dual-camera phones, the iPhone 8 Plus and iPhone X, remain at 12MP but the sensors are bigger, faster and deliver better low-light performance, according to Apple. The iPhone 8 Plus has the same basic lens specs as the 7 Plus (f/1.8 wa + OIS, f/2.8 tele), while the iPhone X has an f/2.4 aperture on the telephoto lens and implements OIS on both cameras. Apple also takes advantage of A11 Bionic chip’s machine-learning optimisation and custom ISP to deliver a (beta) Portrait Mode feature called Portrait Lighting: here, depth sensing and facial mapping are combined to deliver real-time analysis of the light on a subject’s face and provide alternative lighting schemes — either pre- or post-capture.
For dual-camera handsets, the top bar is the wide angle or colour camera, while the bottom bar is the telephoto or black-and-white camera.
Huawei‘s Leica-branded camera system pairs 12MP RGB and 20MP monochrome sensors with 27mm f/2.2 lenses (f/1.8 in the P10 Plus), supporting OIS on the primary colour camera. As well as enabling true monochrome shooting and adding detail to blended RGB/mono shots, the 20MP secondary camera supplies depth information for bokeh-style images. The Honor 8 Pro has a similar (non-Leica-branded) system, but the secondary mono camera is 12MP rather than 20MP and there’s no support for OIS.
LG uses two 13MP sensors on the G6, one coupled with an f/1.8 autofocus lens with OIS and the other with an f/2.4 wide-angle lens lacking both OIS and autofocus. The LG V30 takes a similar approach, but uses a 16MP primary sensor with an f/1.6 lens (with AF and OIS) and a 13MP secondary sensor with an f/1.9 lens (no AF or OIS).
Both Motorola and Nokia take the Huawei approach, with colour and monochrome cameras: the Nokia 8’s Zeiss-branded system supports OIS on the colour camera, but the Moto Z2 Force does not offer OIS on either.
OnePlus and Samsung (Galaxy Note 8) go for the wide-angle/telephoto dual camera design, OnePlus with 16MP (wa) and 20MP (tele) cameras and electronic image stabilisation (EIS) rather than OIS, and Samsung with two 12MP cameras, both with OIS. Samsung also introduces a couple of neat dual-camera features: Live Focus lets you adjust the bokeh effect pre- and post-capture, while Dual Capture simultaneously captures photos from both the wide-angle and telephoto cameras.
Single rear cameras are an increasing rarity among the flagship population, but are headed (in resolution terms) by Sony and HP, with 19MP and 16MP units in the Xperia XZ Premium and Elite x3 respectively.
Front cameras
The fashion for ‘selfies’ and authentication via face recognition means that front-facing cameras, once something of an afterthought with a nod to video calls, have seen significant recent evolution.
Samsung, for example, offers both face recognition and iris scanning on its Galaxy S8, S8+ and Note 8 handsets, as well as a capable 8MP camera, while the Nokia 8’s Dual Capture feature lets you take pictures with the front and rear camera simultaneously (a.k.a. ‘Bothies’). Even more recently Apple more than matched Samsung’s functionality with the front-facing TrueDepth camera system and Face ID on the new iPhone X:
Apple’s True Depth camera system occupies a notch at the top of the iPhone X’s OLED screen.
To analyse your physiognomy, the flood illuminator detects your face, the infrared camera takes an IR image, and the dot projector places than 30,000 IR dots on your face. These data are fed into a neural network (in the A11 Bionic chip) to create a mathematical model of your face, which is then checked against the stored model on the handset — all in real time. The True Depth camera also enables Portrait Mode selfies with Portrait Lighting, and animated emoji called ‘Animoji’.
Here are the front camera megapixel counts for the 25 handsets under consideration, 12 of which are 8MP units:
Video
Video capture is becoming an increasingly important smartphone camera feature — witness the fact that all bar one of the handsets covered here can record 4k (2160p) video with at least a frame rate of 30fps. The exception is BlackBerry‘s KEYone, which doesn’t support 4k video capture at any frame rate. Apple‘s new iPhones just upped the ante by supporting 4k video at 60fps, which will doubtless kick off another round of feature catch-up.
Slow-motion video is another popular feature, and Sony‘s Xperia XZ Premium leads the field here, supporting HD (720p) video capture at a startling ‘super-slo-mo’ 960fps. The current ‘standard’ for slo-mo video is 720p at 240fps, although Apple has again pushed the boundary by supporting full HD (1080p) video at 240fps in the iPhone 8, 8 Plus and X.
As resolutions and frame rates rise, image stabilisation — either optical or electronic — will become ever more important. It’s noticeably absent from Motorola‘s Moto Z2 Force, for example.
BATTERY
Battery capacity
As flagship smartphones pack in faster processors, more memory, larger and higher-resolution screens, and ever more functions, so the toll on the handset’s battery increases. There are multiple trade-offs here: no smartphone user wants to have to recharge during a typical day’s usage, but manufacturers cannot simply fit ever higher-capacity batteries into designs that need to be as lightweight and elegant as possible in order to keep buyers interested. Get it wrong and a vendor can have a Galaxy Note 7-style debacle on its hands.
The state of the art in smartphone batteries is currently around 4,000mAh, while 14 of the 22 handsets charted here have battery capacities between 3,000 and 4,000mAh. Apple has not divulged the battery specs for the iPhone 8, 8 Plus and X, and we’re awaiting the teardown analyses that will supply them.
Battery life
A bigger battery obviously means longer battery life, as the chart below clearly shows. But given that design and safety constraints preclude the shoehorning of big batteries into tight-fitting cases, manufacturers also need to make it as convenient as possible for users — especially ‘power’ users who subject their devices to heavy workloads — to recharge their handsets.
Following LG‘s decision to drop the removable battery when updating the V20 to the V30, this feature is now absent from all of the top-end smartphones covered here. Fast charging is supported on all but the now-outdated iPhone 7 and 7 Plus, while wireless charging is available on Apple‘s new iPhones (8, 8 Plus and X), HP‘s Elite x3, the LG G6 and V30, and Samsung‘s Galaxy S8, S8+ and Note 8.
PRICES
High-end smartphones are never going to be cheap, but Apple‘s newly launched iPhone X has broken new ground — the combination of Apple‘s historically high margins and a significant amount of new technology have seen to that. The entry-level 64GB iPhone X configuration costs $999, and if you must have the top-end 256GB model, be prepared to part with a princely $1,149 (and the same figure in UK pounds).
That’s a record for a mainstream flagship handset, although you can spend even sillier money on specialist secure/luxury devices like Sirin Labs’ Solarin if you really want to (although, as it turned out, few did).
Here are the list prices in US dollars for most of the premium handsets covered in this feature:
Notes: the LG V30 prices are converted from Korean won; the Nokia 8 price is converted from euros. The following handsets are not officially available in the US: Honor 8 Pro, Huawei Mate 9 Pro, Huawei P10 and P10 Plus. Where available, prices for entry-level and top-end configurations are shown.
Outlook
Recent launches from Samsung and Apple have highlighted the increasing importance of artificial intelligence and augmented reality in high-end smartphones, with the underlying chipsets and developer resources evolving appropriately. At least for now, the smartphone will remain the portable hub for your digital life, and the flow of new devices will continue apace.
We aim to keep this roundup updated as new products, specification details and benchmarks appear. The next big launches expected are Google‘s second-generation Pixel handsets, Huawei‘s Mate 10 and 10 Pro, and LG‘s G7. Check back for updated information on these and other devices.
Featuring Streaming Music, Faster Dual-Core Processor and watchOS 4
The freedom to go with just your watch.
Cupertino, California — Apple today introduced Apple Watch Series 3, adding built-in cellular to the world’s number one watch. Whether users are out for a run, at the pool or just trying to be more active throughout their day, Apple Watch Series 3 with cellular allows them to stay connected, make calls, receive texts and more, even without iPhone nearby. The third-generation Apple Watch is an amazing health and fitness companion with intelligent coaching features, water resistance 50 meters and a new barometric altimeter that measures relative elevation. Apple Watch Series 3 comes in two models, one with GPS and cellular, and one with GPS, both featuring a 70 percent faster dual-core processor and new wireless chip.
Apple Watch Series 3 features a faster dual-core processor and wireless chip.
“We believe the addition of cellular will transform the way people use Apple Watch, providing a new sense of freedom since they can stay connected with or without their iPhone,” said Jeff Williams, Apple’s chief operating officer. “Apple Watch Series 3 combined with the power of watchOS 4 is the ultimate device for a healthy life.”
Stream 40 millions songs right from the wrist.
Soon, the combination of cellular and watchOS 4 will allow Apple Music users to stream 40 million songs right from their wrist. Beginning Friday, September 15, Apple Watch Series 3(GPS + Cellular) will be available to order in 10 countries and territories, and Apple Watch Series 3(GPS) will be available to order in 28 countries and territories. Both models are available in stores starting Friday, September 22.
Advanced Technology
Industry-first antenna design that uses the display itself to transmit and receive.
Apple Watch Series 3 (GPS + Cellular) features a full LTE and UMTS cellular radio that switches seamlessly to cellular when it is away from iPhone. The watch shares the same number as iPhone so there’s no need to provide an additional number to family, friends or colleagues; and to help get customers started, participating carriers are also offering special introductory cellular plans at launch. Customers have the ability to make cellular calls directly with Apple Watch Series 3 (GPS + Cellular) and, when paired with AirPods, enjoy a seamless and fully wireless experience. Apple also pioneered an industry-first antenna design that uses the display itself as both a transmitting and receiving element for LTE and UMTS, while introducing a built-in eSIM that is over one-hundredth the size of a traditional SIM card, making over-the-air activation possible without compromising space.
watchOS 4 includes a new High Intensity Interval Training workout option.
Powering Apple Watch Series 3 is the S3, Apple’s third-generation architecture featuring a faster dual-core processor, which allows for quicker app launch times and smoother graphics, and, for the first time, enables Siri to speak using the built-in speaker. Apple designed a new custom wireless chip called W2, making Wi-Fi 85 percent faster and Bluetooth and Wi-Fi 50 percent more power efficient, while still providing all-day battery life and keeping the size virtually the same as before. Apple Watch Series 3 also features a barometric altimeter that assists with tracking activity, flights climbed and outdoor workouts, including elevation gain.
watchOS 4
The Heart Rate app offers more detailed heart rate measurements.
watchOS 4 features an updated Heart Rate app, giving even more insight to heart rate, including measurements during resting, workout, recovery, walking and Breathe sessions. Customers can also choose to receive a notification when their heart rate is elevated above a specific threshold while inactive. Other great watchOS 4 features include the proactive Siri watch face that displays the information users need most throughout the day, an enhanced Workout app with new interface, custom High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) workout type and auto-sets for pool swims. With GymKit, users will soon enjoy the ability to connect to their favorite cardio equipment and experience two-way synchronization of data with just a tap, resulting in the most accurate information possible.
watchOS 4 introduces a redesigned Music app and new Radio app.
The redesigned Music app experience automatically syncs playlists like New Music Mix and Favorites Mix, along with the user’s most listened to music. Later this fall, Apple Watch Series 3 (GPS + Cellular) will stream music, giving users access to any song from Apple Music, straight from the wrist. The new Radio app also enables listeners to access Beats 1 live or any Apple Music radio station while away from iPhone or Wi-Fi.
Apple Watch Line-Up
The Sport Loop effortlessly adjusts to fit the wrist.
Apple Watch Series 3 (GPS + Cellular) starts at $399 (US) and Apple Watch Series 3 (GPS) starts at $329 (US), both featuring new upgrades like a faster dual-core processor and wireless chip, along with a barometric altimeter.Apple Watch Series 3 (GPS + Cellular) also debuts a special red Digital Crown and exclusive “Explorer” watch face that shows cellular connectivity through a unique design. Series 1 will be available at a new starting price of $249 (US), making it more affordable than ever.
Apple Watch Nike+ features exclusive new band colors.
In addition to silver or space gray aluminum, Apple Watch Series 3 now comes in a gorgeous new gold aluminum, along with silver or space black stainless steel cases, which all pair with a stunning assortment of new band colors and styles. The Woven Nylon is updated with a new pattern and the incredibly lightweight Sport Loop effortlessly adjusts to fit wrists with unparalleled comfort. Apple Watch Edition expands to include a beautiful dark gray ceramic case that pairs with a new two-toned Sport Band.
The Single Tour Eperon d’Or inspired by an iconic Hermès scarf print.
Apple Watch Nike+ has been extremely popular, and this fall, the partnership continues with both models of Series 3 pairing with a new pure platinum/black Nike Sport Band or Sport Loop in exclusive colors. The Nike Run Club app has been updated to introduce exciting new features: Audio Guided Runs deliver world-class coaching and motivation from Nike’s elite coaches, athletes and entertainers, while the Cheers feature makes running more fun by allowing your friends to send audio-based cheers, which will motivate you during a run. Just Do It Sundays continues to provide inspiration and rewards from participation in the world’s largest running community. Apple Watch Hermès models come with built-in cellular and pair with a striking collection of new bands, including the Single Tour Rallye, in perforated Gala calfskin, inspired by the classic Hermès driving glove, and the Single Tour Eperon d’Or, in printed Gala calfskin, inspired by the equestrian scarf pattern designed by Henri d’Origny in 1974. A new watch face, inspired by the Carrick Hermès watch, also designed by Henri d’Origny in 1993, completes the existing selection of Hermès watch faces.
Pricing and Availability
Apple Watch is available in two different case sizes, 38mm and 42mm. Apple Watch Series 3 (GPS + Cellular) will be available in gold, silver or space gray aluminum, or silver or space black stainless steel paired with a variety of bands starting at $399(US). Apple Watch Series 3 (GPS) will be available in gold, silver or space gray aluminum cases with a Sport Band starting at $329 (US). Apple Watch Series 1 is available in silver or space gray aluminum cases paired with a Sport Band starting at just $249 (US). Apple Watch Edition in gray or white ceramic will be available starting at $1,299 (US). All models will be available from apple.com and Apple Stores, as well as select Apple Authorized Resellers and carriers (prices may vary). For local availability, visit locate.apple.com. Apple Watch Nike+ starts at $329 (US) and Apple Watch Hermès starts at $1,149 (US) (prices may vary).
Customers will be able to order Apple Watch Series 3 (GPS + Cellular) beginning Friday, September 15, with availability beginning Friday, September 22 in Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Japan, Puerto Rico, Switzerland, the UK and the US, with other countries following next year. For carrier availability, visit apple.com/watch/cellular.
Customers will be able to order Apple Watch Series 3 (GPS) beginning Friday, September 15, with availability beginning Friday, September 22 in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, China, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, the UK, the US and US Virgin Islands. Apple Watch Series 3 (GPS) will be available beginning Saturday, September 23 in UAE.
Apple Watch Series 1 is available on apple.com and anywhere Apple Watch is sold.
Apple Watch Nike+ will be available to order on apple.com beginning Friday, September 15, with limited availability on Thursday, October 5 in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, China, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Guam, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kuwait, Luxembourg, Macau, Monaco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, UAE, the UK and the US. For more information, visit apple.com/apple-watch-nike or nike.com/applewatch.
Apple Watch Hermès will be available to order on apple.com beginning Friday, September 15, with availability beginning Friday, September 22 in Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Japan, Switzerland, the UK and the US. For more information, visit apple.com/apple-watch-hermes or hermes.com/applewatchhermes.
Apple Watch Series 3(GPS) will be available beginning Friday, September 29 in Croatia, Czech Republic, Greece, Guam, Hungary, Iceland, India, Jersey, Macau, Monaco, Poland, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Thailand and Turkey.
Apple Watch Series 3 (GPS) will be available beginning Saturday, September 30 in Kuwait, Qatar and Saudi Arabia.
New Apple Watch bands are available today on apple.com and will be available soon at Apple Stores, as well as select Apple Authorized Resellers and carriers in the USand over 35 countries and regions, including Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Russia, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UAE and the UK.
Apple Watch Series 3 (GPS + Cellular) requires iPhone 6 or later running iOS 11 or later and Apple Watch Series 3 (GPS) requires iPhone 5S or later running iOS 11 or later. watchOS 4 and iOS 11 will be available Tuesday, September 19. Some features are not available in all regions or all languages.
Customers who buy Apple Watch from Apple will be offered free Personal Setup in-store or online4 to help set up and personalize their new Apple Watch with calendars, notifications, apps and more.
Anyone who wants to start with the basics or go further with their new Apple Watch can sign up for free Today at Apple sessions at apple.com/today.
Apple revolutionized personal technology with the introduction of the Macintosh in 1984. Today, Apple leads the world in innovation with iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch and Apple TV. Apple’s four software platforms — iOS, macOS, watchOS and tvOS — provide seamless experiences across all Apple devices and empower people with breakthrough services including the App Store, Apple Music, Apple Pay and iCloud. Apple’s more than 100,000 employees are dedicated to making the best products on earth, and to leaving the world better than we found it.
1 Apple Watch Series 3 has a water resistance rating of 50 meters under ISO standard 22810:2010. This means that it may be used for shallow-water activities like swimming in a pool or ocean. However, Apple Watch Series 3 should not be used for scuba diving, waterskiing or other activities involving high-velocity water or submersion below shallow depth. Stainless steel and leather bands are not water resistant. 2 Apple Watch and iPhone service provider must be the same. Not available with all service providers. Roaming is not available outside your carrier network coverage area. Wireless service plan required for cellular service. Contact your service provider for more details. Check apple.com/watch/cellular for participating wireless carriers and eligibility. 3 Participating equipment manufacturers and gyms vary. 4 In most countries.
Powerful chip will give new phone, Mate 10, faster performance and longer battery life
Visitors look at the remotely controlled R2-D2 robot from the Star Wars movies at the IFA Consumer Electronics Fair in Berlin. Photograph: Getty Images
Huawei aims to use artificial intelligence-powered features such as instant image recognition to take on rivals Samsung and Apple when it launches its new flagship phone next month, a top executive said at the weekend at the IFA consumer electronics fair in Berlin.
Richard Yu, chief executive of Huawei’s consumer business, on Saturday revealed a powerful new mobile phone chip Huawei is betting on for its upcoming flagship Mate 10 and other high-end phones to deliver faster processing and lower power consumption.
Huawei will launch the Mate 10 and its sister phone, the Mate 10 Pro, in Munich on October 16th, Mr Yu confirmed.
He declined to detail new features, but the phones are expected to boast large, 6-inch-plus full-screen displays, tech blogs predict. Artificial intelligence (AI) built into its new chips can help make phones more personalised, or anticipate the actions and interests of their users, Mr Yu said.
As examples, he said AI can enable real-time language translation, heed voice commands, or take advantage of augmented reality, which overlays text, sounds, graphics and video on real-world images phone users see in front of them.
Compact design
Mr Yu believes the new Kirin 970 chip’s speed and low power can translate into features that will give its phones an edge over the Apple iPhone 8 series, set to be unveiled on September 12th, and Samsung’s range of top-line phones announced this year.
Huawei is the world’s number three smartphone maker behind Samsung and Apple. “Compared with Samsung and Apple, we have advantages,” Mr Yu said in an interview during the annual electronics fair in Berlin.
“Users are in for much faster [feature] performance, longer battery life and more compact design.”
The company asserts its newly announced Kirin 970 chip will preserve battery life on phones by up to 50 per cent. Huawei describes the new chip as the first Neural Processing Unit (NPU) for smartphones. It brings together classic computing, graphics, image and digital signal processing power that have typically required separate chips, taking up more space and slowing interaction between features within phones.
Most importantly, Huawei aims to use the Kirin chips to differentiate its phones from a vast sea of competitors, including Samsung, who overwhelming rely on rival Snapdragon chips from Qualcomm, the market leader in mobile chip design. Among major phone makers, only Apple and Huawei now rely on their own core processors.
Today Apple introduced the latest addition to its Beats lineup of premium headphones: the Beats Studio3 Wireless Headphones.
The Studio3 headphones differ from the existing Solo3 option in two primary ways. First, they sit over your ears rather than on them – an important distinction for prospective buyers. Second, related to the over-ear design, they include Pure Adaptive Noise Cancelling (Pure ANC), which works to shut out external noise while also optimizing audio for the precise fit of the wearer and calibrating music to top-quality.
These wireless headphones join the existing lineup of Beats options that adopted Apple’s W1 chip late last year. Also seen in Apple’s AirPods, the W1 chip provides improved connectivity and power efficiency. With Studio3, the W1 chip enables battery life of up to 22 hours with Pure ANC enabled, and up to 40 hours without it. The Studio3 headphones also charge quickly, with up to 3 hours of playtime after a 10-minute charge.
The last noteworthy design note is that on-ear controls allow you to control playback directly from the Solo3 hardware, enabling audio control and even Siri activation.
You can order the Studio3 headphones today in a variety of colors for $349.95, but they won’t ship until mid-October.
A new public beta, which has the same features as the developer-only iOS 11 beta 10 release, is also out for members of the Apple Beta Software Program. The new software has arrived six days following iOS 11 beta 9 and 24 hours following a tenth beta of tvOS 11 for Apple TV.
To install the update on your iOS device with an appropriate configuration profile (available for download through Dev Center), use Apple’s Software Update mechanism in the Settings app.
Here’s Andrew’s hands-on walkthrough of the changes in the previous beta.
Originally released as a developer-only preview at WWDC in June, iOS 11 packs in a surprising number of new features, under-the-hood enhancements and user interface refinements.
Some of them include a customizable Control Center, a redesigned App Store, brand new multitasking features on iPad with the interactive Dock and drag and drop, a dedicated Files app, AirPlay 2 with multi-room audio, new Siri capabilities and more.
As we get closer and closer to Apple’s event next Tuesday, we’re most likely approaching a Gold Master build that should release before the next iPhone launches later in September.