Month: July 2019

Apple is being surprisingly open about the iPhone you should buy, and it’s not the iPhone 11. Moreover, this just confirmed it.

In a new report attained by MacRumors, famed Apple insider Ming-Chi Kuo has confirmed that Apple will now upgrade all three of its 2020 iPhones to 5G. Kuo previously revealed that Apple planned to only upgrade its two premium iPhones to the next-gen standard, but that changed after it acquired Intel’s smartphone modem business. And that’s just the start.

Kuo also explains that all three 2020 iPhones will support 5G with mmWave and sub-6GHz spectrum. The former enables cutting edge 5G speeds but only covers a short distance, while the latter still outpaces 4G but sacrifices some speed to cover wide areas – a key factor for rural and suburban coverage. In contrast, a number of Android rivals are expected to only support sub-6GHz 5G.

Interestingly, Kuo also notes that Apple is investigating a sub-6GHz 5G iPhone at a lower price point, but he says it remains uncertain whether the company has the resources to develop four new iPhones simultaneously.

Interestingly, despite Apple’s modem acquisition (and Intel’s willingness to divulge the product roadmaps), Apple is still expected to make use of its April deal with Qualcomm to supply 5G modems in 2020. This is because Apple will not yet have the scale to cater for its own demand next year but, quite brilliantly, it is the Qualcomm deal which facilitated the Intel sale and now Apple has autonomy long term. This is exactly the kind of supply chain mastery Tim Cook specialises in.

And the reasons to wait for a 2020 iPhone don’t stop there. While the iPhone 11 will be more of the same, Apple is completely redesigning (and resizing) the iPhone range next year, upgrading the displays and giving them the all-new camera tech it pulled from the iPhone 11 at the last minute. Touch ID may also make a comeback.

For those who still think the iPhone 11 will be enough for them (and it has some compelling features), there’s also another factor to consider. Kuo states that Apple’s primary motivation to push all 2020 iPhones to 5G is because customers will deem it essential, so trying to sell your 4G iPhone 11 in a few years time is highly unlikely to give you the great trade-in prices normally associated with iPhones.

So yes, there has never been a better time to delay an iPhone upgrade. The choice, as always, is yours but if you do buy an iPhone 11 I suspect you’ll eventually regret it.

Samsung’s Galaxy Note 10 is going to divide opinion. The two new modelsget a lot right and a lot wrong, but a stunning new leak has revealed one area where they will be truly class-leading.

Hugely popular Samsung insider Ice Universe has revealed that the flagship Galaxy Note 10+ will have the highest screen-to-body ratio of any smartphone, thanks to a combination of stunningly thin bezels and a redesigned camera.

Breaking down the details, Ice states that the Note 10 bezels will measure just 2mm (top), 3.7mm (bottom) and 1.5mm (sides) while the all-new central front camera is just 4.2mm in diameter. The result is a screen-to-body ratio of 92.5%. By comparison, the supposedly “bezel-less” iPhone XS and XS Max have ratios of 82.9% and 84.4% respectively, while the OnePlus 7 Pro ratio manages 88.1% with no cut-out and no notch.

Interestingly, the Galaxy S10+ comes closest to the Note 10 with 88.9% but that is largely due to its more heavily curved edge display. Consequently, Samsung has really pulled off something special with its new Note, especially given the inherent problem in the design.

Will this be enough to convince buyers to part with their money? My own source can confirm that all-new 45W charging will be there (with a catch) which may tip the balance, but also that the headphone jack has definitely gone from both models and microSD is on the chopping block, not just for the standard smaller Note 10 but the 5G versions as well.

And, despite their dizzying price tags, initial Note 10 promotions will be superb with buy-one-get-one-free deals available from launch.

So it’s a slam dunk? Not quite. The flipside is Samsung’s next-generation Galaxy S11 is already on the horizon and it is being described as “a new beginning”. Being a tech fan is never easy.

Cupertino and Santa Clara, California — Apple and Intel have signed an agreement for Apple to acquire the majority of Intel’s smartphone modem business. Approximately 2,200 Intel employees will join Apple, along with intellectual property, equipment and leases. The transaction, valued at $1 billion, is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2019, subject to regulatory approvals and other customary conditions, including works council and other relevant consultations in certain jurisdictions.

Combining the acquired patents for current and future wireless technology with Apple’s existing portfolio, Apple will hold over 17,000 wireless technology patents, ranging from protocols for cellular standards to modem architecture and modem operation. Intel will retain the ability to develop modems for non-smartphone applications, such as PCs, internet-of-things devices and autonomous vehicles.

“This agreement enables us to focus on developing technology for the 5G network while retaining critical intellectual property and modem technology that our team has created,” said Intel CEO Bob Swan. “We have long respected Apple and we’re confident they provide the right environment for this talented team and these important assets moving forward. We’re looking forward to putting our full effort into 5G where it most closely aligns with the needs of our global customer base, including network operators, telecommunications equipment manufacturers and cloud service providers.”

“We’ve worked with Intel for many years and know this team shares Apple’s passion for designing technologies that deliver the world’s best experiences for our users,” said Johny Srouji, Apple’s senior vice president of Hardware Technologies. “Apple is excited to have so many excellent engineers join our growing cellular technologies group, and know they’ll thrive in Apple’s creative and dynamic environment. They, together with our significant acquisition of innovative IP, will help expedite our development on future products and allow Apple to further differentiate moving forward.”

This press release contains forward-looking statements, within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements include without limitation those about the pending acquisition of the majority of Intel’s smartphone modem business, including statements regarding the benefits and the timing of the transaction. These statements involve risks and uncertainties, and actual results may differ. Risks and uncertainties include without limitation the outcome of regulatory reviews of the transaction, the outcome of works council consultations and other relevant consultations in certain jurisdictions, the ability of the parties to complete the transaction in the time expected or at all, litigation or regulatory matters affecting the closing of the transaction. More information on these risks and other potential factors that could affect the transaction and Apple’s financial results is included in Apple’s filings with the SEC, including in the “Risk Factors” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” sections of Apple’s most recently filed periodic reports on Form 10-K and Form 10-Q and subsequent filings. Apple assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements or information, which speak as of their respective dates.

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.

Intel, a leader in the semiconductor industry, is shaping the data-centric future with computing and communications technology that is the foundation of the world’s innovations. The company’s engineering expertise is helping address the world’s greatest challenges as well as helping secure, power and connect billions of devices and the infrastructure of the smart, connected world – from the cloud to the network to the edge and everything in between.