Apple apologizes for secretly slowing iPhone, drops battery prices
SAN FRANCISCO -- Apple apologized for secretly slowing down older iPhones, a move it said was necessary to avoid unexpected shutdowns related to battery fatigue.Many customers had interpreted the move as a way to for Apple to juice demand for newer iPhone models, their suspicions fueled by the fact that the company didn't initially disclose the slowdowns or its reasons for them.Apple also said it will cut the price of a battery replacement by $50 to $29 through next year.
Suit: iPhones Apple slowed forced owners to buy new phones
CHICAGO — Apple iPhone owners from several states are suing the tech giant for not disclosing sooner that it had issued software updates deliberately slowing older-model phones so aging batteries lasted longer.Lawyers filed a class-action lawsuit Thursday in Chicago federal court on behalf of five iPhone owners from Illinois, Ohio, Indiana and North Carolina.
Apple admits it slows down older iPhones to prevent battery issues
For years, there have been claims - some say conspiracy theories - from iPhone users that older models slow down when new versions come out.Now Apple is confirming that it purposely does just that - for specific reasons in some cases.Apple said in a statement to TechCrunch that it will "smooth out" power demands on iPhones when batteries are old, in cold conditions, or when they're low on power.The company said it added the fix last year to prevent shutdowns on iPhone 6, 6s and SE models, then added it to the iPhone 7 with plans for more devices in the future.In other words, on iPhones that are as little as a year old, you may notice your phone slow down in some situations.Apple says that if it didn't add this feature, those phones could shut down more often.The admission comes after a Reddit post last week that snowballed into lots of discussion over performance of iPhones with older batteries.Some Reddit users said that when the battery on their older iPhone was replaced, the performance issues went away and their phones started acting normal.That post led John Poole, a developer with Geekbench, to run performance tests that backed up the claims.While the admission from Apple does not have the sinister undertones that have come with some iPhone owners' accusations of slowing down phones to prompt sales of new models, it does confirm what many have guessed.In its statement, Apple said, "Our goal is to deliver the best experience for customers, which includes overall performance and prolonging the life of their devices."In the end, the issue has more to do with battery technology than iPhone technology, according to the company.
Oops! Excited iPhone X owner drops his device in front of a FOX6 News camera
GLENDALE -- It's an iPhone fan's nightmare come true.The first buyers of the new iPhone X lined up for hours outside the Apple store at Bayshore Town Center in Glendale for the release of the new tech toy on Friday, November 3rd.FOX6 News had a camera at the store to capture the excitement among the crowds gathered -- and especially those leaving the store with their new iPhone Xs.
YouTuber apologizes after iPhone X video goes viral, father gets fired
Apple has fired an engineer after his daughter posted a video of a top-secret iPhone X.
Chicago's new Apple store dimming lights due to bird deaths
CHICAGO — The new Apple store in downtown will dim its lights after complaints from wildlife groups that say its glassy facade is causing deadly bird strikes.The Chicago Tribune reports that Apple spokesman Nick Leahy says the Cupertino, California-based company would "get the lights down" as much as possible overnight starting Friday through the migratory season.
Apple upgrades the watch and Apple TV 4K
Apple has made a few upgrades to some of their products including a cellular network on an Apple Watch and 4K Streaming on the Apple TV.Follow KTLA Tech Reporter Rich DeMuro on Facebook or Twitter for cool apps, tech tricks & tips!
Apple unveils new iPhone X: A hands on look at the new product
Apple's latest phone starts at nearly $1,000.
Apple embarks on Emmy quest with big bet on video streaming
SAN FRANCISCO — Television is one of the few screens that has Apple hasn't conquered, but the company appears ready to aim for its own Emmy-worthy programming along the lines of HBO's "Game of Thrones" and Netflix's "Stranger Things."Apple lured away two longtime TV executives Jaime Erlicht and Zack Van Amburg from Sony Corp.
Apple kills iPod Nano, iPod Shuffle as music moves to phones
SAN FRANCISCO — The iPod Nano and iPod Shuffle have played their final notes for Apple.The company discontinued sales of the two music players Thursday in a move reflecting the waning popularity of the devices in an era when most people store or stream their tunes on smartphones.The iPod product line still remains alive, though.
Apple ordered to pay $506M in Wisconsin patent infringement
MADISON — A judge has ordered computer-maker Apple Inc.
Apple unveils 'HomePod' speaker, first new product in years
SAN JOSE, California -- Apple nodded to several up-and-coming technology trends, unveiling a new "smart" home speaker and device features touching on virtual reality, online privacy and a form of artificial intelligence called machine learning.The "HomePod" speaker unveiled Monday is similar to devices from rivals, some of which have been on the market for years.
New 'Do Not Disturb While Driving' iPhone feature hides alerts, sends auto replies
Apple announced on Monday a new iOS 11 featured called "Do Not Disturb While Driving" that mutes notifications and sends automatic replies if you receive a message while driving.The new safety feature suppresses notifications and blocks notifications.
The iPhone of cars? Apple enters self-driving car race
SAN FRANCISCO — Apple is joining the fiercely competitive race to design self-driving cars, raising the possibility that a company that has already re-shaped culture with its iPhone may try to transform transportation, too.Ending years of speculation, Apple's late entry into a crowded field was made official Friday with the disclosure that the California Department of Motor Vehicles had awarded a permit for the company to start testing its self-driving car technology on public roads in the state.The permit covers three vehicles — all 2015 Lexus RX 450h hybrid SUVs — and six individual drivers.
BeatsX vs AirPods: Apple wireless headphones compared
Apple has two unique bluetooth wireless headphones options for its iPhone - and other devices - here is how AirPods compare to BeatsX.By now you know that the latest iPhone doesn't have a headphone jack.
Apple CEO Tim Cook's pay slumps along with iPhone sales
SAN FRANCISCO — Apple penalized CEO Tim Cook for the iPhone maker's first sales slump in 15 years with a 15 percent pay cut.Cook still made out well with a compensation package valued at $8.7 million for Apple's fiscal year that ended last September.
Parents blame FaceTime for death of 5-year-old daughter, sue Apple
AUBREY, Texas – A Texas couple are suing Apple, claiming its FaceTime app is responsible for the death of their 5-year-old daughter.James and Bethany Modisette say Apple was granted a patent in 2014 for a FaceTime design that would've used GPS tracking to determine speed of travel to prevent people from using the app while driving, reports Courthouse News.
Best wireless earbuds for your smartphone
In case you haven’t heard, Apple is delaying the launch of their wireless AirPods.
Have an iPhone 6? Apple offers free battery replacement for phones that abruptly shut down
Apple is offering free replacement batteries to some iPhone 6 users whose phones abruptly shut down for no apparent reason.Apple said in a statement Monday, November 21st that "a very small number" of devices made between September and October of 2015 are affected.The tech giant's announcement came less than a week after a consumer watch group in China launched an investigation into the problem.The China Consumers Association said in a statement "a considerable number of Chinese iPhone 6 and 6S users reported the problem."Apple said it's not a safety issue.
No, drilling into your iPhone 7 won't reveal 'hidden' headphone jack
SACRAMENTO, California – YouTube video of a man drilling into his iPhone 7, claiming to unlock a 'hidden' headphone jack, is going viral.The latest addition to the iPhone line comes with Apple's new Lightning port instead of the standard headphone jack, a change that hasn't gone over well with some consumers.Playing off those sentiments, Ukrainian YouTuber Taras Maksimuk, who lives in Sacramento, California, published "Secret Hack to Get Headphone Jack on the iPhone 7" to his channel TechRax.The video shows him placing the iPhone in a vice and using a 3.5mm drill bit to make a hole in the left, bottom corner of the phone."This video is for those who don't want to get $159 wireless AirPods or have to insert your headphones into an adapter every time you listen to music," Maksimuk writes in the caption of the video.