Core NFC in iOS 11

Apple quietly announced Core NFC for iOS 11 at WWDC. This will add some new functionality to NFC tags. This opens up some possibilities, such as Nintendo's proposal to bring amiibo support to iOS and Android. A few limitations should be noted. First off, it doesn't support iPhone to iPhone sharing or writing to NFC tags. It can only read NFC tags. Second, it only works on iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus currently. Finally, the associated app must be open before the tag is read. For example, you cannot simply tap your locked iPhone to an NFC tag.

Image Credit: MacRumors

Apple Creates iPhone Photography Website

Apple has launched a new photography website for iPhone, designed to give users tutorials on how to capture great photos. The lessons consist of short videos giving tips about certain subjects. The videos are less than a minute long. While the videos are centered around the iPhone 7, most of the tips apply to all modern iPhones.

New iPad and Red iPhone 7 Available to Order

The new iPad and (PRODUCT)RED iPhone 7 are now available to order. The products were announced in a press statement earlier this week. They can be ordered from the Apple Online Store and Apple Retail Stores. If you're not interested in the iPad Pro, this is the cheapest we've seen a current generation iPad at just $329 for 32 GB. Great if you need a refresh for you current iPad.

Apple Announces New iPad and Red iPhone

This morning, I was a bit surprised to see how much would come out of an Apple Store update. Apparently, when we heard new iPads would be announced this week, this was what it meant. These aren't new iPads exactly, nor are they iPad Pros. However, they are a 9.7-inch iPad with an A9 chip, giving it more powerful. The real kicker here is the price. It starts at just $329 for 32 GB and $429 for 128 GB. Also, the iPad Mini 4 now starts at $399 for 128 GB. The other big piece of news was a new (PRODUCT)RED iPhone 7. This is all fine and dandy, but I'll personally be waiting for the iPad Pros and maybe, just maybe, a new desktop announcement finally. Priorities...

iPhone 7 Explosion Video Goes Viral

Brianna Olivas claims that her iPhone 7 Plus started smoking an exploding yesterday. In the video she posted (viewer discretion advised), the iPhone can be seen smoking and melting the case. According to Mashable, the phone started squealing next to Olivas while in her bed and her boyfriend threw it in the bathroom, where it exploded. The reason I'm talking about this is to give my stance. Obviously, after the Note7 explosions, this wouldn't look good for Apple. However, I, along with many other people in the tech community, don't buy this video. Not to the point where it was directly Apple's fault anyways. I could use my fancy AP Lang and AP Lit skills and analyze the tone of Olivas voice in the video. I even have a thesis statement. "In the video, Olivas' tone is very monotone and shows very little concern for the smartphone burning in front of her, using particular diction and imagery to describe the situation." But I take things from a technological standpoint. Could it be a one in a million chance of a faulty battery? Possibly. More likely, the phone was put through conditions no phone should be able to go through (microwaves?) or an off-market, bootleg charger was used to charge it. Who knows? Maybe people will catch on and these will be the next "1000 Degree Knife" videos. Apple will have a cause for the situation within a week.

Samsung Galaxy S8 Won't Have a Headphone Jack

After mocking the iPhone 7 for not having a headphone jack, the next flagship smartphone for Samsung will not have a headphone jack, according to SamMobile. During the controversy of the iPhone 7's lack of the headphone jack, I said to many that it would become the industry standard. Samsung's removal of the headphone jack will be another big push toward this future. This phone will likely be revealed in February.

What Happens if the iPhone 7's Home Button Fails?

The iPhone 7's home button is a significant deviation from its predecessors. It has no click mechanism and simply vibrates to mimic the feeling of the button being clicked. However, it appears that the button can fail, leaving the user without an essential hardware function. Luckily, Apple did program a temporary workaround [Source: MacRumors]. A message will popup acknowledging that the home button needs to be serviced. From here, a digital home button will be displayed on screen that will function like a normal home button. Hopefully, this doesn't happen to too many people.

Image Credit: iwayne

Jet Black iPhone 7 Plus Availability Update

One of the most popular, and hardest to obtain, iPhone 7 models was the Jet Black iPhone 7 Plus. Today, it is available in many Apple Stores. Jet Black iPhones are particularly hard to find because of their popularity and production process.To see if your local store carries it, check iStockNow for a visual map.

Why I Dont Like The New iPhone 7 Colors

The iPhone 7 ditched Space Gray for two new colors: Black and Jet Black. Although their appearance is totally subjective, there is a specific reason that I don't like the new colors. They disrupt the continuity of Apple's colors. MacBooks, iPads, Apple Watches, and Beats headphones that used Apple's color scheme will likely not adapt to the new colors. They currently offer these products in Gold, Rose Gold, Silver, and Space Gray. The iPhone 7 comes in Gold, Rose Gold, Silver, Black, and Jet Black. I believe that they will not update these products with the new coloring scheme, at least not for Jet Black, as it is very hard to produce. I would hate to buy all my Apple products in Space Gray, just to have them messed up with the new colors. Luckily, I prefer the Silver color, so this doesn't affect me too much. 

Jet Black iPhone Shortage

According to Ming-Chi Kuo, the popularity of the Jet Black iPhone 7 is not the only reason why it's hard to acquire. As it turns out, the color is very hard to manufacture. Apparently, 30-40 percent of the Jet Black units do not meet Apple's standards and must be retooled. Note that the Jet Black color is the model which has a nine-step anodization and polishing process during production. Combined with the popularity, Samsung recall, and this lengthy process, it makes sense why Apple was very protective of its stock these past few weeks. 

The Potential of the W1 Chip

For those who didn't watch the full keynote, at the Apple event on September 7, Apple announced a new chip called the W1 chip. This chip is designed specifically for headphones and earbuds. So far, they're in AirPods, Beats Solo³ Wireless, Powerbeats³ Wireless, and the new BeatsX earphones. In addition to allowing better battery life and quicker charges, the W1 chip allows for instant pairing with your iOS and Mac devices. You just hold them near the device, and follow the one-button prompt to connect. In a matter of seconds, from the lock screen, you're connected. No settings app, no Bluetooth nonsense. So imagine if Apple allowed third-parties to use this chip, which I could easily see happening. Every modern wireless listening device could instantly pair to your device with ease. That would certainly be a huge selling point for Apple products. It's 2016 and it's hard to believe we've put up with the hassle of Bluetooth prompts for this long. It's why I chose wired Beats over wireless ones back in 2014. Now, Apple has finally made headphones more intelligent, which allows them to work with your devices. I'd love to see this technology in more listening devices. Speakers, radios, you name it. Let's hope Apple pushes this technology to its highest potential.

Image Credit: 9to5Mac

iOS 10.1 Seeded to Developers

Today, the first beta of iOS 10.1 was seeded to developers. This comes just a week after iOS 10 was released to the public. As expected, the iPhone 7 Plus will support Portrait mode with this update. Portrait mode allows for an advanced depth of field effect. This is something that high-end DSLRs are normally capable of, making the iPhone 7 Plus camera that much more advanced. This Friday, the first iOS 10.1 beta will be available to public beta testers. However, there are bugs to be worked out still, so don't expect this too soon. I would guess that the public will be able to get this update in late October.

The Cause of Samsung's Battery Issue

The ultimate cause of why Samsung Galaxy Note 7 batteries have been exploding can be traced back to one simple reason, according to Bloomberg, reports of a lackluster iPhone 7. With this news, Samsung engineers started rushing this product to market. Employees even stayed overnight at their offices. A consequence of this was rushing their suppliers. Batteries were of poor quality when rushed, causing these reports. Things got worse when Samsung tried to handle the issue. They took it into their own hands to handle the recall, instead of contacting the Consumer Product Safety Commission in a timely manner, as is legally required. This created conflicting reports as how consumers should handle their Note 7s. It weird to think that Samsung's edgy competitiveness could've caused something like this. It's not the end of Samsung, but it will be remembered for some time. To think at the announcement, them mocking the rumors of the iPhone 7 not having a headphone jack could've been their biggest mistake. 

iPhone 7: New Home Button

Since the iPhone 7 came out today, I visited my local Apple Store. The first thing I noticed was the home button. During last week's keynote, I didn't really understand what they meant when they talked about a new home button. Now I understand. The new home button no longer pushes in. Instead you press on it and the Taptic Engine makes vibrations to give the sensation of pressing down. You can pick different vibrations as well. It's a little weird, but interesting at the same time. Another thing I noticed is that Reachability seems to have been removed. One thing remains unsolved, and that's how this button will evolve when next year's iPhone comes out.

How To Charge iPhone 7 and Listen to Wired Headphones At The Same Time

Phil Schiller, Apple's SVP of Marketing, has responded to a customer email regarding listening to music through wired headphones on an iPhone 7 while charging it. Since the iPhone 7 removed the headphone jack, it's impossible to do this without an accessory. Schiller recommends using an Apple Lightning Dock to make this possible, as it has a headphone jack ($49). There are also other accessories that allow this. The best solution is definitely to use wireless headphones.

Apple Store App Starts Advertising iPhone 7 in 3D Touch

With all of the crazy Apple announcements today (which I'll get to later this week), the Apple Store is one step ahead of everyone who wants to pre-order. If you 3D Touch on the Apple Store app, a new option to "Shop iPhone 7" will appear. Normally, only three options are shown. So, if you'd like to pre-order, you can do it in style with this neat trick. The Apple Store app is available for free from the Apple App Store [Direct Link].

iPhone 7 To Have Five Colors

According to Ming-Chi Kuo, the iPhone 7 will be available in five different colors in total. There have been a lot of rumors about a fifth color (and potential color lineup changes) for the iPhone 7, but this is our best bet for what it will be. Silver, Gold, and Rose Gold will remain in the lineup. However, Space Gray will be replaced by a dark gray. In addition, there is a new "piano black" color expected. This raises some questions, such as if other Apple products will receive this color change. Other Apple products that use the color scheme include iPad, MacBook, and Beats headphones.

Siri Jokes About iPhone 7 Event

If you tell Siri, "See you on the 7th," she'll respond with a variety of funny responses [Source: MacRumors]. For those who don't know, the tagline for the upcoming iPhone 7 event is "See you on the 7th." Here is a quick rundown of the responses:

• "I can't wait for National Acorn Squash Day either. Mmmm."
• "Do you remember... the 7th day of September... ba da ya, dancing in September!"
• "And the 8th, and the 9th, and the 10th... in fact, I'll be here all year."
• "Be there or be heptagonal, Joe."
• "An auspicious day!"

By the way, I looked it up, and National Acorn Squash Day is an actual holiday that occurs on September 7th. The more you know.

See You On The 7th

Apple has officially acknowledged their iPhone 7 event. Event appears to have the tagline: "See You On The 7th." Simply put, the event will take place on September 7th. The tagline may be a reference to the iPhone 7, almost confirming the device's name. We'll just have to see... on the 7th.

A10 Chip Pictures Leaked

Based on a picture from GeekBar, the A10 chip is in production is will be put into the iPhone 7. This isn't much of a surprise, as this is typical for Apple's cycle. Looking at how the chips are labeled, it appears they were produced in mid-July. Whether or not this leak is true, we can be confident that the A10 chip will be in the iPhone 7.