Another Update To Come In 2016, Taiwanese Suppliers Say

Another Apple TV update could be coming in 2016, according to Taiwanese suppliers.  As for the next iPhone, I really, really hope Apple isn't so stupid as to remove the headphone jack. Many of you will disagree, but I think Apple should rename iMac to Mac (it's not an iDevice running iOS). I think elegant solutions could be developed and look forward to see how Apple solves. I'm more interested in developments AROUND the iOS ecosystem, like NFC car and house keys, so in addition to Apple Pay we can have Apple Key. It would double Apple Watch sales and boost market share of the cars that support it. Waterproofing the iPhone 7 and Apple Watch 2nd Edition will make sense when they are your keys. Repositioning CarPlay as a premium audio system, and leveraging Mastered for iTunes to optimize audio for each car interior would give Apple an edge that no one could counter. They should also create the same kind of vertically integrated high-end audio for the home around the Apple TV 4. Brand the service as a Beats product. For starters iv only just got the apple iWatch costing me £1000 so to bring in a refresh only after a year, doze that not push people away from purchasing there products. It's likely that, with the release of the iPad Pro and the iPad mini 4, Apple wanted to avoid iPad overload - too many new tablets, and customers won't know what to throw their money at. If Apple wants the iPad Pro to forge an identity for itself, it makes sense to give the jumbo slab some breathing space. Chinese tech site MyDrivers has gone ahead and pinned the iPad Air 3 release date to March 2016. This would certainly give Apple a chance to strike back at the casual market missed by the iPad Pro, although it bucks the trend set by the first two Airs, which both launched in the autumn. We'd say that waiting until the end of 2016 to release an updated Air with the technology we've seen in the iPad Pro wouldn't be in Apple's interests. Apple is pretty consistent with pricing so, seeing as the previous two Airs launched with a £399 base price, we'd expect pretty much the same from the iPad Air 3. If true, that would make it the second Apple device, after the Apple Watch, to come with an IP rating. According to an investor's note obtained by Apple Insider , renowned KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo claims that Apple won't be using the 3D Touch in the upcoming iPad Air 3. The reasons are practical, with Kuo citing problems in the supply chain for 3D Touch components. The high-end iPad Pro doesn't feature 3D Touch, but it's possible that Apple will look to expand the scope of the feature in future iPad releases. Going by Kuo's comments, however, suggest that Cook and Co. won't be able to do this in time for the iPad Air 3's expected launch in Q1 2016. Another possibility is that Apple is putting the future of the iPad Air on hold indefinitely, or at least until the company has an idea of how well the iPad Pro and iPad mini 4 perform. However, if Apple brings out a new iteration, which is still highly likely, it's hard to see how Apple will avoid it clashing with the the iPad Pro in some shape or form. Apple has probably been keeping quiet on that front to give the iPad Pro room to breathe, but now that things are settling down, we'll soon be hearing more rumours about the next Air. Cue reiterated Cook's statement that 40 million people have tried the Apple News app, but he didn't elaborate on whether these users were returning or give any insight into the amount of traffic on the platform. It's a little odd that Apple would be so careless or distracted enough to let this error occur, but we'll have to take the company's word for it right now. Here we round up all the latest news on the iPhone 7 release date, price and features ahead of its official launch in the autumn. Speculation that Apple is set to remove the normal jack from its next iPhone started circulating towards the end of last year and has been increasing in intensity. While Apple considered using wireless charging on two previous iPhones, the 7 will be the first device to sport the technology after the Apple Watch, an anonymous source told Fast Company. Bill Maurer of Seeking Alpha, meanwhile, has listed several analyst notes from the likes of Morgan Stanley, and Credit Suisse expressing concerns over iPhone sales in both the first calendar quarter of this year and for calendar 2016 as a whole (NB: calendar Q1 2016 is Apple's fiscal Q2 2016). In line with most other predictions, Kuo also expects Apple to release a successor to both the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus, maintaining the respective 4.7in and 5.5in screen sizes. For the past five years, Apple has revealed a new iPhone in autumn and, since the iPhone 5, this unveiling has taken place on either the Tuesday or Wednesday of the second week of September. Preorders for its latest iPhone have been so strong that Apple expects to surpass last year's record, when it sold 10 million phones during the first weekend. Defying skeptics on Wall Street, Apple says it plans to keep setting records for selling new iPhones around the world. Apple came away the winner in mobile device holiday sales worldwide amid a shift to bigger screens, a survey showed. The current generation Apple Watch relies on a tethered iPhone for everything including messaging, weather updates, location tracking, Apple Pay and much more. Back in June MacRumors reported that the second-gen Apple Watch will likely including a front-facing FaceTime video camera. According to the report, the FaceTime camera will be built into the Apple Watch's top bezel and enable users to make and receive FaceTime calls on their wrists. Expensive Watch Faces - 9To5Mac reports that Apple is currently seeking watch faces beyond the Sport, Watch and Edition models. The iPad's edition of the Remote application renders browsing and controlling all iPad media downloads from iTunes, Apple TVs, and AirTunes even more exciting than it currently does on the iPhone. So far as iPad news sites go, NetNewsWire for iPad is a remarkable application. In addition to Apple's news sites and Remote application, a few fans have more information on media-targeted applications that people want to check out on the i-Pad. So far as social networking goes, it's kind of outlandish to uncover the deficiency of an iPad-affiliated model of the Facebook application, notably given the fact of how much Apple and Facebook have worked in conjunction to promote the iPhone application. There were several big high school basketball games throughout NE Kansas on Tuesday January 12, 2016. As more news organizations jump into immersive virtual reality storytelling, we highlight a few options for putting the finished material online and explore some of the complications of creating immersive VR content. The company launched an Apple TV app in December that enables users to watch 360-degree video on a television and use the Siri Remote to rotate the view. Among the first news outlets to optimize a mobile app for the Apple Watch was NBC News Digital Network's Breaking News We sat down with co-founder and General Manager Cory Bergman to get some insight into the possibilities offered by the wearable platform. Apple gets most of its money from the iPhone - so it's trying to reassure investors that it has a backup plan. Apple stock is down 20 percent from its peak value of $133 in April after the recent decline that affected markets around the world, and to gain a rebound it needs to ensure the confidence of its investors while continuing to entice consumers into buying its products. With that in mind Apple is expected to also unveil a revamped version of its Apple TV set top box during the same event, BuzzFeed reports. Apple is planning to meet consumer demand for larger screens through its new iPad Pro, expected to be the size of a laptop, along with a thinner version of the iPad mini with split screen capability to cater to a more mobile consumer, 9to5Mac reports. Sales of the iPad have decreased in part because it is so well made that people don't need to replace one too often - a problem that Apple also faces with its luxury smartphones, says Ben Schachter, senior analyst on Apple and the Internet for Macquarie Securities Group investment firm. Online video is in high demand, so along with the revamped Apple TV the company is also planning on producing its own shows for the set top box, Variety reports. But Apple TV is also unlikely to generate the same type of sizable revenue as the iPhone, since the company has not yet secured contracts from studios to syndicate popular shows and films, says Van Baker, lead Apple analyst at technology research firm Gartner. Despite the numerous types of other products offered by Apple none of them are poised to cushion the company's dependence on the phone, Baker says. The recently released Apple Watch brought the company into the growing wearable sector, but the device requires an iPhone to function so many people are waiting for a second-generation watch,” which will hopefully be more of an independent device with its own operating system, he says. The iPhone App Store is a huge asset for users of the smartphone, and it's very likely China will be the largest app market for Apple by 2016 if not sooner,” Schachter says. Apple will have to attract developers to work the same apps magic for its watch to attract people to buy the new device, Baker adds. There is nothing they can do to make an earth-shattering product without the services lined up,” Baker says of the need for programs to support Apple hardware. Apple and numerous other companies like Facebook are betting that augmented reality devices like Google Glass and virtual reality goggles will be the next platform shift,” he says. As Chromebooks have risen in the educational market, the iPad has suffered several high-profile setbacks —it makes sense for Apple to follow Google's example here. It also integrates movement, calorie, and standing data from the Apple Watch when you have one connected. And CarPlay picks up some new Apple Music and Maps features to let you find music and destinations more easily. In April the group reported that 47 percent of all Apple Pay users shopping in a participating store were not able to use Apple Pay to complete a transaction at least once,” either because the terminal didn't work, the cashier couldn't help the customer, or for some other reason. That may not tell the whole story, however, as Apple has increased the number of retailers that accept NFC payments seven-fold since the launch of the payment platform last October. When Apple Pay launched, 220,000 merchants accepted the service, and by the end of 2015 the company estimated it had brought 1.5 million merchants into the fold. That means if customers weren't able to make a payment in a brick-and-mortar store using Apple Pay in December 2014, their odds of making a successful payment at a participating retailer in December 2015, after this survey took place, were much greater. Still, in-app purchases are important toward getting a payment platform off the ground—one of the big value propositions of signing up for a payment platform like Apple Pay or Android Pay or Samsung Pay is that you can buy things on a phone with the click of a button, without needing to input your credit card details several times across several apps. According to Phoenix's survey, 43 percent of Apple Pay users had made a purchase through Apple's apps, 36 percent made a purchase using Apple Pay through Target's app, and 29 percent of Apple Pay users made a purchase through Nike's app. Phoenix's survey was conducted speaking to 568 Apple Pay users who had linked a credit card to their Apple Pay accounts. Apple Pay users who linked debit and pre-paid cards were not included in the survey. The survey also found that Apple Pay isn't frequently used in-store among any retailers yet. McDonald's had the highest percentage of users—38 percent—who purchased something from their stores with Apple Pay at least once a month, during a five-month period. Rumours that Apple is to remove the headphone jack from its iPhone 7 have been filling the internet for several months now, yet the people with most to fear - headphone-makers themselves - seem remarkably unconcerned. Reports of the controversial move, which would mean customers having to use either Lightning-compatible or wireless headsets, began last November and have tended to come from reputable sources: either in the form of trusted and established leakers on regarded Apple fansites or people described as being close to the company themselves. Taiwanese website Apple Club has posted pictures of what appears to be the backlight assembly for the next iPhone, due to be revealed in September. The legitimacy of the images has not been confirmed, but Macrumours highlights how Apple Club has released spy shots of Apple products and components before, such as the protruding camera lens on the iPhone 6 as well as shots of iPhone 6 and iPad Air 2 internals prior to their respective releases. While the pictures have unleashed a frenzy of speculation among Apple fans, many publications are not terribly interested in the alleged leak. Rumours that Apple will do away with the industry standard jack in favour of using the Lightning port to attach headphones have been swirling for some weeks, and fresh leaks hinting that this could be the case continue to surface as we get closer to the reveal of the next Apple handset. Get regular news updates on your iPhone for free here Download our new app The WeekDay from the iTunes store now for a concise twice daily fix of the best news, comment and analysis from across the UK media. An online petition criticising rumours that Apple will ditch the 3.5mm headphone jack on the iPhone 7 in favour of the Lightning port or Bluetooth headphones has been gathering pace. So far the petition is based on no more than rumours, with no concrete evidence to suggest that Apple will remove the headphone jack from the next iPhone. Forbes reports that a pair of sources within Apple's Chinese supply chain have confirmed that the iPhone 7 will not come with a headphone jack, and also that Apple is interested in adding support for super-high resolution audio output on the smartphone, which would require the use of lightning port headphones. Losing the headphone jack would also allow Apple to make the iPhone 7 even thinner than the iPhone 6 models, as well as open up more space inside for a larger battery. On the one hand, increases in processor efficiency and a decrease in the energy requirements of the new operating system could give the iPhone 7 an even larger power boost, but it is also possible that the new components and internals on the next Apple handset could be more power hungry, and battery life could stay the same or even diminish. Rumours suggest that the iPhone 7 will be even thinner than the 6 models, and Apple traditionally makes new versions of their products slimmer over increasing their size to house larger batteries. The Apple iPhone 7 is due to launch in September 2016 and current rumours suggest that the next model will see Apple conduct a large overhaul of the iPhone formula. By then, Apple is likely to switch to using AMOLED displays for greater contrast and deeper blacks. Recently, it was reported that Apple has a secret development laboratory in Taiwan dedicated to bringing new displays to Apple products. Design-wise, the Android iPhone is not a radical departure, but it adds an edge-to-edge screen, a favourite of Apple concept artists. The feature is likely to stick around on new Apple releases, but recent leaks suggest that it will stay within the iPhone stable for now. It looks increasingly likely that the feature won't be improved upon in the iPhone 7, so it's futureproof on Apple platforms. While Apple's version of 3D touch won't be developed between the iPhone 6 and 7, the brand new versions coming on non-Apple phones could tempt some consumers to look beyond an iPhone in 2016. The most innovative - and unlikely - aspect of this iPhone 7 concept from Scavids is that it runs Android, not a move that either Apple or Google would ever countenance. For some users, though, it might provide the best of both worlds: sleek, desirable Apple hardware with the flexibility of Google's operating system. The choices on offer in the iPhone range at the moment can make choosing a handset difficult, especially when the internet is awash with rumours about the release of the iPhone 7 next year in September 2016. First up, Apple has introduced intelligent caching,” a feature that the company says was added in response to the large number of iPad carts and necessary iPad sharing they recognize exists in schools around the world. Additionally, teachers can project student screens to any Apple TV with AirPlay. Connected to the aforementioned feature is the debut of Apple School Manager, a central place for administrators to conduct Apple iPad deployment from web browsers on any Mac or PC. In the Apple School Manager, can manage IDs all from one central place—including that ability to create IDs in bulk that was mentioned above. Thanks to integration with student information systems (SIS), schools can pull SIS data directly to create Apple IDs for students. During the absence of Apple updates, other apps have stepped up to the plate to address iPad users concerns. And then there's Cellabus , which helps K-12 educators deploy apps, keep track of who's using what, and provide real-time feedback of app usage on Apple (iOS and OSX) devices. Apple is now only more valuable than Google because it is holding on to more cash. Apple has been the world's biggest company by market value since 2013, when it reclaimed the spot from Exxon Mobil Corp. With quarterly earnings for both on tap in coming weeks, analysts said the tables could turn if Google beats expectations and Apple misses. However, Lindberg — as one the most bearish analysts covering Apple — says we're far away from a buying opportunity. If you want to buy Apple and own Apple you should only do that if you can buy it below $65,” he said. Alphabet shares have jumped 49% over the past 12 months, compared with a 9.3% slide for Apple. Cordwell from Atlantic Equities explained that optimism over Google's prospects in the smartphone world have given a big lift to its stocks, helping to close the market-cap gap with Apple. With Apple having generated nearly five times the free cash flow of Google over the last 12 months, it having a loyal iPhone user base of around 500 million consumers and with some potential tricks still up its sleeve with the iPhone 7, it does seem the narrowing of the valuation gap between the two might have gone too far,” he said. The stock's steady drop in recent weeks coincides with analyst and media reports indicating that Apple has cut back production of new handsets within its supply chain to accommodate slowing sales. The company's reliance on the handset has only increased over the past year, as sales of the iPad have declined and the Apple Watch has yet to become a mainstream hit. Apple also is in a period of its typical business cycle before it releases a newly designed iPhone, which usually rolls out around September. Cupertino, California-based Apple faced similar pressure from investors in 2014 before the debut of the bigger-screen iPhone 6 and 6 Plus. Behält Apple seine bisherige Systematik der iPhone-Modellbezeichnungen bei, dann erscheint im September 2016 das iPhone 7 als Nachfolger des iPhone 6s. Das iPhone 7s wäre demzufolge ein Jahr später an der Reihe - und bisher gibt es keine Hinweise darauf, dass Apple hieran etwas verändert. Auch dürfte mit iOS 10 die nächste Version von Apples Mobile-Betriebssystem im September 2016 erscheinen. Sollte das Unternehmen dieselbe Kalenderwoche und die gleichen Wochentage für die Vorstellung, den Start der Vorbestellung und den Release des iPhone 7 wählen wie beim Vorgänger, würde die große Keynote am 14. September 2016 stattfinden. Die Vorbestellung würde dann wenig später am Samstag, den 17. September, eröffnet werden und der Release auf den 30. September 2016 fallen. Bis dahin hätte Apple auch noch genügend Zeit, sich für ein Feature-Set zu entscheiden. Gerüchte von Anfang November 2015 sprechen derweil von einem völlig anderen Plan: Demnach soll Apple mit dem Gedanken spielen, das iPhone 7 bereits im Sommer 2016 vorzustellen. Bis zum Release des iPhone 4s brachte Apple alle seine Smartphones zwischen Juni und Juli auf den Markt. Noch früher könnte sogar ein iPhone 7c erscheinen Der Staranalyst und Apple-Experte Ming-Chi Kuo ist sich zumindest sicher, dass Apple Anfang 2016 einen 4-Zoll-Ableger des neuen iPhone vorstellen wird. Dies würde auch gebogene Displays ermöglichen, wie Apple sie in einem eigenen Patentantrag beschreibt. Ende Oktober gab es ein weiteres Gerücht, das für einen Wechsel von OLED spricht: Samsung wurde als zusätzlicher Hersteller für Apple Watch-Displays von Apple verpflichtet. Gleichzeitig soll das koreanische Unternehmen aber auch Testexemplare größerer OLED-Panels an Apple geliefert haben, die sich für den Einsatz in einem iPhone 7 eignen würden. Die Integration von Touch ID in den Bildschirm hätte auch zur Folge, dass Apple das Smartphone mit einem Unibody aus Metall versehen könnte. Ein Patent von Apple beschreibt hingegen einen anderen Ansatz, der ebenfalls das kabellos Laden erlauben könnte. Ein im Juni bekannt gewordenes Patent könnte hingegen etwas weniger spektakuläre Auswirkungen auf das Design haben: Demzufolge soll ein neues Material, das auch Funkwellen empfangen kann, die Streifen auf der Rückseite des iPhones überflüssig werden lassen Ein Gerücht von Ende September 2015 behauptete ebenfalls, dass Apple ein neues Gehäusematerial wählen könnte. Hier war allerdings die Rede davon, dass Apple das iPhone 7 auf diese Weise wasserdicht machen könnte Wie der oben erwähnte neue Chip öffnet dies den Weg für einen Unibody aus Metall. Auch im November 2015 hieß es erneut, dass Apple den Nachfolger des iPhone 6s wasserdicht machen will Und auch ein Patent für einen Lautsprecherschutz deutet darauf hin, dass Apple einen Schutz gegen Wasser erforscht. Dafür könnte auch ein Patent sprechen, demzufolge Apple den Audio-Anschluss wesentlich schmaler gestalten will Damit könnten dann allerdings ausschließlich Kopfhörer verwendet werden, die über den entsprechenden Audiostecker verfügen. Die jüngsten Gerüchte sprechen sogar davon, dass Apple den klassischen 3,5-mm-Klinkenanschluss beim iPhone 7 komplett weglässt Dadurch soll das dünnste iPhone aller Zeiten möglich werden. Zwei Patente, die Apple im Laufe von 2015 zugesprochen wurden, machen Hoffnung auf weitere Verbesserungen an der Kamera, die gerade mit dem iPhone 6s und dem iPhone 6s Plus ein deutliches Update erhalten hat. Gerüchten zufolge soll die Produktion für den Chip bei TSMC in Taiwan bereits begonnen haben - auf diese Weise stünde bis Herbst 2016 eine ausreichende Menge der Prozessoren zur Verfügung. Laut neueren Berichten von Mitte September und Oktober 2015 soll Samsung nicht an der Produktion des Apple A10-Chips beteiligt sein. Der taiwanesische Hersteller TSMC soll stattdessen exklusiv für die Herstellung der Prozessoren für das iPhone 7 verantwortlich sein und damit bereits im März 2016 beginnen. Dieses Gerücht wurde auch Anfang November 2015 noch einmal vom Apple-Experten Ming-Chi Kuo bestätigt Ein großer Finanzdienstleister stimmte Anfang Dezember 2015 ebenfalls dieser Einschätzung zu Der A9-Chip im iPhone 6s verfügt wie seine Vorgänger über zwei Kerne; es ist nicht unwahrscheinlich, dass Apple von dieser Bauweise mit dem A10 abweicht. Gerüchten zufolge soll Apple den Einsatz von sechs Kernen erwägen - die Aufstockung auf vier Kerne erscheint indes wesentlich wahrscheinlicher. Da Apple erst 2015 den Arbeitsspeicher seiner iPhones verdoppelte und damit 2 GB RAM zur Verfügung stehen, gehen nur wenige von einer erneuten Vergrößerung im Jahr 2016 aus. Seiner Einschätzung nach könnte Apple zumindest das iPhone 7 Plus mit 3 GB RAM ausstatten. Apple is eyeing Time Warner's assets to ease the launch of a stand-alone streaming TV service, a senior tech insider suggested on Tuesday. Cupertino, Calif.-based Apple has struggled to create a skinny bundle of programming from existing content partners. A deal with Time Warner would give Apple most of what it needs: CNN news, Turner Sports and such hugely popular shows as Game of Thrones” and Sesame Street” from HBO — not to mention Warner Bros. Eddy Cue, one of Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook's top lieutenants, in charge of content deals, has been keeping tabs on proceedings at Time Warner, a source close to Apple said. In May, Apple partnered with HBO to help it launch HBO Now, an Internet-delivered TV service, on Apple TV, a box that connects TVs to Web programming. Other features coming alongside iOS 9.3 include the ability to lock the notes app, with a fingerprint or code, as well as revamped versions of the Health and News apps. Apple has also enhanced its education offering, with the first example of multi-user support on its mobile devices. While Tanneberger didn't explain why Volkswagen's plans were stopped, we suspect that Apple wants to control the first demonstration of wireless CarPlay, likely at one of its own events such as its Worldwide Developers Conference or its fall keynote, and possibly with another automaker that it has partnered with. We have every reason to believe that this M&A trend will continue well into 2016. Apple is seeking to address that issue with a new iPhone and iPad feature called Night Shift,” included in the upcoming iOS 9.3 update. Night Shift will activate after sunset, shifting the colors on your iPhone display to the warmer end of the spectrum,” Apple says. Apple is also touting personalization improvements in Apple News, more third-party app connectivity with Apple Health, and new features for CarPlay, the company's car dashboard infotainment software. Spotify is currently miles ahead with over 20 million paying subscribers, but Apple is gaining at a much faster rate. Industry analyst Mark Mulligan has now predicted that Apple Music will pass 20 million paid user by the end of this year. Early players like Spotify, Deezer and Rhapsody paved a path for other streaming services, but Apple Music is bringing streaming music to a larger mass of people. Apple Music's growth is fueled by their marketing power, huge customer base, and the fact that tens of millions of iPhones and other Apple devices had the app automatically downloaded upon launch of the streaming service. This news has fueled talk regarding Apple Music's success and shed light on the company's growth, more specifically the growth of their paid-only service. Actually, in terms of revenues , Apple Music is probably already waaay ahead of Spotify even with half the paying customers for a simple reason : All AppleMusic subscribers are paying 10$ a month, while probably half of those 20 millions Spitify subscribers are on the 1$/month for 3 months introductory plan. With the collosual device footprint Apple brings, i'd say this represents an under achjievment at best, that being so, its inevitable that they will dominate consumption via streaming soon. Of course, it's also possible this computer is a fake, or a non-production model — Apple says it makes computers of all shapes and sizes in-house, even though many of those designs are left on the cutting room floor and never shipped out to customers. Update: An Apple spokesperson tells us the computer in the photo is the 12-inch MacBook (pictured right). We don't believe Apple would purposefully out a product that's still in development, either as a decoy or as a tease, and we don't believe it would be a mistake, either: that room was filled with Apple executives, some of the smartest people in the world, who probably would've noticed that prototype in the room. Samsung does manage to ruin the Apple party with its Galaxy S6 taking fifth place but Apple takes sixth and seventh place with more of its devices. Amazingly, only Apple and Samsung feature in the top with no sign of smartphones from HTC, Sony, LG or Motorola. There was some good news for Android fans with Samsung managing to outclass Apple in the phablet stakes, in both size and popularity. All the big manufacturers will be launching devices in the coming months with Samsung and HTC expected to be the first to show their hands in 2016. However, all eyes will be on Apple in the Spring when it's expected to reveal details on the cheaper and smaller iPhone 6c. Apple has kept the prices the same for its past two iPhone releases, so if this continues the iPhone 7 will start at £539 going up to £699 for the 128GB model. According to a report out of Fast Company , and previous reports from Macotakara, Apple plans to remove the 3.5mm headphone jack from its upcoming iPhone 7, leaving people with the option to either use wireless or Lightning-compatible headphones. What's more, the report claims that Apple may not ship a pair of Lightning-enabled EarPods with the next-generation iPhone, instead opting to sell a pair of noise-canceling Lightning headphones separately. Naturally, Apple is expected to launch two versions of its next smartphone: the 4.7in iPhone 7 and 5.5in iPhone 7 Plus. Rumours point to Apple phasing out the 16GB version of the smartphone with the arrival of the iPhone 7, despite speculation that the shift was to happen with the iPhone 6S. Thus far, there have only been authorised premium resellers operating in Singapore, while Apple also maintains an online store. IShop, owned by luxury retailer Club 21, was billed as the largest Apple reseller in Asia when it opened its 10,000 sq ft store in Orchard Cineleisure at the end of 2005, but it shuttered in June 2009 due to weakening sales. Apple currently has a direct retail presence in 16 countries - Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, the United Kingdom and the United States. There is hope that given this is the maiden Apple Store in Singapore, Apple might just have something different up its sleeve. Apple news blog MacRumours, which reported on the tech giant's plans to open a new retail store in Australia in July, said Apple often celebrates an opening by offering specially designed T-shirts to the first 1,000 customers. Apple diehards can also expect plenty of unique products and Macbooks to be on display for customers to try out, depending on the actual size of the store. At the NDIS New World Conference in Australia this past October the company erected the Apple Accessible House, a purpose-built interactive exhibit designed to showcase the latest accessible technologies. In the video, the boy, dubbed #watermelonboy” on social media , chomps into the large fruit with zeal, eating right through the rind as though it were an apple. IPhone users can activate Apple CarPlay, and Android users can activate Android Auto, two interfaces built specifically for those types of smartphones. In North America, Ford is making Apple CarPlay and Android Auto available on all 2017 vehicles equipped with SYNC 3, starting with the all-new Ford Escape. Owners of 2016 vehicles equipped with SYNC 3 will have an opportunity to upgrade later in the year. It works by plugging in the iPhone via USB, then the CarPlay interface appears on the touch screen Apple CarPlay features Siri voice control, and seamlessly integrates an iPhone with the car's built-in display and controls. It is unclear yet what Apple plans to do with it. In fact, an Apple spokeswoman confirmed the purchase in a statement today, saying that Apple buys smaller technology companies from time to time, and we generally do not discuss our purpose or plans.” No specific terms of the deal were released either. Also in the news today is a report that Apple will do away with the headphone jack to make the next version of the iPhone slimmer. This story is being reported by Fast Company , who claim that their sources confirmed rumors that Apple will rely on its Lightning cable port for sound output to wired headphones. Apparently Apple is working with its longtime audio chip partner Cirrus Logic ( CRUS - Snapshot Report ) to develop the technology, and the new system will also include noise-canceling tech from Wolfson Microelectronics, a U.K.-based company purchased by Cirrus in 2014. Also making headlines was Apple announcing the annual pay of its top executives. Jobson contacted the bank to complain about Barclays' slow response to Apple Pay, claiming that many customers were willing to switch banks after it failed to launch on the service when it initially arrived in the UK in July. The good news is it's also available in tablet and capsule form; I can't vouch for their effectiveness without the 'mother' though. James Moar, who wrote the report, said overall, 17.1 million smart watches shipped last year, of which 8.8m were Apple Watches. Whichever date it turns out to be, the Apple Watch 2 will undoubtedly offer new features. What this could mean in practice is, instead of using Bluetooth, the next Apple Watch will connect directly to the wearer's iPhone and that, rather than having a separate case and strap, it will be one integral unit. According to Canalys' figures, Apple has shipped a total of 7 million Apple Watches since the devices launched this summer, and was the only company to ship more than 300,000 units in Q3. After a supply chain hiccup that saw the release delayed by two months, Apple Watch went on sale in shops in the UK in late June 2015, although it had been available to pre-order since 10 April. As well as the UK, Apple Watch can be bought online or in store in the US, Canada India, Chile, South Africa, the Philippines, Indonesia, Australia, Hong Kong, Germany, China, Mexico, Spain, South Korea, Singapore, Switzerland, Taiwan and Japan. Apple watch is being pitched squarely as fashion and fitness device, with supermodel and marathon runner Christy Turlington Burns becoming a spokesperson for both sides of the coin. It is available in two screen sizes, 38mm and 42mm, four models - Apple Watch Sport , Apple Watch , Apple Watch Hermès , and Apple Watch Edition - eight different case types and two different screen materials, and ranges in price from £299 to £13,500. Apple Watch Sport is the entry-level Apple Watch and costs £299 for the 38mm screen version or £339 for the 42mm screen version. Apple Watch Sport is only available with a fluoroelastomer band with pin-and-tuck fastening at the point of purchase, although customers can choose from eight different colours, including blue, orange, lavender and midnight blue. The rather confusingly named Apple Watch is the mid-range smartwatch from Apple and costs between £479 and £949 depending on the configuration. Apple Watch Hermès is, as the name would suggest, a collaboration between Apple and luxury French accessories maker Hermès. The new addition to the Apple Watch family was launched on 9 September 2015, exactly one year after the range was originally revealed and costs from £1,000 to £1350. This version of the Apple Watch offers three Hermès-designed strap styles - Single Tour, Double Tour and Cuff - all of which are made from leather and are available in three, four, and one different colours respectively. Unlike the Sport, Edition or Watch, Apple Watch Hermès can only be purchased in the UK at Apple's Covent Garden and Regent Street stores, the Apple Store within Selfridges, Dover Street Market and Hermès' shop on New Bond Street (all of these locations are in London).