How to Force Quit Apps on iOS 7

TRICKYWAYS.COM

1 Week Ago

By: neMo

When it comes to close apps on iOS 7, the process of doing that is different from of its predecessor iOS version. Like in iOS 6 you need to press twice Home button, which opens app drawer, there you tap and hold any of app icon until all the apps icons start jiggling and a ‘x’ button appears on each app icon’s corner, which is simply used to close the app. But in iOS 7 the way to quit apps is different which you can learn after the break.

Quit Apps in iOS 7

• Double tap on “Home” button to launch multitasking cards interface in iOS 7, that contains cards for all apps running on your iOS 7 device
• Now, just tap and hold a card (not icon of the app) and then toss it up and away to close that specific one
• You can swipe away three cards at a time on iOS 7, to do that just select three app cards on multitasking cards interface in iOS 7 and toss them away to shutdown the apps.

Force Quit Apps in iOS 7

Apps force quit in iOS 7 works similarly as in later versions of iOS. You need to force close apps when the apps are freezed or creating any other problem. To force quit an opened app in iOS 7:

• Just press and hold down the Power/Wake button until Power off slide control appears
• Press and hold down “Home” button until your iPhone’s screen goes blank and take you to the Home screen

Note: Apple still does not include a way to quit all apps in iOS 7 at a time.

Just follow these instructions to close apps on iOS 7, and share your experiences with us in comments section.

Posted in: iOS on September 22, 2013

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Undo And Redo Keyboard Buttons On An iPad? You Bet [iOS Tips]

 

Rob LeFebvre (12:00 pm PDT, Sep 26th)

On the Mac, you can always hit Command-Z to undo something. You can also hit Command-Shift-Z to redo something and put it back to what it was before you hit undo. Make sense?

This isn’t so easily done on iOS, as there isn’t a Command key, to being with, but there is, in fact, an option to undo and one to redo hidden in the iPad keyboard. Here’s how to get to each of them.

Grab an iPad and launch an app that does text input, like Notes. Tap into a text editing field and type something. Go ahead, be witty, you’ll feel good about yourself.

ONce you’ve typed something in, tap the “.?123’ button in the lower left corner of the keyboard, and you’ll see the undo option. Tap it to, well, undo whatever it is you just typed.

If you change your mind, and want to redo the typing, simply tap the “#+=” button, available only on the numbers and symbols keyboard layout, and you’ll see a redo button waiting for you. Tap it once to put back the witty stuff.

Now you know how to undo some typing, then redo it, using the on screen iPad keyboard. Of course, you can always just shake your iPad to undo, but that’s kind of impractical in some situations, right?

 

 

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Check Out 10 iOS 7 Features That Will Make Everything Better

 

by Mike Fahey, gizmodo.com.au

After months of drooling over flat icons and clean lines, I’ve finally gotten my hands on iOS 7. Let’s take a look at 10 fresh features of the revamped operating system, from essential changes to the just plain neat. For instance, the new default wallpaper is an illusion. Ooooo.

1. The New Default Wallpaper Is An Illusion

Did I mention the new default wallpaper is an illusion? Are the apps moving, or the stars? I played it for 10 minutes. I need a hobby.

2. Game Center Has Less Felt, More Feeling

Seriously, what was with the green felt?

3. Apps Open From Icons, And Return From Whence They Came

We’ll stop noticing within a week of the iOS launching, but for now it’s the best thing ever.

4. Folders Are Their Own Little World

At any given time (when I haven’t recently reset my iPad to load a new OS), I have at least 50 apps loaded on my iPad. Putting them into folders was an ugly task. Now it’s pretty. I still won’t remember to put them into folders, but if I did, wow.

5. No More App Loading Bars

Bars are so late 2000s. They’re out. Circles are the new bars.

6. iPhone Photo Hoarders Have It So Much Easier NowCircles, ladies and gentlemen.

Not just an excuse to have a photo of my child on the internet — I need no excuse for that. This new functionality makes me want to load every photo on my PC onto my iPad, just to see them organised.

7. Multitasking Is Much More Android

Considering the number of games I play on my iPad on a weekly basis, the ability to easily close programs is pretty important. iOS 7 makes it kind of fun. Sorta.

8. The Soothing Sounds Of iTunes Radio

I am old. Keeping up with music is a chore. So is downloading any of the dozen apps that already do what iTunes radio does. Get off my lawn.

9. Death To The Search Your iDevice Screen

You’re four pages into your iPhone or iPad and suddenly you have to get to the Settings menu. You rapidly swipe and end up on the damn search screen. Screw that. The search screen is dead.

10. Controller Support

You can’t see it yet, but it’s in there. It will be like a beautiful swan or something. Here’s a picture of a swan.

 

 

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Apple Updates Apple TV With AirPlay From iCloud, iTunes Radio

 

by John Paczkowski, allthingsd.comSeptember 20th 2013 11:03 AM

Apple gave its Apple TV set-top box an internal overhaul Friday, issuing a software update that adds a few new features to the device. Arriving two days after AllThingsD predicted it would, the new firmware brings with it a bunch of enhancements.

Among new features included in Apple TV 6.0: Support for iTunes Radio and purchases from the iTunes Music Store, the ability to view videos and photos from a shared photo stream, and AirPlay From iCloud, an upgrade to Apple’s AirPlay wireless-streaming software that allows people who have purchased content from Apple’s iTunes store to play that same content on other Apple TVs.

Today’s update to Apple TV follows the release of iOS 7, the latest version of Apple’s mobile operating system earlier this week; there is continued speculation about new Apple TV hardware.

 

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iPad 5 will be presented on October 15th

 

by John Gollax, gdeluxe.comSeptember 17th 2013

New iPad 5 will be presented on October 15th. Competitors can close manufactures. Several sources reported before that Apple planned two presentations in this autumn. The first event dedicated to iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c was on September 10th at the company’s headquarters in Cupertino. The second event by our data will be in the second month of autumn in the theatre „California“in San Jose. October 15th. On this day Apple must show what owners of tablets from Apple are waiting for more than a year.

The Apple presentation in October will be devoted to release of iPad 5 and iPad mini 2. As you know, the new full-size iPad will be noticeably smaller than iPad 4. The gadget has a narrow frame around the sides of the screen, what make similarities with the mini- tablet Apple. Size of the „five“makes it possible to hold the device in your hand like a Smartphone. According to rumours, iPad 5 must be 15 % thinner and 25% easier than its predecessor, and this can be achieved mainly by the battery, which will be 20-30 % smaller and 15-20 % thinner.

According to the latest leaks, the design of the tablet of the second generation iPad mini is mainly corresponds to the original model. The device should get the display with a resolution of 2048 x 1536 pixels (324 ppi). It is also known that the novelty will get A7 processor with quad graphics, which is now used in iPhone 5S. Perhaps, Apple will present new colours for housing of iPad mini. It will be not just „classic“ black and white versions.

 

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Always look under the hood

A lot has been written about Apple's losing its impact on the tech world and Wall Street has reacted to these “the sky is falling” screams with lower share prices. It makes me believe that neither the pundits or financial gurus can see without their glasses on.

If you are one of those who are not sure about Apple's leadership role don't lose site of the fact that the iPhone 5s comes with an A7 64 bit processor which is a big deal from a processing point of view. Prior to the 5s 64 bit processing was on no one's mobile radar. Rumors have it that this processor will also end up in the IPad 5 as well.

Then there is the fact that iOS 7 is fully 64 bit capable, and of course backward compatible with 32 bit apps.

Thirdly the M7 dedicated motion co-processor chip opens the door to a number of possibilities in the realm of health, mapping, and commercial apps.

Fourthly the introduction of biometrics on the smart phone not only enhances security but opens up commercial app development as well. This is also rumored to be on the iPad 5 as well.

Keeping only these four changes in mind, Steven Ambrose recently wrote “Apple opens the door for developers to create new apps with new revolutionary capabilities on a device that has more processing power and sensor capacity than many current PCs or smart devices.” In the same article he went on to say “Apple is therefore pointing the way forward in this market, in a manner which many may not have seen. Few people today leave their home without their mobile phone, most even keep it in their pockets when at home, and most also keep it next to them when they sleep.

No other device in history has been so firmly attached to as many people. Your mobile device may be all you need to track your life in all possible ways. Apple clearly have their eye on the quickly emerging market for health and wellness coupled with location services, all connected via mobile data to the web. This potentially huge market currently includes smartwatches, a device much rumoured but not released by Apple, and other wearable sensors.”

Next time you read “the sky is falling” type of articles remember it was chicken little that was panicked.

Oh by the way if you purchase a new iPad 5 or a new iPhone 5s/c you also get the Apple equivalent of MS Office, iWork. I have been using the iOS versions of iWork of these apps since iPad 1 and they do just fine as this post shows.

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No, Henry, you can't unlock an iPhone 5S with my cold, dead thumb

 

Apple, Touch ID and the fear having your finger chopped off

September 16, 2013. 10:15 AM ET

Philip Elmer-Dewitt

EDITOR, APPLE 2.0,FORTUNE

FORTUNE -- In traditional Freudian analysis, dreams of losing a hand or a finger signify a deeper fear of castration. Could that explain the obsession with amputated digits among the staff of Henry Blodget's Business Insider?

Even before Apple (AAPL) unveiled its new fingerprint recognition system at last Tuesday's iPhone event, BI's Jay Yarow had raised the specter of a thief chopping off a finger to unlock an iPhone 5S protected by Touch ID.

By the next morning, Yarow's colleague Jim Edwards had read a back issue of Scientific American, consulted a couple of doctors (including his mom) and posted a column advising readers which finger (or toe) in such a situation they would miss the least. (Answer: The index finger of your non-dominant hand or the fourth toe on the foot you don't kick a soccer ball with.)

Edward's piece was especially bizarre because the question of whether a dead finger could unlock an iPhone 5S had already been answered.

It can't.

"The iPhone 5S's fingerprint reader relies on "the living layer of skin under the surface of your finger," Yarow had written the day before, quotingCITEWorld's Mary Branscombe.

Mashable's Adario Strange reached the same conclusion Saturday after talking to an expert at Validity Sensors, a California-based provider of fingerprint sensor solutions.

"The [RF capacitive sensor] technology is built in a way that the [fingerprint] image has to be taken from a live finger," says Sebastien Taveau, Validity's chief technology officer. "No one in biometrics wants to talk about cut fingers and dead bodies, but at the end of the day we are still asked to remove the fears of consumer and make sure that they understand that [a severed finger] will not work."

"Remove the fears" is an unfortunate phrase in this context. Especially since Strange had just re-told thestory a machete-weilding Malaysian gang that chopped off the index finger of a robbery victim in 2005 in order to restart his stolen Mercedes S-class car.

UPDATE: The topic has already been thoroughly chewed over on Investor Village's AAPL Sanityboard, where one wag claimed Sunday that all phones -- even Androids -- are susceptible.

"If you begin the process of cutting off an Android phone owners finger," he wrote, "he's going to tell you his password."

 

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If You Have An IPad, Read These Tips

 

ipad-site.net

An iPad can help you do a lot of different things. You have probably found a lot of features yourself, but you should read these tips to become an advanced user. You are able to go on Facebook, Twitter, do banking, create documents, etc. with your iPad. Continue reading for more information!

If you plan to use your iPad to stream movies, play games or listen to music continuously, battery life may be shortened significantly. Adjusting screen brightness can help to lengthen your battery life. You’ll likely notice that maximum brightness is not necessary to use your iPad.

The iOS on the iPad now supports folders. Start by putting your finger on the app. As it starts jiggling, you drag the app over another icon and then let go. This will create a folder which holds the two apps. The name of the folder will represent the category of what the apps are. You can then rename this folder if you like.

Make sure you check out your currently running apps. Many of the apps the iPad runs are able to stay in the background when you’re doing other things. To check what is running on the iPad, just double click the Home button. Everything that is open will be displayed in a bar located underneath all of your other information. Click the home button once or do a downward one finger swipe to close the bar.

Go to settings and change them to stop the constant barrage of Wi-Fi network questions. Go to Settings and choose the Ask to Join Network option. Turn that setting off, and you will finally be rid of the constant notifications.

Change your settings so that you can preview more than two lines of an email in your inbox. Go to the Settings, go to the section that says Mail and seek out the setting that says Preview. Change the setting to 5 lines. You will now see more lines of the email while in the inbox.

Choose Add

Do you use Google calender? Would you like to incorporate it into your iPad calender? In the Mail tab, go to contacts, then calenders. Choose Add An Account, then Other. Choose Add CalDAV Account and enter your Google information. Then, exit the settings application and select your calendar application. You should now be set to go.

Is the battery icon distracting to you? You can disable that. First, you will want to locate the Settings option. You will find Usage under General. When you’re here, the battery percentage display can easily be turned off.

Are you tired of tapping the bookmark icon over and over so you can visit your favorite sites? To resolve this problem, set your bookmarks bar to stay on permanently. Go to Settings, Safari, and then select Always Show Bookmarks Bar and turn it to On.

If you find yourself in a situation where you must mute sound on your iPad, try this trick. Just depress the volume button for a couple of seconds. That is easier than adjusting your volume time and again. Hold it one more time to revert the volume.

You are now able to quickly mute your iPad. When the iPad originally came out, there wasn’t a dedicated mute button. On the iOS 4.3 you have the option of locking the iPad or muting the sound. Now all you have to do is press the volume-down key and hold it for a few seconds.

Establish FaceTime telephone numbers and email addresses. The email that was used to set up the iPad will be used by default on FaceTime, but it is possible to add others. Just add them in the Settings app.

Copying and pasting text is easy on the iPad. Press at the beginning of the text and choose Select. Tap again once your text is highlighted in yellow, and choose copy. To paste, hold your finger where you’d like the text pasted and, when the menu appears, choose “paste.”

If you’re having issues figuring out how to use your iPad, sign up to an online forum. There are many online sites that can help you become a pro in no time. Introduce yourself and look through the forum archives to find useful information to fast-track your iPad talent.

Some of the applications that come loaded on your iPad may be useless to you. You are also not able to take some of these apps off. Instead, stick these unused apps into a folder together and move them to a location where they won’t bother you. Without these apps to clutter your screen, you can do more with your preferred apps.

Since you now are more informed on how to used the iPad, you can start using it more effectively. The more you learn, the more you will see that the possibilities are endless. You will surely be happy to have this handy little gem.

 

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Tuesday's Apple Event: Complete Rumor Roundup + What NOT to Expect

 

iphonelife.comIt’s that time of the year, and we couldn’t be more excited! Tomorrow at 10 a.m. Pacific time, Apple will host a special eventat its Cupertino campus, where it is widely expected the tech giant will announce a new version of the iPhone. In addition to complete coverage through iPhonelife.com and iPhone Life magazine, we’ll be live Tweeting the event and commenting live as all the new products are announced.

For complete live coverage and commentary, follow us on Twitter: @iphonelife, @alexcequea, and @daverbach.

Because Apple has a history of being very secretive about its products prior to release, we usually start to see a stream of rumors and leaks the weeks and months leading up to the main event. We’ve seen everything from questionable blurry photos of supposed new iPhones to videos showing parts of the new iPad 5.

The bottom line is that although no one is ever completely sure what Apple will end up unveiling, we can usually make a pretty strong prediction—especially after seeing the patterns of the last few years. We’ve been right most of the time before, so here’s a roundup of all the recent rumors and leaks that we’ve seen, and what to expect from this year’s announcement.

What to Expect:

iOS 7 Goes Live. Developers have been playing with several Beta versions of iOS 7 for the last few months, and it is widely expected that iOS 7 will ship with the new iPhone. iOS 7 is the strongest departure from the look and feel of previous iOS versions. The colors are brighter, the design is flatter and cleaner, and the animations smoother. Among numerous new features, iOS 7 will include a brand new Control Center, with quick access to useful settings and apps such as the Calculator, Flashlight, Brightness controls, Wi-Fi, and more. If you’re a current iPhone and iPad user, you should not have any problems getting used to the new iOS interface, since the general structure and location of most settings will stay exactly the same. The new color palette and redesign should hopefully make you feel like you have a new phone, at least for a little while.

A New iPhone Version: the iPhone 5S

Following the naming pattern of previous iPhone versions (iPhone 3G, iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, iPhone 5), we expect Apple to name the new iPhone, the "iPhone 5S." Generally speaking, at least for the last couple of versions, the number in the name only goes up when the outer design and form factor of the iPhone changes, which we don’t expect with the 5S. We saw it with the iPhone 4, which had a different shape and design from the 3G and 3GS, and we saw it with the iPhone 5, which sports a larger screen and is thinner than the 4 and 4S.

As far as rumors go, here are the main features we expect on the iPhone 5S:

• Faster processor: As is common with every new iPhone, the new version usually has a little more power and speed under the hood;
  
• Better Camera: Rumors say the new camera may have a higher megapixel count (up to 13MP), and a dual LED flash, which would improve low-light camera shots;
  
• Fingerprint Sensor on the Home Button: This rumor started to make the rounds since Apple acquired a Fingerprint Sensor Patent from AuthenTec last year. To make sure the fingerprint sensor doesn’t get damaged, Apple may possibly use Sapphire Crystal for the Home Button, which is an extra durable material that doesn’t get scratched easily;
  
• Gold: The iPhone 5S may feature a new choice of color: gold! At first I thought this was a joke, because the idea of a gold iPhone just seems tacky and not very sleek and techy. But after seeing some supposedly leaked videos, the gold iPhone could actually work.

We also expect the iPhone 5S to use the same 4G/LTE network speeds as the iPhone 5, and feature the same (or slightly better) amount of battery life, which is currently around 8 hours of talk time and 10 hours of video playback.

A New iPhone Category: iPhone 5C. This is probably the most surprising rumor of all. Apple might introduce a whole new category of lower-cost iPhones, which based on some leaked packaging, might be called the “iPhone 5C.” The iPhone 5C might come with a plastic outer back casing, instead of the metal found in the iPhone 5, or glass found in the 4 and 4S. The 5C might come in several different colors variations, similar to the iPod touch. It will likely have a slightly bigger form factor than the current iPhone 5, since it’s often more expensive to create smaller tech components.

I’m questioning the use of the letter “C” as part of the name. It automatically makes me think of “cheap,” which I’m sure isn’t what Apple had in mind. I also can’t imagine Steve Jobs being excited about selling what most will immediately label as an “inferior” product. He often defended premium Apple prices, and he would justify them by saying “we don't ship junk.”

Nevertheless, a lower-cost iPhone might make perfect sense as a business move for Apple. They’ll be able to reach almost every corner of the market except for the lowest end, which usually isn’t buying smartphones anyways. The other angle that is the "C" may stand for "China," and there are rumors that Apple has finally managed to partner with China Mobile, one of China's largest mobile carriers. With a lower-cost iPhone, which would target entry-level customers (or customers overseas), Apple will be able to mount some serious pressure on Android, which currently dominates the market in terms of sheer number of devices deployed.The rumored iPhone 5C will probably sell at retail for $350-$400, or come free (or $99) with a new 2-year contract through your wireless carrier.

New Apple TV. Apple might refresh its current Apple TV set top box at this event. Rumors of a full blown Apple TV set (an "iTV") have swirled around for years, and Tim Cook has previously said that the area is of “immense interest” to Apple. Some rumors suggested that Cook had been talking to cable and TV providers trying to strike a deal to make the iTV a reality. So far, it just hasn’t happened, and there has been no indication that Apple is moving forward in that front. It could be that they’re secretly working on an Apple TV set, and they’ve managed to keep the project a complete secret, but judging from how ineffective they’ve been at managing all the leaks and rumors over the past couple of years, I highly doubt it.

iTunes Radio An interesting bit of news is the introduction of iTunes Radio—Apple’s streaming music service that will compete against Pandora and Spotify. Apple has a long history with the music industry, and since iTunes is already built-in to all Macs and iOS devices, it makes perfect sense for them to venture into this space. The music streaming service will be very similar to Pandora, where you can listen to free music from a variety of artists, and an ad plays in between songs every 15 minutes or so. You’ll also be able to favor certain types of songs or artists, with the radio service adjusting to your preferences and playing you more of that type of music. iTunes Radio will be ad-free with the purchase of the $25/year iTunes Match service, and it’s expected to launch at the same time as iOS 7.

Other Possibilities

The iWatch

The most exciting possible announcement would be the rumored iWatch. With Google Glass coming next year (I have a pair!), and the recent release of Samsung’s own smartwatch, the Galaxy Gear, the wearable gear space is starting to heat up.

An iWatch would likely pair with your iPhone, but not replace it. It could theoretically keep track of vital signs in a similar way as the Nike FuelBand, and offer a whole new level of insight into your daily activity. With a whole new world of possibilities, the wearable tech space is an exciting space to, um, watch.

Mac Line Refresh

We might see a refresh of the entire Mac line, with the exception of the Macbook Air, which recently got upgraded about 3 months ago. I expect to see improved specs for the Macbook Pro, Macbook Pro with Retina Display, and iMacs. If it doesn’t happen now, it’ll likely happen at another Apple event, later in the fall.

What Not To Expect

New iPad 5

Sorry folks. I don’t think we’ll see a new iPad announcement, at least not yet. Apple announced the 4th-generation iPad and the iPad mini at a fall event last year, and even though we’ve seen a few leaked videos showing what the new iPad will probably look like (it’ll be similar in shape to the iPad mini), I’m betting that Apple will wait until the fall to stay consistent with a once-a-year schedule.

An iPhone with NFC capability

The battle for the online payments space has shown no clear winner, and so far, Apple has not wanted to jump into the ring. For those of you unfamiliar with NFC technology, it’s basically what would allow you to make payments from your mobile device by simply waving your phone in front of a register or tapping it on some sort of point-of-sale terminal. Apple introduced the Passbook app last year, which is sort of like a payments solution, but not really. One of the many challenges around wide implementation of NFC, is getting enough retailers to provide NFC-capable terminals to receive payments from mobile shoppers. Until that happens, having NFC technology on your iPhone can't really solve a major problem.

Solar-Powered iPhone

This is by far my favorite Apple rumor, although I have to admit I’m the one that has been actively trying to make it catch on, in the hopes that Apple will be forced to do it (that's how it works, isn't it?). Apple holds a patent for the ability to create a shell out of solar cells that can act as the casing for an iPod-like device. Unfortunately, Apple holds many patents for products that may never get created, but this one has the potential to turn the world upside down. Can you imagine a solar-powered iPhone that doesn’t get drained during the day because it’s constantly being charged by daylight? Mind=blown.

There you have it folks, pretty much everything we’ve heard from our side. What about you? What have you heard? What product would you like to see Apple create in the future?

 

 

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What to expect from Tuesday's iPhone event

 

by Will Shanklin, gizmag.com

September 7th 2013

This Tuesday, Apple CEO Tim Cook will take the stage to talk about the iPhone. After a few minutes of boasting about sales figures and other numbers, the company will reveal some new products. Yes, we're going to hear about a new iPhone or two. We're going to learn about some new iPhone software. But what should you expect from those phones? And will there be any surprises up the company's sleeve? Read on, as Gizmag breaks down the rumors leading up to Tuesday's 2013 iPhone event.

iPhone 5S

Apple's next flagship phone is expected to be called the iPhone 5S, following the familiar "same on the exterior, better on the inside" pattern established by the iPhones 3GS and 4S. But no matter what the new iPhone is called, it will probably look almost exactly like the iPhone 5.

We expect some speed improvements, centered around an Apple-designed A7 system-on-a-chip. It's also possible Apple will boost the new iPhone's RAM, from the 1 GB found in the iPhone 5.

Camera upgrades are also par for the course in Apple's S-series iPhones. That may or may not mean more megapixels, but we'd say improved sensors for low-light photography and image stabilization are likely. Remember Apple focuses on experience, so unless a higher pixel count is going to make a meaningful difference in the images the camera takes, the company might not bother.

But the killer feature of the 5S is expected to be a new fingerprint sensor that lies under the home button. Last year Apple bought Authentec, a company that specializes in biometric sensors. If that isn't enough evidence for you, then you can point to the fact that just about every leak about this phone is pointing to the fingerprint sensor as the marquee attraction.

Fingerprint-based payments aren't expected to be supported at launch, but a few other security-based features should be. iOS 7 has a cloud-based password storage feature, so it would be a perfect fit to let your fingerprint be the "one password" that you need to access all of your logins, accounts, and other passwords.

You would also, naturally, be able to unlock your phone with your fingerprint. This could be the ideal combination of security and convenience: anybody else would need a passcode to get in, but you could unlock the dang thing with your thumb.

iPhone 5C

Apple is also likely to launch its long-rumored budget iPhone at Tuesday's event. Rumors have been pointing to "iPhone 5C" as the branding, where "C" is for "Colors" (though some are already joking that it's for "Cheap"). The phone should be, more or less, an iPhone 5 on the inside, with a colorful plastic shell on the outside. That means the same four-inch display with 1136 x 640 resolution, an 8 MP camera, and an A6 chip with 1 GB of RAM.

The concept of a smartphone being sold in multiple color options isn't new. Nokia's Lumia line has always been colorful, and you can design the Moto X with colors of your choosing. But we think the iPhone 5C will bring colorful smartphones to the mainstream in ways that those phones haven't yet done.

Pricing, however, is the key to the iPhone 5C. Rumors haven't been 100 percent consistent on this front, but we'd expect somewhere around US$350-375 off-contract for the new phone. That might sound high, but consider that the iPhone 5S, like its predecessors, will probably start at $650 without a contract (and $200 with a new two-year contract), and we're looking at a pretty steep drop-off. It's quality hardware for a relatively shallow price.

We don't know how much of a stink Apple will make of this at the event, but the iPhone 5C has its sights set on China. According to the Wall Street Journal, Apple has inked a deal with China Mobile to carry the iPhone. And off-contract, budget handsets like the 5C are tailor-made for that market. In typical Apple fashion, the company will frame the story around the experience of using the phone, but – surprise surprise – there's also a very deliberate business strategy behind that.

iOS 7

There's no doubt about this part: Apple will give us its final spiel about the next version of iOS, which will release around the same time as the new iPhones.

iOS 7 brings a new "flat" design, marking the first major visual overhaul of the OS since it launched over six years ago. Gone is the faux leather stitching and heavy reliance on reflections and drop shadows. Now it's all flat (somewhat akin to what you'd see on Windows Phone, or the Start Screen apps in Windows 8). It's software that's comfortable just being software, without feeling the need to simulate physical objects, an idea known as skeuomorphism.

iOS 7 gets a few new features as well, including a quick-settings panel called Control Center, a Google Now-esque tweak to Notification Center called Today, and multitasking with live previews of your open apps. We also get iTunes Radio, Apple's answer to Pandora.

iPods?

It's almost easy to forget that Apple's September event used to be focused on iPods. We suppose there's some chance we'll see an updated MP3 player or two, but the more likely scenario is a new iPod touch. If it follows the patterns of previous years, it will have a lot in common with the current iPhone, but will sport slightly downgraded specs (and, of course, no cellular connectivity).

But with the iPhone 5C set to launch at a price that's pretty close to that of the iPod touch, it will be interesting to see how Apple handles this. Will the touch get a price drop? Will it remain unchanged from last year's model? Our money is on a touch that looks like last year's model, only with slightly upgraded internals.

What we won't see

According to Jim Dalrymple of The Loop, there won't be any new iPads at Tuesday's event. A redesigned fifth-generation iPad and the second-gen iPad mini will have their own event, possibly in late October.

We don't imagine we'll see any new Macs or the next version of Mac OS X at this week's event. Apple will probably launch Haswell-powered MacBook Pros, and possible new iMacs, at some point this year. But 9to5Mac reports that Mac OS X Mavericks won't launch until late October. We doubt Apple would launch new Macs just a month or two before its new software releases. Expect new Macs at the iPad event.

We probably won't see that long-rumored Apple television set either. It's hard to imagine that Apple could sneak such a huge product through the supply chain (not to mention Hollywood content negotiations) without being leaked forwards, backwards, and inside out. The TV set, assuming it's still on Apple's roadmap, could be another year or two away.

We also won't likely see a new Apple TV set-top-box, though, according to AllThingsD, Apple is going to update the current model's software. It's possible we'll hear a little bit about that at Tuesday's event.

We would also almost completely rule out seeing Apple's "iWatch" smartwatch at this event, for the same reasons we mentioned about the TV. Apple's secrecy ain't what it used to be, so it's unlikely the device would make it this far through the supply chain without leaking from here to Timbuktu.

Samsung did just reveal its smartwatch, the Galaxy Gear, last week, so wearables from the big mobile vendors are finally making their way to market. Apple could still announce its watch this year, and it could be this week ... but we wouldn't hold our breath for that one.

Surprise?

During the Steve Jobs years, Apple had an uncanny knack for surprising us. But leaks have betrayed almost all of the company's recent products, to the point where surprise isn't a big part of the equation anymore.

Can Apple rediscover that, and throw us for a curve? Will Tim Cook roll up his sleeve to reveal the iWatch? Will Phil Schiller pull back the curtain on the iTV? Again, unlikely on both counts. But if it did, that might be just what the doctor ordered to restore that Apple "magic" that has faded a bit during the Tim Cook regime.

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Walmart slashes prices for iPhone 5 and iPad ahead of anticipated new Apple product launches next week

by Daily Mail Reporter, dailymail.co.ukSeptember 3rd 2013

Discounts on Apple products at this time of the year aren’t unusual, but Walmart’s latest deals are better than in previous years.

The retail giant has announced that it has slashed the price of the 16 gigabyte iPhone 5 to $98, down from its previous offer of $129.

The offer means it is selling it can less than half the usual $200 price tag of the iPhone 5. To get the discount, customers will however need to sign a new two-year contract with AT&T, Verizon or Sprint.However the iPad mini did not get a discount and costs $330.Walmart also has fresh offers on 10-inch iPads with $50 off its previous price. The latest iPad with Retina Display now costs $449 and the price of the iPad 2 is $349.

Apple typically announces new products during the second week of September and is widely expected to unveil new versions of the iPhone and iPad on Sept. 10

Walmart isn’t the only retailers slash prices to clear out inventory ahead of the anticipated new product launches.

RadioShack is currently offering a $50 discount on all iPhones, including the iPhone 4S and iPhone 4, and customers don’t need to sign a new contract to get the price-cut.

T-Mobile is offering the iPhone 5 for $149 with a new two-year payment plan.

Best Buy is offering $100 off the iPhone 5, but customers need to trade in their old iPhone to get the deal.

Walmart’s deal undercuts all of them. The retailer has also cut the price of the iPhone 4S to $39, down from $89. Typically the iPhone 4S sells for $100 with a new contract.

 

 

Posted with Blogsy