Technology
iPhone 11 and 11 Pro release date leaked
Apple is preparing to reveal its new iPhone at an event today which could see a triple phone launch and a slew of upgrades.
The new smartphone release, which is expected to be the iPhone 11, will come in three new models. According to the latest rumours, this could see the first iPhone 11 Pro (or XI Pro), a larger Max model and a cheaper model, which could simply be called the iPhone 11 or the iPhone 11 R.
While there is plenty of speculation about naming, we do know the new iPhone will come with a triple-lens camera, a “haptic touch” feature and several new colours.
The launch comes one year after Apple launched the iPhone XS and two years since its last radical redesign with the iPhone X model.
However, fans waiting for a 5G iPhone are likely to be disappointed. According to the latest reports, Apple is holding off until it launches three 5G phones in 2020.
Apple will be hoping its new models win over fans as smartphone sales have stalled amid a global slowdown. At its event in Cupertino, California, the company could also show off new software from iOS 13 and its planned paid-for TV streaming app.
There are also reports that over the next few months other products including a refreshed iPad Pro, an iPad with a larger screen, new Apple Watch models and a new MacBook Pro could all be unveiled.
Here is what we know so far about Apple’s upcoming smartphone.
When will the iPhone 11 be released?
Apple has invited media to an event on Tuesday, September 10 at 10 am Pacific Time (6 pm BST) at the Steve Jobs Theatre, a dedicated venue at its Silicon Valley headquarters, where it has held the last two iPhone launches.
The invitation is titled “By innovation only” with an accompanying Apple logo that harks back to the company’s old multicoloured logo.
iPhone invitations have often held a cryptic message. In this case, the colours are most likely to be the style options for the new line-up.
As for its release, iPhones typically go on sale the Friday after the launch event, which would suggest they will be available on Friday, September 20.
The event will be shown on Apple’s events page, Apple TV and can be streamed for the first time on YouTube.
What will the iPhone 11 look like?
The new iPhone is predicted to have a 5.8-inch display, like the iPhone XS but with smaller sides, meaning the screen should fill even more of the front of the phone.
The phone will have an OLED screen that can offer deeper blacks in the premium iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Max models. A cheaper model is still expected to use an LCD screen design.
It is possible that the new models will also be thinner and lighter.
Three new iPhones?
Apple is believed to be planning for the release of the iPhone 11 alongside the iPhone 11 Max and the iPhone XR 2 (in some places called the 11 R), the latter being the cheapest model. It will be the third year running that Apple has launched a triple header of smartphones at its September event.
An iPhone 11 Pro?
As usual, the naming of the new phones has led to plenty of speculation. After Apple chose to go with its convention of calling the iPhone X (or ten) and then the iPhone Xs, observers expect the new phones to have some variation of iPhone 11 (or XI) in the name.
However, several reports, including from online leakers and from Bloomberg, suggest Apple could add a Pro variant for the first time, adding the branding it has used for its MacBook series and iPads to appeal to heavy iPhone users. If that is the case, we could be in line for the iPhone 11 Pro, iPhone 11 Pro Max, and iPhone 11 R.
How much will the iPhone 11 cost?
Apple’s sales seem to have been dropping recently, so increasing their prices is a risk if they wish to remain competitive. The price of the iPhone 11 is currently unknown but likely to cost around £999 in the UK, a similar price to the iPhone XS.
Will the iPhone 11 have 5G?
Despite rivals launching 5G technology that can offer download speeds of between 10 and 100 times faster than 4G, Apple’s latest iPhones appear to be sticking with 4th Generation (4G) modems.
New 5G network technology is expected to become increasingly important as users download and stream more films and games.
Apple was planning to use 5G chips from Intel, which were not immediately available and left the iPhone-maker lagging behind rivals.
Earlier this year, Apple settled a legal dispute with Qualcomm, which has been the main supplier of 5G modem chips to smartphone makers, freeing the companies up to work together again. Analysts expect Apple will now use Qualcomm modems in its 5G phones, but not until 2020.
According to a report from TF International Securities, Apple will release three iPhones in 2020, all of which are expected to come with 5G chip technology.
A triple camera design
The camera design of the iPhone 11 is expected to distinguish it from previous models. The introduction of a square-shaped, triple rear camera will be used to enrich photo and video quality.
Apple first launched dual camera technology on its iPhones back in 2016, but since then, rivals have stepped up, adding as many as five rear cameras to smartphones. Having additional lenses on a smartphone camera can help pick up additional features and colours in pictures, as well as offering extra zoom options and 3D imaging.
The iPhone XI Max model is expected to have three different cameras in the centre or top left of the rear of the phone. The iPhone XI could also have a triple camera, but the cheaper model is likely to come with a double camera set up.
iPhone XI 11 with a triple camera
TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reports that one of the lenses may be almost invisible and that the selfie camera’s quality will be increased from 7MP to 12MP.
Apple has also been considering launching a laser-powered 3D camera on future iPhones that would significantly add to their augmented reality capabilities, but this it is not expected to arrive until Apple’s 2020 iPhone, according to Bloomberg.
Apple is believed to have abandoned a project to create an advanced image sensor in the iPhone camera using quantum dot technology, The Telegraph first reported. This would have improved the quality of photos as well as the augmented reality capabilities of the device.
Battery improvements and two-way wireless charging
The iPhone 11 will have a battery 20-25pc larger than that of the iPhone XS without making the phone any thicker, according to reports.
The iPhone battery will even be great enough to share its power with other devices and form a two-way wireless charging system, where it will be able to wirelessly charge a separate device, such as an Apple Watch or Airpods.
Airpods
Apple could add two-way wireless charging to its iPhones, meaning they can charge AirPod headphones
This feature has never been seen before in any of Apple’s products but is similar to the Samsung Galaxy S10’s Wireless PowerShare feature. It has also been reported that the iPhone 11 will have a new charging cable, enabling faster-charging speeds.
Haptic engine on all phones
The new iPhone is going to change its 3D Touch as it has previously been known, the feature that allows iPhone users to press down harder on their smartphone screen to unlock extra features and menus from apps.
This has been largely replaced by a haptic touch feature, which instead uses a long press on unlocking extra features. A new version of this has been dubbed “Taptic Touch”, according to a report by 9to5Mac, although there are scant details on how this new technology will work.
What new colours will the phones come in?
The iPhone 11 is expected to come in space grey, gold, silver and blue. It has been suggested that the iPhone XR 2 will come in new lavender and green shades, as well as black, white, yellow and potentially red, according to a report on Japanese Apple website Mac Otakara.
These two new colours will replace the current Coral and Blue models of the iPhone XR and aim to tempt customers to upgrade their phones.
Bloomberg reports that several of the new phones will also feature a matte finish, making them easier to hold. The phones will also add new shatter-resistant technology.
New A13 microchip
Apple has been working with chipmaker TSMC on a new chip design, which Bloomberg suggests could be called the A13, the latest in its run of home-made processors that add extra processing power to iPhones.
USB-C charging a possibility
Apple has largely bucked the trend of USB charging in recent years, sticking with its Lightning ports for its smartphone charging. However, on its recent iPad models, Apple made the switch to USB-C, the latest charging technology that allows data and power transfer and now common on Android phones.
Not everyone is convinced, but some Apple fans on social media have pointed out that its latest iOS 13 beta software now shows a new design for its charging cable when you go to plug your iPhone into a MacBook – this might suggest its charging tech is about to change?
iPhone tracking technology
One element that could arrive with the new iPhone is new tracking technology that could work with services like iCloud for tracking down lost wallets or bags. The item tracker could be similar to devices made by other tech firms like Tile.
Keeping the Notch, for now
Apple is expected to keep the distinctive “notch” at the top of its smartphones, which holds the front-facing cameras and its technology for its FaceID scanning feature.
However, analysts from Credit Suisse have said they expect the 2020 iPhone to have a more radical front-end redesign, doing away with the notch and several other key features.
Source – The Telegraph
South Africa’s mobile operators are blocking smartphones and tablets stolen during July’s looting in parts of Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal from connecting to their networks. Multiple mobile network stores and other shops which held stock of mobile devices were hit during the violence.
These included 18 Vodacom stores, 29 MTN retail outlets, 12 Cell stores, 11 Telkom stores, and 22 Telkom kiosks. While the losses and damages were still being assessed, it was clear that all the networks had lost numerous devices to the looters.
Vodacom, MTN, Telkom, and Cell C said that the devices stolen from their or their franchisees’ stores were either in the process of being blocked or have already been blocked.
A Vodacom spokesperson told MyBroadband it was standard practice to blacklist stolen phones. Vodacom store franchisees will have blacklisted phones stolen during the unrest,” the spokesperson said.
MTN executive for corporate affairs, Jacqui O’Sullivan, explained the company had a clearly defined process that store personnel needed to follow to report lost devices either due to theft or loss for blacklisting.
“We can confirm that MTN is in the process of blacklisting all devices confirmed to be stolen at MTN retail stores and MTN courier partners during the civil unrest that recently took place in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng,” O’Sullivan said.Telkom and Cell C also confirmed that devices stolen from their stores were blocked.
“A bulk blacklisting was done on all identified stolen handsets, and an assessment of the losses was conducted,” stated Cell C COO Andre Ittman.
A network block would nullify any network’s SIM card from being used in blacklisted handsets, he added.
Ittman said there were ongoing engagements with insurers on the value of the losses. During the looting, videos shared on social media showed a Cell C store In Tongaat being ransacked after looters managed to break off its security gate.
Source: News365
In other news – New show to help fix Mother-in-law and makoti relationships
A new show is coming to 1Magic with the hope of saving relationships between makotis and mamazalas.
Abasemzini starts this Friday at 9.30pm, and will be hosted by actor Lehasa Moloi and singer Puleng March. Learn more
WhatsApp will stop supporting smartphones running Android versions 4.0.4 or older from 1 November 2021. The company has updated its supported Android devices page, revealing that users will now need to run Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean) or later to use the app.
Currently, WhatsApp officially supports Android smartphones running Android 4.0.3 (Ice Cream Sandwich) or later. Although users on older devices may still get the app to work, it likely won’t function as intended and won’t receive important security updates.
WhatsApp advised users on smartphones that cannot run the required Android versions to switch to a supported device or to back up their chat history before then.
The number of users affected by this change is likely to be small when compared to the overall Android user base.
Android 4.1 has been around since 2012, and is available on age-old Samsung devices like the original Galaxy Note and Galaxy S2. WhatsApp will therefore stop working on the original Samsung Galaxy S and Galaxy Tab 10.1 come November.
Support for upgrades vary between operators and countries, so it is possible that South Africans using older smartphones have not received an upgrade to Android 4.1 that may be available elsewhere in the world.
According to Statcounter, more than 98% of Android users were running version Android 5.1 (Lollipop) or above as of July 2021.
This does not include the fraction of users with Android 4.1, 4.2, or 4.3, which will all still be supported. Google estimates these users to account for less than 1% of the base.
This leaves around 1% of users that may still be on Android 4.0.4 or earlier.
Although users on Android 4.1 will still be able to use WhatsApp, it should be noted that Google recently also pushed its last-ever Play Services update to the operating system this month.
Without further updates to the service, certain apps will become difficult to run or may stop working entirely. In addition, the devices will be exposed to more security threats than they already were, given that Google stopped general Android security updates to the OS a long time ago.
WhatsApp updates its list of supported devices every few months. The company’s previous amendment of supported devices in March dropped support for iOS 9, meaning that the iPhone 4S would no longer be able to run the app properly.
Source: mybroadband
In other news – VIDEO: Connie Ferguson updates Mzansi on life without Shona Ferguson
The Queen actress Connie Ferguson continues to open up about the passing of her late husband Shona Ferguson and how she is mourning her loss.
On the 30th of June 2021, Connie lost her husband after he succumbed to COVID-19 related complications and she hasn’t stopped celebrating his life. Learn more
A modified WhatsApp Messenger app that delivers harmful malware to smartphones has highlighted the danger of using unofficial WhatsApp apps.
Smartphone users sometimes download modified versions of WhatsApp, which add more features that aren’t available in the main app, such as animated themes, self-destructing messages, or migration of chats between different smartphone operating systems.
Well-known versions of these apps include GBWhatsApp, YoWhatsApp, and WhatsAppPlus.
Using these apps goes against WhatsApp’s Terms of Service and exposes the user to possible attacks from malware that can steal their information, take over their accounts, and sign them up for paid subscriptions without permission.
Cybersecurity firm Kaspersky recently performed a technical analysis of one such modified version of WhatsApp called FMWhatsapp and found the Trojan Triada malware had been snuck into the app with its advertising software development kit.
Kaspersky expert Igor Golovin said this was similar to what happened with the popular alternative app store APKPure, which had its main app compromised by a malicious payload downloader.
Golovin explained that once the FMWhatsapp (version 16.80.0) app was launched, the malware gathered unique device identifiers — such as Device IDs, Subscriber IDs, and MAC addresses — and the name of the app package where they’re deployed.
“The information they collect is sent to a remote server to register the device. It responds by sending a link to a payload which the Trojan downloads, decrypts and launches,” Golovin said.
Kaspersky’s analysis identified several different types of malware downloaded by FMWhatsapp, which were capable of:
Downloading and launching other malicious modules, including the xHelper Trojan installer module.
Displaying full-screen ads at unexpected moments.
Running invisible ads in the background to increase the number of views they get.
Signing the device owner up for paid subscriptions.
Singing up victims for premium subscriptions.
Signing in on WhatsApp accounts on the victim’s phone.
Golovin said the attackers seemed to have done their homework on the protocol WhatsApp uses.
He also highlighted that FMWhatsapp users grant the app permission to read their SMS messages, which means that the Trojan and all the further malicious modules it loads also gained access to them.
“This allows attackers to automatically sign the victim up for premium subscriptions, even if a confirmation code is required to complete the process,” Golovin stated.
Golovin said Kaspersky recommends not using unofficial modifications of apps, especially WhatsApp mods.
“You may well end up with an unwanted paid subscription, or even lose control of your account altogether, which attackers can hijack to use for their own purposes, such as spreading spam sent in your name.”
Many South Africans have previously revealed on Twitter that they were using third-party WhatsApp applications such as GBWhatsApp.
Aside from the serious security risks, you could also have your WhatsApp account banned if WhatsApp detects you are using an unsupported version of the app.
Source: mybroadband
In other news – Kwaito star Kabelo makes a musical comeback
It’s been nearly seven years since Kabelo Mabalane was in the studio and now he’s ready to make his musical comeback.
The former TKZee member took to Instagram on Sunday announcing to his fans that he is featuring on Da Kruk’s next single launching on September 10. Learn more