Apple A11X chipset to feature an 8-core CPU, based on 7nm process: Report

Along with the new iPhone 8 duo and the iPhone X smartphones, Apple also announced a new A11 bionic chipset, which powers these devices. As is the custom, every time Apple introduces a new chipset, it also manufactures an ‘X’ version of the chips that generally power the new iPads. Presumingly, that is happening this time too. And if industry reports are to be believed, the A11X will be the first Apple chipset with eight CPU cores and will be built on the TSMC’s 7nm process.

Further, as stated in a report by GSMArena, the new octa-core CPU is expected to come with “three powerful Monsoon cores and five efficient Mistral cores. It should start shipping in the first quarter next year, right in time for the iPad Pro 2018 series launch”.

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Few months ago, MacRumor has also shared a predicted benchmark score for the A11X chipset. According to the publication’s anticipation, A11X will score a 4,500 in single-core test, and 12,000 in multi-core test, and Compute would stand at 45,000. 

For perspective, the A11 Bionic is, as Apple says, the most powerful and smartest chip ever in a smartphone. It features a six-core CPU design with two performance cores that are 25 percent faster, and four efficiency cores that are 70 percent faster than the A10 Fusion. The new, second-generation performance controller can harness all six cores simultaneously, delivering up to 70 percent greater performance for multi-threaded workloads. 

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GST effect: Apple slashes prices for iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch and Mac in India by up to 7.5%

Barely hours after the implementation of Goods and Services Tax (GST), Apple has passed on the benefits to its consumers. The Cupertino giant has slashed prices for iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch and MacBook by up to 7.5 percent, making them easier on the pocket. The changes are live on the Apple India website. Here’s how GST implementation affects Apple consumers.

Apple iPhone 7

The iPhone 7 was launched in India at a starting price of Rs 60,000 for the 32GB variant. It has now been slashed by Rs 3,800, bringing it down to Rs 56,200. The 128GB and 256GB storage variants were priced at Rs 70,000 and Rs 80,000, respectively. However, after factoring GST, the prices come down t Rs 65,000 (128GB) and Rs 74,000 (256GB).

Apple iPhone 7 Plus

The iPhone 7 Plus was launched for Rs 72,000 for 32GB variant and Rs 82,000 and Rs 92,000 for 128GB and 256GB variants. However, post GST, the 32GB, 128GB and 256GB varaints will now  set you back by Rs 67,300, Rs 76,200 and Rs 85,400, respectively.

iPhone 7

iPhone 7 Plus

Apple iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus, iPhone SE

The iPhone 6s 32GB and 128GB variants were priced at Rs 50,000 and Rs 60,000, respectively. However, they will now set you back by Rs 46,900 and Rs 55,900, respectively. The iPhone 6s Plus which was priced at Rs 60,000 for 32GB variant and Rs 70,000 for 128GB variant, will now set you back by Rs 56,100 and Rs 65,000, respectively. Lastly, the iPhone SE has also received a minor price cut. The 32GB variant which was priced at Rs 27,200 will now cost Rs 26,000, whereas the 128GB variant which was priced at Rs 37,200 will now cost Rs 35,000. 

iPhone 6

iPhone 6s

iPhone 6s Plus

iPhone SE

Apple Watch

The Apple Watch (Series 1) which was priced at Rs 23,900 gets Rs 1,000 cut, and now available for Rs 22,900. The Apple Watch (Series 2) which was available for Rs 32,900 is now available for Rs 31,600. The Nike+ which was priced at Rs 32,900 is now available for Rs 31,600, whereas the Apple Watch Edition which was priced at whopping Rs 110,900, will now set you back by Rs 105,700.

Apple Watch Series 2 

Apple Smart Watch 

Apple iPad, iPad mini 4

The 32GB and 128GB iPad (Wi-Fi only) that were priced at Rs 28,900 and Rs 36,900 will now cost Rs 28,000 and Rs 35,700. Similarly, the 32GB and 128GB iPad (Wi-Fi + Cellular) variants that were priced at Rs 34,900 and Rs 45,900 will now set you back by Rs 33,800 and Rs 45,500. 

The iPad mini 4 128GB variant was earlier priced at Rs 34,900, and will now cost Rs 33,800. Similarly, the 128GB Wi-Fi + Cellular variant which was priced at Rs 45,900, will now set you back by Rs 44,500.

Apple iPad 9.7 

Apple iPad Mini 4 

Apple 10.5-inch iPad Pro, 12.9-inch iPad Pro

The 10.5-inch iPad Pro is available in three storage variants. The 64GB Wi-Fi only variant is priced at Rs 52,900, but after GST, the price comes down to Rs 50,800. Similarly, the 256GB and 512GB variants that were priced at Rs 60,900 and Rs 76,900, will now set you back by Rs 58,300 and Rs 73,900.

The 64GB (Wi-Fi + Cellular) variant which was priced at Rs 63,900 will now cost you Rs 61,400. Similarly, the 256GB and 512GB Wi-Fi + Cellular variants that were priced at Rs 71,900 and Rs 87,900, will now cost you Rs 68,900 and Rs 84,500. 

Now, coming to the elder sibling – the 12.9-inch iPad Pro – the 64GB Wi-Fi only variant which was priced at Rs 65,900 will now cost you Rs 63,500. Similarly, the 256GB and 512GB variants that were priced at Rs 73,900 and Rs 89,900, will now set you back by Rs 70,900 and Rs 86,400.

The 12.9-inch iPad Pro 64GB Wi-Fi only variant which was priced at Rs 65,900 will now cost Rs 63,500. The 256GB and 512GB Wi-Fi only variants that were priced at Rs 73,900 and Rs 89,900 will now be available for Rs 70,900 and Rs 86,400.

Similarly, the 64GB Wi-Fi + Cellular variant that was priced at Rs 76,900 will now be priced at Rs 74,100. The 256GB variant which was priced at Rs 84,900 will now be available for Rs 81,400, whereas the 512GB variant that was priced at Rs 100,900 will now be available for Rs 97,000.

Apple iPad Pro 12.9 

12-inch MacBook, 13-inch MacBook Pro and 15-inch MacBook Pro

The MacBook line-up, expect for the MacBook Air has got some price cut too. The 12-inch MacBook with Intel Core m3 processor which was priced at Rs 109,900 will now set you back by Rs 104,800. The with Intel Core i5 processor which was priced at Rs 134,900, will now set you back by Rs 128,700.

The 13-inch MacBook Pro with 128GB storage and 256GB storage is now priced at Rs 104,900 and 121,100, down from Rs 109,900 and Rs 126,900, respectively. Similarly, the 13-inch MacBook Pro with Touch Bar – 256GB storage variant is now priced at Rs 147,900, down from Rs 154,900. Also, the 512GB model is now priced at Rs 164,100, down from Rs 171,900.

Lastly, the 15-inch MacBook Pro – 256GB variant which was priced at Rs 205,900 will now set you back by Rs 195,800, whereas the 512GB variant which was priced at Rs 239,900 will now set you back by Rs 228,100. Besides these, Mac Mini, Mac Pro and iMac have also got minor price cuts. You can check the revised prices here.

Apple WWDC 2017: Here are the top features of iOS 11

Apple’s Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC) 2017 kicked off yesterday with CEO Tim Cook addressing the keynote. Apple made a host of announcements regarding software and hardware. In terms of software, the highly awaited iOS 11 was announced with its developer preview released, while the public beta set to release later this month. iOS 11 will be released this fall as a free update for iPhone 5s and later, all iPad Air and iPad Pro models, iPad 5th generation, iPad mini 2 and later and the iPod touch 6th generation. Here’s a look at the top features iOS 11 will bring forth to your iPhones and iPads later this year.

Siri smarter

Siri will get a more natural sounding voice in iOS 11, and will receive a new visual interface. Siri will also get a translation feature for different languages like Chinese, French, German, Italian, and Spanish. This feature is currently in beta, and Apple will be adding more languages eventually. Siri will also offer suggestions based on your personal usage of Safari, News, Mail, Messages and more. For example, according to what you’re browsing on Safari, Siri will suggest related material on the News app, Mail, Messages and more apps.

iMessage gets iCloud sync, and more

iMessage on iOS 11 will get iCloud syncing so your stored messages will be available on other devices when you sign in. Also, if you delete one message from your Apple device, it will be deleted from other existing devices as well. iMessage apps, which was introduced in iOS 10 will have a more organized format now. In iOS 11 the iMessage App Drawer will be redesigned making it easier to search and navigate between your favorite apps. 

You can do more with Apple Pay on iOS 11, but in the US only

Apple Pay’s usage will be extended in iOS 11 as users will be able to make payments right in the Messages app. iOS 11 will also enable users to ask Siri to make payments using the credit and debit cards saved in their Wallet. The money one receives will be stored in their new Apple Pay Cash account which can be used to transfer money to someone, make purchases via Apple Pay in stores, apps and also on the web. One can also transfer the money in Apple Pay Cash to their respective bank accounts. Apple Pay Cash will however, be available in the US only. 

Apple Maps gets better navigation features

Apple’s native Maps app in iOS 11 will be able to provide indoor mapping for places like major malls and airports. In iOS 11, Maps will also provide better navigation while driving like speed limit, lane guidance so that one can avoid missing a turn or an exit. Another new iOS feature for driving will be the integration of Do Not Disturb mode. Apple says that your iPhone will detect when you may be driving and will automatically keep the screen dark and silence the notifications. One can also set an auto reply to their favorite contacts for when in driving mode.

Portrait Mode on iOS gets new additions

iOS 11 will allow users to take better Portrait Mode images with optical image stabilization (OIS), True Tone flash and HDR. Live Photos gets new Loop and Bounce effects that create continuous loops, and Long Exposure which can capture both time and movement. Memory under Photos will be optimized to play in both portrait and landscape mode. Also, more memories like photos of pets or birthdays will be automatically created. iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus users on iOS 11 will get a new feature called High Efficiency Image File Format (HEIF). This technology reduces the file size of every photo taken on these two devices.

iOS 11 on iPads brings a new customizable Dock that will provide access to frequently used apps and documents from any screen. The app switcher will also be redesigned making it easier to move between active apps. On Split View where two apps are simultaneously used, iOS 11 will now allow users to move files, images, and text between the two apps. The iPad also gets a new Files app which will store all your files in one place from different storage places like iCloud Drive, Box, Dropbox and more. Apple Pencil also receives some upgrades as it will now support inline drawing. One can also access Notes from the Lock Screen itself by tapping Apple Pencil on display.

Augmented Reality on iOS 11

Apple is bringing augmented reality (AR) to iOS 11 as it announced a new ARKit for developers at WWDC 2017. With ARKit, developers will be able to use the built-in camera, processor and motion sensors of iPhones and iPads to bring high-quality AR experiences on these devices. ARKit comes bundled with the latest computer vision technologies allowing developers to build virtual content that can be used for gaming, shopping experiences, industrial design and more.

A brief look at some more features coming with iOS 11 includes a redesigned App Store. iOS developers will now get their stories discovered on App Store. The Control Center on iOS 11 too gets a redesign, and a new Lock Screen will provide a more convenient way to view your notifications. AirPlay 2 is enabled with multi-room audio allowing users to easily control speakers using the Control Center, the Home app or Siri. The Home app also gets support for more accessories like AirPlay 2 speakers and will receive new triggers for better automation. Apple Music subscribers on iOS will be able to create a profile and share it with their friends. The iPhone also gets a one-handed keyboard mode while iPad users will get a new QuickType keyboard with iOS 11.

Apple WWDC 2017: How to watch live stream and what to expect from the keynote

Apple's WWDC 2017 keynote address is just hours away, and the company is expected to make some interesting announcements introducing new hardware and software – essentially highlighting the company’s roadmap for the year. The WWDC keynote, being held at the McEnery Convention Center in San Jose, California, will be live streamed across the world to compatible devices and here’s how you can participate from the comfort of your home.

If you own an Apple TV, iPhone, iPad, Mac, or Windows 10 device, then you’ll be able to live stream the event and watch the story unfold. The WWDC is set to begin at 10:00am PDT (10:30pm IST), and on you can watch the live stream on your Safari or Microsoft Edge browsers by clicking on this link right here. Furthermore, if you own second, third, or fourth-generation Apple TV set-top boxes, you can watch the keynote from the Apple Events channel when it begins.

The Cupertino giant is expected to launch a Siri smart speaker, new iPad tablets, and possibly update its MacBook laptop lineup as well. On the software front, we can expect the first developer preview for iOS 11, macOS 10.13, watchOS 4, and tvOS 11 – with the biggest new features of each highlighted in the keynote.

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Siri smart speaker

Apple has been reported heavily to launch its own Amazon Echo and Google Home rival. The smart speaker is expected to come with a display screen, great audio quality, will run a platform for Siri (obviously), and perform some additional functions not seen before in this category. The Siri smart speaker is expected to be priced at a higher price point than its rivals, and even though it will be unveiled at WWDC, it won’t be shipped until much later this year.

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New iPad Pro models

The tech giant is also expected to launch two iPad Pro tablets – one with a 10.5-inch display and the other with a 12.9-inch display. Rumours point to a sleek design with slim bezels, with the 10.5-inch variant being only slightly taller and wider than the 9.7-inch iPad Pro. There’s little else we know about the device as of now, but recent rumours suggest stereo speakers, repositioned mic, and a virtual Home Button. The 12.9-inch iPad Pro is also expected to get spec and hardware upgrades, along with slight design changes. There is expected to be cellular and non-cellular options for the new tablets. Alongside the new iPad tablets, Apple could also unveil the Apple Pencil 2 as well.

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MacBook updates

Recent reports suggest that Apple will also be refreshing its MacBook lineup, with updates lined up for 12-inch MacBook, the MacBook Pro, and the almost forgotten MacBook Air as well. First coming to the MacBook Pro upgrade, Apple has been tipped to update the laptop with Intel's Kaby Lake processor series, from the current SkyLake processors.

Further, the company is expected to launch a 32GB RAM variant of the 15-inch MacBook Pro to cater to the need of professional users. There are reportedly some price cuts to the existing models that can also be expected to be announced at WWDC 2017.

The 12-inch variant of the MacBook laptop series has been tipped to be upgraded with new Kaby Lake processors as well as receive a new 16GB RAM. Finally coming to the MacBook Air, while the upgrade rumours for the laptop are thin and hard to find, the laptop is expected to be refreshed with new processors at the very least.

iOS 11

Apple’s guaranteed highlight of the keynote address will be iOS 11. The latest software will bring a host of improvements including a new video centric revamp to Apple Music, killing off 32-bit app support, and a few changes in animation and notifications. Interestingly, FaceTime is expected to get a long-awaited overhaul, and one of the biggest changes is said to be the introduction of group video calling ability. There are reportedly many iPad-centric changes also incoming.

macOS 10.13, tvOS 11, and watchOS 4

While the previews for the entire Apple product line are coming for sure, there’s little that we know about the changes that are arriving with most of them. macOS will be updated to version 10.13, and it will get a new name, presumably of another landscape that Apple really loves. watchOS and tvOS will also get updated to version 4 and 11 respectively, and it’s only a matter of time before we get all the dope on what these software updates bring to the table. We will be on ground zero and will be updating you ball by ball. Stay Tuned!

Apple unveils new 9.7-Inch iPad, cheapest full-sized iPad yet

Apple did refresh its iPad lineup. But instead of four new models, the company has unveiled only one new 9.7-inch iPad. Prices for the new 9.7-inch Apple iPad start from Rs 28,900, and it will go on sale in several countries from March 24. The new iPad will also be arriving in India, but it will be sometime in April.

With this new launch, Apple is essentially rebranding the iPad Air and it will simply call it the iPad now. While most of the specifications and features remain the same, the one big difference is at the tablet’s heart. In place of the A8X chipset, the new 9.7-inch iPad is powered by a newer A9 chipset.

“iPad is the world’s most popular tablet. Customers love the large, 9.7-inch display for everything from watching TV and movies, to surfing the web, making FaceTime calls, and enjoying photos, and now it is even more affordable,” Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing said. “New customers and anyone looking to upgrade will love this new iPad for use at home, in school, and for work, with its gorgeous Retina display, our powerful A9 chip, and access to the more than 1.3 million apps designed specifically for it.”

Design wise, the new 9.7-inch iPad looks and feels exactly the same as the iPad Air 2. With thickness of 7.5mm and weighing 469g, the new 9.7-inch iPad is a bit thicker compared to iPad Air 2 with thickness of 6.1mm and weighing 437g. The display size and resolution remains the same, and also most of the hardware.

The new 9.7-inch Apple iPad will be available in two variants — the Wi-Fi only variant priced at Rs 28,900 and the Wi-Fi+Cellular variant priced at Rs 39,900. iPad buyers will be able to buy a Polyurethane Smart Covers for their tablet, which is priced at Rs 3,700. Buyers will be able to choose from colors options including charcoal gray, white, midnight blue, and pink sand.

Apple iPad Pro with 10.5-inch display to reportedly launch on April 4

Apple is all set to host an event for the launch of its new iPad lineup. The event was earlier expected to be held this month but it is now speculated that the event will take place on April 4. If rumors turn out to be true, Apple will be launching a new 10.5-inch iPad Pro model, 12.9-inch and 9.7-inch iPad Pro 2 models and a 7.9-inch iPad Pro model at the said event. A tweet shared online now reveals the alleged case for the 10.5-inch iPad Pro model.

This tweet comes from a Spanish accessory distributor named Marc Alonso who shared the information along with the images of the case. Alonso claims to have received files of a case which turns out to be the 10.5-inch iPad Pro model. The tweet further mentions that the official graphics of the case are said to be pending since the official announcement by Apple hasn’t taken place yet. Some features of the case are detailed in the image which includes resistant rigid back shell to provide optimum protection, and a built-in front cover that can be converted into 2 different positions. Furthermore, the alleged 10.5-inch iPad Pro case is made of anti-slip material.

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The 10.5-inch iPad Pro has so far been the highlight amongst the expected iPad models as it is expected to feature a bezel-less display, thereby ditching the Home button. The new 10.5-inch iPad Pro is expected to feature the same footprint as the present 9.7-inch iPad Pro, but Apple will retain the top bezel for the FaceTime camera. The 10.5-inch iPad Pro is also expected to be 7.5mm thick, which could be due to the possible addition of pressure-sensitive technology along with support for Apple Pencil. It is also reported that the 10.5-inch iPad Pro will feature Apple’s new A10X processor.

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As for the remaining iPad models, the 12.9-inch iPad Pro 2 model could feature a 12-megapixel rear camera and True Tone display akin to the 9.7-inch iPad Pro. The True Tone display uses advanced four-channel ambient light sensors which adapts the color and intensity of the display and accordingly matches the light in the surrounding environment. The 12.9-inch iPad Pro is also said to feature the A10X processor under its hood. The 9.7-inch iPad Pro 2 model, on the other hand, is expected to be powered by the A9X chip, hinting at a lower pricing.

The 7.9-inch iPad Pro model is expected to feature a Smart Connector, True Tone display, and four speakers. For photography, the 7.9-inch iPad Pro model could sport a 12-megapixel rear-facing iSight camera with True Tone flash. The new iPad Pro lineup will also reportedly gain quad microphones. Reports claim that Apple will start shipping the 10.5-inch iPad Pro model in May, whereas the other models will ship as early as this month.

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The upcoming Apple event is also expected to launch other products. First up is a 128GB storage variant of the iPhone SE. Apple is also expected to introduce red color variants for the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus. A new band for the Apple Watch is also expected at the event.