Samsung “paying extra careful attention” to Galaxy S8 development due to “huge changes”

Unperturbed by its ill-fated Note 7 flagship, which Samsung has now permanently stopped building due to ongoing battery woes, development of a next-generation Galaxy smartphone is in full swing. Reportedly, the troubled South Korean company is “paying extra careful attention” towards the development of the Galaxy S8.

That’s not just because of quality control issues with the Note 7, but also due to the fact that the Galaxy S8 packs in some “huge” hardware and design changes, according to a new report Tuesday from Korean news site ET News.

“Due to the issues with the Note 7, Samsung Electronics is paying extra careful attention towards development of Galaxy S8,” reads the Korean report.

According to the report, the S8 should have the features Apple is expected to engineer into its Tenth Anniversary iPhone next year, including a bezel-free curved screen with a redesigned Home button/fingerprint reader embedded underneath the glass panel, a dual-lens camera out the back and Qualcomm’s new Snapdragon 830 chip.

Basically, Samsung is planning to fill all of the Galaxy S8’s front display with just the screen, just like Apple is expected to do with the next iPhone, as imagined by the below concept rendering.

 

“It is heard that Samsung Electronics is planning to eliminate even top and bottom edges of display for Galaxy S8,” creating a full-screen smartphone.

The side bezels should be made even skinnier than on current Galaxies by increasing the curvature of both edges of the AMOLED display. Samsung’s display-making arm should play an important role in volume production of that screen.

As for the Galaxy S8’s dual-cameras, Samsung is currently deciding whether to use all-in-one dual-cameras or separated dual-cameras, said a representative for a component industry. All-in-one dual-cameras have two lenses and a module versus separated dual-cameras that have two separate modules.

 

Samsung’s dual-cameras will be used to capture depth of field photos akin to the iPhone 7 Plus and are said to be 16 megapixels and eight megapixels versus a pair of 12-megapixel cameras on Apple’s phone.

As for the device’s brains, Samsung’s foundry business is said to start volume production of the Snapdragon 830 chip on a 10-nanometer FinFET process at the end of this year at the earliest, beating rival TSMC. Like the current Galaxy, certain S8 models will use Samsung’s next-generation Exynos chip in place of the Qualcomm one.

The previously rumored Exynos 8995 chip is said to incorporate a 16-nanometer Mali-G71 GPU manufactured by ARM, which appears to be a direct successor to the T880 model found within the Exynos 8990 that’s being used in the Galaxy S7 series and the ill-fated Note 7.

Using ARM’s new Bifrost architecture developed with 4K display and virtual reality applications in mind, the GPU should be almost twice as fast as its predecessor.

 

Digital Music News recently heard from sources that Samsung Mobile’s leadership is considering removing the 3.55mm headphone jack from the Galaxy S8.

The next Galaxy is expected to release in the first quarter of next year. For what it’s worth, we know from a leaked invite that the next Samsung Unpacked event will be taking place at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain on February 26.

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What to expect from Apple at WWDC 2016 on Monday?

Every year, Apple holds an annual Worldwide Developers Conference at the Moscone West convention center in San Francisco, California, giving thousands of developers from around the world a chance to meet up with Apple engineers and sit in on valuable workshops and software sessions.

Apple typically begins each conference with a kickoff keynote on the first day, where the company makes major announcements and sets the stage for the remainder of the week. Keynote events often include a look at upcoming products and services and a first glimpse at new operating systems.

For the first time, Apple will hold its keynote event and other first-day sessions at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium, roughly a mile away from Moscone West. The new location, which Apple also used for its September 2015 “Hey Siri” media event, will offer a larger venue for the conference’s major presentations. Apple plans to start its keynote event at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time (8:00 PM Beirut Time).

In 2016, Apple is expected to unveil the latest versions of iOS and OS X, and work on iOS 10 and OS X 10.12 is already well underway. We may also see new versions of watchOS and tvOS, the operating systems that run on the Apple Watch and the Apple TV. News on additional products that might make an appearance will likely be shared as we get closer to the conference date. Most of Apple’s Mac lineup is due for an update and some products could potentially see refreshes at the event.

Moscone West decorated for the 2015 WWDC eventApple leaked the official dates for the 2016 event through Siri, revealing the conference will take place from Monday, June 13 through Friday, June 17, matching the long presumed dates previously suggested by the convention center’s event calendar.

Shortly after Siri leaked the news, Apple officially announced the 2016 Worldwide Developers Conference and opened up ticket sales. Media invites for the keynote event went out on June 1.

On June 3, Apple debuted an updated WWDC app for iOS devices and the Apple TV. Attendees can use the app to get directions and times for labs and sessions, while those not attending can use it to watch live streaming sessions with Apple engineers. Apple also plans to live stream the WWDC keynote on iOS and Mac devices through Apple.com and on the Apple TV through a dedicated events app.

Expected Announcements

IOS 10

Apple’s operating system for iPhones and iPads has gone largely without design changes since iOS 7, so it’s reasonable to assume iOS 10 may feature some design tweaks to update the look of the OS. A dark mode is one possibility that’s been circulating based on the look of Apple’s WWDC app and site, but there’s no evidence suggesting such a feature will be implemented.

Information on iOS 10 is limited, but we’ve heard some tantalizing details about the update. Apple is expected to introduce a Siri SDK, allowing Siri to interact with third-party apps in new ways. Developers will be able to build Siri integration into their apps, allowing Siri to access data and perform tasks within apps. Third-party app access has the potential to greatly expand what Siri is capable of and could put the personal assistant on par with more robust solutions like Google Now.

In 2015, rumors indicated Apple was working on an “iCloud Voicemail” service able to allow Siri to answer missed calls and record and transcribe messages for users to read as text at a later time. The service, which could come in iOS 10, is also said to be capable of relaying location information and delivering details on why a user can’t answer a phone call.

Siri may also be improved with new capabilities Apple has made through acquisitions like VocalIQ. VocalIQ is able to retain the semantic context between conversations and recall user preferences. Apple has made other AI-related purchases over the past year that could have been purchased to improve Siri. Perceptio, for example, is a startup designed to allow for the creation of advanced artificial intelligence systems while limiting the amount of data stored in the cloud, functionality that could allow Apple to bridge the gap between its desire to introduce deeper Siri functionality with its unwavering focus on privacy.

iOS 10 is rumored to include a redesigned Music app featuring a more intuitive user interface for Apple Music. It’s said to use a “bolder, yet simpler” design that emphasizes black and white backgrounds and text to put more focus on album art.

Apple is planning to replace the “New” tab in Apple Music with a “Browse” option that includes better organizational tools for discovering new content, and it will also feature a simplified “For You” section. Connect and Beats 1 will remain unchanged, but Apple may remove the Connect tab from the Apple Music interface.

New 3D Touch shortcut previews will be added, sharing features will be emphasized, and there will be more of a focus on song lyrics, making them easier to access within the app.

With the upcoming iPhone 7 Plus expected to gain a dual-lens camera, Apple is building Photos improvements into iOS 10. Apple is expected to reintroduce some abilities that were initially found in iPhoto before it was discontinued and while we don’t know specifics, iPhoto previously had features like EXIF editing and touch-based brushes for adjusting brightness and other parameters on only specific parts of a photo.

A Skitch-like photo editing feature allowing users to draw on and mark up images could also be in the works, mirroring features that are available in the Mail app for marking up PDFs and photos.

Metadata keys added to App Store apps in April suggests Apple is potentially working on a much-desired feature to allow users to hide or delete unwanted stock apps. If such a feature is in the works, it could be included in iOS 10. App Store changes and improvements are also a possibility, as Apple is said to have a secret team dedicated to exploring potential changes that could be made to the App Store.

OS X 10.12

OS X didn’t get a major update in 2015, but 2016 may more than make up for it. OS X 10.12 is expected to bring Siri to the Mac for the first time, allowing the personal assistant to be used on Mac devices like it’s used on iOS devices.

Siri will be enabled through an icon in the OS X menu bar, the dock, a user-specified keyboard shortcut, or through a hands-free “Hey Siri” command. In May, we shared an image of the full Siri dock icon, featuring a colorful Siri waveform.

Siri functionality on the Mac is likely to mirror much of the functionality on iOS, with Siri able to conduct searches, open apps, tweak system settings, answer simple queries, play music from iTunes, and more. Siri may also be able to interface with third-party Mac apps through the rumored Siri SDK.

Another key feature of OS X 10.12 may be expanded Continuity features. Apple is working on an auto unlock function that would allow an iPhone to unlock a Mac when in close proximity, alleviating the need to enter a password on a password-protected machine in OS X 10.12.

The feature, which uses Bluetooth LE frameworks, will presumably work similarly to the automatic unlocking feature on the Apple Watch, which allows an unlocked iPhone to bypass the passcode restriction on a connected Apple Watch. In this scenario, an iPhones Touch ID button would be used as a verification method for simpler logins.

The unlocking function could also potentially be tied to the rumor suggesting Apple Pay integration is coming to web browsers. Users could make purchases online using Safari, confirming the Apple Pay payment through an iPhone’s Touch ID when linked to a Mac.

Features rumored for iOS 10, such as Photos improvements and Apple Music tweaks, are also expected to be included in OS X 10.12. An updated version of iTunes that includes a redesigned Apple Music experience with a simpler, more intuitive interface is a possibility, and as for Photos, it could gain some features that were removed during the transition from iPhoto to Photos.

Beyond rumored features, there has been some speculation that Apple could rename OS X to MacOS to better match with iOS, watchOS, and tvOS, but whether or not Apple will actually introduce a change to its long-running Mac naming scheme remains to be seen.

TVOS 2 AND WATCHOS 3

Apple has said new versions of tvOS and watchOS 3 will be introduced at WWDC, but we have not heard any details on what new versions of these operating systems might include.

Drawing from what we expect for iOS 10 and OS X 10.12, the two operating systems could feature Siri improvements and design tweaks to match any design changes coming to iOS 10, but beyond that, we don’t have any insight into what to expect.

We do know that as of June 1, Apple is requiring new Apple Watch apps submitted to the App Store to be native apps, suggesting Apple has plans for deeper native app capabilities. At the very least, a push towards native apps is encouraging because it will result in Apple Watch apps that are able to open more quickly and work more smoothly in watchOS 3.

SERVICES

Apple Pay:
There are no specific Apple Pay rumors linked to WWDC, but Apple has several new Apple Pay features in the works that would be ideal to debut at the event. Apple is planning to bring Apple Pay to web browsers, allowing Apple Pay users to make Apple Pay purchases in online stores directly through Safari.

As with standard transactions, payments would be approved on the iPhone through Touch ID. Using the expanded Continuity features allowing an iPhone to connect to a Mac, Apple Pay payments on Mac notebooks and desktop machines may also be verified through Touch ID.

Apple is also working on a person-to-person update for Apple Pay, allowing users to send money to one another much like Square Cash or Venmo. It is not exactly clear how such a feature would work, but there have been “whispers” suggesting Apple may let customers send money to one another through iMessages.

iCloud:
Following its conflict with the FBI, Apple is likely to introduce new security features in iOS 10 and OS X 10.12. One possibility is encrypted iCloud backups, something Apple has been hesitant to implement in the past because it makes the restoring process more difficult.

Rumors have suggested Apple is working on implementing stronger security measures “even it can’t hack” to protect iOS devices. These improvements are likely to be introduced through a mix of hardware and software improvements, and it’s quite possible we’ll see the first of Apple’s security enhancements in iOS 10.

HARDWARE

Ahead of WWDC there were rumors and speculation suggesting Apple could introduce products like an updated MacBook Pro or a new Thunderbolt Display, but it’s likely neither of these products are going to be ready for a June debut, instead coming later in 2016.

Leading up to WWDC, multiple Apple insiders have said the event will focus on software instead of hardware, and so we are not expecting hardware updates at the event. There’s a possibility Apple could surprise us with an announcement, but if there are plans for a hardware product debut, those plans have been kept under wraps.

 

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Samsung ordered to pay Apple $119.6M in damages for copying its products!

The verdict has just been given in the second trial opposing Apple to Samsung, which has taken place in California over the last month.

After hearing 50 hours of testimonies and deliberating for three days, the jury has finally come to an agreement and found that Samsung has infringed on three Apple patents, while Apple infringed on one Samsung patent…

Apple filed the lawsuit in February 2012, asserting Samsung’s violated five Apple patents with its Galaxy Note, Galaxy Note II, Galaxy SII, Galaxy S II Epic 4G Touch, Galaxy S II Skyrocket, Galaxy S III, Galaxy Tab II 10.1, and other devices. Samsung responded with a counterclaim, stating two Samsung patents were infringed on within the iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, iPhone 5, iPad 2, iPad 3, iPad 4, iPad mini, iPod touch (5th generation), iPod touch (4th generation), and MacBook Pro.

The jury found that:

• all Samsung devices infringe on Quick Links patent ’647
• all Samsung devices infringe on Predictive Text patent ’172
• some Samsung devices infringe on Slide to Unlock patent ’721
• Samsung did not infringe on Universal Search patent ’959
• Samsung did not infringe on Background Sync patent ’414
• Apple did infringe on Video Transmission patent ’239
• Apple did not infringe on Camera & Folder Organization patent ’449

The jury ruled that Samsung should pay Apple $119,625,000 in damages, which is far from the $2.2 billion Apple was asking for Samsung infringing on its patent. Samsung was claiming it only owed no more than $38M.

The jury also found that Apple infringed on one Samsung patent related to the way FaceTime handles video streaming, awarding the Korean company $158,400 in damages from Apple.

Of course, $119M is pocket change for Apple, but was it ever about money? Probably not. Although these are mixed results, Apple did make a point that Samsung was indeed infringing on some of its patents. This point is likely not as big as Apple would have wanted, making it more of a symbolic win for Apple than a proper victory.

In a statement to Recode, Apple said:

We are grateful to the jury and the court for their service. Today’s ruling reinforces what courts around the world have already found: that Samsung willfully stole our ideas and copied our products. We are fighting to defend the hard work that goes into beloved products like the iPhone, which our employees devote their lives to designing and delivering for our customers.

Even though Samsung must pay Apple almost $120M in damages, you can’t help but think the lawyers for the company are still taking this as a victory, considering the first trial didn’t end up so well for the Korean giant.

Update: While examining the jury’s decision, Apple found it was not awarded damages for the Galaxy SII, which was found infringing on one patent. The jury decided to come back on Monday to sort out damages Apple should be awarded for this.

Vatican declares Popes John Paul II and John XXIII saints!

Pope Francis has declared two of his predecessors, John Paul II and John XXIII, saints of the Roman Catholic church in an unprecedented double-canonisation mass in St Peter’s Square.

The two towering figures of the 20th-century church were canonised to great applause from hundreds of thousands of pilgrims gathered in theVatican piazza.

Carrying flags, backpacks and rolled foam mattresses, pilgrims from all over the world had flocked into Vatican City overnight and were let into St Peter’s Square from 5.30am when the piazza was opened by authorities.

Pilgrims gather on Saint Peter’s Square ahead of a ceremony that will see popes John Paul II and John XXIII recognized as saints. Photograph: Claudio Peri/EPAMost of those let in first had spent all night outside and had either slept on the street or not slept at all. But a carnival atmosphere reigned as the crowds of Catholics prepared to witness the canonisation of Popes John Paul II and John XXIII.

“Today is a great celebration,” said Giuseppe Cannella from Milan, standing on the broad avenue leading to St Peter’s basilica. Ahead of him were Michela Zugno, 23, and Dario Zappa, 24, also from Milan, who had been waiting on Via della Conciliazione since midnight.

“They were both two greats of the church who revolutionised it completely, and it’s important to show that, despite all the difficulties, we young people are here,” said Zugno.

Pope Francis celebrates mass during the canonisation ceremony in St Peter’s Square at the Vatican of Pope John XXIII and Pope John Paul II. Photograph: Max Rossi/ReutersPope Francis was, unusually, joined by emeritus Pope Benedict XVI, his predecessor who resigned last year. The former German pontiff’s presence had been uncertain due to ill health.

The other unprecedented aspect of the event was the canonisation of both John Paul II and John XXIII at the same time. Beatified in 2011, the Polish pope had been on a record-quick path to sainthood since his death in 2005, when pilgrims at his funeral shouted ‘Santo Subito!’ (‘Saint Immediately!’).

John XXIII, however, the Italian pontiff from 1958 to 1963 who called the revolutionary Second Vatican Council, had not been expected to be recognised as a saint imminently as he lacked the second miracle usually required.

Never one to be bound by convention, however, Francis announced the dual-canonisation last year, not long after his election as the Catholic church’s first Latin American pope.

Canonising a hero of liberal Catholics alongside the darling of many conservatives was seen by Vatican observers as an attempt to bring together different wings of the church.

Among the crowds in St Peter’s Square on Sunday morning was a large Polish contingent, which had travelled into Rome on 1,700 coaches as well as charter flights and trains. One of them, Lessek Gretka, 51, was present for Karol Wojtyla’s visit to Poland in 1979 – the first time that a pope visited a communist country.

People prepare to spend the night in Piazza Navona in Rome ahead of the double canonisation. Photograph: Massimo Percossi/EPA“He changed the political situation not just in Poland but in the whole world. We are that generation for whom that means a lot,” he said.

Asked about criticism from the victims of clerical sex abuse who argue Wojtyla did not act quickly enough to curb the actions of paedophile priests, Gretka said he did not think this should be a stumbling block to sainthood.

Oscars 2014: Photobombs, Pizza, Epic selfies and LeoDiCaprio loses again!

Aside from Jennifer Lawrence’s trip-up before heading into the show, a Pizza Hut delivery, Photobombs, the Fashion hits and misses and the world’s most amazing selfie check out the full list of Oscar winners!

Best Supporting Actor: Jared Leto, Dallas Buyer’s Club

Achievement in Costume Design: Catherine Martin, The Great Gatsby

Achievement in Makeup and Hairstyling: Adruitha Lee and Robin Mathews,Dallas Buyers Club

Animated Short Film: Mr. Hublot

Animated Feature Film: Frozen

Achievement in Visual Effects: Gravity

Live Action Short Film: Helium

Best Documentary Short Subject: The Lady in Number 6: Music Saved My Life

Documentary Feature: 20 Feet From Stardom

Best Foreign Language Film of the Year: The Great Beauty, Italy

Achievement in Sound Mixing: Gravity

Achievement in Sound Editing: Gravity

Best Supporting Actress: Lupita Nyong’o, 12 Years a Slave

Achievement in Cinematography: Gravity, Emmanuel Lubezki

Best Actor: Matthew McConaughey, Dallas Buyers Club

Best Picture: 12 Years a Slave

Achievement in Film Editing: Gravity

Achievement in Production Design: The Great Gatsby

Best Original Score: Gravity, Stephen Price

Best Original Song: “Let It Go,” Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez; Frozen

Best Adapted Screenplay: John Ridley, 12 Years a Slave

Best Original Screenplay: Spike Jonze, Her

Achievement in Directing: Alfonso Cuarón, Gravity

Best Actress: Cate Blanchett, Blue Jasmine

Best Actor: Matthew McConaughey, Dallas Buyers Club

Photobombs:

The winner is Benedict Cumberbatch!

Benedict Cumberbatch photobombed U2 early on in the evening, Jared Leto photobombs Kevin Spacey, Ireland Baldwin , Maria Menounos jumped in on Michael Strahan’s red carpet pose , Anne Hathaway photobombed Jessica Biel backstage at the Oscars , Brad Pitt had no idea he was photobombing Jennifer Lawrence and one again Brad Pitt and Benedict Cumberbatch photobombs Ellen and fellow actor Chiwetel Ejiofor.

Ungraceful falls:

The winner is Jennifer Lawrence (again)

 

Jennifer Lawrence just can’t stop falling down at the Oscars.For the second year in a row, the Oscar-nominated actress took a tumble at the Academy Awards — only this time, instead of wiping out on her way to accept a prize, Lawrence fell straight out the gate, and right onto the red carpet.

Pizza:

It’s  a tie between Ellen Degeneres Brad Pitt. She ordered the Pizza but he was the one passing it around and as it seems eating quite a few himself.

Fashion:

Best dressed men:

Several handsome gents stealing the show in their dapper tuxedos. From classic black ensembles (as seen on Brad Pitt) to crisp navy suits (like Zac Efron’s sleek look), the best dressed men of the night all cleaned up quite nicely from head to toe. White and ivory suit jackets proved to be incredibly popular, as seen on Matthew McConaughey, Jared Leto and Ryan Seacrest, just to name a few. And we also have to hand it to Will Smith for an exciting spin on the classic suit. The studly actor added a patterned necktie scarf and chic pocket square for a strong style statement all his own.

Best dressed women:

Most stars played it safe so the few who did take risks stood out even more. Take Lupita Nyong’o. We knew the 12 Years a Slave star was going to wear an attention-grabbing color but we could have never have guessed how gorgeous the “Nairobi” blue Prada she picked would be. Also, adding a splash of color to the sea of shimmering nudes was Jennifer Lawrence who rocked a sizzling orange Dior Couture numberand the Oscar topped her gown with a $2 million diamond necklace. But if we’re talking about the most dazzling overall, it’s probably a tie between Angelina Jolie and Kate Hudson. Ditching her usually black, Jolie shined in an Elie Saab Couture gown and Hudson took the plunge in an Atelier Versace gown.

NUDE TREND:

First, and perhaps most obvious, was the sparkling nude trend. There wasn’t a whole lot of bright color on the red carpet, but we didn’t mind. Glittering nude was the color of the night! Celebs like Julie Delpy (in Jenny Packham), Cate Blanchett (in Armani), and Sarah Paulson (in Elie Saab) all sparkled in resplendent nude.

SIDESWEPT SIDES:

We’re glad to see the rain didn’t keep stars like Kate Hudson, Sandra Bullock or Jessica Biel from wearing their hair down in pretty side swept waves.

STRAPLESS:

Forget the sleeves! It was all about the strapless dress. Jessica Biel (Chanel), Jennifer Lawrence Ddior) and Amy Adams (Gucci Premiere) all showed off their necklines in a gorgeous strapless gown.

DARK LIPS

There weren’t a whole lot of bright red or pink pouts. Instead, stars like Kerry Washington, Margot Robbie and Cristin Milioti all went for a dark lip.

PLUNGING NECKLINES

Something that never fails to raise a few eyebrows is a plunging neckline. This year Kate Hudson (Atelier Versace) , Charlize Theron (Dior), and Lupita Nyong’o (Prada)  nailed the look and thus caused our arches to go up a few inches (in a good way).

Ellen DeGeneres Most Retweeted Selfie