Apple's iPhone 6s Breaks Company's Sales Record

The technology giant announces it has sold a "phenomenal" 13 million iPhone 6s and 6s Plus smartphones in three days.

                             

Apple sold more than 13 million iPhone 6s and 6s Plus smartphones in the first three days of sale - a new record for the technology giant.

Queues formed outside Apple Stores around the world when the phones went on sale on Friday.

Apple sold 10 million 6 and 6 Plus smartphones when the models went on sale last year.

The 6s has a better camera, faster processor and a pressure-sensitive screen for the first time.

Reacting to the figures, Apple chief executive Tim Cook said: "Sales for iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus have been phenomenal, blowing past any previous first weekend sales results in Apple's history.

"Customers' feedback is incredible and they are loving 3D Touch and Live Photos, and we can't wait to bring iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus to customers in even more countries on October 9."

After the launch of the iPhone 6 last year, Apple went on to sell more than 70 million units in three months.

The firm also posted the largest ever quarterly profit by a public company of £11.8bn.

Google Unveils Two New Nexus Smartphones

Both the 6P, which is the first Nexus with an all-metal body, and the 5X have improved cameras as well as fingerprint scanners.

                                 

Google has unveiled its latest Nexus smartphones as it tries to bite into the dominance of Apple and Samsung.

The 5X and 6P will run Google's latest version of the Android operating system, Marshmallow, which the company claims has improved battery life on devices by up to 30%.

The 6P, made by Chinese firm Huawei, is the larger of the two devices and has a 5.7-inch ultra high definition screen as well as the first Nexus with an all-metal body.

At a news conference in San Francisco, the company also claims the 6P has the best-ever camera in a Nexus phone.

It is on the back and has a 12.3-megapixel Sony sensor, which Google says allows it to take better photos in low light.

The megapixel figure is larger than on most other smartphones, including the iPhone.

There is also an 8-megapixel camera on the front, as well as a fingerprint scanner on the back to open the phone and to make payments. It also has a USB Type-C port for fast charging.

Apple buys 11 map startups -- but still trails Google

                               

But HopStop's technology is already fueling Apple's plan to overhaul its maps, which severely lag behind the competition. Analysts say mapping is a priority the company must get right to successfully develop autonomous cars.

"They're not trying to become the better Google for consumers, they have a different plan for this ... which is looking more into the future," said Annette Zimmermann, research director at Gartner Research. "You need maps to have a self-driving car."

In a recent report, Jeffries predicted that Apple could introduce an electric car as soon as 2019.

Apple has a long way to go before it's positioned as a firm with superior mapping capabilities. After all, it's still hard to forget Apple's troubled Maps release in 2012.

"The company has been playing catchup ever since," said PrivCo analyst Chris Pisarski. "This has resulted in a more urgent and aggressive M&A strategy."

Apple has purchased 11 map tech companies since 2009, according to data from PrivCo and Mattermark. But the vast majority have taken place in the last two years.

Earlier this month, Apple acquired a small location data company called MapSense for between $25 and $30 million. Apple has been quiet about the terms of its deals -- most prices are undisclosed. But the HopStop price vastly eclipses some of its other deals: Apple bought it for $1.1 billion, according to PrivCo.

Zimmermann said Apple's strategy has typically been to acquire startups and then shut them down. This differs from Google. When it bought real-time traffic app Waze for over $1 billion, it remained a standalone service. The approach is similar to how it treated another purchase: YouTube.

While Google's mission is to "have as many eyeballs as possible, Apple might be saying, 'I don't need those users. I want that technology,'" said Zimmermann.

Apple's latest operating system upgrade improves on its maps -- they now incorporate HopStop-like transit directions. But it still has a ways to go to catch up to the competition.

One of the reasons? The maps still aren't accessible for users when they're offline. Google, on the other hand, lets users save maps for offline access.

"The bottom line is that Apple maps, in a consumer way, is still not on par with Google and [Nokia's]" added Zimmermann.

Samsung told to stop copying iPhone

     

After a years-long court battle, Apple finally got what it wanted: A federal appeals court ruled Thursday that Samsung smartphones can no longer copy certain iPhone features.

In a 2-1 decision, a federal appeals court in Washington ruled that Samsung has to update its smartphones' software to remove slide-to-unlock, autocorrect and quick link software that directly mimic Apple's similar features on the iPhone.

But the ruling comes long after Samsung has changed the way those features work on its smartphones. For example, you no longer need to slide a button to unlock Galaxy phones -- you can just swipe your finger anywhere on the screen. Samsung's keyboard has also been updated several times since the ruling.

Samsung said in a statement that its Galaxy smartphones will continue to be sold and supported by the company. It also said it is looking for further review of Thursday's decision.

The court said it had granted Apple a "narrow" ruling, saying it did not want to take Samsung's devices off the shelves. Rather, it instructed Samsung to remove the infringing features -- if there are any remaining on customers' devices -- without recalling its smartphones.

BlackBerry To Launch Android Smartphone

After another poor quarter, with worse than expected losses, BlackBerry pins its hopes on a new Android handset called Priv.

                               

BlackBerry has confirmed its latest effort to turn its fortunes around - a new phone called Priv that runs on the Android operating system.

As well as the radical departure from its own operating system, the new handset will feature an 18-megapixel camera.

The troubled firm's phones have previously been criticised for the quality of their cameras.

BlackBerry, which at its peak was the third biggest manufacturer in the market, has been struggling to compete as Apple, Samsung and other smartphone makers have come to dominate the market.

The Ontario-based phone company - formerly known as Research In Motion - reported a loss for the three months to 29 August of  $84m (£55m), far worse than the $58m (£38m) loss that analysts had expected.

However, BlackBerry boss John Chen suggested the worst may now be behind them, saying: "We anticipate modest sequential revenue growth in each of the remaining quarters of fiscal 2016."

In the last year BlackBerry sales in Europe, the Middle East and Africa have nearly halved with sales in the second quarter falling 55% to $202 (£133m).

Shares in the company were 3.5% lower in early trading. They have lost a third of their value in the last 12 months.

Vodafone Broadband Package Deal Breaks Down

The deal with cable company Liberty would have allowed Vodafone to offer broadband, landline and television packages.
                 
                         

Talks to allow the world’s second largest mobile operator, Vodafone, to branch out into broadband and television have broken down without agreement, both sides have confirmed.

The discussions with cable company Liberty Global, which owns Virgin Media, were first announced in June, when Vodafone said it was considering "an exchange of assets" with the firm.

A deal would have allowed both Liberty and Vodafone to converge their resources so each may be better able compete in a European market increasingly leaning towards all-inclusive package offers.

But earlier this month Liberty chairman John Malone said the companies were struggling to progress in the talks, indicating that there was an issue around ensuring any deal would be "mutually successful".

A source close to the companies is now reporting that the discussions fell apart due to a failure to agree on the value of assets held on both sides.

Vodafone's shares dropped almost 4% on Monday morning on the news, while Liberty Global's value was also down.

The telecoms industry is undergoing a period of merger deals after Britain’s biggest fixed-line (landline) and mobile phone operators, BT and EE, agreed to join forces in February.

Groupon is laying off 1,100 employees

                        

Groupon will lay off about 1,100 people over the next year, or about 10% of its staff.

The job cuts are part of the company's bigger plan to consolidate its technology systems and operations, and eliminate non-lucrative international markets from its business, Groupon said in statement on Tuesday.

he layoffs will primarily affect Groupon's customer service and "Deal Factory" teams. The Deal Factory employees research sales leads, maintain relationships with merchants and write the blurbs for the site's deals, according to a recent job posting.

The company is also shutting down operations in several countries: Morocco, Panama, the Philippines, Puerto Rico, Taiwan, Thailand, and Uruguay. Recently, Groupon also closed operations in Greece and Turkey.

"Two years ago, we started the ambitious process of unifying our global technology platforms, tools and processes," the company said in a statement. "Alongside this process, we've also taken a close, honest look at where we do business [and] saw that the investment required to bring our technology, tools and marketplace to every one of our 40+ countries isn't commensurate with the return at this point."

T-Mobile: Get an iPhone 6S for $5 a month

                               

Maybe T-Mobile should adopt Subway's $5 jingle.

T-Mobile is offering new and existing customers an iPhone 6S (16 GB) for $5 a month with an old iPhone 6 or 6 Plus trade-in.

The promotion is part of T-Mobile's "Jump on Demand" contract that lets you upgrade to a new smartphone up to three times a year for free. With the plan, you aren't buying an iPhone -- you're agreeing to pay a certain amount each month for 18 months. At the end of the term, you can keep your phone for an additional $164 (which is $125 cheaper than the retail price of a new iPhone).

                           

Apple Appeal: iPhone 6s Sales Begin

                                  

Apple devotees queued outside the firm's flagship store on London's Regent Street to be among the first to get their hands on the new iPhone 6s and 6s Plus.

The latest iPhones went on sale at 8am - and already promises to be a best-seller.

Apple claims demands for the newest versions of its smartphones could surpass the record-breaking sales of iPhone 6 last year.

The new iPhone 6s comes with an improved camera in both the front and rear of the phone, as well as a pressure sensitive screen - where users can press more firmly in order to open new shortcuts - a feature Apple calls 3D Touch.

It also comes with a rose gold finish on the rear casing for the first time.

Facebook privacy campaign advances after EU court opinion

A privacy campaigner has scored a legal victory that could bolster his attempts to prevent Facebook from being able to pass EU citizens' data to the US authorities.

An opinion issued by the European Court of Justice says that current data-sharing rules between the 28-nation bloc and the US are "invalid".

The decision could affect other tech firms' abilities to send Europeans' information to US data centres.

However, it is not a final judgement.

Although the EU's highest court tends to follow the opinions of its legal adviser, the 15 judges involved have yet to issue a conclusive ruling of their own on the matter.

Even so, Max Schrems - the activist who prompted the case - suggests there could be far-reaching consequences.

"Companies that participate in US mass surveillance and provide, for example, cloud services within the EU and rely on data centres in the US may now have to invest in secure data centres within the European Union," he said.

"This could be a major issue for Apple, Facebook, Google, Microsoft or Yahoo.

"All of them operate data centres in Europe, but may need to fundamentally restructure their data storage architecture and maybe even their corporate structure."

Volkswagen apologises for emissions scandal

Volkswagen's chief executive has said sorry after US regulators found some of its cars disguised pollution levels.

"I personally am deeply sorry that we have broken the trust of our customers and the public," Martin Winterkorn said.

He has launched an investigation into the device that allowed VW cars to emit less during tests than they would while driving normally.

The company's shares were down 19% in Frankfurt by lunchtime.

VW has stopped selling the relevant diesel models in the US, where diesel cars account for about a quarter of sales.

The German carmaker was ordered to recall half a million cars on Friday.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) found the "defeat device" in diesel cars including the Audi A3, VW Jetta, Beetle, Golf and Passat models.

In addition to paying for the recall, VW faces fines that could add up to billions of dollars. There may also be criminal charges for VW executives.

The EPA said that the fine for each vehicle that did not comply with federal clean air rules would be up to $37,500 (£24,000). With 482,000 cars sold since 2008 involved in the allegations, it means the fines could reach $18bn.

That would be a considerable amount, even for the company that recently overtook Toyota to be the world's top-selling vehicle maker in the first six months of the year. Its stock market value is about €66bn ($75bn; £48bn).

RSA shares plunge as Zurich pulls out of £5.6bn bid

Costs from the explosions in the Port of Tianjin in China last month mean the Swiss insurer can no longer afford to buy its British rival

Swiss insurer Zurich has pulled out of its offer to buy FTSE 100-listed rival RSA, scrapping a £5.6bn bid that was first announced in July.

Shares in RSA fell more than 20pc in early trading to 400p following the unexpected announcement, while Zurich shares lost 6pc.

Under Takeover Panel rules, Zurich had until 22 September to make a decision - meaning it has pulled out at the last minute, following almost eight weeks of public discussions that as recently as last week were continuing through due diligence on the tie-up.

It is understood that Zurich management decided during a board meeting on Sunday to end the pursuit of a deal for RSA, with the British firm finding out late on Sunday night.

The Swiss giant blamed the costs associated with the explosions in the Chinese Port of Tianjin last month, which have so far hit $275m.

According to a statement by RSA, Zurich found nothing wrong with the company’s books but had to cancel the bid because its own finances had deteriorated.

Skype outage sees internet calls go down in many countries

Skype, the internet video call service, has gone down for many users around the world, leaving them unable to reach their contacts.

The service, owned by Microsoft, said on Monday morning that many users were appearing as "offline" even when they were connected, meaning they were unable to start making calls.

It said it was working on a fix.

The issue is affecting users in many parts of the world, including the UK. According to Down Detector, which monitors the status of several services, the outage is most prevalent in the UK, Europe and Japan.

"Some of you may experience problems with Skype presence and may not see online. We have detected an issue with the status settings of Skype," the service said on its status page.

"Affected users will not be able to change their status, their contacts will all show as offline and they will be unable to start Skype calls to them.

"We're working on a fix for this issue and hope to have an update for you soon. Please accept our apologies for any inconvenience caused while we get this resolved."

Hundreds of iPhone apps infected in first major attack on App Store

Apple has taken down several apps after hundreds were found to have been compromised by a major attack on the App Store.

In the first significant security issue to affect the usually-watertight App Store for the iPhone and iPad, many were found with malicious "XcodeGhost" code inside of them.

The code found its way into the apps because developers had been tricked into using a modified version of Apple's official software for creating apps, known as Xcode. The code was deeply embedded in the apps, which made it through the Apple reviewers who check every app before they are made available to download.

Security firm Palo Alto Networks said the XcodeGhost code could have reached hundreds of millions of users and taken data such as passwords, although it had not seen any examples of sensitive information being stolen. It said only five App Store apps had previously been found to be malicious.

The malicious software was hosted on Chinese website Baidu, and thus is believed to largely affect apps in China. Some developers download Xcode from unofficial sources in China because it can reportedly take a long time to get it from Apple's servers.

Social network WeChat was one of those affected

iOS 9 launch: Stampede for longer battery life leaves some Apple fans locked out

Apple's new operating system offers iPhone and iPad users better battery life and an improved digital assistant

Apple has launched the latest version of its operating system, which offers iPhone and iPad users a longer battery life.

The free update, named iOS 9, suffered from teething problems after a large number of customers tried to download the program as soon as it was released.

It meant Apple fans were either blocked from downloading iOS 9 or faced hours waiting for it install.

Those who managed to get their hands on a working version enjoyed a new low-power mode that will reduce or turn off non-essential tasks such as visual effects and automatic downloads. The phone also won’t check for new mail or update content for apps in the background as often.

Apple said this will add an extra hour to the device’s battery life, in a bid to solve one of the biggest complaints about the US company’s products.

Apple’s personal digital assistant has also been given a makeover. Siri will now offer more comprehensive results when asked to search for music, films or sports results, or your pictures and videos.

For example, if you listen to music on your way to work, Siri is likely to suggest you use your favourite music app at the time you start your commute.

Meanwhile, new multi-tasking features allow iPad users to use two apps at the same time using a split-screen or “picture-in-picture” function.

The new viewing modes have already been adopted by some of the best-selling apps in Apple Store. The BBC’s iPlayer app now offers picture-in-picture support, so you can write an email while watching EastEnders, for example.

Facebook: 'Dislike' Button Not For Trolling

                                

Facebook is working on a 'dislike' button, its founder Mark Zuckerberg has announced, after years of resisting popular demand for such a tool.

During a question-and-answer session at the social network's headquarters in Menlo Park, California, he revealed the button would allow Facebook users to "express empathy" with their friends.

"People have asked about the 'dislike' button for many years, and probably hundreds of people have asked about this, and today is a special day because today is the day that I actually get to say we are working on it, and are very close to shipping a test of it," he said.

Porsche Unveils Battery-Only Sports Car

London to Birmingham and back on just 15 minutes of charge? The manufacturer says it could be on the roads by 2018



Porsche has unveiled its attempt to target the market for battery-powered sports cars.

The Mission E concept car is capable of 0-60mph in under 3.5 seconds - still short against its rival the Tesla Model S, which claims a 0-60mph in 2.8 seconds.

Porsche has said it could be its first all-electrically powered four-seat sports car.
Parent company Volkswagen said it will be available to buy by early 2018.

Porsche, which revealed the car at the Frankfurt Motor Show, is a little bit behind the curve given that the prototype of the Model S was launched at the same event six years ago.

However, potential customers may be impressed by the charging speed - Porsche says the Mission E will reach 80% charge in around 15 minutes.

They also say it could travel more than 300 miles on one battery charge.

Users Gear Up For Apple's New Software

Check out our initial impressions of Apple's latest mobile operating system, featuring Apple News and revamped Notes.



The latest edition of iOS, Apple's mobile software, is nearly here - with people able to download it on Wednesday.

All devices from the iPhone 4s onwards should receive a notification that the software - iOS 9 - is available to install.

As well as being offered as a free upgrade for owners of older models of the iPhone, it will come pre-installed on the new iPhone 6s and 6s Plus models.

The big new feature is Apple News, a platform which publishers can send stories directly to consumers.

Users choose their favourite news sources, and the articles are then streamlined into one continuously updating feed.

Buying a laptop? Here's how to make sense of Intel's new Core chips

                             

Kids are going back to school and Microsoft released a new version of Windows. That means it's officially laptop buying season.

Buying a new laptop is difficult. You have to choose between a dozen or so computer brands, each with its own multiple lines of laptops, each of which comes in various iterations and confusing specifications. (What's better: The HP Spectre x360 13-4100dx or the MacBook MK4M2LL/A?) It's enough to make your head hurt.

Now you've got yet another consideration: Intel (INTC, Tech30)introduced a new lineup of Core processors on Wednesday, and you've got not one, not two, but six to choose from.

The new chips are Intel's sixth-generation Core processors. Intel claims that the new chips double the performance, triple the battery life and deliver improved graphics over the previous models. The smaller-sized chips will also let PC makers build their new computers to be thinner and lighter.

In addition to a new round of Core i3, Core i5 and Core i7 processors are three new members of the Core family: the Core m3, Core m5 and Core m7.

Intel announced the new chips at the international radio exhibition in Berlin, known as IFA. Like the Las Vegas Consumer Electronics Show in January, IFA showcases the latest and greatest gadgets from the tech industry.

So how do you decide?

Generally speaking, the "i" processors are faster and more expensive than the "m" processors, and the higher numbers are faster and more expensive than the smaller numbers. But determining how much much speed you really need can be tricky.

The best way to figure out which of Intel's six new processors to get is to consider what you plan using your new PC for. Do you want to use it for basic tasks, such as Web browsing, Facebook and Netflix? Do you want to do average tasks, such as using Office, business apps and iTunes? Or maybe you need your PC for advanced tasks, including video editing, gesture control or gaming?

Here's a quick guide:

1. Super-cheap tablet or a tiny PC + basic computing tasks = Core m3.

2. Moderately-priced tablet or tablet/laptop hybrid for average + average tasks = Core m5.

3. Higher-end tablet/laptop hybrid + average tasks = Core m7.

4. Inexpensive laptop or mini PC + average tasks = Core i3.

5. Moderately-priced PC + advanced tasks = Look for a Core i5.

6. High-end, full-powered laptop + seriously advanced computing tasks = Core i7.

Keep in mind that the speed of your processor isn't the only factor that determines how well your PC functions. For instance, more RAM allows you to run more tasks simultaneously, and a solid-state flash drive instead of a mechanical hard drive will allow your PC to boot faster.

But tailoring the processor for your computing needs is generally a good way to ensure that you're getting the right PC.

Intel hopes the new sixth-generation Core chips help to jumpstart the PC market, which has been in a slump. Intel unveiled its fifth-generation chips in January, but PC customers have largely been sitting on their hands, holding out for Microsoft to release Windows 10 (which debuted in late July).

As a result, Intel said over 1 billion PCs in use today are more than three years old, and the PC market is due for a rebound, as customers with older computers look to buy newer models.

The new processors will be available on Macs and PCs, but Intel said they have been designed with Windows 10 in mind. They're optimized for new Windows features, including Microsoft's Cortana voice assistant, the Windows Hello smart-login feature and other Windows-specific features.

Google will now deliver fresh food, competing with Amazon

This year, Google Express will add fresh fruit and vegetables to its online grocery delivery platform in select U.S. cities, in a bid to get you to buy more through its site

The biggest tech companies – Google, Amazon, Uber – aren’t just fighting to take over your mobile phone. They want to deliver your fruits and vegetables.

Google will start testing a delivery service for fresh groceries in two U.S. cities later this year, set to compete with e-retailer Amazon, and startups like Instacart.

According to Brian Elliott, general manager of Google Express, who spoke to Bloomberg, the trial will begin in San Francisco and one other as-yet-unnamed city in the US.

Whole Foods Market Inc. and Costco will be among Google’s partners for the new service, while the company already offers delivery services of non-perishable groceries in Manhattan and Chicago with supermarket Walgreen and others.

The move means Google is now directly competing with Amazon, which launched its Amazon Fresh grocery and fresh food delivery network in the U.S. in 2006. In July, Amazon was rumoured to be trialling drive-through grocery stores in Silicon Valley and a restaurant delivery service, similar toDeliveroo in the UK, in Seattle. These additions signify a big push into food delivery from the retailer, which offers the cheapest grocery delivery service compared to rivals in New York City, according to an April study by Nomura Securities.

Windows 10 downloaded onto computers without users' permission

Microsoft is downloading Windows 10, the new version of its operating system, onto users' computers without them asking for it.

People using Windows 7 or Windows 8 and 8.1 are seeing installation files for Windows 10 appear on their computer after being downloaded in the background.

While the downloads do not automatically install Windows 10, they take up a significant amount of storage space - up to 6GB - and bandwidth to download.

The files being downloaded do not mean that Windows 10 is automatically installed, but once they are present, Microsoft will prompt users to install the software every time a computer is rebooted.

Microsoft, which has made Windows 10 a free upgrade in order to get as many people as possible to install it, said only users who had signed up to automatic updates would have Windows 10 downloaded automatically.

Microsoft's automatic updates are highly recommended for security and efficiency reasons, but many users would not expect this to apply to a brand new operating system that takes a large portion of memory, especially on some portable hybrid devices that may only have 32GB of storage.

The automatic download was discovered by an Inquirer reader, who said he had not signed up to download Windows 10 and did not intend to.

"I thought Microsoft [said] this 'upgrade' was optional. If so, why is it being pushed out to so many computers where it wasn't reserved, and why does it try to install over and over again?" the reader told The Inquirer.

"I know of two instances where people on metered connections went over their data cap for August because of this unwanted download."

Automatic downloads are often unwelcome, as Apple found out last year when it placed U2's latest album in iTunes users' music libraries.

"For individuals who have chosen to receive automatic updates through Windows Update, we help upgradable devices get ready for Windows 10 by downloading the files they’ll need if they decide to upgrade.

"When the upgrade is ready, the customer will be prompted to install Windows 10 on the device.”