iPhone Spying Bugs Revealed By Wikileaks Have Been Fixed, Apple Says

Apple Security Susceptibility - Fixed

The technology company has stated that the store of Apple security susceptibility which the CIA could use in order to infect the iPhones of users has been fixed.Successions of `zero-day’ susceptibilities existing in the intelligence agency had been disclosed by Wikileaks recently. Most of the tools had apparently been established by the British spy agency, GCHQ which is based in Cheltenham. It had been mentioned by Apple that to the best of the company’s knowledge, the bugs which had been disclosed in the leak of 8,761 documents has been fixed in the latest version of iOS – the iPhone as well as iPad operating system.

A spokesman had commented that `Apple is deeply committed in safeguarding the privacy and security of their customers. The technology which has been designed in the present iPhone seems to represent the best data security available to the users and that they are continuously working in keeping it that way. Their products as well as software have been created to get security updates instantly in the hands of consumers with almost 80% of the users utilising the latest version of their operating system.

He had further commented that while their initial analysis portrays that several of the issues leaked had already been patched in the latest iOS and that they would continue to strive to quickly address any identified susceptibilities. They would always urge customers to download the latest iOS ensuring that they have the most modern security updates.

Mobile Development Branch

`Vault 7’ release of WikiLeaks, which is the leading publication of secret CIA documents in the history of the agency, apparently disclosed sequences of bugs which had been developed to let spies monitor targets via iPhones, Android phones, computers as well as Samsung smart TVs together with extensively used devices like Wi-Fi router is also being described by experts as bigger than the leaks of Edward Snowden on the National Security Agency.

The leak provided 14 various iOS vulnerabilities though several of them had been related to the older versions of the operating system. For a long time, iPhone had been considered as more secure than the phone running the competing Google Android software owing to them receiving security updates much more rapidly.

The announcement made by WikiLeaks demanded that the CIA has a specialised unit in its `Mobile Development Branch which is dedicated to iOS devices owing to the reputation of the iPhone in the area of social, diplomatic, political and business elites.

CIA Stored Serious Security Susceptibilities

The significant risk is that nasty groups like foreign government hackers could learn the susceptibilities wherein they could put the daily users in danger. By law the spy agency has been prohibited from gathering intelligence which specifies domestic activities of Americans and is also restricted in how it could collect USA data for counter-intelligence commitments.

Recently WikiLeaks had mentioned that the documents portrayed that the Central Intelligence Agencies stored serious security susceptibilities instead of sharing with the public as called for under a procedure recognised by President Barack Obama.

Tim Cook, chief executive of Apple had fought a public battle with the FBI in connection with the agency’s efforts of compelling the company to unlock an iPhone which belonged to a terrorist. The company had informed that manufacturing a tool of this type would create a backdoor which the criminals as well as foreign states would utilise.

Apple’s Performance in the Stock Market

2016 was a disappointing year for Apple stock owners as the iPhone 6s Plus and 6s failed to meet high expectations. However, Apple has in the past been seen to overcome poor performances and so far, it is already buying back stock with iPhone7 and 7 plus, which are doing fairly well in the market. Early February 2017, the iPhone stock hit $133.82. This move pushed AAPL away from its 2015 intraday trading high of $134.54. However, compared to the previous year, it has been seen to give a better record from the closing price of $133.

Although analysts don’t expect it to beat its all-time highs of previous years, Apple is poised to exceed the current consensus significantly and move a notch higher in 2017. In early February, the iPhone maker reported strong earnings soon after the US stocks were closed. By being the largest US company in terms of market cap, Apple tends to have a great weighting in indexes. During this period, healthcare and tech shares rose by 0.7 percent, giving Nasdaq a boost as the real-estate stocks dropped by 1.1 percent.

Apple Inc. posted 0.16 percent improvement, which beat expectations, leading analysts to raise their price targets. The boost was linked to the strong iPhone sales registered around that period. The stock surge then pushed Apple to a $700 billion market cap. The next expected iPhone model has been reported to contain new features such as 3D sensing that could, in return, contribute to better sales.

In 2016, the annual sales of Apple.inc fell drastically for the first time since 2001, and this caused the firm to cut its CEO’s pay by 15 percent. However, the losing streak was seen to end towards the close of the final quarter of the year when the company began to grow again as a result of iPhone’s demand, especially the 7 plus. For the quarter, there were recorded sales of 78.3 million, which then set a new record. It was believed that the struggle that Samsung Note 7 was experienced helped Apple get on its feet again.

If Donald Trump lowers taxes as promised, Apple is sure to get back the $200 billion held in foreign countries back to the US. This money could be used for buybacks and acquisitions. While Apple stocks have shown a significant improvement, investors in the company hope to see more growth, technology and talent, which have not been managed too well in the past.

So far, Apple can be given credit for maintaining a healthy balance sheet, generating massive cash flow and driving its bottom and top line higher annually. Although Tim Cook is a competent CEO in terms of innovation, he cannot be compared to Steve Jobs who was known to drive sales to greater heights. Despite the comparison, Cook took measures in getting a solution when Apple was headed to the bottom by raising the prices of the iPad. This gave a strong margin and improved earning performances. He said that the sales of iPhone 7 in the first quarter did better than expected internally and that the company was unable to meet demand until January. Buyers may also have been motivated by the two-camera system. In the last quarter, the prices of the iPad were seen to rise, and customers began to shy away from making purchases. In order to gain market share, analysts say that Apple has to lower prices.

Apple is a well-run company that has high potential in the stock market, but right now, it is crowded by a weak consumer environment. The problem is that if the prices of its iPad stay up, it may lose market share. On the other hand, if it lowers the prices, weaker earnings and contracting margins may be experienced, the reason you need to keep watch on CMC markets to see how it will perform in the future. It is reasonable to say that 2016 was financially rough for Apple, but 2017 has a lot of promise. Even during that harsh period, the company was reported to make billions in profit from its massive revenues.

In the new fiscal year 2017, the latest financial results and the stock market shares suggest a positive story in the days ahead. The company has said it will show year to year records of growth, saying it expects to gain great revenue in the next quarter.

Apple Next iPhone Will Have Curved Screen

Apple iPhone 8 rumors don’t tend to go down at all. The latest news has emerged from a reputable media house i.e. The Wall Street Journal which reported that iPhone will opt for a flexible display. It has been found that Apple has placed a huge order for flexible display for its mass production of the iPhone 8. Apple has been closely studying the flexible OLED displays for over a year and it has asked the supplier to furnish prototypes for further research and compatibility with the next iPhone.

If rumors turned out to be true then Apple iPhone will start offering direct competition to the Samsung top end Galaxy S Edge series. Samsung was first major OEM to bring curved screen on a flagship device with the launch of the Galaxy S6 Edge.

Apple testing multiple prototypes

A number of reports has are emerging from varied corners which are suggesting that Apple is investing its time in testing multiple prototypes for its iPhone 8. Apple is simply looking for the best prototype which brings the amalgamation of screen technology and material into the play for its iPhone 8.

Some proptypes makes use of the traditional LCD display while other others boast of OLED & AMOLED. Quite incidentally some of the prototypes don’t even have the classic home button which has become a staple design feature for the iPhones. Apple is performing high end testing of these displays for the glass, aluminum and ceramic chassis.

Enhanced storage for next iPhone

Another rumor has highlighted the fact Apple is considering to release just two models for the iPhone 8 with large storage capability of 64 GB and 128 GB. This means that iPhone will come at a price-tag of anywhere above $1000. It will make Apple iPhone a really high end device which only few will be able to purchase at the end of the day but it also suggests that low cost option will be dumped for once and all.

Just few months ditched the 16GB iPhone when it released the iPhone 7 with the smallest storage option set at 32 GB. It is likely that Apple will continue to follow the suit with setting 64GB at next new base line for the storage option on the iPhone lineup. Rumors related to iPhone 8 are so disparate that one suggests we will get to see three new iPhone models featuring 4.7 inch, 5.5 inch and 5.8 inch version while another suggests that there will be only two devices with 4.7 and 5.5 inch like before.

Like every year Apple next iPhone will be unveiled in the month of September where Cupertino based tech firm will finally showcase what it has been cooking all the year round. One should not forget that this year will be the 10th anniversary for the iconic device of this modern age and Apple will certainly want to bring something new on the plate for the fans and consumers alike.

The iPhone May Soon be Able to Map Your Face for 3 D Selfies

Well, science and technology has moulded our lives and given a new shape in this digital world. Innovation and discovery going hand in have led to the most astonishing products and made our dreams come true. Without technology, we are like nowhere. There is always a healthy competition between the top companies to ace the market. Well, ever since Steve Jobs led Apple has come into the market, they had reached a new height and now the legacy is continued by Tim Cook. Each year apple comes with iPhones especially in the end of September. There has always been curiosity and some speculations about the features of the upcoming about how it will change the market and put an impact in the tech market.

FEATURES

Well, the latest report about the upcoming iPhones is that there would be a 3-D selfie camera. To be more specific, it would be able to amp your face. It will involve both the process of authentication and augmented reality which the new iPhone will be having. The camera would also come handy when you want to check the distance of any object which is quite far away from the lens. If this feature comes into market, then it would only another feather into the cap.

THE COMPETITION

It already uses the technology to organise the photos based on the subjects that gets recognised in the images. To compete with the other stalwart companies like the Microsoft and Samsung which uses facial recognition to unlock the phone, Apple is also trying to bring something new. Well, apple promises to clear the bug or the faults that the users had in facial recognition with HP or other companies. The report states that the Apple has planned to use a depth sensing camera to remove the technical issues as well as other problems.

THE RESULT

The report says that the readings would be more accurate and the users won’t be having any sort of problem using this technology. Day in and day out, we are trying our best to match up to the latest technology and this will increase the desire to experience more. With the help of visual sensors, the make up or any sort of trick can be identified in the upcoming Apple iPhone. It can recognise the dark skin tones as well. The major concern would be the privacy. The technology would map your face but the major concern lies how the identification data would be used. People are still unaware of how Apple would solve this problem and it is a big curiosity among the multitude also.

RAISING EYEBROWS

The matter which would raise the eyebrows of the people is whether the privacy would be maintained by the company or not. And also whether the recognition can be disabled by the user or not. So for the confirmation, we just need to sit back and wait till the actuals beans are spilled. But one thing is pretty sure, that the people will enjoy a new experience from this.

iPhone SE: Still the Best Budget Smartphone on the Market.

When Apple released the iPhone SE back in March of last year, branding it as a budget phone didn't go well with some critics. It was hard to see how being the cheapest iPhone automatically made it a great cheap phone. However, the smart analyst could tell, from day one, that the iPhone SE was the best value for money a smartphone was offering at the time.

As a much-needed update to the iPhone 5S, the iPhone SE remained just as compact while featuring the specs of the then latest flagship, the iPhone 6S. And all that came with a $399 price tag, which was the lowest launch price we'd ever seen on an iPhone, outdoing even the iPhone 5C, which began life at $549.

How Apple made the iPhone SE so cheap

The iPhone 5C was Apple's first major attempt into the realm of budget smartphones and, at first glance, it sure looked cheap. It was the first iPhone to feature a plastic case which, while giving the customer a variety of color choices, offered a build quality that couldn't match the steel and aluminum materials that were native to previous devices.

Despite the obvious compromises, the iPhone 5C started at $549, only $100 cheaper than the equivalent, premium flagship, the iPhone 5S. Of course, the iPhone 5C's price has since dropped considerably and, perhaps, it is now the budget phone that was promised. Regardless, it's still hard to ignore the fact that what Apple called "budget" at launch, was only a few dollars away from the premium price range of $600 and above.

Fast-forward to three years later, in 2016, and the tech giant was back, unveiling another "budget" phone. Many people took the news of an upcoming cheap iPhone as a plastic version of the iPhone 6S, Apple's flagship at the time, but were shocked when the iPhone SE came out with the iconic iPhone 5S design.

Sure, the SE wasn't the cheapest budget smartphone around. But, with high-end hardware and a friendly price tag, it was a proper fit for the “budget” category. Consequently, the world wondered how Apple managed to offer such exemplary value, when their earlier attempt, the iPhone 5C, had failed.

The explanation we got was that Apple used several components from older existing iPhones to make the SE. In fact, the $399 handset supposedly cost the Cupertino company only $160 to make, leaving the rest as profit. In addition, instead of making different versions for each carrier, the phone was made to work across all services, which saved on R&D and manufacturing.

These, among a number of other reasons, enabled Apple to finally give the world a smartphone worthy of the prefix "budget."

The iPhone SE: Features and Specs

What makes the SE a decent budget smartphone is the balance it offers between cost and high-end specs. Despite its resemblance to the iPhone 5S, the phone is far superior.

Design

 

The SE is designed to offer all the features of a fully-fledged flagship in a package that's much smaller and easier to handle. The blueprint might be old, but the phone still represents quality engineering. Its brushed metallic back is hard and rigid but feels cool to touch. One-hand use is easy, regardless of the size of your hands.

Display

 

Sporting the same 1136 x 640 resolution 4-inch display as the iPhone 5S, the SE's screen is undoubtedly its weakest feature. Nevertheless, it remains perfectly sharp for its size. Compared to the current AMOLED screens on modern Samsung devices, colors are less vibrant and punchy, but still "true" and accurate.

Sound

Audio from the bottom-facing speaker is surprisingly decent for such a small handset. Maximum volume isn't as high as some similarly-priced phones, but the sound is well balanced, and there's even a hint of bass.

Performance

Neither the design, the display or the audio makes the iPhone SE special, but scratching the surface reveals an entirely different beast. The gadget is equipped with a dual-core A9 processor and 2GB of RAM, which is the same configuration you get with the iPhone 6S.

This might not seem like much when you put the specs sheet side to side with top-flight Android phones, but the SE is among the most powerful devices you can buy at its price. General performance is incredibly fast, and not even the most demanding games are too much for the little iPhone.

Camera

Things get even more interesting when you touch the camera icon. The rear iSight camera has the same 12MP sensor as the iPhone 6S, which means you'll be making use of one of the best phone cameras around.

Both pictures and videos are of excellent quality, and the "easy to use" camera app makes the shooting experience pleasant overall. In comparison to some of the SE's high-end rivals, colors look more natural and life-like, and the noise is kept to a minimum, even in low light photography.

Battery

 

Lastly, despite the Li-ion cell being only a smidgen larger than the one on the iPhone 5S, the SE's battery life is more than 50 percent better than the older model’s. This is, in large part, a result of efficiency improvements that come with the A9, which reduce power drain significantly.

Still the best budget smartphone? 

 

The iPhone SE has a lot going on. In fact, the only significant trade-off a customer would be making if they choose it over the 6S is the smaller size. It's a solid phone that will please anyone looking to strike a bargain.
That said, it has been nearly one year since the SE first hit the shelves and, with the release of the iPhone 7 last year, it's no longer the latest offering from Apple.

The iPhone 7 might not come with radical redesigns, but new features such as water resistance and stereo speakers push the SE back through in the pack. Moreover, the flagship is powered by the new A10 CPU, which is much faster and more efficient than the A9. The SE might only be a generation behind, but it's aging.
On the bright side, however, the phone still offers more than most do at the same and even higher prices. Its impressive hardware coupled with impeccable iOS optimization makes it fast, smooth and stable with any app or game.

So, what raises doubt as to whether the SE is the best budget smartphone today is more the size than the age. If you're coming from a larger phone, it'll take a bit of time to adjust to the small screen, and you'll likely be better off with something bigger but within the same price range, like the Moto G4 or the LG Nexus 5X.
Nonetheless, anyone who loves being able to bend their leg when a phone is in the front pocket will feel at ease with the iPhone SE.

To the compact lover, therefore, the SE is indeed the best budget phone on the market.