Apple-assigned Metaio patent illustrates rumored augmented reality glasses

Rumors that Apple is working on augmented reality glasses have been growing for some time, and a patent application published today shows how the same approach might be adapted to both a smartphone screen and smart glasses. It also describes how the two devices might be used in tandem.

This embodiment is particularly useful when using a head-mounted display comprising the camera and the screen. For example, the head-mounted display is a video-see-through head-mounted display (HMD). It is typically not possible for the user to touch the head-mounted screen in a manner like a touchscreen. However, the camera that captures an image of the real environment may also be used to detect image positions of the user’s finger in the image. The image positions of the user’s finger could be equivalent to touching points touched by the user’s finger on the touchscreen …

We first heard back in March that Apple was aiming to debut AR features on the iPhone before later launching smart glasses, with a leaked document later suggesting that the company has gotten as far as testing prototypes.

These reports have been echoed since, with one analyst suggesting this might be behind Apple’s $200M investment in glass supplier Corning, which also makes the Gorilla Glass used in iPhones.

The patent published today was the work of AR software developer Metaio, which Apple acquired back in May. A number of its patents have since been assigned to Apple, including an earlier one covering AR use for interior design and animated movie posters.



Spotted by Patently Apple, today’s patent illustrates AR being used both on a smartphone only, and in a hybrid approach where augmented images appear on both smart glasses and phone. The idea is that the user can use the phone to interact with images seen in the glasses.

The mobile device may perform an action related to the at least one point of interest if at least part of the computer-generated virtual object blended in on the semi-transparent screen is overlapped by a user’s finger or device held by the user.

The patent was filed in April of this year and published today. As always, it’s worth noting that Apple patents all kinds of tech that never make it to market, but given the company’s enthusiasm for augmented reality, rumors about smart glasses do seem at least credible some way down the line.

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There's a hack that might save your bootlooping Nexus 6P or 5X

The last generation of Nexuses (Nexus? Nexsi?) were unfortunately plagued with hardware problems. The Nexus 6P suffered from early shutdowns due to a faulty battery sensors, and the 5X had the famous bootloop bug (which my own 5X eventually fell victim to). The 6P suffered from bootloops as well, to an extent, but now there's a possible fix for the problem on both phones.

XDA member XCnathan32 posted a potential fix for the bug, which involves flashing a modified boot.img file and a custom build of TWRP. But how does it work, you may ask? Like many modern mobile CPUs, the Snapdragon processors on the 5X and 6P use a "big.LITTLE" architecture. This means that the phone uses low-power CPU cores during less-intense workloads to reduce battery usage, and switches to high-performance cores if more power is required.




This hack disables the "big" cores on the 5X and 6P, leaving only the less-powerful "LITTLE" cores active. For some reason, this fixes the bootloop bug. Unfortunately, this leaves your device with only 4 active cores, so you'll probably notice some lag. But if you're out of warranty, a slow phone is probably better than a bootlooping one.

The fix was initially developed for the Nexus 6P, but was ported to the 5X by the same user. I'm unfortunately out of town at the time of writing, so I'm unable to test the fix on my own Nexus 5X (I don't own a 6P), but there are a few users claiming success. If you want to try your luck, you can find both hacks below.

• Source:


• XDA Forums - 6P bootloop fix,


• 5X bootloop fix

Apple Releases macOS Sierra 10.12.6 With Security and Stability Improvements

Apple today released macOS Sierra 10.12.6, the sixth update to the macOS Sierra operating system that launched in September of 2016. macOS Sierra 10.12.6 comes two months after the release of macOS Sierra 10.12.5, an update that introduced a headphones audio fix, enhanced Mac App Store compatibility, and more.

macOS Sierra 10.12.6 is a free update for all customers who have a compatible machine. The update can be downloaded using the Software Update function in the Mac App Store.

There were no bug fixes, feature additions, or other changes found in macOS Sierra 10.12.6 during the beta testing process, suggesting the update focuses on security improvements and other small enhancements.




macOS Sierra 10.12.6 is likely to be one of the last updates to the macOS Sierra operating system, as Apple is preparing to shift focus to macOS High Sierra, the next version of macOS. Apple introduced macOS High Sierra at the Worldwide Developers Conference on June 5.

 

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Apple Releases iOS 10.3.3 With Bug Fixes and Security Improvements [Updated]

Apple today released iOS 10.3.3 to the public following several weeks of beta testing with six betas provided to developers and public beta testers. iOS 10.3.3 comes more than two months after the launch of iOS 10.3.2, a minor bug fix update.

iOS 10.3.3 is a free over-the-air update available to all users with a compatible iOS device. It can also be downloaded and installed on iOS devices using iTunes on a Mac or PC.




No outward-facing changes or features were discovered during the short beta testing period, so it appears iOS 10.3.3 focuses on bug fixes, security enhancements, and other minor improvements, much like iOS 10.3.2.

Apple's work on iOS 10 is winding down as the company prepares to launch the next-generation version of iOS, iOS 11, which first debuted at its Worldwide Developers Conference in June. iOS 11 will see a release in the fall following a summer of beta testing. With work shifting to iOS 11, iOS 10.3.3 is likely to be one of the final updates we see to iOS 10.

Update: Apple has shared detailed notes covering the bug fixes that were introduced in iOS 10.3.3. Among the fixes is an update for a major vulnerability that would have allowed hackers to execute code on the Broadcom Wi-Fi chip built into many iOS devices. This issue was also previously addressed in iOS 10.3.1.

 

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Magisk v13.3 released with fixes for the latest SafetyNet detection methods

This is becoming a common refrain, but Magisk has been updated to bypass SafetyNet, again. Just a few days ago Magisk developer topjohnwu told us that he was hard at work on a fix. While he wasn't able to provide a firm date at the time, he may have over delivered on his promise of "soon." The latest update, v13.3, escapes SafetyNet detection. Your Magisk Manager app should prompt you for an update sometime soon.

If you haven't been following, in the past few weeks Google has been hard at work trying to detect SafetyNet circumvention through Magisk. Google rolled out two new detection methods for the application in as many weeks. But, topjohnwu says, "there is still a long way till I run out of ideas."




You can download the latest version over at the dedicated XDA thread for releases, but I was able to update all my devices quickly via Magisk Manager. Just open the app, wait for it to search for updates, install the Magisk Manager apk update that should appear in your notifications, re-open the app, and then tap "Download & Install" to pull down the latest zip. You don't have to do things in that order, but if you do, you'll see a snazzy new verbose output during the installation process. And, once you reboot, you'll be ready to tap, pay, and Poké to your heart's content.



The latest update was able to work around Google's new detection method by resetting the props Google was using to detect Magisk via the new aptly-named "resetprop." Basically, it's an extension of the workaround found previously by XDA user Tobi@s, but now it persists after reboots. Magisk Manager was also massively rewritten (as shown above) with a flashy new verbose installation screen.

 The seemingly endless game of cat and mouse between Google and Magisk hasn't ended yet, but Google isn't resting. I wouldn't be surprised to see another update made to SafetyNet soon with a new method of detecting Magisk. Thankfully, topjohnwu is around to keep things interesting. At least in the meantime, users who choose to root, or who need Magisk just to pass SafetyNet on a custom ROM, can do so without repercussions.

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HOW TO REMOVE FRP GOOGLE ACCOUNT FOR SAMSUNG S8 & S8+

Factory Reset Protection (FRP) is a security method that was designed to make sure someone can't just wipe and factory reset your phone if you've lost it or it was stolen. Starting with Android Lollipop, FRP is "standard" in vanilla Android, and most companies making our phones have implemented it in their own models. It's a good thing — it makes a stolen phone harder to use, which makes it less appealing to thieves, and anything that can protect our data on a phone we've lost is welcome.

 

Easy Procedure: 100% Tested

1. Download the Combination file below according to the model.


2. Put the phone in Download Mode


3. Flash with combination file using ODIN (Put the file in AP)


4. After rebooting locate the SETTINGS/Developer Option then enable USB Debugging.


5. Turn off the phone then put in Download Mode.


6. Open ODIN then Put the Stock Firmware Downloaded Below. (Take Note : Put only BL, AP and CSC Files)


7. After flashing the phone reboot in normal mode, Go to Settings/ Developer Option then TURN ON UNLOCK OEM.


8. Go to Factory reset then RESET ALL


9. Thats It!!!

 

DOWNLOAD LINKS

• SAMSUNG S8:
  
  
  
  • COMBINATION:
    
    
    
    • G950F / FD: COMBINATION_FA70_G950FXXU1AQD1.rar (736M)
    
    
    • G950U: COMBINATION_FA70_G950USQU1AQCF.tar.md5.zip (868M)
    
    
    
    
  
  
  • STOCK:
    
    
    
    • G950F/ FD: SM-G950FD_1_20170426144539_ri5e7x03my_fac.zip (2,9G)
    
    
    • G950U:
      
      
      
      • Verizon: VZW_SM-G950U_1_20170428211000_foby9bbm2n_fac.zip (3,4G)
      
      
      • T-Mobile: TMB_SM-G950U_1_20170525191040_2jy9ku0sf0_fac.zip (3,4G)
      
      
      
      
    
    
    
    
  
  
  
  
  • G950F Combination File and Stock ROM  Tested File
  
  
  
  








• SAMSUNG S8 Plus:
  
  
  
  • COMBINATION:
    
    
    
    • G955F / FD: COMBINATION_FA70_G955FXXU1AQD1.rar (736M)
    
    
    • G955U: COMBINATION_FA70_G955USQU1AQD8.tar.rar (748M)
    
    
    
    
  
  
  • STOCK:
    
    
    
    • G955F/ FD: SM-G955FD_1_20170426145639_pp45pq6btn_fac.zip (2,9G)
    
    
    • G955U:
      
      
      
      • Verizon: VZW_M-G955U_1_20170428211201_v6rfqwm8uz_fac.zip (3,4G)
      
      
      • T-Mobile: TMB_SM-G955U_1_20170428131901_e8sfuiimfn_fac.zip (3,2G)
      
      
      
      
    
    
    
    
  
  
  
  


• TOOL: Odin 3.12.3


• DRIVER: SAMSUNG_USB_Driver_for_Mobile_Phones.zip (15.3MB)

 

 

iPhone 8' to Come in Four Colors Including New 'Mirror-Like' Option

Apple could make its upcoming OLED iPhone available in four different shades, including a new "mirror-like" reflective version not seen before in previous models. That's the latest claim from mobile leaker Benjamin Geskin, who shared an example image via Twitter over the weekend showing what the new color option could resemble.

The image the leaker provided is just an iPhone in a third-party reflective case, but it offers some idea of what a purported "mirrored" handset might look like if Apple decided to offer such a design as part of its color options.






Geskin offered no details regarding the source of his information, so there's no way to verify the claim, but it follows predictions from KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo earlier this month that Apple's flagship iPhone model could come in limited "boutique" color options, alongside more typical "S" cycle updates to the existing iPhone 7 line-up.

No clarification was forthcoming regarding the other three color options for the redesigned iPhone, but it's possible some of them could be plucked from the existing six iPhone 7 shades currently available, which include jet black, black, gold, silver, rose gold, and (PRODUCT)RED.

Last week's prominent and perhaps most controversial rumor was that the new iPhone may not include TouchID at all, with Apple favoring some sort of face recognition technology as a replacement security feature. The rumor muddied the waters regarding the future of Apple's fingerprint recognition, with previous rumors appearing to indicate that the company had come up with a solution to integrate TouchID in an OLED display, with facial recognition used as an additional security feature via new 3D sensors in the front-facing camera.

Otherwise, Apple's major iPhone redesign is said to include some form of wireless charging, a faster A11 processor, and a glass body. The 5.8-inch "iPhone 8" is expected to be announced in September.

 

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Apple Predicted to Become Trillion Dollar Company Within 12 Months

Apple's stock price has declined around 9 percent from its all-time high of $156.10 in May, but Wall Street analyst Brian White believes the recent sell-off represents "yet another buying opportunity" as investors turn their focus to the so-called "iPhone 8" rumored to launch this fall.





White believes Apple remains "among the most underappreciated stocks in the world," according to his research note distributed to clients today. A copy of the report was obtained by MacRumors.

In our view, Apple's quarterly results will be less important this summer as investors are focused on the iPhone 8 this fall, along with the company's raised capital distribution initiative, depressed valuation and new innovations as showcased at WWDC. We still believe Apple remains among the most underappreciated stocks in the world.

White, an Apple bull, added that the upcoming iPhone cycle is setting up Apple to reach his $202 price target over the next 12 months, which would value the iPhone maker as over a trillion dollar company based on market capitalization. Apple's current market capitalization is around $737 billion.

Similar to the bottoming process in Apple during the summer of 2013 that drove a strong rally into the spring of 2015, we believe the bottom in the stock during May 2016 and the upcoming iPhone cycle is setting up Apple to reach our $202.00 price target over the next 12 months.

In May, RBC Capital Markets analyst Amit Daryanani also said Apple could reach or exceed a trillion dollar market cap within 12 to 18 months, with a stock price of $192-$195. Like White, Daryanani said the "iPhone 8" will be a major catalyst towards Apple's path to a trillion dollar valuation.

White maintains the highest price target for Apple's stock among all institutional analysts. AAPL closed at $142.73 on Thursday.

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Qualcomm files suit against Apple, seeking import ban for infringing iProducts

The Apple vs. Qualcomm drama has taken a turn for the dramatic. Today Qualcomm has fired back its own complaint against the ITC, and filed a suit in California, claiming that Apple is infringing on Qualcomm's patents and that an import ban on the infringing products is justified. The suit is only against products which use modems "other than those supplied by Qualcomm's affiliates," which, presumably, means the Intel modems that Apple has chosen to use in some models. 

Qualcomm claims that the six patents included in the suit are not part of any industry standard and that it is therefore not obliged to offer to license them as part of those standards. Qualcomm also released an interesting infographic PDF about the suit, as well, for anyone interested in how the company is choosing to market the details of the case.



Most of the patents in question don't seem to point to hardware (except #8,487, 658) but almost exclusively apply to optimizations in software to improve performance. Qualcomm's marketing fact-sheet doesn't do a great job of illustrating what each does since it reduces most things down to the technical level of "data super-highways," but you can generally understand it. Generally, they apply to methods of saving power, often while transmitting data, by cutting the right corners.

Qualcomm expects the ITC to respond in August, and that the case filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California will begin next year. Both the ITC complaint and the lawsuit are almost assuredly a response to Apple's suit filed earlier this year.

I hate to editorialize too much in this circumstance, but the content and complexity of this matter almost beg it. So if you don't want my opinion on the subject, you can stop here and consider yourself informed about the general details of the case.

Even leaving aside the curiosity that Qualcomm isn't also pursuing an action against Intel for being the manufacturer and supplier of the potentially infringing modems, I think it's fairly clear that this is just a counter-claim being made to force Apple to back down or commit even more resources to the fight. While it's possible their claims are legitimate, the timing is questionable. Meanwhile, Qualcomm is still in the middle of an FTC antitrust investigation, and in the press release for this lawsuit, it is advertising the fact that the patents involved aren't being FRAND licensed. It's stunning. That image alone, I think, is illustrative.

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