Pokémon Go (stylized as Pokémon GO) is a free-to-play location-based augmented reality mobile game developed by Niantic and published by The Pokémon Company as part of the Pokémon franchise. It was released worldwide in July 2016 for iOS and Android devices.
The game allows players to capture, battle, and train virtual Pokémon Go Plus, is planned for future release and will alert users when Pokémon are nearby.
Pokémon who appear throughout the real world. It makes use of GPS and the camera of compatible devices. Although the game is free-to-play, it supports in-app purchases of additional gameplay items. An optional companion Bluetooth wearable device, the
The game received mixed critical reception. It was praised by some
medical professionals for potentially improving the mental and physical
health of players, but attracted some controversy due to reports of
causing accidents and being a public nuisance to some locations. It was
one of the most downloaded smartphone apps upon its release, and was a
boon to the stock value of Nintendo, which owns a part of The Pokémon Company.
Will Apple ditch its 16GB entry-level model with the iPhone 7?
July 2, 2016 update: Chinese shopping site Weibo has
posted prices for three iPhone 7 models, with storage tiers starting at
32GB -- twice the capacity of the current entry-level iPhone models. In
2014, Apple doubled the top two tiers of the iPhone from 32GB and 64GB
to 64GB and 128GB (and kept pricing the same). Earlier this year,
analyst firm Trendforce predicted that the iPhone 7 would support 256GB
of storage space, matching the iPad Pro and offering lots more room for
apps and videos.
In addition, Apple has been awarded a US patent
for a system that can force an iPhone into disabling video-recording
functions at concert venues. The system uses infrared signals to send
messages to your phone to tell it to shut down video recording. Apple's
patent illustration shows a phone at a concert with the words "recording
disabled" on screen. It's not known whether Apple plans to put the
patent into use, and it's highly unlikely that this technology will
appear in iOS 10 or the iPhone 7.
Editors' note: This story was originally posted on December 14, 2015 and has been updated regularly.
iPhone 7: All the rumors about the specs, design and features of Apple's 2016 iPhone
Announcement and release dates
According to Apple's traditional cadence, iPhone models always debut
in the fall. That changed on March 21, 2016, with the introduction of
the iPhone SE, a new model that combines the look of the iPhone 5S with the soul of the iPhone 6S.
That noted, the iPhone SE is a relatively minor, mid-cycle update that
brings little to the table in terms of design, features, or specs.
Given this, there remains a pervasive expectation that we'll see the
next major iPhone update, right on schedule, in the fall of 2016.
Design
For the past several years, Apple's iPhone updates have followed a
predictable cycle: major design changes in even-numbered years, followed
by "under the hood" tech upgrades that keep the same basic physical
chassis in odd-numbered "S phone" years. For 2016, then, a total
redesign is a near certainty -- possibly with some dramatic innovations.
However, the iPhone 7 may buck this trend. According to
Barclays analyst Mark Moskowitz, supply chain murmurs indicate that the
iPhone 7 won't have "any must-have form factor changes," suggesting that
we'll see only a few modest refinements and perhaps some newer internal
components. In this vein, MacRumors has suggested that the iPhone 7 will have a design that's "very similar" to that of the iPhone 6 and 6S, though without the antenna bands that run across the current generation.
Clearly, Cook's May interview with Jim Cramer was meant to dispel this theory.
Apple may introduce a third variant. According to tech blog site Mobipicker, the company has already begun production of its 2016 iPhone lineup.
The portfolio would include an iPhone 7, an iPhone 7 Plus -- and an
iPhone 7 Pro or Plus Premium. Apple device makers Foxconn and Pegatron
have reportedly bumped up staff to handle all three versions, reported
Mobipicker. We shall see.
Apple Patent Application Publication (US 2015/0357741 A1).
Given the regularity with which folks drop phones in toilets and
other bodies of water, could Apple develop a water-resistant or
waterproof chassis? (By the way, here's what to do when it inevitably happens to you.) Other manufacturers have already gone there, of course: Samsung with the Galaxy S5, Sony with its Z5 Premium and Motorola with its entry-level Moto G. Still, the fact that Samsung did not make the Galaxy S6 waterproof suggests that it's not a critical feature for most consumers.
In recent months, multiple sources (of varying reliability) have reported that the iPhone 7 will be waterproof and dustproof. Business Insider
reports that Apple has filed for a new waterproofing-related patent.
Titled "Electronic Device with Hidden Connector," the application
suggests that ports could be covered with a "self-healing elastomer."
According to the patent description, iPhone ports equipped with this
technology would be covered with membranes, which could be penetrated by
a headphone or USB connector, for example, and which would seal back up
once the connector is withdrawn.
Building on this narrative, 9to5Mac reported
that Apple is developing a new set of Bluetooth earphones that could be
introduced simultaneously with the iPhone 7. The fruit of the company's
acquisition of Beats Electronics, the new earphones, potentially called "AirPods," are rumored to be completely wireless, similar to the Motorola Hint.
One of the most active categories of iPhone predictions involves the
home button. In June, analysts at Cowen and Company predicted that the
iPhone 7 would have a "Force Touch" home button. According to Business Insider's
coverage of the report, "Instead of a physical mechanism, Apple will
use its 'Force Touch' technology and a motor inside the iPhone to
provide the sensation that the button is being physically depressed."
Replacing the traditional, slightly concave iPhone button, a new home
button would sit flush with the front of the phone, and would capably
convey the sensation of pressing a button -- without an actual button.
As CNET reported earlier,
recent iPhone innovations -- specifically the pressure-sensitive 3D
Touch screen and increasing always-on hands-free functionality of Siri
-- have diminished the need for a physical home button altogether. Could
Apple unveil an iPhone without a physical home button?
That
would also allow the large top and bottom bezels to shrink, effectively
allowing Apple to squeeze a larger screen into the same size body. The
trick, of course, would be keeping the all-important Touch ID
fingerprint sensor somehow integrated into the device.
9to5mac.com reports that in 2015 Apple filed a patent for a transparent
fingerprint sensor embedded into a smartphone display. First published
in May 2015, the patent application outlines three sensor technologies,
including "ultrasonic imaging" that could be embedded into a display and
deliver greater accuracy than the current iPhone's Touch ID capacitive
sensor.
iOS 10 public beta arrives today, and this is what you can do with it
Apple's newest version of its mobile software iOS becomes
available today for a public test drive. Is the beta for iOS 10 worth
it? I've been using it for a long weekend, with a preloaded version on
an iPhone 6S provided by Apple. As always, going with a beta OS is a bit of a risky journey on your everyday phone -- if you're curious, read Apple's FAQ and sign up, but I recommend you do it on a secondary device.
iOS 10 does have a handful of things that make it worth trying. That
being said, it feels largely familiar at first, or second, or third
use. I'd say it's a pretty subtle set of updates: call it the Service
Pack for iOS 9.
And some things -- like the more advanced Siri that works with
third-party apps -- can't even be tested yet because no apps exist that
fold into it. So I came away feeling a little less than excited about
iOS 10. But hey, as a free update, it has a lot to offer.
f you do decide to download iOS 10's public beta, here's what you should check out.
Raise to Wake: Yes, it's been on Android
phones for years, but it's really nice to have on an iPhone. I pick up
the 6S and my messages are there. No button-pressing. It also means,
since I'm not pressing Touch ID, that I don't just zip past the
on-screen notifications. I linger there a bit longer. Now, however, you
have to press the Home button to get past the lock screen, which
sometimes feels like one step too many (or I've become truly lazy).
Bedtime reminders come to iOS in the Clock app.
Sarah Tew/CNET
Gentle wake-ups: Did you know that iOS 10 has a new bedtime and wakeup reminder system in the Clock app? It's pretty great. Similar to what Fitbit just added,
it recommends a bedtime schedule to stick to. In the mornings, it'll
wake you up with gentle, rising music. New tones are available: "Early
Riser," "First Light," "Helios" and "Birdsong." My morning music test
was a lot more comforting than the stock set of Apple alarms. I slept
through a few minutes of music, but I still woke up on time.
Apple Music gets a fresh look, but a similar function.
Sarah Tew/CNET
Apple Music:
The beta shows off Apple Music's touted new redesign. It's really just a
fresh coat of paint, but it does make finding things seem a little
simpler. Menus are cleaner. I still think there are too many features
and alleys in the Apple Music labyrinth. Apple hasn't claimed the new
Apple Music will be any more or less harsh to your iCloud Music library
(mine has been mutated over time the more I've used Apple Music, as
downloads have weirdly merged with my own files). So far, I've noticed
it's easier to search for things.
Lots of novelties in Messages, like emoji translation.
Sarah Tew/CNET
Messages get funky:
You've probably heard, but Messages can now do all sorts of wacky
things. Open the app and try it with someone else who has iOS 10 beta.
Invisible ink. Slamming. Super-large emoji. Balloons, lasers, stickers.
You can type something and have the emoji-translating keyboard convert
words for you. Scribbling on video clips, sending simulated heartbeats
like Apple Watch:
it's all there, but scattershot. I found it hard to locate where all
the parts were. Messages will support third-party apps, but right now
all you can play with are four sticker packs that just feel like more
emoji.
Delete Stocks, or iTunes, or nearly anything:
You can remove Apple's core nonremovable apps...or most of them. No,
they're not really erased, but they do disappear from your phone. They
can be restored via the App Store like a regular app. Be careful,
because you might forget which apps you've removed! It's a welcome thing
for Stocks and News (or Apple Watch if you don't want to buy one), but
some apps still can't be removed: Health, Photos, Wallet. Or the App
Store.
Automatic collections sometimes feel random.
Sarah Tew/CNET
Photos gets Memories: All
your photos in Apple's iCloud Photo Library are now scanned using
machine learning to collect into moments, or are organized by faces and
places like Google Photos. This worked with my photo library, splitting
things up in various discoverable categories. It took a day to get
everything scanned, but then I saw Memories such as "Best of the Year
2015," "United Kingdom 2014 Trip," "Best of Last 3 Months" and "Father's
Day 2015." The only problem was, I couldn't play any of the
Apple-generated memory videos that collate your bests into a musical
montage like Google and Facebook already do. Maybe it's a bug.
Selfies straight from the Control Center.
Sarah Tew/CNET
3D Touch Notifications, app widgets and Control Center:
If you have a 3D Touch iPhone 6S, there's more you can do now. Apps now
have little widgets with extra info, and the control panel has new
settings for things like flashlight or the camera. I'm not wild about
the Control Center redesign, which shifts music playback to a second
pane and doesn't add anything new to the first pane. Home appliances
will appear in a third pane if you add things to Apple's Home app. But
the extra use of 3D Touch could mean a lot less app opening down the road.
Yes, a Home app: Confused about Smart Home? Apple's new app is here, and it lets you connect HomeKit-ready
appliances in one convenient place. Unfortunately, I have no
HomeKit-ready appliances. And the app didn't start me off in a way that
helped me understand what I needed to buy next. So I couldn't test it.
Predictive text:
You can type something like "I'm free at," or "Where are you," or "What
is Jane's phone number?" and iOS 10 will fill in the missing pieces for
you. In theory. For me, it didn't work. I have no idea why. Maybe
you'll be luckier.
Redesigned Maps: I actually
tried driving using the new design, and the clean look made it easier to
see on a dashboard. But the third-party apps that can hook into Maps
aren't here yet.
Redesigned News app: I'd say
the redesign here is so subtle you might not even notice it. And, you
may or may not have even used Apple's News app in the first place. It's a
fine news aggregator, but nothing great.
I'd say iOS 10's
first beta on the iPhone adds up to some useful additions, but nothing
that's hugely groundbreaking. And I started to find all the various
sub-features and functions confusing to keep track of, or even to
manage.
The biggest improvement it could bring still isn't here:
third-party apps that can hook into these new, more open features like
Messages, Siri and Maps. Whether apps will step up and make the most of
it remains to be seen. There's more to come with iOS 10, of course: this
is just the first dip in the pond. The full feature set is still not fully available to use.
While the technology world is waiting with bated breath for the final decision in the ongoing battle between the FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation) and Apple over a government request for a backdoor to the iPhone used by San Bernardino terrorist Syed Rizwan Farook, it exposes the issue of security that has for long been the selling point in smartphones that dates back to the long-encrypted BlackBerry.
“The tech industry tries to build the most secure products possible,” says Harvey Anderson, chief legal officer at computer security company AVG Technologies.
On the market today, there is no genuine way for consumers to keep themselves secure against the privacy concerns raised by likely government-instructed backdoors in mainstream phones.
That’s the reason why some people believe that the Apple-FBI fight may give tech companies a long-term motivation to build products that are safe which cannot be hacked. “If Apple had done it right, and no backdoor was available (to iPhone 5c), this would not be an issue,” Anderson said.
Jonathan Zittrain, an Internet law professor at Harvard Law School says that the Farook case in the end “compels Apple to build a next-generation, ultra-secure phone”.
How secure is my phone compared with the other brands available – will be the question on any ordinary users’ mind who are concerned about privacy until such new, super-secure phones are built.
According to comScore MobiLens, phones that use the Android operating system with 53% of market share are the most popular worldwide and in the United States.
These Android phones come in many favors. Google made the decision to give away its software when it first launched Android in 2007, and not tie it to any one device or carrier. That means that today there are exactly dozens of marginally different types of the Android operating system running on phones built by multiple companies and using the cell networks of dozens of companies.
Four out of five smartphones are powered by Android worldwide, due to the openness that makes Androids cheaper and popular. However, it also means that based on what flavor of the operating system is being used, such as what the hardware is and which carrier the phone runs on, the phones’ security can vary enormously.
The latest version of Android, Marshmallow, that was released last October is used on new phones, the phone is fully encrypted on all devices that support a secure lock screen. However, older phones that were updated to Marshmallow may not be fully encrypted as they may not meet the necessary requirements.
Though stronger versions of encryption are possible, Android Marshmallow uses AES 128-bit encryption as the default. Generally used in phones, Advanced Encryption System is a standard first established by the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology. The bigger the bit number, the more tougher it is to break the key. However, anything from 128-bit on up is regarded as reasonable, as the key length is normally not the weakest link in a phone’s security.
The open app system of Android is considered by many as the main security threat to Android phones. While Apple’s apps must all be examined by the company to run on its phones, Google allows users to run unapproved apps as well. An outsider can be allowed access to the phone, if the apps that are not purchased from Google’s own app store can contain malicious code.
Samsung’s Knox (most probably after the super-safe Fort Knox) is an example of a feature built around security. Knox that was first announced in 2014 works only with selected Samsung phones, as it integrates directly with the hardware. Apple’s iPhone:
Apple is mostly considered as having the most secure mainstream phones on the market today, a place once held by BlackBerry. Since the release of iOS 8 in 2014, all Apple phones have been fully encrypted. The system uses an AES 256-bit key from iOS 9 forward.
The company’s rigorous inspection process and firm sandboxing system that keeps apps from accessing other apps keep Apple phones protected from malicious apps.
At present, Apple has about 41% of U.S. smartphone market share.
The first version of Microsoft’s mobile platform was the Windows 8.1 operating system that supported full-device encryption. However, it comes disabled by default and the phone’s administrator must enable it.
Windows 10 Mobile also support encryption, which must be turned on by the customer.
Currently, Windows handsets are not believed to be very susceptible to app-based attacks, partly as the platform has a somewhat small app library that is basically believed to be relatively free of malware.
For those wanting strong security, the BlackBerry was the device of choice for years, as they offered a safe network and chip-level hacking protections that was lacking in others. For at least a decade, BlackBerry’s have been fully encrypted.
However, Blackberry is no longer a feasible option for many companies, as the phone’s market share had shrunk to less than 2% in the United States in 2015.
There is a phone with high security and high prices to match for those for whom security is vital.
By default, Silent Circle’s $799 Blackphone 2 provides full device encryption. The enterprise-grade phone works through Silent Circle’s own Silent OS, an operating system built around privacy and with Android.
The game received mixed critical reception. It was praised by some
medical professionals for potentially improving the mental and physical
health of players, but attracted some controversy due to reports of
causing accidents and being a public nuisance to some locations. It was
one of the most downloaded smartphone apps upon its release, and was a
boon to the stock value of Nintendo, which owns a part of The Pokémon Company.
