iPhone cameras may get even better thanks to one Israeli company

The iPhone’s camera is already pretty awesome, maybe even the best smartphone shooter out there. Now Apple may be looking to widen its lead after acquiring LinX, an Israeli company with some exciting new mobile camera technology.

What sets LinX apart is the decision to use multiple miniature aperture cameras in a single model instead of just one larger lens. The result is a sensor that captures each scene and object from multiple angles, creating a sort of 3D model. It’s also very good for capturing what the company calls “near flat surfaces” like walls, which would otherwise lose some detail.

Apple confirmed the deal to The Wall Street Journal, though there’s no word on how much it paid or what Cupertino plans to do with the new technology. If it does end up included in future iPhones and other devices, that could mean some exciting new camera features.

We might get something similar to HTC’s Duo Camera, which lets you change focus after taking a shot, or it might be more like Google’s 3D-scanning Project Tango. More likely, Apple will simply offer high-quality SLR-style photos using the newly-acquired technology.

Depending on how quickly Apple moves, we may see LinX technology show up in new devices later this year. An improved camera could be a nice update for the iPhone 6s or even future iPads, though it’s far too soon to know anything for sure.

The next Apple iPhone body might utilize 7000 series aluminum

According to a new report on the web, the successors of iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus might have a body made of 7000 series aluminum. The innovative alloy is currently utilized in the entry-level Apple Watch Sport.

Commonly used in competition bikes, the 7000 series aluminum is 60% stronger than regular aluminum alloys, yet it offers one-third of the stainless steel’s density. In the case of the Apple Watch, the Cupertino giant has treated the lightweight metal with microscopic zirconia beads, which give the metal a nice satin finish.

New aluminum alloy might not be the only innovative feature in the iPhone 6 family. Recent reportsuggests that the successor of iPhone 6 Plus will pack a Force Touch sensor.

Apple is expected to unveil the next iPhone family at some point in September. Until we hear an official word from Cupertino, we suggest that you take all rumors with a grain of salt.

Source (in Chinese) | Via

Gresso gives the iPhone 6 a luxury treatment

Gresso, the US company that become famous for its luxury mobile devices, has now decided to stud into Apple territory. The latest piece of opulent tech it added to its portfolio is the iPhone 6, but a version complete with exclusive materials, like titanium and 18K gold.

The iPhone 6 by Gresso bears pretty much the same visual style as the manufacturer's recent Regal Android line and also employs most of the same materials and crafting techniques.

Looking at the photos, most of the customization on the Apple device has been done to the back, while the front glass and button have been left unchanged.

The phone comes in three hand-crafted flavors. The G1 features a titanium case and 64GB of onboard memory, while the more-expensive G2 and G3 have a black PVD coating and 128GB of storage. All three feature an engraved logo and unit number, ranging from 1 to 999 for each of the models. In the G1 it is placed on top of a titanium plate, in the G2, it is made of 18K white gold and the G3 gets it in yellow gold.

Gresso refers to the design as "Luxury Minimalism" and frankly, we have seen a lot weirder and questionable attempts at bringing luxury to a handset. The US company also boasts improved durability in the handcrafted devices. Directional polishing is courtesy of a single craftsman and upwards of 4 hours of manual labor.

Naturally, the price tags are quite beefy. The "budget" G1, void of gold and PVD is priced at $3000, while the G2 and G3 come in at $5000. The phones are already available on the manufacturer's website, so high-rolling Gresso fans can now opt for an iOS device as well.

Source

Mophie intros Space Pack for iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus and iPad mini

Mophie on Thursday officially expanded its Space Pack portfolio of products with new cases that provide additional storage and extra juice to the iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus and the iPad mini. The company also announced its new Space 2.0 application, that helps those devices manage external files stored on the Space Packs, and an external “Spacestation” that serves as a battery/storage device and works with iOS/Android/Mac and PC.

The iPad mini Space Pack offers 128GB of additional storage and a 7,000mAh battery that can be used to fully charge the device once. The Space Packs for the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus offer 3,300mAh and 2,600mAh batteries, respectively, and can provide up to an additional 128GB of storage for your smartphone. Finally, the external Mophie Spacestation offers a 6,000mAh battery with 2.4A of power and up to 128GB of storage. It can be synced with iOS, Android, Mac and PC devices.

All of these products work with the new Mophie Space (2.0) application that can be downloaded from the iTunes App Store or Google Play. It “automatically organizes any file downloaded to a user’s device into smart collections, making media easy to manage and simple to find.” The app also provides an option to share files wirelessly with Macs or PCs over Wi-Fi networks.

The iPhone 6 Plus Space, iPhone 6 and Spacestation devices start at $149.95 for 32GB of storage and range up to a 128GB model that will set you back about $299. The Spacestation ships in 1-2 days while the Space Packs are expected to ship in May.

Apple planning to release three new iPhones later this year

Apple has built a formidable track record of sticking with pretty much the same release cycle for its iPhone models. Handset releases come a year apart and have mostly been following a "tick-tock" scheme with the S models.

Ever since the iPhone 5, we have begun to expect a new iPhone every September and there is no reason to believe the Cupertino tech giant will deviate from this schedule with the next round of smartphones. A new rumor, courtesy of industry inside sources, has come to our attention that might shed some light on the upcoming phones. And, we have to say, it is pretty much what everybody expected.

According to the information, Apple is working on two natural successors to the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, named iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S Plus. But there is still somewhat of a plot twist in the story, as the US company will allegedly be bringing back the infamous C model, in the form of the iPhone 6C.

This is quite an odd choice, indeed, seeing how the iPhone 5C was quite a failure and widely regarded as a shameless effort to trick buyers, not to mention an affront to Apple's trademark style. But, perhaps, sales report tell a different story and make the idea of a iPhone 6C a viable market strategy.

The rumor goes on to detail that the C model will feature a 4-inch display, which is kind of odd, seeing how the form factor was last seen a generation ago in the iPhone 5c and 5s, so there might still be hope that the 6C is more than a stripped down iPhone 6.

The is further proved by the rumor that all three devices will be equipped with LTPS panels, courtesy of Japan Display and LG for the 6S models, as well as Sharp for the 6C. Then again, the two 6S version should be powered by the all new A9 chip, while the rumor states that the 6C will have the A8, found in current models, so things can still go either way for the little handset. We have also heard that the iPhone 6S will pack 2GB of LPDDR4 RAM in a previous rumor.

Corning Gorilla Glass, NFC and fingerprint scanning technology will also be found in all of the models. Wistron should be in charge of manufacturing the 6C units and the rest are left to Foxconn Electronics (Hon Hai Precision Industry) and Pegatron.

We should note, that the above is a rumor and while it does sound pretty logical and believable, should be taken with a grain of salt, perhaps even a spoonful.

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Gold Dream thinks dragons and lions make the iPhone 6 cooler

Swiss company Golden Dream has unveiled a selection of customized iPhone 6 and 6 Plus that will satiate your thirst for gold, alligator leather, carbon fiber, skulls and dragons. As usual, prices are not for the faint of heart, but where else can you get an 18ct hand-crafted gold dragon with ruby eyes?

That's the top of the line model. The dragon is coiled in an infinity symbol and sits on alligator leather and surrounded by 24ct gold rims. The leather can be had in Deep Red, Red as well as Black. The Red dragon has green tsavorite eyes.

  
The Black Dragon • Red and Deep Red Dragons

If you prefer a lion, you can have one hand-painted by a French artist. This model goes for CHF 6,800 (that's $6,865 these days).

 
The Lion edition

Or what about a skull? It's made of 18ct gold just like the dragon and polished to a mirror finish. It's placed on alligator skin in Black or Blue.

  
Black Skull • Ghost Skull * Blue Skull

Other options include Ruby Ostrich leather and Black Python leather, these have no adornments. A gold-painted leather is also an option if that's your thing, all these include 24ct gold trim.

  
Ruby Ostrich • Black Python * Desert Gold

You can also have alligator leather in a wide variety of colors with the Desert Collection or go for Carbon Fiber in Black, Silver or Gold. The Carbon Gold edition is CHF 5,790 ($5,845) for 128GB storage, while the White Carbon edition is CHF 4,390 ($4,430).

  
Carbon Gold • White Carbon * Black Carbon

    
    
The Desert collection

Source | Via