iPhone 6

798 'iPhone 6' stories January 2013 - October 2014

The iPhone 6 ($199 and up from the Apple Store) is quite possibly the most popular product Apple currently sells. Equipped with a 4.7″ Retina HD display, the iPhone 6 has 1334×750 resolution at 326PPI, boasting increased color accuracy and a wider viewing angle than prior iPhones. Three capacities (16/64/128GB) and three colors (gold/silver/space gray) are available.

Apple has upgraded the iPhone 6 with a second-generation 64-bit A8 chip, delivering 25% faster CPU performance and up to 50% faster graphics than the iPhone 5s. Despite the superior processing and a thinner body, the iPhone 6 improves a little upon the battery life of the iPhone 5s, though not to the extent of the (much larger) iPhone 6 Plus. Apart from battery, screen, and small camera differences, the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus have identical hardware: 802.11ac Wi-Fi support, Voice over LTE with Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, and others abroad, and Wi-Fi calling using T-Mobile in the US. It also has a Touch ID sensor with full support for secure Apple Pay transactions, both in retail stores and online.

The 8MP iSight camera has been improved. Although the 1.5µ pixels and ƒ/2.2 aperture aren’t hugely different from before, there’s an all-new sensor that improves focus, face detection, and digital image stabilization. The iPhone 6 lacks an optical image stabilization feature found in the iPhone 6 Plus, but camera performance is extremely similar. Video can be recorded in 1080p at 30 or 60fps, with slo-mo video at 120 or 240 fps. Small hardware improvements to the front-facing camera come from a new sensor and a larger ƒ/2.2 aperture, as well as H.265 video support for much smoother FaceTime calls.

Even with a larger screen and improved hardware relative to the iPhone 5s, the iPhone 6 measures only 6.9mm thick, versus the iPhone 5s’s 7.5mm and the iPhone 6 Plus’s 7.1mm. It is easier to fit in a pocket than the iPhone 6 Plus, which some users will like.

Photo by freestocks.org on Unsplash

Live blog: Apple’s Q4 2014 earnings call

Mike Beasley Oct 20 2014 - 1:51 pm PT

1 Comment

As we mentioned last month, Apple is scheduled to host its quarterly conference call today to discuss its earnings report from the fourth quarter of its fiscal year: this includes 39 million iPhones, 12.3 million iPads, 2.6 million iPods, and 5.5 million Macs. Apple already reported today that it earned $42.1 billion in revenue during its Q4 period.

This quarterly conference call with analysts and investors will include the opening weekend of iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus sales which included a record 10 million sales including 4 million units sold during the first 24 hours of pre-orders. It will also be the first call since Apple previewed the Apple Watch to the public, shipped iOS 8 and OS X Yosemite, and introduced new iPads and a Retina 5K iMac, although sales for those devices are not included in the previous quarter. Apple CEO Tim Cook and Apple CFO Luca Maestri will also likely mention Apple Pay, the company’s mobile payment service which launched for iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus users earlier today.

Investors and analysts will have an opportunity to ask Tim Cook and company questions during the earnings call and we’ll be listening to bring you coverage starting at 5pm EST/ 2pm PST.
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Apple announces Q4 2014 revenue of $42.1b: 39m iPhones, 12.3m iPads, 5.5m Macs

Zac Hall Oct 20 2014 - 1:34 pm PT

14 Comments

Apple today announced its Q4 2014 earnings results reporting that the company earned $42.1 billion in revenue and $8.5 billion in profit during the quarter.

“Apple® today announced financial results for its fiscal 2014 fourth quarter ended September 27, 2014. The Company posted quarterly revenue of $42.1 billion and quarterly net profit of $8.5 billion, or $1.42 per diluted share. These results compare to revenue of $37.5 billion and net profit of $7.5 billion, or $1.18 per diluted share, in the year-ago quarter. Gross margin was 38 percent compared to 37 percent in the year-ago quarter. International sales accounted for 60 percent of the quarter’s revenue.”

In addition to reporting its earnings, Apple has disclosed sales numbers for its main revenue generators. The company sold:

iPhone: 39.272 million, up 16.2%
iPad: 12.316 million, down 12.5%
Mac: 5.52 million, up 20.7%
iPod: 2.62 million, down 25.1%
iTunes: $4.208 billion, up 8.2%
Accessories: $1.486 billion, up 12.7%

Totals:

Revenue: $42.123 billion, up 12.4%
EPS: $1.42 per share, up 20.3%

Apple CEO Tim Cook had the following to say regarding the results:

“Our fiscal 2014 was one for the record books, including the biggest iPhone launch ever with iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO. “With amazing innovations in our new iPhones, iPads and Macs, as well as iOS 8 and OS X Yosemite, we are heading into the holidays with Apple’s strongest product lineup ever. We are also incredibly excited about Apple Watch and other great products and services in the pipeline for 2015.”

Apple CFO Luca Maestri added this:

“Our strong business performance drove EPS growth of 20 percent and a record $13.3 billion in cash flow from operations in the September quarter,” said Luca Maestri, Apple’s CFO. “We continued to execute aggressively against our capital return program, spending over $20 billion in the quarter and bringing cumulative returns to $94 billion.”

Apple’s stock price, which closed at $99.76 (up 2.14% today following the launch of Apple Pay) is up during after-hours trading as well crossing the $100 mark at certain points.

During Apple’s fourth quarter, the company shipped the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus to customers and closed on its deal to acquire Beats Electronics and Beats Music. During the previous earnings call with investors and analysts, Apple CFO Luca Maestri shared that the company will begin separately reporting earnings from Beats in 2015.

These numbers compare to last quarter’s results of $37.4 billion in revenue and sales of 35.2 million iPhones, 13.2 million iPads, and 4.4 million Macs. You can also compare today’s numbers to analyst expectations from before the announcement. Apple is holding a conference call today at 2 PM Pacific/5 PM Eastern time to discuss the quarter’s earnings, which we will be covering live. Cook and Maestri will likely share prepared remarks and then take a series of questions at the end from financial analysts.

For Q1 2015 Apple is providing guidance between $63.5 billion and $66.5 billion. The full Q4 earnings results release is below:

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How to set up Apple Pay (Video)

Dom Esposito Oct 20 2014 - 1:20 pm PT

19 Comments

Apple has released iOS 8.1 and with that, we have Apple Pay support. This is Apple’s new mobile payment platform that takes advantage of the NFC capabilities of iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus. This will allow you to make purchases in stores that support Apple Pay using supported cards from a growing list of banks. Setting up Apple Pay is very simple and we’ve put together a quick tutorial to walk you through the process…

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Apple iPhone 6 Plus vs Samsung Galaxy Note 4 – Full comparison (Video)

Dom Esposito Oct 20 2014 - 10:02 am PT

46 Comments

Today we’re going to be comparing Apple’s iPhone 6 Plus to Samsung’s Galaxy Note 4. I realized that there are a limited range of “comparisons” that can happen between these two devices, but we’re going to touch on some of the most important factors between the two such as design, software, features, and cameras.

I’m not going to make this a battle between iOS and Android as many people have their own preferences which lead them to one platform or another. Either way, these two devices are shaping up to be the most coveted large screen smartphones of 2014 and it makes sense to compare them and help you make an informed decision…

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Apple releases iOS 8.1 with Apple Pay, iCloud Photo Library, SMS Relay & Instant Hotspot, more

Zac Hall Oct 20 2014 - 9:57 am PT

103 Comments

Just as Apple announced at its iPad & Mac event last Thursday, iOS 8.1 is now publicly available with new features including Apple Pay, iCloud Photo Library, and additional Continuity features. Apple Pay is available for iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus users for making payments for purchases with the new iPhone rather than a physical credit card in supported retail stores and apps; iPad Air 2 and iPad mini 3 users will be able to use Apple Pay within supported apps as well. In addition to iOS 8.1, Apple also released version 7.0.1 for third-generation Apple TV boxes.

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As Apple Pay launches, Eddy Cue says “a lot of work to do,” predicts slow retail take-up

Ben Lovejoy Oct 20 2014 - 4:06 am PT

25 Comments

On the day that Apple Pay goes live, SVP Eddy Cue has told the WSJ that the company “has a lot of work to do” on the service, suggesting that initial take-up may be slow – with in-app purchases making up the largest share of transactions in the short-term.

We’re trying to do something that I think is a game changer and it requires a lot of people to play together. There’s a lot to do here and we have a lot of work to do, but it should be huge.

Although the list of retailers who have committed to Apple Pay looks impressive, it is far from comprehensive, with some big names missing – including the largest retailer in the US, Wal-Mart …
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Dropbox app updated with iPhone 6 optimizations, Touch ID unlocking

Benjamin Mayo Oct 20 2014 - 3:42 am PT

3 Comments

Popular file-sharing / file-syncing app Dropbox has updated its iOS app to version 3.5 today, with some nice improvements. The app now takes advantage of all available resolution on the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, rather than in a scaled iPhone 5s form. Dropbox doesn’t do anything novel with the additional space, but there is benefits to being able to see more items in a folder list at a time. The quality of file previews are also noticeably improved because of the additional screen size, with photo viewing mostly affected.

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Apple posts reminder & streaming link for Oct 20 Q4 earnings call

Ben Lovejoy Oct 17 2014 - 6:30 am PT

2 Comments

If you’d like to listen in to Apple’s Q4 earnings call at 2pm PT on Monday, Apple has now posted the link for the live audio stream: www.apple.com/quicktime/qtv/earningsq414. It will also remain available for replay for around two weeks afterwards.

The webcast is available on any iPhone, iPad or iPod touch running iOS 4.2 or above, as well as any Mac running OS X 10.6.8 or later. Windows users can also listen in so long as they are running QuickTime 7 or later.

Apple’s revenue guidance is quite broad at $37-40B, with a gross margin of 37-38%. We’re unlikely to learn anything specific about iPhone 6/Plus sales, as Apple generally doesn’t break down the numbers by model, but the overall sales figures will give us a good steer.

Analysts remain positive about AAPL following event, focused on iPhone and Apple Pay

Ben Lovejoy Oct 17 2014 - 5:00 am PT

14 Comments

While the relatively modest iPad updates might have led to a flurry of ‘Apple is doomed’ reports from analysts, an early roundup by Fortune suggests that the consensus view so far remains positive. Most are rating it a buy or overweight – meaning they expect it to outperform typical stocks – with the majority setting a target price in the $112-120 range …

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iPhone 6 finally goes on sale in China with little fanfare

Ben Lovejoy Oct 17 2014 - 4:12 am PT

7 Comments

The iPhone 6/Plus finally went on sale in China this morning after regulatory delays, in contrast to last year’s launch of the iPhone 5s and 5c in China on the same day as the US …
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GT Advanced informs over 700 Mesa, Arizona employees that they will be laid off by December 15

Mike Beasley Oct 16 2014 - 5:35 pm PT

13 Comments

Apple’s bankrupt former sapphire supplier is seeking to shut down its Mesa, Arizona plant and has informed 727 employees that they will be laid off between today and December 15th, according to AZ Central. The breakdown of the jobs being cut includes:

…524 production workers, 108 technical positions, 70 management jobs and 25 administrative jobs, according to the notice signed by Linda Luman, vice president of human resources for GT.

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Rdio announces CarPlay support, 320 kbps audio, & iPhone 6/6 Plus optimizations

Jordan Kahn Oct 16 2014 - 1:58 pm PT

0 Comments

Rdio today announced support for CarPlay, allowing its users to listen and control content from the subscription music service using the built-in touchscreen of CarPlay-enabled vehicles.

CarPlay Support. Control Rdio playback and navigate your favorites and playlists from the built-in display in CarPlay-enabled cars.

Vehicles with CarPlay, Apple’s new feature that brings an iOS-like experience to in-dash touchscreens connected to an iPhone, first hit the road earlier this year in pricey new Ferrari models followed by an aftermarket solution from Pioneer. The service only has a handful of app partners so far, but we noted in our recent review that not all apps are playing nice with the feature yet. Apple currently lists iHeartRadio, MLB At Bat, Spotify, Stitcher Radio, CBS Radio, and its own Podcasts and Beats Music apps as supported apps.
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The latest stores and apps to accept Apple Pay (Running list)

Zac Hall Oct 16 2014 - 1:56 pm PT

40 Comments

Update: Visit Apple.com/ApplePay for the latest information on where to use Apple Pay in stores, and featured Apple Pay apps for iPhone and iPad here.

With Apple Pay launching on Monday with iOS 8.1 for iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus users, Apple CEO Tim Cook shared an update at today’s special event with additional retailers and iOS apps that will accept Apple Pay at launch or have committed to accept Apple Pay in the future. According to Apple’s microsite for Apple Pay, the company has added 16 additional retailers and venues with plans to accept Apple Pay at launch or in the future. In addition to those retailers and venues, Apple has added 12 additional apps that plan to accept Apple Pay starting on Monday or sometime after the launch date.
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Facebook adds Safety Check feature to iOS app to reassure family & friends during disasters

Ben Lovejoy Oct 16 2014 - 3:53 am PT

3 Comments

[vimeo 108971365 w=800 h=450]

Video has no commentary

Facebook has added a nifty new feature that hopefully you won’t need to use too often: notifications of nearby disasters, and a one-touch means of letting family and friends know that you’re ok …
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Internal Panera Bread memo claims Apple Pay will launch on October 20

Mike Beasley Oct 15 2014 - 2:51 pm PT

4 Comments

An internal memo sent to Panera Bread employees and acquired by 9to5Mac has revealed that Apple will launch its mobile payment platform on Monday, October 20th. Panera Bread was listed as one of the initial launch partners for Apple Pay during its introduction last month.

An online training course for employees has been published that includes instructions for the VeriFone readers, including the Apple Pay functions. Stores that don’t have the appropriate hardware to support the technology will receive further information on the 20th about how the company plans to handle payments those locations.
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Facebook and YouTube release iPhone 6/Plus app updates

Zac Hall Oct 15 2014 - 10:43 am PT

13 Comments

After more than a month since the new iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus screen sizes were announced, Facebook has released an updated version of its iPhone app to take advantage of the bigger screens. The new app features a smaller navigation bar and shows more content on the screen. Facebook had previously updated its Messenger app for the new iPhones, although its alternative Facebook Paper app is still awaiting an update.

YouTube also released an updated version of its iPhone app today optimized for the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus screen sizes. This means you can see more video suggestions from the main page as well as well favorites and subscriptions from the side bar.

The status bar and keyboard are also native to the larger iPhone models versus the previously scaled up versions on the new iPhones with the old app. YouTube 2.13 for iPhone and iPad also includes a number of bug fixes for the app:

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Morgan Stanley adds AAPL to Best Ideas list for investors, citing high iPhone 6/Plus margins

Ben Lovejoy Oct 15 2014 - 7:22 am PT

1 Comment

Morgan Stanley’s Katy Huberty has added AAPL to its Best Ideas list of investments, saying that increased margins from iPhone 6 sales see the stock “set for significant upside.”

While Credit Suisse had earlier suggested that margins on the iPhone 6 would be lower than that of the iPhone 5s and 5c, Huberty says that numerous sources are suggesting that more people this time are opting for the middle storage tier, thus pushing up both average selling price and margins …
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Sonos Controller app updated for iOS 8 & iPhone 6/Plus, Sonos Boost support

Jordan Kahn Oct 14 2014 - 8:43 am PT

2 Comments

Sonos today updated its Controller app for iPhone and iPad bringing full support for iOS 8 and optimizations for the new larger iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus. The app, which offers control of wi-fi connected Sonos audio hardware, also now supports the company’s new Sonos Boost enterprise-grade wi-fi extender accessory:

This update includes support for SONOS BOOST, an accessory that provides enterprise-grade wireless performance for your Sonos system so you get unparalleled reliability – even in homes that are known to have wireless connectivity problems.

Announced earlier this year, the Sonos Boost accessory is available starting today from the Sonos website and other retailers. The Boost will sell for $99 USD, slightly higher than the similar but less powerful $49 Sonos Bridge the company previously offered. “Similar to the BRIDGE ($49 USD), BOOST connects directly to your router to create a dedicated network, allowing all your Sonos speakers and components to talk to each other, with up to 50% greater wireless range.”

Version 5.1.1 of the Sonos Controller app for iOS is available on the App Store now.

What’s New in Version 5.1.1

SUPPORT FOR SONOS BOOST
This update includes support for SONOS BOOST, an accessory that provides enterprise-grade wireless performance for your Sonos system so you get unparalleled reliability – even in homes that are known to have wireless connectivity problems.

SUPPORT FOR NEW APPLE DEVICES AND OPERATING SYSTEMS
This update includes support for iOS 8, including support for iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus.

This is how McDonald’s will take Apple Pay at the drive through

Zac Hall Oct 13 2014 - 9:40 am PT

47 Comments

Over the weekend we detailed how Apple and retailers are preparing for Apple Pay, the iPhone 6 and Touch ID-secured mobile payment system launching as soon as this week, including the setup process through Passbook. At launch Apple Pay will be supported by a number of retailers, restaurants and more including McDonald’s which plans to even accept Apple Pay from your iPhone 6 at the drive through…
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GT Advanced court filings reveal $50M penalty Apple imposes for leaking product information

Ben Lovejoy Oct 13 2014 - 6:43 am PT

16 Comments

Not much is known about Apple’s deals with its suppliers, but court filings by former sapphire supplier GT Advanced reveal that the contract included a $50M penalty for any leak of Apple product information, reports the Financial Times.

While the amount of the penalty clause may vary according to the size of the supplier, it seems likely that a substantial leak penalty is a standard condition of supplying product components to Apple – though the number of leaks over the iPhone 6 suggests that such penalties offer limited protection.

Contracts between Apple and its suppliers will undoubtedly be subject to strict non-disclosure agreements, but lawyers for GT Advanced are asking the court to allow details to be made public …
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Apple rolls out iPhone 6/Plus to 36 more countries this month

Ben Lovejoy Oct 13 2014 - 5:48 am PT

13 Comments

Apple has announced that it will be rolling out the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus to an additional 36 countries this month, bringing the total number of markets to 69. The latest rollout will begin with India and Monaco alongside China on Friday.

Apple today announced that iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, the biggest advancements in iPhone history, will arrive in 36 additional countries and territories across Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Latin America and Africa by the end of October. iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus will be available in a total of 69 countries and territories by the end of the month and are on track to be available in more than 115 countries by the end of the year, making this the fastest iPhone rollout ever …

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iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus preorders estimated to exceed 20 million units in China

Benjamin Mayo Oct 13 2014 - 4:28 am PT

17 Comments

Last time we checked in, Tencent had reported four million iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus unofficial reservations had been recorded. In an update today, the site now says that combined preorders (which began on Friday) from sales channels have exceeded 20 million.

Via Digitimes, which originally found the post from Tencent:

The report stated that pre-orders on website Jingdong Mall reached nearly 10 million over the period, which coupled with orders direct to major telecom providers and Apple pushed total orders to 20 million.

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Leaked A8X chip teases more powerful iPad Air 2 as Touch ID button appears

Mark Gurman Oct 11 2014 - 10:21 am PT

46 Comments

Ahead of next Thursday’s Apple event, new images purportedly showing parts for the new, full-sized iPad have emerged. Photos re-published by blog apple.club.tw show a full logic board for the new iPad Air as well as parts for the new Home button, glass screen cover, and audio control components. At first glance, the new iPad Air logic board does not reveal too much new, but adjusting the colors of the image shows a fairly unexpected addition: an A8X system-on-a-chip:

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Boost Mobile to offer prepaid iPhone 6/6 Plus for $100 off starting Oct 17

Zac Hall Oct 10 2014 - 10:05 am PT

6 Comments

Sprint prepaid subsidiary Boost Mobile announced today that it will begin carrying the new iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus for customers starting next Friday on October 17th. As it has done in the past with the iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c, Boost Mobile will carry the new iPhone models for $100 off the usual retail price of each device. Below is Boost Mobile’s full pricing lineup for each storage capacity of both the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus:
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