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   The  Netherlands  consumer watchdog has rejected Apple's proposed App Store changes to allow dating app developers to use third-party payment systems. According to the Coalition for App Fairness, Apple's latest proposal for dating-app providers deemed insufficient by the Dutch Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) order. "Apple's latest proposal to comply with the Dutch ACM order, which requires the company to allow dating app developers to select the in-app or out-of-the-app payment solution of their choice for the apps they offer in the Dutch Store Front of the App Store, has once again been rejected," the coalition said in a statement late on Monday. The Dutch regulator has already charged  Apple  millions in fines and the tech giant could face further penalties. Apple's proposal, which came 10 weeks after it was required to pay 50 million euros in penalty fines, was rejected because it imposed unnecessary requirements creating friction with the a...

   Tech giant  Microsoft  has reportedly launched a new feature for Office Insiders that will allow  iPhone  users to listen to documents with their screen locked. According to Windows Central, the Insider version of Word on iOS now supports listening to documents even when a device's screen is locked. Additionally, the Insider Office Mobile app now keeps track of PDF email attachments sent to Outlook. The documents will appear within the Shared tab in Office Mobile. "Using this feature on your iOS device is a great way to step away from the screen and give your eyes a break while listening to documents," reads the changelog from the Office Insider website. "Now we have added the capability for this feature to continue reading even after your device screen has locked," it added. The report mentioned that being able to find all PDFs that were sent as email attachments should be a handy feature for Office users as well. Microsoft  positions the Office ap...

Having a tough time recognising your neighbours behind their pandemic masks? Computers are finding it more difficult, too. A preliminary study published by a US agency on Monday found that even the best commercial facial recognition systems have error rates as high as 50% when trying to identify masked faces.   The mask problem is why  Apple  earlier this year made it easier for iPhone owners to unlock their phones without Face ID. It could also be thwarting attempts by authorities to identify individual people at Black Lives Matter protests and other gatherings. The National Institute of Standards and Technology says it is launching an investigation to better understand how facial recognition performs on covered faces. Its preliminary study examined only those algorithms created before the pandemic, but its next step is to look at how accuracy could improve as commercial providers adapt their technology to an era when so many people are wearing masks. Some companies, inc...

Taiwan's  Foxconn  is planning further investment in India and may announce details in the next few months as the world's largest contract manufacturer views the outlook there very favourably, its chairman said on Tuesday. Foxconn  already makes smartphones in India for  Apple  Inc and  Xiaomi  Corp, though in March said it suspended production due to the novel  coronavirus  outbreak.  Chairman Liu Young-way told Foxconn's annual general meeting that looking ahead, India was a bright spot for development even though there was a "certain impact" at present due to the virus. "We are fully pushing ahead with next steps there, and maybe in a few months' time we can reveal on our website the next steps and report back to everyone. We'll have further investment there," Liu said, without detailing plans or reasons for the firm's view on the business outlook in India. Foxconn's January-March profit plunged to its lowest in ...

Apple  Inc on Monday said it will switch to its own chips for its Mac computers, ending a nearly 15-year reliance on Intel Corp to supply processors for its flagship laptops and desktop. Apple  Chief Executive Tim Cook said it marked the beginning of a major new era for a product line powered the company's rise in the 1980s and its resurgence in the late 1990s.  "Silicon is at the heart of our hardware," Cook said during a virtual keynote address recorded at the company's Cupertino, California headquarters for its annual developer conference. "Having a world class silicon design team is a game changer." The silicon switch brings the Mac into line with the company's iPhone and iPads, which already use  Apple  designed chips. The  news  came at Apple's Worldwide Developer Conference. The conference has gained new prominence since paid services sold through the App Store have become central to the company's revenue growth as co...

Apple   has quietly raised the price by double for upgrading the RAM on its entry-level 13-inch MacBook Pro. In US, customers will now have to pay $200 to get a RAM upgrade to 16GB RAM from 8GB RAM that comes standard with the MacBook Pro. Previously, such RAM upgrade used to cost $100. In the European Union countries the price hike is from 125 euros to 250 euros, and in the UK it has moved to 200 pounds from 100 pounds. There are no such price hike reports coming from India, but the revision in RAM upgrade price might soon be seen in India, too. ALSO READ:  Apple MacBook Pro 13-inch gets Magic Keyboard, Intel 10th-gen SoC, and more  Earlier this month,  Apple  updated 13-inch MacBook Pro with the new Magic Keyboard that comes with physical Escape key, along with Touch Bar and Touch ID along with doubling the standard storage for enhanced performance. Read Complete Article

Apple and  Google  on Wednesday released the first version of exposure notification (earlier called contact tracing) Application Programming Interface (API) to select developers associated with public health authorities (PHAs) around the world. This is a developer-focused release and is consistent with both the companies deliver beta copies of their software at the same time.  Aimed at helping developers begin testing in anticipation of the API's release in mid-May, another goal of the release is to encourage feedback that will help improve the various features, the tech giants said in a statement. "Collaboration and transparency have been two key principles of the project for both companies. Additional details will be announced on Friday," they added. Read Complete Article

Apple  on Wednesday launched a new  iPhone  aimed at the budget-minded, aiming to fill a gap in its lineup ahead of upgrading its flagship handset. The updated  iPhone  SE will start at $399 (Rs 42,500), or less than half the price of its leading flagship devices and be available as of Friday, April 17.  The most affordable  iPhone  features the latest A13 Bionic chip, Dual SIM (with support for eSIM), and single-camera system. "The first  iPhone SE  was a hit with many customers who loved its unique combination of small size, high-end performance and affordable price; the new second-generation  iPhone SE  builds on that great idea and improves on it in every way," said Phil Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of worldwide marketing. Starting at INR 42,500, iPhone SE comes in three colours — black, white and Red. New iPhone SE features: The latest Iphone SE features a 4.7-inch Retina HD display a...

According to  Apple  analyst Jeff Pu, the new iPhone SE may be launched next week and sales would begin immediately. Quoting Pu, MacRumors has reported that iPhone 12 models will likely be pushed out slightly due to current travel restrictions and cargo flight delays, which could result in delayed availability of the highest-end 6.7-inch model. . In a research note with Chinese research firm GF Securities, Pu claimed that the current "EVT" or "Engineering Verification Test" stage of iPhone 12 development may have been extended by two weeks to late April for the 5.4-inch model and 6.1-inch models, and to mid-May for the 6.7-inch model This may result in the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro seeing releases in September, while the iPhone 12 Pro Max may get pushed back until October. Read Complete Article

Apple has announced it will soon display  coronavirus  testing sites directly on its Maps. For this, Apple has launched a portal for hospitals and healthcare providers to register as  coronavirus  screening locations. The concern team will then review the application and upon approval, the location will appear on Apple Maps. Apple Maps will be able to show information like the place name, the associated healthcare provider, contact phone number and website, 9To5Mac reported on Sunday. It will also surface information about the type of testing location (laboratory, hospital, etcetera) and the nature of the site (like drive-through, parking lot, or building). Apple is also asking applicants to state whether the testing location will require a doctor's referral or a scheduled appointment. Read Complete Article

Apple  has booked a domain name called AppleCoronavirus.com, after the iPhone maker and  Google  last week announced a joint effort to enable the use of Bluetooth to help agencies reduce the spread of  coronavirus. The record's domain information lists  Apple  Inc. as the registrant organisation. The registrar is CSC Corporate Domains, a firm that protects  domain names  for large corporations, and is used by  Apple  for its domain name registrations, reports Mac Rumors. "The new record indicates that Apple took possession of the domain name on Friday". The domain does not currently point to an active website. ALSO READ:  Covid-19 crisis: Tracking the coronavirus footprint across the world Apple and  Google  are launching a comprehensive solution that includes application programming interfaces (APIs) and operating system-level technology to assist in enabling contact tracing. The tech giants will r...

Cupertino-based tech giant  Apple  is reportedly launching a new 13-inch MacBook Pro next month with the codename J223. According to a noted  Apple  leaker Jon Prosser,  Apple  will bring out a refreshed 13-inch MacBook Pro "next month". The current 13-inch MacBook Pro still uses butterfly keyboards that can suffer from issues such as sticky or unresponsive keys after prolonged use, which prompted Apple to initiate a free repair program worldwide in 2018. ALSO READ:  Apple unveils 2020-edition of iPad Pro and MacBook Air: Price, specs, more Apart from the keyboard, the new 13-inch MacBook Pro is expected to get an upgraded processor in the form of one of Intel's 10th-generation Ice Lake chips, built using a 10-nanometer architecture. Last month, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo proposed there would be a replacement of the 13-inch MacBook Pro by one sporting a 14.1-inch Mini LED display. Read Complete Artical

Apple  has acquired popular weather app Dark Sky and will shut down its Android and Wear OS versions in July. However, terms of the deal was not disclosed. According to Dark Sky, service to existing users and subscribers will continue until July 1, at which point the app will be shut down. Subscribers who are still active at that time will receive a refund. The Android app of Dark Sky has been downloaded more than a million times on playstore. "Our goal has always been to provide the world with the best weather information possible, to help as many people as we can stay dry and safe, and to do so in a way that respects your privacy," Dark Sky co-founder Adam Grossman said in a statement on Tuesday. "There is no better place to accomplish these goals than at Apple. We're thrilled to have the opportunity to reach far more people, with far more impact, than we ever could alone," he added. Read Complete Article

Cupertino-based tech giant Apple is reportedly planning to include a touch ID fingerprint sensor into the crown of its upcoming Watch Series 6 smartwatch. The Apple Watch already unlocks when the iPhone is unlocked, but unlocking it on a standalone basis requires a numerical code to be entered. It is not clear how the alleged Touch ID fingerprint sensor would be implemented, as the Digital Crown is already used for capturing an ECG in the current Apple Watch models, reports MacRumors. ALSO READ:  Apple revokes purchase limit restriction on iPhone, iPad outside China Apple is also reportedly planning to bring blood oxygen detection and an improved ECG to its next Watch Series 6. The technology for blood oxygen detection has existed in the Apple Watch since the first version, it has never been used, but now the upcomming Apple Watch may have the ability. Read Complete Article

The year 2020 seems more about nostalgia than anything else, especially for the kids of the 1990s. Old phones are making a comeback in new avatars (we're talking about the Moto Razr (not Nokia, as it's long gone, and people have moved on),  Sachin Tendulkar  and Virender Sehwag opening the innings in a cricket match together, even if not for the national team (in the Road Safety World Series), and yes it’s happening: the F.R.I.E.N.D.S cast is reuniting for an exclusive special on HBO Max. In the middle of all this, Sony has brought its new Walkman, the Sony NW-A105, which has a nostalgic appeal that takes us back to the good ol' days when things were simple and easy. One might wonder... what's the deal with Sony? Why would it launch a Walkman in the streaming age? We had the same question, so we spent a month with Sony's first Android Walkman and tried to find the answers. I do not have one of the sharpest memories when it comes to dates, but if...

Apple  has lifted purchase limits on its phones, tablets and laptops for customers outside China, the media reported. The company last week imposed a purchase limits across several of its products, reports MacRumors. The new MacBook Air and Mac mini were limited to five orders per customer, the new iPad Pro was limited to two 11-inch models per customer and two 12.9-inch models per customer, and iPhones were limited to two of each model per customer. Meanwhile, some purchase limits have yet to be lifted in China. The restrictions were imposed to better manage the demand-supply ratio following a slowdown in production due to factory shutdowns in China. Additionally, Apple is still on course to launch a 12.9-inch iPad Pro with a mini-LED display later this year. A new supply chain report says that Apple will utilize mini LED in an   iPad Pro   and the source further claims that this is only the start of Apple adopting this display technology, ...

Apple on Wednesday launched the iPad Pro with breakthrough LiDAR Scanner and new Magic Keyboard with Trackpad, along with a new 13-inch MacBook Air that now comes with twice the storage compared to predecessor. Price of the  Apple MacBook Air  2020 starts at Rs 92,990 for the base variant with 256GB solid state drive (SSD) storage. The 11-inch iPad Pro (Wi-Fi model) starts at Rs 71,900, and the Wi-Fi+Cellular model starts at Rs 85,900.   The 12.9-inch iPad Pro starts at Rs 89,900 for the Wi-Fi model and Rs 103,900 for the Wi-Fi + Cellular model. The availability for the India market will be announced at a later date, said the company. "Combining the most-advanced mobile display with powerful performance, pro cameras, pro audio, the breakthrough LiDAR Scanner and new Magic Keyboard with Trackpad, this is another huge leap forward for iPad," Phil Schiller, Apple's senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing, said in a statement. Readmore

Google  and Apple have begun taking action on fake mischievous apps to fight new coronavirus-related misinformation on their app stores. Apple is removing all coronavirus-related mobile software not from recognized health organizations or the government, reports CNBC. Google, on the other hand, has stopped throwing results if someone search about coronavirus on its Play Store. Some of these apps used public data from reliable sources like the World Health Organization (WHO) to create dashboards or live maps. "Some developers asked not to be named to avoid further complications with Apple's review process," the report mentioned. On the Apple App Store, the top result for "COVID 19" is a "virus tracker" app from a developer called Healthlynked with WHO figures and maps charting where confirmed cases have been. Read Complete Article

While 2019 started off with expectations of Huawei Technologies challenging  Samsung  Electronics for the title of world’s most prolific smartphone vendor, it’s the more familiar foe of  Apple  that’s now threatening the South Korean titan’s throne. Industry trackers on Thursday released estimates that show the iPhone maker close to matching or surpassing its Korean rival in shipments during the pivotal holiday quarter. Strategy Analytics put Apple’s iPhone shipments for the fourth quarter at 70.7 million, slightly ahead of Samsung’s 68.8 million. Canalys gauged the US firm had moved 78 million, surpassing the Asian brand’s 71 million. And researchers at IHS Markit have the positions flipped —with Samsung at 70.7 million and Apple at 67.7 million. Research firms are forced to estimate because Apple stopped providing its own iPhone figures a year ago, while Samsung gives a total number that includes smartphones and feature phones. The consensus, however, ...

Best smartphones 2019: Premium smartphone makers seemed to be in a course correction mode in 2019. From fast charging capability to multi-optic camera modules and software optimisation for enhanced user experience, smartphone makers brought to the table some of the technological advances that had been long overdue. At the same time, smartphone manufacturers moved their focus from technical specifications to optimisation, features and algorithms, setting precedents for the industry to follow in the upcoming year. Business Standard takes a look at the top five best smartphones launched in 2019. Here is the list: Samsung Galaxy Note 10+ Samsung Galaxy Note 10 PlusThe Samsung Galaxy Note 10+ is one of the most versatile in the premium smartphone segment. Besides top-notch specifications, the smartphone boasts premium optics, a multi-purpose digital pen (SPen), a curved dynamic AMOLED screen with HDR10+ support and a high-capacity battery with 25W fast-charge support. Moreover, t...