Apple Seeds iOS 12.1, watchOS 5.1, and tvOS 12.1 Beta 2 to Developers [Update: Public Beta Out]

Apple released iOS 12 in September, and now the company is moving forward with beta software for an upcoming update to the mobile operating system.

Apple today seeded the second developer beta of iOS 12.1, along with the second developer beta of watchOS 5.1 as well. This update isn’t a major software upgrade for either operating systems, instead focusing on improving the overall software experience and squashing any bugs that have been discovered since the last developer beta was seeded.

However, it is worth noting that iOS 12.1 does include some new features in the mix. The primary new addition is support for group FaceTime calls, which will allow users to chat with up to 32 people at once with the video calling feature. We also know the previous beta introduced iCloud sync for Memoji. Finally, landscape support for Face ID was discovered within the code for the prerelease software, suggesting that feature will be available for future iPad Pro models that support Face ID. eSIM support is also coming with iOS 12.1, but the wireless carriers will also need to support this feature when it arrives.

Registered developers can download and install the latest iOS 12.1 beta through the Settings app. It is available as a standard over-the-air update, or the new software can also be installed directly from Apple’s dedicated developer portal.

Meanwhile, to update to the latest watchOS 5.1 developer beta, the Apple Watch must have at least 50% battery remaining, be connected to its charger, and be within range of the iPhone. And to update to tvOS 12.1, the automatic downloads feature should download and install the new feature in the background.

The latest developer betas for iOS and watchOS are available now.

Update: Apple has also seeded the second public beta of iOS 12.

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Filmmaker Says Apple Pulling ‘Voodoo’ with iPhone XS Low-Light Video Performance

Being an ‘S’ year, Apple focused greatly on the improved dual-camera setup of the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max this year while unveiling them. Apart from the switch to a bigger and newer camera sensor, the new iPhones also feature Smart HDR that helps them offer better contrast, dynamic range, and details in challenging situations. Well, Apple’s tech is so good that it has made the head of filmmaker Richard Lackey spin with the “kind of voodoo” they are pulling off in the iPhone XS.

The filmmaker says that the iPhone XS and iPhone XR camera system “seems to generate images that are beyond the sum of its parts.” It is due to the improved sensor and computational photography that the filmmaker was able to capture a clean video in very low light conditions. Apart from being clean, the device also captured more details in dark parts of the images than any other iPhone.

Below is the video shot by Richard Lackey solely on his iPhone XS Max.

He has shared some interesting insight into Apple’s approach towards computational photography as well.

Judging from the behavior of the camera in bright and normal lighting conditions, it appears that the luminance values recorded are not purely determined by a fixed gain value (ISO), or fixed gamma transform as would be the case with a “traditional” (I’ll call it “dumb”) camera.

Something else is at play, and it is dynamic, changing according to some combination of variables linked to a real time analysis of the scene. It may even be making separate localised adjustments to different parts of the image, which would be extremely impressive if true.

He also praised Apple’s noise reduction implementation as the usual side effects of washed away details and artifacts were barely visible.

Whatever combination of spatial and temporal analysis is at work, it’s very very good, and probably applied quite early in the signal chain. I don’t think it’s being applied globally to the whole image either. It seems like it could be localised to just the areas of the image that will benefit.

Due to the way Apple has implemented computational photography on the iPhone XS series, any app that provides full manual control over iPhones camera will have to change its approach.

The image behaves very differently to previous iPhones in an app providing full manual control such as FiLMiC Pro. This is all down to the very active and dynamic image processing. It may not be possible for camera apps to lock or control this behavior entirely, or at all. I can tell after a few hours of use that the iPhone XS Max requires a very different approach when using FiLMiC Pro, and of course color correction.

Make sure to read the complete analysis from Richard Lackey for more information about the “voodoo” that Apple is pulling off with the iPhone XS camera.

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Apple Shares ‘Shot on iPhone XS’ Photos Highlighting iPhone XS Camera Capabilities

To show off the improved camera capabilities of the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max and what its new Smart HDR technology is capable of doing, Apple has shared some photos that were shared on social media using the #ShotoniPhone hashtag.

The photos were taken by iPhone XS owners who are passionate about photography and who have been enjoying the improved dual-camera system on their device.

There are a bunch of other photos shared by Apple so make sure to check them all out. The photos show what the improved camera sensor and Smart HDR on the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max is capable of achieving in the right hands.

What do you think about the photos shared by Apple? Are you impressed with the camera of the iPhone XS?

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iPhone XS Offers Faster LTE Download Speeds than iPhone X Across All Major US and Canadian Carriers

Preliminary tests have shown the Gigabit LTE modem inside the iPhone XS being faster than the iPhone X by a significant margin. However, when compared to Qualcomm’s X20 modem which is found inside the Galaxy Note 9 and other Android flagships, Apple’s latest iPhones still fall short.

Now, Cellular Insights and Ookla’s Speedtest have provided more data about the iPhone XS’s LTE performance after advanced testing and compared it to other Android flagships. Apple uses Intel’s latest XMM7560 modem inside its latest iPhones. Apart from supporting Gigabit LTE speeds, it is also the first modem from Intel to support all four major U.S. carriers and has simultaneous support for GSM and CDMA networks. This has allowed Apple to entirely drop Qualcomm for its modem requirements this year in the U.S.

As the results show, the new Intel modem allows the iPhone XS Max to go compete against the likes of the Samsung Galaxy Note 9 and Google Pixel 2. The Note 9 comes with Qualcomm’s X20 1.2Gbs LTE modem, while the Pixel 2 uses Qualcomm’s X16 modem which supports Gigabit LTE speeds. When compared to the iPhone X, the addition of 4×4 MIMO support on the iPhone XS translates into LTE performance nearly doubling under ideal conditions.

In ideal network conditions, the iPhone XS Max is still a bit behind the Galaxy Note 9 and Pixel 2, though the difference is not as big as last year. Plus, as the network conditions weaken, Apple’s offering is able to reduce the gap even further. In comparison, the iPhone X from last year is simply not competitive enough.

As per Speedtest data for the week of September 24, the iPhone XS offered 6.6Mbps faster download speeds on average across all US carriers when compared to the iPhone X. AT&T subscribers, on average, saw an 8Mbps jump in LTE performance, with T-Mobile subscribers seeing a 6.6Mbps improvement. When compared to the iPhone 7, the difference is even bigger with a jump of 9.9Mbps in the United States and 31.6Mbps in Canada. The difference is even bigger in Canada at a staggering 20.2Mbps.

The Samsung Galaxy Note 9 with its X20 LTE modem still performed better though, with an average mean LTE download speed of 43.2Mbps vs 38.9Mbps for the iPhone XS for the September 24 week.

The PCMag article also addresses the poor LTE and Wi-Fi issues plaguing certain iPhone XS owners. They claim in their testing that the hardware itself is fine, with the issue likely being caused by a software bug. Apple is likely to resolve this bug sooner than later and roll out a fix for it as soon as possible.

[Via PCMag]

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Google Maps Gains Apple Music Integration and New Commute Tab

Google is adding a new Commute tab to Google Maps and adding Apple Music integration to it as well. The new Commute tab provides users with “one-tap access to live traffic and transit information” that will help them plan their commute accordingly. 

The tab will provide information if the trip is going to take longer than normal and show alternative faster routes if there’s a delay. Google Maps already does these things, it is just that the Commute tap is making it easier to access this information.

There’s also a new commute feature which provides commute directions involving both public transit and driving. This will be helpful for users whose office trip includes using both driving and public transit as they can now get a clear picture of their total commute time and alternative routes, if any, from a single overview screen.

You can see helpful information about when to leave, and for each leg of your trip:  you’ll know if there’s traffic on your drive, when the next train departs, and how long it’ll take to walk from the train station to the office.

Most importantly perhaps, Google is adding Google Play Music, Spotify, and Apple Music integration to Google Maps. This will allow users to control their music and podcast playback right from within the Maps app. On Android, Spotify users will also be able to browse through songs, albums, and artists and select their favorite playlist right from within Google Maps.

Finally, Google Maps will now provide real-time transit information for buses and trains in over 80 regions worldwide. This will allow users to better plan their commute and help them decide if they have the time to grab a cup of coffee before their metro arrives or not. Even better, in Sydney, Google has partnered with Transport New South Wales to show if there will be a seat available on the next bus or train or not.

The update will start rolling out for iOS and Android from later this week.

[Via Google]

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First Reported Case of Law Enforcement Agency Forcing Suspect to Unlock iPhone X using Face ID Detailed

The first documented case of a law enforcement agency forcing a suspect to unlock their iPhone X using Face ID has been unearthed by Forbes. The incident occurred on August 10 when the FBI searched the house of Grant Michalski in Columbus, Ohio for possessing child pornography.

The feds had a search warrant with them and used it to ask the suspect to put their face in front of their iPhone X to unlock it. Post this, the feds collected all data from the device which they deemed necessary for their investigation.

When David Knight, special agent with the FBI, obtained Michalski’s cell and required the suspect to place his face in front of the device, instantly opening it, there were various items of interest inside, according to an affidavit for a search warrant of that iPhone X.

However, there’s a catch here though. The FBI could not pull data from the device using its forensic kit. This is because of the new USB Restricted Mode which Apple debuted with iOS 11.4. It requires users to enter the passcode of their device if it has not been used for over an hour. The officer did not keep the device unlocked for the necessary amount of time and had to manually search for data for investigation purposes on it.

Had the iPhone X required a passcode to be unlocked, the FBI would have been helpless since it is protected by the amendment and a person cannot be forced to share their passcode as it leads to self-incrimination.

As per the lawyer of the accused, the FBI tried to extract more data from the iPhone X in question using Cellebrite tools but was unsuccessful despite Face ID unlocking the device.

“Consequently, at this moment, they’ve not found any contraband on the cellphone,” Nolder said over email. “That’s a Pyrrhic victory as there was contraband found on other devices but there would be no need to challenge the warrant’s facial recognition feature as my client was not harmed by its use.”

With Apple switching to Face ID entirely on its iPhone lineup this year, it is probably time for the lawmakers to have a look at the fifth amendment and make necessary changes to it.

[Via Forbes]

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Future iPhones Could Come with an Invisible Front-Facing Camera

Love it or hate it, there’s no way you can ignore the notch on the iPhone X and iPhone XS. Apple does its best to make the notch not so obvious in its marketing materials for the iPhone XS but that does not change the fact that the devices still do come with a notch.

Notches in iPhones are temporary in nature until Apple gets around to figuring out a technology that allows it to place the front camera and IR sensor at the front of the device without a notch.

For now, Largan Precision is doing the next best thing possible by developing a special black coating for camera lenses. Usually, the front camera sensor is always visible in a notch but with this coating, Largan is hoping to change that. Until OEMs get around to finding a way to completely do away with the notch, this does seem like the best possible solution to completely hide the notch.

Largan Precision is only expected to start shipping this special coating for camera lenses to customers in 2020 so there’s still a long wait here.

Apple only offers the iPhone X and iPhone XS series with a black front as it hides the notch very well. However, when viewed from certain angles, the front camera can be seen which Apple can get around to hiding with this new coating from Largan Precision. The Cupertino company already sources its camera lenses from Largan Precision. The technology could also become a favorite among many Chinese Android OEMs who have been launching smartphones with a waterdrop-notch design.

[Via Economic Daily News]

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