How to make Touch ID better at recognising your fingerprint on the iPhone and iPad

Isn't it annoying when you pop your finger on the Touch ID button of your iPhone or iPad only to have it rejected?

Here's a quick and simple way to improve the accuracy and reliability of Touch ID.

It's really simple - since iOS allows you to register multiple fingers, what you do is register the same finger multiple times. By doing this you can press your finger (or thumb) on the sensor in different ways so it gets registers from a variety of angles.

Another thing you can do is since dirty of damp fingers fail to pass muster with Touch ID because it sees them differently to clear, dry fingerprints, you can also register a finger when it's damp (not soggy or wet) and dirty.

This can be a real timesaver if you have sweaty fingers or operate your iPhone or iPad with dirty hands.

Touch ID & Passcode

To do this click on Settings and go to Touch ID & Passcode . You'll be prompted to enter your PIN or passcode and from there you can add more fingerprints by clicking Add a Fingerprint.

You can register up tfive prints, and you can give each enrolled fingerprint a unique name (which might come in handy for fine-tuning this trick).

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​Google nabs key Apple iPhone chip designer for future Pixel phones

Google's latest hire validates Apple's early focus on hardware for the phone of the future.

The hire could set Google's Pixel smartphone on a path to compete more effectively with the iPhone in coming years.

Image: Josh Miller/CNET

Google has plucked a lead engineer behind Apple's mobile chips to help design processors for its Pixel phones.

Variety reports that Google recently hired Manu Galati, an engineer who's worked on Apple's chips for the iPhone, iPad and Apple TV for the past eight years, or the entire time Apple has been designing its own mobile chips.

Galati's LinkedIn profile lists him as lead system-on-chip (SoC) architect at Google. The profile doesn't reveal much, but Variety sources said Google hired him to design custom CPUs for Pixel devices.

The hire could set the Pixel on a path to compete more effectively with the iPhone in coming years as Gulati and a new team of chip designers deliver the same optimizations Apple's mobile devices have enjoyed since it shipped the A4 with the iPad in 2010.

Apple's custom chips have given it an edge over an industry that's largely dependent on Qualcomm's SoCs.

In addition to Galati's hire, Google is advertising for other hardware engineers and mobile SoC architects to "help define the architecture of future generations of phone and tablet SoCs".

Another role for a 'Mobile SOC CPU architect' states the candidate would "define the system-on-a-chip (SOC) sub-system architecture, feature and specification" and evaluate the performance, power, area, or PPA, of the sub-system.

The focus on designing an in-house chip probably reflects that phones of the future will need to be equipped to handle more demanding applications, such as augmented reality and locally powered machine learning.

And if Apple is to be believed, Google's Pixel phones have a lot of catching up to do. At WWDC Apple's SVP of software engineering Craig Federighi boasted that the iPhone is six times faster at image recognition than the Pixel phone.

Google's plans for its own designed chips have been rumored for several years with The Information reporting in 2015 that it had talked with chip makers about the prospect. And with the release of the Pixel, a Google exec suggested it would be heading towards custom processors for future phones.

Google's move into homegrown chips for phones comes as Apple makes a push into an area Google dominates, namely self-driving cars.

As Bloomberg reported in May, Apple is working on a dedicated AI processor designed to handle tasks such as facial recognition and speech recognition that could lay the groundwork for a chip for self-driving vehicles.

This activity may fit with Apple CEO Tim Cook's admission that it is working on "autonomous systems", including cars, which he says is "the mother of all AI projects".

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Ingram Micro to boost LatAm investment

The distributor will put $10 million towards three-year plan to shorten sales cycles in the region.

IT distributor Ingram Micro plans to invest $10 million in what it defines as a "aggressive and agile" three-year business expansion plan for the Latin America region.

Present across 40 countries in the region including the Caribbean, the company's priority in Latin America is to help partners shorten sales cycles. This will be done through investing in the provision of resources such as field support, training and certification, professional services and generic advanced technical support.

The investment will "drive the business growth of partners in Latin America in vertical markets that are critical to advanced technologies and hybrid cloud solutions," the company's executive vice-president Paul Bay told delegates at a partner event in Miami yesterday (12).

The benefits of leveraging advanced technologies such as converged infrastructure, big data, cloud, DCPOS, IoT, mobility and security are driving digital transformation in the Americas and creating a greater need for professionalism, expertise and execution," said Bay.

According to Bay, the company has identified growth opportunities in the region for verticals such as education, financial services, health, media, natural resources, public sector, retail and telecommunications.

"Our investment in Latin America includes a dedicated team and a much broader focus on expanding our portfolio of advanced solutions by accelerating growth and sales services to our business partners," Bay added.

"Our advanced solutions business is seeing record growth in the Americas. This investment will accelerate our efforts in Latin America."

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The iPhone 8 will have twice as much glass for you to break

The next iPhone will have twice as much glass for you to worry about.

If you've worried that you are going to smash your iPhone's display, the next iPhone will have twice as much glass for you to worry about.

See also: WWDC 2017: I miss Steve Jobs and his 'Reality Distortion Field'

According to photos of what are claimed to be iPhone 8 parts leaked onReddit, the rear panel of the iPhone 8, along with the 4.7-inch iPhone 7s and the 5.5-inch iPhone 7s Plus, will be made of glass.

The switch from metal to glass is to allow Apple to bring wireless charging to the iPhone.

The front panel features a thin screen bezel with a space at the top of the display for a front-facing camera, microphone, and speaker.

No Touch ID sensor hole is present in the front glass, suggesting that Apple will be switching to a fingerprint sensor that's embedded into the display.

The rear panel of the iPhone 8, in addition to being made of glass, also features the protruding vertically-aligned dual-camera.

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Pricing leaks on a trio of unannounced Moto handsets with a dual-camera setup on back

According to a tweet disseminated by Andi Yatim, who has revealed information about Motorola products before, the Moto Z2 Force will be launched this summer priced in India at Rs38,999. That is equivalent to $607 USD. That doesn't necessarily mean that the phone will be priced at that level byVerizon, but only reveals what the Indian price would be if converted to U.S. currency.  

Pricing was also listed for the Moto G5S Plus. This model looks like the Moto G5 Plus, except with an all-metal body and a dual rear-camera setup.

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iOS 11 can stop creepy apps like Uber from constantly tracking your location

By Yoni HeislerPublished June 08, 2017

BGR

File photo: A photo illustration shows the Uber app logo displayed on a mobile telephone, as it is held up for a posed photograph in central London, Britain October 28, 2016. (REUTERS/Toby Melville)

As anyone who closely follows Apple can attest, the company tends to harp on user privacy whenever it touts new software features. Not only do Apple executives genuinely care about protecting user data, a privacy-oriented philosophy also helps Apple differentiate itself from rivals like Google. True to form, Apple's WWDC keynote this past Monday predictably included quite a few not-so-subtle jabs at Google.

With iOS 11, it's worth noting that Apple will give privacy-minded users even more of a reason to breathe easy. Specifically, developers this week discovered an update to the Location Services pane wherein every app will now include a "While Using the App" option as it pertains to allowing location access. While some apps already featured such an option, some high-profile apps like Uber only gave users two choices: to always allow location access or to never allow location access. This of course made some users uneasy insofar that it would be preferable to enjoy Uber's service without having the app consistently monitoring a user's location.

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Apple's next iPhone is getting a design surprise no one has talked about yet

Apple's next iPhone is getting a design surprise no one has talked about yet

File photo: An Apple logo is seen in a store in Los Angeles, California, U.S., March 24, 2017. (REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson)

If there's anything consistent about Apple's iPhone rumors, it's that theiPhone 8 will come with a glass chassis. But now, there's speculation it won't be the only one.

Apple's supply chain partners have started to produce components for all three iPhone models rumored for this year, including the iPhone 7s, iPhone 7s Plus, and iPhone 8, Digitimes is reporting, citing people who claim to have knowledge of the activities. Most importantly, the sources say that Apple is planning a glass chassis design across all three new models this year.

Over the last several months, a slew of rumors have said Apple is working on a new, high-end handset to be known as the iPhone 8 that would come with a glass chassis. The front of the device would offer a screen that nearly entirely covers the face, and the back would be designed with glass. The spine between the two will be made of metal, according to the reports.

While Apple is said to be planning a new design for iPhone 8, the company's iPhone 7s and iPhone 7s Plus were rumored to deliver the same design as last year's iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus. That would mean those models wouldn't come with a glass chassis but rather the metal design they have now.

More From Tom's Guide

• 8 Awesome iOS 11 Features You Don't Know About

• The Most Amazing iPhone 8 Concepts

• The iPhone 8's Big New Feature Is On the Way

The sources, however, say Apple has decided something different. The company's orders are now for a glass chassis that have an aluminum frame, according to the report. Whether the handsets will all look the same or if the iPhone 8 will come with a different look is unknown.

The biggest difference between the devices could be their screens. Apple is planning an OLED display for the iPhone 8 that would nearly entirely cover the handset's face, according to several reports. The iPhone 7s and iPhone 7s Plus are rumored to be using the same LCD technology as previous models. It might also keep the physical home button under the screen -- something Apple is planning to remove in the iPhone 8, according to reports.

For its part, Apple hasn't commented on its future iPhone plans and at WWDC earlier this year, focused solely on iOS 11 rather than iPhone hardware talk. However, the company is expected to unveil and release the iPhone 8 and iPhone 7s line this fall.

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Apple AirPods are in stock at Amazon with Prime shipping

Apple first released its awesome new truly wireless earbuds all the way back in December. And yet here we are in June and AirPods are still impossible to find in Apple stores anywhere in the country. Want to order them online from Apple? Sure, no problem just be aware that they're not going to ship for six weeks, crazy though it may seem. If you want AirPods right now and you don't want to deal with anything shady like Craigslist or eBay auctions, you'll find AirPods in stock at this very moment on Amazon if you're willing to pay a premium. What's more, they're eligible for Prime shipping so they'll be in your hands in just two days.

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iPhone 8 production is on schedule, but you still won't be able to get one at launch

iPhone 8 production is on schedule, but you still won't be able to get one at launch

iPhone fans, now's a good time to start typing up a letter to Santa if you're planning to buy the iPhone 8 this year, because there's one more report that says your best chance of getting one is by Christmas rather than at launch. Apparently, iPhone 8 production isn't experiencing any delays, but that doesn't mean Apple will have enough supply at launch.

In a research note seen by Barron's, BlueFin Research Partners say there is no delay in ordering components for Apple's next iPhones at this time. But the iPhone X, which is what they call the iPhone 8, will see a limited launch in September, with Apple seen making only 13 million units.

"Our ongoing reads reinforce our earlier view that Apple will offer only minimal units of the iPhone X at launch with improved availability in October," they say, adding that Apple is making "a total of 13M iPhone X builds through September, a reduction of 5M from our original forecast in March."

However, analysts John Donovan and Steve Mullane say the iPhone X will soon take up the majority of iPhone manufacturing in the months that follow -- see the table below -- a trend that will continue next year. Apple is seen, once again, adopting OLED screens for all its iPhones in the future, which may turn out to contribute to iPhone sales growth.

"iPhone X builds ramp in CQ4'17, projecting to represent 55% of the mix, and this ratio remains fairly steady through mid-2018," the report notes. "We continue to track increases in 2018 and 2019 build projections by tens of millions of units each year, and while forward projections are dubious, the possibility of sustained growth is welcome news indeed. The rationale behind this is that the step up to the new OLED design will filter across all offerings in future generation phones and with an installed base hurtling towards 750M in the coming year. Additionally, as many as 300M of those phones by mid-2018 will be over 2 years old and should provide fertile ground for continued growth."

The analysts also say that all component decisions have been finalized, adding that they do see "potential for a mid-cycle refresh that could expand OLED into additional models sometime in 2018."

Even if Apple won't be able to meet iPhone 8 demand at launch or in the critical December quarter, the company is apparently stocking up on OLED displays parts in preparation for the year ahead. Apple and "and the contract manufacturers are content to get in as many parts as possible as early as possible in order to satisfy what appears to be an insatiable demand for the OLED phone(s)."

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iPhone 6s and iPad Pro: Apple fails to lead on wireless charging, again

There's going to be a lot of dissection over the coming days and weeks about the iPad Pro and the iPhone 6S in terms of spec creep, and how yet again they've raised the bar on specific aspects of mobile technology.

This is not going to be one of those pieces.

Before I go on with this gripe session -- just like I did last year, I've already traded in my iPad Air 2 and my iPhone 6 to Amazon in order to finance a new iPhone 6S and a new iPad Pro.

So I've already committed to buying the new devices. There's accessories galore I want to look at, particularly in the armored case space. I'm gonna get to these guys in a bit.

That being said, and with all the goodness that the iPhone 6S and iPad Pro entail, and all the new technology being rolled out into these devices, Apple missed out on a huge opportunity to lead the industry with their tenth generation iPhone and seventh generation iPad.

That missed opportunity would be wireless charging.

Look, I am a firm believer and a huge fan of Apple's Lightning connector. I practically wrote a sonnet for it praising its goodness.

I would also go as far to say that if it weren't for the Lightning connector, we probably wouldn't see the USB folks migrate to Type-C connector as opposed to the trapezoidal, easily damaged Micro-B madness we're stuck with on many Android and Windows devices we have today.

We need high-speed interface cables and connectors. We need charging cables. But c'mon, can we stop the insanity, just a little, pretty please?

Am I the only one who sees the need to plug and unplug these things on a daily basis a pain in the ass and with the potential to damage my device every time I do it? Am I the only one who is sick and tired of bringing multiple chargers, industrial grade battery packs and myriad cables with me when I travel and having to scope out lounges and weird parts of airport terminals in order to avoid power receptacle squatters?

By the way, if you're a power receptacle squatter/hogger, you are the LOWEST FORM OF LIFE ON EARTH. Ok, thanks. I just needed to vent that.

I spent some time talking to the folks at theWireless Power Consortium (WPC) last week and I learned a lot about how much progress they've made in improving the Qi standard, which if Apple were to implement in its devices would be license-free.

You got that correct. If they were to implement Qi, Apple pays nothing. Zero. Zip. Why? Because it's an IEEE standard with a published specification just like the various Wi-Fi standards.

Sure, you have to pay for the chips and coils if you work with a component vendor, but that's no different than what Apple already does when it works with companies that supply them with existing components for the baseband and Wi-Fi chips.

Why has Apple waited so long to do this? It could be that the first implementation of Qi wasn't able to supply enough power to fast-charge an iPhone or an iPad -- it had a maximum capacity of 5 watts.

However, the current Qi specification now allows for up to 15 watts, which is well within current fast charge requirements for smartphones and tablets. The latest Qi spec also allows for charging from longer distances than just a few millimeters away from the transmitter coil -- it can actually broadcast power from several feet away, although with an obvious trade-off in efficiency.

The technology is also able to auto-sense the maximum wattage of receiving devices. So if you have a table equipped with a current generation Qi emitter, it can charge 15w and 5w-capable devices simultaneously, fully backward compatible with previous generation Qi-enabled devices, such as Samsung's Galaxy S6 and various models of Nokia Windows Phones.

Now, it's true that the WPC 15 watt standard has only been available as of June, so I can understand Apple perhaps wanting to see how things work out, even if they had the opportunity to have advanced discussions with WPC during the development cycle of the iPhone 6S and iPad Pro.

One has to assume a company with that much weight behind it would have been able to get a seat on the WPC board let alone gain membership fairly easily.

But I mean, come on, getting the 5 watt standard originally introduced in 2013 into at least the 6s and 6s Plus for standard speed charging or even slow-charging the iPads would have significantly moved the needle as far as creating incentives for many businesses, restaurants, cafes, and other public gathering places to put Qi infrastructure into place.

So Apple isn't going to move the needle on wireless charging this time. Who should?

Well, I think this one needs to fall within the purview of the huge iPhone and iPad accessory industry. I'm talking about the OtterBoxes, the Tridents, the Griffins and the Lifeproofs of the world.

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