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Apple Said to Work on Mac Chip That Would Lessen Intel Role

February 2, 2017 Dianne Jacobs

Apple Inc. is designing a new chip for future Mac laptops that would take on more of the functionality currently handled by Intel Corp. processors, according to people familiar with the matter. According to Bloomberg Technology, the chip is similar to one already used in the latest Mac Book Pro to power the keyboard’s Touch Bar feature, the people said Although Apple only accounted for 7.5 percent of worldwide computer shipments in the fourth quarter, according to data from IDC, the Mac line has long set the standard for design…

Apple is increasing the price of apps in the UK by 25% because of Brexit

January 17, 2017 Dianne Jacobs

Apple is raising prices on its UK App Store by almost 25% to reflect the sharp depreciation of the pound following June’s vote to leave the European Union The Guardian Reports. The new prices enshrine parity between the dollar and the pound, at least for apps on the iOS and Mac app stores. An app that costs $0.99 in the US, and used to cost £0.79, will now cost £0.99. According to the Business Insider, It’s not the first time Apple has increased its prices in the UK to adjust for…

Apple’s AirPods have taken 26% of the online market for wireless headphones

January 12, 2017 Dianne Jacobs

Apple finally launched the wireless Bluetooth powered AirPods. Already, AirPods own 26% of the online wireless headphone market, cementing what Apple CEO Tim Cook has called “a runaway success.” Wireless headphones accounted for half of the entire online U.S. headphones market for the first time in December 2015. Three out of every four headphones sold online in the states were of the wireless variety. Besides Apple, Samsung has its Gear IconX wireless ear buds that compete with the AirPods. But Apple does have the benefit of having sold millions of Apple iPhone…

Russia Requires Apple and Google to Remove LinkedIn from Local App Stores

January 9, 2017

Russian authorities have required Apple and Google to remove the LinkedIn app from the App Store and Google Play in Russia, reports The New York Times. The move comes a couple weeks after Russia blocked LinkedIn’s website. When LinkedIn’s website was blocked, the apps stopped functioning properly. Removing them from the Google Play store and Apple’s App Store may not have cut off access to content, but it sent a signal that countries can push the tech giants to remove the apps. The New York Time Reports that Direct blocking of websites has been done by…

Africa’s Smartphone shipments rate falls

September 30, 2016 Editor

hipments of smartphones in Africa fell 5.2% to 23.1 million units in the second quarter of 2016, according to the latest figures from International Data Corporation (IDC). These figures, presented in IDC’s recently published ‘Worldwide Mobile Phone Tracker’, indicate that the boom in smartphone sales in Africa is slowing, despite the fact that overall mobile handset shipments were up slightly in Q2 2016, with shipments of basic feature phones rising 31.9% year on year to total 29.8 million units. South Africa and the North African countries of Morocco, Algeria, and…

WhatsApp launches end-to-end encryption on messages for all its users

April 6, 2016

Instant messaging service WhatsApp in seeking to reassure its users about their privacy will be encrypting all messages sent via its app. WhatsApp’s announcement comes in the heels of one of the most high-profile clashes in the debate over encryption and data privacy between the government and a technology company. In February, the FBI asked Apple to unlock one of the San Bernardino shooters’ iPhones so authorities could access his data. Apple refused, stating a breach of privacy; the FBI took Apple to court but was eventually able to unlock…

Apple Gains Support From It’s Greatest Rivals

March 2, 2016March 2, 2016 Dianne Jacobs

The last couple of weeks have been interesting in the world of tech, as we are in the throes of what might be the biggest tech battle of the decade. As we had reported last week, Apple was facing pressure from the FBI and the Department of Justice to not only hack into the San Bernadino shooter’s iPhone but to also create a permanent backdoor into all future versions of the iOS. In the beginning, tech enthusiasts declared their support for Apple but now tech giants have gone a mile…

Apple fights FBI in Court order to break iPhone encryption with breach prone ‘back door’

February 22, 2016 Dianne Jacobs

It’s set to be the greatest battle of 2016. On one end, we have Apple, a leading technology firm trying its best to stand by its customers by ensuring their privacy. On the other end, we have FBI, backed by the US Government, trying to carry out an investigation trying to ensure justice is meted out. Politicians have taken the obvious side; Tech CEOs have also sided with their own. Who will win the battle? Or will it escalate into a full blown war? This long standing dispute was reignited…

Apple under pressure to scrap controversial policy of permanently disabling repaired iPhone 6s

February 9, 2016February 11, 2016

Apple has come under pressure to scrap its controversial policy of permanently disabling repaired iPhone 6s when software is upgraded, following a global consumer backlash and claims the company could be acting illegally. At least one firm of US lawyers said it hopes to bring a class action against the technology giant on behalf of victims whose £500 phones have been rendered worthless by an Apple software upgrade. In the UK, a barrister told the Guardian that Apple’s “reckless” policy of effectively killing people’s iPhones following the software upgrade could…

iPhone Sales Slumping, Is This Why They Are So Expensive?

January 27, 2016February 11, 2016 Dianne Jacobs

The iPhone is arguably the most popular phone in the world. While it has yet to catch on famously in Kenya and Africa, in other areas of the world, it is ubiquitous and in vogue. One of the primary reasons why it is not the most popular phone in Kenya and Africa is the steep cost. While most smartphones range between 10,000 to 20,000Kshs, an iPhone may set you back 50,000Kshs and above. According to an article by CNN, iPhones are just as expensive in other parts of the world.…