Apple iWatch may arrive in October

Apple may launch its iWatch in the fall, according to Reuters, which reports that Taiwanese company Quanta will start production of the device in July.

Citing two people familiar with the matter, Reuters reports that the as-yet-unnamed smartwatch could be launched as early as October. One of the sources said that the device will have a slightly rectangular display measuring 2.5 inches diagonally, a size which could indicate a curved design. The watch face will protrude slightly from the watch band, creating an arched shape, according to the source, and the device will offer a touch interface and wireless charging.

Rumors of an Apple smartwatch, dubbed the “iWatch,” have swirled for years. Rival Samsung launched its Galaxy Gear watch last year, and unveiled its Gear 2 and Gear 2 Neo offerings in February. Described by Samsung as “companion devices”, the watches are compatible with the Korean tech giant’s Galaxy smartphones.

The Gear 2 has a flat 1.63-inch inch display and comes with a 2 megapixel camera, a host of fitness features and a music player.

Sony and Pebble are also playing in this space. Smartwatches, however, have not exactly generated massive consumer buzz.

Nonetheless, tech research firm IDC predicts growing momentum in the overall wearable tech market, with device shipments expected to triple from 2013 to exceed 19 million units this year. The global market for wearable tech is expected to reach 111.9 million units in 2018, according to IDC.

Smartwatches are part of this trend, which includes devices such as the Nike+ FuelBand. Set against the backdrop of a growing market, IDC says that demand for smartwatches will grow, but warns that the devices’ value preposition for consumers has not yet been fully clarified.

Apple often schedules product launches around September and October.

Neither Apple nor Quanta has yet responded to a request for comment on this story.

Source:

www.foxnews.com

Posted by Editorial Team on 12:04 PM in 2 megapixel camera, 2.5 inches diagonally, Apple iWatch, Galaxy Gear watch, Galaxy smartphones, IDC predicts, Korean tech, Smartwatch, Taiwanese company, wireless charging

Starbucks launches wireless charging

Starbucks is partnering with Duracell Powermat to offer customers complimentary cable-free smartphone and tablet recharging alongside their usual caffeine hit.

The charging points will be integrated into tables and counters and when a compatible device comes into contact with one, the battery will start automatically recharging. No need to dig out a power lead or cable or resort to bribery to get a customer sitting next to a power socket to trade places.

On paper, wireless charging is a brilliant idea and one as revolutionary as WiFi, something that Starbucks is quick to highlight.

"From WiFi and the in-store Starbucks Digital Network to mobile payment and digital music downloads, we have always tried to anticipate our customers' needs early in the adoption curve and provide a world-class solution. We are thrilled to offer our customers that next level of convenience with Powermat wireless charging. Rather than hunting around for an available power outlet, they can seamlessly charge their device while enjoying their favorite food or beverage offering right in our stores," said Adam Brotman, chief digital officer at Starbucks.

However, it has to overcome a few hurdles if it is to become the "world-class solution" that Starbucks wants it to be.

The first is that it needs major backing so that companies and consumers are more aware of the technology and more willing to take a gamble on it.

Starbucks' decision to roll it out nationwide is a good first step in this regard, as Stassi Anastassov, President of Duracell points out: "When Starbucks introduced WiFi in their stores in 2001, 95 percent of devices didn't have WiFi, and multiple standards hampered the industry. The rest is history. Starbucks' plans to offer Powermat nationally is likely to settle any lingering standards questions, and usher wireless power into the mainstream."

What is glossed over is that WiFi already had a universal standard by 1999 and that thanks to Apple incorporating the technology into its iBooks in the same year, by 2001, everyone knew what it was and why having it as an option on a notebook was a great idea.

And therein lies the second hurdle. Wireless charging doesn't have a universal standard. The PMA standard for wireless charging that Duracell Powermat supports is backed by AT&T, BlackBerry, HTC, Huawei, LG and Samsung, so their devices have native compatibility. Consumers with handsets and tablets made by other companies will have to buy a wireless charging case that supports the standard in order to take advantage of it.

And of course, a host of devices that don't support PMA's take on wireless charging support the competing QI standard instead. So they have the technology onboard already, but it's useless when drinking at Starbucks. Then there's Apple, the company that was at the vanguard of making WiFi a standard feature.

It is pretty much the only tech company not to put its weight behind any of the current wireless charging standards. This is also why more wireless charging cases are available for the iPhone than for any other smartphone handset.

Yet, despite this continued confusion and competition between standards, according to the Consumer Electronics Association, interest in the technology among the general public has never been higher. and wireless charging accessories are on the list of consumers' most likely tech purchases in 2014, alongside Bluetooth speakers and big headphones.

Still, this in and of itself isn't particularly surprising seeing as the most important feature for most people when choosing a smartphone is not screen size or camera performance, but battery life.

Source:

technology.iafrica.com

Posted by Editorial Team on 1:25 AM in automatically recharging, battery, dam Brotman, Duracell Powermat, highlight, iBooks, Samsung, Starbucks, WiFi, wireless charging

Intel shows off new 'Skylake' platform with wireless charging, docking

Semiconductor giant Intel on Wednesday put its next-generation "Skylake" platform on display, demonstrating an integrated system of magnetic resonance charging, wireless video, and cable-free peripheral connections that could make its way into future Macs from Apple. 

Skylake, the next "tock" in Intel's tick-tock architectural strategy, is designed as a feature expansion of the 14-nanometer architecture the company is moving toward with the oft-delayed Broadwell. Skylake is set to adopt the WiGig standard — a technology that enables gigabit-speed communications without using wires — which will form the basis of the wireless docking capability,according to CNET.

At the annual Computex show in Taiwan, Intel demonstrated a proximity-based system that automatically creates a WiGig wireless connection with peripherals, such as keyboards, mice, and monitors, when they are within range of a device. The device returns to standalone mode once it leaves the area. 

The wireless charging features, meanwhile, were powered by the Rezence standard. Intel is a member of the Alliance for Wireless Power, the organization backing Rezence. 

Rezence transmits power via magnetic resonance. This provides a number of advantages over traditional inductive charging, not the least of which is that Rezence systems can project power over a much larger distance. Intel demonstrated this capability by charging a laptop through an unmodified table, about two inches away from the charging pad. 

Apple has shown interest in magnetic resonance charging in the past, notably filing a number of patents surrounding the technology. Apple's implementation would deliver power up to one meter away, which the company calls "a realistic and practical approach" to wireless charging.

It is not yet known whether Intel plans to bundle Rezence support into future Skylake chips or leave it as a separate technology. The company generally allows manufactures to mix-and-match platform components like processors and communications chips, and it is possible that they may add wireless charging to the parts bin in the future.

Source:
appleinsider.com

Posted by Editorial Team on 12:26 PM in 'Skylake' platform, 14-nanometer, Computex show, Intel shows, magnetic, Rezence standard, standalone, WiGig standard, WiGig wireless connection, wireless charging