New iPads, Apple TV boxes to share 'A5X' chip (report)
Adding to previous chatter, a new report says Apple will unveil a new Apple TV set-top box alongside its next iPad.In a report this afternoon, The Verge says both devices will get their debut at tomorrow morning's special event and that there's a reason for that: they both use the same chip. Citing anonymous sources, The Verge says the chip will be the previously rumored (and photographed) "A5X," versus the A6--the latter being the expected quad-core chip and successor to the dual-core A5, currently used in the iPad 2 and iPhone 4S. Separately, a source told CNET that Apple plans to use a dual-core chip, versus one with four cores.The Verge's report also mentions that Apple's next tablet will feature more RAM than the iPad 2, include the much-rumored 2048x1526 Retina Display, and support 4G LTE, with Apple offering separate models to support the different standards, as it did with the 3G models of the iPad 2. (Note: this is the second such report today to offer that the next iPad will support 4G LTE networks.)As for what's new with the Apple TV set-top box, The Verge says it will get support for 1080p (up from the current model's 720p output), a move tied to the AirPlay mirroring feature that works on the iPhone 4S, iPad 2, and presumably the next iPad. Considering that Apple doesn't offer 1080p content through its iTunes Store, the 720p limitation has made sense, but bigger resolutions will be more important, given the much-rumored higher resolution on the tablet, as well as the upcoming Mountain Lion OS X update, which will let Mac users beam their screens to their TV sets.Related stories4G iPad reportedly slated to be sold by Verizon, AT&TNext iPad will be the iPad HD, not the iPad 3Apple iPad 3 may get March release date, 4GiPad 3 rumor roundupApple TV isn't 1080p and you shouldn't careThe Apple TV--which is not to be confused with Apple's much-rumored, and eventually expected, TV set--has been in short supply in recent weeks, with a report from MacRumors last night noting that you can't find one in 98 percent of Apple's retail stores in the United States. Retailers began discounting the product as long ago as November, with Amazon changing the listing to the "2010" model.Apple is widely expected to take the wraps off the next iPad at its event tomorrow morning, with a new report today claiming that the device will go on sale on March 16. CNET will be there to cover the event live.CNET Blog Network contributor Brooke Crothers contributed to this report.
Bluetooth LE in Apple TV shows NFC sidestep
Bluetooth LE in Apple TV shows NFC sidestep
Apple has added a new set-up feature to Apple TV that makes the experience look an awful lot like an NFC "tap-to-connect" experience. On any third-generation Apple TV, you can now set up by tapping your iPhone against the TV for your first iTunes sign-in. It will then pass all your details to the Apple TV. No fussing about with the Apple TV remote to tap out passwords and user details one letter at a time.Between devices, NFC is typically acting as a first step in a simplified Bluetooth pairing process. So this Bluetooth LE method is skipping the NFC middleman, while keeping things just as simple.NFC still holds advantages, with unpowered tokens that can trigger interactions or device state changes â€" both Samsung and Sony offer special tiles and tokens to use in this way.The Bluetooth LE advantage is that it removes the need for a direct contact interaction. Instead, an interaction can be initiated within a radius of up to 50 metres. The low-power requirement also means that iBeacons can be implemented as small stand-alone devices that can run up to two years on a watch battery.Apple has supported Bluetooth 4.0 since the iPhone 4S, but this new process seems to have arrived thanks to the new "iBeacon" system in iOS 7. One of the less-discussed features of iOS 7, iBeacons are Bluetooth LE transmitters that can cheaply create zones of presence for iOS 7 devices to interact with.PayPal has recently announced its Beacon system that it aims to roll out in stores around the world, which operates on the same Bluetooth LE system as Apple's iBeacon. PayPal does suggest its own system will not directly be an iBeacon service, stating its own service is "better than" iBeacon's because it's available cross-platform. It also suggests that the PayPal service has better privacy policies than iBeacon.Google has added Bluetooth LE support for the first time in Android 4.3. That's a good sign that everyone will get any benefits of an iBeacon-led shift in in-store digital commerce. iBeacon vendors are already pointing to cross-platform software development kits (SDKs) to ensure non-iPhone users can also be part of what's coming.NFC has had three years in the wild but never quite gained traction in the store payment landscape. With these early signs of Apple's new iBeacon efforts, with Bluetooth LE and PayPal also joining the Bluetooth LE party, the true contactless payment revolution may be on its way in 2014.
Apple has added a new set-up feature to Apple TV that makes the experience look an awful lot like an NFC "tap-to-connect" experience. On any third-generation Apple TV, you can now set up by tapping your iPhone against the TV for your first iTunes sign-in. It will then pass all your details to the Apple TV. No fussing about with the Apple TV remote to tap out passwords and user details one letter at a time.Between devices, NFC is typically acting as a first step in a simplified Bluetooth pairing process. So this Bluetooth LE method is skipping the NFC middleman, while keeping things just as simple.NFC still holds advantages, with unpowered tokens that can trigger interactions or device state changes â€" both Samsung and Sony offer special tiles and tokens to use in this way.The Bluetooth LE advantage is that it removes the need for a direct contact interaction. Instead, an interaction can be initiated within a radius of up to 50 metres. The low-power requirement also means that iBeacons can be implemented as small stand-alone devices that can run up to two years on a watch battery.Apple has supported Bluetooth 4.0 since the iPhone 4S, but this new process seems to have arrived thanks to the new "iBeacon" system in iOS 7. One of the less-discussed features of iOS 7, iBeacons are Bluetooth LE transmitters that can cheaply create zones of presence for iOS 7 devices to interact with.PayPal has recently announced its Beacon system that it aims to roll out in stores around the world, which operates on the same Bluetooth LE system as Apple's iBeacon. PayPal does suggest its own system will not directly be an iBeacon service, stating its own service is "better than" iBeacon's because it's available cross-platform. It also suggests that the PayPal service has better privacy policies than iBeacon.Google has added Bluetooth LE support for the first time in Android 4.3. That's a good sign that everyone will get any benefits of an iBeacon-led shift in in-store digital commerce. iBeacon vendors are already pointing to cross-platform software development kits (SDKs) to ensure non-iPhone users can also be part of what's coming.NFC has had three years in the wild but never quite gained traction in the store payment landscape. With these early signs of Apple's new iBeacon efforts, with Bluetooth LE and PayPal also joining the Bluetooth LE party, the true contactless payment revolution may be on its way in 2014.
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