Apple Reportedly Preparing Holiday Launch of Apple Pay Loyalty Rewards Program

Apple may have its rumored loyalty rewards program ready for the holiday shopping season, claims Bank Innovation . The loyalty program originally was thought to be launching alongside "Apple Pay 2.0" in October 2015, but recent reports suggest Apple may be pushed it ahead by a year due to merchant demand.

The loyalty program looks like it will come this year, based on Digiday’s timetable. This was unexpected — many had assumed the program would wait until the launch of Apple Pay 2.0, tentatively scheduled for October 2015. It looks like market demand pushed the timetable up to this holiday season, which my sources within the retail industry have said for sme time is “super unlikely.”

A previous report from Digiday, described as being "pretty accurate" by Bank Innovation sources, claims Apple plans to monetize its mobile payment system by integrating iAds with Apple Pay. This iAds portion of the loyalty system allegedly will use iBeacons and Bluetooth LE to push targeted ads with a "tap-to-buy" button to customers while they are visiting a participating merchant.

One way they’ve [Apple] thought up is, say you’re in a Duane Reade, hypothetically. You get a push notification from Pepsi that they’ve worked out a deal with Duane Reade that you can get a free case of Pepsi. Just pick it up and use Apple Pay at the counter.

Apple Pay officially launched yesterday and is compatible with major payment network, including American Express, MasterCard, and Visa. In-store NFC payments will require the iPhone 6 or iPhone 6 Plus, while those devices and the new iPad Air 2 and iPad mini 3 will be able to make online purchases with Apple Pay.

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Posted in 2014 at 05:53PM, October 21

Did you order an iPhone 6? This site will show you its exact location right now

Embracing the chaos and waiting on painfully long lines to be among the first to own a new iPhone might be a crucial part of the Apple fan experience, but it's definitely not for everyone. Millions of people want a new iPhone 6 or iPhone 6 Plus on launch day but decided to wait in the comfort of their own homes or offices and preorder a new device instead. Does that mean they're any less anxious to get their hands on their shiny new iPhones? Probably not, and now there's a way to see the exact location of your new iPhone 6 or iPhone 6 Plus as it sails through the sky on its way to your front steps.

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Posted in 2014 at 05:53PM, September 18

Apple Appears Set to Lose Bid for iPhone Display Chip Maker to Synaptics [iOS Blog]

Back in April, rumors indicated Apple was in talks with chipmaker Renesas Electronics over the potential acquisition of its Renesas SP Drivers division, which produces chips for smartphone displays including for the iPhone.



As it turns out, Renesas Electronics appears set to sell its stake in Renesas SP Drivers to Synaptics, another chip manufacturer, instead of Apple. According to Reuters , the talks between Apple and Renesas "failed to make progress", leading Renesas to move forward with Synaptics. Apple was originally offering 50 billion yen or $479 for Renasas' 55 percent stake in the company, which is also partially owned by Sharp and Powerchip.

Apple Inc had also been in talks about a possible purchase of the stake in Renesas SP Driver in what was seen as a potential move to shore up its global supply chain, but the sources said those talks failed to make progress and Renesas had narrowed its consideration to Synaptics.

Apple currently uses chips from Renesas Electronics in its iPhone displays, improving both image sharpness and battery life. It is unclear how a failed acquisition would affect the ongoing relationship between the two companies.





While Reuters suggests that the deal between Renesas and Synaptics is all but certain, Nikkei claims that Apple is still interested but that pricing was a major obstacle.

Apple still seems interested in acquiring the unit. Renesas "hopes to reach an agreement with Synaptics on the sale and will continue to try to persuade Apple to give in," a person familiar with Renesas' plans said.

Renesas was also reportedly convinced by some of its non-Apple customers that their access to the company's components could be cut off if Apple were to acquire the division, driving Renesas to give an edge to Synaptics.



Despite the possible failure to purchase Renesas SP Drivers, Apple's effort is part of a trend that has seen the company take a keen interest in controlling its own production supplies and core technologies in recent years. Apple recently signed a deal with sapphire producer GT Advanced Technologies and has also purchased several chip firms in the past, including P.A. Semi and Passif Semiconductor.

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Posted in 2014 at 05:53PM, May 27

Detailed iPhone 6 Mockup Compared to iPhone 5s in New Video

Several comparison photos and videos have already depicted physical iPhone 6 mockups next to a range of devices, including the iPhone 5s, but a new video from Macitynet has a highly detailed comparison of a good quality iPhone 6 mockup next to Apple's iPhone 5s, demonstrating all of the prospective design differences from multiple angles.






As can be seen in the video, the iPhone 6 mockup appears to be much thinner than the iPhone 5s. Based on design drawings, the mockup measures in at 7mm thick, while the iPhone 5s is a good bit thicker at 7.6mm. It is, of course, taller and wider as well, due to the larger 4.7-inch display.



The mockup also has iPod touch-style curved edges, which contrast the distinct corners of the iPhone 5s, and it has also adopted the microphone holes and the rectangular volume buttons of the iPod touch. Rumors have suggested the iPhone 6 could include a repositioned sleep/wake button on the right side of the device, which is also visible on the mockup. There's also a redesigned circular flash that replaces the pill-shaped flash of the iPhone 5s, which suggests the possibility that Apple has found a way to combine its existing dual-LED True Tone flash into a single LED.



In addition to today's video, various images and videos have depicted iPhone 6 mockups compared to a several other devices, including Apple's iPod touch and the Samsung Galaxy S5, giving us an idea of what Apple's 4.7-inch device might look like when it is released. Printable 3D plans have also been made available, allowing users to 3D print their own 4.7 and 5.5-inch iPhone 6 mockups.



It is important to note that all of the mockups that we've seen have largely been based on the same set of design drawings published in a March issue of Japanese magazine MacFan and it remains unclear whether those schematics are representative of the true design of the iPhone 6.



Apple is expected to launch the 4.7-inch version of the iPhone 6 in the fall, possibly as early as September. A larger 5.5-inch version may follow a few months later, debuting at the end of the year or in early 2015. Rumors have suggested the devices will include an upgraded processor and an improved camera, in addition to a fully redesigned body.

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Posted in 2014 at 05:53PM, May 12