The AppAdvice Tech Week in Review: The 'iPhone 7,' iBooks Settlement Payments and More
This week, $400 million was handed out to e-book customers. We also heard more news about Apple’s next handset. Here’s a look back at the week that was.
Top News Stories
All about iPhone
It’s almost July, which means Apple should unveil the company’s next iPhone in just over two months. However, you might be wise to hold off on buying the 2016 edition, according to The Wall Street Journal.
The next iPhone will look similar to the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6s. The biggest change: the removable of the headphone plug, which will make the handset thinner and more water resistant.
Significant changes are likely for next year’s iPhone:
“Apple plans bigger design changes for 2017, the 10th anniversary of the original iPhone. Those changes could include an edge-to-edge organic light-emitting diode, or OLED, screen and eliminating the home button by building the fingerprint sensor into the display, according to people familiar with the matter.”
See also:
Did you get your e-book settlement money?
Millions of e-book purchasers received credits and checks this week as the result of an antitrust lawsuit filed against Apple and five of the nation’s largest publishing companies. Consumers received a $6.93 credit for every e-book which was a New York Times bestseller, and a $1.57 credit for other e-books.
In July 2014, Apple agreed to a $450 million settlement to resolve this case, which was first filed in August 2011. The five other defendants were Hachette, HarperCollins, Macmillan, Penguin, and Simon and Schuster. In total, $400 million went to consumers.
Other news:
On the App Store
Are you tired of using multiple apps to check your Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram accounts? Take a look at Social Stream, a new app that pulls all your feeds into one slick and sophisticated app.
Browse, filter, sort, or view all of the posts from your social networks in one spot. Quick actions let you repost, comment, or like with a tap. So, for a cool way to view and interact with posts, Social Stream is sleek and simple.
Other app news:
Download the apps
Games in Review
Christine Chan reviews new App Store titles
I’m still in the early stages of Perchang, but so far I am loving every second of it. The game looks gorgeous with the minimalist aesthetic, the music is immersive and calming, controls are easy enough for everyone, and the puzzles are challenging enough to make you really use your brain.
- Christine Chan
This week’s reviews featured a movie showtimes app, an amazing puzzler, and a Modern Atlas:
Get the apps:
Wearables and Other Accessory News
This week, we profiled some great iPad mini cases for kids just in time for the summer.
Other accessory news:
What will be making news next week? Stay with AppAdvice to find out.
Brent Dirks, Sandy Stachowiak, and Joe Wright contributed to this report.
