Brydge, known for its line of keyboards designed for Apple’s iPads, today announced its acquisition of Henge Docks, a company known for its docking solutions for Mac devices.

Brydge says that it wants to create a new range of complementary devices that would “enhance the lives of individuals” and give them a way to seamlessly transition from one device to another.

“We’ve always been major supporters of Henge Docks and their products. This acquisition allows Brydge to accelerate our expansion into a proven category with products that are deeply aligned with our product roadmap. The opportunity to leverage Henge Docks’ reputation in Apple-compatible products, as the springboard into similar products for other key brands such as Microsoft and Google is a milestone for our company and significantly increases our reach in the industry,” said Nick Smith, Co-CEO and Founder of Brydge.

Brydge is aiming to be the leader in “high quality, design-focused peripherals” and says that the Henge Docks acquisition is an “exciting step towards this vision.”

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Apple Pay vice president Jennifer Bailey recently sat down with CNN anchor Christine Romans at a private event in San Francisco to discuss the future of payments, including Apple Pay and the Apple Card.

Apple Pay vice president Jennifer Bailey via CNN Business

As to be expected, Bailey made some boilerplate comments about the security, privacy, and ease of use of both Apple Pay and the Apple Card, but she also touched on cryptocurrency, tipping, and mobile IDs.

On cryptocurrency, Bailey said it is an “interesting” field with “long-term potential”:

We’re watching cryptocurrency. We think it’s interesting. We think it has interesting long-term potential, but we’re primarily focused on what consumers are using today… and are happy with. Most people are pretty happy with their debit card as an example. And so helping people do that in a more secure way on our platform and in a more real time way is what we’re focused on.

On tipping, Bailey said it is one area where Apple still needs to “work more on that”:

We get that feedback a lot from customers about when they start using mobile payments and Apple Pay, they stop carrying cash. And one of the key areas where they would like us to do more is actually in tipping. You’ll see in some of the point-of-sale systems now great tipping functionality if you pay with mobile payments, but still that personal touch is one area where we still need to work more on that.

Apple Pay and the Wallet app have already provided digital alternatives to credit and debit cards, student IDs, movie tickets, boarding passes, and more. Asked what the hardest remaining item in a wallet would be to digitize, Bailey said identities, such as a driver’s license or a passport:

I think the hardest thing is identity. And the reason is that identity, to be legal, has to be government issued… it has to be authenticated by the government. We see across the globe many countries starting to use mobile to add passport… you might use mobile passport when you’re going through airports today. It is moving, and I think it will continue. It’s not too far away… it just won’t be as fast as some of the other activities we have.

Bailey also confirmed that Apple is “working on” allowing users to export their Apple Card financial data to a budgeting app like Mint.

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Sonos today introduced its first portable Bluetooth speaker, the Sonos Move.

The battery-powered Sonos Move features both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth for listening at home or on the go, AirPlay 2 support, built-in Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant, and up to ten hours of continuous music playback per charge. The speaker features an oval-shaped design with IP56-rated water and dust resistance.

AirPlay 2 support means music playback on the Sonos Move can be controlled with Siri, and the speaker will also appear in the AirPlay picker on iOS devices and in the Home app across iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch.

Sonos Move pre-orders begin today on Sonos.com. The speaker will be available starting September 24, priced at $399 in the United States.

Sonos also unveiled a lower-priced version of its Sonos One smart speaker without built-in microphones. Priced at $179, the Sonos One SL costs $20 less than the regular Sonos One. Like the Sonos Move, the One SL supports AirPlay 2.

The new One SL replaces the Sonos Play:1 and will be available globally starting September 12.

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Eve Systems, known for its range of HomeKit-enabled products, today highlighted four new devices that are coming out later this year, some of which will be available in the United States and some limited to Europe.

Eve Extend, a Bluetooth range extender designed for the Bluetooth-equipped Eve devices, is launching today. It’s designed to connect to your Bluetooth Eve accessories to make them available across your WiFi network.

Eve Extend is able to connect to either a 2.4GHz or 5GHz WiFi network, and it can work with up to eight Eve accessories. More than one Eve Extend can be paired up to expand the reach of Eve products to all corners of the home. Eve Extend can be ordered from the Eve website for $50 starting today.

A European version of the Eve Light Switch, which replaces a traditional light switch and adds HomeKit connectivity, is launching in Germany, Austria, Belgium, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands this fall. Eve Light Switch is priced at 99.95 euros and will be available on October 1.

Eve is debuting a new version of the Eve Thermo smart radiator valve, which features a clearer display, better touch controls with feedback, and a quieter motor. Eve Thermo will be available for 70 euros starting on September 16.

Eve is also working on the Eve Water Guard, a device that’s designed to detect moisture and send alerts so you can address a leak as soon as it happens. Eve Water Guard comes with a 4.3 foot water sensing cable that extends its detection range beyond other HomeKit water detectors on the market.

Eve says that the Eve Water Guard will be launching in January 2020, with pricing and availability to be announced at a later date.

This article, “Eve Launches New ‘Eve Extend’ Bluetooth Range Extender” first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Apple is developing an in-display fingerprint scanner for future iPhones, according to Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman and Debby Wu.

The report claims Apple is considering including the in-display scanner in a 2020 iPhone if testing is successful, but adds there is a possibility the tech will not be ready until 2021. This lines up with a prediction from noted Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who expects an iPhone with both Face ID and in-display Touch ID in 2021.

The upcoming fingerprint reader would be embedded in the display, enabling users to unlock the iPhone by placing a finger almost anywhere on the screen, and it would complement rather than replace the existing Face ID system. This would give users the convenience of two biometric authentication options.

Face ID and Touch ID each have their weaknesses, such as Face ID not working well when an iPhone is laying flat on a table, or Touch ID not playing friendly with wet fingers. With both systems, users would have the best of both worlds, using the authentication option that is better in a given situation.

Several major Android smartphone makers have adopted in-screen fingerprint scanners over the past few years, including Samsung.

Apple is also working on its first low-cost iPhone since the iPhone SE, which could launch as early as the first half of 2020, according to Bloomberg. As Nikkei reported earlier this week, the device is said to look similar to the iPhone 8, including a 4.7-inch display and a Touch ID home button.

The iPhone 8 currently retails for $599 and up, while the iPhone SE started at $399, but was later discounted to $349.

This article, “Bloomberg: Apple Planning iPhone With Both Face ID and Touch ID Under Display by 2021” first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Samsung has announced the Galaxy Fold will go on sale in South Korea on Friday, September 6, over five months after its original scheduled launch date and just days ahead of Apple’s annual iPhone event.

According to The Verge, the Galaxy Fold will also be available in France, Germany, and Singapore come September 18. Samsung hasn’t revealed an exact date for the UK or US, but the handset is expected to arrive in those countries in the coming weeks. Initially at least, the phone will be available in just a single configuration, offering 512GB of storage, 12GB of memory, and 5G support, with a Montblanc luxury case thrown in.

Samsung will be crossing its fingers and its toes in the hope of a fault-free rollout this time around. The folding smartphone was initially meant to be in the hands of customers in April, but it was delayed following multiple reports from reviewers of broken units after just a few days’ use. Many reviewers experienced issues while testing the device, including random bulges appearing on the 7.3-inch display and flickering screens. In many cases, the issues were enough to make the $1,980 device completely unusable.

An independent investigation revealed that the folding phone lacked adequate protection against the ingress of debris between the OLED screen and the chassis bezel. Samsung recalled all Fold devices that were distributed to reviewers and said it was postponing the launch of the hybrid handset while it completed a redesign to resolve the display failures. The South Korean firm said in July that the phone would relaunch in September, but didn’t specify a date.

Samsung is already working on its next bendable smartphone, according to a Bloomberg report earlier this week. Projected to launch early next year, it’s said to be a flip phone-style 6.7-inch device that can be folded down into a compact-sized square.

Apple’s iPhone event takes place on September 10, when the company is expected to launch three new iPhones with more advanced cameras. The line-up includes two OLED models in 5.8 and 6.5 inches and one LCD model that’s 6.1 inches. Apple is said to be exploring folding screen technology, but nothing suggests it plans to release a foldable smartphone in the near future.

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Signify today announced several new Philips Hue branded products, adding to its available line of Hue bulbs and devic

The Philips Hue Smart Plug, priced at $39.99, is designed to turn lamps that aren’t compatible with Hue bulbs into smart lamps able to be controlled via the Philips Hue app and HomeKit.

You can plug any table lamp, floor lamp, or other device into the Smart plug to add it to your Philips Hue setup. The Smart Plug can be switched on or off using the Hue app or HomeKit controls.

A new Philips Hue Smart Button, priced at $19.99, gives you a physical control option for your Philips Hue lights. You can assign a single press to activate whichever lights you want to control, and a press and a hold can brighten or dim the lights.

Paired with the Philips Hue Bridge, the button can be configured to do things like turning your lights to a preset shade of white and a brightness level that suits the time of day.

In the morning, a press of the Smart Button will turn the lights to cool, energizing shades of white, and in the evening, a button press will trigger warmer, dimmer light settings.

The Smart Button features a magnetic backing and an adhesive mini mount so you can put it wherever it’s most useful.

Signify is debuting a new Bluetooth version of the Philips Hue Go portable lamp ($79.99), which can be used on its own with the Philips Hue Bluetooth app or added to any standard Philips Hue setup. The new Hue Go option is similar to the existing Hue Go, but with a longer battery life.

There are also new Bluetooth-enabled versions of the GU10 White and Color Ambiance and White Ambiance bulbs that can be used without a hub over Bluetooth, plus they feature higher lumen output, a new design, and richer colors.

The last new product is a Philips Hue White E12 candle bulb, ideal for ceiling fans, chandeliers, and other similar lights. The new E12 candle bulbs work over Bluetooth or with a Hue Bridge.

The Smart Plug and Smart Button will be launching in October, while the new Hue Go is coming in November. The GU10 spotlights and the E12 candle bulbs will be available starting in September. More info on the new products can be found on the Hue website.

This article, “Signify Launches New Philips Hue Smart Plug and Smart Button” first appeared on MacRumors.com

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Signify today announced that its Philip Hue line of lights is gaining several new filament bulb options, which will be available in a variety of sizes.

Filament bulbs are bulbs that can be used with or without a lampshade, unlike other Hue bulbs that are designed for use primarily with lampshades. Filament bulbs can be viewed straight on and look attractive even when displayed in a naked lamp.

The Filament bulbs can be used over Bluetooth without a Philips Hue hub using the Philips Hue Bluetooth app, but if you have an existing Hue setup, the bulbs can also be added in the traditional manner and paired with your other Hue lights.

The Hue Filament bulbs are LED bulbs that are available only in a warm white light (2100K, 530 lumens) with an amber coating. The bulbs can be dimmed, but there are no color options.

There are three Hue Filament bulbs that will be available in the United States starting in October. There’s a traditional A19 bulb that will be available for $24.99, a ST19 tube that will be available for $27.99, and a G25 globe that will be available for $32.99.

For more on the new Filament bulbs, check out the Hue website.

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Apple today announced that its new Apple Marunouchi store in Toyko is set to open on Saturday, September 7. Marunouchi is Apple’s third store in Japan to open since last April, and it is the largest Apple Store in Japan.

Apple Marunouchi is located near the Imperial Palace and across from the historic Tokyo Station. Apple’s senior vice president of Retail and People, Deirdre O’Brien, said that the Marunouchi store marks a significant moment in Apple’s relationship with Japan.

“Marunouchi has amazing energy and our teams can’t wait to welcome customers to our largest store in Japan for the first time on Saturday,” O’Brien said.

According to Apple, the split-level Marunouchi store was built with a unique facade, featuring two-story vitrine windows that were constructed from “specially cast aluminum” to allow them to feature three-dimensional rounded corners.

The windows are a first in an Apple retail location and are designed to allow the “vibrant street life” of the surrounding area to connect with the interior of the store. Bamboo lines the interior of the windows.

Marunouchi will feature “world-class creators” leading Today at Apple sessions, kicking off with The Tokyo Creative Guild, which is a special 12-part series that Apple is introducing to celebrate the store’s opening.

Customers can begin signing up for Today at Apple sessions at Marunouchi starting now. Apple says that later this month, its Fukuoka store will also be expanding to a new location, and the remodel of Apple Omotesandō will be completed.

This article, “Apple’s New Marunouchi Store Opening Saturday, September 7 in Tokyo” first appeared on MacRumors.com

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