Unlock new Convenience and Powers using the iOS 13 Share Menu
In the video above we showcase the somewhat hidden tricks needed to unlock the full potential of the new share menu for iOS 13 and iPadOS. The video uses iPadOS in order to give a better view within the video aspect ratio vs. the narrow iPhone screen dimensions. The streamlining of work across iPhone, iPad and Mac is much improved and expanded with the updates to iOS 13, iPadOS and macOS Catalina.
The share menu can vary from app to app, many use most often from within Safari or the Mail app, however, for this video we chose the Apple News app as the operations are essentially the same. Third party apps may have different choices of compatible apps to use for sharing and, naturally, different types of content (photos, news story links, PDFs, etc.) would be share with and can be saved into other apps in various ways compatible with those formats.
All-in-all this is a very powerful addition to the iOS / iPadOS toolbox and is but a tiny piece of the puzzle of new features and options built into this upgrade. Stay tuned for more tips and tricks and, if you prefer, you can also view the video on YouTube (below). Please, as always, subscribe and follow!
After the initial release of iOS 13 proved to be a little buggy (but beautiful), today Apple released iOS 13.1 with updates and features along with added safety. Some features added since last weeks initial update include a “share ETA” feature in Apple Maps, as well as improved AirDrop performance.
iPad OS 13.1 is also going live in front of tomorrows release of the new seventh-generation iPad entry level. Orders start tomorrow with deliveries and in-store availability “later this week” according to Apple.
This is going to be an extremely eventful September and October for those who own a Mac, iPhone and iPad. With mac OS Catalina due out sometime in October (exact date not specified by apple yet) it will be weeks before all the new features are “digested” by our brains. Added to the fun is the fact that many features, such as Side-Car for Catalina, which allows the iPad to be used as not only an extended second screen but also as a sort of satellite stand alone control device for the Mac you choose as the source. We are working on live experiments with this feature and it is amazing, especially in conjunction with iPad OS 13.1. Stay tuned.
Although there are many, many new features, and this is the first year that there are three new major OS releases (4 if you have an Apple Watch) and the learning curve deserves a much more in depth look than just a hurried list of features and specs and comparisons to the same hurried lists from last year. These new updates will virtually define the word “synergy” and it will take months for the upgrades to be fully immersed into our digital worlds.
After last year’s Mojave update marked the first real emergence of iCloud and shared features across all devices as a ninja-superpower force, the triumvirate of iOS 13, iPad OS 13 and Catalina looks to be an even more incredible coming of age for the eco-system writ large.
This is really great news of those who use the devices on a daily basis professionally, just as the new omnipresent “pro” tag has taken hold, and, although it is understood that bugs will come and eventually get squashed, this really is the new platform we have waited for.
On Friday we took out the new iPhone 11 Pro Max for a spin and got some Manhattan Beach photos and video footage. Saturday night we did some Night mode tests. The tests revealed some amazing revelations. Below are reactions and examples.
First, the autopsy. According to Apple, intelligent software and A13 Bionic are behind what makes Night mode possible. This, while in the past would be considered a compromise, is now an integral part of the concept of this new technique for shooting photos in very low light situations.
In traditional photographic techniques a long shutter “speed” setting would leave the shutter open, collecting light, for several seconds, even as long as hours for very advanced experimental shots. Although the results can be spectacular the set up, requiring virtually perfect conditions, make these type of photos “pro only” for the most part.
The long shutter opening is the starting off point for Night mode but that is where the similarities end, for the most part. Ultimately the way the iPhone 11 Pro produces ultra-low-light images is the beginning of what is bound to be a long and interesting road; software assisted real-time image processing using machine learning and all manner of highly sophisticated tech enhancements only possible within Apple’s unique total eco-system of chips (hardware), software and A.I.
Sept 13 Keynote featuring the iPhone 11 Pro image processing systems using Bionic A13 chip, GPU and Neural Engine
But in the “real” world it is precisely the simplicity that takes this little upgrade into a whole other head space. First – no tripod needed (unless you are doing ultra max long exposure, and even then you can get by with a steady hand). This alone is, for anyone that has tried long exposures without stabilization, just astounding. Night mode senses that a potential photo can be enhanced and turns on automatically – and the results can be seen (in approximation) live before shooting. Once you shoot there is a delay – from, generally, 1-12 seconds (but usually 3-5 seconds) while the light is gathered and the software goes crazy. At the end is an almost noiseless photo that appears as if light was there that really wasn’t. It’s very odd. But often breathtakingly beautiful.
In the image below you can see the camera app layout during Night mode. On the bottom left you see the automatic setting (in this case set to 3 seconds) and if you tap on that icon the manual controls pop-up (on the right side of the image below) where you can manually adjust the exposure time or, if you want to disable Night mode and take a “normal” shot in low light, you can set it to zero.
iPhone 11 Pro in camera app with Night mode activeand with an auto-setting of 3 seconds
Here is where it gets interesting. And, a little confusing. Confusing because newer iPhones are already automatically enhancing and increasing the “simulated exposure” settings. This means that, to get a photo of what the human eye actually sees in a given low light situation, you either have to use different software with manual settings or simulate the darkness in Lightroom / Photoshop, etc.
So, all the “with and without” Night mode comparisons all over the internet? They are all misrepresenting the “real” situation. To illustrate we have done a mock up with the 3 levels – first on the far left is the simulated “human” light situation and the middle is the Night mode off setting and finally the Night mode end result:
Below, you see the “human vision simulation” and on the right the basic Night mode enhanced version. The room had basically zero light in it except the very dim led Christmas lights on the tree in the subject.
What are we looking at here? We are talking about some sort of Navy Seal, Ninja “let’s take pictures in the dark -cause we can” kind of thing! The Apple examples below, while beautiful and fantastic, don’t even begin to address the Pandora’s Box we are opening here:
What one feels when exploring uses of this tool is that it is simply an increased range of lighting situations that suddenly become available and viable. The “usual” thought process of what a photo reveals vs. what the eye sees is literally gone. And one has to start thinking in a completely different way about what, when and where a photo can be taken.
Shot in virtually total darkness with iPhone 11 Max Pro
What is remarkable about the photo above is nothing, except that it was pitch black and the sign was unreadable to the naked eye. If this was a shot needed for a Lifeguard video shoot and the sun had already set, no worries, sun not required. The end result is “normal” but the idea of shooting in the darkest corners and the result looking “normal” is quite strange indeed.
The shot below is a more traditional type of long exposure setting. A girl with a flash light happened to run by and that is where the decorative line was created. So far, other than a shot in nothing but moonlight such as the Apple Joshua Tree in Mojave example in the above video, using Night mode to recreate high contrast “traditional” long exposure photos is actually far less effective than re-thinking the entire photo-taking process to incorporate settings that heretofore were simply not viable for any camera, let alone a “cell-phone” camera.
We are all Cyborgs and the Door is opening to the Second Wave
Elon Musk said recently “we are already Cyborgs” because we carry cellphones. The idea is, a la Marshall McLuhan, that our iPhones (and computers and media and all tech) are extensions of our senses and, ultimately, ourselves. So now, just like that, we have Night Vision. Perhaps the use of the word “Bionic” for the A13 chip is no accident. But it is us, iPhone users, that are becoming Bionic.
“We are already Cyborgs”
Elon Musk at “Super-intelligence: Science or Fiction” conference
Here at Lynxotic, we are dedicated to the exploration of all new “languages” that can be used online. Photos led to film and film to video and now, via the internet we also use various evolving hybrids: animated gifs, live photos, Emojis, Animojis, Memojis, and now “Slofies” and Day-for-Night-mode shots that represent an experience that can only be possible as a Cyborg or Bionically enhanced human.
More and more, so many of us, particularly those of us that work in tech and media, live “inside” our computers and devices. Although our blurry eyes attest to some of the downsides of this life, upgrades, particularly to software relating to the sensual, sensory experiences we share daily, are a very big upside. When you are bionic and live inside your “phone” an upgrade to your vision is nothing less than a tune-up for your soul.
” When you are bionic and live inside your “phone” an upgrade to your vision is nothing less than a tune-up for your soul.”
– D.H.
We believe that we are in ultra-early times in the Second Wave. Just as a grunting cave man was “pre-Shakespearean” in his communication skills, we are searching for new ways to reach out to one another over digital networks and every new tool or method can change our digital lives, irreversibly. Night mode will be one such tool.
Photo shot using iPhone 11 Pro Max, Manhattan Beach CA on 9-20-19 using equivalent 52mm lens
We took out the new iPhone 11 Pro Max (that’s a mouthful, right?) for a spin on the first day of availability (delivered on time via online pre-order from Sept. 13th). Here are some of the results. Naturally these are all 100% “raw” in the sense that we used only the built-in apple camera app (third party camera and video apps are not yet functioning) and we did no post processing whatsoever.
The first thing that was noticeable was how the software adjusted for the light much more than in the previous combination of software (camera app) and hardware, and on last year’s XS Max. Well before “magic hour” would naturally turn everything golden, the sun gleaming off the ocean (see above) was already looking very stylized. With some very slight Photoshop or Lightroom adjustments this would “pop” for certain.
Photo shot using iPhone 11 Pro Max, Manhattan Beach CA on 9-20-19 using equivalent 52mm lens
Without more time with the machine and post production software etc. (not to mention the 3rd party apps which do make a huge difference) it is hard to say what the ultimate verdict is on how much better the output is compared to last year’s model. However, the first reaction is: wow. Also it should be noted that the very, very best place to view iPhone 11 Pro photos… is on an iPhone 11 pro (!). The screen resolution improvements are part of the immediate and obvious reaction if you are shooting and viewing the work on the same device. That’s is a little odd, but this is part of an overall disconnect that will be present during the ultra-early times in the Second Wave.
4k VIDEO SHOT USING IPHONE 11 PRO MAX, MANHATTAN BEACH CA ON 9-20-19 USING EQUIVALENT 52MM
For video we got similar, if somewhat less dramatic results. Bear in mind that 4k over YouTube can only be seen if you are using a chrome browser and you may need to manually dial up the setting. If you are looking at this for pro-test footage research you know what I am saying. Mostly you would be seeing this in 1080p and that does still look pretty luscious.
VIDEO SHOT USING IPHONE 11 PRO MAX, MANHATTAN BEACH CA ON 9-20-19 USING EQUIVALENT 13MM lens
Above you can see the same general scene using the ultra wide angle lens (equivalent to a 13mm) which is very wide and does create some distortion and enhancement of perspective – which always looks “cool” in music videos and some landscape settings.
The option to switch (without image degradation) between the three cameras / lenses: the ultra-wide 13mm, the wide 26mm and the 52mm “tele” is very handy, and having the ultra-wide angle will produce some great images not previously seen in iPhone photography. However, as a pro in “real life” with a full set up prime lenses there would definitely need to be an 80mm or 100mm for greater production of depth of field (bokeh and portrait styles) and to capture closer framing without resorting to digital zoom degradation. Also if they would have asked me I would have suggested something like 13mm, 40mm and 80mm. The 80mm is probably not possible due to the fact that it would be very thick (!) but the 26mm is a bit of an orphan getting skipped over, in many situations when looking for dramatic shots. But, hey ! It’s a smart phone!
On 11-1-19, Apple will start streaming original shows worldwide, to over 100 countries and have a subscription fee of $4.99 per month. For the uncertain there will also be a seven day free trail period.
Using the Apple TV app, It will be possible to view shows on iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Mac, Apple TV and also online at tv.apple.com. Some of the previously announced shows that will be available initially will be “The Morning Show”(see trailer above), “Dickinson”, “See”, “For All Mankind” and “The Elephant Queen”. New original shows, movies and documentaries will be added each month, according to Apple.
Some of the originals to be added monthly include:
“Helpsters,” a new children’s series from the makers of “Sesame Street,” stars Cody and a team of vibrant monsters who love to help solve problems. It all starts with a plan.
“Snoopy in Space,” a new original from Peanuts Worldwide and DHX Media, takes viewers on a journey with Snoopy as he follows his dreams to become an astronaut. Together, Snoopy, Charlie Brown and the Peanuts crew take command of the International Space Station and explore the moon and beyond.
“Ghostwriter,” a reinvention of the beloved original series, follows four kids who are brought together by a mysterious ghost in a neighborhood bookstore, and must team up to release fictional characters from works of literature.
“The Elephant Queen,” an acclaimed documentary film and cinematic love letter to a species on the verge of extinction, follows a majestic matriarch elephant and her herd on an epic journey of life, loss and homecoming.
Oprah Winfrey joins the world’s most compelling authors in conversation as she builds a vibrant, global book club community and other projects to connect with people around the world and share meaningful ways to create positive change.
Following data provided by Apple:
More Apple TV+ originals will be added to the Apple TV app each month, including:
“Truth Be Told,” a gripping new series starring Academy Award winner Octavia Spencer and Emmy Award winner Aaron Paul, explores America’s obsession with true crime podcasts and navigates urgent concerns about privacy, media and race.
“Little America,” inspired by the true stories featured in Epic Magazine, brings to life the funny, romantic, heartfelt, inspiring and surprising stories of immigrants in America.
“The Banker,” a feature film inspired by a true story, stars Anthony Mackie and Samuel L. Jackson as two African American entrepreneurs who try to circumvent the racial limitations of the 1950s and quietly provide housing loans to the African American community in Jim Crow Texas. Nia Long and Nicholas Hoult also star.
“Hala,” a feature film and official selection of the 2019 Sundance Film Festival and 2019 Toronto International Film Festival, follows a high school senior struggling to balance being a suburban teenager with her traditional Muslim upbringing.
Starting today, viewers can watch trailers and add Apple TV+ series and movies to Up Next on the Apple TV app, so they can be notified when the first episodes become available. At launch, most Apple TV+ series will premiere with three episodes, with one new episode to roll out each week, while full seasons of some series will be available all at once.
Audiences worldwide can enjoy Apple TV+ originals subtitled and/or dubbed in nearly 40 languages, including Subtitles for the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing (SDH) or closed captions. Apple TV+ series and movies will also be available with audio descriptions in eight languages.
Apple TV+ is one of Apple’s newest services, joining Apple Arcade, the world’s first game subscription service featuring over 100 new and exclusive games; Apple News+, which brings together over 300 magazines, newspapers and digital publishers within the Apple News app; Apple Music, the home of over 50 million songs, thousands of playlists and daily selections from the world’s best music experts; Apple Card, a new kind of credit card created by Apple and designed to help customers lead a healthier financial life; Apple Pay, the most popular mobile contactless payment system in the world that gives customers an easy, secure and private way to pay using their Apple devices; as well as the App Store and iCloud.
Pricing and Availability
Apple TV+ will be available on the Apple TV app for $4.99 (US) per month with a seven-day free trial starting November 1 on iPhone, iPad, Apple TV 4K, Apple TV HD, Apple TV (3rd generation), iPod touch and Mac. To subscribe to Apple TV+, customers must update to iOS 12.3 or later, tvOS 12.3 or later and macOS Catalina. The subscription will automatically renew at $4.99 per month at the end of the seven-day free trial.
Apple TV+ will also be available on the Apple TV app on select 2018, 2019 and newer Samsung smart TVs, and on Amazon Fire TV, LG, Roku, Sony and VIZIO platforms in the future.
Customers can also subscribe to and watch Apple TV+ at tv.apple.com in Safari, Chrome and Firefox.
Customers with AirPlay 2-enabled Samsung, LG and VIZIO smart TVs must update to iOS 12.3 or later or macOS Catalina to play or mirror Apple TV+ originals from the Apple TV app on iPhone, iPad, iPod touch or Mac directly to their smart TVs. Customers with eligible Sony smart TVs will be able to enjoy AirPlay 2 support later this year.
Customers who purchase any new iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Mac or iPod touch starting September 10 can enjoy one year of Apple TV+ for free. Beginning November 1, customers can initiate the one-year free offer in the Apple TV app on the device running the latest software. Customers have three months after device activation to claim the offer, or if the device was purchased and activated before the launch of Apple TV+, they will have three months starting November 1. The subscription will automatically renew at $4.99 per month after one year. Customers can cancel at any time in Settings at least one day before each renewal date. Customers who cancel during the offer period will forfeit the remainder of their offer. This limited time offer applies to both new and refurbished models, including devices from the iPhone Upgrade Program, is not restricted to any specific sales channel (e.g., Apple Store, resellers) and will be available in all countries where Apple TV+ will launch. Up to six family members can share one Apple TV+ subscription and watch using their own Apple ID and password. Only one one-year offer is available per family, regardless of the number of devices purchased.
Everybody Knows Everything that will Happen? Let’s Hope not and Expect the Unexpected…
What about the vaunted world class secrecy that Apple used to be famous for? Aside from a fiasco or two many years ago, and the attendant bru haha, shouldn’t there be some sense of dramatic reveal?
Sure, Ming-Chi Kuo, is known far and wide as predictor extraordinaire and has an uncanny ability to spill the beans with great accuracy. And, it seems, practically any Apple News Outlet seems to be able to tell you exactly what to expect. Or are they?
This year, we have a tile-like gadget which sounds pretty fantastic – and the rumor stems from iOS 13 code so there must be something there. Somehow Kuo and macrumors have determined that the findable gadgets will be “circular”.
imaginary concept for findable bluetooth device (Lynxotic)
Names, Specs, Features and Performance
As far as iPhones, the consensus is 3 models. Possibly called “iPhone 11” and “iPhone 11 Pro” and with better waterproofing, better camera with both hardware and software upgrades as well as video recording improvements related to the camera changes, appear to also be likely.
The list of changes to the specifications include items such as battery performance (with a larger battery), navigation and more ram and so on and so on. And this tiny partial list of what has been debated and discussed does not even include the already well known changes that iOS 13, macOS Catalina and iPad OS will all bring, and how those will interact with the new devices and new device features.
Naturally there are many possible and likely upgrades to the iPhone but also to a whole array of products, software and services.
As we detailed in a recent story the Apple TV+ launch is due, in all likelihood this month. iPad, MacBook, Mac Pro availability, much that was partially or fully announced at WWDC in May is bound to get some attention again.
As a matter of fact, 2019 is a year during which almost every non-iPhone product has been upgraded already. MacBook Air is another recent example. Even an emoji upgrade was announced recently!
Is Excessive Love A Crime?
Although further speculation towards more and better smacks of greed or at least excessive love, what if there are surprises that even the great Ming-Chi Kuo and Macrumors are not yet aware of?
What if the once formidable Apple security and anti-leak team was actually successful in keeping something under wraps?
Perhaps just even better secret details on the changes and improvements to the hardware, particularly the iPhones? Maybe the camera and its increasingly AI based software has something big in the offing?
Or, what if there is actually even one piece of hardware or one aspect of the iPhone “11 Pro” that literally no one has warned us about yet? If the one thing that we will all be talking (and writing and tweeting and posting) about Tuesday afternoon is not on the radar of any of the “what to expect” pundits that have already weighed in?
That is a “what if”, not only to keep in the back of our wide-open minds, but truly, for the faithful, as was in the days of Steve Jobs keynote addresses of yore, it would be one more thing, devoutly to be wished.
In this, the Final Article in a Series Featuring all the Winners, See Photos of the Top Three Awards for the Categories: Other and Series
Pushing creativity to the limits of the imagination – or just taking what feels interesting and puting together later into a series. In volume 10, the final installment of our coverage, the categories that go above and beyond, so to speak, are shown.
Established in 2007, IPPAWARDS have featured the worlds best iPhone photographers and photos since the iPhone’s inception. The deadline to enter the next years program is March 2020, so, use these great images as inspiration to take your best shot. Who knows, it might be you taking the Grand Prize in 2020!
First Place Winner, Other : Neri Rivas
First place Other photo shot in Busan, South Korea, on an iPhone X by Sari Sutton – IPPAWARDS
Photo of Sari Sutton – IPPAWARDS
”Sari likes to explore the intersection between the natural and human-constructed, industrial elements of the landscape through her photography. She has a keen interest in abstract composition and the conceptual. Her photographic practice includes art, landscape, street, social and environmental documentary. She is a member of the ‘Unexposed Collective’ of Australian women/ non-binary street photographers and her work has been shown in a number of group exhibitions.”
”I loved the playful surrealist symbolism of this modest painted building, visually merging architecture and nature, physical object and void, in an unpretentious yet conceptually very clever way.”
Second Place, Other : Kirill Voynovskiy
Second place Other photo shot in Maryland, USA, on an iPhone 7 by Dyllon Wolf – IPPAWARDS
Photo of Dyllon Wolf – IPPAWARDS
”I am a 19 year old college student from Maryland studying Biology and Psychology at the University of Utah. Photography has always been a major interest of mine and I have been taking photos with my iPhone ever since I got my first one in 2013. I love using knowledge from my college classes to find and compose unique photos of ordinary things that I wouldn’t have found interesting before.”
”We received a large package with an absurd amount of this brown packing paper and my younger brother and I decided to get creative with it.”
Third Place, Other : Caren Drysdale
Third place Other photo shot in Rancho Cucamonga, California, on an iPhone 6 Plus by Caren Drysdale – IPPAWARDS
Photo of Caren Drysdale – IPPAWARDS
”My interest in Mobile Photography began several years ago when I purchased an iPhone 5. It is reassuring to know that I always have a camera with me, and I enjoy being able to quickly capture moments with my phone. I also find it amazing how much you can accomplish making art with your photos using all of the various apps packed into a mobile device.”
”I shot this photo in a local restaurant, I was captivated by the beautiful woman seated at the table across from us. She was preparing to leave, and her table was cluttered with dirty dishes, but I focused on the bright, shimmering fabric and the shiny gold sandals she was wearing.”
Third Place, Series : Larisa Baricheva
Third place Series photos shot in Lobitos Beach, Peru, on an iPhone 7 by Larisa Baricheva – IPPAWARDS
Photo of Larisa Baricheva – IPPAWARDS
”I’m a Russian-Jewish woman and I was born 74 years ago in Moscow, Russia, but for the last 52 years I have lived in Peru. I love nature, its shapes and colors, its textures and combinations. I search tirelessly for beauty. I’m passionate about photography with my iPhone camera and I travel a lot through Peru, discovering a new world every time.”
”I live in Milan and during the weekend I often go back to the lake to spend time with my parents. One of my favorite things to do is to take the ferry boat across the lake with no definite destination. I spend hours going back and forth with the sole purpose of observing passengers. Series look capivated by the beauty of the landscape. In one of these solitary journeys of mine I focused on this man, as he reminded me of my father’s fragility.”
Second Place, Series : Dimpy Bhalotia
Second place Series photos shot in Bombay and Tamil Nadu on an iPhone X by Dimpy Bhalotia – IPPAWARDS
Photo of Dimpy Bhalotia – IPPAWARDS
”Street photography may just be one way of seeing and capturing the world for many for us, but for Dimpy Bhalotia, it’s both the toughest and purest form of creative photography. It requires patience, a keen sense of observation, and perfect timing to capture the “decisive moment”. The stories captured are not works of fiction. This, she says, makes it the “most truthful art in the world.”
First Place, Series : Carol Allen Storey
First place Series photos shot in Kaese, Uganda on an iPhone 8 by Carol Allen Storey – IPPAWARDS
Photo of Carol Allen Storey – IPPAWARDS
”A native New Yorker, Storey resides in London. Carol Allen-Storey is an award-winning photojournalist specialising in chronicling complex humanitarian and social issues. Her imagery illuminating people’s dignity and quest for survival reflects the unique trust and respect she engenders with her subjects.”
”These intimate portraits focus on how adolescents cope with being HIV positive. Amidst these chilling narratives, extraordinary stories of hope and glimpses of heroism in their quest to pursue their dreams emerged.
In this, the Ninth Article in a Series Featuring all the Winners, See Photos of the Top Three Awards for the Categories: People and Sunset
People and Sunsets. Two of the most loved categories for snatching photos while traveling or just in the neighborhood. Once again some incredible moments caught with humor and humanity and an eye for the aesthetic.
The top photos in these two categories are clearly extreme examples of being in the right place at the right time. But don’t overlook the “honorable mentions” either. The two mosaic galleries below show how high the competitive artistry was and how difficult it must have been to choose.
Established in 2007, IPPAWARDS have featured the worlds best iPhone photographers and photos since the iPhone’s inception. The deadline to enter the next years program is March 2020, so, use these great images as inspiration to take your best shot. Who knows, it might be you taking the Grand Prize in 2020!
First Place Winner, People : Wei Xiong
First place People photo shot in China on an iPhone X by Wei Xiong – IPPAWARDS
Photo of Wei Xiong – IPPAWARDS
”A mobile phone photographer from Huangpi district, Wuhan, China. Although Huangpi is a small town, it is the sky city of him. He lives, works and takes photos with his mobile phone here, to keep memory, time, ordinary life and simple happiness forever.”
Second Place, Children : Christine L. Mace
Second place People photo shot in Cuba on an iPhone SE by Christine L. Mace – IPPAWARDS
Photo of Christine L. Mace – IPPAWARDS
”Christine L. Mace is a New York City based artist, who has worked in fashion, film and graphic design. She received an undergraduate degree in Fashion Marketing and a MA in Fashion Studies from Parsons The New School for Design. Mace’s photography has appeared in many publications. Recently, her work was a part of the Furies, Fairies, Visionaries exhibition curated by Alice Gray Stites at Pen + Brush gallery in New York City.”
”Dominoes in Havana was captured at the Solar de Aguilar in Havana, Cuba. The building is a mere memory of what it once was, from the wrought iron curving around the grand stair case at the entrance of the building to the non-functioning fountain in the courtyard. Six families occupy the Solar de Aguilar and every afternoon the residents gather in front of the grand staircase to play dominoes. On this particular afternoon, I captured these four neighbors engaged in a friendly game.”
Mosaic Gallery, Honorable Mentions: People
[gdgallery_gallery id_gallery=”24″]
Third Place, People : Valeria Cammareri
Third place People photo shot in Lake Maggiore, Italy, on an iPhone X by Valeria Cammareri – IPPAWARDS
Photo of Valeria Cammareri – IPPAWARDS
”I am Italian, born in Sicily , South of the Country, and raised in the North, in a little town on the Lake Maggiore where my parents still live. I currently live in Milan where I work as a pediatrician. I didn’t cultivate any particular interest for photography until 2012, when I bought my first iPhone . Since then I have been using it to write the visual diary of my daily emotions.”
”I live in Milan and during the weekend I often go back to the lake to spend time with my parents. One of my favorite things to do is to take the ferry boat across the lake with no definite destination. I spend hours going back and forth with the sole purpose of observing passengers. People look capivated by the beauty of the landscape. In one of these solitary journeys of mine I focused on this man, as he reminded me of my father’s fragility.”
First Place, Sunset : Sreekumar Krishnan
First place Sunset photo shot in Bangalore, India, on an iPhone 6S by Sreekumar Krishnan – IPPAWARDS
Photo of Sreekumar Krishnan – IPPAWARDS
”Sreekumar Krishnan is an award winning professional photographer and teacher of photography based in Bangalore, India. His work Indian Sunshine was digitally displayed at the Louvre in France and National Geographic featured his photograph, “the mystical birds of Bharatpur” as Shot of the day. His works have also been displayed at various art galleries in Bangalore. When he is not shooting, he teaches meditation.”
”The evening sky marred by some solitary clouds provided a perfect backdrop to this shot. This is the statue of Lord Ram, Hindu God, shot in the outskirts of Bangalore just before sunset.”
Second Place, Sunset : Shirley Xu
Second place Sunset photo shot in the Baltic Sea on an iPhone 6 by Shirley Xu – IPPAWARDS
Photo of Shirley Xu – IPPAWARDS
”I am a professional photographer and photography teacher. Last year was my gap year, I left my job as an editor for a website and went to Finland, Norway, Sweden, Greece, Italy, Spain, The Czech Republic, Egypt and India. During this trip, I saw many beautiful views and took lots of photos, I also very lucky to see the northern lights many times.”
”While floating on the ice breaker I saw this marvelous sunset on the Baltic Sea.”
Mosaic Gallery, Honorable Mentions: Sunset
[gdgallery_gallery id_gallery=”25″]
Third Place, Sunset : Chuangcheng Jin
Third place Sunset photo shot in Shantou, Guangdong, on an iPhone 6 by Chuangcheng Jin – IPPAWARDS
Photo of Chuangcheng Jin – IPPAWARDS
”I’ve been passionate about mobile photography since 2014. My interest in photography brings me a lot of inspiration. I like to record the enthusiastic and moving parts of life by taking photos so that they can tell the stories of life.”
”This was taken by the river in my hometown of Shantou, China. The sunset passed through the leaves and reflected on the river, like a painting.”
In this, the Eighth Article in a Series Featuring all the Winners, See Photos of the Top Three Awards for the Categories: Still Life and Travel
Creativity comes in all forms at all times. Having a camera in your pocket and being able to follow the flow of your mood can bring unexpected results. Sometimes even brilliant unexpected results. In the Still life and Travel categories there are some results that are truly fortuitous, even surprising.
Don’t overlook the “honorable mentions” either. The two mosaic galleries below show how high the competitive artistry was and how difficult it must have been to choose.
Established in 2007, IPPAWARDS have featured the worlds best iPhone photographers and photos since the iPhone’s inception. The deadline to enter the next years program is March 2020, so, use these great images as inspiration to take your best shot. Who knows, it might be you taking the Grand Prize in 2020!
First Place Winner, Still Life : Clarita Phiri Beierdoerffer
First place Still Life photo shot in Germany on an iPhone SE by Clarita Phiri Beierdoerffer – IPPAWARDS
Photo of Clarita Phiri Beierdoerffer – IPPAWARDS
”Clarita – Maria Phiri – Beierdoerffer, is a Zambia born photographer whose style centers on identity, bravery and emotional exploration. In her photography, Clarita works to reveal her identity and being seen simply as one is, or is not. Her abstract work often includes solitary figures and objects, magnifying her journey of exploration and soul searching.”
”This photo is one of a series where I wanted to document moments where I felt particular emotions and I took a picture whether I felt like it or not.”
Second Place, Still Life : Daniel Kafalas
Second place Still Life photo shot in Manhattan, New York, on an iPhone X by Daniel Kafalas – IPPAWARDS
Photo of Daniel Kafalas – IPPAWARDS
”Coming from an advertising background, I am inspired by the creative New York City life that moves around me. Aways trying to capture the scene that is unseen.”
Mosaic Gallery, Honorable Mentions: Still Life
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Third Place, Still Life : Elena Bolshakova
Third place Still Life photo shot in Russia on an iPhone SE by Elena Bolshakova – IPPAWARDS
Photo of Elena Bolshakova – IPPAWARDS
”For me photography is the magic of the process, thus it requires full emotional dive into the object, be it landscape or fork on the table. I’m inspired by extraordinary things that extend the frontier of the consciousness and create enormous amount of different meanings. It is very exciting to look around for such things in our daily routine, to hunt them, to expose them to light, and through photography to put your own emotions into them.”
”This is part of the “Theater of Dissapearance” exhibition by Adrián Villar Rojas in NYC MoMA. The surreal nature of the exhibit was very inspiring. I spent a long time walking around the exhibit carefully observing details of each sculpture, trying to imagine what it would be like living in their characters. The sun was projecting hard shadows on the sculpture of banquet tables making various items that were placed on tables to appear simple and complete. I wanted to keep this moment in my memory for a long time.”
First Place, Travel : Liu Bo
First place Travel photo shot in Da Nang, Vietnam, on an iPhone 8 Plus by Liu Bo – IPPAWARDS
Photo of Liu Bo – IPPAWARDS
”I started my career as a freelance photographer after my half year of travel with my iPhone. I like to observe this world and when I have something to say deep in my heart photography is the only way. It’s easy to catch those moments in my life with a small mobile in hand. I hope that my pictures let people feel what I feel when I press the shutter.”
”It was a cloudy day. I noticed a man with a small boat floating up and down in the sea when I was walking on the beach. Something occurred to me in that moment, I thought, I want to get closer so I walked in until salty seawater flooded my chest. The man, the boat, and me. I felt a connection in that moment, people are so small between heaven and earth.”
Second Place, Travel : James Cowlin
Second place Travel photo shot in the Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes on an iPhone XS Max by James Cowlin – IPPAWARDS
Photo of James Cowlin – IPPAWARDS
”James Cowlin is a professional photographer specializing in landscape, nature and travel photography. He has traveled extensively in the western United States capturing images of the natural world ranging from broad panoramics to intimate close-ups. His current project is documenting US Route 89 from Canada to Mexico featuring seven of America’s most beautiful National Parks. He has been using an iPhone for several years as a vital tool in his photography practice.”
”The photograph was taken at the Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes near Stovepipe Wells in Death Valley National Park. A bus load of tourist had just arrived and people were walking out into the dunes. The bright light of midday accented the dunes and the colorful clothes of the tourists.”
Third place Travel photo shot in Lake Cartagena, Colombia, on an iPhone 7 Plus by Alfonso Ordosgoitia – IPPAWARDS
Photo of Alfonso Ordosgoitia – IPPAWARDS
”Alfonso Ordosgoitia is a New York-based / Colombian born artist and the founder of Goitia Studio, a multi-media art laboratory. Exploring different creative platforms – Photography, Music, and Video being its main focus – Ordosgoitia has developed a strong artistic identity that has led him to his most extensive and autobiographical project: Embodiment – an immersive body of work about time, space and energy.”
”In this photo that I took in Cartagena – Colombia, I was exploring the contrast between the colonial architecture of the city, next to a “Palanquera” : a Colombian touristic symbol that represents the group of runaway African slaves, now known for selling fruits on the streets with colorful dresses – A “costume” that disguises the episodes of slavery caused by the Spanish colonization.”
In this, the Seventh Article in a Series Featuring all the Winners, See Photos of the Top Three Awards for the Categories: Trees and Lifestyle –
With photo submissions from over 140 countries around the world it is no surprise that some amazing shots were captured in incredible locations. – Bayan Ulgi, Mongolia, for example – The authenticity of the subject matter is on clear display and there is something about the light…
Naturally, unbelievable photos can happen anywhere, anytime, which is the beauty of having a camera that is always with you. Don’t overlook the “honorable mentions” either. The two mosaic galleries below show how high the competitive artistry was and how difficult it must have been to choose.
Established in 2007, IPPAWARDS have featured the worlds best iPhone photographers and photos since the iPhone’s inception. The deadline to enter the next years program is March 2020, so, use these great images as inspiration to take your best shot. Who knows, it might be you taking the Grand Prize in 2020!
First Place Winner, Trees : Christian Helwig
First place Trees photo shot in Rügen, Baltic Sea, on an iPhone 6S by Christian Helwig – IPPAWARDS
Photo of Christian Helwig – IPPAWARDS
”My name is Christian Helwig, I am 51 years old, I was born in Hamburg, Germany. Living in Berlin, Germany, married, father of two. I am working as a technical consultant in the banking sector. I’ve been taking pictures since I was 16 years old, having used only SLR until my first iPhone, the 4s. I always liked the easiness, the handling, the always-with-me in the iPhone.”
”This was taken on the island of Rügen, which is a german island in the Baltic Sea. The spot where I took the picture is on the northernmost coast of the island, close to the little village Schwarbe. There was a strong wind from the sea behind me with some snow, and the wind and the flakes produced this kind of “shadow” on the “lee” of the trees. Everything was very black and white, except the smaller bushlike trees in the back that were a little brown.”
Second Place, Trees : Neil Bennett
Second place Trees photo shot in Puglia, Italy, on an iPhone X by Neil Bennett – IPPAWARDS
”Neil Bennett is a professional photographer and picture editor living in Sydney, Australia. He is from the UK originally and has worked in newspapers for 30 years on assignments or managing photographers – his career has taken him all over the world to New York, Ethiopia, Washington, Australia and Europe.”
”An early morning walk as the late summer fog weaves it way through old olive trees in Puglia, Italy. As the sun rose I went for a walk through the olive grove, hunting for an early morning coffee in the photographer’s golden hour.”
Mosaic Gallery, Honorable Mentions: Trees
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Third Place, Trees : Zhang Xiaojun
Third place Trees photo shot in Songyang, China, on an iPhone 7 Plus by Zhang Xiaojun – IPPAWARDS
Photo of Zhang Xiaojun – IPPAWARDS
”I am a travel planner and mobile phone photographer in Shanghai. I like to photograph the relationship between people and nature, and architecture and people during my travels. I think the best camera is your eyes.”
”It was a forest around an old village. In the morning magical plants crept out of the earth, the sky got brighter and brighter, the green leaves were a little transparent and a new ray of sunlight was pouring into all the gaps.”
First Place, Lifestyle : Biao Peng
First place Lifestyle photo shot in Wuban, Hubei, China, on an iPhone 6S by Biao Peng – IPPAWARDS
Photo of Biao Peng – IPPAWARDS
”Biao Peng is a graphic designer from Hubei Province, China, graduated from Hubei Institute of Fine Arts, like write poems and photography.”
”A man fishing by the lake, it feels like it came out of the movie called “The Grand Budapest Hotel” and I wrote a poem at the time：半山融水雾，深树隐渔翁。君钓江中鲤，吾观落日红。”
Second Place, Lifestyle : Lenny Yueng
Second place Lifestyle photo shot in Hongkou, Shanghai, on an iPhone 7 by Lenny Yueng
Mosaic Gallery, Honorable Mentions: Lifestyle
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Third Place, Lifestyle : Hleb Drazdou
Third place Lifestyle photo shot in Lake Bobruysk, Belarus, on an iPhone X by Hleb Drazdou – IPPAWARDS
Photo of Hleb Drazdou – IPPAWARDS
”I’m a instablogger from Minsk, Belarus and amateur photographer. I love to show our post-soviet reality at it’s best. In my blog, I tell about my life here in text and photos.”
”This is the former room of my grandfather in my grandparents’ house in Bobruysk, Belarus. Now he is dead and my grandmother has decorated it in his memory in a typical old soviet rural style which used to be chic and gorgeous when she was a child in the poor countryside after WWII. Nowadays we don’t have such interiors in our houses, and it is a kind of museum of those times: all those covered pillows, the abundance of carpets (on the walls as well), austere, neat and tidy.”
In this, the Sixth Article in a Series Featuring all the Winners, See Photos of the Top Three Awards for the Categories: News / Events and Floral
Once again, these photos show the dynamic advantages of a small, light, powerful camera in your pocket. Particularly for News / Events where “right time / right place” is essential, but even floral involves a process where unique and natural occurrences must be seen, and captured, at a precise time and place. And you don’t have to wait for the “iPhone 14xs” to produce high quality images, in fact, some of the winners used an iPhone 6s, such as Lianyu Lu, or 7, like Silveira, not necessarily iPhone 8 or XS Max.
In all the winning photos, in every category, it is the emotion and the beauty that has the power to transport the viewer into another world. Don’t overlook the “honorable mentions” either. The two mosaic galleries below show how high the competitive artistry was and how difficult it must have been to choose.
Established in 2007, IPPAWARDS have featured the worlds best iPhone photographers and photos since the iPhone’s inception. The deadline to enter the next years program is March 2020, so, use these great images as inspiration to take your best shot. Who knows, it might be you taking the Grand Prize in 2020!
First Place Winner, News/Events : Lianyu Lu
First place News/Events photo shot in Meizhou, China, on an iPhone 6S by Lianyu Lu – IPPAWARDS
Photo of Lianyu Lu – IPPAWARDS
”Lianyu Lu is a mobile phone photographer, videographer and colorist who prefers to use a mobile phone to record interesting moments in daily life.”
”This photo was taken at the Lantern Festival in Buzhai Town. It is the tradition of this small southern town to hold a dragon dance performance for Lantern Festival that dates back to the Qing Dynasty. It is a spectacular scene with the fire dragon being lifted by more than 30 adults while it dances and fireworks are set off from its body. Thousands of people came to watch the event and to pray for their family to be safe and healthy for the New Year.”
Second place News/Events photo shot in Aleppo, Syria, on an iPhone X by Yanan Li – IPPAWARDS
Photo of Yanan Li – IPPAWARDS
”This photo was taken in an abandoned house in Aleppo, Syria. In the Syrian civil war, almost the entire city of Aleppo became a ruin of war and there was hardly a building left intact. In January 2018, I walked into many rooms in the ruins. I found that lives were abruptly stopped by the war, and many rooms still retained the pre-war look.”
Mosaic Gallery, Honorable Mentions: News/Events
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Third Place, News/Events : Gabriel Ribeiro
Third place News/Events photo shot in Dourados, Mato Grosso do Sul, on an iPhone 8 by Gabriel Ribeiro – IPPAWARDS
Photo of Gabriel Ribeiro – IPPAWARDS
”Gabriel Ribeiro is a photographer and videomaker in Campo Grande, MS. His main interest in photography is to record ephemeral moments that, by virtue of chance, happen daily.”
I photographed this wedding with my father in Dourados, Mato Grosso do Sul. During the religious ceremony, each person kneels to hold a prayer with all present for the purpose of blessing the wedding.
First Place, Floral : Dan Liu
First place Floral photo shot in Joshua Tree National Park, California, on an iPhone XS Max by Dan Liu – IPPAWARDS
Photo of Dan Liu – IPPAWARDS
”Dan Liu, a professional photographer living in China. I have been traveling around the world to more than 40 countries to conduct humanities and landscape photography projects, in which I focus on exploring and recording the independent features of different social and natural groups, as well as the relationship between them.”
”In Joshua Tree National Park in the United States, there is a valley called the Cholla Cactus Garden which is covered by a large number of Teddy-Bear Chollas. This species of Cholla grows freely under the scorching sun, unafraid of the heat and dryness.”
Second Place, Floral : Ted Silveira
Second place Floral photo shot in Santa Cruz, California, on an iPhone 7 by Ted Silveira – IPPAWARDS
Photo of Ted Silveira – IPPAWARDS
”Ted Silveira started in film photography (rangefinder), moved to digital photography (mirrorless), and is now an enthusiastically unprofessional mobile photographer. Less gear, more photos, more fun.”
”I’ve taken quite a few photos of this agave plant, which is tucked away in the corner of a courtyard in downtown Santa Cruz, and every time I walk by it, I take another. The close-up view, especially in black & white, seems to draw out a part of the agave’s beauty that’s easy to miss in real life when it’s surrounded by flowers and sidewalks and benches.”
Mosaic Gallery, Honorable Mentions: Floral
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Third Place, Floral : Guoxi Chen
Third place Floral photo shot in Shenzhen, China, on an iPhone X by Chuangcheng Jin – IPPAWARDS
Photo of Chuangcheng Jin – IPPAWARDS
”I’ve been passionate about mobile photography since 2014. My interest in photography brings me a lot of inspiration. I like to record the enthusiastic and moving parts of life by taking photos so that they can tell the stories of life.”
”During a trip to Shenzhen, China I was captivated by these volcanic rock steps hidden in a secluded corner, embraced by strikingly red flowers on both sides.”
Uber and Uber Eats added to Daily Cash at 3%, more vendors expected soon…
As with most things financial, there are lots of details, but some interesting perks, particularly for frequent customers of Apple products.
Immediate sign up on your iPhone
First perk: no lengthily complicated application process. According to the pre-launch information (see video above), just go to the Wallet app and tap on the Apple Card interface (once the Card is live) and go through the simple activation steps.
Once the sign up steps are complete, you can immediately start using the card as you would Apple Pay.
Small but expected caveat: For non-Apple Pay purchases in a traditional store setting you will need to wait until your physical card arrives in the mail. Also, although a pre-approved status will often be in place, availability is still subject to qualification, like any credit card.
Using the Card
The card will function as would any other card in your wallet for Apple Pay. This includes online purchases and in-store checkout where you normally would use Apple Pay.
You can designate the Apple Card as your default payment method in your wallet for purchases using your iPhone, iPad, Mac or Apple Watch.
The extended uses for the digital and physical version of the card are enabled through the partnership between MasterCard and Apple. You will be able to use the Apple Card anywhere that a MasterCard is accepted.
Goldman Sachs is the credit provider for your Apple Card and they will set your interest rate based, as would be expected, on your current credit score. Rates are projected to be in the range of 13.24% to 24.24% which is below the average in the US.
An extended fixed payment system is likely to be offered for large purchases according to the pre-release data.
There are many unconventional and improved aspects to the use and especially the user experience associated with the new card. In the keynote announcement earlier this year (see video above) a great emphasis was made on the ways that the project was focused on improving the experience and helping users attain a healthier financial lifestyle.
This includes various features designed to help reduce interest charges, not only by offering lower overall rates, but by giving the user options and calculations that can provide payment alternatives to the traditional “minimum monthly” payment currently the norm.
Payments can be made from your linked bank account or can be transferred from Apple Cash in your Wallet app.
There is no annual fee for the card, no international fees and no fee for exceeding your credit limit or making a late payment. Also, there is not increased interest rate penalty, per se, for late payment, which is common in some other credit card accounts. Late payment will, naturally, result in interest accrual, but based on your current rate.
There is an separate app, particularly useful on iPad, which does not have the Wallet app, where data on transactions, payments and other details are provided. This, in typical Apple style, is far superior to any credit card app interface from banks and lenders.
Rewards and “Daily Cash”
Rather than a points system commonly seen on traditional credit card accounts, the Apple Card has a cash back system which can kick back up to 3% on a daily basis.
They call this “Daily Cash” and, as the name implies, your rebated cash will be credited to your account every 24 hours and be directly transferred to your Apple Cash account. If you do not sign up for Apple Cash, you will get your rebates sent to your bank account monthly.
Percentages vary, 3% is for all purchases made directly from Apple, 2% for all Apple Pay transactions and 1% for using the physical card at any non-Apple Pay retailer.
There is no cost to transfer your rewards cash to your bank account and this can take from one to three days. There will be an option to get instant transfers, which will incur a 1% fee. The transfers are done through the Apple Cash card from the Wallet app to the linked bank account.
Best Features and Conclusion
The overall sense is that this is going to be a very popular offering, based on the positive attributes of the card and the deal.
Although the terms are clearly slanted towards encouraging financial activity benefiting the emerging Apple financial eco-system, with the reward percentage on direct Apple purchases and Apple Pay coming in higher than the “out of network” transactions made with the physical card only, the rest of the perks are more than enough to pique the interest of a great number of iPhone users.
The titanium card appearance, styling and feel will attract many for that reason alone. Quel chic! And it is likely that the card will cause an increase in Apple Pay transactions, with double cash back for pulling out your iPhone instead of the physical card.
Ultimately, the software tools enabling privacy – no data to Apple and Goldman Sachs promising never to use or sell your data – along with the fantastic tools for tracking transactions, spend, payments and interest are perhaps the most likely to create love.
Who doesn’t hate dealing with credit card companies and their antiquated interfaces and systems? Some credit card providers do not even allow automatic payment scheduling, apparently hoping you will pay late so they can rack up those late payment penalty fees. Doing away with even the worst, most evil, aspects of credit card accounts is already a huge step forward.
Let’s hope that Apple will manage this as well as it appears. It looks like a top flight offering that has plenty of advantages that make it head and shoulders above the pack, and, for iPhone users it seems like a “must have” if there ever was one.
Easy sign-up on iPhone
Accepted worldwide (wherever Mastercard is available)
Up to 3% cash back
Daily cash back
No fees
Engraved Titanium physical card with concealed numbers
In this, the Fifth Article in a Series Featuring all the Winners, See Photos of the Top Three Awards for the Categories: Children and Landscape
With photo submissions from over 140 countries around the world it is no surprise that some amazing shots were captured in incredible locations. – Bayan Ulgi, Mongolia, for example – The authenticity of the subject matter is on clear display and there is something about the light…
Naturally, unbelievable photos can happen anywhere, anytime, which is the beauty of having a camera that is always with you. Don’t overlook the “honorable mentions” either. The two mosaic galleries below show how high the competitive artistry was and how difficult it must have been to choose.
Established in 2007, IPPAWARDS have featured the worlds best iPhone photographers and photos since the iPhone’s inception. The deadline to enter the next years program is March 2020, so, use these great images as inspiration to take your best shot. Who knows, it might be you taking the Grand Prize in 2020!
First Place Winner, Children : Neri Rivas
First place Children photo shot in Los Angeles, California, on an iPhone XS by Neri Rivas – IPPAWARDS
Photo of Neri Rivas – IPPAWARDS
”Neri Rivas was born in el pueblo de Los Angeles, CA. With a passion for movies and comic books, Neri refined his pencil sketches to a love of graphic design to tell stories through single imagery.”
”This photo was taken outside a supermarket in Los Angeles. My son Jasper wore a raptor mask and a Dodgers hat and we made up a story about Jasper the Raptor, a dinosaur boy who was hungry and went to the grocery store.”
Second Place, Children : Kirill Voynovskiy
Second place Children photo shot in St. Petersburg, Russia, on an iPhone 6 by Kirill Voynovskiy – IPPAWARDS
Photo of Kirill Voynovskiy – IPPAWARDS
”I live in Russia, in the city of St. Petersburg.”
”This is my daughter Olivia.”
Mosaic Gallery, Honorable Mentions: Children
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Third Place, Children : David Booker
Third place Children photo shot in Peak Rail, Derbyshire, on an iPhone XS Max by David Booker – IPPAWARDS
Photo of David Booker – IPPAWARDS
”I live in Derbyshire, England and have exhibited iPhone photography on a number of occasions in the UK and USA under the name of Blemished Eye – a collection of dark, somewhat alternative portraiture. Since the birth of my son just over two years ago I’ve shifted my attention to documenting family life but this is the first time I’ve shared such an image outside of family and close friends. I manage an independent bookshop – Scarthin Books of Cromford – and live with my wife, Eve, and young son, Gabriel and have a daughter, Sophie, who is at University.”
”My two year old son, Gabriel, totally captivated by his first experience of traveling by steam train.”
First Place, Landscape : Hsueh Isan
First place Landscape photo shot in Umm Sayhoun, Jordan, on an iPhone SE by Hsueh Isan – IPPAWARDS
Photo of Hsueh Isan – IPPAWARDS
”An architecture designer from Taiwan who enjoys capturing life.”
”An unexpected scene on the road to Petra.”
Second Place, Landscape : Erik Burdett
Second place Landscape photo shot in Canyon, Texas, on an iPhone XR by Erik Burdett – IPPAWARDS
Photo of Erik Burdett – IPPAWARDS
”Erik Burdett is a freelance photographer and writer living in windswept West Texas with his two dogs Disco and Mary.”
”The photo was taken on one of my many hikes in Palo Duro Canyon State Park.”
Mosaic Gallery, Honorable Mentions: Landscape
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Third Place, Landscape : Guoxi Chen
Third place Landscape photo shot in Lake Baikal, Russia, on an iPhone 8 Plus by Guoxi Chen – IPPAWARDS
Photo of Guoxi Chen – IPPAWARDS
”I am a photographer of Humanities and scenery. I travel around the world with passion and eyes for beauty. Also, try to record the most beautiful moments of the planet with a lens.”
”Lake Baikal is frozen for thousands of miles in winter. Because of the ice, people can walk on the lake. On a snowy morning, I took a picture of Lake Baikal, using the lead wire on the ice as the foreground.”
In this, the Fourth Article in a Series Featuring all the Winners, See Photos of the Top Three Awards for the Categories: Panorama and Nature
A panorama shot on an iPhone is a special software assisted technique where the camera lens is literally swept across the scene to be photographed. It takes a special eye and a steady hand. The rest is software magic. This episode shows the skills of panorama shooters as well as nature photographers extraordinaire.
Naturally, unbelievable photos can happen anywhere, anytime, which is the beauty of having a camera that is always with you. Don’t overlook the “honorable mentions” either. The two mosaic galleries below show how high the competitive artistry was and how difficult it must have been to choose.
Established in 2007, IPPAWARDS have featured the worlds best iPhone photographers and photos since the iPhone’s inception. The deadline to enter the next years program is March 2020, so, use these great images as inspiration to take your best shot. Who knows, it might be you taking the Grand Prize in 2020!
First Place Winner, Panorama : Vincent Chen
First place Panorama photo shot in Senja Island, Norway, on an iPhone X by Vincent Chen – IPPAWARDS
Photo of Vincent Chen – IPPAWARDS
”I currently work for a metal company in Zambia, Africa. I like travelling around the world and taking photos with my phones. Surrounded by nature, landscapes became my first subject matter, and have stayed with me ever since.”
”Segla Mountain is a very identifiable mountain on the northern part of Senja Island. From Segla’s top I saw the amazing landscape of a narrow mountainous peninsula surrounded by two spectacular fjords. They looked really beautiful at sunrise.”
Second Place, Panorama : Garrine Tsang
Second place Panorama photo shot in Monument Valley, Arizona, , on an iPhone 6S by Garrine Tsang – IPPAWARDS
Photo of Garrine Tsang – IPPAWARDS
”Garrine Tsang was born in Hong Kong and moved to Canada in 1998. She started and fell in love with wildlife and nature photography in 2013. Garrine is an active member of the National Geographic YourShot community and a photo club member of Canadian Geographic. iPhone is a great companion to her during outdoor shooting due to its portability and versatility.”
”View from Artist’s Point in Monument Valley, where the ground falls away steeply and the flat land stretches ahead for many miles, punctuated by the peaks of buttes, mesas and pinnacles in distance.”
Mosaic Gallery, Honorable Mentions: Panorama
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Third Place, Panorama : Jessica Notelo
Third place Panorama photo shot in Matera, Italy, on an iPhone 7 Plus by Jessica Notelo – IPPAWARDS
Photo of Jessica Notelo – IPPAWARDS
”Jessica Notelo is a Cape Town born photographer who has experience in the commercial, fashion, automobile, and wedding industries. Although weddings are currently Jessica’s main focus, she has always been a lover of travel photography and loves spending time wandering new places taking snaps with her iPhone.”
”Walking the streets of this magical city, it’s so difficult to actually capture the spirit of the town. There are corners of quiet solitude where you find hidden gems such as an abandoned 1000 year old cave abode, and there are bustling streets in the city centre with scooters buzzing by on business, and the fresh smell of Italian coffee.”
First Place, Nature : Huei Jiuan Wang
First place Nature photo shot in Iceland, on an iPhone 6 by Huei Jiuan Wang– IPPAWARDS
Photo of Huei Jiuan Wang – IPPAWARDS
”I’m an architecture professional and an amateur photographer based in Amsterdam. I move among different countries every several years as a nomad.”
”It was dark, humid and quiet inside the ice cave. I was climbing up step by step toward the light. The moment brought me to the scene as a newborn inside the womb of nature, ready to embrace the outside world.”
Second Place, Nature : Xiao Lin
Second place Nature photo shot in Kaski, Nepal, on an iPhone X by Xiao Lin – IPPAWARDS
Photo of Xiao Lin – IPPAWARDS
”I am a programmer, and work in a company who develops educational apps for kids in Ningbo, China. I love taking pictures with my iPhone. My wife encouraged me to send those photos to your website after she saw them, I love my wife!”
”The picture is of Annapurna mountain in the Himalayans where I was walking the ABC trail. The view was so amazing, I will never forget it.”
Mosaic Gallery, Honorable Mentions: Nature
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Third Place, Nature : Yingya Liu
Third place Nature photo shot of the China Sea on an iPhone 6S by Yingya Liu – IPPAWARDS
In this, the Third Article in a Series Featuring all the Winners, See Photos of the Top Three Awards for the Categories: Architecture and Animals
Although the cameras built into iPhones have been improving, every year since 2007 when the first iPhone was released, what these collections of the best photos shot on iPhone each year show is how composition and choosing the moment stand out, much more than the technical achievements of the built in cameras themselves.
This installment, focusing on Architecture and Animals, displays perfect examples of those qualities. Mostly still-life such as architecture and elusive living subjects, such as animals, either way, it is the framing, composition and capturing the perfect angle with the perfect light that separates a great photo from a merely good one.
Naturally, unbelievable photos can happen anywhere, anytime, which is the beauty of having a camera that is always with you. Don’t overlook the “honorable mentions” either. The two mosaic galleries below show how high the competitive artistry was and how difficult it must have been to choose.
Established in 2007, IPPAWARDS have featured the worlds best iPhone photographers and photos since the iPhone’s inception. The deadline to enter the next years program is March 2020, so, use these great images as inspiration to take your best shot. Who knows, it might be you taking the Grand Prize in 2020!
First Place Winner, Architecture : Kuanglong Zhang
First place Architecture photo shot in Jaipur, India, on an iPhone X by Kuanglong Zhang – IPPAWARDS
Photo of Kuanglong Zhang – IPPWARDS
I am a professional photographer and photography teacher. I teach many people mobile phone photography skills in China so that everyone can feel the fun of mobile phone photography. ”
”Janta Manta Observatory is very sci-fi looking. I captured the flying pigeon with the building to give the photo a dynamic feeling.”
Second Place, Architecture : Sally Ann Field
Second place Architecture photo shot in Palm Springs, California, , on an iPhone X by Sally Ann Field – IPPAWARDS
Photo of Christian Horgan – IPPAWARDS
”Sally Ann Field is a commercial and fine art photographer who is influenced by human behavior and pop-culture. Sally is based in Hollywood, California, where she brings her art director’s eye to the viewfinder and the printed page.”
”I can’t get enough of the mid century modern architecture in Palm Springs, CA. This building is one of my favorites and I happened to be driving by mid day when the intense light, color and shadow caught my eye. The building does not have a bad angle, but for me it was the palm tree that made the composition complete.”
Mosaic Gallery, Honorable Mentions: Architecture
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Third Place, Architecture : Shuo Chen
Third place Architecture photo shot in Xiamen City, Fujian, on an iPhone X by Shuo Chen – IPPAWARDS
Photo of Shuo Chen – IPPAWARDS
”After graduation from Victoria University of Wellington, I have become a professional photographer and designer from Xiamen, China. I’ m a contributor for many international photo agencies.”
This image was taken in the Xiamen, international shipping center. I was trying to create a futuristic battle scene of Star Wars (I’m a huge starwars fan). When a friend told me about this location, I thought it would be very good to shoot something like this with a lightsaber and two characters fighting. The lighting that afternoon was great, and we waited for the best natural light of the sun to light up the place.”
First Place, Animals : Diogo Lage
First place Animals photo shot in Porto, Portugal, on an iPhone SE by Diogo Lage – IPPAWARDS
Photo of Diogo Lage – IPPAWARDS
”My love for photography began years ago, with black and white film. Today I keep up that taste, including shooting the photos with the active black and white filter and only with rare exceptions do I revert to color. My background is in Art and Design where I always look for inspiration and references.”
”What made me take this photo was the unexpected balance of the composition that reinforces the sense of pride, place and charisma of this peacock. In this public garden, seeing these wild peacocks is one of the most exquisite experiences people can have, they are truly the lords of the garden.”
Second Place, Animals : Yoichi Sato
Second place Animals photo shot in Kisarazu, Japan, on an iPhone X by Yoichi Sato – IPPAWARDS
Image of Yoichi Sato – IPPAWARDS
”Photographer active in Tokyo Japan. I was previously a camera module designer and now takes snapshots of daily life using the iPhone.”
Mosaic Gallery, Honorable Mentions: Animals
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Third Place, Animals : Deena Berton
Third place Animals photo shot in the Bahamas on an iPhone X by Deena Berton – IPPAWARDS
Photo of Deena Berton – IPPAWARDS
”Deena Berton has had an abiding interest in making images since high school. In college and business school she was a photographer and photo editor for her college newspaper, The Cornell Daily Sun. She creates images in many different media. Her current passions are mobile digital image making, painting exuberant abstracts, Nerikomi ceramics and mixed analog and digital media.”
”I was captivated by the giant fish tanks at a resort in the Bahamas where the fish seemed to be observing people, mirroring the people observing the fish.”
The New Offering Will Take Off Fast, Based on the Perks and Details…
As with most things financial, there are lots of details, but some interesting perks, particularly for frequent customers of Apple products.
Immediate sign up on your iPhone
First perk: no lengthily complicated application process. According to the pre-launch information (see video above), just go to the Wallet app and tap on the Apple Card interface (once the Card is live) and go through the simple activation steps.
Once the sign up steps are complete, you can immediately start using the card as you would Apple Pay.
Small but expected caveat: For non-Apple Pay purchases in a traditional store setting you will need to wait until your physical card arrives in the mail. Also, although a pre-approved status will often be in place, availability is still subject to qualification, like any credit card.
Using the Card
The card will function as would any other card in your wallet for Apple Pay. This includes online purchases and in-store checkout where you normally would use Apple Pay.
You can designate the Apple Card as your default payment method in your wallet for purchases using your iPhone, iPad, Mac or Apple Watch.
The extended uses for the digital and physical version of the card are enabled through the partnership between MasterCard and Apple. You will be able to use the Apple Card anywhere that a MasterCard is accepted.
Goldman Sachs is the credit provider for your Apple Card and they will set your interest rate based, as would be expected, on your current credit score. Rates are projected to be in the range of 13.24% to 24.24% which is below the average in the US.
An extended fixed payment system is likely to be offered for large purchases according to the pre-release data.
Main Perks and Advantages
There are many unconventional and improved aspects to the use and especially the user experience associated with the new card. In the keynote announcement earlier this year (see video above) a great emphasis was made on the ways that the project was focused on improving the experience and helping users attain a healthier financial lifestyle.
This includes various features designed to help reduce interest charges, not only by offering lower overall rates, but by giving the user options and calculations that can provide payment alternatives to the traditional “minimum monthly” payment currently the norm.
Payments can be made from your linked bank account or can be transferred from Apple Cash in your Wallet app.
There is no annual fee for the card, no international fees and no fee for exceeding your credit limit or making a late payment. Also, there is not increased interest rate penalty, per se, for late payment, which is common in some other credit card accounts. Late payment will, naturally, result in interest accrual, but based on your current rate.
There is an separate app, particularly useful on iPad, which does not have the Wallet app, where data on transactions, payments and other details are provided. This, in typical Apple style, is far superior to any credit card app interface from banks and lenders.
Rewards and “Daily Cash”
Rather than a points system commonly seen on traditional credit card accounts, the Apple Card has a cash back system which can kick back up to 3% on a daily basis.
They call this “Daily Cash” and, as the name implies, your rebated cash will be credited to your account every 24 hours and be directly transferred to your Apple Cash account. If you do not sign up for Apple Cash, you will get your rebates sent to your bank account monthly.
Percentages vary, 3% is for all purchases made directly from Apple, 2% for all Apple Pay transactions and 1% for using the physical card at any non-Apple Pay retailer.
There is no cost to transfer your rewards cash to your bank account and this can take from one to three days. There will be an option to get instant transfers, which will incur a 1% fee. The transfers are done through the Apple Cash card from the Wallet app to the linked bank account.
Best Features and Conclusion
The overall sense is that this is going to be a very popular offering, based on the positive attributes of the card and the deal.
Although the terms are clearly slanted towards encouraging financial activity benefiting the emerging Apple financial eco-system, with the reward percentage on direct Apple purchases and Apple Pay coming in higher than the “out of network” transactions made with the physical card only, the rest of the perks are more than enough to pique the interest of a great number of iPhone users.
The titanium card appearance, styling and feel will attract many for that reason alone. Quel chic! And it is likely that the card will cause an increase in Apple Pay transactions, with double cash back for pulling out your iPhone instead of the physical card.
Ultimately, the software tools enabling privacy – no data to Apple and Goldman Sachs promising never to use or sell your data – along with the fantastic tools for tracking transactions, spend, payments and interest are perhaps the most likely to create love.
Who doesn’t hate dealing with credit card companies and their antiquated interfaces and systems? Some credit card providers do not even allow automatic payment scheduling, apparently hoping you will pay late so they can rack up those late payment penalty fees. Doing away with even the worst, most evil, aspects of credit card accounts is already a huge step forward.
Let’s hope that Apple will manage this as well as it appears. It looks like a top flight offering that has plenty of advantages that make it head and shoulders above the pack, and, for iPhone users it seems like a “must have” if there ever was one.
Easy sign-up on iPhone
Accepted worldwide (wherever Mastercard is available)
Up to 3% cash back
Daily cash back
No fees
Engraved Titanium physical card with concealed numbers
In this, the Second Article in a Series Featuring all the Winners, See Photos of the Top Three Awards for the Categories: Portrait and Abstract
With photo submissions from over 140 countries around the world it is no surprise that some amazing shots were captured in incredible locations. – Bayan Ulgi, Mongolia, for example – The authenticity of the subject matter is on clear display and there is something about the light…
Naturally, unbelievable photos can happen anywhere, anytime, which is the beauty of having a camera that is always with you. Don’t overlook the “honorable mentions” either. The two mosaic galleries below show how high the competitive artistry was and how difficult it must have been to choose.
Established in 2007, IPPAWARDS have featured the worlds best iPhone photographers and photos since the iPhone’s inception. The deadline to enter the next years program is March 2020, so, use these great images as inspiration to take your best shot. Who knows, it might be you taking the Grand Prize in 2020!
First Place Winner, Portrait : Mona Jumaan
First place Portrait photo shot in Bayan Ulgi, Mongolia, on an iPhone 7 Plus by Mona Jumaan – IPPAWARDS
Photo of Mona Jumaan – IPPAWARDS
”I am an amateur photographer/traveller based in Bahrain. Combining my passions, I aspire to create photos that connect the viewer to the places I have visited, and to give them the experience through my photographs what I have experienced firsthand. ”
”In Bayan Ulgi province in western Mongolia, eagle hunting is a tradition passed across generations. Boys start their training as early as 11 years old, and little Bakha is no exception as he makes his entrance into the world of eagle hunting with his prized falcon.”
Second Place, Portrait : Christian Horgan
Second place Portrait photo shot in Margaret River, Western Australia, on an iPhone X by Chrisitan Horgan – IPPAWARDS
Photo of Christian Horgan – IPPAWARDS
”Christian Horgan is a story teller based in Western Australia. He is a presenter and producer of Film, Television and Radio with his work reaching national and global audiences. Christian uses his iPhone as another means to tell stories, capturing images from the tales that unfold around him. He’s all about using his iPhone to see the world in a different light.”
”I take my nephew Eden on ‘Photo Safaris’, where we only shoot with our iPhones. Our trophies are the images we capture. My mum has a couple of bee hives in Margaret River, Western Australia, and I thought they’d make for an exciting safari. As we dressed for this adventure I decided to take a portrait of Eden in his ‘photo safari suit’.”
Mosaic Gallery, Honorable Mentions: Portrait
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Third Place, Portrait : Magali Chesnel
Third place Portrait photo shot in Gruissan, France, on an iPhone 7 by Magali Chesnel – IPPAWARDS
Photo of Magali Chesnel – IPPAWARDS
”Magali Chesnel is a French artist, painter and self-taught photographer. Born in Versailles and a native of Brittany – France. She is an award-winning and globally exhibited aerial photographer.”
”One of my favorite moments, perched on the tummy of my master. I have to confess, the view is awesome!! This cushion makes me feel secure. I can also warn other dogs and protect my master. Yeeaah! Who’s the boss?! I belong to him and he belongs to me.”
First Place, Abstract : Jiangying Guo
First place Abstract photo shot in Mexico City, Mexico, on an iPhone 7 Plus by Jiangying Guo – IPPAWARDS
Photo of Jiangying Guo – IPPAWARDS
”A recent graduate from Pratt Institute (Brooklyn, NY). I work as an interior designer, and I love taking pictures for memories.”
”A beam of sunlight shined on a swimming pool at 9:32am, when I was visiting the house designed by Luis Barragán.”
Second Place, Abstract : JuliAnne Kaplan
Second place Abstract photo shot in San Francisco, Califrnia, on an iPhone 7 Plus by JuliAnne Kaplan – I
Photo of JuliAnne Kaplan – IPPAWARDS
”JuliAnne Kaplan is an award winning photographer living in San Rafael, California. She is passionate about seeing and hopes that, through her art, she can help enable others to slow down and catch the moment. JuliAnne’s daily photography practice is about “Seeing . . . What Is”. What makes her come alive is capturing those fleeting perceptions with her iPhone camera and discovering magic in the process—what is revealed in the moment: direct, vivid and true.”
”Looking up, at the corner of Laguna and Hayes Streets, San Francisco. The midday sun casts an engaging abstract pattern of geometric shadows onto the quirky facade.”
Mosaic Gallery, Honorable Mentions: Abstract
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Third Place, Abstract : Samantha Byrd
Third place Abstract photo shot in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on an iPhone 8 Plus by Samantha Byrd – IPPAWARDS
Photo of Samantha Byrd – IPPAWARDS
”Texas born and bred but enamored with the world. I have an insatiable hunger for exploring and capturing the magic I find.”
”From the wrong angle, it looked chaotic, like someone had hung string frivolously. But from straight on, it was perfect. Serene and calming.”
Imagine that a camera crew followed you around all day. Each time you expended energy through exercising (you might be an athlete) and your daily routine, running to work, climbing the stairs, kick boxing after work, or dancing in the evening, the crew shot a flattering moment of you in the middle of it all.
Or, better yet, say you are at the end of a long, active day. Ever since you’ve been “closing rings” on your apple watch, you know just what kinds of activities, and for how long, it will take to get them all closed. You watch, in your mind’s eye, an imaginary external montage of each step, each jump, each time your foot presses the pedal on your bike, all the various ways you express physicality and, this being a daydream (at night) you run the sequence in your mind over and over.
Each time you view the day’s movements and activities you choose just a snippet, a tiny captured slice, of every peak action revelation that, by the end of the long day, combine together to close your rings. By the time you’ve compressed it into the ultimate montage, it is not more than fifteen seconds of fleeting, flashing, images. And it is good.
Now you can doze off knowing that, tomorrow, you will live your life in motion, and, with your partner on your wrist, your rings will close again. And once more you will doze off watching your personal highlight reel of action, health and satisfaction.
Below are a few special Apple Watch owners who really did have that camera crew (graciously supplied by Apple, for commercial purposes) and we’ve attached the videos to prove it:
I’m a pretty competitive person. So it’s always a good feeling when I close my rings.
“Haley competes for the U.S. National Team as an elite open water swimmer. She uses the Pool Swim workout to track her yardage in the pool, where she closes her Exercise ring in training sessions every morning. Because she’s highly competitive, Haley tries to double her Move and Exercise rings every day.”
APPLE / HALEY A.
Haley’s swimming metrics are duration, active calories, laps, and distance.
The rings turn it into a game. Even if you’re not trying to hit a target, you close them just for fun.
“Jessica is the founder and lead instructor of Fat Buddha Yoga. She’s also a surfer and regularly DJs at clubs around the world. Being active in so many different ways can make it hard to track her fitness. But with Apple Watch, it’s simple. And whether she’s powering through a plank or dancing behind the turntables, everything counts”
APPLE / JESSICA S.
Jessica can see her progress with a lift of the wrist.
If you’re bored, just move. Jump around. Pick something up and throw it. Enjoy yourself.
“Cory believes in closing his rings every day, no matter where he is in the world. As a captain of the Track Mafia running club and fitness instructor, he’s led people in sprints up mall escalators, jogs through the Wembley Stadium parking lot, and marathon runs that stretch all the way from Santa Monica to Las Vegas. He also frequently cycles or runs to whatever’s next on his busy schedule.”
APPLE / CORY W-M.
Cory inspires people to go the distance as a Nike Run Club coach.
I believe in exercising the mind, the body, and the heart.
“In addition to the strenuous workout he gets on the podium, Jason likes to close his rings using the Workout app to track swimming, cycling, and weight lifting. When it comes to staying mentally fit, reminders from the Breathe app nudge Jason during his busy day, helping him to recenter.”
APPLE / JASON L.
The Heart Rate app lets Jason quickly check his pulse during performance breaks.
Apple Watch helps me be a better instructor. It also shows me how to live a healthier life.
“Natsumi is a yoga instructor and model living in Tokyo. She uses the Yoga workout to close her Exercise ring while she’s teaching a class. On occasion, Natsumi likes to surprise her students by taking them on hiking expeditions, where the Hiking workout tracks her distance and calorie burn. If Natsumi’s rings aren’t closed by the afternoon, she walks to her modeling gigs.”
APPLE / NATSUMI Y.
Natsumi uses the Breathe watch face to begin yoga classes.
I love to work out with Apple Watch. It doesn’t have stuff that gets in the way. It just has what I need.
Couch potato turned avid marathon runner, cyclist, and swimmer, Atilla credits his transformation to Apple Watch. To close his rings, he makes sure to schedule two workouts every day. On his 12-mile runs, Atilla streams Apple Music for motivation. If he hasn’t closed his rings (which he admits being addicted to), an Outdoor Cycle or Open Water Swim workout gets the job done in the evening.
APPLE / ATILLA K.
Rolling Pace lets Atilla see a mile split at any point on his run.
We sometimes forget we are flesh and bone. Apple Watch comes in handy keeping you aware of that fact.
“At 65, Eric prides himself on being in great shape. He closes his rings five times a week, walking everywhere throughout his city to visit clients, friends, and neighborhood shops. Along the way, Eric loves to watch his rings close and see the miles, calories, and flights of stairs stack up in the Outdoor Walk workout and the Activity app. Eric finds himself moving just as much on the weekends, dancing, playing volleyball, and riding his bike.”
APPLE / ERIC G.
Eric uses turn-by-turn directions in the Maps app to find his way around the city.
I love the fact that I have all my information on my wrist. And that I don’t have to carry my phone.
“As a busy student and point guard on her college basketball team, Yocelin doesn’t know what it means to sit still. She closes her rings virtually every day, running and lifting weights to stay in competitive shape. When she’s not on the court or in the classroom, Yocelin racks up even more Move calories and Exercise minutes taking care of her three younger brothers. If it weren’t for bedtime reminders from her Apple Watch, she might never rest.”
APPLE / YOCELIN S.
Yocelin stays motivated during workouts and before each game using AirPods to listen to her favorite songs.
Release Confirms Rumors from Earlier This Week, Deal Priced at $1 Billion…
In a move that anticipates the emergence of 5g in 2020 and beyond, Apple takes a bold step in moving it’s 5g modem production forward, though this deal.
If you are dreaming of the up-coming release of an ultra fast and state-of-the-art 5g iPhone you are in luck, just likely not this year. At minimum, this acquisition assures that Apple is seriously committed to a 5g future.
Fruit of this development assures that a plan is in place for 5g modem units, currently slated to be supplied by Qualcomm, to be supplied by Apple itself, over time. Ultimately, the acquisition paves the way for a strong, smooth transition toward Apple designing and producing this crucial component going forward.
According to the press release from July 25th, the two companies have signed an agreement for Apple to acquire the “majority” of the modem production unit of Intel for $1 Billion.
In the deal Apple will get intellectual property, leases and equipment along with 2,200 employees who will now work for the iPhone maker.
“We’ve worked with Intel for many years and know this team shares Apple’s passion for designing technologies that deliver the world’s best experiences for our users…”
– Johny Srouji, Apple’s senior vice president of Hardware Technologies
Eventual In-house Control of Critical Components
This development is also in keeping with Apple’s long standing practice of staying ahead in smartphone innovation by investing in the ability to develop and manufacture key components, such as wireless modems in this case. With a critical transition to 5g wireless looming, this appears to be smart and decisive, if not unexpected, move for the company.
Wireless modems, previously outsourced to others, such as Intel and Qualcomm, are an increasingly important component for Apple, long term, to design in-house in order to enable special features, cost savings and control of the design process for the entire device.
Although it is likely that apple will continue for some time to use Qualcomm 5g modems for it’s iPhones, now that the lawsuit between the two companies has been settled, the Intel technology, patent and human resource transfer will enable it to shift to in-house production at some point, likely for 2021 and beyond.
A Prime target in the deal; patents for current and future wireless technology, which, when combined with Apple’s existing portfolio will reach a total of over 17,000.
These include patents for cellular standards, modem operations and architecture. After the deal, Intel will continue to operate in the modem area, however, exclusively for PC’s, internet-of-things and autonomous vehicles, while Apple will take over all operations related to smartphone applications.
”This agreement enables us to focus on developing technology for the 5G network while retaining critical intellectual property and modem technology that our team has created..”
– Intel CEO Bob Swan
The deal is expected to be finalized later this year.
Perhaps not noticed due to the Mueller Mania, and with so much going on in Tech, here are a few stories that you might have missed. The first is tied to an antitrust inquiry announced by the Department of Justice on Tuesday and later commented on by the Treasury Seecretary. Two Apple stories follow and both are good news, first, a serious commitment to 5G development for iPhones, and second, a more focused lineup for Macbooks
On September 17, 1997, Steve Jobs took over at Apple as Interim CEO and immediately set about to right the ship by removing both products and people that had sent the company nearly to the brink of oblivion.
It’s easily forgotten that, at the time, the product offerings included literally dozens of desktop computers, servers and laptops as well as printers, digital cameras and, of course, the “MessagePad 2000” which, although ahead of it’s time, was surely better off dead.
He created the “4-square grid” to simplify and focus the computer product line up. Two categories for consumer machines and two for pro machines.
Fast forward to July, 2019, and once again Apple is choosing to re-focus the line up. With the MacBook line now gone, only the MackBook Air and MacBook Pro laptop product categories remain.
The MacBook Air models designed before 2018 have been removed from the Apple Store as has the 12-inch MacBook.
The remaining machines have improved specifications and, in the case of the new entry level MacBook Air, a $100 price cut to go along with the improved stats. The entry level portable has a new price of $1099 ($999 for students and teachers).
The new entry level Air sports a 13.3 in. Retina True Tone Display, sort-of new keyboard design (which appears to be an attempt to reassure that this is better than the infamous original “butterfly” style, which was widely complained about), 1.6 GHz dual core 8th Gen processor and 2 Thunderbolt 3 ports. It also comes with Touch ID.
The lowest cost for a MackBook Pro model, which now features the Touch Bar and will set you back an additional $200 more than the Air at $1299. It has the same display specs, other than additional brightness, but with higher powered quad-core processor and the Touch Bar.
Storage options have also been upgraded and re-priced across the entire Mac product line.
The simplifications of the full Mac lineup, now comprising 2 laptop categories, then the consumer and proiMac all-in-one desktops, and finally, the Mac mini at the low end, contrasted with the mighty Mac Pro, coming in September, at the high end, are all revealed . The overall refresh for 2019 feels solid and complete and, as one biased observer put it, it borders on being wildly satisfying.
