Image Courtesy of Apple

Despite being notoriously secretive, it has been reported that Apple would like to add facial recognition technology to its iOS devices at some point in the future.

The news came about after the manufacture filed another technology patent. The patent was actually filed in June 2010, but it has only come to light now. The aim is apparently to enable a person’s face to be recognised without using too much computing power.

But how will it work?

According to one expert, facial recognition is “a method performed by an image processor, the method comprising: processing a captured image of a face of a user seeking to access a resource by conforming a subset of the captured face image to a reference model, the reference model corresponding to a high information portion of human faces.”

If this has confused you somewhat, then you are probably not alone.

Basically what this gobbledygook means is that a comparison is made of two images of a person. If they are similar enough then the face is recognised.

As expected, Apple refuses to expand on whether future devices such as its iPhones will include facial recognition technology. However, he fact they have filed a patent (plus the fact the company has allowed information about it to be ‘leaked’) does seem to indicate they maybe looking at this seriously.

Modern day phones are no longer simple communication gadgets. Over the last few years they have become mobile computers. Consequently, adding facial recognition is a natural addition.

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Although there is no definitive date when Apple’s iPhone 5 will arrive (if it does), there is already talk that Near Field Communication (NFC) will be available on the new upgrade.

You could be forgiven for thinking that we have been here before, but this time the news appears to have come from a reliable source – MasterCard.

NFC is new technology that allows smartphone users to do a great many things from locking and opening doors without keys to paying for products and services directly from the handset. Called contactless payments, it is something that has been talked about a lot but is not completely part of our way of life yet. That could be about change soon, according to Ed McLaughlin, an executive at MasterCard. We’re rapidly moving to a world beyond plastic. In many ways, plastic is just convenient packaging,” he told Fast Company.

He added “The timeline is always as rapid as it makes sense for consumers. That’s a combination of having a critical mass of the merchants, which is what you’re seeing right now, and getting devices into the hands of consumers. I don’t know of a handset manufacturer that isn’t in process of making sure their stuff is PayPass ready.”

The iPhone 5, which everyone expected to be launched last year, was rumoured to have NFC technology included. However, not only were experts surprised that a relatively small update to the iPhone, namely the 4S, was released, they were also confounded when Apple actually withdrew its support for NFC early last year.

With Google’s Nexus handset already featuring NFC, it can’t be long before Apple’s iPhone does.

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Image Courtesy of Apple

It appears that the rumours have started once more over the next generation iPhone – the iPhone 5.

After what must have a been a disappointment for many in the mobile phone world when Apple released an updated iPhone 4 last autumn, the experts are now dreaming up new ideas. However Apple hasn’t announced anything about a new device.

So what are these rumours?

Well, there are only a couple at the moment. One analyst has suggested that the iPhone 5 will be thinner than the iPhone 4. Whether this opinion is based on some inside information or is pure guesswork isn’t known. However, it may also be just a matter of using a little bit of common sense. After all, many manufacturers have looked at trying to reduce the thickness of their devices.

A second rumour being bandied about is that the iPhone 5 is likely to feature a quad-core microprocessor. If so, this will allow the iPhone to be used across both 3G and 4G networks.

A report published on Friday from Morgan Stanley analyst Katy Huberty said: “Apple’s next-generation ‘iPhone 5′ will feature a new slimmer case. The iPhone 5 will also feature a new quad-mode chip from Qualcomm that could allow it to operate on all 3G and 4G LTE networks.”

If there is one company that has probably had more rumours and suggestions made about its products, it is Apple. This is not really surprising when it’s realised that unlike most other manufacturers, Apple tends to keep its cards close to its chest, so to speak.

Time will tell if these rumours turn out to be hot air.

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If you fancy using your iPhone to help you get fit, then why not try out iFit. In fact, it’s more than just an application – it turns the device into a personal fitness hub, helping you to monitor your progress, schedule classes and even help you stay motivated between sessions.

There are a wide variety of fitness applications around these days but this particular app is different, as it will link up with gyms allowing consumers to buy services straight from the iPhone.

Any gym linked to the app will also be able to alert their members to special deals and offers.

In its patent filing, Apple said “To help become motivated to regularly visit a fitness centre, people often resort to techniques such as finding a workout buddy, scheduling sessions with a fitness trainer, attending workout classes, and the like. However, although these approaches for becoming motivated can be serviceable, they remain disjointed, lack a central hub, and may still result in the person losing motivation.”

Apple has been working with a number of companies to develop fitness apps for its devices, including Nike. This resulted in the Nike+ app, which enables runners to monitor their performance via wireless sensors built into their trainers.

However, iFit is considered something different. Apple believes it will also act as a kind of social network facility, allowing users to find fitness buddies or join fitness leagues, or even foster a competitive spirit.

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It seems that British shoppers are still prepared to shell out for higher priced smartphones than counterparts in the rest of Europe.

Sales growth of 10% has been recorded, whereas in the Eurozone most buyers prefer cheaper devices, in particular Android smartphones. Recently released results apparently indicate the launch of the iPhone 4S helped Apple increase its market share in Britain from 21.4% to 30.9%.

Android won’t be disappointed, however, as the platform accounts for no less than 46.6% market share: a massive increase compared to last year when it was just 34.8%.

As for the other handset makers, they have fallen back. In Nokia’s Symbian platform’s case, there has been a huge drop from 17.1% to just 3.2%. RIM’s BlackBerry operating system fell slightly from 22.2% to 16.9%.

The worldwide economic crisis has affected the mobile phone market as much as any other sector. However, it seems the Euro crisis has affected mainland Europe more than Britain so far. This appears to have affected Apple’s products more than Google’s, which generally tend to be much cheaper.

Similarly RIM also saw a slight increase in sales of its devices.

Further afield in the USA and Australia, Apple has gained the most. Dominic Sunnebo of Kantar Worldpanel ComTech said “In Great Britain, the US and Australia, Apple’s new iPhone continues to fly off the shelf in the run up the Christmas, reversing the share losses seen during much of 2011.”

He added “However, this trend is far from universal, with sales in Germany and France somewhat underwhelming.”

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Image Courtesy of Apple

It seems another fault has been found involving Apple’s iOS operating system. Following on from the battery problem, there now appears to be an issue revolving around Wi-fi. Apparently users report poor connection or none whatsoever when trying to connect to the network.

The problem for Apple, like the battery issue, is that the Wi-fi connectivity problem doesn’t affect everyone. It can also be intermittent. Furthermore, not all Apple’s devices are affected. For instance, there are no reports connected with the iPad 2. However, the original iPad and the different iPhones are affected.

This has made some experts suggest that the Wi-fi issue may be a hardware compatibility problem with the updated software. Interestingly, this suggestion was confirmed, in one instance at least, when an Apple customer reported that the problem disappeared after uninstalling iOS 5 and using a previous version of the platform.

Apple has issued a patch to try and solve the connectivity problem, but apparently it hasn’t worked.

This is not the only issue Apple is dealing with. It seems the company has decided to delay the release of the latest update of iOS 5: version 5.02.

Seemingly a memory problem has arisen.

Despite being hailed as the great revolution in Apple software technology with over 200 new functions, it seems that no fewer than three issues are now bogging the company down. It is having to issue one patch after another, and then finding that they don’t work.

Apple management may well be wondering what’s next.

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It seems recent research carried out on Britons owning an iPhone has found 43% now regret owning an iPhone. Oddly this statistic isn’t about being disappointed at the quality and so on of the device, but about the envy they suffer at the hands of others.

The research asked 1,694 iPhone owners over 18 about other people’s reactions to their owning such an expensive device. Interestingly, as well as nearly half saying others were jealous, 22% also said they regretted buying one.

Of course, the quality of the iPhone wasn’t totally without criticism. Around 8% of respondents said they found the email function difficult to use, while a quarter said they had an issue with the battery; Apple know about this and are supposedly doing something about it.

Another 5% said they were unhappy with the iPhone’s functionality, while 13% disliked the buttons.

Many consumers consider the iPhone the top of the tree (with a price tag to match) where smartphones are concerned, which possibly is the underlying reason for the jealousy. However, with the current economic climate and many in Britain cutting back on luxuries, it doesn’t come as any surprise that a high percentage of consumers are jealous of their friends.

Speaking with knowyourmobile.com, one analyst said “Smartphone envy is something that many phone owners experience, but few will admit to, because everybody wants to believe that they own the ‘best’ phone on the market. I was really surprised that so many people admitted to regretting their iPhone purchase…”

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The iPhone 4S may just be essentially a minor upgrade of the iPhone 4, but that doesn’t appear to have dampened massive interest in the smartphone device.

It seems that in Hong Kong pre-orders of the gadget sold out in just 10 minutes. If this isn’t a record, it comes pretty close to one.

What’s more, despite the handset having been available in the West for around a month now, its popularity doesn’t seem to be lessening, even in days of austerity. Speaking with knowyourmobile.com Chris Whitmore, an analyst for the German company Deutsche Bank, said “Demand continues to track very strongly. Apple is experiencing daily stock outs at [about] 85-90% of the [approximately] 30 retail stores we called.”

What’s caught the imagination?

As mentioned above, the handset itself is really only improved slightly on the previous gadget. For instance, the camera is better and performance is much better. There is also a new feature called Siri.

However, Apple seems to engender a lot of loyalty in its customers (even when its products have problems). There is also the matter of the latest updated operating system – iOS5. This has no fewer than 200 new features.

The Chinese market for Apple products is huge. Recent research found that the revenue generated from the whole of China (and not just Hong Kong) amounted to over $4.7 billion last quarter – pre-iPhone 4S. This apparently is a 270% increase on the same period in 2010.

If orders for the iPhone 4S sold out in just 10 minutes this time, the revenue generated this quarter is likely to be staggering.

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Apple and BlackBerry users have made a small but possibly significant gain on the Android opposition. They can now replace their old cases with a new one that is scented. So, if you like your handsets to smell nice as well as look good, then here’s your chance.

It seems the makers of the jelly bean sweet have created a cover for the iPhone that is scented with a hint of fruit. Flavours include, ironically, Green Apple and Wild Blackberry, along with Bubblegum, Blueberry, Top Banana, French Vanilla, Very Cherry, Liquorice and Grape.

Speaking with the Daily Telegraph, a Jelly Belly company spokesperson said “The Jelly Belly secret jelly bean recipe has been used to scent each case and the product is tipped as one of the hot crazes to hit shelves this Christmas.”

Jelly Belly was launched in 1976. Since then it has manufactured more than 90 different flavours for its sweet products; it sold over 14.2 million jelly beans just last year.

The cases, which fit both the iPhone 4 and 4S handsets plus the Blackberry 8520 and 9300 models, are coated with a scented gel. They are also in the same bright colours as the jelly beans. What’s more, anyone buying a cover will receive a free 10 gram pack of jelly beans.

One interesting quirk is the shape of the camera lens hole – it is jelly bean shaped.

If you want one, then they are available now. The iPhone versions cost £17.99 while the BlackBerry versions are slightly cheaper at £15.99.

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With so many smartphones to choose from these days, you can be forgiven for being confused. It might help a bit by looking at three of the latest available.

The Samsung Galaxy S2 has been around while now, but appears to be one of the most popular devices available. An Android phone, it features a 4.3 inch 480 X 800 screen. It also possesses a dual-core 120MHz processor along with an 8 megapixel camera.

Its battery life gives a large 8.4 hours talk time, while weighing in at 116 grams.

Experts reckon this is a substantial handset (albeit pricey) but a real competitor to the iPhone 4. Reviewers gave it 4.5 out of 5. It seems it lost marks because of its overall design, which they considered looked a bit cheap.

The Apple iPhone 4S is one handset that was rumoured about for many months before finally being revealed. But has it stood the test of the reviewers? Seemingly, the answer is yes, with another 4.5 score out of 5.

While the camera is smaller than the Galaxy S2 at just 5 megapixels, its battery life (talk time) is almost double at 14 hours. However, since its launch, the iPhone 4S has had battery problems.

The latest smartphone – and the first Nokia Mango device – is the Lumia 800. Described by CEO Stephen Elop as “the first real Windows Phone”, it was given 4 out of 5 by reviewers. Much heavier than either the iPhone 4S or the Samsung Galaxy S, it has nevertheless impressed, especially its satnav and music applications. It doesn’t have a front facing camera though.

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