Submitted by Fred Straker on
New week, new jailbreak tool. Pangu has actually released a fresh jailbreak, however it's only for iOS 9.1 devices. This fact may have tempered the initial excitement but to make up for it, Apple has confirmed its March 21 special media event. The company has many special announcements up its sleeve for that week, including updated hardware and several firmware releases for existing devices. Here are some news highlights from the past week.
Apple media event on March 21 is official
Apple has sent invites to its long-rumored press event, with the tag line, "Let us loop you in." For anyone keeping track, March 21st is a Monday and the event is scheduled at 10AM Pacific Time (1PM Eastern). Watching the event live requires iOS 7.0 or later, an Apple TV 3G or 4G, or a Mac. Windows users can also watch live if they are using the Microsoft Edge browser on Windows 10. Apple is expected to launch an updated 4-inch iPhone, a new 9.7-inch iPad, and updated Apple Watch models. That week could also mark the official release of iOS 9.3, tvOS 9.2 and watchOS 2.2.
iPhone SE design confirmed by early cases
Now that the iPhone SE (or iPhone 5se, or iPhone 6c) will officially be revealed on March 21, what will it look like? Leaks from case-maker Spigen indicate the new 4-inch iPhone will pack updated internals but continue the same form factor as the iPhone 5 and 5s. While this is not entirely surprising, some reports were describing a design that more closely resembled the iPhone 6. In any case, there may be subtle updates, such as curved glass at the bezel edges that will distinguish the new device from previous models.iPhone 7 case shows no headphone jack
Newest iPhone FAQs
The ultimate rumor for fall 2016 may be that Apple plans to eliminate the 3.5mm headphone jack from its mobile devices forever. While these case design leaks from OnLeaks are not as authoritative as the Spigen ones cited above, they lend credence to previous rumors. Not only is the headphone jack missing, but there are clearly openings for stereo speakers in the bottom of the case. What's not clear are two things, whether or not this leaked case is real, and if the opening for the camera and flash will accommodate a dual-lens camera or the standard type.
Pangu releases iOS 9.1 jailbreak
There's exciting news on the jailbreak front, but only for people currently running iOS 9.1. Pangu Team has unexpectedly released another jailbreak tool, making it possible to jailbreak firmware beyond iOS 9.0.2. Unfortunately, the new release is useless for anyone who has already updated to iOS 9.2. Since Apple is no longer signing older firmware, those who have newer firmware than iOS 9.1 installed cannot downgrade and jailbreak. But for both of the people who are interested, here's a list of tweaks compatible with iOS 9.1.
NCAA March Madness Live coming to Apple TV
While the official NCAA streaming app is supported on 12 different platforms, Apple TV owners can watch two games simultaneously thanks to a Split Screen option. NCAA March Madness Live brings basketball fans complete access on a multitude of devices after logging in with a pay TV account. The redesigned GameCenter promises to bring improved navigation along with an "immersive live video experience" to users. The iOS version will also support AirPlay.