News

It is all but certain that the 4.7" iPhone 6 will launch this September, probably sometime in the second half of the month. iOS 8 will almost certainly debut on the iPhone 6, and Apple's iOS 8 page says "Coming this fall." This was also reiterated multiple times during the WWDC 2014 keynote presentation this past Monday. Additionally, Apple Store employees have had their vacation time restricted in late September, another indication that something big will take place at that time. Many analysts, including KGI Securities' Ming-Chi Kuo, have predicted a later launch date for the 5.5" phablet size iPhone 6 model, possibly around the holidays. A new rumor, however, suggests that it may come sooner than that.

In a research note obtained by MacRumors, analyst Brian White of Cantor Fitzgerald writes that the larger iPhone 6 may very well launch at the same time as the 4.7" model. White believes this due to his experience at Computex Taipei (one of the largest tech shows in the world) this week:

Another merger is getting closer to reality with news of the latest negotiations between Sprint and T-Mobile making headlines at Bloomberg. Sprint looks to acquire T-Mobile in a $32 billion deal that would create the third largest wireless carrier in the US.

The two carriers would boast 99 million subscribers combined, falling in behind AT&T's 108 million and Verizon's 120 million customers. SoftBank, which owns 80 percent of Sprint, is looking to create a more formidable competitor in the market. The news comes as other consolidation deals are being scrutinized in the industry, including AT&T's planned buyout of DirecTV.

The popular hardware company Razer has announced a new MFi (Made For iOS) gaming controller for the iPhone. Razer describes the "Junglecat" as a "light weight and ultra-slim" gamepad case for hardcore gamers. The controller is designed with portability in mind measuring in at only 20mm thin so it can easily fit in your pocket. The Junglecat also features a slide-out tray that houses its D-pad, ABXY action buttons and bumpers, which makes it around the same size as a standard iPhone case when it is closed.

What separates the Junglecat from other MFi controllers on the market is its companion app which allows users to customize their experience. For example, gamers can use the app to adjust the sensitivity of each individual button and remap them anyway they want. Razer also promises that the Junglecat will deliver the full "tactility and precision of a full-fledged" gaming controller.

The iOS keyboard made a star appearance at this year's WWDC, and for good reason. Not only does iOS 8 promise to bake new functionality into the virtual keyboard, but developers can release third-party keyboards for use on any iOS 8 device. Rumors of Swype integration with iOS were floated last year and now it looks like Swype will be just one of many custom keyboards available.

While Swype's patented tech allows for typing with one continuous gesture, examples of possible keyboard tweaks have been available in the jailbreak community for some time. From cosmetic keyboard changes such as Bloard to functional improvements like SwipeSelection the sky's the limit.

Apple has added DuckDuckGo as one of its search engines options in iOS 8 and OS X 10 Yosemite. The privacy-focused company said they were "thrilled to be included in Safari" on their official blog announcement posted on Tuesday. DuckDuckGo was designed to be an alternative to other search engines such as Google who are known for tracking its users.

The addition of DuckDuckGo is also another chapter in the long running feud between Apple and Google. Apple has been purging itself of Google products since it ditched its stock YouTube and Google Maps app with the release of iOS 6.