Submitted by Fred Straker on
It was a big week for hot tech news, with the latest cutting edge gadgets making headlines. Apple was not left out of the fun, with the company just two weeks away from its next product launch. Twitter has a brand new Apple account, serving up iOS tips, tricks and support. Looking to the fall, fans of gridiron football with an Apple TV will need to look elsewhere for live games. But a new top-tier iPhone could be in the works for September. Here are more details on some news highlights from the past week.
DJI sells Phantom 4 quadcopter in Apple Store exclusive
The fourth-generation Phantom drone from DJI was announced on Tuesday, along with an exclusive partnership with Apple retail stores. The flying camera debuts on March 15, with pre-orders already open. At launch, only the DJI website and Apple will offer the Phantom 4 for sale. Apple devices also figure prominently in the advanced functions of the latest Phantom. With the DJI app running on a connected iPhone or iPad, live video can be previewed and the Phantom 4 can be instructed to fly or follow a subject by simply tapping on the screen.
Oculus Rift VR will not get Mac support
Oculus reiterated its move away from OS X development. Unfortunately for Mac users, Oculus explained its stance that Apple does not "prioritize high-end GPUs" in its current lineup of desktop computers. Even a top-notch Mac Pro with the AMD FirePro D70 falls short of Oculus Rift's recommended hardware specs. Oculus Rift officially launches on March 28, and requires an Intel Core i5-4590 processor with the Nvidia GTX 970 or the AMD R9 290 graphics card.Newest iPhone FAQs
Apple launches Twitter account for tips and support
On Thursday Apple launched a new Twitter account to service customer support requests, share tips and offer additional information on Apple products. The official handle, @AppleSupport has been verified by Twitter. Apple describes the new account with the following statement, "We’re here to provide tips, tricks and helpful information when you need it most, and if you have a question, well - we're here to help with that too." The account kicked off by offering instructions on turning lists into checklists with the Notes app.
Will Apple launch an iPhone 7 Pro?
The iPhone 7 is now expected to pack stereo speakers and lose the rear camera bulge, among other design changes. Reports now indicate that Apple may further expand its iPhone offerings by producing a dual-camera iPhone 7 Pro. The pro moniker would encompass additional features and functionality in a form factor similar to the iPhone 7 Plus, and as thin as an iPod touch. This would be a significant expansion to the iPhone lineup, hot on the heels of the updated 4-inch iPhone coming later this month. The 4-inch iPhone SE keynote has been pushed forward to March 21.
Apple decides not to bid on Thursday NFL games
According to Re/code, rumors of Apple streaming live NFL games on the Apple TV will not come to fruition. While Amazon, Facebook, Verizon, and Yahoo still have their hats in the ring, Apple has abandoned the bidding process. Apple continues to seek content deals that would entice customers to purchase an Apple TV. The set top box recently gained universal search across several new channels, including the Disney Junior, FOX NOW, National Geographic and PBS.