Virtual reality exhibition takes audiences back to the dawn of photography

LACOCK Abbey planning to take hundreds of visitors back to the dawn of photography in a new virtual reality exhibition this autumn.

In collaboration with the Blain|Southern gallery, the National Trust property is presenting Thresholds, a new virtual reality artwork by internationally acclaimed artist Mat Collishaw.

Using the latest in VR technology, Mr Collishaw is set to re-stage one of the world's first major exhibitions of photography for contemporary audiences from Saturday, September 16 to Sunday, October 29.

Visitors will be able to travel back in time to 1839, when British scientist William Henry Fox Talbot, who lived at Lacock Abbey, first presented his photographic prints to the public at King Edward's School in Birmingham.

The experience will be a full immersive portal to the past and visitors will be able to walk freely throughout a digitally-reconstructed room and touch the bespoke vitrines, fixtures and mouldings - even the heat from a coal fire is recreated.

Infrared sensors will track visitors' movements, creating ghostly avatars that indicate their position and enhance the feeling of travelling through time.

Mr Collishaw has also created a soundscape to accompany the exhibition: the demonstrations of the Chartist protesters who rioted in 1839 on the streets of Birmingham and who can be glimpsed through the digital windows.

Tom Brockington, Senior Visitor Experience Officer at Lacock, said: "When we were approached to be part of Mat's Thresholds exhibition as a host venue, being the birthplace of photography and William Henry Fox Talbot's former home, we jumped at the opportunity.

"To bring contemporary art and new technologies to us here at Lacock replicates the kind of boundaries Talbot was pushing in 1839 and we couldn't be happier seeing it appear before us in the courtyard of the abbey."

The original 19th-century exhibition in Birmingham, staged by the British Association for the Advancement of Science, celebrated cutting edge technological innovation.

Unfortunately, over the passage of time, Fox Talbot's original images have faded almost beyond recognition with several of the surviving photographs existing only in light-proof vaults.

Through Thresholds, this exhibition not only re-stages an important historical exhibition but provides a way to view images that have since been lost to the public.

Mr Collishaw said: "I have been looking to work with virtual reality for a number of years and I'm delighted that it has now become a feasible medium for me to use in an artwork.

"VR's ability to enable visitors to revisit the birth of photography – a medium that has come to saturate our lives – is uncanny and compelling. It's also quite appropriate as VR is the total 360-degree immersion of the viewer within an image, and is itself one of the many innovations spawned by the invention of photography."

In creating Thresholds Mr Collishaw has worked with photographic historian Pete James; Paul Tennent from Nottingham University's Mixed Reality Laboratory; Larry Schaaf, a respected authority on Fox Talbot; architectural historian David Blisset; the team at VMI studios and The Whitewall Company, London.

Mat Collishaw: Thresholds is supported by Colmore Business District, Birmingham City University, King Edward's School, The Schools of King Edward's Birmingham, BOM, an Art Fund Jonathan Ruffer Curatorial Grant, and the exhibition's touring partners.

Mr Collishaw is one of the UK's most thought-provoking contemporary artists, and the installation will be in place from September 16 to October 29. Tickets are available online at nationaltrust.org.uk/lacock

Source: Virtual reality exhibition takes audiences back to the dawn of photography

Selective Focus: Bryan Hansel

Bryan Hansel lives in Grand Marais, working as a photographer and educator. His photos have been published in many national magazines including National Geographic, and his classes take students to sites in the region and across the country to National Parks.

B.H.: I could say I developed my style from years of practice starting with three years of black & white photography in high school — I graduated in 1989. But, that's not really how I came to do what I do. About ten or so years ago, I decided I needed to make my photos eye-catching and worked toward a style that accomplished that. Then about six years ago while reading a book on haiku I had an "aha" moment. I was reading about juxtaposition in poetry and it occurred to me I could do the same thing with photography. After messing around with the approach, I started teaching it at my photography workshops. Basically, it's all about using simplicity to create flow and relationships in an image. Now I approach all my photos that way.

I started taking pictures, developing my own film and printing in the darkroom during my sophomore year in high school. By the time I was a senior, they had to create private study courses for me and I cleared my schedule so I could spend hours a day in the darkroom. I didn't starting making money with photography until I moved to Grand Marais. That was something like 13 or 14 years ago. I started teaching photography workshops in 2006, so it has been 11 years since I started teaching.

I travel a lot. Last year, I was on the road for over 100 days photographing places around the country. This year, I'll probably beat that. I pick the places I go because the landscape in those locations fits my style. If I didn't live in Grand Marais, I'd likely live somewhere else where I could continue to develop my look and style. But the reason that we moved to Grand Marais wasn't for art. My wife and I love paddling. We moved to Grand Marais to live near the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness and Lake Superior so we could do what we love.

My style has evolved, as well as what I'm interested in photographing. For example, after college I was more interested in using photography to capture pictures of the adventures I was on. Now, I'm more interested in taking seascape and nightscape shots. Lately, I've been working on photographing old bikes with swallow depth-of-field, which is completely opposite of what I do in my landscape work. I'm a progressive at heart, so I'm a believer that if we maintain the same technique or style, it'll get stale and will fail to adapt to modern sensibilities and standards. The progressive in me is always pushing forward in my work. I'm always evolving my way forward.

The biggest challenges for me are on the business side of photography. Before moving to Grand Marais, I was in corporate management. While I was good at it, I never enjoyed it. The same thing applies to photography. I'm good at the business side, but it is the least enjoyable part of what I do. But, if I want to make money, I have to take care of business. On the other side of your question, the reward is just being out in the field photographing. When I'm there, I'm usually experiencing flow, a state of being that puts you completely in the moment. Just being in the flow state is a sort of reward. The other big reward for me is teaching others how to take pictures. I feel like I owe photography for all the happiness that I've gotten out of it. I teach what I know to pay that back — my high school teacher was such an inspiration and drove me to get better and if I help someone learn photography in the way that he helped me then doing what I do is worth it. I just hope that I can help people.

Links:

bryanhansel.comMy newsletter often has my latest work and either an article about a photography technique or photography philosophy. People can learn about my photography workshops at my website, too. I'm also on Facebook and Instagram.

FacebookInstagram

I've been working on a project that I'm calling the Found Bike Project. When traveling, I'm looking for old bikes. When I find them I photograph them. I'm currently up to 22 bikes and am trying to get 50 or more before I end the project. For the project, I restricted myself to shooting with two different lenses. I'm using a 35mm f/1.4 for most of the shots, but if the bike is somewhere where I can't get easily then I'll use a 105mm f/2.8. I expect to produce at least one calendar for the project and maybe do an exhibit. One bike shop owner suggested I do a book and he'd be interested in selling it if I do.

I'm also trying to learn black and white digital infrared photography using a camera that was modified to capture infrared light instead of visible light.

Source: Selective Focus: Bryan Hansel

Smart Commercial Drones Drone Markets At $3.4 Billion In 2014 Are Anticipated To Reach $27.1 Billion By 2021 - Researchmoz

Researchmoz added Most up-to-date research on "Smart Commercial Drones: Market Shares, Strategy, and Forecasts, Worldwide, 2015 to 2021" to its huge collection of research reports.The drone technology is evolving: better stability, better reliability, better navigation, softer landings, longer flights, better ability to carry different payloads. Affordable, useful camera drones are available. The study has 967 pages and 405 tables and figures.

To Get Sample Copy of Report visit @ http://www.researchmoz.us/enquiry.php?type=S&repid=347001

Drones are smart when they have sensors and software that permits automated response to camera or sensor input. Smart drones are evolving the ability to interconnect to smart phones, but drones are smart even without smart phone guidance systems. Smart commercial drones connect seamlessly and securely to the Internet and to each other.

Smart commercial drones have a computer inside. They are easy to fly, maneuverable remotely, contain sensor logic. Soon all smart drones will have computer driven collision avoidance technology. Remote operation occurs in the context of a workflow and sensors. Cameras are improving dramatically to permit management of video and picture taking that is realistic and detailed.

In this study, we illustrate how drones achieve doing work even though they are remotely controlled. Drones are expected to provide billions of dollars in economic growth. The economic benefits are significant. Developing countries are more receptive to drones than the U.S. is. In the US the FAA early on granted one exception, then granted 8 commercial UAS exemptions, then 10 more. It has by now granted 1,000 exceptions, but this does not a market make.

Smart commercial drones connect seamlessly and securely to the Internet and to each other. Smart commercial drone aerial vehicle (UAV) technology has reached a level of maturity that has put these systems at the forefront of aerospace manufac turing. Procurement around the world is adapting to drone availability.

Use cases are evolving rapidly for video, specialized video, targeted video, and package delivery systems. The emergence of stable flight collision avoidance systems makes market maturity a certainty. Use in the global war on terrorism has demonstrated unique usefulness for military intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance and communications relay achieving 3 million hours of operation. Small commercial drones are being used to shoot video from the air, proving the viability of drone camera systems.

The relatively low-cost of smart commercial drones make them work for civilian applications. Law enforcement, mapping, video making, movie making, environmental monitoring, and aerial survey are positioned as among many evolving compelling applications.

Drone aircraft are sophisticated and flexible. They take off, fly and land autonomously managed by a remote controller. They enable engineers to p ush the envelope of normal flight. Reconnaissance drones can fly for days continuously. Remote, ground-based pilots can work in shifts.

New technology from Intel and others provides collision avoidance capabilities actually works. This bodes well for market development.Smart commercial drone systems promise to grow significantly, approaching the growth paths of PCs and smart phones. New technology is able to achieve a significant improvement in workflow for every industry, starting with agriculture, creating a smart drone commercial market presence. US Army unmanned aircraft systems have flown 3 million flight hours giving commercial drones market credibility.

Quantities of fielded smart drone systems have been increasing for those companies with attractive price points. Video drones continue to proliferate. Police departments, the oil and gas industry, border patrol, and utilities are all using commercial drones. Units used for agriculture have diverse applications from spraying, lifting trays of flowering plants, to rounding up cattle.

A common issue with UAV platforms is the need to optimize these aircraft. UAV are used to carry useful payloads. These platforms are flexible as to payload, permitting interchangeable or additional sensors and other electronics, extra fuel or weapons systems. The sole function of an unmanned aircraft is to get to a target location, perform a task, and then return in the most efficient and cost-effective way. Without a pilot aboard, the return trip is optional. Light weight is central to UAV design.

Drones represent a way to use air to travel faster and at less cost. The market is divided between military and commercial drones. Military drones represent the future of the national security presence for every nation. Increasing technology sophistication and lower costs are achieving dramatic market shifts.

Smart commercial drones are set to build highways in the sky. The market has evolved past the e arly adopter stage as the industry finds ways to build navigation infrastructure that is safe. The mature collision avoidance systems from Intel and others are part of what make the smart commercial drone market work.

Drone unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) technology has reached a level of maturity that has put these systems at the forefront of aerospace manufacturing. Procurement around the world is adapting to drone availability. Use in the global war on terrorism has demonstrated unique usefulness for military intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance and communications relay.

Removal of the need for an onboard pilot ushers in an era of low cost drone aerial craft. The drone elimination of the need for human support systems on aircraft dramatically reduces the aircraft's size, complexity, and power requirements. The drones effectively reduce overall program cost, development time and risk. Many advanced flight technologies are for piloted craft. These are initially te sted using unmanned subscale demonstrators.

Designers work to simplify the aircraft's configuration, making systems that are adaptable to different payloads on different days. Drones can be redesigned and tested at reduced risk than with development of manned aircraft. Drones allow configurations that would be impossible or impractical for human occupation. Drones are becoming easier to control.

A common issue with UAV platforms is the need to optimize these aircraft. UAVs need to carry useful payloads. These platforms are flexible as to payload, permitting interchangeable or additional sensors and other electronics, extra fuel or weapons systems. The sole function of an unmanned aircraft is to get to a target location, perform a task, and then return in the most efficient and cost-effective way. Without a pilot aboard, the return trip is optional. Light weight is central to UAV design.

Drones represent a way to use air to travel payloads faster and at less cost and to use video as a way to do work and be entertained. The market is divided between rotor and fixed wing smart commercial drones, rotor craft dominate the market representing 75% of the market revenue. Smart commercial drones represent the future of automated process for camera applications. They are complimented by military drones that represent the future of the national security presence for every nation. Increasing technology sophistication and lower costs are achieving dramatic market shifts as investment in these parallel types of devices bring product maturity.

Drone unmanned aircraft systems are achieving a level of relatively early maturity in this manner, having parallel markets. Fleets of unmanned aircraft systems have begun to evolve. The U.S. Army has achieved four million flight hours for its unmanned aircraft systems fleet. Unmanned aerial systems have good handling characteristics. Drone UAS units are designed to support taking remarkable video using stable platforms. Other military drones perform high-speed, long-endurance, covert, multi-mission intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) and precision-strike missions over land or sea.

According to Susan Eustis, leader of the team that prepared the study, "Quantities of fielded smart commercial drone systems of every size and description are set to increase. Every photo opportunity can be enhanced vis use of a smart drone. Drones will connect to smart phones. Drones can fly indoors. Smart commercial drones units feature a variety of camera attachments, sensors, and internal loads. Large 2,000 pound payloads are possible, package delivery is set to emerge as a significant sector. Electro-optical/Infrared (EO/IR) sensor, and an all-weather synthetic aperture radar indicators are maximizing long loiter capabilities and increasing the usefulness of smart commercial drones.

Smart commercial drones drone markets at $3.4 billion in 2014 are anticipated to reach $27.1 b illion by 2021. This forecast number is arrived at by close examination of all the segment growth trajectories. Segments are, Agriculture, Oil and Gas, Border Patrol, Law Enforcement, Homeland Security, Disaster Response, Package Delivery, Photography, Videography. Each of these will grow at a different pace, depending on the use case effectiveness of the smart commercial drones.Commercial grade consumer video drones represent the largest revenue segment in 2015 and remain the biggest throughout the forecast period.

WinterGreen Research is an independent research organization funded by the sale of market research studies all over the world and by the implementation of ROI models that are used to calculate the total cost of ownership of equipment, services, and software. The company has 35 distributors worldwide, including Global Information Info Shop, Market Research.com, Research and Markets, Bloomberg, electronics.ca, and Thompson Financial. WinterGreen Research is positione d to help customers facing challenges that define the modern enterprises. The increasingly global nature of science, technology and engineering is a reflection of the implementation of the globally integrated enterprise. Customers trust wintergreen research to work alongside them to ensure the success of the participation in a particular market segment.

WinterGreen Research supports various market segment programs; provides trusted technical services to the marketing departments. It carries out accurate market share and forecast analysis services for a range of commercial and government customers globally. These are all vital market research support solutions requiring trust and integrity.

Browse Detail Report With TOC @ http://www.researchmoz.us/smart-commercial-drones-market-shares-strategy-and-forecasts-worldwide-2015-to-2021-report.html

Companies Profiled

Market LeadersDJI SystemsParrotBAEYamahaChina AerospaceAscending TechnologiesGo ProElbit Systems LtdIsrael Aerospace Industries IAI3D RoboticsNorthrop GrummanAeroVironmentBoeing / InsituGeneral AtomicsLockheed MartinDraganflyerTextron / AAI

Market Participants

AirwareAscending Technologies AscTec FireflyASN Technologies 715Aurora FlightAviation Industry Corp (AVIC)Challis UAV Inc.5.11 China AerospaceCyphyDelair-TechDenel DynamicsDraganflyerElbit Systems LtdFinmeccanicaFlirteyGeneral DynamicsGoogleHoneywellHUVRData, LLCIntegrated DynamicsIntelJapan DronesL-3 CommunicationsLaird / Cattron Group InternationalLaser MotiveMarcus UAVMMistParrot/senseFlyProx DynamicsProxy TechnologiesRUAG AerospaceSafran MorphoSAICScaled CompositesSchiebelSecomSkycatchTextronTopcon Positioning GroupTRNDlabsXAircraftWing LooongZMP

Key Topics

Commercial DronesSmart Commercial DronesAutonomous systemsDronesUASDrone Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS)Drone 3D MappingDrone SurveillanceDrone ReconnisanceDrone IntelligenceDrone MisslesDrone Agriculture, Smart Commercial Drones Oil and GasSmart Commercial Drones Border PatrolSmart Commercial Drones Law EnforcementHomeland Security Smart Commercial DronesDisaster Response Smart Commercial DronesPackage Delivery Smart Commercial DronesSmart Commercial Drones Photography, Videographynchers Smart Commercial DronesDrones, Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant,Smart Commercial DronesNuclear energy, radiationSmart Commercial Drones Aerial Refueling

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Source: Smart Commercial Drones Drone Markets At $3.4 Billion In 2014 Are Anticipated To Reach $27.1 Billion By 2021 - Researchmoz

Apple Event: Expect a Radical iPhone Redesign

Apple will hold a press event on 12 September to unveil its much anticipated new iPhones, which are expected to introduce a whole new design and set the tone for the next few years.

Unlike previous years, much is known about at least one of the new iPhones thanks to a large software leak from Apple that revealed several of its key details. But new smartphones are not the only new thing Apple is expected to announce, with the event taking place in the just-built Apple Park and its Steve Jobs Theatre.

Apple Park

Known externally as Apple's "spaceship," Apple Park is the firm's new headquarters in Cupertino, California [shown above, original concept], built to house its growing workforce in a giant, four-story ring surrounded by manicured woodland. The multi-billion-dollar construction was designed by Norman Foster with Apple's Jony Ive and is meant to be part of the late Apple co-founder Steve Jobs' legacy.

The event will be the first time non-Apple personnel will be allowed on the grounds in any number, giving the world a glimpse of the latest hallowed halls of big US technology.

D22 iPhone --iPhone 8/Pro/X

Apple is expected to announce a new design for at least one of its iPhones for 2017. While the details on the naming of the device codenamed "D22" are sketchy -- it could be called the iPhone 8, iPhone Pro, or perhaps the iPhone X if it is named after the Apple smartphone's 10th anniversary -- a leak from Apple of the HomePod software revealed much about its design and features.

The biggest change is a new all-screen design, similar to that produced by Samsung for the Galaxy S8 and Note 8, and LG for the G6 and V30. Apple is expected to do away with the traditional home button on the front, with the screen extending to the edges at the top, bottom and sides of the device, with much slimmer bezels.

The top of the device is expected to have a cutout in the screen for the earpiece speaker, selfie camera and sensors, similar to that of Android-founder Andy Rubin's Essential Phone.

Lacking a home button on the front of the iPhone also means no Touch ID fingerprint scanner on the front. While Apple was hoping, like Samsung, to have an under-screen fingerprint scanner, neither company appears to have been able to get the technology to work for this generation. It is unlikely the iPhone 8 will have such an advancement.

Instead, Apple is expected to rely on infrared facial recognition as its primary biometric system for the iPhone 8, which will be capable of recognizing a user, unlocking the device and authenticating payments. Leaks also point to the phone being able to tell when a user is looking at it and automatically silencing notifications.

Samsung's "smart stay" system uses a front-facing camera to tell when a user is looking at their smartphone to keep the screen lit when actively being used but not touched.

Apple is also expected to integrate more advanced systems for its camera, including augmented reality and further enhancement of its computation photography system, which combines the images from multiple cameras on the back into one photo.

The new iPhone may also include wireless charging for the first time, a feature common on rivals from Samsung and others that allows users to charge their smartphones inductively on small plates or mats, which can be built into furniture.

iPhone 7S

Alongside the new iPhone 8, Apple is also expected to update its iPhone 7 line of devices, possibly called the iPhone 7S and 7S Plus, in line with previous iterations of the iPhone.

These updates, if they happen, are expected be minor improvements, with some new features given by software updates.

Apple Watch

Apple's smartwatch, the Apple Watch, is also expected to receive updates. Rumors suggest that a new version of the Apple Watch could include 4G cellular connectivity, making it capable of accessing the internet without being connected to an iPhone or wifi.

The Apple Watch is the current market leader of smartwatches, which as a category is starting to eat into traditional wearables such as basic fitness trackers, according to the latest data from analysts IDC. Shipments of the Apple Watch were up nearly 50% year-on-year in the second quarter of 2017 with 3.4m units, giving Apple a 13% share of the total wearables market.

4K Apple TV

According to several reports, the company could also upgrade its Apple TV smart TV box to support 4K video and HDR, the two new technologies currently permeating the television market.

The Apple TV was last updated in 2015 adding support for the App Store and a new touch-controlled remote.

© 2017 Guardian Web under contract with NewsEdge/Acquire Media. All rights reserved.

Source: Apple Event: Expect a Radical iPhone Redesign

iPhone 8 release date, specs and price: 'iPhone X' power button will let users activate Siri

This is the iPhone 8. Probably

THE LONG AWAITED iPhone 8 is officially launching in just over a week.

The smartphone, tipped by some to arrive as the 'iPhone Edition' or 'iPhone X' will be Apple's 10th-anniversary smartphone and looks set to be the first to debut wireless charging tech, a curved AMOLED display and an unusual vertical dual rear-facing camera. If rumours are correct, the so-called 'Edition' will launch alongside the less-impressive iPhone 7S and 7S Plus. 

Related: Galaxy S9 price, release date and specs

We've rounded up everything we know about the iPhone 8 so far and will update this article as soon as we hear more.  

Release dateThe iPhone 8 will be officially unveiled on 12 September. Apple has sent out invites (below) to a launch event in its newly-built Steve Jobs Theatre on its new campus, where it's also expected to unveil the iPhone 7S and 7S Plus.

Naturally, Apple will stream the event on its website, and it's expected to kick off at 6pm UK time. 

Despite the iPhone 8's imminent launch event, some reports claim that it might not be available to buy until the fourth quarter, and in limited quantities. A note by analyst Timothy Arcuri from Cowen and Company has added weight to this and claims that production could be delayed due to issues with its Touch ID sensor.

Another report suggests the iPhone 8 may not arrive until 2018. A research note from Deutsche Bank, picked up by Business Insider, claims the smartphone won't make it onto shelves this year due to supply chain issues and "technical challenges".

That said, Digitimes is reporting that mass production of the iPhone 8 is on schedule and that the smartphone will see release in October.

PriceIf it's anything like Apple's new MacBooks, next year's iPhone will be more expensive than this year's release, with some analysts claiming that the highest-spec model will be the first iPhone to cost more than $1,000.

A report at Forbes claims that pricing could start at an eye-watering $1,100 to $1,200, with Apple offering the handset in 128GB and 256GB configurations only.

Rumoured specs- 5.8in 2.5D OLED edge-to-edge display- New design with an 'all-glass' construction- 71x143x7.4mm- Wireless charging support- Apple A11 chip- Rear-facing Touch ID sensor- iOS 11 with improved Siri, P2P payments- Face-scanning technology- Vertical dual cameras on rear- Support for LTE speeds up to 450Mbps

Latest news4/9/17: Adding weight the rumours that Apple will ditch the traditional home button on the iPhone 8, developer Guilherme Rambo claims that users will instead be able to activate Siri by holding the smartphone's power button. 

4/9/17: Notorious Twitter tipster Evan Blass has tweeted that the iPhone 8 likely will arrive as the 'iPhone X'. Blass has also said that, following its unveiling on 12 September, the so-called iPhone 8 will be available to pre-order from 15 September, and will start shipping on the 22nd. 

29/08/17: Japanese electronics site Macotakara claims that the iPhone 8 will finally offer wireless charging, but that Apple is planning a proprietary twist on the Qi standard to ensure that only Apple-approved charging pads can be used with its devices. What's more, the site suggests that Apple will restrict its wireless charging to just 7.5W - half the wattage supported by the Qi standard. That'll mean that Apple devices will charge much more s-l-o-w-l-y - half as quickly to be precise. It should also come with a beefier battery -around 2700 mAh or more, according to reports. 

25/8/17: Got a spare grand knocking about? Because that's what the iPhone 8 might cost, according to The New York Times. It's not a new rumour, but given how close we are to launch it makes it firmer. This will be a premium model, it reports, but it isn't entirely clear what the extra cash actually buys. That "grand" incidentally, is in dollars - or $999 to be precise - which in Her Majesty's pound sterling will probably equate to, err, £999 or thereabouts (inc. VAT). 

24/8/17: Apple will unveil the iPhone 8 on 12 September, according to Mac4Ever, which allegedly received confirmation from telecoms companies. Separately, a post on Weibo claims that the smartphone will be made available in a new 512GB capacity option, with all models set to pack 3GB RAM. 

23/8/17: According to the Korea Herald, the iPhone 8's much-rumoured facial recognition system will be the handset's "crown jewel". The report claims that the tech will work in "just a few hundred milliseconds" and that it will replace Apples Touch ID sensor. The Korea Herald adds that adding 3D sensors will be adopted for the front and rear of the device to "realise AR applications, which integrate 3D virtual images with user's environment in real time."

22/8/17: A new leak, via SlashLeaks, has shown off a number of alleged iPhone 8 parts, including its flex cable for power transfer, some of its internal components and its display assembly (below), which seems to confirm reports of a full-screen design with a 'notch' at the top to accommodate the phone's front camera and earpiece.

21/8/17: John Gruber has taken to Twitter to claim that the iPhone 8's much-rumoured wireless charging feature will require an additional accessory in order to work, while images on Chinese social media 'confirm' that Apple is working on a wireless charging pad to launch alongside the iPhone 8. However, Gruber claims that the feature might not be available to launch, noting that it could instead arrive with iOS 11.1.

17/8/17: In the strangest update you'll probably see on this list, fast food chain McDonald's appears to have leaked the iPhone 8's 'full screen' design. In marketing for its 'MyMaccas' app (below), sent out to nugget fans in Australia, McDonald's includes an image of an iPhone with an edge-to-edge display, complete with the much-leaked 'notch' at the top of the screen which will reportedly house iPhone 8's earpiece, front-facing camera and sensors. 

17/8/17: Yet another rumour has claimed that Apple will bin Touch ID on the iPhone 8 in favour of face recognition. Mehdi Hosseini of Susquehanna Financial Group told Barron's that Apple has decided to ditch its planned fingerprint sensor under the glass of the screen, because of problems with its "controller" chip.

15/8/17: A shaky video (below) has surfaced showing what looks like the iPhone 8 being assembled in a Foxconn plant. The 10-second clip doesn't give much away but does appear to confirm that the handset's rear shell will house a vertical dual camera setup.

14/8/17: The 'copper' coloured iPhone 8 (above) will reportedly launch as a new 'Blush Gold' variant, according to a post on Weibo via a so-called Foxconn Insider, and will replace Apple's current 'Rose Gold' offering. The same post claims that this new model will be available with only 64GB or 128GB built-in storage.

10/8/17:  Developer Guilherme Rambo has found yet more tidbits of information in the HomePod's code. His latest find suggests that the iPhone 8 will be able to know when you're looking at it, and could mute notifications when you're gawping at the screen. Seperately, developer Steve Troughton-Smith has discovered that the iPhone 8's virtual home button Developer Guilherme Rambo is resizable and can be hidden at the user's command.

9/8/17: KGI Securities' analyst Ming-Chi Kuo is back with more predictions, and this time is claiming that, while some rumours point to a launch in October, the iPhone 8 will be unveiled 'on time' in September. His latest report, obtained by Apple Insider, says that the handset will be available in 'limited quantities' though, with just two to four million handsets to be produced this quarter. Kuo also says that the iPhone will support fast charging through a Lightning-to-USB-C accessory, and notes that the iPhone 8 will be available in three colours - Black, Silver and Gold.

8/8/17:  A new image of the iPhone 8 (below), which comes via the ever-reliable Evan Blass, shows the handset in what appears to be a third-party protective case from Urban Armor Gear. While the spirit level-esque bumper ain't all that exciting, it shows off the iPhone 8's almost completely bezel-less display, complete with an odd 'notch' at the top to accommodate the earpiece, front-facing camera and sensors.

7/8/17: It's a big day for iPhone 8 leaks. Over on Chinese microblogging site Weibo, a shaky image depicts three separate models of the iPhone 8 - one in black, one in white and another in a new 'champagne gold' flavour, that's said to be "closer in copper" colour-wise. The image doesn't give much else away, but does appear to confirm previous talk of a vertical dual camera setup and an all-new glass design. 

7/8/17: Some more details about the iPhone 8's so-called 'Face ID' feature have surfaced online, courtesy of a report from iHelp BR. It has discovered some code strings that suggest that the face unlocking functionality could work when the device is 'resting', or flat, which means users won't have to pick it up and gawp at it.

3/8/17: The iPhone 8's rumoured 'Face ID' feature could be used for more than unlocking the device. According to more code spotted in the HomePod's firmware, Apple plans to utilise the facial recognition technology for Apple Pay authentication, adding weight to the rumours that Touch ID could be dumped altogether.

Separately, Apple could also introduce a new 'SmartCam' scene selection features to the iPhone 8's camera, that will be able to intelligently capture the best photos when shooting specific scenes like sun rises and fireworks. 

2/8/17: During the firm's Q3 earnings call this week, Tim Cook appeared to debunk speculation that the iPhone 8 will be delayed. He said that, for the next quarter, Apple is expecting bumper revenues of between $49bn-52bn, likely a sign that the firm's upcoming flagship will be released in September.

31/7/17: Apple appears to have accidentally confirmed the iPhone 8's 'Face ID' unlocking functionality. Early software for its HomePod speaker, spotted by iOS developers Steve Troughton-Smith and Guilherme Rambo, reveals support for face unlock inside BioMetricKit, all but confirming that iPhone 8 users will be able to unlock their device by gawping at it.

The code also 'confirms' that the iPhone 8 will feature an edge-to-edge screen, with no top bezel and no physical home button.

27/7/17: A new report from Macotakara adds yet more weight to speculation that the iPhone 8 will be plagued by delays and shortages, and claims that it won't be released until the end of the year. The same report claims that Apple will not produce a white version of the iPhone 8, adding that colour variation will be "few".

26/7/17: In a note seen by Apple Insider, Jun Zhang from Rosenblatt Securities writes that full production of the iPhone 8 won't begin in earnest until the end of September. This, he claims, is due to Touch ID issues, with Apple working to iron out issues with the scanner before the smartphone launches. The report predicts that Apple will produce 25 million "iPhone 8" units in September, and another 60 million in the holiday quarter.

24/7/17: A new leak courtesy of Forbes claims that the iPhone 8 will feature a "significantly improved" battery life. This will be due to a new L-shaped battery configuration that should deliver iPhone 7 Plus-beating stamina, but in a significantly smaller chassis, it claims. The same report claims that pricing for the iPhone will start from $1,100 to $1,200, with Apple to offer the handset in 128GB and 256GB configurations.

21/7/17: J.P. Morgan Apple analyst Rod Hall has said that Apple's 10th anniversary will launch as the 'iPhone Pro', and said it will be available in limited quantities from September, debunking previous talk of delays. Hall claims that around two million handsets will be available from September, lower than his previous nine million estimates.

19/7/17: There's yet more talk of the iPhone 8 arriving later than usual, with iGeneration reporting that Apple will unveil the handset in October. Interestingly, it claims the firm plans to unveil a new iPhone 5SE device at an event in August. Yeah, we'd advise to take this rumour with a pinch of salt. 

17/7/17: Forbes claims to have revealed the 'final design' of the iPhone 8, having received CAD files from case designer Nodus. The report claims that "fears Apple would fall back on a less ambitious Plan B are unfounded" and says that users can expect to find the long-rumoured bezel-less design, 5.8in display and vertically-aligned rear-facing camera. The images (below) also reveal that the iPhone 8's power button will be twice as big as that found on the iPhone 7, fuelling speculation that Apple could copy Sony with Touch ID integrated into the switch.

14/7/17: Apple might equip the iPhone 8 with a 3D laser system to make for better augmented reality (AR) functionality. So says Fast Company, which reports that the rear-facing laser will enable better depth detection for augmented reality apps, and a more accurate type of autofocus for photography. 

12/7/17: A report at Fast Company claims Apple is in a flurry of 'panic' as it works around the clock to fix software bugs plaguing the iPhone 8. According to the report, Apple is struggling with issues plaguing the phone's wireless charging support and its 3D sensor, which previous rumours have claimed will replace Touch ID on the 10th anniversary iPhone. If these issues are not ironed out, the report notes, the iPhone 8 could face production and delivery delays. 

10/7/17: According to John Gruber, the iPhone 8's wireless charging accessory may not be readily available when the handset launches later this year. This suggests that wireless charging won't be supported out of the box, and will instead require a separate, no doubt proprietary, accessory. 

A separate rumour, courtesy of Benjamin Geskin, claims the iPhone 8 will have a 'mirror-like' finish (above) that will be available in four colours at launch.

5/7/17: Alleged retail packaging (below) for the iPhone 8 has surfaced online, courtesy of Weibo. It shows a dual-camera setup that's mounted vertically instead of a horizontal configuration that you saw on the iPhone 7 Plus but seems to suggest that Apple will stick to an aluminium design. This is unlikely given the huge number of rumours pointing to a redesigned glass chassis, so we'd advise taking this rumour with a hefty pinch of salt.

4/7/17: Bloomberg has added weight to an analyst's predictions that the iPhone 8 could dump Touch ID and is reporting that Apple is testing an "improved security system" that will enable users to log in, authenticate payments and launch secure apps by scanning their face. This, the report claims, will be powered by a new 3D sensor that will allow it to scan a face and unlock the iPhone without "a few hundred milliseconds", and looks set to replace the current Touch ID system.

3/7/17: It's a big day for iPhone leaks, as KGI analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has claimed in his latest report, seen by 9to5Mac, that the 5.2in iPhone 8 might feature no Touch ID sensor. This seems odd to us, but Kuo claims that Apple likely faced 'technical issues' which prevented it from equipping the upcoming iPhone with a screen-embedded Touch ID sensor. Instead, the iPhone 8's front-facing camera will enable face recognition, according to the report.

3/7/17: Another day, another leak, and this one appear to confirm the death of the home button. Benjamin Geskin has posted an image of a leaked screen bracket (below), straight out of production HQ at Foxconn, which allegedly shows off the front of the iPhone 8. If legit, there won't be a home button on Apple's 10th anniversary iPhone, hinting, once again, that it could feature a display-embedded Touch ID sensor.

29/6/17: On the 10th anniversary of the original iPhone, a video (below) courtesy of OnLeaks and Tiger Mobiles has shown off the upcoming iPhone 8 from all angles. The handset, based on 3D CAD drawings, matches up to previous speculation with its glossy design, edge-to-edge screen and dual rear-facing cameras. It also doesn't feature a physical home button, hinting that the iPhone 8 might feature a screen-embedded Touch ID sensor. The video goes so far as to measure the handset, with the iPhone 8 mockup measuring in at 71x143x7.4mm.

26/6/17: OnLeaks has posted an image (below) of what appears to be an iPhone 8 dummy unit, showing off - once again - the phone's glossy design, edge-to-edge display and dual rear-facing cameras. With no Touch ID sensor on the back, the leak hints that the handset could pack an under-screen fingerprint sensor. 

22/6/17: A research note obtained by Apple Insider claims that Apple is still "undecided" on the fingerprint technology for the iPhone 8. The note, from Cowen and Company's Timothy Arcuri, said that the firm has three options: thinning the cover glass over a sensor area, creating a pinhole through the glass for an optical or ultrasonic sensor, or trying a "film" sensor integrated into the display, using either capacitive or infrared technology. Regardless of which method Apple chooses, Arcuri notes that there will probably be a "one to two month" delay on the iPhone 8. 

Next: Older news

Source: iPhone 8 release date, specs and price: 'iPhone X' power button will let users activate Siri

Apple Event: Expect a Radical iPhone Redesign

Apple will hold a press event on 12 September to unveil its much anticipated new iPhones, which are expected to introduce a whole new design and set the tone for the next few years.

Unlike previous years, much is known about at least one of the new iPhones thanks to a large software leak from Apple that revealed several of its key details. But new smartphones are not the only new thing Apple is expected to announce, with the event taking place in the just-built Apple Park and its Steve Jobs Theatre.

Apple Park

Known externally as Apple's "spaceship," Apple Park is the firm's new headquarters in Cupertino, California [shown above, original concept], built to house its growing workforce in a giant, four-story ring surrounded by manicured woodland. The multi-billion-dollar construction was designed by Norman Foster with Apple's Jony Ive and is meant to be part of the late Apple co-founder Steve Jobs' legacy.

The event will be the first time non-Apple personnel will be allowed on the grounds in any number, giving the world a glimpse of the latest hallowed halls of big US technology.

D22 iPhone --iPhone 8/Pro/X

Apple is expected to announce a new design for at least one of its iPhones for 2017. While the details on the naming of the device codenamed "D22" are sketchy -- it could be called the iPhone 8, iPhone Pro, or perhaps the iPhone X if it is named after the Apple smartphone's 10th anniversary -- a leak from Apple of the HomePod software revealed much about its design and features.

The biggest change is a new all-screen design, similar to that produced by Samsung for the Galaxy S8 and Note 8, and LG for the G6 and V30. Apple is expected to do away with the traditional home button on the front, with the screen extending to the edges at the top, bottom and sides of the device, with much slimmer bezels.

The top of the device is expected to have a cutout in the screen for the earpiece speaker, selfie camera and sensors, similar to that of Android-founder Andy Rubin's Essential Phone.

Lacking a home button on the front of the iPhone also means no Touch ID fingerprint scanner on the front. While Apple was hoping, like Samsung, to have an under-screen fingerprint scanner, neither company appears to have been able to get the technology to work for this generation. It is unlikely the iPhone 8 will have such an advancement.

Instead, Apple is expected to rely on infrared facial recognition as its primary biometric system for the iPhone 8, which will be capable of recognizing a user, unlocking the device and authenticating payments. Leaks also point to the phone being able to tell when a user is looking at it and automatically silencing notifications.

Samsung's "smart stay" system uses a front-facing camera to tell when a user is looking at their smartphone to keep the screen lit when actively being used but not touched.

Apple is also expected to integrate more advanced systems for its camera, including augmented reality and further enhancement of its computation photography system, which combines the images from multiple cameras on the back into one photo.

The new iPhone may also include wireless charging for the first time, a feature common on rivals from Samsung and others that allows users to charge their smartphones inductively on small plates or mats, which can be built into furniture.

iPhone 7S

Alongside the new iPhone 8, Apple is also expected to update its iPhone 7 line of devices, possibly called the iPhone 7S and 7S Plus, in line with previous iterations of the iPhone.

These updates, if they happen, are expected be minor improvements, with some new features given by software updates.

Apple Watch

Apple's smartwatch, the Apple Watch, is also expected to receive updates. Rumors suggest that a new version of the Apple Watch could include 4G cellular connectivity, making it capable of accessing the internet without being connected to an iPhone or wifi.

The Apple Watch is the current market leader of smartwatches, which as a category is starting to eat into traditional wearables such as basic fitness trackers, according to the latest data from analysts IDC. Shipments of the Apple Watch were up nearly 50% year-on-year in the second quarter of 2017 with 3.4m units, giving Apple a 13% share of the total wearables market.

4K Apple TV

According to several reports, the company could also upgrade its Apple TV smart TV box to support 4K video and HDR, the two new technologies currently permeating the television market.

The Apple TV was last updated in 2015 adding support for the App Store and a new touch-controlled remote.

© 2017 Guardian Web syndicated under contract with NewsEdge/Acquire Media. All rights reserved.

Source: Apple Event: Expect a Radical iPhone Redesign

Selective Focus: Bryan Hansel

Bryan Hansel lives in Grand Marais, and works as a photographer and educator. His work has been published in many national magazines including National Geographic, and his classes take students to sites in the region and across the country to National Parks.

B.H.: I could say that I developed my style from years of practice starting with three years of black & white photography in high school — I graduated in 1989. But, that's not really how I came to do what I do. About ten or so years ago, I decided that I needed to make my photos eye-catching and worked towards a style that accomplished that. Then about six years ago while reading a book on haiku I had an "aha" moment. I was reading about juxtaposition in poetry and it occurred to me that I could do the same thing with photography. After messing around with the approach, I started teaching it at my photography workshops. Basically, it's all about using simplicity to create flow and relationships in an image. Now I approach all my photos that way.

I started taking pictures, developing my own film and printing in the darkroom during my sophomore year in high school. By the time I was a senior, they had to create private study courses for me and I cleared my schedule so I could spend hours a day in the darkroom. I didn't starting making money with photography until I moved to Grand Marais. That was something like 13 or 14 years ago. I started teaching photography workshops in 2006, so it has been 11 years since I started teaching.

I travel a lot. Last year, I was on the road for over 100 days photographing places around the country. This year, I'll probably beat that. I pick the places I go because the landscape in those locations fits my style. If I didn't live in Grand Marais, I'd likely live somewhere else where I could continue to develop my look and style. But, the reason that we moved to Grand Marais wasn't for art. My wife and I love paddling. We moved to Grand Marais to live near the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness and Lake Superior so we could do what we love.

My style has evolved, as well as what I'm interested in photographing. For example, after college I was more interested in using photography to capture pictures of the adventures I was on. Now, I'm more interested in taking seascape and nightscape shots. Lately, I've been working on photographing old bikes with swallow depth-of-field, which is completely opposite of what I do in my landscape work. I'm a progressive at heart, so I'm a believer that if we maintain the same technique or style, it'll get stale and will fail to adapt to modern sensibilities and standards. The progressive in me is always pushing forward in my work. I'm always evolving my way forward.

The biggest challenges for me are on the business side of photography. Before moving to Grand Marais, I was in corporate management. While I was good at it, I never enjoyed it. The same thing applies to photography. I'm good at the business side, but it is the least enjoyable part of what I do. But, if I want to make money, I have to take care of business. On the other side of your question, the reward is just being out in the field photographing. When I'm there, I'm usually experiencing flow, a state of being that puts you completely in the moment. Just being in the flow state is a sort of reward. The other big reward for me is teaching others how to take pictures. I feel like I owe photography for all the happiness that I've gotten out of it. I teach what I know to pay that back — my high school teacher was such an inspiration and drove me to get better and if I help someone learn photography in the way that he helped me then doing what I do is worth it. I just hope that I can help people. Links:

bryanhansel.comMy newsletter often has my latest work and either an article about a photography technique or photography philosophy. People can learn about my photography workshops at my website, too. I'm also on Facebook and Instagram.

FacebookInstagram

I've been working on a project that I'm calling the Found Bike Project. When traveling, I'm looking for old bikes. When I find them I photograph them. I'm currently up to 22 bikes and am trying to get 50 or more before I end the project. For the project, I restricted myself to shooting with two different lenses. I'm using a 35mm f/1.4 for most of the shots, but if the bike is somewhere where I can't get easily then I'll use a 105mm f/2.8. I expect to produce at least one calendar for the project and maybe do an exhibit. One bike shop owner suggested I do a book and he'd be interested in selling it if I do.

I'm also trying to learn black and white digital infrared photography using a camera that was modified to capture infrared light instead of visible light.

Source: Selective Focus: Bryan Hansel