Apple posts Supplier Responsibility progress report

Apple has just posted their annual Supplier Responsibility Progress Report. The report aims to help improve worker protections and factory conditions as well as show audit information for the year. The report outlines how their audit procedure is performed as well as shows results for audits in 2011.

Apple also posted a list of the 156 suppliers that make up over 95% of their supply chain. The main focus of the report is to highlight their continued efforts to improve work conditions and tighten down on underage labor.

Apple-designed training programs have educated more than one million supply chain employees about local laws, their rights as workers, occupational health and safety, and Apple’s Supplier Code of Conduct.

Apple is also offering educational programs for workers to improve their business skills as well as learn more about entrepreneurship.

Source: Apple

Matias Slim One keyboard at CES

Yesterday I got a chance to chat with Steve McGowan of the Matias Corporation about one of their new products, the Slim One Keyboard. It's a fabulous idea, really: Take the form factor of the Apple Wireless Keyboard, and give it a button in the top right that says "iPhone". You've got your iPhone on a dock or syncing, and you get a text message. Hit that magical little iPhone button, and boom! Your keyboard is now bluetoothed up to your iPhone so you can reply to that text, then a second press of the iPhone button disconnects from your iPhone and your typing goes back to your computer.

If the name sounds familiar, Matias has previously made waves with their Tactile One keyboard, which uses switches like the Apple Extended Keyboard II used, so it is a very responsive (and clacky) keyboard.

You can see a demo of the Slim One Keyboard in the video below. It is available in Mac and Windows flavors for the iPhone.

Matias Slim One keyboard at CES originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Fri, 13 Jan 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Matias Slim One keyboard at CES originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Fri, 13 Jan 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tim Cook’s Email to Apple Staff Regarding Supplier Responsibility Report

Earlier today, Apple released its 2012 Supplier Responsibility Progress Report, an annual report that was supplemented for the first time by a public list of over 150 companies that supply components and manufacturing services to the company.

As related by French site MacGeneration, Apple CEO Tim Cook sent the following email to company employees today addressing the developments on the supplier responsibility front:

Team,

We've just released our sixth annual update on conditions in Apple's supply chain, and I want to personally share some of the results with you.

We insist that our manufacturing partners follow Apple's strict code of conduct, and to make sure they do, the Supplier Responsibility team led more than 200 audits at facilities throughout our supply chain last year. These audits make sure that working conditions are safe and just, and if a manufacturer won't live up to our standards, we stop working with them.

Thanks to our supplier responsibility program, we've seen dramatic improvements in hiring practices by our suppliers. To prevent the use of underage labor, our team interviews workers, checks employment records and audits the age verification systems our suppliers use. These efforts have been very successful and, as a result, cases of underage labor were down sharply from last year. We found no underage workers at our final assembly suppliers, and we will not rest until the number is zero everywhere.

We've also used our influence to substantially improve living conditions for the people who make our products. Apple set a new standard for suppliers who offer employee housing, to ensure that dormitories are comfortable and safe. To meet our requirements, many suppliers have renovated their dorms or built new ones altogether.

Finding and correcting problems is not enough. Our team has built an ambitious training program to educate workers about Apple's code of conduct, workers' rights, and occupational health and safety. More than one million people know about these rights because they went to work for an Apple supplier. Additionally, Apple offers continuing education programs free of charge at many manufacturing sites in China. More than 60,000 workers have enrolled in classes to learn business, entrepreneurial skills or English.

Finally, we are taking a big step today toward greater transparency and independent oversight of our supply chain by joining the Fair Labor Association. The FLA is a leading nonprofit organization dedicated to improving conditions for workers around the world, and we are the first technology company they've approved for membership. The FLA's auditing team will have direct access to our supply chain and they will report their findings independently on their website.

No one in our industry is driving improvements for workers the way Apple is today. I encourage you to take some time to read more about these efforts, so that you can be as proud of Apple's contributions in this area as I am. The details are online now at apple.com/supplierresponsibility.

Tim

Today has been a busy day on the environmental responsibility and worker rights fronts for Apple, with the company also announcing a partnership with the Fair Labor Association to monitor conditions at suppliers' facilities and an expanded recycling program in the UK, Germany, and France. News also surfaced today regarding Apple's efforts to transition to halogen-free power and USB cables for its products.


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Carriers in Singapore to Sell Camera Less iPhone 4S Very Soon

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Samsung’s Smart Window doesn’t run iOS but it’s still pretty awesome!

Samsung’s Smart Window doesn’t run iOS but it’s still pretty awesome! Soon, we shall be living in the world of Minority Report, and this “Smart Window” technology Samsung has at CES 2012 is going to help us get there. Ashley Esqueda checks out what’s happening over at the Samsung booth and gives a little demo of the window.

App Giveaway: New Year Diet Month

New Year Diet Month is an iPhone app that inspires and motivates you to meet your weight loss goals of 2012. Each day has a new idea, tip, insight, or direction to help you on your quest to become thinner and healthier.

This year KEEP your new year’s resolution to lose weight with the help of New Year Diet Month – a month of advice and motivation to help you on your quest for a slimmer, healthier body.

New Year Diet Month starts from when you first use the app – not from Jan 1st! – so it’s not too late to start your New Year Diet Month today! You can also unlock all days early if you’re feeling really eager – though to get the benefit of small continuous changes leading to large improvement (which is what New Year Diet Month is designed to do), try to resist that temptation and really get the best from each day!

New Year Diet Month is a collection of ideas to inspire you, insights into where you’ve gone wrong in the past, and directions to take. It presents one clear point every day to get you thinking, which, over the course of the month, will all come together to help make a new you.

Giveaway

The good folks at Breaking Art have given us promo codes to give away to 5 lucky readers! For a chance to win, let us know how much weight you hope to lose is 2012 in the comments below!

New Year Diet Month is available on the iPhone and on sale for $3.99.

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Have an app you’d love to see featured on iMore? Email us at iosapps@imore.com, tell us about your app (include an iTunes link), and we’ll take a look.

Dear Aunt TUAW: How do I silence my iPhone?

Dear Aunt TUAW,

There is an article in the WSJ about how an iPhone disrupted a performance of the New York Philharmonic. I have experienced the same problem where it is impossible to turn the alarm off once it goes on.

If you set up a calendar alert and change your reminder sounds with the Alarm sound, when the alarm goes off there is no way to silence it. If you turn the phone to silence mode, it still makes noise. If you close the event, it still makes noise. I believe the only way to shut off the sound is to completely turn off the device.

This has been so annoying that I stopped using iPhone's calendar reminder alerts. This article reminded me of the problem. Can you explain how this all works?

Your loving nephew,

Brian

Dear Brian,

iPhone alarms aren't affected by any of the normal system volume settings. This ensures that you'll still be woken up in the morning, a major design touch point for iPhone users who'd prefer to get to work on time. In fact, the iPhone supports numerous independent volume controls.

For example, the mute toggle on the side of the phone controls the ringer without affecting audio playback. The iPod functions built into the unit have independent speaker and headphone levels. Siri audio has its own volume levels as well -- plus lowering Siri speaker audio doesn't change the volume for when you pick up the phone to your ear.

Apple designed these multiple controls to work in the most flexible yet reliable ways possible, ensuring that the phone responds as the user expects it to. A single system-wide volume setting wouldn't be able to handle these day-to-day nuances.

If you mute your phone for the movie theater at night, you should still be able to wake up the next morning. If you lower the speaker volume for your music, it shouldn't keep you from using Siri to call hands-free. Please note that adding headphones does not re-route alarm audio.

That means if you take your phone into a quiet event -- a meeting, concert, or other -- you should probably power off the device completely for the duration. Press the sleep/wake button for about 5 seconds, and then slide to power down.

If this is not possible, you'll want to set the ringer to mute, set the system audio to zero, launch Siri and lower the volume to zero, disable all alarms, and review the Settings > Notifications items in the Notification Center to switch off audio. There's probably some items Auntie is missing here, but she trusts her nieces and nephews will refine this list in the comments.

In the end, Auntie thinks Apple did a great job in designing the various iPhone audio systems. For those rare occasions where you really need to bypass these design choices, powering the iPhone down will keep it from embarrassing faux pas.

Hugs,

Auntie T.

Dear Aunt TUAW: How do I silence my iPhone? originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Fri, 13 Jan 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Dear Aunt TUAW: How do I silence my iPhone? originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Fri, 13 Jan 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report Claims iPad 3 With Retina Display Will be Thinner Than iPad 2

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Apple Releases 2012 Supplier Responsibility Progress Report and Supplier List

The stream of environmental and labor rights news from Apple continues today with the company's release of its annual Supplier Responsibility Progress Report for 2012. The report details efforts to oversee working conditions and environmental responsibility at its suppliers around the world, and notes that the company conducted 229 audits during 2011 for an 80% increase over 2010's auditing levels.

In 2011, we conducted 229 audits throughout our supply chain — an 80 percent increase over 2010 — including more than 100 first-time audits. We continue to expand our program to reach deeper into our supply base, and this year we added more detailed and specialized audits that focus on safety and the environment.

The company notes that in 2011 it began a dedicated environmental auditing process to supplement the environmental checks that had previously been included in the standard auditing procedure. According to the company, third-party environmental engineering experts helped conduct audits at fourteen different facilities, and some violations were found.


Full details on the auditing results, including summaries of the various violations discovered in environmental and other areas, are available in the complete report (PDF).

Apple for the first time also published a list of 156 suppliers (PDF) representing 97% of the company's procurement expenditures. While no details on each company's role in Apple's supply chain is offered in the document, merely identifying the supply chain offers some improvement in transparency for the secretive company.


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Apple Partners with Labor Group to Monitor Workplace Conditions at Suppliers’ Factories

Bloomberg reports that Apple has agreed to allow the Fair Labor Association (FLA) to access its suppliers' facilities to monitor workplace conditions in the wake of publicity surrounding worker suicides at Apple's primary manufacturing partner Foxconn.

The world’s most valuable technology company joins Nike Inc. (NKE), Nestle SA (NESN) and Syngenta AG (SYNN) in turning to the Fair Labor Association, set up in 1999 to monitor workplace conditions globally in an initiative by former U.S. President Bill Clinton. Apple is the first technology business to sign up to the FLA as a participating company, the Washington-based body said today in a press release.

In the press release (PDF), Apple senior vice president Jeff Williams notes that Apple routinely performs audits of its suppliers' facilities but that the company is pleased to engage with the Fair Labor Association as an independent monitoring group.

"We're extremely proud to be the first technology company admitted to the FLA," said Jeff Williams, Apple's senior vice president of Operations. "Last year we performed more than 200 audits at our supplier's facilities around the world. With the benefit of the FLA's experience and expertise, we will continue to drive improvements for workers and provide even greater transparency into our supply chain."

The FLA reports that it worked with Apple last year on the company's training programs regarding labor rights and worker standards, and that Apple will bring all of its workplace compliance standards in line with the FLA's guidelines over the next two years.


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Apple Stepping Up Environmental Friendliness with New Halogen-Free Cables

The London Evening Standard reports (via GigaOM) that Apple is requiring cable supplier Volex to spend up to $6 million retooling its production lines to eliminate halogens from the power and USB cables used in the company's products. The move will make the cables less toxic to the environment upon disposal.

Apple is the biggest customer of Volex, 23%-owned by billionaire financier Nat Rothschild, which makes the power cables and USB leads used in everything from laptops to iPhones and iPads.

But the US firm is on a drive to move its products towards halogen-free power cables, which are less harmful to the environment when disposed of.

The start-up costs in designing and making the new cables will cost it up to $6 million in the current financial year, Volex said today, although, stripping out these one-off costs, profits will be in line with market expectation.

Apple has in the past received criticism from environmental advocacy groups such as Greenpeace, but the company has been performing better in recent surveys as it has continued to shift to more environmentally-friendly alternatives and has become more open about its efforts on the environmental front.


In 2009, the company launched an expanded environmental footprint section of its website to help provide information on its impact and progress in the area.


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$200 Giveaway: Subscribe to our new iMore YouTube account!

With our shiny new iMore name comes a shiny new YouTube account — iMoreVideo — but Google doesn’t let us just bring you over with us from the old one. Unfortunately, to keep enjoying app and accessory reviews, and some of the cool new stuff we’ll be bring your way soon, you need to subscribe to us all over again.

To help ease the transition and to thank all our subscribers, current and new, we’re offering you a chance to win $200 in iTunes money — good for music, movies, TV shows, apps, iBooks, and games!

Simply jump on over to our new iMore YouTube Channel and hit subscribe and you’re entered! That’s it! Nothing could be simpler!

Go, do it! Or I’ll sing again!

(And don’t forget to enter our huge Facebook giveaway as well! So. Much. Stuff!)

Daily Deal: Incipio [performance] Sport Armband for iPhone 4S, iPhone 4 only $17.95

For today only, the iMore Store has the Incipio [performance] Sport Armband for iPhone 4S, iPhone 4 on sale for only $17.95!. Get them before they’re gone!

Get the Incipio [performance] Sport Armband for iPhone 4S, iPhone 4 now!

LiftMaster uses your iPhone as a remote garage door opener

Sometimes I begin to wonder if the entire "let's control your life from your smartphone" thing is going a little too far. We've seen iPhone-powered barista tools, ADT sells a smartphone-connected security system, and now garage door opener manufacturer LiftMaster is selling two openers that can use your iPhone or computer to open and close your garage door.

From the marketing materials on the LiftMaster website, it's apparent that they want you to be able to open or close your garage door from any room in your house, from your backyard, or while you're on vacation thousands of miles away. Call me old-fashioned, but why can't you just walk a few feet and punch the wall-mounted garage door button to open and close it?

The system, which LiftMaster refers to as MyQ, uses an internet gateway that connects to the garage door opener. Install the LiftMaster Home Control app (free) on your iPhone, and now you're opening and closing your garage door from that internet café on Novaya Zemlya.

Sure, MyQ can also turn on and off lights in addition to opening and closing that garage door, but what ever happened to the good old days when you either a) used timers on lights, and b) had your neighbors check on your place? That's certainly less expensive than this system, which ZDNet reports has a price tag of $350 - $500, plus a $15 annual fee for the privilege of using your phone to operate your garage door.

Seriously?

LiftMaster uses your iPhone as a remote garage door opener originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Fri, 13 Jan 2012 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

LiftMaster uses your iPhone as a remote garage door opener originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Fri, 13 Jan 2012 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fix 1604, 1603, 1602, 1601, 1600 Error While Restoring Custom iOS 5.0.1 IPSW Firmware File Using Updated iREB

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Apple Suspends In-Store Sale of iPhone 4S in China Due to Safety Concerns

As we had reported earlier, Apple was forced to cancel the iPhone 4S launch in Beijing today due to unruly crowd. Reuters now reports that Apple has suspended in-store sale of iPhone 4S in all the five retail stores in … Continue reading →

Third Rail Mobility shows off Slim Case and Universal Smart Battery for iPhone

Third Rail Mobility has made an iPhone case that allows you to not only keep extra power around, but actually swap batteries when and as needed. The ability to change batteries is a feature Apple has never provided for the iPhone but something traditional smartphone users from other platforms have often depended on to have enough power with them on the go. While there are tons of places to recharge now, and a variety of battery cases, dongles and more, if you’re going to be away from power for a long period of time, swappable battery can still be the best solution. Thanks to Third Rail Mobility, it’s available for those who really want it for the iPhone now as well.

Check out the video above, shot live at CES 2012, to see it in action.

Apple Halts In-Store iPhone 4S Sales in China Over Safety Concerns

Following early morning chaos at Apple's Sanlitun retail store in Beijing that prevented Apple from opening the store for the iPhone 4S launch, Reuters reports that the company has temporarily halted in-store sales of the device at all five of its retail stores in China.

"The demand for iPhone 4S has been incredible and our stores in China have already sold out," an Apple spokeswoman said.

"Unfortunately, we were unable to open our store at Sanlitun due to the large crowd. And to ensure the safety of our customers and our employees, iPhones will not be available in our retail stores in Beijing and Shanghai for the time being," she said.

The statement noted that customers would still be able to order the iPhone 4S through Apple's website or through carrier partner China Unicom. Apple's Chinese online store is, however, currently out of stock of all iPhone 4S models and not taking any orders.


Police organizing to handle disruptions at Apple's Sanlitun retail store (Source: M.I.C gadget)
Teams of scalpers are very active at Apple's retail stores in China, with their efforts to snap up as much of the available supply of popular products as possible leading to significant tensions, particularly at product launches. Disruptions have occasionally forced Apple to briefly shut certain stores and tweak their purchasing requirements as they seek to manage the situation, but this morning's "near-riot" at the Sanlitun store seems to have been the most significant situation yet.


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Verizon: All Future Smartphones Should Support 4G LTE Network – Will Apple Oblige With a 4G LTE iPhone in 2012?

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iPhone 4S store sales cancelled in Beijing and Shanghai due to crowd trouble

Apple has postponed selling the latest iPhone 4S in some stores in mainland China after crowd disturbances spoilt its launch day. The main trouble appeared outside of the Apple Store in Sanlitun Beijing.

Would-be customers, many of whom had waited over night in the freezing cold to be among the first to purchase the latest iPhone, became so unruly when the store failed to open its doors on-time that Apple was forced to cancel first-day sales there. And rather than risk a repeat of the incident — which ended in profanity, egg-throwing and a few scuffles, the company has decided not to sell the 4S at any of its retail stores in Beijing and Shanghai. Instead, it will sell the device through its Web site and carrier partners.

It is thought that the crowds were made up of many  scalpers looking to buy as many iPhone 4S models as they can. They are then resold for a profit. Apple told All Things D that the demand for the iPhone 4S in China had been incredible. Apple will not sell the iPhone 4S in its Beijing and Shanghai stores for the time being; but it will still be available online.

Source: All Things D, Image: MIC Gadgets