Oct 25, 2017

Apple denies lowering Face ID standards to boost iPhone X supply

Phil Schiller, Apple SVP of worldwide marketing, announces iPhone X features. Photo: Marcio Jose Sanchez / AP

Apple denied Wednesday a Bloomberg report that it has lowered the specifications for components of its Face ID facial recognition system in order to improve supply of the iPhone X.

"Bloomberg's claim that Apple has reduced the accuracy spec for Face ID is completely false and we expect Face ID to be the new gold standard for facial authentication," an Apple representative said in a statement to Axios.

Why it matters: The phone is set to go on sale Nov. 3 and supplies are said to be extremely tight. Apple has reportedly seen tepid demand for the iPhone 8, adding pressure on the company to sell as many iPhone X devices as it can.

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Zachary Basu

2 mins ago - Politics & Policy

Barr claims "no correlation" between removing protesters and Trump's church photo op

Attorney General Bill Barr said at a press conference Thursday that there was "no correlation" between his decision to order police to forcibly remove protesters from Lafayette Park and President Trump's subsequent visit to St. John's Episcopal Church earlier this week.

Driving the news: Barr was asked to respond to comments from Defense Secretary Mark Esper, who said Tuesday that he "did not know a photo op was happening" and that he does everything he can to "try and stay out of situations that may appear political."

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Rebecca Falconer, Orion Rummler

Updated 1 hour ago - Politics & Policy

Updates: Cities move to end curfews for George Floyd protests

Text reading "Demilitarize the police" is projected on an army vehicle during a protest over the death of George Floyd in Washington, D.C.. early on Thursday. Photo: Yasin Ozturk/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

Several cities are ending curfews after the protests over the death of George Floyd and other police-related killings of black people led to fewer arrests and less violence Wednesday night.

The latest: Los Angeles and Washington D.C. are the latest to end nightly curfews. Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan tweeted Wednesday night that "peaceful protests can continue without a curfew, while San Francisco Mayor London Breed tweeted that the city's curfew would end at 5 a.m. Thursday.

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Fadel Allassan

1 hour ago - Politics & Policy

Murkowski calls Mattis' Trump criticism "true and honest and necessary and overdue"

Sen. Lisa Murkowski. Photo: Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images

Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) said Thursday that she agreed with former Defense Secretary James Mattis' criticism of President Trump, calling it "true and honest and necessary and overdue."

Why it matters: Murkowski, who has signaled her discomfort with the president in the past, also said that she's "struggling" with her support for him in November — a rare full-on rebuke of Trump from a Senate Republican.

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