Think about how far the flat-screen television market has come over the past decade. New tech used to cost an arm and a leg for years after it first came out. But now, the industry moves so quickly that company’s can’t afford to keep trying to charge a premium. Why? Because the competition will undercut them every time. Here’s a perfect example: you can now get a huge top-rated 4K Ultra HD television from a leading manufacturer for less than I paid for my 64GB iPhone 6s.

For a limited time on Amazon, the LG Electronics 49UF6700 49-Inch 4K Ultra HD LED TV (2015 Model) is just $699.99 with free Prime shipping.

Here are some key details from the product page:

• Refresh Rate: 120Hz (Native) and 240Hz (Effective) with IPS Panel
• Backlight: LED (edge-lit w/ local dimming)
• Smart Functionality: No
• Dimensions (W x H x D): TV without stand: 43.4″ x 25.3″ x 2.2″, TV with stand: 43.4″ x 27.5″ x 10.2″
• Inputs: 2 HMDI, 1 USB, 1 RF, 1 Component, 1 Composite, 1 Digital Audio Out (optical)
• LED Local Dimming Maximizes the contrast ratio by making the bright side of the screen brighter and the dark side the screen darker
• Resolution: 3840 x 2160
• Dimensions (W x H x D): TV without stand: 43.4 x 25.3 x 2.2 Inches, TV with stand: 43.4 x 27.5 x 10.2 Inches

LG Electronics 49UF6700 49-Inch 4K Ultra HD LED TV (2015 Model): $699.99 with free Prime shipping

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Apple may have won its first major battle with intelligence and law enforcement agencies, at least in the public eye. But the iPhone encryption wars are far from over, and there’s no telling whether the FBI will indeed stop from harassing the company about creating backdoors into its software. Furthermore, there’s no telling what the NSA can already do when it comes to encrypted iPhones, and Apple is apparently worried that spies may have an out-of-the-box way to tap into iPhone data — one that doesn’t require court orders, public debates or new legislation.

It’s all very simple for intelligence agencies, and very scary for everyone else: Spies could be adding backdoors to Apple’s cloud.

DON’T MISS: We asked every member of Congress with a computer science degree about Apple’s war with the FBI

A report this week said that Apple is struggling to build its own data centers, and that’s why it’s forced to rent cloud servers from other companies, including Amazon, Microsoft and Google. Apple needs huge data centers to power some of the popular products tied to the iPhone, including iTunes, the App Store and iCloud.

But Apple is worried that some of the equipment makers and cloud services it has to deal with have already been compromised by vendors who agreed to insert backdoors into their equipment, The Information reports.

Apple suspects that the servers it has been ordering from others might be captured during shipping so that backdoors can be installed. If that sounds familiar, it’s because an Edward Snowden leak explained in late 2013 that the NSA has a project that does that: Capture hardware before it reaches its destination to bug it.

Apple is apparently so paranoid about this potential issue that at one point it even had people taking photos of the motherboards in the computer servers it was using, and then mark down exactly what each chip was. That’s why building its own data centers is such an important project for Apple — it’s the only way to ensure no one is tampering with its equipment.

It’s unclear if Apple’s paranoia is warranted, or whether iCloud data is already easily accessible to the NSA and other intelligence agencies. Of note, even if spies could tap into Apple server data, local data on the iPhone remains encrypted by the user.

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Earlier this week, longtime technology journalist Walt Mossberg penned a piece for The Verge arguing that the iPhone 7 needs to “be spectacular,” particularly because the products Apple introduced at its special media event this week were nothing special.

I found Mossberg’s take in this regard to be a little bit off base. This week’s media event wasn’t intended to show off Apple’s latest and greatest technologies. Rather, it was intended to shore up holes in the company’s product line, specifically as it pertains to a 4-inch iPhone.

Remember, Apple last introduced a 4-inch iPhone more than two and a half years ago when it released the iPhone 5s. The iPhone SE, therefore, is simply Apple playing catch-up and realizing that a large portion of its user base actually prefer using a more compact device. After all, 30 million new 4-inch iPhones were sold in 2015 alone.

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Similarly, the new 9.7-inch iPad Pro is simply Apple’s way of incorporating its more advanced tablet features into a more compact form factor.

So when Mossberg proclaims that Apple’s new “iPhones and iPads don’t break much new technology ground,” he appears to be missing the point entirely. Apple’s media event on Monday was more about strategic business maneuvering than it was a technology showcase.

Also curious is that Mossberg states that the “premium iPhone 6S and 6S Plus are the best smartphones on the market” while simultaneously suggesting that the iPhone is being challenged by Samsung’s new Galaxy S7 phones. If the iPhone models Apple released months ago are still better than Samsung’s current offerings, in Mossberg’s estimation, why is there a “iPhone 7 better be spectacular or else!” theme in play?

In any event, Mossberg proceeds to list out a number of features Apple can add to the iPhone 7 to transform it into a “spectacular device.” The list is mostly reasonable and naturally sparked a whole a lot of conversation about how the iPhone 7’s new features are just going to copy features that Android devices have had for months and, in some cases, years.

For instance, many of the items on Mossberg’s iPhone 7 wish list – quick charging, waterproofing, insane battery life – aren’t unicorn features that the world is waiting for Apple to introduce. Again, many of them already exist on Android. You want a smartphone that can survive a 900 foot drop? Try the Motorola Droid Turbo 2 on for size. Want insane battery life, about 48 hours worth? Again, the Motorola Droid Trubo 2 might be what you’re looking for. Interested in a completely waterproof device? Sony, Samsung and HTC have no shortage of models for you to choose from.

But comparing the iPhone 7 to Android doesn’t really tell us a whole a lot about how Apple’s next-gen device will perform in the marketplace. More to the point, for the iPhone 7 to truly be a success, it simply needs to be a better device than the iPhone 6s. If this involves incorporating longstanding Android features, 99.9% of iPhone users could care less.

If the iPhone 7 is a waterproof device, sales won’t be impacted by tech pundits shouting that Sony had waterproof phones on the market years ago. The reality is that prospective iPhone 7 buyers will only make a note that their current iPhone isn’t waterproof and that the new iPhone is.

Same thing goes for battery life. As long as the iPhone 7 can last as long as the iPhone 6s, devices like the Motorola Droid Turbo 2 will continue to fly under the radar for the vast majority of consumers, and especially for the bulk of interested iPhone 7 upgraders.

The iOS ecosystem is extremely sticky, which is to say that iPhone owners are more likely to stay with the iPhone than Android owners are likely to stay with Android. As a result, the iPhone 7 won’t be competing against whatever Samsung or other Android handset manufacturers have out on the market, it will be competing against previous iPhone models.

Even if the only new iPhone 7 features Apple comes out with are a faster processor, a better camera, a thinner design, no headphone jack (admittedly not a feature) and waterproofing, the iPhone 7 will more than likely break all previous iPhone sales records. Whether or not it’s a “spectacular” upgrade won’t really factor into the equation.

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There has been an unusual amount of excitement surrounding Apple’s new iOS 9.3 update, which the company just released this past Monday. Of course iOS updates are often pretty exciting, but not the minor incremental ones. Apple will give the world its first look at iOS 10 this coming June, and that will undoubtedly generate plenty of excitement. But iOS 9.3? Really?

Really. Apple’s new update fixes some bugs and patches a severe security hole, but the big news is the new features. We already told you about all the best new features in iOS 9.3 but in this post, we’re going to focus on two in particular.

DON’T MISS: We asked every member of Congress with a computer science degree about Apple’s war with the FBI

In our earlier post on iOS 9.3’s new features we covered all of the best new additions for the iPhone and iPad. Night Shift is obviously the biggest new feature in the latest iOS build, so we don’t have to go over it again with you. There are two other features that we mentioned in that post that are a bit lesser known though, and now it’s time to change that.

We get a lot of emails here at BGR from people looking for help with their gadgets or for help finding an app to suit their needs. We wish we had the time to be everyone’s private tech support staff, but there’s simply aren’t enough hours in the day. OK, maybe we don’t really wish that.

One common question we get is from people looking for a good secure note taking application. There are several good options out there, but now the answer is simple: Apple’s Notes app.

Beginning in iOS 9.3, Apple has added protection to its Notes app that lets you lock your notes behind a password or Touch ID. Setting it up couldn’t be simpler — just go to Settings > Notes > Password and configure your password. If you have a recent iPhone or iPad, you can also toggle Touch ID to on so you can unlock the Notes app with your fingerprints.

The second feature we wanted to draw extra attention to is a change Apple made to Live Photos on the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus. Many iPhone users who email us are also on the hunt for an app that will let them strip the animation from a Live Photo quickly and easily. This way, the image can be shared with the sound of a TV or something else blaring in the background.

Running Live Photos through an image editing app was always an option, but now there’s an easier way to do it. Open any Live Photo in the main Photos app and tap the share button. Then tap “Duplicate” and select “Duplicate as still photo.”

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The iPhone generates plenty interest among designers, with many people trying to imagine what next-gen iPhones might look like as well as predicting the innovative features future models will offer customers. Currently, it’s the iPhone 7 that’s capturing the imagination of designers. Some of them come up with quite believable concepts while others have more outlandish iPhone dreams.

Glaxon Paul’s iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Pro concepts are gorgeous, but they’re also devices Apple definitely won’t be building, at least not this year.

DON’T MISS: All the best new iPhone and iPad features in iOS 9.3

The designer imagined a sleek iPhone that has an edge-to-edge display and a very thin profile. The phone also packs a redesigned home button that can be customized by the user to show either photos, the Apple logo or differently colored circles.

Paul listed proposed specs for the device, including a 4K screen, octa-core 2GHz processor, 16/64/128/256GB storage versions, 20-megapixel rear camera, 12-megapixel front-facing camera and an improved 3D Touch experience. The full video can be seen below.

It’s unlikely that Apple will significantly increase display resolution on the next iPhone, or that it’ll equip it with an octa-core processor. Similarly, we don’t expect major resolution changes for the iPhone 7’s cameras, though the iPhone 7 Pro model might have a dual camera setup on the back. A 256GB iPhone option might be in the cards, and some wild rumors say the phone might lack a home button altogether.

Here’s an iPhone 7 concept that looks a lot more believable – or is at least in line with what current rumors say about the handset.

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Samsung’s Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge are two of the best smartphones the world has ever seen, but are they innovative? Are Apple’s latest iPhones innovative in any way? Were last year’s iPhones? Innovation and sales clearly don’t go hand in hand, but things need to change and technologies need to progress in order for industries to move forward.

The original iPhone was innovative. It changed an entire industry and destroyed mobile phone giants Nokia and BlackBerry in the process. LG’s new G5 is innovative, though it remains to be seen if the phone’s innovations are in fact something users want.

Now, new details have emerged on a device that Samsung is seemingly working on behind closed doors, and it has the potential to be the most innovative phone the world has seen in quite some time.

DON’T MISS: We asked every member of Congress with a computer science degree about Apple’s war with the FBI

A new Samsung patent application was published on Wednesday, and it describes technology that would facilitate a foldable smartphone. We’re not talking about a flip phone like the good old days here, we’re talking about a smartphone with a single large display that can be folded in half.

Here are some drawings from the patent application — the last two are of particular interest:

Patent applications are dug up all the time and the devices described in them don’t always see the light of day. So what makes this one any different? As noted by Dutch Samsung news blog Galaxy Club, the application was filed just recently on March 11th and published less than two weeks later. That accelerated schedule could be an indication that the phone is in advanced stages of development; you’ll recall that earlier rumors stated Samsung was working to release a smartphone with a bendable screen sometime in 2016.

Now, Samsung has a mixed history when it comes to innovation. The company often takes a while to get things right. This is particularly true when it comes to bendable smartphone screens — the company’s first phone with a curved screen had absolutely no reason to exist. The more recent Galaxy S6 edge and Galaxy S7 edge feature nice designs, but the utility of the curved screens doesn’t extend very far beyond differentiation and making the phones more comfortable to hold.

In the case of the foldable phone described in this patent application though, Samsung could really be onto something. Imagine a phablet with a large 6-inch display that’s more compact than the iPhone SE when you put it in your pocket. And this just the beginning when it comes to foldable screens — a wide range of new form factors should be coming down line.

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SMS Audio might not have made 50 Cent a billionaire like Beats did with Dr. Dre, but believe it or not the company actually makes some pretty good products. In fact, since entry-level products from Beats are more about image than they are about quality, some SMS Audio headphones are even better than options from Beats. And then there are some SMS products that do things no Beats headphones can pull off.

Here’s a perfect example: the SMS Audio BioSport Earbuds cost just $51.40 on Amazon with free shipping, and they can monitor your heart rate in addition to delivering good sound quality, a comfortable fit and much-needed noise isolation.

Some key details from the Amazon product page:

Biometric Earbud with heart rate monitor
Professionally tuned 12mm drivers deliver tight bass and dynamic mid-tones.
No need for uncomfortable straps or multiple devices.
IPX4 rated for resistance to sweat and water.
3.5 mm gold-plated audio jack delivers all the power you’ll ever need for biometric monitoring. Nothing to replace or recharge.
Intel Inside

SMS Audio BioSport Earbuds: $51.40 with free Prime shipping

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When news first broke that the FBI wanted Apple to build an insecure version of iOS to help the agency access the iPhone used by San Bernardino shooter Syed Farook, I wrote that Apple needed to be careful to avoid the government’s clever public relations trap. It seemed that law enforcement officials wanted to use a high-profile act of terrorism as a way to create political pressure on Apple to comply with its demands and set a precedent for future cases. While I believed Apple was right to resist such demands, I also thought there was a chance this could backfire since no one wants to be seen as impeding an investigation that could prevent future terrorist attacks.

However, Apple stared down the FBI and won this fight for the best possible reason: It had the facts on its side.

RELATED: We asked every member of Congress with a computer science degree about Apple’s war with the FBI

From the start, I was skeptical that the FBI had really exhausted all avenues for unlocking Farook’s iPhone 5c. After all, the FBI wasn’t even asking Apple to break encryption on the device or anything nearly as complicated. Rather, it was just looking for a way to bypass the security protocol that would have erased all of the device’s data after more than 10 incorrect passcode entries.

Given all the things that the NSA has proven itself capable of, I couldn’t believe that none of its hackers could figure out how to crack a three-year-old iPhone. It seems, however, that the NSA doesn’t like to share what it actually knows even if it’s sharing this knowledge with other government agencies.

Even without the NSA’s help, I still thought that some company out there in the private sector would have the know-how to help the FBI bypass the device’s security protocols. And sure enough, it looks like Israeli company Celebrite has stepped up to the plate with a solution to help the FBI that doesn’t involve forcing Apple to make an insecure version of its own software.

While I’m sympathetic to the need to gather as much intelligence as possible while investigating terrorist attacks, the precedent that the government was trying to set in this case was truly dangerous. If it had succeeded in using the All Writs Act as a justification to force Apple to design a “GovtOS,” it could have done the same thing to other companies and pretty soon there would be compromised versions of every operating system out there.

All that said, I tend to agree with Mark Cuban that this case shows that Congress needs to step up to the plate pass laws that offer specific guidelines for what law enforcement officials can and cannot ask tech companies to do to help with terror investigations. Given how badly our legislators have been at doing their jobs lately, however, it’s unlikely we’ll see anything like that occur.

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After a report said earlier this week that Apple is readying ultra-thin 13-inch and 15-inch MacBooks for the second quarter, possibly similar in design to the 12-inch Retina MacBook, code discovered inside OS X suggests there’s at least one new MacBook in the works, supposed to be launching soon.

DON’T MISS: All the best new iPhone and iPad features in iOS 9.3

Listed as “12-inch MacBook (Early 2016)” in Apple’s System Image Utility feature (see the following image), the device is yet to be unveiled. The same MacBook model is also spotted in the OS X Server application under the NetInstall section, 9to5Mac reports. Other new MacBook models have not been listed at this time.

The fact that Apple calls it an “Early” model might suggest the device will launch in the first four months of the year, MacRumors says.

Additional investigation of OS X 10.11.4 by Pike’s Universum unearthed details about the low-power Intel Skylake processor Apple will probably use in the new 12-inch MacBooks. Here are the purported Intel Core M chips supposed to go inside the new laptops:

Intel® Core™ m3-6Y30 Processor (4M Cache, up to 2.20 GHz)
Intel® Core™ m5-6Y54 Processor (4M Cache, up to 2.70 GHz)
Intel® Core™ m7-6Y75 Processor (4M Cache, up to 3.10 GHz)

Apple launched the first 12-inch Retina MacBook laptops last year, during a special event, but it might quietly upgrade the laptop this year, given that it made no mention of upcoming MacBook models at this week’s iPhone event.

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It’s been years since anyone was excited about a small-size iPhone, but Apple managed to recycle the 4-inch form factor into a device that’s on par with what the larger iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus have to offer.

Aside from 3D Touch support, a second-gen Touch ID sensor and the front-facing camera, the iPhone SE is practically a version of the iPhone 6s packed in a smaller body.

Announced on Monday, the iPhone SE is available for preorder. Similarly, the new 9.7-inch iPad Pro, the first such device, is also ready to be ordered.

DON’T MISS: All the best new iPhone and iPad features in iOS 9.3

Available in four colors, including gold, silver, gray and pink, the iPhone SE costs either $399 (16GB) or $499 (64GB), making it the cheapest new iPhone you can buy. In case you want to trade up to iPhone SE, you might pay as low as $10 per month for the iPhone SE, but you have to go to an Apple retail store to do it while carrier financing starts at $13.30 per month, Apple’s website says.

The iPhone SE will be available in stores on March 31st.

The new iPad Pro, meanwhile, is also available for preorder today. But it will hit stores on March 31st only.

The tablet is available in the same four colors as the iPhone SE, and comes in three storage versions, including 32GB, 128GB, and 256GB, which retail for $599, $749 and $899, respectively. You can add cellular support to either model for an extra $130.

Both devices will be available for purchase from other retailers and carriers in the U.S. and various other international markets.

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