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Apple sells over 13 million iPhone 6s & 6s Plus Units in First Weekend

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Two of the most eagerly anticipated handsets of the year, the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus made astounding sales after their first weekend on the market. Apple officially announced in a press release that they have sold 13 million units of their new flagship just three days after its launch, a new record for the company. Earlier this year, the mobile giant sold 10 million iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus on its opening weekend.

Amazing market performance
In only three days, Apple was able to sell 3,000 iPhones per minute or roughly 50 devices per second. This is more than what they expected, although they have predicted that the new handsets could sell more than its predecessor.

“Sales for iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus have been phenomenal, blowing past any previous first-weekend sales results in Apple’s history,” said Apple CEO Tim Cook in their official press release.

The big sales record can be contributed to Apple’s list of primary markets to receive the new flagship. China has now been included in the initial list of countries to receive the first wave of the iPhone 6s, a market known for their love for mobile technology and the hometown of the iPhone factory.

Although surprising, previous news stories have reported that there’s a shortage in iPhone stocks in some countries. A week before its official market release, a strong demand for the new handsets was already seen based on the pre-orders online. In particular, demands for the iPhone 6s Plus and rose gold models were strong since the opening week of pre-orders. In Hong Kong, the two smartphones were “almost entirely sold out,” similar to the United Kingdom, where it may take about four more weeks to release the 6s Plus variant due to lower stocks.

What do they love about the iPhone 6s?
Amongst the eagerly anticipated features, the handsets have 3D Touch technology and a Live Photos command. Based on a featured post by O2, the new 3D Multi-touch feature is the next generation of mobile screen technology wherein the smartphone is able to understand certain commands depending on how deeply the user presses on the display. Meanwhile, the Live Photos feature is an added camera feature where users can capture an image along with what happens before and after they took the shot.

Cook said, “Customers’ feedback is incredible and they are loving 3D Touch and Live Photos, and we can’t wait to bring iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus to customers in even more countries on October 9.”

Expect your smartphone soon
Apple confirmed the next batch of countries that will receive their latest flagship. In the same press release, the company said they will be releasing the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus in more than 40 countries and territories on October 9, including Finland, Greece, Italy, Mexico, Taiwan, Spain, and Switzerland. There will be another roll out on October 10 for the Middle Eastern markets, such as Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates. Meanwhile, iFans from India, Malaysia, and Turkey should expect the devices to be available on October 16.

The rest of the markets (more than 130 countries) will have to wait until the end of the year, most likely in November to get the new iPhones.

Apple added that the results driven last September 26 will be included in their 2015 fourth fiscal quarter results, while sales received on September 27 will be included in their 2016 first fiscal quarter report.

What’s your thoughts on the iPhone 6s handsets? Stay tuned on Geek Reply for more tech news and tips from our experts.

Mobile Devices

3 Video Games About Women’s Health

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Video games have transcended entertainment to become powerful tools for promoting health and wellness. One notable genre in this realm is fitness gaming, exemplified by titles like Hatsune Miku Fit Boxing, which motivates players to engage in physical activity to enhance their fitness levels. Building on this foundation, developers have ventured into women’s health with games designed to raise awareness and empower players to take control of their well-being. Here are 3 video games on women’s health that provide valuable health information and foster a sense of agency to uplift women around the world.

Tampon Run – Menstrual health

Created by Girls Who Code alumnae Andrea Gonzales and Sophie Houser in 2014, Tampon Run is an old-school 8-bit online game where the main character, Luna, lobs tampons to destroy enemies, who will confiscate the tampons if she lets them pass by. Interestingly, the concept of weaponized tampons is based on a real incident that occurred in 2013, where Texas state troopers confiscated tampons as potential projectiles, but not guns, from visitors observing a vote on abortion restrictions at the Texas State Capitol. The goal of Tampon Run is to destigmatize periods and menstrual products, which, up until recently, have not been properly studied to measure their absorbency, which underscores the need to address menstrual health so that women can get better care.

In between tossing tampons, Luna shares empowering messages about how periods are a natural part of women’s lives and should not be a source of shame or embarrassment. The game is available to play on the Tampon Run website and can be downloaded from the Apple App Store for iOS users.

PCOS Vitality – PCOS

Polycystic ovary syndrome is a complex hormonal condition and the leading cause of female infertility that affects approximately 5 to 6 million women in the US, according to the Endocrine Society. Common features of the condition include having irregular menstrual periods, hyperandrogenism, and polycystic ovaries. Additionally, some studies estimate that up to 88% of women with PCOS are overweight or obese. While there are weight loss programs helping women tackle PCOS, focusing on aspects like lifestyle, symptom management, diet, and other tips for how to lose weight with PCOS, the condition itself remains grossly under-researched. For some women, it may take years to confirm that they have PCOS, as there are other disorders that mimic PCOS signs and symptoms that must be excluded.

The lack of research has extended to a lack of awareness among the general population and is what clinicians from the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland are trying to address with the 2023 game PCOS Vitality. Essentially a learning tool, the game takes users through a simple obstacle course. As you click toward the finish line, you are asked simple trivia questions about PCOS. The game is free to play on Focus Games’ website.

Bound by Blood – Period poverty

Period poverty refers to the lack of regular access to period products, painkillers, or underwear during a menstrual cycle. In the US, where 16.9 million menstruating women live in poverty, two-thirds cannot afford basic menstrual products. Period poverty has also been associated with mental health issues and urinary tract infections.

Available to play on the itch.io website, Bound by Blood was created by Jessica Gates in 2017 and aims to educate players about the reality of period poverty. Users take the character of Beth, a homeless woman who wakes up in her car and realizes that she’s started her period. Players then make a series of choices to try to stay as hygienic as possible in spite of lacking resources such as menstrual products and clean restrooms. There isn’t really a way to “win” the game, and it is instead a peek into the reality of life where period products are inaccessible and how this affects women’s quality of life.

Through these games, players not only gain valuable insights into various aspects of women’s health but also find themselves actively engaged in their own well-being. As developers continue to explore this emerging field, the potential for video games to serve as educational tools and catalysts for change in healthcare remains promising

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Consoles

Despite popular belief, PS4 sales in the UK skyrocketed last year

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PS4 sales in the UK climbed by a shocking 633 percent year-over-year in 2023, so apparently the old system isn’t dead yet. The previous year’s very limited supply of the system is likely a major factor in this figure, since the console’s lifespan was drastically reduced because of chip shortages caused by the pandemic. Still, it’s proof that PlayStation’s original platform has unmet demand.

With the very low prices of PS4 software (both in-store and online at the PS Store), this strategy makes a lot of sense. Plus, it’s future-proof, so there’s no harm in stocking up on PS4s while new-gen pricing is still high, since if you decide to switch to a PS5 in the future, you can transfer all of your purchases across. Not to mention that the majority of new releases still come out on the PS4, with several offering free PS5 upgrades.

While the percentage rise may seem huge, real PS4 sales will probably be much lower. It’s a sign that the gadget, which is now a decade old, isn’t completely dead yet, and we expect it to keep receiving maintenance for a while longer. Of course, this is great news for Sony, because the company would rather have PS4 players playing on its last-gen gadget than none at all, even if it would love to have them upgrade to PS5.

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Consoles

New PS5 firmware is available for download!

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A PS5 firmware update on a cold winter morning is unmatched. The latest PS5 system software update is 23.02–08.40.00 from Sony. Does this one add useful features or just boost system performance?

Though closer to the latter, it’s more than Sony’s favorite patch note. It fixes security issues, improves messages and usability, and boosts system software performance. Official patch notes for this 1.185GB update:

  • We updated system software security
  • We improved system software stability and performance
  • Some screens now have better messages and usability

That’s it. PS5 gets another win to recover from its midweek slump. Do you share our enthusiasm for this firmware update? Comment below. To spice things up, make your comment rhyme.

 

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