Thursday, July 27, 2017

iPod Nano and Shuffle Discontinued, iPod Touch Price Drop, New Betas, The Rock x Siri - MacRumors

After twelve years on the market, the iPod nano and iPod shuffle have been discontinued. Both product lines were introduced in 2005 and saw multiple form factor changes over the years, but updates over the past five years or so have been limited to color changes as customers have shifted away from dedicated portable music devices. Apple unceremoniously removed both devices from its website and online store today, issuing a brief statement acknowledging that they are being discontinued.
 
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Popular Stories Jul 27, 2017
Apple Adjusts iPod Touch Prices and Storage: 32GB for $199, 128GB for $299
Alongside the discontinuation of the iPod shuffle and iPod nano, Apple today updated its iPod touch lineup, reducing the number of capacity options and lowering prices. No changes to the actual hardware were made, but you can now get a 32 GB model for $199 or a 128 GB model for $299. The previous 16 GB and 64 GB capacities are no longer available, and the iPod touch continues to be offered in the same six colors: Silver, Gold, Space Gray, Pink, Blue, and Red.
 
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What's New in iOS 11 Beta 4: Lock Screen and Notification Center Changes, New App Icons and More
Apple this week seeded developers with the fourth beta versions of iOS 11, macOS High Sierra, tvOS 11, and watchOS 4, with new public beta versions of iOS, macOS, and tvOS also released. The new iOS 11 beta includes a number of notable changes, including new icons for Contacts, Reminders, and Notes, changes to the way lock screen notifications are handled, pull-to-refresh support on the Updates tab of the App Store, and more, so check out our overview video to see what's new.
 
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Apple Watch Series 3 Expected to Debut in Fall 2017, Boosting Manufacturing Partner Quanta's Revenue
While much of the focus for Apple's fall update cycle has been on the iPhone 8, rumors have suggested we may also see an Apple Watch update around the same time. Industry watchers are predicting that Apple's manufacturing partner for the Apple Watch, Quanta, will see a revenue bump in the second half of this year thanks to the updated models.

Details on what to expect in the new Apple Watch have been scant, but previous rumors have suggested it will look very similar to the current design but carry a faster processor and perhaps cellular connectivity.
 
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Apple's 'iPhone 8' Might Not Ship Until Late 2017, Side Button Touch ID Unlikely
Rumors are continuing to point to potential delays in availability for the so-called "iPhone 8," a redesigned model with full-front OLED display. The latest rumors suggest the device may be available only in black or gray colors, as white front panels have yet to be seen.

The report also downplays speculation about a larger power button being used to house a Touch ID sensor, suggesting there is no hole in the power button where a sensor could be placed. Reports have indicated Apple has been trying to embed Touch ID functionality beneath the display, but technical challenges may lead Apple to instead shift toward using 3D facial recognition for authentication.
 
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Apple Teams Up With Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson for Siri Movie
In a bit of an odd move, Apple has teamed up with Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson for a new short action film showcasing Siri. The nearly four-minute film, entitled "The Rock x Siri Dominate the Day," follows Johnson as Siri helps him through an action-packed day.

Apple has been trying to bolster public reception to Siri as the voice assistant has improved over the years. Siri will take on new prominence later this year when Apple's HomePod smart speaker debuts with Siri as the primary method of interacting with the device.
 
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Adobe to Stop Distributing and Updating Flash in 2020
Adobe this week announced that it will cease distributing and updating its Flash Player software at the end of 2020, marking the end of the ubiquitous browser media plug-in. Most popular browsers have moved away from Flash, with creators increasingly shifting to other standards such as HTML5.

Apple famously refused to include support for Flash in iOS from the very beginning due to battery life, performance, and security concerns, with Steve Jobs penning his famous "Thoughts on Flash" letter in 2010 to address the controversial decision.
 
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Thursday, July 20, 2017

iOS 10.3.3 and macOS 10.12.6, Core NFC in iOS 11, New Emoji, iPhone 7s & 8 Delays? - MacRumors

After several months of testing, Apple this week released what are likely to be the final minor updates to the company's current cycle of operating systems for all of its platforms. iOS 10.3.3 brings a number of bug fixes and security improvements, including a fix for a major vulnerability with the Broadcom Wi-Fi chip used in many iOS devices. macOS 10.12.6, watchOS 3.2.3, and tvOS 10.2.2 were also publicly released this week, primarily deploying security fixes throughout Apple's platforms.

Apple is in full swing on development and beta testing of its next major operating system versions, including iOS 11, macOS High Sierra, watchOS 4, and tvOS 11. All of those major updates are likely to be officially released around the September–October timeframe.
 
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Popular Stories Jul 20, 2017
iOS 11 Will Expand Your iPhone's NFC Capabilities Beyond Apple Pay in Several Ways
With iOS 11 coming later this year, Apple for the first time is opening up the NFC capabilities of its iOS devices beyond Apple Pay functionality. The new Core NFC framework in iOS 11 will allow these devices to read short-range wireless Near Field Communications tags, opening up a range of possibilities. Examples include being able to pull up product information by scanning NFC tags in stores, gaining access to exhibit descriptions and additional content in museums, and even keeping track of product inventories. The creators of CapSeal NFC tags have already announced upcoming iOS support to help users keep tabs on wine bottles and other products.
 
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Latest Report Claims All New iPhone Models Facing Production Delays
A number of reports over the past few months have indicated that Apple's major "iPhone 8" update is likely facing production delays that could push availability back to October or November, while the more conservative "iPhone 7s" models would be ready for the traditional September iPhone launch. A new report claims, however, that even the iPhone 7s and 7s Plus models are seeing production issues which may impact their launch date, as yield rates have yet to rise enough to begin mass production.

Amid the rush to get the new iPhones into production, Apple is said to have purchased significant amounts of equipment for manufacturing components such as circuit boards, and is leasing the equipment to its manufacturing partners to ensure sufficient supplies of the components.
 
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Apple Cracking Down on VPN-Based Ad Blockers That Work in Third-Party Apps
Apple is reportedly cracking down on ad-blocking apps that use virtual private networks (VPNs) to route data traffic and block ads in third-party apps. New and updated apps that use VPN-based strategies are now being rejected by Apple's App Store review team, with only Apple-approved Safari content blockers being approved for distribution through the App Store. The move has left some existing ad-blocking apps that have been available for several years in limbo as their developers have to decide how to adjust to the new rules.
 
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Apple Highlights New Batch of Emoji Coming to iOS, macOS, and watchOS Later This Year
In honor of World Emoji Day this week, Apple offered a preview of a number of new emoji coming to its platforms later this year. The new emoji are part of the recently released Unicode 10 standard and include additions such as Woman with Headscarf, Bearded Person, Breastfeeding, Sandwich, Coconut, T-Rex, Zebra, Zombie, Elf, Star-Struck, Exploding Head, and more.

Apple also marked World Emoji Day by temporarily giving the Movies section of the iTunes Store an emoji-themed makeover, converting the titles or main themes of featured movies into emoji strings.
 
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Former Apple Executive Says Company Stalling in Design Innovations Following Death of Steve Jobs
The Wall Street Journal this week took a look at how Apple and Samsung have differed in their approach to design over the years, with former Apple creative director Hugh Dubberly noting that Apple has "fundamentally changed" since the death of Steve Jobs and the end of Jobs' product pipeline.

With smartphone innovation "plateauing" in recent years, design has taken on an increasingly important role when it comes to consumer preference, and Samsung has made up ground on Apple in this regard as Apple's iPhone design iterations have slowed.

Apple is clearly looking to shake things up this year with an "iPhone 8" featuring an all-display front, OLED display technology, and perhaps some innovative facial recognition and augmented reality features, but it remains to be seen how these changes will resonate with consumers.
 
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Thursday, July 13, 2017

iPhone 8 'Panic' at Apple, New Betas, Back to School Promo - MacRumors

With just two months to go until the traditional September unveiling timeframe, we've come to expect Apple's iPhone designs to be locked down by now as the company starts gearing up for mass production ahead of the launch. It's looking more and more like that may not be the case this year, however, particularly for the rumored "iPhone 8" OLED model.

One recent analyst report claims Apple has yet to settle on how or even whether Touch ID will be supported in the phone, with engineers having "just weeks" to decide on a solution to the dilemma. Sources also say there is a "sense of panic" at Apple as engineers are still working to solve software problems with wireless charging and 3D sensor technology on the handset. According to John Gruber, wireless charging may not be ready at launch and could be pushed back to an iOS 11.1 software update.

In other iPhone 8 rumors, one report claims the device will come in four different colors including one "mirror-like" option, while another claims to share some more details on how Apple will use the rear 3D sensor for improved autofocus and AR capabilities.
 
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Popular Stories Jul 13, 2017
iOS 11 Beta 3 Tidbits: New TV Providers, Fixed iPad App Switcher and More
Apple this week seeded a fresh round of betas for iOS 11, macOS High Sierra, and tvOS 11 to both developers and public beta testers. Check out our article and hands-on video for some of the details on changes in the latest iOS 11 beta, including new TV providers for single sign-on, a fixed iPad app switcher that restores the "swipe up to quit" functionality, and tweaks to Notification Center. The new beta also includes improvements and fixes for the new Files app, SOS emergency alerts, and iCloud Messages functionality.
 
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Apple Launches 2017 Back to School Promotion: Free Beats With Select Mac or iPad Pro Models
Apple has launched its annual back to school promotion in the U.S., Canada, and several other countries, offering educational customers free wireless Beats headphones with the purchase of qualifying Mac and iPad Pro models. Customers buying Macs (other than Mac mini) can choose free Solo3 Wireless, BeatsX, or Powerbeats3 headphones, while iPad Pro customers can receive free BeatsX or a $150 discount off of Powerbeats3 or Solo3 Wireless.

The promotion runs through September 25, and check out our article for all of the details on eligibility. Apple typically runs a similar promotion in several European countries, but it frequently launches up to several weeks after the U.S. promotion debuts, so we're still waiting to hear on those details.
 
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Apple Extends Free Repairs of First-Generation Apple Watches With Detached Back Covers
Apple recently issued an internal notice to authorized repair centers letting them know the company has extended repair coverage for first-generation Apple Watch models experiencing detached back covers to three years from the date of purchase. The back covers are glued on, and some users have reported the covers coming loose over time. Under the repair program, Apple will fix the issue free of charge and reimburse customers who previously paid out of pocket for repairs.
 
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Apple's Mac Sales Stagnant in Q2 2017 Amid Continuing Worldwide PC Market Decline
Research firms Gartner and IDC have released their estimates of PC sales for the second quarter of 2017, finding Apple's Mac sales essentially stagnant in an overall market that continues to decline. Both firms peg Apple as the fourth largest PC manufacturer behind HP, Lenovo, and Dell.

Apple's Mac sales have flatlined over the past couple of years as its update cycles have lengthened and overall market declines have generated headwinds. Apple made some progress last month with the release of updated MacBook Pro, MacBook, and iMac models, and a new iMac Pro will launch in December with a redesigned Mac Pro to hopefully follow next year.
 
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You Can Now Try HomeKit at Dozens of Apple Stores Around the World
As its HomeKit support continues to mature, Apple has taken a big step forward in pushing the vision of the smart home by launching new HomeKit-focused displays in its retail stores. Dozens of the company's stores around the world are rolling out interactive displays where users can use demo iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch devices to virtually control products such as lights, ceiling fans, and shades on a screen. Other stores will have smaller non-interactive displays to promote HomeKit support.
 
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Thursday, July 6, 2017

iPhone 8 to Omit Touch ID Entirely?, iOS 11 Feature Videos, iPhone 9 Rumors - MacRumors

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Prominent analyst Ming-Chi Kuo this week issued a report outlining ten expectations for the upcoming "iPhone 8," most notably including his prediction that the device will omit Touch ID entirely and instead rely on facial recognition technology for authentication. Bloomberg backs up Kuo's claim, stating Apple is indeed working on an improved security feature that replaces Touch ID with facial recognition, although the site hedges a bit on whether the change will happen in time for the iPhone 8.

Kuo also says that the high-end OLED iPhone 8 will come in only limited colors and that all three 2017 models (including more traditional "iPhone 7s" and "iPhone 7s Plus" devices) will support faster USB-C charging but still come with a standard 5-watt USB-A power adapters. They will also support wireless charging, which will require a separate purchase for the transmitter accessory.
 
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Popular Stories Jul 06, 2017
Here's How iOS 11's Do Not Disturb While Driving Feature Works
default.jpg With iOS 11 now available as a public beta, we're continuing to take a dive into some of the more interesting features and changes. This week included a look at the new Do Not Disturb While Driving feature, which is an optional mode that blocks incoming calls, texts, and notifications while you're driving to help prevent distractions. The mode can be activated manually or set to come on automatically when your phone connects to your car's Bluetooth.

We also took a quick look at the new language translation feature included with Siri in iOS 11, which lets you speak to Siri in English and have it provide text and audio translation in Mandarin, French, German, Italian, or Spanish. Translations in the opposite direction aren't yet available and Apple says many more languages will be added in the future, but it's an interesting start for what could become a very handy feature for international travelers.
 
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Apple Planning to Launch Three New OLED iPhones in 2018
default.jpg Even though we're still debating what the iPhone 8 will look like when it launches later this year, we're already hearing rumors about Apple's plans for next year's iPhones. According to Nikkei, Apple is once again planning to launch three new iPhones in 2018, and all of them will feature OLED displays. Samsung's stranglehold on OLED display production and its ability to ramp up production is a cause for concern, but it certainly looks like OLED is the future of the iPhone across all models.
 
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Removal of Built-in YouTube App in iOS 6 Was YouTube's Decision to 'Take Back Control of Our App'
default.jpg Back in 2012, iOS 6 famously saw the iPhone take a sharp turn away from including Google-owned services as default apps on the platform, as Apple shifted to its own Maps app and the YouTube app included by default since the iPhone's 2007 debut was removed.

According to former YouTube employee Hunter Walk, the removal of the stock YouTube app was YouTube's decision, not Apple's. With the original deal to include YouTube by default on the iPhone expiring in 2012, YouTube elected not to renew the deal in order to "take back control" of the app from Apple.
 
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New iPad Pro's A10X Chip Revealed as First Manufactured Using TSMC's 10nm Process
default.jpgWith Apple's announcement of its latest A10X chip for the new iPad Pro models, speculation had pointed toward the chip being fabricated on TSMC's 16-nanometer process, the same one used in the A9X and A10. A teardown by the chip experts at TechInsights has, however, revealed that the A10X is manufactured using TSMC's new 10-nanometer process. As a result, the A10X is significantly smaller than the A9X while still packing solid performance gains. TSMC has already said its 10-nanometer process is a pit stop on the way to 7 nanometers in 2018, so efficiency and performance will no doubt continue to see strong improvements.
 
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Alpine Debuts First Aftermarket Wireless CarPlay Receiver
default.jpg We've been hearing about wireless CarPlay for a couple of years now, and Alpine has finally become the first company to launch an aftermarket car audio receiver to support it. The iLX-107 lets you connect your iPhone to the system over Wi-Fi and control a subset of your phone's functions through the in-dash touchscreen.

Many users will still want to plug their phones in when using CarPlay in order to keep them charged up, but wireless is a nice option to have if you want to be able to just jump in the car and immediately connect. The iLX-107 carries a list price of $900, but many retailers are currently discounting it to $700.
 
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