iOS 11.4 Brings Messages in iCloud, HomePod Goes Multi-Speaker, WWDC Previews, Steam Link App Rejected - MacRumors

Brought to you by: Apple Releases iOS 11.4 With Messages in iCloud and AirPlay 2 Apple this week released iOS 11.4 to the public, bringing a couple of notable new features in the form of AirPlay 2 and Messages in iCloud. Several notable bug fixes are also included in the update.   The release also includes new 11.4 software for Apple's HomePod smart speaker, delivering AirPlay 2 support including stereo pairing and multi-room audio. Apple has also added a list of upcoming AirPlay 2-compatible speakers to its website, while it announced that HomePod will be coming to Canada, France, and Germany on June 18. We're still waiting for Apple to roll out macOS 10.13.5, which will add support for Messages in iCloud on Mac, but that should be arriving very soon. Apple has already begun seeding developers with betas of the next operating system versions, including iOS 11.4.1 and macOS 10.13.6.   Read Full Article Sponsored Stories Edit, Compress, and Transcode 4K Videos for Sharing or Saving With macXvideo – It’s Free! Before sharing your 4K videos on social media, edit them with macXvideo! This free tool creates stylish videos in just a few clicks, and does much more than a mere video editor with its excellent abilities to cope with large video sizes and format problems. It is the best choice for your daily video editing tasks. iPhone, camera, GoPro or drone – no matter what devices you use to shoot, you can always process your 4K videos with macXvideo. Rough video footages? macXvideo allows you to optimize the contents however you wish. Cut, trim, crop, rotate, split videos, add effects and adjust video parameters – even novices can operate it freely. And you never need to care about limits when uploading or sharing the edited videos. macXvideo handles any problems with the ability to reduce video size up to 98% and transcode videos to any format (MP4, HEVC, AVI, MKV, MOV, etc), fast and losslessly. YouTube, Facebook, Vimeo, or any other social media – you can share your masterpieces anywhere, anytime. Video editing is incredibly easy with macXvideo. Grab this easy-to-use video editor without spending a dime, and then impress the world with your creativity! Visit Sponsor Popular Stories May 31, 2018 First WWDC 2018 Decorations Start Going Up at McEnery Convention Center in San Jose WWDC kicks off on Monday, and Apple is currently putting up decorations at the McEnery Convention Center in San Jose to prepare for the conference. We'll have our own preview of what to expect at Monday's keynote coming up shortly, but Bloomberg's Mark Gurman says Apple will focus on software this time, as rumored hardware updates such as new Macs and iPad Pros aren't ready yet. Apple will be live streaming Monday's keynote, and we've got a guide outlining how to watch on your favorite device and what time the keynote begins in your time zone. We'll also be on hand at the keynote, live blogging from the room and sharing updates on Twitter.   Read Full Article Apple's Phil Schiller Explains Why Valve's Steam Link App Was Rejected Earlier this month, our sister site TouchArcade went hands-on with Valve's Steam Link app for iOS that lets you stream games from a Mac or PC, calling it "the killer app" for iOS devices. Unfortunately, Apple ultimately rejected the app, citing "business conflicts with app guidelines." In response to customer questions about the rejection, Apple's Phil Schiller responded via email to share some additional information on the situation. According to Schiller, Steam Link "violates a number of guidelines around user generated content, in-app purchases, content codes, etc.," although the specific details on Apple's objections remain unknown. Schiller says Apple will continue to work with Valve to address the issues to help bring Steam to iOS and tvOS in a compliant manner.   Read Full Article Apple Adopting OLED Displays for All Three 2019 iPhones? While Apple is expected to launch two OLED iPhones and one LCD iPhone around its usual September timeframe this year, a new report says 2019 will see Apple shift entirely to OLED displays for three different models. Some analysts are, however, expressing skepticism that OLED display suppliers will be able to ramp up production volumes quickly enough for a complete transition by next year, so it'll be interesting to see how things develop. In other 2019 iPhone rumors, we're once again hearing that at least one of the new models will include a triple-lens rear camera. The three lenses could allow for advanced 3D sensing via stereoscopic vision and enhanced zoom capabilities.   Read Full Article Pioneer Releases Wireless CarPlay Systems Wireless CarPlay has been slow to roll out, but Pioneer is helping the cause with several new aftermarket systems. Pioneer joins Alpine, which offers only a single wireless CarPlay option. We also recently went hands-on with BMW's wireless CarPlay system, which works extremely well when paired with built-in Qi wireless charging so all you have to do is plop your phone down on a pad in the center console. Unfortunately, BMW is shifting to a subscription model for CarPlay as of 2019 models, which means you'll need to pay $80/year after the first year to keep using a hardware feature, which just feels kind of wrong. Overall, Apple says there are now over 400 car models around the world that support CarPlay, and hopefully more of them will soon start adopting the wireless version of it.   Read Full Article Hands-On With the OnePlus 6, the Latest Android Phone to Adopt a Notch Android phone manufacturers are continuing to adopt iPhone X-style notches at the top of their displays, and we recently went hands-on with one of the latest entrants, the OnePlus 6. It's a nice phone that runs nearly stock Android, but it lacks the facial recognition capabilities of Apple's TrueDepth camera system, instead offering a less-secure 2D recognition system paired with a fingerprint sensor on the back. And just today, Xiaomi has introduced its new Mi 8 phone, which is about as close as you can get to an iPhone X clone. Even Xiaomi's marketing materials for the Mi 8 are a clear copy of the iPhone X marketing. Too bad it's got a significant bezel at the bottom.   Read Full Article

This email was sent to dasdisdusonline.apple@blogger.com Click here to unsubscribe or Update subscription preferences View in Browser | Subscribe to this mailing list. MacRumors.com, LLC 4870 Sadler Rd. Suite #300 Glen Allen, VA 23060 USA

GDPR Privacy Update, WWDC Keynote, $50 iPhone Battery Credits, HomePod Sales - MacRumors

Brought to you by: Apple Sends Media Invites for WWDC Keynote on June 4 WWDC is right around the corner, and Apple this week issued media invitations for the keynote that will take place on Monday, June 4 at 10:00 AM Pacific Time. MacRumors will be in attendance, so be sure to tune in for all our event coverage. Apple will also be live streaming the keynote. As for what to expect at WWDC, we'll have a full roundup next week, but in general we can expect a number of software-related announcements, almost certainly including new versions of all of Apple's operating systems. Our readers have been sharing their wishlists in forums, and we've summarized some of the most popular requests for iOS 12 and macOS 10.14. We'll have additional summaries for watchOS 5 and tvOS 12 in the coming days. One other hint we've heard comes from Apple SVP Craig Federighi, who teased that Apple will be sharing more on compatibility for the new Apple Filesystem (APFS) with Fusion Drives "very soon." We'll likely also see some hardware announcements, but details on those remain up in the air.   Read Full Article Sponsored Stories Live Up to Your Creative Potential With the Right Apps Your creative endeavors deserve a better toolkit, and with Setapp you can have it all. Setapp is 100+ applications available for a single monthly fee. Its collection includes top apps for drawing, photography and video making, music, writing, and blogging. You don't need to master complex tools to make art. Smart apps like Polarr and CameraBag Pro allow you to edit images and videos with ready presets. They will look pro and require no extra effort. Draw beautiful pieces with Tayasui Sketches, publish creative writings with Ulysses. Setapp takes care of the tools, inspiration is on you. Give it a go with a 7-day free trial. Visit Sponsor Popular Stories May 24, 2018 Apple Offering $50 Credit to Customers Who Paid for iPhone 6 and Later Battery Replacements From January to December 2017 Apple has announced that any customer who had the battery replaced on their iPhone 6 or later through Apple during 2017 will be eligible for a $50 rebate credit. The credits are an expansion of the battery replacement program launched on December 28, 2017 that is seeing Apple offer $29 battery replacements on eligible devices through the end of this year. The replacement program is the result of Apple's controversial move to throttle performance on older iPhones with degraded batteries in order to prevent the devices from unexpectedly shutting down. The throttling, initially rolled out in January 2017 with iOS 10.2.1, was intended to assist customers, but Apple came under fire for not adequately disclosing to users that a battery replacement would fix their shutdown or slowness issues.   Read Full Article Apple Sold an Estimated 600,000 HomePod Speakers During the First Quarter of 2018 Apple hasn't disclosed sales of its HomePod smart speaker, but that hasn't stopped analysts from trying to estimate how many units Apple has shipped since its February launch. According to Strategy Analytics, Apple shipped about 600,000 HomePods during the first quarter, giving the company about six percent of the global smart speaker market. Amazon continues to dominate the market with its Echo speakers at a range of price points, but Google is coming on quickly with its lineup. Apple's HomePod has undoubtedly been hampered by its premium $349 pricing and limited launch countries so far, but Apple says it has focused on sound quality in an effort to distinguish HomePod from cheaper competitors.   Read Full Article Google News vs. Apple News on iOS Google recently revamped its Google News service, including a redesigned app for iOS, and we took at look at what's new while also comparing it to Apple News.  The new look for Google News is rather similar to Apple News, with lots of white and a navigation bar along the bottom of the screen. Both apps have "For You" sections with personalized news recommendations, while Apple uniquely has a curated Spotlight section to help you find stories you might have otherwise missed. Google does have a couple of unique features in the form of a Full Coverage button to see a single topic from multiple angles, as well as a Newsstand section for subscribing to news and magazine sources.   Read Full Article Graphic Designer Envisions Apple Music With Simpler UI, Music History Stats, Group Playlists, and More The design of the Music app for iOS has been controversial since its 2016 redesign for iOS 10, but graphic designer Álvaro Pabesio has some great ideas for how it could be improved. It's just a concept design, so it's not based on anything Apple might actually roll out, but it's still a fantastic example of how some thoughtful design changes could have a major impact on usability for the app.   Read Full Article Apple Inks Deal With Volkswagen for Self-Driving Employee Shuttles While rumors over the past couple of years have suggested Apple was working on autonomous vehicles, more recent reports have tempered those expectations. Apple has reportedly abandoned plans for a full-on car, instead focusing on the software side to partner with existing car manufacturers. According to the latest report from The New York Times, talks with BMW and Mercedes failed to lead to partnerships, and instead Apple will be partnering with Volkswagen to develop autonomous vans for shuttling Apple employees between the company's Infinite Loop and Apple Park campuses in Cupertino.   Read Full Article GDPR Privacy Update As of May 25, 2018, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) kicks into effect that outlines privacy guidelines for EU readers. We have been making changes to our privacy policy and data collection practices to come into compliance. We have updated our privacy policy here to be more transparent about our data collection policies. If you wish to opt out, the system will be in place tomorrow to allow you to disable certain cookies and tracking. If you have any questions, please email us at support@macrumors.com.   View Privacy Policy

This email was sent to dasdisdusonline.apple@blogger.com Click here to unsubscribe or Update subscription preferences View in Browser | Subscribe to this mailing list. MacRumors.com, LLC 4870 Sadler Rd. Suite #300 Glen Allen, VA 23060 USA

Tim Cook Speaks at Duke, MacBook Pro Keyboard Lawsuit, Microsoft's Low-Cost Surface to Compete With iPad - MacRumors

Brought to you by: Tim Cook Challenges Graduates to 'Think Different' in Duke University Commencement Address Tim Cook traveled to Durham, North Carolina last weekend to give the commencement address at Duke University, where Cook earned an MBA 30 years ago. In his address, Cook challenged the graduates to "dare to think different" and leave the world better than they found it.   Cook also cited Steve Jobs, whose "vision was that great ideas come from a restless refusal to accept things as they are," with Cook noting that the principle still guides Apple today as evidenced by Apple's stands on environmental stewardship, privacy, and more. While he was in North Carolina, Cook reportedly also met with Governor Roy Cooper and other North Carolina officials to discuss potential plans for Apple to locate a new campus in the area. Some sources are calling the plans a "done deal," which would see Apple start with 1,000 employees in leased space while it builds out a campus for 5,000–10,000 workers.   Read Full Article Sponsored Stories Don't Look for Apps, Get Setapp — a Huge App Collection, Right on Your Mac There's a smarter way to work on Mac than googling every app you need for every task. Save time and effort on all the small things by having the apps you need already on your Mac. Setapp is more than 100 apps by subscription in one suite. One monthly fee and you get a whole arsenal of tools to finish work in no time. “It's super convenient to have the right app at the right time without having to manage a few dozen passwords and payments,” said Paul Martens, entrepreneur. And QA specialist David Cuthbertson noted that “there are many apps that you know you'll use and even more that you didn't realize you'll find a use for!” For instance, iStat Menus shows you Mac battery life in hours, Focus blocks guilty pleasure websites like social media to keep you focused on work, Declutter cleans up your desktop for you, and Bartender groups extra menu bar items in one icon. And a hundred more! Give it a go, there's a 7 day free full-featured trial. Visit Sponsor Popular Stories May 17, 2018 Apple Faces Class Action Lawsuit Over 'Defective' Keyboards in Recent MacBook, MacBook Pro Models The long-simmering controversy over the "butterfly" keyboards used in recent MacBook Pro and MacBook models continues to escalate, with a class action lawsuit filed over the matter late last week. According to the lawsuit, Apple has knowingly been selling "defective" keyboards that are "prone to fail." Making matters worse is the fact that replacing the keyboard on one of these integrated machines means swapping out the entire top case of the machine. For those out of warranty, the cost can run up to $700.   Read Full Article Microsoft Planning Low-Cost Surface Line to Compete With Apple's $329 iPad Following the release of Apple's updated low-cost iPad that comes with Apple Pencil support for just $329 ($299 for educational institutions), Microsoft is reportedly aiming to introduce new lower-cost Surface devices to better compete with the iPad. The new Surface lineup would reportedly still be more expensive than the iPad, with prices starting around $400, and Microsoft is said to also be planning lower-cost versions of its Surface accessories like a keyboard cover, stylus, and mouse.    Read Full Article Spigen Launches New iPhone X Cases Inspired by Classic Apple Designs Straight from the nostalgia bin, Spigen this week announced new iPhone X cases inspired by classic Apple designs. The most colorful of the cases are based on the iMac G3, which just celebrated its 20th anniversary. Spigen's iMac G3 cases come in three parts, with a soft inner shell and a two-piece translucent outer shell, giving the case a bit of a three-dimensional appearance similar to the translucent cases of the original iMacs.   Read Full Article iPhone SE 2 Rumors Remain Conflicted Over Design and Release Date We're continuing to hear conflicting rumors about what a second-generation iPhone SE might look like, if one is even coming. Last week, case maker Olixar shared renderings based on information obtained from its sources that show an iPhone X-like notch at the top and no home button, suggesting the iPhone SE 2 could have a full-front display. But the notch is significantly narrower than on the iPhone X, making Face ID unlikely. But with no Face ID or home button, how would users authenticate for Apple Pay and device security? Other recent rumors show parts with a similar design, and some sources are claiming Apple has yet to finalize a design for the device. That seems incredibly unlikely if rumors of a fall launch are accurate, as Apple locks down its designs many months ahead of time. It's not clear what's going on with the rumors, but perhaps some sources are confusing a potential iPhone SE 2 with Apple's rumored 6.1-inch LCD iPhone also rumored for launch later this year. Regardless, we'll just have to wait and see how things develop. Read Full Article Samsung Compares Galaxy S9 to Very Slow iPhone 6 in Frivolous Ad Samsung this week launched an odd ad for its Galaxy S9 phone, showing a woman frustrated by her sluggish iPhone 6, eventually upgrading to an S9 at the end of the ad. It's a strange angle to take, comparing Samsung's latest flagship to a four-year old iPhone. The ad also features an Apple Store employee telling her she can improve performance by turning off performance management but at the risk of unexpected shutdowns. Naturally, the ad makes no mention that the issue can be completely remedied with a $29 battery replacement. Samsung isn't the only one taking shots at Apple this week, with OnePlus once again making a joke at Apple's expense during the introduction of its OnePlus 6 phone and OnePlus Bullets wireless earphones. OnePlus founder Carl Pei teased that with wireless earphones, you don't need a headphone jack anymore, but later in the unveiling he revealed that the OnePlus 6 does indeed have one.   Read Full Article

This email was sent to dasdisdusonline.apple@blogger.com Click here to unsubscribe or Update subscription preferences View in Browser | Subscribe to this mailing list. MacRumors.com, LLC 4870 Sadler Rd. Suite #300 Glen Allen, VA 23060 USA

iMac Turns 20, Lightning USB Restrictions in iOS 11.4, MacBook Pro vs. Surface Book 2 - MacRumors

Brought to you by: Apple Celebrates 20th Anniversary of Steve Jobs Unveiling the iMac This week marked the 20th anniversary of the introduction of the iMac, with its colorful design and consumer friendliness setting the stage for Apple's rebirth under Steve Jobs and Jony Ive. The iMac has seen a number of changes over the years, but the unique design and forward-thinking technological advances of the original model made it one of the most iconic technology products of all time.  Twenty years later, the iMac remains an accessible consumer desktop, but Apple's latest addition to the family is the professional-level iMac Pro that starts at $5000. Photographer Austin Mann this week shared his thoughts on that machine, which he used to process some amazing photos he took on a trip to South America and Antarctica.   Read Full Article Sponsored Stories How to Finish Twice as Many Tasks in a Day Instead of just thinking about getting more productive, you can install the right tools on your Mac and let them help you. Setapp is a huge collection of Mac apps by subscription. For a single monthly fee, you get an exceptional suite of software with gems like Paste, Focus, Task Paper, Timing, HazeOver, and Be Focused. Setapp has productivity software for nearly any job on Mac and that means you get to accomplish a ton more than usual. For instance, you can have infinite clipboard, smart time trackers, to-do-lists, mind maps, text shortcuts, and much more. Small differences make for big changes, so try Setapp right away to see for yourself. Setapp's full collection of over 100 premium apps is free to try for 7 days. Visit Sponsor Popular Stories May 10, 2018 iOS 11.4 Disables Lightning Connector After 7 Days, Limiting Law Enforcement Access Amid reports that law enforcement agencies and others are purchasing a "GrayKey" hardware box that is capable of cracking passcode-locked iPhones, Apple appears to be taking steps to further protect users' privacy. In iOS 11.4 betas, Apple has initiated a one-week expiration period on data access through the Lightning connector. If a device hasn't been unlocked or connected to a paired computer in the last seven days using a passcode, the Lightning port becomes useless for data access and limited to charging. The feature also appeared in iOS 11.3 betas but did not make it into the public release, so it's unclear if it will ship as part of iOS 11.4, but it's clear Apple is aiming to thwart tactics used to work around passcode security.   Read Full Article Apple's MacBook Pro vs. Microsoft's Surface Book 2 Microsoft's Surface Book lineup goes head-to-head with Apple's MacBook Pro, and the two notebooks even look relatively similar from certain angles, so we decided to take a look at the different feature sets in one of our latest YouTube videos. There are certainly some differences between the two, with the Surface Book 2 offering an unusual hinge design that lets the display be folded backward or separated entirely from the keyboard, while the MacBook Pro offers the Touch Bar with Touch ID support. Make sure to check out our video for a full comparison of the two machines!   Read Full Article Apple Acknowledges Microphone Issue With Some iPhone 7 and 7 Plus Models on iOS 11.3 and Later Apple has acknowledged that some iPhone 7 and 7 Plus models may be experiencing microphone issues following updates to iOS 11.3 and later. Service technicians have been provided with some troubleshooting steps, but if those don't work they've been instructed to process repairs for affected devices. Separately, Apple has rolled out internal service instructions regarding iPhone X devices experiencing problems with Face ID. While Face ID uses the front TrueDepth camera system, in some cases replacement of the rear camera system can fix Face ID issues. If that doesn't work, Apple is also authorizing complete device replacements to address Face ID problems.   Read Full Article 2018 6.5-Inch iPhone to Be Similar in Size to iPhone 8 Plus, iOS 12 Could Feature Horizontal Face ID Support The so-called "iPhone X Plus" with a 6.5-inch display that's expected to launch later this year will be approximately the same physical size as the iPhone 8 Plus, but the full-front display will allow for the larger screen size. Support for horizontal Face ID may also be added in iOS 12, but that's likely more for the iPad Pro, which is rumored to be gaining the authentication feature. We're also hearing that the lowest-cost iPhone model launching in the fall, rumored to be a 6.1-inch LCD model, could use the same ultra-bright, low-power LCD technology found in the new LG G7 ThinQ phone. Finally, we're again hearing that the 2019 iPhone lineup could move to a triple-lens rear camera for improved optical zoom and likely other performance enhancements.   Read Full Article Hands-On With Android P's New Swipe-Based Gesture System At its I/O conference this week, Google announced a number of new features for its apps and services, including details on the upcoming Android P operating system version. Android P will adopt new iPhone X-style swipe gestures for navigation, using swipes up from the bottom of the screen at any time to access additional apps and other functions. We went hands-on with the Android P developer preview to get a better idea of how similar the new gestures are to the iPhone X gestures, while also checking out some of the other changes in the next version of Android.   Read Full Article

This email was sent to dasdisdusonline.apple@blogger.com Click here to unsubscribe or Update subscription preferences View in Browser | Subscribe to this mailing list. MacRumors.com, LLC 4870 Sadler Rd. Suite #300 Glen Allen, VA 23060 USA