Apple has signed a two-year content creation deal with writer and producer Annie Weisman, who has worked on "Desperate Housewives" and is the creator of upcoming Apple TV+ show "Physical," reports Deadline.
"Physical," which stars Rose Byrne, is a dramedy set in 1980s Southern California. Byrne plays a quietly tortured housewife who gets into the world of aerobics. Weisman is showrunner on "Physical" and she will also work on other projects exclusively for Apple TV+.
Prior to inking a deal with Apple, Weisman was at Universal TV. In addition to "Desperate Housewives," she also worked on "Almost Family," "The Path," "Suburgatory," and "About a Boy."
Apple has signed similar content creation deals with a number of high-profile writers and producers, including Alfonso Cuaron, Jason Katims, Lee Eisenberg, Justin Lin, and more. Details on Apple's content deals and shows that are in the works can be found in our Apple TV Shows guide.
Apple in May 2020 introduced an Exposure Notification System, which was designed to let public health authorities and governments worldwide help people figure out if they've been exposed to COVID-19, and if so, what steps to take next to minimize the spread of the virus.
As the pandemic has waned, various governmental agencies have been gradually shutting down their Exposure Notification systems. With the expiration of the COVID-19 national state of emergency in the United States on May 11, 2023, the system is no longer functional in most of the over 30 states that had adopted the system.
Exposure Notification Explained
Exposure Notification started out as contact tracing, an Apple-Google initiative that was announced in early April 2020 to limit the spread of COVID-19.
Apple and Google created an API that is designed to allow iPhones and Android smartphones to interface with one another for contact tracing purposes, so if and when you happen to be nearby someone who is later diagnosed with COVID-19, you can get a notification and take the appropriate steps to self isolate and get medical help if necessary.
Determining whether you've come into contact with someone relies on your iPhone, which, using the exposure notification API, interacts with other iPhones and Android smartphones over Bluetooth whenever you're around someone else who also owns a smartphone, exchanging anonymous identifiers.
Apple and Google developed the underlying APIs and Bluetooth functionality, but they did not develop the apps that use those APIs. Instead, the technology was incorporated into apps designed by public health authorities worldwide, which can use the tracking information to send notifications on exposure and follow up with recommended next steps. Apple and Google also implemented an "Express" feature that allows Exposure Notifications to work in partnership with health authorities, but without an Exposure Notification app.
The APIs were created with privacy and security in mind, and app usage is opt-in rather than mandatory.
How Exposure Notification Works
Almost everyone has a smartphone, which makes them ideal for determining who you've come in contact with. Exposure notification has a self-explanatory name, and in a nutshell, the feature was designed to send you a notification if you've been in proximity to a person who is diagnosed with COVID-19.
Here's a detailed, step-by-step walkthrough on how it works:
Two people, Ryan and Eric, are both at the same grocery store shopping for food on a Tuesday afternoon. Eric has an iPhone and Ryan has an Android phone, both with a health app that uses the exposure tracking API or the Express Exposure Notification feature.
There's a long wait, so Eric and Ryan are standing in the checkout line together for approximately 10 minutes. During this time, each of their phones is transmitting entirely anonymous identifier beacons, and picking up the identifier beacons transmitted by the other person. Their phones know they've been in contact and store that information on the device itself, transmitting it nowhere else.
A week later, Ryan comes down with COVID-19 symptoms, sees a doctor, and is diagnosed with COVID-19. He opens up his Android phone, verifies his diagnosis using documentation from a healthcare provider, and taps a button that uploads his identifier beacon to a centralized cloud server.
Later that day, Eric's iPhone downloads a list of all recent beacons from people that have contracted COVID-19. Eric then receives a notification that he was in contact with someone that has COVID-19 because of his interaction with Ryan at the grocery store.
Eric does not know it was Ryan who has COVID-19 because no personally identifiable information was collected, but the system knows Eric was exposed to COVID-19 for 10 minutes on Tuesday, and that he was standing close to the person who exposed him based on the Bluetooth signal strength between their two phones, allowing the app to provide the appropriate information.
Eric follows the steps from his local public health authority on what to do after COVID-19 exposure.
If Eric later comes down with COVID-19, he follows the same steps listed above to alert people he's been in contact with, allowing everyone to better monitor for potential exposure.
Apple and Google also created a handy graphic that explains the process, which we've included below:
What You Need to Do to Use Exposure Notification
Using Exposure Notification in supported countries on a device running the latest version of iOS requires opening up the Settings app, selecting the "Exposure Notifications" section, and then tapping on "Turn on Exposure Notifications."
From here, your iPhone will let you know if an Exposure Notification app is available in your state, country, or region, providing details on how to download it. You'll also be informed if you can use Exposure Notifications without an app through the Express feature, or Exposure Notifications are unavailable in your area at this time.
Exposure Notification is a feature that's off by default, and actually using the API requires you to toggle on the feature and in some cases, download an app from a verified health authority. Many countries are developing country and state-specific apps that users can download.
Without explicitly opting in to use the Exposure Notifications feature, the Exposure Notification API on the iPhone doesn't do anything. Once you've downloaded an app and consented to using it, or consented to using the Express option, the Exposure Notification feature will become active on your smartphone.
Cross-Platform App Communication
Apple and Google have both worked to create APIs for exposure notifications that work together so iPhone and Android smartphones can interface with one another and you'll receive notifications if exposure happens even if the person you've been in contact with has an Android smartphone.
On iOS, Exposure Notification works on devices running iOS 13 and later, including iOS 14, iOS 15, and iOS 16.
Exposure Notification Opt-In
Exposure Notifications on the iPhone are off by default and must be toggled on. Using the feature requires users to consent to signing up for the exposure notification system, which is part of the sign up process. Exposure Notifications can be toggled on using the "Exposure Notifications" section in the Settings app.
If you do, at some point, get COVID-19, there's a separate consent process for anonymously alerting people that you've been in contact with. The feature needs express consent to inform others of the diagnosis, and nothing happens automatically.
Disabling Exposure Notification
You can disable Exposure Notifications entirely by opening up the Settings app and tapping "Turn off Exposure Notifications." If you've downloaded an Exposure Notification app, you can also delete the app to disable Exposure Notifications. Since Exposure Notifications is off by default, if you've never used it, you don't need to do anything to disable it.
Exposure Notification Verification
When a person is diagnosed with COVID-19, before an alert is sent out to the people they've been in contact with, the apps that are using Apple and Google's exposure notification APIs require verification that a person has tested positive for the disease.
This prevents people from using the system maliciously to trick others into believing exposure has happened when it has not.
As an example, a person who tests positive for COVID-19 might receive a QR code with their test results, which could be scanned into an exposure notification app for verification purposes. The verification process varies by region, according to Apple.
How Exposure Notifications Work
As explained above, with a health app that uses the exposure notification API installed or the Express system activated with express consent, your smartphone exchanges anonymous identifiers with each person you come in contact with that also has an app that uses the API.
Your phone keeps a list of these identifiers on it, and this list remains on your device -- it is not uploaded anywhere. The exception is if you're diagnosed with COVID-19 and then follow the steps to send out notifications to the smartphones that have been in contact with yours.
In this situation, the list of random identifiers that your iPhone has been assigned over the course of the previous 14 days is sent to a centralized server. Other people's iPhones check this server and download that list, checking it against the identifiers stored on their own iPhones. If there's a match, they receive a notification about exposure with more information about the steps to take next.
Matches are made on device rather than on a server in a central location, which preserves privacy while also making sure people know about possible exposure.
For a more simple explanation, here's a step-by-step walkthrough on how it works:
Ryan and Eric interact at the grocery store. During this interaction, Ryan's Android phone has a random identifier number, 12486, which is unique to Ryan's phone (and which changes every 15 minutes).
Eric's iPhone records Ryan's random identifier number, 12486, and sends Ryan his own random identifier, 34875. Both Ryan and Eric are in contact with a dozen people at the grocery store, so their smartphones download random identifiers from all of these phones.
Ryan contracts COVID-19, confirms his diagnosis in the app, and consents to upload all of the identifiers his phone has used for the last two weeks (including 12486) to a central server accessible by Eric's COVID-19 app. At this point, Ryan's identifier is shared with a central database, but these random identifier numbers are not associated with any personal information and don't include location data.
Eric's phone downloads the list of identifiers of people who have been diagnosed with COVID-19, which includes Ryan's identifier, 12486, and compares it against the list of identifiers that have been stored based on Eric's interactions.
A match is made, so Eric receives a notification that he has been in contact with someone who has COVID-19 and he receives info on what steps to take next.
Public health authorities will have access to information that includes the amount of time that Eric and Ryan's phone were in contact and the distance between them, as determined by Bluetooth signal strength, which can be used to estimate distance.
Based on this information, the Exposure Notifications System can deliver location-specific, tailored notifications to Eric, perhaps letting him know his exposure level and potential danger based on those factors. The system will know the day he was exposed, how long the exposure lasted, and the Bluetooth signal strength of that contact. No other personal information is shared.
Each public health authority is able to define what constitutes an exposure event and the number of exposure events an individual has had, plus it allows apps to factor transmission risk of positive cases into their definitions of an exposure event, all of which will impact how and when exposed users are contacted.
App Demonstrations
Apple and Google provided samples on how apps will work to give users an idea of what to expect before making a download. In iOS 13.5, new menu was added under Settings > Health > COVID-19 Exposure Logging to let users know which public health authority app they're using along with a list of exposure checks, which can be deleted.
When a user is potentially exposed to COVID-19, the app will provide a push notification letting them know about the incident. All exposure events for the last 14 days are listed in the app, and details include whether a diagnosis was verified and when you were near the person who later became sick.
When Data is Shared
For the most part, the exposure notification system runs on your device. Identifiers are collected and matched entirely on your smartphone and are not shared with a central system. There are two exceptions to this:
When a user is diagnosed with COVID-19 and chooses to report that positive diagnosis to the contact tracing system, the most recent identifier beacons (from the last 14 days) are added to the positive diagnosis list shared by a public health authority to allow others who came in contact with that identifier to be alerted.
When a user is notified through their smartphone that they've come into contact with an individual who has tested positive for COVID-19, the day the contact occurred, how long it lasted, and the Bluetooth signal strength of that contact is shared.
Exposure Notification Privacy Details
First and foremost, full privacy details on exposure notification are available on Apple's website, but we'll cover some important frequently asked questions about privacy below.
No identifying info - Your name, Apple ID, and other information are never shared in or associated with apps that use the exposure tracking API.
No location data - The system does not collect, use, or share location data. Exposure notification isn't for tracking where people are, but for determining whether a person has been around another person.
Random identifiers - Your iPhone is assigned a random, rotating identifier (a string of numbers) that is transmitted using Bluetooth to other nearby devices. Identifiers change every 10 to 20 minutes.
On-device operation - Identifiers that your phone comes into contact with, or phones that come into contact with your identifier, are stored on device and are not uploaded anywhere without consent.
Consent-based sharing - If you do test positive for COVID-19, the people you have been in contact do not receive an alert without express permission.
On-device identifier matching - If you contract COVID-19 and consent to share that information, your identifier list from the last two weeks is uploaded to a central server that other devices can check to identify a match on their iPhones.
Opt-in - Exposure notification is entirely opt-in. You do not need to use the feature, and it does not work unless you download an app that uses the API. It also does not work if you turn off the Exposure Notifications option in the Settings app.
Data sharing with Apple/Google - Apple and Google do not receive identifying information about the users, location data, or any other devices the user has been in proximity of.
Data monetization - Apple and Google will not monetize the exposure notification project.
Verified health apps only - Apple's APIs are only able to be used by public health authorities around the world. Apps must meet specific criteria around privacy, security, and data control. Apps can access a list of beacons provided by users confirmed as positive for COVID-19 who have opted in to sharing them, but no personally identifiable information is included.
Disabling exposure notification - Apple and Google can disabled the exposure notification system on a regional basis when it is no longer needed.
Restrictions for Apps
Apps need to follow a number of restrictions to be approved to use the Exposure Notification API. Only one app per country is allowed, in order to make sure there's no fragmentation and to promote high user adoption.
The exception is if a country has opted for a regional or state approach, which Apple and Google support. The following restrictions must also be followed:
Apps must be created by or for a government public health authority and they can only be used for COVID-19 response efforts.
Apps must require users to consent before the app can use the API.
Apps must require users to consent before sharing a positive test result with the public health authority.
Apps should only collect the minimum amount of data necessary and can only use that data for COVID-19 response efforts. All other uses of user data, including targeting advertising, is not permitted.
Apps are prohibited from seeking permission to access Location Services.
In the United States, Virginia, North Dakota, Arizona, Delaware, Nevada, Alabama, Colorado, Wyoming, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Maryland, New York, New Jersey, Minnesota, Washington, Connecticut, Nevada, the District of Columbia, California, and Utah launched Exposure Notification apps or took advantage of Apple's "Express" feature that allows for notifications without an app.
iPhone users can have more than one Exposure Notification app installed, but only one can be active at a time. Options to control which app is functional can be found in Privacy > Health > COVID-19 Exposure Logging.
Exposure Notifications Express
Introduced as part of iOS 13.7, Exposure Notifications Express is the operating-system level second-generation version of the Exposure Notification API, allowing states, countries, and regions to take advantage of the Exposure Notification System without having to build an entire app.
Exposure Notifications Express can be thought of as Exposure Notifications without an app, but using the feature still requires oversight by a public health authority in a given area.
Basically, public health authorities that want to use Exposure Notifications Express can instead provide Apple and Google with information about how to reach the public health authority, guidance for residents, and recommendations on potential actions.
Public health authorities provide a name, logo, criteria for triggering an exposure notification, and the materials to be presented to users in case of exposure, with Apple and Google using this information to offer an Exposure Notifications System to customers on behalf of the public health authority.
Exposure Notifications Express programs from various areas are interoperable with one another and existing Exposure Notifications apps that have rolled out. Public health authorities can still choose to build their own custom apps instead of using Exposure Notifications Express.
Privacy continues to be a focus with the new feature. Even though an app is not necessarily required in an area where a public health authority has opted into Exposure Notifications Express, it still needs to be expressly enabled on an iPhone by opening up the Settings, navigating to the Exposure Notification section, and tapping "Turn on Exposure Notifications." Opting out at any time is possible.
Health Organization Partners
The API was developed with a number of health authorities, including the CDC, the Association of Public Health Laboratories, the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials, the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists, and the Public Health Informatics Institute of the Taskforce for Global Health.
More Information
Apple and Google both have dedicated websites with more information about exposure notification, and that should be your first stop if you want to know more about it and how it works.
Guide Feedback
Have a question about the exposure notification system, know of something we left out, or want to offer feedback? Send us an email here.
"Neversong" is this week's addition to Apple Arcade on the iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, and Mac.
The game is described as a beautiful musical adventure:
Upon waking from a coma, Peet's girlfriend is nowhere to be found. Investigate the screams coming from the heart of Neverwood, the increasingly bizarre behavior of the zombie grownups, and the strange truth about Peet's past in this hauntingly dreamlike fable.
- From Red Wind Field to the haunting halls of Blackfork Asylum, explore six moody, illustrative levels. - Take on bosses, monsters, and zombie grownups with your trusty baseball bat. - Immerse yourself in a breathtaking piano-centric soundtrack. - Join your quirky childhood pals and trusty pet bird on an adventure to discover the truth about your recent coma.
"Neversong" is available on the App Store with an Apple Arcade subscription. The service provides iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, and Mac users with access to over 100 games with no in-app purchases or ads for $4.99 per month or $49.99 per year.
Apple Card's COVID-19 Customer Assistance Program has been extended by another month, allowing cardholders who enroll in the program to defer their May payment without incurring any interest charges, per an email shared by 9to5Mac.
To enroll in the program, open the Wallet app on an iPhone or iPad, tap on the Apple Card, tap on the black circle with three dots, tap on the message bubble, and send a message along the lines of "I want to enroll in the Customer Assistance Program." Confirmation of your enrollment will be sent to the email address associated with your Apple ID.
The program will prevent interest from accruing on your May statement, but any purchases will still be added to your outstanding balance. Credit bureaus will report your account as being enrolled in the Customer Assistance Program, according to Apple. Your minimum payment is not affected by payments that you skipped while you were enrolled.
The program was also available for March and April payments. Apple has a support document with more details, but it does not yet reflect the May extension.
Valve on Thursday announced that SteamVR no longer supports macOS so that its team "can focus on Windows and Linux."
As noted by UploadVR, Mac users will still be able to use SteamVR by running Windows with virtualization software like Parallels Desktop or VMware Fusion. Valve says legacy builds of the virtual reality platform will also remain accessible on the Mac by right-clicking on SteamVR in Steam and selecting Properties > Betas.
Apple software engineering chief Craig Federighi announced that SteamVR was coming to the Mac at WWDC 2017, but a recent Valve survey indicated that more than 95 percent of Steam users are running Windows or Linux.
Walmart is discounting the 10.2-inch iPad from 2019 to $279.00, down from $329.00. This is the Wi-Fi only model with 32GB of storage, and the best deal we're tracking among the major Apple resellers online this week.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
You can get the 32GB iPad in Gold and Space Gray. These models are sold and shipped by Walmart, and if you opt for free delivery you'll get the iPad in about a week. You can also ship the iPad to a local Walmart for pickup.
Apple updated the iPad in September of 2019 with a larger 10.2-inch display and a similar aluminum body as the previous generation. The iPad supports the Apple Pencil, and it also includes a Smart Connector that makes it compatible with the Smart Keyboard accessory.
For even more iPad deals, head to our full Best Deals guide for iPad. In that guide we track the best discounts online for iPad, iPad mini, iPad Air, and iPad Pro.
MacRumors is pleased to announce our Eleventh Annual MacRumors Blood Drive, throughout the month of May 2020. Our goal is to save lives by increasing the number of life-saving donations of blood, platelets, and plasma. While most blood drives are specific to a geographic location, our blood drive is online and worldwide.
Over the past 10 years, MacRumors Blood Drives have recorded donations of 699 units of blood, platelets, and plasma, and celebrated new signups for the organ donor and bone marrow registries. We've heard from people whose lives were saved by these donations, including lives saved by complete strangers.
Donating during the coronavirus pandemic
Circumstances are different this year due to the worldwide pandemic, but the need for blood continues.
To donate, you will likely need to go to a nearby blood donation center because blood donation events (such as community bloodmobile visits) have been canceled. Be assured that donation centers have taken extra precautions to protect donors, including keeping donors separated from each other and doing extra screening.
If you acquired COVID-19 and have fully recovered, you may be eligible to donate plasma for the convalescent plasma trials underway at major blood collection centers. Researchers hope to learn if your plasma contains COVID-19 antibodies that can help seriously ill COVID-19 patients recover.
How to participate in the MacRumors Blood Drive - during May 2020
If you are an eligible donor, schedule a blood, platelet, or plasma donation (see FAQ), at any donation center near you. Then post in the MacRumors 2020 Blood Drive! thread to tell us about it.
Or tell us if you register as an organ donor and/or register for the bone marrow registry (see FAQ). You'll be put on our Honor Roll.
If you aren't eligible to donate for reasons of age, health, a recent donation, or because you are deferred as a donor, please encourage someone else to make a donation, and let us know. If they donate, you'll both be put on our Honor Roll. See our Blood donor eligibility thread for news about the deferral policies for gay men.
Share our message with friends, relatives, and followers. Thank the people who post in the MacRumors 2020 Blood Drive! thread.
How to participate in the MacRumors Blood Drive - from June 2020 to April 2021
In between the MacRumors Blood Drives each May, record your donations on our Team MacRumors page:
Go to our team page and click PLEDGE TO GIVE BLOOD. (Bookmark the page for the future.)
Fill in your MacRumors username as your first name. Fill in @ macrumors as your last name.
In the comments field, tell us what type of donation and how many units, e.g., 1 unit of whole blood, 2 units of platelets, etc.
The email address and zip code fields don't matter. MacRumors won't use that information.
We'll tally your donations and count them for the MacRumors Blood Drive next May.
We look forward to another successful MacRumors Blood Drive. Thank you to our many donors over the last 10 years!
Verizon continues to offer the current best discount on Apple's AirPods Pro, priced at $224.99, down from $249.00. The retailer has carried this deal into May, and it's one of the lowest prices we've tracked for a new version of the AirPods Pro to date.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Verizon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Verizon has a few other competitive prices on other AirPods devices as well. You can get the AirPods with Charging Case for $135.99, down from $159.99. That's about $5 cheaper than the current average sale price of $139 at retailers like Best Buy, Amazon, and B&H Photo.
The AirPods with Wireless Charging Case are priced at $169.99, down from $199.99. We've seen these go down to around $149 in the past, but as of this week, all of the major Apple retailers online are selling them for about $169, so Verizon's deal is matching those offers.
If you're looking for the standalone Wireless Charging Case for AirPods, Verizon has this accessory for $67.99, down from $79.99. On Amazon, Adorama, and B&H Photo, you'll pay around $69 for the accessory.
You can keep track of all the best deals on every model of the AirPods in our Best AirPods Deals guide, which we update weekly.
Plex today announced that it is adding to its lineup of ad-supported free video content, introducing TV shows and movies from video entertainment service Crackle.
Crackle brings thousands of free movies and TV shows to Plex, which also includes content from additional partners such as Legendary, MGM, Lionsgate, Warner Bros., and more. Plex users will be able to watch TV shows like Hell's Kitchen, Snatch, and Roseanne, along with movies that include Captain Phillips, Patriot Games, The Illusionist, and Failure to Launch.
For those who are unfamiliar with Plex, it's an all-in-one media hub that organizes your entire library of content, from TV shows and movies to music, photos, and more. Plex also offers free access to news, web shows, podcasts, movies, and TV, plus it can even be used to stream live TV with a TV antenna.
Plex's free media can be played on almost all platforms, including Apple TV, iPhone, and iPad, along with Roku, smart TVs, Android devices, and consoles. All that's needed is the Plex app. More information on Plex can be found on the Plex website.
Apple today released all eight episodes of "heartfelt" and "hilarious" British comedy series "Trying," on its Apple TV+ streaming video entertainment service.
Apple describes the brand new series as follows:
"All Jason and Nikki want is a baby. But it's the one thing they just can't have. Starring Rafe Spall and Esther Smith, "Trying" is a new comedy series about growing up, settling down and finding someone to love.
The series, made by BBC Studios, is written by former stand-up Andy Wolton, and is the first original series from the U.K. to debut on Apple TV+. Apple's trailer description offers more detail:
All Nikki (Esther Smith) and Jason (Rafe Spall) want is a baby—but it's the one thing they just can't have. How are they going to fill the next 50 years if they can't start a family? They already went through The Sopranos in a weekend. After ruling out every other option, Nikki and Jason decide to adopt and are confronted by a world of bewildering new challenges. With their dysfunctional friends, screwball family, and chaotic lives, will the adoption panel agree that they're ready to be parents?
Apple TV+ is priced at $4.99 per month or free for a year for those who recently purchased an iPhone, iPad, Mac, iPod touch, or Apple TV.
Earlier this week we reported on a bug in Apple's macOS Image Capture app that adds empty data to photos when imported from iOS devices, potentially eating up gigabytes of disk storage needlessly. Today, we're hearing that the bug in macOS 10.14.6 and later is a lot more extensive than was initially believed.
NeoFinder developer Norbert Doerner, who originally discovered the bug, informed MacRumors that the same issue affects nearly all Mac apps that import photos from cameras and iOS devices, including Adobe Lightroom, Affinity Photo, PhaseOne Media Pro, and Apple's legacy iPhoto and Aperture apps.
The reason is said to be because the bug is located inside Apple's ImageCaptureCore framework, which is a part of macOS that all developers must use to connect to digital cameras. The only app that isn't affected is said to be Apple's Photos app, which uses other undocumented APIs to talk to iOS devices.
Essentially, the pervasive Mac bug causes HEIC files imported from iOS devices and converted to JPG to contain more than 1.5MB of empty data appended to the end of each file, increasing the file size and eating up storage. As an example, Doerner said he discovered more than 12,000 JPG files in his own photo library containing this extra unwanted data, resulting in over 20GB of wasted disk space.
Apple is apparently aware of the bug, but until a patch arrives, one short term workaround for future transfers is to prevent your iPhone or iPad from using the HEIF format when taking photos: To do so, launch the Settings app, select Camera -> Formats and check Most Compatible.
For users with large existing photo libraries, Doerner has suggested using a new beta version of the third-party utility Graphic Converter, which includes an option to remove the unwanted empty data from the JPEG files.
Alternatively, media asset management app NeoFinder is itself being updated on Monday to include a tool that can find and eliminate the unwanted data in JPG files. NeoFinder for Mac costs $39.99 and a free trial is available to download on the developers' website.
Downloads of iPad apps surged in the first quarter of this year, driven by an increase in use and adoption of the device amid widespread stay-at-home orders.
First-time downloads of iPad-specific apps surpassed 1.1 billion worldwide in Q1 2020, according to data compiled by Sensor Tower. It marks the first year-on-year growth since the fourth quarter of 2013 and a 40 percent increase from Q1 2019.
Based on the data, the vast majority of app installs in the first quarter were in the Games and Entertainment category, followed by education apps, which reached a record 105 million worldwide.
The previous best quarter for Education apps was Q1 2013 when they reached 91 million, indicating the impact of at-home schooling during the health crisis.
In addition, quarterly global consumer spending in iPad apps reportedly saw the largest year-on-year increase since Q4 2014 at 16 percent and crossed the $2 billion threshold for the first quarter ever. About 76 percent of that money, approximately $1.6 billion, was spent on games.
As for iPhone, app installs grew 24 percent year on year last quarter, compared to 40 percent growth on iPad, partly owing to the iPad's increased suitability as a laptop stand-in at home, particularly for younger students, notes Sensor Tower.
Apple may be planning to introduce interest-free Apple Card payment plans for devices other than the iPhone, Apple CEO Tim Cook said during today's earnings call covering the second fiscal quarter of 2020.
In the Q&A portion of the call, Cook was asked about the potential for deferred payments or product bundles with the Apple Card, and he had this to say:
As you know, we launched the payment plan earlier on Apple Card for iPhone. We're working on that for other products and you'll see something on that shortly.
Apple in December introduced a 24-month interest-free iPhone installment plan for Apple Card owners. The plan lets Apple Card users purchase a new iPhone with the Apple Card and pay for it over a 24-month period with zero interest, while also getting 3 percent Daily Cash back for the purchase.
Monthly iPhone payments are bundled into Apple Card's Monthly Installments, with each month's installment included in the minimum payment amount. Installments are not subject to interest unless there's an outstanding balance beyond the 24-month payment grace period.
Though Cook did not divulge much information, Apple could introduce similar payment plan options for other products such as iPads and Macs, which are particularly popular right now as people work and learn from their homes.
During the pandemic, Apple has also introduced an Apple Card Assistance Program that allows Apple Card holders to skip their March and April payments without incurring interest charges for that billing cycle.
During today's earnings call covering the second fiscal quarter of 2020, Apple CEO Tim Cook provided some insight on what we can expect from Apple in terms of new products during the global health crisis.
Cook said that Apple is continuing to operate, and that Apple employees are getting used to working from home. "In some areas of the company, some people may be even more productive," he said. "In some areas, not as productive. It's mixed depending on what the roles are."
Cook said that Apple employees have their heads down and are working as usual.
New products are our lifeblood. We're continuing to work. [...] As you can tell from what we did this quarter despite the environment, we have our head down and are working because we know our customers want the products that we've got. They're even more important in these times.
Cook was also asked about potential developments in health, and he said that it's an area that Apple was already working on, referencing features like ECG in the Apple Watch.
You can bet that we're looking at other areas. We were already doing this - we see it as an area of huge opportunity for the company and a way for us to help a lot of people. You will see us continue on that. I wouldn't say that the health door has opened wider, I would say that it was already opened fairly wide.
On the topic of Apple's supply chain and how well it's situated to launch traditional fall products, Cook said that people should focus on the fact that Apple's products are made everywhere rather than focusing just on the final assembly of the manufacturing process, which tends to get more attention.
We have to conclude that if you look at the shock to the supply chain that took place this quarter, for it to come back up this quickly really demonstrates that it's durable and resilient. I feel good about where we are. That said, we're always looking at tweaks, it's just not something we talk about.
Cook went on to say that Apple is going to "look to see" what can be learned from this situation and how that could be used to enact change after Apple gets "totally out of this."
Cook also commented on payment plans for iPhone on Apple Card, and said that Apple is "working on that for other products" and that we'll see something on that topic shortly.
As for current products, when asked if customers were favoring lower cost products, Cook said that he hasn't seen that. Apple has had strong customer response to the iPhone SE, its most affordable iPhone, but he said that those customers wanted a smaller form factor with the latest technology or are coming from Android as opposed to "buying down." Sales of the top-of-the-line iPad Pro have also been strong.
Rumors suggest that Apple has a number of products set to launch later in 2020, ranging from new MacBook Pro models and iMacs to four new iPhones this fall.
Apple in early April tapped its engineers and supplier companies to construct face shields for medical workers around the world, and Apple has now shipped a total of 7.5 million face shields.
Apple CEO Tim Cook announced the news during today's earnings call covering the second fiscal quarter of 2020. Apple is continuing to construct and ship one million face shields each week.
Cook also said that Apple's COVID-19 screening app has been downloaded more than two million times, and the web version of the site has been accessed by 3 million unique visitors. Apple's U.S. COVID-19 app was developed in partnership with the CDC, FEMA, and the White House Coronavirus Task Force.
In addition to constructing and shipping face masks, Apple has sourced and donated more than 20 million N95 masks to healthcare workers around the world, which are critical for those who are exposed to COVID-19 on a daily basis.
Apple has also donated millions of dollars to various causes dedicated to cutting down on the spread of COVID-19, and has developed an exposure notification API that public health authorities will be able to adopt to create apps that will help track coronavirus exposure.
Apple today released its earnings results for the second fiscal quarter of 2020, but declined to provide guidance for the third quarter due to the current economic instability. Apple CFO Luca Maestri did provide a bit of information for investors, though, offering insight into how Apple expects the ongoing health crisis to affect product sales.
Maestri said that it expects year over year performance for iPhone and the wearables category to worsen in the June quarter relative to the March quarter, while for iPad and Mac, Apple expects year over year revenue performance to improve.
Apple CEO Tim Cook said that Apple sees iPad and Mac revenues improving due to all of the customers who are learning at home and working remotely at the current time.
Cook also said that Apple saw steep declines in demand in March and early April as the shelter in place orders went out, but in the second half of April, there was an uptick across the board due to stimulus programs, new product releases, and the fact that consumers expect the pandemic to "go on for a little while longer," stocking up on products needed to work at home.
Despite the global health crisis impacting many countries around the world, Apple's wearables category set a new quarterly revenue record, Apple CEO Tim Cook said during the company's Q2 2020 earnings call.
Apple does not break out wearable sales, instead including the Apple Watch and AirPods in its "Wearables, Home, and Accessories" category, which brought in $6.3 billion during the quarter, up from $5.1 billion in Q2 2019.
Wearables, Home, and Accessories revenue surpassed both Mac ($5.4 billion) and iPad ($4.4 billion) revenue during the quarter. Apple Watch continues to be popular with those who are new to the product, and 75 percent of customers who purchased an Apple Watch during the quarter did not previously own one.
Apple's wearables business is now the size of a Fortune 140 company, according to Apple CFO Luca Maestri.
In the second fiscal quarter of 2020, Apple's services segment brought in $13.3 billion, up from $11.5 billion in the year-ago quarter, marking 17 percent growth year over year.
Apple in 2019 introduced a number of new services, including Apple News+, Apple TV+, Apple Arcade, and Apple Card, all of which have contributed to the significant growth Apple has seen over the course of the last several months. Apple News, said Cook, has hit a new milestone of 125 million monthly active users, while App Store revenue saw double digit growth. Both FaceTime and iMessage saw daily record use during the quarter as people worked from home and stayed inside.
Apple in 2016 set a goal of doubling its services revenue by fiscal 2020, a goal that Apple is on target to hit this year. Apple now has 515 million paid subscriptions across its platform, and expects to hit 600 million by the end of 2020.
Apple CFO Luca Maestri also said that Apple's active installed base of devices hit all-time highs in all products and geographies.
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