MacRumors

Apple has begun emailing iCloud users who have enabled two-factor authentication on their Apple IDs, reminding them that application specific passwords will be required when trying to access iCloud data on third party apps starting tomorrow.

In addition to the email reminders, Apple last week published a new support document educating users on how to use app-specific passwords. While the feature was originally intended to require the feature on October 1, it's unclear why two-factor authentication users are being reminded of it a week later.

App-specific passwords are a new feature Apple introduced in mid-September, following the launch of two-factor authentication for accessing iCloud.com. The changes arrived after a hacking incident that saw the iCloud accounts of several celebrities compromised due to weak passwords.

CEO Tim Cook has promised to improve iCloud security by increasing awareness around Apple's security features like two-factor authentication as well as a sending out email notifications whenever a device is restored, an account is accessed or a password change is attempted.

With the iPhone 6, Apple debuted a new display technology called Retina HD, which resulted in wider viewer angles, higher resolutions, higher contrast and a thinner display. Developer Hamza Sood has now discovered frameworks within iOS 8.1 Beta 2 that contain '3x' assets that point to higher resolution displays in the new iPad models.

While the assets don't confirm that Retina HD displays will be on the new iPad models, it does suggest that Apple is looking at introducing the feature. Currently, it is unclear as to which iPad models would receive Retina HD displays, although some rumors have pointed to the rumored 12.9-inch iPad Pro sporting a higher resolution. Apple did include a Retina HD display with the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 and 5.5-inch iPhone 6 Plus, as the larger device received a higher resolution than its smaller counterpart.

Apple is expected to debut the new iPad Air (and potentially the next generation iPad Mini with Retina Display) at a media event on October 16 in its Cupertino campus. The company is also expected to introduce new iMacs, with at least the 27-inch variety coming with a Retina Display. It's also likely Apple gives a full overview of OS X Yosemite before its public launch.

Apple saw its worldwide PC marketshare climb to 6.3 percent in the third quarter of 2014, launching it into the top five worldwide vendors, according to new data released from IDC. While Apple has long held a position as one of the top PC vendors in the U.S., it has not made it into the list of top five worldwide vendors in quite some time.

With nearly 5 million shipments during the quarter compared to 4.5 million in the year ago quarter, Apple saw overall growth of 8.9 percent year over year, allowing it to edge out ASUS as the number five vendor. Lenovo, HP, Dell, and Acer, meanwhile, held their top four positions. Lenovo, as usual, was the top worldwide PC vendor, with more than 15 million shipments and 20 percent marketshare.

Apple moved into the number 5 position on a worldwide basis, slightly overtaking ASUS. The company's steady growth, along with recent price cuts and improved demand in mature markets, has helped it to consistently outgrow the market.

As for U.S. shipments, Apple retained its number three vendor position with more than 2.2 million shipments and 13 percent marketshare, up 9.3 percent year over year. HP and Dell held their positions as the top two vendors in the U.S., with 27.7 and 24 percent marketshare, respectively.

Overall, worldwide PC shipments totaled 78.5 million units and saw a year over year decline of -1.7 percent, while PC shipments in the United States totaled 17.4 million units and saw a 4.3 percent year over year growth.

Gartner has also released its shipment estimates for the third quarter of 2014, but its numbers rank ASUS as the number five worldwide PC vendor with 5.7 million shipments. On the U.S. front, Gartner's estimates also place Apple as the third U.S. vendor with 2.4 million shipments and 14.3 percent marketshare.

It is important to note, as always, that the global and U.S. PC shipment estimates from both IDC and Gartner are based on preliminary data, which explains the discrepancies between the two separate shipment estimates.

Apple's move into the number five worldwide vendor comes as the company prepares to launch new iMacs and possibly other Mac upgrades at an event on October 16. Apple has also launched minor updates to its Retina MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, and iMac lineup throughout 2014, and has introduced price drops on the two latter products.

Earlier today, an Apple representative told Reuters that the company was surprised by GT Advanced's decision to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on Monday, and The Wall Street Journal has now published some new information on the behind the scenes dealings between the two companies.

According to inside sources, Apple was caught off guard by GT's filing because it had been working with GT to make sure the latter company would be able to pay all of its debts. Apple, aware of GT's weak cash position, also reportedly held off on asking for loan repayments on the $439 million GT has received so far.

On Wednesday, Apple called the bankruptcy filing "a surprising decision." A person familiar with the matter said Apple had been working with GT to keep it solvent. In addition, Apple hadn't demanded repayment of loans as it could have, based on GT's weak cash position, people familiar with the matter said.

As part of its loan agreement, Apple was entitled to ask GT Advanced for repayment if its cash holdings fell below $125 million, but Apple has opted not to demand repayment.

In addition to holding off on asking for loan repayment, Apple is also attempting to help GT qualify for the final $139 million payment that Apple has thus far withheld from the company. GT has not yet received the payment because it has reportedly failed to deliver on the technical milestones that it was contractually obligated to meet under the original terms of the $578 million loan that Apple provided for purchasing equipment.

Though Apple was widely rumored to be using GT Advanced sapphire for the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus displays, the company opted to stick with Gorilla Glass, leading to troubles for GT Advanced. Apple provided GT with a facility and a loan to buy equipment, but was not required to purchase GT's sapphire, which has eaten into GT's cash pile.

GT, meanwhile, has reportedly run into manufacturing issues that have impacted yield, explaining why Apple may have passed on sapphire screens for its new iPhones. GT is also subjected to exclusivity provisions limiting what it is able to sell to other companies.

Apple's upcoming Apple Watch will use sapphire on some models, but GT's bankruptcy is unlikely to impact the production of that device as Apple can use sapphire from other sources. The future of sapphire display covers for iPhones is less certain, however, as there are few other sources where Apple can obtain enough high-quality sapphire.

GT Advanced will have its first Chapter 11 bankruptcy court hearing tomorrow, where it is expected to divulge additional information on the reasons behind its bankruptcy filing.

We're growing closer to the launch of the first hardware accessories that are compatible with Apple's HomeKit home automation platform, as the company has recently published the final Made for iPhone (MFi) specifications for hardware developers. With the completed specifications, hardware manufacturers will be able to create products that are designed to integrate with the HomeKit platform.

All developers creating hardware for HomeKit must follow Apple's MFi guidelines and incorporate the HomeKit technical specifications. As outlined by 9to5Mac, some of Apple's final HomeKit specifications cover the pairing and security of Bluetooth LE and Wi-Fi connected HomeKit accessories.

While we've already seen several products that will take advantage of HomeKit, including a smart USB charger and a line of connected home sensors, Apple's HomeKit supports a wide range of products like lightbulbs, locks, fans, thermostats, power outlets, garage doors, and more. Apple has also announced several partners already, including Philips and Honeywell.

As Apple has worked to ready HomeKit for hardware developers, it has also been working on the software front. The latest beta of the Apple TV software, released alongside iOS 8.1 beta 2, includes explicit support for HomeKit, turning the Apple TV into something of a home automation hub.

The new Apple TV software turns the Apple TV into a remote access HomeKit peer, and as described by AppleInsider, this allows HomeKit devices to sync with the Apple TV, possibly giving users a way to control connected devices even when away from home.

In the future, an updated Apple TV set-top box could include long-rumored features like Siri support, letting users easily control HomeKit-connected devices from their living rooms through the Apple TV dashboard. HomeKit has been designed to work deeply with Siri, letting users control HomeKit hardware via voice commands.

At its Worldwide Developers Conference, several potential uses for HomeKit were demoed. For example, when a user has HomeKit-compatible hardware installed, Apple's voice assistant Siri can be asked to "Close the garage, "Turn off the lights," or "Lower the temperature."

Apple has plans to hold a Made for iPhone (MFi) summit November 12 through November 14, providing accessory manufacturers and developers with information on HomeKit, iBeacon, AirPlay, and more, and with the finalized specification now available, we should be seeing additional hardware products with HomeKit support in the near future.

As expected, Apple will be holding a media event on Thursday, October 16 at the Town Hall auditorium on its Cupertino headquarters campus, with the company today sending out media invitations for the event (via The Loop). The event begins at 10:00 AM Pacific, and the invitations carry the tagline "It's been way too long".

Apple is expected to introduce an updated iPad Air (and possibly a new iPad mini), as well as updated iMacs with at least the 27-inch model carrying a high-resolution Retina display. OS X Yosemite is also likely to see its final overview before public launch, and one rumor has suggested updated Mac minis are also in the works and could see an announcement at the event.

In the company's first public statement regarding the bankruptcy filing by its sapphire partner GT Advanced Technologies earlier this week, an Apple spokesman tells Reuters the company was surprised by the filing and that it is now figuring out its next steps.

"We are focussed on preserving jobs in Arizona following GT's surprising decision and we will continue to work with state and local officials as we consider our next steps," spokesman Chris Gaither said.

GT reportedly fell into difficulty when Apple withheld a final $139 million prepayment loan, part of a roughly $580 million package intended to help GT start up operations at the Mesa, Arizona sapphire production plant owned by Apple.

With Apple opting not to use sapphire for the display on the iPhone 6 and under no commitment to purchase sapphire from GT, the sapphire producer quickly started running out of cash. And with repayment on the Apple loan set to start in January, if not sooner, GT found itself needing to enter bankruptcy protection while reorganizing its business.

While the Apple Watch will use sapphire on some models, KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo claims GT's bankruptcy should have no impact on that product as Apple can source sapphire for that product from multiple sources.

Well-known Vietnamese blog Tinhte.vn today published images that reportedly show the design of Apple's next generation iPad Air 2. The pictured device has the same general form factor as the existing iPad Air, but includes a thinner 7 mm profile that measures roughly the same as the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus and thinner than the current 7.5 mm iPad Air. In line with previous rumors, the iPad Air 2 model also includes a home button with a Touch ID fingerprint sensor.

While this latest report includes detailed photographs and a video, they only give us a hint at Apple's next-generation iPad as the device in the photos is described as a dummy model used by accessory manufacturers to test out and showcase their designs and not an actual iPad Air 2 unit leaked from a Foxconn assembly line. Similar to previous leaks, the iPad model has the same external design features seen in earlier leaks and in MacRumors' own dummy unit on hand since June.

Of perhaps most note, the Tinhte.vn and other dummy models include two distinctive small holes in the area of the rear camera -- one on the back and one of the side of the casing. The hole closest to the camera is undoubtedly for a microphone, while the other hole likely marks the presumed location of the mute/rotation switch, which is not depicted ini full on the models. Today's report and an earlier one have suggested this hole is for a microphone rather than simply marking the mute/rotation switch location, but we believe this interpretation is likely incorrect.

Apple is expected to unveil its iPad Air 2 and possibly a new Retina iPad mini at a press event to be held on October 16. The next-generation iPad Air is rumored to included a faster A8 processor, anti-reflective display, Touch ID, and a gold color option.

Quanta Computer has begun production on Apple's ultra-slim 12-inch MacBook and will look to ramp up its efforts beginning November, reports Digitimes. Despite these newest efforts however, the report also states that the notebook will not be ready in time for this holiday season.

Since initial production of 12-inch MacBook Air has not yet reached a satisfactory yield rate, component makers and Quanta are making efforts to hike yield rates for the time being, the sources said. As initial production is in limited volumes, 12-inch MacBook Air may not be able to hit the store shelves in time for Christmas, the sources indicated.

Specifically, component makers are reportedly having issues with the new MacBook Air's ultrathin chassis, which is said to be slimmer than the current 11-inch and 13-inch MacBook Air. The supply chain sources also add that the 12-inch MacBook Air will come with a touch-enabled Retina display.

Rumors of an ultra-slim 12-inch MacBook from Apple have gained traction throughout the past few months, as reports from Jack March last month indicated that the notebook would launch in multiple color options and feature fanless internals. A fanless machine would also suggest that the machine would adopt an ultra low-power processor, such as the Broadwell-Y Core M processors recently announced by Intel.

However, a touch-enabled Retina display seems less likely for the 12-inch MacBook, as the inclusion of one would greatly increase the cost of the machine. A multi-touch 12-inch MacBook would also likely conflict with Apple's rumored 12.9-inch iPad Pro, which is said to be launching early next year.

March's report previously indicated Apple appears to be aiming for a mid-2015 launch for its 12-inch notebook. The notebook will reportedly come in silver, gold, and space gray options.

Hours after Apple seeded the second iOS 8.1 beta to developers, developer Hamza Sood has located the Apple Pay setup screen in the Passbook app, the Apple Pay setup screen in the initial iOS 8.1 setup and Apple Pay setup on the iPad. Previously, Sood had found the Apple Pay setup screen within the Settings app.

The setup prompt within Passbook is similar to the setup prompt to add passes, educating potential users on what the service is before providing a link to where users can input and scan their credit cards for use. Potential users have the choice to either input their credit card numbers via the keyboard or to take a photo of their card and have it inputted automatically.

The iPad gets the same setup screen as the iPhone version, but does not mention the ability to use Apple Pay in a retail store as no current iPads contain the NFC technology required to use the feature and it is uncertain whether it could be included in future iPads. Additionally, Apple Pay requires Touch ID, which current iPad models do not have, although future iPads are expected to have the new Touch ID home button.

iOS 8.1 is likely to be the update to include Apple Pay, although Apple has not yet flipped the switch within the betas seeded to developers. Instead, the company seems to have been preparing the features behind-the-scenes. Alongside Apple Pay, iOS 8.1 is expected to include a host of bug fixes for issues in iOS 8, including a fix for Bluetooth connectivity problems.

A new report from KGI Securities' Ming-Chi Kuo suggests that Apple's sapphire partner GT Advanced Technologies' recent filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection will not affect its upcoming Apple Watch. However, he cautions that it does raise concerns about the possibility of future iPhones using sapphire displays.

Bankruptcy has no impact on Apple Watch. As the Apple Watch sapphire cover lens uses an ingot of less than 6-inches, and as drop-test requirements aren’t so stringent as those of iPhone, general ingot manufacturing processes such as KY suffice for Apple Watch. This is why there are abundant sapphire ingot suppliers to choose from for Apple Watch. According to our survey, aside from GTAT, other Apple Watch sapphire ingot suppliers are Hansol (KR) and Harbin Aurora Optoelectronics (CN). We therefore don’t think GTAT’s bankruptcy will affect sapphire ingot supply to Apple Watch.

... but it raises uncertainties on iPhone touch panel use of sapphire cover lens.

Kuo suggests that GT Advanced's ASF (advanced sapphire furnace) sapphire ingot isn't the only one it's considering to use for iPhone displays, though it is the company's preference due to the superior drop-test performance of GT Advanced's sapphire. And while Kuo believes that Apple still wants to use sapphire displays for iPhones, the bankruptcy of GT Advanced will likely result in bottlenecks in ASF sapphire production. Other sapphire ingot suppliers are unlikely to benefit, as they do not measure up to Apple's higher drop-test standards.

Apple had been widely expected to include sapphire display covers on some iPhone 6 models, but that development did not arrive. As Kuo notes, Apple still plans to use sapphire displays for Apple Watch, as it uses an ingot less than 6-inches and Apple's standards for drop-tests on the Watch are not as stringent as those for iPhone.

Apple's iPhone continues to grow in popularity with U.S. teenagers, according to Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster's latest semiannual teen survey, which asked approximately 7,200 teens with an average age of 16 years about their device usage habits and future buying plans.

67 percent of surveyed teens owned an iPhone, compared to 61 percent in the Spring survey, and 73 percent of teens expect their next phone to be an iPhone. Much of Apple's gains in ownership came from Android, which lost five percentage points over the last several months. iPhone usage among teens may jump significantly in the next few months, as the survey was conducted just before the introduction of the larger-screened iPhone 6 and 6 Plus.

While iPad ownership remained high at 66 percent, there was no growth compared to the Spring survey. Android tablets also saw ownership numbers drop, and of customers planning to buy a tablet in the next six months, 60 percent plan to choose an iPad Air or iPad mini.

As for the upcoming Apple Watch, interest among teenagers remains relatively low. Only 16 percent of teens said they would be interested in purchasing an Apple Watch for $350, down slightly from the Spring survey where 17 percent expressed interest. Munster's survey was, however, conducted before the Apple Watch was announced, so interest numbers may shift in the next Spring survey.

Younger customers have always been important to Apple as it gives the company a chance to create lifelong customers. Apple's recent acquisition of Beats Electronics, for example, may have partially taken place as an effort to remain relevant among teenage users. In a survey of 10,000 students, a quarter believed the deal would make Apple more "cool," while 50 percent believed the acquisition would increase Apple's popularity among students.

Apple today released a second golden master candidate of OS X Yosemite to developers, a week after releasing the first candidate golden master and the fourth public beta. Apple has also released the fifth public beta to those who signed up to beta test the new Mac OS.

The latest Yosemite update, build 14A386a, can be downloaded from the Mac App Store and through Apple's Mac Dev Center.

OS X Yosemite brings a flatter, more modern look to OS X, with an emphasis on translucency and redesigned dock, windows, and more. It also includes a multitude of new features, such as improved integration with iOS 8 through Continuity, a new "Today" view in Notification Center that offers integration with third-party apps, a retooled Spotlight search with new data sources, and several new features for apps like Mail, Safari, and Messages.

Over the course of the beta testing period, each Developer Preview has added new features and refined the look and performance of OS X Yosemite, although changes have become less obvious in more recent builds as Apple begins finalizing Yosemite ahead of its public release, which is expected in late October.

The current build, like the previous golden master candidate, may not be the final version of OS X Yosemite, depending on the outcome of final testing. Last year, Apple seeded multiple golden master versions of OS X Mavericks, with the final version coming a couple of days ahead of the software's public release.

GT Advanced CEO Thomas Gutierrez sold over 9,000 shares of GT Advanced stock just a day before Apple announced the iPhone 6, reports The Wall Street Journal. The September 8 sale netted him approximately $160,000 at an average price of $17.38, before the company's stock dropped 13 percent to $14.94 on September 9 after it became clear the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus did not include sapphire screens.

As noted by The Wall Street Journal, though the timing is suspect, the September 8 sale was part of a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 Plan enacted in March, according to SEC filings. Along with the $160,000 he earned on September 8, however, Gutierrez sold shares on several other occasions throughout 2014, earning him more than 10 million dollars as GT stock rose on rumors that Apple would use its sapphire for the new iPhones. In comparison, the CEO did not sell any of his shares in 2013.

In a filing, GT said Gutierrez's share sale was part of a pre-arranged plan put in place on March 14, 2014. But there was no obvious pattern to his sales.

In May, June and July, Gutierrez sold shares within the first three days of the month. But then he didn't sell additional shares until Sept. 8, two days after he received 15,902 previously restricted shares. (Gutierrez forfeited the remaining 6,670 shares to cover tax obligations.)

GT Advanced filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on Monday, promising to continue operations as it goes through a transitional phase to reorganize its business. "Today's filing does not mean we are going out of business," said Gutierrez. "Rather, it provides us with the opportunity to continue to execute our business plan on stronger footing, maintain operations of our diversified business, and improve our balance sheet."

Apple and GT Advanced first partnered in late 2013, with Apple building a 700-employee manufacturing facility in Mesa, Arizona that's run by GT Advanced. The deal also saw Apple funding GT's purchase of furnaces and other sapphire-making equipment through a $578 million loan, doled out over several months and subjected to certain capacity requirements.

Under the terms of the agreement between Apple and GT Advanced, GT Advanced is required to pay back the $578 million loan over the course of five years. If the loan is not paid back, Apple is entitled to the equipment that GT Advanced purchased. When a deal was struck between the two companies, GT Advanced noted that sapphire production for Apple would result in substantially lower gross margins, but was confident that a recurring revenue stream would be beneficial for growth in the long run.

Apple was widely expected to include sapphire display covers from GT Advanced on some iPhone 6 models, and it is unclear why sapphire was not used at all. GT filings did, however, suggest that the company saw poor sapphire yield rates, which may have impacted Apple's decision to stick with alternate materials. Apple is not subjected to any type of commitment to purchase sapphire from GT Advanced, and though the Apple Watch does indeed include a sapphire cover, it is unclear whether the sapphire being used is sourced from GT.

GT's stock dropped approximately 90 percent after the company's bankruptcy announcement and has seen little gain since then.

Used as an in-car hands-free system, Siri causes a high level of mental distraction while driving, according to research conducted by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. In a thorough study [PDF] that measured the cognitive workload of 45 drivers completing in-car tasks using various voice-based technologies, Siri's high complexity and low intuitiveness resulted in some of the highest levels of mental distraction.

Using a five-category rating system, researchers measured Siri-based interactions like sending and receiving text messages and emails, updating Facebook or Twitter, and modifying calendar appointments. Various measurements to record distraction were taken during three separate experiments, in-car on residential streets, without driving, and in a driving simulator.

Researchers tested Siri on an iPhone 5 with iOS 7, using a microphone and voice commands to make the setup both hands-free and eyes-free, with drivers unable to look at or make contact with the phone.

Siri was found to produce the highest mental workload on the researchers' scale, and use of Siri in a car even resulted in two crashes during the simulator study. It was also given the lowest rating of intuitiveness along with the highest rating of complexity, due to its lack of consistency and its inflexibility when it came to voice commands.

Common issues involved inconsistencies in which Siri would produce different responses to seemingly identical commands. In other circumstances, Siri required exact phrases to accomplish specific tasks, and subtle deviations from that phrasing would result in a failure.

When there was a failure to properly dictate a message, it required starting over since there was no way to modify/edit a message or command. Siri also made mistakes such as calling someone other than the desired person from the phone contact list. Some participants also reported frustration with Siri's occasional sarcasm and wit.

According to the researchers, interactions with Siri may improve over time as the voice assistant is able to learn accents and other characteristics of a user's voice, but many commands resulted in overly complex interactions that could be fixed via "improvements to the software design."

Though the AAA study looked at the distraction level when using Siri directly on an iPhone, it did not look at CarPlay, Apple's new in-dash system that the company says is a "smarter, safer way to use your iPhone in the car." Other similar in-dash systems did, however, result in high levels of cognitive workload in a companion study, but cognitive demand varied highly based on the number of comprehension errors and the number of steps required to complete an action.

Early CarPlay reviews have suggested that the system's Siri integration is improved compared to Siri on the iPhone, as it was judged to be easy to use with simple menus and navigation.

The study comes ahead of a set of voluntary guidelines the AAA is planning to create, encouraging users to minimize their cognitive distraction by cutting back on the use of voice-based technologies while driving. According to the AAA, voice-based interactions within a vehicle result in "significant impairments" to driving that may "adversely affect traffic safety."