MacRumors

Nearly fifteen months after the Apple Watch launched in the U.S. and eight other countries on April 24, 2015, new data shows that sales of the device have yet to experience an overly precipitous decline so far this year.

Swiss bank UBS has issued a research note that projects Apple Watch sales totaled 1.7 million units in the June quarter, a somewhat surprising increase of 100,000 units compared to its estimate of 1.6 million sales in the March quarter.

Apple Watch sales have remained steady throughout the first half of 2016, despite the formation of an elongated refresh cycle that will likely reach at least 17 months -- the so-called Apple Watch 2 is rumored to launch in the third quarter, possibly alongside the next iPhone in September. The new Apple Watch could feature a FaceTime video camera, expanded Wi-Fi capabilities, cellular connectivity, and other internal upgrades, while new models and bands are always possibilities.

UBS forecasts that Apple Watch sales will rise to 2 million in the September quarter, contributing to a total of 10.35 million units in the 2016 fiscal year. If those estimates are accurate, that would make Apple Watch the most popular smartwatch for the second consecutive year, ahead of Samsung among smartwatches and only behind Fitbit and its cheaper fitness trackers in the broader wearables market. Apple Watch commanded a leading 52.4 percent share of the smartwatch market in the first quarter, well ahead of Samsung at 14.3 percent, according to Strategy Analytics.

Apple does not disclose Watch sales in its quarterly earning results, instead grouping the device under its Other Products category alongside iPods, Apple TVs, Beats Electronics, and accessories. Without official data, analysts are forced to estimate, but predictions can vary between research firms. Strategy Analytics, for example, estimated Apple Watch sales actually totaled 2.2 million in the March quarter, which is significantly higher than UBS' estimate of 1.6 million sales for the same quarter.

Regardless, it is clear that consumers remain interested in the original Apple Watch in the months leading up to an alleged new model. The device's relative success can conceivably be attributed to, among other factors, its new product category, customizability, and sales and price drops offered by third-party resellers. watchOS 3 will also give the Apple Watch a breath of fresh air, with a dedicated Breathe app, a dock with favorite apps that instantly open, a redesigned Control Center, and more.

Apple's newest 4-inch iPhone SE has taken a 16 percent share of the overall United States iPhone market in its launch quarter, according to new survey data shared by Consumer Intelligence Research Partners and UBS analyst Steven Milunovich. The data shows that the iPhone SE has been successful in "flushing out" older phones, with 26 percent of iPhone buyers in the quarter moving up from an iPhone 4s, up from 16 percent in the previous quarter.

The strong entry of the iPhone SE naturally came at the expense of Apple's other phones in model share, with the iPhone SE helping to prop up overall iPhone sales as the other models begin showing their age by serving as an enticing upgrade option for more frugal customers and those unwilling to upgrade to a larger screen.

The percentage of plus models sold fell by 6 points in the June quarter following a 9 point increase in March. The success of the iPhone SE could demonstrate pent-up demand for a smaller screen and price sensitivity in the installed base.

In the same vein, CIRP's data points to a slight shift towards the preference of lower storage capacities across every model in the iPhone family, as more frugal-minded consumers enter the market at the end of the current iPhone cycle. Although the research firm has seen a slow uptick in higher storage options over the last three quarters (62 percent of iPhone buyers opted for higher capacities in the March quarter, increasing 11 percent year-over-year), compared to the year-ago quarter average storage per smartphone dropped a total of 10 percent. The iPhone SE with only 16 GB and 64 GB options undoubtedly contributed to this decrease.

Close speculation has surrounded not only the current iPhone sales numbers, but the prediction of how well the iPhone 7 will do come September as Apple tries to regain momentum following the first year-over-year decline in revenue since 2003 and first ever year-over-year decline in iPhone sales. Concerns over potential "lack of innovation" is at the root of some doom-and-gloom sales predictions, although, as CIRP corroborated today, Apple has continued to ramp up production of the iPhone SE in the wake of "very strong" demand.

Kia has announced that CarPlay and Android Auto will be available as free software updates for a wider range of select 2014 to 2017 model year vehicles equipped with UVO3 or a compatible navigation system.

The new U.S. models eligible for the CarPlay update specifically, in addition to the 2017 Sorento and Sportage, include the 2017 Forte, 2015-16 Optima, 2015-16 Optima Hybrid, 2015-16 Sedona, 2014-16 Soul, and 2015-16 Soul EV.

The CarPlay software update will be available for download by the end of July on the UVO Home website. Kia said it will notify customers signed up for email notifications via UVO Home when the software is available for download.

Kia's other CarPlay vehicles include the 2017 Cadenza and 2017 Forte5. Its parent brand Hyundai offers CarPlay in the 2016 Sonata, 2017 Elantra, and 2017 IONIQ. Kia also sells select models with CarPlay in Canada and other regions around the world.

The software update is notable given that it involves a number of older 2014 and 2015 models, further proving that automakers are capable of offering CarPlay in properly equipped older vehicles if they choose to do so. Unsurprisingly, however, most brands have limited CarPlay to their newest models only.

BMW, Nissan, and Ford are among the newest CarPlay partners, leaving Toyota and Mazda as two of the largest automakers that have yet to adopt the software platform. Apple periodically updates a list of available CarPlay models on its website.

Apple Pay today expanded to France, marking the availability of the payment service in a total of eight countries (via iPhoneAddict.fr). MasterCard and Visa credit and debit cards issued by Banque Populaire, Ticket Restaurant, Carrefour Banque, and Caisse d'Epargne can now be added to Apple Pay on eligible devices.

According to the Apple Pay France website, both Boon and Orange plan to add Apple Pay support in the near future, further expanding the availability of Apple Pay in the country.

Cards can be added to Apple Pay by tapping the "Add Credit or Debit Card" option in the Wallet app on a device running iOS 8.1 or later. Apple Pay works with the iPhone 6 or later or the iPhone 5 or later when using an iPhone paired with an Apple Watch. Apple Pay in apps is also available on iPads with Touch ID, including the iPad Air 2, iPad mini 3, iPad mini 4, and both iPad Pro models.

Apple Pay is accepted at a wide range of retailers in France, including Bocage, Le Bon Marché, Cojean, Dior, Louis Vuitton, Fnac, Sephora, Flunch, Parkeon, Pret, and more. Apple Pay payments can also be made at any location that accepts contactless payment options.

Apple Pay is now available in the United States, the UK, China, Australia, Canada, Switzerland, Singapore, and France, and Apple plans to expand the service to Hong Kong and Spain later in 2016.

With any major beta update, there are several small changes and tweaks as Apple aims to refine the operating system ahead of its public release, and iOS 10 beta three, seeded to developers this morning, is no exception.

Today's update, available as an over-the-air download for those who installed the first two betas or the beta configuration profile, features new Touch ID accessibility options, new haptic feedback when locking the iPhone, better keyboard sounds, and more.

We've rounded up all of the new features in beta three in the video below, so make sure to check it out to get a quick look at what's changed. We're also listing the changes in the post below.

➜ Click here to read rest of article...

Apple today seeded the third beta of macOS Sierra, the newest operating system designed for the Mac, to developers. macOS Sierra beta 3 comes two weeks after the release of the second beta and more than a month after the software was first unveiled at Apple's 2016 Worldwide Developers Conference.

The update can be downloaded through the software update mechanism in the Mac App Store or through the Apple Developer Center.

macOS Sierra is a major update that brings Siri to the Mac for the first time, allowing users to conduct voice searches to quickly find files, look up information, and more. New Continuity features offer an "Auto Unlock" option for unlocking a Mac with an Apple Watch, which became available in beta 2, and a Universal Clipboard for copying something on one Apple device and pasting it on another.

Deeper iCloud integration makes files stored on the desktop or the Documents folder of a Mac available on all of a user's devices, and Photos features new deep learning algorithms for facial, object, and scene recognition. There's a new Memories feature for displaying photo collections, and Messages has features like rich links, bigger emoji, and "Tapback" response options.

Apple Pay is coming to the web in macOS Sierra, with payments authenticated through an iPhone or Apple Watch, and new features like multiple tabs, Picture in Picture multitasking, and optimized storage are available.

During the beta testing period, Apple will tweak and refine the features introduced in macOS Sierra. Any changes found in the third beta release will be listed below.

macOS Sierra is currently available to developers and public beta testers, and it will see a wider public release this fall. For full details on all of the new features included in macOS Sierra, make sure to check out our macOS Sierra roundup.

Two months before the prospective launch date of the iPhone 7 and the iPhone 7 Plus, there are dozens of images of the two devices floating around on the internet. Some of those images are likely showcasing real parts, while others are dummy models used by case makers to get a head start on designing accessories for the new devices.

Dummy units are often accurate representations of what we can expect to see in new iPhones, but because they're constructed based on rumors, early leaks, and other third-party information, they can't always be trusted. That's the case with a new set of images shared by French site Nowhereelse.Fr, depicting front and back of an "iPhone 7 Pro" dummy model alongside iPhone 7 Plus and an iPhone 7 dummies.

The iPhone 7 Pro features a dual-lens camera and a Smart Connector, while the iPhone 7 Plus and the iPhone 7 feature single-lens cameras and no Smart Connector. Early rumors did indeed suggest Apple was working on two versions of the 5.5-inch iPhone for release in 2016, but those rumors were later retracted and information has solidified around a single 5.5-inch iPhone 7 Plus with a dual-lens camera.

It is not clear why those rumors were circulating in the first place, but Apple may have been working on two separate prototypes with a single-lens version of the iPhone 7 Plus on the sidelines in case of production or supply issues with the dual-lens camera.

In any case, it seems the iPhone dummies in the images above are based on outdated specifications and we do not believe them to be entirely representative of what Apple will release in the fall. This assumption is based both on the inclusion of two 5.5-inch iPhone models and the curious "S" designation on the back of each dummy.

We do not expect to see a 5.5-inch iPhone with a single-lens camera, but a 5.5-inch iPhone 7 Plus with a dual-lens camera and a 4.7-inch iPhone 7 with a larger single-lens camera are in the works, so the dummies are not entirely inaccurate. When it comes to design, the three dummies do match up with rumors pointing towards relocated antenna bands, prominent camera bumps, and a look that's similar to the iPhone 6s, but one design element - the Smart Connector - is still in question.

We've seen several iPhone 7 Plus dummy models with a Smart Connector, but it continues to be unclear as to whether this is a feature we'll see in the finished device. Details surrounding the iPhone 7 and the iPhone 7 Plus will become clearer as we start seeing actual shell leaks - iPhone 7 shells have been spotted, but we still have yet to come across an actual iPhone 7 Plus shell.

Apple plans to release the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus this fall. Aside from the aforementioned design changes, the two devices are also expected to feature no headphone jack, an A10 processor, and improved water resistance.

Apple today shared two new "Shot on iPhone" ad spots on its YouTube channel, highlighting the video capturing capabilities of the iPhone 6s and the iPhone 6s Plus. Both spots are 16 seconds in length and are accompanied by music, much like previous Shot on iPhone videos.

In the first video, shot by Tim W., a close-up of an ant is shown crawling across sand while it carries a seed pod.

The second video by Linda H., also wildlife-themed, features an adorable chipmunk filmed in slow motion stuffing a shelled peanut into its mouth.

In late June, Apple revamped its "Shot on iPhone" campaign to feature bright colors, updating all of its advertising imagery and billboards with new color-focused photos. It appears the video campaign will feature more varied video sequences as neither of today's two videos fits in with the revamped campaign.

Apple has been running its "Shot on iPhone" advertisements since early 2015 following the launch of the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus. It is likely to continue for some time as the upcoming iPhone 7 Plus is rumored to feature a much-improved dual-lens camera while the iPhone 7 will include a larger sensor.

Apple has introduced a fix for a persistent and frustrating Apple Music bug that caused pre-existing music libraries to sometimes be improperly matched with Apple Music songs, reports The Loop.

To make sure songs are correctly matched, Apple is now using iTunes Match audio fingerprint for Apple Music, a more accurate matching method than the metadata matching that was previously employed. Apple Music matching now also offers up DRM-free music files, just like iTunes Match.

Apple has been quietly rolling out iTunes Match audio fingerprint to all Apple Music subscribers. Previously Apple was using a less accurate metadata version of iTunes Match on Apple Music, which wouldn't always match the correct version of a particular song. We've all seen the stories of a live version of a song being replaced by a studio version, etc.

Using iTunes Match with audio fingerprint, those problems should be a thing of the past.

According to The Loop, the version of iTunes Match that is now available to Apple Music subscribers is actually the same iTunes Match service that iTunes users have been paying for as a separate subscription, with all Apple Music subscribers now eligible to use the full version of iTunes Match at no cost. Confusingly, while Apple Music had song matching available previously, it was not the same service that was offered through iTunes Match.

Current Apple Music and iTunes Match subscribers can let their iTunes Match subscriptions expire while continuing to get the same functionality, and should see no changes.

iTunes Match users who are not Apple Music subscribers will need to continue to pay for iTunes Match. Apple Music subscribers will know if they have access to iTunes Match because there will be a "Matched" label in the iCloud Status of iTunes on the Mac.

Users who had songs matched incorrectly via iTunes Match will see their songs rematched to the correct song thanks to the changes that Apple has implemented, and no downloaded copies of songs will be deleted.

Apple is gradually rolling out access to iTunes Match, switching one to two percent of Apple Music subscribers over to the new version each day. The rollout will take some time, and Apple is monitoring the process to make sure there are no issues.

Apple today released iOS 9.3.3 to the public, marking the third minor update to iOS 9 since iOS 9.3 launched in March of 2016. In testing since May 23, there were five betas of iOS 9.3.3 released to developers and public beta testers ahead of the public release of the software.

Today's iOS 9.3.3 release is available as an over-the-air update for all iOS 9 users and it can also be downloaded through iTunes.

As a small 9.x.x update, iOS 9.3.3 focuses mainly on under-the-hood performance improvements and bug fixes rather than outward-facing changes.

iOS 9.3.2 is the ninth update to the iOS 9 operating system, following iOS 9.0.1, iOS 9.0.2, iOS 9.1, iOS 9.2, iOS 9.2.1, iOS 9.3, iOS 9.3.1, and iOS 9.3.2. iOS 9 will be followed by iOS 10, which has already been provided to developers.

iOS 10 brings a host of new features, including a revamped Lock screen experience, an overhauled Messages app with new functionality and its own App Store, a new Photos app with object and facial recognition, a redesigned Music app, a centralized HomeKit app, and a Siri SDK for developers.