MacRumors

Apple unveiled its ‌Siri‌ (or ‌Apple TV‌) Remote with touch surface in 2015 alongside the fourth-generation ‌Apple TV‌, and it's never been a particularly popular accessory.

Last year we saw Swiss telco Salt launch an alternative remote control for the Apple TV 4K set-top boxes that it includes in its domestic broadband TV bundle, and yesterday AppleInsider surfaced another potential alternative for anyone frustrated with Apple's native Remote.

Function101's "Button Remote for Apple TV" costs $30 and looks very similar to the Swiss model, but this one will be available in the U.S. later this month, providing another option for anyone watching one of the Salt models on eBay, where they sell at a hefty premium.

The Button Remote includes directional arrows in place of the Siri Remote's glass Touch surface, a power button in addition to a Menu button, along with separate volume and channel rockers and traditional media playback buttons. There's no Siri button included, however.

If that omission is a deal breaker but you can't live with Apple's own remote, you could always control your Apple TV using an iPhone or via your Apple Watch.

Apple today announced a target of becoming carbon neutral across its entire business and manufacturing supply chain by 2030.

Apple is already carbon neutral across its global corporate operations, and this new commitment means that by 2030, every Apple device sold will have net zero climate impact.

"Businesses have a profound opportunity to help build a more sustainable future, one born of our common concern for the planet we share," said Tim Cook, Apple's CEO. "The innovations powering our environmental journey are not only good for the planet — they've helped us make our products more energy efficient and bring new sources of clean energy online around the world. Climate action can be the foundation for a new era of innovative potential, job creation, and durable economic growth. With our commitment to carbon neutrality, we hope to be a ripple in the pond that creates a much larger change."

Apple plans to reduce emissions by 75 percent by 2030 while developing innovative carbon removal solutions for the remaining 25 percent of its comprehensive footprint, according to its newly released 2020 Environmental Progress Report. Apple says it will provide a roadmap for other companies looking to reduce their impact on climate change.

Separately, Apple told the BBC News that any company hoping to become a supplier would have to commit to "be 100 percent renewable for their Apple production" within 10 years.

Apple today also posted a video on its YouTube channel called "A climate change promise from Apple," promoting its pledge to make its carbon footprint non-existent by 2030.

Apple will host free online art sessions for high school students in Chicago next week as part of its continuing "Today at Apple" virtual event series.

Titled Sentrock's Summer Studio, the online sessions take place on July 27 through July 31, and feature some of Chicago's "most influential creators," including Sentrock, Hailey M Losselyong, Norma Ojeda, Nikko Washington and Lizz Ortiz.

Calling all Chicagoland high school students! From July 27–31, join Sentrock Studio and Young Chicago Authors with Today at Apple for a week of free virtual art sessions for students ages 14–18.

Each day you'll go behind the scenes with a lineup of Chicago's most influential creators to find inspiration in their studios, learn illustration tips and techniques, and make artwork inspired by their visual styles. Bring your imagination and whatever you have to draw on.

The virtual events are the result of a collaboration with Secret Walls and Young Chicago Authors, and will run on the above dates from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. local time over Webex. For more details including how to sign up, click the link.

Last year, YouTuber and photographer Andrew Levitt teamed up with his friends Jacob Phillips and Taylor Gray to recreate all of Apple's default wallpapers included in macOS Catalina.

Following Apple's unveiling of macOS Big Sur at the WWDC conference in June, they again set out to recreate Apple's newest default wallpaper, with no preparation, within just one week.

The task was even more challenging this time, however, as the default ‌macOS Big Sur wallpaper showcases the dramatic rugged mountainous area of California's Central Coast region from an elevated vantage point 4,000 feet over the ocean.

After doing some research, Levitt and his friends found out that a drone wouldn't be able to get the shot, and regardless, flying drones off the coast of Big Sur is against the law. So the team got in touch with a helicopter pilot, who coincidentally turned out to be the same pilot that flew out Apple's own photographer to get the original shot.

After having to deal with thick fog on the first attempt, the team headed out a second time and managed to get the same shot. Check out the original video for some dramatic footage captured on the Big Sur coastline.

Follow the creators on Instagram: Andrew Levitt, Jacob Phillips, and Taylor Gray.

Google is rolling out new bike sharing information as part of its cycling route coverage in Google Maps. The new feature means users will be able to get directions using rented bikes from docked bike-share schemes like Divvy in Chicago and Santander Cycles in London.

The new functionality means it will be possible to get end-to-end navigation routes that include walking directions to get to the nearest bike dock, cycling directions to get from one dock to another, and then walking directions to your intended destination.

Starting today, when you look up biking directions, you’ll see end-to-end directions that include docked bikeshare information. Steps will include detailed walking directions to bikeshare stations near your starting point along with live bike availability, turn-by-turn cycling directions to the bikeshare station closest to your destination with live dock availability, and, finally, walking directions from there to your final destination. And, for some cities, Maps will show you links to open the relevant bikeshare app to book and unlock the bike.

The functionality is rolling out over the coming weeks, after which users will be able to find docked bike share directions in the following 10 cities:

• Chicago, U.S. (Divvy/Lyft)
• New York City, U.S. (Citi Bike/Lyft)
• San Francisco Bay Area, U.S. (Bay Wheels/Lyft)
• Washington, DC, U.S. (Capital Bikeshare/Lyft)
• London, England (Santander Cycles/TfL)
• Mexico City, Mexico (Ecobici)
• Montreal, Canada (BIXI/Lyft)
• Rio De Janeiro, Brazil (Bike Itaú)
• São Paulo, Brazil (Bike Itaú)
• Taipei and New Taipei City, Taiwan (YouBike)

Google introduced biking directions in Google Maps ten years ago, and it's now available in nearly 30 countries. In iOS 14, Apple Maps route mapping will also consider bike lanes and dedicated cycling paths, and take elevation into account. The functionality will debut in the U.S. in New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco Bay, and Shanghai in China.

Apple CEO Tim Cook, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, Alphabet/Google CEO Sundar Pichai, and Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg are all set to participate in an antitrust hearing next Monday held by the United States House Judiciary Antitrust Subcommittee as part of an ongoing antitrust investigation on competition in digital markets.

Ahead of the hearing, the committee spoke with Microsoft president and chief legal officer Brad Smith, with The Information sharing details on the virtual meeting.

The committee wanted to talk with Smith so he could "provide Microsoft's perspective as a big tech company" formerly involved in antitrust regulation over Windows, but Smith also reportedly shared Microsoft's concerns with the way Apple operates the App Store.

Topics covered included Apple's arbitrary ‌App Store‌ approval processes, the 30 percent cut that Apple takes from app purchases and subscriptions, and requirements that developers use Apple's in-app purchase system.

At a Politico event in June, Smith expressed similar sentiments and said that it's time for regulators to take a look at app stores and the payment requirements.

"They impose requirements that increasingly say there is only one way to get on to our platform and that is to go through the gate that we ourselves have created. In some cases they create a very high price per toll - in some cases 30% of your revenue has to go to the toll keeper."

"The time has come - whether we are talking about D.C. or Brussels - for a much more focused conversation about the nature of app stores, the rules that are being put in place, the prices and the tolls that are being extracted and whether there is really a justification in antitrust law for everything that has been created."

Microsoft distributes multiple apps in Apple's ‌App Store‌, and is required to pay Apple 15 to 30 percent for any customers who subscribe to its Office 365 service through Apple's platform.

‌Tim Cook‌ and other tech CEOS will testify in the antitrust hearing on Monday, July 27 at 12:00 p.m. Eastern Time, and a livestream will be available on YouTube.

The Linux Foundation today announced the launch of a new Linux Foundation Public Health Initiative (LFPH) (via TechRepublic) that uses open source technologies including Apple and Google's Exposure Notification API to help public health authorities combat COVID-19.

The LFPH includes Cisco, doc.ai, Geometer, IBM, NearForm, Tencent, and VMWare, and is launching with two exposure notification projects: COVID Shield and COVID Green.

COVID Shield and COVID Green are apps that use the Apple and Google-designed privacy-focused exposure notification API, with the apps rolling out in Canada, Ireland, and some U.S. states.

"To catalyze this open source development, Linux Foundation Public Health is building a global community of leading technology and consulting companies, public health authorities, epidemiologists and other public health specialists, privacy and security experts, and individual developers," said Dan Kohn, LFPH general manager. "While we're excited to launch with two very important open source projects, we think our convening function to enable collaboration to battle this pandemic may be our biggest impact."

COVID Shield, developed by a volunteer team at Shopify, is in the process of being deployed in Canada, while COVID Green was developed by a team at NearForm as part of the Irish Government's response to the pandemic. Both of the apps are being made available to public health authorities around the world to use and customize to create their own contact tracing apps.

Apple released its ‌Exposure Notification‌ API in May 2020 with the launch of iOS 13.5, but the API, designed in partnership with Google, has not yet seen wide adoption. Switzerland, Latvia, Italy, Germany, Poland, Saudi Arabia, Ireland, and Denmark have launched contact tracing apps that use the API so far.

Some states like Alabama, North Dakota, and South Carolina are working on a contact tracing app, but no apps using the Apple and Google API have been released in the U.S. so far. Contact tracing is believed to be of value as it is designed to let people know when they've been exposed to COVID-19 so they can quarantine themselves and cut down on the spread of the virus.

Ustwo Games, the studio that created the popular Monument Valley and Assemble With Care games for iPhones and iPads, today unveiled a new upcoming title, "Alba: a Wildlife Adventure."

Little has been revealed about the game at this time, but it will feature titular character and activist Alba, with players able to experience a "Mediterranean Summer filled with friendship, family and nature" as Alba visits her grandparents to explore wildlife with her friend Ines.

Based on a description of the game, Alba sees an animal in danger and decides to do something about it, forming a wildlife league to save the animals of the island.

Alba: a Wildlife Adventure is set to be released this winter and it will be available for iOS, macOS, tvOS, PCs, and consoles.

Apple's U.S. iPhone sales were down 23 percent in the second quarter of 2020 compared to the second quarter of 2019, according to new sales estimates shared today by Counterpoint Research. Though sales were down, the ‌iPhone‌ SE was seen as something of a "bright spot," selling above expectations.

Overall U.S. smartphone sell-through was down 25 percent year over year in Q2 2020, but Apple and Samsung were able to maintain sales somewhat better than other brands due to a strong online presence. In Apple's case, the new 2020 iPhone SE, released in April, also helped Apple's sales volumes throughout the quarter.

Priced starting at $399, the ‌iPhone‌ SE has been selling well in both postpaid and prepaid channels. More than 30 percent of ‌iPhone‌ SE buyers were upgrading from an ‌iPhone‌ 6s or older, and more than 26 percent of ‌iPhone‌ SE users came from an Android device, which Counterpoint says is a higher than normal Android to iOS switch rate.

Apple volumes grew through the quarter and were especially helped by iPhone SE volumes. It was not a typical Apple launch with large fanfare and a launch event at the Steve Jobs theatre, which normally also includes a blitz of TV ads. However, the device has been successful and selling above expectations in both postpaid and prepaid channels. Since the iPhone SE launched, carrier stores and national retail have been re-opening. Some channels saw large promos to draw shoppers back to stores. This was especially true within Walmart, Metro by T-Mobile and Boost.

Apple's ‌iPhone‌ SE sales are "unlikely" to cannibalize sales of the 2020 ‌iPhone‌ 12 models because ‌iPhone‌ SE purchasers are "more pragmatic" about price, less concerned with 5G connectivity, and the smaller display is "not considered a hindrance."

According to Counterpoint Research, mid-March through mid-April saw the weakest sales in the overall smartphone market, but things began picking up again in the back half of April after consumers received stimulus checks and retail stores began reopening. Smartphone sales for May through the end of June grew week over week, and June 2020 sales were ultimately stronger than June 2019 sales.

Christian Selig, developer of popular Reddit app Apollo, is today hosting a fundraiser that will see all Apollo in-app purchase proceeds from today donated to his local SPCA animal shelter.

Selig hosts a similar fundraiser each year, and last year, was able to raise $27,000 to help shelter animals in Nova Scotia, marking the largest donation the SPCA had ever received.

Apollo is a free Reddit app that can be used in a read only kind of capacity at no cost, but it offers "tip" options at $3.99, $6.99, or $9.99 to unlock Apollo Pro features like post submissions, multiple account support, auto dark mode, gesture customization, filtering, live comment updating, custom color themes, and more.

There's also an extra Apollo Ultra tier for $0.99 per month, $9.99 per year, or $24.99 for a lifetime unlock that provides realtime notifications, app theming, and a custom app icon every month. All Apollo proceeds from in-app upgrades will be donated today.

To celebrate the fundraiser and encourage donations, Selig has also released a new pet-themed SPCA Home Screen icon option created by artist David Lanham, which can be set as the icon on the iPhone or iPad's ‌Home Screen‌. The icon is an extra $4.99 purchase that also includes an Apollo Pets photo album and wallpapers.

Customers who have already upgraded to Apollo Pro or Ultra can purchase the extra icon package to donate to the SPCA.

Apollo for Reddit can be downloaded from the iOS App Store for free. [Direct Link]

Belkin in January announced a new HomeKit-enabled Wemo WiFi Smart Plug, which is available for purchase starting today.

The Wemo WiFi Smart Plug is the smallest plug to date in the Wemo lineup, making it an appealing option for those who are looking for a slim HomeKit-compatible plug option.

With the Wemo app, Siri commands, or the Home app, Apple HomeKit users can wirelessly control lamps, heaters, fans, and more with Belkin's Smart Plug. It's also compatible with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant.

The Wemo WiFi Smart Plug can be purchased from the Belkin website for $24.99. A three pack is also available from Best Buy for $49.99.

Apple's 2020 iPhone lineup will feature 5G support for the first time, and several rumors have suggested that the new iPhones coming this year are expected to support both sub-6GHz and mmWave networks, which are two different 5G technologies that carriers are rolling out.

mmWave, the fastest 5G technology, will be used in dense urban areas like major cities, while sub-6GHz networks will be available more broadly in suburban and urban areas. Sub-6GHz technology is faster than 4G, but not as fast as mmWave and not responsible for some of the blazing fast speeds advertised when companies talk about 5G technology.

DigiTimes is out today with a new preliminary report that indicates all 2020 iPhones will feature support for mmWave and sub-6GHz networks, but suggests Apple will take a different approach in 2021.

Some of the 2021 ‌iPhone‌ models may feature single 5G band support, working on either mmWave or sub-6GHz networks, but not both.

Apple's 2020 series of iPhones will work on both sub-6GHz and millimeter wave 5G networks, and the vendor is considering introducing its iPhones supporting either mmWave or sub-6GHz for specific markets next year, according to industry sources in Taiwan.

The iPhones with limited support would be introduced in specific markets where one technology is more predominantly used than the other. Some countries, for example, will not have support for mmWave networks, which makes the inclusion of mmWave support less important and could cut down on modem costs for future iPhones.

There have been some 2020 iPhone rumors, including from reliable Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, that have suggested Apple's ‌iPhone‌ 12 lineup will also feature devices that may not have mmWave support enabled in some countries.

All of the 2020 iPhones are expected to have the same modem hardware that supports all 5G bands, but Apple could disable mmWave in countries where it is not operational or turn off 5G entirely in countries without 5G networks to reduce its production costs as antennas are required to work with the modem hardware.

DigiTimes' report suggests that the 2021 iPhones could perhaps have different hardware that only supports one network, rather than Apple disabling hardware, but we'll have to wait to see what happens with the 2020 iPhones to get a better picture of what we can expect for the 2021 ‌iPhone‌ lineup as the rumors about which iPhones will support which networks are somewhat confusing at this time.

‌DigiTimes‌' report today is a preliminary report and it will be updated with more information in the future, and if there's more detail to include, we'll update this article. For more on what to expect from the 2020 ‌iPhone‌ lineup, make sure to check out our iPhone 12 roundup.