MacRumors

Former Apple executive and iOS chief Scott Forstall made a rare public appearance this week at Code.org's virtual Code Break event, and in between classes, Forstall shared the intriguing story of how he was hired by Steve Jobs.

Forstall revealed that he had been considering working at Microsoft when he went to interview at NexT, the company started by Jobs after he had left Apple. Forstall described the NexT interview as "intense," involving seventeen people over the course of the day.

However, ten minutes into the first interview, Jobs burst into the room and grabbed the interviewer and took him out into the hallway. The two had an animated discussion as Forstall waited. Eventually, Jobs came back into the room to personally conduct the interview with him.

"He just started peppering me with question after question, and after about 15 minutes we really clicked – on design, philosophy, and a bunch of other things," Forstall recalled.

"Eventually he stopped, and said, 'I know you have to interview for the rest of the day. I don't care what anyone says, at the end of the day, I'm giving you an offer. But please, pretend you're interested in everyone's questions throughout the rest of the day.' Then he looked at me and said, 'I'm sure you're going to accept this offer.' So this was his way to convince me."

Forstall went on to reveal that he'd also had an offer from Microsoft, which he subsequently turned down that day. The next morning, he found a dead fish in a box on his doorstep.

Reminded of the mafia's use of a dead fish delivery as a threat, Forstall checked the box for a return address: It was from Microsoft. So Forstall called up his contact there, but it turned out the company had sent him a fresh king salmon from Seattle's Pike Place fish market, implying that he wouldn't be able to buy fish like that if he moved to the Bay Area.

Forstall said he ended up cooking the fish and eating it that evening, and then went on to work with Steve Jobs at NeXT and then Apple for the next 20 years, before departing the company in 2013.

The video is embedded above. You can watch the part where Forstall's shares his experience of joining NeXT and working with Jobs from around the 34-minute mark.

Apple is working on a limited-edition version of its augmented reality smart glasses that's designed to look like the round, frameless glasses that Steve Jobs was famous for wearing, according to Jon Prosser.

Prosser, who runs YouTube show Front Page Tech and who has been sharing a flood of Apple rumors in recent weeks, mentioned the detail in Cult of Mac's latest Cultcast podcast.

Prosser says that the "Steve Jobs Heritage" edition version of the "Apple Glass" smart glasses that Apple is working on will be similar to the gold Apple Watch that was available when the Apple Watch first launched.

"They're also working on a prototype, a Steve Jobs Heritage Edition," Prosser said. "Similar to how we had an Apple Watch Edition, like that ridiculous $10,000 gold one when it first came out." Prosser went on to call the glasses "Some like tribute to Steve Jobs, obviously just like a pure marketing ploy at this point."

According to Prosser, Apple's smart glasses will come in a range of styles, with the "Heritage Edition" positioned as a limited time special version. He said he doesn't know what material the heritage version will be made from, nor how much it will cost.

Prosser also said that he has seen a prototype version of the smart glasses (the non-limited edition model) and called them "sleek as hell," similar to a pair of classic Ray-Ban Wayfarers or the glasses that Apple CEO Tim Cook wears.

Both lenses have displays, and there are no "projector" components, with Prosser describing Apple as using in-display technology. They're "made to look like glasses" without cameras and other tech "all over the place." At launch, Apple glasses will be similar to the original Apple Watch - a product that will be simple to start out with, but will evolve over time.

Earlier this week, Prosser claimed that Apple's smart glasses will be called as "Apple Glass," despite the fact that Google already used the "Glass" name for Google Glass years ago. The glasses will reportedly be priced starting at $499, and will be available with prescription lenses for an additional fee.

Prosser said that Apple was planning to unveil the glasses as a "One More Thing" surprise at the iPhone event in the fall, but the announcement could be pushed back to a March 2021 event due to the global health crisis.

It's worth noting that Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, who has a well-established track record for sharing info on Apple's plans, has called all of Prosser's smart glasses leaks "complete fiction."

Full details from Prosser are available in the Cultcast podcast, with the relevant information starting at about 57 minutes into the show.

Some high school students taking their AP exams online have run into serious trouble with the HEIC image format on the iPhone and the iPad, which does not work with the website the AP College Board uses to accept tests.

As outlined by The Verge, AP exams taken by high school students in the United States have a written component, and the exam requires students to take and upload a photo of their written responses.

Some high schoolers who used an iPhone to upload the photo ran into problems with the HEIC format, which would not upload and caused the students to fail the exam. There are thousands of students who will now need to retake their AP exams, and they're unhappy that the College Board did not anticipate the error before some of the exams were conducted.

The College Board has now provided express instructions to students, letting them know to swap over to a JPEG format on their devices or to convert an HEIC image to JPEG before submitting it. Here are the College Board's instructions:

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Scroll down to Camera and tap it.
3. Tap on the Formats option.
4. Select "Most Compatible."

With the Most Compatible option selected, photos will always be saved as JPEGs instead of in the HEIC file format.

Alternatively, students who have already saved exam photos as HEIC can convert them to JPEGs by mailing the photos to themselves using the Mail app on an iPhone or ‌iPad‌, which the College Board says is the most reliable way to ensure a file conversion.

The College Board also plans to allow some students who run into issues submitting their tests to provide the images through email, and as mentioned above, the Mail app will do image conversions automatically. This is an option only for future exams, with students who already failed still required to retake the tests.

Apple has been using the HEIC image format since the 2017 release of iOS 11 because HEIC images are smaller than JPEGs, but the HEIC format has not been widely adopted by websites and internet services. Some newer Android smartphones also use the HEIC format.

T-Mobile is launching a Memorial Day promotion that will see the company offering a free iPhone SE to customers who trade in an eligible older smartphone in good condition.

From Friday to Monday, customers who trade in an existing smartphone can get a free iPhone SE (sales tax still needs to be paid) or up to $500 off a Samsung Galaxy S20.

The free iPhone SE will be provided in the form of bill credits. An eligible smartphone trade-in is required, as is a T-Mobile or Sprint postpaid plan (switching to a plan is allowed).

"The way the Un-carrier says THANK YOU is, of course, by putting money back in your pocket -- like with an iPhone on us or half off one of the latest 5G superphones," said Sievert. "This weekend, every T-Mobile and Sprint postpaid customer can get a new iPhone SE on us, or half off another brand-new phone, with eligible trade-in. Why? Because 'thank you' -- that's why!"

As outlined by TmoNews, eligible smartphones and their discounts are as follows:

$400 Off

• iPhone 11, iPhone XR, iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, iPhone X, iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus
• Samsung Galaxy S10 Series, Galaxy Note 10 Series, Galaxy S9 Series, Galaxy Note 9
• Google Pixel 4 and 4 XL, Pixel 3, Pixel 3 XL
• OnePlus 8 and 8 Pro, OnePlus 7T Pro 5G McLaren, OnePlus 7T
• LG G8 ThinQ

$200 Off

• iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus
• Samsung Galaxy S8 series, Galaxy Note 8
• Google Pixel 3a and 3a XL
• OnePlus 7 and 7 Pro, OnePlus 6T
• LG V50 ThinQ, V40 ThinQ, G7 ThinQ

The iPhone SE deal will be live tomorrow, May 22, and it will be available through May 25. Customers can get the deal online or by visiting a T-Mobile or Sprint store.

T-Mobile today also said that it is planning to provide free service and 5G access to first responder agencies, which includes all public and non-profit state and local fire, police, and EMS departments.

Apple is working on original podcasts that will be exclusive to the Podcasts app, and is searching for an executive to lead its podcast efforts, reports Bloomberg.

Earlier this year, Bloomberg suggested Apple was developing original podcasts focused on TV shows and movies from its Apple TV+ streaming service, using the podcasts as a way to promote ‌Apple TV‌+, but it appears Apple is also planning to purchase original content.

Apple will focus on audio spinoffs of existing movies and programs on ‌Apple TV‌+, but is also seeking to purchase original programs that could potentially be adapted into future TV+ content. Apple is said to be searching for an executive to lead its original podcasting work. The new hire will report to Ben Cave, Apple's head of podcasting.

Apple is also said to have asked some producers working on podcasts to provide versions of their podcasts without advertisements, an effort separate from its work on original content.

Apple Music competitor Spotify has been focusing heavily on podcasts over the course of the last year, aiming to challenge Apple's dominance in the podcasting sphere. Apple's Podcasts app on iPhone, iPad, and Mac have long been the go-to listening choice for Apple customers.

Spotify has been working on original podcast content and has purchased several well-known podcasts. Spotify in February 2019, for example, purchased Gimlet Media, known for podcasts like "Reply All" and "Homecoming." Just this week, Spotify scored exclusive rights to popular podcast "The Joe Rogan Experience," which will see all of the podcasts made available exclusively through Spotify.

According to podcast producers that spoke to Bloomberg, Apple is just "dipping its toe" into original podcast content and has not yet made a massive leap into original podcast content like Spotify.

Beta builds of Premiere Pro include support for Apple's Afterburner accelerator card, Adobe told Premiere Pro users earlier this week. Premiere Pro and After Effects were recently updated with native ProRES RAW support.

The Apple Afterburner is a ProRes and ProRes RAW accelerator card that is an optional add-on accessory available in the 2019 Mac Pro. It supports playback of up to 3 streams of 8K Pro-Res RAW or 12 streams of 4K ProRes RAW.

Adobe says that Premiere Pro supports decode acceleration of ProRes 4444 and 422 codecs using the Afterburner card, but ProRES RAW acceleration through the Afterburner card is not supported at this time.

The Metal renderer must be selected for use in the applications (this is already the default setting):
After Effects (Beta): File > Project Settings... > Video Rendering and Effects > select "Mercury GPU Acceleration (Metal)"
Media Encoder (Beta): Preferences > General > Video Rendering > select Renderer: "Mercury Playback Engine GPU Acceleration (Metal) - Recommended"
Premiere Pro (Beta): File < Project Settings > General > select Renderer: "Mercury Playback Engine GPU Acceleration (Metal) - Recommended"

Adobe is seeking ‌Mac Pro‌ users with an Afterburner card to test the ProRes 422 or 4444 support to improve the feature.

Samsung today announced the launch of a new "Terrace" 4K TV, which is designed to be used outdoors. The Terrace features an IP55 water and dust resistance rating, so it's able to hold up to light water exposure.

Like most newly released Samsung TVs, the Terrace TV includes support for the Apple TV app, which allows users to access ‌Apple TV‌ content like iTunes movies and TV shows, and ‌Apple TV‌+. It also supports AirPlay 2, allowing it to interface with other ‌AirPlay‌ 2 devices, and Apple Music is available.

The Terrace offers a brightness level of 2,000 nits, so it works even when it's bright and sunny outside. Samsung says the TV is ideal for sports fans with a 4K resolution and a high motion rate of MR240. There's an optional Terrace Soundbar that offers dynamic sound, and it supports Bixby, Alexa, and soon, it will work with Google Assistant.

Pricing on the Terrace TV starts at $5,000 for the 65-inch model, with a 75-inch option available for $6,500. There's also supposed to be a 55-inch model, but it is not yet available for purchase. Pre-orders can be made on Samsung's website.

Ireland's Data Protection Commissioner (DPC) is "in contact" with Apple after a former Apple contractor asked the DPC to investigate Apple's practice of allowing employees to listen to Siri recordings, reports Reuters.

The contractor, Thomas Le Bonniec, requested the assistance of the DPC in May and called for greater protection under the EU's privacy laws.

DPC Deputy Commissioner Graham Doyle said that the DPC "engaged with Apple" when the ‌Siri‌ issue first arose last year, and Apple "made some changes," but now the DPC has additional questions.

"However, we have followed up again with Apple following the release of this public statement and await responses," he said, in reference to the letter. "In addition, it should be noted that the European Data Protection Board is working on the production of guidance in the area of voice assistant technologies."

Last July, contractors working on ‌Siri‌ quality control told The Guardian that they were listening to Siri audio recordings for Apple and regularly heard sensitive information that Apple device owners might not want shared, even with the data anonymized.

Apple came under fire for concealing the quality control practice and not making it clear to customers that some ‌Siri‌ recordings are listened to by employees for quality control purposes.

Apple in August 2019 ultimately suspended its Siri quality control program to overhaul how it works. Later in August, Apple ended all transcription and voice grading work done through contracting companies.

In October, with the release of iOS 13.2, Apple added a toggle that allows users to opt out of sharing voice recordings to improve ‌Siri‌ and Dictation, and it provided a way to delete all ‌Siri‌ and Dictation history.

• How to Delete Your Siri Audio History and Opt Out of Siri Audio Sharing

Apple resumed ‌Siri‌ quality control practices in the fall with the release of the opt-out option. ‌Siri‌ quality control is no longer handled by third-party contractors and is done in-house, and Apple has made changes to minimize the amount of data that reviewers have access to.

Along with further scrutiny from Irish regulators, Apple is facing a class-action lawsuit for allowing contractors to listen to and grade the anonymized ‌Siri‌ conversations for quality control purposes.

Apple has been seeking to add geographic diversity to its supply chain for some time now, with a shift of some production of the AirPods lineup to Vietnam being one significant step for the company.

Apple reportedly began trialing production of regular AirPods in Vietnam almost a year ago, and it was reported in December that Apple's AirPods suppliers were looking to line up financing to expand production.

And just two weeks ago, Nikkei reported that mass production of regular AirPods in Vietnam had started in March.

"The mass production of AirPods in Vietnam started as early as in March," a person familiar with the matter said. "The Vietnamese officials even granted special permits for a key Apple AirPods assembler to help the company bring in engineers to the country for smooth production during lockdowns." Vietnam began easing some lockdown measures in late April.

At the time, Nikkei said that the production shift did "not yet include" the higher-end AirPods Pro, but it now appears that AirPods Pro production has indeed begun in Vietnam as several MacRumors readers including @alixrezax on Twitter and "rhyzome" in our forums have reported this week receiving their AirPods Pro with "Assembled in Vietnam" shown on the charging cases.

Vietnam has long been a hotbed for Apple's audio accessory production, with even older models like wired EarPods having been produced in the country, and it looks like there's no sign of a slowdown. In fact, a report earlier this week claimed that Apple's over-ear "AirPods Studio" headphones will be partly produced in Vietnam from their debut for the first time, with shipments expected to begin in June or July.

Production of Apple products in Vietnam may also be expanding to the iPhone, as DigiTimes reported yesterday that Apple has asked its iPhone manufacturing partners to expand production in India and Vietnam. Key partner Foxconn already has significant assembly facilities in the country.

Note: Due to the political or social nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Political News forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.

Apple's rumored augmented reality glasses will launch in 2021, with "small-volume" production expected to start in the first half of the year, according to paywalled information shared by DigiTimes.

Apple to roll out AR glasses in 2021

Apple is expected to roll out its augmented reality glasses in 2021, according to sources at related suppliers, which are gearing up to kick off small-volume production for the device in the first half of the year.

The full report will not be published until tomorrow and the brief excerpt offers no further information, but it comes on the heels of an extensive report earlier this week from Front Page Tech host Jon Prosser detailing what he has heard about the glasses.

Prosser says the glasses will be called "Apple Glass" and start at $499, with prescription lenses available for an additional cost. In line with previous rumors, he says Apple Glass will rely on a paired iPhone for most of its functionality, allowing the glasses themselves to be as slim and light as possible.

According to Prosser's sources, Apple's original plans involved unveiling Apple Glass at the annual iPhone event in September or October, but restrictions on in-person gatherings could push the debut back to a March 2021 event. Either way, Apple was said to be targeting a late 2021 or early 2022 launch, which lines up with today's report from DigiTimes.

Apple is bringing some significant updates to several of its education apps, led by a new Schoolwork 2.0 for iPad and Mac, reports CNET.

Schoolwork is Apple's app that allows teachers to distribute class materials known as Handouts to students, assign activities within compatible apps, collaborate with students, and view student progress. CNET says Schoolwork 2.0 will bring new feature like Files integration, speed improvements, and more.

Apple designed Schoolwork 2.0 to include features found in other iPad OS apps, like Files, and to speed up navigation around the software. There's a new Handout library with a source list on the left side that makes it easier to navigate to different classes or the student's library with drafts and favorites. On the right are cards with things like reminders for a field trip or a math assignment.

Other new features include a redesigned Handout detail view and new communication integration to let teachers FaceTime or message students at a tap.

In addition to Schoolwork, Apple is also updating its Classroom app for ‌iPad‌ that functions as a teaching assistant within a classroom to launch apps and websites across all devices in a classroom, share a student's screen to the teacher's ‌iPad‌ or a classroom Apple TV, share documents, and more.

The updated Classroom app includes pinch-to-zoom functionality, automatic syncing of Apple School Manager classes to the teacher's Apple ID, and new temporary sessions for shared iPads.

The updated versions of Schoolwork and Classroom are coming "soon," according to CNET, with no specific launch dates given.

Apple today is marking Global Accessibility Awareness Day with several new features across its sites and services to promote inclusion and access to technology for anyone with a disability.

On the front page of Apple.com, there's a new section today with the tagline "Works the way you do" that links to the company's existing Accessibility page, which highlights a number of personal stories as well as features of Apple's products targeted at accessibility.

Over on the App Store, the Today section features several cards with the theme of "Designed for Accessibility." The cards highlight stories about accessibility in apps including handcycling tracking in Strava, text-to-speech app Voice Dream Reader, a color-blind mode in Tint, hearing loss assistant SonicCloud, and Toca Life World's inclusive character customization options for kids.

Finally, with most of Apple's retail stores still closed, the company is continuing to focus on moving its Today at Apple sessions online with its series of Today at Apple at Home videos, and a new session on transitions and loops in the Clips app by Gus from Apple Carnegie Library is done entirely in American Sign Language. Audio narration and subtitles are also included.