MacRumors

Apple today sent out emails to Apple Card holders letting them know that the three percent cash back perk at Walgreens has been expanded to include drive-thru ordering until June 30. When using the physical ‌Apple Card‌ to make a payment through the drive-thru ordering feature, Walgreens shoppers will get three percent cash back.

Apple and Walgreens are also continuing to offer three percent cash back when making touchless payments with ‌Apple Card‌ using Apple Pay in-store and when using ‌Apple Card‌ to shop online at Walgreens.com or in the Walgreens app.

‌Apple Card‌ owners have been able to get 3 percent daily cash back when making purchases of all eligible health, beauty, personal care, household, and seasonal products at Walgreens and Duane Reade since September 2019.

iOS devices accounted for 44 percent of all U.S. smartphone activations during the first calendar quarter of 2020, the highest number of activations Apple has seen in a single quarter since 2016.

According to the data sourced from Consumer Research Intelligence Partners, Google's Android operating system was responsible for 56 percent of all activations due to the higher number of Android smartphones out in the wild.

Market share numbers for iOS and Android have largely remained stable over the course of the last few years with just minor fluctuations in activations due to operating system loyalty.

In the quarter ending in March, 89 percent of Android users remained with Android, while 91 percent of iOS users stayed with iOS when activating a new mobile phone. iOS and Android loyalty rates have also fluctuated little over the course of the last three years as people tend to stick with the operating systems they're familiar with.

"Operating system loyalty is stable at very high levels," added Mike Levin, Partner and Co-Founder of CIRP. "For the past four or so years, around 90% of new mobile phone activations stayed with the buyer's previous operating system. Despite Apple's efforts to attract Android users to iOS, and Android handset manufacturers' similar efforts to attract iPhone customers, operating system usage is among the stickiest of all consumer affinities."

CIRP's data was based on a survey of 500 U.S. subjects from April 1 to April 9 that activated a new or used smartphone in the January to March 2020 period. Given the small sample size, there is certainly some margin of error to these numbers, but the data provides a reliable look at activations and loyalty over time as it uses the same survey each quarter.

Apple and Google today announced a joint effort that will see them using Bluetooth technology to help governments and health agencies reduce the spread of the COVID-19 virus around the world.

Apple says that user privacy and security will be central to the design of the project. Participation will be opt-in, and privacy, transparency, and consent are "of the utmost importance of this effort."

Since COVID-19 can be transmitted through close proximity to affected individuals, public health officials have identified contact tracing as a valuable tool to help contain its spread. A number of leading public health authorities, universities, and NGOs around the world have been doing important work to develop opt-in contact tracing technology. To further this cause, Apple and Google will be launching a comprehensive solution that includes application programming interfaces (APIs) and operating system-level technology to assist in enabling contact tracing. Given the urgent need, the plan is to implement this solution in two steps while maintaining strong protections around user privacy.

Starting in May, Apple and Google will release APIs that enable interoperability between Android and iOS devices using apps from public health authorities. These apps will be available for users to download from the iOS App Store and Google Play.

In the coming months, Google and Apple will work to enable a broader Bluetooth-based contact tracing platform by building this functionality into their underlying platforms. Apple says that this solution is more robust than an API and will allow more individuals to participate, if they choose to opt in, and it will enable interaction with a broader ecosystem of apps and government health authorities.

All of us at Apple and Google believe there has never been a more important moment to work together to solve one of the world’s most pressing problems. Through close cooperation and collaboration with developers, governments and public health providers, we hope to harness the power of technology to help countries around the world slow the spread of COVID-19 and accelerate the return of everyday life.

All information about the work being conducted by Apple and Google will be openly published and built in consultation with interested stakeholders. Initial details on the contact tracing technology are available on Apple's new webpage for the feature, which has links to technical documentation on Bluetooth specifications, cryptography specifications, and the framework API.

TechCrunch has specific details on how the tracking procedures will work. A random, rotating identifier will be assigned to a person's phone, and it will be transmitted via Bluetooth to other nearby devices.

The identifier, which rotates every 15 minutes and has no personally identifiable information, will pass through a relay server that can be run by health organizations worldwide. The list of identifiers a person has been in contact with doesn't leave the phone unless the user explicitly decides to share it. Users that test positive will not be identified to other users, Apple or Google.

All identification matching is done on device, allowing users to see within a 14-day window, whether their iPhone has been near the device of a person who has self-identified as having tested positive for COVID-19. Users who are notified that they have been exposed will then receive steps on what to do through a public health app.

Apple and Google are not using any location data for the tracking feature, including from the users who report being positive. The tool is meant to determine not where affected people have been, but rather if they've been around other people so that those people will know to self isolate due to the exposure.

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 today launched a new "Today at Apple (at Home)" program that replaces the popular "Today at Apple" sessions that are hosted in its retail stores.

The new Today at Apple (at Home) website features creative projects created by Creative Pros from Apple Store locations all over the world, with all of the tutorials able to be completed at home. Sessions, which are presented as short videos, include drawing playful portraits with iPad, capturing striking photography with iPhone, and shooting photos with personality with iPhone, and Apple will likely add additional fun projects in the future.

Apple will likely be providing these creative videos for people until it is able to begin reopening its Apple retail locations around the world. All Apple stores outside of China have been closed since March 14, and there is no word yet on when stores will be able to open again.

Apple yesterday also introduced a series of new activities designed for children and families, all of which can be done using an ‌iPad‌, and it has provided remote learning tutorials for parents and teachers to allow them to better adjust to remote teaching techniques.

Apple today shared a new video ad called "Creativity Goes On," which highlights people working from home, learning from home, FaceTiming one another, and more, with Apple products.

The video focuses on the ways that people are keeping entertained and communicating with one another while social distancing.

We have always believed deeply in the power of creativity. Now, more than ever, we're inspired by people in every corner of the world finding new ways to share their creativity, ingenuity, humanity and hope.

In the video's description, Apple highlights some of the stay at home tools and features that it has created for people, such as a new "Today at Apple (at Home)" initiative, activities for children, remote learning tutorials, and more.

Apple's development schedule for iPhone 12 models will likely be pushed out slightly due to current travel restrictions and cargo flight delays, which could result in delayed availability of the highest-end 6.7-inch model, according to analyst Jeff Pu.

In a research note with Chinese research firm GF Securities, obtained by MacRumors, Pu said he believes that the current "EVT" or "Engineering Verification Test" stage of iPhone 12 development may have been extended by two weeks to late April for the 5.4-inch model and 6.1-inch models, and to mid-May for the 6.7-inch model.

As a result, Pu currently expects the 5.4-inch and two 6.1-inch models to be available in September, followed by the 6.7-inch model in October. This two-phase rollout would be similar to 2018, when the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max were released in September, followed by the iPhone XR in October. And in 2017, the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus launched in September, followed by the iPhone X in November.

Pu also believes that Apple's widely rumored iPhone SE successor will launch in mid-April, suggesting that the device could be announced as early as next week. The new iPhone SE is expected to be an upgraded version of the iPhone 8, with a 4.7-inch display, Touch ID home button, A13 chip, 3GB of RAM, and up to 256GB of storage.

On Wednesday, HBO announced that HBO GO and HBO NOW would no longer be available on the second and third generation Apple TV models from April 30, 2020. The company has now extended this deadline, and will remove HBO NOW from these platforms on May 15, 2020 and HBO GO will remain available for "a few additional months."

Speaking to Engadget, an HBO spokesperson described the decision to remove these streaming services from older ‌Apple TV‌ models as a "business-as-usual device deprecation that was planned several months ago." The company hopes that the extended deadline provides people with enough time to upgrade their ‌Apple TV‌ models and otherwise prepare for the day they are removed.

HBO GO and HBO NOW will remain functional on the newest ‌Apple TV‌ HD and ‌Apple TV‌ 4K platforms, which range from about $149.00 to $169.00 at this time. There are numerous shows and movies that can be streamed for free on HBO GO and HBO NOW as well, including Silicon Valley, Succession, The Wire, and more.

Apple this week added futuristic trash cleanup game "Scrappers" to its Apple Arcade subscription gaming service, making the game available across iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, and Mac.

In Scrappers, up to 4 players can team up to clean up the streets of a futuristic city teeming with garbage -- and trash anyone who gets in their way!

You take on the role of the Scrappers, a squad of robot garbage collectors working to clean up a grimy city of the not-so-distant future. Time is money in Junktown, and team tactics like stacking trash and passing it to teammates -- much like in basketball -- can boost your efficiency for bigger rewards!

But garbage collection is only part of the job. Rival teams will attack and interfere, and it’s up to you to dispose of them while staying on schedule!

Teamwork is key to maximizing efficiency and achieving high scores, which in turn unlocks new characters and customization options!

"Scrappers" can be found in the App Store for iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV, as well as the Mac App Store, and is available to all Apple Arcade subscribers. 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 yesterday added the 2019 Mac Pro to its online store for refurbished products in the United States, offering customers the ability to save approximately 15 percent compared to equivalent brand-new models.

The cheapest currently available refurbished model is a base configuration upgraded from 32 GB to 48 GB of RAM. That model retails for $6,299 new, but is available refurbished for $5,349.

At the high end is a 16-core model with 192 GB of RAM, a pair of Radeon Pro Vega II Duo graphics cards, 8 TB of storage, and an Afterburner card, now available refurbished for $22,439. That's a savings of nearly $4,000 compared to a brand-new model.

All of Apple's refurbished products go through a rigorous refurbishment process before being offered for sale, which includes inspection, repairs, cleaning, and repackaging. Like new purchases, refurbished Macs come with a one-year warranty that can be extended with an AppleCare+ purchase.

For tips on purchasing a refurbished product, make sure to check out our guide.

(Thanks, Ralph!)

Apple's education team today debuted 30 activities for kids and families to do as part of an ongoing effort to support at-home learning while many schoolchildren are completing classes remotely.

Available as a PDF that can be downloaded or printed, the suggestions include a wide range of activities that can be done using the built-in features of an iPad or iPhone.

Some of the activities include capturing a time-lapse video, going on a photo walk, recording a news interview, personalizing a portrait, seeing color in slo-mo video, and emojifying a mood. The PDF features a different activity for each number, each of which can be clicked for an activity description. For the photo walk activity, for example:

Pick a color or letter of the day and take photos around the house and yard of things that are that color or start with that letter. Then put them together in a collage or video. Try to make a rainbow or complete the alphabet!

Get started: Add the photos of each color or letter to a slide in the Keynote app. Or add each photo to Clips and record your voice saying the colors or letters.

According to Apple, these activities are aimed at children from pre-kindergarten to second grade, but can be tailored to suit the whole family.

Apple has also been supporting at-home education with a series of remote learning videos that are designed to help schools and educators use the built-in features of their devices to enable remote learning.