Apple today released macOS Mojave 10.14.3, the third update to the macOS Mojave operating system that first launched in September. macOS 10.14.3 comes six weeks after the launch of macOS Mojave 10.14.2, a bug fix update.
macOS Mojave 10.14.3 can be downloaded by going to the "Software Update" section of System Preferences, a new installation method that was introduced with the Mojave update.
macOS Mojave 10.14.3 brings performance improvements and bug fixes for issues discovered since the launch of macOS 10.14.2. During the beta testing period, we didn't find any major feature changes. According to Apple's release notes, the update improves the security, stability and compatibility of your Mac and is recommended for all users.
This update improves the security, stability, and compatibility of your Mac and includes the following enterprise content: When making a file-sharing connection that uses a valid Kerberos TGT to authenticate, users are no longer prompted to enter credentials.
Apple today released tvOS 12.1.2, the fourth update to the tvOS 12 operating system designed for the fourth and fifth-generation Apple TV models. tvOS 12.1.2 comes more than a month after the launch of tvOS 12.1.1.
tvOS 12.1.2 can be downloaded over the air through the Settings app on the Apple TV by going to System --> Software Update. Apple TV owners who have automatic software updates turned on will be upgraded to tvOS 12.1.2 automatically.
As a minor 12.x.x update, tvOS 12.1.2 focuses on bug fixes and under-the-hood performance improvements. No major features were found during the tvOS 12.1.2 beta testing period, and Apple does not provide release notes for tvOS updates, so it's not known what specific bug fixes and improvements are included in the new software.
If any additional information on the content of the tvOS 12.1.2 update becomes available, we'll update this post.
tvOS 12.1.2 follows the tvOS 12 update, which introduced support for higher-quality Dolby Atmos sound, zero sign-on, and new aerial screensavers created in collaboration with the International Space Station.
Apple will today release iOS 12.1.3, the fifth update to the iOS 12 operating system since its September launch. iOS 12.1.3 is a minor update that follows iOS 12.1.2 (iPhone only), released back in December, and iOS 12.1.1, also released in December.
The iOS 12.1.3 update will be available on all eligible devices over-the-air in the Settings app. To access the update, go to Settings > General > Software Update. As with all iOS updates, iOS 12.1.3 will be free to download. iPhone owners will be upgrading to iOS 12.1.3 from iOS 12.1.2, while iPad owners will be updating from iOS 12.1.1.
iOS 12.1.3 is a minor update, and during the beta testing period, we found no major new features. According to Apple's release notes, iOS 12.1.3 includes fixes for multiple bugs affecting iPad Pro, HomePod, CarPlay, and more.
On HomePod, the update fixes bugs that could cause restarts or that could cause Siri to stop listening. On the iPad Pro, iOS 12.1.3 fixes an issue that could cause audio distortion when using external input devices, and for CarPlay, issues that could cause disconnects from the 2019 iPhones have been addressed. Apple's full release notes:
This update:
- Fixes an issue in Messages that could impact scrolling through photos in the Details view - Addresses an issue where photos could have striped artifacts after being sent from the Share Sheet - Fixes an issue that may cause audio distortion when using external audio input devices on iPad Pro (2018) - Resolves an issue that could cause certain CarPlay systems to disconnect from iPhone XR, iPhone XS, and iPhone XS Max
This release also includes bug fixes for HomePod. This update:
- Fixes an issue that could cause HomePod to restart - Addresses an issue that could cause Siri to stop listening
The prior update, iOS 12.1.2, included a fix for eSIM activation issues and tweaked some iPhone functionality in China to remove features that infringed on Qualcomm patents so Apple could bypass a sales ban on older iPhones.
DxOMark today published the results of its "Selfie scores" test, which gauged the performance of the front-facing cameras for 12 modern smartphones. Apple's iPhone XS Max sits at fourth place on the overall selfie rankings with a score of 82, beaten out by Google Pixel 3, Galaxy Note 9, and Xiaomi Mi MIX 3.
According to DxOMark, the iPhone XS Max produces "some of the best" still images and video quality when it's placed in brightly lit situations, but it lost points because of poor performance in dim lighting. The only other Apple smartphone on the list is the iPhone X, with a score of 71 in 10th place.
DxOMark also broke down its results by providing a specific "selfie photo score" and "selfie video score." The iPhone XS Max received a score of 81 and 82, respectively in each category, again staying in fourth place in both instances.
The company said that Portrait Mode selfies are a major strength of the iPhone XS Max, with very good depth estimation and accurate subject masking. Overall, DxOMark said the iPhone XS Max was "among the best results we've observed for front cameras" thanks to features like HDR and Portrait Mode's bokeh effect.
iPhone XS Max bokeh effect
Google Pixel 2 bokeh effect
Overall, DxOMark pointed out that one of the XS Max's big weak spots on its front-facing camera is noise, noting that luminance noise is visible on faces in many of the outdoor images taken during the testing process. The company noted that results remained "acceptable," but things only got worse in low lighting conditions, and even explained that these results are slightly poorer than those found on the iPhone X's front-facing camera.
Achieving a DxOMark front camera score of 82, the Apple iPhone XS Max puts in a solid performance for both still and moving images during our tests, and is a nice improvement over its predecessor, the iPhone X. For still photos, the device boasts some great strengths for selfie shooters, including excellent HDR, bokeh shots, and detail at close range, which are among the best results we’ve observed for front cameras.
There are some areas in which Apple can continue to improve for stills, however, with noise visible in all lighting conditions; and white balance and skin rendering issues, especially in indoor images and occasionally outdoors, too, where color casts and low-contrast faces can look unnatural.
The full ratings breakdown for the iPhone XS Max's front-facing selfie camera can be seen below:
The two phones topping the list -- Pixel 3 and Galaxy Note 9 -- tied for first with a score of 92. DxOMark said that the Pixel 3 edges out the Note 9 in terms of its focus system, but the Note 9 achieves better results for exposure and color in selfie photos. "Images captured with the Google device show slightly stronger contrast and a cooler white balance," DxOMark's Lars Rehm mentioned. "The Samsung is a little better at exposing for faces and applies a little less contrast to faces, making for a slightly more natural look."
You can check out the full iPhone XS Max front camera review by DxOMark right here.
An increasing number of users have experienced backlight issues on 2016 and newer MacBook Pro models, particularly those with the Touch Bar, often resulting in a so-called "stage light effect" along the bottom of the display.
Image via MacRumors forum member SourceSunTom
According to the repair website iFixit, which highlighted the issue today, the underlying cause is Apple's use of thin, fragile flex cables that connect the display with the display controller board on 2016 and newer MacBook Pro models, as opposed to the more durable wire cables used in previous generations.
iFixit's Taylor Dixon explains:
When it first debuted, the design seemed fine. But as always, the devil is in the details. Apple opted for thin, fragile flex cables as opposed to the beefier wire cables used in previous designs that could be routed through the hinge instead of wrapped around it, helping mitigate the stress of repeated openings and closings.
In a nutshell, the normal, repeated opening and closing of the display lid can result in the thin flex cables becoming fragile and breaking over time. And since the issue takes time to manifest, the affected MacBook Pro models are often outside of Apple's one-year warranty period when they start exhibiting symptoms.
The problem gets worse when affected customers take their MacBook Pro to Apple for repair, as iFixit claims that the flex cables are integrated into the display and cannot be replaced individually. Instead, the entire display assembly needs to be replaced, turning a cheap repair into a costly $600-plus one.
While some customers without AppleCare+ have managed to get a free or reduced-cost repair, it appears many have been required to pay in full.
Apple has not launched a public-facing repair program for this issue, and we're not aware of any internal one either. A petition urging Apple to launch such a program has amassed over 2,200 signatures. Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment, but we'll update this article if we hear back.
Apple today announced that Apple Pay is in the process of rolling out in Target stores across the United States and will be available at all of the retailer's 1,850 locations nationwide in the coming weeks.
Apple Pay is also rolling out to more than 7,000 Taco Bell and 2,200 Jack in the Box locations in the United States in the next few months, and recently became available at more than 245 Hy-Vee grocery stores in the Midwest as well as approximately 3,000 Speedway locations across the country, according to Apple.
With the addition of these national retailers, 74 of the top 100 merchants in the United States and 65 percent of all retail locations across the country support or will soon support Apple Pay, according to Apple. This includes last year's major additions of Costco, CVS, and 7-Eleven.
Update: REDcards cannot be added to Apple Pay at this time, according to Target's customer service account on Twitter. We've confirmed with Target's media relations team that this information is accurate.
Great question! At this time REDcards cannot be added to Apple Pay, Google Pay or Samsung Pay. You are still able to use your REDcard via the Wallet in the Target app to simplify your checkout experience and save on deals with Cartwheel. Hope this helps!
— AskTarget (@AskTarget) January 22, 2019
Apple finished ahead of Amazon, the runner-up for a third consecutive year, while Warren Buffett's holding company Berkshire Hathaway, The Walt Disney Company, and coffee chain Starbucks rounded off the top five. Apple rivals Microsoft, Google, and Samsung ranked 6th, 7th, and 50th respectively.
Apple topped the list in every category, such as innovation, quality of management, social responsibility, use of corporate assets, financial soundness, quality of products and services, and global competitiveness.
The rankings were determined by "some 3,750 executives, analysts, directors, and experts" who selected the 10 companies they admired most:
As we have in the past, Fortune collaborated with our partner Korn Ferry on this survey of corporate reputations. […]
To select our 50 All-Stars, Korn Ferry asked 3,750 executives, directors, and securities analysts who had responded to the industry surveys to select the 10 companies they admired most. They chose from a list made up of the companies that ranked in the top 25% in last year’s surveys, plus those that finished in the top 20% of their industry. Anyone could vote for any company in any industry.
A larger portion of the world's iPhones could one day be manufactured in India, if a new report by the Wall Street Journal proves accurate.
According to Tuesday's report, Apple's main iPhone assembler Foxconn is considering building production plants in India as a way to diversify its supply chain away from China, where most of the Taiwan-based firm's facilities currently reside.
Executives at Foxconn, a contract manufacturer that assembles a large portion of the world’s iPhones in China, are studying whether to include an India project in budget plans, one of the people said. Senior executives, possibly including Chairman Terry Gou, plan to visit India after next month’s Lunar New Year to discuss plans, the people familiar said.
Apple currently manufactures most of its iPhones through Foxconn, but the latter's potential new project in India points to Apple's vulnerability to rising U.S.-China tensions over trade and technology. Both Apple and Foxconn declined to comment on today's report, but it is thought that manufacturing iPhones in India could help Apple lower prices by allowing it to avoid a tariff that adds 20 percent to devices imported from China.
Foxconn already has plants in India, and late last year it was reported that the firm would invest around $356 million to expand its facilities there to begin assembling Apple's high-end iPhones. Wistron assembles iPhone SE and iPhone 6s models in India exclusively for the Indian market, but the December report didn't say whether the high-end iPhones assembled by Foxconn would be sold in the country or elsewhere in the world.
Early last year, Apple revamped its India strategy in order to stay afloat in the country's smartphone market. This strategy includes better and longer-lasting retail deals with higher sales targets, the debut of official Apple retail stores in India, and an overhaul of the company's relationship with independent retailers.
Just one in four Indians own a smartphone, providing Apple with an opportunity to sell iPhones to millions of new customers in the country. However, Apple is said to have seen little success so far, with Apple's market share in the country dropping to about one percent in 2018, from about two percent the previous year.
Popular photo editing and art creation software Pixelmator Pro received a major update today, adding a number of new and improved features.
Pixelmator Pro 1.3 "Prism" introduces layer color tags, layer filtering and search, support for clipping masks, and quick opacity and blending controls located in the Layers side bar.
With the color tags feature, Pixelmator Pro users can better organize their layers, while the filtering features make it possible to filter out layers based on layer type or color tag.
Finding objects is easy in layer-heavy creations with the new search feature, and with clipping masks, you can clip the contents of one layer to the outline of another. Clipping masks are designed to let digital artists create better masks with the existing objects in a design.
Clipping masks can be created from any layer, including text, images, layer groups, and nested shapes. The update also includes additional bug fixes and improvements, such as better support for exporting Photoshop documents and an improved nondestructive editing workflow.
Pixelmator Pro can be downloaded from the Mac App Store for $39.99. The update is free for existing users. [Direct Link]
Biometric sensor company Valencell has reportedly settled a three-year-old lawsuit against Apple that accused the tech giant of stealing its technology for Apple Watch.
Valencell filed the patent infringement lawsuit against Apple back in January 2016 at the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina.
The lawsuit accused the Cupertino-based company of infringing on four of its patents, all related to heart rate sensing technology, as well as deceptive trade practices and breach of contract, following dealings Apple had with Valencell before the launch of the Apple Watch.
However, citing a Valencell source, well-connected endurance tech blog the5krunner reports that "Valencell's case against Apple has now been settled and neither is able to further comment."
Valencell originally claimed Apple solicited technical information and know-how under the false pretense of a licensing agreement for its PerformTek technology, despite having no real intention of actually licensing it.
The biometric company also accused Apple of deciding it was more financially beneficial to risk infringing on Valencell's patents than to license them, claiming that the practice was "consistent with the statement by Apple CEO Steve Jobs that Apple has 'always been shameless about stealing great ideas.'"
Valencell had requested a preliminary and permanent injunction preventing future acts of infringement, as well as damages and an ongoing royalty rate for licensing purposes should a permanent injunction not be granted.
Valencell provides the optical heart rate monitoring and other biometric sensors in many third party devices. The company filed a similar lawsuit against Fitbit in January 2016, but that case is said to be still ongoing.
(Thanks, Neil!)
Update: MacRumors has confirmed the lawsuit was settled in September 2018. A copy of the dismissal is embedded below.
Apple could drop LCD displays for its 2020 iPhones in favor of an all-OLED line-up, a new report today claims. From the Wall Street Journal (paywall):
Apple is likely to drop LCD displays altogether in its 2020 iPhone lineup in favor of organic light-emitting diode displays that allow for more flexible handset design, people familiar with the production plans have said.
This isn't the first time we've heard that Apple is considering dropping LCD models from its line-up in order to make a complete shift to OLED displays in 2020.
WSJ suggested the possibility earlier this month, but today's report gives the rumor more clout by claiming that Apple LCD panel supplier Japan Display is seeking investor help that will put it on firmer ground before the switch to OLED-only iPhones takes place.
Japan Display Inc. is in advanced talks with Taiwan's TPK Holdings Co. and Chinese state-owned Silk Road Fund about an investment that would include a stake of about 30% with the possibility of greater control later, people familiar with the matter said.
The bailout is also said to be partly in response to less-than-stellar sales of iPhone XR, which uses the liquid-crystal displays that Japan Display specializes in. More than half of Japan Display's revenue in the year ended March 2018 came from Apple, so the supplier is acutely sensitive to sales that fall short of the tech giant's expectations.
Multiple reports claim Apple has recently asked its partners to cut down on all iPhone production. Apple has also dropped the price of iPhone XR in China to try and spur additional sales.
The price drops and the production cut follow a recent Q1 2019 guidance downgrade, with Apple expecting revenue of $84 billion during the quarter. That's a year-over-year decline and a drop from the $89 to $93 billion revenue guidance Apple provided in November.
A report in May 2018 claimed Apple's transition to a full OLED iPhone line-up would be complete in 2019, but a group of analysts quickly responded to the report and argued that the 2019 timeframe was likely inaccurate.
Apple has been working to bolster its OLED display supply chain for diversification purposes and to cut down its reliance on Samsung, the company that has supplied displays for the iPhone X, iPhone XS, and iPhone XS Max.
Apple has reportedly pushed LG Display to build out its OLED display production facilities, and has even purchased equipment to build an OLED panel research and development site in Taiwan.
Rumors point to a similar iPhone lineup in 2019 as last year, perhaps with a continuation of both the iPhone XS and XR devices, with rumors suggesting we'll see 5.8 and 6.5-inch OLED iPhones along with a 6.1-inch LCD iPhone.
Apple's long-awaited wireless charging mat AirPower has entered production and will be released later this year, according to DigiTimes:
Glass passivated package (GPP) bridge rectifier orders for Apple's AirPower continue to pull in, according to sources at related suppliers, who expect shipments for the wireless charger to boost further when it becomes available later in 2019.
Apple's AirPower is finally in production, said the sources. The Apple-designed wireless charging device was unveiled in September 2017, with the company originally targeting 2018 for launch.
The supply chain-focused website published a similar article last year claiming the AirPower would be released by the end of March 2018, a release date echoed by at least two other sources at the time. That obviously did not happen, but perhaps the issues that led to the delay are now resolved.
This isn't the first report we've seen that suggests the AirPower is still coming after all.
Earlier this month, Hong Kong website ChargerLAB cited sources within Apple's supply chain who claimed that manufacturers Luxshare Precision and Pegatron have both started production of the AirPower by today.
Breaking: AirPower is finally coming. We just learned from credible source in supply chain that the manufacture Luxshare Precision has already started producing Apple AirPower wireless charging pad. Luxshare Precision is also the maker of Apple AirPods and USB-C cables. pic.twitter.com/UqgWIAh3sx
— ChargerLAB (@chargerlab) January 12, 2019
A few weeks prior, developer Steve Troughton-Smith said he's heard Apple may have overcome technical challenges with the AirPower and could move forward with a release. Those technical challenges included overheating and interference issues, according to Sonny Dickson, an occasional source of Apple leaks.
Where is AirPower? 🤷♂️ All I’ve been hearing is ‘they’ve finally fixed it’, so, if true, it could ship as a product whenever Apple wants. Hopefully alongside the smart battery case for the XS?
— Steve Troughton-Smith (@stroughtonsmith) December 31, 2018
And back in October, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo claimed that Apple may launch the AirPower by early in the first quarter of 2019, according to a research note obtained by MacRumors. The first quarter spans January through March.
AirPower is an oval-shaped mat that would be able to wirelessly charge multiple Apple devices at once, including the iPhone 8 and newer, Apple Watch Series 3 and newer, and AirPods when they are placed in an optional wireless charging case that is expected to launch alongside the AirPower.
Apple first previewed the AirPower at Steve Jobs Theater in September 2017, shortly after introducing the iPhone X, and indicated that it would be released at some point in 2018 in a press release. Apple failed to deliver on that promise, however, and hasn't commented on the AirPower for many months.
All in all, the chances of the AirPower launching soon are looking better and better.
Update: The seemingly-never-ending AirPower saga continues. DigiTimes has quietly revised its article, removing any mention that the AirPower has entered production, but the report still mentions availability later in 2019.
Amazon and Best Buy today kicked off new discounts for the 2017 10.5-inch iPad Pro, which include a new low price for the 64GB version at $499.99, down from $649.99. You can find every iPad Pro on sale today in the list below, with prices mostly matched between Amazon and Best Buy. Note that only the Wi-Fi versions are on sale today.
10.5-inch iPad Pro (Wi-Fi, 2017)
64 GB, Gold - $499.99, down from $649.00 [Best Buy]
64 GB, Rose Gold - $499.99, down from $649.00 [Best Buy]
64 GB, Silver - $499.99, down from $649.00 [Amazon / Best Buy]
64 GB, Space Gray - $499.99, down from $649.00 [Amazon / Best Buy]
256 GB, Gold - $649.99, down from $799.99 [Amazon / Best Buy]
256 GB, Rose Gold - $649.99, down from $799.99 [Best Buy]
256 GB, Silver - $649.99, down from $799.99 [Best Buy]
256 GB, Space Gray - $649.99, down from $799.99 [Amazon / Best Buy]
512 GB, Gold - $799.00, down from $999.00 [Amazon]
512 GB, Rose Gold - $849.99, down from $999.00 [Amazon / Best Buy]
512 GB, Silver - $849.99, down from $999.00 [Amazon / Best Buy]
512 GB, Space Gray - $849.99, down from $999.00 [Amazon / Best Buy]
Head to our full Deals Roundup to browse a large list of notable sales, discounts, and offers happening this week.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
The hyper-luxury vehicle is equipped with a wide variety of technology and entertainment options, including multiple iPad Pro tablets integrated throughout the cabin with magnetic charging docks, a Mac mini, an electronic partition with a 48-inch curved smart TV, a PlayStation 4, and a touchscreen console.
A custom 30-inch stretch transforms the vehicle into a mobile office, complete with VIP cabin upgrades, including a raised star-liner ceiling with ambient LEDs, diamond-stitched European leather reclining power seats, and airplane-style tables.
With an advanced security system and up to B7 level ballistic armoring, the 2019 Cadillac Escalade Viceroy Edition is built for the Hollywood elite, business executives, celebrities, and professional athletes. Pricing was not disclosed, but money is likely not much of an object to prospective buyers.
A video of the similar 2019 Cadillac Escalade Versailles Edition:
Last month, software engineer Naveed Golafshani created an unofficial Apple Music web player that allowed users to sign into their Apple Music accounts and listen to music on a laptop or desktop computer, without needing to open iTunes.
This is an addition to Apple Music that many subscribers have been requesting for years, and now another unofficial Apple Music web player has emerged online. Created by software engineer Brychan Bennett-Odlum and his team, Raphaël Vigée, James Jarvis, and Filip Grebowski, the new web player is called "Musish" [GitHub Link].
Musish has an all-white design that closely mirrors the look and feel of Apple Music on iOS and macOS. Just like the previous player, Musish requires you to sign in to your Apple ID to be able to play music on the web, using Apple's official public APIs to handle authentication. This is handled in a separate window under the Apple.com domain, and Musish says at no point does it ever request, log, or gain access to user information.
Bennett-Odlum told us that he and his team are heavy Apple Music users, and the origins of Musish began at a hackathon event in San Francisco just last month.
We are all heavy users of Apple Music, but found listening at work hard as it drained our phones’ battery lives and we didn’t want to set up our Apple IDs on our work laptops.
We started Musish at a hackathon in San Francisco in early December after noticing the APIs Apple provide for the service and realising that it’d be a pretty nifty solution to the problem!
After logging in, Musish presents you the expected Apple Music tabs: For You, Browse, Radio, and My Library, although some are pared down compared to the full experience. For You has recently played songs, albums in heavy rotation, personalized mixes, the day's playlists and albums, and new releases. Apple Music's social features like friend profiles and "Friends Are Listening To" aren't available.
Browse has top songs, daily top 100 playlists, top playlists, top albums, and a genres tab. Just like Golafshani's web player, Musish is missing Radio features at this time, but the site's developers promise that Apple Music Radio support is coming soon. If you're searching for a specific artist, playlist, or album, you can use the search bar at the top right of Musish, which remains open on every tab.
To play music, you simply click on the album/playlist you want to hear, and then click Play, Shuffle, or select a specific song. The Musish web player then places playback controls at the bottom left of the screen, where you can adjust the volume, turn on repeat, turn on shuffle, check out lyrics, and reorganize up next.
In Musish, you can configure the order of up next to your liking by click and dragging songs, and you can find another song, hover over it, click the ellipsis button, and click "play next" to place it next in your queue, just like the regular Apple Music apps.
According to Bennett-Odlum, the team still has a ways to go until Musish reaches its full potential, including work on mobile compatibility, a dark mode, and a more populated Browse section. The team welcomes feedback and feature suggestions on the GitHub page for Musish, which is open source so anyone can contribute to the project.
Like it did last year, Apple in February will host an internal activity challenge for its employees around the world, tasking them with closing all three Apple Watch Activity rings every day for the month (via WatchGeneration).
Image via WatchGeneration
Those who complete this challenge will receive an exclusive Black Sport Loop, which has colored details on the plastic attachments that connect to the Apple Watch case, and on the end of the velcro band. The blue, red, and green colors on the band represent the Stand, Move, and Workout Activity rings on Apple Watch.
Last year, employees received a Woven Nylon band as a reward for the February challenge, which had a hint of the Activity ring's blue/green/red color scheme on the band fastener. In total, the 2019 challenge is the third one that Apple has offered its employees, beginning in 2017 with pins and t-shirts offered as rewards for employees who closed all three Activity rings every day in February.
The company has hosted other Apple Watch-related challenges as well, including a mindfulness-related event that tasked employees with meditating for a specific amount of time per day for 25 days. Those who met the goal received a T-shirt that displayed the Breathe app's blue and green logo.
Apple has shared a new feature on its Newsroom that highlights its workforce's charitable and volunteer efforts.
Apple says that its internal Giving program has raised more than $365 million for non-profit organizations around the world since its inception eight years ago. Under the program, Apple matches every dollar that its employees donate up to $10,000 each, with combined donations totaling more than $125 million in 2018.
The feature highlights thousands of locations where Apple employees volunteer their time, including the Terence MacSwiney School in Cork, Ireland, where more than a dozen employees from Apple's nearby campus volunteer at the school each week to teach coding, drawing, photography, music, and video.
Terence MacSwiney School student Ericka Lingwood
Apple employees also spent nearly 3,000 hours sorting and distributing food at Second Harvest last year, according to Apple, making the food bank one of the largest recipients of Apple volunteer hours in the United States.
Apple volunteers at Second Harvest Food Bank in San Jose, California
Last, the feature highlights Apple employee Liz Byrne, who sits on the board of the transgender support non-profit Point of Pride.
Spotify will soon launch a "don't play this artist" feature in its iOS app, which will allow subscribers to block an entire artist from playing across the app (via The Verge). This means that you won't hear their songs in your library, Spotify playlists, chart lists, and radio stations.
The feature is in testing right now, and it currently works on the artist's own songs but does not extend to collaborations. The feature is found in the ellipsis menu on an artist's page, and will sit alongside options like Follow, Share, and Go to radio.
A specific release date for the launch of the block feature has not yet been announced, but during its test of the update Spotify told The Verge it would be coming "soon." Artist and song blocking is a feature that many users have been asking for in both Spotify and Apple Music, and so far Apple has not yet announced a similar update for its streaming music service.
