The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office today published a newly granted Apple patent related to an "inductively chargeable earbud case." While the AirPods and AirPower are not named in the patent, the illustrations clearly show an AirPods-like wireless charging case on an AirPower-like charging mat.
Many current inductive charging mats require precisely aligning a smartphone or other device with the coils inside the mat for the most efficient power transfer. As noted by AppleInsider, however, Apple's patent describes a method that would allow the AirPods case to be placed anywhere on the AirPower.
Apple's solution is to use a pair of small charging coils in the case, occupying the bottom left and right hand corners of the rear section, typically the side that would make contact with a charging pad. Both coils would be capable of receiving a charge from a charging pad, effectively doubling its chances of being in an optimal charging position.
This is just one of many patents Apple has been grated for an AirPods-like wireless charging case.
Apple first previewed the AirPower and optional AirPods wireless charging case at its September 2017 event. At the time, Apple promised that the AirPower was coming in 2018, but the year came and went without any release.
Multiple sources claim Apple will host a special event at Steve Jobs Theater on Monday, March 25, but Apple's widely expected subscription-based news and video services are expected to be the focus of the keynote. By the sounds of it, there may be few to no hardware announcements at the event.
AirPower already had stage time, so a press release could be appropriate for its release, potentially alongside embargoed reviews. Rumored updates to the iPad, iPad mini, and iPod touch also sound minor, with few changes expected beyond faster processors and a slightly larger screen for the 9.7-inch iPad, so they could be press release worthy too.
GM was one of the early adopters of CarPlay, with the feature debuting on a few 2016 Chevrolet models and rapidly spreading across the company's various brands including Buick, GMC, and Cadillac.
As part of a 2018 model year redesign intended to breathe some more life into its Regal sedan, Buick introduced the Regal TourX, an all-wheel drive wagon version that offers more cargo space to compete against some of the top models in the class including the Subaru Outback and Volvo V60.
I've spent some time testing out a 2019 Buick Regal TourX to get a sense of GM's latest infotainment system (which GM is calling next-generation Buick Infotainment) and how it integrates with CarPlay.
My test vehicle was the high-end Essence trim, nearly maxed out with most of the available upgrades including built-in navigation, panoramic moonroof, automatic cruise control, park assist, automatic emergency braking, and more.
Buick Infotainment
GM has been working on unifying its infotainment offerings, starting with the 2017 Cadillac CTS that launched with the "next-generation CUE" infotainment system. The same general system with some slight tweaks has been starting to expand across the Buick, Chevrolet, and GMC brands since that time, with the Buick Regal receiving the new Buick Infotainment version of the system on some 2018 vehicles.
The Essence trim of the Regal TourX comes with a generous 8-inch touchscreen display integrated nicely into the dashboard, while the mid-level Preferred and base TourX trims come with a slightly smaller 7-inch display as standard. The Buick Infotainment system operates identically on both screen sizes, although you'll need the 8-inch screen if you want features like built-in navigation and a marketplace for third-party apps. All trims support CarPlay and Android Auto.
Main app screen with hardware controls below
While it doesn't float above the dashboard like on some other vehicles where the driver's line of sight is of utmost priority, the Regal TourX's display is still highly visible, with prominent placement tilted slightly toward the driver. A matte finish and a bit of brim from the dashboard help cut down on visible fingerprints and glare, and the whole thing comes across as a very cohesive design rather than a screen awkwardly stuck onto the dashboard.
Below the screen, there's a strip of hardware controls including a centered volume/power knob, forward and back buttons on either side to change tracks or station presets, and home and back buttons on the outside edges of the row. It's a fairly limited selection of physical controls, but it's largely sufficient for the most common quick adjustments that are more easily made by feel.
Audio controls
The Buick Infotainment system offers an extremely clean design that's very simple to navigate. It has a modern look that's reminiscent of a smartphone or tablet operating system. Icons are simple and easy to recognize at a quick glance, with a little bit of color to differentiate the major functions.
Built-in navigation
The system is controlled strictly by touch, with no trackpad or scroll wheel input provided. That's a good thing in my view, as direct manipulation via a touchscreen is a far more natural interaction mechanism.
Multi-view home screen with audio, map, and phone sections
The system offers a couple of different home screen views, with the ability to swipe between them. One view divides the screen into three sections, with one showing a map of your general area, another showing your current audio information and track controls, and then a small strip showing any connected phones to give you quick access to their functions.
Third-party app management screen
The other main home screen view is a customizable 4x2 grid of app icons that spans multiple pages if necessary. Aside from the default apps included on the system, you can also download a number of third-party apps including The Weather Channel, Spotify, and more.
Second page of home screen apps
Any of the app icons on these home screen pages can be rearranged by tapping and holding, then dragging the icon to the desired location, with other icons adjusting their positions to make room, just like on iOS.
When you're within the Buick Infotainment system, there's a persistent shortcut tray or bar along the bottom that offers icons for quickly getting back to the home screen or to music, phone, navigation, or climate. The bar also shows the current time, exterior temperature, and cellular signal strength.
Onscreen climate controls
Most climate controls can be managed through a set of buttons and knobs located lower on the center stack, but you can also make adjustments through the infotainment system.
CarPlay
CarPlay on the Buick Regal TourX requires a wired connection using one of the two USB-A ports inside the center console compartment. While connected, you can store your phone either inside the compartment or in a nearby cupholder with the cable routed through one of the gaps in the front of the console compartment lid.
CarPlay home screen
CarPlay does take over the entire infotainment screen when it's active, so you won't be able to see information such as audio or navigation from the Buick system. If you've opted for the digital driver's display that's standard on the Essence trim and an option on the Preferred trim, that helps overcome the visibility issue as you can select from several different views to get the information you need right in front of you.
Driver's display showing current audio information
There's no Buick app icon on the CarPlay home screen, but the hardware home button makes it easy to get in and out of CarPlay at any time. Pressing the home button while in CarPlay takes you back to the Buick system, while pressing and holding the button takes you into CarPlay. That makes this system one of the relatively few with an always-available hardware method for accessing CarPlay regardless of what you're doing in the infotainment system.
CarPlay's "Now Playing" screen
Colors on the CarPlay screens look a little washed out, and there don't appear to be any settings to adjust the color. I'm not sure the reason for this issue with the colors, as they seem fine on the native infotainment system. I got used to the CarPlay colors after a while, and it's not a major problem, but it was definitely noticeable at first after coming from other vehicles with more vivid colors.
Voice control is managed through a dedicated button on the steering wheel, with a short press bringing up the Buick voice assistant and long press accessing Siri.
Voice assistant/Siri button is at top right of left cluster
Ports and Wireless Charging
Aside from the two USB-A ports inside the center console that can be used for connecting for CarPlay purposes, my tester also came equipped with a pair of charge-only USB-A ports on the rear of the center console. There's also a 12V power port up front and another in the rear cargo area.
Charge-only USB ports on rear of center console
A vertical wireless charging pocket is available on the Regal TourX, but only on the Essence trim and only as part of a $1,725 package that also includes LED auto-leveling and cornering headlights, heated side mirrors, rear park assist, lane change/blind zone alert system, rear cross traffic alert system, and upgraded power lumbar seat controls.
Center console with vertical charging slot and two USB ports inside the compartment
Unfortunately, the charger has a few design issues. First, it's located inside the center console compartment, which makes things a bit more difficult than just tossing your phone on the charger when you hop in the car and grabbing it as you exit. Second, it doesn't fit Plus/Max-sized iPhones. A naked iPhone XS Max can be forced down into the charger, but even then it's not deep enough to allow the phone to charge.
iPhone XS Max squeezed into the charger but not charging
In fact, GM's wireless charging system is generally a bit of a mess for iPhone owners, as you can see in device compatibility matrix. Prior to the 2019 model year, some of GM's models used wireless chargers that didn't fully implement the Qi standard, and so they were incompatible with iPhones unless the vehicles are retrofitted with newer hardware. But even now that GM has rolled out full Qi support in 2019 models, the company acknowledges that Plus/Max iPhones may not fit in their chargers.
OnStar and Wi-Fi Hotspot
As a GM vehicle, the Buick Regal TourX comes with the company's powerful OnStar suite of connected services. Basic access such as vehicle diagnostics, maintenance reminders, and the third-party app marketplace is included for ten years, while buyers receive a one-month trial of OnStar's Safety and Security Plan that offers automatic crash response, roadside assistance, stolen vehicle assistance, and turn-by-turn navigation assistance from a live advisor.
Onscreen options for OnStar services
Once your trial runs out, you can choose from a variety of paid plans with different combinations of features.
The Regal TourX also has available 4G LTE hotspot service through AT&T. Service can be purchased separately or as part of the Unlimited Access Plan bundle that also includes OnStar services.
Wrap-up
I really liked the Regal TourX's infotainment system with a clean and modern user interface that makes it easy to find exactly what you need without garish colors. The minimal hardware controls are enough to get things done by feel without making it overly complicated, and they look nice too. The overall hardware design of the center stack is great, with the screen fitting in extremely well rather than looking like an iPad mini stuck onto the dashboard as an afterthought.
CarPlay integrates quite well with the Buick Infotainment system, and the available driver's display helps compensate for the lack of a split-view widescreen infotainment display. The 8-inch screen in particular provides plenty of real estate for both CarPlay and the Buick Infotainment system, and the screen and hardware controls are within easy reach of the driver. The dual-duty hardware home button makes it simple to jump back and forth between the systems as needed.
Beyond the infotainment system itself, the Regal TourX could use some refinements. The only available USB ports for plugging into the system are inside the center console compartment, which is fine for those who prefer to keep their phones tucked away, but I prefer having some options with at least one USB somewhere on the center stack and another inside the console.
Wireless charging is another area that really needs improvement here. While GM is moving past its early issues with iPhone incompatibility on the technology side, it's mindboggling that Apple's larger phones won't even physically fit in the charger. Apple's Plus/Max phones have been essentially the same size since the iPhone 6 Plus launched in 2014, so there's no excuse for not making the charger large enough to accommodate them.
That said, the wireless charging issue may not affect that many users, as many will have smaller phones that fit fine or won't want to use wireless charging since they have to plug in for CarPlay anyway. It's also an expensive add-on considering it requires the top-end trim plus an additional pricey package to even get it, so I imagine many owners won't even opt to have their vehicles equipped with it.
The 2019 Buick Regal TourX starts at $29,995 for the base model, which does include CarPlay on the 7-inch touchscreen. The mid-level Preferred trim starts at $33,595, and if you want to upgrade that to the larger 8-inch screen with built-in navigation, you'll have to do it as part of a package that includes other features like Bose premium audio, the digital driver's display, and remote start, which pushes the price to around $35,500.
Alternatively, you can go straight to the high-end Essence trim starting at $35,995 and get the 8-inch screen standard. A package adding navigation and Bose premium audio bumps the price to just over $37,000, and if you go all-in on the advanced safety features and other options, you can push the price tag up to over $43,000.
HomePod shipments totaled 1.6 million units in the fourth quarter of 2018, a 45 percent increase on a year-over-year basis, according to Strategy Analytics. Despite the growth, the research firm estimates that Apple's share of the worldwide smart speaker market was just 4.1 percent during the quarter.
By comparison, Amazon and Google commanded the market with an estimated 13.7 million and 11.5 million smart speakers shipments respectively. The two companies combined for an estimated 65.5 percent market share in the quarter.
A lot of this comes down to pricing. At $349, the HomePod is significantly more expensive than the Amazon Echo and Google Home. In particular, the smaller Amazon Echo Dot and Google Home Mini models were available for as low as $25 during the holiday season, a fraction of the cost of a HomePod.
"Amazon and Google both have broad model lineups, ranging from basic to high-end, with even more variants from Amazon. Apple of course has only its premium-priced HomePod, and likely won't gain significant share until it offers an entry-level product closer to Echo Dot and Home mini," CIRP co-founder Josh Lowitz said last month.
To improve sales, many resellers offered the HomePod for $249 during the holiday season, and $279 is a commonly seen price too.
A third reason is availability. Apple launched the HomePod two to three years after its largest competitors, and sales remain limited to the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Spain, Mexico, China, and Hong Kong. Amazon and Google smart speakers are available in more countries.
Of course, the Strategy Analytics data is estimated to begin with. Apple does not disclose HomePod sales, instead grouping the speaker under its "Wearables, Home, and Accessories" category in its earnings reports alongside the Apple Watch, Apple TV, AirPods, Beats, iPod touch, and other accessories.
Following an announcement last year and launch in Europe, Eve Systems today released the portable LED lamp Eve Flare in the United States and Canada. Similar to Hue Go, Eve Flare lets you pick up and easily move the lamp around the house -- or to outdoor locations thanks to IP65 water resistance -- to bring light wherever you go.
Eve Flare is compatible with Apple HomeKit and offers six hours of battery powered light. When the battery runs down, you can recharge Eve Flare easily thanks to an included wireless charging base.
“Wherever you need a pop of light, it is easy with Eve Flare. Find a spot, open the Eve App, pick the perfect shade and enjoy hours and hours of soothing light,” says Ina Hirsch, Director of Marketing. “As with all Eve products, there’s no bridge required so Eve Flare is built to go from your bedroom to your balcony to your garden and beyond.”
The lamp allows you to choose from pre-made lighting shades or create your own custom color scenes, and does not require a bridge to work with HomeKit. Thanks to HomeKit support, you can include Eve Flare in your existing scenes and automations to turn the light on/off when you arrive/leave home, activate a scene via Siri, and more.
Eve Systems is continuing its rebranding from Elgato by focusing solely on its Eve line of HomeKit products, a move that was announced last summer. After that news, Eve Systems announced a new power strip, light strip, and light switch; and also updated the Eve Room in the fall. All of these products are compatible with HomeKit.
Eve Flare is priced at $99.95 and available to purchase today on Eve's website or on Amazon.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
SoundCloud today announced a new feature that allows creators to distribute their music directly to major streaming music services like Apple Music, Spotify, and Amazon Music (via Billboard). The tool will be included in SoundCloud Pro and Pro Unlimited subscription tiers for artists, and each artist will get 100 percent of earnings back from each streaming platform, meaning SoundCloud won't take any cuts and won't charge additional distribution fees.
Artists on SoundCloud Pro or Pro Unlimited who are 18 years or older, control all rights to their original music, have no copyright strikes, and have garnered at least 1,000 plays in the past month will be able to use the tool. These eligible artists will now see a distribution button within the track manager section of SoundCloud, prompting them to select from a list of distribution channels like Apple Music, and schedule their release.
Last September, Spotify launched a beta for a service similar to SoundCloud's, allowing indie artists to bypass distributors and upload their music directly to the service. SoundCloud is now expanding this idea to support all streaming services, and the company hopes that these companies see it more as a location to scout new up-and-coming artists rather than another streaming rival.
"SoundCloud isn’t, nor ever was, meant to be a one-way, mass streaming experience," Trainor explains. "Streaming has risen, people are paying for music again and it’s fantastic what all the major streaming services are doing there. But what SoundCloud has been about, always, is empowering creators and giving that connection between creator and listener. Our overall position is about continuing to invest in that -- it’s not about trying to chase those other mass services."
While SoundCloud does offer a monthly streaming music service that is a competitor to Apple Music and Spotify, the company's major difference is in its community of artists who create and share their music on the platform. With the expansion of direct uploads to Apple Music and Spotify, these creators will now have even more outlets for their music to be heard.
SoundCloud Pro starts at $6/month and Pro Unlimited $12/month (both billed yearly). At the Pro and Pro Unlimited level, artists can schedule releases, check full stats on tracks, gain access to full embed controls, replace tracks, and now distribute unlimited releases to all major music services. At this point, SoundCloud notes that this tool is still in beta.
As part of its efforts to rebuild Apple Maps, Apple has been collecting street-level data with LiDAR-equipped vehicles for over three years, with at least 45 states across the U.S. partially surveyed to date.
That total is set to rise in the coming months, as Apple has confirmed it will begin surveying Alaska, South Carolina, and Tennessee between March and July, according to an update to its recently revampedApple Maps image collection website. Data collection is also set to continue in seven other states over that time.
Apple is conducting ground surveys around the world to collect data which will be used to improve Apple Maps. Some of this data will be published in future Apple Maps updates. We will also periodically revisit some locations to gather new data in an effort to maintain a high-quality, up-to-date map. We are committed to protecting your privacy while conducting these surveys. For example, we will blur faces and license plates on collected images prior to publication.
To our best knowledge, the only states that Apple has yet to confirm surveying are Arkansas and Oklahoma, although Twitter users have spotted the vehicles in both states since last year and perhaps earlier. It's possible the vehicles were only passing through those states without collecting mapping data.
Whether the total is 48 or 50 states, Apple's surveying efforts have reached nearly every corner of the United States. Apple plans to roll out its improved Maps app across the country section by section over the next year.
The improvements first rolled out in Northern California in iOS 12 and have extended to Hawaii and Southern California over the past few months. The overall look and feel of Apple Maps is mostly the same, but zooming and panning reveals more details like grass, trees, sports fields, and parking lots.
Apple Maps vehicles have also surveyed parts of Croatia, France, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom, and they are headed to Andorra in April, according to Apple's website. It's unclear when the Apple Maps improvements will be available internationally.
Printer company Epson today announced the launch of voice-activated mobile printing support for Siri, Amazon Alexa, and Google Assistant. With the addition, iOS users can snap a photo and ask Siri to print to a compatible Epson printer thanks to Siri Shortcuts.
You'll need the Epson iPrint app, which now supports Apple's new Shortcuts app on iOS. After the shortcut is installed, you can set up a voice activation phrase for printing, and when an image is displayed on your iPhone ask Siri to print it, even if you aren't home.
Other commands supported include scanning a document with an iPhone, iPad, or the Epson printer, and you can also ask Siri how much ink you have left in the printer. The company says all of these Shortcuts will help streamline printing and scanning documents since you will no longer have to navigate any software menus.
“Our customers have overloaded daily routines and are always looking for ways to save time and quickly get errands done,” said Jack Rieger, senior product manager of software and user experience, Epson America. “By expanding compatibility with some of the top smart home voice assistants, Epson is committed to making printing and scanning easier and more efficient for all of our busy customers.”
Compatible printers include those with support for the Epson Connect service, like Epson EcoTank, WorkForce, and Expression models. Once enabled, you can say "Hey Siri, open Epson printer" to get started.
TweetDeck for Mac has been updated with backend improvements that are said to "significantly improve the stability of the app." This includes a fix for a major crashing issue that was affecting many users, including a few of our editors.
The full release notes for version 3.11:
- This release replaces the old web view implementation with a modern one based on WKWebView. Because of this change the minimum supported macOS version is now 10.10 (Yosemite). - Memory usage has been significantly reduced. - Fixes the ability to link Twitter accounts through Teams. - Fixes a major crash that was impacting a lot of people. This should significantly improve the stability of the app.
The last TweetDeck for Mac update in January also promised to "fix many crashes," but the app still closed unexpectedly on occasion in our own usage, so hopefully this week's update delivers on its word.
Twitter bought TweetDeck back in 2011 and largely neglected the Mac app for several years. Unfortunately, it is the only desktop app that supports continuous streaming of tweets due to Twitter's new limitations on third-party apps last year.
Sphero today debuted a Kickstarter for its latest robot, the RVR, a fully programmable and customizable RC car that the company says has "endless coding possibilities." The RVR Kickstarter begins its pledge levels at $199 and will have a final MSRP of $249, and marks Sphero's first ever Kickstarter project. The final goal for the project is $150,000.
Sphero says that initial shipments will start in September/October 2019, but as with all Kickstarters you should remember that sometimes things are delayed for longer than initially promised. Still, Sphero is a well-known company, and a representative told us that RVR will ship in the designated time frame regardless of the Kickstarter.
“RVR is the kind of robot I wish I had growing up,” said Adam Wilson, Sphero co-founder and chief creative officer. “For makers, developers and anyone who loves to build things, RVR’s advanced capabilities bring to life everything that makes coding exciting. That creative experience is at the core of why we first started Sphero.”
The company says that RVR is drivable out of the box and is usable for coders of all levels, but it has a few advanced features geared toward those looking for a more complex coding experience. RVR can be customized through a universal expansion port, full suite of on-board sensors, and an advanced control system.
Sphero says the robot has a fine-tuned, high-resolution motor encoder that allows for extreme agility and accuracy when controlling it. RVR's universal expansion port has the ability to connect to third-party hardware like Raspberry Pi, Micro:Bit, and Arduino.
Onboard sensors include a color sensor, light sensor, IR, magnetometer, accelerometer, and gyroscope, as well as a roll cage and clear protective plate that can be removed. RVR has an ambient light sensor and 9-axis IMU that can send and receive signals to interact with other Sphero robots.
RVR will connect to the Sphero EDU app, like the company's other robots, allowing users to view tips, ask questions, take on challenges, share their creations, and more. Similar to previous Sphero products, RVR is focused on STEAM learning and the company intends the robot to be used in classes to teach coding lessons.
Sphero also partnered with SparkFun Electronics and its "Get a Bot, Give a Bot" initiative, which will match the first 50 RVR's purchased on Kickstarter with a donation of 50 RVRs to schools.
Serial tech leaker Steve Hemmerstoffer (@OnLeaks) claims to have received an alleged CAD rendering of Apple's so-called "iPad mini 5," rumored to be launching in the Spring.
Hemmerstoffer has yet to share the image, but assuming the leak is legit, he says it suggests there will be no major design changes to the next-generation iPad mini, save for a "relocated mic, centered on the upper back panel."
Suggestions that the new iPad mini will look virtually the same as the last model is likely to disappoint some fans of Apple's smaller form factor tablet who may have been hoping for an iPad Pro-style redesign with Face ID and an edge-to-edge display.
However, today's development is in line with multiple reliable sources that claim Apple will release a new version of the iPad mini with affordability in mind, suggesting only upgraded internal specs and a lower-cost display panel in a similarly sized chassis. The 7.9-inch tablet is also expected to continue to have a Lightning connector, Touch ID, and a 3.5mm headphone jack.
Just got my hands on alleged #iPadMini5 CAD. If legit (can't vouch at 100%), there is indeed (just as rumored) no external design changes (except of relocated mic, centered on upper back panel). In short, it will very likely be a specs bump only update... pic.twitter.com/z5XuBKZVmN
— Steve H.McFly (@OnLeaks) February 19, 2019
Rumors have suggested both a new iPad mini 5 and an updated iPad will launch in early 2019, and we've seen signs of them in iOS 12.2 and through registration with the Eurasian Economic Commission.
Based on recent years, it's natural to speculate that Apple will announce the iPad mini 5 at its rumored March 25 event, however reports claim Apple's event will be services-focused, suggesting any hardware updates may come in the form of a press release or at another event further down the line.
Apple Pay is rolling out to users in Saudi Arabia and the Czech Republic, according to multiple reports from tipsters and posts across social media this morning.
Apple's digital payment system already appears to be active for a number of banks and financial services across both countries. In Czech Republic, users have so far reported successfully adding cards to their mobile wallets from Air Bank, MONETA Money Bank, Ceska sporitelna, and payments company Twisto.
When Apple Pay was rumored to be coming to the country in late February, support for the country's two largest banks Česká spořitelna and Komerční banka was mooted, so hopefully they'll also be added to the "active" list soon.
Meanwhile in Saudi Arabia, Apple's regional Apple Pay website has gone live and lists Visa and Mastercard support for Al Rajhi Bank, NCB, MADA, Riyad Bank, Alinma Bank, and Bank Aljazira.
Apple said in October that Apple Pay would be "coming soon" to the country, and reports are coming in from users who have successfully registered cards with Apple Pay issued by the above banks.
Apple's website also lists several supporting outlets in the country, including Carrefour, counterpoint, KFC, Bershka, baby shop, MacDonalds, and Krispy Kreme doughnuts, among others.
Apple Pay has been gradually expanding across Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. The service launched in Belgium and Kazakhstan in November and made its long-awaited debut in Germany the following month.
Apple Pay first launched in the United States in October 2014, and has since expanded to many other countries, such as the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, China, Singapore, Switzerland, France, Japan, Spain, Italy, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Russia, New Zealand, Brazil, Poland, Ireland, and Ukraine.
Last night, we saw the release of a extensive research note from analyst Ming-Chi Kuo who laid out his timeline for product releases from Apple in the coming year. MacRumors videographer Dan Barbera recaps Kuo's predictions in this video which covers an extensive range of products including an all new 16" MacBook Pro, 6K Apple Display and much more.
Kuo is well regarded in the rumor community due to a very good track record at predicting Apple's products. Kuo gathers intelligence from his contacts in Apple's Asian supply chain, translating the information he gleans into research notes for clients.
Apple today seeded the third beta of an upcoming macOS Mojave 10.14.4 update to developers for testing purposes, two weeks after seeding the second macOS Mojave 10.14.4 beta and almost a month after releasing macOS Mojave 10.14.3.
The new macOS Mojave 10.14.4 beta can be downloaded through the Software Update mechanism in System Preferences after the proper profile has been installed from Apple's Developer Center.
macOS Mojave 10.14.4 brings Apple News to Canada for the first time, allowing Canadian Mac users to access news stories in French, English, or both.
The update also includes support for Safari AutoFill using Touch ID and automatic dark mode themes in Safari. That means if you have Dark Mode enabled, when you visit a website that has an option for a dark theme, it will be activated automatically. You can see a demo of the feature here.
macOS Mojave 10.14.4 will likely be in beta testing for the next several weeks as Apple refines features and works out bugs. After that, it will see a release alongside iOS 12.2, watchOS 5.2, and tvOS 12.2.
A new report out today by The Wall Street Journal takes a look at the recent shake ups to Apple leadership, and how the changes could be an indicator that the company is transitioning from relying on iPhone sales to prioritizing its services business and other divisions.
Newly appointed executive John Giannandrea also heads Siri development
Specifically, the report claims that recent hires, departures, promotions, and restructurings have led to several projects being put on hold while the new managers reassess priorities. This has left many existing Apple employees "rattled" as they have become unaccustomed to such frequent changes in leadership prior to the shake up at the company.
The primary reasons for the shifts vary by division. But collectively, they reflect Apple’s efforts to transition from an iPhone-driven company into one where growth flows from services and potentially transformative technologies.
These changes include the promotion of John Giannandrea to senior vice president, from a machine learning and AI role. After his promotion, Giannandrea decided to move Bill Stasior, head of Siri, to a lower role at the company. In terms of high-profile departures, retail chief Angela Ahrendts recently left Apple after spending five years with the company. These three major changes happened within the past two-and-a-half months.
Along with the staffing updates, Apple has trimmed around 200 employees from its autonomous vehicle project, and continues to redirect much of its engineering resources into its streaming TV service ahead of the planned 2019 launch.
“This is a sign the company is trying to get the formula right for the next decade,” said Gene Munster, a longtime Apple analyst and managing partner at venture-capital firm Loup Ventures. “Technology is evolving, and they need to continue to tweak their structure to be sure they’re on the right curve.”
Now, Apple is focusing on building its services catalog and enhancing artificial intelligence features, which should in turn encourage more hardware sales. Replacing Stasior as the head of Siri, Giannandrea is said to be "looking to improve Siri's accuracy and performance."
iPhone sales dipped over the 2018 holiday season, leading to many reports about Apple's new plans to combat stagnating smartphone sales. The company is said to have cut back on new hires, and in January Apple lowered its revenue guidance for the first quarter of the 2019 fiscal year by up to $9 billion due to fewer iPhone upgrades than it anticipated.
At the same time, Apple's services business hit an all-time high in Q1 2019, up 19 percent year-on-year. During the first fiscal quarter of 2019, Apple's services business brought in $10.9 billion in revenue, including platforms like iTunes, the App Store, the Mac App Store, Apple Music, Apple Pay, and AppleCare. Thanks to their success in the wake of flagging iPhone sales, these services are expected to be a growing focus for the company over the next few years.
Last month, the United States Justice Department announced a series of criminal charges against Chinese smartphone maker Huawei for stealing trade secrets, bank fraud, wire fraud, and obstructing justice. Today, The Information has shed light on Huawei's tactics of stealing trade secrets, some of which were aimed at Apple.
According to today's report, a Huawei engineer in charge of the company's smartwatch project tracked down a supplier that makes the heart rate sensor for the Apple Watch. The Huawei engineer arranged a meeting, suggesting he was offering the supplier a lucrative manufacturing contract, but during the meeting his main intent was questioning the supplier about the Apple Watch.
The Huawei engineer attended the supplier meeting with four Huawei researchers in tow. The Huawei team spent the next hour and a half pressing the supplier for details about the Apple Watch, the executive said.
“They were trying their luck, but we wouldn’t tell them anything,” the executive said. After that, Huawei went silent.
This event reportedly reflects "a pattern of dubious tactics" performed by Huawei to obtain technology from rivals, particularly Apple's China-based suppliers. According to a Huawei spokesperson the company has not been in the wrong: "In conducting research and development, Huawei employees must search and use publicly available information and respect third-party intellectual property per our business-conduct guidelines."
According to the U.S. Justice Department, Huawei is said to have a formal program that rewards employees for stealing information, including bonuses that increase based on the confidential value of the information gathered. While the theft of trade secrets is nothing new among technology companies, the new allegations against Huawei represent "a more brazen and elaborate system of seeking out secret information," The Information reports.
Huawei's information gathering program led to incidents like the Huawei engineer probing a supplier for Apple Watch details, as well as Huawei copying a component of the MacBook Pro. Specifically, the company built a connector for its MateBook Pro that was just like the one used in Apple's MacBook Pro from 2016, allowing the computer's hinge to be thinner while still attaching the display to the logic board.
Huawei reportedly approached numerous suppliers and provided them with schematics just like Apple's, but most recognized the part and refused to make it for Huawei. The company told The Information that it requires suppliers to uphold a high standard of ethics and that it doesn't seek or have access to its competitor's confidential information. Eventually, Huawei found a willing supplier and the connector was built into the MateBook Pro.
The Information's report includes numerous other examples of Huawei's attempts at stealing information from Apple. One former Apple employee interviewed for a job at Huawei immediately after leaving Apple, and in the interview, Huawei executives repeatedly asked questions about Apple's upcoming products. "It was clear they were more interested in trying to learn about Apple than they were in hiring me," the former employee said.
Huawei's indictments extend far beyond Apple, including an accusation of bank and wire fraud against chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou, lying to the government, destroying documents, and attempting to move key Huawei employees back to China to impede the U.S. Justice Department investigation. Another indictment accused Huawei of stealing trade secrets, wire fraud, and obstructing justice for stealing robotic technology from T-Mobile U.S. for testing smartphone durability.
Analyst Tim O'Shea recently published a new research report looking at the impact of Apple's upcoming streaming TV service on the company's overall financial earnings (via Business Insider). According to O'Shea, even if Apple priced the service at $15/month (and took a 30 percent cut, while the rest went to video production partners), the resulting revenue would just be "a drop in the bucket."
O'Shea predicted that if Apple could get to 250 million subscribers by 2023, it would earn the company $13.5 billion in revenue and account for about 5 percent of the company's revenue that year. Not only that, but 250 million subscribers in four years is a generous prediction, given it took Netflix 12 years to reach its 139 million subscribers as of January 2019.
"It's going take a long time for this type of service to really move the needle," O'Shea told Business Insider. To figure out the potential of the video service, which Apple is widely expected to launch next month, O'Shea estimated that Apple would charge customers $15 a month and take a 30% cut, giving the rest to video production partners
If the service is extremely successful and attracts 250 million subscribers, it would yield $13.5 billion in revenue for Apple. That's nothing to sneeze at. After all, Netflix's total sales last year were $15.8 billion. But in the context of Apple, such a figure would be just a drop in the bucket.
In fiscal 2018, the company posted revenue of $265 billion. Though O'Shea and other analysts expect Apple's sales to drop sharply this year before slowly recovering in coming ones, $13.5 billion would still represent only a small fraction of the company's revenue.
To be clear, O'Shea isn't predicting that Apple will price its streaming TV service at this level, but the analyst is simply providing a "what if" scenario for the launch of the service. CNBC previously reported that Apple will offer its original TV shows for free to Apple device owners, and new reports have suggested that users will be able to add more premium channels onto the service at a cost.
As part of these recent rumors, it's also been suggested all users will have to pay a monthly subscription to gain access to Apple's original TV shows. In regards to these rumors, a price has not yet been put forward. More clarity should be given to Apple's streaming service on March 25, when the company is expected to host a major event debuting the service and outlining its big features.
Apple today announced that it will partner with the Oakland-based non-profit organization Dream Corps in an effort to bring educational and workforce development opportunities to young adults. The program's goal is to help these individuals find success and career placement in the tech sector.
Vien Truong, CEO of Dream Corps
The program is part of Apple's Community Education Initiative, and stems from Dream Corps' existing #YesWeCode Initiative, which aims "to help 100,000 young women and men from underrepresented backgrounds find success in the tech sector." To date, #YesWeCode has graduated around 100 people and placed 60 percent in new tech jobs.
As part of the new initiative, Apple will work with Vien Truong, CEO of Dream Corps, to bring coding and workforce development programs to local youth in Oakland, California.
“We are thrilled about launching this new initiative in Oakland,” said Lisa Jackson, Apple’s vice president of Environment, Policy and Social Initiatives. “Our hope is that by bringing expertise, stakeholders and resources together, we’ll be able to magnify the already impressive impact that Dream Corps is having in the Bay Area and across the nation and help a new generation of young people realize their potential.”
For its part, Apple will provide technology, professional support, curriculum guidance, and advocacy to those in middle and high school, college, and beyond. Apple's Swift coding language will be a major focus of the program, which is set to launch later this year in the Bay Area, and then expand nationwide at a later date.
To highlight the success of #YesWeCode, Apple today also shared the story of Gerald Ingraham, a U.S. Marine who found the coding program and completed it while working full-time in various administration and construction jobs. He was determined to find a fulfilling career, and looking for more stable work to help pay hospital bills for his son, who was diagnosed with brain cancer.
In 2018, one year after completing the program, Ingraham landed a job as a software developer at a video game company. "I'm finally doing something I chose," said Ingraham, "not something I just fell into because that was the only skill I had. I feel better about myself — and my oldest son told me how I've inspired him."
A few weeks ago, Apple's Group FaceTime was discovered to have a major security flaw which potentially allowed users to listen in on others without their permission. The flaw was quickly publicized forcing Apple to shut down FaceTime servers temporarily while a patch was being created. A week later, Apple released iOS 12.1.4 which addressed the security issue and re-enabled Group FaceTime for those users.
Unfortunately, Group FaceTime even under iOS 12.1.4 hasn't quite been restored to its former functionality. A MacRumors forum thread started the day after 12.1.4's release revealed users who found themselves unable to add more users to a FaceTime call. As it turns out, it appears that users are no longer able to add a person to a one-on-one FaceTime call. The "Add Person" button remains greyed out and inactive in this situation. The only way to add another person to a Group FaceTime call at this time is to start the call with at least two other people. This slight distinction appears to be the source of confusion for many users.
MacRumors forum user Bob-K persisted in his support calls with Apple, and was finally told that the "Add Person" button not working in that situation was a known issue and that they didn't know when it would be fixed.
Apple Support on Twitter also appears to be aware of this restriction:
That's good. Also, note that Group FaceTime calls need to be started with at least two additional users in the FaceTime app. Meet us in DM if you're still having an issue with more users: https://t.co/GDrqU22YpT
— Apple Support (@AppleSupport) February 15, 2019
We were able to reproduce this issue, but it appears this workaround isn't entirely reliable as one user reported being unable to consistently add people even during a group call. A search of Twitter shows a number of users who believe that Group FaceTime remains disabled, though some users may simply be unaware of the iOS 12.1.4 update, or may be confused by the greyed "Add Person" button issue.
Apple is actively working on iOS 12.2 Beta which has not yet seen the addition of the patch for Group FaceTime, but we'd expect them to address the ongoing bugs in a later 12.2 beta release.
Biggest design overhaul since iOS 7 with Liquid Glass, plus new Apple Intelligence features and improvements to Messages, Phone, Safari, Shortcuts, and more. Developer beta available now ahead of public beta in July.
Biggest design overhaul since iOS 7 with Liquid Glass, plus new Apple Intelligence features and improvements to Messages, Phone, Safari, Shortcuts, and more. Developer beta available now ahead of public beta in July.
