Google today announced a change to its core Search algorithm that it says can better understand conversational search queries. Through improvements in natural language analysis, the company says that it has improved its ability to analyze queries that reflect how people speak in real life and recognize the relevant context.
Particularly for longer, more conversational queries, or searches where prepositions like "for" and "to" matter a lot to the meaning, Search should be able to understand the context of the words in a query, allowing users to search in a way that feels more natural.
The company says the improvements are down to a system it introduced last year called BERT, or Bidirectional Encoder Representations from Transformers, which allows Google to analyze the context of a sentence a lot better and return more pertinent information.
In a blog post announcing the change, Google offers the following example to show off BERT's capabilities – a search for "2019 brazil traveler to usa need a visa."
The word "to" and its relationship to the other words in the query are particularly important to understanding the meaning. It's about a Brazilian traveling to the U.S., and not the other way around. Previously, our algorithms wouldn't understand the importance of this connection, and we returned results about U.S. citizens traveling to Brazil. With BERT, Search is able to grasp this nuance and know that the very common word "to" actually matters a lot here, and we can provide a much more relevant result for this query.
Google reckons BERT will help Search better understand one in 10 searches in the U.S. in English, and it plans to bring the capability to more languages and locales over time.
As far web searches go, the changes usher in the "biggest leap forward in the past five years, and one of the biggest leaps forward in the history of search," said Pandu Nayak, a Google vice president.
Google is the default search engine in Apple's Safari web browser. Apart from its Google.com website, Google Search is also available on iOS through the company's namesake app. [Direct Link]
Apple CEO Tim Cook recently sat down for an interview with People en Español where he talked about diversity at Apple, his personal life and his decision to publicly announce his sexual orientation.
Back in 2014, Cook wrote a letter for Bloomberg Businessweek where he came out as gay in an effort to bring comfort to anyone who feels alone" and "inspire people to insist on their equality."
Cook says that he does not regret his decision to come out. "I have not regretted it for one minute," he said. "Not at all." Cook went on to explain that he had been receiving notes from kids struggling with their sexual orientation, and he wanted to do something. It took him a year between getting the words right and picking the right time for the announcement.
Obviously I couldn't talk to each one individually that reached out, but you always know if you have people reaching out to you that there's many more that don't, that are just out there wondering whether they have a future or not, wondering whether life gets better... From there I really decided. There's been a lot of people that came before me that made it possible for me to sit here today, and I needed to do something to help those people that were in a younger generation.
Cook said that he didn't experience any fear ahead of the announcement, but he was concerned about the world outside of Apple even with unanimous support from Apple's board. "I mean you look at it... there's still half the states or so where you can be fired for being gay or trans," said Cook.
Apple has a "history of being open and diverse" which made him feel comfortable making the announcement. According to Cook, being gay has given him a "level of empathy" that's "much higher than average."
I'm not saying that I understand the trials and tribulations of every minority group, because I don't. But I do understand for one of the groups. And to the degree that it helps give you a lens on how other people may feel, I think that's a gift in and of itself.
Cook also spoke about diversity and Apple's recent decision to file an amicus brief in support of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals immigration policy. "We know that we create better products by being more diverse," said Cook. "We know the best products are created by the most diverse teams because products are created for everyone."
When I talk to folks that are in the United States in the DACA program, what I see is a level of grit, a level of determination, a level of excitement to be in America to achieve something and to go beyond perhaps where their parents did. I see enormous dedication and [a] very diligent work ethic, which I've always deeply admired. It was the way I was brought up as well. That's what I see, and I think it's a travesty that we're allowing, as a society, this cloud to hang over their heads for any period of time, but even more so for the period of time we have.
Cook's full interview, which has additional details on Apple's environmental efforts and Cook's advice for children who are gay and their parents, can be read over on the People en Español website.
Note: Due to the political nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Politics, Religion, Social Issues 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 this afternoon began sending out emails highlighting its latest Apple Pay promotion, which offers $10 off a purchase of $100 or more from the StubHub app.
StubHub is an online ticketing company that allows users to purchase tickets for sporting events, concerts, and more.
To get the $10 discount, you can enter PAYFASTER during checkout on Apple Pay purchase of $100+. Apple says that the discount will be available through October 31, and it is limited to the United States. Purchases of gift cards are not included.
Apple today announced that it is the first company to receive a Green Supply Chain CITI Outstanding Brand award for its environmental efforts in China, specifically its contributions towards making its entire supply chain more environmentally responsible.
Apple announced the news on its Chinese site (via 9to5Mac), and said that as a CITI brand, the company will continue to maintain a "superior supply chain" while further promoting environmental management.
Ge Yue, the managing director of Apple Greater China, said that Apple has been committed to smart and sustainable manufacturing to be beneficial to the world.
"We always believe that to create the best products in the world, we must create the products that are most beneficial to the world. For this reason, we have been committed to promoting the development of smart and sustainable manufacturing. I am very grateful to Director Ma Jun and IPE for their cooperation with us. We believe that through our joint efforts, we will be able to achieve greater achievements in protecting the Earth and its important resources."
Apple says that it is working on projects to strengthen its environmental impacts outside of its own supply chain, with plans to share best practices with others and extend its results to the entire industry.
In China, Apple's clean water management program has been able to save more than 25 billion gallons of water, and Apple has 76 suppliers participating in an effort to run entirely on renewable energy.
More than 40 percent of Apple manufacturing partners are committed to producing Apple products with 100 percent clean energy, and by the end of next year, Apple and its suppliers will have a total of 6 GW of renewable energy in use worldwide.
Former Apple lawyer Gene Levoff, who was in charge of enforcing Apple's Insider Trading Policy, is facing criminal charges related to insider trading of Apple stock, reports CNBC.
Levoff was today indicted for insider trading, and he is facing six counts of security fraud and six counts of wire fraud. According to the U.S. government, Levoff used inside information from Apple, including financial results before they were published, to sell Apple stock ahead of weaker than expected earnings results between 2011 and 2016 as well as to purchase stock during stronger quarters.
This scheme to defraud Company-1 and its shareholders allowed Levoff to realize profits of approximately $227,000 on certain trades and to avoid losses of approximately $377,000 on others.
When Levoff discovered that Company-1 had posted strong revenue and net profit for a given financial quarter, he purchased large quantities of stock, which he later sold for a profit once the market reacted to the news.
The United States Securities and Exchange Commission first filed charges against Gene Levoff in February, but now he is facing criminal charges in addition to civil charges.
Levoff worked for Apple from 2008 to 2018, and prior to when he was fired from the company, he was the senior director of corporate law.
Apple declined to comment on the criminal charges filed today, but in February, said the following: "After being contacted by authorities last summer we conducted a thorough investigation with the help of outside legal experts, which resulted in termination."
macOS Catalina includes a new Mac Catalyst feature that's designed to make it simple for developers to bring their apps created for the iPad over to the Mac App Store.
Several developers have taken advantage of the new capabilities in Catalina to create Mac Catalyst apps for the Mac App Store, and we thought we'd round up the most useful of these for those who are wondering how Mac Catalyst apps work and how they compare to their iPad app counterparts.
Twitter for Mac (Free) - With Mac Catalyst, Twitter reintroduced a Twitter app for the Mac, a year after the original Twitter for Mac was eliminated. Twitter for Mac is a hybrid of the iPad app and the web interface, though it more closely resembles the browser version of Twitter. It works as you'd expect a Twitter for Mac app to work, with a navigation bar on the left for swapping between mentions and messages, and then a Twitter timeline.
GoodNotes 5 ($7.99) - Popular note taking app GoodNotes 5 is available on the Mac following the launch of macOS Catalina. You can view and access your notes, but taking notes is a much better experience on the iPad because you can use the Apple Pencil or a stylus. You can write on the Mac version, but it requires a mouse or a trackpad, which is not the best experience. Being able to reference your notes on your Mac is super useful, even if the bulk of the functionality is designed for the iPad.
Allegory ($3.99) - For those who prefer Markdown, Allegory is a Mac Catalyst app that's now available on the Mac. It's simple, straightforward, easy to use, and the available feature set is the same across the iPad and the Mac.
Carrot Weather ($14.99) - Carrot Weather is a popular iOS app that's now on the Mac. It uses Dark Sky and offers up some accurate weather data. What's more, it has a snarky attitude that turns boring weather information into a much more fun interaction. Carrot Weather is one of our favorite Mac Catalyst apps so far, and given the app's simplicity, it's quite similar to the iPad version.
Rosetta Stone (Free) - Rosetta Stone on the iPad is an app designed to help you learn a language, and in Catalina, the Rosetta Stone app is also on the Mac. It's a solid port and the experience is overall the same, with the bonus of being able to swap between devices to learn a language no matter what you're using. The app is free, but it requires a subscription.
With Catalyst apps, Mac versions need to be purchased separately from iOS versions, which is a downside that may put some people off of them. For your favorite apps, though, the purchase price may be worth the cross platform availability.
Mac Catalyst apps are still in the early stages of rolling out, and Apple has plans to expand the Catalyst feature in the future. We can expect to see more apps designed for the iPad ported over to the Mac as time progresses, and if you've found a great Mac Catalyst app, feel free to mention it in the comments.
Right now, you can see a collection of other Mac Catalyst apps in the Mac App Store under the "Apps You Love Now On Your Mac" section of the Mac App Store, but it's otherwise tough to tell a Catalyst app from a regular Mac app.
In macOS Catalina, Apple introduced Mac Catalyst, an initiative designed to make it simple for developers to port their iPad apps over to the Mac App Store with minimal work. Mac Catalyst is still new and developing, but its ultimate aim is to bring more apps to the Mac App Store.
Following the launch of Catalina, macOS product marketing director Todd Benjamin spoke to CNET about Mac Catalyst, providing some insight into Apple's goals and the initial rollout of the feature.
Apple designed Mac Catalyst to let iPad developers use a single codebase and development team to create apps for multiple platforms. The feature, says Benjamin, is great for Mac users and developers alike.
"Our vision for Mac Catalyst was always to make it easier for any iPad app developer, big or small, to bring their app to the Mac. This allows them to leverage one codebase and one development team. Mac Catalyst gives iPad app developers a huge head start and for many, an opportunity to expand their reach onto the Mac platform that they may not have had before. Not only is this great for developers, but it's also great for Mac users, who benefit with access to a whole new selection of great app experiences from iPad's vibrant ecosystem."
Thus far, several major apps have been ported over to the Mac using the Catalyst feature. This includes GoodNotes 5, Twitter, Carrot Weather, Rosetta Stone, and more. Apple too has brought iOS apps to the Mac using Mac Catalyst, such as Find My, Podcasts, Stocks, Voice Memos, and Home.
According to Benjamin, Apple is learning a lot from early adopters and plans to take their feedback into account when expanding Mac Catalyst in the future. Additional resources are in the works to help developers create "amazing Mac experiences."
For many of the early Mac Catalyst developers, it was their first time ever developing an app for the Mac, and it's amazing what they've been able to achieve in such a short time. We're learning a ton from these early adopters, and are planning additional resources and support to help them create amazing Mac experiences with Mac Catalyst."
CNET's full piece on Mac Catalyst, which includes details from developers who have created apps using the feature, can be read over on the CNET website.
Signify, the company behind the Philips Hue line of lights, recently introduced new filament bulbs, which are designed to look like vintage filament-style light bulbs.
These bulbs, which come in three sizes, are the first bulbs in the Philips Hue lineup that are meant to be used with or without a lamp shade, making them perfect for decorative-style lamps that are meant to have naked bulbs.
There's a Standard A19 bulb that's in the shape of a traditional lightbulb, an Edison ST19 bulb that's elongated and without the rounder bulb shape, and there's the Globe G25 bulb, the largest of the three, which looks like a larger version of the Standard A19.
Though designed to look like vintage filament bulbs, the Hue Filaments are LED bulbs and not incandescent bulbs so they don't get hot at all when in use. You can touch the naked bulb and not feel a thing besides a bit of warmth.
The filaments inside the Hue Filament bulbs are arranged in an attractive spiral shape, with all of the bulbs in different sizes using the same internal design.
All three of the Filament bulbs from Hue are white light only, which means colors are not supported. The default color is a soft, warm yellow, which is ideal for accent lighting and dimmer indoor lighting. For those familiar with the white lighting spectrum, these are 2100K bulbs.
There's just the one yellow shade with no option to change the white light temperature, but the Filament bulbs can be dimmed or brightened to adjust the lighting that is put off. The bulbs can get surprisingly bright, which allows them to light up a room when you're using a few.
Each of the bulbs measures in at 530 lumens, so these are not as bright as your average 60-watt bulb. For comparison's sake, some of the standard Hue bulbs are upwards of 800 lumens, so don't expect the same maximum brightness levels (though you probably wouldn't want that much brightness from a bulb without a lamp shade).
In a naked lamp that's at eye level, a full brightness Filament bulb is impossible to look at, so I appreciated the ability to dim the bulbs down from their maximum brightness. I'm using one of the bulbs in a little monster lamp that I have and at low light, it works perfectly.
Since these are mostly designed to be used without a lamp shade, the Filament bulbs are probably best used at dimmer light, but in a ceiling lamp or up hung up above, the brighter lights will work well and will put off a decent amount of light.
These bulbs are part of the Philips Hue Bluetooth line, which means you can directly control them using the Philips Hue Bluetooth app even if you don't have a Hue Bridge. If you do have a full Hue setup with a bridge, these bulbs are also compatible, and the bridge, of course, adds HomeKit so you can control the Filament bulbs with Siri.
I didn't extensively test these on a standalone basis with the Bluetooth app because I do have an existing Hue setup, but I did try them out with the Bluetooth app and found the control to work well, though response times are bit slower compared to a bridge connection.
Offering the option to connect to the newest Hue bulbs with Bluetooth is a great move by Philips because now people can experience Hue bulbs and control their lights without committing to an entire setup.
As with all Hue bulbs that are able to connect to the Hue Bridge, the Filament bulbs can be used in HomeKit scenes and automations alongside other HomeKit products, and can be controlled either through the Hue app or Apple's own Home app.
Bottom Line
If you've been waiting for a Hue bulb that's able to work in a lamp without a lamp shade, the Filaments are the bulbs for you.
The vintage look is perfect for a naked lamp, and the soft white light works well without a lamp shade. The spiral design is attractive, HomeKit support is included, and if you don't have a Hue Bridge, you can still control these and use dimming and on/off functionality over Bluetooth.
The bulbs are versatile, look fantastic, put off a good amount of light for a decorative bulb, and are an excellent addition to the Hue family. In the future, I'd love to see colored bulbs in this style or adjustable shades of white, but I'm not familiar with the technical details or what would be required for Signify to ultimately release such a product.
For now, though, these are a great option for those who need a more decorative bulb than the traditional Hue offerings.
How to Buy
The Hue Filament Smart Bulbs can be purchased from the Best Buy at the current time. The A19 model is priced at $24.99, the Edison ST19 is priced at $27.99, and the Globe G25 is priced at $32.99.
Apple today seeded the third beta of an upcoming macOS Catalina 10.15.1 update to developers, a week after seeding the second beta and a little over two weeks after releasing macOS Catalina to the public.
The new macOS Catalina beta can be downloaded using the Software Update mechanism in System Preferences after installing the proper software from the Developer Center.
The first update to macOS Catalina is minor in scale and appears to focus on performance improvements and fixes for bugs that weren't able to be addressed in the first version of Catalina. An interim supplemental update was released just two days ago with some other bug fixes that needed to be addressed before 10.15.1 was ready.
Apple's release notes for the first beta said that the update introduces support for the AMD Navi RDNA eGPU architecture and brings some changes to Photos.
You can now filter by Favorites, Edited, Photos, Videos, or Keywords in the All Photos view, and you can choose View > Metadata > Titles to enable titles and filenames in the All Photos View.
macOS Catalina is a major update that eliminates iTunes in favor of new Music, Podcasts, and TV apps, nixes support for 32-bit apps, adds a new Find My app, brings a new Photos interface, and includes multiple privacy enhancements and other app refinements.
The new AirPods are expected to be released in late 2019 or early 2020. Ahead of time, accessory maker ESR has released both a cover and carrying case for the so-called "AirPods Pro", with the product images depicting a wider charging case designed to hold the AirPods with rubber ear tips.
The fact that ESR is now shipping perfectly-fitting cases for unreleased AirPods suggests that the accessory maker may have gleaned dimensions and design details from sources within Apple's supply chain. On the other hand, though, this could simply be a marketing stunt based purely on rumors.
Unsurprisingly, the higher-end AirPods are expected to have a higher price tag than the existing AirPods, which retail for $159 with a wired charging case and $199 with a wireless charging case. Exact pricing remains to be seen.
Apple typically unveils redesigned products during its keynotes, but an October event is looking unlikely this year, so it could announce the new AirPods in a press release like the redesigned Beats Solo Pro. Or, if the new AirPods are a 2020 product, they could be unveiled at Apple's usual March event.
Anker this week unveiled the EufyCam 2, one of the first security cameras that will support Apple's new HomeKit Secure Video feature, allowing the camera to capture and store recordings securely in iCloud.
HomeKit Secure Video will only be available to users that pay for 200GB or more of iCloud storage, starting at $2.99 per month. Users with the 200GB plan can store 10 days of recordings from one camera in iCloud at no extra cost, while those with a 2TB plan can store 10 days of recordings from up to five cameras. HomeKit Secure Video recordings do not count towards a user's iCloud storage usage.
With an Apple TV, HomePod, or iPad as the home hub, HomeKit Secure Video uses on-device intelligence to privately analyze activity captured from the EufyCam 2 to detect whether it sees a person, vehicle, or an animal before securely sending it to iCloud, ensuring that users are only alerted to important activity.
A demo of HomeKit Secure Video from an iPad at an Apple Store was recently shared by Zach Truskowski, as noted by HomeKit Hero:
HomeKit Secure Video is billed as a safer option than storing recordings on the servers of third-party accessory makers.
With support for HomeKit in general, the EufyCam 2 can stream live video in the Home app on an iPhone or iPad, complete with Siri support. When the cameras detect motion, they automatically send a push notification to an iPhone or iPad, and users are able to view live video immediately from the lock screen.
EufyCam 2 will be available for pre-order in November from Best Buy in the United States, with pricing starting at $349.99 for a two-camera kit. Key features include 1080p recording, 365-day battery life, and night vision. Google Assistant and Alexa are also supported for voice control.
With a GameClub subscription, priced at $4.99 per month, iPhone and iPad users can gain access to a library that will eventually top over 100 games, including many classics that have been updated and optimized for the latest devices. GameClub subscribers also get in-depth overviews, tips, strategies, and more for each game.
Curated by Eli Hodapp, former editor-in-chief of MacRumors sister website TouchArcade, GameClub says its catalog includes many of the highest-rated mobile games on Metacritic, with multiple titles that topped Apple's own game-of-the-year lists. Each game is playable without an internet connection.
In the main GameClub app, users can browse games in the catalog and then download them individually from the App Store for free. With a GameClub subscription, the games are automatically playable, with no ads or in-app purchases.
GameClub is very similar to Apple Arcade, which also costs $4.99 per month, but with a focus on reviving classic iPhone and iPad games released over the past decade. The full catalog can be viewed on GameClub's website, with titles including Legendary Wars, Space Miner, Hook Camp, and MiniSquadron.
Following in the footsteps of Roku, Amazon today announced that the Apple TV app is now available on select Fire TV devices, including the second-generation Fire TV Stick, the Fire TV Stick 4K, and the Fire TV Stick Basic Edition.
Available through the Amazon Appstore, the Apple TV app allows users to access their iTunes libraries of movies and TV shows and the Apple TV Channels feature through the Fire TV platform. The app will also users to stream original content from Apple TV+ when the streaming video service launches November 1.
As of today, the Apple TV app on Fire TV is available in the United States, Canada, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, India, and the United Kingdom. The app is also available for Fire TV Basic Edition users in over 50 countries.
Amazon says the Apple TV app will be coming soon to the first- and second-generation Fire TV Cube, the third-generation diamond-shaped Fire TV dongle, Fire TV smart TVs from Toshiba and Insignia, and the Nebula sound bar. The app is not compatible with the first- or second-generation Fire TV or Fire TV Stick.
In addition to Fire TV, the Apple TV app is available on the iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Mac, Apple TV, Roku, and select 2018 and newer Samsung smart TVs. The app is also coming to select LG, Sony, and VIZIO smart TVs in the future.
Apple TV+ is a Netflix-like subscription-based service that will allow users to stream original TV shows and movies curated by Apple. Pricing will start at $4.99 per month with a one-week free trial. Up to six family members can share a single Apple TV+ subscription through Family Sharing.
Apple's services business is set to grow by 20 percent next year, boosted by its forthcoming Apple TV+ streaming service, according to the latest predictions by Morgan Stanley analyst Katy Huberty (via CNBC).
In a new investor note, Huberty predicts that Apple TV+ will grow into a $9 billion business by 2025, despite increasing competition in the streaming market and even if only 1 in every 10 Apple user subscribes to the service:
"With an attractive price point at $4.99/month, and wide initial distribution to the Apple installed base via the bundled free year offer, we estimate Apple TV+ can become a $9B revenue business with 136M paid subscribers by FY25, assuming just 1 in every 10 Apple user pays for the Service by FY25."
Huberty also notes that for Apple TV+ to have a more material impact on its near term estimates, Morgan Stanley would have to assume: "1) Apple TV+ production costs are significantly higher at the launch of the Service, and/or 2) more users redeem the Apple 12 month free offer with the purchase of a device."
Launching on November 1, Apple TV+ costs $4.99 per month and will be available on the Apple TV app on iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, iPod touch, Mac and other platforms, including online via www.tv.apple.com. Customers who purchase any new iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Mac or iPod touch starting September 10, 2019, are eligible for one year of Apple TV+ for free.
Morgan Stanley also raised its target price for Apple stock from $247 to $289. That works out as a 17 percent increase based on its outlook for Apple TV+, as well as its prediction that sales will return "to growth as replacement cycles peak" in 2020 as users upgrade to Apple's 5G-enabled iPhones.
Swathes of AT&T customers in the U.S. are said to be experiencing problems accessing voicemail, based on reports on social media and the network's support forums.
The issues have apparently been going on for several weeks, but while AT&T says it's aware of the problem, the company hasn't yet provided a detailed explanation or given an indication of when it might be fixed.
Late on Wednesday, The Verge highlighted a 40-page thread in AT&T's support forums that's full of users relating their experiences trying to access voicemail, to no avail. Android users are being met with error messages, while iPhone users are unable to view the Visual Voicemail feature to manage their recordings. People have also reported problems on Google Pixel phones and Motorola phones.
The first reports date back to October 1, and customers are said to be affected in several states, including Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Indiana, Nevada, and North Carolina. AT&T representatives responding to the complaints have claimed that the issues are due to a "vendor server problem," but it's still unclear which manufacturer is being referred to, while a statement given to The Verge similarly lacks detail:
"A recent software update to some devices may be affecting our customers' voicemail. We are working with the device manufacturer to issue a patch to resolve this and apologize for any inconvenience this has caused."
The current AT&T advice for affected customers who need immediate access to voicemail is to create a new mailbox by calling customer service. However, customers who go down this route are being warned that they will lose all saved and unheard messages. The only alternative, it seems, is to simply wait it out and hope AT&T resolves the issue sooner rather than later. We'll update this article if we learn of any developments.
Samsung has issued a software patch for its Galaxy S10 smartphone to fix a flaw in the under-screen fingerprint sensor that allowed anyone to unlock the device with the help of a cheap screen protector (via Reuters).
The problem was brought to light last week, when a British user who applied a gel screen protector to her Galaxy S10 subsequently discovered that unregistered fingerprints could be used to unlock the device.
Samsung later admitted the issue can happen when patterns appearing on certain protectors that come with silicon cases are recognized along with fingerprints.
On Wednesday, Samsung issued an apology via its customer support app Samsung Members and told Galaxy phone owners to update their biometric authentication to the latest software version.
"Samsung Electronics takes the security of products very seriously and will make sure to strengthen security through continuing improvement and updates to enhance biometric authentication functions," the company said via the support app.
The Galaxy S10 is the latest in Samsung's flagship S series, which is updated each year and regarded as the iPhone's main rival, but the fingerprint recognition problem in its latest smartphone has already caused reputational damage, with some banks pulling their apps from the Play store in response to the security flaw.
Good morning Robert, We've removed the app from the Play Store for customers with Samsung S10 devices. This is due to reports that there are security concerns regarding these devices. We hope to have our app available again shortly once the issue has been resolved. SY
— NatWest (@NatWest_Help) October 20, 2019
In March, the Korean company launched the S10 with much fanfare and promoted its first commercial under-screen fingerprint recognition solution as "revolutionary" at the time.
Apple today updated its Mac Configuration Utility for authorized technicians with instructions on how to place the new Mac Pro in DFU mode, according to a reliable source. For existing Macs, this software is used to pair components like the logic board to the Apple T2 security chip after a repair is completed.
We have elected not to share any screenshots to protect our source, but a generic image of the Mac Configuration Utility is below. An option for the new Mac Pro has been added alongside the iMac Pro, Mac mini, and notebooks.
Our source was informed that this move likely means the new Mac Pro will be released imminently. Apple previewed the new Mac Pro at WWDC 2019 in June and said the computer will be available to order at some point this fall, but it has yet to specify a release date.
The all-new Mac Pro is a powerhouse, with up to 28-core Intel Xeon processors, up to 1.5TB of ECC RAM, up to 4TB of SSD storage, and up to AMD Radeon Pro Vega II Duo graphics with 64GB of HBM2 memory. The computer also has eight PCIe expansion slots for maximum performance, expansion, and configurability.
A new design includes a stainless steel frame with smooth handles and an aluminum housing that lifts off for 360-degree access to the entire system. The housing also has a unique lattice pattern to maximize airflow and quiet operation.
Apple says the new Mac Pro provides over 300W of power to the CPU and has a "state-of-the-art thermal architecture" to allow the processor to run "fully unconstrained all the time." This is a significant change from the previous Mac Pro, which Apple eventually admitted led it "into a bit of a thermal corner."
Facing mounting criticism that it had abandoned its professional customers, Apple made the rare move of announcing that it would be releasing a new Mac Pro in April 2017, over two years before the computer was unveiled.
The new Mac Pro will start at $5,999 in the United States with an eight-core Intel Xeon processor, 32GB of ECC RAM, Radeon Pro 580X graphics, and 256GB of SSD storage. Apple will also be selling the 32-inch Pro Display XDR with 6K resolution for $4,999, although the stand for the monitor costs an extra $999.
With the chances of an October event becoming increasingly slim, Apple could announce Mac Pro availability via press release.
Apple today released the fourth betas of upcoming iOS and iPadOS 13.2 updates to developers, a week after seeding the third betas and a month after the release of iOS 13.1.
iOS and iPadOS 13.2 can be downloaded through the Apple Developer Center or over the air after the proper developer profiles have been installed.
iOS 13.2 introduces Deep Fusion for the cameras in the iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro models. Deep Fusion is a new image processing system that uses the A13 Bionic and the Neural Engine. Deep Fusion takes advantage of machine learning techniques to do pixel-by-pixel processing of photos, optimizing for texture, details, and noise in each part of the image.
The feature is aimed at improving indoor photos and photos taken in medium lighting, and it's a feature that will automatically activate based on the lens being used and the light level in the room.
In the second beta, Apple added support for dozens of new emoji characters on iOS and iPadOS. Orangutan, sloth, otter, skunk, and flamingo are the new animals included in the update, while new food items include garlic, onion, waffle, falafel, butter, oyster, maté, and ice cube.
Image via Emojipedia
New faces, gestures, and poses include yawning face, pinching hand, person kneeling, person standing, and new people holding hands options that are both gender and skin tone inclusive, plus accessibility-related emoji like deaf person, person in wheelchair, guide dog, and more. There are also tons of other emoji characters coming, outlined in our iOS 13.2 emoji article.
The update brings a promised privacy option that allows users to opt out of sharing their Siri and dictation audio recording with Apple, and it adds an option to delete Siri and dictation history. These settings provide users with more control over how their Siri recordings are used.
Apple has reintroduced the Announce Messages with Siri feature, which lets Siri read incoming messages without having to unlock the iPhone. The feature works with the second-generation AirPods and the Beats Pro.
The betas include new privacy settings for Apple's upcoming Research app, a new Transfer to HomePod toggle in the Settings app to turn on HomePod handoff, an updated volume bar in Control Center that displays AirPods and Beats icons, and an option to display multi-function HomeKit products as multiple tiles or a single tile.
Also included is an option to delete apps right from the Home screen, and on the iPhone 11 and 11 Pro, an option to change video recording settings right from the Camera app.
Both betas of iOS 13.2 have also included hints of Apple's third-generation AirPods, expected in 2020. The AirPods have a fresh look with a body that resembles the current AirPods, but with rubber tips, likely for the rumored noise cancelation feature.
Additional details on what's new in iOS 13.2 can be found in our iOS 13.2 tidbits articles for beta one and beta two.
Last month, in the iOS 13.2 beta, MacRumors discovered an icon depicting 
