Apple today released watchOS 4.2.2, a minor update to the watchOS operating system that runs on the Apple Watch. watchOS 4.2.2 comes over a month after the release of watchOS 4.2, an update that introduced Apple Pay Cash.
watchOS 4.2.2 can be downloaded through the dedicated Apple Watch app on the iPhone by going to General --> Software Update. To install the new software, the Apple Watch needs to have at least 50 percent battery, it needs to be placed on a charger, and it needs to be in range of the iPhone.
During the beta testing period, no major outward-facing changes were discovered in watchOS 4.2.2. According to Apple's release notes, the update "includes improvements and bug fixes." No other details are available.
Apple today released iOS 11.2.5, the tenth official update to the iOS 11 operating system that first came out in September of 2017. iOS 11.2.5 comes two weeks after the release of iOS 11.2.2, an update that introduced Safari mitigations for the "Spectre" vulnerability impacting Apple's iOS devices.
The iOS 11.2.5 update can be downloaded for free on all eligible devices over-the-air in the Settings app. To access the update, go to Settings --> General --> Software Update.
According to Apple's release notes, the iOS 11.2.5 update introduces support for the HomePod, which will be released on Friday, February 9, and it brings fixes for several bugs in CarPlay, Messages, and Mail. The update also includes audio-based podcast news delivered via Siri, which was also officially unveiled in iOS 11.2.2 last week. With the podcast news feature, you can ask Siri to play generic news sourced from NPR, Fox News, The Washington Post, or CNN, but you can also ask for news specific to topics like Sports, Music, and Business.
In Control Center, the iOS 11.2.5 update brings a new layout for audio controls. When accessing the music widget on an iPhone or iPad, when you 3D Touch or press on the icon in the upper right hand side, all available audio playback sources are now listed as separate tiles.
Tapping on one of the audio sources, such as an Apple TV, allows audio to be played on the device and controlled separately from the iPhone. Using this feature, you can listen to music on one device, like the Apple TV, without interfering with audio playing on the iPhone.
iOS 11.2.5 appears to address a bug that allowed a malicious link to freeze the Messages app on iOS devices. As of the sixth beta, the link in question no longer affects the Messages app.
Full release notes for the iOS 11.2.5 update are below:
HomePod support
- Setup and automatically transfer your Apple ID, Apple Music, Siri and Wi-Fi settings to HomePod.
Siri News
- Siri can now read the news, just ask, "Hey Siri, play the news". You can also ask for specific news categories including Sports, Business or Music.
Other improvements and fixes
- Addresses an issue that could cause the Phone app to display incomplete information in the call list - Fixes an issue that caused Mail notifications from some Exchange accounts to disappear from the Lock screen when unlocking iPhone X with Face ID - Addresses an issue that could cause Messages conversations to temporarily be listed out of order - Fixes an issue in CarPlay where Now Playing controls become unresponsive after multiple track changes - Adds ability for VoiceOver to announce playback destinations and AirPod battery level
Apple is supposed to be releasing an iCloud Messages feature that was pulled ahead of the iOS 11 release, and which many people are eagerly awaiting, but there is no sign of the feature in iOS 11.2.5.
Apple has also promised that new, more extensive details about battery life will be coming in early 2018, but those new tools are also missing from iOS 11.2.5, so we may instead see them in the next iOS update.
Apple today released macOS High Sierra 10.13.3, the third major update to the macOS High Sierra operating system available for Apple's Macs. macOS High Sierra 10.13.3 comes over a month after the release of macOS High Sierra 10.13.2 and a little over a week after a macOS High Sierra 10.13.2 supplemental update which brought a fix for the Spectre vulnerability.
macOS High Sierra 10.13.2 can be downloaded directly from the Mac App Store or through the Software Update function in the Mac App Store on all compatible Macs that are already running macOS High Sierra.
No major outward-facing changes were discovered in macOS High Sierra 10.13.3 during the beta testing period, but according to Apple's release notes, it brings security and feature improvements.
The update offers additional fixes for the Spectre and Meltdown vulnerabilities that were discovered and publicized in early January and initially fixed in macOS High Sierra 10.13.2.
We also know that the update fixes a bug that allowed the App Store menu in System Preferences to be unlocked with any password. Aside from those changes, Apple's release notes say that the update "addresses an issue that could cause Messages conversations to be temporarily listed out of order."
When you tap to add a sticker to a picture or video in your story, there will now be a new GIF button with options powered by GIPHY. Similar to other apps that include GIPHY support, you can browse currently trending GIF stickers or manually search for a specific one, and add it into either a photo or video story.
Now you can add fun, expressive GIF stickers to any photo or video in your story. From bouncing letters and twirling hearts to dancing cats and pizza in space, these animated stickers help you make any photo or video funny, interesting or creative.
Further down the line, Instagram will introduce the ability to upload photos and videos "of any size" into a story. The company said that this will ensure you never have to lose part of an image or remove a friend out of a group video.
The update will be similar to custom size posts on the traditional Instagram feed, where you can pinch to zoom out and share the content in its original dimensions. Square, portrait, and landscape shots will be able to appear in their full sizes, and any extra room will get filled in with a color gradient that automatically matches the aesthetic of the image or video you're sharing.
GIF stickers are launching within Instagram today in the app's version 29 update on iOS and Android, and the company said custom sized stories should be available in the coming weeks.
Apple this morning announced the official launch date for its much-anticipated HomePod, and that announcement included several new details that we hadn't previously heard about the Siri-equipped smart speaker.
In the HomePod press release, Apple says HomePod can be used as a speakerphone with the iPhone "for crisp and clear audio quality."
This means users will be able to take calls on the HomePod using a nearby iPhone, with the HomePod able to serve as a speaker and a microphone for the call. Further documentation shared with Apple Store staff (via Guilherme Rambo) says that this feature will allow "anyone" to make a call on their iPhone and then hand it off to the HomePod.
Everyone can continue a phone call on HomePod--Anyone can start a call on their iPhone and hand it off to HomePod for a hands-free conversation.
HomePod will not be limited to a single user, as suggested and confirmed in the HomePod documentation. Once the HomePod is set up, anyone in the home will be able to listen to music using the Apple Music account installed on the device, and anyone will be able to ask Siri questions.
Everyone can ask Siri questions--Anyone in the home can use HomePod to get everyday information like weather, traffic, new, translations, general knowledge, and more. For example, just as "Hey Siri, what's the weather like this week?"
HomePod is primarily designed to work with an Apple Music account, and while it does support Bluetooth 5.0, it's not yet clear if it will support playing music directly to the device from an iPhone or another smartphone. It will, however, support peer-to-peer AirPlay, so you can play content from third-party music apps on the HomePod using AirPlay.
Sans Apple Music subscription, though, HomePod will be able to play content that's been purchased from iTunes along with Beats 1 radio content and podcasts.
As Apple shared earlier this morning, HomePod will eventually support multi-room playback and stereo sound by linking one or more HomePods together using the new AirPlay 2 protocol, but that functionality will not be available at launch.
At launch, HomePod will be available in the United States, UK, and Australia. In the U.S., it will be priced at $349, and it will cost GBP319 in the UK and $499 in Australia.
Apple will begin accepting orders for the HomePod on Friday, January 26, with the device set to launch two weeks later on Friday, February 9.
KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo today shared additional details about the rumored 6.1-inch iPhone that he expects to launch in the second half of 2018.
Note: KGI's image has a slight error. iPhone 8 Plus has 3GB of RAM.
We already know the device is said to have some iPhone X features, including Face ID, but with some design compromises to achieve a cheaper price point. That will include an LCD screen, as known, and now Kuo says the device will have an aluminum frame, single-lens rear camera, and no 3D Touch.
It's unclear if the back of the iPhone will also be forged from aluminum rather than glass, a tradeoff that would inhibit wireless charging.
In a research note obtained by MacRumors on Tuesday, Kuo added that the 6.1-inch iPhone also won't adopt the iPhone X's stacked logic board and L-shaped battery pack. Instead, he said the device will have a standard non-stacked logic board and rectangular battery pack like the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus.
Kuo believes the 6.1-inch iPhone will be a mid-range device priced between $700 and $800 in the United States, up from his previous $650 to $750 estimate. The device is expected to be announced around September-October as usual alongside a new 5.8-inch iPhone X and a larger 6.5-inch version dubbed iPhone X Plus.
The research note reads in part:
Development schedule of new 6.1" LCD iPhone slightly behind 6.5" and 5.8" OLED models, but it may enjoy extended longevity into 1H19F, boosting slow season outlook: We predict the 6.1" LCD iPhone will differ from the 6.5" and 5.8" OLED models in terms of certain specs, for reasons of cost/price and product segmentation. However, this shouldn’t have any effect on key user experience. We revise up our price projection for the 6.1" model from $650-$750 to $700-$800, and remain positive on shipments momentum.
KGI Securities expects the 6.1-inch iPhone to account for around 50 percent of the new iPhone lineup's shipments, with sales remaining strong into 2019.
Drone maker DJI today unveiled the "Mavic Air" at an event in New York City, stating that the new drone combines the "best features" of the Mavic series into an ultra-portable and foldable drone in line with last year's Spark model.
Mavic Air includes a 4K camera, QuickShot and SmartCapture modes for simpler photo and video capturing, and FlightAutonomy 2.0 with Advanced Pilot Assistance Systems to ensure safer flights. DJI called the Mavic Air "the most portable DJI drone ever created" at a weight of 430 grams, and it can fold its arms and propellers to sit flush against its frame, similar to the Spark.
“When DJI introduced the Mavic Pro, it reinvented what a consumer drone could be: powerful, yet portable, accessible, but advanced,” said Roger Luo, President at DJI. “Today, with the introduction of Mavic Air, we have pushed these attributes to the next level to create our best consumer drone yet.”
The drone's camera houses a 1/2.3" CMOS sensor and the equivalent of a 24mm F2.8 lens, connected to a recessed three-axis mechanical gimbal for steadier shots. The final images are said to result in 12-megapixel stills that use new HDR algorithms to "preserve more highlight and low light details."
In regards to panoramic shots, Mavic Pro can combine 25 still images to make one 32-megapixel panoramic image in under one minute. The drone also supports other panorama modes, including horizontal, vertical, and 180 degree images.
For video, Mavic Air shoots stabilized 4K video at 30 fps with a maximum bitrate of 100 Mbps, another best for DJI's family of drones according to the company. The drone can also shoot 1080p slow-motion video at 120 fps. To store all of this footage, Mavic Air includes 8 GB of onboard storage and a new USB-C port so exporting data is easier. There's also a micro SD card slot to further expand storage.
Taking a cue from Spark's easy-to-use features, Mavic Air enables image and video capture in user-friendly modes like QuickShot, which lines out predefined flight paths that keep subjects in frame. SmartCapture includes various hand gestures that activate Mavic Air and command it to take pictures, follow you, record a short clip, land, and more, all without a physical remote.
More detailed controls can be found on the included remote controller, however, which has detachable control sticks that can be stored inside the remote controller for added portability.
Users will be able to fly Mavic Air for up to 21 minutes at a maximum range of 2.5 miles, and it can fly standby in windy conditions of up to 22 mph. When in the air, FlightAutonomy 2.0 helps the drone navigate complex outdoor environments using seven onboard cameras and infrared sensors, and a Sport Mode boosts speeds up to 42 mph.
DJI will sell Mavic Air in Onyx Black, Arctic White, and Flame Red starting at $799, with a package that includes the drone, battery, remote controller, carrying case, two pairs of propeller guards, and four pairs of propellers. A Mavic Air Fly More Combo will also be for sale at $999 and includes the drone, three batteries, remote controller, travel bag, two pairs of propeller guards, six pairs of propellers, a battery to power bank adapter, and battery charging hub.
Those interested can pre-order Mavic Air on DJI's website today, and it will begin shipping in a few days on January 28.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with DJI. When you click the above link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
While the HomePod is initially launching in the United States, Australia, and the United Kingdom next month, MacRumors can confirm that Apple's smart speaker will function in most other countries around the world.
When users try to set up the HomePod outside of those aforementioned countries, a dialogue box will appear that directs them to choose one of three English language options to proceed. We can confirm this setup process can be completed, and that the HomePod functions, in mostly any country from day one.
The setup process was leaked by Guilherme Rambo back in August:
What this all means is that if you manage to purchase a HomePod from one of the initial launch countries, you could take it back home to a country like Canada or elsewhere in Europe and it should function properly, but until Siri gains support for additional languages, you'll be stuck using English only.
While this information isn't all that surprising, we decided to share it given an influx of questions we have received from our international readers.
Apple today announced the HomePod will be available to order this Friday, January 26 in the United States, Australia, and the United Kingdom for $349, $499, and £319 respectively. Those orders will begin arriving to customers, alongside limited in-store availability, starting Friday, February 9.
Apple said the HomePod will launch in France and Germany this spring, marking the first countries where English isn't the primary language spoken where the speaker will be available. As mentioned, a future software update should add French and German language support to Siri on the HomePod.
Apple today updated its HomePod product page with new details about the speaker's gesture controls for Siri and audio playback.
Apple has confirmed that users can tap the top of the HomePod to play, pause, skip a song, or adjust the volume, or touch and hold to talk to Siri. A colorful, animated LED waveform will appear when Siri is listening.
A single tap plays or pauses music, a double tap skips to the next track, and a triple trap returns to the previous track. Tapping and holding the digital plus or minus sign raises or lowers the speaker's volume respectively.
The touch and hold gesture to invoke Siri is in addition to the "Hey Siri" voice command that can be said from anywhere in a room.
Apple today announced that the HomePod will be available to order starting Friday, January 26, with in-store availability and orders arriving to customers starting Friday, February 9, in the United States, Australia, and the United Kingdom.
Snap Inc. has announced that users will now be able to share the Discover section's Official Stories, unpartnered Our Stories, and Search Stories with anyone who isn't on Snapchat. The company confirmed to MacRumors that this Story sharing feature does not cover the sharing of a user's own personal Stories outside of the app.
To share a Story, Snapchat users can tap and hold on tiles in Discover, and then they'll notice a new "share" prompt on the Story's mini-profile. After choosing to "Share Story," users can decide to send it via text message, email, Facebook, Twitter, or copy the link. For those who click on the link, they'll be taken to a new Story player on Snapchat's website.
Images via Snap Inc.
Stories viewed on the web will retain Snapchat's ephemerality, so Our Stories and Search Stories will be viewable outside of the app for 30 days, while Official Stories will last for the traditional 24 hours. Each link includes a "Download Snapchat" button, encouraging those who visit the Story and who aren't on the social network to try it out.
Beginning this week, the new addition will be rolling out to those iOS and Android Snapchat users already on the redesigned app. Then, the update will continue to expand across the globe in the coming weeks in tandem with the redesign's expansion.
The company first revealed its major redesign in November 2017, with the aim to separate a user's personal friends from brand content. The update, which Snap Inc. CEO Evan Spiegel said is a way to "separate the social from the media," began slowly rolling out to users following that announcement, but many still remain on the app's previous user interface.
A new report out today by Recode examined how major technology companies spent a record amount of money lobbying the United States government in 2017, over issues like net neutrality, encryption, immigration, and more. In total, Apple, Amazon, Facebook, and Google spent about $50 million lobbying the government last year, and of that Apple alone spent $7 million.
Apple's spending on lobbying grew from just over $4 million in 2014 to about $4.5 million in 2015 and 2016, before greatly increasing to $7 million in 2017. In terms of lobbying, this was a record spending amount for the company, and Apple's areas of focus were said to have been encryption and immigration. The last time Apple's lobbying amount emerged was in July 2017, when it was reported that Apple spent $2.2 million lobbying the government between April 1 and June 30, 2017.
Apple, Amazon, Facebook and Google cumulatively racked up a roughly $50 million tab fighting off President Donald Trump and an onslaught of new federal regulations last year — a reflection that the tech industry is increasingly under political siege in the nation’s capital.
And Apple shelled out $7 million — again, more than ever — to lobby the U.S. government over the same period. The iPhone giant continued to press forward on issues like encryption and immigration. And the company — like the rest of the industry — advocated for the tax reform law recently signed by Trump.
For the other companies, Google spent the most at more than $18 million in lobbying last year, Amazon spent more than $12.8 million, and Facebook spent $11.5 million. Google spent to "stave off new regulations targeting the content and ads" on its search engine and YouTube, while Amazon advocated for "friendlier federal rules" on online sales tax, cloud computing, and package delivery drones. Much of Facebook's 2017 lobbying was focused on its fight against "fake news" in newsfeeds.
Because of the ongoing lobbying, Recode reported that the technology industry's 2017 political activities "may only presage a tougher and costlier clash with Washington, D.C., in the year to come."
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.
Within the HomePod's pre-order date and launch announcement today, Apple confirmed that the smart speaker's multi-room audio and stereo features won't be making it into the device at launch. Instead, users will be able to activate these features sometime "later this year" in a free software update.
Multi-room audio with Apple's AirPlay 2 protocol will be aimed at customers who purchase more than one HomePod, and will let them play music throughout their home.
The feature allows for different songs to be played simultaneously in different rooms, or the same song can be played in each room "perfectly in sync," and the speakers communicate with one another through AirPlay 2.
Stereo sound is created when two HomePods are placed in the same room, after which they automatically notice one another and become a "stereo pair" to provide a "more immersive" listening experience.
Coming this year in a free software update, users will be able to play music throughout the house with multi-room audio. If HomePod is in the kitchen, users can ask Siri to play jazz in the dining room, or play the same song in each room — perfectly in sync. If there's more than one HomePod set up in the same room, the speakers can be set up as a stereo pair for an even more immersive sound experience.
Of course, right now it's unclear exactly when Apple's free software update for these features will go live in 2018. Ahead of that, users will be able to pre-order HomePod on Friday, January 26, and then the speaker will officially launch two weeks later in the United States, United Kingdom, and Australia on February 9.
In addition to the HomePod launching February 9 in the United States, Australia, and the United Kingdom, Apple has also revealed that its Siri-enabled speaker will launch in France and Germany at some point "this spring," suggesting a release date between March and June at the absolute latest in those countries.
France and Germany will be the first HomePod launch countries where English isn't the primary language spoken. Siri on the HomePod should be able to answer French and German queries as on the iPhone and other devices.
While we already knew the HomePod is priced at $349 in the United States, Apple today confirmed the speaker will cost £319 in the United Kingdom and $499 in Australia. Apple hasn't revealed pricing information in France or Germany yet, or provided release dates for other countries like Canada at this time.
Apple has primarily positioned the HomePod as a speaker that can stream Apple Music, but with built-in Siri, users can send messages, set timers, play podcasts, check the news and weather, control HomeKit-enabled smart home accessories, and complete other tasks without needing to take out their iPhone.
The high-fidelity speaker is equipped with spatial awareness and Apple-engineered audio technology, including a seven‑tweeter array and high-excursion woofer. The nearly seven inch tall speaker is powered by Apple's A8 chip.
HomePod is Apple's answer to the Amazon Echo and Google Home. The speaker was originally set to be released in December, but Apple delayed the launch, and missed out on sales during the holiday shopping season in the process.
Apple today announced that its HomePod speaker will be released on Friday, February 9, with orders beginning Friday, January 26 via Apple's online store or the Apple Store app in the United States, Australia, and the United Kingdom.
Apple added that HomePod will launch in France and Germany at some point "this spring," but hasn't provided release dates for other countries like Canada.
HomePod is priced at $349 in the United States, £319 in the United Kingdom, and $499 in Australia. The speaker will be available in White or Space Gray from Apple Stores and at select resellers in each country, such as Best Buy in the United States, John Lewis and EE in the UK, and Harvey Norman and Telstra in Australia.
Apple has primarily positioned the HomePod as a speaker that can stream Apple Music, but with built-in Siri, users can send messages, set timers, play podcasts, check the news and weather, control HomeKit-enabled smart home accessories, and complete other tasks without needing to take out their iPhone.
The high-fidelity speaker is equipped with spatial awareness and Apple-engineered audio technology, including a seven‑tweeter array and high-excursion woofer. The nearly seven inch tall speaker is powered by Apple's A8 chip.
Apple's marketing chief Phil Schiller:
HomePod is a magical new music experience from Apple. It brings advanced audio technologies like beam-forming tweeters, a high-excursion woofer and automatic spatial awareness, together with the entire Apple Music catalog and the latest Siri intelligence, in a simple, beautiful design that is so much fun to use. We're so excited for people to get HomePod into their homes, apartments and businesses to hear it for themselves.
We think they will be blown away by the audio quality. The team has worked to give Siri a deeper knowledge of music so that you can ask to play virtually anything from your personal favorites to the latest chart-topping releases, simply by saying 'Hey Siri.'
Apple said a software update coming later this year will enable users with more than one HomePod to play music throughout their homes with multi-room audio via its AirPlay 2 protocol. And if there's more than one HomePod placed in the same room, the speakers will be able to detect each other and deliver stereo sound.
HomePod is compatible with iPhone 5s or newer, any iPad Pro, iPad Air or newer, iPad mini 2 or newer, and the sixth-generation iPod touch running iOS 11.2.5, which remains in beta testing, or later software versions.
HomePod is Apple's answer to the Amazon Echo and Google Home. The speaker was originally set to be released in December, but Apple delayed the launch, and missed out on sales during the holiday shopping season in the process.
Privacy oriented search engine DuckDuckGo today launched revamped versions of its browser extension and standalone mobile app, promising users seamless built-in tracker network blocking and smarter encryption.
The headline feature in both the DuckDuckGo browser extension and mobile app is a Privacy Grade rating (A-F) information card whenever a user visits a site. The rating aims to let them see at a glance how protected they are, while providing additional options to dig deeper into the details of blocked tracking attempts.
The generated Privacy Grade score for a website is based on the prevalence of hidden tracker networks, encryption availability, and any existing privacy practices, according to the internet privacy company.
The vast majority of websites across the Internet contain hidden tracker networks, with Google trackers now lurking behind 76% of pages, Facebook’s trackers on 24% of pages, and countless others soaking up your personal information to follow you with ads around the Web, or worse. Our Privacy Protection will block all the hidden trackers we can find, exposing the major advertising networks tracking you over time, so that you can track who's trying to track you.
Together, the privacy rating and tracking breakdowns aim to provide a more effective solution than installing multiple add-ons and apps on each device, while offering a more upfront level of privacy than common private browsing modes. Elsewhere, a new encryption protection feature automatically sends users to an encrypted version of a website when available, rather than defaulting to a non-encrypted version.
As expected, the new software releases also include DuckDuckGo's private search engine by default. The updated macOSbrowser extension is available now for Safari, Firefox, and Chrome, with the mobile iOS app a free download from the App Store. For further details on privacy measures implemented in the new releases, check out the DuckDuckGo website.
Apple plans to release a new entry-level 13-inch MacBook in the second half of 2018, according to industry sources cited by DigiTimes. The report claims General Interface Solution (GIS) is expected to win more LCD display orders from Apple for the planned new model, after it began supplying the modules for existing MacBooks in the fourth quarter of last year.
Touch panel maker General Interface Solution (GIS) is expected to land more LCM (LCD module) orders from Apple, which reportedly plans to release an entry-level 13-inch MacBook in the second half of 2018, according to industry sources.
With new orders for MacBooks and other models, GIS is expected to ramp up its LCM shipments to 600,000 units a month by the end of 2018 compared to 300,000 units currently, said the sources.
Extrapolating from today's report, which is light on detail, Apple's next entry-level MacBook will likely replace the 13-inch MacBook Air, Apple's lowest-cost notebook starting at $999. Apple's long-term aim was for the 12-inch MacBook to replace the MacBook Air, which was introduced in 2008, but sales of the Air have remained strong mainly thanks to its affordability. In 2016, Apple tried to position the 13-inch MacBook Pro with no Touch Bar as a viable MacBook Air alternative, but the Pro starts at $1,299, which is $300 more than the entry-level Air model.
With its signature tapered design, the MacBook Air is the only notebook the company still sells that does not have a Retina display. To keep it viable for a while longer, Apple bumped the base model's processor from 1.6 GHz to 1.8 in June 2017, but it has only seen similar minor updates since its last major revision in March 2015. The 11-inch MacBook Air has been discontinued entirely, and we do not expect to see further substantial updates to the line.
It's unclear what form a new entry-level 13-inch MacBook would take, although Apple would likely make efforts to clearly distinguish it from any existing 13-inch MacBook Pro models. Apple is known to be exploring the possibility of using fullscreen OLED displays in future MacBook series, which could see the company retain LCD display technology in a new entry-level machine while eventually adopting OLED for its Pro line-up, similar to the OLED/LCD differentiation strategy it will take for this year's upcoming iPhone line-up.
Apple is also reportedly looking into using ARM-based core processor chips for future MacBooks, which would reduce the company's dependence on Intel, especially given the recent Spectre and Meltdown troubles. Apple's interest in building its own core processors for notebooks could also enable it to control next-generation display technology and some related key components, according to sources, which would further differentiate the company's computers from others on the market.
Apple today announced that it has teamed up with Malala Fund to become the fund's first Laureate partner, providing Malala Fund with the support it needs to double the number of grants it provides and expand into India and Latin America.
The Malala Fund, led by Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Malala Yousafzai, champions every girl's right to 12 years of free, safe, quality education.
Following the announcement, Apple CEO Tim Cook spoke with iMore in a short interview in Toronto where he shared some insight into how Apple and the Malala Fund came to form a partnership. Cook says that after meeting Malala, it became clear that their values aligned. "Not only the Malala Fund and Apple, but our personal values as well," Cook said.
"One, equality is at the core of our belief and values and, two, that education is the great equalizer of people. If you believe both of those, it's not an extension at all to say, 'how do we help Malala achieve her vision of educating 130-million young girls around the world?'"
Cook said that he loves the Malala Fund's focus on secondary education, because in some places around the world, girls receive an education until grade 6 or grade 7, and then their schooling stops. "This isn't right," said Cook. "It doesn't maximize potential and it doesn't treat people with dignity or respect."
With Apple's help, the Malala Fund will double the grants it provides through its Gulmakai Network (which supports educational programs in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Lebanon, Turkey, and Nigeria) and extend funding programs to Latin America and India, offering secondary education opportunities to more than 100,000 girls to start with.
Apple will provide technology, curriculum, and research into policy changes needed to help girls around the world attend school and complete their education. Going forward, Cook will also serve on the Malala Fund leadership council.
Cook's full comments on the Malala Fund and some additional commentary on Swift Playgrounds can be read over at iMore.
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.
Under the leadership of Apple CEO Tim Cook, Apple has spearheaded an "Everyone Can Code" initiative designed to introduce coding curriculum into elementary schools, high schools, and colleges, so kids and adults of all ages can learn to code.
Apple CEO Tim Cook always speaks passionately about the importance of teaching coding to children of all ages, and last week in an interview, he even said that if you have to make a choice, it's more important to learn to code than to learn a foreign language.
Cook's recent comments spurred MacRumors reader El-ad to ask Cook about his own coding experience in an email, which Cook responded to. Cook says he learned to code in college because coding wasn't offered at the high school he attended.
El-ad,
I learned in college. No classes exist in the high school I attended. I'm happy this is now changing.
Tim
That Cook can code may not be immediately obvious as he ran Apple's worldwide operations before becoming CEO of the company, but it's no surprise. Before going to Duke University's Fuqua School of Business for his MBA, Cook graduated from Alabama's Auburn University with a bachelor's degree in industrial engineering, a major that requires a programming background.
In October of 2017, Cook shared additional details on his coding experience in an interview with The Sun. Back when he was attending Auburn University, Cook built a system to improve the traffic lights near the university. He aimed to optimize traffic to reduce wait times while maintaining the safety of the lights. His work was a success and it was implemented by the local police force.
"That was pretty cool at the time - and it worked, Cook said. "Law enforcement implemented it."
Apple's Everyone Can Code curriculum is available in schools and colleges around the world, with many colleges offering Apple's App Development with Swift Curriculum. That course is a full-year coding course designed by Apple engineers and educators and it is designed to teach students how to code and design apps for the App Store.
For younger learners, Apple offers Get Started With Code and Swift Playgrounds curriculum, and for those who want to learn outside of a classroom, Apple offers the Swift Playgrounds app on the iPad.
Within the HomePod's pre-order date and launch 
Under the leadership of Apple CEO Tim Cook, Apple has spearheaded an "
