MacRumors

Apple today seeded the eighth beta of an upcoming macOS Mojave update to developers for testing purposes, one week after releasing the seventh beta and more than two months after introducing the software at the Worldwide Developers Conference.

macOS Mojave introduces a new method of installing software updates, so after you've installed the initial beta using the appropriate profile from the Developer Center, additional betas can be downloaded through opening up System Preferences and choosing the "Software Update" icon.

Stacks, a new desktop organization system, keeps all of your desktop files neat and organized, while Finder has been enhanced with a Gallery View, a Sidebar, a revamped Quick Look option and Quick Actions, so you can do more in the Finder window than ever before.

Screenshots can now be edited using Markup tools and a new management options that also allow for easy screen recording, while Continuity camera, a new feature, allows you to import photos and document scans directly from an iPhone or iPad to the Mac.

The Apple News, Stocks, Home, and Voice Memos apps have been ported from iOS to macOS as part of a multiyear project Apple is working on to make it easier to bring iOS apps to Macs, and Apple has introduced several new privacy protections to keep your data safer than ever.

Apple is also making it harder for websites to track you with a range of new Safari tools, and it's also easier to make and store secure, hard-to-guess passwords for each and every website.

Apple has added an entirely revamped Mac App Store to macOS Mojave that makes it easier to discover apps with a featured section and specific categories for games, creative apps, productivity apps, apps for developers, and more.

macOS Mojave was initially supposed to include a Group FaceTime feature that includes support for chatting with up to 32 people at one time, but it was removed in macOS Mojave beta 7 and the feature won't be available until later in the year.

macOS Mojave is available to developers and public beta testers to work out bugs and other issues ahead of an upcoming fall public release.

Update: Apple has also made a new beta of macOS Mojave available to its public beta testers.

Yesterday afternoon, first responders were called to an Apple Store in Amsterdam, reportedly due to a leaking iPad battery on the premise. Apple has since confirmed that it is investigating the incident, but ensures that the store has been declared safe, and that there were no injuries of any kind reported.

MacRumors received the following statement from an Apple spokesperson:

We're currently investigating the incident that took place at Apple Amsterdam on Sunday. Our staff were able to evacuate customers quickly and safely and the store re-opened shortly afterwards.

Apple says no customers were impacted, nor did any employees end up requiring any medical attention. The local fire department and medical professionals were alerted as a precautionary measure only. Apple says the fire department declared the store and damaged device, safe, shortly afterwards.

At 2:20 p.m. local time on Sunday, the Amsterdam fire department had tweeted that crews were on the scene. The tweet confirmed there was "no smoke" at the store, but three people with possible respiratory issues.

A spokesperson for the fire department cited a "leaking battery pack" as the probable cause of the incident, which reportedly caused panic among customers more than anything. It was an unfortunate situation, for sure, but headlines claiming an iPad battery exploded or burst into smoke and flames are inaccurate.

Our understanding, based on an anonymous but corroborated tip, is that a damaged iPad was sitting on a shelf in a back room, in a queue of devices to be repaired by Genius Bar technicians. At some point, employees noticed that the iPad's battery was leaking, and took the same precautionary measures as any thermal event.

The fire department reportedly aired out the store by around 3:00 p.m. local time, after which time it re-opened for business as usual.

Pre-orders for Apple's 2018 iPhone lineup will take place on Friday, September 14, according to information Macerkopf sourced from German carriers.

German mobile service providers are said to be planning for pre-orders that will take place on September 14, which would suggest an announcement earlier in the week, perhaps on September 11 or 12.

Apple often announces new iPhones during the second week of September, so we have been counting on an event right around September 12. A September 14 pre-order date is in line with past pre-order and event dates, which are listed below:

• 2010 - Monday, June 7
• 2011 - Tuesday, October 4
• 2012 - Wednesday, September 12
• 2013 - Tuesday, September 10
• 2014 - Tuesday, September 9
• 2015 - Wednesday, September 9
• 2016 - Wednesday, September 7
• 2017 - Tuesday, September 12

Apple typically unveils new iPhones on Tuesdays rather than Wednesdays, but because Tuesday falls on September 11, there has been some speculation that Apple will avoid holding an event on that day.

Back in 2012, when September 11 also fell on a Tuesday, Apple opted to hold its event on Wednesday, September 12 instead, and it's believed Apple will do the same thing this year.

Following the September 14 pre-order date, iPhones will begin delivering to customers the following Friday, September 21, which will probably be the official launch date for the device.

Apple is expected to send out media invites for its event at the end of August, which is when the date will be confirmed. This year's event is likely to be held at the Steve Jobs Theater on the new Apple Park campus.

This year, Apple is rumored to be unveiling three new iPhones, all of which will sport edge-to-edge displays, no Home button, and support for Face ID. There will be a second-generation 5.8-inch OLED iPhone, a larger 6.5-inch OLED iPhone, and a more affordable 6.1-inch LCD iPhone.

A translated China Times report today claims that the wireless charging coil on at least one of Apple's widely rumored trio of 2018 iPhones will be made from copper wire instead of FPC, short for ferrite polymer composite, allowing for both faster and more efficient wireless charging from a technical standpoint.

Since high power and high efficiency are the trend of wireless charging, it is expected that at least one of the three iPhones in 2018 will abandon the FPC to adopt a copper coil solution to achieve the above goal, and because the copper wire coil resistance is small. It can also offset the thermal effects generated by the increase in power.

The reduced resistance would allow Apple to increase the power threshold that iPhones can safely handle via wireless charging, without overheating, which could result in faster and more efficient charging via Qi-certified mats, although this would still depend on the wattage that a particular mat outputs.

For context, FPC is a mixture of iron, at least one other metal, and plastic, whereas copper is a more pure material. Both have electromagnetic induction properties, making them suitable for wireless charging coils.

The latest iPhones support wireless charging at up to 7.5W, which actually isn't much faster than wired charging with a 5W power adapter, due to the efficiency limitations of the FPC coil. The switch to copper would yield improvements, assuming that Apple found a way to fit the thicker coil in its next iPhones.

Apple is expected to unveil its 2018 iPhones at Steve Jobs Theater in September, but the company has yet to announce a date for the event.

Apple today filed six new Apple Watch model numbers with the Eurasian Economic Commission, including A1977, A1978, A1975, A1976, A2007, and A2008, according to French blog Consomac. All of the models run watchOS 5.

These model numbers likely correspond with the widely rumored Apple Watch Series 4 lineup, expected to be unveiled at an Apple Event in September alongside a trio of new iPhone models, new AirPods, and more.

In the past, similar filings with the Eurasian Economic Commission have been submitted for the lower-cost 9.7-inch iPad, 10.5-inch iPad Pro and 12.9-inch iPad Pro, iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, Apple Watch Series 2, AirPods, and 2018 MacBook Pro with Touch Bar, usually within one to two weeks before each product was released.

At this point, it was already pretty obvious that Series 4 models are coming next month, but the filings eliminate any remaining doubt.

The only unique aspect of this year's filings are that there are currently only six unreleased Apple Watch Series 4 model numbers, whereas the Series 3 lineup has eight model numbers: two aluminum GPS-only models, and six LTE models, including aluminum, stainless steel, and ceramic variants in two sizes.

Naturally, this has led to some speculation that there might not be ceramic Series 4 models, but there are many possibilities.

Earlier this year, well-connected Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said Apple Watch Series 4 models will feature 15 percent larger displays, longer battery life, and improved health monitoring capabilities.

If past is predicate for the future, Apple will likely hold its next event on Wednesday, September 12, with invites to the media going out in the last few days of August. MacRumors will provide live coverage as usual.

Coming off the recent reveal of Philips Hue's latest fixtures, the lighting company today announced two new collections that will be available to purchase in October: "Hue Signe" and "Hue Play." While still providing all of the expected features of Hue lights -- including HomeKit support -- the new products have unique hardware builds and are aimed to enhance entertainment areas.

Starting off, the Hue White and Color Ambiance Signe Collection is a slim fixture with a solid base that comes in a Floor Light (standing at about 59 inches tall) and Table Light (just over 24 inches tall). The Signe is designed to be placed around an entertainment area and facing a wall, with indirect lighting reflection that reaches "up to the ceiling," according to the company.

This means that two Signe lights bordering a television can also provide bias lighting while you watch a movie or play a video game. Because the collection supports Hue White and Color Ambiance, you'll be able to choose from 16 million colors and 50,000 shades of white light to light up your room.

The Signe does not support multi-zone lighting, so you can only emit one color from one lamp at a time, but the company notes that with multiple Signe lights set up in a room you will be able to mix and match colors from multiple sources.

The Signe Table Light will cost $159.99 and the Signe Floor Light will cost $249.99. Both fixtures will be available for pre-order in early September and then launch in early October.

Secondly, Philips Hue has revealed the Hue Play Collection, which is also aimed at family rooms and entertainment areas. The company describes Hue Play as a "light bar" that can be placed on an entertainment center, mounted behind a TV, or simply laid on the floor to add lighting to any space.

Three light bars can be plugged into the power source that comes in the fixture's base kit, which Philips Hue says was an effort to reduce the amount of electrical sockets needed for the lights behind your entertainment center.

In these setups, Hue Play can be placed both vertically and horizontally, providing even more opportunities for bias lighting behind a TV and pathway lighting in a hallway. The Hue Play measures 9 inches in length.

There are two kits that will be available for Hue Play: a Single Base Kit with one fixture for $69.99, and a Double Base Kit with two fixtures for $129.99. Pre-orders for Hue Play will go up in mid-September and then the collection will launch in mid-October.

If you purchase either one of these kits, Philips Hue will also sell a $59.99 Hue Play extension, which is simply another light bar at a slightly reduced price that you can add onto your existing setup by plugging it into the base kit's power source.

Like previous Philips Hue products, Hue Signe and Hue Play can be added into your existing HomeKit ecosystem, allowing you to control the fixtures with Siri, automate them to turn on and off at specific times of the day, and add them into your favorite HomeKit scenes. Philips' recently redesigned iOS app will also provide full control over the light color, scenes, rooms, automation, and more for Signe and Play.

Additionally, today is also the day that a variety of new Philips Hue lights and fixtures launch on the company's website. These include the Adore Vanity Mirror, Adore Ceiling Light, Being Pendant, and Enchant Pendant Light. Anyone looking to expand their outdoor space with smart lighting can also pre-order the Hue Outdoor Lightstrip beginning today, ahead of an early October retail launch.

Apple today confirmed it has removed "many" illegal gambling apps, and developers distributing them, from its App Store in China.

The Wall Street Journal:

"Gambling apps are illegal and not allowed on the App Store in China," Apple said in a statement Monday. "We have already removed many apps and developers for trying to distribute illegal gambling apps on our App Store, and we are vigilant in our efforts to find these and stop them from being on the App Store."

Chinese state broadcaster CCTV said 25,000 apps have been removed as of Sunday—which would be less than two percent of the estimated 1.8 million apps on the App Store in the country—but Apple hasn't confirmed any numbers.

Apple began cracking down on gambling-related apps earlier this month, providing affected developers with the following explanation:

In order to reduce fraudulent activity on the App Store and comply with government requests to address illegal online gambling activity, we are no longer allowing gambling apps submitted by individual developers. The includes both real money gambling apps as well as apps that simulate a gambling experience.

As a result, this app has been removed from the App Store. While you can no longer distribute gambling apps from this account, you may continue to submit and distribute other types of apps to the App Store.

Apple notes that verified accounts from incorporated business entities may still submit gambling apps for distribution on the App Store.

MacRumors reported on Apple's crackdown on gambling-related apps in the App Store earlier this month, noting that some apps that have been banned as a result appear to have very little to do with gambling at all. Most of the apps have been removed from the App Store not only in China, but around the world.

Apple's move follows the Chinese state media scrutinizing the company earlier this month for allowing illegal content like gambling apps and spam messages to be distributed freely through the App Store and iMessage. As for the latter, Apple is reportedly working with Chinese carriers to reduce iMessage spam.

This isn't the first time Apple has catered to Chinese government demands. Last July, for example, the company removed VPN apps from the App Store in China. Six months prior, Apple pulled the The New York Times app in China.

"We would rather not remove apps, but like we do in other countries, we follow the law where we do business," said Apple CEO Tim Cook last year.

All of this comes amid growing tensions between the United States and China over trade.

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.

Motorola's latest P30 smartphone is making headlines this week, but not for an impressive feature set or a unique design. As it turns out, Motorola has opted to copy the design of the iPhone X, resulting in an Android smartphone that's nearly identical to Apple's flagship device.

The P30, which features a 6.2-inch display, is by far the most iPhone X-like Android smartphone that we've seen yet, with a frontal design that includes rounded corners, a notch that's similar to the iPhone X notch in size and shape, and an edge-to-edge design. There's a small bezel at the bottom, which is the only feature that distinguishes the P30 from the iPhone X.

At the back, the P30 features a dual-lens camera setup in a vertical orientation much like the iPhone X, and it replaces the Apple logo with a Motorola logo that doubles as a fingerprint sensor. The colorful metallic body of the device is reminiscent of the Huawei P20, making the rear of the smartphone look like a P20/iPhone X hybrid.

Black and white versions look a little more like the iPhone X, and Motorola has even been marketing the device with iPhone-style wallpapers.

Motorola's P30 is available in China and isn't being distributed in the United States just yet, and while it has an iPhone X-style design, it is positioned as a mid-range device that's more affordable, perhaps attempting to lure customers who want the iPhone X look but aren't able to shell out $1,000.

Inside the Motorola P30, there's a Qualcomm Snapdragon 636 chip, 6GB RAM, 128GB of storage, and a 3,000mAh battery. The two rear cameras feature 5 and 16-megapixel sensors while there's a 12-megapixel front-facing camera. Despite the notch, there's no front-facing facial recognition system.

As The Verge humorously pointed out, the P30 looks so similar to the iPhone X that when doing a Google image search based on the P30, Google guesses that it's an iPhone X.

Since the iPhone X launched last November, many Android smartphone makers have adopted the notched design to allow for maximum screen space to compete with the iPhone lineup. Smartphones from manufacturers that include LG, Leagoo, Huawei, OnePlus, Asus, Vivo, Oppo, and others have adopted the notch design. Even Google is set to copy the iPhone X's notch with the upcoming Google Pixel 3 XL, based on leaked images.

Apple is planning to unveil three additional smartphones that use the notch design introduced with the iPhone X, and we're just a few weeks away from their debut. Based on rumors, we can count on a second-generation 5.8-inch iPhone X with an OLED display, a larger-screened 6.5-inch OLED iPhone that can be thought of as an "iPhone X Plus," and a 6.1-inch device with an LCD display and a lower price tag.