MacRumors

Google today announced that it will stop scanning the emails of its free Gmail users for the purpose of delivering personalized ads later this year.

If you've recently received a lot of emails about photography or cameras, for example, currently Google may show you a deal from a local camera store that it thinks might be interesting to you. On the other hand, if you've reported those emails as spam, then Google would take steps not to show those ads.

Google users may still see personalized ads while using Gmail and the company's other services, depending on their account settings, but the contents of a user's inbox will no longer factor into the ads that are shown.

Instagram is today beginning a small test for a new feature called "favorites," which allows users to create a customized list of their closest friends, and from there choose to share posts and story updates only with their favorites list. Instagram product lead Robby Stein told The Verge that the company has been working on the feature for more than a year, and a broader release is expected over the next few months.

The first step tasks users with creating their favorites list by tapping on friends and family members they want to be able to see their private posts. These additions can be edited at any time, and other Instagram users are never notified when they're added or removed from a favorites list. Then, when creating a post there will be a new option to share the image or 24-hour story post only to a favorites list, instead of posting publicly or direct messaging as usual.

Instagram has begun testing a way to share posts with a more limited group of friends. Called favorites, the feature attempts to improve on earlier social network friend lists, encouraging users to post more often by giving them more control over their audience.

The green “favorites” badge is a small thing, but it signals your affection to the friends of yours who see it, in a way that I suspect will build a sense of intimacy. Seeing a favorites post nestled in among all the other posts in your feed feels like a bonus.

When posted to favorites, those in the list will see the post on their own Instagram feed, but it'll be denoted as a private post with a green "favorites" badge. User profiles will be updated with a favorites tab as well, and every traditional Instagram post that's been shared to favorites (not including ephemeral stories) will be accumulated there for all of a person's favorites to return to and browse.

Stein said that the company is trying hard "to get this right," emphasizing favorites' privacy angle. Those on a person's favorites list will never be made aware of who else is on the list as lists aren't made public, so the only way for them to know they're a favorite is by looking for the green badges on posts. If someone decides they want to remove a favorite, that person will immediately lose access to the other user's favorites tab on their profile, which will appear empty.

Additionally, there's no cap on the number of favorites that can be in one list, but Instagram expects each user to have between 10 and 30 since the whole point is sharing pictures in a more intimate, closed-off setting.

Russia has threatened to block access to the Telegram messaging platform unless the company that runs the app provides more information about itself (via Sky News).

The head of communications regulator Roskomnadzor, Alexander Zharov, said repeated efforts to obtain the information had been ignored by the company and warned that "time is running out" for the app.

"There is one demand and it is simple: to fill in a form with information on the company that controls Telegram," Zharov said in an open letter. "And to officially send it to Roskomnadzor to include this data in the registry of organizers of dissemination of information. In case of refusal… Telegram shall be blocked in Russia until we receive the needed information."

Telegram's non-response appears to be down to the repercussions of handing over the requested details: Doing so would effectively add it to the state regulators' registry, which would require it to retain users' chat histories and encryption keys and share them with authorities if asked, according to Russian news agency TASS.

The demand isn't the first time the Russian founders of Telegram – Kremlin, Nikolai and Pavel Durov – have failed to comply with state requests. In 2014, the Durovs refused to turn over data on Ukranian users of Vkontakte, a social network they also set up together.

Telegram claims to split its encryption keys into separate data centers around the world to ensure "no single government or block of like-minded countries can intrude on people's privacy and freedom of expression".

According to the group's policy, it can only be forced to hand over data if "an issue is grave and universal enough to pass the scrutiny of several different legal systems around the world".

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.

Tesla is reportedly in talks with music labels to sound out the feasibility of launching its own streaming music service that would come bundled with car ownership.

Recode reports that music industry sources say the electric car maker has had talks with all of the major labels about licensing a proprietary service that would integrate with vehicle dashboards. The service could begin with a free streaming radio option similar to Pandora, said sources, with multiple tiers offered to customers.

"We believe it's important to have an exceptional in-car experience so our customers can listen to the music they want from whatever source they choose," a Tesla spokesperson said. "Our goal is to simply achieve maximum happiness for our customers."

For most observers, a move into music streaming would come as an unexpected development for the car company. However TechCrunch notes that CEO Elon Musk hinted that Tesla was exploring music products at its most recent shareholder meeting in early June.

It's not entirely clear how serious Tesla is about the idea, given that existing streaming services like Apple Music and Spotify would have a huge lead over its own offering. Indeed, Tesla already has a deal with Spotify to provide music for Tesla cars sold outside the U.S., so unless the company has concrete plans to provide something particularly unique to its drivers, these talks are probably best filed under "speculative" for the time being at least.

YouTube made several announcements at the annual VidCon convention in California on Thursday, covering VR, YouTube TV, new original series, and a number of changes coming to the YouTube web and app interface.

First up, YouTube announced a brand new high resolution video format called VR180 that it said would make VR content easier to create. VR180 works on both mobile and desktop, and focuses on what is in front of the viewer, allowing them to turn 90 degrees either side of their field of vision.

The videos transition to a VR experience when viewed with Google Cardboard, Daydream, and PSVR, which enable users to view the images stereoscopically in 3-D, where near things look near, and far things appear far.

For creators, you’ll be able to set up and film your videos the way you normally would with any other camera. And, soon, you'll be able to edit using familiar tools like Adobe Premiere Pro. From vlogs, to makeup tutorials to music videos - your videos will work great in VR.

But supporting the format is just the beginning. We want to make cameras that are easy to work with too. The Daydream team is working with several manufacturers to build cameras from the ground up for VR180. These cameras are not only great for creators looking to easily make VR content, but also anyone who wants to capture life’s highlights in VR. They will be as easy to use as point-and-shoot cameras, for around the same price. Videos and livestreams will be easy to upload to YouTube.

YouTube said that cameras were on the way from YI, Lenovo, and LG, with the first ones making their way onto the shelves this winter. The company is also opening up a VR180 certification program, with Z CAM announced as one of its first partners. Content creators can learn more and sign up for updates at vr.google.com/vr180.

Elsewhere, YouTube said it would be bringing an update to its mobile app in the coming weeks that would allow the interface to dynamically adapt to whatever video size is being watched, whether vertical, square, or horizontal, in order to make better use of screen space. It also said it would be making its mobile video sharing feature available in Latin America and across the U.S. over the next couple of weeks.

The streaming television service that was first announced in late February before rolling out to five cities in early April. The service costs $35 and is already available in in the San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles, New York City, Philadelphia, and Chicago.

A new slate of YouTube Red originals were also announced on Thursday. The company shared details on 12 new projects coming to the ad-free, all-access $9.99 per month subscription model, bringing the number of original series and movies launched on YouTube Red to 37.

Finally, the Google-owned video hub took the opportunity to reveal that 1.5 billion users now log in to YouTube every single month – the equivalent of one in every five people around the world. It said that, on average, viewers spend over an hour a day watching YouTube on mobile devices alone.

Online streaming television service Sling TV has made its cloud DVR feature available on iOS for the first time. The latest version of the Sling TV app for iPhone and iPad includes the ability to record shows and movies on the majority of available channels. The feature made its way onto Apple TV in April.

The service's DVR "First Look" option costs an extra $5 per month on top of a regular Sling TV subscription and gets users 50 hours of cloud storage. Once that space has been filled, older recordings are automatically deleted to make way for new ones.

When a user opts to record an episode of a TV series, they can set the app to record new episodes as well or only the chosen one. Alternatively, they can download entire series, while specific recordings can be protected so they don't get automatically deleted.

Channels excluded from the DVR recording feature are the following: ABC, Disney Channel, Disney XD, Disney JR, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN 3, ESPN Deportes, ESPN Goal Line, ESPN Buzzer Beater, ESPN Bases Loaded, Freeform, and the SEC Network.

The latest version of Sling TV includes the new DVR service for those with the "First Look" subscription. The app is available to download for free on the App Store. [Direct Link] The service is only available within the U.S.

Apple is asking visitors to its U.K. site to consider making a donation to help those affected by the Grenfell Tower tragedy in London by purchasing the iTunes single "Bridge Over Troubled Water", which went straight to the top of the U.K. charts just two hours after it was released on Wednesday.

Artists for Grenfell represents more than 50 musicians including Craig David, Liam Payne, and Stormzy, who recorded the cover of the Simon & Garfunkel classic to support victims' families and survivors of the fire. Residents and survivors of the London tower block also feature as part of a choir led by Gareth Malone.

Download this moving cover of the Simon & Garkunkel classic (featuring Stormzy, Rita Ora, Liam Payne, Jorja Smith and many more) to support those affected by the Grenfell Tower tragedy. And if you’d like to donate further to the Artists for Grenfell and London Community Foundation appeal, please visit http://smarturl.it/AFGDonate.

At least £0.76 for each download of the song featured on this page will go to The London Community Foundation (a charity registered in England No. 1091263).

Combustible cladding is believed to have been responsible for the rapid spread of the fire at Grenfell Tower last week, which left at least 79 people dead or missing. The government has been heavily criticized for its response in the immediate aftermath, and has pledged to house the Grenfell Tower fire survivors as quickly as possible.

The charity track achieved 120,000 downloads and streaming equivalent sales on Wednesday, which is the biggest opening day figure for a U.K. single this decade. You can download "Bridge Over Troubled Water" on iTunes here. The track is also available to stream on Apple Music.

Griffin today announced a new range of Survivor cases designed for Apple's new 10.5-inch iPad Pro, introducing the Survivor Rugged Folio, Survivor Journey Folio, and Survivor Journey.

The Survivor Rugged Folio is the most protective case of the bunch, protecting the new iPad Pro from drops, dings, and scratches. It keeps the iPad safe from drops up to four feet with a polycarbonate exterior and flexible TPU shell that has a stain-resistant Tactical Grip cover.

It includes Griffin's impact dispersion system for additional drop protection, and the frame includes built-in magnets that allows the iPad to be mounted on most magnetic surfaces.

Griffin's Journey Survivor Folio is a folio-style case with front and back protection for the iPad. It is also made from a durable polycarbonate material, with a magnetic cover that can fold into a stable stand with multiple viewing and typing angles. It also protects the iPad Pro from drops up to four feet and it can be mounted on magnetic surfaces.

The Survivor Journey is Griffin's simplest and lightest-weight case, offering protection for the rear of the iPad Pro. Like Griffin's other cases, it can survive drops up to four feet, and it also includes magnets at the back of the case so the iPad Pro can be mounted on magnetic surfaces like refrigerators.

All three cases are available today from the Griffin website. The Survivor Journey is priced at $29.99, the Survivor Journey Folio is priced at $59.99, and the Survivor Rugged Folio is priced at $59.99.

During Apple's WWDC keynote this year the company debuted new features coming in watchOS 4, some of which include fresh watch faces for Apple Watch. Following in the footsteps of the animated Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse faces, watchOS 4 is gaining new Disney characters for Apple Watch wearers in the form of Jessie, Woody, Buzz Lightyear, and more from Toy Story.

The Toy Story characters weren't available in the first developer beta of watchOS 4, but with yesterday's launch of beta 2 for the Apple Watch software all of the characters have appeared as watch face options. These include multiple poses and animations of Jessie, Bullseye, Buzz, Woody, Hamm, Rex, and the Pizza Planet aliens.

While the watch faces are animated when the Apple Watch is raised, similar to Mickey and Minnie, as of now they don't speak when tapped upon. Two complications are available for the Toy Story watch face, one above the time in the top right hand corner, and another at the very bottom of the face. The color for these complications changes automatically to match the character on screen and can't be customized.

In the Watch app on iPhone users can choose from Buzz Lightyear, Woody, or Jessie, and after that the Apple Watch will depict a new animation for that character every time the user raises their wrist. For anyone who wants to completely randomize which character and animation they'll get when they check their Apple Watch, a "Toy Box" option is also accessible. Specific faces for any other character -- like Rex or Hamm -- are not available as of watchOS 4 beta 2, and the only way to see these characters is by choosing Toy Box.

Check out the MacRumors watchOS 4 roundup for more information on what's coming to Apple Watch when the software launches to the public later in the fall.

Punchh today announced that Quiznos, Smashburger, MOD Pizza, and select other restaurant brands in the United States will soon accept Apple Pay integrated with its cloud-based loyalty program for customers.

At participating restaurants, Apple Pay users will supposedly receive a push notification at checkout prompting them to add the restaurant's loyalty program to Apple's Wallet app. Once added, customers will automatically begin earning points and receiving specialized offers, which can be redeemed during future visits.

A spokesperson for Punchh said existing members of a restaurant's loyalty program can add it to their Apple Wallet as an NFC pass.

When a customer taps on the push notification, she will be presented with a form with pre-populated enrollment data, and can immediately enroll, according to Punchh. The customer can also opt-in to automatically select the "card" next time, and receive the pass in the Wallet app on iPhone.

Punchh's clients include more than 85 restaurant chains, such as Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, El Pollo Loco, Moe's Southwest Grill, Pieology, Quiznos, and Smashburger, but it doesn't appear that Apple Pay support will be rolling out to every chain.

Punchh said Apple Pay eliminates the need to download a participating restaurant's loyalty app to start earning rewards or points. Restaurants will supposedly still be able to track items that customers purchase, however, including how much they paid, but no payment or personal information will be collected.

Apple today seeded the fourth beta of an upcoming tvOS 10.2.2 update to developers for testing purposes, a little over one week after seeding the third beta of tvOS 10.2.2 and more than a month after releasing tvOS 10.2.1, a minor update focusing on bug fixes.

tvOS 10.2.2 is only available for the fourth-generation Apple TV. Registered developers can download the new update by connecting the Apple TV to a computer with a USB-C cable and installing the beta software using iTunes. Once the beta profile is installed, new updates will be received over-the-air.

No major feature changes or bug fixes were discovered in the first three betas of tvOS 10.2.2, and it appears the update includes only minor under-the-hood improvements and security enhancements.

tvOS 10.2.2 will be one of the last updates to the tvOS 10 operating system as Apple is already working on the next-generation version of tvOS, tvOS 11. tvOS 11 is currently available for developers.