Denise Young Smith, Apple's current vice president of diversity and inclusion, plans to leave Apple at the end of this year, reports TechCrunch. Smith was promoted to her position in May of 2017, and prior to that, she was in human resources.
Smith, who has been with Apple for more than 20 years, reports directly to Apple CEO Tim Cook. Prior to Smith's promotion, Apple had a head of diversity and inclusion, but her role was an executive level role with more responsibility.
Christie Smith, who was with Deloitte for 17 years as a Client Advisory Principal, will be taking over the position. Smith's LinkedIn profile says she has 28 years of experience building and leading high performance teams with expertise in "talent management, analytics, inclusion & belonging, leadership, organizational design, performance management, coaching, change management and culture."
In a statement to TechCrunch, Apple said the company is thrilled to welcome Christie Smith to the team.
"We deeply believe that diversity drives innovation. We're thrilled to welcome an accomplished leader like Christie Smith to help us continue the progress we've made toward a more diverse workplace."
Smith will report to Apple's vice president of people Deirdre O'Brien, and has reportedly been speaking with Tim Cook since about a year ago. Apple has been looking for a replacement for Denise Young Smith for the last several months.
After departing Apple, Denise Young Smith will become an executive in residence at Cornell starting this January. She will work with students to "build an early career-stage awareness of inclusive leadership and diverse talent."
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 today released iOS 11.1.2, the seventh official update to the iOS 11 operating system. iOS 11.1.2 comes just one week after Apple released iOS 11.1.1, an update that addressed a pesky and widespread autocorrect bug.
The iOS 11.1.2 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.
The iOS 11.1.2 update addresses bugs and issues that have been discovered since the release of iOS 11.1.1. According to Apple's release notes, the update addresses a bug that caused some iPhone X displays to become temporarily unresponsive when exposed to cold temperatures.
iOS 11.1.2 includes bug fixes for your iPhone and iPad. This update: - Fixes an issue where the iPhone X screen becomes temporarily unresponsive to touch after a rapid temperature drop - Addresses an issue that could cause distortion in Live Photos and videos captured with iPhone X - Fixes an issue that could cause your device to restart after receiving a long notification in Arabic
iOS 11.1.2 comes as Apple works on the iOS 11.2 update, which introduces Apple Pay Cash, support for faster 7.5W wireless charging on iPhone X, 8, and 8 Plus, and several bug fixes and minor interface tweaks.
Apple today reminded developers to update their Apple Watch apps to take advantage of features introduced in watchOS 4 and Apple Watch Series 3, like increased performance, new background modes for navigation and audio recording, direct connections to Core Bluetooth, and more.
Apple also announced that starting on April 1, 2018, updates to watchOS 1 apps will no longer be accepted. All updates must be native apps built with the watchOS 2 SDK or later. Newly submitted watchOS apps should be built with the watchOS 4 SDK or later.
Apple first began requiring new apps to use the watchOS 2 SDK in June of 2016, and now that will also apply to app updates that are submitted. watchOS 1 apps that are not rebuilt using watchOS 2 SDKs or later will no longer be able to be updated after the April 2018 deadline.
Apps built with the native support features that were first introduced in watchOS 2 are able to run more quickly and operate more smoothly on the Apple Watch.
Apple Maps vehicles will begin surveying Croatia and Portugal for the first time in a few weeks from now, according to Apple's updated list of locations.
In Croatia, the Apple Maps vehicles will be in Split-Dalmatia County and Šibenik-Knin County beginning November 20. The vehicles will begin surveying the Alentejo region of Portugal starting December 4.
Since 2015, Apple has been driving vehicles around the world to collect data for Apple Maps. The vehicles have surveyed over 35 states in the United States, in addition to parts of France, Ireland, Italy, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and the UK.
Apple said it will blur faces and license plates on collected images prior to publication, suggesting that it could be working on adding a Street View feature to Apple Maps, similar to what Google Maps has offered for several years.
When Apple's fleet of vans first hit the streets, speculation arose about the vehicles serving as the basis of an Apple Car. But those rumors quieted down after the vans were later labeled with Apple Maps decals.
Some industry observers still believe the vans are at least partially related to Apple's autonomous driving project, but the evidence is inconclusive.
Facebook today announced the launch of a new "Facebook Creator" app and accompanying website, both of which are designed for people who want to create videos.
Facebook Creator sounds similar to the tools available on YouTube. It is described as a "one stop shop for creators of all kinds," allowing users to create original video, stream live video, and connect with their community on Facebook.
Creator is actually a rebranding of the existing Mentions app, which was something that was previously only available to verified public figures. With the revamp, the app is available to all users.
The app includes a Live Creative Kit, with tools that Facebook says are meant to make it easy to create live broadcasts with a personalized feel. There's an option to create and add intros and outros to live broadcasts, custom live stickers, graphic frames, and more.
With the Community Tab, video makers can connect with their fans and collaborators with a unified inbox that includes comments from Facebook, Instagram, and Messenger.
A Camera & Stories section lets content creators add "fun camera effects and frames" to videos, and it also allows videos to be crossposted to other social networking platforms. Finally, an Insights option provides content creators with metrics to allow them to custom tailor their videos to meet fan demand.
The accompanying Facebook for Creators website includes tutorials to "make content shine," answers to creator-specific questions, and a community of creators to interact with.
Facebook Creator is launching globally today on iOS devices, and while the app is still showing up as Facebook Mentions, it should be updated soon. [Direct Link]
Dick's Sporting Goods has discounted the aluminum Apple Watch Nike+ Series 2 by about 33 percent today, marking a notably low price point for the second-generation device ahead of Black Friday. The deal is part of the retailer's holiday flash sale, with 38mm aluminum cases priced at $243.98 while 42mm aluminum cases are at $273.98. There were non-Nike+ models on sale, but most have now gone out of stock.
Visit Dick's Sporting Goods' website here to check out all of the models on sale, which as of writing include a few colorways of the Apple Watch Nike+ in 38mm and one version of the 42mm. The flash sale ends tonight at 10 p.m. ET, or while supplies last, so be sure to take advantage of the deal quickly if you're interested.
This is the latest price drop for Series 2 devices this fall, with the last major sale hitting Best Buy with 38mm cases at $270 and 42mm cases at $300 -- a deal that's still going on today. While Series 2 models lack the LTE capabilities and faster processing speeds of the latest Series 3 device, last year's edition is still a reliable investment and could be a cost-cutting gift alternative for those looking to save some money over the holidays.
In regards to upcoming Black Friday deals on the Series 2 models, we haven't yet heard anything specific, but there will likely be some discounts at the major resellers and retail locations. A notable discount for the Apple Watch Series 1 has been confirmed, however, with these devices starting as low as $179.99 at Target and Macy's on Black Friday. Visit our Black Friday Roundup for information on Apple Watch sales and more coming next week.
For other sales happening now ahead of the shopping holiday next week, head over to our full Deals Roundup.
Apple today seeded the fourth beta of an upcoming macOS High Sierra 10.13.2 update to developers, less than one week after seeding the third beta and just over two weeks after releasing the macOS High Sierra 10.13.1 update.
The new macOS High Sierra 10.13.2 beta can be downloaded from the Apple Developer Center or through the Software Update mechanism in the Mac App Store with the proper profile installed.
It's not yet clear what improvements the second major update to macOS High Sierra will bring, but it's likely to include bug fixes and performance improvements for issues that weren't addressed in macOS High Sierra 10.13.1.
No significant new features were discovered in the first three betas of macOS High Sierra 10.13.2, but we'll update this post should notable changes be found in the fourth beta.
The previous update, 10.13.1, introduced fixes for some serious security flaws and brought new emoji to the macOS operating system.
Update: Apple has also made the fourth macOS High Sierra 10.13.2 beta available for public beta testers.
Apple today sent out an Apple Pay email to customers, highlighting a Postmates deal. If you use Apple Pay to sign up for the Postmates Unlimited service, you can get free delivery through the end of the year on all orders over $20 without paying the $9.99 per month fee.
Postmates Unlimited is a subscription service that allows customers to get free delivery from any merchant in their city on orders over $20, essentially doing away with delivery fees. The Postmates Unlimited service costs $9.99 per month, though, and it does not do away with other service fees or the need to tip.
If you're a frequent Postmates customer, it's potentially worth the $9.99 per month because delivery fees can add up, especially from merchants that are not located nearby.
Customers will need to sign up for the deal by November 23 to get free shipments for the rest of 2017. Postmates previously offered a similar Unlimited trial, but the company says it has been extended for all customers using Apple Pay.
Special announcement: Just in time for the holidays, we've extended the Unlimited trial for customers using Apple Pay. Sign up before Nov 23rd and your subscription will be free for all of 2017. That means all orders over $20 have no delivery fee.
This appears to be one of the first Apple Pay emails Apple has sent out to customers. Apple also highlights several locations that accept Apple Pay, including Trader Joe's, Pizza Hut, and Crate & Barrel, along with the Jet, Etsy, and Macy's apps.
Riccio believes the iPhone X paves the way for the next 10 years of smartphones, given its radical redesign with a nearly edge to edge display, no home button, and advanced cameras for facial recognition and augmented reality.
"There were these extraordinarily complex problems that needed to be solved," said Ive. "Paying attention to what's happened historically actually helps give you some faith that you are going to find a solution."
That history includes, in part, Apple removing the headphone jack on the iPhone 7 last year, parting ways with the built-in disc drive on the MacBook Pro after 2012, and ditching the floppy drive on the iMac G3 in 1998.
"I actually think the path of holding onto features that have been effective, the path of holding onto those whatever the cost, is a path that leads to failure," said Ive. "And in the short term, it's the path that feels less risky and it's the path that feels more secure."
Ive acknowledged that it's not always easy for Apple to move past a feature or technology when it believes there's a "better way," and it's easy to see his point given the controversy that each change has generated.
Apple was criticized by a fair number of customers for removing the headphone jack on the iPhone last year, for example, and even competitors like Google and Samsung used it as an opportunity to poke fun at Apple.
After time, however, many customers usually learn to adapt. Google even removed the headphone jack on the Pixel 2 this year.
iPhone X is the most expensive iPhone ever, with a starting price of $999 in the United States, which Ive said is the "financial consequence" of "integrating the sheer amount of processing power into such a small device."
"Our goal is always to provide what we think is the best product possible, not always the lowest cost," added Riccio.
Despite being expensive, the iPhone X appears to be off to a successful start given sales estimates, and Apple's forecast for an all-time revenue record this quarter. Orders placed today are still backlogged by 2-3 weeks.
Apple's new flagship iPhone X is one of the best inventions of 2017, according to a new list of the top 25 inventions of the year published this morning by TIME magazine.
The smartphone, which launched on November 3, features some of the most radical design changes Apple has introduced in an iPhone since the first iteration of the device launched in 2007. It does away with the Home button, includes an entirely new user interface that embraces new gestures, brings impressive new camera technology, and introduces next-generation biometric authentication in the form of Face ID.
Apple Design Chief Jony Ive says Apple was "looking to the future" with the decision to remove the Home button, and that holding onto features, even those that have been effective, "is a path that leads to failure." As for cost, Ive says packing those features and impressive processing power into the iPhone X has "financial consequence."
Dan Riccio, Apple's senior vice president of hardware engineering, says the iPhone X is "something we really wanted to do since day one."
Based on estimates for demand, the iPhone X is a hit with consumers. It's received largely positive reviews, and despite some bugs and hiccups with a small number of issues, its launch has been a success.
Facial detection features were first introduced as part of iOS 10 in the Core Image framework, and it was used on-device to detect faces in photos so people could view their images by person in the Photos app.
Implementing this technology was no small feat, says Apple, as it required "orders of magnitude more memory, much more disk storage, and more computational resources."
Apple's iCloud Photo Library is a cloud-based solution for photo and video storage. However, due to Apple's strong commitment to user privacy, we couldn't use iCloud servers for computer vision computations. Every photo and video sent to iCloud Photo Library is encrypted on the device before it is sent to cloud storage, and can only be decrypted by devices that are registered with the iCloud account. Therefore, to bring deep learning based computer vision solutions to our customers, we had to address directly the challenges of getting deep learning algorithms running on iPhone.
Apple's Machine Learning Journal entry describes how Apple overcame these challenges by leveraging GPU and CPU in iOS devices, developing memory optimizations for network interference, image loading, and caching, and implementing the network in a way that did not interfere with other tasks expected on iPhone.
The new entry is well worth reading if you're interested in the specific details behind how Apple overcame these challenges to successfully implemented the feature. The technical details are dense, but understandable, and it provides some interesting insight into how facial recognition works.
With its Machine Learning Journal, Apple aims to share the complex concepts behind its technology so the users of its products can get a look behind the curtain. It also serves as a way for Apple's engineers to participate in the AI community.
Vimeo today announced that support for high dynamic range (HDR) videos has officially arrived across the company's entire suite of apps for the iPhone X, 2017 iPad Pro models, and Apple TV 4K. Vimeo said this means it's "the only video-hosting platform available in HDR" on Apple's platforms right now. This might be a reference to YouTube, which has been notably absent from including 4K video on its Apple TV app due to each company supporting different HDR codecs.
For Vimeo, the company said that it's enabling HDR with 10-bit graphics and a BT.2020 wide color gamut by leveraging the next-generation High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC) standard to keep file sizes at manageable levels. This will allow video makers and editors who shoot in HDR the ability to upload to Vimeo "in the highest color accuracy possible."
We now support 10-bit video, which means the image quality is strikingly clear and cleaner than ever before. The precision and nuance of 10-bit allows us to upgrade from 16 million colors to 1 billion colors.
With BT.2020 (or Rec.2020) support and wider color gamuts (WCG), your image will now represent over 75% of the color that the human eye can see. That’s a big change: most modern color gamuts in videos are limited to a 35% color range. But with BT.2020, we can truly depict your deepest reds, brightest greens, and darkest blacks like never before.
The new support also unlocks resolutions in up to 8K, according to Vimeo, which viewers can watch on devices that support output of these resolution levels (4K, 5K, 6K, and 8K), or download them for file sharing later. Because Vimeo is also a video marketplace where creators can sell videos, the company noted that 8K Ultra HD support isn't just about streaming video (since 8K displays are still nascent in the market), but also for selling, distributing, and submitting videos to festivals "in the best quality possible."
Viewers will be able to know when a video is available in HDR with an included "HDR" badge on the video page and player, which Vimeo automatically detects and displays. Like all HDR and high-resolution content, viewers will need a screen that supports HDR 10 and HEVC, so anyone with an iPhone X, a model of the latest iPad Pro from 2017, and Apple TV 4K will be able to watch this content on their devices.
Vimeo content in HDR will also include a separate standard definition version of the video, for users who don't have access to HDR-capable devices. Any device will be able to download HDR HEVC files so they can share and transfer the videos to other platforms, as well.
For more information on Vimeo's HDR support, check out the company's blog post here. Vimeo is available for free on the iOS App Store [Direct Link] and tvOS App Store.
iHome today launched the iSP100, a smart plug for controlling outdoor lights, decorations, and small appliances with up to 1,800 watts of power. The three-pin Type B smart plug works with a GFI-enabled outdoor 120V power supply and has a rugged design that is able to withstand the elements of weather.
Like iHome's indoor smart plugs, the iSP100 is compatible with Apple's HomeKit platform, allowing iPhone and iPad users to set schedules and scenes to automate outdoor lighting or whatever is plugged into it. The smart plug can be controlled with Apple's Home app or the iHome Control app from the App Store.
iHome also unveiled a trio of Wi-Fi-enabled, battery-powered smart home sensors, each priced at $29.99, but none of them support HomeKit.
The new sensors can be configured to automatically turn iHome smart plugs on or off should a door or window open, motion be detected, or a leak occur. For example, if a motion detector senses motion in a room, it can trigger the smart plugs in that room to turn on, switching on lights, fans, and other appliances.
iHome's smart home products can be purchased at select retailers, including Amazon, Apple, Bed Bath & Beyond, Best Buy, and Home Depot. The iSP100 is available now, while the trio of sensors are listed as "coming soon."
Beats By Dre today unveiled an all-new black-and-yellow version of the Beats Solo3 Wireless Headphones, which will be exclusive to Third Man Records. The Third Man Records Limited Edition headphones will cost $329.50 -- which is $30 more expensive than other Solo3 headphones sold by Apple -- and officially go on sale Friday, November 24.
For the $30 premium on other Solo3 Headphones, customers who purchase the Third Man Records edition will get a custom carrying case, black-and-yellow 3.5mm braided cable that matches the headphones, and an exclusive flexi-disc featuring The Raconteurs' song "Level." The headphones also feature a few details related to Third Man Records, including the company's logo and stripes on the inside and outside of the headphones, respectively.
Visit the Third Man Store to pre-order the new Beats Solo3 Wireless Headphones today.
Apple has been designated the "clear leader" in its methods of supporting a conflict-free minerals trade throughout its supply chain. The title was awarded to the company in a report published by the Enough Project, called the 2017 Conflict Minerals Company Rankings, in which Apple sits at the #1 spot. Rounding out the top 5 spots are Alphabet/Google at #2, HP at #3, Microsoft at #4, and Intel at #5.
The new Conflict Minerals Company Rankings look at 20 of the world's largest companies in two of the industries that the Enough Project says "consume the most" tin, tungsten, tantalum, and gold: consumer electronics and jewelry retail. These minerals are referred to as conflict minerals because they're most often related to being sourced within war-torn countries that mine the minerals with little to no respect for workers' rights.
The Enough Project gathered these top 20 companies and awarded points to each based on the policies and practices that they enact regarding responsible mineral sourcing, with the lowest on the list designated as companies most in need of "considerable and urgent need for more action." In total, the companies were ranked based on four core categories:
- Conducting Conflict Minerals Sourcing Due Diligence and Reporting - Developing a Conflict-Free Minerals Trade and Sourcing Conflict-Free Minerals from Congo, Particularly Gold - Supporting and Improving Livelihoods for Artisanal Mining Communities in Eastern Congo - Conflict-Free Minerals Advocacy
In its full report, Apple is placed in the "Outstanding Company Efforts" section, which represents the companies "going above and beyond to get more directly at the heart of maintaining robust due diligence practices and sourcing conflict-free minerals from Congo." Specifically, Apple is the only company to receive full credits for identifying and following up with supply chain incidents reported to it by suppliers and other sources. Apple has "clearly demonstrated its commitment" to scouring for red flags related to these reports and taking action by dropping suppliers and others in its supply chain that turn out to be noncompliant with its standards.
After developing its Risk Readiness Assessment program in order to help identify conflict minerals sourcing in its supply chain, among other risk-related sourcing factors, Apple partnered with the Responsible Business Alliance in order to make this program widely accessible to other companies. According to the Enough Project, this put Apple above and beyond all other companies ranked on the list.
Apple not only has found better ways of addressing incidents within its own supply chain, but it has also helped develop shared centralized platforms for risk assessment that other companies can use. This extra effort contributes to the overall strengthening of conflict minerals supply chain due diligence.
The Enough Project's report follow a separate study published by Amnesty International earlier this week, which described Apple as the industry leader in responsible cobalt sourcing. That report said Apple has taken "adequate" action in terms of sourcing conflict-free minerals, earning a top ranking alongside Samsung in the same category.
Apple annually discusses this part of the supply chain in its Supplier Responsibility Reports, which typically come out around February and March. This year's report highlighted cobalt supplier audits in the Congo, its "highest ever" work hour compliance, and discussed the success of Apple's Supplier Education Program. These reports are intended to show the strides that Apple takes to improve the work lives of its device manufacturing employees, who work to create products including the iPhone, iPad, Mac, and more.
To see more of the Enough Project's 2017 Conflict Minerals Company Rankings, visit the project's website here.
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's incoming chief lawyer Katherine Adams has received a generous bonus package in the form of restricted stock units, or RSUs, according to a mandatory disclosure filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission this week.
Katherine Adams
The first part of the award consists of 57,482 RSUs that vest in quarterly instalments on the 13th day of May 2018, November 2018, November 2019, and November 2020, so long as Adams remains employed by Apple on those dates.
The second part of the award consists of up to 57,482 RSUs, a percentage of which will vest on October 1, 2020 based on Apple's relative total shareholder return between November 13, 2017 and September 26, 2020.
Based on Apple's performance compared to companies in the S&P 500 over the next three years, Adams can see the second part of her award increased by as much as 100 percent, or decreased to zero if Apple were to underperform.
Based on Apple's closing price of $169.08 on Wednesday, each portion of 57,482 RSUs is worth slightly over $9.7 million for a potential total value of $19.4 million. The amount could be higher or lower based on Apple's performance.
Apple frequently awards its senior executives with restricted stock units as an incentive for them to stay with the company.
Adams will succeed the retiring Bruce Sewell as Apple's General Counsel and Senior Vice President of Legal and Global Security at the end of the year. She was previously general counsel at Honeywell.
Apple's general counsel oversees all legal matters, including corporate governance, intellectual property, litigation and securities compliance, global security, and privacy.
Music streaming service Deezer released a desktop macOS app on Wednesday that offers high-definition lossless audio playback in the popular FLAC format.
The app not only eliminates the hassle and additional step of opening up a new browser but desktop users with Premium+ account, who download the new app before January 2018, will be able to hear all their music in high-definition audio by selecting this option under sound settings.
Support for 16-bit FLAC is available to Premium+ subscribers, who currently pay $9.99 for the luxury. However, users who want to stream in the lossless format after January 2018 will have to subscribe to Deezer HiFi, which costs twice that at $19.99. (Deezer's new pricing matches Tidal's HiFi lossless subscription tier.)
The desktop Deezer app is currently still a beta, but it does include access to 43 million tracks as well as a working version of the Flow feature, which is similar to Apple Music's personalized playlists. Flow recommends songs based on previously played tracks, as well as video interviews and performances.
Deezer subscribers can download the desktop app using this link.
Feral Interactive released DiRT Rally for macOS today, bringing the acclaimed rally simulation game to Mac for the first time. Developed and published by Codemasters for Windows and consoles, DiRT Rally has been praised for its realistic handling and pure focus on rally driving.
DiRT Rally is the most authentic rally game ever made, with a highly sophisticated handling model that perfectly captures the exhilaration of driving cars at the edge of control while tearing along treacherous, undulating tracks at breakneck speed. Its high-risk, high-reward gameplay challenges players to learn and master three different disciplines: the point-to-point races of Rally, the tight circuits of Rallycross, and the legendary slopes of Hillclimb.
Feral says the game is "driven by detail", with players able to tweak the brake bias and gear ratios of their cars to adapt to every combination of road surface and weather condition. The title is also said to have been "meticulously crafted" for macOS using the full power of Metal 2, Apple's latest graphics API.
The minimum system requirements are: Mac OS X 10.13, Intel Core i3 1.80GHz processor, 8GB of RAM, 48GB of disk space, a 1GB Nvidia 650, 2GB AMD Radeon R9 290M, or 1GB Intel HD4000 graphics card, and a keyboard (a driving wheel or gamepad is recommended).
DiRT Rally for macOS is available from the Feral Store and Steam for $59.99/£39.99/€54.99, with its debut on the Mac App Store to follow soon.
Denise Young Smith, Apple's current vice president of diversity and inclusion, plans to leave Apple at the end of this year, reports TechCrunch. Smith was promoted to her position in May of 2017, and prior to that, she was in human resources.
