Apple recently acquired Beddit Sleep Monitor, an app and sleep system designed to monitor daily sleep habits through the iPhone, according to an updated privacy policy posted both on the Beddit website and in the Beddit app when creating an account. A link within the app also directs to the Apple Privacy Policy.
As of May 8, the Beddit privacy policy says the following:
Beddit has been acquired by Apple. Your personal data will be collected, used and disclosed in accordance with the Apple Privacy Policy.
The Beddit 3 Sleep Monitor, which can be purchased from Apple for $150, is a thin, flexible sensor that's designed to be placed under the sheet on the top of a mattress. It collects and analyzes sleep-related data like sleep time and efficiency, heart rate, respiration, movement, snoring, room temperature, and room humidity.
All of the data collected by the Beddit Sleep Monitor is then made available to iPhone users through an accompanying Beddit iPhone app, which provides "personalized insights" and "customizable sleep coaching" to help users improve their sleep habits.
According to the Beddit website, the device uses ballistocardiography (BCG) to measure the mechanical activity of the heart, lungs, and other body functions. When the heart beats, for example, the Beddit sensor can measure the mechanical impulse generated by the acceleration of the blood through the circulatory system.
Based on the changes to the Beddit privacy policy, it appears Apple may have plans to continue selling the device and collecting health-related data from it, which could potentially be used to enhance future versions of products like the Apple Watch.
There have been several rumors suggesting the upcoming OLED "iPhone 8" could potentially be delayed due to production delays, and in a new note to investors sent out today, KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reiterates his prediction that production ramp-up will be delayed.
According to Kuo, who titled his note "Rising probability of worst-case scenario for iPhone shipments," production ramp-up of the iPhone 8 could be delayed to "as late as October-November," a departure from Apple's traditional August to September ramp-up period.
The result will be "severe supply shortages" that persist for "a while" after the new iPhone models are introduced in September. To be clear, Kuo continues to believe Apple will introduce the iPhone in September, but he suggests there's a strong possibility the device will be hard to come by for several months following its release.
"iPhone 8" mockup with rear Touch ID sensor by Benjamin Geskin
Due to the possible iPhone 8 shortages, Kuo believes Apple may only ship 80 to 90 million iPhone units during the second half of 2017, down from 100 to 110 million units. Kuo does say it's not clear if demand will fully shift to the iPhone 8, due to questions about the usefulness of a rumored 3D sensor, the potential for Touch ID to be eliminated, and market competition.
While we are positive on potential replacement demand triggered by OLED iPhone, it's too early to determine if demand will shift fully in that direction. We recommend investors keep tabs on the following issues: (1) whether the 3D sensor of OLED iPhone provides an innovative user experience; (2) whether OLED iPhone cancels Touch ID (fingerprint recognition); and (3) whether Apple's competitors launch more innovative products which could compete with OLED iPhone in 4Q17-2Q18.
It is not unusual for us to hear rumors of production delays and supply shortages ahead of an iPhone release, and indeed, the iPhone 7 Plus was constrained for months after its launch, but the warnings about the iPhone 8 are popping up more frequently from trusted sources and are more dire than warnings we've seen for past iPhone release cycles.
Rumors have suggested that Apple is struggling with integrating the Touch ID fingerprint sensor underneath the glass of the iPhone 8, which has led to production difficulties. Due to these issues, rumors have also indicated that Apple could potentially put Touch ID on the back of the device or perhaps more unlikely, eliminate it entirely in favor of other biometric systems, like facial recognition. Kuo has not mentioned removing Touch ID entirely in previous research notes, but the wording of today's document seems to suggest he believes it's a possibility.
Apple is also said to be having trouble with the display lamination process and integrating a new 3D sensing front camera system into the device. Given the major design changes coming in the iPhone 8, including an edge-to-edge OLED display and a glass body, it is not surprising to hear that many of the new technologies involved are causing production problems.
Some rumors have suggested Apple could delay the debut of the iPhone 8 entirely, not introducing it in September, but most rumors believe the company will show it off at the event and perhaps launch it in small quantities.
Apple today sent press invites to a variety of news and media sites for its upcoming Worldwide Developers Conference, confirming plans to hold a keynote event on June 5 at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time.
Apple traditionally holds a keynote event on the first day of the Worldwide Developers Conference, where new software is introduced. We expect to see new versions of iOS, macOS, tvOS, and watchOS at the conference, and there's a chance we could also see new hardware like updated iMacs and Apple's rumored Siri speaker.
As was announced in February, the Worldwide Developers Conference will take place from June 5 to June 9 in San Jose, California, a departure from past events that have long been held in San Francisco at the Moscone Center.
Apple expects to host about 5,000 developers, with hundreds of Apple engineers available to answer questions and host app development sessions. Developers who cannot attend will be able to watch the sessions through the WWDC 2017 website, and the WWDC app for iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV.
For the June 5 keynote event, MacRumors will provide a live blog both here on MacRumors.com and on our MacRumorsLive Twitter account, along with detailed coverage of everything Apple announces during the week.
MacRumors has learned that Apple is planning to quickly refurbish several of its retail stores after closing time on May 16, with the overnight transformations to be completed by the time each store reopens on May 17. These dates may slightly vary between now and May 20 depending on the store.
Older and smaller Apple Stores that have yet to be fully renovated with the company's next-generation retail design will receive new fixtures that mirror the updated look and feel as much as possible, according to a source. We're hearing this is a worldwide effort, and every older-generation store may be involved.
Apple plans to replace its existing accessory shelves in each store with what it calls the Avenue, as pictured above, a person familiar with the matter said. Apple will also be adding more "feature bays" to each store for displaying products and accessories, and new stools for the Genius Bar and other seating areas.
Here's how Apple described the Avenue when it opened its flagship Union Square store in San Francisco last year:
“The Avenue,” inspired by the window displays along a boulevard that dynamically change with the season. Avenue walls are interactive themed “windows” where Apple’s products and services come to life, from music, to creativity, apps, photography and more. New “Creative Pros,” Apple experts in creative arts, offer advice and expertise at each of the displays. Customers will also find “Only at Apple” products on the Avenue, a curated collection of third-party accessories.
Apple will significantly reduce the number of accessories it keeps on display on the sales floor, but it will still have ample stock in the back of the store, the person said. A customer interested in purchasing an accessory that isn't readily shelved can simply ask an employee, who will grab it from the back.
Apple has over 35 next-generation retail stores around the world, including locations in Brussels, Dubai, London, Mexico City, New York, Paris, San Francisco, and elsewhere. It has also fully updated and expanded many existing stores with the new look, but those larger renovations usually take several months.
Apple has 460 other retail stores, however, and this quick facelift will bring many of them closer in line with the newer aesthetics.
With Amazon having launched the Echo Show, a new Alexa-enabled smart speaker that comes equipped with a 7-inch screen, Bloomberg has shared a little tidbit on Apple's own speaker plans, making it clear that there's still no concrete information on whether Apple's speaker will include a display.
In a piece outlining Amazon's new speaker, Bloomberg references a comment made recently by Apple marketing chief Phil Schiller, where he said that a voice assistant in a device without a screen doesn't "suit many situations."
While marketing chief Phil Schiller recently talked up the benefits of having a screen on a voice-activated device, it's not clear whether the Apple version will in fact have one.
Rumors of Apple's work on some kind of in-home Siri-based smart speaker to compete with the Amazon Echo first surfaced in early 2016, but while the speaker is said to be close to launching, details remain scant.
The new Amazon Echo Show
We've heard it will feature Siri integration and focus heavily on sound quality, with "excellent acoustics performance" and some form of Beats technology. Design details shared in late April said it would feature a Mac Pro-style concave top with built-in controls and a "fat" body with speaker mesh covering the majority of the device, but no display was mentioned.
KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has said the speaker has a 50 percent chance of debuting at Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference coming in June, and as Bloomberg first mentioned in September (and reiterates again today) the speaker is currently being tested within the homes of Apple employees, so it may not be long before we have more concrete details about the device.
Based on today's Bloomberg report, Apple's speaker will have one benefit over the Amazon Echo and Google Home - native Apple Music integration. Amazon devices chief Dave Limp told Bloomberg that while Amazon would "love to have Apple" the company is "not super big" on allowing Apple Music integration.
For more details on Apple's upcoming Siri speaker, make sure to check out our dedicated roundup, which aggregates all of the information we've heard about the device so far. More information about Amazon's Echo Show can be found in our launch article.
As Apple prepares to open its first retail store in Singapore, the company has also expanded Apple Maps feature availability in the city-state, enabling transit directions.
Transit information may still be in the process of rolling out to all customers, but according to the iOS section of Apple's Singaporean website, and a feature availability list, transit directions are live in Singapore.
Apple Maps now allows users to get directions for the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) system that spans across most of Singapore using the "Transport" tab within the app. Each MRT line is color-coded for simple navigation.
Along with transit directions, Apple Maps in Singapore is also gaining points of interest, a feature designed to highlight notable buildings, parks, and other landmarks.
Transit directions have been available since iOS 9 launched in 2015, and while availability was limited at launch, Apple has been slowly expanding transit information to various countries around the world.
More than 10 countries now have access to transit directions, and the feature has also expanded to many locations in the United States. A full list of where Transit directions are available can be found on Apple's website.
Visa has partnered with payments startup Current and today the companies are launching a new "smart debit card" and iOS app that aim to give kids and parents more autonomy and security when it comes to doling out spending money (via TechCrunch). The new Current card functions like any other Visa debit card, allowing teens and younger kids to spend money without needing cash, but comes connected with a parentally-controlled iOS or Android smartphone app.
The Current iOS app [Direct Link] has two sides, for both parents and their kids. Parents can set up specific chores within the app, include a description, and set an amount of money that will be funneled into the kid's Current card, through the parent's connected bank account, upon completion. Automated allowances can also be set to recur on a weekly or monthly basis, and parents can block spending from specific businesses like casinos and bars, as well as set spending limits.
The company said that its biggest inspiration was helping to streamline the weekly allowance hassle that parents have to deal with when their kids require money, which has traditionally been given in cash.
With Current, you'll get your own debit card and an app with three smart wallets for spending, saving, and giving. Asking parents for money can be awkward, they don't always have cash on them and you have to go through this every week. Current automates your allowance so it arrives in your spending account when you need it.
If you get stuck somewhere and you're out of money, you can get more from your parents instantly through Current. It's as simple as texting and the money will show up right away.
On the kid side of things, once they are issued the Current card, they'll have access to three separate wallets for spending, saving, and giving. The spending wallet is directly linked to their Current card for day-to-day expenses, the savings wallet allows them to place part of their allowance into a safe place for later spending, and the giving wallet encourages donation to thousands of charities. The company said that all of the app's features will help to inspire "real world, financial education for kids."
Current also works with Apple iMessages, Facebook Messenger, Kik, and a few other text services, so parents can send money to their kid's Current card through a text message. The company said that any bank in the United States can be added into the app, and an international expansion is "in the works."
Multiple subscription plans are available for parents interested: $5/month for a month-to-month subscription with an additional $5 charge for the debit card; $3/month for a 1-year subscription and a free debit card; and a $2/month for a 2-year subscription and a free debit card. The latter two subscriptions are billed upfront at the start of each billing period, meaning $36 and $48 are charged every year and every two years, respectively. Bank transfers, payments, and in-network ATM usage have no additional fees, but replacement cards cost $5.
Those without kids can also sign up for Current's free-to-use individual wallets, which function like traditional mobile payment apps and allow for peer-to-peer payments among friends and family.
Cook ranked fourth for his "nearly unmatched influence over the technology world" as head of the world's most valuable company.
Anything Apple does is bound to be copied by a seemingly endless number of rivals, meaning his choices will reverberate far beyond One Infinite Loop. Today, Apple is rumored to be experimenting with everything from advanced artificial intelligence to augmented reality and self-driving vehicles. Given Apple’s role as tastemaker extraordinaire, how Cook decides to move forward with any one of these projects will shape the future of the consumer technology landscape.
Cook finished behind Tesla CEO Elon Musk, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, and Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg on the list.
Williams ranked 17th for his "no small task" of overseeing Apple's entire supply chain since 2010 as Cook's right-hand man.
Cook may be the public face and chief decision maker at Apple, but Jeff Williams is second in command. An Apple veteran who’s been with the company for nearly 20 years, Williams is often referred to as "Tim Cook's Tim Cook." He was named chief operating officer in late 2015, a post previously held by Cook, and has been overseeing Apple's entire supply chain since 2010, no small task given the complexity of the company’s hardware operations. Williams also oversaw development of the Apple Watch, the company’s first new product category during the Cook era and a sign he’s closely involved with new projects.
Some others that made the list include IBM CEO Ginni Rometty, Uber CEO Travis Kalanick, FCC chairman Ajit Pai, and Google CEO Sundar Pichai.
Apple's retail chief Angela Ahrendts and top lawyer Bruce Sewell each sold over $10 million in company stock over the past week, according to a pair of disclosures with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Pursuant to her trading plan adopted in February, Ahrendts sold 75,000 shares of Apple stock between May 4 and May 8, netting nearly $11.1 million based on the weighted average sale price of the five transactions. Ahrendts still owns 103,116 shares in Apple following the sale, worth nearly $16 million.
Sewell sold 67,500 shares of Apple stock in multiple transactions on May 5, netting just over $10 million based on the weighted average sale price. Sewell still owns 141,325 shares in Apple following the sale, worth nearly $22 million.
Ahrendts has served as Apple's Senior Vice President of Retail since 2014, overseeing the company's physical and online storefronts. Under her leadership, Apple has been renovating several of its stores, partly in an effort to turn them into community gathering places rather than just sales floors.
Sewell has served as Apple's General Counsel since 2009, overseeing all legal matters, including corporate governance, intellectual property, litigation and securities compliance, global security, and privacy. He came into the spotlight last year twice during separate battles with the FBI and Spotify.
Amazon today debuted an all-new touchscreen Echo device, which it's calling the "Echo Show," following a report from yesterday that said the company was gearing up to debut the new Echo as soon as today. As was expected, the Echo Show is a smart home speaker system that has all of the features of the basic Echo system with an additional 7-inch touchscreen.
With the addition of a touchscreen, Amazon said that users will be able to watch video flash briefings and YouTube, see music lyrics, check on security cameras, swipe through photos, view weather forecasts, make to-do and shopping lists, and more. Far-field voice recognition, eight microphones, beam-forming technology, and noise cancellation allow users to be heard from anywhere in the room, as well as over loud music coming from the Echo Show itself.
One of the biggest additions with Echo Show is a new video chat experience that allows users to make hands-free calls to friends who also have an Echo Show, or who use the Alexa smartphone app. A Feature called "Drop In" lets users quickly contact or send messages to other Echo Show devices to do things like let someone know it's time for dinner, or check in on a child's nursery.
The Echo Show will connect to smart home products like Hue and Wink, and allow for simple daily tasks like timing food in the kitchen and catching up with the news.
For news and information you can see and hear, just ask Alexa for your video flash briefing from CNN. Curious about the latest movie trailers or a need a how-to video from YouTube? Just ask.
Echo Show helps keep you organized at home. Start a timer in the kitchen and watch as it counts down, or easily see and manage your family’s calendar. Sign in to the Alexa App to take your to-do and shopping lists with you. Just add an item to the list from home, and whoever is out shopping will see it added instantly on their Alexa App.
The Amazon Echo Show is the latest in a long line of Amazon smart home speakers, following the original Echo, Echo Dot, and most recently the Echo Look. While Amazon sits on top of the market for these voice-controlled speakers, more companies are looking to add similar products into their line-ups. This week, Harman Kardon teased the upcoming launch of a speaker with Microsoft's Cortana built in, with an aesthetic very similar to Echo.
Apple has long been rumored to be getting into the smart home speaker market as well, with plans to launch a device that would be visually similar to Google Home and have deep Siri integration, as well as the usual Apple services like Apple Music and iCloud. Rumors about such a device began around this time last year, and Apple is now believed to debut the Siri smart speaker as soon as WWDC in June.
Although a screen on the Siri device has not been mentioned in rumors, Apple senior vice president of worldwide marketing Phil Schiller recently mentioned that having a screen available suits more user-friendly situations than a device that exclusively uses voice controls. "So there's many moments where a voice assistant is really beneficial, but that doesn't mean you'd never want a screen," Schiller said. "So the idea of not having a screen, I don't think suits many situations."
The Amazon Echo Show is available to pre-order right now in black and white for $229.99 and will begin shipping June 28. Those who purchase two Echo Show devices at once can save $100 off of the order with a special promotion that Amazon is debuting for the launch of the new speaker.
Apple today announced that it will be releasing the film "Harry Styles: Behind the Album" exclusively on Apple Music on May 15.
The film chronicles the former One Direction singer's so-called "musical journey" while creating his debut solo album, set to be released on Friday.
Apple shared a 30-second preview of the film on its YouTube channel today.
Apple's full description of the video:
Apple Music Presents: Behind the Album, a new film from production company Fulwell 73, chronicles Harry’s musical journey while creating his much anticipated debut solo album. The film features exclusive interviews and behind the scenes footage shot in Jamaica, Los Angeles and London during the making of the album and is complemented by Harry and his band performing songs from it for the first time at the world famous Abbey Road Studios in London.
Styles' debut solo single "Sign of the Times," to be included on the album, is already available on Apple Music.
Uncertainty over which company will end up with Toshiba's much-sought-after NAND chip unit -- the second-biggest in the world -- has deepened today with a report by Reuters, which states that the Japan-based Toshiba is now facing legal actions from its business partner and chip unit bidder Western Digital. The U.S.-based data storage company is claiming that Toshiba has violated a contract by transferring Western Digital's joint venture rights entirely to the newly formed chip unit, which Toshiba is soon to sell off.
As a result, Western Digital is reportedly asking for exclusive negotiating rights with Toshiba as a means to win the bid and retain its contract with the supplier, and the U.S. company is threatening legal action in the event that it does not. Western Digital currently operates a semiconductor plant in a joint partnership with Toshiba, but it is not seen as a favored bidder in the eyes of Toshiba executives because it has placed a "much lower offer than other suitors."
The legal process set in motion by Western Digital could not only delay Toshiba's NAND chip unit sale, which the company needs to be completed to offset a nearly $9 billion loss related to its overseas nuclear division, but could put an end to the auction altogether. Toshiba has rejected any of Western Digital's claims that it has violated the joint venture contract.
The clash between Toshiba and Western Digital - both its business partner and one of the bidders for the chip unit - risks delaying or even quashing an auction that the Japanese conglomerate is depending on to plug a $9 billion hole in its accounts.
But in a May 3 letter sent by Toshiba's lawyers, the TVs-to-nuclear conglomerate disputed Western Digital' s argument and said it would pursue all available remedies if it saw continued interference in the sale process. Western Digital's "campaign constitutes intentional interference with Toshiba's prospective economic advantage and current contracts. It is improper, and it must stop," the letter, which was seen by Reuters on Tuesday, said.
Western Digital now has until May 15 to sign a few agreements related to its joint venture partnership with Toshiba, and if it doesn't all Western Digital employees will be restricted from facilities, networks and databases related to Toshiba's NAND chip unit. According to Masahiko Ishino, an analyst at Tokai Tokyo Research Center, Western Digital has a solid ground for legal action: "From a commonsense standpoint, it's hard to buy Toshiba's argument that it doesn't need approval from its JV partner because it's almost a 50-50 joint venture."
Outside of the legal battle, Toshiba executives are said to be prioritizing potential bids from what would amount to a consortium of the New York-based private equity firm KKR & Co LP and a few Japanese government-backed investors representing Japan Innovation Network Corp. The Japanese government is said to be "keeping a close eye on the process," and would prevent any deal that could potentially transfer sensitive technological information to another country, namely Foxconn and its deep China ties.
Now, KKR and Japan Innovation Network Corp are preferred bidders, and are expected to enter a joint offer in the upcoming second round of bidding in mid-May. If the duo win exclusive rights to Toshiba's NAND chip unit, the technology would stay in Japan, appeasing the local government, and the new owners of the unit could aim for an IPO down the line.
The two new preferred bidders come after TSMC and Foxconn were originally reported as the main companies interested in Toshiba's chip unit, but TSMC eventually dropped out and then Foxconn faced troubled waters with the Japanese government. Last month, Apple was rumored as willing to spend several billion dollars to obtain a "substantial stake" in the Toshiba NAND chip unit, with enough of a share ownership to allow Toshiba's executives to retain partial ownership in Japan.
Other potential buyers include South Korea's SK Hynix, Amazon, Google, Broadcom, and more, who are all looking for a major foothold in the flash memory market that could allow them to compete with the likes of Samsung. The winning bidder is expected to be revealed sometime in June.
Apple subsidiary FileMaker today announced the launch of FileMaker 16, the newest version of the company's popular database platform that's designed to make it easy for businesses to build a range of customized apps able to work effortlessly across iPhone, iPad, Mac, Windows, and the Web.
FileMaker 16 focuses on enhancing mobility, scalability, and security, along with providing new features and integrations for an improved app creation experience.
"Today's leaders empower their teams with the tools they need to quickly adapt as their needs change. The FileMaker 16 Platform builds on our track record of success, providing customers with the latest features, enabling them to create great apps that work across iPad, iPhone, Windows, Mac and the web."
When developing an app, FileMaker users have access to a new Layout Objects window, which offers up a hierarchical list of each object in a layout. The feature is designed to make it easier to make quick changes to an object without the need to ungroup the object set.
Enhanced cURL options and predefined JSON functions improve integration to make it simpler to exchange data with other web services and applications, and for large teams, custom apps accessed through FileMaker WebDirect can now be used by up to 500 users simultaneously.
Security has been enhanced and simplified with the addition of third-party authentication through providers that include Amazon, Google, and Microsoft. These existing account credentials can be used to log into FileMaker-based custom apps.
For the FileMaker Go app, there are new animations and transitions that are designed to provide visual cues to make it easier for users to navigate through their custom apps, along with a new enhanced signature capture feature for signing documents on the iPad or iPhone.
Pricing for FileMaker is not changing with the release of FileMaker 16, but there have been some pricing changes in certain countries due to currency adjustments.
Since last year, FileMaker has used a subscription licensing structure for teams of five or more users, with access to FileMaker Server and FileMaker systems across desktop, mobile, and web. Pricing starts at $888 per year for a team of five. A perpetual license is also available for $2,664 for a team of five, but it does not include access to future versions of FileMaker.
For individuals, a perpetual license for FileMaker Pro 16 is available for $329, while FileMaker Pro 16 Advanced is priced at $549. A free trial is also available.
WhatsApp has bolstered the security of the iCloud backup feature in its messaging platform, in an attempt to protect archived chat logs from being accessed in a readable form (via TechCrunch).
WhatsApp has offered end-to-end encryption on its messaging service for some time, but that encryption did not previously extend to iCloud backups of messages. Given that Apple holds the encryption keys for iCloud, a subpoena of Apple or an unauthorized iCloud hack could potentially allow access to WhatsApp messages backed up there.
However, WhatsApp has moved to prevent that possibility by also pre-encrypting the backup files. "When a user backs up their chats through WhatsApp to iCloud, the backup files are sent encrypted," a WhatsApp spokesperson told Forbes, confirming the change.
WhatsApp quietly added the encryption to WhatsApp iCloud backups late last year, however the change only came to light last week when professional hackers claimed to be able to circumvent the security measure.
According to Russian-based Oxygen Forensics, third-party hacking tools are able to download the encrypted WhatsApp data backed up to iCloud and then generate an encryption key to decrypt the data using the associated SIM card. The tools could potentially be used by police with access to a phone where the WhatsApp account has been deactivated but the encrypted messages are still stored in iCloud. WhatsApp has yet to comment on the claims.
The encryption debate has been reignited in recent weeks on both sides of the Atlantic. FBI director James Comey revealed earlier this month that his agency had been unable to access the data on more than 3,000 mobile devices in the first half of the fiscal year, despite having legal authority to avail themselves of the contents.
A recent statement by U.S. senator Dianne Feinstein also appeared to confirm that the government had used $900,000 of public money to pay for the third-party tools to unlock the iPhone used by the San Bernardino terrorist. No information of relevance was found on the device, the FBI later revealed.
Meanwhile in the U.K., government home secretary Amber Rudd recently claimed that it is "completely unacceptable" that authorities cannot gain access to messages stored on mobile applications protected by end-to-end encryption, such as WhatsApp. Rudd said she would be discussing the situation with technology companies in the near future.
Since that time, a draft technical paper prepared by the U.K. government has been leaked that contains proposals related to the removal of encryption from private communications. The paper reveals that companies would be required to provide the raw data "in an intelligible form" without "electronic protection" within one working day. Discussions about the feasibility of the proposals are said to be ongoing.
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.
Alipay, the mobile payment system offered by Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba, is coming to the U.S., thanks to a deal brokered with credit card processing service First Data Corp.
The expansion follows limited trials in California and New York, and will bring Alipay into direct competition with Apple Pay, Android Pay, and PayPal. Alongside online payments and money transfers, Alipay users can also hail a taxi, book a hotel, and buy movie tickets directly from within the app.
The partnership will allow Chinese tourists who visit the U.S. to use their mobile phones to complete transactions at 4 million merchants and retailers around the country. That compares to about 4.5 million U.S. merchants that currently accept Apple Pay.
The U.S. is behind China in terms of the proportion of customers using mobile payments, but that's forecast to change in 2018. As noted by Bloomberg, given U.S. consumer's relative indifference to mobile payments, Alipay's entry into the country may actually benefit Apple, as more retailers gear up to offer tap-and-go transactions to shoppers, be they Chinese tourists or U.S. residents.
Alipay has about 450 million customers worldwide, but Alipay's deal with First Data aims to offset the mobile payment's loss of ground in China to rival Tencent Holdings, which has successfully leveraged the popularity of WeChat to roll out WeChat Pay. The WeChat app's dominance in the country is also said to have negatively affected the relevance of iOS features in China.
In February, Apple partnered with China's state-run bankcard association, China Union Pay, enabling the lender's cardholders to use Apple Pay.
Amazon has started running and promoting its own live music gigs in the U.K. as an extra incentive for customers to sign up to its Prime membership (via Engadget).
Called Prime Live Events, the initiative will offer music concert tickets at iconic London venues by major artists performing "up-close and personal". Tickets to the music shows will be exclusive to Prime subscribers and all of the gigs will be filmed and released globally through the company's Prime Video streaming service.
The first Prime Live Event will be on May 23 with a Blondie performance at the Round Chapel in Hackney, followed by shows in June featuring Alison Moyet and Texas, with Katie Melua performing the next month in Chelsea.
The U.K. ticket purchasing service Amazon Tickets – set to launch in the U.S. soon – also got an update today, allowing Prime members to purchase tickets ahead of general public release. Depending on the new initiative's success, Live Events also could be rolled out to other international markets.
Amazon has experimented with the concert hosting strategy before. Robbie Williams performed at St. John Hackney Church on December 14, as did John Legend at The Round Chapel the next day. Both were limited to Amazon customers and later released through Prime Video.
Apple has hosted an annual music event in London for several years now. The iTunes Festival was recently renamed Apple Music Festival to bring it under the banner of Apple's own subscription service, through which fans could view the streamed performances live and on demand.
Amazon is planning to update its Amazon Echo line with a new speaker that includes a screen and video calling capabilities, reports The Wall Street Journal.
The upcoming speaker will feature a 7-inch touchscreen, used to make internet-based video/telephone calls and display visual results for spoken queries. Camera functionality could also be included, mirroring the capabilities of the recently introduced Echo Look.
Amazon's existing Echo speaker
The new Echo screen device will likely support some of the same functionality as the Echo Look, which will enable consumers to take videos and photos of their outfits and compare them via algorithms, according to one of the people. It is unclear why Amazon is launching the two devices so close together or how the market segments they target may differ.
Amazon may be planning to unveil the speaker, which has been in beta testing for a few months, as early as tomorrow, Tuesday, May 9.
Amazon's existing Echo device is currently priced at $150, but it normally sells for $180. The new speaker is expected to be sold for over $200, due to the included display.
Along with the new speaker, Amazon is also said to be planning to roll out telephone services to existing Echo devices over the next few weeks. To begin with, intercom functionality may be available, allowing two Echo devices to communicate with one another.
The imminent launch of an Amazon Echo device with a display comes as Apple is rumored to be nearing the final stages of development on its own Siri-based speaker, which would compete with the Echo and the Google Home.
Rumors have not suggested Apple's upcoming device will include a display, but Apple marketing chief Phil Schiller recently made some comments suggesting voice-activated smart speakers would be better with screens.
According to Schiller, a voice assistant without a screen doesn't "suit many situations," especially when it comes to social networking services, photos, and games.
I have yet to see any voice-only games that, for me, are nearly as fun as the one that I play on my screen. And so I think voice assistants are incredibly powerful, their intelligence is going to grow, they're gonna do more for us, but the role of the screen is gonna remain very important to all of this.
Amazon's new Echo product will be the first of the in-home smart speakers that includes a display. Apple's own device, which is said to include Siri integration and "excellent acoustics performance," reportedly has an "over 50 percent chance" of debuting at the Worldwide Developers Conference in June.
In celebration of Mother's Day, which takes place on Sunday, May 14, Best Buy is having a major sale and dropping the price on the iPhone 7, Apple Watch Series 2, 9.7-inch iPad Pro, MacBook Pro, and more.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Best Buy and may earn commissions on purchases made through these links.
All of Best Buy's Apple Watch Series 2 models are available at a $70 discount, dropping the price on the entry-level 38mm models to $299 and 42mm models to $329.
All 9.7-inch iPad Pro models are also available at a discount, with Best Buy dropping the price by $100. For the entry-level 32GB 9.7-inch iPad Pro, that lowers the price to $499.99.
When purchasing and activating an iPhone 7 or iPhone 7 Plus on a monthly installment plan through Sprint, AT&T, and Verizon, customers can save up to $300.
Apple's latest MacBook Pro models (the 13-inch version without a Touch Bar) are available from Best Buy for $100 off, dropping the price from $1,499 to $1,399. Both Silver and Space Gray models are discounted.
Best Buy is also discounting the MacBook Air by $200, dropping the price on the entry-level 13-inch model with 8GB RAM and 128GB storage from $999.99 to $799.99.
Best Buy's discounted prices will be available through the end of the week, with the deals set to end on May 13.
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