MacRumors

A growing number of iOS 11 users have been encountering a strange predictive text bug over the course of the last few days, with the problem outlined on the MacRumors forums.

It seems some users are seeing "A[?]" as the first recommended predictive text word when using the iOS keyboard, and whenever "I" is typed, it autocorrects to A[?].

It's not clear what's causing the bug, but a fair number of MacRumors readers and Twitter users seem to be experiencing the problem. Not everyone is affected, though, and we have been unable to replicate the issue on our own devices.

It may potentially be linked to emoji, as a strange "I" character also appears under the frequently used emoji for some customers who are affected.

The problem seems to be affecting devices running both iOS 11.0.3 and iOS 11.1, and some users are also seeing the odd predictive text show up on Macs, too, as predictive text is available on all devices via iCloud.

Turning off predictive text is a reliable way of putting an end to the issue, as is using a third-party keyboard, but neither of these options are long term solutions for customers who want to use the full-featured built-in keyboard.

Resetting the keyboard dictionary does not appear to fix the issue, nor does a device restart or reset. One MacRumors reader who got in touch with Apple Support about the issue was told that Apple is aware of the problem and working on a fix.

Update: Apple's support staff is recommending customers affected by this bug use text replacement as a temporary workaround.

To do this, go to Settings > General > Keyboard > Text Replacement. Type in an uppercase "I" for the phrase, and a lowercase "i" as the replacement.

"Live at the Majestic," a new concert documentary starring indie rap artist Danny Brown, is Apple's latest exclusive film, set to debut on Apple Music on Tuesday, November 7. Apple shared a trailer for the new documentary on its YouTube channel today.

Danny Brown "Live at the Majestic" is Andrew Cohn's new concert documentary featuring the uniquely indie, Detroit rap star. The documentary takes you behind the scenes as the famed rapper prepares to take the stage at the Majestic Theatre in his very own hometown. Like any return to the place you grew up, the journey is filled with hilarious stories of youthful misdeeds, wrestling with a new and more honest assessment of home and a deeper understanding of yourself. What Cohn delivers is both an intimate and poignant conversation with Brown and a wholly entertaining rock doc featuring explosive concert footage.

In addition to featuring a behind-the-scenes look at Brown's concert at the Majestic, the documentary, which was filmed over the course of two years, will feature footage from his early days, the creation of his 2011 album, "XXX," and commentary from fans.

Apple today seeded the first beta of an upcoming tvOS 11.2 update to its public beta testing group, one day after seeding the tvOS 11.2 update to developers. tvOS 11.2 comes just after the release of tvOS 11.1, the first update to tvOS 11.

The tvOS 11.2 public beta can be obtained by going to the Settings app on the Apple TV and navigating to the Software Updates section under "System." "Get Public Beta Updates" will need to be toggled on, and once it is, the Apple TV will download the beta software.

According to Apple's release notes, the tvOS 11.2 update enables a new AVDisplayManager feature for developers, designed to allow the device to automatically switch video display modes to match the native frame rate and dynamic range of video content.

The update includes support for switching the Apple TV 4K display output to SDR for apps that are GPU-bound when running in HDR and it re-introduces the Unwatched category in Home Sharing for Movies, TV Shows, and Home Videos.

Apple says it also adds new features, bug fixes, and security improvements to the tvOS operating system.

Apple today updated its GarageBand for iOS app to version 2.3, bringing support for the Super Retina OLED display of the iPhone X and introducing a new Sound Library designed to let users download additional free instruments, loops, and sound packs.

Apple highlighted the new update in a Newsroom press release that goes over all of the new features.

With the GarageBand Sound Library users can now preview and download new Apple-designed sounds and instruments right within the app. These free, downloadable sound packs contain a variety of Touch Instruments, Apple loops, Live Loops templates, guitar and instrument presets and more. Users can access the Sound Library from multiple places within GarageBand and will receive alerts when new sound packs are available. Initial sound packs include Future Bass, Reggaeton, Beat Sequencer kits, guitar amp tones and more. New sound packs will be released periodically by Apple.

There are three new Drummers in Pop, Songwriter, and Latin styles, along with support for new traditional instruments from China and Japan like the Guzheng, Koto, and Taiko drums. GarageBand users can also use the Beat Sequencer to create music inspired by classic drum machines, and there is an iMessage sticker pack with GarageBand instrument icons.

Along with support for the iPhone's display, the update allows GarageBand to work with the Files app in iOS 11 for expanded sharing and storage, plus there's a new larger Audio Unit Extensions view for use with compatible third-party instruments. Full release notes for the update are below:

- Updated for Super Retina display on iPhone X
- Use the new Sound Library to download additional free instruments, loops and sound packs
- Adds 3 Drummers who play percussion in the styles of Pop, Songwriter, and Latin*
- Play and record using traditional instruments from China and Japan, including the Guzheng, Koto and Taiko drums*
- Build grooves inspired by classic electronic drum machines with the Beat Sequencer
- Support for expanded sharing and storage options with the Files app in iOS 11
- Enables a larger Audio Unit Extensions view for compatible third-party instruments and effects
- Recording, mixing and exporting a song can be done at 24-bit audio resolution
- Includes iMessage sticker pack that adds GarageBand instrument icons
- Provides stability improvements and bug fixes

Apple has also updated its Logic Remote app for iOS devices with support for the iPhone X's display and touch instrument controls like guitar, bass, drums, and chord strips.

GarageBand can be downloaded from the App Store for free. [Direct Link]

Logic Remote, which works with Logic Pro X, MainStage, and GarageBand on Mac can also be downloaded from the App Store for free. [Direct Link]

As we get closer to the holidays, iTunes gift card discounts are beginning to get more frequent, and today the latest sale comes from Amazon. The online retailer has marked down the $50 App Store and iTunes gift card by 15 percent in its U.S. store, so you can get the $50 credit added to your account for just $42.50 while supplies last. The gift cards are physical versions and are limited to 1 per order.

No other price tiers for the gift card are on sale as of now, so the $25, $100, and $200 options are all priced as expected. Like with any App Store and iTunes gift card, you can spend the money on an Apple Music subscription, app downloads or in-app purchases, iBooks, iTunes movies and tv shows, and more.

If you're looking for any more sales going on this week, make sure to check out our Deals Roundup.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon.

Amazon is preparing its customers for the busy holiday shopping season, posting a detailed plan today on how it aims to help you get the items you want through Alexa voice shopping, curated gift guides, and a new "AR View" in the official Amazon iOS app. AR View was built using Apple's augmented reality developer framework called ARKit, and the company said it's meant to help customers "make better shopping decisions."

Similar to IKEA Place, Amazon's AR View lets you place virtual versions of real-world products sold on Amazon right into your home, helping you decide whether or not you like the item in a specific living space before you buy it. AR View can be found on the camera icon in the Amazon iOS app, which now has a new "AR View" option. Then you can select from "thousands of items" sold on Amazon, which includes home furniture, toys, Echo products, kitchen electronics, decor, and more.

Amazon’s latest augmented reality offering within the Amazon App launched today for customers with iOS 11 installed on their iPhone 6S or later. Using Apple’s ARKit, AR view helps customers make better shopping decisions by allowing them to visualize the aesthetic and fit of products in their own living space. Customers simply open the Amazon App, click on the camera icon and choose AR view.

They can then select from thousands of items – from living room, bedroom, kitchen and home office products to electronics, toys and games, home décor and more. Whether customers are buying a sofa or a kitchen appliance, they can overlay it onto their existing living space, move it and rotate it to get a full 360-degree peek in a live camera view to make sure it fits their style and aesthetic.

ARKit debuted in iOS 11 in September, and you'll need an iPhone 6s or later running iOS 11 to use the new AR View feature in Amazon's iOS app. Target also launched an augmented reality shopping feature last week, but it wasn't in its iOS app and instead debuted in the Target mobile website. Additionally, Target's new "See It In Your Space" option doesn't use ARKit.

When Apple announced the iPhone X on September 12, the company also unveiled a new type of iPhone case called the "Leather Folio case," which has been specifically designed for iPhone X. Similar to existing wallet-style cases, the $99 Leather Folio accessory features a front cover that protects the iPhone X's screen when you aren't using it, and a few slots for cards or money.

Now that customers are beginning to get their iPhone X accessories in the mail ahead of the smartphone's launch on Friday, November 3, a few unboxing and hands-on videos have been posted on YouTube this week. The first video was posted by Walking Talking Tech, and focused on the iPhone X Leather Folio case in Taupe.

You can purchase the iPhone X Leather Folio case on Apple.com for $99. As of writing, shipping estimates for Taupe and Black sit at around one week, while Cosmos Blue and Berry are a bit longer at 2-3 weeks. If you're interested in a more traditional case, Apple also sells the iPhone X Silicone Case ($39) and iPhone X Leather Case ($49).

Two U.K. banks today updated their mobile apps to support Face ID, the facial authentication feature exclusive to iPhone X, which officially launches on Friday, November 3.

Nationwide and Bank of Scotland became the first mobile banking apps in the U.K. to provide compatibility with Apple's new facial recognition technology, which is set to replace Touch ID fingerprint authentication on all future iPhones and iPads, according to respected KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.

The two banking apps already provide a Touch ID option to authenticate customers when they attempt to log in to their accounts, so the fact that Face ID is being offered as an alternative option shows that the financial sector has full trust in Apple's new security technology, despite tests showing that it can be fooled by identical twins.

Apple has admitted that Face ID may not be able to distinguish between identical twins and in such cases recommends users protect sensitive data with a passcode instead. Otherwise, Apple says the chance that a random person in the population could look at your iPhone X and unlock it with their face is about one in a million (compared to one in 50,000 for Touch ID).

Face ID has proved to be reliable in early iPhone X reviews and first impressions, and it's also considered easy to set up and use, but Apple likely still has some work to do to convince the general public that facial authentication is the future. According to a research conducted by Top10VPN.com in October, over half (60 percent) of British consumers remain unconvinced by facial recognition. Only two in five (40 percent) consumers believing Face ID is a good idea, while 79 percent of Brits prefer to unlock their devices with a fingerprint or passcodes. (Poll sample size: 2,048 adults.)

After multiple false starts and delays, IKEA today has updated its Trådfri iOS app [Direct Link] with a note that states the company is finally rolling out "Apple HomeKit integration for voice control of your lights with Siri" (via Macerkopf) [Google Translate].

After updating the Trådfri gateway, owners of the smart light bulbs will have to enter an 8-digit code to manually add their bulbs into Apple's Home app. If you have a newer version of the system, the code will be found on the underside of the gateway. For owners of older models, the Trådfri app will generate a code that they can then type into Home and begin controlling their lights with HomeKit commands and Siri.

What's New in Version 1.2.0
- Amazon Alexa integration for voice control of your lights with Alexa skill
- Apple HomeKit integration for voice control of your lights with SIRI
- Colour and white spectrum bulb
- Warm white, chandelier bulb E14 and Warm white GU10 bulb

IKEA first confirmed the Trådfri lights were HomeKit compatible back in August, before quickly walking back that statement and announcing that the update would arrive in the fall. The same thing happened in October, when the company reportedly began rolling out HomeKit support in the Trådfri iOS app, only to once again delay the launch due to "technical difficulties."

Apple today highlighted iPhone X reviews from major publications such as The Verge, TechCrunch, Mashable, BuzzFeed News, The Independent, and CNET with a GIF that cycles through positive comments about the device.

Apple changed its review strategy with a staggered release of the iPhone X to select YouTube channels and media outlets, some of which received less than 24 hours of lead time with the device before Apple's publishing embargo lifted.

Steven Levy, a journalist who reviewed the original iPhone, was among the first to share iPhone X impressions on Monday. A handful of YouTube channels shared hands-on and unboxing videos of the device on the same day. Then, on Tuesday, a larger wave of tech publications and media outlets published reviews.

Apple quoted the following reviews in its press release:

Mashable: "Apple's iPhone X is the beginning of something new. Everything the iPhone X is serves as a roadmap for future iPhones."

BuzzFeed: "Face ID worked as promised: with sunglasses, without sunglasses, with my hair up, with it down, at night in the dark, or during the day."

Creative Live Blog: "The OLED display is insanely good. The contrast is unlike anything I've ever seen. And the edge to edge / bezel arrangement is stunning. It somehow further humanizes the device. I feel like I'm holding my photos and videos…not a device on which to view them."

The Wall Street Journal: "Face ID is secure, fast, reliable and very easy to use. But even if it is Halloween, you'll be headed for trouble if you go trying to clone yourself."

CNET: "After 10 hours on the streets of San Francisco, mostly in and around Fisherman's Wharf, I was impressed by how Portrait Mode transformed the everyday selfie into a respectable and elegant photo."

The Evening Standard: "Apple's implementation of the camera is flawlessly done and THE Animoji are fantastic."

TechCrunch: "What I can tell you is that [Animoji] are cute and super funny. The way that the camera is able to accurately track and map your face, the physics in the models and the fun factor of being able to 'wear a mask' combine to make something that's actually a ton of fun."

iPhone X launches this Friday, November 3, including the first deliveries to customers and limited in-store availability for walk-in customers.

Astro HQ, the makers of popular iPad drawing app AstroPad Studio, yesterday announced that their plans for a "Camera Button" feature for the app have been scuppered by Apple.

The developers' clever hack that turns an iPad's front-facing camera into a functional software button was supposed to be coming in the next AstroPad Studio update, but Apple has rejected it on the grounds that the idea flouts App Store review guidelines.

The announcement came in a Medium.com post by Astro HQ titled "RIP Camera Button", which revealed that Apple had turned down the innovative iPad interaction because it broke the company's rules for iOS software.

We planned to introduce the Camera Button in an update to Astropad Studio going out today. However, we are disappointed to report that the Camera Button was rejected by Apple’s App Store review under Section 2.5.9:

Apps that alter or disable the functions of standard switches, such as the Volume Up/Down and Ring/Silent switches, or other native user interface elements or behaviors will be rejected.

Apple is known for its strict adherence to App Store rules, so the rejection shouldn't really come as much of a surprise. But the news will also likely disappoint backers of AstroPad's forthcoming Luna display adapter, which turns an iPad into a wireless extended Mac desktop. The developers had hoped to include the Camera Button feature in the Luna software, but they've been forced to drop it from that, too.

Despite the setback, Astro HQ said their "urge to innovate" lives on, and that they remained "committed to pushing the boundaries of software and hardware engineering so that we can create the best productivity tools possible".