Apple's upcoming "iPhone 8" will be available to order in three storage capacities and with the same amount of working memory as the current iPhone 7 Plus, according to a new post on Chinese microblogging site Weibo (via Techtastic.nl).
The minimum storage capacity for Apple's OLED iPhone is said to be 64GB, with a 256GB option offered as the mid-tier capacity and a 512GB option at the highest tier, while 3GB of RAM is claimed to be included across the board.
Weibo poster GeekBar included the above image of an alleged iPhone 8 NAND flash 64GB memory module manufactured by SanDisk, which will also supply some 256GB modules, according to the source. Toshiba is also referenced as a supplier of both capacities, while Samsung and SK Hynix are said to be making the 512GB modules.
This is the first time SanDisk has been referenced as a NAND supplier for Apple's OLED iPhone, while Toshiba, Samsung, and SK Hynix have all been cited previously as suppliers of NAND flash chips. Earlier rumors have suggested the iPhone 8 will include increased storage space, making the device more expensive than previous-generation models, although previous additional reports claimed only that the phone would be available in 64 and 256GB capacities.
Reliable KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has also put the iPhone 8's memory at 3GB of RAM, while the larger iPhone 7s Plus is expected to remain at 3GB RAM and the smaller iPhone 7s will continue to offer 2GB RAM. Kuo claimed the DRAM transfer speed of the three new models will be faster than the iPhone 7 by 10 to 15 percent for better augmented reality performance.
Ahead of the launch of iOS 11, developers have been busy experimenting with ARKit, Apple's upcoming augmented reality platform, to see how it could be used in various everyday scenarios and contexts.
The latest demo to catch the eye comes courtesy of ModiFace (via 9to5Mac), which specializes in creating augmented reality apps for the beauty industry. The company recently uploaded a video showcasing a lipstick previewer and virtual "beauty gallery" in a cosmetics store.
The video demonstrates a person looking into the front-facing camera of their iPhone and trying out various shades of lipstick, minus the faff of having to actually apply it, enabling the user to quickly choose their preferred color.
Later in the video, the woman browses a virtual aisle of images of herself with various cosmetics digitally applied, making her selection a much simpler process than the traditional hassle of physical application.
ModiFace envisions further uses for ARKit in the cosmetic space, some of which it demonstrated in a second video that showcases a "virtual beauty counter".
"Users start with trying on different beauty products on their own video through ModiFace's iOS app. From there, once a selection of products have been made, they can then instantly see their products, product reviews, and product simulations on their own photo rendered as a virtual beauty counter. Users can walk close to the counter to zoom and view specific product visualizations or features. For example, to see the details of a lipstick, they simple walk closer to their photo and move their devices closer to a virtual lip."
ModiFace says it will be testing virtual beauty counters with a variety of different partners over the coming weeks, but the first apps with ARKit won't be available until iOS 11 is officially available to the public in September.
So far, developers have demonstrate everything from live filter applications in a recreation of A-ha's Take On Me video to live measurements of furniture and room spaces, and we can surely expect many more to come. Check out the links below for more ARKit demos.
China-based smartphone vendors are set to follow Apple lockstep into the all-screen handset era as competition in the Chinese smartphone market heats up in the second half of 2017 (via DigiTimes).
With much of the media attention focused on the imminent launch of Apple's "iPhone 8" with edge-to-edge OLED display this September, rival mobile makers including Huawei, Xiaomi, and Gionee have been quietly pushing ahead with their own all-screen alternatives.
Following a successful comeback in the Chinese smartphone market in the first half of 2017 after a setback the previous year, Xiaomi plans to further enhance its position with the upcoming release of its Mi Mix 2, according to industry sources.
MacRumors readers may recall the company's first Mi Mix which raised eyebrows in October 2016 for its almost bezel-free design, despite largely being considered a "concept phone" rather than a mass market device. The second-generation model aims to change that perception, with Xiaomi set to boost supply in order to grab more market share.
Meanwhile, Huawei has reportedly stepped up its purchases from component suppliers since the beginning of the third quarter for a planned rollout of its next-generation flagship model, the Huawei Mate 10. The device is said to feature a 6-inch 18:9 (2:1) all-screen AMOLED display from Japan Display.
Elsewhere, Gionee will continue its aggressive strategy – which began with the release of the world's first four camera (dual front and back camera) phone, the Gionee 10 – by rolling out all-screen models of its flagship devices in time for the second half of 2017, according to sources.
Even smaller mobile vendors have gotten in on the act, with Japan-based Sharp making a return to China's smartphone market recently with the launch of its all-screen model, the Aquos S2, priced at CNY2,499 ($375), targeting the mid-tier segment.
Last year Apple experienced its first ever year-over-year decline in the Chinese smartphone market, with the company's phones continuing to be outpaced by cheaper alternatives and the iPhone 7 failing to kick up a frenzy among consumers compared to previous launches, according to analysts.
Apple faced a similar story at the beginning of the current year. Despite recording record results, Apple's Q1 2017 earnings call revealed revenue was down 8 percent in China, but CEO Tim Cook claimed half of that decline was down to currency devaluation.
Apple currently stands in fifth place in China's booming smartphone market, where combined sales reached 131.6 million units in the fourth quarter of 2016, accounting for nearly a third of worldwide shipments.
It remains to be seen whether the iterative "S" cycle updates to its iPhone 7 range due this fall, combined with the appeal of a premium alternative in the form of the so-called "iPhone 8", will help to boost its success in these booming Sino markets, which are typically dominated by cheaper-priced, high-spec handsets.
Hulu is set to phase out the Live TV app it introduced earlier this year as it condenses its functions into the subscription service's main iOS app, which has received a new lick of paint in the process (via The Verge).
"Heads up! We are saying goodbye to our Hulu with Live TV app so you can have all your TV in one place. We will soon unify the two Hulu apps currently available in the Apple App Store, Hulu with Live TV and Hulu, into one great on-demand and live TV viewing experience."
In an effort to minimize confusion, both the $40-per-month live TV subscription services and the $8-per-month on-demand option will be available in the company's core app. In the meantime, the Hulu with Live TV app now has a splash screen that sends users to the main Hulu app to access its streaming features.
The company says it will continue to regularly update the Hulu app's look and feel, as it attempts to address issues users have had with the new interface, which has adopted the green hues of the service's branding.
The Hulu app is a free download for iPhone and iPad from the App Store. [Direct Link]
As two new episodes of "Carpool Karaoke: The Series" air tonight, Apple has shared trailers for next week's episodes, which will pair Queen Latifah and Jada Pinkett Smith and Miley Cyrus and her family.
The first trailer features Miley Cyrus, her dad Billy Ray, her sister Noah, her mom Tish, her brother Braison, her sister Brandy, and her brother Trace. The Cyrus family sings popular Miley Cyrus songs and gets a family photo taken, among other activities.
The second trailer features Queen Latifah and Jada Pinkett Smith. The two sing songs from Janet Jackson and Queen Latifah herself, before Regina Hall and Tiffany Haddish, their fellow "Girls Trip" co-stars, join them.
The episodes featuring the Cyrus family and Queen Latifah and Jada Pinkett Smith will air on Tuesday, August 29.
Tonight's "Carpool Karaoke: The Series" episodes are now available to watch. The first episode stars Maisie Williams and Sophie Turner, the two actresses who play Sansa Stark and Arya Stark, respectively, in HBO's hit series "Game of Thrones."
The second episode stars singer Ariana Grande and and Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane.
"Carpool Karaoke: The Series" debuted on August 8. The first episode starred late night TV host James Corden and Will Smith, while last week's episodes paired Alicia Keys with John Legend and Billy Eichner with Metallica.
Apple is planning to develop a self-driving shuttle service that will transport Apple employees from one building to another as part of its autonomous vehicle efforts, reports The New York Times in a piece that explores why Apple scaled back its car ambitions.
Apple's "open secret" car project shifted focus from a full autonomous vehicle to an autonomous driving system last year, and to test that system, Apple will reportedly use employee shuttles.
One of the Lexus SUVs Apple is currently using to test its autonomous driving software
Called "PAIL," an acronym for "Palo Alto to Infinite Loop," the shuttle program will transport employees between Apple's myriad offices in Silicon Valley. Apple is said to be planning to use a commercial vehicle "from an automaker" paired with its own autonomous driving technology for the shuttles.
Five Apple employees familiar with Apple's car project spoke to The New York Times about the shuttle program and also shared some details about the technologies Apple explored before the project was downscaled from car to software.
When Apple first started exploring car technology under the "Project Titan" name, it hired hundreds of people with expertise in everything from automation to car manufacturing. The team explored a wide range of technologies, including silent motorized doors, car interiors sans steering wheel or gas pedals, augmented reality displays, an improved LIDAR sensor that protrudes less from the top of a car, and spherical wheels.
Apple even looked into reinventing the wheel. A team within Titan investigated the possibility of using spherical wheels -- round like a globe -- instead of the traditional, round ones, because spherical wheels could allow the car better lateral movement.
As has been previously reported, Apple's car project suffered from delays, internal strife, and leadership issues. According to the people who spoke to The New York Times, there was no clear vision for the Apple Car and there were internal disagreements over whether Apple should pursue an autonomous vehicle or a semiautonomous vehicle and what language should be used for the CarOS software (Swift or C++).
Steve Zadesky, who initially led Project Titan but stepped down in early 2016, pushed for a semiautonomous vehicle, while Jony Ive's industrial design team wanted an autonomous vehicle that would "allow the company to reimagine the automobile experience."
Bob Mansfield took over the car project in mid-2016, and the project shifted from vehicle to software. Many members of the hardware team were laid off, but morale is said to have improved under his leadership now that Apple has a clear focus on an autonomous driving system.
Apple is now far enough along in its software development that the company is testing it in several 2015 Lexus RX450h vehicles equipped with a host of sensors and cameras. The vehicles have been out on the roads in the Cupertino area since April. It's not yet clear when Apple plans to expand that testing to encompass the campus shuttles.
Back in June, Apple CEO Tim Cook spoke publicly about Apple's work on autonomous driving software in a rare candid moment. "We're focusing on autonomous systems. It's a core technology that we view as very important," he said. "We sort of see it as the mother of all AI projects. It's probably one of the most difficult AI projects actually to work on."
Popular and well-known iOS weather app AccuWeather has been caught collecting and sharing user location data even when location sharing permissions are turned off, according to a blog post recently shared by security researcher Will Strafach.
According to Strafach, AccuWeather was partnering with data monetization firm Reveal Mobile to collect GPS coordinates, including speed and altitude, the name and BSSID of a user's Wi-Fi router, and whether a device has Bluetooth on and off, all of which was available to Reveal Mobile when location services were enabled.
With location services disabled, AccuWeather was still sending the Wi-Fi router name and BSSID, which still offered Reveal Mobile location data.
During a testing period of 36 hours, specifically while the AccuWeather application was not in the foreground, my test iPhone (located on a desk in an office building) sent the above information to RevealMobile a total of 16 times, occuring roughly once every few hours.
Reval Mobile is a firm that uses location data to gather information on a user's home, work, and frequently visited locations, pairing that data with demographic targeting criteria to allow retailers to deliver targeted ads. From the company's website:
By expanding the use case of location data to pre- and post-shopping experiences, entirely new possibilities open up for online and offline retailers. The value lies in understanding the path of a consumer and where they go throughout the day. Traveling from home to work to retail to soccer practice to dinner is vital to knowing the customer, and represents the new opportunity of mobile location data.
In response to Strafach's blog post, Reveal Mobile says the data it collects is anonymized and grouped into audience segments. "We offer no product or service that permits anyone to see an individual device's location data," reads a statement on the Reveal Mobile website. The company also says it does not reverse engineer a device's location when location sharing is turned off.
We do not attempt to reverse engineer a device's location based upon other data signals like Bluetooth when location services are disabled. In looking at our current SDK's behavior, we see how that can be misconstrued. In response to that, we're releasing a new version of our SDK which will no longer send any data points which could be used to infer location when someone opts out of location sharing. We do collect IP address, but do not use this data to determine location, as covered in our privacy policy.
AccuWeather vice president of emerging platforms David Mitchell told ZDNet that AccuWeather will use data through Reveal Mobile for "audience segmentation and analysis, to build a greater audience understanding and create more contextually relevant and helpful experiences for users and for advertiser."
Following Strafach's discovery, many people have been uninstalling the AccuWeather app, and given the wealth of weather apps available in the App Store, this is not surprising. AccuWeather does not apparently have plans to end its relationship with Reveal Mobile, so users may want to find another weather app.
Update: AccuWeather and Reveal Mobile have provided a joint statement on the issue:
Despite stories to the contrary from sources not connected to the actual information, if a user opts out of location tracking on AccuWeather, no GPS coordinates are collected or passed without further opt-in permission from the user.
Other data, such as Wi-Fi network information that is not user information, was for a short period available on the Reveal SDK, but was unused by AccuWeather. In fact, AccuWeather was unaware the data was available to it. Accordingly, at no point was the data used by AccuWeather for any purpose.
AccuWeather and Reveal Mobile are committed to following the standards and best practices of the industry. We also recognize this is a quickly evolving field and what is best practice one day may change the next. Accordingly, we work to update our practices regularly.
To avoid any further misinterpretation, Reveal is updating its SDK and pushing out new versions of the SDK in the next 24 hours, with the iOS update going live tonight. The end result should be that zero data is transmitted back to Reveal Mobile when someone opts out of location sharing. In the meanwhile, AccuWeather had already disabled the SDK, pending that update.
Reveal has stated that the SDK could be misconstrued, and they assure that no reverse engineering of locations was ever conducted by any information they gathered, nor was that the intent.
AccuWeather will work with Reveal to restore the SDK when it has been amended and will continue to update its ULAs to be transparent and current with evolving standards. AccuWeather and Reveal continue to enhance methods for handling data and strive to provide superior, seamless, and secure user experiences.
We are grateful to have a supportive community that highlights areas where we can optimize and be more transparent.
Code42, the company behind the popular cloud backup solution CrashPlan, today announced that it is sunsetting its CrashPlan for Home subscription options in the near future. Starting today, Code42 will no longer offer or renew CrashPlan for Home subscriptions.
In a video message, Code42 CEO Joe Payne said the company is ending its personal subscription options to focus solely on the business and organization market.
Customers who choose to use CrashPlan for Small Business can transfer their data within minutes. A Small Business plan is priced at $10 per month per device for unlimited upload space, but current CrashPlan for Home subscribers can get a 75 percent discount for the next 12 months. Code42 is allowing users to migrate cloud backups that are 5TB or smaller.
Customers who choose Carbonite can get 50 percent off of select Carbonite plans. Carbonite pricing starts at $60 per year for unlimited storage on a single device.
Current CrashPlan for Home subscribers can continue using CrashPlan until their subscriptions expire, but once that happens, they will need to choose a new backup solution. CrashPlan subscriptions are non-refundable, so customers will want to wait for their subscriptions to end before transferring to a new plan or service.
Code42 is earmarking October 22, 2018 as the end-of-support date for CrashPlan Home, with the company planning to honor all subscriptions until that date. Subscribers who have subscriptions that extend beyond October 22, 2018 will see their accounts upgraded to a CrashPlan for Small Business account with Code42 promising to send along additional information on the upgrade process before the service is discontinued.
Almost one month after the HomePod's firmware first began revealing tidbits about Apple's upcoming smart speaker, the iPhone 8, and even the Apple Watch Series 3, today iHelp BR has a few more pieces of information on the setup process for the HomePod. Interestingly, the site noted that the data doesn't come from HomePod firmware, but was discovered within the seventh iOS 11 beta, seeded to developers yesterday.
The new details suggest in broad strokes what users can expect when they first open their HomePod and sync it with an iPhone. Although HomePod lacks a W1 chip, the speaker will connect and pair with iOS devices in some capacity, and one new image discovered within the iOS 11 developer beta shows off a user interface similar to that of the AirPods pairing screen.
According to some images that we find in the internal files of the system, the pairing of the HomePod (codename B238) will be very similar to the AirPods wireless headphones. When you turn on the sound box for the first time, iOS will ask the user if they want to perform the setup with that iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch. It will not be possible to set up a HomePod for Mac or Apple TV - although it is very likely that the device will work normally with them later.
The next screen that appears on iOS references a HomePod setup process similar to the initial setup of an iPhone, iPad, or Apple Watch, with the major difference being that "Siri must be present in almost the entire process." At one point, a string of code suggests that Siri will read out a four digit code to the user, which is then entered on the paired iOS device as a form of authentication.
A similar string mentions that users will need to enter the last four digits of the HomePod's serial number, or the iOS device's serial number, although some of these processes might be tied to repeatedly failed setup attempts as a form of security.
Users will need to confirm their Apple ID in order to sync iCloud and Apple Music with HomePod, and in addition the new data said that Apple accounts without two-factor authentication or iCloud Keychain enabled will not be able to complete some steps in the pairing process. The iOS 11 code strings also mention that "you must be connected to a WPA/WPA2 Personal Wi-Fi network to set up your HomePod."
On HomePod, users will be able to choose the accent of Siri and the gender of the voice assistant, agree or disagree to send daily diagnostics to Apple, and agree to install updates manually or automatically through an iOS device. The code describes an ability for users to sync multiple HomePods in one house to save all of these settings across speakers, and even an "update all HomePods" and "install on all HomePods" feature to cut down the time of the update process for multi-HomePod households.
In other, more expected findings, the code strings mention that any songs, albums, and artists played through HomePod will be seen by a user's followers on Apple Music and influence the recommendations in "For You." Additionally, the HomePod's touch-sensitive display area on the top of the device will allow for various volume and playback controls, including VoiceOver-enabled controls like "touch to speak," "lift to activate," and "hold on volume controls to change quickly."
Previously, the HomePod firmware revealed a few UI sounds that users will likely hear during the pairing process, as well as some potential timer-related notifications. A recent comment by Inventec Appliances president David Ho -- supplier of the HomePod -- has suggested that the device will see a limited launch in December of around 500,000 units, before expanding in 2018 thanks to the addition of Foxconn to the speaker's supply chain.
Update: Developer Guilherme Rambo has shared a video on Twitter that displays the setup process for the HomePod using an iPhone. There's an option to choose a Siri voice followed by an authentication process, an option to share settings from other devices, and a menu to select the room where the HomePod is located.
Update 9/5: Rambo has discovered another tidbit about the HomePod's setup, which suggests that the speaker will be able to pair with an iPhone through audio sounds.
Verizon today split its unlimited talk, text, and data plan into three tiers: Go Unlimited, Beyond Unlimited, and Business Unlimited. The plans go into effect for new customers starting Wednesday, August 23.
Go Unlimited starts at $75 per month, which is $5 cheaper than the original Verizon Unlimited plan introduced in February. However, while Verizon Unlimited allowed for full HD video streaming, video quality on Go Unlimited is forcibly throttled to 480p, which Verizon and many other carriers refer to as DVD quality.
Go Unlimited customers can also experience reduced speeds if the network is congested at any time, rather than only after exceeding 22GB of data usage in a billing cycle. And while Mobile Hotspot is unlimited, tethering speeds are capped at a maximum of 600kbps from the very first kilobyte of usage.
The original Verizon Unlimited plan allows tethering at 4G LTE speeds for the first 10GB of data, with speeds reduced to 3G afterwards.
Beyond Unlimited starts at $85 per month, which is $5 more expensive than Verizon Unlimited. The plan includes unlimited tethering with the first 15GB of data at 4G LTE speeds, up from 10GB, but video quality is forcibly throttled to 720p quality on smartphones and 1080p quality on tablets.
Beyond Unlimited customers could experience reduced speeds at times of network congestion once they exceed 22GB in a billing cycle, in line with the original unlimited plan. Verizon increases that limit to 25GB for customers who sign a two-year contract when purchasing a new device.
Business Unlimited is designed for four or more lines and starts at $45/month/line. Each line could experience reduced speeds at times of network congestion after exceeding 22GB in a billing cycle, and video quality is throttled to 480p. Unlimited tethering is included with 4G LTE speeds for the first 10GB of data.
AutoPay and paperless billing must be enabled for all of the prices listed above, or else each plan costs $5 extra per month.
Verizon told The Verge that existing customers will be able to keep their current plan — including legacy ones. As a bonus, for existing customers on the original Verizon Unlimited plan introduced in February, Verizon is increasing the allowance for 4G LTE speeds while tethering from 10GB to 15GB at no charge.
However, the biggest kicker is that Verizon says, moving forward, HD video on all legacy plans will match Beyond Unlimited's HD quality. In other words, even grandfathered customers will soon be limited to video quality of 720p on smartphones and 1080p on tablets, which is sure to elicit some frustration.
"We're doing this to ensure all customers have a great experience on our network since there is no visible difference in quality on a smartphone or tablet when video is shown at higher resolutions," a Verizon spokesperson said.
As for the increased prices, Verizon says its unlimited data plan from February was an "introductory" price that was bound to increase eventually.
DJI this week announced an incoming update for its newest drone, the DJI Spark, which will further enhance the drone's battery management system to "optimize power supply during flight." DJI was unclear by how much this might extend the Spark's flight time beyond its original ~16 minutes of in-air time.
Additionally, the firmware update offers better stability for the Spark's Palm Launch feature, improves the accuracy of controls in the QuickShot Dronie mode, and enhances the compatibility of DJI's additional remote control accessory. Users will now also be able to fully integrate the Spark with DJI Goggles.
The company warned that if users don't update their Spark by September 1, their drone will not be able to fly until the firmware update is performed. Updates can be performed through the DJI GO 4 app on iOS or the DJI Assistant 2 desktop software.
DJI will be releasing a new firmware update this week to further enhance flight safety and performance of the DJI Spark.
If the firmware of either the aircraft or the battery is not updated by September 1, Spark will not be able to take off. DJI decided on the option of a mandatory firmware update in order to maximize flight safety and product reliability which we consider as top priorities.
DJI also announced a series of discounts on its drones and handheld products as part of a new back-to-school promotion for students, educators, and academic research staff with an approved educational email address. The DJI Spark Fly More Combo pack is marked down by 12 percent ($615) for those who apply between August 22 through August 24, and drops down to 10 percent off ($629) after that period of time.
There are also discounts for the Osmo Mobile, Mavic Pro Fly More Combo, DJI Goggles, and more. For the full list of the products on sale during DJI's back-to-school promotion, as well as how to apply for the discount, check out DJI's website.
Last week, DJI announced another update coming to its drones soon, which will allow users to fly a drone without needing an internet connection. Called "local data mode," the feature will stop a DJI drone from communicating with a connected smartphone, so maps, geofencing information, and newly-issued flight restrictions will no longer be updated during flights. DJI pointed out that the upside is an increase to user security and privacy when the mode is enabled.
Latch, a company that designs locks for use in apartment buildings, today announced the launch of its latest product, the Latch C. Latch C is compatible with HomeKit and according to Latch, is the first HomeKit smart lock designed for enterprise use.
The Latch C will let apartment dwellers unlock their doors with their iPhones, via the Home app, Siri, or a dedicated Latch app, eliminating the need for a physical key. It connects to a HomeKit system using WiFi and Bluetooth, and it includes a touchscreen.
Because the lock comes equipped with a wide-angle camera and digital log, it can be used to check who's at the door and keep track of who's coming and going. Users can also generate one-time access codes to share with guests and delivery services as needed.
According to Latch, apartment buildings that install support for Latch C will be able to provide residents with access to the HomeKit functionality as a standard feature from the moment they move in. Along with access via Siri and the Home app, HomeKit support also allows the Latch C to be included in Scenes for automation purposes.
"We are focused on improving every detail of the user experience at the modern building, and the Latch C with Apple HomeKit extends our ability to provide new access and delivery opportunities to customers," said Luke Schoenfelder, Latch Co-Founder and CEO.
Latch C is available for purchase from the Latch website for $299, with the purchase price including a two-year service contract along with installation and support. Latch C can be combined with existing Latch M and Latch R locks.
Latch is an enterprise solution designed for entire apartment buildings and sold to property managers, so it is not available for individuals to purchase.
Earlier in August, it was announced that a remastered version of the popular first-person shooter BioShock would be arriving on macOS platforms sometime this year. Today, BioShock Remastered has launched for compatible Mac computers on Steam and the online Feral store, and an official version of the remastered game for the Mac App Store is set to debut in the near future.
Users who download the game through Steam can get it for just $6.59 (£3.29) until August 28 [Direct Link].
BioShock Remastered is launching ten years and one day after the original BioShock debuted on Microsoft Windows and Xbox 360 on August 21, 2007. For its original release, Irrational Games developed BioShock, while 2K published it, and now the remastered version for Mac is being published by Feral Interactive, which publishes many games for macOS, iOS, and Linux platforms.
BioShock [Direct Link], BioShock 2 [Direct Link], and BioShock: Infinite [Direct Link] are already available for purchase on the Mac App Store, but the first game in the series was last updated in April 2012 and lacked enhanced graphics that more recent Macs can allow for. BioShock Remastered enhances the original game to run at 1080p with a higher frame rate, similar to last year's Windows- and console-only launch of BioShock: The Collection.
The remastered game also includes a wealth of additional content from the original release, as well as DLC added later. The Museum of Orphaned Concepts is a museum-style level that players can walk through to visit early concept art and other ideas that never made it into the final version of BioShock. The game's major DLC, the Challenge Rooms, are also in BioShock Remastered and exist out of the central storyline to offer the player various puzzle and combat challenges.
There's also a director's commentary featuring Ken Levine and Shawn Roberson, achievements support, full controller support, high resolution textures, models, and interface, and 4K resolution support on compatible Macs and displays.
To run BioShock Remastered, Mac users will need a 2.4Ghz Intel Core i5 processor, macOS 10.12.5 (released May 2017), 8 GB of RAM, and 27 GB of available space. Feral Interactive has broken down exactly which Macs will run BioShock Remastered at its full potential, as well as the Macs that are capable of playing the game, "but do not consistently meet the standards required for official support."
Macs officially supported:
All 21.5" iMacs since late 2013 (1GB Nvidia GT 750M Models are not officially supported)
All 27" iMacs since late 2013 (1GB Nvidia GT 755M Models are not officially supported)
All 13" MacBook Pros since late 2016
All 15" MacBook Pros since late 2013
All Mac Pros since late 2013
Macs that can run the game, but lack standards required for official support:
All 21.5" iMacs since early 2013
All 13" Retina MacBook Pros since mid 2012
All 27" iMacs since late 2012 with a 1GB graphics card
All Mac Mini's since late 2012
All 13" MacBook Pros since mid 2012
All 15" MacBook Pros since mid 2012 with a 1GB graphics card
All MacBook Airs since mid 2012
All MacBooks since early 2015
All Mac Pros since 2009 with an AMD 7950 (Mac Edition) graphics card
Otherwise, the game hasn't changed since 2007 and is set in an underground city called Rapture that was built in the 1940s, afterwards falling into a state of disrepair due to a civil war between Objectivist leader Andrew Ryan and crime lord Frank Fontaine. Players arrive to the city in 1960 after their plane crashes somewhere over the Atlantic Ocean, and must use Rapture's gene-altering Plasmids, as well as more traditional FPS weapons, to fight their way through the city's hordes of splicers.
Those interested can head over to the game's Steam page, or the Feral store, to download BioShock Remastered on Mac starting today.
The front-facing 3D sensor on Apple's upcoming iPhone 8 will be the device's "crown jewel," able to unlock the iPhone 8 in a "few hundred milliseconds" to give users quick access to their smartphone and quickly authenticate Apple Pay purchases.
The statement comes in a new report by Bloomberg, and follows on the heels of a recent article by The Korea Herald which used similar language to describe the unlocking process on the iPhone 8. As we near the device's launch, expected in September, so-called "Face ID" has risen to the forefront of iPhone 8 rumors and is largely believed to be replacing Touch ID entirely on Apple's majorly redesigned tenth anniversary smartphone.
The Korea Herald: The new facial recognition scanner with 3-D sensors can deeply sense a user’s face in the millionths of a second.
Bloomberg: The next iPhone will seamlessly mesh screen and charging technologies invented by others with such Apple innovations as a 3-D face scanner that unlocks the phone in a few hundred milliseconds. Upgrades to core technologies aside, the new iPhone’s crown jewel will be a 3-D facial scanning sensor that will unlock device and authenticate purchases—an industry first.
Recent HomePod leaks have also been building up Face ID features over the past few weeks. The HomePod discoveries started off with mention of infrared sensors in the iPhone 8's front-facing camera notch, which will reportedly allow the device to scan the user's face in dark environments, and then led to a string of code that suggested the iPhone 8 will be able to scan faces at various odd angles, including when it's flat on a table.
In the midst of the HomePod leaks, Mark Gurman tweeted that Apple's pitch for Face ID over Touch ID during its upcoming September keynote will be that "Face ID is quicker, more secure, and more accurate than Touch ID." Rumors that the iPhone 8 will omit Touch ID entirely began in early July in a report by Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, which was then corroborated in a report by Bloomberg.
Bloomberg's original report mentioned an "improved" security system coming to iPhone 8, potentially with eye scanning to "augment the system," and the ability for the smartphone to be unlocked with an advanced 3D sensor within a few hundred milliseconds.
As more reports have built upon these original rumors -- including the general idea that Face ID will be more secure than Touch ID because it can capture more data points than a fingerprint scan -- users can expect that advanced facial recognition features will likely be one of the major talking points of Apple's iPhone 8 keynote next month.
Check out Bloomberg's full report here, including a few infographics about the new features coming to the iPhone 8 with a focus on Apple's "best, not first" philosophy.
VMware today announced the upcoming release of VMware Fusion 10, its popular virtualization software for Mac.
VMware Fusion 10 includes full compatibility with macOS High Sierra, integration with the Touch Bar on the latest MacBook Pro models, and support for Apple's Metal 2 graphics acceleration technology for improved graphics performance, power efficiency, and accuracy of rendering.
Fusion 10 also features a redesigned user interface, including improved Installation and Migrate Your PC wizards.
Fusion 10 can run hundreds of operating systems, ranging from the latest Windows 10 versions to lesser-known Linux distributions. It will be able to run the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update expected to launch in October.
VMware will also be releasing Fusion 10 Pro, targeted at IT professionals and developers. The premium version features enhanced vSphere and networking controls, support for REST APIs, integration with VMware PhotonOS, and support for Microsoft's new virtualization-based security features such as Credential Guard.
VMware Fusion 10 and Fusion 10 Pro are expected to be available in October for $79 and $159 respectively. Fusion 8.5 customers will be able to upgrade to Fusion 10 for $49 or Fusion 10 Pro for $119.
Additionally, customers who purchase Fusion 8.5 or Fusion 8.5 Pro between August 22 and November 1 this year will be eligible for an upgrade to Fusion 10 or Fusion 10 Pro, respectively, at no additional cost.
Streaming movie and TV service VUDU has officially launched as an app on the fourth-generation Apple TV, allowing users to stream their collection of UltraViolet movies, as well as over 4,000 free "Movies on Us" titles, natively on Apple TV.
As expected, the VUDU Player app on Apple TV is limited in one respect -- users can't rent or buy any movie or TV show directly from Apple TV, so they'll first have to add content to their collection elsewhere before navigating to Apple TV in order to view it.
The Vudu Player for Apple TV lets you play over 4,000 free Movies On Us titles, as well as your existing Vudu collection, natively on 4th generation Apple TVs with tvOS 10. And the Vudu Player is the first (and only – just want to reiterate that) player that gives you access to your UltraViolet digital locker on Apple TV (#humblebrag).
Additional features include Siri voice search to find content within your VUDU collection, and a wishlist where users can add any title to save for later, and view on any platform that VUDU is available on. Users on Reddit noted that there is no integration with Apple's TV app.
The official launch of the VUDU Player app for Apple TV comes after rumblings about the app began in March, and then last week a report by Varietyconfirmed its release date of August 22.
For anyone without a VUDU account, the company encourages new users to head to its signup page to create a free account before launching the Apple TV app, since Apple's App Store guidelines prevent it from adding a sign up option within the app. On the web, users can browse, rent, and buy over 100,000 titles, link an existing UltraViolet and Disney Movies Anywhere account, and then sync everything with their Apple TV app to view their collection on Apple's fourth-generation set-top box.
Continuing a running theme over the last couple of weeks, a photo emerged online late on Monday of an alleged leaked 3D sensing camera module destined for the upcoming "iPhone 8" (via Slashleaks). Apple is said to have radically revamped its front-facing camera for its OLED iPhone, adding 3D sensing capabilities for facial recognition.
Notable KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has called the camera "revolutionary" because it consists of three modules: a standard camera front-facing camera module, an infrared transmitting module, and an infrared receiving module, all of which will allow the iPhone 8 to perform 3D sensing and modeling functions.
It's also possible that the front-facing camera will support 4K video recording at 60 frames per second, based on code found in the HomePod firmware leak, although this feature could be limited to the rear camera.
In a separate and more dubious alleged leak, a video clip emerged on Tuesday on Chinese microblogging site Weibo showing what appears to be an Apple-branded handset with a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor going through a quality control process.
Strong consensus has built in recent months around the idea that Apple is eliminating Touch ID fingerprint recognition entirely in favor of a new authentication system based on facial recognition – as per the 3D sensing camera module above.
The prediction has been made by the reliable Kuo and echoed by JP Morgan analysts as well as Bloomberg, while Apple itself has confirmed that a facial recognition system is in the works, reflected in multiple references found in the leaked HomePod firmware. Given the weight of evidence suggesting the end of Touch ID for future iPhones, it's very likely this video shows a quality control stage for a knock-off clone iPhone destined for the Chinese market.
Expected to launch in early September, the "iPhone 8" – which could take a different name – is thought to feature a glass body and edge-to-edge OLED display that does away with the Home button. The new OLED iPhone will likely be sold alongside upgraded (but standard) 4.7 and 5.5-inch iPhones with LCD screens.
Parallels Desktop 13 for Mac got its official release on Tuesday. The thirteenth version of the Windows virtualization software comes with numerous new features including support for macOS High Sierra and the Windows 10 Fall Creators Update.
Top of the features list is Touch Bar support, enabling owners of compatible MacBook Pros to use the OLED strip with Microsoft Outlook, Excel, and PowerPoint, as well as additional integration for the Windows Start Menu and Desktop, including Cortana, Task View, and Taskbar pinned elements. A Touch Bar Wizard also allows users to customize the Touch Bar and add their favorite Windows applications.
New dynamic resolution support mean users can change the window size of their Windows session, with booting and rebooting speed said to be faster and smoother as a result. Meanwhile, enhanced support for Retina displays should see better scaling of Windows applications on Mac screens.
A new Picture-in-Picture mode aims to let users monitor their virtual machine with ease, while support for the upcoming Windows 10 People Bar promises to allow users to view recent contacts in the Windows Taskbar or Mac Dock.
More generally, Parallels claims over 47 percent faster access to Windows files and documents compared to the previous version, faster file transfers over USB 3.0 and Thunderbolt SSD devices, and up to 32 vCPU and 128GB vRAM per virtual machine with Parallels Desktop for Mac Pro Edition, with code for all new versions optimized for macOS High Sierra (10.13) and Windows 10 Fall Creators Update.
Elsewhere, Parallels claims over 30 new additional tools can be found in version 13 that simplify everyday tasks on Mac and Windows. They include a drive cleaner, video conversion, a file archiver, a GIF creator, a video downloader, Do Not Sleep and Do Not Disturb modes, a Lock Screen, and the ability to temporarily hide files on the desktop, amongst many others.
Parallels Desktop 13 for Mac costs $79.99 for a new license. Existing users of Parallels Desktop for Home and Student can upgrade to V13 for $49.99, with a time-limited offer enabling users of the Desktop Pro Edition to upgrade for the same price (usually $99.99). For more pricing details, see the Parallels website.
