Apple today introduced a Pro Apps Bundle for Education that includes Final Cut Pro X, Logic Pro X, Motion 5, Compressor 4, and MainStage 3 for $199.99. The software bundle is available for teachers, faculty, staff, and students at universities, colleges, and K-12 schools in the United States, as reported by The Loop.
After purchasing the bundle, education customers will receive an email with codes to redeem the apps on the Mac App Store. Apple says codes are usually delivered within one business day, but may occasionally take longer.
Final Cut Pro X is Apple's professional video editing software, while Logic Pro X is its professional audio workstation for advanced music production. Motion 5, Compressor 4, and MainStage 3 are companion tools for creating 3D animations and effects, customizing output settings, building set lists, and more.
Update: Apple has confirmed that its Pro Apps Bundle for Education is coming soon to countries outside the U.S. that offer an Apple Online Store for Education, such as Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom.
Apple CEO Tim Cook will receive an honorary degree from the University of Glasgow on February 8 at 6:00 p.m. local time, as spotted by 9to5Mac. Following the ceremony, there will be a "Fireside Chat" and Q&A session.
Tim Cook is the CEO of Apple. As CEO, he has led the introduction of innovative new products and services including iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, iPad Pro, and Apple Watch. He is leading a companywide effort to use 100 percent renewable energy at all Apple facilities, has encouraged his co-workers to give to charitable organisations in their community and started a generous program at Apple to match employee donations.
In 2015, he ranked #1 on Fortune’s World’s Greatest Leaders list, and received both the Ripple of Hope award from the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice & Human Rights and the Visibility Award from the Human Rights Campaign. Apple has ranked #1 on Fortune’s World’s Most Admired Companies for the past nine years, including each year Mr. Cook has been CEO. Before being named CEO in 2011, Mr. Cook was Apple’s chief operating officer, responsible for all the company’s worldwide sales and operations.
The free sold-out event is open to staff and students of the University of Glasgow only. The ceremony will take place at Bute Hall on the university's campus. More details are available on ticketing website Eventbrite.
It's been nearly a year since a U.S. federal judge originally ordered Apple to help the FBI hack into an iPhone owned by Syed Farook, one of the shooters in the December 2015 attacks in San Bernardino. As we learned in the months after the initial court order -- which Apple continually opposed -- the FBI enlisted the help of Israeli mobile software developer Cellebrite to open up the iPhone 5c in question.
Now a hacker has reportedly stolen and publicly released a cache of Cellebrite's most sensitive data, including its tools used to hack into older iPhones, as well as Android and BlackBerry smartphones (via Motherboard). Techniques that the firm uses to open "newer iPhones" were not included in the public posting, but it's also not clear exactly which models of iPhone are considered "older." Farook's iPhone 5c, which launched in 2013, is likely in that category.
Apple's main stance against the court order last year was its fear that creating such an operating system that bypassed the iPhone's basic security features -- essentially creating a "master key" for all iOS devices -- would set a "dangerous precedent" for the future of encryption and security. The bypass could also potentially make its way into the public and affect hundreds of millions of Apple customers, with Apple CEO Tim Cook claiming that the software the FBI wanted to use to force open Farook's iPhone was "the equivalent of cancer."
As pointed out by Motherboard, the newly leaked tools "demonstrate that those worries were justified." According to the hacker in question who shared Cellebrite's tools on Pastebin, the purpose behind the leak was to highlight the importance of the inevitability that any brute force tools aimed at bypassing encryption software "will make it out" into the public.
"The debate around backdoors is not going to go away, rather, its is almost certainly going to get more intense as we lurch toward a more authoritarian society," the hacker told Motherboard in an online chat.
"It's important to demonstrate that when you create these tools, they will make it out. History should make that clear," they continued.
Back in January the same hacker stole 900GB of sensitive Cellebrite data, but according to a Cellebrite spokesperson, only its customers' "basic contact information" had been put at risk. Delving into the cache of information, it was proven that the breach had uncovered much more detailed "customer information, databases, and a vast amount of technical data regarding Cellebrite's products."
In a README file posted alongside the more recent data dump on Pastebin, the hacker in question left a message directly addressing the FBI: "@FBI Be careful in what you wish for."
Note: Due to the political nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Politics, Religion, Social Issues forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.
Apple has raised $10 billion in debt through a nine-part bond sale of both fixed and floating rate notes, according to the company's final pricing term sheet filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on Friday.
The nine-part sale includes:
$500 million maturing in 2019 with a floating interest rate based on three month LIBOR plus 8 basis points
$500 million maturing in 2020 with a floating interest rate based on three month LIBOR plus 20 basis points
$1 billion maturing in 2022 with a floating interest rate based on three month LIBOR plus 50 basis points
$500 million maturing in 2019 with a fixed 1.55% interest rate
$1 billion maturing in 2020 with a fixed 1.9% interest rate
$1.5 billion maturing in 2022 with a fixed 2.5% interest rate
$1.75 billion maturing in 2024 with a fixed 3% interest rate
$2.25 billion maturing in 2027 with a fixed 3.35% interest rate
$1 billion maturing in 2047 with a fixed 4.25% interest rate
Apple held $246.1 billion in cash and marketable securities last quarter, but around 94% of that money is held overseas and would be subject to high U.S. taxes upon repatriation—something U.S. President Donald Trump plans to change. In the meantime, by raising debt through bonds, Apple can pay for its U.S. operations at a much lower rate, particularly given its low-risk Aa1/AA+ bond credit rating.
Apple typically uses the capital raised to fund dividend payments to shareholders and its share buyback program. Last quarter, Apple returned almost $15 billion to investors through dividends and buybacks. $201 billion of Apple's $250 billion capital return program has been completed. The company also uses the capital for general corporate purposes, such as the repayment of earlier debt and acquisitions.
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.
Popular messaging app Viber has received an update that brings a number of new features to the platform, including the ability to send Secret Messages.
Users are now able to specify how long photos, videos, and chat messages can be accessed for after being viewed by the recipient. The time limit options for viewing a Secret Message are 1, 3, 7, and 10 seconds.
Viber has also added the ability to send media as files, so users can send photos and videos in their original size and quality. In addition Viber now supports rich notifications on iOS 10, meaning users can see the contents of messages on the notifications screen or in another app.
Lastly, Viber now offers instant video messaging. Users simply tap and hold the instant video icon, and they can capture and send videos lasting up to 30 seconds.
Viber is a free download for iPhone and iPad available on the App Store. [Direct Link]
A recurring issue with the LG UltraFine 27-inch 5K display that causes glitches whenever the monitor is placed close to a router will be fixed, LG has announced.
Recently, reports began circulating online that LG's 5K monitor – created in partnership with Apple – suffers from flickering and freezing when placed close to a wireless router, with this behavior sometimes causing connected Macs to also freeze and require a restart.
On Wednesday, an LG support person confirmed to ArsTechnica that the issue had been reported by a number of users and that it only seemed to occur with the company's Apple-approved 5K monitors. LG has now publicly apologized for the glitch and says all new models made after February will not be susceptible to the problem.
Speaking today to Recode, an LG spokesperson said that the company will resolve the problem by inserting additional shielding into newly manufactured models, which should protect against the electromagnetic radiation from routers that is likely causing the issues.
"LG apologizes for this inconvenience and is committed to delivering the best quality products possible so all LG UltraFine 27-inch 5K displays manufactured after February 2017 will be fitted with enhanced shielding," the company said in an e-mail.
According to LG, existing models will be able to be retrofitted with the same enhanced shielding, allowing the monitors to be placed near routers without playing up. Owners affected by the issue are advised to get in touch with LG support using the number (800) 243-0000, or to visit their local LG seller to arrange for a repair.
Apple teamed up with LG to create both the 4K and 5K UltraFine Displays, specifically designed to work with the new 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Pro. The displays are a successor to Apple's own Thunderbolt Display, which it discontinued earlier this year amid its departure from the standalone display business.
The 5K Display is currently available for purchase at the sale price of $974 until March 31, 2017, when the price will return to $1,299.95. Apple was recently falsely accused of hiding negative feedback about the new display on its web store, when the truth was that reviews had not yet been activated for the product page.
Whatever the reason for the initial delay, posting to the product page has been possible since January 25 and reviews have so far been mixed. LG's display currently has a 3 out of 5 star rating based on 115 reviews, but it's not entirely clear how many of them are solely affected by the router glitch.
Apple has hired a former Spotify executive to head up its Apple Music label relations team, according to Business Insider.
An Apple spokesperson confirmed that former Spotify VP of content Steve Savoca has been recruited to oversee the music streaming service's global label relations, which work out of New York.
Savoca is tasked with building relationships with smaller, independent labels, with a focus on the international scene, according to the report.
Savoca is said to have haven been one of Spotify's first U.S. employees and worked for the Swedish streaming company for five years. Prior to that, he held senior digital and marketing roles roles at Domino Records, Zomba Label Group, and London-Sire.
Savoca is a musician himself, and played drums with a band called the Werefrogs during the 1990s, according to Billboard. He serves on the board of directors of the Music Business Association (formerly NARM) and previously sat on the board at Merlin.
In December 2016, Apple's Eddy Cue revealed that Apple Music has over 20 million paid subscribers. In October, Spotify said it had 40 million subscribers. Apple Music executive Jimmy Iovine recently spoke of the company's desire to make Apple Music more than just a music streaming service, with "an entire pop cultural experience" planned that takes in original content including TV and audio.
Christina Grace of California has filed a new class-action lawsuit that alleges Apple broke FaceTime in iOS 6 to force users to upgrade to iOS 7, reportsAppleInsider. According to the lawsuit, Apple forced users to upgrade so it could avoid payments on a data deal with Akamai.
The class action found its genesis in internal Apple documents and emails disclosed in the VirnetX patent infringement lawsuit, which eventually ended in Apple paying $302 million after a retrial. Apple used two connection methods when launching FaceTime in 2010: a peer-to-peer method that created a direct connection between two iPhones and a relay method that used data servers from Akamai.
When Apple's peer-to-peer FaceTime technology was found to infringe on VirnetX's patents in 2012, Apple began to shift toward Akamai's servers to handle iPhone-to-iPhone connections. A year later, Apple was paying $50 million in fees to Akamai, according to testimony from the VirnetX trial. The class-action lawsuit, pointing to an internal email titled "Ways to Reduce Relay Usage," alleges that the growing fees were beginning to bother Apple executives.
Apple eventually solved the problem by creating new peer-to-peer technology that would debut in iOS 7. The class-action lawsuit, however, alleges that Apple created a fake bug that caused a digital certificate to prematurely expire on April 16, 2014, breaking FaceTime on iOS 6. Breaking FaceTime on iOS 6, the lawsuit claims, would allow Apple to save money on users who did not upgrade to iOS 7.
At the time, Apple recognized the bug, publishing a support document saying that users who were having FaceTime connectivity problems after April 16, 2014 could update to the latest software to fix the issue. The same support document eventually removed the date "April 16, 2014," according to AppleInsider.
The lawsuit later points to an internal Apple email chain in which an engineering manager mentions that they were looking at the Akamai contract for the upcoming year and understood that Apple "did something" to reduce usage of Akamai's services. Another engineer responded by pointing out iOS 6 leaned a lot on Akamai's services and that Apple "broke iOS 6" and the only way to fix FaceTime was to upgrade to iOS 7.
Apple's developer page pegged iOS 7 adoption at 87 percent on April 7, 2014, nearly 10 days before Apple allegedly broke iOS 6. The lawsuit claims that forcing iPhone 4s and 4 users to upgrade to iOS 7 was harmful to them because the software would allegedly crash more and run more slowly.
The lawsuit is seeking undisclosed damages and to prove Apple violated California's unfair competition law.
Apple has agreed to a deal with the government of Indian state Karnataka to begin manufacturing iPhones in Bangalore, reportsThe Times of India. The Karnataka government announced that it had approved Apple's proposal to "commence initial manufacturing operations" in a press release.
Apple's desire to open a manufacturing hub in India started after Prime Minister Narendra Modi began promoting his "Made in India" initiative. Apple manufacturing partner Wistron will make the iPhones in a new plant, reportedly beginning with the iPhone 8.
Over the past couple of months, Apple and Indian officials began narrowing down possibilities to manufacture products locally. Last month, Apple finally chose a Karnataka-based facility over competing bids from other Indian states Gujarat, Maharashtra and Telangana. During negotiations, Apple was said to be seeking a number of tax and other incentives, including the possibility of long-term duty exemptions.
The government said it's in discussions with Apple for other potential collaborations, but declined to say what they could be. The move is a major step for Apple as it looks to solidify its footing in the subcontinent so it can access India's customer base.
With rumors suggesting the 2017 iPhone 8 is going to introduce some of the most radical design changes we've seen to the iPhone since 2014, a number of artists have been making conceptual mockups based on current rumors floating around.
Many of the mockups imagine fanciful ideas that Apple is unlikely to implement, but they also adopt the edge-to-edge display with built-in Home button, OLED screen, wireless charging, and glass body ideas that are being bandied about, giving an interesting look at how iPhone 8 rumors are being interpreted.
The first conceptual design was created by Thadeu Brandão and has been getting a lot of attention over the last couple of days. The mockup features an iPhone with a larger edge-to-edge display, dual cameras, and a glass front and back surrounded by an aluminum frame, and a physical home button built into the screen at the bottom of the device, which we are not expecting for the iPhone 8.
It has an Android-style home bar or "Touch Bar" with controls that change contextually based on the app, an inclusion that is not rumored for the device at this time. Brandão has also shared several iPhone 8 mockups on his website, showing off his design in more detail.
A concept created by Veniamin Geskin and Ran Avni imagines several iterations of the iPhone 8, with a display that extends to the edges of the screen but leaves top and bottom bezels, and another that curves down the edges of the device. Apple Watch-style inductive charging is pictured, as is a variation with a top bezel and no bottom bezel.
An iPhone 8 concept created by iDrop News is fairly true to the rumors we've heard so far, featuring an ultra thin device with a bezel-free OLED display, an all-white glass body, no Home button, and iris scanning technology.
Imran Taylor's iPhone 8 mockup, created alongside ConceptsiPhone, imagines a ceramic body (unlikely due to cost), a 5.8-inch curved OLED display, a touch sensitive lower bezel, and wireless charging through a Smart Connector. It includes thick bezels at the top and bottom along with a Touch ID Home button, two features that don't quite align with the rumors we're hearing right now.
Swiss site Handy Abovergleich imagines a bubbly iPhone 8 with more rounded edges and a glass body sandwiched between an aluminum frame. A Touch ID Home button is under the display and is accompanied by an Android-style home bar, an iris scanner is built in, and Apple Pencil support is included. It also features USB-C instead of Lightning, a change Apple probably isn't going to make.
The last concept comes from designer Moe Slah, and has an interesting look at how some apps could potentially look on a device that has an edge-to-edge display.
Apple is expected to introduce the redesigned iPhone 8 in September, its usual timeframe for introducing new devices. Up to three models may debut, including the flagship ~5-inch OLED device with an edge-to-edge display that's pictured in all of the mockups and standard 4.7 and 5.5-inch models that may have a design closer to the iPhone 7.
For full details on what to expect from the 2017 iPhone, make sure to check out our dedicated roundup, which is updated on a regular basis with everything we know about the device so far.
Apple CEO Tim Cook was today named the recipient of the Newseum 2017 Free Expression Award in the Free Speech category.
According to the announcement, Cook is being recognized for both creating technology with a "profound impact" on communication and for using his position to "take a public stand" on issues like racial equality, privacy, the environment, LGBT rights, and more.
The Newseum, based in Washington, D.C., aims to explain and defend free expression and the five freedoms of the First Amendment through a range of interactive museum exhibits.
Cook will be accepting the award at an event set to be held at the Newseum on April 18, 2017.
Alongside Cook, U.S. Representative John Lewis, Executive Director of Becket Law Kristina Arriaga de Bucholz, ABC News Chief Global Affairs Correspondent co-anchor Martha Raddatz, Playboy founder Hugh Hefner, and Hatch Beauty Chairman Christie Hefner will all receive awards this year.
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.
To celebrate the two-year anniversary of Outlook Mobile, Microsoft is today introducing a major feature for the iOS version of the Outlook email app -- add-ins. For the first time, add-ins are able to be used with the mobile version Outlook, mirroring functionality available on the desktop.
Add-ins can help you get more done on the go, and save you valuable time spent switching between apps. This is why we introduced add-ins for Outlook on Windows, Mac (in Insiders) and on the web--and are now bringing them to iOS. Support for Android is coming soon.
Microsoft is adding a wide range of add-ins, that will let users do things like translate messages into different languages, automatically add actions to Trello, add email clips to Evernote, insert GIFs, and more. A full list of what Microsoft is adding is below:
Dynamics 365 to get real time insights about your business contacts and their organization, right in your inbox, so you can focus on the selling and have more meaningful interactions.
Translator to help you read messages in your preferred language, across devices, with support for 60 languages.
Nimble to help you get prepared for meetings and engage effectively with business intelligence about your email contacts and their organizations, right in email.
Trello to turn your email into actionable items, keep track of projects, and make sure emails don't go unseen.
Evernote to capture what's on your mind and stay organized by clipping emails from Outlook to a project notebook in Evernote.
Smartsheet to help you manage and automate work so you can get work assigned, updated, and completed more quickly.
GIPHY to easily add GIFs to your emails and make "Congratulations" a little more fun!
Microsoft is letting developers create additional add-ins for iOS, with instructions available from the Office Dev Center.
Subaru today announced it will debut its all-new 2018 Legacy at the annual Chicago Auto Show next week. The mid-size sedan will be one of Subaru's first vehicles to support CarPlay alongside the 2017 Impreza introduced last year.
CarPlay and Android Auto will be available through Subaru's STARLINK multimedia system with Bluetooth connectivity and iPod controls. The standard system has a 6.5-inch touchscreen, while an 8-inch touchscreen is available with a faster CPU, TomTom navigation, and enhanced multimedia capabilities.
Subaru said the 2018 Legacy will go on sale this summer. Pricing was not disclosed.
Connected smart home company Wink today announced the addition of August Smart Locks into its collection of supported brands, which already includes GE, Nest, Philips, Schlage, and more. Now, any users who have an August Smart Lock paired with an August Connect (which provides remote access to the lock) can add their lock into the Wink mobile app on iOS.
The advantage of using Wink, similar to HomeKit, is for users with a wide variety of smart home products -- Wink lets them add, organize, and control multiple devices in one place. From Wink, users will now be able to monitor the status of the August Smart Lock, lock and unlock it while not at home, and get push notifications when it's used. These features are available in the individual August Home app [Direct Link] as well.
Integration with Wink Shortcuts will further expand August Smart Lock functionality and allow users to more seamlessly automate their homes. Wink gave a few examples of these shortcuts in its press release today:
For example, a “Goodnight” Shortcut could be used to automatically lock your front door while turning off the lights and adjusting the temperature with just one tap in the Wink app. With an “I’m Home” Robot, unlocking your August Smart Lock can trigger the hallway lights to illuminate and your smart blinds to open.
Wink strives to bring the best products from the most trusted brands together, and we’re very excited to expand our smart home security footprint with Wink + August Home.
Wink says that approximately 2.3 million smart home products have been added onto its platform to date, and tells its users they can continue to expect new partnerships in the future.
The Wink app is available to download on the App Store for free [Direct Link]. For those interested in getting started with smart home products, Wink has a dedicated section of its website with various starter kits and packages to get things up and running.
While the iPhone 7 Plus helped Apple achieve record-breaking earnings results last quarter, iPad sales remained on a downward trend.
Apple earlier this week reported that it sold 13.1 million iPads in the first quarter, which encompasses the holiday shopping season, down from 16.1 million in the year-ago quarter. As noted by Jason Snell at Six Colors, that's nearly half as many iPads as the 26 million that Apple sold during the same period in 2013.
Apple isn't the only tablet maker suffering from declining sales. The overall category continued to shrink by between 9% and 20% worldwide compared to the same quarter a year ago, placing pressure on Samsung and other vendors, according to the latest estimates from research firms IDC and Strategy Analytics.
Price remains a "key sticking point" for consumers looking to adopt high-end tablets such as the iPad Pro, which has created room for smaller vendors to capitalize on low-priced tablets, according to Strategy Analytics. Lenovo, for example, shipped an estimated 3.7 million tablets and grew 16% year-over-year in the quarter.
"2-in-1 tablets are a hot market segment but price remains a key factor in consumer behaviors around PC and tablet replacement devices, which is evident in lower shipments of iPad Pro and Surface Pro 4 devices in the quarter," said Eric Smith, Senior Analyst at Strategy Analytics.
IDC said the iPad Air 2 and iPad mini, rather than the iPad Pro lineup, continued to account for the majority of Apple's tablet shipments. For every ten slate tablets shipped, Apple sold only one iPad Pro, the research firm said. Apple does not officially break out iPad sales on a model-by-model basis.
Apple said it underestimated holiday demand for the iPad quarter, and that compounded a supply issue with one of its suppliers. Apple also drew down channel inventory by 700,000 units, so its results are not as bad as they look. Last year, Apple increased channel inventory by 900,000 units as the iPad Pro launched.
Apple also said the iPad has an 85% share of the U.S. tablet market priced above $200, so the tablet is doing exceptionally well in the premium segment that the company has targeted. iPad also undoubtedly remains the world's best-selling tablet, with a comfortable lead over its rivals, based on industry estimates.
Samsung was Apple's closest competitor with an estimated 8.1 million tablets shipped in the quarter for 12.8% market share, according to Strategy Analytics. Amazon, Lenovo, and Huawei rounded off the top five with an estimated 4.2 million, 3.7 million, and 3.4 million shipments in the quarter respectively.
As always, it is important to acknowledge that these are estimated figures, and that shipments do not necessarily reflect sales. There are also significant discrepancies between the IDC and Strategy Analytics datasets—particularly as it relates to Amazon—so treat the numbers with a proverbial grain of salt.
What if, like so much in technology, it’s mostly just additive, rather than largely replacing PCs and Macs, and furthermore had a cooling-fad effect as initial enthusiasm wore off and customers came to this conclusion?
One thing is for certain: consumers are not upgrading their tablets nearly as often as smartphones. In order to reignite iPad sales, Apple will have to add compelling new features that entice the large base of existing iPad owners to swap out their current "good enough" tablet for a new one.
"We've got some exciting things coming on iPad and I'm optimistic about where things are headed," said Apple CEO Tim Cook. "Customer satisfaction is through the roof. iPad Pro at 99%. So I see a lot of good things and hope for better results."
Update: Strategy Analytics notified us that it made an error in its chart. The original graphic transposed the names of the 3-5 ranked vendors incorrectly. The chart above has the correct rankings. This article has been updated accordingly where necessary based on the adjusted information.
Google yesterday updated the iOS version of Google Chrome with two new features for the iPhone and iPad web browsing app. On iOS devices that support 3D Touch, users can now 3D Touch on Google Chrome to bring up a quick access menu that now includes "Scan QR Code," directly integrating a feature that traditionally requires users to download a random third-party app to be able to scan codes.
In addition to the new Scan QR Code option, from the 3D Touch menu users can initiate a Voice Search, start a New Incognito Tab, open a regular New Tab, or open the most recent copied link. Users can also use Spotlight on iOS to search for "QR Code" and Chrome's "Scan QR Code" function will appear in the results list.
Additionally, the update has redesigned the tab switcher on the iPad version of Google Chrome, which the company says makes "it easier to access your open sites" within the app.
A new collaboration between Apple, IBM, and United Airlines was announced today, with the companies joining together to bring "a robust suite of enterprise iOS apps" to United's flight attendants and gate agents as a means to make the customer's flying experience smoother. In total, Apple and United Airlines have issued over 50,000 iPhones, iPads, and Apple Watches to front-line employees of United, and the airline intends to use resources from Apple and IBM to deliver app-based tools and services at a faster and more consistent pace.
United is seeking the opinion of its employees to figure out which features it should focus on in the apps being built for workers. According to a top executive in charge of United's technology division speaking with Business Insider, flight attendants and gate agents met with Apple and IBM in Cupertino last week, helping to start work on an app that will allow flight attendants "to communicate maintenance items discovered on the plane back to the maintenance teams."
“United Airlines is committed to delivering positive traveler experiences that begin with front line engagements during all points of the passenger journey – from check-in to departure to destination,” said Dee Waddell, Global Managing Director, Travel & Transportation Industries, IBM. “This enhanced strategy with mobile solutions from IBM and Apple allows United Airlines employees to tap into the right information at the right time to instantaneously address the needs that matter most to passengers.”
The new deal with United Airlines is the latest evolution in the partnership between Apple and IBM, which began in 2014 with the purpose of creating transformative mobile apps for the enterprise sector. In regards to its reason for joining Apple and IBM, United's CIO Linda Jojo said, "we wanted to have the best devices in the hands of our employees."
Apple and IBM's partnership has included travel-related apps in the past, including one that let flight attendants sell seat upgrades, food, beverages, and merchandise to passengers with the ease of Apple Pay. The app, called Ancillary Sale, also remembered individual passenger preferences, so flight attendants could recommend items on current flights based on the purchases a user made on previous flights.
One of United's new apps is said to provide flight attendants with information on which passengers have connecting flights so they can better help customers find their gates upon arrival. Another will allow customer service agents more mobility to move about the concourse to help customers, instead of being tied to a single location.
Last night news broke that a collection of major technology companies, including Apple among them, were prepping an open letter to United States President Donald Trump as a means to voice opposition to the immigration executive order that he signed last Friday.
Today, a draft of the full letter has been shared online, and it goes into detail about the importance of immigrants in the U.S., mentions concern for how the order will affect employees with visas, and explains that the companies are prepared to lend a hand to help the Trump administration make logical and necessary changes if and when it is ready to accept the help (via Recode).
Along with Apple, other companies collaborating on the letter are said to include Facebook, Google, Uber, Microsoft, Stripe, and more. The technology companies drafting the letter are reportedly working to include non-tech companies as well, but as yet none have joined.
Recode obtained a draft of the letter:
Dear President Trump,
Since the country’s birth, America has been the land of opportunity – welcoming newcomers and giving them the chance to build families, careers, and businesses in the United States. We are a nation made stronger by immigrants. As entrepreneurs and business leaders, our ability to grow our companies and create jobs depends on the contributions of immigrants from all backgrounds.
We share your goal of ensuring that our immigration system meets today’s security needs and keeps our country safe. We are concerned, however, that your recent executive order will affect many visa holders who work hard here in the United States and contribute to our country’s success. In a global economy, it is critical that we continue to attract the best and brightest from around the world. We welcome the changes your administration has made in recent days in how the Department of Homeland Security will implement the executive order, and we stand ready to help your administration identify other opportunities to ensure that our employees can travel with predictability and without undue delay.
Our nation’s compassion is a part of what makes it exceptional, and we are committed to helping your administration identify approaches for thorough screening without a blanket suspension of admissions under the U.S. Refugee Admissions program. While security and vetting procedures can and should always be subject to continuous evaluation and improvement, a blanket suspension is not the right approach.
Similarly, we stand ready to identify ways of helping to achieve your stated goal of bringing clarity to the future of the 750,000 Dreamers in this country under the protections of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program in a way “that will make people happy and proud.” Removing these protections by barring renewals would effectively end the program and eliminate the ability for these Dreamers to work and live without the fear of deportation.
The business community shares your commitment to growing the American economy and expanding job creation across the country. We hire both thousands of Americans and some of the most talented people from abroad, who work together to help our companies succeed and expand our overall employment. As you contemplate changes to the nation’s complex and interconnected immigration policies, whether business and employment-based visas, refugees, or DACA, we hope that you will use us as a resource to help achieve immigration policies that both support the work of American businesses and reflect American values.
Trump's order banned Syrian refugees from entering the country, blocked citizens of seven countries (Iraq, Iran, Somalia, Sudan, Libya, Syria, and Yemen) from entering the U.S. for 90 days, and suspended entry of all refugees entering the U.S. for 120 days. The bans left groups of immigrants stranded in airports around the country while also sparking protests and blowback from various tech companies, some of which are now included in the open letter.
Apple CEO Tim Cook said that "it is not a policy we support" in an internal letter sent to employees last weekend, explaining that the company had reached out to the White House to try to "explain the negative effect" the ban would have on Apple. Included in the potential negative reaction surrounding Apple and other tech companies is another Trump executive order, currently in the drafting stages, that centers around changes to various work-visa programs and could greatly affect how Apple hires tens of thousands of foreign workers each year.
For the immigration-related ban, Tim Cook told The Wall Street Journal on Tuesday that Apple is considering its legal options as a way to pressure the Trump administration into rescinding the executive order. Cook didn't give further details, but said Apple would be "productive" and "constructive" in its opposing response to the Trump order, which now includes a partnership with other tech companies and today's open letter.
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.
Biggest design overhaul since iOS 7 with Liquid Glass, plus new Apple Intelligence features and improvements to Messages, Phone, Safari, Shortcuts, and more. Developer beta available now ahead of public beta in July.
Biggest design overhaul since iOS 7 with Liquid Glass, plus new Apple Intelligence features and improvements to Messages, Phone, Safari, Shortcuts, and more. Developer beta available now ahead of public beta in July.
Apple CEO Tim Cook will 
Apple has raised $10 billion in debt through a nine-part bond sale of both fixed and floating rate notes, according to the company's 
Popular messaging app Viber has received an 
Apple has hired a former Spotify executive to head up its Apple Music label relations team, according to 
To celebrate the two-year anniversary of Outlook Mobile, Microsoft is today 
