Apple this afternoon released the second beta of an upcoming macOS High Sierra 10.13.2 update to public beta testers for testing purposes, one week after releasing the first public beta and more than a month after releasing the High Sierra operating system. The second public beta of macOS High Sierra is identical to the second developer beta provided to developers earlier this week.
Beta testers who have signed up for Apple's beta testing program will be able to download the new macOS High Sierra beta through the Software Update mechanism in the Mac App Store.
Those who want to be a part of Apple's beta testing program can sign up to participate through the beta testing website, which gives users access to iOS, macOS, and tvOS betas.
macOS High Sierra 10.13.2 appears to focus primarily on bug fixes, performance improvements, security enhancements, and other under-the-hood updates. No major outward-facing features were found in the first two developer betas.
The previous update, macOS High Sierra 10.13.1, addressed a serious WPA 2 vulnerability and introduced new emoji.
With each new iPhone, Apple introduces significant camera improvements, a practice that has established the iPhone as one of the most popular cameras for photography on sites like Flickr.
The iPhone X, as Apple's new flagship device, is no exception. It features new hardware and new features that have established it as the best iPhone camera to date, on par with dedicated point and shoot devices and even DSLRs in some modes. With the iPhone X now widely available, we spent some time with the iPhone X's rear and front-facing cameras to see just what they can do.
There's an all new rear camera in the iPhone X, with two lenses arranged in a vertical orientation, a first for an iPhone. Apple chose a vertical orientation because of space constraints and design changes that required more available surface area for the front-facing TrueDepth camera.
The rear camera has a standard f/1.8 12-megapixel wide-angle lens that's paired with an f/2.4 12-megapixel telephoto lens. Sensors in both lenses have been improved, and the lower aperture of the telephoto lens means it's able to let in a lot more light for sharper images in poor lighting conditions.
In addition to sensor improvements, Apple has introduced a new color filter for more vibrant photos, and there's a new Apple-designed image signal processor that can detect elements in a scene for faster autofocusing and optimization of scene elements before an image is even captured.
Both rear lenses support optical image stabilization for the first time, for better photo quality in all lighting conditions, and better than ever portraits when using Portrait Mode.
There's also a new front-facing camera system, the TrueDepth camera, which is what powers Face ID with its dot projector and infrared camera and sensors. There's also a high-quality f/2.2 7-megapixel camera built into the TrueDepth system for taking selfies.
With the TrueDepth camera, the front-facing camera in the iPhone X now supports Portrait Mode right alongside the rear camera, so you can create Portrait Mode selfies with an artfully blurred background. Both the front and rear-facing cameras also work with the new Portrait Lighting feature for dynamically adjusting the lighting in a photo.
Photo taking isn't the only improvement in the iPhone X. The rear-facing camera supports 4K video capture at 60 frames per second and 1080p slo-mo video at up to 240 frames per second, both significant improvements over previous-generation devices. New video stabilization techniques, the aforementioned larger sensor, and the new image signal processor all go a long way towards improving video quality.
Along with this detailed look at the iPhone X's camera, we're going to be sharing a lot more iPhone X content over the course of the coming week, so make sure to stay tuned to MacRumors.com and subscribe to our YouTube channel if you haven't done so already.
Taylor Swift's new album "reputation" will not be available on streaming music services like Apple Music for at least a week after it launches, reports Bloomberg.
Swift's representatives began notifying streaming music services about the upcoming limitation this week. The album reportedly will not be available for streaming during the first week of sales, and companies are still negotiating to determine when exactly it might be made available.
"reputation" will be available for purchase in retail stores and online stores like iTunes starting on Friday, November 10. If there is a one week waiting period, it could become available on Apple Music starting on November 17.
Swift has been an outspoken streaming music critic, and back in 2015, she wrote a letter to Apple Music executives lambasting the service for initially refusing to pay royalties to artists during the three-month free trial period.
Apple changed its policies following her comments, leading to a closer relationship between Swift and the Apple Music team. For a time, Apple Music had exclusive rights to Swift's music catalog after she refused to make her music available on Spotify because of its free ad-supported tier.
"I think there should be an inherent value placed on art," she said at the time. Swift later reversed course and allowed her music on non-Apple Music services. With her refusal to release her new album on streaming music services at launch, Swift joins other artists like Adele who have made similar decisions. Adele's "25" was not available on streaming services for months after it launched.
At the current time, several singles from the new album are streamable on Apple Music, including "Look What You Made Me Do," "Gorgeous," "...Ready For It?" and "Call It What You Want." The full 15-track album can be pre-ordered on iTunes for $13.99.
iOS 11 is now installed on 52 percent of iOS devices, according to new statistics that Apple shared today on its App Store support page for developers.
This is the first time that Apple has updated its App Store support page since the release of iOS 11, and the first look we've had at official installation numbers.
We've previously only seen installation estimates from analytics company Mixpanel, which appear to be quite a bit different. Mixpanel currently lists iOS 11 installation at just about 66 percent.
With iOS 11 installed on 52 percent of devices, 38 percent continue to run iOS 10. 10 percent are still on an earlier version of iOS.
iOS 11 adoption has been slower than iOS 10 adoption was last year, but the number of devices with the update installed has grown steadily since the new update was released.
Apple has thus far released several updates for iOS 11, including iOS 11.1, the first major iOS 11 update. iOS 11.1 introduced new emoji, brought back the 3D Touch App Switcher, and included some critical security fixes.
iOS 11.2, an update currently in testing, will be the first major update to bring a new feature -- Apple Pay Cash -- which could encourage additional users to upgrade to the new operating system.
Twitter today announced that the 280 character limit for tweets that it introduced back in September is being rolled out to all Twitter users. The new 280 character limit, which doubles the existing 140-character limit, is available for all users and is being implemented for all languages where "cramming" was a problem.
Tweet with traditional 140-character limit on left, new 280-character limit on right.
In September, we launched a test that expanded the 140 character limit so every person around the world could express themselves easily in a Tweet. Our goal was to make this possible while ensuring we keep the speed and brevity that makes Twitter, Twitter. Looking at all the data, we're excited to share we've achieved this goal and are rolling the change out to all languages where cramming was an issue.
Twitter said that it noticed people who were using Twitter in English would hit the character limit more often than tweets in languages like Chinese and Japanese, which is why the company ultimately decided to raise the character limit. The changes are rolling out to all languages except for Japanese, Korean, and Chinese.
According to Twitter's analytics, most people with access to the 280 character limit continued to share tweets that featured under 140 characters, leaving the "brevity of Twitter" intact.
Only 5 percent of tweets sent out were longer than 140 characters, and only 2 percent were longer than 190 characters, so Twitter believes the new character limit should not "substantially change" timelines for most users.
280-character tweets have been limited to a small group of users since the end of September, but the feature is rolling out to everyone starting today. When the new limit is activated, the tweet interface on the web displays a circle that gradually fills up as you type rather than a numbered countdown.
The new Twitter character limit is already available to many users who did not previously have access. Twitter warns that there may be an uptick in novelty tweets and tweets using the full character limit as the feature rolls out, but the company expects this to die down over the course of the next week or two.
Last month, self-driving company Waymo began operating autonomous minivans on public roads in Arizona, in tests that were conducted without a safety driver "or any human at all" behind the steering wheel. Today, the Google-owned company announced it's now beginning the first steps toward launching a ride-hailing service backed by a fleet of completely self-driving vehicles (via The Verge).
To start, Waymo will begin testing the autonomous driving service with its employees in Chandler, Arizona, then expand to members of Waymo's Early Rider program before finally seeing a public launch in the town sometime in the next few months. Users will hail the vans through the Waymo app and when they arrive there won't be any safety drivers or other humans in the driver's seat, but a Waymo employee will still sit in the backseat.
The test vans will be able to travel anywhere within a geofenced 100-square-mile radius of Chandler, a suburb of Phoenix. While there are understandable caveats to Waymo's ride hailing service tests, it is notable as the company's first time achieving Level 4 autonomy, where a vehicle is expected to perform "safety-critical driving functions and monitor roadway conditions for an entire trip" without someone behind the wheel.
The next step for Waymo is a big one: a commercial ride-hail service, in which riders can hail one of the company’s autonomous minivans via an app like Uber or Lyft. “People will get to use our fleet of on-demand vehicles, to do anything from commute to work, get home from a night out, or run errands,” Krafcik said.
Waymo has been testing its self-driving vans in Arizona because the state's laws regulating autonomous tests "are practically non-existent." Arizona lacks regulation that requires companies to publicly disclose accidents involving its autonomous vehicles, and various other potential self-driving related incidents, like the number of times a human driver was forced to take the wheel.
According to Chandler's mayor Jay Tibshraeny, "Waymo's work here in Chandler is groundbreaking as they work toward their goal of fully autonomous vehicles. At the same time, this research and development taking place in our community will ultimately make our roads safer and provide new freedom for those unable to drive."
Waymo has multiple competitors in the self-driving market, previously engaging in a legal dispute with Uber earlier in 2017. In February, Waymo accused Uber of stealing Waymo's own self-driving LIDAR system, and then a few months later, Uber fired the engineer accused of stealing the self-driving secrets from Waymo.
For Apple, the Cupertino company has reportedly scaled back its vehicle-related ambitions, with the most recent reports detailing the development of an autonomous service that would shuttle employees around its campus.
Apple Cash (formerly Apple Pay Cash) is Apple's peer-to-peer payments service. Once you've set up an Apple Cash card on your iPhone or iPad, it can be used to make and receive payments in Messages, or you can get Siri to send money to a friend or family member. This article shows you how.
When someone sends you money via Apple Cash, it goes on your virtual Apple Cash card, which is stored securely in the Wallet app on your iPhone or iPad. You can use the money on it to send to someone, make purchases using Apple Pay in stores, within apps, and on the web. Alternatively, you can transfer the money on your Apple Cash card directly to your bank account.
Furthermore, if you've applied for Apple's own-branded credit card – called simply Apple Card – you can use Apple Cash to help pay off your Apple Card balance. You can also take advantage of Apple Card's "Daily Cash" rewards system, where Apple pays out cash back bonuses on a daily basis.
Sending and Requesting a Payment via Apple Cash
Open a conversation in Messages.
Tap the Messages App Store icon.
Choose the "Apple Pay" icon.
Tap the "+" or "-" buttons to enter an amount, or use the keyboard.
Tap "Request" or "Pay."
You'll have an option to preview your payment or request for payment.
Press the blue arrow button to send.
When sending a payment, the money you've sent will be listed as "pending" in the Wallet app until the person on the receiving end accepts. Once accepted, the payment will be listed in "Last Transaction" under the Apple Cash card in Wallet. While still pending, a payment can be cancelled.
Money that you're sending will be pulled from a linked debit/credit card or from the Apple Cash card itself if you've added funds to that card or received funds from other people. If you send money using the Apple Cash card or a debit card, there's no charge. For a credit card, there's a 3% fee.
When accepting a payment, the cash will be added to your Apple Cash card in the Wallet app. From there, it can be used to make purchases where Apple Pay is accepted like any other card or it can be transferred to a connected bank account.
Apple Cash works in any conversation with a single person. The option won't be available for group messages.
Sending Money via Siri
Activate Siri.
Tell Siri to send a payment. Example: "Send $1 to Eric."
If multiple payment apps are installed, you'll need to confirm that you want to use Apple Pay.
Unlock your iPhone using Face ID or Touch ID.
Tap "Send."
Double click the side button to pay on iPhone X or put a finger on the Touch ID Home button to confirm payment on other devices.
Changing Apple Cash Settings
You can access your Apple Pay settings in the Settings app or through the Wallet app.
Open Settings.
Go to Wallet and Apple Pay.
Tap on the "Apple Cash" card.
From this interface, you can add money to your Apple Cash card, transfer your cash to the bank (which requires adding a bank account) and choose to automatically or manually accept payments.
Verify Identity
Once you've sent or received a combined $500 with Apple Cash, you will need to verify your identity. Identity Verification is available in the Settings app, but it may not be fully functional at this time.
Open Settings.
Go to Wallet and Apple Pay.
Tap on the "Apple Cash" card.
Choose "Verify Identity."
You will be asked to confirm your legal name and address, along with the last four digits of your social security number and date of birth. Apple will also ask questions related to your personal history and request a photo of a driver's license or state ID card.
Once your identity has been verified, you can have up to $20,000 on your Apple Cash card.
Apple Cash Limits
There are limits on the amount of money that you can send per day and per transaction, and the amount of money you can add to your Apple Cash card.
When adding cash, you must add a minimum of $10 per transaction, but you're not able to add more than $3,000. Over a 7-day period, you can add a maximum of $10,000 to your Apple Cash card.
When sending or receiving money, you can send/receive a minimum of $1 and a maximum of $3,000. Over the course of a 7-day period, you can send/receive up to $10,000.
Transferring money to your bank can be done at any time. A minimum of $1 can be transferred at a time, or less than a $1 if your total balance is under $1. Up to $3,000 can be transferred in a single transfer, and over 7 days, you can transfer up to $20,000 to your bank account from Apple Cash.
Apple Cash Requirements
To use Apple Cash, the following requirements must be met:
You must be in the United States with a U.S. credit/debit card and social security number if verification is required.
An eligible credit or debit card must be available in Wallet.
Along with iPhones and iPads running iOS 11.2 or later, Apple Cash can also be used on the Apple Watch on devices that are running watchOS 4.2 or later. Sending money from an Apple Watch follows the same general process as the iPhone, with payments made and received through the Messages app.
Apple plans to introduce Apple Pay Cash in iOS 11.2 and watchOS 4.2, and starting today, the feature is available for beta testers in the United States. Apple Pay Cash is included in the new iOS 11.2 public beta that is being provided to public beta testers this morning. Some developers running iOS 11.2 are also seeing Apple Pay Cash appear as an option in the Messages app this morning.
Since the beginning of October, Apple employees have been testing Apple Pay Cash in a special version of iOS 11.1 that allowed the feature to be enabled through an internal device certificate. The test was initially limited to corporate employees, but later expanded to retail employees. Apple Pay Cash did not end up shipping in iOS 11.1, but it is apparently ready for iOS 11.2.
Apple Pay Cash works through the Messages app and is designed to allow for quick person-to-person money transfers, much like Square Cash or Venmo. It's available as a dedicated iMessage app in the built-in Messages app, with cash transferred through iMessage transactions. Though most Apple Pay Cash coverage has focused on the iPhone, money can also be sent using an Apple Watch.
Cash can be sent from a linked debit or credit card, while received cash is stored in an Apple Pay Cash card in Wallet that can be used for purchases or sent to a bank account. Sending cash through a credit card incurs a 3% fee, while sending cash from a debit card is free.
The Apple Pay Cash card available in Wallet is being made available through a partnership with Green Dot, a company that offers prepaid Discover cards. For Apple Pay Cash to work, both parties need to have the feature enabled and activated. Money can only be sent in a one-on-one message, with Apple Pay Cash not available in group messages.
Apple Pay Cash will also be available on the Apple Watch with watchOS 4.2, and users can send cash directly from the Messages app on the wrist-worn device.
To use Apple Pay Cash in today's beta, both people will need to be running the iOS 11.2 public beta. $10 minimum must be loaded onto the Apple Pay Cash card in Wallet, two-factor authentication must be turned on, and an iPhone 6 or later is required. Apple Pay Cash is limited to the U.S. at this time.
Apple first announced person-to-person Apple Pay as an iOS 11 feature at its Worldwide Developers Conference in June, but it was not implemented in any of the iOS 11 betas and towards the end of the beta testing period, Apple confirmed it would be coming in a future iOS 11 update.
Apple today seeded the second beta of an upcoming tvOS 11.2 update to its public beta testing group, one week after seeding the first public beta and one day after seeding the second tvOS 11.2 update to developers. tvOS 11.2 comes a week 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 tvOS 11.2 also adds new features, bug fixes, and security improvements to the tvOS operating system.
Apple today released the second public beta of iOS 11.2 to its public beta testing group, one week after releasing the first public beta and a little over a week after the release of iOS 11.1, the first major update to the iOS 11 operating system.
Beta testers who are members of Apple's beta testing program will receive the iOS 11.2 beta update over-the-air after installing the proper certificate on an iOS device.
Those who want to join the beta testing program can sign up on Apple's beta testing website, which gives users access to iOS, macOS, and tvOS betas. iOS betas are not always stable and should not be installed on a primary device.
Apple is allowing public beta testers to test Apple Pay cash starting with today's iOS 11.2 beta. iOS 11.2 beta 2 also fixes an autocorrect bug plaguing many people. The bug autocorrects the letter "i" to "A[?]." Apple has recommended a temporary workaround in the form of a Text Replacement, but the problem will be fixed for good once iOS 11.2 is released.
iOS 11.2 fixes an animation bug in the Calculator app that caused some numbers and symbols to be ignored when entered in rapid succession. The update removes the animations from the calculator app so calculations can be done quickly with no need to pause between entering numbers to obtain the correct result.
In addition to the Calculator bug, iOS 11.2 introduces a new Now Playing option for controlling content on the Apple TV in Control Center, redesigned camera emoji, and a new loading animation for Live Photos effects.
Earlier this year, the team behind the popular Pixelmator photo editing app for iOS and Mac announced plans to unveil a new pro-level Mac app, Pixelmator Pro.
At the time the app was announced in September, the Pixelmator team had not provided a release date, but today announced that the new software will be coming on November 29.
Pixelmator Pro features a reimagined editing workflow with simplified editing tools and intelligent image editing features powered by machine learning. It uses a single-window interface and has been built from the ground up for the Mac.
The software uses the new Core ML framework built into macOS High Sierra to power a range of features like automatic horizon detection, a faster and smarter quick selection tool, and an improved repair tool for effortlessly removing objects from photos.
Nondestructive color adjustment tools are available for editing the colors in photos, and there are tools for easily resizing and rearranging layers, plus there's an entirely new painting engine and dynamic paint blending technology powered by Metal 2.
When it launches on November 29, Pixelmator Pro will be priced at $59, a special introductory price. The Pixelmator team plans to raise the price eventually as new updates and features are added, with the intended price for the software set at $99. As with the current Pixelmator app, Pixelmator Pro will be a one-time purchase and updates will be provided to customers for free.
For well over a week, many iOS 11 users have been noting a strange autocorrect bug plaguing their devices, which autocorrects the letter "i" to the uppercase letter "A" and a question mark symbol. Apple has issued a support document to help anyone facing the problem figure out a temporary workaround, but The Wall Street Journal recently reported that the bug has been fixed in the second iOS 11.2 developer beta released yesterday.
A few MacRumors forum members also mentioned a fix appearing in the second developer beta of iOS 11.2, although none seem to have yet confirmed the fix is implemented, likely because they never faced the bug in the first place. In The Wall Street Journal's report, an Apple spokesperson confirmed that an update fixing the problem "will be included in this week's public and developer beta releases."
A window for the non-beta fix wasn't given by Apple, but the company said the wide release rollout will follow, which was expected. At this point, it's unclear whether Apple will introduce the autocorrect bug fix in a quick update, or wait and launch it in iOS 11.2. It's been one week since iOS 11.1 launched, so 11.2 will probably not drop until later in November.
Nevertheless, Apple said it would patch the problem in an iOS update. “A fix will be released very soon,” an Apple spokeswoman said. It will be included in this week’s public and developer beta releases, with wide rollout to follow.
Although Apple originally stated that the bug was related to iOS 11.1, Apple confirmed that it "could also appear in earlier versions of iOS 11." Both The Wall Street Journal and multipleMacRumors forum members mentioned seeing the issue surface on devices running iOS 11.0.3.
If you are having trouble with the bug, Apple's temporary solution is to set up a Text Replacement for the letter "i" by visiting the Settings app > General > Keyboard > Text Replacement. After tapping the plus button to add a new replacement, in the Phrase field type an uppercase "I", and in Shortcut type a lowercase "i".
You can also toggle "Predictive" off completely in the Keyboard section of Settings, although that would greatly hinder the keyboard usability for many users. Third-party keyboard apps like Gboard are also available to type on without having to worry about the autocorrect bug.
Catcher Technology, a Taiwanese company that manufacturers metal casings for Apple products like iPhones, iPads, and MacBooks, will make parts for an augmented reality product, according to Nikkei Asian Review.
Catcher chairman Allen Horng reportedly said augmented reality products "need to look good" and "be light enough to wear."
"Based on what we have learned, [new AR products] need to look good and be light enough to wear ... that makes the casings for such device very complicated to manufacture and there are still a lot of challenges to overcome currently," Catcher Chairman Allen Horng told analysts and reporters in an earnings conference on Tuesday.
Horng would not disclose which company was behind the augmented reality product, but given the comments and Catcher's relationship with Apple, the report has reignited speculation about so-called Apple Glasses.
Apple is reportedly exploring digital glasses that would connect wirelessly to iPhones and "show images and other information in the wearer's field of vision." The company supposedly has prototyped "several different kinds" of wearable augmented reality products, but a launch is still far away.
Apple CEO Tim Cook, who has repeatedly expressed a "profound interest" in augmented reality, recently said "the technology itself doesn't exist" to make the glasses "in a quality way." He said there are "huge challenges" with "the display technology required, as well as putting enough stuff around your face."
Jeff Pu, an analyst at Taipei-based Yuanta Investment Consulting, believes Apple's glasses will go on sale as soon as the end of 2019. Earlier reports mentioned 2018 as a possible timeframe, but that sounds increasingly unlikely.
Today's report marks the second time Catcher Technology has surfaced in the Apple rumor mill this week. KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo on Monday said the company will supply Apple with "more complex" metal frames for iPhones launching in 2018 for the purpose of improving cellular signal and data transmission.
AT&T chief John Donovan has confirmed that demand for the iPhone X has been "strong" following the device's "highly-anticipated" launch in the United States and over 50 other countries just four days ago.
"All the signs are that customers love it. It's probably the most highly-anticipated version… and demand has been strong. So we're pleased," Donovan said at the Web Summit conference in Lisbon, Portugal, per CNBC.
We are thrilled to be taking orders for iPhone X, the future of the smartphone. We can see from the initial response, customer demand is off the charts. We're working hard to get this revolutionary new product into the hands of every customer who wants one, as quickly as possible.
Apple's guidance for the current quarter is between $84 billion and $87 billion, which would easily be an all-time record even at the lower end of that range, suggesting that iPhone X sales are and will remain very strong.
iPhone X online orders placed today are estimated to ship in 3-4 weeks around the world. The device is also available to purchase in stores, but inventory is extremely limited right now, especially outside of the United States.
Apple today announced that the iPhone X will be available to customers in Albania, Bosnia, Cambodia, Kosovo, Macau, Macedonia, Malaysia, Montenegro, Serbia, South Africa, South Korea, Thailand, and Turkey beginning Friday, November 24.
Apple also said the iPhone X will be available to customers in Israel beginning Thursday, November 23, one day earlier.
In all of the countries and territories, the iPhone X will be sold by authorized third-party resellers and carriers. Apple also operates two retail stores in Turkey, at Zorlu Center and Akasya Acıbadem, and one in Macau at Galaxy Macau.
iPhone X will also be available through Apple's online store in some of the countries, with prices varying based on local currencies.
• Malaysia — starting at RM 5,149 • South Korea — starting at ₩1,420,000 • Thailand — starting at ฿40,500 • Turkey — starting at 6.099 TL
Given that online orders are estimated to ship in 3-4 weeks in countries where the iPhone X has already launched, coupled with limited in-store availability, supplies will likely be low in the second wave of launch countries as well.
Apple today announced it will be opening a new store at Domain Northside in Austin, Texas on Saturday, November 11 at 10:00 a.m. local time.
Apple's current store at The Domain shopping center in Austin, Texas
Apple's nearby store at The Domain should permanently close after business hours on Friday, over 10 years after it originally opened in March 2007. Most employees will presumably transition to the new store.
Domain Northside is a new shopping and dining district of The Domain, an upscale outdoor shopping center in northern Austin. The first of more than 70 stores and restaurants at Domain Northside opened in 2016.
The new store will feature Apple's latest retail design, which typically includes large glass doors, sequoia wood tables and shelves, a large video screen for Today at Apple sessions, and light boxes spanning the length of the ceiling.
All of Apple's stores opened since September 2015 have been based on the updated aesthetic. Apple has also renovated or relocated nearly 50 existing stores around the world as part of the modernization of its retail chain.
Update: MacRumors reader Holden Satterwhite, known as Appleosophy on YouTube and Instagram, has shared a video of Apple Domain Northside's grand opening.
Walmart announced "Walmart Pay" in December of 2015, bundling its mobile payment solution directly into the Walmart app for iOS and Android devices and entering the market one year after Apple's own Apple Pay launched in 2014. Now available nationwide in 4,774 Walmart stores, Walmart Pay is "close to surpassing" Apple Pay in terms of mobile payments usage in the United States (via Bloomberg).
According to Daniel Eckert, senior vice president of Walmart services and digital acceleration, Walmart Pay is enrolling "tens of thousands of new users a day," and has seen a steady growth over the past few months. Two-thirds of those who try it use it again within twenty-one days. These statistics give Eckert confidence that Walmart Pay will soon beat Apple Pay in the U.S., "in terms of use by shoppers in stores where they're accepted."
Wal-Mart Stores Inc.’s app is close to surpassing Apple Pay in usage for mobile payments in the U.S., giving the world’s largest retailer even more clout as a growing number of people shop with their smartphones.
“If daily enrollments don’t slow down, I think that’s pretty well in the cards shortly,” said Eckert, senior vice president for services and digital acceleration. “I would have to imagine we are getting pretty close.”
Market researcher Richard Crone predicted that Walmart Pay will grow bigger than Apple Pay in active U.S. users (who use the mobile wallets for at least two transactions per month) by the end of 2018. Walmart and Apple reportedly held discussions in early 2016 that centered upon incorporating Apple Pay into the Walmart iOS app, but fell through because of the "difficulty of blending the technology underpinning each company's approach."
Walmart is said to have begun gaining ground on Apple earlier in 2017, when 5.1 percent of Walmart shoppers said they used Walmart Pay this past June, just below the 5.5 percent of iPhone users who said the same at locations that accept Apple Pay. In terms of other competitors, Walmart Pay's adoption rate is "higher than Samsung Pay and Android Pay combined." One analyst pointed out this is likely because Walmart owns and controls the mobile wallet software and "can make quick changes."
“Apple Pay’s road is much more difficult than Wal-Mart’s is,” Brendan Miller, an analyst at Forrester Research, said in a phone interview. “It means that Wal-Mart can make quicker changes, they can move faster in many respects than Apple Pay.” Forrester’s survey of 58,000 online consumers in the first half of 2017 found that 7 percent of them used Apple Pay in the past three months, while 6 percent used Walmart Pay.
Although the services are similar in their payment goals, there are a few differences between Walmart Pay and Apple Pay. Walmart's mobile wallet presents users with a barcode that has to be scanned to complete a transaction, unlike Apple Pay's NFC tap-based system. Walmart Pay also incorporates all of a user's in-store offers, promotions, rewards, and gift card balances in one place, which Apple Pay is still inconsistent in supporting for many stores.
Despite their close rivalry in the mobile wallet space, Walmart is reportedly "more interested" in directly competing with Amazon than Apple. Over the past year, Amazon has been expanding quickly in the grocery space with its various test projects like Amazon Go and its acquisition of Whole Foods. Walmart said it will continue focusing on expanding the features of Walmart Pay as more competition emerges, and according to Crone the debut of the software has provided a solid launchpad for the company's future: "They flawlessly deployed the system, and it works."
Google has teamed up with the English Heritage Trust to give users of its Arts & Culture app a rare opportunity to explore the annals of England's historical, architectural, and cultural heritage.
Spanning 5,000 years of history and taking in archeological artifacts, castles, forts and monuments, the in-depth exhibits celebrate the famous sites and the stories behind them by using the latest digital capture methods and offering users immersive VR experiences to virtually visit the historical locations themselves.
Through more than 30 multimedia exhibits and 10 editorial features on Google Arts & Culture, you can experience online almost 3,000 historic gems from the Prehistoric, Roman, Medieval, Tudor, Civil War and Stuart periods through the 21st century and from the perspective of the historians, experts and curators who manage the collections and heritage sites across England. You can explore by time period or, with the help of machine learning tools that recognize color patterns, you can sort through items by color.
Highlights of the vast collection include a zoomable high resolution image of the Elysium Closet in Bolsover Castle in never-before-seen detail, a Google Art Camera capture of "The Battle of Hastings" by Francis William Wilkin – the biggest ever at nine meters across – as well as a Google Museum View of 7th century monastery Whitby Abbey, which was one of the inspirations for Bram Stoker's Dracula.
Google has 
