Apple has discontinued its non-Retina legacy MacBook Pro, the last Mac it sold with a built-in CD/DVD drive. The 13-inch notebook had not been updated since June 2012, but it remained available for purchase on Apple's website for $1,099 until today.
Apple continues to sell a standalone SuperDrive for $79 that connects with a traditional USB cable. As with the 12-inch MacBook, a dongle would be needed to use the SuperDrive with new MacBook Pros that have switched to USB-C ports.
Apple today announced the all-new MacBook Pro, confirming that the new computer will come in 13-inch and 15-inch sizes, in both Silver and Space Gray color options. The MacBooks are thinner and lighter than their previous generations, come with a Trackpad that's larger than the ones on the previous MacBooks, and have a redesigned keyboard for better typing.
Apple calls it "the most powerful MacBook Pro ever," and the 13-inch model features a 2.9 GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 processor with Turbo Boost speeds up to 3.3 GHz, 8GB of memory and 256GB of flash storage. The 15-inch version has a 2.6 GHz quad-core Intel Core i7 processor with Turbo Boost speeds up to 3.5 GHz, 16GB of memory and 256GB of flash storage. Both computers reach "up to 2.3 times the graphics performance" of the previous generation.
The 15-inch MacBook Pro features Radeon Pro discrete graphics, while the 13-inch model has Intel Iris Graphics. Each edition includes SSDs with sequential read speeds over 3GBps, and the ability to drive a 5K display through a single Thunderbolt 3 port thanks to the technology's consolidation of data transfer, video bandwidth, and charging abilities.
For the display, that means Apple has created "the brightest, most colorful notebook display" ever, with images that are more vivid and lifelike thanks to the screen's 500 nits of brightness. In total, that means the new screen is now 67 percent brighter than the previous generation MacBook Pro, has 67 percent more contrast, "and is the first Mac notebook display to support a wider color gamut." The company said that none of this negatively affects battery life, because with power saving technology in the MacBook -- including a larger pixel aperture, a variable refresh rate and more power-efficient LEDs -- the display now consumes 30 percent less energy.
“This week marks the 25th anniversary of Apple’s first notebook; through the years each generation has introduced new innovations and capabilities, and it’s fitting that this all-new generation of MacBook Pro is the biggest leap forward yet,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing.
“With the groundbreaking new Touch Bar, the convenience of Touch ID, the best Mac display ever, powerful performance, improved audio, blazing fast storage and Thunderbolt 3 connectivity in our thinnest and lightest pro notebook yet, the new MacBook Pro is the most advanced notebook ever made.”
Regarding ports, the MacBook Pro now has four Thunderbolt 3 ports, any of which can be used to charge the laptop, and Apple has officially done away with MagSafe charging on its MacBook Pro line. The enclosure of the MacBook features an entirely new design and all-metal unibody construction, and the 13-inch model is 14.9 mm thin while the 15-inch option is 15.5 mm thin.
In comparison to the last edition of the MacBook Pro, the 13-inch model is 17 percent thinner and has 23 percent less volume, while the 15-inch is 14 percent thinner and 20 percent less volume. In terms of weight, the 13-inch is 3 pounds and the 15-inch is 4 pounds, both devices coming in at nearly half a pound lighter than their previous iterations.
Of course, the biggest addition to the MacBook Pro is the new "Touch Bar," which sits atop the keyboard and officially replaces the function keys on the laptop. As was rumored, Touch Bar is application specific and adapts to what's on screen, be it scrolling through months in Calendar, choosing an album in Photos, selecting emoji in Messages, and many more, including third-party apps like Microsoft Office.
Another advantage is Touch ID, which comes integrated into the power button on the new MacBook Pro. Once a user enrolls their fingerprint into the Touch ID system on MacBook, they can unlock the computer with the simple press of a finger, switch user accounts, and even make purchases with Apple Pay's new integration on the web.
A second generation butterfly mechanism in the keyboard provides more responsive typing. Below the keyboard, Apple expanded the Trackpad to be 50 percent larger in the 13-inch MacBook Pro, and twice as large than previous models on the 15-inch MacBook Pro. The speakers got an overhaul, too, with louder, more true-to-life sound that have double the dynamic range and improved bass.
The 13-inch MacBook Pro starts at $1,799, while the 15-inch starts at $2,399, and both devices can be pre-ordered today with a shipping date of 2-3 weeks. Apple has also decided to not create a new "Air" model, instead introducing an entry-level MacBook Pro without a Touch Bar that begins at $1,499, and it's on sale now on Apple.com.
The Apple Store has just come online following today's event, and the three new MacBook Pro models announced this morning are now available for purchase.
Available in Space Gray and Silver in 13 and 15-inch sizes, pricing on the new MacBook Pro starts at $1,499 for the entry-level model with no Touch Bar and goes up to $2,799 for the 15-inch machine.
The entry-level 13-inch machine, available to ship starting today, features a 2.0GHz Core i5 processor, 8GB of 1866MHz RAM, a 256GB SSD, Intel Iris Graphics 540, and two Thunderbolt 3 ports. It is priced at $1,499.
The mid-level 13-inch machine with a Touch Bar features a 2.9GHz Core i5 processor, 8GB of 2133MHz RAM, a 256GB SSD, Intel Iris Graphics 550, four Thunderbolt 3 ports, and a Touch Bar and Touch ID. It's priced at $1,799.
The high-end 13-inch machine features the same internals as the mid-level machine, but with a 512GB SSD for $1,999.
As for the 15-inch Retina MacBook Pro, the entry-level machine starts at $2,399 and includes a 2.6Ghz quad-core processor, 16GB of 2133MHz RAM, a 256GB SSD, a Radeon Pro 450 with 2GB memory, four Thunderbolt 3 ports, and a Touch Bar and Touch ID.
The high-end 15-inch Retina MacBook Pro features a 2.7GHz Core i7 processor, 16GB of 2133MHz RAM, a 512GB SSD, a Radeon Pro 455 with 2GB memory, four Thunderbolt 3 ports, and a Touch Bar and Touch ID.
There are also several build-to-order upgrade options available for improving the processor, storage space, and graphics card.
All MacBook Pro models with a Touch Bar and Touch ID ship out in two to three weeks.
Today at its October 2016 Town Hall event, Apple announced an entry-level 13-inch MacBook Pro that it is positioning as an appealing alternative for potential buyers of the MacBook Air, the 13-inch version of which remains available to buy for now, with the 11-inch version being discontinued.
The new entry-level Pro takes on many of the design features of the rest of the range, except for Apple's new Touch Bar, which replaces the traditional function key strip in the rest of its new Pro MacBooks.
The new entry-level MacBook Pro is 12 percent thinner than the current MacBook Air. It's also 13 percent smaller in volume, while staying the same weight.
Apple's senior VP Phil Schiller says the new entry-level MacBook Pro is faster than the MacBook Air in "every way." It has a 2.0GHz Intel Core i5 processor, 8GB RAM, a 256GB SSD, Intel Iris 540 Graphics, a larger Force Touch trackpad, two Thunderbolt 3 ports, and a new second-generation butterfly mechanism keyboard.
The entry-level MacBook ships starting today and is available starting at $1,499. In contrast, the existing MacBook Air with 1.6GHz processor and 128GB storage and is still available at $999. The new entry-level 13-inch MacBook Pro can be pre-ordered online now and will ship in 2-3 weeks.
During its keynote today, Apple briefly mentioned that Touch Bar will be gaining heavy support from third party applications when the laptop launches. Namely, Microsoft is working on introducing support for Touch Bar into Word, Excel, Powerpoint, and Skype.
Apple didn't say specifically what the Touch Bar will be able to do within each app, but the company gave detailed demos of what users will be able to do in Photoshop, Final Cut Pro, and Djay Pro. Sketch, DaVinci Resolve, and many others apps will update with Touch Bar support on the new MacBook Pros, as well.
Apple announced a new Retina display 'Touch Bar' replacing the function key strip on the keyboards of its two top-tier MacBook Pro notebooks at its "Hello again" event today.
Apple software engineer Craig Federighi showed off the customizable sapphire crystal Touch Bar in action, which can also be used as a traditional Function key set and supports a host of native and third-party apps.
Apple says the Touch ID component in the Touch Bar features an Apple T1 chip with a secure enclave for security purposes.
The Touch ID sensor recognizes account holders instantly and also supports account switching. System controls can be used and they also support gestures and swipes for controlling brightness, for example.
Contextual controls in apps are fully supported. For example, the Mail app gains Touch Bar controls for composing messages, replying, flagging, filing, and formatting options.
When composing, Quick Type options like in iOS appear on the bar, with like Siri predictions. Emojis are also displayed in the Messages app: browsing emojis by frequently used or by category can be achieved with simple swipes.
Naviagation in and between apps is also included. The touch bar can be used to move between tabs, previews, previews. and opening new tabs with favorites ready to select.
Lastly, Final Cut Pro, Photoshop, and Photos are also supported - users can use Photoshop tools, swipe through photo collections, and use playback controls when viewing photos and editing videos.
Apple announced a new universal Apple TV app called 'TV' at its "Hello again" event today.
The TV app is a "unified TV experience" works in sync across Apple TV and iOS devices, and provides an easy-to-use hub for accessing and discovering TV shows and movies in a way that "will change how we watch television", says Apple.
"Using apps on Apple TV, iPhone and iPad has become the primary way for so many of us to watch television," said Eddy Cue, Apple’s senior vice president of Internet Software and Services. "The TV app shows you what to watch next and easily discover TV shows and movies from many apps in a single place."
The app features category tabs across its main screen. "Watch Now" lists TV episodes and movies you are currently watching. It includes series you might be binging on, as well as new episodes of series you also follow.
With the "Up Next" sub-category, users can enjoy the shows and movies they are currently watching, including recent iTunes rentals and purchases — all presented in the order they're most likely to watch first.
For example, when viewers finish an episode, the next one automatically appears at the start of the Up Next queue, as well any new episodes as they become available.
There's also a "Recommended" sub-category with curated content lists across TV series and movies available in iTunes, broken down by genre. Subscribing to pay-TV third-party apps like DISH also feeds in channel-specific entertainment information.
With the Store category, users can look for something new across video services that they have not yet downloaded or are not yet subscribed to, along with the latest releases on iTunes.
Apple also introduced a new Siri feature for Apple TV that lets viewers tune in directly to live news and sporting events across their apps. Siri is now aware of live sporting events across apps so users can simply say things like, "Watch the Liverpool game" or "Which games are on right now?" Siri also knows additional details of the games, can provide live scores and can take viewers directly to the live stream within the app that’s carrying it, according to Apple.
The TV app will be a free software update in December for Apple TV (4th generation), iPhone and iPad customers in the US. Live tune-in with Siri is available today.
During its "Hello Again" event today Apple revealed that the popular crafting video game Minecraft is heading to the fourth-generation Apple TV sometime by the end of 2016.
During the presentation, Apple CEO Tim Cook said that users will even be able to play with friends who are on an iPhone or iPad. "You can build new worlds on your Apple TV, and play with your friends using iPhones and iPads."
At the beginning of its "Hello Again" Town Hall event today Apple CEO Tim Cook announced that the company is launching a new accessibility website to help promote the accessibility features in its products.
It's all about the accessibility features that we've designed and built into our products. We believe that technology should be accessible to everyone, and we hope this website becomes a great resource that people can use all around the world.
Cook says that Apple believes that if people have access to its product they can help push humanity forward and "change the world in the process." Before Cook came to the stage, Apple played a short video showcasing customers using the available accessibility features.
Apple's accessibility website should go live once the event is complete. Currently, Apple's older accessibility website is still live.
Twitter today announced plans to shut down Vine, the video sharing service it acquired in 2012. Twitter plans to discontinue the mobile app "in the coming months," but did not give a specific timeline.
Introduced in early 2013, Vine allows users to capture and share looping video clips that are six seconds in length, sharing them on various social networks like Facebook and Twitter.
Thank you. Thank you. To all the creators out there -- thank you for taking a chance on this app back in the day. To the many team members over the years who made this what it was -- thank you for your contributions. And of course, thank you to all of those who came to watch and laugh every day.
Twitter plans to leave the Vine website intact, so Vines will continue to be available to watch and download. Twitter promises to notify users well in advance of any changes to the app or website.
The shuttering of Vine comes amid massive layoffs at Twitter. Twitter is letting go of approximately nine percent of its staff, or 350 people, as it works on cutting down on costs and restructures its priorities.
Apple's "Hello Again" event kicks off at 10:00 AM Pacific Time today, with Apple expected to make several Mac-related announcements headlined by a revamped MacBook Pro with an OLED "Magic Toolbar" or "Touch Bar" and Touch ID support.
We're also expecting to see new MacBook Air models with USB-C ports, and perhaps some other new Macs as well. On a separate note, Apple is also said to be introducing a new "guide" app for Apple TV and iOS devices to help recommend TV shows to users across content providers.
Apple is providing a live video stream on its website and via Apple TV.
In addition to Apple's video stream, we will be updating this article with live blog coverage and issuing Twitter updates through our @MacRumorsLive account as the event unfolds. Highlights from the event and separate news stories regarding today's announcements will go out through our @MacRumors account.
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Apple's online stores around the world are currently down in advance of the event.
"Hello Again" event highlights are available in reverse chronological order after the jump.
A few users who pre-ordered the Apple Watch Nike+ have begun sharing that their devices are shipping, although with the Apple storefront now offline customers can't check the specific status of their orders. Shipping mentions began earlier in the week, with more email updates being reported this morning, one day ahead of tomorrow's official launch of the Apple Watch Nike+. Orders appear to be hitting the first wave of the device's opening weekend launch countries, including users in Canada.
Additionally, the companion iOS Nike+ Run Club app has been updated with a collection of features aimed at enhancing the connection between the app, Apple Watch Series 2, and watchOS 3. The app now supports the onboard GPS function of the Apple Watch, so when users go for a run without an iPhone and use the Nike+ Run Club watch app, GPS will still track the path, which will be viewable on both Apple Watch and iPhone following the workout.
New features for Apple Watch watchOS 3 users also include:
Bold display of your running metrics at a glance
Hear audio readouts right from your watch
Smart invitations to run, personalized for you
Schedule run reminders to keep you motivated
Start, Pause, Resume and End your run with Siri
Integration with Apple Music in the 5.1.0 update means that users will be able to stream their favorite playlists and artists from Apple's service directly from within Nike+ Run Club. Nike also offers up a selection of "custom playlists" that it curates in the app.
Nike+ Run Club is available to download for free from the App Store [Direct Link], and the company notes that iOS 10 is required for the new update, while watchOS 3.1 is recommended for best results when running with the Apple Watch.
Adobe for the second time this month has released Flash Player security updates to address critical vulnerabilities that could potentially allow an attacker to take control of Mac, Windows, Linux, and Chrome OS systems.
Adobe said the security updates resolve a use-after-free vulnerability that could lead to code execution, as discovered by Google's Threat Analysis Group. Adobe said it was aware of the exploit being used in "limited, targeted attacks" against users running Windows 7 or later only, but Mac users could still be affected and should update out of an abundance of caution.
Affected versions of Flash Player for Mac:
Adobe Flash Player version 23.0.0.185 and earlier
Adobe Flash Player for Google Chrome version 23.0.0.185 and earlier
Mac users running Flash Player 11.3.x or later who have selected the option to "allow Adobe to install updates" will receive the update automatically. Likewise, Google Chrome will automatically update Flash Player to version 23.0.0.205. Select "About Google Chrome" under the Tools menu to verify the browser is up-to-date.
In 2010, late Apple co-founder Steve Jobs penned an article called "Thoughts on Flash" in which he favored open web standards such as HTML5 over Adobe Flash. Jobs said Flash Player was "the number one reason Macs crash" and criticized its performance on mobile devices. "Flash was created during the PC era – for PCs and mice," he wrote.
Continuing in the tradition of changing Reactions to suit a theme or holiday, Facebook today has begun rolling out a Halloween version of the six Reaction buttons. Replacing Like, Love, Haha, Wow, Sad, and Angry are a skeleton's hand, candy heart, witch, ghost, Frankenstein's monster, and a pumpkin.
Some Reactions, including Like, change into their festive versions after being tapped
Using its acquisition of MSQRD, Facebook is also introducing Halloween-themed live filter masks into its live video streaming feature. The limited-time masks are said to include a skull, an evil queen, a pumpkin, and a witch.
After you start broadcasting from the "Live" button on top of the feed in the Facebook app, you can find the masks in the magic wand menu in the top left corner of the screen. The company said that a selection of masks will continue to be available after Halloween, "so you can be creative in your Live videos any time."
The update is expected to stick around through Halloween, although Facebook didn't specifically confirm how long it would last. Reactions will be rolling out to people "in a select set of countries," while masks are available only to iOS users in the United States, United Kingdom, and New Zealand.
Google has officially rebranded its "Google Cast" iOS and Android apps to "Google Home," getting the mobile apps ready for the launch of its hands-free smart home speaker, similarly named Google Home. The new name also comes with a new app icon, new features, and some slight UI tweaks that make "the app easier to use."
The old Google Cast icon (left) compared with the new Google Home version (right)
The "Home" launchpad in the app now has a "Watch" and "Discover" section that lets you watch videos on any of the Chromecast-enabled apps you already have installed, or discover thousands of new apps available for Chromecast, respectively. Additionally, a floating magnifying glass button enables video search across multiple apps to make it easy to find the videos you want.
Once Google Home launches next week, on November 4, the new app will be the single location for users to control all of their Chromecast and Google Home devices. A "Devices" button in the top right corner will guide users through easily pairing a new product to the app, and after pairing is complete they can adjust its settings, control audio and video playback, and more.
Google Home is available to download for free from the iOS App Store [Direct Link], and users can pre-order the Google Home smart speaker itself for $129.00 from the Google Store, Best Buy, Target, and Walmart.
An Italian judge has accepted a nearly $50,000 settlement agreement with the head of Apple's Irish-based unit as part of a probe into allegations that the company failed to pay taxes in Italy (via Reuters).
A six-month jail sentence for the Apple executive has been converted into the payment of a 45,000 euro ($49,126) fine as part of the settlement agreement, according to Reuters' source.
The original investigations were completed in March 2015 and accused Apple of booking profits generated in Italy through an Irish subsidiary in an effort to lower its taxable income base and save nearly €900 million from 2008 through 2013.
At the time, Apple had called the allegations against its employees "completely without merit". But in December 2015, it was reported Apple had agreed to pay 318 million euros to Italy – only a third of the amount it was said to have failed to pay in corporate taxes over the five year period. However, under Italian law, a settlement agreement does not imply an admission of guilt.
Milan prosecutors investigating the allegations have also asked for the case against two managers from the Italian subsidiary of Apple to be dropped, the source said.
Apple Italia is part of the company's European operation headquartered in Ireland, where Apple pays a significantly lower corporate tax rate compared to other EU countries. Ireland has a corporate tax rate of 12.5% for normal business activities, compared to a standard rate of 27.5% in Italy.
In August, the European Commission ruled that Apple received illegal state aid from Ireland, following a three-year inquiry into the company's tax arrangements in the country. The investigation's results showed that Apple allegedly paid between 0.005% and 1% in taxes in Ireland between 2003 and 2014, compared to the the country's headline 12.5% corporate tax rate.
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 will provide a live stream (spoiler free) of the keynote on the Apple TV and on iOS and Mac devices through its website, starting at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time. MacRumors will also have full coverage of the event, with a live blog on our front page at MacRumors.com and updates in 140 characters or less through our @MacRumorsLive account on Twitter. Earlier this week, we outlined what to expect at the event.
We'll also have specific coverage of today's announcements in separate news stories, and our community forums are a great place for readers to discuss the announcements before, during, and after the event. Be sure to keep tabs on the MacBook Pro and MacBook Air sections in particular for the latest discussions.
Amazon began rolling out Alexa voice assistant to its Amazon Fire tablets yesterday, extending the feature beyond its original smart devices, such as the Echo speaker.
The rollout means owners of 7-inch, 8-inch, and 10-inch Fire tablets will be able to issue voice commands for specific requests, like playing music or having the news read to them, but unlike the always-listening smart speakers, the home button must be held down on tablets to activate Alexa.
The feature will take advantage of Fire screens by displaying full-screen cards with additional information in response to requests, such as the day's forecast in response to a weather inquiry, or playback controls when music is requested.
Unlike Siri and Google Assistant, Alexa was designed with tablets in mind rather than mobile phones, according to Amazon, so its special skills focus on tasks suited to the home, like setting timers or ordering household items from Amazon. As such, requests for tasks usually performed on the go, like finding nearby bars and services, either result in a simple web search or are redirected to the Alexa app.
Like with the smart speakers, Fire tablet owners can also add skills from third parties such as Uber, as long as the associated app is also installed.
Amazon's addition of Alexa to its tablet range follows Google's newly debuted Google Assistant on its Pixel smartphones, which are set to compete with Apple's iPhones that come with Siri.
Amazon says it will grow the abilities of Alexa and has over 1,000 employees working on the assistant with the intention of hiring more. The company also hopes its introduction on tablets with drive more holiday shopping.
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An Italian judge has accepted a nearly $50,000 settlement agreement with the head of Apple's Irish-based unit as part of a probe into allegations that the company failed to pay taxes in Italy (via 
