MacRumors

Google's second-generation Pixel XL could feature a squeezable body, a 6-inch AMOLED display, and thinner bezels, according to information and rendered images leaked today by Android Police.

LG is said to be manufacturing the Google Pixel XL 2, which features a design that's curved like the original Google Pixel. It continues to offer a rear fingerprint sensor (now located in the aluminum portion of the device) and a large single-lens camera, eschewing the dual-lens camera trend.

The XL version, which is the only version covered in the leak, offers a 6-inch LG-made display with a 2:1 aspect ratio, rounded corners, and a "minimal bezel." Design wise, it could look a little like Apple's rumored iPhone 8, which is also expected to have a longer design with much thinner side and top/bottom bezels. Current iPhone 8 leaks suggest Apple's device will have little to no bottom bezel and a smaller top bezel, however.

Most notably, the 2017 Pixel XL is rumored to include a "squeezable" frame like the recently launched HTC U11. The technology will let Pixel users squeeze their handsets to activate Google Assistant "in various ways."

In the HTC U11, the "Edge Sense" feature lets people use a squeeze gesture to activate pressure sensors that can turn on the flashlight, launch the camera, take a photo, or launch Google Assistant.

It's not clear when Google's second-generation Pixel XL device will be released, but the original version was unveiled in October of 2016, so a fall release date could be planned. If that's the case, the Pixel XL will launch during the same time frame as the iPhone 8 and could be one of the device's main competitors along with the already-available Samsung Galaxy S8 and the yet-to-be announced rumored Galaxy Note 8.

Intel today unveiled its full lineup of "Purley" Xeon processors, most of which have already launched or are launching soon, but none of the chips in the lineup appear to be appropriate for Apple's upcoming iMac Pro at the high end.

When the iMac Pro was announced, Apple said it would use Intel's Xeon processors, with 8, 10, and 18 core chips available as optional configurations with up to 42MB cache and maximum Turbo Boost up to 4.5GHz.

Despite rumors suggesting Apple will use Purley processors in the machines, the currently available chips do not match those specifications. The chips max out at 4.2GHz Turbo Boost, so at least some of the processors Apple plans to use are not yet available from Intel.

With none of the chips lining up with Apple's promised high-end specifications, the most likely explanation is that Intel has additional Purley chips on the horizon that have yet to be announced. Next-generation Xeon chips, codenamed Cascade Lake, won't be available until 2018, and thus won't be ready in time for Apple's promised December release date.

In late June, Pike's Universum dug up firmware files from the macOS High Sierra beta suggesting the iMac Pro will use Intel's server-class LGA3647 socket rather than the desktop-class LGA2066 socket, pointing towards the use of server-grade "Purley" Skylake-SP processors.

Those same firmware files suggest the new iMac Pro will feature a Secure Enclave with an ARM coprocessor like the MacBook Pro with Touch Bar, but it's unclear what that functionality will be used for. Touch ID is, however, a possibility.

Apple's iMac Pro is expected to be available for purchase this December, with pricing starting at $4,999 in the United States. Along with server-grade processors, the machines are expected to feature Radeon Pro Vega graphics, up to 128GB of ECC RAM, and up to 4TB of SSD storage.

Volvo Trucks today unveiled its new line of VNL long-haul semi trucks, which come equipped with CarPlay and several other comfort-oriented technologies.

Designed for professional drivers who travel over long distances, the VNL series trucks include what Volvo says is an "all-new" dashboard with a 5-inch color display that offers up trip and diagnostic data plus a 7-inch color touchscreen that supports CarPlay, a backup camera, and navigation features.

With CarPlay support, drivers are able to access their music, incoming phone calls, messages, and other content safely through a direct connection with the iPhone. Along with the touchscreen, CarPlay controls can be accessed through a smart steering wheel that puts controls for nearly all interface functions right at a driver's fingertips.

CarPlay is just one of the many driver perks built into the truck, which also includes an adjustable steering column, ergonomic seats with heating and ventilation, and sleeper cabs with a reclining bunk.

The VNL trucks come in a range of configurations, including a new 70-inch sleeper in Volvo VNL 760 and 740 models.

Though CarPlay was first officially unveiled in March of 2014, wide availability of the feature didn't come until mid-2015. Since then, hundreds of manufacturers have built CarPlay support into their vehicles, and many aftermarket solutions have been made available. Apple maintains a list of vehicles that support CarPlay on its website.

If you have a first-generation Apple Watch with a separated back cover, Apple or an Apple Authorized Service Provider will repair it free of charge, according to an internal service policy obtained by MacRumors.

Apple recently extended the service policy's coverage period to up to three years after the original purchase date. If you bought an Apple Watch in April 2015, for example, it is eligible for a free repair until April 2018.

Apple has determined that under certain conditions on some Apple Watch (1st generation) devices the back cover may separate from the watch case. Apple will service eligible devices free of charge. Apple will authorize coverage for three (3) years from the date of purchase.

The service policy has been in effect since last year and applies to any first-generation Apple Watch, including Sport, Edition, and Hermès models, even if the device's limited one-year warranty or extended AppleCare coverage has elapsed.

Affected customers can call an Apple Store and schedule a Genius Bar appointment, or visit an Apple Authorized Service Provider, to initiate the repair process. Or, customers can call Apple Support to arrange shipment of the damaged Apple Watch to an Apple Repair Center in a postage paid box.

Apple advises customers inquiring about a refund for a previous Apple Watch back cover repair to contact Apple Support.

Several users have shared pictures of their first-generation Apple Watch with the back cover falling off on the Apple Support Communities, MacRumors discussion forums, Twitter, and elsewhere on the web. In many cases, the back cover detaches when the Apple Watch is removed from its magnetic charger.

Daring Fireball's John Gruber, for example, shared a picture of his wife's stainless steel Apple Watch with a detached back cover last October. He said the Apple Watch, purchased in May 2015, was providing erratic workout readings before coming apart after it was taken off of its magnetic charger.

While many customers report that Apple repaired their Apple Watch free of charge, some have been forced to pay out of pocket. Since the service policy has not been publicly announced, some Apple support representatives may be unaware of its existence. Escalating your request to a senior advisor may help.

Apple appears to have fixed the issue with its newer Series 1 and Series 2 models, perhaps by using a stronger adhesive.

For all the rumors we've seen recently surrounding Apple's upcoming "iPhone 8", one of the most inconsistent remains the fate of its Touch ID fingerprint recognition technology in the redesigned flagship device, which is expected to launch in September.

In late May, supply chain sources suggested that Apple had overcome technical hurdles and that the OLED iPhone will have Touch ID integrated into the display. However, according to a report from KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo earlier this month, Apple plans to replace Touch ID in the iPhone 8 with a facial recognition security system – a prediction echoed by both JP Morgan analyst Rod Hall and Bloomberg.

In the latest throw of the dice, a report from investment publication Barron's concludes that Apple is still struggling to put a fingerprint sensor under the glass of its next iPhone, and that the company has "just a couple of weeks" to solve the matter before its earnings estimates are at risk.

According to KeyBanc Capital Markets analyst Andy Hargreaves, who contributed to the report, Apple has until August to either place orders for chips to run a fingerprint sensor, or miss that window and not have a fingerprint ID at all, or delay more significantly the release of the iPhone.

We believe it would typically take 12 weeks from placement of fingerprint IC orders to full volume production of iPhones. Consequently, if Apple is able to solve its fingerprint problems and place orders for fingerprint ICs before August, it would likely be able to reach volume production in late October or early November. We believe this remains Apple's preferred path, and expect it would be acceptable to both consumers and investors. It is entirely unclear if Apple will be able to fix the problem in this time frame.

Hargreaves considers the possibility that Apple will replace Touch ID with facial recognition "increasingly likely" as time passes, but "far from ideal". Echoing the thoughts of many observers, Hargreaves goes on to highlight the challenges a supposed replacement facial recognition security system would need to overcome to meet the standard of existing Touch ID, particularly with regard to authenticating Apple Pay.

We believe Apple's facial recognition system solution should work from many angles and in low-light environments. However, it would not work without clear line of sight to the user's face. Even if this encompassed just 5% of login scenarios, it would mean that several times a day the new iPhone would perform worse at an elemental feature than older iPhones, which would risk pushback from consumers. Further, we do not believe facial recognition would be initially qualified as an acceptable verification method for Apple Pay. While Apple could achieve this over time, the likelihood for an initial lack of Apple Pay could adversely affect demand.

Hargreaves concludes that if Apple thinks facial recognition isn't sufficient by itself for login and authentication, then a delay in the retail availability of the OLED iPhone is "very unlikely, but possible". But while the analyst believes a delay up until mid-November would not have an impact on investor expectations for the cycle, anything beyond that timeframe could have negative repercussions.

Meanwhile, alleged leaks continue to trickle out into the social media sphere, the most recent coming today via Chinese microblogging service Weibo claiming to show an "iPhone 8" production glass panel back that has no cutout for a Touch ID fingerprint sensor. Early rumors suggested Apple would relocate the sensor to the rear of the handset, similar to the Samsung Galaxy S8.

Apple is thought to have incorporated 3D sensing technology in the forward-facing camera of its "iPhone 8", which may perform a function in the purported facial scanning feature. Alongside the redesigned OLED iPhone, Apple is also expected to announce incremental updates to the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus.

Amazon's third annual "Prime Day" has just kicked off, with Amazon offering 30 hours of "epic 'day of' deals on everything you're into." Deals will change continually over the course of the next day, and Amazon is expected to offer discounts on a range of products, including Apple devices and accessories.

The products that are discounted will be a surprise until each "Lightning" sale kicks off, so it's best to keep a close eye on Amazon's site if you're interested in a specific product. Some of the best deals can also sell out fast, so we won't be able to share all of the available deals, but we'll try to tweet some of the best discounts.

Amazon plans to organize deals around more than 20 themes, like pet lovers, gardeners, techies, artists, and more, which should make it easy to track down the products you're looking for.

Prime Day will last from July 10 at 6:00 p.m. Pacific Time to July 11 at 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time. Prime Day deals will be available in 13 countries, including the United States, UK, Spain, Mexico, Italy, Japan, India, France, Germany, China, Canada, Belgium, and Austria. A Prime membership is required to take advantage of the deals.

Along with Amazon, many major retailers will be offering discounts on iPhones, iPads, Macs, and other Apple accessories this week, including Best Buy, Adorama, and B&H Photo. For the best prices on Apple products, make sure to check out our Deals Roundup, which has comprehensive price charts available.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner of Amazon and the other above-listed sites. When you make a purchase using one of our links, we receive a small commission, which helps keep the site running.

Apple provided the third beta of iOS 11 to developers this morning, introducing a range of feature refinements, speed improvements, bug fixes, and more. In the video and the post below, we've outlined all of the more significant tweaks and changes.

Though we're on the third beta of iOS 11, there are still many bugs in the software, which is to be expected with a beta. A list of new bugs and known issues can be found in the update's release notes, and developers should read the info carefully. iOS 11 beta 3, like earlier iOS 11 betas, should only be installed on secondary device.

- iPad App Switcher - When closing an app, the swipe to close gesture has been restored. Previously, it was necessary to hold down on an app and tap the "x" to close it when using the iPad's App Switcher interface.

- SOS - When using Apple's emergency alert feature, an SOS that's canceled will no longer send out notifications.

- Files app - OS X Server and Dropbox have been added to the Files app on the iPhone and the iPad as new Locations.

- TV Providers - Comcast, Cox, AT&T U-verse, Verizon Fios, Time Warner Cable, and more are all listed as new providers in the TV Providers section of the Settings app in iOS 11 beta 3, and they appear to allow users to take advantage of Single sign-on.

- Notification Center - There's no need to swipe a second time to see "Earlier Today" notifications in the Notification Center. All notifications are shown on the first downward swipe to get to the Lock Screen/Notification Center. In previous betas, you needed to swipe down to see unread notifications and then swipe up again to see earlier notifications. Beta 3 simplifies the Notification Center.

- iCloud Messages - The syncing feature that uploads your iMessages to iCloud in iOS 11 now lets you know how many messages still need to be uploaded.

- Screen Recording - When you 3D Touch the Screen Recording button in the Control Center, there's a new option to start a broadcast. Right now, the feature works like a standard screen recording and saves a video to the Camera Roll, but it could perhaps integrate with third-party apps in the future for automatic uploads.

- Music - When a song is playing in the Music app, tapping the song name from the Control Center will once again open the Music app.

The third beta of iOS 11 is limited to developers, but we expect Apple to release a second public beta later this week, which should be identical to the third developer beta.

Apple today seeded the third beta of an upcoming macOS High Sierra update to developers for testing purposes, more than two weeks after seeding the original second beta and over a month after introducing the new software at its 2017 Worldwide Developers Conference.

The new beta can be downloaded from the Apple Developer Center or over-the-air using the Software Update mechanism in the Mac App Store.

macOS High Sierra focuses on new core storage, video, and graphics technology, introducing a new Apple File System (APFS), High Efficiency Video Codec (HEVC) and an updated version of Metal with support for VR and external GPUs.

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Some apps are also gaining new features. Photos is being updated with a new sidebar that's designed to make it easier to access editing tools and albums, and there are new filters and editing options like Curves and Selective Color. Photos also supports external editing apps like Photoshop and Pixelmator, saving changes made in those apps, and it interfaces with third-party printing services.

Safari is gaining speed enhancements, an option to end autoplay video, and a new feature that puts a stop to data tracking. Siri in macOS High Sierra has expanded music capabilities and a new, more natural voice, and Spotlight supports flight status information. There are also improvements to iCloud, FaceTime, Messages, and Notes.

macOS High Sierra is available for both registered developers and public beta testers, and it's likely a new public beta that's identical to the third developer beta will be released later this week.

Apple today seeded the third beta of iOS 11 to developers for testing purposes, more than two weeks after releasing the original second beta and over a month after introducing the new update at the Worldwide Developers Conference.

Registered developers can download the iOS 11 beta from Apple's Developer Center, or over-the-air once the proper configuration profile has been installed.

The second iOS 11 beta included a slew of bug fixes, addressing issues that were discovered in the first beta. The third beta will also include many bug fixes, but could also focus more heavily on feature tweaks and changes. In iOS 11 beta 2, there were only a handful of changes, most notably the enabling of Do Not Disturb mode.

iOS 11 introduces some design changes, including a customizable Control Center and a new Lock screen that's merged with the Notification Center. Peer-to-peer Apple Pay payments are being introduced in the Messages app, which is also gaining a new App Drawer, and there's a new Do Not Disturb feature that is designed to help drivers stay focused on the road. Siri, Photos, the Camera app, and more are also gaining significant improvements.

ARKit for developers will result in a wide range of new augmented reality apps, while a Core ML SDK will allow apps to become a whole lot smarter. iOS 11 is also the biggest update ever for the iPad, with a new Dock that introduces much improved multitasking, a Files app for better managing files, improved Apple Pencil support, a revamped App Switcher, and system-wide drag and drop.

iOS 11 available for both registered developers and public beta testers. A second public beta test that's identical to the third developer beta should be released later this week.

For full details on all of the new features included in iOS 11, make sure to check out our extensive iOS 11 roundup.

Charitybuzz today launched an auction in which the winning bidder will have lunch with Apple's services chief Eddy Cue at the company's newly constructed Apple Park headquarters in Cupertino, California.

The auction has an estimated value of $50,000. Bids can be placed between now and Tuesday, July 25 at 12:01 p.m. Pacific Time, in support of non-profit organization Autism Movement Therapy, based in Van Nuys, California.

Autism Movement Therapy works to provide expressive movement therapy and workplace readiness skills resulting in meaningful, dignified employment for individuals with autism and related disorders, according to Charitybuzz.

Here's your chance to have lunch with Eddy Cue at the stunning new 175-acre Apple Headquarters in Cupertino, CA, where you will learn more about Apple's industry-leading content stores and online services. This is a rare opportunity to see "Apple Park" and engage in a one-on-one, in-depth conversation with one of the most innovative business minds of our generation.

Cue offered a similar luncheon auction just a few weeks ago, raising $255,000 in support of the National Association of Basketball Coaches Foundation non-profit organization in Kansas City, Missouri.

The private meet and greet will be scheduled at a mutually agreed upon date between August 1, 2017 and June 30, 2018. The winning bidder must be at least 18 or older. The cost of the meal and gratuity is included, but travel and accommodations are not. The experience cannot be resold, re-auctioned, or transferred.

The lunch does not include a formal tour inside Apple Park facilities, and photography is not permitted, according to Charitybuzz.

Cue, who is officially Apple's senior vice president of Internet Software and Services, currently oversees the iTunes Store, Apple Music, Apple Pay, Siri, Apple Maps, iCloud, and Apple's iWork and iLife suites of productivity apps.

Apple executives have participated in several Charitybuzz auctions over the years, with CEO Tim Cook most recently raising over $680,000 for the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights.

Update: Cue's latest lunch auction brought in $26,000 for Autism Movement Therapy.