Apple in June introduced new 10.5 and 12.9-inch iPad Pro models with new features like a faster processor and an improved ProMotion display with a 120Hz refresh rate, and it appears these new tablets are appealing to consumers.
Apple sold over 11.4 million iPads during the third quarter of 2017, according to today's earnings results, bringing in nearly $5 billion in revenue for the company.
That's up 15 percent from the third quarter of 2016, where Apple sold just under 10 million iPads. Compared to the second quarter of 2017, iPad sales are up an impressive 28 percent, indeed suggesting the new iPad Pro models have been a hit.
Apple also released a low-cost revamped "iPad" earlier this year, and its $329 price tag combined with a speedy A9 processor may also be driving iPad sales. iPad sales may climb even higher next quarter as the new iPad Pro models were introduced towards the end of the third quarter in June.
At 11.4 million iPads sold, Apple far exceeded analyst expectations. Many analysts forecasted a decline in sales, predicting Apple would sell only 7 to 9.8 million iPads during the quarter.
Prior to mid-2016, Apple saw a 10 quarter decline in iPad revenue, but numbers have climbed since the introduction of the iPad Pro and Apple's effort to position it as a full PC replacement.
Apple today announced financial results for the third fiscal quarter of 2017, which corresponds to the second calendar quarter of the year. For the quarter, Apple posted revenue of $45.4 billion and net quarterly profit of $8.7 billion, or $1.67 per diluted share, compared to revenue of $42.4 billion and net quarterly profit of $7.8 billion, or $1.42 per diluted share, in the year-ago quarter.
Gross margin for the quarter was 38.5 percent compared to 38 percent in the year-ago quarter, with international sales accounting for 61 percent of revenue. Apple also declared a quarterly dividend payment of $0.63 per share, payable on August 17 to shareholders of record as of August 14.
Apple sold 41 million iPhones during the quarter, up slightly from 40.4 million a year earlier, while Mac sales rose slightly to 4.29 million units from 4.25 million units in the year-ago quarter following the introduction of a number of updated Macs in June.
iPad sales saw a significant increase on the strength of new iPad Pro models released late in the quarter and a low-cost iPad earlier in the year, rising to 11.42 million from 9.95 million. iPad unit sales were up 28 percent compared to the previous quarter and 15 percent year-over-year.
“With revenue up 7 percent year-over-year, we’re happy to report our third consecutive quarter of accelerating growth and an all-time quarterly record for Services revenue,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO. “We hosted an incredibly successful Worldwide Developers Conference in June, and we’re very excited about the advances in iOS, macOS, watchOS and tvOS coming this fall.”
Apple's guidance for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2017 includes expected revenue of $49–52 billion and gross margin between 37.5 and 38 percent.
Apple will provide live streaming of its fiscal Q3 2017 financial results conference call at 2:00 PM Pacific, and MacRumors will update this story with coverage of the conference call highlights.
A complete transcript of the conference call with Apple CEO Tim Cook and CFO Luca Maestri, including questions and answers, is available ahead.
Snapchat parent company Snap is in talks to purchase Zero Zero Robotics, the company that created the $500 Hover Camera Passport Drone that's currently sold exclusively at Apple retail stores and Apple.com, reports The Information.
The Hover Camera Passport is an ultra lightweight drone that's designed to work as a personal camera, following closely behind a person and capturing hands-free photos and videos using face and body tracking. Given its small size (242 grams) and its foldable carbon fiber body, the Hover Camera Passport can go essentially anywhere.
If Snap establishes a deal with Zero Zero Robotics, the Hover Camera Passport and future related products would join Snap's existing Spectacles, which are camera-equipped sunglasses meant to capture short videos and upload them to Snapchat.
Right now, the Hover Camera Passport is exclusive to Apple Stores, and Apple has inked a deal with Zero Zero that has made demo products available in many Apple retail stores around the world. Should Snap purchase Zero Zero, the latter company's deal with Apple would presumably end.
Zero Zero is said to have approached Snap in an effort to secure additional funding, but a potential purchase price isn't available. Snap has reportedly been looking into acquiring drone companies since mid-2016, and has already purchased one small drone maker in Los Angeles.
High-end camera company Red today announced that its Red Raven camera kit, priced at $14,995.95, is being sold exclusively through Apple.com and demoed at select Apple retail stores around the world.
Red describes the Raven camera kit as a "complete camera package" that features a "diverse" set of accessories that have been sourced from brands like Sigma, G-Tech, Nanuk, and of course, Apple, with the company contributing Final Cut Pro X. The full kit components are listed below:
RED RAVEN 4.5K camera BRAIN
RED DSMC2 Touch LCD 4.7" Monitor
RED DSMC2 Outrigger Handle
RED V-Lock I/O Expander
RED 120 GB RED MINI-MAG
Two IDX DUO-C98 batteries with VL-2X charger
G-Technology ev Series RED MINI-MAG Reader
Sigma 18-35mm F1.8 DC HSM Art
Nanuk heavy-duty camera case
Final Cut Pro X
foolcontrol for RAVEN Camera Kit
The Red Raven 4.5K camera, which can capture up to 120 frames per second, is designed to produce cinema-quality imagery while also remaining small and compact for portability. It weighs 3.5 pounds and can be used with drones, gimbals, and handheld configurations. As with all Red cameras, the Raven has a modular design that allows it to pair with both Red accessories and accessories from third-party brands.
In the continued release of Apple news originating from developers digging through HomePod firmware, we now have some of the first user interface sounds that HomePod users could be hearing once the smart home speaker launches this December.
Developer Avery Magnotti discovered the sounds within a file named "audioOS" of the HomePod firmware that Apple released this past weekend. In order of appearance in the file, the sounds are called:
To hear what the files sound like, Magnotti posted a video on his YouTube channel, sharing samples of each file listed. Alarm1 and Timer1 sound like simple tones that HomePod users might be able to choose from when setting up timers in their kitchens. The rest are a bit more unclear, although each Setup file is likely related to the initial pairing process of HomePod and a user's iPhone.
The reason that there are so many iPhone and Apple Watch bits of news coming out of the new HomePod firmware is because Apple's smart speaker will run on a modified version of iOS when it launches, and the firmware being investigated by developers relates to iOS 11.0.2. Apple announced the HomePod at WWDC this year, and it will launch this December for $349.
Twelve South today announced the release of its BookBook case for all 12-inch MacBook and 2016 and later MacBook Pro models.
BookBook essentially disguises a MacBook or MacBook Pro as a vintage hardback book, while protecting the notebook with reinforced corners and a new, stronger crush-resistant spine. The outside is crafted from premium oil-pull up leather, while the inside is lined with a velvety soft microfiber material.
The new BookBook has a hidden compartment for hiding a few documents below the MacBook. BookBook also has two elastic bands on the inside cover of the case, which can be slipped over the corners of the MacBook's screen. Then, when the BookBook is opened, the MacBook screen will open too.
BookBook, one of the more popular MacBook cases over the past six years, is available now on Twelve South's website. It costs $79.99 for all 12-inch MacBook and 2016 and later MacBook Pro models with free U.S. shipping available. BookBook remains available for other MacBook Pro and MacBook Air models as well.
Mophie today announced the release of a new high capacity mobile battery called the Powerstation USB-C XXL, which is aimed at the latest MacBook and MacBook Pro models. The accessory includes a 19,500 mAh battery, which Mophie said will provide up to 14 hours of extra battery, or "more than one full charge" to a MacBook.
The Powerstation USB-C XXL includes one USB-C port and one 5V/2.4A USB-A port, so users can simultaneously charge an iPhone or iPad as they charge their MacBook. The top of the accessory is wrapped in a soft-touch fabric, which Mophie said helps keep other devices in a bag safe from scratches when traveling.
Mophie's new accessory can charge a MacBook at full speed thanks to included USB power delivery technology in the USB-C port, which can charge a connected MacBook at rapid charging rates of up to 30 watts. While 30 watts isn't enough to keep up with a MacBook Pro under heavy load, the battery can still recharge a MacBook Pro in sleep mode or at least slow the battery drain while the computer is in use.
Like other Mophie products, the Powerstation USB-C XXL also includes priority charging, so when it's connected to a wall adapter the battery pack will send power to a connected device first, then recharge itself.
Mophie's PowerStation USB-C XXL is available to buy for $149.95 on Mophie.com, Apple.com, and in Apple retail stores beginning today, although it hasn't yet appeared on Apple's website at the time of writing.
It's worth noting that there are other options on the market if you're looking for USB-C battery packs with power delivery specifications, all of which offer higher capacities at prices lower than Mophie's accessory, although Mophie's design standards and favored relationship with Apple contribute toward its products' popularity with consumers.
• revenue between $43.5 billion and $45.5 billion • gross margin between 37.5 percent and 38.5 percent • operating expenses between $6.6 billion and $6.7 billion • other income/expense of $450 million • tax rate of 25.5 percent
That guidance suggests Apple will report its second-best third quarter earnings results in the company's history. The quarter corresponds with April 1, 2017 through July 1, 2017.
Wall Street's consensus is that Apple will report approximately $44.9 billion revenue and earnings per share of $1.57, according to dozens of estimates averaged by Thomson Reuters and Yahoo Finance.
Apple is forecasted to have sold 40.7 million iPhones, 9 million iPads, and 4.3 million Macs, according to average estimates shared by Wells Fargo, compared to 40.4 million, 9.95 million, and 4.25 million respectively in the year-ago quarter.
MacRumors.com compiled third quarter estimates from several financial institutions and analysts tracking Apple and the company's stock. The figures are listed below, ranked from highest to lowest in quarterly revenue.
All signs point to Apple reporting an above-average and generally unsurprising June quarter. The most interesting takeaway will be Apple's fourth quarter guidance and any clues that provides about the so-called iPhone 8.
In addition to iPhone sales, investors will be looking for continued growth of Apple's services category, which includes the likes of the App Store, iTunes Store, Apple Music, Apple Pay, AppleCare, and licensing fees.
Apple CEO Tim Cook and CFO Luca Maestri will discuss the company's financial results on a conference call at 2:00 p.m. Pacific Time. MacRumors.com will transcribe the call as it unfolds for those unable to listen.
Just over a month after originally appearing for a few Apple Music subscribers on both iOS 10 and the iOS 11 beta, it appears that Apple's new "My Chill Mix" playlist is now expanding to many more users of the music streaming service.
My Chill Mix recommends music that's both old and new, curating a list of songs for Apple Music users that are supposed to help them "relax and unwind" as they listen. Because each person's definition of relaxation might differ, Apple Music's My Chill Mix isn't only aimed at low-key music, but could also include rock, hip-hop, techno, and more.
Like Apple's other intelligently curated playlists, Apple Music will get better at recommending music for My Chill Mix the more that users listen to music on the app. The playlist will refresh every Sunday and includes 25 tracks, just like Apple Music's other customized playlists.
"Tailored to your music taste, My Chill Mix is a selection of songs to help you relax and unwind."
Last year, Apple launched its first curated playlists, called "My Favorites Mix" and "My New Music Mix." My Favorites Mix presents users with a collection of their most-listened-to songs every Wednesday, while My New Music Mix recommends the newest music based off of each user's listening history.
When iOS 11 launches to the public, there will be a few changes in the Apple Music app, mostly related to a new social feature. In the "For You" tab, users will be able to create their own Apple Music profile page, share their favorite playlists, and follow friends to see what they're listening to in order to further facilitate new music discovery.
Update: One user on Reddit has discovered another custom Apple Music playlist that can be invoked by asking Siri to "play My Party Mix." As of now My Party Mix has yet to appear in the For You tab on Apple Music, but most users have found that they can play the collection through Siri. Musical artists and styles vary among users, as is custom with these playlists, but the common factor appears to be upbeat songs that could be played at a party.
Firmware for Apple's HomePod has already given us glimpses into the unreleased iPhone 8, including a glyph representing the basic front-facing design of the smartphone, as well as code that supports rumors of a "split" status bar.
Apple Watch has yet to be mentioned in the discoveries, but recently developer Jeffrey Grossman shared a few pieces of information on Twitter that are potentially related to Apple's wearable device, which he discovered when looking through the HomePod's IPSW files.
At one point, the firmware includes a few references to a "Skiing Workout" alongside multiple strings that describe items like "Downhill Snow Sports Distance," "Ski Data," and "Workout Activity Type."
Apple has been consistently adding new exercises to the Workout app for Apple Watch over the past few years, including swimming exercises in watchOS 3 (which requires Apple Watch Series 2) and new High Intensity Interval Training exercises in the upcoming watchOS 4.
As such, it's likely that there are various unannounced workouts that will be introduced in future watchOS 4 updates, which now might include sessions for skiers. Coming in the first public release of watchOS 4 are a number of UI improvements for the Workouts app, making it easier to start an exercise and string together different types of exercises.
Upon release, HomePod will run a version of iOS, and the firmware released by Apple that's been dissected by developers this week corresponds to iOS 11.0.2, lending credibility to all of the bits and pieces of information that have thus far been uncovered within the files.
Apple and Google have recently removed over 300 binary options trading apps from the App Store and Google Play store respectively, according to the Australian Securities and Investments Commission.
A spokesperson for Apple said it removed the apps globally in accordance with its recently updated App Store Review Guidelines:
Apps that facilitate binary options trading are not permitted on the App Store. Consider a web app instead.
MacRumors easily discovered at least five apps that still appear to facilitate binary options trading on the App Store. Apple's guidelines clearly state that binary options trading apps are no longer permitted on the App Store, so it's unclear why some remain available to download, and whether they'll soon be removed.
The trading apps encouraged users to make bets on whether instruments like shares or currencies will rise or fall, according to Bloomberg. However, many of them were unlicensed and failed to outline the risks of trading binary options, and some merely collected personal information, according to ASIC.
Many of the trading apps subject to surveillance by ASIC contained statements which appeared to be misleading about the profitability of trading and the amount of profit that could be made, the regulator said. One of the apps, for example, advertised that users could profit in as quickly as 60 seconds.
"In an age where technology can hide who is offering and controlling a product, buyer beware has never been so important," said ASIC commissioner Cathie Armour. "If something appears too good to be true, it probably is."
The U.K. home secretary Amber Rudd has argued that "real people" do not want secure end-to-end encryption on messaging platforms and are more concerned with usability and features than unbreakable security (via Yahoo News).
Rudd made her case in a newspaper article, published ahead of a meeting today with technology companies in San Francisco, where she will warn tech giants that their services are being misused by terrorists. Writing in The Daily Telegraph, Rudd said:
"Who uses WhatsApp because it is end-to-end encrypted, rather than because it is an incredibly user-friendly and cheap way of staying in touch with friends and family?
"So this is not about asking the companies to break encryption or create so-called 'back doors'.
"Companies are constantly making trade-offs between security and 'usability', and it is here where our experts believe opportunities may lie.
"Real people often prefer ease of use and a multitude of features to perfect, unbreakable security."
Rudd's comments were immediately criticized by privacy campaigners, with civil liberties organization Big Brother Watch calling her viewpoint "at best naïve, at worst dangerous".
"Suggesting that people don't really want security from their online services is frankly insulting," said Renate Samson, chief executive of BBW. "What of those in society who are in dangerous or vulnerable situations, let alone those of us who simply want to protect our communications from breach, hack or cybercrime."
"Once again the government are attempting to undermine the security of all in response to the actions of a few. We are all digital citizens, we all deserve security in the digital space."
Rudd is due to give her speech to tech companies like Twitter, Facebook, and Microsoft, in which she will urge them to do more to remove extremist content online or face new laws forcing them to do so.
Speaking to the BBC, Rudd said she wanted to work more closely with companies on encryption so that "where there is a particular need, where there is a targeted need" the government should be given access to metadata and encrypted content.
But Facebook's chief operating officer, Sheryl Sandberg, pushed back against that argument, and warned about pushing criminals into even harder to reach parts of the internet.
"If people move off those encrypted services to go to encrypted services in countries that won't share the metadata, the government actually has less information, not more," she said.
Tuesday's summit is the first gathering of the Global Internet Forum to Counter Terrorism, an organization set up by the major tech companies following recent terror attacks. Organization members are likely to resist any action that would result in compromised encryption, however.
In a joint statement, the companies taking part said they were co-operating to "substantially disrupt terrorists' ability to use the internet in furthering their causes, while also respecting human rights".
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.
Firmware for the as-of-yet unreleased HomePod has provided a wealth of information on the speaker itself and the upcoming iPhone 8, thanks to developers like Steven Troughton-Smith who have spent time digging into the code.
Troughton-Smith shared a few new prospective iPhone 8 features and predictions this evening, once again sourced from the HomePod firmware, giving us even more insight into the radically redesigned iPhone Apple plans to release in 2017.
First and foremost, Troughton-Smith has seen no indication that there are features related to under-display Touch ID functionality in the iPhone 8, and he does not believe that such a feature will be included in the device.
For what it's worth… I've seen nothing to suggest an ultrasound under-the-display Touch ID here. Looks like not this year. Quash that one
— Steve T-S (@stroughtonsmith) August 1, 2017
Initial iPhone 8 rumors suggested Apple was working to put Touch ID under the display as the iPhone 8 features an edge-to-edge design with no Home button, but that may not have panned out due to rumored production difficulties. Current information suggests Apple may instead replace Touch ID with a new facial recognition system, and there are indeed several references to infrared face detection in the firmware.
The iPhone 8 is expected to have an edge-to-edge design with thin bezels at the top and the sides, but there will be a blocked out area for the front-facing camera and the new sensors that will enable facial recognition. According to Troughton-Smith and developer Jeffrey Grossman, there are references to new "split" options for the visual provider system for UIStatusBar, suggesting status bar information like connection strength, battery, Bluetooth, and the time may be displayed on either side of the sensor/camera area, for a streamlined status bar at the top of the device.
Troughton-Smith says the new status bar "seems a lot more complex and powerful in design," and could even be interactive in some way.
Along with details on the split status bar and the lack of references to Touch ID, Troughton-Smith has also found information suggesting the iPhone 8 could potentially support a "tap to wake" feature. Tap to Wake is a feature built into some Windows-based Lumia smartphones, allowing the screen to be activated with a double tap, something Apple could use as an alternative to a Home button for waking up an iPhone.
In regard to the Home button, it appears to be called the "Home Indicator" in the firmware, and according to Troughton-Smith, Apple has "no qualms about hiding it in certain contexts." Rumors have suggested that while there will be no physical Home button, there could be an on-screen function area that houses a virtual Home button and other controls. Based on what Troughton-Smith says, this virtual area may be able to be hidden for things like full-screen apps and videos.
The virtual home button seems to just be called the 'home indicator' — looks like the OS has no qualms about hiding it in certain contexts
— Steve T-S (@stroughtonsmith) August 1, 2017
As a last little tidbit, Troughton-Smith says ARKit and Photos are getting new functionality that goes with the front-facing camera with depth sensing features, such as "ARFaceAnchor."
There are details about the iPhone 8 within the HomePod firmware because HomePod will run a version of iOS. The firmware that Apple released corresponds to iOS 11.0.2, a future update that will be introduced sometime after iOS 11 launches in the fall alongside new iPhones.
Apple this week launched a new limited time discount on its Beats EP headphones, Beats Pill+ speaker, and urBeats earphones, which are all on sale for approximately $20 to $30 off.
The Beats EP On-Ear Headphones are available for $99, down from the original price of $129.95. All colors are available at the discounted price, including red, white, black, and blue. The Beats EP are Apples most affordable on-ear headphones, coming in at a lower cost than the Solo3 models.
The Beats Pill+ Portable Speaker is available for $199, down from $229.95. All colors are discounted, including white, black, and red.
Both the Beats Pill+ and the Beats EP On-Ear Headphones were discounted by a similar amount in late 2016 and early 2017, but Apple has not recently offered a sale on the urBeats. With the promotion, the earphones are priced at $79 instead of $99.95. All colors available from the Apple Store are included in the sale: silver, gold, space gray, rose gold, black, and ultra violet.
Apple's prices are a decent deal, but similar and occasionally bigger discounts can often be found from retailers like Amazon and Best Buy during routine sales.
According to the promotion details, Apple's sale will last from today until August 26, 2017 at 11:59:59 p.m. Pacific Time.
Apple today updated its developer news site to let developers know that TestFlight tester limits have been expanded. Starting today, developers can invite up to 10,000 users to beta test their iOS, watchOS, tvOS, and iMessage apps before the apps are released on the App Store.
Developers often use TestFlight to send out pre-release copies of apps to testers and members of the media to suss out bugs and usability issues ahead of the release of an app. TestFlight is simple to use, requiring just an email address to send out beta testing invites, which has made it popular with developers.
Now you can gain even more valuable feedback by inviting up to 10,000 users to beta test your apps before you release them on the App Store. TestFlight makes it simple to invite testers using just their email address and lets testers quickly provide feedback within the TestFlight app.
Prior to today, app developers were only allowed to invite up to 2,000 individuals to beta test apps using the TestFlight beta testing platform, a limit that was put in place in 2015. This is the first time the limit has been increased since then.
As it prepares to go public, Spotify has reached 60 million paid subscribers, reports TechCrunch. The 60 million mark comes nearly five months after the company announced its 50 million paid subscriber milestone in March.
When adding in customers who listen to the free ad-supported tier, Spotify has more than 140 million subscribers worldwide. Comparatively, Apple Music now boasts 27 million paying subscribers, a number Apple shared at its Worldwide Developers Conference in June.
Since its 2015 debut, Apple Music has been growing steadily by luring customers with exclusive album releases, concerts, and original television programming, but it does not offer a free tier like Spotify. Apple Music subscriptions start at $9.99 per month after a three-month free trial.
Spotify paid subscriptions are also priced at $9.99 per month, and in 2016, Spotify's revenue grew over 50 percent to $3.3 billion.
In the near future, Spotify plans to go public through a direct listing, forgoing the traditional initial public offering and making existing Spotify shares available to the public. With this method, likened to an elopement instead of a full-on wedding, Spotify avoids the fanfare of an IPO and does not have to hire an underwriter. Spotify is expected to initiate its direct listing in 2018.
Though Apple's HomePod speaker won't launch until December, Apple on Friday released firmware for the device, allowing developers to glean information both about the speaker itself and the upcoming iPhone 8 by digging into the code.
According to the latest revelation, shared on Twitter by Avery Magnotti, the screen of the HomePod that's used to display a visible multicolor LED waveform when interacting with Siri measures in at 272 x 340.
The display blends in seamlessly with the top of the device and is primarily dedicated to making it clear when Siri is listening to a command, but it also includes virtual buttons for activating Siri and controlling speaker volume. Based on previous leaks, the screen could also display other shapes or symbols, but its full functionality isn't yet known.
Along with the dimensions of the display, the information leaked today suggests the HomePod is equipped with 1GB RAM, equivalent to the amount of RAM in older iOS devices. HomePod also includes an A8 chip, and combined with the RAM, it's more powerful than competing smart speakers, enabling features like spatial awareness, Siri interactivity, and impressive sound.
As we learned over the weekend, HomePod will run a full version of iOS and can be equated to an iPhone without a screen. It will use a shell app called "SoundBoard" to integrate with the hardware built into the device, and it will include Accessibility features like VoiceOver.
HomePod is priced at $349 and will be available for purchase in December.
Apple today uploaded a new trailer for its upcoming original television show "Carpool Karaoke: The Series." The new trailer, set to the song "On the Road Again," teases several of the celebrities who will appear on the show.
"Carpool Karaoke: The Series," which Apple purchased in mid-2016, is based on the popular Carpool Karaoke segment from "The Late Late Show with James Corden," with James Corden, Ben Winston, and Eric Kankowski producing.
Apple's new television show will feature 16 half-hour episodes featuring celebrity pairs riding in a car as they sing songs together. Each episode will feature a different host, with new content coming out on Thursdays.
Featured celebrities will include Will Smith and James Corden; Miley, Noah, Billy Ray and the entire Cyrus family; Shakira and Trevor Noah; Game of Thrones stars Sophie Turner and Maisie Williams; Queen Latifah and Jada Pinkett Smith; John Legend, Alicia Keys and Taraji P. Henson; LeBron James and James Corden; and more.
Apple plans to debut "Carpool Karaoke: The Series" on Tuesday, August 8 in more than 100 countries. It will be limited to Apple Music subscribers.
Update: There's another new Carpool Karaoke trailer available on YouTube channel for The Late Late Show With James Corden.
Apple is set to report its 
The U.K. home secretary Amber Rudd has argued that "real people" do not want secure end-to-end encryption on messaging platforms and are more concerned with usability and features than unbreakable security (via 
Apple today updated its 
