MacRumors

Apple today seeded the fourth beta of an upcoming tvOS 11 update designed for the fourth-generation TV, two weeks after seeding the third beta and more than a month after releasing the first beta during the 2017 Worldwide Developers Conference.

Registered developers can download tvOS 11 by connecting the Apple TV to a computer with a USB-C cable and installing the beta software using iTunes.

tvOS 11 didn't receive much attention at the Worldwide Developers Conference due to time constraints, but according to Apple's release notes, it introduces a few new features to the operating system.

tvOS 11 includes automatic switching between light/dark mode based on local time, Home screen syncing options that keep multiple Apple TVs in a household in sync, new background modes and notification support, Focus API improvements, custom sound support, network-based pairing and development support, improvements to Mobile Device Management, and more.

The fourth beta of tvOS 11 likely focuses primarily on bug fixes and other small refinements, as the first three betas did. Apple's new tvOS 11 update is available for both registered developers and public beta testers. It will see a public release later this year.

Music streaming service Spotify is close to signing a deal with Warner Music Group that would see artists under the label launch albums exclusively on Spotify's $9.99/month paid subscription tier. Spotify has previously not restricted albums to its paid subscribers, but reports earlier this year said that the service would soon begin practicing in exclusives, and it now appears to be happening with Warner Music artists as the first potential exclusives for Spotify Premium users that would be unavailable to anyone on the free tier.

Spotify and Warner Music's new deal "could be signed by September," according to sources speaking with Reuters. The sources said that some of the biggest parts of the deal have been talked about, including granting Spotify "a more favorable revenue split" in return for Spotify launching Warner Music albums exclusively on its paid tier "for a defined period." However, specific monetary amounts for such a deal, and which of Warner Music's artists would be included -- Ed Sheeran and Muse are under the label's management -- were details that have yet to be ironed out.

One source described the talks as being at "a crossroads," with any potential for a final deal remaining "at bay" until agreements were made on a number of points. Still, talks are said to be "taking place daily," leading other sources close to the deal hopeful for a finalized agreement to come by September. The signing of the deal is said to be Spotify's "last big music royalty deal" ahead of the company's plan to go public on the stock market by late 2017/early 2018.

The parties are positive a deal could be signed by September as major issues such as granting loss-making Spotify a more favorable revenue split in return for making some new albums accessible only to its paying subscribers for a defined period have already been agreed, the sources said.

However, the precise revenue split and the size of a potential guaranteed upfront payment to the label, home to artists including Ed Sheeran and Muse, have yet to be agreed, said two of the sources.

In terms of the revenue split, Spotify is said to be seeking an even 50-50 split with royalties of albums streamed on the service, but Warner Music is hoping to keep at least 52 percent of its albums' royalties on Spotify. Any deal is expected to see a percent of Warner Music's royalties decreased, as the company currently has a 55 percent majority on Spotify royalties. Artist royalties have been the center of negative press for Spotify in the past, leading to the company's acquisition of blockchain technology company Mediachain Labs.

In June, Spotify announced that it has over 140 million global monthly active users, 53 million of which are paid subscribers. According to MIDiA Research detailed in today's Reuters report, that represents about 40 percent of streaming music subscribers worldwide. In comparison, Apple Music is said to have 19 percent of global streaming music subscribers (about 28 million), while Amazon Prime Music accounts for 12 percent (about 16 million subscribers).

For Apple Music, the streaming music service has been repeatedly criticized for its reliance on album exclusives since its launch in the summer of 2015. Last year, Eddy Cue said that exclusives on Apple Music will continue to appear "where appropriate."

Speaking with Reuters last month, Spotify vice president Jonathan Forster said that Apple's rise in the music streaming market has helped Spotify: "It's great that Apple is in the game," Forster said. "They are definitely raising the profile of streaming. It is hard to build an industry on your own."

Linkin Park singer Chester Bennington was filmed in an episode of Apple's upcoming show Carpool Karaoke: The Series just days before his death.

Earlier this month, the band tweeted an on-set photo with Bennington pictured alongside Linkin Park band members Joe Hahn and Mike Shinoda, and Ken Jeong, best known for his role as Ben Chang on the NBC sitcom Community.

Carpool Karaoke: The Series, based on the popular segment from The Late Late Show with James Corden, is set to debut August 8 on Apple Music. Apple did not immediately respond when asked if Linkin Park's episode will still be released.

Bennington committed suicide last Thursday, resulting in an outpouring of grief from his family, friends, and fans around the world. Linkin Park has set up a website in his memory and tweeted a message about him earlier today.

"Our hearts are broken," the band said. "You touched so many lives, maybe even more than you realized. In the past few days, we've seen an outpouring of love and support, both public and private, from around the world."

"I am in shock and heartbroken," tweeted Jeong. "All my thoughts and prayers go out to Chester and his family and friends at this time."

Taiwanese electronics manufacturer Foxconn is nearing a decision to invest in Wisconsin, and could hold an event in Washington, D.C. as soon as this week to discuss its U.S. investment plans, according to The Wall Street Journal.

Foxconn is one of Apple's primary iPhone assemblers in China, but in Wisconsin, the company is initially looking at producing display panels that can be used in large-screen electronics like televisions, according to the report.

The report, citing two people allegedly familiar with the plans, said Foxconn is also looking in the Detroit area for a possible factory.

Last month, Foxconn chairman Terry Gou confirmed that Foxconn is interested in investing at least $10 billion towards U.S. manufacturing in seven states: Ohio, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana, and Texas.

Foxconn's display factory in Wisconsin will reportedly cost at least $7 billion. Gou said it could create tens of thousands of American jobs.

Earlier, Gou confirmed Apple is willing to invest in the facility, suggesting the Wisconsin plant could eventually also be used to manufacture smaller displays for products like iPhones, iPads, and MacBooks.

Foxconn has reportedly been in talks with U.S. government officials for several months over the facility, including House Speaker Paul Ryan, a Republican who represents a district in southeastern Wisconsin.

Gou said Foxconn will work closely with Japanese display maker Sharp, which it acquired last year, on its U.S. investment plans.

Rumors suggesting Foxconn might open its first U.S. factory began circulating last November, after Apple reportedly asked its suppliers Foxconn and Pegatron to look into the feasibility of producing iPhones in the United States.

This past weekend, Niantic held a real-life event for the popular iOS and Android game Pokémon Go, called Pokémon Go Fest, where fans from all over the world descended upon Chicago to hunt for Pokémon in Grant Park. Ahead of the event, Niantic promised increased Pokémon encounters, challenges and rewards for the game's three teams, an exclusive in-game medal, special PokéStops, and more.

Unfortunately, the anniversary event was met with disgruntled attendees once network issues and game bugs were discovered by some of the 20,000 visitors to Chicago (via NBC Chicago). Niantic chief marketing officer Mike Quigley described the problems to fans during the event:

“One is a network issue. One of the providers is trying to pump in some more bandwidth so that’s something that we’re working with them closely on,” CMO Mike Quigley said onstage. “The other two issues are on the Niantic side. There’s a crash bug issue that we’ve identified. I know some of you have had that issue, as well as an authentication issue, so we’ve got it completely pinpointed to those three things.”

Some fans, speaking to CNBC, said that the problems became less frequent as the day went on, because Niantic began implementing quick fixes in the game -- like reducing animations -- to get it to run smoother.

"I spent more time trying to get the game to load than I have playing it," said Laura, who was using a phone with AT&T service. But early on, network issues were affecting all four of the major US carriers. "It was rough in the morning," said Abbie Harrison, a Verizon customer. "They're turning off animations for the lures and stuff to make it run better. It's running better now. I'm actually able to log in. It was really spotty and nothing would show up on my screen. I can now actually see and do things."

In response, Niantic is offering those who went to Pokémon Go Fest in Chicago a full $20 refund on their tickets, as well as $100 in-game credit in the form of Pokécoins. The developer also expanded the range of special Pokémon and PokéStops that appeared during the event to a two mile radius, giving attendees a chance to move farther out from Grant Park and get better cellular reception.

The event marked the start of Legendary Pokémon appearing within the game, so in response to the sign-in problems Niantic is gifting all registered attendees Lugia into their Pokémon Go accounts.

Game bugs, crashes, and server problems have been associated with Pokémon Go since the app launched last summer, which Niantic has largely addressed with various updates to the game. With Pokémon Go Fest in Chicago over, a similar festival has already been announced in Yokohama, Japan for sometime in August.

Mobile chip suppliers in Apple's supply chain are reportedly seeing a drop in orders from rival handset makers as other companies adopt a "wait-and-see" approach in anticipation of what the "iPhone 8" might bring, according to a new report on Monday (via DigiTimes).

While chip makers saw Apple's orders pick up last month, demand from non-Apple customers has been slow, according to sources at backend houses, which don't expect orders to rise substantially until the fourth quarter.

Fabless firms including MediaTek and HiSilicon continue to slow down their pace of orders, said the sources, which warned of disappointing handset-chip shipments from the non-Apple camp in the third quarter.

Chip orders from rivals were reportedly expected to have picked up in the beginning of April and grown through August, but orders are said to have been delayed as companies await Apple's redesigned "iPhone 8", which many rivals believe will come with revolutionary features.

Meanwhile, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) has seen non-Apple customers express more interest in the firm's 12-nanometer node manufacturing process, which is said to be a smaller, enhanced version of its 16nm process, rather than its 10nm process, which Apple is relying on for the A11 chips in its iterative "iPhone 7s" and "iPhone 7s Plus" updates, along with the premium-tier OLED iPhone.

10nm is supposed to yield chips that are more power efficient and offer faster end user experiences. Apple's iPhone sales are expected to sustain demand for TSMC's 10nm mobile chips through the first quarter of 2018, the sources added. Meanwhile, the 12nm node process should serve as a more modest enhancement to fill the competition gap before more suppliers are capable of building faster 10nm chips.

Apple has a major iPhone redesign in the works this year, with a glass body and edge-to-edge OLED display, wireless charging, enhanced cameras with 3D sensing technology, and new authentication features including facial recognition. The OLED iPhone is expected to launch in the fall alongside upgraded (but standard) 4.7 and 5.5-inch iPhones.

Apple has acquired specialist machinery from Sunic System to build its own OLED panel research and development line in Taiwan, according to a report on Monday.

Korea-based Sunic manufactures systems for OLED display production and supply for both pilot and mass production lines. According to ET News, Apple has purchased chemical vapor deposition (CVD) machines from the company to reduce its reliance on Chinese suppliers as it ramps up its R&D into OLED panel and related technology.

CVD is a technique for the fabrication and synthesis of thin films of polymeric materials, which have a broad range of application, including the production of OLED panel coatings with barrier properties.

Japanese Canon Tokki is currently the primary supplier of CVD machines and is said to ship the bulk of its output to Samsung, the biggest producer of OLED panels, but Apple's acquisition of the machines from Sunic could undermine Canon Tokki's dominant position in the CVD market going forward.

Samsung has bought five sets of OLED manufacturing equipment from Canon Tokki so far in 2017 and has signed contracts to buy five out of 10 such machines to be rolled out by the Japan-based machinery company in 2018, said the Commercial Times.

Samsung's own CVD purchases likely feed into its plan to construct the world's biggest OLED display manufacturing plant, which could begin mass production in 2019.

Apple has reportedly signed a two-year contract with the Korean company for the supply of up to 92 million curved OLED panels, at least some of which are expected to be used in this year's redesigned iPhone, variously referred to in the media as "iPhone 8", "iPhone Pro", and "iPhone X".

Apple is thought to be offering the OLED iPhone as a premium option alongside typical upgraded "S" cycle iPhone 7 handsets that will retain LCD displays. Rumors suggest that all iPhones in Apple's line-up could come with OLED displays by 2019.

Today's report suggests Apple is accelerating its research into bespoke OLED technology with the aim of eventually reducing its heavy reliance on Samsung in years to come, although whether it would actually manufacture its own OLED panels is unclear. LG has also reportedly purchased two CVD machines from Canon Tokki and has begun shipping OLED panels to Xiaomi and Google, and although LG's panels have not yet been validated by Apple, the two companies are said to be negotiating an OLED supply deal in time for 2019.

(Via DigiTimes.)

Encrypted messaging app Telegram received an update on Sunday that makes it the latest chat platform to embrace Snapchat-style disappearing messages.

Up until now, Telegram users have only been able to send text-based "secret chats" that self-delete, but in version 4.2 of the app they can now share videos and photos armed with a self-destruct timer.

Timers are set using the clock icon in the media picker and can be anything up to one minute long. The countdown starts the moment the recipient opens the photo or video that's sent, and the sender is notified if the recipient tries to take a screenshot of the disappearing media.

Elsewhere in the update, there's an improved photo editor and a speed boost for media downloads from large public channels, thanks to new encrypted content delivery networks.

Lastly, users can now add a bio to their profile in settings, so that people in large group chats know who they are. Telegram is a free download for iPhone and iPad from the App Store. [Direct Link]

This week I'm finally allowed to talk about what should be some pretty massive news for iOS gamers who are also old-school MMORPG players: RuneScape for mobile was announced, and it's coming in late 2017 / early 2018 for Android and iOS. If the name RuneScape doesn't ring a bell, it's a browser-based MMORPG that was first released back in 2001. Like EverQuest and Ultima Online, players who were into RuneScape were really into RuneScape. It has even earned Guinness records for the world's largest free MMORPG and the most updated game.

In addition to the RuneScape that has been updated over the years, Old School RuneScape, which is a modern reboot of (as the title might indicate) the old version of the game, is also coming to mobile. For whatever reason, the Old School iteration is far more popular on Reddit than the modern version. I'm ultra-excited for these mobile ports, as RuneScape is deep in the category of games I've heard a lot about, but never really had the time to sit down and play. Being able to get into the game on my phone really lowers that barrier of entry, and better yet, it's totally cross platform and mobile players will be playing the same game on the same servers as the "real" browser and PC client.

Meanwhile, we've continued to follow the puzzling drama of Honor of Kings versus the Chinese government. It's a scuffle that seems hard to believe as a thing that's really happening. If this is the first you've heard of Honor of Kings, the basic gist is that it's a MOBA by Tencent that is absolutely on fire in China. They've got 200 million active players, and the game accounts for 40 percent of Tencent's total mobile games revenue, which amounted to $883 million generated by the game just in Q1 this year. People play it so much that Tencent has actually put restrictions on just how long you can play it in a single day.

However, amidst legitimate fears of children becoming addicted to such massively online releases, the Chinese government has this week labeled Honor of Kings as 'poison' in the state-run People's Daily paper, and has threatened further action against Tencent to crack down on the influence such games have over vulnerable young gamers. It's a reality that's hard to believe. I typically write off describing games as "addictive" as marketing hyperbole, but in the case of Honor of Kings, this seems to be something the Chinese government is genuinely concerned about.

In other news, San Diego Comic Con is happening right now. While mobile gaming-relevant announcements at the event are typically few and far between, Telltale came out swinging by announcing a whole slew of sequels to existing popular series. Batman is gaining a second season titled Batman: The Enemy Within, which will be released on August 8 for PC and consoles with mobile coming at some point in the future. Additionally, the fabulous The Walking Dead by Telltale is moving on to a third and final season cleverly titled The Walking Dead: The Final Season. The game will follow the conclusion of Clementine's story, who throughout the series has evolved from a child side-character into the primary protagonist. Last, but not least, The Wolf Among Us is also getting a second season, although no details exist beyond the fact that it's coming.

Following up on the world of Hearthstone as we rocket towards the release of the upcoming expansion, Knights of the Frozen Throne, a new event has kicked off in game that rewards packs of cards for the new set. The Frost Festival gives players various quests to complete in game which revolve around competing in Hearthstone's limited Arena format. Of course these packs can't be opened until the new set launches next month, but much like the previous Midsummer Fire Festival, participating in The Frost Festival is a great way to get a ton of free stuff in game.

Among the many new iOS games which were released this week is a totally new entry in the unbelievably fantastic Professor Layton puzzler series titled Layton's Mystery Journey. If you've never played a Layton game before, it's a franchise that got its start on the Nintendo DS and features various mysteries which are solved via completing increasingly difficult puzzles.

The release of Layton's Mystery Journey on iOS is incredibly significant as the mobile debut actually has arrived before the 3DS version of the game is released outside of Japan. The $15.99 asking price has armchair App Store game pricing economists up in arms, particularly when you consider the inclusion of 15 different IAP unlockable costumes, each coming with their own additional puzzle. In total, with everything unlocked, Layton on iOS will run you just shy of $40, which is the same price as the same game on the 3DS.

A ton of other great games were released this week as well, including a mobile port of Full Throttle Remastered, the bluffing party game Triple Agent, a strange WWE-themed deck building clicker titled WWE Tap Mania, the grand strategy game Realpolitiks Mobile, and tons more. It's weeks like this that makes keeping up with iOS gaming incredibly difficult as there are more great games released on the App Store than anyone realistically even has time to play.

Last, but not least, when I posted that Sorcery! was free a few weeks ago there were a number of comments posted by readers saying how much they enjoyed it. Well, if that was your first taste of interactive fiction on iOS, there's a lot more where that came from. We put together a list of the best five interactive fiction games, which has a much broader definition than you might think. Definitely give that a look if you enjoyed Sorcery!, or like the idea of playing modern versions of games that play a lot like the old Choose Your Own Adventure novels from when you were a kid.

That's all from me this week, and as always if you appreciate these roundups and are hungry for more information surrounding the world of iOS gaming, be sure to check out TouchArcade. We post iOS game news, reviews, previews, guides, and more all week long.