Apple is in the process of transitioning App Store pricing from the U.S. dollar and euro to local currencies in nine countries. The announcement was made last week on Apple's iTunes Connect resource page, and the first reports are coming through that the price changes are equating to small savings in some countries, owing to favorable exchange rates.
App Store pricing in Romania is now showing in the country's Leu currency, which has made books, apps, and songs a little cheaper, according to iTutorial.ro. For example, an individual music track that cost 15,42 lei before the change, now costs 14,99. Small savings also extend to Apple Music and iCloud subscriptions.
Similar subscription savings have been reported by ThinkApple in Poland, where many prices have been converted at a rate of 1 euro to around 4 zloty, which is currently lower than that offered by banks. Savings in the region aren't as forthcoming in the App Store, however, with some prices actually a little higher.
As well as Poland and Romania, Apple is switching store currencies in Bulgaria (Lev), Czech Republic (Koruna), and Hungary (Forint). In addition, Chile, Colombia, Croatia, and Peru are changing to local currency from the U.S. dollar. Developer proceeds will also be paid out in local currencies as and when the transitions complete.
Last October, popular API documentation browser Dash was removed from the iOS App Store after Apple accused the app's developer, Kapeli, of fraudulent conduct involving hundreds of fake reviews.
Kapeli's Apple developer account was terminated in the controversy, and with no way to sell the app on the App Store, the Dash code was subsequently made open source.
However, according to a Wednesday blog post on Kapeli's website, open sourcing Dash for iOS led to some people submitting it to the App Store in violation of its GNU GPL License:
Quite a few "developers" have even added it to the App Store themselves, violating the GNU GPL license in the process. Apple has been very responsive in removing these apps, but the developers kept adding it back in different shapes and forms and I got tired to fill the same copyright claim forms over and over.
In an effort to stem the tide of copycat apps appearing in the App Store, Dash developer Bogdan Popescu decided to create a personal developer account with Apple and submit Dash for iOS to the App Store.
I've made a personal developer account which Apple accepted and the review for Dash for iOS went through without any issues. I hope this will somewhat stave off the pirated copies of Dash from appearing on the App Store. We'll see.
Dash was approved and is now available as a free download. [Direct Link] The macOS version of Dash continues to be sold exclusively on the developer's website.
Twitter today updated its app for the Apple TV, introducing support for live 360 degree videos, making it the first Apple TV app to support such a feature.
Following the update, Apple TV users can watch live 360 degree videos directly on their television sets, navigating through the scene with the Siri remote. The new version of the Twitter app for Apple TV also includes support for the Periscope Global Map, letting users find user-created Periscope content from around the world.
Much of Twitter's television content comes from its content deals, but there is also a wealth of user-generated video sourced from Periscope that can be watched within the Twitter for Apple TV app.
Along with an update to its Apple TV app, Twitter has also updated its iOS app. As noted by TechCrunch, the iOS update offers up new settings to connect a Twitter account stored on an iOS device to the Apple TV, letting users view their Twitter account on the Apple TV.
There's one other Twitter update, which includes support for Emoji 5.0. Emoji 5.0 was released in March and includes emoji like grinning face with star eyes, vomiting face, face with raised eyebrow, elf, mermaid, zombie, giraffe, pretzel, and more. While Twitter has implemented support for the new emoji, Apple has not, so these characters are only visible when using Twitter for web.
Twitter for iOS can be downloaded from the App Store for free. [Direct Link]
In a new study comparing the accuracy of seven different fitness trackers, the Apple Watch was found to have the lowest margin of error when measuring heart rate, beating the Basis Peak, Fitbit Surge, Microsoft Band, Mio Alpha 2, PulseOn, and Samsung Gear S2.
Researchers set out to determine the accuracy of wrist-worn devices at measuring both heart rate and energy expenditure, aka calories burned via physical activity. 60 volunteers participated, including 29 males and 31 females, each of whom wore several fitness trackers and completed activities like cycling, running, and walking.
Data gathered by the fitness devices was compared against a "gold standard" tracking method, which included an electrocardiograph (ECG) for measuring heart rate and clinical grade indirect calorimetry (measuring oxygen and carbon dioxide expelled when breathing) for measuring calories burned. An error rate of 5 percent was determined to be within acceptable limits.
Across all of the modes of activity, the Apple Watch had the lowest median heart rate error at 2 percent (1.2% to 2.8%), while the Samsung Gear S2 had the highest error rate at 6.8 percent (4.6% to 9%). The Apple Watch was also notably more accurate at measuring heart rate during the walking test than competing products.
For the walking task, three of the devices achieved a median error rate below 5%: the Apple Watch, 2.5% (1.1%-3.9%); the PulseOn, 4.9% (1.4%-8.6%); and the Microsoft Band, 5.6% (4.9%-6.3%). The remaining four devices had median error between 6.5% and 8.8%.
When it came to measuring calories, no device, Apple Watch included, managed to accurately determine how many calories were burned through activity. Median error rates across all devices and tasks ranged from 27.4 percent (Fitbit Surge) to 92.6 (PulseOn). Though no device was accurate, the Apple Watch did the best at estimating energy expenditure.
Overall, researchers found that most of the fitness trackers tested were able to measure heart rate with an acceptable error level in a laboratory setting, but calorie estimates are largely inaccurate.
There are three principal findings from the current study. In a diverse group of individuals: (1) most wrist-worn monitoring devices report HR with acceptable error under controlled laboratory conditions of walking, running and cycling; (2) no wrist-worn monitoring devices report EE within an acceptable error range under these conditions; (3) of the devices tested, the Apple Watch had the most favorable error profile while the Samsung Gear S2 had the least favorable error profile.
Though we're only four months away from the presumed launch of the "iPhone 8," we haven't seen any part leaks for the much-rumored OLED device nor have we seen parts for the two standard LCD iPhones that are said to accompany it.
With a lack of part leaks, we're relying on dummy units, design drawings, and design renders to give us an idea of what to expect from the device, and there's been no shortage of those leaks, many of which are somewhat confusing due to the fact that Apple tested several iPhone 8 prototypes.
This week, the first hands-on video featuring an alleged iPhone 8 dummy model surfaced. We already saw the dummy model in question in photographs back in April, but the video provides a better look at the device, and perhaps a better picture of what the iPhone 8 might look like if accurate.
This particular dummy device, said to be a CNC model, aligns with design drawings and rumors pointing towards an edge-to-edge display with a glass body encased in a shiny stainless steel frame. There is no Home button and no visible Touch ID sensor, suggesting it is built into the display, which would be in line with many rumors.
It features a dual-lens rear camera in a vertical orientation and it lacks an Apple logo, so it's not entirely clear if this is representative of the final design Apple settled on, but it does match up with a lot of the rumors we've heard. Alleged iPhone 8 design drawings and schematics that resemble this dummy suggest the iPhone will be thicker than the current iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus.
The dummy device in the video above represents one set of design drawings we've seen, but there's also a second set of design images that have circulated featuring an iPhone with an aluminum body and a rear Touch ID button underneath the Apple logo. The device with a rear Touch ID button is said to be one of the prototypes Apple tested as a fallback should an under-display Touch ID solution not pan out.
Rumors and leaks seem to be coalescing around the first iPhone 8 design without a rear Touch ID sensor, suggesting the images with the back Touch ID button are based on an outdated design that was perhaps scrapped. That it appears unlikely this design will be used in the iPhone 8 hasn't stopped one China-based company from creating an iPhone 8 clone based on the schematics and design drawings that have been circulating.
Leaker Benjamin Geskin this morning shared images of what he says is an iPhone 8 clone that was designed based on an early iPhone 8 prototype model. It features a front display with slim bezels, a vertical camera, an aluminum body in multiple colors, and a rear Touch ID sensor.
As a clone, this is not representative of what the real iPhone 8 will look like, but it provides an interesting glimpse at prototype design and what an iPhone with a rear Touch ID sensor might resemble.
With multiple prototypes in testing, the actual design of the iPhone 8 will remain unconfirmed and up in the air until we start to see legitimate part leaks. In past years, part leaks have started earlier than May, and their absence may suggest that Apple still has not settled on a finalized design.
For a complete overview of the iPhone 8 rumors and a better picture of what we expect to see included in the overhauled device, make sure to check out our iPhone 8 roundup. It goes into much greater detail on the different design prototypes and it includes information on all of the internal features we expect, like advanced biometrics (facial or iris recognition), an A11 processor, wireless charging, a new front-facing camera system, and more.
Apple today released a new 3.7.2 firmware update for its AirPods, likely introducing bug fixes and performance improvements to the wireless earbuds.
AirPod firmware updates are installed automatically when the AirPods are connected to the iPhone, so AirPods users should begin seeing the new firmware soon as the update rolls out to everyone.
AirPods owners can check the version number in the Settings app by going to General --> About --> AirPods while the AirPods are connected to the iPhone.
Apple did not provide release notes with the firmware update, so it is not known what problems the new software might address.
Though AirPods were first released back in December of 2016, they continue to be in short supply. Shipping times for the AirPods are still at six weeks from the online Apple Store.
Apple today shared the first trailer for Can't Stop Won't Stop: A Bad Boy Story, which is an Apple Music-exclusive documentary that covers the rise of Sean Combs (aka Puff Daddy/Diddy) and his Bad Boy record label in the mid-1990s, along with the 20th anniversary Bad Boy reunion show tour that took place in 2016.
The Bad Boy reunion tour is what led to Combs' partnership with Apple, after Jimmy Iovine attended one of the shows. In April, Iovine said that Combs' story is "incredible," "powerful," and relatable. "He really overcame a lot to get where he's at today and the documentary shows that," said Iovine.
As for Combs, he said he was "blessed" to be working with Apple to document the impact that the Bad Boys have had on fans throughout the years, including the death of Notorious B.I.G.
"I knew this was a story that should be shared with the world," Diddy said in a statement "Heather Parry and Live Nation Productions, and Director Daniel Kaufman, helped create this very special documentary. Now I'm blessed to also be working with Apple to showcase the film and share Bad Boy's history and impact with fans. The support Live Nation, Apple and everyone on the team has given to this project is a true testament to the Bad Boy legacy."
The documentary is produced by Sean Combs and Heather Parry of Live Nation Productions and is said to feature several legendary music executives and rare images and video. The trailer above, while shared by Apple today, was actually released earlier this week by Live Nation.
Can't Stop Won't Stop will be available exclusively on Apple Music starting on June 25. Apple has sole rights to the documentary for a one-year period.
At its "#SeizeTheMoment" event in New York City today, drone maker DJI announced its newest device, called the DJI Spark. The company said that the new drone is its "smallest, smartest, and simplest" drone to date, and was built to capture moments on the go that bulkier drones might miss out on.
The drone lifts from the palm of the user's hands and can be controlled through hand gestures, without the need of a smartphone. Following an initial launch, Spark enters Gesture Mode which lets users move the drone in any direction by guiding it with their hand, while waving will push it back ten feet, and creating a square with your fingers will capture a photo. To call it back, users just have to wave their arms over their head, then place their palm out so it can rest.
The company designed the drone to be light, weighing about 10.6 ounces, so it can be carried around easily on a daily basis, with a total flight time of 16 minutes. Interchangeable batteries and a micro-USB port allow easy recharging in the field, as well. Additionally, the company aimed to make Spark more personalized than its previous products, with color options coming in Alpine White, Sky Blue, Meadow Green, Lava Red, and Sunrise Yellow.
“Controlling a camera drone with hand movements alone is a major step towards making aerial technology an intuitive part of everyone’s daily life, from work and adventure to moments with friends and family,” said Paul Pan, Senior Product Manager at DJI. “Spark’s revolutionary new interface lets you effortlessly extend your point of view to the air, making it easier than ever to capture and share the world from new perspectives.”
When users want to get a little more control, Spark can connect to an iPhone app and be flown as far as 109 yards away from the user. An optional remote control accessory allows the drone to be flown as far as 1.24 miles away. In the app, users can enable the QuickShot Intelligent Flight feature, which follows a subject for around one minute and then automatically edits the footage down to ten seconds so it can be easily shared on social media.
Spark houses a camera with a 1/2.3" CMOS sensor that captures 12 megapixel photos and records stabilized 1080p videos at 30fps. Some technology found in previous DJI drones has also been added in Spark, including intelligent flight modes like TapFly and ActiveTrack. The company has also introduced entirely new shooting modes, including a horizontal and vertical panoramic mode, and a depth of field "ShallowFocus" mode.
To ensure flight safety, Spark has dual GPS and GLONASS sensors, a 3D sensing system to detect obstacles up to 16 feet away, and a vision positioning system with a range of up to 98 feet. With a sufficient GPS signal, Spark will return to the point that it launched if its battery begins running low or if the pilot taps the Return to Home button. Integration with the company's geofencing warning system also gives pilots a heads up when a potential flight area might be an anti-drone zone.
DJI is opening up pre-orders for Spark today at $499, which includes the drone, a battery, a USB charger, and three pairs of propellers. The company is also selling a Spark Fly More Combo, which includes a drone, two batteries, four pairs of propellers, a remote controller, propeller guards, a charging hub, a shoulder bag, and all necessary cables, for $699. The drone is expected to begin shipping in June.
Elgato today announced that its upcoming Thunderbolt 3 Dock, which was first introduced in January at CES, will be available starting on Tuesday, June 6 for $299.95.
Elgato's Thunderbolt 3 Dock, designed to work with the new 13 and 15-inch MacBook Pro models Apple introduced back in October, features three USB 3.0 ports, a Gigabit Ethernet port, two Thunderbolt USB-C ports, one DisplayPort with DisplayPort 1.2 support, a 3.5mm headphone jack, and a 3.5mm microphone input jack.
The dock is able to provide up to 85 watts of power and can charge a MacBook Pro while also offering multiple ports for connecting displays and accessories. It can drive one 5K display at 60Hz through the Thunderbolt 3 port or two 4K displays simultaneously at 60Hz using the DisplayPort and a Thunderbolt 3 port.
- DisplayPort output: up to 4096 x 2160 pixels at 60 Hz
- Thunderbolt 3 output: up to 5120 x 2880 pixels at 60 Hz
- Dual displays: up to 4096 x 2160 pixels at 60 Hz each
- 4K60 over HDMI 2.0 supported using active adapters (not included) via USB-C and DisplayPort
USB-C accessories are powered with up to 15 watts and the dock's USB-A ports can charge an iPhone or iPad at full speed. Elgato's dock is priced similarly to other Thunderbolt 3 docks on the market, with a 1.6ft Thunderbolt 3 cable included in the $299.95 price tag.
It can be purchased in the U.S., Europe, and Australia starting on June 6 from the Elgato website.
Intel today announced that it plans to drive large-scale mainstream adoption of Thunderbolt by releasing the protocol's specification to the industry next year under a nonexclusive, royalty-free license.
The move should help expand the Thunderbolt ecosystem by making the protocol more affordable for technology companies and accessory makers alike. Intel expects third-party Thunderbolt-compatible chip development to accelerate a wide range of new devices and user experiences.
Intel also revealed plans to integrate Thunderbolt 3 into its future CPUs, but it didn't provide a timeline as to when. The all-in-one design will take up less space on a Mac or PC's logic board, and reduce power consumption by eliminating the need for a standalone Thunderbolt controller.
“Apple and Intel have collaborated on Thunderbolt from the beginning, and as the industry leader in its adoption, we applaud Intel’s efforts to integrate Thunderbolt technology into its CPUs and open it up to the rest of the industry,” said Dan Riccio, Apple’s senior vice president of Hardware Engineering.
Intel said Thunderbolt 3 built into the processor could pave the way for thinner and lighter devices, although the current Thunderbolt 3 controller used in Apple's latest MacBook Pro has a package size of 10.7mm×10.7mm, so any logic board space saved would likely be negligible.
The greater benefit will likely come from Thunderbolt 3's increased power efficiency, paving the way for longer battery life.
Thunderbolt 3 carries power, USB, DisplayPort, HDMI, and VGA over a single port that shares the USB-C connector design, creating one standard for connecting most accessories and peripherals. Apple's latest MacBook Pro has two or four Thunderbolt 3 ports depending on the model.
Thunderbolt 3 can transfer data at speeds up to 40Gbps, allowing for a full 4K movie to be transferred in less than 30 seconds. The interface is suitable for 4K virtual reality experiences on PCs, high-end gaming, and single-cable peripherals such as external displays, docks, and storage drives.
Continuing its partnership with Disney, Sphero today revealed its newest iPhone-controlled toy, this time themed after the Disney/Pixar Cars character Lightning McQueen. Sphero calls him the "Ultimate Lightning McQueen," letting users drive Lightning remotely via Bluetooth by using an iOS or Android application.
Lightning himself has authentic movement and animations which Sphero calls "emotive suspension," which allows Lightning to perform movie-accurate animations beyond simply driving around. According to TechCrunch, which spoke to Sphero about the launch, "his left and right sides also twitch up and down with excitement, and he’ll speak and move in response to taps on his roof, hood and doors."
There's a full LCD display on Lightning's windshield that animates the character's eyes, and an animatronic mouth that moves as he talks. During playtime, users can drive Lightning away from them up to 100 feet, and one charge will last around 40 minutes.
Sphero worked closley with Pixar creative director Jay Ward and supervising animator Bobby Podesta, to ensure Lightning's personality and look was as close as possible to his representation in the movies.
“As our partnership with Disney has evolved, we’ve been able to start to look at further properties within the Disney portfolio,” explained Product Manager Jenica Watts. “One of the teams had the opportunity to build an amazing, lifelike Lightning McQueen.”
This was all supervised by Pixar’s Jay Ward, who’s creative director for the Cars franchise, with advice from Bobby Podesta, supervising animator on Cars 3. The end result is that Ultimate Lightning McQueen has a real sense of personality — enough so that after we’d been charging him for a few minutes in the corner of the TechCrunch New York office, we had to put him to sleep because of his constant demands for attention.
In the iOS app, users will be able to drive Lightning around at speeds of up to 6 mph, with controls enabling reverse and drifting options. The app will allow users to directly interact with Lightning as well, with Sphero saying that there are "more than 150 animations for Lightning to perform."
Users will be able to string together various animations and voice lines into scripts with an "acting studio," creating their own miniature Cars storylines. He'll even offer his own commentary when a Cars movie is playing, thanks to the connected iPhone's microphone that will pick up the film's audio. The launch of Ultimate Lightning McQueen coincides with the upcoming release of Cars 3 in June.
Those interested can purchase their own Ultimate Lightning McQueen from Sphero's website today for $299.99.
A new report posted by DigiTimes today has taken a look into the micro-LED ambitions of multiple companies, including the timeline by which Apple might begin its trial production of micro-LED displays. Although it's yet to be confirmed, Apple is likely to use such display technology on a version of the Apple Watch launched in 2018 or later.
The report, citing industry sources, states that Apple's current aim is to manufacture a "small volume" of products with micro-LED displays towards the end of this year. Reports over the past few weeks have referenced similar timelines for Apple's micro-LED plans, and today's news also corroborates the location of Apple's trial production run, expected to be housed in a plant in Taoyuan, Taiwan.
A few makers engaged in R&D for micro LED display products, despite many technological bottlenecks, are expected to take the initiative to begin trial production in the second half of 2017 at the earliest, according to industry sources.
Apple has been keen in the development of micro LED technology following its acquisition of LuxVue in 2014, and recent market speculations also indicate that Apple is likely to crank out a small volume of micro LED display products from its plant in Taoyuan, northern Taiwan at the end of the year.
Rumors of an Apple Watch with a micro-LED display began last summer, when it was suggested that such a device may launch in 2017, but with the current reports of late-in-the-year trial productions on micro-LED displays it's likely that the 2017 "Apple Watch Series 3" will continue to use OLED technology. In regards to advantages, devices with micro-LED have the chance to be thinner, lighter, see an improved color gamut with increased brightness, and sport higher resolutions.
Apple's production on micro-LED is said to be the final realization of its acquisition of low-power microLED-based display maker LuxVue in 2014. Similarly, Samsung has been rumored to acquire micro-LED company PlayNitride, which is expected to begin a trial production on the displays sometime in the second half of 2017. Foxconn has also announced plans to acquire display startup eLux, "for development of next-generation micro-LED display technology."
Although no direct connection with Apple has been made by the manufacturers, their previous history as suppliers for the Cupertino company points toward either company, or both, as additional micro-LED suppliers for a future generation Apple Watch. According to industry sources speaking on Foxconn's eLux purchase, "The acquisition could provide a fast track for Foxconn to commercialize micro-LED technology," bringing it to a wider range of consumer products.
T-Mobile today introduced a limited time promotion to encourage Verizon customers with select iPhone models to switch to their network.
Starting May 31, when a Verizon customer with an iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus, iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus, or iPhone SE brings their smartphone to T-Mobile, they'll be able to keep the device, and have any remaining monthly payments owing towards it paid off in full, whether it's $1 or $1,000.
The catch is that Verizon customers will be required to pay $15 per month for T-Mobile's Premium Device Protection Plus insurance program in addition to their new T-Mobile ONE plan. The insurance program protects an iPhone from loss, theft, and accidental damage.
A spokesperson for T-Mobile told MacRumors that the usual AppleCare+ perks of the Premium Device Protection Plus plan are not included since the iPhones switched over aren't purchased as new.
The offer will be available at T-Mobile stores across the United States next week. T-Mobile says the balance of any remaining device payments will be provided in the form of a digital prepaid MasterCard in approximately 15 to 30 days. Customers must remain with T-Mobile for 60+ days after switching.
Garmin today announced a new 360-degree camera called the "VIRB 360," which is compatible with a connected iOS app that allows users to edit, stabilize, share, live stream, and add data overlays to videos. The $799.99 compact camera itself captures video up to 5.7K at 30fps, and has a quad microphone set up so audio is captured from every direction as users record content.
The VIRB 360 is waterproof up to around 30 feet, and works with Garmin's mounts as well as other standard camera mounts and attachments, and the company said it can shoot more than one hour on a single charge. The device's screen was specifically designed to be read in the sun, so users can easily find the camera's battery level, storage, mode, and connectivity indicators anywhere outdoors.
The device ensures that videos won't be shaky as well, thanks to 4K spherical stabilization that automatically smooths out quick movements and vibrations so users don't have to worry about keeping the VIRB 360 steady when recording. The in-camera stitching feature -- which automatically combines video captured by the device's dual lenses -- captures video in a resolution of up to 4K/30fps.
“The VIRB 360 lets you relive personal experiences and share them with your friends – from a different point of view, every single time,” said Dan Bartel, Garmin vice president of global consumer sales. “VIRB 360 owners will no longer need to worry about trying to capture the perfect angle or setting up the perfect shot. The camera’s easy-to-use feature set will make even the most inexperienced users look like experts.”
In addition to videos, the camera can take auto-stitched, 360-degree, 15 megapixel spherical photos with modes including single capture, burst shot, and time lapse. All of the content that the VIRB 360 creates is compatible with most virtual reality headsets, so users can relive their own footage in VR. There's also an augmented reality feature that includes various data overlays -- barometer, elevation, GPS, etc. -- placed on top of a video.
Users will be able to control the camera through voice commands that tell the device when to start or stop recording, switch capture modes, or even remember a specific moment in a video so it can be easily discovered later. The VIRB 360's voice control system is awakened by the statement, "OK Garmin."
The VIRB Mobile app [Direct Link], as well as the desktop-based VIRB Edit software, lets users edit, stabilize, share, and add data overlays into videos. Once an iOS or Android device is connected, it can be used as a remote control for the camera with live 360 degree video feeds appearing on the smartphone, or users can even instantly view the content live in VR with compatible headsets. Live streaming to YouTube and Facebook is available only on iOS devices.
Garmin hasn't announced a specific launch date yet, but the company confirmed that the VIRB 360 camera will debut sometime in June, costing $799.99. More information about the camera can be discovered on Garmin's website here.
Google expanded the range of family sharing features across a handful of its digital services on Tuesday. The new additions rolled out to Google Calendar, Google Keep, and Google Photos.
Setting up a family group in Google Calendar now automatically generates a "Family Calendar" for users to keep track of group activities like picnics, movie nights, and reunions, all in one place.
The new feature in Google Keep works similarly. Users add a family group as a collaborator for any note, which allows everyone to edit and make changes to shopping lists, to-dos, and the like. A family group icon (a house with a heart at its center) appears next to any note that is shared in this way.
Lastly, in Google Photos, a new "Family Group" option in the Share menu lets users share selected photos with family members.
To use the new family sharing features, a Google Play Family Library needs to be set up. This can be done at https://families.google.com/families or via the Android Play Store app: tap the top-left menu icon and select Account -> Family -> Sign up for Family Library.
Users can share apps, games, movies, TV shows, and books purchased from Google Play with up to 5 family members using Google Play Family Library. Each member of the family has to follow the same steps to activate their membership in the group.
Apple today announced a new app development curriculum designed for students who want to pursue careers in the fast-growing app economy. The curriculum comes as a free download from the iBooks Store.
Called "App Development with Swift", the full-year course aims to teach students the elements of app design using Swift, Apple's increasingly popular programming languages. Apple said students who undertake the course will learn to code and design fully functioning apps, gaining critical job skills in software development and information technology in the process.
Beginning in the fall, six community college systems serving nearly 500,000 students across the United States will be among the first to offer the curriculum, according to Apple. Participating colleges include the Alabama Community College System, Columbus State Community College, Harrisburg Area Community College, Houston Community College, Mesa Community College, and San Mateo Community College District.
"We've seen firsthand the impact that coding has on individuals and the US economy as a whole. The app economy and software development are among the fastest-growing job sectors in America and we're thrilled to be providing educators and students with the tools to learn coding," said Tim Cook, Apple's CEO. "Community colleges play a critical role in helping students achieve their dreams, and we hope these courses will open doors for people of all ages and backgrounds to pursue what they love."
Since its launch in 2014, Swift has been consistently promoted by Apple as ideal for kids who are keen to code, with its gentle learning curve demonstrated in Swift Playgrounds, an app that teaches children how to use the language. The new curriculum includes a comprehensive student guide with playground exercises, mini projects and quizzes, as well as a teachers guide with grading rubrics, solutions code and Keynote presentations.
Swift has become one of the most sought-after skills for freelance developers, experiencing more than 200 percent year-on-year growth, according to one study.
Earlier this month, Apple announced the creation of a $1 billion Advanced Manufacturing Fund focused on creating jobs in the US throughout its supply chain. Apple said the new Swift coding curriculum is another example of its commitment to economic development and will help create even more career opportunities for students across the country.
German hackers have successfully broken the iris recognition authentication in the Samsung Galaxy S8 using equipment that costs less than the price of the smartphone, according to Ars Technica.
Hackers with the Chaos Computer Club used a digital camera, a Samsung laser printer, and a contact lens to achieve the feat. The hack involved taking a picture of the phone owner's face, printing it out on paper, carefully placing the contact lens on the iris in the printout, and holding the image in front of the locked Galaxy S8.
The video shown above was posted by the hackers to demonstrate the process in action. The photo doesn't have to be a close-up shot, although using night-shot mode or removing the infrared filter helps, according to the hackers.
The hack comes despite the fact that both Samsung and Princeton Identity, the manufacturer of the authentication technology, say iris recognition provides "airtight security" that allows consumers to "finally trust that their phones are protected". Princeton Identity have also said the Samsung partnership "brings us one step closer to making iris recognition the standard for user authentication."
The Galaxy S8 is one of the first flagship phones to offer iris recognition as a convenient alternative to using a passcode or fingerprint, but the hackers said they suspect future mobile devices that offer iris recognition may be equally easy to hack. Apple is widely expected to include the feature alongside Touch ID and face recognition in this year's much-rumored OLED iPhone, although the possible origins of the technology remain unclear.
Apple has already trademarked "Iris Engine", presumably in relation to the upcoming feature, with its acquisition of companies such as Faceshift and PrimeSense lending credence to the suggestion that Apple is developing its own solution for the so-called "iPhone 8". One report has claimed that Taiwan-based supplier Xintec, an affiliate of Apple manufacturer TSMC, is mass-producing the iris recognition chips for Apple.
Apple today released an updated and revised version of iTunes 12.6.1, which was originally released alongside the macOS Sierra 10.12.5 update on Monday, May 15.
The new version of iTunes is 12.6.1.27, while the previous version was 12.6.1.25. It's not clear why Apple has released a new minor update to iTunes 12.6.1, but it presumably includes some unspecified bug fix.
According to the release notes, the update "includes minor app and performance improvements." These are the same generic release notes that were included in the first iTunes 12.6.1 release.
The new version of iTunes 12.6.1 can be downloaded for free using the Software Update function in the Mac App Store.
Last October, popular API documentation browser Dash was removed from the iOS App Store after Apple accused the app's developer, Kapeli, of fraudulent conduct involving 
Apple today released an updated and revised version of iTunes 12.6.1, which was 
