MacRumors

Ahead of Apple's upcoming press event where it will introduce larger iPhone models, Samsung today kicked off IFA 2014 with a presentation that unveiled several new mobile and wearable devices including the Note 4, Note Edge, Gear S smartwatch and Gear VR headset.

The Note 4 and Note Edge are two new models in Samsung's popular Note series of large smartphones. The Note 4 is the premium model offering a 5.7-inch Quad-ultra HD (2560×1440) Super AMOLED display at 518 pixels per inch and either the 2.7 GHz quad-core Snapdragon 805 processor with support for Category 6 LTE or the 1.9 GHz octo-core Exynos 5433 with Category 4 LTE, depending on geographic location. There's also a 16-megapixel rear camera with image stabilization, a 3.7-megapixel front camera designed for selfies, a heart rate sensor, and a new S-Pen with improved sensitivity that detects pressure, nib tilt, and speed. Design-wise, the Note 4 sports a plastic textured rear housing with metallic edges.

As an alternative to the Note 4, Samsung also unveiled the Note Edge, a smartphone that is identical to the Note 4 under the hood, but features a curved display. The curved edge of the display operate separately from the main display providing an app launcher or contextual controls depending on the app that is being used.

Samsung also detailed its Gear VR virtual reality headset that was developed in conjunction with Oculus and is compatible with the Note 4. Finally, the company also re-introduced the recently announced Gear S smart watch. The Gear S is Samsung's latest wearable, featuring a 2-inch, curved AMOLED display, and 3G connectivity. The Tizen-powered device also includes dual-core 1.0 GHz processor, 4 GB of storage, 512 MB of RAM, and sensors such as GPS, accelerometer, gyroscope, UV detector, barometer, and heart rate monitor.

Samsung did not provide pricing or exact launch dates for this new hardware, but the Korean company is expected roll out these products in the coming months. Samsung's latest mobile and wearable devices will compete with Apple's upcoming gear, which will be announced beginning next week. Apple is expected to announce its new iPhone 6 in both 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch sizes and its iWatch wearable at a press event scheduled for September 9. This event likely will be followed by a second event in October that Apple may use to unveil its next generation iPad models.

Apple's supply chain partners have ramped up production for components to be used the company's upcoming second-generation iPad Air, reports Digitimes. Citing sources close to production, the report claims that the device will remained unchanged in terms of size and resolution, but will feature a thinner profile, faster processor, and an improved Touch ID fingerprint sensor.

Apple has also called on touch panel suppliers TPK and GIS to manufacture full-lamination units for the device ahead of its launch this fall. The source also notes that Sharp, Japan Display, and LG Display have also seen their orders increase for the iPhone, likely indicating that Apple is now mass producing screens for the iPhone 6.

Previous leaks have also pointed to a thinner profile for the iPad Air 2, along with reports claiming that the device will feature anti-reflective coating, and an improved Touch ID sensor. It is also most certain that Apple will include a faster processor in the iPad Air 2, as the company will likely integrate its new A8 chip in the device.

Apple will likely launch the iPad Air 2 alongside the next-generation iPad mini with Retina display this fall. The company is also said to be preparing to launch a 12.9-inch iPad in early 2015.

Following the launch of Parallels Desktop 10 last month, VMware has launched its new VMWare Fusion 7 virtualization software, bringing support for OS X Yosemite and improving compatibility with Windows 8.1. The release also adds a number of new features, including a new look, improved performance, enhanced connectivity, and optimization for Macs with Retina displays.

- Designed for OS X Yosemite
Get a more Mac-like experience when running Windows applications on a Mac. The Fusion 7 updated Yosemite look and feel makes working with your Windows applications feel cleaner and more refined.

- Conquer Yosemite
Discover OS X Yosemite by running it in a virtual machine with Fusion 7. Get more from your Mac by running OS X Yosemite and OS X Yosemite Server in virtual machines. Leveraging decades of innovation in leading the virtualization revolution, Fusion 7 is the most reliable way to develop and test new applications for the Mac and iOS.

- Ready for Windows 8.1
Get the most out of Windows 8.1 new features directly on your Mac and run Windows Store apps side-by-side with your Mac applications. With Fusion 7, view Windows Store applications in Launchpad and the Applications folder or put Windows Store Apps in the dock in Unity mode.

- Near-Native Performance
With a highly optimized 64-bit engine and multicore processing power that makes the most effective use of the latest Intel Haswell processors, Fusion 7 runs Windows and Mac applications side-by-side faster than ever.

- Retina Display Optimization
Windows never looked so good with Retina Display optimization for a crisp and detailed experience of your Windows applications. If your Mac has a native Retina display or is connected to one, Fusion 7 ensures you get a seamless experience when running Windows across Retina and non-Retina displays.

The more advanced VMware Fusion 7 Pro has also been launched, bringing the same features along with dual GPU optimization, virtual network management, enhanced support for cloned virtual machines, and more.

VMware Fusion 7 is available now for $69.99 while VMware Fusion 7 Pro is priced at $149.99. Those upgrading from VMWare Fusion 5 or 6 are also eligible for discounted pricing of $49.99 for VMWare Fusion 7 or $79.99 for VMWare Fusion 7 Pro.

Apple today updated its App Store review guidelines ahead of the launch of iPhone 6 and iOS 8, adding sections for new features such as extensions, HealthKit, HomeKit and TestFlight. Additionally, Apple tweaked its introductory remark to specifically call out "creepy" apps as unwelcome in the App Store.

We have over a million Apps in the App Store. If your App doesn't do something useful, unique or provide some form of lasting entertainment, or if your app is plain creepy, it may not be accepted.

The new guidelines, primarily in sections 25 through 28, outline what use of the new features would get an app rejected from the App Store. For instance, extensions must provide some functionality and must remain functional without network access. Keyboard extensions can only collect user data for improving the functionality of the keyboard and nothing else.

The sections for both HealthKit and HomeKit include guidelines for user data, with apps using HomeKit not allowed to collect any sort of user data for advertising and data mining while HealthKit is only allowed to collect data with a user's permission. TestFlight guidelines include limitations on distribution and compensation for beta testers.

Additionally, Apple added some notes to its Metadata section for the App Store's new app previews feature, noting that apps may only use video screen captures for previews and that app previews cannot display personal information without permission.

iOS 8 will be included on the iPhone 6 reportedly arriving later this month and likely launch a few days earlier for current devices.

Earlier today, Apple issued a press release stating that an iCloud/Find My iPhone breach had not been responsible for the leak of several private celebrity photos over the weekend, instead pointing towards a "very targeted attack on user names, passwords, and security questions" hackers used to gain access to celebrity accounts.

The company did not divulge specific details on how hackers accessed the iCloud accounts, leading Wired writer Andy Greenberg to investigate the methods that hackers might possibly have used to acquire the stolen media.

Greenberg visited Anon-IB, a popular anonymous image board where some of the celebrity photos first originated, and discovered that hackers openly discuss exploiting software designed for law enforcement and government officials. Called ElcomSoft Phone Password Breaker (EPPB), the software in question lets hackers enter a stolen username and password to obtain a victim's full iPhone/iPad backup.

"Use the script to hack her passwd...use eppb to download the backup," wrote one anonymous user on Anon-IB explaining the process to a less-experienced hacker. "Post your wins here ;-)"

Acquiring just a user name and password allows hackers access to content on iCloud.com, but with the accompaniment of the ElcomSoft software, a complete backup can reportedly be downloaded into easy-to-access folders filled with the device's contents.

According to security researcher Jonathan Zdziarski, who spoke to Wired, metadata from some of the leaked photos is in line with the use of the ElcomSoft software and possibly the iBrute software, which exploited a vulnerability in Find My iPhone to allow hackers unlimited attempts to guess a password. Apple has, however, patched the exploit, and has suggested iBrute was not a factor in the attacks.

As noted by TechCrunch, using ElcomSoft's software to download an iPhone's backup successfully circumvents two-factor verification as the two-factor authentication system does not cover iCloud backups or Photo Stream.

Two-factor verification can make it much more difficult for hackers to acquire a user's login credentials in the first place, preventing many attacks, but an iCloud backup can be installed with just a user name and a password.

The ElcomSoft software does not require any credentials to buy and while it costs $399, it is also available on bittorrent sites. The vulnerability in iCloud backups has been known for some time, with ElcomSoft's own CEO pointing towards the lack of two-factor authentication for iCloud backups back in May of 2013.

Apple has explored expanding two-factor authentication to some iCloud services, but an official expansion of the security feature has not yet been introduced.

Nordstrom may be one of Apple's first merchant partners when Apple launches its upcoming mobile payment initiative, reports Bank Innovation. Apple is said to be in talks with Nordstrom about its payments service, suggesting Nordstrom could be one of the first retailers to support payments via iPhone.

The "talks" Nordstrom and Apple have been engaged are related to payments -- but the extent of those talks is unclear. Apple was looking for a clothing brand with a large physical reach, our source said, but also with an established and high-end brand. With a strong brick-and-mortar presence, but with a focus on digital innovation as well, our source said Nordstrom was a "great" pick for Apple.

Nordstrom is a logical partner for Apple, as its retail stores already use Apple's iPhones and iPads as point-of-sale systems. According to Nordstrom employees, Apple's mobile point-of-sale systems are purchased directly from Apple and were updated to work with 'the most recent iPhones" just a few weeks ago. Bank Innovation suggests that Nordstrom's current point-of-sale systems, which are said to be the same as Apple's own in-store EasyPay systems, may possibly be compatible with Apple's upcoming mobile payment service.

Earlier this year, a report suggested Apple was speaking with several high-profile retail store chains about a mobile payment service, in order to retailer gauge interest and explore possibilities for a unified payment service, and Nordstrom may have been included in these talks.

In addition to partnering with retailers, Apple is also said to have signed deals with American Express, MasterCard, and Visa for its mobile payments initiative, which will likely leverage technologies like NFC, Bluetooth, and iBeacons, in addition to Touch ID, Apple's fingerprint-sensing security technology.

According to reports, Apple's payments service will allow iPhone owners to use their devices to make payments both online and in retail stores. Apple is expected to announce its mobile payments initiative during its September 9 media event.

Adoption of OS X Yosemite is steadily increasing ahead of its fall launch, due to both a system-wide redesign and the introduction of a public beta for the first time. As of August, Yosemite was installed on approximately 2.6 million machines or 3.3 percent of all Macs, according to new numbers from Net Applications (via Computerworld).

For August, Yosemite powered 3.3% of all Macs, according to metrics vendor Net Applications. That was 33 times the user share of its predecessor, OS X Mavericks, in September 2013, one month before its official launch, and nearly one-third of Mavericks' share the following month, when it was first made available to all customers.

In June, adoption rates were at 0.9 percent, jumping up to 1.2 percent in July. The 3.3 percent number comes after the introduction of the public Yosemite beta in late July, which saw as many as 1 million registered beta program members receiving access to the software. Following the launch of the beta, Yosemite's share of global Mac traffic nearly doubled.

Though the public beta has bolstered Yosemite's adoption numbers much higher than Mavericks adoption rates during a similar time frame last year, developer interest in Yosemite has also been high. July adoption numbers from before the public beta release suggested Yosemite beta usage was four times higher than Mavericks usage last year.

Operating system usage metrics can very widely, however, as Yosemite installation numbers from GoSquared are quite a bit different. According to GoSquared, machines running OS X Yosemite have accounted for just one percent of total Mac OS traffic over the past several hours, and 0.58 percent since launch. Though GoSquared points towards lower overall adoption numbers, it does show a fairly steady increase in Yosemite usage.

Last year, seven percent of all Mac users had installed OS X Mavericks just 24 hours after its public launch. Based on public beta numbers and high developer interest, it's likely that Yosemite Adoption will be even more rapid following its public launch. In addition to offering a revamped look, OS X Yosemite includes several features like iCloud Drive and Continuity, allowing Macs to interact with iOS devices in new ways.

OS X Yosemite is currently available only to registered developers and those who signed up for the public beta test. The operating system, which will be provided to consumers at no cost, is expected to see its public release in the fall, possibly in October.

A breach of Apple's iCloud and Find My iPhone service was not involved in the recent hacking incident that saw the private photos and videos of several celebrities leaked onto the Internet, according to a press release just issued by Apple.

Instead, celebrity iCloud accounts were compromised by a targeted attack on user names, passwords, and security questions.

We wanted to provide an update to our investigation into the theft of photos of certain celebrities. When we learned of the theft, we were outraged and immediately mobilized Apple's engineers to discover the source. Our customers' privacy and security are of utmost importance to us. After more than 40 hours of investigation, we have discovered that certain celebrity accounts were compromised by a very targeted attack on user names, passwords and security questions, a practice that has become all too common on the Internet. None of the cases we have investigated has resulted from any breach in any of Apple's systems including iCloud(R) or Find my iPhone. We are continuing to work with law enforcement to help identify the criminals involved.

Over the weekend, hundreds of nude photos of celebrities were leaked on 4chan before spreading to multiple Internet sites, with one of the involved hackers pointing towards iCloud as the source of the material, which quickly led to accusations of a flaw in iCloud as the reason for the leak.

Apple announced plans to launch an investigation into the matter on Monday, after a tool surfaced on Github that could have potentially allowed hackers to brute force their way into accounts via a security flaw in Find My iPhone. Though this tool allowed for multiple attempts to enter a password without being locked out of an account, it appears that it was not a factor in the recent hacking of celebrity accounts due to Apple's statement that Find My iPhone was not involved.

Apple suggests that all iCloud/Apple ID users should have a strong password and enable two-step verification to avoid similar hacking attempts.

Apple today released a new version of OS X Yosemite to developers, two weeks after releasing the sixth Developer Preview and three months after unveiling the new desktop operating system at its annual Worldwide Developers Conference.

The update, build 14A343f, can be downloaded from the Mac App Store and through the Mac Developer Center. There's also a new version of Xcode 6, an OS X Server 4.0 Developer Preview, and an updated version of Apple Configurator 1.7.

OS X Yosemite brings a flatter, more modern look to OS X, with an emphasis on translucency and redesigned dock, windows, and more. It also includes a multitude of new features, such as improved integration with iOS 8 through Continuity, a new "Today" view in Notification Center that offers integration with third-party apps, a retooled Spotlight search with new data sources, and several new features for apps like Mail, Safari, and Messages.

Over the course of the beta testing period, each Developer Preview has added new features and refined the look and performance of OS X Yosemite. DP 4, for example, added a revamped version of iTunes with a streamlined design and support for Family Sharing, while an earlier beta introduced a new Dark Mode. Developer Preview 6 added several new icons, a new look for the dashboard, and new Yosemite-themed wallpapers.

Today's Developer Preview is limited to registered developers, but in late July, Apple made a version of OS X Yosemite available to the public as part of a wide-ranging beta test. The pre-release version of Yosemite available to those participating in the public beta program has not received as many updates as the developer version and is on its second iteration. Apple is expected to release Yosemite to the public in the fall.

Notable changes in Developer Preview 7:

Dark Mode: Dark Mode has been tweaked slightly, and there's a new look for Spotlight when Dark Mode is enabled.

Icons: There are new icons for Migration Assistant, Dashboard, Disk Utility, ColorSync Utility, and Keychain Access.

System Preferences: There are several new and modified icons in System Preferences, including a new look for Language & Region and Startup Disk.

Software Update: The "Software Update" option has been removed from the main Apple menu, with App Store now displaying available software updates.

New photos shared by Nowhereelse.fr [Google Translate] once again claim to show a 2,915 mAh capacity battery from the 5.5-inch model of the iPhone 6. These details follow an earlier Nowhereelse.fr report that showcased a claimed rear shell from the larger 5.5-inch iPhone 6 model.

The battery in these latest photos appears identical to one detailed in a leak last month from Chinese site Apple Daily, down to the March 2014 manufacturing date. The authenticity of either part is unconfirmed, but both batteries have markings similar to other Apple batteries and appear to be sized for a larger iPhone model. Both are also still from the prototype stage, with placeholder text used in several locations on the batteries.

If legitimate, this 2,915 mAh capacity is a significant jump from the 1,560 mAh battery included in the iPhone 5s and the 1,810 mAh rumored for the 4.7-inch iPhone 6. It also places the iPhone 6 on par with other larger-sized phones such as the Samsung Galaxy S5 and the HTC One M8. A significantly larger battery for the 5.5-inch model compared to the 4.7-inch would be possible due to the much larger volume available inside the device with the larger display. That larger display may also arrive at much higher pixel count which would necessitate a larger battery to support it.

Apple is expected to unveil the iPhone 6 at a press event to be held September 9 at the Flint Center in Cupertino, California. The new iPhone 6 appears set to include a rounder design, faster A8 processor, improved Touch ID sensor, near field communications (NFC) capabilities, and a new camera stabilization feature.

Apple's iWatch has reached the "engineering verification test" (EVT) stage of development and will likely beginning shipping in 2015, according to a new report from Digitimes. While components for the device are said to be in production, sources close to the matter stated the device must also head to production verification testing (PVT) before entering mass production.

Digitimes also claims Apple is "unlikely" to unveil the iWatch during its upcoming September 9 media event, which contrasts with reports from the likes of Re/code and Bloomberg last week stating that the device would be introduced alongside the iPhone 6. A previous report suggested Apple would be debuting the device at an October event, but Re/code noted the company later ended up changing its plans.

However, an early 2015 launch for the iWatch has been suggested by a number of sources, as part leaks for the device have also been non-existent to this point. Recent rumors have suggested the device will include an array of sensors to track health and fitness-related metrics, and will be positioned as an iPhone accessory that tightly integrates with iOS 8.

Elgato has announced its brand-new line of "Eve" connected home sensors at this year's IFA 2014 trade show in Berlin, featuring full integration with Apple's HomeKit home automation platform once iOS 8 launches.

The Eve brand features Bluetooth accessories that monitor air quality, smoke, humidity, air pressure, energy, and water consumption, with all information syncing back to an iOS app. From the app, users can see an overview of the different aspects in their home along with suggestions and tips to better improve the environment.

The company also announced its own $50 Avea smart lightbulb, which allows for custom profiles, colors and alarms through an iOS app. Notably, the Avea does not require a hub like the Philips line of Hue smart bulbs, and can utilize multiple bulbs to coordinate lighting patterns.

Elgato's Eve line of products are among the first to publicly support HomeKit, which was first announced at WWDC this past June. The platform allows home automation devices and their apps to work with Apple's first-party services like Siri and stock iOS apps using a single, secure protocol. A report from earlier this year claimed that Apple was developing its own smart home products to work with HomeKit for a release in the near future. Apple may also look to feature HomeKit integration in its highly-rumored iWatch wearable device, which is said to "make good use" of HomeKit.

Microsoft today launched a new commercial comparing its Cortana virtual assistant and the HTC One M8 for Windows to Siri and the iPhone 5s, showing a variety of hardware features and software integration that isn't possible with Apple's device.

The ad is titled "Siri vs. Cortana - Mirror Mirror" and depicts Cortana and Siri talking to each other about a number of features on the new HTC One M8 for Windows. Cortana demonstrates how it can work with a user's calendar and traffic to provide route and mapping information, while also showing off the HTC One M8's dual front-facing speakers. The commercial ends with Siri remarking that she only has one speaker and that she is "sitting on it," referring to the speaker placement on the iPhone.

The new ad follows a commercial released in July showing off Cortana's ability to perform contextually-aware tasks and poking fun at Siri's inability to do the same. Cortana was originally announced earlier this year as a part of Windows Phone 8.1, with Microsoft emphasizing the virtual assistant's ability to relate tasks to people and places. A Windows Phone manager also stated in June that Microsoft would like Cortana to be on other mobile platforms, perhaps hinting at an expansion of the assistant to iOS and Android.