Apple will continue to expand the reach of its research and development centers around the world with a new location in Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia, sometime in 2017. The news comes from Indonesian Communication and Information Minister Rudiantara, who mentioned that the project's preparation has now progressed to "the final stage" (via Tempo).
Additionally, the Minister added that Apple plans to find the location for the R&D center by the end of 2016, putting the company on the path of completing construction and hiring employees by the end of 2017. "Several options" for the focus of the Jakarta-based R&D center have been proposed, but none are yet finalized.
"Just wait. [The preparation of the project development] is in the final stage. The Industry Ministry and the Communication and Informatics Ministry are finalizing the plan," [Rudiantara] said. "It's more important. By late December, they will commence the execution for the location. So, in 2017, they will start building structures and recruiting employees," he added.
Rudiantara said that he knows the monetary value of Apple's investment in the Jakarta R&D center, but did not divulge the number to the press. In addition to the proposed site in Jakarta, Apple has set up similar R&D centers in China, Japan, Israel, and the UK, and is said to be planning similar facilities in Canada, India, and Vietnam to take advantage of local resources.
The report claims an OLED version could be introduced as one of several new iPhone models unveiled next year, but it would have a higher price tag than current iPhone models.
OLED displays are thinner, lighter, and allow for flexible designs, but they are up to $50 more expensive to produce than traditional LCD displays, according to analysts cited.
OLED displays can also be more energy efficient, as unlike LCD displays, they do not require a backlight to illuminate the screen. When displaying black pixels, OLED displays are completely off, which could preserve battery life.
Apple is said to have more than 10 different iPhone prototypes under development, so it may decide not to launch a version with an OLED display next year, according to the report. Previous reports said Apple will also launch new 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch models with traditional LCD displays next year.
A large number of iCloud users have reportedly received spam in the form of unsolicited Calendar event invitations over the last week.
Suspect Black Friday offers for cheap goods have been appearing in personal iCloud calendars, with the default options to "Accept", "Maybe" or "Decline" appearing at first to be the only way to respond to them.
Unfortunately choosing any of these options simply notifies the spammer that the account is active and ready for more unsolicited offers. Instead, users are advised to try the following alternative method for removing the spam events on their iOS devices.
Open the Calendar app and tap the "Calendars" button at the bottom of the screen.
Tap the Edit button and on the next screen, select the "Add Calendars" option.
Give the calendar an easily recognizable throwaway name, like "Spam", and tap "Done" at the top of the screen until you're back on the Calendar screen.
Select the spam invitation and move it to the "Spam" calendar you just made.
Tap the "Calendars" button at the top of the screen, tap the "i" button next to the Spam calendar, and on the next screen, tap "Delete Calendar" at the very bottom of the screen menu.
That should rid you of the unwanted spam event, leaving spammers none the wiser.
Update: Some readers have noted another option is to change iCloud calendar settings to receive event notifications by email rather than as in-app notifications. Logging into iCloud via a web browser, open the Calendar, click the cog in the bottom left corner to go to Preferences -> Advanced and then select "Receive event invitations as: Email". This lets users delete the spam calendar events as emails instead.
Google is offering four free months of Play Music as part of its Cyber Week deals. The four-month trial includes a YouTube Red subscription for ad-free YouTube streaming and can be cancelled at any time. The Play music streaming service usually costs $9.99 per month, giving members access to over 35 million songs.
Google recently announced an overhaul of its Google Play Music streaming platform, with new contextually aware, opt-in music recommendation features that promise a more personal music listening experience.
Users who have had a free trial or cancelled a Play Music membership in the past aren't eligible for the Cyber Week promotion, but that doesn't stop anyone curious to see what's changed from creating a new Google account to take advantage of the offer.
Two free third-party Touch Bar apps have been making the rounds this week that may be of interest to some owners of new MacBook Pros. The apps essentially offer alternative ways of accessing pre-existing macOS functions.
TouchSwitcher adds an icon to the right side of the Touch Bar that when tapped brings up a list of currently running apps for quick app switching, similar to the Command + Tab keyboard shortcut.
One limitation of the Touch Bar discovered by TouchSwitcher's developer is that only one non-system control can be displayed in the right-hand strip, meaning other Apple apps compete for the same space.
iTunes for example overrides TouchSwitcher when music is played, and the TouchSwitcher app must be restarted to make it re-appear in the control strip. To manually regain access to the default media control button, users can long press on the TouchSwitcher app icon to quit it.
Another new app called Rocket lets users launch apps from the Touch Bar. Rather than live in the system control strip on the right though, Rocket is a standalone app that can be invoked using a keyboard shortcut, whereupon it displays a list of app icons along the left side of the Touch Bar.
TouchSwitcher and Rocket (listed as a beta) can be downloaded for free directly from the developers' websites.
Today is Black Friday, one of the busiest shopping days of the year in the United States. Between now and Cyber Monday, a number of developers are offering deals on their iPhone and iPad apps. MacRumors has been keeping an eye on AppShopper, and we have more App Store sales to share today.
Join Alto and his friends as they embark on an endless snowboarding odyssey. Journey across the beautiful alpine hills of their native wilderness, through neighbouring villages, ancient woodlands, and long-abandoned ruins.
Along the way you'll rescue runaway llamas, grind rooftops, leap over terrifying chasms and outwit the mountain elders – all while braving the ever changing elements and passage of time upon the mountain.
Name: Fantastical 2 for iPhone Developer: Flexibits Sale Price: $2.99 Previous Price: $4.99 Compatibility: iPhone Links: AppShopper | iTunes
Description:
Fantastical 2 is the award-winning calendar app with features such as natural language parsing, reminders, a beautiful week view, and much more!
Deliveries helps you keep track of all your packages, so you always know when they’re going to arrive. Whether it's the latest gadget you've preordered online, or a new graphic novel you can't wait to dive into, Deliveries will keep tabs on it so you don't miss the doorbell.
Name: Gears Developer: Crescent Moon Games Sale Price: Free Previous Price: $1.99 Compatibility: iOS Universal (iPhone and iPad) TouchArcade Review: 5/5 stars Links: AppShopper | iTunes | YouTube Trailer
Description:
Explore the fanciful world of Gears! A gorgeous 3D physics-based ball rolling platformer that redefines the genre, Gears immerses you into adventure with 3 beautifully detailed worlds of 27 unique and challenging levels. Gears will have you on the edge of your seat for hours of gameplay... this is like no game you’ve ever played before.
Name: Out There: Ω Edition Developer: Mi-Clos Studio Sale Price: 99 cents Previous Price: $4.99 Compatibility: iOS Universal (iPhone and iPad) TouchArcade Review: 5/5 stars Links: AppShopper | iTunes
Description:
You are an astronaut awaking from cryonics not in the solar system, but... out there... in a far and unknown place of the galaxy. In Out There, you will have to survive, tinkering your ship with what you can gather drifting in the void, and spot garden planets to refill your oxygen supply.
Space is an hostile place; dangerous and mysterious adventures will mark each step of your travel. You will not only meet intelligent species that won’t care about you, but also deal with ancient powers linked to your destiny and the fate of mankind itself.
Apple premium reseller Expercom is offering some notable discounts on new MacBook Pro with Touch Bar models, including up to $53 off 13-inch models and up to $167 off 15-inch models depending upon the configuration selected.
The discounts are even steeper when an AppleCare Protection Plan is added. 15-inch models with AppleCare are up to $225 off, while 13-inch models with AppleCare are up to $117 off, depending upon the configuration selected.
A limited number of MacBook Pro with Touch Bar models remain in stock, with the majority estimated to ship in 2-4 weeks. Prices are valid until November 26. For reference, here is Expercom's sales tax policy.
The deal is one of the best we've seen for any Wi-Fi or cellular 9.7-inch iPad Pro this week. But hurry, as the sale only runs until 9:00 a.m. Pacific Time on Friday.
Update: The sale has ended.
MacRumors is an affiliate partner with B&H Photo Video and may sometimes get paid if you click one of the above links and purchase a product or service.
Since it's been revealed that Apple chose to use a soldered down, non-removable SSD in its 13-inch and 15-inch Touch Bar MacBook Pros, it's natural for users to wonder about the fate of their data in the event of a fault that requires a logic board replacement.
Fortunately it appears as if Apple has a proprietary in-house tool to rescue stored user data when disaster strikes. 9to5Mac reports that a dedicated port on the logic board allows Apple staff to attach the recovery tool once the board's been removed from the chassis. The tool then transfers the data from the SSD to a working MacBook Pro's drive via one of its USB-C ports.
All indications are that users won't be able to get their hands on this recovery tool, as it's only available to Apple support staff for emergency use when a laptop sent in for repair won't boot.
Apple's special Black Friday shopping event is now live in the United States and Canada, offering customers free Apple Store gift cards worth up to $150 or CA$200 with the purchase of selected Apple products today only.
The offers are available through Apple's website and retail stores in both countries. Each customer is limited to two gift cards per product category. Refurbished products and educational store purchases do not qualify.
U.S. rebate amounts include:
- Macs: $150 (iMac, Mac Pro, MacBook, MacBook Air, and MacBook Pro sans late 2016 models) - iPad Pro: $100 - iPad Air 2 and iPad mini 4: $50 - iPhone 6s and 6s Plus: $50 - iPhone SE: $25 - Apple Watch Series 1: $25 - Apple TV: $25
Apple's offers are rather lackluster considering better Black Friday deals are available on select iPhones, iPads, and Macs from authorized resellers such as B&H Photo Video and MacMall. Moreover, many of Apple's newest products such as the iPhone 7 and MacBook Pro with Touch Bar are not eligible for the gift card promotion.
The one-day shopping event has concluded in Australia and New Zealand, where it is now Saturday local time.
Thanksgiving is well underway in the United States, and Black Friday deals at online and brick and mortar stores are starting to go live. Many major retail stores like Target, Best Buy, and Walmart will be opening their doors in the evening, and many online-only deals are already live.
We've rounded up some of the best deals we've come across on Apple products like the iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, and Mac below, and many, many more deals can be found in our full Black Friday roundup.
iPad Pro
For the 9.7-inch iPad Pro, Target is offering the best deals, dropping the price by $150.99. With the discount, the entry-level 32GB Wi-Fi only iPad Pro model is available for $449.
For the 12.9-inch iPad Pro, MacMall has the best deals, dropping prices by as much as $149.
If you're looking for a less expensive iPad during Black Friday, Target is offering solid a deal on the iPad Air 2.
The entry-level Wi-Fi only iPad Air 2 is available from Target for $274 or Best Buy for $275, a significant discount off of the regular $399 price tag. Other capacities are also available at a discounted price.
Target has the iPad mini 2 available for $199.79, a discount of $70.20 off the regular price.
iPhone
Best Buy, Target, and Walmart are all offering up to $250 in gift cards to their respective stores with the purchase of an iPhone 7 or 7 Plus on an eligible device payment plan.
Deals at Best Buy and Target apply are available for Sprint, Verizon, and AT&T customers, while Walmart's deal is available for AT&T and Verizon customers. Walmart's gift card is also available to customers who purchase an earlier iPhone model.
For T-Mobile customers or those who wish to become T-Mobile customers, T-Mobile is offering a Black Friday trade-in deal that drops the cost of the iPhone 7 or iPhone 7 Plus to $0 with the trade-in of an eligible device, making it a good option for switchers. Customers can trade in an iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus, iPhone 7, or iPhone 7 Plus, Galaxy S6, Galaxy S6 Edge, Galaxy S7, Galaxy S7 Edge, or Note 5 for a free iPhone 7 or an iPhone 7 Plus that's free or discounted to $100 based on the device traded in.
Verizon has a similar deal that will allow Verizon customers to get an iPhone 7 or 7 Plus for $0 with a device payment plan and the trade-in of an eligible device. The deal will be delivered in the form of a monthly device payment plan credit. Eligible devices include the iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus, iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus, Samsung Galaxy S6, Samsung Galaxy S6 edge, Samsung Galaxy S6 edge +, Samsung Galaxy S7, Samsung Galaxy S7 edge, Samsung Note5, LG V20, LG G5 and Moto Droid Turbo 2.
Apple Watch
Kohl's will be offering one of the best deals on an Apple Watch Series 2 model. There's no discount, but the store is planning on offering $105 in Kohl's cash to customers who make a purchase on Black Friday. Kohl's doesn't yet carry the full Apple Watch 2 line, so stock may be limited, making it a good idea to call your local retail store before heading out.
Most Kohl's stores will open at 6:00 p.m. local time on Thursday, November 24, but opening times do vary by location.
Series 1 Apple Watches can be purchased from $198 from Target, a discount of $71.99 off of the regular $270 price tag.
Target has the best prices on the fourth-generation Apple TV, offering a 25 percent discount.
- 32GB Apple TV is available for $112.50, down from $149.99 ($37.50 off). - 64GB Apple TV is available for $150, down from $199.99 ($50 off).
MacBook Pro
Amazon is discounting Apple's new 13-inch MacBook Pro without a Touch Bar by $100, dropping the price from $1,499 to $1,399. Because the MacBook Pro is so new, Amazon's deal is one of the only MacBook Pro deals that's available. The discount is available on both the Space Gray and Silver models.
B&H Photo and MacMall are offering 2015 and 2016 Retina MacBook models at a $100 to $400 discount, with specific configurations and pricing listed below.
Mac deals are few and far between this year, but Best Buy is offering some solid discounts on the MacBook Air. Best Buy is discounting both 13-inch MacBook Air models by $200, both of which feature an Intel Core i5 processor, 8GB RAM, and 128 or 256GB of storage.
Best Buy is discounting the 27-inch 5K Retina iMac with a 3.2GHz Intel Core i5 processor, 8GB RAM, and 1TB hard drive by $200, dropping the price from $1,799.99 to $1,599.99.
The 21.5-inch iMac with a 1.6GHz Core i5 processor, 8GB RAM, and a 1TB hard drive is available for $899, a $200 discount from the standard $1,099 price tag.
B&H Photo and MacMall also have discounts on several iMac models, with prices and configurations listed below:
Make sure to check out our Black Friday roundup for specific times on when retail stores will open and for more information on the deals listed above. Our roundup also has hundreds of additional deals on Apple products and Apple-related accessories, so it's well worth a look if you want to score a new MacBook, iPhone, or iPad on the cheap.
MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors.
Apple authorized reseller B&H Photo Video has started its annual holiday sale with a number of discounts on Apple products, ranging from the new MacBook Pro to iPad. Some of the deals include a free download of Parallels 12 for Mac. B&H does not charge sales tax on online orders in all states except New York.
MacRumors is an affiliate partner with B&H Photo Video and may sometimes get paid if you click one of the above links and purchase a product or service.
Apple authorized reseller MacMall has started its annual Black Friday sale and is offering some of the best discounts we've seen on 12.9-inch iPad Pro models this week. MacMall is also offering some decent savings on other iPads, and select 12-inch MacBook, MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, iMac, Mac mini, and Apple TV models.
Apple is working with LG on a new dual camera module capable of 3D photography effects for potential use in its 10th anniversary iPhone, according to a brief report in The Korea Economic Daily.
The article is short on details, but states that the "LG Innotek" dual-lens camera will likely be used in Apple's new products in the latter half of 2017.
Sources close to the situation said, "Apple is now studying how to apply its 3D camera technology into LG Innotek's smartphone camera," adding, "Since LG Innotek also has its own 3D camera and related technologies, such joint efforts will likely to bear fruit sometime within next year."
The article mentions the LinX Imaging company Apple bought last year. In acquiring the Israeli startup, Apple took ownership of LinX's enhanced camera technology, which included 3D depth mapping and lighting enhancements, likely used to create features such as Portrait Mode seen in the iPhone 7.
It's unclear what other "3D photographing" features the sources are referring to that would be hardware-based, although Apple does own old patents for face and biometric recognition. Otherwise, Apple has patented inventions in the past for high-end image analysis techniques such as object recognition, but these largely rely on software. Apple is also said to have a team of people working on integrating augmented reality functionality into the iPhone's camera app.
Apple has a major iPhone redesign planned for 2017, with a glass body and edge-to-edge OLED display that includes an integrated Touch ID fingerprint sensor, front-facing camera. The new iPhone may be sold alongside upgraded (but standard) 4.7 and 5.5-inch iPhones, and could potentially feature wireless charging.
Apple's one-day shopping event is now live in Australia and New Zealand, offering customers free Apple Store gift cards worth up to A$200 or NZ$215 with the purchase of selected Apple products today only.
The offers are available through Apple's website in both countries and at Apple retail store locations in Australia. Each customer is limited to two gift cards per product category. Refurbished products do not qualify.
In Australia, Apple is offering a $35 gift card with the purchase of an iPhone SE, or a $70 gift card with the purchase of an iPhone 6s or iPhone 6s Plus, at full retail price. iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus models do not appear to qualify.
Australian customers can also get a $140 gift card with the purchase of an iPad Pro, $70 gift card with the purchase of an iPad Air 2 or iPad mini 4, and a $35 gift card with the purchase of an Apple Watch Series 1 model or fourth-generation Apple TV.
The exact breakdown of Apple's one-day shopping event in Australia:
The exact breakdown of Apple's one-day shopping event in New Zealand:
Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella has stoked speculation this week that Redmond is prepping a new line of smartphones under the Surface brand for launch in early 2017.
In an interview with the Australian Financial Review published on Monday, Nadella said the company was conducting innovative research that would ensure it continued to have a presence in the smartphone market. However, rather than follow a present trend, Microsoft would attempt to re-define the field in a single-handed pursuit of the "ultimate mobile device".
Underlining his philosophy, Nadella said that the company would not launch into a device category without bringing something different to the table, because it was more interested in how individuals and organizations were using devices, and less in the devices themselves.
"We don't want to be driven by just envy of what others have, the question is, what can we bring? That's where I look at any device form factor or any technology, even AI," he said. "We will continue to be in the phone market not as defined by today's market leaders, but by what it is that we can uniquely do in what is the most ultimate mobile device."
Rumors of a "Surface Phone" that would complement the popular Surface Book and the highly praised Surface Studio have been bubbling away for a while. Some rumors suggest a device running Windows 10 Mobile OS, others predict a range of devices, some of which could sport a keyboard flip case reminiscent of Blackberry phones. Meanwhile, several observers have pointed to the HP Elite x3 – part smartphone, part mini PC – as a potential indicator of where the company could take its mobile ambitions, possibly as soon as early next year.
The introduction of a Surface Phone would represent a bold return to the smartphone market for Microsoft, after its consumer phone ambitions fell flat following the company's Nokia mobile acquisition over two years ago. Microsoft subsequently laid off hundreds of employees tied to its smartphone business in May, suggesting the company had all but given up on the consumer phone market.
Amazon today began offering devices in its Echo smart speaker range at discounted prices for the first time in the products' short history, as part of its Black Friday Deals Week.
For those unfamiliar with the devices, the connected speakers' array of microphones lets users query voice-based assistant Alexa, who can be asked to do things like play music, read the news, use apps, check the weather, turn on the lights, set timers, and more.
Apple is also offering its own Black Friday deals this year. For all the discounts on Apple products offered on Amazon, Apple, and elsewhere, be sure to check out the MacRumorsBlack Friday Holiday Roundup, continually updated throughout the week.
MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon and may sometimes get paid if you click one of the above links and purchase a product or service.
A web developer and graphic designer has created a fully functioning touchscreen "Apple Mirror", offering a reflective look into an imagined future where Cupertino builds smart screens for the home.
New York-based Rafael Dymek created the mirror as a personal project, aping elements of iOS 10 to augment the interface, which appears to run off the back of a modified desktop touchscreen OS.
The "Apple Mirror" features the date and time in the top right corner and a weather forecast in the top left. Beneath these sit several working iOS app icons which can be rearranged with the drag of a finger.
A tap opens the apps in the familiar manner, albeit in a windowed mode, although this does allow for easy multi-tasking. Dymek demonstrates some of the possibilities of his modified Apple interface, which include the ability to request an Uber, watch Netflix, read the news, control a Nest thermostat and smart light bulbs, control output to a Sonos speaker system, and more.
After 45 seconds of inactivity, the interface goes to sleep and the touchscreen looks like an ordinary mirror, while a simple tap resumes use. Check out the video to see it in action.
Multiple sources have claimed Apple will launch its 
Name: Alto's Adventure
Name: Fantastical 2 for iPhone
Name: Deliveries
Name: Gears
Name: Out There: Ω Edition
12.9-inch iPad Pro
12-inch MacBook
Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella has stoked speculation this week that Redmond is prepping a new line of smartphones under the Surface brand for launch in early 2017.
