MacRumors

Microsoft has announced that developers who applied to pre-order the HoloLens Development Edition will begin to receive invitations to purchase the device for $3,000, with shipments beginning on March 30 in the U.S. and Canada.

The development kit bundles the HoloLens with a carrying case, Bluetooth 4.1 clicker, wired charger, and an extra nose piece. Microsoft technical fellow Alex Kipman said broader consumer availability remains "further down the line."

Microsoft HoloLens is a cordless, self-contained Windows 10 holographic headset that mixes virtual reality with augmented reality.

HoloLens has see-through holographic lenses with an advanced optical projection system to generate multi-dimensional holograms that allow you to see holographic objects in your world. The headset is also equipped with multiple sensors and a built-in camera that analyze your surrounding environment.

The mixed-reality headset is powered by 32-bit Intel architecture and 2GB of RAM. The device also has 802.11ac Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.1, USB 2.0, 64GB internal storage, and up to three hours of battery life.

Microsoft will be including seven new apps, games, and tools on the HoloLens, and it encourages developers to create additional experiences for the mixed reality headset leading up to its Build developer conference on March 30.

Microsoft's augmented reality efforts precede Apple, which is rumored have a secret team of hundreds of employees working on a virtual reality headset. Our Apple VR roundup recaps the company's ambitions and competitors like Microsoft's HoloLens, Google's Cardboard, and Facebook's Oculus Rift.

Microsoft has shared a new series of ads called The Bug Chicks that promote what it believes are advantages of Windows 10 PCs over Macs. Each ad has the tagline "Windows 10 PCs do more. Just like you."

The first ad introduces The Bug Chicks, who are identified as "real people paid for real opinions," and focuses on how PCs allow them to teach kids about insects using PowerPoint and other Windows 10 apps and features.

The other three ads highlight individual Windows 10 PC features, including Cortana, Inking, and Hello. Each 15-second spot deliberately mentions how "even the new Macs don't have that" or "Mac doesn't have a touchscreen."

"Windows 10 and Cortana" demonstrates how Microsoft's personal voice assistant can be used on the desktop to find any file by simply asking. The advantage will be short-lived, however, as Siri is reportedly coming to OS X 10.12 later this year.

"Windows 10 and Inking" shows how select Windows 10 PCs have touchscreens that allow you to write and sketch directly on the screen, unlike Macs. Meanwhile, Apple has previously admitted it has no plans to release a touchscreen Mac.

"We don't think it's the right interface, honestly," said Craig Federighi, Senior Vice President of Software Engineering at Apple, in an interview with CNET. "Mac is sort of a sit-down experience." […]

"We've really focused on building the best track pads we can, something where it feels [like] your posture's relaxed, it's a comfortable machine to use," he said. "And, of course, over the years we've experimented with all the technology, but we found it just wasn't good. ... We're not all that interested in building one."

"Windows 10 and Hello" shows one of the ladies unlocking her PC with facial recognition, using the front-facing camera, with no password required. The biometric feature works with your face, fingerprint, or iris on select PCs.

The latest data from market research firm Gartner revealed that worldwide PC shipments from Lenovo, HP, Dell, Asus, and Acer continued to decline in the fourth quarter. Apple was the sole manufacturer that saw positive shipment growth in the quarter, based on sales of 5.7 million Macs.

Most of Apple's Mac lineup is due for a hardware refresh this year with Intel's Skylake chips, Thunderbolt 3 with USB-C, and possibly new form factors. The new Macs could be announced at WWDC in June or at a media event later this fall, although updates could also be announced via press release at any time.

Re/code reports that the much anticipated Apple Media event will actually fall during the week of March 21st, not on March 15th, as originally rumored.

Or to put it another way, it’s not going to be on March 15, the time frame that other outlets previously reported, according to several sources. It is not clear if the event was moved or if this was the same timing as Apple had always planned.

Curiously, the delayed date was first floated by Korean site Underkg earlier this week.

The event, previously known to take place in March 15th, is pushed back a week to March 22nd if our source is correct. Apple allegedly have sent notifications to leave the schedule available from the 21st to 23rd, making us guess that the event will occur a week after the original known date.

The date change had been largely ignored at the time due to the unproven source of the rumor, but it appears that Re/code has confirmed the new date according to "several sources".

Besides the 4-inch iPhone SE, Apple is also expected to introduce a new 9.7" iPad (possibly dubbed as the iPad Pro), and new Apple Watch bands.

Update: According to BuzzFeed's John Paczkowski, Apple's media event will take place on Monday, March 21, likely at Apple's Town Hall in Cupertino. The event will be held one day before Apple is scheduled to stand off against the FBI in court.

The first purported component leak for the so called iPhone SE has emerged via Nowhereelse.fr. The images claim to depict a screen assembly of the upcoming 4-inch iPhone.

Part leaks have been notably absent for the iPhone SE, despite rumors that the new device will launch in the middle of March -- only three weeks away.

The new images seems to confirm that 3D Touch components are absent from the 4-inch device. This is consistent with rumors to date that suggest the 4-inch iPhone will incorporate Live Photo support, but not 3D Touch, which is considered a flagship feature for the iPhone 6s line.

The leaked images are said to be captured by a source that on "several occasions in the past proved to be reliable".

The iPhone SE is expected to be announced during a March 15th media event.

KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has issued a research note to investors, a copy of which was obtained by MacRumors, in which he claims Apple's next-generation 4-inch iPhone will feature a 12-megapixel rear-facing camera, as opposed to an 8-megapixel sensor as previously rumored.

Kuo also reiterated that the new 4-inch iPhone will have other similar hardware specs as the iPhone 6s, including an A9 chip and NFC for Apple Pay. The device's form factor is expected to be similar to the iPhone 5s, although the display is said to have slightly curved 2.5D glass like the iPhone 6 and newer.

Apple's new 4-inch iPhone could also feature 16GB and 64GB storage capacities, 802.11ac Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.2, Live Photos support, and a slightly larger 1,642 mAh battery compared to the iPhone 5s. 3D Touch will likely remain exclusive to the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus as a differentiating feature.

The well-informed analyst continues to believe the smartphone will cost between $400 and $500 in the United States. The lower price point should help Apple target the mid- to low-price segment and drive iPhone sales in emerging markets such as China and India. Comparatively, the larger iPhone 6s starts at $649.

KGI Securities expects total 4-inch iPhone shipments to grow 131% year-over-year to 37 million units in 2016, on the strength of the new 4-inch iPhone launch and a 50% price cut on the iPhone 5s. Apple currently sells the iPhone 5s for $450 at full retail price, so the smartphone may soon be discounted to $225.

The research firm has lowered its new 4-inch iPhone shipments forecast to 12 million units from 18-20 million units because it believes customers that favor a small-size iPhone may purchase the cheaper iPhone 5s instead. KGI expects iPhone 5s shipments to "surge" following the half-off discount.

Kuo said Apple's upcoming 4-inch iPhone is "generally dubbed iPhone 5se," but a recent report said the smartphone may actually be called the "iPhone SE." The purported iPhone 5s successor has been given many other names in recent months, including "iPhone 6c," "iPhone 5e," and "iPhone 5s Mark II" internally.

Apple is expected to announce the new 4-inch iPhone, alongside a new 9.7-inch iPad Pro and minor Apple Watch updates, at its rumored March 15 media event. Barring any last minute changes, the smartphone could reportedly go on sale as early as March 18. Apple is unlikely to offer pre-orders for the device.

The research note also clarified that Apple will offer both single and dual camera versions of the iPhone 7 Plus.

Apple CEO Tim Cook has remained tight lipped about the so-called "Apple Car," but today he dropped a hint about the much-rumored electric vehicle at the company's annual shareholders meeting in Cupertino (via Business Insider).

Do you remember when you were a kid, and Christmas Eve it was so exciting, you weren't sure what was going to be downstairs? Well, it's going to be Christmas Eve for a while.

Cook's comment suggests that, if such a project exists, the purported "Apple Car" will not be publicly revealed for quite some time -- in line with reports claiming Apple is currently targeting a 2019 or 2020 production date.

Apple has recruited hundreds of engineers from Tesla, Ford, GM, Samsung, A123 Systems, Nvidia, and elsewhere, likely to work on the purported car project, which has allegedly been called "Project Titan" internally. Tesla CEO Elon Musk recently said it is an "open secret" that Apple is developing an electric car, based on its number of recent automotive-related hirings.

Other evidence that points towards Apple's interest in the automotive industry includes its discussions with a secure Bay Area testing facility for connected and autonomous vehicles and its meeting with the California DMV to review self-driving vehicle regulations in 2015. More recently, Sunnyvale residents have reported hearing loud "motor"-sounding noises at night on a campus where Apple leases at least one building.

When questioned about the "Apple Car" in a recent interview, Cook provided a more elaborate non-answer:

Yeah, I’m probably not going to do that. The great thing about being here is we’re curious people. We explore technologies, and we explore products.

And we’re always thinking about ways that Apple can make great products that people love, that help them in some way. And we don’t go into very many categories, as you know. We edit very much. We talk about a lot of things and do fewer. We debate many things and do a lot fewer.

Apple's internal "Project Titan" team has reportedly faced some obstacles over the past month. In January, supposed "Apple Car" project lead Steve Zadesky informed colleagues that he would be leaving the company for personal reasons. Then, just a few days later, it was reported the "Apple Car" team is on a hiring freeze as Apple executives are unhappy with the progress being made on the development of the vehicle.

Other news out of Apple's shareholders meeting today includes the company's commitment to customer privacy and raising its dividends annually. Cook also hinted that now is a "great opportunity" for Apple to acquire smaller technology companies. He said Apple has made 19 acquisitions in the past 15 months.

Rumors surrounding the 4-inch "iPhone 5se" continue today with new information pointing to the possibility of Apple dropping the "5" from the name altogether and simply calling it the "iPhone SE." As reported by 9to5Mac, the new name would be a shift in focus on the 4-inch iPhone's "enhanced and special edition" status, making it stand out from the numerically named crowd of the iPhone family.

Based on Apple reinvigorating the 4-inch iPhone screen size at a time where the market is mostly moving toward larger smartphone screens, it would make sense for Apple to position this device as simply the “SE.” Sources say that the dropping of the “5” from the name also simplifies the iPhone lineup as bringing back an iPhone “5” variant amid the iPhone “6” lifecycle could potentially confuse customers. The iPhone SE will replace the existing iPhone 5s and will take its price points.

Mock-ups from earlier in the week suggested that the iPhone SE will look near-identical to that of the iPhone 5s, with a body measuring in at 123.8mm tall, 58.6mm wide, and 7.6mm thick. The device is said to have an A9 processor, an M9 chip to accommodate the new fitness tracking features of iOS, and include "Hey Siri," Apple Pay, and Live Photos support.

The design renderings of the iPhone SE show conflicting claims in regards to the new iPhone's power button placement and camera, but the latter feature is said to support an 8-megapixel system. The iPhone SE is believed to come in the four expected color options of the iPhone line -- Silver, Space Gray, Rose Gold, and Gold -- and be available in 16GB and 64GB sizes.

It won't be long until we find out everything about the iPhone SE, with reports pointing towards a March 15 media event for the reveal of the new 4-inch iPhone. On the same day, Apple is predicted to announce what was thought to be called the "iPad Air 3," but is now believed to be a smaller 9.7-inch addition to the iPad Pro family.

Spotify team member Johan Lindstrom has confirmed that Apple is working on a fix for a bug that occasionally triggers a kernel panic on OS X when running the streaming music service's official Mac desktop app.

The issue first arose in the Spotify support community in October, when a user claimed that OS X 10.9.5 was crashing after updating to Spotify version 1.0.15.133. Since then, dozens of other affected users have shared kernel panic logs.

I've been in contact with Apple and they have confirmed that this is a known bug in the current and recent versions of OS X. They are working on a fix, but I don't know when they will roll that out. The bug that is causing the kernel panic is being triggered when running Spotify simply because the Spotify app is making network requests (to stream music etc.) and there are several other apps that also cause the same kernel panic to occur.

In the meantime, the user-suggested workaround is to disable OS X's built-in system firewall under System Preferences > Security & Privacy > Firewall. The firewall is normally used to control which apps send or receive network traffic, so be aware of the potential security implications of disabling it.

Spotify has sent the kernel panic logs to Apple and pointed them towards the support community topic, but it remains unclear when the bug will be fixed. Apple seeded the fourth beta of OS X 10.11.4 to developers for testing earlier this week, while OS X 10.12 will likely be previewed at WWDC in June.

(Thanks, Daniel!)