MacRumors

Drake's latest album made its global streaming debut on Apple Music last night and is now available to buy on iTunes. Priced at $13.99, Views (previously titled Views From The Six) features 20 new tracks, including the slow jam hit "Hotline Bling".

The Canadian rapper's album will be exclusive to Apple Music for one week, after which it will become available on other music streaming services like Spotify.

Views is just the latest tactically timed release in an ongoing battle among music streaming services for exclusivity, with Drake forming rank alongside Taylor Swift and Adele in Apple's corner, as the company faces off against competing streaming service Tidal's frontline co-owners Jay Z, Kanye West, Beyonce, and Rihanna.

Last week, Beyoncé's newest album Lemonade launched on Tidal approximately 24 hours before it became available for users to purchase on the likes of iTunes, Amazon, and Google Play, and remains the only service able to stream the album.

Drake and Apple have been in a partnership since the launch of Apple Music last summer, with the artist contributing his own Beats 1 radio show to the streaming service. Drake recently confirmed his partnership with Apple will continue into live music as Apple Music will sponsor his "Summer Sixteen" tour.

Drake's fourth studio album comes one year after If You're Reading This It's Too Late, which also had its debut on iTunes. In August, Quartz reported that Drake was the second most played artist on Apple Music.

Twitter yesterday changed how its iOS mobile app is categorized on the App Store in order to enhance its visibility, following the company's poor Q1 earnings report earlier this week (via TechCrunch).

Twitter now appears in the "News" category, where it's the #1 ranked app ahead of CNN and Reddit. Previously it could be found in "Social Networking", where it occupied #5 in the category rankings, behind the likes of Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, and WhatsApp.

Achieving a #1 ranking in the App Store should also give Twitter's "Overall" ranking a boost, which equates to better visibility in the top "Free" apps chart, where Twitter currently sits at #28.

The company has not commented on the thematic switch, which has yet to be reflected in the Google Play store (where it still sits in the "Social" category), but the change indicates that Twitter is looking to court a new audience interested in sources of breaking news and curated information on current affairs, as it seeks a strategy that will heighten its online profile and significantly boost growth.

Twitter's Q1 earnings earlier this week showed poor performance, with $595 million company revenues falling short of the $607.8 million analysts expected. The platform had zero growth in new users in Q4 of 2015, but a new tallying system enabled the company to report a 2 percent increase in active users in Q1 (310 million, up from 305 million users in Q4). The company remains unprofitable, with a Q1 net loss of -$79.7 million, and gave bleak guidance for the quarter ahead.

Twitter has attempted to improve its core product over the past year with a number of changes to the way the platform works. The app now sorts tweets in the timeline by quality rather than recency, for example, while the starred "favorite" icon got replaced with a "like" heart icon. However, Twitter's stock fell more than 12 percent after its Q1 report, indicating the company's efforts to increase its mainstream appeal have so far failed to pay dividends.

In March, Apple launched its Apple Support account on the social network, which is dedicated to answering customer support questions. Earlier this month, Apple launched a new Twitter account for Apple News, giving its Apple News team a way to promote stories and content on the social network. The Apple News Twitter account is used to share "top stories" and "great reads" curated by Apple News editors in the United States.

Last week, FBI director James Comey hinted at how much the agency paid to unlock San Bernardino shooter Syed Farook's iPhone, saying it cost more than he will make in the next seven years and four months. The number worked out to around $1.3 million, as Comey's annual salary is $183,000. However, sources now tell Reuters that the amount was actually under $1 million.

Although the FBI says it will keep the technique it used to unlock Farook's iPhone 5c a secret, sources tell Reuters that the agency can use the method on other iPhone 5c's running iOS 9. The FBI has physical possession of the mechanism used to unlock the phone and does not need to pay the contractor any more money for further uses.

The contractor responsible for the method is a closely-held secret within the FBI, with Comey being in the dark himself, according to Reuters' sources. In mid-April, it was reported that the FBI hired "professional hackers," at least one of which is a gray hat researcher that sells flaws to governments, black market groups or surveillance companies.

Note: Due to the political nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Politics, Religion, Social Issues forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.

Apple today updated its iOS 9 feature availability page to note the expansion of several iOS features to new countries.

Apple's Flyover feature for Apple Maps has expanded to encompass Akron, Ohio and Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, allowing Maps users to see photorealistic 3D views of the areas, with tools for zooming, panning, and rotating to get a closer look at notable landmarks and points of interest.

In Thailand, Apple Maps users now have access to traffic information, bringing the total number of countries with traffic data available to 34.

Finally, Spotlight Suggestions have expanded to Denmark, Norway, and Sweden, making the feature available in 19 countries. Spotlight Suggestions show suggestions from the Internet, iTunes, the App Store, Maps, and more when conducting a spotlight search on an iPhone or Mac.

Apple today updated its Apple Music app designed for Android devices, adding support for family memberships and watching music videos, features already available in the iOS version of Apple Music.

Starting today, Android users have access to music videos in the Apple Music app, such as Taylor Swift's live 1989 World Tour video. Since the launch of Apple Music, Apple has focused some of its attention on music video content, and in recent months, its video push has been expanding. In the future, Apple is expected to introduce a full television show to promote Apple Music, starring Apple executive Dr. Dre.

Today's Android update also allows Android users to subscribe to or upgrade to a family subscription plan, which allows up to six family members to access Apple Music content for $14.99 per month.

Apple Music for Android launched in November of 2015, marking Apple's the release of Apple's first major app for Android users. The Android app is available in all the countries where Apple Music for iOS is available and allows Android users to subscribe to Apple Music and listen on Android-based devices.

The Android Apple Music app can be downloaded from the Google Play Store for free. It comes with a free three-month Apple Music trial.

Porsche announced this week that its new 718 Cayman and 718 Cayman S mid-engine sports cars will be equipped with CarPlay, along with a USB port and Porsche Car Connect app on iOS and Android for smartphone connectivity. Other CarPlay-enabled Porsche models include the 2016 911, 2017 718 Boxster, and 2017 Macan series.

The Connect Plus module offers real-time traffic information, CarPlay, Google Earth, Google Street View, and WiFi connectivity. Drivers can also make use of additional comprehensive services via their smartphone, which include the Porsche Connect App and Porsche Car Connect.

The new 718 Cayman and 718 Cayman S are on sale now and will arrive at Porsche dealerships in the U.S. in late November 2016. The 718 Cayman has a starting MSRP of $53,900, while the 718 Cayman S starts at $66,300. An additional $1,050 fee applies for delivery, processing, and handling.

August Home today began shipping its second-generation Smart Lock, which includes support for Apple's HomeKit platform and lets users unlock their doors with simple commands like, "Hey Siri, unlock my front door." August announced the new Smart Lock back in October, revealing that the newly redesigned lock, as well as the free August app, can let users unlock and lock their doors while they're away to let visitors inside, and double check the status of their home's security.

Today's announcement brings news that those interested can buy the new Smart Lock from both Amazon and Best Buy, in addition to August's online storefront. As confirmed last year, August's lock can integrate with other HomeKit apps like Insteon+, Lutron, and iDevices, that can be customized to turn lights on or off as users unlock or lock their doors.

A couple of early reviews praise the Siri integration of the Smart Lock, as well as the improved design and largely seamless set-up process. According to CNET, the inside-only installation required of August's upgraded device is also a major plus, with the discreet lock ensuring that no one on the outside of your house knows you have a Smart Lock.

“We are committed to providing value by partnering with companies such as Apple to deliver the features our customers are asking for, including HomeKit integration and support for Siri voice commands,” said Jason Johnson, CEO of August Home Inc. “We will continue to develop best-in-class products and partner with leading smart home companies to add convenience to consumer’s daily lives and new smart security features that are an essential element of the connected home.”

In addition to the August Smart Lock, which costs $229, the company sells the August Smart Keypad ($79) and August Doorbell Cam ($199) to further increase the security and protection of a home. Besides the free iOS app for the August Smart Lock, the company also has an Apple Watch app to receive instant notifications about your door's security, and unlock and lock it from your wrist.

Before purchasing, August recommends users double check that their door's deadbolt lock is listed as compatible with the company's hardware on this list.

The latest data from research firms IDC and Strategy Analytics reveals that iPad market share declined for the ninth consecutive quarter as the worldwide tablet market continues to slow. Apple now has between 22.1 and 25.9-percent market share among tablet vendors, down from between 24.3 and 27.2-percent in the year-ago quarter.

Apple reported iPad sales of 10.3 million during the March quarter earlier this week, compared to 12.62 million in the year-ago quarter. IDC and Strategy Analytics data shows Samsung trailing in second with 6 to 6.5 million tablets shipped, amounting to 14.0 to 15.2-percent market share during the first three months of 2016.

IDC data shows that Amazon experienced explosive 5421.7-percent year-over-year growth, with its market share rising from just 0.1-percent to 5.7-percent on the strength of new low-cost Fire tablets. The research firm noted that it did not count the Fire HD 6 in its Q1 2015 numbers. Strategy Analytics did not share Amazon data.

Lenovo and Huawei rounded out the top five in both datasets, with both vendors having shipped between 2.1 and 2.2 million tablets during the quarter. Their respective market shares ranged between 4.5-percent and 5.5-percent, amounting to only a slight variation between the IDC and Strategy Analytics data.

Global tablet shipments reached between 39.6 and 46.5 million during the quarter, the latter of which is the lowest total since the third quarter of 2012, according to Strategy Analytics. Nevertheless, IDC noted that convertible 2-in-1 tablets continue to experience growth, with quarterly shipments totaling 4.9 million.

"Microsoft arguably created the market for detachable tablets with the launch of their Surface line of products," said Jitesh Ubrani, senior research analyst with IDC's Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Device Trackers. "With the PC industry in decline, the detachable market stands to benefit as consumers and enterprises seek to replace their aging PCs with detachables.

Apple's recent foray into this segment has garnered them an impressive lead in the short term, although continued long-term success may prove challenging as a higher entry price point staves off consumers and iOS has yet to prove its enterprise-readiness, leaving plenty of room for Microsoft and their hardware partners to reestablish themselves."

IDC and Strategy Analytics shared smartphone and smartwatch data earlier this week.

Apple Maps has recently been updated with all-new transit data for New South Wales, Australia, allowing iOS users to navigate the area with the new addition of the NSW TrainLink line as well as bus stations. Before the update, only rail directions for Sydney Trains were available. Sydney, and now New South Wales as a whole, are still the only areas in Australia with Transit information available.

NSW TrainLink provides residents with transportation throughout New South Wales, and even extends above and below the states borders, to cities like Melbourne in the south and Brisbane in the north. The new transit additions should help tourists out, as well, since New South Wales also houses the popular destination -- and most populous city in the nation -- Sydney, Australia.

Transit directions became a helpful feature with the introduction of iOS 9, and has since expanded to be supported in 16 cities around the world. Including Sydney, Transit directions can be found in Seattle, Austin, Baltimore, Berlin, Boston, Chicago, London, Los Angeles, Mexico City, Montreal, Toronto, New York City, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and Washington, DC. There are also a few dozen cities in China that include Transit directions in Apple Maps.

(Thanks, DrHampton!)

Intel this week announced plans to usher in the adoption of an audio USB Type-C connector that would replace the standard 3.5 millimeter analog jack and eventually be capable of digital audio transmission (via Anandtech).

The plans were announced during the Intel Developers Forum (IDF) in Shenzhen, China, where the semiconductor manufacturer set out its project to develop USB Type-C Digital Audio. Intel remained vague about the digital conversion, but set out broad aims to update the USB Audio Device 2.0 protocol specifications to include up-to-date audio features, while simplifying discovery and improving power management, with plans to release the revised specification in the second quarter this year.

Intel hopes that the improved USB-C audio specification would eventually amount to a standardized connector replacement and eliminate the traditional audio jack from laptops, smartphones and tablets, eventually ushering in a transition to fully digital audio.

From a consumer perspective, this could mean higher-quality audio output, more remote control possibilities on headsets, potential biometric health data tracking (such as in-ear heart-rate monitoring), and supplied power for features like active noise-cancelling without the need for dedicated batteries.

The news comes amid iPhone 7 rumors suggesting Apple is also looking to remove the 3.5mm headphone jack on its future mobile devices, however speculation gravitates towards Apple replacing it with a proprietary Lightning port capable of transmitting audio. With no headphone jack, wired headphones would connect to the iPhone 7 using its Lightning port and Bluetooth headphones would connect wirelessly.

Apple could theoretically implement Intel's USB-C digital audio protocol in future Macs, although details remain unknown. Either way, given that LeEco already offers smartphones with USB-C-only audio, and JBL sells noise-cancelling USB-C headphones, the 3.5mm audio jack appears to be nearing the end of its life in the consumer technology market.

Google has released an iOS app that enables Android TV owners to control their television using their iPhone or iPad.

The app's migration to iOS means that Apple mobile device owners now have the same ability to control the smart TV Google platform as their Android mobile-owning counterparts, so long as both television and iOS device share the same wireless network.

The iOS app features a D-pad in the center of the screen for standard remote control operation, while users can also input text or perform a voice search via Google Now, both of which should be a welcome alternative to using a standard remote handset to input to an onscreen keyboard.

Multiple remotes can be linked to an Android TV, meaning iOS device users can also take part in multiplayer games alongside users of standard gamepad controllers.

The Android TV app is a free download for iPad and iPhone from the App Store. [Direct Link]

Google Maps for iOS was updated with a number of new features yesterday, including a Notification Center widget for commuters on the move and an in-app option for sharing directions.

The new Travel Times extension for Google's popular iOS maps app allows users to quickly check a live travel time estimation to their home or work with a simple pull down of the Notification Center.

The widget includes a toggle for switching between driving and public transit times, but only functions if users have saved their home and/or work addresses in Google Maps' Settings menu. Tapping on either destination in the Notification Center starts direction navigation from the user's current location.

Other additions in the new version of the app include the ability to share directions via the three-dot icon in the top right of the map navigation screen, and a new setting that allows users to select the unit measurement for distance shown during navigation.

Lastly, users now have control over Google Maps' color scheme, with a night mode toggle as well as an "Automatic" setting that transitions between day and night mode depending on the time of day.

Google Maps is a free download from the App Store for iPhone and iPad. [Direct Link]