Popular music discovery app Shazam has been updated to version 9.4.1, gaining the ability to add songs to an Apple Music playlist. With the new version of the app, Shazam can connect to Apple Music and add songs that are discovered right to an Apple Music playlist without leaving the Shazam app.
For those unfamiliar with Shazam, it is a popular app that is able to identify music that is playing, offering up song titles, music videos, and more.
The new feature requires iOS 9.3, as the update enabled the ability for third-party apps to access Apple Music playlists. To use the feature, Shazam will need to be given permission to access and connect to Apple Music through the settings section of the app.
Once authorized, a song recognized by Shazam can be added to a playlist by tapping the "+" symbol in the upper right of the app. Songs can also be played in Apple Music, used to start a radio station, or opened in iTunes. Songs added to Apple Music are listed under a "My Shazam Tracks" playlist. Today's update also gives Apple Music subscribers the ability to listen to a song in full without leaving the app.
The new version of Apple Music is here - and it makes for an even better Shazam experience! Once you've upgraded to iOS 9.3, connect to Apple Music in Shazam settings and you'll be able to:
- Add any Shazam track to any of your Apple Music playlists. - Find all your Shazams conveniently saved to a 'My Shazam Tracks' playlist in Apple Music. - Listen to any song in FULL, without leaving Shazam!
Shazam can be downloaded from the App Store for free. [Direct Link]
Apple today shared a new Apple TV ad that focuses on the Siri features built in to the set-top box. Entitled "The Kiss," the one minute ad stars Alison Brie and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau.
In the spot, the two actors are attempting to replicate an on-screen kiss, using Siri to rewind a specific movie scene. On the fourth-generation Apple TV, asking Siri questions like "What did she say?" or "Rewind 10 seconds" will automatically replay a scene from television show or movie.
Siri's content search features are also shown off, demonstrating the ability to find television shows or play songs from Apple Music.
The new Apple TV, starring Siri. Now it's easier than ever to enjoy your favorite movies, shows, music and apps.
The ad is one of several in a series with the tagline "The Future of Television." Since the Apple TV launched in October of 2015, Apple has been promoting it through a range of different television ads and billboards that have focused both on content and features like the tvOS App Store, Siri search, Apple Music, and more.
Apple is working with Will.i.am and TV executives Ben Silverman and Howard T. Owens on a new non-scripted television show that will "spotlight the app economy," reports The New York Times. There are no details on the television show beyond the App Store premise, so it is not clear what format episodes will take.
Apple executives have not made details like title, timeline, storylines, or episode length public, and there is no information on where the show will be promoted. Given that it's focused on the App Store, it could be made available through an app, shown through the App Store itself, or be made available as a standard television show on iTunes.
The App Store series was conceived by Ben Silverman, who presented the idea to Apple. Silverman is an executive producer on shows like Jane the Virgin, The Biggest Loser, Marco Polo, and Flaked.
In an interview with The New York Times, Apple iTunes chief Eddy Cue cautioned that the show is not a signal that Apple will be delving deeper into original television and streaming video, despite rumors last year suggesting the company was meeting with Hollywood executives to make a big push into original programming.
"One of the things with the app store that was always great about it was the great ideas that people had to build things and create things," Eddy Cue, Apple's senior vice president of Internet software and services, said in an interview. [...]
"This doesn't mean that we are going into a huge amount of movie production or TV production or anything like that," Mr. Cue said. He added that the company would continue to explore exclusive projects similar to the series about apps or its push into music programming.
Along with its television show focused on apps, Apple is also creating a television series called Vital Signs that will star Beats co-founder and Apple executive Dr. Dre. Described as a dark semi-autobiographical drama, Vital Signs will be used to promote the Apple Music streaming service, much like this new television show will promote the App Store.
Apple let press go hands-on with the iPhone SE at its launch event and provided several publications with iPhone SE review units ahead of the device's debut, and we've gathered excerpts from each site to highlight the general release reaction to Apple's new 4-inch iPhone. Reviews and first impressions have been largely positive, with reviewers praising the device's powerful internals.
The general consensus is that the iPhone SE is the perfect phone for people who want the power of Apple's flagship iPhone lineup in a small form factor.
TechRadar called the exterior "svelte and sleek," and said it's just like handling an iPhone 5s, the phone the SE is modeled after.
The same exemplary precision found on the high-end iPhones is also found on the iPhone SE. At last, you don't have to feel that you're settling just to get a phone that's easier to handle.
Handling the iPhone SE is a lovely affair, particularly if you're coming from the iPhone 6S Plus. It's dainty - cute, even - and although, obviously, it feels exactly as if you're handling the iPhone 5S, there's something extra novel about it now. It's no longer the norm; the 4-inch form factor is now the exception.
The Independent speculates that the iPhone SE will appeal most to those who currently use a 4-inch iPhone, as it can be difficult to adjust to a smaller 4-inch screen after using Apple's larger 4.7 or 5.5-inch iPhones.
Mostly, I'd guess, it will appeal to people who currently have a four-inch display phone. Going back to it from the iPhone 6s Plus with its 5.5-inch screen, took some doing - why, the entire dear little iPhone SE fits within the 6s Plus screen. Using the keyboard on the SE was a learning curve after the expansiveness of the 6s Plus.
iMore pointed out that while the iPhone SE got the 12-megapixel rear camera from the iPhone 6s, the front-facing camera didn't get much of an upgrade. It's still 1.2 megapixels.
The front FaceTime camera is still the same sensor as iPhone 5s but benefits from the new ISP and from a Retina Flash. I'm not sure why it didn't get a bump to an iPhone 6s-level 5 megapixels, because selfies really are a thing and really do need the better camera.
The Wall Street Journal points out the impressive battery life in the iPhone SE, which beats out the iPhone 5s and the iPhone 6s, but criticizes the unoriginal design.
The standout news is battery life. Unlike many other recent Apple products, the iPhone SE's is a significant improvement over its predecessors'. In my lab stress test, which cycles through websites with uniform screen brightness, the SE lasted 10 hours--more than two hours longer than both the iPhone 6s and iPhone 5s, and nearly three hours longer than the Galaxy S7. [...]
The iPhone SE is a win for ergonomic choice, but Apple doesn't score any points for originality. The new phone is nearly indistinguishable from the three-year-old iPhone 5s, which is a hair thicker and less pleasantly rounded than Apple's more recent designs. (The SE even fits in most existing 5s cases.)
The Daily Mail says the iPhone SE, with its A9 processor - the same processor in the iPhone 6s - is "blazingly fast."
Although we've only been using the phone for a few days, one thing is clear - it's blazingly fast. Playing several high intensity games show that this really is as powerful as the current flagship, the 6s.
It's powered by the A9, the same chip found in the iPhone 6s, and Apple says the iPhone SE has 2x faster CPU and 3x faster GPU performance compared to the older iPhone 5s - and this is something you notice right away, with a far snappier feel the the handset even when its not playing games.
Mashable highlights the $399 price tag, calling it "tremendously competitive" for a device with current-generation technology.
The best thing about the iPhone SE might just be its price. Selling for just $399 for a 16GB version and $499 for a 64GB version, this is a tremendously competitive phone. Most $400 phones are not going to give you the latest-generation processor and camera technologies. I really can't underscore how well I think this product will do, simply based on its price.
Consider that the iPhone 6S starts at $649 for a 16GB version. Yes, it has more features -- including 3D Touch, a better front-facing camera and a larger display -- but the price point Apple has set will be very compelling.
Pre-orders for the iPhone SE started at 12:01 a.m. on March 24. The device can be purchased from the Apple online store, with deliveries and in-store availability set to begin on March 31. While the 16GB iPhone SE models are still in stock and will deliver on that date, the 64GB iPhone SE models have proven more popular and shipping estimates have slipped to five to seven days. Pricing on the iPhone SE, which is Apple's most affordable iPhone, starts at $399.
Following the launch of iPhone SE and 9.7" iPad Pro orders, Apple has begun offering popular journal app Day One 2 for free through the Apple Store app for a limited time.
To take advantage of the promotion, open the Apple Store app, scroll down, and tap on the Day One 2 banner. Read the terms and conditions, tap on the green "download now for free" banner, sign in to your Apple ID account, and tap on "Redeem" in the top-right corner. The app will then begin downloading automatically.
Day One 2, normally $4.99 on the App Store, allows you to create a journal your life, ranging from once-in-a-lifetime events to everyday moments. The app features a timeline for browsing through past photos and notes, while you can also record the location, weather, time, and date of your life experiences.
Day One 2 is available on the App Store [Direct Link] for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.
The Pokémon Company today released more information about its upcoming augmented reality mobile game Pokémon GO, which blends the series' trademarked collectible gameplay with location-based discovery thanks to the technology of modern smartphones. As in its original September announcement, the company reiterated that the app itself will be free at launch, with in-app purchases available to round out the experience.
Pokémon GO works by notifying players when they're near a catchable Pokémon, and now the company is explaining how the catching process works: gamers will use their smartphone to "take aim" at where the Pokémon is waiting and use one of their collected Poké Balls to capture it. As is normal in games of the series, there's a chance for the capture to fail or for the Pokémon to run away before it can be caught.
There will also be a new feature called PokéStops, "located at interesting places, such as public art installations, historical markers, and monuments," that act as a sort of rest stop for users to restock on Poké Balls and Pokémon Eggs -- which use the pedometer of a smartphone to hatch after a certain number of steps. The more the game is played, the faster players can level up their Trainer and discover higher-level Pokémon in the wild while gaining access to more powerful items.
Similar to PokéStops, Pokémon GO will use the well-known feature of the Gym to provide community hubs in certain locations around the globe. But these areas won't be as peaceful-minded as PokéStops, with players able to challenge the ownership of a Gym and potentially gain control over it with their team of Pokémon. Although it will lack the story-driven experience of a proper game in the series, these features hint that there will be some sort of structure to Pokémon GO.
At a certain point in the game, you'll be asked to join one of three teams. Once you join a team, you'll gain the ability to assign Pokémon you've caught to empty Gym locations or to a location where a team member has placed one of his or her Pokémon. Like PokéStops, Gyms can be found at real locations in the world. Each player can place only one Pokémon at a particular Gym, so you're encouraged to work with others on the team to build up a strong defense.
If a Gym is already claimed by another team, you can challenge that Gym using your own Pokémon. Using the Pokémon you've caught, engage in battle with the defending Pokémon at the Gym to claim control.
The Pokémon Company reiterated that all of "the features, available languages, design, and overall appearance" of the game are not yet final, but a trial run is currently being conducted in Japan to iron out the experience before a wide release, which has also yet to be confirmed.
There's been a lot of news surrounding traditionally console exclusive companies emerging into the smartphone gaming market, including Pokémon parent company Nintendo, and now Sony, which just announced it'll be bringing some of its characters to smartphones beginning in Japan and Asia.
Check out The Pokémon Company's official press release for more information on Pokémon GO.
Sony is forming a new company, ForwardWorks, that will be focused on providing gamers with "full-fledged game titles" on their smartphone (via The Verge). ForwardWorks will begin operations on April 1, the same day that Sony has announced of all of its various PlayStation arms are set to be joined under the unified umbrella brand Sony Interactive Entertainment.
The new company plans to create gaming experiences for users in Japan and Asia, but the company has hinted that there's a possibility for expansion into other territories after initial launches in those countries. While ForwardWorks has yet to confirm the specific smartphone operating systems it will be launching games on, it did tease the content of the upcoming mobile experiences, which will "leverage the intellectual property" of Sony's vast catalogue of well-known characters and franchises to use in each title.
ForwardWorks will leverage the intellectual property of the numerous PlayStation® dedicated software titles and its gaming characters as well as the knowledge and know-how of gaming development expertise which was acquired over the years with PlayStation® business to provide gaming application optimized for smart devices including smartphones* to users in Japan and Asia. The company will aim to deliver users with opportunity to casually enjoy full-fledged game titles in the new field of the smart device market.
The exact franchises in question that the Tokyo-based company plans to focus on have yet to be confirmed, but the terminology of the announcement suggests that ForwardWorks will be going a more traditional gaming route in transplanting its characters onto mobile than Nintendo has. Sony has tried to break into the smartphone game space before, specifically on Android, but the focus of its past initiative was more of a cross-platform synergy with the company's game-ready PlayStation Vita handheld.
A shift to smartphone-only games is interesting, especially considering the library of classic franchises ForwardWorks could employ in clever ways to make up for the lack of tactile controller inputs. Nintendo has made a similar promise recently regarding the use of its most popular characters in upcoming mobile games, but its first game, Miitomo, has left most fans disappointed due to its sole focus on character creation and social network-skewing gameplay.
Following the unveiling of the 9.7-inch iPad Pro at Apple's media event on Monday, Apple CEO Tim Cook described the device as the "ultimate PC replacement". As if to underline that belief, the company has included a subscription option for Microsoft Office 365 in the iPad Pro ordering process on its website.
It's unclear exactly when Apple added the Microsoft productivity suite to the online checkout process – it also appears when customers order the iPad Air 2, iPad mini 2, or iPad mini 4 – however the inclusion has raised a few eyebrows, not least because Apple usually positions its iWork suite as a better alternative to Microsoft's Office apps.
More significantly perhaps, Microsoft already offers all of its mobile Office apps to Apple customers on the App Store for free (with the exception of 12.9-inch iPad Pro users, oddly enough, since the larger tablet exceeds Microsoft's official definition of a mobile device). By contrast, an Office 365 subscription gives users Mac and iPad access to Microsoft's full suite of productivity apps, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and more.
The move suggests Apple is heavily relying on the potential for Windows PC users to see the smaller iPad Pro as not only a Microsoft Surface beater, but also a complete desktop PC replacement that will draw them into the Apple ecosystem. Indeed, a look back at Monday's event highlights just how much effort Apple is now putting into encouraging Windows desktop users to switch to iPad.
"There's a second group of people that we'd love to reach with this iPad Pro: Windows users," Apple's senior VP Phil Schiller said during Monday's event. "You may not know this, but the majority of people who come to an iPad Pro are coming from a Windows PC."
Windows PCs were originally conceived of before there was an internet, before there was social media, before there was app stores, and this is an amazing statistic: There are over 600 million PCs in use today that are over five years old. This is really sad. It really is. These people could really benefit from an iPad Pro.
When they see the features and performance and capabilities of a product like the iPad Pro, designed for the modern digital lifestyle, many of them will find it is the ultimate PC replacement.
Apple remains the largest vendor in a declining tablet market, shipping 16.1 million iPads in the fourth calendar quarter of 2015. While the iPad continues to be the best-selling tablet, its worldwide market share remains only 24.5 percent despite the larger iPad Pro launching in early November. Despite that, the 12.9-inch iPad Pro outsold Microsoft Surface tablets in its debut quarter.
iPad sales have declined for eight consecutive quarters year-over-year due to, among other reasons, longer tablet refresh cycles compared to smartphones. Apple's efforts to convince Windows PC users that an iPad Pro is a complete PC replacement appears to be the company's latest big push in its larger efforts to reverse this trend.
A one-year, single-license Office 365 subscription on Apple's website costs $69.95. A five-license subscription costs $99.95 and a four-year, two-license University download comes in at $79.95.
Apple is now accepting orders for the iPhone SE and the 9.7-inch iPad Pro through its online storefront and through the Apple Store app. Orders are available in first wave launch countries including Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, New Zealand, Puerto Rico, Singapore, the UK, US Virgin Islands, and the US.
All of the major U.S. carriers, Verizon, AT&T, Sprint, and T-Mobile are accepting orders for the iPhone SE. Most carriers will start accepting orders at 12:01 a.m. Pacific Time, but T-Mobile will not accept orders until 5:00 a.m. Pacific Time. Big box retailers like Best Buy, Walmart, and Target will sell both the iPhone SE and the 9.7-inch iPad Pro, but it is not clear if the stores will offer orders on 3/24.
There have been no rumors pointing towards supply constraints, and as the iPhone SE and the 9.7-inch iPad Pro both use components from earlier devices, we expect supplies to be plentiful and readily available. Ordering as soon as possible is still recommended, however, especially when it comes to accessories like the Smart Keyboard. With the launch of the 12.9-inch iPad Pro, the Smart Keyboard was in short supply.
The iPhone SE is available in Silver, Gold, Space Gray, and Rose Gold, in 16 and 64GB capacities. Pricing starts at $399 for an outright purchase of the 16GB model, while the 64GB model costs $499. Customers can purchase the device on a payment plan with 24 monthly payments as low as $13.30 through a carrier or $0 down through a two-year contract.
Through Apple's own Upgrade Program, monthly payments on the iPhone SE can be as low as $10 for 24 months with the trade-in of an iPhone 5s. Older devices can also be traded in with Apple offering $12/month payments with the trade in of an iPhone 5 or 5c and $14/month payments with the trade in of an iPhone 4 or 4s.
Apple's 9.7-inch iPad Pro is available in Silver, Gold, Space Gray, and Rose Gold, a color that hasn't been offered in an iPad before. It is available in 32, 128, and 256GB capacities for $599, $749, and $899, respectively. Wi-Fi + Cellular models in the same capacities are available for an additional $130.
For details on the capabilities and features of the two new devices, make sure to take a look at our iPhone SE and iPad Pro roundups.
Deliveries for iPhone SE and 9.7-inch iPad Pro orders placed today will start next Thursday, on March 31. That is also the date when the two products will be available in Apple retail stores.
Apple has taken its online storefront down in order to prepare for the launch of iPhone SE and 9.7-inch iPad Pro orders, which will likely begin at 12:01 a.m. Pacific Time or 3:01 a.m. Eastern Time on Thursday, March 24. Orders will be available on Apple's site, through the Apple Store app, and through carrier websites.
Apple will accept orders for the two devices in first wave launch countries that include Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, New Zealand, Puerto Rico, Singapore, the UK, US Virgin Islands, and the US.
The iPhone SE is available in 16 and 64GB capacities in the United States, with pricing that starts at $399 for an outright purchase. The 9.7-inch iPad Pro is available in 32, 128, and 256GB capacities with prices that start at $599. Both Wi-Fi and Cellular models are available.
Supplies of the iPhone SE and the 9.7-inch iPad Pro are likely to be adequate and we do not expect the devices to sell out. Nevertheless, customers planning to purchase should do so right away just in case.
Deliveries on orders placed today are expected to begin on March 31, which is also the day when the two devices will be available for in-store purchase.
Google today updated its Google Maps app with a new ride service tab, Spotlight Search integration and the ability to save route options. While Uber has been integrated into Google Maps for the past two years, the new ride service tab allows users to more easily access pickup times and prices. In international destinations, Google has integrated several other ride hailing companies.
If you have a provider’s app installed and tap on the ride service tab, you’ll be able to see fare estimates and pick up times if a car is available near you. Select a service, and we’ll take you directly to their app for you to book your ride with one tap. When it makes sense, we’ll also show ride service availability when viewing the map in walking and transit directions, and multiple ride services options for each provider—where they exist. For example, if you’re using Uber, starting today, we’ll now show uberX, uberXL and UberBLACK for an easy and quick comparison.
While American Google Maps users only get Uber, users in five other countries will receive additional options: 99Taxis in Brazil, Ola Cabs in India, Hailo in the UK and Spain, mytaxi in Germany and Spain, and Gett in the UK.
The update will also allow users to use Spotlight Search to find their favorite saved places as well as places they've recently viewed in Google Maps. Driving, walking and biking route options can also be saved for later use.
Apple is planning to expand Apple Pay to allow iOS users to make purchases from websites later this year, reports Re/code. With the change, Apple Pay will be available to customers who visit websites and make purchases using the Safari browser on iPads and iPhones.
Currently, Apple Pay can be used to make purchases in brick and mortar stores and in third-party apps that support the service. Expanding Apple Pay to the Safari browser will alleviate the need for customers to download a store's app to make a payment with Apple Pay, resulting in a payment service that is more convenient and more closely resembles services like PayPal.
Apple is also said to be considering making Apple Pay available on Macs, but it is not clear how that would work without a fingerprint sensor.
The service will be available to shoppers using the Safari browser on models of iPhones and iPads that possess Apple's TouchID fingerprint technology, these people said. Apple has also considered making the service available on Apple laptops and desktops, too, though it's not clear if the company will launch that capability.
As when using Apple Pay to make a payment in an app, customers who make a purchase from mobile Safari will be able to do so without entering an address or a payment method, as that information is provided by Apple Pay and authenticated through a fingerprint.
Apple is said to be telling partner websites that the new Apple Pay feature will be available before the holiday shopping season, and Re/code believes an announcement could potentially happen at this year's Worldwide Developers Conference.
Apple Pay is now available in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and China, and it is expanding to additional countries later this year. Other rumors for the future of Apple Pay include a potential person-to-person payment feature that mimics Square Cash or Venmo.
MacRumors has been receiving a growing number of complaints from customers who are unable to log into iMessage and FaceTime after updating to OS X 10.11.4, which was released to the public on Monday. There are threads covering the issue on the MacRumors forums and the Apple Support Communities, along with user complaints on various social media networks.
The majority of the complaints are coming from users who did a fresh install of OS X, requiring them to log into the FaceTime and iMessage services. When attempting to sign in, an error pops up or nothing happens after entering an Apple ID and password, as seen in the video below. Customers who have recently purchased a new Mac also appear to be affected, and while most customers with login problems seem to be running OS X 10.11.4, there are also reports from those using earlier versions of OS X.
Apple support has been advising users to try logging out of iCloud and disabling two-factor authentication, but these fixes have not worked for most users. Apple's system status page is not listing any outages, but it appears there may be a problem with the iMessage and FaceTime activation servers. One customer who purchased a new Mac was told that Apple's engineering team is aware of the issue and is working on a fix.
Yesterday I bought a new 15-inch macbook pro from the Apple store. Out of the box, 10.11.1, computer would not sign in to my iCloud account with my Apple ID. So I skipped this part of the initial setup. Managed to sign in to iCloud in system preferences, and managed to see my Notes, Reminders, Safari bookmarks. But I have the same problem: I cannot sign in to Messages or FaceTime.
Today, after a couple of hours talking to Apple on the phone last night, I returned to the store to see if there was a fix, or whether the problem was specific to that machine. For an unrelated reason, I wanted to switch models: from the 15-inch to the 13-inch.
So I got a new 13-inch macbook pro this morning and decided to set it up in store. Same issue. I had a lengthy chat with one of the Apple Geniuses who could not figure this out. He did his best, but he could only give vague answers to my questions. He said it seems like an Apple server issue that "engineering" is aware of and are hoping to fix.
Affected customers have been unable to log in since first upgrading to OS X 10.11.4, and so far, there is no reliable fix available to solve the problem. Not all customers who did a clean install of OS X 10.11.4 or who purchased a new Mac are affected, and it is not clear if there is a pattern between users who are experiencing problems.
Although more prominent features like Night Shift and a few new Quick Actions are getting the spotlight with the launch of iOS 9.3, one new lesser-known update is definitely worth checking out. In iOS 9.3, Apple has improved the functionality of its first-party Notes app with the ability to add password or Touch ID security for individual notes.
The feature allows users to prevent access to sensitive information on a case-by-case basis (some notes, like a shopping list, might not be as high risk), just in case someone gets past the lock screen security of the iPhone itself. With some people even using Notes to store passwords for various sites and services, Apple's security-enhanced update is well worth checking out.
Creating a Password in Notes on iOS
The steps needed to set up a password or Touch ID for your Notes are straight-forward and should only take a few moments to complete.
Apple's "Let Us Loop You In" event was shorter than most of its past events, lasting just over an hour. The video kicks off with a look at Apple's environmental efforts, ResearchKit, and a message from Tim Cook about the company's ongoing struggle with the FBI.
Apple then delves into the debut of new Apple Watch bands before moving on to the iPhone SE and the 9.7-inch iPad Pro, both of which will be available for order starting tomorrow, March 24.
Apple will be hosting at least two more events in 2016, including its annual Worldwide Developers Conference that typically takes place in June and a fall event where it is expected to debut new flagship iPhones.
An updated 12-inch Retina MacBook may be launching before the end of April, according to information discovered in Apple's System Image Utility feature and in the OS X Server application by a source that shared details with 9to5Mac.
System Image Utility lists the existing early 2015 Retina MacBook and an early 2016 Retina MacBook, which has yet to be released. Given that it's earmarked as an "early" 2016 device, the next-generation Retina MacBook should be coming soon, as Apple refers to "early" for devices that launch during the first four months of the year. The same 12-inch early 2016 MacBook is listed the OS X Server application.
The Retina MacBook first launched in April of 2015, so an April 2016 update at the one year mark makes sense. A refresh will likely be minor, leaving the overall design unchanged but introducing upgraded internals, such as one of Intel's Skylake chips.
Skylake chips appropriate for the Retina MacBook have been available since the later months of 2015. The new Core M Skylake processors offer 10 hours of battery life and 10 to 20 percent faster CPU performance compared to the Core M Broadwell processors used in the first-generation Retina MacBook, along with 40 percent faster graphics performance.
There are no mentions of new Retina MacBook Pro or MacBook Air models in OS X Server or System Image Utility, and it continues to remain unclear when exactly we might see refreshes for those machines.
A rumor yesterday suggested Apple is working on "ultra-thin" 13-inch and 15-inch MacBooks, but it is not known if those machines are in the MacBook, MacBook Pro, or MacBook Air family. Apple is said to be targeting a June or July launch date for the mystery MacBooks, which lines up with a potential debut at the Worldwide Developers Conference.
Update: Additional investigation of OS X 10.11.4 by Pike's Universum has led to details on the low-power Skylake processors Apple will likely use in the 2016 12-inch MacBooks, which are in line with expectations.
The low-end Core m3-6Y30 succeeds the Core M-5Y31 and will likely be used in the entry-level 12-inch MacBook, which Apple sells for $1,299. The middle tier Core m5-6Y54 replaces the Core M-5Y51 and is likely to be used in the higher-end 12-inch MacBook Apple sells for $1,599, while the high-end Core m7-6Y75 replaces the Core M-5Y71, the chip used in high-end 12-inch MacBook custom configurations.
A number of new CarPlay-enabled vehicles are making their North American debuts ahead of the 2016 New York International Auto Show this week, including models from Chevrolet, Honda, Hyundai, Kia, Subaru, and Volkswagen.
Chevrolet kickstarted the announcements last week when it introduced the 2017 Sonic as the first subcompact vehicle with CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility. General Motors also introduced the 2017 Chevrolet Trax with CarPlay support last month. Both vehicles will reach dealerships by fall 2016.
Chevrolet's new 2017 Sonic, left, and 2017 Trax feature CarPlay
Hyundai today unveiled its 2017 Ioniq electric vehicle with CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, while its subsidiary Kia debuted the 2017 Cadenza with matching support for both in-dash software platforms. Hyundai did not provide a launch date for the Ioniq, while the new Cadenza will go on sale in late 2016.
Honda's new Clarity Fuel Cell Sedan with CarPlay compatibility
New York's auto show marks the arrival of Subaru's first CarPlay vehicle in the all-new 2017 Impreza, while Volkswagen's U.S. version of the 2017 Golf Alltrack also features CarPlay and Android Auto. The new Golf model goes on sale in fall 2016, while no launch date was provided yet for the Impreza.
CarPlay is available in over 100 vehicle models worldwide from over two dozen automakers, providing hands-free or eyes-free access to common iPhone apps such as Maps, Messages, Music, Phone, and Podcasts. Apple keeps a periodically updated list of available models on its website.
Apple Music has partnered with cultural news network Vice to bring a new docu-series, "The Score," to the streaming music platform (via The Hollywood Reporter). The series will be six episodes, with each installment focusing on a unique, local music scene around the world.
The first episode, titled "Reservation Rap," [Direct Link] is split into two parts and focuses on an emerging Native American hip hop scene in Minnesota thanks to the Ojibwe tribe. The specifics were left hazy, but in the coming weeks the show will take viewers to music scenes in places like Brazil, Iceland and Vietnam.
Vice creative director Kelly Fulton says the series was inspired by Vice's 2007 documentary Heavy Metal in Baghdad, which explored the heavy metal subculture that thrived despite the Iraq War. "That doc sparked exactly what we wanted to do with this series, which is telling under reported and under represented stories around the world through the artists that are scoring those cultural climates," says Fulton.
Taking advantage of the platform, The Score will launch a themed playlist alongside each weekly episode, with a focus on the specific artists and songs seen in the show. Reservation Rap can be streamed today, with the next five episodes launching over the coming weeks.
Apple has been expanding its streaming video content available on Apple Music over the past few months, starting off with an exclusive behind-the-scenes film centering around Taylor Swift's 1989 World Tour, which launched in December. In February, news broke that the company plans to take the creative side of its music streaming service a step further, with original TV series Vital Signs that will be a "dark, semi-autobiographical drama" starring Dr. Dre.
Apple has begun offering popular journal app 
Following the unveiling of the 9.7-inch iPad Pro at Apple's media event on Monday, Apple CEO Tim Cook described the device as the "ultimate PC replacement". As if to underline that belief, the company has included a subscription option for Microsoft Office 365 in the iPad Pro ordering process on its website.
