MacRumors

Apple may be developing a rewards program as part of its mobile payments initiative, reports Bank Innovation. Apple is reportedly working on a pilot program that will see it developing partnerships with multiple retailers, which goes hand in hand with several previous loyalty program rumors. A proprietary rewards program could give Apple a way to distinguish itself from other mobile payment services.

According to sources with knowledge of Apple's plans, the company has been in talks with InterContinental Hotels Group (seemingly incorrectly referred to as "IGH International" in the report), a global hotel chain, about a possible partnership for a loyalty program and has been hiring to fill positions related to the pilot program, which may be built into iTunes.

Bank Innovation specifically points towards an Apple job opening seeking a "Senior World Wide Partner Marketing Manager," who will create programs and training materials for "external partners" and who will focus on driving customer adoption of "existing and new features." Other similar job postings also hint at the development of a major program focused on third-party partnerships, which may be a loyalty program.

The site suggests that the company is just now beginning to hire for the division, which means a possible loyalty program is unlikely to be available right when its payments service launches.

Sources close to Apple say the company has just started hiring for this division, and that, before the recent high-profile iCloud hack, the plan was to announce the pilot on Tuesday along with Apple's other announcements. That very well may happen, or the announcement could be postponed until a later date -- when more deals are in place and the mainstream media moves on from the iCloud cyberattack. Since Apple's hiring for positions for this program now, but we don't expect this program to be fully ready in the near future.

If a rewards program is indeed in the works, it appears to be in the early stages. There's no word yet on the scope of the program or how it might work, but more information may be revealed tomorrow, when Apple unveils its mobile payments initiative for the first time.

Rumors about Apple's payment plans have been leaking out in recent weeks, and the company has reportedly signed deals with major credit card companies including Visa, MasterCard, and American Express, as well as major credit card issuers. Apple is also said to be partnering with multiple retailers for the service, including Walgreens, CVS, and Nordstrom.

Apple's payment service is said to rely on NFC, which will be built into both the iPhone 6 and Apple's upcoming wearable device. It will also integrate with Touch ID for security purposes, and it will take advantage of tokenization to provide additional security and to prevent theft.

With less than 24 hours to go until tomorrow's major media event, Apple has begun redirecting its entire homepage in the U.S., Apple.com, to Apple.com/live, which displays a countdown to the event. Apple's move to redirect all homepage traffic to its event countdown is undoubtedly an effort to ramp up anticipation for its upcoming announcements.

Apple's promotion of the event along with its location at the Flint Center, where the original Mac was unveiled, suggests that Apple has something huge in the works for tomorrow's announcements. While Apple's media events are always major affairs, Apple has made an extra effort this year to build up hype for the big unveiling.

Apple has plans to live stream the event on its website and the company will likely stream the event to the Apple TV with a dedicated channel, as it has done for past events. MacRumors will be providing live coverage of the event, both on MacRumors.com and on the MacRumorsLive Twitter account for those unable to watch Apple's live stream.

Tomorrow's event kicks off at 10 a.m. Pacific Time at the Flint Center at De Anza College in Cupertino. Apple is expected to unveil a multitude of new products and services, including two versions of the iPhone 6, its much-rumored wearable device, and its mobile payments initiative.

When iOS 8 is released to the public this fall, users will be able to take advantage of several new operating system features, including app extensions. App extensions are designed to allow third-party apps to share services with other apps, letting apps work together and interface in ways that they never have before.

We've shared a brief look at app extensions in the iOS 8 version of 1Password, but as the launch date of the new operating system approaches, developers are hard at work integrating Apple's APIs into their apps and have been sharing more information on some of the ways app extensions will work.

Microsoft will be updating OneNote for iPhone and iPad to take advantage of Apple's iOS 8 share extension, adding useful new capabilities to the note taking app through built-in share sheets.

As demoed in the video above, a OneNote button in Safari (accessed via the share sheet) will let users quickly clip articles and information from the web, automatically inserting content into the OneNote app. The OneNote Share Extension will also allow users to export files to OneDrive, Microsoft's cloud storage service, and it's also possible to save photos from the device's camera roll to the app.

The sharing functions built into the OneNote app will undoubtedly become common features in many iOS apps in the future, making it easier than ever to share content between apps and services. In addition to offering inter-app sharing features, Apple's Extensibility APIs let apps access system-wide third party keyboards, add widgets to the Notification Center, share photo editing extensions, and more.

Microsoft plans to release its OneNote update on the same day that iOS 8 becomes available to the public, which should be shortly before the iPhone 6 begins shipping to customers.

Microsoft OneNote can be downloaded from the App Store for free. [Direct Link: iPad/iPhone]

Though Apple is planning to unveil two iPhones tomorrow, in 4.7 and 5.5-inch varieties, there's been surprisingly little information on what the two devices might be called. According to a new report from Mac Otakara [Google Translate], Apple will refer to the smaller 4.7-inch iPhone as the "iPhone 6," while the larger 5.5-inch version will be called the "iPhone 6 Plus."

It is unknown what source Mac Otakara derived its information from, but the site has provided accurate predictions in the past. MacRumors has also heard the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus monikers from a second source, but it remains unclear if that is indeed Apple's naming plan.

Interestingly, the "plus" naming schematic actually dates back to very early iPhone rumors, where the device was reportedly referred to as the "iPhone Math" in a mistranslation that many assumed meant "iPhone Plus." Other possible names for the 5.5-inch iPhone included "iPhone Air," a term that surfaced from Chinese media sources and seemed to fit in with the rest of Apple's "Air" lineup, including the MacBook Air and the iPad Air."

With approximately 24 hours to go until Apple's September 9 media event, it won't be long before we find out the official names for the two devices. Along with the iPhone 6, the event is also expected to see the unveiling of the much-anticipated "iWatch" and Apple's mobile payments service.

A new report [Google Translate] from French site iGen.fr claims Apple may begin selling both of its iPhone 6 models at the same time. According to the report, which is based on the same source who accurately predicted previous Apple product launches, the two models would go on sale starting Friday, September 19. That has been the most widely expected date for the first wave of launches given Apple's previous announcement and launch patterns.

Perhaps in line with a lack of significant leaks of parts for the larger model, a separate source indicates that the 4.7-inch model is likely to be available in higher quantities than the 5.5-inch model. MacRumors has heard similar news from a reliable source, who has indicated that two different iPhone models are incoming with the larger model shipping at only half the rates of the smaller one.

Reports of a simultaneous launch for both iPhone 6 models contradicts some earlier reports, including a recent research note from KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who believes Apple will stagger the launch of the two iPhone models. According to Kuo, Apple will begin selling the 4.7-inch in September and the 5.5-inch before the end of the year. This staggered launch is attributed to production issues with the 5.5-inch model.

Apple is expected to announce the iPhone 6 tomorrow at a press event being held at the Flint Center in Cupertino. Besides a larger display, the new iPhone may include a faster A8 processor, up to 128 GB of storage, an updated Touch ID and an improved camera module with image stabilization and a round True Tone flash.

With just one day to go until Apple's media event where it is expected to show off not only the iPhone 6 but also its much-rumored "iWatch" wearable device, last-minute leaks and rumors are continuing to roll in. The latest involves schematics and details on the iWatch, and while it is difficult to assess the validity of the claims and images (which have been reposted to Imgur) given that they come from an anonymous Reddit post, the slide images are detailed enough that they are worth highlighting as a possibility.

The poster claims the iWatch will include a microphone, speaker, and support for Siri, and be waterproof to 20 meters with battery life of over a day. The device will reportedly come in eight different varieties as four "colors" in two sizes each.

Purported schematics are labeled as coming from Quanta, which has been reported to be Apple's manufacturing partner for the device. The majority of the slides appear to show comparisons of how various parts have evolved between an earlier prototype stage (P2B) and the engineering validation test stage (EVT).

As shown in one poor-quality and obviously manipulated picture of what is said to be the device's housing, the body would be somewhat rectangular in shape, with a large circular region centered in the bottom where the device's health and fitness sensors are to be located to contact the skin.

While an assortment of iWatch rumors have pointed to displays of around 1.5 inches or as high as 2.5 inches, there have yet to be any leaks of claimed physical parts for the device, making it difficult to assess schematics such as these. At any rate, their validity will apparently become clear tomorrow as Apple officially takes the wraps off of the iWatch.

Update 8:08 AM: As noted by A Tech Website, the format of the slides does indeed match that used sometimes by Quanta for its confidential presentations.

Following a photo of the component last week, a video shared by Nowhereelse.fr (Google Translate) once again shows what is said to be a 2,915 mAh battery from the 5.5-inch iPhone 6. The battery shown is also shown carrying an Apple part number of 616-0675, and running at 4.35 volts, which is also in line with previous leaks.

A capacity of 2,915 mAh would be much greater than that of the 1,560 mAh battery found on the iPhone 5s and the rumored 1,810 mAh battery said to be included on the 4.7-inch iPhone 6. It is also likely that Apple will look to tightly integrate iOS 8 and the hardware of the iPhone 6 to allow for optimal performance and battery life.

Apple is expected to show off of the 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch iPhone 6 at a media event tomorrow. In addition to a larger display, the 5.5-inch version of the iPhone 6 is said to contain an improved camera module with optical image stabilization, a faster processor, and more. It is unknown whether the larger iPhone 6 will ship with the smaller model of the handset, as production issues may hold the 5.5-inch version back.

Recently, a number of recent reports and rumors have suggested a variety of different resolutions for Apple's larger 5.5-inch iPhone 6. Prominent Apple blogger John Gruber speculated that the company will ship a 2208 x 1242 display at a "3x" Retina resolution for the device, while the current iOS 8 beta also indicates a preference for displaying 3x images when available.

Now, developer Steven Troughton-Smith (via 9to5Mac) has modified Apple's iOS Simulator to show what apps may look like on a 5.5-inch iPhone 6 that contains a 2208 x 1242 display, suggesting that they could use a landscape orientation to provide a more productive iPad-like experience.

For example, the Calendar app would be able to display the view of an entire month similar to the iPad, while the Phone app may be able to show separate sections for contacts and single contact info.

Troughton-Smith notes that this view enables more apps like Game Center to run in landscape at the given size. The developer also states that these landscape views are not possible at a resolution of 1472 x 828, which has been a suggested resolution for the 4.7-inch iPhone 6. Support for the technologies that enable this interface were also built into iOS 8 under the term "Adaptive UI."

Apple's 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch iPhone 6 are expected to be unveiled alongside the iWatch at the company's media event this Tuesday. The larger iPhone 6 is also said to come with a number of exclusive features aside from a larger display, including optical image stabilization, a faster processor, larger storage capacity options, and more.

Apple may be integrating tokenization technology in its forthcoming mobile payments solution, reports Bank Innovation. Citing sources close to the matter, the report notes that the company will look to utilize token technology to address security and fraud concerns as integrates the service with the iPhone 6 and iWatch.

Financial institutions — card issuers and networks — prefer token technology because it replaces primary account numbers, those 16-digit card numbers on the front of credit and debit cards. Instead, the tokenization technology uses complex codes that are easily transmittable over the air and between devices, but that are used only once, so even if they are intercepted, are of no use to fraudsters.

An Apple patent discussing token technology has also been discovered, as the application was granted last month and filed for in 2009. In its example, Apple discusses a token system as a method for two devices to communicate sensitive data with disposable, one-time use codes.

The report also once again discusses the NFC capabilities in the iPhone 6 and iWatch, stating that chip-maker NXP will be rolling out NFC chips to the iWatch and the iPhone 6. Apple Stores and Apple retail partners are also said to be gearing up to utilize NFC technology, as a number of retail locations will be using the NFC-enabled Verifone MX 915 terminal.

Prior reports have stated that Apple's payment service will be supported by a number of credit card companies including Visa, MasterCard, and American Express. The company is also said to be partnering with a number of retailers for the service, including Walgreens, CVS, Nordstrom, and more.

Apple is expected to announce its mobile payments solution at this Tuesday's media event, which will likely be shown off alongside the iPhone 6 and iWatch.

Apple is rolling out near field communication (NFC) readers and updated versions of its iBeacon transmitters to its own stores and Disney Stores ahead of the launch of its mobile payments service and the iPhone 6, reports 9to5Mac.

The company will begin integrating new proximity beacons made by Gimbal that will provide more accurate iBeacon location tracking in its own stores, and roll out new payment systems to support the NFC capabilities on the iPhone 6 and its highly-anticipated wearable device.

The report also notes that Apple may be planning to roll out its own first-party iBeacon sensors in its retail locations, and could also provide or sell the transmitters to other retailers as an incentive to sign up for its new mobile payments service. An FCC filing earlier this year revealed that Apple was developing its own first-party iBeacon hardware, which may end up being the new hardware discussed in this latest report.

Disney's retail stores are also said to be receiving new credit card machines that support NFC, which will also likely integrate with Apple's new mobile payment service. Reports from this past week have also indicated that Apple will be partnering with a number of other retailers for the service, including Walgreens, CVS, Nordstrom and more.

Apple has also established deals with major credit companies such as Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and credit card issuers to support its mobile payments service.

Apple will likely unveil its mobile payments service on Tuesday, along with the new iPhone 6 and its highly-rumored wearable device. Apple's media event kicks off at 10:00 AM Pacific Time, and MacRumors will have full coverage as the event unfolds.

While it is commonly taken as a foregone conclusion that the sapphire partnership between Apple and GT Advanced Technologies is focused on iPhone display covers, it bears noting that the two companies have never publicly confirmed what the sapphire will be used for.

Sapphire is already used to protect the camera and Touch ID sensor on recent iPhone models, and the material is also said to be planned for Apple's rumored iWatch, but the sheer amount of sapphire production apparently involved points to much bigger plans such as iPhone display covers.

Given the lack of confirmation from the two companies, it is interesting that Paul Matthews, a former GT product manager, outright claims on his LinkedIn profile (via TechViking) that he played a key role in convincing Apple to use sapphire for display covers on "mobile devices."

Worked with GT Advanced Technology to help market and sell the idear [sic] of sapphire as a cover screen for mobile devices to Apple. [...]

After marketing and selling the ASF [advanced sapphire furnace] into the LED market targeted mobile screen covers as a market for growth, conducted a focused marketing campaign and developed a cost model across the supply chain that has brought sapphire to Apple’s mobile display

Matthews, who spent three years at GT before leaving in January to join Applied Materials, does not identify the mobile devices in question, but given circulating rumors, the iPhone is the obvious candidate. The iWatch could also be considered in the category of mobile devices, but in general it seems clear from Matthews' wording that Apple indeed has plans to use sapphire to protect device displays, a much broader use for the material than seen to date.

Alongside GT's apparently aggressive ramp-up of sapphire production at its new Arizona plant, rumors have indicated Apple had indeed been targeting the iPhone 6 for the launch of sapphire display covers. Analysts have, however, been debating how extensively the material will be used in the lineup's displays, with most claims ranging from only high-end models to not at all as Apple and GT work to boost production and overcome other hurdles.

(Image: GT sapphire furnace)

Following yesterday's leak of what appeared to be a working 4.7-inch iPhone 6, passions have run high between those who believe the device to be genuine and those who believe it to be a fake or a clone. Commenters in our forums naturally scrutinized the images and videos looking for inconsistencies and have found a few, including longer hands on the Clock app icon, an "upside down" color gradient on the Music app icon, while others argue the complete package of features shown would almost certainly not be able to faked to the degree seen.

Since the original leak, several other claimed iPhone 6 devices have been appearing on Chinese sites, giving the opportunity for even more examination of the possible authenticity. One user on video sharing site MiaoPai who had posted a few brief videos of the device in action that we added in an update to our previous post has continued posting clips, with well over a dozen now available on his page.

In addition, a seven-minute Youku video review of the device has been posted walking through a number of features and giving overall impressions of the device.

Debate about the authenticity of these devices will obviously continue until Tuesday's official unveiling of the iPhone 6, and readers are welcome to share their thoughts in our discussion forums.

Apple's upcoming wearable device, popularly known as the iWatch, is expected to be unveiled at Tuesday's media event, although a launch will reportedly come perhaps as late as early 2015. Part of the reason for the early unveiling may be to give third-party developers time to build apps for the new device, and 9to5Mac reports that will indeed be the case. Moreover, key third-party developers are said to have already been seeded with software development kit (SDK) tools to facilitate their work.

A small handful of high-profile social network and services companies with apps on the iPhone and iPad App Store have already been seeded with a pre-release version of the Apple SDK (Software Development Kit) for wearables under strict non-disclosure agreements.

The SDK was seeded “very recently” to these developers, and Apple likely wants to demonstrate some third-party wearable apps at Tuesday’s event, according to one source.

The iWatch is expected to work closely with the iPhone, but contain its own array of health and fitness sensors as well as near field communications (NFC) technology for a new mobile payments initiative. A host of new iOS 8 features such as HealthKit, HomeKit, and extensions are also expected to be key to the iWatch's functionality.

Apple's media event kicks off at 10:00 AM Pacific Time on Tuesday, and MacRumors will have full coverage as the event unfolds.

Apple has extended invites for its upcoming September 9 media event to "top fashion editors and bloggers", reports Reuters. The news comes as the company is expected to unveil its first wearable device at the event, which has been frequently referred to as the iWatch.

Apple is forging closer ties to the fashion world as it plots its foray into the fertile field of wearable technology, trying to win over a critical crowd that may prove crucial to the success of consumer gadgets worn around the body.

Previous reports have suggested that the iWatch will be a "fashionable device", coming in a number of different materials and having a variety of band and face options. Other rumors have suggested that the device may also come in a number of screen sizes , and feature a curved, flexible display along with biometric sensors to track health-related metrics.

The report also states that Apple held a private, "first-of-its-kind event" last month at an Apple Store in New York to show a variety of fashion and retail apps to a group of style editors. Multiple fashion editors also told Reuters that the company has held other separate events in New York City for members of the fashion industry to review new products and meet the team behind them.

Apple has also hired a number of fashion industry experts in the past year, which include former Yves Saint Laurent CEO Paul Deneve who works on "special projects" and directly reports to CEO Tim Cook. Last October, the company also hired former Burberry CEO Angela Ahrendts, who is currently Apple's Senior Vice President of Retail and Online Stores.

While the iWatch is expected to be announced at the company's media event next week, reports have suggested that the device will not begin shipping until early next year.

Chinese site cnBeta highlights a series of photos posted by Weibo user zzray showing what is claimed to be an official, functional, and activated iPhone 6. While the authenticity of the device can not be confirmed, it does have some interesting characteristics worth noting.

First, the overall design looks very polished and in line with previous iPhone 6 leaks. The tapered edges of the front glass can be clearly seen, and the round dual-LED True Tone generally missing in clones is present. The body also shows a recessed cavity for the volume buttons, as has been seen recently on a shell believed to be legitimate but also generally missing from clones.

Photos of the home screen reveal a different icon for Passbook, adding a fourth horizontal stripe to the current stripes showing an airplane, a movie camera, and a coffee cup. This new red stripe appears to include an image of a credit card, likely indicating support for mobile payments through Passbook.

The home screen layout includes the possibility of a sixth row of icons (in addition to the dock at the bottom), one more than on 4-inch iPhones. The horizontal layout remains at four icons, with simply a bit more separation between the icons. Icons appear to be the same size on both the iPhone 6 and iPhone 5s, supporting the idea of a 1334 x 750 resolution.

The user has also posted a brief video showing the device being unlocked with Touch ID. Photos also show the App Store, as well as the About screen in the Settings app showing a 64 GB model running iOS 8.0 build 12A365, being accessed on the device.

While there is certainly a chance the device could be a fake or clone, there appear to be no immediate indications from the photos giving it away as fake.

Update 12:38 PM: A user on Chinese video sharing site MiaoPai has shared four videos of a "real" iPhone 6 (via The Tech Gadget), showing a variety of apps including Health, Settings, and Camera.