MacRumors

Today we're debuting giveaways on MacRumors, a new feature that will see us partnering up with companies to give away products to our readers. You can expect to see giveaways from us on a regular basis throughout the year.

For our first giveaway, we've partnered up with Kero, a company that makes a few awesome accessories for iOS devices, like the Nomad Lightning Cable. The Nomad cable is a three-inch Apple-certified Lightning cable that comes equipped with a USB cap that attaches to a key ring or clip for portability.

If you've been a long-time MacRumors reader, you might recognize the Nomad, because we've covered it on a few occasions since it first originated on Kickstarter in 2012. There have been several iterations of the Nomad cable since then, and it now comes in three colors: white, blue, and gray.

We're giving away 50 Nomad Lightning Cables. You can enter to win using the Rafflecopter widget below. You'll need to enter an email address, which we'll only use to contact you if you've won (your email address will never be provided to a third-party). Social media accounts are not required to enter the contest, but following us on Twitter or Facebook or subscribing to our newsletter can give you a chance for extra entries. You must be 18 or older to enter and located in the United States.

The contest will run from today (2/20) at 10:00AM until next Friday (2/27) at 10:00 AM Pacific Time, at which point we will notify the winners, which will be chosen randomly. Winners will be able to pick a Nomad Cable in the color of their choosing, and it will be shipped out for free.

Winners will need to respond to our email within 48 hours, or another winner may be chosen.

Following up on the public beta program used for OS X Yosemite that allowed non-developers to try out and offer feedback on the operating system before its release, Apple will be launching similar programs for iOS 8.3 next month and iOS 9 later this year, reports 9to5Mac.

...Apple intends to release the upcoming iOS 8.3 as a public beta via the company’s existing AppleSeed program in mid-March, according to the sources. This release will match the third iOS 8.3 beta for developers, which is planned for release the same week. Apple then expects to debut iOS 9 at its June Worldwide Developer Conference, with a public beta release during the summer, and final release in the fall.

iOS 8.2 is still in developer testing as Apple gears up for an April launch of the Apple Watch, but the company has also begun seeding iOS 8.3 to developers. The update includes a number of tweaks including support for wireless CarPlay, two-step verification on Google accounts, a new emoji picker, and Apple Pay through China UnionPay.

After a dramatic visual overhaul with iOS 7 in 2013 and a number of new features such as Continuity in iOS 8 last year, iOS 9 will reportedly focus on stability and optimization, although some new features are likely to be included.

Update 4:21 PM PT: Re/code has confirmed that Apple has plans to offer a public beta testing program for iOS 8.3 beginning in mid-March.

Apple is hoping to begin production on the car project that it is secretly developing as early as 2020, reports Bloomberg. According to the site's sources, Apple is pushing employees working on the car to have it ready to go in five years, a timeline that will eventually allow it to compete with similar electric vehicles coming out from Tesla and GM in 2017.

The timeframe -- automakers typically spend five to seven years developing a car -- underscores the project's aggressive goals and could set the stage for a battle for customers with Tesla Motors Inc. and General Motors Co., both of which are targeting a 2017 release of an electric vehicle that can go more than 200 miles on a single charge and cost less than $40,000.

Apple's electric car plans first came to light last week, after The Wall Street Journal shared news of "Project Titan," an electric vehicle that hundreds of Apple employees are working on. Apple has been heavily recruiting automotive experts to join the project and plans to have a team of about 1,000 employees developing the car. Bloomberg says the team currently has about 200 members.

Over the course of the last few months, the company has picked up employees from companies like Tesla, Ford, GM, A123 Systems, MIT Motorsports, Ogin, Autoliv, Concept Systems, and General Dynamics.

As with The Wall Street Journal's initial report, Bloomberg's report is quick to point out that that Apple could decide to delay or abandon its car project all together if the company is unhappy with its progress. Apple works on many prototype projects that never make it to production.

Little is known about Apple's electric car at this point, but rumors have suggested that it might resemble a minivan and that it may or may not be self-driving.

Apple has launched a repair program to fix MacBook Pro machines sold between February 2011 and February 2013 that have problems with distorted video, no video, or unexpected system restarts.

As of February 20 in the United States and Canada (February 27 in other countries), users with affected machines will be able to visit an Apple Store or Apple Authorized Service Provider to receive repairs for their MacBook Pros at no charge. Customers will be able to bring their MacBook Pro to an Apple Store or service provider or send it in via mail for repairs.

An affected MacBook Pro may display one or more of the following symptoms:
-Distorted or scrambled video on the computer screen
-No video on the computer screen (or external display) even though the computer is on
-Computer restarts unexpectedly

Affected products include 15 and 17-inch MacBook Pro models manufactured in 2011 and 15-inch Retina MacBook Pro models manufactured between Mid 2012 and Early 2013. Users can see whether their computers are affected by using the "Check Your Coverage" tool on Apple's site.

Apple is contacting customers who already paid to have their machines repaired either through Apple or an Apple Authorized Service Provider to arrange a reimbursement. The company asks customers who paid for a repair for the issue and did not receive an email to contact Apple.

Apple will provide repairs until February 27, 2016, or three years from the MacBook's original date of sale, depending on which coverage period is longer.

Some early and late-2011 MacBook Pro owners with discrete graphics cards have been experiencing GPU failures and crashes for years now, causing screen glitches and image distortion, among other problems.

MacBook owners petitioned Apple to begin a repair program for the machines on change.org and even went as far as filing a class action lawsuit after an extended period of time without a repair program.

The lawsuit asked that Apple acknowledge that an issue exists and repair affected machines, which the company appears to be prepared to do with the launch of today’s repair program covering both repairs and reimbursements for repairs already made. It is unclear how the new program will affect the class-action lawsuit brought against Apple by 2011 MacBook Pro owners.

(Thanks, Philip!)

Fuel cells, which generate power via chemical reactions, aren't exactly new technology, having been invented in the 1830s, but they're seen by some as one of the next steps in the evolution of electrical power. In the not-so-distant future, we may adopt fuel cells for powering cars, homes, and a whole range of consumer electronics with clean energy.

Intelligent Energy is one of the companies working to further fuel cell technology in the consumer space, having recently introduced its first hydrogen fuel cell iPhone charger, the "Upp." MacRumors went hands-on with the Upp to give fuel cell technology a try, and we spoke to Intelligent Energy's Corporate Development Director Julian Hughes, who shared some details about Intelligent Energy's fuel cell ambitions.

The Upp, introduced in the U.K. in November, is a hydrogen micro generator that uses replaceable, refillable fuel cartridges to charge an iPhone. With a cartridge attached, the Upp becomes a PEM (polymer electrolyte membrane) fuel cell, which transforms the chemical energy freed during a reaction of hydrogen and oxygen to electrical energy to power an electronic device. Since it's using a chemical reaction to create power, there's an audible clicking noise as the Upp releases water vapor while charging.

There are two main parts to the Upp: the base charger, and the fuel cell cartridge that it ships with. Using the Upp is as simple as popping the cartridge into the bottom of the charger, plugging a Lightning cable into the USB port, (not included) and then plugging in an iPhone.

➜ Click here to read rest of article...

Apple may be building a stand for the Apple Watch at Galeries Lafayette, a high-end department store located on Boulevard Haussmann in Paris, according to a few news outlets based in France. Mac4Ever [Google Translate] reports that the stand would reside on the first floor of the department store, with possible expansion to other stores along the Avenue des Champs-Élysées.

Mac4Ever claims the current construction on the stand, which began at the beginning of February, is hidden as workers finish it up ahead of the Apple Watch launch in April. They also report that Angela Ahrendts, Apple's new retail chief, oversaw the setting up of the display and general organizational duties concerning the project.

The fashion-focused FashionMag.com [Google Translate] added more details onto the rumor, and a slightly clearer picture of the ongoing construction of the possible Apple-leased space. The site reports that the project has taken the place of a small food court and a few lesser-known jewelry shops, and spans four balconies within the Galeries Lafayette. From what they could tell, it's located near the stores of Celine Saint Laurent and Miu Miu.

As the Apple Watch nears its launch date, news and rumors on Apple's first wearable device have picked up steam. Most recently it was announced to be featured on the March cover of Self magazine on the wrist of model and Victoria's Secret Angel Candice Swanepoel.

Apple has also reportedly placed between 5 and 6 million orders for the initial run of the Watch, with the most expensive gold Apple Watch Edition expected to dominate the revenue of the wearable, despite having the least amount of orders placed compared to the lower tiers of the Watch.

Apple's alleged automotive team consisting of hundreds of employees working on an electric vehicle includes several former Tesla, Ford and GM employees, according to 9to5Mac. The report reveals that Apple has also recruited talent from smaller firms in the automotive industry and other fields, including A123 Systems, MIT Motorsports, Ogin, Autoliv, Concept Systems and General Dynamics.

The list of recent hires from Tesla includes David Nelson, a mechanical engineering manager at the car maker until this month, and John Ireland, previously a senior powertrain test engineer at the company. Tesla's former head recruiter Lauren Ciminera also joined Apple in September and is likely responsible for recruiting additional engineers for the automotive team. The trio of hires surface just weeks after it was reported that Apple and Tesla continue to fight over top employees.

Another notable hire is Mujeeb Ijaz, who most recently served as chief technology officer at A123 Systems. Ijaz led a team responsible for research and development for the company's leading lithium-ion energy storage technology. Prior to that, he worked at Ford as an electric and fuel cell vehicle engineering manager for nearly sixteen years. The hiring adds fuel to yesterday's report that Apple faces a lawsuit for poaching key employees from A123 Systems.

The report adds that Apple has also recruited former Ford engineers David Perner and Jim Cuseo, although the latter has been with the company since 2010 as a product design lead and manager for the iMac. General Motors' Fernando Cunha recently joined Apple as well after working various engineering and product design roles at the auto maker since 2001. Dillon Thomasson of General Dynamics, Robert Gough of Autoliv, Hugh Jay of EMCO Gears and Rui Guan of Ogin are other new hires.

Last week, multiple reports from credible sources claimed that Apple is developing an electric vehicle that is possibly autonomous in a top-secret research lab near its headquarters in Cupertino, California. Some reports say otherwise, claiming that Apple is working on expanding its dashboard presence through CarPlay. These hirings suggest that Apple may be working on a larger project after all, but it remains to be seen if a full-fledged electric vehicle is in the works.

Back in October, the Apple Watch made its magazine cover debut with Vogue China, on the wrist of Chinese model Liu Wen. Now, as Apple prepares to launch the Apple Watch in April, the device is seeing its U.S. magazine cover debut, featured in the March issue of Self magazine (via AppleInsider).

Model and Victoria's Secret Angel Candice Swanepoel will be wearing the Apple Watch Sport with a white fluoroelastomer band on the cover of the magazine. Self also has more in-depth coverage on the device, highlighting its accelerometer, heart rate sensor, GPS and WiFi (through the iPhone) in print and in photos.

Aside from the I-want-to-be-Candice quality of our new March cover, notice anything else about the photo? The Apple Watch is getting a star moment, too, as Candice is the first woman to wear one on a magazine cover in the US. With the device starting at around $349 available next month, it's on our wishlist. (Even our editor-in-chief, Joyce Chang, can't wait to use her Apple Watch--check it out in our March Editor's Letter, available to download below.)

Up until now, Apple's Apple Watch marketing has been heavily focused on fashion, but with the piece in Self, the company appears to be targeting fitness enthusiasts who might purchase the Apple Watch for its health-related functions -- step tracking and heart rate monitoring.

It's likely that Self will be just one of many publications to feature the Apple Watch in the coming weeks as the device's launch approaches, and Apple is expected to market the Apple Watch to a wide range of potential customers. Apple's marketing efforts have been fairly reserved thus far, limited to an appearance at Parisian fashion boutique Colette in September, the Vogue China cover in October, and this month's Self issue, but there are hints that Apple is preparing for a major marketing push.

As we reported last month, Apple asked some developers creating content for the Apple Watch to have their apps completed by mid-February, possibly to have apps ready to go for marketing or event purposes. As of this week, Apple is also reportedly inviting select developers to its Cupertino headquarters to put the finishing touches on many Apple Watch apps.

According to Apple CEO Tim Cook, Apple is planning to begin Apple Watch sales in April, though a more specific date has not yet been shared.

Amid rumors that Apple is hiring employees for a secret car project, the company is today facing a new lawsuit for poaching employees from battery manufacturing company A123 Systems. While the specific battery expertise of many of the employees is unknown, at least one of the employees had experience with developing battery technology for electric vehicles.

According to a lawsuit shared by Law360 (via 9to5Mac) Apple recently hired five employees from A123 Systems to create a "large scale battery division," violating noncompete agreements that employees signed with the latter company.

A123 filed suit Feb. 6 in Massachusetts Superior Court, alleging Apple hired away five employees who developed new battery technology and products and tested existing products, despite the fact that the employees were under contracts with noncompete, nonsolicit, and nondisclosure obligations.

Since June, Apple has been mounting "an aggressive campaign to poach employees of A123 and to otherwise raid A123's business," the complaint said.

The employees are said to have left under "suspicious circumstances," and A123 discovered correspondence between its former employees and Apple recruiters on company computers. A123 warned Apple about the noncompete contracts and sought assurance that Apple would not develop a competing business, but Apple reportedly stopped responding to A123's letters.

According to its website, A123 Systems creates "advanced Nanophosphate lithium iron phosphate batteries and energy storage systems," supplied to many vehicle manufacturers. Two of the employees that Apple hired, Dapeng Wang and Indrajeet Thorat, were PhD scientists who manned separate projects at A123, which the company has had to shut down because of difficulty finding replacements.

Wang's LinkedIn profile lists him as a "Development Engineer" at A123 Systems, working on prismatic cell design and tests, among other things. Thorat's LinkedIn profile indicates he held the position of "Battery Research Engineer, Modeling" and A123, where he worked on batteries for hybrid vehicles.

Designed experiments to understand/optimize performance of a cell for Hybrid and Plug-in hybrid vehicles (HEV and PHEVs), Grid energy storage and frequency regulation. Developed models to predict capacity fade and resistance rise during life of a cell under specific duty cycles.

Other employees listed in the lawsuit are Mujeeb Ijaz (A123 CTO), Don Dafoe (Cell Product Engineering), and Michael Erickson (Battery Materials Scientist). Many of the employees' profiles list them as still with A123, and none have any listed association with Apple. Dafoe's profile lists a "Bay area startup" as his place of employment since January 2015.

It is not clear what the A123 Systems employees hired by Apple are working on at the company or whether their work is related to the company's secret car project because Apple is constantly evolving its technology and working on a wide array of battery improvements for all of its future devices. The lawsuit suggests that A123 Systems is, however, concerned that Apple is working on something that competes with its own product lineup, which is focused on passenger and commercial electric vehicles.

Samsung today announced plans to purchase LoopPay, in an effort to compete with Apple's Apple Pay payments service. The two companies were in previously talks over a potential partnership in December for a payment system that would rival Apple Pay.

LoopPay's technology stores payment information from a credit or debit card's magnetic stripe, transmitting payment details to card readers in lieu of a physical card. Because it works over a magnetic field, LoopPay is compatible with 90 percent of existing card readers and does not require merchants to support NFC as Apple Pay does.

Currently, LoopPay works through an app and a standalone hardware device (a case is one of the company's most popular LoopPay offerings), but Samsung may build the technology directly into phones in the future. With LoopPay's technology, upcoming Samsung devices may be able to replace credit cards much in the same way Apple Pay does, with Samsung customers able to wave their phones at payment terminals instead of swiping a card.

According to Samsung, LoopPay will provide the company's customers with a "seamless, safe, and reliable" mobile wallet solution. LoopPay already markets itself as an alternative to Apple Pay, and it's likely Samsung will build upon the technology to create a payment service that even more closely mirrors Apple's offering.

"This acquisition accelerates our vision to drive and lead innovation in the world of mobile commerce. Our goal has always been to build the smartest, most secure, user-friendly mobile wallet experience, and we are delighted to welcome LoopPay to take us closer to this goal," said JK Shin, President and Head of IT and Mobile Division at Samsung Electronics.

The current version of LoopPay doesn't have the same security features that Apple Pay offers, like tokenization, but it does have some benefits, including the ability to store IDs, loyalty, and membership cards along with payment cards.

Amid rumors that Apple is developing an electric vehicle, former General Motors CEO Dan Akerson has shared his opinion on Apple's plans, suggesting the Cupertino company avoid getting into a business with such low margins.

In an interview with Bloomberg, Akerson said that Apple may be underestimating the difficulty of operating in the car business, as it's hard to navigate regulatory and safety requirements. "A lot of people who don't ever operate in it don't understand and have a tendency to underestimate," he said

"They'd better think carefully if they want to get into the hard-core manufacturing," he said of Apple. "We take steel, raw steel, and turn it into car. They have no idea what they're getting into if they get into that."

According to Akerson, Apple should stick with the iPhone, which has much higher margins than a car and none of the issues with safety. As highlighted by Bloomberg, while Apple made $18 billion in December with a gross margin of 39.9 percent, GM made just $2 billion with a gross margin of 14 percent.

Akerson doesn't believe Apple should get into the car business, but he does admire Apple's entrance into the car infotainment arena with CarPlay. Speaking on his time as CEO of General Motors, Akerson said that he absolutely would have partnered with Apple. "I'd have turned over the infotainment and interconnectivity of every car."

News of Apple's electric car plans surfaced last week after The Wall Street Journal shared details on a secret project at the company. Apple is said to have hundreds of employees working on the car in a secret research lab near its Cupertino headquarters. The car, which is electric, could potentially resemble a minivan.