During today's third quarter earnings call, Apple CEO Tim Cook revealed that Apple has purchased a total of 29 companies over the course of the last nine months, including five new companies after the end of the March quarter. Of the 29 companies purchased, some are known but many remain unknown.
Only two of Apple's newest acquisitions have been revealed, including LuxVue Technology in early May Spotsetter in June, leaving three unknown acquisitions. The May acquisition of Beats was not counted in the 29 company total because the deal, which was Apple's most expensive purchase to date, doesn't close until this quarter. After the Beats deal closes, the total number of acquisitions will rise to 30.
Earlier in 2014, Apple acquired SnappyLabs, a company that produced a burst-mode photo app, and Burstly, the company behind the Testflight iOS beta testing platform.
Many of the other acquisitions were made in 2013, and those purchases focused heavily on mapping. 2013 acquisitions included mapping companies BroadMap, Embark, HopStop, Locationary, and WiFiSlam, along with other notable additions like 3D company PrimeSense and Novauris, a speech recognition company.
The technology from Apple's acquisitions will undoubtedly make its way into future products and updates. For example, significant mapping updates are expected sometime after the launch of iOS 8, adding transit directions and improved indoor mapping techniques.
During the company's April earnings call, Tim Cook said Apple was "on the prowl" for additional companies to acquire and in today's call, Cook said that Apple is always looking at acquisition space and doesn't let "money burn a hole in our pocket."
The Apple TV may gain a new FXNOW channel that includes Simpsons World content, according to TV writer Jason Lynch who tweeted the news yesterday (via iLounge). Lynch said the FXNOW channel will come to the Apple TV, Roku, and other devices within the next 12 months.
FXNOW is the on-demand portion of the FX, FXX, and FXM television channels, all of which are owned by the Fox Entertainment Group. The FXNOW Apple TV channel will reportedly include content from The Simpsons, branded Simpsons World, which offers all 552 episodes of The Simpsons along with additional content. Simpsons World, debuting in October, will allow fans to search for and watch any episode or clip of The Simpsons on demand on FXNOW.
According to reports, Simpsons World will also allow users to create playlists of episodes and share favorite scenes, features that will likely make their way to the Apple TV version of the channel. FXNOW with Simpsons World currently requires cable authentication and is limited to FXX subscribers, and the Apple TV version will require a cable subscription as well.
Currently, supported cable providers for the existing FXNOW channel include AT&T, Cablevision, Comcast, Cox, and Time-Warner. Simpsons World access will also be available through the FXNOW app for the iPad.
Apple today announced financial results for the second calendar quarter and third fiscal quarter of 2014. For the quarter, Apple posted revenue of $37.4 billion and net quarterly profit of $7.7 billion, or $1.28 per diluted share, compared to revenue of $35.3 billion and net quarterly profit of $6.9 billion, or $1.07 per diluted share in the year-ago quarter.
Gross margin for the quarter was 39.4 percent compared to 36.9 percent in the year-ago quarter, with international sales accounting for 59 percent of revenue. Apple also declared an upcoming dividend payment of $0.47 per share, payable on August 14 to shareholders of record as of August 11. The company currently holds $164.5 billion in cash and marketable securities.
Quarterly iPhone unit sales reached 35.2 million, up from 31.2 million in the year-ago quarter, and the company sold 13.3 million iPads, down from 14.6 million in the year-ago quarter. Apple sold 4.4 million Macs, up from 3.8 million in the year-ago period.
“Our record June quarter revenue was fueled by strong sales of iPhone and Mac and the continued growth of revenue from the Apple ecosystem, driving our highest EPS growth rate in seven quarters,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO. “We are incredibly excited about the upcoming releases of iOS 8 and OS X Yosemite, as well as other new products and services that we can’t wait to introduce.”
Apple's guidance for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2014 includes expected revenue of $37-40 billion and gross margin between 37 and 38 percent.
Apple will provide live streaming of its fiscal Q3 2014 financial results conference call at 2:00 PM Pacific, and MacRumors will update this story with coverage of the conference call highlights.
Conference Call and Q&A Highlights are available in reverse chronological order after the jump.
With the 4.7-inch iPhone entering mass production this month, part leaks and rumors surrounding the device are beginning to pick up. Several different internal and external parts said to be destined for the iPhone 6 have surfaced and today, Apple.club.tw [Google Translate] has shared images depicting the flex cable for the Lightning and headphone parts along with another image of the iPhone 6 rear shell.
The flex cable said to be for the iPhone 6 includes the headphone jack on the far left, a microphone next to that, and the Lightning port located on the middle of the part. It looks very similar to the Lightning/headphone flex cable designed for the iPhone 5s, but the headphone jack has dual screw holes towards the top of the part, a variation from the iPhone 5s design.
These two holes appear to accurately line up with the dual holes in the bottom left of the rear shell of the device, suggesting the headphone jack would fit correctly into the iPhone 6 rear shell and lending credence to the authenticity of the part.
As for the rear shell, it appears very similar to previously shared images of the iPhone 6 rear shell, including a near-completed rear shell with embedded Apple logo that surfaced yesterday. Like that shell, this one features an iPad-style embedded Apple logo, clear cutouts for the camera and flash, and very prominent antenna breaks.
Yellow circle indicates two holes that match the holes on the headphone jack of the flex cable, red circle indicates the difference in screw hole location between iPhone 5s/iPhone 6.
Some reports have speculated that the embedded Apple logo is designed to light up, but it is more likely that the embedded logo is for aesthetic and/or radio transparency purposes.
As we creep closer to the prospective September launch date of the iPhone 6, part leaks may grow even more frequent. Thus far all part leaks have centered around the 4.7-inch iPhone, and this is because it is believed to be entering mass production ahead of the 5.5-inch version. The 5.5-inch iPhone 6 may enter production in August or September according to rumors, which means 5.5-inch part leaks could pick up over the next month or two as well.
Kenu's Airframe smartphone car mount has proven popular with MacRumors readers, and with Apple all but certain to release larger iPhone models later this year Kenu has just released a new Airframe+ mount that accommodates thicker cases and devices with screen sizes up to six inches.
Airframe+ with iPhone 5s in Apple case
Like the original Airframe, much of the appeal of the Airframe+ comes from its simplicity and light weight, consisting of a simple spring-loaded clip to grip the device on the sides and a cone-shaped clip to attach to louvers of car vents. Weighing under an ounce and easily slipping into a pocket or remaining inconspicuously attached to the car vent when not in use, the Airframe+ is a remarkable change from the Garmin Active Mount I normally use, although the Airframe+ would need to be paired with a Lightning cable for charging purposes.
Airframe+
While the new Airframe+ accommodates devices with screens up to six inches, body size is really the determining factor and the device grip expands to approximately 3.25 inches. Apple's rumored 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch iPhone 6 models should, however, fit comfortably even with most cases. The Airframe+ also offers improved support for thicker cases compared to the original Airframe, allowing users of Mophie battery pack cases or thick Otterbox waterproof cases to use the mount.
Airframe+ with physical mockup of 5.5-inch iPhone 6
The Airframe+ vent clip is rotatable and includes two sets of slits to accommodate different sizes of vent louvers, and in general it works well. Kenu touts the Airframe+ as fitting "any vent type", but I found this to not necessarily be the case.
In one of my cars, the Airframe+ worked well on all main vents within the driver's area. On another car, however, the louvers of the center-dash vents were too thick and too close together to allow the clip to slip securely between them. The vent itself also freely rotates up and down to help direct airflow, and the weight of the phone simply pulled the vent downward. The Airframe+ worked much better on the dash vent to the left of the steering wheel, although vibrations of the device at highway speeds were noticeable, so sturdiness of louvers may be an issue on some cars.
Airframe+ vent clip
One other concern expressed by some users of the original Airframe and other vent mounts is the effect of cool air blowing directly on the device. Mounting a phone directly in front of the vent as the Airframe+ does definitely results in the device feeling cold after a few minutes of summer usage, which can be a benefit in terms of potentially overheating phones sitting in direct sun in a hot car, but also raises concerns of condensation once the cool phone is removed from the car and taken out into hot, humid air. I did not, however, experience any issues with visible condensation in these scenarios during my testing.
Kenu's Airframe+ is available now for $29.95, while the original Airframe remains available for $24.95 through a variety of vendors including the Apple online store.
Curse of Naxxramas, the first expansion for Blizzard's popular Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft collectible card game, is now available for download on PCs, Macs, and iPads.
Like Naxxramas in World of Warcraft, Curse of Naxxramas in Hearthstone is a floating necropolis organized into five different wings, including the Arachnid Quarter, Plague Quarter, Military Quarter, Construct Quarter, and Frostwyrm Lair.
Blizzard's Curse of Naxxramas launch event will see one new wing opening each week for approximately a month, beginning with the Arachnid Quarter. Every wing contains enemies and bosses that must be eliminated, and successfully defeating bosses will add new cards to a user's collection. Naxxramas introduces 30 new cards to Hearthstone.
The ancient necropolis Naxxramas, a base of operations for the powerful archlich Kel'Thuzad and his plague-bearing undead host, comes to Hearthstone in a single-player Adventure that anyone can undertake.
Progress through each of the five unique wings of the dungeon and gain new cards for your Hearthstone collection by defeating the iconic bosses you'll face along the way: the oversized arachnid Maexxna, the fungal horror Loatheb, and the shambling abomination Patchwerk are just a few of the horrors awaiting you. Each boss has its own unique cards and hero powers at its disposal to challenge even the most seasoned of card-slinging adventurers.
Curse of Naxxramas includes a unique game board with interactive corners and there are also nine different class challenges to complete.
New cards in Curse of Naxxramas
Players can permanently unlock the Arachnid Quarter for free on all platforms by downloading Naxxramas on any platform, completing the tutorial, and completing a game in the Naxxramas area.
While the Arachnid Quarter is free, subsequent expansions will cost in-game gold or real money to unlock. Each wing is priced at 700 gold or $6.99, but users who participate in the launch event can unlock the full expansion for $19.99. Pricing goes up after the event and there are also various packages available for users who want to purchase content using a combination of in-game gold and money.
According to a new report from Taiwan's Economic Daily News, Apple's third-generation iPad mini will be an "Air"-like model, featuring a design that shaves 30 percent off the thickness of the device. This thinness along with a powerful new A8 processor will be among the main selling points for the next generation iPad mini, claims the Asian sources (via GforGames).
Mockups of the next generation iPhone, iPad Mini, and iPad Air from Apple.club.tw
While the sources of the rumor are given only as from the supply chain, the claim of a 30 percent thinner iPad mini seems to be an overly optimistic one. The original iPad mini measured 7.2 mm thick, and the device saw a slight increase to 7.5 mm with the move to a Retina display last year. The larger iPad Air moved in the opposite direction last year, slimming down from 9.4 mm in the fourth-generation iPad to match the Retina iPad mini at 7.5 mm.
A 30 percent reduction in thickness for the iPad mini would put it in the range of 5.25 mm, and how Apple would achieve such a reduction is unclear, especially given the increase in horsepower seen with the move to a Retina display last year. That move made the iPad Air and Retina iPad mini essentially identical with the exception of display size.
Apple is expected to release the updated iPad mini in the third quarter of 2014, likely following the iPhone 6 launch in September. Besides a possible thinner form factor and A8 processor, the next generation iPad mini also is expected to include a more durable Touch ID fingerprint sensor containing tin. Similar to the iPhone, the next generation iPad is expected to support iOS 8's new SDK that allows third-party developers to access the fingerprint scanner for verification purposes.
Besides the iPad Air and iPad mini, Apple is rumored to be expanding its iPad lineup with a larger 12.9-inch iPad. Dubbed the "iPad Pro," the larger model may not be released until 2015, claims DisplaySearch analyst David Hsieh. This prediction echoes a earlier report from KGI Securities Ming-Chi Kuo who also predicted a 2015 launch date for the oversized tablet device.
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office today granted Apple a patent that describes a wrist-worn device containing sensors and wireless radios that allow it to communicate with other devices such as the iPhone, iPad or Mac (Via AppleInsider). It is a comprehensive patent that describes some of the core features of Apple's rumored iWatch device.
Front view of a device similar to a sixth-generation iPod nano docked into wristband
The invention details a modular device, identified in the patent as the "iTime", that features a wrist-worn, sensor-laden strap and potentially removable modules. The modules, such as a media player, can snap into a wristband, which contains add-ons like GPS and a Wi-Fi radio that increase the functionality of the device. The system is reminiscent of the sixth-generation iPod nano, which fits a wristband to become a wearable media player.
The invention pertains to an electronic wristwatch. According to one embodiment, an electronic wristband can provide additional electrical circuitry or devices that can be made available for use as or with an electronic device. In one embodiment, the electronic device can be a mobile electronic device that can be removably coupled to the electronic wristband which provides the additional circuitry or devices. Advantageously, the electronic device can utilize the additional electrical circuitry or devices provided within the electronic wristband to augment the capabilities of the electronic device. In another embodiment, the electronic device can be integrally formed with the electronic wristband which provides the additional circuitry or devices.
Side view showing wristband with docking connector (314)
Apple also describes a method of connecting the smartwatch to a mobile device that allows for the display of incoming calls, text messages and other alerts on the wrist-worn display. In another embodiment, the device can alert the user when it is out of range and thus at risk of being lost or stolen. The patent also contains provisions for movement-based controls of the wristwatch device.
Apple is rumored to be working on the iWatch, a smartwatch device that could debut later this year. Rumors suggests the wristband may include sensors to monitor activity levels, heart rate and other vital health functions. The device likely will share its data with iOS via the new Health app in iOS 8.
iOS 8 beta 4, released earlier today, included a new app called Tips, which is designed to offer iOS 8 users information about all of the new features in the operating system.
Tips was first hinted at during Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference, shown briefly on a display that rounded up dozens of unmentioned iOS 8 features, but it was missing from the iOS 8 betas until today.
It was unclear what would be included in the Tips app, but it turns out Tips is a simple tutorial-style app that gives users a look at some of the various features in iOS 8, using text, images, and brief animations.
As detailed in the above video, the Tips app has the following sections: Quickly respond to a notification, Notify me when there's a reply (in Mail), Hey Siri (on hands-free Siri operation), Send a spoken message (in Messages), Quickly manage your mail (using gestures), and Be in the shot (camera timer mode).
Tips has a simple interface that opens directly into the first tip, using swipe gestures to navigate through available content. There's a menu button on the bottom of the screen that gives a list of all the available tips, and each tip can be shared via Message, Mail, Facebook, or Twitter using the app's share sheet. There's also a "Like" feature, which most likely gives Apple information on which tips are most popular.
While there are only six different tips available in the app right now, an ending page suggests that users "Check back for new tips every week," indicating the app will be updated on a weekly basis. There's also a link to Apple's iOS 8 website, and the app will send notifications to users when new tips are available.
Tips probably won't be a feature that's useful for seasoned iOS users, but for users who aren't familiar with the ins and outs of the operating system, the app will provide valuable information on accessing new features. The Tips app is a default iOS 8 app and cannot be uninstalled.
Tips is only available to registered developers who have iOS 8 beta 4 installed on their devices, but it will become available to all users this fall, when iOS 8 is released to the public.
Apple is asking its suppliers to manufacture a massive number of 4.7 and 5.5-inch iPhones in anticipation of high consumer demand, reports The Wall Street Journal. The company is seeking between 70 and 80 million units combined of the 4.7 and 5.5-inch iPhone 6 by December, its largest order to date and a major jump from last year, where it ordered between 50 and 60 million iPhone 5s and 5c models.
Its forecast for what is commonly called the iPhone 6 is significantly larger than the initial order last year of between 50 million and 60 million versions of the iPhone 5S and 5C--which had a display measuring 4-inches diagonally, these people said. Both of the coming models are expected to feature metal cases similar to the iPhone 5S and likely come in multiple colors, these people said.
With high iPhone 6 numbers, Apple is likely hoping to avoid the supply/demand crisis it saw last year with the iPhone 5s. After the iPhone 5s launched in September of 2013, Apple saw unexpectedly high demand for the flagship device, likely due to its new Touch ID fingerprint sensor. The phone was in short supply for much of 2013, and Tim Cook later admitted that Apple had expected a more balanced demand between the iPhone 5s and the iPhone 5c.
4.7 and 5.5-inch iPhone 6 mockups compared to iPhone 5s
Demand for the iPhone 6 will likely be extremely high, as it marks both a redesign and the introduction of a larger screen, a long-awaited feature that could cause a massive spike in upgrades from both iPhone upgraders and those switching from Android. According to analyst estimates, Apple could see a 15 to 20 percent jump in unit sales year over year.
Apple partners Foxconn and Pegatron are said to be hiring massive numbers of new employees to help assemble the iPhone 6, with main supplier Foxconn taking on an additional 100,000 employees and Pegatron adding 10,000.
The 4.7-inch iPhone 6 is expected to enter production in July, while production on the 5.5-inch version will begin in August or September. At this time, it remains unclear if the two iPhone 6 models will launch simultaneously, as rumors have suggested production issues may push back the launch of the 5.5-inch iPhone to late 2014 or early 2015.
In-cell display technology for the 5.5-inch iPhone 6 has been said to be causing significant problems and The Wall Street Journal suggests there may be additional complications if the larger device also uses a sapphire display. Apple is reportedly asking component makers to prepare enough parts for up to 120 million iPhone 6 models in order to compensate for high failure rates.
Apple has launched a new television ad for the MacBook Air, "Stickers," showing off an array of customizable decals placed over the Apple symbol on the back of the notebook.
Decals shown include various sunglasses, hats, and headphones, along with nods to Breaking Bad, Peanuts, Ice Age, Snow White, Pac Man, Chi the Cat, The Simpsons, Batman, Wonder Woman, the Tasmanian Devil, Hello Kitty, Catwoman, and Mickey Mouse.
There are also cameras, record players, trees, faces, cityscapes, planets, scuba divers, 8-bit games, a variety of abstract designs and patterns, and more, plus a Beats logo. The new spot ends with a side view of the MacBook Air and the tagline "The notebook people love." Apple has also posted a "Stickers" page on its website detailing some of the decals in the video.
A celebration of all the many ways people love the MacBook Air, featuring music from artist/producer, Hudson Mohawke.
Apple's MacBook Air, last refreshed in April of 2014, is known for its portability and ultrathin size, weighing in at 2.38 pounds for the 11-inch model and 2.96 pounds for the 13-inch model. The MacBook Air is also Apple's most affordable notebook, with prices beginning at $899.
Intel yesterday launched new Haswell processors designed for high-end notebooks, which could be slated for use in an upcoming refresh of the 13 and 15-inch Retina MacBook Pro models.
As detailed by CPU World, Intel has released three new Core i5 chips and three new Core i7 chips that are all successors to the chips currently used in the 13 and 15-inch Retina MacBook Pros. The new processors provide a modest 200 MHz speed boost over existing Haswell chips.
The Core i7-4770HQ chip at 2.2 GHz is a direct replacement for the Core i7-4750 used in the lower-end 2.0 GHz 15-inch Retina MacBook Pro, while the Core i7-4870HQ chip at 2.5 GHz is a direct replacement for the high-end 15-inch Retina MacBook Pro's existing Core i7-4850 chip at 2.3 GHz. The Core i7-4980HQ chip at 2.8 GHz replaces the high-end build-to-order Core-i7 4960 processor at 2.6 GHz.
As for the 13-inch Retina MacBook Pros, the Core-i5 4278U, the Core i5-4308U, and the Core i7-4578U all offer the same 200 MHz jump over the existing Core i5-4258, Core i5-4288, and Core i7-4558 used in the three processors available for the 13-inch Retina MacBook Pro, bringing the low-end up to 2.6 GHz, the mid tier to 2.8 GHz, and the high-end build-to-order option to 3.0 GHz.
Earlier this year, an Intel roadmap revealed direct Haswell successors for the MacBook Air and the iMac, but at the time, there did not appear to be any chips available for a 15-inch Retina MacBook Pro update. The chips in the roadmap designed for the MacBook Air were used in the April refresh as we expected, and the newly released chips are likely destined for an upcoming Retina MacBook Pro update.
As these chips only offer a small 200MHz boost over existing chips, the fall Retina MacBook Pro refresh that has been previously rumored is likely to be only a minor update. A major Retina MacBook Pro update is unlikely until Intel's Broadwell chips are ready in 2015.
Last week, a rumor suggested redesigned 11 and 13-inch MacBook Air models were slated to enter production in August, but it is unclear what chips those machines might utilize as Intel has not yet released another set of Haswell chips suitable for a MacBook Air refresh.
Facebook today introduced a new read-it-later "Save" feature that allows users to save items on Facebook to view at a later time in both the desktop version of Facebook and the Facebook app for iOS.. Users can save links, places, movies, TV shows, music, and more.
Items can be saved by tapping the small arrow in the upper right corner of any post, which also has tools for unfollowing content and removing content from the Facebook feed.
You can view the items you saved at any time by going to your saved items in the "More" tab on mobile or by clicking the link on the left hand side of Facebook on the web.
Your saved items list is organized by category and you can swipe right on each item to share it with your friends or move it into your archive list.
According to Facebook, users will receive reminders of saved items within their News Feeds, which makes the content easy to access.
"Save" for Facebook is rolling out to users beginning today. The Facebook app for iOS can be downloaded from the App Store for free. [Direct Link]
Over the past several weeks, Samsung has released three different ads pitting its Galaxy S5 and its Galaxy Tab S against Apple's iPhone and iPad. Now the company is back today with a new anti-iPhone ad that highlights the Galaxy S5 as having the "screen your friends wish they had."
The spot depicts an iPhone user sitting next to a Samsung user, with the two discussing the rumored larger screen of the upcoming iPhone 6. "iPhone might be getting a bigger screen," the iPhone owner tells his S5-toting friend. "That hasn't happened yet?" the friend replies as the two go on to compare their phones.
You know that thing you've been waiting on for like two years and how it's supposed to be awesome and how it's going to blow your mind? Well, it's been here this whole time. But maybe you just like waiting.
Immediate gratification is an advertising tactic Samsung has used before, with its new ad harkening back to its well-known 2011 commercial series that depicted iPhone owners waiting in long lines for new iPhones while enviously eyeing Samsung devices. The ad also includes Samsung's tagline "The Next Big Thing is Here," which reportedly infuriated Apple in the past.
The company's Galaxy S5, introduced in back in February, includes a 5.1-inch display, but Samsung devices have had larger-sized screens for several years running. Apple is planning to address growing consumer demand for bigger displays with the iPhone 6, introducing two new models with 4.7 and 5.5-inch screens. The 4.7-inch iPhone 6 is set to launch in September, while the larger 5.5-inch version may come somewhat later in 2014 or early 2015.
Netflix for the Apple TV was updated today to add a new "Up Next" feature, which lets users automatically select the next episode of a television show for playback. While easy playback of the next episode in a series has been long available on the web and in the Netflix app for iOS devices, it's been noticeably missing from the Apple TV.
Prior to today's update, Apple TV users were forced to return to the main series menu to initiate the playback of the next episode of a television show, a task that required several extra button clicks. As of today, episodes in a series will play automatically, requiring far less interaction with the Apple TV remote.
"Play Next Episode" on the Apple TV works similarly to the same feature on iOS devices and on the web, playing the next episode in a series automatically after a short countdown timer. It appears that the countdown timer is only available after a user initiates the "Play Next Episode" feature manually for the first time.
Netflix's new Apple TV feature comes as the company announces its Q2 financial results, with a total 50.05 million subscribers, up from 37.56 million in Q2 2013. Netflix saw $1.34 billion in total revenue during the quarter, with net income of $71 million.
Apple today released the fourth beta of iOS 8, which brings a number of improvements, changes, and bug fixes to the beta software that was first introduced on June 2.
iOS 8 beta 4 includes several minor interface tweaks and modifications that make the beta feel both faster and more polished. We've gathered up a comprehensive list of the enhancements that have been bundled into the release below, and to find out about all of the under-the-radar tweaks in iOS 8 so far, make sure to check out our iOS 8 Hidden Features Roundup.
Tips: The Tips app that was first hinted at during WWDC has surfaced in iOS 8 beta 4, giving users tips on how to use iOS 8 on a weekly basis. For example, there are directions on using quick notification responses, sending voice messages, using notifications for Mail responses, activating Siri hands-free, and more. The Tips app is a default iOS app and cannot be uninstalled.
Control Center: The Control Center has seen a redesign that removes the black borders around the icons on the top and bottom and turns icons white when activated.
Display Settings: There's a new Display & Brightness section that's been unbundled from Wallpaper, with options to adjust screen brightness, text size, and activate bold text.
HomeKit: The Privacy section of the Settings app has gained a new Home Data icon.
Messages: The Messages section of the Settings app has new options for Message storage that includes separate expiration options for Audio and Video Messages. The Talk-to-Type option in Messages now displays spoken text in real time rather than waiting for an entire message to be complete before displaying text.
Bug Reporter: The Bug Reporter app that came installed by default in previous betas has been removed.
Handoff and Suggested Apps: There are new options in the Setting app to toggle Handoff on and off, but it does not appear to be present on the iPhone 4s. There's also a new section that allows users to toggle on Suggested Apps, which offer app suggestions relevant to location. This setting can be used to show only installed apps, or both installed apps and App Store apps.
Safari Bookmarks: The icon for Bookmarks within Safari has been tweaked slightly. In the image below, the new version is on the top and the old version is on the bottom.
Contacts: Under the Mail, Contacts, and Calendars heading in the Settings app, there's a new option to toggle off Favorites and Recents for Contacts within the App Switcher.
Keyboard Settings: The option to toggle on the QuickType keyboard within the Keyboard section of the Settings app is now labeled as "Predictive" instead of "QuickType."
Spotlight Search: There are new options to remove Voice Memos and Bing Web Results from Spotlight Search in the Settings app.
Mail: Swipe left and swipe right gestures in the Mail app can be assigned to different functions in the Mail, Contacts, and Calendars section of the Settings app.
Health: The Calories section of the Health app has been split into Active, Dietary, and Resting calories.
Emoji Keyboard Icon: The icon for Emoji on the keyboard has been updated with a happier smiley face.
iCloud Photo Library: It's now possible to select a length of time when pausing iCloud Photo Library in the iCloud section of the Settings app.
Additional features in iOS 8 beta 4 will be added here as they are discovered. Apple is likely to continue pushing regular updates to iOS 8 at two or three-week intervals to bring minor performance boosts and changes ahead of the operating system's launch. iOS 8 is expected to be released to the public in the fall. For more information on iOS 8's features, major and minor, make sure to check out our roundups.
Alongside iOS 8 beta 4, Apple today released a new version of OS X Yosemite to developers, two weeks after releasing the third Developer Preview and over a month and a half after introducing the new operating system at its annual Worldwide Developers Conference.
The update can be downloaded from the Mac App Store or through the Mac Developer Center. Apple has also released iTunes 12.0, Yosemite Recovery Update 1.0, OS X Server 4.0 Developer Preview, and Apple Configurator 1.7 beta. iTunes 12 includes an "elegant new design" and introduces support for Family Sharing, a feature first announced during WWDC. The update also includes improved playlists and a redesigned Info Window.
OS X Yosemite brings a flatter, more modern look to OS X, with an emphasis on translucency and redesigned dock, windows, and more. It also includes a multitude of new features, such as improved integration with iOS 8 through Continuity, a new "Today" view in Notification Center that offers integration with third-party apps, a retooled Spotlight search with new data sources, and several new features for apps like Mail, Safari, and Messages.
Yosemite is currently only available to developers, but Apple plans to offer a beta version of the software to Mac users at some point during the summer, possibly as early as this month. A source that spoke to 9to5Mac suggests the beta is coming in late July, though it could be pushed back until early August if Yosemite is not ready in time.
New Features:
iTunes 12 - The newest Yosemite beta includes a revamped version of iTunes with a simple, streamlined design and support for Family Sharing.
iTunes 12 icon - The icon for iTunes has also changed with the new iTunes 12 beta.
Calculator - The Calculator app in OS X Yosemite has been redesigned.
Dark Mode Settings - Dark Mode settings have been tweaked slightly and there's a new checkbox to turn the feature on and off for the dock and menu bar.
Apple today released the fourth beta of iOS 8 to developers, two weeks after releasing the third beta update and more than a month and a half since unveiling the new operating system at the Worldwide Developers Conference.
The update, build number 12A4331d, is available through Apple's over-the-air updating system on iOS devices and can also be downloaded via the iOS Developer Center. Apple has also released Xcode 6 beta 4 and a new Apple TV beta.
iOS 8 introduces a range of new features, including improved integration with OS X through Continuity, a Health app, Family Sharing features, interactive notifications, a new QuickType Keyboard and improvements to several apps like Safari, Mail, and Messages.
iOS 8 beta 4 includes several new features, like a redesigned Control Center and the introduction of a new Tips app. For a full list of changes in the beta, make sure to check out our iOS 8 Beta 4 Tidbits post.
iOS 8 beta 4's Monday, July 21 release date was accurately predicted by BGR earlier in July.
Currently, iOS 8 is only available to registered developers, but the operating system is expected to be released to the public this fall after several beta iterations. Based on past history, iOS 8 will likely be launched alongside new iPhones, and possibly the much-rumored iWatch.
The Apple TV may gain a new FXNOW channel that includes Simpsons World content, according to TV writer Jason Lynch who 
Apple today 
