Apple began shipping out early iPhone 6 and 6 Plus pre-orders on Thursday morning, and FlightAware, a site that offers live flight tracking, has created a tool that allows users to track the flights carrying their iPhones after receiving a tracking number.
According to FlightAware, users can check the "departure scan" in their UPS tracking information which may match a departure time and flight listed on the tracking page. Currently, the page is tracking UPS flights from Shenzhen, China to Anchorage, Alaska and Anchorage to Louisville, Kentucky, all of which are standard flight rounds for shipping companies.
Currently, many iPhones that will be shipping out to customers overnight and in the morning are aggregated in Kentucky, a worldwide UPS air hub known as Worldport. Apple appears to have shipped the majority of iPhone units using Next Day Air.
The first iPhone 6 and 6 Plus shipments are expected to arrive on Friday, September 19, but oftentimes, some lucky customers receive their shipments early due to shipping company errors. Apple will also begin selling the devices in stores on Friday, but supplies are expected to be tight, especially for the iPhone 6 Plus.
MacRumors readers who are waiting for an iPhone 6 or 6 Plus may also want to join in on the dedicated Apple pre-order thread on the forums, where users share tracking information and socialize while waiting for their devices to arrive.
Chipworks has done an impressive amount of investigative work on the Apple Watch and has managed to determine that the device appears to incorporate a BCM4334 Wi-Fi chip from Broadcom.
Chipworks spotted the chip in the video introduction of the Apple Watch, which shows Apple's custom designed S1 Apple Watch chip in separate layers. Based on screenshots from the video, Chipworks determined that one of the chips towards the top of the processor resembled a Wi-Fi chip. The pattern specifically matched up with the Broadcom BCM4334.
The Wi-Fi chip on the S1 compared to the Broadcom BCM4334
What really caught my eye is the part located in the centre at the top. The pattern of contacts beneath it shows that it is a wafer-scale package flip-bonded directly to the board. To me, that pattern looks like a WiFi chip layout. [...]
So we then compared the pattern on the board to the most likely Broadcom WiFi chips. The pattern of contacts matches a BCM4334 single-chip dual-band combo device.
The Broadcom BCM4334 is a single-chip dual-band combo that combines 802.11 a/b/g/n with Bluetooth 4.0 and an integrated FM radio receiver. It's been used in the iPhone and iPad, and in Samsung devices in the past, and it's designed for minimal power consumption in a compact size.
Though the Apple Watch appears to contain its own dedicated Wi-Fi chip, Apple indicates that it will not be able to connect to Wi-Fi on its own. The Apple Watch will instead rely on the iPhone's Wi-Fi connection, perhaps using its internal Wi-Fi for communicating with a paired iPhone under certain circumstances.
It is impressive that Chipworks was able to determine a part from the Apple Watch just from a video, especially because the device is still months away from shipping to consumers. According to Apple, the watch will be released in early 2015, with prices beginning at $349.
Ahead of tomorrow's launch of the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus in a number of countries, customers who didn't place pre-orders for delivery have been lining up at Apple's retail stores and those of its carrier and retail partners hoping to obtain one first thing in the morning.
A new report from BGR claims, however, that those looking for an iPhone 6 Plus are likely to be disappointed, as the units are in extremely short supply.
We are told that stores have been receiving shipments all throughout the day, and out of all the new iPhone 6 models received, typically only about 2-3% are iPhone 6 Plus units, and in only one color.
There is "no chance" of finding an iPhone 6 Plus unit to purchase tomorrow, we were told. Sources also said there are no 16GB iPhone 6 Plus devices to be found.
The report notes that stores are seeing decent supplies of iPhone 6 units, with all colors and capacities available, but much like with the gold iPhone 5s last year, it appears that only a handful of customers at the very front of store lines will be able to purchase an iPhone 6 Plus at many locations.
Update: Multiple carriers have confirmed that supplies of the iPhone 6 Plus will be constrained, reports Re/code, with a Sprint representative saying the company's inventory is "extremely limited."
Earlier today, we highlighted how a number of new third-party systemwide keyboard for iOS 8 are topping the App Store charts, with SwiftKey Keyboard [Direct Link] displacing Facebook Messenger from the top spot on the free iPhone app chart in the United States.
Moving beyond the charts to look at raw download numbers, the success of these new keyboards is even more clear, with SwiftKey telling MacRumors that its iOS 8 keyboard has just passed one million downloads in less than 24 hours.
SwiftKey saw a brief launch delay yesterday due to App Store processing, and thus it did not go live until around noon Pacific Time, meaning that it has reached the milestone in roughly 22 hours.
SwiftKey is certainly benefiting from its positioning as a free app compared to competitors such as Swype and Fleksy, but it offers users a good opportunity to try out an alternative to Apple's default keyboard. SwiftKey will continue to upgrade its keyboard over time, no doubt at some point adding in premium features to generate income for the company.
With yesterday's launch of iOS 8, devices running the new operating system are now able to install third-party keyboards that work on a systemwide basis. Most of the major keyboard makers were ready for the launch, introducing iOS 8 versions of their keyboards into the iOS App Store. One day after launch, three of these keyboards, including Fleksy, SwiftKey and Swype, are now at the top of the top iOS paid and free charts in the U.S. and other countries.
Within 24 hours of their debut, paid keyboards Swype and Fleksy climbed to the top two spots in the U.S. paid iOS app chart, displacing popular games such as Minecraft Pocket Edition and Five Nights at Freddy's. On the free app chart, Swiftkey jumped to the number one spot, beating out the now freemium and very popular 1Password password manager and the newly launched Amazing Thief game. Perhaps most impressively, SwiftKey has even displaced longtime number one Facebook Messenger from its spot atop the rankings.
The new keyboards are of course benefiting from launch-day momentum of the iOS 8 debut, and it remains to be seen where they will settle in the charts following the initial surge of interest. Still, it is clear that many users are interested in at least trying out alternatives to Apple's default keyboard, even with its new QuickType suggestions implemented in iOS 8.
These three keyboards and more are available to all iPhone, iPad and iPod touch owners running iOS 8. SwiftKey [Direct Link] is available for free from the iOS App Store, while Fleksy [Direct Link] costs $1.99 and Swype [Direct Link] is 99 cents.
Apple yesterday released iOS 8 to the public, opening the doors for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch owners to download and install Apple's latest version of iOS on their devices. According to The Guardian, this release caused internet traffic to surge in the UK by as much as 60 percent compared to the same time the previous day as millions of iOS users rushed to update their devices.
LONAP web traffic data from iOS launch timeframe (blue) vs. previous day (red)
Data from LONAP shows that web traffic surged just as iOS 8 was released at 6:00 PM UK time. Traffic remained strong for several hours, with a peak at 8:00 PM in the UK as more than 70 gigabits per second were being transferred through LONAP's exchange.
iOS 8 adoption from Mixpanel
iOS 8 may have caused web traffic to briefly increase, but the first-day adoption rate of the mobile operating system is relatively low when compared to previous iOS rollouts. According to analytics firm Mixpanel, only 14 percent of the iOS devices that it tracks are currently running iOS 8. Data from mobile marketing company Fiksu shows a similar slow uptake in iOS 8 with the adoption of Apple's latest iOS version trailing the last that of the last several iOS launches.
Fiksu iOS 8 Tracker
The slower update rate may be due to a record number of iPhone owners purchasing new devices. Apple sold more than four million iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus units in the first 24 hours that pre-orders were available last week. Customers who are receiving a new phone in the coming weeks may delay upgrading their current device, opting instead to prepare the handset for sale.
Another factor may be the large storage size required for the over-the-air updates. Though the iOS 8 update was just over 1 GB in size, it required 4.6 GB of free storage space on an iPhone and almost 7 GB of free storage on an iPad for installation. That's almost half the free space available on a 16 GB device, forcing many owners to decide whether to delete content from their devices or install the update.
Apple and U2 have a long history of working together, producing a special edition U2 iPod in 2008 and more recently releasing the band's latest album, "Songs of Innocence," for free. According to Time, Apple and U2 reportedly now are collaborating on a new music format that will boost digital music sales.
Details on the music format or the secret project surrounding it were not revealed, but U2's Bono says it will help musicians sell more of their music.
Bono tells TIME he hopes that a new digital music format in the works will prove so irresistibly exciting to music fans that it will tempt them again into buying music—whole albums as well as individual tracks. The point isn’t just to help U2 but less well known artists and others in the industry who can’t make money, as U2 does, from live performance. “Songwriters aren’t touring people,” says Bono. “Cole Porter wouldn’t have sold T-shirts. Cole Porter wasn’t coming to a stadium near you.”
Digital music sales are declining as consumer interest in online streaming services such as Spotify and Pandora grows. According to Nielsen SoundScan data from the first half of 2014, digital album sales fell 15 percent year over year, while digital track sales fell 13 percent. At the same time, streaming music increased 42 percent.
In the U.S., iTunes currently is the market leader for digital music downloads, but Apple is not blind to the steady decline in these digital music sales. The company launched the Pandora-like iTunes Radio along with iOS 7 and recently purchased Beats Music for $3 billion.
Apple has received one out of the two regulatory licenses it needs to sell the iPhone 6 in China, reports state-run news agency Xinhua (via Reuters). The handset is currently being reviewed by China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), which also examined the the iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c before its launch in China last year. According to the news agency, Apple now needs a critical network access license before it can begin selling the device.
The news follows a report yesterday which stated that the launch of the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus in China may be pushed back to 2015 due to the need for regulatory licenses. Currently, it is unclear as to whether Apple will secure the licenses in time for a late 2014 launch, although talks are said to be ongoing. A delayed launch of the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus in China would hinder Apple's presence in the country, which has been expanding rapidly throughout the past few years.
Apple began iPhone sales on China Mobile last year, which is the country's biggest wireless service provider and the last major carrier in the region to partner with the company. Apple CEO Tim Cook stated in January that he was "incredibly optimistic" about partnering with the carrier, stating that it would allow the company to sell the iPhone in 3,000 more locations and advertise to its over 760 million customers.
With Apple's new iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus going on sale in the first group of launch countries beginning on Friday, September 19, long lines have already started to form across the world as many anticipate the release of both devices. Apple retail customers in Australia will have the first opportunity to purchase the new handsets at 8 AM on Friday, as some have already begun lining up outside of the company's various retail locations. Currently, it is 7:10 PM on Thursday, September 18 throughout many parts of Australia.
One photo taken by Guardian Australia writer Bethanie Blanchard shows many customers lining up outside the Apple Store Doncaster, as the line is said to have started at 6 AM and stretches around the entire length of the shopping center.
Meanwhile, a photo shared by Twitter user @rodgerodger shows the line surrounding an Apple Store in Brisbane. The image shows numerous customers setting up chairs and laying down supplies in preparation to stay the night ahead of the launch of the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus in the morning.
In addition to Australia, Apple's iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus will be available in the US, Canada, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, Puerto Rico, Singapore and the UK starting Friday, with Apple Retail Stores beginning sales at 8 AM. The company is also implementing a reservation pass system at its retail stores for those who line up, which will keep track of the line position of each customer and ensure that those waiting receive a device.
The first batch of iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus pre-orders will also be delivered starting this Friday, as some devices have already begun shipping to customers. Shipping estimates for new iPhone 6 pre-orders remain at 7 to 10 days, while estimates for iPhone 6 Plus pre-orders are at 3 to 4 weeks. Apple announced this past Monday that it processed more than four million iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus pre-orders during the first day of its pre-launch sales on September 12.
The site comes alongside a letter on privacy from Apple CEO Tim Cook, who says that the company respects user privacy and protects it with "strong encryption." Privacy and security are of the utmost importance to Apple, according to Cook, and the company designs all of its hardware, software, and services with privacy in mind.
In the letter, Tim Cook says that Apple is aiming to be more transparent about what happens with personal information, detailing how and why it is used by the company. Cook also states plainly that Apple aims to sell great products, not collect user information.
We're publishing this website to explain how we handle your personal information, what we do and don't collect, and why. We're going to make sure you get updates here about privacy at Apple at least once a year and whenever there are significant changes to our policies.
A few years ago, users of Internet services began to realize that when an online service is free, you're not the customer. You're the product. But at Apple, we believe a great customer experience shouldn't come at the expense of your privacy.
Our business model is very straightforward: We sell great products. We don't build a profile based on your email content or web browsing habits to sell to advertisers. We don't "monetize" the information you store on your iPhone or in iCloud. And we don't read your email or your messages to get information to market to you. Our software and services are designed to make our devices better. Plain and simple.
The first section of Apple's new privacy site details the privacy built into "the things you use every day." The site gives information on the ways apps and services are protected and the data that Apple can collect. Services detailed include iMessage, FaceTime, iCloud, Safari, Maps, Siri, Mail, Apps and the App Store, Apple Pay, Health, HomeKit, Spotlight Suggestions, and Randomized Wi-Fi addresses.
For example, Apple states that it cannot access content in the Messages app due to the encryption, and it explains how iCloud data is encrypted.
A second Privacy section is clearly the result of a recent hacking incident that saw several celebrity iCloud accounts compromised. In the section, Apple suggests ways users can improve the security of their devices, pointing towards passcodes, Touch ID, and Find My iPhone.
Apple also instructs users how to create a strong password, how to create proper security questions, and it directs them to turn on two-step verification. In addition, it details phishing scams, suggests users change their passwords on a regular basis, and tells them to keep an eye out for emails sent after Apple ID login attempts.
The final two sections of Apple's privacy site explicitly outline all government data requests that the company has received and offer details on Apple's privacy policy. The site lists examples of the personal information that Apple collects and exactly how that personal information is used. According to Cook, the new site is the result of a "commitment to protecting your privacy." "We know that your trust doesn't come easy," writes the CEO, "That's why we have and always will work as hard as we can to earn and keep it."
Apple has begun updating its own apps for iOS 8, with iMovie and Numbers receiving the first updates. While Numbers simply brings stability, iOS 8 support and iCloud Drive compatibility, iMovie goes a bit further with brand new features like video filters, an extension for the Photos app and more.
What’s New in Version 2.1 - Support for iOS 8 - Enhance video clips in the Photos app using the iMovie extension - Choose from 10 Apple-designed filters to stylize a video clip or an entire movie - Slow down, freeze, or speed up a portion of a clip* - Save videos and iMovie project files to iCloud Drive - Send videos to other apps on your iOS device - Create titles using bi-directional text - Support for Arabic, Australian English, Hebrew, and Mexican Spanish * 2x speed-up is available on iPhone 5s, iPad Air, iPad mini with Retina display, and later devices.
The new updates allow amateur filmmakers to exert even more control over their videos, with the ability to enhance videos from directly within the Photos app and apply filters to their videos within iMovie to attain a certain look. Users can also speed up and slow down parts of videos, likely allowing users who didn't shoot in the video camera's slo-mo mode to make those changes.
Additionally, users can also move their footage around easier, using iCloud Drive to move videos and projects around their devices and also allowing other video editing and post-production apps.
Update:Pages has also been updated with iOS 8 support, iCloud Drive compatibility and stability.
Update 2: Multiple users have told MacRumors that iMovie has been pulled from App Stores around the world, likely due to significant reports of the app crashing upon launch.
Apple today released OS X 10.9.5, after approximately a month of testing and two months after the release of OS X 10.9.4.
The update, which is recommended for all Mavericks users, improves the reliability of VPN connections that use USB smart cards for authentication and it improves the reliability of accessing files located on an SMB server. Also included with OS X 10.9.5 is Safari 7.0.6.
OS X 10.9.5 will likely be the final update to Mavericks ahead of the release of OS X Yosemite, which is expected in October. OS X Yosemite brings several improvements to the operating system, including a revamped look and several new features that improve integration with iOS.
Update: Apple has also released Safari 7.1 for 10.9.5 users. Safari 7.1 adds DuckDuckGo as a built-in option in the search field, encrypts Yahoo searches from the search field, and improves website compatibility with both Reader and Autofill. DuckDuckGo is a search engine that does not track users.
iOS 8, released to the public earlier today, included a slew of new APIs for developers. One of those APIs opened up Touch ID to third-party apps, letting developers use the fingerprint scanner for authentication purposes within apps.
Quite a few apps have been updated to take advantage of Touch ID integration, replacing passwords and PIN codes. We've gathered up a comprehensive list of the most popular apps that now use Touch ID, which you can find below.
- 1Password (Free) [Direct Link] - Password management app 1Password allows Touch ID to replace a Master Password, providing access to the app.
- LastPass (Free) [Direct Link] - Like 1Password, LastPass uses Touch ID to protect a user's LastPass vault. It replaces the Master Password.
- Amazon App (Free) [Direct Link] - The newly updated Amazon app for iOS 8 allows users to sign into their Amazon accounts using Touch ID instead of a password.
- Discover Mobile (Free) [Direct Link] - Banking app Discover Mobile lets users log into their accounts using Touch ID instead of a password.
- Evernote (Free) [Direct Link] - Evernote allows Evernote premium users who have protected their accounts with a passcode to log in with Touch ID instead of a number.
- Mint (Free) [Direct Link] - Money management app Mint allows users to substitute Touch ID for a passcode when logging into their Mint accounts.
- Scanner Pro ($6.99) [Direct Link] - Scanner Pro's newly updated iOS 8 app lets users protect their scanned information with Touch ID.
- Simple (Free) [Direct Link] - Banking app Simple lets users log into their bank accounts with Touch ID.
- Lowe's (Free) [Direct Link] - The mobile app for home improvement store Lowe's allows users to log into their MyLowe's personal accounts.
- Day One ($4.99) [Direct Link] - Day One allows users to unlock their journals with Touch ID, replacing a passcode.
- ETrade* (Free) [Direct Link] - ETrade has been updated with Touch ID authentication, which allows users to enter the app through fingerprint verification rather than a password.
- Keeper Password Manager (Free) [Direct Link] - This password management app is now able to use Touch ID fingerprint authentication in place of a master password.
iOS 8 was released today, which means hundreds of app developers are releasing newly updated apps that take advantage of all the APIs introduced with the operating system upgrade. Those include third-party keyboards, which we covered earlier today, and app extensions, a set of APIs that allows apps to interact in new and innovative ways.
One of the neatest app extension features lets developers create widgets that show up in the Today view of the Notification Center. These widgets let users interact with apps and get information at a glance. Several apps have been updated to take advantage of Notification Center widgets, and we've rounded up a comprehensive list below. Many of these app updates are already available, but some will be coming later today and tomorrow.
Dropbox (Free) [Direct Link] - Dropbox's new Notification Center widget displays all of the files that have been recently uploaded. Tapping on one of the files opens the file in the Dropbox app.
Duolingo (Free) [Direct Link] - Duolingo displays how close a user is to reaching their daily language learning goals. Tapping on the widget in the Notification Center opens the Duolingo app and lets users continue with their current language lesson.
Evernote (Free) [Direct Link] - Evernote's Notification Center widget is especially useful, including five different icons that let users create a document, reminder, or list, as well as snap a photo or access photos stored in the app. Tapping one of the icons opens the Evernote app and begins the task immediately.
Clear ($2.99) [Direct Link] - Clear's Notification Center widget includes a handy list of upcoming reminders. Tapping on one of the reminders will open the Clear app for direct access.
iTranslate (Free) [Direct Link] - iTranslate's Notification Center widget is a nifty tool that will let users one-tap translate whatever happens to be copied to the clipboard to the selected language.
At its Worldwide Developers Conference in June, Apple unveiled Metal, an API designed to improve game performance on iOS. Epic Games took the stage during the event to show off Epic Zen Garden, a game built using the Unreal 4 Engine and the Metal API.
The game, which was designed to show off the impressive graphic enhancement features possible with Metal, demonstrated an expansive world with a fully interactive environment. Users could touch a tree to send a cascade of leaves and cherry blossoms swirling to the ground or interact with a group of koi fish.
As of today, Epic Zen Garden is available for download, letting users see some of the things that will be possible in iOS games in the near future. The game supports a resolution of 1440 x 1080 at 30fps, and can display 3,500 butterflies at once. One of the major features of Metal is that it allows for more draw calls, letting a huge number of objects be displayed on the screen.
Epic Zen Garden is a beautiful graphical environment showcasing the power of iOS 8, developed by Epic Games with Unreal Engine 4. Tap to navigate this interactive oasis brimming unmatched detail on mobile. Swipe the Sakura tree to make thousands of cherry blossoms swirl in the air, graze the koi pond to summon leagues of fish, and rake the sand with your finger to create subtle designs. Touch the well to bring throngs of butterflies out of hiding.
More information on how Metal works, Epic Zen Garden and the Unreal Engine 4 can be seen in the video below.
Just before the public launch of iOS 8 earlier today, we noted that Apple had begun pulling HealthKit-related apps from the App Store, apparently due to a last-minute issue that cropped up in the new operating system. The issue has put a significant dent in the usefulness of the Health app that was to be a key feature of iOS 8, while also subjecting a number of third-party developers to uncertainty about the fate of their apps.
While details on the issue are still unknown, Apple has confirmed to Tim Bradshaw of Financial Times that it has discovered a "bug" in HealthKit that will require a software update to fix. Unfortunately, Apple is not necessarily promising an immediate turnaround on the fix, saying only that the company is aiming to "have HealthKit apps available by the end of the month".
iOS 8 is available now to owners of recent-generation iOS devices, and will be included on the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus when they officially launch on Friday. Aside from Health, iOS 8 includes a number of other features such as a new QuickType keyboard with word suggestions, support for systemwide third-party keyboards and Touch ID integration, Photos and Messages improvements, and Continuity features to make iOS device and Macs work more smoothly with each other.
iOS 8, released to the public today, includes an API that allows developers to create system-wide third-party keyboards for the first time, which will let users select from a range of different keyboards with unique functions.
We've rounded up a list of the best third-party keyboards currently available to you find the keyboard best suited to you. Some of these keyboards are in the App Store now, while others will begin rolling out today following the launch of iOS 8.
SwiftKey (Free) [Direct Link] - SwiftKey is a gesture-based keyboard that allows users to type by dragging their fingers from key to key. Along with offering predictive suggestions, SwiftKey integrates with SwiftKey Cloud to let a user's preferences be backed up and synced across all devices.
Apple released iOS 8 to the public today, giving millions of users their first look at the new operating system. Along with all of the major features, like Continuity, Notification improvements, Messages upgrades, and the introduction of third-party keyboard/Touch ID access, there are also dozens of other minor tweaks and changes that have been introduced in iOS 8, both ahead of the OS's initial launch to developers and across the beta testing period.
Outlined in the video below are some of the most interesting and handy tweaks in iOS 8, including automatic credit card scanning, expanded weather options, quick access to contacts, a hands-free mode for Siri, hidden photos, and more.
We've been collecting and cataloguing minor feature changes to iOS 8 since the first beta was released, documenting the development of new features and providing a one-stop location for all the changes that have largely gone under the radar.
A complete list of all of the hidden features in iOS 8 can be found in our dedicated Hidden Features Roundup, which also serves as a way to see the progress iOS 8 made over the course of the beta testing period.
For example, in beta 4, Apple introduced a Tips app that offers iOS 8 users information about all of the new features in the operating system. Beta 5, meanwhile, added location information to photo collections in the Photos app, and beta 4 saw a Control Center redesign.
We've also compiled a walkthrough of all of the major features introduced with iOS 8, which can be found in our iOS 8 Roundup.
iOS 8 can be downloaded immediately for free. It can be installed on the iPhone 4s and later, 5th-generation iPod touch, iPad 2 and later, and the iPad mini.
Biggest design overhaul since iOS 7 with Liquid Glass, plus new Apple Intelligence features and improvements to Messages, Phone, Safari, Shortcuts, and more. Developer beta available now ahead of public beta in July.
Biggest design overhaul since iOS 7 with Liquid Glass, plus new Apple Intelligence features and improvements to Messages, Phone, Safari, Shortcuts, and more. Developer beta available now ahead of public beta in July.
Just before the public launch of iOS 8 earlier today, we 
