MacRumors

It's been two years since Apple launched its radically redesigned Mac Pro, but the professional-level workstation has not seen any updates since that time despite the availability of upgraded versions of many of the components used in the machine. We may be getting closer to an update, however, as Pike's Universum has discovered a reference to a new Mac code name of "AAPLJ951" within OS X El Capitan.

The identity of the Mac corresponding to that code name is not explicitly revealed in OS X, but Pike points to the similar AAPLJ90 code name for the current Mac Pro as a reason to believe this new machine is a Mac Pro.

The data is identical to that of the late 2015 (iMac17,1 in the same file) so it may as well be a remnant of the new iMac, but the strange thing is that the XHCI data for the late 2015 iMac is also there, which is why I believe that this is not/was not added for the/a new iMac but another Mac.

And like I said earlier in the comments, there are too many USB 3 ports defined to fit on a MacBook (Pro) and Mac Mini. This and the fact that there is already support for newer graphics chips [baked] into El Capitan… is why I think that it was added for a new Mac Pro. I personally sure hope so.

Looking toward possible specs for the next Mac Pro, it seems likely it will run on Xeon-branded Broadwell EP chips and include significantly faster graphics based on AMD's Fury platform, along with faster memory and storage and perhaps Thunderbolt 3 connectivity involving a partial shift to USB-C connectivity.

Earlier this month, exploit acquisition platform Zerodium debuted an iOS 9 bug bounty that would pay out up to three million dollars to hackers who managed to develop a browser-based untethered jailbreak for iOS 9, which it could then sell to clients interested in shelling out a lot of money to gain illicit access to iOS devices.

The contest expired at the end of October, and Zerodium today announced one hacking team had successfully created a browser-based jailbreak for iOS 9.1 and iOS 9.2, the latest versions of iOS 9, earning $1 million.

Zerodium foundar Chaouki Bekrar told Wired that the exploit developed by the hackers will be given to its customers, which include major technology, finance, and defense corporations, along with government agencies. The contest rules required the exploit to be achievable remotely without requiring user interaction beyond reading a text message or visiting a website via Chrome or Safari on an iOS device.

Bekrar confirmed that Zerodium plans to reveal the technical details of the technique to its customers, whom the company has described as "major corporations in defense, technology, and finance" seeking zero-day attack protection as well as "government organizations in need of specific and tailored cybersecurity capabilities."

Because it's selling the jailbreak ("likely" to U.S. customers only), Zerodium does not plan to report the vulnerabilities in the operating system to Apple, though Bekrar says the company may share the details at a later date. The jailbreak also won't be provided to the general public, but Bekrar says Zerodium announced the results of the contest to remind people that while iOS security is "very hardened," it's not unbreakable.

Note: Due to the political nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Politics, Religion, Social Issues forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.

Apple is training retail employees in Australia, France, United Kingdom and other countries for the international launch of Personal Pickup, a service that enables customers to place an order on the Apple Online Store or Apple Store app and pick it up at any Apple Retail Store within an hour, according to sources.

Apple is planning to roll out Personal Pickup internationally as early as November, possibly alongside the launch of the iPad Pro, but could push back the plans until later this year or beyond, according to sources. Apple did not immediately respond when reached for comment.

Personal Pickup, which launched exclusively in the U.S. in 2011, is available for a wide range of products including Macs, iPhones, iPads, Apple TVs and the Apple Watch. Apple notifies customers via email or text message when their order is available for in-store pickup, at which point they can pick it up with a valid photo ID.

The global expansion of Personal Pickup is likely another move orchestrated by Apple retail chief Angela Ahrendts, as she continues to bridge the gap between Apple's online and retail store shopping experiences. Apple has opened over 460 retail stores in 18 countries since May 2001, with nearly 200 located outside the U.S.

Heading into November, construction on Apple's second campus is progressing nicely, with Apple's construction crews making a lot of headway on the ring-shaped main building. A new aerial video captured by drone pilot Duncan Sinfield and shared with MacRumors gives a close-up view at the current state of the building.

Four internal levels of the primary building have now been completed, and the concept Steve Jobs envisioned for the campus is starting to take shape. When completed, the interior area of the building will feature hundreds of trees and lots of greenery, with outdoor eating and viewing areas for Apple employees.

Two nearby parking structures are now close to being completed, and there's also been some progress made on the underground auditorium, where Apple will hold major press events. There have been a lot of changes since we last shared an aerial video in September.

When fully complete, the second Apple campus will feature the 2.8 million square foot ring-shaped main building, several parking structures, a 100,000 square foot fitness center, a 120,000 square foot auditorium for hosting events, and a dedicated visitor's center complete with an observation deck, cafe, and Apple Store. Apple is on track to finish construction at the end of next year.

Apple last week quietly launched a new first-party app called Indoor Survey [Direct Link], which allows its users to map out the interior space of a building using their iPhone. Spotted by developer Steve Troughton-Smith yesterday evening, the app specifically uses radio frequency signals in concert with an iPhone's various sensor data to successfully map an interior location (via AppleInsider).

The app, however, doesn't appear to be entirely functional as of yet. When prompted with Indoor Survey's home menu, after entering an Apple ID and password, users will be met with an Authorization Failed message and be barred from further accessing the app's suggested indoor mapping abilities. The app is also briefly mentioned on a banner within Apple Maps Connect after signing in, asking users to sign up to the indoor mapping initiative if they represent a venue with a handful of attributes Apple is looking for.

"Enable indoor positioning within a venue using the Indoor Survey app. By dropping 'points' on a map within the Survey App, you indicate your position within the venue as you walk through. As you do so, the indoor Survey App measures the radio frequency (RF) signal data and combines it with an iPhone's sensor data. The end result is indoor positioning without the need to install special hardware."

The new app could be the result of Apple's purchase of WifiSLAM in 2013. The indoor location company had developed a way for an app to detect someone's location within a building using Wi-Fi signals, which seems to be on par with Indoor Survey's abilities today. The technology is slightly similar to the company's iBeacons software it runs in all of its retail stores, which locates a user's iPhone when entering an Apple Store and updates them on various promotions, classes, and product information.

Currently, Indoor Survey can't be found using the search function on the App Store and can only be discovered via iTunes directly. The app was last updated on October 27, so it had been on the App Store for at least a week before anyone discovered it. The app's description mentions requiring iOS 9 or later with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch compatibility and an 18MB download size.

On Friday, Apple officially launched the fourth-generation Apple TV, which for the first time included an App Store.

While Apple includes a list of featured apps, there are currently no other methods for discoverability, and users can't browse categories or Top Charts to find other Apple TV Apps that haven't been explicitly featured.

Currently, the Apple TV App Store only shows what's featured. If your game isn't featured, it effectively doesn't exist. There's no way to browse genres, top lists don't exist (this arguably might be a good thing), and finding something that isn't featured requires typing its name in the search field. Siri search doesn't work on apps (yet?) so the amount of friction to download a game like Highway Rider which didn't make the feature cut is not only incredible but also has resulted in three sales. (Well, make that four, as I bought it.)

After some digging, SlideToPlay's Jeff Scott discovered that Apple was already publishing Apple TV top lists, even if they weren't yet exposed anywhere. Scott has now compiled a realtime list of the top overall Apple TV apps as well as individual category lists for both free and paid apps.

At the time of this writing, the overall top 10 apps include:

Top 10 Paid

1 - Beat Sports (Apple TV Only)
2 - SimpleX - for Plex (Apple TV Only)
3 - Galaxy on Fire™ - Manticore RISING (Apple TV Only)
4 - Lumino City (+ Universal)
5 - Alto's Adventure (+ Universal)
6 - Does not Commute TV (Apple TV Only)
7 - Battle Supremacy: Evolution (+ Universal)
8 - Geometry Wars 3: Dimensions Evolved (+ Universal)
9 - Shoot The Zombirds (+ Universal)
10 - Oceanhorn ™ (+ Universal)

Top 10 Free

1 - Rayman Adventures (Apple TV Only)
2 - Crossy Road - Endless Arcade Hopper (+ Universal)
3 - HBO NOW (+ Universal)
4 - The Nat Geo TV (+ Universal)
5 - FOX NOW (+ Universal)
6 - SHOWTIME (+ Universal)
7 - HISTORY (+ Universal)
8 - CNNgo (Apple TV Only)
9 - CBS (+ Universal)
10 - Asphalt 8: Airborne (+ Universal)

Games make up the majority of the top spots in the Top Paid listings, while media apps dominate the Top Free listings. At the moment, Jeff Scott reports there are presently 996 Apple TV apps in the App Store. The full list on SlideToPlay covers the top 200, as well as the breakdown within different categories.

The new Apple TV launched on Friday in several countries around the world, giving early adopters a chance to try out the fourth-generation device for a few days now. The consensus opinion is that the new Apple TV is a worthwhile upgrade, particularly because of new features such as the App Store, Siri, and tvOS user interface, with lots of potential to get even better in the months and years ahead.

To complement our coverage of the new Apple TV, which includes a trio of hands-on videos, an Apple TV apps roundup, several tidbits, and a reviews roundup, we have created the following list of tips, tricks, and shortcuts for the new streaming device, some of which are outlined in the Apple TV user guide. The tips are centered upon useful Siri Remote shortcuts and Apple TV settings.

Siri Remote shortcuts

Touch Surface
- To rearrange an app, hover over it and hold down the touch surface until the icon starts to jiggle. Then, swipe left, right, up or down to move the app, and press the touch surface once to finish.
- The touch surface has accelerated swiping, meaning that a faster swipe results in faster on-screen scrolling.
- Hover over any letter on the keyboard and hold down the touch surface to bring up a contextual menu, which includes uppercase letters, accents and a backspace key.
- Hover over a song and hold down the touch surface to bring up a contextual menu, which includes various Apple Music options.

Menu Button
- Press the Menu button once to go back.
- Press the Menu button twice quickly from the Home screen to start the screensaver.
- Press and hold the Menu and Home buttons simultaneously to restart the Apple TV.

Home Button
- Press the Home button once to return to the Home screen from anywhere.
- Press the Home button twice quickly to bring up the App Switcher, which displays all apps open. Swipe up on the Siri Remote's touch surface to force close an app.
- Press the Home button three times quickly to access VoiceOver.
- Hold down the Home button to place the Apple TV in Sleep mode.

Siri Button
- Hold down the Siri button to use Siri.
- Press the Siri button once and wait to view a list of commands you can ask Siri.

Play/Pause Button
- Press the Play/Pause button once to change the keyboard between uppercase and lowercase.
- Press the Play/Pause button once to delete an app in wiggle mode, which requires hovering over an app and holding down the touch surface until the icon starts to jiggle.
- Hold down the Play/Pause button for 5-7 seconds to return to the Apple Music app.

Apple TV settings

General
- Apple TV can be renamed in Settings under AirPlay > Apple TV Name.
- Apple TV network strength is displayed in Settings under General > About.
- Universal remotes can learn the new Apple TV in Settings under Remotes and Devices > Learn Remote. Follow the on-screen instructions.

Siri Remote
- The sensitivity of the Siri Remote's touch surface can be adjusted in the Settings app under Remotes and Devices > Touch Surface Tracking.
- The triple-press Home button accessibility shortcut can be changed in the Settings app under General > Accessibility > Accessibility Shortcut.
- The Siri Remote's battery level is listed in Settings > Remotes and Devices > Bluetooth.
- The Siri Remote can power on/off or adjust the volume of your TV and speakers over HDMI-CEC or IR. In some cases, this pairing process is automatic after setup, or manually configurable in Settings > Remotes and Devices > Home Theater Control under the "Turn On Your TV with Your Remote" and "Volume Control" menus.

Along with an App Store, Siri voice integration and universal search are important software-based features available on the new Apple TV. With Siri voice integration, it's possible to search for content and control video playback, while universal search allows users to look for movies and TV shows across a range of different apps.

In the video below, we went hands-on with the new Apple TV to give MacRumors readers an in-depth look at how the new Siri and universal search features work in person.

Siri is linked to universal search, as the main (and simplest) way to seek out television shows, movies, and apps on the Apple TV. Siri is able to do things like pause, rewind, and fast forward, and there are also some cool tricks. For example, asking Siri "What did he say?" during a bit of missed speech in a TV show or movie will rewind a few seconds and display subtitles. Searching through television shows by specific actors, scenes, and episodes is another nifty feature.

At the current point in time, universal search is limited to a handful of sources that include Netflix, iTunes, Hulu HBO Go, and Showtime, but Apple plans to make a universal search API available, expanding the number of apps that can take advantage of the feature.

For more on the new Apple TV, make sure to check out our complete hardware overview and our look at the tvOS App Store. We've also rounded up a list of Apple TV apps and we've shared some tidbits about the new device.

On our forums, our readers are discussing the new Apple TV in the dedicated Apple TV forum. Of particular interest is a thread where new Apple TV owners are discussing their first impressions of the device, and there's also a forum dedicated to Apple TV apps.

One of the key features of the new Apple TV is the full App Store, which mirrors the iOS App Store and allows third-party developers to create a range of apps and games for the device. We went hands-on with the new Apple TV and took a look at the App Store to give MacRumors readers a better idea of how it works.

Anyone who has downloaded an iOS app on an iPhone or an iPad will be familiar with the way the tvOS App Store works. When first logging in, the Apple TV interface is rather empty, because standard apps, like Netflix, must be downloaded from the tvOS App Store. There are a wide range of games and apps already available, and we've catalogued a number of them in a list.

Games in the tvOS App Store are controlled with the included touch-based Siri remote, which can be used as a touch screen or as a controller similar to the Wii Remote. The Apple TV also supports third-party Made for iPhone certified Bluetooth gaming controllers.

The tvOS App Store has faced some criticism because it’s difficult to discover new content. The App Store only displays a limited selection of featured apps and beyond that, the only way to locate content is through search. Unlike the iOS App Store, there’s no top list and there’s no way to browse through different genres to find apps. That may change in the future as tvOS evolves, but for now, it can be difficult to find all the available apps to install.

Apple is selling the new Apple TV in retail stores and from the online Apple Store. It’s priced at $149 for 32GB of storage and $199 for 64GB of storage.

The new Apple TV officially became available for purchase today, with Apple selling the fourth-generation set-top box in retail stores around the world. We went hands-on with the Apple TV to give MacRumors readers who want to know more about the device a chance to get an overview of the hardware and the software.

Apple's latest Apple TV marks a significant departure from the previous-generation Apple TV, with a thicker external design, a touch-based motion-enabled remote control that doubles as a gaming controller, and a more powerful A8 processor.

On the software side, it's running a new operating system called tvOS, which includes universal search features for finding television shows and movies across a wide variety of platforms, Siri integration for voice-based search, and a full App Store that's open to third-party developers. We're going to take a closer look at the App Store and the Siri/Search features in videos coming later this evening.

Earlier today, we shared a tidbits post on the new Apple TV, and our forum members have also been posting their first impressions and thoughts on the device, a thread that's well worth reading for those still trying to decide whether to make a purchase.

Apple is selling the new Apple TV in retail stores and from the online Apple Store. It's priced at $149 for 32GB of storage and $199 for 64GB of storage.

Access to Apple Music's Beats 1: Replay feature, which allows users to listen to previously broadcast Beats 1 radio shows, is now limited only to Apple Music subscribers. MacRumors readers and users on reddit have both noticed a recent change that no longer allows those without an Apple Music subscription to access Beats 1 radio segments they've missed.

According to the reddit thread, past Beats 1 radio shows became inaccessible to non-subscribers approximately two weeks ago. The Apple Music Help Twitter account has confirmed that Beats 1 Replays now require an active Apple Music subscription.

The Beats 1: Replay feature was first introduced in early August when all Apple Music users were still under the free three-month trial period. It offers full show replays with guests, commentary, and music. Without access to Beats 1: Replay, those who do not subscribe to Apple Music will only be able to listen to missed Beats 1 radio content by catching it on the second playthrough, 12 hours after the first airing.

Attempting to access a past Beats 1 radio show via an artist's page now brings up an Apple Music login screen for non-subscribers, while subscribers are still able to access the content. Playlists are also inaccessible, but content uploaded to a Beats 1 radio DJ's connect page, such as select interviews, can be listened to without a subscription.

Access to past Beats 1 shows is not the only feature limited to Apple Music subscribers. Asking Siri questions about music charts, such as "What was the top song in March of last year?" is off limits to non-subscribers. Siri tells non-subscribers that an Apple Music subscription is required, likely because these music chart questions cause the song in question to begin playing.

Apple's decision to limit past Beats 1 shows to Apple Music subscribers has undoubtedly been done in an effort to encourage Beats 1 radio fans to purchase a subscription, which is priced at $9.99 per month for individuals and $14.99 for families. In a recent interview, Apple CEO Tim Cook said Apple Music had 6.5 million paying customers along with 8.5 million still on the free trial.

(Thanks, Adam!)

Apple has started a new limited time in-store promotion that offers customers $50 off an Apple Watch Sport or Apple Watch with the purchase of any new iPhone, including the latest iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus, the company confirmed to MacRumors. Apple Watch Edition and Apple Watch Hermès models are ineligible for the discount.

The promotion is available at participating Apple Store locations in California and Massachusetts, including Burlingame, Chestnut Street, Corte Madera, Hillsdale, San Francisco and Stonestown in the Bay Area, and Boylston Street, Burlington, CambridgeSide and Chestnut Hill in the Boston metro area.

Apple confirmed that the promotion runs from October 30 through November 15, 2015, and is not available online. The deal does not require purchasing AppleCare+ or other accessories and add-ons. The offer is only valid when the qualifying iPhone and Apple Watch are purchased together on one transaction.

(Thanks, Robert!)

The new Apple TV officially launched today at Apple Stores and select resellers in the U.S. and other first wave countries. As customers begin receiving their new Apple TV deliveries around the world, the following are useful tidbits about the new fourth-generation device.

Apple TV Support and User Guide - Forum Discussion

Apple has updated its Apple TV Support portal for the new Apple TV, including an official Apple TV User Guide that contains detailed information about how to set up and use the streaming box. The user guide is broken down into several categories: Getting Started, Basics, Siri, iTunes, App Store, Photos, Music, Home Sharing, Search, Accessibility, Safety and more.

Apple TV apps - Forum Discussion

iMore has shared a video that scrolls through all of the new Apple TV apps currently available through the tvOS App Store. Due to the current lack of discoverability, the video searches tvOS apps based on their first letter in alphabetical order.

Eli Hodapp at our sister website TouchArcade explains in his Apple TV first impressions:

If screenshots on Apple pages are any indication, categories for the Apple TV App Store are coming (maybe?) but as of this writing, there's a distinct division between the haves and the have-nots in the Apple TV app world. Currently, the Apple TV App Store only shows what's featured. If your game isn't featured, it effectively doesn't exist. There's no way to browse genres, top lists don't exist (this arguably might be a good thing), and finding something that isn't featured requires typing its name in the search field.

MacRumors recently published an Apple TV apps roundup that goes into more detail about some of the new apps and games, including Airbnb, Alto's Adventure, Crossy Road, Plex, Sing! Karaoke, Withings Home and more.

Charging and Using the Siri Remote - Forum Discussion

Apple has published a support document with step-by-step instructions on how to charge your Siri Remote and get help if it isn't working. Apple TV will alert you when your Siri Remote needs to be charged, or you can manually check the remote's charge by navigating to Settings > Remotes and Devices > Bluetooth and selecting the remote.

In countries and regions that support Siri, the remote is called the Siri Remote. Elsewhere, it is called the Apple TV Remote, but has identical functionality otherwise. International users can easily access Siri by changing their Apple TV's region to the U.S. or other supported countries.

Amazon Removes Apple TV

Following through with its plans, online retailer Amazon has removed all Apple TV and Chromecast listings from its website, per Variety. Amazon removed the Apple and Google streaming media players because they are incompatible with its Prime Video streaming service, which it believes may cause confusion for customers.

In a statement provided to BuzzFeed News, Apple emphasized that the lack of Prime Video support on the new Apple TV is solely Amazon's decision.

Incidentally, that Amazon Prime Video is the exception to the conga line of content offerings above is entirely Amazon’s doing. A ~magnanimous~ Apple tells BuzzFeed News that “all are welcome” on its new Apple TV platform. But Amazon — which recently purged Apple TV from its store — doesn’t have a Prime Video app in the Apple TV App Store. And as of a few days ago, it hadn’t submitted one.

Amazon told BuzzFeed News the company “doesn’t have anything to share” on the topic.

Visit the Apple TV section on the MacRumors discussion forums for more tidbits.