Apple's much-anticipated larger-screened iPad Pro will go on sale both online and in Apple retail stores on Wednesday, November 11, reports 9to5Mac. Apple has thus far remained tight-lipped on the tablet's release date, giving only a general November release timeline.
Previous rumors suggested the iPad Pro would go on sale in early November, perhaps during the first week of the month, but Apple's release plans can shift ahead of an important launch. It is not clear if the company will offer pre-orders for the device ahead of the Wednesday, November 11 launch date.
Along with the iPad Pro, Apple also plans to begin selling its accessories, the Apple Pencil and the Apple Smart Keyboard, on November 11, both online and in retail stores.
Pricing on the iPad Pro starts at $799 for the 32GB Wi-Fi only version and goes up to $1,079 for a 128GB Wi-Fi + Cellular model. The Apple Pencil and the Smart Keyboard are sold separately for $99 and $169, respectively.
Apple announced yesterday that the company has opened up its cryptographic libraries so that third-party developers can build more "advanced security features" into their apps (via VentureBeat). The cryptographic libraries being opened to developers are the same ones Apple uses to protect iOS and OS X, as Apple notes on its updated site.
Developers will have access to two of the company's advanced security features, including Security Framework and Common Crypto. Security Framework gives developers tools for organizing certificates, public and private keys, and trust policies, ensuring that all sensitive information is stored privately in a "secure repository for sensitive user data." Common Crypto library provides additional support for symmetric encryption, hash-based message authentication codes, and digests.
Both Security Framework and Common Crypto rely on the corecrypto library to provide implementations of low level cryptographic primitives. This is also the library submitted for validation of compliance with U.S. Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) 140-2 Level 1. Although corecrypto does not directly provide programming interfaces for developers and should not be used by iOS or OS X apps, the source code is available to allow for verification of its security characteristics and correct functioning.
Check out Apple's official website for reference sheets, service guides, and links to the open source releases for Security Framework and Common Crypto libraries.
Apple's strict adherence to an environment of secrecy and privacy in regards to its software and hardware development has been suggested as a major blow to the company's potential for growth in the field of artificial intelligence. In a new article by Bloomberg, Apple was noted as a non-attendee at the Neural Information Processing Systems conference, an annual confluence of companies including Google and Microsoft where researches get together to discuss the progress and development of AI technologies.
In years past, Apple has attended the conference, but its emissaries were known to keep "a low profile" during the proceedings. In the midst of a mass sharing and celebration of discoveries and findings in the world of AI, many remain unsure of the Cupertino company's continued success in such departments if it remains attached to such strict secrecy rules. “They’re completely out of the loop," said Richard Zemel, a professor in the computer science department at the University of Toronto.
The biggest threat posed to Apple due to this level of secrecy, according to Trevor Darrell, managing director of a machine-learning research center at the University of California at Berkeley, is the barrier to entry it creates for graduate students fresh out of college. The stagnant environment and closed-off atmosphere inhibits the company's employees from interacting with the rest of the scientific community, an issue that most potential hires may not be entirely comfortable with.
“There’s no way they can just observe and not be part of the community and take advantage of what is going on,” says Yoshua Bengio, a professor of computer science at the University of Montreal. “I believe if they don’t change their attitude, they will stay behind.”
“The really strong people don’t want to go into a closed environment where it’s all secret,” Bengio says. “The differentiating factors are, ‘Who are you going to be working with?’ ‘Am I going to stay a part of the scientific community?’ ‘How much freedom will I have?’”
Earlier in the month, Apple acquired two artificial intelligence-related start-ups: VocalIQ and Perceptio. VocalIQ's natural language API hints at a more naturalistic version of Siri in the future, and even possible integration into the rumored Apple car project. Perceptio suggests the possibility of a more expansive and robust AI system for Apple, without the compromise of the company's in-depth privacy policies that pull Siri back from services like Google Now and Microsoft's Cortana.
All the same, Bloomberg's story suggests that despite Apple's enthusiasm to innovate in the artificial intelligence sector, the company could continue to lag behind in certain departments -- Apple Maps, for example -- due to its stances on secrecy and privacy.
Apple's latest 4K and 5K iMacs support a 10-bit graphics driver on OS X El Capitan, allowing for smoother color transitions, according to German website Mac & i. The 10-bit color output enables 1024 gradations per color channel, a significant increase from 256 with 8-bit depth on previous iMacs.
30 bit pixel depth — 10 bit for each RGB color (Image: cinema5D)
Digital filmmaking news website cinema5D explains the technical benefits of 10-bit color depth for professional colorists, photographers and editors:
Professionals know that 10-bit screen color is the desired color depth for serious color correction. When you work in 8-bit you often see banding artefacts and lose detail on soft gradients which makes editing harder and less accurate.
This is not to be confused with the bit depth of your source files. We all know that working with video DSLRs or other heavily compressed video footage that is limited to 8 bit color depth gives you less options during grading and 10 bit, 12 bit or even 16 bit color photos and videos are better. On the screen side 10 bit is the desired depth to let you view the end result without gradation steps.
The new 10-bit color depth reportedly only works within the Preview and Photos applications for now, but other third-party software should eventually take advantage of the technology. The 2014 5K iMac also supports 10-bit color depth on OS X El Capitan, according to these reports.
Apple Store and Best Buy locations have begun selling the new fourth-generation Apple TV in the U.S. and first wave launch countries. Apple is also offering Personal Pickup in the U.S., while Best Buy is allowing customers who pre-ordered for in-store pickup to pick up their set-top boxes starting this morning as the stores open up for the day.
While Best Buy began accepting pre-orders for the new Apple TV on Monday, it originally listed November 4 as the date when customers would be able pick them up in stores. Several MacRumors readers who pre-ordered began receiving notices on Thursday night letting them know their purchases would be ready for pickup today, nearly a week early.
Apple retail stores around the world will also be offering the Apple TV, and in countries where October 30 has already rolled around, stores are already selling the new set-top boxes. Stores in the United States have been revamped overnight to feature advertising for the new Apple TV to coincide with the in-store launch.
Apple is also selling accessories like the new Apple TV Remote Loop and the SteelSeries Nimbus controller, and it also plans to begin selling the new Beats Pill+ speakers in its retail stores beginning today.
The new Apple TV, which includes features like a full App Store, universal search, Siri integration, and a touch-based remote control, is available in two configurations: 32GB and 64GB. The 32GB model is available for $149 and the 64GB model is available for $199.
As of today, Apple has stopped signing iOS 9.0.2 for compatible iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch models, meaning users can no longer upgrade or downgrade to that version of iOS using iTunes. Apple is now signing iOS 9.1 and later only.
With Apple no longer signing iOS 9.0.2, those who wish to downgrade to jailbreak their devices are not able to do so. iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch users with jailbroken devices will need to refrain from updating beyond iOS 9.0.2 as the iOS 9.1 update fixes the exploits used for the jailbreak.
The untethered iOS 9 jailbreak was released for iOS devices just two weeks ago on October 14 by Pangu. It works for iOS 9, iOS 9.0.1, and iOS 9.0.2.
Apple today debuted a new Beats Pill+ app for both iOS and Android users, providing a way for those who own the new Beats Pill+ speakers to control the speakers, check power levels, download software updates, adjust sound levels, and link multiple speakers together for different effects. There are three modes in the app, listed below.
DJ - Grab a friend and control the music from two Bluetooth(R) sources.
Amplify - Add a second Beats Pill+ into the mix and simultaneously play from both for a sound that's twice as full.
Stereo - Use two Beats Pill+ speakers as left and right output for an even more dynamic sound experience.
Beats Pill+ marks the first time Apple has released an app on both the iOS and Android platforms simultaneously, and it's the second Android app that Apple has debuted after introducing the Move to iOS app earlier this year. Apple plans to introduce additional Android apps in the future, including an Apple Music app.
The new Beats Pill+ app comes just over three weeks after Apple debuted its new Beats Pill+ speakers. The Beats Pill+ is a wireless Bluetooth speaker that's the first Apple has introduced since purchasing the Beats brand in May of 2014. Priced at $229, the speaker is now available in black or white from the Apple Online Store.
Beats Pill+ for iOS can be downloaded from the App Store for free. [Direct Link]
Beats Pill+ for Android can be downloaded from Google Play for free. [Direct Link]
Pangea Software today announced that all of its tvOS apps designed for the new fourth-generation Apple TV include support for 3DTVs, allowing users to play the company's games in 3D.
Developer Steven Troughton-Smith shared an image of Pangea Software game Bugdom 2 in 3D on the Apple TV earlier today, after which the company confirmed in a press release that its entire lineup of apps will offer 3DTV support. The 3DTV support is implemented using side-by-side 3D, which is a standard 3D implementation technique compatible with all 3DTVs.
Image via Steven Troughton-Smith
All of Pangea's games have the capability of playing in stereo-3D on any HDTV which is 3DTV capable. This not only adds an extra visual element to the games, but in many cases it gives the player an advantage since 3D makes it easier to aim weapons and calculate jumps. Additionally, all of the games are Game Controller compatible, so they can be played with either the Siri Remote or with any tvOS compatible Gamepad.
Apple today seeded the first beta of OS X 10.11.2 El Capitan to public beta testers, just days after releasing the first beta to developers and just over a week after the public launch of OS X El Capitan 10.11.1.
The new beta is available through the Software Update mechanism in the Mac App Store to those who are enrolled in Apple's beta testing program. Those wishing to join the program can sign up on Apple's beta testing website.
It's not yet known what improvements the latest update to OS X El Capitan will bring, but it's likely to include bug fixes, security enhancements, and performance improvements to address issues discovered since the release of OS X 10.11.1. Apple's release notes for the first developer beta asked testers to focus on Graphics, Wi-Fi, Calendar, USB, Notes, Photos, and Spotlight.
With customers around the world beginning to receive their new Apple TVs over the coming days, developers have been busy readying the first apps and games for the set-top box. Below, we have rounded up some of the more interesting tvOS apps that are or will be available through the App Store on the new Apple TV. Some apps are still under review and may not be available immediately at launch.
Airbnb
Airbnb, a website for people to list, find and rent lodging in 190 countries, ranging from a New York City studio apartment to a Tokyo penthouse, has developed an app for the new Apple TV that lets travelers swipe through destinations and lodging choices using the Siri Remote. Airbnb for Apple TV focuses on immersive pictures with limited text. Listings can be synced with iPhone and iPad.
Alto's Adventure
Snowman has announced that Alto's Adventure, a beautiful endless runner snowboarding game featuring physics-based gameplay, procedurally generated terrain, fully dynamic lighting and weather effects, six unique snowboarders and more, will be available on the new Apple TV shortly following its launch. The game can be played with a Siri Remote or a third-party controller, and universally supports the iPhone, iPad and Apple TV for $2.99 on the App Store with iCloud syncing.
Crossy Road
Hipster Whale has brought its endless arcade hopper Crossy Road, an Apple Design Award Winner at WWDC 2015, to the new Apple TV. Choose from characters such as Chicken, Mallard, Emo Goose and Giddy Goat, and use the Siri Remote touchpad to dodge cars, leap across logs and jump past fast-moving trains. The popular game is also available on iTunes for iPhone, iPad, Android and Windows Phone.
Mr Jump
Mr Jump is a popular platformer runner game where you guide a hero named Mr. Jump as he jumps his way through several increasingly challenging levels in multiple worlds. The new Apple TV version of the game requires the Siri Remote to control your character. Mr Jump is free on the App Store with in-app purchases available.
Ookla
Here's a video preview of our tvOS Speedtest app that should be available shortly on the Apple TV App Store pic.twitter.com/qqrI7TOIX3
— Ookla (@Ookla) October 27, 2015
Ookla has developed a version of its popular Speedtest tool for the new Apple TV, allowing users to test their Wi-Fi network's download and upload speeds from their TV set. The app has a simplistic design that displays your internet service provider alongside a scrollable list of servers to choose from. Ookla plans on adopting a similar design for its iOS and Android apps in 2016.
Customers who pre-ordered the Apple TV and opted for one-day shipping have begun receiving their devices in New Zealand, where it is just after 9:00 a.m. local time. Deliveries will begin soon in Australia and countries in Asia, before expanding to Europe and the United States.
Those who pre-ordered their Apple TVs on Monday can expect to begin receiving them at the end of this week and the beginning of next week, as not choosing one-day shipping largely offered delivery estimates of November 2 to November 4.
Apple's retail stores will also begin selling the Apple TV on Friday, October 30. The first customers in Australia should be able to pick up an Apple TV in the next few hours.
As customers begin receiving their Apple TVs, Apple has officially launched the tvOS operating system for the device to allow those with developer and review units to update to the publicly released version. Following the update to the official tvOS software, users are able to access the App Store and search function to locate and install apps on the device.
Apple's upcoming iPad Pro accessory, the Apple Pencil, will now ship with an adapter that will allow it to charge using a standard Lightning cable, reports 9to5Mac. The Apple Pencil, which has a Lightning connector on the end for charging, was originally designed to charge by plugging into the bottom of the iPad Pro.
With the adapter, which will fit over the Apple Pencil's Lightning connector, it will also be able to charge using a regular Lightning cable. This will expand the number of ways the Apple Pencil can be charged and it will alleviate concerns about potential damage to the Apple Pencil from being knocked or bent while plugged into an iPad Pro.
The iPad Pro appears to be on track for a launch in the first weeks of November. AppleCare employees and retail staff are currently receiving training on the new larger-screened tablet, with the training completion deadline set for November 6.
Apple's iPad Pro is the company's new flagship 12.9-inch tablet. It includes an A9X processor, 4GB RAM, and according to Apple, is as fast as many desktop class machines. Pricing on the iPad Pro starts at $799 for a 32GB Wi-Fi only model and goes up to $1,079 for a 128GB Wi-Fi + Cellular model.
The Apple Pencil, which allows for pressure-sensitive drawing on the iPad Pro, is a standalone purchase that will be available for $99. Apple is also selling a Smart Keyboard for the iPad Pro, priced at $169.
Apple is asking the United States Supreme Court to overturn the 2013 U.S. Appellate Court ruling that found the company guilty of conspiring with publishers to inflate the prices of e-books, reports Reuters.
Apple's petition comes following the loss of a June appeal where the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit upheld the guilty verdict and maintained Apple violated antitrust laws and colluded with five publishers - HarperCollins, Simon and Schuster, Hachette Book Group, Macmillan, and Penguin - to fix e-book prices and unreasonably restrain trade.
Apple in its petition said the June decision by the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New York contradicted Supreme Court precedent and would "chill innovation and risktaking."
"The Second Circuit's decision will harm competition and the national economy," Apple wrote.
Should the U.S. Supreme Court uphold the lower court's verdict, Apple will be forced to pay $450 million as part of a settlement with class action lawyers and state district attorneys, with $400 million of that amount earmarked for consumers. Apple reached the settlement in June of 2014 to avoid a lengthy damages trial, but the payout hinged on the outcome of the company's appeal.
Though Apple was found guilty, the company has maintained its innocence throughout the dispute. In its appeal, Apple said its efforts "kick-started competition" to deliver "higher output, lower price levels, and accelerated innovation."
Earlier this week, Apple seeded the first beta of iOS 9.2 to developers, just under a week after the public release of iOS 9.1. As of today, Apple is also making iOS 9.2 available to its public beta testers.
Beta testers who have signed up for Apple’s beta testing program will receive the iOS 9.2 update over-the-air after installing the proper certificate on their iOS device.
Those who want to be a part of Apple’s beta testing program can sign up to participate through the beta testing website, which gives users access to both iOS and OS X betas. Because iOS 9.1 was just released, it will likely be a month or more before we see the public release of iOS 9.2.
iOS 9.2 fixes several bugs in the operating system and it includes other under-the-hood enhancements. According to the release notes for the first beta, the Safari View Controller (the view of Safari you see within apps) is being updated with support for third-party Action Extensions that will let it more closely mirror the Safari app. It also includes options to reload content and request a desktop site, as in Safari.
Though there are now hundreds of Apple Watch chargers and stands on the market, Apple is only selling a handful in retail locations - those that are designed with a clean aesthetic that matches the feel of the company's products. The latest Apple-endorsed Apple Watch charging solution comes from Sena, and will be in Apple Stores in mid-November.
Sena's Leather Watch Case, which is actually available from Sena's website beginning today, is a hybrid stand and case product that can be used for charging, storage, and travel purposes.
The Leather Watch Case is designed to look like a traditional watch case that might come with any luxury watch. It's similar in size to the box that comes with the stainless steel Apple Watch, with a round exterior covered in a quality black European leather and a microsuede-covered interior for the Apple Watch to rest on. It only comes in black, which might not be appealing to all users, primarily those with silver, gold, and rose gold Apple Watches.
As with most Apple Watch charging accessories, the Leather Watch Case requires you to supply your own Magnetic Charging Cable, but it does include a cord wrap to keep the cable hidden from view. There are four pieces to the Leather Watch Case, which snap together magnetically: a leather-covered bottom base, a plastic cord wrap that fits inside the base, a microsuede interior piece that houses the Apple Watch charging puck, and a leather-covered lid with a padded microsuede interior that fits over the whole thing to protect the Apple Watch when on the base.
Assembling the Leather Watch Case was a simple enough process that consisted of fitting the charging puck into the microsuede holder, guiding the cord through the cord wrap and out the base, and fitting all of the pieces together.
The Weather Company is introducing a major update for its The Weather Channel iPhone app today, introducing a new visual design, longer-range weather forecasts, user-tailored weather updates, and support for 3D Touch on the iPhone 6s and the iPhone 6s Plus.
When opening The Weather Channel app, users will be greeted with a personalized dynamic home screen that offers up custom weather information that's based on user location. It includes current weather conditions and information that changes based on time of day, weather severity, and changing local weather conditions. For example, if rain is predicted later in the day, a user might get a rain alert, or during a storm, a severe weather alert might be visible on the home screen.
A completely new visual aesthetic is the chief change in The Weather Channel app, with a design that's cleaner and more informative. Gone is the circle-shaped weather listing in the middle of the app, which has been replaced with a full screen image on the home screen overlaid with relevant weather information.
Drilling down into the app will show an easy-to-read list of more detailed weather information, like wind speed, humidity, pressure, and more, along with a new 15-day forecast, which is a full five days longer than the previous 10-day forecast. As with the current app, the new app includes information on local health alerts, pollen levels, airport conditions, weather news, and beach conditions.
It continues to offer Weather Channel news updates, breaking news on weather, local maps, interactive radar maps for rain and snow information, hurricane reports, relevant weather-related notifications, and social weather reports that aggregate weather reports from social networks. New to the app is The Lift, an Al Roker-hosted mobile-only morning show that combines weather-related news, nature stories, viral videos, and more.
iPhone users with an iPhone 6s or iPhone 6s Plus can use 3D Touch on the app's icon on the Home screen to enter one of four user-customized screens that include radar, saved locations, current location, search, or tools for sharing the weather.
For those who don't want to see ads within The Weather Channel app, there's a new $3.99 in-app purchase option that will remove all ads for one year. The $3.99 fee must be renewed each year to keep ads from being displayed.
Apple executive Eddy Cue sat down with CNN senior correspondent Brian Stelter this week to answer a wide range of questions about the new Apple TV, reiterating how Apple believes an app-based TV experience is the future.
Cue described the new Apple TV as an "add-on for most people," rather than a true cable-cutting experience, since channels such as ABC, CNN and WatchESPN still require authenticating with a cable or satellite TV subscription.
That could change if Apple's much-rumored streaming TV service launches in the future, but the company has reportedly faced difficulties and delays in ongoing negotiations with content providers. Cue did not discuss those rumors, but did speak vaguely about original programming.
Stelter: "There have been rumors that Apple is going to get into licensing, actually financing TV shows, basically what Netflix and Hulu do today. Can you clear it up for us? Is that true?"
Cue: "We love working with our partners. We’re great at technology, and they’re great at creating content, and we think that’s a great partnership to have."
While still an "add-on," Cue said that the new Apple TV is a "much better experience" for consuming content compared to traditional cable or satellite TV. Cue said TV has historically been a "closed" ecosystem, but the new Apple TV changes that by allowing content providers to create interactive app-based experiences.
Cue downplayed the need for "exclusive" content on Apple TV, and said that Apple's goal is to "build technologies that let developers do things that they can't do anywhere else." He added that "we certainly don't think there's anybody that can do this on a TV today," which "by sheer nature may be exclusive."
Stelter said that authenticating with a cable or satellite TV subscription remains a problem with the current TV experience, and Cue said those are areas where Apple can "continue to innovate" and "make better" through future software updates, but he also stressed that services such as HBO GO, Hulu and Netflix already have a one-tap subscription process.
The new Apple TV is available online now and launches in stores on Friday, October 30.
Apple has reportedly declined an offer made by the British singer-songwriter Adele to stock her newest album, 25, in Apple retail stores (via The Daily Mail). Meanwhile, the singer's agents at William Morris Endeavor -- a talent agency -- have pitched the Cupertino company on a possible $30 million tour sponsorship after the album debuts on November 20. It's not currently clear where the status of that offer is with Apple.
$30 million is about ten times more than the average marketing deal, but Adele's team is banking on the long-gestating album to be a hit when it launches later in November. The singer has already put out a single, "Hello," which is on track to set a record for most downloaded single and has already broken Vevo's previously most-viewed music video record with 27.7 million views in 24 hours. Still, with the brazen tactics at getting the singer a high-profile sponsor deal with the tech company, some in the industry question the success of such a partnership.
“Her team needs to be more realistic about an artist who doesn’t have much of a history of working with corporate partners,” one person familiar with the talks said.
The marketing team working for Adele is pushing for a physical copy-focus debut of 25, in the similar vein of Taylor Swift's 1989, which debuted a year ago this past Tuesday with exclusive tracks made available only in retail packages sold at Target. Similarly, 25 will get a Target-specific release with a "deluxe version" only available in the retail giant's physical locations, including three bonus tracks for fans.
"Hello" debuted on Apple Music simultaneously with other streaming services, but the upcoming record's physical sales approach may limit the streaming support it gets on November 20, although Adele's team has yet to confirm specifically where 25 will be available when it launches. If the $30 million deal goes through with Apple, it's likely 25 will see an exclusivity window with Apple Music at launch.