MacRumors

Apple has introduced new specifications for manufacturers in the company's Made for iPhone (MFi) program that allow them to create headphones that connect to iOS devices via a Lightning cable rather than a regular 3.5mm headphone jack, according to 9to5Mac.

The Lightning headphones will be capable of receiving lossless stereo 48 kHz digital audio output from Apple devices and sending mono 48 kHz digital audio input. The input means that the headphones will also support a microphone for audio input following Apple’s upcoming update. Manufacturers will be able to take advantage of Apple Headphone Remote controls like Volume Up/Down/etc, as well as other buttons for launching specific apps such as iTunes Radio or initiating playback controls on iOS. In addition, the headphones can be made to work specifically with a companion iOS app and launch a specific app when connected to an iOS device.

The specification includes two configurations for headphones. The first is called Standard Lightning Headphones, which uses minimum components when paired to a digital-to-analog converter. The second is called Advanced Lightning Headphones, which allows for more complex features like active noise cancellation.

The Lightning cable-equipped headphones would also allow iOS devices to power or charge headphones that require electricity, and would also allow for headphones to potentially power or charge up iOS devices.

Reports suggest Apple is planning to allow high definition music downloads and playback on iOS devices as well as new in-ear headphones that could take advantage of high-quality audio and take advantage of Lightning Cable MFi specifications. It is also possible Apple uses newly purchased Beats Electronics' popular headphone line to accelerate adoption for the new standard.

During yesterday's WWDC keynote, Apple launched several new "Continuity" features to improve the cross-platform integration of iOS 8 and OS X Yosemite. One of the new abilities designed to allow better transitions from iOS devices to Macs is Handoff, which allows users to start a task on one device and swap to another nearby device.

As described by Apple, Handoff can be used for several different activities, including email and web browsing. Users can begin writing an email on an iPhone, for example, and then switch to a Mac to finish. Websites work similarly, allowing users to browse the web on one device, and then continue looking at the same website on another device. While this is already possible via iCloud Tabs, Handoff makes the entire process easier and extends the functionality to other apps.

We believe you should be able to use the right device for the moment. We want the transitions between these moments to be as absolutely natural and seamless as possible.

When you're working on your Mac, your devices around you in proximity are aware of each other and are aware of what you're up to.

As demoed during the keynote, iOS devices and Macs are "aware" of each other, and can pick up a task when nearby. When composing an email on a Mac, for example, users will see an icon on the screen of their iPad or iPhone that can be tapped to allow them to continue writing on the iOS device. Similarly, an iPhone near a Mac will cause the activity to automatically pop up on the Mac's dock, allowing for a seamless transition between devices.

Handoff currently works with the following Apple apps: Mail, Safari, Pages, Numbers, Keynote, Maps, Messages, Reminders, Calendar, and Contacts. There's also a Handoff API for developers, which will likely see Handoff capabilities added to a range of different apps.

The enhanced Continuity between OS X and iOS also allows Mac devices in close proximity to an iPhone to both place and receive calls, leveraging Bluetooth and WiFi with the iPhone serving as a relay. Users can answer a call made to their iPhone on their Mac, a useful feature when an iPhone is across the room charging or otherwise inaccessible.

During the keynote, Apple's software chief Craig Federighi used the calling feature to contact new Apple employee Dr. Dre on his Mac, demoing its ability to place calls.

Similarly, iPads and Macs are now able to receive SMS messages from non-Apple devices, a function previously limited to the iPhone. iPads and Macs are also able to utilize an "Instant Hotspot" feature that allows them to connect to an iPhone hotspot with just a click, and AirDrop is also cross-platform.

Currently, Handoff and the other Continuity enhancements are features limited to developers who are using both iOS 8 and OS X Yosemite, but it will be available to the general public in the fall after the official release of the new operating systems.

During yesterday's keynote, Apple packed a ton of information on iOS 8 into a short period of time, showing off a multitude of new features like interactive notifications, QuickType predictive text, enhancements to group messages, new family sharing options, and more.

Given the time constraints, many new iOS 8 changes went under the radar and while we detailed a few of these yesterday, now that iOS 8 has been downloaded on thousands of developer devices, even more minor additions to the operating system have come to light. Our forum members and iOS 8 users on Twitter have detailed a huge number of the new changes, and we've catalogued the more interesting improvements below.

Share sheet customizations - When sharing an image, website, or other type of media, users can now customize their sharing options. The list of apps where content can be shared can be rearranged and disabled, as can the media options like Copy, Print, and AirPlay. Some sheet icons also have a new look that eliminates the black border in iOS 7.

Request desktop site in Safari - As noted by a Twitter user, Safari now includes an option to "Request Desktop Site," which will load the desktop version of a site rather than the mobile version.

Time-Lapse mode for Camera - The Camera app has gained a new Time-Lapse mode, which captures a series of images and then compiles them into a time-lapse video. There are also new manual exposure controls, which allow exposure to be selected when taking a photo, and a self-timer mode that can be set for three or 10 seconds.

DuckDuckGo search - Users can now opt to select DuckDuckGo as their default search option in Safari. DuckDuckGo is known for its anti-tracking stance, opting not to profile its users.

iBooks - iBooks now comes preinstalled on iOS devices with iOS 8. Previously, it was a separate download in the App Store. There's also a new auto night mode and an organization option to group books from a series together.

Messages - Along with several improvements to group message management, there are now options to remove stored messages after a set period of time of 30 days or one year, which will allow users who have extensive iMessage threads to free up valuable space. When adding an image to a message, there's a new feature displaying recent photos for quick insertion.

Photos - The Photos app has received new organizational options, including two albums for "Recently Added" and "Recently Deleted." The Recently Deleted section temporarily displays images that have been removed from the app in case of accidental deletion. The date and time a photo was taken is also displayed.

WiFi Calling - iOS will include an option for WiFi calling, allowing users to place calls over WiFi instead of cellular when connected to a WiFi network, saving minutes and data. Several carriers, including T-Mobile, have already announced support for the feature.

Grayscale mode - There are several new Accessibility options, including a new "Grayscale" mode that shifts the entire operating system into shades of black and white. There's also Improved Zoom option.

Keep up with all of the new changes introduced with iOS 8 on our forums, where our readers are discussing and sharing a seemingly endless number of feature enhancements and tweaks in the "iOS 8, All The Little Things" thread.

Apple appears to have ceased using data from Yahoo for its Weather app in iOS 8, instead getting weather information directly from The Weather Channel. iPhones running iOS 8 have a slightly revamped weather app that pulls its information from The Weather Channel, whereas previously, weather information was obtained through Yahoo.

Yahoo's weather information, however, was also supplied by The Weather Channel (TWC), so it seems that Apple has opted to cut out Yahoo as a go-between. The switch from Yahoo to TWC is a bit surprising given reports of ongoing talks between Yahoo and Apple over ways to more deeply integrate Yahoo services into iOS apps. While it is unclear if those plans have been scrapped, an April report suggested Yahoo was aiming to revamp its mobile search platform with the hopes of being iOS's default search engine.

While the source of the data Apple uses is ultimately the same, there are differences in the underlying technology supporting the weather data between the two services. Because of that, the data presented to the end user may be slightly different even though Yahoo also obtained its data from TWC.

In addition to using TWC as a source for weather data, the iPhone's weather app is now displaying a nine day weather forecast, up from the previous five day forecast. There's also a new weather summary at the bottom of the app, noting the current weather conditions along with conditions for the rest of the day.

The new Weather app within iOS 8 is currently available to registered developers. The general public will get access to the operating system this fall, after beta testing has been completed.

Apple outlined several of iOS 8's major features during yesterday's WWDC keynote, but with the operating system now in the hands of developers, details on several lesser known features have been leaking out.

One new feature sees the iPhone displaying apps on the lock screen based on location. For example, MacRumors readers have seen relevant app icons pop up while at or near brick and mortar locations like Starbucks and the Apple Store. While at a Starbucks, for example, the Starbucks app icon is displayed in the lower left corner of the iPhone's lock screen, which allows the Starbucks app to be easily accessed.

This feature isn't limited to Apple's own stores or to major retailers, either, as one Twitter user has also seen an app for a train station on the lock screen while at that particular location.

Displaying location-based apps on the lock screen is particularly useful at Starbucks and the Apple Store as both locations allow users to make purchases using their iOS devices. In fact, a common theme between the apps that have demonstrated this functionality is a specific on-site function like the ability to make a purchase or display a ticket.

It is not clear how this feature works, or which apps are compatible at this point, but the iOS 8 release notes mention the location based apps as a facet of Location Services. "When Location Services is turned on, the device's current location is used to recommend relevant apps on the lock screen." Based on the description of the feature, it appears to work through both the App Store and physical location and will eventually be able to be turned off by turning off location services for the App Store.

As we approach the public release of iOS 8, it's likely we'll hear more about this new location-based alert feature. iOS 8 is expected to be available to the public in the fall, following a developer-oriented beta testing period.

(Thanks, Kyle!)

Update 11:55 PM PT: It appears that Apple will also suggest apps that are not installed when visiting certain locations. For example, a Twitter user who did not have the Costco app installed had a Costco app icon pop up when at local Costco, which took him to the App Store where he could download the app. He was not able to access the rest of the App Store after tapping the icon; only the Costco app was available.

Last week, Apple confirmed its plans to acquire Beats Electronics and Beats Music in a $3 billion deal that would bring a successful headphone business and a fledgling streaming music service under Apple's umbrella. While many have pointed to Jimmy Iovine as the acquisition target, Apple may also be using the deal to boost its "coolness" factor among younger users, as suggested in a survey by education technology company Chegg (via Re/code).

Chegg asked 10,000 students about their experience with Beats and their knowledge of the Apple-Beats merger. While most of the students surveyed were familiar with the Beats brand, only 15 percent had purchased Beats products and a mere three percent had subscribed to the Beats Music service. More than half of the students (60 percent) were aware of the deal with one quarter claiming the deal will make Apple more "cool" and fifty percent believing the acquisition will increase Apple's popularity among students.

This is largely good, albeit unsurprising, news for Apple, which has long dominated the college market. In most college lecture halls across the country, you’ll see rows and rows of MacBooks — many of which were purchased using Apple’s educational discount or in Apple-affiliated campus stores. Still, more and more young people are streaming music using services other than iTunes. Spotify has more than 40 million subscribers, and 40 percent of its American users are between the ages of 18-24.

Beats is often criticized as being a bass-heavy fashion accessory and not a true audiophile product, but sales figures reveal that the typically younger consumers who buy Beats are more interested in appearance than audio quality. According to marketing research company NPD, Beats accounts for 27 percent of the $1.8 billion headphone market and more than half (57 percent) of the premium market for headphones with a starting price tag of $100 or more.

Intel today showed off a new reference PC design built around the company's upcoming Broadwell Core M processor. The Core M is based on a 14 nm process and will the first Broadwell chip to be made available to manufacturers, who are expected to debut the chip in retail products by the end of this year.

With Intel experiencing difficulties and delays with the development of Broadwell, the current Haswell generation has been stretched out somewhat with only modest "Haswell refresh" bumps taking place in recent months to tide users over until Broadwell. With improved performance and efficiency, Broadwell is seen as a significant opportunity for innovation in personal computers.

The innovative design is based on the first of Intel's next-generation 14nm Broadwell processors that are purpose-built for 2 in 1s and will be in market later this year. Called the Intel Core M processor, it will deliver the most energy-efficient Intel Core processor in the company's history. The majority of designs based on this new chip are expected to be fanless and deliver both a lightning-fast tablet and a razor-thin laptop.

Apple has been rumored to planning to release a fanless Retina MacBook Air later this year, but it is unclear exactly what technology Apple will use to achieve that design. The Core M processor being shown by Intel today is part of the Broadwell-Y series that runs at just a handful of watts, while the MacBook Air currently includes Haswell-U series chips running in the 15-watt range. Broadwell-U chips are expected, although perhaps not in significant quantities until early 2015.

Apple has updated its App Store review guidelines to allow for "approved" virtual currencies in apps, paving the way for new types of currencies to be traded and maintained on iOS devices, reports Reuters.

11.17 Apps may facilitate transmission of approved virtual currencies provided that they do so in compliance with all state and federal laws for the territories in which the app functions.

The move is interesting given Apple's past tendencies to remove and deny apps that promote virtual currencies, namely those having to do with the popular Bitcoin currency. Last year, Apple notably required the developers behind private messaging app Gliph to remove the app's Bitcoin sending capabilities, or face deletion from the App Store.

Apple's actions on Gliph also shed light on the company's overall relationship with Bitcoin apps. It was reported that Apple had told a number of developers behind Bitcoin-related apps that their apps contained content "that is not legal in all the locations in which the app is available," and were non-compliant with Apple's policies.

However, with Apple's new App Store guidelines on the matter, it is now possible that apps like Gliph could indefinitely allow for virtual currencies like Bitcoin to be traded. While it is ultimately up to Apple as what is allowed in its apps, the company's updated policy marks a completely new position on the issue of virtual currencies.

Recent rumors surrounding Apple's upcoming iPhone 6 have pointed to two models for the device: a 4.7-inch version set to launch later this year and a larger 5.5-inch version for late 2014 or early 2015. While Apple previously released the iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c at the same time last year, reports have indicated that issues with the 5.5-inch iPhone 6 battery life and display technology will force the company to launch both phones at separate times later this year.

Now, a new report from Chinese site Laoyaoba (Google Translate, via GforGames) claims that Apple has solved its battery issues with the 5.5-inch iPhone 6, as the company will partner with Chinese manufacturing company Sunwoda Electronics to manufacture 20 million batteries for the device. Apple's main battery supplier Dynapack will also help with production, however the Taiwanese-based company has reportedly struggled to keep up with demand.

The report also notes that Apple is aiming to build 20 million 5.5-inch iPhone 6 units by the end of this year, which follows a rumor last month that stated the company's desire to build a total of 80 million iPhone 6 units in 2014. If true, this would mean that the majority of iPhone 6 units would be of the smaller 4.7-inch version, perhaps indicating that the larger version will be hard to find until supplies improve later next year.

In addition to a larger screen, Apple's iPhone 6 is expected to include a thinner profile, a faster A8 processor, and an improved camera in the form of optical or electronic image stabilization. Apple has also included an option for developers to size apps for devices referred to as "Resizable iPhones" in its release of Xcode 6 earlier today, which likely further indicates that iPhones with larger displays are coming.

At an event at WWDC this evening, Apple announced the winners of its prestigious Apple Design Awards, highlighting an array of apps from utilities to games on both iOS and the Mac. Apple's Design Awards were created to recognize apps that combine design and technology in creative, compelling and powerful ways.

Along with significant recognition, Apple gives winners one of nearly every product it makes, including a new Mac Pro.

iOS and Mac
- Threes [iOS]
- Leo's Fortune [iOS]
- Blek [iOS]
- Yahoo! News Digest [iPhone]
- Device 6 [iOS]
- Storehouse: Visual Storytelling [iPad]
- Sky Guide [iOS]
- Monument Valley [iOS]

- Day One [Mac]
- Cinemagraph Pro [Mac]

Student Winners
- PanoPerfect [iOS]
- Addimal Adventure [iPad]

2013 winners of the Apple Design Awards included Letterpress, Yahoo! Weather and Evernote. In 2012, winners included Jetpack Joyride, Paper and Sketch.

Thanks Lindsey!

Ahead of WWDC, perhaps one of the most hyped features for iOS 8 was "Healthbook," which was said to serve as a Passbook-style app that aggregated a variety of health-related information in a colorful card array.

While Apple did indeed announce a new health initiative and accompanying app, "Healthbook" turned out to be off the mark. The app is called simply "Health," and appears to differ a bit from how it was described in early rumors. According to Apple, Health is designed to be an "easy-to-read" dashboard of health and fitness data, which can pull in information from several different sources. "It might just be the beginning of a health revolution," reads Apple's iOS 8 Health page.

Heart rate, calories burned, blood sugar, cholesterol -- your health and fitness apps are great at collecting all that data. The new Health app puts that data in one place, accessible with a tap, giving you a clear and current overview of your health.

The Health app keeps track of several different health metrics measured by various devices, including heart rate, calories, cholesterol, and more. It also features an "emergency card" that includes all of a user's important health information, including blood type and allergies, which can be displayed directly on the lock screen of an iOS device.

As can be seen in screenshots of the app, it aggregates information into a selection of categories such as Diagnostics, Fitness, Lab Results, Medications, Nutrition, Sleep, and Vitals. Many of these categories can also be displayed on a dashboard chart, giving users an at-a-glance view of their overall health.

Accompanying Health is the HealthKit tool for developers, which can be incorporated into both new and existing health and fitness apps to allow them to access the health data stored within the Health app. Users are able to choose exactly what's shared and can, potentially, choose to share data from a health-related app with a doctor. Apps can also be authorized to share information with each other. A nutrition app might share how many calories are consumed with a fitness app, for example.

According to Dr. John H. Noseworthy, CEO of the Mayo Clinic, Apple's HealthKit has the potential to "revolutionize how the health industry interacts with people." The Mayo Clinic is already working with Apple and HealthKit, creating an app that allows patients to monitor their blood pressure, sending alerts to doctors automatically.

Despite all of the focus on Apple's health related initiative before WWDC, the company spent very little time going over the Health app. It is likely we'll see an additional focus on Health in the coming months as it is likely to also integrate with Apple's much-rumored wearable device, the iWatch. Health and HealthKit, both part of iOS 8, are available to developers today with a public release of the operating system expected in the fall.