MacRumors

MacRumors is pleased to announce the Fifth Annual MacRumors Blood Drive, throughout the month of May 2014. Our goal is to increase the number of life-saving donations in real-world communities by encouraging everyone in our online community to step forward. While most blood drives are specific to a geographic location or collection center, our blood drive is online and worldwide. Our past blood drives have collectively recorded donations of hundreds of units of blood and platelets.

We ask that you:

1. Donate blood or platelets at any donation center or hospital near you. Join the bone marrow registry in your country. Sign up for the organ donor registry in your state, province, or country.

2. Post in the MacRumors 2014 Blood Drive! thread. Tell us about your donation or registration experience, or post a post-donation selfie. We'd like to thank you.

3. Share the news and our message with other people you know, online and in person. Convince one other person to donate blood in the month of May. Help us thank the donors who post about their experiences.

For details see the MacRumors 2014 Blood Drive! thread and our traditional Honor Roll of recognized donors.

Why donate blood or platelets?

Donated blood and platelets save the lives of people recovering from accidents, undergoing surgery, or struck by illness. These are people in your own neighborhoods who need your help. Donated blood and platelets are needed every 2 seconds, not just when hurricanes, earthquakes, and other disasters occur. An hour of your time could save up to 3 lives.

Why join the bone marrow registry?

With a simple cheek swab you are volunteering to donate stem cells or bone marrow if you match someone dying from a disease like leukemia. There are many thousands of people each year searching for donors to save their lives. You might be the one and only person who can save a particular patient's life.

Why join the organ donor registry?

Thousands of people die every year while waiting for organ transplants. Your donation of organs when your own life ends could save the lives of as many as 8 people.

The lives you save may belong to your friends, neighbors, relatives, or complete strangers. Someday you may receive the same generosity from others. There's no gift more precious than the gift of life.

See the links and general information in our two knowledge base articles: Blood and Platelet Donation and Organ, Tissue, and Bone Marrow Donation. Donor eligibility rules vary by country.

1. If you are eligible to donate blood: Schedule a blood or platelet donation, in May if possible. Register for the bone marrow registry. Register as an organ donor.

2. If you aren't eligible to donate blood: Some people aren't eligible to donate blood for medical reasons, while others are barred by government policies that many find outdated. Speak your mind about it in the Blood donor eligibility thread. You can probably still register for the bone marrow registry and register as an organ donor.

3. Help our drive by thanking donors and convincing a friend or relative to donate blood.

Apple charity

Apple's support for charity has picked up in recent years. Apple has supported a number of health, relief, and charity efforts over the years, especially through Product (RED). See our updated knowledge base article: Apple Support for Charity.

According to 9to5Mac, Apple may use WWDC 2014 to focus on OS X 10.10, giving the desktop OS more attention than iOS 8 during the annual developer conference. Apple allegedly has been moving iOS user interface developers to the OS X teams in order to finish up the new design in time for early June conference.

As has been previously reported, Apple is not merging the two operating systems, opting to keep iOS and OS X as separate entities, but the next version of OS X may share similar design elements with iOS 7.

The new look will have similar toggle designs to iOS 7, sharper window corners, more defined icons across the system, and more white space than the current version. However, OS X characteristics like the Finder, multi-window multitasking, and Mission Control will not disappear in favor of a more iOS-like experience.

Apple is targeting the desktop OS for release in the fall along with new hardware that will ship with this latest OS X version. Though the internal development codename of OS X 10.10 is "Syrah," the shipping name is still unclear, with Apple apparently securing trademarks for popular California locations that would match the new theme started with "Mavericks."

On the iOS 8 side of development, Apple is allegedly pushing some features of iOS 8 off to version 8.1 as the company focuses intently on its next version of OS X. Though Apple may present most of the new features of iOS 8 at WWDC next month, some notable additions such as transit functionality in Maps may not be available until later versions of iOS 8.

iCloud will reportedly see some significant changes in the coming year with improvements on the developer side that make it easier to implement support for the service. Siri may also see Shazam integration, allowing users to identify a song using the voice assistant. Lastly, iOS 8 is reportedly being optimized for Apple's upcoming A8 processor and the rumored larger display of the iPhone 6.

The new iPhone’s larger display, as well as a “high-priority” iOS device that is not an iPhone, also lends itself to another core iOS 8 addition. The feature, dubbed by Apple employees as “multi-resolution support,” is designed to improve the performance of both App Store applications and the general iOS operating system across multiple new iOS device resolutions.

Apple TV is also now a priority for Apple, with the company rumored to be bringing in hardware and software engineering resources from within the company to work on the next generation device. Apple may be concurrently developing new hardware as well as a revamped iOS-based software system to power the device. Apple had hoped to introduce the hardware in early 2014, but the product's debut has been pushed off. It is, however, unclear whether a new Apple TV will make its way into the WWDC keynote.

A new physical mockup claiming to be based on real iPhone 6 machine schematics from supply chain sources has surfaced on Chinese technology blog 86Digi (via Nowhereelse.fr, Google Translate).

Notably, the mockup also shows two antenna breaks cut out on the device's rear, with the post noting that Apple will incorporate a three-stage aluminum design on the back of the iPhone 6. This is partially in line with a report from Mac Otakara last week that claimed Apple would be doing away with the glass breaks currently found on the iPhone 5s in favor of an aluminum design, although it is unsure how Apple will incorporate changes to its overall antenna layout to accommodate the new look.

The photos and video of this new mockup follow images of other physical mockups in recent days, including another model from a case manufacturer showing the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 and one showing the larger 5.5-inch iPhone 6 based on design drawings shared by Japanese magazine MacFan last month.

The iPhone 6 is expected to be unveiled this fall in two different sizes of 4.7-inches and 5.5-inches. The 4.7-inch version of the device will likely ship first in the third quarter of 2014, while the 5.5-inch version is estimated to ship later this year or early next year as Apple solves issues with the phone's display and battery.

In addition to a larger display, both versions of the iPhone 6 are expected to include a thinner profile, a faster A8 processor, Touch ID fingerprint sensor, and an improved camera that may feature optical image stabilization or electronic image stabilization. Jefferies analyst Peter Misek also claimed in a research note earlier this month that Apple is negotiating for a $100 price increase on the iPhone 6.

Virgin Atlantic is reportedly gearing up to integrate Apple's iBeacon technology into London's Heathrow Airport, according to Re/code. The airliner will be using beacons sourced from startup Estimote, as the transmitters will be deployed near businesses and terminals to notify users of promotional deals and areas of interest.

In one use case, passengers would receive an offer on their phone for no-fee currency exchange as they near that place of business. The program, which will utilize Apple’s iBeacon technology and the Passbook iOS app, follows a trial in which airline employees donned Google Glass as they greeted first-class passengers upon entering the airport.

First introduced during Apple's 2013 Worldwide Developers Conference, iBeacons enable iOS devices to wirelessly communicate with physical beacons through Bluetooth, as the transmitters are able to deliver specific information to apps when a user is nearby.

iBeacon technology has also been utilized in a number of unique ways since the end of 2013. Shopping app Shopkick and Macy's teamed up to integrate the technology into stores to aide consumers, while Major League Baseball and the National Basketball Association have used iBeacons to provide enhanced in-stadium experiences. Apple has even implemented iBeacons into its own retail stores to provide customers with product information and deals, while a London-based cafe and the Consumer Electronics Show have also featured the technology.

Apple's sapphire crystal partner GT Advanced has begun sapphire production and has even shipped small quantities of the material to an Apple partner in China responsible for making sapphire covers, according to a report from analysts at UBS Research.

Sapphire production is said to have begun last month, in March, but it appears the facility is not yet running at full capacity. GT Advanced reportedly shipped 2,200kg of sapphire, the amount produced by approximately 100 furnaces.

The company is said to be on schedule to install another 400 to 500 furnaces in the first quarter of 2014 and an additional 900 to 1,000 in the second quarter, significantly ramping up production towards the end of the year ahead of the release of both the iPhone 6 and the iWatch.

We estimate GT's shipment to China was only about $1M worth of sapphire last month. We believe this Apple partner needs to be receiving sapphire totalling about $50M+ per month to confirm that the GT Arizona fab is running at close to full utilization.

GT Advanced's sapphire production plant, which is financed by Apple, uses large capacity furnaces that emphasize lower cost, higher volume sapphire manufacturing. While Apple currently sources sapphire from a number of other suppliers for use in iPhone elements like the protective cover over the cameras and the home button of the iPhone 5s, GT Advanced's operation will produce much higher quantities of the material, leading many to believe Apple has big plans for sapphire.

Thus far, rumors have suggested that Apple may be planning to use sapphire crystal displays in its upcoming iPhone 6, due to the superior durability and scratch resistance of the material. A recent report from KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo suggested supplies could be limited, however, resulting in only some models of the iPhone 6 produced using sapphire.

Sapphire may be a key component of Apple's upcoming smart watch, as it could prevent the device from becoming scratched even with heavy use. Many high end luxury watches also use sapphire crystal displays.

Reports have indicated that GT Advanced has purchased enough sapphire furnace and chamber systems to produce between 100 and 200 million sapphire displays, enough for its entire line of devices should it continue to meet its production timeline.

Following the introduction of refreshed MacBook Airs yesterday, Geekbench 3 benchmarking scores have begun appearing, suggesting, as expected, just minor speed improvements for the new notebooks.

Apple only updated the low-end processor option for the MacBook Air and that is seeing 32-bit single-core scores around 2532 and multi-core scores around 4781. Compared to the 2013 MacBook Air the new processor brings just a slight boost in processing power. The 11-inch 2013 MacBook Air saw average scores of 2379/4480, while the 13-inch version saw scores of 2369/4468.

Most notably, Apple's update brought lower prices for the MacBook Air, dropping its price tag by $100 across the board in the United States and many other countries. MacBook Air prices now start at $899 instead of $999, and there are also several more affordable 2013 and 2012 options available in Apple's online refurbished store.

Though this update has not been a significant change for the MacBook Air, Apple is said to be working on a significantly improved version of the notebook with a 12-inch Retina display, a slimmer body with a fanless design, and a buttonless trackpad. This redesigned MacBook Air may launch towards the end of the year.

Construction on Apple's Campus 2 is continuing to progress and a new aerial photo courtesy of Ron Cervi, KCBS news and traffic reporter, shows that all of the buildings on the site have now been demolished in order for new work to begin.

The area where the circular-shaped building will be constructed is cleared out, allowing us a glimpse at where the campus itself will be located. Apple has moved quickly with this project, having first begun working on the project just a few months ago after receiving unanimous approval for the project in November.

Street-level photographs back in December revealed several buildings still standing, but another aerial photo from February suggested a large portion of the demolition work had been completed. During construction, Apple has closed off sidewalks and built a large green privacy fence to keep the area hidden.

Apple's second campus is located near the company's existing Infinite Loop campus. The first phase of construction will include the famous 2.8 million square foot ring-shaped main building with an underground parking facility capable of accommodating approximately 2,400 cars.

Apple hopes to finish the first phase of the Apple Campus 2 construction by 2016.

Yesterday, several images surfaced on Chinese site Feng [Google Translate, via Nowhereelse.fr] showing a physical mockup of what was said to be Apple's upcoming iPhone 6. The mockup appears to be based on design drawings shared by Japanese magazine MacFan last month.

Most of the reports covering the images have indicated that the mockup appears to represent the rumored 4.7-inch iPhone 6, but we believe this mockup is actually of the even larger model that has been reported as having a display in the range of 5.5-5.7 inches. Among the evidence pointing to this being the larger version:

- Protruding rear camera: In the design drawings, only the larger model is depicted with a protruding rear camera similar to that seen on the current iPod touch. The drawings show the larger iPhone 6 as slightly thinner than its smaller sibling, necessitating a slight protrusion to accommodate the camera module.

- Display to device height ratio: The design drawings show that the larger 5.5-5.7 inch iPhone 6's display is approximately 80 percent of the height of the device, while the 4.7-inch model's display is around 75 percent of the device height. The photos of the mockup show lines delineating the display edges as putting the ratio closer to the 80 percent figure seen on the larger model.

- Size in hand: Hand size obviously varies significantly from person to person, making comparisons difficult, but the physical mockup simply looks very large in the hand. According to the design drawings, the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 is just 13 mm taller and 7.5 mm wider than the iPhone 5s, but the mockup looks more like the larger iPhone 6 design, which is an additional 20 mm taller and 11 mm wider.

Most of the recent attention has been on the smaller 4.7-inch version of the iPhone 6, as that is expected to debut first around the September timeframe. Multiple reports have indicated that the even larger version will likely arrive several months later.

As it has for several quarters now, Apple continues to trail the overall smartphone market's booming growth, with the company's 16.8 percent year-over-year growth in the first quarter registering as the lowest among top five vendors in a market that grew by 28.6 percent as a whole, according to a new report from research firm IDC. Market leader Samsung also trailed the broader market's growth as Huawei, Lenovo, and LG all jockeyed for position in the closely contested third through fifth spots in the rankings.

Apple reached a new first quarter record, breaching the 40 million unit mark. The company saw double-digit growth in Japan as well as across multiple developing markets, including Brazil, China, India, and Indonesia. Still, this made for the lowest year-over-year improvement among the leading vendors. What remains to be seen is when – not if – Apple's rumored large-screen models will arrive on the market, filling a gap in the company's portfolio that has been exploited by the competition.

In the overall mobile phone market, Apple again outperformed most of the competition as feature phone sales continue to dwindle. With Apple's all-smartphone lineup taking nearly 10 percent of the overall market in the quarter, the company is within striking distance of Nokia, which garnered 11.3 percent of the market as it continues to be hit hard by the decline in feature phone sales and instability as it has shifted from Symbian to Windows Phone. Just days ago, Microsoft completed its acquisition of Nokia's phone unit, officially uniting software and hardware in what has been a close partnership over the last several years.