MacRumors

Apple is gearing up to begin its annual "Back to School" promotion in the United States and other countries on Tuesday, July 1, offering iTunes Store/App Store gift cards to students that purchase a Mac, iPad, or iPhone.

According to a source who spoke to MacRumors, Apple's 2014 Back to School promotion will be similar to the 2013 promotion, providing students with a $100 App Store gift card for the purchase of a new Mac or a $50 App Store gift card with the purchase of an iPad or iPhone.

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2013 Back to School Retail Display

In the past, all iPhones, iPads, and Macs have been eligible for the promotion, with the exception of the Mac mini. The 2013 promotion was available in the following countries, with varying gift card amounts, and the 2014 promotion is likely to be similar: Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, and United States.

Apple is expected to decorate its retail stores with new window displays overnight, adjusting signage and other aspects of store layouts, and Apple has indeed scheduled an overnight refresh of its store visuals tonight, as reported by 9to5Mac earlier this month.

Apple's Back to School promotion is held at different times throughout the year in different countries to correspond to various educational calendars, but the summer program is typically the company's largest as it encompasses the United States, Canada, and Europe.

As we creep closer to the fall release date of the iPhone 6, component leaks are becoming more frequent. While we originally saw the alleged front panel of the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 back in April, 9to5Mac has shared additional photos of the component.

Depicted in both black and white, the front panel in the photos features a slight gloss and somewhat tapered edges, lending credence to both rumors and mockups that have suggested the iPhone 6 will have rounded iPod touch-style corners.

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The two front panels in the photos appear to have relocated the front-facing camera hole to the left side of the earpiece, while sensors are located at the top of the device. This is similar to the design of the iPhone 4, which also had a left-sided front-facing camera. Currently, the iPhone 5s's camera is located above the earpiece.

The black front panel was also compared to the front panel of the iPhone 5s, showing the size differences between the two devices.

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In addition to these photos of the 4.7-inch iPhone's front panel, we have also seen images that depict manufacturing molds, backlight panels, and rear shells, but the latter component may not be from the actual iPhone 6 as a new rumor from Japanese site Nikkei has suggested the finished device may not have the thick antenna breaks that have been depicted on mockups thus far.

Though only the 4.7-inch iPhone front panel has been seen, Apple is expected to be releasing the iPhone 6 in a larger 5.5-inch size as well. It is unknown at this point if the larger iPhone 6 will be released at the same time, as there have been some conflicting reports on its potential launch due to production issues. The most recent rumors indicate a simultaneous release, however.

Both versions of Apple's iPhone 6 are expected to be thinner and lighter than the existing iPhone 5s, with an A8 processor and various camera improvements. Rumors have suggested the larger iPhone will be positioned as the premium version, offering features like optical image stabilization, a higher storage capacity, and a $100 price increase over the 4.7-inch version.

Update 1:10 PM PT: We've updated the information on the front-facing camera hole on the front panels based on new images.

Related Forum: iPhone

mavericks.pngApple today released OS X 10.9.4 after just a month of testing and a month and a half after the release of OS X 10.9.3. The last 10.9.4 developer beta, build 13E25, was released last week.

The update, which is recommended for all Mavericks users, improves reliability of wake from sleep and fixes an issue that prevented some Macs from automatically connecting to known Wi-Fi networks. Today's update also includes Safari 7.0.5.

The OS X Mavericks 10.9.4 Update is recommended for all Mavericks users. It improves the stability, compatibility, and security of your Mac.
This update:

- Fixes an issue that prevented some Macs from automatically connecting to known Wi-Fi networks
- Improves the reliability of wake from sleep
- Includes Safari 7.0.5

For detailed information about this update, please visit: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT6281
For detailed information about the security content of this update, please visit: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1222

OS X 10.9.4 can be downloaded through the software update function in the Mac App Store or through the following links:

- OS X Mavericks Update v10.9.4 (283 MB)
- OS X Mavericks Update v10.9.4 (Combo) (958.2 MB)

Apple has also released security updates for OS X Mountain Lion and Lion:

- Security Update 2014–003 (Mountain Lion) (139.3 MB)

- Security Update 2014–003 (Lion) (134 MB)
- Security Update 2014–003 Server (Lion) (184.3 MB)

Related Forum: OS X Mavericks

Apple today released iOS 7.1.2 to the public, more than two months after releasing iOS 7.1.1. iOS 7.1.2 is a minor update that focuses primarily on bug fixes and security improvements, repairing an email attachment encryption issue and fixing a bug with data transfer for third-party accessories. The update also includes improvements to iBeacon.

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- Improves iBeacon connectivity and stability
- Fixes a bug with data transfer for some 3rd party accessories, including bar code scanners
- Corrects an issue with data protection class of Mail attachments

For information on the security content of this update, please visit this website: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1222

Apple first began working on iOS 7.1.2 shortly after the release of iOS 7.1.1, sending the update to carrier partners for approval last week.

The iOS 7.1.2 update can be downloaded via the software update tool in the Settings app on iOS devices. Apple has also released a new 6.2 software update for the Apple TV.

Related Forum: iOS 7

Leaked images, mockups and schematics suggest the iPhone 6 will be Apple's thinnest iPhone model to date, with a side profile approaching that of the 6.1 mm iPod touch. A new report from Chinese media sources (Via GforGames) suggests Apple may face yield issues with the next generation iPhone due to its decision to minimize the size of the handset.

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According to supply chain sources who spoke anonymously to China Times, Apple may use only one brightness enhancement film (BEF) in its LCD display as a space-saving measure. Current generation iPhone displays are supplied by Minebea and use two layers in order to improve readability in these backlit displays.

This change to a single layer technology may cause yield issues as the one layer has to be of a higher quality in order to take the place of two. To meet demand for this new part, Apple allegedly is looking to OMRON and Radiant as suppliers to supplement the projected output from Minebea.

Despite an earlier rumor that Apple was considering adopting "touch on display" technology for future iPhone models, this latest report claims Apple will continue to use the current in-cell display for its upcoming iPhone 6. Sources also claim the main suppliers for the iPhone will remain LG, JDI and Sharp, which was rumored to have been dropped from Apple's iPhone 6 supplier chain. According a report from Taiwan's Economic Daily News, Apple was said to be replacing Sharp with Innolux due to "Moire" issues with Sharp's early sample panels.

Though it won't comment on its role in future Apple products, Sharp did confirm it is betting big on Apple with an entire plant dedicated to producing displays for the Cupertino company, said Sharp Senior Executive Norikazu Hoshi in an interview with Japanese newspaper Nikkei (via CNET). Similar to other companies that supply Apple, Sharp faces some risk in this strategy with large swings in monthly production due to Apple's once-a-year product refresh cycle.

The No. 1 plant's output goes to just one company (Apple). If you look at just this plant, it certainly presents a high level of volatility risk. But if we make LCD panels for smartphones in large quantities at the No. 2 plant, we can absorb the impact even when the No. 1 plant is not doing so well.

Sharp, Minebea and other Apple suppliers are gearing up for the expected mass production of the iPhone 6 which is rumored to begin in July. The iPhone 6 is expected to launch in September and may be available in both a 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch version.

Related Forum: iPhone

Apple today announced it is updating its iTunes U app with new iPad-related features that'll make it easier for teachers and students to use the tablet device for their online courses. These new features will be available starting July 8th.

“Education is at the core of Apple’s DNA and iTunes U is an incredibly valuable resource for teachers and students,” said Eddy Cue, Apple’s senior vice president of Internet Software and Services. “iTunes U features an amazing selection of academic materials for everyone around the world. Now, with the ability to better manage and discuss educational content, learning becomes even more personalized on iPad.”

The new app updates will allow teachers to create full courses completely on their iPad by importing content from iWork, iBooks Author or educational apps in the iOS App Store. Teachers also can use the camera on the device to incorporate photos and videos into the course material.

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iPad-owning students enrolled in an iTunes U course will benefit from the update with a new discussion feature that allows them to collaborate with both teachers and other students in the class. Students can follow discussions and receive push notifications when new topics are created or new comments are added to an existing discussions.

The iTunes U app is a free download for the iPhone and iPad. [Direct Link: iTunes U]

We've seen a steady stream of mockup devices that claim to represent the form factor of the rumored 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch iPhone 6. While these mockups provide a fairly accurate look at Apple's upcoming iPhone hardware, they may not be completely accurate, claims Nikkei (via GforGames).

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Though they may reflect the overall design, the iPhone 6 mockups have been produced quickly with low quality materials. This haphazard construction misses a few key design elements, the most notable of which is a curved glass display that Nikkei sources say will seamlessly transition into the aluminum shell that encloses the device.

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Nikkei sources also say the antenna breaks, shown on the back of some mockups, will not appear in the final version of the iPhone 6. These white-striped lines are thought to mark out the location of the back panels and are not part of the final external design. As a result, the backing on the iPhone 6 may closely resemble the styling of the iPhone 5/5s.

This isn't the first report that claims the iPhone will feature a curved glass display. A report this year from Mac Otakara and an earlier one last year from Bloomberg also claimed the iPhone 6 will ship with a curved display that will lay flush with the phone's round corners.

Apple is rumored to be preparing both a 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch version of the iPhone 6 for launch in September. The devices are thought to feature an A8 processor, an improved camera and a thinner design with oval buttons that are similar to the sixth generation iPod touch. The iPhone may be priced in tiers, with the larger 5.5-inch model costing $100 more than the 4.7-inch version.

Related Forum: iPhone

The Pangu development team today updated its jailbreak for iOS 7.1.x bringing support for the English language and OS X systems, as well as a fix for a bug that caused boot loops on iOS devices.

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The jailbreak was originally released last week and marked the first time that users were able to deploy an untethered jailbreak on any device running iOS 7.1.1 and below. However, the release was only available for Windows systems and contained an option to install "25PP", which is a third party app store for Chinese users. Pangu's newest release now disables installation of 25PP for English users by default.

Pangu's jailbreak tool follows an updated version of the popular Evasi0n jailbreak that was released last year for iOS 7.0 to iOS 7.0.4. However, Evasi0n was also the subject of controversy after Cydia administrator Jay Freeman revealed that evasi0n did not include an official version of Cydia and installed a third party app store called Taig for Chinese users. In response to Freeman's statement, the evad3rs development team announced the removal of the Taig app store from the jailbreak and apologized for the issues caused by its inclusion.

The updated Pangu jailbreak for iOS 7.1.x can be downloaded directly from the project's official website.

After it expanded to Germany in April, Apple has launched its iPhone trade-in program in Italy, reports 9to5Mac.

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The program gives customers the opportunity to trade in an older iPhone model and receive an Apple Store Gift Card worth up to €220, which can be used towards the purchase of a newer iPhone. On its end, Apple says that it will responsibly recycle devices that are traded in, making it a more environmentally conscious option than throwing a phone away.

First launched in the U.S. before the release of the iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c last year, Apple's iPhone recycling trade-in program has expanded to a number of countries including the UK, France, and Canada. Alternatively, the company also offers a mail-in recycling program that allows customers to send in an iPhone to receive store credit.

Apple today debuted a new iPhone 5s TV ad called "Parenthood", focusing on various iOS apps and products for parents.


The ad features "Life of Dreams" by singer-songwriter Julie Doiron and showcases apps such as My Teeth, Drawnimal, Pet Manager Pro, and Kinsa. Devices shown off in the ad include the Withings Withbaby baby monitor, Kinsa's smart thermometer, and the Parrot Flower Power.

The ad ends with the "You're more powerful than you think" tagline, which was initially featured in Apple's first "Powerful" ad in April and in its "Strength" ad earlier this month.

Google today announced that it will be removing its Quickoffice app from Apple's App Store in the coming weeks. The move comes as Google looks to integrate Quickoffice into its Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides apps. Current users of Quickoffice will be able to continue using the app, however new users will not be able to download the app once it is removed.

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Quickoffice for iOS was originally introduced in 2013 and was designed to allow users to view and edit Microsoft Office files, with its launch coming after the announcement of Apple's iWork suite for iOS. Quickoffice also featured integration with Google Drive storage, along with the ability to create .ZIP folders and view charts.

For users looking to continue using Google's web-based office suite on iOS, the company's Google Docs [Direct Link], and Google Sheets [Direct Link] app can be downloaded from the App Store at no cost. Google Slides for iOS will be released in the near future.

General Electric has unveiled its new line "Link" smart LED light bulbs, which can be controlled by an iOS device and start at $15 for individual bulbs and $49 for a starter kit complete with two bulbs and a link hub. The product is being developed in collaboration with design company Quirky, which will make the smart LED bulb accessible in a future update to its Wink [Direct Link] app.

GE Link2
The GE Link will be available in three variations:

- 60-watt replacement soft white (2700K) LED bulb, or A19 shape, commonly used for general lighting in table and floor lamps.
- Indoor soft white (2700K) floodlight LED, or BR30 shape, installed as downlighting found in dining room, living room or other entertainment spaces.
- Indoor/outdoor-rated bright white (3000K) spotlight LED, or PAR 38, used for outdoor security or spotlight.

The Wink app will allow users to adjust brightness settings and create settings for specific environments and situations. Users will also be able to turn specific lights remotely at any given time, useful for vacations or extended periods away from home.

GE's Link enters a growing market of smart LED lightbulbs that is led by the Philips Hue, which was introduced two years ago and has expanded to a wide variety of products. The Philips Hue Starter Pack retails for $199 and comes with three bulbs in addition to a connection bridge, while the GE Link's starter kit is being sold for $49.

A number of companies are also creating home appliances that can be controlled by iOS devices under Apple's new HomeKit initiative, which allows products and their apps to work with iOS services using a unified protocol. Apple itself is also rumored to be developing smart home products for HomeKit.

Interested customers can pre-order the GE's line of Link smart LED lightbulbs from Home Depot's official website.

Update: As noted by some, GE's Link smart LED lightbulbs require a link hub. The link hub and two Link bulbs are being sold as a starter kit for $49.97.

While Adobe has responded to Apple's announcement that it is ending development of its Aperture professional photo editing and management app for OS X by promising to "double down" on Lightroom, there are other players in the market. Corel is one of those competitors, and the company is hoping to attract some current Aperture users to switch to its AfterShot Pro 2 software launched last month.


AfterShot Pro 2 is normally priced at $79.99, but Aperture (and Lightroom) users qualify for special $59.99 competitive upgrade pricing. The offer was announced as a limited time promotion alongside the debut of AfterShot Pro 2, but with Apple's announcement today Corel is reminding users that it remains in effect. In addition, Corel notes that it will be looking at additional ways to help Aperture users migrate to AfterShot Pro 2.

Launched last month, the new AfterShot Pro 2 offers competitive upgrade pricing ($59) to Aperture users. We're getting ready for Yosemite now and unlike Lightroom, AfterShot Pro already supports use of a more Aperture-like file system to manage your photos. In the coming weeks, we’ll be looking for more ways we can make the transition easy for Aperture users and you can expect to see more from us with AfterShot on the Mac in the near future.

Corel promotes AfterShot Pro 2 as significantly faster than competing photo editing and management apps, with a host of advanced non-destructive editing features and pricing on par with Aperture and significantly lower than Lightroom.

There are some great deals on Apple-related software and accessories this week, as well as some decent discounts on the iPhone 5s, iPhone 5c, and the new iMac.

For the next day, customers can get the new low-end 21.5-inch iMac for just $830 from Best Buy with a $120 discount on the iMac itself combined with a $150 discount on all Macs for students with an .EDU email address, a total price drop of $269. Students can also get a $150 discount on all iMacs and MacBooks through July 12.

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The 16GB iPhone 5c and iPhone 5s are available for $29 and $99, respectively, from Walmart. Walmart's new prices are permanent, and offer $79 off the iPhone 5c and $100 off the iPhone 5s.

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Following the introduction of new 16GB iPod touches for $199, Best Buy has discounted the original 16GB iPod touch with no rear facing camera to $170.99, $58 off its original price and $29 less than the new iPod touches. Best Buy is also offering a slight discount of $12.50 on the 32GB iPod touch, selling it for $237.49, down from $249.99.

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As far as accessories go, Best Buy is offering discounts on several different iPad mini Smart Covers. Light Gray, Dark Gray, and Pink, for example, can be purchased for $16.99, a $23.00 discount from the standard $39.99 retail price. Green and Red are available for $19.99.

New users of the Hotel Tonight app, which is designed to find deals on last minute hotel bookings can get a $25 credit by entering the promo code "TONIGHT" during account sign-up.

The Incase Hard-Shell Case for the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro is available for $14.99 from Groupon, a discount of $35 off the regular $50 price tag.

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Before making a purchase of a Mac or iOS device, make sure to consult our Buyer's Guide to find out if it's a good time to buy. For example, since a new iPod touch variant was recently released, it's unlikely another update is in the works for the near future, making it a good time to buy.

MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors.

Following Apple's announcement that it plans to cease further development on its professional photo editing software, Aperture, Adobe has released a statement encouraging Aperture users to check out its Creative Cloud plan or its standalone Lightroom app, a longtime Aperture competitor. The company says it is committed to helping former Aperture and iPhoto customers transition to Lightroom.

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Put simply we're doubling down on our investments in Lightroom and the new Creative Cloud Photography plan and you can expect to see a rich roadmap of rapid innovation for desktop, web and device workflows in the coming weeks, months and years. We also continue to invest actively on the iOS and OSX platforms, and are committed to helping interested iPhoto and Aperture customers migrate to our rich solution across desktop, device and web workflows.

Known as Aperture's biggest competitor, Lightroom is another solution for professional photo editing. Adobe has a Creative Cloud subscription plan aimed specifically at photographers, offering access to both Photoshop and Lightroom for $9.99 per month. While this plan used to be temporary, Adobe recently made it a permanent addition to Creative Cloud. Adobe also offers access to its full suite of Creative Cloud apps, including Lightroom, for $49.99 per month.

Adobe has developed Lightroom mobile apps for both the iPhone and the iPad, both of which seamlessly connect to the desktop version of Lightroom, allowing users to edit and manage their library of photos on any device.

While both Aperture and Lightroom offer similar professional photo editing capabilities, Lightroom has enjoyed regular updates as part of Adobe's Creative Cloud, while Aperture has been falling behind for quite some time now. Lightroom received an update earlier this month, while Aperture was last updated in November of 2013.

After announcing plans to cease development of its professional photo editing software, Aperture, Apple is assuring users of its other professional-oriented software that it plans to continue video development with a series of new updates.

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Final Cut Pro, Motion, Compressor, and MainStage Pro are all being updated today, with Final Cut Pro receiving the largest update. The update for the professional video software includes a range of new features and improvements:

- Optimized, proxy, and rendered media can be stored at any location outside of the library
- Easily delete optimized, proxy, and rendered media from within Final Cut Pro X
- Used media indicators for Compound clips, Multicam clips, and Synced clips
- Option to show only unused media in the Browser
- Apply a standard (Rec. 709) look in real time to high dynamic range and wide color gamut video from ARRI, Blackmagic Design, Canon, and Sony cameras
- Automatically apply an ARRI embedded 3D LUT from the new AMIRA camera
- Support for Apple ProRes 4444 XQ
- Improved speed and accuracy when synchronizing clips
- Audio recording improvements including countdown and automatic Audition creation from multiple takes
- Fast export of cuts-only projects containing XDCAM media
- Export entire library as a single XML file
- Selecting a library displays key metadata in the Inspector
- Adjust relative and absolute volume of a clip or range selection
- Create Keywords from Finder Tags when importing media
- Option to sort events by date or name in the Libraries list
- Import a clip by dragging directly into the Browser
- Share 4K video to Vimeo

The other apps have gained minor improvements, such as support for Apple ProRes 4444 XQ in both Motion and Compressor along with improved sequence text behavior in Motion and improved performance in Compressor.

All of the apps are available from the App Store, with Final Cut Pro priced at $299, and Motion and Compressor priced at $50. According to TechCrunch, a MainStage update is also coming later today.

- Final Cut Pro [Direct Link]
- Motion [Direct Link]
- Compressor [Direct Link]

Update 11:46 AM: The MainStage 3.0.4 update is now live, addressing several bugs.

Apple has added two new locations to its Maps Flyover feature in iOS, including Tokyo, Japan and Zion National Park in Utah. The new additions to Flyover allow users to take a close 3D look at the areas, zooming in on buildings and landmarks.

First introduced with iOS 6 and based on technology acquired from the purchase of C3 Technologies, Flyover is now available in 88 different locations across the world.

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Zion National Park in Utah

The new additions to Flyover come as Apple works to continue to improve its Maps app. Recently, users have reported significant improvements in Apple Maps data, with errors being fixed with quick turnaround and additional POI locations added in many places. Apple also made notable updates to Maps in China, Japan, and several other countries back in March.

iOS 8 is expected to bring new features to Maps, though not at release. Transit directions and other Maps improvements are in the works, but may not be available to customers until the first significant iOS 8 update, possibly iOS 8.1, in 2015. iOS 8 also includes a new "City Tours" Flyover feature hidden within the code that lets users view a city's major points of interest via Flyover, but it is not yet unlocked.

Audi has announced plans to integrate Apple's CarPlay system into its Audi Multi Media Interface, and new Audi models supporting CarPlay will become available to customers beginning in 2015. Audi says that its development lab in Silicon Valley is in an "intensive dialog" with Apple as it works to integrate CarPlay into Audi cars.

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Our customers want to be 'always on' and use the services they know from their smartphones in cars as well," says Prof. Dr. Ulrich Hackenberg, Board Member for Technical Development at AUDI AG. "In this regard, we are working closely with leading companies like Google and Apple. In the future, customers will be able to use the functions available to them on their smartphones via the operating systems in their cars as well.

Designed to overlay an iPhone's display on a car's in-dash infotainment system, CarPlay allows users hands-free access for functions like getting directions, making phone calls, sending messages, and more, using Siri voice control. CarPlay also includes support for several different iPhone apps like Spotify, Beats Music, iHeartRadio, and MLB at Bat, among others.

Audi joins a number of other manufacturers that have partnered with Apple, including Mercedes-Benz, Volvo, BMW, Ford, Hyundai, GM, and Honda, with the first CarPlay-supported cars becoming available later this year. Several aftermarket consoles from companies like Alpine and Pioneer will also support CarPlay before the end of the year.

Update 6/30: Audi has provided some additional details on its CarPlay plans. The company will release CarPlay enabled models in Europe in 2015 and will bring the feature to U.S. Audi cars in 2016.