MacRumors

Apple has moved one of its software executives over to the division developing an augmented reality headset with the intent of bringing "some order" to the team, reports The Information.

Kim Vorrath, who has led program management on the software development team for over 15 years, has now moved over to the AR and virtual reality team, headed up by Mike Rockwell. Rockwell oversees close to a dozen people working on AR and VR software and hardware.

According to The Information, Vorrath was a "powerful force" on the software team, making sure employees met deadlines while also testing software to find and fix bugs. She could bring some of that same expertise to the AR team as it works to develop software for the augmented reality headset that's rumored to be in the works.

Earlier this month, a report from DigiTimes suggested Apple had disbanded the team working on an augmented reality glasses project and had assigned them to other products, but it's not clear if that's accurate, especially given the new report from The Information about Vorrath's move.

Over the course of the last couple of years, multiple sources have said that Apple is working on augmented reality glasses. Bloomberg in 2017 said that the glasses could launch as early as 2020, though a source that spoke to The Information says it is unclear if the team will meet that deadline.

There are some mixed rumors about Apple's work on an AR/VR headset, suggesting multiple products are in the works and being tested. Bloomberg believes Apple is working on a headset that will use custom iOS-based "rOS" (reality operating system) software, and Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has said Apple will market its smart glasses as an iPhone accessory.

CNET in April 2018 said that Apple is working on an augmented reality/virtual reality headset that features an 8K display for each eye and that is untethered from a computer or smartphone, connecting instead to a "dedicated box" over high-speed short-range WiGig technology. CNET said that it will support both augmented and virtual reality.

It's unclear what kind of project Apple will ultimately come out with given the various rumors we've heard, but it sounds like there still may be a headset or glasses in the works despite the rumors of the AR headset team being disbanded.

The 2019 iPhones could introduce support for the Apple Pencil, according to a list of feature predictions shared today by Citi Research (via Business Insider).

"Support for iPhone pencil/stylus" was on Citi Research's list of upcoming features it expects to see in the 2019 iPhones, but we've heard extensive rumors about the upcoming devices and ‌Apple Pencil‌ support has seldom been mentioned.

At one point in 2018, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said that ‌Apple Pencil‌ support is a possibility for a future iPhone, but he did not specify when and has made no mention of the feature in his myriad reports on what's coming to the 2019 iPhones. Kuo at the time said that ‌Apple Pencil‌ support would hinge on Apple releasing a larger ‌iPhone‌, but it's not clear if that meant larger than the 6.5-inch ‌iPhone‌ XS Max.

Korean site The Investor, which does not have an established track record for accuracy, also suggested Apple is considering offering an Apple Pencil-like stylus that could launch as early as 2019, but no reliable source has indicated ‌Apple Pencil‌ support is in the works for the 2019 ‌iPhone‌ lineup.

‌Apple Pencil‌ support would be a major 2019 ‌iPhone‌ feature if planned, suggesting we would have heard multiple rumors about it if Apple was indeed aiming to introduce stylus support this year. That we haven't heard ‌Apple Pencil‌ rumors calls Citi Research's ‌Apple Pencil‌ support claims into question, though it's possible the feature has gone under the radar.

Ahead of the launch of the 2018 iPhones, there were multiple reports from Asian supply chain sources indicating the new devices would work with the ‌Apple Pencil‌, which did not happen.

Apple has, however, expanded ‌Apple Pencil‌ compatibility to its entire iPad lineup, from the 12.9-inch iPad Pro to the 7.9-inch iPad mini, so future ‌Apple Pencil‌ support for ‌iPhone‌ is not out of the question, but seems unlikely for 2019 given the lack of rumors.

Apple's 2019 ‌iPhone‌ lineup is expected to be similar to the 2018 lineup, with 5.8 and 6.5-inch OLED devices planned alongside a 6.1-inch LCD ‌iPhone‌ that's more affordable. The new iPhones will look largely similar to the 2018 iPhones, with the exception of new rear camera setups. For more on what's expected in 2019, make sure to check out our 2019 iPhone roundup.

Apple today seeded the fifth beta of macOS 10.15 Catalina for testing purposes, a little over two weeks after seeding the fourth macOS Catalina beta and more than a month after the new Mac operating system update was first unveiled at the Worldwide Developers Conference.

The new macOS Catalina beta can be downloaded using the Software Update mechanism in System Preferences. As with all new betas, macOS Catalina should not be installed on a primary machine because it is early release software and has bugs.

macOS Catalina eliminates the iTunes app, splitting it into Music, Podcasts, and TV apps. The Apple Music and Apple Podcasts apps are available now, while the Apple TV app is coming later this year.

The three new apps offer similar functionality to iTunes, but are split up by feature. iOS device management is still available on the Mac, but it's now done through the Finder rather than iTunes.

With a new Sidecar feature, you can turn your iPad into a second display for your Mac with just the click of a button. The Apple Pencil works with ‌Sidecar‌, so you can turn your ‌iPad‌ into a drawing tablet in apps like Photoshop and Illustrator.

Your Apple Watch can be used to approve security prompts for passwords and other info in macOS Catalina, and Macs with a T2 chip now support Activation Lock, making them more secure. There's a new Find My that brings the ‌Find My‌ Mac app to the Mac for the first time and even lets you track your devices when they're offline, or, in the case of notebooks, closed.

Screen Time is available on the Mac as well as iOS devices, and Project Catalyst, a new Apple initiative, will let developers easily port their ‌iPad‌ apps over to the Mac to increase the number of Mac apps available.

There's a new Photos interface that surfaces your best photos organized by day, month, or year, there's a new start page in Safari, Mail has new tools for muting email threads and blocking senders, and the Reminders app has been overhauled. 32-bit apps no longer work in macOS Catalina, which is something to be aware of before installing the beta.

For more details on macOS Catalina, make sure to check out our macOS Catalina roundup.

LG yesterday released a new version of its UltraFine 5K Display with USB-C connectivity, allowing it to be used with 2018 iPad Pro models, but Apple has since confirmed that the ‌iPad Pro‌ cannot take advantage of the full 5K resolution.

In a new support document, Apple says the UltraFine 5K is limited to a 4K resolution of 3,840×2,160 at 60Hz when connected to 2018 ‌iPad Pro‌ models via USB-C. The full 5K resolution requires a 2016 or newer MacBook Pro, a 2018 or newer MacBook Air, a 2017 or newer iMac or ‌iMac‌ Pro, or a 2018 Mac mini.

The new UltraFine 5K Display is available to order for $1,299.95 on Apple.com. Like the previous model, it also supports Thunderbolt 3, with up to 94W of power for pass-through charging of any Mac or iPad connected to the display.

The new display has the model number 27MD5KL-B.

Following months of beta testing, Vizio today announced that AirPlay 2 and HomeKit are now rolling out to its 2016 and newer SmartCast TVs via an over-the-air firmware update. The rollout will continue over the coming months.

AirPlay 2 support enables users to stream videos, music, podcasts, photos, and more directly from an iPhone, iPad, or Mac to a compatible Vizio TV, with no Apple TV necessary. And with HomeKit, users can easily control the TV's power, volume, and more using Siri or the Home app on iPhone, iPad, and Mac.

AirPlay 2 and HomeKit are rolling out to the following Vizio SmartCast TVs:

• VIZIO P-Series Quantum X (2019)
  

• VIZIO P-Series Quantum (2019 and 2018)
  

• VIZIO P-Series (2018, 2017 and 2016)
  

• VIZIO M-Series Quantum (2019)
  

• VIZIO M-Series (2018, 2017 and 2016)
  

• VIZIO E-Series (2018, 2017 and 2016 UHD models)
  

• VIZIO V-Series (2019)
  

• VIZIO D-Series (2018)

MacRumors demoed AirPlay 2 and HomeKit on a Vizio SmartCast TV during the beta testing period:

LG also began rolling out AirPlay 2 and HomeKit to select 2019 TVs over the last week, and Sony plans to follow suit later this summer. Samsung also offers AirPlay 2 and an Apple TV app on on select TVs, but not HomeKit.

During today's earnings call covering the third quarter of 2019, Apple CEO Tim Cook said that Apple wants to continue making the Mac Pro in the United States.

Cook made the statement in response to a question about Apple potentially moving ‌Mac Pro‌ production out of the United States due to looming tariffs on components imported from China.

There's been a lot of speculation around the topic of different moves and so forth. I wouldn't put a lot of stock in those. The way I view that is the vast majority of our products are kind of made everywhere.

Cook went on to explain that products and components are made in the United States, Japan, Korea, China, Europe, and other places. "That's the nature of a global supply chain," he said. "I think that will carry the day, in the future as well."

As for the ‌Mac Pro‌ specifically, Cook said that Apple is continuing to invest in its U.S. production facilities.

We've been making the Mac Pro in the United States and we want to continue doing that. We're working and investing currently in the capacity to do so. We want to continue to be there. That's what's behind the exclusions.

Apple has been manufacturing the current ‌Mac Pro‌ in Texas since its 2013 launch, but a June report from The Wall Street Journal said that the upcoming 2019 ‌Mac Pro‌ will be assembled by Quanta Computer in China.

In a statement at the time, Apple said that "final assembly is only one part of the manufacturing process" explaining that the ‌Mac Pro‌ is designed and engineered in California and includes U.S.-made components.

Apple in July asked for a U.S. import tariff exemption on parts for the new ‌Mac Pro‌, which President Trump said would be denied.

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

During today's earnings call for the third fiscal quarter of 2019, Apple CEO Tim Cook confirmed that Apple plans to launch its Apple Card credit card in August.

Thousands of employees are currently testing the card, and Apple will be ready to debut it soon. Cook did not provide a specific date in August for the launch, so it could come at any time.

Created in partnership with Goldman Sachs, the ‌Apple Card‌ is deeply integrated with Apple Pay and the Wallet app, though there is also a physical titanium card that can be used for in-person purchases.

‌Apple Card‌ can be used for both standard purchases and ‌Apple Pay‌ purchases, with Apple providing rewards for both. Customers will get 3 percent cash back for purchases made at an Apple Store, 2 percent cash back for all ‌Apple Pay‌ purchases, and 1 percent cash back for all other purchases.

Cash back is provided in the form of "Daily Cash" that, as the name suggests, is paid out to customers on a daily basis. Daily Cash is added to the Apple Cash card in Wallet and can be used for purchases, sent to friends, or transferred to a bank account.

In the Wallet app, Apple will offer spend tracking and other budgeting tools. Color-coded categories will give users an idea of how much money they're spending on food, activities, shopping, health care, entertainment, and more.

‌Apple Card‌ will be limited to the United States at launch, but may expand to additional countries in the future. For more details on the ‌Apple Card‌, make sure to check out our Apple Card guide.

Apple today announced financial results for the third fiscal quarter of 2019, which corresponds to the second calendar quarter of the year. For the quarter, Apple posted revenue of $53.8 billion and net quarterly profit of $10.0 billion, or $2.18 per diluted share, compared to revenue of $53.3 billion and net quarterly profit of $11.5 billion, or $2.34 per diluted share, in the year-ago quarter.

The revenue figure was Apple's highest ever for the June quarter, just beating out the year-ago quarter, although profits dipped on lower margins.

Gross margin for the quarter was 37.6 percent compared to 38.3 percent in the year-ago quarter, with international sales accounting for 59 percent of revenue. Apple also declared a quarterly dividend payment of $0.77 per share, payable on August 15 to shareholders of record as of August 12.

This is the third quarter since Apple changed the way it reports its results, with the company no longer providing unit sales data for iPhone, iPad, and Mac. As a result, Apple is only providing revenue figures for its various segments, leaving analysts to estimate unit sales based on their own calculations.

“This was our biggest June quarter ever — driven by all-time record revenue from Services, accelerating growth from Wearables, strong performance from iPad and Mac and significant improvement in iPhone trends,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO. “These results are promising across all our geographic segments, and we’re confident about what’s ahead. The balance of calendar 2019 will be an exciting period, with major launches on all of our platforms, new services and several new products.”

Apple's guidance for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2019 includes expected revenue of $61–64 billion and gross margin between 37.5 and 38.5 percent.

Apple will provide live streaming of its fiscal Q3 2019 financial results conference call at 2:00 p.m. Pacific, and MacRumors will update this story with coverage of the conference call highlights.

Earnings call highlights ahead...

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