In celebration of World Emoji Day tomorrow, Apple has shared details on new emoji that are coming to iOS devices this fall following the Unicode 12 emoji release.
Unicode 12 brings 59 new emoji characters, 75 with gender variations, and 230 total emojis when gender variations and different skin tones are counted.
Orangutan, sloth, otter, skunk, and flamingo are the new animals included in the update, while new food items include garlic, onion, waffle, falafel, butter, oyster, beverage box, maté, and ice cube.
New faces, gestures, and poses include yawning face, pinching hand, person kneeling, person standing, and new people holding hands options that are both gender and skin tone inclusive.
To celebrate World Emoji Day, Apple is previewing a selection of new emoji coming this fall, revealing the newest designs that bring even more diversity to the keyboard, alongside fun and exciting additions to popular categories of food, animals, activities and smiley faces.
In a major update to the Holding Hands emoji typically used to represent couples and relationships, users will now be able to select any combination of skin tone, in addition to gender, to personalize the people holding hands, opening up more than 75 possible combinations.
Several new accessibility-related emojis are included, such as ear with hearing aid, deaf person, mechanical arm/leg, person with cane, person in wheelchair, guide dog, wheelchair (manual and motorized), and probing cane.
Following Apple’s proposal to the Unicode Consortium last year to introduce more disability-themed emoji, a new guide dog, an ear with a hearing aid, wheelchairs, a prosthetic arm and a prosthetic leg will be available in the emoji keyboard. Celebrating diversity in all its many forms is integral to Apple’s values and these new options help fill a significant gap in the emoji keyboard.
Other miscellaneous emoji include Hindu Temple, auto rickshaw, parachute, ringed planet, diving mask, yo-yo, kite, safety vest, sari, one-piece swimsuit, briefs, shorts, ballet shoes, banjo, diya lamp, axe, drop of blood, bandage, stethoscope, chair, razor, white heart, and circles and squares in various new colors.
A full list of the emoji included in Unicode 12 are listed on the Emojipedia site.
Last year, Apple released new emoji in an iOS 12.1 update released in October, and the launch of new 2019 emoji could follow a similar timeline. New emoji won't be included in iOS 13 at launch, but could come in one of the first major updates to the new operating system.
Apple introduced updates to many of the built-in iOS apps in iOS 13, and Maps is no exception. The updated version of Maps has a long list of new features that are designed to make the Apple Maps app better able to compete with mapping apps from other companies.
There's a new Look Around street view level feature, a Collections feature for aggregating lists of your favorite places, a Favorites option for getting to your most frequently traveled places quickly, and some other smaller updates that are worth knowing about.
In this guide, we've highlighted all of the new features that are in the Apple Maps app in iOS 13.
Maps Redesign
Apple in iOS 12 debuted a rebuilt, updated Maps app that uses an Apple-designed Maps engine to bring more detailed views of things like foliage, pools, buildings, pedestrian pathways, and more.
The work done in iOS 12 is continued in iOS 13 with Apple expanding the new Maps app to the entire United States as of January 2020. Apple now plans to bring the updated Maps app to Europe.
Apple on stage when introducing iOS 13 mentioned these map updates and promised improved detailing for roads, beaches, parks, buildings, and more. Maps in iOS 12 overall looks similar to iOS 13 in states where new Maps have already rolled out, but there could be more detail coming in the future and there are some small changes worth pointing out.
Road Hazards and Traffic Conditions
When viewing the main Maps interface, the app now displays road hazards and traffic conditions so you can see the route ahead at a glance. Previously, this information was available, but only when turn-by-turn directions were activated.
In iOS 13, traffic information is visible on the main map too.
Junction View
iOS 13 adds a Junction View option that's meant to help drivers avoid wrong turns and directional misses by lining them up in the correct lane before a turn or an elevated road.
Siri Directions
Siri gives more natural directions in iOS 13. Instead of saying something like "in 1,000 feet turn left," Siri might instead choose to say "turn left at the next traffic light," which is an easier instruction to follow since there's no distance estimation involved.
Venue Navigation Improvements
When you're navigating to something like a concert at a large venue, Apple Maps now offers up improvements that are better suited towards getting you to your end-point destination.
Real-Time Transit Schedules
The Maps app now includes real-time transit schedules, arrival times, network stops, and system connections for transit directions to provide better overall route planning.
Real-time information like outages, cancellations, and other changes are also listed in the Apple Maps app.
ETA Sharing
There's a new option to share your estimated time of arrival with friends, family, and coworkers. Your ETA will update dynamically, changing even when there's a significant traffic delay. This feature was removed from iOS 13 during the later betas, but could be re-added in the future.
Maps is now able to display up-to-the-minute information about flight terminals, gate locations, departure times, and more.
Place Cards for Businesses
Place Cards for businesses have been updated to be more helpful and easier to use. You'll see information like times of Today at Apple sessions when looking up an Apple Store, for example, or movie times when looking up a movie theater.
Look Around
Look Around is a new Apple Maps feature that's designed to be Apple's equivalent of Google Street View. Look Around offers up a street-level view of what's around you or a location you search for in the Maps app.
You can use Look Around in the main Apple Maps view whenever there's a pair of binoculars visible. Tapping on the binoculars icon delves into a close-up street level view of the location in a little card, which you can tap again to get to a full screen Look Around view.
Look Around can also be brought up when searching for specific supported locations by tapping on the Look Around card in the search results.
When in Look Around mode, tapping on the display lets you move through the Look Around area, and tapping a spot far off in the distance does a neat zoom in maneuver that's fun to watch.
In Look Around, all notable points of interest, like restaurants, businesses, parks, and more, are highlighted with identifying icons and place names so you can tell what's what.
Look Around is limited to areas where a car can go because it's using data captured from a 360-degree camera on a vehicle. That means you can't zoom into areas like parks or beaches, for example, but you can see what's visible from the street.
At launch, Look Around was limited to parts of California, Nevada, and Hawaii, but it has since expanded to Los Angeles, Houston, New York City, Boston, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C. Apple plans to continue the expansion in 2019 and 2020.
Collections lets you search for and aggregate lists of different locations, such as restaurants you might want to try or places you might want to visit.
Collection lists can be shared, so you can make up lists of places for friends and family visiting you in your city and then share it with them, for example.
Favorites is a new Maps feature that lets you search for specific places and then add them to a list. Favorites are meant for places that you visit frequently, and Home and Work are already added by default.
You can add any place you go to often to the Favorites list, such as a favorite restaurant or coffee shop, or a friend's house. Tapping on one of your Favorites brings up directions to that spot right away, so think of it like a speed dial option for Maps.
Apple introduced a redesigned customer feedback interface in iOS 13, which is designed to make it easier for Apple Maps users to submit corrections for things like incorrect addresses, business locations, or operating hours.
All of the new features introduced in the Maps app in iOS 13, such as Favorites, Collections, and Junction View have been added to CarPlay. The Maps app in CarPlay also provides updated route planning, search, and navigation.
Guide Feedback
Have questions about Maps, know of an iOS 13 Maps feature we left out, or want to offer feedback on this guide? Send us an email here.
Apple has a plan to start funding original podcasts in order to better compete with Spotify, according to a new report from Bloomberg. Apple executives have been reaching out to media companies to discuss exclusive buying rights for podcasts, which would be exclusive to Apple.
While Apple has yet to outline a clear strategy for its plans, the company will be pursuing "the kind of deals it didn't make before," according to Bloomberg. Apple has also been funding original content for its upcoming Apple TV+ series, which could account for its decision to also bankroll other kinds of exclusive content.
Apple does not make money from its Podcasts app, but has previously expressed interest in exclusive content as a way to draw and retain customers. Apple has used such exclusives for Apple Music, its music streaming service.
The news has caused Spotify's stock to fall 2 percent so far as any effort on Apple's part to delve deeper into podcasts could impact Spotify's efforts to become a major source for podcast content.
Apple's Podcasts app is installed on iOS devices by default, and starting with macOS Catalina, the Podcasts app is a standalone app. Apple's decision to split Podcasts out into its own app makes more sense if the company is indeed planning to invest money into original and exclusive podcasts.
Two years ago, Spotify said it was "coming after" Apple with a strong push into podcasting content, and this year, Spotify made a serious effort to become a premium podcast destination.
Spotify launched several podcast-related initiatives and acquired several podcast companies, including Gimlet Media, Anchor, and Parcast, boosting its catalog of exclusive podcast content and its available podcasting tools.
Two of Apple's ads are in the running to receive the 2019 Outstanding Commercial Emmy. Both of the ads were created by TBWA/Media Arts Lab, Apple's longtime advertising partner.
The first ad nominated for the award is Apple's "Make Something Wonderful" MacBook ad, released late last year. In the spot, which is in black and white, various creative personalities and people are shown with their Mac devices.
The second ad nominated for the award is one of Apple's "Shot on iPhone" spots, specifically "Don't Mess With Mother," an April 2019 video featuring imagery of nature from around the world set to the song "Last Rites" by Megadeth.
Apple will be competing with ad spots from Netflix (A Great Day in Hollywood), Nike (Dream Crazy), and and the "Point of View" video from Sandy Hook Promise, a non-profit organization.
In 2018, Apple was nominated for an Outstanding Commercial Emmy for its "Earth: Shot on iPhone" ad, but ultimately lost to an ad from P&G.
Apple today pushed a second silent security update to Macs to address further vulnerabilities related to the Zoom video conferencing app for macOS, reports The Verge.
Apple removed software that was installed by RingCentral and Zhumu, two video conferencing apps that relied on technology from Zoom and were also found to have the same vulnerabilities as Zoom earlier this week.
These two apps installed software able to respond to commands that could potentially allow websites to open up your webcam during a video conference without permission. Removing the apps did not remove the secondary software that was vulnerable to exploitation, which is also how Zoom worked.
Discovered last week, the Zoom vulnerability let a website forcibly initiate a video call on a Mac with the Zoom app installed, due to a web server that Zoom installed in the background.
When the vulnerability was first discovered, Zoom said that it used a local web server as a workaround to Safari changes that Apple introduced in Safari 12, calling it a "legitimate solution" to an otherwise "poor user experience" that allowed users to access "seamless, one-click-to-join meetings."
At issue was a new popup Apple implemented to require user approval when launching a third-party app, which Zoom wanted to avoid. Zoom did so through the aforementioned web server, which was designed to wait for calls to open up Zoom conferences automatically.
Zoom eventually released a patch to address the issue, and Apple also took the step of removing web server software that was not initially removed from the Mac when uninstalling the Zoom app. Zoom has since made it so uninstalling the Zoom app will remove the web server, and has made other changes.
Installing Zoom no longer installs a local web server on Mac devices, and there is a new setting to save the "Always turn off my video" preference that disables video in Zoom by default until it is manually enabled.
As with the original Zoom patch, the new patch for RingCentral and Zhumu is deployed automatically so that users are not required to apply it manually for it to take effect. Apple told The Verge that it plans to fix the vulnerability for all of Zoom's partner apps.
First, when switching to DuckDuckGo's dark theme, Apple Maps now also automatically switches to a dark appearance.
DuckDuckGo has also added a dedicated Maps tab at the top of every search results page. Previously, this shortcut was only displayed for map-related searches, but it now appears for any search queries. For example, if you searched for "cupcakes," the Maps tab might display local bakeries that sell them.
Whereas previously each new map-related search required returning to the default DuckDuckGo search page upon completion, a search field has now been added that allows users to refine local searches instantly.
Last is intelligent autocomplete within the expanded map view. Updating or typing new search queries will now dynamically show you search suggestions that are tailored to the local region displayed. For example, as you type "coffee," search suggestions related to coffee will appear within the map area in view.
These enhancements are available now on both desktop and mobile versions of DuckDuckGo.com.
DuckDuckGo does not collect or share any personal information from DuckDuckGo users, a policy that extends to the Apple Maps integration. Identifiable info like IP addresses are not provided to Apple, and for searches where approximate location is gathered by the browser, it is discarded immediately after it's used.
Apple today seeded the fourth beta of macOS 10.15 Catalina for testing purposes, two weeks after seeding the third macOS Catalina beta and over 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.
Apple today seeded the sixth beta of an upcoming watchOS 5.3 update to developers, one week after releasing the fifth watchOS 5.3 beta and two months after the launch of watchOS 5.2.1, an update that expanded ECG availability and introduced new pride watch faces.
Once the proper configuration profile has been installed from the Apple Developer Center, the new watchOS beta can be downloaded through the dedicated Apple Watch app on the iPhone by going to General > Software update.
To install the update, the Apple Watch needs to have at least 50 percent battery, it must be placed on the charger, and it has to be in range of the iPhone.
There were no new features discovered in the first five watchOS 5.3 betas, suggesting that it focuses on bug fixes and under-the-hood performance improvements.
There could also be hidden changes that will be available after the update is released, such as support for the upcoming Apple Card, set to debut this summer. If new features are discovered in the sixth watchOS 5.3 beta, we'll update this post with details.
Apple today seeded the seventh beta of an upcoming iOS 12.4 update to developers, one week after seeding the sixth iOS 12.4 beta, and two months after releasing iOS 12.3, a major update that introduced a revamped TV app.
Registered developers can download the new iOS 12.4 beta from Apple's Developer Center or over the air once the proper configuration profile has been installed from the Developer Center. Public Beta testers can download the beta over the air.
There were no new features discovered in the first six iOS 12.4 betas, so it's not entirely clear what's coming in the update. As a more significant 12.x update, it's possible that the update is focusing on a feature that's not yet available -- the Apple Card.
Apple is planning to release the Apple Card in the summer, so iOS 12.4 could be the update that prepares the iOS operating system for that launch, adding hidden features that will be unlocked when the update becomes available to the public. If we find new features in the seventh beta of iOS 12.4, we'll update this post.
iOS 12.4 may be one of the last updates to the iOS 12 operating system as Apple transitions to iOS 13, set to launch this September, and as we are now at beta seven, the update could see a release in the very near future.
Apple may be planning to reintroduce its classic rainbow logo on some of its new products as early as this year, according to a well-connected MacRumors tipster, who in turn cites a corporate Apple employee in Cupertino.
MacRumors concept
We don't know which products might be involved, but the Mac would be a good candidate, as the multicolored Apple logo was used on the original Macintosh in 1984 and on many other Apple computers before and after it. iPhones and iPads could also be suitable — perhaps special editions along the lines of (PRODUCT)RED.
To be clear, this rumor could very well be untrue. We have elected to share it since it comes from a tipster who has longstanding connections to both Apple and related industries, but no other sources have shared similar information that we know of. And, even if true, the plans could certainly change.
MacRumors concept
Apple's rainbow or "six-color" logo made its debut on the Apple II computer in 1977 and was widely used until 1998, when it began to be phased out in favor of a monochrome Apple logo similar to the one used today.
Despite not officially using its rainbow logo in over 20 years, Apple has continued to embrace its colors over the years.
Apple Park was recently decorated with the colors of the rainbow logo in celebration of the formal opening of Apple's new headquarters, and as a tribute to Steve Jobs. The colors were splashed on stairs, walkways, coffee cups, and even a stage with a rainbow arch used for an employee-only Lady Gaga performance.
Apple's departing design chief Jony Ive recently reflected on the rainbow's significance:
There is the resonance with the rainbow logo that's been part of our identity for many years. The rainbow is also a positive and joyful expression of some of our inclusion values and I think that one of the primary reasons the idea resonated so immediately and so profoundly with us was the form -- the connection from an aesthetic design point of view. A semi-circle relates so beautifully and naturally to the form of the ring.
Again, we do not know if this rumor is true, but our tipster is reputable enough in our opinion for us to at least share what we have heard.
Mophie today announced it is launching a new line of basic charging accessories for Apple devices like the iPhone and iPad, including a wireless charging pad, two car chargers, and a variety of USB and Lightning cables.
Wireless charging pad: Delivers up to 7.5W of power on contact to recharge Qi-enabled devices like the iPhone 8 or newer. Available in white or black. Can charge through cases up to 3mm thick. $39.95.
USB-A car charger: Single USB-A port with 12W charging output. Made of anodized aluminum with charge-indicator light. $24.95.
Dual USB-A car charger: Two USB-A ports with 12W charging output. Made of anodized aluminum with charge-indicator light. $29.95.
USB-A to Lightning cable: 1-meter cable for $19.95. 2-meter cable for $29.95.
USB-C to Lightning cable: 1-meter cable for $19.95. 2-meter cable for $34.95.
USB-A to USB-C cable: 1-meter cable for $19.95. 2-meter cable for $24.95.
USB-C to USB-C cable: 1-meter cable for $19.95. 2-meter cable for $24.95.
The accessories will be available on Apple.com and in select Apple Stores starting today, followed by Mophie.com later in July.
Product listings are not immediately available, but they should be soon.
Apple has reportedly stopped selling iPhone SE, iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, and iPhone 6s Plus in India, meaning anyone in the market for a new Apple smartphone will have to shell out more for a later model.
According to The Economic Times, the strategy indicates Apple is no longer prioritizing shifting iPhones in the country by volume and is instead refocusing efforts on increasing its revenue there.
To that end, Apple's distributors in India are said to be informing retailers that supplies of the above iPhone models have stopped and the new "entry-level" iPhone will be the iPhone 6s. This will increase the starting price of an iPhone in India by almost Rs 8,000 (around $116).
Apple has been assembling the iPhone SE in India as well as the iPhone 6s and iPhone 7 over the last couple of years. Given the shift in strategy, idle capacity in these factories may now be used to expand production of other models, according to the report.
The decision is said to have been taken after Apple improved its revenue and profit in India by 12 percent over the last year, despite selling less iPhones than the previous year. Apple India’s sales in the April-June quarter went up after it brought in a promotion to drop iPhone XR prices.
"Cupertino does not want Apple India to chase volumes by discounting at the cost of profit," said one leading trade partner of Apple. "These models which are being phased out will increase the average selling price of iPhones in India and boost both profit and revenue." Apple India declined to comment on the matter.
In the Indian market, Apple ranks 11th and accounts for just one percent of India's phone sales, and sold fewer than one million iPhones during the first half of 2018. Comparatively, rival smartphone maker Xiaomi sold more than 19 million during that period, according to data gathered by Counterpoint Research.
According to a recent report, Apple CEO Tim Cook is believed to be working behind the scenes to "remold Apple's failing India strategy," in bid to revamp the company's presence there.
Apple has also been re-focusing efforts in India in hopes of expanding production outside of China in the wake of the ongoing trade war between the United States and China. Last summer, Apple detailed a new India strategy with official retail stores, overhauled relationships with independent retailers, more frequent sales, and improved apps and services.
Some of these plans have started to come to fruition, as Apple has now finalized a list of locations for its first retail store in India.
To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing, Apple this afternoon shared a new video featuring clips from its upcoming Apple TV+ show "For All Mankind" along with commentary from show creator Ronald D. Moore and others who have worked on the series.
"For All Mankind," which stars Joel Kinnaman, features an alternate history that explores what might have happened had the global space race never ended and had the USSR landed the first humans on the moon. In the series, the U.S. will race to get astronauts on Mars and Saturn.
In the new spot highlighting "For All Mankind," Moore says that the space program "captured the world's imagination" when it first happened. "There's something about putting people in spaceships and going places. It's an idea of this optimistic feature where we not only travel in space, but it's been a good thing for all of mankind," he said about the show.
"For All Mankind" was inspired by the Apollo 11 mission and the space race, according to executive producer Matt Wolpert.
In celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing, watch as the executive producers of For All Mankind discuss the incredible human achievement of landing on the moon. For All Mankind, an Apple Original drama series, is coming this fall to Apple TV+. Get notified when Apple TV+ premieres on the Apple TV app: https://www.apple.com/apple-tv-plus
Acknowledging the bold and daring human spirit that got us to the moon and continues to inspire one generation after the next, "Remembering Apollo 11" highlights the collaboration, the intelligence, and the imagination it took.
Along with the new video, Ronald D. Moore and other show creators, engineers, and advisors did a series of interviews with various publications. Speaking to Inverse, Moore said that Apollo 11 was the catalyst that got him interested in science fiction. He decided to work with Apple because of an existing relationship with Zack Van Amburg, a former Sony executive and now one of the co-presidents running Apple TV+.
"I said to Zack, that the more exciting thing to me, was to do the space program that I felt we were promised and we never got. And that's how the journey to the alternate history version was born. So that's why it's at Apple, it came out of our personal relationship," Moore says.
In a separate interview with Syfy, "For All Mankind" technical advisors Garrett Reisman and Gerry Griffin, both of whom worked for NASA, said that they aimed to make the show as accurate as possible, even when it was difficult.
Getting cathode-ray tube displays, for example, was a nightmare that the production team cheated by using flat-screen TVs and putting a piece of curved glass to simulate the old-school screens. The NASA logo was another difficulty. In watching the trailer, fans may notice the logo is just a little off, like the Bizarro version of the real-life NASA symbol. That's because, as the trio explained, NASA has a policy to only lend support and use of emblems if the piece of media portrays the events of the space program exactly as they happened. Not really a possibility for an alt-history show.
"For All Mankind" is one of the TV shows that Apple is working on for its upcoming Apple TV+ streaming service, set to launch this fall. Apple has dozens of shows in the works, and a recap of everything that Apple is working on is available in our Apple TV+ show guide.
Though the first season of the series has yet to debut, Moore says that a second season is already being discussed. The team is getting stories and scripts ready, but Apple hasn't yet officially picked it up for a second season. "We're already moving ahead with planning in case they do," Moore told Syfy.
Over on our YouTube channel, we have a series that highlights new, interesting, fun, and useful apps that we think are worth downloading and checking out.
For today's video, we've decided to focus on games, highlighting both new and old titles that we personally recommend and have spent some time playing.
- Dr. Mario World (Free) - Dr. Mario World is Nintendo's newest iOS app, which launched just last week. Dr. Mario World, like the classic title, is a match three game where the goal is to clear viruses off of the board by matching them with colored capsules. Players are tasked with using strategy to clear the viruses with the fewest number of moves, as capsules are limited, which is a deviation from the original gameplay. Dr. Mario World is a freemium game and while it's free to play, there are optional in-app purchases. Dr. Mario World, like other Nintendo titles, requires a persistent internet connection to play.
- Walk Master - (Free) - Walk Master is a free arcade-style game where players are tasked with controlling animals on stilts. The goal of the game is to traverse obstacles and terrain using precision timing. There are multiple challenging levels to beat, along with 26 characters to collect. There are in-app purchases to remove ads and to get coins. Walk Master was our sister site TouchArcade's game of the week last week due to its excellent controls and challenging but fun gameplay.
- Beat the Intro (Free) - Beat the Intro is a music trivia app that's designed to test your music knowledge. The aim of the game is to guess the artist based on a music clip, and answering faster earns you more points. Every music genre is offered, with thousands of officially licensed music tracks included. The game is free, but a $2.49 weekly VIP pass unlocks all song packs, removes ads, and provides infinite gameplay energy. There are also in-app purchases for coins to buy new music packs. We don't recommend the subscription, but there's some free gameplay to be had that's worthwhile.
- LEGO Tower (Free) - LEGO Tower from NimbleBit is like the hit game Tiny Tower but with LEGO, as the name suggests. The goal is to build up a LEGO tower floor by floor to create apartments and businesses for the Minifigure residents. There are hundreds of unique Minifigures to collect, and tons of different businesses and areas to unlock. The game is free to play, but you can purchase Bux to speed up building times and other gameplay elements.
- Rescue Wings (Free) - Rescue Wings is a flying game where the goal is to take on the role of Scruffy the dog, flying through the outdoors to put out forest fires. You'll need to dive into lakes to fill up your water reservoir, and then dump that water onto fires. The ultimate goal is to fly as far as you can without crashing or missing a fire, and as you play, you can unlock new planes and skill boosts. The game is free, but there are in-app purchases for additional fuel, coins for unlocking items, and a $7.49 per week "Fire Chief" subscription that gives unlimited fuel. We don't recommend the subscription option because of its incredibly high price, but gameplay is fun and there's a decent amount of ad-supported free play.
Have a favorite iOS game? Let us know down in the comments. We're always looking for new iOS game and app ideas for this video series, and we'll check out all of your recommendations. You can also check out our recommendations from previous months here, and don't miss our similar Mac app series featuring some great Mac apps.
Apple's Apple Store online site is currently down when attempting to make a purchase of an Apple device or accessory, but it's not quite clear why the site is unavailable.
Sometimes the Apple online store goes down due to an imminent product refresh, but at other times, the store becomes unavailable for routine maintenance purposes.
Apple last week introduced refreshed MacBook Air models and a new 13-inch entry-level MacBook Pro to coincide with this year's Back to School promotion, but there's no word on whether another new product is on the horizon.
Apple could potentially be planning an iPad refresh as five new iPad models recently popped up in the Eurasian Economic Commission database, which could be a new 7th-generation low-cost iPad, but it's not known when that device is set to launch. It may not be coming until later this year, and this could potentially be a situation where Apple is doing site maintenance.
We'll update this post with more info when the store comes back up.
Update: The Apple Store website is back up and there doesn't appear to be anything immediately new, suggesting this was a maintenance update.
Apple today seeded the fifth beta of an upcoming macOS Mojave 10.14.6 update to developers, one week after seeding the fourth macOS Mojave 10.14.6 beta and two months after the release of macOS Mojave 10.14.5, which brought AirPlay 2 support for third-party TVs.
The new macOS Mojave 10.14.6 beta can be downloaded through the Software Update mechanism in System Preferences after the proper profile has been installed from Apple's Developer Center.
There were no new features or significant changes discovered in the first four betas of macOS Mojave 10.14.6, which indicates it likely focuses on bug fixes and performance improvements for issues that weren't able to be addressed in the macOS Mojave 10.14.5 update.
If new features are found in the fifth beta of macOS Mojave 10.14.6, we'll update this post with details.
macOS Mojave 10.14.6 is likely to be one of the last updates to the macOS Mojave operating system as Apple will soon transition to work on macOS Catalina, announced at WWDC.
Twitter today announced the launch of a new Twitter.com experience on the desktop, which includes several new features and design changes.
The Twitter website on desktop has a whole new look that's cleaner and more modern, along with support for bookmarks so you can save tweets plus an easily accessible Explore page for getting a quick look at what's trending. Design wise, it's similar to the Twitter for mobile experience.
Account switching can be done using the side navigation bar, which is an easier way to manage multiple accounts. The new Dim and Dark Mode Lights Out themes have been added, and there are other new color options to personalize your profile.
So fresh, so clean. The updated https://t.co/JFPfsFhrLg is here. We heard you, and here’s some of what’s new:
Built-in personalization, like colors and text size ☑️ More visible features, like Lists and Bookmarks ☑️
And so much more! Let us know what you think. https://t.co/Q5nkCw9Y2n
— Twitter Design (@TwitterDesign) July 15, 2019
Conversations are easier to follow thanks to new conversation threading tools, and along with better access to bookmarks, the new web experience offers up quick access to lists and profile options.
On the Twitter.com website, some people will see an option to enable the new look now, and Twitter says it will be launching for everyone in the near future.
New features and a new look are launching soon. Bookmarks, account switching, dark mode, and so much more -- before long, you'll be able to see what's happening even faster.
Twitter has long been teasing its updated web experience, and Twitter for web users won't have to wait much longer to give it a try.
The 2019 MacBook Air, refreshed last week, appears to have a slower SSD than the 2018 MacBook Air, according to testing by French site Consomac. Using testing with the Blackmagic Disk Speed benchmarking test, the site found that the read speeds of the new SSD are lower.
A test of the 2019 MacBook Air with 256GB of storage demonstrated write speeds of 1GB/s and read speeds of 1.3GB/s. An equivalent model released in 2018 featured write speeds of 920MB/s and read speeds of 2GB/s. While write speeds are on par with the older machine (and are even slightly better), read speeds have dropped 35 percent.
Consomac also saw write speeds of 500MB/s in the 128GB 2019 MacBook Air and read speeds of 1.3GB/s, but this is similar to the performance of the 128GB 2018 MacBook Air as that machine also featured large differences between read and write performance. Higher capacity SSDs were not tested, but may display the same slight decline in performance.
The 2019 MacBook Air features an updated True Tone display and a price drop, starting at $1,099 instead of $1,199. Students are able to get the new machine even cheaper, with the MacBook Air now priced at $999 with educational pricing.
It's possible Apple went with slower SSD performance in order to drop the MacBook Air's price to a more affordable level, and it's not a change that most MacBook Air users are likely to notice in day to day usage of the machine, especially those upgrading from a much older model.
