Apple today seeded the first beta of an upcoming macOS Mojave 10.14.4 update to its public beta testing group, a few days after seeding the beta to developers and a week after releasing macOS Mojave 10.14.3.
The macOS Mojave update can be downloaded using the Software Update mechanism in the Mac App Store after downloading the appropriate profile from Apple's beta testing website. Apple's beta testing site gives users access to iOS, macOS, and tvOS betas.
macOS Mojave 10.14.4, along with iOS 12.2, introduces support for Apple News in Canada for the first time, allowing Canadian users to read the news in French or English.
The update also includes support for Touch ID-enabled Safari AutoFill and automatic Dark Mode themes in Safari. That means if you have Dark Mode enabled on macOS Mojave, when you visit a website with a dark theme, it will be activated automatically. You can see a demo of the feature here.
macOS Mojave 10.14.4 will likely be in beta testing for the next several weeks as Apple refines features and works out bugs. After that, it will see a release alongside iOS 12.2, watchOS 5.2, and tvOS 12.2.
Apple today seeded the first beta of an upcoming tvOS 12.2 update to its public beta testing group, a few days after providing the beta to developers and a week after releasing the tvOS 12.1.2 update.
The tvOS 12.2 public beta can be obtained by going to the Settings app on the Apple TV and navigating to the Software Updates section under "System." "Get Public Beta Updates" will need to be toggled on, and once it is, the Apple TV will download the beta software.
tvOS 12.2, paired with iOS 12.2, lets users ask Siri to play specific media on an Apple TV from an iOS device. You can, for example, ask Siri to play Modern Family on the TV in the living room. This works for music and TV content.
No other new features were discovered in the tvOS 12.2 beta as of yet, and it's often difficult to determine what's new because Apple does not provide release notes letting us know what's changed.
Apple is today seeding the first beta of an upcoming iOS 12.2 update to its public beta testing group, a few days after releasing the beta to developers and a week after releasing the iOS 12.1.3 update.
Beta testers who have joined Apple's beta testing program will receive the iOS 12.2 beta update over-the-air after installing the proper certificate on an iOS device. The update will become available right around 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time or 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time.
Those who want to download the new beta can do so after signing up for the beta program, which gives access to iOS, macOS, and tvOS betas.
iOS 12.2 expands Apple News to Canada for the first time, with Canadian iPhone and iPad users able to access news stories in English or French. The update introduces infrastructure for AirPlay 2 and HomeKit on third-party TVs, and it brings a redesigned TV remote in Control Center.
The update also includes some tweaks to the Wallet app, new addition to Safari, changes to the Downtime feature in Screen Time, icon tweaks, and more, with a full list of the new features available in our iOS 12.2 tidbits post.
iOS 12.2 confirms that Apple is planning to release second-generation AirPods with "Hey Siri" support, thanks to a hidden "Hey Siri" AirPods setup screen in the beta. The inclusion of the AirPods setup option in the beta indicates that Apple could perhaps be planning to release new AirPods when iOS 12.2 is released.
App Store developers have earned a total of $120 billion since the App Store launched back in 2008, Apple announced today. More than a quarter of that total was earned in the past year alone, according to Apple.
The App Store has seen significant growth in revenue with each quarter and it brings in a major part of Apple's growing services revenue.
The new App Store metric was highlighted as part of an Apple Newsroom article covering the launch of the Entrepreneur Camp, which allows female-founded app development companies to attend a program at the Apple Park campus in Cupertino.
Entrepreneur Camp is designed to provide female app creators with "the tools needed to thrive in today's global app economy." There are 11 female app founders who are joining the inaugural program, which will last for two weeks.
Each attendee will have access to an immersive hands-on technology lab where participants will be able to work one-on-one with Apple experts and engineers to accelerate their apps.
"In the past, starting a small business often meant having to invest in overhead, inventory or retail space. Today, a world of opportunity opens up with some coding skills and an entrepreneurial spirit," said Esther Hare, Apple's senior director, Worldwide Developer Marketing and executive sponsor, Women@Apple. "The App Store is the new digital Main Street, and creative developers are tapping into the vast potential of the global app economy. We hope that this program helps to inspire women around the world to learn to code, join the iOS development community and share in the thriving app economy."
Sessions on design, technology, and App Store marketing are included, as are ongoing guidance and support from an Apple Developer Relations representative. Apple says attendees will learn about new Apple technologies, including optimizing for the A12 chip, integrating CoreML into apps, building experiences for ARKit, and more.
Those who attend Entrepreneur camp will be provided with two tickets to the 2019 Worldwide Developers Conference and a complementary one-year membership to the Apple Developer Program. Apple has a list of the first app companies accepted to the program in its Newsroom article.
Going forward, Apple plans to hold Entrepreneur Camp sessions on a quarterly basis, with up to 20 app companies accepted for each round. As outlined when the program was announced, app-driven businesses need to be female founded, co-founded, or led, and must have at least one woman on the product development team.
Apple today uploaded a new iPad Pro video called "A new way to go behind the scenes," which, as the title suggests, offers a behind the scenes look at some of the recent iPad Pro ads Apple has shared.
Apple's latest round of ads featured a series of tutorials and demonstrations on using the iPad Pro features, all of which were created using an iPad Pro. There was some skepticism that the iPad Pro could be used to make the content, which appears to be why Apple has uploaded this video.
Each of the ads were filmed, edited, animated, and designed on the iPad Pro. The Filmic Pro, app, for example, was used during the filming of the ads, though the iPad Pros were mounted using professional equipment.
Luma Fusion was used for editing purposes, Keynote was used for animation, and GarageBand was used for creating music.
The original videos were designed to offer up highlights on what can be done with an iPad Pro, focusing on taking notes, going paperless by scanning documents, hosting a podcast, designing a space with the Measure app, and creating a presentation in Keynote.
Well timed with a report from The New York Times today that explained why Apple is unlikely to manufacture more of its products in the United States, Apple has published a press release highlighting how several components it uses are manufactured by U.S. suppliers such as Finisar, Corning, and Broadcom.
Finisar
Apple says it spent $60 billion with 9,000 American component suppliers and companies in 2018, an increase of more than 10 percent from the year before. Apple says this spending supports more than 450,000 jobs in the United States.
This includes VCSELs for Face ID on the iPhone X and newer at Finisar in Texas, iPhone and iPad display glass at Corning in Kentucky, water-resistance testing at Cincinnati Test Systems in Ohio, and wireless chips at Broadcom, Qorvo, and Skyworks in Colorado, Oregon, and Massachusetts respectively.
Since 2011, the total number of jobs created and supported by Apple in the United States has more than tripled from almost 600,000 to two million across all 50 states, the company says. Apple profiled a few of its supplier employees in its press release, providing a closer look at their operations.
Today only, you can save on the 12.9-inch iPad Pro from 2017 thanks to a flash sale at B&H Photo. The retailer has the 512GB model (Wi-Fi + Cellular) for $799.00, down from an original price of $1,279.00. This sale has all three colors available, and there are a few other storage capacities and Wi-Fi only versions discounted as well.
The main flash sale represents the lowest-ever price offered on the 512GB Wi-Fi + Cellular 12.9-inch iPad Pro by one of the big Apple resellers. Be sure to check it out below and head to B&H Photo before the offer expires tonight.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Additionally, popular Apple accessory maker Anker has debuted a new collection of discount codes on Amazon. These codes offer discounts on Lightning cables, wireless chargers, USB-C hubs, wireless headphones, power adapters, and more. We've compiled all of the new sales in the list below, and note that some require you to enter a code as well as clip the on-page coupon to see the full discount amount.
This month, Pad & Quill kicked off a new Warehouse Sale, with savings on Apple Watch bands, tote bags, iPhone cases, MacBook cases, and more. Check out the full list of sales below and then head over to Pad & Quill to place your order. Note that you can get even more off each item by entering the coupon code PQ16 at checkout to take an extra 10 percent off your order total.
Check out our full Deals Roundup for more information on this week's sales, including Apple's White Silicone Case for iPhone XS at just $19.50 over at AT&T.
Apple has held discussions with developers about a potential gaming subscription service, according to Cheddar's Alex Heath.
The report, citing five unnamed sources, claims the service would function like "Netflix for games," providing paying subscribers with access to a bundle of games for a set price. Apple began privately discussing the service with game developers in the second half of 2018, according to the report.
It's unclear how much the subscription will cost, when it may launch, or what kind of games Apple will offer. Apple has App Stores full of games on the iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch, Mac, and Apple TV, but many are free-to-download "freemium" titles supported by in-app purchases like coins and jewels.
The service, said to be in the early stages of development, could bring more visibility to paid titles like Alto's Odyssey and Monument Valley rather than freemium titles like Clash of Clans that dominate the App Store charts. Given how early it is, though, Apple could ultimately abandon the plans.
Apple has also discussed partnering with developers as a publisher, according to two of the sources cited, suggesting that the iPhone maker could handle marketing, distribution, and other related costs for select games.
The New York Times today published a story explaining why Apple is unlikely to manufacture more of its products in the United States.
The report reveals an interesting anecdote about the latest Mac Pro. In late 2012, Apple CEO Tim Cook touted that the computer would be "Made in the USA," but sales were supposedly postponed by months in part because Apple could not secure enough custom screws for the computer from U.S.-based suppliers.
A machine shop in Texas tasked with the job could produce at most 1,000 screws a day, according to the report. By the time the computer was ready for mass production, this shortage gave Apple little choice but to order screws from China where factories can produce vast quantities of custom screws on short notice.
Apple's manufacturing partner eventually turned to another Texas supplier in Caldwell Manufacturing, which was hired to make 28,000 screws, the report adds. That company delivered 28,000 screws over 22 trips, with its owner Stephen Melo often "making the one-hour drive himself in his Lexus sedan."
The report goes on to describe how the United States struggles to compete with China's combination of scale, skills, infrastructure, and cost. In short, American workers are typically more expensive and unwilling to work around the clock.
In response to the report, an Apple spokesperson told The New York Times that Apple was "an engine of economic growth in the United States" that spent $60 billion last year with 9,000 American suppliers, helping to support 450,000 jobs.
Apple has promised to release a new Mac Pro in 2019, but it's unclear where it will be manufactured.
Update: MacRumors has obtained Apple's full statement regarding this topic, consistent with a press release it has shared on Apple Newsroom:
Apple is proud to be an engine of economic growth in the United States, supporting two million jobs across all fifty states. Last year our spend with 9,000 American component suppliers and companies increased more than 10 percent to $60 billion, supporting over 450,000 jobs. Every one of our core products contains parts or materials from the US or is made with equipment from US suppliers, and we work with manufacturing locations in 38 states.
The revolutionary Face ID that unlocks iPhone and iPad Pro is powered in part by vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs) made by Finisar in Allen, Texas. iPhone and iPad include glass made by Corning in Harrodsburg, Kentucky. And Broadcom in Fort Collins, Colorado, Qorvo in Hillsboro, Oregon and Skyworks in Woburn, Massachusetts all make parts to enable seamless wireless connectivity around the world.
Last year we confirmed our direct contributions in the US would top $350 billion by 2023 and we are on track to meeting that commitment. From corporate employees and our retail teams, to app developers, manufacturing workers and logistics employees, Apple is creating jobs across the country and we are deeply committed to advancing American innovation.
Nine out of every ten iPhone users who upgrade their smartphone will stick with the iPhone, a recent survey suggests.
Consumer Intelligence Research Partners surveyed 500 consumers in the U.S. who activated a new or used phone in the final three months of 2018 and found that 91 percent of iOS users upgraded to another iPhone. Android users were also loyal, with 92 percent of respondents upgrading to another Android smartphone.
CIRP said loyalty for both iOS and Android has steadily increased, reaching the highest levels it has ever measured last quarter.
"Loyalty hit the highest levels we've ever measured," said CIRP co-founder Mike Levin. "Learning a new operating system takes effort, so fewer and fewer customers have found the need to switch. This, coupled with the quality and reliability of new phones is likely contributing to the longer upgrade cycles we are witnessing."
In the next official update to macOS Mojave, Apple's Safari browser will enable automatic Dark Mode for websites that support it.
Since the release of Safari Technology Preview 68 in October, Apple has been building support for the use of Dark Mode CSS, which can be enabled via its Develop -> Experimental Features menu. The experimental feature has now also made its way into the latest macOS Mojave 10.14.4 developer beta.
macOS Mojave enables users to switch between Light and Dark mode via System Preferences -> General. With the latest macOS developer beta installed, websites that support the new CSS query will automatically adapt their color scheme to match whichever system-wide option the user has enabled.
As noted by iDownloadblog, developers running the macOS 10.4.4 beta can test out the new feature by visiting software engineer Kevin Chen's website, which already supports the new Safari CSS media query. Everyone else can give it a spin by downloading the latest version of Safari Technology Preview, which can be run alongside vanilla Safari in any version of macOS Mojave.
AppleInsider reports that Apple engineers and key personnel were continuing to show interest in AR (Augmented Reality) technology companies at this year's Consumer Electronics Show.
More than half a dozen incognito Apple representatives, including employees of known subsidiaries, visited AR waveguide suppliers like DigiLens, Lumus, Vuzix and WaveOptics at CES 2019, according to a person with knowledge of the meetings.
Apple has been known to be interested in AR / VR technology for years with reports of hundreds of employees working on the technology. Tim Cooknotably said in 2017 that the technology to do AR glasses in a "quality way" didn't yet exist, indicating that they would wait until Apple could deliver the best experience.
Rumors of an Apple AR Headset reignited when a report in April of 2018 suggested that a headset was actively being developed with a launch target of 2020. Since that rumor, it was revealed that Apple had also purchased Akonia Holographics, a startup that makes lenses for augmented reality glasses.
At CES this year, Vizio announced that their SmartCast TVs would be receiving support for AirPlay 2 and HomeKit in a free over-the-air update later this year. This would allow iOS and Mac users to stream music and video to SmartCast-enabled Vizio TVs, as well as allow users to control the TV from their Home app on iOS or via Siri voice commands.
Vizio promised that beta testers would be allowed access to the software in the first quarter of 2019. Vizio has now posted a blog post (via Engadget) describing the upcoming features as well as a link to sign up for beta access (scroll to bottom).
If you have a SmartCast-enabled VIZIO TV and an updated iOS device, you could be selected to participate in the beta. Provide your email, and we'll get back to you soon with more details on how to get started.
Vizio has said that specific models as far back as 2016 will be getting the update.
Earlier this month, Apple lowered its revenue guidance for the first quarter of the 2019 fiscal year by up to $9 billion due to fewer iPhone upgrades than it anticipated, particularly in the Greater China region.
Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, however, believes the "worst" will be "soon over" in regards to the slowdown. In his latest research note with TF International Securities, obtained by MacRumors, Kuo opined that the "share prices of Apple and most iPhone suppliers are generally priced in the negative."
Our report published on December 14, 2018, was the first to cut the estimation of 2019 iPhone shipments to 190mn units or less; the current market consensus on 2019 iPhone shipments (160–180mn units) is much lower than our estimation and we believe the share prices of Apple and most iPhone suppliers are generally priced in the negative.
We maintain our forecast of 188–192mn units for 2019 iPhone shipments. We believe the downside risks of share prices for the Apple and iPhone supply chain are limited in the near term given that 2Q19 iPhone shipments will likely be better than the market consensus.
Kuo has slightly cut his estimate for iPhone shipments in the first quarter of 2019 from 38–42 million units to 36–38 million units because the "demand for new models in China and emerging markets is lower than expected," but he believes the decline will begin to ease starting in the second quarter.
Specifically, he estimates iPhone shipments in the second quarter of 2019 will reach 34–37 million units, slightly higher than the market consensus of 30–35 million units. That would still be a roughly 14 percent decline on a year-over-year basis, but far better than an estimated 29 percent drop in the first quarter.
As long as the US-China trade war does not worsen, Kuo expects the improvement to continue into the second half of 2019, with iPhone shipments likely to be generally flat compared to the second half of 2018 thanks to stronger replacement demand, trade-in programs, and market share gain in European markets.
Kuo maintains his forecast of 188–192 million iPhone shipments in 2019.
National Hockey League commissioner Gary Bettman, and star players Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers and Auston Matthews of the Toronto Maple Leafs, sat down with Apple's marketing chief Phil Schiller on Thursday to discuss how technology is improving the game of hockey for players, coaches, and fans.
From left to right: Schiller, Bettman, Matthews, McDavid
The discussion took place at the Town Hall auditorium at Apple's Infinite Loop campus in Cupertino, California, less than 10 miles from the SAP Center arena in San Jose, where the 2019 NHL All-Star Game was played this weekend.
One way the NHL has incorporated technology is by making iPad Pros available behind the bench, providing real-time video footage that helps players make shift-by-shift adjustments during games, and gives coaches a better idea of when to challenge a referee's offside or goaltender interference call.
"We love the collaboration that we have with Apple," said Bettman. "It has helped transform the game without changing the game itself."
"The game has never been as fast as it is," said McDavid. "You get out there, and these guys are flying around. We have two refs that are looking to call penalties, we have two linesmen, and it's not enough. You can't bring more refs. So what are you going to do? You've got to turn to technology."
"I usually use it to prove to Hitch that it wasn't my fault," quipped McDavid, referring to Oilers coach Ken Hitchcock. The comment drew laughs from the audience of about 300 or so Apple employees, according to NHL.com.
Matthews said he and the Leafs coaching staff use the iPads to study the face-off tendencies of opposing players.
Earlier this month, the NHL announced that teams will soon have access to a new Coaching Insights App for iPad developed by the NHL, Apple, and SAP. The app will provide 35 player stats and 30 team stats in real time, such as time on ice, face-off percentages, shot attempts, and chances for and against.
"Our collaboration with Apple and things like the Coaching Insight, which we do with SAP and their cloud platforms, are all designed to make it better for the players, make it better for the coaches and most importantly make it better for the fans," said Bettman. "So we're grateful for all we do together."
The app is expected to be available at some point after the All-Star Game break.
In related news, the NHL brought the Stanley Cup to Apple Park on Wednesday, providing Apple employees with an opportunity to take a photo with the iconic trophy at the company's new headquarters.
Following a report last week that Apple's chipmaking chief Johny Srouji was on Intel's list of candidates for CEO, The Motley Fool's Ashraf Eassa says that Srouji has informed his team that he will be staying at Apple.
Eassa, who follows Intel very closely, has offered no other details on the situation, so it's unclear whether Srouji was never seriously considered, withdrew his name, or was passed over as Intel narrowed its list.
I’ve heard that Johny Srouji is NOT a candidate for $INTC CEO. He apparently told his staff that he’s not going anywhere. $AAPL
— Ashraf Eassa (@TMFAshrafEassa) January 26, 2019
Srouji spent over a decade at Intel from 1993 to 2005, bookended by a couple of brief stints at IBM. He joined Apple in 2008 to lead development of Apple's custom A-series chips starting with the A4 that appeared in the iPhone 4.
Since late 2015, Srouji has been a member of Apple's senior executive staff, reporting directly to Tim Cook and overseeing Apple's custom work on batteries, application processors, storage controllers, sensors silicon, display silicon, and other chipsets.
Earlier today, registration info for seven new iPad models was discovered in the Eurasian Economic Commission Database, and now signs of new iPads and a 7th-generation iPod touch have been found in iOS 12.2.
Developer Steven Troughton-Smith has discovered references to four new iPad models, ranging from iPad 11,1 to iPad 11,4, two of which are WiFi and two of which are cellular. These model numbers do not correspond to any known iPad models.
Troughton-Smith speculates that the iPad model numbers could be new iPad mini devices, which would be in line with rumors suggesting a new iPad mini 5 is in the works. According to Troughton-Smith, none of the iPads have Face ID, which is what we would expect as a new iPad mini is likely to be positioned as an affordable, lower-end device.
There's also a reference to "iPod 9,1," which does not match up with any known iPod touch devices, suggesting it is a new next-generation model. The current sixth-generation iPod touch is "iPod 7,1," for reference. The iPod listed in iOS 12.2 does not appear to have Face ID or Touch ID, which is in line with the current iPod touch.
Previous rumors have indeed suggested Apple is working on a 7th-generation iPod touch, an iPad mini 5, and a new version of the lower-cost 9.7-inch iPad, which may actually be upgraded to 10 inches in its next iteration.
In theory, iOS 12.2 references four new iPads in WiFi & Cellular variants (perhaps mini, and 9.7"?), all without Face ID, and a (seventh-gen?) iPod touch with no Touch ID nor Face ID pic.twitter.com/xiJN6kmmTe
— Steve Troughton-Smith (@stroughtonsmith) January 25, 2019
Apple earlier this week registered seven iPads with the Eurasian Economic Commission, and at least some of those could be the four iPad models Troughton-Smith has discovered in iOS 12.2. Those model numbers included A2123, A2124, A2126, A2153, A2154, A2133, and A2152.
We first began hearing about Apple's work on a refreshed iPad mini in late 2018, and since then, chatter has picked up. Rumors have suggested a new fifth-generation iPad mini will be released in the first half of 2019, and with signs showing up in iOS 12.2 and the Eurasian database (where Apple is required to register all new devices), that prediction is sounding more and more accurate.
There's been mixed information about what to expect from an iPad mini update. A case leak suggested a vertical camera and quad speakers, but a photo of an unreleased iPad mini, which could be the new iPad mini, featured an older A9 processor and a design that's similar to the fourth-generation iPad mini.
A leaked case allegedly for the iPad mini 5
We'll need to wait for additional information to figure out just what features the iPad mini will include, but it sounds like it's going to be more similar to the current 9.7-inch iPad than an iPad Pro. As for a launch date, it's looking like it could potentially come when iOS 12.2 is released, perhaps in late February or early March. The rumored 7th-generation iPod touch could be released at the same time.
A photo of a leaked, unreleased iPad mini that could be the iPad mini 5
Apple has held events in March for the last few years, so it would not be a surprise to see yet another March event in 2019.
As iMore points out, in the Touch ID section of the Settings app on macOS 10.14.4, there's a new "Safari AutoFill" listing you can enable.
Image via iMore
With Safari AutoFill enabled for Touch ID, you can place a finger on the Touch ID home button to automatically fill in web form content.
Right now, you can use AutoFill to enter usernames, passwords, addresses, phone numbers, and credit cards, and more right into web pages, but you generally have to click into a form and then start typing before the AutoFill option comes up.
It sounds like the new Touch ID Safari AutoFill feature will streamline the process, filling forms with a touch.
macOS 10.14.4 also expands Apple News to Canada and it introduces automatic dark mode themes for websites, so if you have Dark Mode enabled and visit a website that has a dark theme available, it will be activated automatically.