MacRumors

Apple has ceded its position to Walmart as the third largest online retailer in the U.S., according to a new report out this week (via TechCrunch).

Research provider eMarketer Retail calculates that Walmart is set to capture 4 percent of all online retail spending in 2018, up from 3.3 percent the previous year, while Apple will claim a 3.9 percent share, up from 3.8 percent in 2017.

emarketer 2018 forecast
Walmart, which includes Sam's Club and Jet.com, will see its sales total $20.91 billion by the end of the year, thanks to a 39.4 percent increase in e-commerce. In contrast, Apple's online sales will grow by 18 percent this year, a slowdown attributed to declining domestic smartphone sales.

Importantly, Walmart has one of the fastest growing ecommerce businesses. This year, its online sales will grow 39.4%. Wayfair, an online-only retailer, beats it slightly with a 40.1% growth rate. Meanwhile, Apple will grow just over 18% this year—less than last year— as domestic sales for smartphones and other consumer electronic devices begin to slow down. Its ecommerce share will remain virtually unchanged at 3.9% this year.

Both companies still trail first-placed Amazon, which is set to command a whopping 48 percent share of all e-commerce sales, up from 43.1 percent the previous year. Amazon will take in more than $252.10 billion domestically this year, according to eMarketer. eBay meanwhile remains in second place, with a 7.2 percent share of all online retail sales, down from 7.6 percent.

lightroomAdobe today updated its Lightroom app for iOS devices with support for Apple's latest iPhones and iPads.

Lightroom CC for iOS will now display properly on Apple's fall devices, including the 11 and 12.9-inch iPad Pro models, the iPhone XR, the iPhone XS, and the iPhone XS Max.

Today's update also introduces support for the second-generation Apple Pencil, allowing you to double tap on the Pencil to switch between paint and erase modes with selective tools.

Adobe's Lightroom for iOS is designed to work in conjunction with the Lightroom CC app for Mac, but it can be used on a standalone basis, too. Lightroom is free, but a Premium subscription is required to unlock cloud storage and all of the app's features.

Adobe Lightroom CC can be downloaded from the iOS App Store for free. [Direct Link]

Tag: Adobe

Tap, the company behind the futuristic Tap wearable keyboard, today announced the launch of a new TapAcademy app for iOS that's designed to make it easier to learn to use the keyboard.

Tap is a keyboard that you wear on your thumb and fingers, using a series of finger taps to type different letters, numbers, and symbols.

tapkeyboardacademy
Sensors built into the finger rings detect the movement of your fingers, translating your gestures into words for a novel, type anywhere experience. Of course, because it uses gestures, the Tap requires customers to learn a whole new way of typing.

In our Tap review earlier this year, we found it easy to learn to use the Tap through the existing Tap system, but this new method makes it even simpler to learn and then master.

taponhand
TapAcademy is a 30-day course that you use for 10 minutes a day to learn all of the letters, numbers, and symbols that you need to use the Tap effectively as a keyboard replacement for iOS devices, Macs, and more.

Tap says that its TapAcademy app will turn Tap users into expert tappers, with most people achieving speeds of 30 to 40 words per minute.

tapkeyboardcase
TapAcademy is available from the iOS App Store starting today, and the Tap Keyboard can be purchased from the Tap website or from Amazon for $179.

Tag: Tap

Alongside the new 11 and 12.9-inch iPad Pro models, Apple introduced a second-generation Apple Pencil, which is designed to work exclusively with its latest tablets.

In our latest YouTube video, we took a look at the new Apple Pencil 2 and compared it to the original Apple Pencil to highlight all of the improvements that Apple made with the second iteration of its iPad stylus.


Design wise, the Apple Pencil 2 is sleeker and smaller than the original Apple Pencil because of the elimination of the Lightning connector at the top of the device.

The original Apple Pencil's Lightning connector was always a questionable design choice. It was meant to plug into the bottom of the iPad Pro, but it stuck straight out and was inconvenient at best and dangerous at worst, as an ill-timed drop could cause damage when charging.

Apple's new Apple Pencil does away with the Lightning connector all together because the device is now able to charge via a magnetic connection to the new iPad Pro models. The Apple Pencil 2 snaps right onto the new iPad Pro, which allows for pairing, charging, and storage when it's not in use.

With no Lightning connector, the new Apple Pencil is lighter and easier to hold for longer periods of time, and it has a cleaner look with no metal cap at the top.

While the first Apple Pencil was round and prone to rolling off of flat surfaces, the new Apple Pencil has a flat side for connecting to the iPad, and that flat bit also prevents it from rolling as much.

In addition to these design and function changes, the Apple Pencil 2 introduces support for gestures. With a double tap, the Apple Pencil 2 can switch between tools in apps that support the feature, which is super useful because it allows for quick changes between a pencil and an eraser.

Apple is, unfortunately, charging $30 more for its newest Apple Pencil. The second-generation device costs $130, whereas the original was priced at $100. For users who have a new iPad Pro model, the Apple Pencil 2 is the only available choice as the original Apple Pencil does not work with the new tablets.

Likewise, the second-generation Apple Pencil is compatible only with the new iPad Pro models, so you can't get one and take advantage of the new features without also having a 2018 iPad Pro.

What do you think of Apple's new second-generation Apple Pencil? Is it worth the premium over the original? Let us know in the comments.

Related Roundup: iPad Pro
Buyer's Guide: iPad Pro (Neutral)
Related Forum: iPad Accessories

Apple's new 11 and 12.9-inch models are its thinnest yet, measuring in at just 5.9mm, and both forum complaints and a new bend test video suggest the two devices have the potential to bend without a huge amount of force.

On the MacRumors forum, there have been a few complaints of bending from MacRumors readers. Forum member Bwrin1, for example, posted a photo of a bent 12.9-inch iPad Pro suggesting it had bent from just a weekend trip in a backpack.

bentipadpro
The iPad Pro in question does indeed appear to have a curve to it, refusing to lay flat on a table. At the same time, YouTuber JerryRigEverything has posted a bend test video of the new iPad Pro, which indicates it has the potential to bend with a limited amount of force.


In the video, the iPad Pro snaps in half after what appears to be a moderate amount of pressure is applied to the device.

Despite the video and the forum complaint, this does not appear to be a widespread issue. There are a couple of other complaints from MacRumors readers who were seeing slight curves in their devices and received replacements or sent the tablet back, but there aren't complaints that match the complaints we saw back in 2014 with the original iPhone 6 Plus bendgate.

It's not clear if the new iPad Pro models are more or less bendable than previous devices, and bend tests are not reflective of real world usage conditions. All devices of this size will bend when enough force is applied, so it is no surprise to see the bend in the YouTube video.

If the new iPad Pro models are bending from regular use, that could be a more significant issue, and we'll need to keep an eye out for additional reports of bending to determine whether there's a serious problem with Apple's newest tablet.

Related Roundup: iPad Pro
Buyer's Guide: iPad Pro (Neutral)

Verizon today announced the launch of a new "My Numbers" feature designed to let you add up to four additional numbers to a smartphone with unlimited calling and texting, for a total of five phone numbers connected to one device.

To add additional numbers to a Verizon account, customers will need to download the My Numbers app from the iOS App Store.

verizonmynumbers
From there, Verizon users can choose the number to add from the available list, and it's ready to use alongside a device's primary phone number. This will allow customers to have one phone number for business and a separate phone number for personal use on one device.

With each number, there are separate voicemail and text messaging boxes in the My Numbers app to keep content from different numbers from getting mixed up.

According to Verizon, each number added to your smartphone will cost $15 per line per month.

Verizon's "My Phone" feature is similar to what Apple is doing with dual-SIM functionality in its latest iPhones, but it's not cross-carrier.

In the U.S., carriers (including Verizon) are not yet supporting the eSIM, which means the dual-SIM feature that allows for two phone numbers to be used at once is not yet available.

Tag: Verizon

For this week's giveaway, we've teamed up with SANDMARC, a company that makes camera lenses for the iPhone, to offer MacRumors readers a chance to win a kit that includes a set of Pro Photography lenses, a set of Cinema lenses, and a $100 SANDMARC gift card.


SANDMARC makes high-quality camera lenses that are designed to fit the iPhone 7 and later, with individual kits available for each iPhone. The Pro Edition lens set, priced at $289.99, includes a 60mm telephoto lens with 2x magnification, a 16mm wide-angle lens, a 10mm fisheye lens, and a 25mm macro lens with 10x magnification.

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The telephoto lens is ideal for portraits, animal shots, and other scenes where you want to get just a bit closer, while the wide-angle is perfect for landscapes. The fisheye is a lens that's used for super wide-angle images, and the macro lens lets you get up close to whatever you're photographing.

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SANDMARC's Pro Edition lens set also comes with an iPhone case that's designed to hold the lenses in place, but there are also four clips included if you want to use the lenses without the case. If you don't need all of the lenses, SANDMARC also sells them individually.

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Along with its Pro lenses, SANDMARC also has a $100 Cinema Edition lens, which will be included in the giveaway. The Cinema is a polarizer that is compatible with both lenses on the iPhone, offering up Scape ND4, ND8, ND16 filters.

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These neutral density filters offer up better aerial shots, introduce a motion blur for more natural looking videos, and compensate for variations in lighting. The polarizer filter is designed to be used when photographing water and can also bring out better colors in your pictures.


There are lens sets that are much cheaper, but SANDMARC is producing higher-quality components designed to compete with companies like Moment. SANDMARC lenses produce crisp, sharp photos that are free of the distortion and artifacts often seen with lower-quality options.

We have one SANDMARC bundle available, with Pro lens set, Cinema lens set, and $100 gift card. To enter to win, use the Rafflecopter widget below and enter an email address. Email addresses will be used solely for contact purposes to reach the winner and send the prize. You can earn additional entries by subscribing to our weekly newsletter, subscribing to our YouTube channel, following us on Twitter, following us on Instagram, or visiting the MacRumors Facebook page.

Due to the complexities of international laws regarding giveaways, only U.S. residents who are 18 years or older and Canadian residents (excluding Quebec) who have reached the age of majority in their province or territory are eligible to enter. To offer feedback or get more information on the giveaway restrictions, please refer to our Site Feedback section, as that is where discussion of the rules will be redirected.


The contest will run from today (November 16) at 11:45 a.m. Pacific Time through 11:45 a.m. Pacific Time on November 23. The winner will be chosen randomly on November 23 and will be contacted by email. The winner will have 48 hours to respond and provide a shipping address before a new winner is chosen.

We're now one week away from Black Friday holiday shopping, which will take place on Friday, November 23. Of course Black Friday isn't just one day any more, and sales have already kicked off today at numerous online and physical retailers. To help plan and organize your shopping, we've created this overview of the best deals you can expect to find while you're out and about next Friday, as well as the ones you can get online with a bit less hassle.

As you read, remember that most of these deals are not yet live, and you can find the specific opening times for each store in our full Black Friday Roundup.

Apple

Although Apple itself doesn't offer great Black Friday discounts, Apple devices and accessories will see many discounts this Black Friday.

black friday 1116 imageNote: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

iPhone
If you're on the hunt for an iPhone, Walmart will offer a $400 Walmart gift card when you buy the iPhone 8, 8 Plus, or X; and a $300 Walmart gift card when you buy the iPhone XS, XS Max, or XR. All iPhones must be purchased on qualifying AT&T Next, Sprint, or Verizon device payment plans, and this offer is valid in Walmart's retail stores only.

At T-Mobile, you'll be able to get the iPhone XR at no cost if you add the smartphone onto an existing line and trade in an eligible device towards the XR.

Those shopping for older model iPhones should keep an eye on Best Buy's iPhone 6s deal, which will discount the 2015 smartphone to $199.99 on both Simple Mobile and Total Wireless. At Walmart, you'll be able to buy the iPhone SE for just $79.00 on Walmart Family Mobile plans. Meijer will match this offer for the 32GB iPhone SE on Simple Mobile.

iPad
Target and Best Buy will discount the 128GB iPad mini 4 to $249.99 this Black Friday, savings of $150 from its regular price of $399.99.

2018 9
Another popular iPad discount is for the sixth-generation 9.7-inch iPad (32GB) from earlier this year (with Apple Pencil support), which will be available for $249.99, down from $329.99 at Target, Walmart, Costco, and Jet. If you want the same iPad with a little bit more storage, check out Best Buy's Black Friday discount on the 128GB 9.7-inch iPad, available for $329.99, down from $429.99.

For the brand new iPads, MacMall has already kicked off a sale today, offering the 11-inch iPad Pro (64GB, Wi-Fi + Cellular) for $899.00, down from $949.00; and the 12.9-inch iPad Pro (64GB, Wi-Fi) for $949.00, down from $999.00. Otherwise, we haven't seen any indication of other discounts on the latest iPad Pros on Black Friday.

Apple Watch
Target and Macy's have the best deal for Apple Watch Series 3 this year, with the GPS models starting at $199.99 for the 38mm Aluminum version, down from $279.99. 42mm models will run for $229.99.

If you prefer GPS + Cellular, both retailers will also offer savings on the upgraded Series 3 models, starting at $299.99 for the 38mm models and $329.99 for the 42mm models.

apple watch series 3 trio
Best Buy has an inferior deal of only $50 off Apple Watch Series 3 instead of $80, but it will have 25 percent off select Apple Watch bands, which should provide a great combo deal if you buy a new Apple Watch elsewhere.

Also of note for Meijer shoppers, if you buy one Apple Watch Series 3 for $279.00 (full price for the 38mm Aluminum) or more, you'll get one Meijer coupon worth $100 to put towards your next purchase (expiring December 24, 2018). While not a straight discount, frequent Meijer shoppers may find a preference for the in-store credit.

Mac
Best Buy has a few notable MacBook sales, starting with the 2017 MacBook Pro (8GB RAM, 128GB HD) at $1,149.99, down from $1,299.99. One of the best deals in this sale is for the MacBook Pro (16GB RAM, 256GB HD) at $2,149.99, down from $2,399.99.

2017 macbook pro sales
The MacBook Air (2017, 8GB RAM, 128GB HD) will be on sale for $799.99, down from $999.99. Lastly, the 21.5-inch iMac (2017, 8GB RAM, 1TB HD) will be marked down to $899.99 from $1,099.99.

MacMall has the new 13-inch MacBook Air (1.6 GHz, 8GB RAM, 128GB SSD) for $1,149.00, down from $1,199.00, and the Mac mini (3.6GHz, 8GB RAM, 128GB SSD) for $764.00, down from $799.00. These sales are already live.

HomePod

homepod and itunes gift cards
The best deal on Apple's smart speaker this Black Friday -- not to mention of all time -- will be at Best Buy. You'll be able to pick up Apple's HomePod for $249.99, down from $349.99.

AirPods
In one of the only Black Friday discounts known so far on Apple's AirPods, Newegg will have the wireless headphones for $139.99, down from $159.99, with the promo code BFAD155.

App Store and iTunes Gift Cards

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Related Roundup: Apple Deals

Nike today launched a new series of Sport Bands and Sport Loops for the Apple Watch on its website, introducing three unique colors: Celestial Teal, Olive Flak, and Smokey Mauve.

The bands are priced at $49 and are available in 40 and 44mm to fit all Apple Watch Series 4 and earlier models. Though sold by Nike and designed for the Nike-branded Apple Watch models, these bands will work with all Apple Watches.

nikenewsportloops
Nike is requiring customers who wish to purchase one of the new bands to sign up to be NikePlus members, but signing up for the site is free.

nikesportbands
Nike's new Apple Watch bands are limited to the Nike website and are not available for purchase from the Apple online store.

These three new band color options join the new Sport Loop that Apple introduced earlier this week in a (PRODUCT)RED colorway.

Related Roundup: Apple Watch 10
Buyer's Guide: Apple Watch (Neutral)

Popular weather app Weather Atlas, made by Contrast and Agile Tortoise, today received a major 2.0 update that adds new functionality and a new look to the app.

With the 2.0 update, Weather Atlas is now known as "Weather Up," a revamped name for a revamped app. Much of the app has been rewritten with usability improvements and fixes for lingering bugs.

weatherupcalendarsync
Weather Up's main new feature is Event Forecasts, designed to provide weather information about upcoming events that you're attending. Once you provide Weather Up with calendar access, it will let you know the weather conditions for your events, so you're never taken by surprise when doing something outdoors.

Along with the new Event Forecasts look and the new name, Weather Up features a new set of weather icons and a redesigned mapping feature. The Weather Up map features standard radar and cloud layers, along with options for temperature, humidity, and precipitation accumulation.

There are also warning layers for the map to let you know about incoming thunderstorms, tornados, hurricanes, and tropical storms.

Weather Up can be downloaded from the App Store for free. A Weather Up Pro subscription costs $9.99 per year or $1.99 per month. [Direct Link]

Anki has been making toys that use artificial intelligence for years now, starting with the Anki Overdrive set of racing cars and the interactive Cozmo toy robot, but this year the company launched its most ambitious product: Vector.

Unlike Cozmo, Vector is no toy, and is instead positioned as a home robotic device. Vector adopts capabilities from Cozmo, but his functionality goes above and beyond the tricks and games Cozmo is known for.

vector2
I've had Vector as my constant companion for a week now, and while he is far from the smartest AI I've interacted with, he's definitely the most lovable. It's fitting to think of Vector as a derpy, simpleminded pet that gets things wrong, but in an endearing way.

Vector is kind of like a personal assistant like Siri or Alexa, but with a more limited range, a physical body, and a more expressive personality. With a "Hey Vector" trigger word, Vector can answer questions, obey commands, play games, and more, serving as a friend and helper in day to day life.

vector1

Design and Components

Vector is a palm-sized robot that uses the same general design as Cozmo, Anki's previous robot toy. Vector is made from a black plastic material and he has a body that's filled with various sensors and electronics to detect and respond to the environment around him.

Vector has four wheels covered in tank-style treads that allow him to traverse smooth floors and rugs alike, a movable front arm that lets him interact with his cube and adds to his various expressions.

vectorsideview
Most of Vector's personality is expressed through his small front display, which is always on and is where his eyes are located. The display lets Vector demonstrate different emotions, and the animated eyes are always shifting and in motion, blinking, narrowing when he's thinking, worried when he detects the edge of a table, wide open when he's looking at you, and slitted when he's asleep.

The display also changes when Vector is answering a question and it is used for things like offering up weather conditions or displaying the time when these questions are asked of Vector. Vector's head component moves independently of his body, allowing him to adjust what he's looking at, giving the sense that he sees things.

➜ Click here to read more...

Tag: Anki

Apple back in April ended development on its AirPort line of products, which includes the $99 AirPort Express, the $199 AirPort Extreme, and the $299 AirPort Time Capsule.

At the time the accessories were discontinued, Apple said that it would continue selling existing stock until available supply was exhausted. It appears that point has been reached for both the AirPort Extreme and the 2TB AirPort Time Capsule, which have been removed from the Apple online store.

airport roundup
There are no longer any AirPort products available for purchase from the online store or Apple retail locations, with the exception of some refurbished AirPort devices that may continue to be available on the refurbished site.

Apple had not updated its AirPort products since 2012 (Express) and 2013 (Extreme and Time Capsule), and rumors in 2016, which ultimately turned out to be correct, suggested Apple had stopped development on the product with AirPort engineers reassigned to other devices.

In lieu of its own line of AirPort products, Apple is now offering third-party routers like the Linksys Velop mesh Wi-Fi system.

Apple's AirPort base stations provided some unique benefits that are not available through third-party options like built-in Time Machine backup support in the Time Capsule and AirPlay functionality for the AirPort Express.

Though the AirPort devices have been discontinued, Apple plans to provide service and parts for the current generation models for the next five years.

Related Forum: Networking

Apple today highlighted "Shot on iPhone" photos captured with its latest smartphone, the iPhone XR. Apple shared portraits, landscapes, and more that iPhone XR users posted on social networks like Instagram and Twitter.

Apple's iPhone XR is equipped with the same 12-megapixel wide-angle lens that's in the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max, and it has all of the same features like Smart HDR and Depth Control for adjusting the amount of blur in a Portrait mode photo.

iphonexraustinmann

Image via photographer Austin Mann

The iPhone XR is unique among iPhones because its rear-facing Portrait mode option doesn't require a two-lens camera setup.

Instead of relying on a telephoto and a wide-angle lens to separate the subject of a photo from the background, the iPhone XR uses software to create a similar effect. As a result, Portrait mode photos captured on the XR only work with people and aren't available for other subject matter like pets and food.


As a bonus, though, because rear Portrait mode on the iPhone XR uses the wide-angle lens with wider f/1.8 aperture instead of the f/2.4 telephoto lens used by the iPhone XS and XS Max, its Portrait photos can come out better in low lighting conditions.


The iPhone XR, like the XS and XS Max, uses a TrueDepth camera system for the front-facing camera with a 7-megapixel setup. TrueDepth on iPhone XR is identical to TrueDepth on Apple's pricier iPhones, allowing for a full front-facing Portrait mode with Portrait Lighting options.


Apple previously shared a series of images that were shot on iPhone XS and XS Max following the launch of those two devices. The company's full selection of iPhone XR photos can be seen in its Apple newsroom article.

Related Forum: iPhone

Apple has hired indie entertainment studio A24 to produce a "slate of films" for the Cupertino company, reports Variety.

Apple said it has signed a multiyear agreement with A24 that will involve multiple films, but further details are unavailable. It is not known if movies made by A24 will be released in theaters or limited to a future digital platform.

a24logo
A24 is responsible for movies like "Moonlight," "Room," "The Witch," "Ex Machina," "The Spectacular Now," "It Comes at Night," "Lady Bird," "The Disaster Artist," "Hereditary," and more.

A24 has existing deals with DirecTV and Amazon, and those deals will remain in effect even though the entertainment company has now entered into a partnership with Apple. A24 will continue to produce and release movies outside of its partnership with Apple.

Apple's deal with A24 is a sign that the Cupertino company also plans to delve into films as well as television shows. Apple has more than a dozen original high-profile TV shows in the works, but has thus far signed few movie deals.

Apple's original television shows and movies are expected to be included in an upcoming rumored streaming service, which could debut in early 2019.

Apple may be planning to bundle its service with Apple Music and an Apple News subscription service for magazines, and at least some of the content could be made available for free through the TV app.

Related Roundup: Apple TV
Buyer's Guide: Apple TV (Don't Buy)

Mophie recently announced the launch of its largest battery pack yet, the Powerstation 3XL, which is designed for charging Apple's line of MacBook and MacBook Air devices.

The Powerstation 3XL features a 26,000mAh capacity and 45 watts of power, making it ideal for charging devices that include the iPhone, iPad Pro, 12-inch MacBook, and new MacBook Air.

mophiechargerdesign
As you might expect with a 26,000mAh device, the Powerstation 3XL is not a small, pocket-sized charger. It's 6.6 inches long and 3.7 inches wide, plus nearly an inch thick.

You can fit this into a bag or backpack without much trouble, but it is bigger than even Apple's largest iPhone, the XS Max. The Powerstation 3XL weighs more than a pound (18 ounces), and it feels like a heavy, sturdy accessory.

The charger is made from a black plastic material that's covered in a soft, tweed material that makes it easy to grip and adds some flair. Design wise, this is a high-quality charger that looks like it's expensive, which it should, because Mophie is charging $200.

mophiechargerinhand
At the bottom of the Powerstation 3XL, there are two USB-C ports, one for plugging into USB-C accessories like the MacBook Air or MacBook, and one for charging the power bank with a USB-C cable. You can tell the two ports apart by a little line and a lightning bolt that indicates which side is used for which.

There's also a USB-A port next to the USB-C charging port so you can also charge USB-A accessories. In total, you can charge one device using the USB-C port and one device using the USB-A port at once, and if you plug in a USB-C cable and a power adapter, you can charge the Powerstation and your devices with passthrough charging.

iphonechargernexttoiphone
Mophie says the Powerstation 3XL has a Priority+ charging feature that will provide power to your devices connected to it via USB-C or USB-A before charging the power bank itself, so if you leave the whole shebang plugged in, your devices will charge and then the Powerstation 3XL will charge. I tested this feature out and did indeed see the Powerstation providing power to my iPhone and iPad before charging itself.

➜ Click here to read more...

Tag: Mophie

Apple today announced a new update for Final Cut Pro X, which introduces support for workflow extensions that will allow professional video editors to use third-party apps and services directly within the Final Cut Pro app.

Workflow extensions have been designed to match the look of Final Cut Pro, offering tight integration with the app. Media can be dragged into Final Cut Pro libraries, playback can be synced between extensions and the timeline, and more.


Extensions include Frame.io, which enhances post-production, Shutterstock, which allows for browsing and purchasing stock footage, and CatDV for media asset management.

fcpshutterstock
Workflow extensions for Final Cut Pro can be downloaded from the Mac App Store starting today, with Apple planning to add additional third-party FCP extensions on an ongoing basis.

Along with extensions, the new version of Final Cut Pro introduces batch sharing for exporting multiple clips or projects in one step, a new Comparison Viewer window is available for letting editors view reference images while working on color grading, and marquee selection has been improved to make it easier to select individual clips.

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Apple has added a new floating timecode window to make it easier for video editors to follow along with color-coded clip names, roles, project timecode, and source timecode, all presented in a customizable display.

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New noise reduction tools are designed to minimize artifacts in low light footage, and editors can create closed captions in an SRT format or burn them into a video for wider compatibility with various websites.

Motion, the motion graphics companion app for Final Cut Pro, is also being updated today. It gains a comprehensive set of color grading tools that match the color correction features available in Final Cut Pro along with new filters for comic and tiny planet effects.

Compressor, another FCP companion app, now uses a 64-bit engine that better takes advantage of all of the memory in a user's Mac and it supports SRT closed captions.

Final Cut Pro can be downloaded from the Mac App Store for $299.99. [Direct Link]

Motion can be downloaded from the Mac App Store for $49.99. [Direct Link]

Compressor can be downloaded from the Mac App Store for $49.99. [Direct Link]

Apple today seeded the third beta of an upcoming iOS 12.1.1 update to developers, a little over one week after seeding the second beta and two weeks after the release of iOS 12.1, a major update that brought multiple new features to iOS.

Registered developers can download the new iOS 12.1.1 beta from Apple's Developer Center or over-the-air once the proper configuration profile has been installed from the Developer Center.

ios12banner
The iOS 12.1.1 update reintroduces the feature that lets you take a Live Photo while on a FaceTime call, and it brings improvements for the FaceTime user interface.

Following the update, FaceTime features a reworked bottom bar that includes quick access buttons for muting a call and flipping the camera. Sliding up on the bottom bar brings up additional options with conversation participants. Previously, FaceTime users were required to tap on three dots to access a secondary menu with these features.

For the iPhone XR, iOS 12.1.1 allows Haptic Touch to be used to expand notifications on the Lock screen. iPhone XR owners are able to long press on a notification banner to see additional content, much as other iPhone owners can 3D Touch on a notification to expand it.

iOS 12.1.1 also adds a new option in Apple News to hide the side bar on the iPad when using the app in landscape mode, it introduces an option to turn off the physical SIM in the device in favor of the eSIM, and it tweaks the icon of the Apple Watch app so it looks like the Apple Watch Series 4.

Update: Apple has made a new public beta of iOS 12.1.1 available to its public beta testers.

Related Forum: iOS 12

Apple today seeded the third beta of an upcoming macOS Mojave 10.14.2 update to developers, one week after seeding the second beta and two weeks after releasing the macOS Mojave 10.14.1 update.

The new macOS High Sierra 10.14.2 beta can be downloaded through the Software Update mechanism in System Preferences after the proper profile has been installed from Apple's Developer Center.

macbookairmacosmojave2
We don't yet know what improvements the second update to macOS Mojave will bring, but it is likely to include bug fixes and performance improvements for issues that weren't able to be addressed in the macOS 10.14.1 update.

No new features were discovered in the first two 10.14.2 betas, but we'll update this post if anything new is found in the third beta.

macOS Mojave 10.14.2 comes shortly after the release of macOS 10.14.1, an update that brought support for Group FaceTime on the Mac and introduced new emoji characters.

Update: Apple has made a new public beta of macOS 10.14.2 available to its public beta testers.

Related Forum: macOS Mojave