World Emoji Day kicks off on July 17, and in celebration of the event, Apple today shared details on new emoji that are coming to iOS devices "later this year" as part of the Unicode 11 emoji release.
Apple plans to introduce 70 new emoji characters later this year, with new options for red hair, gray hair, curly hair, and no hair, along with smiley faces that include cold face, party face, pleading face, and face with hearts.
Super heroes, an eye-shaped nazar amulet, and an infinity symbol will be added, along with new animals such as kangaroo, peacock, parrot, and lobster. New food items include mango, lettuce, cupcake, and moon cake.
A full list of the emoji included in Unicode 11 are listed on the Emojipedia site, and Emojipedia was also able to interview Alan Dye, Apple's VP of User Interface Design to get some insight into how Apple designs new emoji.
According to Dye, when designing new emoji characters, Apple aims for a design that's "the most iconic" and "the most timeless representation" of the item in question. There's no specific formula, though, behind the look of each individual emoji.
"Without a doubt, we want it to always feel like an Apple emoji and that's what we're going for, but we really make that decision on a case by case basis," Dye said.
Apple often discusses adding more diverse options, such as emojis for black families, but it's a challenge to come up with an appropriate interface. "I think that you need a UI that can accommodate the variations," Dye told Emojipedia.
All of the new emoji Apple shared today will be available across iOS, macOS, and watchOS, joining the hundreds of emoji options that are already available. Apple has not said when the new emoji will be released, but they could come out either alongside the release of iOS 12 this September or in an iOS 12 update later this year.
Today kicks off Amazon's annual Prime Day shopping event, offering customers with an Amazon Prime subscription the chance to save money on nearly countless items across the retailer's storefront.
Since we routinely share great deals on Apple products and accessories being sold on Amazon, we've launched a live blog today that will track notable Prime Day discounts from Apple accessory makers like Anker and EasyAcc, as well as other interesting sales as they go live. Prime Day will officially begin this afternoon at 3 p.m. ET and continue for 36 hours afterwards.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Before that time, Amazon has debuted early access Prime Day discounts on its own range of Alexa and Echo devices, with up to 50 percent off of products like the Echo Look, Fire TV Stick, Fire HD 10 tablet, and more, which are expected to last throughout Prime Day.
In contrast to deals that last for a majority of the event, there will also be limited-time lightning deals that appear at different times throughout the day and night, and only last for an hour or so.
In this live blog, we'll be tracking lightning deals, longer-lasting discounts, and competitor sales as products get marked down throughout Prime Day, so be sure to bookmark this page and check back for new bargains as Amazon's mid-year shopping event continues into Wednesday morning.
Prime Day is over for 2018 – check back next year!
Apple is widely rumored to introduce a trio of new iPhones in September, including a second-generation 5.8-inch iPhone X, a larger 6.46-inch version dubbed iPhone X Plus, and a 6.1-inch model with only some iPhone X features.
Galaxy S9
Perhaps inspired by those plans, respected analyst Ming-Chi Kuo claims that Samsung will follow suit with its Galaxy S10 lineup next year, including 5.8-inch, 6.1-inch, and 6.4-inch models. Kuo outlined his predictions in his latest research note with TF International Securities, seen by Business Insider.
Kuo notes that the 6.1-inch and 6.4-inch models will be equipped with an ultrasonic fingerprint scanner built into the display, a feature that Apple decided against on the iPhone X. The technology will also be built into the Galaxy Note 10 later in 2019, according to his research note.
Korean website The Bell previously reported that one of the Galaxy S10 models will be a lower-cost option, in line with the rumored 6.1-inch iPhone, which is expected to have some iPhone X features like Face ID, and an edge-to-edge display with a notch, but lack others, like an OLED display.
The lower-cost Galaxy S10 will also have tradeoffs, such as a fingerprint scanner built into the edge of the device, according to Kuo.
The Bell also said the Galaxy S10+ will feature five camera lenses: three on the back, and two on the front. The rear system is said to include the same 12-megapixel wide-angle lens and 12-megapixel telephoto lens as the Galaxy S9+, plus an all-new 16-megapixel 120º ultra-wide-angle lens.
Apple is also rumored to introduce at least one new iPhone with a triple-lens rear camera in 2019, but likely not until September, which would likely be after the first triple-lens Galaxy S10 is released, so it's not always Samsung following second. Huawei was first to release a triple-lens smartphone regardless.
Samsung is also said to be considering adding 3D facial recognition to the Galaxy S9 lineup, in line with Face ID on the iPhone X. Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S9 models already feature facial recognition, but it is 2D, and tests proved that the systems could be spoofed with a photo of a face.
One feature that Samsung has yet to copy, unlike several other Android smartphone makers, is the iPhone X's notch. Galaxy S9 models still have slim, uniform bezels along the top and bottom of the display, although Samsung has patented a notched smartphone design, and could use it eventually.
As usual, Samsung will likely unveil its Galaxy S10 lineup at Mobile World Congress in February 2019, with availability in March.
Uber today announced new tools for its iOS app that aim to simplify and streamline stressful pickup situations for both riders and drivers.
To start, there's a new "Spotlight" feature that will light up the rider's iPhone display with a bright, color-specific hue. The driver will be notified to which color has been chosen, so when the rider holds their iPhone in the air they'll know exactly who to pick up.
Uber has been testing such a system since late 2015 with technology that displayed a chosen color inside of the driver's car using a small mounted light. Those tests eventually became "Uber Beacons," which drivers can purchase to place in their vehicles so that riders can more easily find them.
The ride-hailing company has also committed to a new guarantee for on-time scheduled pickups, promising riders that they'll make important appointments when setting a specific time and place for an upcoming Uber ride. If riders are ever late for an appointment, the company will give them Uber credit for their next ride.
Lastly, Uber has added in short "Pickup Messages" that riders can send to their drivers and vice versa. The company says that riders can send helpful visual hints like details of clothing to drivers, and when the message is received the Uber Driver app reads it aloud so drivers aren't distracted. Uber first began allowing in-app chats between riders and drivers last August.
Next, Uber says that users can expect more features and updates aimed at "taking the stress out of the experience" coming later this year.
Best Buy today kicked off its latest discount event, marking down prices on MacBook Pros, Apple TVs, Beats headphones, and more for two days only. For students who don't mind purchasing last year's MacBook Pro models, Best Buy's new sale is particularly noteworthy since you can get as much as $350 off certain configurations and an extra $150 off with Student Deals.
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.
The cheapest model available is the 13-inch/8GB RAM/256GB SSD/3.1 GHz configuration, priced at $1,399.99 for students and parents of students, down from $1,799.99. Check out more of the MacBook Pros and other products on sale in the list below, and head over to Best Buy to place your orders before the offers expire tomorrow, July 17 at 11:59 p.m. PT.
MacBook Pro - Students save up to $500 / as low as $1,399.99
Apple Watch Series 3 - Save $50 / $279 for 38mm Aluminum and $309 for 42mm Aluminum
iPhone 7 and 7 Plus - Save $200 when you buy and activate on a monthly installment plan
Apple TV - Fourth generation for $139.99, down from $149.99
BeatsX - $94.99 in select colors, down from $149.99
DJI - Save up to $300 / Mavic Pro Quadcopter Fly More Combo for $999.99, down from $1,299.99
Linksys - Velop Tri-Band Mesh Wi-Fi System (3 Pack) for $399.99, down from $479.99
If you've been waiting for the next 15 percent discount on App Store and iTunes gift cards, PayPal's Digital Gifts eBay store today has launched its newest sale. For a limited time, anyone with a PayPal account can get a digital $100 iTunes gift card for $85, and you'll receive the code for the iTunes credit via email within a few hours after the purchase.
The credit will only be valid on purchases made on the United States App and iTunes stores. PayPal's iTunes gift card sales are limited and typically tend to last for a day or two, so be sure to visit PayPal's Digital Gifts eBay store and place your order soon if you want to stock up on some iTunes credit, or send it as a gift to a friend or family member.
Today is also the beginning of Amazon Prime Day, which has a collection of Amazon's own devices discounted this morning and will see an official kickoff later today at 3 p.m. ET. We'll be keeping track of many of Amazon's best tech sales in a live blog that will go up later today, and for more information on the latest discounts and offers be sure to head to our full Deals Roundup.
Apple has shared three new Close Your Rings ads on its YouTube channel in Australia, highlighting the Activity app on Apple Watch.
The fast-paced, 15-second videos each feature a different person — Eric, Atilla, and Yocelin — as they go about their busy days, closing their Move, Exercise, and Stand rings on the Apple Watch Series 3 in the process.
Eric bikes, walks his dog, purchases seafood, cooks, walks the stairs, and dances. Atilla runs, swims, plays table tennis, and shops. Yocelin plays basketball, dances, draws, tries on new clothes, and practises yoga.
Apple Watch users can close the Move ring by hitting their personalized daily goal for active calories burned, close the Exercise ring by completing at least 30 minutes of daily activity, and close the Stand ring by getting up and moving around for at least one minute during 12 different hours in the day.
Apple Watch users can also complete Monthly Challenges and earn Achievements badges by repeatedly closing the rings in the Activity app, and compete with friends and family, making it a motivating feature for many wearers.
These ads likely represent one of the final marketing campaigns for the Apple Watch Series 3, with new larger-display Series 4 models expected in September. The videos have yet to be uploaded to Apple's main YouTube channel in the United States, or elsewhere, but they likely will be soon.
Update: The three new Apple Watch ads are also now available on Apple's YouTube channel in the United States.
Apple sold fewer than a million iPhones in India in the first half of 2018, according to Bloomberg. The company has suffered slowing sales in the world's second largest smartphone market, which has reportedly seen three high-ranking sales executives leave Apple as the company restructures its operations there.
Among the executives who've departed are its national sales and distribution chief, the head of its commercial channels and mid-market business, and the head of telecom carrier sales, said the people, who asked not to be identified discussing internal matters. Apple's Indian sales team is now undergoing a restructuring, one of the people said.
Apple has a 2 percent market share in India, according to Counterpoint Research. It sold 3.2 million iPhones in the country in 2017, but high tariffs on imported electronic devices continue to push consumers toward cheaper alternatives from Xiaomi, Samsung, and other phone makers. In February, India announced the latest tax increase on imported mobile phones from 15 percent to 20 percent, and that came under two months after the previous increase.
Last year, Apple started manufacturing the iPhone SE and iPhone 6S in India in an effort to exempt the phones from import duties and reduce their price, but the company's facilities have yet to start running at full capacity. Apple doesn't manufacture its latest iPhone models domestically, so they still incur import levies.
"iPhone India sales were weak in the first half of 2018 and, even if they show a big jump in the traditionally strong second half, Apple will still fall short of last year," said Neil Shah, a research director with Counterpoint who spoke to Bloomberg.
Apple CEO Tim Cook has made upbeat comments about the company's performance in the Indian market, despite Apple's sluggish growth and single-digit market share.
Cook believes that young, aspiring Indians will look to upgrade their devices as they move up the socio-economic ladder, but sales have yet to reflect that prediction. Apple has also faced criticism for the poor performance of core services like Apple Maps and Siri in India, suggesting the Apple ecosystem has yet to align well to the usage and value of Indian users.
Last month, Apple initiated a Keyboard Service Program for MacBook and MacBook Pro, after determining that a "small percentage" of the keyboards in 2015-2017 MacBook and 2016-2017 MacBook Pro models may experience keys that feel "sticky," repeat, or do not respond in a consistent manner.
Apple did not identify a cause for the issues, which they call "behaviors," but they're believed to be caused by dust and other particulates becoming stuck in the butterfly switch mechanism underneath keycaps.
Apple has been servicing affected keyboards free of charge, with the process involving the replacement of one or more keys, or the whole keyboard. For the MacBook Pro, the replacements are second-generation keyboards -- often the 2017 variant with slightly different markings on the Control and Option keys.
Then, last week, Apple surprised us with new 2018 MacBook Pro models that feature an "improved third-generation keyboard for quieter typing." These models are not eligible, at least not now, for Apple's service program.
Apple hasn't directly acknowledged whether the quieter, third-generation keyboards dually address the keyboard issues, but iFixit discovered the 2018 MacBook Pro has a thin, silicone barrier underneath each key, which they believe are intended to prevent the dust and crumbs from getting stuck.
iFixit discovered a thin, silicone layer underneath keys on the 2018 MacBook Pro
For this reason, some customers have been hoping that Apple will start swapping out second-generation keyboards with third-generation keyboards, as part of its service program, but MacRumors has learned that isn't the plan.
When asked if Apple Stores and Apple Authorized Service Providers will be permitted to replace second-generation keyboards on 2016 and 2017 MacBook Pro models with the new third-generation keyboards, if necessary, Apple said, no, the third-generation keyboards are exclusive to the 2018 MacBook Pro.
Hopefully, in that case, it means that Apple has quietly tweaked the second-generation keyboard to be more reliable. It wouldn't really make sense for Apple to replace keyboards with ones that are just as prone to break again, especially if the third-generation keyboards offer a fix.
One possibility is that the third-generation keyboards aren't backwards compatible with 2016 and 2017 MacBook Pro models to begin with. The keyboard is actually one part of a larger component called the "top case," which also has a glued-in battery, and the internal design could be tweaked in 2018 models.
To initiate a repair, head to the Contact Apple Support portal, select Mac → Mac notebooks → Hardware Issues → Keyboard not working as expected → Bring in for Repair and book an appointment with an Apple Store or Apple Authorized Service Provider. Remember to back up your Mac before any servicing.
2018 MacBook Pro models feature the biggest yearly CPU performance gains since 2011, according to Geekbench founder John Poole.
Geekbench 4 scores indicate the latest 15-inch models have a 12 to 15 percent increase in single-core performance, while multi-core performance is up 39 to 46 percent, compared to the equivalent 2017 models.
A new 15-inch MacBook Pro with the best-available 2.9GHz six-core Intel Core i9 processor, with Turbo Boost up to 4.8GHz, has a multi-core score of 22,439, for example, a 44.3 percent increase versus a 2017 model with a then-best 3.1GHz quad-core Core i7 and Turbo Boost up to 4.1GHz.
Likewise, for the latest 13-inch models, Geekbench scores show a 3 to 11 percent increase in single-core performance, and an impressive 81 to 86 percent increase in multi-core performance versus equivalent 2017 models.
A new 13-inch MacBook Pro with the best-available 2.7GHz quad-core Intel Core i7 processor, with Turbo Boost up to 4.5GHz, has a multi-core score of 17,557, for example, an 83.8 percent increase versus a 2017 model with a then-best 3.5GHz dual-core Core i7 and Turbo Boost up to 4.0GHz.
Poole attributes the increases in performance to additional cores, higher Turbo Boost frequencies, and the switch to DDR4 memory.
2018 MacBook Pro models feature eighth-generation Intel Core processors, with up to six cores on 15-inch models and up to four cores on 13-inch models, both firsts. The refresh marked the first increase in cores since 2011, when the first quad-core 15-inch MacBook Pro models were released.
Interestingly, as Poole notes, the new 13-inch MacBook Pro with Touch Bar models are now competitive with 15-inch models from 2017 in both single-core and multi-core performance, essentially making it a smaller replacement.
Poole also notes that these Geekbench scores are preliminary, and likely to rise over the coming weeks, as on brand new machines, macOS completes several setup tasks in the background that can temporarily degrade performance. He says these tasks vary and can take up to several days to be completed.
Apple advertises the new 15-inch MacBook Pro as up to 70 percent faster, and the new 13-inch model as up to two times faster, than the equivalent 2017 models, but Poole told MacRumors that other benchmarks may show different results than Geekbench. Performance in real-world usage will also vary.
Geekbench 4 is a popular cross-platform CPU and GPU benchmark from Primate Labs, with apps available for Mac and iPhone and iPad.
Apple retail stores in the United States have received supplies of the new 2018 MacBook Pro models, which means stock configurations are available for in-store pickup and walk-in purchase as of today.
Both 13 and 15-inch models are available in many Apple retail stores around the country, but not all stores appear to have full stock at this time.
When the MacBook Pro was announced on Thursday, Apple said the new machines would be in retail stores later this week. The first orders placed on Thursday have also started arriving to customers, with Apple shipping some out as early as Friday.
In addition to the United States, the new 13-inch MacBook Pro is also available for in-store pickup in the UK, Germany, and France, but retail locations don't yet appear to be stocking the 15-inch model. In-store pickup is not yet available in Canada, Australia, or countries in Asia.
Pricing on the new 13-inch MacBook Pro begins at $1,799 for the entry-level 13-inch model with a 2.3GHz 8th-generation quad-core Core i5 chip, Intel Iris Plus Graphics 655, 8GB RAM, and a 256GB SSD.
Pricing for the 15-inch MacBook Pro starts at $2,399 for a 2.3GHz 6-core 8th-generation Core i7 chip, a Radeon Pro 555X graphics card, 16GB RAM, and a 256GB SSD.
Beyond the two stock 13 and 15-inch models, there are several customization options available for an additional price, with the top of the line 13-inch model priced at $3,699 for a 2.7GHz Core i7 processor, 16GB RAM, and a 2TB SSD.
The ultimate 15-inch MacBook Pro is priced at $6,699 for a 2.9GHz Core i9 processor, a Radeon Pro 560X, 32GB RAM, and a 4TB SSD.
Custom configurations are not generally in stock at most Apple retail stores and will need to be custom ordered from Apple's website. Custom orders placed today will arrive in approximately 10 days.
Apple has outlined repair options and parts availability for the new 2018 MacBook Pro in an internal document distributed to Apple Stores and Apple Authorized Service Providers on Friday and obtained by MacRumors.
If a defective 2018 MacBook Pro is taken to an Apple Store, the Genius Bar will be able to mail it to an off-site Apple Repair Center, which will be able to repair minor components beginning in late July, and major components beginning in late September, according to the document, which doesn't specify the minor-major distinction.
Apple Stores and Apple Authorized Service Providers will only be able to perform limited on-site repairs until service inventory of replacement parts becomes available, as is often the case with a new Apple product:
Apple says the new 13-inch MacBook Pro with Touch Bar models have a "new" power adapter, with replacements available in late July. The adapter is still 61W, according to Apple's website, and its external design seems to remain the same, so any potential changes may be internal.
Keycap kits will be available in mid-August. Hopefully they will be needed less, as iFixit discovered the 2018 MacBook Pro has a thin, silicone barrier underneath each key, which they believe is to prevent dust and other particulates from causing keys to stick, repeat, or function inconsistently. Apple hasn't confirmed that theory, only saying the third-generation keyboards are quieter.
Other service parts will be available in late September.
MacRumors received this information from a reliable source, but repair options and service parts availability may vary based on store or repair shop, region, and so forth. These are only guidelines that are subject to change.
To initiate a repair, head to the Contact Apple Support portal, select Mac → Mac notebooks, select the category and type of issue, select Bring in for Repair, and book an appointment with an Apple Store or Apple Authorized Service Provider. There are also phone, chat, and email options for troubleshooting.
The keys of the new 2018 MacBook Pro, which uses a third-generation butterfly keyboard, appear to be cocooned in a "thin, silicone barrier" according to a teardown that's underway over at iFixit.
According to iFixit, the quieter typing Apple has been advertising in the 2018 MacBook Pro models is a side effect of the new membrane, which the site believes is actually an "ingress-proofing measure" to prevent the butterfly keys from seizing up when exposed to dust and other small particulates.
To back up its claim, iFixit points towards a patent for the technology Apple may be using in the third-generation butterfly keyboard, which describes a "guard structure" that keeps direct contaminants away from the movement mechanism.
iFixit does warn, however, that while the silicone barrier is clearly in place, there's no way to definitively prove that it's a reliability fix rather than just a sound damping measure, citing statements from Apple to The Verge that have said the new keyboard design wasn't introduced to "solve [dust] issues." Apple also told The Verge and other sites that the issue in question has only impacted a small number of customers.
iFixit speculates that Apple is avoiding sharing the complete reasoning behind the keyboard redesign because of the class action lawsuits that it's currently facing over faulty 2016/2017 MacBook Pro keyboards.
Apple is in the middle of several class-action lawsuits for the failure of their keyboards, so of course they can’t just come out and say, "Hey, we fixed it!” That says there was a problem to begin with. But you’ve heard that clever analysis from John Gruber already. I’m just here to posit: the advertised boost in quietude is a side-effect of this rubbery membrane. The quiet angle is, quite literally, a cover up.
Since Apple unveiled the 2018 MacBook Pro with its third-generation butterfly keyboard, there have been questions about whether specific changes were made to address keyboard failure issues present in 2016 and 2017 MacBook Pro models.
Apple has been vague when answering questions about the way the quieter keys were implemented and if those changes also impact durability and reliability, but iFixit's teardown offers hope for customers who have been waiting for Apple to fix the keyboard problems affecting older MacBook Pro models.
Some 2016 and 2017 MacBook Pro owners have experienced issues with sticky, unresponsive, or repeating keys, leading to significant public outcry that eventually pushed Apple to launch a free repair program for those machines. As a result of the attention given to the issue, some customers have been wary about purchasing a new MacBook Pro because of possible future problems.
Future failure rates and anecdotal reports may be the only way to determine the true purpose behind the silicone barrier added to the keys, as Apple's marketing materials insist the change has been introduced to allow for a quieter typing experience, addressing an issue that few people seemed to have had with the 2016/2017 keyboard.
Earlier today, TechCrunchshared a video demonstrating the typing sound of the new 2018 MacBook Pro compared to an earlier MacBook Pro model, confirming that it is indeed quieter as Apple says. Multiple hands-on reports have also said there's a noticeable difference between the sound of the new MacBook Pro and older models.
iFixit plans to continue on with its teardown next week and may have more information to share, but given the interest in the third-generation butterfly keyboard, the site didn't want to wait to highlight potential good news.
iOS 12 introduces several significant new features like Memoji, Siri Shortcuts, Screen Time for keeping track of the time you're spending on your iOS devices, Group FaceTime with up to 32 people, new parental controls, ARKit 2.0, and more.
Along with all of the major additions, there are dozens of smaller, more hidden features. In our latest YouTube video, we've pulled out several of the most useful, less well-known features that are included in the iOS 12 update.
Accidental Screenshot Prevention - In iOS 12, accidental iPhone X screenshots are less likely to happen through a new feature that prevents a screenshot from being taken while the iPhone X's display is turned off. With the change, the screenshot feature is deactivated until the iPhone X's display is activated. iOS 12 also prevents screenshots from being captured and the camera from working when an iPhone or iPad has been restarted or powered back on after being shut down.
Quitting Apps on iPhone X - In iOS 11, you need to open up multitasking and hold down on an app to bring up a red "X" to close it. In iOS 12, things are simplified. With the multitasking interface open, just swipe up on an app to close it, just like you do on every other device.
Multiple Faces for Face ID - On the iPhone X, you can register two faces that will work with Face ID. Prior to iOS 12, you could only register a single face. Registering multiple faces is useful if you dramatically change your appearance on the regular, like putting on ski goggles, a scarf, and a hat.
Lyric Search - In the Music app in iOS 12, you can search for songs by their lyrics.
Do Not Disturb - Get to Do Not Disturb Controls in iOS 12 quickly through the Control Center. Just 3D Touch or long press to get Do Not Disturb options like activate for one hour, activate until this evening, or activate until I leave this location.
Bedtime Mode - iOS 12 has a new Bedtime Mode linked to Do Not Disturb, and if you enable it, all of your notifications will bypass the Lock screen and go straight to Notification Center so if you glance at your phone for the time during the night, you won't see a list of pending distractions. When you wake up, you'll see a nice "Good morning!" lock screen with a list of everything that happened overnight.
AirDrop Passwords - If you need to share a password between devices or with a friend in iOS 12, you can AirDrop it. With the iOS Password Manager open, choose a login, press on the password field, and select the AirDrop option that pops up.
Quickly Scan QR Codes - There's a Control Center option in iOS 12 that opens right up to the built-in camera to scan a QR code. It's the icon that looks like a QR code, and it can be enabled through Settings > Control Center > Customize Controls. Alternatively, 3D Touch on the Camera icon on the Home screen to get to a Quick Action for scanning a QR code.
To see all of these features in action, make sure to check out the video. What are your favorite hidden tips and tricks in iOS 12? Let us know in the comments.
Texture, the digital magazine service that Apple acquired earlier this year, recently dropped its $14.99 Premium price point for existing subscribers.
Texture Premium, which allows for access to both weekly and monthly magazines, is now priced at $9.99 for all customers, new and existing.
The price change was shared in an email from Harry McCracken yesterday, and confirmed today by Texture. Texture is streamlining its pricing plans and opting to sell a single $9.99 plan instead of multiple plans.
The price of Texture Premium for new customers was dropped to $9.99 some time ago, while existing customers had still been paying $14.99 per month. With the new pricing update this week, all Texture customers are now paying the lower cost for full access to all Texture content.
Prior to the pricing change for Texture Premium, Texture charged $9.99 per month for access to monthly magazines, and $14.99 per month for access to both weekly and monthly magazines, but now there's just one plan.
For customers who may have been paying less than $9.99 due to previous promotions, pricing has not changed, and they will still get access to Texture at the lower price point.
Texture provides unlimited access to more than 200 digital magazines, including titles like Vogue, Cosmopolitan, GQ, Rolling Stone, National Geographic, People, Wired, and more.
Rumors have suggested that in the future, Texture will be bundled into an Apple subscription news service that will offer digital magazine content.
Apple's new 2018 MacBook Pro models feature a third-generation butterfly keyboard, which Apple says has been improved for a "quieter typing experience."
The difference in sound between the quieter 2018 MacBook Pro keyboard and the older butterfly keyboard in an earlier version of the MacBook Pro has been demoed in video by TechCrunch, with the difference in sound clearly audible.
The sound coming from the 2018 MacBook Pro keyboard is noticeably muffled compared to the sound coming from the previous-generation MacBook Pro, which, as TechCrunch points out, sounds much more like a typewriter.
Multiple hands-on experiences with the 2018 MacBook Pro shared by various media sites yesterday have also confirmed that the new third-generation butterfly keyboard is a good deal quieter than previous keyboards.
When it comes to feel, though, reviews have said that the keyboard doesn't feel any different, as it's using the same butterfly switches with the same amount of key travel.
According to Apple, the focus with the third-generation keyboard was dampening key sounds, and the company has not confirmed if specific changes were made to address keyboard failure issues present in 2016 and 2017 MacBook Pro models.
Some 2016 and 2017 MacBook Pro owners have experienced issues with sticky, unresponsive, or repeating keys, leading Apple to launch a repair program for those machines. Apple is offering free repairs for affected MacBook Pro models, but it continues to be unclear if design changes have been implemented to prevent the issue, both in earlier machines and the new 2018 machines.
More information will be available on the 2018 MacBook Pro keyboard when it's unveiled through the teardowns that should be coming soon.
The 2018 MacBook Pros just went on sale yesterday, but Apple was quick about shipping them out and some customers already have the new machines in hand.
Laptop Mag was able to get one of the new 13-inch 2018 MacBook Pro models and performed some benchmarks to give us an idea of how it measures up to competing PCs. According to Laptop Mag, it the new 13-inch MacBook Pro is the "fastest system in its class."
The site's tests were performed on the $2,499 13-inch MacBook Pro with Touch Bar equipped with a 2.7GHz quad-core 8th-generation Core i7 processor, 16GB RAM, Intel Iris Plus 655, and a 512GB SSD.
A file copy test of the SSD in the new MacBook Pro, which Apple says supports sequential read speeds of up to 3.2GB/s and sequential write speeds up to 2.2GB/s, led Laptop Mag to declare the SSD in the MacBook Pro "the fastest ever" in a laptop. Higher capacity SSDs may see even faster speeds on disk speeds tests. A BlackMagic Disk Speed test was also conducted, resulting in an average write speed of 2,682 MB/s.
I had to do a double take when I saw how quickly the new 13-inch MacBook Pro duplicated 4.9GB worth of data. It took 2 seconds, which comes out to a rate of 2,519 megabytes per second. That's insane.
So we also ran the BlackMagic Disk Speed test for macOS, and the system returned an average write speed of 2,682 MBps.
To be fair, Apple’s relatively new APFS file system is designed to speed up file copies using a technology Apple calls Instant Cloning. But a win is a win.
On a Geekbench 4 CPU benchmark, the 13-inch MacBook Pro earned a score of 18,055 on the multi-core test, outperforming 13-inch machines from companies like Dell, HP, Asus, and Microsoft. That score beats out all 2017 MacBook Pro models and is faster than some iMac configurations. 15-inch MacBook Pro models with 6-core 8th-generation Intel chips will show even more impressive speeds.
The MacBook Pro took 16:57 minutes to transcode a 4K video clip to 1080p using Handbrake, faster than most competing machines and two and a half minutes faster than the 2017 13-inch MacBook Pro. It didn't win at an Excel VLOOKUP macro matching 65,000 names to corresponding addresses, but at 1 minute 16 seconds to complete the task, it was competitive with the Dell XPS 13 and Asus Zenbook, while beating out the Surface Book 2 and the Huawei MateBook X Pro.
One area where the MacBook Pro didn't quite measure up to other machines with similar specs was GPU performance. The 13-inch 2018 MacBook Pro uses Intel's Iris Plus Graphics 655 with 128MB of embedded DRAM and was unable to compete in a Dirt 3 graphics test, getting only 38.8 frames per second. All Windows-based machines tested offered much better performance.
Apple did team up with Blackmagic to offer a Blackmagic eGPU for gaming purposes and system intensive creative tasks, but the device is priced at $700. It does, however, offer super fast performance with a built-in Radeon Pro 580 GPU.
Additional benchmarks and details about the 2018 MacBook Pro models will surface over the course of the next few days as orders arrive and retail stores begin stocking the machines.
The new 2018 models can be purchased from the Apple online store, with prices on the 13-inch machine starting at $1,799 and prices on the 15-inch machine starting at $2,399.
Apple today announced a new collaboration between its Apple Developer Academies in Brazil and the Malala Fund to further advance education opportunities for girls.
Apple became the Malala Fund's first Laureate partner in January 2018. The Malala Fund, led by Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Malala Yousafzai, advocates for quality education and equal opportunity for girls around the world.
Apple CEO Tim Cook with Malala Yousafzai and students in Beirut, Lebanon
Through its expanded partnership with Apple, the Malala Fund will "harness the creativity and ingenuity" of Apple Developer Academy students and alumni in Brazil, providing them with the opportunity to work with the Malala Fund to design and develop apps aimed at furthering the Fund's goals.
Developers at the Apple Developer Academy in Rio met with Malala Yousafzai on Friday, where she said that with Apple's help, the Malala Fund will gain new tools to support its mission to empower girls, teachers, and policy makers through skill development, education advocacy, and school enrollment.
"My hope is that every girl, from Rio to Riyadh, can be free to choose her own future," said Malala Yousafzai. "Whether she wants to be a developer, a pilot, a dancer or a politician, education is the best path to a brighter future. By tapping into Apple's network of student developers, Malala Fund will gain access to new tools to support our mission of free, safe, quality education. The students in Apple's Developer Academy program share my passion for improving the world around us, and I am eager to see their innovative ideas to help girls in Brazil and across the globe."
Apple CEO Tim Cook also said that the company is "thrilled" to further its partnership with Malala Fund.
"We share Malala's goal of getting more girls into quality education and are thrilled to be deepening our partnership with Malala Fund by mobilizing thousands of Apple Developer Academy students and alumni across Brazil," said Tim Cook, Apple's CEO. "Apple has been committed to education since day one, and we can't wait to see what our creative student developers come up with to help Malala Fund make a difference for girls around the world."
Since it launched in 2013, more than 3,000 students have participated in the Apple Developer Academy program in Brazil, with another 500 currently enrolled. Apple has 10 sites in Brazil in Brasilia, Campinas, Curitiba, Fortaleza, Manaus, Porto Alegre, Recife, Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo.
Note: Due to the political nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Politics, Religion, Social Issues forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.
For this week's giveaway, we've teamed up with Eve Systems to offer MacRumors readers a chance to win the company's entire HomeKit product line, which includes an Eve Motion, an Eve Energy, an Eve Door & Window sensor, an Eve Button, an Eve Light Switch, an Eve Degree, and an Eve Aqua.
Eve Systems, formerly known as Elgato, was one of the first companies to create HomeKit products for Apple's smart home platform, and today, there are a wide selection of Bluetooth-enabled HomeKit products available from Eve.
All Eve products work over Bluetooth so there's no need for a WiFi connection or a hub, and because we here at MacRumors have reviewed many of the Eve products, we can confirm that they work well with any HomeKit setup. Eve offers a lot of nice little HomeKit add-on features for automation and monitoring, so it's worth checking out the product lineup if you're looking to improve your HomeKit setup.
- Eve Motion ($50) - Eve Motion is a wireless motion sensor that can be used as a trigger device that works with other HomeKit products. Eve Motion can do things like turn the lights on when you enter a room or turn them off when you leave, let you know if motion is detected in a room in the home while you're away, or trigger a product like a light or a fan when movement is detected. It works in complex scene and automation setups.
- Eve Energy ($50) - Eve Energy is a smart plug solution that turns any appliance into a HomeKit-connected appliance. You can turn an appliance on or off using Eve Energy, even when away from home, and you can see just how much power it's using. Like all other Eve products, Eve Energy can be paired with other HomeKit devices, included in scenes and automations, and controlled via Siri.
- Eve Door & Window ($40) - Eve Door & Window is a two part sensor that goes on a door or a window to let you know whether it's open or closed for peace of mind. With a door, for example, one side of the sensor goes on the door while the other goes on the door frame, with Eve Door & Window able to send an alert when the door is opened or closed. Eve Door Window can be used as a trigger in HomeKit scenes, turning on the lights and adjusting the thermostat when the door is opened.
- Eve Button ($50) - Eve Button is a physical remote control device that lets you activate scenes with a single press, double press, or long press. You can assign up to three scenes to the Eve Button that can be activated by anyone in the home. So you could set up a "Good Night" scene, for example, that shuts off the lights, turns down the thermostat, and locks the doors, all of which could be activated with a single button press without the need to get out your iPhone or use a Siri command.
- Eve Light Switch ($50) - Designed to replace a traditional wall switch, Eve Light Switch lets you turn your lights on and off using Siri and it allows them to be paired up with other HomeKit-enabled products in scenes, while retaining the functionality of a standard light switch.
- Eve Degree ($60) - Eve Degree is Eve's mini weather station, designed to provide the temperature, humidity, and air pressure. It has an LCD display so you can see the temperature at a glance, and it lets you view the temperature in the home when away or ask Siri for temperature details. Eve Degree lets you see and monitor temperature trends over months, weeks, and days, and it lets you use temperature or humidity-based triggers for other HomeKit products.
- Eve Aqua ($100) - Eve Aqua is Eve's latest product, designed to automate sprinklers and irrigation systems, converting an outdoor water faucet into a smart faucet. With Eve Aqua, you can turn the sprinklers on via Siri voice command or your iPhone, and you can automate watering times. You can also keep an eye on how much water you're using, both day to day and over time.
We have three bundles with all of the above listed Eve products included. To enter to win the giveaway, use the Rafflecopter widget below and enter an email address. Email addresses will be used solely for contact purposes to reach the winners and send the prizes. You can earn additional entries by subscribing to our weekly newsletter, subscribing to our YouTube channel, following us on Twitter, or visiting the MacRumorsFacebook 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 (July 13) at 11:15 a.m. Pacific Time through 11:15 a.m. Pacific Time on July 20. The winners will be chosen randomly on July 20 and will be contacted by email. The winners will have 48 hours to respond and provide a shipping address before new winners are chosen.
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