Fortnite could launch on Apple TV at one point in the future, according to a new discovery by the @StormLeaks Twitter account late yesterday. As reported by esports and gaming website Dexerto, @StormLeaks found a single line within Fortnite's code that references "tvOS," suggesting that Epic Games may be planning to launch the popular game on Apple's fourth- and fifth-generation set-top boxes down the line.
Still, this is just a single mention of tvOS in Fortnite's code and shouldn't be taken as a guarantee that the game will be available to play on Apple TV soon. If it does, the game would likely require a compatible wireless gaming controller, two of which Apple sells for $49.95 on its website.
As it stands, Fortnite is currently available on iOS, macOS, Android, PC, Xbox One, PS4, and Nintendo Switch. Fortnite initially launched as a beta on iOS in March and then expanded wide in April. The smartphone apps are focused entirely on Fortnite's PvP Battle Royale mode, but the console and desktop versions of the game also include a PvE mode called Save the World.
Fortnite Battle Royale on iOS is free-to-play (like it is on all platforms), but due to in-game content purchases the app in June reached $100 million in revenue 90 days after launch. Fortnite initially launched wide in summer 2017 on consoles, macOS, and PC, focusing only on the Save the World mode, with Battle Royale releasing a few months later in September 2017.
Update: According to Epic Games, there are no plans to bring Fortnite to the Apple TV. From Epic's Senior PR Manager: "Epic isn’t planning to bring Fortnite to Apple TV. References to tvOS in the Fortnite files are the result of general Unreal Engine support for the Apple TV platform."
Netflix is already one of the highest grossing apps on the App Store, as many iPhone and iPad users pay for their subscriptions via iTunes/Apple ID billing, but the streaming video platform wants an even bigger piece of the pie.
TechCrunch today reported that, until September 30, new or lapsed subscribers in some 33 countries will be unable to pay using iTunes.
The countries: Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, India, Italy, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, Norway, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan, Thailand, and the UK.
A customer service representative for Netflix confirmed the test with TechCrunch:
During this time, customers in these countries may experience any of the following when launching the Netflix app on an iOS (mobile or tablet) device:
1. Ability to sign up in app with only iTunes Mode Of Payment. 2. Ability to log into Netflix but not sign up (sign up only via mobile browser).
We are constantly innovating and testing new signup approaches on different platforms to better understand what our members like. Based on what we learn, we work to improve the Netflix experience for members everywhere.
This means that some iPhone and iPad users who open the Netflix app will only be able to sign into an existing, active account, with no option to create a new account. By the sound of it, Netflix is hoping that these users will close the app, and sign up through its mobile website or elsewhere with a credit card.
Apple collects a 30 percent commission—15 percent after the first year—from users who subscribe via its in-app purchase mechanism, so it's pretty clear that Netflix is trying to avoid padding the pockets of one of its biggest competitors, which just so happens to be working on a Netflix-like service itself.
Of note, Apple's App Store Review Guidelines state that developers are not permitted to "directly or indirectly target iOS users to use a purchasing method other than in-app purchase," but it appears that Netflix has worked around this rule by simply not offering new users the option to sign up in-app whatsoever.
Google today updated its Wear OS iPhone app [Direct Link] and Google Fit Android app with a new redesign that emphasizes closing a set of rings, similar to Apple's Activity app. Every day, Google Fit will task users to close one ring based on "move minutes" and another ring based on "heart points" (via The Verge).
"Move minutes" is a metric that is intended to be better than measuring daily steps because it can capture multiple activities, and walking "might not be a great option" for some users, Google Fit senior product manager Margaret Hollendoner explains. "Heart points" differs from "move minutes" by requiring users to engage in activities that will get their heart rate up but not require heavy physical activity (although it will reward more points for intense workouts).
Hollendoner says that it can be "as simple as picking up the pace when you're walking." Both of these metrics are measured when wearing one of Google's Wear OS watches, but there are other options available as well. You can import health data from other devices compatible with Google Fit, although the company points out that the metrics might not be as accurate.
Similar to the Apple Watch, once personal data is input in Wear OS and Google Fit, the apps can offer up goals that it believes are appropriate for each individual user. The apps can also suggest that you might need another 20 minutes of exercise to hit a weekly goal, even if you slacked off earlier in the week.
Google collaborated with the American Heart Association and the World Health Organization to build the new rings and activity tracking. In the apps, users will be able to read more details about heart points, which AHA senior vice president Patrick Wayte sees as an "opportunity to get people oriented around the science," and eventually "align them to the guidelines" the AHA recommends for daily physical activity.
As a comparison, Apple Watch's Activity rings measure Move, Exercise, and Stand metrics, related to calories burned, high-intensity workout time, and time spent standing throughout a single day. For Google Fit, the company notes that it will still measure all of the basic stats as well, including daily steps and miles completed, and calories burned.
In an ongoing effort to boost sales in India, Apple is reportedly planning to upgrade its authorized reseller locations in five to six "extremely prominent locations" in India's metropolitan cities. The stores are being referred to as "Flagship Apple Premium Reseller" outlets.
While not official Apple stores, the locations will each be "at least three times larger" than the current reseller stores, which average about 1,000-1,500 square feet (via The Economic Times).
According to three senior industry executives, Apple may go up to as much as 5,000 square feet for the improved reseller locations in an effort to build them as "anchor shops" in malls and high-traffic outdoor shopping areas.
Apple will reportedly start construction on the flagship outlets first in New Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, and Chennai. Sometime after those locations, the company will then open outlets in Hyderabad and Pune. A specific grand opening window for these outlets was not given.
“With company-owned Apple Stores yet to take shape in the country, Apple wants some of the franchisee run outlets to up the experience game through this new format. This is part of Apple’s new India strategy to focus on selling on experience rather than discount,” he said.
Apple is even open to the idea of a couple of these flagship stores being as large as 5,000 square feet if a suitable location is available. “The key is getting the right location, which is not easy. A team from the company is identifying locations,” an executive said.
The outlets are part of Apple's revamped India strategy, which includes overhauling its relationship with independent retailers, long-lasting retail deals, and opening official Apple retail stores in the country. These official stores are said to open beginning in 2019 and eventually include locations in New Delhi, Bangalore, and Mumbai.
Apple's new strategy began when Michel Coulomb was hired to oversee the company's India growth at the end of 2017. Apple routinely struggles in the Indian market due to the higher prices of its smartphones in comparison to other manufacturers like Xiaomi, and other factors.
The other major aspect of the revamped strategy is Apple's services, which will be "aimed more closely at Indians" thanks to certain apps that will get major updates in the country, like a new Apple Maps coming by 2020. Earlier this year, Indian iPhone users discussed Apple's poor performance in this area and one user specifically called Apple Maps "a joke" in India.
While some services like Apple Music were favorably received, others like Siri were identified as low points for Indian customers, as the assistant "often struggles" with local accents and does not understand "many words of Indian origination" -- all pain points that Apple is hoping to address.
Apple has added two China-based manufacturers to its list of MacBook chassis suppliers in an effort to push down prices quoted by Taiwan-based makers, according to a new report today by DigiTimes.
China-based Shenzhen Everwin Precision Technology and AAC Technologies are said to have obtained Apple certification in 2017, and this year they began small-volume shipments of the metal-alloy chassis for Apple's notebook line-up.
Previous years saw Taiwan-based Catcher Technology, Foxconn Technology and Casetek Holdings dominate the supply of MacBook chassis, and Apple reportedly intends to continue relying on them because of their excellent manufacturing capabilities, but not before it has capitalized on the Chinese makers' lower production costs.
DigiTimes' sources indicate that for Taiwan makers, competition from China rivals will have more impact on their gross margins than on order volumes. To offset the impact, Taiwan companies have increasingly sought orders from Chinese brand vendors of high-end devices like laptops. Responding to the rumored potential of Chinese competition for Apple's business, for example, Catcher said its outlook for 2018 remained unchanged.
Apple is expected to release a new low-cost MacBook Air later this year that will be similar in design to the current MacBook Air, but with slimmer bezels around the display. Based on the latest rumor, the new machine will be a straight MacBook Air upgrade aimed at students and schools, with a lower price tag than MacBooks in the MacBook family.
It remains unclear how a new 13-inch Retina MacBook Air fits in with Apple's existing 12-inch Retina MacBook lineup, so the company's plans for its upcoming notebook range could still throw up a surprise or two.
Parallels today announced version 14 of its desktop virtualization software for Mac, offering macOS Mojave support out of the box and significantly improved application launch speeds over the previous version.
This update puts a heavy focus on enhanced storage optimization, with Parallels Desktop being around 20-30 percent smaller than earlier releases. The company says virtual machines can also save as much as 20GB of additional disk space depending on how they're configured.
Elsewhere, the developers have optimized the compression of memory states saved with the Snapshots tool, which takes on average 15 percent less storage space, while a new disk space wizard provides users with suggestions on how to economize storage, with advice on managing multiple virtual machines and VM snapshots.
In addition, Parallels 14 introduces several Windows features for use in macOS. For example, Microsoft Ink is now available for editing Office documents, and stylus support has been added to CorelDRAW, Fresh Paint, PowerPoint, Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop.
Parallels Desktop also now includes Touch Bar features on compatible MacBook Pros for OneNote, AutoCAD, SketchUp, Microsoft Visio, and other apps, while a Touch Bar wizard offers users the ability to customize Windows app shortcuts from Apple's OLED function strip.
Lastly, Parallels Toolbox has received some additional Mac features including new options to screenshot entire web pages, resize images and perform memory consolidation functions.
Parallels Desktop 14 for Mac is available from August 23. Existing Parallels 12 and 13 users can upgrade to the new version for $50. New users can sign up for an $80 a year subscription or make a one-time purchase of Parallels 14 for $100. Parallels Desktop 14 Pro Edition and Business Edition both cost $100 per year. Note that a Windows license is not included in the software and must be bought separately.
With watchOS 5, Apple has added support for WebKit, which is designed to allow you to view content from the web right on your wrist, something that's entirely new to the Apple Watch.
There's no full web browser so you're not going to see a Safari app for Apple Watch anytime soon, but you can now click on and open web links in apps like Mail and Messages.
If someone sends you a link to your Apple Watch in the Messages app, you can tap on it to open up a little mini web browser right in the Messages app.
You can open all kinds of webpages, from restaurant menus to airline flight information. Webpages are interactive and you can click on links and browse as you normally would.
WebKit in Mail
Just like Messages, if you get an email with a web link in it, you can open it up using the Mail app. You can also view HTML emails on the Apple Watch for the first time thanks to the WebKit integration.
Using Google and Other Websites on Apple Watch
As we mentioned earlier, there's no built-in Safari app on the Apple Watch for browsing the web, but you can cheat. Here's how:
From your iPhone or Mac, send yourself an iMessage with a link to Google.com (or any other search engine).
On the Apple Watch, open up the Messages app.
Tap on your name, and then tap on the Google.com link that you sent yourself.
Wait for the Google site to load on the Apple Watch.
Tap on the search field.
Speak or spell out whatever you want to search for.
Tap the search button.
You can load all kinds of websites on the Apple Watch, from Wikipedia to restaurant sites for finding menus, to airline check-in sites to websites like MacRumors.com. It's essentially a full browser that's been miniaturized for the wrist.
Some content will not load on the Apple Watch. You can't watch YouTube videos, for example, nor will other types of video content load. Complicated websites with a lot of content, such as news sites, can take awhile to load or can refuse to load all together, so simple browsing is best on the Apple Watch.
Where possible, the little Apple Watch browser will use Reader Mode for text heavy websites, so you will see simple, easy-to-view sites with no ads. Mobile optimized sites work the best on the Apple Watch.
Using Google in the Messages app for browsing the web isn't something that you're going to want to do all the time because it's slow and tedious on such a small screen, not to mention it eats up a lot of battery, but it's useful for an emergency where you need to look something up and don't have an iPhone handy.
For browsing the web on the Apple Watch, you will always need to use the search cheat because Apple doesn't allow access to the URL bar. You can tap it, but there's no way to enter a web address.
WebKit Gestures
WebKit on Apple Watch supports several gestures, which are outlined below.
Use the Digital Crown or a finger on the screen to scroll.
Double tap to zoom in and double tap again to zoom out.
Long press to access options for Back, Forward, Reload, and Reader Mode.
Swipe to move forwards or backwards through different sites.
Tap a text field to speak or spell out text.
How to Clear Website Data on Apple Watch
Being able to browse the web on the Apple Watch through Mail and Messages means that your Apple Watch is storing some website data. You can delete all of this data in the Settings app. Here's how:
Open the Settings app on Apple Watch.
Choose General.
Scroll down to Website Data.
Select "Clear Website Data."
Using this option will remove all website cookies, credentials, and browsing data. It does not appear that Apple Watch stores any browsing history in a viewable format, so there's no option to clear just history.
Availability
According to Apple, WebKit integration is limited to Apple Watch Series 3 models. WebKit and websites will not load on the Apple Watch Series 1 and Series 2 models.
Twelve South last month introduced its newest product, the AirSnap case designed to work with Apple's AirPods.
Priced at $29.99, the AirSnap is made from a supple, full-grain leather that molds around the AirPods for a perfect fit. The fit is tight enough that I had to put a little effort in to stretch it to snap the case shut, but like all leather, it will loosen over time. Expect it to change in color too, because as you use it, it develops a patina.
Twelve South makes the AirSnap in deep teal, black, and cognac, colors that match its iPhone case lineup, so if you're aiming for a matching look, it's possible with the AirSnap and a Twelve South case. These colors also aren't too far off from several of the colors of the leather cases that Apple sells.
The AirSnap features a main pouch the AirPods fit into, with a snap closure to keep the case closed for protection. The stitching around the case is well done and professional looking, and at the top, there's a loop for a metal swivel clip. There are two slits at the back to allow the top flap to open, and an AirSnap logo at the back. A cutout at the bottom for the Lightning port enables charging while the AirPods are in the case.
Because of the Lightning port cutout and the snap-open flap that can be pulled back to get to the AirPods inside of the AirSnap, there's no need to remove the AirPods case from the AirSnap.
You can put the AirPods case inside of the AirSnap and leave it there indefinitely, which is convenient. The snap can add an extra step, but I found that the act of unsnapping the AirSnap almost always opened up the AirPods case so there was no friction getting to my AirPods.
Similarly, closing the top flap of the AirSnap also closes up the AirPods case, so all in all, getting to the AirPods inside the AirPods case is similar to the experience using them without the AirSnap installed.
With the AirSnap protecting the AirPods case, it's going to be safe from scratches, and the included clip at the top also has the potential to keep the AirPods from getting lost inside a bag or backpack if you don't mind the risk of loss or theft.
Many of Twelve South's marketing materials and images show the AirSnap clipped onto the outside of a bag, which is definitely something I'd be hesitant to do. The AirPods have a recognizable shape that isn't hidden by the design of the AirSnap, which invites theft, and all clips can be prone to breakage.
There's no way to lock the clip once it's attached to a bag, and it also seems like it could be easy for it to accidentally come unfastened. That said, there are some bag and backpack options that have a clip for a set of keys inside the bag (usually attached to a long flexible cord) and in that situation, the AirSnap can be clipped safely inside where it's easy to find and not vulnerable to being lost.
I didn't have problems with the clip while I tested the AirSnap with my AirPods attached to my purse, but I did read about someone who used the AirSnap clip and had it fall off their bag (or get stolen), resulting in lost AirPods.
I'd feel a lot better about the clip if it weren't so easy to unclip, but it just takes a simple little press to get it unclasped. I did, however, appreciate the swivel mechanism, which made it easy to get to my AirPods inside the AirSnap.
Bottom Line
It seems counterintuitive to put a case inside a case, and I've never worried about my AirPods case scratching, but based on a few searches, it's certainly a concern for some people. There have been many complaints about the AirPods case scratching, and that's something the AirSnap puts a stop to.
AirSnap will also prevent the AirPods from getting dirty inside a bag or a pocket because of the protective cover, so if you often have the AirPods Case floating around inside your bag, AirSnap is a good way to prevent damage.
I think the clip is useful, both for finding the AirPods in a mess of other items in a bag (it's easy to grasp) or for clipping inside of a bag so it's always easily locatable, but I'd use caution attaching it to the outside of a bag.
Aside from clip design, the AirSnap is a great little case that's well made and seems worth the $29 asking price for those seeking a good quality AirPods case. The stitching looks great, the snapping mechanism is both secure and simple to use, and the Lightning port cutout offers easy charging access.
I'd expect that the AirSnap will work with the wireless AirPods charging case that's set to come out alongside the AirSnap. It's presumably using Qi wireless charging, which is able to work through cases as iPhones and other smartphones have demonstrated.
Apple is working on several new products for its Mac lineup, including a new low-cost MacBook Air and a Pro-focused Mac mini, reports Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.
The upcoming low-cost MacBook Air will be similar in design to the current MacBook Air, but with slimmer bezels around the display. It will continue to be sized around 13 inches, and it will feature a Retina display.
We've heard multiple rumors about the upcoming low-cost notebook, but it has been unclear whether it is part of the MacBook family or if it will be branded as a MacBook Air. Today's report makes it clear that the new machine is going to be positioned as a MacBook Air upgrade, aimed at students and schools with a lower price tag than MacBooks in the MacBook family.
Apple is continuing to make new MacBook models as well, and it's not yet clear how the company will differentiate the new MacBook Air from the MacBook. Right now, the MacBook's higher price tag, slimmer body, and Retina display set it apart from the MacBook Air.
Apple is also said to be working on an upgrade to the Mac mini, which has not seen an update since October 2014. Little detail is available about the upcoming machine, but it is said to be focused on pro users with new storage and processor options that are likely to make it more expensive than previous Mac mini products.
2017 rumors suggested Apple was working on a Mac mini that "won't be so mini anymore," which would be in line with a machine that has more powerful, less compact components.
Bloomberg suggests Apple could potentially be planning to introduce the new Macs in October, following a September event that will see the launch of new iPhones and new Apple Watch models.
New iPad Pro models with Face ID are also in the works, but it is not clear if these will debut in September or October.
Apple Pay is now accepted at all Costco warehouses in the United States, at in-store checkouts, according to the wholesale retailer.
Costco has been equipping its warehouses with contactless payment terminals over the past several months, and as of this week, it has activated contactless payments at all of its 750 locations across the country. Costco is also outfitting its gas stations with contactless readers, but only a few have gone live.
Costco had previously been trialing Apple Pay at a warehouse in Issaquah, Washington, near its corporate headquarters, and a handful of other locations, but only now has acceptance rolled out to all of its stores.
The tap-to-pay functionality of Costco Anywhere credit cards is also working now. Costco launched this Visa-branded card a few years ago, in partnership with Citi, enabling Costco members to earn 2% cash back on purchases from Costco and Costco.com. It also doubles as a Costco membership card for entry.
As one of the biggest retailers in the United States, Apple Pay acceptance at Costco was long awaited. Apple Pay will also be launching at pharmacy chain CVS and convenience store chain 7-Eleven in the U.S. later this year.
Update: Costco says it completed its contactless payments rollout in the United States on August 10, excluding its gas stations.
"We've added additional mobile payment options to make your next visit more convenient," said Costco, in a statement issued to MacRumors. "Costco members can now use Apple Pay, Google Wallet and Samsung Pay at U.S. Costco locations."
Apple today seeded the ninth beta of an upcoming iOS 12 update to developers for testing purposes, five days after seeding the eighth beta and more than two months after introducing the new software at the Worldwide Developers Conference.
Registered developers can download the new iOS 12 beta from Apple's Developer Center or over-the-air after installing the proper certificate.
iOS 12 introduces several major new features, with Apple revamping the operating system from top to bottom to make iPhones and iPads, especially the older models, faster and more responsive.
On the iPhone X, there are new Animoji characters along with "Memoji," which are customizable, personalized, humanoid Animoji that can be used both in Messages and in FaceTime, and there are new camera effects in both of those apps.
Apple originally planned to introduce Group FaceTime support in iOS 12, but the feature was removed in iOS 12 beta 7 and will not be reintroduced until later this fall in a future update to iOS 12.
Siri is smarter in iOS 12 with a new Shortcuts feature that lets you create multi-step customized automations using first and third-party apps that can be activated with Siri voice commands. Shortcuts can be created through the Shortcuts app, available as a beta from Apple's Developer Center.
Apple built comprehensive time management and monitoring tools into iOS 12 with Screen Time, allowing you to keep track of how much time you're spending in apps on your iPhone and iPad. App limits can help you cut back on iOS device usage, and robust parental controls are included for families.
Grouped Notifications make incoming notifications easier to view and manage, while a new Instant Tuning feature lets you tweak your notification settings right on the Lock screen on a notification-by-notification basis.
Apple News has a new Browse feature, the Stocks app has been redesigned and brought to the iPad, iBooks has been overhauled with a new look and a new name -- Apple Books -- and Voice Memos has been revamped with iCloud support and an iPad app.
ARKit 2.0 introduces new capabilities like shared experiences that let two people see the same AR environment on separate devices, and persistence, which allows AR experiences to be saved across multiple sessions. There's also a new Apple-built Measure app for measuring objects using AR capabilities.
iOS 12 includes a revamped and rebuilt Maps app that uses a new Apple-designed Maps engine that will display foliage, pools, buildings, pedestrian pathways, and other map elements more accurately. The new Maps also includes significant improvements to traffic, real-time road conditions, construction, and more, plus it will enable Apple to push out changes and fixes more quickly.
The updated Maps app is available in the Northern California area during beta testing. After iOS 12 launches, Apple will continue rolling out the new maps to additional U.S. locations across late 2018 and 2019.
Tons of other small tweaks and features have been added to iOS 12, so make sure to check out our dedicated roundup for additional detail on what's new in iOS 12.
New betas of upcoming operating system updates always introduce tweaked features and new functionality, and we'll be outlining what's new in the seventh beta below. We also rounded up all of the changes that were introduced in the previous betas: beta 2 and beta 3, beta 4, beta 5, beta 6, and beta 7.
iOS 12 is available for developers and public beta testers, with a public launch planned for September alongside new iPhones.
What's new in iOS 12 beta 9: According to Apple's release notes, traffic data might not be displayed properly in iOS 12 beta 9. Apple suggests affected customers Tap the ‘i’ button to reveal Maps Settings and toggle the Traffic switch on.
Start and stop times for Downtime might unexpectedly change if they were configured prior to installing the ninth beta, so Downtime start and stop times will need to be reset after updating.
Update: Apple has also made a new beta of iOS 12 available to its public beta testers.
Apple today seeded the eighth beta of a new tvOS 12 operating system to developers for testing purposes, one week after releasing the seventh beta and more than two months after introducing the new software at the 2018 Worldwide Developers Conference.
Designed for the fourth and fifth-generation Apple TV, the tvOS 12 developer beta can be downloaded onto the Apple TV using a profile that's installed through the Xcode software. Subsequent betas can be downloaded via the software update mechanism on the Apple TV.
tvOS 12 introduces support for Dolby Atmos sound, which was activated in the second beta. Apple says that when tvOS 12 launches this fall, iTunes will be home to the largest collection of Dolby Atmos-supported movies. Customers that have previously purchased movies that gain Dolby Atmos support will see free upgrades to their titles, much like the rollout of 4K support.
Building on single sign-on, a new zero sign-on feature will further simplify the cable authentication process. With zero sign-on, the Apple TV can detect a user's broadband network and automatically sign them into supported apps they receive through their accompanying cable subscription.
Zero sign-on will be available for Charter Communications customers this fall and will expand to additional cable providers in the future.
Aerial screensavers now include location information and there are new screensavers captured in collaboration with the International Space Station.
Other improvements tvOS-related improvements include AutoFill passwords from iPhone, an Apple TV Remote automatically added to Control Center on the iPhone or iPad, and Apple TV support on Home control systems like Control4, Crestron, and Savant.
tvOS 12 is available for developers and public beta testers to work out bugs and other issues ahead of a fall public launch.
Update: Apple has also made a new beta of tvOS 12 available to its public beta testers.
Apple today seeded the eighth beta of an upcoming macOS Mojave update to developers for testing purposes, one week after releasing the seventh beta and more than two months after introducing the software at the Worldwide Developers Conference.
macOS Mojave introduces a new method of installing software updates, so after you've installed the initial beta using the appropriate profile from the Developer Center, additional betas can be downloaded through opening up System Preferences and choosing the "Software Update" icon.
Apple's macOS Mojave update introduces a systemwide Dark Mode, with Mojave users able to choose between a light theme or the new dark theme, which changes the color of the dock, menu bar, apps, and other elements. Dark Mode is accompanied by Dynamic Desktops, aka wallpapers that subtly change throughout the day. Additional wallpapers were introduced in the fourth and fifth betas.
Stacks, a new desktop organization system, keeps all of your desktop files neat and organized, while Finder has been enhanced with a Gallery View, a Sidebar, a revamped Quick Look option and Quick Actions, so you can do more in the Finder window than ever before.
Screenshots can now be edited using Markup tools and a new management options that also allow for easy screen recording, while Continuity camera, a new feature, allows you to import photos and document scans directly from an iPhone or iPad to the Mac.
The Apple News, Stocks, Home, and Voice Memos apps have been ported from iOS to macOS as part of a multiyear project Apple is working on to make it easier to bring iOS apps to Macs, and Apple has introduced several new privacy protections to keep your data safer than ever.
Apple is also making it harder for websites to track you with a range of new Safari tools, and it's also easier to make and store secure, hard-to-guess passwords for each and every website.
Apple has added an entirely revamped Mac App Store to macOS Mojave that makes it easier to discover apps with a featured section and specific categories for games, creative apps, productivity apps, apps for developers, and more.
macOS Mojave was initially supposed to include a Group FaceTime feature that includes support for chatting with up to 32 people at one time, but it was removed in macOS Mojave beta 7 and the feature won't be available until later in the year.
macOS Mojave is available to developers and public beta testers to work out bugs and other issues ahead of an upcoming fall public release.
Update: Apple has also made a new beta of macOS Mojave available to its public beta testers.
Apple today seeded the eighth beta of an upcoming watchOS 5 update to developers, one week after releasing the seventh beta and over two months after introducing the software at the Worldwide Developers Conference.
To get the beta, you'll need the proper configuration profile, which can be obtained through the Apple Developer Center. Once the profile is in place, the watchOS 5 beta can be downloaded using the dedicated Apple Watch app on the iPhone by going to General --> Software Update.
To install the update, an Apple Watch needs to have 50 percent battery, it must be placed on an Apple Watch charger, and it has to be in range of the iPhone. It's best to install the beta on a secondary device instead of a primary device as betas have bugs to be worked out.
watchOS 5 is a major update to the watchOS operating system, introducing Activity Competitions so you can compete on workouts with friends, Walkie-Talkie with push-to-talk functionality for quickly communicating with the people you talk to most, and auto workout detection to make it easier to start and stop workouts if you forget.
Other new features include an improved Siri watch face with support for third-party apps through Siri Shortcuts, a dedicated Apple Podcasts app, new Workout types that include Yoga and Hiking, new features for runners, WebKit support for viewing some web content on Apple Watch, and enhanced notifications, which will make notifications on the Apple Watch interactive.
watchOS 5 is only available to developers and will not be provided to public beta testers (because there's no way to downgrade Apple Watch software), so non-developers will need to wait until the software is officially released in the fall to try it out.
The watchOS 5 update runs on all Series 1, Series 2, and Series 3 Apple Watch models, but it is not available for the first-generation "Series 0" Apple Watch models.
Yesterday afternoon, first responders were called to an Apple Store in Amsterdam, reportedly due to a leaking iPad battery on the premise. Apple has since confirmed that it is investigating the incident, but ensures that the store has been declared safe, and that there were no injuries of any kind reported.
Image Credit: AS Media
MacRumors received the following statement from an Apple spokesperson:
We're currently investigating the incident that took place at Apple Amsterdam on Sunday. Our staff were able to evacuate customers quickly and safely and the store re-opened shortly afterwards.
Apple says no customers were impacted, nor did any employees end up requiring any medical attention. The local fire department and medical professionals were alerted as a precautionary measure only. Apple says the fire department declared the store and damaged device, safe, shortly afterwards.
At 2:20 p.m. local time on Sunday, the Amsterdam fire department had tweeted that crews were on the scene. The tweet confirmed there was "no smoke" at the store, but three people with possible respiratory issues.
A spokesperson for the fire department cited a "leaking battery pack" as the probable cause of the incident, which reportedly caused panic among customers more than anything. It was an unfortunate situation, for sure, but headlines claiming an iPad battery exploded or burst into smoke and flames are inaccurate.
Our understanding, based on an anonymous but corroborated tip, is that a damaged iPad was sitting on a shelf in a back room, in a queue of devices to be repaired by Genius Bar technicians. At some point, employees noticed that the iPad's battery was leaking, and took the same precautionary measures as any thermal event.
The fire department reportedly aired out the store by around 3:00 p.m. local time, after which time it re-opened for business as usual.
Pre-orders for Apple's 2018 iPhone lineup will take place on Friday, September 14, according to information Macerkopf sourced from German carriers.
German mobile service providers are said to be planning for pre-orders that will take place on September 14, which would suggest an announcement earlier in the week, perhaps on September 11 or 12.
Apple often announces new iPhones during the second week of September, so we have been counting on an event right around September 12. A September 14 pre-order date is in line with past pre-order and event dates, which are listed below:
2010 - Monday, June 7
2011 - Tuesday, October 4
2012 - Wednesday, September 12
2013 - Tuesday, September 10
2014 - Tuesday, September 9
2015 - Wednesday, September 9
2016 - Wednesday, September 7
2017 - Tuesday, September 12
Apple typically unveils new iPhones on Tuesdays rather than Wednesdays, but because Tuesday falls on September 11, there has been some speculation that Apple will avoid holding an event on that day.
Back in 2012, when September 11 also fell on a Tuesday, Apple opted to hold its event on Wednesday, September 12 instead, and it's believed Apple will do the same thing this year.
Following the September 14 pre-order date, iPhones will begin delivering to customers the following Friday, September 21, which will probably be the official launch date for the device.
Apple is expected to send out media invites for its event at the end of August, which is when the date will be confirmed. This year's event is likely to be held at the Steve Jobs Theater on the new Apple Park campus.
This year, Apple is rumored to be unveiling three new iPhones, all of which will sport edge-to-edge displays, no Home button, and support for Face ID. There will be a second-generation 5.8-inch OLED iPhone, a larger 6.5-inch OLED iPhone, and a more affordable 6.1-inch LCD iPhone.
Popular iOS and Android weather app Dark Sky has updated with "one of the biggest overhauls" to date, according to a new blog post that the company shared online today.
The update introduces a new visual look and the home screen now has a "unified timeline," which combines various aspects of your local forecast onto one page instead of separating them into multiple areas. Now, you can view the current conditions, next hour rain, next 24 hours, and next week forecasts in one scrollable tab.
At the top of the Forecast tab Dark Sky now has a precipitation map below the current temperature and next-hour graph. This should "provide more context" to forecasts when quickly launching the app, according to the developers.
For the next 24 hours forecast, you can tap between the temperature, "feels-like" temperature, precipitation, wind, wind gust, humidity, dew point, UV index, and cloud cover by scrolling through the red text under the graph. This updates the graph with the relevant information, and is also available to look at for days in the upcoming week.
At the bottom of this tab is a "Time Machine" feature that shows the weather going back decades, and can also provide seasonal average weather for days beyond the next week. Grossman points out that this can be useful for planning trips and vacations.
The previous Dark Sky (left) compared to the new (right)
The next major addition is a saved locations feature, which is a standard addition to many weather apps that Dark Sky has lacked over the years. Now, you can save multiple locations in the app to check the weather in different cities by swiping the forecast left or right.
Notifications have been improved, with custom notifications that let you create your own weather alerts for the conditions you care about. Instead of alerts solely tied to precipitation, now you can create push notifications that warn you about high UV indexes and more. To do this, you will have to set location access to "always" for Dark Sky in the iOS settings app and allow notifications.
There are also new updates to the app's iconography and completely rewritten internals:
We’re incredibly grateful to The Iconfactory for redesigning our set of weather icons. Gone are the stark black-and-white glyphs, having been replaced with more easily recognizable — and colorful — icons and buttons.
This update isn't just a visual refresh: On iOS, we’ve completely rewritten the internals of the app from scratch. It is, effectively, an entirely new app. This means it should be far more stable and responsive, it loads faster, and it sets us up to much more easily incorporate new features and enhancements in the future.
Dark Sky has been a popular third-party alternative to Apple's own Weather iOS app for a few years now, particularly for its ability to warn you about impending bad weather. Apple has highlighted the Dark Sky app and its useful features in the past, particularly in a short Apple Watch commercial titled "Rain" from 2016.
Grossman says that with the launch of the new update, users can expect to see "more frequent" updates as well from now on, with new features already in the works. Dark Sky users on iOS and Android can get the new update for free starting today, and those who haven't downloaded the app yet can do so for $3.99.
A translated China Times report today claims that the wireless charging coil on at least one of Apple's widely rumored trio of 2018 iPhones will be made from copper wire instead of FPC, short for ferrite polymer composite, allowing for both faster and more efficient wireless charging from a technical standpoint.
Essentially, the report claims that Apple will be switching from thinner FPC coils with higher resistance to thicker copper wire coils with lower resistance for the wireless charging receiver built into iPhones.
Since high power and high efficiency are the trend of wireless charging, it is expected that at least one of the three iPhones in 2018 will abandon the FPC to adopt a copper coil solution to achieve the above goal, and because the copper wire coil resistance is small. It can also offset the thermal effects generated by the increase in power.
The reduced resistance would allow Apple to increase the power threshold that iPhones can safely handle via wireless charging, without overheating, which could result in faster and more efficient charging via Qi-certified mats, although this would still depend on the wattage that a particular mat outputs.
For context, FPC is a mixture of iron, at least one other metal, and plastic, whereas copper is a more pure material. Both have electromagnetic induction properties, making them suitable for wireless charging coils.
The latest iPhones support wireless charging at up to 7.5W, which actually isn't much faster than wired charging with a 5W power adapter, due to the efficiency limitations of the FPC coil. The switch to copper would yield improvements, assuming that Apple found a way to fit the thicker coil in its next iPhones.
Apple is expected to unveil its 2018 iPhones at Steve Jobs Theater in September, but the company has yet to announce a date for the event.
In an ongoing effort to boost sales in India, Apple is reportedly planning to upgrade its authorized reseller locations in five to six
