MacRumors

Apple today seeded the first beta of an upcoming watchOS 4.3.1 update to developers, a little under one week after releasing watchOS 4.3, a major update that introduced portrait Nightstand mode and iPhone music controls on Apple Watch.

Once the proper configuration profile has been installed from the Apple Developer Center, the new watchOS beta can be downloaded through the dedicated Apple Watch app on the iPhone by going to General --> Software update.

To install the update, the Apple Watch needs to have at least 50 percent battery, it must be placed on the charger, and it has to be in range of the iPhone.

It's not yet clear what new features will be introduced in the watchOS 4.3.1 update, but it's likely to include bug fixes for issues that have been discovered since the release of watchOS 4.3.

Apple today seeded the first beta of an upcoming tvOS 11.4 update to developers for testing purposes, a little under one week after releasing the tvOS 11.3 update.

Designed for the fourth and fifth-generation Apple TV models, the new tvOS 11.4 developer beta can be downloaded onto the Apple TV via a profile that's installed using Xcode.

It's not yet clear what new features the tvOS 11.4 update will bring, but it's likely to include bug fixes for issues that have been discovered since the release of tvOS 11.3.

Apple's tvOS updates have historically been minor in scale. tvOS 11.3, for example, introduced Match content support, automatic frame rate switching on the fourth-generation Apple TV, and automatic mode switching for AirPlay video sessions.

We'll update this post should any new features be found in the update.

Epic Games' popular multiplayer game Fortnite Battle Royale for iOS is now available to everyone, following a limited beta test that lasted for two weeks.

As of this morning, beta invites are no longer needed to play Fortnite on an iPhone or iPad, so to play, all you need to do is download the game from the App Store.

The goal in the game is to be the last person standing, with players tasked with taking out enemies with a variety of weapons while also avoiding death from others. Players start out with just a pickaxe and must scavenge through the world for weapons, armor, and resources, while struggling to survive the melee.

Fortnite is compatible with the iPhone 6s and later, the iPad mini 4 and later, the iPad Air 2, the 5th and 6th-generation iPads, and all iPad Pro models.

The game's public release comes just under two weeks after the launch of the officially licensed mobile app for PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (aka PUBG), which came out on March 19. PUBG offers similar battle royale-style gameplay.

Fortnite can be downloaded from the App Store for free. [Direct Link]

ESPN today announced that it will launch its new streaming service, which it's calling "ESPN+", on Thursday, April 12. The service will be integrated into a "re-imagined" version of the ESPN app, and include thousands of live sporting events, original shows and films, exclusive studio programs, and a back catalog of on-demand content.

ESPN+ will cost subscribers $4.99 per month ($49.99 per year), and out-of-market packages for both MLB.TV and NHL.TV will be available during respective seasons for an additional $24.99 per month. ESPN said that more details about its new service will come out in the next few days, including more information on the redesigned ESPN app.

ESPN did tease some information about the new app, saying it will include sports scores, news, and highlights, authenticated live streaming with "TV everywhere" video, ESPN Radio and podcasts, the ESPN+ service, and more.

For ESPN+, the company is promising subscribers more than 180 MLB and NHL games, a year-round boxing schedule, more than 250 MLS games, college sports, PGA events, and more.

James Pitaro, ESPN President and Co-Chair, Disney Media Networks, said, “ESPN was built on a belief in innovation and the powerful connection between sports and a remarkable array of fans. That same belief is at the heart of ESPN+ and the new ESPN App. With ESPN+, fans have access to thousands more live games, world class original programs and on-demand sports content, all at a great price. They will get all of that as a part of a completely re-imagined, increasingly personalized ESPN App that provides easy, one-stop access to everything ESPN offers.”

ESPN+ will be the first direct-to-consumer service from Disney's new streaming initiative partnership with BAMTECH. In August 2017, Disney revealed a plan to pull its films and TV shows from Netflix in preparation for the launch of its own streaming services. Those plans involved an ESPN-focused service for "early 2018," and after that the company will launch a platform for Disney, Pixar, Marvel, and Lucasfilm movies in "late 2019."

Apple Maps now supports navigation with public transportation in most metropolitan areas of Ohio, Maryland, Arkansas, and West Virginia.

By selecting the Transit tab in Apple Maps on iPhone, iPad, or Mac, users in each state can now access bus and train routes where available, complete with arrival and departure times, service advisories, and other detailed information.

The statewide expansions build upon the feature's availability in larger cities. Apple Maps users in Ohio, for example, can now navigate with transit in the Dayton, Toledo, and Akron areas, joining Cleveland, Cincinnati, and Columbus.

Additional supported areas include Little Rock in Arkansas, Frederick in Maryland, and Charleston in West Virginia.

Apple Maps has aggressively expanded its transit-supported cities over the past two months to include St. Louis, Missouri; Richmond, Virginia; Norfolk, Virginia; Tucson, Arizona; Albuquerque, New Mexico; Orlando, Florida; and Columbia, Charleston, and Greenville in South Carolina.

When the feature launched in 2015, it was initially limited to Baltimore, Berlin, Boston, Chicago, London, Los Angeles, Mexico City, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Sydney, Toronto, and around 300 cities in China.

A complete list of supported cities can be found on Apple's iOS Feature Availability page. A reliable tipster has informed MacRumors that Charlotte, Nashville, Oklahoma City, Tulsa, Wichita, Indianapolis, Grand Rapids, Lansing, Brunswick, and Portland, Maine are candidates for the feature's continued rollout this month.

Apple chief design officer Jony Ive recently sat down with model and actress Naomi Campbell for an interview, discussing topics like his design process, Steve Jobs, Apple secrecy, and more (via Vogue).

Campbell asked about Ive's personal involvement in the manufacturing process, bringing up a rumor she heard that he slept on factory floors when Apple was making the first iPhone. Ive didn't specifically confirm the rumor, but he mentioned he has "stayed for months" in the places that Apple makes its products. "I don’t know how you can be an effective designer and not do that," he said.

I don't really see it as being secretive – if I'm working on something and it's not finished, I don't want to show somebody! One of the defining things about the nature of ideas is just how fragile they are: when you're not sure whether some-thing is going to work, the idea is vulnerable. Part of protecting the idea is to be careful about who you show it to; premature criticism can shut something down that perhaps deserves more of a chance.

Ive also discussed former Apple CEO Steve Jobs, mentioning that the two "looked at the world in the same way," and that he appreciates and misses Jobs more as time goes on. When Campbell asked about lessons learned from Jobs, Ive said that Jobs' way of thinking has stuck with him: "There was an incredible liberty in the way he would think. He wouldn’t obey rules that were perceived to be accepted wisdom, and he had an extraordinary optimism and enthusiasm."

Ive also stated that he thinks of Jobs and his values when hiring new people at Apple:

The main thing is how they see the world. Ultimately, Steve's legacy is a set of values and, I think, the belief in trying. Often the quietest voices are the easiest to overlook, but he was brilliant at listening as well as leading and speaking. A lot of com-munication is listening – not just listening to figure out what you want to say in response.

The Ive-Campbell interview has been published ahead of Ive's sponsorship of former fashion designer Azzedine Alaïa's work at London's Design Museum in May. Ive said that he used to watch Alaïa design and was in "utter awe": "It was incredible to see the way that he understood material, and the way he would be frustrated with material and so create new ones. And then these beautiful forms would emerge."

To read the full interview, visit Vogue's website.

Best Buy has continued its spring sale initiative with the debut of a few new sales this weekend, some of which are lasting for today only. Prices have dropped on select models of the Apple Watch Series 3 and MacBook Pro, and there are also a few other offers related to the iPhone X, iMac Pro, and certain iPads.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Best Buy. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

Students and parents of students should remember that Best Buy's Student Deals provide an extra $50 off Mac notebooks, further lowering the savings seen in today's MacBook Pro sale.

Flash Sale -- April 1, 2018 Only

• iMac Pro - Save $1000 / $3999.99
  

• Apple Watch Series 3 (GPS) - Save $30 on select models / as low as $299 in 38mm, $329 in 42mm
• iPhone X - Save $100 with qualified activation on installment plan with AT&T, Verizon, or Sprint
• MacBook Pro - Save $250–300 on select models / as low as $1499.99 with Student Deals

The retailer also has a few other deals that are extending beyond today, including the chance for customers to get a minimum $125 gift card when trading in select iPad models (in-store only, ends May 5, 2018). Specifically, you'll get the gift card when you trade in a working iPad mini 2 (with Retina display), mini 3, mini 4, Air, Air 2, iPad Pro, or fifth-generation iPad. This makes a nice companion deal for anyone upgrading to Apple's new sixth-generation iPad.

Additionally, there are other configurations of the MacBook Pro that will see a sale price of $200 off ($250 for students and parents of students) extend into this upcoming week, ending Saturday, April 7.

To discover more sales happening at Best Buy and many other retailers, be sure to visit our full Deals Roundup.

Japan Display is planning to raise $517 million through third-party share allocations and asset sales so it will have the funds to supply LCD screens for new iPhones, reports Nikkei.

Last year, Japan Display lost business because of Apple's shift to OLED, so the company sought partnerships to begin producing OLED displays, but with Apple planning to continue to use LCDs for some devices, Japan Display is in need of working capital to purchase inventory and to begin production on the LCDs Apple now needs.

Rumors have suggested Apple is planning on introducing two OLED iPhones (5.8 and 6.5 inches) and one 6.1-inch LCD iPhone next year, with the LCD device to be positioned as a low-cost option alongside the two more expensive OLED devices.

With Japan Display again planning to invest in LCDs, it could be in trouble in the future should Apple opt to abandon LCD technology for OLED technology entirely, says Nikkei.

Expecting the U.S. tech company to keep shifting toward OLEDs, the supplier began exploring capital partnerships to obtain the massive funds necessary to invest in producing the advanced tech.

However, the iPhone X has proven a flop, and Apple appears to be sticking with LCDs for some models due out this fall, leaving Japan Display in need of working capital to secure inventory and production capacity to supply those screens.

Previous rumors have suggested Apple is interested in Japan Display's Full Active LCDs, which are said to match or exceed some of the advantages of OLED at a lower cost.

Full Active panels have a smaller bezel around the screen than traditional LCDs and they have enough flex that they can be used in curved or angled designs.

All three of Apple's rumored 2018 iPhones are expected to adopt full-screen designs with minimal bezels, much like the iPhone X. The Home button will be eliminated in each, with Apple adopting Face ID across its 2018 iPhone lineup.

Apple today told developers that it is offering a set of tools to help them fulfill data requests made by users in the European Union or other places around the world to comply with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) that goes into effect in May.

Following the implementation of the GDPR developers will need to comply with customer requests for accessing, managing, restricting, and deleting data. To facilitate this, Apple says developers can let users manage data that's associated with an app and stored in iCloud by using native APIs and Web APIs.

You can let users manage data that's associated with your app and stored in iCloud by using native APIs and Web APIs.

Providing User Access to CloudKit Data
Give users access to the data stored by your app on their behalf.
When a user requests a copy of the data associated with their Apple ID, it includes only the data that Apple maintains directly, such as documents in iCloud Drive. Data stored in third-party CloudKit containers are not included in any export that Apple provides. Developers should provide their own method for users to get a copy of data stored in their CloudKit containers.

Responding to Requests to Delete Data
Provide options for users to delete their CloudKit data from your app.

Apple too will be implementing new features to comply with the new European regulations. Starting in Early May, the company will introduce an updated Apple ID website that will allow users to download all of their data stored with the company.

Apple also plans to allow customers to use the site to correct personal information, disable Apple ID accounts, and permanently delete an Apple ID. These tools will be available in Europe first before expanding to other areas of the world.

Griffin has a new wireless charging accessory available for purchase as of today, the Griffin PowerBlock Wireless Charging Pad.

Designed for the iPhone X, iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, and Android devices that support wireless charging, the PowerBlock Wireless Charging Pad offers up to 15W of charging power. Griffin says Qi-enabled devices will charge faster with the PowerBlock than with a standard 5W wireless charger.

While the PowerBlock supports up to 15W, the iPhone X, iPhone 8, and iPhone 8 Plus support a maximum of 7.5W of charging power. Griffin says the PowerBlock supports Samsung fast wireless charging, but it does not specifically mention faster 7.5W wireless charging on the iPhone. We've reached out to Griffin for clarification and will update this post when we hear back.

Like most wireless chargers, the PowerBlock is a simple square-shaped puck with a Qi-based wireless charging coil inside. It features a felt top to keep your iPhone in place while it's charging and looks stylish when it's not in use. LEDs on the device let you know when your iPhone is charging and when it's done.

At $60 the Griffin PowerBlock is comparable in price to options from Belkin and Mophie, but more expensive than other wireless charging options from companies like Anker and Ravpower.

We took a look at dozens of wireless chargers in our wireless charging guide, which is well worth checking out to see all of the available options.

Though the normal price of the PowerBlock Wireless Charging Pad is $59.99, customers can save 15 percent through April 2 by using the promo code WIRELESS when checking out.

We've got additional deals on other wireless charging pads available in our Deals roundup.

Update: Griffin says the PowerBlock Wireless Charging Pad supports 5W, 10W, and 15W wireless charging. 7.5W is not yet supported, but will be in the future. Griffin says Apple users will not experience significant charging time differences when using the PowerBlock Wireless Charging Pad vs a 7.5W compatible charging pad.

For this week's giveaway, we've once again teamed up with BlackPods to offer MacRumors readers a chance to win a AirPods that have been custom-painted in black or space gray. We've partnered with BlackPods to give away several sets of AirPods, and they're always our most popular giveaways.

If you haven't come across BlackPods before, the company takes a regular set of boring white AirPods and then paints them in one of three sleek, unique shades of black or gray using a proprietary painting system.

BlackPods uses a multi-phase painting process for a high-quality coating of paint that's not going to chip, fade, scuff, or otherwise get damaged from regular usage. Each set of BlackPods is completed by hand and given a rigorous inspection to ensure a flawless finish.

When BlackPods first launched, there were two colors -- the BlackPods Classic with a high-gloss finish and the BlackPods Stealth, with a matte satin finish -- but BlackPods this year introduced a stylish new Space Gray shade that has an iPhone-style metallic finish.

BlackPods cost $279 for the original high gloss finish or $299 for matte black or space gray, which is a $120+ premium over standard AirPods, but it's one of the only ways to get AirPods in a darker shade that better matches Apple's Space Gray iPhones.

If you already have AirPods, BlackPods has a service for the painting process alone. You can send in your AirPods and BlackPods will paint them for you. It takes about 10 days and it costs $99 to $119, with that price covering the cost of both the AirPods and the AirPods Charging Case.

BlackPods are repainted AirPods, so the full AirPods functionality remains intact, with a W1 chip for simple pairing, a long battery life, a built-in accelerometer for ear detection, iCloud support for device switching, and gesture support.

We have one set of BlackPods to give away to a MacRumors reader, with the winner able to choose a Stealth, Classic, or Space gray finish. 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 winners and send prizes. You can earn additional entries by subscribing to our weekly newsletter, subscribing to our YouTube channel, following us on Twitter, 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.