MacRumors

iOS 12, set to be unveiled at the Worldwide Developers Conference on Monday, will include ARKit 2.0, an upgrade to the existing ARKit 1.5 SDK that's available to developers to allow them to build augmented reality experiences in their apps.

ARKit 2.0, according to a new report from Reuters, will include a feature that's designed to let two iPhone users share an augmented reality experience, with the same objects displayed on multiple screens.

This is in line with previous rumors from Bloomberg that have said Apple is working on both multiplayer augmented reality gameplay and object permanence, which would allow a virtual object to remain in place across multiple app sessions.

Apple is aiming to allow two people to share data so they can see the same virtual object in the same space via each individual device, with Apple designing the feature in a privacy-friendly way.

Apple's multiplayer system, unlike similar offerings from Google, does not require users to share scans of their homes and personal spaces, working via a phone-to-phone system.

Apple designed its two-player system to work phone-to-phone in part because of those privacy concerns, one of the people familiar with the matter said. The approach, which has not been previously reported, differs from Google's, which requires scans of a player's environment to be sent to, and stored in, the cloud.

Full details on how Apple's multiplayer augmented reality system will work are unknown, and it's not yet clear if it works with three or more players. Apple will share more information on the feature on Monday.

Augmented reality has been a major focus for Apple over the course of the last two years, with Apple CEO Tim Cook calling AR "big and profound." "We're high on AR in the long run," Cook said in 2016.

Apple unveiled its first augmented reality product, ARKit, with iOS 11 at WWDC, and has since made improvements to the feature with the launch of ARKit 1.5 in March as part of iOS 11.3. ARKit brought mapping for irregularly shaped surfaces, vertical surface placement, and object and image recognition. With the additional changes coming in iOS 12, developers should be able to do a whole lot more with augmented reality.

Amid rumors that Apple is working on three iPhones for its fall 2018 lineup, Russian site Wylsa.com has shared alleged schematics and renderings showing off the design and size difference between the three devices.

The site has two schematics, one for the 6.5-inch OLED "iPhone X Plus, which is rumored to have a dual-lens camera, and one for the lower-cost 6.1-inch iPhone, which is said to have an LCD display and a single-lens camera to keep costs low.

According to the schematics, which are from a case manufacturer, the larger iPhone measures in at 77.41mm wide, 157.53mm tall, and 7.68mm thick. The 6.1-inch iPhone measures in at 75.72mm wide, 150.91mm tall, and 8.32mm thick.

There is no schematic for the second-generation 5.8-inch OLED iPhone that will be sold alongside the two other devices, presumably because it will continue to have the same dimensions as the current iPhone X. For comparison's sake, the existing 5.8-inch iPhone measures in at 70.9mm wide, 143.6mm tall, and 7.7mm thick.

Several renderings have been created based on the schematics to give us a better picture of what the three iPhones might look like side by side (provided these numbers are accurate, of course).

These renderings do correctly depict rumored features as we've heard them so far. All three iPhones are expected to feature an edge-to-edge display with a notch and a TrueDepth camera system for Face ID, allowing Apple to eliminate the Touch ID fingerprint sensor from its iPhone lineup entirely.

The second-generation iPhone X and the iPhone X Plus, which will be Apple's more expensive flagship devices, feature OLED screens and dual-lens camera systems, while the middle-sized device has a single-lens camera and an LCD display to keep costs lower. Rumors have suggested this device could cost $700 to $800, less than the $1,000+ price tag for the OLED devices.

While the lower-cost 6.1-inch iPhone won't adopt OLED display technology, rumors have suggested it could have a better-than-average LCD, perhaps using MLCD+ display technology and a new cover glass sensor. Former KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has said the switch to new technology means 3D Touch won't be included, but it's still not clear if Apple will implement it through another method.

For full details on all three iPhones that we're expecting to see in 2018, make sure to check out our roundup, which we keep updated with all of the iPhone rumors that we've heard so far.

Apple today released macOS High Sierra 10.13.5, the fifth major update to the macOS High Sierra operating system available on Apple's Mac lineup. macOS High Sierra 10.13.5 comes more than two months after the release of macOS High Sierra 10.13.4, which introduced eGPU support, Business Chat in Messages, and more.

macOS High Sierra 10.13.5 can be downloaded directly from the Mac App Store or through the Software Update function in the Mac App Store on all compatible Macs that are already running macOS High Sierra.

The macOS High Sierra 10.13.5 update introduces support for Messages in iCloud, a feature that Apple has been testing and working on since macOS High Sierra was announced last June.

Messages in iCloud, as the name suggests, stores your iMessages in iCloud rather than on each of your individual devices, introducing improved cross-device syncing and saving on-device storage space. Messages in iCloud support is also available in iOS 11.4, which was released to the public earlier this week.

macOS High Sierra will be followed by macOS 10.14, a next-generation version of macOS that Apple is expected to introduce at the Worldwide Developers Conference next week.

Yesterday, we reported on Apple's opening of a new technology hub in Oregon, along with the hiring of several former senior Intel engineers. Oregon is the site of Intel's Hillsboro facilities, featuring the chipmaker's leading-edge 14 nm and 10 nm foundries, as well as CPU design expertise for desktop-class processor thermal budgets. A search of Apple's open positions indicated there were several openings for hardware engineers with backgrounds in computer architecture and silicon verification.

Digging deeper into these job positions reveals keywords indicating performance validation in non-iOS workloads, as well as a heavy focus on memory concepts such as memory controllers, memory hierarchy, and cache coherency protocols. The focus on the memory subsystem is significant because this is one area where mobile device and PC form factor usage models differ based on their power consumption profiles, along with PCs featuring tools that can stress a memory system in ways not typically seen in mobile device workloads.

PC systems also tend to feature much higher memory bandwidths, due to both wider memory busses and higher memory clocks. Apple is often rumored to be working on an ARM-based MacBook, but such a device would likely feature some variant of LPDDR memory seen in Apple's mobile devices, as well as Apple's entire line of MacBooks.

This means that Apple already has the necessary memory controller designs to interface with LPDDR memory. Apple is also no stranger to the 128-bit memory busses seen in MacBook Pros with LPDDR3 RAM, along with previous iPad iterations featuring a 128-bit memory bus.

Given this information, the focus on memory subsystem could indicate a higher performance target for the memory system, with memory bandwidths more reflective of desktop or workstation class devices where memory bandwidth can reach into the hundreds of gigabytes per second.

Perhaps the most demanding component of a memory subsystem in custom SoC destined for macOS devices is the GPU. On the iOS side, Apple recently shifted from licensing Imagination Technologies' family of PowerVR GPUs to designing its own custom GPUs. Additionally, Apple's Orlando-based GPU design center has gone through several hiring spurts, and is also hiring now, including a position for a platform architect aimed at creating a family of GPUs across multiple Apple platforms.

The inclusion of a GPU on an Apple custom SoC destined for macOS devices would need several gigabytes of dedicated RAM, with memory bandwidth well into the hundreds of gigabytes to run modern games on the Retina screens featured in many Mac products. Depending on the die size allocated to its solution, Apple could potentially replace the Intel chips with integrated graphics in its lower performing MacBook products or even replace the dedicated GPUs found in its higher-end notebook offerings. Desktop-class machines would likely need a separate discrete GPU due to power and cooling constraints, as well as allowing a general ramp-up of GPU sizes and complexities.

For comparison, the CPUs and APUs with integrated graphics found in modern notebooks and desktop systems are typically in the 200–400 mm^2 die size range, whereas Apple's mobile solutions tend to hover around 100 mm^2. Apple has already achieved performance rivaling Intel CPUs featured in laptops with its latest A11 chip, and allowing its designs to scale up in core counts and power consumption would help it compete with the higher core count CPUs featured in today's higher performing notebooks and desktops.

Additionally, Apple is well positioned to take the leap into higher performing products after demonstrating several generations of custom CPU architectures, including its own instruction set extensions to the underlying ARMv8 ISA. Apple was behind the genesis of the effort that would eventually become ARM as we know it today, and its architecture ambitions have been clear for quite a while. The question of custom Apple-designed CPUs destined for notebooks and desktop systems seems less a question of capability, and one more focused on will and perceived market advantage.

Apple is widely rumored to release what will essentially be a lower-priced but lesser-featured iPhone X later this year. Ahead of then, renders have surfaced that may reveal what the device will look like.

Steve Hemmerstoffer, who runs the OnLeaks account on Twitter, has teamed up with the blog MySmartPrice to share photos and a video of the alleged 6.1-inch iPhone, expected to be announced in September alongside the second-generation iPhone X and a larger 6.5-inch model dubbed the iPhone X Plus.

In addition to the 6.1-inch display, the renders suggest the device will have a notch like the iPhone X, presumably for Face ID given the lack of a home button. The device also has a glass back, making wireless charging a possibility, and an aluminum frame like the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus.

The renders also suggest the device will sport a single rear camera, whereas the iPhone X has a dual setup with telephoto and wide-angle lenses.

The rest of the device is par for course for an iPhone, with a Lightning connector and speaker grilles along the bottom, volume buttons and a mute switch along the left side, and a power button on the right side.

The renders corroborate information previously shared by former KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who also said the 6.1-inch iPhone will feature a single-lens rear camera and aluminum frame. He also said it will have an LCD, 3GB of RAM, and perhaps most interesting of all, apparently lack 3D Touch.

Kuo said the 6.1-inch iPhone will be priced from between $700 and $800 in the United States, so tradeoffs were inevitable, including the lack of an OLED, stainless steel frame, 3D Touch, and dual-lens rear camera system. The 6.1-inch iPhone could also be slightly thicker at 8.3mm, versus the iPhone X at 7.7mm.

Earlier today, Korean website The Bell claimed the 6.1-inch iPhone might not launch until November, but the more likely scenario is that Apple unveils and releases all of its new iPhones in September, as the company has reportedly resolved the supply chain issues that led to a staggered rollout last year.

A new report suggests that the next flagship smartphones from Apple and Samsung could be equipped with three rear-facing cameras.

The Korea Herald claims that the so-called iPhone X Plus, the widely rumored 6.5-inch version of the iPhone X expected to be announced this September, and Samsung's next-generation Galaxy S10, likely to be released in early 2019, will both sport a trio of lenses on the backside.

The prediction about the Galaxy S10 comes from Kim Dong-won, an analyst with investment firm KB Securities, based in South Korea:

Samsung, which has a lower-than-expected demand for its latest Galaxy S9 lineup, will consider to equip its next premium phone with the triple cameras and a 3-D sensor to reinvigorate its smartphone business.

The prediction about the iPhone X Plus is only briefly mentioned in what is otherwise a Samsung-focused report:

One of Apple's next premium smartphones, reportedly named as the iPhone X Plus, is also anticipated to come fitted with three camera lenses on the rear.

While this the fourth time we've heard about an upcoming iPhone with three rear cameras, all of the earlier reports have suggested it will be a 2019 move at the earliest, so the chances this is a 2018 move seem unlikely.

Earlier this year, for example, former KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo claimed the 6.5-inch iPhone will have a dual-lens rear camera.

The Korea Herald could be right about the what, but wrong about the when. Triple-lens smartphones are only just reaching the market, starting with the Huawei P20 Pro in March, and Apple often waits to perfect a technology rather than rushing to include a feature to compete with the best possible tech specs.

In the end, 2019 could end up being the year of triple-lens smartphones, starting with the Galaxy S10 in the spring and the iPhone in the fall.

The third lens would likely enable 3x optical zoom on an iPhone for the first time, enabling users to magnify the image in the viewfinder by up to three times without a blurry reduction in quality like digital zoom. iPhone 7 Plus, iPhone 8 Plus, and iPhone X models feature 2x optical zoom for comparison.

The three-lens system could also enable advanced 3D sensing for augmented reality, an area in which Apple CEO Tim Cook has expressed interest.

Sketchy claims that Apple's "iPhone SE 2" could boast an iPhone X-esque display apparently refuse to go away, with the latest addition to the rumor pile coming courtesy of Sonny Dickson.

Earlier today the parts leaker posted an image on Twitter of a supposed iPhone SE 2 screen protector that appears to share a similar notch-design to the one Apple uses to house the iPhone X's facial recognition sensors in lieu of Touch ID fingerprint recognition.

The comparison shot also shows an actual iPhone X screen protector (right) beside the allegedly leaked one in order to highlight the smaller notch that would presumably be destined for the smaller form factor phone.

Unconfirmed renders and dimensions of the next iPhone SE obtained by MacRumors from casemaker Olixar claim the device will have a length of 4.7 inches and a width of 2.1 inches, making it slightly smaller than the current model but with a larger display thanks to the fuller-screen design. They also suggest the device's notch will be around half as wide as the one on the iPhone X, but the idea that it might house facial recognition sensors still seems far-fetched.

Apart from the technological hurdles that Apple would have to overcome to achieve the unlikely feat, it's hard to imagine that Apple would include Face ID on the iPhone SE at all without hiking up the price significantly. Including the feature on an iPhone that starts at just $349 would reduce Apple's gross margins and risk cannibalizing sales of the iPhone X, which starts at $999.

Those issues put the whole notch-design in doubt, given that the lack of a home button would require some other method of user authentication. Some rival smartphones have recently featured integrated screen fingerprint sensors, but Apple has suggested it won't be following that approach ever since it developed its TrueDepth camera recognition system.

Apple hasn't properly refreshed the iPhone SE since it launched back in March 2016, but it did double the available storage capacities in March 2017. Rumors about an updated model have been contradictory in recent months, but they can be distilled into two camps: one hoping for a iPhone X-like design, and another expecting a minor refresh.

Apps designed for the Mac often don't receive as much attention as apps for iOS devices, so we've launched a monthly series that highlights useful, interesting Mac apps that are worth checking out.

This month's app selection, outlined in the video and the post below, includes apps for managing and backing up your iPhone, transferring music between services, watching Netflix, keeping track of quick notes, and more. Many of the apps we've included this month were chosen by our forum members.

• Stamp (Free) - Stamp is an app that lets you transfer playlists and music tracks from one streaming service to another. So if you're an Apple Music user and want to switch to Spotify, Stamp is the app to use. Stamp is free, but if you want to make unlimited song and playlist transfers, you'll need to shell out $9.99.
• iMazing ($40) - iMazing is an iTunes alternative that's designed to allow you to manage the content on your iOS device. It lets you transfer files, photos, books, apps, and music to and from your iOS device or a new device, plus you can use it to create backups of all your content, archiving data like messages, contacts, books, and more.
• Power Menu ($9.99) - Power Menu is a Finder extension that's customizable and able to add various actions to the right click menu and toolbar within Finder. Using Power Menu, you can create shortcuts for moving and copying files, creating new documents, editing with specific apps, sending via email, and more.
• Thought Train (Free) - Thought Train is a simple free (pay-what-you-want) app that's meant to replace sticky notes. Thought Train lives in your Mac's menu bar and lets you enter quick reminders of things that you need to get done or thoughts you want to keep track of. Your entries can be set to scroll across the menu bar.
• Friendly for Netflix (Free) - Friendly for Netflix is a free app that's designed to provide you with an alternative to the web browser for watching Netflix TV shows and movies on your Mac. It features trailers so you can preview shows, picture-in-picture functionality for watching a show while using another app, and Rotten Tomatoes ratings for every movie.

Do you have favorite must-have Mac apps that we haven't highlighted yet? Let us know what they are in the comments and we might feature them in a future video. Many of this month's picks came from our forum members.

For more of our Mac app picks, make sure to check out our lists from February, March, and April.