Apple Maps has been updated with comprehensive transit data in the Phoenix, Arizona and Birmingham, Alabama areas, enabling navigation with public transportation options such as buses and trains in those regions.
In the Phoenix area, supported vehicles include Valley Metro buses and trains, and the PHX Sky Train at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. Routes extend to and from suburbs such as Chandler, Mesa, Glendale, Scottsdale, and Tempe.
In the Birmingham area, supported vehicles include MAX Transit buses operated by the Birmingham Jefferson County Transit Authority. Transit directions have also recently been enabled in Montgomery and Huntsville.
MacRumors reader Bernd Keuning, who keeps close tabs on Apple Maps, also sees hints of transit directions eventually expanding to Nordic and Baltic countries. Progress is visible in Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania.
Keuning has a good track record, having tipped us ahead of time about transit in several cities and countries where the functionality eventually launched, including Las Vegas, Phoenix, Ottawa, Paris, Rome, Madrid, Taiwan, and Singapore.
The telltale sign is that Apple Maps typically adds station outlines to a region shortly before launching transit directions in the area.
Apple Maps gained a Transit tab in iOS 9. The feature lags several years behind Google Maps, but Apple's public transportation support is at least exhaustive, mapping all station entrances and listing departure times. Apple Maps also provides detailed advisories about service interruptions and other changes.
At launch, the feature was limited to Baltimore, Berlin, Boston, Chicago, London, Los Angeles, Mexico City, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Sydney, Toronto, and over 300 cities in China. Since then, Apple has been working to expand support for public transportation to other cities around the world.
For an occasionally updated list of cities and regions with Apple Maps transit directions, visit the iOS Feature Availability page on Apple's website.
YouTube today announced that its live-streaming service, YouTube TV, is now launching as a dedicated app for smart TVs, streaming devices, and gaming systems. The company also confirmed that an Apple TV app for YouTube TV will launch "in the coming weeks."
Today, YouTube TV will be available on Android TV devices and smart TVs, as well as the Xbox One, Xbox One S, and upcoming Xbox One X.
So today we’re excited to unveil the new YouTube TV app built for TV devices. In the next few days, you’ll be able to stream live TV through the new YouTube TV app on Android TV devices including NVIDIA SHIELD and TVs with Android TV built-in, such as Sony, as well as on the Xbox One family of devices (Xbox One, Xbox One S, and soon Xbox One X).
In the coming weeks we'll be launching the new app on Smart TVs, such as LG, Samsung, Sony, along with Apple TV.
The new YouTube TV app is similar to the app on mobile, with Home, Live, and Library tabs for viewing content. New features include a dark background, Live guide to look at upcoming shows, and the ability to navigate the app while keeping video running in the background.
YouTube TV originally debuted in early April and continued expanding throughout the spring, and was initially available only for iOS and Android mobile devices, as well as on the web. YouTube TV allows viewers to live stream and watch shows on ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC, CW, Disney, ESPN, FX, USA, and dozens of other major cable channels, alongside standard YouTube video content.
In addition to journalist Steven Levy's first impressions of the iPhone X, Apple recently invited a number of YouTube channels to try out the highly-anticipated device at a nondescript building in New York City.
Brian Farmer and Noah Thomas of lifestyle website Highsnobiety shared a five-minute video in which they demo Animoji, 4K video playback at 60 FPS, Face ID, front-facing Portrait Mode, wireless charging, and other features.
YouTube personality Mark Watson, known as Soldier Knows Best, praised the iPhone X's design and performance. He said the new swipe-up gestures for unlocking the device and multitasking will take some time to get used to.
BooredAtWork.com's executive editor Enobong Etteh said the iPhone X is one of the best looking iPhones ever. His video provides a side-by-side comparison of the iPhone 8 Plus and iPhone X, along with hands-on time with Face ID and Animoji.
Sam Beckerman went to New York on behalf of Canada's FASHION Magazine for an exclusive hands-on look at the new iPhone X. The video recaps her 10 favorite features of the device, such as Face ID, Animoji, and ARKit.
Beyond the event in New York, a few other videos of the iPhone X have surfaced on YouTube today. We've embedded videos from French channel TheiCollection, Popular Science, and The Ellen DeGeneres Show below.
iPhone X pre-orders began on Friday, with shipping estimates now at five to six weeks for orders placed today. The device launches November 3, with limited in-store availability for walk-in customers on a first come, first served basis.
After first redesigning its iOS app and previewing a new update for Macs and desktop computers earlier this year, Microsoft has announced that its new Skype desktop software is launching today. The next-generation Skype desktop software is built to emulate the redesigned mobile application, which launched in June with an emphasis on media sharing and social networking features, although the iOS app's Snapchat-like "Highlights" feature isn't on Mac at this time.
The new Skype Mac app connects across devices to the iOS app, and includes customizable themes, an organizable chat list, and cloud-based file sharing. A new "notification panel" lets users catch up on missed messages in one place -- including reactions, @mentions, and quotes -- and you can jump directly to these notifications by clicking on them.
A new chat media gallery has been implemented as a place users can quickly find shared content including media, links, and files. Add-ins can also be introduced into each chat, ranging from GIF-based applications to event scheduling, sending money, video sharing, and more.
When in a video chat or a text conversation, users can send reactions to express how they're feeling, and set status updates to let friends know when they aren't available. In total, Skype said that the goal for the new update is to help its users increase personal and professional productivity, while also unifying the Skype ecosystem across devices.
To download the new features, Skype said that anyone with automatic updates enabled on Mac, Windows 10 November Update (2016) and lower, Windows 8, Windows 7, or Linux will receive the update as it begins rolling out today. To download it manually, users can visit Skype.com.
As we get closer to the iPhone X's launch on Friday, November 3, more tidbits about the device are beginning to emerge thanks to the first wave of impressions, reviews, and hands-on coverage that hit this morning. Within his first impressions, Steven Levy shared an interesting aspect of the iPhone X's software, which turns on hiding text previews for your notifications by default instead of making you turn this privacy feature on yourself.
As an explanation, with the launch of iOS 11 Apple introduced a way for you to hide text previews of all apps at once within Settings. With this turned on, you'll notice when you have a notification for apps like Messages and Snapchat, but the actual content of the notification is hidden until you "unlock" the iPhone with Touch ID or a passcode. Then, you can read the content, and tap the Home Button to enter your iPhone. This feature has to be turned on manually on current iPhones.
After Face ID unlock, iPhone X will show text previews in notifications
According to Levy, iOS 11 on the iPhone X defaults to hiding text previews for all of your apps, automatically providing an extra bit of privacy for users on the new smartphone. So, when you raise the iPhone X in front of you, it'll unlock with Face ID, and any notifications will then be filled out to show the full content of each message. This way, if someone picks up your iPhone and looks at it, Face ID won't unlock and show notification previews. Of course, you can revert to the traditional text previews functionality in Settings.
Levy said that he used this feature as a way to confirm that Face ID had unlocked the iPhone X. Here's the part from his review concerning text previews on the iPhone X Lock Screen:
I then see if the little lock icon on the screen has released its latch. Alternatively, a good way to see when you’ve been recognized is to notice the generic messages on the lock screen saying “you have a notification” from Facebook, Gmail, or wherever. When you and your iPhone X make that turn-on connection, those flesh out with the actual content of the message. (This feature—withholding potentially private alerts until the phone was unlocked—had previously been available as an option but now is the default.)
It's also worth noting that sometimes the iPhone X review unit would unlock with Face ID and go "straight to where [Levy] left off," while other times the UI asked him to swipe up to unlock the iPhone X, as has been showcased in marketing for the smartphone. Levy didn't have an explanation for this part of his experience with the new iPhone, further stating that he was "mystified" as to why it would sometimes say swipe up after Face ID unlock, and other times simply open the iPhone.
Check out more information on the iPhone X in our Roundup.
Apple chief Tim Cook was among a group of leaders who met China's President Xi Jinping on Monday at an annual gathering of advisers to the Tsinghua University business school in the capital Beijing, according to Reuters.
Apple declined to comment on details of his visit. Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg, who also attended, stated that "every year this trip is a great way to keep up with the pace of innovation and entrepreneurship in China."
The meeting occurred just days before Apple launches its much-anticipated iPhone X in 55 countries, including China, with hopes the high-end smartphone can revive the company's sales in the world's second largest economy.
Apple shipped an estimated 11 million iPhones in China last quarter, up 40 percent from the year-ago quarter, according to research firm Canalys. The strong growth put an end to six consecutive quarters of declining iPhone sales in the region.
Canalys believes Apple's rebound, buoyed by the launch of the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus last month, could be short lived.
"Apple's growth this quarter is only temporary. The high sell-in caters to the pent-up demand of iPhone upgraders in the absence of the iPhone X. Price cuts on earlier models after announcing the iPhone 8 have also helped. However, Apple is unlikely to sustain this growth in Q4," said Canalys Research Analyst Mo Jia.
Despite being touted as widely expensive, excitement for the launch of the iPhone X is building in China. "While the iPhone X launches this week, its pricing structure and supply are inhibiting. The iPhone X will enjoy a healthy grey market status, but its popularity is unlikely to help Apple in the short term," added Jia.
iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus have quickly "run out of steam" in mainland China, despite being heavily discounted by online retailers such as Suning.com and JD.com, according to the South China Morning Post.
"The iPhone 8 might be the most poorly sold flagship iPhone model in China, as such huge discounts have never been seen before in the country," said Zhao Ziming, a senior analyst at Pintu Tank in Beijing.
While the iPhone X could help Apple in the fourth quarter, its high price and supply constraints might inhibit the company's growth in China in the short term, according to Canalys research analyst Mo Jia.
Apple was the fifth largest smartphone maker in China last quarter, behind local brands Huawei, Vivo, Oppo, and Xiaomi, according to Canalys.
Although the iPhone X has yet to launch anywhere in the world, Benjamin Geskin over the weekend began tweeting images and videos of the smartphone being unboxed for the first time, as well as a few pictures of the device preparing for shipment. Images of the iPhone X's retail packaging appeared on Apple's website following its announcement in September, but we haven't yet been able to catch a glimpse of the inside of the box.
In the first few Tweets, Geskin shared images of the iPhone X stacked and ready to ship, and you can catch more glimpses of the side of the packaging in a separate video. Unlike the iPhone 8's rear-focus cover art, the iPhone X packaging depicts the smartphone's large OLED display.
Geskin then Tweeted a link to Instagram user abraham950, who posted a brief unboxing video of the iPhone X. The video shows that the first thing you see when you open the box is Apple's "Designed by Apple in California" information packet, and below that sits the iPhone X itself.
In another Tweet, images were shared from an Instagram post that has now been deleted, showcasing a Silver iPhone X from Europe in the process of being unboxed.
One mobile retailer in Dubai has also received the iPhone X, with a user posting an Instagram video of the package as well as a quick shot of the setup screen and back of the device. In a video shared by the Instagram account @theapplehub, a user in Milan, Italy provided a glimpse at the setup process (which is impossible to complete right now because the device can't be activated yet), and zoomed in on the vertical dual-lens camera of the iPhone X.
As we near launch day on Friday, November 3, even more in-depth unboxing videos of the iPhone X will appear online as users in New Zealand and Australia begin receiving their devices. The first wave of iPhone X reviews also began arriving online today, including original iPhone reviewer Steven Levy's impressions of the device.
Apple set up an iMac Pro at the third annual FCPX Creative Summit in Cupertino, California over the weekend, providing attendees with a closer look at the powerful workstation ahead of its December launch.
Apple appears to have allowed attendees to take pictures of the iMac Pro at the event. French blog MacGeneration rounded up some of the photos shared on social platforms like Instagram and Twitter.
iMac Pro shares the same design as the standard iMac, but with an all-flash architecture, a new thermal design, and four Thunderbolt 3 ports. It's also distinguished by its sleek, exclusive Space Gray enclosure.
The all-in-one computer is bundled with matching Space Gray accessories, including the Magic Mouse 2, Magic Trackpad 2, and a wireless Magic Keyboard with Numeric Keypad introduced at WWDC 2017 in June.
Apple said the iMac Pro will also feature up to an 18-core Intel Xeon processor, top-of-the-line Radeon Pro Vega graphics, up to 4TB of SSD storage, and up to 128GB of ECC RAM, with a starting price of $4,999 in the United States.
The FCPX Creative Summit, hosted by Future Media Concepts, featured three days of training on Apple's professional video editing software Final Cut Pro X. Apple itself announced that Final Cut Pro X 10.4 will launch later this year.
Final Cut Pro X 10.4 will include new color tools, like color wheels and a white balance picker. It will include support for HEVC, the new video format introduced in iOS 11 and macOS High Sierra, and direct import of iOS for iMovie timelines. The new version of the software will also support VR and HDR workflows.
Apple has given a review unit of the iPhone X to Steven Levy, who was one of the first pre-release reviewers of the original iPhone ten years ago. Levy has had the iPhone X since last Tuesday and today shared his thoughts on the tenth-anniversary device (via Wired), which marks the publishing of the first official review and impression of Apple's latest smartphone ahead of the review embargo lifting later this week.
Levy mentioned that "the biggest change" for the iPhone X is its screen, which is about the same size as the display of an iPhone 8 Plus in the body of an iPhone 8. Compared to "bulky" sizes of Apple's Plus line and Android smartphones, Levy was a fan of this slimming down in size, and said that it was "greatly pleasurable" when used to watch a movie, stream a football game, or just swipe through Instagram.
When discussing Face ID, Levy said that it appears to be a reliable method of unlocking and wouldn't detect anyone other than his face, although there were moments when it wouldn't unlock for him personally. Levy also mentioned that hiding text previews will now be the default on iPhone X, and he called the device's Apple Pay implementation a "clearer way to do transactions."
Does it work? Pretty much. It seems reliable at fending off intruders. I have thrust my phone into several people’s faces—though considerably fewer than the million punims that Apple says I’d have to try before a false positive—and it has not fallen for any of them. I even offered up my own head shot to the camera: no go.
How it has dealt with my own real-life face is another matter. There have been times when, despite a clear view of my face, the iPhone X has ghosted me. (Apple tells me that perhaps I wasn’t making what the iPhone X considers eye contact. I wouldn’t want it to turn on every time my face was within camera range, would I?)
In his short time with the iPhone X, Levy said he has already "mastered the gestures" of the device and found himself trying to use them on an iPad. "My finger no longer drifts to the home button, but pathetically swipes upwards, to no avail." He further mentioned that, "now there's that awkward moment when I expect the iPad to unlock itself when the camera looks at my face."
Ultimately, Levy described the iPhone X as potentially a "halfway point" to a future beyond smartphones, and that its true potential will be unlocked when developers really begin to take advantage of the new hardware upgrades. You can read Levy's full review of the iPhone X on Wiredright here.
In addition to Levy's iPhone X first impressions, the YouTube channel Booredatwork today posted a full eight minute review of the new smartphone, as well as a shorter Face ID-focused video. The review goes through many of the newest features coming to iPhone X, including working demonstrations of Portrait Mode selfies, various new gestures, Animoji, and more. The channel said the swipe-up gesture to go home "worked well," but all-in-all the new navigation gestures are "counterintuitive" at first after using a physical Home Button for so many years.
The video also included a side-by-side comparison of the iPhone X with an iPhone 8 Plus, and the reviewer was a fan of the iPhone X's ergonomics, mentioning that it should fit comfortably in all hand sizes. In a separate video, the channel showed the setup process of Face ID, which you can begin in Settings > Face ID and Passcode. As we saw in previous leaks, this process includes rotating your face in a circle a few times, and afterwards your iPhone X will be ready to use Face ID to be unlocked.
More reviews and impressions of the iPhone X will begin to appear online later in the week, ahead of the smartphone's launch day on Friday, November 3. Over the weekend, the first iPhone X orders began shipping out to customers, who will be among the first to get the device on Friday. For more information on the new smartphone, be sure to check out our iPhone X Roundup.
A luxurious, 400 horsepower BMW Z8 owned by late Apple co-founder Steve Jobs is headed to auction next month at Sotheby's in New York. The winning bid is estimated to reach between $300,000 and $400,000.
Jobs' ownership is documented through several service invoices accompanying the car, as well as a copy of a California registration or so-called "pink slip" in his name and at his personal residence, according to the listing.
"According to legend, Jobs was convinced to buy the Z8 by Larry Ellison the iconoclastic CEO of Oracle, who enthused to Jobs that the car was a paragon of modern automotive engineering and ergonomics," the listing says.
The roadster has a production date of April 1, 2000, and it was delivered to him in October of that year, according to Sotheby's. Jobs reportedly sold the car in 2003 to its current owner in Los Angeles.
Over the course of the last 17 years, the car has been driven just 15,200 miles from new, averaging less than 1,000 miles a year, the listing states. It is said to remain in "exemplary condition."
The silver-over-black car is equipped with several accessories, including its original BMW-branded Motorola flip phone that Jobs supposedly hated. The JOBS Z8 license plate was registered by the current owner.
BMW built just over 5,700 Z8s between 1999 and 2003. The car had a suggested price of $128,000 before options in the United States, and used models typically sell for anywhere between $165,000 and over $200,000.
The auction begins December 6 at Sotheby's "Icons" event, featuring supercars from Lamborghini, Ferrari, Jaguar, and other marques. The listing was brought to our attention by BMWBLOG.com.
After spending at least a thousand dollars on a brand new iPhone X, you may be debating whether it's really worth it to spend an additional few hundred dollars on an AppleCare+ plan to insure your shiny new smartphone.
AppleCare+ is an optional, premium warranty plan that extends an iPhone's warranty coverage to two years from the original purchase date of the device, and adds up to two incidents of accidental damage coverage, each subject to a service fee of $29 for screen damage, or $99 for any other damage.
AppleCare+ for iPhone X costs $199 upfront, compared to $129 for the iPhone 8 and $149 for the iPhone 8 Plus. As with virtually any form of insurance, AppleCare+ only pays for itself in the event you accidentally damage your device.
To determine if AppleCare+ is worthwhile, we first must look at how much it will cost to repair the iPhone X without the coverage.
Apple recently confirmed it will charge out-of-warranty rates of $279 for iPhone X screen repairs, and $549 for any other damage to the device, unless it is a manufacturing defect covered by Apple's standard one-year limited warranty.
With AppleCare+ for iPhone X, the price of a repair would be the $199 upfront cost of the plan plus a $29 to $99 incidental fee.
If you shatter your iPhone X's screen once, for example, you would pay $279 out of warranty. With the upfront cost of AppleCare+ coupled with the screen repair incidental fee, you would pay $228, so purchasing the plan can save you money in the long run if an accident happens.
If you shatter your iPhone X's back glass, having AppleCare+ is even more worthwhile. Apple's flat rate is $549 for this type of damage, while the upfront cost of AppleCare+ coupled with a $99 incidental fee totals $298.
The chart below shows that AppleCare+ will save you money in the long run if you damage your iPhone X in any way just once in two years.
Even if you never damage your iPhone X, AppleCare+ has one additional perk that can be quite valuable: 24/7 priority access to Apple support advisors via phone or online chat for two years after your iPhone X's purchase date. Without it, iPhone users are covered by just 90 days of complimentary telephone support.
There is no one-size-fits-all answer as to whether AppleCare+ is worth it, as it very much depends on how careful you are. But given the iPhone X's out-of-warranty repair fees are quite high, it may be more worthwhile than ever.
AppleCare+ can be purchased through Apple's online or retail stores. If not purchased alongside the iPhone, it can be added within 60 days, pending a diagnostic test to ensure no damage has occurred in that time.
It's also worth noting that if you cancel your AppleCare+ plan before the two-year coverage period expires, you'll get a partial refund based on the percentage of unexpired coverage, minus the value of any service already provided. A cancellation fee of $25 or 10 percent of the pro-rata amount, whichever is less, applies.
All prices above are listed in U.S. dollars. AppleCare+ and Apple's out-of-warranty repair fees vary in other countries.
While the iPhone X has reportedly faced production issues related to the TrueDepth camera, resulting in shipment delays, respected analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said supply of components for the facial recognition system is now stable.
In a research note with KGI Securities, obtained by MacRumors, Kuo added that Apple won't "repeat the mistake" of delayed production with next year's iPhone models, which he predicts will "arrive on time" under "stable supply."
Apple won't repeat the mistake of supply disruption & delayed production as seen with iPhone X. We believe shipments of new 2H18F iPhones will arrive on time under stable supply in late 3Q18F. And given no major spec upgrade of TrueDepth camera on these new models, we believe Apple will continue to use the same WLO for dot projector and 4P lens of infrared camera as iPhone X. We believe the supply of both components are now stable, leaving no need to switch to other solutions.
Kuo expects new iPhone models launching in the second half of 2018 to adopt the same wafer level optics for the TrueDepth system's dot projector, and the same 4P lens for the infrared camera, as the iPhone X.
iPhone X pre-orders began on Friday at 12:01 a.m. Pacific Time, and shipping estimates have remained at 5-6 weeks since a few hours after that time.
The first iPhone X orders began shipping out to customers today ahead of a promised delivery date on Friday, November 3, the official launch date for the device.
Apple hasn't updated order statuses from "Preparing for Shipment" and won't do so until later this week when packages begin hitting their destination countries, but iPhone X models shipping via UPS in the United States are in transit and can be tracked using a UPS My Choice account or, in some cases, by reference number on the UPS website.
Tracking by reference often requires a phone number and a zip code, but sometimes the order number minus the last two digits also works. Many of our forum members are seeing their orders on the UPS website at this point, but not every order has been transitioned to UPS as of yet, so it may take another day or two for all orders to show up.
Pre-orders for the iPhone X kicked off on Friday, October 27 at 12:01 a.m. Pacific Time, and orders slated for November 3 delivery shifted to preparing for shipment later that same day and customers began seeing charges on their credit cards.
At this point, pre-order supplies of the iPhone X are sold out and have been since minutes after pre-orders went live. Current delivery estimates for iPhone X orders placed today are at 5 to 6 weeks, so many devices won't be arriving until late November and December. Apple is working to ship out iPhone X models as fast as possible, though, and some customers have already seen their delivery dates improve.
While it's no longer possible to pre-order an iPhone X for launch day delivery, Apple will have iPhone X models in stock at retail stores on November 3, so there's still a chance to get a device without a long wait. Customers hoping to get an iPhone X at a retail store should plan to line up early.
Apple this evening began sending emails to customers who attempted to pre-order an iPhone X through the iPhone Upgrade Program but ran into a problem during the process.
In the email Apple asks customers to place a new iPhone Upgrade Program order and to reply to the email with the order number. It's not clear why Apple is asking for order numbers, but it could be that the company is planning to expedite these orders in some way.
The email says Apple is working to get iPhone X models out as soon as possible, but the wording doesn't necessarily suggest an order upgrade or faster shipping, so it's possible Apple is just making sure its iPhone Upgrade Program customers have the chance to place an order.
Customers receiving these emails seem to have been told during ordering that their loan applications with Citizens One were taking longer to process than expected, and many later received notice that their orders were not initially approved. These customers were forced to order at a later date and now have delivery estimates of five to six weeks for their new devices.
If it does turn out Apple is planning to expedite the orders of these customers in some way, we'll update this post, but at the current time, it's unclear what Apple's plans are.
Update: Apple is indeed attempting to fix this problem for its iPhone Upgrade Program customers. Many people who were affected by the order failure issue are being given improved delivery estimates that match the delivery dates they would have received should their orders have originally gone through.
At the Final Cut Pro X Creative Summit, which includes a visit to Apple's Cupertino Campus, Apple announced the next version of its video editing software aimed at professionals, Final Cut Pro X 10.4. Details about the announcement were shared on Twitter by FCPX experts Peter Wiggins, Alex Gollner, and Richard Taylor, giving us a hint of what's coming later this year.
The update will include new color tools, like color wheels and a white balance picker, with new controls for the color board. It will include support for HEVC, the new video format introduced in iOS 11 and macOS High Sierra, and direct import of iMovie for iOS timelines. The new version of the software will support VR and HDR workflows.
Apple gave a sneak peek of #VR video features in next versions of Motion 5 and Final Cut Pro X at 1 Infinite Loop today pic.twitter.com/vAtZeeuY4o
— Alex Gollner (@Alex4D) October 28, 2017
Apple shared several demos of the new version of Final Cut Pro X in action, including an 8K timeline on the new iMac Pro.
No specific release date for Final Cut Pro X 10.4 was announced, but Apple did say that it's coming before the end of 2017. Final Cut Pro X can be downloaded from the Mac App Store for $299.99. [Direct Link]
Some customers who pre-ordered the iPhone X when pre-orders went live and initially received shipping estimates of one to two weeks are seeing their orders upgraded to delivery on November 3.
MacRumors reader Colin ordered a 256GB iPhone X from T-Mobile and was originally provided with a delivery estimate of November 10 to November 17, which has now been updated to November 3.
Colin's updated iPhone X delivery estimate
My own iPhone X order, placed right at 12:01 a.m., originally listed a delivery estimate of November 10 to November 17. It was just recently updated to a confirmed November 3 delivery date on Apple's site. Other customers who ordered early and saw the same delays may also get their shipments sooner than expected.
Colin's original iPhone X delivery estimate after pre-ordering
This is also good news for customers who have much longer wait times, as it suggests Apple is working rapidly to get orders out. Customers with two to three or four to five week delivery estimates may not have to wait quite that long if Apple can ramp up supply fast enough.
Right now, all iPhone X pre-orders are sold out and have been since about 15 minutes after pre-orders first went live. If you buy an iPhone X today, the delivery estimates are at 5 to 6 weeks.
Apple has confirmed it will have iPhone X stock in stores on launch day, so for customers who don't want to wait for weeks to get one of the new devices, lining up is an option. Supplies are limited, though, so it will be best to go as early as possible, likely even the night before.
This week seems like it was totally dominated by all things Animal Crossing Pocket Camp. The story of this game first kicked off over a year ago when Nintendo teased both Animal Crossing and Fire Emblem.
They were originally slated for a fall 2016 release, and, well, we have since seen how that turned out. In late January, Nintendo announced that Animal Crossing had been delayed until its next fiscal year. We suspected it'd make an appearance at the Apple keynote in September, but everything was quiet in the world of Animal Crossing until the Nintendo presentation this week which concluded with the soft launch only a few hours later.
The above video is me playing the first "session" of the game, which goes through the entirety of the game's tutorial as well as getting pretty close to running out of things to do for the day. That took a little under two hours of playing, so at least on the surface it seems like Pocket Camp gives quite a bit of content away for free. We published a more in depth first impressions / review but the basic gist is Pocket Camp is exactly what you'd expect: A slimmed down version of Animal Crossing that runs on your iPhone.
Stranger Things season two is now on Netflix, giving everyone something to absolutely binge out on this weekend... And it seems that for whatever reason, Minecraft is also hopping onboard the Stranger Things hype train. (Or is it the other way around?) Either way, there's a new Stranger Things skin pack in Minecraft which potentially contains spoilers as there are skins for both season one and season two characters. It's pretty impressive how much these skin packs change the feel of the game, so, if that's a thing you're into... add Stranger Things skins to your collection right now.
If you haven't heard of Paladins: Champions of the Realm, it should probably be on your radar. Basically, it's a free to play Overwatch-like title that has system requirements which are shockingly low for a modern game. It's been a hit in the PC world, and Hi-Rez just soft launched Paladins Strike, which is a mobile MOBA that uses Paladins characters and the universe to create an experience that's way more fitting on touch devices. With Arena of Valor on the horizon, and many other good mobile MOBAS already out, I'm curious to see where this one will find a home on the App Store when it's finally released.
MOBAs seem to be the cool new thing on the App Store, and being one of the oldest, Vainglory isn't about to let these new kids on the block get any headway in the market. They just announced a new 5v5 mode that you can pre-register for, and as part of that, they're also updating the game to take advantage of the 120hz screen of the iPad Pro. I'm not sure how 5v5 will turn out, but Vainglory at 120fps sounds absolutely amazing-- Provided you've got a new iPad to play it on.
Last, but not least, is an upcoming game from Annapurna Interactive titled Florence. There aren't a whole lot of details just yet, but the tagline is "an interactive story about love and life." It's being made by Mountains, which is a new indie studio that has Monument Valley alum Ken Wong as the creative director. Annapurna releases awesome things and Ken is an ultra-talented guy, so we're expecting big things. There's no release date yet beyond 2018, so hopefully it comes earlier in the year instead of later in the year.
That's it for this week's big stories in the world of iOS gaming, and as always, if you're into these sorts of things and want an absolute overflow of information in the mobile gaming scene be sure to visit TouchArcade.
Apple this afternoon reminded developers about the imminent launch of the iPhone X and encouraged them to submit apps that are optimized for the new device.
Developers can download Xcode 9.0.1 to test apps using the iPhone X simulator before submitting their updated apps to iTunes Connect.
The future is almost here. iPhone X will be available November 3. This stunning device features the all-new Super Retina display for more immersive experiences and Face ID, a secure new way to unlock, authenticate, and pay. The TrueDepth camera works with ARKit, and the A11 Bionic chip is designed for Core ML and Metal 2. Download Xcode 9.0.1, test your apps in the iPhone X simulator, and capture screenshots. Then submit your updated apps and metadata in iTunes Connect today.
There are specific Human Interface Guidelines developers are encouraged to follow when updating their apps for the iPhone X.
Developers need to take into account the iPhone X's rounded corners, sensor "notch" at the top of the device, and the indicator area for accessing the Home screen to prevent clipping. Developers are discouraged from attempting to mask or call special attention to features like the rounded corners and the sensor housing at the top of the device.
Apps that support Apple Pay or Touch ID will need to make sure Face ID, not Touch ID is referenced within apps on the iPhone X. Apps that use Touch ID will be able to incorporate Face ID as a replacement automatically.
The iPhone X will be in the hands of customers starting on Friday, November 3, the official launch date for the device.
Apple this afternoon 
