In the wake of Apple's hiring of Jamie Erlicht, Zack Van Amburg, Matt Cherniss, and Morgan Wandell for its ongoing push into premium television content, Variety reports today that the company has now hired Channel 4 alum Jay Hunt as creative director for Europe under Apple's Worldwide Video service.
Hunt will start work in January as part of the international content development team that reports to Erlicht and Van Amburg, the two executives spearheading all of Apple's new TV ambitions. Hunt's arrival at Apple follows her exit from a chief creative officer position at Channel 4 this past June. In her Channel 4 stint over the last seven years and in her previous position at BBC One, Hunt helped develop shows like Black Mirror, Luther, Sherlock, Humans, and more.
Hunt's joining of the team follows news of other international expansions for Apple's premium TV plans, with a report of the company hiring Morgan Wandell hitting last Friday. Wandell will be in charge of international creative development for worldwide video at Apple, and comes from Amazon Studios.
On the content side of things, Apple is said to have set aside a "$1 billion war chest" for its new TV initiative, and has become "inundated" with spec scripts and projects since it made its home at The Culver Studios in California. The first big project coming out of Apple's Worldwide Video service will be new episodes of Steven Spielberg's science fiction anthology series "Amazing Stories".
Amazon today announced its latest device, called the Amazon Cloud Cam, which keeps track of your home using an intelligent security camera that syncs up with the company's new iOS and Android apps. Amazon said that the $119.99 Cloud Cam was built to help you check on pets while at work, monitor the front door when you're on vacation, or look into your kids' room from another room in the house.
Cloud Cam features 1080p full HD resolution video, night vision, two-way audio, a wide viewing angle, and activity clips from the last day synced with the Amazon Cloud Cam app. Of course, the new security camera will work with Alexa devices like the Echo, Echo Show, Echo Spot, Amazon Fire TV, and Fire tablets. You can say, "Alexa, show me the [camera name]" and the assistant will bring up the requested feed from anywhere in your house.
When on the go, the iOS and Android apps let you stay in touch with the Cloud Cam, as well as receive customizable notifications for alerts detected by the device's motion detection and computer vision technology. When it detects motion, Cloud Cam sends out a push notification and stores a clip securely for you to review. Amazon said that the camera will get smarter over time with more advanced detection, alerts, and other new features -- like advanced audio alerts and pet detection -- will launch down the line.
“Cloud Cam has all the features you need to monitor your home, including a 1080p Full HD camera, night vision, two-way audio, and free storage for clips—and with the secure AWS cloud powering Cloud Cam’s advanced computer algorithms and intelligent alerts, the service is always getting smarter,” said Charlie Tritschler, Vice President, Amazon Devices. “All of this is just $119.99—Cloud Cam is a premium product at a non-premium price.”
Without a subscription, three Cloud Cams are supported in one home, and with a subscription you can have up to ten cameras in one home. Subscriptions also enable additional storage for video (beyond just 24 hours), unlimited downloads and shares of video clips, Person Detection to flag specific human activity instead of general motion, and Zones to ignore certain areas of motion (like a ceiling fan). Amazon's Cloud Cam subscription tiers are listed below:
Basic ($6.99/mo, $69/yr) offers access to the last 7 days of motion detection clips for up to 3 cameras
Extended ($9.99/mo, $99/yr) offers access to the last 14 days of motion detection clips for up to 5 cameras
Pro ($19.99/mo, $199/yr) offers access to the last 30 days of motion detection clips for up to 10 cameras
Additionally, Amazon today announced a new "Amazon Key" service that works in conjunction with the Cloud Cam. Exclusive to Prime members, Amazon Key allows you to have your order securely delivered inside your home when you're out of the house. Amazon Key will be a new checkout option for Prime members in 37 cities across the U.S. beginning November 8, and will be available for "tens of millions of items" on the site.
Amazon Key combines Cloud Cam with one of several compatible smart locks by companies like Yale and Kwikset. The process begins with Amazon verifying that the correct delivery driver is at the right address at the right time, using an encrypted authentication process. Then, Amazon Cloud Cam begins recording once that process is complete and the door is unlocked for the driver, without giving them any access code or key, and they place the package in your home and then leave.
“Amazon Key gives customers peace of mind knowing their orders have been safely delivered to their homes and are waiting for them when they walk through their doors,” said Peter Larsen, Vice President of Delivery Technology, Amazon. “Now, Prime members can select in-home delivery and conveniently see their packages being delivered right from their mobile phones.”
You can pre-order the Cloud Cam today by itself for $119.99, a two-pack for $199.99, or a three-pack for $289.99, and the device will ship November 8. The company is also offering an Amazon Key In-Home Kit with a Cloud Cam and a compatible smart lock for $249.99.
Observer, a new cyberpunk horror game starring Rutger Hauer, was officially released on Mac on Tuesday. Developed by Bloober Team, creators of acclaimed psychedelic horror title Layers of Fear, and published by Aspyr Media, the game sees players take on the role of Dan Lazarski, an elite neural detective known as an Observer.
Lazarski works for a secretive police unit that hacks into and invades the minds of suspects, in a future where anything a person thinks, feels, or remembers can be used against them in a court of law.
When you receive a mysterious message from your estranged son, a high-level engineer for the almighty Chiron Corporation, you journey to the seedy Class C slums of Krakow to investigate. But as you hack into the unstable minds of criminals and victims to look for clues, you are forced to relive their darkest fears. How far will you go to discover the truth?
Drugs, paranoia, VR, and neural implants abound in this heavily P. K. Dick-inspired horror dystopian title, which has received highly positive reviews from the gaming community on Steam, where Observer is available exclusively for the pre-Halloween price of $25.49 (normal price $30).
The system requirements for Observer are as follows: 10.12.6 (Sierra) and 10.13 (High Sierra); Intel Core i5 (4 cores) running at 3.3GHz, 8GB of RAM, 20GB of hard disk space, and an ATI R9 M290 or NVIDIA Geforce GT 680 video card with 2GB of VRAM. Note: Intel video cards are NOT SUPPORTED.
Connected smart home company Wink on Tuesday announced its first home security bundle featuring all its own-brand products, rather than including compatible products made by other companies.
The Wink Lookout set includes two open/close sensors for use on doors and windows, a motion sensor with pet sensitivity for placement anywhere in the home, a siren and chime alarm with built-in flashlight, and the unifying Wink hub.
No subscription is required to use the products, which communicate through the hub and can be monitored using an updated Wink iOS app that features sensor-trip alerts, siren control, and an emergency services/trusted contact call option.
The new Wink home security bundle costs $199, which is significantly cheaper than the similar Nest Guard at $499. The Wink Lookout set will be available from October 31 at Home Depot and on Amazon. Sensors can be picked up individually for $29, as can the home motion sensor and siren, which cost $39 each. The set includes free shipping in the U.S. backed by a 30-day return policy.
Several reports in recent months have covered Apple's struggle to ensure significant components for the upcoming iPhone X can be produced in large enough quantities to meet demand, with the main culprit being the 3D sensing modules that power the phone's TrueDepth camera and Face ID technology. In a surprise development, a new Bloomberg report today claims that Apple overcame its production challenges by quietly telling suppliers they could reduce the accuracy of the face recognition technology to make the iPhone X easier to manufacture.
Apple's production struggles have centered on the complex 3D sensor, which consists of a dot projector, flood illuminator, and infrared camera. The flood illuminator beams infrared light, which the camera uses to establish the presence of a face. The projector then flashes 30,000 dots onto the face which the phone uses to decide whether to unlock the home screen. Specifically, Apple has had trouble making enough of the fragile modules that combine to make up the dot projector, as Bloomberg reports:
Precision is key. If the microscopic components are off by even several microns, a fraction of a hair's breadth, the technology might not work properly, according to people with knowledge of the situation.
The fragility of the components reportedly created problems for Apple suppliers LG Innotek and Sharp. At one point, only about 20 percent of the dot projectors the two companies produced were usable, according to a person familiar with the manufacturing process. The suppliers therefore slowed production in an effort to prevent breakages but lowered the required level of precision to compensate – a decision apparently mandated by Apple.
To boost the number of usable dot projectors and accelerate production, Apple relaxed some of the specifications for Face ID, according to a different person with knowledge of the process. As a result, it took less time to test completed modules, one of the major sticking points, the person said.
It's not clear how much the new specs will reduce the technology's efficacy, and Apple has declined to comment. However, as the report notes, a downgraded Face ID will probably still be far more accurate than Touch ID, where the odds of someone other than the owner of a phone being able to unlock it are one in 50,000. Even so, Apple is famously demanding on suppliers and manufacturers to help it make technological leaps and retain a competitive edge, which makes this story about the company choosing to downgrade the accuracy of Face ID all the more surprising, regardless of whether real-world functionality remains unaffected.
The delicacy involved in this production challenge has reportedly been further hampered by Apple losing one of its laser suppliers early on. The dot projector uses something called a vertical cavity surface-emitting laser, or VCSEL. The laser beams light through a lens known as a wafer-level optic, which focuses it into the 30,000 points of infra-red light projected onto the user's face. According to the report, California-based Finisar failed to meet Apple's laser specifications in time for the start of production, and now the company is racing to meet the standards by the end of October. That has left Apple reliant on fewer laser suppliers than it originally expected.
As it stands however, Apple appears to have overcome the biggest production hurdles. Sharp is reportedly working to bring the production yield for dot projectors above 50 percent, while LG Innotek has already surpassed that level, which both companies are said to consider acceptable. As a result the 3D sensor shortage is expected to end in early 2018, according to the report.
KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo predicts Apple will have two to three million handsets available on launch day and 25 million to 30 million units for the holiday quarter, down from his previous forecast of 40 million. Pre-orders for the iPhone X begin this Friday, October 27 at 12:01 a.m. Pacific Time. Apple has said there will also be some stock of the smartphone for walk-in customers arriving early to its retail locations on November 3, the official iPhone X launch day.
Following the debut of the iPhone X in September, Apple employees have been using the device in public, leading to a range of "in the wild" iPhone X photos and videos showing off new features and the device's revamped design.
The latest iPhone X video is short but demos a new app switching feature that's unique to the device. On iPhone X, you can swipe left or right on the display to quickly switch between apps, a process that's smooth and seamless in the video that was discovered on Imgur and then shared on Twitter.
Apple did demonstrate this gesture on stage when the iPhone X was introduced, but the video gives a clearer look at how well it works.
On previous devices, app switching was largely initiated through the Home button, but with no Home button available, Apple found a simpler, more intuitive solution for the iPhone X. iPhone X users will also be able to use a swipe upward and hold gesture to get to the traditional card-based app switching interface.
In other iPhone X news, Apple tonight revamped the Apple.com homepage to focus solely on the iPhone X ahead of pre-orders.
The page has an iPhone X front and center along with the pre-order time, and it features several animated sections highlighting various iPhone X features like the edge-to-edge display, Face ID, the TrueDepth Camera, the improved rear camera with Portrait Lighting, the A11 Bionic processor, and wireless charging.
iPhone X pre-orders will kick off in just two days on Friday, October 27 at 12:01 a.m. Pacific Time. The first pre-orders will begin arriving to customers on Friday, November 3, the official launch date for the iPhone X.
Honda is set to release the first motorcycle that comes equipped with CarPlay, reports CNET. The new 2018 Honda Gold Wing motorcycle features a 7-inch LCD in the dashboard, which offers support for CarPlay, just like a standard in-car dashboard.
An iPhone can be connected to the bike via USB in the trunk or the storage cubby in the tank, and then accessed through the touch panel. To use CarPlay with the Gold Wing, a Bluetooth headset is required.
According to CNET, CarPlay in the Gold Wing works well, and can be controlled through the left grip or a rotary controller on the tank.
Yes, you do have to connect a Bluetooth headset, a requirement mandated by Apple, one that is a bit frustrating since most CarPlay interactions don't require voice. Still, once enabled it works well, controlled either via four-way controller on the left grip or a central, rotary controller down on the tank -- though frankly I can't recommend reaching down to that while on the go. Still, having intelligent navigation and access to your media on the bike is great.
Honda's new Gold Wing is 90lbs lighter than older models, and it features an 1,800cc engine with a double-wishbone front suspension. CNET says it's narrower and more attractive, but has much less cargo space than before. Additional information on specs can be found on Honda's website.
Pricing on the 2018 Honda Gold Wing starts at $23,500, and it will be available for purchase in February of 2018.
CarPlay is now available in more than 200 vehicles from a wide range of manufacturers, and there are also several aftermarket solutions available for cars that don't come with native CarPlay support. Along with motorcycles, CarPlay is also now available in some new semi trucks from Volvo.
Nintendo this evening shared details on its upcoming Animal Crossing game that's coming to iOS devices, Animal Crossing Pocket Camp.
In Pocket Camp, you manage a campsite that you can decorate with furniture and items to attract the traditional Animal Crossing villagers. When you place an animal's favorite furniture item, that animal will come to visit your campsite. Based on the Animal Crossing Pocket Camp website, the full range of animal types will be available in Pocket Camp.
The game is highly focused on crafting, and crafting is used to create the furniture items that will draw villagers to the campsite. Crafting furniture requires materials, which are earned by completing quests for your campsite visitors.
Animals will ask you to collect fruit, bugs, fish, and other items, and will reward you with crafting materials when the job's done. As with other Animal Crossing games, you can catch bugs and fish and sell them to get bells, the game's main currency.
You live in a camper, which can be customized both inside and out in the city. You can purchase furniture and new exterior paints and other options, and there are also stores for buying new outfits and accessories. Limited time and seasonal items will be available.
You can also build amenities like pools for your campsite visitors, and there are nearby recreation spots to explore for exotic bugs and fruit, like a beach and an island.
Time passes as it does in real life, so when it's morning, it's morning in Animal Crossing Pocket Camp. You can visit your friends' campsites, and sell and exchange items with one another.
Animal Crossing Pocket Camp is a freemium game and it uses a "Leaf Ticket" currency. Leaf Tickets can be earned in games or purchased with real money. Leaf Tickets speed up building times for furniture and can be used to purchase the resources necessary to build furniture.
When you put out an animal's favorite furniture item, that animal will come visit the campsite, and when completing tasks, you can also level up your friendship with each animal.
Nintendo didn't share a specific launch date for Animal Crossing Pocket Camp, but it is set to be released in late November, so there's about a month to go before it sees a release.
Apple Music is getting another exclusive documentary, this time starring Sam Smith. "On The Record," Smith's documentary, will be released on November 3 on Apple Music alongside Smith's newest album, "The Thrill of It All."
According to Variety, the documentary focuses on the success of Smith's debut album "On the Lonely Hour" and how it impacted his life, his work, and his newest album. The film will include performances and interviews with producers Timbaland, Poo Bear, and Smith's cowriter Jimmy Napes.
Smith also plans to host a special event for fans in London in partnership with Apple Music on November 3 to celebrate the launch of the album and the documentary.
The location of the show has not yet been announced, but Apple is accepting applications for tickets for the event. Apple also plans to live stream the November 3 show so Sam Smith fans around the world can watch it.
Sam Smith's "On the Record" documentary and new album "The Thrill of It All" are now available on Apple Music. Apple has shared a new trailer for the documentary alongside its launch.
Apple recently purchased PowerbyProxi, a company that designs wireless power solutions, reports New Zealand website Stuff. Apple's senior vice president of hardware engineering Dan Riccio told Stuff that the PowerbyProxi team will be a "great addition as Apple works to create a wireless future."
"We want to bring truly effortless charging to more places and more customers around the world," Riccio added.
PowerbyProxi was founded in 2007 to develop wireless charging technology that lets people charge smartphones and other devices without requiring a cord. PowerbyProxi has developed the Proxi-Module, a modular wireless power system that can adapt and integrate into a wide variety of products and situations, delivering up to 100 watts of power to devices like drones and robots.
The Proxi-Module, which features a modular, waterproof design that lets it adapt to a range of use cases, is said to offer the highest power density of any solution on the market with an end to end efficiency of 91 percent, offering "unprecedented performance" with reduced power and heat losses.
PowerbyProxi has also been working on the development of the Wireless Power Consortium's future Qi wireless charging standard and has received accolades and funding for its work. Apple is also a member of the Wireless Power Consortium as of February 2017.
In a statement, PowerbyProxi founder Fady Mishriki said his team is "thrilled" to be joining Apple.
"The team and I are thrilled to join Apple. There is tremendous alignment with our values, and we are excited to continue our growth in Auckland and contribute to the great innovation in wireless charging coming out of New Zealand."
Apple in September unveiled the iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, and iPhone X, and all three new devices are equipped with Qi-based wireless charging capabilities that allow them to charge from Qi-certified wireless chargers.
Apple is already developing its own wireless charging mat that can charge the iPhone, the Apple Watch, and the AirPods at the same time, and with the addition of PowerbyProxi, Apple could expand into a range of other charging accessories for both home and retail use.
It's not clear how much Apple paid to purchase PowerbyProxi, nor did Dan Riccio elaborate on how the PowerbyProxi technology will be used by Apple in the future.
A bug in the built-in Calculator app in iOS 11 is getting some major attention this week, despite the fact that it's been around since iOS 11 was in beta testing.
At issue is a calculator animation that causes some symbols to be ignored when calculations are entered in rapid succession. You can try it for yourself: Type 1+2+3 and then the equals sign into the Calculator app quickly.
Due to animation lag introduced when adding two or more numbers together, your result is more likely to be 24 than 6.
The same goes for many other calculations -- the Calculator ignores some inputs unless you're entering numbers slowly enough to account for the light-up button animations that highlight the keys that are being pressed. Symbols do not register when tapped while a number button is still highlighted, resulting in incorrect calculations if you're inputting numbers quickly. Reddit user cplr describes the problem:
Any iOS developers will see what is wrong here: the bug is that the animation that lights up the button is blocking touch events until the animation completes. This is the default behavior for animations, but to make an app feel responsive it's best to find a way around that (it can be a one line fix, but sometimes it is complicated).
There are hundreds of complaints about the problem on reddit this week, but it's an issue that's been discussed on the MacRumors forums since the iOS 11 beta testing period. Throughout the beta testing process, the animation lag was not addressed, nor has it been fixed in any of the iOS 11 updates released so far. It's also still present in iOS 11.1.
Some users have experienced similar issues when using older versions of iOS, but the animation lag is noticeable enough in iOS 11 to make the Calculator nearly unusable when attempting to make rapid calculations.
Apple seem to be aware of the issue, because as The Loop points out, Apple employee Chris Espinoza says more than 70 people have filed a Radar report on the bug, alerting Apple to the problem. With it receiving so much attention, we could potentially see a Calculator fix in the next iOS 11 update.
With the launch of ARKit, many app developers are building augmented reality experiences into their app, but Target is taking a different approach and implementing an augmented reality feature into its entire mobile website.
Target's new "See It In Your Space" option is designed to let you take a photo of a room in your house and then use augmented reality tools to determine how a piece of furniture will match with your decor.
Guests shopping the new Project 62 line can use the feature to place three-dimensional versions of real Target home products within photos of actual rooms at home, and move them around at proper scale to see how they'd look--all before buying the product.
Once a guest finds, say, a floor lamp or bedside table on Target.com using their smartphone, they simply tap the product's See It In Your Space button and follow steps to do just that.
Target isn't using ARKit for this augmented reality implementation, so there's no live photo viewing of furniture in the room, but Target's decision to adopt the feature speaks to how popular augmented reality is becoming with retailers.
Popular furniture manufacturer IKEA recently released an ARKit app for previewing furniture in the home, and similar apps are also available from companies like Anthropologie, Ashley Furniture, Wayfair, and more.
Right now, Target's augmented reality feature is limited to products that are part of its Project 62 line, with a limited number of furniture pieces and accessories supporting the in-home viewing feature. Target says the augmented reality functionality will expand to hundreds more products by the end of the year and thousands of products in 2018.
See It In Your Space is available on the Target.com website on any smartphone, iPhones included.
MacRumors conducted a brief poll on Twitter today that asked all of our followers to select which iPhone X color and storage capacity they plan to pre-order later this week, and the results are now in.
As a refresher, the iPhone X comes in Silver and Space Gray, with 64GB or 256GB of storage for $999 or $1,149 respectively.
The most popular iPhone X was Space Gray with 256GB of storage, which was the model of choice for 39 percent of respondents and very likely could be the configuration that faces the tightest supply at launch.
Which iPhone X model do you plan to pre-order?
— MacRumors.com (@MacRumors) October 24, 2017
Historically, many customers have always opted for the iPhone in some variant of gray or black with the most storage available. Last year, for example, the model in tightest supply was the iPhone 7 Plus in Jet Black with 256GB of storage.
The runner-up was the Space Gray model with 64GB of storage, which received 30 percent of the over 6,500 votes received. Combined with the 256GB model, Space Gray was the color of choice for just over two thirds of users.
Silver was the less popular choice. 14 percent of users said they plan to pre-order the 64GB model, while 17 percent are leaning towards the 256GB model, in that color. Of note, this year's Silver model has black front bezels.
Customers looking to pre-order any iPhone X for potential launch day delivery may have the best luck choosing the Silver and 64GB combination, but that's assuming that Apple has the same number of units available for each configuration.
While the poll results are interesting from a high level, they aren't very scientific. We don't have any demographics about the users who voted, and it's impossible to say how many respondents will actually follow through with a pre-order.
iPhone X pre-orders begin Friday at 12:01 a.m. Pacific Time. The first deliveries to customers and limited in-store availability begin November 3.
Apple this week has launched a new Halloween-themed movie sale on iTunes, discounting 18 mostly classic films to just $4.99 and 34 modern horror films to $9.99 and under, all in HD. Prices for most of the movies when not on sale are about $14.99, saving you between $5 and $10 depending on which collection you purchase from.
iTunes is calling its $4.99 sale "Horror Through the Years," and it focuses on movies from previous decades including Child's Play, The Fly, and 28 Days Later. There are more recent films, however, like Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter and the reboot of Poltergeist.
This collection also features new artwork by artist/illustrator Orlando Arocena. Arocena's art originally debuted last month in the form of Blu-Ray covers by Twentieth Century Fox and MGM Home Entertainment, as a way to re-release the classic horror films in celebration of Halloween.
Here are a few movies in the "Horror Through the Years" collection, all priced at $4.99:
Child's Play
Killer Klowns from Outer Space
Black Swan
The Fly (1986)
Jeepers Creepers
Joy Ride
The "Modern Horror" sale has a collection of films on sale for $9.99 and under, with most having come out within the last few years.
Here's a list of a few of the movies Apple has marked down in this section:
It Comes At Night - $9.99
Trick 'R Treat (2008) - $9.99
The Witch - $9.99
Green Room - $9.99
You're Next - $7.99
It Follows - $7.99
Outside of these specific collections, Apple has also discounted Little Shop of Horrors to $7.99 in HD. If you're looking to rent a horror film instead of purchasing one to add to your iTunes movie collection, this week's Movie of the Week is The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974), making a rental just $0.99. The two new collections and other notable horror discounts can be found on the home page of iTunes Movies, both on desktop and iOS.
Also of note today is a special offer running at Best Buy, where you can get 25 percent off three or more select cell phone accessories each priced at $9.99 or above. The accessories available to choose from include a wide variety of Apple Lightning adapters, Mophie battery packs, OtterBox cases, Samsung Qi charging pads, and more. Items excluded from the offer are headphones, speakers, Bose products, virtual reality devices for smartphones, and clearance and open-box items.
To stay up to date on the latest sales, check out our Deals Roundup.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Best Buy
With the launch of iOS 11, Apple introduced an entirely revamped App Store that includes a "Today" feature for prominently featuring app content.
"Today" includes both an "App of the Day" and a "Game of the Day" feature, with apps that are swapped out daily, and as it turns out, getting featured as an app or game of the day can result in a huge boost in downloads for developers.
According to 30 days of data sourced by Apptopia (via TechCrunch), apps and games that are featured see a major surge in downloads. An app featured on a weekday could see a download boost of up to 2,172 percent.
While games are often some of the most downloaded apps in the App Store, it's apps that see a bigger increase in downloads from being featured. Games, for example, see a maximum gain of 963 percent, and that's for a free game.
On average, in total, games see a 792 percent boost from an App Store feature, while apps see a 1,747 percent boost.
Free apps and games are of course more popular than paid apps and games, receiving much higher interest overall when featured. Weekday featuring also resulted in higher download gains than weekend featuring.
To gather its data, Apptopia looked at apps and games that have been featured by Apple over the course of the last 30 days. 5 out of 30 apps of the day were paid apps and 11 of 30 games were paid games.
Apps that are not as well established and well-known did better than apps that are already widely downloaded. As an example, Starbucks was featured and was downloaded only a "handful" of times more than the day before it was featured, as most people who would use the app likely already have it.
Apps that were already ranking within the top 20 of their respective category before being featured, only received an average download boost of 44%. For games ranking within the top 20 of the Games category, it was 37%.
Apple's App Store feature boosted a total of 19 apps from being unranked overall to being ranked on the overall charts, which, in some instances, means an app jumped more than 1,000 rank spots.
The new App Store in iOS 11 is a radical departure from the way the App Store was set up in iOS 10, as it splits apps and games into two distinct App Store categories to bolster app discovery. In addition to featuring an App of the Day and a Game of the Day, Apple also highlights apps through interviews, behind-the-scenes looks, app lists, and more, which also likely bring significant attention to developers lucky enough to be chosen for a feature.
Vitality, a health and life insurance provider, today announced that new and existing members in the United Kingdom can essentially earn their way to a free Apple Watch by maintaining an active lifestyle.
Between now and December 31, members enrolled in an eligible VitalityHealth or VitalityLife insurance plan can get a 38mm or 42mm sized Apple Watch Series 3 with GPS only for £0 or £59 upfront respectively, and pay nothing more if they stay active and earn at least 160 Vitality activity points every month for two years.
Apple Watch Nike+ models also qualify for the £0 upfront offer. Selected GPS + Cellular models will be available later this year.
Vitality members can earn activity points for walking, running, cycling, and other forms of exercise. 12,500 steps tracked in a day is good for eight points, for example, while 30-59 minutes of cycling yields five points. Activity points can be tracked in the Vitality Member app and shared with Apple's Health app on iOS devices.
In the worst case scenario, members who aren't active will be required to pay up to £12.50 per month for 24 months, which is essentially the Apple Watch Series 3's £329 starting price spread out over instalments.
Vitality openly admits that this program benefits both society and the company's profits, which comes about as a result of people being healthier and hopefully submitting insurance claims less often.
There's a lot of fine print involved: members must be at least 18 years old, a credit check is required, the Apple Watch cannot be resold, and members can earn a maximum of eight activity points per day and 40 activity points per week. Be sure to read the FAQ and terms and conditions for complete pricing and eligibility requirements.
Vitality is also the provider of the discounted Apple Watch offer that life insurance provider John Hancock is offering in the United States.
Instagram today introduced a new live video feature for the Instagram app, which is designed to let Instagram users invite friends to join them on a live video stream.
In testing since August, the new live video option splits the screen in two to let a viewer watch two people in one video feed.
Starting today, we're introducing a fun way to go live with a friend. Now, you can hang out and go live together, whether you're just doing homework or catching up on your day.
Live video helps you share in an authentic way, but sometimes it can be intimidating when you're on your own. It's easy to add a guest while you're broadcasting.
Instagram users can add a guest or a friend by tapping the "new" icon on the bottom right of the live video feed and then tapping "Add" on anyone who is currently watching an ongoing livestream on Instagram. Viewers can be swapped out at will, but live streamers can only have a single guest at a time.
When your friends are participating in a live video feed, two circles stacked together are displayed in the stories bar, and the feed can be watched and commented on just like any other live video.
Instagram says the new update is available as part of Instagram version 20, available from the App Store. [Direct Link]
Apple today shared two new tutorial videos on its YouTube channel, walking users through the steps required to use the new Portrait Lighting feature on the iPhone 8 Plus.
The first video focuses on how to shoot using Portrait Lighting, while the second video covers how to add Portrait Lighting effects when editing a photo.
Like Apple's other tutorial videos, the two Portrait Lighting videos are short and to the point, walking users through a series of simple steps to access the features.
Portrait Lighting is a new feature that's available on the iPhone 8 Plus and the upcoming iPhone X.
Portrait Lighting is designed to let you add studio quality lighting effects to your images, with Apple using two cameras to create a depth map of an image along with machine learning techniques to decide how to adjust the lighting in a scene.
The feature works in real-time, but it can also be added to images after a photo has been taken.
Portrait Lighting effects include Natural Light, Studio Light (lights up your face), Contour Light (adds dramatic shadows), Stage Light (spotlights your face against a dark background), and Stage Light Mono (Stage Light, but in black and white).
A bug in the built-in Calculator app in iOS 11 is getting 
