Developer CCP Games has revealed that a mobile spinoff of its massively multiplayer game Eve Online it coming to iOS next year. Launched back in 2003, Eve became famous for its vast sandbox universe and spectacular space battles involving thousands of players, even going on to spawn its own history, politics, and galactic economy.
Codenamed Project Aurora and co-developed by Playraven, the smartphone version to debut in 2018 is set in a standalone Eve universe separate from the existing MMO theater, but involves many of the elements fans of the massively online multiplayer should instantly recognize.
Players will have to advance their space stations and build out their fleets while competing with each other to collect ancient relics, which are used to repair jump gates that ultimately lead to the center of the galaxy. Trading, ship research and technology development will all remain central facets of the mobile Eve universe, so there should be plenty to keep veterans of the MMO happy.
TouchArcade is currently attending the EVE Vegas event, so be sure to check in at the site in the coming days and weeks for more details on Project Aurora's interstellar mechanics.
Major League Baseball today fined Arizona Diamondbacks coach Ariel Prieto after he wore his Apple Watch in the dugout during a game against the Colorado Rockies on Wednesday night, reports The New York Times.
Prieto violated rules against the use of electronic communications devices when he wore the Apple Watch during the game. Major League Baseball investigated and said there was no sign the watch was used for anything suspicious.
Image via The New York Times
"M.L.B. found no evidence that Mr. Prieto used the Apple Watch or cellphone for any purpose in the dugout, nor any baseball-related communication on either device during Wednesday's game," the statement on Friday said.
Though the watch was not misused, Prieto and the Diamondbacks received a fine in an "undisclosed amount" just for having the watch in the dugout. The money will be donated to hurricane relief efforts in Puerto Rico.
The Boston Red Sox were also fined last month for using electronic communications devices in the dugout to more quickly relay the opposing team's signs to players on the field. The device in that event was originally said to be an Apple Watch, but later reports suggested it was instead a Fitbit.
Eric Billingsley, director of internet services operations at Apple, is leaving the company, reports CNBC.
Billingsley is responsible for running data center infrastructure and some internet services, including the operating infrastructure for iCloud services like iCloud Drive.
His current responsibilities are being handed over to senior engineering director Patrick Gates, who already oversees infrastructure for other services like Siri. Gates has been with Apple since 2005 and will shortly take over for Billingsley.
Prior to joining Apple in October of 2013, Billingsley served as a director of engineering at Google. Before that, he was a technical fellow at eBay. It's not clear where he will be going after leaving Apple.
According to CNBC, data infrastructure has been an issue at Apple and Gates has been "righting the ship." Apple has been shifting more services to Gates' group's infrastructure as Billingsley's relies on external cloud providers like Amazon Web Services and Microsoft Azure.
His departure comes following a major AWS outage in February that impacted services like Apple Music and iTunes, and CBNC speculates that his exit could mean Apple plans to rely more on its own infrastructure rather than third-party cloud services.
Both Billingsley and Gates report to engineering vice president Patrice Gautier, who reports to iTunes chief Eddy Cue.
I'm writing this from EVE Vegas, and while they haven't announced anything just yet, it does seem odd that the guys behind EVE Online would want someone from an iPhone games site to be in the audience, eh? Anyway, on with some of the bigger stories from this week in the world of iOS gaming.
This week was welcomed by two absolutely legendary 32-bit games getting updated to support iOS 11. Thomas Was Alone and Hoplite are now both 64-bit. Thomas Was Alone is near the top of my personal list of best games I've ever played. It's a multi-character puzzler platformer with a fully narrated story and a soundtrack I'll still listen to on Spotify at random. It's a game I wish I could delete from my brain to experience fresh all over again. Take a look at our review.
Hoplite, on the other hand, is a hex grid turn-based strategy game that has you playing as a Spartan soldier trying to retrieve the Fleece of Yendor from the 16th floor of a dungeon filled with all sorts of obstacles. It's totally random, and features nearly infinite replayability. We reviewed it all the way back in 2014.
A Stranger Things game launched this week. It's a completely free promotional game that's a lightweight RPG of sorts that is jam-packed with fan service. If you are a completionist, you can try and collect all the Eggos and Gnomes and complete the VHS library. And if you manage to collect everything, you might even get to unlock secret characters or never-before-seen footage of the upcoming Season 2.
Razer CEO Min-Liang Tan was spotted on Twitter this week with what many are thinking is the rumored Razer gaming smartphone. We're super curious to see what if any kind of dent Razer can make in the mobile space with a gaming-specific smartphone. That particular sector of the cell phone industry seems really odd, and littered with the corpses of other companies (including giants like Sony) that tried to make gaming smartphones. Razer has been on a bit of a tear when it comes to releasing real cool PC hardware, so who knows.
All of the Goat Simulator games are on sale for a buck. These games are beyond absurd, and (as the title hints) have you playing as a goat wrecking all sorts of things. If you've never played one, it's probably best to start off with the classic Goat Simulator then hop into some of the ridiculous sequels/spinoffs available. If you have kids, chances are you already own at least one of these games.
Like clockwork, Blizzard is expected to reveal a new expansion at Blizzcon on November 3rd -- Specifically at 1:45 PM PDT. Nothing has leaked yet, so it's a complete mystery which direction they're going to go next. Blizzard has done a fabulous job at evolving the game of Hearthstone with new cards, so we're expecting some big things with the next expansion.
The roundup is a little shorter than usual this week, but I'm super slammed with EVE Vegas! For all the other iOS news, reviews, and other happenings of the week please head over to TouchArcade.
Benchmarking company Futuremark recently set out to debunk long-running speculation that Apple intentionally slows down older iPhones when it releases new software updates as a way to encourage its customers to buy new devices.
Starting in 2016, Futuremark collected over 100,000 benchmark results for seven different iPhone models across three versions of iOS, using that data to create performance comparison charts to determine whether there have been performance drops in iOS 9, iOS 10, and iOS 11.
The first device tested was the iPhone 5s, as it's the oldest device capable of running iOS 11. iPhone 5s, released in 2013, was the first iPhone to get a 64-bit A7 chip, and iOS 11 is limited to 64-bit devices. Futuremark used the 3DMark Sling Shot Extreme Graphics test and calculated all benchmark scores from the iPhone 5s across a given month to make its comparison.
The higher the bar, the better the performance, and based on the testing, GPU performance on the iPhone 5s has remained constant from iOS 9 to iOS 11 with just minor variations that Futuremark says "fall well within normal levels."
iPhone 5s CPU performance over time was measured using the 3DMark Sling Shot Extreme Physics test, and again, results were largely consistent.
Charts for other devices, including the iPhone 6, 6s, and 7, show some mild dips and increases when it comes to GPU performance. In the iPhone 6 and 7, GPU performance is up compared to previous-generation versions of iOS.
CPU performance across those three devices has dropped slightly, something Futuremark attributes to "minor iOS updates or other factors." "A user would be unlikely to notice this small difference in everyday use," says the site. Based on its benchmarking comparisons, Futuremark claims "there are no signs of a conspiracy."
Our benchmarking data shows that, rather than intentionally degrading the performance of older models, Apple actually does a good job of supporting its older devices with regular updates that maintain a consistent level of performance across iOS versions.
Raw CPU and GPU power across devices does not offer a complete picture of performance on an older device that's updated to a new operating system, however, nor are benchmarks an accurate measure of real world performance. Apple may not be deliberately slowing down older devices with its software updates, as some have speculated, but there are other factors to take into account.
New features that eat up more system resources can make a device feel slower, as can more system intensive design elements and other tweaks and changes designed for newer devices that are more powerful.
Apple's operating system updates also introduce more advanced APIs and technology for its newest devices, leading to built-in and third-party apps that are aimed at more powerful devices and may not be optimized on older devices, resulting in an older device feeling more sluggish than a newer device following an iOS update.
Sometimes, there are also early bugs in the software that need to be worked out through additional updates. For example, we've seen complaints of app slowdowns and performance drops from users who have installed iOS 11, issues that may be resolved as Apple tweaks and updates the iOS 11 operating system.
The new version of the PowerView Motorization supports Amazon and Google services out of the box, but with an update later this year, it will also support Apple's HomeKit.
The PowerView Motorization Hub lets users control, time, and set their window shades to raise, lower, and tilt on an automatic schedule. With HomeKit support, the PowerView Motion will let window shades and blinds be controlled via Siri voice commands, and shade settings can also be incorporated into HomeKit scenes for full-home automation.
The PowerView Pebble Controller component of the PowerView Motorization system, which offers a way to manually control the shades sans smartphone, comes in new colors (Ecru, Oyster, and Mist) so now there are a wide range of color options to match any interior.
The PowerView Hub itself has also been updated with a new design that's similar in appearance to the Pebble Controller, and with the addition of Wi-Fi support, it no longer needs to connect directly to a router. It also offers faster processing speeds for a better end user experience, and the accompanying PowerView Repeater offers strengthened signal ranges for improved home coverage.
Finally, along with the launch of the new PowerView Motorization system, the PowerView app has been updated with a new user interface that includes a customizable dashboard where users can add favorite scenes and automations.
Hunter Douglas has not yet provided a specific launch date for when we can expect HomeKit compatibility to be added to the new PowerView Motorization system, but it is expected to be introduced before the end of the year. More info on the updated PowerView line can be found on the Hunter Douglas website.
Tweetbot is one of the most popular third-party Twitter clients, and this week developer Tapbots has dropped the price of the latest version of the app -- Tweetbot 4 -- by 50 percent, from $9.99 to $4.99. The last time a similar price drop happened was December 2016, so the app had yet to see a discount throughout 2017.
It's not clear how long the discount will last, but given the length of previous sales (around 4-5 days), it should stick around until October 7-8.
The app lets you mute tweets by hashtags, users, sources, or keywords, includes an automatic night mode that turns on or off depending on the brightness of your iPhone's screen, and has basic Twitter features like direct messages and lists. Tweetbot 4 also retains Twitter's old reverse chronological timeline order, and doesn't surface cards that suggest Tweets you may have missed or that you might like.
Additionally today, Fry's has marked down BeatsX Earphones to a notable low of $94, in comparison to the traditional retail price of $150. You can purchase the earphones in Grey, Blue, White, and Black, and the discount will appear once the item is placed in your cart. This deal ends tomorrow, October 7.
Nodus Access Case (left) and Shell Case (right)
Nodus has a discount on iPhone X cases, offering 10 percent off the Access Case and Shell Case when you pre-order each accessory ahead of their respective late October and early November delivery estimates. The Access Case is a leather portfolio case with room for credit cards, while the Shell Case lets you attach your iPhone to any surface using the included micro dock accessory.
We just launched our new giveaway for the week as well, so head here for a chance to win a TS3 Thunderbolt Station 3 dock from CalDigit. For more of this week's deals, including a one-day-only discount on the UE MEGABOOM right now at Best Buy, be sure to head over to our Deals Roundup.
Apple design chief Jony Ive spoke this afternoon at TechFest 2017, an event held in New York City. Ive sat down for an interview with The New Yorker editor David Remnick to answer some questions about his design philosophies, his time at Apple, and what it was like working with Steve Jobs, who served as a "wonderful teacher" for Ive.
Ive's TechFest talk wasn't streamed live, but Business Insider was on hand at the interview and shared a live blog with some of Ive's responses and discussion points, and The New Yorker also shared several quotes on its Twitter account.
Perhaps the most interesting part of the conversation centered on upcoming technology Apple is exploring. Ive said that there are "certain ideas" Apple has in mind, and that the company is "waiting for the technology to catch up with the idea." In response to a question about whether he was still hungry for new designs and new products, Ive answered "Absolutely."
He went on to say that there are "many opportunities" around displays, and as silicon becomes smaller and more efficient, "the opportunities are extraordinary." Ive also says he's excited about AI and the kind of "good tools" it can lead to.
"The phone we just announced a few weeks ago. That technology is something we'd been working on for five years. We had prototypes. This is an interesting one, theres's a tendency, and I understand it, with the benefit of hindsight, it all seems inevitable."
"For 99 percent of the time, it didn't work for us. For 99% of the development cycle all we had were things that failed."
Developing new products, says Ive, requires a mix of curiosity and focus, to ask the right questions while staying focused on getting a product into development. "There are 55 reasons it hasn't been done before," he said. "So you have to be so focused, determined." Ive says maintaining that level of focus is "exhausting."
Ive touched on his relationship with Steve and the ideals that Jobs instilled in the company. Money was never the focus for Steve Jobs, even when he returned to the company and started making major cuts to the product lineup at the time. "The focus was 'the products aren't every good, are they. Let's focus on making some good products,'" said Ive.
Sometimes design inspiration at Apple comes from poorly designed products, and that was the case with the iPhone. According to Ive, a loathing for the current phones at the time motivated Apple to come up with something new. "You think there has to be a better way of doing it," said Ive.
Apple executives have said several times that Apple's products are designed for people and not for profit, a sentiment that Ive echoed in his interview. "Most things are built in an opportunistic way, to a cost, or to a schedule, they're not built to people," he said.
On the topic of design overall, Ive says that he remembers the process most fondly, not the product. He says he's been fortunate to work with extraordinary people. "If I get to sit down for 2 hours with one of the world's best silicon chip designers, I could not be happier," said Ive.
The TS3, designed to connect to Apple's most recent Thunderbolt 3 Macs, features a sleek ribbed aluminum enclosure and adds a range of functionality to machines like the MacBook Pro with its wealth of ports.
At the back, the TS3 offers two USB 3.1 Type-A ports, two eSATA ports, a Gigabit Ethernet port, a DisplayPort, and two Thunderbolt 3 ports. At the front, there are audio in and audio out jacks, along with a third USB 3.1 Type-A port. All of the ports are accessible through a single connected Thunderbolt 3 cable, which also provides charging.
CalDigit's TS3 is one of the Thunderbolt 3 docks on the market that's able to offer full 85W charging to the 15-inch Retina MacBook Pro, so there is no compromise to be made when it comes to charging speed.
It is compatible with all Thunderbolt 3 Macs and supports a single 5K monitor or dual 4K monitors.
We reviewed the TS3 earlier this year and we were impressed with the design and the balance of features it offers, along with the 85W charging, and it's one of the only docks to offer eSATA ports.
CalDigit normally charges $250 for the TS3 Thunderbolt 3 docking station, but we have two to give to MacRumors readers. To enter to win, use the Rafflecopter widget below and enter an email address. Email addresses will be used solely for contact purposes to reach the winner and send the prize. You can earn additional entries by subscribing to our weekly newsletter, subscribing to our YouTube channel, following us on Twitter, or visiting the MacRumorsFacebook page.
Due to the complexities of international laws regarding giveaways, only U.S. residents who are 18 years of age or older are eligible to enter. To offer feedback or get more information on the giveaway restrictions, please refer to our Site Feedback section, as that is where discussion of the rules will be redirected.
The contest will run from today (October 6) at 11:00 a.m. Pacific Time through 11:00 a.m. Pacific Time on October 13. The winners will be chosen randomly on October 13 and will be contacted by email. The winners will have 48 hours to respond and provide a shipping address before new winners are chosen.
Apple recently confirmed that Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are not fully disabled when toggled off in Control Center on iOS 11, and the change has generated some fresh criticism from a prominent non-profit digital rights group.
For background, when Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are toggled off, an iPhone or iPad on iOS 11 merely disconnects from a Wi-Fi network and Bluetooth accessories. The actual Wi-Fi and Bluetooth radios in the device remain activated.
Moreover, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth automatically reenable at 5:00 a.m. local time each day, or if the device is restarted.
iOS 11 works this way so that Wi-Fi and Bluetooth continue to be available for AirDrop, AirPlay, Apple Pencil, Apple Watch, Location Services, and Continuity features like Handoff and Instant Hotspot.
As a result of the change, the Electronic Frontier Foundation believes that iOS 11 compromises users' security. In a critical article, the EFF said the toggles are "misleading" and "bad for user security."
When a phone is designed to behave in a way other than what the UI suggests, it results in both security and privacy problems. A user has no visual or textual clues to understand the device's behavior, which can result in a loss of trust in operating system designers to faithfully communicate what’s going on. Since users rely on the operating system as the bedrock for most security and privacy decisions, no matter what app or connected device they may be using, this trust is fundamental.
The EFF said the "loophole in connectivity" can potentially leave users open to new attacks, and it linked to a white paper that unveils apparent zero day vulnerabilities and security flaws in modern Bluetooth stacks.
The article added that, at a bare minimum, Apple should keep the Control Center toggles off until the user flips them back on, rather than overriding the user's choice at 5:00 a.m. local time the next morning.
Overall, the EFF's arguments are generally the same as those shared by iOS 11 users who are unhappy with the change. The toggles still behave the same in the iOS 11.1 beta, however, so there's no indication Apple will reverse course.
iOS 11 users can still completely disable Wi-Fi and Bluetooth for all networks and devices by toggling them off in the Settings app. A device can also be placed in Airplane Mode with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth disabled.
In a support document, Apple said users should try to keep Wi-Fi and Bluetooth turned on for the best experience on an iOS device.
Logitech's Circle 2, introduced in June, is the second-generation version of its Circle home security camera. This new version features a redesigned body, wired and wire-free versions, accessories that let it be positioned anywhere, and, through a recent update, HomeKit support.
Circle 2 is meant to be used as a home security device and it's ideal for keeping an eye on your house while you're away from home. It's also great for keeping an eye on pets and children, and even communicating with the two-way microphone. Circle 2 connects to a home WiFi network and offers cloud functionality that lets you view video anywhere.
I've been using a Logitech Circle camera for two years now sans HomeKit functionality, so I was eager to check out the HomeKit version. This is only the second HomeKit-compatible camera available on the market, and with the new design, the Logi Circle app, and cloud upload ability, the Circle 2 easily beats out the D-Link Omna as the best HomeKit camera you can buy at the moment.
Though Logitech offers both wired and wire-free versions of the Circle 2, HomeKit only works with the wired version because Apple requires an always-on camera connection, and that's not how the wire-free Circle 2 works.
Design and Features
The wired version of the Circle 2 consists of a small palm-sized camera module that attaches to a base with a pivoting neck, allowing the camera to be positioned and rotated into an ideal angle to work with any room setup. The base can be attached to a wall with a wall mount, and the camera module itself is detachable from the base because it can connect to other accessories like a plug or window mount.
Circle 2 has a white shell around it, and the camera base is also white. It's a simple, attractive design that melds into the decor around it. There's no mistaking this is a camera, though. It has a wide camera lens and an LED light that comes on when it's activated, but that can be turned off for a slightly more discreet look. At the back, there's a 10-ft power cord that needs to be plugged into the wall.
Apple today announced that Katherine Adams will join Apple as General Counsel and Senior Vice President of Legal and Global Security this year. She will serve as the chief lawyer of Apple's legal department and report to Apple CEO Tim Cook.
Katherine Adams, left, will replace Bruce Sewell as Apple's general counsel
Apple's general counsel oversees all legal matters, including corporate governance, intellectual property, litigation and securities compliance, global security, and privacy, according to Sewell's executive bio.
Cook said Adams is a "seasoned leader with outstanding judgment" in her field. He also offered best wishes to Sewell.
We are thrilled to welcome Kate to our team. She's a seasoned leader with outstanding judgment and that has worked on a wide variety of legal cases globally. Throughout her career she's also been an advocate on many of the values we at Apple hold dear.
Bruce has our best wishes for his retirement, after eight years of dedicated service to Apple and a tremendously successful career. He has tirelessly defended our IP, our customers' right to privacy and our values. Bruce has set a new standard for general counsels, and I am proud to have worked with him and proud to call him a friend.
Adams said "it's an honor" to join Apple.
Apple has had a tremendous impact on the world and it's an honor to join their team. I'm excited to help Apple continue to grow and evolve around the world, protecting their ideas and IP, and defending our shared values.
Sewell said the eight years he spent working at Apple have been the "most gratifying" of his entire career.
To have worked with this amazing executive team and all the incredibly smart people at Apple, especially my colleagues in legal and global security, has been the honor of a lifetime. The years I have spent in this job have been the most gratifying of my career. I'm delighted Kate is joining and I know she will be a huge asset.
Adams was most recently senior vice president and general counsel of Honeywell, where she had worked since 2003. Prior to then, she was a partner at New York law firm Sidley Austin LLP. She has also served as a law clerk for the U.S. Supreme Court and as a trial attorney for the U.S. Department of Justice.
Sewell maintained a quiet presence until last year, when he came into the spotlight twice during Apple's separate battles with the FBI and Spotify.
Twenty years after launching as a download for Microsoft Windows computers in 1997, AOL Instant Messenger will be officially discontinued from December 15, 2017. AOL parent company Oath announced the end of AIM in a blog post earlier this morning, celebrating with a nostalgic recollection of how big the messaging platform was in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
According to Michael Albers, VP of Communications Product at Oath, the reason behind the discontinuation is how "profoundly" the ways we communicate have changed over the years, leading many to abandon AIM for mobile apps like Apple's iMessage, Facebook's WhatsApp, and more.
If you were a 90’s kid, chances are there was a point in time when AOL Instant Messenger (AIM) was a huge part of your life. You likely remember the CD, your first screenname, your carefully curated away messages, and how you organized your buddy lists. Right now you might be reminiscing about how you had to compete for time on the home computer in order to chat with friends outside of school. You might also remember how characters throughout pop culture from “You’ve Got Mail” to “Sex and the City” used AIM to help navigate their relationships. In the late 1990’s, the world had never seen anything like it. And it captivated all of us.
AIM tapped into new digital technologies and ignited a cultural shift, but the way in which we communicate with each other has profoundly changed. As a result we’ve made the decision that we will be discontinuing AIM effective December 15, 2017.
There are still plans to "continue building the next generation of iconic brands and life-changing products," Albers said, similar to what AIM did for instantaneously messaging friends in the early days of the internet. No further specifics were given as to what the company might launch next.
Last month, AIM was also removed as a chat option from Apple's Messages app in macOS High Sierra, providing another hint that many users no longer logged into the service. Over the years, there have also been AIM apps for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.
For months, many Wall Street analysts have predicted the iPhone X will drive a significant number of existing iPhone users to upgrade. The latest word from KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, however, suggests the so-called "supercycle" won't truly gain momentum until 2018 due to multiple factors.
Namely, Kuo said the TrueDepth camera system's reported production issues will be "significantly addressed" in 2018. He also believes new iPhone models launched in 2018 will enjoy a longer sales period than those unveiled in 2017, with next year's lineup likely to retain many of the iPhone X's appealing features.
Here's the excerpt from Kuo's research note obtained by MacRumors today:
The market generally refers to 2017 as the super cycle of the iPhone, but we think the real super cycle will be in 2018 for the following reasons: (1) TrueDepth Camera's production issues will be significantly addressed in 2018F; (2) new models launched in 2018F will enjoy a longer sales period than those unveiled in 2017; and (3) the product mix, specifications and designs of new iPhone models from 2018F will be more competitive. We estimate that for 2017, iPhone shipments will come in at 210-220mn units, which should grow to be 245-255mn units in 2018.
Kuo estimated that once iPhone X's production issues are solved in the fourth quarter of this year, shipments will "pick up strongly" in the first half of 2018.
Truphone today announced that its Apple SIM data plans for iPad are now available to purchase in Ireland and Portugal, with an additional 31 countries to follow by the end of 2017. The plans were already available in Australia, Hong Kong, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain, and the UK.
Truphone's Apple SIM plans provide iPad users with access to its data network in over 40 countries without additional roaming charges, including the United States, Australia, Hong Kong, and much of the European Union. Each plan lasts 30 days, with 500MB, 1GB, and 3GB allotments available at up to 4G speeds.
Apple SIM enables iPad users to easily switch between different short-term data plans from select carrier partners without needing multiple SIM cards. Apple SIM can be used in more than 180 countries and territories around the world, making it convenient for staying connected while traveling.
Apple SIM is embedded in the latest cellular iPad Pro models, and compatible with the fifth-generation 9.7-inch iPad, iPad Air 2, iPad mini 3, and iPad mini 4, sold in the United States, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, and the UK.
Apple SIM is also available for purchase separately at Apple retail store locations in those aforementioned countries. Keep in mind that not all carriers support Apple SIM, and it is not available to purchase or use in China.
Truphone data plans can be purchased or topped up on compatible iPads by tapping Settings → Cellular Data → Set Up Cellular Data. In some countries, these settings may be labeled as Mobile Data.
Apple has updated its System Status page to indicate that some users may be experiencing "intermittent issues" with the App Store, iTunes, Apple Music, and select other services in the United States and other countries.
The issues began shortly before 11 a.m. Pacific Time on Thursday, according to Apple. During this time, some iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple TV users may be unable to access the handful of Apple services listed below.
• App Store • Apple Music • iTunes in the Cloud • iTunes Store • iTunes U • Mac App Store • Volume Purchase Program
Update: Apple has updated its System Status page to indicate that the intermittent issues are now resolved.
Taiwanese manufacturer Win Semiconductors has reported a nearly 24 percent increase in third quarter revenue on a year-over-year basis, driven by the supplier's indirect foray into the iPhone X supply chain, according to DigiTimes.
The firm's consolidated revenues hit a record monthly high of about $1.6 billion in local New Taiwan dollars in September, an increase of 13.4 percent from a month earlier and 44.74 percent from a year ago, the report said.
Win Semiconductors reportedly handles production of the VCSEL (vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser) component for Lumentum, which is believed to be one of Apple's primary suppliers for its new TrueDepth facial recognition system.
Market sources said that after beating several competitors, Lumentum is now the only company that has won orders from Apple for VCSEL component as part of 3D sensing modules for iPhone X. As a contract manufacturer of the component, Win Semiconductor has enjoyed stable expansion in VCSEL shipments to Lumentum.
The report, citing sources from Apple's supply chain, said that Win Semiconductors as an indirect supplier has not seen its VCSEL shipments affected by the low yield rates the TrueDepth system is rumored to be facing.
Pixelmator has been updated for Mac to include support for the new HEIF image standard in macOS High Sierra. Once users have updated to Pixelmator 3.7, they'll also be able to make full use of the new Photo app integration available in Apple's latest desktop operating system.
In macOS High Sierra, it's possible to open a photo in a third-party app right from within the Photos Library using the "Edit With..." menu option, after which Pixelmator should appear following the update. Subsequently, any edits made within Pixelmator will be automatically saved back to the Photos library.
Added support for the new HEIF image standard includes the ability to import photos from iPhone 7, iPhone 8, and iPhone X, which save in the more efficient compression format by default. You can find out more about HEIF here.
Other improvements in the 3.7 update to Pixelmator include enhanced support for Photoshop PSD files, an improved Repair Tool, and a return of the ability to drag image assets from Photos and Safari directly into Pixelmator.
Eric Billingsley, director of internet services operations at Apple, is leaving the company, reports 
