Apple today seeded the fifth beta of an upcoming watchOS 5 update to developers, two weeks after releasing the fourth beta and more than a month after introducing the software at the Worldwide Developers Conference.
To install the beta, you'll need the proper configuration profile, which can be obtained through the Apple Developer Center. Once the profile is in place, the watchOS 5 beta can be downloaded using the dedicated Apple Watch app on the iPhone by going to General --> Software Update.
To update, the Apple Watch needs to have 50 percent battery, it must be placed on an Apple Watch charger, and it has to be in range of the iPhone. It's best to install the beta on a secondary device instead of a primary device as betas often still have bugs to be worked out.
watchOS 5 is a significant update to the watchOS operating system, introducing Activity Competitions so you can compete on workouts with friends, Walkie-Talkie with push-to-talk functionality for quickly communicating with the people you talk to most, and auto workout detection to make it easier to start and stop workouts if you forget.
Other new features include an improved Siri watch face with support for third-party apps through Siri Shortcuts, a dedicated Apple Podcasts app, new Workout types that include Yoga and Hiking, new features for runners, WebKit support for viewing some web content on Apple Watch, and enhanced notifications, which will make notifications on the Apple Watch interactive.
watchOS 5 is only available to developers and will not be provided to public beta testers (because there's no way to downgrade Apple Watch software), so non-developers will need to wait until the software is officially released in the fall to try it out.
The watchOS 5 update runs on all Series 1, Series 2, and Series 3 Apple Watch models, but it is not available for the first-generation "Series 0" Apple Watch models.
Apple today seeded the fifth beta of a new tvOS 12 operating system to developers for testing purposes, two weeks after releasing the fourth beta and more than a month after introducing the new software at the 2018 Worldwide Developers Conference.
Designed for the fourth and fifth-generation Apple TV, the tvOS 12 developer beta can be downloaded onto the Apple TV using a profile that's installed through the Xcode software. Subsequent betas can be downloaded via the software update mechanism on the Apple TV.
tvOS 12 introduces support for Dolby Atmos sound, which was activated in the second beta. Apple says that iTunes will be home to the largest collection of Dolby Atmos-supported movies anywhere this fall. Customers that have previously purchased movies that gain Dolby Atmos support will see free upgrades to their titles, much like the rollout of 4K support.
Building on single sign-on, a new zero sign-on feature will further simplify the cable authentication process. With zero sign-on, the Apple TV can detect a user's broadband network and automatically sign them into supported apps they receive through their accompanying cable subscription.
Zero sign-on will be available for Charter Communications customers this fall and will expand to additional cable providers in the future.
Aerial screensavers now include location information and there are new screensavers captured in collaboration with the International Space Station.
Other improvements tvOS-related improvements include AutoFill passwords from iPhone, an Apple TV Remote automatically added to Control Center on the iPhone or iPad, and Apple TV support on Home control systems like Control4, Crestron, and Savant.
tvOS 12 is available for developers and public beta testers to work out bugs and other issues ahead of a fall public launch.
Apple today seeded the fifth beta of an upcoming macOS Mojave update to developers for testing purposes, two weeks after releasing the fourth beta and more than a month after introducing the software at the Worldwide Developers Conference.
macOS Mojave introduces a new method of installing software updates, so after you've installed the first beta using the appropriate profile from the Developer Center, additional betas can be downloaded clicking on the Apple in the menu bar, choosing "About This Mac" and clicking "Software Update." Alternatively, open System Preferences and choose the "Software Update" icon.
Apple's macOS Mojave update introduces a systemwide Dark Mode, with Mojave users able to choose between a light theme or the new dark theme, which changes the color of the dock, menu bar, apps, and other elements. Dark Mode is accompanied by Dynamic Desktops, aka wallpapers that subtly change throughout the day. Additional wallpapers were introduced in the fourth beta.
Stacks, a new desktop organization system, keeps all of your desktop files neat and organized, while Finder has been enhanced with a Gallery View, a Sidebar, a revamped Quick Look option and Quick Actions, so you can do more in the Finder window than ever before.
Screenshots can now be edited using Markup tools and a new management options that also allow for easy screen recording, while Continuity camera, a new feature, allows you to import photos and document scans directly from an iPhone or iPad to the Mac.
The Apple News, Stocks, Home, and Voice Memos apps have been ported from iOS to macOS as part of a multiyear project Apple is working on to make it easier to bring iOS apps to Macs, and Apple has introduced several new privacy protections to keep your data safer than ever.
Apple is also making it harder for websites to track you with a range of new Safari tools, and it's also easier to make and store secure, hard-to-guess passwords for each and every website.
Apple has added an entirely revamped Mac App Store to macOS Mojave that makes it easier to discover apps with a featured section and specific categories for games, creative apps, productivity apps, apps for developers, and more.
macOS Mojave is available to developers and public beta testers to work out bugs and other issues ahead of an upcoming fall public release.
What's New in Beta 5: macOS Mojave beta 5 introduces several new wallpapers appropriate for use with Dark Mode. There are several wallpapers that feature images of the Mojave desert, along with new abstract oil slick-style wallpapers, new dark flower wallpapers, images that have been used to promote recent Mac refreshes, and more.
You can get to the new wallpapers by opening up System Preferences, choosing the Desktop & Screensaver option, and selecting Desktop Pictures.
Dropbox today announced that it is increasing the amount of storage space available to many of its paid subscribers for no additional charge.
Starting today, Dropbox Professional accounts get 2TB of storage space, while Business Standard teams have access to 3TB of shared storage space.
According to Dropbox, its new storage limits give customers more freedom to free up phone and hard drive space, share large files, and work with Dropbox's Smart Syncing features.
All new Professional and Business Standard accounts include the upgraded storage today, while storage for existing accounts will be upgraded in the coming weeks.
Dropbox is not increasing storage space available for free tiers or its Plus accounts. Free storage space remains limited to 2GB, while Plus subscribers will continue to have 1TB of storage space.
Dropbox Professional is priced at $19.99 per month or $16.58 when paying yearly. Dropbox Business is priced at $15 per month per user with a minimum of three users, but pricing drops to $12.50 per user when billed yearly.
Apple Music has scored yet another exclusive documentary, this time chronicling the creation of Kesha's 2017 album "Rainbow," the service announced today on Twitter.
"Rainbow" was Kesha's third major album, following "Warrior" in 2012 and "Animal" in 2010. The album focuses on themes of letting go, forgiveness, self-worth, and self-love, and it came following Kesha's struggles with an eating disorder, emotional issues, and alleged abuse at the hands of her producer, Dr. Luke.
In a statement, Kesha said that creating "Rainbow" was "such a therapeutic process" and that she hopes the film highlighting the development process will inspire others.
"Making Rainbow the album was such a therapeutic process and given the opportunity to turn it into a three-dimensional piece of art has helped me find even deeper healing and catharsis.
I hope this film inspires others to never give up even if you feel full of hurt or lost, because after the storm comes a rainbow. Depression, anxiety and mental illness are things we all need to talk about more, and there is no shame in asking for help. Making the decision to work on yourself is the bravest thing you can do. I hope this film helps bring light and love to everyone."
The documentary will feature never-before-seen footage of some of Kesha's performances, and according to Billboard, it will use "psychedelic vignettes" to convey Kesha's struggles and how she overcame them. The film was directed by Kesha, her brother Lagan Sebert, and Kevin Hayden.
Apple plans to release the documentary exclusively on Apple Music on August 10.
Apple has been working with schools and colleges around the world to provide Swift curriculum to students under its "Everyone Can Code" initiative, learning Apple's App Development with Swift curriculum.
To allow colleges and employers to confirm those skills, Certiport, a company that develops exam certifications, has worked with Apple to create an "App Development with Swift" academic certification program.
The new global certification system is available for secondary schools and higher education, and it has been built on Apple's Everyone Can Code program, with a specific focus on the year-long App Development with Swift course developed by engineers.
The App Development with Swift course is designed to allow students who have zero programming experience to build their own apps, and with the new certification program, instructors have a third-party validation tool and a "measurable outcome" for Swift programming classes.
"Earning an App Development with Swift certification will give students the confidence they need to further their programming education or move on to a career in programming," said Ray Murray, Vice President, Business Development, Pearson VUE. "Earning a certification endorsed by Apple shows that they have a solid grasp on the language and can apply it - today - to create innovative iOS applications. We expect this new certification to gain widespread adoption due to the popularity of the Swift programming language."
Students will be tested on their foundational skills with Swift, Xcode, Simulator, Interface Builder, Playgrounds, and other app development tools, and students who pass will earn a digital badge that can be added to a resume or portfolio.
Certiport plans to launch the App Development with Swift Certification exam in the fall of 2018 to allow the first students to obtain Swift certification.
Apple is widely expected to launch a new lower-priced notebook later this year, likely with a 13-inch Retina display and a starting price below $1,000. It's unclear if it will be branded as a MacBook, MacBook Air, or otherwise, but it'll be a new lower-cost, lower-spec option below the MacBook Pro.
According to a translated report from Taiwanese publication Economic Daily News, the notebook will be powered by Intel's eighth-generation Kaby Lake Refresh processors, released in the second half of 2017.
The translated report suggests that Apple's decision to use the Kaby Lake Refresh processors, manufactured based on a 14nm process, is due to repeated delays with Intel's transition to Cannon Lake chips, based on a 10nm process. The latest word is that Cannon Lake won't be ready until the end of 2019.
The Kaby Lake Refresh lineup includes quad-core Core i5 and Core i7 processors with base clock speeds between 1.6GHz and 1.9GHz, and max Turbo Boost speeds between 3.4GHz and 4.2GHz. The 15W chips feature integrated Intel UHD Graphics 620, with support for up to 32GB of DDR4 or LPDDR3 RAM.
This means Apple's lower-priced notebook would be significantly faster than the latest MacBook Air models, which is unsurprising, given they use Intel's fifth-generation, dual-core Core i5 and Core i7 processors released in 2015. It'd also be much faster than the 12-inch MacBook, which uses ultra-low-power chips.
Kaby Lake Refresh chips are already nearly one year old, and Intel will be releasing faster Whiskey Lake processors suitable for Apple's notebook in the second half of 2018, but they might not be ready in time, as manufacturing needs to begin over the summer for the notebook to launch in the fall.
It appears Apple will have a jam-packed September event, with a trio of new iPhones, Apple Watch Series 4 models, new AirPods, and AirPower, so the Mac and iPad Pro could see some attention at an October event.
It's not entirely clear how Apple will shake up its notebook lineup below the MacBook Pro. The new notebook could be the first MacBook Air with a Retina display, or replace the MacBook Air entirely, or slot into the MacBook family, with price adjustments across the line, but it all remains to be seen.
Apple's plans for the notebook have been detailed by reliable Apple sources Ming-Chi Kuo and Mark Gurman in recent months.
Beyond the mid-range notebook, an October event could see refreshes to the 12-inch MacBook lineup with Intel's upcoming low-power Amber Lake chips, a refreshed Mac mini with Kaby Lake Refresh chips, and new standard iMac models with faster processors and a significant display-related upgrade.
Juniper Research today published new data outlining predictions for mobile payments processing over the next five years, placing Apple Pay at the forefront in the market ahead of rivals like Samsung and Google. The study looked at Apple Pay, Samsung Pay, Google Pay, and other "OEM Pay" (official equipment manufacturer) wallets.
In total, OEM Pay users will reach 450 million globally by 2020, and the researchers predict that Apple Pay will account for 1 in 2 of these OEM Pay users at that time. This growth will cause OEM Pay wallets to reach $300 billion in transactions by 2020, representing 15 percent of total contactless in-store transactions within two years.
While Juniper Research included newcomers to the mobile payments market like Fitbit Pay and Huawei Pay, they admit that these will likely not grow much and mobile wallets will continue to see leaders in Apple, Samsung, and Google.
Research author Nitin Bhas explained: “We believe that growth over the next 5 years will continue to be dominated by offerings from the major OEM players. Additionally, we now have the likes of Huawei Pay and Fitbit Pay launching in several markets; this is now included in Juniper’s contactless forecasts”.
Although mobile wallets will continue to grow, the research shared today also looked at the overall market of contactless payments, which will still see dominance from contactless card payments made using physical credit and debit cards. In-store contactless payments will reach $2 trillion by 2020, making up 15 percent of the total point of sale transactions and driven by "strong adoption" in Europe and countries in the Asia Pacific region.
Sooner than 2020, contactless payments are already set to exceed the $1 trillion mark for the first time in 2018, one year earlier than Juniper Research previously predicted. These NFC-enabled credit cards began growing in popularity in recent years, arriving at a time when major credit card companies are aiming to simplify the checkout process for customers using both physical and digital cards.
In another Apple Pay-related research note shared earlier this year, Loup Ventures estimated that Apple Pay was being used on 16 percent of active iPhones worldwide. Looking to the future, Loup Ventures also predicted that Apple's mobile wallet will "gain widespread adoption" over the next three to five years, despite a slow few years of growth that began when Apple Pay launched in 2014.
Smart thermostat company Ecobee has become the focus of a new profile shared online today by CNET, and alongside that article the company has revealed a new money saving feature for select Ecobee users called "Peak Relief." This feature was created to help users save on energy bills by automatically cutting down on heating and cooling when energy rates are higher, and then using more when rates are lower.
For those in the test, Ecobee says Peak Relief can help customers save an extra 10 percent on heating and cooling bills. Adding in the up to 23 percent of savings that Ecobee already claims from normal use, the company now aims to save customers as much as 33 percent on monthly heating and cooling bills.
Ecobee CEO Stuart Lombard mentioned that the feature was developed over a year and a half and uses artificial intelligence and indoor/outdoor temperature readings to customize settings for each home. This is then combined with time-of-use rates from a utilities provider, which charge customers different prices depending on the time of day versus standard flat rates that go up as users consume more energy.
CNET explains that Peak Relief requires time-of-use utility rates, and while these rates have the potential to cut-down costs it can be difficult to keep track of the higher demand periods, which is where Ecobee's new feature comes in:
Time-of-use has the potential to save customers money and help utilities avoid spikes in demand. But, many customers have a hard time keeping track of varying time-of-use rates, resulting in less energy savings for utilities and potentially higher costs for customers. Peak Relief may be able to alleviate that problem.
So, how does Peak Relief work? Let's say you set your thermostat temperature to cool at 74 degrees. With Peak Relief, the thermostat will automatically cool your home to 71 or 72 degrees when rates are lower, then allow the temperature to slowly go back up to 74 when rates increase.
The feature offers two preferences, so your thermostat will either focus more on comfort and stay closer to your temperature settings or focus more on savings and veer a little further away from those settings when rates change.
Peak Relief is rolling out today, but it appears that the test is fairly small and only for "select customers" in California, Arizona, and Ontario, Canada, and again only if those customers are using time-of-use utility rates. However, the company has already said that it plans to roll out Peak Relief to a wide audience "early next year."
Ecobee's line of thermostats are part of over two dozen heating and cooling controllers compatible with Apple HomeKit, also including thermostats from Elgato, Honeywell, iDevices, and Netatmo. On Apple.com, customers can buy the Ecobee3 Lite Smart Thermostat, but the company's latest iteration is the Ecobee4, which includes built-in Alexa support.
Serial mobile leaker Benjamin Geskin today shared images depicting what he claims are dummy units of Apple's upcoming 6.5-inch "iPhone X Plus" and mid-tier 6.1-inch LCD iPhone.
Images of iPhone dummy units have become something of an annual tradition in the rumor mill and these pictures come at the expected time in the yearly iPhone cycle, just a couple of months ahead of Apple's usual September-October launch timeframe.
Dummy units are usually based on chassis design schematics sourced from the Chinese supply chain, and like previous years, these images conform with details we already know.
Apple is expected to launch two flagship OLED iPhones this year that measure in at 5.8 and 6.5 inches. The latter model shown in the leaked images features the same vertically oriented dual-lens rear camera as the current iPhone X. One uncorroborated report claimed the 6.5-inch iPhone will use a triple-lens camera setup, but that's actually something that's been rumored for the 2019 iPhone lineup.
Apple is also expected to debut a lower-cost 6.1-inch device that features an LCD display to keep the price tag more affordable. As predicted, the 6.1-inch dummy unit in the images has slightly larger bezels to accommodate the lower-spec LCD panel.
As a mid-range device, the 6.1-inch model will feature some iPhone X features including Face ID, but Apple is planning to make other compromises apart from the screen to keep the cost down. The single-lens rear camera shown in the images is the most obvious of these. Apple is also believed to be using aluminum for the frame of the 6.1-inch device instead of steel.
While the current iPhone X is limited to Space Gray and Silver, well-connected Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo believes the next-generation iPhone X models will be available in Black, White, and Gold. The 6.1-inch model however could come in a wide array of colors, including red, blue, orange, gray, and white.
Kuo believes the 6.1-inch LCD device will be priced at around the $700 to $800 mark, similar to the iPhone 8 and the iPhone 8 Plus. RBC Capital Markets analyst Amit Daryanani believes Apple will sell the iPhone X Plus at $999, the price of the current iPhone X, while the next-generation iPhone X could sell for $899.
Apple's upcoming iPad Pro models will feature slightly smaller bodies, a relocated Smart Connector, and no headphone jack, according to information shared by Japanese site Mac Otakara.
Citing supply chain sources, Mac Otakara says the new 10.5-inch iPad Pro will measure in at 247.5mm tall, 178.7mm wide, and 6mm, compared to the current size of 250.6mm x 174.1mm x 6.1mm. The 12.9-inch iPad Pro is said to measure 280mm tall, 215mm wide, and 6.4mm thick, compared to the current measurements of 305.7mm x 220.6mm x 6.9mm.
These dimensions line up with rumors suggesting Apple plans to introduce a full redesign with the 2018 iPad Pro models, slimming down the bezels much like it did with the iPhone X. Though smaller in size, the new iPads will feature larger displays thanks to the bezel reduction. The new iPad Pros are not expected to feature a Home button, and according to previous rumors, will include a TrueDepth camera system for Face ID.
Mac Otakara also suggests that the 2018 iPad Pro models will not feature a 3.5mm headphone jack, with Apple opting to eliminate it.
iPhones have not had a headphone jack since it was removed in the iPhone 7, and Apple has instead relied on Bluetooth devices like the AirPods along with Lightning-based headphones. Apple is not expected to ship the new iPad Pro models with a Lightning to 3.5mm adapter, which would be in line with analyst predictions suggesting that adapter will not come with the 2018 iPhones either.
In the iPhone lineup, the headphone jack was removed for improved water resistance and to make space for internal components like a bigger battery, the Taptic Engine, and the rear camera system. It is not clear if Apple is facing the same space constraints in the iPad Pro with the introduction of the TrueDepth camera system or if this is a move to align iPad and iPhone features.
A portion of Mac Otakara's report says that Apple will use a "diamond cut" for both the front and the back of the new iPad Pro models, which seems to mean that the tablets could have a design that's similar the iPhone SE with beveled edges.
The Smart Connector on the iPads has reportedly been relocated from the side to the bottom near the Lightning port, which may require a new vertically oriented Smart Keyboard. It's not clear how a vertical Smart Keyboard would work, as it would likely be unstable in that orientation, especially for the larger iPad Pro.
Apple is said to be making this change because Face ID will work only when the iPad Pro is in a vertical orientation, with Mac Otakara saying that it is "impossible to release the lock with the main unit turned sideways." Previous information from Mac Otakara suggested Apple was working on horizontal Face ID for the iPad Pro, and hints of such a feature were discovered in iOS 12.
In addition to these changes to the iPad Pro, Mac Otakara also shared a bit of information on the rumored 6.1-inch low-cost iPhone. Confirming previous rumors, the site says the device will use a "Full Active" LCD display sourced from Japan Display. Full Active panels allow Apple to slim down the bezels of the LCD iPhone, bringing it in line with the two OLED devices.
Possible front glass panels for the 2018 iPhones, with 6.1-inch model in middle
Mac Otakara's sources have also echoed previous reports pointing towards production difficulties for the 6.1-inch iPhone. When production on the phone started this month, Apple was reportedly seeing a 1 percent completion rate, suggesting a delayed November launch for the device.
Morgan Stanley analyst Katy Huberty made a similar prediction earlier this week, suggesting issues with "LED backlight leakage" could lead to a one month delay in production. Huberty's information indicated the delay had originally been six weeks, so it's possible Mac Otakara is working with older data. Other sources, such as Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, are not expecting launch delays, so it's unclear what's going on with the 6.1-inch iPhone at this time.
Mac Otakara has a somewhat mixed track record when it comes to rumors, sometimes sharing information that's spot on and sometimes missing the mark. For that reason, though this information is quite specific, these new details should be viewed with some skepticism until confirmed by secondary sources.
Elevation Lab, known for its popular line of wired dock options for the iPhone, recently came out with its first wireless charging dock, the NightPad.
The NightPad, which is a 7.5W charger, looks like a lot of other wireless chargers on the market, but there are some premium features to be aware of. It's covered in a soft silicone material that holds the iPhone in place while it's charging, and there's also a raised ring that makes sure the iPhone stays secure.
While the design of the NightPad is simple, that silicone material has such a matte finish that it makes the charging pad look super black, so it does stand out from your average charging pad. There is subtle Elevation Lab branding on the top of the charger, but it can be hard to see just because it's so dark.
Size wise, the NightPad is palm-sized and a little larger than a coaster. As with most wireless chargers this size, you do need to make sure to get the iPhone lined up in the center because if it's off to the side a bit (which can happen -- especially in the dark) it won't charge.
Apple is close to securing a deal for the rights to turn 1980s fantasy movie "Time Bandits" into a TV series, reports Deadline.
Directed by Terry Gilliam, "Time Bandits" featured the story of an imaginative 11-year-old boy, Kevin, who gets sucked into a fantastical adventure with a band of dwarves during the Napoleonic Wars in Italy.
Kevin and the dwarves travel through time using a magical map, visiting places like ancient Greece and the Titanic and fighting off an evil being intent on stealing the map for his own purposes.
The original film starred John Cleese, Sean Connery, Shelley Duvall, Kenny Baker, David Warner, Ian Holm, Katherine Helmond, Jim Broadbent, and others.
According to Deadline, the new TV series based on the movie will be a co-production between Anonymous Content, Paramount Television, and Media Rights Capital. Gilliam is set to serve as a non-writing executive producer.
If Apple secures the rights to the "Time Bandits" TV spinoff, it will join the other more than a dozen television shows Apple has in the works, which span genres from drama to comedy to shows for children.
In other related news, comedy writer Regina Hicks has signed on to be a co-showrunner for Apple's upcoming animated television show "Central Park" alongside Loren Bouchard and Josh Gad.
Samsung's display unit earlier this week announced a new "unbreakable" OLED panel designed for smartphones, and a new video Samsung Display shared on YouTube demonstrates the durability of the display.
In the video, the unbreakable OLED panel is subjected to a beating with what appears to be a plastic or rubber mallet, and it withstands several blows without damage.
Samsung's flexible all-plastic OLED panel is made from what it says is an unbreakable substrate adhered to an overlay window, a deviation from other, more breakable flexible OLED panels that use a glass-covered window.
The new OLED panel has been certified by Underwriters Laboratories, an official testing company for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration of the U.S. Department of Labor.
To earn the certification, the panel withstood 26 drops from 1.2 meters (4 feet) with no damage and held up to extreme temperature testing. Samsung says the display was also subjected to drops from six feet with no signs of damage.
According to Samsung, its unbreakable panels are being developed for use in smartphones, but can also be used in other products like display consoles for automobiles, mobile military devices, portable game consoles, and tablet PCs.
"The fortified plastic window is especially suitable for portable electronic devices not only because of its unbreakable characteristics, but also because of its lightweight, transmissivity and hardness, which are all very similar to glass," said Hojung Kim, general manager of the Communication Team, Samsung Display Company.
Samsung's first product to use the new unbreakable panel could be its upcoming Galaxy Note 9, which it is set to unveil on August 9.
While Apple uses OLED displays sourced from Samsung in its iPhone lineup, it is not clear if the Cupertino company plans to adopt this technology in the future.
Apple has thus far opted to use a Gorilla Glass cover for its displays and has not ventured into plastic, but it is not out of the realm of possibility should the display meet Apple's demands for quality.
Apple today shared a video on its Apple Music YouTube channel promoting DJ Khaled's newest single that's available today on Apple Music.
Starring Khaled and his son Asahd, the humorous ad features Asahd conversing as an adult (voiced by Kevin Hart) and calling his lawyer before disagreeing with Khaled on what to listen to on the HomePod.
The spot is promoting "No Brainer," a new DJ Khaled single featuring Justin Bieber, Quavo from Migos, and Chance the Rapper.
Both a music video for "No Brainer" and the new single are available now on Apple Music, following the song's debut on Zane Lowe's Beats 1 show this morning.
One week after Comcast officially bowed out of the bidding war for 21st Century Fox's entertainment assets by ceding to Disney, shareholders of both Fox and Disney have today approved Disney's $71.3 billion acquisition offer for Fox (via The Wall Street Journal).
At two separate gatherings this morning in Manhattan, both company's shareholders were said to have "voiced their support" for the acquisition in brief meetings that lasted less than 15 minutes.
There are still a few hurdles before Disney officially acquires 21st Century Fox's entertainment assets, mostly related to approval from overseas entities. Specifically, Disney is waiting for the European Union and China to grant approval for the acquisition, as well as "more than a dozen" other international territories.
Still, with the United States Justice Department approving the acquisition last month (with one condition for Disney) and now the shareholders voting to approve, it's believed Disney's acquisition of Fox will be done by early 2019.
News of Disney's interest in Fox dates back to last December when Disney initially announced its bid to acquire Fox for $52.4 billion in stock. Comcast entered with its own $65 million cash offer for Fox's assets, leading to Disney's increased $71.3 billion cash and stock bid in June. At the time that it bowed out of the running for Fox, Comcast CEO Brian L. Roberts congratulated Disney and its CEO Bob Iger and commended the Murdoch family and Fox "for creating such a desirable and respected company."
Disney's plans for Fox line up with its intent to launch a streaming service in late 2019, showcasing a lineup of content from Walt Disney Animation Studios, Marvel, Pixar, Star Wars, and likely a back catalog of films and TV shows owned by Fox, further enticing customers to sign up. Under the agreement Disney will acquire Fox assets including Twentieth Century Fox Film and Television Studios, Fox-related cable and international TV businesses, Fox's 30 percent stake in Hulu, the film rights to the X-Men and Avatar franchises, and more.
Disney has already launched its first streaming service in the form of ESPN+ this past spring, granting subscribers access to live sports, original shows and films, studio programs, and an on-demand library of content. Ahead of the debut of its main streaming service a little of a year from now, Disney has warned Netflix users that it will begin removing its TV shows and films from Netflix before its own platform launches.
New Disney-owned movies have still appeared on Netflix at a decent rate this year -- including Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Coco, and Thor: Ragnarok -- but a few have begun to disappear, including the impending removal of Pixar's Finding Dory in August.
A Disney streaming service filled with Fox content will be a direct competitor to Apple's upcoming streaming service, also believed to see a launch at some point in 2019. Apple's partners in the original TV content space include Oprah Winfrey, M. Night Shyamalan, J.J. Abrams, Kumail Nanjiani, and more.
Amazon has begun testing a small but useful new feature across its iOS app and mobile/desktop websites, allowing users to invite friends and family members to collaborate on a shopping list together. Amazon customers have long been asking for such a feature, and it seems like a small set of them have been selected to test it out ahead of a potential wider launch in the future (via Android Police).
On iOS, after you open the Amazon app and navigate to one of your wish lists, you'll see a new prompt that says "Invite others to add or remove list items." If you tap this, you'll get the usual iOS sharing sheet with options like AirDrop, Message, E-Mail, and simply copying a URL to share with someone.
Once the recipient gets the list invite, Amazon will open up in a browser (both mobile and desktop appear to work), and your list will now effectively appear as one of their own in their Amazon account. They'll be able to view it, add items to it, remove items, edit quantity, and edit comments. Collaborative lists will be designated as such at the top of the list near its name with two user icons and a "Shared" banner.
Once multiple members are sharing a list, a new conversation icon will appear on the right of the list's page and act as a hub for users to send messages and discuss items on the list. Above this is an ellipsis icon that lets the list's original owner manage members and remove any they don't want to be able to access the list anymore. It appears that a few of these features are missing for some users at the time of writing, likely due to the feature still being in a testing phase.
The feature is in testing on iOS and Amazon.com on mobile and desktop websites, but Android Central reports that it does not appear to be on the native Android app yet. As with all feature tests, it's unclear when -- or if -- collaborative shopping lists on Amazon will roll out to all users.
Apple has announced that it will repair any Mac, iPhone, Apple Watch, iPad, iPod, or Thunderbolt Display directly damaged by heavy rains in Japan in July, free of charge, so long as the product is actually repairable.
Affected customers can contact Apple by dialing 0120-27753-5 to arrange for pick up of any eligible products through the end of September, according to a notice on Apple's website spotted by Japanese blog Mac Otakara.
Apple will service the damaged products free of charge and then return them to customers, although there may be delays, as delivery services by courier companies are suspended in some areas due to damage from the floodwaters.
Record rainfall in southwestern Japan in July resulted in widespread flooding, landslides, burst riverbanks, and collapsed buildings across the region.
