Not all users were affected, but those who were saw their keyboards offering up "I.T" as a predictive text suggestion and an automatic autocorrection when typing "it." Some people also saw the word "is" autocorrect to "I.S."
The I.T. autocorrect problem has been around since iOS 11 first launched in September, but not every iPhone user experienced the issue. It appeared to be more limited in scope than a similar autocorrect bug that caused the letter "i" to autocorrect to "A[?]."
The "A[?]" bug was fixed in an iOS 11.1.1 update that was released to the public on November 9.
Reports on Twitter and reddit indicate that the iOS 11.2 update successfully fixes the I.T. autocorrect bug, so affected users should install it immediately.
iOS 11.2 also fixes several other bugs, including a major date-related bug causing crashing starting at 12:15 a.m. on December 2, and it introduces faster 7.5W wireless charging and Apple Pay Cash.
Apple today released iOS 11.2, the second major update to the iOS 11 operating system available on the iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. iOS 11.2 comes a month after iOS 11.1, the first major update to iOS 11, and it follows several other smaller bug fix updates.
The iOS 11.2 update is available on all eligible devices over-the-air in the Settings app. To access the update, go to Settings --> General --> Software Update. Eligible devices include the iPhone 5s and later, the iPad mini 2 and later, the iPad Air and later, and the 6th-generation iPod touch.
iOS 11.2, as a major 11.x update, brings several new features and important bug fixes. It introduces Apple Pay Cash, Apple's peer-to-peer payments service. Apple Pay Cash works through the Messages app and is designed to allow for quick person-to-person money transfers, like Square Cash or Venmo.
You can quickly and easily send and receive money through iMessage conversations with Apple Pay Cash. Cash is sent from a linked debit or credit card, while received cash is stored in an Apple Pay Cash card in the Wallet app and can be used for purchases or transferred to a bank account. For more on Apple Pay Cash, check out our how to.
For the iPhone X, iPhone 8, and iPhone 8 Plus iOS 11.2 appears to introduce faster 7.5W wireless charging speeds through compatible Qi-based wireless charging accessories. At 7.5W charging speeds, the three new iPhones are able to charge faster wirelessly than with the standard 5W wired iPhone power adapter.
When it comes to the iPhone X interface, iOS 11.2 adds a small bar underneath the status bar icons located at the upper right side of the Lock screen, which is designed to make the location of the Control Center gesture more clear. On the iPhone X, Control Center is accessed by swiping down from the top of the device.
In Control Center on all devices, there are two new informational pop-ups that are displayed when using the Wi-Fi or Bluetooth toggles. These pop-ups explain that Bluetooth and Wi-Fi are disabled temporarily rather than permanently when accessed from the Control Center.
iOS 11.2 introduces a new Sports section in the dedicated TV app, which offers up access to live sports games through integration with the ESPN app. The Sports app can be accessed through a new "Sports" tab at the bottom of the app, and it offers up custom content based on team preferences and current sports seasons.
There are multiple bug fixes in the update, including a fix for an animation bug in the Calculator app that caused some numbers and symbols to be ignored when entered in rapid succession. The update removes the animations from the calculator app so calculations can be done quickly with no need to pause between entering numbers to obtain the correct result.
The update also addresses a date bug that caused continual crashing in iOS 11.1.2 after December 2. The problem was linked to local notifications, and according to a support document, it is fixed in iOS 11.2. iPhone and iPad users experiencing this bug should turn off notifications and then install iOS 11.2.
Other new features in iOS 11.2 include redesigned camera emojis and other emoji tweaks, a new loading animation for Live Photos effects, and Live wallpapers for the iPhone X. For developers, the update introduces a new feature that allows them to offer new customers discounted introductory pricing for auto-renewable subscriptions in the App Store. Full release notes for the update are available below:
iOS 11.2 introduces Apple Pay Cash to send, request, and receive money from friends and family with Apple Pay. This update also includes bug fixes and improvements.
Apple Pay Cash (US Only) Send, request, and receive money from friends and family with Apple Pay in Messages or by asking Siri
Other improvements and fixes - Adds support for faster wireless charging on iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, and iPhone X with compatible third-party accessories - Introduces three new Live wallpapers for iPhone X - Improves video camera stabilization - Adds support in Podcasts to automatically advance to the next episode from the same show - Adds support in HealthKit for downhill snow sports distance as a data type - Fixes an issue that could cause Mail to appear to be checking for new messages even when a download is complete - Fixes an issue that could cause cleared Mail notifications from Exchange accounts to reappear - Improves stability in Calendar - Resolves an issue where Settings could open to a blank screen - Fixes an issue that could prevent swiping to Today View or Camera from the Lock Screen - Addresses an issue that could prevent Music controls from displaying on the Lock Screen - Fixes an issue that could cause app icons to be arranged incorrectly on the Home Screen - Addresses an issue that could prevent users from deleting recent photos when iCloud storage is exceeded - Addresses an issue where Find My iPhone sometimes wouldn’t display a map - Fixes an issue in Messages where the keyboard could overlap the most recent message - Fixes an issue in Calculator where typing numbers rapidly could lead to incorrect results - Addressed an issue where the keyboard could respond slowly - Adds support for real-time text (RTT) phone calls for the deaf and hard of hearing - Improves VoiceOver stability in Messages, Settings, App Store, and Music - Resolves an issue that prevented VoiceOver from announcing incoming Notifications
Update: We're seeing several reports that Apple Pay Cash is not available in the release version of iOS 11.2. Given that this update was released at an unusual time, it may not be activated as of yet. It's likely we'll see Apple Pay Cash become available early next week.
A date-related bug in iOS 11.1.2 appears to be causing iPhones and iPads to continually crash or respring when time-based local notifications are received after 12:15 a.m. on December 2, according to reports on Twitter and reddit.
The problem seems to be tied to local notifications received from apps that offer daily or repeat reminders. For example, meditation app Headspace, one of the affected apps, sends daily reminders to users to encourage them to take some time to meditate. Any app using local (as in not pushed from a remote server) notifications that repeat will cause a crash.
If you have an app that has local notification with repeating settings, it will crash iOS Springboard on Dec. 2 (Tomorrow!) Here is a reproducible app by @takayamahttps://t.co/ecEoxFN2hM
— Yoshimasa Niwa (@niw) December 2, 2017
On reddit, users have had some success fixing the issue by disabling notifications and turning off background app refresh, while Apple's support staff appears to be recommending a manual date change to a time before the problem occurred as a temporarily solution. Reinstalling apps and restarting does not fix the issue. The problem looks like it's limited to devices running iOS 11.1.2 -- devices on the current iOS 11.2 beta aren't affected.
Apple Stores in Australia, where it is late afternoon on December 2, are reportedly being inundated with support requests from customers who are experiencing the issue.
PSA from staff: if you have an iPhone, it will likely crash due to a date bug when date rolls over to 2 December, depending on time zone.
The temp fix is to manually set date/time to a date prior to 2 Dec. This will make some apps unusable due to date checks on server.
— J (@jeremybank) December 2, 2017
Apple will undoubtedly fix this problem quickly through an iOS update, but as people wake up on December 2 in the United States and other countries throughout the world, there's likely to be quite a lot of confusion when devices begin inexplicably respringing over and over again.
If you're experiencing continual crashing, the first thing to try is disabling notifications for apps that send regular reminders. It can, however, be difficult to tell which apps are responsible, so a secondary solution is to set the date on your iPhone to before December 2 as you await a fix from Apple.
If you aren't experiencing any crashes, there's no need to turn off notifications or adjust the date on your device.
Update: Apple has released iOS 11.2 to fix this problem, along with an accompanying support document outlining steps to take if you're experiencing crashes. Apple recommends turning off notifications and then installing the update.
If your device with iOS 11 unexpectedly restarts repeatedly on or after December 2, 2017, learn what to do.
Use these steps to turn off notifications for all the apps on your device, then update your device to iOS 11.2: 1. Tap Settings > Notifications. 2. Tap an app, then turn off Allow Notifications. Repeat this step for each app. 3. Update your device to iOS 11.2. 4. After updating, tap Settings > Notifications and turn Allow Notifications on again for each app.
As we barrel towards the climax of the holiday season, the pace of things happening in the iOS gaming world becomes increasingly difficult to keep up with. Getting good positioning on the App Store over the holiday iTunes Connect freeze has resulted in unbelievable rewards for developers, so it seems like everyone and their brother targets these few weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas to make as large of a splash as possible.
Fighting for top positioning in our most anticipated games list is the sequel to Reigns, Reigns: Her Majesty. It's something I've mentioned here before, but we've finally got an early copy of the game and posted some first impressions. Basically, the game is exactly what we wanted: More Reigns with some fabulous quality of life improvements and additional variety added through a zodiac system, persistent items, and a bunch of other neat stuff.
Cat Quest is a cat-packed action RPG which we loved in our review. It's a real-deal premium game that feels delightfully out of place in the current App Store which has largely been overrun by super simple free games. Cat Quest is getting way better with additional updates, the latest of which hit this week. It comes at a great time where a lot of people have beaten the game and provides way more replay value through New Game+ modes. Our favorite is the new "Mew Game" mode which features modifiers like not being able to equip armor, and a bunch of other wild variety.
Things are heating up in our two favorite digital CCG's on the App Store: The Elder Scrolls: Legends and Hearthstone. Card games thrive on a constant cycle of new content, and these are no different. Elder Scrolls recently added a whole new card set titled Return to Clockwork City, which is based on the Clockwork City featured in The Elder Scrolls III Tribunal expansion. Meanwhile, in the world of Hearthstone, the dungeon crawling and treasure hunting expansion Kobolds & Catacombs is due out next week on December 7th. You have until then to buy the $49.99 pre-order pack to get 50 packs of cards and a fancy card back when the set launches.
While Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp has been available for a while now, Nintendo isn't wasting any time when it comes to running events in the game. Currently, there's a holiday event running where you can unlock all sorts of holiday-centric stuff for your camp and camper. Potentially more interesting than that is the impact Pocket Camp is having on Animal Crossing: New Leaf sales on the Nintendo 3DS. In Japan, New Leaf has seen a 214% boost in sales, perfectly illustrating that Nintendo's strategy of bringing people into these core franchises on Nintendo hardware via giving them a taste on mobile is working quite well.
With the success of Playerunknown's Battlegrounds on Steam, it's not surprising to see the unbelievable amount of clones that have been hitting the App Store. What is surprising is the recent announcement that there's an official PUBG coming to mobile, backed by Chinese megacorp Tencent. Things get stranger from there, as a few days later it was announced that Tencent is also releasing a secondPUBG mobile game. Seems odd, but, it seems like everything Tencent touches turns to gold so, who knows.
Last, but not least, is two different mobile esports events happening this weekend. I'm actually writing this from London right now, as I'm in town to attend the Clash Royale World Championships this Sunday. Clash Royale is an absurdly massive game, and I'm really curious to see what it looks like to be played in a competitive setting. On the other side of the pond is Amazon's Champions of Fire which is taking place this Saturday and Sunday in New York City (and tickets are free if you're local). Champions of Fire is in its second year, and features a variety of different casual games being played by popular YouTubers and streamers. Both are being streamed on Twitch, so click the above links for all those details.
Those seem to be some of the biggest stories of the week, cherry picking from a massive amount of new games and other associated mobile gaming news. If these are the things you're into, be sure to visit TouchArcade!
Mac owners who are still running macOS High Sierra 10.13 and who have already installed Apple's root security fix on that version of the operating system will need to install it once again upon upgrading to macOS 10.13.1, reports Wired.
Security researchers running a patched version of the original macOS High Sierra update, 10.13.0, told Wired that the root bug was reintroduced upon installing the macOS 10.13.1 update. After updating, they needed to install Apple's security patch again. Even that didn't fix the issue until their machines were rebooted.
Those who had not yet upgraded their operating system from the original version of High Sierra, 10.13.0, to the most recent version, 10.13.1, but had downloaded the patch, say the "root" bug reappears when they install the most recent macOS system update.
And worse, two of those Mac users say they've also tried re-installing Apple's security patch after that upgrade, only to find that the "root" problem still persists until they reboot their computer, with no warning that a reboot is necessary.
The root fix, released on Wednesday for macOS High Sierra 10.13.0 and 10.13.1, addresses a serious vulnerability that was first discovered a day earlier on Tuesday. The bug enabled the root superuser on a Mac with a blank password and no security check, letting anyone bypass the security of an admin account with the username "root" and no password.
While the security update successfully fixes the issue, it appears Apple may not have releases a modified and patched version of macOS 10.13.1, so customers who installed the update on 10.13 might think they're protected upon updating to 10.13.1, but they're not. Instead, the bug is fully re-introduced.
Apple may fix this problem now that the oversight has been pointed out, but in the meantime, customers upgrading from macOS High Sierra 10.13 to 10.13.1 should make sure to download the security update a second time and restart to be certain the root vulnerability is patched.
This won't be an issue when the macOS High Sierra 10.13.2 update is released, as Apple patched the bug in the macOS High Sierra 10.13.2 beta that was released this morning.
Apple is promoting the Apple Watch Series 3 as a holiday gift idea in a new series of ads shared this afternoon on its YouTube channel. Entitled "The Gift of Go," each of the four videos focuses on the Apple Watch Series 3 being used during a specific activity.
The ads focus on snowboarding, soccer, working out, and swimming, with each one showing off a different Apple Watch Series 3 feature. Soccer and snowboarding, for example, demonstrate phone calls over cellular and text messaging.
Workout highlights Apple Music, and Swim focuses on the Workout app. All of the ads share the same general style - a quick look at a feature that shifts to a multi-object view that then transforms into wrapping paper over an Apple Watch Series 3 box.
These videos are just about 15 seconds in length, which is the video length that Apple uses for social media ads on sites like Instagram.
All of the videos focus on the aluminum Apple Watch Series 3 models that have LTE capabilities, with the red Digital Crown clearly visible in each one.
While these are the first short videos featuring the Apple Watch Series 3 that Apple has shared, the company has been running several Apple Watch ads that debuted when the device was first announced in September.
Apple Watch Series 3 models are likely to be a popular holiday gift. Pricing on the Series 3 models with LTE begins at $399, while non-LTE models are priced at $329.
iPhone X models equipped with Qualcomm's Snapdragon X16 modem get consistently better LTE speeds than versions with Intel's XMM7480 modem, according to wireless signal testing firm Cellular Insights.
For context, Cellular Insights used professional measurement equipment equipped with four Vivaldi antennas to simulate LTE performance at different distances from a cellular tower with the Qualcomm and Intel models.
Cellular Insights started with a LTE signal from a strong -85dBm, and gradually reduced the power level to simulate moving away from a cellular tower where signal is weaker, until the modems lost their cellular connectivity.
The testing, shared with PC Magazine, was based on performance on LTE Band 4, which is used by every major carrier in the United States except Sprint, as well as in Canada and parts of Latin America.
The results reveal that with only limited attenuation, or signal reduction in simple terms, the iPhone X with an Intel modem started to experience lower LTE download speeds than the iPhone X with a Qualcomm modem.
While both modems started out with 195Mbps of download throughput on a 20MHz carrier, the Qualcomm difference appeared quickly, as the Intel modem dropped to 169Mbps at -87dBm. The Qualcomm modem took an additional -6dBm of attenuation to get to that speed.
Cellular Insights said the difference is most noticeable in very weak signal conditions, in which the iPhone X with a Qualcomm modem experienced 67 percent faster LTE download speeds on average compared to the Intel model.
At very weak signal strength, below -120dBm, the Qualcomm modem got speeds on average 67 percent faster than the Intel modem. The Intel modem finally died at -129dBm and the Qualcomm modem died at -130dBm, so we didn't find a lot of difference in when the modems finally gave out.
iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus models with Qualcomm modems also had faster LTE download speeds than their Intel counterparts last year, but Cellular Insights said the gap was narrower between iPhone X models.
PC Magazine speculated that Apple could be artificially crippling the Qualcomm modem to have similar performance as the Intel modem, given the controversy that arose with the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus last year.
Qualcomm's Snapdragon X16 is a gigabit-class modem that supports 4x4 MIMO, for example, but the functionality is disabled in the iPhone X. The result is that both the Qualcomm and Intel versions of the iPhone X have a peak theoretical download speed of 600 Mbps in most countries.
All in all, what this all means is that customers who want to ensure they receive the absolute highest LTE speeds in areas with weaker signal reception should put some thought into which iPhone model they purchase.
Apple offers the iPhone X, iPhone 8, and iPhone 8 Plus in two models in the United States. The first is the Qualcomm-based model A1865, which works with CDMA networks like Verizon and Sprint in the United States. The second is the Intel-based A1901, which works with GSM networks like AT&T and T-Mobile. In other countries, Apple typically sells just one version of each phone, depending on the technology used by carriers in each country.
If you want the best possible LTE performance, purchasing the A1865 model is the best option. For now, this requires ordering the Verizon model if you want an unlocked device in the United States. In many other countries, and in the U.S. soon enough, Apple sells an unlocked SIM-free A1865 model.
The newest beta of macOS High Sierra 10.13.2 fixes a major macOS High Sierra vulnerability that enabled the root superuser on a Mac with no password and no security check.
Apple on Wednesday released a security update to fix the problem on machines running the current release version of macOS High Sierra, 10.13.1, but the bug has remained in macOS 10.13.2 until today.
Developers and public beta testers who are running macOS 10.13.2 should update to beta 6 right away to protect their Macs. MacRumors has confirmed that the vulnerability, which involved entering the username "root" with no password in the Users & Groups section of System Preferences, is no longer functional.
Entering "root" without a password in lieu of an administrator's username and password no longer unlocks a Mac.
When releasing the fix for macOS High Sierra 10.13.1, Apple apologized for the oversight and said it would audit its development processes to prevent something similar from happening in the future.
"We greatly regret this error and we apologize to all Mac users, both for releasing with this vulnerability and for the concern it has caused," read a statement from Apple provided to MacRumors.
Currently available through a Kickstarter project that launched this week, Baxter is a series of rear-mounted storage options designed to add more storage space to your iMac.
Nigel Baxter
There are several different Baxter configurations, each of which is made from a lightweight laminated birch wood and mounts to the back of an iMac. Every one of the Baxters is available with metallic paint, a walnut veneer, a stock image, or a custom print at varying price points. Configurations and starting price points are as follows:
Nigel Baxter ($45) - A single shelf for the rear of the iMac, able to hold a few accessories.
Shira Baxter ($45) - A six-shelf arrangement that's designed to hold hard drives or other small accessories.
Mary Baxter ($45) - Two wide shelves that can hold twice as much as the Nigel.
Joe Baxter ($55) - Two shelves like the Mary Baxter, with 8 cable wraps for keeping your cords organized.
Art Baxter ($75) - A customized backing for the iMac that does not include any shelves.
All of the Baxter prices listed above are entry level. Customization and walnut veneer are more expensive, but for those who have access to a laser machine or who are crafty, there are options to buy raw design files or a DIY kit at much lower prices. Design schematics can be purchased for as little as $2, while DIY kit pricing starts at $20.
Mary Baxter
Baxter storage solutions fit onto the back of iMacs with no tools or adjustments required, and they are compatible with both 21.5 and 27-inch iMac models. Understands says they've been manufactured to add stability to the Mac, so the weight of accessories should not be a problem.
Shira Baxter
Baxter storage solutions can be purchased right now from Kickstarter with an estimated ship date of January 2018, but we have 15 to give away to MacRumors readers. Winners can choose the configuration and color of their choice. 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 winners and send the prizes. 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 or older and Canadian residents (excluding Quebec) who have reached the age of majority in their province or territory 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 (December 1) at 11:00 a.m. Pacific Time through 11:00 a.m. Pacific Time on December 8. The winners will be chosen randomly on December 8 and will be contacted by email. The winners will have 48 hours to respond and provide a shipping address before new winners are chosen.
The new macOS High Sierra 10.13.2 beta can be downloaded from the Apple Developer Center or through the Software Update mechanism in the Mac App Store with the proper profile installed.
It's not yet clear what improvements the second major update to macOS High Sierra will bring, but it's likely to include bug fixes and performance improvements for issues that weren't addressed in macOS High Sierra 10.13.1.
This update may fix a serious macOS vulnerability that enables the root superuser on a Mac with no password or additional security check. Apple released a patch for the bug in macOS 10.31.1, but the issue has not been fixed as of yet in macOS 10.3.2.
No significant new features were discovered in the first five betas of macOS High Sierra 10.13.2, but we'll update this post should notable changes be found in the sixth beta.
Update: Today's macOs High Sierra 10.13.2 beta is also available for public beta testers.
Apple today seeded the sixth beta of an upcoming iOS 11.2 update to developers, a few days after releasing the fifth iOS 11.2 beta, a month after releasing the first major iOS 11 update, iOS 11.1, and two weeks after releasing the iOS 11.1.2 update.
Registered developers can download the new iOS 11.2 beta from Apple's Developer Center or over-the-air once the proper configuration profile has been installed from the Developer Center. Today's beta update may be the iOS 11.2 golden master, suggesting we could see the official release of iOS 11.2 soon.
iOS 11.2 introduces Apple Pay Cash, Apple's new peer-to-peer payments service. Apple Pay Cash works through the Messages app and is designed to allow for quick person-to-person money transfers. It's available as a dedicated iMessage app in Messages, with cash transferred through the app.
Cash can be sent from a linked debit or credit card, while received cash is stored in an Apple Pay Cash card in Wallet that can be used for purchases or sent to a bank account.
On the iPhone X, iOS 11.2 adds a small bar underneath the icons located at the upper right side of the device on the Lock screen, which is designed to make the location of the Control Center gesture more clear. On the iPhone X, Control Center is accessed by swiping down from the top of the device.
In Control Center on all devices, there are two new informational pop-ups that are displayed when using the Wi-Fi or Bluetooth toggles. These pop-ups explain that Bluetooth and Wi-Fi are disabled temporarily rather than permanently when accessed from Control Center.
In iOS 11.2, there's support for faster 7.5W wireless charging for the iPhone X, iPhone 8, and iPhone 8 Plus. The faster speeds will be available when using third-party wireless chargers that support 7.5W charging or more.
The update also addresses an animation bug in the Calculator app that caused some numbers and symbols to be ignored when entered in rapid succession. The update removes the animations from the calculator app so calculations can be done quickly with no need to pause between entering numbers to obtain the correct result.
In addition to these bug fixes, iOS 11.2 introduces a new Now Playing option for controlling content on the Apple TV in Control Center, a dedicated Sports section in the TV app, redesigned camera emoji, a new loading animation for Live Photos effects, and new Live wallpapers for the iPhone X, plus it adds a feature that lets developers offer new customers discounted introductory pricing for auto-renewable subscriptions on the App Store.
Update: Today's beta is also available for public beta testers.
Apple's current focus with Face ID is on single-user authentication, suggesting support for multiple faces won't be added in the near future, according to an email from the company's software engineering chief Craig Federighi.
By comparison, Touch ID can store up to five fingerprints, and each of those fingerprints can belong to a different person. This allows a married couple, for example, to be able to securely authenticate a single iPhone.
In an email to a customer, however, Federighi admitted that Touch ID's multi-finger support has always been intended for a single iPhone owner to authenticate with a finger or thumb on both the left and right hand if desired.
Federighi added that Face ID could eventually authenticate multiple faces as the system evolves in the future, but his email makes it clear that Apple doesn't have any immediate plans to implement said functionality.
MacRumors since publishing this article has received full headers that verify this email, originally shared on Reddit. We can confirm the email originates from Apple's servers at its headquarters in Cupertino, California.
A screenshot of Craig Federighi's alleged email response to a customer
Apple says Face ID has a one in 1,000,000 chance of a false match, compared to one in 50,000 for Touch ID, although the probability is higher among identical twins, siblings who look alike, and children.
Vietnamese security firm Bkav has also been able to spoof Face ID twice with 3D printed masks, but the steps involved are quite complex and this isn't something the average user should be very concerned about.
In practical, real-world usage, Face ID has proved to be very secure and reliable. But, at least for now, it appears that iPhone X owners won't be able to extend this convenience to their trusted family members or friends.
Spotify today announced a new limited time holiday offer for new and existing Premium subscribers, allowing them to purchase a full year of the service for $99.00. The new price is $20 down from the $120 that users would pay by subscribing to the service on a month-by-month basis of $9.99 (via Engadget). The offer expires December 31, 2017, and after the 12 months is up Spotify will return users to their previous subscription billing at the then-current price.
The offer is only for new or existing individual plans (so Spotify Family plans are not eligible), can not be paid for with Spotify gift cards or prepaid cards, and will not be available to users who subscribe to Spotify through a third-party offer. Find more details about the yearly offer in Spotify's terms and conditions right here.
With Spotify's new offer, the company is matching Apple Music's $99.00 12 month subscription that users have been able to purchase for just over a year, effectively netting subscribers 12 months of music streaming for the price of 10. Spotify's deal doesn't come in the form of a physical card, but the company does offer retail cards with credit tiers that are used to pay for subscriptions before the credit card on an account is charged.
Visit our Deals Roundup for more sales and discounts going on this week.
Disney and accessory maker HEX have teamed up to release official Star Wars cases for iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus, and iPhone X, ahead of the premiere of Star Wars: The Last Jedi on December 15.
The genuine leather cases are debossed with Star Wars art and iconic characters such as Darth Vader, R2-D2, and stormtroopers, with styles including snap-on cases, folio wallets, and zipper wallets with slots for cards, IDs, and cash.
The cases are available now on HEX's website and at select retailers for between $49.95 and $69.95 each in the United States.
Amazon's aim to bring its highly popular at-home Echo smart speaker into the workplace got underway on Thursday with the launch of Alexa for Business. The announcement, made at the company's annual Re:Invent conference in Las Vegas, sets the stage for Amazon's vision to make its virtual assistant the essential office accessory, able to book conference rooms, launch meetings, and order stationery.
Alexa already has features amenable to an office environment, such as the ability to make calls, operate lights, and check security camera feeds. Now Amazon wants developers to build the virtual assistant into apps that manage work calendars, find open meeting rooms, and order supplies.
As an intelligent assistant at work, Alexa for Business makes starting a conference call as simple as asking Alexa to "start the meeting." Alexa for Business can help workers manage calendars, keep up with to-do lists, and make phone calls. Around the office, Alexa for Business can handle tasks like notifying IT of an equipment issue, or finding and booking an open conference room—all with just a few words.
However, it's unclear how many companies will want to buy Echo speakers for every conference room, given the potential security implications of an "always listening" device. Amazon says its Echo speakers don't send anything to the cloud until users wake the devices by invoking them by name. However, Amazon does store requests in the cloud, which it says are used to help improve AI and develop new skills for the speakers.
Amazon sold "millions" of Alexa devices over the holiday shopping weekend, according to a company press release, with previous estimates suggesting it has sold more than 20 million Alexa devices over the last three years. RBC Capital Markets predicts that by 2020, Alexa device installations could reach 128 million. Over the same period, sales of the virtual assistants could result in more than $10 billion in revenues for Amazon, according to the firm.
Amazon has reportedly added hundreds of engineers to its Alexa program to maintain its edge over rivals like Google Assistant, Microsoft's Cortana, and Apple's Siri, all of which are in the process of building out their voice-activated offerings.
However, Apple will be even further behind after it recently delayed the HomePod's release until early 2018. The device was originally slated to launch in December, but the delay means the $349 speaker won't be ready in time for the holiday shopping season, which could lead customers to look at Echo or Google devices instead.
Google updated a couple of its most popular iOS offerings late on Thursday, including bringing multilingual support to its namesake app.
Users of the Google Search app can now search by voice in multiple languages. The option needs to be enabled first for it to work – to do this, go to Settings, tap "Voice Search", then tap "Language" to select additional languages. (There are over 50 to choose from as of writing.)
From there, whenever the mic icon is tapped or the user says "Ok, Google" to start a voice search, they can ask a question in whichever language they've added and Google will automatically respond and return results in the same language.
Meanwhile, in the Google Photos app, a new iMessage extension allows users to quickly share photos and videos through the Messages app. Once the update has been applied, the extension should appear in the iMessage apps panel automatically. In addition, Google Photos support for Drag and Drop on iPad has also been included.
Apple is "considering" releasing an updated low-cost 9.7-inch iPad next year with a starting price that's $70 cheaper than its existing equivalent, according to sources from upstream suppliers.
In March 2017, Apple released its most affordable iPad, a $329 entry-level 9.7-inch device with internal specs similar to the iPad Air 2, but with a thicker and heavier enclosure. According to DigiTimes, Apple's 2018 version of the 9.7-inch iPad could cost even less at around $259, in a bid to attract more demand from price-oriented consumers and maintain its current tablet shipments of 10 million units a quarter.
With the new device, the sources expect the tablet market to witness a new wave of price competition among first-tier players including Samsung Electronics, Amazon, Huawei and Lenovo.
The sources pointed out that Apple's new iPad may arrive in the second quarter of 2018 and in addition to regular consumers Apple is also looking to expand the inexpensive iPad into the industrial and service sectors.
In its November earnings call, Apple reported double-digit unit growth in iPad sales for the second consecutive quarter, but did not provide a breakdown of sales across tablet models. Prior to that, in June, the company reported sales of 11.4 million iPads, an increase of 15 percent compared to the year-ago quarter. iPad revenue was also up, but only 2 percent year over year, suggesting Apple was selling a lot of new lower-priced 9.7-inch iPads in particular.
The worldwide tablet market declined for a tenth straight quarter on a year-over-year basis during the first months of 2017. When the news broke in May, Apple reported that it sold 8.9 million iPads in the quarter, down from 10.2 million iPads in the same period the year previous, marking the 13th consecutive quarter that it had sold fewer iPads on a year-over-year unit basis.
According to the sources cited today, Apple's aggressive pricing strategy with the next 9.7-inch iPad aims to offset the continuing overall decline, which has seen most second- and third-tier brand vendors already step out of the market.
According to the same sources, Apple is likely to outsource the production of the new 9.7-inch iPad to Compal Electronics, while giving the device's PCB orders to Compeq and Unitech Printed Circuit Board. However, all the companies declined to comment on their orders or clients.
Shipping estimates for the iPhone X continue to improve, and in the United States, iPhone X models ordered today will arrive in just about a week.
Apple's online store in the U.S. is currently listing a delivery date of December 8 for all new iPhone X orders, meaning iPhone X orders will need to ship out in just a matter of days to meet that estimate.
The new under a week shipping estimates follow improved 1 to 2 week shipping estimates that were introduced on November 22.
iPhone X shipping estimates have also improved in Canada and multiple countries in Europe, while estimates are beginning to improve in Asia Pacific countries. The Canadian online store lists a shipping estimate of five business days, for example, while European stores list delivery dates of December 11. In Australia, New Zealand, and other countries, shipping estimates range from several days to two weeks.
Over the course of the last month, Apple has been significantly ramping up production in order to meet demand for the iPhone X, and as a result, we've seen shipping estimates that have improved drastically since the iPhone X first launched.
Following the October 27 pre-orders for the iPhone X, shipping estimates were as high as 5 to 6 weeks, but Apple has been able to improve supply earlier than expected. Initial rumors suggested the iPhone X would be heavily constrained and in short supply until well into the new year, but given the improvements we're seeing, Apple will likely reach supply/demand balance in the near future.
In addition to improving stock for online orders, Apple has also been shipping out iPhone X pre-orders more quickly than expected. Customers who initially had December order dates have been receiving their devices throughout November, and Apple retail stores have also been receiving regular shipments.
Back at the beginning of November, Apple CEO Tim Cook said Apple was working to ramp up iPhone X production week by week to get the new smartphone out to customers "as soon as possible."
According to KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the improved iPhone X shipping estimates are indeed due to better-than-expected improvements in production rather than a lack of demand for the new device.
