Apple today seeded the seventh beta of an upcoming watchOS 4 update to developers, one week after seeding the sixth beta and more than two months after introducing the watchOS 4 update at its 2017 Worldwide Developers Conference.
Once the proper configuration profile has been installed from the Apple Developer Center, the new watchOS 4 beta can be downloaded through the dedicated Apple Watch app on the iPhone by going to General > Software update.
To install the update, the Apple Watch needs to have at least 50 percent battery, it must be placed on the charger, and it has to be in range of the iPhone.
watchOS 4 introduces three new watch faces, including a dedicated Siri watch face that displays dynamic information unique to each individual and is perhaps the most significant new feature in the update. There are also new complications for Now Playing and Apple News, and an enhanced Workout app that supports High Intensity Interval Training and new swimming options.
GymKit, a new technology platform, will let the Apple Watch interface with gym equipment for workout data sharing purposes, and the Activity app will offer up intelligent coaching and tailored workout encouragement along with new monthly activity challenges.
Many other small tweaks and changes have been introduced, all of which are outlined in our dedicated watchOS 4 roundup.
watchOS 4 is only available to developers and will not be provided to public beta testers, so non-developers need to wait until the software sees an official release in the fall to try it out. With September approaching, we are nearing the end of the beta testing period.
Apple today released the seventh beta of an upcoming tvOS 11 update for the fourth-generation Apple TV, and within the beta, there appear to be assets for "J105a," previously revealed as the code name for an upcoming 4K Apple TV.
Developer Guilherme Rambo, who has made a name for himself delving into the HomePod firmware, shared a screenshot depicting HDR image assets with a file name that includes "J105a."
The "J105a" name was first shared by Bloomberg in February, in a report that suggested Apple was working on a fifth-generation Apple TV capable of streaming Ultra HD 4K video.
That report said Apple could release a new fifth-generation 4K Apple TV as early as this year, and since then, we've seen continued references to the new model, suggesting a release could actually happen in the near future.
Along with the "J105a" assets found in today's tvOS 11 beta, references to the code name were also discovered in the HomePod firmware. That information suggested the device could support Dolby Vision and HDR10 color formats.
In March, evidence of an Apple TV identified as AppleTV 6,2 was found in developer logs with a Cupertino IP, and AppleTV 6,2 does not correspond to an existing Apple TV model. The current fourth-generation Apple TV is known as AppleTV 5,2.
Apple has also started listing select movies as 4K and HDR in iTunes purchase history, leading to speculation that a new Apple TV is imminent.
Aside from Bloomberg's report earlier this year, there has been no concrete confirmation that Apple plans to introduce a new Apple TV soon, but the continued mentions of J105a both in the HomePod firmware and in the tvOS 11 beta suggest we could perhaps see a new Apple TV announced this fall alongside new iPhone models.
The first four eighth-generation processors launching today are U-series chips suitable for the 13-inch MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, and Mac mini. They're all 15W chips with four cores and eight threads, paving the way for a quad-core 13-inch MacBook Pro should Apple choose to release one.
The new Core i5 and Core i7 chips have integrated Intel UHD Graphics 620, and support both DDR4-2400 and LPDDR3-2133 RAM.
Given the lack of LPDDR4 support, which allows for up to 32GB RAM, a new 13-inch MacBook Pro with an eighth-generation Core processor would likely remain capped at 16GB of RAM. Apple marketing Phil Schiller explained why last year.
Notebooks using the eighth-generation chips can get up to 10 hours of battery life, consistent with the current 13-inch MacBook Pro.
Intel said eighth-generation processors appropriate for desktops like the iMac will be available in the fall, while processors appropriate for the 12-inch MacBook and 15-inch MacBook Pro are vaguely listed as coming soon.
The eighth-generation Core i5 and Core i7 chips are up to 40 percent faster than the equivalent seventh-generation Kaby Lake processors, according to Intel, based on the benchmark tool SYSmark 2014 SE on Windows 10. That tops Intel's original claim that the chips would be up to 30 percent faster.
The test compared Intel's quad-core Core i7-8550U processor, with a base frequency of 1.8GHz and Turbo Boost up to 4GHz, against its dual-core Core i7-7500U processor with a base frequency of 2.7GHz and Turbo Boost up to 3.5GHz.
Intel also boasted that its eighth-generation Core processors are up to twice as fast as its equivalent five-year-old Ivy Bridge chips. It said users can output a 106-second 4K video in as little as three minutes with a new PC, for example, versus up to 45 minutes on an equivalent five-year-old PC.
Notably, the eighth-generation processors announced today are not part of the upcoming Coffee Lake family. Instead, they're part of what's being called Kaby Lake Refresh, an iteration of the seventh-generation Kaby Lake processors used in the latest MacBook, MacBook Pro, and iMac models.
Intel is expected to eventually announce chips based on Coffee Lake's 14nm++ and Cannonlake's 10nm manufacturing processes that join the eighth-generation Core lineup. In other words, a new generation of Core processors no longer immediately correlates to brand new chip architecture.
Intel said the first notebooks with eighth-generation Core processors will be available in September, but it's unclear when Apple will refresh its Mac lineup — probably not soon. For perspective, Intel launched its Kaby Lake processors in January, and the first Macs equipped with the chips were released in June.
Apple today seeded the seventh beta of an upcoming tvOS 11 update designed for the fourth-generation TV, one week after seeding the sixth beta and over two months after releasing the first beta during the 2017 Worldwide Developers Conference.
Registered developers can download the tvOS 11 update by connecting the Apple TV to a computer with a USB-C cable and installing the beta software using iTunes.
tvOS 11 didn't receive a lot of attention at the Worldwide Developers Conference because it's a modest update, but according to Apple's release notes, it does introduce a few new features to the operating system.
tvOS 11 brings automatic switching between light/dark mode based on local time, Home screen syncing options that keep multiple Apple TVs in a household in sync, new background modes and notification support, Focus API improvements, custom sound support, network-based pairing and development support, improvements to Mobile Device Management, and more.
The seventh beta of tvOS 11 most likely focuses primarily on bug fixes and other small refinements, as the first six betas did. Apple's new tvOS 11 update is available for both registered developers and public beta testers. It will see a public release later this year.
Update: Today's update appears to include HDR assets for "J105a," the code name for a next-generation Apple TV capable of supporting a 4K resolution. References to J105a have previously been found in the HomePod firmware, suggesting we could perhaps see a release of a new Apple TV in the near future.
Apple today seeded the seventh beta of an upcoming macOS High Sierra update to developers for testing purposes, a week after seeding the sixth beta and more than two months after introducing the new software at the 2017 Worldwide Developers Conference.
The seventh beta of macOS High Sierra can be downloaded from the Apple Developer Center or over-the-air using the Software Update mechanism in the Mac App Store.
macOS High Sierra builds on features first introduced in macOS Sierra, focusing on new storage, video, and graphics technology. It brings a new Apple File System (APFS), High Efficiency Video Codec (HEVC), and an updated version of Metal with support for VR and external GPUs.
Several apps are gaining new features in macOS High Sierra. The Photos app features a new sidebar to make it easier to access editing tools and albums, and there are new filters and editing options like Curves and Selective Color. Photos also supports external editing apps like Photoshop and Pixelmator, saving changes made in those apps back to Photos, and it interfaces with new third-party printing services.
Safari is gaining speed enhancements, an option to prevent autoplay videos, and a new feature that cuts down on cross-site data tracking. Siri in macOS High Sierra has expanded music capabilities and a new, more natural voice, and Spotlight supports flight status information. There are also improvements to iCloud, FaceTime, Messages, and Notes.
macOS High Sierra is available for both registered developers and public beta testers and will see a few more weeks of testing ahead of its expected fall public release.
Apple today seeded the seventh beta of iOS 11 to developers for testing purposes, just a week after releasing the sixth beta and over two months after introducing the new update at the Worldwide Developers Conference.
Registered developers can download the seventh beta of iOS 11 from the Apple Developer Center or over-the-air once the proper configuration profile has been installed.
Today's beta introduces a new Apple Music icon in the Control Center when no music is playing. It used to be a placeholder iPhone image.
Apple's release notes say there's a new known issue that could cause users upgrading from iOS 11 beta 5 to beta 6 or later to see their updates stall indefinitely. The fix is to delete the update from Settings > General > iPhone storage and then re-install.
iOS 11 brings quite a few design changes, including a customizable Control Center and a new Lock screen that's been merged with the Notification Center. Peer-to-peer Apple Pay payments are coming in the Messages app, which is also gaining a new App Drawer, and there's a Do Not Disturb While Driving feature that's meant to help drivers stay focused on the road. Siri, Photos, the Camera app, and more are also gaining new features and refinements.
ARKit for developers will bring a range of new augmented reality apps and games to iOS devices, and a new Core ML SDK will let developers build smarter apps. iOS 11 is also the biggest update ever for the iPad, with a new Dock that introduces much improved multitasking, a Files app for better managing files, improved Apple Pencil support, a revamped App Switcher, and a system-wide drag and drop feature.
iOS 11 is available for both registered developers and public beta testers and will see a few more weeks of testing ahead of a prospective September release date alongside new iPhones. We are getting closer to the end of the beta testing process and should see a golden master release candidate in just a couple weeks.
Promise Technology today announced the launch of its second-generation personal cloud device, the Apollo Cloud 2 Duo. Like the company's original Apollo product, the Cloud 2 Duo is designed to provide a network-attached storage solution to families and small businesses who want the cloud's ease of use with the security of local storage.
The Cloud 2 Duo offers double the storage capacity of the original Apollo models at 8TB, but continues to feature a sleek, compact white housing that blends easily with any decor.
Promise Technology has designed its Apollo Cloud products to be simple and easy to use right out of the box, so customers do not need to have networking experience to get their personal clouds up and running. It plugs in and then is accessed through Mac and iOS apps, which are also being refreshed with new functionality.
The Apollo Cloud 2 Duo does not require monthly fees because it's a cloud storage solution connected to a home WiFi setup. With the Cloud 2 Duo, all of a user's files are accessible on any device, but they're safe because they're stored on a local device rather than a remote server.
Up to 40 people can use a single Apollo Cloud 2 Duo, and with 8TB of space, there's enough for the whole family to store all of their files in the cloud. Files stored on the Cloud 2 Duo stay synced and can be shared with others just like files hosted on a third-party cloud service like Dropbox.
"In launching our second-generation product, we designed the Apollo Cloud Duo with careful consideration and our consumers needs in mind," said Justin Cleveland, Promise Technology's Director of Biz Dev -- IoT. "Aligning with our main goal to redesign storage and sharing, the Duo is easy to use and ensures content is always with the consumer -- whether they are at home or on-the-go."
Inside the Cloud 2 Duo, there's a 1GHz Marvell Dual Core processor and the aforementioned 8TB hard drive. The hard drive can be configured in RAID0 for more storage space or RAID1 for 4TB of storage and a mirrored backup. Promise Technology has also built in support for hot swappable hard drives so storage can be switched out in just a few minutes.
Apollo Cloud 2 Duo features include quick camera roll backup for your iPhone or iPad, photo organization with location and facial recognition support, and support for Time Machine for Mac backups.
Promise Technology is selling the Apollo Cloud 2 Duo for $449, and it is available for purchase starting today on the Promise website.
Chicago-based independent record label Drag City has released nearly all of its back catalog of music -- which began with the label's inception in 1990 -- onto Apple Music this past weekend. To celebrate the addition, Apple has created a new banner for the record label, allowing subscribers to listen to Drag City playlists categorized by various genres and artists.
In its description of the label, Apple Music explained that this marks the first time ever that most of Drag City's music has been made available on a streaming service, and the launch is exclusive to Apple Music. The press release by Drag City noted that its "entire(ish)" catalog is now available on Apple's music streaming service, but it didn't specify which songs or artists might be missing (via Spin).
"Daring, irreverent, ferociously independent -- Drag City is one of our favorite labels. Over the last three decades, it's become a place where artists and iconoclasts have found a home to further their vision, whether it's symphonic, harp-driven Americana or meditative doom metal. With the Drag City catalog now available to stream for the first time, we're celebrating the label alongside a few people who have helped to make it so singular.
Outside of the new launch, a few Drag City artists and songs have been made available on Apple Music over the past few months, most notably related to some of Joanna Newsom's albums. Now, users can stream nearly every label released under Drag City's banner, including albums created by Bonnie "Prince" Billy, Ty Segall, Royal Trux, Smog, Six Organs of Admittance, and many more.
Previously, Drag City was one label which was adamant about keeping its artists' music off of streaming services, namely Spotify, although it did release content onto YouTube. In the spring of 2015, ahead of the release of Apple Music, Drag City explained that it withheld music from streaming platforms due to a lack of "fair compensation" for its artists, and that subsequently its content would just be "cannon fodder for the service."
Now it appears that Apple gave the label an enticing enough deal to finally allow users to stream Drag City albums. Users can find these albums in Apple Music > Browse > New Music > and then swipe through the featured banners until Drag City's banner is shown. Besides a new "Best of Drag City" playlist that includes a mix of all artists, Apple has also broken down the label's music into the following genres: Folk & Americana, Rock, Comedy, and Experimental.
After an announcement in July that Foxconn will build a $10 billion LCD panel manufacturing plant in southeast Wisconsin, a new report out today states that the Apple supplier is now planning to build three "ancillary facilities" in Wisconsin as well (via Reuters).
The three buildings are planned to be opened for operation as early as 2018, two years ahead of when the main LCD facility is expected to debut in 2020. The LCD plant will be focused on large-screened panels for TV sets, and with Apple potentially interested in investing in the United States plant, some buildings on the new Foxconn campus could eventually include an assembly line for smaller displays used in iPhones, iPads, or MacBooks.
The three facilities will be much smaller than the main plant and require a combined investment of below $1 billion.
Taiwanese electronics manufacturer Foxconn on Monday said it plans to build three facilities in the U.S. state of Wisconsin for operation as early as next year, as part of a campus housing a $10 billion liquid crystal display (LCD) factory due for 2020.
Foxconn, formally Hon Hai Precision Industry Co Ltd (2317.TW), said it will begin by setting up a back-end packaging line, high-precision molding line and end-device assembly line. It may also start importing glass from Taiwan, China and Japan.
Foxconn is now awaiting a final decision on a bill that aims to grant the manufacturer a $3 billion incentive package for the Wisconsin plant, which will be met with approval or denial sometime in September. If approved, Foxconn will "immediately" begin land survey work for its new U.S. facilities.
Earlier in the summer, Foxconn chairman Terry Gou said the company was interested in the U.S. states of Ohio, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana, and Texas, for potential manufacturing facilities. Gou's special assistant, Louis Woo, said in today's report that the company continues to look at other states it could expand into -- with Gou having met recently with Michigan's governor -- but no decision has been finalized.
Contactless payment methods like Apple Pay will rise sharply in the United States, from less than 2 percent of transactions this year to 34 percent by 2022, according to a new report shared by research firm Juniper Research.
Payment terminal with chip-and-PIN card support via Worldpay
Juniper Research argued that customer dissatisfaction at the slower speeds of chip card transactions, like chip-and-signature or chip-and-PIN, will further increase the adoption of smartphone-based payments, an area currently dominated by Apple Pay.
The transition towards contactless payments, and even the EMV standard that chip-and-PIN cards are based on, has been much slower in the United States compared to many other countries around the world.
In Canada, for example, chip-and-PIN cards have been common for over five years, while at least 80 percent of Canadian retailers are now accepting contactless payments, according to payment processor MONEXgroup.
Juniper Research expects the United States to follow a similar growth curve as Europe, where EMV and contactless payments are also widespread.
Apple CEO Tim Cook recently confirmed Apple Pay momentum is "strongest in international markets," where he said the infrastructure for mobile payments has developed faster than in the United States.
Cook added that three out of four Apple Pay transactions happen outside of the U.S., where the service first launched in October 2014.
Still, that pales in comparison to at least one Apple leak of yore that has just been unearthed by Fast Company, proving that Cupertino was unable to keep its secrets behind lock and key long before the era of social media and 24-hour online news coverage.
The video below is a local news item from San Francisco's KGO, broadcast back in February 1988, which features an interview with late tech-media pioneer and Macintosh Today magazine founder David Bunnell.
In the short clip, Bunnell tells news anchors how his publication managed to get hold of a 160-page internal Apple document laying out detailed plans for the Macintosh Portable, the company's first mobile computer, several months before its official unveiling the following September.
During the exchange, news anchor Pete Wilson asks Bunnell if the whole leak could be a secret ploy by Apple – perhaps in collusion with the magazine – to drum up interest in the computer ahead of its release. Bunnell refutes the suggestion, claiming that Apple doesn't like to pre-announce products and prefers to control the information that comes out of the company.
Whatever the truth on this occasion, as Fast Company notes, even a massive leak such as Bunnell's scoop couldn't save the Macintosh Portable, which turned out to be a flop for Apple, before being superseded by the vastly superior PowerBook in 1991.
As planned, Apple is now accepting donations to the Southern Poverty Law Center, an Alabama-based non-profit organization, through iTunes. The donation prompt was spotted by Twitter user setteBIT.
iTunes users in the United States can donate $5, $10, $25, $50, $100, or $200 with a credit card tied to their account. Apple will transfer 100 percent of the proceeds to the Southern Poverty Law Center, which says it is dedicated to fighting hate and bigotry, protecting civil rights, and seeking justice.
Following a "Unite the Right" rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, where white nationalists and supremacists clashed with counter-protestors over the removal of a Robert E. Lee statue, Apple said it will be making contributions of $1 million each to the Southern Poverty Law Center and the Anti-Defamation League.
Apple said it will also match two-for-one its employees' donations to those and several other human rights groups, between now and September 30.
Apple has also disabled Apple Pay support on websites selling white nationalist and hate group apparel and accessories. Apple's guidelines prevent Apple Pay from being used on sites promoting hate, intolerance, and violence based on race, age, gender, gender identity, ethnicity, religion, or sexual orientation.
Apple CEO Tim Cook's full letter to employees was obtained by MacRumors:
Team,
Like so many of you, equality is at the core of my beliefs and values. The events of the past several days have been deeply troubling for me, and I’ve heard from many people at Apple who are saddened, outraged or confused.
What occurred in Charlottesville has no place in our country. Hate is a cancer, and left unchecked it destroys everything in its path. Its scars last generations. History has taught us this time and time again, both in the United States and countries around the world.
We must not witness or permit such hate and bigotry in our country, and we must be unequivocal about it. This is not about the left or the right, conservative or liberal. It is about human decency and morality. I disagree with the president and others who believe that there is a moral equivalence between white supremacists and Nazis, and those who oppose them by standing up for human rights. Equating the two runs counter to our ideals as Americans.
Regardless of your political views, we must all stand together on this one point — that we are all equal. As a company, through our actions, our products and our voice, we will always work to ensure that everyone is treated equally and with respect.
I believe Apple has led by example, and we’re going to keep doing that. We have always welcomed people from every walk of life to our stores around the world and showed them that Apple is inclusive of everyone. We empower people to share their views and express themselves through our products.
In the wake of the tragic and repulsive events in Charlottesville, we are stepping up to help organizations who work to rid our country of hate. Apple will be making contributions of $1 million each to the Southern Poverty Law Center and the Anti-Defamation League. We will also match two-for-one our employees’ donations to these and several other human rights groups, between now and September 30.
In the coming days, iTunes will offer users an easy way to join us in directly supporting the work of the SPLC.
Dr. Martin Luther King said, “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about the things that matter.” So, we will continue to speak up. These have been dark days, but I remain as optimistic as ever that the future is bright. Apple can and will play an important role in bringing about positive change.
Best, Tim
Southern Poverty Law Center operates offices in four U.S. states, including Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, and Mississippi.
Apple says iTunes Store credit cannot be used to make a donation. The fine print also says donations may not qualify for a tax deduction.
Note: Due to the political nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Politics, Religion, Social Issues forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.
Barclays has become the first bank in the U.K. to announce Siri support for its mobile banking app, enabling account holders to make payments to anyone in their iPhone contacts list completely handsfree using the virtual assistant.
Following the update, customers will be able to make payments by saying, for instance, "Hey Siri, pay Anna £15 with Barclays", without having to open the app. Payments are authenticated using Touch ID and the feature can be used to pay existing payees or mobile contacts.
Barclays says the new Siri integration with its mobile app "will enable customers to send money virtually hands free, and will make secure banking easier, faster and simpler for all customers, including those with additional needs."
Customers need to allow Siri payments in the app to start making payments, via the Siri "What's New" screen or by visiting "Manage payments" under the More menu. Payment limits apply to single and daily payments limits, and can only be made in pounds.
Several images were posted to Chinese microblogging site Weibo on Saturday claiming to show more leaked "iPhone 8" components, just weeks away from the handset's expected launch in September.
The images, later shared via Slashleaks, are said to include the phone's OLED display assembly, internal components for the Lightning connector and flex cables for transferring power to other components.
While we can't vouch for the authenticity of the photos, it's not unusual for leaked parts and components to steadily trickle out of assembly plants as Apple ramps up production ahead of an iPhone launch. For example, just last week we saw images of an alleged A11 processor and wireless charging pad components, both of which are expected to debut in Apple's radically redesigned OLED iPhone.
Earlier this month, images were shared online showing manufacturing validating tests for the iPhone 8, while videos were also shared purporting to show an iPhone 8 production line at an unidentified factory, presumably in China, although the veracity of said videos remains contentious.
Apple is expected to announce iterative "S" cycle upgrades to its existing iPhone 7 line-up next month, but with the potential for new glass backs and a wireless charging capability in addition to the usual moderate internal improvements.
As for the all-new 5.8-inch iPhone 8, which could still take a different name, Apple is expected to debut a virtually bezel-free edge-to-edge handset with an OLED screen, a glass back, a vertically oriented dual-lens camera, and a steel frame, all for a more premium feel and price tag – possibly in the $1000 range.
Based on details unearthed in Apple's HomePod firmware, the device will have a notch at the top of the display that will house the sensors and camera, and will do away with the traditional physical Home button in favor of a virtual one, with a facial authentication system likely replacing Touch ID fingerprint recognition.
The new iPhones are thought to debut in black and silver colors, plus a new copper-like option, possibly called "Blushed Gold". Based on the launch schedules of previous years, Apple is expected to announce the phones at an event falling in the first two weeks of September. You can read more on everything we know so far about Apple's upcoming iPhone 8 event in our dedicated roundup.
Update:MacRumors reader Sunny1990 has posted more photos in an MR forum thread, including additional OLED display parts.
Apple has informed educational institutions with iTunes U content that it will migrate iTunes U collections to Apple Podcasts when iTunes 12.7 is released in September (via MacStories).
Apple launched iTunes U in 2007 as a free repository of educational content through the iTunes Store, allowing educators to create course collections comprising audio, media, handouts, ebooks, and other bundled content. In 2012, Apple introduced the iTunes U iOS app, enabling users to access their collections within an app container.
However, from September, existing iTunes U collections will be automatically converted to podcasts to become accessible through the Podcasts app and the Podcasts section of iTunes on a Mac or PC. According to Apple, the iTunes U section will be removed from the desktop version of iTunes at the same time, meaning the public iTunes U course catalog will only be accessible from iOS devices.
With this change, users can access your collections using the Apple Podcasts app on iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV, and using iTunes on Mac and PC. Your public iTunes U Collections will automatically be migrated and all links redirected into Apple Podcasts at the time of transition. While no action is required for the migration, we recommend that institutions review their current iTunes U Collections and remove out-of-date or unneeded content before the transition to Apple Podcasts.
The takeaway for end users is that from next month the iTunes U iOS app will only include courses, not collections, and there will be no way to download iTunes U course materials on a Mac.
With the migration to the Podcasts app, iTunes U collections will be assigned podcast categories automatically, but Apple cautions that they may differ from the ones previously assigned in iTunes U. The good news for collection creators is that they can use the iTunes Podcast Site Manager to change the category at any time.
Apple Podcasts supports all media types currently supported by iTunes U collections, with the exception of ePub files, according to Apple's iTunes U Public Site Manager support page. If collections contain ePub files, content creators are advised to replace the ePub files with another file type (for example, a PDF file).
MacStories notes that this advice contradicts Apple's Podcasts Connect support page, which says ePub files are supported by podcasts. We'll update this article if Apple provides clarification on this point.
A hidden web page has been discovered on Apple servers containing a job description for a "talented engineer" to work on a "critical infrastructure component" and an invitation to apply for the position at the Cupertino-based company.
The web page, originally located at us-west-1.blobstore.apple.com but since taken down, was discovered on Saturday by ZDNet's Zach Whittaker and describes a role within Apple that involves "exabytes" of data and "tens of thousands" of servers, as well as "millions" of disks. The introductory text reads:
Hey there! You found us. We are looking for a talented engineer to develop a critical infrastructure component that is to be a key part of the Apple ecosystem.
Applicants for the role must have the ability to design and implement scalable apps and web services, and be familiar with Java 8, distributed systems, and modern servers, according to the job description. The exact nature of the job is not given, but given that it relates to web services, it could have iCloud, Apple Music, iTunes or the App Store in mind.
It's unclear when the role was actively being sought, but the fact that it is a hidden page suggests Apple was betting on the possibility that potential candidates for the job would have no difficulties uncovering it.
On Monday, August 21, all of the continental United States will have the chance to view a solar eclipse, and depending on where you're located you might even be able to see a total solar eclipse. The eclipse's "path of totality" -- or the shadow of the moon as it moves in front of the sun -- will begin in Oregon and end in South Carolina, and anyone sitting outside the path will be witness to a partial solar eclipse.
For this reason, NASA is launching a suite of streaming programs covering the best views of the eclipse and its path of totality, giving anyone a chance to watch on their iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, or Apple TV, particularly those who live far away from the path of totality. NASA Television's "Eclipse Across America" will include vantage points of the eclipse on the ground, from aircrafts, and even from the International Space Station.
To tune into the live broadcast, there are a few platforms you can choose from: the main NASA app for iOS [Direct Link], and the NASA app for tvOS, which you can download from the App Store on the fourth-generation Apple TV. Android users can watch on Android smartphones, Amazon Fire tablets, and Fire TV devices.
A preview show will kick off at 12:00 p.m. ET, hosted from Charleston, South Carolina, and live coverage will last for four hours. At 1 p.m. ET the main show will begin and continuously cover the path of totality the eclipse will take as it travels across the United States.
The partial eclipse will begin in Oregon at around 9 a.m. PT and totality will occur just over one hour later. The eclipse will then end in South Carolina with a partial eclipse hitting just after 1 p.m. ET and totality occurring approximately between 2 p.m. and 3 p.m. ET. For those in the path of totality, the total solar eclipse will last just a few short minutes (between 2 minutes and 2 minutes and 40 seconds), although the exact duration will vary by location.
The lunar shadow enters the United States near Lincoln City, Oregon, at 9:05 a.m. PDT. Totality begins in the United States in Lincoln City, Oregon, at 10:16 a.m. PDT. The total eclipse will end in Charleston, South Carolina, at 2:48 p.m. EDT. The lunar shadow leaves the United States at 4:09 p.m. EDT. A partial eclipse will be visible throughout the United States.
NASA has created a useful interactive map for finding the times when the eclipse will appear near you, as well as how high the obscuration percentage (percent of totality, with higher being darker) will be in your area.
In regards to eye and camera safety, NASA has a wealth of resources to guide you on viewing and recording the eclipse. The organization suggests that you only purchase solar viewers from its list of reputable retailers and vendors. The safety precautions are particularly aimed at the time of the partial solar eclipse, when sunlight can still be seen in the sky.
There's also a document [PDF] that NASA has created on the subject of eclipse smartphone photography, briefing those interested in capturing the eclipse with various tips on getting the best shots. Without a professional camera, tripod, or telescope, most smartphone shots of the eclipse will likely still come out as images with a tiny bright disc in the sky.
NASA warns that smartphones with wide apertures, between f/1.7 and f/2.0 (in terms of iPhones only the iPhone 7's f/1.8 fits in this range), could face potential damage when pointed directly at the sun for long periods. There are steps that can be taken to avoid such a risk, including simply taking quick snaps of the eclipse, covering the iPhone's lens with solar viewer safety glasses, or investing in telephoto lens attachments.
No matter what, be sure to keep solar glasses on at all times when photographing a partial solar eclipse with either a smartphone or professional camera system.
There are plenty of other apps and platforms that the 2017 solar eclipse will be viewable on, including most major media outlets and their own iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, and Apple TV applications.
iOS 11 patches an exploit that could be used to crack an iPhone 7 or iPhone 7 Plus passcode using a $500 hardware hacking solution, Apple confirmed to TechCrunch this afternoon.
The exploit, demonstrated by YouTube user EverythingApplePro yesterday, was never really of any concern to iPhone users because of the extreme parameters required to make it work in a timely manner, according to TechCrunch. It uses a $500 piece of hardware, requires physical access to an iPhone 7 or 7 Plus, realistically only works with a 4 digit passcode, and slows down drastically more than 10 minutes after an iPhone's passcode was last changed.
The "box" shown off in the video is similar to tools used by law enforcement officials, and while passcode-guessing hardware like this does not normally work at this speed because iOS devices lock you out after several failed passcode entry attempts, there is a bug in iOS 10 that makes it possible to guess a passcode over and over for a short period directly after the passcode has been changed. TechCrunch explains:
On iOS 10, there is a "bug" for lack of a better term, that allows repeated, rapid guesses of the passcode if you've changed it within the last minute or so. This allows the box to work within that period. Once another threshold is crossed -- say 10 minutes after a passcode is changed -- you no longer have the freedom to guess rapidly.
Without the rapid guessing enabled by the iOS 10 bug, it takes much, much longer for a solution like box to get into an iPhone because it's slowed down by Apple's passcode timeout. A six digit passcode (now the default on iOS devices) that had not been changed recently would take approximately 9.5 years to crack, for example.
According to Apple, the behavior that allows the box to work has been patched as of iOS 11 beta 4.
Biggest design overhaul since iOS 7 with Liquid Glass, plus new Apple Intelligence features and improvements to Messages, Phone, Safari, Shortcuts, and more. Developer beta available now ahead of public beta in July.
Biggest design overhaul since iOS 7 with Liquid Glass, plus new Apple Intelligence features and improvements to Messages, Phone, Safari, Shortcuts, and more. Developer beta available now ahead of public beta in July.
Barclays has become the first bank in the U.K. to 
Apple has 
