MacRumors

iOS 10 includes support for Apple Pay on the web, allowing users to make purchases from websites using Apple's payment service and Touch ID fingerprint authentication. Now that iOS 10 is available to the public, websites have started rolling out support for the Apple Pay on the web feature.

Time Inc. today announced that its customers are now able to use Apple Pay to purchase subscriptions for its line of magazines, including Sports Illustrated, People, Entertainment Weekly, and Real Simple.

Last week, online retailer Wayfair announced support for Apple Pay on the web, giving shoppers an option to pay for furniture and home décor products through Apple Pay. Apple, of course, is accepting Apple Pay on its website too.

Backend payment services including Big Commerce, Shopify, Stripe, and Squarespace have all announced support for Apple Pay on the web, giving smaller merchants an easy way to accept Apple Pay payments for purchases.

In the coming weeks, we should see Apple Pay rolling out to many websites, giving customers an alternative to existing payment services like PayPal. With Apple Pay, purchases can be made with a single touch, and there's no need to enter credit card or shipping details. Apple Pay is also secure, keeping card numbers and other personal information out of the hands of vendors.

When macOS Sierra is released to the public next Tuesday, Apple Pay on the web will also be available on the Mac. As with Apple Pay on the iPhone, purchases will be authenticated through a connection with an iPhone 6 or later or an authenticated Apple Watch.

According to Apple, macOS Sierra's Apple Pay on the web feature will be available to all customers who have a Handoff-enabled Mac that is able to run the Sierra operating system.

On mobile devices, Apple Pay on the web is available on the iPhone 6 and later, the iPad Pro, the iPad Air 2, and the iPad mini 3 and later.

Apple's latest operating system, iOS 10, is seeing quicker adoption rates than iOS 9 saw during the same adoption period last year, according to data collected by Mixpanel. As of 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time, 24 hours after iOS 10 was released, the OS is installed on 14.45 percent of devices.

Comparatively, 24 hours after iOS 9 was released, it was installed on 12.60 percent of devices, also based on data gathered from Mixpanel. That's also similar to iOS 8 adoption rates in 2014, suggesting iOS 10 is slightly outpacing both updates, likely due to the wide range of new features introduced.

iOS 10 saw some early installation issues that have undoubtedly made people weary of downloading the update and have slowed adoption rates.

Shortly after iOS 10 was released, users began seeing their installations fail, requiring them to connect to a computer to repair the installation or restore via iTunes. Apple fixed the issue within an hour, but not before it impacted hundreds.

Since then, iOS 10 has installed smoothly and we've seen few bug reports, suggesting it's stable and safe to download. iOS 10 adoption will likely jump up as we hit the weekend, as people will have time to do the installation, and with the iPhone 7 releasing on Friday, there will be millions of new devices running the operating system.

With iOS 10 adoption on the rise, the number of devices running iOS 9 is steadily falling. iOS 9 is now installed on 81.09 percent of devices. 4.46 percent of devices continue to run iOS 8 or earlier.

iOS 10 is a free update that's available for the iPhone 5 and later, the iPad mini 2 and later, the iPad 4 and later, and the 6th generation iPod touch.

Spotify has announced that it now has over 40 million paying subscribers as of this month, meaning that it has added some 10 million subscribers since March. Spotify remains the most popular streaming music service worldwide, and its new subscriber growth continues to outpace its biggest rival, Apple Music.

Spotify founder and CEO Daniel Ek hinted about the milestone in a tweet earlier today:

Apple Music has been growing at a pace of about 2 million new subscribers every two months: 11 million in February, 13 million in April, 15 million in June, and 17 million in early September. Spotify's figures, meanwhile, show it grew at a pace of over 3 million new subscribers every two months between March and September.

Earlier this year, Spotify vice president Jonathan Forster said Apple Music is "raising the profile of streaming," which has helped, not hurt, its business.

"It's great that Apple is in the game. They are definitely raising the profile of streaming. It is hard to build an industry on your own," said Forster. "Since Apple Music started we've been growing quicker and adding more users than before."

Spotify may benefit from Apple, but its relationship with the iPhone maker is not perfect. The two companies were recently embroiled in a major dispute after Apple rejected a version of the Spotify app that replaced the option to purchase a subscription via in-app purchase with an external sign-up function.

At the time, Spotify accused Apple of using the App Store approval process as a "weapon to harm competitors," to which Apple responded that Spotify is "publicly resorting to rumors and half-truths" about the App Store and "asking for exemptions to the rules we apply to all developers."

Spotify has remained competitive by matching Apple Music's $14.99 family plan in June and introducing new features such as Release Radar.

Apple CEO Tim Cook continued his New York City tour this week with a wide-ranging Good Morning America interview about the iPhone 7, AirPods, virtual reality, and other topics. A teaser of the interview was first shared yesterday.

On the subject of virtual reality, Cook said that augmented reality is actually the "larger of the two," because it allows people to "be very present" while using the technology. Cook added that "less people would be interested" in virtual reality, but that the technology has interesting use cases for education and gaming.

"There's virtual reality and there's augmented reality -- both of these are incredibly interesting. But my own view is that augmented reality is the larger of the two, probably by far, because this gives the capability for both of us to sit and be very present, talking to each other, but also have other things -- visually -- for both of us to see. Maybe it's something we're talking about, maybe it's someone else here who's not here present but who can be made to appear to be present."

When questioned about the iPhone 7's lack of a headphone jack, Cook touted wireless as the future and said the plug's removal provides space for other features like a larger battery and stereo speakers:

Wireless is the future. When you decide on what the future is, you want to get there as soon as you can. Why is that important for the consumer? Well, that plug, that jack, takes up a lot of space in the phone, and there's a lot more important things we can provide for the consumer than that jack. We can provide a larger battery. The stereo speakers I mentioned -- those were also enabled because the jack is not there anymore.

Addressing potential concerns about AirPods falling out or being misplaced, Cook said their charging case is a "great place" to keep them and added that he has "never personally had one fall out" thanks to the wireless design.

“There’s a little case that you put the AirPods in. Magnetically, they’re sort of sucked down into the case. It’s a great place to both charge them and keep them. I’ve been wearing them for a while, and because they don’t have wires on them — the wires tend to help the earbud to fall out, because it applies weight on those. By snipping the wires, I have never personally had one fall out. I’ve been on treadmills. Walking. All the things you would normally do.”

During his trip to New York this week, Cook has also visited P.S. 161 The Crown School in Brooklyn and Apple's new World Trade Center store in Manhattan. Apple retail chief Angela Ahrendts, services chief Eddy Cue, and marketing executive Greg Joswiak were also on hand for the store visit.

Following the publication of reviews for the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus yesterday, now the first official reviews for the Apple Watch Series 2 have begun hitting the web. Apple announced its second-generation Apple Watch alongside the iPhone 7 last week, and both devices will launch this Friday, September 16.

While there are varying opinions among reviewers, the consensus on Apple Watch Series 2 is epitomized in TechCrunch's straightforward headline, calling it “the first real Apple Watch.” Reviewers think that the 50 percent faster processor, improved durability in water, and fitness-focused features have elevated the second generation of Apple Watch to become a more sensical purchase option, going beyond its previous status as a simple luxury item and into functional usability.

The Wall Street Journal refers to Series 2 as a product you still don’t "need," but it may now be something you "want." As many have focused on when testing Series 2, the site spent a lot of its review on the fitness features of the Apple Watch, referring to the new on-board GPS as the device's "greatest strength and greatest downfall." This is because while being able to leave an iPhone behind while running is a major plus, it comes at the cost of battery life.

This new wireless freedom is the Apple Watch’s greatest strength and greatest downfall. A 20-minute run with music playing knocked out 20% of my watch battery’s juice. While there is a bigger battery inside this slightly thicker watch, those who plan to use GPS for a daily jog won’t get longer battery life. (Apple says it designed the GPS on the Apple Watch to last through a marathon.) On days where I didn’t use GPS, I went to bed with nearly 40% of the battery left. That’s strong, though the Fitbit Blaze lasts four days, so you can even wear it to track sleep.

The Series 2 is what the first Apple Watch should have been—a more advanced Fitbit with the good looks and features to justify wearing it all day, every day. It’s speedy, helpful and able to go where you can’t—or won’t—take your smartphone.

TechCrunch's reference to the Series 2 as "the first real Apple Watch" comes from the site's idea that a wearable should be able to accomplish little tasks throughout the day in 1-3 seconds, which the original Apple Watch struggled with due to long app loading times. But thanks to the additional processor speed, and bright display, TechCrunch Editor-in-Chief Matthew Panzarino says he has "already found myself using the Watch for interactions more often."

The Apple Watch Series 2 is the first real Apple Watch. It delivers on the promise of a mostly passive device that can accomplish simple tasks in 1-3 seconds. There is now built-in GPS which allows for exercising without having to lug along a comparatively heavy iPhone just to get accurate tracking. And it’s completely waterproof, as any decent sport watch should be.

The screen is noticeably brighter now, making text, especially on activity summary screens, much easier to read. Because of the speed and brightness, I have already found myself using the Watch for interactions more often. This had already started happening a bit with Apple’s WatchOS 2 update last year, which improved performance significantly, but it’s incredibly apparent now with the faster processor.

While a similar fan of the new fitness abilities, The Verge reminded potential buyers that "familiar hassles remain" with Apple Watch Series 2. These include raise to wake not working consistently, troubles with syncing music into the 2 GB of storage, and the consistent fact that you have to charge the Apple Watch every day, particularly if you use it during workouts.

Although these are all qualms that can be dealt with for most people, the site argues that any professional athlete, or someone more serious about fitness, might become frustrated with the device.

But for all of the improvements, some of the hassles from the original Watch remain. Apple still has a lot of work to do. I’ve noticed the display still doesn’t wake every time I raise or twist my wrist, which is annoying. For whatever reason, I’ve had trouble syncing my iTunes to the Watch, which can support up to 2GB of music.

Finally, the battery life: the new Watch has a bigger battery in it to compensate for the GPS and the brighter display. And it’s definitely better than the first Watch: a couple days ago I put the Watch on first thing in the morning, popped the display up to full brightness, went through a day of notifications, used GPS during an hour-long bike ride, and still had 20 percent battery left later that night. But it’s still a charge-every-day kind of thing if you work out, which is one of my least favorite aspects of smartwatches.

Early adopters of the Apple Watch Series 2 will be able to check out the wearable device for themselves beginning this Friday, September 16, when it launches to the public. On that day, the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus will also debut, and so far reviews for the smartphones have generally noted that while the devices might not be essential upgrades, they are nice advancements and form an important foundation for the iPhone's future.

Check out more reviews for the Apple Watch Series 2 at these websites:

- Mashable
- The Independent
- USA Today
- BuzzFeed
- Daring Fireball
- The Loop
- Pocket-lint
- CNET

Last week, a number of customers enrolled in the iPhone Upgrade Program were unable to pre-order the specific iPhone 7 or iPhone 7 Plus model they wanted due to limited stock when orders began at 12:01 a.m. Pacific Time on Friday.

Apple had already warned that demand would outstrip supply as usual, but unlike regular customers, iPhone Upgrade Program members were not given the option to pre-order a new iPhone online for home delivery.

Instead, would-be upgraders were directed to a separate queue that only allowed reserving the iPhone from a local Apple retail store -- many of which were sold out. The experience led to frustrations and even a class action lawsuit, prompting Apple to collect information from customers affected in an attempt to make the situation right. Now, the company appears to have delivered on that promise.

Apple has sent an email to some iPhone Upgrade Program members to inform them that more reservation times for iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, sans Jet Black models, have been added for September 16. Accordingly, over the past 24 hours or so, several MacRumors readers enrolled in the program have been able to reserve the iPhone model they desired for pickup at a local Apple Store later this week.

If you tried to upgrade through the iPhone Upgrade Program, you may have had difficulty reserving a new iPhone 7 or iPhone 7 Plus due to high demand. We’ve made two important changes to help you.

We’ve added more reservation times for this Friday, September 16.
Simply confirm your eligibility and then see if the model you want will be available at an Apple Store near you. Please note that there are no reservations available to pick up the jet black model on Friday.

Tell us which iPhone you want and we’ll let you know when it’s in.
If you’re still unable to reserve the model you want for pickup on Friday, let us know your preference by completing this short form. We’ll contact you within 48 to 72 hours to let you know when your iPhone 7 or iPhone 7 Plus will be available for in-store pickup after Friday, September 16.

MacRumors reader Ryan Lister:

I was one of the people who ran into the shortage on launch day from the iPhone Upgrade Program, but stock must have been recently updated and I was just able to make a reservation on launch day for the black iPhone 7 Plus.

MacRumors reader Nathan Walczak:

I'm not sure why, but I was just able to reserve an upgrade for an iPhone 7 Plus. Pickup this Friday. Yesterday all stores in my area were out of the iPhone 7 Plus models. I currently am enrolled in the Upgrade Program from Apple. Seems Apple is trying to fix the glitch?

While availability is still limited, and varies between stores, it is clear that Apple is working to satisfy as many of its customers as possible. iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus officially launch on September 16, including the first pre-order deliveries and the start of in-store purchases split between those who reserved for pickup and walk-in customers on a first come, first served basis.

Inspired by Apple's new Jet Black color for the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, designer Martin Hajek recently created a few mockups of what the company's all-new wireless AirPods could look like if the accessories had a similar dark color option.

In his blog post, Hajek said he "modeled these earphones and rendered them in brand-new iPhone gloss black," making them visually identical to the new, shiny finish of the iPhone 7 in Jet Black.

Hajek even visualized the AirPods charging case in Jet Black. When inside of the case, the AirPods can get up to 24 hours of battery life, according to Apple. On their own, the Bluetooth headphones have up to 5 hours of music playback on a full charge.

Although most hardware announced at Apple’s September 7 event is debuting later this week, on September 16, the AirPods still have an unspecified launch in "late October." If you want to check out more of Hajek’s renderings of the Jet Black AirPods, visit the designer's website.

Apple today posted a new iPhone 7 TV ad to its YouTube channel, playing up to the devices' camera features, stereo speakers, and water resistance in a black and white montage of dramatic metaphors and visual set pieces.

The 30-second commercial is barely lit, save for the flash of an iPhone camera lens, and shrouds glimpses of black-colored handsets in flickering low light against shadowy backdrops.

Opening with a nighttime shot of a forest and a close-up of an owl's pupils dilating in the darkness at the sight of a deer, the ad continues in a similar edgy vein, with a series of slick mirrored cut scenes representing the iPhone 7's doubled-up technological capabilities.

The advantages of the dual lens camera in the iPhone 7 Plus are suggested in a series of paired low-light images, just as the benefits of stereo separation are alluded to in a volley of explosive sounds and rapid channel transitions.

The abstract theme then takes on a more liquid texture as the viewer witnesses water droplets cascading over the silhouette of a handset, a liminal vision punctuated by a further salvo of volatile graphics and incendiary audio effects.

The ad marks somewhat of a departure for Apple, which typically adopts a more melodic, upbeat tone in its TV commercials. Besides the new features, the company is clearly playing up to the inclusion of Jet Black and matte Black handset color options, which have proved a popular choice during pre-order. First shipments are expected to arrive in just a couple of days, with Friday, September 16 being the official iPhone 7 launch date.

Apple marketing chief Phil Schiller tweeted a link to an Outside article this morning titled "The Year's Best New Adventure Camera? The Apple iPhone 7 Plus", which features 17 images shot with the device in various rugged outdoor environments.

The new series of photos were taken by photo journalist and associate editor of Outside Magazine Jakob Schiller, during an outdoor adventure up rivers, down dusty bike trails, through woods, and into classic New Mexico burrito joints, leaving him particularly impressed by the versatility of the 5.5-inch handset's dual-lens setup.

Over four days of in-the-field testing, I’ve found it to be the best small, lightweight camera you can get for the money, ideal for shooting outdoor adventures when you don’t want to lug around pounds of heavy equipment.

I immediately noticed that the 7 does a much better job capturing details in the shadows and highlights than the 6s, and the color is much more accurate and vivid.

The 12-megapixel sensors that come in the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus aren’t the best for capturing billboard-size advertisements. But Apple does a nice job marrying the sensor to its proprietary software, which helps maximize the camera’s capabilities. The resolution will be plenty high enough for printing off 11-inch x14-inch pictures.

The photographer notes that the new iPhone 7 and 7 Plus can shoot in RAW using third-party apps like Lightroom. RAW files aren't compressed like JPEGs, so users get more detailed files that are easier to tone and crop. Check out the article for more pictures and commentary.

On Monday, Apple CEO Tim Cook followed up some iPhone 7 pictures taken at a Titans-Vikings game shared over the weekend, with a group of photos offering a few examples of low-light photography.

iPhone 7 pre-order customers have been receiving shipment notifications regarding their incoming orders, which should be landing this Friday, September 16.

Apple today released iOS 10, the next major operating system designed for the iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. iOS 10 has been described as the biggest iOS update ever, with features ranging from an overhauled Lock screen interface to half a dozen new capabilities for the Messages app.

In addition to all the major changes, there are dozens of more minor but still significant tweaks that have been made to the operating system to make it feel entirely new, including individualized read receipts, the ability to hide stock apps, a new Wake Alarm in the Clock app, and more. Below, we've listed some of the most notable changes worth checking out.

➜ Click here to read rest of article...

Apple CEO Tim Cook will appear on Good Morning America tomorrow, for what the show is calling a "wide-ranging and exclusive interview" with Robin Roberts at a school in Harlem in New York City.

In a minute long teaser clip shared on the Good Morning America Twitter account, Cook was asked about Apple's upcoming AirPods, where he alleviated fears that they're going to be easy to lose or will fall out of the ear.

Cook says AirPods will be kept safe in the dedicated battery case and because there are no wires, there's nothing to pull them out of the ear. "I have never personally had one fall out since I've been using it," he said. "They're absolutely magical." He went on to explain that he's used them on the treadmill and when dancing, all without incident.

Good Morning America didn't share details on other topics Cook will speak on, but given the recent announcement of the iPhone 7 and the iPhone 7 Plus and the launch of iOS 10, watchOS 3, and tvOS 10, we can expect to hear his views on those products.

Good Morning America's interview with Tim Cook will air on Wednesday, September 14, from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m.

With iOS 10 now available to the public, there are hundreds of new Messages apps available in the dedicated Messages App Store. For the first time, we're getting a look at just what apps in Messages are going to be capable of, and it's more than a just a gimmick.

There are apps for all doing all kinds of things, from expressing yourself with GIFs and stickers, to sending song lyrics, sharing movie information, maps locations, weather reports, and more, plus there are even more in-depth tools for figuring out what restaurant to eat at, sending money to friends, and other conveniences that are sure to save you a lot of time.

In the list below, we've gathered up a handful of some of the most useful apps in the Messages App Store, so if you're looking to see what Messages apps can do, this is a good starting point.

Installing a Messages App

To install an app from the Messages App Store, tap on the "App Store" icon when in a conversation. From there, tap on the icon of four dots to open the app drawer, then choose the "+" button to access the store itself. The Messages App Store is similar to the iOS App Store, so choose an app and then tap on the price or "Get" to download it.

Messages apps are usually installed automatically, but can be accessed in the App Store by tapping on "Manage" and toggling apps on and off.

Notable Apps and Games

- GIF Keyboard (Free) - GIF Keyboard from Tenor is available as a Messages app, making it easier to insert GIFs directly into chat conversations. It features a create-a-GIF- option, trending GIFs, GIF categories for access to quick reaction GIFs, and a search tool.

➜ Click here to read rest of article...