Regularly creating iCloud or iTunes backups should be routine for every iOS user, but if you want to upgrade to a beta version of iOS or if you think you might want to downgrade shortly after installing a new iOS update, you'll want to make sure create an archived iTunes backup beforehand.
An archived iTunes backup is essential because it saves the current state of your iOS device and prevents it from being accidentally overwritten by subsequent backups. Apple recommends all public beta testers create an archived backup before installing a beta in case something goes wrong and a restore is needed. Here's how to do it.
Earlier this month, Apple quietly introduced a new "Podcasts Connect" tool for people who upload their podcasts to iTunes. Previously, podcasters uploaded their content using the "Submit a Podcast" link in the iTunes Podcast Store, but now there's a dedicated portal for managing podcast uploads.
As described by Libsyn, the Podcasts Connect portal lets users submit new podcasts and manage existing podcasts using their Apple IDs. Uploading a podcast is as simple as entering an RSS feed URL and there are new features that make it easier for podcasters to update their content.
Refreshing an RSS feed via the portal will allow for quick fixes and changes to be synced to iTunes, and there are tools for hiding podcasts and deleting them from the iTunes podcast directory. The portal will also give podcasters information on the current status of their uploaded podcasts.
Apple has been sending emails to customers who upload podcasts to let them know about the new Podcasts Connect tool, which is also accompanied by improved support resources for podcast providers and HTTPS support for the podcast metadata, cover art, and episode files.
The early iOS 9.3 betas removed key functionality from the Apple Pencil, an unpopular move that eliminated its ability to be used for navigation. There were rumors suggesting the feature removal was intentional, but Apple today told The Verge that's not the case.
Apple has confirmed that the features that have been removed in iOS 9.3 will be returning in the next beta, and that they have been temporarily pulled as the company works on improvements.
"We believe a finger will always be the primary way users navigate on an iPad, but we understand that some customers like to use Apple Pencil for this as well and we've been working on ways to better implement this while maintaining compatibility during this latest beta cycle," a spokesperson said. "We will add this functionality back in the next beta of iOS 9.3."
Since the first iOS 9.3 beta, the Apple Pencil has not been able to be used for tasks like selecting text, scrolling, swiping between apps, accessing menus, and general editing functions in non-drawing apps. These are all features that are available in iOS 9.2, and their absence from four betas in a row led customers to think the removal was both permanent and intentional.
The inability to use the Apple Pencil for navigating has been frustrating for iPad Pro owners, and many of our own MacRumors readers said they would not upgrade to the new operating system if it meant being unable to use the iPad Pro outside of drawing apps.
Last month's CES saw French wireless tech company Parrot demoing the third model in its Zik range of popular Bluetooth headphones, aptly called Zik 3.0.
Now shipping at a price of $400, the Zik 3.0's inherit the active noise-canceling (ANC), capacitive touch and HD telephony features of the earlier Zik 2.0's, but add some new functions like auto-adaptive ANC and Qi-compatible wireless charging, while they also come in several new colors and textures.
The Zik 2.0's have been reduced from $350 to $200 as a result, so I chose to compare the two versions side by side to see what that extra two hundred dollars gets you.
There are some photos circulating around the Internet today that supposedly picture a new Modern Buckle Apple Watch band in a color combination that doesn't currently exist, but it appears the image is simply a Pink Modern Buckle in poor lighting.
In the original photo, a yellow tint causes the Pink Modern Buckle band to look tan, a shade similar to the existing "Stone" color of available with the Leather Loop and the Apple Watch Sport, but when that tint is removed through color correction, it's clear the Apple Watch band in question is indeed a muted pink shade.
While the images shared today do not provide a hint at what's coming at the March 15 event, we do know that it's likely to include a Space Black Milanese Loop, which was accidentally leaked on the Czech Republic Apple Watch site in January. There have also been rumors suggesting Apple is introducing at least one entirely new band, which may be made from nylon.
Apple's rumored March 15 event will be used to debut new Apple Watch bands, but we'll also see at least two new products. Apple plans to unveil both the 4-inch iPhone 5se and the iPad Air 3. The iPhone 5se is rumored to be a cross between an iPhone 5s and an iPhone 6, with an A9 processor, improved camera, and Touch ID support for use with Apple Pay. The iPad Air 3 is said to be taking on many of the features of the iPad Pro, including its four-speaker design and Smart Connector for accessories.
DisplayMate Technologies has declared that Samsung's new Galaxy S7 has the "best smartphone display" it has ever tested, making a strong case for Apple's rumored shift to OLED displays within the next two to three years.
The in-depth display shoot-out found the Galaxy S7 display to be significantly better than the Galaxy S6, including increased brightness by up to 29 percent, improved screen visibility in bright environments, and more efficient power consumption.
The Galaxy S7's display now matches or exceeds the larger Galaxy Note 5's display in terms of brightness, color accuracy, and contrast rating in high ambient light. The results are impressive given the Galaxy S7's display area is scaled down by 20 percent.
The Galaxy S7 also uses sub-pixel rendering, which improves image sharpness by treating red, green, and blue sub-pixels as individual image elements. DisplayMate says the technology can make the screen appear to have up to 3 times the resolution of traditional pixel rendering.
The improvements are directly tied to Samsung's advancements in OLED display technologies, which have a number of significant advantages over LCD panels, including being thinner and lighter with thinner bezels, faster response times, better viewing angles, and always-on mode.
Many of the OLED performance advantages result from the fact that every single sub-pixel in an OLED display is individually directly powered, which results in better color accuracy, image contrast accuracy, and screen uniformity.
Because of their very flexible power management capabilities, OLEDs are not only more power efficient than LCDs for most image content, but they now deliver much higher peak Brightness than LCDs because of this. However, for mostly all white screen content LCDs are likely to remain brighter and more power efficient for a while.
Overall, OLED technology is becoming increasingly competitive with LCD technology. DisplayMate noted that LCDs remain more power efficient when displaying mostly white content, such as text on a white background, but OLEDs are more power efficient for more typical mixed image content.
iPhones have used various LCD display technologies since the original model launched in 2007, but multiple reports claim that the first OLED-based iPhone will be released by the end of 2018. By then, the display technology will likely have advanced even further, making it a suitable option for Apple.
Apple has reportedly been "consulting with display makers" about OLED technology to eliminate potential drawbacks, which currently range from shorter lifespans to higher manufacturing costs than LCD displays. Apple's only current OLED product is the Apple Watch, which has a much smaller 1.4" (38mm) to 1.7" (42mm) screen.
There's an adage that says the best camera is the one you have with you, and for most MacRumors readers, that's an iPhone. On popular photography site Flickr, the iPhone has long been the most popular camera, responsible for a significant portion of the photos uploaded to the site.
Apple has fully embraced the iPhone's position as a serious photography device, and over the years, the camera has steadily improved, but getting a great picture is about more than just the camera it's shot with -- factors like lighting and positioning can have a huge impact on the outcome.
With that in mind, our videographer, Mattdgonzalez, has created a basic introduction video on how to take better photos using your iPhone and the stock camera app.
Following the rule of thirds and working with the ambient light around you are two of the most important factors when it comes to good photography, but there are a few built-in iPhone tools that can help you get the perfect shot, like tap to focus, exposure control, and HDR.
There are two iPhone tools you'll want to use sparingly or not at all -- digital zoom and flash. Digital zoom is just going to make your photos look grainy, and it's rare photos using the flash will look halfway decent. Simple tips like additional light sources or moving closer to your subject instead of zooming digitally can make a world of difference when it comes to quality.
Matt's also been producing our iOS Beta walkthroughs and regularly publishing videos on our YouTube channel which don't all make their way to the main site. Other recent videos include:
The YouTube app for iOS was today given a small but significant update, adding support for the iPad Pro to improve video quality on Apple's newest tablet. Since the iPad Pro was released in November, people have complained about the poor video quality of YouTube videos within the app as the content was scaled up to match the iPad Pro's resolution.
Three months later, the app is finally getting the update it needs to make watching videos via the YouTube app an enjoyable experience on the 12.9-inch iPad Pro.
Today's update also includes a fix for a bug that could cause the keyboard to freeze when commenting and a fix for an issue that caused the app to crash after adding an account on iOS 7.
Apple today seeded the fourth beta of an upcoming OS X 10.11.4 update to public beta testers, just a day after releasing the fourth OS X 10.11.4 beta to developers and just over a month after releasing OS X 10.11.3.
The fourth beta is available through the Software Update mechanism in the Mac App Store for those who are enrolled in Apple's beta testing program. Those wishing to join the program can sign up on Apple's beta testing website.
OS X 10.11.4 focuses primarily on under-the-hood bug fixes, security enhancements, and performance optimizations, but there have been a few outward-facing changes. In the Notes app, OS X 10.11.4 offers both password protected notes and an import function for importing Evernote notes. The OS X 10.11.4 update also includes Live Photos support in the Messages app.
Apple is likely to release OS X 10.11.4 in the spring, alongside iOS 9.3, watchOS 2.2, and tvOS 9.2.
Apple today seeded the fourth beta of an upcoming iOS 9.3 update to public beta testers, just a day after seeding the fourth iOS 9.3 beta to developers. iOS 9.3's fourth public beta comes more than a month after Apple released iOS 9.2.1, a minor update, to the public.
Beta testers who have signed up for Apple's beta testing program will receive the fourth iOS 9.3 update over-the-air after installing the proper certificate on their iOS device.
Those who want to be a part of Apple's beta testing program can sign up to participate through the company's beta testing website, which gives users access to both iOS and OS X betas. For an in-depth walkthrough on downloading the iOS 9.3 beta, make sure to check out our dedicated how to.
iOS 9.3 is a major update to the iOS 9 operating system, introducing a long list of new features and improvements. iOS 9.3's biggest new feature is Night Shift mode, which automatically cuts down on the amount of blue light an iOS user is exposed to at night by shifting to more yellow tones for the iPhone or iPad's display. With iOS 9.3, there are also a number of changes for educational users, including support for multiple logins, and the iPhone is now able to pair with more than one Apple Watch.
The update also includes new 3D Touch Quick Actions for stock apps like Weather, Settings, Compass, Health, App Store, and iTunes Store, plus it introduces password protection for individual notes in the Notes app. News in iOS 9.3 includes in-line video playback, landscape mode on the iPhone, and more personalization, while the Health app introduces a new Apple Watch-style "Activity" interface. As of iOS 9.3 beta 3, Wi-Fi Calling is available to Verizon users.
A list of the changes in iOS 9.3 can be found in our "What's New" post. iOS 9.3 will launch to the public this spring, likely alongside watchOS 2.2, OS X 10.11.4, and tvOS 9.2.
After an announcement last August and a successful pilot program in October, MasterCard recently announced that the company will begin expanding a feature which allows facial recognition software to act as biometric security in mobile payments (via Fortune). Unofficially dubbed "selfie pay," the program lets users confirm an online payment by holding up a smartphone's camera to their face and blinking to ensure the program isn't being duped by a still photograph.
The process would take place within MasterCard's own Identity Check app (currently unavailable in the United States) and is built to streamline the verification process of lengthy digital purchases, superseding the need for a MasterCard's PIN number or password with a quick selfie. The United Kingdom will be one of 14 total countries targeted for the summer rollout, but beyond the pilot program's support of First Tech Federal Credit Union, the expansion of supported banks was not listed.
One big motivation behind Mastercard’s expansion of its selfie pay tool is cutting down false declines, which occur when a legitimate transaction is rejected because of suspected fraud. These instances cost the company some $118 billion per year—13 times more than the cost of actual fraud.
MasterCard isn't looking solely at selfies to confirm purchases, however. Last year, the company began testing a feature that worked in tandem with the Nymi band to verify mobile transactions through a user's unique heartbeat. At the time, Nymi said that its biometric technology could potentially be implemented into existing wearables for a wider adoption, but MasterCard's current focus sits on the summer's rollout of its facial recognition feature.
The U.S. Department of Justice is pursuing additional court orders that would force Apple to help federal investigators extract data from twelve other encrypted iPhones that may contain crime-related evidence, according to The Wall Street Journal.
The revelation comes nearly one week after a U.S. federal judge ordered Apple to assist the FBI with unlocking an iPhone belonging to suspected San Bernardino terrorist Syed Rizwan Farook. Apple strongly opposed the court order last week in an open letter to customers.
The twelve cases are similar to the San Bernardino case in that prosecutors have sought to use the 18th-century All Writs Act to force Apple to comply, but none are related to terrorism charges and most involve older versions of iOS software.
In the past, Apple has extracted data from iPhones under lawful court orders, but the company stopped storing encryption keys for devices running iOS 8 or later. As a result of this stronger protection, Apple cannot assist the FBI without circumventing iOS security and putting the privacy and safety of its customers at risk.
Apple has acknowledged that creating a "government-ordered backdoor" is technically possible, but CEO Tim Cook said cooperating with the FBI would set a "very dangerous precedent." Apple said it has "done everything that's both within our power and within the law to help in this case," adding that it has "no sympathy for terrorists."
The U.S. government previously said that investigators are only seeking access to a single iPhone related to the San Bernardino attacks, but Apple argued that the technique could be "used over and over again, on any number of devices" once created. "The only way to guarantee that such a powerful tool isn’t abused and doesn’t fall into the wrong hands is to never create it," the company said.
Apple has until Friday, February 26 to file its first legal arguments in a California court.
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.
Samsung yesterday announced the opening of its new flagship store in New York City, describing it as "the flagship of the future", but in a curious twist, one which does not actively sell Samsung products.
Named simply "837" after its address in the popular Meatpacking district, the "living lab and digital playground" is a 55,000 square-foot space that includes a three-story digital screen (made up of 96 Samsung 55-inch TV sets stitched together), a 90-seat theater, a portable demo kitchen, an art gallery, a multimedia studio, and a café. Product shelves however are nowhere to be seen.
Samsung 837 in New York's Meatpacking district (Image: Mashable)
According to a Samsung press release, the store sets out to "reimagine the traditional store experience" and provide an opportunity for people to "experience Samsung technology and signature services in an environment that blurs the lines between live and static experiences."
"It's not about pushing products in people's faces," explained Zach Overton, General Manager of Samsung 837, speaking to Fast Company. Rather, Overton calls it "a fully immersive cultural center, featuring programming which will tap into people's passions such as art, music, entertainment, sports, wellness, culinary, technology and fashion, all powered and enriched by technology."
Visitors wear Samsung's Gear VR in a dedicated VR environment (Image: Business Wire)
Mashable got a sneak preview of the store and describes an area called the Selfie Station, where users are invited to take a photo of themselves with a Samsung smartphone. A few seconds later, that photo is projected onto the huge store screen for everyone to see.
Before you enter the tunnel, you're instructed to enter in your Instagram handle. Then you walk through a tunnel where all of your photos, hashtags and Instagram descriptions are projected against screens that literally cover the entire space. The floor and ceiling are mirrored, giving off a truly sci-fi effect.
The Living Room and product table (Image: Business Wire)
Despite the company downplaying the retail angle, store staff are available to guide customers through Samsung's online purchasing portal, while in a nod to Apple's Genius Bar concept, on-site technicians are on hand to troubleshoot tech problems.
In the first two weeks of opening, Samsung 837 will be host to exclusive programming including live DJs, Oscar-nominated movie screenings, and a private Oscar viewing party.
Yesterday, Samsung announced the Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge, the latest devices in its flagship line of smartphones. The phones will be available on all four major U.S. carriers from March 11, although it's unclear when (or whether) visitors to 837 will have the opportunity to test them out in-store.
Shortly after Apple was ordered to help the FBI recover data from the San Bernardino shooter's iPhone, Apple quickly said they would oppose the order, garnering the support of other major tech companies like Facebook, Twitter, Google and Microsoft. In a new interview with the Financial Times, former Microsoft CEO Bill Gates has instead backed the FBI, denying that they are asking for a back door.
“This is a specific case where the government is asking for access to information. They are not asking for some general thing, they are asking for a particular case,” Mr Gates told the Financial Times.
While Apple CEO Tim Cook has consistently argued that unlocking one device would set a dangerous precedent, Gates doesn't believe that it would. He argues that Apple has access to the information, but that they are declining to provide access to the information. Gates compares it to when a bank or telephone company is requested to give up records for a particular person.
Gates went on to say that there were benefits to governments having some access to information, but that there would have to be rules in place to limit how they can access that information. He says that he hopes people will "have that debate so that safeguards are built and so people do not opt out -- and this will be in country by country -- [to say] it is better that the government does not have access to any information."
FBI Director James Comey said in an editorial yesterday that the request was "not trying to set a precedent" and that it was instead about "the victims and justice." However, the FBI also confirmed that it had worked with San Bernardino county officials to reset the iCloud password of San Bernardino shooter Syed Farook. Apple said that, had the FBI not attempted to reset the password, the company would have been able to access the needed information as the iCloud backups would have still been accessible.
The FBI then requested a version of iOS that would remove passcode features like time limits and data erasure measures and other tools to access the iPhone. Apple has maintained that creating such a tool would open a can of worms, setting a dangerous precedent and allowing both bad guys and good guys to take advantage.
Update: In an interview with Bloomberg, Gates said he "was disappointed" with headlines stating he sides with the FBI.
"That doesn’t state my view on this. I do believe that with the right safeguards, there are cases where the government, on our behalf, — like stopping terrorism, which could get worse in the future — …is valuable.”
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.
Apple Music today announced that it'll stream a concert for the band The 1975 Thursday at 9 a.m. Pacific on Beats 1. Apple Music has been teasing the announcement all day on its Snapchat account, displaying the band's lyrics and teasing the concert's set as preparations for the event are completed.
Apple isn't a newcomer to live streaming concerts, as it broadcasts its annual Apple Music Festival to music fans around the world for free. It is, however, the first time the company has streamed a concert live on its new streaming service.
The concert will be streamed from a rooftop in Los Angeles, with The 1975 playing songs from its new album "I Like It When You Sleep, for You Are So Beautiful Yet So Unaware Of It," which releases on February 26. However, it's unclear whether the concert will be an audio stream on Zane Lowe's Beats 1 radio show or whether it'll be a video stream. On The 1975's Connect page, the band only promises that fans will "hear" the songs performed live on Beats 1.
Since the launch of Apple Music, the Cupertino company has worked to secure exclusive content for the service to differentiate it from competitors. In December, singer Taylor Swift announced that Apple Music would be the exclusive home to her concert film "The 1989 World Tour LIVE." More recently, it was reported that Dr. Dre would star in Apple's first original television series, Vital Signs, which is being described as a dark semi-autobiographical drama about the Apple executive and Beats co-founder. The series is rumored to be distributed via Apple Music.
While at Mobile World Congress, CNET has produced a video featuring Corephotonics' dual-lens camera technology, which appears similar to that of Apple-acquired LinX. With Apple rumored to introduce a dual-lens camera on either the iPhone 7 or 7 Plus, the video offers an opportunity to see such technology in action, providing a glimpse at how it may work in Apple's next iPhone.
The technology uses software to combine the images of two separate camera lenses to create a more detailed picture, including the ability to optically zoom with no moving parts. In 2014, Corephotonics was able to use the tech to offer 3 times optical zoom, but has since increased its capabilities to offer 5 times optical zoom.
The demo showcases how effectively the dual-lens camera can optically zoom into an object while retaining crisp details. It also places a zoomed-in image from a single-lens camera next to a zoomed-in image from a dual-lens camera, contrasting the sharp difference between the two. CNET notes that when they tested an iPhone 6s Plus against the dual-lens camera the results were largely identical to the Corephotonics demo, with the dual-lens camera providing a distinctly sharper image.
LinX's technology also uses multiple camera lenses to create a single high quality image, including noise reduction, better low-light quality and sharper details. Other than a dual-lens camera using LinX's technology, rumors claim the iPhone 7 could have a more waterproof design, a flush rear camera and no antenna bands on the back and, if ready, wireless charging. The iPhone 7 is expected to be released this fall.
Apple has today added four new universal search options to the fourth-generation Apple TV: Watch ABC, Disney XD, Disney Channel and Disney Jr. This allows users to easily find content like Modern Family and Star Wars Rebels after pressing the Siri button on the Siri Remote. The move brings the total number of sources in universal search to 14.
At launch, universal search only worked with iTunes, Netflix, Hulu, HBO (Now and Go) and Showtime (Regular and Anytime). Apple had promised to expand the feature and the number of sources included over time and has, thus far, delivered on that promise. Last month, Apple added FOX NOW, FX NOW and National Geographic as sources; in January, Apple added PBS and PBS Kids.
In the United States, universal search across all 14 services is available. In Australia, Canada, France, Germany and the United Kingdom, universal search is only available across iTunes and Netflix. In other countries and regions, universal search is only available across iTunes Movies.
Apple plans to continue opening up its universal search API to additional partners and apps in the future.
Over the course of the iOS 9.3 beta testing period, iPad Pro users running the update have noticed a disturbing feature removal that limits the functionality of the Apple Pencil. In the current version of iOS, iOS 9.2, the Apple Pencil can be used for navigational purposes, just like a finger. It's possible to tap on buttons, select text, scroll, swipe between apps, access menus, and access general editing controls in non-drawing apps.
With iOS 9.3, much of that functionality has been removed. The Apple Pencil is no longer able to be used for selecting and manipulating text or doing things like scrolling -- it's only available for selecting buttons and drawing, sketching, and writing within apps.
Early on, Apple Pencil users thought the feature removal was perhaps a bug, but full Apple Pencil functionality has not been restored in later betas and the release notes that accompany betas have never mentioned the Apple Pencil's inability to be used for navigational purposes as a known issue. In a recent podcast, Relay.fm co-founder Myke Hurley said he's heard that the decision isn't a bug, but an intentional design decision.
Sources in the know confirm that removing the functionality of the Apple Pencil is a decision inside of Apple. It is not a bug they have overlooked for three betas. It is a decision.
Earlier today, iMore's Serenity Caldwell wrote an opinion piece outlining the issue and calling on Apple not to remove the Apple Pencil's existing capabilities. In her post, she points out the Apple Pencil can no longer be used for tasks like editing videos in iMovie for iOS.
But the fact remains that the Pencil's owners use those navigation options, and frankly, the idea that Apple would take away functionality that people have come to expect and depend on is a significant hit to usability and overall experience.
Worse, it makes the Pencil useless for video and audio editing, creative pursuits that I'd hoped to explore further on the iPad Pro. I'd initially enjoyed editing and cutting several videos in iMovie for iOS with the help of the Pencil; now, you can only select and drag clips. You can't cut a clip with the downward swipe gesture, nor can you scroll the timeline.
Many iPad Pro users have come to rely on the Apple Pencil as a finger replacement in some situations, and it is not entirely clear why Apple has opted to eliminate that functionality. iOS 9.3 is expected to be released in the spring, perhaps at Apple's March 15 event, which means the end of the beta testing period is fast approaching. As Caldwell points out, Apple still has time to re-add the Apple Pencil features back into the operating system ahead of that date.
Apple today seeded the fourth beta of an upcoming OS X 10.11.4 update to public beta testers, just a day after releasing the fourth OS X 10.11.4 beta to developers and just over a month after 
Apple today seeded the fourth beta of an upcoming iOS 9.3 update to public beta testers, just a day after seeding the 
The U.S. Department of Justice is pursuing additional court orders that would force Apple to help federal investigators extract data from twelve other encrypted iPhones that may contain crime-related evidence, according to 
