Apple today seeded the second beta of an upcoming tvOS 10.2.2 update to developers for testing purposes, two weeks after releasing the first beta of tvOS 10.2.2 and a little over two weeks after releasing tvOS 10.2.1, a minor bug fix update.
tvOS 10.2.2 is available for the fourth-generation Apple TV. Registered developers can download the update by connecting the Apple TV to a computer with a USB-C cable and installing the beta software using iTunes.
Due to the installation requirements, tvOS betas are only available for developers, so tvOS 10.2.2 will not be publicly available until the final version of the software is released.
No major feature changes or bug fixes were discovered in the first beta of tvOS 10.2.2, and it appears to focus on minor under-the-hood improvements.
tvOS 10 will soon be followed by a new version of tvOS, which Apple is expected to introduce at its Worldwide Developers Conference on June 5.
Apple today seeded the second beta of an upcoming iOS 10.3.3 update to developers, two weeks after seeding the first beta and a little over two weeks following the release of iOS 10.3.2, a minor bug fix update.
Registered developers can download iOS 10.3.3 beta 2 from the Apple Developer Center or over-the-air with the proper configuration profile is installed.
No significant features or notable bug fixes were found in the first beta, suggesting iOS 10.3.3, like iOS 10.3.2, is an update that's minor in scale and designed to introduce security improvements and address bugs. It does introduce new wallpapers for the 12.9-inch iPad Pro, though.
iOS 10.3.3 could be one of the last updates to iOS 10, as Apple is beginning to shift its focus to iOS 11. iOS 11 will make its debut at the upcoming Worldwide Developers Conference, which kicks off on June 5. iOS 11 will be in testing for several months before seeing a fall public release.
Update: Apple has also seeded a second iOS 10.3.3 beta for public beta testers.
North Korea technology company Ryonghung has recently released a new tablet using the trademarked name of Apple's popular device, the iPad. The company's tablet is called the "Ryonghung iPad" and lets users read the news, work on documents, and perform other actions across more than 40 different pre-installed apps (via Gizmodo).
Tech specs for the Ryonghung iPad detail a device with 1GB RAM, an 8GB hard disk, a quad-core 1.2GHz processor, HDMI compatibility, a keyboard, and "network connection" capabilities. The advertising material details a few apps as well, relating to programs like a calculator, a health encyclopedia, a medical app, and an agricultural program.
As NK News pointed out, the heavy use of "iPad" in the device's marketing material violates Apple's trademarks.
A North Korean company is advertising a domestic tablet computer under the copyrighted name of one of Apple Inc.’s flagship products – the “iPad” – the DPRK’s latest edition of Foreign Trade magazine shows. The term “iPad” is registered as an Apple trademark on its website and while there are occasions when the company’s terms can be used, these generally need Apple’s authorization.
A different version of the Ryonghung iPad first appeared in North Korea in 2013, although then it lacked the "iPad" moniker and was called the "Ryonghung-trademarked tablet computer" by the media. North Korean versions of Apple devices have been seen in the past, with a computer bearing resemblance to the iMac showing up at a trade fair in Pyongyang in 2015. Created by a company called Blue Sky, the computer was an all-in-one device with an aluminum finish, black bezels, and white keyboard and mouse accessories.
Similarly, in 2014 reports surfaced of North Korea's "Red Star" Linux operating system and its overall resemblance to OS X at the time. The Red Star OS included a similar dock, wallpapers, tool bar, and more visual similarities to Apple's MacBook and iMac computer operating system. However, the Ryonghung iPad appears to be the first device launched out of North Korea that directly uses Apple branding.
Apple was asked if it would enter a trademark dispute with the North Korea-based company over the iPad brand, but a representative of the Cupertino company has yet to respond.
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.
Intel today said one of its eighth-generation "Coffee Lake" processors delivered more than a 30 percent performance boost over an equivalent seventh-generation "Kaby Lake" processor in recent testing. Both generations of chips are suitable for Apple notebooks, such as the 12-inch MacBook and MacBook Pro.
"We will have more to say about the 8th Gen Intel Core processor in the future but it's exciting to share that in the latest testing, we're seeing a performance improvement of more than 30 percent over the 7th Gen Intel Core processor," said Gregory Bryant, a senior executive at Intel.
Using the benchmark tool SYSmark 2014 v1.5 on Windows 10, Intel compared an unreleased Core i7 quad-core processor with an unspecified base clock speed, and Turbo Boost up to 4GHz, against its Core i7-7500U dual-core processor with a base clock speed of 2.7GHz and Turbo Boost up to 3.5GHz.
Both are 15W chips, creating the possibility of a quad-core 13-inch MacBook Pro with Coffee Lake in the future.
Intel aims to make its Coffee Lake lineup available to computer makers in the second half of this year, and the eighth-generation processors should provide the usual benefits of faster performance and longer battery life in future Macs.
Apple has yet to update its Mac lineup with Kaby Lake processors in the first place, but the company reportedly plans to announce new 12-inch MacBook and MacBook Pro models equipped with the seventh-generation chips at its annual Worldwide Developers Conference next week.
It's still too early to say when we'll see the first Mac with Coffee Lake, but it likely won't be until at least late 2017 or early 2018 given Intel's roadmap.
Earlier this year, KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said Apple plans to launch a nondescript "15-inch MacBook" with 32GB of desktop-class RAM. He said the notebook will enter mass production in the early September quarter, but it's uncertain if Coffee Lake processors will be readily available by then.
Intel today also unveiled its Core X-series processor family for desktop computers, ranging from quad-core options to the high-end Core i9 Extreme Edition with 18 cores. The processors, codenamed "Basin Falls," are "coming soon." More details and tech specs are listed in this fact sheet and slideshow.
Apple has promised to release a high-end iMac for professional users later this year, and Intel's new Core X-series processors appear to be appropriate for the desktop computer if the company wishes to use them. However, a rumor points towards Apple using Intel's Xeon E3 processors for at least some of the new iMacs.
Apple's current Mac lineup uses a mix of Intel's older Haswell, Broadwell, Skylake, and Ivy Bridge processors. Coffee Lake will be an iteration of Kaby Lake, based on a 14nm process, and it's not to be confused with Intel's upcoming "Cannonlake" processors based on an all-new 10nm process.
A new article by The Wall Street Journal today has taken a look into the increased pressure put on suppliers of NAND flash memory units, as well as other smartphone components, and how Apple might be indirectly affecting the supply of the Nintendo Switch. According to people in the industry, smartphone makers -- namely Apple -- and their increasing ramp-up on component manufacturing for high-end devices have led to dwindling supplies of Nintendo Switch.
Specifically, Nintendo is lacking components related to NAND flash-memory chips, liquid-crystal displays, and the motors used in the Switch's HD Rumble feature. NAND memory chip supplies are said to be placed mainly upon the shoulders of Toshiba's struggling NAND chip unit, which is still up for sale despite legal troubles that have plagued the company over the past few weeks. In April, Apple was rumored to be looking into spending several billion for a "substantial stake" in Toshiba's NAND chip unit.
Apple's manufacturing ramp-up on the upcoming "iPhone 8" is said to be behind some of the supply chain constraints faced by Nintendo, as well as ongoing demand for the iPhone 7. Currently, Apple manufactures iPhone 7 with an LCD display and various internal sizes of NAND memory. The Nintendo Switch has a multi-touch LCD display and 32GB of internal memory.
People in the industry say the rapid expansion of web-based services for corporations has driven demand for computer servers that use flash memory. Continued demand for Apple’s iPhone 7 and a 10th anniversary model of the iPhone expected later this year are also keeping parts makers at full capacity, helping power Japan’s economy to its longest growth streak since 2006.
“Demand for our NAND flash memory has been overwhelmingly greater than supply, and the situation is likely to stay for the rest of this year,” said a spokeswoman at Toshiba Corp.
For Nintendo, the company has said it hopes to make as many as 20 million Switch units by the end of its financial year, in March 2018. Thanks to supply constraints, the actual sales target of the year is 10 million units, although "strong demand suggests it can sell many more - if it can make them." In its first month on the market, Nintendo sold 2.74 million Switch units.
Analysts watching the supply chain said that Nintendo's rivals "offer better terms" than the video game company, and that smartphone makers like Apple specifically "issue larger orders than Nintendo." This leads to manufacturers giving preference to companies other than Nintendo, and subsequent shortages for its products. Increased spending to secure more parts at a faster rate for the Switch isn't a possibility for Nintendo, as president Tatsumi Kimishima doesn't want the console's $299 retail price to increase.
Apple Pay will continue its worldwide expansion next year, with a new report suggesting that Apple is planning to launch its mobile payments wallet in Ukraine in the second quarter of 2018. The news comes from PaySpace Magazine (via Tehnot.com) [Google Translate], which reported on the announcement of a new digital banking service, Alfa Digital, a division of financial institution Alfa-Bank.
During the announcement, Alfa-Bank Ukraine's head of e-business, Maxim Patrin, mentioned that Apple Pay is set to debut in Ukraine sometime in Q2 2018. Patrin's source of the news is said to come from an anonymous tipster in one of the payment systems currently in operation on the Ukrainian market.
Alfa Digital is said to be keeping a close eye on the Ukrainian debut of popular digital wallets like Apple Pay and Samsung Pay, and plans to support the addition of cards issued by Alfa-Bank into Apple Pay whenever it launches. Patrin didn't mention any further details about the launch.
In the second quarter of 2018 Apple Pay payment service can run on the Ukrainian market. This was stated by the head of "Alfa-Bank Ukraine" e-business, Maxim Patrin, citing an anonymous source in one of the payment systems that operate on the Ukrainian market.
Ukraine currently lacks Apple Pay, Android Pay, and Samsung Pay, instead relying on contactless payment solutions like Privat24 to let users pay for items using their smartphone. Samsung Pay is rumored to beat Apple Pay to Ukraine, with a potential launch of Samsung's mobile wallet sometime in the middle of 2017.
The latest Apple Pay launch took place in Italy in the middle of May, with users in the country able to add Visa and MasterCards issued by Boon, Carrefour, and UniCredit into their iPhone. Apple Pay is now available in the United States, UK, China, Australia, Canada, Switzerland, France, Hong Kong, Russia, Singapore, Japan, New Zealand, Spain, Ireland, and Italy.
New company Essential Products announced its debut products today, including a modular titanium smartphone with an edge-to-edge display and an Amazon Echo competitor. Andy Rubin, the founder of Essential and the original creator of the Android OS platform, announced the devices ahead of a talk he is scheduled to give later on Tuesday at the Code Conference.
The company's logo-free Essential Phone features a 5.71-inch edge-to-edge QHD display that reaches all the way to the top of the phone and runs around the 8-megapixel front-facing camera. The unique design is in contrast to Samsung's Galaxy S8, which retains a minimal bezel to house the camera and associated components.
The phone is constructed from titanium and ceramic, allowing it to survive a drop test "without blemish, unlike the aluminum competitor devices," the company claims. Apart from the fingerprint sensor and camera lenses, the rear of the device also features a modular accessory system that works via a pair of magnetic pins.
Initially, the "Click" cordless connector pins will hook up to the company's 360-degree camera and phone dock, with more modular products planned that Essential promises will "keep your phone cord-free, future-proof, and always up-to-date". A USB-C connector at the bottom of the phone provides the only other connectivity; no headphone jack is included.
The Essential Phone is powered by a Qualcomm 835 processor, 4GB of RAM, and has 128GB of storage, while its 13-megapixel rear-mounted dual lens camera includes a monochrome sensor and supports 4K at 30 frames per second. The phone runs some form of Android, but the company promises no extraneous software is pre-installed. Available in black, grey, white, and "Ocean Depths" colors, the phone will launch in the U.S. later this summer and cost $699.
Onto the company's new Amazon Echo competitor, the Essential Home. Details are still scant on the product, but here's what we know. The intelligent assistant device has a relatively inconspicuous puck-like shape with a sloping top that's dominated by a round touchscreen, which allows users to control music, ask general interest questions, set times, and control lights. It can be activated with a question, a tap, or even a "glance", according to Essential, suggesting some form of face detection.
The Essential Home will run the company's open platform Ambient OS, allowing it to interface with existing smart home products as well as SmartThings, HomeKit, Nest, and other popular standards. The intelligent assistant will also support notifications and reminders with contextual information displayed on-screen. Processing of user data is said to remain local to the device wherever possible. Pricing is yet to be announced, but the Essential Home is expected to ship later this summer.
Wired today published a write-up of Rubin's new Essential venture that provides some interesting background on the company. You can read the article here.
This morning Matthew Roberts shared a new drone video of Apple Park on his YouTube channel, representing the latest addition to the drone videographer's ongoing monthly aerial coverage of Apple's new campus. Roberts' Apple Park coverage dates back to March 2016, and fellow drone pilot Duncan Sinfield has been providing aerial footage for Apple's new workspace since 2015.
In the new video, a closer glimpse at the Steve Jobs Theater is provided, with some of the window coverings having been removed since the last update. The auditorium is still one of the areas of the campus that's under heavy construction, as it isn't expected to officially open until sometime later this year.
Roberts also captured one of the first glimpses of the historic Glendenning Barn that Apple has finished reconstructing and placed at Apple Park. Built in 1916, the historic Cupertino barn has deep ties to the city's agricultural past and was located at the planned site for Apple Campus 2.
During preparation for the construction of Apple Park, Apple carefully deconstructed the building plank by plank and made notes on how to rebuild it exactly the same. Now, the company has done just that and remade the Glendenning Barn at Apple Park, residing next to the employee fitness center and in the middle of what will eventually be a larger collection of fruit trees once landscaping on the campus is finished.
Other spots at Apple Park highlighted in Roberts' new video include the parking garage, R&D facility, and the Spaceship building itself. Yesterday, Apple quietly updated Apple Maps to include 3D models of these buildings in the mapping app, as well as access roads around Apple Park.
Apple recently gave Wired a behind-the-scenes look into Apple Park, including tidbits about Steve Jobs' connection to the campus, a look into the "Ring" building's original design, and detailed images of the campus' construction and interiors.
Apple has updated its online store to indicate that 15-inch MacBook Pro orders placed today are now estimated for free delivery between June 6-8 in the United States, coinciding with its Worldwide Developers Conference next week.
The delivery estimates lend credence to a report claiming Apple plans to announce new MacBook Pro and 12-inch MacBook models at the WWDC keynote on June 5. The notebooks are expected to receive internal improvements only, including an upgrade to Intel's faster Kaby Lake processors.
13-inch MacBook Pro models remain in stock for delivery as early as tomorrow in the United States and several other countries. It's unclear if that's because Apple plans to refresh only the 15-inch MacBook Pro next week, or if supplies of the 13-inch models are simply more plentiful ahead of WWDC.
Kaby Lake processors appropriate for a 13-inch MacBook Pro appear to be readily available, so a refresh shouldn't be ruled out.
Nevertheless, Apple has staggered the release of the MacBook Pro in the past. In 2015, for example, it released a 13-inch model in March, and a 15-inch model in May. In 2012, Apple unveiled the 15-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display at WWDC in June, while a 13-inch model didn't launch until October.
A spot check shows 15-inch MacBook Pro delivery estimates are similarly as long in the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Italy, Netherlands, Singapore, Spain, and several other countries.
Apple last refreshed the MacBook Pro in October 2016, after the notebook went 527 days without being updated. In contrast, only 220 days will have passed if Apple launches new MacBook Pro models on June 5, below the average timeframe of 320 days between any two MacBook Pro generations.
Apple CEO Tim Cook has shared a brief message on Twitter in honor of Memorial Day, a federal holiday in the United States for remembering those who have died in the country's armed forces.
"We honor the heroes who gave their lives for our freedom," he said. "They and their families have our eternal gratitude."
We honor the heroes who gave their lives for our freedom. They and their families have our eternal gratitude #MemorialDay
— Tim Cook (@tim_cook) May 29, 2017
Apple gives many of its corporate employees in Cupertino the day off today, but a number of Apple retail stores remain open. U.S. stock markets are also closed today. Apple closed at $153.61 on Friday.
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 has quietly updated its Maps app to include additional 3D coverage of the new Apple Park campus location in Cupertino, California.
The enhanced detail includes a "Map" view with 3D building models as well as access roads running in and out of the campus. Traffic directions, pedestrian walkways, and other information can also be found when searching the area.
In addition, the company has added some new points of interest for Apple Park, such as the Steve Jobs Theater, the research and development facility, the staff fitness center, and above-ground parking. The manmade pond that lies within the walls of the main building also features.
Apple has gradually been adding Maps location information and satellite imagery for Apple Park since March. The company has already started moving thousands of staff to the new campus while landscaping and exterior work to the central office building continues, as evidenced in recent drone footage.
Apple Park began as an idea by the late former CEO Steve Jobs, who pitched the plans for the campus to the Cupertino City Council in 2011, with a completion date for 2015. Demolition on the proposed site began in 2013, but construction delays pushed back a late 2016 opening to the spring of 2017.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security is considering expanding its carry-on restrictions for electronic devices to include flights departing from the United States, according to CNN.
In March, restrictions were announced that prevented U.S.-bound passengers from eight Middle Eastern countries from carrying certain electronic devices in the passenger cabin. The TSA order, which does not have a stated end date, covers laptops, tablets, e-readers, cameras, portable DVD players, and handheld gaming devices larger than a smartphone.
However, those restrictions could also soon include flights departing from the United States, according to Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly, who spoke briefly to reporters on Friday.
When asked whether it is true that he has hinted the laptop ban could expand to US soil, Kelly said that those characterizations of his thinking are accurate.
"No, they didn't misread me," he answered. "I would tell you that the threats against passenger aviation worldwide are constant. The good news is that we have great intelligence collection overseas -- US intelligence collection. We also have great sharing with partners overseas. So, we are doing everything we can to get after these threats -- but they are real."
As with the original ban, the U.S. officials declined to comment on any new or specific threats, but implied that the decision had been made on evaluated intelligence.
The original ban applies to Jordan, Qatar, Kuwait, Morocco, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey. The nine airlines impacted by that order are Royal Jordanian, EgyptAir, Turkish Airlines, Saudia, Kuwait Airways, Royal Air Maroc, Qatar Airways, Emirates and Ethiad Airways. The United Kingdom issued a similar ban covering flights from six countries shortly after the U.S. announcement.
Last week, Politico reported that U.S. airlines are making preparations for an "imminent" expansion of the ban to Europe and possibly other regions.
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 will soon make the Mid-2011 MacBook Air and Late 2011 MacBook Pro obsolete, meaning the two models will no longer be accepted for official repair in Apple Stores from June 30.
The computers are about to be added to Apple's vintage and obsolete products document, according to 9to5Mac, indicating that Apple has discontinued hardware support for both MacBooks in all regions except for California and Turkey.
Also set to be included in the obsolescence list is the Mid-2009 17-inch MacBook Pro, which is the last 17-inch computer Apple has made.
The company's large form factor laptops first made an appearance in 2003 with the launch of the 17-inch G4 Powerbook, which cost $3299 and featured a 1GHz processor, 512MB of RAM, and a 60GB hard drive. A 17-inch MacBook Pro formed part of Apple's notebook lineup between April 2006 and June 2012. The last major update to Apple's 17-inch Pro machine came in January 2009, when a unibody variant was unveiled.
Apart from the computers, the iPhone 3GS and the first generation 802.11n AirPort Express will also be added to the list, as part of Apple's routine practice of making legacy devices obsolete. The company ended support for the polycarbonate MacBook and mid-2009 MacBook Pro models earlier this month.
Apple today officially opened up its first retail location in Southeast Asia, Apple Orchard Road in Singapore, to the public at 10:00 a.m. local time. The store marks the newest addition to Apple's next-generation retail rollout, following similar design principles and community-focused values seen at Apple Union Square in San Francisco and Apple Dubai Mall.
As the first Apple retail store in Southeast Asia, Apple Orchard Road has received a lot of attention over the past few weeks leading up to its grand opening. Reports began to ramp up in early May when Apple put up a mural in front of the store that displayed large "Apple Loves Singapore" artwork in various places. Upon closer inspection, the details of the artwork represented different "Creative Pros" who will now help run Apple Orchard Road's "Today at Apple" programs.
After the opening date was announced, Apple removed the barricades from the storefront, unveiling the design of the inside of the store for the first time. Earlier this week, the Cupertino company then allowed members of the press to visit the store and take pictures of its next-generation design, which included a curved staircase inspired by Apple Park and an upstairs "town hall" gathering space for Today at Apple sessions.
Apple Orchard Road is the newest step in the company's plan to eschew more traditional retail establishment principals where the only purpose is to visit the store to buy something, and encourage customers to be inspired by the products through Today at Apple. When the company announced the new sessions would begin expanding worldwide in May, Apple senior vice president of retail, Angela Ahrendts, said that Today at Apple was catalyzed by Apple's "desire to educate and inspire the communities we serve."
Ultimately, Ahrendts hopes that the next generation refers to Apple as a meeting spot similar to the communal nature of a place like Starbucks. "Starbucks figured it out, you know? Being a gathering place for – right? 'Meet me at Starbucks,'" Ahrendts said. "And you know, I've told the teams, 'I'll know we've done a really, really great job if the next generation, if Gen Z says, "Meet me at Apple. Did you see what's going on at Apple today?"'"
A reddit user has discovered what appears to be a Siri-related bug that allows access to a locked iPhone's Cellular Data options without a passcode.
As shown in the screenshot below, when Siri is asked to bring up Cellular Data settings (or if Cellular Data is on), an option to toggle the feature off appears on the lock screen, with no passcode required. When Siri is specifically asked to turn off Cellular Data, the personal assistant asks for a passcode first.
Given that a passcode is required when asking Siri to disable Cellular Data, it seems that this is meant to be the default behavior and that it's not a setting meant to be controlled from a locked iPhone.
It's questionable if this bug has any real impact, though, as there are other ways to disable cellular service on an iPhone that's been stolen, including turning on Airplane Mode from Control Center or simply turning the iPhone off.
MacRumors tested the Siri command and found that it worked on iOS 9 and all versions of iOS 10, including the most recent iOS 10.3.3 beta.
For iPhone owners worried about unauthorized access to their iPhones, both Siri and the Control Center can be disabled on the lock screen.
Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference is set to kick off on June 5, and along with a new version of iOS, Apple is expected to introduce the next-generation version of macOS, macOS 10.13. We've heard no rumors on what to expect in macOS 10.13, so whatever Apple introduces will come as a total surprise.
With iOS 11 expected to get a major design overhaul, we can perhaps count on some similar design tweaks in macOS, but beyond that, there's no word on what's coming. As with iOS 11, our forum members have created a couple of macOS wishlists, outlining some of the features they're hoping to see, and while macOS isn't quite as popular as iOS, there are still some solid ideas.
- Redesigned iTunes/Apple Music - Some MacRumors readers would like to see Apple overhaul iTunes in a big way, splitting out Apple Music and turning it into its own distinct app that's not combined with the App Store and iTunes Store.
- HomeKit - Connected home products can be controlled through Siri or a dedicated Home app on iOS devices, but on the Mac, there's no built-in way to interface with a HomeKit setup. A Home app for the Mac would be a welcome addition, and perhaps the Mac could even serve as a HomeKit hub like the Apple TV and the iPad.
- Expanded Dark Mode - macOS Sierra included a Dark Mode that darkens the dock and the drop down menus across the operating system, but several MacRumors readers would like to see an expanded Dark Mode that darkens all interface elements like Finder and Notification Center.
- Multiple docks - When using multiple displays, it would be nice to have access to separate docks for each display.
- iPad/Apple TV second screen - This is unlikely to happen, but one reader wants to use an iPad or an Apple TV as a second screen for a Mac. This suggestion overlaps with the iOS 11 wishlist, where readers said they would like to be able to use their iPads as a secondary Mac display and as a drawing tablet.
- Combined Siri/Spotlight - Several MacRumors readers would like to see Siri and Spotlight combined on the Mac, allowing for a unified search/Siri experience. With Siri integrated into Spotlight, Mac users would be able to type Siri requests and get the same search result with voice or text. Users also want to see Siri improvements, which could happen as Apple is rumored to be working on new Siri features.
- Better full screen options - For users who like to take advantage of full screen apps, better management options would be welcome. An option to open a new window in Split View from the dock or an iPad-style drag-to-close feature would improve Split View.
- Improved window management - Windows 10-style window snapping is a request that pops up multiple times across the wishlist threads. As one reader points out, window management apps like Magnet are some of the most popular in the Mac App Store, suggesting this is something a lot of Mac users would like to see added to the operating system.
- FaceTime Picture-in-picture - macOS Sierra brought picture-in-picture support to the Mac for videos, but it doesn't extend to FaceTime. That's a problem that prevents FaceTime from being used with a full screen app because the FaceTime video window doesn't stay on top.
- Messages - In macOS, there's no support for stickers or other Messages features. Adding support in the next version of macOS would bring macOS in line with iOS.
- Apple News - The Apple News app is limited to iOS devices, but it could easily be brought over to the Mac as a native app.
What features are you hoping Apple will introduce in macOS 10.13? Join in on the discussion about the update on the MacRumors forums. Make sure to check out our iOS 11 wishlist roundup too.
Apple is developing a dedicated processor that will be used to handle AI-related tasks like facial and speech recognition in its products, reports Bloomberg. Citing a source with knowledge of Apple's plans, the site says the chip is known internally as the "Apple Neural Engine."
Apple plans to use the chip, which would work alongside the standard processor and the graphics chip, to add more advanced artificial intelligence capabilities into its devices and to offload demanding AI processing tasks that can impact battery life.
An AI-enabled processor would help Cupertino, California-based Apple integrate more advanced capabilities into devices, particularly cars that drive themselves and gadgets that run augmented reality, the technology that superimposes graphics and other information onto a person's view of the world.
The chip could potentially handle tasks like facial recognition in the photos application, parts of speech recognition, and power the predictive keyboard in the iPhone and iPad. Apple may also allow developers to access the chip to power AI-related features in third-party apps.
An AI chip would not be the first chip that handles dedicated tasks in the iPhone. Starting with the iPhone 5s in 2013, Apple devices have included a motion coprocessor used to collect and store sensor data. The motion coprocessor allows the iPhone and iPad to continually track movement and other sensor data without using significant battery. It also powers features like the always-on "Hey Siri" capability built into modern iPhones.
Apple has already tested prototypes of future iPhones with the AI chip, but it is unclear if such a chip is ready for a debut in the iPhone 8. Going forward, should development on the chip continue, Apple is said to be planning to integrate it into many of its devices.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security is considering expanding its carry-on restrictions for electronic devices to include flights departing from the United States, according to 
Apple is developing a dedicated processor that will be used to handle AI-related tasks like facial and speech recognition in its products, reports 
