MacRumors

In an effort to further improve app discoverability, Apple recently implemented a change to the way Top Charts work on the Apple TV. When viewing the Top Paid, Free, and Grossing Charts in the tvOS App Store, Apple TV users no longer see entries for apps they've already downloaded and installed on their set-top box.

Individualized, custom Top Chart rankings are now available for all Apple TV users, allowing them to see a dynamic list that changes with each app they download. This behavior is exclusive to the Apple TV App Store and is not reflective of how Top Charts work for iOS devices and Macs.

appletvappstore-800x298
App developer Equinux noticed the change last week, after discovering one of their popular apps was no longer listed in the Top Charts. Equinux thought the app had fallen from the charts at first, before noticing it was simply hidden on Apple TV devices where it was already installed.

In turns out, Apple now hides an app in the charts once you've installed it. Give it a try: Go install TV Pro Mediathek (VOD for German TV content) from the App Store (currently #3 Top Grossing in Germany) and then go back in to the App Store: boom - it's gone from the charts and the next-placed app has moved up.

This tvOS top charts algorithm change even affects featured apps on the start page: TV Pro Mediathek no longer shows up in its featured slot on the start page of the German App Store once you've installed it.

Apple's intention with the change is presumably to make the charts appear 'fresher' and users see more apps that they haven't installed yet.

When the Apple TV first launched in October, app discovery was a major issue. Apple has since made an effort to make it easier for Apple TV users to find apps through the implementation of app categories, Top Charts, and web previews.

Since late 2015, Apple's App Stores have been under the control of Phil Schiller, who took over from Eddy Cue. Schiller now oversees the app ecosystem across iOS devices, Macs, the Apple TV, and the Apple Watch, while Cue focuses on other software and services. Under Schiller's leadership, Apple has improved search algorithms and sped up app review times.

Related Roundup: Apple TV
Buyer's Guide: Apple TV (Don't Buy)

Thunderbolt Display stock is limited or unavailable at several Apple Stores in North America, Europe, Australia, and other regions ahead of new product announcements expected at WWDC 2016 in two weeks.

thunderbolt_display_elcap_roundup_header
A spot check of Apple Stores in the U.S., for example, reveals that the Thunderbolt Display is available on a ship-to-store basis only at all or select locations in Albany, Buffalo, Columbus, Detroit, Indianapolis, Memphis, Minneapolis, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Pittsburgh, Raleigh, San Antonio, San Diego, Syracuse, and many other mid-sized cities and their surrounding areas.

Thunderbolt Displays do remain available in some major cities, including most stores in Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, and San Francisco.

Meanwhile, in Canada, the Thunderbolt Display is only available at more prominent store locations such as the Eaton Centre and Yorkdale in Toronto, Sainte-Catherine in Montréal, and the Pacific Centre in Vancouver. Thunderbolt Display stock in the U.K. is even more scarce, with Apple's web-based Personal Pickup tool showing that Regent Street is the only location with in-store stock within 100 miles of London.

A reliable retail source informed us that the Thunderbolt Display has been out of stock for a month at all central and surrounding London stores, while a tipster claims that the 27-inch monitor has been pulled from sale, with stock "returned to warehouse," at at least one U.K. retail store. A similar tip originating from Australia was received about Thunderbolt Display stock not being replenished.

With WWDC 2016 around the corner, limited in-store availability of the Thunderbolt Display will naturally stir speculation about a possible refresh to the standalone monitor. As always, however, the stock outage could simply amount to regular fluctuations within Apple's inventory channels, or Apple could be making room for ongoing store renovations. Rumors about a Thunderbolt Display refresh have slowed since late 2014.

AirPort Extreme and Time Capsule Wi-Fi base stations are also at least temporarily out of stock at many Apple Stores, although only at U.S. locations and possibly because of a recent firmware update or FCC compliance.

Apple began shipping the five-year-old Thunderbolt Display in September 2011. In terms of prospective updates, the 27" Retina 5K iMac could be the basis for a corresponding 5K Thunderbolt Display, which could feature the same 5,120×2,880 pixels resolution, USB-C ports for connecting Thunderbolt 3 peripherals, and possibly an ultra-thin design resembling the latest iMacs.

Only the late 2013 Mac Pro, late 2014 or newer 27" Retina 5K iMac, and mid 2015 15-inch MacBook Pro with AMD Radeon R9 M370X graphics are capable of driving 5K external displays, however, and each setup requires using two Thunderbolt cables per display. The lack of support is due to bandwidth limitations of the DisplayPort 1.2 and HDMI 1.4 specs on current Macs.

DisplayPort 1.3 has increased bandwidth, but Skylake-based Macs with Thunderbolt 3 will not support the spec and Intel's next-generation Kaby Lake processors on track for a late 2016 launch will not as well. Apple could opt to release a 4K Thunderbolt Display instead, but supply chain considerations make this unlikely, so the company's exact plans for the future of its standalone display remain to be seen.

Update: Apple is rumored to be working on a 5K external display with a dedicated graphics card, which would feasibly allow the display to be used with almost any Mac because it would be driven by an internal graphics card rather than the machine it is connected to. A future software update like OS X 10.12 would be required.

Apple could also elect to use Multi-Stream Transport (MST), a technology that stitches two halves of a display together to make a single seamless display in software. By using both of the DisplayPort 1.2 streams, forthcoming Macs with Thunderbolt 3 ports would be able to drive a 5K display over MST without the need for an external GPU.

Related Forum: Mac Accessories

intelIntel's next-generation Kaby Lake processors are still on track for a late 2016 launch and are set to enter production by the end of this quarter, according to an announcement made by Intel at Computex.

Earlier this year, Intel announced it was no longer adhering to its "tick-tock" processor release cycle, which saw it alternating between shrinking chip fabrication processes and building new architectures each year. Kaby Lake, rather than being built on a smaller process, will be the third member of the 14-nanometer family after Broadwell and Skylake, and is the successor to Skylake.

Kaby Lake is considered a semi-tock with optimized microarchitecture. It supports Thunderbolt 3 and native USB 3.1, but it will not feature support for DisplayPort 1.3, so Macs with Kaby Lake chips will remain unable to drive 5K displays over a single-stream cable. According to Intel, Kaby Lake will feature advancements in performance, battery, and media capabilities.

Intel's last two chip releases were plagued with delay after delay, which is likely the reason why the company decided to move away from its long-running tick-tock policy. Several of Apple's Macs, including the Retina MacBook Pro, have been impacted by Intel's chip delays over the last few years with unusual update cycles and long periods of time between updates.

With Kaby Lake chips set to debut in late 2016, it is possible refreshed Macs released late in the year could take advantage of the new processors, depending on when Kaby Lake chips appropriate for each Mac launch. iMacs, for example, are likely to be refreshed in the later months of 2016, and recent rumors have also suggested we won't be seeing a refreshed Retina MacBook Pro until the fourth calendar quarter of the year.

Intel is also beginning production on entry-level Apollo Lake processors, also set to launch before the end of the year. Apollo Lake is designed for Atom-based notebooks like all-in-one machines and tablet PCs.

In a report corroborating details about Apple moving towards an elongated three-year period between major iPhone refreshes, or a tick-tock-tock cycle, Japanese website Nikkei claimed that 2017 models will be equipped with a "high-performance motor" able to "create more complex tactile vibrations."

Taptic-Engine-iPhone-6s
The report does not provide additional details about the new motor, but it is reasonable to assume that Apple could upgrade the Taptic Engine in the 2017 iPhone. The new motor could allow for improvements to both 3D Touch and broader haptic feedback when interacting with the smartphone's display.

The so-called iPhone 8 is expected to have enough major changes, including an edge-to-edge OLED display and glass casing, that at least one analyst predicts Apple will skip the iPhone 7s name entirely as a point of emphasis. The already much rumored device could also have wireless charging and no physical home button.

If rumors predicting Apple will integrate Touch ID into the display on the iPhone 8 prove true, a new Taptic Engine could provide the necessary haptic feedback to simulate pressing the home button, and possibly also for virtual volume, mute, and power buttons made possible by a curved or wraparound display.

The rest of the report corroborates well-known details about the iPhone 7 series due in 2016, reiterating that the next-generation smartphones will retain a similar design as the iPhone 6s series sans a 3.5mm headphone jack. Water resistance and camera and battery improvements should be some of the headline features.

Related Forum: iPhone

Mophie today introduced a new line of iPhone battery cases that support wireless charging through a bundled-in charging pad. Called the "Charge Force," Mophie's new wireless charging ecosystem begins fueling up a device the moment it's set down on a compatible charge pad, and prioritizes an iPhone's charge before moving over to the battery case.

mophie charge force 2
The new Charge Force-compatible cases aren't limited to Mophie's pad, either, giving users the ability to charge up their iPhone anywhere that supports Qi and "virtually all wireless charging standards." The company also announced its own series of charging pads, including a vertical one for an office desk, a vent mount for the car, and a basic flat model for the home. Powerful magnets hold the iPhone in place securely at any angle, even on a bumpy road trip in a vehicle.

“Wireless charging is being integrated into our lives at coffee shops, restaurants, airports, in furniture, cars and so on,” said Shawn Dougherty, mophie COO and Co-Founder. “By providing a diverse range of wireless charging options, we’ve taken the performance and convenience of mobile power even further.”

On the iPhone battery case side of things, Mophie said that all of the latest juice pack products support Charge Force so users can take advantage of wireless charging with juice pack's "compact design." There aren't any differing design options to choose from at launch, however, with a simple black colorway available for those interested who have either an iPhone 6/6 Plus or iPhone 6s/6s Plus.


A bundle with a juice pack case and Charge Force charging base for the smaller, 4.7-inch iPhone 6 and 6s costs $99.95, while the same bundle for the 5.5-inch iPhone 6 Plus and 6s Plus will run users $129.95. Those bundles come with the basic home charging base, which is sold separately for $39.95. Alternative pads for a desk and a car vent are available for $59.95 each.

Tag: Mophie

TMobile-Tourist-PlanT-Mobile has announced a new $30 prepaid Tourist Plan for international visitors to the U.S. that offers 1,000 minutes of domestic calling, unlimited domestic and international texting to over 140 countries and regions, and unlimited 2G data with the first 2GB at 4G LTE speeds.

Tourists visiting the U.S. can visit a T-Mobile store with an unlocked GSM smartphone, sign up and pay for the plan, and receive a free SIM card to access the carrier's network. The one-time, one-line plan lasts 3 weeks and cannot be renewed after automatically expiring at 11:59 p.m. on the 21st day of service.

International phone numbers cannot be ported to the U.S., so T-Mobile will assign customers a new U.S. number when they sign up for the Tourist Plan. International calling from the U.S. to other countries is not included in the plan and cannot be added as an additional feature, but customers can use Wi-Fi-based calling services.

The Tourist Plan includes 200MB of U.S. data roaming, but other T-Mobile perks such as Mobile Without Borders, Binge On, and Music Freedom are not included. The plan permits tethering, with Mobile Hotspot using data from the 2GB allotment of 4G LTE data, followed by slower speeds afterwards.

The new plan is available June 12. Postpaid and T-Mobile@Work customers are ineligible.

According to supply chain research conducted by an analyst in China, Apple's upcoming iPhone 7 might finally drop the base 16GB storage model from the lineup when it launches in the fall (via 9to5Mac). The IHS Technology analyst claims that the new introductory storage level for the iPhone 7 will be 32GB for $199, an option that is currently not available on iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus devices.

This change could alter the iPhone line's storage tier offerings from 16GB, 64GB, and 128GB currently available to possibly 32GB, 128GB, and 256GB. Earlier in the year, it was rumored that the iPhone 7 Plus could gain a high-end 256GB storage capacity option for users, but that it would be limited to the 5.5-inch version of the device and not available on the smaller smartphone.

iphone_7_render_mr
Although the removal of the 16GB tier seems inconsequential to those who have long since moved onto higher storage capacity iPhone models, it's no doubt been a suitable enough solution for lower-capacity users who take advantage of Apple's iCloud system. Anyone who signs up for iCloud automatically gets 5GB of free storage, but users can upgrade to an impressive 50GB/month for $0.99 to massively offset the limitations of a smaller storage iPhone device.

The iPhone 7 and 7 Plus are rumored to include a handful of upgraded specs and features this year, but for the first time in Apple's tick-tock cycle the new devices are believed to keep their designs largely similar to that of the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus. A new report out of Nikkei today corroborates previous rumors that Apple is moving to a three year mega cycle release for the iPhone, "largely due to smartphone functions having little room left for major enhancements," not to mention "a slowing market" in the industry hampering iPhone sales this year.

As such, the iPhone 7 is believed to have a design largely similar to the iPhone 6s, with no major visual overhaul expected in this year's device. The biggest differences will come in changes like the possible removal of the 3.5mm headphone jack, introduction of a Smart Connector, and a dual-lens camera. Similar to the 256GB storage option, there's also potential for some of these features to be limited to the 5.5-inch iPhone 7 Plus device.

Related Forum: iPhone

Popular automation app Workflow has been updated with a number of new features and now provides added support for over 20 new actions.

For anyone not familiar with the app, Workflow is an automation tool that lets users create a variety of workflows to accomplish tasks like creating GIFs from a series of photos, pulling images from a web page, translating an article, calculating a tip, and more.

Workflow 1.5
Users can create their own workflows or download them from the Workflow gallery and other third-party sites.

With the release of Workflow 1.5, the Workflow Composer has been optimized, a search function has been included, and a number of new app actions have been added, introducing enhanced support for integration with the iTunes and App Stores, Safari browser, Ulysses, and more.

For example, the dedicated "Search App Store" action lets users search the App Store and scrape details of selected iOS apps (such as price, release date, and artwork), which can then be passed into subsequent actions inside a workflow.

Additionally, Workflow includes new Apple Music actions that enable users to create playlists and add songs to an existing playlist in their Apple Music library. Support for project management tool Trello has also been included in the latest version.

Workflow 1.5 costs $2.99 and is available for iPhone and iPad on the App Store. [Direct Link]

While interest in the possible new features of the iPhone 7 remains as high as ever, perhaps the most controversial potential change to Apple's upcoming device is the removal of one long-standing feature – the headphone jack.

Rumors suggest that Apple will drop the 3.5mm audio jack to make its next-gen iPhone even thinner, and rely on an upgraded Lightning port, currently used only for charging, to transmit sound to wired headphones. Elsewhere, at least one competing smartphone maker has already announced its intention to drop the headphone jack.

MacRumors recently ran a Twitter poll that showed 59% of 7,542 respondents preferred the 3.5mm headphone jack over an all-in-one Lightning connector.

Lightning to headphone accessory
In anticipation of the divisive potential switch, Macotakara notes that Chinese accessory maker Tama Electric is now advertising three Lightning-to-headphone jack adapters, two of which also include a micro-USB port for charging while using headphones.

The Tama accessories have no price listing and don't seem to be ready for shipping yet, and are unlikely to be sold as certified Made for iPhone accessories anytime soon, but could offer a sign of things to come. While Lightning headphones are already available on the consumer market, Lightning-to-3.5mm headphone adapters are unlikely to be pitched as iPhone accessories until closer to the iPhone 7 launch in September.

Lightning to headphone adapters

Other rumors suggest Apple will release Lightning-equipped EarPods to support the new audio output on future iOS devices, and push Bluetooth as an alternative way to connect headphones to the device.

It's not all bad news for headphone jack fans though, as the latest claimed leak of an iPhone 7 spare part making its way through the supply chain appears to show a Lightning cable assembly with a headphone jack included.

Along with the above-mentioned rumored features, Apple's iPhone 7 and 7 Plus will also include an upgraded A-series processor and it could include features like an improved camera. Other rumors specific to the iPhone 7 Plus have suggested it could include a 256GB storage option, a 3,100 mAh battery, and 3GB RAM.

(via AppleInsider.)

Related Forum: iPhone

Developer interest in coding third-party apps for Apple TV continues to surge, while interest in the Apple Watch has waned since the start of 2016, according to mobile app developer database Realm.

Realm hosts a database of apps used by approximately 100,000 developers, and contains details of apps used by around 1 billion people, giving it a unique view of which devices capture mobile developers' interest over time.

applewatchappletv
Speaking to Business Insider UK, Realm VP Tim Anglade said that the Apple TV had gained the most interest among developers since the release of the fourth-generation device and the launch of a dedicated App Store in October 2015. Meanwhile, developers have cooled their interest in the Apple Watch, viewing it more as a companion to the iPhone, where coding appeal remains high.

"tvOS is a brand new platform so there's a gold rush for it," said Anglade. "[But] on a weekly basis we're seeing very few Watch apps, compared to iOS apps. For every 1,000 new iOS apps being built, there are 10 tvOS apps and maybe 1 Watch app."

Apple doesn't release separate sales figures for the Apple Watch, but market research suggests the device finished third in the overall wearables market in the first months of 2016, with 7.5 percent market share. Since the launch of the fourth-generation Apple TV, sales of the set-top box have been 50 percent higher than unit sales in 2014.

According to Anglade, there's every chance that coders will flock to the next version of the Apple Watch – expected to be unveiled late this year – in the way they did when the device was first launched, so long as the timepiece offers more opportunities for developers to tap into upgrades and Apple opens up the platform to run independent apps.

Developers originally had limited access to Apple Watch features using WatchOS 1, and were unable to access the gyroscope, accelerometer, NFC, built-in speaker and microphone, and the Taptic Engine of the device. That all changed with the launch of watchOS 2 in September, and as of June 2016, all Apple Watch apps must run natively, rather than rely on the iPhone.

Apple is said to be continuing its work on various health-related sensors that did not make it into the original Apple Watch due to performance problems and inconsistent results. These sensors may be incorporated into the second-generation device following further refinement, although details remain sketchy.

"Apple published a road map, to be able run independent apps, and that's a big deal," added Anglade. Apple is expected to demo the next version of watchOS at its Worldwide Developers Conference in June. Until then, coders seem satisfied to invest the majority of their time and energy on developing for Apple's other platforms.

Related Roundups: Apple Watch 10, WWDC 2025
Tag: Realm
Buyer's Guide: Apple Watch (Neutral)

iPhone-trioIn March, Apple submitted a formal request to the Indian government in relation to selling refurbished iPhones in the country. Today, however, Commerce and Industry Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said that she is "not in favor" of accepting that proposal (via The Economic Times).

On Apple's proposal to import refurbished phones and sell in India, Sitharaman said, "We would not be in favour of whatever you may call them -- used but refashioned, remodelled, updated... used goods. We are not in favour of bringing them here."

The decision comes just days after the Indian government decided not to exempt Apple from a local rule requiring that 30 percent of goods sold by foreign companies be manufactured or produced within the country. India last year exempted retailers selling state-of-the-art goods from the rule, prompting Apple to file a new application in hopes of opening single-branded retail stores in India.

Apple is opportunistic about increasing its presence in India, where its market share is estimated to be only around 2 percent. Apple CEO Tim Cook, who visited India earlier this month, said the country provides a "really great opportunity" for growth, particularly after sales in the U.S. and China have slowed. Apple's revenue grew 56 percent in India last quarter, passing the $1 billion mark for the first time.

India has price-sensitive consumers, however, so Apple's inability to sell refurbished iPhones in the world's second most populous country may hinder it efforts to grow in the region. Cook has admitted that iPhones are too overpriced in India, compared to equivalent U.S. pricing, due to local tariffs.

"The duties and the taxes and the compounding of those takes the price and it makes it very high. Our profitability is less in India, it's materially less — but still I recognize that prices are high," said Cook, in an interview with Indian network NDTV. "We want to do things that lower that over time, to the degree that we can … I want the consumer in India to be able to buy at a price that looks like the U.S. price."

At least for now, those plans will seemingly not involve the sale of refurbished iPhones.

Tag: India

Apple and Broadcom have been jointly named as defendants in a legal complaint filed by the California Institute of Technology last week over alleged infringement of its various patented Wi-Fi-related technologies.

Caltech-Wi-Fi
Caltech's patents, granted between 2006 and 2012, are highly technical and relate to IRA/LDPC codes that utilize simpler encoding and decoding circuitry for improved data transmission rates and performance. The technologies are implemented in both the 802.11n and 802.11ac Wi-Fi standards used by many Apple products.

In the court filing with the U.S. District Court for Central California, Caltech accused Apple of selling various iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch models, along with other Wi-Fi products, that incorporate these IRA/LDPC encoders and/or decoders and thereby infringe upon the four asserted patents in question.

Apple manufactures, uses, imports, offers for sale, and/or sells Wi-Fi products that incorporate IRA/LDPC encoders and/or decoders and infringe the Asserted Patents. Apple products that incorporate IRA/LDPC encoders and/or decoders and infringe the Asserted Patents include, but are not limited to, the following: iPhone SE, iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus, iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone 5c, iPhone 5s, iPhone 5, iPad Air, iPad Air 2, iPad Pro, iPad Mini 4, iPad Mini 3, iPad Mini 2, MacBook Air [and] Apple Watch.

Apple has at least temporarily pulled stock of its AirPort Extreme and Time Capsule Wi-Fi base stations from its U.S. stores, but it's unclear if the move is related.

Broadcom, as one of Apple's main suppliers of Wi-Fi chips, is also named in the complaint. Apple currently uses Broadcom chips in the Apple Watch, iPhones, and iPads, as well as its line of Macs that support 802.11ac, including the MacBook Air, Retina MacBook Pro, and iMac.

Apple is one of Broadcom's largest customers. In 2012, 2013 and 2014, sales to Apple represented 14.6%, 13.3% and 14.0% of Broadcom Corp.'s net revenue, respectively. […] During this timeframe, Broadcom's Wi-Fi products that incorporate IRA/LDPC encoders and decoders and infringe the Asserted Patents were incorporated into Apple's key products including iPhones, iPads, and Mac computers. […] Broadcom and Apple are jointly and severally liable for infringement of the Asserted Patents.

Caltech has demanded a jury trial against Apple and Broadcom, along with a preliminary and permanent sales injunction in the U.S. against the aforementioned products. The university also seeks "adequate" damages, and other relief that the court deems "just and equitable," but it did not provide a specific settlement target.

The asserted patents include U.S. Patent No. 7,116,710, U.S. Patent No. 7,421,032, U.S. Patent No. 7,916,781, and U.S. Patent No. 8,284,833.

ASUS today at Computex 2016 in Taiwan announced a wide range of new products, including the ZenBook 3, its third-generation ultraportable notebook that is thinner, lighter, and faster than Apple's lookalike 12-inch Retina MacBook.

ASUS-ZenBook-3
The 12.5-inch ZenBook 3 has an ultra-thin 11.9mm aerospace-grade aluminum alloy chassis that weights just 2 pounds and is "50% stronger than the standard alloy" used in competing notebooks. Comparatively, the Retina MacBook is 13.1mm thick and weighs 2.03 pounds.

ZenBook 3's display is crafted from edge-to-edge, scratch-resistant Corning Gorilla Glass 4, with a 1,920x1,080 pixels resolution and wide 72% NTSC color gamut. The notebook has a slim bezel design that provides an 82% screen-to-body ratio for a maximum viewing experience with a minimal footprint.

The Windows-based notebook is powered by up to an Intel Core i7 processor and features 16GB of 2133MHz RAM, up to 1TB of PCIe 3.0-based flash storage, and quad-speaker audio by Harman Kardon. Like the Retina MacBook, the ZenBook 3 has a single USB-C port for charging and connecting peripherals.

ASUS includes a dongle with USB 3.0, USB-C, and HDMI ports in the box, while a larger universal dock is available with additional connectivity options.

ASUS-ZenBook-3-trio
ASUS sacrificed a fanless design like the Retina MacBook has in favor of increased performance, but the ZenBook 3 has an innovative cooling system that features the "world's thinnest fan design" at just 3mm. The notebook delivers up to 9 hours of battery life with fast-charging technology for recharging up to 60% capacity in 49 minutes.

ZenBook 3 is available in three spun-metal finishes, Royal Blue, Rose Gold, and Quartz Grey, based on a two-phase anodizing process that creates golden highlights on the diamond-cut edges. Whereas the Retina MacBook's keyboard is always black, the ZenBook 3's keyboard matches the color of each finish.

The full-sized backlit keyboard also has 19.8mm key pitch and a slightly deeper 0.8mm key travel, compared to 0.5mm on the Retina MacBook's ultra-thin butterfly mechanism keyboard that some have contested. Next to the keyboard is a glass trackpad with palm-rejection technology, Smart Gestures, and handwriting support.


An optional built-in fingerprint reader with Windows Hello support enables users to sign in and unlock the ZenBook 3 with one finger tap, in lieu of having to type their password or PIN. Similarly, the 2016 MacBook Pro may feature Touch ID as Apple works on an unlocking-via-iPhone feature for OS X 10.12.

ZenBook 3 will be available in the third quarter of 2016, starting at $999 in the U.S. for the base model with an Intel Core i5 processor, 4GB of RAM, and a 256GB SSD. A 512GB SSD model will sell for $1,499, while the top-range Intel Core i7 model with 16GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD will cost $1,999.

ASUS also announced the Zenbo home robot, the ZenFone 3 Series, the ASUS Transformer 3 Series, and multiple other new products.

Tag: Asus

Last week we reported that Apple is said to be readying an Amazon Echo competitor that could be used in the home for features like listening to music, asking for information and getting news headlines.

The product is thought to include a camera with facial recognition capabilities and said to learn over time about its users, which interact with the device via an enhanced version of Siri. Meanwhile, Apple's virtual assistant is expected to be opened up to outside developers via a soon-to-be-released software development kit in order to facilitate this integration.

Now, Tech Insider claims that a natural language outfit bought by Apple late last year could play a central part in the company's plans for the upcoming smart home device.

vocaliq
In October 2015, Apple acquired VocalIQ, a UK-based startup that had spent the last 10 years researching natural language, belief tracking, decision making, and message generation, in an attempt to develop a next-generation natural language API.

Speculation at the time suggested Apple hoped to use the technology in its car project, codenamed "Titan".

However, according to a source familiar with VocalIQ's technology who spoke to Tech Insider, Apple is likely to introduce the API in its Echo competitor because of its ability to go beyond the "session-based" contextual responses touted by the likes of Viv. VocalIQ achieves this feat by retaining semantic context between conversations and permanently remembering the preferences of its users.

Apparently the company had been testing VocalIQ against Siri, Google Now, and Cortana, and found it to be vastly superior in dealing with complex natural language queries, such as asking for "a nearby Chinese restaurant with open parking and Wi-Fi that's kid-friendly".

[But] What if you change your mind an hour later? Simply saying something like "Find me a Mexican restaurant instead," will bring you new results, while still taking into account the other parameters like parking and WiFi you mentioned before. Hound, Siri, and any other assistant would make you start the search session over again. But Vocal IQ remembers. That's more human-like than anything available today.

VocalIQ can also filter out extraneous noise to figure out exactly what you're saying, thus making it more accurate than Siri is today. It's able to take in all the noise in an environment — the TV, kids shouting, whatever — and determine with a high probability which sound is actually the user's query. It can even learn to adapt to different accents over time to improve accuracy.

While the report's source doesn't claim to have any hard evidence that Apple plans to include the technology into its upcoming smart device, the possibility is an intriguing one. It also feeds into the expectation that Apple's decision to open up Siri to third-parties indicates that the virtual assistant will receive the necessary enhancements to prevent it from being overtaken by recent advances in competing products.

Related Roundup: HomePod
Buyer's Guide: HomePod (Neutral)

Business Insider UK this morning published a detailed interview with someone claiming to be a UK Apple retail employee, which provides an intriguing insight into what it's like to work in an Apple Store.

The interview is unusual because every Apple staffer signs a confidentiality agreement on their first day in the job, which apparently prevents them from speaking publicly or announcing their new employment on social media, and even bans them from taking a selfie wearing their Apple T-shirt.

Apple-Employees
According to the veteran staffer – who remained anonymous in fear that Apple would pursue a legal action against them – Apple pays about £8 per hour in the UK (around $11.70) and staff receive no bonus incentives for sales, leaving many unable to afford the products they sell.

The worker claims that although positions in the company's stores are highly prized, Apple doesn't promote internally in the UK either, and that staff are prevented from transferring from part-time to full-time employment as a matter of policy.

"We had between five and eight store managers during my time at the store, of varying kinds," says the staffer. "Only one of them had started at Apple, the rest had been recruited from elsewhere – from, say, Dixons or HMV."

They did try to fix that with a 'Lead and Learn' program, where you train on the shop floor by acting as a manager without being a manager. We had some great people on the shop floor, people who had been there for five years, who were selling more than anyone else. But they were still just specialists or experts [two of the lowest ranked positions at Apple].

As far as I’m aware — and I’m still in contact with these people — no-one on this programme has been promoted to manager. There are other jobs in-store that can earn you more money, but they’re technical jobs, like working at the Genius Bar, which a lot of people absolutely hated because you’re dealing with really angry customers.

According to the worker, Apple Store staff routinely face death threats from unhappy customers, and receive no benefit if they manage to sell an enterprise contract to a business customer worth hundreds of thousands of pounds.

There are some advantages to working at an Apple Store though, says the employee. Staff get a generous discount on Apple products, a 15% discount on AAPL shares, and occasional direct access to CEO Tim Cook.

Apple declined to comment when contacted by Business Insider. The in-depth interview can be read in full here.

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.

twitterThe official Twitter app for iOS was today updated to version 6.54, quietly adding expanded 3D Touch support. As noticed by MacStories, the update enables Peek and Pop gestures within the Twitter app itself, allowing Twitter users with an iPhone 6s or iPhone 6s Plus to preview content through a "Peek" and then quickly open it up with a "Pop."

Peek and Pop gestures are available for previewing tweets, pictures, links, and user profiles, and with a swipe up on a Peek gesture, there are quick tools for sharing, reporting, muting, and blocking.

Twitter previously featured 3D Touch support, but it was limited to Home screen Quick Actions, allowing users to do things like search, create a new tweet, or send a direct message.

Twitter can be downloaded from the App Store for free. [Direct Link]

Tag: Twitter

It appears speaker and fitness tracker company Jawbone is struggling and could be on the verge of going out of business, with news today suggesting production has ceased on all of its current products.

According to a report from Tech Insider, Jawbone has fully ended production on its line of fitness trackers and has sold the remaining inventory to a third-party reseller, and a report from Fortune says the company is also seeking a buyer for its speaker business.

jawboneup24
Jawbone has reportedly struggled to sell its fitness trackers in an increasingly competitive market, forcing it to offer all remaining UP2, UP3, and UP4 tracking accessories to a third-party reseller at a discounted price in order to keep the business afloat.

As for its speaker line, Jawbone is said to be courting potential buyers and liquidating its remaining speaker inventory. Jawbone has not commented on either decision, leaving it unclear whether the company will aim to produce additional fitness trackers in the future, but Fortune says Jawbone is selling its speaker business so it can focus on health and wearables.

jawbonejambox
Jawbone has been floundering for several months as interest in its fitness trackers and speakers has dwindled. No new products have been released since the early months of 2015, and in November, Jawbone laid off 15 percent of its global workforce, closed offices in New York, and downscaled its operations in Sunnyvale and Pittsburgh.

The company did raise $165 million in funding in January, but its valuation dropped from $3 billion to $1.5 billion.

Update: The Verge says Jawbone is still developing a new "last chance" wearable product. It won’t be a fitness tracker, instead offering clinical-grade health tracking related to heart monitoring. Jawbone is said to be planning to announce the product this summer.

Update 2: Jawbone denies claims that it is going out of business, telling Engadget that it remains committed to creating new wearable products.

Speculation that Jawbone is exiting the wearables business or going out of business altogether is false. This speculation appears to emanate from wrongful insinuations made in a blog post in which the reporter has since posted a "Correction." Unfortunately, other media picked it up before the reporter posted a correction and spread this false information. Jawbone remains wholly committed to innovating in and building great wearables products. The company has never been more excited about its pipeline of technology and products and looks forward to sharing them when ready. We manage our inventory positions according to internal business processes, and strategic product lifecycle objectives. This situation is no different and we will continue to support all of our products in the marketplace.

Tag: Jawbone

For this week's giveaway, we've teamed up with Elgato to give away the full line of Elgato Eve HomeKit-connected products, including the Eve Room, Eve Weather, Eve Energy, and Eve Door & Window, which perform a range of functions from monitoring a room to motion sensing to turning "dumb" products smart.


Eve Room, designed for use inside a home, can tell you the temperature and humidity in the room, plus it can measure air quality. A sensor inside analyzes volatile organic compounds and it will let you know when air quality declines because of cooking, smoking, cleaning products, and more.

everoom
Eve Weather is similar to Eve Room, but meant to be used outside. It doesn't include air monitoring capabilities, but it will give you accurate temperature and humidity readings outdoors and over time. It's IPX3 water resistant, so it can stand up to the elements.

eveweather
Eve Energy is a smart outlet that allows whatever's plugged in to be controlled via Siri. It also measures the amount of energy being consumed, so it's ideal for products that can potentially use a lot of power, like space heaters or fans.

eveenergy
The final product, Eve Door & Window, monitors whether a door or window is open or closed and how long it was open or closed. It's ideal for making sure a door in the house is secure when away, and it also enables motion-based HomeKit features.

evedoor
The Eve line of devices connect to your iPhone or iPad via Bluetooth and can be controlled through the Elgato Eve app. No hub is required and in addition to being able to be controlled through the Eve app, the products are also compatible with Siri and can be accessed in other HomeKit apps and when away from home with an Apple TV. With the Eve products, you can ask Siri a long list of questions like "What's the temperature in the living room?" or "Is the fan on?" or "Is the door open?"

I reviewed the Elgato Eve lineup when the products first became available last year. I had problems with them because HomeKit was still in the early stages of development, but since then, there have been a number of under-the-hood changes that have improved the functionality of HomeKit products. The Bluetooth-enabled Eve Weather and Eve Room are now some of my most reliable HomeKit devices.

The full line of Eve products can be purchased from Amazon. The Eve Energy is priced at $50, the Eve Door & Window is $40, the Eve Room is $80, and the Eve Weather is $50. One MacRumors reader will be able to get all four products for free through our giveaway. To enter to win, use the Rafflecopter widget below and enter an email address. Email addresses will be used solely for contact purposes to reach the winner and send the prize.

You can earn additional entries by subscribing to our weekly newsletter, subscribing to our YouTube channel, following us on Twitter, or visiting the MacRumors Facebook page. Due to the complexities of international laws regarding giveaways, only U.S. residents who are 18 years of age or older are eligible to enter.

The contest will run from today (May 27) at 11:00 a.m. Pacific Time through 11:00 a.m. Pacific Time on June 3. The winner will be chosen randomly on June 3 and will be contacted by email. The winner has 48 hours to respond and provide a shipping address before a new winner is chosen.