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Paper by FiftyThree Expands to the iPhone, Gains New Features

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Popular sketching app Paper by FiftyThree received a major update today, expanding support to the iPhone and adding a range of new features to expand its idea-capturing capabilities. With the new update, Paper builds on its sketching and diagramming tools with support for text, images, lists, and more.

Today's update is Paper's biggest revamp since it launched in 2012, and the company's goal is to turn it into the ultimate mixed media note-taking and idea-aggregating app for better productivity. It's now possible to add images, photos, and text to Paper, and text can be customized with simple swipes. You're also able to pick up text snippets and move them around on the screen with a finger, and entire lists can be built with a swipe.

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With image support, Paper users can take a photo directly within the Paper app and then annotate it using the built-in drawing tools. Ideas created in Paper can be shared with friends by email and through a range of social media networks. Here's a full list of the features, new and old, in Paper:

Text, Photos, and Sketching--Each note has the option to take a photo, type a note, or sketch out your idea.

Swipe to Style--A ground-breaking new feature that lets you create fast lists, bullet points, or headlines with a simple swipe of your finger.

Photo Spotlight--A new filter that lets you easily spotlight the area in photos and screenshots that you want to call attention to.

Sketch--All the power of Paper's award-winning tools to write, sketch, diagram, and graph are now in your pocket.

Diagram--Paper recognizes and corrects shapes drawn, making it easy to create presentation-ready shapes for charts, diagrams, flows, and more.

Grid View--grid view means text, photos, and sketches live together in a grid that shows you everything at once and can be rearranged into presentations, outlines, or storyboards.

Spaces--Organize your ideas into separate Spaces that you can name and customize with a cover image. Make as many Spaces as you want.

Universal App--Paper is a universal app that works across iPads and iPhones that run iOS8+.

Pencil--Connect Pencil, FiftyThree's award-winning Bluetooth stylus, for a faster and more natural way to sketch out your ideas.

All of the new features are available on both the iPad and the iPhone, and the existing Paper app is now universal to allow it to work with all of Apple's mobile devices.

Paper by FiftyThree can be downloaded from the App Store for free. [Direct Link]

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Apple Debuts 'Get Ready to Pre-Order' Option for iPhone 6s and 6s Plus

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Alongside its new purchase pages for the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus, Apple debuted a website feature called "Get Ready to Pre-Order", an attempt to streamline the pre-ordering process in what is frequently a hectic and potentially confusing time for some would-be iPhone purchasers.

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The option, which is available both online and in the Apple Store app, allows users to enter their wireless account details to confirm available pricing options before pre-orders officially begin at 12:01 a.m. PDT on September 12. This allows users to have a more streamlined pre-order experience, simply selecting their iPhone model, storage size, color and potential accessories before checking out.

In recent months, Apple has made efforts to streamline its shopping experiences in both retail and online stores. Last month, the company removed the iPad Smart Signs from its retail stores and moved pricing information into new apps on the display products themselves. The company also merged the Apple.com website and online store, creating a more streamlined experience for users.

Tag: September 2015 Event
Related Forum: iPhone
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21.5-Inch Retina 4K iMac Production Getting Underway

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imac_21_2013_yosemiteProduction of Apple's upcoming 21.5-inch Retina 4K iMac has begun within the past few days, according to a report from DigiTimes. The new machines are rumored to be launching in late October, but Apple elected not to make any advance announcements about the forthcoming update at today's media event.

Production of a new 21-inch iMac featuring a 4096 by 2304 screen kicked off in early September and will be launched in the fourth quarter, with shipments in the quarter estimated at 1.4-1.5 million units, according to Taiwan-based supply chain makers. [...]

The sources pointed out that the new 21-inch iMac only has a limited change in industrial design, but is upgraded with better hardware specifications, especially the Ultra HD display.

While the larger 27-inch iMac has received several updates over the past two years to add Retina 5K models at the high end, the 21.5-inch iMac has been unchanged since September 2013 with the exception of an ultra low-end model introduced in June 2014.

Signs of a Retina update for the smaller iMac were discovered in OS X El Capitan in late June, pointing to an update using Broadwell processors and Iris Pro or improved AMD graphics. Rumors of timing for the update started to surface in the following weeks, initially pointing to late third quarter or early fourth quarter before more recently being pinned down to late October for orders and early November for deliveries.

Related Roundup: iMac
Tag: DigiTimes
Buyer's Guide: iMac (Neutral)
Related Forum: iMac
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Apple Increases AppleCare+ Prices and Service Fees for iPhone 6s and 6s Plus

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applecare+While Apple didn't discuss AppleCare+ pricing as it unveiled the new iPhone 6s and 6 Plus today at its "Hey Siri" event, the Cupertino company did unveil new pricing for the service on its website. AppleCare+ for both devices is $129.99 while its service fee is $99.99.

This is an increase from the pricing for iPhone 6 and earlier models, which are priced at $99.99 for AppleCare+ and $79.99 for the service fee. It's likely the increased prices are due to the new technology in the new devices, which includes a larger Taptic Engine and the brand new 3D Touch, which Apple is billing as the next generation of Multi-Touch display.

Earlier today, Apple also announced the iPhone Upgrade Program, which allows those who sign up to trade-in their current iPhone for a new model after 12 monthly installments are made. The program includes AppleCare+ with each iPhone, which might lure some away from carriers' contract-free pricing toward Apple's alternative. iPhone Upgrade Program pricing starts at $32.41 a month for the 16 GB iPhone 6s and goes up to $44.91 a month for the 128 GB iPhone 6s Plus.

Tags: AppleCare Guide, September 2015 Event
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Apple's 3D Touch Video Confirms 1715 mAh iPhone 6s Battery

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Last month, rumors and photos of a battery that looked very similar to an iPhone battery suggested that the iPhone 6s' battery capacity would be lower than the iPhone 6's. Today at Apple's "Hey Siri" event, a video that showed off 3D Touch revealed the iPhone 6's battery capacity.

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In the video the iPhone 6s is dismantled and viewers can see that the battery is marked "1715 mAh". This confirms previous rumors, which have said that the iPhone 6s' battery capacity would be down to 1715 mAh from the iPhone 6's 1810 mAh.

Rumors also indicated that the iPhone 6s Plus would see its capacity drop down to 2750 mAh from the iPhone 6 Plus' 2910 mAh. While the iPhone 6s Plus' true battery capacity is currently unconfirmed, confirmation of a lower capacity will likely come in the next few weeks as the device is subject to teardowns and technical breakdowns.


It's likely the smaller battery size is due to multiple factors. Despite the smaller battery capacity, Apple’s stated battery life for the iPhone 6s remains the same as for the iPhone 6, indicating battery efficiency has been improved in the new model. Additionally, the new Taptic Engine takes up a significant amount of space that had previously been devoted to battery, meaning the Cupertino company had to cut down the battery size to compensate. Thanks Brandon!

Tag: Battery Life
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New Apple TV First Impressions: Not a 'Revolution,' But Siri and tvOS Shine

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One of the big announcements coming out of Apple's "Hey Siri" event in San Francisco today was the new and improved Apple TV, which aims to provide users with a far more robust and unified experience than its predecessor. As it did with the iPad Pro and iPhone 6s, Apple has allowed some journalists hands-on time with the new Apple TV after today's event and subsequently the first impressions of the device have been shared online.

The Verge went hands-on with the new Apple TV, and while they found the new remote to be "frenetic" at first, they noted the sensitive controls are easy to get used to, even in a brief demo environment. The site also liked the slight visual overhaul thanks to tvOS, and called the device a "meaningful" upgrade to the Apple TV line, but was left unsure whether it met Apple's massive vision detailed during today's conference.


Variety's brief demo with the new set-top box found that the overall experience has been uniquely tuned around Siri and Siri's in-depth search parameters. Specifically, the site was a fan of the device's "fast and fluid" interface, along with the new remote control and the possibility of future Apple Watch integration.

Using voice to control Apple TV worked fairly well during my brief hands-on test, which says something: My German accent tends to throw off voice recognition systems, but Siri had no problems searching for foreign comedies when asked to do so.

Apple TV is based on pretty powerful hardware, and that shows when you navigate the device’s home screen. Scrolling through apps with the remote control’s touchpad is fast and fluid, app icons are 3D-animated, and the interface looks a lot lighter than that of the previous-generation Apple TV.

On the downside, Variety noted that much of the in-video alternate functionality shown off by Apple during the media event -- like searching for actors while a movie plays -- is limited to iTunes videos for the time being. The site also found some roadblocks when continuing to inquire into specific categories with Siri, with the voice assistant sometimes stumbling over whether they were beginning a new query or continuing insight into a previous one. In the end, while they liked the brief experience, Variety wasn't sure Apple completely "changed the TV experience," as the company hoped to do.

Siri also stumbled when asked to show TV shows from ABC, something an Apple employee attributed to the fact that the demo was optimized for movies. Also notable: Siri wasn’t actually that smart about connecting the dots. Follow-up questions have to start with certain keywords, otherwise Siri thinks it’s a new question. Launching an app or game requires users to use the word "open," and not "go to." And the MLB app wouldn't open, just because I said "Open MLB.tv," not "Open At Bat."

Apple CEO Tim Cook said Wednesday that no one had changed the TV experience - and the new Apple TV doesn’t really change it either.

SlashGear said the physical Apple TV set-top box "isn't quite as aesthetically pleasing," as the existing version, but thought the brighter tvOS and slick menu controls were far ahead of the current Apple TV. The site also noted the accessibility of the remote's IR blaster -- which allows the small device to control a TV's volume -- and the ability to support MFI-certified controllers, like Bluetooth gamepads, is a plus for anyone looking into the new gaming App Store section of the Apple TV.

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What you do engage with is the new remote control. It feels more like a mashup of a 1st-gen iPod nano and a MacBook trackpad, with the touch surface for navigation being very sensitive: at first, I skittered through the revamped interface, the icons tilting and bobbing as I went.

tvOS - built on top of iOS and with the primary changes being to how easily viewed the interface is from across the room - feels familiar, though the brighter color scheme is a little more engaging than the dour black of the current Apple TV. It also feels a little like Android TV at times.

The new Apple TV will be available in late October for $149 (32GB) and $199 (64GB). Besides TV and movie functionality, Apple introduced a few gaming-centric features today, including unique co-operative play for certain game titles and the announcement of the first gamepad for the new Apple TV.

Related Roundup: Apple TV
Tag: September 2015 Event
Buyer's Guide: Apple TV (Don't Buy)
Related Forum: Apple TV and Home Theater
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iPad Pro First Impressions: Surprisingly Light, But Screen Size May Be Unnecessary for Most

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As journalists and bloggers leave the Apple media event in San Francisco, the first impressions of the brand-new iPad Pro have begun trickling out onto the Internet. Sites like Wired, Engadget, SlashGear, and TechnoBuffalo all got to go hands-on with the new tablet and came away with largely positive impressions of the device, with one of the only negatives being the large size of the device. At an unwieldy 12.9-inches, the consensus is that the iPad Pro may be too big for many users.

It’s certainly as crisp and sharp as any display I’ve ever seen. If Apple’s ultimate tablet goal is to build a piece of glass onto which you can project your hopes, dreams, and apps, the iPad Pro feels like a realization of that dream.

During the keynote, Apple execs talked a lot about how difficult this screen was to create—but you’d never know. It’s smooth and fast; in fact, every part of the iPad Pro is smooth and fast. The $99 Pencil stylus feels like a particular triumph: It is, bar none, the most fluid and lag-free stylus I’ve ever used.

The first big takeaway about the iPad Pro Wired noticed was that despite the tablet's size, it's surprisingly comfortable to hold in one hand. The site also noted that the new 2732×2048 resolution screen is "smooth and fast," and gave particular praise to the $99 Apple Pencil accessory the company also debuted during today's media event.

Still, despite its positives, Wired believes that using a tablet in the place of a desktop or laptop computer will always remain a lesser experience. They called some of the experience of iOS "clunky," and were unsure of whether Microsoft's new Word experience, shown off at the event as well, would actually be a selling point for the work-focused device.

The question will be, is it great for you? The iPad is still a tablet, and running iOS means it’s still going to be a little clunky—using Word, I found myself wishing I had all my keyboard and mouse shortcuts handy and didn’t have to keep picking up the Pencil or tapping the screen. And if we learned anything from the Surface, it’s that the world might not be ready for this type of device just yet.

Engadget also expressed surprise over the device's lightness, noting that the iPad Pro felt "lighter than it looks," but that in portrait mode, it can be a bit awkward and top-heavy. The site noted that the tablet's other accessory, the Smart Keyboard, provided some decent travel when pressing the keys down and overall felt like a step above other keyboards bundled in third-party case sleeves.

I know we tech bloggers say this a lot in hands-on posts, but it feels lighter than it looks. That's not to say I'd want to use this much in portrait mode; it feels a little too top-heavy in-hand. But in landscape, the height is actually on par with the iPad Air 2; it's just wider. That makes it pretty manageable in horizontal use, which I suspect is how most iPad Pro-optimized apps were meant to be used anyway.

And what of that keyboard? It's really too soon to put down a firm verdict, but tentatively, I like it. The cloth-covered keys feel nice beneath the fingers, and help give the illusion of control, despite the fact that these are otherwise some fairly flat buttons.

SlashGear called the iPad Pro "incredibly, vastly, ridiculously huge," but that its thin size and easiness to hold gives it the feel of a science fiction "digital newspaper." The site also called the four speakers on the device "laughably strong," and appreciated that they automatically adjust and change when displaying the tablet's orientation. Similar to other opinions, SlashGear's biggest negative on the tablet is more of a caveat: "it makes far more sense as a content creation tool than one for consumption."

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Everyone who wasn't at Apple's event will be able to see the iPad Pro for themselves when the device launches this November in Space Gray, Gold, and Silver color options. The new tablet will be priced at $749 (32GB) and $949 (128GB) for the Wi-Fi models, while a 128GB Wi-Fi + Cellular option will come in at $1,079.

Related Roundup: iPad Pro
Tag: September 2015 Event
Buyer's Guide: iPad Pro (Buy Now)
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Speck: Our iPhone 6 and 6 Plus Cases Fit iPhone 6s and 6s Plus

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Last week, MacRumors reported that the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus would be slightly thicker than the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, confirming months of rumors that the latest iPhones would be thicker. iPhone 6 and 6 Plus users looking to upgrade may have been worried their existing cases would not fit the thicker models, but case manufacturer Speck has taken to its Facebook to announce that its older cases will fit the newer iPhones, suggesting the size differences won't matter for most cases.

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Speck says that all of its iPhone 6 and 6 Plus cases fit the new iPhone 6s and 6s Plus, which likely means that the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus cases for other manufacturers will also fit the new devices. Officially, Apple's listing of the weight and dimensions of the new phones reveals that they're only slightly thicker, taller and heavier.

The iPhone 6s Plus is .01 inches taller, .01 inches wider, .01 inches deeper and .7 ounces heavier than the iPhone 6 Plus. The iPhone 6s is .01 inches deeper and .49 ounces heavier than the iPhone 6. A large amount of the size difference could come from Apple changing the aluminum used for the shell as well as strengthening several weak spots to help address concerns over bending, which is especially noticeable in the change of dimensions from the iPhone 6 Plus to iPhone 6s Plus.

Speck also announced brand new cases for both the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus today, refreshing its existing line of CandyShell cases with new colors and patterns. Additionally, it revealed the CandyShell Clear, Speck's first completely clear case and the world's first military-grade protective clear case.

Related Forum: iPhone
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Apple Reduces Prices of iCloud Storage Plans

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Apple marketing chief Phil Schiller today announced that iCloud storage plans have been reduced in price. 5GB of iCloud storage remains free, while paid upgrades include 50GB for 99 cents per month, 200GB for $2.99 per month and 1TB for $9.99 per month. Prices in other countries may vary based on currency exchange rates.

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Apple's old iCloud storage plan pricing tiers were as follows:

  • 5GB: Free

  • 20GB: $0.99/month

  • 200GB: $3.99/month

  • 500GB: $9.99/month

  • 1TB: $19.99/month

Apple's new iCloud storage plans are priced more competitively against other cloud storage services such as Google Drive, which also offers 1TB of storage for $9.99 per month. Microsoft OneDrive remains cheaper, however, offering 1TB of storage and an Office 365 subscription for $6.99 per month.

Tags: iCloud, September 2015 Event
Related Forum: Apple Music, Apple Pay/Card, iCloud, Fitness+
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Logitech Debuts First Third-Party Keyboard Case for iPad Pro

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Earlier today Apple announced its long-rumored 12.9-inch iPad Pro at its "Hey Siri" special event. The new iPad model was introduced alongside a new Microsoft Surface-like Smart Keyboard, which connects to the iPad Pro via the three-dot Smart Connector. Now, Logitech has announced its own keyboard case for the iPad Pro, making it the first third-party manufacturer to produce an accessory for the Smart Connector.

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We’re excited to introduce the Logitech® CREATE Keyboard Case for iPad Pro, developed closely with Apple to leverage the new Smart Connector™, eliminating the need to power on, set up or charge the keyboard – it is always ready when you are.

The keyboard's ability to utilize the Smart Connector allows it to automatically power on and pair with the iPad Pro as soon as its connected because the Smart Connector facilitates both data and power transfers. This lets the user avoid having to pair their device via a Bluetooth set-up process or worry about charging the keyboard or swapping out its batteries.

While Logitech and Apple developed the keyboard together because of the Smart Connector, it's unknown whether other manufacturers will also get the opportunity to develop keyboard cases that take advantage of Apple's new connection port.

The keys of the CREATE keyboard case are full-sized, allowing users to easily adjust from similarly-sized laptop keyboards and do the work they need. It's also built with a "tightly-woven premium fabric" that Logitech says helps resist accidental bumps, spills and scratches.

The CREATE Keyboard Case will be available for purchase alongside the iPad Pro, which will launch in November. It's unknown how much the CREATE Keyboard Case will retail for.

Related Roundup: iPad Pro
Buyer's Guide: iPad Pro (Buy Now)
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iPhone 6s First Impressions: 'Familiar and Yet Different' for an 'S' Generation Device

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Perhaps the biggest announcement out of the "Hey Siri" event today was Apple's confirmation of the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus, two new smartphones that will bring new features to Apple's smartphone line, including faster Touch ID, 3D Touch, and improved cameras. Following the event, Apple let a handful of media have closer looks at the new line of iPhones, all of whom came away with nearly universal positives regarding the small "S" generation design changes and its beefier upgrades under the hood.

TechnoBuffalo has posted one of the first videos of both the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus, noting that while the latter's name "is a bit of a tongue twister," both phones appear to back up Apple's claim of improved internal upgrades. Particularly, they were impressed by the 3D Touch feature and its "quick actions," that provide shortcuts like taking a selfie with the camera app or peeking into a text message in Messages.

What most people will pay attention to is the new 3D Touch technology, which is capable of discerning between a light tap and a hard press. This new feature will allows users to Peek and Pop into apps and other functions; Peek at an address in Maps, or quickly look at a photo on Instagram. Or you Pop into an app and quickly take care of business.

SlashGear called the iPhone 6s "familiar and yet different," noting that while the phones look largely the same as last year's models, there's enough new aspects to each device "to keep things more than interesting." The site liked the already-impressive third-party support for 3D Touch and found the front-facing selfie camera -- which uses the actual iPhone screen as a Retina Flash -- to work "surprisingly well." Unfortunately, they weren't as big on one of Apple's more surprising announcements, Live Photos.

Live Photos I'm not so sure about. They're reminiscent of HTC's Zoe idea, which though interesting at launch weren't all that enduring over time. Capturing 1.5-seconds either side of a still feels a little on the short side to me, though maybe I'll be proved wrong when third-party apps wade in and take advantage too.

All in all, for an off-season upgrade there's plenty to like about the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus. Those already fans of iPhone will love the tweaked hardware and boosted performance, and 3D Touch could do to capacitive touchscreens what multitouch did to resistive ones.

On the photo and video side of things, Wired said images and video on the new iPhones "look insane," and that while the storage implications of Live Photos is yet to be determined, the new feature is endearing and creates a more lively photo gallery. The site also particularly touted the usefulness of the new 3D Touch feature, describing it as a way for the iPhone to feel "less like a collection of apps and more like a single, cohesive thing." All the same, the site believes there could be a downside to 3D Touch in the way users have to hunt for it in the first place.

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The problem with 3D Touch is that you never know where the hidden menus are—some apps don’t support it, neither do some menus, and you never get a hint. So you’re forced to hunt around looking for this buried treasure, which I’m worried I’d just stop doing after a while. 3D Touch lets you “see” what’s inside whatever you’re looking at; but how far it will let you look is difficult to say so far.

Despite the noteworthy bits, this is the same S cycle upgrade we’re used to: You’re getting a lot more power, a few new ways to go about using your device, and a couple of small things that make the phone more fun. Oh, and that rose gold looks pretty good.

The iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus will be up for pre-order at 12:01 Pacific this Saturday, September 12. Both devices will then be available on September 25 in the United States, Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, New Zealand, Puerto Rico, Singapore, the United Kingdom, and in over 130 countries by the end of the year. There are a myriad of ways to purchase the device, which now include the new iPhone Upgrade Program announced today.

Tag: September 2015 Event
Related Forum: iPhone
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3D Touch in iPhone 6s is a 'Breakthrough,' Was 'Really Hard' to Make

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iphone6s-3dtouchApple today spent about ten minutes introducing 3D Touch as one of the headline features of the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus, but a new Bloomberg interview with company executives Jony Ive, Craig Federighi, Phil Schiller and Alan Dye reveals that Apple spent several years working on the challenging new display technology.

“Ultimately, this is our focus,” says Ive, squeezing a new iPhone 6S. “This is what galvanizes our efforts right across the company.” And 3D Touch, he adds with emphasis, “is something we’ve been working on for a long time—multi, multi, multi years.”

Schiller noted that, from an engineering standpoint, creating hardware that is capable of 3D Touch's functionality was "unbelievably hard," coming at a "tremendous amount of cost and investment in manufacturing" for Apple. For that reason, the company had to ensure it got the technology right.

Accordingly, Apple set out to do just that.

Working with Corning, Apple created pliable iPhone cover glass. Swipe it, and the phone works the way it always has. But press it, and 96 sensors embedded in the backlight of the retina display measure microscopic changes in the distance between themselves and the glass. Those measurements then get combined with signals from the touch sensor to make the motion of your finger sync with the image on screen. […]

To make what is counterintuitive feel normal, each on-screen “peek” and “pop” is accompanied by a 10-millisecond or 15-millisecond haptic tap, little vibrations that say “good job” to your fingers when an action is complete.


And, after a multi-year, tedious design process, Apple is now satisfied with 3D Touch.

Apple is feeling confident enough that it’s integrated 3D Touch into everything on the iPhone 6S and 6S Plus—the phone, the weather app, iTunes, messaging, and the Web. Facebook and Instagram plan on incorporating it into their iOS apps shortly after the phones arrive in stores on Sept. 25.

The iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus also feature a faster A9 chip with an embedded M9 motion coprocessor, improved 12-megapixel rear-facing camera with 4K video recording, faster Touch ID, stronger glass and Series 7000 aluminum, Live Photos, always-on Hey Siri and more.

Bloomberg's longform How Apple Built 3D Touch article is a worthwhile read.

Tags: 3D Touch, Bloomberg
Related Forum: iPhone
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SteelSeries' Nimbus MFi Controller is the First Apple TV Gamepad

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When Apple unveiled the new Apple TV and its ability to play games at its "Hey Siri" event earlier today, the company glossed over the fact that MFi gamepad controllers for iPhone and iPad would be compatible with the new device. However, after the event, SteelSeries announced the brand new Nimbus gamepad controller would be the first made specifically for the Apple TV.

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“SteelSeries is at the center of the biggest evolution in gaming. Nimbus represents a new standard in wireless gaming controllers and we’re pleased to be bringing this controller to this incredible platform," said Ehtisham Rabanni, SteelSeries CEO. “Our global gaming pedigree, together with our unyielding pursuit of simple, modern design is on full display with Nimbus.  We’re thrilled to deliver a truly premium product for the new Apple TV at a great price.”

The Xbox One-like Nimbus wireless gamepad provides 40 hours of gameplay on a single charge and can be recharged via a Lightning cable, making it the first accessory to do so. SteelSeries also says it has pressure-sensitive buttons for "precise control." Additionally, the controller has a large "Menu" button in the center of the controller, mirroring the "Menu" button on the new Apple TV remote.

The gamepad is featured prominently in the "Games and More" section of the new Apple TV's page on Apple's website, suggesting Apple and SteelSeries are positioning the controller as the flagship gamepad for the Apple TV. However, users can also play games with the new Apple TV remote, iPhones and iPod touches.

The Nimbus will be available on Apple.com and in Apple retail stores for $49.95 and will debut around the world in late October alongside the new Apple TV.

Related Roundup: Apple TV
Tag: MFi Program
Buyer's Guide: Apple TV (Don't Buy)
Related Forum: Apple TV and Home Theater
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Apple TV App Size Limited to 200 MB Local Storage, Has 2 GB RAM

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Earlier today Apple revealed the long-awaited fourth-generation Apple TV, which includes an App Store that allows developers to create apps and games for users to download. The new Apple TV also comes with either 32 GB or 64 GB of local storage. However, Apple's new App Programming Guide for tvOS, first spotted by developer Steve Troughton-Smith, includes some interesting insights into how developers can use that storage. For instance, apps are limited to 200 MB of local storage.

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Each app stored on Apple TV is limited to a maximum of 200MB. In order to create an app greater than this amount, you must break up your app into downloadable bundles. In Xcode, create tags and attach them to the required resources. When your app requests the resources associated with a tag, the operating system downloads only the required assets. You must wait until the assets are downloaded before you can use them in your app.

This means that each app is limited to a 200 MB shell that downloads the assets it needs to run whenever necessary. The new Apple TV, despite having a base of 32 GB of storage, does not have persistent local storage, which means that each time an app is in use it has to make a request to iCloud to re-download the assets it needs to run.

As noted by MacRumors' sister site TouchArcade, it's likely this decision stems from iOS 9's App Thinning, which reduces the size of apps so that users don't use as much of their local storage on their devices. Apple TV apps are universal apps, allowing developers to create one app that can work on iPhone, Apple Watch, iPad and Apple TV. However, because the apps are universal apps, the overall storage size of the app includes assets that aren't entirely relevant for each device. For instance, an iPhone user would have no need for the iPad or Apple TV assets for an app on their iPhone, and an Apple TV user would have no need for iPad or Apple Watch assets on their Apple TV.

Additionally, as noted by Troughton-Smith, Apple has revealed in its programming guide that the new Apple TV has 2 GB of RAM. Normally, Apple declines to publicly reveal how much RAM its iOS-based devices include. For instance, the discovery of how much RAM is in each new iPhone model is regularly speculated about until a teardown or speed test from a third-party can determine it independently.

The new Apple TV will begin shipping in nearly 80 countries at the end of October. The new Siri Remote is only available in the United States, United Kingdom, France, Spain, Germany, Canada and Australia. Other countries will receive a remote that replaces the Siri with a Search app. The new Apple TV is priced at $149 for the 32 GB version and $199 for the 64 GB version.

Related Roundup: Apple TV
Tag: September 2015 Event
Buyer's Guide: Apple TV (Don't Buy)
Related Forum: Apple TV and Home Theater
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'Hey Siri' Event Roundup: iPhone 6s, iPad Pro, New Apple TV and More

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Apple was on stage at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in San Francisco today to announce several new products, including the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus, iPad Pro, iPad mini 4, fourth-generation Apple TV and new Apple Watch bands and finishes. It also announced that iOS 9 and watchOS 2 will be released on September 16.

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MacRumors provided coverage of the September 2015 event with a live blog and articles, in addition to sending out updates through our real-time Twitter account MacRumorsLive. For those that missed out on the action, or need a refresher, this roundup provides a closer look at today's announcements.

iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus

- Design: iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus look the same as the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, with 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch screen sizes respectively, although Apple did make the switch to stronger ion-strengthened glass and slightly thicker Series 7000 aluminum. A new Rose Gold color option was introduced to the iPhone 6s lineup alongside existing Space Gray, Silver and Gold models.

iPhone-6s-Tech-Specs
- 3D Touch: 3D Touch builds upon both Apple's patented Multi-Touch and pressure-sensitive Force Touch technologies, enabling users to make "peek and pop" gestures on the screen with their fingers to access actionable shortcuts or preview content, such as text messages, flight information, calendar appointments and more.


- A9 Chip: iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus are powered by a 64-bit Apple A9 chip and embedded M9 motion coprocessor that deliver up to 70% faster CPU performance and up to 90% faster graphics compared to the A8 chip inside the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus.

- Improved Cameras: iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus have 12-megapixel rear-facing iSight cameras with 4K video recording (3840x2160) and 5-megapixel front-facing FaceTime cameras with display-based Retina Flash. Optical image stabilization is now available for both photos and videos, but remains limited to the iPhone 6s Plus.

- Faster Touch ID: iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus have a second-generation Touch ID fingerprint scanner that is up to two times faster compared to Touch ID on previous iPhones.

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Related Roundups: Apple Watch 10, Apple TV, iPad Pro, iPad mini
Tag: September 2015 Event
Buyer's Guide: Apple Watch (Buy Now), Apple TV (Don't Buy), iPad Pro (Buy Now), iPad Mini (Don't Buy)
Related Forums: Apple TV and Home Theater, iOS 9, iPad, iPhone
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Apple Discontinues Gold Color Options for Older iPhone 6, 6 Plus, and 5s

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Customers who want to purchase an iPhone with a gold finish will need to purchase either the new iPhone 6s or the iPhone 6s Plus as Apple has discontinued gold finishes for all other iPhone models, including the iPhone 6, 6 Plus, and 5s.

Going forward, the iPhone 6, 6 Plus, and 5s will only be available for purchase in Space Gray or Silver, reserving the Gold and Rose Gold colors for the company's new flagship iPhones. Apple has confirmed to The Verge that the gold color options are no longer available for older iPhones.

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With the launch of the iPhone 6s and the iPhone 6s Plus, Apple has dropped the prices on the iPhone 6 and the iPhone 6s by $100. The iPhone 6 now starts at $549 for the 16GB model, while the iPhone 6s starts at $649. The two iPhones are also no longer sold in 128GB capacities.

The iPhone 5s is also still available for sale as Apple's low-priced iPhone option, purchasable in a 16GB configuration for $0 with a two-year contract or $49 for 32GB. With the iPhone 5s representing the lower-end of the iPhone lineup, the colorful iPhone 5c has been discontinued.

Related Forum: iPhone
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Apple Releases OS X El Capitan Golden Master to Developers Ahead of September 30 Launch

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Following today's jam-packed media event in San Francisco, Apple has seeded the golden master (GM) version of OS X 10.11 El Capitan to developers. The golden master represents the final version of OS X El Capitan that will be released to the public on Wednesday, September 30.

The update, build number 15A282b, is available through the software update mechanism in the Mac App Store and through the Apple Developer Center.

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It is not clear if the OS X 10.11 GM will add any new outward-facing changes to El Capitan, as many of the prior betas have focused on under-the-hood performance improvements and bug fixes to optimize the operating system ahead of its public release.

During the beta testing period, Apple seeded eight betas of OS X El Capitan to both developers and public beta testers. The final beta, beta 8, was seeded two weeks ago, on August 31.

As an update complementary to OS X Yosemite, OS X El Capitan builds on the features introduced last year. Behind-the-scenes improvements in El Capitan make a number of apps and processes on the Mac faster, and the introduction of Metal makes system-level graphics rendering 40 percent more efficient.


El Capitan introduces a new system-wide font, a revamped Mission Control feature, a split-view feature for using two full-screen apps at once, deeper functionality for Spotlight, and improvements to Safari that include Pinned Sites and a universal mute button.

OS X El Capitan will be released to the public on September 30.

Update: Apple's pulled the OS X 10.11 El Capitan GM, and it's no longer available for download. In the Developer Center, it's listed as "Coming Soon."

Update 2: The El Capitan GM is once again available for download. Apple has also begun sending emails to public beta testers letting them know the GM is now available for beta testers in addition to developers.

Related Forum: OS X El Capitan
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Apple Seeds First iOS 9.1 and Apple tvOS Betas to Developers

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ios_9_iconFollowing the conclusion of today’s iPhone-centric event in San Francisco, Apple has seeded the first betas of iOS 9.1 and Apple tvOS to developers. The betas were seeded alongside the iOS 9 Golden Master and the OS X 10.11 Golden Master. All of the beta software is available for download immediately from the Apple Developer Center.

tvOS, just announced today, is the operating system that runs on the fourth-generation Apple TV. It includes a full App Store and tools that will allow developers to create apps for the Apple TV.

iOS 9.1 is an upcoming update to iOS 9 that will include new features for the iPad Pro, adding support for accessories like the Smart Keyboard and the Apple Pencil, both of which were designed for the 12.9-inch tablet.

tvOS will be available to the general public beginning in October, when the new Apple TV is released. iOS 9.1 will likely be released in November alongside the iPad Pro.

What's new in iOS 9.1:

Emoji - iOS 9.1 includes some long-awaited new emoji like the taco, unicorn, and burrito. These emoji are part of Unicode 8.

Hey Siri - In the Settings app, there's a new Siri setting that lets you give voice examples for the "Hey Siri" feature that can be activated whenever the iPhone is connected to power. With the new iPhone 6s and 6s Plus, this will be essential because "Hey Siri" activation can be used even when an iPhone is not plugged in.

Related Roundup: Apple TV
Tag: iOS 9.1
Buyer's Guide: Apple TV (Don't Buy)
Related Forums: Apple TV and Home Theater, iOS 9
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