Apple's media event starts at 10 AM Pacific with a live stream (spoiler free) available on Mac, iPad, iPhone, Apple TV and PC. MacRumors will also have full coverage of the event, with a live blog on our front page and updates on our @MacRumorsLive Twitter account.
We'll also have specific coverage of today's announcements in separate news stories, and our forums are a great place for readers to discuss the announcements before, during and after the event.
When Apple sent out invitations to its September 9 event, the company also updated Siri with a range of humorous responses when asked about the event tagline, "Hey Siri, give us a hint."
Over the weekend, Siri's responses were updated to include a several cheeky new sayings, ranging from binary code to jokes about chickens crossing the road. Several of the responses also include a reference to "tomorrow," as we're now less than 24 hours away from Apple's event.
Given Siri's built-in event responses and the personal assistant's inclusion in the event tagline, it's safe to assume Siri will be a major focal point of tomorrow's event.
Siri integration is being built into the Apple TV and will be a main method of control, letting people search across multiple apps to find content, and Siri is also gaining new features in iOS 9, the operating system that will run on the to-be-announced iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus, iPad mini 4, and iPad Pro.
Apple's event kicks off tomorrow at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time, and we'll be offering live coverage on MacRumors.com and through the MacRumorsLive Twitter account. The event promises to be a major one, with Apple rumored to be unveiling two new iPhones, the iPad Pro, the iPad mini 4, the new Apple TV, new Apple Watch finishes and sport bands, and additional details on iOS 9 and watchOS 2.
MacRumors will be providing live blog and Twitter coverage of the "Hey Siri" media event, which commences at 10 AM Pacific on Wednesday. Below is a roundup that previews what to expect at the keynote based on previous reports from MacRumors, 9to5Mac, TechCrunch, Re/code, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and other sources.
iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus
The ninth-generation iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus will look virtually the same as the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, retaining 4.7" and 5.5" ion-strengthened glass displays respectively with similar exterior designs.
It has been rumored for a few years that iPhones will eventually switch to sapphire crystal displays, but well-informed KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo recently claimed the material has yet to pass Apple's internal drop tests.
The rear shell will still have a layer of anodization to protect against corrosion and allow for different color options, including space gray, silver, gold and a new rose gold color. The new color should look similar to the rose gold Apple Watch Edition.
Apple's upcoming revamped Apple TV will support a full App Store, and TechCrunch has shared some details on one of the first third-party apps that will be available for the device. According to the site, live video streaming service Periscope is building an app for the Apple TV, which will likely allow users to watch content streamed from the Periscope iOS app.
We don't have a specific unveiling or launch date for Periscope on Apple TV. Twitter and Periscope did not respond to our inquiry before press time. The app might be previewed in tomorrow's Apple keynote to show off the potential of the Apple TV software development kit. Apple wants to get developers' minds swirling with ideas for what they could build.
Periscope, owned by Twitter, is an app that allows users to capture and broadcast live video streams. Currently, Periscope videos can be watched solely on the web and through smartphones using iOS and Android apps, but with an expansion to the Apple TV, video streams will be available natively on larger screens for the first time.
Apple's revamped Apple TV will debut tomorrow, at the company's iPhone-centric September 9 event to be held at the Bill Graham Civic Center. Along with a full App Store that will include both apps and games, the new set top box will include deep Siri and search integration, a touch-based motion-enabled remote control, an A8 processor, and additional storage space.
Apple's event will begin at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time tomorrow morning. MacRumors will have live coverage both on MacRumors.com and through our MacRumorsLive Twitter account.
Apple's September 2015 media event will be kicking off at 10:00 AM Pacific tomorrow, and as is tradition some MacRumors readers who can't follow the event live are interested in avoiding all of the announcements and waiting until Apple posts the recorded video of the event so as to experience it without already knowing the outcome.
For those individuals, we've posted this news story, which will be updated with a direct link to the presentation once it becomes available from Apple. No other news stories or announcements will be displayed alongside this story.
Users waiting for the video to be posted are welcome to gather in the thread associated with this news story, and we ask that those who follow the events refrain from making any posts in the thread about Apple's announcements.
Video Posted: A direct link to the video file is now available, with no spoilers.
A new image of the packaging for the "iPhone 6s" has turned up online (via MacX), appearing similar to images of a box for the "iPhone 6s Plus" that were shared in late August. Both boxes showcase a koi pond-like fish against a white surface, suggesting the rumored packaging could be what Apple will use to box the next-generation iPhones, which are expected to be the centerpiece of the company's September 9 event tomorrow.
The fish image has also begun rumors surrounding the "iPhone 6s" and "iPhone 6s Plus," suggesting the new smartphones will include a motion wallpaper feature. Similar in spirit to the dynamic wallpapers Apple introduced in iOS 7, the supposed update would bring something more akin to the in-depth motion backgrounds of the Apple Watch and will feature images from fish in a koi pond to different color smoke clouds.
Fresco News today launched a major update to its iOS app, introducing a new look and bringing tools to let Fresco News users become paid reporters and photojournalists, uploading photos and videos from newsworthy events around the world.
Any Fresco user can upload photos and videos that can be commissioned by news organizations worldwide. With the Fresco Newsroom Tool Suite, news stations can create location-based assignments as soon as an event happens, which sends an alert to Fresco News users who can go and capture photos and videos. Content is vetted by the Fresco content team, with content owners receiving credit and payment for their work.
"We want to make reporting in the media more transparent, and we think creating a way for viewers to experience news through the eyes of regular, everyday people is the best way to do that," said John Meyer, CEO and founder. "For newsrooms, we've effectively created a way for them to get visual coverage of anything in 30 minutes or less using the incredible smartphone cameras in our pockets."
Using content gathered from Fresco participants, the Fresco News app is able to deliver news through the eyes of ordinary people around the world, providing a raw look at current events that are happening around the globe. A "Highlights" tab within the app offers up a list of the most recent user-reported stories, while the "Stories" tab shows a selection of images from trending global events.
A camera is front and center within the app, so all users can capture photos and videos should they encounter anything newsworthy. An "Assignments" tab houses all of the content requests created by news sites, which is where a Fresco user can go to receive assignments to capture photos and videos at nearby events.
Fresco News also has an accompanying Apple Watch app that lets users get a quick look at breaking news headlines, with Handoff to the iPhone available for reading a story in-depth.
Fresco's aim with the news Fresco News app is to cover a wider range of events happening worldwide. "We can shine a light on every relevant news event that should be read about and heard about," said Fresco News CEO John Meyer.
Apple has announced that pop star Ellie Goulding will open the 2015 Apple Music Festival in London on September 19, while country singer Carrie Underwood and rock band Mumford and Sons are also set to perform at the Roundhouse on September 21 and September 27 respectively.
The full lineup for the 2015 Apple Music Festival is now set:
- September 19: Ellie Goulding - September 20: Take That - September 21: Carrie Underwood - September 22: One Direction - September 23: The Weeknd - September 24: The Chemical Brothers - September 25: Disclosure - September 26: Pharrell Williams - September 27: Mumford & Sons - September 28: Florence + The Machine
Little Mix, NAO, Lion Babe, Leon Bridges, Jack Garrett and James Bay have been confirmed as special guests at the 2015 Apple Music Festival, with the remaining special guests to be announced soon.
Apple Music Festival, a renamed version of the iTunes Festival, is a free 10-day music festival at London's Roundhouse, featuring performances each night broadcast live and on-demand through Apple Music.
U.K. residents can apply to win tickets to the Apple Music Festival on Apple Music and through various media partners.
G-Technology today expanded its popular Evolution Series aimed at creative professionals, adding the new G-Speed Studio XL with ev Series Bay Adapters, ev Series Reader RED MINI-Mag Edition, G-Dock ev Solo, and ev Series FireWire Adapter.
For those unfamiliar with G-Technology's Evolution Series, it's a collection of flexible, interchangeable docking stations, external hard drives, and accessories, designed primarily for photo, video, and music editing.
The new G-Speed Studio XL, an eight-bay Thunderbolt 2 storage solution, introduces cross-compatibility between the ev Series and G-Technology's high-performance Studio XL. This version of the modular Studio XL includes two ev Series Bay Adapters that can accommodate all ev Series G-Drives. With the G-Speed Studio XL, it's possible for creative professionals to use one of the G-Drives out on location to capture content like photos and then plug directly into the G-Speed Studio XL when returning to the studio.
It's configurable in RAID 0, 1, 5, 6, and 10, and supports high volume data transfer rates of up to 1,200 MB/s. Pricing starts at $2,799.95 for 18TB and goes up to 48TB for $4,999.95.
G-Technology's ev Series Reader RED MINI-MAG Edition was created in collaboration with RED Digital Cinema and lets RED camera users transfer content from a RED MINI-MAG media card to any standalone USB 3.0 drive, G-Dock ev docking station, or the new ev Series G-Speed Studio XL. Because it can be plugged into G-Technology's Thunderbolt docks, it's a good solution for RED camera users looking for a Thunderbolt-connected reader. It's priced at $199.95.
The G-dock ev Solo is a simple USB 3.0 docking solution designed for shared environments like studios, computer labs, and classrooms. An existing ev Series hard drive can be plugged directly into the ev Solo, allowing users to transfer and edit files quickly. The G-Dock ev Solo is priced at $99.95.
G-Technology's last product debuting today is the ev Series FireWire Adapter that lets ev Series drives be attached to an older computer that has a FireWire 800 port. It's priced at $49.95.
All of the ev Series products being announced today will be available from the G-Technology website beginning in October, aside from the Firewire Adapter, which is available now.
While much of the real estate focus for Apple has been on Campus 2 in Cupertino and surrounding areas, the company has also been working hard on expanding its presence in Austin, Texas where it has for many years housed much of its operations and support efforts. Back in 2012, Apple announced a $300 million commitment to expand in Austin with a new seven-building campus and up to an additional 3,600 employees.
Along a winding road off Research Boulevard in Northwest Austin, Apple has quietly transformed 38 acres of wooded land into its second-largest operation in the world.
When the California-based technology giant completes the campus in 2016, it will include seven limestone-and-glass office buildings with a combined 1.1 million square feet of space with restaurants, smoothie and coffee bars along with a full-scale gym with two saunas and a spa-like wellness center with services including medical, dental and eye care, acupuncture and massage.
Apple reportedly remains on track to receive a $35 million tax break for reaching its hiring goals and has been working closely with the city to bring on local suppliers from the community.
Even as work continues on the new campus, Apple is looking elsewhere in Austin for further growth opportunities, purchasing a nearby 350,000 square foot campus it had already been leasing and leasing a new 216,000 square foot office building elsewhere in Austin.
Apple is stepping up its efforts to recruit employees focused on artificial intelligence and machine learning, reports Reuters. The report suggests Apple is looking to challenge Google's lead in features such as Google Now that learn to anticipate smartphone users' needs, something Apple is starting to address in iOS 9 with its new "Proactive" feature.
As part of its push, the company is currently trying to hire at least 86 more employees with expertise in the branch of artificial intelligence known as machine learning, according to a recent analysis of Apple job postings. The company has also stepped up its courtship of machine-learning PhD's, joining Google, Amazon, Facebook and others in a fierce contest, leading academics say.
Apple's machine learning efforts are in large part built with Siri in mind, and Siri should play an important role in this Wednesday's media event, as indicated by the event invitation's tagline.
Many of the currently posted positions are slated for software efforts, from building on Siri’s smarts to the burgeoning search features in iOS. The company is also hiring machine learning experts for divisions such as product marketing and retail, suggesting a broad-based effort to capitalize on data.
Reuters notes that Apple faces a challenge with machine learning due to its focus on privacy and reluctance to tap into all possible data sources. For example, with the Proactive features of iOS 9, Apple is primarily keeping all of the data and analysis on the user's phone, enhancing privacy but limiting some of what can be learned from data passed to the cloud.
Apple's strict policies not only limit what can be learned from user data but also discourage some machine learning experts from pursuing positions with Apple due to that lack of access. Still, Apple is said to be opening up about machine learning, engaging with academic programs in its efforts to lure talent and already having tripled or quadrupled the size of its machine learning team over the last few years.
KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has issued a new report that suggests next year's "iPhone 7" could be Apple's thinnest smartphone yet, with a thickness of somewhere between 6.0mm and 6.5mm, which Kuo mentions is a near similar measurement of the current iPod touch's 6.1mm. As a comparison, the current model of the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus are 6.9mm and 7.1mm thick, respectively.
The report also states that the company will stick to a similar Force Touch technology in next year's version of the iPhone, due to the heavy amount of time and investment Apple and its suppliers have put into adapting it for this year's "iPhone 6s" and "iPhone 6s Plus."
Due to this, Kuo believes that Apple is unlikely to switch from in-cell over to glass-on-glass touch panels next year, which a rumor out of Apple's supply chain in Asia suggested last week. The KGI report says that in-cell panels won't encounter any harsh production bottleneck issues, and that Apple won't be looking to create an iPhone display with a resolution of 4k or higher, so it's more likely for the company to stick with in-cell panels for the time being.
The continued use of in-cell panels would also grant Apple the ability to produce an iPhone as thin as Kuo's suggested 6.0mm-6.5mm size. Although glass-on-glass panels allow for the possibility of a bezel-free iPhone, it also limits the ability for the company to create smaller and thinner smartphones, so if KGI's claim of an iPod Touch-size iPhone is true, it would make most sense for the company to keep using in-cell panels.
The Danny Boyle-directed and Aaron Sorkin-penned Steve Jobs film premiered last night at the 42nd Annual Telluride Film Festival in Colorado, and the first impressions of the biopic are surfacing on the internet this morning. Although not a full review of the movie, Deadline has posted a short opinion piece about the film, noting impressive directing, well-paced editing, and a script by Sorkin that is "even more effective" than his Oscar-winning work on The Social Network.
It’s a companion piece to Sorkin’s Oscar-winning The Social Network screenplay — but even more effective. Boyle said the script is 200 pages and it is densely filled with the kind of dialogue only Sorkin seems to specialize in these days. It’s actually thrilling to listen to, an action movie driven almost exclusively by words, a rare thing for sure in today’s visually driven cinema.
[Boyle's] direction is flawless and really keeps this thing moving, avoiding the static pace it might have been in lesser hands. The result is well worth it, and those magical words provided lots of opportunity for great acting performances led by Michael Fassbender’s spot-on and relentless portrayal of the not-very-likable computer genius.
Notably, Deadline also caught up with Steve Wozniak at Telluride to get his opinion on the film, which partially portrays Wozniak's own life as well with Seth Rogen in the role of the Apple co-founder. Wozniak was enthusiastic about the movie, calling it "authentic" and particularly praising Kate Winslet's performance as Macintosh marketing chief Joanna Hoffman.
When I caught up with him Wozniak told me that, unlike the Jobs biopic with Ashton Kutcher, this one is totally authentic. “I saw a rough cut and I felt like I was actually watching Steve Jobs and the others (including Rogen’s dead-on portrayal of Wozniak), not actors playing them, I give full credit to Danny Boyle and Aaron Sorkin for getting it so right,” he enthusiastically told me, He adding that of all the actors in the film he thinks Winslet might be the most likely to garner awards attention.
The movie was portrayed as a "work in progress" to the attendees at Telluride, due to the fact that Boyle and his workers are still tweaking and editing parts of the movie. With just about a month to go until the film's wide release, it's likely small details like sound cues and other small edits that will make the Telluride screening largely similar to the final movie.
Other sites have begun posting full-length reviews, including Variety, who compares Sorkin's three-act, multiple time period structure to Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey. Also of note is a neat detail that Boyle shot each time period on era-relevant formats, a fact along with Boyle's uncharacteristically restrained direction that Variety particularly liked.
Working with d.p. Alwin Kutchler, Boyle sometimes sends the camera hurtling after the characters in lengthy, down-the-corridor tracking shots; elsewhere, the brief transitional snippets between acts feature some fairly aggressive stylization, in line with his usual m.o. But for the most part, this is the filmmaker’s most reined-in picture in some time, as if a too-kinetic approach would interfere with the verbal energy of Sorkin’s script.
Besides Guy Hendrix Dyas’ unobtrusively excellent production design, the picture’s major visual coup is the decision to shoot the three acts on three different formats: grainy 16mm film for 1984, lustrous 35mm for 1988, and sleek, high-definition digital for 1998. The distinctions may well be lost on the vast majority of viewers, but it’s just the sort of nicely understated aesthetic flourish that Steve Jobs himself would have surely appreciated.
Indiewire gave the film a B+, pointing out good performances from the cast and the movie's decision to focus on three highly stressful points in Jobs' life to showcase his true personality, ultimately calling it "a kind of "Birdman" for the tech sector," thanks to its real-time accounts of some highly dramatic backstage moments prior to a big show. The website also noted, however, that Sorkin's dialogue can suffer from "constant overstatement" and some foreshadowing to Apple's future feels "unnecessary."
The movie currently sits at a 100% on Rotten Tomatoes, but still has just five reviews collected at the time of writing. Although it's still just a handful positive opinions, it's a bit more encouraging as we enter the final stretch before the October 9 theatrical debut, especially for a film that's been a large source of speculation and rumors for so many years now.
Update: Oscar buzz is also surrounding the film coming out of Telluride, with Michael Fassbender's performance getting thrown into the Best Actor category along with other frontrunners like Johnny Depp in Black Mass and Eddie Redmayne in The Danish Girl.
Ahead of next week's big iPhone-centric event, Apple has begun decorating the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in San Francisco where the event will take place. As shared by several Twitter and Instagram users, signs with the Apple logo are beginning to go up, and several Apple-branded flags are flying.
A white Apple logo with rainbow-colored accents against a blue background is shown on one wall of the auditorium, shared by CBS/CNET photographer James Martin. The same design was seen on the invitations for the event and was created to mimic Siri's look on the Apple Watch and iOS 9.
Security is heavy around the auditorium, with security guards and police officers guarding signage that's being put up, according to someone on site who spoke to MacRumors and provided pictures. Some of the security guards are now wearing outfits with Apple logos on them.
The colorful Apple logos are accompanied several flags surrounding the auditorium, featuring a white Apple logo on a dark blue background. Swarms of workers are all over the perimeter of the auditorium, running cables up walls into the interior and building out the infrastructure needed for the event.
Along with the flags, Apple has decorated light posts in the area with matching Siri-style banners in a dark blue shade. The decorations for the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium are already beginning to outshine decorations and signage used at past events, and Apple is likely to continue adding more over the course of the weekend.
Apple's upcoming Wednesday, September 9 event is expected to be huge. The auditorium where it's being held seats 7,000, and the company may be using some of the available space to demo products that will be released. The event will see the debut of an unprecedented number of devices, including the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus, the new Apple TV, the iPad mini 4, and the iPad Pro.
Apple is also expected to introduce additional Apple Watch Sport materials, perhaps in gold, and new Sport bands. An iPad keyboard may also make an appearance at the event, and we'll also get release details for iOS 9 and watchOS 2.
MacRumors will provide live coverage of Apple's event, through a live blog on MacRumors.com and on our MacRumorsLive Twitter account.
With Labor Day fast approaching, retailers are offering great discounts on a wide range of Apple products, from the iPad mini 3 and iPad Air 2 to the MacBook Air and Retina MacBook Pro.
If you've been waiting for a sale to pick up a laptop or a tablet, now is the time to buy. Many products are at the lowest prices we've seen, or close to it. We've also rounded up some deals on accessories and we've highlighted a list of popular apps and games that are on sale this week.
Just a reminder: Apple's Back to School promotion is still going on both in stores and online, with Apple offering a free pair of Beats Solo2 headphones with the purchase of an eligible Mac. Eligible Macs include the iMac, MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, MacBook, and Mac Pro.
iPad Air 2
Best Buy is discounting its entire iPad Air 2 lineup this week by up to $100, so now is a great time to purchase one of Apple's larger iPads. The iPad Air 2 is not going to be upgraded next week, making it safe to purchase now.
The biggest discounts are on the higher-capacity models, with the 128GB Cellular iPad Air 2 discounted by $100, dropping the price to $729.99. That price is available on the Gold, Silver, and Space Gray models.
Based on a few whispers and some research, MacRumors believes that Swiss real-time motion capture firm Faceshift may have been acquired by Apple in recent weeks. Faceshift has been working with game and animation studios, as well as smaller companies, on technology to quickly and accurately capture facial expressions using 3D sensors, including releasing Faceshift Studio software with plugins for animation software like Maya and Unity. More recently, the company has been working toward consumer-facing software such as a Skype plugin that would support real-time avatars for video chat.
Faceshift was launched in 2011 out of the Computer Graphics and Geometry Laboratory at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne and has shown off some impressive demos of its technology in a number of settings. In mid-2013, the company brought on industry veteran Doug Griffin, formerly of Industrial Light & Magic and Electronic Arts, to head up a San Francisco office.
Faceshift has clearly been acquired by another company in recent weeks, as noted in a Swiss company registry filing from August 19 showing the three original corporate directors having stepped down as of August 14 and being replaced by Baker & McKenzie mergers and acquisitions attorney Martin Frey. Frey does not appear to have any direct links with Apple, but Apple has frequently used Baker & McKenzie's services in a number of countries around the world, including management of some of Apple's Swiss trademarks.
For this week’s giveaway, we’ve teamed up with Nomad to give five MacRumors readers a chance to win either a Nomad Pod or a Nomad Stand for the Apple Watch.
The Nomad Pod is a compact Apple Watch stand and charger that includes an 1800 mAh battery for charging your Apple Watch even when away from home. The two-piece Pod includes a handy hidden cord wrap and a brushed aluminum cover held in place by magnets. It ships with a keychain-sized Nomad Micro-USB cable to keep it charged, and a rubber backing on the bottom keeps it secure on any surface.
The palm-sized Nomad Pod works with all open-band Apple Watches and it is available in Space Gray or Silver for $59.95.
Nomad’s Stand for Apple Watch is a precision machined aluminum charging stand that has a svelte curved design. Also available in either Space Gray or Silver, the Nomad Stand is an ultra simple stand with a clever non-visible side channel for hiding the Apple Watch cable.
It includes a non-slip rubber foot at the bottom to prevent it from moving around on a desk or a nightstand, and its design lets it work with all of Apple’s watch bands, from the Sport Band to the Link Bracelet. It retails for $69.95.
Five MacRumors readers will be able to win either a Nomad Stand or a Nomad Pod, with each winner being able to pick the product of their choice. To enter to win, use the Rafflecopter widget below and enter your email address. Your email address will not be given to any will be used solely for contact and shipping purposes.
You can earn additional entries by subscribing to our weekly newsletter, subscribing to our YouTube channel, following us on Twitter, or visiting the MacRumorsFacebook 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 (September 4) at 11:00 a.m. Pacific time through 11:00 a.m. Pacific time on September 11. The winners will be chosen randomly on September 11 and will be contacted by email. The winners have 48 hours to respond and provide a shipping address. The prizes will be shipped to the winners for free.
9to5Mac reported similar information, claiming the iPad Pro will have expanded Bluetooth keyboard support and that Apple is working on a new keyboard accessory for the rumored 12.9-inch tablet, which could be released by year end. The report also hinted at the possibility of new gold Apple Watch Sport colors.
Last month, a new Apple Wireless Keyboard with Bluetooth 4.2 and a rechargeable lithium-on battery was discovered in filings with the U.S. Federal Communications Commission. Images of an Apple Wireless Keyboard with backlit keys and a power button also briefly surfaced on the Apple Online Store in March.
MacRumors has also received information about Apple's plans to release at least one new metal finish for the Apple Watch. KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo first noted the Apple Watch may gain additional casing options in March, and three months later said a yellow and rose gold Apple Watch Sport will launch in the fall.
Apple Watch Sport spray painted gold by Casey Neistat on YouTube
Apple is also expected to debut new Apple Watch Sport bands at its September 9th media event, possibly with a focus on darker colors.
MacRumors will be providing live blog coverage of Apple's "Hey Siri" media event, which begins next Wednesday at 10:00 AM Pacific.
Apple is stepping up its efforts to recruit employees focused on artificial intelligence and machine learning, 
