MacRumors

Kenwood today announced that its two aftermarket CarPlay and Android Auto systems unveiled at CES 2015 are now shipping to retailers with a suggested price of $900 to $950 each. The Kenwood DDX9702S and Kenwood Excelon DDX9902S are the only aftermarket units that allow drivers to switch between CarPlay and Android Auto without having to manually change settings or reset the unit.

For CarPlay, the aftermarket systems use Siri voice control to provide hands-free access to Maps, Phone, Messages, Music, Podcasts and third-party apps such as Spotify, Rdio, iHeartRadio, CBS Radio and MLB At Bat. Similarly, Android Auto allows drivers to use Google voice to play and select music, receive directions and hear turn-by-turn navigation, while Google Now cards provide contextual location- and preference-based information at relevant times.

The multimedia receivers serve as in-car entertainment and information systems, with both featuring a 6.95-inch resistive touch display with navigation, a back-up camera view and multiple audio and video options. Both units are also SiriusXM-ready and feature Bluetooth for handsfree phone calls and streaming media playback, built-in HD Radio, an HDMI input with MHL support and DVD playback.

Pioneer announced in late March that its CarPlay and Android Auto aftermarket systems are also available at select retailers in the United States for between $700 and $1,400. The second-generation NEX in-dash multimedia receiver models available include the AVIC-8100NEX, AVIC-7100NEX and AVH-4100NEX, and the CarPlay-only AVIC-6100NEX and AVIC-5100NEX.

In addition to standard CarPlay and Android Auto functionality, including Siri voice control and Google Now contextual information, the aftermarket Pioneer NEX units feature advanced Bluetooth capabilities, an AppRadio mode, MirrorLink compatibility, iDatalink Maestro support, the ability to stream Pandora and SiriusXM, and FLAC file playback.

CarPlay and Android Auto support is also being added to several General Motors vehicle brands this year, including 14 new 2016 Chevrolet models, select 2016 model Cadillacs, excluding the SRX Crossover, and select 2016 Buick and GMC models. Volkswagen is also adding CarPlay support in late 2015.

Apple Music has signed two major indie music rights holders Beggars Group and Merlin Network, which represent over 20,000 indie labels and distributors, reports Billboard. The licensing agencies agreed to sign up for Apple Music after Apple changed course and agreed to pay artists on a per-stream basis during the streaming music service's three-month trial period.

"I am pleased to say that Apple has made a decision to pay for all usage of Apple Music under the free trials on a per-play basis, as well as to modify a number of other terms that members had been communicating directly with Apple about," said Merlin CEO Charles Caldas. "With these changes, we are happy to support the deal."

Beggars Group is a British company that distributes labels 4AD, Rough Trade Records, Matador Records and XL Recordings among others, representing artists such as Adele, Arcade Fire and Radiohead, and helping along the careers of Basement Jaxx, M.I.A, The Prodigy and others. Merlin is an aggregator of several smaller labels that have represented music groups such as The xx.

Billboard obtained a copy of the full Apple Music letter sent to Merlin Network members:

Dear Merlin Member

I am pleased to say that Apple has made a decision to pay for all usage of Apple Music under the free trials on a per-play basis, as well as to modify a number of other terms that members had been communicating directly with Apple about. With these changes, we are happy to support the deal.

As you know Merlin has not historically had a direct contract with Apple. Apple has direct deals with our members, and that continues to be the case. Therefore, the amendments referred to above will apply to your existing direct agreements, and the amended contract will shortly appear on iTunes Connect. However, Apple has indicated that in the future they are open to engaging with Merlin as a central point of communication and negotiation for our membership.

Apple has a long standing, deep rooted relationship with the music community and has always helped ensure artists get paid for their work. We think Apple Music provides artists with a business model that’s good for the long term and we look forward to its launch on June 30.

We would remind you as ever that each member must make its own independent decisions in relation to Apple Music and its business in general.

Apple Music has also been endorsed by independent music advocate group Worldwide Independent Network (WIN), an agreement reached just hours after the Beggars Group and Merlin deals, according to Billboard. WIN was established in 2006 to address the business, creative and market access issues faced by indie artists and the larger independent music sector.

Apple has renewed its exclusive rights to use Liquidmetal Technologies' unique metal alloys in its line of products, according to a document filed today with the SEC. The new agreement extends Apple's relationship with Liquidmetal Technologies until February 5, 2016.

On June 17, 2015, Liquidmetal Technologies, Inc. (the "Company") and Apple Inc. ("Apple") entered into a third amendment (the "Third Amendment") to the Master Transaction Agreement that was originally entered into on August 5, 2010 and amended on June 15, 2012 and May 17, 2014 (the "MTA"). Under the MTA and its first two amendments in 2012 and 2014, the Company was obligated to contribute to Crucible Intellectual Property, LLC, a special purpose subsidiary of the Company, all intellectual property acquired or developed by the Company from August 5, 2010 through February 5, 2015, and all intellectual property held by Crucible Intellectual Property, LLC was exclusively licensed on a perpetual basis to Apple for the field of use of consumer electronic products under the MTA.

Liquidmetal's alloys are of interest to Apple and those who follow the company due to their unique properties including high strength, corrosion resistance, light weight, and malleability. Apple has used Liquidmetal's technology to develop the SIM removal tool for the iPhone 3G, but no other confirmed use of the alloys is known.

Apple continues to work with Liquidmetal technology, as evidenced in an array of patents that have surfaced over the last several years, and the company has been rumored to be considering Liquidmetal for iOS device home buttons, touch sensors, and tamper-resistant screws.

Apple today released the second beta of iOS 9, introducing a number of performance improvements, feature updates, and bug fixes to the beta software that was first seeded to developers on June 8.

iOS 9 beta 2 includes several minor design tweaks and feature updates that have been introduced as Apple works to refine the software ahead of its public release this fall. With the changes, the beta is already feeling faster and more polished, with a much improved search function. We've gathered up a full list of the minor changes we've found in iOS 9 beta 2 below.

Podcasts - The Podcasts has a newly updated icon that's bolder. The layout of the app has also been updated slightly, changing the position of some of the download buttons.

Handoff - Handoff is again being displayed in the App Switcher screen. Handoff was not available in the App Switcher in the first iOS 9 beta.

Search - Search appears to be much improved in iOS 9 beta 2, bringing up both more results and a wider range of results for each search query.

Apple Watch app - The Apple Watch app has a new, simpler name, having been renamed to "Watch."

News setting - There's now a "News" toggle under iCloud in the Settings app, but toggling it on does not do anything as the News app is not yet available.

Search settings - In the Settings app under General --> Search, there's now a list of all installed apps with the option to toggle them on or off in search results. Previously, this menu showed only Apple search results and options like Bing Web Results, Documents, Found in Mail, Safari Suggestions, and more.

iPad keyboard tweaks - The edit functions on the iPad keyboard have been tweaked slightly. There's now an undo/redo option that shows up as the default edit function in place of the cut/paste tool. The cutting and pasting edit tools continue to be available, showing up when text is selected.

Auto app delete/reinstall - This is actually a beta 1 feature, but it was discovered as users installed beta 2. When attempting to install iOS 9 on a device with insufficient space, there's an option to temporarily delete apps to make room, with the OS automatically reinstalling deleted content after the update is completed.

Safari - In beta 2, the option for "Content Blockers" in the Settings app under Safari is hidden until a Content Blocker is installed. There are also new options to toggle on the Tab Bar and Favorites Bar.

Additional feature updates in iOS 9 beta 2 will be added here as they are discovered. Apple should continue to release regular updates to iOS 9 at two to three week intervals throughout the beta testing period to bring minor performance boosts and changes ahead of the operating system's official launch. iOS 9 is expected to be released to the public in the fall, but a public beta test will come first, in July.

Developers who are installing the second beta of iOS 9 have discovered a highly useful iOS 9 space management feature, which will help users who have little space on their devices install major operating system updates.

When attempting to install iOS 9 on a device with insufficient space, there's a popup that offers to temporarily delete some apps in order to make room for the update. Apps that are deleted are then reinstalled and replaced after the operating system update is completed.

With iOS 8, many users with 16GB devices were disappointed with the large installation size of the operating system. As it was over 4GB, few users with 16GB devices had the space for the update, which may be one of the main reasons that iOS 8 installation rates were slow for several months following release. Given the disappointment that many customers expressed with the install size of iOS 8, Apple's made efforts to make iOS 9 much more space efficient.

Apple has significantly reduced the installation size of the operating system to just 1.3GB to make it easier for people to find the space for an update, and this new auto app deletion feature will ensure that almost all customers can upgrade their devices with little hassle. Other features, such as app thinning for developers, will also help free up space on devices by installing only the necessary app assets for each device.

Apple today released the second beta of OS X 10.11 El Capitan to developers for testing purposes, just over two weeks after unveiling the new operating system at its 2015 Worldwide Developers Conference. Any new changes found in the second El Capitan beta will be detailed below.

The update, build 15A204h, is available through the software update mechanism in the Mac App Store and through the Apple Developer Center. Apple has also released OS X Server 5.0 beta 2.

OS X El Capitan largely builds on the features introduced with OS X Yosemite, focusing on improving performance and user experience. Behind-the-scenes improvements in El Capitan have made a number of apps and processes on the Mac much faster, and the introduction of Metal makes system-level graphics rendering 40 percent more efficient.

Along with a new systemwide font, El Capitan includes a revamped Mission Control feature, a new Split View feature for using two full-screen apps at once, deeper functionality for Spotlight, and several new features for Safari, including Pinned Sites for housing frequently-visited websites and a universal mute button that quiets all tabs.

Mail's been updated with new iOS-style gestures and Smart Suggestions, and Photos, Notes, and Maps have also gained small improvements.

OS X 10.11 El Capitan is currently only available to registered developers, but Apple plans to offer a public beta of the software in July. Following testing, El Capitan will see a final release in the fall of 2015.

Apple today released the second beta of iOS 9 to developers for testing purposes, just over two weeks after unveiling the new operating system at its 2015 Worldwide Developers Conference. Changes that are new to iOS 9 beta 2 are covered in our iOS 9 beta 2 tidbits post.

The update, build 13A4280e, is available as an over-the-air update and it is also available for download through the Apple Developer Center. Apple has also released Xcode 7 beta 2.

According to the iOS 9 beta 2 release notes, today's update includes fixes for many bugs and problems that were present in the first beta. AirPlay connectivity is improved, changing a password in the Family section of iCloud Settings now works, restoring from a backup created in iOS 9 is faster, Mail no longer crashes when trying to print a message, and third-party keyboards work in search results.

There are many lingering problems with the beta. FaceTime calls do not work on the iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, and the iPad Air 2, Lightning video dongles don't work, Activation Lock may say it's activated for Apple Watch when it is not, creating an Apple ID via Game Center may cause crashing, signing into an iTunes account when restoring from backup with 2fa can get stuck sending a verification code, the Music app doesn't show the Music tab, and more.

iOS 9's biggest focus is on intelligence and proactivity, allowing iOS devices to learn user habits and act on that information, providing recommendations on places we might like, apps we might like to use, and more. Siri is smarter in iOS 9, with the ability to create contextual reminders, and search is improved with new sources.

Many of the built in apps have been improved, including Notes, Maps, and Mail. Apple Pay has been renamed to Wallet, and iOS 9 introduces split-screen multitasking for the iPad along with a revamped keyboard. In addition to these consumer-facing features, iOS 9 brings significant under-the-hood performance improvements.

With battery optimizations, iOS devices have an additional hour of battery life, and a new Low Power Mode extends the battery even further. iOS updates take up less space in iOS 9, and many app install sizes are smaller due to a feature called app thinning. iOS 9 is capable of running on all devices that support iOS 8.

iOS 9 is currently only available to developers, but Apple plans to introduce a public iOS 9 beta in July before the final release of the software in the fall.

Apple today seeded the second watchOS 2 beta to developers, just over two weeks after announcing the new operating system update at its Worldwide Developers Conference.

watchOS 2 requires iOS 9 and can be downloaded over-the-air through the Apple Watch app on the iPhone by going to General --> Software Update.

watchOS 2 is the first major update to watchOS, the software that runs on the Apple Watch. The new software brings many new features that Apple Watch developers can take advantage of, including native apps that run on the Apple Watch itself instead of the iPhone.

It also allows developers to access the Taptic Engine and a number of other sensors in the Apple Watch, including the heart rate monitor, the microphone, and the accelerometer.

Along with these features for developers, which will lead to much more complex and full-featured third-party Apple Watch apps, the update introduces new watch faces (photo albums and time-lapse), third-party Complications, Time Travel for viewing upcoming events in a watch face Complication, and a Nightstand mode that's activated when the watch is charging, displaying the time.

New communication features include the ability to add more than 12 friends to your friends list and the ability to create sketches in multiple colors. Mail's also being updated, making it possible to reply to Mail messages using dictation, and FaceTime Audio support is included.

watchOS 2 is currently only available to registered developers who have also installed iOS 9 on their iPhones. Apple plans to release the software to the public in the fall.

Update: Apple has temporarily pulled watchOS 2 beta 2.

Update 2 6:30 p.m.: watchOS 2 beta 2 is available for download again.

Google today announced that it's adding a free tier to its Google Music subscription service, just a week ahead of the launch of Apple Music. Apple Music doesn't include a free listening tier, but it is accompanied by a free ad-supported radio service that provides users with a way to access music without shelling out cash.

Google's free listening tier is built around Songza, the radio-based streaming service that Google purchased last July. It includes curated radio stations and playlists, which Google describes as human-curated and crafted "song by song" for moods and activities like working out or driving. It's currently available in the United States and rolling out to Android and iOS devices this week.

At any moment in your day, Google Play Music has whatever you need music for--from working, to working out, to working it on the dance floor--and gives you curated radio stations to make whatever you're doing better. Our team of music experts, including the folks who created Songza, crafts each station song by song so you don't have to. If you're looking for something specific, you can browse our curated stations by genre, mood, decade or activity, or you can search for your favorite artist, album or song to instantly create a station of similar music.

Apple's own upcoming revamped radio service also has a heavy focus on human curation, headlined by the live Beats 1 radio station that will play music chosen by human DJs 24/7. It will be broadcast in more than 100 countries and led by former BBC DJ Zane Lowe and other famous DJs from Los Angeles, New York, and London, airing not only music but also exclusive interviews and music news.

Google, like Apple, is hoping that its free radio service will entice customers to subscribe to the company's paid music service. Google Play Music is priced at $9.99 per month and it offers a free 30-day listening trial.

General Motors today announced that select 2016 model year Buick and GMC vehicles will support CarPlay and Android Auto through the IntelliLink system, including the 2016 Buick LaCrosse and Regal and 2016 GMC Canyon, Yukon and Sierra. Buick and GMC will support CarPlay at the beginning of the model year and add Android Auto compatibility to select vehicles later in the model year.

The built-in IntelliLink screen will indicate when a CarPlay or Android Auto compatible smartphone is connected via USB, enabling quick and easy access to Maps, Phone, Messages, Music, Podcasts and third-party apps such as Spotify, Rdio, iHeartRadio, CBS Radio and MLB At Bat. CarPlay also uses Siri voice control and interfaces with your vehicle's knobs, dials and buttons for hands-free or eyes-free control of your iPhone.

GM announced in late May that it is adding CarPlay and Android Auto support to 14 new 2016 Chevrolet models later this year, with the 650 HP Corvette Z06 the first vehicle to roll off the assembly line and head to dealerships. GM's luxury car brand Cadillac will also be adding CarPlay and Android Auto support to its 2016 model vehicles equipped with a CUE 8-inch multi-touch screen, excluding the SRX Crossover.