MacRumors

Archives
Older Posts Previous Page

'Nourish' System Provides Supplements Based on Fitness Tracker & App Data [Updated]

by

FitNatic yesterday launched a new Indiegogo campaign centered around a device called the "Nourish." The "Intelligent Countertop Supplement System" aims to provide users with a detailed, personalized concoction of vitamins based on information collected from health apps and fitness trackers synced with the Nourish.

nourish countertop
The system itself is a black box with a 15-inch touch screen on its front and rows of 16 "seeds" lining its top. After taking into account data collected from locations like an Apple Watch or the Health app -- including exercises, blood pressure, and sleep patterns -- Nourish will dispense a specific cocktail of personalized nutrition in the form of a powder that users simply dump into a bottle of water and drink.

As Aldo Beqiraj, founder of FitNatic, explains, the combination of data collected from sources like a Fitbit and apps like MyFitnessPal, the Nourish can present users with a detailed list of nutrients scheduled out over daily and weekly dispenses. The Nourish also can ask users for extra caffeine in the morning if they're feeling tired, or inquire as to whether you want more glutamine in a post-workout blend if feeling sore.


When a particular seed is beginning to run out, Nourish will notify its user, and FitNatic will deliver replacement seeds if the user opted in for the company's automatic home delivery service. FitNatic even says Nourish will begin to learn your preferences over time, and begin to suggest new seeds "that will be more beneficial and help you reach your goals faster."

There's also an app for the system that lays out a weekly dispensing schedule for the device, highlights nutrients your body needs, and points you towards ways to capitalize on the system. The app also reminds you of your "optimal metabolic window," and sends a push reminder to drink the next blend. Users just need to tap dispense, and the Nourish mixes the ingredients, eventually raising the 15-inch touch screen to reveal a hidden compartment holding the Nourish Pod with the requisite blended nutrients.

nourish seeds

The 16 'seeds' filled with various supplements that line the top of the Nourish

FitNatic is looking to crowd-funding to help make the molds its manufacturer needs to enter the device into a larger-scaled production line, along with basic funding requirements like cloud optimization, final firmware development, production and tooling, and shipping and fulfillment. The perks for the Indiegogo start at $299 for one Nourish alongside a one month supply of supplement seed pods. After that early bird special ends, the same perk will cost those interested $399.

Nourish has 37 days left to reach its $65,000 goal, so there's plenty of time left for anyone thinking about backing the project to decide whether or not to contribute to FitNatic's fitness-focused system. Those who do are promised a shipping date estimate of January 2016.

Update August 12: A reddit thread raises serious questions about Nourish's legitimacy, highlighting a number of previous crowdfunding campaigns from members of the FitNatic team for various products that have yet to be delivered. As a result, MacRumors recommends users consider carefully before backing this latest project.

Tags: FitNatic, Nourish
Show Full Article

Apple Launches 2015 Back to School Promotion, Offers Free Beats Solo2 Headphones With Mac Purchase

by

Apple today launched its annual Back to School promotion, offering a free pair of Beats Solo2 On-Ear headphones to qualifying students, parents of students and educators that purchase an eligible Mac, including the iMac, MacBook, MacBook Pro, MacBook Air and Mac Pro. As usual, the Mac mini and refurbished Macs are excluded from the deal. iPhones and iPads are also absent from this year's promotion.

beatssolo2
Apple will apply an instant credit in the amount of $199.95 to cover the full cost of the Beats Solo 2 On-Ear headphones in gloss black, white, red, blue, gray or pink. Apple is also offering the option to upgrade to Beats Solo2 Wireless On-Ear Headphones in space gray, silver or gold for $100 extra, which is the remaining balance after the $199.95 credit is applied.

Apple's Back to School promotion offered up to a $100 Apple Store gift card with the purchase of a qualifying Mac, iPhone or iPad in past years, including the 2014 and 2013 promotions, but the iPhone and iPad are not included in this year's deal. Apple has outlined the full eligibility requirements for the program in its terms and conditions for the United States [PDF] and Canada [PDF] on its website.

Apple has traditionally launched its Back to School program during June or early July, with the second Tuesday of July being the target date for several years in a row, but this year's launch has come later in the month than expected. Apple has also moved away from offering free Apple Store or iTunes gift cards for the first time since offering a free iPod touch with a qualifying Mac in 2010 and prior.

Apple's Back to School promotion runs from today through September 18, 2015 at Apple Retail Stores, and between August 6, 2015 and September 18, 2015 on the Apple Online Store, in the United States, Puerto Rico and Canada. Apple has not yet officially announced the promotion in the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Denmark or several other European countries that have offered the deal in previous years.

Juli Clover contributed to this report.

Update 9:30 AM Pacific: Apfelpage.de and iFun.de report that the same promotion will be offered in Germany starting August 6.

Tags: Back to School Promotion, Beats Electronics
Show Full Article

Apple Pay Adds 35 New Participating Issuers in United States

by

Apple-PayApple updated its Apple Pay participating issuers list today with 35 additional banks, credit unions and financial institutions supporting the contactless payment service in the United States. Apple Pay now has over 375 participating issuers nationwide, and dozens more plan to support the NFC-based mobile payment service in the future.

The newly added Apple Pay participating issuers are reflected below, although it's worth noting that some banks, credit unions and financial institutions listed may have already had support for the contactless payments service and are only now being reflected on Apple's website.

The full list of new Apple Pay participating issuers:

  • 1st Source Bank

  • Allegacy Federal Credit Union

  • Amarillo National Bank

  • American National Bank and Trust

  • Cambridge Trust Bank

  • CASE Credit Union

  • CME FCU

  • Coast Line Credit Union

  • Columbia Bank

  • Community Financial Credit Union

  • Eagle Federal Credit Union

  • Earlham Savings Bank

  • Eastern Bank

  • Evergreen Credit Union

  • Fidelity Bank

  • Federal Savings Bank

  • First Financial Bank

  • First National Bank and Trust

  • First National Bank of Omaha

  • FNB Community Bank

  • Heritage Family Federal Credit Union

  • Meritrust Credit Union

  • NuMark Credit Union

  • Pittsford Federal Credit Union

  • Premier Federal Credit Union

  • Quail Creek Bank

  • Reliabank Dakota

  • Reliant Federal Credit Union

  • Renesant Bank

  • SESLOC Federal Credit Union

  • Stanford FCU

  • The Summit Federal Credit Union

  • Umpqua Bank

  • VisionBank

  • Y-12 Federal Credit Union

Apple Pay is accepted at nearly 750,000 locations in the United States and United Kingdom, and Apple is committed to an international rollout of the mobile payments service in additional countries such as Canada and China in the near future.

Canada could be the next country to embrace the service outside of the U.S. and U.K. in November. The country has already migrated to Chip-and-PIN debit and credit cards and many retailers and businesses have since upgraded to NFC-based terminals to accept contactless payments.

Related Roundup: Apple Pay
Related Forum: Apple Music, Apple Pay/Card, iCloud, Fitness+
Show Full Article

Apple Expanding Made for Apple Watch Program to Include Stands With Integrated Chargers

by

While the release of the Apple Watch has seen a boom in third-party docks and stands for the device, those accessories have needed the stock charger that Apple supplies to charge the Apple Watch. However, Apple will soon allow manufacturers to make official third-party Apple Watch docks and stands with integrated chargers, according to 9to5Mac.

mophieapplewatchdock

Mophie's Watch Dock with non-integrated Apple Watch charger

The change is coming for manufacturers in Apple's Made for Apple Watch program, which is similar to the Made for iPhone/iPod/iPad program, known more simply as the MFi program. This will allow manufacturers to obtain the charging pad at the end of the Apple Watch charging cable so that they can install them in their dock and stand accessories. Previously, users had to insert their own charging cables into third-party stands and docks, making those products a little complicated to set up.

However, the charging components are currently only available in "sample quantities" and official plans for accessories with integrated chargers cannot be submitted for approval. It's unknown when the first Apple Watch docks and stands with integrated chargers will be available.

Tag: MFi Program
Show Full Article

Apple Releases Flash Storage Firmware Update for 2015 MacBook Pros

by

Apple today released MacBook Pro Flash Storage Firmware Update 1.0 for the 2015 MacBook Pro, which fixes a storage firmware issue that could cause data corruption in rare cases.

Apple recommends that all customers who have a mid-2015 MacBook Pro download and install the update. It can be acquired from the Mac App Store on affected machines or directly from Apple's support site.

macbookprofirmwareupdate
The mid-2015 MacBook Pro includes all 15-inch Retina MacBook Pro models that were released in May of this year. As MacRumors readers have pointed out, the 13-inch Retina MacBook Pro released in March is an "early-2015" model.

Show Full Article

Video Review: Catalyst's Waterproof Case Keeps Your iPhone 6 Dry, but With Some Drawbacks

by

For our latest video review, we went hands-on with a waterproof iPhone 6 Plus case from Catalyst, which the company calls "the most protective case in the world." It's waterproof up to a depth of 5 meters (16.4 feet) and it's also shock and drop resistant, made from polycarbonate with a rubber bumper and silicone seals.

In our testing, the Catalyst case lived up to its claims and kept our iPhone safe when we stuck it in a sink full of water, but in our opinion, this isn't a case you're going to want to use on a daily basis.


It's protective, but that comes at the expense of the thin and svelte form of the iPhone. Catalyst's case adds a lot of bulk, plus it makes the volume and the power buttons nearly impossible to use because the material it's made of is so rigid. We also had a harder time using the iPhone's touch screen due to the air gap between the protective cover and the display.

Catalyst's waterproof case may not be ideal for every day use, but it's a great option for situations where water protection is essential. You can use this case to take photos at the beach, in the pool, while snorkeling, and more, and your device will be protected from water, dust, dirt, and other elements.

The iPhone 6 Plus case is available in several different colors from the Catalyst website, and it's priced at $74.99. There's also an iPhone 6 version, which is priced at $69.99, and there are several accessories available for purchase like a floating lanyard, an audio adapter, and replacement parts.

Note: MacRumors received no compensation for this review.

Tags: Review, Video Review
Show Full Article

Apple's Strict Bluetooth LE Security Requirements Slowing Rollout of HomeKit Accessories

by

HomeKit iPhone 6While it has been more than a year since Apple launched HomeKit, a software framework for communicating with and controlling light bulbs, thermostats, door locks and other connected accessories in the home, only five HomeKit-approved products have been released to date: the Ecobee3, Elgato Eve, iHome iSP5 SmartPlug, Insteon Hub and Lutron Caseta Wireless Lighting Starter Kit.

The slow rollout of HomeKit-enabled hardware accessories is not because of a lack of interest in the platform, but rather Apple's strict security requirements for Bluetooth LE (low energy) devices, according to Forbes. In particular, the strong level of encryption required to use the HomeKit protocol through Bluetooth LE has resulted in lag times that essentially render some accessories useless.

For example, a smartlock that makes its user wait 40 seconds before it opens is clearly inferior to a traditional lock. One of HomeKit’s selling point is that it provides a more reliable user experience, so these kinds of lag times will need to be sorted out before Apple can become a major platform for the smart home.

eve-elgato

Elgato Eve smart home sensors for doors, windows and energy consumption

Chipmakers such as Broadcom and Marvell have reportedly been working to improve their Bluetooth LE chips to more effectively handle Apple's level of encryption, an important step if the company wants to become a major player in the smart home. In the meantime, developers have either been focusing on Wi-Fi-based HomeKit hardware or working on temporary solutions to the problem.

For the time being, Elgato has found a workaround for these problems with Bluetooth LE. It’s tweaked the firmware and added additional on-chip memory to handle the heavy-duty encryption. Elgato was not anticipating having to go make these modifications initially, and now the company hopes to make a side business selling its tweaks to other device makers wanting to build HomeKit devices with Bluetooth LE.

HomeKit delays have also been attributed to "sparse and shifting" documentation and Apple's tedious certification process for its "Made for iPhone/iPad/iPod" (MFi) program. HomeKit accessory makers are required to send multiple prototypes of their products to Apple for testing, and the process can be lengthy until Apple is satisfied.

Apple's attention to detail and focus on security should prove worthwhile for customers, however, and the company has the size and reputation to enforce manufacturers to adopt those high standards. "This is one of those things that Apple does," a source working on a HomeKit device told Forbes. "They force an issue. It’s like that here. Regular Bluetooth has an issue — it's not secure."

Tags: Bluetooth LE, HomeKit Guide, Security
Show Full Article

Apple Releases Second iOS 9 and OS X El Capitan Public Betas

by

ios_9_iconApple today seeded second betas of iOS 9 and OS X El Capitan to public beta testers, nearly two weeks after beta testers received access to the first public betas. Today's iOS 9 public beta offering has a build number of 13A4305g, which means content-wise, it's the same as the fourth iOS 9 beta that was seeded to developers yesterday. The version of OS X El Capitan public beta testers are receiving is also identical to El Capitan beta 4.

Beta testers who have signed up for Apple's beta testing program and already have the first public betas installed can update over-the-air for iOS 9 or through the Software Update mechanism in the Mac App Store for OS X.

The iOS 9 beta includes the return of Home Sharing for music, which was removed in iOS 8.4, and it's the first beta that supports Apple's new iPod touch. Other changes include a new look for Handoff in the app switcher and a bug fix that once again allows the volume buttons on an iOS device to serve as a shutter for the camera. A full list of changes in the beta can be found in our iOS 9 beta 4 tidbits list.

OS X El Capitan beta 4 focused more on performance improvements and bug fixes with few outward changes to the operating system.

Both iOS 9 and OS X El Capitan 10.11 are expected to be released in the fall.

Related Forums: iOS 9, OS X El Capitan
Show Full Article

Apple Watch Captured Estimated 75% Smartwatch Market Share in Launch Quarter

by

Apple Watch SS ClassicThe latest data from research firm Strategy Analytics estimates that the Apple Watch captured 75.5% global smartwatch market share during its launch quarter, trailed by Samsung's estimated 7.5% market share.

Strategy Analytics estimates that Apple sold 4 million Apple Watches in the second quarter of 2015, while runner-up Samsung sold an estimated 400,000 smartwatches during the three-month period ending June 30.

Many analysts have adjusted their Apple Watch sales estimates following the company's earnings report on Tuesday, with the consensus now ranging between 2.2 million and 3 million units sold, so Strategy Analytics's 4 million estimate seems overly high. Nevertheless, it is clear that the Apple Watch has become the best-selling smartwatch since its release.

Neil Mawston, Executive Director at Strategy Analytics, added, “We estimate Apple Watch shipped 4.0 million units and captured a dominant 75 percent smartwatch marketshare worldwide in Q2 2015. Apple Watch launched in sixteen major countries and saw decent take-up from iPhone loyalists in the United States and elsewhere. Apple Watch has clearly raised the bar for the global smartwatch industry. The ball is now in the court of rivals, like Samsung, to respond.”

The launch of the Apple Watch helped the overall smartwatch market grow an estimated 457% annually to reach a record 5.3 million units in the second quarter of 2015. Strategy Analytics reports that smartwatch shipments were higher in this quarter than throughout all of 2014, when Samsung led the market and an estimated 4.6 million smartwatches were shipped globally.

Apple Watch Strategy Analytics Q2Samsung held a commanding 73.6% global market share in the smartwatch market in the year-ago quarter, but the South Korean electronics maker now trails the Apple Watch by a significant margin. Apple Watch is currently available in the United States and eighteen other countries, and the wrist-worn device is set to launch in New Zealand, Russia and Turkey on July 31.

Apple and Samsung together accounted for 8 in 10 smartwatches sold, similar to the two-horse race between the rival tech companies in the smartphone market. Strategy Analytics estimates that other manufacturers shipped a combined 900,000 smartwatches during the second quarter of 2015 for 17% market share, down from 26.4% market share in the year-ago quarter despite selling 600,000 more smartwatches.

Apple CEO Tim Cook said that Apple Watch sales "exceeded expectations" during the company's third quarter earnings report on Tuesday, but stopped short of providing any specific sales figures. Cook's only comment was that Apple Watch sales during its first nine weeks of availability were higher than sales of the original iPad and iPhone when those devices first became available for sale.

Related Roundup: Apple Watch 10
Tag: Strategy Analytics
Buyer's Guide: Apple Watch (Neutral)
Show Full Article

Microsoft Introduces 'Send' iOS App for Quick, 'In-and-Out Email'

by

Microsoft today announced "Send," a new app premiering exclusively on iOS that aims to give customers the simplicity of a text-message conversation in the guise of a professional e-mail experience. Specifically, the app will let users send quick, snappy responses to co-workers "without a subject line or formal email constructs."

Microsoft hopes that the app acts as a bridge between the texting and e-mail culture that can become murky when needing to reach someone quickly, but are lacking the person's phone number and wanting to avoid filtering through an e-mail app for an old thread. Send isn't for in-depth dives into an inbox, either, the app choosing to show only the messages created and sent within the app itself, sticking to its mission statement of a more threaded, iMessage-like experience.

send app

While tools like text messaging and IM are great for short messages, you often don’t have your co-worker’s cell phone number or an IM app on your work phone. And we’ve heard loud and clear from people at work, they want all their communications available in Outlook—even if they send them from other apps. This is where Send comes in! Send gives you the simple, quick text message-like experience while allowing you to reach all co-workers and have all of your communications in Outlook for reference later.

If a user connects the app to an Office 365 School or Business account, they'll be able to pick up conversations anywhere thanks to cloud sync and Outlook. All emails sent and received within Send are also promised to comply with the various email compliance policies of companies around the country, with Microsoft promising that the messages "are treated like any other work email."

The app is available today in the United States and Canada, but only for iOS. Microsoft promises the text-message-meets-email experience of Send is "coming soon" to Windows Phone and Android phones. The company also encourages people to provide feedback on the app during YamJam on Tuesday July 28 from 9 AM to 10 AM PDT, by following the instructions at the bottom of the Send blog post.

Send [Direct Link] is available to download for free in the App Store today.

Tags: Microsoft, Send
Show Full Article

MacRumors and Aspyr Giveaway: Get a Free Copy of 'Civilization V: Campaign Edition' for Mac

by

Most of our giveaways have focused on hardware products, but this week, we've partnered with Aspyr to set up a special one-of-a-kind giveaway. We've teamed up to offer our MacRumors readers a free copy of the ultra popular game Civilization V: Campaign Edition, which normally retails for $29.

We've created a dedicated page for the giveaway. Head over there to get a promotion code for Civilization V: Campaign Edition that can then be redeemed within the Mac App Store. The promotion is open to readers worldwide.

civilizationvmacrumorsaspyr
For those of you unfamiliar with Civilization V, it's a turn-based strategy game that lets players lead a civilization to world domination through time, waging wars, discovering technologies, trading with friendly nations, and interacting with some of the world's most powerful historical leaders. Civilization V: Campaign Edition includes the base game, the Babylon Civilization Pack with Nebuchadnezzar II, plus the Mongols Civilization and Scenario Pack.


We're providing each of our readers with one promo code apiece, and codes will be available through July 31 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time or until all codes have been claimed. Codes will expire on August 4, so make sure to enter your promo code in the Mac App Store before then. Visit the giveaway page.

Update 3:00 p.m. Pacific Time: We've just exhausted our supply of Civilization V promo codes. We're working on getting more codes to give away and we'll let our readers know when we're able to distribute more, so stay tuned.

Tag: Giveaway
Show Full Article

AT&T Activation Fee for Contract Customers Rising to $45, New $15 Fee for 'Next' Customers

by

att_416x416Beginning August 1, AT&T will raise its activation/upgrade fee for customers signing up for a one- or two-year contract, alongside introducing a specific activation fee for all AT&T Next and Bring-Your-Own-Phone customers.

According to sources speaking with Droid Life, the new contract upgrade fee will increase from $40 to $45, while the activation cost for Next and BYOP customers will be $15. If true, AT&T will have the highest activation fee amongst its competitors. Other carriers, like Verizon, sit around a $40 upgrade fee cost currently.

With the uptick in price for the carrier's contract activation charges, AT&T is changing its installment plan option, AT&T Next, from a no-cost-to-start service to requiring a $15 activation fee. The same $15 charge will be placed for customers interested in activating a new line of service with the BYOP program, which lets customers save money on their yearly contracts by bringing in a phone purchased elsewhere to avoid paying full-price.

It appears that AT&T will grandfather in existing AT&T Next customers who have a plan with the company prior to August 1, and won't be charged the $15 fee on their next upgrade. However, the carrier noted that this policy is "subject to change," meaning existing Next customers may be facing the $15 charge sometime down the line of their upgrade cycle, if not immediately after the changes take effect.

Tag: AT&T
Show Full Article

Apple Disables App Store Reviews From Devices Running iOS 9

by

Apple has quietly changed its App Store policies and is no longer permitting iOS devices running pre-release software to be used to write App Store reviews. When attempting to write a review from a device that has iOS 9 installed, a popup is displayed that tells users reviews can't be submitted while using beta software.

This is a much needed change that will prevent developers from having their App Store ratings and reviews affected by beta-related problems that are out of their control. As MacStories' Federico Vittici pointed out last week, negative App Store reviews left by beta testers have been an unaddressed issue for developers since Apple started providing beta software to public testers.

reviewsnotavailable
When beta software is released, some customers fault developers for apps that crash or do not function properly with beta features, leading them to leave negative App Store reviews even though there are months to go until apps need to be ready for the new software.

Following the release of the iOS 9 and OS X El Capitan public betas a week and a half ago, developers began seeing a huge uptick in negative reviews. Many of them took to Twitter to share 1 star reviews that included comments like "Broken with iOS 9.0," and it appears Apple finally took notice of the issue.

While it is no longer possible to write App Store reviews while running iOS 9, it is still possible to leave star ratings. It is not clear exactly when Apple made the change, but with both iOS 9 beta 3 and beta 4, App Store reviews are disabled for developers and public beta testers.

iOS 8.4.1, a pre-release iOS build that is available only to developers, continues to allow App Store reviews to be left, so it appears this may be a change that affects only major software updates or software updates that have also been seeded to the public as part of Apple's public beta testing program.

Show Full Article

Tim Cook: Apple Watch Sales 'Exceeded Expectations'

by

As expected, Apple did not share specific sales numbers on the Apple Watch during its third quarter earnings call, but Apple CEO Tim Cook did shed some light on how well the Apple Watch did during its first quarter of availability. According to Cook, Apple Watch sales "exceeded expectations" despite supply continuing to trail demand at the end of the quarter. "We feel really great about how we did," he said.

Cook also pointed out that Apple Watch sales during its first nine weeks of availability were higher than sales of the original iPad and iPhone when those devices first became available for sale. June sales, he said, were higher than those in April or May, suggesting reports of falling demand in June were inaccurate.

SB LL MB Apple Watch
Apple includes the Apple Watch in its "Other Products" category in an effort to keep its competitors from getting a detailed look at its shipments. Other Products includes the Apple Watch, the iPod, the Apple TV, and accessories like Beats headphones.

During the third quarter of 2015, the Other Products category saw $2.6 billion in revenue, up from $1.7 billion during the second quarter of 2015, a difference of nearly a billion.

Cook said it "would not be accurate" to look at sequential change or year over year change and assume that number represents the actual Apple Watch revenue because there are a lot of factors at work, including declining iPod and accessory sales, which are also included in the category. In a statement made to the Associated Press, Luca Maestri said something similar, suggesting revenue from the Apple Watch amounted to "well over" the $952 million increase between the two quarters.

Chief Financial Officer Luca Maestri told The Associated Press that revenue from the watch was "well over" that $952 million increase. He said the category also includes revenue from iPods and accessories, whose sales fell in the quarter.

"We beat our internal expectations" for the watch, Maestri said, adding that the number of watches sold in the first nine weeks was greater than the number of iPhones or iPads that the company sold in a comparable period after those products launched.

Aside from analyst estimates that range from an estimated 2.85 million sales to 5.7 million, that rough $1 billion revenue figure that accounts for the difference between Q2 and Q3 is the closest we've come to learning how many Apple Watch devices Apple sold.

Cook went on to say that beyond the "very good news in sales," Apple is excited about how the Apple Watch is positioned for the long term. There are now 8,500 apps available for the device, and the company is poised to release watchOS 2 in the fall, which will bring native apps and performance improvements. "We believe the possibilities for Apple watch are enormous," said Cook.

Related Roundup: Apple Watch 10
Buyer's Guide: Apple Watch (Neutral)
Show Full Article

App Store Sees Best Quarter Ever With 24% Revenue Growth

by

newitunes122logoDuring today's third quarter earnings call, Apple CEO Tim Cook highlighted App Store sales, noting that the iOS and Mac App Stores saw their best quarter ever, with a 24 percent growth in revenue. The number of transacting customers also grew by 19 percent.

The services category, which includes the App Store, iTunes, Apple Pay, AppleCare, and other licensing/service fees, generated a record $5 billion revenue during the quarter, up from $4.5 billion during the year-ago quarter.

Apple's iTunes Store has become an increasingly important revenue source for Apple in recent years, largely due to the ever-growing popularity of the App Store. China has been an important factor in the App Store's recent growth, with App Store revenue more than doubling in the country during 3Q15. Chinese developers have created more than 250,000 apps, according to Apple CFO Luca Maestri.

Overall, Apple saw revenue of $49.6 billion during the quarter, with a net profit of $10.7 billion, or $1.85 per diluted share. The company sold 47.5 million iPhones, 4.8 million Macs, and 10.9 million iPads.

Show Full Article

Apple Reports Q3 2015 Earnings of $10.7B on $49.6B Revenue: 47.5M iPhones, 10.9M iPads, 4.8M Macs

by

Apple today announced financial results for the third fiscal quarter and second calendar quarter of 2015. For the quarter, Apple posted revenue of $49.6 billion and net quarterly profit of $10.7 billion, or $1.85 per diluted share, compared to revenue of $37.4 billion and net quarterly profit of $7.7 billion, or $1.28 per diluted share, in the year-ago quarter.

Gross margin for the quarter was 39.7 percent compared to 39.4 percent in the year-ago quarter, with international sales accounting for 64 percent of revenue. Apple also declared an upcoming dividend payment of $0.52 per share, payable on August 13 to shareholders of record as of August 10. The company currently holds $202.8 billion in cash and marketable securities.

3q15_earnings_linechart
Apple sold 47.5 million iPhones during the quarter, up from 35.2 million a year earlier, while Mac sales registered 4.8 million units, up from 4.4 million units in the year-ago quarter. iPad sales continued to decline, however, falling to 10.9 million from 13.3 million.

“We had an amazing quarter, with iPhone revenue up 59 percent over last year, strong sales of Mac, all-time record revenue from services, driven by the App Store, and a great start for Apple Watch,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO. “The excitement for Apple Music has been incredible, and we’re looking forward to releasing iOS 9, OS X El Capitan and watchOS 2 to customers in the fall.”

Apple's guidance for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2015 includes expected revenue of $49-51 billion and gross margin between 38.5 and 39.5 percent.

3q15_earnings_piechart
Apple will provide live streaming of its fiscal Q3 2015 financial results conference call at 2:00 PM Pacific, and MacRumors will update this story with coverage of the conference call highlights.

Conference Call and Q&A Highlights are available in reverse chronological order after the jump.

➜ Click here to read rest of article...

Tag: Earnings
Show Full Article

iOS 9 Beta 4 Tidbits: Home Sharing for Music, Volume Button Photos, iPod Touch Support, and More

by

Apple today released the fourth beta of iOS 9, and as with the previous iOS 9 betas, there are quite a few new features bundled into the release. There are some major additions, such as the promised return of Home Sharing for Music, and several other minor tweaks intended to refine the look and feel of the operating system.

With approximately two months to go until release, iOS 9 is already feeling faster, more polished, and more full featured. For those eager to know all about what's coming in iOS 9 ahead of its release, we've rounded up a complete list of the changes introduced with iOS 9 beta 4 below.

You can also check out all of the changes, large and small, that have been made in previous betas: iOS 9 beta 1, iOS 9 beta 2, iOS 9 beta 3.

Home Sharing - Home Sharing for music was removed in iOS 8.4 with the launch of the new music app and the new Apple Music service, but iTunes chief Eddy Cue said Apple was working to re-add the feature in iOS 9 and it has, in iOS 9 beta 4.

home_sharing_ios_9b4
iPod touch Support - People who purchased one of the new A8-based iPod touch devices last week can now upgrade those devices to iOS 9 beta 4. With this beta, Apple added a new installation profile for the device.

Volume Button Photos - In iOS 9 beta 3, there was a bug that prevented the volume button from working as a shutter button for the iOS camera. That's been fixed in beta 4 and it's once again possible to snap a photo using the volume buttons on your iOS device.

Notifications icon - In the Settings app, the icon that represents the Notification setting has been updated with a new red color. The Battery icon has also been fixed and now has rounded edges instead of square edges.

notifications_ios_9b4
Picture in Picture for Podcasts - One of the iOS 9 features on the iPad is a multitasking Picture in Picture option that lets users watch a video while continuing to complete other tasks on their iPads. As of iOS 9 beta 4, this works with the Podcasts app.

Handoff - The Handoff feature in the App Switcher has been moved to the bottom of the app-switching interface. Pull up on the new Handoff bar to open an app. Previously, Handoff was displayed in the app carousel.

newhandoffui
Apple Pay - There's a new option in the Settings app for Apple Pay that lets you turn off the feature that allows Apple Pay be accessed from the home screen with a double click.

applepayhomebuttonsetting
Additional feature updates in iOS 9 beta 4 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.

Related Forum: iOS 9
Show Full Article

Apple Seeds Fourth WatchOS 2 Beta to Developers

by

Apple-Watch-Midnight-Blue-250x299Apple today seeded the fourth watchOS 2 beta to developers, build 13S5305d, just under two weeks after seeding the third watchOS 2 beta and more than a month 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 the first version of 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.

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.

Related Roundup: Apple Watch 10
Buyer's Guide: Apple Watch (Neutral)
Show Full Article
Archives
Older Posts Previous Page