MacRumors

Apple News is an all-new app on iOS 9 that aggregates stories from several sources into one mobile-friendly format for reading on iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. The app is very similar to existing news apps such as Flipboard and Zine, displaying a list of news articles and personalized stories based on publications that interest you.

International readers should note that Apple News is currently available in the U.S. only.

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Apple allows publishers of all sizes to sign up to be included on Apple News using News Publisher, ranging from traditional publications such as The New York Times, CNN, ESPN, The Atlantic, The Daily Mail and Slate to independent blogs such as MacRumors, TouchArcade and Daring Fireball.

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Related Forum: iOS 9

Alongside the launch of iOS 9, Apple today introduced a new "Move to iOS" app for Android devices. The app, which is now available for download, is designed to help Android users transfer their content from an Android device to an iOS device.

With Move to iOS installed on an Android smartphone or tablet, the Move to iOS service is able to transfer almost all important data from the Android device to the new iOS device, including contacts, message history, photos and videos, web bookmarks, mail account information, calendars, wallpapers, DRM-free songs, and books.

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Using Move to iOS also helps users transfer over their apps to rebuild their app libraries. On the Android device, the app will compile a list of all the apps that have been downloaded from the Google Play Store or other sources. All free apps that have iOS counterparts will be suggested as immediate downloads, while apps that have paid iOS counterparts will be automatically added to a user's iTunes Wish List for purchase as needed.

Apple has created a support document that walks Android users through using the Move to iOS app. It requires Android 4.0 or later, a Wi-Fi connection, and enough available space on the iOS device receiving content.

First announced at WWDC, Move to iOS is Apple's most aggressive move towards encouraging Android users to switch to iPhone. By making it easy to transfer content, Apple is removing a lot of the headache associated with changing platforms. Apple has had a support document and a microsite designed to help Android users switch to iOS for quite some time, but this new app is a more comprehensive, streamlined solution.

Apple has made the Notes app a lot more useful on iOS 9 by integrating it with several other stock apps, including Photos, Mail, Maps and Safari. In addition to traditional note-taking, users can now create checklists, draw sketches and insert photos, videos, links, maps, Pages documents and other attachments into notes.

Checklists

You can now create a checklist in the Notes app by selecting lines of text and tapping on the checkmark button above the keyboard. Each list item will then have a circular bullet next to that can be marked as completed, which is convenient for grocery lists, wish lists, to-do lists and so forth.

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Apple has also added formatting options in Notes for adjusting the size and weight of text, including Heading, Body, Checklist, Bulleted List and Dashed Line. Anyone that has ever used text formatting in Pages, Microsoft Word or virtually any other word processing program should be familiar with this feature.

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Tag: Notes
Related Forum: iOS 9

There are quite a few major changes in iOS 9, like split-screen multitasking for the iPad, improvements to search and Siri, under-the-hood performance boosts, and revamped apps, but there are also dozens if not hundreds of lesser-known tweaks and refinements that make the iOS 9 experience better than ever before.

We've had a lot of hands-on time with iOS 9, so we've rounded up a list of the best hidden features in new operating system. These are great little changes you're going to want to know about, so make sure to check out the video and the list below.


Settings search - There's a new search bar in the Settings app that lets you quickly locate a specific setting by typing in what you're looking for. Want Siri settings? Search for Siri, and all the settings options for Siri will be shown in a list.

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Go Back to App - When you tap on a Notification or a link in Safari or another app and it opens a new app, you can go back to the previous app using a handy new "Go Back" button. The "Go Back" button will stick around for about a minute before disappearing, so you can switch quickly between apps if you just want to glance at something real quick.

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Battery settings - To go along with all the new battery features in iOS 9, there's a new dedicated "Battery" section in the Settings app, where Low Power Mode can be turned on. It also displays more detailed battery usage information that can be sorted by apps using the most and the least amount of power. With Low Power Mode, background activity, motion effects, and animated wallpapers are disabled. Battery information is also displayed in the Notification Center, for the Apple Watch, iOS devices, and some other connected devices like wireless headphones.

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Related Forum: iOS 9

Apple Maps launched in September 2012 as the default mapping app on iPhone, but soon faced widespread criticism for having incomplete data, providing incorrect directions and lacking features over Google Maps. The controversial launch resulted in Apple CEO Tim Cook issuing a rare public apology, while former iOS chief Scott Forstall was ousted from Apple just one month later.

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While there is still room for improvement, Apple Maps has gained several new features over the past three years. iOS 9 continues that trend, adding a long overdue Transit routing and new Nearby search mode alongside existing features such as turn-by-turn navigation, real-time traffic information, Flyover photo-realistic 3D views of select metro areas, Siri, local search and iCloud support.

Transit

Transit Apple MapsApple Maps is now a multi-modal mapping app with the addition of public transit routing via bus, subway, light rail, train and ferry. You can view entire stations or individual lines on a map to choose the best possible route.

Apple Maps transit directions are currently available in Baltimore, Berlin, Chicago, London, Mexico City, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Toronto, Washington D.C. and several cities in China.

Some extended areas of Connecticut and New Jersey near New York City and Southern Ontario cities near Toronto such as York Region, Mississauga, Oakville, Burlington, Hamilton and Waterloo Region also support transit.

Nearby

nearby_heroYou can now search Apple Maps based on categories such as Food, Drinks, Shopping, Travel, Services, Fun, Health and Transport, and within each category you can search deeper for specific places.

If you tap on Food, for example, you can then filter your results based on Popular, Restaurants, Groceries, Fast Food, Cafés, Bakeries and Desserts. A list of locations is displayed with aggregated Yelp data.

Nearby categories such as Food, Fun, Shopping and Travel can also be accessed from the Spotlight Search menu on iOS 9.

Related Forum: iOS 9

newitunes122logoApple today released iTunes 12.3, making the software compatible with the newly released iOS 9 update and the upcoming OS X El Capitan update, set to be released to the public on September 30.

iTunes 12.3 can be downloaded immediately via the Software Update mechanism in the Mac App Store.

Along with introducing support for iOS 9 and OS X 10.11 El Capitan, the iTunes 12.3 update also includes support for the Apple's two-factor authentication system, fixes several bugs, and adds some feature improvements.

This update to iTunes adds support for iOS 9 and is designed for OS X El Capitan. It also:

- Improves Apple Music accessibility with VoiceOver
- Resolves a problem that prevented reordering of songs within Up Next
- Fixes a problem where some radio stations did not appear within Recently Played
- Addresses an issue where songs you loved on iOS did not appear love on iTunes
- Supports two-factor authentication to secure your Apple ID

This update also includes improvements to overall stability and performance.

iTunes 12.3 is the third major update to iTunes 12, and it comes nearly three months after the launch of iTunes 12.2, which introduced support for the new Apple Music service. iTunes 12.3 also comes a month after iTunes 12.2.2, a minor update that introduced Apple Music bug fixes.

Related Forum: Mac Apps

Apple today released iOS 9 to the public, making the download available to all users who have an iPhone 4s or later, iPad 2 or later, 5th-generation iPod touch or later, or any iPad mini. The update can be downloaded through iTunes or over-the-air by going to the Settings app and tapping General --> Software Update.

As with all major software updates, it may take a few minutes for the update to propagate to all users due to high demand. Some users are seeing "Software Update Failed" messages and may have better luck installing via iTunes.

Public beta testers who have the iOS 9 golden master installed will receive the release version of iOS 9 over-the-air.


iOS 9 builds on content introduced with iOS 8, bringing subtle design changes, refined features, improved functionality, and performance enhancements. From Apple's release notes:

With this update your iPhone, iPad and iPod touch become more intelligent and proactive with powerful search and improved Siri features. New multitasking features for iPad allow you to work with two apps simultaneously, side-by-side or with the new Picture-in-Picture feature. And, built-in apps become more powerful with detailed transit information in Maps, a redesigned Notes app, and an all-new News app. And improvements at the foundation of the operating system enhance performance, improve security and give you up to an hour of extra battery life.

The operating system's biggest focus is on intelligence and proactivity, letting iOS devices learn user habits and act on that information, opening apps before we need them, making recommendations on places we might like, and guiding us through each day with new Siri and search features.

Many built-in apps have been improved, including Notes, Mail, and Maps, wihch has gained Transit directions. Apple Pay has been renamed to Wallet, and for the first time, iOS 9 brings split-screen multitasking features to the iPad.

In addition to these consumer-facing features, iOS 9 introduces significant under-the-hood improvements that will free up storage space and improve battery life. With battery optimizations, iOS devices have an additional hour of battery life, and a new Low Power mode can extend battery even further.

iOS updates take up less space in iOS 9, letting even devices with little storage space upgrade, and many app install sizes are smaller due to a feature called app thinning.

More information on iOS 9 can be found in our iOS 9 roundup, which includes details on major features and all of the little tweaks that were added throughout the beta testing period. Discussion of iOS 9's new features is also taking place in our dedicated iOS 9 forum, and we encourage all of our readers to join in with questions and new discoveries.

In addition to being released to the public today, iOS 9 will also come pre-installed on the iPhone 6s and the iPhone 6s Plus, which will be available beginning on Friday, September 25.

Make sure to check out our iOS 9 coverage:

- Inside iOS 9: Apple Maps Gains Transit Mode and Nearby Search

- iOS 9 Hidden Features: Settings Search, Selfie Folder, Home Sharing for Music, Go Back to App, and More

- Inside iOS 9: Notes Gains Checklists, Photos, Sketches and More

- Apple Debuts New Move to iOS App for Android

- Inside iOS 9: Apple News Delivers the Latest Stories to Your Device

- Inside iOS 9: Split-Screen Multitasking for the iPad

- Inside iOS 9: HomeKit Gains Simpler Set Up, Pre-Defined Scenes, Triggers and More

- Inside iOS 9: A More Intelligent OS With Proactive Suggestions and Siri Improvements

- Inside iOS 9: Under-the-Hood Improvements for Battery Life, Security, and More

Related Forum: iOS 9

iDevices today announced the launch date of its trio of HomeKit-enabled products that includes the iDevices Switch, Outdoor Switch, and Thermostat. The Switch and Thermostat will be available for purchase on iDevices' online storefront, or exclusively from Lowe's retail stores, starting on September 28, while the Outdoor Switch is slated for a release later in November.

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Originally announced back in January at CES, the iDevices Switch allows HomeKit users to easily control, monitor, and program anything directly connected into the smart plug. Users will be able to set powering on and off schedules, and use Siri to control the status of the device connected to the Switch. The iDevices Switch will retail for $49 when it launches later this month.

The Outdoor Switch is largely similar to the traditional Switch model, but includes a rain-tight plug along with dual outlets so that users can control and program anything outdoors, like seasonal holiday lighting and spotlights. This model won't be available until an unspecified time in November, however, and as such doesn't have a specified retail price yet.

Lastly is the iDevices Thermostat, which the company states can control a home's AC and heat from anywhere using Siri or the connected app, so that they "can ensure their home temperature will always be exactly the way they like it." On September 28, the HomeKit-enabled Thermostat will launch for $149 alongside the Switch in Lowe's stores and on the iDevices website.

Along with the new products, iDevices is updating its Connected App [Direct Link] to version 2.0, with a new interface and the ability to connect and support other company's HomeKit products -- like the Schlage Sense Smart Deadbolt -- in addition to its own. Users interested can find out more information, and pre-order the iDevices Switch, Outdoor Switch, and Thermostat over at the company's official website. Lowe's is also accepting pre-orders on the Switch and Thermostat, with the ability to pick up the new HomeKit-enabled products at your local store on launch day.

watchos2While Apple announced last week that it would be releasing iOS 9 and watchOS 2 to the public today, the company has just announced that it will not be releasing watchOS 2 as scheduled due to a recently discovered bug.

TechCrunch has shared the full text of Apple's notice.

“We have discovered a bug in development of watchOS 2 that is taking a bit longer to fix than we expected,” an Apple spokesperson told TechCrunch. “We will not release watchOS 2 today but will shortly.”

Apple seeded the intended golden master version of watchOS 2 to developers immediately following last week's media event, but the company will need to make some final tweaks to address the discovered bug before it feels comfortable releasing the updated operating system to the public.

discover_apple_pay_verifyAs promised earlier this year, Discover has rolled out support for Apple Pay as of today for users running iOS 9 betas or the golden master. Other users will be able to add Discover cards once iOS 9 launches to the public in a few hours. With the addition, Discover cardholders will be able to take advantage of Apple Pay to make secure, contactless payments using Apple's payment service.

To encourage users to give Apple Pay a try, Discover is offering a deal for all of its U.S. cardmembers. Any customer who uses their Discover cards through Apple Pay will get a 10 percent Cashback Bonus through the end of 2015. Cashback Bonuses are available on up to $10,000 of in-store purchases, and Discover it Miles, Miles, and Escape cardmembers will earn an extra 10 miles per dollar on up to $10,000 of in-store purchases.

"We are excited for Discover cardmembers to have the ability to use Apple Pay. Rewards have always been important to our cardmembers, and we want to make sure they receive a generous offer for shopping with Discover and Apple Pay," said Heather Roche, vice president of rewards at Discover. "We want to encourage new and existing Discover cardmembers to add their Discover card to Apple Pay with a few simple clicks using our mobile app, take advantage of this 10% Cashback Bonus, and experience the ease and convenience of using Apple Pay."

According to Discover's Apple Pay press release, Discover members who want to use their cards with the service will need to update to Apple's latest operating system, iOS 9, and then add their cards to the newly renamed Wallet app (formerly Passbook). From there, adding a card to Apple Pay is as simple as scanning it in and verifying it, as seen in our how to on using Apple Pay.

With Discover now supporting Apple Pay, all of the four major credit card networks in the United States work with the payments service. MasterCard, American Express, and Visa have worked with Apple Pay since the service launched in October of 2014.

Since Apple Pay first became available, Apple has worked with hundreds of banks and credit unions to expand Apple Pay support. A full list of supported banks in both the United States and the United Kingdom is available on Apple's website.

Apple Pay is compatible with the iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus, iPhone 6s, and iPhone 6s Plus. Apple Pay is also available on an Apple Watch paired with one of the aforementioned devices or an iPhone 5, 5c, or 5s.

(Thanks, tmiw!)

Related Roundup: Apple Pay

watchOS is the operating system that runs on the Apple Watch, powering its fitness tracking capabilities, apps, communication features, time-keeping abilities, and more. Apple plans to push regular updates to fix watchOS bugs, refine performance, and introduce new features, and the release of watchOS 2 alongside iOS 9 later today is a major uprade for the platform. (Update: Apple has delayed the public release of watchOS 2.)

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watchOS updates are installed in a unique way that differs from how we install iPhone and Mac updates, so we've crafted a quick tutorial to remind users how to get the latest version of watchOS on their Apple Watches so they're ready for watchOS 2.

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

The first batch of customers that pre-ordered the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus are beginning to see their order statuses change from "Processing Items" to "Preparing for Shipment" on Apple's website, less than nine days before the new smartphones launch on September 25.

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The customers that have seen early movement on their iPhone 6s pre-orders all appear to live outside of the United States, with order status changes occurring in Canada, France, Germany and the United Kingdom. Apple has also begun charging credit cards for some of these customers, which is common at this point in the pre-order process but earlier than usual this year.

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While some orders are now moving to the "Preparing for Shipment" stage, new iPhones will be held at FedEx, UPS and other couriers for delivery until September 25. In rare cases, however, some customers might receive their iPhone slightly earlier.

iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus shipping estimates range between September 25 and October 2 for several customers, but some iPhone 6s Plus and Rose Gold models may ship later due to stronger demand.

Apple began accepting pre-orders on September 12 at 12:01 AM Pacific in the U.S. and eleven other countries, with shipping estimates quickly slipping to 2-3 weeks or later for the most popular models.

iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s launch on September 25 at Apple Stores and authorized resellers in the United States, Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, New Zealand, Puerto Rico, Singapore and the United Kingdom.

Related Forum: iPhone

According to a few sources out of the Dutch telecommunications industry, the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus will be launching in the Netherlands on October 2, with pre-orders for the release beginning a week earlier on September 25 (via iPhoned) [Google Translate].

The pricing for the new smartphones will be a bit different compared to the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, with the 16GB version of the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus going for €749 and €849, respectively. That's €50 more expensive than last year's models, a statistic which keeps increasing with the addition of storage and choosing the Plus model over the normal version. As iPhoned points out, the most expensive 128GB iPhone 6s Plus model will now be €1,069.

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Along with the Netherlands, a report out of India last week suggested that Apple is accelerating the launch of the new iPhones in the country, which will directly face Samsung's decision to launch the newly announced Galaxy S6 Edge+ and Note5 in the same time window (via The Economic Times). The rumor states that Apple will try to launch the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus by October 10-11, which is about a month ahead of its initial plans for a November launch in India.

If the Apple India team manages to convince its Cupertino headquarters, it will be the fastest ever launch of any Apple product in India since announcement.

"An October launch will give it a significant time to align its marketing campaign well ahead of Diwali unlike last year when it got just a week for the same and also leveraging upon its expanded distribution coverage now as compared to an year ago," said Tarun Pathak, senior analyst at market tracker Counterpoint Research.

The new iPhones went up for pre-order over the weekend, and will launch next week on September 25 in the first-wave of launch countries including Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, New Zealand, Puerto Rico, Singapore, the UK, and the United States. Apple previously announced that it has plans for the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus to be in over 130 countries by the end of 2015, but hasn't given any specific names to the locations included in the next launch wave.

Related Forum: iPhone

Apple CEO Tim Cook appeared on the "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" tonight, with the interview covering a number of topics including the iPhone 6s, the possibility of an Apple Car, and Cook's and Apple's efforts in social responsibility.

During the portion of his monologue highlighting the show's guests, Colbert poked fun at Apple with a couple of jokes, initially announcing Cook as "Cello Apple Time Cook" thanks to autocorrect and joking that the interview would be great but that Cook would release a cooler updated version of it in three months.

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The interview kicked off with Colbert showing off a rose gold iPhone 6s before proceeding to ask Cook about the device, leading with making sure the charger hasn't changed. Colbert and Cook then discussed and showed off 3D Touch and Live Photos, with Colbert quipping regarding 3D Touch "If I hang up on someone hard enough, will it actually hit them on the other side?"

Addressing comments from Uber CEO Travis Kalanick during an interview on The Late Show last week about Apple working on a car, Cook brushed off the question with a variation of his standard comment: "We look at a number of things along the way, and we decide to really put our energies on a few of those," with Colbert making sure to record the response on his iPhone 6s.

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Costco has launched a promotion allowing its U.S. Costco card members to receive $100 or $50 mail-in rebates when they pre-order an iPhone 6s or 6s Plus. The mail-in rebate amount is different for each carrier.

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T-Mobile customers get a $100 mail-in rebate when they pre-order any iPhone 6s or 6s Plus in any color and / or storage option. Verizon and Sprint customers, however, only receive a $50 mail-in rebate on either a 16 GB gold iPhone 6s Plus, a 16 GB Space Gray iPhone 6s or a 64 GB Space Gray iPhone 6s. AT&T customers, unfortunately, are not eligible for any mail-in rebates.

While it's not rare for iPhones to get mail-in rebate forms or discounts, it is rare for a promotional price to be offered on an iPhone during its pre-order period. Costco card members must pre-order their iPhone 6s or 6s Plus online between September 12 and September 24 to be eligible for the mail-in rebate.

Apple's iOS 8 is installed on 87% of iOS devices a year after its release, according to new numbers shared by Apple on its App Store developer page. The new numbers come on the eve of the launch of Apple's newest mobile operating system, iOS 9.

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iOS 8 adoption has been somewhat slower than iOS 7, with iOS 8 hitting 72% adoption in January 2015. iOS 7 was at 80% adoption at the same point. Additionally, iOS 8 reached 81% adoption in late April, only growing 6 percentage points in a little over four months.

Comparatively, the latest version of Android (5.1, aka Lollipop) sits at a 5.1% adoption rate. However, Android updates often take a long time to propagate to customers, partly because cell phone manufacturers and cellular carriers must bake in their apps and interfaces into the operating system.

According to mobile analytics firm Mixpanel, iOS 9 currently holds a ~1.04% adoption rate, which includes public beta testers and developers. That number will likely increase dramatically as the operating system will push to iOS users tomorrow, September 16.

At last week's "Hey Siri" media event, Apple announced new iCloud pricing tiers, expanding the amount of storage provided to users. The company has now updated its iCloud support document to outline the new pricing information in all countries where iCloud storage is available.

While Apple previously offered iCloud storage in 5GB, 20GB, 200GB, 500GB and 1TB tiers, the new tiers include only 50GB, 200GB, or 1TB of storage at lower prices. With the old pricing, 20GB of storage in the U.S. cost $0.99, but now users will get 50GB for the same price. 200GB was formerly priced at $3.99 and is now $2.99, and 1TB of storage, previously priced at $19.99, is now $9.99.

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Pricing in 24 countries in the Middle East, Asia, and Europe are included in the support document. Countries where local currency isn't supported will have storage upgrades billed in dollars, and Eurozone countries will be charged in Euros. For countries with Value Added Tax, VAT is included in the iCloud pricing.

Customers who purchased monthly plans before September 16, 2015, will have their accounts upgraded automatically, presumably when iOS 9 launches tomorrow. Customers on an annual plan will continue to renew annually at that rate.

Griffin today debuted its first accessory for the Apple TV, introducing a new case designed for the Siri Remote. The Survivor Play for Siri Remote aims to add protection to keep it safe from scratches and dings when dropped and it adds a non-slip grip to make it easier to hold when playing motion-based games that require a lot of movement.

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The Survivor Play, which is made of a soft, textured silicone, fits around the back of the Siri Remote and is similar to the wide variety Wii Remote skins that make the Nintendo controller easier to hold during gameplay. According to Griffin, the Survivor Play was designed primarily with gameplay in mind, adding extra thick grips to make it more comfortable to hold.

Now that Apple TV has added gaming, your Siri Remote will be working harder than ever. Survivor Play was designed with gaming in mind. Its easy-to grip shape surrounds the remote's back and edges with impact-absorbing silicone. So just in case things get rowdy while you're playing Beat Sports, your Siri Remote stays safe.

The case also adds cushioning and protection for the edges and the corners of the Siri Remote, the places most likely to be damaged should the remote be dropped or flung across the room during a heated gameplay session. Because it wraps around the back, the Survivor Play leaves the Siri Remote buttons, touchscreen, microphones, and Lightning port easily accessible.

When it launches later this fall, the Griffin Survivor Play for the Siri Remote will be priced at $19.99.

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