Apple today released an update to Boot Camp with support for Microsoft Windows 10, according to a new support document. The update, Boot Camp 6, is still propagating and is not yet available for OS X. However, several MacRumorsforum members have noted the update is available within Windows partitions in Boot Camp, Apple's tool to allow Intel Mac owners to dual boot OS X and Windows.
Boot Camp 6 also includes support for several Mac features within Windows 10, including USB 3, USB-C, Thunderbolt, built-in SD and SDXC card slots, built-in or external Apple SuperDrives, and the Apple keyboard, mouse and trackpad.
Windows 10 support is only available on select Macs with OS X Yosemite and the latest version of Boot Camp, which will automatically download the support software (drivers) needed to use Windows 10 on a Mac.
Boot Camp requires an authentic copy of Windows 10 for a new installation, which can be purchased from Microsoft in an ISO file or USB stick for $119. Windows 7, 8 and 8.1 users can upgrade to Windows 10 for free from within their Windows partition as long as the user's software is completely up to date.
Apple is working with more than 40 technology companies to make the iPad a better work tool, according to a new report by The Wall Street Journal. The initiative, which is called the Mobility Partner Program (MPP), is an effort to change the way business is done and boost lagging iPad sales.
The initiative is a bet that Apple, which has never been a big player in the $2 trillion annual spending on workplace technology, can grab a bigger slice of the market by reshaping the nature of work in mobile-friendly settings—where Apple has an edge.
Apple's partners in the program include smaller companies like accounting firm Xero, digital cash register company Revel Systems, and field-service software firm ServiceMax. Some partners, like Xero, have been invited to train Apple business specialists while other undisclosed partners were invited to an Apple sales conference in March, an event that is typically closed to company outsiders.
Within the program, Apple reviews its partners' apps and makes suggestions on their work. Apple has also suggested that companies who make complementary apps work together to make their apps compatible, ensuring a richer experience for users. In fact, the partnership has also worked in the reverse, with the Cupertino company's partners getting Apple in touch with business customers in a way it hasn't before.
However, the program is still shrouded in secrecy. It's unclear which companies are participating in the program, and some of Apple's partners don't even know the other participating companies or what their role is in selling apps. Apple also doesn't want companies to refer to the program by its given name, MPP, in public.
The new initiative is similar to the exclusive partnership Apple and IBM forged last year, in which IBM will begin selling iOS devices to corporate customers and develop 100 industry-specific native apps. As iPad sales continue to shrink and the tablet market continues to decline, it's likely Apple feels boosting enterprise sales of its tablets could offset lack of consumer demand.
Apple yesterday began contacting some customers who recently purchased third-generation Apple TVs, informing them that their devices had shipped with an unspecified faulty part and offering an exchange for a brand-new unit shipped from the company.
Unlike some other repair or recall programs, Apple has not posted a public advisory about the issue, suggesting it is a small batch of affected units. As a result, the company is proactively reaching out to owners of the devices known to be defective and offering an exchange. Our defective Apple TV was purchased just a few weeks ago, and other affected customers are likely to have purchased their devices in a similar timeframe.
Replacement Apple TV shipped overnight from Apple
Hi Mitchel,
I understand the concern, Apple typically does not reach out to customers proactively this way.
I just need you to confirm that you have this device and to make sure I have the right shipping address (i see that below). I will then send you a new apple tv, we will email FedEx labels to send back the old one then once we get the old one, we will send you an iTunes gift card for the troubles.
Some users receiving emails from Apple may not have experienced any issues with their Apple TVs, as workers at the Help Desk have noted the company is taking preventative measures in identifying devices with the faulty part before any problems may arise.
Because Apple is contacting affected users individually and has not posted an information page on the Apple TV issue, it's likely that only a very small number of people purchased a faulty Apple TV. Readers do not need to worry whether their Apple TVs are defective, as anyone with a bad device will be contacted directly by Apple. Those who have been contacted, however, should be reassured that this is a legitimate replacement program initiated by Apple.
Twitter today announced a major change to the way Direct Messages work on the Twitter platform, removing the 140-character limit that restricted the length of private messages. With the change, Twitter's Direct Message feature is on par with other chat and messaging apps, allowing for unrestricted conversation.
Twitter first announced its plan to remove the 140-character limit from Direct Messages in June, but the change began rolling out to users around the world today and will continue to become available to users over the next few weeks. The 140-character limit has been removed across the Twitter platform, which encompasses the Twitter app for iOS, the Twitter app for Android, Twitter.com, TweetDeck, and Twitter for Mac.
While Twitter is largely a public experience, Direct Messages let you have private conversations about the memes, news, movements, and events that unfold on Twitter. Each of the hundreds of millions of Tweets sent across Twitter every day is an opportunity for you to spark a conversation about what's happening in your world. That's why we've made a number of changes to Direct Messages over the last few months. Today's change is another big step towards making the private side of Twitter even more powerful and fun.
There are no plans to remove the limit from the public side of Twitter, so tweets will continue to be restricted to 140 characters. To get access to Direct Messages that have no character limits, Twitter advises users to upgrade to the latest version of the company's apps.
Twitter for iOS can be downloaded from the App Store for free. [Direct Link]
Twitter for Mac can be downloaded from the Mac App Store for free. [Direct Link]
Apple this week joined the NFC Forum as a sponsor member, earning itself a place on the NFC Forum board of directors, reports NFC World. The Near Field Communication (NFC) Forum is the group that works to develop NFC specifications to ensure interoperability between different devices and services.
The team also encourages companies to develop products using the NFC Forum specifications and they make sure products with NFC capabilities comply with those specifications.
"The top tier of NFC Forum membership, sponsor membership, entitles an organisation to a seat on the NFC Forum board of directors, the association's governing body," NFC Forum director Paula Hunter says. "We are delighted to welcome Apple to our board of directors as an NFC Forum sponsor member."
Joining the NFC Forum board of directors on Apple's behalf is Aon Mujtaba, who serves as Director of Wireless Systems Engineering at Apple. According to his LinkedIn profile, Mujtaba leads the iPhone Systems Engineering team and specializes in wireless systems engineering, architecture, and design.
Other companies who are on the NFC Forum board of directors include Broadcom, Google, Intel, Nokia, NXP Semiconductors, Qualcomm, Samsung, Sony, STMicroelectronics, Visa, and MasterCard.
Apple began using NFC with the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, which include the technology to facilitate wireless payments using Apple Pay. Apple has also included NFC chips in the Apple Watch, the iPad Air 2, and the iPad mini 3, and will continue using NFC in future devices.
Quartz yesterday published an article which analyzed data from Apple Music's Beats 1 radio station, in an attempt to get a feel for the station's most played songs and artists throughout the month of July. The company took data collected from 12,445 songs specifically from "early July to early August," and discovered that artists The Weeknd, Drake, and Disclosure were the top three most-played musicians for the month.
The Weeknd was also on top of the most played song chart, with the song "Can't Feel My Face" -- which he performed live at WWDC in June -- played a total of 107 times in July. Artists including Rachel Platten, Beck, and Selena Gomez, amongst others, round out the rest of the list thanks to the popularity of their current chart-topping songs "Fight Song," "Dreams," and "Good for You," respectively.
Beats 1 has something that is rare in the world of digital music: scarcity. Listeners can’t choose a song and play it over and over. (They can do that elsewhere on Apple Music.) But curation doesn’t mean songs aren’t repeated. We counted 12,445 tracks but only 3,371 unique songs, meaning each track was played an average of 3.7 times. Eighteen of the 20 songs in the table above were played over 50 times.
Quartz also found the top genre on Beats 1 to be hip-hop (1,726 plays), with alternative (1,506 plays) and electronic (802 plays) rounding out the top three spots. Still, "a quarter of the songs in the dataset" that Quartz measured were only played one time, so Beats 1 is still managing to present a few diverse tracks into the mix every once in a while.
The response to Apple Music has been mixed, with the service's detractors pointing to the initial speed bumps syncing with iTunes and an over-reliance on specific musical genres in Beats 1, the latter of which Quartz has now detailed. The rest of Quartz's report on Beats 1 is definitely worth checking out, with charts analyzing the volume of songs played on weekdays versus the weekend and even one highlighting songs played most frequently in pairs.
Nearly three years after the Merchant Customer Exchange (MCX) was founded in August 2012, several U.S. retailers and restaurants belonging to the consortium will begin publicly testing their Apple Pay rival CurrentC in Columbus, Ohio over the coming weeks, according to The Wall Street Journal.
CurrentC is a mobile payments solution that requires scanning a QR code with a smartphone for contactless payment from a checking account, gift card or private label debit or credit card. The service does not currently accept major bank-issued credit cards such as Visa or MasterCard as retailers look to avoid costly fees.
Public testing of CurrentC is set to begin just as MCX's three-year exclusivity window expires this week, allowing retailers to explore other mobile payment solutions. Yesterday, MCX member Rite Aid reversed course and will begin accepting Apple Pay and Google Wallet on August 15, in addition to Android Pay when available.
Best Buy, a founding member of MCX, also began accepting Apple Pay for in-app purchases in April and announced that full Apple Pay support is coming to Best Buy stores in the U.S. later in 2015. The electronics retailer will be monitoring CurrentC's limited trial run but has not confirmed that it will be implementing the platform in stores.
Other MCX members include 7-Eleven, Alon Brands, CVS, Darden Restaurants, HMSHost, Hy-Vee, Lowe's, Michaels, Publix, Sears, Shell, Sunoco, Target and Walmart, some of which have confirmed plans to launch CurrentC in the future. Other retailers remain in the process of exploring contactless payment solutions or installing the necessary infrastructure to support smartphone-based transactions.
Update 7:10 AM: MCX CEO Brian Mooney tells Re/code that CurrentC may not see a broad launch until 2016, depending on how the early testing in Ohio proceeds.
Apple today updated its Apple Store app for iOS with a minor but important change, adding the ability to make purchases using an Apple Store Gift Card. Prior to today's update, customers who wanted to purchase an iOS device or an accessory using an Apple Store gift card had to use the Apple website.
The app previously had no way to enter a gift card at checkout, so the only available option was to use a credit or debit card. Following the update to version 3.4, users can tap "Buy with other payment options," which has a new section for entering a gift card.
Gift cards can be scanned with the camera on an iPhone or iPad or imported from the Passbook app, with the gift card total then applied to the order total.
What's New in Version 3.4
You can now make purchases with an Apple Store Gift Card. Use the built-in Camera to scan new Gift Cards or import existing Gift Cards from Passbook.
Files within OS X El Capitan indicate the upcoming iPad mini 4 will support full Split View multitasking, suggesting its internal specs will be on par with the iPad Air 2. An OS X El Capitan resource file first located by developer Hamza Sood and 9to5Mac from the Safari 9 browser depicts an iPad mini with two apps side-by-side, which is how the Split View feature works.
Responsive design mode, which gives developers a way to test different layouts in Safari 9, also allows developers to simulate a Split View layout on an iPad mini 3. The iPad mini 3 does not support Split View, offering further proof that the iPad mini 4 is likely to be the tablet that uses Split View multitasking.
iOS 9 introduces multitasking for the iPad, and while two of the features, Picture-in-Picture and Slide Over, are available on the iPad Air, iPad Air 2, iPad mini 2, and iPad mini 3, the true Split View multitasking feature is only available on the iPad Air 2 because it has 2GB of RAM and a robust A8X processor.
To support Split View, the upcoming iPad mini 4 will need to have internal specs that match or exceed those of the iPad Air 2. It's likely the device will include Apple's A8X processor or the A9 processor that's being used in its 2015 iOS devices, with 2GB of RAM also being a strong possibility.
Multitasking on the iPad in iOS 9
Specs for the iPad mini 4 have not yet been confirmed, as rumors have focused primarily on the external design of the device. It's expected to look like a smaller version of the iPad Air 2, with a much slimmer 6.1mm body and iPad Air 2-style design features.
Apple today added 20 new Flyover locations to Apple Maps on Mac and iOS, highlighting new cities and landmarks in the United States, Austria, Denmark, Netherlands, Italy, Hungary, Spain, France, Mexico, Sweden, Puerto Rico, and Japan. With the new additions, there are now more than 150 Flyover locations available in Apple Maps.
For those unfamiliar with the Flyover feature in Maps, it lets users see photo-realistic 3D videos of select areas, which they can zoom, pan, and rotate through to get a close up look at notable landmarks and points of interest. Some of the locations below were previously available as Flyover destinations, but have just been officially added to Apple's list of Flyover locations.
Budapest, Hungary
Here's a full list of the new Flyover destinations:
- Graz, Austria - Aarhus, Denmark - Rotterdam, Netherlands - Bobbio, Italy - Turin, Italy - Budapest, Hungary - Cádiz, Spain - Chenonxeaux, France - Dijon, France - Millau, France - Nice, France - Strasbourg, France - Omaha Beach - Ensenada, Mexico - Loreto, Mexico - Gothenburg, Sweden - Malmö, Sweden - Mayagüez, Puerto Rico - Sapporo, Japan - Rapid City, SD
Flyover was first introduced alongside iOS 6 in 2012, and over the course of the last three years, Apple has been steadily adding new Flyover locations to the Maps app. As of February, some Flyover locations have been updated with real-time animated landmarks, making the Flyover experience more immersive, and many Flyover locations have an additional City Tour feature that walks users through different landmarks.
Ahead of the launch of the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus, mobile app marketing platform Fiksu saw just two new iPhones in its data logs in July, casting doubt on this morning's rumors suggesting an iPhone 6c launch is still a possibility.
Last month, Fisku began seeing two unknown iPhone models in its logs, with the identifiers "iphone8,1" and "iphone8,2," which likely correspond to the next-generation 4.7-inch iPhone and the next-generation larger-screened 5.5-inch iPhone, expected to be called the "iPhone 6s" and the "iPhone 6s Plus," respectively. The current iPhone 6 Plus is "iphone7,1," while the iPhone 6 "iphone 7,2."
Fiksu's data includes 87 unique "iphone 8,1" devices and 67 unique "iPhone 8,2" devices, with no hints of a third unidentified model that might represent the rumored smaller-screened iPhone 6c, suggesting such a device is not being tested. While the absence of a third iPhone model in Fiksu's data does not entirely rule out the possibility of an iPhone 6c launch, when combined with previous rumors, the release of such a device alongside the iPhone 6s and the 6s Plus seems unlikely.
Rumors indicate that while Apple did initially consider launching a 4-inch iPhone 6c in 2015, those plans were scrapped due to concerns the device could cannibalize sales of the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, which Apple wants to offer as a lower-cost solution when the next-generation iPhones are released. Other rumors have suggested the iPhone 6c was never intended for 2015, with Apple perhaps planning to launch a smaller-screened phone in 2016.
Despite rumors that have seemingly ruled out an iPhone 6c launch, well-known mobile phone leaker Evan Blass or @evleaks sent out a tweet last night hinting that Apple might still release an iPhone 6c. "Sounds like iPhone 6s, 6s Plus, and 6c will all arrive concurrently," he wrote, without providing additional information.
According to Fiksu's data, the "iphone8,1" and "iphone8,2" in its logs are using a wide range of apps, including travel, games, and lifestyle apps. While the majority of usage is coming from the US, the site has also seen hits from Germany and Brazil.
Apple is expected to launch its next-generation iPhones in September, likely on September 9. The iPhone event may also see the debut of new iPads and it is said to include the new Apple TV.
Details on Intel's upcoming 15-watt 6200U - 6600U Skylake processor lineup were shared today by Fanless Tech, giving us a look at what we can expect from the processors that will likely be used in Apple's next MacBook Air update.
Click to view larger version
The 2.3GHz i5-6200U and the 2.4GHz i5-6300U chips are appropriate for the lower-end MacBook Air models, while the 2.5GHz i7-6500U and the 2.6GHz i7-6600U would be used in the higher-end MacBook Air models. All four chips include Intel HD 520 graphics. With Skylake, Intel has opted to simplify its graphics naming scheme, adopting 3-digit numbers instead of 4-digit numbers.
Click to view larger version
It is not clear when Intel plans to release the Skylake chips appropriate for the MacBook Air, but with full specs now available, it seems launch is imminent, perhaps planned for next week's Intel Developer Forum.
According to the information available, 28-watt chips appropriate for the 13-inch Retina MacBook Pro will not be launching until 2016. Launch dates are equally unclear for the rest of the Skylake lineup, as today's leak only covers chips that would be used in the MacBook Air.
Click to view larger version
Intel's Skylake processors are expected to offer a 10 to 20 percent boost in CPU performance over Broadwell, plus lower power consumption and improved Intel HD integrated graphics performance. Better energy efficiency will also lead to up to 30 percent longer battery life.
As of today, some users in the MacRumors forums who are running iOS 9 noticed a different message when attempting to activate the feature, and just hours later, WiFi calling began working for a limited number of AT&T subscribers.
When attempting to activate WiFi calling in the Settings app, users who have access to the feature are receiving a welcome screen, a disclaimer, and a notice that WiFi calling has been activated and should be available within a few minutes. During the setup period, users are required to enter an address that emergency services will visit as a caller's location cannot be determined from a WiFi call.
Following a short waiting period, WiFi calling becomes ready for use with the "Wi-Fi calling on This iPhone" option toggled on. While a few of our readers have had success getting the WiFi calling feature working, several other users do not have access, suggesting AT&T may be testing the feature in a limited number of areas ahead of launch.
WiFi calling was first introduced with iOS 8, and shortly after the feature debuted, AT&T announced plans to support it. The company has not made any further announcements, but it is likely an official launch will come after iOS 9 is released to the public in September. An AT&T employee who is also a MacRumors reader says that his store has not received word on an upcoming launch, so official word on further availability of WiFi calling may still be a few weeks off.
WiFi calling is a feature that lets calls be placed over a wireless connection when cellular connectivity is poor. It is similar in function to Apple's own FaceTime audio feature, and has thus far been limited to T-Mobile and Sprint users.
The smartphone market is largely dominated by Android and iOS, dividing smartphone users into two camps: those who stick with the Android operating system and those who use Apple's iPhones.
Major players in the smartphone market like Apple, Google, and Samsung all aim to lure "switchers" with dedicated websites and tools for switching platforms, but new data from Consumer Intelligence Research Partners [PDF] suggests getting loyal smartphone users to change operating systems is a tough task.
Over the course of the last two years, from 3Q 2013 to 2Q 2015, CIRP has learned that Android and Apple have both retained users at approximately the same rate, with Google having a slight edge. When choosing a new phone, 82 percent of Android users stuck with Android, and 78 percent of iOS users chose to continue using an iPhone.
The data also suggests that Apple users switched over to Android at a slightly higher rate. 20 percent of new Android users previously had an iPhone, while 16 percent of new iOS users previously had an Android device. Customers purchasing their first smartphone were more likely to choose Android devices, with 62 percent of first time buyers picking Android and 24 percent of picking iOS.
"The dynamic between Apple iOS and Google Android is not well-understood," said Josh Lowitz, Partner and Co-Founder of CIRP. "Even the basic loyalty rate, the measure of how each operating system retains its own users, is not widely known. Conventional wisdom says the Apple 'ecosystem' promotes loyalty, while Android readily gives up users to iOS. Our analysis has a more nuanced view on operating system selection, and indicates Android user loyalty has caught up and even exceeds that of iOS."
Among customers who switched to a new mobile carrier at the same time as switching smartphones, the numbers were in Android's favor. 79 percent of Android users stuck with Android, while only 51 percent of iPhone users who swapped carriers chose an iPhone.
According to CIRP, switching from Android to iOS is more common when customers switch to AT&T or Verizon, while switching from iOS to Android is associated with a switch to T-Mobile or Sprint. CIRP attributes the high number of iPhone to Android switchers to T-Mobile and Sprint's "aggressive contracts and pricing."
Apple often talks about the number of users switching from Android to iOS during its earnings calls and events, but Android vendors, like Google and Samsung, rarely mention the number of customers who switch from iOS to Android, so it often seems like Android customers are switching at a higher rate. CIRP's data, however, suggests the retainment rates and switching rates between iOS and Android are close, with customers largely remaining loyal to their platform of choice.
During the company's last earnings call, Apple CEO Tim Cook said the company was seeing its highest switcher rate from Android that it had "ever measured."
CIRP's data was gathered from quarterly surveys of 4,000 U.S. subjects that activated a mobile phone from July 2013 to July 2015.
Apple aims to take on Google Now with the addition of several new intuitive features on iOS 9 for iPhone and iPad, including Proactive Suggestions, which provides contextually-aware recommendations for music, email, reminders, calendar events and more based on apps that you frequently open and the time of the day.
With iOS 9 currently available in beta, ahead of a public release in September, several readers have shared their real-world experiences with Proactive Suggestions within the MacRumors discussion forums, providing a closer look at the new-and-improved assistant that will be available to all users next month.
Music and Maps
When you connect your iPhone to your car via Bluetooth, iOS 9 can automatically make suggestions for you based on your common tasks while driving. For example, if you often listen to music while driving, it is likely that playback controls or a suggested playlist will be displayed on the Lock screen.
While recent rumors have claimed that Apple has ditched plans to release the so-called "iPhone 6c" until at least the second quarter of 2016, noted mobile phone leaker Evan Blass believes that the 4-inch budget smartphone could still be released alongside the "iPhone 6s" and "iPhone 6s Plus" later this year.
Blass, who has accurately leaked several images and details about unreleased smartphones on Twitter (@evleaks) in the past, recently tweeted that it "sounds like iPhone 6s, 6s Plus, and 6c will all arrive concurrently," suggesting that Apple could release three new smartphones at its annual iPhone event in September.
Sounds like iPhone 6s, 6s Plus, and 6c will all arrive concurrently.
— Evan Blass (@evleaks) August 11, 2015
Blass is better known for leaking Android-based smartphones from handset makers such as Samsung, HTC, Motorola and Huawei, and Apple's release date plans for the so-called "iPhone 6c" appear to be in flux, so his latest prediction should be treated with a proverbial grain of salt and have been shared for discussion purposes only.
@WhatTheBit Ha, I wouldn't say never. Plans really do change, and I don't always hear about it.
— Evan Blass (@evleaks) August 11, 2015
"iPhone 6c" release date rumors have widely varied, ranging from the "second half of 2015" to "2016" and "Q2 2016." The much-rumored smartphone is expected to be a long-awaited successor to the plastic "iPhone 5c" budget handset that Apple released in 2013, and could feature new 14/16nm FinFET chips from TSMC and Samsung for improved performance and lower power consumption.
Password management app LastPass [Direct Link] today announced that new users joining the service will be able to sign up for free without having to pay for a LastPass Premium or Enterprise subscription on mobile devices. Those users who get started on iOS, Android, or Windows will be able to use the service and even sync passwords amongst other smartphones for free.
Now, if you get started with LastPass on your Android, iPhone, or Windows Phone, you’ll have completely free access from your smartphone, and can even sync across smartphones for free. The same is true for tablets, if that’s where you get started.
We want to ensure that LastPass is accessible for all users, including mobile-only users who need help managing their passwords and apps. Wherever you get started, you can use LastPass on that device, and any others of the same device type – desktops, smartphones, or tablets – for free!
The company even promises that wherever a user gets started -- be it on desktop, mobile, or a tablet -- they will be able to use and sync LastPass on that device and any device of the same type. Users who then want a more robust experience, and be able to migrate from mobile to tablet to desktop, will need to sign up for a LastPass Premium subscription for $12 per year.
Before it had a dedicated Mac app, the service was a web-only password management tool which has now grown to include features like quick search, secure logins, and automatic password change. LastPass promises that existing users can expect to continue using the service "without any changes" to their current experience. New users interested in testing out the desktop version can sign up for a 14-day free trial of the LastPass service on the Mac app [Direct Link].
Rite Aid today announced that its 4,600 stores across the United States will begin accepting Apple Pay and Google Wallet starting August 15, nearly one year after the drugstore chain and CVS infamously disabled support for the iPhone-based mobile payments service nationwide. Rite Aid will also support Google's forthcoming Android Pay service when available.
Rite Aid and CVS spurred a controversy last year after disabling Apple Pay and Google Wallet as payment methods last year, likely because both are members of the Merchant Customer Exchange (MCX) consortium, which has its own mobile payments service called CurrentC. MCX launched in August 2012 with a three-year exclusivity period for all members, which ends this month.
“Increasingly, consumers are actively seeking out and incorporating mobile technology into many facets of their life, including their shopping and purchasing decisions,” said Ken Martindale, CEO of Rite Aid stores and president of Rite Aid Corporation. “By accepting mobile payments, we’re able to offer Rite Aid customers an easy and convenient checkout process, which we know is important to them. Investing in mobile technologies is just one piece of Rite Aid’s evolving digital strategy and we will continue to explore, test and implement innovative technologies that will help us to better serve our valued customers.”
Apple responded to the Rite Aid-CVS situation last year by stating that Apple Pay feedback from customers and retailers was "overwhelmingly positive and enthusiastic" at the time, and the mobile payments service is now available at over 750,000 locations in the United States and United Kingdom. Other MCX members that remain without Apple Pay support include Walmart, Target and Lowe's.