MacRumors

Apple's sapphire partner GT Advanced Technologies today announced financial results for the second quarter of 2014, acknowledging publicly that the companies' facility in Mesa, Arizona is "commencing the transition to volume production."

"The build-out of our Arizona facility, which has involved taking a 1.4 million square foot facility from a shell to a functional structure as well as the installation of sapphire growth and fabrication equipment, is nearly complete and we are commencing the transition to volume production," Gutierrez continued. "We remain confident about the long-term potential of the sapphire materials business for GT.

Overall, GT reported a net loss of $86 million for the quarter, a result that is not unexpected given that the company is significantly restructuring itself as part of the Apple deal, essentially shutting down its sales of sapphire furnaces to other customers in order to devote all of those resources to setting up the Arizona facility for Apple. The facility is owned by Apple and being run by GT, with Apple providing some upfront financing to help get production rolling.

GT allocated over $45 million to "sapphire production ramp up costs" during the quarter, with the company stating that those costs relate to "production inefficiencies and inventory losses" associated with building out its facilities and are not part of ongoing operations for the company. That amount is up from just $1.9 million in the prior quarter, signaling the company's massive move to launch production for Apple.

GT also confirmed that it expects to meet the targets outlined in its deal with Apple, allowing to receive the final $139 million prepayment from Apple by the end of October.

Apple has used sapphire for the camera lens cover on several iOS devices and for the Touch ID sensor on the iPhone 5s, but the company is pursuing a massive increase in sapphire usage for future products. The iPhone 6 display has been rumored to include a sapphire cover, but rumors are divided on whether the material will be included on all models or just higher-end models, as well as whether the entire cover will be full sapphire or a thinner lamination layer.

Apple's rumored iWatch has also been speculated to include a sapphire cover, as the material is fairly common on high-end watches to minimize scratching.

(Image: GT sapphire furnace)

Apple today released the fifth beta of iOS 8, which brings a number of improvements, tweaks, and bug fixes to the beta software that was first introduced on June 2.

iOS 8 beta 5, like previous betas, includes several minor interface modifications designed to make iOS 8 feel faster and more polished. We've gathered up a comprehensive list of all the enhancements that have been bundled into the new beta release below, and to find out about all of the under-the-radar changes in iOS 8 so far, make sure to check out our iOS 8 Hidden Features Roundup.

Health: According to the beta's release notes, Apple's Health app now collects Spirometry data. Spirometry tests measure lung function, tracking the volume and flow of air when inhaling and exhaling. The app has gained several new icons, the ability to export Health data, and a "Show When Logged" option to display Medical ID on the lock screen. There are also privacy settings for Health in the Settings app.

SMS Relay: iOS 8 users are getting a popup that asks them to use their phone numbers for SMS Relay on their MacBooks, one of the new Continuity features between OS X Yosemite and iOS 8.

Photos: Photos now displays a "Last Updated" notification to let users know when images were last synced to iCloud. There's also an iCloud Photo Settings option to store full resolution photos solely in iCloud while keeping device-optimized versions available on the iPhone to save storage space.

iCloud icons: iCloud Drive, Backup, and Keychain have new icons in the iCloud section of the Settings app. The overall iCloud icon has also been updated, featuring a white cloud on a field of blue.

WiFi Calling: When WiFi calling is enabled, it's now labeled T-Mobile WiFi at the top of the iPhone screen.

Predictive text: There's now an option on the keyboard to toggle on predictive text.

Wallpaper Settings: The Brightness toggle has been removed from the Wallpaper section of the Settings app. Changing screen brightness can now be done via the Display & Brightness section of the Settings app that was added in a previous iOS 8 beta.

Additional features in iOS 8 beta 5 will be added here as they are discovered. Apple is likely to continue pushing regular updates to iOS 8 at two or three-week intervals to bring minor performance boosts and changes ahead of the operating system's launch. For more information on iOS 8's features, major and minor, make sure to check out our roundups.

Alongside iOS 8 beta 5, Apple today released a new version of OS X Yosemite to developers, two weeks after releasing the fourth Developer Preview and two months after unveiling the new desktop operating system at its annual Worldwide Developers Conference.

The update can be downloaded from the Mac App Store and should be available through the Mac Developer Center shortly. Apple has also released new beta versions of Xcode, OS X Server, and Apple Configurator.

OS X Yosemite brings a flatter, more modern look to OS X, with an emphasis on translucency and redesigned dock, windows, and more. It also includes a multitude of new features, such as improved integration with iOS 8 through Continuity, a new "Today" view in Notification Center that offers integration with third-party apps, a retooled Spotlight search with new data sources, and several new features for apps like Mail, Safari, and Messages.

Over the course of the beta testing period, each Developer Preview has added new features and refined the look and performance of OS X Yosemite. DP 4, for example, added a revamped version of iTunes with a streamlined design and support for Family Sharing, while an earlier beta introduced a new Dark Mode.

Today's Developer Preview is limited to registered developers, but last week, Apple made a version of OS X Yosemite available to the public as part of a wide-ranging beta test. The pre-release version of Yosemite available to those participating in the public beta program is not expected to receive as many updates as the developer version.

Notable changes in DP 5:

System Preferences - System Preferences has an updated look with a slightly redesigned top bar.

Launchpad - Launchpad has a new download progress bar.

Volume/Brightness Controls - The Volume and Brightness controls in Yosemite have a new look.

Calculator - The look of the redesigned Calculator has been tweaked slightly and it is now more transparent.

Safari - There's a new setting in Safari to show full website addresses.

Apple today released the fifth beta of iOS 8 to developers, two weeks after releasing the fourth beta update and two months since introducing the new mobile operating system at the Worldwide Developers Conference.

The update, build 12A4345d, is available through Apple's over-the-air updating mechanism on iOS devices and can also be downloaded via the iOS Developer Center. Apple has also released a new Apple TV software beta update that includes a redesigned UI.

iOS 8 introduces a range of new features, including improved integration with OS X through Continuity, a Health app, Family Sharing features, interactive notifications, a new QuickType Keyboard and improvements to several apps like Safari, Mail, and Messages.

Each beta update thus far has brought refinements and additional features to iOS 8, with beta 4, for example, bringing a new Tips app and a redesigned Control Center, among other improvements. iOS 8 beta 5 adds new options for SMS Relay, new features in Health, and more. For a full list of the changes in beta 5, make sure to check out our iOS 8 beta 5 tidbits post.

Currently, iOS 8 is only available to registered developers, but the operating system is expected to be released to the public this fall after several beta iterations. We may be getting close to the end of the beta testing period, however, as one rumor has suggested iOS 8 beta 5 may be the final beta version while another indicates it's the second-to-last beta before a golden master.

Cowen & Co. analyst Timothy Arcuri claims the 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch iPhone 6 will differ in more than just display size, reports AppleInsider. According to Arcuri's supply chain checks, the 5.5-inch iPhone 6 may include a more powerful processor and a different touch module than the 4.7-inch model.

Arcuri suggests the processor in the faster 5.5-inch iPhone 6 may actually have a larger die than the version found in the 4.7-inch model. This architectural change may hint at an A8 processor with a different graphics processor or possibly a new process for the fabrication of the chip.

Besides two different processors, Arcuri also believes the two iPhone 6 models may ship with different touch modules, with TPK as the likely manufacturer.

Apple is expected to unveil the iPhone at a September event with the 4.7-inch model possibly arriving first and the 5.5-inch following up to several months later.

While many NFL fans have been hoping the Sunday Ticket subscription service will make its way to the Apple TV someday, the league appears set to make its first foray onto the set-top box with an upcoming NFL Now channel, reports 9to5Mac.

Announced earlier this year for a launch this month, NFL Now is a personalized digital video library of on-demand news, features, highlights and more, as well as live streaming of press conferences and other events, but not games. The new service will be launching across a number of platforms later this month as the 2014 NFL season begins, but Apple TV support had not been confirmed.

Sports content has been a major theme for Apple TV content, with MLB.tv, NBA League Pass, NHL GameCenter, and MLS Live subscription services all available on the platform. Other sports channels on Apple TV include Watch ESPN, action sports channel Red Bull TV, college-focused ACC + Campus Insiders, and cricket channel Willow.

Update 6:40 AM: 9to5Mac now says the new channel will be launching this week.

Taiwan-based accessory maker Yi Lin Enterprises has posted new photos on Weibo showing the purported rear shell of Apple's iPad Air 2 (Google Translate, via Mac Otakara). The images show off a gold housing with a number of design changes, including a new speaker grille with larger holes and a relocated rear microphone alongside the iSight camera.

Last month, an alleged "perfect replica" of the iPad Air 2 surfaced, showing off a Touch ID home button for the device and recessed volume buttons along with the same refined speaker grille. The prototype followed the leak of a supposed front panel from the iPad Air 2 this past April, which showed an integrated display that may hint at a thinner form factor for the tablet.

Apple's iPad Air 2 is expected to launch alongside the iPad mini 3 later this year, and is expected to include a faster A8 processor in addition to the aforementioned Touch ID fingerprint sensor and refined physical features. Rumors have also suggested that Apple is working on a larger, 12.9-inch iPad Pro, however recent reports have indicated that plans for the tablet may be on hold for the foreseeable future.

Apple launched a new television ad in its "You're More Powerful Than You Think" campaign, this time called "Dreams". The song in the ad is "When I Grow Up" by Jennifer O'Connor.

It is the fourth ad in the series, with previous spots "Powerful", "Strength", and "Parenthood" focusing on the sheer variety of apps on the iPhone, workout apps, and apps for parents.

- Vaavud Wind Meter, an anemometer that plugs into the iPhone's headphone jack
- Response Deck, an app for fire and EMS first responders
- iTranslate Voice, a near-real time language translation app
- Veterinary AliveECG, a portable heart monitor for pets
- ForeFlight Mobile, a civil aviation mapping and weather app for pilots
- SAM-1, an appcessory for measuring water pH and other data

"Dreams" debuts just over a month after the previous spot, "Parenthood", was released at the end of June.

Apple’s $3 billion acquisition of Beats was finalized today, and as the two companies merge into one, the positions some former Beats employees will take on at Apple are becoming clearer.

According to a new report from The Wall Street Journal, Ian Rogers, who serves as the CEO of Beats Music, will take Apple’s own iTunes Radio streaming music service under his wing, heading up both streaming music services. Rogers will likely report to Eddy Cue, the SVP of Internet Software and Services at Apple, who oversees all of Apple’s content stores.

Rogers, a former Yahoo executive, will run both teams to create cohesion in Apple’s streaming-music options, according to the people familiar with the matter. Pandora and Spotify, the two-biggest streaming music services, each offer both a free ad-supported service and a subscription-based service.

As previously reported, Beats co-founders Jimmy Iovine and Andre Young (aka Dr. Dre) are also expected to take on senior roles at the company, and while it remains unclear exactly what the duo will do at Apple, Iovine may also become involved with iTunes, securing deals and marketing opportunities.

Earlier today, Apple posted a message on its website welcoming the Beats team to the family, as Beats shut down its own online store. While many former Beats employees are transitioning to Cupertino or continuing to work in a Los Angeles office, approximately 200 employees in human resources, finance, and other areas where there was overlap with Apple have only been given temporary positions as the company tries to find new roles for them.

United States President Barack Obama will today sign a bill that makes cell phone unlocking legal again, writing the Unlocking Consumer Choice and Wireless Competition Act into law following its unanimous approval by the Senate and House of Representatives.

Obama has long supported the act, which was originally introduced via a 2013 "We the People" petition that gathered more than 100,000 signatures calling for cell phone unlocking to be made legal. It first became illegal to unlock a cell phone in January of 2013, after an exception in the Digital Millennium Copyright Act expired, restricting U.S. customers from shifting their service to other carriers or using their devices abroad with local SIM cards.

Now that cell phone unlocking is once again legal, consumers and third-party unlocking services will be able to unlock paid-for cell phones and tablets without receiving express permission from carriers and without facing criminal penalties. The changes will make it easier for consumers to take their devices to the carrier of their choice after contractual obligations have been fulfilled and it will also be easier to use existing devices abroad.

The bill not only restores the rights of consumers to unlock their phones, but ensures that they can receive help doing so if they lack the technological savvy to unlock on their own.

The most important part of this joint effort is that it will have a real impact. As long as their phone is compatible and they have complied with their contracts, consumers will now be able to enjoy the freedom of taking their mobile service -- and a phone they already own -- to the carrier that best fits their needs. At a time when partisan gridlock all too often threatens progress on everyday issues that matter to consumers, working together we listened to your voices, and the American people benefited as a result.

In December of 2013, U.S. cellular carriers and the FCC also came to an agreement over a set of voluntary principles that will make it easier for wireless customers to unlock their devices and switch from carrier to carrier after a contract has been fulfilled.

Note: Due to the political nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Politics, Religion, Social Issues forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.

Apple today updated its website with a new page celebrating its acquisition of Beats Electronics and Beats Music.

Today we are excited to officially welcome Beats Music and Beats Electronics to the Apple family. Music has always held a special place in our hearts, and we’re thrilled to join forces with a group of people who love it as much as we do. Beats cofounders Jimmy Iovine and Dr. Dre have created beautiful products that have helped millions of people deepen their connection to music. We’re delighted to be working with the team to elevate that experience even further.

And we can’t wait to hear what’s next.

The page also links visitors to the the front page of the revamped Beats Electronics website, which contains a message from the Beats team about joining Apple.

As part of these changes, Beats Electronics also has confirmed the closure of its online store. Going forward, all transactions will be handled through Apple's Online Store and customers are advised to contact Apple about purchases made after August 1, 2014.

Apple's acquisition of Beats Electronics and Beats Music is moving forward, with the deal recently receiving regulatory approval from the European Commission. U.S. regulators are expected to weigh in on the deal in a decision to be announced sometime this quarter.

In other acquisition news, Bloomberg also reported that Vivendi sold its 13 percent stake in Beats Electronics to Apple for $404 million. This stake was held by Vivendi's Universal Music Group.

Update 7:48 AM: Apple has confirmed to TechCrunch that U.S. regulators have indeed signed off on the deal, finalizing Apple's acquisition of Beats.

Nowhereelse.fr [Google Translate] has published several high-resolution images purportedly showing flex cables from both the 4.7-inch and the 5.5-inch iPhone 6. These latest images add to the growing number of flex cables and other internal components for the iPhone 6 that have surfaced in the past few months.

These images include a possible look at the home button cables from both iPhone 6 models. The photos show two different designs for the part, each with a square section for the Touch ID sensor but distinct from the iPhone 5s part. While Apple's iPads are also rumored to be gaining Touch ID functionality this year, the parts shown in the photos are compact enough that they are much more likely to be for the iPhone.

Another set of photos shows a flex cable with the ambient light/proximity sensors and a microphone. The corresponding part from the iPhone 5s includes the device's FaceTime camera, but the camera is not included on the purported iPhone 6 cable.

As the rumored September launch of the iPhone 6 approaches, we expect to see additional part leaks, especially for the 5.5-inch model which may enter mass production in the coming month. Supply chain reports claim the 4.7-inch model entered mass production in July.

Rumors suggest Apple may stagger the launch of the iPhone 6, introducing the 4.7-inch model in September and following that launch with the 5.5-inch version later in the year.