MacRumors

Just over a week after developers pressed BBC to bring iPlayer to Apple TV by building their own proof-of-concept app, the British public broadcaster has now confirmed on Twitter and its website that it will be launching the streaming service for the new Apple TV in the "coming months."

"Available on over 10,000 devices, BBC iPlayer is one of the biggest and best on-demand video services in the world, and has transformed how UK audiences watch programmes online," said the BBC's director-general Tony Hall.

"I am delighted that iPlayer will be coming to the new Apple TV in the coming months, helping to bring the BBC's distinctive and loved content to an even wider audience."

BBC has reversed course since the new Apple TV was announced in September, at which time it announced on Twitter it had "no plans currently" to develop an iPlayer app for the latest set-top box. iPlayer had more than 220 million TV requests in August from users on other devices, the BBC says, so a native tvOS app will be a welcomed arrival for many viewers in the United Kingdom and abroad.

Apple also confirmed to BuzzFeed News that Siri is coming to Apple Music on the new Apple TV at the beginning of next year. This functionality will allow Apple TV users to say commands such as "play the top songs from Taylor Swift's 1989 album" or "play more like this" to control Apple Music on the big screen.

The new Apple TV launches October 30, coinciding with the first deliveries to customers.

Roughly 24 hours after orders for the new Apple TV began shifting to "Preparing for Shipment" status, Apple has begun notifying customers that their orders have shipped. Early reports so far all appear to be from Australia where it is currently the afternoon of October 29, and deliveries are scheduled for Friday, October 30. Shipment notifications for customers in other countries should begin rolling out in the coming hours as the clocks roll around into business hours on Thursday.

Apple began taking orders for the Apple TV on Monday, with the earliest deliveries being quoted Friday, October 30 arrival dates. Apple's own retail stores are also expected to begin carrying the new Apple TV on Friday, with other retailers such as Best Buy apparently not seeing availability until next week.

Press reviews of the new Apple TV landed just a few hours ago, with the new set-top box generally receiving a positive response for its evolutionary advances, although it does not yet completely remake the television experience as many have been hoping for Apple to do for a number of years. One key feature of the new Apple TV is the tvOS App Store, however, and we've yet to really see how developers will embrace the new platform that opens up apps to the living room.

(Thanks, Rogan!)

During a strategy meeting with its investors tonight, Nintendo announced its first smartphone game, according to The Wall Street Journal. The game is called Miitomo and will the the first of five games that'll be released by March 2017.

The game will be a free-to-play title with "attractive add-ons" that people can pay for. Users will create their own avatars, known as Miis, that can communicate with other users. Miis can communicate with other people's Miis without a users knowledge, and Nintendo says the game will find ways "to encourage people who are hesitant to talk to share things about themselves" with other users.

However, Nintendo says that the game has been delayed until March 2016; the game was originally intended to launch this year. The company says that one reason for the delay is the need to fully promote and explain what Miitomo is, but that it wants to currently concentrate its marketing efforts on other titles in its product pipeline. As noted by The WSJ, Nintendo's partner DeNA will focus on the operations of the games, indicating that Nintendo may be designing the games.

While Miimoto is a free-to-play game, Nintendo says that other games will be pay-to-download. The company also announced a new membership service called Nintendo Account, which will connect PC, Nintendo hardware and smartphone users. It'll also enable the transfer of game data between mobile and console games.

With the launch of the new fourth-generation Apple TV just a couple days away on Friday, October 30, the first batch of reviews for the new set-top box have arrived online. Most sites have come away with positive impressions of the new Apple TV, noting that Siri is extraordinary helpful and the inclusion of tvOS and apps give the device a lot of potential for the future.

“Rewind 30 seconds,” “Show me Anchorman,” and “Who directed this?” all work well. And thanks to “What did he say?” — which skips back to replay a character’s comment with closed captioning, I finally know what Benicio Del Toro’s character was mumbling in The Usual Suspects. (“I said he’ll flip you. …Flip you. Flip ya for real.” Kind of a letdown. Don’t even get me started on Lost in Translation.) Also: For a few glorious moments last night I was able to taunt my wife by repeatedly what-did-he-saying a favorite moment in Blue Velvet.

While The Verge also enjoyed Siri on the Apple TV, saying that the execution is "among the best in the game," they noted that there are several limitations in place. Siri only works with a handful of apps at the moment, including Netflix, iTunes, Hulu, HBO and Showtime. However, The Verge does mention that a Siri search API is on the way.

On apps, The Verge says that most tvOS apps are currently just very large iPhone apps. There are few apps that take advantage of TV, though they do note that apps like the QVC app show the potential of the new Apple TV and tvOS.

The QVC app is the only app that really and truly blends television with interactivity: it shows you a live feed of QVC, and it overlays the familiar information box on the left side of the screen with a buy button. So you’re watching the regular QVC TV channel, and you can just click to buy, or swipe down to see more photos of the item and related items while the video keeps playing.

Mashable notes that setting up the Apple TV is extremely simple and easy if the user has an iPhone with iOS 9.1 installed.

Simply plug the Apple TV into HDMI and power and then use the Bluetooth connection from your iPhone or iPad to share information such as iCloud and iTunes Account preferences and your WiFi password.

However, Yahoo Tech says that while Siri and the new setup process make things simpler, users will still have plenty of text entry to do on the new device. Users still have to enter their user information in certain apps that require authentication, like Hulu or HBO Go. Unfortunately, Yahoo Tech's David Pogue says that the new on-screen keyboard is far more difficult and "excruciating" to use than the previous on-screen keyboard.

Finally, BuzzFeed mentions that the new Apple TV accessory, the Remote Loop, which is intended to keep the new remote from flying out of the hands of new Apple TV users who want to play games, is better used in another way.

But frankly, the loop is better used as a means of locating and rescuing the diminutive remote after it’s gone missing between couch cushions. I’ve used it for this purpose at least three times so far, and given the loop’s utility for this sort of thing, it’s puzzling that Apple doesn’t view it as a crucial part of the remote, instead selling it as a silly $13 accessory.

The new fourth-generation Apple TV is available for pre-order now and will be available in Apple Stores this Friday. It's available for $149 for a 32 GB version and $199 for a 64 GB version.

Other reviews: CNET, USA Today, Re/code, The Wall Street Journal.

One of the Apple Pay features touted with iOS 9 was support for new types of cards including store-branded credit cards and loyalty rewards cards from retailers. Just yesterday, department store chain Kohl's became the first retailer to launch Apple Pay support for its store-branded credit card, and it now appears Walgreens is preparing to launch support for its Balance Rewards loyalty rewards program.

Balance Rewards members have for some time been able to sign into their rewards accounts using the Walgreens iOS app and add their Balance Rewards numbers to the centralized Passbook/Wallet app. From there, it's been easy for users to bring up the Walgreens pass to display barcodes that can be scanned at checkout to make sure they receive rewards credit for their purchases.

As noted by several MacRumors readers, however, the Balance Rewards card in the Wallet app is now showing up as supporting NFC via Apple Pay. Double-clicking the iPhone home button to bring up Apple Pay cards offers access to the Balance Rewards pass, where the user is then prompted to authenticate with Touch ID and hold the phone near the NFC terminal at the register. Users can also opt to show a barcode for scanning if needed.

While the interface on the iPhone shows all signs of being ready to use Walgreens Balance Rewards via NFC, we and several readers have been unable to successfully use it in-store, as it appears Walgreens' payment terminals have yet to be upgraded to accept Balance Rewards using that method. In our testing yesterday, attempting to transmit a Balance Rewards card to the terminal via Apple Pay simply generated an error on the terminal noting the system was requesting a method of payment.

Walgreens Balance Rewards is also showing up as an Apple Pay option on the Apple Watch. Double clicking the side button of the Apple Watch to bring up available payment cards shows a Walgreens card that appears ready to use via NFC but similarly is not accepted by the terminal.

A barcode option as seen when the Walgreens pass is accessed directly from the Apple Watch's Wallet app is also available through the Apple Pay mechanism, although the overall presentation of the Walgreens card feels unfinished as it requires scrolling to access the barcode button via Apple Pay.

Late yesterday, Walgreens announced it plans to acquire rival Rite Aid in a deal that is expected to close in about a year to combine the largest and third-largest pharmacy chains in the United States. Rite Aid will initially operate as a wholly owned subsidiary of Walgreens with its own branding, although the two brands are likely to fully integrate over time.

Walgreens was a launch partner for Apple Pay payments back in 2014, but Rite Aid famously held out due to its contractual obligations with competing payments platform MCX/CurrentC, even going as far as to disable existing NFC payment support to prevent customers from using Apple Pay in its stores. Rite Aid reversed course in August as its exclusivity with CurrentC ended, adding support for Apple Pay in its stores.

Apple began accepting pre-orders for the Apple TV on Monday morning, but has not yet announced when the device will be available for purchase in its retail stores. Apple Retail employees that have spoken to 9to5Mac have shed some light on when we might see the new set-top box, however, suggesting it will be in stores on Friday, October 30.

Apple retail locations are set to receive shipments at the end of the week, with Apple Stores being reconfigured overnight on Thursday to focus on promoting the new Apple TV.

Friday is also the first day when pre-order customers who selected one day shipping will begin receiving their Apple TV orders. Some Apple TVs have already begun preparing for shipment and will be shipping out very soon. Best Buy is also accepting pre-orders for the new Apple TV, but isn't allowing for in-store pickup until November 4.

The new Apple TV is available in 32 and 64GB configurations, with prices at $149 and $199, respectively. The device includes an A8 processor, a touch-based remote control that doubles as a game controller, a full App Store, universal search capabilities, and Siri integration.

Apple marketing chief Phil Schiller recently met with Mashable editor-at-large Lance Ulanoff for a rare interview, discussing topics ranging from the new 12-inch MacBook to Apple's "intense collaboration" that makes such products possible.

Schiller emphasized how Apple's process from product conception to production has greatly changed over the past few decades, as a result of "intense collaboration" between industrial design and engineering teams within the company.

"From the beginning, the Mac has been about Apple taking responsibility for the whole thing: hardware, software, how applications can work and, increasingly, Internet services. But that means something different today than it did 20 years ago," Schiller said.

"Today, those teams are not only integrated and designing something together, they’re actually thinking of features that could only exist because of that integration and solving problems that could only be solved because of that unique advantage."

The interview provides a closer look at the new 12-inch MacBook, ranging from its ultra-small logic board to "speaktenna" combined speaker and antenna design, as an example of what's possible because of Apple's collaboration.

Some like to call it the "Speaktenna." The black strip along the back edge of the MacBook speakers is a never-before-tried combination of speakers and antennas for Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. […]

In the case of the speaktenna, Apple engineers did everything in their power to fit the maximum amount of technology possible into the tiny anodized aluminum chassis. This included creating new battery chemistry and forms to support a terraced battery design that marries perfectly with matching cutouts in the chassis. There's even a deeper level of terracing cutouts in the body that aren't for more battery power, but to cut down on the overall system weight.

Mashable's in-depth profile of Schiller goes into more detail about the 12-inch MacBook's design process, how collaboration will continue at Apple's upcoming Campus 2, the continued growth of Mac in a declining PC market and more.

The latest numbers from research firm IDC show that Samsung and Apple continue to lead the worldwide smartphone market, but Chinese handset maker Huawei is placing increasing pressure on the industry giants after experiencing strong 60.9% growth compared to the year-ago quarter.

IDC's Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker reveals that Samsung continues to be the top smartphone vendor with 23.8% market share, shipping an estimated 84.5 million smartphones in the third quarter of the calendar year, compared to 23.9% market share and 79.6 million smartphones shipped in the year-ago quarter.

Apple trailed in second with 13.5% market share after shipping 48 million smartphones in the calendar third quarter, compared to 11.8% market share and 39.3 million smartphones shipped in the year-ago quarter -- a 22.2% year-over-year increase, which cut away at Samsung's market lead.

Apple's growth can be attributed to strong iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus sales, which Apple says has led to the highest rate of Android switchers it has ever measured. The new smartphones set a record with 13 million sales over their September launch weekend. Apple released its complete FY Q4 financial results yesterday.

Huawei also closed the gap on Samsung and Apple due to strong growth in China and Europe. The Shenzhen-based company was the third-largest smartphone vendor, a position that previously belonged to Chinese rival Xiaomi, with 7.5% market share and 26.5 million smartphones shipped in the third quarter.

Lenovo and Xiaomi rounded off the top five largest smartphone vendors with nearly equal 5.3% and 5.2% market share respectively. Lenovo shipped an estimated 18.8 million smartphones, while Xiaomi shipped an estimated 18.3 million smartphones. All other vendors combined to ship an estimated 159.1 million smartphones.

Overall smartphone shipments totaled 355.2 million worldwide in the third quarter, up 6.8% from the 332.6 million units shipped in the year-ago quarter, marking the second highest level of smartphone shipments for a single quarter ever. The growth was driven by new flagship devices such as the iPhone 6s, Galaxy S6 edge+ and Galaxy Note5.

Best Buy is now accepting Apple TV 4 pre-orders on its U.S. website for in-store pickup or delivery beginning Wednesday, November 4. The electronics retailer is carrying the new Apple TV in 32GB and 64GB models for $149.99 and $199.99 respectively alongside an optional two-year AppleCare Protection Plan for $29.

Apple has not confirmed when the new Apple TV will be available at Apple Stores in the U.S. and other launch countries, but next week is a possibility based on Apple's own shipping estimates and Best Buy's in-store release date. Personal Pickup for the new Apple TV is currently unavailable through the Apple Online Store.

Apple began taking online orders for the new Apple TV a few days ago, and the first set-top boxes will begin shipping to customers later this week. The earliest deliveries should arrive on October 30 for those who opted for one-day shipping, while standard shipping delivery estimates range between November 2-6.

Apple TV 4 orders have shifted to "Preparing for Shipment" status for many customers.

Best Buy is a convenient option for prospective Apple TV 4 buyers that prefer in-store pickup and do not have an Apple Store within close proximity. The electronics retailer has around 1,050 stores in the U.S., in addition to nearly 200 locations in Canada. The chain also operates in Mexico.

The U.S. Senate today passed the controversial Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act, also known as CISA, in a 74 to 21 vote. A similar bill has already passed in the House, and the two cybersecurity bills will likely be combined before heading to the White House for a final decision from President Obama. The vote comes a week after Apple spoke out against the bill.

CISA is designed to allow companies to share information on cybersecurity threats with one another and the government. However, as noted by Wired, privacy advocates have asked Congress to kill the bill, saying that it hides "new government surveillance mechanisms in the guise of security protections."

Apple spoke out against the bill last week after other technology companies, like Twitter, Yelp, Wikipedia, reddit also opposed the bill. The Computer and Communications Industry Association, which represents Google, Amazon, Facebook and Microsoft had urged the Senate to make improvements to the bill, saying that they do not support the bill as it's currently written.

The Cupertino company once again reiterated its commitment to user privacy in its opposition to the legislation, saying that it doesn't support CISA and that the trust of its customers "means everything to us and we don't believe security should come at the expense of privacy." Apple has taken a strong privacy stance in recent years, continually noting that the government doesn't have access to its servers. In iOS 8, Apple ended its storage of encryption keys for iOS devices, making it impossible for the company to unlock iPads an iPhones under police request.

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 shared yet another new ad for the iPhone 6s, this time focusing on the Siri personal assistant and the wireless "Hey Siri" feature built into the new device. The humorous ad stars Bill Hader, who also played a part in the funny "Backstage" video that Apple debuted during the Worldwide Developers Conference in June.

The iPhone 6s is here, and the only thing that's changed with Siri is everything. Because now you just say "Hey Siri" and Siri's there, hands-free. Which can come in handy.

The "Prince Oseph" ad is the fifth iPhone 6s advertisement that Apple has released this week, with each ad focusing on different aspects of the iPhone 6s, like 3D Touch, Live Photos, and the improved photo taking capabilities of the devices. Other ads have starred well-known personalities like Jamie Foxx and Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry.