MacRumors

Apple's latest fourth-generation Apple TV includes a dedicated App Store, which will allow users to access many apps and features that were not previously available on the older Apple TV. Popular media streaming apps Plex and VLC, for example, are both coming to the Apple TV, with tvOS versions already in the works.

The developers behind VLC announced their work on a tvOS app this morning, though few details have been given. "Some code to build VLCKit for the new tvOS was merged," reads a blog post. "It's very early though, but we have video playback!"

For those unfamiliar with VLC, it's a cross-platform media player that's designed to support multiple audio and video file formats and act as a streaming server. VLC is available on streaming devices that compete with the Apple TV, such as the Amazon Fire TV, but on Apple's platform, it's been limited to Macs and iOS devices.

Similarly, popular media organization and streaming app Plex is coming to the Apple TV. A tvOS version of Plex is in development, Plex co-founder Scott Olechowski told ITworld last week. Like VLC, Plex is in the early stages of development, so few details are available

There is no question we will be able to offer Plex on the platform. There are multiple ways to go about it, based on the tvOS SDK we now have access to. We are now evaluating the best path for Plex and will begin work in earnest once we have evaluated the options. The ability to access great and proven iOS frameworks on the device is great for developers like us -- we know the stuff is solid and will perform really well. Our goal is to enable people to enjoy Plex on the hardware platforms of their choice, and there is no doubt this will be a top platform for us.

Currently, Plex works with set-top boxes like the Chromecast and the Fire TV, and it is a popular choice with jailbroken Apple TVs, but it is not available to Apple TV users in any official capacity. Plex is designed to organize personal media libraries consisting of video and music files, allowing them to be easily streamed to TVs and other devices, either locally or remotely.

As of today, developers are beginning to place their orders for Apple TV Developer Kits, so we may soon be hearing a lot more about these two apps and other apps that will be coming to the Apple TV.

Apple has released four new Apple Music videos in its "Discovery" series, which is designed to highlight lesser known artists and help users discover new music. The videos feature singer Flo Morrissey, musician Leon Bridges, singer and guitarist Shamir, and DJ and rapper Flying Lotus.

Flo Morrissey's first single, "Pages of Gold," was released in December of 2014, and was followed by her first album, Tomorrow Will Be Beautiful. The video focuses just on her singing and is accompanied by the description: "Introducing artists you didn't know you couldn't live without. Discover and connect with new music and the people who make it - artists like Flo Morrissey."

Flying Lotus has been releasing albums since 2006, with his latest album, You're Dead, launching in late 2014. His Apple Music video features his electronic music with the description: "Experiment with music just like the artists do. Discover and connect with new music and the people who make it - artists like Flying Lotus."

Leon Bridges is an American gospel and soul singer whose first album, Coming Home, was released in June of 2015. His video features his song Smooth Sailin', along with the following description: "Music curation that has as much soul as the artists themselves. Discover and connect with new music and the people who make it - artists like Leon Bridges." Bridges is one of several artists who will be performing at Apple's upcoming Apple Music festival.

The final video features Shamir, a singer who released his first RP, Northtown in June of 2014 and his first album, Ratchet, in May of 2015. Shamir's video features his song "Demon," with the following description: "The track you can't get out of your head is ready to get in your head. Discover and connect with new music and the people who make it - artists like Shamir."

All of the videos feature the same black and white style with no spoken content, in order to focus primarily on the artists' work. The videos being released today are the fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh videos in the "Discovery" series, which has also featured James Bay and Kygo.

The new Apple TV won't be available to consumers until the end of October, but some developers are able to get their hands on one of the devices early in order to begin preparing and testing apps for the tvOS App Store.

Following last week's "Hey Siri" media event, Apple gave developers an opportunity to sign up for a lottery for an Apple TV Developer Kit, which ended today. Developers who won the lottery are now receiving invitations allowing them to purchase an Apple TV kit, and the first Apple TVs could be in developer hands by the end of this week.

Developers who were selected for the lottery are required to order by Wednesday, September 16, with orders beginning to ship out one to three days after that. Apple is providing Apple TV Developer Kits to developers at no cost, with a $1 fee being charged to verify billing and shipping addresses.

With Apple TVs in the hands of developers in just a few short days, we may learn a lot more about the device ahead of its official October launch date, and we'll almost certainly get a glimpse at what kind of apps we can expect on it. We've already seen an unboxing of the new Apple TV, which gave us a look at the set-top box itself and the new touch-based Siri remote included with it.

Apple's new Apple TV represents a massive overhaul of the existing set-top box, which has been left untouched since 2012. In addition to a much more powerful A8 processor, 2GB RAM, and more storage space, the new Apple TV includes a whole new operating system, tvOS, that supports a full App Store, allowing apps and games to be played on the device for the first time, and Siri, for full voice-control abilities in countries where it is supported.

The Apple TV also has deep search capabilities that will make it possible for users to search for content across multiple apps to find television shows and movies, and its aforementioned touch-based remote doubles as a motion-supported gaming controller for games that will be found within the new App Store.

Earlier this month, we reported that Apple may have acquired Swiss real-time motion capture firm Faceshift, based on the company's corporate directors stepping down in August and being replaced by Martin Frey, a mergers and acquisitions attorney at Baker & McKenzie. Apple has frequently used Baker & McKenzie's services around the world, including management of some of Apple's Swiss trademarks.

Lending further credence to the rumor, Apple has posted a job listing for a PhD-level Software Engineering position within its Camera and Media Algorithms Group. The listing provides a generic location of Apple's Swiss corporate headquarters at Löwenstrasse 29 in Zurich, Switzerland, but the highly technical skills and experience required for the job suggest it may be located at nearby Faceshift.

This engineer will work to create cutting-edge imaging algorithms for both mobile and desktop photographic applications. The ideal candidate will have experience with advanced imaging techniques such as multi-scale, wavelet, or gradient-domain processing. In addition, experience with processing video for computational information is desired including experience with image registration methods. Also, experience working with multi-spectral imaging systems is desired. 5+ years algorithmic development for general image processing, computational photography, color and image quality. Strong understanding of digital imaging/camera pipelines. Strong computational and imaging for information experience. Excellent coding skills in C, C++, and MATLAB Ability to optimize/debug imaging algorithms. Familiarity with common development and debugging tools, ideally for both mobile and desktop applications. Strong verbal and written communication skills in English. Ability to manage multiple tasks and self-prioritize. PhD in image processing or computational photography field required.

Faceshift launched in 2011 out of the Computer Graphics and Geometry Laboratory at EPFL in Lausanne, also known as the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, and a source working in a similar field told MacRumors that Apple may be working with Switzerland's other technical university ETH Zurich on image segmentation and characterization at a secretive location in Zurich.

Nevertheless, the acquisition still cannot be proved beyond circumstantial evidence.

• Faceshift has largely shut down its website that formerly advertised its upcoming consumer effort and a partnership for integration with Intel's RealSense 3D camera systems
• Faceshift has removed nearly all mentions of its previous Faceshift Studio software from its website and has gone silent on Twitter and Facebook
• Multiple employees at Faceshift have updated their LinkedIn profiles with "Currently Looking For New Opportunities" or "Considering New Opportunities"

Faceshift has demoed its motion capture technology several times in the past few years, including at GDC 2015.

There are numerous ways in which Apple could use Faceshift's technologies, should this acquisition rumor prove true, ranging from real-time avatars for FaceTime video chats to biometrics for unlocking devices or authorizing payments via facial recognition. Apple's past acquisitions of 3D body sensing firm PrimeSense and Swedish facial recognition firm Polar Rose make it clear the company is interested in the space.

KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has issued a note to investors that claims the iPhone 6s Plus is facing supply shortages amid pre-orders due to backlight module production issues at Japanese supplier Minebea.

Kuo says that Apple is looking to resolve the problem by transferring backlight module orders to alternative supplier Radiant. The supplier will see its orders increase by 70-80% to 4-5 million units in September.

We believe Minebea’s (JP) backlight module production issues in supplying iPhone 6S Plus (6S Plus) is one of the main factors in the model’s supply shortage. To tackle this issue, we believe Apple (US) has been increasingly transferring high-ASP 6S Plus backlight module orders to Radiant (6176 TT, NT$106.5, OP), boosting its sales momentum.

While shipping estimates for the iPhone 6s Plus have slipped to 3-4 weeks or later for most models, Kuo believes the primary reason is because of supply chain problems rather than strong demand. The analyst expects Apple to prepare 1.5 to 2 million iPhone 6s Plus units for sale on September 25 launch day.

The switch from Minebea to Radiant should help improve iPhone 6s Plus supply through September.

To accelerate availability, we believe Apple has been transferring substantial 6S Plus backlight module orders to Radiant. As such, we estimate the company’s iPhone 6S Plus backlight module orders to increase by 70-80% to 4-5mn units in September, boosting its order allocation from 35-45% to 70-80%.

Apple informed the media this morning that iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus pre-orders are "on pace to beat" last year's record-breaking 10 million iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus units sold on launch weekend in September 2014.

Apple has informed the media that iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus pre-orders are "on pace to beat" last year's record-breaking 10 million iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus pre-orders sold on launch weekend in September 2014.

iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus pre-orders started on Saturday at 12:01 AM Pacific. While most iPhone 6s Plus and Rose Gold models are now shipping in 2-3 weeks or later in the U.S., many iPhone 6s models remain available for delivery on September 25.

Apple:

Customer response to iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus has been extremely positive and preorders this weekend were very strong around the world. We are on pace to beat last year's 10 million unit first-weekend record when the new iPhones go on sale September 25.

As many customers noticed, the online demand for iPhone 6s Plus has been exceptionally strong and exceeded our own forecasts for the preorder period. We are working to catch up as quickly as we can, and we will have iPhone 6s Plus as well as iPhone 6s units available at Apple retail stores when they open next Friday.

Last year, Apple announced the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus received a record-breaking 4 million pre-orders on the first day alone, and later confirmed that opening weekend sales topped 10 million. A month later, it was reported that iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus pre-orders topped 20 million in China through carriers and e-commerce site Jingdong Mall.

After being sold at a few high-end boutiques around the United Kingdom in the Spring, it was recently announced that the Apple Watch would begin hitting some more mainstream UK-based department stores, including John Lewis (via Wareable) and Currys. Besides the high-end locations, prior to this announcement the only place for UK customers to purchase an Apple Watch was in an Apple Store.

Currys' impending sale of the Apple Watch was discovered in late August, but no specific date was known at the time. With the announcement of the Apple Watch coming to John Lewis department stores, it appears that Apple's new wearable will launch at both locations on the same day, September 18. Thirty-seven of John Lewis' forty-four stores in the UK will be getting the Apple Watch, with four more confirming availability by Christmas.

"We believe Apple Watch will be one of the most sought after gifts this Christmas," said Will Jones, head of buying communication technology at John Lewis. We expect a couple more British retailers to follow but Apple isn't going to rush to remove the air of exclusivity around the Watch it is still just about maintaining.

Currys is a bit more proliferated in the UK than John Lewis, with 295 superstores and 73 high street stores located in both the United Kingdom and Ireland. Both John Lewis and Currys will also provide online support for Apple Watch sales, with Currys letting customers put in a pre-order for the device on their website right now. As of writing, the John Lewis website just has a simple placeholder page with information for customers about the new device.

The expansion of the Apple Watch has been growing since its launch in April, with Best Buy stores now widely selling the device -- and even AppleCare and a few of its accessories -- in the United States and Canada. Fnac locations in France also began selling the Apple Watch in late August. The recent confirmation of John Lewis and Currys locations joining in the support of selling the wearable device on September 18 will come just two days after the release of watchOS 2, as well.

Apple development tool Xcode seemingly confirms the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus each have 2GB of RAM, while the iPad Pro has 4GB of RAM, as discovered by iOS developer Hamza Sood.

The iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus have long been rumored to have 2GB of RAM. Meanwhile, Adobe issued a Creative Cloud press release earlier this week that stated the iPad Pro had 4GB of RAM, but removed the mention just hours later.

As usual, Apple itself did not mention how much RAM the iPhone 6s, iPhone 6s Plus or iPad Pro have during its "Hey Siri" media event, nor does it include RAM on the tech spec pages for any of the devices.

Pre-order supplies of the iPhone 6s and the iPhone 6s Plus in the United States are starting to dwindle a bit since pre-orders kicked off at 12:01 a.m. Pacific Time, with several of the new iPhone models now displaying shipping estimates of 2-3 weeks. Models in the new Rose Gold color are the most heavily affected, particularly in the United States.

In the United States, Rose Gold T-Mobile iPhone 6s Plus models in 64 GB and 128 GB capacities slipped to 2-3 weeks very soon after pre-orders began, and more recently the following models have also moved to 2-3 weeks as of 2:00 AM Pacific Time:

- Rose Gold AT&T 64 GB iPhone 6s Plus
- Rose Gold AT&T 128 GB iPhone 6s Plus
- Rose Gold Verizon 64GB iPhone 6s Plus
- Rose Gold Verizon 128 GB iPhone 6s Plus
- Rose Gold T-Mobile 16 GB iPhone 6s Plus
- Rose Gold T-Mobile 64 GB iPhone 6s
- Rose Gold T-Mobile 128 GB iPhone 6s
- Space Gray T-Mobile 128 GB iPhone 6s Plus

Slipped shipping estimates in Apple's online stores for other countries such as the UK, Australia, and Germany are a bit more varied, with a few more models in other colors moving to 2-3 weeks, although Rose Gold is again the most common variety to see the later estimates. The UK in particular is seeing extended shipping, as nearly all iPhone 6s Plus models with the exception of a few 16 GB models are now listed at 2-3 weeks.

Customers placing orders for one of these models with 2-3 week estimates could see their deliveries pushed into October considering transit times of several days following shipment.

While pre-order supplies of some models of the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus are beginning to sell out, it may still be possible to get one of these iPhones on launch day by visiting an Apple retail location on Friday, September 25, depending on stock levels.

The iPhone 6s is available in 16, 64, and 128 GB capacities in the United States for $199, $299, and $399, respectively, with a two-year contract. Contract-free pricing begins at $649. Apple’s higher-priced iPhone 6 Plus is available in 16, 64, and 128 GB capacities for $299, $399, and $499, respectively, with a two-year contract. Contract-free pricing on the larger-screened device starts at $749.

Update 2:00 PM: In the United States, essentially all iPhone 6s Plus models are currently listed with shipping estimates of at least 2-3 weeks, with some at 3-4 weeks. The smaller iPhone 6s remains in much better supply, with only Rose Gold models at T-Mobile and Verizon being pushed beyond the September 25 launch date.

Apple is now accepting pre-orders for the iPhone 6s and the iPhone 6s Plus through its online storefront and through the Apple Store app. Pre-orders are available in first wave launch countries including the United States, Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, the UK, Hong Kong, Japan, New Zealand, Puerto Rico, and Singapore.

All of the major U.S. carriers, Verizon, AT&T, Sprint, and T-Mobile, are accepting pre-orders for the new devices, but online pre-orders are not available from retailers like Best Buy, Target, and Walmart.

We haven't heard rumors pointing towards supply constraints for the iPhone 6s and the iPhone 6s Plus, but it's best to make an order right away if possible. In past years, iPhone supplies have dwindled significantly following the kickoff of pre-orders, and with last year's iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, 6 Plus supplies sold out quickly.

Both the iPhone 6s and the iPhone 6s Plus come in 16, 64, and 128GB configurations, with four color options: Silver, Space Gray, Gold, and Rose Gold.

iPhone 6s pricing in the U.S. starts at $199 with a two-year carrier contract, with the 64 and 128GB models priced at $299 and $399, respectively. Without a contract, the iPhone 6s in 16/64/128GB is priced at $649/$749/$849.

iPhone 6s Plus pricing in the U.S. starts at $299 with a two-year carrier contract, with the 64 and 128GB models priced at $399 and $499, respectively. Without a contract, the iPhone 6s Plus in 16/64/128GB is priced at $749/$849/$949.

Customers who wish to make a purchase through Apple's new U.S. iPhone Upgrade Program will need to make an online reservation for an in-store appointment. Reservations are available now.

In-store sales of the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus will begin on Friday, September 25, which is the official launch day for the new devices.

Despite not arriving until the end of October, YouTuber Andru Edwards has gotten ahold of the fourth-generation Apple TV and unboxed it on video. The video, which appears to be the first unboxing of the device, offers a glimpse at the new packaging for Apple's new set-top box.

The new Apple TV's packaging is all-black and features a picture of the top of the device on the top of the box. Once opened, the user is presented with the Apple TV box and the brand new Siri Remote. Underneath those are a Lightning cable to charge the new remote and a power cable.

Edwards, who says he received his Apple TV on the day of Apple's "Hey Siri" event, then provides a closer look at both the set-top box and remote.

The fourth-generation Apple TV will be available at the end of October. It'll be priced at $149.99 for the 32 GB option and $199.99 for the 64 GB option.

Just under a week after Apple's "Hey Siri" event, Tim Cook will appear on the new Late Show with Stephen Colbert on Tuesday, September 15, the late night host revealed on Twitter. Colbert's announcement included a picture of him "using" Siri on his Apple Watch to remind him of the interview.

Colbert's Late Show has made an effort to not only speak with celebrities like George Clooney, but also politicians like Vice President Joe Biden and tech CEOs like Tesla's Elon Musk and Uber's Travis Kalanik. Thus far, Colbert's interviews with tech luminaries have seen him ask both pointed questions, like why Uber is pursuing self-driving vehicles if it claims to be creating better jobs for taxi drivers, and sillier ones, like if Musk is a super villain. It's likely Cook's interview will broach Apple's newly announced products: the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus, the new Apple TV and the iPad Pro.

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert airs every weeknight at 11:30 p.m. on CBS, with the show uploading both interviews and extended interviews on its YouTube channel the morning after.

Apple has taken its online storefront down in order to prepare for the launch of the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus pre-orders, which will begin at 12:01 a.m. Pacific Time or 3:01 a.m. Eastern Time on Saturday, September 12. Pre-orders will be available on Apple's site, via the Apple Store app, and on several carrier sites.

Ahead of when pre-orders kick off, people planning to make a purchase should check their upgrade eligibility and pricing options on Apple's website, using the new "Get ready for pre-order" tool.

Apple will accept pre-orders in first wave launch countries including Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, New Zealand, Puerto Rico, Singapore, the UK, and the United States.

The iPhone 6s is available in 16, 64, and 128 GB capacities in the United States for $199, $299, and $399, respectively, with a two-year contract. Contract-free pricing begins at $649. Apple's higher-priced iPhone 6s Plus is available in 16, 64, and 128 GB capacities for $299, $399, and $499, respectively, with a two-year contract. Contract-free pricing on the larger-screened device starts at $749.

Apple is also offering its own iPhone Upgrade Program in the United States, letting users pay a monthly fee for their iPhone with a trade-in option available after 12 months of payments. Pricing, which includes AppleCare+, starts at $32.41 per month for the entry-level 16GB iPhone 6s and goes up from there. Participating in this program requires an in-store purchase, but Apple is accepting online reservations at 12:01 a.m. Pacific Time on September 12 for in-store appointments.