While Apple announced at yesterday's introduction of the MacBook Pro with Retina display that the new models were shipping immediately, those who failed to move quickly to place their orders have seen shipping estimates quickly lengthen. Early estimates came in at 5-7 business days yesterday before moving to 7-10 business days and finally settling late yesterday at 2-3 weeks.
The same 2-3 week estimate appears to apply to all configurations and customizations on the new Retina MacBook Pro, and the company is not yet offering in-store pickup options on the new machines. Limited stock is making its way to Apple's retail stores, but those looking to customize their orders or guarantee availability with online ordering for pickup are currently left out.
Apple's new non-Retina MacBook Pro and MacBook air models remain in stock for immediate shipment through the Apple online store, with customizations pushing those models out to 1-3 or 3-5 business days depending on the options chosen.
While Apple has worked hard to build its in-house mapping expertise, the company still needs to rely on some outside partners to assist it with the massive project of developing its own mapping and turn-by-turn navigation services. A number of observers noted references to "TomTom and others" in various locations within Apple's new Maps app for iOS 6, and now the mapping company has confirmed in a brief press release that it has indeed struck a deal with Apple.
TomTom has signed a global agreement with Apple for maps and related information. No further details of the agreement will be provided.
Verizon today announced the launch of a new "Share Everything" pricing structure designed to allow users to share monthly data allotments across multiple devices. The plan, which is rolling out on June 28, includes unlimited voice and messaging across all devices, with an overall data cap and number and type of devices being the only differentiating factors among pricing tiers.
Each device carries a base monthly access charge ranging from $10 for a tablet to $40 for a smartphone. A single data charge is then applied on top of that base amount, starting at $50 for 1 GB and ranging up to $100 for 10 GB. Mobile hotspot functionality within the data cap is also included at no extra charge.
Compared to Verizon's existing plans, the new Share Everything plan appears to represent a solid value even for single-device customers interested in unlimited minutes and texting, but less so for other customers.
Under Verizon's current pricing, a customer would pay a total of $120 per month for unlimited minutes ($70), unlimited messaging ($20) and 2 GB of data ($30). Adding mobile hotspot functionality costs an additional $20 but increases the total data cap to 4 GB.
With the new Share Everything plan, a customer would pay $100 per month for the same service: $40 smartphone access and $60 for unlimited minutes and messaging and 2 GB of data. With mobile hotspot functionality included at no additional charge, stepping up to the 4 GB plan would cost just $10. In addition, a user could add an iPad to his or her account for just $10 per month with no contract requirement, as long as it was drawing from the same data allotment as the user's phone.
The plans are not as good of a deal for users with packages of lower numbers of minutes. A user with 450 minutes, unlimited messaging and 2 GB of data would pay $90 under current plans, compared to $100 under Share Everything, although the new plan does offer mobile hotspot at no additional charge. Current plans also offer a range of messaging options from pay-per-use up to unlimited, allowing lower-use customers to cut their monthly bills even further.
As the balance of smartphone usage shifts increasingly toward data and away from voice minutes, carriers are seeking to simplify the voice and messaging aspects of their plans to focus on data allotments as the primary differentiator among their plans. The shift is a reversal from the previous model in which customers selected from a number of options for voice minutes and then received unlimited data for a set monthly charge. In addition to Verizon, AT&T has also expressed its preference for this new model, while Sprint, the third major iPhone carrier in the United States, has indicated that it remains committed to its unlimited data offerings.
Apple today announced the winners of its annual Apple Design Awards at WWDC. Winning developers receive a MacBook Air, an iPad, an iPod touch, and the Apple Design Award cube trophy as well as a special ADA lanyard.
For apps to be eligible for ADA nomination, they must be distributed via the Mac or iOS App Store. This year's winners come from a range of genres, encompassing everything from games to education to art to music:
Two years ago, as part of the focus on iOS at WWDC 2010, Apple did not include Mac applications in the Apple Design Awards competition. With OS X again playing a prominent role Apple's lineup and the Mac App Store gaining momentum, Mac applications returned to the ballot in 2011.
Following the announcement of new MacBook Pro's at WWDC today, Apple has already released a software update for the Mid 2012 MacBook Pro. The update, which weighs in at 1.06GB, offers updates to a few non-specific issues:
About MacBook Pro (Mid 2012) Software Update 1.0
This update is recommended for MacBook Pro (mid 2012) models.
The update includes fixes that improve graphics stability, external display support, and USB 3 device support.
Apple released new versions of OS X Mountain Lion to developers today. Developer Preview 4 arrives with a build number of 12A239, while OS X Server Developer Preview 5 has build number 12S254j.
The release notes do not reveal any major updates to the software, but note a few minor issues with Setup Assistant, FileVault and QuickTime screen recording. Most significantly, the release does not ask developers to focus on any specific areas for testing, suggesting Mountain Lion will indeed be ready for release next month.
Mountain Lion was covered extensively at the WWDC Keynote this morning. It will be released in July on the Mac App Store for $19.99.
According to New York Times technology columnist David Pogue, Apple still believes in desktop Macs, including both the iMac and the Mac Pro.
The Mac Pro in particular has raised the ire of some Apple fans because it has been several years since the last update, and the update today was extremely minor.
Many Apple observers also wonder if Apple thinks that desktop computers are dead, since not a word was said about the iMac and Mac Pro. An executive did assure me, however, that new models and new designs are under way, probably for release in 2013.
Updated Xeon E5 chips were released in March, but the Mac Pro update released today strangely didn't include them.
The company late last year was reportedly "questioning" the future of the Mac Pro line, examining whether it should continue offering the professional-level workstation as sales have declined amid a continued shift toward notebook machines and specs that had gone stale while waiting for Intel to release updated processors. With Pogue's post today, however, the future of the Mac Pro seems slightly more assured.
Thanks Susan!
Update: A MacRumors reader writes in to share an email he received from Apple CEO Tim Cook after he asked about the future of the Mac Pro:
Our pro customers are really important to us...don't worry as we're working on something really great for later next year.
This 2880x1880 screenshot of Dashboard on a Retina-equipped MacBook Pro displays at full resolution on non-Retina equipped Macs. The image gives a decent idea of the sheer number of pixels on Apple's new flagship Mac.
In line with our report from earlier today, Apple has launched its annual Back to School promotion, offering educational customers a $100 iTunes Store gift card with the purchase of a Mac or a $50 card with the purchase of an iPad.
As detailed in the official terms and conditions (PDF), the promotion is valid on the purchase of a new (non-refurbished) iMac, MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, Mac Pro, or third-generation iPad. As in past years, the Mac mini is excluded from the promotion.
The promotion begins today and runs through September 21, and the gift cards are valid for purchases in the iTunes Store, iOS App Store, Mac App Store, and iBookstore. The offer is available in the following countries, with gift card amounts varying based on local currency: Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, and United States.
After their update today, Apple's two photography applications -- iPhoto and Aperture -- can now share libraries with no import or export required. The Aperture update notes say that "Faces, Places, slideshows, albums and web sharing work across both applications". Users of both apps will no doubt be pleased.
Since the apps were introduced, self-contained photo libraries had to be exported and imported to move photo sets between them -- a lengthy process, particularly in libraries with tens of thousands of photos.
Apple has quietly issued updates for a number of its software packages following the WWDC keynote this morning. Final Cut Pro, Motion, Aperture, iPhoto and iTunes have all been given updates.
Professional video editing app Final Cut Pro [Mac App Store] was updated to version 10.0.5 with an update that "improves overall stability and is enhanced for the MacBook Pro with Retina display."
Photo management tool Aperture [Mac App Store] was updated to version 3.3 with a number of updates, including support for the MacBook Pro with Retina Display:
What's New in Version 3.3
- New unified photo library for both iPhoto (v 9.3 or later) and Aperture; no import/export required; Faces, Places, slideshows, albums and web sharing work across both applications - Support for AVCHD video has been added - Aperture now lets you use camera-generated previews for faster browsing of RAW files immediately after import - Highlights & Shadows tool has been updated to deliver higher-quality results and work with extended range data - A new Auto Enhance button has been added to the Adjustments panel - White Balance tool now includes Skin Tone and Natural Gray modes to simplify color balance - Auto button has been added to the White Balance tool for one-click color balancing - Set Desktop command has been added to Share menu so you can set a desktop background from within Aperture - A new Manual option allows you to drag and drop projects to customize sort order in the Projects view - New preference allows you to set the background brightness of the full screen browser - Facebook, Flickr, and MobileMe albums are now displayed as thumbnails in the main window when accounts are selected in the source list - Minor terminology changes, including "Original" instead of "Master" and "Info" instead of "Metadata" - Source list includes a new "Recent" section, showing Last Import and recently-viewed projects - Raw Fine Tuning is no longer displayed in the Adjustments panel by default - Faces can now be named by dragging them from the Unnamed Faces browser to existing snapshots on the corkboard - The Faces corkboard now includes a menu that allows you to set the order of face snapshots - Newly designed monochrome source list and toolbar icons - Addresses numerous issues related to overall performance and stability
iPhoto [Mac App Store] has been updated to version 9.3 with support for the new Retina Display as well as a few other items:
What's New in Version 9.3
- iPhoto can now open libraries from Aperture 3.3 or later - AVCHD video is now supported - The Description field now automatically expands as needed when entering text - You can now flag a photo in Magnify (1-up) view by clicking a Flag icon displayed in the upper left corner of the photo - Keywords and titles are now preserved when exporting files with embedded GPS location data - A new Export option allows you to automatically organize exported photos into subfolders by event
Finally, iTunes has been updated to version 10.6.3 with support for the iOS 6 beta and other bug fixes.
With Apple's new "Next Generation MacBook Pro" being the headliner in terms of new hardware introduction at WWDC, there is obviously considerable interest in how the new model compares with the previous design, which continues to be offered in both 13-inch and 15-inch sizes.
Engadget posts a brief hands-on with the new MacBook Pro fresh out of the box, showing how much slimmer the new form factor is than the standard MacBook Pro.
It's 0.71-inches thick, or roughly 25 percent thinner than the current generation Pros (which, by the way, live on -- except for the 17-incher). That's just .03-inches thicker than the 13-inch MacBook Air, but it feels like quite a bit more. Where the Air is tapered, this has a constant thickness throughout. So, again, it doesn't feel like an Air, but it's a big improvement over the Pro.
On the right side you have an SD card reader, full-size HDMI port and the first USB 3.0 port. (Which, by the way, is not blue -- Apple just made all the ports 3.0 and they're all naturally white.) On the other side is the other USB 3.0 port along with dual Thunderbolt ports, a headphone jack and the new MagSafe 2 connector.
The Next Generation MacBook Pro is currently available only as 15-inch model and is available starting at $2199.
Roughly an hour after the end of the keynote at its Worldwide Developers Conference, Apple has posted a video of the event on its website. The Keynote should be made available soon on Apple's YouTube channel, as well as its Apple Keynotes Podcast on the iTunes Store. [Podcast links: Keynotes, Keynotes in HD, Keynotes in 1080p HD]
Apple did not broadcast the keynote live, so the video is an opportunity for viewers to see the introduction of OS X Mountain Lion, iOS 6, the new Retina display-equipped MacBook Pro, and Apple's new Maps app.
Following the WWDC keynote, Apple has made the first developer beta of iOS 6 available through its iOS Developer Center. The beta arrives as the 10A5316k build leaked as inactive links yesterday.
The beta is available for the iPhone 3GS and later, iPad 2 and later, and the fourth-generation iPod touch. Builds of the new Apple TV software for second- and third-generation devices are also available.
In addition to iOS 6 releases themselves, Apple has also released iTunes 10.6.3 for developers, as well as Xcode 4.5 developer preview.
In its quest for thinness in the Retina Display MacBook Pro, Apple removed the optical drive and built the display into the unibody construction. The company's engineers also designed a new, thinner MagSafe power port to accommodate the notebook's 0.71" height.
The new MagSafe 2 connector -- which is incompatible with the original MagSafe power bricks as well as devices with a MagSafe power cord built into products like the Apple LED Cinema Display and Thunderbolt Display -- is included in the new Retina MacBook Pro as well as the new MacBook Air models. It seems likely the port will make its way to the legacy MacBook Pro models in a future update.
Apple is selling a MagSafe to Magsafe 2 Converter for $9.99 on the Apple Online Store, as well as new 85W and 45W MagSafe 2 Power Adapter for $79 each.
Apple today quietly introduced a redesigned AirPort Express wireless base station, drawing on the design of the Apple TV set-top box and introducing simultaneous dual-band 802.11n connectivity for increased performance.
The new AirPort Express supports simultaneous dual-band 802.11n Wi-Fi. That means it transmits at both the 2.4GHz and 5GHz frequencies at the same time. So no matter which band your wireless devices use, they’ll automatically connect to the best available band for the fastest possible performance.
The redesigned AirPort Express continues to be offered at $99.
Apple today released a new case for the iPad 2 and new iPad offering the same functionality as the existing Smart Cover, but it covers the back of the iPad as well as the front.
The iPad Smart Case covers your iPad — both front and back — yet still retains the thin, light design of iPad. Like the Smart Cover, it folds easily into a stand for reading, typing, and watching video. And it automatically wakes and sleeps iPad on open and close. Made from polyurethane, it’s available in six bright colors. And you can personalize it with free laser engraving on the Apple Online Store.
The new Smart Case is available for $49 on the Apple Online Store in Light Gray, Dark Gray, Blue, Green, Pink and Red.
Apple has quietly upgraded the Mac Pro with minor processor bumps and an increase in the standard RAM to 6GB in the least expensive configuration. The update does not include the much-anticipated addition of the Thunderbolt I/O system.
Unfortunately, it's not much of an upgrade: you can simply get a pair of six-core 3.06GHz Intel Xeon X5675 processors rather than 2.93GHz ones we just mentioned. The base model will start at $2,499 for a single quad-core Intel Xeon W3565 processor at 3.2GHz, with an optional upgrade to a six-core chip, you can spend $3,799 to get a dual-processor configuration with a pair of the Westmere-EP based 2.4GHz E5645 chips, and upgrade to the aforementioned X5675 for an unspecified amount. Everything else stays the same, it seems.
The new Mac Pro's are now available on the Apple Online Store.
iPad
According to New York Times technology columnist David Pogue, Apple still believes in desktop Macs, including both the iMac and the Mac Pro. 
Apple has quietly issued updates for a number of its software packages following the WWDC keynote this morning. Final Cut Pro, Motion, Aperture, iPhoto and iTunes have all been given updates. 
