Oculus owner Facebook may soon allow its Oculus virtual reality headsets to report workout data to the Apple Health app, reports Bloomberg.
The Oculus iPhone app has code that would allow workouts completed with the Oculus headset to be recorded in the Health app like other workout data. The Oculus app would be able to report health-related metrics like exercise minutes and number of calories burned.
Third-party apps have long been able to provide workout and fitness data that's aggregated in the Health app using the dedicated HealthKit API.
As Bloomberg points out, the code's presence in the Oculus app does not mean the feature will actually see a launch.
Intel today announced that it is teaming up with Qualcomm to manufacture some of Qualcomm's future chips. The chips will be manufactured using Intel's 20A process, which is expected to ramp in 2024.
There is no word on which chips Intel will make for Qualcomm, but Qualcomm's Snapdragon chips are used in most Android smartphones. Though the 20A design is expected to be available starting in 2024, Intel did not provide a timeline for when it will begin working with Qualcomm.
Intel says that its 20A manufacturing process introduces RibbonFET, the first new transistor architecture since FinFET in 2011. The 20A technology brings faster transistor switching speeds and a smaller footprint. Before the 20A chips are ready, Intel will be working on Intel 7, Intel 4, and Intel 3 chips in 2021 through 2023.
Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger said that Intel is aiming to be on a "clear path to process performance leadership by 2025."
We are leveraging our unparalleled pipeline of innovation to deliver technology advances from the transistor up to the system level. Until the periodic table is exhausted, we will be relentless in our pursuit of Moore's Law and our path to innovate with the magic of silicon.
Qualcomm's chips will be manufactured under Intel's new Intel Foundry Services business, which was announced in March. Intel wants to become a major provider of foundry capacity and manufacture chips for other companies, and to do so, it is building two new chip factories in Arizona.
When the Intel Foundry Services plan was introduced, Gelsinger said that Intel would pursue Apple has a potential customer. If this happens, Intel would be producing Apple silicon chips for use in Apple devices.
At the current time, Apple relies on Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) to produce all of the A-series and Apple silicon chips used in the iPhone, iPad, and Mac. TSMC is Apple's sole supplier, so it's not out of the question that Apple could eventually reach some kind of deal with Intel to diversify its supply chain.
Intel and Apple previously partnered on modem chips for iPhones when Apple was in a legal battle with Qualcomm. Intel was not able to deliver the 5G chips that Apple needed for the iPhone, so Apple and Qualcomm settled their dispute, dropped all litigation, and Apple went back to purchasing Qualcomm modem chips. After that snafu, Intel in 2019 decided to exit the smartphone modem chip business, and ultimately sold the majority of its smartphone modem business to Apple.
Earlier this month, Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon said that Qualcomm will provide laptop chips able to compete with Apple silicon by 2022, and that Qualcomm is "capable of having the best chip on the market" with a team of chip architects that previously worked for Apple.
Qualcomm in January acquired chip startup Nuvia for $1.4 billion, and the company plans to begin selling custom silicon Nuvia-based laptop chips in 2022.
Following the release of iOS 14.7 last week, Apple has stopped signing iOS 14.6, the previously available version of iOS that was released in May. With iOS 14.6 no longer being signed, it is not possible to downgrade to iOS 14.6 if you've already installed iOS 14.7 or iOS 14.7.1.
Apple routinely stops signing older versions of software updates after new releases come out in order to encourage customers to keep their operating systems up to date.
iOS 14.6 was a major update that added Apple Watch iPhone unlocking, Apple Maps accident crowdsourcing, Apple Card Family sharing, AirTag improvements, and more.
"Ted Lasso" is Apple's most popular television show, and the season two premiere brought in a record number of viewers, Apple said today (via Deadline).
Friday, July 23, the "Ted Lasso" launch day, marked the biggest Apple TV+ premiere day to date, and "Ted Lasso" also saw the largest opening weekend ever.
During the premiere weekend, Apple TV+ saw a 50 percent growth in new viewers week over week, and "Ted Lasso" also boosted watch time of "Schmigadoon," "Physical," and "Mythic Quest."
Viewership for the second season of "Ted Lasso" was six times bigger than viewership for the series premiere weekend in 2020. "Ted Lasso" brought a 200 percent increase in viewership compared to the previous launch weekend in the United States, U.K., Canada, India, Italy, Australia, Mexico, Brazil, Russia, France and more.
"Ted Lasso" has been nominated for more than 20 Emmy awards, including outstanding comedy series. The first episode of the second season is available now on Apple TV+, and the second episode is set to debut on Friday, July 30.
The sixth-generation iPad mini that's in the works will have an 8.3-inch display, according to display analyst Ross Young. That will be larger than the current 7.9-inch display, with the larger size due to the removal of the Home button and a narrower bezel design.
Rumors about the iPad mini 6 have been picking up in recent weeks ahead of its prospective launch this fall.
Grew from 7.9" due to narrower bezels and removal of Home button.
— Ross Young (@DSCCRoss) July 26, 2021
There was mixed information on whether the new iPad mini would have a Home button, but rumors now appear to be coalescing around an iPad Air 4-like design with no Home button and either Face ID or a Touch ID power button.
The new iPad mini could include either an A14 chip or an A15 chip, plus it is expected to have a USB-C port instead of a Lightning port, which would bring Apple closer to dropping Lightning on the iPad lineup.
DigiTimesrecently suggested the new iPad mini would have a mini-LED display, but a report from Young last week disputed that information and said the iPad mini 6 will have a standard display rather than a mini-LED display.
Apple today released unexpected iOS 14.7.1 and iPadOS 14.7.1 updates to the public, and according to a newly released support document, the software addresses a serious security vulnerability that may have been exploited in the wild.
Apple says that an application may have been able to execute arbitrary code with kernel privileges due to a memory corruption issue. "Apple is aware of a report that this issue may have been actively exploited," reads the document.
The vulnerability has been addressed with improved memory handling, and because this is a security issue that may have affected some users, all iPhone and iPad users should update to iOS 14.7.1 and iPadOS 14.7.1 as soon as possible. The same vulnerability has also been addressed in the macOS Big Sur 11.5.1 update.
The iOS 14.7.1 update also fixes a bug that could prevent Touch ID iPhones from unlocking an Apple Watch.
Apple today updated its Apple at Work website with a new section dedicated to the Mac, which offers up 11 reasons why "Mac means business."
On the webpage, Apple highlights the M1 chip as the number one reason why business users should choose a Mac, offering up an M1 overview [PDF] that explains the benefits of the M1 chip. The information isn't new, but it does provide a look at all of Apple's M1 marketing materials.
The M1, Apple explains, offers up to 2x faster Excel performance, 50 percent faster web app responsiveness, and 2x longer battery life when video conferencing on Zoom.
When compared with the latest model of the best-selling PC notebook purchased by businesses in its price range, MacBook Air with M1 offers up to 2x faster Excel performance, up to 50% faster web application responsiveness, up to 2x faster browser graphics performance and up to 2x longer battery life when video conferencing with Zoom on a single charge.
Apple also highlights the MacBook Air's long battery life, device security, and integration with iPhone as reasons why the Mac is superior to PCs.
Businesses can set up Macs from anywhere with zero-touch deployment, and Macs are intuitive to use and easy to manage with features like Migration Assistant so companies won't need to rely as much on IT support staff. Apple cites a study that says the Mac is less expensive to run because it needs fewer support tickets and less software, saving businesses up to $843 over a three-year period.
According to Apple, 84 percent of the "world's top innovators" like Salesforce, SAP, and Target run Macs at scale, and business apps "run beautifully" on the Mac. Apple's site aims to convince businesses that employees should be given the "power to work the way they want" using the "tools they love" to inspire them to do better work.
Apple Music last week teamed up with Kanye West for a global livestream of the premiere of West's latest album, "Donda."
The exclusive livestream saw 3.3 million viewers tune in, which TMZ says is a new Apple Music record. This is apparently a record that "no artist has ever come near."
Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... Ye's album event this past week at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta broke the Apple Music Global Livestream record ... with 3.3 million viewers who tuned in on their screens.
The prior record was 1.8 million viewers for a Verzuz battle between Gucci Mane and Jeezy that was livestreamed last year.
Apple streamed the album's debut from the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, and the event was highlighted in a Beats Studio Buds ad that aired during the NBA finals.
Kanye West's "Donda" album has not yet been released, but it is expected to come out on August 6. The livestream of the album's debut is expected to be available on Apple Music after the album drops.
Apple today released macOS Big Sur 11.5.1, a minor bug fix update that comes close to one week after the launch of macOS Big Sur 11.5.
The new macOS Big Sur 11.5.1 update can be downloaded for free on all eligible Macs using the Software Update section of System Preferences.
According to Apple, macOS Big Sur 11.5.1 brings important security updates and is recommended for all users.
Apple today released iOS and iPadOS 14.7.1, minor bug fix updates that come just a week after the release of iOS 14.7, software that introduced new Apple Card features and support for the MagSafe Battery Pack.
The iOS and iPadOS 14.7.1 updates can be downloaded for free and the software is available on all eligible devices over-the-air in the Settings app. To access the new software, go to Settings > General > Software Update.
iOS 14.7.1 fixes a bug that could prevent Touch ID iPhones from unlocking an Apple Watch, an iOS 14.7 issue that Apple said it would fix in an upcoming software update.
iOS 14.7.1 fixes an issue where iPhone models with Touch ID cannot unlock a paired Apple Watch using the Unlock with iPhone feature. This update also provides important security updates and is recommended for all users.
Apple says the update also includes security updates, and recommends that all users install the iOS and iPadOS 14.7.1 updates.
A new Mac Pro that's coming in 2022 is set to use Intel's Ice Lake Xeon W-3300 workstation chips, according to an Intel leaker that WCCFtech says has offered reliable information on Intel Xeon chips in the past.
Intel's W-3300 Ice Lake CPUs are set to launch in the near future, and there have already been signs of new Ice Lake SP processors in the Xcode 13 beta. Intel has said that these chips offer "advanced performance, security, efficiency, and built-in AI acceleration to handle IoT workloads and more powerful AI."
Apple’s MacPro 2022 seems to use Intel’s Xeon-W 33xx series processors...
(LGA4189 iceLake-SP)
— 结城安穗-YuuKi_AnS (@yuuki_ans) July 26, 2021
Ice Lake chips for the Mac Pro would offer up to 38 cores and 76 threads, with the Xeon W-3775 positioned as Intel's top chip in the lineup. This top of the line chip features 57MB of cache and a 4.0GHz clock speed.
While Apple is transitioning its Mac lineup to Apple silicon and is developing a version of the Mac Pro that will run an Apple silicon chip, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman has said that Apple will also update the Intel Mac Pro.
Apple is working on a smaller Mac Pro that's about half the size of the original and that is expected to include an Apple silicon chip, but alongside it, the company is also developing a new version of the current Mac Pro.
The Intel-based Mac Pro that's in the works with Intel's W-3300 Ice Lake chips could be one of the last Intel Macs that Apple will develop. Apple has already begun transitioning the iMac, MacBook Pro, Mac mini, and MacBook Air lines to Apple silicon.
Apple today shared another video in its ongoing Shot on iPhone series, with the new ad focusing on filming techniques to demonstrate how easy it can be to make a movie on an iPhone.
The video walks through using the Ultra Wide camera for unique perspectives and it demonstrates different lighting effects that can be used to make a cinematic feel.
There's a technique on a DIY crane shot captured by dropping an iPhone onto a soft surface, and a supernatural effect done with a camping headlamp and a bike wheel.
Apple regularly shares Shot on iPhone videos, and for the last several months, has been doing "Everyday Experiments" videos that often show behind the scenes techniques much like today's film techniques video.
Apple Maps vehicles rigged with LiDAR equipment are collecting street-level imagery and data in several more countries and regions this summer, including Austria, Switzerland, and Hong Kong, according to a list of locations maintained on Apple's website. The vehicles have also returned to Belgium to survey additional regions after focusing on the Brussels area last year.
Apple Maps vehicle in Vienna, Austria. Photo submitted by Alexander Schilowsky.
Apple will use the data collected to improve its Maps app and expand its Look Around feature, which is currently limited to parts of the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Ireland, and Japan. Introduced in iOS 13, Look Around is similar to Google's Street View, providing 3D street-level imagery that can be zoomed and panned.
Where available, Look Around can be accessed by tapping the binoculars icon in the top-right corner of the Maps app. Look Around also appears in the search results for a supported city, below the Flyover and Directions buttons.
Apple Maps vehicles began surveying efforts in 2015, collecting data in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Belgium, Czech Republic, Italy, France, Spain, Portugal, the Netherlands, Slovenia, Croatia, Poland, Germany, Hungary, Singapore, Israel, and select other countries and territories.
On its website, Apple says it is committed to protecting the public's privacy while conducting surveys. For example, Apple blurs out faces and license plates in street-level imagery made available through Look Around.
A museum dedicated to Apple and its products is set to open in Poland later this year, it has been announced.
The museum will feature 1,500 exhibits related to the development and evolution of Apple products throughout the company's history. It is said to be the biggest and most complete collection of its kind in the world. Krzysztof Grochowski, President of the Management Board of Japko, the company behind the exhibition, said:
We decided, together with our business partners, that it is our duty to present these unique collections to the widest possible audience. We want the exhibition to fit in with contemporary exhibition models. We would like it to show the development of ideas in technology in a way that everyone can see what progress we have experienced as humanity. We also want to show the sources and directions of civilization, but most of all, we wish to show visitors the true nucleus of technological pop culture. We will create a multimedia space in a way allowing people to experience this exhibition, not just to see it.
The museum will be spread across 3,500 square feet, featuring creative and interactive exhibits including Apple computers, laptops, accessories, cellphones, software, peripherals, posters, commemorative gadgets, and more. One of the highlights is a working replica of the Apple I signed by Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak, which serves as the starting point for visitors' journey around the museum.
Until now, a smaller form of the museum operated in Piaseczno, but the scale of the collection has led to the need for a larger space that could guide visitors through a timeline, presenting all of Apple's products and developments in chronological order.
A network of sensors throughout the museum will suggest objects of interest to visitors as they walk around, and will offer scenes built around specific Apple collections in a specially created audiovisual space. Scenography, lights, animation, sound, mapping, and infographics give opportunities for interaction, social and cultural context, and technical information about exhibits.
There will be focuses on prototypes that never reached mass production and short-lived devices that were commercial failures. The majority of these exhibits are working or are in the process of being restored, and visitors will apparently be able to touch, test, and experience many of them with assistance from a curator.
The Apple Museum Poland will be located in the revitalized Norblin Factory complex in Warsaw and is set to open this fall.
Anker has started the week with a new collection of discounts on wireless chargers, USB-C wall chargers, and other popular charging accessories. This also includes markdowns on a pair of Eufy branded robot vacuums. The sales will be found on Amazon and coupon codes are not needed this time.
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In the coming weeks on iOS and Android, Spotify will be rolling out a new tab in its mobile app that will provide users with notifications about new songs and album releases from their favorite artists, podcasts shows, and more.
The new page will be accessible with a tap of a new bell icon placed on the top-right hand corner on the Spotify home page. Tapping provides users a "real-time" view of all the new releases from their favorite artists and podcast creators. As Spotify describes in a press release:
Easily access your What’s New feed by clicking the new bell icon, located at the top of the Home tab on your phone. A blue dot indicator on the bell icon will let you know at a glance if new songs or episodes have been released since your last visit. What’s New also includes filters that allow you to sort for new music releases or new podcast and show episodes, helping you find what you’re looking for more quickly.
Spotify says the new feature will be rolling out in the coming weeks for users, so be sure to be on the latest Spotify version for Android and iOS.
Lamborghini is celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Countach sports car with a new video series involving inspirational personalities, and the latest videos shared today feature Apple's former marketing chief Phil Schiller.
Schiller, who is now an Apple Fellow, said innovative products that stand the test of time have both great design and solve a problem.
"At Apple, we like to exist at the intersection of technology and the liberal arts, and I think that's a wonderful place to be," said Schiller. "It's not just enough to make something — you have to make it in a way that has meaning in people's lives."
In a companion Q&A video on Lamborghini's website, Schiller said the iPod is the project he is the most proud of. When asked if he prefers gas or electric vehicles, Schiller said that while he would always say combustion engines, he is "getting ready for electric" and he is excited to see what companies like Lamborghini can deliver in the space. Lamborghini recently announced plans to release its first fully-electric vehicle after 2025, and Apple has for years been rumored to be planning its own electric vehicle.
As an Apple Fellow, Schiller is responsible for leading the App Store and Apple Events, after helping guide Apple's products and marketing for 30 years.
Apple on Monday responded to questions from Australia's parliament about its third-party access approach to the NFC chip in its iPhones, following claims that its Apple Pay system is stifling innovation in the contactless payment technology space.
The Parliamentary Joint Committee on Corporations and Financial Services heard for-and-against arguments from Apple, Google, and others relating to whether Apple should open up access to its near-field communication (NFC) chip. Australia's big banks have also sought open access to the NFC chip on the iPhone in recent years. However, in a written response to the committee, Apple said it "provides banks with access to NFC functionality on Apple devices" through Apple Pay, which is "available to all banks in Australia on fair and non-discriminatory terms."
Apple has developed a technical architecture that comprises hardware and software components and application programming interfaces (APIs) that banks can use to facilitate contactless payments with their cards and mobile banking applications.
Apple chose to call this architecture Apple Pay because: (a) merchants need a simple way to communicate their acceptance of the service to consumers both in store and online, (b) Apple wished to facilitate consumer choice of payment method / bank by providing a consistent and simple experience, and (c) it allowed Apple to market the service to consumers without having to preference one bank over another.
According to ZDNet, Apple cited security as one of the reasons it doesn't support alternatives to Apple Pay, comparing it to Google's HCE payment system which it claimed is an inherently less secure system with a worse user experience.
Host Card Emulation (HCE) is a less secure implementation, which was adopted by Android … Apple did not implement HCE because doing so would lead to less security on Apple devices. Google likely selected this implementation because Android software is used in a variety of hardware devices offered from many different companies other than Google, and therefore had to select a software-centric solution, even though it is less secure than a secure element-based implementation.
Apple, which offers a tight integration between the operating system and its own hardware, is able to offer a fully integrated solution that is superior to Android's approach.
In response, Google denied the allegation that it had made a security trade-off in implementing the HCE system.
"Our payments apps are immensely secure … our HCE system, which is used by a very large number of banks all around the world, is audited directly by the banks … we would refute the suggestion our HCE environment is in any way insecure," Google president of partnerships in the EMEA region Diana Layfield told the committee on Monday afternoon. "I would argue the user experience on Google Pay is equal to that of Apple Pay."
The Australian parliamentary committee is still considering the arguments submitted. Elsewhere, the EU is currently considering forcing Apple to open up its NFC payment technology, and earlier this year, Germany passed anti-money laundering legislation that requires Apple to grant payment service providers access to its technical infrastructure.
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