An Apple job listing has mentioned "homeOS," an otherwise never-before heard of Apple operating system, ahead of WWDC next week.
Spotted by developer Javier Lacort, the Apple job listing for a Senior iOS Engineer in Apple Music explicitly mentions "homeOS" on two occasions, alongside Apple's other operating systems including iOS, watchOS, and tvOS.
You'll get to work with system engineers across Apple, learning the inner-workings of iOS, watchOS, tvOS and homeOS, and optimizing your code for performance in ways only Apple can. Come join our team and make a real difference for music lovers worldwide.
The Apple Music Frameworks team owns the technology stack that enables the system-integrated Apple Music experience on all of our mobile platforms: iOS, watchOS, and homeOS.
Interestingly, the job listing mentions homeOS as a "mobile platform," seemingly highlighting it as more akin to iOS and watchOS than systems like macOS and tvOS, but it is not clear why that would be the case.
The operating system could simply be a rebranding of Apple's current smart home software, in much the same way iOS for iPad was rebranded iPadOS and OS X was changed to macOS, or potentially an entirely new OS.
Earlier this year, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman commented that Apple still lacks a "unifying strategy" for the smart home market. It is possible that homeOS could be software designed to spearhead a more centralized smart home strategy, perhaps unifying the HomePod's audioOS and the Apple TV's tvOS. Apple is rumored to be developing a combined Apple TV and HomePod device and a HomePod with a screen. For now, what homeOS will precisely entail remains purely speculative.
Apple's homeOS could feasibly debut as soon as next week at WWDC, where the company is expected to unveil major updates to its various operating systems.
Update: Apple has now removed "homeOS" from the job listing and replaced it with HomePod and tvOS. "You’ll get to work with system engineers across Apple, learning the inner workings of iOS, watchOS, tvOS and HomePod, and optimizing your code for performance in ways only Apple can," reads the replacement text.
In November of 2020, Phoenix city officials approved financial incentives and government support for the new plant. The city agreed to provide $200 million in support to build infrastructure including roads and sewers, according to a notice from the city's council.
TSMC estimates that its total spending on the project, including capital expenditure, will be approximately $12 billion from 2021 to 2029, with the facility expected to directly create over 1,600 high-tech professional jobs.
Construction of the Arizona plant is now said to be "well under way." The facility will mass-produce chips fabricated with a five-nanometer process by 2024. TSMC has been gradually miniaturizing its process over the years, going from a 16nm A10 chip in iPhone 7 models, to a 7nm A13 chip in iPhone 11 models, and a 5nm process for the iPhone 12's A14 chip. Likely clients for the chips from the Arizona factory include Nvidia, Qualcomm, and Apple.
TSMC already operates a factory in Camas, Washington and design centers in Austin, Texas and San Jose, California, so the Arizona facility will be its second manufacturing site in the United States. The company's main factories are located in Taiwan.
The new Arizona plant will increase the opportunity for Apple's custom silicon chips, such as the A14 or M1 chip, to be feasibly manufactured within the United States.
Apple CEO Tim Cook will be one of the speakers at the upcoming "Viva Technology" conference, being held digitally and physically between June 16 and June 19, according to a tweet from the conference's official page (via iMore).
Based out of Paris, France, the conference is an opportunity to break down "traditional barriers between grassroots innovators and global leaders" and is "Europe's biggest startup and tech event." Given the nature of the event, Cook is likely to speak about Apple's overall role in supporting startups and entrepreneurs through its different platforms, such as the App Store.
Tim Cook last attended a public forum in March and has previously used public appearances such as these to echo Apple's stance on user privacy and its values. The conference will include more than 3,000 investors from around the world and more than 13,000 startups. More details can be found on its website.
Google promised in December of last year that the Apple TV app would expand to more devices in the Android TV OS ecosystem in the near future. The Apple TV app, which offers viewers access to Apple TV+ content and more, is now available for download through the Google Play Store on Android TV OS devices.
Apple's global security chief, Thomas Moyer, has been cleared by a California judge of bribery charges following accusations that the security chief participated in a scheme to donate 200 iPads worth $75,000 to the Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office in exchange for concealed gun permits, Reuters reports.
According to the charges brought forward in November, Moyer agreed to donate 200 iPads to the Sheriff's office in exchange for concealed gun permits for Apple's security team at a 2019 meeting. Furthermore, according to prosecutors, Moyer acted upon the request of Santa Clara County Undersheriff Rick Sung, who allegedly threatened to withhold the permits unless the iPads were donated.
Ultimately, a California judge believed that the iPad donations offered by Moyer came as a misunderstanding. According to the judge, by the time Moyer had offered the iPads, he was under the belief that the permits were already issued, rather than the iPads being a requirement for their issuance.
Judge Eric S. Geffon of the Superior Court of Santa Clara County found on Tuesday that Moyer had been in talks with the Sheriff's Office about permits for more than a year by the time of the 2019 meeting. By then, Geffon wrote, the evidence suggests Moyer believed the permits were already approved and would be issued soon.
Judge Eric S. Geffon also further noted that the argument against Moyer is "pure speculation" and "not supported by the evidence presented to the grand jury." Moyer, in a statement, thanked the court for "giving this case such careful consideration, and for allowing me to move forward with my life."
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Ahead of the beginning of this year's WWDC, Apple has set out another marketing campaign on Twitter by enabling a special Twitter hashflag with the "#WWDC21" hashtag across the social network. This year's hashflag includes an icon resembling the thumbs-up Tapback effect from iMessage.
According to Jane Manchun Wong's Hashflag Browser, the new hashflag will last until June 6, one day short of when the developers conference will begin. While unclear, the new hashflag seems to be a "pre-conference" hashflag rather than the hashflag used throughout the conference. Apple, could, of course, extend this hashflag beyond June 6.
Normally, such as in the past with the latest April 20 "Spring Loaded" event, there is a special animation when liking tweets with the corresponding event hashtag. At the time, the WWDC hashflag includes no such animation. However, given it ends on June 6, Apple may be planning other hashflags that will run throughout the week of the conference.
WWDC officially kicks off on June 7 at 10 a.m PT with a keynote where we're expecting to see iOS 15, iPadOS 15, macOS 12, tvOS 15, and watchOS 8. Some tenuous rumors also suggest that the announcement of the long-awaited redesigned MacBook Pro will also make an appearance at the conference.
Apple is continuing to prepare for the WWDC keynote thats set to take place on Monday, June 7, and has today updated its Developer app with new features ahead of the event.
The update adds details on all of the pavilions, session videos, 1-on-1 labs, and coding and design challenges available as part of WWDC 2021, plus it introduces sign ups for the WWDC 2021 labs.
There are also a series of new stickers available for developers to use in the Messages app. From Apple's release notes:
- Explore all WWDC21 has to offer, including pavilions, session videos, 1-on-1 labs, Coding & Design Challenges, and more. - You can sign up for labs at WWDC21 from directly inside the Developer app, as well as receive notifications about your upcoming appointments. - Check out all-new stickers for WWDC21. - We've fixed bugs and added various other enhancements.
More than 50% of iPhone 13 models set to be shipped later this year will support mmWave, according to a paywalled preview of a DigiTimes report, in line with rumors that mmWave will be supported in more regions.
"Apple will launch its next-generation iPhone series - tentatively dubbed the iPhone 13 - later in 2021, according to industry sources, which believe that more than 50% of the total iPhone 13s set to be shipped this year will be 5G mmWave models," the preview said. The full report should be published by tomorrow with additional details.
Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo and other sources have claimed that iPhone 13 models will support ultra-fast mmWave 5G bands in additional countries, with likely candidates including Canada, Japan, Australia, and some European countries. By comparison, mmWave support on iPhone 12 models is limited to the United States.
mmWave is a set of 5G frequencies that promise ultra-fast speeds at short distances, which is suitable for dense urban areas. By comparison, sub-6GHz 5G is generally slower than mmWave, but the signals travel further, better serving suburban and rural areas.
When we tested Verizon's mmWave network with a Samsung smartphone in Chicago in mid-2019, we were able to hit download speeds of close to 2Gb/s, but speeds vary drastically based on your position and proximity to the nearest 5G tower. For a more detailed comparison of 5G bands, read our mmWave vs. sub-6GHz 5G iPhone Guide.
Mozilla today announced the public release of Firefox 89 for macOS with a redesigned and modernized core browsing experience.
The latest version of the browser features a simplified toolbar with less frequently used items removed, allowing the focus to be on the most important navigation items. Menus and prompts have also been streamlined across Firefox to have cleaner designs and clearer language. The more consistent styling extends to many other elements of the browser.
Firefox 89 also features floating tabs that contain information and other cues when you need them, like visual indicators for audio controls.
For macOS users, Firefox 89 now features the familiar "elastic" scrolling effect utilized in many other applications. A gentle bouncing animation will indicate that you reached the end of the page while scrolling.
Another feature added for macOS users is support for multi-touch "smart zoom." Users can double tap with two fingers on the trackpad, or with a single finger on the Magic Mouse, to zoom the content beneath the cursor into focus. This multi-touch gesture has long been supported by Apple's default Safari browser as well as Google Chrome.
Firefox 89 contextual menus are now native on macOS and support Dark Mode too.
Apple is preparing for the Worldwide Developers Conference that kicks off next Monday, today launching a YouTube live stream where viewers can sign up to get a reminder when the event begins. Apple's keynote event will take place on Monday, June 7 at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time.
In addition to live streaming the event on YouTube, Apple also plans to make the WWDC 2021 keynote available through the Events website and in the Apple TV app. Apple today also created an Events page for WWDC 2021, which is where the live stream will be available.
WWDC will see the unveiling of iOS 15, iPadOS 15, macOS 12, watchOS 8, and tvOS 15, plus there's a chance we could hear details about the future of Apple silicon, including the possible unveiling of new MacBook Pro models. New Macs are not guaranteed and the rumors are tenuous at this time, but it could happen.
At a minimum, though, we'll get a first look at what to expect over the course of the next year in terms of software and features. We know little about iOS 15 at this time, but Apple is making improvements to notifications and Messages, with details available in our iOS 15 roundup.
MacRumors will have full coverage of next week's keynote both on MacRumors.com and through our MacRumorsLive Twitter account.
Apple Music is celebrating Pride this year with a new space that's designed to highlight the LGBTQ+ community both in June and year-round. For Pride month, Apple plans to release new content each Sunday that focuses on Equality, Resilience and Community.
Content will include Pride Talks, which are short original videos that include conversations with Rob Halford (Judas Priest), Ben Platt, MNEK, girl in red, and more, plus guest-curated playlists featuring music selected by Hayley Kiyoko (taking over Love Her, Lover), Mykki Blanco (RESIST!), Troye Sivan (Strike a Pose), Tayla Parx (Here 'n' Queer), and Claud (Thrive).
Apple also plans to feature exclusive DJ mixes and Apple Music radio shows and specials that will air on Apple Music 1, Apple Music Hits, and Apple Music Country. There will be Apple Music TV 24-hour takeovers on June 6, 13, 20, and 27 as well.
Apple now has a dedicated Apple Music Pride page where users can find all of the videos, playlists, and interviews celebrating Pride. The page will be available year-round.
Pride month is a major celebratory month for Apple, and each year the company celebrates in various ways. This year, Apple has released new Apple Watch Pride bands and watch faces, and there will also likely be features for the App Store and Apple TV+ in the coming weeks.
In past years, Apple has marched in the annual San Francisco Pride parade, which is one of the biggest Pride events in the United States. The parade was canceled last year and it has also been canceled this year, but Apple will likely return to the parade if it's reinstated in 2022.
Note: Due to the political or social nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Political News 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 suite of iWork apps, including Pages, Keynotes, and Numbers for iOS and macOS, with new features related to Schoolwork and the ability to link web pages, email addresses, and phone numbers to different shapes and objects.
For Pages and Numbers on iOS and macOS, the updates include the ability for users to link different elements, such as a link to a web page, an email address, and phone number to different shapes, objects, lines, and text boxes.
Pages, Numbers, and Keynote also now enable teachers using Apple's Schoolwork feature to "view student progress, including word count and time spent." The updates are available for free via the App Store on iOS and macOS.
WWDC 2021 kicks off in six days, and ahead of time, Apple has announced the 36 finalists for this year's Apple Design Awards. The awards honor excellence in innovation, ingenuity, and technical achievement in app and game design.
Apple will announce the winners of this year's Apple Design Awards on Thursday, June 10 at 2 p.m. Pacific Time. The awards show will be streamed via the Apple Developer app and the Apple Developer website.
Registration is now open for WWDC's "Digital Lounges," a digital space where developers can join Apple engineers throughout the entirety of the conference to ask questions, conduct activities, and take deep dives into a range of developer tools such as SwiftUI, machine learning, and accessibility.
This year will be the second all-digital Worldwide Developers Conference, and alongside improving the Apple Developer forum and the launch of new Pavilions features, Digital Lounges serve as another avenue for developers and the community to interact with Apple engineers through text-based activities.
"Digital Lounges" are open to all developers as part of the Apple Developer Program and WWDC 2021 Swift Student Challenge winners. Developers and winners of the challenge, who will begin being notified this week, can go to Apple's developer website to sign-up. Capacity is limited and only available on a first-come, first-served basis.
Spotify executive Horacio Gutierrez has explained in a wide-reaching interview with The Verge why the company believes Apple is a "ruthless bully" and what it would like to see change.
Last month, Gutierrez penned an op-ed in the Wall Street Journal that chastised Apple and some of its business practices. Now, Spotify's head of global affairs and chief legal officer has expanded on the logic behind the company's antitrust dispute with Apple.
Gutierrez's main justification underpinning the argument that Apple's App Store payment system is not a necessary part of its business is that it "wasn't part of the App Store in the beginning."
Concretely, when it comes to the App Store, it is very clear that the choice to tie Apple's proprietary payment system to the App Store was an arbitrary choice. It wasn't part of the App Store in the beginning, just as the 30 percent Apple tax wasn't a requirement when we made it into the App Store. They bolted that on later in the process and in doing that, they created this environment in which competing apps really have to contend with Apple's own music streaming service as well as other competing products on what's not really a level playing field.
Apple's 30 percent commission on App Store sales and in-app purchases was also raised as an "arbitrary rate," and Gutierrez explained that it is not merely a reduction in commission that Spotify is looking to achieve.
The issue is not whether the rate is 30 or 15 or 10 percent, the issue is that the rate is arbitrary and they get to set it unilaterally because they've insulated themselves from competition. What should happen is Apple should be able to charge 30, or 50 percent, if they can convince users in a market economy that the value that they provide justifies the 30 percent, or the 15 percent, or the 50 percent. What we're saying is they actually prevent competitors from coming in and offering alternative payment systems, and therefore there is no market.
Gutierrez explained that Spotify would like to see Apple return to its previous approach with the App Store and loosen its grip on rules and penalties.
We want Apple to go back to the situation that existed at the time when we joined the App Store. We want them to undo the tying of their proprietary payment system to the App Store and all of the other anti-steering provisions, which is a fancy way of saying punishments and penalties that they've created for those people who do not want to use their proprietary payment system. Basically, restore the situation to the way it was before their anti-competitive abuse started.
Specifically, Gutierrez said that the market should be able to choose from a selection of payment systems on the App Store, and that Apple should be able to contend with other payment technology in a more competitive environment.
There is a monopoly on payment systems, which is why they can afford to impose the 30 percent. Let the market decide. Enable PayPal and Mastercard and other new payment systems to come in and then let users decide, vote with their dollars on whether Apple's technology is so superior when it comes to payment and all these other things that they’re willing to pay 30 percent more.
Addressing criticisms that Apple's rules and fees are valid given it built and maintains the App Store and the devices apps run on, Gutierrez explained that Spotify believes this should not be a reason to allow anticompetitive conduct.
There is no reason why a platform provider that's supposed to be a neutral platform provider like Apple would be allowed to create conditions that would force companies like ours to have to make that choice. They say, "Well, but we built it." Yeah, you built it. But when you built it it wasn't like that. It was significantly built on the backs of the work of many app developers that came to the App Store that you touted as the reason why people should come and use your platform. And whether you built it or not, it really doesn't matter from an antitrust perspective. The railroad companies built the railroads, the steel companies built the steel mills, and the telephone companies built the telephone lines… The biggest cases in the history of antitrust enforcement in the U.S. had to do with companies that had built that infrastructure and then used the power that that control gave them to hurt competitors.
Starting today, the Apple TV app is available on the Nvidia Shield, a streaming device powered by the Android TV platform.
With the addition of the Apple TV app, Nvidia Shield users can access the Apple TV+ streaming service with a subscription, TV shows and movies purchased or rented from the iTunes Store, and content from Apple TV Channels.
The Apple TV app works with the built-in Google Assistant on the Nvidia Shield, allowing users to use "OK Google" voice commands to navigate directly to specific Apple TV+ shows or movies, control playback, and more.
The Apple TV app has been rolling out to a wide variety of platforms in recent months, including the PlayStation, Xbox, and Roku. The app is also available on the "Chromecast with Google TV" dongle, which is also powered by the Android TV platform.
Popular cryptocurrency exchange platform Coinbase today announced that the Coinbase Card now supports Apple Pay and Google Pay. Select customers will be invited from the Coinbase Card waitlist starting this week.
Coinbase Card is a debit card, so signing up will not impact your credit score, and there are no application fees. Once you are approved for the card, you can immediately begin spending with Apple Pay and Google Pay, even before the physical card arrives in the mail. Coinbase is offering up to 4% in "crypto rewards" for purchases made with the card.
Keep in mind that the card will not allow you to spend cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin directly. Coinbase will automatically convert the cryptocurrency that you wish to spend to U.S. dollars and transfer the funds to your Coinbase Card for Apple Pay purchases and ATM withdrawals. Conversion fees will apply, as outlined on Coinbase's website.
A new rumor from Weibo, shared on Twitter by credible leaker l0vetodream, alleges to be the battery capacities for the upcoming iPhone 13 lineup, revealing that all of the 2021 iPhones will feature larger batteries.
According to the rumor, the iPhone 13 Pro Max will feature a 4352mAh battery, compared to the current iPhone 12 Pro Max's 3687mAh battery. The iPhone 13 and iPhone 13 Pro will share a battery of 3095mAh, compared to 2815mAh. The smallest model of the lineup, the iPhone 13 mini, will feature a 2406mAh battery, compared to the iPhone 12 mini's 2227mAh.
With iPhone devices, the size of the battery only tells a portion of a device's battery story. The other half comes down to the efficiency of the A-series chip and other components. The A15 chip, expected in the iPhone 13, will improve energy efficiency on top of the larger battery. While the higher-end models of the 2021 iPhone lineup will feature larger batteries, so will the smallest iPhone 13 mini, according to this rumor.
The iPhone 12 mini, which is the smallest iPhone Apple has made to date, has performed poorly in sales compared to the other models. One reason may be the smaller battery in the device, leading to struggling all-day battery life. However, Apple seems to be set to address those concerns if this rumor proves to be true.
Schematics of the upcoming iPhone 13 lineup seen by MacRumors indicated that the 2021 iPhones will be thicker in design. Thanks to this rumor, the increase in thickness seem to be due to the larger battery capacities.
