MacRumors

One of the new App Store features coming in iOS 15 is something called ‌App Store‌ events, which will see Apple highlighting timely events within apps and games.

Apple is now experimenting with ‌App Store‌ events on iOS 15 devices, and in the Today view of the ‌App Store‌ on iPhone, users can now see a notice about a TikTok Summer Camp event that's set to take place today. The event is also being shown on iPadOS 15, as noted by 9to5Mac.

Listed as a card in the Today view, the first ‌App Store‌ event has a label with the time that it takes place and a link to download TikTok, which is the app that has the event going on. Tapping into it provides more information on just what the event is, and in this case, it is a Summer Camp session where creators and artists can share their expertise with fans.

According to Apple, ‌App Store‌ events will be used to tell customers about game competitions, new movie premieres, livestreams, and more. Events will be shown in the Today view, but can also be found in the Games and Apps tabs, in search results, and on the app product page.

‌App Store‌ events are limited to iOS 15 devices, so the TikTok Summer Camp event does not show up on devices running iOS 14.7.1. Events will pick up as the launch of iOS 15 approaches, and everyone will have access when iOS 15 sees a public release.

Other new app-related features in iOS 15 include an ‌App Store‌ widget that lets you see stories, collections, and events in the Today View or the Home Screen, and a privacy-focused feature that tells you which apps have accessed your location, camera, microphone, and contacts during the last seven days.

Nomad today announced the launch of the MagSafe Mount Stand, a new MagSafe charging accessory that's designed to integrate with Apple's ‌MagSafe‌ Charger.

Like Nomad's prior MagSafe Mount accessory, the ‌MagSafe‌ Stand is a holder for the ‌MagSafe‌ Charger rather than a standalone charging option. It is an upright stand with a cutout for the ‌MagSafe‌ Charger and a space to route the cord behind it.

The ‌MagSafe‌ Mount Stand is made from a dark gray aluminum material, and it is heavy enough to keep the ‌MagSafe‌ Charger well secured on a desk. An iPhone 12 used with the ‌MagSafe‌ Mount Stand can be oriented upright in either portrait or landscape mode, and the ‌MagSafe‌ Charger is held in place with microsuction.

Apple's ‌MagSafe‌ Charger is able to charge the ‌iPhone‌ 12 models at 15W (though the iPhone 12 mini is limited to 12W) so long as the proper 20W+ power adapter is supplied. You will need to supply your own ‌MagSafe‌ Charger and power adapter with the ‌MagSafe‌ Mount Stand.

The ‌MagSafe‌ Mount Stand can be purchased from the Nomad website for $59.95.

Google today announced new updates that are coming to the Google Maps app designed for the iPhone. The most notable new feature is dark mode, which Google Maps app users have long been wanting. Dark mode is an alternative to light mode and allows for a darker user interface to match other dark mode apps on iOS devices.

According to Google, dark mode is going to be rolling out "in the coming weeks," and once available to you, it can be enabled in the Settings section of Google Maps. Google says that dark mode in Google Maps will save battery and "give eyes a break."

Apple first introduced the Dark Mode feature with iOS 13, but it has taken Google some time to bring support to its apps. Google earlier this year began rolling out a true dark mode feature to Android users, and the iOS version of dark mode for Google Maps looks similar to the Android version.

Along with dark mode, Google today announced the launch of new Messages integration. With this feature, Google Maps users can share their real-time location with friends in an iMessage using the Google Maps button in the Messages app. Location is shared for one hour by default, but there is an option to extend access by up to three days or stop access at any time.

Google's blog post also highlights the recently introduced widgets feature, which allows ‌iPhone‌ users to add a Google Maps widget to the Home Screen or the Today View. Widgets can be used to check traffic conditions or find nearby places.

The Google Maps app can be downloaded from the App Store for free. [Direct Link]

Delta Air Lines will upgrade all of its pilots to the cellular M1 iPad Pro, AT&T has today announced.

Following the announcement that all Delta flight attendants would receive an iPhone 12 in April, the airline has now said that all pilots will be given an ‌M1‌ ‌iPad Pro‌ as part of their pilot electronic flight bags (EFB).

The ‌iPad Pro‌ will be used for a range of pre-flight management tasks and processes, where flight data and aircraft load information will be delivered directly to each pilot's EFB, which use custom-built apps. 5G connectivity, supplied by AT&T, will also be essential to how pilots use the device.

iPad Pro is extremely versatile in aviation, with its thin and light design, and bright, immersive display. The powerful new iPad Pro with 5G features the breakthrough Apple-designed M1 chip for a massive leap in performance, an all-new 12MP Ultra-Wide front camera, and advanced Liquid Retina display technologies with ultralow reflectivity for an unmatched viewing experience on the ground and in the air.

Delta follows JetBlue, which started rolling out the ‌M1‌ ‌iPad Pro‌ to pilots last month, but the airline has been equipping its staff with iPhones and iPads since it dropped Windows devices in 2017.

Apple's fleet of self-driving vehicles roaming the streets of California for testing now includes 69 vehicles and 92 drivers, according to information from the California Department of Motor Vehicles obtained by macReports.

This means that Apple has added one self-driving car and 16 drivers since May this year. Apple has been expanding its autonomous vehicle test since it was granted a permit from the California DMV in April 2017, enabling it to test its self-driving technology on public roads in the state. Beginning in early 2018, multiple sources reported on the number of vehicles in Apple's fleet, which steadily expanded throughout that year.

Each of Apple's testing vehicles is equipped with the company's in-development autonomous driving software, along with advanced LiDAR equipment and an array of cameras to detect the vehicle's surroundings. The actual cars are Lexus RX450h sports utility vehicles and must have safety drivers inside of them, since, unlike rival companies that are self-driving technology, Apple's permit still does not include driverless testing.

Apple's fleet of self-driving vehicles are reportedly gathering data for the company's long-rumored autonomous vehicle software. In June of 2017 Apple CEO Tim Cook confirmed Apple's work on autonomous software: "We're focusing on autonomous systems. It's a core technology that we view as very important. We sort of see it as the mother of all AI projects... it's probably one of the most difficult AI projects to actually work on."

Earlier this year, it was revealed that Apple had more than doubled its self-driving mileage in 2020, reaching a total of 18,805 miles, up from the 7,544 miles the previous year. There were a total of 130 disengagements in 2020, up from 64 in 2019, but Apple's cars experienced a disengagement every 144.6 miles, which is a better metric than the previous year where there was a disengagement every 117.8 miles, indicating an improvement in the technology.

Apple today announced that for this coming school year, mobile student IDs in the Wallet app will be expanding to Auburn University, Northern Arizona University, University of Maine, New Mexico State University, and many more colleges across the United States.

Mobile student IDs in the Wallet app will also be expanding to Canada this year, starting with the University of New Brunswick and Sheridan College.

"We're excited to work with more schools in the US and introduce mobile student IDs in Canada to provide a secure and convenient way to get around campus with iPhone and Apple Watch," said Jennifer Bailey, vice president of Apple Pay. "Students and faculty have embraced using their iPhone and Apple Watch as the best way to access buildings, purchase meals, and more."

Many colleges and universities already support student IDs in the Wallet app in the United States. At participating institutions, students can simply hold their ‌iPhone‌ or Apple Watch near a reader anywhere physical student ID cards are accepted — on and off campus. An optional Express Mode bypasses the need to authenticate with Face ID, Touch ID, or a passcode, allowing for the quickest entry possible to buildings.

Apple is researching ways to hide the iPhone's notch when it is not in use and expand the display, according to a newly granted patent.

The patent, first spotted by Patently Apple, is titled "Electronic devices with adjustable display windows" and was filed with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. It explains how a device's display could move as to show and hide the front-facing camera and other optical components.

Apple describes this mechanism as creating a "window region" in the display, through which a camera or other TrueDepth array components, such as a dot projector for Face ID, can work. Then, when these parts are not in use, the display would move back over the window region to hide the sensors underneath it. The summary of the patent reads:

An electronic device may have a display with an array of pixels for displaying images. The display may have a window region. During operation, a component such as an optical component may operate through the window region. The window region may overlap a movable portion of the display. The window region may be operated in open and closed states. In the closed state, the movable portion of the display overlaps the window region and pixels in the movable display portion emit light through the window region. In the open state, the movable portion of the display is moved away from the window region so that light for the optical component may pass through the window region. The optical component may be a camera or other component that receives light through the window region or may be an optical component that emits light through the window region.

The patent describes two main mechanical means through which the display could move to create a window for the notch components. The first is a display that is a flap formed either by a flexible display or a separate rigid display layer that moves about a hinge. This flap would be bent away from the rest of the display to open up the window region.

The second embodiment is a flexible display that moves via an electrically adjustable actuator, which would slide the entire display down to open the window region and show the notch components. These mechanical movements would occur under the glass of the display.

Apple mentions that the display window may have a coating to help it reflect light for the optical components and that it may be transparent to light emitted by pixels when the movable display portion is closed. The patent also explains that the window region could use a mirror in a periscope-like formation to conceal the optical components, much like the folded camera configurations on some Android smartphones.

While patents are not a confirmation of Apple's exact plans for future products, they do highlight the company's specific areas of research. Apple is believed to be exploring a hole-punch front-facing camera layout for the ‌iPhone‌ as soon as 2022, with the total removal of the notch expected by 2023. The technology outlined in this patent is one way in which Apple could achieve this objective.

Apple today began offering new high-end graphics upgrade options for both the tower and rack versions of the Mac Pro desktop computer. This comes on the same day that Apple started selling the Magic Keyboard with Touch ID on a standalone basis.

As noted by CNN Underscored's Jake Krol, the Mac Pro can now be configured with new AMD Radeon Pro W6800X, W6800X Duo, or W6900X graphics when ordering the professional workstation through Apple's online store. The new options come at steep prices, ranging from $2,400 for a single W6800X module to $11,600 for two W6900X modules.

Apple's descriptions of the graphics modules:

AMD Radeon Pro W6800X
For workstation-class graphics and demanding pro applications, choose the AMD Radeon Pro W6800X with 32GB of GDDR6 memory delivering up to 512GB/s memory bandwidth. This graphics option features AMD’s RDNA2 architecture, delivering up to 16.0 teraflops of single-precision or 32.0 teraflops of half-precision computing. It supports up to six 4K displays, three 5K displays, or three Pro Display XDRs.

The full-height MPX Module fills an MPX bay and uses extra power and PCIe bandwidth to deliver four additional Thunderbolt 3 ports and an HDMI 2.0 port on the card. You can install two W6800X MPX Modules in your Mac Pro and connect them using Infinity Fabric Link for enhanced multi-GPU performance in applications like Final Cut Pro. When you select the option with two GPUs, the Infinity Fabric Link connector comes preinstalled.

AMD Radeon Pro W6900X
For the maximum workstation-class graphics and demanding pro applications, choose the AMD Radeon Pro W6900X with 32GB of GDDR6 memory delivering up to 512GB/s memory bandwidth. This graphics option features AMD’s RDNA2 architecture, delivering up to 22.2 teraflops of single-precision or 44.4 teraflops of half-precision computing. It supports up to six 4K displays, three 5K displays, or three Pro Display XDRs.

The full-height MPX Module fills an MPX bay and uses extra power and PCIe bandwidth to deliver four additional Thunderbolt 3 ports and an HDMI 2.0 port on the card. You can install two W6900X MPX Modules in your Mac Pro and connect them using Infinity Fabric Link for enhanced multi-GPU performance in applications like Final Cut Pro. When you select the option with two GPUs, the Infinity Fabric Link connector comes preinstalled.

AMD Radeon Pro W6800X Duo MPX Module
To push your graphics performance even further, choose the Radeon Pro W6800X Duo MPX Module, which is ideal for even the most demanding multi-GPU pro applications. The module has two W6800X GPUs, each with 32GB of GDDR6 memory delivering up to 512GB/s memory bandwidth. The two GPUs are connected onboard with Infinity Fabric Link, and two W6800X Duo modules can be bridged to allow four W6800X GPUs to communicate.

Install two modules in your Mac Pro for intensive tasks like GPU rendering or advanced color grading. Get up to 30.2 teraflops of single-precision or 60.4 teraflops of half-precision computing. The Radeon Pro W6800X Duo MPX Module supports up to eight 4K displays, four 5K displays, or six Pro Display XDRs. And the full-height MPX Module fills an MPX bay and uses extra power and PCIe bandwidth to deliver four additional Thunderbolt 3 ports and an HDMI 2.0 port on the card. When you select the option with two GPUs, the Infinity Fabric Link connector comes preinstalled.

For customers who already purchased a Mac Pro, Krol said the new graphics modules will also be available on a standalone basis through Apple's online store, but the product listings have yet to go live, so pricing remains to be seen.

Facebook is researching ways to analyze encrypted data, such as WhatsApp messages, without actually decrypting the information, according to a new report from The Information.

The report cites that Facebook has confirmed it is building a team of artificial intelligence researchers to "study ways of analyzing encrypted data without decrypting it." While it is still early in development, the research could enable Facebook to use users' encrypted WhatsApp messages and then utilize that information for targeted advertising.

This specific field of research is called "homomorphic encryption," which is hoped to allow companies to read information from encrypted sets of data while also preserving privacy to protect against cybersecurity threats. Facebook has advertised several related job roles on its website, noting that it wants to work on privacy-preserving technologies while "simultaneously expanding the efficiency of Facebook's market-leading advertising systems."

The company continues to recruit researchers with backgrounds in privacy-related technologies including homomorphic encryption, secure computation and data anonymization, according to job advertisements on its website. The technologies are aimed at preserving privacy while "simultaneously expanding the efficiency of Facebook's market-leading advertising systems."

Facebook has famously been the subject of scrutiny from lawmakers and members of the public over its privacy practices. The Information believes that homomorphic encryption could be Facebook's response to growing concerns over user privacy and its relation to the platform's business model of running ads.

For Facebook, homomorphic encryption could offer a way to continue to make money from ads that are targeted based on what it knows about individual users while also answering calls from lawmakers to take privacy more seriously and prevent the misuse or breach of its data. And it could aid the company's effort to make money from WhatsApp, whose messages are encrypted, meaning Facebook can't use them to target ads.

Facebook has considered a workaround to target ads to WhatsApp users in the meantime, but homomorphic encryption could allow Facebook to analyze the data without actually reading it or sharing it directly with advertisers.

A Facebook spokesperson told The Information that it is "too early for us to consider homomorphic encryption for WhatsApp at this time." The timing of Facebook's apparent ramp-up of research into new ways to target ads to users through their WhatsApp messages comes not long after Apple's rollout of ATT or App Tracking Transparency.

ATT is a framework on iOS 14.5 and later that requires that all apps to ask for user's consent before tracking them across other apps and websites. Facebook had been a vocal critic of the framework in the weeks leading up to its official launch; however, after its rollout, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said it has had little impact on his company's performance so far.

Update: Will Cathcart, head of WhatsApp, has tweeted in response to The Information's report that WhatsApp is not exploring the use of homomorphic encryption. Cathcart states that there should be skepticism of "technical claims that apps like ours could see messages in "good" cases only."

Apple Maps users in Belgium now have access to real-time transit information, offering information on whether a train is on time or possibly facing a delay, as reported by iCulture.

Transit information has been available in Belgium since November of 2018; however, real-time data is new. With real-time information, users can now more easily plan their commutes based on actual transit run-times rather than simply what's scheduled.

Apple has made the Magic Keyboard with Touch ID, which previously was only available with the purchase of the new 24-inch iMac, available for purchase individually for $149.

Apple also retails the Magic Keyboard with Touch ID and a numeric keypad for $179. A standard Magic Keyboard without ‌Touch ID‌ or a numeric keypad is available for $99, and a new Magic Trackpad for $129.

One major point to be aware of is that Apple says that the Magic Keyboard with ‌Touch ID‌ is only supported on Apple silicon Macs running macOS 11.4 or later. With ‌Touch ID‌ built into the keyboard, users of the M1 MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, and Mac mini can now conveniently use ‌Touch ID‌ with an external keyboard.

The Magic Keyboard with ‌Touch ID‌ in both its numeric and non-numeric keypad forms begins shipping today alongside the new trackpad and can be purchased on Apple's website. All of the accessories are available in silver only, with other color options being exclusive to the 24-inch ‌iMac‌.

A bill that could require Apple and Google to allow third-party payment methods on their respective app stores in South Korea is gaining support ahead of a vote on the issue.

The bill proposes an amendment to the existing Telecommunications Business Act, which would bar Apple, Google, and any other company that operates its own app distribution platform, from forcing developers to use a specific payment method. Apple requires that all apps on the App Store use its own payment method for in-app purchases, which gives the company a 30% commission.

That 30% cut and restrictions on developers that prevent them from using third-party payment methods has been a significant point of contention between Apple and other companies. The Coalition for App Fairness, which consists of Epic Games, Spotify, and Match Group, has voiced their support for the bill in South Korea.

As reported by the Yonhap News Agency, the founder of the Coalition for App Fairness and the senior vice president for the Match Group, which operates Tinder, met with officials in the South Korean Democratic Party to express their support for the bill. As per the report:

Mark Buse, Match Group's senior vice president and a founding member of the Coalition for App Fairness, met ruling Democratic Party lawmakers at the National Assembly supporting the bill.

Buse expressed support for the bill, adding that it could spur more action from U.S. lawmakers. Similar movement has so far been made at a state level in the United States in around 15 states, according to Buse.

Apple has pushed back firmly against any measures that would open up its users to third-payment methods. In an interview earlier this year, Apple's CEO, Tim Cook, said that allowing third-payment methods on the ‌App Store‌ would turn the platform into a "flea market," noting that customers usually tend to have a low trust level for such markets.

The bill will first be reviewed by the Legislation and Judiciary Committee before being voted upon in the National Assembly.

ING Belgium today announced support for Apple Pay, offering the bank's customers another way to pay using contactless without needing their physical debit card to hand.

The 1.4 million customers who do their banking via the ING Banking app will now be able to use their ING cards with ‌Apple Pay‌ to make payments even more easily, said the bank in a press release.

"We're constantly looking for new ways to help our customers manage their money even easier, and Apple Pay is a great fit," said Amaury Vanthournout, Director of Payments at ING Belgium. "We've seen a major behavioral shift among our customers as a result of the pandemic, many of whom have become hesitant to use cash. Half of all payments are now contactless, a steep rise from 13% a year ago. By introducing Apple Pay in the ING Banking app, we are seizing the momentum by offering our customers a new payment method that offers incredible ease of use in shops, online and on the go."

ING said it had recorded 51.5 million contactless payments during the first five months of 2021, compared to 21.5 million over the same period last year. The contactless payments are said to have accounted for half of all in-store debit card payments and had an average amount of €19.

With support for ‌Apple Pay‌ now live, ING customers will have the added benefit of paying for things using their iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, and Mac, without having to enter their PIN, even for amounts over 50 euros.

ING already offers ‌Apple Pay‌ in the Netherlands, France, Italy, Spain, Romania, Poland, Australia and Germany. ‌Apple Pay‌ launched in Belgium in November 2018. The digital payment method first launched in the United States in October 2014 and has since expanded to many other countries around the globe.

Ahead of when the company is expected to reveal an updated iPad mini featuring an iPad Air-inspired redesign, Apple is out asking some existing ‌iPad mini‌ customers about whether the ‌iPad mini‌'s screen size is too big, too small, or whether it's "just right."

Apple often sends out surveys to customers. While they aren't always entirely indicative of the company's plans, it offers a glimpse into what Apple's teams are trying to gauge regarding customer's wants and needs. The latest survey, initially reported by ITHome, is an apparent attempt by the Cupertino tech-giant to understand the ‌iPad mini‌'s customers' base and demographic ahead of a significant redesign.

The first question Apple pitches in the survey is, "What do you think of the size of the ‌iPad mini‌ 4's display? Is it too small, just right, or too big?" The options include the display is "too small," "a little bit too small," "just the right size," "a bit too large," and "too large."

As the new ‌iPad mini‌ is expected to be just weeks away from launch, it is unlikely that the responses from the surveys will influence the ‌iPad‌'s screen size as it has already been finalized. However, Apple could use the responses from the survey for marketing purposes.

One of the most credible reports for the upcoming 6th-generation ‌iPad mini‌ indicate that it could feature a screen size upwards of 8.5 to 9-inches. Anywhere around that ballpark would place the new ‌iPad‌ on the lower end of the ‌iPad‌ spectrum, as the current smallest ‌iPad‌ after the ‌iPad mini‌ 5 is the baseline ‌iPad‌ with a 10.2-inch display.

Apple also interestingly asks customers to specify which activities they do on their ‌iPad mini‌ in portrait and landscape orientation. Specifically, Apple asks customers to specify whether they use landscape or portrait orientation to take notes, view photos and videos, and listen to music.

Bloomberg's reliable Mark Gurman has previously stated that the upcoming ‌iPad mini‌ will feature a redesign inspired by the iPad Air. Like the iPad Pro, the ‌iPad Air‌ features no Home Button, making it easier to use the ‌iPad‌ in whichever orientation users prefer due to the gesture-based navigation system, rather than having to find the Home Button physically.

The two remaining questions Apple asks are more generic, asking customers to state alongside their ‌iPad mini‌, what other devices they own such as laptops, other tablets, smartphones, smartwatches, and so on. Finally, Apple asks customers to single out what accessories they use with their current ‌iPad mini‌. Apple lists the following accessories for customers to choose from:

• Power adapters/chargers (not included in the box)
• Charging base
• Stylus
• Wireless keyboard
• Headphones or earphones
• External speaker
• Screen protector
• Protective cover or case made by Apple or a third-party (seperate choices)
• ‌iPad‌ cover or case with a built-in keyboard and trackpad made by a third-party
• ‌iPad‌ cover or case with a built-in keyboard made by a third-party
• ‌iPad‌ protective bag/holder made by Apple or a third-party (seperate choices)
• Car accessories such as a car charger, cable, and so on...
• Game controller

While it may seem like a random selection of choices for Apple to provide, it could offer some hints towards the next ‌iPad mini‌. Currently, unlike the latest iPhones, all iPads come with a USB power adapter in the box. Apple asking customers whether they use power adapters and chargers not included in the box could be its way of determining whether its ‌iPad mini‌ customer base uses the power adapter in the box or if it's being disregarded.

Eventually, it's safe to assume that as part of the company's environmental pledge, iPads may subsequently no longer include USB power adapters in the box. Apple has yet to make that move, however.

The baseline ‌iPad‌ and ‌iPad mini‌ are the only two remaining iPads in Apple's lineup to feature a 3.5mm headphone jack, which was famously removed from the iPhone with the ‌iPhone‌ 7. The survey asking customers about their use of external speakers and headphones/earphones could be interpreted that the 6th-generation ‌iPad mini‌ will remove with the headphone jack. Regardless of the survey, though, reports of an ‌iPad‌ Air-inspired redesign coincides with the expected removal of the jack.

Finally, Apple's surveys could add credibility to a report that the upcoming ‌iPad mini‌ will feature a Smart Connector, which would open up an entirely new class of ‌iPad mini‌ accessories capable of using the connector, such as keyboards and more.

The new ‌iPad mini‌ is expected to launch later this fall, alongside a slew of new product releases including new iPhones, Apple Watches, AirPods, and MacBook Pros.

In iOS 15, Apple has significantly improved Siri by adding some much-anticipated features like on-device processing and support for offline requests, while also making the voice assistant more context-aware.

One result of ‌Siri‌'s increased contextual awareness is its ability to help you share whatever's on your iPhone screen with someone else via a Message, be it a website in Safari, a song in Apple Music, a photo, or just the local weather forecast.

To share something at any time, say "Hey ‌Siri‌," then "Share this with [person]." ‌Siri‌ will spring into action and confirm your request by asking "Are you ready to send it?" At that point, you can either say yes/no, or you can add a comment to the message using the input field and then hit Send.

If it's something that can't be shared directly, like the weather forecast, ‌‌Siri‌‌ will take a screenshot and send that instead. All you have to do is say "Share this with [person]," and ‌‌Siri‌‌ will take the screenshot, then confirm the request with you in the same way.

The feature works with ‌‌Apple Music‌‌, Apple Podcasts, Apple News, Maps, Safari web pages, photos, Messages, and more. When iOS 15 is released in September, expect third-party apps to gain support for sharing via ‌Siri‌, too.