Joe Rossignol
Joe joined MacRumors in January 2015, and is now a Senior Reporter. Based out of Stoney Creek, Canada, he has been writing about Apple since 2008, with a focus on breaking news coverage.
Joe Rossignol's Articles
Apple Urges FCC Not to Roll Back Ban on Internet 'Fast Lanes' in Push for Net Neutrality
In a letter submitted during the Restoring Internet Freedom comment period, Apple has urged the U.S. Federal Communications Commission not to roll back regulations that prevent "paid fast lanes" on the internet. Image via Change.org. Apple logo added by MacRumors. Broadband providers should not create paid fast lanes on the internet. Lifting the current ban on paid prioritization arrangements...
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Nearly Half of All Smartwatches Shipped Last Quarter Were Apple Watches
Apple Watch was the world's most popular smartwatch by a significant margin last quarter, with an estimated 49.6 percent market share in the April-June period, according to data shared with MacRumors by research firm IDC. In other words, the Apple Watch accounted for just under half of all smartwatches shipped in the June quarter. IDC estimates Apple Watch shipments totaled 3.4 million...
Apple May Launch Galaxy Note 8-Sized iPhone With 6.4-Inch OLED Display Next Year
While a few weeks remain until Apple is expected to unveil the so-called iPhone 8, widely rumored to be its first smartphone with an OLED display, the rumor mill has already turned its attention to next year. Samsung's Galaxy Note 8 next to iPhone mockup by Benjamin Geskin South Korea's ETNews, citing unnamed industry sources, claims Apple is working with Samsung Display and its other...
Here's What the Status Bar and iPad-Style Dock Could Look Like on 'iPhone 8'
Earlier today, well-connected Apple reporter Mark Gurman said the so-called "iPhone 8" will have a thin software-based bar along the bottom of the home screen, controlled by gestures, in lieu of a physical home button. Gurman also said the Dock, which houses up to four commonly used apps, will be redesigned with a new interface similar to the one on the iPad version of iOS 11. Above it, there...
Apple Informs Some Customers About Delayed Repairs Due to Hurricane Harvey
Apple appears to have informed some customers that its repair center in Houston, Texas is unsurprisingly closed due to Hurricane Harvey, which has caused catastrophic flooding and damage in the area since making landfall five days ago. In a discussion on Reddit, one user said his Mac has been sitting at a FedEx shipping facility since Friday. FedEx, UPS, and the United States Postal Service...
iPhone Users Will Be Able to Say 'Hey Cortana, Open Alexa' in Future
Amazon and Microsoft today jointly announced that Alexa and Cortana will soon be able to communicate with each other. Microsoft said the collaboration will allow access to Alexa via Cortana on Windows 10 PCs later this year, and via the Cortana app for iOS and Android at an unspecified point in the future. Similarly, users will be able to access Cortana on Alexa-enabled devices like the...
Apple Stores in Omaha and South Pittsburgh Relocating on Saturday
Apple this week announced that two of its retail stores, located at Village Pointe in Omaha, Nebraska and South Hills Village in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, will reopen Saturday, September 2 at 10:00 a.m. local time. Both locations have been closed for renovations for the past several weeks. Apple's old Village Pointe store in Omaha, Nebraska Apple Village Pointe will remain located on...
Google Maps Expands 'Parking Difficulty' Indicator to 25 Cities Around the World
Google today announced its "parking difficulty" indicator in Google Maps for iOS and Android will now appear in 25 additional cities around the world. The feature was previously available in the United States only. The simple feature shows a "P" icon with a difficulty level such as "moderate" or "limited," based on how easy it will be to find parking at the destination entered. The feature...
Apple Now Accepts WeChat Pay in China
In a statement sent to multiple Chinese media outlets today, Apple said iPhone and iPad users in China can now use WeChat Pay as a payment method for App Store and Apple Music purchases."We are glad to offer users in mainland China the option of WeChat Pay for their favorite mobile app or Apple Music products. We continue to be dedicated to provide multiple simple and convenient payment methods...
NYPD Defends Choosing Windows Phones, Confirms Plans to Switch to iPhones
The New York Police Department has confirmed it will begin transitioning to iPhones for its 36,000 police officers in the fall, less than one year after completing a rollout of Windows Phones to its police force. Image: ABC7 Eyewitness News - WABC-TV New York Jessica Tisch, the NYPD's Deputy Commissioner of Information Technology, said "improvements in Apple controls" will enable the...
Mobile Pwn2Own Contest Offering Up to $100,000 Reward for iOS Vulnerabilities
Japanese cybersecurity company Trend Micro today announced its sixth annual Mobile Pwn2Own competition will be held at this year's PacSec security conference in Tokyo on Wednesday, November 1 and Thursday, November 2. The competition is part of Trend Micro's Zero Day Initiative, a program for rewarding security researchers for responsibly disclosing vulnerabilities to companies like Apple,...
Former Apple Employee Thinks Touch Bar Shouldn't Be Forced on Users Who Want Highest-End MacBook Pro
Chuq Von Rospach, a writer and former Apple employee, has penned a blog post in which he opines that customers shouldn't be forced to pay extra for the Touch Bar in order to have the highest-end MacBook Pro currently available. The current [MacBook Pro] line forces users to pay for the Touch Bar on the higher end devices whether they want it or not, and that's a cost users shouldn't need to...
Apple Now Selling Beats Solo3, Powerbeats3, and Pill+ Speaker in New 'Neighborhood Collection' Colors
Apple is now selling a trio of Beats products in new "Neighborhood Collection" colors on its online store and retail stores around the world. Solo3 Wireless Headphones and Powerbeats3 Wireless Headphones are now available in Asphalt Gray, Brick Red, Break Blue, and Turf Green. The Beats Pill+ Speaker comes in only Asphalt Gray and Turf Green. • Solo3 Wireless Headphones ($299.95) • Powerb...
WSJ: Apple Aiming to Use Steve Jobs Theater to Unveil New Products at September 12 Event
Apple will hold a product event on Tuesday, September 12, according to Dow Jones sources cited by The Wall Street Journal. Apple CEO Tim Cook at the Worldwide Developers Conference in June Apple is aiming to use Steve Jobs Theater for the event, but its construction timetable could affect timing or location, the report said.In the past two years it has used San Francisco’s Bill Graham Civic ...
NYPD Expected to Replace 35,000+ Windows Phones With iPhones Starting This Year
Less than a year after completing a rollout of Windows Phones to its entire police force, New York City Police Department officials plan to begin replacing them with iPhones by the end of the year, according to the New York Post. Image: NYPD via YouTube The report didn't specify whether the NYPD will opt to use one of Apple's latest iPhone models, or an older model like the iPhone 6. Apple is ...
Apple Stores Hosting Free Star Wars-Themed Sessions Starting Friday
In celebration of Force Friday II later this week, Apple has invited customers to attend free Star Wars–themed sessions and workshops at select Apple retail stores between Friday, September 1 and Saturday, September 9. Participating countries include the United States, Canada, Mexico, Australia, UK, France, Italy, Germany, Belgium, Switzerland, Netherlands, Spain, Hong Kong, Sweden, Taiwan,...
Apple Maps Transit Directions Now Available in Ottawa, Edmonton, and Québec City
Apple Maps has been updated with comprehensive transit data in the Edmonton, Alberta area, enabling iPhone users in Canada's fifth most populous city to navigate with public transportation, including buses and trains. Apple Maps can provide routes for both Edmonton Transit System (ETS) buses and Edmonton Light Rail Transit (LRT) trains throughout the Edmonton area, including to and from the...
Apple CEO Tim Cook Visits Capital Factory Tech Incubator in Austin
Apple CEO Tim Cook has arrived in Austin, Texas, the latest destination on his mini trip around the United States this week. Photo: Capital Factory Cook started his day by visiting the Capital Factory tech accelerator and incubator in downtown Austin, where he met with local developers and entrepreneurs like Joah Spearman, the co-founder of local travel recommendation app Localeur, and...
Apple's 'App Development With Swift' Curriculum Expanding to Dozens of Community Colleges
Apple today announced that its App Development with Swift curriculum will now be offered in more than 30 leading community college systems across the United States in the 2017-2018 school year. The full-year course, available for free on the iBooks store, teaches students how to build apps using Apple's open source programming language Swift. Apple says the course takes students with no...
Apple CEO Tim Cook in Austin on Friday to Share Announcement Ahead of September Event [Updated]
Apple CEO Tim Cook is on work-related travel this week, and his trip appears to include a stop in Austin, Texas on Friday, based on both flight information and comments shared by the city's mayor Steve Adler. Tim Cook at Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference in June There are plenty of reasons why Cook could be in Austin, which has become a major tech hub in the United States. He could be...