Joe Rossignol

American department store chain JCPenney today announced it now accepts Apple Pay at all of its stores across the United States. The retailer said Apple Pay in the JCPenney app for iPhone and iPad is coming soon as well. JCPenney also said it will make its credit card available on Apple Pay, which enables customers to earn shopping points through its JCPenney Rewards loyalty program,...

Taiwanese electronics manufacturer Foxconn is nearing a decision to invest in Wisconsin, and could hold an event in Washington, D.C. as soon as this week to discuss its U.S. investment plans, according to The Wall Street Journal. Foxconn is one of Apple's primary iPhone assemblers in China, but in Wisconsin, the company is initially looking at producing display panels that can be used in...

MacRumors has learned that Apple is introducing two all-new Apple Store positions named Lead and Schedule Planner. Apple today informed existing retail employees that applications open Monday, July 24, although it appears that select stores started interviewing candidates as early as a few weeks ago. Apple says the Lead position will give team members the chance to learn the ins and outs of...

Apple spent an all-time high $2.2 million lobbying Donald Trump's federal government between April 1 and June 30, 2017, according to a disclosure form filed by the Office of the Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives. That amount is by far the most Apple has ever spent on lobbying in a single quarter, eclipsing the previous record of nearly $1.4 million spent during Trump's first three...

Wisconsin resident Xai Thao and her home insurance provider State Farm have jointly sued Apple for over $75,000 this week, claiming the company sold Thao a defective and dangerous iPhone 4s that started a fire in her home last year. The lawsuit, filed in U.S. district court, alleges the house fire was the direct result of the iPhone's battery short-circuiting and heating up. Thao nor anyone...

Apple is quietly working with Chinese battery manufacturer Contemporary Amperex Technology Limited on automotive battery research and development, according to Shanghai-based Yicai Global. The report, citing unnamed sources, claims the two companies have signed a confidentiality agreement to work together on a "scheme" related to the field of batteries, but no specific details were provided. ...

Apple has expanded mobile phone billing to Denmark, Hong Kong, and Sweden, according to an updated support document on its website. The feature is now supported by the carrier Three in each of the countries, in addition to SmarTone in Hong Kong and Telenor in Sweden. The payment method enables customers to pay for iTunes Store content, App Store apps, iBooks, and Apple Music subscriptions ...

A questionable rumor has surfaced today suggesting Apple could unveil a new iPhone SE next month, but it might just be more noise in iPhone silly season. The rumor comes from French-language blog iGeneration, which cited an unnamed source claiming Apple will hold a product event in late August to introduce an updated version of the 4-inch smartphone. Mickaël Bazoge, the author of the...

Apple today resumed carrying Nokia's digital health products on its online store in the United States and Canada, nearly two months after the two companies announced they settled all litigation related to their intellectual property dispute. The products available to purchase again include Nokia's Body Cardio Scale, Body+ Scale, BPM+ Blood Pressure Monitor, and Thermo Thermometer. Each of...

Apple Pay continues its global expansion today with several new participating banks, and more coming soon, in France, Italy, Ireland, Spain, and the UK. In France, Apple says Apple Pay will be available later this year to Banque BCP and Arkéa Banque Privée customers, and through mobile-only banking and/or payment solutions Orange Bank, Lydia, and N26. In Italy, as promised, Apple Pay is av...

Neonode today announced that AirBar for the 13-inch MacBook Air is now available to purchase for $99 at select retailers in the United States, including Fry's Electronics and Evine.com. It'll also be available online through Amazon, Best Buy, and Staples, but it doesn't appear to be in stock on those websites yet. AirBar, a CES 2017 Innovation Awards Honoree, is a thin aluminum bar that...

AirPods continue to have a 6-week shipping estimate when purchased through Apple's online store, but AT&T and Verizon currently have the wireless earphones in stock online with free delivery in 2-5 business days. AT&T and Verizon sell AirPods for $159, the same price as Apple charges, but the carriers only ship to addresses within the United States, excluding P.O. boxes. AirPods...

Apple at WWDC 2017 last month introduced Core NFC, a new iOS 11 framework that enables apps to detect Near Field Communication tags. Similar to Apple Pay, iPhone users are prompted with a "Ready to Scan" dialog box. After holding the iPhone near an item with an NFC tag, a checkmark displays on screen if a product is detected. An app with Core NFC could then provide users with information...

British carrier EE today announced it is extending its free six-month Apple Music subscription offer to all new and existing iPhone and Android smartphone customers with a pay monthly plan. SIM-only customers are also eligible. The offer begins Wednesday, July 19, and customers will be able to register for the deal with a short-code to be revealed next week. EE said any data consumed by...

Matthew Roberts has uploaded his latest 4K drone tour of Apple Park, the company's new headquarters in Cupertino, California. A limited number of Apple employees began moving into the new headquarters in April, but the video shows that construction is still well underway. Among the highlights are a closer look at the main circular building, Steve Jobs Theater, the visitor center across the...

Apple today launched its Back to School promotion in the United States and Canada, offering the choice of a free pair of Beats Solo3, BeatsX, or Powerbeats3 headphones to qualifying students, parents of students, and educators who purchase an eligible Mac with education pricing for a limited time. Eligible models include any MacBook, MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, iMac, or Mac Pro. As usual, the...

Apple has recently unveiled interactive HomeKit experiences in 46 of its retail stores worldwide, allowing customers to test out its smart home platform free of charge, according to TechCrunch. Interactive HomeKit demo area at an Apple Store via TechCrunch Each interactive setup consists of two vertical displays positioned behind an iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch with the Home app, which...

An eagle-eyed Reddit user has noticed that Apple's higher education store is currently unaccessible in countries including the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Singapore, fueling speculation that Apple could be preparing to launch its annual Back to School promotion for students and educators. "We'll be back," the page reads, which is Apple's standard message when its website is being...

Today, Microsoft is ending support for Windows Phone 8.1, effectively marking the end of the "Windows Phone" era. Microsoft released Windows Phone in 2010 and, within three years, it became the world's third most popular mobile operating system. But the platform simply couldn't compete with the likes of Apple and Google and, as of earlier this year, iOS and Android accounted for a combined...

If you have a first-generation Apple Watch with a separated back cover, Apple or an Apple Authorized Service Provider will repair it free of charge, according to an internal service policy obtained by MacRumors. Apple Watch with separated back cover via Reddit user PoorSpanaway Apple recently extended the service policy's coverage period to up to three years after the original purchase date....