[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_xpeAXCfLc] The last we heard, Apple was working with developers of Siri alternatives such as True Knowledge, the developers behind “Evi,” to iron out similarities between the app and the iPhone 4S‘s flagship feature. Apple is quick to warn developers who are submitting Siri-like apps not to mimic native features of the OS. Apple wants an app’s features to remain “distinctly different from the iOS behaviors and interfaces to avoid causing user confusion....

Apple has released the fourth iOS 10.3.2 beta for testing on iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. The version numbers also suggest we should only see under-the-hood bug fixes and security improvements in these releases when ready. iOS 10.3.2 beta 4 is currently only available in beta for registered developers. The public beta version of each update usually follows a few days after the developer version if not the same day. tvOS and watchOS are also available as beta updates, although public beta programs are not available....

After releasing iOS 7.0.5 at the end of last month to fix network errors for Chinese users, Apple has just released iOS 7.0.6 (Build 11B651) alongside iOS 6.1.6 (build 10b500) for the iPhone 3GS and 4th-gen iPod touch and Apple TV version 6.0.2 with a security fix related to SSL connection verification. Apple says iOS 7.0.6 is a security update that “provides a fix for SSL connection verification.” The update for Apple TV (version 6....

With the iOS 15 announcement at WWDC 2021 in June, Apple revealed that the next version of its operating system comes with a new feature to prioritize the 5G connection over Wi-Fi on compatible devices. Now the company has released a new tool for developers to allow them to test this new feature with their apps. With iOS 15, 5G-enabled devices like the iPhone 12 and the 2021 iPad Pro can automatically prioritize the 5G network when Wi-Fi connection performance is slow or even unsafe....

The second Release Candidate version of iOS 14.6 is now available to developers. This comes just four days after the company made the first Release Candidate available of the forthcoming update to developers and public beta users. As a reminder, Apple has moved away from the previously-used golden master naming for near-final beta releases. Instead, going forward, the company will use the term “Release Candidate,” or RC, to reference a near-final beta release....

Update: QNX confirmed to us the validity of their statement to N4BB. Though you presumably won’t see the handset maker’s logo anywhere on your dashboard or in the CarPlay interface, BlackBerry-owned QNX’s software for smartphone and display compatibility is apparently present in Apple’s new automotive technology. Tech site N4BB speculated and later updated (via iDownloadblog) with a statement from QNX that Apple’s existing partnership with the firm extends to implementing compatibility support for Apple CarPlay....

Apple has released its latest annual supplier responsibility report. The document details Apple’s rigorous and comprehensive safety policies that were implemented in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2020, several publications found alleged incidents of forced labor in Apple’s supply chain. In the company’s report today, Apple says it found no evidence of forced labor or underage child labor. This is down from one case of child labor identified in the previous year’s report....

Apple has today made some improvements to both transit directions and lane guidance in Apple Maps. The company has been making a rapid push to get both of these features out the door and has been looking to expand them in as many cities as possible. Let’s start with transit directions. The feature originally launched in 2015 in Baltimore, Berlin, Boston, Chicago, London, Los Angeles, Mexico City, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Sydney, Toronto, and around 300 cities in China....

Apple announced during WWDC 2021 keynote that Apple Music Spatial Audio is launching today for all users. Announced in May, Apple Music said to bring lossless music quality options in its entire catalog at no extra cost, starting in June. But with lots of controversies and what Apple’s headphones would be able to take advantage of this higher quality (answer: none of them), the company’s focuses is on Spatial Audio support with Dolby Atmos....

China’s current economic problems – share trading suspended for the second time in a week after stocks fell 7% – doesn’t seem to be impacting Apple’s retail store expansion program in the country. The company has announced the opening of its 30th retail store in China, the second one it is opening this month. Back in 2014, the company set a goal of opening 40 stores in the country by October of this year....

Update: Tim Cook has tweeted an animated GIF showing an Apple Store logo being turned red to mark ’10 years of progress toward an AIDS-free generation.’ https://twitter.com/tim_cook/status/804308417149956096/ As it has done for a decade now, Apple is once more supporting the (RED) campaign to support the fight against HIV/AIDS. Each year, the company turns the store logos red, offers a number of special-edition (RED) products and donates money to the cause....

As an aside to today’s release of new Retina iMacs, Apple granted an atypically personnel-driven set of interviews to Steven Levy of Backchannel. Levy spoke with Apple marketing chief Phil Schiller and several members of the company’s Input Design Lab, notably discussing several topics of interest to Mac and iPad users: Although it continues to seek improved screen performance, Apple considered and passed on using Quantum Dot screen technology, which some have called a natural successor to the IPS LED screens found in most Apple products....

Apple Pay is further expanding, this time to Qatar. With QNB bank, the country joins a list of more than 60 regions supporting Apple’s own payment system. According to a support page by QNB, users with a credit, debit, or prepaid card can add them through the QNB Mobile Banking app and start using Apple Pay. Users just need to follow these steps: Log in to QNB Mobile Banking App on your Apple device Select “Cards/Apple Pay” menu and select your preferred QNB credit, debit or prepaid card to provision into the service You will be redirected to Apple Pay Wallet to follow the registration steps Once the card digitization steps are completed, a confirmation message will be displayed on the screen You can learn more about how to add your QNB card to the service here....

Apple has made it clear recently that it is doing a lot to improve the overall quality of the App Store and a new report from TechCrunch dives deeper into Apple’s efforts. The report explains that Apple this year is putting a heavy focus on clone and spam applications… The App Store Review guidelines state that “apps created from a commercialized template or app generation service will be rejected,” and this is apparently an area where Apple is putting its foot down this year....

Apple is releasing today iOS 15.2, iPadOS 15.2, watchOS 8.3, tvOS 15.2, and HomePod Software version 15.2 to all users. This update brings support to Apple Music Voice Plan and more. iOS 15.2 brings a few notable changes for iPhone and iPad users. Most notably, it adds the full “App Privacy Report” feature to the Settings application. With this, users can now see the data accessed by applications, including third-party apps and Apple apps....

Following the release to developers yesterday, Apple today released iOS 14.5 beta 3 to public beta users. iOS 14.5 beta 3 makes continued refinements to the new features coming to iPhone and iPad users this spring. One of the new features introduced with the first beta of iOS 14.5 was the ability to change the default music player used for Siri commands, similar to what’s already available to HomePod users. This option is available once again with iOS 14....

Originally released a few weeks back, Apple has re-released iOS 10.1.1 today for the iPhone and iPad. Though no release notes or changes have been noted, today’s iOS 10.1.1 update brings the build up to 14B150 from 14B100. In the past when these small build number changes occurred, they were related to server updates so an OTA update is not to be expected. If you’re currently on iOS 10.1.1, you most likely won’t be able to, nor need to, download today’s update....

Former subscribers of MobileMe, the $99/year iCloud predecessor, received 20 GB complimentary storage upgrades when making the switch to iCloud. Apple additionally extended this upgrade until September 30, 2013. Now, Apple is reminding those users, via email, that the complimentary storage will come to an end shortly: As our own Benjamin Mayo notes, this will probably be a busy day for Apple’s support representatives as they work with the customers who are over the 5 GB free storage size....

It was reported earlier this month that Apple was close to striking a deal where it would make a large upfront investment in LG’s OLED production lines in return for output being exclusively devoted to iPhone screens. A fresh report today supports this, and claims to have more detailed information on the as-yet-unannounced arrangement … Korea Economic Daily (via The Investor) claims that the amount Apple is paying LG is 3 trillion won ($2....

AllThingsD reported that Apple is planning an event for late January to be held in New York, not in Cupertino or San Francisco, Calif. The event will not be huge nor will it cover any iPad or Apple TV related announcements. Apple’s Senior Vice President of Internet Services and Software Eddy Cue is said to be involved in the event, and the event is reportedly “media-related.” On a side note, Apple has an office for their iAd business in New York, the business that Cue is now in heading....