I recently suggested that Apple’s antitrust issues aren’t going to go away, and that the company should start taking action to address them. With iOS 14, Apple is doing exactly that. The company didn’t pitch things like that, of course, but we got five announcements that directly tackle some of the antitrust claims facing it… I summarized the position in which the company finds itself. A new antitrust probe is now imminent....
While Apple’s Black Friday deals started going live in Australia and elsewhere today with Apple Store Gift Cards in place of traditional discounts, it appears Apple will be offering discounts and not gift cards in at least some countries. The UK, France, Germany and other European Apple Online Stores have now started posting Black Friday promotions with discounts on iPads, MacBooks, iPods, Apple TV, and many accessories. In the UK, MacBooks and iMacs are discounted £80, while iPods are going for as much as £25 off for the iPod touch and iPads as much as £31 for the iPad Air....
While Apple does not have a booth or keynote at the 2012 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, the company is on the show floor scouting the competition. PaidContent’s Tom Krazit spotted Apple’s head of iOS product marketing Greg Joswiak at Sony’s booth. Joswiak talked to PaidContent, with a grin on his face, and said he was on location to see “How other companies present their products at events such as CES, from things like booth layout and aesthetics to which products are highlighted within a company’s booth....
Apple is offering small businesses and entrepreneurs the tools to get ahead with a new virtual Today at Apple session. Guided by Apple’s Creative Pros, you’ll learn how to capture eye-catching photos for your business that stand out on social media and how to quickly edit for impact. The new online session is designed to help showcase small businesses. Virtual Session: Photography for Your Business begins June 16, and like all Today at Apple sessions, is free to join....
Before producing a show, Apple has lost Bryan Fuller, who was supposed to be the showrunner for its upcoming adaptation of “Amazing Stories,” The Hollywood Reporter reports. The report says that Fuller left on good terms. However, this marks the third show he’s left in the last several years. Most recently, Fuller left the Starz series “American Gods,” which was due to differences in show direction and budget. “Amazing Stories” was originally planned for NBC, with a 10 episode order for the first season....
As it normally does once a product is so far into its lifetime, Apple today has made the 12.9-inch iPad Pro available via its online refurbished store. The device, which launched 10 months ago, can be had for a discounted price that varies depending on the variant that is chosen. The 32GB WiFi-only iPad Pro can be had for $679, a $120 discount off the normal $799 price point, and is available in Space Gray, Gold, and Silver....
Apple Maps is getting enhanced data for parking spots as Parkopedia today announces a deal to provide Apple with its database of parking services worldwide. That means that Apple Maps is now gaining enhanced data for the 40 million parking spots currently tracked by Parkopedia across 75 countries in North America, Asia, Europe and Latin America. Apple Maps previously indicated some parking spots with a simple icon, but those listings will now provide more detailed information about the type of parking facility including number of spaces, accessible spaces, payment options, electric charging availability, height limits, and hours of operation....
With iOS 13 last year, Apple added a new real-time lyrics feature to Apple Music. A new concept today imagines additional improvements that could come to Apple Music, including new social features, Group Playlists, and more. The concept comes from Drew Morris on Twitter, who says the ideas are inspired by social distancing — hence the focus on new social features: The core of the idea is a revamped system of profiles in Apple Music....
Currently, Apple Music offers four different subscription plans for its users: individual, student, family, and Voice Plan (limited to a few countries). Now, college students from several regions are receiving an email warning that its discount will be reduced, as Apple is raising the price of Apple Music for students. On Twitter, a student from South Africa posted the email Apple sent them about Apple Music’s increased price: MacRumors was able to confirm that not only South African subscribers will have to pay more for the student plan, but users in Australia, the Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, New Zealand, India, Indonesia, Israel, and Kenya are also seeing a price increase....
An Apple optical data transfer patent granted yesterday could facilitate super-fast communications between devices. The patent says that the technology could offer transfer speeds of “terabits per second” … Background Optical data transfer is of course nothing new. It can be used at both the network level, using fiber optic cable, and in the home, through optical fiber connections in hi-fi systems known as TOSLINK. The advantage of optical connections over copper cables in this context is that the latter don’t suffer from RF interference or ground loops....
Apple is in talks to acquire a Chinese online game developer, Handseeing Information Technology Co., according to China’s Xinhua News Agency, which cited Handseeing Deputy General Manager Tian Bo as its source.It seems the two sides are negotiating the deal with talks set to end by next month. A deal would represent Apple’s first such acquiisition in China. The company employs 200 developers engaged in rich internet-based application development, wiht a focus on community and online games....
[youtube=http://youtu.be/My1DSNDbBfM] Following launching new webpages profiling China’s Yaoband and Detroit’s Slow Roll city bike movement as part of its ‘Your Verse’ Campaign, Apple has now uploaded TV ad versions of the two ads online. The ads above and below are made up of some of the clips that were posted to Apple’s website earlier today but we now get a look at exactly what Apple will be airing on TV for the latest in its campaign highlighting professionals using iPad Air....
[Update: iOS 11 public beta 8 is available as well.] It’s only been a few days since the last iOS 11 beta, and today Apple has released the ninth developer beta preview. iOS 11 brings new features like drag-and-drop and a redesigned multitasking interface for iPad, a new customizable Control Center, and much more. iOS 11 beta 9 is currently only available to registered developers for now. Apple typically holds new public beta versions for a few days for major updates, although recent versions have launched on the same day....
One week after the release of the first beta, Apple today is rolling out iOS 15.1 beta 2 to developers, among other updates. iOS 15.1 includes the return of SharePlay as well as updates to the Apple Wallet and Apple Health app for storing COVID-19 vaccination cards. Update: iOS 15.1 beta 2 is now available to public beta testers as well. Today’s new release of the iOS 15.1 beta 2 is available to developers via an over-the-air update in the Settings app....
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6XYbVwg5B7g] There is a new Facetime ad as well, below: [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EmAIptWS7Mk] thanks Alex! PBS iPad app gets AirPlay, multitasking support (9to5mac.com) AirPlay Mirroring in action (video) (9to5mac.com) Android can now AirPlay to AppleTV, Airport Express (9to5mac.com) You can now AirPlay your iOS media to Windows Media Center (9to5mac.com) Verizon about to drop the iPhone 4 to $150? (9to5mac.com) comScore: Apple is up over 1% in the total US phone market in the past quarter (9to5mac....
Apple has just begun rolling out watchOS 3 beta 6 to developers today. Those looking to grab the new release can head over to the Watch app on their iPhones, select General and then Software Update. watchOS 3 beta 6 is available to download as a Configuration Profile from the Apple developer center for newer users looking to test out the upcoming system. Release notes fixes are now at the bottom of the post....
Two weeks after releasing the latest watchOS 5.1.3 developer beta, Apple is releasing its final version for consumers later today. The release notes only mention bug fixes, but we’ll update if anything notable is discovered on the new release. iOS 12.1.3 is also coming out to all customers. Apple is also going to release a new software update for the HomePod with iOS 12.1.3. This version of iOS has been in beta since December and it looks like it’s finally ready to be released for Apple’s smart speaker....
Apple has today agreed to buy a San Francisco-based startup Pullstring, according to Axios. The company focuses on designing and publishing voice apps. Such an acquisition could play an important role for Apple as it continues to work on improving Siri, which many believe is far behind the acquisition. There’s no confirmation on the price of acquisition just yet, however Axios believes Apple purchased Pullstring at a relatively low cost....
Apple already promotes movies that are in theaters with trailers and the ability to pre-order months ahead of time on iTunes. Now the company may be pushing movie studios on letting customers rent movies at home for a premium shortly after they hit theaters. Bloomberg reports that Apple wants to offer home rentals for new movies two weeks after they’re released in theaters. Currently, most new movies are available for renting on iTunes after a short period of only being available for purchase....
Not long after opening its first Mexico City retail location, Apple is planning a new flagship retail store in the city. Apple currently intends on the store being “flagship” in nature, with a design akin to that of Apple’s World Trade Center location in New York City… The new details come via a report from AppleInsider, which cites a “person familiar with the matter.” Apple is said to be taking over large retail space in Antara Fashion Hall, which was most recently occupied by Crate & Barrel....
