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Apple has released the watchOS 3.1.3 software update for all Apple Watch users. The release notes confirm that the update is focused on bug fixes and performance improvements as suggested by the version number. watchOS 3.1.1 was the previous public version of the Apple Watch operating system, although the update was temporarily pulled after issues with bricking certain hardware. watchOS 3.1.3 is the current version, and a watchOS 3.1.2 update was not released....

While all eyes are on the iPhone 8/Edition due to be announced next week, Apple is of course already working on next year’s models. A supply-chain report hints at one new feature: a camera offering more than 12MP resolution … The Digitimes report claims that Apple has already placed orders for the higher-resolution camera modules. However, the timing rules out use in this year’s iPhones. The report says that small-volume production will begin in October, and ramp up into Q4....

In its latest original content efforts, Apple is working on closing a deal to turn the film Time Bandits into a TV series. As reported by Deadline, the show will be co-produced by Anonymous Content, Paramount Television, and Media Rights Capital. The report doesn’t give much more information beyond that, but that’s expected. Especially, if the company is still working on closing the deal and has yet to start production....

Following the attempted breach into Apple’s iOS and Mac Developer Center and its subsequent closing, Apple has posted an iCloud-like Status Page so developers can track Apple’s work for re-implementing Developer Portal Features. Additionally, Apple has outlined its approach to restoring these features. Apple will first restore Certificates and Provisioning, forums, bug reporting, documentation, and videos so that developers can continue developing apps at their old pace. Later, the iOS, Mac, and Xcode seeds will become available for download online....

The eventual resolution of last year’s big patent trial between Apple and Samsung is one step closer after Samsung was denied a retrial over one of the patents concerned: the ‘bounce-back’ or ‘rubber-banding’ effect when a user scrolls past the end of a document. At the trial, which concluded a year ago tomorrow, each company accused the other of infringing on a range of patents … The jury found that Apple didn’t infringe any of Samsung’s patents, while Samsung was found to have wilfully infringed five of Apple’s patents, including Patent ‘381: the rubber-banding effect....

Bono’s (Product)RED charity, which Apple contributes to by selling special red versions of iOS devices and accessories, today announced Apple’s contributions to the charity have reached $70 million. Back in September, the charity announced that Apple’s contributions had reached $65 million making it the largest contributor out of participating companies donating portions of profits from products sold under the (Product)Red branding. Apple currently sells red versions of the iPod shuffle, iPod nano, iPod touch, iPad Smart Cover, and iPhone cases under the (PRODUCT)RED branding....

After Apple released iOS 14.2.1 for just the iPhone 12 lineup at the end of November and before the iOS 14.3 arrives to the public with new features, HomePod and HomePod mini are getting bug fixes and performance improvements with their own build of iOS 14.2.1 today. The latest iOS 14.2.1 release is only for HomePod and HomePod mini. Notably, when Apple pushed the update on November 19, it was only for the iPhone 12 devices, and nothing else....

The Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity today awarded Apple the title of 2019’s Creative Marketer of the Year. Despite having won other awards for its marketing efforts, this is the first time Apple has one the Creative Marketer of the Year prize. As detailed by AdAge, Apple’s Tor Myhren said that winning the Cannes Creative Marketer of the Year award is important to the company as it shows “the creative world is watching....

Almost two years after Apple introduced the first Macs with its own silicon, the company is now preparing to introduce the next generation Apple Silicon chip for its machines. According to a Bloomberg report, Apple is currently testing third-party apps with at least nine new Mac models running with an M2 chip. Sources familiar with the matter have been seeing unreleased Macs in their app logs, which suggests that Apple is now running final tests on the new computers before releasing them to the market....

Apple just posted a document detailing exact availability of iTunes Match and iTunes in the Cloud internationally. There was some confusion leading up to what many reported as the international rollout of iTunes Match, and Apple even began issuing refunds to abroad customers having issues accessing the service. According to Apple, iTunes Match is now available in the following 17 countries: There are some countries not included in Apple’s list of officially supported countries, such as Brazil where users report having access to the service....

Apple has made a notable hire this month with a storied career in the automative industry. As first reported by Bloomberg, Steve MacManus has joined Apple as a “Senior Director” working out of Apple Park in Cupertino. It’s unclear what specific areas MacManus will focus on at Apple, but Bloomberg notes that he has extensive interior design skills. These skills “may be applicable at Apple beyond the development of a car,” the report says....

France-based Hardmac reports that Apple is readying a remote iOS device testing tool for deployment to its service personell. It is web based and will send the diagnostic information, relatively anonymously, to Apple technicians. A tool of this sort is already in use by Apple technicians but Hardmac claims that this once can be used remotely. This would be a pretty clever and powerful tool to do basic diagnostics on iOS devices which could help technicians diagnose and fix device problems over the phone, saving both the customers and Apple time and effort....

After almost a month since the first beta of 11.2, Apple has released the macOS Big Sur 11.2 beta 2 for developers as well as the public. Update 1:06 pm PT: macOS 11.2 beta 2 is now also available for those running the public beta. Check for the update in System Preferences > Software Update. It’s not clear yet what changes macOS 11.2 beta 2 will include but we’ll be diving in shortly to discover just that....

Following shortly after Apple seeded developers with the third macOS Monterey beta, the latest release has been made available for public testers today. The new macOS Monterey beta includes a notable change in the default Safari tab design – reverting from the new unified search and tab bar in the previous betas, and more. macOS Monterey beta 3 (technically the second public release) is showing up now via OTA for public testers already enrolled....

Apple issued pre-release versions of Safari for OS X Mountain Lion, Mavericks, and Yosemite today for developers. The Safari beta versions include Safari 8.0.1, 7.1.1, and 6.2.1 for OS X 10.10, 10.9, and 10.8, respectively. As part of the pre-release software, Apple asks users to focus on these areas for testing: • General website compatibility • Extension compatibility • WebGL graphics on Retina displays • Password AutoFill when passwords are synchronized across multiple devices • Syncing history between devices (OS X Yosemite only) • Importing usernames and passwords from Firefox (OS X Yosemite only)...

Apple’s Pro Display XDR has been announced as one of the “Displays of the Year” by The Society for Information Display. These awards are presented to the displays with the “most significant technological advances and/or outstanding features.” Other winners this year include Samsung’s foldable display, Audi’s OLED Virtual Mirror System, and BOE Technology’s 65-Inch UHD BD Cell Display. The Pro Display XDR is praised for its excellent high-dynamic-range (HDR) performance, particularly in comparison to many of the OLED panels on the market....

There’s long been much talk about Apple’s China problems, a topic given new impetus this year by the company revealing that falling iPhone sales in the country was almost the sole reason for missing its original holiday quarter guidance. CEO Tim Cook said in January that revenue in China fell $4.8B year-on-year, while sales increased elsewhere. Two more analysts have commented this week, with Credit Suisse taking the more pessimistic view …...

Apple’s iPhone is driving the mobile industry forward. Where Apple steps, competitors very soon follow. A decision by Apple to adopt a specific technology inside a product soon translates into a rush to secure that specific component. From SSD flash storage to touchscreens we’ve seen the followers take their place. And it seems the same for gyroscopes, movement sensors and other microelectromechanical system (MEMS) devices, where Apple’s decision to put these inside its products has driven a fast market expansion....

A new collaboration between Apple and celebrated photographer Christopher Anderson aims to change the way you think about photography. Beginning soon, Apple Stores will offer a new Today at Apple Photo Lab with a focus on portraits. The lab is the latest in a series of special in-store sessions designed with iconic voices in the creative community. Christopher Anderson is a member of the cooperative Magnum Photos and has been widely recognized for his photography in conflict zones....

The Information corroborates a claim from Bloomberg last May, saying that Apple will add support for subscribing to streaming services through the TV app. This would mean that you’d be able to subscribe to something like HBO Now directly through the TV app, rather than having to go to the HBO app itself. Today’s report says that Apple is telling entertainment companies “whose offerings will be available through the service” to be ready for launch by mid-April....