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Beats Music, now owned by Apple, has created a documentary to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Do The Right Thing, a Brooklyn-based film created by Spike Lee. The 22-minute short features Spike Lee and Danny Aiello revisiting some of the original spots where the movie was shot, contrasted by shots from the film itself.
It also delves into some behind the scenes information on the building of the set and the creation of the movie, revisiting many of the actors who starred in the film and getting details on the making of the movie from the original crew.
Towards the end, the documentary features a huge block party thrown by Beats Music in the Brooklyn neighborhood where Do The Right Thing was filmed, with celebrity attendees like Erykah Badu, Dave Chapelle, Wesley Snipes, and Mos Def. The family-friendly event featured a performance of "Fight the Power" by Public Enemy along with activities for kids and adults alike.
As noted by Variety, Beats Music's new documentary suggests the company remains dedicated to expanding the Beats Music brand even after its purchase by Apple. According to rumors, one of the many potential reasons Apple purchased Beats was to up its "coolness" factor among younger consumers, a position Beats has earned with both edgy advertising campaigns like the Do the Right Thing documentary and celebrity endorsements.
StackSocial is currently offering a bundle of 8 Mac apps, featuring several that have won awards from Apple and Macworld. All buyers receive the following apps for just $39.99, a significant discount compared to the total retail value of $362:
- Cinemagraph Pro ($100)
- djay ($20)
- NetSpot Pro ($149)
- Keyboard Maestro ($36)
- Hype 2 ($30)
- Dropzone 3 ($10)
- Moom ($10)
- Boom ($7)
Notably, djay was included in Apple's "Best of Mac App Store" list in 2011 and was updated earlier this year to include full Spotify integration. Cinemagraph Pro was selected as an Apple Design Award winner at WWDC in June.
The first 5,000 buyers of the MacLovin' bundle also receive the OS X App Masterclass, a Mac app development e-learning course that has a retail value of $499, which bumps the total retail value of the bundle to $861.
The MacLovin' bundle is available through August 19.
MacRumors is an affiliate partner of StackSocial.
Apple has plans to use a sapphire crystal display in the higher-end models of the two versions of the iPhone 6 that it plans to debut this fall, reports The Wall Street Journal. Because of the higher cost of sapphire, Apple may also charge more for the high-end versions of the devices.
If Apple is only planning to use sapphire in the higher-end models of the 4.7 and 5.5-inch iPhone 6, that could explain why a sandpaper test on a leaked iPhone 6 front panel revealed that it was not made of pure sapphire.
Apple is investing a considerable amount of money into partner GT Advanced's sapphire plant, shelling out more than $500 million to outfit the factory with high-output furnaces for sapphire production. Rumors have suggested GT Advanced has the capability to eventually produce enough sapphire to outfit 100 to 200 million iPhones, but other rumors have pointed towards high costs and production problems as limiting factors. Apple is also planning to use sapphire for the upcoming iWatch, according to The Wall Street Journal. The first sapphire displays for the two devices are "expected to roll off production lines this month."
Sapphire is seen as a desirable material due to its extreme durability and scratch resistance, but many smartphone manufacturers have suggested Apple's plan to use the material is just a marketing gimmick due to its prohibitive cost.
While Apple may not be able to produce the entire lineup of iPhone 6 displays in sapphire, rumors have suggested that when the factory is fully functional, it will give the company a way to produce massive quantities of sapphire at a low cost, which means a full sapphire lineup could be more feasible for future devices.
After nearly three and a half years with only a minor processor bump, Apple late last year launched its redesigned Mac Pro, moving to a compact cylindrical design relying on a slew of Thunderbolt 2 ports for expandability. While the new machine began shipping in the last few days of 2013, extreme shortages of the machine persisted for months and it wasn't until two months ago that shipping estimates reached the "within 24 hours" level and Apple's own retail stores began stocking the Mac Pro for immediate purchase.
Potential Mac Pro customers may now, however, be starting to look forward to the first update for the redesigned Mac Pro, as Intel appears set to launch new processors appropriate for the Mac Pro next month. As highlighted by Macworld UK, Intel's "Grantley" Xeon E5 v3 chips are nearly ready to ship as successors to the current "Romley" Xeon E5 v2 chips used in the Mac Pro.
Intel announced last month that it had begun shipping at least some versions of the new Xeon E5 v3 chips to server makers, and widespread availability is reportedly set for September. ChipLoco outlined a significant set of E5-2600 v3 series chips, including several that recently became available for pre-order and could be used as an upgrade to the current top-of-the-line 2.7 GHz 12-core E5-2697 v2 chip found in the Mac Pro.
The direct successor to the current chip is the 2.6 GHz 14-core E5-2697 v3 chip, although the new chip does come with a higher thermal rating and it is unclear whether that change would have any impact on Apple's willingness to use the chip in the Mac Pro. Other variants in the new high-end E5-269x v3 series range from 12 to 18 cores.
Below the top end, Apple currently uses E5-1600 v2 series processors, and Intel is reportedly preparing a full set of successor v3 chips for launch next month.
- 4-core: 3.7 GHz E5-1620 v2 moves to 3.5 GHz E5-1620 v3 or 3.7 GHz E5-1630 v3
- 6-core: 3.5 GHz E5-1650 v2 moves to 3.5 GHz E5-1650 v3
- 8-core: 3.0 GHz E5-1680 v2 moves to 3.2 GHz E5-1680 v3
As with the E5-2600 v3 series chips, these E5-1600 v3 series chips come with higher thermal ratings than their predecessors. All of the new chips in both series also support faster DDR4-2133 memory, which will also contribute to improved performance.
On the graphics side, Apple uses customized versions of AMD's FirePro series of high-end graphics cards, although Apple's D300, D500, and D700 options can be roughly equated with AMD's W7000, W8000, and W9000 on the PC side. Over the last several months, AMD has been updating its FirePro cards, culminating with this week's introduction of four new cards, including the W7100 successor to the W7000 card. Alex4D summarizes how the W9100/W8100/W7100 cards introduced in recent months compare to their predecessors and collates a handy comparison chart showing how these new and old cards compare to Apple's D-series cards.
According to a report from Thailand's Thai Rath newspaper [Google Translate], Apple has already met with officials at the country's National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) to discuss the recent disclosure that two iPhone 6 models have been approved by the government agency for import into the Asian country.
NBTC secretary Takorn Tantasith earlier this week released the approval information on two "iPhone 6" models A1586 and A1524, reportedly in accordance with guidelines that require the public announcement of approved hardware. The declaration, which he also broadcast on Twitter, contained only the product name and model numbers, but no other details about the iPhone 6 handsets. As noted by several observers, the iPhone 6 approval was the first time a specific device was named in a Tweet by the NBTC secretary, making it an obvious deviation from usual practice.
4.7-inch and 5.5-inch iPhone 6 mockups compared to iPhone 5s
Apple is unsurprisingly upset with this public notification, claiming the disclosure released confidential information about its upcoming handset. The NBTC secretary countered Apple's assertion, arguing that that these announcements do not reveal confidential product details and are meant to protect consumers. He said Apple would be within its rights to penalize Thailand for this leak by canceling its plans to release the iPhone in Thailand later this year, but he stands by his decision to disclose the approval. Translation by a MacRumors reader:
(Thanks, @TonsTweetings!)
With under four weeks to go until the expected introduction of the iPhone 6, increasingly complex parts are continuing to leak. Just weeks ago, photos showing two bare logic boards similar to but distinct from corresponding parts from existing iPhones surfaced, lending credence to rumors of two larger iPhone 6 models.
One of those logic boards has now been revealed in what appears to be a fully assembled state in a photo reposted by Apple.club.tw [Google Translate]. While several physical features such as the nano-SIM slot, a number of connectors for flex cable components, and a flash storage chip that appears to be from Toshiba are visible in the somewhat blurry photo, the most interesting components of the board unfortunately remain hidden under electromagnetic shielding. A silver component at the bottom of the board on the left is almost certainly the Wi-Fi module, although no identifiable markings can be seen.
Annotated photo of iPhone 6 logic boards
A second photo [Google Translate] shared by Apple.club.tw today shows a pair of flex cables also said to be from the iPhone 6. The cables appear to be the same as seen in a detailed photo of the front panel display assembly yesterday.
Apple supply partner Pegatron has won a contract that will see it produce 25 million of the estimated 50 million 4.7-inch iPhone 6 units to be shipped this year, reports DigiTimes. It was reported in January that the company would be awarded 50% of the orders, however a report in May pegged that number at 15%.
The report also notes that the rest of the orders for the iPhone 6 are expected to go to Foxconn, who has helped produce iPhone 5s and other Apple devices. Pegatron's relationship with Apple is said to also have grown tighter recently, as the supplier has managed assembly for the iPad mini and the iPhone 5c throughout the past year. It is currently unknown which supplier will take care of orders for the 5.5-inch iPhone 6, although the larger device could see constrained supply this year due to production challenges.
Apple will publicly unveil the iPhone 6 for the first time at an event on September 9, with a launch for the 4.7-inch version likely coming a week later as with prior years. In addition to a larger display, the phone is expected to feature a thinner, curved bezel and incorporate a faster A8 chip, an advanced camera, and iOS 8.
Apple announced today that it is banning the use of benzene and n-hexande, two potentially hazardous chemicals, during final assembly for both iPhone and iPad, according to the Associated Press. Benzene is a carcinogen that has been linked to leukemia when not handled properly and n-hexane has been linked to nerve damage.
Still, Apple decided to order its suppliers to stop using the two chemicals for final assembly for iPhones, iPads, Macs, iPods and accessories. The factories will also be required to test all substances to make sure the chemicals aren't present, even if they're not listed in the ingredients. The two chemicals are often found in cleaner used on machinery and electronics.
However, Apple will still allow benzene and n-hexane at plants responsible for the early production phase of its devices, which are, for the most part, different from the final assembly plants. Apple is lowering the maximum amount of the two chemicals that can be used during early processes.
Lisa Jackson, Apple's VP of environmental initiatives, told the AP that the company wanted to be "responsive to concerns" and "crack down on chemical exposures".
Back in early July, Samsung launched a new Galaxy S5 ad calling iPhone users "Wall Huggers" and mocking the iPhone for having a short battery life while touting the battery-saving capabilities of its own newest flagship phone.
Samsung has now expanded its "Wall Huggers" advertising campaign to select airports, according to CNET, displaying Galaxy S5 ads alongside power outlets.
In addition to highlighting the Galaxy S5's Ultra Power Saving Mode, the ads include the words "So you have the power to be anywhere but here," possibly poking fun at Apple's own recent line of app-focused advertising, which revolves around the tagline "You're more powerful than you think."
First introduced in February, Samsung's 5.1-inch Galaxy S5 includes a fingerprint sensor, a water resistant casing, and a heart rate sensor, along with one of its most highly touted features, the Ultra Power Saving Mode. This mode activates a black and white display with limited app access when the phone's battery is low, cutting off LTE and disabling WiFi/Bluetooth to provide up to an additional 24 hours of standby time with less than 10 percent of battery left.
While Apple does not have a similar power saving feature on the iPhone, it does provide users with quick access to settings like WiFi and Bluetooth, plus options to disable battery draining features like background app usage and location services. Apple's newest operating system, iOS 8, also includes battery saving functions like Battery Usage, which lets users keep an eye on apps that are draining too much power.
Many people are hoping Apple's upcoming iPhone 6 will introduce better battery life, but signs have pointed towards only modest battery gains thus far. Various rumors suggest the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 could get a battery between 1,800 and 2,100 mAh, a moderate improvement over 1,560 mAh battery in the iPhone 5s.
Samsung's Galaxy S5 ads can be found at the John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, at the Newark Liberty International airport in New Jersey, and at the O'Hare and Midway airports in Chicago. The advertisements may also expand to other airports in the future.
Update: MacRumors reader Harrison Weinerman has sent in a much clearer image of Samsung's new outlet ad taken in Terminal C at the Newark airport in New Jersey on August 10.
Following the release of a new 10.9.5 beta for developers, Apple today released Safari 7.0.6 for OS X Mavericks and Safari 6.1.6 for OS X Mountain Lion to the public, bringing new security fixes to the browser.
The new Safari builds can be downloaded through the Software Update mechanism in the Mac App Store.
Apple has also previously seeded Safari 6.2 and Safari 7.1 for Mountain Lion/Mavericks to developers, and it's likely that update will see its public release alongside OS X Yosemite.
Update 2:00 PM PT: This post originally identified Safari 7.0.6 and Safari 6.1.6 as beta software available only to developers, which has since been corrected.
Popular email app Mailbox was today updated to version 2.1, adding several new email management features. It's now possible to print emails, mark them as spam, or mark them as unread by tapping on a new options menu denoted by three dots on the app's thread view or within individual messages.
Along with these new management tools, Mailbox has gained Passbook integration. Users can select a ticket or other attachment in the inbox, which will then be added directly to Passbook.
The app will also permanently delete messages that have been swiped to the trash and it has been updated to support 19 different languages and 24-hour time.
Though initially limited to supporting Gmail, Mailbox now supports additional email services like Apple's iCloud Mail.
Mailbox is a universal app that can be downloaded from the App Store for free. [Direct Link]
Following previous photo sets showing an unfinished 4.7-inch iPhone 6 rear shell and assorted other parts in recent weeks, luxury modified iPhone vendor Feld & Volk [Instagram page] has shared another set of high-quality photos showing parts from the device. While many of the parts have already been seen, this new set provides our best look yet at some of those, as well as a few new ones.
One photo shows the inside of the front panel and display assembly, with some of the components near the top pulled apart to give a good look at how the digitizer/LCD flex cables and earpiece come together with room for the front camera and proximity/ambient light sensors all packed into one small area of the device.
Several other photos also highlight how the edges of the front panel taper. Those tapered edges should sit essentially flush with the edges of the rounded rear shell, providing for a sleek, nearly seamless look and feel for the iPhone 6.
Also shown are extreme closeups of the power button and mute switch. The silver metal finish of the power button can be easily seen, and Feld & Volk says the volume buttons will be of very similar design and finish. The design of the mute switch is very different from that seen in other recent iPhones, as the new switch appears to pivot slightly on a pair of internal pins while switches on other recent iPhone models have been of a flat slider type. The design change may be due to the iPhone 6 having rounded sides as opposed to the flat sides seen since the iPhone 4.
iPhone 6 power button
iPhone 6 mute switch
Finally, the set includes a high-quality photo of the SIM card tray, again showing the silver metal finish of the part.
Apple is expected to introduce the iPhone 6 at a media event on September 9. The device is expected to come in 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch display sizes, although it is unclear whether they will launch simultaneously or not. The first wave of launches is likely to come a week or two after the event.
Before announcing an enterprise partnership with IBM, Apple reportedly had discussions with Hewlett-Packard over a mobile search product nicknamed "Enterprise Siri." Detailed in a report from The Information (via BusinessInsider), "Enterprise Siri" is an HP product designed to allow employees to ask their devices for company-specific information like financial data or product inventory numbers.
According to The Information's report, though Apple held discussions with HP, the latter company has also been in talks with Google's Android unit for the past year over a potential partnership for the "Enterprise Siri" technology, which could lead to something like an enterprise version of Google Now for corporate data.
While more than 98 percent of Fortune 500 companies already use Apple devices in their businesses, Apple's recent partnership with IBM has the potential to skyrocket Apple's enterprise sales. As part of the deal, IBM will develop more than 100 industry-specific native apps that are built from the ground up for the iPhone and the iPad to draw new customers in industries like retail, healthcare, banking, travel, transportation, and more.
IBM will also offer Apple's iOS devices to its corporate customers and has plans to provide cloud storage, analytics services, and 24/7 assistance to enterprise customers under a new AppleCare plan. IBM's first apps will roll out this fall, with additional apps coming in 2015.
Apple today seeded Mavericks 10.9.5 build 13F14 to developers, just over a week after seeding the second OS X 10.9.5 beta, build 13F12, and more than a month after releasing OS X 10.9.4 to the public.
The beta is available through the Software Update mechanism in the Mac App Store and through the Mac Developer Center.
It is unclear what improvements the 10.9.5 update will bring to Mavericks, but it is likely to include bug fixes and stability enhancements. Apple is asking developers to focus on USB, USB Smart Cards, Graphics, Safari, and Thunderbolt.
Along with working on improvements to Mavericks, Apple is also beta testing OS X Yosemite, which is due to be released in the fall. The last Mavericks update, 10.9.4, added several Wi-Fi fixes and improved wake from sleep reliability.
The iPhone 6 is expected to be announced on September 9th, 2014 with an Apple Media event. The actual launch will likely take place a couple of weeks later.
Some of the first rumors of any new Apple iPhone seems to come from the case manufacturers. There's a huge financial incentive for case manufacturers to be early to market with case designs for a new iPhone. The first leaked schematics for the iPhone 6 were published in March, 2014 and the first cases based on the designs started appearing shortly thereafter.
These case-design leaks aren't always correct, but this time there have been part leaks as well. Our iPhone 6 roundup goes into great detail about what we know so far.
During our early iPhone 6 research, we obtained a batch of 200 rumored 4.7" iPhone 6 cases with our logo on it. We thought they might be useful on day one of iPhone 6 launch, or could simply serve as a MacRumors souvenir if the specs turn out to be not-quite-right. So, we're giving away 200 4.7" iPhone 6 cases to 200 of our mailing list members selected at random. To be clear, these cases might not even fit the real iPhone 6-- but that's part of the appeal. The case colors will be distributed at random, but possibilities include red, blue, grey, and frosted clear.
We'll be giving out other prizes over time to our mailing list subscribers. Official rules are available here. For this initial prize, we have to limit it to U.S. mailing addresses only, due to the cost of shipping 200 items internationally. iPhone 6 case giveaway contest deadline is midnight (Eastern) on the evening of Thursday, August 21st 2014. Winners will then be picked and mailed their cases, hopefully in time for September 9th.
Our mailing list provides readers with regular updates to the biggest stories on MacRumors.
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Takorn Tantasith, Secretary General of the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) in Thailand, announced earlier this week that the agency has approved Apple's application to distribute two iPhone 6 models in the country, reports Manager Online [Google Translate]. The Secretary also tweeted word of the approval from his @TakornNBTC Twitter account.
Google Translate version of Tantasith's Tweet
Apple reportedly filed the import application on August 5 and received certification of equipment and a written approval notice on August 8 for two iPhones with model numbers A1586 and A1524. According to government regulations, these approvals must be announced publicly, but details on the iPhone 6 handsets referenced in the documents remain sealed.
Apple is expected to announce the iPhone 6 in early September with retail sales to follow in the weeks following the announcement. Apple reportedly is prepping two iPhone models, with a 4.7-inch version slated to launch first this fall and a 5.5-inch version that could launch either alongside or up to several months later than the smaller version.
An application for approval in Thailand over a month prior to the device's expected introduction is unusual and suggests Apple may be planning for a very large number of countries in the initial wave of launches. For the iPhone 5s, Thailand was part of the second wave of launches that took place on October 25, 2013, and the company reportedly did not apply for approval in the country until September 16, 2013.
New reports from Chinese media sources (Google Translate, via G for Games) claim that the iPhone 6 has entered a final product validation testing stage ahead of mass production before its launch this fall. Apple is reportedly working with Foxconn's Zhengzhou factory to produce a small number of units to ensure quality control standards have been implemented, as the device will then be mass produced at Apple's various supply partners.
Previously, a report last month claimed that Apple had already begun mass production for the iPhone 6, however it is possible that reported production issues may have led to delayed testing and output. It is also unknown whether this final testing stage is for both the 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch iPhone 6, as Apple has reportedly had issues in producing the latter's sapphire display and battery life.
Apple's iPhone 6 is expected to be announced at a launch event on Tuesday, September 9. In addition to a larger screen, the device will likely incorporate a thinner, rounded form factor and feature a faster and more efficient A8 chip, as well as an improved camera with stabilization.
Amazon today launched the Amazon Local Register, a new iOS compatible card reader made to compete with Square's Square Reader and Paypal's Here card reader. Featuring an anti-swivel design and integration with Amazon payments, the Local Register accepts Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover as Amazon is offering a special flat rate of just 1.75% per swipe until January 2016.
Amazon Local Register's companion app for iOS offers a number of features to manage payments, allowing users to add items and discounts as well as the ability to track cash transactions, add staff accounts, change tax rates, and more. The app and the card reader can also connect with a number of cases, stands, receipt printers, cash drawers, and more.
The Amazon Local Register Secure Card Reader is available now for $10 through Amazon's website. The card reader's companion app can be downloaded through the App Store today. [Direct Link]
Following the tragic news of the death of Oscar-winning actor Robin Williams, Apple has created a "Remembering Robin Williams" dedicated section of the iTunes Store housing many of the actor's popular movies and stand up comedy routines.
Along with offering movies organized into categories like "Essentials," "Comedy," and "Drama," the Robin Williams iTunes Store section includes a photo of the actor along with a short paragraph on his decades-long career and his involvement in Comic Relief USA, a charity that's raised upwards of $50 million for homeless assistance.
Robin Williams' performance in Dead Poets Society is of special importance to Apple as his character, John Keating, delivered the famous "What will your verse be?" speech that inspired its "Your Verse" line of iPad advertisements. Williams also provided the voice over for one of the commercials, which began airing back in January.
Yesterday, Apple CEO Tim Cook tweeted about Williams' death, calling him an "incomparable talent and a great human being." Phil Schiller also expressed his regrets over the tragedy.
Update: Apple has also dedicated a page on its website to Robin Williams with the following:
Apple's mobile operating system continues to dominate the enterprise sector, according to new numbers in Good Technology's latest Mobility Index Report [PDF], but Android has made enterprise market share gains at Apple's expense. Android's rising share of the enterprise market shows the wisdom behind Apple's recent IBM deal, which will see the two companies partnering up for custom enterprise apps.
iOS activations represented 67 percent of total global device activations, but Apple's numbers were down five percent quarter over quarter. At the same time, Android saw a five percent gain, with Android devices representing 32 percent of total device activations. Windows activations were at just 1 percent, while Blackberry activations were unable to be measured by Good due to their usage of the BlackBerry Enterprise Server.
Broken down, iPhone activations were at 51 percent of total activations, while iPad activations represented 16 percent of total activations (and 90 percent of total tablet activations), a slight decrease from the previous quarter. Android smartphones represented 30 percent of total activations, with Android tablets comprising just a few percent of total activations.
As for apps, iOS enterprise app activations were responsible for 88 percent of total app activations during the quarter, while Android app activations were at 12 percent of total enterprise app activations, a shift of four percentage points from iOS to Android.
Though Apple's enterprise numbers have seen a slight drop in the current quarter, its share of the enterprise market is poised to grow substantially over the coming months thanks to its recent partnership with IBM.
In addition to selling iOS devices to its corporate customers, IBM has plans to create more than 100 industry-specific native apps built from the ground up for the iPad and the iPhone, which will undoubtedly draw more enterprise customers looking for customized experiences. According to Good's survey, custom app activations have been on the rise, seeing a 25 percent growth quarter over quarter.
Following the announcement of Apple's partnership with IBM, CEO Tim Cook said he sees the deal as an opportunity for "transforming enterprise" and opening up a "large market opportunity" for both companies.
IBM's first apps tailored to various industries like retail, healthcare, banking, travel, and transportation are expected to be released this fall, with additional apps following in 2015. In recent weeks, Apple has also been heavily pushing productivity apps on the iPad to poise the tablet as more than just a content consumption device, sending out emails promoting iWork and Microsoft Office and cutting the prices on many productivity apps.
Upcoming Skylanders game Trap Team will see a simultaneous release on both consoles and tablets, according to Activision. The full Skylanders Trap Team game will be available on the iPad when it is released in North America on October 5, marking the first time a complete Skylanders game has been made available on Apple's tablet.
Trap Team on the iPad will offer the same gameplay experience as the console version, with high-quality graphics and a dedicated Bluetooth controller that will be sold alongside the app in a Skylanders Trap Team Tablet Starter Pack. The Traptanium Portal controller will come with a built-in tablet stand, two Skylanders characters, two Traps, and a display tray that "lets Portal Masters keep track of the Traps they've collected and which villains they have trapped."
While the game has been designed to take advantage of the included controller, players are also able to play Trap Team using on-screen touch controls. Third-party controllers will work with Trap Team as well.
As described by our sister site TouchArcade, the Skylanders line of action-adventure oriented games meld toys with virtual games, asking players to purchase little plastic figurines that sport NFC chips. These chips allow the physical characters to be imported into the video game through a plastic mat called the "Portal of Power."
Trap Team takes place after Skylanders: Swap Force, with players taking on the role of Portal Master to use Trap Masters and traps to re-capture all of the villains that escaped during the previous game.
The Skylanders Trap Team Tablet Starter Pack will be available beginning on October 5, and will retail for $74.99. It can also be pre-ordered from Amazon.com.
Update 3:10 PM PT: The controller included in the Skylanders Trap Team tablet bundle only works with the Trap Team app and is unable to work with other third party apps.
Following in the footsteps of several other major tech companies, Apple has released a diversity report on the sex and race of its employees (via Re/code). As is common in the tech industry, the majority of Apple's workforce is male -- only three out of 10 employees around the globe are female. Broken down, males compose 65 percent of non-tech workers, 80 percent of tech workers, and 72 percent of Apple's leadership.
In the United States, across tech, leadership, and non-tech, Apple's workers are 55 percent white, 15 percent Asian, 11 percent Hispanic, and 7 percent Black. Nine percent of workers declined to state their ethnicity, one percent selected other, and two percent listed more than one race.
According to CEO Tim Cook, he is unhappy with Apple's diversity numbers and says Apple is working to improve them.
In its report, Apple suggests that its company diversity beliefs go beyond race and gender, pointing to its involvement in the Human Rights Campaign. Under Cook, Apple has supported the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, which lobbied to add lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals to the U.S.'s existing nondiscrimination law. Apple also recently participated in San Francisco's Gay Pride event and the company has long had protections for its LGBT employees.
Update 1:30 PM PT: Apple has posted the Diversity video from its Diversity page on YouTube.
Note: Due to the political nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Politics, Religion, Social Issues forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.
Ahead of its London iTunes Festival in September, Apple is promoting its Apple TV with a bundle deal offering a $25 iTunes gift card with each Apple TV purchase (via 9to5Mac). The gift card can be used to purchase apps, music, and movies available in the iTunes Store, and the promotion is valid through September 30.
Earlier this year, Apple offered a similar $25 gift card promotion that sparked speculation about a possible imminent launch of an updated Apple TV. These rumors turned out to be false, and Apple is still selling the same third-generation model that saw its last substantial update in early 2012. Though this latest promotion offers a $25 gift card, the Apple TV still retails for its original $99 price tag.
The current crop of rumors suggests a 2015 update for Apple's television-related hardware, with delays to a rumored set-top box interfacing with live and on-demand content reportedly due to ongoing negotiations with cable companies. Rumors have indicated the next-generation Apple TV may include an App Store, support for wireless game controllers, Siri integration and more, although it is unclear whether Apple plans to split the television lineup between the full-featured set-top box and an improved Apple TV or if everything will be bundled into a single Apple TV product.
When Apple acquired Siri in 2010, several members of the team behind the technology joined Apple to continue development of the virtual assistant. As iOS evolved and the vision for Siri changed, co-founders Dag Kittlaus and Adam Cheyer left Apple to pursue other opportunities. This liberation led to their reunion and the formation of Viv Labs, which is now working on new virtual assistant software that may change how we interact with our devices. Writer Steven Levy takes a close look at Viv in a lengthy profile on Wired.
Viv Labs is building a virtual assistant that is capable of more than just pre-programmed answers in response to a question. Viv expands further into the realm of artificial intelligence with a codebase that can interpret the question, make connections across a variety of services and apps and even generate code on the fly if needed to formulate an answer. Team members describe Viv as a "global brain" that can learn about its users and adapt to their preferences.
It's unclear whether Apple will be interested in the technology and what kind of relationship the two companies might have given their history with Siri, but what is clear is that Siri's inventors have much broader ambitions in mind.
More photos said to be of the iPhone 6's rear shell have been shared by frequent iOS device part leaker Sonny Dickson. The part shown in the photos also appears identical to the rear shell shared by luxury modified iPhone vendor Feld & Volk, hinting that this may be a legitimate component.
Similar to previous leaks, this newest rear shell shows a number of physical features including a near-all metal design with upper and lower bezels, a cutout for the new round "True Tone" dual-LED flash, and a cutout for the rear camera that may hint at a protruding lens for the device.
Apple is expected to reveal the iPhone 6 at an event on September 9, with a launch likely coming one week after the announcement. It is possible that the company will release the 4.7-inch version of the iPhone 6 first, with the 5.5-inch version seeing a launch later this year or early next year as Apple solves production issues with the larger device. In addition to a bigger screen, both versions of the iPhone 6 will likely incorporate a faster A8 processor, an improved camera with stabilization, and iOS 8.
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Beats Music Creates Documentary On Spike Lee's 'Do the Right Thing' [iOS Blog]
Aug 14, 11:03PM
Beats Music, now owned by Apple, has created a documentary to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Do The Right Thing, a Brooklyn-based film created by Spike Lee. The 22-minute short features Spike Lee and Danny Aiello revisiting some of the original spots where the movie was shot, contrasted by shots from the film itself.
It also delves into some behind the scenes information on the building of the set and the creation of the movie, revisiting many of the actors who starred in the film and getting details on the making of the movie from the original crew.
Towards the end, the documentary features a huge block party thrown by Beats Music in the Brooklyn neighborhood where Do The Right Thing was filmed, with celebrity attendees like Erykah Badu, Dave Chapelle, Wesley Snipes, and Mos Def. The family-friendly event featured a performance of "Fight the Power" by Public Enemy along with activities for kids and adults alike.
As noted by Variety, Beats Music's new documentary suggests the company remains dedicated to expanding the Beats Music brand even after its purchase by Apple. According to rumors, one of the many potential reasons Apple purchased Beats was to up its "coolness" factor among younger consumers, a position Beats has earned with both edgy advertising campaigns like the Do the Right Thing documentary and celebrity endorsements.
StackSocial Offers 8 Mac Apps in 'MacLovin' Bundle for $39.99 [Mac Blog]
Aug 14, 7:27PM
StackSocial is currently offering a bundle of 8 Mac apps, featuring several that have won awards from Apple and Macworld. All buyers receive the following apps for just $39.99, a significant discount compared to the total retail value of $362:
- Cinemagraph Pro ($100)
- djay ($20)
- NetSpot Pro ($149)
- Keyboard Maestro ($36)
- Hype 2 ($30)
- Dropzone 3 ($10)
- Moom ($10)
- Boom ($7)
Notably, djay was included in Apple's "Best of Mac App Store" list in 2011 and was updated earlier this year to include full Spotify integration. Cinemagraph Pro was selected as an Apple Design Award winner at WWDC in June.
The first 5,000 buyers of the MacLovin' bundle also receive the OS X App Masterclass, a Mac app development e-learning course that has a retail value of $499, which bumps the total retail value of the bundle to $861.
The MacLovin' bundle is available through August 19.
MacRumors is an affiliate partner of StackSocial.
Higher-End 4.7 and 5.5-Inch iPhone 6 to Get Sapphire Displays, Higher Price Tags
Aug 14, 7:17PM
Apple has plans to use a sapphire crystal display in the higher-end models of the two versions of the iPhone 6 that it plans to debut this fall, reports The Wall Street Journal. Because of the higher cost of sapphire, Apple may also charge more for the high-end versions of the devices.Apple is considering using sapphire screens in more-expensive models of the two new, larger iPhones it plans to debut this fall, if it can get enough of the material, people familiar with the matter say. Some analysts expect Apple to charge more for the phones than previous new models, because of increased component costs.Multiple iPhone 6 rumors have speculated that sapphire could be constrained to either the larger 5.5-inch iPhone 6 or the higher-end models due to cost and production issues, but The Wall Street Journal is the first mainstream publication to confirm those rumors.
If Apple is only planning to use sapphire in the higher-end models of the 4.7 and 5.5-inch iPhone 6, that could explain why a sandpaper test on a leaked iPhone 6 front panel revealed that it was not made of pure sapphire.
Apple is investing a considerable amount of money into partner GT Advanced's sapphire plant, shelling out more than $500 million to outfit the factory with high-output furnaces for sapphire production. Rumors have suggested GT Advanced has the capability to eventually produce enough sapphire to outfit 100 to 200 million iPhones, but other rumors have pointed towards high costs and production problems as limiting factors. Apple is also planning to use sapphire for the upcoming iWatch, according to The Wall Street Journal. The first sapphire displays for the two devices are "expected to roll off production lines this month."
Sapphire is seen as a desirable material due to its extreme durability and scratch resistance, but many smartphone manufacturers have suggested Apple's plan to use the material is just a marketing gimmick due to its prohibitive cost.
While Apple may not be able to produce the entire lineup of iPhone 6 displays in sapphire, rumors have suggested that when the factory is fully functional, it will give the company a way to produce massive quantities of sapphire at a low cost, which means a full sapphire lineup could be more feasible for future devices.
Intel Preparing to Launch New Xeon Processors for Potential Mac Pro Upgrade
Aug 14, 6:37PM
After nearly three and a half years with only a minor processor bump, Apple late last year launched its redesigned Mac Pro, moving to a compact cylindrical design relying on a slew of Thunderbolt 2 ports for expandability. While the new machine began shipping in the last few days of 2013, extreme shortages of the machine persisted for months and it wasn't until two months ago that shipping estimates reached the "within 24 hours" level and Apple's own retail stores began stocking the Mac Pro for immediate purchase.
Potential Mac Pro customers may now, however, be starting to look forward to the first update for the redesigned Mac Pro, as Intel appears set to launch new processors appropriate for the Mac Pro next month. As highlighted by Macworld UK, Intel's "Grantley" Xeon E5 v3 chips are nearly ready to ship as successors to the current "Romley" Xeon E5 v2 chips used in the Mac Pro.
Intel announced last month that it had begun shipping at least some versions of the new Xeon E5 v3 chips to server makers, and widespread availability is reportedly set for September. ChipLoco outlined a significant set of E5-2600 v3 series chips, including several that recently became available for pre-order and could be used as an upgrade to the current top-of-the-line 2.7 GHz 12-core E5-2697 v2 chip found in the Mac Pro.
The direct successor to the current chip is the 2.6 GHz 14-core E5-2697 v3 chip, although the new chip does come with a higher thermal rating and it is unclear whether that change would have any impact on Apple's willingness to use the chip in the Mac Pro. Other variants in the new high-end E5-269x v3 series range from 12 to 18 cores.
Below the top end, Apple currently uses E5-1600 v2 series processors, and Intel is reportedly preparing a full set of successor v3 chips for launch next month.
- 4-core: 3.7 GHz E5-1620 v2 moves to 3.5 GHz E5-1620 v3 or 3.7 GHz E5-1630 v3
- 6-core: 3.5 GHz E5-1650 v2 moves to 3.5 GHz E5-1650 v3
- 8-core: 3.0 GHz E5-1680 v2 moves to 3.2 GHz E5-1680 v3
As with the E5-2600 v3 series chips, these E5-1600 v3 series chips come with higher thermal ratings than their predecessors. All of the new chips in both series also support faster DDR4-2133 memory, which will also contribute to improved performance.
On the graphics side, Apple uses customized versions of AMD's FirePro series of high-end graphics cards, although Apple's D300, D500, and D700 options can be roughly equated with AMD's W7000, W8000, and W9000 on the PC side. Over the last several months, AMD has been updating its FirePro cards, culminating with this week's introduction of four new cards, including the W7100 successor to the W7000 card. Alex4D summarizes how the W9100/W8100/W7100 cards introduced in recent months compare to their predecessors and collates a handy comparison chart showing how these new and old cards compare to Apple's D-series cards.
At each level AMD have at least doubled the VRAM, added 40% more stream processors. The W8100 and W9100 have wider memory buses (so more information can be transferred for each command) and many more transistors.As for when updated Mac Pro models might arrive, that remains unclear, but the good news is that the pieces supporting a potential upgrade are starting to fall into place. While Intel's new processors are reportedly scheduled to arrive next month, it is unlikely a Mac Pro upgrade is that close given Apple's usual iPhone focus for that month. But it seems possible an upgrade could be in the works by late this year or early next year depending on how Apple decides to space out its product launches and at what point it views the Mac Pro as in need of a boost.
Although Apple can specify any number of stream processors, clock speeds or VRAM, these more recent cards show what AMD considers is the low-, medium- and high-end when it comes to PCs. For Mac owners perspective, they show how much card for a similar amount of money AMD can now make compared with the cards in the Mac Pro and 2012.
Apple Meets With Thai Officials to Discuss 'iPhone 6' Approval Disclosure
Aug 14, 3:14PM
According to a report from Thailand's Thai Rath newspaper [Google Translate], Apple has already met with officials at the country's National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) to discuss the recent disclosure that two iPhone 6 models have been approved by the government agency for import into the Asian country.
NBTC secretary Takorn Tantasith earlier this week released the approval information on two "iPhone 6" models A1586 and A1524, reportedly in accordance with guidelines that require the public announcement of approved hardware. The declaration, which he also broadcast on Twitter, contained only the product name and model numbers, but no other details about the iPhone 6 handsets. As noted by several observers, the iPhone 6 approval was the first time a specific device was named in a Tweet by the NBTC secretary, making it an obvious deviation from usual practice.
Apple is unsurprisingly upset with this public notification, claiming the disclosure released confidential information about its upcoming handset. The NBTC secretary countered Apple's assertion, arguing that that these announcements do not reveal confidential product details and are meant to protect consumers. He said Apple would be within its rights to penalize Thailand for this leak by canceling its plans to release the iPhone in Thailand later this year, but he stands by his decision to disclose the approval. Translation by a MacRumors reader:
The Secretary General said that everything is done according to the protocol and on August 8 the NTBC has approved the two phone models. He insisted that all that was disclosed is not considered a trade secret and Apple only requested for the specification to remain a secret. As for the specs, the NBTC did not disclose anything.Apple requested a meeting with NBTC officials to discuss the situation, with Apple emphasizing that the new device may not necessarily be called "iPhone 6" but otherwise resolving the matter.
Mr. Takorn said that representatives from Apple South Asia from the Singapore HQ arrived to "have a chat" with him and clarified that the 2 phone models may not use the name "iPhone 6" to market and the company want to make sure that the NBTC understands this fact. Apple in Singapore will also explain the situation to Apple in the US about this matter. Apple also reassured the NBTC that this "leak" has no effect in Apple's plan to launch and sell the iPhone in Thailand.Rumors suggest Apple is working on two iPhone models for release in the upcoming months. The next generation handset is expected to be unveiled during a September 9 press event with a 4.7-inch model slated to go on sale shortly after the announcement. A larger 5.5-inch model may debut alongside the smaller model or up to a few months later.
(Thanks, @TonsTweetings!)
Assembled iPhone 6 Logic Board Revealed in New Photo
Aug 14, 1:27PM
With under four weeks to go until the expected introduction of the iPhone 6, increasingly complex parts are continuing to leak. Just weeks ago, photos showing two bare logic boards similar to but distinct from corresponding parts from existing iPhones surfaced, lending credence to rumors of two larger iPhone 6 models.
One of those logic boards has now been revealed in what appears to be a fully assembled state in a photo reposted by Apple.club.tw [Google Translate]. While several physical features such as the nano-SIM slot, a number of connectors for flex cable components, and a flash storage chip that appears to be from Toshiba are visible in the somewhat blurry photo, the most interesting components of the board unfortunately remain hidden under electromagnetic shielding. A silver component at the bottom of the board on the left is almost certainly the Wi-Fi module, although no identifiable markings can be seen.
A second photo [Google Translate] shared by Apple.club.tw today shows a pair of flex cables also said to be from the iPhone 6. The cables appear to be the same as seen in a detailed photo of the front panel display assembly yesterday.
Pegatron Reportedly Lands 50% of 4.7-Inch iPhone 6 Orders for This Year
Aug 14, 7:12AM
Apple supply partner Pegatron has won a contract that will see it produce 25 million of the estimated 50 million 4.7-inch iPhone 6 units to be shipped this year, reports DigiTimes. It was reported in January that the company would be awarded 50% of the orders, however a report in May pegged that number at 15%. The report also notes that the rest of the orders for the iPhone 6 are expected to go to Foxconn, who has helped produce iPhone 5s and other Apple devices. Pegatron's relationship with Apple is said to also have grown tighter recently, as the supplier has managed assembly for the iPad mini and the iPhone 5c throughout the past year. It is currently unknown which supplier will take care of orders for the 5.5-inch iPhone 6, although the larger device could see constrained supply this year due to production challenges.
Apple will publicly unveil the iPhone 6 for the first time at an event on September 9, with a launch for the 4.7-inch version likely coming a week later as with prior years. In addition to a larger display, the phone is expected to feature a thinner, curved bezel and incorporate a faster A8 chip, an advanced camera, and iOS 8.
Apple Bans Two Hazardous Chemicals From Final iPhone Assembly Process
Aug 14, 12:44AM
Apple announced today that it is banning the use of benzene and n-hexande, two potentially hazardous chemicals, during final assembly for both iPhone and iPad, according to the Associated Press. Benzene is a carcinogen that has been linked to leukemia when not handled properly and n-hexane has been linked to nerve damage.
The decision announced Wednesday comes five months after the activist groups China Labor Watch and Green America launched a petition drive calling on Apple Inc. to abandon the use of benzene and n-hexane in the production of iPhones.The Cupertino company conducted a four-month investigation at 22 factories and found no evidence that either benzene or n-hexane endangered the 500,000 workers at those factories. Four of the factories had traces of the two chemicals at "acceptable safety levels" while the other 18 contained no trace of either.
Still, Apple decided to order its suppliers to stop using the two chemicals for final assembly for iPhones, iPads, Macs, iPods and accessories. The factories will also be required to test all substances to make sure the chemicals aren't present, even if they're not listed in the ingredients. The two chemicals are often found in cleaner used on machinery and electronics.
However, Apple will still allow benzene and n-hexane at plants responsible for the early production phase of its devices, which are, for the most part, different from the final assembly plants. Apple is lowering the maximum amount of the two chemicals that can be used during early processes.
Lisa Jackson, Apple's VP of environmental initiatives, told the AP that the company wanted to be "responsive to concerns" and "crack down on chemical exposures".
"We think it's really important that we show some leadership and really look toward the future by trying to use greener chemistries."The two chemicals aren't exclusively used by Apple's manufacturing processes, as other large tech companies have faced the same criticisms. Small traces of benzene can also be found in gasoline, cigarettes, paints, glues and more.
Samsung Expands Anti-Apple 'Wall Huggers' Advertisement to Airports
Aug 13, 11:09PM
Back in early July, Samsung launched a new Galaxy S5 ad calling iPhone users "Wall Huggers" and mocking the iPhone for having a short battery life while touting the battery-saving capabilities of its own newest flagship phone.
Samsung has now expanded its "Wall Huggers" advertising campaign to select airports, according to CNET, displaying Galaxy S5 ads alongside power outlets.
In addition to highlighting the Galaxy S5's Ultra Power Saving Mode, the ads include the words "So you have the power to be anywhere but here," possibly poking fun at Apple's own recent line of app-focused advertising, which revolves around the tagline "You're more powerful than you think."
First introduced in February, Samsung's 5.1-inch Galaxy S5 includes a fingerprint sensor, a water resistant casing, and a heart rate sensor, along with one of its most highly touted features, the Ultra Power Saving Mode. This mode activates a black and white display with limited app access when the phone's battery is low, cutting off LTE and disabling WiFi/Bluetooth to provide up to an additional 24 hours of standby time with less than 10 percent of battery left.
While Apple does not have a similar power saving feature on the iPhone, it does provide users with quick access to settings like WiFi and Bluetooth, plus options to disable battery draining features like background app usage and location services. Apple's newest operating system, iOS 8, also includes battery saving functions like Battery Usage, which lets users keep an eye on apps that are draining too much power.
Many people are hoping Apple's upcoming iPhone 6 will introduce better battery life, but signs have pointed towards only modest battery gains thus far. Various rumors suggest the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 could get a battery between 1,800 and 2,100 mAh, a moderate improvement over 1,560 mAh battery in the iPhone 5s.
Samsung's Galaxy S5 ads can be found at the John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, at the Newark Liberty International airport in New Jersey, and at the O'Hare and Midway airports in Chicago. The advertisements may also expand to other airports in the future.
Update: MacRumors reader Harrison Weinerman has sent in a much clearer image of Samsung's new outlet ad taken in Terminal C at the Newark airport in New Jersey on August 10.
Apple Releases Safari 7.0.6 and Safari 6.1.6 With Security Fixes for Mavericks/Mountain Lion [Mac Blog]
Aug 13, 8:25PM
Following the release of a new 10.9.5 beta for developers, Apple today released Safari 7.0.6 for OS X Mavericks and Safari 6.1.6 for OS X Mountain Lion to the public, bringing new security fixes to the browser.
The new Safari builds can be downloaded through the Software Update mechanism in the Mac App Store.
Apple has also previously seeded Safari 6.2 and Safari 7.1 for Mountain Lion/Mavericks to developers, and it's likely that update will see its public release alongside OS X Yosemite.
Update 2:00 PM PT: This post originally identified Safari 7.0.6 and Safari 6.1.6 as beta software available only to developers, which has since been corrected.
Mailbox for iOS Gains New Email Management Features, Languages [iOS Blog]
Aug 13, 8:01PM
Popular email app Mailbox was today updated to version 2.1, adding several new email management features. It's now possible to print emails, mark them as spam, or mark them as unread by tapping on a new options menu denoted by three dots on the app's thread view or within individual messages.
Along with these new management tools, Mailbox has gained Passbook integration. Users can select a ticket or other attachment in the inbox, which will then be added directly to Passbook.
The app will also permanently delete messages that have been swiped to the trash and it has been updated to support 19 different languages and 24-hour time.
Now translated into 19 languages, including Chinese (both Simplified and Traditional), Danish, Dutch, French, German, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Malay, Polish, Brazilian Portuguese, Russian, Spanish (both European and Latin American), Swedish, Thai and EnglishFirst introduced in early 2013, Mailbox proved to be ultra popular, requiring a reservation system that restricted access to a limited number of users for several weeks. Shortly after its release, however, the app was acquired by file-sharing and storage service Dropbox, and has seen several major updates since then.
- View spam and mark messages as spam
- Passbook support
- Permanent delete from trash and spam
- Bug fixes and performance improvements
Though initially limited to supporting Gmail, Mailbox now supports additional email services like Apple's iCloud Mail.
Mailbox is a universal app that can be downloaded from the App Store for free. [Direct Link]
iPhone 6 Front Panel, Power Button, and Mute Switch Shown in High-Quality Photos
Aug 13, 6:57PM
Following previous photo sets showing an unfinished 4.7-inch iPhone 6 rear shell and assorted other parts in recent weeks, luxury modified iPhone vendor Feld & Volk [Instagram page] has shared another set of high-quality photos showing parts from the device. While many of the parts have already been seen, this new set provides our best look yet at some of those, as well as a few new ones.
One photo shows the inside of the front panel and display assembly, with some of the components near the top pulled apart to give a good look at how the digitizer/LCD flex cables and earpiece come together with room for the front camera and proximity/ambient light sensors all packed into one small area of the device.
Several other photos also highlight how the edges of the front panel taper. Those tapered edges should sit essentially flush with the edges of the rounded rear shell, providing for a sleek, nearly seamless look and feel for the iPhone 6.
Also shown are extreme closeups of the power button and mute switch. The silver metal finish of the power button can be easily seen, and Feld & Volk says the volume buttons will be of very similar design and finish. The design of the mute switch is very different from that seen in other recent iPhones, as the new switch appears to pivot slightly on a pair of internal pins while switches on other recent iPhone models have been of a flat slider type. The design change may be due to the iPhone 6 having rounded sides as opposed to the flat sides seen since the iPhone 4.
Finally, the set includes a high-quality photo of the SIM card tray, again showing the silver metal finish of the part.
Apple is expected to introduce the iPhone 6 at a media event on September 9. The device is expected to come in 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch display sizes, although it is unclear whether they will launch simultaneously or not. The first wave of launches is likely to come a week or two after the event.
Apple and HP Discussed 'Enterprise Siri' Search Product Ahead of Apple's IBM Deal
Aug 13, 6:14PM
Before announcing an enterprise partnership with IBM, Apple reportedly had discussions with Hewlett-Packard over a mobile search product nicknamed "Enterprise Siri." Detailed in a report from The Information (via BusinessInsider), "Enterprise Siri" is an HP product designed to allow employees to ask their devices for company-specific information like financial data or product inventory numbers. According to The Information's report, though Apple held discussions with HP, the latter company has also been in talks with Google's Android unit for the past year over a potential partnership for the "Enterprise Siri" technology, which could lead to something like an enterprise version of Google Now for corporate data.
The idea is for employees to be able to ask their Android device for company information such as financial data or product inventory information in the same way they do routine personal searches for weather, traffic or restaurant locations. Google search doesn't currently offer any such integration with corporate databases and software applications, but it's an area Google has looked at as it tries to chip away at the iPhone's lead among business customers.Now that Apple has inked a deal with IBM to further its hold on the enterprise market, a deal with HP for a powerful enterprise search product could allow Google to gain ground as well.
While more than 98 percent of Fortune 500 companies already use Apple devices in their businesses, Apple's recent partnership with IBM has the potential to skyrocket Apple's enterprise sales. As part of the deal, IBM will develop more than 100 industry-specific native apps that are built from the ground up for the iPhone and the iPad to draw new customers in industries like retail, healthcare, banking, travel, transportation, and more.
IBM will also offer Apple's iOS devices to its corporate customers and has plans to provide cloud storage, analytics services, and 24/7 assistance to enterprise customers under a new AppleCare plan. IBM's first apps will roll out this fall, with additional apps coming in 2015.
Apple Seeds OS X Mavericks 10.9.5 Build 13F14 to Developers [Mac Blog]
Aug 13, 5:55PM
Apple today seeded Mavericks 10.9.5 build 13F14 to developers, just over a week after seeding the second OS X 10.9.5 beta, build 13F12, and more than a month after releasing OS X 10.9.4 to the public.
The beta is available through the Software Update mechanism in the Mac App Store and through the Mac Developer Center.
It is unclear what improvements the 10.9.5 update will bring to Mavericks, but it is likely to include bug fixes and stability enhancements. Apple is asking developers to focus on USB, USB Smart Cards, Graphics, Safari, and Thunderbolt.
Along with working on improvements to Mavericks, Apple is also beta testing OS X Yosemite, which is due to be released in the fall. The last Mavericks update, 10.9.4, added several Wi-Fi fixes and improved wake from sleep reliability.
'iPhone 6' Case Giveaway and Other Prizes from MacRumors
Aug 13, 4:07PM
The iPhone 6 is expected to be announced on September 9th, 2014 with an Apple Media event. The actual launch will likely take place a couple of weeks later.
Some of the first rumors of any new Apple iPhone seems to come from the case manufacturers. There's a huge financial incentive for case manufacturers to be early to market with case designs for a new iPhone. The first leaked schematics for the iPhone 6 were published in March, 2014 and the first cases based on the designs started appearing shortly thereafter.
These case-design leaks aren't always correct, but this time there have been part leaks as well. Our iPhone 6 roundup goes into great detail about what we know so far.
During our early iPhone 6 research, we obtained a batch of 200 rumored 4.7" iPhone 6 cases with our logo on it. We thought they might be useful on day one of iPhone 6 launch, or could simply serve as a MacRumors souvenir if the specs turn out to be not-quite-right. So, we're giving away 200 4.7" iPhone 6 cases to 200 of our mailing list members selected at random. To be clear, these cases might not even fit the real iPhone 6-- but that's part of the appeal. The case colors will be distributed at random, but possibilities include red, blue, grey, and frosted clear.
We'll be giving out other prizes over time to our mailing list subscribers. Official rules are available here. For this initial prize, we have to limit it to U.S. mailing addresses only, due to the cost of shipping 200 items internationally. iPhone 6 case giveaway contest deadline is midnight (Eastern) on the evening of Thursday, August 21st 2014. Winners will then be picked and mailed their cases, hopefully in time for September 9th.
Our mailing list provides readers with regular updates to the biggest stories on MacRumors.
If you are already a member of our mailing list, you still have to fill out this entry form (and check the agree checkbox) to get entered. You won't be added to our mailing list twice.
Apple Receives Approval to Sell Two iPhone 6 Models in Thailand
Aug 13, 2:05PM
Takorn Tantasith, Secretary General of the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) in Thailand, announced earlier this week that the agency has approved Apple's application to distribute two iPhone 6 models in the country, reports Manager Online [Google Translate]. The Secretary also tweeted word of the approval from his @TakornNBTC Twitter account.
Apple reportedly filed the import application on August 5 and received certification of equipment and a written approval notice on August 8 for two iPhones with model numbers A1586 and A1524. According to government regulations, these approvals must be announced publicly, but details on the iPhone 6 handsets referenced in the documents remain sealed.
Apple is expected to announce the iPhone 6 in early September with retail sales to follow in the weeks following the announcement. Apple reportedly is prepping two iPhone models, with a 4.7-inch version slated to launch first this fall and a 5.5-inch version that could launch either alongside or up to several months later than the smaller version.
An application for approval in Thailand over a month prior to the device's expected introduction is unusual and suggests Apple may be planning for a very large number of countries in the initial wave of launches. For the iPhone 5s, Thailand was part of the second wave of launches that took place on October 25, 2013, and the company reportedly did not apply for approval in the country until September 16, 2013.
iPhone 6 Reportedly Entering Final Quality Control Stage Ahead of Mass Production
Aug 13, 10:31AM
New reports from Chinese media sources (Google Translate, via G for Games) claim that the iPhone 6 has entered a final product validation testing stage ahead of mass production before its launch this fall. Apple is reportedly working with Foxconn's Zhengzhou factory to produce a small number of units to ensure quality control standards have been implemented, as the device will then be mass produced at Apple's various supply partners.
Previously, a report last month claimed that Apple had already begun mass production for the iPhone 6, however it is possible that reported production issues may have led to delayed testing and output. It is also unknown whether this final testing stage is for both the 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch iPhone 6, as Apple has reportedly had issues in producing the latter's sapphire display and battery life.
Apple's iPhone 6 is expected to be announced at a launch event on Tuesday, September 9. In addition to a larger screen, the device will likely incorporate a thinner, rounded form factor and feature a faster and more efficient A8 chip, as well as an improved camera with stabilization.
Amazon Launches iOS Compatible 'Amazon Local Register' Card Reader [iOS Blog]
Aug 13, 8:55AM
Amazon today launched the Amazon Local Register, a new iOS compatible card reader made to compete with Square's Square Reader and Paypal's Here card reader. Featuring an anti-swivel design and integration with Amazon payments, the Local Register accepts Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover as Amazon is offering a special flat rate of just 1.75% per swipe until January 2016.
Amazon Local Register's companion app for iOS offers a number of features to manage payments, allowing users to add items and discounts as well as the ability to track cash transactions, add staff accounts, change tax rates, and more. The app and the card reader can also connect with a number of cases, stands, receipt printers, cash drawers, and more.
The Amazon Local Register Secure Card Reader is available now for $10 through Amazon's website. The card reader's companion app can be downloaded through the App Store today. [Direct Link]
Apple Honors Robin Williams With iTunes Store Section Featuring More than 40 Movies, Comedy Routines [Updated]
Aug 12, 8:30PM
Following the tragic news of the death of Oscar-winning actor Robin Williams, Apple has created a "Remembering Robin Williams" dedicated section of the iTunes Store housing many of the actor's popular movies and stand up comedy routines.
Along with offering movies organized into categories like "Essentials," "Comedy," and "Drama," the Robin Williams iTunes Store section includes a photo of the actor along with a short paragraph on his decades-long career and his involvement in Comic Relief USA, a charity that's raised upwards of $50 million for homeless assistance.
One of the most beloved and unforgettable performers in the history of show business, Robin Williams brought laughter and inspiration to millions. Throughout a career that spanned five decades, Williams evolved from stand up comedian to international movie star. Among the great masters of improv, he transfixed audiences with a mile-a-minute comic energy. Williams' Golden Globe-winning turn in Good Morning, Vietnam demonstrated that his versatile acting talents were equally suited to evoking dramatic complexity. Many of Williams' most iconic performances--in Dead Poets Society, Mrs. Doubtfire, and his Oscar-winning triumph Good Will Hunting--were dazzling high-wire acts that left audiences in tears of laughter one minute and tears of poignancy the next.In the iTunes Store section dedicated to Williams, Apple lists more than 40 of his movies like Dead Poets Society, Mrs. Doubtfire, Jumanji, The Birdcage, Patch Adams, Good Morning, Vietnam, and more, along with a handful of his comedy performances.
Robin Williams' performance in Dead Poets Society is of special importance to Apple as his character, John Keating, delivered the famous "What will your verse be?" speech that inspired its "Your Verse" line of iPad advertisements. Williams also provided the voice over for one of the commercials, which began airing back in January.
Yesterday, Apple CEO Tim Cook tweeted about Williams' death, calling him an "incomparable talent and a great human being." Phil Schiller also expressed his regrets over the tragedy.
Heartbroken by the news of Robin Williams' passing. He was an incomparable talent and a great human being. Rest in peace.
— Tim Cook (@tim_cook) August 12, 2014Update: Apple has also dedicated a page on its website to Robin Williams with the following:
We are deeply saddened by the passing of Robin Williams. He inspired us through his passion, his generosity, and the gift of laughter. He will be missed.This is one of the few times Apple has honored someone's life with a page on its website, with the others being Nelson Mandela, Rosa Parks, board member Jerry York and Steve Jobs.
Apple Continues to Dominate Enterprise Market Despite Android Gains
Aug 12, 8:05PM
Apple's mobile operating system continues to dominate the enterprise sector, according to new numbers in Good Technology's latest Mobility Index Report [PDF], but Android has made enterprise market share gains at Apple's expense. Android's rising share of the enterprise market shows the wisdom behind Apple's recent IBM deal, which will see the two companies partnering up for custom enterprise apps.
iOS activations represented 67 percent of total global device activations, but Apple's numbers were down five percent quarter over quarter. At the same time, Android saw a five percent gain, with Android devices representing 32 percent of total device activations. Windows activations were at just 1 percent, while Blackberry activations were unable to be measured by Good due to their usage of the BlackBerry Enterprise Server.
Broken down, iPhone activations were at 51 percent of total activations, while iPad activations represented 16 percent of total activations (and 90 percent of total tablet activations), a slight decrease from the previous quarter. Android smartphones represented 30 percent of total activations, with Android tablets comprising just a few percent of total activations.
As for apps, iOS enterprise app activations were responsible for 88 percent of total app activations during the quarter, while Android app activations were at 12 percent of total enterprise app activations, a shift of four percentage points from iOS to Android.
Though Apple's enterprise numbers have seen a slight drop in the current quarter, its share of the enterprise market is poised to grow substantially over the coming months thanks to its recent partnership with IBM.
In addition to selling iOS devices to its corporate customers, IBM has plans to create more than 100 industry-specific native apps built from the ground up for the iPad and the iPhone, which will undoubtedly draw more enterprise customers looking for customized experiences. According to Good's survey, custom app activations have been on the rise, seeing a 25 percent growth quarter over quarter.
Following the announcement of Apple's partnership with IBM, CEO Tim Cook said he sees the deal as an opportunity for "transforming enterprise" and opening up a "large market opportunity" for both companies.
IBM's first apps tailored to various industries like retail, healthcare, banking, travel, and transportation are expected to be released this fall, with additional apps following in 2015. In recent weeks, Apple has also been heavily pushing productivity apps on the iPad to poise the tablet as more than just a content consumption device, sending out emails promoting iWork and Microsoft Office and cutting the prices on many productivity apps.
Full 'Skylanders Trap Team' Game Coming to iPad With Bluetooth Controller, Energy Portal [iOS Blog]
Aug 12, 5:40PM
Upcoming Skylanders game Trap Team will see a simultaneous release on both consoles and tablets, according to Activision. The full Skylanders Trap Team game will be available on the iPad when it is released in North America on October 5, marking the first time a complete Skylanders game has been made available on Apple's tablet.
Trap Team on the iPad will offer the same gameplay experience as the console version, with high-quality graphics and a dedicated Bluetooth controller that will be sold alongside the app in a Skylanders Trap Team Tablet Starter Pack. The Traptanium Portal controller will come with a built-in tablet stand, two Skylanders characters, two Traps, and a display tray that "lets Portal Masters keep track of the Traps they've collected and which villains they have trapped."
While the game has been designed to take advantage of the included controller, players are also able to play Trap Team using on-screen touch controls. Third-party controllers will work with Trap Team as well.
As described by our sister site TouchArcade, the Skylanders line of action-adventure oriented games meld toys with virtual games, asking players to purchase little plastic figurines that sport NFC chips. These chips allow the physical characters to be imported into the video game through a plastic mat called the "Portal of Power."
Trap Team takes place after Skylanders: Swap Force, with players taking on the role of Portal Master to use Trap Masters and traps to re-capture all of the villains that escaped during the previous game.
The Skylanders Trap Team Tablet Starter Pack will be available beginning on October 5, and will retail for $74.99. It can also be pre-ordered from Amazon.com.
Update 3:10 PM PT: The controller included in the Skylanders Trap Team tablet bundle only works with the Trap Team app and is unable to work with other third party apps.
Apple Releases Employee Diversity Report, 7 out of 10 Workers Are Male, 55% White
Aug 12, 4:28PM
Following in the footsteps of several other major tech companies, Apple has released a diversity report on the sex and race of its employees (via Re/code). As is common in the tech industry, the majority of Apple's workforce is male -- only three out of 10 employees around the globe are female. Broken down, males compose 65 percent of non-tech workers, 80 percent of tech workers, and 72 percent of Apple's leadership.
In the United States, across tech, leadership, and non-tech, Apple's workers are 55 percent white, 15 percent Asian, 11 percent Hispanic, and 7 percent Black. Nine percent of workers declined to state their ethnicity, one percent selected other, and two percent listed more than one race.
According to CEO Tim Cook, he is unhappy with Apple's diversity numbers and says Apple is working to improve them.
Apple is committed to transparency, which is why we are publishing statistics about the race and gender makeup of our company. Let me say up front: As CEO, I'm not satisfied with the numbers on this page. They're not new to us, and we've been working hard for quite some time to improve them. We are making progress, and we're committed to being as innovative in advancing diversity as we are in developing our products.During his tenure as CEO, Cook has taken steps towards improving Apple's diversity by boosting Apple's female leadership. Cook hired Angela Ahrendts as the head of retail and Susan Wagner was recently added to Apple's board, joining existing female board member Andrea Jung. Cook has also overseen the hire of Lisa Jackson, who oversees the company's environmental affairs, and the promotion of Denise Young Smith to head of human resources. Apple is a sponsor of the National Center for Women & Information Technology, which aims to get women involved in technology.
In its report, Apple suggests that its company diversity beliefs go beyond race and gender, pointing to its involvement in the Human Rights Campaign. Under Cook, Apple has supported the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, which lobbied to add lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals to the U.S.'s existing nondiscrimination law. Apple also recently participated in San Francisco's Gay Pride event and the company has long had protections for its LGBT employees.
Update 1:30 PM PT: Apple has posted the Diversity video from its Diversity page on YouTube.
Note: Due to the political nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Politics, Religion, Social Issues forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.
Apple Once Again Offering $25 iTunes Gift Card With Apple TV Purchase in iTunes Festival Promotion
Aug 12, 3:53PM
Ahead of its London iTunes Festival in September, Apple is promoting its Apple TV with a bundle deal offering a $25 iTunes gift card with each Apple TV purchase (via 9to5Mac). The gift card can be used to purchase apps, music, and movies available in the iTunes Store, and the promotion is valid through September 30.
Earlier this year, Apple offered a similar $25 gift card promotion that sparked speculation about a possible imminent launch of an updated Apple TV. These rumors turned out to be false, and Apple is still selling the same third-generation model that saw its last substantial update in early 2012. Though this latest promotion offers a $25 gift card, the Apple TV still retails for its original $99 price tag.
The current crop of rumors suggests a 2015 update for Apple's television-related hardware, with delays to a rumored set-top box interfacing with live and on-demand content reportedly due to ongoing negotiations with cable companies. Rumors have indicated the next-generation Apple TV may include an App Store, support for wireless game controllers, Siri integration and more, although it is unclear whether Apple plans to split the television lineup between the full-featured set-top box and an improved Apple TV or if everything will be bundled into a single Apple TV product.
Siri Co-Founders Building Viv, a Next-Generation Flexible Virtual Assistant
Aug 12, 3:11PM
When Apple acquired Siri in 2010, several members of the team behind the technology joined Apple to continue development of the virtual assistant. As iOS evolved and the vision for Siri changed, co-founders Dag Kittlaus and Adam Cheyer left Apple to pursue other opportunities. This liberation led to their reunion and the formation of Viv Labs, which is now working on new virtual assistant software that may change how we interact with our devices. Writer Steven Levy takes a close look at Viv in a lengthy profile on Wired.
Viv Labs is building a virtual assistant that is capable of more than just pre-programmed answers in response to a question. Viv expands further into the realm of artificial intelligence with a codebase that can interpret the question, make connections across a variety of services and apps and even generate code on the fly if needed to formulate an answer. Team members describe Viv as a "global brain" that can learn about its users and adapt to their preferences.
Take a complicated command like "Give me a flight to Dallas with a seat that Shaq could fit in." Viv will parse the sentence and then it will perform its best trick: automatically generating a quick, efficient program to link third-party sources of information together—say, Kayak, SeatGuru, and the NBA media guide—so it can identify available flights with lots of legroom. And it can do all of this in a fraction of a second.Unlike Siri, which was targeted at the iPhone even before its acquisition by Apple, Kittlaus and his team hope to license the technology and bring Viv to a variety of devices including TVs, cars and other Internet-connected devices.
"I'm extremely proud of Siri and the impact it's had on the world, but in many ways it could have been more," Cheyer says. "Now I want to do something bigger than mobile, bigger than consumer, bigger than desktop or enterprise. I want to do something that could fundamentally change the way software is built."Viv is an ambitious project that is still in the early stages of development, but the vision is revolutionary. "If this team is successful, we are looking at the future of intelligent agents and a multibillion-dollar industry," said AI expert Oren Etzioni of the Allen Institute for Artificial Intelligence to Wired.
It's unclear whether Apple will be interested in the technology and what kind of relationship the two companies might have given their history with Siri, but what is clear is that Siri's inventors have much broader ambitions in mind.
Additional Photos of Purported Silver iPhone 6 Rear Shell Surface
Aug 12, 10:49AM
More photos said to be of the iPhone 6's rear shell have been shared by frequent iOS device part leaker Sonny Dickson. The part shown in the photos also appears identical to the rear shell shared by luxury modified iPhone vendor Feld & Volk, hinting that this may be a legitimate component.
Similar to previous leaks, this newest rear shell shows a number of physical features including a near-all metal design with upper and lower bezels, a cutout for the new round "True Tone" dual-LED flash, and a cutout for the rear camera that may hint at a protruding lens for the device.
Apple is expected to reveal the iPhone 6 at an event on September 9, with a launch likely coming one week after the announcement. It is possible that the company will release the 4.7-inch version of the iPhone 6 first, with the 5.5-inch version seeing a launch later this year or early next year as Apple solves production issues with the larger device. In addition to a bigger screen, both versions of the iPhone 6 will likely incorporate a faster A8 processor, an improved camera with stabilization, and iOS 8.
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