Developers received a hot new batch of updates from Apple today that bring a host of new features to Macs and the Apple TV.
tvOS 11.3 beta 1 and macOS 10.13.4 beta 1 are now available for registered developers, along with a new XCode 9.3 build and iOS 11.3.
The first big iOS 11 beta of 2018 has finally arrived.
Apple gave the public a preview of the new features coming in iOS 11.3 this morning. Developers can already start playing with the new goodies now that Apple just released the first iOS 11.3 beta.
Siri is now “actively” used on more than half a billion devices, Apple has revealed. The virtual assistant, which will be used to control HomePod, has been attracting users at a rapid rate despite falling behind its competitors in features and accuracy.
Primary Data, an enterprise storage startup which employed Steve Wozniak as its chief scientist, appears to have shut down. At time of writing, the company’s Twitter and Facebook appear to be down, although its webpage is still working. Its operating status is described as “closed.”
Apple today offered fans a preview of a big iOS 11.3 update coming this spring.
Alongside 16 new Animoji characters for iPhone X owners, the update will bring big improvements to ARKit and Messages, the ability to view battery health on all iOS devices, music videos for Apple Music, and lots more.
Apple’s ARKit augmented reality platform just got better thanks to ARKit 1.5, which has rolled out to developers in beta.
The upgrade adds a big new feature to AR developers’ toolset: wall detection. Previous versions of ARKit only focused on horizontal plane detection, meaning that it only able to detect floors for objects to be placed onto. With the new upgrade, AR developers will now be able to add walls into the mix — for instance, creating a game in which you throw darts at a wall-mounted board.
Tim Cook talked up the audio quality of Apple’s HomePod smart speaker during a recent interview, while taking a shot at the competition.
“We think one thing that was missing from this market was a quality audio experience, a very immersive audio experience,” Cook said. “Music deserves that kind of quality as opposed to some kind of squeaky sound.”
The European Commission has fined Qualcomm 997 million euros ($1.2 billion) for abusing its market dominance in LTE baseband chipsets, supposedly paying Apple billions of dollars in order to secure their business and stop Apple buying chips from rivals.
Such practice is illegal under EU antitrust laws.
HomePod, the first new Apple product of 2018, is about to arrive. And as a huge Apple fanboy, I couldn’t care less.
Apple’s been hyping its smart speaker ever since unveiling the device last June at the Worldwide Developers Conference. And yet HomePod has failed to really excite fans (except through leaks that gave us early details about the iPhone X). Apple bills HomePod as a powerful speaker that packs Siri to take your listening experience to an all-new level. But with its Feb. 9 release just weeks away, HomePod is looking more like Apple’s next big bomb.
Apple pushed out a big batch of software updates this morning for iOS, tvOS, watchOS and macOS, bringing a host of bug fixes and performance improvements to all of its major platforms.
iOS 11.2.5 is the biggest of today’s software updates. The update for iPhones and iPads adds a couple new features, including support for Apple’s HomePod smart speaker, which opens for preorders this Friday.
Apple will cut key features from its upcoming 6.1-inch iPhone to reach a more affordable price tag, according to one reliable analyst.
The device, which is expected to look a lot like iPhone X, could cost as little as $700. But buyers will lose luxuries like a stainless steal frame, dual rear-facing cameras, and even 3D Touch.
The most popular consumer drone on the market just got a huge upgrade that gives it even more mass appeal for budding droners and video creators.
DJI unveiled its new folding drone, the Mavic Air, today. A blend of the company’s two most popular drones, the Mavic Pro and the Spark, it also packs new features you won’t find on DJI’s other drones.
Take a closer look:
After confirming HomePod will finally make its debut on February 9 — with preorders starting this Friday — Apple has revealed new details about its hotly anticipated smart speaker.
Here’s what you need to know about HomePod gesture controls and more.
Apple is said to be preparing a new 13-inch MacBook for 2018 that will likely replace the MacBook Air as its most affordable notebook.
Suppliers are already manufacturing displays for the machine, which will reportedly make its debut in the second half of the year, according to industry sources.
Apple ramped up its lobbying spend in 2017, shelling out $7 million to battle many of the regulations and proposed new laws issued by the Trump administration.
Under Tim Cook, amount spent by Apple on lobbying efforts has more than doubled. However, while last year’s figure was a personal record for the company, it is less than many other big tech giants spent. During the same period, Google spent $18 million on lobbying efforts, while Amazon spent $12.8 million, and Facebook spent $11.5 million.
Apple today confirmed it will release its $349 HomePod on February 9.
Fans will be able to pre-order the smart speaker from the Apple online store this Friday, January 26 — but only in three regions.
Google’s excellent Gboard keyboard is now even better on iOS, thanks to a handy GIF creation tool. Users can make two kinds of animated images using their iPhone’s camera, then send their creations via their favorite messaging services.
Grid Autosport, the iOS “console-quality” AAA racing game, just got even better, courtesy of an update.
It adds additional control options, including better car handling for people playing the game with MFi controllers. It also lets you switch off haptic feedback, as well as fixing bugs and making a couple of additional tweaks.
Sources in Apple’s supply chain have spilled the beans on the company’s iPhone upgrade plans for 2018.
Corroborating claims from one reliable analyst, a new report reveals we will see three new iPhone models this year — each with a different display.
Despite seemingly dropping plans for a sapphire display for the iPhone, Apple continues to be haunted by its brief venture into manufacturing using the material.
In addition to Apple’s sapphire supplier GT Advanced Technologies going bankrupt several years back, this week Apple was handed a lawsuit by manufacturer Hebei Hengbo Fine Ceramic Material. The company claims to have fallen out with Apple over terms for a contract involving high purity alumina melt stock, a material used as part of the sapphire process.
Tim Cook sure racks up the air miles! This week, Apple’s CEO visited Canada, where he made a surprise appearance at a downtown Toronto Apple Store, and took in a Maple Leafs game for good measure.
Incredibly, this is Cook’s first ever visit to Canada since assuming the role of Apple CEO back in August 2011.
Getting around the 175 acres of Apple Park has been made a little bit easier for employees thanks to a fleet of new bicycles on the new Apple campus. And in true Apple fashion, the design of the bikes is very minimalist.
Video of the all-chrome bicycles surfaced online this week after someone visited Apple’s campus. Over 1,000 of the shiny bikes can be found on campus with 2,000 parking spots.
Here’s what the bikes look like.
Apple is offering musicians an analytics dashboard through Apple Music for Artists. The new tool provides insight into the listening habits of fans, highlighting the number of track plays, song purchases, and more dating back to when Apple Music launched in June 2015.
Disney is bringing in an Apple veteran to help build its streaming service that will ultimately take on Netflix and maybe even Apple.
Kevin Swint, a former Apple employee that was in charge of the company’s worldwide iTunes movie business, was recently hired by Disney to help the company embrace streaming.
Apple’s HomePod speaker has once again leaked new information about its self ahead of its launch, including how you’ll manage its settings once you finally get one.
Screenshots from HomePod testers in France have leaked out online showing the different settings options you’ll be able to choose from in the HomePod iOS app.