How to Add or Remove AutoFill Credit Cards on iPhone and macOS

Apart from keeping Safari usernames and passwords up-to-date across all of your connected devices, iCloud Keychain can also store your credit card information for a faster check out process when making purchases online.

When it comes to storing your credit card information, iCloud Keychain will just save the card number and its expiration date. For security reasons, it doesn’t store your card’s security code (CCV2), which has to be entered manually by yourself every time you want to make an online purchase.

When you store your credit card information in iCloud Keychain, Safari will automatically fill the information when making purchases online. Here’s how you can add credit card information to iCloud Keychain or remove it manually on your Mac. If you’d prefer to make these changes on your iPhone, find iOS instructions at the bottom of this page.

How to Add Credit Card Information to Safari on macOS

1. Open Safari on Mac.
2. Click on Safari in the menu bar at the top of your screen.
3. Choose Preferences.
   
4. Click on the AutoFill tab.
   
5. Tick the Credit cards checkbox and then click Edit.
   
6. Click on Add.
7. Enter your credit card information such as the card number, cardholder name, and expiration date. Make sure to add a name for the card in the Description field like “Joint Checking” or “Personal Debit Card.” This will come in handy later when making purchases.
   
8. Click on the Done button to save the new credit card.

Now when you attempt to make an online purchase, Safari will prompt to fill the credit card information automatically. The CCV2 (security code) has to be entered manually.

How to Remove a Credit Card from Safari on macOS

1. Open Safari on Mac.
2. Click on Safari in the menu bar at the top of your screen.
3. Choose Preferences.
4. Click on the AutoFill tab.
5. Click on the Edit button next to Credit cards.
6. Select the card you wish to remove and then click on the Remove button.
7. Click on Done.

That’s it. The selected credit card is now removed from your iCloud Keychain and Safari will no longer fill its information automatically during an online purchase. The changes that you make to iCloud Keychain will be synced automatically across all the connected Apple devices.

How to Manage AutoFill Credit Cards on iPhone

1. Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
2. Find and tap Safari within the list.
3. Tap AutoFill.
4. Tap Saved Credit Cards.
5. Enter your password or use Touch ID to continue.
6. Select Add Credit Card to add a new one, or select Edit in the top right corner to delete an old one.

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How to Cancel Your Apple Music Subscription

Apple Music is a music streaming service that allows users to stream any song to their iOS device as well as create a playlist of their favorite songs or listen to existing curated playlists.

When you use Apple Music for the first time, you’ll be provided with a free three-month trial, after which your credit card will be charged automatically on a monthly basis. Given the number of music streaming services available today, this free trial provides you an opportunity to decide which service to go with.

If you prefer to manually renew your subscription, or no longer wish to use Apple Music, then you can easily cancel your subscription at any time. Here’s how to cancel your Apple Music subscription on iOS or macOS

How to Cancel Your Apple Music Subscription on iPhone or iPad

1. Open the iTunes app on your iOS device.
2. Scroll to the bottom and tap on your Apple ID.
   
3. Choose View Apple ID.
4. Enter your Apple ID password when prompted or use Touch ID.
5. Tap on Subscriptions.
   
6. Here you’ll view a list of all the active and expired subscriptions tied to your Apple ID. Find and select Apple Music from the list.
7. Tap on Cancel Subscription.

How to Cancel Your Apple Music Subscription on macOS

1. Open iTunes on your Mac.
2. Go to Music and open the Store section.
   
3. Click on Account from the links section in the right side.
   
4. Under Settings, click on the Manage button next to Subscriptions.
5. Find Apple Music from the list and click on Edit.
6. Click on Cancel Subscription located at the bottom of the page.
7. Click on Done.

That’s it! Your Apple Music subscription is now cancelled and your credit card won’t be charged on a monthly basis anymore. If you were on a free trial, you’ll continue to have access to Apple Music until the trial period ends.

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How to Use the New Find My AirPods Feature in iOS 10.3

iOS 10.3 introduces a new feature called ‘Find My AirPods’ which is part of the Find My iPhone app. It allows you to easily locate your paired AirPods in case you lose them. If your AirPods are turned on and connected to your iPhone, then you can use the app to pinpoint their location and even play a sound.

Find My AirPods is most effective when your AirPods are turned on and connected to an iOS device so that it can show the most accurate location. When there’s no connection, such as when it runs out of battery or is too far from your iPhone, then Find My AirPods will display the last known location of your AirPods.

Here’s how you can locate the location of your lost AirPods and get them to play a sound using Find My AirPods.

How to Locate Your Lost Apple AirPods Using Find My AirPods 

1. Open the Find My iPhone app on your iPhone. If you don’t have it, download the app from the App Store.
2. Next, log into your account using your Apple ID and password.
3. Here you’ll view a list of all your connected iOS devices. Locate your AirPods from the list and tap on it.
4. The last known location of your paired AirPods will be shown on the map. If it is circled in grey, then it means that they are no longer connected to any of your iOS devices.
5. Now that you can view the most recent location of your AirPods, there are two things you can do:

Go to that location: Tap on the Actions button at the bottom and then tap on the car icon to get directions to where your AirPods are located.

Play a sound: To make your AirPods play a sound, tap on the Actions button at the bottom of the screen and then press ‘Play Sound’. If the AirPods icon is circled in green, then your AirPods will immediately play a sound. If the AirPods icon is circled in grey, then it will play a sound as soon as it connects to a paired iOS device.

That’s all you need to do to locate your pair of Apple AirPods. It’s worth noting that the location will be most accurate when it is connected to a paired iOS device. If not, Find My AirPods will show the last known location of your AirPods, which may or may not be accurate.

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NSA Pledges to Stop Illegally Collecting American Emails, Text Messages

The National Security Agency is putting a stop to one of its most controversial practices: the collection of American emails and text messages.

The NSA, the country’s primary intelligence agency, has historically had the authority to monitor communication sent from American citizens that mention foreign individuals targeted for surveillance by the agency — which resulted in warrantless searches. Now, the NSA is apparently rethinking its policy on the matter, and will stop spying on communications that are solely “about” an intelligence target. The agency will continue to monitor U.S. citizens who are actually in direct contact with foreign intelligence targets, the NSA wrote in a statement.

While supporters say this type of wiretapping is critical to national security, privacy advocates and other critics of the practice have long called it as a violation of the Fourth Amendment, according to The Atlantic. One of the issues being that the government intercepted communications based on what was contained within, rather than who sent or received the message. Not only that, but due to certain technically difficulties, the NSA has actually been illegally searching American communications without a warrant, the New York Times reported.

The NSA has been trying to adhere to a 2011 Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court ruling that deemed such “about” communications unlawful. Reportedly, some internet companies bundle together emails for packaging and processing — meaning that if one email contained information about a surveillance target, the NSA would sweep up the entire bundle. This, the court decided, resulted in illegal warrantless searches. The FISC allowed these searches to continue, but with special rules that the agency has had trouble adhering to, Engadget reported. Due to this, the FISC delayed reauthorizing the broader surveillance program until the NSA halted its “about” collection practices entirely.

In addition to halting the collection of American communications that solely mention intelligence targets, the NSA said it will “delete the vast majority” of previously collected data and communications “as soon as practicable.”

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Apple Terminates Royalties to Qualcomm as Legal Battle Intensifies

Amidst the backdrop of a long, contentious, and ongoing legal battle between the iPhone-maker and its primary modem supplier, Qualcomm, Apple has allegedly decided that it will stop paying royalties to the San Diego, California-based modem-maker, altogether — at least until a court intervenes and the disputes between them are resolved.

The decision comes just weeks after the most recent in an evolving spat of lawsuits was fired off, which was essentially a countersuit from Qualcomm alleging that Apple lied to various government bodies and supply chain partners in an effort to smear the chip-maker’s image.

It all started out earlier this year, though, when Apple — backed by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission — filed a joint suit against Qualcomm’s supposed monopolistic business practices in the global supply chain. That lawsuit was closely followed by yet another, multi-million dollar lawsuit against Qualcomm in Beijing, China, allegedly over the same monopolistic tendencies.

Again, at the beginning of March, Apple filed another case against Qualcomm in the United Kingdom, allegedly related to the chip-maker’s “patents and designs,” however, rather than its quote-unquote “monopolistic business practices.” Unwilling to go down without a fight, Qualcomm then filed an exhaustive countersuit against Apple earlier this month, alleging that the Cupertino-company lied to a number of international government officials, while simultaneously spreading false narratives about the efficiency and quality of Qualcomm-manufactured chips — LTE-based modem chips, specifically, which are used in almost every smartphone/mobile device capable of connecting to the web.

Qualcomm has now issued a follow-up statement confirming that Apple no longer intends to pay out royalty payments at all, beginning Q1 2017, indicating that “Apple will continue this behavior until its dispute with Qualcomm is resolved.”

Furthermore, amid this ferocious, cat-and-mouse-style courtroom brawl, Qualcomm has updated its earnings guidance for the remainder of 2017 to reflect lost revenue as a result of Apple’s decision to stop paying royalties. Since Qualcomm’s business is largely reliant on the royalty payments from its various OEM manufacturing partners, the company is expected to see a loss of around $500 million through the fiscal 3rd quarter. As such, Qualcomm released a report in which it adjusted its financial guidance through the 3rd quarter of 2017, downgrading previous estimates of between $5.3 and $6.1 billion revenue, to a modestly lower range of $4.8 to $5.6 billion, according to Axios.

“Apple is improperly interfering with Qualcomm’s long-standing agreements with Qualcomm’s licensees,” said Qualcomm’s Executive Vice President and General Counsel, Don Rosenberg, who added that “While Apple has acknowledged that payment is owed for the use of Qualcomm’s valuable intellectual property, it nevertheless continues to interfere with our contracts. Apple has now unilaterally declared the contract terms unacceptable.”

Apple, meanwhile, issued a statement in which it confirmed its intent to stop paying royalties to Qualcomm for those same reasons. “We’ve been trying to reach a licensing agreement with Qualcomm for more than five years but they have refused to negotiate fair terms,” an Apple spokesperson said, while adding that “Without an agreed-upon rate to determine how much is owed, we have suspended payments until the correct amount can be determined by the court. As we’ve said before, Qualcomm’s demands are unreasonable and they have been charging higher rates based on our innovation, not their own.”

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‘Sheeple’ Added to Dictionary at Apple Fans’ Expense

Merriam-Webster has added the word “sheeple” to its online dictionary — and Apple fans are used as an example of the word.

On April 27, Merriam-Webster tweeted about the addition — and added the caption “Wake up!” At first glance, the tweet doesn’t really include any potentially inflammatory remarks. Upon going to the definition itself, however, users will be greeted by two examples of the word used in a sentence. The first of the two is pretty bland — “James Nichols, who ran the family farm here, stamped dollar bills with red ink in protect against currency and told his neighbors that they were ‘sheeple’ for obeying authority like livestock.”

But the second example is much more interesting — it’s a 2015 quote by none other than CNN tech columnist Doug Criss. It reads: “Apple’s debuted a battery case for the juice-sucking iPhone — an ungainly lumpy case the sheeple will happily shell out $99 for,” the example reads, obviously critiquing the original version of Apple’s iPhone Smart Battery Case.

According to Merriam-Webster, the term “sheeple” dates back to 1945, and since, has been used mostly in a derogatory way. The online dictionary defines it specifically as “people who are docile, compliant, or easily influenced.” Merriam-Webster’s Twitter account is no stranger to snarky, underhanded comments and general throwing-of-shade — obviously the work of a clever social media manager or management team.

On the other hand, it’s pretty amazing to see how far Apple’s reputation has come. Lest we forget that Apple used to market itself as the subversive and rebellious choice (as in the famous 1984 ad, or the Lemmings commercial it release a year later). To go from that to a market dominator is a pretty impressive feat — and it may be a bit unfair to call Apple’s dominance the sole result of “sheeple” lining up to buy their products.

But what do you think? Are Apple fans sheeple, or does Apple truly deserve its standing as a top dog in tech?
Let us know in the comments.

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Apple Wants to Change California DMV Self-Driving Car Protocols

Apple reportedly sent a letter to the California Department of Motor Vehicles asking the agency to alter its requirements and protocols. Specifically, Apple is asking the DMV to “amend or clarify” certain aspects of its disengagement reporting requirements, definitions, and driver-less testing of autonomous vehicles. “Apple believes that public acceptance is essential to the advancement of automated vehicles,” the company wrote in the letter, which was first spotted by Reuters. “However, the current and proposed disengagement reporting requirements do not achieve this result.”

Disengagement is defined as any time a human driver must take over operations of an autonomous vehicle — and the DMV currently requires companies to report disengagement for a variety of reasons. Apple wants the agency to amend this, and require a report only when a driver takes over to present a crash or traffic violation. Presumably, the company is worried about negative media coverage of disengagements causing public concern or confusion.

The company also asked the DMV to remove a portion of its protocol that requires companies to describe incidents that could have occurred without a human driver in reports. Namely because “it requires speculation about future events that have not occurred,” Apple said in the letter. If the DMV decides to comply with Apple’s request letter, disengagement reports would obviously contain much less information than they currently do.

In addition to lobbying for those altered policies, Apple is also asking the DMV to remove some duplicate language in their protocols that currently excludes commercial vehicles from testing, as well as updating the required abilities of vehicles tested without safety drivers.

Apple was just recently granted a permit by the DMV that would allow them to begin testing their self-driving systems on open roads in California. Less than a week later, internal documents were leaked describing Apple’s automated systems and the Lexus EX450h SUVs they would be used in.

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Leaked iPhone 8 Case Might Prove Display-Embedded Touch ID Rumor

An image uploaded to Twitter this morning by user KK Sneak Leaks allegedly shows one of the first third-party external cases designed for Apple’s upcoming iPhone 8.

As you can see below, the candid shot is of what appears to be a crystal-clear hardshell housing designed for the 10th anniversary iPhone. If indeed that is that case (no pun intended), it would support previous rumors suggesting that Apple will introduce an innovative new form of front-mounted, glass-embedded Touch ID this year, which the iPhone-maker has supposedly been “working on” for several months now.

#iphone8 housing!!!! How about this? http://pic.twitter.com/9I62sFrPMu

— KK Sneak Leaks (@kksneakleaks) April 28, 2017

The most recent of these rumors suggested that Apple was testing various prototypes of an iPhone 8 — which could also be called iPhone Edition — boasting an edge-to-edge display, with super-thin 4mm bezels on every side, and Touch ID embedded underneath the display glass. Likewise, a recently leaked schematic shows that the iPhone 8 will more than likely ship with wireless charging capabilities, boasting a back chassis with no visible opening for a Touch ID module.

On the other hand, different schematics that also leaked recently appear to show the rear chassis of Apple’s iPhone 8 boasting a rather large, round cut-out that could presumably be a space for the Touch ID sensor to be repositioned to the rear of the device — a la Samsung’s gorgeous new Galaxy S8/S8+ plus duo. Adding fuel to the fire of a rear-mounted Touch ID reality are other recent rumors, too, which have suggested that Apple has encountered manufacturing issues with the glass-embedded Touch ID solution — and as a result, either the company will opt for a rear-mounted sensor similar to high-end Android devices, or the iPhone 8 could instead be delayed by several months while the company works to bring yield rates of under-the-glass Touch ID modules up to speed.

If indeed this photo is authentic, though, it would also lend credence to other rumors — namely in regards to a vertically-positioned dual-lens camera system on the back of device, which, though conceptually quirky and unconventional, would actually come to benefit users in the end by providing a richer photo-capturing experience when the device is used in landscape mode.

Still, there’s a chance that this case is not, in fact, the real deal. And At least until further notice, we highly recommend taking it with a heaping grain of salt. While it’s much more likely that Apple will merely delay the iPhone 8 until October or November, while possibly announcing it alongside the iPhone 7s and iPhone 7s Plus handsets this September, we can really only be sure of one thing at this point: Apple is definitely not likely to follow in the footsteps of Samsung or LG, with their rear-mounted fingerprint readers — but rather, will invest the time, capital, and whatever it takes to deliver a truly unique and innovative device to expectant users.

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‘Undetectable’ Mac Malware Can Spy on Encrypted Internet Traffic

Security researchers have discovered a new undetectable Mac malware plaguing all current versions of macOS and OS X, and it could be the first wide scale malicious attack solely targeting Mac users.

The newly discovered malware, subbed DOK, currently has zero detections on VirusTotal, is invisible to most antivirus products, and it’s signed with a valid Apple developer certificate, according to the Malware Research team at digital security firm CheckPoint. Once installed on a machine, DOK allows attackers nearly complete access to all of the computer’s communication — including encrypted data. It does so by redirecting the machine’s traffic through a proxy server on the dark web.

The malware is currently being distributed to unwitting victims via an email phishing campaign. Currently, it’s mostly targeting users in western Europe, but the researchers added that it’s the first large-scale malware attack directed almost entirely at macOS users. The phishing campaign reportedly asks users to review inconsistencies in their tax returns, tricking them into running a malicious ZIP file. Because it’s an authenticated piece of malware, it bypasses Apple’s Gatekeeper security feature — which normally blocks such files from running.

Once installed on a machine, the malware creates a pop-up window claiming that a security issue has been discovered, asking for the user’s password. Once they do, the malware gains full administrative access, giving it the ability to install additional malicious tools — namely, TOR and SOCAT. DOK then installs a new root certificate on the macOS system, allowing attackers to impersonate any website that the victim might attempt to browse.

The end result is that attackers are able to carry out a Man-In-The-Middle attack, allowing them to view and tamper with a victim’s traffic. Reportedly, once it’s done attacking a system and setting up proxies, the original DOK malware deletes itself, making it even harder to detect.

Reportedly, Apple can resolve the issue fairly easily by revoking the authenticated developer certificate that is being used by the malware’s creators, according to The Hacker News. Most Mac users probably believe that they are far less susceptible to malware attacks than PC machines — but this is increasingly becoming untrue. According to McAfee Labs, malware attacks toward macOS computers skyrocketed 744% last year.

In the meantime, it’s highly recommended that users avoid clicking links or downloading files in messages or emails from unknown sources. Finally, exercise extreme caution before inputting your system’s root password into any software — no matter how legitimate it looks.

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Leaker Claims Apple Is Finalizing an ‘Amazon Echo Competitor’

Apple is reportedly “finalizing” a design for an Amazon Echo competitor, a well-known Apple leaker said on Thursday.

The leaker, Sonny Dickson, said that he expects Apple’s Alexa competitor to be marketed as a “Siri/AirPlay device” that runs a variant of iOS, and will utilize some form of Apple’s proprietary Beats technology. Other than those small tidbits, Dickson didn’t mention anything else about the device — perhaps indicating that details are still scarce. We don’t know much about Dickson’s sources, but they have proved accurate in the past. For example, Dickson leaked information that iOS 10 would feature a “completely reworked lock screen” months ahead of its release.

Apple is currently finalising designs for their Alexa competitor, expected to be marketed as a Siri/AirPlay device.

— Sonny Dickson (@SonnyDickson) April 27, 2017

The leaker’s rumor does conflict with a previous report stating that Apple “has no apparent interest” in producing a direct Echo competitor. In February, Time Magazine reported that Apple was seeking to make Siri an “omnipresent AI assistant across devices,” rather than relying on a central hub the way Amazon’s Echo devices serve for Alexa. While not exactly a direct contradiction, it will be interesting to see how Apple markets its rumored competitor.

While Apple may have differing plans, 2017 is certainly turning out to be the year of the digital assistant. With stiff competition from the likes of Amazon, Google and even Samsung’s Bixby, Apple needs to be strategic with its advanced Siri upgrades to keep the digital assistant relevant. Most of Apple’s competitors have an edge in price range — Siri comes with expensive smartphones and tablets, whereas Amazon’s Echo Dot costs just $50 (which might make it more economical for, say, a hotel chain to use in “smart” rooms). If Apple does indeed release a cheaper central Siri hub, it could very well help to even out the home automation and digital assistant playing field.

It’s currently unknown when Apple could unveil or ship the actual device, but the company is expected to show off new products and tech at its Worldwide Developers Conference in early June.

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iOS 11 Will Bring Tons of New Video to Apple Music

With iTunes content sales on a rapid decline, Apple is hedging its bets on the company’s exclusive, two-year-old music streaming platform, Apple Music, in hopes of upping the ante on competitors like Spotify and Pandora when iOS 11 touches down later on this fall, according to a report published on Thursday by Bloomberg.

Specifically, what Apple hopes to do is take the vast library of artist tracks and albums already available to Apple Music subscribers, and blend in a heaping dose of Hollywood-inspired pop-culture — namely in the form of up to 10 original content series that will focus on the thriving app economy, and other captivating content that will effectively “turn Apple’s music-streaming service into a one-stop shop for pop culture,” according to the report.

In addition to video content including original series like will.i.am’s Planet of the Apps — a unique Shark Tank-style spin-off where app developers seek capital to get their titles in the hands of users, and a spin-off of James Corden’s popular celebrity sing-along, Carpool Karaoke, Apple Music chief Jimmy Iovine revealed to Bloomberg that the music streaming service, come iOS 11, will incorporate a slate of new video-centric features.

“A music service needs to be more than a bunch of songs and a few playlists,” Iovine said, while adding that “I’m trying to help Apple Music be an overall movement in popular culture, everything from unsigned bands to video. We have a lot of plans.”

Of course, while Apple Music’s penetration of video programming could ultimately prove to be an equally brief and costly endeavor, if Iovine succeeds in bringing his vision to the millions of monthly subscribers, Apple could ultimately increase its investment in the expansion of video-centric features — routinely competing for top projects, or recruiting top talent to produce original series all their own.

“We have the freedom, because it’s Apple, to make one show, three shows, see what works, see what doesn’t work until it feels good,” Iovine added.

Though Iovine’s optimism might suggest that sky is the limit, he was sure to admit that, at least for the time being, Apple will try to focus on music-related video content — with plans already in place to release the aforementioned original content exclusively to Apple Music subscribers by the end of the year. Iovine also admitted to speaking with executives from Warner Bros. Television, as well as famed Hollywood producer Brian Grazer and director J.J. Abrams about possible endeavors for the future.

Apple Music currently has about 20 million monthly subscribers, making it the second-most popular music streaming service behind the 50-million-strong Spotify. It’s highly likely that by expanding the service to incorporate original, compelling content, Apple could one day rise in the ranks to become the number one choice for content lovers.

“Apple Music is nowhere near complete in my head,” Iovine said.

 

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Apple Patent Hints iPhones Will Be Charged over Wi-Fi One Day

We reported early last year that Apple was collaborating with its Far East supply chain partners in an effort to develop some form of long-distance wireless charging technology, which would allow compatible devices to receive battery power without being connected to a power source via Lightning/USB. Though the concept, at the time, ultimately faced a number of challenges, such as figuring out how to reduce lost energy as the result of distance, itself, a recently publicized Apple patent appears to shed some additional light on the company’s ongoing efforts to revolutionize wireless charging as we know it.

Specifically, according to a U.S. Patent and Trademark filing made public on Thursday, Apple is investigating a variety of medium- and long-distance wireless changing technologies, which could one day allow iPhones, iPads, or other compatible devices to charge wirelessly via nothing more than a user’s in-home Wi-Fi router.

Dubbed “Wireless Charging and Communications Systems With Dual-Frequency Patch Antennas,” Apple’s patent details various methods by which power can be transferred to compatible electronic devices via the same frequencies commonly reserved for data communications equipment — such as a Wi-Fi router, or other “suitable wireless communications link.”

The patent notes how power could transfer over various frequencies, including “cellular links between 700 MHz and 2700 MHz,” or “Wi-Fi links operating between 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz.” Presumably to offset the complications of reduced energy flow over a wireless link, however, Apple’s patent appears to apply specifically to the 802.11ad Wi-Fi channels, which are currently being operated over the 60 GHz WiGig standard.

Apple’s design, like the majority of contact-based wireless charging solutions on the market today, requires the use of two antenna and wireless circuitry-equipped devices — including a compatible iPhone, for example, in addition to a receiver capable of omitting frequencies of various amplitudes. As a general rule of thumb, the higher the amplitude (MHz/GHz) of any given wireless system is an indication of the distance its capable of achieving.

As opposed to Apple’s existing wireless charging tech, such as the power-only inductive charging disc used in the Apple Watch, the company’s new invention deviates quite substantially by incorporating both components and circuitry to handle the delivery of power and communications with a distant source.

Unfortunately, while the patent clearly outlines the theoretical possibilities of transmitting power wirelessly via a communications link, it stops short of providing any specific details about how to implement the various beam-forming antennas that would enable the technology to be incorporated into a commercialized product.

Although Apple is widely expected to incorporate some form of wireless charging tech into this year’s iPhone 8, its highly unlikely that the frequency-based solution outlined in this patent will be developed by then — but it’s certainly nice to see Apple back at work trying to revolutionize the industry, nevertheless.

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Injured Student Aided By Apple Watch SOS After Car Crash

The Apple Watch is certainly a handy device for health and wellness, but in an emergency situation, Apple’s flagship wearable could very well save a life.

That’s a feature most of us probably hope never to test out, but one college student from Maryland experienced firsthand how the Apple Watch can help in an emergency. Casey Bennett, 22, was driving home from campus on April 6 when another vehicle struck his car — deploying the airbags. The Jeep Patriot Bennett was driving flipped over on its roof, leaving him hanging upside down from his seatbelt, and flinging his iPhone out of reach, according to local media.

 

 

Despite being disoriented by the crash, Bennett realized that he was wearing his Apple Watch. “I just pressed down this side button on here for six seconds and it called 911,” Bennett told ABC News. His Apple Watch was also programmed to send a text message to his emergency contacts with his location. Bennett reportedly spent the six minutes it took for first responders to arrive talking to 911 via his Watch.

When firefighters arrived, they helped him escape the car. His dad, who had been notified via the Apple Watch emergency texts, met him at the crash and rode with him to the hospital. Bennett suffered a bruise across his chest from the seatbelt he was wearing, and a bruise on his knee from the collision. But, two weeks later, he’s reportedly fine — and already driving around in a new car. After the event, he personally sent an email to Apple CEO Tim Cook, thanking him for the Apple Watch’s emergency feature. Cook responded, saying that he was glad Bennett was okay, according to ABC News.

Apple first introduced the emergency SOS feature in watchOS 3, letting users call 911 and notify their emergency contacts by holding down the Apple Watch’s side button for a few seconds.

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New ‘Echo Look’ Turns Amazon’s Alexa into a Personal Stylist

Amazon on Thursday announced a new addition to the Echo family of devices: a smart “style assistant” called the Echo Look. Essentially, the Echo Look is a mix between a camera, a digital assistant, and a “smart mirror” that integrates with your iPhone or iPad.

The Look can take full-length photos of your outfits hands-free — its built-in features can blur the background of your images, letting your outfits “pop.” You can also ask the Echo Look to take a 360-degree video of your outfit, letting you easily see yourself from all angles without craning your neck or use multiple mirrors.

The corresponding iOS companion app lets you stitch together these photos and videos into a personal style lookbook. You can browse photos of your various outfits and looks, which should save users the hassle of actually trying everything on. The app also lets you easily share your individual pictures or videos to various social media platforms — perfect for the aspiring or established fashion blogger alike.

What’s more, the Look comes pre-built with a feature called “Style Check” — which uses a mixture of fashion expert advice and machine learning to let you know which outfits or styles look best on you. The Look judges based on fit, color, styling and current style trends, and you can submit two photos to get a “second opinion” on which outfit is better. And, because it relies on machine learning algorithms, the Look gets smarter the more you use it. As with most Echo devices, the Look also has Alexa, letting you use it as a standard digital assistant. Via the Look’s voice commands, you can ask Alexa to set alarms, hear weather reports, play music, read you the latest headlines, or check the traffic on your commute.

Currently, the Echo Look, which retails for $199.99, is available by invitation only. Interested customers can request an invitation from the Look’s Amazon product page.

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Apple Is Still Working to Replace Venmo for Good

Apple has once again been flirting with the idea of launching its own Venmo-style digital payments platform, which would enable iPhone owners to send cash payments directly to other iPhone owners via a peer-to-peer interface, according to sources familiar with the company’s plans who spoke exclusively to Recode.

Apple has allegedly been having discussions with a number of payments industry partners, including Visa who also indicated that while no official launch window has been established as of yet, Apple could potentially announce the new service later on this year, or possibly sometime time in 2018, depending on various factors.

This wouldn’t be the first time that the rumor mill has floated an Apple-branded peer-to-peer payments service. Cupertino was granted a patent back in 2015, for instance, which could pave the way for an iMessage-based peer-to-peer payment platform, similar to how Venmo and SquareCash for iMessage function. However, that concept never took off, and we have not heard anything else about a service along those lines until now.

Possibility of an Apple Pay Visa Card

Sources also told Recode that Apple has sat down with Visa to discuss the plausibility of creating an Apple-Visa prepaid debit card, which would operate on the vast Visa debit card network that’s already in place, while being tied to the Cupertino-company’s own peer-to-peer service. For example, each registrant to the service would be given their own digital Visa debit card number, from which they would immediately be able to send or receive payments to or from other cardholders without waiting for the funds to clear.

An Apple-Visa solution along these lines would be great for college students and younger adults, for example, who may not have access to a traditional bank account but still want to have control of their finances from the convenience of their iPhones. In this way, parents would be able to send their students money, for instance, which would go straight to their digital debit account somewhat like PayPal.

But Apple Has Stiff Competition

It’s worth noting, however, that if Apple were to actually launch a peer-to-peer mobile payment system at this time, it would be competing with a rather large consortium of firms who’re already well established in the arena. These include the PayPal owned and operated subsidiary, Venmo, whose annual payment volume exceeded $17.6 billion last year, as well as similar offerings from commercial banking-giant’s — such as J.P. Morgan Chase’s ‘QuickPay’ service, which processed a whopping $28 billion in peer-to-peer transfers last year alone.

New entrants into the field, therefore, would face steep competition from well-established players like PayPal, SquareCash, and similar offerings from larger U.S. banking institutions; although an iPhone to iPhone service, if implemented intuitively, could still be a winner for Apple in the end, especially as we progress towards the “next-generation” of increasingly digital payment and personal finance solutions.

Both Apple and Visa declined to comment on this report, however Apple, in recent months, has tried to further penetrate the mobile payments space with Apple Pay. According to Piper Jaffray analyst, Gene Munster, Apple Pay processed as much as $36 billion in mobile payments last year, despite falling short of estimates. Still, most analysts remain hopeful about the future of Apple Pay, particularly on the web and via apps, seeing as how the service eliminates the need for users to manually enter their shipping and payment information every single time they go to make a purchase.

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Apple Releases Fifth iOS 10.3.2 Beta to Developers

Apple today seeded the fifth beta version of iOS 10.3.2 to registered developers, just a few days after seeding beta 4.

Cupertino doesn’t usually publish detailed release notes with the beta versions of its operating system updates, so details about what’s included in iOS 10.3.2 beta 5 are scarce. What we do know, however, is that it’s an incremental update, and carries mostly under-the-hood bug fixes and performance improvements — currently, there haven’t been any major outward-facing changes reported.

The final release of iOS 10.3.2 will likely turn out to be a modest patch to iOS 10.3, which itself was a major update that added a slew of new features like Find My AirPods, App Store review changes, and an optimized and updated Apple File System. As far as what’s included in today’s beta 5 release, the patch notes for iOS 10.3.2 are available at the bottom of this article, and they haven’t changed since previous beta versions.

The most interesting thing about iOS 10.3.2 beta 5 is how quickly it was released. It’s only been three days since the previous beta version was rolled out to developers on Monday — which is a quicker turnaround than Apple’s typical beta release timeline. It’s likely that Apple is working hard to iron out any and all bugs in iOS 10.3.2, however, since it may well be one of the last iOS update that 32-bit devices will be able to download. iOS 11, which will likely be unveiled at this year’s Worldwide Developers Conference in San Francisco, is expected to entirely cut off support for 32-bit apps and devices.

iOS 10.3.2 beta 5 is currently available to download for registered Apple developers. It can be downloaded through the Apple developer’s portal, or via an over-the-air update (provided that the proper configuration profile is installed).

Fixed in this Release

SiriKit

The new SiriKit car commands should now work as expected.

Notes and Known Issues

Managed and Shared Devices

The ability to update devices from a remote server is in development and may not yet work as expected. openURL When a third party application invokes openURL: on a tel://, facetime://, or facetime-audio:// URL, iOS displays a prompt and requires user confirmation before dialing.

SOS

SOS is only supported in India.

WebKit

Safari now supports the prefers-reduced-motion media query. This query allows a web developer to provide alternate page styles for users who are sensitive to large areas of motion. Users can change their preference for reduced motion in the Accessibility section of System Preferences.

The iOS 10.3 update removes support for SHA-1 signed certificates used for Transport Layer Security (TLS) in Safari and WebKit that are issued from a root Certification Authority (CA) included in the operating system default trust store. All other TLS connections will continue to support SHA-1 signed certificates until late 2017. SHA-1 signed root CA certificates, enterprisedistributed SHA-1 certificates, and user-installed SHA-1 certificates are not affected by this change.

openURL

When a third party application invokes openURL: on a tel://, facetime://, or facetime-audio:// URL, iOS displays a prompt and requires user confirmation before dialing.

Where to Update

The new beta versions of iOS 10.3.2, watchOS 3.2.2, tvOS 10.2.1 and macOS 10.12.5 are currently available to download for registered Apple developers. Additionally, macOS 10.12.5 and iOS 10.3.2 can both be downloaded by members of Apple’s public beta testing program. Apple doesn’t currently offer public beta testing for its watchOS and tvOS operating systems.

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How to Block a Number on iPhone

Receiving repeated phone calls from someone you don’t want to hear from is not only time consuming, but also emotionally draining. Luckily, Apple has made it extremely easy to block a phone number on iPhone, so you won’t hear from that dreaded person again.

How to Block a Phone Number on iPhone

1. From the Home screen, open the Phone application.
2. Tap the Recents tab.
3. Find the caller you’d like to block and tap the  information button.
4. Scroll down and tap Block this Caller.
5. Choose Block Contact. Note: The blocked caller will also be blocked from sending messages and FaceTime requests.

How to Unblock a Phone Number on iPhone

1. From the Home screen, open the Phone app.
2. Tap the Recents tab.
3. Find the phone number you’d like to unblock and tap the information symbol.
4. Scroll down and tap Unblock this Caller. The block will be successfully undone.

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How to Create a Parking Spot Reminder in Google Maps

Google Maps has added a pretty sweet feature to its iOS app: a parking spot marker for the forgetful among us. To label your parking spot once you’ve finished parking, do the following:

1. First, make sure your Google Maps app is up to date.
2. Fire up your Google Maps app and tap on the blue dot hovering over your position.
3. Find and tap the “Set as parking location” option from the menu that pops up.
4. Once you’ve set your pin, you can tap on it to access more details (e.g. photos and notes that you’ve left to help you remember your spot).

And now, you can even share your location with others. Just tap the blue dot hovering over your location, and select “Share your location.”

If you’ve connected your iPhone into your car via Bluetooth or USB, things get much simpler: Google Maps will piggyback on a feature baked into Apple Maps to automatically tag your location once you’ve disconnected your device.

Apple Maps, which launched back in 2012 with iOS 6, has had parking spot indicators for some time, but it looks like Google Maps has finally closed that little gap. In terms of traffic coverage and public transit directions, however, Google Maps has maintained a marked advantage.

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5 Highest Paying Jobs at Apple & How to Score One

From MacBooks to iPhones, Apple products are as ubiquitous these days as coffee shops and street signs — seen everywhere, widely used and heavily relied upon. With stock prices at a steady uptick, the success of Apple goods comes as no big surprise. But what’s it like inside the belly of the beast?

Any leadership team will tell you, one of the key components that either drives or belies the success of a company is its culture. And the culture at Apple is one of both innovation, and excellence in execution. To say that it can be a stressful work environment might be a bit of an understatement — but Apple employees seem to think it’s all worth it.

After all, with great effort usually comes great reward, and the perks of working at Apple are considerable.

Perks of Working for Apple

Hard Work = High Pay

The salaries at Apple are indicative of the level of expertise required of its employees — the average software engineer makes upwards of $75,000, while Apple software engineers earn $100,000 or higher.

Apple Product Discounts

Imagine slashing a generous percentage off the price of the (usually pretty costly) Apple products we know and love. Apple employees love employee discounts, and for good reason. According to GlassDoor, “Each year, employees can get a 25% discount on an iPod, iPad, or computer. Most Apple software can be purchased at a 50% discount, and AppleCare comes with a 25% discount. After 90 days on the job, employees can choose either $500 off the price of a Mac (excluding the Mini) or $250 off an iPad [this offer can be repeated every 3 years].”

Mature Work Environment

With most employees in their 30s and 40s, employees at Apple are seasoned experts.

Work with Top Talent

It might sound obvious, but the people who work at Apple are really, really smart. Who doesn’t love working with a team of all-around greats? That in turn fosters a community that’s supportive, welcoming and open.

Special Company Festivals

All work and no play doesn’t get you anywhere — so Apple hosts private, special events for its employees, including beer bashes and musical performances.

Apple Takes Care of Your Commute

Worried about getting home or being stuck in traffic? Apple provides stipends for commuters, and even a shuttle service from parts of the Bay Area to its main campus.

So, you’re convinced you want to start working at Apple? We can’t blame you. Check out the company’s top paying jobs below:

Highest Paying Jobs at Apple

5. Business Analyst

Job Description: How does Apple fine-tune its products to make its customers happy, time and time again? Business analysts at Apple are responsible for developing strong business partnerships, delivering solutions to enable deep analysis and executive decision-making. They’re also the team responsible for deep data profiling and analysis for insights — so that Apple’s holistic business plan is carried out to fidelity, every single time. And all those product updates that are released? Business analysis essentially helps determine when those happen — this is the team that steers business outcomes as we know them.

Average Salary: $92,000+

Pro Tip: Business analysts at Apple are (unsurprisingly) masters of manipulating data and comprehending big data. Pick up a training package like The Big Data Bundle and start leveraging tools like Hive, Hadoop, Python and more to write complex analytical queries and process and manage enormous amounts of data efficiently. Get it here for 93% off.

4. Project Manager

Job Description: Project managers at Apple have the hefty duty of managing the launch and development of products. Their responsibilities include managing customer expectations and bringing together various groups within Apple to provide secure infrastructure solutions. This can include hardware, services, and coordinating delivery, installation, and configuration, as well as budget planning.

Average Salary: $107,000+

Pro Tip: In order to be hired as a project manager, you’ll need to earn your CAPM and PMP certifications. Picking up this Project Management Professional (PMP)® Certification Training helps you land both, and includes 76+ courses and 35+ hours of training to learn both the soft and hard skills required to be an effective PMP. Get it here for 96% off.

3. Software Engineer

Job Description: How effective and efficient can you make a product? That’s what the job of an Apple software engineer, who needs to deliver innovative, low cost, reliable CI/CD solutions and automation in high priority/high risk areas. Software engineers need to know the full software development lifecycle, and be able to operate in a fast paced, highly technical role inside of an informal environment. Versatility and technical expertise is the name of the game.

Average Salary: $122,000+

Pro Tip: A comprehensive training like The Ultimate Learn to Code 2017 Bundle offers over 80 hours of education in fundamental programmatic languages: that includes Ruby on Rails, HTML5, CSS3, Javascript and more. You’ll learn how to develop applications and websites from the ground up — and it gets you one step closer to gaining the knowledge you need for an engineering position at Apple. Get it here for 95% off.

2. Database Administrator

Job Description: Database admins at Apple serve the integral role of supporting their engineers as a direct line: they improve product development efficiency, help support data management to improve the designs we see and implement new product changes. Database administrators at Apple are the people who help everything flow smoothly:  providing the high performance computing resources, storage systems, web and file collaboration services, tools, licenses, databases and workflow optimization that Apple requires.

Average Salary: $125,000+

Pro Tip: In short, you need to understand how to build a database and analyze its interworking from the ground up, and this Database Administration Super Bundle gives you the foundation to work within a data driven business environment. You’ll learn how to wrangle in unstructured, messy and unpredictable data with tools like NoSQL, MySQL and more. Get it here for 97% off.

1. Industrial Designer

Job Description: Ah, the world of product: it’s Apple’s bread and butter, so product designers are instrumental to the success of the company. Candidates all possess a specific blend of interaction design, visual design and prototyping skills. That means a blend of technical skills — for example, desktop application design, mastery of OS X and iOS — as well as excellent team building skills, including outstanding collaboration and communication capabilities.

Average Salary: $179,000+

Have what it takes to work for Apple? You can search for job opportunities through Apple’s career web portal, here.

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Man Charged with Murder After Wife’s Fitbit Contradicted His Story

A Hartford, Connecticut man is being charged with murdering his wife after her Fitbit contradicted his version of the events.

Richard Dabate, 40, allegedly told investigators that his wife, Connie, was shot to death by a masked intruder on Dec. 23, 2015. According to Dabate, he had briefly returned home to retrieve a forgotten laptop that morning and found an intruder in a “camouflaged suit with a mask.” Just then, he said he heard his wife come home from a local fitness class and yelled for her to run. The intruder then shot and killed his wife with a pistol he had bought a few months prior. After struggling with the man, Dabate said he was able to scare him off.

Since then, authorities obtained search warrants for Connie and Richard’s various electronic devices — among them Connie’s Fitbit, which she was wearing for her fitness class that morning. Rather than confirming Richard Dabate’s version of the events, Connie’s wearable fitness tracker told another story entirely: that she was still moving around more than an hour after her husband claimed she was killed, according to the BBC.

Investigators found other evidence that suggested Richard’s story was false — Connie was shot with Richard’s own firearm, and police dogs picked up no scent of a third person at the scene. While Dabate said he tussled with the intruder before being subdued, investigators found no evidence of a struggle or forced entry into the house.

Richard Dabate was reportedly in an extramarital relationship with another woman who was pregnant with his child, which authorities peg as motivation for the murder. According to the Hartford Courant, Dabate tried to cash in on Connie’s life insurance policy five days after she was killed — which the insurance company denied.

Debate is being charged with felony murder, tampering with evidence, and providing a false statement to police. He is currently not in custody, having posted bail of $1 million. He is expected to enter a plea during his next court appearance on April 27, according to local media.

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Pushing These Two Buttons Simultaneously Will Freeze Your iPhone

A recently discovered iOS bug will cause your device to freeze up when certain functions in Control Center are activated at the same time, ultimately requiring that you do a manual hard reset of your iPhone or iPad in order to get back up and running. The bug was first discovered by Italian tech blog, AmiciApple, and appears to affect most versions of iOS 10.3, including 10.3.1 and the recently released iOS 10.3.2 beta.

When a user running iOS 10.3 or later, pulls up the Control Center menu by swiping up from the bottom of their display, and presses both the AirDrop and Calculator options at exactly the same time, the device will freeze. And no matter how hard you tap anywhere on the screen, you won’t be able to get your way out of it.

What you’ll have to do in order to get your iPhone or iPad back up and running smoothly, is manually carry out a hard reset of the device.

[DISCLAIMER: When I caught wind of the bug early this morning, out of sheer curiosity I decided to give it a try on my iPhone 6s Plus running iOS 10.3.1. It’s the strangest thing I’ve ever seen, to be sure, and though the odds of ever pressing both the AirDrop and Calculator icons simultaneously are slim to none, you can never be too sure where your fingers are going fall, right? Therefore, just in case you ever wind up getting yourself into this mess — either on accident or, like myself, out of unabashedly naive curiosity — here are the steps on how to hard reset your iOS device from the frozen state it will be in]

How to Hard Reset Your iPhone or iPad

1. Holding the device with both hands, firmly press down on the home button AND the sleep-wake/power buttons at the same time. If you own an iPhone 7, follow these steps to hard reset your device.
2. Keep holding both buttons firmly until you see your device go black and then boot back up again with the Apple logo. (Note: this whole process should take between 35 and 55 seconds, depending on several factors; so whatever you do, just don’t stop holding the home and sleep-wake/power buttons until you see the device boot back up with the Apple logo on the screen).
3. Enter your 4- or 6-digit passcode to regain access to your iOS home screen — Touch ID will be disabled, unfortunately, until you do.

Worth noting is that this bug isn’t an ‘iPhone killer’ — in other words, your device won’t become bricked if you somehow wind up falling victim to it. Rather, it merely appears to be quirky issue that wound up making its way into the script of iOS 10.3, and though Apple has yet to issue an official comment on the matter, we certainly hope the company will address this in a forthcoming software update.

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New iPhone 8 Schematic Shows Wireless Charging Pad, No Rear Touch ID

Currently, the biggest question surrounding this year’s flagship iPhone is whether or not Apple is moving the Touch ID sensor to the rear of the device. We’ve seen evidence on either side of that debate, so we’re not sure exactly what route Apple will take. But newly leaked schematics could suggest that Apple has decided against rear-mounted Touch ID.

The schematics, posted Wednesday on Twitter, allegedly depict the rear of the iPhone 8 (or iPhone Edition), and they back up previous claims of a vertically aligned camera lenses. Not only that, but a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor is nowhere to be found. The image was first shared on Twitter by Steve Hemmerstoffer of OnLeaks, a pretty credible leaker known for his information — though Hemmerstoffer admits that he received the schematic from a tipper, so he can’t verify its authenticity. If it is a genuine document, however, it was likely pulled from Apple’s vast supply chain.

This is a tipped leak what means I can't confirm if legit or not but there you have it… #iPhone8 http://pic.twitter.com/6OgASNUDNb

— OnLeaks (@OnLeaks) April 26, 2017

While we have previously reported on rear-mounted Touch ID rumors, it’s worth noting that Apple is said to be testing at least 10 different iPhone prototypes this year — so it’s certainly possible that multiple variations of its flagship, with differing Touch ID locations, are currently in existence. Among the most recent evidence is an image of an alleged Foxconn dummy that lacked a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor. Similarly, reports of the iPhone 8’s mass production being delayed to October or November could back up rumors of display-embedded Touch ID, since doing so has been Apple’s biggest design bottleneck.

Most interestingly, however, is that the Touch ID on the backplate of the schematic has been replaced with a large pad — presumably for wireless charging. Wireless charging has long been a rumored feature for this year’s flagship iPhone, and the placement of such a pad is indicative of an inductive charging solution. If the schematic turns out to be genuine, it could suggest that Apple has decided to embrace the Wireless Power Consortium’s Qi standard — or, at the very least, its own proprietary version of it. Apple has done so before on the Apple Watch, so it’s not really a stretch to think that it could do the same on the iPhone Edition.

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Is Apple Planning to Release an iPad Pro mini?

At this point, most Apple fans probably know that Cupertino has been planning to release three new tablets in 2017 — but there’s some admittedly conflicting evidence to suggest that a fourth tablet, specifically an iPad mini refresh with a Pro designation, is also in the works.

We first heard word of a possible iPad mini refresh in October of last year. Japanese publication Macotakara first reported that Apple was allegedly working on an iPad mini refresh, citing anonymous industry sources. Similarly, Greek site TechValue, speaking to a local retailer, suggested in March that an iPad Pro mini would be among the four tablets released this year. To add further fuel to that speculation, it was revealed early in March that Apple was testing four new iPad models in the San Francisco Bay Area, according to data pulled from Fiksu, a mobile marketing analysis company.

Of course, last month, Apple revealed the first of those tablets — the entry-level, 9.7-inch iPad — leaving many fans wondering when the other iPad models would finally drop. Those other models include a 12.9-inch iPad Pro 2 refresh, and a smaller iPad Pro rumored to be in a new 10.5-inch form factor. Rumors of those two iPads have been reported on many times, we’ve heard much, much less about an iPad Pro mini.

While details are scarce, it’s been suggested that the new iPad mini would come equipped with a True Tone display, 4GB of RAM, and a 12-megapixel camera.

It’s worth noting that an iPad  Pro mini would conflict with some existing supply chain reports, such as from Taiwanese publication DigiTimes, that Apple will only release three iPads this year. Interestingly, while several Apple blogs have suggested that DigiTimes reported a release date for the iPad Pro mini, the publication actually made no mention of such a device. If Apple does have an iPad mini refresh in the works, it’s likely that it’ll be released alongside the other two iPad Pro models. Referring back to that DigiTimes article, that could be as late as the second half of 2017. Either way, the mini is certainly due for a refresh: the current-model iPad mini 4 was released in September 2015.

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See Apple’s Incredible New Retail Store in Dubai

Boasting unobstructed views of the world’s tallest skyscraper, the Burj Khalifa, via a 180-foot wide, artistically designed carbon fiber array of motorized windows, Apple’s latest upscale retail store will be opening tomorrow, April 27th, 2017, at the swanky Dubai Mall in the United Arab Emirates.

Designed in collaborating with Foster + Partners — the same design team behind Cupertino’s brand-new Apple Park headquarters — the Dubai Mall Apple Store features an ever-changing array of 37.5-foot tall windows, overlain with super-strong carbon fiber panels that are capable of meticulously shifting orientation based on the fluctuations of external temperature in Dubai.

“To mitigate Dubai’s climate, Foster + Parters designed eighteen 37.5-foot-high motorized ‘Solar Wings’ that respond to the ever-changing environmental conditions,” the company wrote in its official press release about the grand-opening. “When the sun is at its hottest they cool the store, and in the evenings they open to welcome everyone to the public terrace. Inspired by the the traditional Arabic Mashrabiya, each ‘Solar Wing’ is locally fabricated from 340 carbon fiber reinforced polymer rods, and at 180 feet wide, the 18 panels make up one of the world’s largest kinetic art installations.”

These magnificent carbon fiber windows will also provide visitors an unobstructed view of one of Dubai’s greatest attractions: the Sama Dubai — a spectacular water fountain show that takes place every evening, and is conveniently located right below the Apple Store terrace at Dubai Mall.

Appropriately, Apple in its press release has invited visitors of the new location to enjoy the beautiful fountain array, which can be seen taking place in the first of two YouTube videos below. Also be sure to check out the second YouTube video, which gives us a glimpse of the Dubai Mall Apple Store, itself, and the surrounding area.

 

 

The company was sure to emphasize in its press release that the grand-opening of the Dubai Mall Apple Store is a way to draw more attention to its recently announced workshop series — dubbed Today at Apple — which will essentially embody a series of free education courses, focusing on a variety of topics including art, design, photography, and software coding, among other concepts.

“At the heart of every Apple Store is the drive to educate and inspire,” the company said, while adding that “Today at Apple will launch at Apple Dubai Mall and in all 495 Apple stores next month with new sessions across photo and video, music, coding, art and design, and more, led by highly-trained team members.”

The Dubai Mall Apple Store will also host a variety of high-profile events, many boasting live music, conversations with film-makers and photographers, and additional live workshops hosted by some of the world’s leading talent on the subject at hand.

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Thieves Steal $24K Worth of Devices from NorCal Apple Store

For the second time in less than six months, a group of thieves managed to bust their way into Apple’s upscale Corte Madera, California retail store location, making away with approximately $24,000 worth of products, including a total of 17 iPhones, three iPads, and two Mac computers, according to a report by ABC7 News.

Shortly after the location closed at 8:00 pm on Monday evening, authorities say a total of five burglars appearing to be in their late teens or early 20s filed into the store, located outdoors at the swanky Village at Corte Madera shopping center just north of San Francisco.

The burglars have yet to be apprehended, and so police are asking the public to call the Central Marin Police Authority if they have any information related to the crime. A security guard who was working on site reported last seeing the group running towards the rear end of Macy’s department store.

While there doesn’t appear to be any immediate link between them, the Monday evening robbery is actually the second instance in which the Corte Madera Apple Store has been broken into within the last few months. On November 25th, 2016, an unidentified group also made their way into the upscale location, ultimately making away with between $35,000 and $40,000 worth of products, according to ABC7 News.

Look at the empty counter at the Corte Madera Apple Store. Police say 5 thieves grabbed about $24k worth of products and took off last night http://pic.twitter.com/FSrkYSH32q

— Amy Hollyfield (@amyhollyfield) April 25, 2017

Apple Store locations have often been a prime target for burglaries, primarily in light of their sprawling display of expensive electronics — and the visibility of them, since Apple has a preference for implementing glass facades at the front of its retail locations. However it’s most often the outdoor storefronts that are affected, given their ease of access after hours.

Back in December, for example, a group of thieves plowed their SUV into Apple’s Palo Alto, California location, at whence between eight and ten burglars emerged from the vehicle and ransacked the store of essentially all products on display. In June of last year, another group — cleverly disguised as Apple Store employees — managed to make their way into the back room at Apple’s busy Brooklyn, NYC location, ultimately making away with 19 iPhones.

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Apple Pencil 2 and iPad Pro 2: Release Date, Rumors, Price, Compatibility, Images, and More

See our iPad Pro 2 and Apple Pencil 2 visualizations at the bottom of this page.

Apple’s iPad Pro hasn’t been refreshed in quite some time, leaving eager buyers wondering “When can I get my hands on Apple’s next generation iPad?” Most recent reports suggest that refreshed Apple iPads won’t be released until the second-half of 2017, and at that time, we might see three iPad Pro varieties.

iPad Pro Rumors

Ming-Chi Kuo, renown Apple analyst and credible source of insider information, indicated in a research note to investors that he expects Apple to introduce a total of three iPad models in 2017, including an all-new 10.5-inch iPad Pro with a nearly edge-to-edge display. While we might see a brand new 10.5-inch iPad Pro, Kuo indicates the other two iPad Pro models will feature relatively modest upgrades —maintaining both the physical and structural design of the company’s current generation iPad Pro devices. It’s also expected that Apple’s next-gen iPad Pro models will more than likely boast the company’s next-generation A10X chipset and 4GB of RAM across the lineup.

A second scenario could be that the new 10.5-inch iPad Pro will be a replacement for the iconic 9.7-inch iPad Pro.  There have even been reports speculating an all-new ‘iPad Pro mini’ will be replacing the iPad mini 4, which hasn’t been updated since 2015. Meaning, the three new iPad Pro variants could include a 7.9-inch iPad Pro mini, a 10.5-inch iPad Pro, and a 12.9-inch iPad Pro 2 in total.

iPad Pro 2 Release Date

Many sources with intimate knowledge of Apple’s supply chain have stated Apple’s new iPads are slated to be released in the second half of 2017. Based on this information we can safely estimate that the iPad Pro 2 will be announced at WWDC 2017 in June, and will be available to order online or purchase in-store in the weeks that follow.

iPad Pro 2 Price

Apple is expected to maintain its original iPad Pro pricing for the iPad Pro 2, and is estimated to retail for $799. If the 10.5-inch iPad Pro does become reality, we can expect it to be priced $100 lower, at $699.

Apple Pencil 2 Rumors

Apple will reportedly release an upgraded, second-generation version of the Apple Pencil alongside new iPad Pro models this year, according to rumors emanating from the company’s Chinese supply chain. The so-called “Apple Pencil 2” is expected to feature a magnetic system that will allow it to attach to the side of an iPad or iPad Pro — temporarily fixing the issue of where to keep the Pencil when it’s not in use, Letem Svetem Applem reported.

This report does line up with a patent Apple acquired in September. That patent covers a permanent magnetic system that could allow an Apple Pencil to attach to the side of an iPad, or for two iPads to be attached together. It has been rumored that the Apple Pencil 2 could be charged by the iPad it’s connected to magnetically, negating the awkward charging position posed by the first generation Apple Pencil.

Apple Pencil 2 Release Date

The Apple Pencil 2’s release date isn’t set in stone yet, however there has been much speculation that Apple could announce the Apple Pencil 2 alongside new iPad Pro models at WWDC 2017 in June.

Apple Pencil 2 Price

Apple traditionally keeps the price of its products consistent through refreshes, even though we’ve recently seen some dramatic price increases from the Apple TV, as well as the 2016 MacBook Pro, and we are even expecting a price increase for the iPhone 8. But we’ve also seen a reduction in price for products like the Apple Watch, who some claimed was priced too high at launch. The current generation Apple Pencil isn’t exactly cheap at $99, but we can expect Apple to maintain the price of the Apple Pencil 2, at $99, while reducing the first generation Apple Pencil to $59-$69.

iDrop News, Copyright 2017. Attribution required.

iDrop News, Copyright 2017. Attribution required.

Summary: Apple Pencil 2 and iPad Pro 2 Visualizations

• Apple Pencil 2 is now charged wirelessly via the iPad Pro 2 when it is attached magnetically.
• Apple Pencil 2 now features a soft rubber-like material designed for better grip and precision.
• iPad Pro 2 has a much wider, and slightly taller, nearly edge-to-edge display.
• iPad Pro 2 has thinner bezels around the display for a more aesthetically pleasing design.

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Apple Barred from Using ‘Remanufactured’ iPads as Warranty Replacements

A Dutch judge, ruling from the Subdistrict Court of Amsterdam, recently handed down a judgment mandating that Apple can no longer replace broken or malfunctioning iPad units, while they’re still covered under warranty, with those that have been “remanufactured,” but will have to supply a brand-new iPad instead.

According to Netherlands-based publication, Tweakers, the case originated back in 2015 when a woman who purchased a brand-new iPad Air 2 — and covered it with an AppleCare protection plan — began experiencing Wi-Fi issues within just four months of taking it home. In response, Apple allegedly supplied the plaintiff with a “remanufactured” iPad Air 2, which the company claims is a delicate process by which damaged products are reconstituted by “the same production and inspection procedures” as brand-new products.

Displeased with the company’s justification for replacing her brand-new, still under warranty iPad with a remanufactured iPad, the woman ultimately decided to take the company to court.

After hearing the case, the judge then decided in the woman’s favor, stating “a remanufactured version of the iPad is not enough.” More specifically, the judge suggested that the purchase state of the original iPad should be the basis for determining its replacement — in other words, that a brand-new iPad (if covered under warranty) should be replaced with a brand-new iPad, and a remanufactured iPad with a remanufactured iPad, alternatively.

“If a plaintiff had purchased a refurbished or replacement iPad, Apple may replace it with a refurbished or replacement copy,” the judge said, according to a translated version of the briefing that was recently published by de Rechtspraak. “But if the consumer, as in this case, purchased a new iPad, she is entitled to a new iPad as a replacement.”

Apple has sometimes used the terms to reflect a conceptual similarity, however the process of “refurbishing” is actually a bit different, and less invasive, than “remanufacturing.” Whereas the process of refurbishing a used product entails that it must go through a multi-point certification process, and is thoroughly examined before being reissued to customers in the general market at a lower price-point, the process of remanufacturing is actually a more rigorous, detailed process by which products are rebuilt — sometimes using new components — and must adhere to the same standards as a brand-new product before they are distributed.

Unfortunately for Apple, the company’s argument that a remanufactured device is just as good as a brand-new one, as was its stance in this case, hasn’t bode well. And not only was the woman ordered to be given a new iPad Air 2, but the judge ruled that Apple will have to pay her €100 ($109.25) for every day she had to wait for a sufficient replacement.

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Apple Hires NASA AR Expert for Future Product Development

Dr. Jeff Norris, who was formerly the head of Augmented and Virtual Reality (AR/VR) projects at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab, has recently been hired by Apple to help the Cupertino-company develop future products in the emerging field of AR/VR, according to a report published this week by Bloomberg.

Dr. Norris, according to his website, founded the Mission Operations Innovation Office at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab, where he was chiefly responsible for leading efforts to create new ways of controlling robots and spacecraft, utilizing a variety of AR/VR applications. He reportedly joined the team at NASA back in 1999, where he also facilitated a number of projects including the issuance of AR headsets to scientists on the ground in order to help them become familiar with the surface topography of Mars, as well as providing Microsoft HoloLens headsets to astronauts living in the International Space Station.

During his tenure at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Dr. Norris also helped develop the software that’s currently being used to control Mars exploration rovers from Earth.

Asking to remain anonymous since they were not authorized to speak openly about the company’s private hiring moves, sources who spoke to Bloomberg indicated that Dr. Norris joined Apple’s team earlier this year as a senior manager of Cupertino’s AR team, who’s supposedly working on a pair of AR glasses, as well as various AR/VR applications that could be implemented into future versions of the iPhone.

Apple’s desire to penetrate the blossoming field of AR/VR has been well documented, with CEO, Tim Cook, being particularly fired up about his company’s future in the AR/VR space. Not only is Apple rumored to be working on a pair of AR glasses, which could potentially be dubbed iGlass, but Cook has even likened the concept of AR to that of a smartphone, suggesting that it could one day become as much a part of our lives as eating.

Though the reality of an AR-infused Apple is somewhat far off, the company has previously expressed how it hopes to start delivering mass consumer AR products by as early as 2018, which would include various headsets, glasses, and perhaps a combination of software applications. Likewise, Apple’s currently in-progress self-driving car project, dubbed ‘Automated System’, could be largely dependent on some form of AR-based mapping solution.

Dr. Norris will be joining the ranks of other Apple hires from various industries, including Microsoft’s HoloLens team, Facebook’s recently acquired Oculus project, and elsewhere, to help bring Apple’s AR vision to life — we hope, sooner than later.

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