Business

Apple introduces 8th-gen iPad

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Apple:

Apple today introduced the eighth-generation iPad, featuring the powerful A12 Bionic chip that brings the Neural Engine to the entry iPad for the first time. Starting at just $329, the upgrade packs even more value into the most popular and affordable iPad, featuring a stunning 10.2-inch Retina display, advanced cameras, and great all-day battery life.

And:

The eighth-generation iPad with the A12 Bionic chip delivers a huge leap in performance, with 40 percent faster CPU performance and twice the graphics capability. This makes the new iPad up to two times faster than the top-selling Windows laptop, up to three times faster than the top-selling Android tablet and up to six times faster than the top-selling Chromebook. For the first time on iPad, A12 Bionic introduces the Neural Engine for next-level machine learning capabilities, including people occlusion and motion tracking in augmented reality (AR) apps, enhanced photo editing, Siri performance, and more.

Available to order now, availability beginning Friday.

Apple announces Apple Watch Series 6

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Apple:

Apple today announced Apple Watch Series 6, introducing a revolutionary Blood Oxygen feature that offers users even more insight into their overall wellness. Apple Watch Series 6 delivers many notable hardware improvements, including a faster S6 System in Package (SiP) and next-generation always-on altimeter, along with its most colorful lineup yet, featuring a beautiful palette of new case finishes and bands. watchOS 7 brings Family Setup, sleep tracking, automatic handwashing detection, new workout types, and the ability to curate and share watch faces, encouraging customers to be more active, stay connected, and better manage their health in new ways.

There was a ton packed into this part of the keynote. All the hardware mentioned above, plus Family Setup and Apple Fitness+.

Along with the hardware additions to Apple Watch, Apple has made some significant additions to the ecosystem, bringing in kids (think Apple Watch SE combined with Family Setup) and expanding their fitness base with Apple Fitness+.

As I mentioned in this tweet, I think Apple has just taken on Peloton, offering a range of moderated fitness classes, but instead of tying them to a bike or treadmill (Peloton’s model), they’ve tied the classes to the Apple Watch and Apple’s other hardware.

I think this rollout is significant. And the Apple bundle pricing seems very attractive. I am bullish here.

Apple introduces brand new, low cost Apple Watch SE

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Apple:

Apple today announced Apple Watch SE, packing the essential features of Apple Watch into a modern design customers love — all at a more affordable price. The largest and most advanced Retina display allows customers to easily see more details and the information that matters most, right on their wrist. Apple Watch SE features the same accelerometer, gyroscope, and always-on altimeter as Apple Watch Series 6, and with the latest motion sensors and microphone, it offers robust health and safety capabilities including fall detection, Emergency SOS, international emergency calling, and the Noise app.

With the introduction of Family Setup, this is a perfect watch for kids.

Apple Watch SE (GPS) starts at $279 and Apple Watch SE (GPS + Cellular) starts at $329.

It’ll be available to order later today, with availability this Friday.

Apple introduces Apple Watch Family Setup

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Apple:

Apple today announced Family Setup in watchOS 7, bringing the communication, health, fitness, and safety features of Apple Watch to kids and older family members of the household who do not have an iPhone. For the first time, Apple Watch can be set up through a parent’s iPhone, so kids can connect with family and friends through phone calls and Messages, stay motivated with personalized Activity goals, and express their creativity through custom Memoji.

This definitely addresses a hole in Apple’s offerings. I suspect this will help nudge parents to buy an Apple Watch for their kids.

Singapore and Apple partner on national health initiative using Apple Watch

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Apple:

The government of Singapore and Apple today announced their partnership on the health initiative LumiHealth, a personalized program to encourage healthy activity and behaviors using Apple Watch. The first-of-its-kind program was designed by Singapore’s Health Promotion Board in conjunction with Apple as part of the country’s Smart Nation initiative, a national effort to leverage technology to deliver benefits to its citizens and businesses.

And:

The LumiHealth app, designed with user privacy and security at its core, is available in the App Store for pre-order now, and the two-year program will be offered from late October 2020.

AirPods Pro firmware updated with spatial audio. Also, auto device switching for most AirPods

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John Voorhees, MacStories:

AirPods Pro firmware version 3A283 is currently rolling out to users with two new features: spatial audio and automatic device switching.

And:

Check the firmware version of your AirPods by connecting them to an iPhone or iPad and going to the Bluetooth section of the Settings app. Tap on the blue info button next to the entry for your AirPods, and scroll down to the Version number near the bottom of the view.

Or dive deep into Settings > General > About > [your AirPods Pro name]

Apple’s description of spatial audio:

Spatial audio with dynamic head tracking brings the movie theater experience right to your AirPods Pro.11 applying directional audio filters and subtly adjusting the frequencies each ear receives, spatial audio can place sounds virtually anywhere in space, creating an immersive surround sound experience. Using the gyroscope and accelerometer in your AirPods Pro and your iPhone, spatial audio tracks the motion of your head as well as your device, compares the motion data, and then remaps the sound field so that it stays anchored to your device even as your head moves.

Follow the headline post for John’s description of the spatial audio experience.

Also part of the update, for both 2nd gen AirPods and AirPods Pro is automatic device switching.

From Apple:

AirPods automatically switch between your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Mac, and Apple Watch paired to the same iCloud account, making it even easier to use your AirPods with your Apple devices.

This is the magic part for me. I’ve not tested this yet, but I’m hoping this applies to the Apple TV as well.

I often have my AirPods Pro connected to my iPhone, then turn on my Apple TV. I’d love if my AirPods switched over to the Apple TV without my having to do the long-press on the play button dance to connect them. I’d also love it if, when I shut my Apple TV, the connection returned to my iPhone.

Nintendo’s Mario creators reflect on the evolution of one gaming’s most iconic characters

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Washington Post:

Mario as a character first debuted with the name Jumpman in “Donkey Kong” in 1981. But Nintendo wanted a new hit game, and Miyamoto had ideas for an “athletic” focused game starring a “large character.” The first prototype of the first game didn’t include Mario, and didn’t even have a principle protagonist. It wasn’t until later that Mario was retrofitted as the lead character and named after the landlord of the company’s then-new Seattle warehouse location.

And:

It’s well known that even Miyamoto didn’t expect Mario’s popularity, but it wasn’t lost to him and his team that they were working on something new and exciting for the world. The first game’s prototype hero was a “rectangular sprite that was 16×42 pixels and basically only able to move and jump,” Tezuka said. But even played in that diminished state, the team was excited for the game’s promise.

And:

The Post interviewed, by email, four of the principle figures in Mario’s proud and enduring history: Shigeru Miyamoto, creator of Mario, Zelda and Nintendo representative director; Tezuka, assistant director for the first game and producer for several others; Yoshiaki Koizumi, director of “Super Mario Sunshine” and “Super Mario Galaxy”; and Kenta Motokura, character design for “Sunshine” and director of “Super Mario 3-D World” and “Super Mario Odyssey.”

Delicious read. Amazing how strong the Mario brand has remained, and grown, after all this time. Is there another video game character with as much worldwide recognition as Mario? I can think of a few that might be close (Pac-Man, Sonic, Link), but I’d pick Mario as the most recognizable of the bunch.

How Microsoft built its folding Surface Duo

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If you are at all intrigued by Microsoft’s new, folding, Surface Duo, this is a terrific read. Panos Panay, Microsoft’s chief product officer, talks through the path that took him past the failed Surface Mini concept to what ultimately shipped.

I’d absolutely love it if Apple regularly shared its thinking on product design and evolution.

Apple testing Apple Express, a store for online order pickup

Written by

Michael Steeber:

Apple Burlingame in Burlingame, California is the first location to pilot what Apple calls “Express,” a simplified version of the Apple Store experience that resembles a bank teller window. Apple has partitioned off the entryway to the store with a temporary wall, wood counters, and plexiglass shields to serve customers at. Two sets of shelving display popular accessories available to purchase.

And:

Customers with existing online orders can simply walk up to the counter and collect their purchase. Genius Bar appointments are served at a second counter. Only one customer per counter is allowed in the store’s entry, and walk-in shopping is not available at this time.

I do like the concept, especially once we get past COVID times. Similar to a restaurant that features a walk-up window (with its own line) for to-go orders.

Chinese regulators may block Nvidia’s $40b Arm buyout

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Global Times:

US semiconductor maker Nvidia said it will acquire UK-based computer chip designer Arm Holdings from SoftBank Group in a transaction worth $40 billion, a deal that could put the Chinese semiconductor industry at the risk of US control, Chinese analysts said.

The acquisition is likely to encounter roadblocks from China’s regulators, they added.

And:

“As part of Nvidia, Arm will continue to operate its open-licensing model while maintaining the global customer neutrality that has been foundational to its success,” the US firm said in a statement.

However, the “neutrality” is in serious doubt as Arm will become part of a US firm, which means the Trump administration could contain China’s growing chipset industry from the design side, following its crackdown on Huawei, Ma Jihua, a veteran telecom industry analyst, told the Global Times on Monday.

“The acquisition will affect the development path of China’s chipset industry as most of its products are based on Arm architecture,” said Ma.

Interesting.

Nope, you still can’t edit tweets: apparent test is just a bug

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For a brief, fleeting few hours last night, I had the glorious ability to edit my tweets.

Turned out it was a bug. Kinda fun, though.

Follow the headline link for Ben Lovejoy’s walkthrough on how this emerged, a video of the bug in action, and TwitterComm’s splash of cold water at the end.

Apple TV+ TinyWorld trailer

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Watch the trailer, embedded in the main Loop post. This looks great to me.

Narrated by Paul Rudd, Tiny World drops October 2nd.

“Counterfeit” AirPods seized by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the press release

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This is the press release from US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) announcing their latest seizure in the war against counterfeit goods.

Take a look at the image. It says “OnePlus Buds” on the packaging. Knockoffs, maybe, but genuine knockoffs, not counterfeits.

I like the OnePlus USA response to the whole seizure:

https://twitter.com/OnePlus_USA/status/1305366058501509121

Inside Apple’s green revolution: can it make a carbon neutral iPhone?

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Robert Leedham, British GQ:

In the past decade, Apple has transitioned its facilities to run entirely on renewable energy. In the past year, all of the iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple Watch devices it released have been partly made with recycled materials. These moves have won approval from the likes of Greenpeace, but Apple has always suggested that was never the endgame. “We set really big goals for ourselves,” explains Lisa Jackson, Apple’s vice president of environment, policy and social initiatives. “At one point we were even calling them crazy questions.”

And:

When Cook unveils the iPhone 12 to an empty arena in Cupertino, California, in the next few weeks, it is therefore sure to be its most ecofriendly smartphone ever.

And:

Environmental groups such as the Worldwide Wildlife Fund and Greenpeace see Apple as key to changing its industry. If sustainability is marketed as an iPhone feature that’s on par with its triple-lens camera or Super XDR Display, then consumers could well demand the same from their Samsung or Huawei handset.

And:

Committing to a 100 per cent renewable supply chain by 2030 is a huge undertaking. “It’s a really huge goal,” says Jackson. “Even saying it, I always get a little lump, because I know how much work is involved in doing it, but we have a very detailed plan.”

This effort might be the most important “impossible thing” Apple ever pulls off. Props to Lisa Jackson and her team.

This is a fantastic read, much more than the pull quotes above.

Epic claims Apple just reversed course on “Sign in with Apple”

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From the Epic “Sign in with Apple” FAQ:

Apple previously stated they would terminate “Sign In with Apple” support for Epic Games accounts after September 11, 2020, but today provided an indefinite extension.

And this Fortnite Tweet:

https://twitter.com/FortniteStatus/status/1304161432888643584

Did Apple reverse course here? Or is there more to this story? One likely result is Fortnite users switching from “Sign in with Apple” and moving to an email account-based login. Which gives Epic more user data.

iOS 14’s App Library: The FAQ

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Josh Centers, TidBITS:

An app was either on the Home screen, or it wasn’t on your iPhone. If you couldn’t find an app on a Home screen, a search was your only recourse.

The App Library changes that. All apps live in the App Library, and they can also appear on your Home screen. That means you no longer have to clutter your Home screen with apps that you want to keep installed but use infrequently. You can hide them away and keep only the apps you regularly use on your Home screens. In short, the App Library becomes “the truth” about where you can find any installed app.

This is a pretty major change from iOS 13. Worth reading, and worth noting that you won’t find this on iPadOS 14.

Losing your login when Epic Games loses “Sign in with Apple”

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Epic Games FAQ:

Apple will no longer allow users to sign into Epic Games accounts using “Sign In with Apple” as soon as September 11, 2020. If you have previously used “Sign In with Apple”, please update your Epic Games account email address and password immediately so that you can still login after September 11, 2020.

That’s tomorrow (Friday).

As much as it’s easy to say, this is all Epic’s fault, the issue remains that folks who signed up using Sign In with Apple are losing access to that privacy login mechanism, forced to jump through hoops to go to an alternative.

You might make the point that folks playing on other devices are not using Sign in with Apple. But, from Apple’s official SiwA support page:

Sign in with Apple is available with participating apps on Apple devices with the latest software—iOS 13 or later, iPadOS 13 or later, watchOS 6 or later, macOS Catalina 10.15 or later, and tvOS 13 or later—and with participating websites in Safari. You can also use Sign in with Apple with other web browsers and on other platforms, like Android or Windows.

So if folks bought into Sign in with Apple and use that sign-in across all their devices to get to an Epic game account, they still have no choice. According to Epic, they must move to an alternative login mechanism.

Google Maps for Apple Watch is now available on the App Store

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Abner Li, 9to5Google:

On the Apple Watch, Google Maps is focused on providing step-by-step directions, as well as estimated arrival times. The app’s primary screen shows your “Current trip,” while there’s a list of “Travel times” below. This includes Home, Work, and any other saved shortcuts/destinations.

To get the Google Maps app on your Apple Watch, just make sure you’ve got the latest update installed to the iPhone version of Google Maps. The Apple Watch app should just appear automagically.

One thing that’s kept me from using Google Maps when I’m driving, especially driving alone, is the lack of turn-by-turn on my wrist. Curious if the Google Maps app can take advantage of haptics and tap me to turn right or left as I approach the intersection, as my Apple Maps app does.

Gonna take this for a spin.

Apple’s AR Quick Look gallery

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Grab your iOS device, follow the headline link, and tap the various objects to bring them to life.

Note that you can drag and pinch-to-resize the objects after they’ve been placed. I played with the official Apple Event animation in this tweet. Works the same way.

AR is coming.

Apple doubles down in fight with Fortnite creator Epic Games, seeks damages for breach of contract

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Todd Haselton, CNBC:

Apple on Tuesday shot back in its legal battle with Fortnite creator Epic Games, filing a response and counterclaims alleging that the gaming company breached its contract with Apple and seeking an unspecified amount in damages.

Apple:

″Epic’s lawsuit is nothing more than a basic disagreement over money,” Apple said in a filing with the District Court for the Northern District of California. “Although Epic portrays itself as a modern corporate Robin Hood, in reality it is a multi-billion dollar enterprise that simply wants to pay nothing for the tremendous value it derives from the App Store.”

A gigantic conflict, with shots fired. Stepping outside the conflict itself, I do think a point being lost here is the value of apps to the App Store itself.

The App Store provides a marketplace, reasonably secure, with lots of infrastructure, including sophisticated payment mechanisms and the ability to reach a massive audience. Flawed, perhaps, but there’s no denying the App Store gives an indie app developer a way to reach a worldwide audience without reinventing the wheel.

But this is not a one way street. The apps in the App Store add huge value to Apple’s ecosystem. As a whole, the apps help sell Apple devices, all while feeding Apple’s services revenue.

To me, the real villain here is the shareholder requirement for a publicly traded company to grow or die. If Apple did not have that wolf at the door, they might be able to find more balance in their relationship with developers.

Another video walkthrough of Apple Marina Bay Sands, this one with a traditional Apple welcome

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[VIDEO] Yesterday, we posted a video walkthrough of Apple Marina Bay Sands.

This one (video embedded in main Loop post) is a bit different, with a traditional clapping Apple welcome, and some beautiful shots of the giant louvered blinds at work.

Can’t help but think how proud Steve would be of the latest and greatest Apple Stores. Bucket list.

Patent offers glimpse into huge improvement to “Find My” Apple device

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William Gallagher, AppleInsider:

You can already get your lost iPhone or iPad to play a sound through Find My, but Apple is researching how the devices can signal and relay locations to each other without audible beeps or tones.

And:

Even though the bleeping that Find My makes AirPods do is surprisingly loud, there’s only so loud it can possibly be from such a small device. Apple has plans for how this same system can be improved by cutting you out of the equation.

And:

“Locating wireless devices” is a new US Patent that describes how devices can use sound outside the range of human hearing.

Part of the issue with Find My is the granularity of the search. As is, it certainly can tell you if your device is in your house but, beyond that, it’s not that useful to pinpoint your iPhone amongst the clutter.

Sound works great to locate your iPhone, but as William points out, there’s only so loud your AirPods can get, especially if they’re buried behind a couch cushion, or under a couch.

An inaudible signal between devices might make this search much easier, using directional signals known as beamforming.

Meet Eyedrive, Apple’s system for building Maps and testing autonomous driving

Written by

Filipe Espósito, 9to5Mac:

Apple began collecting data using modified vans, but now field operators drive a white Subaru Impreza, which is internally known as “Ulysses.” These vehicles are part of Apple’s 3D Vision team, which is responsible for combining multiple data with computer vision and machine learning technologies to provide 3D images on Apple Maps.

And:

The other type of car is a self-driving Lexus used for Apple’s autonomous vehicle efforts, which has the code name “Tyche.”

This whole writeup is fascinating.

Interesting that this was all shared on Twitter. This done with permission?

Dave Grohl, I’m 10 years old and I challenge you to a drum-off!

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[VIDEO] This is just a great story. It starts with the video embedded in the main Loop post, then takes off from there. For the whole sequence, including all of Dave Grohl’s response videos, follow the headline link.

I love every bit of this.

Side note: That first Dave Grohl video is on Facebook and is what prompted this tweet, a showcase of how Apple/Catalina/Safari is protecting me from Facebook ad tracking.