Introduced at WWDC 2017 as part of iOS 11, Apple’s ARKit will provide the tools for developers to tap into the increasingly popular and important world of augmented reality. And now that the iOS 11 betas are in developers’ hands, we’re getting some amazing first looks at what AR on the iPhone and iPad will soon deliver. One of the coolest is AR Measure, a tape measuring app that is way cooler than it sounds. Check out the video demo, below.
Jim Tanous
Articles by Jim Tanous
Host a Remote YouTube Viewing Party With Uptime
The experimental app from Google’s Area 120 incubator is now free for all users on iOS.
Pearl Automation Reportedly Shutting Down After Poor Sales of $500 RearVision Backup Camera
The company, founded by three former Apple engineers, released the RearVision, its first product, just a year ago.
Former Apple Execs Discuss the Origins of the iPhone
As part of the iPhone’s 10th Anniversary this month, The Wall Street Journal has published a short video which looks at how this revolutionary device came to be. How the iPhone Was Born: Inside Stories of Missteps and Triumphs features interviews with three Apple employees key to the device’s development: Tony Fadell, Greg Christie, and Scott Forstall. Topics include how Apple originally envisioned the iPhone, the range of initial prototype designs, and what it was like to work under pressure from Steve Jobs.
Google Will Finally Stop Scanning Your Emails to Personalize Gmail Ads
This doesn’t mean that ads are going away, just that Google promises not to use the contents of your emails to come up with personalized ad ideas.
Go Wireless or Go Home: Apple Discontinues Wired Keyboard with Numeric Keypad
Those looking for an official Apple keyboard with numeric keypad can now shell out $129 on the new wireless model, or try to pick up the old wired model from third-party retailers before supplies run out.
Off the Tracks: A Final Cut Pro X Documentary
Are you a fan of Apple’s Final Cut Pro? Or curious about the controversial history of the Final Cut Pro X update? Check out Off the Tracks, a Final Cut Pro X documentary that just hit its crowdfunding goal on Kickstarter. The documentary features interviews with key industry figures and filmmakers, including Randy Ubillos, the creator of Final Cut Pro and iMovie. The documentary won’t be completed until early next year, but you can reserve an early copy for a pledge of $25.
2017 McAfee Threat Report Shows Spike in Mac Malware
Mac malware is up in 2017, but you won’t believe how bad it is on Windows.
3D Touch Multitasking Currently Missing From iOS 11 Betas
Apple’s motivation for removing the handy feature, as well as the permanence of the its absence, are unknown. But, hey, it’s a beta.
Chicago's New Apple Store Lets You Get Your MacBook Fixed Inside a MacBook
If there’s one thing about Apple Stores that everyone can agree on, it’s that they certainly stand out, and it looks like Apple isn’t aiming to change that reputation any time soon. The company’s upcoming flagship store in Chicago is being constructed with glass walls all around and a carbon fiber roof. But this week, the construction crew deviated from the original design plans and added a white Apple Logo to the center of the roof, making the store look like a giant MacBook. Check out the video of the store’s construction from DNAinfo.
High Sierra Firmware Points to Skylake Xeons, Touch ID for iMac Pro
The High Sierra firmware also indicates support for Intel’s “Basin Falls” processors, which are high-end desktop CPUs that could power future non-Pro iMacs and Mac minis.
Indoor Maps for the Apple Maps App Starting to Appear in iOS 11 Beta
Only a few airports and malls are currently supported, but Apple will be adding more as the public release of iOS 11 approaches.
Apple Watch Pride Edition Band Proceeds To Be Shared With LGBTQ Groups
Apple released the Pride Edition band earlier this month, but clarified this week that some of the proceeds will go to groups supporting the LGBTQ cause.
Apple Removing Hundreds of Thousands of "Problematic" Apps From the App Store
Apple has an incentive to get the junk out of the App Store before the revamped App Store experience launches with iOS 11 later this year.
Apple Wants to Pay Record Labels a Smaller Share of Apple Music Revenue
The music industry may actually be fine with a reduced cut as long as Apple can keep adding Apple Music subscribers.
Reader Demographics, Third-Party Ads Now Available to Apple News Publishers
Apple’s dedication to user privacy and experience means that these new Apple News features come with big caveats for publishers.
Well This is Awkward: Uber Tips Coming to a City Near You
Riders will have the option to add a tip after they rate their driver, for up to 30 days after the trip.
Tim Cook Falls 45 Spots in Annual Employee Ranking of CEOs
The CEOs of Google, Microsoft, and Facebook rank higher, but the vast majority of Apple employees still approve of Cook’s leadership.
Outlook 2016 for Mac Gets Four Highly Requested New Features
New features include the ability to schedule email delivery, request read receipts, and easily create calendar events from email messages.
The Secret History of the iPhone Isn't So Secret Anymore
The highly anticipated and controversial new book about the development of the iPhone, The One Device: The Secret History of the iPhone, is now available. Initial reviews reveal that the book isn’t the “complete” history of the iPhone that most were expecting, but that it does provide a number of new stories and insights about the inner workings of Apple and the relationships between the company’s executives and its partners during this crucial time in Apple’s history. Early press excerpts from the book caused some controversy, and its release was timed perfectly with last night’s interview with ex-iOS chief Scott Forstall. Check it out now at Amazon, or download the Kindle or iBooks versions to start reading right away.
AppleCare+ for Mac: Accidental Damage Protection for a Price
You no longer need to lie to the Genius Bar!
Apple Giveth, Amazon Taketh Away: Say Goodbye to Unlimited Amazon Drive Storage
Amazon’s change of heart on unlimited data closely mirrors that of Microsoft, which also ditched unlimited storage for OneDrive just one year after initially offering it as a perk for Office 365 subscribers.
DirecTV Now Dropping Support for Safari, Going Chrome Only Starting July 1st
The switch away from Safari for DirecTV Now comes just as Apple is touting significant performance increases for the browser as part of the upcoming macOS High Sierra update.
The New 2017 iMac: Notes & Tidbits on RAM
We broke down Apple’s perplexing iMac RAM upgrade situation, with added thoughts on the upcoming iMac Pro’s ECC memory.