As expected, Apple today released the latest versions of its mobile operating systems. iOS 10 is now available for the iPhone 5 and newer, iPad mini and newer, iPad (4th generation) and newer, and the 6th generation iPod touch, while watchOS 3 is ready to go for all Apple Watch owners.
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Hands-On with iPhone 7 Home Button: Disappointing Haptic Feedback, Increased Functionality
Apple had two major changes in iPhone 7 beyond incremental improvements. The first is the much-talked about lack of an auxiliary port for headphones, but the other will effect the way we do things far longer than the transition to Lightning audio. That’s moving from a physical Home Button to a touch-sensitive, stationary Home Button. Here’s what Bryan Chaffin thought about it during his hands-on session at Apple’s media event.
Apple isn't Announcing iPhone 7 Preorder Sales Numbers
iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus deliveries were showing several week delays only minutes after preorders launched, but don’t count on seeing how many sold come Monday because Apple isn’t sharing the numbers. The company said the numbers don’t reflect actual demand and don’t hold any value for investors.
Delivery Times for iPhone 7 Plus Jet Black Slip to November
iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus went on pre-order Friday morning, and delivery times for iPhone 7 Jet Black slipped to November within 20 minutes. All other colors on iPhone 7 Plus range from 6-8 business days to 2-3 weeks. Many iPhone 7 models are still available for delivery on the 16th.
macOS Sierra Coming September 20
Apple’s big focus today is the iPhone 7 and Apple Watch Series 2, but that doesn’t mean the Mac didn’t get any love—or more precisely, macOS Sierra. Apple quietly updated the Sierra website on Wednesday to say the replacement for Mac OS X El Capitan will ship on September 20th.
Apple goes Wireless with AirPods
Apple embraced wireless earbuds on Wednesday with the introduction of its AirPods earbuds. AirPods are designed to connect to the iPhone and Apple Watch over Bluetooth, and let you quickly switch between which device where they’re streaming audio.
TMO "See you on the 7th" Live Coverage
Apple’s “See you on the 7th” event is set to start at 10AM pacific time today, and The Mac Observer will be on location at the Bill Graham Civic Center in San Francisco to cover the day’s big announcements. CEO Tim Cook and other company executives are expected to take the stage to show off the successor to the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus, and possibly the Apple Watch 2.
Ageism Is Not an Institutional Problem at Apple Retail
Does Apple have an ageist problem when hiring for its Apple retail locations? If so, it’s not institutional, and the situation that sparked the original story doesn’t actually back up such a claim. Bryan Chaffin digs into the issues.
Apple Cleaning House, Removing Abandoned Titles from App Store
Apple is about to start cleaning the App Store’s house by removing outdated and abandoned apps. The change should make it easier to find the apps you’re looking for, improve discoverability, and cut down on apps that aren’t compatible with current iOS versions. Developers trying to manipulate search results with long app names are in for a surprise, too.
Apple Patches 2 Critical Security Flaws in OS X Yosemite and El Capitan
Apple released separate security updates for OS X Yosemite and OS X El Capitan on Thursday. Both updates patch the same two critical security flaws. One flaw potentially exposed kernel memory, and the other allowed a maliciously crafted app to take over your system.
Judge Rejects Monster's Claims in Beats Lawsuit
Monster Cable founder Noel Lee got a double-dose of disappointment: first, he missed out on a big cash win when Apple bought Beats, and now his lawsuit alleging the headphone maker scammed him out of that deal is on the rocks. The judge overseeing the case tossed out his claims only days before the scheduled trial which is now focused on whether Monster should have to pay Beats’ legal expenses.
EU Says Apple Owes €13B in Back Taxes, and the Fight is On
The European Union says Apple owes €13 billion (about US$14.5 billion) in back taxes because Ireland gave the iPhone and Mac maker illegal and unfair tax advantages. Apple and Ireland have both condemned the ruling maintaining they acted within the country’s laws, and are planning to appeal the ruling.
Apple Might Destroy the EU
It looks like the European Commission (EC) will rule against Apple and Ireland’s tax arrangement. If the European Union (EU) bullies Ireland (via the EC or other proxy) and basically rules that Ireland doesn’t have the sovereign right to set its own tax rates, there is some chance it could be a wedge issue that pushes Ireland to decide to leave the European Union.
Apple Media Event Officially Set for Sept 7
Apple has been expected to host a special media event on Wednesday, September 7th, and now it’s confirmed because invitations are arriving in the media’s in boxes. The company isn’t saying what it’ll announce, but the smart money is on new iPhones.
Barbra Streisand Says iOS 10 Will Be Released September 30th
According to Barbra Streisand, Apple will release iOS 10 on September 30th. I know what you’re thinking: what does Barbra Streisand know about Apple’s release dates? Normally, Bryan Chaffin would be the first to say “nothing.” Followed by “Gimme a break.” But she has an interesting story, and it starts with Siri mispronouncing her name.
Apple, Google, FCC Team up to Stop Spam Robocalls
The Federal Communications Commission is ready to crack down on robocalls, and Apple, Google, and AT&T are on board with the plan. The FCC’s new Robocall Strike Force aims to reduce the number of spam robocalls and unsolicited calls, and it looks like at least 30 companies are ready to join in and help.
Target Blames Apple for Lower Sales
Target released its 2nd quarter results on Wednesday, including a 1.1% decline in revenue year-over-year. In a conference call with analysts, executives cited a 20% decrease in sales of Apple products during the quarter as one of the principle reasons for its overall performance.
Apple Embraces China with New R&D Center
Apple plans to open a new research and development center in China before the end of the year, according to company CEO Tim Cook. The facility will be a first for Apple in China, and will be another way to help Apple shore up its presence in the country.
Apple: We're Seriously into Augmented Reality
Apparently it’s big news that Apple is working on augmented reality projects—or more accurately, Apple CEO Tim Cook stripped away enough of his code-speak and made it very clear his company is seriously pursuing AR technology.
Patent Filing Error Means no Military Apple Tanks are Coming
Yesterday the internet was busy speculating about why Apple patented an articulated joint system that’s perfect for military vehicles. The patent seemed out of place for an electric car, and it turns out that’s the case because the law firm handling patents for Apple says it was accidentally assigned to the wrong company thanks to a clerical error.
Apple Helped Drive Uber Out of China
Uber and Didi were locked in a battle to outspend each other in China in hopes of becoming the dominant name in the ride sharing market. When Apple invested US$1 billion in Didi, however, Uber knew that strategy wouldn’t work and agreed to a deal where Didi bought out its Chinese operations.
Judge Tosses Out VirnetX's $625M Patent Infringement Win Against Apple
VirnetX’s big US$625 million patent infringement win against Apple just became a big loss. Federal Appeals Court Judge Robert Schroeder tossed out the judgement and set a retrial saying VirnetX acted inappropriately during the trial and very likely prejudiced the jury.
Apple Tops 1 Billion iPhones Sold
Apple has a thing for its billion milestones, and this time it’s for the iPhone. CEO Tim Cook says the company recently sold its billionth iPhone—a number the company hit just days before its third fiscal quarter earnings report.
iPhone 7 Reportedly Launching on Sept 16
Apple’s still unannounced iPhone 7 will reportedly be announced a little earlier than usual this year and hit store shelves on Friday, September 16th. Word of the release date comes via Venture Beat’s Evan Blass, who has a track record for predicting Android smartphone rollouts.