In the United States and several other countries, the iPhone XR is no longer available for launch day delivery from Apple's online store.
All colors and capacities from all carriers are listing a delivery date of one to two weeks, with new orders made today set to arrive from November 5 to November 12.
In store pickup for the iPhone XR is also no longer available for orders placed today via Apple's website or the Apple Store app, with Apple likely saving remaining supply for walk in purchases on launch day.
After pre-orders launched last Friday, the iPhone XR remained largely in stock in the United States, though some T-Mobile yellow iPhone XR options sold out.
There's no longer an option to order online for launch day delivery, but Apple should have plenty of supply for people who want to make a purchase after the iPhone XR launches on Friday, October 26.
Apple's carrier partners and major retailers like Best Buy are also offering the iPhone XR and some still have stock available for launch day delivery for online orders.
Priced starting at $749, the iPhone XR is Apple's lowest-priced flagship iPhone. It features Face ID, an edge-to-edge LCD display, a single-lens camera, a glass body for wireless charging, and a super fast A12 Bionic processor.
Apple's popularity with U.S. teens has not waned, as new data from Piper Jaffray suggests 82 percent of the demographic owns an iPhone, and even more say they plan to buy one in the near future.
Lobbying group Information Technology Industry (ITI), which counts Apple, Facebook and Google as members, introduced a proposed framework for privacy regulations in Washington this week as lawmakers look to enhance user protections.
Executives from Amazon and Super Micro on Monday joined Apple CEO Tim Cook in calling for the retraction of a Bloomberg Businessweek story claiming the companies were impacted by a Chinese spy operation.
A Virginia man on Monday pleaded guilty for his part in accessing, and attempting to access via phishing, more than 200 iCloud, Yahoo and Facebook accounts, some of which belonged to Hollywood celebrities.
Apple on Monday stopped signing code for iOS 12 after the release of iOS 12.0.1, meaning users running the latest sub-point update can no longer downgrade to the previous operating system version.
Last week, Apple CEO Tim Cookcalled on Bloomberg to retract a highly controversial story suggesting Chinese spies planted microchips in the Supermicro server motherboards used in Apple's data facilities, saying there was no truth to Bloomberg's claims.
Today, Supermicro Charles Liang joined Cook in calling for a retraction. In a statement shared by CNBC, Liang said that Supermicro has not found malicious hardware components in its products, nor has Bloomberg produced an affected Supermicro motherboard. Bloomberg, he says, should "act responsibly" and retract its "unsupported allegations."
Liang's full statement:
Supermicro is committed to making world-class servers and storage products. Bloomberg's recent story has created unwarranted confusion and concern for our customers, and has caused our customers, and us, harm.
Bloomberg should act responsibly and retract its unsupported allegations that malicious hardware components were implanted on our motherboards during the manufacturing process.
The allegations imply there are a large number of affected motherboards. Bloomberg has not produced a single affected motherboard, we have seen no malicious hardware components in our products, no government agency has contacted us about malicious hardware components, and no customer has reported finding any malicious hardware components, either.
Supermicro, like Apple and other companies involved, has denied all of Bloomberg's claims since the story was first released. Supermicro previously said it was not aware of any investigation nor any companies that had found illicit hardware in their Supermicro products.
Amazon Web Services CEO Andy Jassy also spoke out against Bloomberg today, saying that the story is "wrong about Amazon, too." Like Cook, Jassy says Bloomberg at no point offered proof or listened to what Amazon had to say about the situation.
@tim_cook is right. Bloomberg story is wrong about Amazon, too. They offered no proof, story kept changing, and showed no interest in our answers unless we could validate their theories. Reporters got played or took liberties. Bloomberg should retract. https://t.co/RZzuUt9fBM
Cook last week said that Apple "turned the company upside down" and dug "very deep" but could find absolutely no evidence that such an attack took place. "Each time we came back to the same conclusion: This did not happen," said Cook. "There's no truth to this."
Since Bloomberg released its report, Apple has refuted the site's claims in multiple clearly worded statements denying it happened. Bloomberg continues to stand by its original reporting, which, citing 17 sources, said Apple, Amazon, and other tech companies had purchased and installed Supermicro servers that had been tampered with by the Chinese government.
Along with Apple, Amazon, and Supermicro, multiple other sources have cast doubt on the information shared in Bloomberg's story. The UK's Cyber Security Agency, the Department of Homeland Security, former FBI general counsel James Baker, and NSA Senior Advisor Rob Joyce, for example, have all questioned the veracity of Bloomberg's claims and have denied knowledge of such an investigation.
Note: Due to the political nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Politics, Religion, Social Issues forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.
Apple recently opened the doors to a New York studio for its Beats 1 streaming radio station, a satellite location that joins studios already in operation in Los Angeles and London.
The ITI's guidelines [PDF] are designed to provide information and guidance for policymakers both in the United States and abroad as they tackle the issue of data privacy online.
The purpose of this framework is to inform the development of legislation or the promulgation of rules that enhance personal data protection, further the trust relationship between companies and their customers, and enable innovation while also avoiding regulatory fragmentation that undermines all three goals.
Inspired by Europe's General Data Protection Regulation and privacy protections put in place in other countries, the document suggests individuals should have full rights to control the use of their personal data, and is built on the following principles:
Enhance Transparency. The framework ensures individuals are informed when their personal data is collected or used so they have a better understanding of what they are or are not consenting to.
Increase Consumer Control. The framework gives individuals the right to expressly and affirmatively consent to the use of their sensitive personal data, and further allows individuals to access, correct, port, delete, and object to the use of their personal data where it is appropriate to the context of the use of such personal data.
Establish Company Accountability and Expands Responsibility. The framework lays out clear mechanisms for regulators to hold companies responsible for their data practices, including recommending subjecting companies in violation of a national privacy law to a meaningful penalty on the first offense. It also requires companies to identify, monitor and document uses of known personal data, and ensure all uses are legitimate as defined by that law.
Promotes Security. The framework mandates companies put into place comprehensive security programs that support and protect their operations, activities and the sensitive information they control.
The text of the document was drafted after "dozens" of meetings with outside groups and policymakers, as well as experts from some of the ITI's member companies, ITI president Dean Garfield told Axios. He says that the framework goes "deeper" than other privacy proposals that have been developed.
The ITI is hoping the framework will serve as a model for governments worldwide and a "workable alternative" to a "patchwork of laws" that could ultimately lead to uncertainty over the protections that individual consumers are entitled to.
The ITI's full document with a complete list of suggested guidelines for government reference can be viewed on its website.
Note: Due to the political nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Politics, Religion, Social Issues forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts. Discuss this article in our forums
B&H has just issued new price drops on Apple's Mid 2017 MacBook Pros. From 13-inch MacBook Pros with Touch Bar for $1,399 ($400 off) to $900 off 15-inch models packed with upgrades, these deals also include free expedited shipping for fast delivery to your doorstep.
Apple on Monday informed employees it has identified an issue with gas price tracking app GasBuddy that causes iPhones running the title to become unresponsive.
Apple has identified an "issue" with the GasBuddy app that may result in some iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, iPhone X, iPhone XS, and iPhone XS Max devices becoming "unresponsive," according to an internal announcement shared with Apple Stores today. The memo was obtained by MacRumors from a reliable source.
Apple says affected iPhones will have a black screen with an endlessly spinning wheel—aka a respring loop. In its memo, Apple says it is working with GasBuddy to "resolve" the issue, which started "sometime after October 18, 2018."
If a customer reports the issue at an Apple Store, Apple has instructed its Genius Bar employees to force restart the iPhone, and then ask the customer to uninstall the GasBuddy app. If the device is still unresponsive, Genius Bar employees are instructed to continue with the standard service process.
It's unclear why the GasBuddy app is crashing some iPhones. A spokesperson for GasBuddy said its team "has been and continues to investigate," and delayed further comment until the company has more insight about the matter. A spokesperson for Apple did not immediately respond to request for comment.
GasBuddy is a popular app for locating gas stations with the lowest-priced gas in the U.S., Canada, and Australia. The app, which boasts 70 million users, relies on users submitting gas prices when they fill up to help alert others. GasBuddy also provides alerts when gas prices are set to increase.
According to GasBuddy's release notes, the app was updated on October 17 with support for iOS 12. The update also "fixed some crashes." On October 19, the app was again updated with bug fixes, including one that caused some location-based information to not appear, and another related to gas station details.
Update: A spokesperson for GasBuddy has issued the following statement to MacRumors, indicating that it is "rapidly preparing an update" that it believes "solves the underlying issue." In the meantime, GasBuddy will be temporarily removing its app from the App Store to limit exposure.
On Friday (October 19), Apple approved the latest version of the GasBuddy app. This was subsequent to our app going through Apple’s typical, thorough review process that, as you know, Apple requires before releasing any app into its store.
Over the weekend, we heard from a single user that encountered an issue that resembles the one you described.
We had not heard anything from Apple about GasBuddy causing unresponsive phones, or that a new app build would be required, until maybe 10 minutes before we received your inquiry.
We absolutely regret any association with a poor user experience. We are committed to doing our part to address this quickly and completely.
Thus, we are rapidly preparing an update we believe solves the underlying issue and are making our app temporarily unavailable for download to limit the number of potentially affected users.
GasBuddy has also tweeted about an incoming fix:
We are aware that some people are encountering issues with our iOS app. We're rapidly preparing an update we believe solves the issue and are making our app temporarily unavailable for download to limit the number of potentially affected users.
Update - 6:30 p.m. Pacific Time: GasBuddy has returned to the App Store with an update that "resolves an issue that was causing some devices to crash."
Apple CEO Tim Cook is making a variety of pitstops in Europe ahead of speaking at Wednesday's European Data Protection Conference, and on Monday visited developers in Berlin and Paris.
If you just got your hands on a shiny new MacBook Pro, you probably can’t wait to load it with all of your favorite apps. The App Store has thousands of apps, many of which are free. However, some apps require a subscription or a full purchase to reap their benefits, and you’ll never know whether you’ll truly enjoy an app until you’ve had the chance to use it.
Ahead of the event on Wednesday, Cook is in Europe visiting app developers and filmmakers who work with the iPhone. Cook has been sharing his European adventures on Twitter.
Cook visiting the developers behind Asana Rebel, a yoga app
Cook started off the week in Berlin, where he met with developer Peter Kolski and took a look at mauAR, an upcoming augmented reality app that will display the Berlin Wall as it was prior to its demolition in the 1990s.
Schön, wieder einmal in Berlin zu sein! Thank you @peterkolski and the mauAR team for bringing the Berlin Wall's history to life through augmented reality -- a new way to learn from the past. We are looking forward to seeing your app on the App Store! pic.twitter.com/NhwGUUgG2O
Cook went on to visit the Asana Rebel team, who have created an augmented reality yoga app available on the iOS App Store .
Here's to the rebels! Thanks for the visit, @AsanaRebel, and for sharing your enthusiasm for yoga and wellbeing. 🧘♂️ We're thrilled when entrepreneurs like you use the App Store to turn their passion into a thriving global business. pic.twitter.com/G4FOR3HtNK
After that, he stopped off in Paris where he met with French filmmaker Claude Lelouch, who shot his upcoming movie on the iPhone.
Bonjour Paris! 🇫🇷 Honored to meet legendary director Claude Lelouch and hear about his upcoming film, which will be #shotoniphone. In 50 years of filmmaking, he says he's "never been happier" than when shooting with iPhone! pic.twitter.com/t5q8J8jOW6
Cook then stopped by the offices of Foodvisor in Paris. Foodvisor is an app that is designed to analyze the nutrients in food through a photograph.
Now here's a good reason to snap that photo of your lunch! Had a blast at @foodvisor_app's office in Paris, seeing how their artificial intelligence makes food tracking easy. 🍣 pic.twitter.com/i1NoM1OLM3
After visiting Foodvisor, Cook stopped by L'Atelier des Artistes en Exil in Paris, which showcases the artwork of artist refugees around the world.
A profoundly moving visit to @aartistesenexil in Paris. Through their works of creativity and courage, these artists are shining a light on the hardships that so many face as refugees. “On ne voit bien qu'avec le cœur. L'essentiel est invisible pour les yeux.” pic.twitter.com/rKGz2rlFAX
Cook has one more day in Europe ahead of the Brussels conference, and he is planning to meet with French president Emmanuel Macron at the Élysée Palace tomorrow, where taxes and developer relationships may be topics of conversation.
Cook will be in Belgium on Wednesday, and following the conference, he may spend some more time in Europe before flying back to the United States to prepare for Apple's October 30th event in New York City.
The latest incarnation of Ultimate Ears' core Boom speaker is a solid option for iPhone, Mac, or iPad owners who want to wirelessly stream their music with a few small perks over some of its rivals.
Apple wasted no time jumping on the first point release of it's latest mobile operating system, releasing the first beta just 24 hours after the release of iOS 12. The iOS 12.1 beta continues, but is moving along rapidly and we expect the final release sometime in October. It re-introduces Group FaceTime, fixes bugs, adds emojis, and includes a number of hints about new iPads that we may see this fall.
Updated 10/22/18: iOS 12.1 beta 5 is now available for developers.
Developers can head developer.apple.com to download the beta or add the beta profile to their devices. Non-developers who want to be part of the public beta test can head to beta.apple.com using the device on which you want to run the beta, where you can sign up and download a beta profile. If you still have the beta profile installed after upgrading to iOS 12, your device will download it automatically as a regular iOS 12 update.
Responding to claims earlier this morning that it had ended development on its 10nm "Cannon Lake" processors, Intel announced on Twitter that it is "making good progress" on its upcoming 10nm chips.
The announcement followed a claim from SemiAccurate suggesting Intel had killed off its 10nm process. Intel's 10nm chips were supposed to launch at some point in 2016, but have been delayed multiple times due to production difficulties.
According to Intel, yields on its 10nm process are improving "consistent with the timeline" shared during the last earnings report, which means sans additional delays, the chips will come out in 2019.
Media reports published today that Intel is ending work on the 10nm process are untrue. We are making good progress on 10nm. Yields are improving consistent with the timeline we shared during our last earnings report.
Apple uses Intel chips in its line of Mac desktops and notebooks, and Intel's delays have caused problems for the Cupertino-based company in recent years.
With custom-designed Mac chips, Apple will no longer be forced to delay updates due to Intel's manufacturing issues, and custom chips will give the company more control over design, better profits, and a way to differentiate its products from competing PCs.
Apple has long used Apple-designed A-Series chips in its iOS devices, and the marriage between hardware and software often results in performance that is unmatched by competing products. Similar gains could come when Apple has more control over Mac chip design as well.
Apple won't be ready to transition to its own chips by 2019, and will likely adopt the 10nm Cannon Lake chips from Intel provided those chips make their launch date. Cannon Lake chips will bring performance improvements, reduced power consumption, and support for faster, more efficient LPDDR4 RAM.
Updated 10/22/18 to reflect the inventory changes in the store.
Looking for a way to save some money on the latest Apple products? Consider a refurbished MacBook, refurbished iPhone, or refurbished iPad from the Apple Certified Refurbished store. A refurbished product is just like a new, but at a lower price.
Here’s a quick guide with links to the best deals you can find on the refurb store, along with a FAQ guide if you want to know more about the ins and outs of the Apple Certified Refurbished store and buying a refurbished MacBook, desktop Mac, iPhone, or iPad.
Although it has a following similar to other high end smart speakers, the Apple HomePod is still being eclipsed in the U.S. market by cheaper offerings by Amazon and Google, newly-published survey data suggests.
Apple is onto its fifth round of testing for its current generation of operating system betas, with developers in the program able to update their devices with new builds of iOS 12.1, tvOS 12.1, and watchOS 5.1.
Apple today seeded the fifth beta of an upcoming iOS 12.1 update to developers, one week after seeding the fourth beta and more than a month after releasing iOS 12, a major new version of the iOS software.
Registered developers can download the new iOS 12 .1 beta from Apple's Developer Center or over-the-air once the proper configuration profile has been installed from the Developer Center.
iOS 12 .1 includes several new features that Apple promised would come to the iPhone XS and XS Max. The beta introduces support for the eSIM, which is a digital SIM that lets you activate a cellular plan from a carrier without the need to use a physical SIM card.
Carriers will need to implement support for eSIM, which is likely to happen after iOS 12 .1 launches. In the U.S., AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile will support eSIM.
The iOS 12 .1 update brings a new real-time Depth Control feature, which lets you adjust the depth of field of your Portrait Mode photos before you capture them. Right now, in iOS 12 , Depth Control is only available for post-capture editing.
If you tap on the "F" icon at the top of the screen while capturing a photo you use Depth Control to adjust the amount of background blur in an image.
In addition to these iPhone XS and XS Max features, iOS 12 .1 reintroduces the Group FaceTime feature that was removed from iOS 12 during the beta testing period. Group FaceTime was present in many early betas but was ultimately removed because Apple needed more time to test it.
Group FaceTime is designed to let iPhone and Mac users conduct video and audio chats with up to 32 participants at one time, with new camera effects features included.
The update also adds more than 70 new emoji to iPhones and iPads, with options that include red hair, gray hair, curly hair, cold face, party face, face with hearts, mango, kangaroo, peacock, lobster, cupcake, and tons more.
As for bug fixes, iOS 12 .1 addresses a charging problem that could cause iPhone and iPad models running iOS 12 to fail to charge when connected to a Lightning cable while the screen is off and it fixes a bug that caused iPhone XS and XS Max models to prefer 2.4GHz WiFi networks to 5GHz networks, resulting in perceived slower WiFi speeds. Both of these bugs have also been addressed in the iOS 12.0.1 update.
Update: Apple has released a new version of iOS 12 .1 to its public beta testing group.
A report claims Intel is giving up on its 10-nanometer process for chip production after enduring numerous delays and yield issues over the last few years, with Intel already declaring it as "untrue" and that it is continuing to make "good progress" on the process.
Apple's HomePod is the ninth most popular smart speaker model in the United States, according to an online survey of 1,011 smart speaker users conducted by research firm Strategy Analytics in July and August.
The top eight positions are held by various Amazon Echo and Google Home models in the Strategy Analytics rankings. The standard Amazon Echo tops the list with an estimated 23 percent share of the U.S. installed base of smart speakers, while the HomePod is estimated to have just four percent market share.
Amazon Echo: 23%
Amazon Echo Dot: 21%
Google Home: 8%
Google Home Mini: 7%
Amazon Echo Plus: 5%
Amazon Echo Spot: 4%
Amazon Echo Show: 4%
Amazon Echo Dot Kids Edition: 4%
Apple HomePod : 4%
Google Home Max: 2%
Apple does not disclose HomePod sales in its quarterly earnings results. In August, Strategy Analytics estimated that HomePod shipments totaled 700,000 units in the second quarter of 2018, giving Apple a roughly six percent share of the worldwide smart speaker market at the time.
That data shouldn't come as much of a surprise, as Amazon Echo and Google Home models are regularly priced as low as $49, whereas the HomePod retails for $349. Apple has marketed the HomePod as a premium speaker that also has Siri, as opposed to a personal assistant that also plays music.
It's also worth noting that the HomePod only launched this past February, two to three years after its biggest competitors. Today, the HomePod is available in the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, France, and Germany, with sales set to begin in Mexico and Spain on Friday.
Your Apple gear wasn’t cheap. And if you drop your iPhone, your iPad stops turning on one day, or your Mac’s hard drive just ups and dies on you, getting it repaired probably won’t be cheap either.
Apple includes a one-year limited warranty with all hardware so if there’s a manufacturing defect, you’ll be covered. To also protect against accidental damage, plus extend the original warranty for longer and enjoy free tech support, you can opt to purchase AppleCare+. Here’s what it is, what it covers, and what you can expect to pay. Is AppleCare+ worth it? Only you can decide for your own situation, but this should be everything you need to know to make a smart choice.
Apple authorized reseller Adorama has just slashed prices even further on Mid 2017 13- and 15-inch MacBook Pros with Touch Bar, resulting in the lowest prices anywhere -- and the deals are available only at AppleInsider. Save up to $925 on premium configurations with upgrades, such as high-end graphics, additional storage space and faster processors. Supplies are limited and may sell out at any time.
An analyst is predicting that Apple's Search Ad business will generate $500 million in fiscal year 2018 alone -- with it potentially quadrupling without any extra push by Apple or increase in ad prices by 2020.
Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo is seeing better pre-order demand for the iPhone XR than the iPhone 8, with the analyst noting that other supply chain and retail monitors may be misinterpreting consumer behaviors.
iPhone XR pre-order demand in the first three days of the device's availability was "better than that" of the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus during the same period last year, according to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.
In a research note obtained by MacRumors, Kuo said that although pre-order demand immediately after launch has been lower for the iPhone XR versus the flagship iPhone XS models, overall iPhone XR shipment momentum is "more stable" because it will drive more customers to upgrade than the iPhone 8 series over time.
Kuo added that iPhone XR shipping estimates on Apple.com (many models remain available for launch day delivery on Friday) do not indicate exact demand, as the type of customers interested in the device are more general users, with many ordering through carriers to take advantage of promotions.
An excerpt from Kuo's research note with TF International Securities:
We are not surprised that XR's initial delivery times are shorter than those of the iPhone XS series after pre-order open given that XS and XR have different target customers. The former's target customers are Apple fans, who snap up new models rapidly after the pre-order open. The latter's are general users who are used to operating iOS with characteristics including favoring the Apple brand, limited budget, or no urgent replacement demand.
Some other analysts had expressed concerns that the iPhone XR 's strong availability implied weak sales of the $749 handset.
Kuo already predicted that iPhone XR demand would be higher than that for the iPhone 8 series last year in a research note shared last week. He also increased his iPhone XR shipment forecast to 36 to 38 million units in the fourth quarter of 2018, up 10 percent from his original estimate of 33 to 35 million units.
At the launch of the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max, most reviewers including ourselves agreed that those who purchased an iPhone X should skip the iPhone XS model and wait another year. After a month with the iPhone XS Max, the answer isn't so clear cut.
American teenagers are still choosing Apple's iPhone over the competition, with 82 percent of surveyed U.S. teens saying that they own an iPhone, according to Piper Jaffray's latest survey (via Business Insider).
This number has grown steadily from 76 percent in April 2017 to 78 percent in October 2017, and it now appears to have plateaued temporarily in 2018, as 82 percent of teens said they owned an iPhone back in April.
Looking to the future, 86 percent of teens surveyed said that they plan on buying an iPhone as their next smartphone. This is an increase from 84 percent in the spring.
In comparison, 10 percent of the teens said they planned on buying an Android smartphone next, down from 11 percent in the spring. The researchers at Piper Jaffray say that American teens' intent to buy an iPhone is now at the highest they have ever seen.
Other tidbits from the report include: 45 percent of teens saying that the brand of an item is the most important factor in a purchase decision, Amazon is the top preferred website, and Instagram is now the most used social platform as Facebook faces an ongoing decline. Netflix represented 38 percent of daily video consumption, ahead of YouTube (33 percent), cable TV (16 percent), and Hulu (5 percent).
For this survey, Piper Jaffray surveyed around 8,600 teenagers across 47 states with an average age of 16 and an average household income of $68,300. 44 percent of the teens were female, while 56 were male.
Apple has announced repair costs for the iPhone XR, with AppleCare+ fees remaining the same as other phones, but out of warranty fees commensurately lower in comparison to the retail price of the phone, and similar in price to screen repairs on the Galaxy S9 with Samsung parts.
Prior to the availability of the iPhone XR and after the pre-orders started, Apple's Senior Vice President of Worldwide Marketing Phil Schiller had an interview to talk about the road to the device, and why Apple made it so soon after the technology behind it debuted in the iPhone X.
Super Micro will be reviewing its products for any signs of chips or other malicious hardware added during its production, in a bid to clear itself following a report claiming Chinese spies had implanted the components to perform espionage on Apple and other western companies.
I love cars and things that go fast, and R and S are both letters used to denote sport cars that are really extra special.
How the iPhone X led to the iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, and iPhone XR :
We had this technology we were working on for many years to be the future of the iPhone. It was a huge ask of the engineering team to get it to market last year, and they did. ... We knew that if we could bring that to market and it was successful very quickly after that, we needed to grow the line and make it available to more people.
Making sure the iPhone XR is still "the best phone":
If we're going to push the upper boundaries with XS and XS Max to make something the best, how do we make something that's more affordable for a larger audience? To make the overall iPhone audience even larger? What choices can we make and still make it a phone that people can hold and say, "I have the best too"?
Expanding on that:
We don't think about categories. We think the iPhone X technology and experience is something really wonderful, and we want to get it to as many people as possible, and we want to do it in a way that still makes it the best phone.
Addressing concerns about the iPhone XR 's lower-resolution display:
I think the only way to judge a display is to look at it. …
If you can't see the pixels, at some point the numbers don't mean anything. They're fairly arbitrary.
As far as the iPhone XR launching over a month after the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max, Schiller simply said "this is when it's ready."
iPhone XR pre-orders began last Friday in over 50 countries. The first deliveries to customers and in-store availability will begin Friday, October 26. The colorful device starts at $749 in the United States.
In the United States, Apple will charge $199 to repair a damaged iPhone XR screen and $399 to repair other damage to the device, unless it is a manufacturing defect covered by Apple's standard one-year limited warranty. Prices vary in the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and other countries.
How that stacks up to Apple's out-of-warranty repair fees for other iPhones:
iPhone XR : $199 for screen damage, $399 for other damage
iPhone XS: $279 for screen damage, $549 for other damage
iPhone XS Max: $329 for screen damage, $599 for other damage
iPhone X: $279 for screen damage, $549 for other damage
iPhone 8: $149 for screen damage, $349 for other damage
iPhone 8 Plus: $169 for screen damage, $399 for other damage
These prices do not apply to customers who purchase AppleCare+ for the iPhone XR, starting at $149 in full or $7.99 per month.
AppleCare+ is an optional warranty plan that extends an iPhone's warranty coverage to two years from the purchase date of the plan. AppleCare + adds up to two incidents of accidental damage coverage, each subject to a lower service fee of $29 for screen repairs and $99 for any other damage.
As with any form of insurance, AppleCare + provides peace of mind, but only yields savings in the event it is used.
If the screen cracks on an iPhone XR , for example, the repair fee with AppleCare + is up to $178, savings of at least $21. If the back glass shatters, the repair fee with AppleCare + is up to $248, savings of at least $151. Those prices are based on the full $149 cost of AppleCare + for iPhone XR plus deductibles.
If a customer pays for AppleCare + in monthly instalments, there is the potential for even more savings versus the out-of-warranty fees.
iPhone XR pre-orders began last Friday in over 50 countries. The first deliveries to customers and in-store availability will begin Friday, October 26. The colorful device starts at $749 in the United States.
After a recent inexplicable problem on my MacBook, in which macOS would complete loading but never get past the blank screen before the Desktop appeared, I had to revert to a clone. (Even reinstalling macOS didn’t work.) I then upgraded to Mojave. Somewhere in there, an important piece of macOS “fell out,” metaphorically.
Apple added the concept in 10.13 High Sierra of a “secure token” to the first account created in macOS on installation or after upgrade as part of the process that allows you to use FileVault. There’s almost no information about this feature, and there’s no way to determine from macOS’s graphical features whether an account has it set.
Logitech's Harmony Hub is like a command center for your various home entertainment gear and smart home appliances, which you can control using your phone or Alexa voice commands.
Logitech's Harmony Companion extends the power of the standalone Harmony Hub, and is a good value for users with basic entertainment and smart-home needs.
Apple has profiled a handful of employees, including Divya, who manages a team responsible for developing the Apple Watch's sensors.
A new About Apple page highlights the company's innovative business practices, collaborative work environment, employee benefits, diverse workforce, and other advantages of working at the tech giant.
Apple has expanded its Students section with a list of opportunities for interns, undergrads, and graduates, ranging from the AppleCare College Program to the Apple Store Leader Program. The updated page includes a profile from a software engineer named Alexa, who describes her impact at Apple.
Apple says it has created over two million jobs in the United States, including those attributable to the App Store ecosystem. Apple also says it is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to inclusion and diversity. Discuss this article in our forums
Apple has added 2018 models of the 15-inch MacBook Pro with Touch Bar to its refurbished store in the U.S. for the first time. Prices are discounted by roughly 15 percent compared to the equivalent brand new models.
Quantities are limited, so we recommend acting fast or using Refurb Tracker to monitor when inventory is replenished.
Apple says refurbished MacBook Pro models are thoroughly inspected, tested, cleaned, and repackaged, with all manuals and cables included in the box. In our view, a refurbished MacBook Pro is virtually indistinguishable from a brand new model, so this represents a good opportunity for savings.
Note that third-party resellers sometimes offer better deals than Apple's refurbished prices, so be sure to monitor our deals roundup.
A refurbished MacBook Pro comes with Apple's standard one-year warranty effective on the date the notebook is delivered. The warranty can be extended to three years from the refurbished purchase date with AppleCare+ for Mac, which costs $379 for the the 15-inch MacBook Pro in the United States.
Apple has also added refurbished 2018 models of the 15-inch MacBook Pro to its Canadian store at a 15 percent discount.
Gone are the days when the iPhone was only available directly from Apple or AT&T. Today, it’s carried by all major carriers and big retailers, and many of them want to entice you to buy with them by offering special deals. Of course, you can always buy from Apple directly, either in-store or online.
If you haven’t yet put in your order for an iPhone XR, here’s a summary of some of the deals and promotions offered by different retailers to help you make up your mind. For each, we’ll tell you about any current special deals, when you should consider buying there, and when you shouldn’t.
Note that, unlike the iPhone XS or XS Max, you can’t preorder an unlocked SIM-free iPhone XR from Apple (or anyone else) as of October 19. If this model follows the typical pattern, SIM-free unlocked phones will be available a month or two after the initial sale date.
For the first time since Bloombergpublished a highly controversial story suggesting Chinese spies planted microchips in Supermicro server motherboards Apple used in its iCloud facilities, Apple CEO Tim Cook has gone on the record to vehemently deny the claims.
In an interview with BuzzFeed News, Cook said there is "no truth" to the story about Apple, before making the unprecedented move of calling on Bloomberg to publish a retraction.
Since the report went live earlier this month, Apple has refuted Bloomberg's claims in multiple clearly worded statements denying such an incident ever took place. Apple maintains that the story is "completely untrue," malicious chips were never found in its servers, and there was never an FBI investigation into the incident.
Bloomberg has continued to stand by its original report, which, based on info obtained from 17 unnamed sources, said that Apple, Amazon, and other tech companies had purchased and installed Supermicro servers that had been tampered with by the Chinese government. Small chips were allegedly implanted into server motherboards, allowing China to access corporate secrets and other information.
Apple did have an issue with Supermicro servers that led to the company dropping Supermicro as a supplier, but the relationship ended after malware was discovered on a single server in an incident unrelated to Bloomberg's claims.
According to Apple CEO Tim Cook , though he only spoke out publicly about the Bloomberg story this week, he's been involved in Apple's response "from the beginning."
"I personally talked to the Bloomberg reporters along with Bruce Sewell who was then our general counsel. We were very clear with them that this did not happen, and answered all their questions," said Cook. "Each time they brought this up to us, the story changed and each time we investigated we found nothing."
Cook went on to say that Bloomberg failed to provide Apple with specific details about the malicious chips the company supposedly found and removed, and that Bloomberg's claims are based on "vague secondhand accounts." Cook told BuzzFeed that Apple did a deep search through all of its documentation and could find zero evidence of malicious chips or an FBI investigation.
"We turned the company upside down," Cook said. "Email searches, data center records, financial records, shipment records. We really forensically whipped through the company to dig very deep and each time we came back to the same conclusion: This did not happen. There's no truth to this."
As BuzzFeed points out, Apple has never publicly called for a retraction of a story before, even in instances where incorrect information was published. Following Cook's discussion with BuzzFeed, the site again contacted Bloomberg, and Bloomberg once again refused to budge.
"Bloomberg Businessweek's investigation is the result of more than a year of reporting, during which we conducted more than 100 interviews," a spokesperson told BuzzFeed News in response to a series of questions. "Seventeen individual sources, including government officials and insiders at the companies, confirmed the manipulation of hardware and other elements of the attacks. We also published three companies' full statements, as well as a statement from China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. We stand by our story and are confident in our reporting and sources."
Along with multiple strongly worded denials from Apple, including one to Congress, several other sources and government agencies have supported Apple's claims that the information shared in Bloomberg's story is false.
The UK's Cyber Security Agency, the Department of Homeland Security, former FBI general counsel James Baker, and NSA Senior Advisor Rob Joyce have all questioned the veracity of Bloomberg's claims and have denied knowledge of such an investigation.
Note: Due to the political nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Politics, Religion, Social Issues forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.
In early October, Bloomberg published a bombshell article uncovering an extraordinary hardware hacking effort by state-sponsored Chinese agents. “The Big Hack: How China Used a Tiny Chip to Infiltrate U.S. Companies” details successful efforts by the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) to implant tiny chips into the motherboards of servers made by Super Micro, to compromise those systems and give them access. It’s an extensive piece of reporting, too complex to fully summarize here. To really understand all the details, you should read the original article.
The weekend is finally here, and now that temperatures are dropping, it’s a good time to consider staying inside and watching good movies. And just in time, Apple is selling an assortment of Digital 4K UHD movies on iTunes for just $4.99.
It’s a small sale, though, and you won’t find any true blockbuster movies in the mix. Even so, the movies run the gamut from heavy action to heavy drama so you have a good chance of finding something you like. Here’s what’s on the table:
If you're like me, you set your alarm for an ungodly hour this morning to make sure you got the iPhone XR model, capacity, and color you wanted. (In my case it was Verizon, 128GB, and blue.) Five hours later, nearly every possible combination is still in stock. While several colors are unavailable for store pickup, the only model I could find that wouldn't arrive on time are a couple T-Mobile models in yellow, coral, and red.
That might come as a surprise to iPhone watchers who expect every single model to sell out within minutes of its availability. After all, that's been the case with pretty much every iPhone that came before. By the morning of September 14, for instance, nearly every available iPhone XS Max had been claimed, with many iPhone XS models seeing waits of one to two weeks as well. The same was true with last year's iPhone X. Even some iPhone 8 models showed longer ship times within minutes of their online availability.
It’s always a good idea to keep a spare flash drive on hand to help you move and store data in a pinch. Today, you can choose one of two 32GB SanDisk flash drives for less than $11, making that preparedness and convenience cheap.
The SanDisk Cruzer Fit is $7.48 todayRemove non-product link, down from a list price of $16 and its lowest price. This tiny USB 2.0 drive features a built-in LED light so you can tell when your drive is working. It also provides an extra layer of security through its compatibility with SanDisk’s Secure Access software. This drive is a hit on Amazon, with 4.5 stars out of 5 across more than 12,000 user reviews.
I’m excited about the new iPads and MacBook that we’ll likely see at the upcoming October event. As you know, I’m also excited about a possible update to the Apple Pencil. But I’m going to go ahead and say this, as it’s sometimes best to remind a company to get the little things out of the way: On top of everything else, I’d really, really like to see a space gray version of the regular Magic Keyboard.
Apple originally designed the space gray keyboard, trackpad, and Magic Mouse solely for the $5,000 iMac Pro, lending a premium look for Apple’s most powerful desktop to date. That exclusivity didn’t last long, though, perhaps because iMac Pro owners quickly took to eBay to sell their space gray peripherals for exorbitant prices that probably made Apple itself cringe (or, more cynically, realize that they were missing out on some massive cash).
Apple's design chief Jony Ive sat down for an interview over lunch with Financial Times reporter Nicholas Foulkes earlier this month, discussing a wide range of topics, including the Apple Watch, Apple Park, and prospects of an Apple Car.
Jony Ive portrait via Financial Times
Questioned on why Apple's design team was among the last to move into the company's new Apple Park headquarters, Ive said that was the plan all along, adding that relocating some 9,000 people takes time:
It wasn't late, it was always scheduled to be then. When you're moving 9,000 people, you don't do it in one day. We're one of the last groups. It's a loaded and significant event because it meant leaving a studio that has decades of history, where we designed and built first prototypes. This is the studio I went back to on the day that Steve died. And it's the place where we figured out the iPhone and the iPod.
Ive said his team's move to Apple Park has allowed for increased collaboration among different areas of creative expertise:
Moving to Apple Park represents the coming together, at last, of these different areas of creative expertise that are incredibly diverse. I'm fairly confident that this has never happened before, to have industrial designers next to font designers, next to prototypers, next to haptic experts. The best haptic experts in the world are sat next to a bunch of guys who have PhDs in material science.
On the prospects of an Apple Car , Ive remained tight lipped. In general, he said it's important to work on the associated issues and challenges with any new product, rather than talk about it and risk having the ideas and technologies copied:
We explore so many different thoughts and so many different technologies for products or services. Some companies use the fact that they are exploring lots of different ideas as a PR tool — we don't. If you are genuinely working on something, it's better to be working on it and struggling with the associated issues and challenges, rather than talking about it. Our capital, our equity, is our ideas and the technologies that we're developing. It's important that as long as possible that remains ours, to try and postpone that point when they will then be copied — which is what history suggests.
When asked if the Apple Watch is best described as a watch, Ive instead referred to it as a "very powerful computer":
No, I think that this is a very powerful computer, with a range of very sophisticated sensors, that is strapped to my wrist. That's neither very descriptive nor very helpful. You and I share the same perspective and we had this same challenge with the product that we called the iPhone. Clearly the capability of the iPhone extends way beyond the function of what we would traditionally call a phone.
Ive went on to say that Apple believes it has a responsibility to understand and mitigate the implications and consequences, both positive and negative, of the products it creates — i.e. Screen Time in iOS 12. "It keeps me awake," he said:
If you genuinely have a concern for humanity, you will be preoccupied with trying to understand the implications, the consequences of creating something that hasn’t existed before. I think it's part of the culture at Apple to believe that there is a responsibility that doesn't end when you ship a product… It keeps me awake.
If you’d asked me a little over a year ago, I might have told you that Apple’s silicone iPhone cases were among the worst products on its shelves. Friends who’d bought them for the iPhone 6 and before told me horror stories of the silicone peeling as though it had a tragic skin condition, or how it retained grease as enthusiastically as a Waffle House napkin. Occasionally I even saw the evidence myself.
In June, though, I picked one one of the newer versions in a bar on a friend’s iPhone X. I immediately wanted to take it home. So grippy! So slim! My own popular third-party case felt like a brick by comparison.
As the iPhone refresh that culminated in the XS was still a few months away, I resolved to make it my primary case for my iPhone 8 Plus. I’d subject it to the little hells of my everyday life and report back with the results. It’s a branded Apple product, after all, and as such it deserves Macworld’s full attention.
iPhone XR pre-orders kicked off at 12:01 a.m. Pacific Time, and just a half hour after orders went live, some colors started selling out and became unavailable for launch day delivery in the United States.
Right now, some yellow and PRODUCT(RED) iPhone XR models from T-Mobile won't ship out for one to two weeks, delivering in November instead of on October 26. In the UK, iPhone XR supply is also starting to slowly sell out, with coral and yellow models starting to list a one to two week delivery estimate.
All other colors are still available for launch day delivery in the United States at this time, but available supply for in-store pickup has dwindled for some models in some areas.
It's not clear if yellow is a popular color choice or if Apple made fewer yellow iPhone XR models, but with one color selling out, the others could soon follow.
Apple did not provide SIM-free models of the iPhone XR for pre-order in the United States, which typically means that supplies are not quite as strong as Apple would like. SIM-free models are, however, available in other countries around the world.
Curiously, Apple has also not provided iPhone XR cases for the new device, which is unusual as new iPhone releases are typically accompanied by matching cases. iPhone XR press releases in some countries mentioned that Apple would debut a clear case for the iPhone XR to show off the colors of the device, but no such case is available as of yet.
If you're planning to get an iPhone XR , it's best to place an order right away if you want launch day delivery, because it's not clear if and when available stock will sell out. Apple will, as always, have some devices available for walk-in purchases on October 26.
Apple is now accepting pre-orders for the new iPhone XR through its online storefront on the web and through its Apple Store app on iOS devices.
The 6.1-inch iPhone XR is the third iPhone in the 2018 iPhone lineup, and the most affordable of the new devices.
Rather than an OLED display, a dual-lens camera system, a stainless steel frame, 3D Touch, and Gigabit LTE, the iPhone XR features more affordable components that include an LCD display with a resolution of 1792x828, a single-lens camera system, lesser water resistance, an aluminum frame, Haptic Touch, and LTE Advanced.
On the plus side, the iPhone XR has a longer battery life than the iPhone XS and XS Max, and it comes in six colors: white, black, blue, coral, yellow, and (PRODUCT)RED. Design wise, it looks similar to the iPhone XS and XS Max with an edge-to-edge LCD display that includes a notch and a TrueDepth camera system, but its bezels are slightly wider.
The iPhone XR adopts the same Face ID functionality as the iPhone XS and XS Max, with Apple eliminating the Home button in all of its flagship iPhones in 2018. The iPhone XR also supports dual-SIM functionality like the iPhone XS , and it has the same super fast A12 chip.
It also features a glass body that supports wireless charging functionality, and through software enhancements, it supports many of the same camera features including Portrait Mode, Depth Control, and Smart HDR.
Pre-orders for the iPhone XR are available in first wave launch countries including Albania, Andorra, Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Belgium, Bosnia, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Greenland, Guernsey, Herzegovina, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Ireland, Isle of Man, Italy, Japan, Jersey, Kosovo, Kuwait, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malta, Malaysia, Mexico, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Oman, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, the UAE, UK, US and US Virgin Islands.
All of the major U.S. carriers -- Verizon, AT&T, Sprint, and T-Mobile -- are accepting pre-orders for the new devices, as are many other carriers around the world. Major online retailers including Best Buy and Target are also accepting pre-orders starting today.
Pricing on the iPhone XR starts at $749 for 64GB of storage, with 128GB of storage available for $799 and 256GB of storage available for $899. iPhone Upgrade Program customers can get the iPhone XR starting at $37.41 per month.
In the United States, customers can purchase iPhone XR models from any of the four major carriers using Apple's site. SIM-free models are not available at this time, suggesting supplies of the iPhone XR could be somewhat constrained.
Customers who successfully place an order for launch day delivery can expect to begin receiving their devices starting on Friday, October 26, the official launch date for the iPhone XR .
Apple has taken its online storefront down to prepare for pre-orders for the 6.1-inch iPhone XR, the third iPhone in the 2018 iPhone lineup. Apple will begin accepting orders for the iPhone XR at 12:01 a.m. Pacific Time or 3:01 a.m. Eastern Time on Friday, October 19.
In other countries, pre-order times will vary based on local time zone. Pre-orders will kick off at 6:01 p.m. in Sydney, for example, 3:01 p.m. in China, and 8:01 a.m. in the UK. For full details on when pre-orders go live in your country, make sure to check out our post that lists all pre-order times by country.
Apple will accept pre-orders through the Apple website and the Apple Store app. T-Mobile, AT&T, Sprint, and Verizon will all be accepting pre-orders for the iPhone XR in the United States, as will major retailers like Best Buy.
Pre-orders for the iPhone XR will be available from Apple at 12:01 a.m. Pacific Time in the following first wave launch countries:
Albania, Andorra, Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Belgium, Bosnia, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Greenland, Guernsey, Herzegovina, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Ireland, Isle of Man, Italy, Japan, Jersey, Kosovo, Kuwait, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malta, Malaysia, Mexico, Monaco, Montenegro, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Oman, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, the UAE, UK, US and US Virgin Islands.
iPhone XR will expand to Israel on November 1 and Armenia, Bhutan, Brunei, Cambodia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, South Korea, Macau, Maldives, Myanmar, Ukraine, and Vietnam on November 2, according to pre-order details shared by Apple.
Apple did not launch the iPhone XR at the same time as the iPhone XS and XS Max because of issues that delayed production, so it is not clear if Apple will have adequate supply to meet demand. Customers hoping to get one of the new devices on launch day should order as early as possible just in case.
The iPhone XR is priced starting at $749, and it is available in 64, 128, and 256GB capacities in six colors: white, black, blue, coral, yellow, and (PRODUCT)RED.
Compared to the iPhone XS and XS Max, the iPhone XR has an LCD display instead of an OLED display, a single-lens camera rather than a dual lens camera, Haptic Touch instead of 3D Touch, and LTE Advanced instead of Gigabit LTE. On the plus side, the iPhone XR offers even longer battery life than the iPhone XS Max.
Apple's upcoming iPad Pro models will feature a USB-C port instead of a traditional Lightning port, according to information gathered from accessory makers at the Global Source Mobile Electronics Trade Fair by Japanese site Mac Otakara.
The trade fair kicked off today and Mac Otakara heard "talk" from manufacturers attending the event about a switch to USB-C.
iPad Pro mockup by Álvaro Pabesio
This isn't the first time we've heard of Apple's plans to adopt USB-C instead of Lightning on its new iPad Pro models, which would further bridge the gap between mobile device and computer.
Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who often accurately predicts Apple's plans, said in September that Apple's 2018 iPad Pro models will use USB-C instead of Lightning. USB-C connectivity would enable new functionality, such as the ability to connect an iPad Pro to a 4K monitor.
Mac Otakara also says that manufacturers at the event were showing off a photo of the 2018 iPad Pro dimensions that was first shared on Slashleaks last week.
That image, said to be based on measurements secured from case makers, suggested the smaller iPad Pro model will be 7 inches wide (178.52mm) and 9.7 inches tall (247.64mm), while the larger model will be 8.5 inches wide (215mm) and 11 inches tall (280.66mm). Both models could have bezels that measure in at 6mm around all sides, and at least one model may be as thin as 5.9mm.
Apple's new iPad Pro models are rumored to feature a TrueDepth camera system for Face ID and no Home button. The new devices are expected to make their debut on Tuesday, October 30, at an event Apple is planning to hold in Brooklyn, New York.
Responding to claims earlier this morning that it had ended development on its 10nm "Cannon Lake" processors, Intel announced on Twitter that it is "making good progress" on its upcoming 10nm chips.
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