From now on Apple is going to keep its sales figures a secret
Apple has announced that, as of next quarter, it will no longer report unit sales figures for iPhones, iPads and Macs. The news came at the company's Q4 earnings call at which it was revealed that iPhone unit sales have remained static -- despite a revenue increase.
The change is in line with how Apple already treats other hardware sales -- such as those of the Apple Watch and HomePod -- which it groups together rather than revealing sales in individual categories.
Microsoft Office for macOS getting dark mode
One of the coolest new features of macOS Mojave is dark mode. As the name implies, it quite literally allows the user to make a system-wide switch to a darker interface. It works quite well, but unfortunately, app developers have to take advantage of it in their code -- their programs will not support dark mode by default. This means that even when you turn dark mode on, some apps will look out of place. Yeah, that inconsistency kind of stinks, but luckily, many developers -- not all -- have been updating their software to support the feature.
One huge app in particular is still not updated -- Microsoft Office. Regardless of what you think of the Windows-maker, it cannot be denied that Office is outstanding. It is still the best office suite after all these years. On macOS Mojave and later, it will be getting even better, as Microsoft is planning to introduce dark mode to Office at some point in the future. As is typical with the company, the feature will first be given to "Insiders" (aka free beta testers).
Apple's Mac mini gains a massive performance boost
At its special event at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, Apple today revealed a new MacBook Air with Retina Display, new iPad Pros with USB-C, and also updated its Mac mini.
The new Mac mini comes with quad- and 6-core 8th-generation Intel Core processors, up to 64GB of faster memory and all-flash storage (up to 2TB). It also comes with four Thunderbolt 3 ports, an Apple T2 Security Chip and a 10Gb Ethernet option.
Apple reveals new iPad Pro with USB-C
In addition to its new MacBook Air and Mac mini, Apple today launched the new iPad Pro. The most immediately-noticeable change is the death of the home button, but there's much more to this new model than just that.
The screen of the smaller iPad Pro has jumped from 10.5 to 11 inches without changing the overall size of the body, while the 12.9-inch model is available in a dramatically smaller casing. Both are thinner than before (just 5.9 mm), Face ID has been added, and there's more going on under the hood.
Apple unveils new MacBook Air with Retina Display and Touch ID
At the Brooklyn Academy of Music, Apple today revealed a new MacBook Air. As well as a Retina Display, Apple has shrunk the bezels to near-invisibility. The screen measures 13.3-inch with four times the resolution of its predecessor.
The new model features Touch ID built directly into the keyboard. The keyboard itself has been upgraded for a better and more reliable typing experience, and the new Force Touchpad below this is 20 percent larger. But what else does the new MacBook Air have to offer?
Apple announces iOS 12.1 with Group FaceTime, new emoji, dual-SIM support and more
Later today Apple is holding an event in Brooklyn at which we expect to see a new iPad Pro, iMac and MacBook Air. That's the hardware side of things. Today is also about software -- specifically iOS 12.1 which holds many treats for iPhone and iPad users.
The latest version of iOS will be available today, and it includes Group FaceTime and more than 70 new emoji. On top of this, there's also Depth Control in real-time preview and dual-SIM support for iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max and iPhone XR.
How to watch Apple's new iPad and Mac event
In just a few hours, Apple will be taking the wraps off its latest iPads and Macs. The launch event will be held in Brooklyn this time around, which means it will be a lot earlier than usual.
We’re expecting to see a new Home button-less iPad Pro with a thinner bezels and a Face ID sensor, updated iMacs, a new MacBook Air and maybe a new Mac Mini. iOS 12.1 is also out today, so expect some references to that too, as well as the usual surprises.
Dear Apple, I don't need a fancy iPad Pro for sitting on the toilet
Apple makes very elegant products that help people get work done every day. As an example, my MacBook Pro and iPhone are what I often use to both be creative and keep in contact with friends, family, and colleagues. My iPad is a different story though. I'm not going to beat around the bush here, folks -- I frequently use it while going "number two."
Look, if I am going to be sitting on the toilet for a while, I take my 2017 iPad with me for surfing the web, watching videos, listening to music, playing casual games, and checking social media. Before you look at me with disgust, let's be honest, you probably bring a tablet into the bathroom too. It's time Apple acknowledges this fact and gives us redesigned iPads that focus on consumption. The current non-Pro iPad is simply too big, thick, and heavy.
Tim Cook calls for 'comprehensive federal privacy law in the United States'
Speaking at the International Conference of Data Protection and Privacy Commissioners in Brussels, Apple CEO Tim Cook praised Europe's GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) and said the US needs to fight back against the weaponization of personal data.
In a strongly-worded speech, Cook avoided explicitly naming the likes of Google and Facebook for trading in private information, but it was clear who he was referring to when he said data was being misused. He added: "We shouldn't sugar-coat the consequences. This is surveillance".
Mac@IBM code goes open source
During his keynote speech today at the Jamf User Nation Conference in Minneapolis, IBM CIO Fletcher Previn announced that IBM is going to open source its Mac@IBM code.
Designed to streamline the integration of corporate-owned or BYOD Apple Mac devices and applications into the enterprise while delivering a personalized experience, Mac@IBM has seen the number of IBMers using Macs increase from 30,000 in 2015 to 134,000 in 2018.
Apple gives US customers the chance to download their data and updates its privacy page
All of the major technology companies suck up swathes of data about their users, and Apple is no different. While the iPhone-maker may not swallow up anywhere near as much personal information as the likes of Google and Facebook, you may well still be interested to know what the company does hold about you.
With the introduction of GDPR, Apple made it possible for people in Europe to download their data. As promised earlier in the year, the company has now expanded this feature to the US.
Bye bye, TLS 1.0 and 1.1: Apple, Microsoft, Mozilla and Google all wave adieu to old security protocol
As part of a coordinated movement between four of the biggest names in tech, the old TLS 1.0 and 1.1 security protocols are to be killed off in Safari, Edge, Internet Explorer, Firefox and Chrome in 2020.
Apple, Microsoft, Mozilla and Google have come together to purge the internet of these old and buggy protocols, noting that most people have now moved to TLS 1.2, if not TLS 1.3. Although 94 percent of sites already support version 1.2, a tampering off period over the next 18 months will give everyone a chance to catch up.
Apple signs $600 million deal with European chipmaker Dialog
Apple is buying part of Dialog Semiconductor, a chipmaker based in Germany. The iPhone manufacturer is interested in Dialog's power-management technology and has put forward $300 million for it.
On top of this, Apple has committed an additional $300 million to make purchases from other parts of Dialog's business, making this the largest deal the company has undertaken. As part of the arrangement Apple will acquire patents from the chipmaker as well as 300 staff.
UK court blocks iPhone users' privacy case against Google
The UK's High Court has blocked legal action brought against Google by the group Google You Owe Us. The group represented Apple smartphone owners and claimed that Google had collected personal data from over 4 million iPhone owners.
Fronted by former Which? director Richard Lloyd, Google You Owe Us said that between August 2011 and February 2012 the search giant bypassed iPhone privacy settings and gathered user data for advertising purposes.
Apple's proprietary software is blocking third parties from repairing Macs
Apple is using proprietary software to block third parties from making repairs on new iMac Pro and 2018 MacBook Pro computers.
A document sent to Apple's Authorized Service Providers -- seen by MacRumors and Motherboard -- shows that the T2 security chip that's built into modern Macs is being used to prevent authorized repairs from being carried out. The security feature requires Macs to pass Apple diagnostics in order for specific repairs to be performed.
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