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Apple seeking 800,000-sq feet of space for car project as team reaches around 600 people – WSJ

A Tesla-style concept of the Apple Car from CarWow

A Tesla-style concept of the Apple Car from CarWow

One of the largest property companies in the San Francisco Bay Area has said during an investor call that Apple is seeking around 800,000 square feet of space in the area to expand its car project. The WSJ quotes Hudson Pacific Properties CEO Victor Coleman talking about rising demand for space for car R&D in the area.

We’re seeing the Toyotas of the world, the Teslas of the world, BMWs, Mercedes. Ford now is out in the marketplace looking for space. I haven’t even mentioned the 400,000 square feet that Google’s looking to take down and the 800,000 square feet that Apple’s looking to take down for their autonomous cars as well.

That would be almost a third the size of the spaceship campus Apple is currently building, which is around 2.8M square feet …


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Apple Store in Marseille, France set to open May 14 as construction progresses at new SF store

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Apple has officially announced that its new retail store in Marseille, France will open May 14 with the usual announcement on its website (via MacGeneration).

The new retail store, located at the Les Terrasses du Port shopping mall, is Apple’s 20th location in France. That’s if including the shop within Galeries Lafayette that it opened last year as one of several boutique locations for sales of the Apple Watch. Apple is also planning other retail stores for the country including a high-profile flagship location on Champs-Élysées in Paris.


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Apple’s rumored San Francisco office, for around 500 employees, confirmed by Reuters

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It was back in the summer of last year when we first heard that Apple was planning to open its first major office space in San Francisco – a report today confirmed by Reuters

Apple prepares to open chic new offices in San Francisco’s high-rent South of Market neighborhood, which has spawned scores of promising startups […] The iPhone maker’s new office will be in about 76,000 square feet of rented space at 235 Second St […]

The two floors Apple has leased in a building mostly occupied by CBS Interactive offer abundant open space and exposed ceilings, the preferred tech aesthetic.

The report suggests two possible reasons behind the decision to open the offices some 46 miles north of its Cupertino base …


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Home tracking firm Zillow demonstrates the Apple effect on housing prices in San Francisco & San Jose

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It’s long been taken as read that high tech company salaries push up housing costs in the surrounding areas, but the WSJ commissioned home tracking company Zillow to provide some hard data. By tracking the increase in values of homes owned by Apple employees, it was able to prove that home values in those areas rose further and faster than in surrounding areas with similar demographics.

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The piece notes that zoning laws and regulatory red tape also have a significant effect, by limiting the supply of housing at a time when demand is increasing, but the comparison does suggest that there is a direct link to tech companies like Apple.

Homes occupied by Apple workers are appreciating at 18% a year, compared with 11% for San Francisco as a whole and 12% for San Jose. Since iPhone sales launched in June 2007 [and stock values rose], the Zillow analysis found, the average difference between the median home value of Apple workers and San Jose workers has swelled to 20% from 13%.

The problem of lower-paid workers finding it hard to find housing within reasonable commuting distance of tech companies like Apple has been highlighted in the past. Apple took the decision back in March to hire the majority of its previously contracted security guards as staff, providing them with health insurance and retirement benefits. The company also arranged for its contracted shuttle bus workers to get an improved deal.

iPhone 6S: Larger front FaceTime camera, Force Touch parts shown in new photos & video

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A series of new, high-resolution photos we have obtained show new features coming to the next-generation iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S Plus. First, comparisons of the front glass indicate that the new devices will sport upgraded front-facing FaceTime cameras with bigger sensors. The white phone in our images is a current iPhone 6, while the black plate is an iPhone 6S component. The presence of larger sensors likely indicates a higher pixel count up from the current 1.2 megapixels, as well as new functionality…


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Tim Cook set to speak at Box’s BoxWorks conference next month

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Apple hasn’t officially confirmed its expected September 9th iPhone 6S event just yet, but we now know where Tim Cook will be at the end of next month. Box announced today that the Apple CEO will be joining Box CEO Aaron Levie for a fireside chat to open the enterprise cloud service’s BoxWorks conference in California. The conference runs September 28-30 at Moscone Center in San Francisco with Cook’s fireside chat set to take place on September 29th. 
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Apple reportedly leasing first major office space in San Francisco

Apple SoMa

Photo Credit: Todd Johnson/San Francisco Business Times

Apple may hold its annual developers conference and many press events in San Francisco, but the company’s campus is located about an hour southeast of the city in Cupertino. Despite naming its new custom font used on MacBook keyboards, watchOS, iOS 9, and OS X El Capitan after San Francisco, Apple is remaining in Cupertino for its larger Campus 2 currently being developed. But Apple has reportedly picked up some sizable office space in the city’s South Market neighborhood…
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Apple shares video of its San Francisco Pride Parade participation

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMUNO8Onoi4]

Just like last year, Apple has posted a well-produced video showcasing thousands of Apple employees participating in San Francisco’s annual Pride parade.

On June 28, 2015, thousands of Apple employees along with their families and friends joined together to march in the San Francisco Pride Parade. They came from all over the world to help demonstrate and celebrate our deep commitment to equality and diversity. Because at Apple, we believe that inclusion inspires innovation.

Apple CEO Tim Cook shared in a tweet over the weekend that more than 8,000 Apple employees plus friends and family participated in the parade. The company also featured App Store and iTunes sections highlighting LGBT apps and media. You can find the music from the video, “Different Colors” by Walk the Moon, on Apple Music.


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WWDC News Hub/Live Blog: Apple announces iOS 9, OS X 10.11, Apple Watch SDK & Apple Music

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It’s Monday, June 8th and nearly time for Apple’s annual Worldwide Developers Conference. We’ve already run down what we’re expecting from the conference, ranging from a significant iOS 9 update for iPads, iPhones, and iPod touches with a focus on quality, an upgraded version of OS X with the same core focus, the new Apple Music streaming service along with the new iTunes Radio, and the native software development kit (SDK) for the Apple Watch. We’ll be following the news closely from before the keynote, during the event, and after the event, and we’ll be live updating this post with the latest information out of the WWDC Keynote.

You can find our live updates and analysis below, as we get closer to show time.


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WWDC jackets leave little doubt about Apple’s adoption of San Francisco system font

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The jackets Apple is handing out to WWDC attendees appear to leave little doubt about our exclusive report that the company plans to adopt San Francisco as the new system font in iOS and OS X. As one of our readers tweeted, Apple has used San Francisco for the jacket lettering.

There’s also a little in-joke in the jacket labels, Apple using its Swift programming language to indicate the size and country of manufacture.

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We reported that Apple plans to replace Helvetica Neue with San Francisco in iOS 9 and OS X 10.11. The new font is already used in watchOS.

[tweet URL align=’center’ https://twitter.com/Apple4Persian/status/607882699651596288]

Designer shows why Apple is adopting San Francisco as its new system font

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When Apple launched the Watch, it also designed a new system font to go with it: San Francisco. The typeface was specifically designed to combine a clean look with readability on the small display of the Apple Watch.

We exclusively revealed last week that Apple doesn’t intend to limit San Francisco to the watch: it instead plans to adopt the new typeface for Macs, iPhones and iPads. San Francisco is expected to replace Helvetica Neue as part of iOS 9 and OS X 10.11. Designer Wenting Zhang features the font in a look at “the beautiful details of the type forms that often get overlooked” … 
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Apple plans to refresh iOS 9, OS X 10.11 using new Apple Watch font

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Apple is currently planning to use the new system font developed for the Apple Watch to refresh the looks of iPads, iPhones, and Macs running iOS 9 “Monarch” and OS X 10.11 “Gala,” according to sources with knowledge of the preparations. Current plans call for the Apple-designed San Francisco font to replace Helvetica Neue, which came to iOS 7 in 2013 and OS X Yosemite just last year, beginning with a June debut at WWDC…


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Former Apple retail head launches Enjoy, offering home setup of your gadgets at no extra cost

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Ron Johnson, who was Apple’s retail chief for almost 12 years, has finally taken the wraps off the online shopping service he teased back in October of last year. Called Enjoy, the service allows you to order products online for the same price you’d pay buying direct from the manufacturer websites – but get same-day delivery and free home setup.

Whether it’s an iPhone, Sonos speaker system, drone or electric bicycle, the company will send a “personal expert” to your home to hand-deliver the product and spend an hour setting it up and showing you how to use it. The service launches in San Francisco today, reports the WSJ, with New York next in line on 13th May.

Apple is not an official partner, but the company has a deal with AT&T, meaning that customers buying iPhones through the carrier will be offered the option of Enjoy home setup from 19th May.

Johnson acknowledges that consumers may be able to find lower pricing elsewhere, but believes that the convenience of fast delivery and personal setup will make it attractive to time-pressured gadget buyers.

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Apple boosts WWDC scholarship numbers in bid to increase diversity

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Apple has told Re/code that it is increasing the number of scholarship places offered at this year’s WWDC from 200 to 350 as part of its work to create greater diversity amongst developers. Those selected get a free ticket to the developer’s conference.

The Cupertino technology giant said it will extend […] scholarships to students age 13 and older and members of organizations working to promote science, technology, engineering and math education for young women, blacks and Latinos. The National Society of Black Engineers, App Camp for Girls and La TechLa are among 20 organizations whose members would be eligible for a scholarship.

The company last year published its first ever diversity report, showing that the company is fairly typical of tech companies today: 70% male, 55% white. CEO Tim Cook said then that he was not satisfied with the numbers, and was doing “meaningful and inspiring” work with women’s and minority groups to bring about change.

Let me say up front: As CEO, I’m not satisfied with the numbers on this page. They’re not new to us, and we’ve been working hard for quite some time to improve them. We are making progress, and we’re committed to being as innovative in advancing diversity as we are in developing our products

Cook said during last month’s shareholder meeting that he would work on equality “until my toes point up.”

Apple has, however, refused to make its full federal workforce diversity data public, believed to be on the basis that the job classifications are a poor match for actual roles in the tech sector. Microsoft, Twitter and Amazon also refused.

WWDC 2015 announced for June 8-12 to unveil “the future of iOS and OS X”

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WWDC 2015

Apple has just officially announced its annual Worldwide Developers Conference for this year. The conference will take place in San Francisco as usual in early June. WWDC will officially kick off on June 8th and run through June 12th. Developers interested in attending the conference can apply for tickets starting today with applications open through Friday at 10 am PT/1 pm ET.

Like last year, available tickets will be distributed at random to a portion of applicants due to size constraints of the venue, Moscone West, although Apple says select sessions will actually be streamed live while most sessions will be available online after each day. Apple will announce ticket availability after the random selection process on Monday, April 20th, at 5 pm PT/8 pm ET.

Apple’s WWDC opening keynote serves as the unveiling stage for the next versions of iOS and OS X. Apple’s press release for the conference (below) teases the announcement of “the future of iOS and OS X” as we would expect.
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WSJ footnote suggests 12-inch MacBook Air could be announced by Apple as early as Monday

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Render: Martin Hajek (based on our reporting)

Render: Martin Hajek (based on<a href="http://9to5mac.com/2015/01/06/macbook-air-12-inch-redesign/"> our reporting</a>)

Tucked away at the bottom of the WSJ’s report on the often-postponed iPad Pro was a single sentence that, if correct, suggests that Apple could announce the 12-inch MacBook Air as early as Monday. Update: it did.

While suppliers are gearing up to ship the new 12-inch MacBook Air in large quantities in the second quarter, Apple’s launch schedule remains unclear, the people said.

WWDC traditionally has been the end of Q2, so unless Apple plans another event specifically for the new model (not impossible but I’d think not), the most likely time to announce it would be during Monday’s Spring Forward event, expected to major on the Apple Watch. Since this is a new product, not an upgrade of a current product, Apple could use some ramping time between the announcement and the actual launch.

We’d caution however that supply chain sources, which is apparently the kind the WSJ is using, often guess early when it comes to shipping times.

We exclusively revealed details of the radical new MacBook back in January. Sources described a markedly thinner and lighter machine squeezing a 12-inch higher resolution screen into a casing narrower than the current 11-inch MacBook Air. The machine is also said to take a minimalist approach to ports–likely even just a single USB C port for both power and data–and to be available in iOS device colors as well as plain anodized aluminum.
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Apple announces ‘Spring forward’ event on March 9th in San Francisco ahead of Apple Watch debut

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Apple Watch 'Spring forward' event

Image <a href="http://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2015/02/26/apple-plans-special-event-on-march-9-likely-for-smartwatch/">via Wall Street Journal</a>

Apple has just invited several media outlets to a ‘Spring forward’ special event on Monday, March 9th. We’re sure to see a whole lot more of the Apple Watch at this event ahead of its April debut. The event will take place at the Yerba Buena Center in San Francisco.


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Activation Lock has reduced iPhone theft by 25% in NY, 40% in SF, 50% in London

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Officials in three major cities have reported dramatic reductions in iPhone thefts since Apple introduced Activation Lock as part of iOS 7, preventing devices being re-activated without the original owner’s iCloud login. Reuters reports that the number of reported iPhone thefts has fallen year-on-year by 25% in New York, 40% in San Francisco and 50% in London … 
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GitHub repository for installing Apple Watch ‘San Francisco’ font on Mac removed after takedown notice

Apple Watch Font GitHub

When Apple released WatchKit in November giving developers time to prepare apps for the upcoming Apple Watch, it included the custom San Francisco font displayed on the Watch. Shortly after, instructions appeared on GitHub showing how to install the San Francisco font from the Apple Watch onto a Mac with OS X Yosemite since Apple changed the system font from Lucida Grande to Helvetica.

Unfortunately (but unsurprisingly), it appears that someone (Apple?) has forced that project to be removed from GitHub citing copyright issues since Apple owns the San Francisco font and distributes it only for use with Apple Watch, due out in April.

Apple Watch font takedown

The page now reads: “This repository is currently disabled due to a DMCA takedown notice.” A copy of the apparent takedown notice shared here is available below:


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How to use the Apple Watch font as the system font on OS X Yosemite

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As part of the WatchKit resources, which can be freely downloaded by anyone at Apple’s website, the company released the font it uses on Apple Watch, called San Francisco.

With Yosemite, Apple changed the system font from Lucida Grande to Helvetica, the font used on iOS. This caused some backlash amongst the designer community who detested the change of typeface. The Apple Watch font has been widely praised, leading some people to speculate whether it will become the default on iOS or OS X anytime soon. A user on GitHub has posted instructions on how to try out San Francisco on your Mac today, with some basic changes.


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You can already pre-order an Apple Watch stand/charger and it is actually really nice

Apple Watch isn’t set for release until next year, but you can already order a charging stand for the device from Dodocase (via Uncrate). The handcrafted walnut stand doesn’t actually have a built-in mechanism for charging, but instead has a recess to hideaway Apple’s charging cable that will come with the Apple Watch.

Introducing one of the first products to market to support the Apple Watch coming in 2015. Our innovative wood charging block is made from rich California orchard walnut, American-tanned Leather and features inductive charging housing to easily snap watch into place and provide single handed lift-off. The Apple Watch Charging Stand will become your essential bedside table companion or desk accessory featuring traditional craftsmanship for today’s modern technology.

While Apple’s most expensive “Edition” model of the Apple Watch is said to come in a jewelry box of sorts that doubles as a stand/charger, it’s unclear if other models will be given a similar treatment with their packaging. So far Apple has only shown the following when it comes to charging the device via the new MagSafe inductive charging solution:

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It’s still a possibility that the cheaper Apple Watch and Apple Watch Sport models will include some style of stand that utilizes the product’s packaging, but so far we’ve only heard of such a feature for the most expensive gold Edition model as noted above. If not, there will likely a lot of accessory makers offering similar stands and cases for Apple Watch next year. As for possibility integrating the charging mechanism directly into an accessory, we’ll have to wait and see if Apple opens up the device for accessory manufacturers through its Made-for-iPhone/iPad/iPod program. 

  • Made from Reclaimed California Orchard Walnut
  • American tanned Leather
  • Carved relief for wire routing
  • Travel mode allows you to easily wrap cable and charger in one package
  • Magnetic inductive charger housing provides quick, easy lift-off (cable not provided)
  • Space age Japanese suction cup material, grabs mounting surface for sturdy placement and one handed watch lift off but leaves no adhesive residue
  • Natural linseed oil finish for protection and beauty
  • Handcrafted in San Francisco

The Dodocase charging stand for Apple Watch is available now to preorder for a $5 deposit with the product eventually selling for somewhere between $60-$80 when it ships next year alongside Apple Watch.

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UK carrier O2 teases new iPhone with funny newspaper ad

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Major United Kingdom-based carrier O2 is teasing the upcoming iPhone 6 launch(es) with a humorous newspaper ad today. The ad is fairly self-explanatory. But to fill in the blanks, the new iPhone will debut at the September 9th Apple event and at least some models will likely become available on September 19th. The bigger, 5.5-inch phone is seeing some delays, and that model possibly won’t hit the streets until later in the month or even October. As for the name, the general consensus is either “iPhone 6” or “iPhone Air.” Thanks to The Verge‘s Tom Warren for bringing the ad to our attention.


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Tesla to allow iPhone to start Model S without key/fobs with v6.0 update

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Tesla Motors, known for changing the automobile industry with its innovative electric cars, will update its Model S firmware in the coming months to allow owners to start and drive the Model S with only an iPhone. While it isn’t yet exactly certain how this will work, there is speculation that it will involve Touch ID and may coincide with the launch of iOS 8 next month. The above screenshot of Version 6 is said to be in late beta stages and being finalized for full rollout now.

Tesla’s iPhone app won our 2013 app of the year and the ability to start the car and drive it would continue down that same innovative road.  Other systems for starting a car and driving it from a mobile phone already exist for 3rd parties like Viper and others.

Tesla has been busy snapping up Apple employees over the past year. Only weeks after poaching Apple Mac Hardware Vice President Doug Field to run Vehicle Design, Tesla snapped up Director of Manufacturing technology Rich Heley. Then security researcher Kristin Paget joined in February. Also, much of Tesla’s UI design team comes from Apple.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk was also spotted at Apple last year and while speculation was that Apple was considering a buyout (shot down) or becoming an investor in Tesla’s battery Gigafactory, perhaps Musk was simply looking to better integrate the iPhone with his cars.


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