Jordan manages the internal Partner Program for sponsorships and partnerships across the 9to5 network’s media brands including 9to5Mac, 9to5Google, 9to5Toys, Electrek.co, SpaceExplored and DroneDJ.com.
Jordan also writes about all things Apple as a Senior Editor of 9to5Mac. He covers Google for 9to5Google.com, the best gadgets and deals on 9to5Toys.com, and EV and solar news on Electrek.co. He also co-authors 9to5Mac’s Logic Pros series and makes music sometimes.
Contact Jordan with partnership inquiries and long-winded complaints:
The latest from KGI Research’s Ming-Chi Kuo, one analyst with quite a solid track record on Apple forecasts, predicts Apple will likely release an Apple Watch with new casing materials by the fourth quarter of this year. KGI expects Apple will introduce 1-3 new versions of Apple Watch featuring casing materials other than the aluminium, stainless steel, and 18k gold options its launching next month. From the report:
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Four million downloads after launching its HERE mapping app for Android devices back in October, Nokia is today bringing HERE to iOS devices. I’ve been playing with the app for a while leading up to launch, and it’s a true Google Maps and Apple Maps competitor…
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Apple will have its own straps and bands available for Apple Watch when it launches next month, but companies are already planning third-party options…
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[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t4vkQAByALc]
Google just announced its much anticipated Google Calendar app for iPhone is now available on the App Store. The app is essentially an iPhone version of the standalone Calendar mobile app previously only available for Android devices. Google first unveiled the latest version of its Calendar app alongside the release of Android 5.0 Lollipop late last year.
The Google Calendar app for iPhone works with your Exchange and iCloud calendars and also integrates with Gmail to automatically turn events from emails into Calendar entries. Here’s a rundown on features from Google:
Swiss watchmakers are once again weighing in on how Apple Watch might impact the Swiss watch industry after Apple yesterday revealed pricing and availability for its three Watch collections. By confirming that its 18k gold models will range from $10,000-$17,000, Apple signaled that it isn’t content to sell into the $350 – $1,000 market where the aluminum Sport and stainless steel Watch models sit; it’s also aiming at the premium luxury watch market. However, it’s the lower end of Apple’s collection that Swiss watchmakers are really worried about.
In an interview with Bloomberg, Swatch co-inventor Elmar Mock says he thinks “Apple will succeed quickly” and predicted that an Ice Age is coming for Swiss watchmakers selling into the $500-$1,000 market. “Anything in the price range of 500 francs to 1,000 francs [US$500-$1,000] is really in danger,” said Mock, speaking from Biel, Switzerland. “I do expect an Ice Age coming toward us.” Mock appears to agree with a reported quote from Apple’s Jonathan Ive that “Switzerland is in trouble,” and differs from current Swatch CEO Nick Hayek, who is aggressively targeting the Apple Watch with Swatch-branded smartwatches…
After a remastered release of critically acclaimed console game ‘Oddworld: Stranger’s Wrath’ on iOS devices last year, today the title officially arrives for Mac users via the Mac App Store.
New for the Mac version of the game: iCloud integration so you can save and continue playing on iOS, gamepad support and fully mappable keyboard/mouse controls, Game Center achievements/leaderboards, and support for all Mac resolutions including Retina displays and the new 5K iMac.
The 20+ hour game developed by Oddworld Inhabitant is one of the latest releases in the popular Oddworld series despite having first launched around 10 years ago on the original Xbox. The well-received game ditched the classic Oddworld scrolling puzzler gameplay and instead offers a half first-person shooter, half third-person platformer with lots of the usual Oddworld exploration and a theatrical soundtrack.
Oddworld: Stranger’s Wrath is available for $9.99 on the Mac App Store now. Launch trailer below:
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZlxbXSXeHfU]
Starbucks announced today that it’s expanding a pilot for its iPhone app that allows customers to both order and pay for items on their mobile device.
Originally started as a test in Portland in December, the expansion will bring the feature to 650 Starbucks locations in the Pacific Northwest, including: Washington, Idaho, Oregon and Alaska. Starbucks also said it would continue a national roll out of the service to other locations throughout 2015:
Mobile Order & Pay represents a significant opportunity for Starbucks to continue its leadership position in mobile commerce and customer loyalty. Starbucks plans to continue a national rollout throughout 2015.
You can expect the additional 650 locations to go live later this month on March 17.
The Starbucks iPhone app is available for free on the App Store.
Chipmaker Marvell announced today that it has become “the industry’s first silicon vendor to develop a fully supported SDK” for Apple’s new HomeKit home automation platform, supplying a full hardware and software platform to accessory manufacturers. As part of the support, Marvell has an SDK for HomeKit that includes a “88MC200 microcontroller, advanced Avastar 88W8801 Wi-Fi SoC and EZ-Connect software.”
We previously reported that chipmakers had started providing small quantities of wireless chips to some companies for HomeKit products, but this is the first time a silicon vendor has announced a complete HomeKit software and hardware solution for developers:
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Alongside Apple Watch pricing and availability announcements, Apple just released a handy sizing guide that will give you an idea of what band will be best for you.
For some models, like the Sport collection, Apple is including two bands in the box—“Small-Medium” and “Medium-Large”— while others, like the Modern Buckle straps, allow customers to pick from various strap sizes. There will be some exceptions: the gold model with Sport band is only listed as coming with one strap that “Fits 130–200mm wrists”.
The Modern Buckle bands use Small, Medium, and Large straps, while the Leather Loop, Milanese Loop, Link Bracelet, and Classic Buckle all have two different sizes for the 38mm and 42mm models. The Sport collection, as mentioned above, has Small/Medium and Medium/Large bands bundled in the box, but those vary in size for the 38mm and 42mm Sport models. So your decision might not only depend on what size face you want, but also what strap will fit you best.
Head below and click the image for the full size guide:
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We reports a couple weeks back that Apple would be selling bands separately as accessories alongside its Apple Watch. Below are details on the straps and bracelets available, which include most models apart from the gold 18k and range from $49 to $449.
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One of the biggest questions leading up to Apple’s event today was how much would the various models of Apple Watch cost beyond the device’s $349 starting price.
Pricing is a little more complex than Apple’s iPhones or iPads, with pricing for the three collections— Apple Watch, Apple Watch Sport, and the gold Apple Watch Edition— all including various tiers depending on strap and case size combinations. Look at the entire lineup, all three collections range from the starting price of $349 for the Sport model to as much as $17,000 for the 18k gold Apple Watch Edition model.
Head below for all the specifics on Apple Watch pricing from today’s event:
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From Apple’s ‘Spring Forward’ Apple Watch event today, we’ve rounded up the notable numbers and other updates shared by CEO Tim Cook and other execs throughout the presentation. Among them: Apple recently sold it’s 700 millionth iPhone. Cook also noted that iPhone is growing at a rate of growth double the industry (as pictured in the slide above).
Apple also shared some numbers on Apple Pay, retail stores, growth in China, and CarPlay.
Head below for more stats and company updates announced today:
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It’s your last chance to guess what Apple Watch will cost ahead of today’s ‘Spring Forward’ event where CEO Tim Cook and company are expected to fill us in on pricing, availability, and hopefully preorders.
We know Apple Watch will start at $349, likely for the Sport model, but what we’re really interested in is the starting price for the most expensive model(s): the 18k gold Apple Watch Edition and the stainless steel Apple Watch with stainless steel band (pictured above).
Polls for both of these are below, but feel free to tell us your predictions for pricing on the entire lineup in the comments. Our own roundup of what we expect to see announced today is here.
In order to further personalize the Apple Watch sales experience, Apple is positioning its retail employees to learn more about its customers in order to help them make an even better Apple Watch purchasing decision. Apple today sent a memo to retail employees that summarizes feedback from 16 retail store employees who helped show off the Watch during Paris Fashion Week at Parisian boutique Colette in September 2014. The most notable piece of advice:
Helping customers buy a watch means you need to understand them more. You need to know about their life, their activities, and [needs]… Be prepared to ask permission to interact closely with people.
While this statement may seem like Apple wants its employees to get overly personal with potential Apple Watch customers, some of these questions are appropriate in light of the Apple Watch’s feature set. Depending on these answers, employees will be able to better steer customers toward different Apple Watch collections. For example, a person focused on outdoor activities may want the Sport version, while someone constantly at high-profile events may want a stainless steel or gold model…
Apple’s “Spring Forward” event is scheduled for Monday, March 9th and we’re already getting prepared to bring you live coverage and last minute leaks leading up to the event. What can you expect at the event? Below we’ve put together our list of likely announcements including some unannounced Apple Watch features and possible surprises…
Update: Here’s the full letter, which we received following the original report and confirmed is legit. It appears to be an email sent out to Apple’s education partners:
In iPad one-to-one environments, schools are seeing more engaged students, better attendance, and higher test results. You can see this happening in districts and schools like Prince George’s County, and Essa Academy.
We understand that some schools are not able to give every student an iPad and are sharing devices across classes and students. We want to make learning with a shared iPad a great experience for these students as well as their teachers and administrators. We are already at work on significant changes to App distribution, Apple ID, and Apple Deployment Programs that we are planning to deliver next year to make using iPad in the classroom even better.
To simplify large deployments, including one-to-one and shared use, we want to make app distribution even easier. Today, Apple IDs are required in order to deliver apps and books to students. We are working to change this in the fall by allowing schools to assign and distribute apps to a device without an Apple ID. As currently planned, this will greatly reduce the number of steps needed to setup a device.
This change should eliminate the need to create generic Apple IDs solely for the purposes of getting content onto iPad. Schools will also have the option to prevent students from making personal purchases without approval.
We realize the complexity of obtaining parental consent for Apple ID for students under 13 can be a challenge, especially in large districts. We are working to change the Apple ID for Students program in 2016 – during the upcoming school year. With these planned changes schools will have the ability to create and manage Apple IDs on behalf of students that can be configured to access iCloud. It will also allow system administrators to reset student passwords. And, the new approach will still meet COPPA requirements.
We are improving the Apple Deployment Programs by unifying individual services into one program, simplifying the administrator experience. This will make it far easier to enroll, manage, and support a large deployment—and reduce many of the steps schools have to go through to get setup.
Today iPad is engaging students in their learning in ways we couldn’t have imagined. Alongside inspiring leaders, innovative teachers and engaged communities, we believe iPad is the best device for any student, grade and level. We will work to make it easy to get iPads into the hands of all students and teachers. The feedback we receive helps guide what we need to do to get there.
Apple is reportedly planning to improve the process of loading apps onto iPads for its education customers by allowing students to install software without using an Apple ID, according to MacRumors.
Below is a snippet of an email allegedly sent by Apple:
To simplify large deployments, including one-to-one and shared use, we want to make app distribution even easier. Today, Apple IDs are required in order to deliver apps and books to students. We are working to change this in the fall by allowing schools to assign and distribute apps to a device without an Apple ID. As currently planned, this will greatly reduce the number of steps needed to setup a device. This change should eliminate the need to create generic Apple IDs solely for the purposes of getting content onto iPad. Schools will also have the option to prevent students from making personal purchases without approval.
Other changes on the way for education customers according to the report: Apple will allow educators to create Apple IDs for students to allow access to iCloud and as well as unify parts of the program to improve the experience.
In the past, Apple has attempted to improve its iPad for Education program by allowing special Apple IDs for students under 13-years-old and adding remote configuration options for IT administrators.
Apple also participates in the ConnectED education program offering a combination of Macs, iPads, and Apple TVs to over 100 schools across the United States.
Reuters reports that Japan Display Inc, an Apple parts supplier, just announced plans to build a new $1.4 billion LCD plant that will reportedly help it become a primary supplier of smartphone displays to Apple.
The report also claims that Apple has invested in the plant, but didn’t disclose any financial details related to the investment:
The company did not name Apple, in line with its policy of not identifying clients. A person familiar with the matter said Apple would also invest an unspecified amount in the plant, which would further the Japanese screen maker’s aim of becoming the primary supplier of high-tech screens for iPhones.
The news follows reports last month that Apple was considering such an investment in the new factory somewhere in the neighborhood of $1.7 billion.
The new plant will reportedly start production in 2016 and increase Japan Display’s LCD capacity by 20 percent.
The possibility of third-party accessories for Apple Watch is still something Apple hasn’t made official, but that isn’t stopping a slew of companies from announcing products before the Apple Watch ships next month. The latest is a band accessory called Reserve Strap that aims to combat any battery life issues with a strap that includes embedded batteries to charge the device while you wear it.
Amazon Game Studios announced today that it’s bringing four games to iOS devices starting with two previously released only on Android and two new titles coming soon.
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A new report from TechCrunch notes that the upcoming Apple Watch has a port that Apple has yet to show off hidden in one of the two slots where the Watch’s straps connect to its case. The report brings up the possibility of using it to facilitate “smart straps” and other Apple Watch accessories, but 9to5Mac has learned from sources that the port, which is actually a Lightning port being used for testing, will not be included on the product shipping to customers.
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Google is rolling out updates to its Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides apps for the iPhone and iPad today bringing the ability to make a copy of a document and more.
In addition to the new “Make a copy” function for documents, spreadsheets, and presentations across all three apps, you’ll also now be able to copy links to your device’s clipboard. Sheets and Slides also receive a new “accessibility settings menu when VoiceOver is enabled.”
The updated apps also arrive with bug fixes and a few other minor enhancements.
The latest version of Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides will be hitting the App Store today.
* Make a copy of a document
* Bug fixes and performance improvements
Apple has settled a long-running class action lawsuit by workers that accused the company along with Google and other tech companies of entering illegal non-poaching agreements.
Associated Press reports that a judge has given the green light to a $415 million settlement after rejecting an earlier settlement as inadequate.
Judge Lucy Koh had rejected an earlier settlement offer, saying it didn’t offer enough compensation to about 64,000 workers affected by the case. She cited evidence of a corporate conspiracy to make it difficult for tech workers to negotiate better jobs at rival companies… Koh said she was satisfied this week after the companies increased their earlier offer of $324.5 million. She invited final comments on the deal before she grants final approval at a hearing on June 9.
If the settlement gets all final approvals, it will allow Apple, Google, Intel, Adobe and others involved in the case to avoid going to trial.
Last month reports surfaced that Apple was facing another lawsuit related to poaching employees, specifically from A123 Systems. In the lawsuit, the company claimed its former engineers breached their non-compete contracts, while Apple had engaged in “unfair competition.”
HBO is reportedly negotiating with Apple to have the Apple TV included as a launch device when the network’s new standalone streaming service launches next month. International Business Times reports Apple has been “aggressive” in pushing to get access to the new service as HBO reportedly plans a launch by mid-April in time for the latest season of hit show Game of Thrones:
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Specs of what appears to be an unannounced, refreshed MacBook Air have surfaced via screenshots posted to Chinese forums Feng.com.
The images show system specs for a 13-inch “MacBookAir7,2” with similar internals to the existing model but with a couple upgrades. A new Intel Broadwell Core 1.6GHz i5-5250U processor and Intel HD Graphics 6000 shown in the images would be an upgrade from the 1.4GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 and Intel HD Graphics 5000 shipping in the current 13-inch MacBook. Also present is in the specs is a slightly larger 7422mAh battery.
Other specs in the screenshot include 4GB of RAM and a 1440×900 resolution display, both of which are the same as the current generation MacBook Air.
The forum poster also points to models that will be offered for the refreshed MacBook including the option of a 1.6GHz Core-i5 processor with 128GB or 256GB of storage or a 2.2ghz Intel Core i7-5650U processor with a 512GB SSD and 8GB of RAM.
Apple has its next press event scheduled for March 9th, and also much anticipated, all-new 12-inch MacBook in the works, but we’ll have to wait and see if the Mac gets any stage time during the event that will most likely focus on Apple Watch.