Mark is an award-winning journalist who worked at 9to5Mac for over six years. He covers Apple and other topics related to the consumer technology industry.
Last fall, Apple had a lot of products to introduce: a new iPhone, two new iPads, three new iPods, and a few new Macs. Apple ended up dividing those new devices into two events: an iPhone + iPod event and an iPad + Mac event.
Without much occurring during the first half of this year, and even with the new iPhones launching this month, Apple still has a significant amount of products to still announce this year. Let’s take a look at what’s coming:
MacBook Pros with Haswell chips, improved battery life
Haswell Mac minis
Final OS X Mavericks details, pricing (launch targeted for late October, but sources now say there’s been internal chatter about a (very unlikely) push-back to early November
Mac Pro tech specs, pricing, availability details
Secret Mac-related hardware that nobody knows about coming as soon as late 2013
Ahead of Apple’s new iPad launch later this year, a flurry of high-resolution images of Space Gray shells for the upcoming fifth-generation iPad have emerged. These shots show the same detail as our shots from January, but the color is obviously new. These new photos also give a peek at some internal components and a silver model for the future iPad.
Apple replaced its “Slate” color for Space Gray with the new iPhone 5s, and it makes sense that it would bring that color across its iOS Device lineup. A photo of a Space Gray backplate for a new version of the iPad mini hit the web a few weeks ago.
Apple is moving forward with a larger version of its iPad tablet and it is working with Quanta Computer for manufacturing, according to United Daily News (via Macotakara). UDN does not have a substantial record in Apple reporting, but it is one of Taiwan’s most prominent newspapers. Today’s report refers to the larger iPad design as featuring a 12-inch display, though recent rumors have pegged the screen-size as closer to 13-inches…
The White House has announced four new nominations for jobs in The Obama Administration, including Apple’s Vice President of Worldwide Government Affairs Catherine Novelli. Novelli will be nominated by President Obama to join the State Department as Under Secretary for Economic Growth, Energy and the Environment.
Catherine Ann Novelli, Nominee for Under Secretary for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment, Department of State
Catherine Ann Novelli is Vice President of Worldwide Government Affairs at Apple, Inc., a position she has held since 2007. Previously, Ms. Novelli was a partner at Mayer, Brown, Rowe & Maw, LLP from 2005 to 2007. From 1991 to 2005, she served at the Office of the United States Trade Representative and from 1997 to 2005, she was the Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for Europe and the Mediterranean. From 1985 to 1991, Ms. Novelli served in the Office of the General Counsel at the Department of Commerce. From 1982 to 1985, she practiced law in the Washington D.C. office of Debovoise and Librman. Ms. Novelli received a B.A. from Tufts University, a J.D. from the University of Michigan, and a LL.M. from the University of London.
The move will likely further improve Apple’s relations with the United States Government. As an Apple Vice President, Novelli is Apple’s lead lobbyist, and according to her LinkedIn profile, works out of Washington D.C…
Apple is preparing to release a new version of OS X Mountain Lion 10.8.5 to end-users in the coming days, according to a source. The Mac operating system update has already been supplied to Apple employees. The new version is referred to as a “Supplement Update” to 10.8.5, and will be available via Software Update in the Mac App Store…
The original OS X 10.8.5 release arrived earlier this month, and it included improvements to Mail, WiFi connectivity, and screensaver functionality. The follow-up will fix some bugs that have been reported with the original release. According to the release notes (shown above), the supplemental upgrade includes fixes to FaceTime on newer MacBook Airs, USB, HDMI, and external drive connectivity.
Well-respected analyst Walter Piecyk from BTIG has compiled the above table that provides a comprehensive look at the currently quoted shipping times from Apple’s Online Store and carrier online stores. While Apple quotes a consistent “October” for shipping, AT&T, Verizon Wireless, and Sprint get more specific.
The chart breaks down the days depending on device color and storage configurations. Consistently, the Gold models seem to be farthest out for shipping, while the Space Gray units will ship the soonest. While these are quotes for online, it is possible that you could find a new iPhone 5s sooner from a physical Apple Retail store.
However, the carrier stores we’ve spoken to are quoting similarly long wait times until they will be able to receive and allocate an iPhone 5s. In summary, if you want an iPhone 5s for the holiday season, you should act soon.
Update: Apple has issued an EFI firmware update for the new machines, to cure a black-screen issue when using Boot Camp while both an external optical drive and USB thumb drive are connected.
Apple has launched an updated line of iMacs with faster processors, improved graphics, faster 802.11ac WiFi connectivity, and improved Flash storage. The new iMacs are now available from Apple’s online store.
“iMac continues to be the example that proves how beautiful, fast and fun a desktop computer can be,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. “Inside its ultra-thin aluminum enclosure, the new iMac has the latest Intel processors, faster graphics, next generation 802.11ac Wi-Fi and faster PCIe flash storage.”
The new iMacs, like the MacBook Airs that launched in June, include Intel Haswell processors.
However, the iMac’s chips are all quad-core across the board, for both the 21.5-inch and 27-inch configurations:
The entry-level 21.5-inch iMac features a 2.7 GHz quad-core Intel Core i5 processor and new Iris Pro graphics for unprecedented levels of integrated graphics performance. The high-end 21.5-inch model and both 27-inch models feature quad-core Intel Core i5 processors up to 3.4 GHz and NVIDIA GeForce 700 series graphics with twice the video memory and up to 40 percent faster performance than the previous generation.* Customers looking for the ultimate in performance can upgrade to quad-core Intel Core i7 processors up to 3.5 GHz and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 780M series graphics with up to 4GB of video memory.
The new iMacs also include improvements to flash storage and the Fusion Drive:
The updated iMac now features support for PCIe-based flash storage that makes Fusion Drive and all-flash storage options up to 50 percent faster than the previous generation.* The popular Fusion Drive option combines the large storage capacity of a hard drive with the high performance of flash to deliver shorter boot times and faster access to apps and files. Customers can configure their iMac with a 1TB or 3TB Fusion Drive, and all-flash storage options are now available in configurations up to 1TB. iMac comes standard with 8GB of memory and a 1TB hard drive, and customers can choose to configure their iMac with up to 32GB of memory and up to a 3TB hard drive. iMac also comes with two Thunderbolt and four USB 3.0 ports for connecting to external storage and other high performance peripherals.
Sources say that the new iMacs will be available at Apple Stores beginning Thursday.
However, multiple readers have noticed that the in-store pickup option has disappeared from both Apple’s Online Store and its Apple Store mobile app. It is currently unclear as to why Apple pulled the functionality after just one day. Perhaps the option will appear and disappear based on current availability levels, but it is unlikely that supply of the iPhone 5s could have shifted enough between yesterday and today for the feature to be pulled for that reason.
In August, we noted that iTunes was offering Season Passes of the popular show Breaking Bad in a split-up format. For Season 5 of the show, the first eight episodes was under one iTunes purchase, while the second half (which was known as “The Final Season”) was an additional download.
Dear Customer, We apologize for any confusion the naming of “Season 5” and “The Final Season” of Breaking Bad might have caused you. While the names of the seasons and episodes associated with them were not chosen by iTunes, we’d like to offer you “The Final Season” on us by providing you with the iTunes code below in the amount of $22.99. This credit can also be used for any other content on the iTunes Store. Thank you for your purchase.
Now, Apple is making up for AMC’s decision by offering a full refund via a $22.99 iTunes credit to customers that purchased the second-half of the Breaking Bad season via iTunes. The credit is redeemable via a promotional code sent to each customer who made the Season Pass purchase. A copy of the email is pasted above. In the email, Apple makes it clear that the decision to split the season up was not in its hands. Thanks, Ryan and Dane!
After releasing a buggy version of new Apple TV software last week (and subsequently removing it from download) Apple has issued a new version of the update to Apple TV users. The new version is labeled Apple TV Software 6.0, and it comes in at build number 11A502. This is a substantial increase from pulled 11A470e version. The new Apple TV update brings iTunes Radio, the iTunes Music Store, and new AirPlay functionality. Thanks, Adebola!
According to several emails from readers, Apple is reminding former MobileMe customers that their free 20GB of iCloud storage will go away on September 30th. That’s a week from today. With the transition in 2011 from MobileMe to iCloud, Apple offered paying MobileMe users the extra 20GB. Now, these users will be stuck with only the free 5GB that iCloud includes unless they choose to upgrade to one of the priced plans. Apple previously notified customers of the change in early August, but today’s reminder servers to reiterate that. Thanks, Logan for the image.
To check for availability on the iPhone and iPod touch Apple Store app, navigate to the buy iPhone page, add your iPhone to the cart, then choose “Check Availability.”
The app will show you a list of your favorite and nearby stores. With Personal Pickup, you can order an iPhone through the app and then pick it up at your local Apple Store. With iPhones now shipping in October, this might be your best bet at soon getting an iPhone 5s.
I managed to pick up an iPhone 5s yesterday and have been trying out its new features and enhancements. Here’s my review of the device after using it for 24 hours…
Unsurprisingly, Apple’s front of store displays for the new iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c focus on color. Both displays seem to be comprised of colored balls inside of a large glass box. The 5s side features the blue, pink/red, green, yellow, and white colors, while the 5s side promotes gold, gray, and silver. More photos below. Thanks, Ben!
Update: Apple confirmed in a statement to AllThingsD that it is working on a fix for a future software update:
“Apple takes user security very seriously,” Apple spokeswoman Trudy Muller told AllThingsD. “We are aware of this issue, and will deliver a fix in a future software update.”
Forbes publicizes a bug in the iOS 7 Lock screen and Control Center implementation that could allow a person to bypass the device’s passcode and access the photo library. This bug is more of a potential security issue as it requires users to both be running their camera app (so it shows up in multitasking) and have Control Center activated for the Lock screen. Here are the steps (which we have independently re-produced):
1) Swipe up from the bottom of the Lock screen to open Control Center
2) Launch the Clock app
3) Open the Alarm Clock section of the Clock app
4) Hold down the power button
5) Quickly tap Cancel the immediately double-click the Home button
6) Hold down for a bit longer on the second click
With access to the photos, users could also share the images to social networks and via email (which could be worrisome). Of course, disabling Control Center access from the Lock screen will completely rid you of this potential security breach, but, either way, Apple will likely get a fix out in the coming weeks.
MacMagazine highlights a second potential bug, allowing users to call any number via the Emergency Call function on the Lock screen. A video of that bug (via Forbes) below:
Google today made its QuickOffice suite for both iOS and Android free to use with a Google Account. QuickOffice is a cross-platform document editor that can manage and edit Microsoft Office documents. The app is downloadable for free on both iTunes and Google play for no charge. Better yet, Google says that those who login to the updated app by September 26th will receive a 10GB storage boost in Google Drive for the next two years.
Yesterday, Apple released iOS 7 for the iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. The major update, which includes 200 new features and a completely new interface aesthetic, not only effects Apple’s operating system, but it has a profound connection to the hundreds of thousands of apps available on the App Store. Since yesterday, we’ve been posting in-depth looks at the new operating system, how-to posts, and reviews & previews of new applications that fit the design of iOS 7:
Earlier this week, we noted that Apple has begun allowing users on older versions of iOS to download older versions of their previously purchased apps. This feature exists because some iOS users are running hardware that no longer supports newer versions of App Store applications. At launch, this feature was auto-activated for all developers, and these developers were not able to manage what users on older hardware could download. Now, Apple has informed developers that they could manage the availability of their legacy software:
Just before the new iPhones launch, Apple CEO Tim Cook, Design chief Jony Ive, and Software head Craig Federighi have sat down with Bloomberg Businessweek for a wide-ranging interview. The interview does not reveal any breakthrough new information, but this seems to be the first time that Apple’s leadership has sat down for a joint interview…
Alongside the launch of iOS 7, Apple has raised the limit for an application file size that could be downloaded over a cellular network via the App Store. The new limit is 100MB, and that is double the previous limit of 50MB (via MacRumors). Back in 2008, the App Store launched with a 10MB cap, but as iOS devices gained new features such as 3G, LTE, and Retina Displays, Apple has been raising the limits. It seems likely that the limit was raised due to the influx of new app designs that Apple is expecting to be rolled out in the coming weeks.
Google today announced the launch of a new company called Calico. The company focuses on health and well-being matters, and Google CEO Larry Page describes it as a “moonshot” initiative that could help millions of people:
Announcing this new investment, Larry Page, Google CEO said: “Illness and aging affect all our families. With some longer term, moonshot thinking around healthcare and biotechnology, I believe we can improve millions of lives. It’s impossible to imagine anyone better than Art—one of the leading scientists, entrepreneurs and CEOs of our generation—to take this new venture forward.” Art said: “I’ve devoted much of my life to science and technology, with the goal of improving human health. Larry’s focus on outsized improvements has inspired me, and I’m tremendously excited about what’s next.”
Notably, Arthur Levinson will be a founder and the CEO of Calico. Levinson used to be a Board Member at Google, and he is currently the Chairman of Apple’s Board of Directors and Genetech. Apple CEO Tim Cook has even commented in Google’s press release about the company:
Tim Cook, Chief Executive Officer of Apple, said: “For too many of our friends and family, life has been cut short or the quality of their life is too often lacking. Art is one of the crazy ones who thinks it doesn’t have to be this way. There is no one better suited to lead this mission and I am excited to see the results.”
In the hours before iOS 7 arrives for the iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch, Apple has released iTunes 11.1 with several major new features. The download is available from Apple’s website.
This version of iTunes comes with several major new features, including:
iTunes Radio. iTunes Radio is a great new way to discover music. Choose from over 250 stations or start a new one from your favorite artist or song. Enjoy iTunes Radio ad-free once you subscribe to iTunes Match.
Genius Shuffle. Introducing a magical new way to experience your music library. Choose Genius Shuffle and iTunes instantly plays songs that go great together. Click it again to hear something new—enjoying your music has never been this easy.
Podcast Stations. You can now create custom stations of your favorite podcasts that update automatically with new episodes. Your stations, subscriptions, and current play position sync over iCloud to the Podcasts app.
Sync with iOS 7. You can now use iTunes to sync your favorite music, movies, and more to devices with iOS 7. In addition, iTunes now makes it even easier to quickly organize and sync apps to your iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.
The new iTunes for Macs and PCs is headlined with iTunes Radio, Apple’s new free music streaming service. Also coming along for the ride in this new update is a new way to shuffle music found in Genius Playlists. Also new is Podcasts stations (which will sync over iCloud to the iOS app). Unsurprisingly, the new release includes full support for synchronizing with your iOS 7 devices and managing app installations.
Ahead of the official releases of both the iPhone 5s and iPhone 5c this Friday, September 20th, early reviews of the new devices have gone live at several publications. The iPhone 5s includes notable new featured such as the Touch ID fingerprint authentication system, and improved camera, and a faster processor.
