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.
Apple has released a software update to the current OS X Mountain Lion Developer Preview 4 seed. The software update is not an entirely new developer preview, but simply an update to the already existing preview. Developers can access this software update via the Mac App Store. Apple has not provided specifics on what this update contains, but we will update on anything that we find.
Updates:
– Seed size is 1.08 GB
– Build number is 12A248 (First version of Preview 4 was 12A239)
– Settings for Facebook in Notification Center and PowerNap are now present
As Steve Jobs said in 2010 when he introduced the current MacBook Air design: “We asked ourselves, ‘What would happen if a MacBook and an iPad hooked up?’ Well, this is the result, We think it’s the future of notebooks.”
The new MacBook Pro is this future.
We’ve been using the new 15-inch MacBook Pro with Retina Display for close to a week, and as Apple says, its the best computer they have ever made. We have broken down some of the most important facets of the new MacBook Pro: the things you will care about most when deciding whether or not to buy this Apple notebook. Read on for our review:
We were first to report that four new Mac lines are incoming for WWDC, and now we have received some more detailed information about two of the new updates. First, the Mac Pro. A new Mac Pro will launch at WWDC, marking the pro desktop’s first update in nearly two years. As we previously reported, the new machine will come in three configurations: two standard models and a server model. Here are the three configurations per reliable sources:
Normal configuration: 3.2GHz quad-core processor, 6GB of RAM, 1TB hard drive, and the ATI Radeon 5770 graphics chip.
Normal configuration: 2.4GHz 12-core processor, 12GB of RAM, 1TB hard drive, and the ATI Radeon 5770 graphics chip.
Server configuration: 3.2GHz quad-core processor, 8GB of RAM, Two 1TB hard drives
Of course, built-to-order options with more enhancements should be available. Next is the MacBook Pros. As we reported in our roundup, we believe that Apple will be announcing both next-generation MacBook Pros with a thinner design and Retina Display AND spec-bumped MacBook Pros with the current design. We believed that the Retina MacBook Pros will come with a 15-inch display and that Apple will release spec-bumped 13 inch and 15 inch MacBook Pros with the current design. We now have details on the spec-bumped 13 inch and 15 inch MacBook Pros:
13.3 inch: 2.5GHz dual core processor, 4GB of RAM, 500GB hard drive
13.3 inch: 2.9GHz dual core processor, 8GB of RAM, 750GB hard drive
15.4 inch: 2.3GHz quad core processor, 4GB of RAM, 500GB hard drive
15.4 inch: 2.6GHz quad core processor, 8GB of RAM, 750GB hard drive (BTO upgrades to 2.7GHz quad core and 1TB HD will be available)
We are yet to receive details on the Retina Display MacBook Pro and the new MacBook Airs, but we believe that those notebooks are still coming at WWDC. Also in the mix is an updated AirPort Express and USB SuperDrive. The current USB SuperDrive from Apple is marketed as a MacBook Air SuperDrive, so this new model likely is re-branded to support the next-generation (optical-drive-less) MacBook Pro. We also understand that Apple might refresh their MagSafe connector/adapter and sell new adapters and converters between new and old MagSafes. A new Thunderbolt to Ethernet adapter will also be made available.
We’re on the scene at Apple’s 2012 Worldwide Developers Conference, and we will be bringing live coverage during the event. The WWDC kickoff keynote starts at 10AM PST and we’re expecting an iOS 6 reveal with Siri for iPad, a 3D Maps app, Facebook integration, and more. Also possibly on the table for tomorrow is a series of of iCloud enhancements and an official OS X Mountain Lion presentation. We’re also expecting a slew of new Macs, including new MacBook Pros, new MacBook Airs, and a new Mac Pro. Join us tomorrow morning for a complete WWDC keynote live blog, and be sure to stick around for complete post-keynote coverage.
P.S… we will be around the keynote line at Moscone West around midnight tonight with party favors.
WWDC 2011 was the last Apple event Steve Jobs would be a part of and one of the last public appearances he made. Since then, Apple has continued to soldier on, adding value to its market cap and releasing new smash hit products like the iPhone 4S last fall and the new Retina iPad and 1080P Apple TV this spring.
This year’s Worldwide Developers Conference, WWDC 2012, will pick up where last year’s event left off. It will introduce major updates to Apple’s mobile and desktop operating system, the cloud-based syncing strategy, and it will bring Mac hardware back to a Mecca of Apple’s top software developers for the first time in three years.
There have been a lot of WWDC predictions, many made on information we made available. Over the past month and change, we’ve revealed the lion’s share of what’s now known about WWDC 2012, and we have some more to share in our highly anticipated WWDC 2012 round-up.
We break down everything you should expect into categories of iOS 6, iCloud updates, OS X Mountain Lion, and the exciting updates to multiple Mac hardware lines. Our complete round-up is available after the break:
Following our initial gallery of WWDC banners at Moscone West, Apple has put up banners referring directly to their upcoming iOS update, iOS 6. We also have some new photos of Moscone West itself.
We have a full-res gallery after the break! Thanks, Andrew Stern!
The Australian reports that Apple has agreed to a $2.25 million settlement in Australian courts over the advertising of the third-generation iPad as “4G” in Australia.
The source of the issue is that a true 4G LTE network is not supported by the third-generation iPad in Australia. Apple has already taken a big step to settle the 4G iPad confusion: the company has renamed the “iPad WiFi + 4G” to “iPad WiFi + Cellular.”
The lawsuit is to be settled with the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, the group that accused Apple of the false advertising. However, the judge presiding over the case is yet to provide the final approval for the settlement.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8XY841RAY4Y]
In late May, we had exclusive high-resolution photos of both black and white next-generation iPhone backs. These backs showed a brand-new, thinner design with a smaller dock connector, new speaker grills, and a new metal back plate. Now, ETradeSupply – a parts reseller – has gotten their hands on these already leaked parts (via CydiaBlog). They have posted a video to YouTube (shown above), and the video does not show anything different than the photos, but it is nice to see more of a hands-on demonstration of the unreleased iPhone parts.
Other findings from our photos that are affirmed by this video include the unibody/integrated approach for the antenna band and back portions of the device, a relocated headphone jack (now on the bottom), and an overall taller design.
The videographer of the parts believes that the SIM card used in the next-generation iPhone will be smaller than the MicroSIM card used in the iPhone 4S and iPhone 4. However, this is based on the SIM card holder piece itself being smaller in the new iPhone back piece, rather than a measurement of the actual SIM cutout in the part itself. While a smaller SIM card standard is being developed, it is hard to tell whether or not these smaller cards will make their way into the new iPhone.
Some nice big stills (click to enlarge):
We are expecting to see this new iPhone launch sometime in the late summer/fall. Thanks Norin!
According to an internal Apple memo (shown after the break), Apple is finally dropping the long-existing iPad purchase quantity limit of two units per purchase. The change goes into effect immediately at Apple’s Retail Stores worldwide (except in Hong Kong). The quantity limit is yet to be dropped on Apple’s official online store, but the change will appear on that digital storefront on June 11th, the date of Apple’s WWDC kickoff keynote. The removal timing likely implies absolutely nothing besides Apple possibly having enough iPad channel supply to remove a purchase limit.
Yesterday, we reported that Apple has an incredible WWDC surprise: major updates to four of its Mac lines. We were able to affirm that three of these updates would cover the redesigned MacBook Pro with a Retina Display, refreshed 11-inch and 13-inch MacBook Airs, and new iMacs in two screen sizes. Besides those three Mac lines updates, we were unsure if the either the Mac mini or the Mac Pro would make it as the fourth update. We speculated that it could be the Mac mini due to the newly available Ivy Bridge processors, but now, reliable sources are reporting that Apple will, in fact, unveil a new Mac Pro at WWDC next week.
Sources have also been able to provide some part numbers and prices to prove this:
MD770LL/A – K5BPLUS,BETTER, BTR-USA
MD771LL/A – K5BPLUS,BEST,BTR-USA
MD772LL/A – K5BPLUS,ULTIMATE,BTR-USA
The pricing is similar to current Mac Pro models. What’s interesting here is that we’ve seen updates to every other line of Macs that Apple carries….except one…The Mac Mini.
Our sources are currently unsure of the feature-set coming with the new Mac Pro, but these sources say that there will likely now be three configurations. Two standard versions of the Mac Pro and a third version with OS X Server capabilities. In early 2011, we reported on some of the work that Apple engineers had been prototyping up for a future version of Apple’s Pro desktop line. For that report, sources said that Apple had been experimenting with a new Mac Pro design that is rackable and stackable. These prototype machines also included space for more storage drives, an important feature now that the Xserve has been long discontinued. With a year having passed since we heard about these prototype Mac Pros and the ability of Thunderbolt to offload a lot of the expandability, the final new Mac Pro designs could be different than the current designs but we haven’t yet heard definitively either way.
MacRumors reported that Apple has begun pulling Mac Pro stock from some of its retail stores. We’ve heard the same from tipsters, left.
With Apple adding the super-fast USB 3.0 technology to its next-generation MacBook Pro, and with Apple’s latest Macs including the even faster Thunderbolt I/O technology, Apple will likely add these faster connection ports to their latest Pro desktop. Since the Mac Pro is Apple’s most high-end machine for professional workers of all types, the most important features are the internals. Earlier this year, Intel released a series of Xeon E5 chips that would seem like a lock for a new Mac Pro. These new Mac Pros will likely also likely feature the latest graphics chips.
Apple last updated the Mac Pro in July 2010, making this upcoming update significant. It is unclear why Apple had left the Mac Pro in its 2010 form for so long, but a reader email from 2011 might explain that. According to the Apple executive who replied to a 9to5Mac reader inquiring about the Mac Pro’s status, Apple had been “investing heavily” in the professional desktop computer. We are unsure what investing heavily will mean for the final product, but it should surely be an incredible update over the nearly two year old model.
While Apple has major software announcements planned for the upcoming World Wide Developers Conference – including iOS 6, an updated version of iCloud, and OS X Mountain Lion – Apple is also planning some incredible hardware announcements. Not iOS hardware, but Mac hardware. We have already reported that Apple will introduce a brand-new 15-inch MacBook Pro at WWDC with a thinner design, high-resolution Retina Display, and faster I/O, and now we’re hearing that the new MacBook Pro will only make up one component of Apple’s hardware announcements.
In fact, WWDC 2012 might be the biggest simultaneous launch of new Macs in Apple’s history… Expand Expanding Close
Siri on iPad mockup based on descriptions from sources
Come this fall, people will start talking to their iPads. Apple’s breakthrough Siri Assistant, based on an incredible artificial-intelligence system, will no longer be exclusive to users of the popular iPhone 4S. According to trusted sources, one of the tentpole iOS 6 features is Siri support on the iPad. Not just the Voice Dictation brought to the iPad with the third-generation models and iOS 5.1, but the complete Siri voice assistant.
Siri, the software we first detailed for the iPhone in September of last year, brings all of its iPhone 4S features to the iPad, except for the phone-related commands. Music playback, iMessaging, Calendar managing, Reminders, Weather, Maps integration, E-mailing, Notes, Contacts searching, Safari integration, Wolfram-Alpha searching, and more are all present.
With the iPad being a device that is larger than the iPhone, the product typically sits farther away from the user’s mouth. Because of this, some speculators of Siri for iPad have believed that the device’s microphone would be unable to properly hear, and therefore incorrectly interpret, command inputs. Sources, however, dismissed this as nonsense, and these sources say that commands input with same or similar accuracy to the iPhone 4S. iPad voice dictation appears to work well for third-generation iPad users.
Unlike on the iPhone 4S, Siri for iPad is not a full screen experience. This makes sense given the device’s larger, 9.7-inch display. Siri on the iPad is activated by a quick hold of the home button, just like on the iPhone 4S. The interface slides up from below the display with a clever animation. Siri is built into the iPad as a small window on top of whatever interface the user is currently interacting with. This Siri window with rounded corners sits at the bottom center of the display, as you can see in our mockup above. The Siri iPad interface takes very little space over the iPad interface currently in use, and is designed with the same linen texture as on the iPhone 4S. Siri for iPad also works from the lock screen.
Apple’s upcoming release of OS X Mountain Lion takes several features from iOS 5, but also introduces the world to some new features that are also coming to iOS 6. According to trusted sources, iOS 6 will include iCloud Tabs support, Mail VIPs, and a simple, yet handy and so-far praised Notification Center enhancement.
iCloud Tabs is a feature that allows iCloud users to view a list of tabs opened in the Safari web browser across multiple iOS devices and Macs. Although previously rumored, iCloud Tabs is not a feature – in its initial implementation in iOS 6 and Mountain Lion – that syncs your entire current web browser work across devices. When the iCloud Tabs button is clicked on an iOS 6 device (or Mac), all the tabs opened on each device are simply shown in a synchronized list. From here, users can quickly pickup individual tabs that they were working on across their Apple devices. The iCloud Tabs button on the iPhone and iPod touch is hidden behind the Bookmarks toolbar.
Another subtle, yet much requested, feature from Mountain Lion is Mail VIPs. Like in Mountain Lion, Mail VIPs in iOS 6 puts a star next to emails received from a specified group of people. VIPs assigned to iCloud accounts will sync with iCloud across iOS 6 iPads, iPhones, iPod touches, and OS X Mountain Lion Macs. OS X Mountain Lion users have so-far praised the feature, as many users find themselves constantly looking for email from a select group of contacts.
Mockup of Facebook sharing in iPhone Photos app (thanks, Spencer Caldwell)
A few days ago, TechCrunch reported that Facebook will be integrated into iOS 6 in some fashion. This is not a major surprise given Apple CEO Tim Cook’s hint at the AllThingsD D10 Conference of iOS Facebook integration. We heard many weeks ago that Apple and Facebook engineers were working in collaboration on implementing some sort of integration of Facebook into iOS 6. Simultaneously, Apple and Facebook executives were discussing the terms of the deal and exactly how Facebook would be integrated into iOS 6. While we knew that some sort of integration was incoming, we have been waiting to learn the exact spots in which integration is present, something that has up in the air due to the agreement talks just recently coming to a close. The thought of Facebook integration into iOS is a dubious one itself, given that the two tech leaders talks of integration into iOS 4 and Ping both abruptly fell apart.
According to sources familiar with the Facebook integration into iOS 6, the integration will be very similar to Twitter’s integration that launched with iOS 5. The integration’s biggest presence will be in the iOS Photos application. Like you are able to send photos to Twitter from the Photos application, you will be able to post photos to Facebook. A single sign-on section for all Facebook connected applications is present in the iOS 6 system settings application. Like with Twitter, a new “social sheet,” as some people familiar with the matter call it, will appear for an accompanying status message.
According to sources familiar with Apple’s upcoming iOS 6 mobile software offering, the company’s three major digital stores will see design overhauls. The overhauls are said to be major and they focus on improved interactivity when making purchases in iTunes, the App Store, and the iBookstore. Social is a big piece of the store overhauls, and Facebook integration is being tested in the iTunes Store portion, at least.Apple is still planning to roll out complementary store redesigns for computers later this year.
Just a brief note about our next-generation iPhone back-shell leak from yesterday: sources in position to know say that the structure of the shells do match up with what is being tested internally. Namely, the redesigned bottom portion of the iPhone with the moved headphone jack and smaller dock connector are present on at least one of the longer iPhones that Apple is testing internally.
While the S in iPhone 3GS stands for speed, according to Phil Schiller’s 2009 announcement, Apple CEO Tim Cook says that the “S” in iPhone “4S” stands for Siri. Speed would have made sense for the iPhone 4S because of its dual-core A5 chip.
During the AllThingsD D10 conference tonight, Apple CEO Tim Cook was asked about Apple and Facebook’s relationship. The question came in the context of iOS 5 users having the ability to easily share through Twitter on their iPads, iPhones, and iPod touches. To this, Cook said “stay tuned.”
With WWDC less than two weeks away, we can’t help but to speculate that Facebook will get the iOS 5-Twitter treatment in iOS 6. iOS 4 betas contained such Facebook integration, but the feature was scrapped at the last minute. Perhaps this had something to do with an Apple/Facebook falling out, something demonstrated by Facebook’s removal from Apple’s music social network, Ping.
In other social network news, Cook said that Apple was not interested in acquiring Instagram, the iPhone and Android based photosharing app that was acquired by Facebook for $1 billion. Apple Senior Vice President of Marketing Phil Schiller previously said that Instagram “jumped the shark” when it launched on Android.
Earlier today, we posted the first image of the back plate for the next-generation iPhone, and now we have received several more images that are very high-resolution. These new shots showcase a comparison between the black and white versions of the next-generation iPhone back. The black and white coloring is, of course, a trim, and a large portion of the back – as you can see – is made out of metal. We are unsure at this point what purpose this metal serves (or if it is just a stylistic addition), but the metal is definitely present in all of our photos of the device’s back.
From a production standpoint, it appears that the metal antenna band is molded into the metal backplates. We assume this is Apple’s way of creating a unibody enclosure for mobile devices. Apple introduced unibody notebooks in late 2008, and the purpose of the unibody is to allow Apple to produce thinner and lighter, yet stronger, devices. Now that most of the phone’s external elements are one piece, Apple is likely able to squeeze more into the iPhone internally. Apple needs all the space they can get with their plans of producing LTE smartphones with proper battery life.
These photos also clearly show some of the features of the next-generation iPhone. The long rumored smaller dock connector is present, the earphone jack has been moved to the bottom corner of the device (the first time Apple has done this on one of their smartphones), the speaker grills have been redesigned, and there is a new opening between the camera lens and the LED flash. We’re not sure what this opening is, but it is possible that Apple is moving the second microphone (Apple started shipping two microphones with the iPhone 4) to the back for improved audio capture during video recording.
In a video sent directly to Apple Store employees, newly appointed Senior Vice President of Apple Retail John Browett has promised a three month advance on employee salary raises. Apple Store employees were previously scheduled to see their raises on September 30th of this year, but now these raises will come on June 30th. These raises come in addition to the Mac and iPad discounts promised by Apple CEO Tim Cook earlier this year.
These employee raises are said to work on a “1-5 scale.” Depending on individual store sales performance during a designated time period, employees will be given raises between 1% and 5% of their current salary. This three month advance is apparently a one time internal promotion, so the raises for 2013 will likely come during the later part of the year, not June.
At last I’ve officially started at Apple, and it’s great to be here. I’ve had the chance to meet many of you at stores in the U.S. and across Europe, and one of my top priorities for the coming months is to meet many more people on our team around the world. It’s incredibly impressive to be on the inside of Apple Retail. Many of my friends, relatives, and former colleagues have written to tell me how lucky I am to be working with such a great group of people, and I couldn’t agree more. While our stores are fantastic and our products are amazing, it really is our people who make the difference in creating the best retail experience. There will be much more to share in the weeks ahead, and I’m looking forward to meeting everyone over time. I am thrilled to work with all of you as we build the future of Apple Retail together.
Browett reportedly reiterated some of that letter in this first video to retail employees. Browett officially joined Apple in April of this year, and he is the successor to Apple Retail pioneer Ron Johnson. Johnson left Apple in November 2011 to become the CEO of J.C. Penney. Browett comes from Dixons, a United Kingdom-based retail chain, where he was the CEO. Former retail chief Ron Johnson occasionally sent videos to the Apple Retail teams, but this three month advance on raises makes an interesting and unique gift from Browett.
The President of Turkey, Abdullah Gül (pictured right, on left), recently visited Apple’s California HQ and met with Apple CEO Tim Cook, according to Turkish-based Anatolia News Agency. The Turkish President was in the United States to promote Turkey in a bid to be the host for the 2020 Olympic Games as well as visit some of the biggest technology companies in the valley including Google where he tried on Google Glasses and drove in the driverless car.
On a subject very close to Apple’s motives and beliefs, the President discussed a new technology in education project with Cook. This is an important subject for Apple with the company’s recent push of the iPad and iBooks into education. On the note of iPad usage, the Turkish President expressed concern with the Turkish character input. Cook said he was unaware of the issue, but he said he would take care of it.
Also, it sounds like there might be some Apple Stores in Turkey’s future as well.
Apple has pushed out a revised version of the recently released iOS 5.1.1. The original public build of iOS 5.1.1 is labeled build 9B206, while this new build is labeled 9B208 (direct download). This is only two builds newer, and probably represents a small fix in the software. Whatever Apple needed to fix was specific to the GSM iPhone 4 (iPhone 3,1) as no revised builds for other iOS devices have been released (perhaps yet). The new build is only available for new iOS 5.1.1 iPhone 4 (GSM) installs and will not be available as an update for users currently on the original build. Apple has not described the changes that are included in the revised release.
According to iLounge, Tony Fadell – a former Apple Senior Vice President – will soon find another place to sell his new Nest Learning Thermostats: the Apple Store. According to the report, the Nest will run for $249 at the Apple Store (the same as Nest’s price through Nest’s online store). The Nest is a digital, easy-to-setup and use thermostat, and its user-interface, design, and setup process are all what is to be expected from the “father of the iPod.” The device can even be controlled by iPods, iPads, and iPhones.
Update: We can independently confirm that Nest Learning Thermostats are coming to Apple Store locations very soon. The systems are already listed in Apple’s internal inventory database.
