Apple

Apple is now offering its annual Boxing Day sale for Canadians with select discounts on albums and songs through the iTunes store.
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Apple expands its social presence with new iTunes Tumblr blog

Benjamin Mayo Dec 22 2014 - 7:43 am PT

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In an interesting move, Apple has today launched a Tumblr blog for iTunes. The ‘blog’ runs a highly customized theme that more closely reflects Apple’s own website than a typical Tumblr page. The page features music, movies, TV and books content, with individual posts consisting of images, videos and animated GIFs of artists. Tumblr users can reblog these images on their own feeds, for social sharing. On a related note, iTunes also opened an official Instagram account earlier this month.

Tim Cook makes personal donation to LGBT equality campaign in Alabama, Arkansas and Mississippi

Zac Hall Dec 18 2014 - 12:10 pm PT

Apple CEO Tim Cook has made a “generous personal financial investment” in Project One America, an LGBT equality campaign focused on three Southern states: Alabama, Arkansas, and Mississippi. Human Rights Campaign president Chad Griffin announced the donation on the civil rights organization’s blog today.

When Tim first learned about HRC’s Project One America – our bold, comprehensive campaign to dramatically advance equality for LGBT Americans in Alabama, Arkansas and Mississippi – he said, “I’m in.” Thanks to his generous personal financial investment in the program, together we will move the needle forward at the local and state level, tearing down misperceptions and providing concrete protections for those who need it most.

In announcing the Apple CEO’s personal donation to Project One America, the HRC also praised Tim Cook’s personal essay from October in which he became the first openly gay CEO of a Fortune 500 company:
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Watch Jimmy Fallon’s ‘Oprah Moment’, gifting The Tonight Show audience iPad Air 2’s

Zac Hall Dec 18 2014 - 7:33 am PT

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[hulu id=lqyna__lnmz36pprgionzw width=704 thumbnail_frame=73]

Alongside Justin Timberlake, Jimmy Fallon has become the voice of the iPhone 6 with Apple releasing a continuous series of ads featuring both entertainers. Fallon also sits behind a MacBook on the set of The Tonight Show on NBC, something that he brought over from his time hosting Late Night on NBC.

Now Fallon’s Tonight Show is giving the gift of Apple, specifically to the studio audience from last night’s taping as each attendee was gifted with a brand new iPad Air 2 as part of this week’s holiday gift giveaway segment. See the clip above (and wish you were there!) …

(We know Hulu works in a very limited number of countries and will post the YouTube clip when available.)

Apple shares behind-the-scenes video of its holiday ad “The Song”

Zac Hall Dec 17 2014 - 12:02 pm PT

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[youtube http://youtu.be/77hi9SuKfiI]

Apple has shared a behind-the-scenes video that tells the story of its widely praised holiday ad named “The Song” that it released on Sunday.

Whether it’s making a record in a booth for someone thousands of miles away, or a song in GarageBand for someone you love, it’s not just the tools that count, it’s the thought behind the gift.

The latest clip, titled ‘The story behind “The Song”’, features musician Dana Williams (iTunes) and vocalist Rhiannon Giddens (iTunes) from the holiday ad as well as several people from Third Man Records where part of the vintage vocals were recorded.
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Apple reminds developers about 64-bit iOS App Store requirement, app updates now must also comply by June

Benjamin Mayo Dec 17 2014 - 10:41 am PT

Apple had previously announced that developers of new apps must support 64-bit architectures (to take full advantage of the A7 and A8 technology) by February 1st, 2015. Today, Apple has reminded developers of this deadline as well as clarifying the situation for existing apps.

Canadian Federal Court orders Apple to turn over records in anti-competition investigation

9to5 Staff Dec 17 2014 - 8:51 am PT

Reuters reports that The Federal Court of Canada agreed on Wednesday to force Apple’s Canadian subsidiary to hand over records to the country’s Competition Bureau as part of an ongoing investigation looking into whether Apple unfairly manipulated its market power to bolster sales of the iPhone.
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Orlando Magic teams up w/ Chase for special promos for Apple Pay launch this Friday

Jordan Kahn Dec 17 2014 - 8:35 am PT

We heard earlier this week that the Orlando Magic would become the first NBA team to offer Apple Pay to fans through a partnership with Chase. Today we get the official announcement from the team confirming an Apple Pay launch at the Amway Center for this Friday, Dec. 19 and some other details regarding special promos:
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Apple halts online sales in Russia to review pricing amid ‘extreme’ currency fluctuations

9to5 Staff Dec 16 2014 - 11:31 am PT

Bloomberg reports this afternoon that Apple has ceased online sales in Russia due to “extreme” fluctuations in the value of the ruble. Apple has previously attempted to combat the unpredictable swings in the country’s official currency by adjusting the prices of its products, having most recently increased the price of the iPhone 6 by 25% in the country last month.
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Apple shares updated aerial shot of Campus 2 construction progress

Jordan Kahn Dec 16 2014 - 10:52 am PT

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Apple today shared an updated official aerial shot of its under construction Campus 2 project through the City of Cupertino’s website.

The new shot gives a different angle since the last time Apple checked in late last month and shows more of the earthwork and greenery of the surrounding campus.

Apple’s General Project Schedule posted on the City of Cupertino’s webpage tracking the project remains the same, however, with street utilities and demolition work expected to finish this year, earthwork continuing into early 2015, and building construction into late 2016:
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Gartner: iPhone sees growth while Samsung continues to slow, Apple to have record Q4

Stephen Hall Dec 15 2014 - 11:33 am PT

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Gartner today published its third quarter numbers, showing overall growth in the smartphone market and a strong quarter for Apple. Mobile devices overall saw as many as 456 million sold with smartphones taking a 301 million slice of that pie, which comes out to a solid 66% (up 20% from last year). This shift in the market seems to be hurting Samsung and Nokia the most, because while the Korean giant is still leading the pack, this year smaller companies with slimmer margins seem to be taking some of its foothold.

9to5 Guide: The best iPad, iPhone + MacBook battery cases/packs

Jeremy Horwitz Dec 10 2014 - 9:41 am PT

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Earlier this week, I walked through a great collection of iPad, iPhone, and Mac products that I’d strongly recommend. Today, I’m here to help you choose an excellent spare battery for any portable Apple device. You can trust me because I’ve been testing Apple batteries for over a decade, conducting hours-long tests to learn how each new Apple device consumes power, and how quickly each battery replenishes a given device. If you want to learn more about why I’m recommending the specific batteries below, I discuss key factors worth considering at the bottom of this guide.

Check out Apple and IBM’s new enterprise iOS apps (Gallery)

Zac Hall Dec 10 2014 - 7:14 am PT

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After first announcing a major partnership earlier this year, Apple and IBM unveiled today a list of new enterprise apps focused on various industries including retail, government, banking, travel, and more. This is the first glimpse of what the collaboration between Apple and IBM actually looks like, and below you can see exactly what these enterprise apps look like and what they do for their respective industry. Check out each app name and description below (click for full size):
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Apple & IBM announce first batch of MobileFirst iOS apps for enterprise

Jordan Kahn Dec 10 2014 - 5:56 am PT

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Following an announcement earlier this year that Apple was teaming up with IBM to deliver a number of enterprise solutions, today Apple has officially announced the first wave of iOS apps being released through the partnership. As part of IBM’s “MobileFirst for iOS,” Apple and IBM today announced 10 new apps designed specifically for businesses including banking, retail, insurance, financial services, telecommunications and for governments and airlines.

“This is a big step for iPhone and iPad in the enterprise, and we can’t wait to see the exciting new ways organizations will put iOS devices to work,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. “The business world has gone mobile, and Apple and IBM are bringing together the world’s best technology with the smartest data and analytics to help businesses redefine how work gets done.”

The apps launching today through the partnership include Plan Flight and Passenger+ for the travel industry, Advise & Grow and Trusted Advice for the banking and financial industries, Retention (insurance), Case Advice and Incident Aware for government, Sales Assist and Pick & Pack for retail, and Expert Tech for telecommunications industries. Apple notes that the apps offer customizable experiences and are “managed and upgraded via cloud services from IBM specifically for iOS devices.”

In addition to the new apps, which Apple described in more detail in its press release below, Apple noted other services that will go hand-in-hand with the apps. Those include integration with IBM’s Mobile Platform and Enterprise solutions as well as AppleCare for the Enterprise, Apple’s new business specific tech support service introduced as part of the IBM deal.

Apple’s full press release is below:

Apple Pay adds support for cards from Fremont Bank & NIH Federal Credit Union

Jordan Kahn Dec 9 2014 - 3:34 pm PT

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Apple Pay today added support for two more banks as Apple continues to slowly roll out support for the more than 500 US banks it said would support the new payments services. The new banks include Fremont Bank and the National Institutes of Health Federal Credit Union.
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eBay offering Apple accessory deals to celebrate launching redesigned iPad app

Jordan Kahn Dec 9 2014 - 1:14 pm PT

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eBay announced today that it’s releasing a completely redesigned experience for iPad that introduces a new layout, larger images, redesigned notifications, improved search and much more.

The completely redesigned iPad app is available globally in the Apple App Store, and features a more consistent, simplified design that puts sellers’ products at the forefront and creates an engaging shopping experience for buyers. “Our aspiration is to make eBay the most inspiring place to shop,” said RJ Pittman, chief product officer at eBay. “This new experience is aimed at giving sellers the best platform to showcase their products and make it effortless for buyers to discover and engage with their inventory.”

Other new features include a new “Today” screen with featured collections, Google and Yahoo ad integration, redesigned seller profiles, and a enhanced search that Yahoo says will now “show you what you asked for, and also other items related to your search.”

To celebrate the launch, eBay is also offering a number of exclusive deals on iOS and Apple accessories through the app:

eBay for iPad Exclusive Deals

Jambox Mini JAMBOX Bluetooth Speaker – $64.99
360 Rotating Smart iPad cover case – $5.75 to $6.95
Monster DNA on-Ear Noise Isolation headphones – $69.00
Micro bluetooth speaker – $12.99
Beats By Dre Studio High Definition Noise Cancelling Headphones – $249.00
Apple Airport Extreme Router – $138.99
Apple Lightning cable – $7.99
GOgroove FlexSMART X2 Bluetooth Wireless In-Car FM Transmitter – $39.99
Seagate Backup Plus 5TB USB 3.0 Desktop External Hard Drive

None of these prices are earth shattering, but decent enough if you’re currently in the market for one of these items. Keep tuned to 9to5Toys if you want to score Apple and other tech gear at all-time low prices.

The new eBay iPad app is available on the App Store now. A full list of what’s new in version 3.4.0 below:

What’s New in Version 3.4.0

Browse through eBay-curated channels including, Today, Deals and Following, as well as Motors, Fashion, Electronics, and Collectibles.
View item refresh – placing photos of products front and center
Seller profile pages redesigned to place sellers’ products at the forefront
Redesigned notifications with a new notification bell on the home screen
New Search landing interface
Google and Yahoo Ad integration
An enhanced selling experience

Pocket Gamer to offer one free iOS app every day for two weeks

Justin Kahn Dec 9 2014 - 12:48 pm PT

1 Comment

From 9to5Toys.com:

Pocket Gamer has kicked off its Advent Calendar of free iOS games. Everyday for the next two weeks (other than weekends), the outlet will offer one free iOS app for 24 hours (total of 10). Today’s freebie app is the tactical strategy game Hoplite (Reg. $2). You can find that and a whole lot more in this morning’s games/app roundup.

As you probably know, 9to5Toys tracks all the best online deals right through to the new year. Everyday we post the day’s best iOS (console, Android, Mac) price drops, and will continue to do so through the holiday season. While there are a number of outlets including Apple, IGN, Pocket Gamer and others running free app sales during this time of year, be sure to follow 9to5Toys as we will be rounding up the best of the best every single day in one convenient place.

Did Apple drop Google Maps for good? Apple Maps now rolling out on iCloud.com

Jordan Kahn Dec 9 2014 - 9:47 am PT

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Apple appears to have finally dropped Google Maps from iCloud.com, replacing it with its own in-house maps almost two years after removing Google Maps from iOS and most of its other products. Apple started slowly rolling out the feature to its iCloud beta site for select users earlier this year before pulling it, but it now seems to have replaced Google for all users of iCloud.com’s Find My iPhone feature (pictured above).
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Universal eyes Jeff Daniels to play former Apple CEO John Sculley in Steve Jobs movie

9to5 Staff Dec 9 2014 - 9:42 am PT

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The Wrap reports that Universal Pictures is eyeing The Newsroom (and Dumb & Dumber) star Jeff Daniels to perform as former Apple CEO John Sculley in the upcoming Steve Jobs movie by Aaron Sorkin. Daniels would be reunited with Sorkin and Scott Rudin, executive producers of The Newsroom, starring alongside Michael Fassbender as Steve Jobs and Seth Rogen as Steve Wozniak.
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Confirmed: Bose speakers returning to Apple Stores after removal earlier this year

Zac Hall Dec 9 2014 - 9:29 am PT

It looks like Apple will indeed be cashing in on Bose speakers and headphones sales in time for the remainder of the holiday shopping season. Yesterday rumors surfaced that Apple was readying its retail stores to carry Bose products once again, and today 9to5Mac has confirmed that Bose products, including the very popular SoundLink III/ Mini Bluetooth speakers, will once again be sold by Apple alongside its Beats-branded speakers and headphones that it acquired for $3 billion earlier this year…
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Apple wins patent for 3D iPhone UI w/ motion gestures, reassigns PrimeSense 3D mapping patent

Jordan Kahn Dec 9 2014 - 8:51 am PT