Interview: Google’s EK Chung on Android 9 Pie design, simplicity and digital wellbeing

With version 9, Android takes a big step forward in user-focused design.

At first glance, Android 9 Pie looks very similar to Oreo — particularly to the casual observer. While it’s true that Google didn’t redefine the phone interface paradigm or introduce one huge category-defining feature with Pie, this release marks a considerable change in the overall experience of using Android. The change comes from a countless number of thoughtful design and user experience decisions to focus on a few main principles including simplicity and user-focused features.

I had the wonderful opportunity to speak with EK Chung, UX manager for Android handheld and Pixel at Google, to learn about the design philosophy and principles behind Android Pie ahead of its public launch. And though I’ve been using the Android P Beta since May, learning about how every single detail of Android 9’s release came to be put the whole package into perspective: this is a big update.

Android 9 Pie review

Simplicity and speed are key

One thing that was clear from the announcement of the Android P Beta Program at Google I/O was that this latest release was going to be about restraint and simplicity. There were four core tenets to Pie’s development, according to EK: subtract, combine, prioritize and clarify.

It comes down to four core tenets: subtract, combine, prioritize, clarify.

“Subtract” is pretty simple: if something is redundant or serves little purpose, it should be removed in order to have just one way to do each action. “Combine” follows the same logic: if there are multiple related actions, they should be in the same area; for example, the home button providing multiple options for navigation in a single area. “Prioritize” was a big one: making it clear to users what everything in the interface is designed for; look at the notification shade toggles and see that you can simply tap them for a quick change or long-press to enter the settings. Each button works the same way, and there’s no longer a different action depending where you tap it. Finally, “clarify” — if anything is confusing to a novice user, it should be changed to be clear; think about how Pie’s volume rocker switch simply changes the media volume, and that’s it. Other volumes can be changed in the sound settings area only — look back to the “subtract” tie-in there.

The idea behind an overall simplification of the operating system with Pie is that not every person is a die-hard Android user — in fact, most people aren’t. With Pie, Google wanted to make the system more approachable and desirable to everyone — and not just in terms of looks, but also how it actually works. And while it feels counter-intuitive, this simplicity benefits everyone — yes, even the power users among us.

Android is powerful, but it got a little out of control — it was time to simplify.

EK says that particular attention was paid to the subtle parts of the interface you won’t inherently notice, like the transitions and animations:
“There have been great improvements to our window manager on the framework side.” In Pie, animations are “short and sweet” in an attempt to cut down on unnecessary wait time between actions. “The fluidity of transitions is A LOT better in Pie … I will use the developer settings to slow down the animations just to show people and give the side-by-side comparison [to Oreo].”

The goal of the transitions you see in Pie is to give the user a logical trail to follow so you don’t get lost — you’ll notice that the animations emanate from the place you tapped, and show the new windows coming and going from a deliberate location to let your eye follow the process. “This is a very subtle thing, but really helps users orient themselves — ‘okay I tapped on this and then this object grew and became this full-screen app’ … it always helps users get a sense of what’s happening and where the system is taking them.” These are things we saw in Oreo to some extent, but the emphasis in Pie was to make it a universal requirement for the entire operating system.

About those gestures

One of the biggest talking points of Android Pie has been its gesture navigation system, which marks the first functional change to Google’s navigation since Ice Cream Sandwich debuted on the Samsung Galaxy Nexus in 2011. While it seems odd to those of us who have used every Android phone under the sun, EK makes an interesting point that “[Android users] are all familiar with what those buttons do, but people who are new to Android are puzzled by it.”

Indeed, anyone who’s been using an iPhone for years doesn’t really have a grasp for what the buttons are supposed to do or why they’re there permanently. In the case of the back button, it’s still a necessary part of the interface — but now it’s hidden whenever there isn’t a function to go “back” in the app. The multitasking button, however, was primed to be replaced as user diagnostics showed very few people actually utilized it on a regular basis. So for EK’s team, there was room to improve.

Testing has shown people can take to the gestures quite easily — even more advanced functions.

Interestingly, Google found early on that people took to the gesture system quite easily. The company conducted a longitudinal study with all sorts of “normal” consumers, giving them Pixels running Android 9 to test the new gesture system. After a brief teaching session, they were left to use the phones and the provide their feedback when they returned them. Surprisingly the most-loved feature, according to Ms. Chung, was the ability to scrub between apps using the home button in the gesture area. “They thought it was super-useful, super-fast, easy to use and powerful — all of the goals we wanted to hit. We were pleasantly surprised by that.”

And make no mistake: this isn’t just a fad or a test, Google is making this its primary navigation system going forward. While Pixel devices that are updated from Oreo will still see their three-button navigation by default with an option to switch to gestures, future Google phones (and any other manufacturer that wants it) will ship with only gesture navigation. If there’s one knock on this new gesture system, it’s that it won’t be universal … companies can still choose to ship with the old three-button navigation if they want, or use their own gesture system like OnePlus or Motorola.

Deprecation of the traditional ‘home screen’

The new gesture navigation is an interesting bit of eye candy for the Pie release, but it’s about more than just moving from three buttons to either one or two. It actually signals a reduction in the importance of the canonical home screen, shifting to an interface that focuses on streamlining the process of switching between apps and tasks.

EK’s goal for the design was very clear: “When we look at the whole operating system, being able to switch between multiple tasks or apps is the fundamental function.” Following the “simplicity” mission, it was important to change the home screen experience to better focus on getting people between apps and tasks rather than sending people back to a home screen over and over again.

“This new design essentially merged the launcher functionality and switching functionality together into one swipe up … we intentionally detached the bottom layer from the launcher to make it accessible from anywhere, even within an app.” And it works! When you have the gesture navigation enabled, you’re able to swipe up and access the app drawer and Google search box at any time, even when you’re in an app. That’s a fundamental change to the “app, home screen, app, home screen” paradigm, and it’s extremely intuitive to me.

As for the app drawer essentially being a two-staged release that first shows a row of suggested apps followed by the rest of the apps, EK says it was a very deliberate choice based on user feedback. The numbers showed that 60% of the time when people swiped up from the bottom to display the app drawer, they took one of the suggested apps at the top. Google’s algorithms that choose when to place apps there can be applauded, but it just goes to show how few apps people actually use on a regular basis. By making that interaction faster and simpler, it improves the speed of getting to the right app a majority of the time.

Digital wellbeing — more than limiting app usage

I’m a noted skeptic of Google’s new self-described “digital wellbeing” initiative, mostly because the positing that it’s designed to help you use your phone less feels misaligned with Google’s true goal of getting you to use your phone (and therefore its services) more in order to make money.

Digital wellbeing is about more than just limiting how much you use specific apps.

It’s easy to focus on the all-new features that let you track and limit specific app usage, or grey out your whole screen to make it less appealing to use, but there’s far more to “digital wellbeing” than a couple settings. According to EK, it’s an idea that’s been applied to the entire operating system: “[Pie’s interface] is all about high efficiency, and making your interaction with your device more meaningful and efficient so that you can get things done and then get back to what’s really meaningful in your life … actually simplifying how people get things done.”

Pie helps you get in, do what needs done, and get out quickly.

It goes beyond forcing yourself to use Instagram or Twitter less — Pie is filled with little changes to the interface that are focused on making your interactions shorter and more efficient, so you can get the same things done with less time on the screen. Features like predicted actions, app suggestions in the multitasking view, and app slices can all help you get things done so you can get off your phone and back to the real world. “It’s all related,” EK says, “making the OS efficient, powerful and highly productive, that way you can get your time back and then think about how you use your device and then use the digital wellbeing features to provide a little nudge to yourself to limit your time.”

The way she sees it, not everyone will feel the need to use the actual limiting features of Pie to force themselves to tone back on specific apps. The hope is that the system’s simplicity and fluidity will help you get actions done quickly so you don’t get to that point. I’m still unsure of how well this will work in practice, but this explanation makes far more sense than adding what feels like a tacked-on “wellbeing” feature to any other operating system — these changes EK is talking about make the phone experience better for everyone, not just those who feel incapable of setting their phone down.

Android 9 Pie may not be the most ambitious version Google has ever released, but it improved interaction and interface in so many ways it deserves appreciation as a complete package and its own distinct software, not simply a refresh of Oreo.

Android 9 Pie

• Android 9 Pie review: Greater than the sum of its slices
• Everything you need to know about Android 9 Pie!
• Will my phone get Android Pie?
• How to get Android 9 Pie on your Pixel right now
• Join the Discussion

Android Pie: Everything you need to know about Android 9

From new gestures to extending battery life, here’s everything you need to know about Android Pie!

Following last year’s Oreo release, 2018 is the year of Android 9 Pie.

Google’s latest flavor of Android is jam-packed with all sorts of new features, including a brand-new gesture navigation system, new UI elements, and a heap of under-the-hood tweaks that aim to make this the best version of Android to date.

Without further ado, here’s everything you need to know about Pie!

The latest Android Pie news

August 6, 2018 — Google releases Pie’s OTA images for Pixel and Nexus devices

If you’re eager to start using Pie ASAP, Google’s got you covered.

The full OTA images have already been released, meaning you can grab them and flash Pie onto your Pixel or Nexus phone this very second.

Go, go, go!

Grab the OTA files here

August 6, 2018 — The Essential Phone is already being updated to Pie

Oh man — that was fast!

Just a few minutes after Google announced that Android Pie will begin rolling out to its Pixel phones, Essential announced on Twitter that the Essential Phone is also getting its Pie update today.

We’re proud to bring Android 9 Pie to Essential Phone the same day it’s released! Check your phone now for the update. 🥧 pic.twitter.com/pniUDl9yr8

— Essential (@essential) August 6, 2018

This is the first non-Pixel phone to get the Pie update so far, and as more are announced, we’ll update this article accordingly.

All the big details

Android P is officially Android 9 Pie

No Popsicles or Pineapples here. On August 6, 2018, Google revealed that its next version of Android is Android 9 Pie.

Along with the name change, the number this year is also slightly different. Rather than following the trend of 7.0, 8.0, etc., Pie is referred to as 9. This probably doesn’t mean much in the grand scheme of things, but it’s still an interesting move on Google’s part.

Check out our full review!

Every new Android version builds upon the previous one, meaning that each new update is better than the last.

However, in day-to-day use, how does really Pie hold up? What’s it like using the new gestures instead of the traditional navigation buttons? How do the subtle UI tweaks compare to Oreo? What’s performance like?

All those questions and much, much more are answered in our full review, so be sure to give it a read and watch!

Android 9 Pie review: Greater than the sum of its slices

How to upgrade to Pie

We could talk about Android Pie all day long, but if you don’t know how to actually use the new software for yourself, what’s the fun in that?

Most users will likely upgrade to Pie via a simple OTA update, but if you don’t feel like waiting on Google to serve that to you, you can manually flash it on your phone, too.

Jerry’s got all the details of how to start using Pie right now, so be sure to give his guide a look.

How to install Android Pie on your Pixel right now (or downgrade to Oreo)

See what Google has to say about Pie in our interview with Android’s UX Manager

Android Pie is a big deal for Google. Between the gestures, digital wellbeing initiative, and more, there’s a lot going on all at once.

Andrew recently had the chance to talk with Android’s UX Manager, EK Chung, about all things Pie to get a better understanding of why this is such a big release for the company.

This is a longer read, but it’s absolutely worth a look if you want a deeper understanding of what all went into crafting Pie into the final build that we have today.

Interview: Google’s EK Chung on Android 9 Pie design, simplicity and digital wellbeing

It completely changes Android’s navigation system

Back in 2011 with Android 3.0 Honeycomb, Google introduced Android’s iconic three-button navigation system we’ve come to know and love – Back, Home, and Recents. Seven years later with Android Pie, these are being eliminated in favor of a gesture-based system.

Android Pie is the first time Google’s heavily relying on gestures for navigating the UI, and in their current form, they work as follows:

• Tap the Home button/pill to go home
• Swipe up to access the recent apps page
• Swipe up twice or do a long swipe for the app drawer
• The Back button only appears in certain apps/menus when it’s needed

This combination of taps and swipes can be confusing at first, but with enough practice and patience, are fairly easy to master in a short amount of time. Phones that are updated to Pie will still use the three-button nav by default, but if you want to turn them on, doing so is fairly simple.

Going forward, phones like the Pixel 3 will have gestures turned on by default with no way to revert back to them. So, while you can keep using your Back, Home, and Recents for now, you’ll need to get aclimated with the gestures sooner or later.

How to master the new Android Pie gestures

The user interface is more rounded and colorful

Android Pie isn’t as drastic of a visual change like we saw with the jump from KitKat to Lolipop, but compared to Oreo, there are some elements that are noticeably different.

At first glance, things like the colorful icons in Settings, circular Quick Settings icons, and rounded corners for just about every menu jump out like a sore thumb. These elements do take some getting used to, but I ultimately came around to liking them quite a bit.

Something else you’ll notice with Pie is just how alive it feels. Between the new gestures and updated animations, Android moves in a way that I’ve never seen before. Oreo was smooth and buttery, but Pie flies underneath your fingertips in a way that can only be experienced in-person.

There are tools for helping you use your phone less

Google talked a lot about helping people with their “digital wellbeing” at this year’s I/O conference, and a lot of those efforts are baked right into Android Pie.

Although not live quite yet, later versions of Pie will introduce a new system called Android Dashboard. Android Dashboard will offer a quick glimpse into how you’re using your phone, including stats on which apps you’re using the most, how many times you’ve turned on the screen, how many notifications you’ve received, and how much time you’ve spent on each app.

You’ll also find a feature called App Timers that’ll restrict you from using a certain app after you’ve spent x amount of time on it, as well as tools for easily turning on Do Not Disturb and switching your screen to a monochrome color palette to help you wind down for bed.

Google’s Digital Wellbeing initiative: Everything you need to know

Google’s trying to squeeze as much juice as possible out of your battery

It seems like Google’s always trying to find ways to maximize your phone’s battery life as much as possible, and with Android Pie, those efforts are present in a new Adaptive Battery mode.

Similar to how Adaptive Brightness automatically adjusts your display’s brightness level based on your environment and usage, Adaptive Battery will examine how you use your phone and limit CPU usage to apps you infrequently use.

Google notes that Adaptive Battery can lower CPU usage by as much as 30%, and thanks to the use of Machine Learning, it’ll only get better the more you use your phone.

How to save battery life on Android Pie

App shortcuts are everywhere

With Android Nougat, Google introduced us to App Shortcuts for the first time. Holding down on an app icon to quickly access certain elements of it can be genuinely useful at times, and with Android Pie, Google’s taking these to the next level with App Actions and Slices.

App Actions will try to determine what you’ll do next with your phone and give you recommend shortcuts for doing so within the app drawer, Assistant, and more. For example, if you watch Good Mythical Morning each day with breakfast, you might see an App Shortcut in your app drawer for searching Rhett and Link on YouTube during the morning.

On the other hand, Slices will allow you to perform more complex actions from the Assistant or Google Search. In the example Google gave at I/O, searching “I want to book a ride” will give you a special link to call a ride home via Lyft (assuming you’ve got the app installed).

Android Pie features you’ll love: App Actions

157 new emoji

In Android 9, Google’s added a ton of new emojis to keep your conversations bright and colorful — 157 of them, to be exact.

Although we won’t run through the entire list, some of the highlights include red hair, superhero, face with three hearts, bagel with cream cheese, mooncake, lobster, and llama.

There are also improvements to existing emoji, including two new gender-neutral family and couple designs and updated looks for the bacon, salad, turtle, and cricket emojis.

A new standard for biometric authentication

Fingerprint sensors and face unlock systems make it easier than ever to access private information on our phones, and in Android P Developer Preview 3, Google added a brand-new standard for this called “BiometricPrompt API.”

Thanks to the new API, developers no longer have to create their own dialog for using biometric systems with their apps. This isn’t something you’ll notice in day-to-day use, but it’s an important background change we’re more than happy to see.

Android Pie features you’ll love: Better, faster biometrics

All the little things

In addition to the big changes found in Android Pie, there are a ton of smaller elements also scattered throughout the update. Some of my favorites include:

• Built-in screenshot editor
• Zoom pop-up when highlighting text
• Changing the volume now defaults to your media volume
• Volume controls appear on the right of your screen instead of the top
• Do Not Disturb is more customizable and easier to understand

Updated August 6, 2018: This article was revamped/refreshed with up-to-date content now that Android Pie is official!

Android 9 Pie

• Android 9 Pie review: Greater than the sum of its slices
• Everything you need to know about Android 9 Pie!
• Will my phone get Android Pie?
• How to get Android 9 Pie on your Pixel right now
• Join the Discussion

MoviePass Reveals $9.95/Month Plan for 3 Films, Ditching Peak Pricing and No Longer Limiting Major Movies

MoviePass is restructuring its subscription model once again, today announcing that it will not be raising prices for its subscribers and instead return to its traditional $9.95/month price tag while limiting how often users can go to the movies every month. Effective August 15, subscribers will transition to the new model upon their renewal and from then on be able to see three movies every month at $9.95.

The move follows negative responses that the company received after it announced its intention to raise the base subscription price to $14.95/month just last week. These users will also gain access to up to a $5.00 discount on any additional movie tickets purchased after they see their three allotted movies in any given month.

“We are now creating a framework to provide the vast majority of subscribers with what they want most – low cost, value, variety, and broad availability – and to bring some moderation to the small number of subscribers who imposed undue cost on the system by viewing a disproportionately large number of movies,” said MoviePass CEO Mitch Lowe. “We believe this new plan is a way for us to move forward with stability and continue to revitalize an entrenched industry and return moviegoing to everyone’s financial reach.”

MoviePass has had a turbulent summer, beginning with the introduction of Peak Pricing in July, rolling out Ticket Verification to all users, and restricting major film releases from its subscribers for the first two weeks of release. In an interview with The Wall Street Journal today, MoviePass CEO Mitch Lowe confirmed that all of these changes are now being abandoned.

After one week of analyzing customer responses and internal debate, Mr. Lowe said MoviePass is abandoning those changes. The price increase and restriction on new releases are being revoked, there will be no surcharges, and users will no longer have to upload photos of tickets they buy to prove they are not committing fraud.

“We’ve been whipsawing people back and forth,” said Mr. Lowe. “I think we’ve got it now.”

This means that the three films subscribers will be able to see each month will “include many major studio first-run films.” The company says that about 85 percent of its subscribers already only see three or fewer films per month, leading to the decision to install the new plan for its entire subscriber base.

Still, it’s a major change in comparison to what MoviePass announced one year ago this month, allowing users to see one movie per day every month at $9.95. The new model is akin to what MoviePass was before it surged in popularity last year, when it offered price tiers like $50/month for six movies.

Tag: MoviePass
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Apple Seeds Sixth Beta of New watchOS 5 Operating System to Developers

Apple today seeded the sixth beta of an upcoming watchOS 5 update to developers, one week after releasing the fifth beta and two months after introducing the software at the Worldwide Developers Conference.

To install the beta, you’ll need the proper configuration profile, which can be obtained through the Apple Developer Center. Once the profile is in place, the watchOS 5 beta can be downloaded using the dedicated Apple Watch app on the iPhone by going to General –> Software Update.

To install the update, an Apple Watch needs to have 50 percent battery, it must be placed on an Apple Watch charger, and it has to be in range of the iPhone. It’s best to install the beta on a secondary device instead of a primary device as betas have bugs to be worked out.

watchOS 5 is a major update to the watchOS operating system, introducing Activity Competitions so you can compete on workouts with friends, Walkie-Talkie with push-to-talk functionality for quickly communicating with the people you talk to most, and auto workout detection to make it easier to start and stop workouts if you forget.

Other new features include an improved Siri watch face with support for third-party apps through Siri Shortcuts, a dedicated Apple Podcasts app, new Workout types that include Yoga and Hiking, new features for runners, WebKit support for viewing some web content on Apple Watch, and enhanced notifications, which will make notifications on the Apple Watch interactive.

watchOS 5 is only available to developers and will not be provided to public beta testers (because there’s no way to downgrade Apple Watch software), so non-developers will need to wait until the software is officially released in the fall to try it out.

The watchOS 5 update runs on all Series 1, Series 2, and Series 3 Apple Watch models, but it is not available for the first-generation “Series 0” Apple Watch models.

What’s new in watchOS 5 beta 6: Apple says that today’s beta makes the status of Walkie-Talkie invitations clearer. Once you’ve sent an invite, you’ll be notified if it’s accepted. As a result of this change, you may need to remove your Walkie-Talkie contacts and re-add them so they “reflect the correct invitation state.”

Apple also says that pairing with an iPhone can take up to five minutes, and Voice Shortcuts will not be immediately available. The Apple Watch Series 1 will also not show reminders to start a Walking Workout in this beta.

Related Roundups: Apple Watch, watchOS 4, watchOS 5Buyer’s Guide: Apple Watch (Caution)
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Sixth Beta of tvOS 12 Now Available for Registered Developers

Apple today seeded the sixth beta of a new tvOS 12 operating system to developers for testing purposes, one week after releasing the fifth beta and two months after introducing the new software at the 2018 Worldwide Developers Conference.

Designed for the fourth and fifth-generation Apple TV, the tvOS 12 developer beta can be downloaded onto the Apple TV using a profile that’s installed through the Xcode software. Subsequent betas can be downloaded via the software update mechanism on the Apple TV.

tvOS 12 introduces support for Dolby Atmos sound, which was activated in the second beta. Apple says that when tvOS 12 launches this fall, iTunes will be home to the largest collection of Dolby Atmos-supported movies. Customers that have previously purchased movies that gain Dolby Atmos support will see free upgrades to their titles, much like the rollout of 4K support.

Building on single sign-on, a new zero sign-on feature will further simplify the cable authentication process. With zero sign-on, the Apple TV can detect a user’s broadband network and automatically sign them into supported apps they receive through their accompanying cable subscription.

Zero sign-on will be available for Charter Communications customers this fall and will expand to additional cable providers in the future.

Aerial screensavers now include location information and there are new screensavers captured in collaboration with the International Space Station.

Other improvements tvOS-related improvements include AutoFill passwords from iPhone, an Apple TV Remote automatically added to Control Center on the iPhone or iPad, and Apple TV support on Home control systems like Control4, Crestron, and Savant.

tvOS 12 is available for developers and public beta testers to work out bugs and other issues ahead of a fall public launch.

Related Roundups: Apple TV, tvOS 12Buyer’s Guide: Apple TV (Neutral)
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Apple Seeds Sixth Beta of macOS Mojave to Developers

Apple today seeded the sixth beta of an upcoming macOS Mojave update to developers for testing purposes, one week after releasing the fifth beta and two months after introducing the software at the Worldwide Developers Conference.

macOS Mojave introduces a new method of installing software updates, so after you’ve installed the first beta using the appropriate profile from the Developer Center, additional betas can be downloaded through opening up System Preferences and choosing the “Software Update” icon.

Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos.
Apple’s macOS Mojave update introduces a systemwide Dark Mode, with Mojave users able to choose between a light theme or the new dark theme, which changes the color of the dock, menu bar, apps, and other elements. Dark Mode is accompanied by Dynamic Desktops, aka wallpapers that subtly change throughout the day. Additional wallpapers were introduced in the fourth and fifth betas.

Stacks, a new desktop organization system, keeps all of your desktop files neat and organized, while Finder has been enhanced with a Gallery View, a Sidebar, a revamped Quick Look option and Quick Actions, so you can do more in the Finder window than ever before.

Screenshots can now be edited using Markup tools and a new management options that also allow for easy screen recording, while Continuity camera, a new feature, allows you to import photos and document scans directly from an iPhone or iPad to the Mac.

The Apple News, Stocks, Home, and Voice Memos apps have been ported from iOS to macOS as part of a multiyear project Apple is working on to make it easier to bring iOS apps to Macs, and Apple has introduced several new privacy protections to keep your data safer than ever.

Apple is also making it harder for websites to track you with a range of new Safari tools, and it’s also easier to make and store secure, hard-to-guess passwords for each and every website.

Apple has added an entirely revamped Mac App Store to macOS Mojave that makes it easier to discover apps with a featured section and specific categories for games, creative apps, productivity apps, apps for developers, and more.

macOS Mojave is available to developers and public beta testers to work out bugs and other issues ahead of an upcoming fall public release.

Related Roundup: macOS Mojave
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Apple Seeds Sixth Beta of iOS 12 to Developers

Apple today seeded the sixth beta of an upcoming iOS 12 update to developers for testing purposes, one week after seeding the fifth beta and over two months after introducing the new software at the Worldwide Developers Conference.

Registered developers can download the new iOS 12 beta from Apple’s Developer Center or over-the-air after installing the proper certificate.

Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos.
iOS 12 introduces major updates to iOS, with Apple revamping the operating system from top to bottom to make iPhones and iPads, especially the older models, faster and more responsive.

On the iPhone X, there are new Animoji characters along with “Memoji,” which are customizable, personalized, humanoid Animoji that can be used both in Messages and in FaceTime. Messages and FaceTime have also gained fun new camera effects, and Group FaceTime support allows for video chats with up to 32 people.

Siri is smarter in iOS 12 with a new Shortcuts feature that lets you create multi-step customized automations using first and third-party apps that can be activated with Siri voice commands. Shortcuts can be created through the Shortcuts app, available as a beta from Apple’s Developer Center.

Apple built comprehensive time management and monitoring tools into iOS 12 with Screen Time, allowing you to keep track of how much time you’re spending in apps on your iPhone and iPad. App limits can help you cut back on iOS device usage, and robust parental controls are included for families.

Updated Do Not Disturb options make activating Do Not Disturb more intuitive and simple, and a new Do Not Disturb at Bedtime feature cuts down on nighttime distractions and sleep interruptions.

Group Notifications make incoming notifications easier to view and manage, while a new Instant Tuning feature lets you tweak your notification settings right on the Lock screen on a notification-by-notification basis.

Apple News has a new Browse feature, the Stocks app has been redesigned and brought to the iPad, iBooks has been overhauled with a new look and a new name — Apple Books — and Voice Memos has been revamped with iCloud support and an iPad app.

ARKit 2.0 introduces new capabilities like shared experiences that let two people see the same AR environment on separate devices, and persistence, which allows AR experiences to be saved across multiple sessions. There’s also a new Apple-built Measure app for measuring objects using AR capabilities.

iOS 12 includes a revamped and rebuilt Maps app that uses a new Apple-designed Maps engine that will display foliage, pools, buildings, pedestrian pathways, and other map elements more accurately. The new Maps also includes significant improvements to traffic, real-time road conditions, construction, and more, plus it will enable Apple to push out changes and fixes more quickly.

The updated Maps app is available in the Northern California area during beta testing. After iOS 12 launches, Apple will continue rolling out the new maps to additional U.S. locations across late 2018 and 2019.

Tons of other small tweaks and features have been added to iOS 12, so make sure to check out our dedicated roundup for additional detail on what’s new in iOS 12.

Early betas of new operating system updates always introduce tweaked features and new functionality, and we’ll be outlining what’s new in the fourth beta below. We also rounded up all of the changes that were introduced in the previous betas, beta 2 and beta 3, beta 4, and beta 5.

iOS 12 is available for developers and public beta testers, with a public launch planned for the fall alongside new iPhones.

Related Roundup: iOS 12
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Apple Partners With Akamai, Etsy, and Swiss Re for Renewable Energy Projects in Illinois and Virginia

Apple is partnering up with Akamai, Etsy, and Swiss Re to develop two new wind and solar energy farms in Illinois and Virginia, the companies announced today.

The new energy projects are set to generate 290 megawatts for the PJM electric grid in the Eastern United States, covering areas like Virginia, Illinois, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Maryland.

A solar farm in China
As a collective, the companies plan to purchase 125 megawatts from a wind farm near Chicago and 165 megawatts from a solar PV project outside of Fredericksburg, Virginia. The wind and solar energy farms will support each of the companies’ operations in those states and will also offer up enough power for 74,000 homes.

According to the press release announcing the initiative, Akamai, Etsy, and Swiss Re previously had “limited opportunity” for energy projects in this market, but were able to obtain wind and solar power at competitive prices thanks to the collaboration with Apple.

Apple’s vice president of environment, policy and social initiatives Lisa Jackson had this to say about the partnership:

“At Apple, we’re proud to power all of our operations around the world with 100 percent renewable energy. In the process, we’ve charted a course for other companies and organizations to purchase renewable energy and transition their own operations to greener power. The collaboration announced today shows how companies of all sizes can address climate change by coming together.”

The renewable energy projects are set to come online over the course of the next two years.

Apple earlier this year announced that all of its global facilities, including retail stores, offices, data centers, and more, are powered with 100 percent clean energy, a milestone Apple worked towards for years.

Apple has now turned its focus to encouraging its suppliers to focus on sustainability, and more than 20 have now committed to using renewable energy sources.

Tag: Apple environment
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Not for the faint-hearted — Seattle’s Space Needle gets a revolving glass floor

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Space Needle

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Space Needle

Space Needle

Space Needle

Anyone with a fear of heights will do well to avoid Seattle’s Space Needle, especially considering what it’s just done with its observation deck.

Part of a $100 million refit, the city’s iconic tower recently opened what it says is the world’s only revolving glass floor.

Called The Loupe, the new feature allows visitors to stand 500 foot above the city and look directly down onto the streets below, as well as for miles in all directions.

For those in need of reassurance that the glass won’t instantly shatter when they step onto it and sending them screaming through the floor to the ground below, the Space Needle promises its new glass platform is “designed like reinforced concrete.”

In a page-long release offering lots of comforting words on the safety of the glass floor, it goes on: “Each section was custom-designed with multiple redundant layers of structural glass fused together with a high-strength interlayer giving the glass composite a strength capacity up to five times the design loads used for code requirements.”

And for good measure, it adds plenty of calming extras like “extensively tested,” “structural integrity,” and even this beauty: “You could invite the entire Seattle Seahawks’ defense — and all of the offensives they would face in the course of a season — to take a group photo on the glass floor without breaking a sweat.”

Space Needle

As for turning the 37-ton glass floor, 12 motors power 48 rollers located beneath the platform, allowing for a smooth glide that turns it once every 20 minutes at its fastest speed or once every 90 minutes at its slowest.

The glass floor on the lower observation deck and the 11-feet-high floor-to-ceiling windows on the upper deck use a total of 20,000 square feet of glass that help to open up more views of the Emerald City and beyond, while also offering visitors a unique view of the Space Needle’s stem down below.

If your stomach can handle the glass floor, you can also try other new features that have launched as part of the renovations. These include the glass Skyriser benches on the edge of the upper observation deck that lean outward and when you’re seated on them make it look as if you’re suspended in the air.

Built in 1962, the Space Needle rises 605 feet above the city and welcomes more than a million people from around the world every year.

The Space Needle is open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and costs from $27.50 for adults and from $22.50 for children.

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Fossil’s new smartwatches will make your heart beat faster – and show you, too

Fossil knows what it’s doing when it comes to smartwatches, a point proven with its newest Q Explorist HR and Q Venture HR models, which combine plenty of technology with strong designs that retain the iconic Fossil look. These new fourth-generation watches fix one of the issues we had with the older Q Explorist, and with other similar smartwatches — they didn’t quite have the tech ability to replace a good fitness tracker.

Before we get to the tech, let’s look at the differences between the Q Explorist HR and Q Venture HR. It’s all in the design and style. The Q Explorist is the larger of the two watches with a 45mm stainless steel case and a 22mm strap size, while the smaller Q Venture HR has a 40mm case and an 18mm strap. There are five different designs for the Q Venture HR, with stainless steel or gold bodies and leather or metal link straps, or four different Q Explorist HR designs to choose from.

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  Fossil Q Venture HR in black
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  Fossil Q Venture HR in brown
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  Fossil Q Venture HR in stainless steel
• 4.
  Fossil Q Venture HR in tan

Take a look at the pictures to see the variations, and pay attention to the jewel-encrusted bezel and lugs on the all-metal Q Venture HR models, and the dimpled bezel on the Q Explorist HR. The crown and button designs appear very similar to the third-generation models. Each watch has an extensive collection of more than 36 different watch faces to customize the look. This may sound excessive; but swapping the watch face is not only fun, but helps the watch fit in with more outfits for everyday wear.

• 1.
  Fossil Q Venture in brown
• 2.
  Fossil Q Venture in gold
• 3.
  Fossil Q Venture in grey
• 4.
  Fossil Q Venture in pink
• 5.
  Fossil Q Venture in stainless steel

How about all this new technology? All the Q Explorist HR and Q Venture HR watches have a heart rate sensor on the back (hence the HR being added to the name), and a series of watch faces that show your heart rate, plus GPS inside for use without a smartphone, NFC for contactless Google Pay payments, and a high enough level of water resistance to make them suitable for swimming. All this, combined with Google Fit, makes the new Fossil watches considerably more comprehensive fitness trackers than ever before.

Unfortunately, Fossil is still forced to use the aging Qualcomm Snapdragon 2100 processor, which means performance will likely be very similar to older models. Qualcomm has not announced a replacement wearable chipset yet, leaving Fossil with little choice on what chip to use now. Google’s Wear OS is also onboard, making the watches compatible with either Android or iOS devices. There’s also the usual array of sensors — ambient light, a gyroscope, an altimeter, and an accelerometer — plus a microphone to take hands-free calls or interact with Google Assistant.

While Fossil can’t do much about the processor, it has been able to work in some new battery technology. Don’t expect it to have increased beyond 24 hours of basic use; but do look for fast charging, as Fossil says the battery will be ready for a day’s worth of use after less than an hour on the charger. We don’t know the exact details on this yet, but it sounds like a decent development. We are also waiting for confirmation of the internal storage space and RAM for each watch.

Depending on the style you choose, expect to pay between $255 and $275 for the new Q Explorist HD and Q Venture HR watches, and all are listed on Fossil’s online store now.

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