Apple Pay Confirmed to Have £20 Limit Per Transaction in UK [iOS Blog]

Apple Pay will be arriving for customers inside of the United Kingdom, backing support from about 250,000 UK merchants, sometime in July. Today, Apple released a support and FAQ page on its website to document the processes and answer the questions that some merchants may have with the impending launch of the service (via 9to5Mac).

Following the confirmation by multiple banks on the matter earlier this month, Apple has confirmed that some retailers and specific out-of-date terminals will hinder customers to a £20 limit on their Apple Pay purchases (which will increase to £30 in September). However, the company does state that merchants with terminals “capable and configured properly” — and a payment provider that supports the most up to date specifications on contactless payments — will be able to support larger transaction sums.

Apple Pay allows your customers to make easy and secure contactless payments at any amount. If your payment terminal or payment provider doesn’t support the latest network specifications, as with contactless debit and credit cards today, your customers might need to insert their card if the transaction amount is over £20.

To accept Apple Pay for transactions over £20, your payment terminal must be capable and configured properly, and your payment provider needs to support the latest network contactless specifications.

The process for merchants to support a limit raise may be arduous, however, and as such most retailers will be facing the £20 right out of the gate when the service launches in July. Retailers supporting the “Consumer Device Cardholder Verification Method,” another support document updated today, will be able to enable “contactless payments for any amount.” Unfortunately, the security-ensured method requires updated terminal software that may see a slow adoption rate to stores around the United Kingdom in the early days of Apple Pay.

The rest of the FAQ page details the expected list of questions about liable fraud charges for merchants, list of payment providers that support Apple Pay in the United Kingdom, and a process detailing return policies for customers using the mobile wallet. Apple also confirmed during WWDC that London-based Apple Pay users will be able to commute and pay for fares on London’s Underground with the help of the service. The company also promised that the service will be backed by eight of the “most established banks” in the country when it launches.

Kenwood’s Aftermarket CarPlay and Android Auto Systems Now Shipping

Kenwood today announced that its two aftermarket CarPlay and Android Auto systems unveiled at CES 2015 are now shipping to retailers with a suggested price of $900 to $950 each. The Kenwood DDX9702S and Kenwood Excelon DDX9902S are the only aftermarket units that allow drivers to switch between CarPlay and Android Auto without having to manually change settings or reset the unit.

For CarPlay, the aftermarket systems use Siri voice control to provide hands-free access to Maps, Phone, Messages, Music, Podcasts and third-party apps such as Spotify, Rdio, iHeartRadio, CBS Radio and MLB At Bat. Similarly, Android Auto allows drivers to use Google voice to play and select music, receive directions and hear turn-by-turn navigation, while Google Now cards provide contextual location- and preference-based information at relevant times.

The multimedia receivers serve as in-car entertainment and information systems, with both featuring a 6.95-inch resistive touch display with navigation, a back-up camera view and multiple audio and video options. Both units are also SiriusXM-ready and feature Bluetooth for handsfree phone calls and streaming media playback, built-in HD Radio, an HDMI input with MHL support and DVD playback.

Apple Music Lands Over 20,000 Indie Labels as Beggars Group and Merlin Sign Deal

Apple Music has signed two major indie music rights holders Beggars Group and Merlin Network, which represent over 20,000 indie labels and distributors, reports Billboard. The licensing agencies agreed to sign up for Apple Music after Apple changed course and agreed to pay artists on a per-stream basis during the streaming music service’s three-month trial period.

“I am pleased to say that Apple has made a decision to pay for all usage of Apple Music under the free trials on a per-play basis, as well as to modify a number of other terms that members had been communicating directly with Apple about,” said Merlin CEO Charles Caldas. “With these changes, we are happy to support the deal.”

Beggars Group is a British company that distributes labels 4AD, Rough Trade Records, Matador Records and XL Recordings among others, representing artists such as Adele, Arcade Fire and Radiohead, and helping along the careers of Basement Jaxx, M.I.A, The Prodigy and others. Merlin is an aggregator of several smaller labels that have represented music groups such as The xx.

Billboard obtained a copy of the full Apple Music letter sent to Merlin Network members:

Dear Merlin Member

I am pleased to say that Apple has made a decision to pay for all usage of Apple Music under the free trials on a per-play basis, as well as to modify a number of other terms that members had been communicating directly with Apple about. With these changes, we are happy to support the deal.

As you know Merlin has not historically had a direct contract with Apple. Apple has direct deals with our members, and that continues to be the case. Therefore, the amendments referred to above will apply to your existing direct agreements, and the amended contract will shortly appear on iTunes Connect. However, Apple has indicated that in the future they are open to engaging with Merlin as a central point of communication and negotiation for our membership.

Apple has a long standing, deep rooted relationship with the music community and has always helped ensure artists get paid for their work. We think Apple Music provides artists with a business model that’s good for the long term and we look forward to its launch on June 30.

We would remind you as ever that each member must make its own independent decisions in relation to Apple Music and its business in general.

Apple Music has also been endorsed by independent music advocate group Worldwide Independent Network (WIN), an agreement reached just hours after the Beggars Group and Merlin deals, according to Billboard. WIN was established in 2006 to address the business, creative and market access issues faced by indie artists and the larger independent music sector.

Apple Adds 7 New Flyover Locations to Maps [iOS Blog]

Apple has added 7 new Flyover locations to Apple Maps, including cities in Portugal, Spain, England, Germany and Puerto Rico. The additions bring the total number of Flyover cities in Apple Maps to 148, allowing users to see photorealistic 3D tours of those cities as well as the ability to zoom in on landmarks and buildings.

The following cities were added to Flyover:

– Almería, Spain
– Braga, Portugal
– Jerez de la Frontera, Spain
– Karlsruhe, Germany
– Kiel, Germany
– Kingston upon Hull, England
– San Juan, Puerto Rico

The full list of Flyover cities can be seen on Apple’s iOS 8 feature availability page, even though Flyover is also available on Mac OS X’s version of Apple Maps.

Apple has been steadily adding new cities to Flyover since the feature debuted three years ago. Flyover has gained over 40 new cities since December, with 20 new cities joining in March.

Apple’s ‘Shot on iPhone 6’ Campaign Wins Outdoor Lions Grand Prix at Cannes [iOS Blog]

Today at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, Apple’s recent “Shot on iPhone 6″ ad campaign, officially referred to as “World Gallery”, won the Outdoor Lions Grand Prix, one of the most prestigious awards in advertising (via Fast Company).

According to the jury president Juan Carlos Ortiz, creative chairman at DDB Americas, the judges didn’t so much choose “World Gallery,” it chose them. Praising the Grand Prix winner, Ortiz said: “It’s not just a great idea, it’s a game changer. It’s really opening a new way of doing things and changing behavior.”

While the Cupertino company won the grand prize for the outdoor category, it also picked up five Gold Lions awards for specific “Shot on iPhone 6″ posters in the campaign. The ad initiative was a collaboration between Apple and TBWA/Media Arts Lab. Apple debuted the new ad campaign in early March, featuring photos and video taken by iPhone 6 users from around the world on billboards, print media, TV ads and more.

Apple and TBWA/Media Arts Lab are no strangers to the Cannes Lions Festival, having won the Grand Prix for Press for its iPad mini magazine campaign in 2013.

How to Get the Most Accurate Heart Rate Reading on Apple Watch [iOS Blog]

Apple Watch features a heart rate monitor to help guide you through your workout sessions, tracking your heart rate while you exercise to better determine the amount of calories you burn during your activities.

The monitor also automatically tries to measure your heart rate every 10 minutes, but doesn’t record the data if your arm is moving. That is why your Health app doesn’t reflect a reading at every 10 minutes on the dot, but shows varying intervals of readings.

If you want to get a quick, accurate measurement of your heart rate manually you can do so in Glances.

The heart rate sensor is on the backside of the Apple Watch case and is made up of two different sets of special lights that monitor the blood flow through your wrist. Because the sensors absorb light through your skin, there are a few factors that affect the accuracy of a heart rate reading.

By following a few tips, as well as calibrating Apple Watch for workouts, you will get a better heart rate reading, thus improving the device’s ability to more determine how many calories you burn.
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iOS 9 Includes New Auto App Delete/Reinstall Feature for OS Updates on Devices With Insufficient Space

Developers who are installing the second beta of iOS 9 have discovered a highly useful iOS 9 space management feature, which will help users who have little space on their devices install major operating system updates.

When attempting to install iOS 9 on a device with insufficient space, there’s a popup that offers to temporarily delete some apps in order to make room for the update. Apps that are deleted are then reinstalled and replaced after the operating system update is completed.

With iOS 8, many users with 16GB devices were disappointed with the large installation size of the operating system. As it was over 4GB, few users with 16GB devices had the space for the update, which may be one of the main reasons that iOS 8 installation rates were slow for several months following release. Given the disappointment that many customers expressed with the install size of iOS 8, Apple’s made efforts to make iOS 9 much more space efficient.

Apple has significantly reduced the installation size of the operating system to just 1.3GB to make it easier for people to find the space for an update, and this new auto app deletion feature will ensure that almost all customers can upgrade their devices with little hassle. Other features, such as app thinning for developers, will also help free up space on devices by installing only the necessary app assets for each device.

SanDisk Dual USB Drive Type-C Review: No-Hassle File Transfers for Apple’s New MacBook [Mac Blog]

Known for providing a variety of storage solutions for desktop and mobile devices, SanDisk continues its trend of easy-to-use storage devices supporting multiple connector standards with its new Dual USB Drive Type-C. Taking aim at the growing use of USB-C in the tech industry, the Dual USB Drive includes connectors for both USB-A 3.0 and USB-C that allow users to transfer files between a traditional USB-supporting computer and a machine like Apple’s new 12-inch Retina MacBook that uses the new USB-C standard.

While similar to the company’s iXpand Flash Drive line — which pairs a USB connector with a Lightning connector for a more mobile-friendly storage solution — the Dual USB Drive is definitely lighter and slimmer than the iXpand line. The new drive is actually part of the line of SanDisk’s “Dual” USB Drives, the other two of which focus on a more Android compatible transfer process. Only coming in a 32GB option, the Dual USB Drive Type-C has plenty of storage for all kinds of files, from music and photos to documents and slideshows.

I’ve spent the past week or so testing the Dual drive, but as with any other basic flash drive, it either works hassle-free or it doesn’t. Thankfully, SanDisk’s new USB-C supported solution is a breeze when it comes to data storage and transfer. The drive took essentially the entire contents of my new 12-inch MacBook and in a few seconds had successfully pasted copies of the files into its 32GB storage.
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