Apple Now Inviting Apple Watch Customers to ‘Just Walk In’ for Try-Ons [iOS Blog]

Apple today shifted its messaging concerning Apple Watch try-on appointments, which were required in the early days following the wearable’s launch to be able to interact with and size the various models of the Watch. The messaging of try-on appointments has now largely vanished from the Apple Watch’s online storefront, with a notification encouraging customers to visit their local Apple Watch store for workshops on the device or “just walk in to try Apple Watch on.”

In reality, walk-in customers have generally been able to arrange immediate try-on sessions for some time now as the crowds have significantly lessened following the initial surge. With Apple gearing up to begin in-store sales of the Apple Watch in just a few weeks, however, the company is already changing its customer guidance to omit the recommendation of making an appointment.

Even though the messaging is pivoting away from scheduled appointments, it should be noted that retail stores are still accepting try-on appointments for customers wanting to ensure their time with the Apple Watch. Try-on sessions may become a bit busier once in-store sales begin, so at that point appointments may become more advisable.

Apple Store No Longer Sells iPhone With 2-Year Contract on AT&T

Apple overnight removed the option to purchase a new iPhone on a two-year contract with AT&T on the Apple Online Store, eliminating the ability for customers to purchase an iPhone for a subsidized price of $199 or $299 through the carrier. Apple now sells iPhones on AT&T exclusively through the AT&T Next carrier financing program, while two-year contracts remain available through Verizon and Sprint.

AT&T Next allows a customer to purchase a new iPhone for $0 down and make equal payments for 12, 18 or 24 months until the full price of the smartphone has been paid, at which point the device can be traded in for a new iPhone. The full price breakdown for each iPhone model on AT&T Next, available through both the Apple Online Store and Apple Retail Store, is listed below.

iPhone 6
– 16GB: From $21.64/month
– 64GB: From $24.97/month
– 128GB: From $28.30/month

iPhone 6 Plus
– 16GB: From $24.97/month
– 64GB: From $28.30/month
– 128GB: From $31.64/month

The shift away from two-year contracts does not appear to be specific to Apple or iPhone, but rather part of a larger move by AT&T. Droid-Life reported last month that AT&T would begin moving away from two-year contracts on June 1, although the report claims that the option will remain available through AT&T’s website, company-owned retail stores and customer service.

Yahoo takes the ax to Mail, Maps and Pipes features

Yahoo has published its second quarter progress report for 2015, and its theme’s pretty clear: killing features and antiquated products. Starting on June 15th, Yahoo Mail will no longer be able to sync with Apple’s stock Mail app on iOS 4 and older, so you’ll have to find alternatives if you’re still clinging to ancient iPhones and iPod Touch players. At the same time, Macs running OS X 10.7 Lion and earlier won’t be able to sync with Yahoo Contacts anymore. Yahoo is also sunsetting the maps.yahoo.com website, though it won’t completely kill its maps product, since Flickr, Search and its other properties still need it.

In addition, the company’s jettisoning market-specific homepages, such as Yahoo Music in France and Canada and Yahoo Entertainment in Singapore, in the next couple of months. Finally, Marissa Mayer and co. have decided to kill Yahoo Pipes, which gave people an easy way to build web apps and aggregate web feeds. It’s obviously no longer popular as it once was, but you can think of as IFTTT’s predecessor. You can read the full obituary updates on Tumblr, which is successful enough to escape this killing spree.

[Image credit: Associated Press]

Filed under: Misc, Mobile, Apple

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Via: VentureBeat, 9to5mac

Source: Yahoo

AltConf Barred From Streaming WWDC Keynote, Developer Sessions [Mac Blog]

For several years running, AltConf has been held at the same time as Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference, giving developers who did not get a ticket to attend WWDC a place to go to meet up and mingle.

Content streamed live from Apple, including developer sessions and keynote events, has been shown at AltConf in past years, but this year, Apple has barred AltConf from streaming video content from the Worldwide Developers Conference.

In a press release, AltConf notified attendees that it had received a letter from Apple’s legal representatives, preventing it from showing Monday’s keynote event and video sessions from WWDC. Apple’s letter said that the company “exercises control over not only the content of its messaging, but also the manner in which those messages are packaged, distributed, and delivered.”

AltConf’s streaming of Apple content “would strip Apple of exclusive control over one of the most anticipated events of the year, and could deprive Apple of potential revenue generated from its exclusive rights.” Thus, AltConf must “refrain from publicly streaming or showing any WWDC content. Apple further demands that AltConf and each of its organizers refrain from reproducing or distributing any WWDC content belonging to Apple, in any manner.”

It is not clear why Apple has decided to crack down on AltConf’s plan to stream WWDC content as AltConf has been able to do so in the past, but this is the first year that AltConf has offered a paid ticket option. AltConf sold a limited number of $300 tickets providing “guaranteed seating at speaker sessions and a swag bag.”

According to AltConf’s note, the conference’s organizers are hoping to come to an agreement with Apple that will allow them to share WWDC content. As an alternative, AltConf will show developer sessions from Google I/O, Microsoft’s Build, NSConference, 360 iDev, and 360 iDev, and UIKonf in its viewing rooms, and it will also include sessions with various speakers. Live blogs will be displayed during the keynote instead of Apple’s live stream, and there will be a “keynote reaction panel” from iMore.

Apple Still Negotiating With Music Labels Over Streaming Terms Days Before WWDC Launch

Days before Apple is expected to announce its rebranded and revamped version of Beats Music at WWDC, the Cupertino company is still negotiating terms with music labels, reports Bloomberg. Last month, it was also reported that the two sides had not reached a deal.

The labels are pushing to get a larger chunk of revenue than they receive under their current deals with Spotify Ltd., a competing streaming service, people familiar with the negotiations said. Both sides want to complete a deal before Apple’s June 8 annual event in San Francisco for more than 5,000 developers, according to the people, who asked not to be named because the talks are continuing.

Currently, labels receive 55% of Spotify’s $9.99 monthly rate while publishers take 15%. Music labels are hoping to take closer to 60% from Apple, according to the report. Previously, rumors have suggested that Apple was seeking an agreement that allow it to offer a streaming music service to customers for $7.99 a month rather than the standard $9.99 rate. However, Apple was forced to back down after record labels resisted the change.

Additionally, Apple has allegedly been urging music labels to cease offering licenses for freemium tiers that Spotify and other music services offer as the Cupertino company does not plan to offer a free tier with its new streaming service. These efforts have earned Apple scrutiny from government organizations like the European Commission and U.S. Department of Justice, as the two groups are said to be looking into Apple’s negotiations.

It’s likely Apple still plans to unveil its new streaming service at WWDC, as the two sides want to complete a deal before June 8’s keynote address. The new Music app is said to include the rebranded streaming service, a revamped version of iTunes Radio and traditional downloaded music. Apple also plans to offer exclusive content, like behind-the-scenes video from recording sessions. Artists will also get their own pages where they can host videos, songs and other content for free as part of a program called Apple Connect, with Apple compensating the artists and labels for songs they give away.

Samsung Compares Galaxy S6 Edge to iPhone 6 in New ‘6 > 6’ Campaign

Over the years, one of Samsung’s major advertising tactics has involved comparing its devices to Apple’s iPhones, attempting to point out shortcomings and feature flaws. As of today, Samsung’s published two new videos that pit its Galaxy S6 Edge against the iPhone 6, highlighting the device’s camera, wireless charging, and curved display.

In the first video, Samsung shows off the dual curved edge of the S6 Edge, which can be used to display information like incoming calls and notifications. “Oooh, check out the edge of the Galaxy S6 Edge,” says the voiceover. “It displays colors when your top five contacts call. The edge of the iPhone 6 displays nothing. But it has a vibrate function.”

The second video focuses on the Galaxy S6 Edge’s ability to charge wirelessly when placed on an included inductive charging mat, and it compares the S6 camera to the camera in the iPhone 6. The S6 and S6 Edge come with a front-facing camera that has a 120-degree wide-angle field of view.

Check it out, the S6 takes wider selfies that fit everybody. The iPhone 6… just cut off nana. Nana? When you do the math, it’s clear. 6 is greater than 6.

Each of the videos follows up with Samsung’s new tagline,” 6 > 6,” and they both end with the line “Not all smartphones are created equal.” Samsung has a long history of mocking Apple products and Apple fans in its advertisements and commercials, so these newest anti-iPhone ads come as no surprise.

Since the launch of the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, Samsung has seen a significant profit drop in its mobile division as some customers opted to switch from Samsung devices to larger-screened Apple devices. Before the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, large screen size was one of the major differentiating factors between the iPhone and the Galaxy line of smartphones, but now Samsung must distinguish its products in other ways.

According to Samsung, demand for the Galaxy S6 Edge has been high, and it expects its profits to increase now that its newest devices have been on the market for a few months.

Apple Continues Decorating Moscone West for WWDC Ahead of Monday’s Keynote

Each year ahead of the Worldwide Developers Conference, Apple puts up logos, signs, and banners across Moscone West in San Francisco, where the event is held. Decorations began going up on Tuesday, and work will continue throughout the weekend to prepare for Monday’s keynote event.

As of this afternoon, Apple has finished placing two Apple logos on the outside windows of Moscone West, and yesterday, the first interior banner went up. The initial banner uses the same graphic design elements that are present on the company’s WWDC 2015 website, along with the tagline “The epicenter of change.”

The next interior banners to go up may give us some hints on what we can expect from OS X 10.11 and iOS 9, the two new operating systems that will be unveiled at WWDC. With OS X 10.10, we saw banners depicting Yosemite on the Friday before the event, so tomorrow’s banners could divulge the name for OS X 10.11.

Apple’s trademarked the names of several California landmarks and locations, and some of those names include Redwood, Big Sur, Pacific, Diablo, Miramar, El Cap, Monterey, and Sierra, among others.

We also expect to see iOS 9 banners going up in the near future, but those banners divulge less information because there’s no associated name and Apple will keep signs that highlight upcoming features covered until after the keynote event. Decorations will also be added to sign posts, the Metreon across the street, and other locations as we approach the kickoff of the conference.

Along with details on iOS 9 and OS X 10.11, this year’s keynote event will also see the debut of Apple’s new streaming music service and a revamped version of iTunes Radio. The Apple Watch will be a major focus with the debut of native apps, and we may also see the introduction of a rewards program for Apple Pay.

Early rumors suggested Apple would debut its a new Apple TV set-top box and a new subscription television service at WWDC, but the two products are not ready to launch and will no longer be included in the event. For additional details on what to expect at WWDC, make sure to check out our WWDC roundup and our more in-depth roundups on iOS 9 and OS X 10.11.

Review: Griffin’s WatchStand for Apple Watch Keeps All That Extra Cable Hidden [iOS Blog]

With its WatchStand, accessory maker Griffin has come up with a unique take on an Apple Watch charging dock, incorporating a cord management feature that sets it apart from the many other stands on the market. Made of plastic instead of aluminum or wood, Griffin’s stand is also one of the more affordable options available.

I’ve been testing the Griffin WatchStand for the past week and have been impressed with the level of functionality vs. the price, but there are a few drawbacks that might not make it the best stand choice depending on which Apple Watch you own.

When it comes to looks, the Griffin WatchStand is not quite as attractive as some other options on the market. Its black plastic design doesn’t complement the Apple Watch and other Apple devices, it feels overly tall, and it doesn’t blend into a range of different decors as well as aluminum or wood.

Griffin WatchStand next to Twelve South HiRise for Apple Watch
Aesthetic preferences vary heavily by person, so the form and material of the WatchStand may not be a negative for some. Though it’s made of plastic, the WatchStand doesn’t really look cheap and there are no flaws in its construction — it has a wide, heavy rubber-bottomed base for stability and the part of the stand that holds the Apple Watch charger is well-designed and at an ideal viewing angle.
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