Apple recalls Beats Pill XL speaker due to overheating battery
While most of the internet was busying oogling the Fallout 4 trailer, Apple delivered some bad news to owners of Dr. Dre’s super-sized speaker. The company is recalling the Beats Pill XL, citingthe wireless speaker’s battery tendency to overheat in rare cases and creating the risk of a fire. In the announcement, Apple points out that the audio gadget was announced in late 2013, long before it acquired the company last year. If you splurged for one, this website will guide your through the process of getting a refund in the form of Apple Store credit or an electronic payment of $325 — $25 more than the original price tag. The Pill XL is said to be the only product that exhibits that overheats, and there’s no word on a new version that remedies the issue going on sale at a later date.
Filed under: Portable Audio/Video, Apple
Source: Apple
Tim Cook says privacy is a fundamental, moral right
It should surprise no one that, while being honored as a champion of privacy, Tim Cook threw shade at Google for its attitude toward its customer data. As TechCrunch reports, Apple’s CEO was speaking at a Washington-based civil liberties non profit and said that his company believed that people had a “fundamental right to privacy.” He went on to say that “the American people demand it, the constitution demands it and morality demands it.” It’s a song that the executive has played several times before, expressing distaste for companies who seek to monetize a user in ways other than to sell them expensive gadgets.
Cook then called out a nameless product that mines your “family photos” to be “sold off for god knows what advertising purpose.” Which, if you weren’t aware, is probably a heavy-handed swipe at Google’s recently (re)launched Photos offering that uses plenty of algorithmic secret-sauce behind the scenes. The topic then moved onto the subject of Government backdoors to smartphone encryption, which the CEO described as “incredibly dangerous.” As far as he’s concerned, “the contents of [their] text messages and [their] video chats is none of our business.”
With Apple’s own annual developers conference kicking off in under a week, we can expect a few more barbs along this subject, and maybe even some improved security features in iOS. Of course, now the ball is firmly in Google’s court to refute the idea that they’re somehow asset-stripping pictures of your nephews for a fast buck.
Filed under: Internet, Software, Google, Acer
Source: TechCrunch
Tim Cook attacks Google over privacy of Photos service
Tim Cook, Apple CEO (credit: Mike Deerkoski)
Tim Cook continues to throw barely veiled barbs at Google, in an effort to position Apple as the privacy champion of Silicon Valley.
Speaking at an event organized by Electronic Privacy Information Center, a privacy research group in Washington, DC., Cook alluded to the practices of other companies in Silicon Valley that “gobble up everything they can learn about you and try to monetize it.” “We think that’s wrong. And it’s not the kind of company that Apple wants to be,” continued the Apple CEO.
Cook did not call Google out explicitly, but it was clear for everyone in attendance that Google was one of the “prominent and successful companies” that the Apple executive was referring to.
Just to make it clear, Cook alluded to Photos, the new service that Google just launched last week at I/O.
“We believe the customer should be in control of their own information. You might like these so-called free services, but we don’t think they’re worth having your email, your search history and now even your family photos data mined and sold off for god knows what advertising purpose. And we think some day, customers will see this for what it is.”
Cook implies that, when a product is offered for free, the user is actually the product. And that’s true to some extent – Google’s business is based on collecting data about the users of its services and selling ads against it. In this sense, Cook isn’t actually being dishonest. But the executive heads towards FUD territory when he portrays Google as a venal arch-peeping Tom going through your pictures (think of the children!) and selling them off to the highest bidder.
And there’s the small problem that Apple has its own ad platform, for which it collects quite a lot of user information:
“When you create an Apple ID, apply for commercial credit, purchase a product, download a software update, register for a class at an Apple Retail Store, contact us or participate in an online survey, we may collect a variety of information, including your name, mailing address, phone number, email address, contact preferences, and credit card information.”
“We also use personal information to help us create, develop, operate, deliver, and improve our products, services, content and advertising, and for loss prevention and anti-fraud purposes,” reads Apple’s iAds privacy policy.
To be fair, Apple doesn’t collect as much user data as Google or Facebook do, simply because its business model is based on very healthy profit margins from its hardware products. Apple doesn’t need your data, the way Google needs it.
But this “Apple likes privacy, Google does not” campaign is hypocritical, and at times borderline dishonest. Just because a company processes your private information, it doesn’t mean it’s doing anything nefarious with it. And then there’s the tremendous value that is being returned to users: not only dozens of excellent free services, but products that couldn’t exist without access to private data, like Google Now and the automated tagging features of Google Photos. In fact, Apple is rumored to be trying to emulate Google Now, with an initiative codenamed Proactive, “which will leverage Siri, Contacts, Calendar, Passbook, and third-party apps to create a viable competitor to Google Now for Android devices,” according to 9to5Mac.
At the end of the day, however, this is a deeply personal choice. So what about you? Do you think that the privacy trade-off is worth it when it comes to Google’s products? Or do you agree with Tim Cook’s view on privacy on the Internet?
Metromile’s Tag uses Apple iBeacon tech to track your driving
For almost three years now, Metromile has offered a pay-per-mile insurance service that tracked your trips via an OBD-II reader (a device that plugs into your car’s data port) called the Pulse which also provided other useful info like your mileage, parked location and fuel costs. Today, Metromile has unveiled the Tag, a wireless device that uses Apple’s iBeacon tech to do almost the same thing. Instead of plugging into that aforementioned OBD-II port — which is in every car built and sold in the US since 1996 — the Tag can be placed anywhere in your vehicle. It then communicates that same car and trip info to your phone over Bluetooth LE (which does mean that both the Tag and your phone needs to be in close proximity in order for it to work).
The accompanying Metromile app — available on both iOS and Android — will then let you do things that you could already do with the OBD-II reader. You can figure out the best commute times, find a parked location and track your mileage. In select markets like San Francisco and Chicago, you can also get street cleaning alerts. The only thing that the Tag can’t do is get a vehicle health report, as that still requires direct access to the car’s computer. And yes, the Tag is available for free, to both customers and non-customers alike. The catch? If you want to sign up for Metromile’s pay-per-mile insurance, you still have to use that regular ol’ OBD-II reader.
But if all you want is some insight into your car’s performance, then it couldn’t hurt to try the Tag out. After all, it’s one of the first consumer implementations of iBeacon we’ve seen outside of airports, retail stores and baseball parks. It should be available today for folks in California, Oregon, Illinois and Washington State, with further expansion slated for later this year.
Filed under: Transportation, Apple
Source: Metromile
Galaxy Note 4 beats iPhone 6 for customer satisfaction
Owners of the Galaxy Note 4 are the most satisfied consumers according to a new survey conducted by the American Satisfaction Index (ACSI). The latest survey from ACSI reveals that the Galaxy Note 4 tops the chart with 86% customer satisfaction while the Galaxy Note 3 comes joint second with the iPhone 6 Plus, Galaxy S5 and iPhone 6.
The survey shows that customers using the Galaxy Note 4 – which was released in October last year – are the most satisfied and despite the handset being several months old, it still ticks all the boxes for customers. Interestingly, the top six positions in the survey are taken by either Samsung or Apple and these two companies top the list for manufacturers.
Looking past the top of the list, both Samsung and Apple still dominate but Motorola, HTC and LG all feature on the list as well. The omission of any Sony devices from the top of the satisfaction survey suggests that Sony’s devices – which are not widely available in the US – don’t satisfy customers as much as its rivals do. Given that Sony’s smartphone sales performance has been dwindling over the past 12 to 18 months, the satisfaction survey reveals that the company has a lot to do to keep the key US market satisfied.
Looking at the list of manufacturers, the swing between Samsung and Apple – resulting in both companies tying for the top spot – could be due to less than stellar Galaxy S5 sales and Apple finally delivering the bigger screen its customers have been asking for.
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Motorola‘s third spot shows that the company’s handsets – and in particular the Moto X, which can be customised to your specification through Moto Maker – offer the package that customers are looking for. BlackBerry‘s sales figures have also been steadily declining over the past few years but the company’s customers are the fourth most satisfied in the US.
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Moving past the top four and HTC and Nokia may not have sold as many devices as their rivals but they came fifth and sixth in the list respectively: for HTC at least it shows that customers certainly do enjoy its HTC One range and for Nokia, it shows that despite Windows Phone being a much smaller OS than Android and iOS, its customers are certainly satisfied.
It’s worth noting that none of the latest flagships – the LG G4, Galaxy S6, Galaxy S6 Edge and HTC One M9 – had been released to the market when the survey was conducted, hence why they do not make an appearance on the smartphone list. The next survey will reveal whether Samsung’s switch in design with its latest smartphones will deliver higher satisfaction than Apple’s handsets.
Apple TV Confirmed as Central Hub for Remotely Controlling HomeKit-Enabled Accessories [iOS Blog]
Apple has added a new support document on its website (via iFun.de) that confirms the third-generation Apple TV or later can be used to control HomeKit-enabled accessories when you are away from home using an iOS device.
After signing in with the same Apple ID on an iOS device and Apple TV, users can use Siri commands to remotely control lights, locks, thermostats, smart plugs and other HomeKit-enabled accessories.
The new support document was added one day after multiple accessory makers announced the first HomeKit-compatible products, including Lutron, iHome, Elgato, Insteon and Ecobee. Many of the accessories are available for purchase or pre-order this week, and others should be unveiled following Apple’s annual Worldwide Developers Conference next week.
It has been known that the Apple TV would serve as a centralized hub for many of these accessories since their original unveiling at CES 2015 in January, while support for the HomeKit framework was quietly included in the Apple TV 7.0 software update last September, but today marks one of the first official confirmations from Apple.
Apple is widely expected to announce a new A8-based Apple TV with an App Store and Siri at WWDC next week. The next-generation set-top box is rumored to feature a “dramatic increase” in internal storage, well beyond the 8GB included in the current model, and the inclusion of Siri will enable users to control HomeKit-enabled accessories using voice commands.
HomeKit was announced at WWDC last year as a software framework for communicating with and controlling connected devices in the home, but the home automation platform experienced delays over the ensuing months and did not officially launch until this month. Apple is expected to provide more details about HomeKit and related accessories during its WWDC keynote on June 8 at 10 AM Pacific.
(Thanks, Marco!)
Apple Watch Owners Take to LEGO & 3D Printing for Homemade Stands [iOS Blog]
The accessory market for the Apple Watch exploded almost immediately after the wearable was announced back in March, with stands specifically becoming the popular announcement of well-known third-party accessory companies like Twelve South and Mophie. Although most of the stands won’t break the bank, some of the cheapest start at around $30, and some of the higher-end alternatives can go as high as $130.
With monetary savings in mind, a few enterprising individuals around the internet have begun to showcase their own homemade alternatives to the big-name Apple Watch stands. Made using materials like LEGO and even a 3D printer, the homemade stands not only look functional but, of course, offer a more unique and personal take on charging Apple’s new wearable device.
Designed and built this Apple Watch stand all by myself like a big boy pic.twitter.com/YADEd0wunY
— ⚡️ Conasaurus Rex ⚡️ (@ConaKBO) May 31, 2015
One of the go-to Apple Watch stand material for homemade construction is LEGO, unsurprisingly, with users posting on Twitter and in the MacRumors forums a few noteworthy constructions perfect for the nightly charging required by the wearable. Ranging in diversity from a highly detailed Guardians of the Galaxy themed design to simple no-frills constructions, those interested may not be able to perfectly re-create their favorite designs, but should no doubt feel a burst of inspiration from looking at others’ builds.
My Apple Watch charging stand is better than yours 😉 #iamgroot #lego @JamesGunn pic.twitter.com/mJRl9jvQmg
— I Am Dan. (@danactual) May 28, 2015
Over in the forums, a few members have showcased unique LEGO creations, as well. A few designs focus on pop culture themes like Minecraft or Star Wars, but others have decided to build their own custom blueprints, as well. One user even took it a step further and crafted a matching Watch/iPhone set.
Although far less popular than the easy-to-obtain LEGO bricks, one lucky MacRumors reader has been able to use a 3D printer to design and print out their own personal Apple Watch stand. The resulting product is arguably a bit rudimentary and rough around the edges, but undeniably cool as an alternative charging method for the Apple Watch. The 3D printed stand was designed with a slot on the back of the stand’s neck and a hole at its base to pass the MagSafe charger, although the poster notes the exact dimension of the MagSafe puck was estimated due to the Watch’s unavailability at the time of posting.
3D Printed Apple Watch stand by MacRumors Forum member Shacky
The stands showcased here today barely scratch the surface of the creative ideas and builds Apple Watch fans have taken to creating since its launch in April. If you’ve already built your own Apple Watch stand, or plan to in the future, be sure to share it with everyone in the Apple Watch accessories forum or by commenting below.
App Store, iTunes Store, Apple TV and Other Services Experiencing Downtime [Mac Blog]
Following this morning’s iCloud and iTunes downtime, Apple’s services appear to be experiencing another outage, this time affecting several of the company’s online stores.
The App Store, iTunes Store, Mac App Store, iBooks Store, and Apple TV are non-functional for some users at the current time, with content inaccessible. MacRumors has received several complaints about App Store apps not downloading.
According to Apple’s system status page, all of the above listed services are affected, along with iTunes Match, iTunes Radio, and Game Center. The page suggests the outage began just after 5 p.m. Pacific Time and it reads, “Users may be unable to access the above stores/services or make purchases.”
Game Center has been unavailable for some users for several hours now, having first begun experiencing issues at around 12:30 p.m. Pacific Time.
It is not clear when the outage issues will be resolved, but this morning’s iCloud problem was fixed within an hour.
Apple CEO Tim Cook Speaks on Importance of Privacy, Encryption at Champions of Freedom Event
Apple CEO Tim Cook was honored at the Electronic Privacy Information Center’s Champions of Freedom event in Washington yesterday, where he took the opportunity to give a speech covering Apple’s stance on privacy, the importance of guarding customer information, and the company’s views on encryption.
TechCrunch has shared details on both the event and Cook’s speech, calling him “characteristically passionate” about the topics he spoke on.
“Like many of you, we at Apple reject the idea that our customers should have to make tradeoffs between privacy and security,” Cook opened. “We can, and we must provide both in equal measure. We believe that people have a fundamental right to privacy. The American people demands it, the constitution demands it, morality demands it.”
Cook highlighted Apple’s commitment to customer privacy while also lambasting other Silicon Valley companies like Google and Facebook for collecting customer data. “They’re gobbling up everything they can learn about you and trying to monetize it,” Cook said. “We think that’s wrong. And it’s not the kind of company that Apple wants to be.”
Image via TechCrunch
As he has done multiple times in past privacy-centric speeches, Cook reiterated Apple’s position as a company that gets its money from selling products and services, not the personal data of its companies. He also made a subtle jab at Google’s new Photos app, which offers free, unlimited photo storage.
“We believe the customer should be in control of their own information. You might like these so-called free services, but we don’t think they’re worth having your email, your search history and now even your family photos data mined and sold off for god knows what advertising purpose. And we think some day, customers will see this for what it is.”
On encryption, Cook said he believes it’s “incredibly dangerous” that some government agencies advocate for unfettered access to consumer data and devices, an issue that’s come to light following encryption changes that Apple introduced with iOS 8. As of iOS 8, Apple no longer stores device encryption keys, making it impossible for the company to bypass a passcode and provide consumer data at the government’s request.
According to Cook, weakening encryption with a “master key” for the government has a “chilling effect on our First Amendment rights and undermines our country’s founding principles.” He says Apple will continue moving forward with encryption and will focus on building products “that keep people’s information safe.”
More of what Cook had to say during yesterday’s speech can be found over at TechCrunch. The Verge has also shared details on the speech.
Note: Due to the political nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Politics, Religion, Social Issues forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.
WWDC 2015 Decorations Going Up at Moscone Center Ahead of Monday’s Keynote
Apple is set to kick off its 2015 Worldwide Developers Conference on Monday with a keynote event that begins at 10:00 a.m., and as it does every year, the company has begun decorating the Moscone Center in San Francisco where the conference will be held.
As of this afternoon, work crews have begun placing the iconic Apple stickers on the outside of the building, while also preparing to begin erecting banners in the lobby of Moscone West. As can be seen in photos shared by MacStories, the first leaves of the logo are visible.
In a few hours, we’ll likely see the first banners for the 2015 event, which may sport the tagline “The epicenter of change.” Apple will continue decorating the center throughout the week, adding additional signage both inside and outside.
Oftentimes Apple’s banners reveal hints on upcoming operating system changes, suggesting potential names and feature sets, but those revelatory banners will likely be kept under wraps until later this week. In 2014, we didn’t see signs for iOS 8 and OS X 10.10 until Friday.
This year’s keynote will include the debut of iOS 9 and OS X 10.11, along with a new streaming music service, a revamped version of iTunes Radio, a new Apple TV set-top box, and a rewards program for Apple Pay. For more details on what to expect, make sure to check out our WWDC roundup.
Apple plans to provide a live stream of the WWDC keynote on the Apple TV and through its website. MacRumors will also provide live coverage of the event for those unable to watch, both on MacRumors.com and through our MacRumors Live Twitter account.
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