Jony Ive becomes Apple’s first Chief Design Officer
There’s no question that Jony Ive is more important than ever to Apple’s design process given his heavy influence on everything from the look of iOS to the philosophy behind the Apple Watch, and the Cupertino crew just gave him a promotion to reflect that fact. The Telegraph has revealed that Ive was recently promoted from Senior VP to become Apple’s first-ever Chief Design Officer. He’ll still oversee the company’s broader design efforts, but there will be leaders dedicated to user interfaces (Alan Dye) and industrial design (Richard Howarth) as of July 1st.
As Ive explains, the move “frees [him] up” from the drudgery of management and lets him focus on… well, design. It’s not entirely shocking, though, given the workload the exec has had as of late. He’s had a hand in most of what Apple sells, and even helped shape the company’s upcoming “spaceship” campus. The CDO role is arguably as much about giving Ive room to breathe as anything else — he doesn’t have to worry so much about splitting his attention in several different directions.
This won’t necessarily lead to a big shift in how Apple crafts its products. Dye helped Ive build the interface team that came after Scott Forstall’s forced exit from the company, while Howarth has been instrumental to designing the iPhone and numerous other pieces of hardware. The big difference is that these newly minted executives have considerably more sway, and Ive might not be as directly involved with their work as he used to be.
[Image credit: Kimberly White/Getty Images for Vanity Fair]
Filed under: Cellphones, Desktops, Laptops, Tablets, Wearables, Mobile, Apple
Via: 9to5Mac
Source: The Telegraph
How to Calibrate Apple Watch for a More Accurate Offline Workout [iOS Blog]
Apple Watch tracks your movement and heart rate. It uses that information in conjunction with your gender, height, age, and weight to estimate how many calories you burn during daily movement, including light strolls and dedicated workouts.
However, Apple Watch needs proper calibration to get the most accurate reading of your movement and heart rate, which is used to help determine distance and pace measurements when you are walking or running without your iPhone, or while using a treadmill.
Calibration is fairly easy and takes about 20 minutes of exercise. For this purpose, you will need both your iPhone and your Apple Watch. After calibrating, you won’t need to bring your iPhone on walks or runs anymore.
Read more 
Amazon finally starts paying proper taxes in European countries
For many years, Amazon has sent a huge percentage of its European revenues over to Luxembourg. The tiny country levies a much smaller rate of tax than most of the countries in which the retailer operates, allowing it to keep a larger share of sales. With the European Commission breathing down its neck over claims it had agreed an illegal tax deal with Luxembourg, Amazon has quietly begun booking sales in some of its biggest European markets. According to the Wall Street Journal, the company began paying direct taxes on sales in the UK, Germany, Italy and Spain from May 1st.
The move comes just as European governments are cracking down on tax practices employed by some of the world’s biggest technology companies. In the UK, chancellor George Osbourne introduced a new law, commonly referred to as the “Google Tax”, in April to punish those diverting revenue overseas by imposing a 25 percent levy on their domestic profits. As a result, Apple, Google and Facebook are now required to report their earnings on a country-by-country basis.
With Amazon making the first move, it’ll put pressure on other major tech companies to follow suit. Despite claims to the contrary, Apple has been accused of not paying its fair share of tax in Ireland, and Google has previously been told by lawmakers that its stance on tax is “devious, calculated and unethical”. Amazon says that it began paving the way for the changes two years ago, but only now are plans coming into force. However, it might be too late to influence the public’s perception of the company.
Filed under: Apple, Google, Amazon
Source: Wall Street Journal
How to Pair Bluetooth Headphones and Listen to Music on Apple Watch [iOS Blog]
Apple Watch includes 6.2 GB of storage space for adding content like apps, photos, and music, with up to 2GB of that space dedicated to storing songs. When you add a playlist, you can listen to music on it, even when your iPhone is not in range. While the process is fairly self-explanatory, there are a few steps you don’t want to forget in order to play music from Apple Watch to your Bluetooth connected headphones
Adding Music to Apple Watch
In order to listen to music on Apple Watch without an iPhone in range, you must sync a playlist to it first.
- Open the Apple Watch app on your iPhone and tap My Watch.
- Select Music from the list.
- Tap “Synced Playlist” to access your iPhone’s playlist.
- Select a playlist from the list (if there is no playlist visible in this list, you will need to create one on your iPhone).
- Place your Apple Watch on its charger to initiate the sync. This step is important. Apple Watch will not sync a playlist if it has not been connected to the charger.
You can customize your playlist limit here. Switch between the amount of storage or number of songs to change the view. Select 100 MB, 500 MB, 1.0 GB, or 2.0 GB of storage (or 15, 50, 125 or 250 songs). When you reach your maximum playlist limit, you won’t be able to add more music.
To remove all playlists from Apple Watch, select “None” at the bottom of the Playlist screen.
Pairing Bluetooth Headphones
You may be able to listen to music directly from Apple Watch, but only through Bluetooth headphones. Without them, music will only play through the iPhone.
- Put your headphones in Discovery mode.
- Open the Settings app on Apple Watch.
- Tap Bluetooth.
- Select the headphones you wish to pair.
Listening to Music on Apple Watch
There’s one more important first step to listening to music directly on Apple Watch using Bluetooth headphones, and that involves changing the source for the music.
- Open the Music app on Apple Watch.
- Force press the display screen.
- Select “Source” from the options that appear.
- Choose Apple Watch as the music source to play from.
- Select a playlist and tap the Play button to begin listening to music.
You can also see how many songs are stored on your Apple Watch under the About section of the Settings app on the device.
By following the steps above, you will be able to store as much as 2 GB of music on Apple Watch and listen to playlists, even when your iPhone is not in range.
How to Set Up Apple Pay on Apple Watch [iOS Blog]
Apple restricted Apple Pay to the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus due to the need for an NFC chip that’s not included in older phones, which means Apple Pay has been limited to those with newer iPhones since it debuted in October of 2014.
One of the major perks of the Apple Watch is that it enables Apple Pay for some older iPhones because it has the same NFC chip that’s in the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus. If you have an Apple Watch and an iPhone 5, 5c, or 5s, you can now use Apple Pay and the watch to make secure purchases in retail locations.
For those of you who haven’t had a chance to use Apple Pay, we’ve written up a tutorial that walks through how to set it up on your watch.
Setting Up Apple Pay
Even if you are already using Apple Pay on iPhone 6, you will need to add your credit and debit cards to Apple Pay for Apple Watch. You can add up to eight cards.
- Open the Apple Watch app on your iPhone and then select My Watch.
- Select Passbook and Apple Pay.
- Tap “Add Credit or Debit Card.
- Apple will automatically ask you to enter the security code of the credit card that is on file for iTunes and the App Store. If you don’t want to use this card, select “Add a different credit or debit card.”
- When the camera viewfinder appears, position your credit or debit card inside the frame. The app will scan the card for relevant information.
- If the card does not automatically scan, you can enter the information manually.
Once the card is added, you will see that it is listed as “activating.” When it has been activated, you will receive a notification on Apple Watch that the card is ready for Apple Pay.
Using Apple Pay
When you are ready, head out to one of the participating retail stores. At checkout, simply open Passbook and Apple Pay app on Apple Watch and select the card you wish to use.
When prompted, you will double-click the Side button (the button normally used to access your favorite contacts list). Make sure you are close to the reader so it will register your Apple Watch via near-field communication.
Deleting Credit Cards
You can remove credit cards from Apple Pay through the app on Apple Watch. Tap to select the card, then firm press to delete it from the list. You can also remove a card using the Apple Watch app on the iPhone.
If Your Apple Watch is Lost or Stolen
Since Apple hasn’t yet added Find My Apple Watch, you should probably first start by deleting your credit card information from Apple Watch
- Sign into your account via icloud.com.
- Select Settings, then My Devices.
- Choose Apple Watch and click Remove All.
- You can also put a hold on your cards by calling your bank or credit card issuer directly.
Using Passbook
Within the same app, you can use your Passbook loyalty and gift cards. Set up cards on your iPhone using the Passbook App.
When you are near the location of a store that you have a card saved in Passbook for, you will receive a notification on Apple Watch. Tap the notification to open Passbook and scroll to the relevant card. When ready, show the barcode on Apple Watch to the employee that will be scanning your card.
If you rearrange or delete old cards on Passbook on your iPhone, all changes will be reflected on Apple Watch.
Apple’s contactless payment service uses a security feature that creates a unique Device Account Number that is assigned to cards once they are installed in Apple Pay. These encrypted card numbers, as well as a transaction-specific dynamic security code, are used at payment kiosks instead of your actual credit card numbers. So, not only is your transaction safer from hacking issues, but your personal information is no longer transmitted to the merchant.
Selfie, Bacon, and Avocado Among Emoji Proposed for Inclusion in 2016’s Unicode 9
The Unicode Consortium today released a list of 38 emoji characters that are candidates for inclusion in Unicode 9.0, which is set to be released in the middle of 2016. These represent emoji that could be available on iOS and Mac devices in the future.
Candidates include a range of different character emoji, from “face with cowboy hat to “drooling face” and “lying face.” “Selfie,” an emoji represented by a hand holding a camera, is also on the list, as is “shrug,” and “handshake.” As for food, emoji proposals include croissant, avocado, cucumber, bacon, potato, and carrot. There are also several proposed animal additions: fox face, eagle, duck, bat, shark, and owl.
According to the Unicode Consortium, these emoji have been chosen for several reasons. Some are proposed based on expected high frequency of use or due to requests from online communities. Others on the list fill in gaps in existing emoji sets or are compatible with emoji characters in existing systems.
Emoji candidates are not finalized so it’s possible that some of the characters on the list could be removed before Unicode 9 is released in 2016, and it’s also possible that additional characters could be added to the list.
The emoji proposed for inclusion in Unicode 9 are separate from the emoji that will be included in Unicode 8. Unicode 8, which includes specifications for the emoji modifiers that Apple introduced with iOS 8.3 and OS X 10.10.3, is set to be released in mid-2015 and is currently in beta testing.
Emoji additions proposed for Unicode 8 include zipper-mouth face, nerd face, thinking face, robot face, hugging face, hot dog, burrito, taco, cheese wedge, popcorn, and unicorn face, among others.
It is not known if and when Apple will adopt the Unicode 8 and Unicode 9 emoji as it still has not added the Unicode 7 emoji that were finalized in June of 2014.
Buyer’s Guide: Deals on MacBook Air, Retina iMac, Apple Accessories, and More [Mac Blog]
It’s nearly Memorial Day, which means there’s a long three-day weekend coming up and some solid deals on Apple products from vendors who are cutting prices in the hopes of drawing customers into stores over the weekend.
Best Buy’s offering a can’t-miss deal on the 13-inch MacBook Air and the high-end 27-inch Retina iMac is available for the lowest price we’ve seen. The 2014 15-inch Retina MacBook Pro is also being sold at low prices following this week’s refresh. As always, we’ve also got some solid deals on Apple accessories and we’ve rounded up a list of apps you can get on the cheap.
iPad Air 2
Deals on the iPad Air 2 aren’t as good as they have been in past weeks, but Apple started offering refurbished iPad Air 2 models this week, so the company’s refurbished store is worth checking out if you’re looking to get a discount on a tablet.
B&H Photo is offering a small discount on most of its iPad Air 2 models, dropping prices by $30 to $50. With the discount, the 16GB WiFi only iPad Air 2 is priced at $459 and the 64GB model is priced at $549.99. Prices vary somewhat by model, but there are slight discounts to be had.
MacMall is also offering some discounts on iPad Air 2 models, dropping the prices by $30 to $50. With the discount, the 16GB entry-level Wi-Fi only iPad Air 2 is priced at $469, while the Wi-Fi-only 64GB iPad Air 2 is available for $569.
iPad Air
Both Best Buy and B&H Photo have deep discounts on some remaining stock of now-discontinued higher-capacity iPad Air models, as listed below.
– iPad Air Wi-Fi Space Gray 128GB – $549
– iPad Air Cellular Space Gray 128GB (AT&T) – $529.99
– iPad Air Cellular Silver 64GB (AT&T) – $499
– iPad Air Cellular Space Gray 64GB (AT&T) – $449
– iPad Air Cellular Silver 64GB (Verizon) – $566.99
– iPad Air Cellular Space Gray 64GB (Verizon) – $449
– iPad Air Cellular Silver 128GB (Verizon) – $579
– iPad Air Cellular Space Gray 128GB (Verizon) – $679
iPad mini 3
B&H Photo is offering some modest discounts on various iPad mini 3 models, dropping the price by up to $60. The 16GB WiFi + Cellular iPad mini 3 in gold is available for $469 and the 128GB version is available for $649. the 16GB Wi-Fi only version in Silver is available for $349 and the 64GB Wi-Fi model in Silver is available for $429.
Discounts for each model and and color vary, but most models are being offered at a lower price than you’ll find at the Apple Store, and buying from B&H, you won’t have to pay sales tax unless you’re in New York.
iPad mini 2
Best Buy, B&H Photo, and Amazon have remaining stock of now-discontinued higher-capacity iPad mini 2 models, which are a good deal if you’re looking for an iPad mini. Compared to the iPad mini 3, the iPad mini 2 only lacks Touch ID.
– iPad mini Cellular Silver 128GB (AT&T) – $430
– iPad mini Cellular Space Gray 128GB (AT&T) – $449.99
– iPad mini Cellular Space Gray 64GB (AT&T) – $399.99
– iPad mini Cellular Silver 128GB (Verizon) – $499.99
– iPad mini Cellular Space Gray 128GB (Verizon) – $534.99
– iPad mini Cellular Space Gray 64GB (Verizon) – $439.99
iMac
– 2013 21.5-inch 2.7GHz/8GB/1TB (Best Buy) – $1,179, $120 off
– 2013 21.5-inch 2.9GHz/8GB/1TB (Adorama) (B&H Photo) (MacMall) – $1,399, $120 off
– 2013 27-inch 3.2GHz/8GB/1TB (Best Buy) – $1,649.99, $150 off
– 2013 27-inch 3.4GHz/8GB/1TB (Adorama) – $1,794.99, $204 off
– 2014 27-inch 3.5Ghz/8GB/1TB Retina iMac (Best Buy) – $2,099.99, $200 off
Mac mini
– 1.4GHz/4GB/500GB (Amazon) (Adorama) (B&H Photo) – $464.99, $34 off
– 2.6GHz/8GB/1TB (MacMall) – $663.99, $35 off
– 2.8GHz/8GB/1TB (Adorama) (B&H Photo) – $938, $60 off
MacBook Air
– 2015 11-inch 1.6GHz/4GB/128GB (Adorama) (B&H Photo) – $824.99, $75 off
– 2015 11-inch 1.6GHz/4GB/256GB (Best Buy) (Amazon) (B&H Photo) (Adorama) – $1044.99, $50 off
– 2015 13-inch 1.6GHz/4GB/128GB (Best Buy) – $849, $150 off
– 2015 13-inch 1.6GHz/4GB/256GB (Best Buy) (Amazon) (B&H Photo) – $1,139.99, $60 off
– 2014 11-inch 1.4GHz/4GB/256GB (Adorama) (B&H Photo) – $899, $200 off
– 2014 13-inch 1.4GHz/4GB/128GB (B&H Photo) (Adorama) – $819, $180 off
– 2014 13-inch 1.4GHz/4GB/256GB (Amazon) (B&H Photo) – $999, $200 off
Retina MacBook Pro
– 2015 13-inch 2.7Ghz/8GB/128GB (Amazon) (Adorama) (B&H Photo) – $1,234.99, $64 off
– 2015 13-inch 2.7GHz/8GB/256GB (Best Buy) (B&H Photo) (MacMall) – $1,424.99, $74 off
– 2015 13-inch 2.9GHz/8GB/512GB (Best Buy) (B&H Photo) – $1709.99, $90 off
– 2014 15-inch 2.2GHz/16GB/256GB (Adorama) (MacMall) – $1,799, $200 off
– 2014 15-inch 2.5GHz/16GB/512GB (Adorama) –$2,299, $200 off
– 2014 13-inch 2.6GHz/8GB/128GB (B&H Photo) – $1,079, $220 off
– 2014 13-inch 2.6GHz/8GB/256GB (Adorama) (B&H Photo) – $1,229, $259 off
– 2014 13-inch 2.8GHz/8GB/512GB (B&H Photo) – $1,499 $300 off
Apps
There are quite a few apps that are on sale at discounted prices or available for free for a limited time. We’ll highlight a few here, but make sure to check out our sister site AppShopper for a complete list.
Super popular puzzle game Monument Valley is on sale for $0.99 this week, down from $3.99. Death Rally is available for free, down from $0.99. Platformer Bean Dreams is available for $1.99, down from $2.99. Cut the Rope 2 is available for $0.99, down from $2.99. Puzzle game KAMI is available for $0.99, down from $1.99.
Sketching app Procreate Pocket is available for $0.99, down from $2.99. Photography app Enlight is available for $0.99, down from $5.99. Endless runner Alto’s Adventure is available for $0.99, down from $1.99.
Puzzle game Magnetized was named Apple’s App of the Week, so it will be free to download until next Thursday when a new app is picked.
Apple Accessories
PayPal Digital Gifts is offering $100 iTunes gift cards for $80 on eBay, a $20 discount. Groupon is selling the Lifeproof Nuud Waterproof case for iPhone 5c for $39.99, down from $56.69. Groupon also has Scosche Earphones with remote and microphone for $18.99, down from $79.99. The Incase Nylon Sleeve for the 13 or 15-inch MacBook Pro is available for $24.99 from Groupon, down from $60.
Groupon has the OtterBox Defender Case and Holster for the iPhone 6 available for $29.99, down from $59.95. The Otterbox Defender Case for the iPhone 6 Plus is available for $34.99, down from $70. The Apple iPad mini Smart Cover is available for $17.99, down from $39. The Beats by Dre Pill 2.0 Bluetooth speaker is available for $159.99 from Groupon, down from $199.
The Prong PocketPlug charging case for iPhone 5/5s is available from LivingSocial for $24.99, down from $50. Best Buy is offering the Misfit Shine activity tracker for $20 off, dropping the price to $79.99. Target is selling Beats Solo HD headphones at a $70 discount, dropping the price to $99.99.
The iWalk Extreme Trip battery 10,000 mAh pack is available for $49.99 from StackSocial, discounted from $85. Woot has the Logitech Ultrathin Keyboard Folio for iPad Air and iPad Air 2 for $59.99, down from $99.99. Groupon’s still running a big Apple event and selling a range of Apple products and accessories at discounted prices, including the LifeProof Fre case for the iPad Air, Apple EarPods, Speck MacBook cases, MagSafe chargers, Mophie battery cases, and more.
MacRumors is an affiliate partner with some of these vendors.
New Book Explores How the iPhone Contributed to BlackBerry’s Downfall
Over the past several years, BlackBerry has gone from one of the top smartphone manufacturers to a company that’s struggling to stay afloat in an increasingly competitive market. BlackBerry is hemorrhaging subscribers and losing revenue quarter after quarter as it attempts to turn the tide by focusing on marketing secure devices and software to its enterprise customers.
An upcoming book by Jacquie McNish and Sean Silcoff, Losing the Signal, explores the events that led to the rise and fall of BlackBerry, and an interesting excerpt was shared by The Wall Street Journal today, covering the iPhone’s contributions towards BlackBerry’s (then known as RIM) failure.
As we’ve previously learned from Google execs, the launch of the iPhone, which stood apart from all other smartphones on the market at the time, took everyone by surprise. Not only was the iPhone incredibly different from its competitors, it also had features that carriers had previously denied other manufacturers like an App Store and a full web browser.
Image via CIO
One of RIM co-CEO Mike Lazaridis’ first comments was “These guys are really, really good,” but despite that fact, RIM failed to see the iPhone as a threat due to its lack of security and the fact that it had no keyboard, features RIM execs thought would make it unappealing to RIM’s core consumers.
If the iPhone gained traction, RIM’s senior executives believed, it would be with consumers who cared more about YouTube and other Internet escapes than efficiency and security. RIM’s core business customers valued BlackBerry’s secure and efficient communication systems. Offering mobile access to broader Internet content, says Mr. Conlee, “was not a space where we parked our business.”
RIM executives did not understand the iPhone and were “incredulous” that people were purchasing it, realizing too late that form had become as important as function in the eyes of consumers. In an effort to combat the threat of the iPhone, RIM teamed up with Verizon to create a competing touch-based phone — the Storm.
Verizon pressured RIM into speeding up development on the phone, resulting in a product that was riddled with bugs and issues when it launched in 2008. Despite the flaws, the product was heavily marketed and RIM sold 1 million in two months, leading to a lot of unhappy customers who wanted to return or exchange their devices.
The Storm was a spectacular failure that impacted RIM’s relationship with Verizon, ruined its reputation, and cost upwards of $100 million. After the failure, the company was demoralized and at a crossroads, unsure of where to take the company going forward and how to compete with the iPhone and other smartphones in a landscape that was radically different from what the company knew.
RIM was unable to fully recover from failure of the Storm and find its footing, eventually leading to the path that it’s on today. “The Storm failure made it clear we were not the dominant smartphone company anymore, said RIM co-CEO Jim Balsille. “We’re grappling with who we are because we can’t be who we used to be anymore, which sucked…It’s not clear what the hell to do.”
The full excerpt from the book is worth a read and can be found over at The Wall Street Journal. The book itself is coming out on May 26 and can be pre-ordered from Amazon for $21.
Video Review: The MOS Kick is a Versatile Stand for Your iPhone [iOS Blog]
There are dozens if not hundreds of iPhone stands on the market, but every once in awhile, there’s one that sets itself apart with a unique form or a rich set of features. The MOS Kick falls into the latter category, offering a stand, screwdriver, bottle opener and tripod connector in a portable package.
Developed by the MOS team that’s created several other popular products like the MOS Reach power outlet and the MOS cable organizer, the MOS Kick is made from metal so it can withstand being carried on a backpack or in a pocket.
We went hands-on with a prototype (hence the small bit of rust) of the MOS Kick and found it to be a convenient stand. It works with any smartphone because it includes adjustable silicone pads that hold a device in place. It’s able to mount on a tripod with its 1/4″ threaded hole, and it has a couple little tools for when you’re in a pinch — a bottle opener and a flat head screwdriver.
Since it’s all metal, it’s heavy enough to hold an iPhone up on any surface, and when attached to something like a GorillaPod, it’s usable in a wide range of situations. On the downside, the MOS Kick is priced a bit high, but it’s a handy way to take advantage of some of the iPhone’s camera features that require the phone to be still, like time-lapse.
The MOS Kick can be purchased from the MOS website for $24.95.
Apple Begins Shipping Gold Edition Watches to Early Pre-Order Customers
Starting on Monday of this week, Apple began preparing to ship out the first batch of gold Apple Watch Editions to customers who pre-ordered in April. MacRumors readers have begun seeing credit card charges for the devices and have received shipping notifications and courier information from Apple. Some of the first Apple Watch Edition orders will begin arriving tomorrow.
Image via MacRumors reader Calvin
The Apple Watch Edition is available in yellow gold or rose gold and is priced between $10,000 and $17,000. Given its high price tag, the Apple Watch Edition delivery process is somewhat different than the delivery process of Apple’s less expensive watches, with customers receiving emails asking them to set up a delivery time.
iFixit’s Kyle Wiens ordered a 38mm Apple Watch Edition with a Black Sport Band and shared his tracking information and courier emails with MacRumors. His order was initially placed on April 10 and shipped out on Thursday, May 21. His delivery date was originally set for Sunday, May 24, but was moved up to Saturday, May 23.
Wiens tells MacRumors that while he initially ordered the Apple Watch Edition to do one of iFixit’s traditional teardowns, he had second thoughts and ultimately decided iFixit couldn’t afford to do the teardown. Wiens will be returning the Apple Watch Edition to Apple, but if an iFixit enthusiast has an Apple Watch Edition they wouldn’t mind loaning out, he can do a non-destructive metallurgical analysis on the device.
Thus far the Apple Watch Edition has only been available in small quantities in some of the luxury fashion boutiques that have featured the Apple Watch, and it’s also been seen on the wrist of several celebrities and designers including Katy Perry, Beyonce, Jay Z, Karl Lagerfeld, Pharell Williams, and more. With shipments going out over the next few weeks, we may be seeing more Apple Watch Edition models in the wild.
AIVAnet 