Apple Watch support is coming to IBM’s enterprise apps

For the past year or so, Apple and IBM have collaborated on the MobileFirst for iOS project, a series of 22 enterprise-specific apps for iOS. These apps are designed to help service professionals better perform their duties but for some, constantly fishing out a phone or tablet to access those apps actually hindered their efforts. That’s why Apple announced through its website today that three of these apps — Hospital RN, Field Connect and Incident Aware — will now work on the Apple Watch.

Essentially, this new functionality transfers the app’s push notifications from the user’s mobile device to the Apple watch. In the case of Hospital RN, for example, those notifications “will alert nurses to review new display patient requests, changes in lab status, safety alerts, and prioritized task lists for immediate action disposition,” according to the Apple website. And for Field Connect, which allows field technicians to better coordinate their efforts, these pushes can provide “late-breaking news on severe weather, outages, hazards, and crew member information.” The same goes for the law enforcement-focused Incident Aware app. Of course, these are the same notifications delivered the phone or tablet-based versions…just pushed to Apple Watch. More MobileFirst apps are likely to follow suit in the coming months.

Filed under: Handhelds, Apple

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Via: 9 to 5 Mac

Source: Apple

Duet Review: A Premium Two-in-One Stand for Apple Watch and iPhone [iOS Blog]

Given that the Apple Watch has an advertised 18-hours battery life based on mixed usage, chances are that you will be taking off the wrist-worn device each night to charge. Naturally, accessory makers have been quick to jump on the opportunity to create a wide variety of Apple Watch stands for docking the watch on your bedside table or elsewhere. Ahead, we take a closer look at one of them.

Antsy Labs has risen to the challenge with a Kickstarter project for Duet, a two-in-one stand for docking the Apple Watch and iPhone together. The stand is machined from a solid block of aluminum, in silver, space gray or gold, giving it considerable weight and a sleek design that closely matches the look of the MacBook, iPad, iPhone and other anodized aluminum Apple products.

I received a prototype unit of the Duet that I have been testing over the past week, and my first impressions are mostly favorable. Given that the Duet unit I received was part of a limited production run for members of the press, the stand has a few imperfections that will not be found on the final product. In particular, there are a few minor scuffs on the stand, and the finish isn’t as shiny as the unit that will ship to customers.

First and foremost, Duet’s built-in magnets allow you to attach the Apple Watch stand to the symmetrical iPhone dock or separate both pieces and charge your Apple Watch and iPhone separately. This multipurpose functionality is a major selling point for the stand, given that many Apple Watch and iPhone standalone stands and docks are available for considerably less than Duet’s future $99 price tag.

Duet has an aesthetically pleasing design that both looks and feels premium, and smartly placed cutouts along the stand’s arm and pedestal hide the Lightning connector and Apple Watch charging cables for a clean setup. The stand is quite heavy, and has suction pads on the bottom, allowing for one-handed removal of an iPhone or Apple Watch without the entire stand sliding or moving on most surfaces.

At the same time, one major concern I have about the Duet’s design is the lack of rubber inserts — like the Twelve South HiRise — to protect the Apple Watch against possible wear and tear. I just spent close to $750 on my stainless steel Apple Watch and shouldn’t have to be worried about scratching it or the charging puck, but I found myself worried more often than not. The potential for metal-on-metal contact was the Duet’s biggest downfall in my testing, although the Apple Watch does not physically touch the stand.

Overall, the Duet has a premium design and delivers multipurpose functionality as a two-in-one stand for Apple Watch and iPhone. The stand earns a favorable recommendation, but the lack of rubber inserts where the Apple Watch is positioned and expensive price tag are off-putting enough for me to suggest looking into alternatives as well. ElevationLab’s NightStand, for example, is a silicone Apple Watch stand that costs just $30.

Duet is available for a $79 pledge on Kickstarter, where it has already exceeded its $25,000 funding goal, and will retail for $99 after the campaign ends. The stand is compatible with the iPhone 5, iPhone 5c, iPhone 5s, iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, with or without a case. Antsy Labs plans to start shipping Duet to customers in July, but is striving to begin deliveries even sooner. Kickstarter rewards will be shipped towards August.

Adobe Removing Photoshop Touch From App Store Next Week [iOS Blog]

Adobe has announced that it will remove Photoshop Touch for iPhone and iPad from the App Store and other platforms on May 28. The software company says it will be focusing its mobile efforts on other apps in the Creative Cloud suite, including Photoshop Mix, Photoshop Sketch, Adobe Comp CC, Adobe Shape CC, Adobe Brush CC and Adobe Color CC. In total, the software maker has over 50 apps on the App Store.

Adobe also announced that it is working on a new retouching solution for mobile devices called Project Rigel that is expected to be available in late 2015. Adobe product manager Bryan O’Neil Hughes shared a teaser video of the software through an iPad simulator today, demonstrating retouching features and filter effects such as warping, puckering and bloating, reconstructing, recoloring, brightness and contrast.

Apple to Remodel Flagship Regent Street Store in United Kingdom

Apple is planning to remodel its flagship Regent Street retail store in United Kingdom per a recent application filed with the City of Westminster in England. The company has contracted award-winning architecture firm Foster and Partners to design the layout of the new store and commissioned Donald Insall Associates to conduct a historic building report that justifies the renovations in the iconic shopping area.

A view of the current Apple Store facade facing Regent Street (Foster and Partners)
The proposed renovation will consist of the partial removal of the existing mezzanine floor at the front of the store, the relocation of three columns to create a more spacious feel, the removal of the existing main glass stairs leading up to the mezzanine level and replacement with two new side staircases, and re-configuration of the back of house at the basement level with improved staff facilities.

“The proposal looks to enhance the ground floor sales area by removing the front part of the mezzanine and creating a double height entrance,” reads Foster and Partners’ project rationale. “This partial removal of the mezzanine also enhances the transparency from the street and floods the store with natural light. The interior front facade, with its full height arches, clad in natural Portland stone, can now be appreciated in its full extend. Moreover the visual connection between the two levels of retail is dramatically improved. This is key to the customer journey and the efficient use of the overall retail area.”

Foster and Partners will also be removing the four Apple logos found on the store’s facade in order to allow more natural light inside and preserve the historic look of the building. The store’s overall square footage will be reduced by 4,400 square feet, or around 25% of the current size, and the interior will consist of terrazzo floor, GFRC cladding on the walls and oak timber for all fittings and fixtures.

Floor plan for remodeled Regent Street store interior (Foster and Partners)
Apple plans to open a temporary store at 235 Regent Street to continue to serve customers during the remodeling process. The temporary location will be located at the basement level of the same building as the permanent store for a maximum of three years, accessible by a carefully designed lobby at ground level with a minimal steel staircase and a fully accessible lift.

Apple’s flagship Regent Street retail store opened in November 2004 and attracts over 4 million visitors per year. The iconic store was last expanded and remodeled in mid-2006 to become the largest Apple Store location at the time. Apple has contracted Foster and Partners for several other projects in recent months, including the design of Campus 2 and remodeling of Apple’s flagship San Francisco store.

Apple Working on Split-Screen Multitasking, Multi-User Support for iPad

We’ve had previous rumors suggesting Apple is working on split-screen multitasking capabilities for the iPad, and hints of the feature are buried within iOS 8, but thus far multitasking has not made its way into the hands of customers. In a post covering information on future iPad upgrades, 9to5Mac confirms split-screen multitasking is still in the works and on schedule to be released as part of iOS 9.

Split-screen multitasking will display two apps side-by-side on the iPad’s screen or two views of the same app, allowing users to see multiple documents in Pages at the same time, for example. As was first discovered in code buried within iOS 8, apps will be able to be arranged in multiple views, covering 1/2, 1/3, and 2/3 of the screen in the latest iteration.

Concept for split-screen multitasking (not based on specific rumors)
9to5Mac warns that though the split-screen multitasking feature is slated for inclusion in iOS 9, it could be removed before the update’s debut at the Worldwide Developers Conference if it is not ready in time as it was originally developed for the upcoming “iPad Pro.” 9to5Mac previously said the multi-tasking feature would be included in iOS 8.

Apple is also said to be working on a highly anticipated feature that customers have requested for years — multi-user login support. This will allow multiple users to have unique profiles on a single iPad, with individual access to apps and documents. Multi-user support will not be ready when iOS 9 launches in the fall, but it could be released later in 2015 alongside the iPad Pro or in 2016.

Both split-screen multitasking and multi-user login support are features that will be added to Apple’s rumored larger-screened 12-inch iPad Pro, which may also include features like a USB-C port, a stylus, and a pressure-sensitive Force Touch display. The tablet, internally numbered “J98″ and “J99″ to represent Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi + Cellular models, will launch in late 2015, according to the latest rumors. Apple is said to be working to finish software and source hardware components for the device.

Sources have confirmed that Apple is testing jumbo-sized iPads internally codenamed “J98″ and “J99,” which are apparently larger versions of the Wi-Fi-only and Wi-Fi + Cellular iPad Air 2, save for additional speaker holes.

Given the large size of the iPad Pro’s display, some apps may be redesigned to accommodate the larger screen real estate available on the 12-inch tablet, with Apple rumored to be working on new designs for Siri and Notification Center. Features tailored to the iPad Pro could work in the same way as features tailored to the iPhone 6 Plus, which has a unique layout in landscape mode to account for a larger display size.

Apple Planning Transit Routing in iOS 9 Maps, Advances on Indoor Mapping Project

Apple is planning to add a new Transit view to Maps in iOS 9 that features bus, subway, and train routing and directions, according to 9to5Mac. The much-rumored Apple Maps feature would bring native transit routing back to the iPhone for the first time since Apple ditched Google as the default mapping provider on iOS. The report also claims that Apple has made advancements on its indoor mapping project.

“Sources said last year that the transit functionality for Maps includes larger icons for users to more quickly spot airports, subway stations, and train stations within the Maps app. In addition to the main functionality, there is also a trip planning feature for transit, and a new Transit view alongside the existing Standard, Hybrid, and Satellite/Flyover views.”

Transit features in Apple Maps were originally expected to launch alongside iOS 8 last year, but were delayed due to personnel issues and data inconsistencies within Apple. The company has reportedly “refined the data, added new cities, and developed a new push notifications system” since that time, however, and the feature is now ready to be unveiled at the upcoming Worldwide Developers Conference in June.

Apple has been actively expanding its in-house routing team over the past few years through multiple job listings. In late April, for example, the company put out a job listing for a “Maps Software Engineer” part of the Routing team, as reflected by at least one Apple employee’s LinkedIn profile. “As a member of the Routing team, you will work on one of the most anticipated features of Apple Maps,” the job description reads.

Apple has also been making progress on its indoor mapping project, which will enable iOS users to navigate major buildings, offices and landmarks. The company has been using autonomous robots with iBeacon sensors to collect indoor mapping data, starting at its offices in Cupertino, although the feature may not go live this year. The indoor mapping project is in conjunction with Apple’s van-based street mapping data collection.

Despite Popular Kickstarter, Pebble Seeks $5 Million Loan ‘To Stay Afloat’ [iOS Blog]

Popular smartwatch maker Pebble appears to be in some financial trouble, according to a few sources “close to the company,” as reported by TechCrunch. The company is having trouble maintaining its growth, turning to a bank in its home base of Silicon Valley for not only a $5 million loan but a $5 million line of credit. According to those same sources, banks in the Valley have been turning down Pebble’s financial support requests repeatedly.

The smartwatch company’s rocky monetary troubles come a few weeks after a well-publicized Kickstarter campaign, which reached its $500,000 goal in under 20 minutes of going live. The project’s final funding amount – which received numerous stretch goals along the way – saw 78,471 backers pledge $20,338,986 for the new slimmer design and color display smartwatch.

The company actually received around $18 million from the Kickstarter campaign, after fees, and currently staffs about 150 people with more being hired in new positions. Despite all of this success, and an infusion of forward momentum thanks directly to Apple’s Apple Watch-focused “Spring Forward” event, the logistics of running the company have forced CEO Eric Migicovsky and fellow company heads to seek venture capitalist funding “in order to stay afloat.”

TechCrunch‘s source also noted that numerous employees were unhappy with the company’s direction “as it turns to face competitors from Apple, Android, and outside.” This is perhaps alluding to the company’s nonchalant attitude towards poking fun at Apple on its own website and Migicovsky’s somewhat apathetic responses to Apple’s impending entrance into the smartwatch market.

With Pebble facing such troubles just a few weeks after the Apple Watch launch, two events that may yet still be unrelated, it’ll be interesting to see how Apple’s competitors in the smartwatch market maneuver themselves to stay successful in an ever-growing and crowded field. Still, some employees are happy with Pebble and see a good future for the still-fairly-young company. “We’re a young company. The outlook for Pebble is very positive,” said a current employee who preferred to remain anonymous when speaking with TechCrunch. “It’s been a remarkable journey thus far.”

Apple Watch Bands Now Available in Select Apple Stores

At least one Apple Store in the United States appears to be now stocking standalone Apple Watch bands per the photo below submitted by MacRumors reader Alireza. The photo was allegedly taken at an Apple Store in Miami and appears to show both the Sport Band and Classic Buckle on the shelves.

Apple Could Unveil Next iPhones in August, Launch to Follow in September

KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who has a respectable track record at reporting on Apple’s upcoming product plans, has issued a research note to clients that claims Apple will announce its next iPhones in August ahead of a September launch.

Apple has never unveiled an iPhone in August, having introduced early iPhone models at or around WWDC in June, the iPhone 4s in October 2011 and all subsequent iPhone models in September. Apple generally accepts pre-orders for new iPhones approximately two weeks following an announcement. It is worth noting that Kuo has sometimes been off with his launch timing predictions in the past.

The research note, a copy of which was first obtained by The China Post, also claims that Foxconn is expected to secure between 60% to 70% of orders to assemble the new iPhones. Kuo notes that Foxconn has a higher yield rate for iPhones, helping it secure the majority of orders, and adds that the Taiwanese manufacturing company will also serve as the sole assembler of the much-rumored 12.9-inch iPad.

Kuo previously predicted that the main selling point of the next iPhones will be Force Touch, the pressure-sensitive display technology built into Apple Watch and new MacBook trackpads. His other predicted features for the next iPhones, many of which have already been rumored, include an A9 processor with 2GB of RAM, improved 12-megapixel camera, a new Rose Gold color option, improved Touch ID recognition, gesture control support, a new microphone added near the speaker and more.