FileMaker 14 Adds New Script Workspace, Launch Center and More for Mac, Redesigned for iOS [Mac Blog]
Apple subsidiary FileMaker today announced FileMaker 14, a new version of its databse development platform for Mac, iPhone, iPad, Windows-based PCs and the web. FileMaker 14 contains several new features for developers, including a new Script Workspace for faster automation of common business processes, a redesigned FileMaker WebDirect, new app-like Launch Center interface, an enhanced iOS experience and more.
The new Script Workspace for the desktop consolidates the creation, editing and viewing of scripts and calculations into one streamlined interface, with features such as auto-complete, favorites, in-line editing, shortcuts, script step descriptions with in-line help, automated command-lookup and more to help speed up development. The new workspace also has point-and-click simplicity and contextual guidance for non-developers.
A redesigned FileMaker WebDirect and Launch Center further enhance the desktop experience on Mac, Windows and the web:
A redesigned FileMaker WebDirect makes it easy to deliver desktop-style interactivity to mobile browsers on tablets. FileMaker WebDirect now supports FileMaker solutions running on the latest tablets. Business users can deliver a next-generation mobile browser experience. The redesigned toolbar automatically adapts to the screen size of users’ browsers on desktops or tablets, with larger tap targets, slide-in menus that dynamically optimize screen real estate, and menus that collapse and expand into logical groups as the screen size changes or the user rotates the device. A Launch Center brings an app-like interface with big, bold icons (no more dialog boxes and pull-down menus) that allow users to visually organize all solutions at a glance. Users can choose from 29 pre-built icons or design custom icons to give solutions a personalized look. The Launch Center works across the entire FileMaker 14 Platform, providing a consistent experience on Windows and Mac with FileMaker Pro, on iPad and iPhone with FileMaker Go, and in a browser with FileMaker WebDirect.
FileMaker users on iPhone and iPad benefit from an enhanced iOS experience that includes new scripts and an iOS 8-style redesign. Developers can now make solutions full screen, lock in portrait or landscape views using the new set-screen orientation, enable touch keyboards, enable richer text formatting, use new video and audio playback controls and more. FileMaker Go 14 is free on the App Store for iPhone and iPad.
Apple Watch Band Swap Sites Rise in Popularity as ‘BandSwapper’ Pivots [iOS Blog]
Just a few weeks after the Apple Watch launched to the public on April 24, a handful of start-up websites have begun Apple Watch band exchange programs (via Wired). These sites allow customers a range of services, from the ability to trade in their unwanted band for money to go towards a higher-priced model, to swapping out full bands for different colors in the same style.
That’s the basis of iBandSwap, a new band exchange website that creator Alistair Barclay says around 530 users have signed up for, with approximately 148 “matches”, or band swaps, taking place so far. iBandSwap not only allows for full band trades, but partial ones as well, with Barclay mentioning Black/White and Pink/Blue are the first and second-most popular swap configurations on the site respectively.
Interestingly, the site also allows for swapping individual links from the stainless steel Link Bracelet watch band. One user, for example, found he needed more links than Apple provided due to his large wrist, so on iBandSwap he’s attempting to put up some of his extraneous bands to receive extra links from someone using a Link Bracelet with a smaller wrist.
All of these interactions happen independently from any input with the actual website, with both parties receiving one another’s contact information upon a successful match, and any shipping process remains delegated to the users. No money is exchanged in the process.
“It’s a small risk,” Barclay says, “and I like to think that most people who are buying a Watch are good people and have no interest in duping someone, as there isn’t really any money involved.”
iBandSwap isn’t alone in its Apple Watch band-swapping cause, with sites like StrapSwap and the France-based Band-Band providing similar swap meets and basic e-commerce band selling services to customers tired of their original strap. All of these sites were faced with the initial hurdle that was Apple’s confusing description over exactly how many bands came with Apple Watch Sport models, but iBandSwap, StrapSwap, and Band-Band have kept chugging alone and remained nearly identical in structure as initially planned.
BandSwapper, however, has taken a different approach as its Apple Watch Sport-focused swap site was hit hardest of all by the three-band interchangeability confirmed by Apple in the days leading up to the Watch launch. According to the team, they always had a back-up idea for BandSwapper and have decided to pivot to that plan B entirely. It’s now called WatchDots, and allows customers to place small stickers on the top of the Digital Crown and contacts buttons, aiming to provide lower-end Watch models with a similar look to the Edition line of color-matched Digital Crown buttons.
Apple Watch Edition (left) and Apple Watch Sport with WatchDots (right)
“On the high-end gold model, the digital crown is color-matched to your band,” explains co-founder Adam Hoyle. “The Sport doesn’t have this, it’s just all aluminum.” Pricing hasn’t been officially announced yet, but WatchDots will be under $10.
WatchDots hasn’t officially launched yet, but those interested can enter their email address on the official website for updates and a 25% off promo code on their first order. These sites are no doubt just the first wave of band swapping and selling services provided online, with new experiences to launch – and currently established ones to raise in popularity – as more Apple Watch units and bands become more widely available in the coming weeks.
Next A9-Based iPhone Predicted to Have 12MP Camera, 2GB RAM, Rose Gold and More, Mass Production in August
KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who has a respectable track record at reporting on Apple’s upcoming product plans, issued a note to investors today that offers eleven predictions for the next-generation iPhone in 2015. The new 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch iPhones are expected to enter mass production in mid-to-late August, while no new 4-inch iPhone model will be released in 2015.
The main selling point of the “iPhone 6s” and “iPhone 6s Plus” will be the addition of Force Touch, the pressure-sensitive display technology built into Apple Watch and new MacBook trackpads. Other predicted features for Apple’s next iPhone include, 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, possible sapphire cover lenses and more.
(1) Force Touch will be the biggest upgraded selling point, but also one of the main bottlenecks of the supply chain. Force Touch can enhance user experience due to more input methods and support of handwritten signatures, which is beneficial for expanding in the commercial market;
(2) Screen will remain at 4.7 and 5.5 inches, with resolution the same as existing models. There will be no new 4-inch model;
(3) There will be an additional casing color, rose gold, matching the rose gold Apple Watch Edition;
(4) The camera will have a pixel upgrade, likely to 12 MP;
(5) One microphone will be added near the speaker to enhance voice quality;
(6) The A9 processor with upgraded 2GB LPDDR4 will be adopted;
(7) The bending issue will be improved by using different casing materials and internal mechanical design changes;
(8) If drop test issues can be resolved, the 5.5-inch model will have a limited number of units with sapphire cover lens;
(9) The recognition rate of Touch ID will be improved further in a bid to promote Apple Pay;
(10) Gesture control support; and
(11) It’s expected that mass production will start in mid-to-late August. Total shipments will be 80-90mn in 2015, with a 2:1 ratio of 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch models.
Kuo expects total shipments of between 80-90 million iPhones in 2015. 
Warner Music Earned More Revenue From Streaming Services Than Downloads in Q2 2015
Apple’s upcoming revamped music service may be coming at the perfect time, right as revenue from streaming music is beginning to surpass revenue from digital downloads.
Streaming music services have been growing in popularity over the last several years, and in an earnings call today (via Re/code), Warner Music Group CEO Stephen Cooper told investors that for the first time, the company earned more revenue from streaming music services than from digital downloads.
Warner Music Group saw a 33 percent increase in its revenue from streaming music services from companies like Spotify and YouTube during the second quarter of 2015, while revenue from digital downloads like those from iTunes grew only seven percent. During the call, Cooper said that the growth of streaming music makes it “abundantly clear” that in the future, “streaming will be the way that most people enjoy music.”
“We experienced significant revenue growth this quarter across key segments of our business — in particular Recorded Music, across the U.S. and international and across digital and physical — capping off a strong first half of our fiscal year” said Stephen Cooper, Warner Music Group’s CEO. “Notably, in this quarter we saw continued growth in streaming revenue which surpassed download revenue for the first time in the history of our recorded music business. Our commitment to being at the forefront of industry change as well as our ongoing investment in artist development is the foundation of our continued success.”
Warner Music Group says that it expects streaming growth will continue, and it believes that declines in download revenue will be “a continuing trend.” Apple too has seen a stark decline in digital revenue in recent years, with sales dropping 5.7 percent in 2013 and further declining 13 percent worldwide in 2014.
A decline in iTunes music sales may have been one of the major factors that spurred Apple to purchase Beats Music, giving it a foothold in the streaming music market that it was late to enter. Apple has seen some criticism for its failure to embrace streaming music early on and the somewhat lukewarm reception of iTunes Radio.
Beats Music has failed to draw a significant number of customers away from Spotify, which has 60 million subscribers, of which 15 million pay for the premium service, but with more than 800 million credit cards on file, Apple’s upcoming revamped streaming music service has the potential to overtake competing services.
Rumors have suggested that the new service will be similar to the existing Beats Music service, but with a focus on exclusive content and deep integration into iTunes and Apple’s iOS Music app. It will be priced at $9.99 and no freemium tier will be offered, but Apple is looking at ways to offer music for free, through lengthy trial periods, iTunes Radio, and possibly a SoundCloud-like music sharing platform.
Apple is said to be planning to unveil its new music service in June at the Worldwide Developers Conference.
First Apple Watches With Link Bracelets Begin Shipping to Customers
Though the Apple Watch officially launched on April 24, several of the stainless steel Apple Watch configurations have been unavailable to ship for weeks due to supply shortages. Customers who ordered Apple Watches with Link Bracelets, Modern Buckles, and Leather Loops right after pre-orders began are still without their devices.
As of today, the first orders of these rarer watches appear to be shipping out. Several customers on the MacRumors forums who ordered the Apple Watch with Stainless Steel Link Bracelets are seeing their credit cards charged and have begun receiving shipping information from Apple. The first orders should be arriving to customers tomorrow.
There are many customers who are still waiting for their Link Bracelet Apple Watch orders to ship, but it appears the wait may not be much longer now that the first shipments are going out. Customers who ordered the Space Black Apple Watch with Link Bracelet have unfortunately not yet seen order movement, and it also looks like Modern Buckle and Leather Loop purchases are not yet shipping out.
When Apple started accepting pre-orders on April 10, Apple Watch orders with Link Bracelets in Stainless Steel saw shipping estimates ranging from four to six weeks, while the Link Bracelet in Space Black had June shipping estimates. Apple Watches with Modern Buckle and Leather Loop bands also had four to six week shipping estimates right when pre-orders began, suggesting those models may ship out soon.
Standalone Link Bracelet and Leather Loop bands ordered separately have already begun shipping out to customers. The Modern Buckle band remains unavailable for purchase.
It is not clear why the Link Bracelet, Leather Loop, and Modern Buckle have been in significantly shorter supply than the Classic Buckle, Milanese Loop, and Sport Band, but manufacturing processes may be a factor. According to Apple’s site, the Link Bracelet is crafted from 100 components, including links that take more than nine hours to cut, while the Modern Buckle and Leather Loop are made from leather sourced from small tanneries in France and Italy.
(Thanks, Warren!)
Google to shut down editing in Map Maker following the peeing Android fiasco
Just a few weeks ago, a “clever” Google Maps user submitted an image of the Android mascot urinating on an Apple logo in Google Maps, forcing Google to apologize for the mishap. Most folks out there thought this stunt was childish and inappropriate, and apparently Google Maps has seen an escalated number of spam submissions, thanks to the auto-approval process in Map Maker. Because this rate has been growing so quickly, Google has suspended auto-approval and user moderation across the globe in Map Maker, at least until the company figures out how to more intelligently prevent these types of incidents.
Pavithra Kanakarajan, Product Manager at Google Map Maker, explains:
As some of you know already, we have been experiencing escalated attacks to spam Google Maps over the past few months. The most recent incident was particularly troubling and unfortunate – a strong user in our community chose to go and create a large scale prank on the Map. As a consequence, we suspended auto-approval and user moderation across the globe, till we figured out ways to add more intelligent mechanisms to prevent such incidents.
All of our edits are currently going through a manual review process.
Editing in Map Maker will be disabled starting Tuesday, May 12th, 2015 (tomorrow).
Of course, Google shutting down the auto-approval process is meant to make the program more professional and accurate. We’re not sure when a fix will be published, but we’ll be sure to let you know when the improved tool will return back online.
Google suspends Map Maker service after digital vandalism
Google is suspending Map Maker, the service that allows anyone to contribute to Google Maps, following a prank submission that showed the Android mascot urinating on an Apple logo. When the mapping mischief was first discovered, most of us had a good chuckle and wondered who was responsible. Inevitably, Google took it down and later confirmed that it was a user-created edit, which raised questions about Map Maker’s review policies.
The service uses a mixture of “Google Reviewers” and trusted users to moderate Map Maker contributions, but clearly the setup has some flaws. As such, Google has already suspended auto-approval and user moderation, instead relying on manual checks from its in-house team. The company says it’s quickly accrued a huge backlog of user-contributed edits, so while it develops a new moderation system, it’s suspending public submissions entirely. It’ll come into effect from May 12th and while Google says it’s “a temporary situation,” it’s also admitted that it’ll take more than a few days to fix.
Source: Google Product Forums
Google to shut down editing in Map Maker following the peeing Android fiasco
Just a few weeks ago, a “clever” Google Maps user submitted an image of the Android mascot urinating on an Apple logo in Google Maps, forcing Google to apologize for the mishap. Most folks out there thought this stunt was childish and inappropriate, and apparently Google Maps has seen an escalated number of spam submissions, thanks to the auto-approval process in Map Maker. Because this rate has been growing so quickly, Google has suspended auto-approval and user moderation across the globe in Map Maker, at least until the company figures out how to more intelligently prevent these types of incidents.
Pavithra Kanakarajan, Product Manager at Google Map Maker, explains:
As some of you know already, we have been experiencing escalated attacks to spam Google Maps over the past few months. The most recent incident was particularly troubling and unfortunate – a strong user in our community chose to go and create a large scale prank on the Map. As a consequence, we suspended auto-approval and user moderation across the globe, till we figured out ways to add more intelligent mechanisms to prevent such incidents.
All of our edits are currently going through a manual review process.
Editing in Map Maker will be disabled starting Tuesday, May 12th, 2015 (tomorrow).
Of course, Google shutting down the auto-approval process is meant to make the program more professional and accurate. We’re not sure when a fix will be published, but we’ll be sure to let you know when the improved tool will return back online.
Apple Seeds Third iOS 8.4 Beta With Revamped Music App to Developers, Beta Testers
Apple today seeded the third beta of iOS 8.4 to registered developers for testing purposes, two weeks after seeding the second iOS 8.4 beta and three weeks after releasing the first iOS 8.4 beta. iOS 8.4 has been in testing since mid-April, following the early April release of iOS 8.3. Today’s beta is also available to public beta testers.
The beta, build 12H4098c, is available as an over-the-air download and through the iOS Developer Center. Apple has also released Xcode 6.4 beta 3 to developers.
iOS 8.4’s major feature is an all-new Music app that includes a revamped look. The Music app’s new design shows pictures of artists in the Artists view and it offers a new MiniPlayer with a redesigned look for “Now Playing.” There are personalized playlists, global search capabilities that make it easier to search within the Music app, and a streamlined design for iTunes Radio to bolster music discovery.
The first two iOS 8.4 betas had long lists of bugs associated with the new Music app, which Apple has been working to resolve with subsequent betas. It’s likely the third beta includes several fixes for lingering issues to make the Music app more stable.
iOS 8.4’s redesigned Music app comes ahead of the rumored debut of a redesigned streaming music service that may make an appearance at the Worldwide Developers Conference in June. The upcoming streaming music service is said to be similar to Apple’s existing Beats music service, but with a rebranding, a redesign, deeper integration into iTunes, and a focus on exclusive content.
Apple Seeds Third OS X 10.10.4 Yosemite Beta to Developers and Public Beta Testers
Apple today seeded the third beta of OS X 10.10.4 to developers, approximately two weeks after releasing the second OS X 10.10.4 beta and three weeks after releasing the first OS X 10.10.4 beta. OS X 10.10.4 has been in testing since mid-April, following the early April release of OS X 10.10.3, which included the new Photos for OS X app.
The beta, build 14E17e, can be downloaded through the Software Update mechanism in the Mac App Store or through the Mac Developer Center. Apple is asking developers to focus on Photos, Migration, and Arabic and Hebrew languages.
OS X 10.10.3 introduced several consumer-facing changes including the new Photos for OS X app, a redesigned emoji picker, new diversified emoji, and more, but OS X 10.10.4 appears to be an under-the-hood update that brings performance enhancements and bug fixes. Thus far, OS X 10.10.4 betas have not included outward facing design changes or feature additions.
The first two updates to OS X Yosemite, OS X 10.10.1 and OS X 10.10.2, were also minor behind-the-scenes updates that improved performance through bug fixes and enhancements.
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