iPhone 6 Plus Reportedly Accounting for 60% of Total iPhone 6 Device Shipments
The iPhone 6 Plus is expected to account for 60% of total iPhone 6 device shipments as sales of the device are exceeding initial expectations, reports Digitimes. The information comes from industry sources observing parts shipments to longtime Apple suppliers Foxconn and Pegatron.
Foxconn is said to be responsible for the production of the iPhone 6 Plus, while Pegatron is in charge of the iPhone 6. While parts shipments to both suppliers were even as the launch of both devices neared, Foxconn appears to have received more parts shipments for the iPhone 6 Plus as of late.
Apple announced last month that it opening weekend sales of the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus topped ten million units, although the company did not specify how that number was divided between both units. Shipping estimates for new iPhone 6 orders remain at 7-10 business days, while the iPhone 6 Plus is still showing a shipping delay of 3-4 weeks.
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Recode: Apple wants to make Beats subscriptions cheaper
Ten bucks — that’s what many on-demand music streaming services like Rhapsody and Spotify cost per month. But — according to Recode – Apple thinks $10 is too damn high, so it’s already talking to music labels in an effort to bring Beat Music’s price down and entice users to choose it over its rivals. Back when an Apple exec shot down rumors that the company’s sunsetting Beats Music, Recode said that while the service will stay, there might be major changes coming — this cheaper pricing might be one of them. It’s now up to Cupertino to convince these corporations (it’s reportedly sussing out a new set of rights with music labels, even as you read this) to sign on the dotted line. Unfortunately, you won’t be seeing any of these big Beats Music upgrades until next year, so you’ll have to pony up a few more $10 bills for now.
Source: Recode
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Apple Asking Music Labels to Cut Prices on Music Streaming Subscriptions
Apple is asking music labels to cut prices on music streaming subscription services so that it can offer its new, revamped Beats Music service for less than $10 a month, reports Re/code. The Cupertino company is also looking to add new features to the service.
Sources say Apple is talking to the big music labels about a new set of rights and features it would like to include in a revamped version of the Beats Music service it bought earlier this year. Among the things Apple wants is a new pricing structure that would allow it to sell the service for less than the $10 level it’s at now.
Apple isn’t planning on overhauling Beats Music until next year, and discussions with music labels are in early stages. In late September, it was rumored that Apple was planning on introducing a revamped Beats Music in early February, presumably timed to debut alongside the Grammy Awards on February 8.
The company has tried to undercut competitors with music rates before, trying to pay half the royalty rate that Pandora paid while in negotiations for what would become iTunes Radio in early 2013.
Re/code notes that music executives were once worried about streaming services cannibalizing CD music sales but eventually agreed to deals with streaming services, which some music industry observers feel is priced too high as the market for consumers who want to pay $10 a month to stream music is limited. In August, a report from Midia Research suggested only 25 percent of consumers pay $10 for music every three months.
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Hulu Updates ‘Hulu Plus’ with New Look, In-App Subscriptions [iOS Blog]
Hulu has updated its Hulu Plus app for iOS with a brand new look, new navigation options and in-app subscriptions, allowing users to subscribe to the service and create Hulu Plus accounts within the app.
What’s New in Version 4.0.0
– Home – Best content of the day on Hulu, handpicked and curated by our expert editorial team
– Shows You Watch – Easy access to all the shows you are currently watching, personalized to your viewing habits
– Navigation – Discover the entire breadth of the Hulu catalogue from TV, Movies, Kids, Latino, British and Hulu Originals
– Player – Brand new player with cleaner controls and a nested menu for rich features like captions, share and cast to TV
– Action Tray – Quick access to search, queue and cast to TV features from anywhere in the app
– Search – Reimagined search with contextually grouped results by category
– Remote control – stream and control your viewing experience on the big screen via Apple TV, Chromecast, Xbox1, PS3 and PS4
– Share – Share your favorite videos with your friends on Facebook, Twitter, text and email
In 2011, Hulu had complied with Apple’s rule to remove links to external mechanisms for subscriptions as well as the ability to sign up for accounts. The rule forced developers to use iOS’ in-app subscription feature and granting Apple 30 percent of the subscription fee. However, as GigaOm notes, it’s likely Hulu has realized that the ability to gain subscribers from mobile users is more important than giving 30 percent of its mobile subscriber fee to Apple.
Additionally, the apps are also now optimized for iOS 8, iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus.
Hulu Plus is a free app available in the App Store for iPhone and iPad. [Direct Link]
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Leonardo DiCaprio Withdraws from Sony’s ‘Steve Jobs’ Biopic, Danny Boyle Confirmed as Director
Actor Leonardo DiCaprio has withdrawn from negotiations to play Steve Jobs in Aaron Sorkin’s upcoming film about the late Apple co-founder, according to The Hollywood Reporter. DiCaprio was set to begin work on the movie after finishing work on The Revenant, but sources close to the actor have said that he plans to take a lengthy break soon.
Now with DiCaprio out, the studio is eyeing a number of actors to take on the iconic tech figure, who has been both worshipped and reviled. Christian Bale, who Fincher wanted for the title role, is on Sony’s wish list, as is Matt Damon, Ben Affleck and Bradley Cooper (though Affleck seems unlikely given that he just signed on for the thriller The Accountant).
The report also notes that the movie will be directed by Slumdog Millionaire director Danny Boyle, who was said to be in talks with Sony Pictures this past April. According to information shared by Sorkin, the film will use material from Walter Isaacson’s Steve Jobs biography and will focus on three 30-minute scenes showing three of Apple’s product launches. Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak is also working as a consultant on the film. Aaron Sorkin’s Steve Jobs biopic has yet to receive a release date.
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Apple Releases New iTunes 12 Beta for OS X Yosemite [Mac Blog]
Apple today released a new version of the iTunes 12 beta for both developers and OS X Yosemite beta testers, following Monday’s release of the Yosemite Golden Master Candidate and a fourth public beta.
First introduced in July, iTunes 12 includes an “elegant new design” that also includes support for several iOS 8/Yosemite features, including Family Sharing. Apple has released several iTunes beta updates thus far, fixing small bugs and other issues.
iTunes 12 also includes improved playlists, a redesigned Info Window, and a new icon. Both iTunes 12 and OS X Yosemite remain in a beta testing phase, though a public release for the software is expected in October.
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A Comprehensive Outline of the Security Behind Apple Pay
Apple has described its new Apple Pay payments service, which is designed to be the first step towards the company’s goal of replacing the wallet, as “easy, secure, and private.” Apple Pay includes several different features that offer customers much greater security than a traditional credit card, including Device Account Numbers that replace credit card numbers, dynamic security codes for each transaction, and biometric payment verification through the use of Touch ID.
Ahead of the release of Apple Pay, TUAW‘s Yoni Heisler has taken an in-depth look at the security features built into the payments service, outlining the ways Apple is safeguarding customer information.
While Apple Pay is built on existing NFC technology, Heisler’s research suggests it is the first implementation of the EMVCo tokenization specification, a newly introduced security framework designed to cover emerging payment methods. According to former credit card executive Tom Noyes, this specification is “the most secure payments scheme on the planet.”
As previously rumored, Apple Pay utilizes a “token,” which the company refers to as a Device Account Number, to replace a user’s existing credit card number on the iPhone. A randomized 16-digit number, the Device Account Number ensures that no merchant is able to obtain a user’s credit card number, protecting consumers from retail security breaches, as TUAW points out, because tokens are randomized numbers that cannot be decrypted back into a credit card number.
Device Account Numbers, or tokens, are paired with a dynamically generated one-time use code that replaces the credit card’s CCV with every transaction.
Providing an additional layer of security, an Apple Pay-equipped iPhone at the time of each transaction also sends a dynamically generated CVV up the chain along with a cryptogram. The CVV is the three-digit string located on the back of your credit card and, in the case of Apple Pay, is a algorithmically-generated dynamic string that’s tied directly to the token. The cryptogram itself “uniquely identifies the device” that created the token and, according to the EMV Payment Spec, is likely composed of encrypted data sourced from the token, the device itself, and transaction data. Note, though, that the precise components of the Apple Pay cryptogram aren’t publicly known.
As noted by Heisler, a Device Account Number can’t be used in a transaction without an accompanying one-time use cryptogram, which verifies that the “token in transit originated from the device being used.” Cryptograms also carry transaction information like the merchant’s identity and the amount of money being charged.
The transaction comprising the Device Account Number and accompanying cryptogram is further verified through the use of Touch ID, which essentially replaces insecure verification methods like passwords and PINs.
According to a credit card executive who spoke to TUAW, token transactions as implemented by Apple “are a new and much higher standard of security for electronic payments.”
The amount of security built into provisioning tokens and supporting transactions is a new standard that I think will definitely shift fraud patterns going forward.
Apple Pay is expected to go live in October, enabled through an update to iOS 8. Hints of Apple Pay have already been found in the iOS 8.1 beta, which was seeded to developers on Monday. TUAW‘s full look at the security behind Apple Pay, which covers tokens, Touch ID, and more, is well worth a read.
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Pioneer Demos Latest CarPlay-Enabled Aftermarket Receiver at Paris Auto Show
Earlier today, Pioneer kicked off the Paris Motor Show with the announcement it was making CarPlay available to select existing car audio receivers. The manufacturer also was present at the event showcasing CarPlay on its just-announced AppRadio 4 smartphone receiver in an exhibit that was recorded by French blog Mac4Ever.
At a suggested retail price of $600, the new AppRadio 4 (SPH-DA120) is positioned as the lowest-cost CarPlay system from Pioneer and ships with built-in support for CarPlay and Siri Eyes Free to provide on-dash and hands-free navigation, messaging and more. The AppRadio 4 CarPlay demo is only a minute long, but it shows decent responsiveness of the Apple-driven interface on the receiver’s touchscreen display.
Pioneer is among the first car audio manufacturers to add CarPlay support to aftermarket car receivers, allowing users to install the Apple technology into their existing cars. CarPlay also will debut in new automobile models from a variety of automobile makers such as Ferrari, Mercedes-Benz, Volvo, BMW, Ford, Hyundai, GM, Honda and others.
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Apple Expands Employee Benefit Programs in Health and Wellness, Education, and Philanthropy
Apple today has announced revisions to a number of components of its employee benefits packages in order to retain existing workers and attract new ones to the Cupertino company, reports Forbes. The changes, which target both full-time and part-time employees, were initiated by Human Resources vice president Denise Young Smith and detailed in an employee-wide memo shared with the publication.
“I don’t think these [benefits] would be immediately thought of,” Young Smith told Fortune. “But for the first time we’ve probably got four generations in the workplace at the same time, and we need a plethora of programs.”
New and updated benefits include perks such as educational reimbursements, expanded donation matching, and more. One major change is in the parental leave policy following the birth of a child. With the new policy, expectant mothers can take up to four weeks before a delivery and up to 14 weeks after a birth, while fathers and other non-birth parents are eligible for up to six weeks of parental leave.
The report also profiles Apple’s new “wellness center” at its Cupertino headquarters designed to meet the medical needs of its employees. Employees can seek treatment while at work with appointment wait times as short as five minutes.
The head of HR says 43,000 employees have already visited the center, which opened about a year ago and employs seven doctors plus a large team of chiropractors, physical therapists and dieticians. […] Doctors work out of a central “pod” in the middle of the building, surrounded by a circle of examination rooms, which they enter through a different door than their patients. Inside, the paperless, minimalistic exam rooms hold a small table with an iPad and Apple monitor (what else?).
Many of these changes have been spearheaded by Young Smith, who took over the lead human resources position earlier this year. Young Smith’s emphasis on the company’s employees is part of Tim Cook’s overall focus on people as well as the products that make Apple successful.
Besides these expanded employee benefits, Apple also has been working to improve working conditions overseas, requiring factory manufacturers to provide safe working conditions as part of the company’s Supplier Responsibility initiative.
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Steve Dowling Takes Over as Interim PR Chief at Apple [Mac Blog]
Longtime Apple public relations veteran Steve Dowling has stepped into the role of interim head of public relations, reports Re/code. Dowling was offered the position by Tim Cook last week, after Apple spent six months searching for a replacement for Katie Cotton.
Following Cotton’s departure from the company, Apple was said to be looking for a “friendlier, more approachable face” to take over. While Apple was said to have considered outside candidates like former White House press secretary Jay Carney, rumors in June suggested the position could go to either Steve Dowling or Nat Kerris, another veteran PR employee.
According to Re/code, Dowling’s position is temporary, and Apple has plans to continue to look for other possible high-profile external candidates.
Dowling’s appointment has been framed to employees as an interim one and I’m told Apple will continue to evaluate worthy outside candidates if one should pop up. That said, the fact that Cook has officially put Dowling at the top of Apple’s PR organization suggests he could remain there. Given that, what will Nat Kerris — who has headed up Apple product PR for years, recently overseeing the company’s massive Watch and iPhone 6 event — do now? Reached for comment, Apple confirmed Dowling’s new role, but declined to confirm his title or provide comment.
Dowling has worked for Apple for eleven years and before taking over Cotton’s former role, he served as the senior director of corporate public relations at the company. Before that he worked at CNBC’s Washington Bureau for eight years.
The search for a “friendlier” PR chief to replace Cotton follows Apple’s efforts to be more open under Tim Cook’s leadership. The company has thus far loosened non-disclosure restrictions on developers, made WWDC session materials available to the public, and invited a range of new publications to its iPhone 6 event, including sites that had previously been shunned.
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