Apple to Open New Wuxi, China Retail Store on August 2 [Mac Blog]

Apple has announced on its official Chinese website that it will open its new retail store in Wuxi, China at Wuxi Hang Lung Plaza, which is about an hour’s train ride from Shanghai, on Saturday, August 2 at 10 AM.

Last week, Apple announced that its new Chongqing store is set to open this Saturday, July 26. New Apple retail chief Angela Ahrendts plans to have a focus on furthering Apple’s business in China, expecting to oversee the opening of 20 stores in the country through 2016.

The moves are a part of Apple’s larger effort to grow its presence in China, as the company started partnering with the country’s biggest carrier China Mobile late last year and became China’s fifth-largest smartphone vendor in Q4 2013. Apple is also working hard to attract Chinese app developers to iOS. Thanks Jacob!

Apple Working With Swatch For iWatch With Multiple Designs, Price Points?

Apple may be working with manufacturing partners like Swatch to create multiple versions of the iWatch that are available in a range of styles and price points, according to a questionable report from VentureBeat, citing a source with knowledge of Apple’s plans.

While most Apple-watchers and media have been laser-focused on one or two “iWatches” from Apple itself, the Cupertino, Calif.-based electronics and media giant may actually be working a number of partners in the watch business.

Apple and its partners will offer a family of smartwatches to suit all tastes “from geek to chic,” our source says.

VentureBeat suggests it is possible that Swatch may be involved in building one or more of Apple’s smart watches, and the site’s source also believes Apple may be teaming up with Timex as well. Watches from third-party manufacturers would likely accompany an iWatch of Apple’s own branding, according to the source.

A possible partnership with Swatch or another watch maker would seemingly go against many of the existing iWatch rumors, which have indicated that Apple is building its own wrist worn device with multiple screen sizes up to 2.5 inches and an array of complicated health sensors.

Apple has also hired a massive team of health and fashion experts to work on the iWatch, suggesting much of the development work is in-house. Thus far, there have been few hints on what the iWatch might look like, so there is a possibility that Apple could use something of a modular design, with a screen able to integrate with bands from multiple companies.

The Swatch Paparazzi, a 2004 smart watch created in collaboration with Microsoft
Some reports, including a prediction from KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, have indicated Apple will produce the iWatch in a variety of materials and at multiple price points to satisfy a wide range of tastes. Apple is also said to be marketing the iWatch as a fashion accessory, but thus far other reports have not pointed towards third-party design partnerships.

Tim Cook yesterday suggested partnerships are “unusual” for Apple, speaking about the company’s recent decision to team up with IBM. He emphasized that Apple’s IBM partnership was possible because the two companies do not compete with each other, which is not the case with Swatch.

Last year, Swatch CEO Nick Hayek also had some negative things to say about an Apple iWatch, stating “I don’t believe it’s the next revolution.” Swatch does have some limited experience with smart watches, however, having previously teamed up with Microsoft to offer the Swatch Paparazzi smart watch.

According to Hayek, Apple and Swatch have been in contact for multiple years over materials for products and energy harvesting technology, but in March, Hayek clearly stated that Swatch was not interested in forging a partnership with a company manufacturing wearable devices, including Apple, which casts doubt on today’s report.

Apple is expected to introduce the iWatch in October.

Apple in Talks With Credit Card Companies Over Payment Solution, Could Launch Mobile ‘Wallet’ This Fall

Apple’s talks with companies in the payment industry have been heating up in recent months, according to a new report from The Information. Apple executives have discussed launching a mobile payment solution as soon as this fall, allowing users to pay for physical goods with their iPhones.

Apple is currently speaking with credit card company Visa over a possible partnership, a move that would bypass third-party payment processors resulting in direct savings for retailers and customers.

Apple’s payment solution is said to work with a “secured element” within the iPhone, safely storing payment credentials. This secured solution may involve the “Secure Enclave” built into Apple’s A7 processor.

Apple has told some partners its system would involve a so-called secured element in the phones–a piece of hardware where sensitive information such as a phone owner’s financial credentials can be stored. The company also aims to run the system without giving up any control to wireless carriers.

The Secure Enclave, which was designed for Touch ID, is a coprocessor within the A7 chip that uses a secure boot process to ensure that its separate software is both verified and signed by Apple. It functions independently even if a kernel is compromised and contains a unique ID that is inaccessible to other parts of the system, keeping all data held within safe.

Apple’s interest in the mobile payment arena has been rumored for years, but gained renewed attention earlier this year when The Wall Street Journal suggested the company as working on a new mobile payment service. As previously detailed, the service is said to allow people to use their iOS devices to make purchases for physical goods in apps and on the web, as well as in retail stores.

The payment solution will most likely be built around iTunes, allowing Apple to leverage more than 800 million iTunes accounts, most with credit cards attached. It may also be tied to Touch ID, the fingerprint scanning home button built into the iPhone 5s and slated for inclusion in future iPads and iPhones.

In January, Apple CEO Tim Cook said that mobile payments were “one of the thoughts” behind Touch ID. He has also said that Apple is “intrigued” with mobile payments and noted there’s a “big opportunity on the platform.”

Earlier this year, Apple was said to be in talks with Paypal about a possible partnership and it has also sought out senior payments industry executives to take on roles within the company.

Fantastical for iPhone/iPad Gains Snooze and Birthday Notifications, Goes on Sale [iOS Blog]

Fantastical 2 for the iPhone and the iPad were today updated to version 2.1, adding several new features to both mobile apps including a new Snooze feature, event invitation notifications, birthday notifications, and more.

The biggest new feature, Snooze, allows users push back notification times for calendar events or reminders using either preset times or custom set durations, a useful function when a notification pops up and needs to be paused until a later time.

Along with Snooze, the 2.1 update adds notifications for upcoming birthdays and event invitations, plus it’s possible to search for and add contacts and locations when creating new events. There are also new keyboard shortcuts enabled when using an external keyboard and several little tweaks have been added, such as improved calendar colors for the week view and an improved appearance for events that span multiple days. A complete list of changes can be found below:

– Snooze! Open a Fantastical event or reminder notification to see snooze options
– Search and add contacts or locations when creating a new event (tap the arrow in the location field)
– New event invitation notifications and app icon badge option
– Upcoming birthday notifications
– Setting to hide the event details location map
– Event preview when duplicating and moving items
– Keyboard shortcuts when using an external keyboard (open Settings > Help > Tips and Tricks for more info)
– Improved calendar colors in the week view
– Improved appearance for timed events that span multiple days in the week view
– Various fixes and improvements

To celebrate its 2.1 update, the Fantastical apps have been significantly discounted, dropping prices by up to 50 percent.

Fantastical 2 for iPad is available for $9.99, down from 14.99. [Direct Link]

Fantastical 2 for iPhone is available for $4.99, down from $9.99. [Direct Link]

Fantastical 2 for Mac is available for $9.99, down from $19.99. [Direct Link]

Comprehensive List of Apps Compatible With iOS 8 Beta 4 [iOS Blog]

Our forum members are building a comprehensive list of all the apps that function in iOS 8 beta 4, which may be helpful for users who have installed the beta or who plan to install it. The list also includes apps that are known to be broken and apps that work but have specific issues.

Notable apps that fully work with the beta include 1Password, Dropbox, Deliveries, Google Chrome, Instagram, Pandora, Rdio, Tweetbot 3, and Vine. Other apps, like Facebook and Snapchat work as well, but have some issues with videos.

Popular apps that do not work with the beta at this point in time include Adobe Photoshop Touch, Camera+, Evernote, Google Docs/Drive, Infinity Blade 1-3, LastPass, Whatsapp, and YouTube.

It is not unusual for apps to malfunction with the introduction of new beta software, as developers often need to make multiple tweaks to accommodate new APIs and protocols. Apple’s extended beta testing periods are designed to give developers the time they need to get their apps working with the new operating system before it is released to the public.

The forum post that lists all of the working apps is a Wiki post editable by users who have made more than 25 posts on MacRumors, so iOS 8 users who know of other functional/broken apps in the beta are encouraged to contribute.

OS X Yosemite to Launch in Late October, 12-inch Retina MacBook and 4K Desktop in the Works

Following an earlier report on the launch of the iPhone 6 and iOS 8, 9to5Mac has released a second report with details on OS X Yosemite and Apple’s fall Mac plans. As has been previously mentioned, OS X Yosemite will launch in October, following iOS 8′s September release alongside the iPhone 6.

The final Yosemite Developer Preview is expected to be seeded to developers on September 29, with a final golden master build coming around October 10, which suggests a late-October public launch date for Yosemite.

October will also see the potential introduction of the iWatch, as has been widely rumored, and Apple may also be planning to unveil several new products designed to promote Yosemite, including a smaller 12-inch MacBook with a high-resolution display and a new desktop computer, which may be an iMac or a standalone monitor with a 4K resolution screen.

Along with providing a few details on the desktop Retina machine, 9to5Mac‘s report echoes several details on the 12-inch MacBook previously shared by rumor sites, suggesting it will have a Retina display and a “thinner and slightly lighter aluminum body.”

Apple believes that this new Retina MacBook will be a significant step forward in the laptop industry, and it is currently unclear if Apple will label this machine as a smaller MacBook Pro, a new MacBook Air, or as an entirely new line.

While it is possible Apple will market the aforementioned 4K desktop as a “Retina” machine, the technology for true pixel-doubling of the current 27-inch iMac and Thunderbolt Display’s 2560 x 1440 resolution is not ready for market.

9to5Mac‘s sources indicate the 12-inch Retina MacBook and the iMac are on pace to ship in late in the third quarter or in the fourth quarter, but could be pushed back to early 2015, which is in line with recent rumors about the 12-inch Retina MacBook. A report has suggested the notebook’s launch will be pushed back due to continued Broadwell delays.

Rumors have also long focused on a possible Retina iMac and/or a 4K display, and back in June, hints of a Retina iMac were found in the OS X Yosemite beta. Less has been said about a potential 4K display in recent months, but an update to Apple’s Thunderbolt Display is long overdue.

Along with new Macs, Yosemite’s introduction may also include updates to both iMovie and Final Cut Pro to improve support for video captured with 4K cameras.

Apple’s 36% Boost in Research and Development Spending Points to Strong Product Pipeline

Apple made a significant investment into research and development this past quarter, increasing spending in the category by 36 percent over the same quarter last year, reports Financial Times. As noted by BTIG Research analyst Walt Piecyk, Apple’s $1.6 billion quarterly investment represents 4 percent of sales, the highest percentage of spending in R&D since 2006, the year before Apple released the first iPhone.

This huge increase supports rumors the company is investing significantly in more than just new iPhones, iPads, and Macs for its upcoming product pipeline. Apple CEO Tim Cook has repeatedly confirmed the company is preparing to enter new product categories, with Cook saying Apple is working “really great stuff.” Apple’s Internet Software and Services chief Eddy Cue also enthusiastically noted that Apple’s planned products for 2014 are “the best product pipeline that I’ve seen in my 25 years at Apple.”

iWatch concept by Todd Hamilton

The highlight of these new products is likely the iWatch, a fitness-oriented smartwatch rumored for release later this year. The sensor-laden wearable device is expected to sync with the iPhone including via a new Health app for iOS 8 and may monitor vital health parameters such as blood pressure, oxygen levels and hydration status. A recently awarded patent hints at some of the advanced connectivity features Apple could embed into the device in future iterations.

Over the past several years, Apple has been hiring a number of medical and wearables experts, presumably to work on the iWatch team. Apple has also been pursuing hires from the fashion industry including former Yves Saint Laurent CEO Paul Deneve and former sales director of luxury watch company TAG Heuer Patrick Pruniaux. New retail chief Angela Ahrendts also comes from the fashion industry, having served as CEO of Burberry.

Apple Planning Mid-September Event for 4.7-Inch iPhone 6, Timing of 5.5-Inch Model Unclear

According to 9to5Mac, Apple is putting the finishing touches on iOS 8 in advance of a September iPhone and iOS 8 launch event. Based on current projections, Apple is unsurprisingly tentatively planning to hold this iPhone-oriented event in mid-September. In line with previous reports, Apple is said to be aiming for a second product launch event in October for the iWatch and OS X Yosemite.

iPhone 5s with mockups of 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch iPhone 6 models
Similar to other recent September events, Apple is reportedly planning to focus on only iOS 8 and the iPhone 6 in this year’s September event. While the 4.7-inch iPhone will headline the presentation, the debut of the 5.5-inch model is still uncertain as it is further behind the 4.7-inch model in both testing and manufacturing.

These people say that the second and third weeks of September are the mostly likely weeks for the event to be held, but they add that manufacturing uncertainties could alter the event’s timeframe. A decision has not been finalized, and sources made it clear that the plans are in flux.

This information aligns with an earlier report that suggests Apple may push off the 5.5-inch model until 2015.

The report claims iOS 8 is on track for its public release this fall, with a fifth and final beta version expected on Monday, August 4, although a separate report from BGR claims a sixth beta is planned for Friday, August 15. A golden master version may debut a few weeks later at the end of August or early September. As rumored, dual-screen multi-tasking for the iPad and Maps improvements are still in the works, but these features are not expected to be available at launch and would come in a later iOS 8 update.

Following the September event, Apple also is planning a second event in October that will showcase the iWatch, Apple’s entry into the wearables market. This late fall event also will be used to discuss OS X Yosemite as well as unveil new iPad models. The iPad update is expected to be a modest refresh with hardware additions such as Touch ID and a faster A8 processor.