Apple Forgets to Renew SSL Certificate, Breaking OS X Software Update

Several readers have noted a strange error message appearing when trying to perform software updates from the Mac App Store.

An Error has occurred

The certificate for this server is invalid. You might be connecting to a server that is pretending to be “swscan.apple.com” which could put you confidential information at risk.

Swscan.apple.com is one of several servers that Software Update uses to communicate with Apple. The apparent problem is that the security certificate for the server appears to have expired. Originally valid from May 22, 2012 to May 24, 2014. This is a problem that Apple will need to fix on their side. In the meanwhile, users can manually download updates from Apple’s support site.

Apple Now Preventing Updates and Reinstallation of Refunded Apps [iOS Blog]

Michael Simmons of Flexibits noted earlier today that the App Store no longer allows customers to reinstall or update refunded App Store apps.

An error message now notifies users when they try:

Update Unavailable with This Apple ID

This update is not available for this Apple ID either because it was bought by a different user or the item was refunded and cancelled.

While Apple has never had an automatic way to get refunds for apps, Apple does allow users to “Report a Problem” on their purchases and options include ways to get a refund.

In the past, customers were allowed to continue updating and reinstalling apps even if they were given a refund on the price of the app. This new functionality has also been extended to the Mac App Store.

Apple’s Acquisition of Beats Could Be Delayed Because of Valuation, Roles, and More

Last week, reports indicated that Apple’s acquisition of Beats would not be finalized until this week. With the week ending and no deal having been announced, a new Billboard report offers insight into what could be holding up the deal.

Billboard’s sources indicate the deal “is complicated”, as it would be Apple’s largest acquisition. In addition, the news apparently leaked “too early”, with Apple nowhere near ready for news to break despite publications like Re/code and The Financial Times reporting that the deal is close to completion.

A video that was uploaded to YouTube of actor/musician Tyrese alongside Beats co-founder Dr. Dre is another possible reason for the delay, with Dre claiming that he was the first billionaire in hip hop after the deal. The video apparently “freaked Apple out” and had the Cupertino company outraged.

Apparently, the Apple family near imploded with outrage when that video went up on Facebook of an ‘excited’ Dr. Dre with R&B singer/former Coca Cola pin-up Tyrese. In the video they share, in language perhaps unsuitable for a family blog, how Dre will be hip-hop’s first billionaire and other nice things about Compton.

Fourth, Apple allegedly isn’t sure whether to give Beats co-founders Jimmy Iovine and Dr. Dre roles as permanent consultants or whether to give them full-time executive roles. Apple is also apparently unsure whether the two of them would fit into the company’s corporate climate, despite reports that Iovine and Dre are the “big prizes” of the acquisition.

Finally, another rumored sticking point is Apple’s valuation of Beats Music, which has around 200,000 subscribers and has been speculated as one of the main reasons behind the acquisition. Apple is apparently planning to keep Beats Music separate entity from iTunes in order to avoid cannibalization of iTunes music sales.

Apple pundit John Gruber of Daring Fireball offered another scenario, discrediting the Billboard report and speculating that Beats may have leaked to the deal, angering Apple and scuttling the acquisition before it could be completed.

Apple Offering Free Shipping on All Online Orders Placed Through May 29 [Mac Blog]

Apple kicked off a new promotion in time for Father’s Day that offers free shipping on all online purchases placed through May 29. This limited time offer waives the $50 minimum purchase Apple usually requires for free shipping.

Besides the Father’s Day branding and shipping promotion, Apple also updated its website with a gift guide that showcases the top gifts this year for Dads. Items highlighted on the list include the iGrill mini Smart Grilling Thermometer, Beats by Dr. Dre Studio Over-Ear Headphones and the Nike+ FuelBand SE.

Apple’s retail and online sales experiences may change now that Angela Ahrendts is at the helm of Apple’s retail operations. She reportedly shook up the in-house retail team and started reaching out to Apple Store employees in her first few weeks on the job. She is expected to focus on increasing Apple’s presence in China, improving mobile payment options and redesigning the “end-to-end Apple Store sales experience.”

Alleged iPhone 6 Backlight Panel Depicted in New Photos

While there have been a multitude of iPhone 6 mockups and case leaks, actual parts said to be from the iPhone 6 have thus far been in short supply. We’ve seen what might be the front panel of the device along with possible batteries and a manufacturing mold used for creating the phone’s chassis.

What is said to be a backlight panel for the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 has now appeared on Chinese Twitter-like site Weibo (via Nowhereelse.fr) [Google Translation]. There is no way to verify the legitimacy of the images, but the backlight design does appear similar to the backlight panel of the iPhone 5s and the 5c, with a few small differences — the connector has been relocated and the pins themselves have a different design.

Little new information about the iPhone 6 can be gleaned from the images, legitimate or not, but previous rumors have suggested that Apple will take advantage of advancements in LED backlighting technology to shift to thinner components for the iPhone 6, shrinking the thickness of the device considerably. Current rumors and design schematics have suggested the iPhone 6 might be between 6 and 7mm thick, considerably thinner than the existing 7.6mm iPhone 5s.

While today’s part appears to be for the 4.7-inch iPhone, Apple is expected to release the iPhone in two sizes: the aforementioned 4.7-inch version and a larger 5.5-inch version. While the 4.7-inch iPhone is expected to launch in the fall, possibly as early as September, the 5.5-inch version has reportedly experienced production issues that may push its launch back several months.

Along with new backlighting technology that may result in a thinner design, the iPhone 6 is also expected to feature an A8 processor, camera improvements, and 802.11ac WiFi.

Samsung and LG Reportedly Exploring Sapphire Crystal Displays

Apple is leading the way in the adoption of sapphire, with the company producing the material in limited quantities in its new Arizona plant. A portion of this material is expected to land the iPhone 6 and possibly the iWatch as a scratch-resistant display material. According to Korean media reports (via GforGames), both Samsung and LG are showing renewed interest in sapphire following Apple’s early success in manufacturing the material.

Furnaces for sapphire glass production
LG and Samsung allegedly explored the feasibility of using sapphire in their phones last year, but rejected the material due to the high cost of production. Now that Apple is moving forward with the material, Samsung and LG are reevaluating their earlier decisions, reaching out to sapphire glass manufacturers and requesting product samples for examination.

This year however, the aforementioned Korean tech giants might be forced by the industry to reconsider their decision. With numerous other gadget manufacturers putting a lot of thought into making sapphire glass feasible, and with Apple already operating the sapphire glass processing plant in US, Arizona, LG and Samsung are supposedly going to jump on the sapphire display bandwagon sooner rather than later.

Sapphire may be a critical component of Apple’s rumored iWatch, providing an outer scratch-resistant layer to the wrist-worn device. Recent rumors also suggest Apple may incorporate a sapphire crystal display into its upcoming iPhone 6. A recent research note from KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo suggests the initial supply of sapphire displays could be limited, forcing Apple to use the material only in select high-end models of the upcoming handset.

Apple Launches Discounted 8GB iPhone 5c in India [iOS Blog]

In line with an earlier rumor, Apple today launched the 8 GB iPhone 5c in India, reports The Times of India. Apple is offering the phone with a Rs. 4,000 discount ($68), bringing the price down to Rs 33,500 ($572). For a limited time, Apple also is including a free case worth Rs 2,000 with every purchase.

Apple released the 8 GB version of the iPhone 5c earlier this year and brought the phone to more than 16 countries outside the US. Apple introduced this low-capacity model as an affordable option that also is compatible with a growing number of developing LTE networks overseas.

Apple has been expanding its presence in India, bringing back the iPhone 4 earlier this year and growing its network of retail stores in the country. According to Canalys’s 2013 estimates, India is the third largest smartphone market in the world and growing. Apple is aware of the opportunity, with CEO Tim Cook reporting in Q3 2013 that iPhone sales in the country increased 400 percent year-over year.

The 8GB iPhone 5c sits at the bottom of the iPhone lineup in India, nestled in between the reintroduced 8GB iPhone 4 (Rs. 22,900) and the 16GB iPhone 5c (Rs. 41,900).

Transcend Introduces JetDrive Lite Expansion Cards Up to 128GB for MacBook Air, Retina Macbook Pro

Transcend has introduced new JetDrive Lite expansion cards designed to increase the storage capacity of the MacBook Air and the MacBook Pro with Retina display. The cards provide up to 128 GB of additional storage for less than $100.

The new JetDrive Lite expansion cards are tailor-made with a flush design that matches the case form factor of both the MacBook Air and Retina MacBook Pro models. This on-the-go storage solution offers read and write speeds of 95MB/s and 60MB/s, respectively.

With their substantial amount of storage space, Transcend’s JetDrive Lite expansion cards provide plenty of space to backup, store, and carry personal documents, photos, movies, and music.

[…]

When inserted into the card slot of a compatible MacBook Pro with Retina display or MacBook Air, the low-profile JetDrive Lite will not stick out like an SD card and can be left in place for on-the-go storage.

The company offers separate products for the different MacBook models due to design differences between the machines. While the 13-inch MacBook Air and the 15-inch Retina MacBook Pro can be upgraded to 64 GB and 128 GB capacities, the 13-inch Retina MacBook Pro is limited to 64 GB.

The JetDrive Lite Series of expansion cards are available now with prices starting at $49 for the 64 GB version and $99 for the 128 GB capacity card.