Apple letter offers a clue to its self-driving car plans
Apple’s hopes of developing self-driving car technology have been a poorly kept secret for a while, and now it’s coming clean. The company has sent a letter to the US’ National Highway Traffic Safety Administration acknowledging that the company is “excited” about automation in numerous fields, “including transportation.” It wants to test self-driving car tech, and it’s hoping to address both ethical and regulatory issues. It believes the industry should share crash (and near-crash) data to improve safety, for example, but this “should not come at the cost of privacy.”
Crucially, Apple also believes that incumbent automakers might have an unfair edge. It wants newcomers to have the “same opportunity” to test self-driving vehicles that more “established” companies do, without having to chase after regulatory exemptions like it would today.
In a statement to the Financial Times, Apple confirmed the letter’s core message: the firm wrote to the NHTSA because it’s “investing heavily in machine learning and autonomous systems,” and it wants to help shape the “best practices” for self-driving cars. It’s not confirming what it’s making, however, including reports that it scaled back its automotive plans to focus on an underlying tech platform instead of building vehicles. There’s no longer any doubt that Apple is interested in driverless cars, but there’s also no guarantee that its technology will reach production cars in the first place, let alone that you’ll see something Apple-branded on the road.
Via: VentureBeat, Financial Times
Source: Regulatory.gov (PDF)
Foxconn exec faces 10 years for stealing 5,700 iPhones
A senior manager at Foxconn, the company that makes Apple’s iPhone handsets, is facing 10 years incarceration after being charged with the theft of 5,700 iPhones valued at nearly $1.5 million. According to AsiaOne, the Taiwanese testing department manager, identified only by his family name Tsai, coerced eight of his subordinates to smuggle iPhone 5 and 5Ses out of the Foxconn Shenzhen plant between 2013 and 2014.
Apparently, these phones were designated for testing, rather than sale, which could explain how the gang managed to take so many without tipping off security. However, an internal audit conducted earlier this year outed the group.
Via: Business Insider
Source: AsiaOne
Apple Store App for iOS Updated With Rich Notifications, One-Tap Apple Watch Purchases
Apple today updated its Apple Store app for iOS to version 4.1, adding support for rich notifications and expanding the functionality of the Apple Store app on the Apple Watch.
Rich notifications, available in iOS 10, deliver more information than a standard notification and in many cases, are interactive, so you can do more without having to unlock your phone.
In addition to supporting iOS 10’s new notification system, the Apple Store app for Apple Watch has been updated with a new feature that allows customers to make one-tap purchases from their “Favorites” list.
Items added to the Favorites list on iOS or the web will be visible on the Apple Watch and can be purchased by tapping on them on the Apple Watch. Apple Pay is used to make the purchase, so a device with Apple Pay and an available credit or debit card is required.
According to Apple’s release notes, today’s update also includes unspecified improvements and performance enhancements.
The Apple Store app can be downloaded from the iOS App Store for free. [Direct Link]
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Pros and cons: Our quick verdict on the new MacBook Pro
Good news: Apple finally revamped the MacBook Pro, after sticking with the same design for more than four years. The bad news: It’s not quite the notebook we at Engadget had been waiting for. Though the refreshed MBP ushers in a series of improvements — faster SSDs, a thinner and lighter design, a Touch ID fingerprint sensor, brighter screen, more robust audio — loyal Mac fans will also probably have to make some changes to the way they work. For starters, there are no full-sized USB ports here, and no SD card reader. That last point will sting for any of the “pros” who use capture devices to record lots of photo, video and audio files. As for the USB ports, get ready to use a dongle if you typically connect an external monitor or even external storage drive.
Perhaps the biggest change, though, is the addition of the Touch Bar, which replaces the traditional Function buttons (even the Escape key) with a touch strip whose shortcuts change depending on the app you’re using. Though Apple has released an SDK to developers, so far most of the apps that support it are from Apple itself. So far, then, the use cases are fairly limited and superficial in nature. Meanwhile, you can no longer just press a button to adjust the volume or brightness. (Get used to a series of taps and swipes, which is simply less efficient.) Also, in our testing, the Siri icon that now sits above the Delete key frequently got in the way. Grr.
If the Touch Bar sounds annoying, the entry-level 13-inch MacBook Pro comes without it for $1,299, and has longer battery life. The problem is, you get two USB-C ports instead of four, and you forfeit the Touch ID sensor, which is one of our favorite things about the new MBP. If you want Touch ID, though, be prepared to spend at least $1,799 (yikes) and, you know, come to terms with the Touch Bar. Basically, then, there’s lots to like here, and we suspect many of you who have been holding out for a new MacBook Pro will buy this. It’s a shame, though: The laptop we really wanted is more a mashup of last year’s model and this year’s.
Apple’s Profit Downturn and Negative Customer Opinions Threaten ‘Decade-Long Malaise’ for Company
Analysts at financial firm Oppenheimer today added to the pile of criticisms aimed at Apple and its current, and future, state of innovation within the technology industry. In a recently published note (via Business Insider), the firm addressed a few “strategic issues” it currently has with Apple, as well as concern for the future trajectory of the company.
In the near-future, Oppenheimer believes that iPhone sales will peak, specifically in 2018, and that “the company lacks the ability to raise prices across its iPhones, iPads and Mac products,” which is hurting its growth. The firm also described a disharmony between “Apple’s primary role as ‘the hardware platform’ … with its secondary role as ‘the software and service provider.’”
“We believe Apple lacks the courage to lead the next generation of innovation (AI, cloud-based services, messaging); instead will become more reliant than ever on the iPhone … We believe Apple is about to embark on a decade-long malaise. The risks to the company have never been greater.”
While the “Apple is doomed” mindset has been prevalent for much of the company’s lifespan, the “universe of negativity” surrounding the company became more noticeable throughout 2016. In April, Apple reported its first year-over-year decline in iPhone sales and quarterly revenue since 2003, and although initial shipments of the new Touch Bar MacBook Pro models were reported as strong, subsequent user experiences have largely varied between positive and negative opinions.
In October, Apple forecasted a return to growth for the last half of 2016 thanks to the holiday shopping season, potentially putting an end to the company’s downturn after its first annual revenue decline since 2001 and three consecutive quarters of negative growth. The constant bright spots in Apple’s revenue remain its services category, including the App Store, iCloud, and Apple Music.
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99 Percent of Fake Apple Chargers Sold Online Fail Safety Tests
New research conducted by a global independent safety firm has revealed that 99 percent of fake Apple chargers sold online fail a basic safety test (via BBC).
The tests were commissioned by the U.K.’s Trading Standards and undertaken by Illinois-based global safety specialists UL. The insulation tests applied a high voltage to the chargers, which were bought online from eight different countries, including the U.S., China, and Australia.
According to the results, only three out of 400 counterfeit chargers were found to have adequate insulation to ensure protection against electric shocks. Leon Livermore, the chief executive of Chartered Trading Standards Institute, described the counterfeit chargers sold online as an “unknown entity” and urged shoppers to buy electrical goods only from trusted suppliers.
“It might cost a few pounds more, but counterfeit and second-hand goods are an unknown entity that could cost you your home or even your life, or the life of a loved-one,” he said.
Earlier this week, Amazon acknowledged a worsening counterfeit problem on its site and said it had made fighting the fake products a “major goal” going forward. The announcement followed a lawsuit filed by Apple last month against a company it accused of selling fake power adapters and cables on Amazon. Apple conducted its own tests and said it found that almost 90 percent of so-called genuine Apple products and accessories it had purchased from Amazon over the last nine months were actually counterfeit.
“Counterfeit electrical goods are likely to be poor quality and in the worst cases unsafe,” said Gillian Guy, chief executive of the U.K.’s Citizens Advice. “Look out for tell-tale signs of counterfeiting such as mistakes in brand names or logos, and check plugs for safety marks – all genuine electrical items made in the EU should have a CE mark on them.”
Trading Standards included guidelines in its press release to help consumers in the EU spot a fake charger, advising them to check pin size, look for regulation markings, warnings and instructions. In addition, Citizens Advice urged consumers not to overcharge appliances and to never cover devices when charging or use a charger with a cracked case or frayed cable.
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Apple Retail Stores Sporting Red Logos for World AIDS Day
Over 400 Apple retail stores around the world have red logos today, in recognition of World AIDS Day. The logos, which Apple has put up at its stores for the last several years on December 1, are meant to raise awareness for the global fight against AIDS.
Earlier this week, Apple announced plans to donate $1 to partner charity (RED) for every Apple Pay purchase made at an Apple Store, on Apple.com, or through the Apple Store app as part of a World AIDS Day campaign. Apple has pledged to donate up to $1 million during the event, which will last until December 6.
Bank of America is also making a donation for every Apple Pay transaction made using its cards from December 1 to December 7, with plans to donate up to $1 million.
In addition to its Apple Pay promotion, Apple has released several new PRODUCT(RED) items over the course of the last month, including an iPhone 7 Smart Battery Case, an iPhone SE case, a Beats Pill+ Portable Speaker, and Beats Solo3 Wireless Headphones. Throughout the year, a portion of the proceeds from PRODUCT(RED) sales goes to The Global Fund to put a stop to AIDS.
Several App Store apps are also offering limited-edition custom (RED) content for World AIDS Day, and all in-app purchase proceeds will be donated. Participating apps include popular titles like Best Fiends, Boom Beach, Clash of Clans, Candy Crush Jelly Saga, Farm Heroes Saga, PewDiePie’s Tuber Simulator, Hay Day, Plants vs. Zombies Heroes, and more.
Apple Stores around the world are @RED today for #WorldAIDSDay. Together we can #endAIDS. pic.twitter.com/yFrLua7IoR
— (RED) (@RED) December 1, 2016
The (RED) initiative has raised more than $365 million to date to stop AIDS in Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Rwanda, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, and Zambia. Funds raised by (RED) are donated to The Global Fund, a group that works to end AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria as epidemics.
Apple is one of (RED)’s biggest contributors and has donated nearly $120 million over the last 10 years.
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iPhone classic ‘Tiny Wings’ gets news levels and Apple TV app
Tiny Wings is one of the best iPhone games ever. It’s a great example of a developer making something that wouldn’t make sense on any other platform, and it’s a game equally suited to playing quick bursts or for extended sessions as you try to beat your high score. And after more than two years without an update, developer Andreas Illiger has finally released a pretty major update. Tiny Wings is now available for the Apple TV, and the iPhone / iPad version has five new levels.
Unfortunately, the Apple TV app requires a separate $2.99 purchase — but if it is as good as the iOS game, that’ll be money well spent. The Apple TV app features split-screen multiplayer; players can either use the Siri remote, a dedicated game controller or an iOS device to control the big-screen action. The Apple TV app uses iCloud to sync progress with your mobile devices, and it feature the same array of game modes and levels as the iOS version — including the five new “flight school” levels.
If you bought the iOS app years ago, you’ll get those new levels, and Illiger also finally upgraded the graphics to support the higher screen resolutions Apple introduced with the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus. There’s nothing else new here, but if you haven’t tried the game before now’s a perfect time to give it a shot. The adorable graphics, procedurally generated levels and excellent music are all as charming now as they were when the game launched way back in 2011. If you want to give it a shot, the update is live in the App Store now.
Via: The Verge
Apple is reportedly using drones to improve Maps
Apple is putting a team together that will capture mapping data using drones to supplement its camera-equipped minivans, Bloomberg says. While its Maps app is no longer the butt of jokes, Apple reportedly wants to better the quality of Google Maps, an app that’s still more widely used on all platforms. The team may use UAVs from companies like DJI and Aibotix to keep maps up-to-date with construction, new roads and other info.
Apple is also trying to improve car and indoor navigation, according to unnamed company sources. The latter isn’t too much of a surprise, as Apple recently bought an indoor tracking company called Indoor.io last year, and purchased WiFiSlam back in 2013. The company even released an app called Indoor Survey last year that lets you figure out your location in an indoor venue, even if it hasn’t been mapped.
As for the drone team, it’s reportedly being assembled in Seattle and run by someone hired away from Amazon’s Prime Air division. Apple applied for FAA permits last year to fly commercial drones to “conduct data collection, photography and videography,” according to a document dug up by Bloomberg. If it follows the new FAA rules, operations in cities will be limited to licensed pilots flying in daytime hours with line-of-site views of the drones. Images and other data collected will then be rapidly incorporated into Maps.
Apple doesn’t use its mapping service to sell ads like Google does, but it certainly wants to keep users and developers on its own ecosystem. The company has made large strides lately improving Maps with public transit data, and recently incorporated third-party extensions from Lyft, OpenTable and Uber into iOS 10. As a result of its work, Maps is now reportedly used at least three times more often by users than Google Maps on iOS. We’ve contacted Apple to confirm the story, but don’t hold your breath.
Source: Bloomberg
Apple’s renewed fight against AIDS includes new iPhone cases
Apple has made a tradition of marking World AIDS Day with a campaign to donate to the Product (RED) charity, and it’s going the extra mile for its 10th year of support. On top of the company’s existing (RED) gear (which sends a contribution to the Global Fund’s fight against AIDS), it’s launching four new accessories and devices that count toward the charity. You can get red versions of the iPhone 7 Battery Case, the leather iPhone SE case, Beats Solo 3 Wireless headphones and the Beats Pill+ wireless speaker. All of these are available today, and there are other ways to help out even if you have no intentions of buying hardware.
To begin with, purchasing anything at an Apple store (physical or online) through Apple Pay between now and December 6th will donate $1 toward (RED), up to a maximum of $1 million. Bank of America will match those donations if you buy using one of its cards. You can also buy an album from The Killers (Don’t Waste Your Wishes) on iTunes with all US proceeds heading to the fund. Beyond this, in-app purchases in 20 high-profile iOS games (including Angry Birds 2, Clash of Clans and PewDiePie’s Tuber Simulator) will contribute to the anti-AIDS campaign through December 7th.
These individual efforts may seem like drops in the bucket, but Apple has historically been one of Product (RED)’s strongest contributors — it had raised $65 million by 2013. And while a bona fide cure is still years away, the United Nations now believes that you could realistically see the end of AIDS by 2030. You may only make a small difference by yourself, but the combined effort adds up.
Source: Apple (1), (2)
AIVAnet 