Apple Updates 'Apple Store' iOS App, Possibly Laying Groundwork for Future Free Content Releases

Apple has released an updated version of its Apple Store app for the iPhone, which is said to include both performance enhancements and improved product search capabilities. The Apple Store app allows users to purchase Apple products quickly and efficiently on their iPhones. 

News of an upgrade first came to light last week, with a report that suggested Apple would begin offering free downloads within the App, including content from Apple’s iTunes Store, App Store, and iBookstore. 

While the app appears to be the same on the surface, it is entirely possible that Apple has included the framework that will support the addition of new deals and offerings within the app in the near future. 9to5Mac suggests the possibility that free content may only be shown when a customer is inside a brick-and-mortar Apple Store. 

Apple is said to be overhauling the app as part of its incentivization efforts designed to increase its number of in-store iPhone sales. According to Apple CEO Tim Cook, iPhones are an important "gateway product" that lead customers to purchase other Apple products. 

At the current point in time, only a small percentage of iPhones are sold in Apple Stores, with the majority of sales coming from third party locations like carrier stores and electronics retailers. By offering free content in its Apple Store app, Apple can draw customers in to view and purchase additional Apple devices. 

In an effort to increase iPhone sales Apple has begun including the iPhone in its annual Back to School program, allowing eligible education customers to receive a $50 gift card that can be used to purchase music, books, or apps. 

Apple is also planning to implement a new iPhone trade-in program, which is designed to encourage users to upgrade to the latest models by offering a credit for used devices. 

Source: Mac Rumours

U.S. Mac Sales Down in June Despite Introduction of New MacBook Airs

Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster has released a new report covering the full June quarter Mac and iPod sales data from market research firm NPD. 

According to the data, Apple's Mac sales came in down 5% year over year, despite the introduction of the newest Haswell-based MacBook Airs at this year's WWDC. During the same time period last year, Apple unveiled both upgraded MacBook Airs and the new Retina MacBook Pro, so it seems the lack of a refreshed MacBook Pro lineup may have impacted sales for the quarter. 

As with his previous reports, Munster notes that it remains difficult to extrapolate NPD data to Apple's global sales performance, but he views the June data as "neutral to slightly negative," down from slightly positive in a May report.

 We note that we had expected an uptick in Mac sales in the month of June given updated Macbook Airs at WWDC; however, Mac units were [down] 12% y/y for the month of June according to NPD. Based on the differences between NPD data and Apple reported Mac sales over the past few quarters, we note it is becoming more difficult to draw conclusions from NPD data.

Munster stands by his belief that iPads will continue to cannibalize Mac sales and sticks with his prediction of 5% year over year decline in Mac sales for the June quarter. Macs are currently responsible for less than 15% of Apple's total revenue. 

As for iPods, Munster's analysis of NPD data suggests that units are down 32% year over year, while the Piper Jaffray estimate suggests that sales are down 23% year over year on a global basis. However, as iPods only represent 2% of Apple's revenue, the overall impact of the sales decline is minor.

Source: Mac Rumours

iPhone screen recording app slips onto the App Store

An iPhone application that allows users to record their screens, including screen activity while using third-party apps on your phone, has managed to sneak onto the App Store.

xRec, which was published on Saturday and costs $1.99 on (iTunes), can record screen activity in its entirety. The software requires an active Internet connection to work and, according to tech site Giga (Google Translate), uses code from jailbreak app RecordMyScreen, which offers a similar feature set and user interface.

The app shows a red, pulsing bar at the top of the screen when it's recording, something that cannot be removed. Users also can record audio at various quality levels with the app. You can save the captured data to your camera roll or send it to other installed apps.

Screen recording is not something Apple provides to developers to add to their apps, let alone something that can record activity in other software.

The software, which Apple likely will remove, requires iOS 5. Its developer says it will not work with iOS 7, Apple's upcoming mobile operating system update.

This is not the first screen recording app to hit the App Store, but the capability to record activity from other applications is unique. iOS app UX Recorder also records on-screen activity, but it's limited to the front-facing camera and the Web browser built into the app.

Source: CNET

Government Officials Bring in Security Experts to Test iOS 7's Activation Lock Feature

After launching an investigation into the anti-theft practices of smartphone manufacturers like Apple, New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman and San Francisco District Attorney George Gascón will today test how Apple’s Activation Lock feature holds up against determined thieves, reports CNET. 

First introduced at WWDC, Activation Lock is designed to prevent Find My iPhone from being deactivated, which keeps stolen iPhones from being wiped and reactivated. The feature is included in iOS 7, which is expected to be released to consumers this fall. 

Gascón and Schneiderman are planning to bring in security experts from the Northern California Regional Intelligence Center to attempt to bypass Activation Lock in order to gain access to an iPhone. The security team will also test the Lojack for Android software on a Samsung Galaxy S4.

 "While we are appreciative of the efforts made by Apple and Samsung to improve security of the devices they sell, we are not going to take them at their word," Schneiderman and Gascón said in a joint statement. "Today we will assess the solutions they are proposing and see if they stand up to the tactics commonly employed by thieves."

The two officials have pushed for greater anti-theft measures from cell phone manufacturers after a spike in mobile device thefts. While carriers agreed last year to develop a centralized database to track stolen phones, it has proven to be largely ineffectual. Both Gascón and Schneiderman have stated that they believe Activation Lock is an inadequate theft deterrent and Gascón has urged Apple to implement a "kill switch" that would permanently disable stolen iOS devices. 

The results of the Activation Lock investigation are expected to be released later today.

Source: Mac Rumours

iPhone 5S Production Will Reportedly Begin Later This Month

According to AllThingsD, a production ramp up of the next generation iPhone should begin around the end of this month, confirming a recent report from Jefferies' Peter Misek.

Misek believes that Apple started small batch production of the iPhone 5S last month, but with the company now gearing up for mass production, it appears to be making final preparations for a launch later this year.

A report from earlier today suggested that iPhone 5S supplies will be constrained at launch, as it is with many new Apple product releases, perhaps because of low yields on a new fingerprint sensor that is expected in the device. 

Some iPhone 5S prototypes have previously leaked, showcasing features such as a dual-LED flash and a slightly larger battery, as well as an A7 chip. Misek, for his part, believes that the 5S production ramp is in addition to one that's in progress for the rumored lower-cost iPhone. From AllThingsD:

 Interestingly, Misek says that iPhone production ramp up will follow one that’s already under way for Apple’s long-rumored lower-cost iPhone, a device he figures the company will price somewhere between $300 and $400 — without a subsidy. He estimates production plans at 25 million to 30 million units, split pretty much evenly across the 5s and its new lower-cost sibling. And he says the new entry probably won’t be competitive with the truly low-end handsets popular in emerging markets.

Last year, at roughly this same point in the July, we saw similar reports of increased production ahead of the release of the iPhone 5.

Source: Mac Rumours

Google chairman says relationship with Apple improving

During the annual Allen and Co media conference held in Idaho, Google chairman Eric Schmidt has revealed that the once very frosty relationship between Apple and Google is starting to improve. The two companies, which are simultaneously rivals and business partners, have been conducting “lots and lots” of meetings at often very high levels. According to the comments made by Schmidt,  Google’s Chief Business Officer Nikesh Arora has been leading many of the discussions.

Emphasizing the better relations between the companies, Schmidt said that the two are in “constant business discussions on a long list of issues.” He also praised Apple saying it was a “proud, well-run” company – as is Google. But that they are two very “different companies.”

Google’s relationship with Apple has been a real roller-coaster of a ride. At its high point Apple made Google the center of its online service offerings including search, maps and email. Eric Schmidt was even a member of Apple’s board. However when Google launched Android things turned sour. Jobs is quoted, in Walter Isaacson’s biography of the Apple co-founder, as saying, “I will spend my last dying breath if I need to, and I will spend every penny of Apple’s $40 billion in the bank, to right this wrong. I’m going to destroy Android, because it’s a stolen product. I’m willing to go thermonuclear war on this.”

After Schmidt left Apple’s board the relationship has been bumpy with Apple suing Google and Google’s partners over Android. Last year Apple tried to ditch Google Maps, which was – until then – the default navigation app on iOS and replace it with its own maps service. However Apple’s new map service wasn’t fully ready and caused lots of negative publicity for Apple. Earlier this month Apple also announced that it was dropping Google as the default search engine for Siri, instead it would use Microsoft’s Bing.

The initial benefits of an improved relationship between Apple and Google would probably be felt most by iOS users, who might see Google re-instated as the first choice of online services. However since Google now owns Motorola and the firewall between the two, which ensures that Motorola doesn’t get any special treatment, could be taken down if needed, it looks like Google and Apple will also remain both rivals and partners, in a complex but dynamic relationship!

Source: Android Authority

'Deus Ex: The Fall' Prevents Players With Jailbroken iOS Devices From Firing Guns

Gamers with jailbroken iOS devices who have purchased or otherwise acquired the new game Deus Ex: The Fall are running into a problem when they attempt to play: they can't fire any guns, a key part of the game.

Eidos, the development firm behind Deus Ex: The Fall likely implemented the measure to deter piracy, as jailbreaking is a requirement to pirate software, though not all users who jailbreak choose to pirate software.

As a result, users who choose to jailbreak for other reasons but pay for their software get caught in the same net as the pirates. It's not the first time that developers have resorted to similar tactics to stop pirates, although it is unusual for such a high-profile developer to target not just pirates but all jailbroken users.

Earlier this year the publisher of Game Dev Tycoon encoded features into the game that would bankrupt players who didn't pay for their copies, while DirecTV prevents users with jailbroken devices from using its app at all.

Deus Ex: The Fall is available on iPhone and iPad for $6.99 from the App Store. 

Source: Mac Rumours

Best Buy offers $200 for old iPads in trade-in deal

Best Buy is promising customers a $200 trade-in value for older versions of Apple's iPad.

The promotion, which runs July 12 and 13, offers customers who trade in a working iPad 2 or third-generation iPad a minimum $200 gift card to the tech retailer. Customers also have the option of upgrading to an iPad with Retina display, which starts at $299.99 after applying the gift card. Best Buy currently sells the 16GB iPad with Retina display and Wi-Fi for $499.99.

Best Buy said customers could receive additional value depending on the model and condition of their tablets. The promotion is available at Best Buy and Best Buy Mobile stores that accept trade-ins.

In June, Best Buy ran promotions that offered customers a "free" iPhone 5 for trading in a working iPhone 4 or 4S. The retailer said it experienced the single biggest day for its trade-in business during that promotion.

Source: CNET

Apple to Adopt IGZO Displays for Future iPads and MacBooks?

Apple is planning to expand its adoption of IGZO (indium gallium zinc oxide) displays to reduce the energy consumption of its mobile devices, reports etnews.com.

According to industry insiders, having decided to apply the IGZO method to displays for MacBook, Apple is talking with LCD panel manufacturers, such as Sharp and LG Display.

IGZO is a semiconducting material that has forty times more electron mobility than the standard amorphous silicon that is used as the active layer of an LCD screen, allowing for higher resolution displays, better reaction times, and less power consumption. 

The report suggests that in addition to expanding to IGZO displays for the MacBook, Apple is also planning to use them in the iPad. Apple is said to be relying on Sharp for the displays, and last year news surfaced that Sharp had already begun mass production of IGZO displays that could be used in future Apple products. 

The site expects IGZO MacBooks to appear in the first half of 2014, but does not note when an IGZO iPad might make an appearance. Apple is expected to release a new, thinner fifth generation iPad later this year. 

Source: Mac Rumours

iOS 7 Beta Suggests iWork, iLife iOS Apps May Soon Be Free

A welcome screen discovered in the iOS 7 beta suggests that Apple's iWork and iLife iOS applications may be available for free when the OS launches this fall, according to German site ifun.

The download screen is similar to this one that was discovered in the iOS 6 beta last year. It encourages customers to download free Apple apps to "get the most out of your iPhone."

iPhoto and iMovie are available on the App Store for $4.99 each, while Pages, Numbers and Keynote are $9.99. GarageBand is missing from the screen, but there is no reason to think it would not go free as well.

The launch of iWork for iCloud at WWDC in June suggested that iWork could become free, as no pricing was mentioned at the show. Offering Apple's polished iWork and iLife applications for free -- much like iLife apps have always been free with the purchase of a new Mac -- would be a strong differentiator for the iPhone and iPad.

Source: Mac Rumours

iPhone 5S May Include Slow Motion Video Recording Feature

Code hidden inside iOS 7 suggests that the next generation iPhone could include a new "Mogul" camera mode, offering video recording at a rate of 120 frames-per-second, reports 9to5Mac.

According to our analysis and testing of the code, "Mogul" is a feature in development that allows the iPhone to capture video at an exceptionally fast and precise rate. Specifically, our testing indicates that the feature can allow the iPhone to record video at a rate of 120 frames-per-second (FPS). The resolution at which this 120FPS video could be recorded at, however, is currently unclear.

Capturing video at 120FPS would allow iPhone users to create slow motion films. Slow motion video requires frames to be captured at a fast rate, which then appear to be slowed down when replayed at a standard speed. 

Many action cameras, such as the GoPro Hero3, include slow motion recording capabilities. Samsung's popular flagship phone, the Galaxy S4, also includes a slow motion mode. While the code does not suggest a resolution for Apple's Mogul mode, recording at 120FPS often requires a lower resolution. The video below demonstrates 120FPS video shot with the Samsung Galaxy Camera...

Read the full story here. Source: Mac Rumours

Apple Continues Rolling Out iWork for iCloud Beta Invites

After introducing iWork for iCloud during its Worldwide Developers Conference, Apple began sending beta invites for the service to registered developers on June 13. 

Since then, Apple has continued to send out beta invites on a rolling basis to both paid and free developer accounts. It appears the company has sent out a large batch of invites today, inviting a number of new people to participate in the beta. 

iWork for iCloud offers in-browser versions of Apple's iWork software suite, including Pages, Keynote, and Numbers. The software can be accessed from both PC and Mac computers as well as a number of mobile devices. 

Developers with both free and paid accounts that have received an email from Apple can access the beta by visiting beta.icloud.com. iWork for iCloud is expected to be released to the public later this year.  

Update: Some reports today indicated that the iWork for iCloud beta had been extended to non-developers. The Next Web contacted Apple, and the company confirmed that reports of beta access for non-developers were inaccurate.

Source: Mac Rumours