Tag Archives: Apple

Apple Launches New Concert Discovery Tools

Apple, ,

Apple Music offers the ultimate listening experience for music fans around the world, distinguished in part by its global team of expert curators and lifelong music obsessives who make a point to surface the songs and albums users have to hear. Apple Music expanded its curation efforts into live shows, introducing concert discover features on Apple Maps and Apple Music. Together, these new features celebrate the joy of live music, and give fans and artists more ways to connect.

On Maps, more than 40 new Guides, each expertly curated by Apple Music editors, highlight the best venues to experience live music in some of the world’s leading culture hubs. From landmark Viennese symphony halls to cutting-edge techno clubs in Brooklyn and Tokyo, these hand-picked selections – currently spanning over 10 cities – are all music fans need for an unforgettable night out.

Apple Music Guides also allow fans to browse venues’ upcoming shows directly form Maps through Shazam’s concert discovery module – part of a suite of features that Shazam introduced last spring, leveraging concert information from the world-renowned event recommendation and artist discovery platform Bandsintown.

On Apple Music, the brand-new Set Lists space shines a light on a selection of major tours, letting fans listen to set lists and read about the productions. For the first time on the app, fans will also be able to browse artists’ upcoming shows in their area by launching Shazam’s concert discovery module.

Apple Music Guides will be rolling out on Maps at apple.co/Musicenues. Featured cites include Chicago, Detroit, Los Angeles, Nashville, New York City, and San Francisco in North America; Berlin, London, Paris, and Vienna in Europe; Melbourne, and Sydney in the Asia-Pacific region, and Mexico City in Latin America.

Apple Music’s Set Lists are available at apple.co/setlists.

TechCrunch reported that these changes aim to make Apple’s services more competitive with rivals, like Spotify, which now has robust concert discovery functionality in its own app following a revamp last hair that brought a Live Events Feed that’s personalized to users’ interests.

According to TechCrunch, Apple’s new guides, however, aren’t customized for the end user – they’re curated by Apple Music editors, similar to a guidebook offering. And the Apple Music app is only personalized in the sense that fans are now able to browse shows in their local area.

TechCrunch also reported that Apple’s new Set Lists will also launch at apple.co/setlists, and will initially include artists like Sam Smith, BLACKPINK, Peso Pluma, Kane Brown, Blink-182, and Ed Sheeran. Apple didn’t provide any sense of how often these Set lists would be updated with more artists and tours, but we’d expect to see more over time.

Personally, I think that people who love going to see shows will likely find these new features to be useful. Those who cannot afford to travel to the shows can still listen to the curated playlist. That’s going to be really helpful for people who have disabilities that make traveling difficult for them.

Apple Introduces New Features For Cognitive Accessibility

Apple,

Apple today previewed software features for cognitive, vision, hearing, and mobility accessibility, along with innovative tools for individuals who are nonspeaking or at risk of losing their ability to speak. These updates draw on advances in hardware and software, include on-device machine learning to ensure user privacy, and expand on Apple’s long-standing commitment to making products for everyone.

Apple works in deep collaboration with community groups representing a broad spectrum of users with disabilities to develop accessibility features that make a real impact on people’s lives.

Coming later this year, users with cognitive disabilities can use iPhone and iPad with greater ease and independence with Assistive Access; nonspeaking individuals can type to speak during calls and conversations with Live Speech; and those at risk of losing their ability to speak can use Personal Voice to create a synthesized voice that sounds like them for connecting with family and friends.

For users who are blind or have low vision, Detection Mode in Magnifier offers Point and Speak, which identifies text users point toward and reads it out lot to help them interact with physical objects such as household appliances.

Assistive Access Supports Users with Cognitive Disabilities

Assistive Access uses innovations in design to distill apps and experiences to their essential features in order to lighten cognitive load. The feature reflects feedback from people with cognitive disabilities and their trusted supporters – focusing on the activities they enjoy – and that are foundational to iPhone and iPad: connecting with loved ones, capturing and enjoying photos, and listening to music.

Assistive Access includes a customized experience for Phone and FaceTime, which have been combined into a single Calls app, as well as Messages, Camera, Photos, and Music. The feature offers a distinct interface with high contrast buttons and large text labels, as well as tools to help trusted supporters tailor the experience for the individual they support.

For example for users who prefer communicating visually, Messages includes an emoji-only keyboard and the option to record a video message to share with loved ones. Users and trusted supporters can also chose between a more visual, grid-based layout for their Home Screen and apps, or a row-based layout for users who prefer text.

Live Speech and Personal Voice Advance Speech Accessibility

With Live Speech on iPhone, iPad, and Mac, users can type what they want to say to have it be spoken out loud during phone and FaceTime calls as in-person conversations with family, friends, and colleagues. Live Speech has been designed to support millions of people globally who are unable to speak or who have lost their speech over time.

For users at risk of losing their ability to speak – such as those with a recent diagnosis of ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) or other conditions that can progressively impact speaking ability – Personal Voice is a simple and secure way to create a voice that sounds like them.

Users can create a Personal Voice by reading along with a randomized set of text prompts to record 15 minutes of audio on iPhone or iPad. This speech accessibility features users on-device machine learning to keep users’ information private and secure, and integrates seamlessly with Live Speech so users can speak with their Personal Voice when connecting with loved ones.

Detection Mode in Magnifier Introduces Point and Speak for Users Who Are Blind or Have Low Vision

Point and Speak in Magnifier makes it easier for users with vision disabilities to interact with physical objects that have several text labels. For example, while using a household appliance – such as a microwave – Point and Speak combines input the LiDAR Scanner, and on-device machine learning to announce the text on each button as users move their finger across the keypad.

Point and Speak is built into the Magnifier app on iPhone and iPad, works great with VoiceOver, and can be used with other Magnifier features such as People Detection, Door Detection, and Image Descriptions to help users navigate their physical environment.

For users with low vision, Text Size is now easier to adjust across Mac apps such as Finder, Messages, Mail, Calendar, and Notes.

Personally, I think these features will be incredibly helpful for people who have cognitive disabilities, those who are unable to speak, and those who are blind or have low vision. Apple is doing a great job with accessibility!

Apple Brings Final Cut Pro and Logic Pro to iPad

Apple, , ,

Apple unveiled Final Cut Pro and Logic Pro for iPad. Video and music creators can now unleash their creativity in new ways that are only possible on iPad.

Final Cut Pro and Logic Pro for iPad bring all-new touch interfaces that allow users to enhance their workflows with the immediacy and intuitiveness of Multi-Touch. Final Cut Pro for iPad introduces a powerful set of tools for video creators to record, edit, finish, and share, all from one portable device. Logic Pro for iPad puts the power of professional music creation in the hands of the creator – no matter where they are – with a complete collection of sophisticated tools for songwriting, beat making, recording, editing, and mixing.

Final Cut Pro and Logic Pro for iPad will be available on the App Store as subscriptions starting Tuesday, May 23.

“We’re excited to introduce Final Cut Pro and Logic Pro for iPad, allowing creators to unleash their creativity in new ways and in even more places,” said Bob Borchers, Apple’s vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. “With a powerful set of intuitive tools designed for portability, performance, and touch-first interface of iPad, Final Cut Pro and Logic Pro deliver the ultimate mobile studio.”

Final Cut Pro for iPad

Final Cut Pro for iPad has an all-new touch interface and intuitive tools – unlocking new workflows for video creators. A new jog wheel makes the editing process easier than ever and enables users to interact with content in completely new ways. They can navigate the Magnetic Timeline, move clips, and make fast frame-accurate edits with just the tap of a finger, and with the immediacy and intuitiveness of Multi-Touch gestures, push their creativity to new heights.

With Live Drawing, users can draw and write directly on top of video content using Apple Pencil. On iPad Pro with M2, Apple Pencil hover unlocks the ability for users to quickly skim and preview footage without ever touching the screen.

They can also speed up their workflows by adding a Magic Keyboard or Smart Keyboard Folio to utilize key commands. Creators can review and edit stunning HDR video – taking advantage of the Liquid Retina XDR display on the 12.9-inch iPad Pro – and apply color grades with accuracy using Reference Mode.

Logic Pro for iPad

Logic Pro for iPad combines the power of Logic Pro with the portability of iPad to unlock an all-in-one professional music creation app. With Multi-touch gestures, music creators can play software instruments and interact naturally with controls, as well as complex projects with pinch-to-zoom and swipe-to-scroll. Plug-in Tiles put the most useful controls at the creator’s fingertips, making it easy to quickly shape sounds.

With the built-in mics on iPad, users can capture voice or instrument recordings, and with five studio-quality mics on iPad Pro, users can turn virtually any space into a recording studio. Creators can also make precision edits and draw detailed track automation with Apple Pencil, and connect a Smart Keyboard Folio or Magic Keyboard to utilize key commands that speed up production.

Pricing and Availability

Starting Tuesday, May 23, Final Cut Pro and Logic Pro for iPad will each be available on the App Store for $4.99 (US) per month or $49 (US) per year with a one-month free trial. Final Cut Pro is compatible with M1 chip iPad models or later, and Logic Pro will be available on A12 Bionic chip iPad models or later. Final Cut Pro for iPad and Logic Pro for iPad require iPadOS 16.4.

Apple Introduces Apple Pay Later

Apple

Apple today introduced Apple Pay Later in the U.S. Designed with users’ financial health in mind, Apple Pay Later allows users to split purchases into four payments, spread over six weeks with no interest and no fees. Users can easily track, manage, and repay their Apple Pay Later loans in one convenient location in Apple Wallet.

Users can apply for Apple Pay Later loans $50 to $1,000, which can be used for online and in-app purchases made on iPhone and iPad with merchants that accept Apple Pay. Starting today, Apple will begin inviting select users to access a prerelease version of Apple Pay Later, with plans to offer it to all eligible users in the coming months.

“There’s no one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to how people manage their finances. Many people are looking for flexible payment options, which is why we’re excited to provide our users with Apple Pay Later,” said Jennifer Bailey, Apple’s vice president of Apple Pay and Apple Wallet. “Apple Pay Later was designed with our users’ financial health in mind, so it has no fees and no interest, and can be used and managed within Wallet, making it easier for consumers to make informed and responsible borrowing decisions.”

Apply for, Track, and Manage Loans Seamlessly in Wallet

To get started with Apple Pay Later, users can apply for a loan within Wallet with no impact to their credit. They will then be prompted to enter the amount they would like to borrow and agree to the Apple Pay Later terms. A soft credit pull will be done during the application process to help ensure the user is in a good financial position before taking on the loan.

After a user is approved, they will see the Pay Later option when they select Apple Pay at checkout online and in apps on iPhone and iPad, and can use Apple Pay Later to make a purchase. Once Apple Pay Later is set up, users can also apply for a loan directly in the checkout flow when making a purchase.

Apple Pay Later is built right into Wallet, so users can seamlessly view, track, and manage all of their loans in one place. With Apple Pay Later in Wallet, users can easily see the total amount due for all of their existing loans, as well as the total amount due in the next 30 days. They can also choose to see all upcoming payments on a calendar view in Wallet to help them track and plan their payments. Before a payment is due, users will also receive notifications via Wallet as their loan repayment method; to help prevent users from taking on more debt to pay back loans, credit cards will not be accepted…

Mastercard and Goldman Sachs

Apple Pay Later is enabled through the Mastercard Installments program, so merchants that accept Apple Pay do not need to do anything to implement Apple Pay Later for their customers. When a merchant accepts Apple Pay, Apple Pay later will be an option for their customers during checkout online and in apps on iPhone and iPad. Goldman Sachs is the issuer of the Mastercard payment credential used to complete Apple Pay Later purchases.

The Wall Street Journal reported that Apple Inc. has introduced its buy now, pay later service in the U.S., marketing the tech company’s latest foray into financial services.

According to The Wall Street Journal, the service can be used to make online and in-app purchases with purchases with merchants that access Apple Pay, the company’s payment system. Users will be required to link a debit card as their loan repayment method and credit cards won’t be accepted for payments, the company said.

The move is another push by Apple to use finance to deepen its relationship with customers.

Purchases using Apple Pay Later are authenticated using Face ID, Touch ID or a passcode, the company said, adding that users’ transactions and loan history won’t be shared or sold to third parties for marketing or advertising.

In my opinion, this new Apple Pay Later offering could potentially help people make ends meet, especially if their job doesn’t pay on a weekly schedule. It also appears that Apple Pay Later is going to try to ensure that someone using the service doesn’t spend more than is good for their budget.

Apple Advances User Security With Powerful New Data Protections

Apple,

Apple introduced three advanced security features focused on protecting against threats to user data in the cloud, representing the next step in its ongoing effort to provide users with even stronger ways to protect their data.

With iMessage Contact Key Verification, users can verify they are communicating only with whom they intend. With Security Keys for Apple ID, users have the choice to require a physical security key to sign in to their Apple ID account. And with Advanced Data Protection for iCloud, which uses end-to-end encryption to provide Apple’s highest level of cloud data security, users have the choice to further protect important iCloud data, including iCloud Backup, Photos, Notes, and more.

As threats to user data become increasingly sophisticated and complex, these new features join a suite of other protections that make Apple products the most secure on the market: from the security built directly into our customer chips with best-in-class device encryption and data protections, to features like Lockdown Mode, which offer an extreme, optional level of security for users such as journalists, human rights activists, and diplomats. Apple is committed to strengthening both device and cloud security, and adding new protections over time.

The Wall Street Journal reported that Apple is planning to significantly expand its data-encryption practices, a step that is likely to create tensions with law enforcement and governments around the world as the company continues to build new privacy protections for millions of iPhone users.

According to The Wall Street Journal, the expanded end-to-end encryption system, an optional feature called Advanced Data Protection, would keep most data secure that is stored in iCloud, an Apple service used by many of its users to store photos, back up their iPhones or save specific device data such as Notes and Messages. The data would be protected in the event that Apple is hacked, and it also wouldn’t be accessible to law enforcement, even with a warrant.

The Wall Street Journal also reported that the FBI said it was “deeply concerned with the threat end-to-end and user-only-access encryption pose,” according to a statement provided by an agency spokeswoman. “This hinders our ability to protect the American people from criminal acts ranging from cyberattacks and violence against children to drug trafficking, organized crime, and terrorism,” the statement said. The FBI and law enforcement agencies need “lawful access by design,” it said.

BuzzFeed News reported that Apple’s Advanced Data Protection is significant because switching it on will only store your key locally on your device and not on Apple’s servers. This will not only keep your backup safe in case a hacker breaches Apple’s data centers, but also prevent Apple from being able to turn over iCloud backups to law enforcement agencies and governments in response to valid legal requests, something the the company has done thousands of times so far, according to its own transparency report.

It sounds to me like this change in policy is good for consumers, because it not only protects their data from hackers, but also makes it impossible for law enforcement agencies to demand that Apple turn over iCloud information to them. Apple won’t have any way to access that information because it won’t have the key.

Apple Will Use Chips Built In The U.S. Arizona Factory

Apple,

Apple CEO Tim Cook confirmed that Apple will buy U.S.-made microchips at an event in Arizona on Tuesday, where President Joe Biden also spoke, CNBC reported. Cook said Apple would buy processors made in a new Arizona factory, according to a video from the event.

According to CNBC, the chip factories will be owned and operated by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, the biggest foundry company with over with over half of the global market share. TSMC produces the most advanced processors, including the chips in the latest iPhones, iPads and Macs.

The plants will be capable of manufacturing the 4-nanometer and 3-nanometer chips that are used for advanced processors such as Apple’s A-series and M-series and NVIDIA graphics processors.

According to CNBC, TSMC currently does most of its manufacturing in Taiwan, which has raised questions from U.S. and European lawmakers about securing supply in the potential event of a Chinese invasion or other regional issues. Chip companies such as Nvidia and Apple design their own chips but outsource the manufacturing to companies like TSMC and Samsung Foundry.

The Verge reported that the Phoenix, Arizona plant include not only Apple, but also AMD and NVIDIA as customers. The new facility means a more secure supply of chips and quicker production timelines. The chip fabricator, TSMC, also said today that it would start construction on a second factory in Phoenix next year, increasing the site’s annual output.

According to The Verge, TSMC is a dedicated foundry, meaning it builds the chips designed by other companies. Apple, AMD, and NVIDIA are among its largest customers, and even Intel relies on TSMC to make the most advanced processors.

The first Phoenix fab will make 4nm processors (improved from the originally disclosed 5nm), with production slated to begin in 2024. The second fab will come online in 2026 and produce 3nm chips, which are the smallest and most complex processors in production today.

Engadget reported that the combination of the two plants will together make about 600,000 chip wafers per year. TSMC is spending $40 billion on the factories, but they’ll be partly subsidized by the U.S. government through the CHIPS and Science Act meant to incentivize US semiconductor manufacturing.

According to Engadget, while the plants won’t come online for two years, news of the expansion comes at an appropriate time. Apple has warned of iPhone 14 Pro manufacturing setbacks due to China’s COVID-19 policies. In theory, American facilities would have reduced the impact of those restrictions. Although many parts could still be made overseas even after TSMC’s expansion, there could soon be a greater chance of Apple devices reaching your door in a timely fashion.

Overall, I think this might be a good thing for American workers because the two plants are going to need to hire a lot of people. This can also be good for American companies that rely on the chips the plants will make, and also for consumers who use the product that require those chips.

Apple Restored VKontatke And Mail.Ru To The App Store

Apple,

Apple has restored Russian social network VKontatke and webmail provider Mail.Ru to the App Store, three weeks after removing them both for sanctions violations, Alex Hern from The Guardian reported.

According to Alex Hern, the two services are home-grown versions of Facebook and Gmail with domestic market share to match. They were removed from Apple’s platforms in late September, following a wave of British sanctions that targeted the financial organizations that own them.

Apple has not responded to requests for comment from The Guardian. The ownership of VKontake and Mail.Ru has not changed in the past month, and the leadership of Gazprombank and Sberbank remain sanctioned by the British government. It is unclear why Apple restored the apps, but they reappeared on App Stores globally on Monday morning, according to the monitoring project Apple Censorship.

The @applecensorship Twitter account posted the article by MacRumors and the piece from The Guardian about Apple’s decision to return Vkontatke and Mail.Ru to the App Store.

According to The Guardian, the project director of Apple Censorship is Benjamin Ismail. He gave the following quote to The Guardian:

“The only thing we can say for sure is that, once again, Apple implements its App Stores policies in total opacity, thinking it will not be held accountable for its actions. While we are glad to see those apps restored, as some activists and members of civil society organizations were still using them when they were removed, we condemn Apple for its continuous, erratic, and non-transparent way of managing content in the App Store.”

MacRumors reported that the two services were pulled following a package of sanctions enacted by the British government that affected tens of executives at Gazprombank, a Russian Bank with links to VK. The sanctions were in response to a sham referenda staged by Russian authorities in occupied areas of Ukraine.

According to Mac Rumors, Apple said in a statement at the time, “These apps are being distributed by developers majority-owned or majority-controlled by one or more parties sanctioned by the UK government,”

MacRumors also reported that it wasn’t immediately clear why Apple restored the apps, since ownership of VKontake and Mail.Ru has not changed since the apps were removed, and the leadership of Gazprombank and Sberbank remain sanctioned by the British government. According to MacRumors, it is possible that Apple’s decision was related to the use of both services by activists.

An Apple spokesperson shared the following statement with MacRumors:

“The apps from this developer were removed from the App Store, as required by law, after multiple requests were made to the developer to provide documentation to verify that they were not in violation of UK sanctions. Subsequent to the removal, the developer has provided the requisite information verifying that they are not majority owned or controlled by a sanctioned entity. Thus, the apps have been reinstated to the App Store.”

Clearly, Apple and Apple Censorship have differing ideas about what happened that caused the apps to be removed from Apple’s App Store – and then brought back to it. I don’t think we are going to hear any more news about this, now that Apple has given a statement to MacRumors.