Introducing iPhone 11

On Tuesday (9-10-19) Apple announced iPhone 11, delivering innovations that make the world’s most popular smartphone even more powerful, improving the features people use the most throughout their day. iPhone 11 introduces a powerful dual-camera system, offering an intuitive camera experience with the highest quality video in a smartphone and Night mode for photos.

iPhone 11 is powered by the A13 Bionic chip to perform the most demanding tasks, while getting through an entire day on a single charge, and is designed to withstand the elements with improved water resistance. iPhone 11 comes in six new gorgeous colors and will be available for pre-order beginning Friday, September 13 and in stores beginning Friday, September 20, starting at just $699.

“iPhone 11 is the next generation of iPhone, packed with great new capabilities in an incredible design, including new Ultra Wide and Wide cameras for gorgeous videos and photos, the power and ease of use of iOS 13, and A13 Bionic — the fastest chip ever in a smartphone that quickly handles the tasks that matter most to people every day,” said Phil Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. “With the tight integration between hardware, software and services, the advancements in iPhone 11 bring an unparalleled user experience at an affordable price to even more customers. We think people will love it.”

Read the entire news release > apple.com/iphone-11

Apple Watch Series 5 Unveiled

This week (9-10-19) Apple announced Apple Watch Series 5, debuting an Always-On Retina display that never sleeps, so it’s easy to see the time and other important information, without raising or tapping the display. 

New location features, from a built-in compass to current elevation, help users better navigate their day, while international emergency calling allows customers to call emergency services directly from Apple Watch in over 150 countries, even without iPhone nearby. 

Apple Watch Series 5 is available in a wider range of materials, including aluminum, stainless steel, ceramic and an all-new titanium. Combined with the power of watchOS 6, users are empowered to take charge of their health and fitness with new features like Cycle Tracking, the Noise app and Activity Trends.

“We’ve seen Apple Watch have a meaningful impact on our customers’ lives and we’re excited to deliver even more capabilities with Apple Watch Series 5 and watchOS 6,” said Jeff Williams, Apple’s chief operating officer. “The seamless integration of new hardware and software delivers an enhanced experience that makes it even easier to stay active and connected to the people and information users care about.”

Read the entire news release > apple.com/watch-series-5

iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max Announced

Apple today (9-10-19) announced iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max, a new pro line for iPhone that delivers advanced performance for users who want the very best smartphone. The new Super Retina XDR display is a pro display with the brightest display ever in an iPhone. The powerful Apple-designed A13 Bionic chip provides unparalleled performance for every task while enabling an unprecedented leap in battery life to easily get through the day. A new triple-camera system provides a pro-level camera experience with an Ultra Wide, Wide and Telephoto camera, delivering huge improvements to low-light photography and offering the highest quality video in a smartphone that is great for shooting action videos.

Available for pre-order beginning Friday, September 13 and in stores beginning Friday, September 20. iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max will be available in 64GB, 256GB and 512GB models in midnight green, space gray, silver and gold starting at $999 and $1,099, respectively. Customers can also get iPhone 11 Pro for $24.95 a month or $599 with trade-in and iPhone 11 Pro Max for $29.12 a month or $699 with trade-in from apple.com, in the Apple Store app and Apple Stores. 

“iPhone 11 Pro and iPhone 11 Pro Max are the most powerful and advanced smartphones we have ever made. They are packed with sophisticated technology that pros can count on to get their work done, and for anyone who wants the very best device made, even if they are not a pro,” said Phil Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. “iPhone 11 Pro has the first triple-camera system in iPhone and is far and away the best camera we’ve ever made, it provides our customers with great range of creative control and advanced photo and video editing features in iOS 13. The Super Retina XDR is the brightest and most advanced display in iPhone and the A13 Bionic chip sets a new bar for smartphone performance and power efficiency.”

Read the entire news release > apple.com/iphone-11-pro

A Message About iOS Security

Last week, Google published a blog about vulnerabilities that Apple fixed for iOS users in February. We’ve heard from customers who were concerned by some of the claims, and we want to make sure all of our customers have the facts.

First, the sophisticated attack was narrowly focused, not a broad-based exploit of iPhones “en masse” as described. The attack affected fewer than a dozen websites that focus on content related to the Uighur community. Regardless of the scale of the attack, we take the safety and security of all users extremely seriously.

Google’s post, issued six months after iOS patches were released, creates the false impression of “mass exploitation” to “monitor the private activities of entire populations in real time,” stoking fear among all iPhone users that their devices had been compromised. This was never the case.

Second, all evidence indicates that these website attacks were only operational for a brief period, roughly two months, not “two years” as Google implies. We fixed the vulnerabilities in question in February — working extremely quickly to resolve the issue just 10 days after we learned about it. When Google approached us, we were already in the process of fixing the exploited bugs.

Security is a never-ending journey and our customers can be confident we are working for them. iOS security is unmatched because we take end-to-end responsibility for the security of our hardware and software. Our product security teams around the world are constantly iterating to introduce new protections and patch vulnerabilities as soon as they’re found. We will never stop our tireless work to keep our users safe.

Credit: apple.com/newsroom/

Apple Offers More Options For Reliable Repairs

Apple today (8-29-19) announced a new repair program, offering customers additional options for the most common out-of-warranty iPhone repairs. Apple will provide more independent repair businesses - large or small - with the same genuine parts, tools, training, repair manuals and diagnostics as its Apple Authorized Service Providers (AASPs). The program is launching in the US with plans to expand to other countries.

“To better meet our customers’ needs, we’re making it easier for independent providers across the US to tap into the same resources as our Apple Authorized Service Provider network,” said Jeff Williams, Apple’s chief operating officer. “When a repair is needed, a customer should have confidence the repair is done right. We believe the safest and most reliable repair is one handled by a trained technician using genuine parts that have been properly engineered and rigorously tested.”

The new independent repair provider program complements Apple’s continued investment in its growing global network of over 5,000 AASPs that lead the industry for customer satisfaction and help millions of people with both in- and out-of-warranty service for all Apple products.

Read the entire news release > apple.com/repair-options

Apple’s US Job Footprint Grows To 2.4 Million

There are 9,000 American suppliers that Apple spent a collective $60 billion dollars with in 2018, which supports 450,000 jobs. Altogether, Apple is responsible for creating and supporting 2.4 million US jobs across all 50 states, four times the number of American jobs attributable to the company eight years ago.

Apple is on pace to directly contribute $350 billion to the US economy by 2023, which the company announced in January of 2018. A significant amount of the jobs Apple supports in the US are found in the booming app economy, which is currently responsible for 1.9 million American jobs — an increase of 325,000 in the last two and a half years.

Several states saw double-digit growth during that period, including a 43 percent increase in North Carolina, representing almost 15,000 new jobs, and a 50 percent increase in Florida, which added almost 30,000 new jobs. Pennsylvania saw a 64 percent increase in growth, going from 40,800 jobs in 2016 to more than 67,000 today.

Apple also directly employs 90,000 employees in all 50 states, putting the company on track to create 20,000 new jobs across the US by 2023.

Read the entire news release > apple.com/american-jobs

Apple Reports Third Quarter Results

Apple today (7-30-19) announced financial results for its fiscal 2019 third quarter ended June 29, 2019. The Company posted quarterly revenue of $53.8 billion, an increase of 1 percent from the year-ago quarter, and quarterly earnings per diluted share of $2.18, down 7 percent. International sales accounted for 59 percent of the quarter’s revenue.

“This was our biggest June quarter ever - driven by all-time record revenue from Services, accelerating growth from Wearables, strong performance from iPad and Mac and significant improvement in iPhone trends,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO. “These results are promising across all our geographic segments, and we’re confident about what’s ahead. The balance of calendar 2019 will be an exciting period, with major launches on all of our platforms, new services and several new products.”

“Our year-over-year business performance improved compared to the March quarter and drove strong operating cash flow of $11.6 billion,” said Luca Maestri, Apple’s CFO. “We returned over $21 billion to shareholders during the quarter, including $17 billion through open market repurchases of almost 88 million Apple shares, and $3.6 billion in dividends and equivalents.”

Read the entire news release > apple.com/third-quarter

How the App Store is changing in iOS 13

The most oft-used app on our iPhones is probably Safari. It is the default web browser, after all. But just behind that, and arguably more important, is the app we use to find, download, and update most of our other apps: the App Store.

Back in iOS 11, Apple gave the App Store its first big facelift in years when it added its own editorial content in a new Today tab, split Games and Apps into their own tabs, and redesigned app pages. In iOS 13, the App Store is going through another significant revision. It’s not quite as big a reorganization as in iOS 11, but it’s a significant change to how you update and manage your apps.

Here’s what’s new in the iOS 13 App Store:

Important Notice About MacBook Pro Batteries

Apple today (6-20-19) announced a voluntary recall of a limited number of older generation 15-inch MacBook Pro units which contain a battery that may overheat and pose a safety risk. The units were sold primarily between September 2015 and February 2017 and can be identified by their product serial number.

The recall does not affect any other 15-inch MacBook Pro units or other Mac notebooks.

Because customer safety is a top priority, Apple is asking customers to stop using affected 15-inch MacBook Pro units. Customers should visit apple.com/support/15-inch-macbook-pro-battery-recall for details on product eligibility and how to have a battery replaced, free of charge.

To confirm which model you have, choose About This Mac from the Apple menu in the upper-left corner of your screen. If you have “MacBook Pro (Retina, 15-inch, Mid 2015),” enter your computer's serial number on the program page to see if it is eligible for a battery replacement.

Credit: apple.com

Apple Partners With Best Buy For Repair Service

Apple today (6-19-19) announced the completion of a major expansion of its Apple authorized service network. With nearly 1,000 Best Buy stores across the US now providing expert service and repairs for Apple products, customers have even easier and more convenient access to safe and reliable repairs.

“At Apple, we’re dedicated to providing the best customer service in the world,” said Tara Bunch, Apple’s vice president of AppleCare. “If a customer ever needs to repair their products, we want them to feel confident those repairs are done safely and correctly. We’re always looking at how we can reliably expand our network of trained technicians and we’re excited to partner with every Best Buy store so it’s even easier for our customers to find an authorized repair location near them.”

Plus, Best Buy’s Geek Squad has nearly 7,600 newly Apple-certified technicians ready to make same-day iPhone repairs or to service other Apple products.

“We love being there for our customers no matter what their Apple need is, from helping them choose the right device, to offering AppleCare protection and now helping fix their devices,” said Best Buy’s Trish Walker, president of Services. “We’ve always enjoyed a great partnership with Apple and we’re thrilled that, together, we can better serve our customers.”

Apple-certified repairs at an Apple store or an authorized service provider are performed by trained experts who use genuine Apple parts. Every repair is backed by Apple.

In addition to Apple retail stores, there are over 1,800 third-party Apple authorized service providers in the US, all of which are using parts certified for safety, quality and reliability. This is three times as many locations as three years ago, meaning eight out of ten Apple customers will be within 20 minutes of an authorized service provider.

For more information, visit support.apple.com/repair.

Credit: apple.com

New iPadOS - Designed For iPad

Apple yesterday (6-3-19) previewed iPadOS, the powerful operating system with a new name to recognize the distinctive experience of iPad. iPadOS builds on the same foundation as iOS, adding powerful new capabilities and intuitive features specific to the large display and versatility of iPad. Introducing new ways to work with apps in multiple windows, more information at a glance on a redesigned Home screen and more natural ways to use Apple Pencil, iPadOS also benefits from the great new updates in iOS 13, making it the perfect device for consumers and creative pros alike.

“iPad transforms how people work and express their creativity, and with iPadOS, we’re taking it even further by delivering exciting capabilities that take advantage of its large canvas and versatility,” said Craig Federighi, Apple’s senior vice president of Software Engineering. “iPadOS delivers exciting features, including a new Home screen with widgets, more powerful multitasking and new tools that make using Apple Pencil even more natural.”

The Home screen has been redesigned with a new layout to show more apps on each page. Today View can now be added to the Home screen, allowing quick access to widgets for at-a-glance information, including headlines, weather, calendar, events, tips and more.

iPad users can now work with multiple files and documents from the same app simultaneously with updates to Split View, or can quickly view and switch between multiple apps in Slide Over. For example, customers can compose an email while viewing another email side by side or access multiple apps like Messages or Calendar with just a swipe. App Exposé provides a quick view of just the open windows for any one app with a simple tap.

Plus these and other iOS 13 feature updates:

• More Ways to Use Apple Pencil
• More Powerful Files App
• Desktop-Class Browsing with Safari

iPadOS will be available this fall for iPad Air 2 and later, all iPad Pro models, iPad 5th generation and later and iPad mini 4 and later.

Read the entire news release (with images) > apple.com/ipados

Apple Previews iOS 13

Apple today (6-3-19) previewed iOS 13, introducing a dramatic new look for iPhone with Dark Mode and new ways to browse and edit photos, sign in to apps and websites, and navigate the world with an all-new map. iOS 13 is faster and more responsive with optimizations across the system that improve app launch, reduce app download sizes and make Face ID even faster.

“iOS 13 brings new capabilities to the apps you use every day, with rich updates to Photos and Maps, and privacy-protecting features like Sign In with Apple, all while delivering faster performance,” said Craig Federighi, Apple’s senior vice president of Software Engineering. “We’re excited for customers to experience what’s coming to iPhone this fall and can’t wait for them to see how great everything looks in Dark Mode.”

Additional iOS 13 Feature Updates

• Reminders
• Messages
• Siri
• CarPlay
• HomePod
• Voice Control
• Notes
• QuickPath
• Text Editing
• Files
• Health
• Location Services
• Performance

iOS 13 will be available this fall for iPhone 6s and later.

Read the entire news release (with images) > apple.com/ios-13

New iPod Touch - Even Greater Performance

Apple today (5-28-19) introduced the new iPod touch with enhancements to power, capability and communication at a remarkable price. The Apple-designed A10 Fusion chip brings improved performance in games, and for the first time on iPod, immersive augmented reality (AR) experiences and Group FaceTime, making it easy to chat with family members, friends or colleagues simultaneously. The new iPod touch is available to order on apple.com and in the Apple Store app starting today and in stores later this week.

“We’re making the most affordable iOS device even better with performance that is twice as fast as before, Group FaceTime and augmented reality starting at just $199,” said Greg Joswiak, Apple’s vice president of Product Marketing. “The ultra-thin and lightweight design of iPod touch has always made it ideal for enjoying games, music and so much more wherever you go.”

iPod touch comes in a new 256GB capacity, giving plenty of space to download music for offline listening through Apple Music or the iTunes Store.

Read the complete news release > apple.com/new-ipod-touch

8-core MacBook Pro, fastest Mac notebook ever

Apple updated MacBook Pro with faster 8th- and 9th-generation Intel Core processors, bringing eight cores to MacBook Pro for the first time. MacBook Pro now delivers two times faster performance than a quad-core MacBook Pro and 40 percent more performance than a 6-core MacBook Pro, making it the fastest Mac notebook ever.

These new processors, combined with powerful graphics, the brilliant and colorful Retina display, super-fast SSDs, the Apple T2 Security Chip, all-day battery life and macOS, make MacBook Pro the world’s best pro notebook.

Read the complete news release > apple.com/8-core-MacBook-Pro

All-new Apple TV app available

Apple TV App Brings Together Favorite Shows and Movies
from Apple TV Channels, iTunes and Over 150 Video Apps

The all-new Apple TV app, which brings together all the ways to watch TV into one app, is available starting today in over 100 countries across iPhone, iPad, Apple TV and select Samsung smart TVs.

With the free iOS 12.3 and tvOS 12.3 software update, customers around the world can now subscribe to Apple TV channels within the Apple TV app — paying for only the ones they want — and watch on demand directly in the app.

In the US, Apple TV channels include popular services such as HBO, Starz, SHOWTIME, Smithsonian Channel, EPIX, Tastemade and new services like MTV Hits, with more to be added over time around the world.

Through Family Sharing, up to six family members can share subscriptions to Apple TV channels using just their Apple ID and password. Subscribers can watch and download shows and movies both online and offline, making the Apple TV app the first and only place where HBO subscribers can download movies and shows such as “Game of Thrones” for offline viewing.

Also starting today, users worldwide can enjoy personalized recommendations of shows and movies from more than 150 video apps and streaming services and over 100,000 iTunes movies and TV shows, including the largest collection of 4K HDR titles available to browse, buy or rent — all within the new Apple TV app. The Watch Now section features Up Next, where users can quickly find and watch their favorites with activity synced across devices, as well as explore expertly curated collections based on a secure and comprehensive understanding of users’ viewing interests.

Read the complete news release > apple.com/all-new-apple-tv-app

Apple Reports Second Quarter Results

Services Revenue Reaches New All-Time High of $11.5 Billion

Apple today (4-30-19) announced financial results for its fiscal 2019 second quarter ended March 30, 2019. The Company posted quarterly revenue of $58 billion, a decline of 5 percent from the year-ago quarter, and quarterly earnings per diluted share of $2.46, down 10 percent. International sales accounted for 61 percent of the quarter’s revenue.

“Our March quarter results show the continued strength of our installed base of over 1.4 billion active devices, as we set an all-time record for Services, and the strong momentum of our Wearables, Home and Accessories category, which set a new March quarter record,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO. “We delivered our strongest iPad growth in six years, and we are as excited as ever about our pipeline of innovative hardware, software and services. We’re looking forward to sharing more with developers and customers at Apple’s 30th annual Worldwide Developers Conference in June.”

“We generated operating cash flow of $11.2 billion in the March quarter and continued to make significant investments in all areas of our business,” said Luca Maestri, Apple’s CFO. “We also returned over $27 billion to shareholders through share repurchases and dividends. Given our confidence in Apple’s future and the value we see in our stock, our Board has authorized an additional $75 billion for share repurchases. We are also raising our quarterly dividend for the seventh time in less than seven years.”

Reflecting the approved increase, Apple’s board of directors has declared a cash dividend of $0.77 per share of the Company’s common stock, an increase of 5 percent. The dividend is payable on May 16, 2019 to shareholders of record as of the close of business on May 13, 2019.

The management team and the Board will continue to review each element of the capital return program regularly and plan to provide an update on the program on an annual basis.

Read the complete news release > apple.com/second-quarter-results

iMac Gets a 2X Performance Boost

Apple on Tuesday (3-19-19) updated its iMac line with up to 8-core Intel 9th-generation processors for the first time and powerful Vega graphics options, delivering dramatic increases in both compute and graphics performance. From consumers to pros alike, users will notice their iMac is faster for everyday tasks all the way up to the most demanding pro workloads. This boost in performance, combined with its gorgeous Retina display, sleek all-in-one design, quiet operation, fast storage and memory, modern connectivity and macOS Mojave, makes iMac the world’s best desktop.

“Customers are going to love the huge boost in iMac performance. With up to 8-core processors and powerful Vega graphics, the iMac lineup is stronger than ever,” said Tom Boger, Apple’s senior director of Mac Product Marketing. “With its stunning Retina display, amazing design, twice the performance, and macOS Mojave that our customers love, iMac is by far the best desktop in the world.”

Read the complete news release > apple.com/imac-performance-boost

All New iPad Air and iPad Mini

Apple today (3-18-19) introduced the all-new iPad Air in an ultra-thin 10.5-inch design, offering the latest innovations including Apple Pencil support and high-end performance at a breakthrough price. With the A12 Bionic chip with Apple’s Neural Engine, the new iPad Air delivers a 70 percent boost in performance and twice the graphics capability, and the advanced Retina display with True Tone technology is nearly 20 percent larger with over half a million more pixels.

Apple today also introduced the new 7.9-inch iPad mini, a major upgrade for iPad mini fans who love a compact, ultra-portable design packed with the latest technology. With the A12 Bionic chip, the new iPad mini is a powerful multi-tasking machine, delivering three times the performance and nine times faster graphics. The advanced Retina display with True Tone technology and wide color support is 25 percent brighter and has the highest pixel density of any iPad, delivering an immersive visual experience in any setting. And with Apple Pencil support, the new iPad mini is the perfect take-anywhere notepad for sketching and jotting down thoughts on the go. The new iPads are available to order starting today and in stores next week.

Read the complete news release > apple.com/all-new-ipads

Health Records Feature Coming To Veterans

Working with the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Apple announced that the Health Records on iPhone feature will be available soon to veterans. For the first time, American veterans receiving care through the Veterans Health Administration will be able to securely view their aggregated health records directly in the Health app on their iPhone.

“We have great admiration for veterans, and we’re proud to bring a solution like Health Records on iPhone to the veteran community,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO. “It’s truly an honor to contribute to the improved healthcare of America’s heroes.”

With Health Records on iPhone, veterans across the US will be able to see medical information from participating institutions — including the VA — organized into one view all in the Health app. Health records data includes allergies, conditions, immunizations, lab results, medications, procedures and vitals, and is displayed along with other information in the Health app like Apple Watch data. This means VA patients will get a single, integrated snapshot of their health profile whenever they want quickly and privately. All Health Records data is encrypted and protected with the user’s iPhone passcode, Touch ID or Face ID.

“When patients have better access to their health information, they have more productive conversations with their physicians,” said Jeff Williams, Apple’s COO. “By bringing Health Records on iPhone to VA patients, we hope veterans will experience improved healthcare that will enhance their lives.”

“Our goal is to empower people to better understand and improve their health, enabling them to view their medical information from multiple providers in one place easily and securely,” said Kevin Lynch, Apple’s vice president of Technology. “We’re excited to bring this feature to veterans across the US.”

Health Records on iPhone will be the first record-sharing platform of its kind available to the VA, which is the largest medical system in the United States providing service to more than 9 million veterans across 1,243 facilities.

credit: apple.com/newsroom/

Apple Reports First Quarter Results

Apple yesterday (1-29-19) announced financial results for its fiscal 2019 first quarter ended December 29, 2018. The Company posted quarterly revenue of $84.3 billion, a decline of 5 percent from the year-ago quarter, and quarterly earnings per diluted share of $4.18, up 7.5 percent. International sales accounted for 62 percent of the quarter’s revenue.

Revenue from iPhone® declined 15 percent from the prior year, while total revenue from all other products and services grew 19 percent. Services revenue reached an all-time high of $10.9 billion, up 19 percent over the prior year. Revenue from Mac® and Wearables, Home and Accessories also reached all-time highs, growing 9 percent and 33 percent, respectively, and revenue from iPad® grew 17 percent.

“While it was disappointing to miss our revenue guidance, we manage Apple for the long term, and this quarter’s results demonstrate that the underlying strength of our business runs deep and wide,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO. “Our active installed base of devices reached an all-time high of 1.4 billion in the first quarter, growing in each of our geographic segments. That’s a great testament to the satisfaction and loyalty of our customers, and it’s driving our Services business to new records thanks to our large and fast-growing ecosystem.”

“We generated very strong operating cash flow of $26.7 billion during the December quarter and set an all-time EPS record of $4.18,” said Luca Maestri, Apple’s CFO. “We returned over $13 billion to our investors during the quarter through dividends and share repurchases. Our net cash balance was $130 billion at the end of the quarter, and we continue to target a net cash neutral position over time.”

Read the complete news release > apple.com/first-quarter-results

Major iPhone FaceTime Bug

A significant bug has been discovered in FaceTime and it spread virally over social media. The bug lets you call anyone with FaceTime, and immediately hear the audio coming from their phone — before the person on the other end has accepted or rejected the incoming call. Apple says the issue will be addressed in a software update “later this week”.

Naturally, this poses a pretty big privacy problem as you can essentially listen in on any iOS user, although it still rings like normal, so you can’t be 100% covert about it. Nevertheless, there is no indication on the recipient’s side that you could hear any of their audio. There’s a second part to this which can expose video too and these bugs are believed to affect any pair of iOS devices running iOS 12.1 or later.

Read the complete story > 9to5mac.com/facetime-bug-hear-audio