Apple Insider – Page 125

Posted on December 15, 2018 by — Leave a comment

Jailbreaking takes a hit as Cydia “app store” shutters

By Andrew O’Hara
Friday, December 14, 2018, 09:30 pm PT (12:30 am ET)

The end may be nigh for iOS jailbreaking as the Cydia Store officially shut down this week, depriving a once thriving community of an important app distribution platform.

Cydia App Store logo | Source: Technology News World

Creator Jay Saurik made the announcement in a Reddit thread on Thursday, confirming the demise of the jailbreaking community’s main app store.

At its peak, Cydia was able to support a small team devoted to its upkeep, but that time has long passed. Recently, Cydia has made next to nothing for Saurik, instead costing him thousands of dollars a month, not to mention his mental well-being.

“The reality is that I wanted to just shut down the Cydia Store entirely before the end of the year, and was considering moving the timetable up,” Saurik said on Reddit.

Saurik was already planning on shutting down Cydia, but a recent security flaw was discovered, potentially putting logged in users at risk. This caused prominent jailbreak developers such as Nullpixel and Andy Wiik to issue statements urging users to remove their PayPal info from their accounts.

“I think he made a good decision for his own health” Andy Wiik said to AppleInsider, adding he thinks the community will continue to live on.

While it is no longer possible to make purchases through Cydia, the repo itself will still be around, allowing users to download previous purchases or make purchases through third-parties.

Additional details will be forthcoming from Saurik with more details on what the future holds for Cydia as well as its rise and fall.

Posted on December 14, 2018 by — Leave a comment

Review: Kingston Bolt is an easy way to add extra storage to your iPhone or iPad

Kingston Bolt is a dual-purpose Lightning/USB drive that effortlessly allows you to store or backup photos and videos from a compatible iOS device.

Kingston Bolt flash drive

An all-too-common problem

Apple has taken some flak for its decision not to include much storage on entry level devices, often requiring users to make tough decisions on what to keep and what to delete.

Also a factor is the fact that many users don’t necessarily trust cloud storage with their precious photos, which means they need some form of physical backup for safe keeping. Manually backing up to your Mac is an option, but that requires proximity to a desktop which isn’t always convenient.

The situation has given rise to accessories like Bolt, which have started to crop up as users look to aftermarket storage alternatives.

Metal doohickey

Kingston Bolt Lightning and USB-A

Bolt is a minute, metal device with an Apple-certified Lightning connector on one end and a USB-A port on the other. Going from your computer to iPhone or iPad is easy — assuming your Mac or PC still has USB-A hanging around.

There’s no USB-C here, which means the new iPad Pros aren’t invited to play, and neither are the latest Macs (at least without an adapter).

The native app

When first plugged into your iPhone, an alert appears asking you to download the Bolt app. Unfortunately, iOS can’t handle drives directly, hence the third-party app requirement.

After launching the app, and making sure Bolt is connected, a pleasant-looking dashboard is presented, complete with a pair of graphs highlighting the amount of remaining storage on the local device and the connected Bolt.

Kingston gives you three actions to take: shooting footage straight to Bolt, moving files to Bolt or viewing the files on Bolt.

Moving photos and videos over is as easy as you would imagine; simply choose a folder or album and select the assets you would like to store on Bolt. You can then delete the local files or keep them as a backup.

Alternatively, you can film or shoot pictures directly to Bolt, cutting out the intermediate step of storing them — even temporarily — on your iPhone. This is a great feature, especially if you plan on shooting a ton of footage.

The downside of shooting directly to Bolt is that you are limited to 4K at 18fps, 1080p at 30fps, or 720p at 30fps. Natively, there are many better filming options.

Wanting more

Kingston Bolt

Using the Kingston Bolt app is easy and painless, but does highlight the needs within iOS for direct-interfacing with external storage. You can’t, for instance, access the Bolt’s storage directly from the Files app.

This shortcoming isn’t Kingston’s fault, who is trying to make the best of a bad situation. That said, the Bolt app is a well implemented solution working with iOS’s walled garden.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Where to buy

If you find yourself bumping against the storage limits of your iPhone and could use Kingston’s help, you can find the Bolt on Amazon starting at $34.99 for the 32GB version, with 64GB and 128GB capacities available.

Posted on December 13, 2018 by — Leave a comment

Apple to build $1B campus in Austin, increase employment nationwide

Alongside the Texas campus, the company plans new or expanded sites in Seattle, Pittsburgh, Colorado and more over the next three years.

Workers at Apple’s Reno, Nevada data center

Apple is spending $1 billion to build a new campus for engineering, research and customer support in Austin and is doing so as part of U.S.-wide expansion plans. The new 133-acre campus will initially house 5,000 new staff and together with Austin’s existing 6,200 Apple employees is expected to make the company the largest private employer in the city.

“Talent, creativity and tomorrow’s breakthrough ideas aren’t limited by region or zip code,” said Apple CEO Tim Cook. “Apple is proud to bring new investment to cities across the United States and significantly deep our quarter-century partnership with the city and people of Austin. And with this new expansion, we’re redoubling our commitment to cultivating the high-tech sector and workforce nationwide.”

The new Austin campus, situated a mile from the current one, will continue Apple’s policy of being powered by 100 percent renewable energy. In addition to a building ultimately able to house 15,000 people, the site will also feature 50 acres of preserved open space.

Alongside the Austin campus, Apple announced that over the next three years it is planning to enlarge workforces in Seattle, San Diego and Culver City to over 1,000 employees each. It’s also intending to expand existing facilities in Boulder, Colo., as well as Boston, New York, Pittsburgh and Portland, Ore.

Apple’s projected US employment by 2022 (Credit: Apple)

Apple currently employs 90,000 people across all 50 states, including 6,000 who have been added this year. This year’s new hires are part of a five-year plan to add 20,000 jobs in America and contribute $350 billion to the economy.

These figures are to do with direct spending by Apple but the company claims that its work is also enabling a much wider indirect impact on American employment. In all, Apple says it is responsible for the creation and support of two million jobs in the U.S. including employees at some 9,000 supply firms and 1.5 million jobs related to the App Store.

“Apple is among the world’s most innovative companies and an avid creator of jobs in Texas and across the country,” said Texas Governor Greg Abbot. “Their decision to expand operations in our state is a testament to the high-quality workforce and unmatched economic environment that Texas offers.”

Apple also announced plans to invest $10 billion in data centers across the U.S. in a program due to take five years. Presently the existing data centers in North Carolina, Arizona and Nevada are being expanded while a new one is being planned for Waukee, Iowa.

Keep up with AppleInsider by downloading the AppleInsider app for iOS, and follow us on YouTube, Twitter @appleinsider and Facebook for live, late-breaking coverage. You can also check out our official Instagram account for exclusive photos.

Posted on December 12, 2018 by — Leave a comment

Flash deal: Apple’s HomePod on sale for $249 ($100 off) while supplies last

By Christine McKee
Tuesday, December 11, 2018, 09:01 pm PT (12:01 am ET)

After originally selling out within four hours, B&H has brought back the incredibly popular $249 deal on Apple’s HomePod with free expedited delivery. What’s more, B&H will not collect sales tax in many states. Supplies are limited, so grab this deal while you can.

$100 off Apple HomePods

Apple HomePod in White: $249* @B&H ($100 off)
Apple HomePod in Space Gray: $249* @B&H ($100 off)
*B&H will not collect sales tax on orders shipped outside these states.

Apple authorized reseller B&H Photo is back at it with a holiday discount that delivers triple digit savings on Apple’s HomePod. Now $249 after a $100 instant rebate, this deal offers shoppers the lowest price available on the smart speaker. In addition to the cash rebate, you can also take advantage of additional perks, such as no tax collected on orders shipped outside AL, HI, IL, IN, KY, MD, ME, MI, MN, MS, NC, NJ, NY, ND, OK, VT, WA and WI. Expedited shipping is also free within the contiguous U.S., putting this in your hands the quickest and for the lowest price.

Supplies are limited with B&H’s previous $249 HomePod deal selling out shortly after going live.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GEAShPtpVXM&w=560&h=315]

Additional Apple Deals

AppleInsider and Apple authorized resellers are also running a handful of additional exclusive promotions this month on Apple hardware that will not only deliver the lowest prices on many of the items, but also throw in discounts on AppleCare, software and accessories. These deals are as follows:

Posted on December 11, 2018 by — Leave a comment

Apple Pay launches in Germany with support for 15 banks and services

Making good on promises to take Apple Pay live in Germany before year’s end, Apple on Tuesday activated services of its mobile payments solution in the region with support for 15 financial institutions including Comdirect and Deutsche Bank.

Apple Pay Germany.

Apple Pay partners pushed out notifications early Tuesday morning, notifying customers that their credit cards are now ready to register within the Wallet app, according to local reports posted to Twitter and other social media outlets.

Initial support is provided by Comdirect, Deutsche Bank, Fidor Bank, Hanseatic Bank, HypoVereinsbank and prepaid service Edenred. Mobile banking services Boon, Bunq, N26, o2, Square and VIMpay also offer integration, as do credit card companies American Express, MasterCard and Visa.

Apple Pay is accepted at a number of retailers in Germany including Aldi, Avia, Berhska, Cigo, Ditsch, dm, Galeria Kaufhof, HEM, Kaufland, Lidl, Netto, Real and more.

The release arrives four months after Apple officially announced plans to deliver Apple Pay to Germany, and one day after a report citing banking industry sources said the service would launch sometime this week. Rumors surrounding a German release have circulated for months, but a firm launch timeline remained elusive until last month when Apple updated its regional Apple Pay website to read “coming soon.”

Apple’s German language website has not been refreshed to reflect the new availability, but that is expected to change as the service continues to roll out over the coming hours.

Germany’s relatively late adoption is thought to be a result of pushback from local banks; As with other major market introductions, like Australia, fees were a bone of contention for Germany’s financial institutions.

Prior to Germany, Apple debuted the first-party payments solution in Belgium and Kazakhstan in late November.

Apple Pay launched domestically in 2014 with support for a handful of banks and integrations with major credit card companies. The product has since expanded to a number of countries around the world, including major markets like Australia, Canada, China, Hong Kong, Japan, Russia and the U.K. With today’s availability, Apple’s payments service is available to iPhone, Apple Watch and Mac users in 33 territories.

Posted on December 10, 2018 by — Leave a comment

24 hours only: Apple’s 2017 12.9″ iPad Pro (512GB, WiFi) on sale for $799 ($350 off) for Green Monday

By Christine McKee
Sunday, December 09, 2018, 09:40 pm PT (12:40 am ET)

While supplies last on Green Monday, B&H Photo is slashing the price of Apple’s Mid 2017 12.9-inch iPad Pro with 512GB of space and Wi-Fi functionality. Priced at just $799 after a $350 instant discount with free expedited shipping and no tax in many states, this is the lowest price available for the spacious model during the special DealZone event.

2017 12.9″ iPad Pros for $799

512GB 2017 12.9″ iPad Pro (Wi-Fi) Space Gray: $799* ($350 off)
512GB 2017 12.9″ iPad Pro (Wi-Fi) Silver: $799* ($350 off)
512GB 2017 12.9″ iPad Pro (Wi-Fi) Gold: $799* ($350 off)
*B&H will not collect sales tax on orders shipped outside these states.

For one day only, Apple’s 2017 12.9-inch iPad Pro (512GB, Wi-Fi Only) is on sale for $799 in your choice of Silver, Space Gray or Gold thanks to a special Green Monday DealZone discount. At $350 off, this is the lowest price available from an Apple authorized reseller with many retailers completely sold out. What’s more, B&H is throwing in free expedited shipping within the contiguous U.S. for delivery by Christmas. B&H also will not collect sales tax on orders shipped outside AL, HI, IL, IN, KY, MD, ME, MI, MN, MS, NC, NJ, NY, ND, OK, VT, WA and WI. For many shoppers, this can equate to another $65 in savings on top of B&H’s instant rebate.

To take advantage of the special offer, simply select your desired finish through this DealZone link now through 11:59 p.m. Eastern on Dec. 10, or while supplies last. And for even more flash deals, be sure to check out our Green Monday deal roundup.

Add AppleCare

You can easily tack on an AppleCare extended protection plan to these 12.9-inch iPad Pros for $129 by selecting the AppleCare option in your cart.

2017 12.9-inch iPad Pro accessories

Additional Apple Deals

Posted on December 9, 2018 by — Leave a comment

Green Monday deal: Apple’s high-end 1TB 2018 15″ MacBook Pro for $2,899 ($300 off)

Exclusive

By Christine McKee
Saturday, December 08, 2018, 09:28 pm PT (12:28 am ET)

Exclusively for AI readers, B&H Photo is taking $300 off Apple’s high-end Mid 2018 15-inch MacBook Pro. Pick up the 1TB model with an upgraded processor and top-of-the-line graphics for $2,899. Plus, take advantage of free expedited shipping and no tax collected in many states.

Apple 2018 15 inch MacBook Pro Green Monday

$300 off loaded 2018 15-inch MacBook Pro

2018 15″ MacBook Pro (2.6GHz 16GB 1TB Radeon 560X) Space Gray: $2,899* ($300 off)
*B&H will not collect sales tax on orders shipped outside these states.

For three days only, B&H Photo is knocking $300 off a very popular Mid 2018 15-inch MacBook Pro exclusively for AppleInsider readers. Priced at $2,899 with this special link, the loaded model features an upgraded 2.6GHz six-core processor, 16GB of memory and 1TB of SSD storage. The Space Gray system also features top-of-the-line Radeon Pro 560X graphics with 4GB GDDR5. This deal is the lowest price by at least $250, according to our 15-inch MacBook Pro Price Guide.

In addition to free expedited shipping for delivery by Christmas, B&H will not collect sales tax on orders shipped outside AL, HI, IL, IN, KY, MD, ME, MI, MN, MS, NC, NJ, NY, ND, OK, VT, WA and WI. For many shoppers, this can equate to $555 in savings compared to shopping at Apple.

To activate the limited-time offer, please follow the step-by-step instructions below.

Instructions: To redeem the discount, simply click through this exclusive pricing link using AppleInsider’s desktop site and look for the advertised offer.

Please note: This deal cannot be activated through the B&H and AppleInsider apps at this time. If you still cannot see the exclusive price using the desktop site, all is not lost! Need help? Send us a note at deals@appleinsider.com and we will do our best to assist.

Add AppleCare

You can easily tack on an AppleCare extended protection plan to this 15″ MacBook Pro with Touch Bar for $379 by selecting the AppleCare option immediately after you press the “Add to Cart” button on B&H’s website.

Additional Apple Deals

Posted on December 8, 2018 by — Leave a comment

Apple rings in holidays with Beer Bash featuring Idina Menzel, Toys for Tots drive

By AppleInsider Staff
Friday, December 07, 2018, 08:36 pm PT (11:36 pm ET)

Apple employees on Friday participated in a pair of yearly traditions at the company’s One Infinite Loop campus in California, donating goods to the Toys for Tots Program before enjoying a Beer Bash performance featuring Idina Menzel.

Idina Menzel performs at Apple’s holiday Beer Bash. | Source: Tim Cook via Twitter

Apple CEO Tim Cook shared photos of the annual event in a pair of tweets, the first of which celebrated the Toys for Tots initiative run by the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve.

“One of my favorite holiday traditions — our annual @ToysForTots_USA celebration. Thanks @USMC for your service to our country and for spreading holiday magic to children in need,” Cook said.

A photo attached to the tweet showed Cook shaking hands with reservists in uniform, who were on the scene at Apple’s campus to collect toys from employees.

The Apple chief tweeted out a second message highlighting this year’s holiday Beer Bash. Performing for a crowd of workers was Idina Menzel, best known for her role as Elsa in the Walt Disney animated film “Frozen.”

“A big thank-you from our Apple family to the phenomenally talented @idinamenzel. Your voice is a gift — thank you for sharing it with us. What a wonderful way to celebrate the holidays!” Cook said in the tweet.

An accomplished singer and musical theater performer — she starred in a number of Broadway productions and was a member of the original cast of Rent — Menzel is fresh off a month-long U.S. tour with Josh Groban that wrapped in November.

Along with Cook’s tweets, Apple employees posted their reactions to the day’s festivities to social media outlets like Twitter and Instagram. Looking at photos of the celebration, it appears Apple went to extra lengths this year by erecting a canopied stage complete with lighting system.

Apple’s Beer Bash is currently held at the quad at One Infinite Loop. A semi-annual perk for Apple employees, the event typically includes a performance by a special guest accompanied by tasty local brews. Last year’s holiday gathering featured Gwen Stefani.

Posted on December 7, 2018 by — Leave a comment

Apple’s iPhone XR named best single-lens smartphone by DxOMark

By William Gallagher
Friday, December 07, 2018, 03:04 am PT (06:04 am ET)

The photography software firm’s benchmarking arm praises Apple for improvements to flash but criticizes zoom shots and low-light images. For overall quality, the iPhone XR still beats the previous best phone, the Google Pixel 2.

Detail of an iPhone XR with its single rear camera

Apple’s iPhone XR is now the top-ranked single-camera smartphone according to photo specialist DxO’s benchmarking unit, DxOMark. Testers shot over 1,500 images and more than two hours of video to conclude that the XR is “excellent.”

It beat the Google Pixel 2 and DxOMark says the cheaper iPhone “offers a very similar proposition for image quality as the flagship iPhone XS Max.” This is in spite of the XS Max’s dual-camera setup.

Where the iPhone XR falls down compared to the more expensive XS Max is in zoom and bokeh shots. The iPhone XR attempts to mimic the bokeh of a dual-camera phone through software algorithms. While Apple claims to have “turned the model of a lens into math,” in this case software is never going to equal hardware.

Yet if the XS Max maintains its hardware lead, the software has been improved for the XR. Of note, the single-lens iPhone boasts a digital zoom function that produces “very acceptable” results up to 2x magnification.

A high-contrast scene photographed during testing (Credit: DxOMark)

Equally, the firm reports that Portrait Mode on the XR performs well in low-light environments, offering better detail on faces than the XS. However, the company says that the XR’s “depth estimation is relative poor making the overall effect look a bit ‘photoshopped’.”

DxOMark notes that its bokeh tests involve both people and objects. Using Apple’s built-in Camera app, the iPhone XR’s computational bokeh is activated only when a face is detected. Outside of those scenarios, users looking to add bokeh to images must rely on iPhone’s physical lens stack, which produces minimal blur effects due to a relatively short equivalent focal length.

“Apple has managed to improve the flash on the XR a little, which we identified as a weak point for the XS Max during our testing,” said DxOMark.

These same flash issues in part hindered iPhone XS Max’s chances of taking top honors in a round of testing earlier this year. DxO ultimately named Huawei’s P20 Pro as the world’s best smartphone camera system.

DxOMark’s iPhone XR feature ranking

According to DxOMark’s points ranking system, the iPhone XS Max scored 110 in photo and 96 in video. By comparison, the newly announced results for the iPhone XR are 103 points for photo and the same 96 for video. DxOMark describes the XR’s video, saying it gives: “outstanding performance in bright light conditions.”

DxOMark’s overall smartphone rankings

While the iPhone XR is now the top-ranked single camera smartphone in DxOMark’s testing, it is still bested by dual camera handsets. DxOMark currently places the XR seventh out of all smartphones, with the Huawei P20 Pro still top overall.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IznHmFHgOaM&w=560&h=315]

Posted on December 6, 2018 by — Leave a comment

Apple testing USB security key support for Safari

By Mikey Campbell
Wednesday, December 05, 2018, 08:14 pm PT (11:14 pm ET)

Apple’s latest Safari Technology Preview includes support for the WebAuthentication API, which allows users to validate website login credentials via hardware security keys that typically come in the form of a USB stick.

Apple’s Safari web browser.

According to release notes covering Apple’s Safari Technology Preview version 71, which was released on Wednesday alongside iOS and macOS software updates, the new WebAuthn capability supports USB-based CTAP2 devices.

Developed by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) and the FIDO Alliance, WebAuthn is an effort to standardize and enhance the user authentication process across various systems and online gateways. The specification Apple is testing — Client-to-Authenticator Protocol 2 — is a product of the wider FIDO2 standard that enables hardware-backed authentication across the web.

USB-based CTAP2 devices, also known as authenticators or USB security keys, grant a higher level of protection than simple text-based passwords. Instead of relying solely on text-based passwords, which can be stolen or forgotten, the system introduces a physical hardware component into the mix.

Some solutions that rely on the technology require another form of authentication alongside the authenticator. Depending on the system, authentication might involve biometrics, location information, time stamps or password re-entry, among other safeguards. The end result is a strong, multi-factor security protocol that can be deployed across multiple compliant platforms with relative ease.

As noted by CNET, which reported on the Safari Technology Preview earlier today, FIDO2 also supports Bluetooth and near-field communications for hardware authentication, though the current Safari test build is restricted to direct USB connections. The limitation means users will need to insert a security key into their Mac when accessing sites that support CTAP and CTAP2, like Dropbox and Twitter.

WebAuthn in Safari is considered an “experimental feature,” though it could show up in a future version of Apple’s web browser.