Category: Apple Insider

The long-rumored Apple AR and VR headset has repeatedly been referred to as a mixed-reality device, one that would be equally at home providing VR and AR content to the user. This dual capability could be a key way for Apple to storm into the marketplace.

Tweeted on Sunday by TF Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, it is reasoned that it is generally known what an AR experience is like, and how VR works. “But for most people, it’s hard to imagine what kind of innovative experience the smooth switching between AR and VR can provide,” offers Kuo.

A clean and simple switch between AR and VR could be “one of the key selling points of Apple’s headset,” the analyst continues.

In a second tweet, Kuo insists that a complete mixed reality headset “is not only the hardware that can support both AR & VR but the ability to integrate AR & VR and switch them smoothly for different scenarios.” This belief is why Kuo is using “AR/MR” to describe the headset.

Kuo concludes by proposing the headset could hit store shelves in Q2 2023. On June 7, Kuo tweeted about a possible timetable for the headset’s launch, suggesting a January Apple event could be held for the device.

Foxconn and other companies are in the process of expanding or launching new operations in Vietnam, as a part of Apple’s efforts to bring more of its manufacturing outside of China. However, Foxconn is seemingly becoming a victim of the uptick in activity.

Speaking to the media on Saturday, Hon Hai chairman Young Liu told of the struggle in Vietnam as rival companies are setting up their operations in Vietnam, reports Bloomberg. Its supply chain competitors are allegedly opening up facilities near to Foxconn campuses in the country, so they can poach workers and benefit from the existing knowledge and skills pool.

Liu declined to name specific companies, but insisted “The move shouldn’t be condoned.”

Foxconn currently employs around 60,000 people in Vietnam, the chairman said, and the company has plans to “significantly” increase the number over the next year or two.

Apple has talked to its suppliers to try and increase the amount of production outside of China, a move that would impact manufacturing in other countries like Vietnam that are already included within the supply chain.

The iPhone maker said that it has made the changes after a number of “productive conversations” with the Dutch Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM).

Apple announced the new changes on Friday. They include adjustments to the user interface requirements and payment processor criteria when developers choose to opt for external payment entitlements, which allow them to use third-party payment systems.

Additionally, Apple also says that its 3% commission discount now applies to in-app purchases that qualify for a lower commission rate. In other words, developers may only have to pay a 13% cut if they are part of the App Store Small Business Program or if a user has a subscription older than one year.

Although Apple has agreed to make the changes, it still says that they are not in the “best interest” of user privacy and security. It is also continuing to appeal the original ACM order forcing it to allow dating apps in the Netherlands to usethird-party payment methods.

“We don’t believe some of these changes are in the best interests of our users’ privacy or data security,” Apple wrote. “Because Apple is committed to constructive engagement with regulators, we’re making the additional changes at the ACM’s request. As we’ve previously said, we disagree with the ACM’s original order and are appealing it.

Back in 2021, the ACM determined that Apple’s App Store rules broke local competition laws in the country and demanded that the company changes its in-app purchase policy in 2022.

Apple made changes to comply with the demand, but they didn’t satisfy the Dutch regulator. For example, Apple gave developers the ability to choose between alternate payments or in-app payments. The ACM, however, demanded that Apple allow developers to use both at the same time.

As a result, the ACM has been levying weekly fines amounting to more than 50 million euros.

In a press release, Apple TV+ revealed that it has ordered the series “Sugar.” While the company has been relatively quiet on the details, in December 2021, it was described as a “contemporary take” on the detective genre.

The series will be directed by Academy Award nominee Fernando Meirelles. Farrell, who starred in “The Batman,” “True Detective,” and “The Lobster,” will also serve as executive producer.

It’s not yet clear when the series will debut.

This is the latest in a series of recent developments for the streaming platform. On Friday, June 3, Apple TV+ released a trailer of the comedy series “Loot.”

June 8 saw the news of Apple signing a deal agreeing to the production of an unnamed Formula One film starring Brad Pitt.

Introduced at WWDC 2022, Apple Pay Later gives users who are conducting a transaction through Apple Pay to split the cost into four payments over six weeks. The service charges no fees or commissions.

To power the service, Apple has established a wholly-owned subsidiary. It has spun off Apple Financing, LLC, to handle the lending.

This marks the first time that Apple has incorporated loans and credit assessments among other financial businesses into the firm, according to a report by Bloomberg.

The report added that Apple has been moving many of the financial services offered under the Apple brand “as part of a ‘secret initiative'” the company internally calls “Breakout.” The initiative is also slated to power the rumored upcoming device subscription program that splits the cost of new hardware into smaller month installments.

While interest-free lending is not directly a source of profit from the consumer, there are two avenues of cashflow the company will rely on. First, will be easier purchase of Apple hardware by consumers, paid with monthly installments outside of a traditional credit card.

The second profit avenue is transaction fees for each pay-as-you-go transaction that will be applied to the merchant. It’s not yet clear what these fees will be, or if they will be in line with existing credit card merchant fees.

After years of partnering with credit card companies for Apple-only transactions, the company’s first foray into payment tools was in September 2014, with the introduction of Apple Pay. The company then entered the credit card business in March 2019 in the launch of Apple Card, a culmination of a partnership with banking services firm Goldman Sachs.

The kits below include the iPad Pro itself, along with AppleCare+ to provide extended protection for your new device. Free expedited delivery is also included on orders shipped within the contiguous U.S. so you won’t have to wait long to begin experiencing everything Apple’s M1 iPad Pro has to offer.

Select between the standard 11-inch or 12.9-inch iPad Pro, each with 128GB of storage. Or opt for additional space or Cellular capability for a robust laptop replacement. To activate the exclusive offers, you must shop through the pricing links below from a laptop, desktop or iPad.

To activate the exclusive pricing, you must shop through the B&H pricing links in this post from a laptop or desktop computer. We’re sorry, but the offers cannot be redeemed in B&H’s mobile app at this time.

Payboo cardholders can also extend the savings further, with a sales tax refund in eligible states or special financing for up to 12 months. To see how the offers stack up against other resellers, be sure to visit our iPad Price Guide.

And if you’re looking to run iPadOS 16 with Stage Manager and the Weather app, you can rest assured the M1 iPad Pro is on the list of compatible hardware to help future proof your purchase.

Tech resellers are also running specials on additional hardware that will not only deliver the lowest prices on many of the items, but also throw in bonus savings on accessories, software and more. Here are just a few of the deals running this week:

On Monday, Apple announced iOS 16, the next major operating system release for the iPhone. The first developer beta has already hit the internet, with many combing over the code to see what hidden features may be waiting to be found.

As it turns out, the iOS 16 beta code does feature a secret — a reference to an Apple HomePod. However, the code makes it clear that it isn’t the HomePod mini or the original HomePod.

First spotted by 9to5mac, the unknown HomePod is labeled internally as “AudioAccessory6,” while HomePod mini is “AudioAccessory5,” and the original HomePod is “AudioAccessory1.”

As a product that doesn’t generally enjoy a regular update cycle, like the iPhone’s annual updates, Apple’s introduction of a new HomePod model is much harder to pin down.

There have been two major HomePod launches in February 2018 and November 2020, equating to a 2-year-9-month gap between models. There is no hard-established cycle that would suggest a concrete launch date.

On Sunday, Apple hosted an open house for the Developer Center located at Apple Park, which saw attendees go through a tour of the center’s first floor. Greeted with coffee and donuts from Caffe Macs, visitors were ushered into the building to a reception by waving and cheering staff wearing masks.

In a series of photographs and videos shared to Twitter by author and developer Paul Hudson, visitors could tour a selection of rooms within the center. As typical for Apple, it was playful in its design of the rooms and the tour itself, hiding numerous elements for visitors to discover.

Room names in the building were taken from macOS releases, including Panther, Tiger, Leopard, and El Capitan. The rooms themselves are described by Hudson as like “an Apple Store just for developers,” packed with technology and large screens

Strewn around the rooms were easter eggs, including a jacket that would’ve been provided to WWDC20 attendees but were received by Swift Student Challenge winners, whiteboard notices to check Xcode for other messages, and a reference to “Prototype Dolphin,” which was a codename for some watchOS versions.

Much like the neighboring main Apple Park campus building, glass lined the outside of the Developer Center, which was manned by Apple employees. Guests were also taken to the Big Sur theater, which will be used for future presentations.

Swag was also handed out, including a tote bag, a Swift cap, an Apple water bottle, and a set of pins.

Recent rumors have pushed the narrative that Apple will go big on AR and VR for WWDC 2022, to give developers a chance to make apps for a headset launch later in 2022. However, a report claims Apple will be waiting until 2023 to launch the hardware, casting doubt on its appearance during the developer conference.

In an article discussing Apple’s tapping of Hollywood directors to develop content for the headset, sources of the New York Times discuss the hiring of Mike Rockwell from Dolby Technologies to work on the headset. The two people familiar with the project said that issues have forced Apple to postpone a release until 2023.

It is claimed that early attempts by Rockwell to create an AR product were “hobbled by weak computing power.” However, challenges relating to battery power are supposedly behind the increased delay.

Among the rumors supporting a 2022 headset is one claim that Apple had started a second round of pre-production testing in February. By May, the headset had apparently entered an “advanced” stage of development, and was supposedly shown to members of Apple’s board of directors.

A trademark filing has seemingly indicated that “realityOS” could be the name for the operating system used by the headset, which may still be shown off during WWDC itself. In preparation for the headset’s launch, Apple could still offer developers tools for the creation of apps using existing available hardware, or possibly even via a developer kit.

The report offered that some of the elements being shown could be software tools that add new camera and voice functionality. Two people familiar with the project and documents reviewed by the publication suggested this could lay the groundwork for a hands-free headset interface.

The Saturday article claims Apple has brought aboard Hollywood directors to assist with creating content for its headset. One of the people named was Jon Favreau, who served as an executive producer for “Prehistoric Planet” on Apple TV+, and is apparently working to bring elements of that show to the headset.

Apple is expected to announce a new MacBook Air at the June 6 WWDC event. Until now, most reports have suggested that it would launch in a rainbow of colors, mirroring Apple’s M1 iMac.

Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman now believes that the idea of the MacBook Air launching in a rainbow of colors is “probably exaggerated” and expects the lineup to launch with the standard colors plus one additional shade — blue.

The idea of Apple introducing an updated MacBook Air has been floated a few times, and as one of the earliest M1 products, it seems a likely candidate for a refresh.

Apple is rumored to be close to launching its next generation of Apple Silicon chips, with the M2 potentially being unveiled at WWDC 2022. Apple may announce an updated MacBook Air featuring the new chip as part of the launch.