I was fully expect to hear about event invites by then end of the week, but there's a wrinkle
Tim Cook will be doing a keynote on the 24th at the 2018 International Conference of Data Protection and Privacy Commissioners
That's in Brussels.
So maybe the 30th? Or no event?
We're getting more details on what the rumor mill believes the specs and features will look like.
Almost no doubt will adopt the almost bezel free design of the recent iPhones, but likely no notch,
Still they will have TrueDepth cameras and FaceID
It's also expected to have a new or updated SmartConnector that could be positioned on the back of the device.
Apple will reportedly open up 3rd party support (further?)
looks like the USB-C connector would be covered when an accessory was connected?
New Apple Pencil with "AirPod like" magic
4K HDR video out support via a USB-C Port.
Control setting for external displays in Settings.
Updated A12 bionic based processor design including the SIP that allows the computational photography magic in the iPhone XS, XS Max, and XR
A rumor the new models may have the same display resolution of 2224 x 1668 for the 10.5-inch and 2732 x 2048 for the 12.9-inch
Seems to possibly contradict there being an 11-inch version replacing the 10.5-inch model
Could be just 5.9mm thick based on leaks from "SlashLeaks". Means not thick enough for a 3.5-mm headphone jack.
9to5Mac found an "on boarding" reference string for iPad2018Fall in the
Other possible things at the event
New Mac mini, update to the MacBook and possibly MacBook Air
iOS 12.0.1 Update
Fixed issue some were having on the XS and XS Max when charging via the Lightning cable
Also fixes an issue where some XS family devices would reconnect to the 2.4GHz band on a mixed WiFi Network.
Put the ".?123" back to the original position on the iPad keyboard.
A few other bug fixes for things like Bluetooth
Apple told developers through the App Store support page that iOS 12 is now on 53 percent of active devices introduced in the past four years.
It's also on 50 percent of all active devices
About 40 percent are running iOS 11 and the rest something else.
iOS 12 appears to be having a faster uptick rate then iOS 11. Likely due to the publicized performance enhancements on older devices.
It's good for users and developers.
Also says a lot for Apple's ability to offer old device support.
I don't like the comparison to Apple vs other platform because the parameters of the equation are VERY different.
The iPhone XR is arriving soon
On sale Friday, so if you plan to use the upgrade program make sure you check eligibility and pre-qualify
Also pre-set up you order in Apple's Store app.
Reports that Apple will have a new USD $40 "clear case"
Ming Chi Kuo told his investor he thinks iPhone XR sales will be "better then expected"
Predicts Apple could ship 38 million in their first fiscal quarter (4th quarter of 2018)
With Apple selling 83 million iPhones total
He also thinks the post holiday drop off will be less then what it was for iPhone 8 sales. Where there Apple saw a 50 percent drop in the sales rate, he think the XR will only drop about 30 percent post holiday quarter
He's predicting 60 million iPhones inApple's second fiscal quarter of 2019 and the iPhone XR will account for roughly 50 percent of that.
The Mac Pro Processor?
Intel revealed their latest high-spec processors. The ones that could be destined for the 2019 Mac Pro
The also announced new 9th-generation Core processors with high core counts going up to a 5Ghz 8-core design.
It's the Xeon beast that's really interesting. 28-core is the 56-thread chip called the Xeon W-3175X. It's clocked at just 3.1Ghz, but can be boosted to 4.3Ghz and has a six-channel DDR4 memory controller allowing it to support up to 512GB of RAM.
The process is hot, literally, it has a Thermal Design Point (TDP) of 265 Watts. So could double as an oven to bake a snack for late night rendering sessions.
The Xeon will be available in December
In additon new 9th-generation Core processors were announced with core i5, i7, and i9 designs ranging from the six-core Core i5-9600K with a base clock of 3.7GHZ up to the 16-thread Core i9-9900K, which has a base clock speed of 3.6GHz rising to 5GHz under boost.
All the new Core processors are shipping this month, but because they all having a TDP of 95W Apple is unlikely to use them in the iMac or MacBook Pro designs.
Meanwhile Apple's lack of new Mac offerings, outside the MacBook Pro update, seems to be impacting Mac sales
Gartner released it's latest numbers and shows Apple's worldwide share of the PC market slipping 8 percent year over year
Apple shipped half a million fewer Macs in the 3rd quarter of this year then last according to the firm
IDC released a report with even lower shipment numbers showing Apple shipments down 11 percent year over year.
Two new Apple acquisitions… maybe one?
Apple reportedly acquired Spektral, a Danish computer vision startup.
It appears it happened late last year, but just was noticed now? The deal is reportedly for $30 million
The company has a technology that can intelligently separate people and objects from their original backgrounds in photos and videos.
Yeah, basically green screening, but their solution uses deep neural networks and spectral graph theory, so it can happen in real time at 60fps on device.
One of the founders of the company is now listed as Manager, Computational Imaging at Apple Inc. on his LinkedIn account.
There are many areas where Apple could likely apply this technology from Message and Clips, to Photos, Camera, Final Cut, or even their self driving vehicle and AR projects.
A report from Axios claims Apple has acquired San Francisco-based music analytics startup Asaii
The deal is reportedly work $100 million
The company makes an analytics platform for Artists and repertoire (A&R) reps.
Their system uses machine learning to help music labels to discover, track, and manage artists using data from social networks and streaming music services
The music management system was specifically designed to spot trends and find new up and coming artists on services like YouTube and SoundCloud.
They also had a recommendation API for music services.
TechCrunch was unable to get Apple's stock "acquisition" statement, so they concluded Apple simply hired the three Asaii founders.
MacRumors also had a source that said the deal was worth "way, way less" than $100 million. So seems like they just hired the guys and the guys closed the startup.
Apple also did a major deal to acquire power management technology and talent from their longtime supplier Dialog
In a deal reportedly worth $600 million Apple will license power management technology and acquire more than 300 employees from Dialog, representing 16 percent of the firm's workforce.
Apple will also take over Dialog facilities in the U.K., Italy and Germany.
it's believed Apple began designing it's own power management chips back in November of last year and this deal would do a lot to boost Apple resources and talent pool.
Apple original video could be free
In a report from CNBC they say the new service is going to mix online only subscription services from companies like HBO and Starz with their own "free" original video content.
Yes, "free". It's not clear exactly what that means.
Basically I guess the idea is you'd use the TV app, instead of separate 3rd party apps, and it would consolidate your paid subscription with Apple's own original content.
If true it also adds another layer to the "why" Apple is looking for their original content to have a more family friendly PG-rated spin.
Apple is taking a "freemium" approach to television (I assume with some sort of rev-share agreement) and wants their shows to be the thing that draws in customers for other services.
When i think about it this is not far off from the TV I grew up with. Free (ad supported) content with oversight and if you want the "adult" stuff you buy cable.
Apple announced a partnership with the lyric database Genius
Let's you use the Genius website or App with your Apple Music account to play any track in full on the lyric page.
Apple will use Genius data to increase their own lyric database.
Apple mapping in new ways
New vehicles were spotted in LA.
In the past Apple seemed to be exclusively using Ford transit vans with an horizontal array of 360-degree cameras and lidar
The new vehicles are smaller Subaru Impreza hatchbacks with a pole sticking up on the roof with the lidar and 360-degree camera arrays. The new set-up looks much more "Googlesque"
These vehicles should not we confused with the Lexus SUVs Apple is using as their autonomous vehicle testing platform.
A MacRumors reader also spotted "iBackpack" man in San Francisco. He had a backpack featuring a LIDAR rig, GPS, and multiple cameras.
Eddy Cue did tell the media Apple is focused on building the "best map app in the world" and we can only assume these now platforms are part of an effort to make that happen.
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Feedback, commentary, opinions
Some 2FA follow-up
Several people told me that the TXT option would have worked, even during iPhone setup, as long as the SIM has been transferred.
Click Didn't Get a Code on the sign in screen.
Choose to send a code to your trusted phone number
If you use iOS 11.3 or later on your iPhone, it'll even enter the number for you.
Bart Busschots pointed out a couple things:
You can add additional phone numbers to your account. On the web log into your [Apple ID Account](https://appleid.apple.com/) and there you can add "Trusted Numbers" in the "Security" section.
The way phone calls work is you decide at the point of adding the trusted number. You can choose "voice" for say a home or office number (or cell phone)
You'll get an automated call with the passcode.
Daniel pointed out another issue with versions of 2FA that send codes via SMS and that's what happens when you can't access the cellular network?
Traveling abroad or just out of service.
If your service offers "back-up codes" save them to a secure note or into your password manager.
If you have the option to use an "authenticator" app, use that.
I've covered this in the past but with iCloud if you have another Mac or registered device you can generate codes manually from it.
On your Mac:
Settings > iCloud > Account Details.
Security tab, then the 'Get Verification Code' button
On iOS:
Settings > iCloud
Tap Password & Security. Tap 'Get Verification Code'
Nuke & Pave "gotcha"
Eric wrote in after my comments about my Mojave clean install and reminded me about a possible "gotcha" if you do a clean install and hand restore your files and folders.
If you have multiple accounts you'll want to add them back in in the same order you added them originally.
Each user account you create is actually assigned a UID (userid) and on the Mac I think it starts at 501?
This is used under the hood for permissions so if you set up you new system the first account you create will be 501, the second 502, etc.
The “issue” that could occur is if account A on your old computer was 502, but it gets created as 501 on the new computer. When you copy your files and folders from old to new then all the items will have the wrong UID assigned an and therefor the wrong permissions under the new account.
If you don't remember the order there is a Terminal command that can help:
Before you upgrade.
`id [username]`
look for `uid=501(username)`
Then just do it for each account and create them in numeric order.
Like deleting and reinstalling timed out apps. Yup resets the clock.
You can block App installs in screentime BTW
Using "apps" like YouTube inside Messages (counted as Messages)
Block or set time limits on Messages
Rolling back the date/time (this can cause all kinds of other havoc in apps that rely on dates, so not advised).
We discussed this on a recent TDO, the "parent" part of Parental Controls is still VERY important.
Technology can provide tools to help, but they are not absolute deterrents.
Remember what you were like at that age and when your parents tries to control your actions, what did you do?
Voice assistants with "faces"
Amazon and Google have done it. Attached screens to smart speakers
Steven Hackett writing for iMore made the case that Apple may want to do the same for a future HomePod, [The Case for a HomePod with a Screen](https://www.imore.com/case-homepod-screen)
I agree, there are situations where this could be handy
Video news reports
How to videos
Debate on having a camera
Amazon does, Google doesn't
Shutter, like the original iSight. Not hard. Could even voce control it and watch the iris close
My concern is this is already the emotional baggage that Siri has in her youth that she still suffers from today.
Why Amazon was able to "surpass" Siri
Google has the power of it's search data and free access to the worlds data.
What does Apple have?
Point is, before making new things for Siri to run on they need to make Siri a whole lot better at servicing the things she currently runs on.
We already have Siri attached to a screen, it's called an iPhone or iPod. Perfect it there and then give her a stronger voice with a better speaker.
If all of these developments can happen in conjunction with each other then I'm all for it.
I do agree with Steven's assessment that this all relies on developers and stronger integration with 3rd party apps/developers (and I'll add more data sources) will make things infinitely better.
Also multiple voice detection (can't come soon enough)
The Apps you didn't know you had
Ken was looking fro the old "Network Utility" app. It used to live happily in the Applications/Utilities folder, but after some macOS update went MIA.
It's still on the Mac, but even a Spotlight search won't locate it.
You'll find it at /System/Library/CoreServices/Applications
What does it do?
Get network interface information
Run network diagnostic tools like pings, traceroutes, whois, and port scans.
There you'll also find things like the "About This Mac" app and DVD Player, or the RAID Utility. I like to use the Screen Sharing app for VNC
A lot of the items here are accessed from other windows and panel on your system
Closing
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