Apple has now finalized and published specifications for HomeKit through its Made-For-iPhone/iPad/iPod (MFi) licensing program. The finalized specifications, which allow accessory makers to start building products that integrate iOS 8’s new framework for home automation devices, come ahead of Apple’s yearly MFi summit in November where it plans to brief manufacturing partners on HomeKit and other new iOS 8 features for accessories. There have already been a couple products announced with HomeKit integration, most of which are all from larger accessory makers and Apple’s early launch partners....

Apple manufacturer Foxconn is said to have made a large bid for Toshiba’s NAND storage unit. According to a new report from The Wall Street Journal, Foxconn this week offered up $27 billion for the business, a bid considerably higher than had previously been offered by companies such as Broadcom. Last week, it was reported that Apple was among companies involved in a “bidding war” for Toshiba’s storage business, but it now seems as if reports confused Foxconn’s efforts as Apple’s....

Hooking can be used to introspect calls in a Windows application or can be used to capture some information related to the API Calls. Let us consider the following application making some basic Win32 API calls. [c] /************************************************* Simple WIN32 APP making some API calls *******************************************/ #define WIN32_LEAN_AND_MEAN #include <windows.h> #include <stdio.h> int main(int argc, char **argv) { MessageBox(NULL, “Hello world”, “Hello World!”, MB_OK); return EXIT_SUCCESS; } [/c] Running this program will lead us to this message box: Now let us consider the situation that we want to monitor the call to the message....

App Clips were introduced with iOS 14 as a new way to experience specific parts of an app without downloading it entirely to your iPhone or iPad. While users could already try App Clips through URLs, NFC tags, or QR Codes, Apple is now offering custom App Clip Codes as well. iOS users can access the new App Clips through NFC tags, QR codes, Safari App Banners, links in Messages, and place cards in Maps....

This is the first time ever we are seeing phone subsidy model being implemented for a leading smartphone in Indian market. There were reports of Apple pressing for this for a long time, but operators have been shying away owing to the concerns of subscribers dishonoring the contract and manually unlocking the iPhones themselves to be used on other carriers’ networks. Unlike the US, Indian telecom space comprises mainly of pre-paid subscribers who account for almost 90% of the user-base according to HBL....

We heard as far back as April that Apple was planning to build construction mockups for its new “Spaceship” Campus 2 building, but today we’ve found some clear shots of the site showing a model Apple has recently constructed of the building’s exterior. The image above on the left comes from Reddit and was apparently snapped in a parking lot at Tantau Avenue, between Pruneridge and Vallco, just blocks from the site of Apple’s new campus....

As it continues to expand its focus on Apple News, Apple has hired a former Condé Nast executive to serve on its News team. The Information reports that Apple has hired Liz Schimel, who was a former president of Condé Nast in China. Schimel’s role at Apple, according to her LinkedIn page, is the “head of news business.” Her LinkedIn page also indicates that he joined Apple in July. Prior to joining Apple, Schimel was a president of Condé Nast China, as well as an “entrepreneur-in-residence” at Comcast Ventures....

Two years ago Apple unveiled ambitious plans to invest several billion dollars in advanced manufacturing jobs in the United States, starting with a $200 million investment in Corning in Kentucky. Now Apple is cranking its investment in the precision glass maker way up through its Advanced Manufacturing Fund. A new $250 million award brings Apple’s Corning investment to $450 million to date, an investment Apple says focuses on “research and development into state-of-the-art glass processes, equipment and materials integral to the delivery of next-generation consumer devices....

Apple today has shared three new advertisements for iPhone 6s to its YouTube channel. These new ads come just days after the company debuted seven new ads for Apple Watch. Today’s new iPhone 6s ads are called “The Camera,” “Crush,” and “Flip a Coin,” each highlighting a specific feature of the device. “Crush” is a fifteen second ad spot that stars Jamie Foxx. Foxx appeared in Apple’s last wave of iPhone 6s ads highlighting Apple Music and 3D Touch....

Apple has fallen to fifth place in a Laptop Mag survey of the best and worst current laptop brands after previously taking the top spot for several years. Factors like premium price points and limited port options contribute to Apple’s overall drop in the results, although Apple’s quality tech support is a redeeming factor, the survey says. Apple has taken the top spot since the survey started in 2010, so which brands outrank the MacBook in 2017?...

Taking advantage of the spike in cryptocurrency interest we’ve seen this year, NFL star quarterback Tom Brady is planning to launch an NFT platform. And while Apple’s not directly involved, Eddy Cue is jumping board as an advisor for the new venture. Non-fungible tokens (NFTs) are cryptocurrency-based assets that have hit the mainstream this year. NFTs can be tied to digital or physical items with examples ranging from artwork, images and videos, sports memorabilia, and pretty much anything creators can think up....

Apple has begun rolling out internal changes to its Apple Retail Stores that improve the experience for employees and customers alike. According to several retail sources, the first changes went into action today. Starting with a revamped version of the Concierge Genius Bar management software that Apple Retail employees run on iOS devices. Here’s what we know as of now about the new Concierge app (and much more): The Concierge Genius Bar application for retail employees has been completely redesigned for both the iPad and iPod touch....

Sonder Keyboard, an Australian startup now part of Foxconn’s International Holding’s (FIH) Incubator program, has been in talks with Apple related to its dynamic keyboard technology, according to sources familiar with the discussions. Sonder’s keyboard, which is currently available for preorder on its website for $199, utilizes E Ink technology to offer dynamic, contextual keys that can be customized to a user’s preference. The concept is not entirely unlike the contextual buttons that supply chain sources have indicated Apple will include in an upcoming MacBook Pro refresh expected to include an OLED touch panel in place of the keyboard’s current top row of function keys....

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office published a couple of interesting patent applications from Apple today. One patent described various embodiments of a depth perception system and laser projection, while another concerned an “ad-hoc cash dispensing network” that would turn iPhone users into walking ATMs. PatentlyApple first covered the patent and highlighted several possibilities of using cameras and a laser source to determine the distance of an object and implement various applications based on detection of depth....

The Apple Magic Keyboard is an upcoming accessory which combines a backlit keyboard and integrated trackpad with a clever magnetic stand. It was announced on March 18, alongside the 2020 iPad Pro. However, whereas the iPad Pro is now available, the Magic Keyboard is not officially slated to launch until May. (Remember: iPadOS 13.4 fully supports third-party trackpad and mice as input devices too.) A tech spec detail for the Magic Keyboard that Apple conspicuously does not mention is the weight....

If Apple versus FBI was the big story to start the year, then it looks like Apple versus Spotify will be the hot battle of the summer. Yesterday a letter surfaced in which Spotify accused Apple of being anticompetitive with its App Store policies and holding back a Spotify update in order to benefit Apple Music. This letter is likely what prompted Senator Elizabeth Warren’s negative remarks about Apple earlier this week....

According to a report from Reuters, Apple’s LTE chip supplier Qualcomm is having “trouble meeting demand” for smartphone chips and will continue experiencing manufacturing constraints throughout the rest of the year. Qualcomm Chief Executive Paul Jacobs told analysts on a conference call yesterday, “At this stage we cannot secure enough supply to meet the increasing demand we are experiencing.” With Apple’s next-generation iPhone expected to include LTE capabilities like the recently launched third-gen iPad, many are speculating Qualcomm’s supply issues could lead to delays....

Apple won’t have a new external display to show off at its WWDC 2016 event later this month despite limited inventory as the company plans an event that will mostly focus on new software, according to sources. Yesterday we reported Apple is developing a new standalone desktop display that may feature an integrated GPU. While naturally there was some speculation that WWDC might be a likely venue for an unveiling, we’ve now confirmed that no new desktop display, integrated GPU or not, is planned for the event....

Live on stage during its iPad/Mac press event today in Cupertino, Apple has officially introduced the new iPad Air dubbed “iPad Air 2”. As previously rumored, the new full-sized iPad features a slimmer profile compared to the previous generation but largely retains the same physical design of the first gen iPad Air. It does, however, come in the gold color option that Apple previously only offered on iPhones. Apple says the new iPad Air is 18% thinner than the previous generation thanks to improvements to the display manufacturing process....

As expected, Apple today officially opened its first retail location in Singapore. After nearly two years of anticipation, the store finally opened to the public today, showcasing a gorgeous design as part of Apple’s next-generation retail store rollout. The new store, as we detailed earlier this week, features Apple’s latest retail store design philosophy, focusing on community and group communication with large open spaces and meeting areas. The two-story building features products and accessories on the bottom floor, while the upper floor is home to the Genius Grove and Apple’s new Today at Apple sessions....