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Prior to unveiling the new lineup of MacBooks to the public, Apple executives Phill Schiller, Craig Federighi, and Jony Ive sat down with CNET for an in-depth interview discussing the company’s new products. The executives talked about the decision behind the new Touch Bar, what the future holds, and the price increase that occurred with today’s refresh… Jony Ive explained that the idea of the Touch Bar was one that has always been compelling to the company, noting that it marks the beginning of a “very interesting direction” for the laptop....

Early this morning, we told you about a new iPhone 6s passcode bypass vulnerability that allowed handlers to access photos and contact details without needing to verify with a passcode or Touch ID. The Lock screen vulnerability was made possible by Siri, and let users bypass the security provided by the Lock screen passcode and/or Touch ID. If there’s a positive spin to put on such a vulnerability, it’s that fixes can be implemented server side without the need for an iOS update....

The UK’s National Health Service has announced plans to adopt the Apple-Google coronavirus API jointly announced last week, but in a weakened form. Even without the UK’s planned compromise, the idea of this type of contact tracing has come under criticism from a University of Cambridge computing professor … Apple-Google coronavirus API: UK plan The API is designed to allow apps to detect when you have been in close proximity to someone who subsequently tested positive for COVID-19, but a severe lack of testing in the UK means that the NHS version will adopt a weak compromise....

The HomePod today launches in three new regions, bringing Apple’s smart speaker to Canada, France and Germany. The smart speaker offers leading sound quality for its size class, with native Siri voice control for Apple Music ($9.99 per month) and smart assistant tasks like controlling HomeKit accessories, checking the weather and more. HomePod understands French and German languages, alongside the new country rollouts. Apple will be adding support for Canadian French later this year....

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office published a patent application from Apple today that covers various methods of detecting a user’s presence and augmenting the user experience accordingly. Apple has covered face recognition and presence detection systems in various patent applications in the past, notably for multi-user logins, security features, and an Android-like face unlock feature. Today’s patent application covers even more implementations of Apple’s presence detection technology that would utilize ultrasonic sensors, microwave radar, and camera and audio systems to detect and identify the user....

Apple is prominently spotlighting alternative solutions to the new Maps app on the App Store. The promotion of third-party apps is in conjunction with CEO Tim Cook’s open letter from this morning that apologized to iOS customers for the company’s less-than-perfect Maps offering. Apple further detailed on its website today how to add Google and Nokia maps website icons to an iOS 6 device’s Home screen. [tweet https://twitter.com/djmexi/status/251729875046645760] In related news, Reuters created an infographic recently that illustrates a side-by-side comparison of the key features available on mobile map apps from Google and Apple’s iOS in 27 countries (as seen below):...

Apple has released new versions of the iPad Air and iPad mini with Retina display in China to support the area’s TD-LTE networks. This brings high-speed capable versions of the late-2013 iPad models to China for the first time: The 16 GB model sells for RMB 4,488, while the prices for larger capacities go as high as RMB 6,588 for the 128 GB model. iOS 7.1 builds previously indicated that a few new iPad models were en route, and this announcement seems to answer what those models are....

While Apple offers macOS updates through the Software Update menu in the System Preferences app, users can also download the same updates as a standalone installation package from Apple’s website. However, the company seems to have discontinued the standalone delta and combo updates with macOS Big Sur. As first noticed by Mr. Macintosh and then shared by The Eclectic Light Company, Apple didn’t provide downloadable update packages for macOS Big Sur 11....

[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_lDKon0bUM] Apple, over the weekend, opened an new front on Google’s YouTube video service to host its Japanese videos. The site is verified by YouTube and has been up for 3 days but appears to have gone unnoticed. None of the videos as of this writing have more than 100 views and there are only 49 subscribers. I have a feeling that’s a bout to change. Update: Apple also launched a S....

Image-sharing app Pinterest said that it has proven so difficult to identify and remove all the anti-vax disinformation that has been posted to the service that it’s had to find an unusual solution to the problem … The WSJ reports that, instead of relying on removing the disinformation itself, it has instead blocked searches for it. The company earlier took the same action to block searches for claimed cancer therapies....

For the past several months, the entirety of the entertainment industry has been lost in the heat of awards season. Beginning with the usual deluge of constant awards contender releases in the latter months of 2016, the beginning of the year has been crowded with a number of high-profile awards shows, like the Independent Spirit Awards, the Golden Globes, the SAG Awards, and more. But tonight, awards season officially comes to an end with ABC’s broadcast of the 89th Annual Academy Awards, where the best and most impressive filmmakers, actors, and movies of 2016 are honored and celebrated throughout the night....

One of the biggest battle royale first-person shooters on the market, Apex Legends provides its players a fast-paced character-oriented shooter. Apex allows players a complicated blend of tactical decision making and rapidly fast first-person action. It rewards a player’s individual skill as much as it encourages team play and combination. Unlike its contemporaries Apex has an incredibly fast game speed, it allows very little time to think but rather forces a reaction....

iOS 12 and macOS 10.14 Mojave include a variety of improvements to their respective App Stores. As detailed by Apple during a WWDC session entitled, “Best Practices and What’s New in In-App Purchases,” the App Store has added support for free-trials of non-subscription apps, sandboxing changes, and more… First and foremost, as we first reported on earlier this year, the App Store now supports free trials for non-subscription applications. This has been a long-standing request from developers and users alike, but Apple’s implementation has already been criticized by some developers as a hacky workaround....

Hip-hop artist Dr. Dre’s controversial and storied past was bound to become an issue for Apple at some point after it bought the company he co-founded for $3 billion last year. Now Apple is hoping it can let the rapper’s history live in the past, which is especially tricky as it promotes the biofilm “Compton” depicting the rapper’s entrance into fame. The biographical film, which was produced with close cooperation from Dr....

A report from Bloomberg details how Apple’s director of cellular systems architecture, Matthias Sauer, testified that the company sought 4G cellular modems from an array of different companies besides Qualcomm, however, none were able to provide market-ready 4G modems in time. The news is a big boost to the chipmaker’s case, who is fighting claims that its near market monopoly has forced phone manufactures to pay fixed, inflated prices on chip licensing royalties....

Medial research firm Biogen today announced a new collaboration with Apple in the form of a cognitive health research study, powered by iPhone and Apple Watch. The study is trying to identify digital biomarkers that can serve as early indicators of illnesses like Alzheimer’s. The observational research study will commence later in the year. The companies aim to find patterns in the data collected by sensors in the Apple Watch and iPhone and correlate those to declines in cognitive health function....

Apple today announced nine additional partners committed to shipping CarPlay integration in future vehicles marking the first expansion to that list since the feature was officially introduced in March. Joining the list of existing CarPlay partners for 2014 and beyond is Abarth, Alfa Romeo, Audi, Chrysler, Dodge, Fiat, Jeep, Mazda, and Ram. Each new auto manufacturer is committed to integrating CarPlay in models planned to be announced and released in the future....

Apple has announced that it is partnering with management consultancy Accenture to create iOS apps for businesses. The deal is similar to the one reached with IBM back in 2014 and follows others reached with SAP and Cisco. The companies shared a little information about how they will work together … The team will help integrate iOS apps to back-end systems, as well as migrating existing apps to iOS. The work will include augmented reality apps, reports Reuters....

Update: The WSJ reports that Apple’s target is to raise $12B, “on the higher side of investor expectations.” An SEC filing reported by ZeroHedge reveals that Apple has announced plans for a series of new bond issues to raise money for further stock buybacks and dividend payments in what could be a 10-part deal. MarketWatch adds that the notes will offer floating-rates maturing in 2018 and 2019, and fixed-rates maturing at a range of dates from 2018 all the way through to 2046....

You know the ads that you see for apps above search results on the App Store? Apple started rolling out App Store search ads two years ago, and now at least one analyst believes the feature could be a $2 billion business all on its own in two years. Bernstein analyst Toni Sacconaghi published the prediction in a research note shared by CNBC today: Sacconaghi’s estimate is based in part on his forecast that Apple will make some $500 million this year on selling search ads on the App Store this year alone....