IT News Head Lines (Techradar) 6/10/2015

James Cameron fully endorses Terminator Genisys

Mega-director James Cameron has never shied away from telling us what he really thinks about any given subject, which is why the overwhelmingly positive comments he's made in a new featurette about Terminator Genisys fill us with hope for the upcoming film, even if its trailers haven't managed to do so.
Cameron, who was not involved with the movie at all, refers to Genisys as "the third film" in the series, effectively disregarding Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines and Terminator: Salvation, and placing the new film alongside his own much-loved entries.
The director describes Genisys as being as "very respectful of the first two films," also stating that he feels "like the franchise has been reinvigorated, like a renaissance."

He did say he'd be back

With that in mind, it's important to remember that James Cameron once gave similar praise to the film Aliens vs. Predator, ranking it third among the films in the Alien franchise.
Watch and listen to Cameron praise Terminator Genisys in the video below.
You can also get a helping of previously unseen footage, including several shots of a young and computer-generated Arnold Schwarzenegger, and a new interpretation of a scene from the original movie which sees Bill Paxton's character seemingly re-imagined as an enthusiastic Canadian.
YouTube : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fAGS0G2i7UY

• Read about James Cameron's plan to make Avatar films until the end of time

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Hands-on review: Computex 2015: Gigabyte Aorus X5

Gaming laptops are the jocks of the PC world: hefty, powerful but with limited real world use.
A division of Gigabyte, Aorus is a brand the former is hoping will be synonymous with a less blingy form of gaming laptop.
Basically, the Aorus is meant to be a little bit classy, and the Aorus X5 is the perfect showcase for this philosophy.

Design

The reason you'd get the X5 is in the dimensions. I dread carting around my monster laptop but the X5 weighs a relatively slight 2.5kg and isn't as ostentatious looking as say, an Alienware or MSI.
Meanwhile, it comes in at 390mm wide, 272mm deep and 22.9mm high. We don't have prices as yet, but it's probably not going to be cheap.
The fully backlit keyboard boasts individual macro keys and is refreshingly economical: there's no wasted space here, though the surface at each side of the mouse tracker is clear (and free of superfluous branding).

Performance

What's inside is most important though, and the X5 doesn't skimp for a gaming laptop: it boasts two powerful GTX 965M with 8GB video RAM, an i7-5700HQ processor boasting 3.5GHz and a 15.6 inch 2880x1620 IPS display.
That's a bunch of pixels. It comes with 8GB DDR3L, but you can max it out to 32GB (you won't need to, though).
Most importantly, the Aorus X5 is among the first gaming laptops to wield Nvidia's G-Sync, which greatly improves smoothness and all but eradicates screen tearing and stutter.
ASUS, MSI and Clevo are among the other laptop brands bringing G-Sync to the table, so expect it to be a standard feature in the near future.

Early Verdict

A lot of vendors were hellbent on capitalising on PC's huge eSports industry at Computex this year, and while it's relatively simple to get League of Legends or Counter-Strike running on a laptop with all streaming functionality switched to 'go', you'll want something like an X5 if you want to play, say, The Witcher 3 at max settings in the park.









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WWDC 2015: What iOS 9 tells us about the iPhone 6S

Your tall tale-telling friend is wrong. A new iPhone wasn't announced today at Apple's WWDC 2015, but the software-focused conference did clue us in on the rumored smartphone.
The iOS 9 release date and its dozens of new features came together to give us a vague outline of what to expect from the forthcoming handset.
Likely called the iPhone 6S, we suspect it'll tout better battery life, two speakers and multitasking, catching up to the many Android phones with such components.
The jury is still out on whether Apple will call it the iPhone 6S or make a Microsoft-sized jump to the iPhone 7, but here's everything else we suspect.

Release date

The iOS 9 beta is already available to download starting today, if you're a registered app developer, and everyone else can get it in a first-ever public beta in July.

However, the official iOS 9 release date is "Fall," according to Apple. That fits in perfectly with the company's usual phone release pattern.
The new iPhone typically launches in September. That's the way it's been ever since the iPhone 5 launched. The preceding iPhone 4S was off by just a month, releasing in October.
This helps dispel the on-again, off-again rumor that the iPhone 6S will come out as early as August, which is the summer.

Battery life

The iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus rank behind the best smartphones from Samsung, HTC and LG in terms of battery life, and Apple knows it needs to fix this.

That's why the more energy efficient iOS 9 tweaks the operating system enough to add one hour of extra battery life to an iPhone 6 based on normal use.
Apple is unlikely to stop with this "low power" mode by boosting its 1,810 mAh and 2,915 mAh battery capacities – in the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, respectively – to something a bit bigger. Shall we say 3,000 mAh?

Audio

Apple and music have always had a close bond, as the company noted again today during its WWDC keynote. And yet its phones have just one speaker.

The iPhone 6S could go from playing the single speaker blues to actually playing the Blues in stereo with dual speakers for the first time.
After all, with the launch of Apple Music, users are going to want to upgrade their hardware in order to listen to streaming music and Beats1 radio in all their glory.
The bigger question is: will these be proper front-facing speakers, or remain pointed in the wrong direction for users at the bottom of the phone?

Screen

Multitasking is coming to the iPad with iOS 9, and it's everything that Apple fans annoyed by Android users had been hoping for.

Truth be told, the app switching mechanic that's been around since iOS 4 isn't true multitasking or fit for productivity, and the next Plus model could handle this new mode for enterprise users on the go.
Apple premiered the Slide Out view and Picture-in-Picture mode for the iPad Air, iPad Air 2 and iPad mini 2 and iPad mini 3, a feature which the next 5.5-inch phone could easily handle.
The iPad Air 2-only Split View with full multitouch support between two active apps is less likely, but something to hope for in future hardware beyond this year.

More iPhone 6S Plus hints to come

These are but the first trickle of iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S Plus hints, and Apple hasn't been as secretive about its product refreshes recently.
That means you can expect to see three months of non-stop leaks leading up to the launch of the new iPhone, from aluminum case shells to massive software hints.
Apple's Force Touch technology is rumored to make the transition from the New MacBook and Apple Watch to the iPhone 6S, something we'll be looking for in the iOS 9 beta code starting today.

• Everything you need to know about iOS 9

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Mac Tips: How to use Terminal to add the power chime to your MacBook Air or MacBook Pro

You know the sound your iPhone makes when you plug it in to charge? Well, the new 12-inch MacBooks (yes, those really thin ones) make the same sound when you connect and disconnect the power. And guess what? With a little trick, you can have this same sound on your current MacBook Pro or MacBook Air as well, allowing you to know for sure that your charging cable is indeed properly connected to your laptop.
To begin, ensure that you have the latest version of Yosemite (10.10.3 or higher) installed on your MacBook Pro or Air, and then open the Terminal (located in /Applications/Utilities). Unplug your MacBook if it's plugged in.
Next, copy and paste the following line into the Terminal, then press the return key (you must type this command all on one line without any returns regardless of how it looks wrapped):
defaults write com.apple.PowerChime ChimeOnAllHardware -bool true; open /System/Library/CoreServices/PowerChime.app &

Voila! When you connect the power you will hear the chime sound. If you get tired of this sound, simply use this command in the Terminal to deactivate it:
defaults write com.apple.PowerChime ChimeOnAllHardware -bool false; killall PowerChime

• The 7 most important things Apple announced at WWDC 2015

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Updated: Apple Music: release date, price and features

Apple music streaming service

Apple Music, the name of Apple's long-awaited replacement for Beats Audio and iTunes Radio, is official. And Apple's approach tries to sing a different tune from Spotify and other streaming music services.
Announced at WWDC 2015, the service looks to integrate on-demand music streaming, a 24/7 radio station called Beats1 and a social network that will help fans connect with artists "on the deepest level, building relationships that last a lifetime."
Some of these features will be free. Some of them won't. A lot of it will look like Spotify and Rdio, but Apple has a few tricks up its sleeve to separate itself from the pack.
For one thing, the Cupertino company's bold new venture into streaming isn't all about songs – it's about community and uniting music fans the world over.

Services like Beats1 will have a revolving set of DJs based in London, Los Angeles and New York that keep new music, interviews and news running around the clock. Meanwhile, a new integrated social network called Connect will try to erase our memories of Apple's misguided Ping service.
Cut to the chase
What is it? A new streaming music service from Apple
When is it out? June 30 on iOS 8.4, and Android and Windows in the fall
How much does it cost? $9.99 (about £6.50, AU$13) per month or $14.99 (around £10, AU$20) for families of up to six individuals
But before we go too far down the MP4 rabbit hole, let's talk about how big of a hole Apple Music will leave in your wallet every month.

Pricing and release date

There's good news and bad news. The bad news is that Apple doesn't believe in giving away a free meal. Apple's service has a price tag: $9.99 (about £6.50, AU$13) per month or $14.99 (around £10, AU$20) for families of up to six individuals.
(This morning's keynote lacked UK pricing and availability details, but we've reached out to Apple for additional information.)
The good news is exactly what you'll get for that asking price.
By subscribing to the service, you'll be able to play and locally save any number of tunes from iTunes's 25-million song catalog without any stipulations. That's 5 million more songs than Spotify has which, for fans of the indie genre, makes all the difference in the world. Plus, for fans of Tidal, you'll also be able to access "high-quality curated playlists" and get "expert music recommendations," if that's more your speed.
Apple will offer a free version of the service, too, to everyone with an Apple ID, but all it includes are the ability to listen to the new global radio station and use Apple's social media service. Comparatively, Spotify and Rdio offer unlimited streaming with ads to its members without a monthly fee, though many similar features, like saving local music, are set behind a paywall.
Apple Music is intentionally limited, clearly, to see users jump into Apple's paid ecosystem. The silver lining is that the monthly service is lessened by a three-month free trial offer that Apple is extending to new users.
Apple Music will be released on June 30 alongside Apple iOS 8.4, with PC and Macs to receive a new version of iTunes around the same time, and an Android version will be made available in the fall.

Music curation

When Apple started hiring ex-music journalists shortly after the purchase of Beats, we knew something was up. What they were doing, apparently, was putting together a comprehensive way to sort and recommend music, using not only the algorithms from the now-defunct Beats service but human curation to present "great music people want to hear."
In theory, this will look a lot like Tidal's curated playlists, jam-packed full of information on artists, studios and producers, combined with Pandora's ability to match you with the most popular songs in your preferred genre.
Realistically, Apple Music has the advantage here by having your entire iTunes library at its fingertips that it can use as a reference point for the bands and artists you listen to the most.

Beats 1 global radio

When Apple said it was going to revolutionize the way we listened to music with a new radio station, it was hard not to laugh.
Beats1 will be a 24/7 music station, like SiriusXM here in the US, and hosted by renowned DJs like Zane Lowe, Blame Ebro and Julie Adenuga. It will be the first in its class that will offer news, interviews and new music from artists around the clock.

It's familiar, if not entirely simplistic. But Apple's clout in the music world could give it the firepower it needs to get artists like Taylor Swift, Alabama Shakes and The Black Keys to premier new music here instead of anywhere else.

Apple Connect social network

Ping, Apple's first attempt at connecting fans with artists via Facebook-like social media, was a complete failure. It launched in 2010 and was shuttered by the end of 2012 after limited engagement, and what seemed like artist apathy.
Apple Connect, we hope, will be different.
Senior Vice President of Internet Software and Services Eddy Cue took the audience through a live demo of the service that promises to integrate the on-demand streaming from services like Rdio and Spotify with social media services like the revamped Myspace.
In Cue's demo, he showed a behind-the-scenes video of Bastille composing music for their new album, as well as Alabama Shakes's lead singer and guitarist Brittany Howard in the recording studio.
It's content that will drive Connect. Without it, Apple should consider pulling the curtain early and saving the world a small headache down the road.

Page 2 - Leading up to WWDC 2015

What follows is our take of the service before Apple's World Wide Developer Conference...
Following months of reports, Apple is expected to unveil its own on-demand music streaming service at its annual developer conference. While the tech giant has yet to detail its intentions in full, sources paint a fairly clear picture of a paid subscription model in the vein of Spotify and the fresh-faced Tidal.
There are also talks of Apple overclocking its current iTunes Radio platform with technology from its acquisition of Beats Electronics. Has Apple finally lined up its successor to iTunes, or will this be too little, too late?
It's too soon to make the call, but we've managed to collect as much information as possible in the days leading up to Apple's big developer conference.

What is Apple's new music service?

Apple's new service will allow users to stream unlimited music for a monthly fee, according to a recent report by The New York Times. This service may well be a revamped version of iTunes Radio, its current horse in the race against online radio services such as Pandora.

The streaming service is projected to borrow heavily from Beats Music, following the acquisition of the Beats Electronics brand by Apple last year for a cool $3 billion (about £1.9 billion/AU$3.9 billion). This would likely result in an emphasis on expert-crafted playlists, and using both music downloaded by the user as well as music curation algorithms to create custom, personalized soundtracks. Integrations with social networks such as Facebook or Twitter could also be expected.
There have also been talks of upgrading the iTunes Radio to feature virtual DJs to create a living radio atmosphere and prepare specialized music rotations, with artists such as Pharrell and Drake rumored to take part in the lineup.

How will I get it, and how much will I have to pay?

The app's launch is expected to play out as an update to iTunes and the iOS Music app featured on iPhones, iPads, and iPods, so says USA Today. This method ensures all up-to-date iOS and iTunes users have access to Apple's new music service, which could turn out to be a huge boon for the company as they play catchup to the long-established Spotify.
Considering the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus alone managed to sell over 10 million units the weekend they were released, shattering pre-order records for the company, smartphone users on iOS could become a massive install base once the revamped music service reaches their device.
Payment and account information would most likely be tied to a user's Apple Pay and Apple ID information, as well as be part of the Music app currently pre-installed on all iOS products. This means Apple could get first dibs on a ton a potential customers new to streaming, as well as simplify the onboarding and payment process for established fans of on-demand music.

The most recent report, courtesy of The Wall Street Journal, has an Apple musc subscription costing $10 per month, a rate similar to the rest of the competition, excluding Tidal's HiFi offering for $20/£20 a month.
There will also likely be free trials available, but curiously enough Apple hasn't offered a "free" tier similar in other online services, suggesting that the new Apple Music will only be available to paying customers. Given the streaming side of the service might be premium-only, it is likely that any advertising content will be reserved for its internet radio service, where the DJ-run channels may still be available to listen to for free.

Why now?

Apple is no stranger to spotting trends. Remember, iTunes revolutionized purchasing and playing music in the digital space over a decade ago. Music streaming has rapidly become more popular over the traditional model, with music download sales dropping 8% in 2014 while subscription sales climbed nearly 40%, according to market research by the IFPI music market research firm.
This isn't Apple's first foray in online music listening, either. iTunes Radio made its debut in 2013 as a response to Pandora and other online music services. As more on-demand services gain traction, offering instant access to millions of songs, it would make sense for Apple to make its next step, especially given that the extensive iTunes library already grants it a head-start in music selection.

When is Apple's new service coming out?

Apple's upcoming WWDC 2015 conference begins June 8 and runs through June 12, and it's here Apple is expected to make an official announcement.
While the service could very well be set to launch as early as that week, there have been reports of license negotiations with major record labels going at a sluggish clip.

We'll just have to see if Apple can get its music service off the ground for a June release. Until then, there's still many questions left unanswered. How will prior iTunes purchases factor in? What regions will it be available in? Will there be an offline mode? With luck, these questions and more will be resolved as we provide updated coverage in the coming week.

• Music isn't the only streaming service in the works from Apple. Check out the Apple TV 2!

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iOS 9 features hint at an iPad Pro future

Although Apple didn't make any hardware announcements during its WWDC 2015 keynote, several key enhancements introduced with the next generation iOS 9 mobile operating system would make sense on a larger, yet to be announced iPad Pro.
The biggest iOS 9 feature that's iPad Pro-ready is simultaneous multitasking, a feature that's missing from prior versions of the mobile operating system but is currently available from some of Apple's biggest tablet rivals. During his keynote presentation, Craig Federighi, SVP of Software Engineering at Apple, showed off how users can run two iOS applications side-by-side, allowing them to juggle tasks without switching or closing apps.
This PC-inspired feature in a post-PC era – along with better hardware keyboard support and an improved Quick Type software keyboard – seems primed for an iPad Pro launch.

Like having windows but without Windows

Simultaneous multitasking was introduced initially on Windows 7 with a feature Microsoft called Aero Snap. Users can drag an app to the edge of the screen, and it would snap to fill the display's height, allowing apps to run side-by-side. Since its debut, this feature has been replicated on Android by Samsung and LG with features like Multi Window View and floating windows.
On iOS 9, simultaneous multitasking works in a similar way. Federighi demonstrated that he can open the Photos app and also have the Messages app run in a smaller pane on the right side of the display. Swiping from the top of the Messages app, Federighi was able to cycle through various different apps that are open and running in the background on this second pane.
By running apps simultaneously, users can save time. iPad owners no longer have to hit the home button, close out of an app and then switch to a second app. If you're browsing a web page, you can copy the text you want in one window and paste it into the Notes app running in the second window without having to close out of the Safari browser first.
Even though this feature will be coming to the iPad Air 2 through a software upgrade, it makes even more sense for the iPad Pro. As the iPad Pro is rumored to debut with a 12.9-inch display, there is even more screen real estate to view content compared to the smaller 9.7-inch display on the iPad Air 2 or the 7.9-inch screen of the iPad mini 3. The larger screen allows users to see more content in each screen panel without having to do too much vertical or horizontal scrolling, or be stuck with a small font size to fit more content in each pane.
For business users, this means you can check email while reviewing a PowerPoint presentation, proof a PDF while chatting with a colleague in an iMessage conversation or preview photos to insert into your Notes or Pages document at the same time.
Federighi showed that the windows can be resized. The two apps can take up 50% of the screen real estate each, or they can be sized so one app takes a larger portion of the display.
Multitasking on iOS 9 doesn't go as far as Microsoft's implementation with Windows 10. Windows 10 allows users to snap four windows together.

Is a convertible in the iPad Pro's future?

Another feature that Apple announced with iOS 9 is better support for hardware keyboards. With the current iPad Air and iPad mini models, third-party keyboards are already available from companies like Belkin, Logitech and Zagg, but an even better hardware keyboard for the iPad Pro could transform the tablet into a lightweight productivity powerhouse.
"If you want to hook a physical keyboard to your iPad, we've made that easier than ever," Federighi said as he flashed a Keynote slide showing that iOS 9 will support popular keyboard shortcuts for text input, like Command + C for copy, Command + B for bold and others.

If Apple makes a dedicated keyboard folio or dock for the iPad Pro, it would allow the tablet to compete in the same two-in-one hybrid space as the Lenovo ThinkPad 10, Microsoft Surface 3, Samsung Galaxy Note Pro 12.2 and Asus Transformer Book T100HA. The keyboard would enhance the iPad's position as a content creation tool. In fact, Samsung didn't make its own branded keyboards for the Galaxy tablets until it debuted the productivity-centric Galaxy Note Pro 12.2 with a 12.2-inch screen.
Given that current iPad market share is cannibalized by larger smartphones like Apple's iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus models, a larger iPad Pro with a focus on productivity with a keyboard dock could help Apple appeal to enterprise customers and productivity users. It would also allow Apple to capitalize on the growing interest in two-in-one devices at a time when the tablet market is declining, according to IDC and Gartner reports.
Businesses could benefit from such a solution as executives can carry a single device rather than having to travel with a tablet and a laptop. This reduces total hardware cost for deployment, time in having to manage data between two separate devices and travel weight.

It's all in the touch

Since Apple made no mention of iOS 9 supporting Bluetooth mice or trackpads, the main difference between the iPad Pro with a keyboard cover and devices like the Microsoft Surface Pro 3 with its Type Cover is that the Apple solution may not come with a trackpad. Instead, users would likely type with the hardware keyboard and perform trackpad functions with the iPad Pro's touchscreen.
This doesn't mean that Apple hasn't thought about touchpad support on the iPad Pro. Federighi demonstrated that touchpad functionality could be replicated with touchscreen gestures.
Tapping the Quick Type keyboard with two fingers would enable a trackpad on the software keyboard. In his demo, Federighi showed that users can easily highlight text to copy with this software trackpad feature.
"It starts with something simple like how you work with text," Federighi said. "What makes a multitouch keyboard so special is it can be anything you want."

Other features

In addition to improved hardware keyboard support, multitasking and Quick Type keyboard, other iOS 9 features introduced by Federighi include two-factor authentication for iCloud security as well as better battery life, key features that are important to business users.
While better iCloud security will make Apple's services – like Home Kit and integration with Pages, Numbers and Keynote – more attractive, enterprise users may still demand hardware security. Even though Touch ID can match fingerprint readers on enterprise-class tablets, it's unclear if Apple will be able to match other readers, like smart card support, encryption and TPM.
The new features introduced in iOS 9 have set the stage for the iPad Pro's introduction, whenever Apple is ready to launch the highly hyped tablet. Combined with the robust catalog of app titles available for iOS, ease of use and Apple's partnership with former rival IBM, Apple is looking to push more of its tablets into the enterprise. Whether the iPad Pro will cannibalize the MacBook in Apple's renewed post-PC push is anyone's guess at this point.

• Read our review of Windows 10

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WWDC 2015: The 7 most important things Apple announced at WWDC 2015

WWDC 2015 begins with a bang

Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference, or WWDC, has so far been everything we hoped for and then some.
If you didn't sit through the massive 2.5 hour keynote, there's a lot to catch up on. Lucky for you, we're here to give you the Cliff Notes version of Apple's jam-packed presentation.
From iOS 9 to OS X El Capitan to the brand-new Apple Music streaming service, here are the seven most important announcements from WWDC 2015. Click "next" to begin.

Apple's 'one more thing' - Apple Music

iTunes helped revolutionize the sale of digital music. But in recent years, with millions of listeners already tuning in to streaming outlets like Pandora and Spotify, Apple announced today the launch its own streaming service, nudging longtime iTunes users into a new mode of listening. Enter Apple Music.
Launching June 30, Apple Music will let you stream music from your own iTunes library as well as Apple's massive library of tens of millions of songs. The service includes Beats 1, a 24/7 global radio station, hosted by DJs from around the world. Artists can upload their work to Apple Music Connect to help increase their exposure, regardless of whether they're signed to a label or not.
Apple Music playlists are also expected to offer more of the kind of music you like because the service is curated by actual people, not algorithms like on Pandora and Spotify. However, Apple didn't go into much detail in describing whether you can mark those curated playlists for offline listening, like Spotify.
Apple Music costs $9.99 a month, though users will have a free 3-month trial to test it out. A family plan will also be available for $14.99/month for up to six family members. And even if you're not a member, you can still use Apple Music to follow your favorite artists and listen to Beats 1 for free. Android and Windows support is coming in the fall.

Climbing OS X 10 El Capitan

Like the rumors suggested, OS X 10.11, otherwise known as El Capitan, is more about tweaking the OS X experience and improving performance than redesigning the whole interface. The new version of OS X is focused on subtle improvements to the experience and performance optimization with advancements under the hood and smarter ways to do the things you do most.
Some of the tweaks to the new version include handy tricks, like gestures that make it easy to do quick actions, such as deleting a message in Mail, and generating a cursor that will get really big when you first log-on for easy discovery. Other new gestures include a shake that enlarges the mouse cursor and a new way to pin websites on Safari.
El Capitan lets you mute audio in tabs without entering specific pages. Improvements to Spotlight search provide more extensive and integrated search capabilities: you can look up things like sporting event tickets and the weather, all while using natural-language phrases like, "photos from my trip to El Capitan."

Surprise! It's iOS 9

Apple's next-generation mobile operating system, iOS 9, will focus on enhanced system intelligence, numerous improvements to built-in apps and new iPad-specific capabilities. Much like El Capitan, iOS 9 is more about fine tuning and refining than radical change.
There are a number of apps and features of importance to, uh, note. The Notes app has always been great for jotting things down, but with iOS 9 it's been completely redesigned to do much more, gaining more functionality like drawing and access Photos.
A few transformations took place, too. Passbook has become Wallet while Newsstand downsized its name to News, though it did gain a fresh Flipboard-like look, videos to play and content from major publications.
The iPad gains new productivity-minded views with iOS, including a Picture-in-Picture mode, a Slide Over view to see a second app while you're working on something else, and a Split View to run two apps side-by-side at the same time.
Thanks to a smarter Siri (more on this on the next slide) and greater contextual awareness, iOS 9 is poised to be a welcome upgrade for all (and we do mean all since the new OS will work older as well as newer iDevices). It will take less space to install than iOS 8 and should give the iPhone 6 an hour more battery life with average use.
Most radically, Apple is offering iOS 9 as a public beta, the first time it's done so, beginning next month. The general release will happen later this fall.

A smarter Siri

The new and improved Siri arriving in iOS 9 will start living up to the personal assistant's potential. With the OS update, Siri will give users better ways to search for photos and videos. It'll have more contextual awareness, knowing when you get into your car, for example, and will actually understand what "it" means in the context you're using "it." Similar to Google Now, the iOS "proactive assistant" features will use the data on your phone to give advice, provide options and set reminders like never before.
Yet even with its greater intelligence, Siri will still keep your data private, Apple promised.
Thanks to the proactive features, your device can now anticipate what you want to do next based on your location, the time, what app you have open, or what you're connected to, offering apps to open or people to contact based on your usage behavior. Like any great assistant, Siri offers important relevant information based on what you've done in the past. It will do handy things like ping you about appointments and offer traffic conditions when you're heading to a destination.
The new Siri can also learn your listening habits at certain times and places, like the gym, to deliver the right music when you're ready for it.

Apple Pay in the UK

This is a big deal.
Apple Pay launched last year, but it was missing out on a major market. Today, we learned the mobile payment service is finally headed to the UK next month. Eight of the biggest banks and major vendors like M&S, Boots, Costa, McDonald's, Subway and Waitrose will support the payment system. It will land in 250,000 locations in the UK, more than launched in the US.
Apple Pay in the UK will also work with Transport for London services, meaning riders can pay for their trips on the Tube and other modes of public transportation using the feature.
A few other Apple Pay bits include more partner support in the US from the likes of Trader Joe's and J.C. Penney and an Apple Pay-compatible reader from Square launching in the fall. Pinterest's new buy-it pins will also be compatible with Apple Pay on iOS.

Public transit info hitches a ride on Apple Maps

Little changes like adding public transit information to Apple Maps can make a big difference in the long run. In iOS 9, Maps will support bus, ferry, subway and train routes. Apple is actually trying to one-up other transit apps on the market by mapping subway stations to offer a more accurate estimate of travel times. Transit maps will release in select cities to start, including London, New York, San Francisco, Chicago and Beijing.

Mega changes on the way to Apple Watch

It may not be the Apple Watch 2, but the second version of the software behind Apple's first wearable is a cause for celebration on its own.
Among the changes afoot with watchOS 2 is native app support, meaning devs can finally tap into the full potential of the Watch for their apps rather than simply mirroring them from iOS. Other coming features include the ability to respond to emails, watch videos and make FaceTime audio calls straight from the Watch. Having Siri start and stop the Workout app verbally rather than through gesture is another forthcoming improvement. Wallet, the updated Apple Pay and live transit data via Maps are headed to the wearable, too.
Apple Watch faces are going to get way more customizable with the updated OS. Developers will be able to create their own "complications," those little widgets that display information rather than just the time. Users will be able to pick a pic from Photos as their Watch face, or they can choose a Time-Lapse face to see iconic places cycle on display. A new feature called Time Travel lets users see upcoming events and temperatures by turning the Digital Crown.
The new Watch OS will be available this fall.









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Review: Updated: Apple Watch

Introduction

Update: The Cupertino firm revealed at its WWDC 2015 developer conference that the Apple Watch is getting a major software update. The native app SDK has been released to developers but the Watch OS 2 update will arrive in the fall.
Apple has opened up the Taptic Engine, Digital Crown, microphone and more for devs meaning apps should be better suited to function on your wrist.
Several new features of note include Wi-Fi connectivity, new watch faces with different customizable options, better Siri capabilities, email replies and more are also included. Further details on Watch OS 2 can be found here.
Review continued below ...
The Apple Watch is ticking away on my wrist right now, and while it's no longer called the iWatch, it really is "my watch" and Apple's most personal gadget yet.
The iPhone 5-and-up-compatible smartwatch comes in 38 flavors, with different case materials, colors, sizes and interchangeable Apple Watch bands. None are inexpensive.
It starting at $349 (£299, AU$499) and peaks at an exorbitant $17,000 (£13,500, AU$24,000), making this lightweight wristwatch for impatient early adopters and boutique store regulars. Yet patience is required of all due to backed up online orders and a long-avoided launch in Apple Stores in two weeks.

Is it worth that tough-to-swallow Apple Watch price and wait? Well, beaming apps like Messages, Mail and every iPhone notification to an always-on-hand gadget is certainly a convenience.
I no longer retrieve my seemingly always-hiding iPhone 6 every time someone texts me, yet I can ping it whenever I really can't find it, usually buried beneath the couch cushions. It has easiest to use Find My iPhone app yet.
Apple is building upon this novel idea with a proposed Find My Watch feature, which is the reserve of this handy retrieval system, and an Android Wear-like "smart leashing" detector to deploy a light tap on the wrist when the wearer wanders too far from his or her phone.

Apple Watch OS 1.0.1 fixed a few sensor errors and expanded the number of languages supported, but the more significant new smartwatch features are expected in a full update at WWDC 2015 on Monday along with iOS 9.
Similar conveniences are carried over to the thousands of apps. Checking into a flight thanks to a wrist-mounted QR code sure beats scrambling for my phone or paper boarding pass while moving my bags up in the security line step-by-step.

Those steps, it turns out, are being counted in the Apple Watch's fitness app. It's not the most comprehensive fitness tracker, but it lets me keep tabs on metrics like my steps walked, calories burned and heart rate. Surprise: I need to move more when I'm writing reviews.
But not having to fetch my phone for each and every vibration in my pocket is very much a luxury rather than a necessity, and not one every iPhone user needs - at least for the current asking price.

Why buy an Apple Watch?

Apple Watch is often oversimplified as an iPhone on your wrist, and almost everyone I have demoed it to has accidentally referred to it as "your phone." Even I slipped up once.
It's not an unreasonable comparison. The square-shaped smartwatch is like a mini iPhone; it lets me read emails, summon Siri and make and receive phone calls from my wrist.

The size is just right too. While many Android Wear watches look and feel chunky to most, the 42mm Apple Watch fits my wrist much more unobtrusively.
An even smaller 38mm size is also available, though most people should for opt for the bigger of the two. It offers better battery life and more useable touchscreen space (but does come at a higher cost).
What feels strange about writing this review is that there's no point in really comparing it to Android Wear at all. Nobody chooses a smartwatch first and then decides on which phone to go with it – no, if you're reading this review you're probably either doing it on the iPhone or with one close to hand, wondering if it adds enough convenience to be worth the extra cost.
But do I need this Watch? On the one hand it's been great to change my behavior, as too many times I have instinctively run to my phone, charging in another room, because it's ringing or because the default SMS chime has turned me into one of Pavlov's dogs.
How many times have I missed an important call or text? Just as important, how many times have I rushed to the phone and it was an unimportant telemarketing call or a friend replying with text that simply says "OK" to something I said three hours ago?

These missed connections and potential disappointments are less insufferable thanks to the Apple Watch and its ability to either pick up or dismiss these alerts in a tenth of a second.
Custom watch faces, like we've seen from Android Wear watches, are here (although only those that Apple makes, as it's not permitting third parties to do the same thing, which sucks), as well as new exclusive technology like the pressure-sensitive Force Touch touchscreen.

There are also a large number of Apple Watch apps already, including the easy-to-use Apple Pay in the US and frequently used Uber car hailing service, which aren't available on Android Wear.

What's missing?

There are plenty iPhone features that aren't carried over to the wrist. Apple Watch is not a fully-fledged iPhone replacement.
It makes calls, but it can't add new contacts. It listens to dictated texts and sends them as an audio message or transcription, but it doesn't have any sort of edit function.
It tracks basic fitness goals, but not it's GPS-enabled, doesn't track sleep and third-party workout apps require an iPhone close by. Likewise, it can name songs through the Shazam app, but it listens with the iPhone microphone, not its own.
Having to carry a phone still is a weird disappointment to a lot of people who are missing the point of a current smartwatches. "Wait, I still need my phone?" is the response I've heard from baffled people. Of course you do. The Watch isn't big enough for watching YouTube videos on its tiny display size and trying to comment on Facebook posts while pecking away on a teeny keyboard would be terrible.

Who would want to don a giant watch capable of such specs or a large enough battery to run that? You still need an iPhone with you at all times, but you'll use it less than before.
The bigger questions: can is do enough to be worth its price, and is it fashionable enough to wear everyday, by geek chic and non geeks alike? Let's examine the design first.

Design and display

Apple's build-up to the Watch's launch was all about the style, how it was forged in Ive's clean furnaces and made of angel tears (or something), and how it's capable of replacing the emotional connection thousands of us have with our current timepiece.

That really depends on who you ask and which Apple Watch you're talking about. There are three models, the aluminum Sport, stainless steel Watch and gold Watch Edition.
I've tried on every Apple Watch model, outside of the 18-karat gold Apple Watch Edition, before ordering, but I stuck with the entry-level 42mm aluminum Apple Watch Sport in white.

It's the cheapest configuration slightly more comfortable than its two posh counterparts that are made of heavier steel and gold.
They vary in price and unnecessary weight more than they do in attractiveness, although when switching to the steel Watch with Milanese loop I found more people preferred the shiny exterior of the more expensive model.
But if lightness is what you're after, the Sport's anodized aluminum case and Ion-X glass make it 30% lighter. It's 30g instead of the steel's 50g, and gold's 69g. That adds up on my wrist when I'm wearing this thing for 18 hours a day before the battery life is zapped.

After a day of wearing the lightweight Apple Watch on my right wrist and a heavier Moto 360 on my left wrist - for testing purposes, I assure you - I almost couldn't feel the Apple Watch. For the same test with the Garmin Fenix 3 when running – a much, much larger watch – I noted the same effect, showing Apple's got the balance pretty right here.
Its aluminum frame matches the iPhone build and is therefore duller than the shiny stainless steel Apple Watch, but it still goes with a steel band like the Milanese Loop just fine.

A bigger problem in the future may be that the Apple Watch Sport is missing the premium sapphire crystal glass, which is supposed to be almost scratch-proof. The good news is that the Ion-X glass substitute on the Sport model has proven resilient so far.
I've seen several "drop tests" videos of shattered Apple Watch Sport glass, but more relevant real-world tests would consist of minor wall and corner scraps for wearables. Geeky iPhone diehards whose equilibrium is off may want to spring for AppleCare just to be safe, but I've not seen a problem.
Everything else is the same among all the models. The case sits 10.5mm off of my wrist, slightly thicker than an Android Wear watch, but it has a stylishly curved glass and rounded off corners on the top, and a small bump to its black composite back's heart rate sensor.

It's reasonably thin for now, but I can already imagine Apple making a "world's thinnest smartwatch" several times over for the Apple Watch 2 and beyond.
Its thickness does leave room for two large buttons, a classy sounding digital crown and an uninspiringly named "side button." Both are located on the right side for twisting and pressing through menus. A microphone and speaker are on the left side.

The Apple Watch Sport band is made of fluoroelastomer, which is Apple's fancy way of saying synthetic rubber, which is supposed to be extremely durable. Time will tell.
The smooth strap, available in white, black, blue, green and pink colors, feels comfortable and is easier to buckle than any prong-clasped Fitbit I've tested. It tucks the excess band in a hole so that it hides behind the beginning the strap.
The difference between using the Sport model with the rubber strap and the Watch with Milanese loop felt like I was stepping up to a "proper" Watch. That's more the band than the model itself, so a swift switch between the two (providing you outlay the high cost to buy another band) is fine to improve the look.

My watch came with two bands in the box, a larger and shorter size in the same white color. Changing the strap was incredibly simple and required no tooling, unlike the Moto 360. A secure fingernail tip-sized button underneath the watch releases each strap.

Although many Android Wear smartwatches work with third-party 22mm bands, the transition to a new Apple Watch band is more seamless. Cheaper third-party straps are also said to be on the way.
Overall, the design of the Apple Watch is probably the biggest thing it's got going for it. As one of the first to walk around wearing this new timepiece, I felt both awesome early adopter as people asked in hushed tones to see the new Watch, and embarrassed as other would see me as having paid a large amount of money for something that doesn't really do a huge amount yet, another follower of whatever Apple does just for the sake of owning it.
The truth was somewhere in the middle – and after a few months, both will die down and the idea of having a smartwatch on the wrist won't seem so crazy, which will perversely help the Android Wear story too.

Display

Behind the Ion-X or sapphire glass of the Apple Watch sits a bright and colorful OLED. It's sharper than other smart watches, most notably the pixelated LCD of the Moto 360.
It's the right screen technology for smartwatches, as OLED displays draw much less battery when showing a darker screen. With OLED only the pixels used are turned on, and fewer pixels equals less battery drain.

That's why most of the Apple Watch faces are surrounded by deep black background. It also helps the colorful app icons and watch face element pop.
The 38mm Apple Watch resolution is 272 x 340, while a 42mm version is 312 x 390. The bigger display's necessary extra power is offset by a larger Apple Watch battery.
Apple was able to design a sharp-looking flexible OLED display for the Watch, but it didn't go as far as creating a circular screen for a truly classic watch look.
Last year's Moto 360 did exactly that to the envy of iPhone owners who weren't able to get in on the modern smartwatch craze outside of the first two Pebble watches.

All of Apple's flowery marketing rhetoric about reinventing the classic watch look - from digital crown to complications - didn't also translate into that that traditional round watch look, which is one of my largest criticisms with the design. I appreciate that the square is better for interacting with the Watch, but with the apps interface being spherical and 'traditional' watches just look better when round.
Apple Watch is more colorful than its iPhone-connected rivals though, especially the new Pebble Time, and readable in all but the brightest sunlight. But it comes at the expense of its battery life.

Battery life and clever charging

Apple Watch is supposed to have 18 hours of battery life, which would translate into a full day if I were to ever keep to a normal sleeping schedule.
I was able to lengthen the uptime of my watch to a full 24 hours on days in which I didn't make battery-taxing phone calls with it, or use the half-as-power-hungry heart rate monitor.

I'll put it simply: I think Apple deliberately downplayed the battery life of its Watch to make sure it didn't get hit with angry users should the numbers not stack up. I've had days where I've been for a couple of hours' run and it's still easily lasted the day, and not once in the week of testing did I get to the evening approaching critical levels of power.
Apple Watch depletes the battery in three hours if used for non-stop phone calls. Working out with the heart rate monitor or listening to music does the same in six hours. Conversely, just checking the time every so often boosts it to 48 hours.
But you'll also need to think about the future here. Like Nokia's old attempts at smartphones, the battery life on the Watch is good because you don't find yourself wanting to play with it a lot because, well, it doesn't do a whole lot right now.

That's going to change though. As developers get their hands on the Watch and start making use of the inbuilt NFC or other sensors, you'll find the battery life will drop faster as more apps start making a play for its reserves.
Talking of which, a 72-hour Power Reserve mode kicks in when the Apple Watch battery reaches 0% so that it doesn't shut off completely. It only tells the time doesn't keep the fancy watch face.
This sent me running to a charger since it does nothing else in this catatonic state. Making it even more perilous, it was actually a bit difficult to exit this catatonic state. The watch takes a solid minute and a half to reboot, which initially made me think I didn't know how to reboot the device and was accidentally resetting it every time.

Power Reserve mode

The official Apple Watch recharge time is 1.5 hours to 80% and and 2.5 hours to 100%. That's a bit slower than the average smartwatch. Moto 360 charges up in 2 hours flat. But I've been able to completely recharge my Apple Watch in the same 2-hour window.

The 205mAh battery pack is predictably sealed into the device, and is smaller than the battery on other Android Wear devices.
My faster-than-expected charging time may be because, at 0%, the watch still has its limited time-checking Power Reserve state to go. I had charged the watch when it and entered this special mode, so it technically had some juice left to it.

Inductive charger

Apple Watch's inductive magnetic charger takes cues from the company's popular MagSafe chargers, which come with all MacBook Air and MacBook Pro computers (but not the New Macbook).
It combines a MagSafe magnet with an inductive charger for a wire-free solution. It helps when you're in the dark or in tight situations, like a coach seat on an airplane, and need to simply clip on a charger and be done with it. Magnets, boss.

As much as I don't like having yet another type of cable to carry around, it's way better than the flimsy Pogo charger designs used by Pebble, LG, Samsung and others. It wire-free design also means that Apple Watch is sealed and is therefore water-resistant to a point.

Using the Watch day to day

There's something a little more complicated about this shrunken Apple product compared to the now familiar iPhone and iPad. It took a few days to wrap my head around the interface, which is surprising for an Apple product. The Watch is nowhere near as intuitive as most will expect.
I immediately started receiving texts and emails on my wrist, as expected, and I could easily dismiss what wasn't vital. This sudden flurry of notifications was actually welcomed. However, to do much with these alerts, I had to learn to bounce between three menus: watch face, app launcher and glances, and the methods of flicking between them doesn't feel natural.
This learning for users curve exists because the software tries to do too much at once, and smartwatches offer extremely limited interface real estate. Plus, the Apple Watch is part of a brand new product category for everyone.

Remembering to swipe down to see my backlog of notifications or swipe up to see my pinned "Glances" widgets is complicated by the fact that this only works when in the watch face menu. It doesn't work in any other app or the app launcher menu, where with the iPhone swiping up or down is pervasive.
Sometimes I hit the side button because it looks like the iPhone sleep/wake button only to realize that it brings up my contacts list. Pressing in the digital crown does the trick here. Double tapping the crown will switch between apps, but it's a soft press and doesn't always feel like it's registered, and the easiest way to get back to time is to let the watch dangle by the wrist and then bring it back up again.

That's not intuitive, and is the sort of thing that gives the Watch naysayers (of which there appear to be a few) ammunition when you're having to jump through hoops just to tell them the time on your watch.
There's also the issue of slowdown that flickers intermittently throughout Watch use, with opening the settings menu the biggest offender. Hit the teeny icon (you can scroll the digital crown to make things bigger, but that feels like an odd extra step) and you're greeting with icons that have no words next to them, and a couple of seconds later everything blinks into view.
The same happens with most lists, where using the digital crown to scroll through is fluid, using the finger (the more intuitive way to do things) lags and jumps a bit.

As first generation software, it's just not always as intuitive as it could be. Luckily, the setup is fairly seamless. I booted up my iPhone's Watch app, which came with iOS 8.2, and it asked me to take a photo of my new Apple Watch. Done. It was paired.
Syncing my existing apps happened automatically too, but took a couple of minutes. After that, I was able to customize my watch face and load up a springboard of circular apps. The device connects using a weird fusion of Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, but unlike the phone, you can't use Bluetooth when the Watch is in flight mode, which makes Bluetooth music streaming a no-no when in mid-air.
The My Watch menu within the iPhone companion app is astonishingly complex, which may end up being a good thing once I get the hang of it but will displease Apple fans who crave simplicity, where the thing just works.
I can disable notifications for specific apps and just about every setting can be mirrored from the iPhone or be set up individually, from Do Not Disturb to Messages notifications. Texts can repeat twice all the way up to ten times if I hate myself.

Apple Watch doesn't contain all of the intricate gears of a Swiss watch, but it has a lot of moving parts to its software. It has taken a few days to learn and configure to my liking, but I feel as though the less-interested iPhone audience, like my new smartphone-owning parents, needs to wait until it's further refined and more apps come to the Apple Watch app store.

A brilliant new breed of apps

The Apple Watch needs a headline feature, and while it doesn't really have it yet (beyond sending random pictures to other Watch-wearers) the apps that live on it are going to be the real reason to buy one.
Sure, they're not there yet, but the in-built choices and first goes from third parties are pretty good already, meaning this is a device with a lot of potential.

Watch faces

Apple's watch faces take advantage of the pressure sensitive Force Touch display. Holding down on the glass, with a bit of exertion, zooms out of the current watch face and loads up a gallery of faces, from the information-packed Modular to the toe-tapping Mickey Mouse. Utility ended up being my favorite because it was simple, yet fit all of my customizations.

These let me insert information snippets onto the watch face, such as the full date, my next calendar appointment or the sunrise and sunset time if I really wanted to know daily. Most faces make room for smaller, pre-select spaces in the corners too. These let me display the critical Apple Watch battery life percentage, my daily fitness graph and the time in another city, which has been great for traveling.
There are "millions" of combinations, according to Apple, but these custom pre-determined spaces can't be moved around and, in reality, there are just ten faces. Apple has yet to open up its watch face API to developers and it's currently banning third-party faces.
Apple has to catch up to Android Wear here as it's one of the things I love about Android Wear (the Goldeneye and PacMan faces are real crowd pleasers) and if Apple is serious about making the Watch personal, being able to choose more faces is a must.

Built-in apps

Apps, on the other hand, are open to developers, and it shows. There are loads are launch, and the best Apple Watch apps are those from Apple itself. Siri answered my basic questions, like "who is the governor of New York" and "when in the next Phillies game." Anything more in-depth than that, and the silent virtual assistant proposes you "handoff" to your iPhone.
Apple's built-in timer let me set the timer for cooking and the laundry, without requiring me to take out my iPhone (which were in my other jeans).

Passbook worked flawlessly at the airport (although be prepared for the 'Early Adopter' syndrome when you try and check in at a desk where the attendant has no idea why you want to use your watch) and Apple Pay enabled me to buy food at McDonald's (for testing purposes) while I continued to play on my smartphone.
Apple Pay on a phone? That's so 2014.
We're still waiting for the payment to come to markets other than the US, with the UK set to receive the update sometime in 2015, so that function isn't going to be of use to everyone.
But a real USP of the Watch would be that runners who have left the phone at home can still get vital hydration or a ride home in an emergency thanks to the contactless capabilities of the Watch.
Well, that's if I'd ever use the Apple Watch as a standalone running device, which I'd struggle to at the moment (more on that later).
There's no camera on the Apple Watch, but it doesn't have a Camera Remote app that let me snap photos remotely in conjunction with my iPhone's iSight camera. That was handy, unlike the actual Photos app, which was a tiny way to look at your photos from the phone.

The watch isn't a particular visual experience and it's restricted by its 8GB of internal storage (with about 6GB available), with Music running into the same dilemma, so controlling your iPhone's music collection is a better choice.
That said, you can pair a set of Bluetooth headphones and tell your iPhone to shove some of your playlists over to the Watch. However the most you can have on there is 2GB of music (which you have to change from the 1GB default) so this is no iPod replacement.
It's good for music when you're out running though, and is a nice touch from Apple letting you choose between the phone and Watch for audio pleasure.

Apple Maps on Apple Watch let me navigate the streets of New York City without forcing me to foolishly take out my iPhone at every new turn, like a tourist. The iPhone app also opened up in my pocket, just in case I needed to change up the directions or see the route in full. No, there sadly isn't a native Google Maps app here and no metro directions. Maybe with iOS 9.

Calls and messages

Calling someone through an Apple Watch isn't the most ideal way to talk to chums, especially in a noisy environment. It sounds like a speaker phone with a little more static. But it works well in an otherwise quiet location or when your phone is two floors above you.
The Apple Watch side button leads to a dedicated "favorite contacts" menu, which let me text and call my friends and family.

I found sending a speech-to-text transcription a bit easier on the Apple Watch than any Android Wear watch. Apple's way of doing it doesn't rudely cut me off and hurriedly send a broken text message when I stop mid-sentence. I actually get to think about what I want to say. I value that distinction.

Apple Watch users have the added bonus of including very simple sketches and attention-grabbing taps to other Watch owners using the timepiece's Taptic feedback vibration. Heartbeats can also be exchanged for what may be the weirdest / creepiest Apple Watch feature.

It's novel at first, but after receiving my tenth heartbeat from the same few People Watch owners, it has become fairly annoying.

Third-party apps

Apple Watch apps from developers are hit or miss when it comes to design and performance. I can request a car with Uber, receive breaking news alerts from CNN and track my lost wallet with the Title app on Apple Watch. But many of them are read-only apps. Instagram is here, but you can only see a few recent posts and comments are limited to emojis at the moment.
Twitter, the New York Times and Nike+ Running made the jump to Apple Watch, but a number of other essential third-party apps are missing, at least in native form. This includes Facebook, Google Maps and the iOS Gmail app, which forced me to switch back to Apple's default mail app.

Sure, Facebook main app notifications pop up on the watch, as do emails snippets from the Gmail app, but seeing anything beyond "Lily posted a comment on your timeline" or reading the full email requires an iPhone for now. Worse, getting two Facebook comments or emails makes it even more vague.
"You have two messages." That's less than helpful, Apple Watch. Thanks. This is unlike Instagram's native app or Apple's built-in Mail app with interactive controls on the wrist.
Many third-party apps need to load faster and include finer controls that go far beyond "Show App on Apple Watch." This is up to developers and over time I'm sure some really great apps will begin to appear that take advantage of this new tech location.

Running and fitness tracking

Apple Watch isn't a fitness band, watch or fashion accessory, despite taking a bit from each of those camps. It's hard to define what it really is, which means that users may struggle to justify the purchase.
What has saddened me in the time since launch is finding out that Apple won't be selling it properly into the health market. Apparently early tests to add in a stress sensor and blood pressure monitor failed, (beautifully partly because of hairy arms) so the Apple Watch - at least version one - will be a cut down version of what it could have been.

The fitness tracking is comprehensive (in as much a fitness tracker can be) in that it wants you to exercise for 30 minutes per day, stand for at least a minute for 12 hours and burn enough calories every 24 hours. It'll also tell you steps and distance travelled, which is a staple of the tracker.
But like these trackers, it's pointless. I'm not saying that it doesn't help clue you in on sedentary habits, but nearly every person who isn't already active, but would like to be, will go through these phases: jumping to attention whenever the Watch tells them to stand, poring over their data to see how well they've done and making sure all the rings get filled.

Until the day they don't. Then a sense of guilt wanders in. So our hero promises to redouble their efforts, walking further the next day to make up for it. Except they inevitably slip again and then guilt roars higher. Then it's a couple of days with unfilled rings, and the nudges from the Watch become unfriendly. Why have you bought something that's telling you that you're not fulfilling your goals all day long?
The Watch also constantly told me to stand up just minutes after sitting down, which gave me very little trust in the app.
I know this is an extreme case, and many people are capable of ignoring the messages, but that misses the point. While a device that can act like a coach is good, if it was a person the goals would change each day. They'd be linked to a challenge, would increase or vary over time – it would give victory to this gamification.
And that's the very, very big problem I have with the Apple Watch when comparing it to a running watch: it's far too basic to be considered a rival to a Garmin or Polar device, and for the new user it doesn't have any way of helping you get fitter.
Starting up the Workout app and you've got a pleasing amount of options to choose from, with elliptical and rowing machines bound to attract those people that "always mean to use them things at the gym."

But running is the main focus, with Apple joining up with Christy Turlington-Burns to show how she trained for the London Marathon using the Apple Watch.
Perhaps she honestly did the entire time, but she would probably have wished for a more in-depth device during the training. The Apple Watch will ask you how many calories you wish to burn, how far you'd like to go or how long you'd like to run for (or just an open-ended goal) and then off you pop, with rings appearing to let you know how close to your goal you are.

But that's it. And it's up to you to improve, with "beating your best time / burn / distance" the only thing the Apple Watch will let you do. If this is for the beginner then it should be giving you different workouts to keep things interesting, helping you progress to improved running power.
There are so many apps out there which can do the same thing, so why can't Apple nail this area? There's also the fact GPS isn't on board, so unless the phone is tethered you won't get accurate data.
Actually, even with the phone in a bag, pocket or pouch the GPS is still a little on the generous side, compared the Garmin Fenix 3 which I tested against. Over a 5KM run, the Garmin was a shade under the distance, but Apple added another 160m onto the distance.

The heart rate monitor is also not up to the task. It needs a much tighter fit than the Watch seems to be able to offer and when running, and checking to see how hard I was working, the monitor constantly showed a much higher BPM than the chest strap was showing.
This means users will get erratic results, and it's not possible to tell when you're overtraining and the heart rate soars at low levels of exercise, which again makes the Apple Watch not great for training if you don't invest a little.
One thing that did impress me is that it can connect to sensors, so adding in a heart rate monitor like the Wahoo Tickr X, which can connect to nearly every device going, which instantly improved the health chops of the Apple Watch.
But having to fork out to improve a certain area when you've already paid so much for the Watch isn't going to impress everyone.

You can use other apps here but they won't work without the phone connected, which again makes them slightly redundant. That said, for those running with a phone religiously bandaged to their arm (which is a lot of people) the second screen on the wrist is a really nice addition, opening up your pace and distance info in real time when before you wouldn't know anything until you finished your jaunt.
All this leaves me feeling like the Apple Watch 3 will be a brilliant running watch, when there are enough sensors and apps from third parties can use them to bring all the power of their standalone devices to the wrists of people who don't really care about running, Trojan Horsing a clever running plan into their lives.
But for now, it's hard to recommend the Watch as a fitness device unless all you want to do is be poked to stand up once in a while.

Verdict

The constant question I had when writing this review is: what's the Apple Watch actually for? It's one thing to get one in for a review, another when you've got no reason to buy one other than it looks a bit fancy.
The Apple Watch both surprised and disappointed in that respect, with some things impressing me with their intuition (being able to add in heart rate monitors was a nice touch, and the overall polish of the interface on the OLED display wasn't something I was expecting from a first gen product).
Some things didn't work as well as I'd have liked (I was surprised that the interface was so fiddly for an Apple product) but they were relatively few.

We liked

The overall look and feel of the Apple Watch, as with most products from Cupertino, was a major plus for me. The last thing you want is a watch that you have to apologize for visually just so you can find out when Ebay has found some things you might like to bid on without having to get your phone out of the pocket.
Having used a number of smartwatches over the last two years, there's something about the slickness of the Apple Watch that appeals. Yes, it doesn't do a huge amount right now, but no smartwatch does, and Apple is primed to get the best of the developers' produce - in just the same way as the iPhone and iPad did - to get the apps that will really supercharge the Watch.

And once you've bought the Watch and got over the high price, it is a genuinely useful thing to have around at times. Being able to check when you've got a message or see who's calling and be able to make snap decisions feels like the future, especially when exercising or in another situation where grabbing your phone isn't easy.

We disliked

The Apple Watch feels exactly like you'd expect it to: a first attempt. Apple's fused its own design ethos with the limited technology around at the moment to make a compelling smartwatch - but it's still a smartwatch, a device that doesn't really have an easy answer when your pals ask 'So, what's so good about that?'.
The fact the time isn't always showing on the face isn't brilliant either - while the wrist raise is among the most infallible I've encountered, there are still times when I'm lying down, want to know the time and have to tap the watchface to find out.

When the old technology beats the new, that's where a problem needs to be solved.
And while I find it hard to even bang the 'Apple has made a product that costs more than it should' drum again, this is still a very expensive luxury. You don't need it in the same way a smartphone is a necessity, and unlike the iPad, it's more expensive than the competition by some distance.
The fitness angle feels underpowered at the moment too - there's a lot of potential there, but the Apple Watch is not something I'd recommend to anyone that's serious about getting into shape... unless they're desperate for all the other elements this device offers too.

Final Verdict

For iPhone users desperate for a smartwatch, the Apple Watch is perfect for you. It relays some iOS apps and all notifications to my wrist without requiring me to constantly pull out and unlock my phone, and that's a nicely convenient thing to have.
This concept is going to become more useful when the hype dies down and new apps emerge, as the best smartwatches work better as an unexciting fashion piece or fitness tracker that fades into the background.
That contrasts with an iPhone or an iPad that you constantly pull out to play with in an idle few minutes, and ironically by being better connected with the Watch you'll hopefully start to rid yourself of the smartphone addiction. If you're asking why it can't play YouTube or take photos, you're really missing the point.
It's a time-telling and time-saving convenience, though one that still requires a nearby iPhone and a hefty sum to buy. The Apple Watch price is rightfully getting mixed reviews from fans. That's why I ultimately recommend the cheapest aluminum Apple Watch Sport with another band for the moments when you want to look more 'grown up'.
It has same dimensions, functionality and battery life as the pricey steel and gold models and when you look lustily at the inevitably improved Apple Watch 2, you won't lose as much money when you stuff this one straight on Ebay.









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WWDC 2015: 'Move to iOS' app makes jumping ship from Android even easier

iOS 9 was revealed at Apple’s WWDC 2015 keynote today, but one interesting feature in the upcoming mobile operating system was not mentioned: the company’s new Move to iOS app.
Apple’s goal with Move to iOS, detailed on its iOS 9 preview page, is to make the migration from Android to iOS devices a bit less painful. As a survivor of this pilgrimage myself, I can attest that this is no easy process. Since the two tech giants are in direct competition, moving between them can feel a bit like pulling teeth.
To make the move from Android to iPhone, you simply download the Move to iOS app on both devices and the app will transfer all your important data. From your contacts, camera photos, messages, bookmarks, calendars, books, DRM-free songs and more.
Additionally, any apps you had on your Android are suggested in the App Store. And finally, all of your paid apps are saved to your iTunes Wish List.
Apple may have delivered a strong blow to Android by making it easier to switch from your Android to an iOS device, but oddly chose not to publicize it. This feature will come bundled with iOS 9, set for a free release in the Fall, and open to public beta testing in July.

• Check out everything so far from WWDC 2015

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Hands-on review: Updated: Apple CarPlay

Update: During its WWDC 2015 keynote, Apple announced that CarPlay will soon go wireless – no need to connect to your car's USB port. However, the company didn't specify whether this connection would occur over Bluetooth or another wireless connection protocol.
The firm also announced that CarPlay will soon support a wider range of screen sizes and resolutions, not to mention apps developed by the auto makers themselves.
Original review follows...
Imagine racing to an appointment you're already running late to and suddenly realizing you forgot how to get there. Thankfully, you have Apple CarPlay running, so you can snappily ask Siri to pull up directions.
"I didn't find a place called 'doorstep,'" Siri robotically replies after the third time you ask it to find your new doctor's office. You yell obscenities in frustration, only be coolly met with, "I'm sorry you feel that way."
This scenario never happened, but it's just one of the nightmarish vehicular vignettes I imagine living if I were to use CarPlay in its current form.
I went hands on with CarPlay installed in a 2015 Mercedes-Benz C-Class at the automaker's research and development facility in Sunnyvale, Calif. I need to note the CarPlay shown was an engineering development set-up. The nuts and bolts were there, but the system has a long way to go before it's consumer ready.
The set-tup as it was left much to be desired and was rudimentary at best. Siri was way off base when it responded to voice commands, and the app offering is limited. A few more apps are due down the road, including Spotify, but for now CarPlay is stuck with Maps, Phone, Messages and Music - the barest infotainment essentials.
Update: On May 15, Apple updated its Podcasts app to support CarPlay, adding another quiver to the system's infotainment bow. The Cupertino company followed that up by tagging MLB.com At Bat as a CarPlay supported app on June 24.

In terms of how CarPlay fits into the in-car experience, it feels more like a frill than an enhancement. It's cool to ask your car to pull up directions to some unfamiliar destination, but CarPlay neither felt absolutely necessary or the best option I could have turned to for my navigation, music or communicating needs.

Simple (too simple?) plug ins

CarPlay requires users to plug their iPhones into the car. It's as simple as that; you're basically tethering your iPhone and accessing a few of its (very basic) apps through your car's system.
My demo involved an iPhone 5S standing up in a disc-shaped port near the cup holders, but Hamza Lakhani, a manager of embedded software at Mercedes-Benz Research & Development, said one day users will likely connect their iPhone via a Lightening cable coming from inside the car's center console. That way, you could store your iPhone in the console without worrying about it falling on the car floor or spilling a drink on it.

Once your iPhone is hooked up, CarPlay boots up and is ready to rumble. Sound channels through your car's speakers and its interior microphones relay your voice commands.
Other than the medium change, you're not getting a whole lot that you don't already have on your iPhone. Not inherently a bad thing, but it means CarPlay is actually just an extension of your phone, and that's not exactly thrilling.

Siri is not a good co-pilot

One of CarPlay's selling points is that drivers have a co-pilot(!) in voice-controlled Siri. Let's just say that in my time with the digital companion, I would have kicked it to the curb.
To be fair, tech demos on location can often be hindered by poor connectivity and other environmental factors, so sometimes miscues can be forgiven.
Still, Siri was laughably inept at understanding basic voice commands.
A request to find coffee initiated a response of, "I couldn't find a place called 'Call me.'" This was just one of several potholes Siri found itself stepping in. Siri has a bad rap on the smartphone personal assistant streets, and since CarPlay essentially uses the Siri found in your iPhone, you can imagine it didn't have any luck on a larger, car-size scale.

Knob improvements to come

The plan is to eventually optimize when voice commands are used and eliminate touch as much as possible. Lakhani told me that Mercedes plans to implement touchscreen controls in the main control knob you use to control CarPlay, but that feature isn't available yet.
Mercedes' dashboard CarPlay display doesn't support touch either, and Lakhani explained that at least in its case, the company felt it was too distracting to be gazing at and leaning forward to fiddle with a screen at eye-level. Instead, the car maker wants drivers to have a screen they can glance at comfortably while controlling it from a "lean back and drive" position.

The knob itself is sleek and shiny, and it's situated right where your right hand would rest if you're not a religious 10-and-2 driver. Twisting and pressing the dial makes selections, and differently timed presses do different things. For example, if you're deep in the Music app, a short press will take you back one step while a long press will take you back to the main menu.
Lakhani explained that eventually, drivers will learn how many know twists and turns it takes to control CarPlay. In much the same way you learn where letters are positioned on your phone's keyboard so you can text without looking at the screen, it should become engrained in drivers' brains that two turns of the knob to the right lands on Maps, and so on.

Calls, texts and the dreaded Maps

I found CarPlay's call and text capabilities to be fair, but there's a lot of interaction and a little too much lag time to send a text.
Messages can be read aloud, and then you have the option to reply or leave it alone. Just as you do on your phone, a drop-down alert appears on the dashboard display to let you know who you received a message from, and a red circle with a number in it will stick itself above the Messages icon.

I suppose CarPlay got the communications job done, but it all felt slightly cumbersome and as though Apple didn't put much effort into optimizing the exchange for the car.
We never hit the road with Maps, but with Siri's inability to decipher vocal commands and Apple Maps' shoddy reputation, I wouldn't trust the system to get me where I needed to go, at least not to start.
One nice feature is that a thumbnail image of your Maps route stays fixed to the upper left-hand corner of the tablet screen if you move into other apps. It's a pleasant reminder CarPlay hasn't forgotten it's directing you where you're steering to.

Early verdict

Sticking a spoiler on a car's rear may be a fun accent, but it's not going to make it go faster or the brakes more reliable. In much the same way, CarPlay isn't going to vastly improve life on the road, at least not in its current form.
Apple has time to get CarPlay right, but it has a long way to go. Lakhani said Mercedes is pushing to have CarPlay in its cars as soon as possible, but he wouldn't specify when the first CarPlay-equipped cars would show up at dealerships.
Unfortunately for the system, it's wholly dependent on your iPhone 5S, 5C or iPhone 5. In other words, you don't magically get more car-specific functions just by plugging in your phone. What you have on there is what you get, and at the moment, that's not a whole lot.
To make matters worse, CarPlay itself is wholly dependent on Apple. Lakhani said any new app additions are up to Apple's discretion, and I got the sense car makers are hamstrung by Cupertino's control. It's the company's infamous walled garden, now in your car.
The pervasive feelings of restriction and limitation don't make CarPlay feel sexy or revolutionary. That's a shame when you're sitting in a shiny new Mercedes, itching to hit the open road.









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Early view: iOS 8 vs iOS 9

Siri, Search and Apple Pay

Apple has announced iOS 9 at its WWDC 2015 event in San Francisco. While iOS 8 brought a raft of new features, iOS 9 is more of an incremental offering.
There's still a range of features to get our teeth into, so let's see how it differs from the operating system it's replacing.

• Everything you need to know about iOS 9

iOS 8 vs iOS 9 - Siri

One of the major overhauls in iOS 9 can be found with Siri. She's received a colorful facelift, but it's what's going on behind the scenes which is more interesting.
The new interface displays content in a better way, and Siri can now understand a wider range of requests on top of what was on offer in iOS 8.
We were shown a number of examples during the keynote, including "show me my photos from Utah last August", "remind me to grab my coffee off the roof when I get in my car" and "play the top songs from 1982" via Apple Music.

Siri has been, until now, a reactive service and in iOS 8 you have to prompt your personal assistant. That's changed in iOS 9 with Apple making her a proactive assistant.
What does this mean? In short, it's Apple's answer to Google Now with context sensitive information based on time, date and location.
It can, for example, intelligently recognize when you get to the gym and plug in your headphones you'll want your workout mix, and display it on your lock screen.

iOS 8 vs iOS 9 - Spotlight Search

Apple's Spotlight Search on iPhone and iPad also benefits from the new and improved Siri, with app suggestions, keys contacts and other location and time specific info displayed on the main search page when you swipe left from your home screen.
You'll also spot videos in your search results, something which isn't available on iOS 8, which you can play without leaving the search screen.

iOS 8 vs iOS 9 - Apple Pay

Unsurprisingly Apple Pay has been given a boost with iOS 9, but a word of warning - it's still only supported on the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus (plus the Apple Watch).
Apple Pay on iOS 8 is compatible with a handful of US bank cards, but that support gets extended with iOS 9 to more providers including Discover, plus the service rolls out to users in the UK too.
With iOS 9 you can also add store credit and debit cards, plus loyalty and reward cards too. These are stored in "Wallet", the new name for "Passbook" in iOS 9.

Maps, keyboards, compatibility and release

iOS 8 vs iOS 9 - Maps

There's weren't any major changes to Apple Maps with iOS 8, just some minor tweaks here and there. iOS 9 on the other hand brings a significant upgrade to the app in the form of Transit.
Maps can now show you train, subway, bus and walking information, with routing options similar to Google Maps.

iOS 8 vs iOS 9 - App Switching

Apple added contact shortcuts to the multi-tasking pane in iOS 8, but the large app previews means it's difficult to see just how many apps you have running.
This has been improved in iOS 9, with app previews now appearing as stacked cards, allowing you to flip through open applications far more easily and quickly, while getting a better overview on just how many you have open.

iOS 8 vs iOS 9 - iPad only

There are a few iPad only new features incorporated into iOS 9. iOS 8 saw unique landscape layouts for the iPhone 6 Plus' larger display, and we reckon it may benefit for these new features further down the line.
First up is the QuickType Keyboard, which adds handy copy, cut, paste tools to the suggestion bar, along with access to the camera, attachments and formatting.
Use two fingers on the keyboard and it becomes a track pad, allowing you to easily select the text you want - something which is a little tricky in iOS 8.

There's also 'Slide Over', 'Split View' and 'Picture in Picture', which provide a range of multi-tasking options. The first two see two apps share the screen, the former just for a brief moment while the latter sees who apps sit side by side permanently.
If you're familiar with Samsung's top end smartphones you'll recognize picture-in-picture, which allows you to pop out a video into a floating window. These three features only work with the iPad Air 2.

iOS 8 vs iOS 9 - Battery life

In iOS 8 there is no clear battery saving mode. You're left to your own devices to turn off data, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth etc to try and conserve power.
That changes in iOS 9 with the introduction of a "low power mode", which Apple claims will provide you with three additional hours of typical usage.
iOS 9 apparently improves general performance too, with Apple saying it gives you an extra one hour of full usage over devices running iOS 8.

iOS 8 vs iOS 9 - Compatibility

Usually with a new iOS release older Apple devices are cast out into the cold with no update in sight, so it wasn't looking good for the iPad 2 and iPhone 4S.
That's not the case with iOS 9 however, as it will be coming to all the iPhones, iPads and iPods which received iOS 8.

iOS 8 vs iOS 9 - Release

As with iOS 8 last year, you'll be getting the iOS 9 update this "fall" (probably September) for free, but for the first time Apple will be launching a public beta this July - allowing anyone to sign up and try the latest software before its official launch.
There's good news when it comes to downloading and installing iOS 9 too, as Apple has reduced its size. The iOS 8 over-the-air (OTA) update was a hefty 4.6GB download, which caused many users issues with space on their devices.
The iOS 9 download is just 1.3GB - which should be much more manageable.









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Everything you need to know about Apple Pay in the UK

The wait is almost over – Apple Pay is finally coming to the UK. After launching in the US late last year we've been begging for the mobile payments service to launch on this side of the pond and Apple has now confirmed it'll be here at some point in July.

Where can I use Apple Pay in the UK?

The big hitter is Transport for London. You'll be able to use Apple Pay on all TfL services including buses, trains and underground from launch.
As for stores themselves Apple is launching with Lidl, M&S, Post Office, Liberty, McDonalds, Boots, Costa, Waitrose, M&S Simply Food, Pret, BP, Subway, Wagamama, Spar, KFC, Nando's, New Look, Starbucks, Dune and JD Sports. Phew.
Surprisingly none of the top five supermarkets are on the list but there's a good portion of fast food and coffee shops you'll be able to use it in.
It's not just in stores though - you can also use the Apple Pay service in app as well. It'll use your fingerprint with the power of TouchID and will authenticate purchases in the Apple Store and certain apps.
What exactly those apps are is yet to be determined but keep an eye out and they're sure to be announced soon.

What banks will support Apple Pay?

Quite a few banks have partnered with Apple to launch on the Pay service.
Those include M&S Bank, Bank of Scotland, Halifax, Ulster Bank, NatWest, American Express, Santander, Royal Bank of Scotland, Nationwide, HSBC, First Direct, TSB, MBNA and Lloyds Bank.
It's not currently clear if all accounts from every bank are compatible with the service but if you're worried it won't be, contact your bank directly.

What do I need to use it?

If you've got an iPhone 6 or iPhone 6 Plus you'll have Apple Pay all set up on your phone ready and waiting. It'll also be compatible with the Apple Watch as well.
There's an NFC sensor on the back of the phone and inside the Watch meaning you can just tap them on the terminal to make your purchase. If you're using the iPhone you'll also need to place your thumb on the TouchID scanner to prove your the owner of the phone.
Sadly Apple Pay doesn't work in the same way on the iPad so you won't be able to tap that on terminals in stores to get some of those sweet contactless payments.

• All the latest on iOS 9

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Live: WWDC 2015: all the information as it happened

At WWDC 2015 in San Francisco this year we saw a slew of new announcements from the world's biggest tech firm.
The rumored launch of of iOS 9 and OS X 10.11, happened as expected, as well as the the anticipated Apple Music streaming service, as well as updates on Apple Pay and Apple Watch.
Want to read it blow by blow? Then check this out:

• WWDC 2015: everything you need to know

WWDC as it happened

12.24 - It's over. A two and half hour live blog. It's over. I can't feel my fingertips. Now to go outside to see if there's anything to take pictures of.
Bye all. It's been real. We'll all meet here each year and listen to The Weeknd to relive it.
12.23 - I've just been told it's spelled 'The Weeknd'. I don't even have children. I'm so uncool.
Bet they've never heard the entire Basshunter back catalogue though.
12.19 - Timmy C is finally wrapping up. I need this to end. My fingers hurt. I'm so tired.
He said ONE LAST THING NO PLEASE NO. Wait, there's a music performance coming, from one of the hottest new artists - it better not be U2.


Oh, it's the Weekend. Doing a premiere of his new song. Well done Mr Weekend.
12.16 - Just saw the advert - it was a lot of people listening to the same thing together in different scenarios. But it's just the radio! People don't listen to the radio like that! Hmmmm....
12.16 - It's coming later this month, it'll be $9.99 per month (with the first three months for free) and will be delivered in 100 countries on iOS 8.4.
And get this: with Android support coming later this year!
12.15 - But can you make your own playlists from the streaming service?
12.13 - Siri is getting involved too - you can ask it to play a specific song or 'play the top ten alternative rock songs' and it'll get going.
Whoops - Siri heard the wrong song. #demofail. That's one of the 5% failures, I guess.
12.11 - Now we're looking at the place where artists can post to fans. These videos and pics from the likes of Chris Cornell and Bastille are clearly at Apple's request - why would any artist use this off their own back though?
It would be great if they did, but this service needs a groundswell to get going. Again: Google Plus should have been good.
12.10 - Beats One is on! It's Zane Lowe chatting to Florence and the Machines. It sounds like Radio One.
BEATS ONE. RADIO ONE. Synergy.
12.09 - The streaming stuff is baked right in. It's all about recommendations though right now - can you not search for your own favourite stuff? Oh, it seems like you can through top lists.
This is all really confusing. Music videos in there as well for some reason.
12.08 - If Bono comes on stage to announce a new album, I'm throwing my laptop at him.
12.06 - Apple seems to be hiding the streaming stuff here - why is it not making a much bigger deal of it? It's more about your local music.
12.03 - Eddy Cue is about to give a demo - but first we have to give Phil Schiller a happy birthday. We're not singing though.
The new interface is a lot slicker, but I'm confused as to how easily you're going to see the streamed stuff or your own files - where's the distinction? Shouldn't matter, but if the quality is different then that matters.
Oh, there's a tab at the top. Problem solved.
12.01 - Drake is talking about how easy it is that all the information you want to talk about as a musician can now live in one place. But then again, Google Plus sounded like a game changer too.
He's also struggling with the autocue a lot too.
12.00 - Drake is on stage now. He's honored to be on stage. He's going to tell us all about he is going to use Connect to tell all his fans. He's doing some stand up now 'The internet is what we use in the rap world, it's going to be big this year, you see'.
Tuck your shirt in, Drake.
11.57 - It's Zane Lowe on video. All about how Beats One is coming from New York, LA and London, bringing music that people who love music have put together.
11.54 - Connect will allow anyone to connect - from the new to the established, allowing anyone to share their music to everyone instantly. It's designed to make it accessible to anyone - although there are big question marks on how you'll be able to cut through the noise.

Eddy Cue is up to talk about the service from a developer point of view.
11.49 - Apple Music is going to have radio from actual DJs, streaming music from the iTunes library, and combining it with the local files. Plus, in a way that shows Apple never really gave up on Ping, you can follow artists too from within the app.
''All the ways you love music, all in one place". Connect allows you to share a load of things in one, music, mixes and more plus with more people actually curating lists. Beats One is the new kind of radio, allowing you to get the best music you want next - it's a 24 hour station from three cities around the world, and it's 'only playing music that makes you feel great'.
11.48 - He's telling us how he was impressed with how easy it was to buy music in 2003 through Apple. He's properly talking about them in hushed tones.
Iovine just called the music industry a 'fragmented mess', pointed out that music streaming, music vids and following artists was all over the place.
11.46 - Apple Music is announced. And it's 'the next chapter in music'. To hear more about it - Jimmy Iovine is here.
11.45 - Video time now. Its about the history of music. Gramophones and shit like that. All to a thumping drum track.
11.44 - 'We love music...' Oh balls.
11.43 - WatchOS 2 is available to devs today, and coming to the rest of the Watch family this fall.
Tim Cook is back again now. Please let this end soon. But he's totally going to announce a music streaming service soon. I'd pay him money to not do that now. Probably couldn't afford it though.
He's just said One More Thing...
11.41 - Looking at how the native apps actually work - they're a lot faster than before. You can also reply to emails using Siri just by opening it up and saying 'Reply' and whatever panicked message you give when you realise you have to get it right first time.
11.38 - Demo time now. This is never going to end.

11.36 - The Apple Watch will also be able to use your Wi-Fi networks autonomously - that's something that took Android Wear a long time to do.
You can now access the microphone and the speaker in native apps too, if you're a Watch dev. And even show short form video on the Watch. Can't ever see that being good.
But better news: you can grab heart rate data for third party apps, so you'll have access to the zone training you're in for something like Strava.
SLOW DOWN KEVIN I CAN'T TYPE THIS FAST.
11.35 - There's more - WatchKit is up for the chat. Man, I keep forgetting how tired I get from WWDC live blogs. THEY SAY SO MUCH.

11.34 - Maps is on there with mass transit directions, and Siri is getting in on the act too. Or you can get Siri to change the lighting in your house, if you're one of the one people that have a Homekit enabled house.
11.33 - Siri is getting involved too - you can say 'Go for a run' or 'Start a 300 calorie bike ride' without having to touch the Watch. That's cool - plus there are new achievements too.
If only it had GPS onboard - this would be a really awesome fitness watch.
11.31 - There's a night stand mode too - meaning you can use the digital crown to snooze or cancel the alarms.
You can also add more people to your Favorites right from the Watch - finally. That's more pictures of penises - and with more colors now too!
11.29 - New Complications to give more information accessibility to developers - so you can see car charge, HomeKit devices and more. Time travel is coming to the Watch too, so you can cycle forward and see what's happening.
BUT NOT STOCKS WE'VE TRIED TO ADD THAT IN BUT NOT YET LOLOLOLOLOLOL.
11.27 - New watch faces coming - photos app throws your pictures in. Or you can have timelapse photography so you can have the right time of the day showing when you look. It's really nice - the Apple Watch might not be our best smartwatch at the moment, but it's certainly the most impressive looking.

11.26 - The new watchOS will have new capabilities and bring native apps to the wrist - Kevin Lynch is back again. This man says he is super excited, but he doesn't sound it. I thought he had a cold last time.
11.25 - Cook is talking about the opportunity to change things next - we're talking about watchOS. Cook just called it a 'giant moment' to bring native apps to the Watch.
Woo, you won't need the phone!
11.22 - This is quite a stereotypical Apple video. Talking about 'bringing music to deaf children', 'taking the classroom with you', and big statements about how it all emotionally connects. All to a thumping soundtrack.
11.20 - Someone just compared the App Store to the industrial revolution - and said it was bigger. And pointed out that it had more users than electricity at the start.
Yeah, but there were fewer people alive back then. And it was more expensive. AND IT WAS FRICKING ELECTRICITY - you know, the thing that Apple uses.
This is close to The Beatles' 'bigger than jesus' quote.
11.18 - Cook is so dramatic. He's clearly building to something bigger - perhaps a music streaming service? But first - a video so we can all try and catch up with the typing.

11.17 - 100 billion app downloads from the App Store. That's a high number. FACT. And $30 billion has gone to developers.
11.15 - iOS 9 coming for developers now, a public beta in July and the rest of the world in the fall. And it'll support all the devices that could use iOS 8 - so everything back to iPhone 4S and iPad 2, which is pretty good.
Key question: will the experience be any good? It usually gets terrible on old devices... but you should probably upgrade the iPhone 4S if you're still using it.
Tim Cook back up now wrapping up. Classic Cook.

11.13 - Swift 2 is here. I'm praying a Taylor clone is coming on stage.
Wait, no, it's about developer things. Protocol extensions and stuff about Xcode. Uh-oh. Apple thinks this is the next big coding language that we'll be using for the next 20 years.
Apple is announcing that Swift is going to be open source, allowing people to put it on all kinds of machines. The room just lost its shit. There's a kid in the scholarships section whose jaw literally dropped open. It's coming for Linux.
11.12 - CarPlay is going wireless - you won't need to get your phone out your bag when you get in your vehicle for it to work.
11.10 - iOS 9 is coming for developers to add more bits into Apple devices - Gameplay Kit and two others to allow new features like better AI in games and letting users share recorded video.
Healthkit is getting more - UV exposure, water intake and reproductive health added in. Wait, what was that last one?
More acceptance for sensors, allowing you to access your home from iCloud if you've got any HomeKit devices.
11.08 - Low power mode is coming to the iPhone. This is like a checklist of things Android's had for years - so glad it's coming to the iPhone too. However, the efficiency update is only going to add 1 hour per day on battery, which means about 6% more.
Not a lot. but at least the update is going to be smaller when you have to do the update.
11.05 - The two finger access to the text looks really clever. If it works, the iPad is going to be something that is really easy to use.
It does look a lot like a fancier-looking version of Windows. Picture in picture video on your iPad too! Samsung is definitely going to have a jab pointing out it did this on the S3 nearly four years ago.
The slideover function is coming to iPad Air, Air 2, mini 2 and mini 3 - but the split view is only coming to the iPad 2.
11.02 - We're getting proper multi-window multi-tasking on the iPad. Craig is talking us through it.
Tap and you'll get the list of apps you can switch through. With a single finger swipe from the side you can get in messages with 'swipeover' allowing better access to bring in other applications.

Swipeover seems to be a thin column on the right hand side, while you're working on the main app to the left. You can have a thinner app on the right, and a larger on the left, with multitouch possible on both.
11.00 - With iOS 9, shortcuts are coming to the keyboard so you can add in bits from the clipboard etc. Two fingers down on the keyboard will turn it into a trackpad, so you can edit quicker than ever before without having to interact with the text using your fingers.
If you want to click a keyboard in, and you can use shortcuts with the keyboard, so the Mac-style app switcher.
10.58 - No mention of release date, but there are a lot of publishers in there at the start, so it's clearly going to be baked into iOS 9, when that comes (probably) later in September.
News users will get 30 news articles a day to users of News, Conde Nast will have 17 magazines and there will be loads of others - but will they want to have it in an aggregation app? Reader is barely used in Safari, yet Pocket still thrives.
It's going to roll out in the UK, US and Australia first. And 'we're really gonna like it'.
Next up, iPad...
10.56 - There's a lot going on here. Rich infographics are in there, but the personalised feed is going to be an interesting one. You can create feeds based on keywords - again, this is a Flipboard rival.
10.53 - You can do it by title or topic, and the feed will build something for you. It's HTC's Blinkfeed, Flipboard and Feedly mashed into one - but it has interactive elements, sliding text, and swiped gestures to get through.

This means newspapers and magazines look like they're supposed to - but do the publishers have to work hard to code this content in?
10.52 - Apple's launching 'News'. It's content from multiple sources personalised to users. Publishers can create content with typography, graphics and more.
Susan Prescott is coming onstage now to talk about this new development. She's 'Really Excited'.
10.51 - A lot of cities at the start: London, Berlin, Baltimore, Washington DC, New York and more. Plus you'll find info on whether they support Apple Pay too. TIE IN KLAXON.
10.48 - Maps isn't being killed! 5 billion user requests per week - 3.5x more than Google Maps. Although that's probably because each time you use it, Apple Maps shows you the wrong place.
Transit is coming to map, emphasising the locations nearby with lines that run through them. This isn't going to be groundbreaking for anyone that's used Google Maps in the last five years.
Apple reckons it's taken the time to make it better though: Apple has surveyed all the entrances and exits so you can actually get out properly. THAT'S really useful.
10.47 - Notes is getting overhauled too - with sketches in there, links or pages from Safari, you can add a link with a tab right into your app.
10.45 - Rewards are coming too - but bigger news: Apple Passbook is becoming Apple Wallet . Kinda funny, given most other Wallet services from rivals have been canned.

10.44 - Apple Pay is coming to the UK NEXT MONTH! 70% of the debit cards will support it! Boots! Waitrose! THE DREAM IS COMING.
And even TFL is getting onboard. This is great news for contactless payments in general - the UK is already well set, but having this on a phone is really going to galvanise it. Come on Samsung / Android, you're up next.
10.42 - More than 1 million Apple Pay merchants next months. Developers are seeing a 2x increase in merchant transactions through Apple Pay, apparently. Seems a lot.
Etsy, Pinterest and more are involved. Pinterest's mooted payment system is going to use Apple Pay and only on iOS.

10.41 - There's a lady on stage! Jennifer Bailey. But Apple Pay is being talked about - Discover is getting on board in the US. It's always the US.
More brands, including JC Penney's, or Cleveland Cavaliers or Golden State Warriors, are allowing you to use Apple Pay. Square, the mobile payments reader, can take Apple Pay too.
10.38 - The phone's search is a lot more powerful than before. You can easily do things like see Siri suggestions for contacts that are relevant, or get info on comparing weights etc.
He just called Siri your assistant. Cortana burn again.
Good news is the privacy is safe, according to Apple. Apparently 'we don't want to know your info' - everything is either anonymous or on your device.
10.35 - Getting another lol-tastic demo from Craig. When he wakes up and meditates each morning, the app will be ready and waiting. Then he gets a message asking him to do something, he can tell Siri 'remind me about this'.
Then he heads to his gym, when he plugs headphones in. The music app pops up - but MAN, he gets an invite in an email. And it's already in his calendar! WHAT?
10.33 - Spotlight is a lot deeper now. You've got rich snippets for things like sports scores, video content and more - it's very Google Now.
10.32 - If you get a call with someone you don't know, Siri will scan your email and see if there's anything in there that might be relevant and suggest it. It seems weird that it doesn't do what Google does and search the net for it.

10.30 - there's been a 40% reduction in word error rate for Siri - down to just 5%. You can ask it a lot more like 'show me photos from London last June' and it'll have a look for you.
You can set reminders too - like when you're in a car, as it can tell when you're in an auto now - and it can contextually be reminded on things like links by just saying 'this'.
But in iOS 9 is going to be pre-emptive. Your iOS 9 device will learn and do things like open your music first thing in the morning when you usually go for a run.
This is a smackdown to Cortana.
10.28 - Onto iOS. iOS 8 was a good thing, apparently, with an 83% of active iPhone users using the latest OS.
Then we see the Android 5 adoption rate. It's pretty low at just over 12%.
10.27 - Epic coming offstage now. Craig-o is back now, telling us that other developers are coming in - Unreal Engine, The Foundry and Blizzard.
That's El Capitan, improvements to both the UI and performance. And it's available to developers today. There will be a public beta in July and rolling out with a free update 'this fall.
10.25 - We're looking at a demo now - apparently it's 70% more efficient on the CPU. A man just hit a monster with a guitar.
'We're going to need a bigger fort'. Clever wordplay.

10.21 - Metal - the slicker graphical element in iOS - is coming to Mac now. So apps on the computer will be a lot more effiecient. Adobe came in and was able to deliver 8x improvement in some of its apps, and take UI that was non-interactive and make it interactive thanks to Metal.
OS X apps will be coming with this new feature if brands want to use it.
Also it brings 10x performance in drawing performance. Epic are coming onstage. Josh Adams and Billy Bramer are coming on for a demo.

10.19 - Side by side window management is improved, with more ability to drag stuff from one to the next and see an exploded view. It's like how the Samsung dual window function is supposed to work on a phone, but it's much easier to use on a Mac.
You know, because it's bigger. Hmm... that's it for the 'improvements' in EC. Spotlight is more powerful, swiping to delete in mail, pinned sites in Safari and the ability to mute apps, Notes app that can support better font management and better window management to deliver an improved Mission Control and Split View to get more shiz done.
10.17 - Window management - aka the sexy part of the conference. You can open tabs in compose, drag photos into a mail window and... well... that's it. People still clapped it.
10.15 - Pinned sites in Safari now have more power - if a website starts playing music you can tap the icon at the top to mute all tabs to make sure you can stop the embarrassing sounds.
Talking through Spotlight too - it's more intuitive so you can ask things like 'Documents I worked on last June' and they'll pop up.
10.13 - Going through EC now - the first big things of the process. Number one is the cursor goes massive when you turn on the screen so you can find your cursor.

10.12 - Craig Federighi is onstage doing his usual jokes onstage about marketing teams. But here's the name: OS X El Capitan.
10.10 - Confirmation of native apps coming to the Watch OS and we're going to hear a lot more about OS X and iOS.
10.08 - Tim Cook is talking about balls. Baseballs. Apparently something with baseball happened and the rich baseball players wanted Apple stuff and so Apple gave it to them. Thank god.
10.04 - It's really Bill Hader. There's a lot of actual funny going on in this beginning - Danny Pudi is in it, there's a joke about Windows, free Watches. And now Tim Cook is here!
10.00 It's go time. 'David LeGary' is talking about his 'vision' for the opening of WWDC.
09.58 - DON'T BELIEVE ME JUST WATCH. UPTOWN FUNK GON' GIVE IT TO YA.
09.55 - We're being told that it's about to start and to turn off all phones. Ha. Good luck.
09.51 - Not much happening still - people are stressing about the WiFi A LOT and there are a lot of Apple execs around. Standard WWDC stuff.
09.44 - Zane Lowe just wandered past. Wearing a leather jacket. Probably to hide the sweat of the new streaming service that's about to be announced.
09.39 - Jony Ive is here. He's wearing a cotton blue number atop his broad shoulders. #fashionwwdc
09.36 - Settled in my seat and there's a definite aroma of mint around. And a fancy shower gel. I think it's someone sitting near me.
The girl next to me is frantically messing around with DNS settings as the WiFi is a bit patchy here, so if I suddenly stop typing mid-senten
09.20 - CONFIRMED: Macs will be involved at some point in today's keynote.

09.10 - "The epicenter of change" apparently. Wish it read "epic center" - would have been cooler.

09.00 - We're here! The sun is out, I'm in shorts and there's a spring in my step. Now to go and sit inside for several hours in a windowless room. Oh.


08.15 - The latest image in the Apple store highlight's the firm's four core products - Watch, iPhone, iPad and MacBook - and you can expect all of them to get a mention today.

05.47 PDT - As the sun rises over San Francisco we wonder how Google is feeling today. Can Apple compete with Android M? How many times will Tim Cook say gorgeous? What ever happened to scarf guy?
04.21 PDT - BIG NEWS. Tim Cook is awake. He's like a kid on Christmas, knocking on his parent's bedroom door as they tell him to "go back to f***ing bed" - in this case though, the parent is Jony Ive, and Jony loves a lie in.

03.00 PDT - Just seven hours to go until Tim Cook takes to the stage at Moscone West - wonder how he's sleeping?









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Apple Homekit to shine brighter with Philips Hue this year

Light it up: Philips has announced that Hue, its programmable smart lighting system, will be compatible with the Apple Homekit this Fall.
Philips has said that all existing Hue lights will be made compatible with Apple's home control system, also stating that Apple will help existing customers upgrade their lighting. It's possible that a simple firmware update could add compatibility, without having to purchase a new hub.
Most of the specifics are still being finalized so it will be a bit of time before we know all the details. According to Phillips, the rollout begins in Fall of 2015. No word or update on Homekit at WWDC 2015. Most likely, we will hear some more specifics when Apple's usual September event rolls around.
YouTube : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BHvgtAcZl6g








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In Pictures: OS X 10.11 El Capitan

Introduction

Apple has unwrapped OS X 10.11 El Capitan, which features new versions of stock apps, a slew of updates and a barrel full of performance improvements. There's nothing radically new to be found with Apple's latest release, but the Snow Leopard-esque speed refinements and productivity-focused tweaks will no doubt be welcomed by the Mac-toting hordes. Without further ado, click on to feast your eyes on the OS X 10.11 El Capitan's new features.

1. Never curse at your cursor again

Don't you hate it when you lose your mouse cursor behind windows and apps? ...said no-one ever. Anyway, it's a problem you'll never have again because El Capitan makes the cursor bigger when you shake your mouse like a Polaroid picture. Hopefully it will stop growing before it gets to frankencursor proportions and swallows your desktop. An odd, but welcome feature all the same.

2. Spotlight gets a bit brighter

El Capitan shows that OS X has got smarter. You can now issue context-specific commands via Spotlight to find files; for example, typing in "slides from [person's name] about [something]" will conduct a more specific search than simply searching from the file name. It remains to be seen what different file types and commands El Capitan recognizes.

3. Apple makes a split decision

Here's a feature that Windows users will recognise: Split Screen view. Just as split-screen functionality has come to iOS 9, OS X 10.11 El Capitan now lets you divide the screen to allocate apps in full-screen, with an adjustable black bar running down the middle to alter the size of the screen's two halves.

4. Mail gets full-size attachments

Apple has made some small improvements to OS X's Mail app, which now works with natural search phrases in a similar manner to Spotlight. Typing in "mail I ignored from Hugh", for example, will bring up any unread mail from a contact call Hugh that's been sitting unloved at the bottom of your inbox. Mail also gets iOS-style swipe commands, such as swiping left or right to quickly save an email to a folder or delete it.

5. Metal comes to OS X

Apple's Metal graphics engine, which is currently available in iOS, has made its way to OSX 10.11 El Capitan. Apple claims that Metal "opens up new possibilities for rich and engaging worlds" and allows for 50% performance in supported games and reduces the level of processing power required to run games by 40%. The Metal API is integrated into the Unreal Engine 4 games engine by Epic games, which was demoed using a cartooney zombie-bashing game called Fortnite.

6. Mission Control gets smoother

Apple has made Mission Control smoother and added the ability to see which apps are open using a three-finger upwards swipe. It works in tandem with OS X El Capitan's new Split Screen feature too. When Split Screen is activated, entering Mission Control allows you to drag open apps and windows into one half of a virtual desktop.

7. Safari gets pinned tabs

Safari has added the ability to pin your favourite websites to the toolbar on the left-hand side, something that Chrome users have had for some time. Additionally, El Capitan now tells you which tabs are playing audio, allowing you to close the offending website or mute it. This could be particularly useful when struck by all-infuriating autoplay videos that scream out of the speakers unannounced.









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Updated: OS X 10.11 El Capitan: news, release date, and features

OS X 10.11 El Capitan

It's been seven months and counting since Apple's iOS-inspired OS X 10.10 Yosemite leapt onto the Mac. Attention has now turned to the next major release of OS X, which is expected to be named - you guessed it - OS X 10.11 El Capitan.
Like iOS 7, Yosemite's bold colours and flattened icons divided opinion, but the stats paint a positive picture: more than half (58%) of Mac owners were running the latest version of OS X in April, according to data by NetApplications.

It's hard to deny that Yosemite looks fantastic on Apple's newer computers with Retina displays - such as the iMac with Retina 5K and the new MacBook - but users on older hardware have reported sluggish performance since upgrading.
As such, OS X 10.11 will focus on "under-the-hood" performance improvements, rather than new features, as OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard did back in 2009. Snow Leopard famously launched with "0 new features", instead focusing on improving performance and service support.
This includes 1.4 times faster app launching than its predecessor, two times faster app switching and email opening, as well as four times faster PDF previews. While Apple hasn't quite gone with the stringent strategy of no new features, it has aimed to please developers with a better optimized OS complete with Metal pulled from iOS 8.

OS X 10.11 release date

OS X 10.11 as expected was shown off for the first time at WWDC 2015, which took place on June 8. At the event Apple gave developers the chance to "learn about the future of iOS and OS X", bringing forth both OS X El Capitan and the next version of iOS, iOS 9. Certain Yosemite features such as Continuity saw tighter integration between OS X and iOS, a path Apple is continuing with OS X 10.11.

• Apple's WWDC logos through the ages: what did they tell us?

With Apple promising to release OS X 10.11 this fall it wouldn't be surprising to see El Capitan arriving in October, the month that both OS X 10.09 Mavericks and OS X 10.10 Yosemite were let loose into the wild in 2013 and 2014 respectively.

OS X 10.11 price

The last two versions of OS X, Yosemite and OS X 10.9 Mavericks, were both free and this is a trend El Capitan will follow too. It would have been especially hard to see Apple going back to paid annual updates in light of Microsoft's decision to offer Windows 10 as a free update to Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 users for one year.

OS X 10.11 name

Releases of OS X were named after big cats prior to OS X 10.9 Mavericks, with the last being OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion. Apple indicated that future versions would be named after California locations from that point onwards, starting with OS X 10.09 Mavericks.
So what's next? Apple has trademarked a number of names that could be used for OS X 10.11, including: Redwood, Mammoth, California, Big Sur, Pacific, Diablo, Miramar, Rincon, El Cap, Redtail, Condor, Grizzly, Farallon, Tiburon, Monterey, Skyline, Shasta, Sierra, Mojave, Sequola, Ventura and Sonoma. Of course, there can only be one and the Cupertino company decided to go with El Capitan.

OS X 10.11: features

Split View

Windows 7 introduced the ability to "snap" windows to the sides of the desktop to easily position apps and other content on the display, something that has been missing from OS X for almost six years. Now El Capitan will finally introduced something Apple is calling Split View, which as the name suggests allows users to easily orient two windows side by side.
Sure, there are third-party apps that can do it, but they're not free or run as smoothly as the native behaviour on Microsoft's snap-happy OS. Windows 10 has introduced a way to snap four Windows of equal size to each corner of the screen, which would be a boon for anyone using Apple's larger iMacs or a large monitor.

Spaces Bar

OS X El Capitan also brings a slightly revamped multi-desktop management system called Spaces Bar. Users can launch the new expansive view of their desktops by dragging a window to the top of the screen. For a split-screen view, simply drag one window on top of the other.
In a few other tweaks, Mission Control said to be smoother, simpler, faster. Meanwhile, full screen apps including Mail are smarter with multitasking features similar to iOS 8's enhancements.

Metal

One of the biggest improvements El Capitan will bring with it is Metal, a low-level, low-overhead hardware-accelerated graphics API. Apple promises this iOS 8 feature coming to its desktop OS will introduce a 50% improvement in performance with up to 40% greater rendering efficiency.
The melding of Metal with El Capitan should make Macs a much more capable platform for gaming. Thus far, Epic games has demoed a build of Fortnight built on Metal.
Aside from gaming, Adobe also presented Metal has enabled After Effects to render effects with eight times the efficiency. The software maker also announced it is adopting Metal in its OS X apps, which has resulted in a 10x improvement in draw call performance.

OS X 10.11: rumors leading up to WWDC 2015

Sync Launcher layout to iCloud

Another useful feature from Windows 8.1 is the ability to have Windows automatically download and lay out apps, desktop wallpaper and settings associated with a Microsoft account. This means that you can log into another Windows 8.1 machine and have all of your favourite apps downloaded and laid out as if you've sat down at your own computer.
OS X forces you to manually download your previously purchased apps from the Mac App store, before inserting them into the correct order the on the dock (if you harbour OCD tendencies). It's not a problem if you stick to one machine, but slightly cumbersome if you tend to chop and change. Baking such functionality into OS X 10.11 shouldn't be too difficult thanks to iCloud support.

OS X 10.11 and Siri

The most notable absence from Yosemite was Apple's voice-activated personal assistant, Siri. With Microsoft introducing Cortana into Windows 10, now would be a good time for the personal assistant to come to Apple's desktop OS. When you can download and install Windows 10 Technical Preview onto a Mac to get Cortana, but you can't get Siri on the native OS, that's a sure sign that Apple needs to play catch up.









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WWDC 2015: Apple's new Maps features are a victory for small businesses

At Apple's annual developer conference, the Cupertino, California-based company said it would roll out public transit information to its Maps application for more than 10 cities worldwide, and 300 cities in China. Most consumers will likely shrug off the improvement, given that Google Maps already makes this feature available for 18,000 cities. However, for small business owners, this represents an incredible step forward for Apple and its Maps app.
Apple has been widely criticized for the inaccurate information and shoddy design of its Maps app, especially compared to Google's industry-standard Maps app. Apple CEO Tim Cook was forced to make a public apology in 2013 for the disastrous Maps app that came with iOS 6.
But despite this perceived inferiority to Google Maps, Apple still has a healthy user base. Apple says there are more than five billion requests coming to Maps each week. Forty-two million of Maps users are based in the US, compared with Google's 65 million US users. For small and local businesses, this group of 42 million users represents an incredible opportunity that can't be ignored.

What's new with Apple Maps

At its developer conference, Apple announced it would add an icon in the Maps app that indicates whether or not businesses that appear within search results provide support for Apple Pay. Although this is a simple feature that ultimately serves Apple better than it does the consumer or business, the chance to acquire new business from Apple Pay users could be beneficial to some organizations, especially smaller retailers, restaurants and bars.
Additionally, Apple said it would enable users to search the Maps app by storefront type (i.e. Food, Drink, etc.). Today, users can search by entering the type of storefront they want and then by scrolling through a list of locations. However, Apple doesn't hand-select types of venues and then offer them to consumers. This feature should help to improve serendipitous interactions with local businesses for consumers who don't have a specific type of food or item in mind prior to making a search.
Google's "Explore Nearby" feature is strikingly similar to the new Apple Maps icon search tool, so Apple isn't inventing anything here, but this new feature, which will be available to those 42 million users I mentioned earlier should help to place new butts into local business seats.

Additional good news

Rumors indicate Apple Maps will be soon be available on Android, which should dramatically improve the number of users who are accessing your business on the Apple app. With more than one billion Android users globally, Apple Maps' US user base should balloon way past the 42 million mark.
A couple weeks ago, a rumor also emerged that suggested Apple-operated camera-equipped automobiles are capturing 3D street view imagery and storefront stills to help Apple improve its mapping data, and reduce reliance on third parties, such as Google.
Like Google's My Business feature, which enables businesses to improve search traffic, keep information updated, provide up-to-date links, generate traffic directions, and add customer photos and reviews to a dedicated Maps link, Apple recently updated its Maps Connect tool to include more major cities and listings for even smaller organizations. Launched in 2014, Map Connect allows small businesses to log-in to a private site where they can edit things like Business Name, Phone Number, Address, Location, and many of the other attributes you're likely to find on a Google Maps listings.

So what does this all mean?

Truth be told: Apple is still far behind Google in terms of functionality and usability. However, if you're a small business with a dedicated marketing team focused on search and web-based listings, you can't allow Apple's Maps stumbles to turn you away from the application. Apple doesn't seem to be giving up the Map game yet, and you can't afford to give up on Apple Maps. It's a vital tool that, although inferior to Google's application, you should be constantly updating and optimizing.









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