New design with full-front display and no Home button expected.
WWDC 2017: iOS 11, High Sierra, HomePod & More
Hands-On With iOS 11's iPad Features: Dock, Drag and Drop, App Switcher and More
There's a major focus on the iPad in iOS 11, with Apple introducing a huge range of iPad-specific features that offer a much improved multitasking experience, allowing the iPad to better serve as a full PC replacement. Many of the features included in iOS 11 have topped the wish lists of iPad owners for years, including Drag and Drop, the Files app, the persistent dock, and more.
iOS 11 significantly overhauls the way the iPad can be used, as can be seen in our hands-on video covering the iPad-specific features you can expect to see in the update.
Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos.
There's an expanded Dock on the iPad, which is persistent and can be pulled up with an upwards swipe from within any app. The Dock makes switching between apps much faster, and it enables multitasking features on compatible devices.
Opening the Dock while using an app and dragging a Dock icon upwards will pop up a new window, which can be pulled into a Slide Over or Split View multitasking arrangement. Using the dock, you can switch between Split View apps in seconds.
Accompanying the Dock is a new App Switcher that has a design similar to Spaces on the Mac. It shows all of your most recently used apps, it offers access to Control Center settings, and it even preserves your Split View or Slide Over window arrangements.
Drag and Drop, one of the most desired iPad features, has been implemented in iOS 11. With Drag and Drop, text, links, photos, files, and more can be transferred between apps with simple drag gestures. Drag and Drop supports multitouch, so you can do things like pull a link from Safari, bring up the Dock, open up Messages, and send the link to a friend. Combined with a new Files app, Drag and Drop makes it incredibly easy to manage files.
Apple Pencil support is also expanding in iOS 11. The Apple Pencil can be used systemwide like any other stylus (or a finger), and there are new features that have been designed with the Apple Pencil in mind, including Instant Markup, which allows essentially anything to be annotated, and inline drawing within Mail and Notes.
There's also a neat Instant Notes feature that lets you tap the Apple Pencil on the screen of an iPad Pro to automatically open a new Note for quick note taking purposes. All of the other features that are new in iOS 11 are available on the iPad, so check out our comprehensive iOS 11 roundup for a complete overview of what's coming in the update.
iOS 11 is limited to developers at the current time, but Apple plans to make a public beta available in late June so non-developers will have a chance to test the new iPad features at that time. We'll have more videos covering iOS 11 features coming next week, so make sure to stay tuned to MacRumors.com.
iOS 11 significantly overhauls the way the iPad can be used, as can be seen in our hands-on video covering the iPad-specific features you can expect to see in the update.
There's an expanded Dock on the iPad, which is persistent and can be pulled up with an upwards swipe from within any app. The Dock makes switching between apps much faster, and it enables multitasking features on compatible devices.
Opening the Dock while using an app and dragging a Dock icon upwards will pop up a new window, which can be pulled into a Slide Over or Split View multitasking arrangement. Using the dock, you can switch between Split View apps in seconds.
Accompanying the Dock is a new App Switcher that has a design similar to Spaces on the Mac. It shows all of your most recently used apps, it offers access to Control Center settings, and it even preserves your Split View or Slide Over window arrangements.
Drag and Drop, one of the most desired iPad features, has been implemented in iOS 11. With Drag and Drop, text, links, photos, files, and more can be transferred between apps with simple drag gestures. Drag and Drop supports multitouch, so you can do things like pull a link from Safari, bring up the Dock, open up Messages, and send the link to a friend. Combined with a new Files app, Drag and Drop makes it incredibly easy to manage files.
Apple Pencil support is also expanding in iOS 11. The Apple Pencil can be used systemwide like any other stylus (or a finger), and there are new features that have been designed with the Apple Pencil in mind, including Instant Markup, which allows essentially anything to be annotated, and inline drawing within Mail and Notes.
There's also a neat Instant Notes feature that lets you tap the Apple Pencil on the screen of an iPad Pro to automatically open a new Note for quick note taking purposes. All of the other features that are new in iOS 11 are available on the iPad, so check out our comprehensive iOS 11 roundup for a complete overview of what's coming in the update.
iOS 11 is limited to developers at the current time, but Apple plans to make a public beta available in late June so non-developers will have a chance to test the new iPad features at that time. We'll have more videos covering iOS 11 features coming next week, so make sure to stay tuned to MacRumors.com.
Related Roundup: iOS 11
78 comments
Apple CEO Tim Cook Pokes Fun at Windows PCs in Commencement Address at MIT
Apple CEO Tim Cook today delivered the 2017 commencement address at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Cook first reflected on his inability to figure out what the purpose of his life is, while poking fun at Windows PCs in the process. For context, Cook briefly worked at former PC maker Compaq in early 1998 prior to joining Apple.
Tim Cook appears around 7:00 mark
Working with Apple co-founder Steve Jobs, Cook said he eventually learned "life's biggest and most important question" being "how can I serve humanity?"
Cook first reflected on his inability to figure out what the purpose of his life is, while poking fun at Windows PCs in the process. For context, Cook briefly worked at former PC maker Compaq in early 1998 prior to joining Apple.
I tried meditation. I sought guidance and religion. I read great philosophers and authors. In a moment of youthful indiscretion, I might even have experimented with a Windows PC. And obviously that didn't work.Cook's search eventually led him to Apple in 1998, when the company was flirting with bankruptcy and struggling to survive.
Working with Apple co-founder Steve Jobs, Cook said he eventually learned "life's biggest and most important question" being "how can I serve humanity?"
It was in that moment, after 15 years of searching, that something clicked. I finally felt aligned with a company that brought together challenging, cutting edge work with a higher purpose. Aligned with a leader who believed that technology which didn't exist yet could reinvent tomorrow's world. Aligned with myself and my own deep need to serve something greater. Of course, at that moment I don't know all of that. I was just grateful to have a psychological burden lifted. But with the help of hindsight, my breakthrough makes more sense. I was never going to find my purpose working some place without a clear sense of purpose of its own. Steve and Apple freed me to throw myself into the work and embrace their mission and make it my own. How can I serve humanity? This is life's biggest and most important question.Cook concluded his speech by saying he's "optimistic" in the next generation's own journey to serve humanity.
As you go forward today, use your minds and your hands and your hearts to build something bigger than yourselves. Always remember there is no idea bigger than this: as Dr. Martin Luther King said, we are all bound together in a single garment of destiny. If you keep that idea at the forefront of all that you do, if you choose to live your lives at that intersection between technology and the people it serves, if you strive to create the best, give the best, and do the best for everyone—not just for some—then today all of humanity has good cause for hope. Thank you very much.Cook toured the MIT campus on Thursday. "So impressed by MIT students and faculty who are finding new ways to tackle the world's biggest challenges," he tweeted. "Thanks for sharing your work!"
Tag: Tim Cook
Component Production Begins for 2017 iPhones as New Renders Combine iOS 11 With iPhone 8
As we get closer to the launch of the so-called "iPhone 8" in the fall, a new report out of Apple's supply chain today confirms that the company has begun mass producing components for all three of 2017's iPhone models. The report corroborates what has been rumored for well over a year: Apple will launch two iterative iPhone updates sized at 4.7 inches and 5.5 inches, along with a 5.8-inch model that includes the first ever OLED screen on an iPhone.
According to DigiTimes' sources, the 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch iPhones will include a reinforced glass chassis and an aluminum metal frame, while the 5.8-inch iPhone will feature the same reinforced glass chassis and an unspecified "metal frame." Recent rumors have largely agreed that the iPhone 8's frame will be made of stainless steel, similar to Apple Watch.
Samsung Display is one of the manufacturers currently in component production on Apple's next-generation iPhones, and is said to be ready to supply up to 80 million AMOLED panels for the 5.8-inch iPhone 8 in 2017, falling between the 70 million and 92 million previously rumored.
➜ Click here to read rest of article...
According to DigiTimes' sources, the 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch iPhones will include a reinforced glass chassis and an aluminum metal frame, while the 5.8-inch iPhone will feature the same reinforced glass chassis and an unspecified "metal frame." Recent rumors have largely agreed that the iPhone 8's frame will be made of stainless steel, similar to Apple Watch.
Samsung Display is one of the manufacturers currently in component production on Apple's next-generation iPhones, and is said to be ready to supply up to 80 million AMOLED panels for the 5.8-inch iPhone 8 in 2017, falling between the 70 million and 92 million previously rumored.
Samsung Display is set to supply up to 80 million AMOLED panels for the new 5.8-inch iPhone in 2017, according to sources from the upstream supply chain.The manufacturer will be capable of outputting another 80 million AMOLED panels this year, but that half will be focused on orders from Samsung Electronics and other, non-Apple smartphone clients. Sources did say that if Apple were to increase its orders, Samsung Display "is expected to keep some flexibility" in its supply chain to cut down orders elsewhere and compensate its output for the Cupertino company.
Samsung Display's remaining capacity, which is expected to output another 80 million AMOLED panels in 2017, will be used to supply orders from Samsung Electronics and its other smartphone clients, but the panel maker is expected to keep some flexibility in case Apple places additional orders, the sources noted.
➜ Click here to read rest of article...
Watch 'The Talk Show' Live From WWDC 2017 With Craig Federighi and Phil Schiller
Daring Fireball has shared the full video of "The Talk Show Live" from Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference this week.
Before a live audience at The California Theatre in San Jose, Apple senior executives Craig Federighi and Phil Schiller joined host John Gruber to reflect on the company's announcements at its WWDC opening keynote on Monday, including several new Macs, macOS High Sierra, iOS 11, and HomePod.
The video, produced by Amy Jane Gruber and Paul Kafasis, is available on Vimeo and embedded below.
MacRumors has put together a WWDC 2017 roundup with the latest news and announcements from the conference.
Before a live audience at The California Theatre in San Jose, Apple senior executives Craig Federighi and Phil Schiller joined host John Gruber to reflect on the company's announcements at its WWDC opening keynote on Monday, including several new Macs, macOS High Sierra, iOS 11, and HomePod.
The video, produced by Amy Jane Gruber and Paul Kafasis, is available on Vimeo and embedded below.
MacRumors has put together a WWDC 2017 roundup with the latest news and announcements from the conference.
iOS 11 Demo Highlights Potential for Drag and Drop on iPad
During this week's Worldwide Developers Conference, Apple revealed a collection of iPad-specific abilities coming to iOS 11, including a new customizable dock that can be accessed from within any app, a Files app, a new app switcher, and support for drag and drop.
With the first beta of iOS 11 currently in the hands of developers, a few specific examples of what's possible with the much-anticipated drag and drop feature have been causing excitement online.
The short video above demonstrates a possible use case in Safari in particular. The clip shows how the user can now long-press on a URL address in the Safari search bar and drag it to the right-hand side of the screen to duplicate the Safari window in Split View mode. Another action demonstrations the ability to drag a hyperlink on a web page and drop it on the + icon at the top right of the Safari toolbar to instantly open a new tab showing the linked page.
A similar hyperlink drag is then drawn over to the Bookmarks icon at the top left of the screen, but this time the user holds onto the link and is able to navigate to their Reading List and store the link there for later referral.
Lastly, the same action is performed on a web-hosted file link, dragging it to the right of the screen to open the download link in another Safari window in Split View. With the hosted file selected with one finger, the user then uses the finger of another hand to invoke the new iPad dock with a swipe up from the bottom of the screen. Continuing with multitouch, he then drags the File app icon up to the right to open the last-viewed Documents sub-folder, and simply drops the selected file into it with his other finger.
Developers are still experimenting with the potential of drag and drop on iPad, but it's safe to assume that with support for multi-select and spring-loading, the possibilities for various workflows are far-reaching. For instance, another developer has discovered that it is possible to drag up to four different stacks of objects from various apps using four fingers on one hand in order to drop them all into a single Notes sheet.
Drag and drop on iPhone appears to be limited at this stage in iOS 11 in developer beta testing, with the majority of related features restricted to iPad, but it's possible that some aspects could come across to the smaller screen if Apple feels they're practicable.
The public beta of iOS 11 is expected to be released later this month, with the final version coming in the fall.
With the first beta of iOS 11 currently in the hands of developers, a few specific examples of what's possible with the much-anticipated drag and drop feature have been causing excitement online.
A demonstration of the various ways you can drag and drop in Safari on iOS 11 /cc @mikecane pic.twitter.com/5Rg9Lqe2GL
— Steve T-S (@stroughtonsmith) June 7, 2017
The short video above demonstrates a possible use case in Safari in particular. The clip shows how the user can now long-press on a URL address in the Safari search bar and drag it to the right-hand side of the screen to duplicate the Safari window in Split View mode. Another action demonstrations the ability to drag a hyperlink on a web page and drop it on the + icon at the top right of the Safari toolbar to instantly open a new tab showing the linked page.
A similar hyperlink drag is then drawn over to the Bookmarks icon at the top left of the screen, but this time the user holds onto the link and is able to navigate to their Reading List and store the link there for later referral.
Lastly, the same action is performed on a web-hosted file link, dragging it to the right of the screen to open the download link in another Safari window in Split View. With the hosted file selected with one finger, the user then uses the finger of another hand to invoke the new iPad dock with a swipe up from the bottom of the screen. Continuing with multitouch, he then drags the File app icon up to the right to open the last-viewed Documents sub-folder, and simply drops the selected file into it with his other finger.
Developers are still experimenting with the potential of drag and drop on iPad, but it's safe to assume that with support for multi-select and spring-loading, the possibilities for various workflows are far-reaching. For instance, another developer has discovered that it is possible to drag up to four different stacks of objects from various apps using four fingers on one hand in order to drop them all into a single Notes sheet.
Drag and drop on iPhone appears to be limited at this stage in iOS 11 in developer beta testing, with the majority of related features restricted to iPad, but it's possible that some aspects could come across to the smaller screen if Apple feels they're practicable.
The public beta of iOS 11 is expected to be released later this month, with the final version coming in the fall.
Related Roundup: iOS 11
A Look at iOS 11's Entirely Redesigned App Store
One of iOS 11's boldest changes is the revamped, redesigned App Store that dramatically changes the look and feel of Apple's app marketplace. Aimed at boosting app discovery, the new App Store doubles down on games and splits apps and games into their own sections for the first time.
We went hands-on with the new App Store to give MacRumors readers an idea of what to expect when iOS 11 rolls out to the public this fall.
Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos.
As seen in the video above, the iOS 11 App Store looks and feels quite a bit different than the iOS 10 App Store. In addition to separate tabs for Games and Apps, there's a new "Today" view that's updated on a daily basis with new content.
The Today view features an App of the Day and a Game of the Day, plus a selection of other content chosen by Apple's App Store editors. That content can range from featured games and apps to interviews with developers to tips on how to use various apps.
Individual app pages have also been updated. Apple is putting more of a focus on reviews, distinctions like Editor's Choice are better highlighted, and content can be shown off with multiple videos. There are also new options that allow things like new in-app purchases and levels to be highlighted, letting developers alert users when apps are updated with new features.
Along with Today, Games, and Apps, there are also the standard sections for Updates and Search, both of which have the same functionality as the current App Store.
The new App Store will roll out in the fall when iOS 11 sees a public release. Registered developers can check out the new App Store right away, while public beta testers will get access in late June via an iOS 11 public beta.
We went hands-on with the new App Store to give MacRumors readers an idea of what to expect when iOS 11 rolls out to the public this fall.
As seen in the video above, the iOS 11 App Store looks and feels quite a bit different than the iOS 10 App Store. In addition to separate tabs for Games and Apps, there's a new "Today" view that's updated on a daily basis with new content.
The Today view features an App of the Day and a Game of the Day, plus a selection of other content chosen by Apple's App Store editors. That content can range from featured games and apps to interviews with developers to tips on how to use various apps.
Individual app pages have also been updated. Apple is putting more of a focus on reviews, distinctions like Editor's Choice are better highlighted, and content can be shown off with multiple videos. There are also new options that allow things like new in-app purchases and levels to be highlighted, letting developers alert users when apps are updated with new features.
Along with Today, Games, and Apps, there are also the standard sections for Updates and Search, both of which have the same functionality as the current App Store.
The new App Store will roll out in the fall when iOS 11 sees a public release. Registered developers can check out the new App Store right away, while public beta testers will get access in late June via an iOS 11 public beta.
Related Roundup: iOS 11
Hands-On With iOS 11's Revamped, Customizable Control Center
In iOS 11, the Control Center has seen its third major overhaul in three years, and this time, it's received a drastic redesign with a single page spread and bubble-style icons.
Control Center functionality has also changed significantly, with new 3D Touch options and customizability that allows users to choose to add settings for the features they use most in iOS. Both the redesign and the new 3D Touch options are outlined below in our hands-on video.
Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos.
Control Center has a love it or hate it look and the customization options may not go as far as some users would have liked, but there are several neat features hidden within that are an improvement over previous Control Center layouts.
For the first time, there's access to a one-tap Low Power Mode setting, and an Apple TV setting brings up a full Apple TV remote that doesn't require an app. There's also a new one-tap screen recording feature that takes a video of whatever you're doing on the iPhone or iPad, and there are an expanded range of settings that cover everything from Accessibility options to HomeKit, Notes, and Text Size. Users can choose just a few settings, or add every single one.
Networking settings, music controls, and options for brightness, volume, AirPlay, rotation lock, and Do Not Disturb are static and can't be hidden or rearranged, but the bottom rows of icons are customizable and can be edited in the Settings app.
Every Control Center setting that's not a simple on/off toggle has 3D Touch functionality. Some, like music, offer expanded options, while others, like brightness and volume, provide access to a larger icon for changing the setting. Still others, like the Apple TV option, offer up a full interface only accessible through 3D Touch (or a long press on devices without it).
On the iPad, Control Center has been baked into the App Switcher. Swiping up on the screen on the iPad now opens App Switcher instead of a full Control Center, with Control Center settings located at the right of the display.
Control Center is likely to see some design refinements over the course of the beta testing period. Right now, the iOS 11 beta is limited to developers, but Apple plans to release a public beta in late June.
We're going to have a full selection of videos covering all of the new features in iOS 11, so make sure to stay tuned to MacRumors.com.
Control Center functionality has also changed significantly, with new 3D Touch options and customizability that allows users to choose to add settings for the features they use most in iOS. Both the redesign and the new 3D Touch options are outlined below in our hands-on video.
Control Center has a love it or hate it look and the customization options may not go as far as some users would have liked, but there are several neat features hidden within that are an improvement over previous Control Center layouts.
For the first time, there's access to a one-tap Low Power Mode setting, and an Apple TV setting brings up a full Apple TV remote that doesn't require an app. There's also a new one-tap screen recording feature that takes a video of whatever you're doing on the iPhone or iPad, and there are an expanded range of settings that cover everything from Accessibility options to HomeKit, Notes, and Text Size. Users can choose just a few settings, or add every single one.
Networking settings, music controls, and options for brightness, volume, AirPlay, rotation lock, and Do Not Disturb are static and can't be hidden or rearranged, but the bottom rows of icons are customizable and can be edited in the Settings app.
Every Control Center setting that's not a simple on/off toggle has 3D Touch functionality. Some, like music, offer expanded options, while others, like brightness and volume, provide access to a larger icon for changing the setting. Still others, like the Apple TV option, offer up a full interface only accessible through 3D Touch (or a long press on devices without it).
On the iPad, Control Center has been baked into the App Switcher. Swiping up on the screen on the iPad now opens App Switcher instead of a full Control Center, with Control Center settings located at the right of the display.
Control Center is likely to see some design refinements over the course of the beta testing period. Right now, the iOS 11 beta is limited to developers, but Apple plans to release a public beta in late June.
We're going to have a full selection of videos covering all of the new features in iOS 11, so make sure to stay tuned to MacRumors.com.
Related Roundup: iOS 11
Apple's AirPods Pair Automatically With Apple TV in tvOS 11
tvOS 11, the newest version of the operating system that runs on the fourth-generation Apple TV, didn't receive any air time during Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference keynote, but it includes a handful of new features, including auto-pairing with Apple's AirPods.
AirPods currently pair automatically with iPads, Macs, and Apple Watches thanks to iCloud support and an Apple-designed W1 chip, but that automatic pairing doesn't extend to the Apple TV. That's set to change in tvOS 11.
In the first tvOS 11 beta, as 9to5Mac points out, AirPods appear as a new speaker option on the Apple TV when a user with AirPods is signed into their Apple ID on the Apple TV. As with any iOS devices or Mac, when connected to an Apple TV, sound will play through the AirPods.
Prior to tvOS 11, AirPods worked with the Apple TV, but had to be paired manually, a process that's not as seamless or as quick as the automatic switching baked into Apple's wireless earbuds.
According to Apple's release notes for the first tvOS 11 beta, other features new to the operating system include automatic switching between light and dark mode based on local time, Home screen syncing between multiple Apple TVs, new background modes and notification support, and a few other under-the-hood changes.
In a few months, tvOS 11 and the fourth-generation Apple TV will be gaining a much-desired Amazon Prime Video app for the first time, which was announced on stage at the Worldwide Developers Conference.
tvOS 11 is only available for registered developers at the current point in time, but Apple plans to make a version available for public beta testers in the future.
Here's How Apple's New MacBook Pro Compares to Last Year's Model
Apple refreshed its MacBook Pro lineup this week with Intel's seventh-generation Kaby Lake processors and faster standard graphics options from Intel and AMD. There's also a cheaper 13-inch MacBook Pro with function keys starting at $1,299 with 128GB storage, compared to $1,499 for the previous base model.
Beyond that, the 2017 MacBook Pro is nearly identical to the 2016 MacBook Pro in both design and other tech specs.
The update arrives just eight months after Apple redesigned the MacBook Pro with features such as the Touch Bar, Touch ID, Thunderbolt 3 ports, and a shallower keyboard with a second-generation butterfly mechanism. Prior to then, the MacBook Pro had gone over 500 days without an update.
For prospective buyers of the 2017 MacBook Pro, here's how the new models stack up against the 2016 MacBook Pro.
Mobile users: tap this link to view the full-size image
Geekbench results suggest the 2017 MacBook Pro is up to 20 percent faster than the 2016 MacBook Pro in CPU performance, but the difference is likely lower in real-world usage and given the apparent optimizations that Apple has made to last year's MacBook Pro between its launch and now.
Apple began accepting online orders for the new MacBook Pro on Monday, and delivery estimates currently range between June 12 and June 22 in the United States. The notebooks are also available today at most Apple Stores, and customers have the option to reserve a model for in-store pickup on Apple's website.
Beyond that, the 2017 MacBook Pro is nearly identical to the 2016 MacBook Pro in both design and other tech specs.
The update arrives just eight months after Apple redesigned the MacBook Pro with features such as the Touch Bar, Touch ID, Thunderbolt 3 ports, and a shallower keyboard with a second-generation butterfly mechanism. Prior to then, the MacBook Pro had gone over 500 days without an update.
For prospective buyers of the 2017 MacBook Pro, here's how the new models stack up against the 2016 MacBook Pro.
Geekbench results suggest the 2017 MacBook Pro is up to 20 percent faster than the 2016 MacBook Pro in CPU performance, but the difference is likely lower in real-world usage and given the apparent optimizations that Apple has made to last year's MacBook Pro between its launch and now.
Apple began accepting online orders for the new MacBook Pro on Monday, and delivery estimates currently range between June 12 and June 22 in the United States. The notebooks are also available today at most Apple Stores, and customers have the option to reserve a model for in-store pickup on Apple's website.
iOS 11 Streamlines Creation of Custom Apple Watch Faces With New Share Sheet Option in Photos
Apple has made it easier than ever for users to create custom watch faces on their Apple Watch in iOS 11, thanks to a new share sheet option within Photos on iPhone.
On the current operating systems for iPhone and Apple Watch, users can choose a "Photo" watch face to add to their Apple Watch, but the only way to change the picture is to customize the face on the Apple Watch and swipe left and right through photos in a synced album. "Photo Album" is also available, which automatically shuffles up which picture will appear on Apple Watch -- again, within a selected album -- each time the wrist is raised.
Now, Apple has added in a simple new share sheet to Photos on iOS 11, as spotted by French site Watch Generation [Google Translate]. After a photo is selected the sheet gives the option to "Create Watch Face," then users have to choose which face they prefer: a typical photo face where the image is presented as normal, or they can turn the image into one of Apple Watch's new kaleidoscope faces.
For the Photos face, users can now also select 10 custom images directly within the Watch app to add into the photo rotation of the watch face. This should make creating a custom Photos watch face much easier than the current method in iOS 10, where users either have to choose from one of the pre-set albums in iOS, or go into the Photos app to build a custom one with the images they want to see on their Apple Watch face.
For the kaleidoscope watch face, Apple appears to have multiple pre-set images to choose from that result in the distorted images seen at WWDC this week, including a flower and a few of the colorful exploding sand imagery already available as iOS wallpaper options. When users add in a custom image, it'll appear at the end of this list. There are also custom styles of kaleidoscope to choose from, including one that distorts images with triangular geometry ("Facet") and one with softer circles ("Radial").
Check out previous MacRumors coverage from WWDC week for more iOS 11 tidbits, including easier Wi-Fi password sharing, new AirPods controls, Control Center customization, QR code support in Camera, and more. There's also our hands-on video with the new iOS that walks through a few of the biggest additions to the iPhone software, which will launch for everyone sometime this fall.
On the current operating systems for iPhone and Apple Watch, users can choose a "Photo" watch face to add to their Apple Watch, but the only way to change the picture is to customize the face on the Apple Watch and swipe left and right through photos in a synced album. "Photo Album" is also available, which automatically shuffles up which picture will appear on Apple Watch -- again, within a selected album -- each time the wrist is raised.
Now, Apple has added in a simple new share sheet to Photos on iOS 11, as spotted by French site Watch Generation [Google Translate]. After a photo is selected the sheet gives the option to "Create Watch Face," then users have to choose which face they prefer: a typical photo face where the image is presented as normal, or they can turn the image into one of Apple Watch's new kaleidoscope faces.
For the Photos face, users can now also select 10 custom images directly within the Watch app to add into the photo rotation of the watch face. This should make creating a custom Photos watch face much easier than the current method in iOS 10, where users either have to choose from one of the pre-set albums in iOS, or go into the Photos app to build a custom one with the images they want to see on their Apple Watch face.
For the kaleidoscope watch face, Apple appears to have multiple pre-set images to choose from that result in the distorted images seen at WWDC this week, including a flower and a few of the colorful exploding sand imagery already available as iOS wallpaper options. When users add in a custom image, it'll appear at the end of this list. There are also custom styles of kaleidoscope to choose from, including one that distorts images with triangular geometry ("Facet") and one with softer circles ("Radial").
Check out previous MacRumors coverage from WWDC week for more iOS 11 tidbits, including easier Wi-Fi password sharing, new AirPods controls, Control Center customization, QR code support in Camera, and more. There's also our hands-on video with the new iOS that walks through a few of the biggest additions to the iPhone software, which will launch for everyone sometime this fall.
Related Roundups: Apple Watch Series 2, watchOS 3, watchOS 4, iOS 11
Buyer's Guide: Apple Watch (Neutral)
Buyer's Guide: Apple Watch (Neutral)
iOS 11 Introduces Two New Screen Effects Within Messages Called 'Echo' and 'Spotlight'
Messages users sending texts in iOS 11 this fall will be able to share iMessages with two all-new Screen Effects in Apple's texting app.
Specifically, a new "Echo" option sends any selected piece of text to friends by multiplying the message all over the screen. The second, "Spotlight," puts an emphasis on your message by placing a large spotlight on the text as it's sent over to your friend's iOS device.
No new Bubble Effects have been added to iOS 11, at least not in the first developer beta of the software.
Screen Effects and Bubble Effects made their debut in iOS 10 last year, where Messages as a whole received a major overhaul thanks to the addition of the Messages App Store. On the new platform, apps have become available to download as miniature versions within Messages, including apps for payments, games, dinner reservations, and stickers.
Messages will be getting another overhaul in iOS 11, although one that's not as big as last year's update. This fall, the app's main new addition will be a redesigned App Drawer for your Messages apps, which are placed as a scrollable toolbar below the texting field. Apps should be easier to access in comparison to iOS 10's user interface, which requires one tap to get into the App Drawer, and another to go to Recents to find the app you want.
Check out the full MacRumors iOS 11 roundup for more features coming to Messages, including peer-to-peer payments using Apple Pay and full chat archive synchronization in iCloud, so transferring over to a new iPhone retains all of your old conversations.
(Thanks, Koohyun Y!)
Specifically, a new "Echo" option sends any selected piece of text to friends by multiplying the message all over the screen. The second, "Spotlight," puts an emphasis on your message by placing a large spotlight on the text as it's sent over to your friend's iOS device.
No new Bubble Effects have been added to iOS 11, at least not in the first developer beta of the software.
Screen Effects and Bubble Effects made their debut in iOS 10 last year, where Messages as a whole received a major overhaul thanks to the addition of the Messages App Store. On the new platform, apps have become available to download as miniature versions within Messages, including apps for payments, games, dinner reservations, and stickers.
Messages will be getting another overhaul in iOS 11, although one that's not as big as last year's update. This fall, the app's main new addition will be a redesigned App Drawer for your Messages apps, which are placed as a scrollable toolbar below the texting field. Apps should be easier to access in comparison to iOS 10's user interface, which requires one tap to get into the App Drawer, and another to go to Recents to find the app you want.
Check out the full MacRumors iOS 11 roundup for more features coming to Messages, including peer-to-peer payments using Apple Pay and full chat archive synchronization in iCloud, so transferring over to a new iPhone retains all of your old conversations.
(Thanks, Koohyun Y!)
New MacBook Pro and iMac Models Available Today at Apple Stores
Apple's latest MacBook, MacBook Pro, and iMac models are now widely available at all but a few of its retail stores across the United States, and customers now have the option to reserve a model for in-store pickup on its website.
Apple began accepting online orders for the new MacBook, MacBook Pro, and iMac models on Monday, but delivery estimates currently range between June 12 and June 22 in the United States, so customers looking to purchase a new Mac earlier than next week may have better luck visiting an Apple Store.
Apple's in-store pickup tool shows the new MacBook, MacBook Pro, and iMac models are also in stock today at select Apple Stores in Canada, but we recommend calling ahead to ensure supplies remain available.
The refreshed MacBook and MacBook Pro feature Intel's seventh-generation Kaby Lake processors, improved Intel and AMD graphics options, and faster SSD storage in 12-inch models, while the new iMac models received the same treatment plus Thunderbolt 3 ports and brighter Retina displays compared to the previous generation.
Apple began accepting online orders for the new MacBook, MacBook Pro, and iMac models on Monday, but delivery estimates currently range between June 12 and June 22 in the United States, so customers looking to purchase a new Mac earlier than next week may have better luck visiting an Apple Store.
Apple's in-store pickup tool shows the new MacBook, MacBook Pro, and iMac models are also in stock today at select Apple Stores in Canada, but we recommend calling ahead to ensure supplies remain available.
The refreshed MacBook and MacBook Pro feature Intel's seventh-generation Kaby Lake processors, improved Intel and AMD graphics options, and faster SSD storage in 12-inch models, while the new iMac models received the same treatment plus Thunderbolt 3 ports and brighter Retina displays compared to the previous generation.
Related Roundups: iMac, iMac Pro, MacBook Pro, MacBook
Tag: Apple retail
Buyer's Guide: iMac (Buy Now), MacBook Pro (Buy Now), MacBook (Buy Now)
Tag: Apple retail
Buyer's Guide: iMac (Buy Now), MacBook Pro (Buy Now), MacBook (Buy Now)
Apple revealed more details of its new Business Chat feature for iMessage at a WWDC developer preview on Friday. Coming in iOS 11, Business Chat allows real customer service representatives to...
In a Friday session at the Worldwide Developers Conference, Apple revealed some major updates to is native Podcasts app that will be coming in iOS 11. Some of the changes will affect podcast...
Slickwraps recently began selling fully customizable skins for the Apple Pencil, which help to give the drawing tool a more personal touch.
Using the Slickwraps design tool, customers can...
Apple updated its App Store Review Guidelines this week to indicate that developers may now sell virtual currencies in the form of in-app purchases to enable customers to "tip" content...
For this week's giveaway, we've teamed up with Intrepid Bag Co to give MacRumors readers a chance to win an Intrepid Adventure Satchel that's been designed specifically for the new 2016...
Apple today uploaded a pair of new iPad Pro-specific ads to its YouTube channel, each focusing on the advantages of owning the 10.5-inch or 12.9-inch iPad Pro.
In the first video, a Twitter user...
Earlier this year, Apple announced a few App Store review policy changes, which included the reveal of an official API for in-app review and rating requests that developers had the option to put in...
Fox Networks Group this week announced that Fox Now, its main app for streaming shows like Empire and Prison Break, has gained additional content from the company's other networks, including FX,...
