Wwdc2012
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Apple demos Passbook, a one-stop shop for tickets and boarding passes
From airline and train boarding passes to concert tickets, we've seen a variety of tix make their way into the digital realm at venues around the world. With today's announcement of Passbook, the hard copy credential may soon be a thing of the past. Speaking on stage at Apple's WWDC keynote, VP of iOS Software Scott Forstall demonstrated the feature with United boarding passes, Fandango movie tickets and a Starbucks gift card. While none of these examples are making their premiere debut, Passbook will certainly make the QR-code-based stubs more user-friendly, while also increasing awareness among folks who continue to opt for paper while doubting the usability and authenticity of a digital counterpart. Passbook is also location aware, bringing up a Starbucks card as you approach a shop, for example. You can also get updates related to your stored credentials, such as a gate change announcement with a pending United boarding pass. The feature will come bundled with iOS 6, set to launch this fall. Check out our full coverage of WWDC 2012 at our event hub!%Gallery-157917%
Apple's FaceTime finally goes cellular, says so long to WiFi restrictions
We've been waiting for it, and Apple surely took its sweet time to give it to us, but at WWDC 2012, FaceTime was finally let loose from its WiFi bonds, leaving us all free to video chat over cellular data. This is great news for all those Apple fans who resolutely refused to use similar services from Skype, Tango, or Google, that have been around for ages now. As for us? Well, we'd say it's better late than never. For more coverage of WWDC 2012, please visit our event hub!
Apple integrates Facebook into iOS 6, App Store, Macs
The string of iOS 6 updates has brought one of the more heavily requested social networking features: Facebook integration. You can share from core apps like Maps, Photos and Safari, but it's woven even more deeply than Twitter was in iOS 5: you can use Siri to make your commands, and there's now a public API for Facebook so that other apps can do the same. The App Store gets its own share of integration, with app recommendations based on what friends are using, and contact syncing now makes sure your social network is all lined up. Best of all, the Facebook integration is coming to Macs as well -- so you'll have a consistent experience no matter what device you're on. Check out our full coverage of WWDC 2012 at our event hub!
iOS 6 offers Do Not Disturb feature, adds more Zs to your slumber
Ever get annoyed when your sleep is interrupted by a call or message coming into your phone? As we were hoping, iOS 6 is getting the badly needed Do Not Disturb feature we first saw in Mountain Lion last month. The idea is simple: when activated, push notifications will be automatically muted and the screen won't light up. A whitelist option will be available so you won't miss important callers; you can also set up the feature so that if a person calls you more than once, the phone will allow the call to come through. This is an exciting option for anyone who is tired of waking up to a notification only to find out it's their turn in Draw Something. Check out our full coverage of WWDC 2012 at our event hub!
Siri gets a number of changes, will be coming to third-generation iPad
In the upcoming release of iOS 6, Siri will be undergoing a number of changes. One of the most significant is the integration of third party apps such as Yelp and OpenTable. Features include being able to find a place to eat and getting average prices, Yelp reviews and more. Rotten Tomatoes integration is seen when you ask about movies, and you can launch trailers from Siri. You can also launch apps with Siri. Another feature is Eyes Free, where Apple is working with automakers to include a Siri button in the steering wheel so it can be launched without having to mess with the phone. The biggest feature is that Siri will be coming to the third-generation iPad. Sadly, the original iPad and iPad 2 will not gain Siri capability.
Siri comes to the New iPad
Scott Forstall has just announced that Apple is bringing Siri to the new (2012-edition) iPad as part of iOS 6. Check out our full coverage of WWDC 2012 at our event hub!
Apple teases Eyes Free, Siri car integration
Apple's VP of iOS Software Scott Forstall just demoed Eyes Free, Siri's new vehicle integration. The feature is being framed as a safety booster, letting you tap a steering wheel-mounted button to toggle Siri on your iOS device, rather than reaching around for your iPhone or iPad and taking precious seconds away from the road. This being Apple, there are already plenty of partners lined up -- BMW, GM, Mercedes, Land Rover, Jaguar, Audi, Toyota, Chrysler and Honda are all said to be on board, with Siri support making its way to vehicles within the next 12 months. It's certainly not the first example of smartphone/car integration we've seen, but it could soon end up being one of the most widely utilized, despite the years-long head-start competing technologies have enjoyed. Check out our full coverage of WWDC 2012 at our event hub!
Apple updates Siri with sports stats, help from Yelp and Rotten Tomatoes, expanded local search
As it's made clear with its recent ads, Apple is betting big on Siri, and the company has just now rolled out it's first big update to the personal assistant during its WWDC keynote. The service is now able to answer a variety of sports related questions, from scores and stats to game times, and it's added both Yelp and Rotten Tomatoes to its bag of tricks for dining and movie recommendations. What's more, Siri will now also let you launch apps if you're tired of tapping through folders, and Apple is finally expanding Siri's local search functionality from just the US to no less than 60 difference countries. The other big Siri news is that it's finally headed to the new iPad, and even to cars via Apple's new Eyes Free integration, although that is still a bit further off (within the next 12 months is the word). Check out our full coverage of WWDC 2012 at our event hub!
Apple announces iOS 6, beta available to developers today (updated)
Apple has announced iOS 6 with more than 200 new features, including significant changes to programs such as Siri. Other new icons spotted include Maps. We'll update with further details as the Apple's WWDC Keynote continues. Update: Apple has said that a beta release will be available to developers today with it being released to the general public this fall. iOS 6 will support the iPhone 3GS and newer, iPad 2 and newer and the fourth-generation iPod touch.
Apple brags: sells 365 million iOS devices, 140 million iMessage users
Apple has never shied away from taking a few shots at Android during its WWDC keynotes, and why would 2012 be any different. Just before taking the wraps off iOS 6, Apple took some time to toss out a few numbers highlighting its spectacular sales and sizable user base. All told, by the end of March, the company had moved 365 million iOS devices, with the vast majority of them (80 percent) running iOS 5 -- a point they made sure to drive home with a graphic comparing the install base of Android 4.0. But, sales alone mean nothing without an active user community. Which is why Cupertino was so happy to report that 140 million iMessage users were sending more than one billion messages each day, for a grand total of 150 billion SMS and MMS missives. Push notifications have also clearly taken off in a big way, with 1.5 trillion having graced our notification screens. Check out our full coverage of WWDC 2012 at our event hub! %Gallery-157909%
Apple introduces Power Nap at WWDC 2012
Apple introduced Power Nap, a new feature of OS X during today's WWDC 2012 keynote. Available on the MacBook Air (2nd gen) and MacBook Pro with Retina Display "Mac laptops with flash storage," this feature runs backups and "keeps data up to date" while the computer sleeps. Apple notes that Power Nap is silent and power efficient. It's supposed to get mail, update calendar entries and more -- including backing up to Time Capsule, if you've got one.
Apple announces Mountain Lion will be available in July for $19.99
Apple announced that Mountain Lion will be available in July for US$19.99. Upgrades to Macs purchased as of today will be free. Any system going back to Snow Leopard can update at this price. Several of the new features for the upcoming release of Mountain Lion revolve around iCloud, including Reminders, Messages and Notes. There will be Document-based apps as well, with document libraries available and updated across all Apple devices. This includes Pages, Numbers, Keynote, Preview and TextEdit. The notification center also will be added with a number of changes from the version currently in iOS. The Mac is gaining dictation in Mountain Lion, which can be used in third-party applications. Safari will have Twitter and other sharing options built into it, along with a unified search tool and syncing of tabs among all Apple devices. A new feature called Power Nap will update your Mac while it sleeps, but it's only available on certain models. Other features include AirPlay Mirroring, the GameCenter and several features were added specifically for Chinese markets including new input messages and support for Chinese social networks such as Baidu. We will have a full look into these Mountain Lion features throughout the day.
Apple unveils iOS 6 at WWDC, launch apps with Siri, Facebook integration, Maps
Looks like they didn't print the banner out for nothing -- as anticipated, it's not just refreshed MacBook Airs or Mountain Lion getting the red carpet treatment at today's World Wide Developer's Conference keynote. Cupertino has also taken the shiny cling wrap off of the latest version of iOS. What's new? Well at least 200 things! Most notably, Siri has gotten a little make over, including the ability to launch apps, more knowledge of sports, restaurants and movie times, it's also coming to iPad. There's better Facebook integration too, with photos, websites, maps and more getting the instant share option -- you can even "like" or share app from the Appstore. Other tweaks on the phone side of things let you dismiss incoming calls with a swipe, or send a pre-written SMS, even set it to give you a reminder once you change location. Another popular feature will be "Do Not Disturb" which holds off all those notifications (from your new Facebook friends, we guess). You'll still get them, but the won't alert, or light up the screen. Face-timers will also be pleased to see that feature finally working over cellular. Sharing images also just got easier with shared Photo Streams -- choose the pictures, choose the friends. Done. New "Guided Access" allows parents or teachers (for example) to keep users from exiting an app accidentally (or in the case of the teachers -- intentionally!). More info and PR after the break.
OS X Mountain Lion: arrives on Macs next month, priced at $20
You got it. The latest version of Mac OS X is coming in a matter of weeks, and will set you back just shy of twenty bucks. If any of those new beastly, Ivy Bridge-decked machines made you reconsider your bank balance, breathe a (small) sigh of relief -- you'll be treated to a free upgrade if you decide to buy one before Mountain Lion arrives in July. For more coverage of WWDC 2012, please visit our event hub!
Apple introduces Power Nap OS X feature that updates your Mac while it's sleeping
Apple just introduced a new OS X feature here at WWDC 2012 called Power Nap. It lets your Mac update email, notifications and photos in the background, as well as back itself up while charging. Whether or not Apple ever drops the word "Ultrabooks" (and trust us, it won't), this addition is a clear retort to all those Windows-based ultraportables that promise to keep web-based apps up to date. In addition to the new MacBook Pros announced today, the feature will work with the second-generation Air, which makes us think all other legacy Macs might be excluded. Supposedly, too, the technology goes easy on the battery and won't stir up the fans, though Apple claims they're quieter on the new Macs anyway. For more coverage of WWDC 2012, please visit our event hub! Myriam Joire contributed to this report.
Apple unveils new features for Safari: unified search, iCloud Tabs multi-device syncing and more
Apple's fresh new hardware may have gotten the headlines thus far during Apple's 2012 WWDC keynote, but there's also some good news for browser aficionados, too. Safari has taken a page out of Chrome's book by offering unified search for the web, your history and bookmarks. Additionally, Safari now syncs your web-browsing info across all your devices. Called iCloud Tabs, the feature lets you see the tabs you have open on any device simultaneously. That means you can surf the web on your iPhone while you're out and about, and continue your web session seamlessly on that shiny new MacBook Pro when you get home by clicking the new handy dandy iCloud button. Not only that, Safari's picked up some new multitouch tricks, letting you swipe all the way out to tab view, then pinch on the page you want to dive back in. Safari's Mobile version has also gained the ability to upload images directly and it now has an Offline Reading List that downloads and caches anything you add. Furthermore, Safari can now provide a notification if there's an app for the website you're browsing. Tapping the notification brings you to the App Store, and once downloaded, the browser pushes the URL to the app so you can pick up the content right where you left off. %Gallery-157904% For more coverage of WWDC 2012, please visit our event hub!
Messages in Mountain Lion brings conversations to your Mac
Messages has been in beta for a bit, but today Apple showed off what's coming in Mountain Lion, and I think it finally fixes a huge problem with our devices: conversation fragmentation. You may start a conversation on your iPhone, but then continue on your Mac later. In applications like Skype, or web services like Campfire, these persist across devices. With Mountain Lion, your conversations in Messages will transfer across Macs and iOS devices. It's about time! I hope Apple provides some mechanism for allowing/disallowing conversations, however. As a parent who often allows his kids to play with my first generation iPad, it would be a bit silly to have them join in my work conversations.
Apple brings Dictation to the Mac, tells Siri to stay in the car
Apple has just announced that it's bringing new iPad-style dictation to Mountain Lion. In the same way that you can tap the button on the digital keyboard, hitting the microphone button will allow you to speak directly into native software, websites like Facebook and even third-party applications like Microsoft Word. For more coverage of the WWDC 2012 Keynote, check out our liveblog!
Apple shows off iCloud integration in Mountain Lion
Tim Cook is currently demoing iCloud's integration in Mountain Lion onstage at the WWDC Keynote in San Francisco. iCloud, Apple's cloud sync service, has been a big hit on iOS already, with 125 million iCloud users registered and using the service currently. On Mountain Lion, iCloud will come in the form of Document syncing, which Cook showed took only a few seconds to sync a document from his iPad to a MacBook Pro. Reminders, Messages, and Notes are all being synced across iCloud as well, and presumably will work just as smoothly as they work currently. Safari browsing history and bookmarks will also get synced, and even tab views can be synced between devices, so you can view tabs on your MacBook Pro, and then take those exact browser tabs over to your iPad or iPhone. It all looks great. We should hear an official date for Mountain Lion soon, perhaps even later on today.
Apple: 26 million copies of Lion OS sold, 66 million Mac users
As we try to get to our feet after that tidal wave of hardware announcements, Apple's moved onto Mac OS, quoting with some impressive new figures. Over 26 million copies of OS X Lion have now been sold, making it Apple's "best-selling release ever." Meanwhile, Mac users now total over 66 million -- that's three times the number in 2007. For more coverage of WWDC 2012, please visit our event hub!
