Update: Online chat with Apple support indicates Back to School is launching in Germany on August 8. It’s likely to roll out to the UK and other European countries the same day. This year’s Back to School deal, in which Apple offers a free pair of Beats headphones in addition to the normal education discount, is expected to be rolled out in the UK imminently. A source tells us that Apple is in the final stages of preparations for the UK launch of the deal, which was first announced in the U....

Apple could be planning to launch its annual Back to School sales promotion within the next two weeks. Apple Stores, according to several employees, will be changing the front of store glass window displays overnight on June 30th. This is the usual timeframe in which Apple launches a promotion to boost Mac, iPad, and iPhone sales in anticipation of the new school year in the fall. Last year, the Back to School promotion consisted of $100 App Store gift cards for Mac purchases and $50 cards for iPad and iPhone purchases by students with their Student IDs....

In his latest entry of the Power On newsletter, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reports that Apple’s iCloud, Health, and AI teams are seeing an increase in departures. According to the report, two big names just departed from Apple: Emily Fox, in charge of Health AI research, is departing for a university position starting later this year, and Ruslan Meshenberg, who was a leader on Apple’s cloud infrastructure team after serving as a Netflix VP, just left for Google....

Apple has added one of the most popular Apple Music features on iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV to the Mac. With the latest macOS 10.15.4 beta, users can now access real-time lyrics for Apple Music content. Apple’s release notes for macOS 10.15.4 beta 2 confirm the addition of the real-time lyrics feature. “The Music app now supports time-synced lyrics for Apple Music subscribers,” Apple says. The second public beta of macOS 10....

South Korean authorities have reportedly raided Apple’s offices in Seoul, South Korea, just ahead of the iPhone X launch in the country. The iPhone X goes on sale in South Korea and a dozen more countries tomorrow … London’s Metro reports that the timing of the raid is likely to lead to suspicions in a country noted for strong – and sometimes corrupt – relationships between the government and major Korean corporations....

Earlier this year, we reported that Apple was planning a new Thunderbolt Display with a built-in GPU to replace the outdated current-gen Thunderbolt display. Now, according to TechCrunch, Apple has announced that it is officially discontinuing the Thunderbolt Display. In a statement, an Apple spokesperson explained that the Thunderbolt Display will be available from Apple’s Online Store and in retail locations while supplies last, but once stock has run out, it will not be replenished....

In the real (not torrenting) world, you have to pay to get video content. Whether that is by watching ads on Hulu or paying iTunes $1.99 per episode for TV, the content makers need to get paid. Any other system isn’t going to work in the long run. Apple, we know, is a friend to record labels, movies studios and TV networks in that they set up systems that make payment easy, and for the most part, transparent and fair....

Update: Apple has today extended this patent with additional claims, which Patently Apple suggests is intended to better protect the invention. This doesn’t necessarily make it more likely that Apple will implement additional gestures, but it seemed a plausible possibility at the time, and the update certainly indicates continued interest by the company. There could be more Apple Pencil gestures in store for future generations of the company’s iPad stylus. We saw the first of these in the second-generation device, in the form of a double-tap to quickly access tools …...

Reno City Council is set to discuss Apple potentially purchasing a half-city block of land for a new facility, according to KRNV. If accepted, this would follow Apple’s decisions in building out a $50 million data center in Reno. In initial city records, Apple was shown to be contemplating leasing the land from the developer. The upcoming discussion introduces an amendment where Apple is now inquiring into purchasing the land instead....

Apple has today shared its 2019 Supplier Responsibility Progress Report that details how its business and suppliers impact people, the planet, and more. Across 2018, Apple says that core labor rules violations dropped and it didn’t find any serious safety or health violations. It also shared that over 17 million supplier employees have now been trained on their rights, and it saw more of its suppliers than ever achieve a high-performing rating....

Apple is rolling out a new firmware update for AirPods Max users. The company does not provide many details on new AirPods Max firmware updates, but this new version brings the over-ear headphones to 3C39. Unfortunately, there are no release notes for AirPods Max firmware updates. This update comes, however, as many users complain of battery drain issues, with and without the included Smart Case. Some users have also reported connectivity issues when using AirPods Max with a Mac....

Following the public release of macOS 12.4 with support for the first Studio Display webcam fix and over 50 security updates, Apple has released the first macOS 12.5 beta with WWDC just a few weeks away. macOS 12.5 beta 1 is now available via OTA for developers already enrolled in the beta as well as being available soon from Apple’s Developer website. Today’s beta comes with build number 21G5027d. We’ll be keeping an eye out to see if any notable new features arrive with the latest release....

Apple has released a new version of their iAd Producer software with several enhancements and new features. iAd Producer version 2.1 is faster so loading and saving for iAd Producer files happens more quickly. Additionally, exporting of iAds is quicker and utilizes less device memory. On the new features side of things, iAd Producer 2.1 extends support to the third-generation iPad with the Retina Display, allows for on-device ad debugging, and now supports WebGL assets....

[Update: Now available.] Apple is releasing its fourth iOS 12.1.3 developer beta later today, only 3 days after releasing its third beta. The release notes only mention bug fixes, but we’ll update if anything interesting can be found on the new beta. iOS 12 has seen numerous updates such as Group FaceTime, Dual SIM support, and other notable changes as part of iOS 12.1 and iOS 12.1.1. We’ll keep this post updated with new details and findings as we discover what’s new in the latest beta....

Apple apparently showed interest in acquiring the music rap battle live-streaming website Verzuz. Bloomberg says Apple proposed an acquisition price, but the platform was ultimately acquired by Triller for a higher amount. Presumably, the acquisition would have fed into Apple Music or Apple TV content. For a time last year, Apple hosted Verzuz livestreams through the Apple Music app. The Verzuz livestreams over Apple Music ended when the Triller deal was announced....

On Apple’s YouTube channel, the company is promoting a mini-documentary called Poached. Shot on iPhone 13 Pro, the video tells the story of two chicken rice restaurants in Singapore that are clashing in a battle between the old and a modernized way of cooking the country’s beloved hawker dish. Here’s how Apple describes this new video: Not only does the video highlights the use of Cinematic mode and macro shots – both key features of this new phone – but Apple also posted the making of this documentary, showing how to be creative and help users create their own documentaries using the iPhone 13 Pro camera....

Update: Following Apple’s expression of opposition and much national attention, Governor Brewer has vetoed the bill. [tweet https://twitter.com/GovBrewer/status/438838664928325633] // Apple has confirmed an NBC report that the company has urged Arizona State Governer Jan Brewer to veto a highly controversial (to put it mildly) bill that would allow businesses to deny service to gay and lesbian customers. American Airlines CEO Doug Parker, Sen. John McCain and three State Senators who originally voted for the bill are also among those who have joined calls for the veto....

Apple has launched a new microsite today called “Why Mac” to make its case on why it’s the computer to pick. The new marketing features updated imagery of the current Mac lineup, a short pitch on why it thinks Mac is the best choice, and five aspects that set Mac apart from the competition. Apple’s new “Why Mac” microsite showed up today alongside the all-new iMac arriving to customers today. Here’s the company’s 30-second elevator pitch for why people, institutions, and businesses should pick Mac:...

Much like Apple did when introducing its standalone iTunes U app at its education event last January, it is also planning to launch a standalone app for podcasts. A report from AllThingsD first mentioned Apple’s plans to include the app in iOS 6 this fall. We also heard that the app is in the works for a release with the final version of iOS 6. Apart from the podcast app that AllThingsD noted would allow users to “discover, download and play” on iOS devices, we heard separately that Apple is working on podcast-producing technology, perhaps for inclusion into this app....

Apple is bringing a variety of Waze-like features to Apple Maps with the release of iOS 14.5. The update gives users the ability to report speed traps, accidents, and other road hazards using Siri, CarPlay, or through the Apple Maps app on iPhone. When you use Apple Maps for the first time after updating to iOS 14.5, the Siri navigation voice will tell you about the new features. Apple is giving users a handful of different ways to report these hazards....