Learn how to place a video playing in a floating picture-in-picture window overlay anywhere on your Mac's screen instead of automatically snapping to corners.
How to snap Picture-in-Picture videos anywhere on your Mac screen
Apple Pay launches in Japan
Apple Pay today launched in Japan, one of Apple's most important markets and home to population of 127 million souls. Marking its twelfth major market, Apple Pay permits Japanese customers to make private credit and prepaid card purchases in stores, online and in apps, plus commute and pay for everyday items with Suica from JR East.
To support the service, Apple today issued the free iOS 10.1 software update which has enabled support for transit directions in Japan to help users find ride details, including fare breakdowns that automatically show Suica pricing on their device.
Apple releases macOS Sierra 10.12.1, watchOS 3.1 and tvOS 10.0.1 with bug fixes and improvements
In addition to iOS 10.1, Apple on Monday released updates for its other 3 growing software platforms. After a month of beta testing, macOS Sierra 10.12.1, watchOS 3.1 and tvOS 10.0.1 are now available to the public and can be installed via their respective over-the-air Update mechanisms.
Apple releases iOS 10.1 with Portrait mode and other improvements
Apple on Monday pushed out the iOS 10.1 software update for iPhone and iPad. The release comes after more than a month of beta testing, and it includes various improvements and one major new user-facing feature: Portrait mode, which is exclusive to the dual-camera iPhone 7 Plus.
First introduced at Apple's iPhone event in September, Portrait mode is a new setting in the stock Camera app that uses the 7 Plus' wide angle lens to gather perspective data for a photo. This allows the handset to take photos with a depth-of-field, or 'bokeh,' effect with blurry backgrounds.
Trademarks for three new MacBooks discovered in Russia ahead of Apple’s “Hello again” event
French-language publication Consomac.fr has discovered a trio of previously unknown trademarks for unreleased MacBook models as Apple preps to share what's new for its aging Mac lineup at the “Hello again” media event scheduled for this Thursday, October 27. Apple filed three trademarks for “portable personal computers” in Russia, possibly in order to keep them secret for as long as possible.
It's worth noting that Russian law requires foreign companies to register any products that use encryption or provide other cryptographic tools.
The documents found in the Eurasian Economic Commission database mention model numbers that cannot be linked to existing hardware: A1706, A1707 and A1708.
iPhone manufacturer Foxconn planning to expand its operations in India next year
A May report from The Economic Times alleged that Apple had approached Foxconn about assembling iPhones in India in the next two to three years. The Economic Times of India confirmed Monday that Foxconn will be expanding its operations in India next year, backing its $600 million investments already made in the country.
Instagram is testing live video broadcasts in its Stories feature
According to Russian news outlet Tjournal.ru a few days ago, the popular photo-sharing service Instagram is testing live video functionality in its recently-launched Stories feature which permits users to create slideshows from their photos that automatically disappear after 24 hours.
Facebook added live video to its mobile app in August 2015. Facebook Messenger gained the ability to share live video with contacts while chatting in September 2016.
Pokémon GO celebrates Halloween with first in-game event
Halloween is approaching and Pokémon GO has a treat for you in the form of a special Halloween-themed event, the first in-game event since the game's release in July 2016.
Developer Niantic Labs has said that players will have a chance to earn double the amount of Candy every time they catch, hatch and transfer Pokémon from October 26 to November 1. Other perks will be available to trainers as well.
Apple Watch Nike+ arrives Friday, October 28
Confirming earlier hints, Apple this morning announced that the Apple Watch Nike+, a special version of the Apple Watch Series 2 it's created in partnership with Nike, is going on sale this coming Friday, October 28. The $369 device has the same industrial design, price and hardware features as the Apple Watch Series 2.
It also packs in exclusive perks like special fluoroelastomer Nike Sport Bands available in a choice of four colors with perforations to reduce weight and improve ventilation, Nike-branded watch faces and complications and more.
T-Mobile sees improved customer retention on strength of iPhone 7 release
Wireless carrier T-Mobile on Monday announced earnings for the September quarter. Total revenues for the quarter were $9.2 billion, an eighteen percent year-over-year increase. T-Mobile said it was able to increase revenue thanks to new T-Mobile One plans and add-ons, the launch of the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus in September and an influx of prepaid customers who migrated to postpaid plans.
Services revenue during the quarter came in at $7.1 billion, a thirteen percent year-over-year increase. The carrier has added two million new customers during the quarter.
How to quickly create fun GIFs in iMessage using the Tumblr app
The other day I made a rare visit to my iMessage App Store. Amongst a multitude of others, Tumblr, an App that never fully struck a chord with me, had add an iMessage app to my ‘Manage’ tab, silently begging for me to take it for a spin. I sighed and flicked the switch on, not knowing what to expect from the extension - and have not looked back since.
Why Apple should be more bullish on Virtual Reality
2016 will unquestionably be remembered as the year Virtual Reality made a meaningful entrance to the tech world. Granted, there were murmurings and early adaptations long before, but with the staggered release of Oculus Rift in March, the HTC Vive in April, or the new Samsung Gear VR in August, Virtual Reality (of varying degrees) appears to have accomplished the shift from nascent tech-demo material to becoming a more legitimate contender for a share of your wallet.
On October 13, Playstation joined the fray, releasing the arguably most consistent and yet affordable VR experience with Playstation VR. If early numbers and reviews are anything to go by, this could be the product to help the technology cross the consumer chasm once and for all and attract mainstream interest.