Apple

Apple Music free trial pays record labels industry-standard 0.2 cents per stream royalty rate

Christian Zibreg ∙ June 25, 2015

Lots of ink was spilt regarding Apple's decision to not pay artists during the free trial only to reverse course after Taylor Swift raised a stink about it. Apple's said it'll pay for free users and keep the royalty a bit higher for subscribers but stopped short of specifying the exact sum paid during the free trial.

According to unnamed record label executives who spoke to The New York Times newspaper, Apple is paying an industry-average royalty rate of 0.2 cents per each streamed song during the free three-month trial, roughly on par with Spotify.

Apple moving to prevent developers from accessing app data for ad targeting

Cody Lee ∙ June 24, 2015

Apple is quietly moving to prevent app developers from accessing app download data for ad targeting purposes, reports The Information. The move is part of the company's recent, and very public, push for greater user privacy.

As most of you are probably aware, major apps like Facebook and Twitter will scan a user's device for information on the app's they have installed. This way, they can show users advertisements that better match their interests.

T-Mobile enforces 21GB soft cap on Simple Choice plans ahead of tomorrow’s Un-Carrier Amped event

Christian Zibreg ∙ June 24, 2015

As reported by the TMoNews blog, Deutsche Telekom-owned T-Mobile, the nation's fourth-largest wireless carrier, has introduced a soft cap on data usage for its Simple Choice customers in the form of 21 gigabytes of high-speed 4G LTE cellular data. Exceeding this monthly allotment won't incur additional charges, but your speed may be throttled during periods of network congestion.

Previously, T-Mobile would specifically throttle only the three percent of its top data-hungry subscribers. With today's change, other users may see their speeds temporarily dropped after exceeding 21 GB of data usage during a billing period.

Huge Beats 1 billboard takes over Times Square

Christian Zibreg ∙ June 24, 2015

Often referred to as The Crossroads of the World, New York City's Time Square is always brightly adorned with billboards and advertisements from the world's top brands. With less than a week until June 30 Apple Music launch, the iPhone maker is now advertising Beats 1 with a massive billboard.

It's dominated by enormous Beats 1 promotional graphics accompanied by the “Worldwide. Always on” tagline and the 6.30.2015 launch date. Interestingly enough, the Apple logo is nowhere to be seen on the advertisement, perhaps indicating the Cupertino firm might be counting on Beats' brand power to push the upcoming radio service into public consciousness.

You can now sign up for Messenger with your phone number, no Facebook account needed

Christian Zibreg ∙ June 24, 2015

You no longer need a Facebook account in order to exchange instant messages with your contacts through the Facebook Messenger service. By dropping the Facebook account requirement, the social network hopes to bring in even more people under the Messenger fold.

By last count, Messenger had 700 million active users, approaching the 800 million user base of WhatsApp, a wildly popular messaging service Facebook acquired for a staggering $19 billion.

Summon dragons, smash strongholds and leave nothing but rubble behind in Gameloft’s Siegefall

Christian Zibreg ∙ June 24, 2015

Originally teased earlier in the month, Siegefall, a brand new multiplayer strategy game involving heroes, dragons and magic, is now available in the App Store for your iPhone and iPad at no charge.

Brough to you by Gameloft Montreal, the team behind the wildly praised Modern Combat shooter series, Siegefall sports gorgeous graphics with stylized art while striving to bring some innovation to the genre with wild controllable heroes and immense magical cards.

Players are challenged to build an army of heroes, summon dragons, conquer new lands, smash gates and leave nothing but rubble behind.

Pharrell William’s new single ‘Freedom’ will be an Apple Music exclusive

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated October 3, 2016

Hip-hop artist Pharrell Williams has revealed that his upcoming single titled “Freedom” will be exclusive to Apple Music, which launches June 30 in a hundred countries across iPhones, iPads, iPods and Mac and Windows PCs, with a native Android app and Apple TV support due this fall.

The revelation of the exclusive agreement with Apple Music came in the ending credits of a teaser video for “Freedom” that was shared on Facebook and Twitter last evening.

Climb 3,000 feet up Yosemite’s El Capitan in Google Maps’ first-ever vertical Street View

Christian Zibreg ∙ June 24, 2015

Yosemite National Park's El Capitan isn't just the world’s most famous rock wall, but the official name of Apple's latest desktop operating system, too. Coincidentally or not, Google Maps has teamed up with legendary climbers Lynn Hill, Alex Honnold and Tommy Caldwell to capture an awesome panorama tour of El Capitan's epic 3,000 feet climb.

You can explore it inside your browser with Google Maps' marvelous vertical Street View mode offering high-quality 360-degree photography of the rocks from the climbers' perspective that can be rotated and panned around.

Kenwood’s aftermarket CarPlay receivers now shipping

Christian Zibreg ∙ June 24, 2015

Kenwood, a Japanese manufacturer of amateur radio,Hi-Fi and portable audio equipment, on Tuesday started shipping its new in-car receivers with CarPlay to car dealers. The new accessories support both Apple's CarPlay and Google's Android Auto platform, depending on your preference and connected smartphone.

The Japanese company owned by JVC-Kenwood said in a media release that both the DDX9702S and DDX9902S units are available now starting at $900 and $950, respectively.

Rumor: top Apple display suppliers exploring flexible OLED screens for ‘iPhone 8’ in 2018

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated October 14, 2018

According to the South Korean media, Apple is actively exploring using flexible OLED screens for future iPhones. OLED, an energy-efficient display technology, is based on organic light-emitting diodes which are lit up individually, as opposed to traditional LCDs that require power-hungry backlight planes.

In OLED screens, the diodes are arranged on a film of organic compound which acts as the emissive electroluminescent layer that emits light in response to an electric current.

Major Korean display manufacturers are reportedly persuading Apple to adopt flexible screens on its future iPhone models, with one industry source claiming that the Cupertino company is in fact “serious” about doing it.

Not only would OLED screens make future iPhones more power-efficient, but also offer better color saturation, accuracy and brightness.

Thousands of indie labels get on board with Apple Music ahead of June 30 launch

Christian Zibreg ∙ June 24, 2015

Following a change of heart that will see artists paid for a free 90-day Apple Music trial, Apple's $9.99 per month streaming-music service has landed an important victory by signing up 20,000 independent labels and distributors through a licensing agreement with Beggars Group and Merlin Network, Billboard reported late Tuesday.

The group represents 20,000 labels and distributors worldwide, including artists like 4AD, XL, Matador and Rough Trade, meaning songs by such bands as FKA Twigs, Radiohead and M.I.A. will be part of Apple Music's debut lineup. Beggars has also had a hand in the career of Adele, among others.

Apple adds 7 new Flyover locations to Maps

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 18, 2018

Apple on Tuesday added a handful of new locations to the 3D Flyover feature in its iOS and OS X Maps apps. The new locations include San Juan, Puerto Rico and other cities around the world.

First introduced in Apple Maps when the app launched in 2012, the Flyover feature allows users to take close-up, 3-dimensional looks at buildings, landmarks and various other areas of interest.