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xrOS

Apple renames mixed-reality software ‘xrOS’ ahead of expected AR/VR headset

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According to rumors, Apple has renamed its mixed-reality operating system from “reality” to “xrOS” indicating that it may soon be introducing an AR/VR headset.

xrOS
Image Source: indianexpress.com

Apple company is intensifying work on a mixed-reality AR-VR headset, its first significant new product line since the Apple Watch. Bloomberg reported that a shell company named Deep Dive LLC had been registering the xrOS trademark across numerous nations.

This company is anticipated to be connected to Apple. Apple’s rumored “reality,” the operating system for their specific AR and VR platform, may now go by the name “xrOS.” Apple may sell its hybrid AR/VR headset by next year, claims Mark Gurman of Bloomberg. Apple is reported to be developing a VR or AR headset, and that gear requires its very own operating system to function.

Read More: Apple devices of skiers accidentally call 911 due to its crash detection tech

The new OS name makes reference to the mixed-reality features of the headset. The extended reality, also known as “XR,” is a concept that includes both virtual and augmented reality. While virtual reality is an immersive experience for games and watching videos, augmented reality adds visuals and virtual info to the real environment.

According to a 2017 report, Apple’s headset would include its own processor and display in addition to having a separate operating system. At the time, the software was known as “rOS.” At least three AR and VR headsets are reportedly in the works at Apple. The “Apple Reality Pro,” a designation for the headset that appeared in trademark applications in late August, is claimed to be the N301.

With a probable release in 2023, the headset is anticipated to be a mixed-reality competitor to the Meta Quest Pro. It appears that the N602 will be the second-generation model, with two variations available to customers. One will offer improvements over the previous model, whereas another will be a less expensive substitute. The third, the N421, is said to resemble Apple Glass smart glasses more than a headset.

Apple’s foray into the market puts it in a fight with Meta Platforms which is relying less on Apple products and is counting on the metaverse. The action is also a component of Apple’s ongoing search for its “next big thing.” With the launch of the Apple Watch in 2015, the corporation transformed its wearables operation into a segment that now contributes $41.2 billion to its annual revenue or over 10% of all sales.

Apple’s initial headset launch might feature a set of 4K OLED displays, 15 camera modules strewn about the outside, and probable functionality for eye tracking and hand gestures. It is currently estimated to be in an “advanced” state of development.

The initial wave might potentially include costly headgear, with suggested prices as high as $3,000. The headset is meant to be worn for communication, viewing content, and playing video games. Apple is allegedly developing native mixed reality-compatible versions of popular apps like Messages and Maps.

Tim Cook, the CEO of Apple, has made a point of expressing his passion for augmented reality over recent years, and the corporation has developed a framework called ARKit that enables iPads and iPhones to run AR applications.

crash detection

Apple devices of skiers accidentally call 911 due to its crash detection tech

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Skiers are inadvertently dialing 911 thanks to the Crash Detection technology included in the iPhone 14 Pro, iPhone 14, and new Apple Watch models, claims Utah news outlet KSL.

crash detection
Image Source: mashable.com

In a county in Utah, emergency dispatchers told a local media source that they are experiencing an increase in unintentional 911 calls from skiers who own new Apple products equipped with the company’s crash-detection system.

Crash Detection is a brand-new security feature that Apple unveiled in September. The 2022 Apple Watch devices and the iPhone 14 editions all have cutting-edge sensors that enable Crash Detection to function. The feature has been rigorously tested, and Apple has so far released updates to make it better.

However, it appears that the iPhone 14 or the newest Apple Watch when skiing could accidentally trigger Crash Detection. If it detects a crash, Apple’s crash-detection system alerts users with a message and a sound.

The message can be ignored, but if it is not done so within 20 seconds, the system sends an automated message with the user’s GPS coordinates and phone number to the nearest emergency contact center.

Summit County Dispatch Center supervisor Suzie Butterfield told KSL, “We will get a call in that says the owner of this Apple Watch or iPhone has either had a severe crash or they’ve been involved in a car accident.

They won’t respond to you when you first start talking because I don’t even think they knew that they did it, but on callback … they’re usually like, ‘Oh I’m sorry, I was skiing. Everything’s fine.”

Furthermore, Butterfield claimed that she gets 3 to 5 emergency calls every day from an Apple device. She didn’t receive any calls related to any actual crashes.

That indicates that Crash Detection made the call after mistaking skiing for a car accident. However, Butterfield views this technology as a tool rather than a hindrance. She warned that a skier could hit a tree and be rendered unconscious while remaining invisible to other skiers. She also cautioned skiers against disabling Crash Detection on their Apple Watch and iPhone 14.

Rollercoasters have also been known to activate the Crash Detection technology in the new iPhone and Apple Watch models. The Dollywood theme park has posted cautions for two of its most furious roller coasters, informing Apple users that the ride’s “dynamic movement” may cause their Apple watches or iPhones to initiate an emergency call.

Recently Apple released an update to iOS 16.1.2 that contains “Crash Detection optimizations.” Apple has not explained what this means, although it probably aims to reduce unintentional activation in situations when there hasn’t actually been a car accident.

Apple released the first beta of iOS 16.2 to devs in October, and the company announced that customers would be able to submit a complaint to the company when Emergency SOS has been inadvertently enabled in the future iOS version, iOS 16.2. Users can remark on the removal of the Emergency SOS function in the iOS 16.2 beta from Apple.

Apple

Elon Musk claims Apple has threatened to remove the Twitter app

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Elon Musk went on a rant against Apple, Twitter’s top advertiser, on Monday after claiming that the company threatened to remove the social media network from its App Store without any clarification and had pretty much-stopped marketing on Twitter.

Apple
Image Source: republicworld.com

The rant highlighted the enormous power that Apple, the world’s biggest firm, possesses over the fate of the world’s richest man’s Twitter gamble. The rant also hinted at Apple’s potential role as a check on Musk’s chaotic reign at Facebook; Apple has previously annulled App Store permissions from companies that violated its security protocols or supported violence and other troublesome content.

If Twitter is removed from the App Store, new users will be unable to install the app on their iPhones and iPads, and current users will be unable to access updates. The accused threat tends to add to the marketer pressure, staff departures, and regulatory scrutiny that Musk is facing as he pursues to overhaul years of Twitter guidelines and account expulsions in his quest to promote “free speech.”

Read More: Twitter Closes Brussels Office As Elon Musk’s Reforms Spread To Europe

Under a document analysed by The Washington Post that was prepared from internal Twitter data, Apple was the top advertiser on Twitter in the first quarter, paying 48 USD million on advertisements on the social network. That quarter, Apple’s spending accounted for much more than 4 per cent of Twitter’s revenue.

Elon Musk attempted to pressurize the firm and CEO Tim Cook in several tweets for halting spending during the holiday shopping season.

Requests for comment were not returned by Apple. Musk’s tweets sought to rekindle long-standing concerns and political scrutiny about Apple’s market dominance. He posted a link to a 2020 parody video made by Apple for Epic Games criticising the App Store as a “monopoly.”

The video is a parody of Apple’s famous “1984” Super Bowl commercial, which Epic, the creator of the Fortnite video game, launched after it was removed from Apple’s store for violating its in-app payment rules. He also asked his and over 119 million followers to vote on whether Apple should publish all censorship acts it has carried out that affect its customers.

“Did you know Apple puts a secret 30% tax on everything you buy through their App Store?,” Musk tweeted, with the caption “Spoiler alert.”

Musk hinted in a tweet that he may go to war with Apple.

Source: washingtonpost.com

“This is a battle for the future of civilization. If free speech is lost even in America, tyranny is all that lies ahead,” Musk said later.

Source: news18.com
airdrop

Apple Restricts iPhone AirDrop With Everyone to Just 10 Minutes in China

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Version 16.1.1 of Apple’s iOS has an unusual update in China that hasn’t been implemented in other countries. Apple has restricted AirDrop sharing for users in China to 10 minutes in the latest iOS update. In essence, this implies that Apple users in China cannot use AirDrop for an infinite period of time.

airdrop
Image Source: techgoing.com

Users can still share files without being constrained by the update, but the 10-minute time limit may put some people off using AirDrop services.

After demonstrators in China used the tool to distribute photographs critical of the Chinese government, Apple has imposed time limits on AirDrop sharing across iPhones.

For users in China, the “Everyone” button in Airdrop is currently restricted to a ten-minute duration. AirDrop’s device-to-device sharing will revert to “Contacts Only” once the ten minutes have elapsed, making it more difficult to systematically send content to random strangers. Just a few weeks after it was utilized to disseminate posters critical of President Xi Jinping, Apple has implemented these additional time limitations to AirDrop.

AirDrop is one of the few unrestricted communication channels in China. Although Apple hasn’t explicitly said this is the motive for the move, the corporation has previously customized its products specifically for the Chinese market.

Read More: Google One VPN Service Now Available on Windows and Mac

According to Bloomberg, AirDrop has frequently been utilized as a fix to circumvent China’s stringent online censorship. That doesn’t mean, though, that AirDrop is a haven for free speech since the tool has also been abused to ground aircraft with fictitious terrorist threats, send nude photos to random people, and, send nude pictures to ground aircraft.

Apple has already come under fire for making adjustments intended to please the Chinese government, including banning VPN apps and concealing the Taiwan flag emoji for customers in Hong Kong and Macau.

Users of Apple devices, like iPhones and iPads, can wirelessly transfer files to other device owners using AirDrop. Peer-to-peer Wi-Fi and Bluetooth Low Energy are both used for transfers. Users must explicitly modify AirDrop’s default option of “Contacts Only” in order to get files from “Everyone.”

It’s common for Apple to implement regional limits in order to follow local laws. For instance, the company has not enabled satellite connectivity on the iPhone 14 in India. Due to requirements for hearing protection, users cannot surpass the EU Volume Level in EU member states, for instance.

Apple has a history of enforcing stricter regulations in China for content-related services, like games and podcasts, an area that the national government heavily regulates.

According to Techcrunch, some Weibo users in China believe Apple should impose a 10-minute time limit on all devices worldwide because many people forget to switch off AirDrop. Users who keep it enabled to run the risk of receiving unwanted media files. It is still unknown whether Chinese Android rivals Xiaomi, Huawei, and Oppo would likewise restrict their own sharing services akin to AirDrop in response to government pressure.

Apple has maintained its supremacy in China despite the growth of regional rivals like Oppo and Huawei, especially among more wealthy groups. According to Counterpoint’s analysis, iPhones made up 13% of smartphone shipments in China in the second quarter, falling from 18% and 22% in the first and fourth quarters, respectively.

Paid Subscribers

Apple’s Paid Subscribers Doubled to 900 Million in 3 years

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Apple has about 900 million paid subscribers on its platform, which has more than doubled in just three years, according to company CEO Tim Cook.

paid subscribers
Image Source: business-standard.com

According to the company, paid subscribers are rising exponentially than transacting accounts, so paid account penetration is increasing.

“We have a great subscription business, 900 million paid subs now on the platform and growing very fast. We doubled in 3 years. This is the part that is really interesting to us because we really believe that the engine for services growth is there, foreign exchange is a temporary thing and the fundamentals are very good,” Tim Cook said during the company’s earnings call for the September quarter.

Source: business-standard.com

Services as well set a new high in the September quarter, with 19.2 billion USD in revenue.

Tim Cook, CEO of Apple, also said that they have reached one more record on their installed base of active devices which is all thanks to a quarterly upgraders’ record and double-digit development in switchers on iPhone, and they also reached the latest revenue record for said quarter throughout nearly every geographic segment.

In terms of silicon supply constraints, he stated that they were not noticeable in the quarter.

He also stated that he wants to admit that we are still living in unprecedented times, from the war in Eastern Europe to the tenacity of Covid-19 and also from environmental disasters all around the world to a growingly difficult economic environment.

Also, he added that, through it all, they have aimed to help their customers navigate the challenges while also providing them with the tools they need to continue driving progress for both their organizations.

Apple iPhone revenue increased 10% year on year to a September quarter record of $42.6 billion, according to the company, as the Indian market perceives bumper iPhone sales led by the new 14 series.

Apple CEO Tim Cook stated that customer demand was “stronger and more favorable than they anticipated. According to a report, the Apple iPhone 15 Series will have a USB-C charging port and four models with significant feature differences.

“Customers are loving our iPhone 14 line-up. Loaded with camera upgrades for sharper photos, Action Mode for smoother videos and new safety features like Crash Detection and Emergency SOS via Satellite, iPhone is even more indispensable to our daily lives,” Cook told analysts during the company’s quarterly earnings call late on Thursday.

Source: latestly.com
iCloud web interface

Apple launched its new redesigned iCloud Web Interface

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A new iCloud web interface has been released by Apple for beta testers. Apple has revamped its iCloud website at http://www.icloud.com. Even though the upgrade is still in beta, it is open to all users, so they may go to beta.icloud.com and sign in using their Apple ID account.

iCloud web interface
Image Source: macrumors.com

Users can access their apps and data like images, files, mail, contacts, and more, using iCloud.

Users will be led to the newly designed web-based iCloud interface after successfully logging in with their valid Apple ID credentials. The new interface has apps displayed as customizable tiles that resemble the widgets on an iPhone’s home screen.

All of Apple’s iCloud apps, including Mail, Calendar, Contacts, Photos, Drive, Reminders, Notes Pages, Keynote, Numbers, and Find My, are accessible quickly with this feature. Users can also monitor their iCloud Storage, iCloud Plan, and Data Recovery.

Customization is, of course, the main appeal of the new design. The preview page’s content can all be customized, exactly like the home screen on the iPhone. The redesign allows for customization; thus, a “+” will add objects to the screen display and a “-” would delete a tile already present.

As a result, users can change the tile size to suit their needs by making it smaller or larger. The re-design also makes iCloud+ tools like custom mail domains and Hide My Email easier to access. A “Data Recovery” tool can help users recover bookmarks, calendars, contacts, and iCloud Drive files that have been deleted in the last 30 days.

Although the majority of users won’t use the iCloud web interface as their primary interface, it might be useful for getting data when the user is using a non-Apple device or isn’t logged in. The apps’ user interfaces and functionalities are unchanged. Even though the revamped iCloud preview is still under beta testing, the limited amount of testing felt stable. There is no date for its official launch yet.

Recently Apple also started testing a significant revamp of the iCloud Mail web interface that more closely matched the design changes introduced in macOS Big Sur. With a sleeker UI and thicker icons, the new design resembled the Mail app on the Mac and iPad.

Recently Apple disclosed that it will be raising charges for certain of its services.  Apple TV Plus will now cost two dollars more, and Apple Music will cost one dollar more. This is a risky move on the part of the company, especially given that the pricing of its music streaming service has remained the same since its launch in 2015.

Although many people will probably keep utilizing its services, the pricing shift might have a significant influence on the industry. Spotify recently announced that it will think about raising its subscription fee in the United States, but first, it needs to talk to its label partners.

Apple had quite a busy week with the release of new versions of macOS Ventura, iOS 16.1, iOS 16.2 beta, and iPadOS 16.1. In the past month, Apple launched new iPads, iPhones, Apple 4KTVs, and other products.