Posts in news

tvOS 11.2 Introduces HDR and Frame Rate Options to Apple TV 4K and Sports Feature

Apple has released tvOS 11.2, which adds a new settings option to 4K AppleTVs that can automatically match the frame rate and dynamic range the content being played. The option, called ‘Match Content,’ is found under the Video and Audio section of the AppleTV’s Settings app. Under Match Content, users can choose to ‘Match Dynamic Range’ or ‘Match Frame Rate,’ which can automatically detect and set the original frame rate of content.

The fourth generation and 4K Apple TVs also gained a Sports tab in the TV app. The new section features live sports broadcasts and lets users pick their favorite teams to follow, get alerts when the score of an ongoing game is close, and view scores and schedules.

Apple Pay Cash Rolls Out in the US to iOS 11.2 Users

Last weekend Apple issued an update to iOS 11 that fixed a bug that could cause an endless loop of crashes if certain notifications were received by a user. Version 11.2 of iOS also set the stage for the rollout of Apple Pay Cash, Apple’s peer-to-peer money transfer service that’s built into the Messages app.

Apple Pay Cash is currently a US-only service that lets users send each other cash via iMessages. An Apple Pay button will appear in the app and sticker tray of Messages on any Apple Pay-compatible iPhone or iPad. The service, which debuted at WWDC in June and was previously available only to beta testers of iOS 11.2, includes integration with Siri. Messages also automatically suggests using Apple Pay Cash if money is mentioned in a text message.

If the service is tied to a debit card, there is no fee to send money to someone. However, users who use a credit card will be charged a 3% fee. There is also a $3000 limit on individual transactions and a $10,000 limit on sending or receiving funds within a seven-day period.

Quip: Care for Your Mouth [Sponsor]

Behind the elegant design of the quip electric toothbrush is a mission to care for your mouth. Fixing bad habits makes a big impact on oral health, but too often, it’s ignored and glossed over by oral care products and services. The quip toothbrush changes that.

The quip brush has a beautiful slim design that makes other electric toothbrushes look like power tools by comparison. The slender body of the quip brush also makes it easy to take on the go when you travel.

There’s more to quip than its sleek looks though. The brush has sensitive vibrating bristles with 30-second pulses that guide you through a 2-minute brushing routine. There’s also a wire-free, suction-based wall mount that doubles as a carrying case for when you travel. Best of all, the quip is affordable.

Brush heads wear out and if they’re used too long become unhygienic and ineffective. That’s why quip also offers a subscription plan that delivers a new brush head to your home every three months along with a AAA battery to keep it powered. For added convenience, you can even add a tube of quip toothpaste to your subscription. Subscribing is an effortless way to start a good habit by putting brush head replacement on autopilot.

We have a special deal for MacStories readers. You can get your first brush head refill from quip for free by using this link. Start a good habit today. Take care of your mouth with quip.

Our thanks to quip for sponsoring MacStories this week.

Apple Releases iOS 11.2 with Apple Pay for iMessage, Fix for Notification Bug, and More

Today in an unusual weekend launch, Apple released iOS 11.2 to the public. The hallmark feature for US users is Apple Pay for iMessage, but that service reportedly won’t go live until at least Monday. The reason the update launched today is that current versions of iOS contains a bug that may crash springboard on December 2nd – as users all over the world are now discovering – and 11.2 contains the fix for that bug.

https://twitter.com/reneritchie/status/936826338496806912

Apple has published a support article where they urge users encountering the issue to follow steps to disable notifications in order to stop the crashes, then update to iOS 11.2 before turning notifications back on.

Besides the bug fix, iOS 11.2 includes the aforementioned Apple Pay for iMessage for US users, new wallpaper options for iPhone X users, and a handful of other minor improvements.

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Google Maps Updated with iPhone X Support

Google continues to chip away at iPhone X and iOS 11 support for its iOS apps. Today, Google Maps was updated to take advantage of the iPhone X’s expansive display. Maps extend in every direction to the edge of the screen, which looks much better than the previously letterboxed version of the app.

The design could use a few tweaks though. As Adam Swinden points out on Twitter, the corners of the ‘Explore’ button at the bottom of the screen are clipped and it is too close to the top edge of the Home indicator.

Earlier this week Google updated Docs, Slides, and Sheets for the iPhone X and implemented basic drag and drop support.

Apple Launches Heart Study App in the US in Partnership with Stanford Medicine

Today, Apple launched the Apple Heart Study app. The app lets users contribute heart rate data to a study being conducted in partnership with Stanford Medicine regarding irregular heart rhythms. The app uses the Apple Watch to monitor the user’s heart rate and alert them when they may be experiences atrial fibrillation, a leading cause of stroke. Apple COO Jeff Williams commented that:

“Every week we receive incredible customer letters about how Apple Watch has affected their lives, including learning that they have AFib. These stories inspire us and we’re determined to do more to help people understand their health,” said Jeff Williams, Apple’s COO. “Working alongside the medical community, not only can we inform people of certain health conditions, we also hope to advance discoveries in heart science.”

If the app detects an irregular heart rhythm, the user receives an alert on their iPhone and Apple Watch, a free consultation with a study doctor, and an electrocardiogram patch for further monitoring. The app is available in the US only on the App Store and users must be 22 or older to participate in the study.

Apple Marks Record (RED) Fundraising and Pledges to Make Donations Based on Apple Pay Sales

Apple has partnered with (RED) for many years to help people living with HIV worldwide. This year marks a new record year of giving for Apple with over $30 million raised for the Global Fund, which is the equivalent of 144 million days of ARV medication that prevents the transmission of HIV from mothers to their unborn children.

“Connecting through our products and services helps make it easy for our customers to join us in the effort to create the first AIDS-free generation,” said Lisa Jackson, Apple’s vice president of Environment, Policy and Social Initiatives. “By working with (RED) to stop the transmission of HIV from moms to their unborn babies, we’re already seeing a significant impact in areas where help is needed most. We’re committed to continuing the fight and empowering future generations through these vital efforts.”

This year Apple will mark World AIDS Day at its nearly 500 retail stores with red Apple logos for the week. Also, for every Apple Pay transaction made at a retail location, online, or in-app, Apple will donate $1 to the Global Fund.

As in the past, the App Store is participating too, with a (RED) Today tab takeover featuring stories related to the cause and the developers who are supporting it. King, the maker of the Candy Crush series of games, will also offer limited edition bundles of their games with in-app proceeds going to the Global Fund.

Marco Arment Releases Forecast Public Beta, a Podcast Encoder That Embeds Chapter Markers and Other Metadata

Marco Arment, the creator of the Overcast podcast player, has released a public beta of a tool for podcast producers called Forecast. The macOS utility handles encoding of podcasts as MP3 audio files and embedding of chapter markers and other metadata.

The final steps of putting together a podcast episode are tedious. Encoding can take a long time for longer shows and then, artwork, a title, description, and chapter markers have to be embedded. There are other little annoyances like manually entering an episode’s duration and file size into a show’s CMS too.

To speed the process up, Forecast uses a custom integration of the LAME MP3 encoder that spreads the encoding work across all of a Mac’s CPU cores, reducing encoding times substantially. Chapter markers are automatically generated in Forecast if created as markers in an audio editing app like Logic and exported as a WAV file. Forecast will even autofill artwork and other information if audio files are named consistently. There are also quick-copy shortcuts for grabbing an episode’s duration and file size.

Forecast is a beta, which comes with the usual caveats, but there is comfort in knowing that it has already been used in production by Arment and other podcasters for two years. I began using Forecast about a month ago as part of the AppStories production workflow, and it’s been stable and a big time saver.

Perhaps best of all, Forecast is free. Arment only requests that users that find Forecast useful consider mentioning Overcast on their podcasts or buying an ad for their podcast.

The Forecast public beta is available on Overcast.fm.

Apple Celebrates the Hour of Code with In-Store Events, a Swift Playgrounds Challenge, and Teacher Resources

Apple has participated in Code.org’s Hour of Code challenge for the past several years. This year, the company is back again with a series of workshops for kids that run from December 4 - 10, 2017, which coincides with Computer Science Education Week. During free sessions:

Young aspiring coders can learn coding basics during a Kids Hour session, while those age twelve and above can use Swift Playgrounds on iPad to learn coding concepts and even program robots.

In addition to the in-store lessons, Apple has added a new coding challenge to its Swift Playgrounds iPad app with which students build and customize a digital robot and new teacher resources as part of its Everyone Can Code curriculum.

You can sign up for the Hour of Code sessions here, but act quickly because in years past, these sessions have filled up fast.