This Week's Sponsor:

Copilot Money

Copilot Money, The Best Money Tracker, Launches on the Web – Limited-Time: Get 26% Off + 2 Months Free

Posts in news

Igloo: An Intranet You’ll Actually Like [Sponsor]

We all struggle with productivity. We are constantly pressured to accomplish more, and to do it quicker. There is no one definitive way to accomplish that, and we have all devised our own little method to make things work. At Igloo, they think your way is the best way, they just want to support you, and make your way better.

With Igloo, you don’t have to be stuck at your desk to do your work. And just like your favourite Apple devices, Igloo helps you do your best work. You can manage your task list from your laptop during a meeting, quickly update your team on the progress of the most recent project from your phone, and access the latest version of a file from home – all within a secure environment. Everything is now mobile – work should be too.

Never email yourself a file again. Bring your company into the 21st century - send your IT guy to try Igloo Software for free. Igloo is an intranet you’ll actually like.

Our thanks to Igloo for sponsoring MacStories this week.

Orders for the New Apple TV Are Now Open, Begins Shipping This Friday

The new Apple TV is now available for order on Apple’s website, with deliveries expected to start arriving from this Friday, October 30.

The new Apple TV, now in its fourth generation, features a familiar but overhauled user interface, a new Siri remote and there’s now an App Store for apps and games. The new Siri remote, which primarily operates over Bluetooth and charges via a Lightning port, features a touch surface for navigation, as well as dual microphones so that you can use Siri to interact with the Apple TV. You can learn more about the new Apple TV here.

Pricing & Availability

When Apple announced the new Apple TV at its September Keynote, it noted that it will be available in 80 countries at launch and over 100 by the end of the year. It also revealed US pricing which is US$149 for the 32GB model and US$199 for the 64GB model. Now that the Apple TV is available for order we can see the international prices, some of which I’ve included below:

  • United Kingdom:
    • £129 for the 32GB model
    • £169 for the 64GB model
  • Canada:
    • $199 for the 32GB model
    • $269 for the 64GB model
  • Australia:
    • $269 for the 32GB model
    • $349 for the 64GB model
  • France, Germany, Italy:
    • €179 for the 32GB model
    • €229 for the 64GB model

Apple Posts New iPhone 6s Camera, Siri Commercials

Apple aired three new iPhone 6s ads today, showcasing the device’s new Camera and Siri hands-free capabilities.

The Siri ads are two brief videos that build upon Jamie Foxx’s previous appearance in Apple’s 3D Touch commercial. In the two ads, Foxx is shown activating Siri on an iPhone 6s Plus just by saying “Hey Siri” – one of the new Siri features in iOS 9 for the new iPhones. While they don’t show any of the new Siri commands for iOS 9, the ads focus on communicating that holding the Home button is no longer necessary to activate Siri, even if you’re not driving.

The 6s Camera commercial is a longer, 1-minute ad in the same style of Apple’s “The only thing that’s changed is everything” campaign. The video goes through all the new camera and photo functionalities of the 6s, including Live Photos, peek previews with 3D Touch, selfie flash, 4K video, and improved Slo-Mo mode. At the end of the commercial, Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry is shown scoring a three-pointer as recorded by an iPhone in Slo-Mo.

You can watch Apple’s new iPhone 6s commercials below.

Read more

Apple Debuts Seven New Apple Watch Adverts

Apple today debuted seven new adverts for the Apple Watch, which follow in the same style as the six Apple Watch adverts that debuted on October 5. These short 15 second pieces highlight various features of the Apple Watch including Apple Pay, different watch bands, music controls and some third party apps including Uber and eBay.

  • Dance: Apple Watch lets you control your music right from your wrist. Whatever song you want to hear, just say it and play it.
  • Skate: If you need to buy something quick, Apple Pay lets you pay in a hurry.
  • Move: Your Apple Watch helps you set and achieve new goals. Even a goal as simple as moving more each day.
  • Play: Apple Watch can send you eBay alerts instantly, so you’ll never miss a bid.
  • Style: New bands, new colors, new ways to change your Apple Watch to match your own look.
  • Kiss: Your Apple Watch will gently let you know when your Uber arrives. But there’s no rush.
  • Travel: Apple Watch puts your boarding pass right on your wrist. Now traveling is one step simpler.

You can view all the adverts below the break or on Apple’s website.

Read more

Apple Releases iOS 9.1 with Over 150 New Emoji, Smarter Live Photos

Apple released iOS 9.1 today, the first major update to iOS 9, first released in mid-September.

In addition to various bug fixes and performance improvements, iOS 9.1 brings over 150 new emoji with full support for Unicode 7.0 and Unicode 8.0 emoji, and a smarter Live Photos implementation. On the iPhone 6s, Live Photos will now sense when you raise or lower your device, so it’ll stop recording the video associated to the Live Photo.

iOS 9.1 is available now through Apple’s Software Update.

Tim Cook: New Apple TV Begins Shipping Next Week, Orders Start Monday

Tim Cook revealed today that Apple will start taking orders for the new Apple TV next Monday, October 26, with units shipping by the end of next week. Cook made the comment whilst speaking at The Wall Street Journal’s WSJD Live 2015 conference.

As Apple announced at its September Keynote, the new Apple TV will be sold for $149 for the 32GB model and $199 for the 64GB model. Apple said the initial late October launch of the Apple TV will see the product launch in over 80 countries, but by the end of the year it will be available in 100 countries.

Cook also revealed on stage tonight that there are now 6.5 million paid members of Apple Music and a further 8.5 million Apple Music members who are still in their 3 month trial phase. For comparison, Spotify announced on 10 June 2015 that it had over 20 million paying subscribers and more than 75 million active users.

Some of the other topics that Cook addressed in his interview at WSJD Live was the Apple Watch (where he declined to provide sales figures), debates over privacy and security, the future of cars and Apple’s broader role in public life. If you want to read more, be sure to check out the live blogs from The Verge, The Wall Street Journal and MacRumors.

[via The Verge]

Apple Highlights 3D Touch in New iPhone 6s Ad

Apple aired a new iPhone 6s commercial today, focusing on the 3D Touch capabilities of the device and what the functionality brings with iOS 9.

Modelled after the first commercial for the iPhone 6s and carrying the same “The only thing that’s changed is everything” tagline, the ad highlights the peek and pop gestures of 3D Touch for apps like Mail, Messages, Maps, and Instagram. Jamie Foxx makes an appearance during a brief Apple Music segment, and Apple also showcases Home screen quick actions, Mail gestures, and peeking flight information.

It’s a fun, fast-paced ad in the style of the first one, and it does a good job at communicating the time savings granted by 3D Touch gestures. You can watch it below.

Read more