Apple Halts In-Store Pickup Option for Apple TV in Online Store, Still Available for Shipping [Mac Blog]

Apple has seemingly halted in-store pickup for the Apple TV in its online store, as none of the company's U.S. locations are providing the option. Notably, the Apple TV is still listed as shipping"within 24 hours" on the company's online store, and is still being offered with a $25 iTunes Store gift card as a part of an ongoing promotion.





Currently, it is unknown as to why Apple halted the pickup option for the Apple TV. It is entirely possible that the inability to schedule an Apple TV for in-store pickup is an outage or error on Apple's part. While mostly unlikely, it may also indicate that Apple is gearing up to release an updated Apple TV, which has been heavily rumored for quite some time.



Czech website Letem Svetem Applem (Google Translate) claimed last week that European Apple resellers have stopped receiving their supply of Apple TVs, however no other sources have indicated that stock has been running low. In the United States, retailers such as Best Buy and Amazon still show the product as "in stock".



Previous rumors have suggested that the next-generation Apple TV would be a major product for Apple, featuring set-top box features that interact with live and on-demand content, gaming capabilities, Siri integration, and more. However, a report from The Information this past July claimed that the new Apple TV would be delayed until 2015 due to negotiation difficulities between Apple and cable companies. Apple's SVP of Internet Software and Services Eddy Cue stated earlier this year that it was "complicated" solving problems with TV, adding that Apple is continuing work on the subject.



Thanks, Kyle!

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Posted in 2014 at 10:13AM, August 21

Chinese State-Run Media Labels iPhone's Location Tracking a 'National Security Concern' [iOS Blog]

China's state-run media broadcast today labeled Apple's location tracking services found iOS 7 and the iPhone a "national security concern", reports The Wall Street Journal. The broadcast cited researchers who said that those with access to the country's location data could gain "knowledge of the broader situation in China" and perhaps even state secrets.



The Chinese government said that it began developing these concerns about U.S. technology companies after the discovery of PRISM last year, which is a secret intelligence program ran by the NSA. In its broadcast, China's state run media said that Apple would need to "take on any legal responsibilities" if any data leaks harmed citizens.



Last year, a privacy lawsuit concerning Apple's location tracking services in iOS was dismissed by the US District Court of Northern California. The suit alleged that Apple was collecting location data in violation of its own privacy laws, however Judge Lucy Koh ruled that the plaintiffs had not provided sufficient evidence.



In the U.S., Apple has made a number of privacy-related moves in the past year, choosing to notify users of information requests from law enforcement and backing congressional bills to increase transparency in government surveillance.



The news also comes as Apple has made efforts towards improving its presence in China over the past few years, which include partnering with the country's biggest carrier China Mobile and opening new Apple Stores in populated regions. CEO Tim Cook has also visited the country numerous times, meeting with government officials and China Mobile executives to discuss market growth. Apple also became China's fifth-largest smartphone vendor in Q4 2013, taking 7% of the total market share in the country.



Note: Due to the controversial nature of this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Politics, Religion, Social Issues forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.

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Posted in 2014 at 10:13AM, July 11

iPhone 6 Physical Mockup Allegedly Based on Real Machine Schematics Surfaces

A new physical mockup claiming to be based off of real iPhone 6 machine schematics from supply chain sources has surfaced on Chinese technology blog 86Digi (via Nowhereelse.fr , Google Translate).






The physical mockup shows the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 as a 6 mm thin device featuring rounded corners and various physical changes. In line with other reports, the model shows the power button now located on the top right hand side of the device, rectangular volume controls on the left, and the camera and circular LED flash on the rear.





Notably, the mockup also shows two rear antenna breaks cut out on the device's rear, with the post noting that Apple will incorporate a three-stage aluminum design on the back of the iPhone 6. This is partially in line with a report from Mac Otakara last week that claimed Apple would be doing away with the glass breaks currently found on the iPhone 5s in favor of an aluminum design, although it is unsure how Apple will incorporate changes to its overall antenna layout to accommodate the new look.





The photos and video of this new mockup follow images of other physical mockups in recent days, including another model from a case manufacturer showing the 4.7-inch iPhone 6 and one showing the larger 5.5-inch iPhone 6 based on design drawings shared by Japanese magazine MacFan last month.





The iPhone 6 is expected to be unveiled this fall in two different sizes of 4.7-inches and 5.5-inches. The 4.7-inch version of the device will likely ship first in the third quarter of 2014, while the 5.5-inch version is estimated to ship later this year or early next year as Apple solves issues with the phone's display and battery.





In addition to a larger display, both versions of the iPhone 6 are expected to include a thinner profile, a faster A8 processor, Touch ID fingerprint sensor, and an improved camera that may feature optical image stabilization or electronic image stabilization. Jefferies analyst Peter Misek also claimed in a research note earlier this month that Apple is negotiating for a $100 price increase on the iPhone 6.

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Posted in 2014 at 10:13AM, May 01