Tuesday Morning News

Articles
#1

hero_large_2xThe first beta of iOS 9.3 has been released to developers, and Apple has put together a preview of the new features on its website. The headlining features are a multi-user mode designed to be used with devices shared amongst students, for example, although Ars Technica suggests Apple won’t make this feature available for home users. IOS 9.3 also brings a F.lux-like night mode, Notes protected by Touch ID, and other improvements to News and CarPlay.

Alongside the beta of iOS 9.3, Apple has also released a bunch of other betas to developers, including the first beta of OS X El Capitan 10.11.4. Interestingly enough, 10.11.3 is still with developers, but this latest beta means we’ll probably see a point update to El Cap sooner, rather than later.

Not wanting to be left out, we also get betas of watchOS 2.2 and tvOS 9.2. No release notes have been included for those releases, but with iOS 9.3 allowing more than one Apple Watch to pair at a time for the first time, it’s likely the watchOS update will support that particular feature.

Apple now has a list of cars with CarPlay, including upcoming models.

Apple Music now has 10 million paying subscribers, and while that’s half the number of rival streaming music service Spotify, it’s a far cry from the latter’s 75 million users, total. Estimates put Apple on track to catch Spotify this year, at least in terms of paying subscribers.

MacRumors says a glitch caused Apple to underestimate Apple News traffic, with Apple’s own Eddy Cue explaining the issue was being worked on, admitting that Apple’s reported numbers were lower than reality.

Mounting pressure from European mobile phone telcos is apparently forcing Apple to develop a tool to make it easier for iPhone users to switch to a different smartphone platform, namely Android. As reported by The Verge, European telcos say people rarely switch to new platforms because getting your data off an iPhone is a bit of a hassle, so now the onus falls on Apple to make that easier.

MacStories covers Phytonista 2.0, which is a massive step forward for iOS productivity. The update brings iPad Pro support, as well as action extensions and code editor improvements, but really there’s a lot to digest.

TechCrunch has photo evidence of a new Facebook Messenger Mac app, which would bring Facebook out of the browser and into your Dock.

An article over at Create Digital Music says that Apple may be removing the regular headphone jack on the next iPhone in favour of a Lightning port, but them doing so is not cause for concern, at least for those concerned about the digital to analog conversion process in the pursuit of higher audio quality.

Originally published at: http://appletalk.com.au/2016/01/tuesday-morning-news120116/

#2

iOS 9.3 looks amazeballs. Viticci also pointed out on Twitter that it looks like PDFs and non-iBooks store purchases can be synced via iCloud which for me, is the last nail in the coffin in killing off iTunes.

Also sigh at the CarPlay list. Looks like a bunch of luxury cars and high end SUVs, no chance of it appearing in my next work car :frowning:

#3

Volkswagen, Opel/Holden, Skoda and Suzuki have options that don’t fall into either of those categories…and there’s always an after market head unit :stuck_out_tongue:

The real problem with that list (other than the conspicuous lack of Toyota) is that it’s US based. US car models don’t necessarily match up to Australian models.So some of the 2016 models will end up being the 2017 or 2018 model here.

I really hope that this means TouchID based multi-user mode on the iPad is something we’ll see in iOS 10.

#4

Chances of work replacing my 2013 Mazda 3 fleet car with anyone of those on that list = zilch. Chances of work letting rip out the head unit on my office car and replace with an aftermarket CarPlay unit = less than zilch.

#5

Time for a new job! :wink:

#6

The major difference between this list and the earlier preliminary announcement is that Toyota and Lexus are missing but there are a number of common cars available at mass market prices (under $30K) in the list.

chevrolet (Holden) cruize 2016
honda civic 2016
hyundai sonata 2016
hyundai elantra 2016
Mitsubishi 2016 Mirage
vw golf 2016
vw polo 2016

#7

I think its probably only a matter of time before more Japanese cars have it. Most of the new Hyundais do and the only ones that don’t use the sat nav which needs to be updated to a new version. The base and high end all do.

#8

Nah, Toyota has come out and said they won’t be supporting either CarPlay or Android Auto.

#9

Still got Honda and Mazda though. If Toyota don’t then Lexus owners are gonna be annoyed.

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