References to a previously-unknown Mac have been found in the code of OS X El Capitan, with the current version of OS X potentially pointing to a Mac Pro refresh. The AAPLJ95,1 identifier bears similarities to the Mac Pro’s current model identifier of AAPLJ90,1, only with a few key differences, including 10 USB 3.0 ports, versus the four found on the current-generation Mac Pro, iMac, and Mac mini.
In order to aid Apple TV app discoverability, Apple has added a “top charts” section to the Apple TV App Store, after Apple’s newest App Store launched without categories or charts of any kind. Judging by the rankings so far, games are proving to be a popular category on the Apple TV App Store.
TidBits covers off some quick questions about the new Apple TV, confirming that Apple hasn’t updated its own Remote app to work with the new Apple TV, as well as explaining why 4K in the new Apple TV isn’t a thing.
Also from TidBits this morning is an explanation of the million dollar iOS hack, after one security firm put up a one million dollar bounty for iOS bugs that led to workable exploits.
Apple has released the first beta of tvOS 9.1, which seems like a strange naming convention seeing as it all started with tvOS 9, but it makes a little more sense given that tvOS is closely based on iOS. MacRumors says that tvOS betas require a USB to USB-C cable to be installed, unlike iOS betas. Apple has also released the second beta of iOS 9.2 to developers, along with the second beta of OS X El Capitan 10.11.2.
Apple has filed a patent for a Force Touch keyboard, which would see the removal of physical switches from keyboards altogether. Eliminating physical switches apparently doesn’t have too much of an effect on key travel, with the new system also designed for the least travel possible - kind of like typing on your iPad display.
In other patent news, Apple has been granted a patent for accessing digital media. While that sounds incredibly vague, the patent describes a method similar to Home Sharing currently employed by the Apple TV, for access movies, music, photos, and other media over a network.
Tweetbot 4.1 has been released, bringing along with it a version for the Apple Watch. While you can’t read your timeline from the Apple Watch, a view similar to the activity feed is presented when you launch the Apple Watch app, showing you retweets, favourites (or likes, as they are now), as well as allowing you to tweet from your wrist.
Dan Moren says that Apple’s online services could use a little service. It’s clear that Apple’s working on getting iCloud, Apple Music, or Photos reliability to where it needs to be, but with Apple’s track record, it kind of needs to be better.
Touch Arcade tells us about the Fallout custom keyboard for iOS, seeing as the official launch of Fallout 4 is less than a week away. For additional Fallout/Apple shenanigans, check out the awesome Fallout 4 photo for use with your Apple Watch, thanks to Neven Mrgan (who later updated it with a slightly better design).
Originally published at: http://appletalk.com.au/2015/11/wednesday-morning-news041115/