Jumat, 31 Mei 2019

New app tracks the trackers on your mobile device - Fox News

Apple is facing a new controversy surrounding user data and I-phone apps, and it's ironic because when it comes to privacy, Apple has taken a firm stance that goes much further than online giants like Amazon, Google and Facebook. In fact, Apple CEO Tim Cook has gone so far as to declare privacy is a human right, shortly before rolling out an ad campaign centered on the slogan "what happens on your I-phone, stays on your I-phone." So it's come as a big surprise to the Apple faithful that there are dozens of trackers running on your I-phone - and delivering the data they gather throughout the day and night.

A test run with a new app called "Disconnect" found over 5,400 trackers had gathered more than 1.5 gigabytes of data in just a single week. Even more troubling, a lot of the tracking isn't necessarily made clear in the privacy policy of the apps you're using. And what happens with all that private information may also not be spelled out in end user agreements. A lot of the time, it was even difficult to track where the data was going, opening up users to the possibility of identity theft or data corruption. 

The good news - most of the data blocked by the "Disconnect" app is simply ad tracking information for apps you get for free, and some of the captured data is about how you interact with apps so that developers can improve them over time - meaning most of the apps sending data aren't doing it to "spy" on you. Still, Apple may have to do a significant amount of damage control if it turns out their privacy pledge isn't as transparent as they thought it would be. 

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https://www.foxnews.com/tech/new-app-tracks-the-trackers-on-your-mobile-device

2019-05-31 15:10:41Z
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Apple WWDC preview: Here’s the new stuff that’s coming - Fox News

Apple will kick off its World Wide Developer’s Conference next week, where the tech giant is sure to have several announcements about its latest software.

Starting on Monday, Apple is expected to take the wraps off its new operating systems, including iOS 13. Apple’s mobile operating system is tipped to add dark mode, a popular feature that has already arrived on macOS, according to 9to5Mac.

Dark mode looks the most striking on apps with white backgrounds, but it also has a more practical side. Newer iPhones like the iPhone X and XS have OLED displays that use less power in dark mode and, as a result, can extend battery life.

APPLE REJECTS GOOGLE CEO'S CRITICISM OVER PRIVACY BEING A 'LUXURY GOOD'

Apple's Messages app is also expected to see a refresh, becoming increasingly similar to WhatsApp. It's anticipated it will get features that allow users to create a profile picture and who is able to see the picture. Additionally, the Mail app is slated to get better organized with the addition of searchable categories.

Tim Cook, CEO, speaks during Apple's annual world wide developer conference (WWDC) in San Jose, California, U.S. June 5, 2017. REUTERS/Stephen Lam - RTX395JL

Tim Cook, CEO, speaks during Apple's annual world wide developer conference (WWDC) in San Jose, California, U.S. June 5, 2017. REUTERS/Stephen Lam - RTX395JL (REUTERS/Stephen Lam)

It's also possible that there may be a sleep mode in the works that turns on Do Not Disturb and mutes incoming notifications. Other upgrades may include a redesigned Find My iPhone app that unifies it with Find My Friends, according to reports.

Multi-tasking on the iPad may be enhanced, thanks to the new version of iOS. For example, users will be able to open multiple windows of the same application.

GOOGLE PIXEL 3A REVIEW: THE BEST (NON IPHONE) $400 YOU'LL EVER SPEND

Mac and Apple Watch updates

With the update of the Mac operating system, users can expect to see more progress toward so-called universal apps for developers. The aim is for developers to design a single app that works on the Mac or iOS – on mouse/trackpad or touchscreen, respectively.

This could boost the number of apps on the Mac since it would make it easier for developers to target both platforms. Cupertino, Calif.-based Apple may move new apps to macOS 10.15 such as an upgraded Apple Books, a new Music app, Podcasts, and Find My iPhone/Find My Friends, according to Bloomberg.

The bad news for macOS 10.15 is some older apps may not work because 32-bit apps will no longer be supported, due to support limited for 64-bit apps in the new macOS. For example, old 32-bit versions of the QuickTime Player won’t work but the newer 64-bit version will.

APPLE'S SIRI AND AMAZON'S ALEXA SPREAD SEXISM, UN STUDY CLAIMS

In addition to updates to Apple's Mac operating system, the Apple Watch is also expected to get improvements to its operating system, watchOS.

The Apple Watch will finally get its own App Store, so you can download apps right to the Watch for the first time. To date, you have had to update the Watch via your iPhone.

Health apps are a big reason the Apple Watch is the best-selling smartwatch. New health apps expected include one that tracks menstrual cycles and one for pill reminders. Other planned apps are a Voice Memos app, calculator and an audiobook app.

While WWDC has largely been software focused in the past, Apple has occasionally announced new hardware, including new Macs. Some rumors suggest Apple may show the redesigned Mac Pro, which the company has been working on and is Pro aimed at its high-end users. It would likely come with the latest and greatest chips and hardware and be modular for easy upgrades.

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https://www.foxnews.com/tech/apple-wwdc-preview

2019-05-31 13:36:01Z
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Call of Duty Goes Modern. Again. - Thurrott.com

After a lackluster Black Ops 4 release, Activision is predictably taking the Call of Duty back to its most popular incarnation with the stupidly named Call of Duty: Modern Warfare.

So, let’s address the name first.

The original Modern Warfare, named Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, was, as its name suggests the fourth entry in the series. It was also the first to drop the World War II themes on which the series was, to then, based. It was also a smash hit, and its sequels—the creatively titled Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare and Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare 3—each raised the bar, catapulting COD into one of the biggest franchises in gaming history.

COD also saw great success with a second series, Black Ops, but its other titles, each an attempt to jumpstart a new series, were mostly lackluster and failed, at least within the context of COD, to generate much excitement. So Activision has retooled in recent years and has gone back to its roots: The previous two COD titles, Call of Duty: WWII and Call of Duty: Black Ops 4, harkened back to great COD series of the past. And it was assumed, correctly, that the next title would be a new entry in the Modern Warfare series.

And that it would be called Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4. But it’s not. I guess because of the oddness of the naming of the first MW title, which had a 4 in it.

OK, whatever.

Aside from hitting the same kind of creative brick wall that led to the previous two COD games, it looks like the new MW will differ from those games in at least one important way. Unlike BO4, it will have a single-player campaign, and Activision claims it will be grittier than ever—grittier, even, than the controversial MW2 sequence in which the player was instructed to indiscriminately kill civilians in a Russian airport—and, to my eyes, it appears to use a lot of DOOM 3-style darkness to amp up the tension.

Activision’s David Hodgson published the exact same blog post to Sony’s and Microsoft’s video game blogs, and it is incredibly short on details. Based on the trailer, however, the new MW sees the return of familiar characters, familiar scenarios—including, even the lame “you’re wounded and being dragged by a compadre and must fend off chasing enemies with a pistol—and familiar environments, including the Middle East. There’s night vision, ghillie suits, aircraft strikes of all kinds, and close combat, all the things that COD fans cherished from the original MW series.

And … I don’t know. As I griped previously in Another Black Ops? Call of Duty is Stuck in the Past, Activision’s inability to push COD forward has led to the franchise getting stuck in the past. It’s become the Marvel Universe of gaming, the same thing over and over again.

BO4 was notable almost solely because it introduced a battle royale game mode in response to the success of Fortnite, which is stealing away players, media attention, and dollars, and has jumpstarted the e-sports industry in ways that, frankly, COD should have capitalized on first. Worse, it ruined the year-long value for those of us, like me, who prefer traditional multiplayer and expect regular, and high-quality, map drops. It’s been very light, and many of the “new” maps are just reimagined versions of existing maps with different weather. Come on.

The new MW, meanwhile, promises a more traditional experience of multiplayer, campaign, and co-op gameplay … and that’s about it. If you peruse the Call of Duty website, you’ll discover almost nothing about the new game at all. Other than its release date, October 24, and that it will come in five editions for some reason, three of which are digital.

I assume we’ll learn more at E3. But with Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 doing everything it can to drive away traditional COD fans like myself, I’m a bit leery of the next one. Again.

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https://www.thurrott.com/xbox/207653/call-of-duty-goes-modern-again

2019-05-31 12:16:55Z
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iPhone users can now download bigger apps & games over cellular - Phone Arena

Apple has never been a fan of large file downloads over data, but this week the Cupertino giant has unexpected upped its cellular download limit for iPhones and iPads to 200MB from the previous cap of 150MB.


The move means iOS users are now free to download bigger apps and games from the App Store. Larger files such as films can also be downloaded from the iTunes Store, in addition to video podcasts. 


The idea behind Apple’s download limit is that it stops users from accidentally eating up all of their data allowance. But with no override option and in a world where most people either have unlimited data or lots of it, a 200MB limit really doesn’t make much sense.


It’ll also be interesting to see what Apple does next year when it launches the first 5G iPhones and data consumption suddenly rockets. After all, the faster data speeds mean you’ll be able to download a Full-HD movie in just 10 seconds, but if Apple doesn’t remove its download cap, you won’t even be able to start the download, ultimately limiting one of 5G's biggest benefits.

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https://www.phonearena.com/news/Apple-iPhone-iPad-cellular-download-limit-increased_id116466

2019-05-31 11:05:41Z
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Prepare yourself: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare doesn't have a zombie mode - GamesRadar

If you were hoping for some undead action in Call of Duty Modern Warfare then you're out of luck, as there's no zombies mode in the latest Call of Duty. Campaign Gameplay Director Jacob Minkoff dropped the news in an interview with Playstation Lifestyle, saying that "we’re trying to create an authentic, realistic feeling world. We don’t have the flexibility to do something like put zombies in the game. That would compromise the feeling of playing in a world that feels realistic and authentic and relative to today’s conflicts and things we face". 

From the sounds of it, this year's Call of Duty is leaning hard into the realism angle, and we thankfully haven't yet got to the stage of human history where glowing-eyed zombies are a reality thanks to a virus/curse/alien invasion. Minkoff mentioned that previous games like Black Ops 4 included zombies "because they focus on more of the stylized, graphic novel, super-hero experience, [so] they can have the much more ‘out there’ different types of gameplay in their games", whereas Modern Warfare is dealing with (perhaps) uncomfortably realistic issues like the terrorist cell al-Qaeda. 

For Treyarch it sounds like there was simply no way to make a zombies mode work alongside real-life issues like terrorism, as according to Minkoff when it comes to gameplay and story progression in particular "knowing that we needed to keep it more similar across the different modes, we decided to really lean into that, and make it completely continuous". Looks like even without a zombies mode there's still going to be plenty to keep you busy in Modern Warfare, and we'll just have to wait until October 25 to see it in action. 

For more Call of Duty Modern Warfare info, here's everything we know about the Call of Duty Modern Warfare season pass, or look below to see what we thought of the game!

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https://www.gamesradar.com/call-of-duty-modern-warfare-no-zombie-mode/

2019-05-31 10:20:00Z
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Gigabyte's next-gen SSD shows the incredible potential of PCIe 4.0 - Engadget

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Gigabyte

When AMD launched its third-gen Zen 2-based Ryzen processors, it also introduced the next generation PCIe 4.0 controllers. Now, Gigabyte has launched one of the first PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSDs that shows the incredible speed potential of the new tech. The AORUS NVMe Gen4 SSD can hit up to 5,000MB/s read speeds and 4,400 MB/s write performance. That's about 56 percent faster read and over double the write speeds of Samsung's 970 EVO, currently one of the fastest NVMe SSDs on the market.

Gigabyte isn't the only company to launch a PCI 4.0 SSD, as Corsair also unveiled the MP600 NVMe SSD with very similar performance. Both products use the Phison PS5016-E16 controller and 3D TLC (triple-level cell) NAND flash memory chips (from Toshiba, in the case of the AORUS).

The AURUS NVMe Gen4 SSD has a full body copper heat spreader, indicating that things might get pretty hot when it hits those top speeds. Gigabyte claims that the heatsink reduces temperatures by about 14 percent.

The drive will come in 1TB and 2TB sizes and the only way to get the most out of it, for now, will be to buy Gigabyte's X570 motherboard and one of the new Ryzen processors. Everything, including the AORUS SSD, motherboard and Ryzen chips will arrive sometime in July. There's no price, but given that this is a bleeding edge product, expect to be one of the more expensive NVMe SSDs available.

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https://www.engadget.com/2019/05/31/gigabyte-aorus-nvme-pcie4-ssd/

2019-05-31 09:09:53Z
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Gigabyte's next-gen SSD shows the incredible potential of PCIe 4.0 - Engadget

Sponsored Links

Gigabyte

When AMD launched its third-gen Zen 2-based Ryzen processors, it also introduced the next generation PCIe 4.0 controllers. Now, Gigabyte has launched one of the first PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSDs that shows the incredible speed potential of the new tech. The AORUS NVMe Gen4 SSD can hit up to 5,000MB/s read speeds and 4,400 MB/s write performance. That's about 56 percent faster read and over double the write speeds of Samsung's 970 EVO, currently one of the fastest NVMe SSDs on the market.

Gigabyte isn't the only company to launch a PCI 4.0 SSD, as Corsair also unveiled the MP600 NVMe SSD with very similar performance. Both products use the Phison PS5016-E16 controller and 3D TLC (triple-level cell) NAND flash memory chips (from Toshiba, in the case of the AORUS).

The AURUS NVMe Gen4 SSD has a full body copper heat spreader, indicating that things might get pretty hot when it hits those top speeds. Gigabyte claims that the heatsink reduces temperatures by about 14 percent.

The drive will come in 1TB and 2TB sizes and the only way to get the most out of it, for now, will be to buy Gigabyte's X570 motherboard and one of the new Ryzen processors. Everything, including the AORUS SSD, motherboard and Ryzen chips will arrive sometime in July. There's no price, but given that this is a bleeding edge product, expect to be one of the more expensive NVMe SSDs available.

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https://www.engadget.com/2019/05/31/gigabyte-aorus-nvme-pcie4-ssd/

2019-05-31 08:39:33Z
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Gigabyte's next-gen SSD shows the incredible potential of PCIe 4.0 - Engadget

Sponsored Links

Gigabyte

When AMD launched its third-gen Zen 2-based Ryzen processors, it also introduced the next generation PCIe 4.0 controllers. Now, Gigabyte has launched one of the first PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSDs that shows the incredible speed potential of the new tech. The AORUS NVMe Gen4 SSD can hit up to 5,000MB/s read speeds and 4,400 MB/s write performance. That's about 56 percent faster read and over double the write speeds of Samsung's 970 EVO, currently one of the fastest NVMe SSDs on the market.

Gigabyte isn't the only company to launch a PCI 4.0 SSD, as Corsair also unveiled the MP600 NVMe SSD with very similar performance. Both products use the Phison PS5016-E16 controller and 3D TLC (triple-level cell) NAND flash memory chips (from Toshiba, in the case of the AORUS).

The AURUS NVMe Gen4 SSD has a full body copper heat spreader, indicating that things might get pretty hot when it hits those top speeds. Gigabyte claims that the heatsink reduces temperatures by about 14 percent.

The drive will come in 1TB and 2TB sizes and the only way to get the most out of it, for now, will be to buy Gigabyte's X570 motherboard and one of the new Ryzen processors. Everything, including the AORUS SSD, motherboard and Ryzen chips will arrive sometime in July. There's no price, but given that this is a bleeding edge product, expect to be one of the more expensive NVMe SSDs available.

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https://www.engadget.com/2019/05/31/gigabyte-aorus-nvme-pcie4-ssd/

2019-05-31 08:25:33Z
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Kamis, 30 Mei 2019

Apple's WWDC 2019: What to expect for iOS 13 and everything else - Engadget

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRltKsivH44

2019-05-30 13:00:16Z
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Microsoft Is Doubling Down on PC Gaming Support - IGN

They're bringing Game Pass to PC and adding more XGS games to Steam

Microsoft has announced that a version of Xbox Game Pass will be coming to PCs, and that more Microsoft Store exclusives titles will be available on Steam.

In a blog post by Phil Spencer, Microsoft's EVP of Gaming and Head of Xbox,  he admitted that the software giant has "not always lived up to our aspiration" when it comes to meeting players needs on PC, and would be taking steps to improve the gaming experience on Windows.

"We believe the player should be at the center of their gaming experience and be able to harness the unique benefits of the devices they choose to play on," Spencer said. "As the creators of Windows, we have a unique responsibility to ensure we’re investing in experiences that benefit players everywhere, while respecting the PC community’s preference for an open, highly customizable platform."

Xbox Game Pass on PC

The first point in Spencer's plan is to make the Xbox Pass Game subscription service available to players on PC. "It’s called Xbox Game Pass, just like the original," he says, "but it’s a new experience that we are building together with the PC community."

Exit Theatre Mode

While there's no word yet on exactly how the PC version of Game Pass will differ from its console counterpart, subscribers will have access to more than 100 games from over 75 developers such as Bethesda, Paradox and Devolver Digital, and will also include day-one access to Xbox-studios exclusives from developers like Obsidian and inXile. Subscribers will also get a 20% discount when purchasing full games from the Microsoft Store that appear in the Game Pass library.

Microsoft Games on Steam

"Our intent is to make our Xbox Game Studios PC games available in multiple stores," Spencer says. "We believe you should have choice in where you buy your PC games." The post pledges that the company will continue adding Xbox Studios games to Steam, starting with Gears 5.

Exit Theatre Mode

The post didn't specifically say anything about other digital PC distributors like the Epic Games Store or GoG, but Spencer did make a point of saying, "We also know that there are other stores on PC, and we are working to enable more choice in which store you can find our Xbox Game Studios titles in the future."

More Flexible Developer Tools

The last item that Spencer addressed in his post was that the Microsoft Store will be receiving updates allowing for games and apps that run on Win32 architecture instead of the Universal Windows Platform that its been supporting since Windows 8. "When I think about the role we play as a company to support and evolve gaming on Windows," Spencer says, "it’s critical that we make decisions that reinforce the open nature of the PC."

The post also says that Microsoft intends to have all new games from Xbox Studios support cross-play between PC and consoles, "To bring players together to create a shared player community regardless of where they play."

Spencer promised that more information on PC support - along with Xbox's biggest upcoming games - would be coming during their briefing at E3 2019. You can tune into every E3 press conference, from Microsoft to Square Enix, right here on IGN.

JR is IGN's Senior Editor of Features, and you can follow him on Twitter if you're into that.

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https://www.ign.com/articles/2019/05/30/xbox-game-pass-pc-microsoft-games-on-steam

2019-05-30 13:00:14Z
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Microsoft will distribute more Xbox titles through Steam and finally support Win32 games - The Verge

Microsoft says it’s committed to supporting competing PC game stores and it’s announcing today that it will distribute more Xbox Game Studios titles through Valve’s Steam marketplace. Typically, Microsoft has distributed its games through only Xbox Live on its game console platform and through its own Windows storefront on PC. Now, Microsoft says it wants to better support player choice and let customers buy games in more than one destination on PC.

“Our intent is to make our Xbox Game Studios PC games available in multiple stores, including our own Microsoft Store on Windows, at their launch. We believe you should have choice in where you buy your PC games,” writes Xbox chief Phil Spencer in a blog post announcing the shift in strategy. The move follows Microsoft’s decision to publish its upcoming Halo: The Master Chief Collection on Steam.

“We will continue to add to the more than 20 Xbox Game Studios titles on Steam, starting with Gears 5 and all Age of Empires I, II, and III: Definitive Editions,” Spencer explains. “We know millions of PC gamers trust Steam as a great source to buy PC games and we’ve heard the feedback that PC gamers would like choice.”

It’s not an unusual move for Microsoft these days, especially not since Spencer took over the Xbox division in 2014 under CEO Satya Nadella, who promoted him again in the fall of 2017 to run all of the company’s gaming initiatives spanning Xbox and Windows 10.

The two have worked together to build a far more open and cooperative Microsoft, and that’s given birth to a lot of genuinely player-friendly advancements in the Xbox and Windows departments. Xbox games published by Microsoft can now be played on the PC free of charge, thanks to the Xbox Play Anywhere initiative, while Microsoft worked with Nintendo and game developers like Epic and Psyonix to successfully apply pressure on Sony to support cross-platform play. The company is also pioneering a new business model for games with its Xbox Game Pass subscription, and its upcoming xCloud cloud gaming service is poised to introduce an all-new distribution model for delivering games and potentially upending how games are both funded and sold.

What’s remarkable in this case is that Microsoft is standing somewhat in opposition to Epic Games, a company whose CEO Tim Sweeney once criticized Microsoft for attempting to create a closed ecosystem with its Universal Windows Platform strategy, which attempted to distribute all software, including PC games, exclusively through its own storefront.

”Microsoft has built a closed platform-within-a-platform into Windows 10,” Sweeney wrote in a 2015 op-ed in The Guardian, “as the first apparent step towards locking down the consumer PC ecosystem and monopolising app distribution and commerce.” At the time, Sweeney called for Microsoft to let developers publish games built using UWP on other stores. He went so far as to say UWP “can, should, must, and will die.”

Now, it’s Epic that’s trying to supplant Steam with its own game store and finding itself embroiled in controversy stemming mostly from its exclusivity contracts it secures with developers. Of course, Epic’s approach is much different than Microsoft’s was back then, given it does not own the Windows operating system and has nowhere near the level of power and control Microsoft did when it was trying to push UWP. But Epic, having grown to a level of unprecedented power in the PC marketplace due to the success of Fortnite, is discovering just how hard it is to dethrone Steam.

Microsoft, on the other hand, has given up entirely on that vision and is instead embracing a much more open model. And it extends beyond gaming. Microsoft recently announced a partnership with Google to rebuild its Edge browser, once built on UWP, using the open-source Chromium framework.

“We also know that there are other stores on PC, and we are working to enable more choice in which store you can find our Xbox Game Studios titles in the future,” Spencer writes, indicating that Microsoft may eventually publish its games on Epic’s store as well. Spencer goes on to say that the company is committed to providing voice and text chat, friends lists, and cross-play across PC and console to all titles it publishes under Xbox Game Studios. “On Windows 10 you’ll find this functionality in the Xbox Game Bar, which we’ll continue to evolve and expand,” he adds.

In addition to this shift to support Steam and competing stores, Microsoft says it’s also opening up support in the Microsoft Store for games built as native Win32 apps, which is the predominant Windows app format and the format that UWP effectively was designed to replace. This all but ensures UWP will fall out of favor with game studios that may have felt forced to adopt the format in recent years to better access core Windows 10 features.

“We recognize that Win32 is the app format that game developers love to use and gamers love to play, so we are excited to share that we will be enabling full support for native Win32 games to the Microsoft Store on Windows,” Spencer writes. “This will unlock more options for developers and gamers alike, allowing for the customization and control they’ve come to expect from the open Windows gaming ecosystem.”

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https://www.theverge.com/2019/5/30/18645250/microsoft-xbox-game-studios-publishing-valve-steam-32-bit-windows

2019-05-30 13:00:00Z
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Your next iPhone or Mac? WWDC offers the best tease - CNET

apple-wwdc-2019-03142019-1

Apple will kick off its developer conference Monday. 

Apple

At WWDC next week, Apple may be talking to developers. But it's really all about you.

Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference is the company's annual gathering where it hosts designers and engineers making apps for iPhones, iPads and other Apple devices. Thousands will descend on the McEnery Convention Center in San Jose, California, at 10 a.m. PT on Monday to hear CEO Tim Cook and various executives outline their strategy for the company's software. They'll spend the rest of the week at sessions about the new technology and walk away with plans for updating their apps.

WWDC typically isn't where Apple launches new devices. Instead, it updates its iOS software for iPhones and iPads, MacOS for its computers, TVOS for Apple TV and WatchOS for the Apple Watch. Despite all of that news, most of what it unveils won't be available until later in the year, at best. Even if you're a big software fan, some of Apple's announcements, like discussions about the Swift programming language, get technical pretty fast.

Now playing: Watch this: iOS 13, MacOS 10.15 and MacPro: Everything we’re expecting...

9:08

It may be easy to think WWDC doesn't have anything for you. You're not going to see the next iPhone there, and Oprah's not going to show up. She's already been to one Apple event this year, after all. What could a developer-focused show really offer you?

But if you look past all the talk about Swift and APIs, you'll find quite a lot. While WWDC is all about the developers, it's also Apple's way of teasing the features and services you'll see in products coming later this year. You won't see the new iPhone, but you will see what its interface will look like. You may not get the new Mac Pro, but at the very least, Apple will try to make you feel like it hasn't forgotten the creative professionals. And there will be various health, augmented reality and privacy advancements you'll soon get to access.

The twist this year, though, is those new features and services are increasingly coming directly from Apple -- in some ways a source of tension for the company. As iPhone sales slow -- we're all holding onto our phones longer than before -- Apple has been trying to turn itself into a services powerhouse. It has jumped into TV and music streaming, introduced gaming and news subscriptions and even plans to launch its own credit card this summer.

But just because it's doing more on its own doesn't mean Apple doesn't need developers. After all, it's their apps that keep you reaching for your iPhone. And Apple will give them even more ways to improve those apps you use everyday.

"Apple's not going to have a service for everything out there," Creative Strategies analyst Carolina Milanesi said. "At the end of the day, developers drive engagement, drive new use case and drive the link the consumer has with their device."

Apple declined to comment ahead of WWDC.

App battle

This year's WWDC comes at a tense time for Apple's App Store. Earlier this month, the Supreme Court ruled that iPhone owners can sue Apple for allegedly operating a monopoly through its App Store. And there has been an outcry from parental control app makers that Apple unfairly banned their software because their apps compete with Apple's own software. Amazon, Netflix, Spotify and other heavyweights have also criticized Apple's App Store model.

Even the man who used to run third-party app approvals for Apple called on the company to "own up" to irresponsible policies against direct-competitor services, saying "Apple has struggled with using the App Store as a weapon" for years.

Consumers say Apple's tight control over the App Store causes higher prices. Some developers say Apple's policies, like charging a commission for any subscriptions, make it harder for services that compete directly with Apple's own. Apple, for its part, says its App Store policies keep its customers safe and help maintain high standards. It also says it welcomes competition.  

While Apple likely won't completely overhaul the App Store, it's got to find ways to keep its developers -- and in return, you -- happy.

At a time when rival Google is touting its artificial intelligence prowess, Apple's software also needs to be smarter. Apple's Siri Shortcuts feature from last year allows the company's digital assistant to complete complex tasks with a single voice command -- or sometimes without a voice command at all. But Siri still doesn't match up to the assistants from Google and Amazon.

The breadth of apps in the App Store isn't the advantage it used to be.

"I don't know the last time I downloaded a new app from the App Store," Milanesi said. "We're now in a very mature part of the market. Apple can't tell the same story."

Beyond the iPhone

This year, there could be two major announcements by Apple that actually have very little to do with its iPhones: the launch of a Watch App Store and a bigger push with Project Marzipan, the effort to make iPhone and iPad apps run on Macs.

Apple's huge installed base of iPhone users has made developing for the iOS App Store an easy sell. At the end of 2018, there were 1.4 billion Apple devices actively used around the globe, the company said in late January during its quarterly earnings report. More than 900 million of them were iPhones

That same focus hasn't extended to Apple's other products, though. The Mac App Store never really took off, with most software on computers coming through Web browsers. Not all developers have made companion Apple Watch apps, and Apple TV has largely centered around video, not the gaming platform Apple once envisioned. It can even be hard to find apps optimized for Apple's various iPads.

The next version of Apple's WatchOS is expected to make the Apple Watch more "independent." You'll be able to download apps directly from your watch -- even if your phone is nowhere around. Today, Apple Watch apps are companions to the main iPhone app. You currently add them, update them or change their settings through your smartphone, not your watch.

"The watch is an area where Apple has an enormous lead over the competition," Techsponential analyst Avi Greengart said. "But there's still a lot of headroom on the watch."

Mac attention?

The biggest advancements from WWDC could come to Apple's long-neglected Mac computer line.

Apple still generates about 10% to 15% of its quarterly sales from its computer line, but it hasn't given its Macs as much attention in recent years as other its devices like the iPhone and Apple Watch. In October 2016, Apple redesigned the MacBook Pro laptop for the first time in four years, but the "butterfly switch" keyboard it's used in every new laptop since then has been criticized. Last week, Apple said it would replace all defective butterfly switch keyboards for free -- even on the new MacBook Pro models it just unveiled.

Apple's Mac Pro is no longer persona non grata in Europe.

Apple's Mac Pro is long overdue for an update.

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Power users, like graphic designers, also have been waiting for more pro-friendly features for years. The company hasn't made big changes to its high-power Mac Pro since 2013. Notable for its cylindrical design, the Mac Pro is favored by creatives who need a lot of horsepower for professional purposes. Apple said in April 2017 that it's working on a big refresh of the computer, but a year later, it said the device wouldn't hit the market until sometime in 2019.

It's unclear whether Apple will actually launch the Mac Pro at WWDC, but it likely will spend a big chunk of its keynote on its computer line.

At the end of Apple's WWDC presentation last year, the company gave a sneak peak of Project Marzipan, its effort to make it easy to take apps developed for iOS devices to Macs. Its MacOS update released in September included four of Apple's own apps that originated on iOS -- News, Stocks, Voice Memos and Home.

This year at WWDC, Apple is expected to open that capability up to third party developers, as well as port more of its own iOS apps, like Podcasts, to the Mac. Marzipan brings Apple's mobile devices and computers one step closer -- without actually merging them.

Like much of WWDC, it may seem wonky and pretty removed from your actual devices. But listen closely, and you just might see the future of those Apple products you'll one day hold in your hands.

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https://www.cnet.com/news/your-next-iphone-or-mac-wwdc-offers-the-best-tease/

2019-05-30 12:00:11Z
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